Monthly Archives: January 2007

Rewrites

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There’s a rampant fascination in the writer’s world with how others come to the craft.

Where do they write? How much? When? Do they plot or fly by the seat of their pants? How many books did they write before they sold their first?

It’s a process of validation, I believe. A way to connect with success by examining the habits of others who’ve gone before and gotten THE CALL. (I kid you not, ‘THE CALL’ is always capitalized and every writer in the world knows what it is and waits for it). I’m waiting for mine right now. So are a lot of you.

So back to my subject of rewrites, author Sidney Sheldon has died. He was reported to have written 50 pages a day by dictating to his secretary or tape recorder. No computers or typewriters for him.

Once done his book, he rewrote it. 12-15 times. That’s a lot of times!

Purportedly, author Dean Koontz goes over his manuscripts somewhere in the ballpark of 30 times before submitting. Wow! That’s tenacity.

I’m looking for a little of that this morning as I dig into my own edits. Knowing that Sidney and Dean have done it, I know I can too.

And a little quote from Mr. Sheldon:

“I like to write about women who are talented and capable, but most important, retain their femininity. Women have tremendous power — their femininity, because men can’t do without it,” he has said in the past.

Smart guy!

What about you? What are you looking for in your day?

Time and a Quandary

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In my world, time is a precious commodity. Between homeschooling three children, all their various activities, volunteering for Girl Guides and writing, I’m fairly particular (most days) about what I spend my free time on.

Reading is one of those activities that I denote a fair amount of my free time to. I’m lucky that it falls hand in hand with writing. If it didn’t, I — well…I just don’t want to think about it!

What to do, though, when you get a book that just doesn’t resonate with you?

How long do you give it before you set it down, never to pick it up again?

Or maybe you keep on slogging through and finish it anyway?

In case you haven’t figured it out, this is a precursor to tomorrow’s post on Book Four. The bad news is that I didn’t finish it. The good news is that I get to start a new book today!

My quandary is that it was my intention to post the books I’ve read to my blog this year, thus keeping a system of logging them. However, if I didn’t finish I can hardly give it a score and then there’s the fact that I truly believe in keeping one’s trap shut if you can’t say something nice.

But then, is that a realistic attitude given the publishing industry is full of attitude and reviews? Not likely, but still, I won’t diss anyone’s book. Just like a child, those words belong to someone and they are precious to them.

When my publishing days come, I can only hope my words are treated with the same amount of respect. For the most part.

Ah jeez. You’d think I’d’ve learned from American Title! I’d better start toughening up now, huh? ;)

American Title III – And then there were 4

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Round four voting begins again today at Romantic Times. You’ve got until February 4 to cast your vote for your favorite dialogue scene.

January 2nd the voting guillotine descended yet again and this time contestants Judi Fennell and Kate Carlisle felt the blade. They’ve now joined the rest of us on exile island while Raz Steel (Pass the Kryptonite), Kim Howe (One Shot, Two Kills), Linda Thomas-Sundstrom (Barbie and the Beast), and Jenny Gardiner (Sleeping with Ward Cleaver) are on stage with their best writing word forward for the Dialogue Scene.

And because many of you are curious, here’s what you’d have seen from
Rising Sin…

SET UP – Zach and Taren are shopping to replace her stolen clothes.

“I like this one,” Zach said, holding up a bustier of barely there red lace.

“Hmm,” Taren murmured, trying not to imagine him peeling it from her body. “Sorry, I’m looking for function, not effect.”

“This is functional,” he defended.

Only for staging a seduction. She moved to the pre-packaged underwear with wide elastic waistbands. These were what she needed.

Zach approached with several colorful strings she assumed were panties. She shook her head.

He scowled, plucking her choices from her basket and examining them with open distaste. “You sure know how to ruin a good time.”

“There is no good time,” she said. “Get over it. Besides,” she waved her hand at his strings, “you try wearing butt floss.”

His eyebrow quirked. “I didn’t think you had anything against it,” he said.

“What are you talking about?”

“Last night, on the ladder…” his voice lost its gusto as she pierced him with a suspicious stare.

“No panty lines.”

“I thought I caught you checking out my butt.”

Zach only shrugged, clearly not willing to incriminate himself further.

“For your information, there were no panty lines because there were no panties.”

“No panties?” he asked.

“None.”

“So right now you’re not wearing…?”

“That’s right, soldier.” She moved in close. So close she could feel lust radiating off him in hot, heavy waves. “Commando. Right here, right now.” She tapped her finger on his hard chest.

“As.” Tap.

“We.” Tap.

“Speak.” Tap. Tap.

Zach’s eyes widened and his nostrils flared. Taren winked and spun on her heel, sauntering to the checkout while his burning gaze caressed her behind.

She smiled slyly. Zach Bodine wasn’t the only one who could deliver heat.

Tick Tock Goes The Clock

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I’m having difficulties maintaining my schedule these days. I’ve picked up this bad habit of watching TV and cleaning my house instead of working on my wip in the evenings and I’m not accomplishing as much as I’d like on my page count.

Instead of working, I’ve rearranged my clothes closet, dusted, organized my office, kept the kitchen counter free of clutter and I’ve been watching hockey and American Idol.

At any rate, it’s got to stop. While the clean house is nice, I’ve got a self imposed deadline looming over my head and I’m not helping myself letting the boob tube suck away my life.

Ever have one of those moments where you think “There goes an hour of my life that I’ll never get back?”

For whatever reason, that’s been my last few days.

I know better.

A kick in the pants please?

How to Decide Who To Marry

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HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY? (written by kids)

(1) You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.
–Alan, age 10

(2) No person really decides before they grow up who they’re going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you’re stuck with.
–Kristen, age 10

WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?

(1) Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then.
– Camille, age 10

(2) No age is good to get married at. You got to be a fool to get married.
– Freddie, age 6

HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?

(1) You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.
– Derrick, age 8

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MUM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?

(1) Both don’t want any more kids.
– Lori, age 8

WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?

(1) Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
– Lynnette, age 8

(2) On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that Usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.
– Martin, age 10

WHAT WOULD YOU DO ON A FIRST DATE THAT WAS TURNING SOUR?

(1) I’d run home and play dead. The next day I would call all the newspapers and make sure they wrote about me in all the dead columns.
– Craig, age 9

WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?

(1) When they’re rich.
– Pam, age 7

(2) The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn’t want to mess with that
– – Curt, age 7

(3 ) The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It’s the right thing to do.
– Howard, age 8

IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?

(1 ) I don’t know which is better, but I’ll tell you one thing. I’m never going to have sex with my wife. I don’t want to be all grossed out.
– Theodore, age 8

(2 ) It’s better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.
– Anita, age 9

HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN’T GET MARRIED?

(1 ) There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn’t there?
– Kelvin, age 8

And the #1 Favourite is……..

HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?

(1 ) Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a truck.
– Ricky, age 10