Monday, May 29, 2006

Report! Report in, I say!

OK.

DX is done. The cover letter is done. The file is burned to a CD. Everything is in packaging. cc letter to my agent, done. It goes into the overnight mail system tomorrow.

Yesterday I finished the book I was reading and started a new one. The new one wasn't the book I thought. It's only OK. I tossed the previous one -- not worth the time.

Now, to work on The Rake. This is my vow.

I will wrestle this puppy to the ground if it kills me.

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Sunday, May 28, 2006

Will I never learn?

No, I haven't done any writing work. I started reading another book book by an author I've enjoyed in the past. This book strikes me as thin and and repetitive, as in a character will think something like, hey, I'm tired. And then immediately say "Hey, I'm tired." Basically there's a real lack of depth to the characters. The book is that weird double-spacing which makes me think she turned in a short book... Anyway, I think I'm not going to finish it. I love my local independent book store, but their romance section is miniscule and full of Nora Roberts and Danielle Steele. In other words, the typical boring selection of a store that just isn't romance friendly. So, I plunked my son in the car and we drove 30 miles to the nearest Waldenbooks which DOES get romance and, here's the learning part, I immediately found precisely the book I was lusting after. But right in front of me were all these other books and a buy 4 get the 5th free deal, and I have been in the mood for Romantic Suspense lately, so, well, my one book cost me $60.00. But I'm going to go read my book. Yipee!

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Saturday, May 27, 2006

The stuff you find....

Last week when I was cleaning out my room, I found $20.00. This week I found an unopened judging packet. I was totally confused to find it. WTF? I had completely forgotten that I entered a very early version of The Rake in a contest that allows published authors to enter. A very long time time ago. (Yeah, so, I SAID I lack the tidy gene.) So, I opened it. Out of 150 possible points, I got 143, 142 and 122. And the 122 was the most complimentary, go figure. I don't know what to make of that. That's the version Kate didn't like oh so long ago. I think. I can't remember. I glanced at the pages, and yeah, that version was pretty damn good, heck that one's even finished. But that was also back when I had an agent who wasn't for me and/or when I didn't have one at all. I'm now thinking it should have been shopped elsewhere.

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Avoidance Behavior Sort Of

So, I've been "working" on The Rake. In between organizing my room. Last weekend, you may recall, I was putting books into crates (with lids). Today I went and got more crates. The closet has been cleaned and there are filled crates in it. More filled crates are stacked elsewhere. I have room I didn't have before. I found my comfy slippers and more books and a change purse full of change. Note to self: No more cardboard boxes for anything. Plastic crates with lids. That's it. I was strong and threw away many things. More are slated to go.

I also drafted the enclosure letter for DX and fixed up the synopsis. I'll burn a CD in the next couple of days and mail it Tuesday. In those moments of working on The Rake, I decided what book it will be. So now I feel better about it. The thing has more direction now. I swear, this has been the book from hell.

Back to work.

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Friday, May 26, 2006

Sigh

Apparently, giving vent to one's neuroses does not make them go away. They just get worse.

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Arghh!

Ok, so the minute I hit publish post I started thinking, what happens if I send this to Chris, and he says, Carolyn, I can't publish this crap. And I say, OK, I'll fix it, but he says, no this can't be fixed. I'm really sorry.

Alternate nightmare: CK reluctantly includes DX, but I'm the weak link (again).

I think I'm getting hives.

I could just keep editing forever.

Damn deadlines. It has to go in the mail.

I mean, really, what if?

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The Home Stretch hurts

I think I'm done with DX. It's quite possible that if I work on it any more, I'll make it worse instead of better. So, tomorrow, I'll work on finishing The Rake, so the revised proposal gets out. And then, if I have to wait anymore, it's time to take matters into my own hands, careerwise. My brain is fried. I can't think straight. Whatever.

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Thursday, May 25, 2006

Ask not for whom the deadline tolls, it tolls for, well, me.

Yes, this is pretty much it. DX has to be in NY on June 1, and I may have to mail it this weekend. I'm not quite sure how I'll get it overnighted. The new job is not exactly convenient for errand-running. Whatever. I'll figure it out.

It occurs to me, after an inquiry, that I may never have mentioned what DX stands for. I try not to use acronyms when referring to my titles, because when I read my own blog (error checking and all that), I scratch my head and wonder what the darn initials stand for. But in this case, the actual title of my contribution to the Crimson City Anthology Shards of Crimson (that's the title I heard) is, in fact, DX. DX stands for-- hmm, should I say here, gee, you'll have to buy the book to find out? No, because the title is likely to be changed, and then you-all will never know. DX stands for Demon of Unknown Origin. Get it? D (for demon) X (for unknown). Yeah, well, that's why it'll probably be changed. But right now, the title-in-fact of the story is DX.

That's it. Still decaf, still tired. Still have my new job. So far.

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Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Argh!

Deadlines. Geez. I've been working away on DX. I meet with my prof about it tomorrow, but I'm now two versions away from what I gave her. I think it's coming together, although I guess it doesn't matter. Basically, it has to be done this weekend since it has to be in NY June 1. That means I have to get someplace to overnight it on the 29th or 30th. Yikes. Anyway, general stress, etc. I have little of interest to say, except that this morning at the gym (sniff... no gym elf at 5am...) I notebooked Shift, and I was surprised that's the one I wanted to work on. After the big mailing date, I finish up The Rake, then start on Shift, I guess. Right after I email my agent for an update about where my proposals are...

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Sunday, May 21, 2006

Now Here's a Tidy Find!

I guess sometimes it pays to tidy up. I am working against genetics and socialization here. I lack the tidy gene and that, combined with my tendency to note that the mess isn't going anywhere, so why not take care of it later? is a recipe for - increasing mess, kind of like the Blanc Mange from the old Monty Python routine.

And yet, working against nearly impossible odds, I toiled away and came out a richer woman for it because:

1) I found $20 I'd tucked away in my RWA badge thingee from Reno. Yes, I overcame the packrat gene and threw it away, once I took out the money.

2) I found a Brockmann book I haven't read yet! Oh joy!!

My room is by no means tidy yet. I need more crates, but there is hope. Also, I ended up tossing the disappointment book without finishing it. It just wasn't doing it for me. I've really enjoyed other books by this author. Oh well.

In writing news, um, I didn't do any today. I did get DX into the hands of another reader, so that counts, right? I intend to go soak my feet, finish laundry and read Brockmann.

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working - sort of again

Today I slept late because I was up late reading a book that's turned out to be kind of disappointing. Then I decided I've had it with the avalanche of books in my room and I went out and got stuff to organize them. omg. I'm exhausted now and I didn't get enough stuff to organize myself. I filled 2 very large crates with stuff I've read and a smaller one for the TBR. I did get all the books out from under the bed, though. I need more crates for the closet.

It's raining now. Yuck.

I'm going to work on DX, I guess.

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Saturday, May 20, 2006

Gasping...

Worked madly on DX today. I was over target but got down to slightly over target by going through and eliminating what Elmore Leondard calls Hooptedoodle. As always, I'm floored by the difference this makes. Writing is far stronger and more evocative when you keep only the good words. Everything packs more punch when you eliminate the unnecessary: that very much maybe seemed could almost nearly about *ly pretty. It's amazing. People, adverbs and adjectives are bad. Delete them. Delete the noise words and only leave the ones that really truly have to be there. (Unlike in this post, I might add.)

Since I'm punchy, I'll rant a bit and thumb my blogger nose at writers who refuse to do this. Yes, they are out there. I have been around enough writers (all of them wannabes) who refuse even though they shouldn't. Their prose is golden, every overloaded bloated sentence. But you are not like that, right? What have you got to lose by not trying this? I know! A contract!

Ok, to bed.

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Friday, May 19, 2006

Surfacing

It's been an interesting week. I'm still Carolyn, the decaf version. I enjoyed my last two jobless days and started the new job Wednesday. Stress of course. I've been working madly on DX. Got some feedback, it's going out for more, and I've started having it read to me. Fabulous way to catch typos and other awkwardness.

I have declared a Winner in the Name That Hero Contest.Her fabulous prizes will be mailed ASAP. I've posted the winning name along with a list of the names submitted.

Back under.

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Sunday, May 14, 2006

More notes

Still thinking of Kuno Becker. Still avoiding work. Some photos I've taken. The roses are starting to bloom. Today was way too hot, but it cooled down about 6pm or so and was spectacular.

I'll do some work, I swear.

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Inspiration

This afternoon I took my son to see Goal! Was it a good movie? Who cares? Could Kuno Becker be any cuter? Really, not just cute, the man burns up the screen. OK, yes, it was a good movie, too. I love movies about sports successes overcoming odds etc. But Kuno Becker? Move over Brad Pitt, you're toast (but cute toast). May Kuno be in many many more movies soon. Please.

Favorite line in the movie: When Santiago (Kuno) wants to know if he needs ID to go pub hopping in Newcastle: "How old do you have to be to drink here?" Puzzled English footballer: "Eleven." That had my son (he's 10) laughing outloud.

Also, Kuno is pretty much what I was imagining my DX hero would look like.

I've been working on The Rake. It's going OK.

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I worked, and web site rant

So, yesterday I finally ponied up to the computer and worked on The Rake. It went well. I'm just realizing that I will have to throw out almost everything and start over. Sigh.

If you're an author, there's one thing you MUST NOT DO with your website:

Do NOT use Word to generate your webpages.

Please. No. If you are doing this, you are clueless. I'm begging you, pay someone else to do your site. This is worse than a bad website. It's even worse than using Front Page, which you should also not do. Contact me. I will put you in touch with someone who will give you a real website. Borders with thick ridges? I'm in pain. Physical pain. Make it stop.

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Saturday, May 13, 2006

Say, what's that?

Anything to keep me from looking at the Rake. Major Avoidance Behavior today. Took a long nap, played with the puppy, read the paper, including the car section, listlessly went through the TBR pile, wondering why on earth I don't have any Romantic Suspense. I'm in the mood and I couldn't find one. How did that happen? The sheep now have their summer dos and look much smaller and kind of wimpy. Caught up on email. Still on Carolyn, the Decaf version.

I went to this awesome nursery in Sebastopol Vintage Gardens apparently world-famous among rose afficionados. My sister had a $40 gift certificate but they're not open on the days she has off from work. My assignment: to buy fragrant roses. Roses that have no scent are the tragedy of modern horticulture, so I was brave and off I went (yes, I got lost). It was nerve wracking, as my garden-ineptitude is well known among friends and family. I told the lady what I wanted and she pointed and said, go outside and start sniffing. Even the garden-impaired can do that, right? I found 4 very fragrant roses. Cost me $10.00. California Carnivores is on the other side of Vintage Gardens, so I took a look around. Oh, my goodness! Some of those plants are scary. And incredibly beautiful. I want some, but I was too chicken to buy anything. I'm afraid I'd kill them. But I think I'll go back with my son. Wow. Cool.

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Friday, May 12, 2006

My (nearly) perfect day

Day 2 of 4 in my jobless days. Today I slept late and got to drive my son to school. Then I went to the gym and read a book while I pedaled away. More on that later. Then I showered and took my book to my favorite breakfast place and had my favorite breakfast, except no coffee. Then I wandered down to an expensive Salon and made an appointment (with a Master Stylest) for later in the day. Back at home, I read my book until it was time to get my hair cut. Perhaps the best thing about an overpriced salon experience is that the shampoo comes with a head massage. Bliss. With the bonus that my hair also looks and smells great. Worth it. After my salon experience, I picked up my son from school and we went to get frozen yogurt. Then home, where I finished the first book and started a second.

That's right. I have not written today. And I'm glad for the break. Tomorrow, alas, I will have to miss my local RWA meeting because my son has a play date with a friend and since the sheep are being sheared tomorrow there's no one but me to take him, provided I remember to move my car in the morning before the road is blocked by the sheep shearer.

Book number 1 was a romantic suspense that hit, I believe, the NYT extended a while back. I'll be a bit vague about the details because, well, figure it out. This is a positive place for writers. It started out OK, but never got really good. I was skipping pages wildly about halfway through. I love RS, but do they ALL have to have a crazed serial killer? The heroine was a former government agent who seemed remarkably doormatty to me. And, if your hero is going to be special forces, he needs to do some actual special forces stuff. A Special Forces hero can and should make mincemeat out of a crazed serial killer any day of the week, especially a CSK who's been in the peneteniary most of his life. Honestly. I was disappointed. As soon as I read the back of the book, I knew it would start with a prologue from a CSK's point of view. Check. I knew the heroine would be incredibly beautiful. Check. Violence galore. Check. CSK dreams of torturing the heroine for no discernable motivation other than his serial killer nature. Check. This, of course, is the beauty of a CSK. Because he is crazed and a serial killer, his nature is only evil and nothing but evil with cunning behind it; he need not be complex, only crazed. I also knew the heroine would be in mortal danger (duh) and know it, and be someplace safe, but without the hero present and that she would nevertheless either 1) be found by the CSK anyway or 2) leave safety to deliberately put herself in danger because of her guilt feelings. In this case, it was Option 2. Then the obligatory scene were the CSK plays out the standard CSK fantasy. Saved in the end.

Book Number 2 is Linda Howard's To Die For and I'm really enjoying it. I'll probably finish later tonight.

Edited to add: I forgot, the only thing that prevented my day from being perfect was that when I arrived home, the gym elf was not waiting for me with some warm sweet-almond oil and some ice-cold sparking water. Broadsword optional. It's good to have dreams, right?

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Thursday, May 11, 2006

Ah, the splendors of sleep

Today was day one of my four jobless days. Didn't go to the gym, bad me. I took a two hour nap instead. I may do the same tomorrow. It was a good nap. I actually fell asleep, for one thing, and then I spent a fair amount of time in that I know I'm alseep place where you get to actively enjoy the sleeping. I have now spent an entire week as Carolyn, the decaffeinated version. Goodness. Could that be why I slept so well?

I've been working on DX. It goes to readers tomorrow. I'm sure there's other stuff, but right now I can't recall. I'm actually kind of tired.

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Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Progress Report

Well, if that isn't the worst blog headline ever, I'm not sure what is. Whatever. I've been through another round of revisions on DX and I'm going to do one more read through before it goes to readers, probably tomorrow. I can do this because I have, in fact, left my old job, and will be starting the new one next week. So I have some time off. Yay!

What else?

Only five days left to get in your suggestions for the Name That Hero contest.

From my chair, I can look out the sliding glass door and see the koi pond. Because it's a beautiful California evening and not dark yet, I can see them swimming around. Some of the koi are really large, and they are very colorful. Everything is still very green here from all the rain. It seems like just a couple of weeks ago the walnut trees in the field past the koi pond were bare, now they're leafy green. The puppy is asleep on my lap, the fuzzy cat's alseep on my printer and Devil Cat and Miss Meanie-Cat are asleep on the bed. My breakables are safe.

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Monday, May 08, 2006

Oops

Yes. I stayed up too late last night.

Yes. I stayed decaffeinated.

Yes. I fell alseep on my manuscript tonight.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

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Sunday, May 07, 2006

No bites!

I rewrote chapter 5 of DX with possession but no biting. Very interesting experience. It was fun. It will need some polishing but I think now the chapter isn't boring anymore. I guess I'll find out for sure tomorrow. I am now 273 words over word count and way over minimum, and that's with the massive deletions of boring parts. I'll have to cut some stuff to keep it at 20K as it's polished.

I've printed it out and will be reading it tomorrow and getting it to readers ASAP after that. My prof volunteered to read it, so that's good, and really nice of her. Having taught just one course, I know that reading 71 pages of stuff is a really big deal, esp at the end of the semester. So, after this I'll be able to take a look at the Rake and get off the revised chapters. And ask my agent about my darn proposals.

So now I'm up way too late, considering the alarm goes off at 5am. This is why I'm worried about my current caffeine-free state. None since Thursday, May 4th at 5:45am. There's soccer stuff tomorrow that overlaps aikido. Damn! That means I'll be rushing around all hyped on tension. (who needs caffeine!)

Good night.

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Deperately avoiding a vampire bite

The good news is that I know how to fix my chapter 5. It involves a possible possession and a certain vampire bite. Details are vague as I have not written this yet. Why? Because today I have engaged in avoidance behavior on a massive scale. Some non-writing things I did include forcing my pouting son to get in the car with me to get his hair cut. Ultimately, the hair cut did not occur, but I am a fiendishly wicked mother nonetheless. With pouting child in tow, I went to many stores in search of what ought to be a readily available product but apparently is not. Then we went to breakfast and fished through the Sunday advertisements for the paper and not-so-funnies.

Then we went to see Mission Impossible 3. Not having seen 1 or 2 I have no way to compare it to its predecessors. I enjoyed myself. I was entertained. It was not a waste of money, despite all the stuff blowing up and the poor shots of Tom Cruise without his shirt. Is he shy or is there something to hide? Still, I kept thinking, this would be a MUCH better movie if it were based on a Suzanne Brockmann SEALs novel, because then there would be 1) more cool covert stuff and less gratuitous blowing up of everying under the freaking sun and 2) a better plot and 3) more romance. I mean really, how secret can your mission be if your basic plan involves going in, blowing up everything on the way in AND the way out? Somebody's going to notice. But maybe that's just me. If the Hollywood types are too chicken to admit they read Brockmann, and it was clear to me from the dialogue that somebody out there has, can't they read McRaven and arrive at nearly the same place, (except maybe without a plot)? At least that would be in the grand tradition of failing to recognize a woman has already written novels crying out for an action movie.

HOWEVER! MI3 was worth the price of admissison for this scene: Lawrence Fishburn is ranting about the villain being the Invisible Man. "That's Wells not Ellison." villian rant continues. Yes! Score one for the intellectuals!

So, Hollywood, contact Suzanne Brockmann's agent, option a bunch of her SEALs books, send them off to Tom Cruise to read so he can pick which SEAL he wants to be to start off. Then make the damn movie. Women, a much more realiable and steady demographic, trust me, will flock to the movie and they will brings their friends of all genders. Do NOT forget the action. Do NOT forget the love scene(s). Money will flow again.

You're welcome.

P.S. My agent has some bitching proposals of mine. Option those, too, just for kicks.

Question: What's better than garlic to ward off a vampire bite?

Answer: Avoidance behavior.

Works for me.

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Saturday, May 06, 2006

Back among the living plus a real shocker

Today, I felt practically human. Took my son out to breakfast, then wandered to the bookstore where my checkbook magically flies open and money falls into their cash register. Sigh. More books for the TBR. I got tired walking about (I shudder to think how I'll feel when next I make to the gym). Got home, wailed away on DX. Then it was time for Cinqo de Mayo day at my son's school, so off we went. Great food, stood around talking to kids and parents, and caged tickets off my son to play Apple Smash the greatest carnival game ever. You get a rotten apple and a tennis racquet and watch out! It was great. My apple went smoooosh and juice and bits of apple went flying everywhere. Wow. They were running out of apples or I would have done more. Very popular game. They had a band, too, and they were really good. I've been wailing away at DX since I got home. Things were going well until chapter 5. Damn. It's boring. Nothing gets worse. So I'm going to go to bed and hope that between now and tomorrow I will think of something to make worse in chapter 5.

Ready for the shocking news? Since I was too sick to make it out of my room for more than 5 minutes at a time (when I wasn't sleeping) I went a whole day without coffee, technically, more than 36 hours, and so I decided to quit. Cold turkey. Why not? I was already feeling about as crappy as you'd feel if, say, you'd spent six hours feeling like you were going to barf ( and then....) and many of those hours with the cold shivers of a fever. No coffee today either. I was strong! Amazingly strong! Shocking indeed to those who know me. I can't say if it'll last since this is probably one of the few times in my life (well, since my son was born) that I'm not sleep deprived, but hey, think of the savings!

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Friday, May 05, 2006

survivor

First off, I am sick to death of DX. I need a break. The darn thing needs to go out to readers soon. Yesterday, I got really, really ill. I managed to get my son to soccer practice without grossness, but my dad had to pick him up. I've been awake today for about 4 hours total and I spent 2 of them trying to work on DX. I've had something like 20 hours of sleep in the last 24 and I'm exhausted now.

Going back to bed.

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Tuesday, May 02, 2006

bleh day

Can I just leave it at the title? No, I guess, since I had to ask. Bleh day. Am in the middle of ripping out and turning lead into gold with DX. I hope. Man, this writing shit, it's really hard work.

Bleh.

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The Plot Thickens

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Monday, May 01, 2006

Evil Editor

This is just a really funny and informative blog. Read more at www.evileditor.blogspot...

The Blogosphere is doing wonderful things for writers. Without anonymous blogging, where else would you get this insight into the business? Evil Editor's query letter re-writes are really good, too.

Why, yes, actually, I am engaging in avoidance behavior. What of it?

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Interesting Thought Here

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