A Second Look at a Secret Universe

Yesterday, I finally finished work on the endless second draft of middle grade manuscript that has been three years in the making. The first draft was completed over two years ago, and then it sat on my desk collecting dust. Late last spring, I picked it up and decided to give it a read. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed what was there, but also realized it needed a lot of work. Feeling motivated, I dove in.

Besides the basic storyline and characters, this was nearly a complete rewrite. While the skeleton stayed intact, the other layers were reconstructed to give the story more depth, more heart, and more adventure. The resulting tally:

180 pages added (40 original pages deleted), bringing it 345 pages.

3 minor characters added

2 major storylines dropped

4 major storylines added

The next step is to read through the new manuscript and see how it feels. But I'm keeping positive. There is a lot of imagination, and a lot of work, put into this story. It involves fairy tales, secret universes, Pandora's box, giant spiders, ghouls, a slave rebellion, ancient curses, first love, two-headed Sirens, pesky little siblings, and one kick-ass twelve year old girl named Sylvie who is destined to save the world. What more could you ask for?

Manifest Destiny

At the start of writing every novel, or at least, near the start, once the characters take shape and begin to walk and talk on their own, there are certain scenes that play out inside the imagination. Some of these scenes are not to happen for a hundred or a hundred and fifty pages, yet they continue to haunt the process. 

I think one of the hardest aspects about writing a novel is managing these scenes. Rushing to get to them is so tempting and if one gives in to the temptation, the pace and development of the story suffer. Having finally reached one of these scenes in the manuscript I'm working on, I can tell you that waiting is worth it. The sense of achievement that comes with getting there at the right time can make the entire process successful. Stories need to be natural, never forced.

Learning Not Use the Force

Earlier this week, I spent a whole day working on little over a page in my manuscript. I had finished a brief scene and was transitioning into a complimentary scene that was supposed to close out the chapter and lead to the next. On paper, it looked good. Should've flowed seamlessly. But when I put it into action, everything came to a grinding halt.

As I was writing, I kept struggling with the idea that the characters wouldn't be saying these things after what had just happened. They wouldn't be talking about this stuff, no mater how badly I wanted them to. 

When I sat down to work yesterday, I approached the manuscript with a new attitude. I wasn't going to force this transition. I took the scene I'd struggled on and moved it down several pages and out of the way so I could get to work on what really happens next. I'm happy to say, it didn't take long for the characters to find the right scene. Sometimes the author just needs to step out of the way.

I Like You, You Like Me

Lately I've been seeing a lot of book reviews that state the reader didn't like a certain title because he or she "didn't really like" a character. I wonder when it happened that we started to think we're supposed to like every main character or that every one of their actions is supposed to make us happy? Isn't an intriguing character supposed to challenge the reader...just as a book is supposed to (though that seems slightly out of favor as well).

Personally, I blame Harry Potter and other mega hits of our time for having an all too clearly defined sense of right and wrong, good and evil. In my experience the differences are often more blurred and characters, like people, are far more dynamic. 

If you're interested in hearing me discuss this and other such literary fluff, you'll have the chance tonight...provided you're in the L.A. area. 

TONIGHT ONLY: I'll be reading & signing @ Miss Nelson's Toy & Book Shop

1030 Bonita Ave.

LaVerne, CA 91750

Barking at the Moon

Since when did reading become something that was supposed to be easy and uncomplicated? Sure there's a place for so-called 'light' reading. That place is mostly in magazines, online, and even some books. But not everything is supposed to be a quick entertainment. 

While the reviews of Life is But a Dream are overwhelmingly positive, I once again see myself pitted against the insatiable appetite for an action-filled plot that is easily digestible. The handful of readers who haven't liked the book seem to keep mentioning the 'slow pace' of which I expected. I've dealt with that one my entire career. I don't write books that ooze plot and I don't apologize for that. My books are about character and perception and language. Plot is secondary, just as plot is secondary to our thoughts in real life. 

The one unexpected criticism that I've seen is that some readers have been turned off by the fact that the book forces you to actually think. They falsely confuse that aspect of the book with it somehow being confusing. I wonder how they would do with Gravity's Rainbow or Ulysses? Just because you have to pay attention, doesn't mean something is confusing. However, I guess this shouldn't have been so unexpected. But it saddens me that some people aren't willing to concentrate when they read. (And then have the nerve to publish a book blog!). 

The truth is, some of us don't aim to write fiction, we strive to create literature. There's a difference. Not everything in this world is meant to be pure spectacle and entertainment. And when you pick up a book about a severe mental illness, can you really expect the story not to challenge you? If I didn't, would I really be doing my job?

This isn't a rant on negative opinions. I've said many times before that I actually enjoy a well-written critique of my writing. This is more of a sad observation on the state of reading and those who profess to cherish the activity, yet don't want to do the heavy lifting. 

Smurf Hunt

In the wilds beyond Smurf Village lives a creature terrifying to those forest dwellers that stand three apples high. Its predawn cry rattles the trees and frightens smurflings far and wide. One of Gargamel's most grotesque creations....the dreaded Pumpkin Headed Smurf.

When the winter snow is fresh and the sky is grey, he stomps and growls. He roars and howls. He creeps closer and closer with a hunger that cannot be met.

But there is one brave warrior smurfy enough to confront this menace of the forest. Setting off from his camp, he matches the beast's calls with fearsome cries of his own. Their paths rearrange on a collision course from which only one smurf could ever survive.

 

Round the winding trails in the forest, the two come face-to-face. One raises his arms. The other levels his weapon....

The Swear Reflex

As anyone who has read my novels could have guessed, I'm a bit of swearer. But I'm not one of those crude people who use swear words in a casual manner. I'm from the old school and swear particularly for emphasis. A writer never likes to waste words.

This past weekend, I had a moment of proper use for an expletive. I was slicing up a particularly difficult tomato for lunch when the extremely sharp knife slipped, stabbing me in the palm between my thumb and forefinger. It went deep, hitting a nerve that left my finger numb and tingly for nearly ten minutes. At the moment of impact, in my howl of pain, I let loose a drawn out, full volume, well articulated F*#K that sent the cats scrambling for cover.

Once everything was tended to and the feeling returned to my finger, I laughed at how my reaction in such situations is to swear. It's the same for many people. I started thinking how strange it is that a release of obscenity is the body's reaction to pain, and even stranger, how it helps to ease it. Another testament to the power of words...and the dangers of sharp knives.

The Joke Goes On...And On...And On

I'm one of those people who is continuously cracking myself up simply by thinking about things that have made me laugh before. Homer Simpson quotes are pretty notorious for that. Once I get started playing his antics in my head, I can sit and laugh for a good ten minutes. Because the thing is, in my opinion a good joke gets funnier with repetition.

When used properly, repetition is a good tool for creating many different effects. In a good horror story, it can be used to create suspense and ultimately surprise. Repetition of actions or dialogue between characters can strengthen the bond in their relationship. And repetition in the sense of a running joke can create some great comedy. Think of Michael Scott's hatred of Toby on The Office or the broken step in Modern Family, or every character except George Michael's reaction to Ann on Arrested Development. It's the same joke over and over, but somehow it's funnier each time.

So let me repeat, when used properly, repetition is a good. (Don't look for me to repeat this post tomorrow.)

Story Hunting in Spring

This week I finished a manuscript that I've essentially been working on since November. It was something that I needed to get out of my system and now that it's out, I'm setting forth to write a book that in many ways is a story I've always wanted to tell but never knew the starting place until recently.

I found the beginning within a setting that came from three very different inspirations. Over the past year or so, I've been writing about the places under the bed or in the back of the closet, places of nightmares both great and small. The other day in those murky realms, I uncovered perhaps the best story of them all. Combined with parts of old story I've never been able tell, the idea came to me nearly fully-formed the other day.

The hunt has successfully yielded a target.

The Demon & The Muse

Some stories are born from the inspiration that can come only from a muse--others from the demons that stalk the imagination. It all depends on which is crying louder at the time.

There are storytellers that latch onto one or the other, spending an entire career praising some idealistic creature that has crossed their path, infusing all their prose with the beauty of a single face. Some chose to side exclusively with their demon, allowing themselves to be dragged down for the sake of that truly magical story that needs the darkness in order to see it through.

Sometimes, I'm not so sure they aren't one in the same.

Nobody Ever Matches the Weather

The weather affects my writing. It's another hazard of the job.

Summer snuck up on me this morning. I wasn't prepared. My story is all wrong for this climate. It's a winter tale that needs told with crispness.

The sweltering days of summer are a time for swollen lazy stories. There's no possibility of telling anything at a fast pace. It's time I catch up with the seasons. I'll head the warning of these freakishly warm April days and finish up my tale before the first mowing of the lawn.

Gold Star for Robot Boy

At some point, I think most writers believe they don't get the recognition they deserve. Perhaps this is an ego thing, or perhaps it's simply the savage truth.

Sadly, almost no writer actually receives the recognition he or she deserves. The same is true for most musicians today. Many of the great songwriters of our generation continue to go unheard. Too many great books are going unread, too.

As a society, we need to start reading better literature. I can only imagine how much more interesting the world would be if people starting paying as much attention to art as they pay to technology and useless distractions.

A gold star for all of you who already are...keep the good fight going.