Monthly Archives: February 2005

It's Not Going to Work

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Okay, I’ve twisted this thing around a number of different ways and I can’t get the prologue/epilogue to fit around A Difficult Dinner. It’s an idea I liked, but it was an after thought and was never really integral to the story. I’m going to drop the idea and call it done.

I’m going to put this thing to bed for six weeks. That’ll give me some distance from it and allow me to get a good start on Sitting Duct. I know that when I pull it out to do the editing that I’m going to have quite a job on my hands. I don’t exactly write finished copy. But the idea is for me to just keep plowing forward to get the story down. I’ve had far to many 30-page false starts because of going back and editing while I write. The outline really helps to keep me on track.

A Difficult Dinner, first draft done. Sitting Duct, starting tomorrow with a thousand words a day. Tonights writing, probably 1,500-2,000 words that I didn’t keep.

Not Quite Done

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Is it done? Yes and no. I finished the story this weekend. It’s all finished at 118,981 words. But after giving some more thought to the whole idea of adding a prologue and an epilogue, I’ve decided that such an endeavor would be a good addition to the story. I’m going to do both from the point of view of Matthias, my main vampire character. I’ll whip those up tomorrow night. They should add another 1,000-2,000 words to the story.

Also, I’ve got a couple things I want to add to Chapter 13 and take out of Chapter 28 before I put it away for it’s six-week nap.

Weekend writing, 4,676 words.

I Have Snuck Away from the Party Preparations

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Managed to get new 1,052 words last night done on the manuscript. That brings the total up to 114,305. I’m going to really go at it tonight after Karin’s birthday party and again tomorrow morning. I still think it’ll be done this weekend.

Also, I recieved a nice note from Holly Lisle today in my email. Thanks Holly. But she pointed out that my comments aren’t working. I checked and it seems that the preview works, but the actual post doesn’t. I looked at it, but I didn’t see an obvious problem and right now I don’t have time to look at it. I’ll get that fixed as soon as I can (Probably at work on Monday). So in the meantime if you want to leave a comment you’ll have to do it in the guestbook or send me an email.

I finished listening to Donald E. Westlake’s Road to Ruin on CD. I have mixed feelings about this one. Parts I liked. Parts I didn’t. Overall I felt like it would have made a good movie. I think I’d listen to another one of his books. Now I’ve moved on to Birthright by Nora Roberts, this one seems like its really out of my usual reading spectrum. I wish they made more fantasy audio books. Oh well, I’ve got to go to the store and buy paper plates. Later.

Nagging Story Issues

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Wham! 422 words and then full stop. Chapter thirteen is bugging me. This would not be a big deal if it weren’t for the fact that I’m on chapter twenty-eight. But thirteen is an important one and it ties almost directly to twenty-eight. So last night was full of maps and images, figuring out how to rewrite the scene on the boat so that I can do all the exposition I want to do and make the fight/escape as logical and plausable as I can. And fretting about chapter thirteen.

I’m not worried that it won’t get done. I’m just worried that I’ve not given enough to the reader back in the middle. I’ve asked Doug to take a look at it. He’s familiar with the story idea and maybe he can point out the part that’s bothering me. Because I don’t seem to be able to see it.

Total word count stands at 113,253.

My Guitar is Her Guitar Now

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So I came in last night as Tasha and Karin were getting home and Tasha tells me they’ve been out looking at guitars and such because Karin wants to learn to play. There was a moment of hesitation (I’ve seen what the kids have done to the computers I’ve given them) before I offered up my unused, but very nice Charvel and Crate amp.

See, when my first wife and I were dating, back when I was young and full of everything (1989ish) I used to write song lyrics. I also dreamed of putting those lyrics to music. In order to further my ambition, the ex bought me a guitar to learn to play. It was a nice, red Charvel electric. I think it was around $400 which seemed like a lot to spend for something I didn’t know how to play. I learned a few cords, but never got good enough to play even a single song and it went into the closet.

I’ve held onto that guitar for years. Always telling myself that I’ll take the time to learn to play it. I never have, and probably never will. So I was hesitant to give it up. It’s mine and leave my stuff alone.

But that’s selfish. If the girl wants to learn, more power too her.

I resisted the urge to attach all sorts of conditions to letting her use the guitar. Don’t draw on it. Don’t wreck it. Treat it nicely. But in the end I said nothing and just gave it to her. Letting go is hard sometimes. It’s hers now, I know that. I knew that when I gave it to her.

I have suspicions about what will happen to it, but I hope for the best. Besides, when I opened the case it was pretty obvious that oner or more of the little devils had been playing with it already. A broken string, a missing volume knob, and a big chip out of the neck. That all made it a little easier to give up.

So happy birthday Karin. I’ve given her my guitar, amp, and the how-to-play books. I hope she has better luck than I did. She seemed to be very happy about the whole thing. Sometimes being a dad is great.