scent of magnolia

July 31, 2008 at 5:49 (Art, Writing)

Still Life of Fruit in a Wan Li Bowl, Osias Beert

26,335, Sweet Taboo. And so ends July, with a fine flourish of sunshine and good writing. Steve sent back his comments on Chapters 4, 5, 6, and 7 of Sweet Taboo. He said: “The dialog is spot on, as is the tone, the pace, and the characterization.” And I surprised him with the story twist, and he said I nailed the suspension of disbelief. I was worried about the suspension of disbelief, wasn’t sure it worked, but it does!

He had two quibbles, he said–too long sentences and using the conjunction “and” to knit together clauses–slowing down the pace. Yeah, I’m working on that. I’m starting to wince when I run across so many conjunctive and’s during my re-reads. What I’m trying to do is carry a certain consistency of thought and image throughout a paragraph through subordinate clauses. Must refine my technique. Good to have his discerning eye.

So, onward then. I can feel Sweet Taboo moving forward. The characters are starting to talk when I’m doing other stuff–like driving or in the shower. Even better, they keep talking when I sit down at the desk!

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boogie woogie shake break

July 30, 2008 at 6:49 (Art, Daily life, Writing)

Cinderella and the Glass Slipper, Warwick Noble

26,062, Sweet Taboo. So, yesterday, I’m at the day job standing at the end of my desk, thinking about the next thing I need to do–the floor shimmies, the walls begin to rock, the building shakes, rattles, and rolls. I’m holding on to the edge of my desk, thinking about getting under it. There’s a dozen floors above me so fat lot of good that would’ve done.

Office towers in Los Angeles are on shockwave rollers so we all had a shake break for a bit. I’m sure the window washers could’ve done without the E-ticket ride. The temblor finally stilled, but the building continued to rattle as it settled down. The walls creaked and groaned for quite a few minutes after. There were people walking around outside who didn’t even feel it! 5.4! That so So Cal!

I’m writing a scene between Deidre and her mother Niobe, the opening of Chapter 8. I’m one page in and feeling my way, not sure how this scene will turn out, only knowing that I’m groping toward a good point.

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midnight oil

July 29, 2008 at 10:36 (Writing)

Answering the Emigrant’s Letter, James Collinson

25,866, Sweet Taboo. I thought I was done with Chapter 7 but it grew to 3,363 words last night. A scene I thought I’d use to open Chapter 8 ended up instead at the end of Chapter 7, and it fit perfectly. So there. And to add icing to the muffin, Chapter 8 opened well with a brand new scene. Thank you for the encouragement, Devon. And Chapters 4, 5, 6, and the shorter Chapter 7 went to Steve on Sunday. Things are happening!

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monday again

July 28, 2008 at 5:53 (Writing)

La Pensarosa, John William Godward

24,742, Sweet Taboo. Chapter 7 is finished (for now) at 2,745 words. There’s room for more, but it will come later. For now I’ve got what I want there. Yesterday, after I was done for the day, I took a short walk in the benevolent sunlight of late afternoon. A couple months ago there were two beautiful houses for sale on First Street, one for $1.2 million and one for $1.4 million. They’ve both sold, and another fine old home, a two-story Craftsman, is up for sale now. In the nine years I’ve lived in this neighborhood, this is the first time I’ve seen any of these magnificent old homes for sale.

So now I’m at Chapter 8 of Sweet Taboo and I’ve no idea what to write. Will have to do some thinking and planning.

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egg in basket

July 27, 2008 at 8:42 (Art, Writing)

Interior with Red Fish, Matisse

24,557, Sweet Taboo. Yesterday I wrote 1,689 words on Chapter 7–a most satisfying day. I’d like to finish the chapter today. Slowly I’m circling in on something good, but have only a vague idea of what it might be. Randall and Deidre are doing well so far.

I’ve got to run an errand this morning. Unless I take a walk later, it’ll likely be my only outside time today. It’s sunless, a tad humid, the sky white as a freshly washed tee shirt. Yesterday was hot, sunny, and relentlessly windy. I took Neo to the small park at the bluff and sat in the shade of a tree, but it was so windy, I couldn’t concentrate. Ceaseless wind bothers me. I got a little work done, but finally went back home and was much more productive.

I’m eager to get back to Chapter 7 today, but I’ve no idea where this chapter is going, but so far, I like the path it’s on.

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she couldn’t find sand in a desert

July 25, 2008 at 6:29 (Books, Writing)

Interior with Phonograph, Matisse

Wednesday night I finished reading Plainsong by Kent Haruf. Wonderful book. The writing is strong and beautiful, and the characters touched my heart. There was one scene between two elderly farmer brothers that made me laugh out loud in that abrupt startling way that surprised even me–I scared the cats and probably startled the neighbors. But it was one of those great funny scenes where the humor arose entirely from the nature of the characters.

At last, I’ve dragged myself out of Thursday and into Friday. Saturday is near! This weekend I hope to completely write the new Chapter 7 of Sweet Taboo. And what’s happening with Loose Daddy? Nothing lately. I’m stalled, can’t even think up the next word.

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rescue me

July 24, 2008 at 5:36 (Art, Writing)

An End, Emma Florence Harrison

I tried to seize the day, but it fought back.

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monkey mind

July 22, 2008 at 8:53 (Writing)

Night, Sir Edward Burne-Jones

Every night lately my brain runs wild like a three-year old at the mall. Last night I slept for maybe two hours and forty-five minutes, no more than dozing with dreams really. So I decide fine, I’ll get some work done. Then the brain lies down flat and stiff on the floor and refuses to budge. Oy.

The shiny side of this dilemma is with all the whooping and hollering and knocking things down and keeping me awake that the brain was doing, it solved the problem I was having with Sweet Taboo and gifted me with the middle of the book–the three-year old zoomed up and gave mama a heart-melting grin before resuming chaos. I got the whole story now and I’m going to write it the way it needs to be written.

Right now I’m at the day job and in a few minutes I’m going to stroll to the Starbucks and get a latte, triple espresso, so I can get through today. Good thing Junior knows the way to work.

Seeing as sleep has gone on vacation, looks like I’ll be putting the hollow hours of the night to good use.

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sunlight

July 20, 2008 at 4:55 (Writing)

Hilltop, Maxfield Parrish

4,984, Cloak of Shar. Finished the battle scene yesterday and wrote a new scene as well. Story stuff has been percolating for the past two years. Hope I’m able to find my way through to the rest of the tale. Went with a friend to see The Dark Knight. Heath Ledger’s performance alone is worth the ticket price. Good movie. It’s hot and sunny and lovely outside, but I’m thinking I ought to be writing.

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dream

July 19, 2008 at 5:08 (Daily life, Writing)

Roses Under the Trees, Gustav Klimt

43,871, Loose Daddy

21,948, Sweet Taboo

The repairman didn’t show up until sometime between 3 and 4 so I didn’t make it into the office at all on Thursday. I didn’t mind; I needed a day off from the drive and the office. I worked on Sweet Taboo (but all I did was cut) ’cause Loose Daddy is slow going lately. Every time I set a deadline to finish a piece of writing it does me no good, but after days of nothing, I was finally able to continue the conversation between Tyrell and Lucas Monroe, another page along. However, my two pages a day goal for the month of July met the sun of resistance and turned to ashes. So I’ll have to be content with what I get each morning for the rest of this month.

Got back Steve’s comments on the first 3 chapters of Sweet Taboo, and all’s well pretty much. He only had a few cosmetic changes and he said it was a pleasure to read and that it has great characterization, believable storyline, and good pacing. I so appreciate those words.

Met Janet today for our monthly writer’s lunch. She had a bag of birthday gifts for me. One particular gift was a lovely bookmark–a pink cord with a rose pink square dangling from one end with the word “Dream” in silver and from the other end my initial, a pink and silver “D”. Being a bookmark junkie, I love it, and I laughed and told her “dream” is all I seem to do ’cause actually finishing my novels and getting them out the door seems an impossible task for me. But I’m not quitting. I’m too close.

I pulled out Cloak of Shar last night and gave it a read-through–all 4,400 words. It’s a fantasy story I started in 2006. It read well; I liked the characters, and had written my way through to the start of a war and stopped ’cause I didn’t know what to do after that. So Janet and I talked about it and she gave me some good suggestions to move the story along. I don’t want to stare at LD and ST this afternoon, so I’m going to see if I can plot more of Cloak of Shar. On with the dream.

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