Oh yes yes yes!
I got a bag full o'books from Minotaur recently and tucked in to the bundle was Louise Penny's A Better Man.
I'm slumped on the couch, reading.
I realized just this minute (12:22pm) that this book is NOT yet published. Expect it to be the prize in the next writing contest. Honestly I'm Wile E Coyote and Steve Forti is the Roadrunner.
What are you doing this lovely Sunday afternoon?
And if you have any insight in to where July has gone, let me know.
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I'm in my basement office with the spiders, trying to gain traction on a new novel. Tough, because I'm waiting on agent feedback from an R&R. Day 42, but who's counting?
I'm still recovering from an intense writing workshop. It was awesome, but took more out of me than I realized.
I plan on brainstorming some story ideas/plot turns with a friend later on.
What are you doing this lovely Sunday afternoon?
Going to a birthday party for my 2 year old grandson. I spent the morning wrapping presents and making mac and cheese for 30 people. (My mac and cheese is famous) Whew...its blazing hot outside.
Updated my poor forgotten blog and all I want to do sit in the air conditioning and write.
Instead I'll chase little ones in the heat, laugh, eat and relish the time with family. It's all about family you know. I'm lucky to have them near. Lucky to have there love. Lucky to be alive on this "lovely Sunday afternoon." Writing will just have to wait.
Revising and wondering why I have an entire tote of safety equipment. I'm halfheartedly organizing the laundry room. Drinking lots of lemonade. Not eating lots of cantaloupe that looked good, but isn't.
Maybe I'll buy pretzels tomorrow and make a strawberry pretzel salad.
But for now, revising.
I did my yoga this morning, spent part of the day reading John Grisham's Sycamore Row which, of course, is great, it's Grisham after all. And now I'm getting ready to go have a glass of wine with hubby at Paris-Plages. Thank God the heatwave here is over for now. A few days ago it was 42°C (108°F) today it's a lovely 23°C (73°F).
For some reason I read Lousy Penny when I first saw your post. My brain must've overheated the other day more than I realized.
About to play an extensive board game called Caverna. Geek-out Sunday.
Kristin, I like how you call them, "the" spiders. Not just "spiders" or "some spiders." It's like they are known characters in your household.
Sitting at the porch table writing with two cats. Then lunch, then napping.
I'll try for a Louise Penny! Or put a reserve in it at our local library as soon as it comes out.
Louise was in my home town (Sandwich, MA) on her last book tour. My sister went. I had a ticket but couldn't make it so gave my ticket away and watched the video.
Louise was a favorite of my mom's. I won one of the Three Pines maps and had it mounted for her
.
Mom always said she wanted to live in Three Pines. I pointed out that our town has a lovely center with historic buildings, a fantastic library and a pond, Beth's Bakery, a great indie book shop, a few B and B's, and a fantastic cafe run by a gay couple. It is Three Pines.
Bonus point, it's by the ocean.
Happy Sunday!
I'm recovering from the shock of no rain yesterday. First dry day in over a month. That let me see how much attention the orchids need, some are drowning because their bark has broken down.
Started tossing my opinion back on Query Tracker's forum.
Popped open Tiamat's Wrath.
Tossed around the refocused query, will post it sometime next week.
Our contractor is going to try to get our new entry way in, again, tomorrow. The last one was an inch too tall for the hole in the concrete. Hope they got it right this time.
I'm reading book 5 in the Shetland Series by Anne Cleeves, Dead Water: A Shetland Mystery. It's an excellent series and while I really enjoy the TV series based on these books, there's nothing like the depth you get when you read.
Kristin and Lennon have you seen the meme with the spider that says: What if the spider you killed in your home had spent his whole life thinking that you were his roommate? Did you ever think of that? No. You only think of yourself.
The spider is adorable and it makes me smile, but who really knows? I relocate them outside. It makes a difference to him, I'm sure. ;)
Six months ago, my youngest [Janet] moved out. She was 19yo, typical college student, works at Disneyland, somewhat heavy, otherwise normal.
Last Friday, after a particularly nasty experience with one of her roommates, she moved back home. She's still a great "kid". She's now 20yo, lost about 100 pounds and looks great, pink hair and a nose ring.
My two boys who are still home don't know about the nose ring because she folds it up into her nose when she's home. They LOVE her hair. My husband, on the other hand, appears to have permanently-raised eyebrows.
Janet says I'm "chill" because I don't care what she looks like. As long as she's safe and happy, treats us like a normal roommate, and respects that it's MY house [which so far she's doing], she can live her life.
We're all adjusting to the new normal.
Happy Sunday!
Getting ready to meet Mom for lunch, a halfway town between where she lives and where I live. When I was at her place on Friday, I forgot to bring home some eggs my sister gave to her. Mom says she doesn't need 6 dozen eggs taking up space in her refrigerator!
Then this afternoon and evening, I hope to get back to studying "The Keeper of Lost Things" by Ruth Hogan, which I thoroughly enjoyed and analyzing my story's beginning.
Happy Sunday, Reiders!
Not working for once!!!!! (One of my coworkers had surgery last month and I'm covering both positions until she returns).
Took the pups for a walk this morning. Watching NASCAR with Hubby this afternoon while I catch up on writing, laundry, and housework.
Daughter and I had a Girls' Day out yesterday where I had my curly Rapunzel locks chopped off in favor of a sleek, short bob. She and I then proceeded to relieve DSW, Ross, and Sephora of some of their inventory. Topped off with dinner at a restaurant that belongs to people we must be related to as they have my mom's shrimp gumbo recipe down.
Happy Sunday, y'all!
Dena - my daughter has blue hair and tattoos. Also a great daughter.
I am sitting here wondering. And I'd love to know the answer to my brand new writer-problem:
I've had one-and-a-half lovely ladies here from the Reef read and comment on my book that I recently published. (I'm saying ONE-AND-A-HALF because one hasn't actually finished it ;). ).
The 'whole' lady gave me a fantastic review and then told me I had VOICE. That is SO cool and I am THRILLED about this. REALLY!
But then, last night, it occurred to me - the new problem:
If I have voice, does that mean this 'sticks' to the main character in my book? (Her name is Finja.)
Does this now mean that everything else I write should be told my Finja, because she told this story that had voice? She has a certain way of telling her story, I suppose, so can I not tell a story through a different character using MY way of writing (cause I doubt I can write in a different way!).
I have started to write my second novel, and Finja is in it again. But she's only ONE of the main characters. I've planned on (and already done so), writing this new WIP from different points of view (4 - ouch! but they're very distinguishable - not just 4 women; and one isn't even alive any more).
So I have a few chapters from Finja's POV now and then I'm now writing the second from Nick's (who's the nasty boy) POV. If I've got voice, doesn't that mean it applies to all the characters? I wonder if it'll not work and sound weird if Nick has the same kind of way of talking/voice as the female main character does?
Do I have a problem? Do I have to make sure they have different voices, and if so, HOW do I do this?
Maybe I completely misunderstand what voice is :(.
Hi Katja:
You might have misunderstood. There are two meanings for voice in fiction - one is the voice of the character; their word choices and the way they say things. I think that's the way you have interpreted it. Yes, the voice that goes with Finja may be wonderful but it shouldn't be the voice of every other character you write. (And no, you don't have to keep writing Finja books just because Finja has voice. If you have the skill to give Finja a recognizable voice, you can be confident that you have the skill to give some other character a voice.)
However, the second meaning is the same as what we also call the author's style. It's like handwriting - people who have seen your handwriting before will recognize your handwriting. You have a recognizable voice (or writing style) and your writing is recognizably yours. I think this is a good thing - it shows your confidence and ability in writing. You don't have to worry about re-creating your voice because it comes out of you naturally just the way your handwriting is yours.
Had the puppy at the dog park for a romp with her friend, and now she's snoozing next to me on the couch. I'm opening and looking at the WIPs that I'd like to be working on, condiering the things I need to do with each of them (it should be Run With the Hunted 2 that I work on right now, but I also have a short story I want to finish for Lackington's looming "Birds" submission call).
Im edting.
Nope. I'm editing.
(Were that it was all so easy!)
Hi Adele,
Thank you SO SO much! I REALLY appreciate what you said! <3
I will try and 'relax' about this problem for the moment and just keep writing, but will make sure that Nick uses enough other words/expressions/etc. than Finja. Nick likes to pull girls. Finja is one of them and is hopelessly, emotionally powerless to stop it happening.
It's not so easy to show how a guy thinks and behaves by himself when I'm a female writer ;), but I have a local writers' group who once told me it would work (I'm not 100% convinced cause people don't want to hurt by critiquing... as we all know).
But, anyway, I'll try and it's a good challenge and even fun. Thank you again, Adele!!
Today I'm caring for my puppies (one of whom has been put on strict crate rest) and I'm working on some items for GISH
*GISH (formerly GISHWEHS) is an international scavenger hunt that is hosted by Misha Collins (best known for his work on Supernatural). People participate as members of a team and well...let's just say it's a whole bunch of memorable silliness and good deeds.
Examples of this year's items include things like making and wearing lego shoes, playing a recorder version of Carry On Wayward Son at sunset at certain designated famous locations (such as Niagra Falls, the Statue of Liberty, the Taj Mahal etc.), upcycling and donating 7 items to people in need, and finding a small-town library and checking out a book that hasn't been checked out in twenty years.
Kari — Belated congratulations!!! I look forward to adding your book to my shopping cart :)
Did some more recording for the album of children's songs the wife and I are working on. She's singing, I'm composing and producing. Which is a much better arrangement, than if it were the other way around!
Other than that, I'm just getting set up for my Sunday gig, yet again. Gotta make money somehow! Hope everyone is having a fantastic day...
Yesterday I had a new roof put on my house. Today, I have spent some time admiring it between running my weekend errands. For R&R, I just started A Long Way Down, by Randall Silvis.
As for writing, I realized I don't know what any of the furniture in my main character's living room looks like. And while the answer isn't and won't be earth-shattering, it's a reminder that scene and setting are my weaknesses. Time to go pretend shopping for some ideas!!
Celebrating hubby's 60th birthday with a museum visit and probably German food. He's not crazy for cake, so made him a millionaire pie.
I always liked Roadrunner. Though I may have identified more with Woody Woodpecker.
If you want a free victory, I'm out of town next weekend and unable to thwart :p
As for today, just got back from the beach with the kids. Exhausted and sandy everywhere. Reading-wise, just finished "Six Wakes" by Mur Lafferty. Easy fun read with a cool concept. Similar in feel to stuff I've been working on lately. Can imagine it as a movie, for sure. Give it a look.
As usual, my weekends are spent caring for the 3-y-o granddaughter, from 8 a.m. 'til Dad gets home at 7:30 p.m.
I spent the day floating in the lake and lying in the hammock. It was pretty ideal but not as relaxing as it could have been since my four year old kept jumping on me. I meant to puzzle out some plot problems and start reading “The Hum and the Shiver” but I was too distracted.
Spent the day celebrating my dad's 98th birthday and my nephew's 21st. Mom, 92, was there, as were my husband, my sister and her ex, who's so close to us that I still call him my brother-in-law. Family is, indeed, everything, and thank God my parents have lived long enough for me to be able to understand and appreciate that.
Indeed a lovely summer day here. Just arrived home from a 5th birthday party of my granddaughter. (3hr drive each way) Neglected everything else, even the ripening tomatoes!
Oh, and July? It leapt out of the gate before it was locked and galloped halfway to the finish line before I even had the chance to pull out my binoculars.
I'm putting my money on August.
I was on Mummy duty, being the only fully well person in the household. I did get some writing done, but it was when everyone else was asleep.
Amazing, this is a great article! I did enjoyed reading it, keep your post .
“And if you have any insight in to where July has gone, let me know.”
Remember Shrinky Dinks? The ridiculous heat shriveled up July like an enormous Shrinky Dink.
Sunday went too fast. Pirating on the open seas will take it out of you. Let me tell you what. Now it's Monday again. And it's a different sort of pirating. Hi Reef.
Steve, I liked Six Wakes too! It really stayed with me.
I was relieved when a relative convinced me, with relentless logic, that it wouldn't really be possible to "upload your mind" to a computer and then "download" the same mind into a new body.
Don't worry, folks, that's not even a spoiler for Six Wakes. It's just the premise.
I spent Saturday night in a pitch of excitement as I hit my querying goal and started to plan What Comes Next. (Which will be probably be querying WIP #2.)
I spent Sunday slumped over in the physical emotional letdown from same.
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