Deep Thoughts about Willy Wonka...

Hello, good fellows in blog land.

I'm currently revising a book that has given me major headaches since its conception. I managed to write it, and then I let it sit for the last two years as I finished four others, got an agent AND got a book deal.

Which is a little funny if you think about it. I mean this book - it's a humdinger. My poor crit buddies know - they've seen what, five different attempts at a first chapter?

But now this baby is hummin'. It's ROCKIN'. It's R-O-L-L-I-N'. I've got a long synop, a short synop, and three first chapters that are pretty dang good. (So it's off to the agent they go.)

I've been compulsively re-reading them, and thinking about them, and I've come to a conclusion. You remember in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, where he has the gum that should be a three or four course meal?

Your chapters ought to be like that.

I mean, you can pick your flavour, but you should have a complete meal in each one. There shouldn't be any preservatives, or extra fatty bits...no bone fragments or extra skin laying about...no, your chapter should have the well-rounded ecstasy of a starter, main and dessert...perhaps a cheese platter on the side, as well. And don't forget the drink!

I think this is a part of where I've gone wrong with this book before. I needed to have good stuff in there, but was so caught up in the different processes I didn't slow down and appreciate each chapter. Now, *crosses fingers* I think I have it.

Heh. Watch this space. I'll likely go bonkers next week.

But until then, I'm enjoying the ride.

And how is your writing/revising going?

milestones....

I gotz dem.

So Sunday night I turned in my revised MS to my editor! (*tingly feeling*) A week early, too.

I have to say that although there has been major changes to this book, they all seem to not only mesh with how I *see* this MS but also actually make it a stronger book. I'm super excited to see how the Amazing Editor likes it. Also a bit nervous, too!

I'm presently working on the Book That Won't Go Away...aka The Forester's Son. It's been almost two years since I finished the rough draft, and I've tried to edit it other times. You know how you have a particular picture of how a book should be in your head? I've got a very exact one of this book, and I've given up many times before. But this time feels different.

It feels like I can get it done this time.

So, YAY for me.

And you? Ever had a book like that?

How writing a book is like making baby shoes out of felt

You have an idea. It might be filling a hole in the market, it might be because *you* want it and nobody is doing it the way you'd like to see it happen...whatever. Anyway.

This idea of yours? It's yours. Unique. Only *you* could tell this story in this way. You look on the internet and find designs, but they aren't yours. Not what you could do if you took the time to do it. So, taking yourself in hand you begin!

You get your research and plot pieces together before starting.

Then you work on the second draft. (First draft was waaaaay too big of FAIL for me to post here. A girl must have some standards!)

But that's what happens. To use Cindy Pon's best advice, you chant to yourself "I am allowed to write utter poo! I am!" First drafts normally just suck. There's no way around it.

But from manure do the flowers grow.

Sometimes life interrupts, and you have to change a diaper or soothe a nightmare. Then you get an idea for another subplot, and cut them out to weave them in.

Then you finish your first draft, and you believe it is complete.

But it is not, young grasshopper!

There are always things you can fix! So you step away awhile, and think. (For instance, the green could match better, and I could have a top cover to levy the lowering of the sides into a more 'ballerina'-like form. The flowers could go, and a ladybug could come around instead.)

And then there are the extra subplots you think to add...sometimes they work, sometimes they patently DO NOT. (white flower is a prime example!)

But you keep plugging away. And pick and pick and make prototype after prototype (revise and revise) until you have the winner. (This took me four revisions, all told)

Short, clean, simple in every way.

Created exactly how you wanted, quality designed from the ground floor on up.

Even the tiny details have been better thought out this time, and you're not paralyzing anybody with a manuscript of utter ugliness or extra doo-hickies where they don't belong.

And best of all, it is perfect for exactly where you wanted to have it in the first place - on the shelf.

Or the foot.

:-D

Information gathering

Hey guys!

I'm gathering information that everyone has today, if you can take a moment.

Everyone.

What kind of information?

Well, sit back. Close your eyes (after you read this post, heh heh) and think back to your middle-school years. And then riddle me this, Batman:

- what was your most embarrassing moment in school?

I will share mine, in the interests of full disclosure. A buddy of mine was having a birthday party and his father was gonna drive everyone around in a big old trailer full of hay - a hayride. It was exciting stuff (hey, we grew up on farms, kk?)

And then he told me everyone that rode in the hayride had to act like dogs. The only problem is, he didn't tell anyone else that. So for the entire hayride I made an utter fool of myself barking and running around. (It was revenge for something I'd done on the bus to him. Children are so evil sometimes). I did wonder why everyone else didn't do it, but you see, I've always been gullible.

I was ... eight. It was the most embarrassing moment of my young life.

Yours?

(when you stop laughing, that is. *sigh*)

The keynotes of your life

What are they?

A funny thing happened on the way back to Berlin today. (I've been in Dortmund this week, letting Loki visit her grandparents and great-grandparents while I wrote up a revision attack list for PoloGRRL).

The clacking of the keys on my computer - it puts Loki to sleep like nothing else. And in thinking about it, that was the one constant...besides for my voice, hubs' voice and the crystal-breaking whines of the cats...that she knows.

So I had to think about the keynote sounds that make up my life. If I never heard any other sound ever again, what would be the sounds that would stick in my memory?

- the sound of hubs saying my nickname.

- Loki's snorts.

- keyboard taps.

- the whoosh of an email being sent.

- the clopping of horse hooves.

- the BlackCat's meow.

- the scratch of a pen on paper.

- the sound of a book's page being turned.

I think those are the main ones.

And you?

LOLCAT FREIDAYZ: Pic says 1000 words!

I'm a joiner. I'M A JOINER, okay??!!??!

So I did it.

Went ahead and joined Goodreads today.

And I have to ask you: How many things can one person join? All these crazy things .. to keep up with them all, if I did I mean, I'd never have time to write! How do you prioritize? I thought about this question and really shook my head.

Well, in a way I guess I do. here's my list:

1. Baby

2. Husband and cats. (The cats think they get the crap end of the deal, but hey, they're cat princesses. Even though they are HE's and neutered!)

3. Twitter

4. My email.

5. My writing. (Um. FAIL?)

6. News articles found on Twitter.

7. Blogs

8. MY blog (um, can we all say again, JEN:FAIL??)

9. Absolute Write and Vera Kay

10. What now? Goodreads? Sheesh!

And the sad thing is, I know I'm forgetting something. I know it. But this darn baby brain thing (it's REAL GUYS) keeps me from remembering. Just like I got dyslexic and messed up a payment for the new CrossTrainer that will get and keep me fit and shapely here soon. (Another ong story. Maybe not one you want to know about).

So I ask you. What's your priority? Priorities? I'd love to know. Help me think I'm not alone in this madness I'm living through. :-D

A squee, and a good morning

Wow. I thought being pregnant was hard!

HA HA HA! Stupid me!

XD

No, in other news, I was officially asked to do an official interview. About myself. As in like a guest post. Which is totally exciting but then I realized.

What the frak do I write about?

I mean, my husband gets mad at me because he accuses me of being modest. TOO modest. Almost unhealthily so. And maybe I am. But then when you think about it, I'm just a girl that likes to write that was lucky enough to find her perfect agent and said agent found a pub house that wanted my darling book.

I don't know any magic tricks to get published.

I don't have enough of an ego to assume I could tell *anybody* how to write or get published.

I don't do smoke and mirrors.

SO.

If you were me, what would you write about? Huh?

*pulls out the pen and paper, gets ready to make notes*

Hit me with your best shot!