Writing Blog

The Truth about Cats and Dogs

2011-12-27T14:57:00.000-05:00

Have you ever loved a book because it had a furry friend with whom you identified, felt comforted by, or related to your own pet? I have.

Using animals and pets in your fiction is a simple device to reach more readers. People love animals.

Did you know:

Most pet owners (94%) say their pet makes them smile more than once a day.
70% of people sign their pet's name on greeting cards and 58% include their pets in family and holiday portraits.
Over two-thirds of Americans would rather be stranded on a desert island with their pet than with their partner

Consider these successful books and how the pets in them helped boost their success:

In the book Fall on Your Knees (an Oprah book club selection) by Ann-Marie Macdonald, there is a cat that the protagonist is particularly bonded to. In fact, the cat actually saves her life at one point. As the MC is lying unconscious from a wound, the cat curls itself around her head and kneads her scalp. Ouch! But this is what keeps her from slipping away. I loved that. I believe my Siamese cat would try to save my life if ever the need arose.

I, you see, am a cat lover. So, I like it when there are companion cats in a book. Though I am not much of a cozy mystery reader, you may be aware of "The Cat Who..." series by Lilian Jackson Braun, who sadly passed away this year. In her books, the cats (Koko and Yum-Yum, I believe)actually help solve the mysteries. Then there is Rita Mae Brown, who features animals as characters in her stories as well. Both of these writer's books are enormously popular.

But, it doesn't have to go that far and, of course, it doesn't have to be a cat. Sometimes, an animal can give the protagonist some distraction from herself. If a book is written in first person, and the narrator is spending a lot of time alone, say, figuring out a mystery in an old house, it is important to have some dialogue, even when no one else is around. This type of example was well received in Katherine Howe's Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. The dog sidekick Arlo was well loved by many readers.

A pet can be a dedicated ear and can even respond in cute ways that add a little something extra to the book. Though not all animal sidekicks need to be main characters, I think Rita Mae Brown says it well: "I can never understand how authors can write books without having animals become important characters. We share the earth with other sentient creatures and they often do a better job of living full lives than we do. One woman’s opinion but I like the chatter of all living creatures."

Do you have any favorite fictional furry friends? Or... do dogs that do good and cats that carry the characters drive you batty?

Using Music to add texture to the imagination

2011-08-26T08:06:00.000-04:00

Do you listen to music when you write? Do you listen to music in between writing sessions and think about what you have just written and where it will go next? Do you do both?
I find it hard to listen to music while I am writing. It is too distracting, too varied. I get so immersed in the moment that if the song changes to another mood, I get lost. So I don't listen to music WHILE writing.

However, I DO listen to music between writing. This last marathon round of work on DISTILLATION saw me become obsessed with more than my characters and their lives. I make mixed CDs still. Old school, I know. They correspond to playlists on the I-Pod, but it is easier to listen to them in my car. I made a playlist/CD about a month ago, just when I was really riding the wave of DISTILLATION's last 100 pages. Thanks to I-Tunes, I am aware that I love what they call Alt. Country: Neko Case, Old Crow Medicine Show, Gillian Welch etc. Some of it more blue grass, some of it more general singer song writer. But I made this mix that was mostly Gillian Welch, a combination of her new and old stuff. And I still can't stop listening to it. My husband immediately was sick of it. He said the songs all sounded the same. I disagree. But they do all have a similar dark, haunting, melancholy element to them. And they bring me to a place where the the images and the themes of my novel are able to thrive.

What I find is that I fixate on mood in a song. A particular line will speak to me and ring in some way of the story that is going through my head. My vision may not have anything to do with the story of the song itself, but the combination of the mood and the lyric help add texture to the picture in my mind.

For example: The song "Elvis Presley Blues" by Gillian Welch, which has no connection to my story's plot, has a line "he shook it and he rang like silver, he shook it and he shined like gold...well, bless my soul, well bless my soul..." My story deals with the balance between the male and the female using the sun and moon as symbols, as is done in alchemical symbology, and it deals with the reincarnation of souls. Having written the scene in DISTILLATION where the male and female leads are in a field finally getting to business and both the sun and moon are in the sky, one setting, the other rising - I am in my car listening to this song and the hair on the back of my neck stands up. I feel that moment.

Another example is from Welch's new album The Harrow and the Harvest. The song "Dark Turn of Mind" is a song that if I could make a movie of my book, I would include in the sound track. So many of the lyrics bring to mind elements of my story. "I've had trouble already, and it left me with a dark turn of mind. I see the bones in the river, I feel the wind through the pines, and I hear the shadows a calling, to a girl with a dark turn of mind." (song is below)

Love it.

Lastly, the song "The Way it Goes" from the same album - talks about people all once friends going different ways in life and dealing with darkness of one sort or another. "The brightest ones of all, early in October fall. That's the way that it goes. That's the way. While the good ones go to bed with good whiskey in their head. That's the way that it goes. That's the way." The theme of this song reminds of living in a small town and the things that happen which never go away, the things that change relationships, but still you can never get away because everyone in a small town have to exist in such close proximity. This too shows up in DISTILLATION.

Because of my obsession with this CD, I was able to stay in character so to speak. When driving alone in my car, or cooking dinner, I could immerse myself in the in the emotions and ideas evoked in my novel, by letting the art of another add texture to my imagination.

So how do you use music in your writing?

Obsession is not a bad word

2011-08-24T10:01:00.002-04:00

The rewrite of DISTILLATION is complete - for now. Since early spring I have been doggedly reworking my first novel.

I set out to make DISTILLATION the novel I had really wanted to write all along (though it took me a while to admit to myself just what I really wanted.) This time I was going to make it pop in a huge way - make it magic, make it romantic, make it gothic. I think I succeeded. Summer 2011 is coming to a close and I have had a fabulous ride reworking this book. I am too in love with it, which I know is dangerous, but it has been the greatest adventure. Not only do I think I made my book better, I learned a lot about myself.

But here's the thing. I have spent most of my summer obsessively writing. When I wasn't writing I was listening to music (the same songs over and over and over) lost in the world of my characters. My imagination was on fire. I was channelling them. I was having trouble eating. I wasn't sleeping. I would get up at four and start writing again. I was euphoric. I felt like I was on drugs but there was no crash. Not once have I suddenly dropped down and said - this sucks - why am I doing this? My poor husband must be jealous, I am so enamored with my characters, I have to give him credit though. He has listened to me go on and on about ghosts and witches, romance and peppermint, souls and eternity. He has really supported me through this obsessive roller coaster.

And now it's done. I have to write curriculum for school. I should be doing that right now in fact, but here I am. Strangely, I am not sad or grumpy. I am still happy and even when I am back in the classroom, I know my characters are there waiting for the next chapter to be written.

Recently, an article about Kathryn Stockett's 'The Help' came across the Twittersphere. It talks about how long it took her to write the book, how many rejections she got, how her friends said things like: “How do you keep yourself from feeling like this has been just a huge waste of your time?” Eventually, after 40+ rejections, she started lying to her friends about what she was doing on the weekends. "The truth was," she says, "I was embarrassed for my friends and family to know I was still working on the same story, the one nobody apparently wanted to read." She became increasingly obsessed, going away for weekends to be alone and edit, editing even as she was in labor.

I really related to this article when, last weekend, I declined hanging out by a lake with friends to stay home alone and edit for twelve hours straight. It made me feel a lot better knowing that at query # 61, Stockett finally got an agent and now look where her book is.

I have a long way to go before I meet her record, and her success, but at this point, I am thankful for the pleasures of obsession.

Embracing the writer you never knew you wanted to be

2011-08-11T10:29:00.001-04:00

Oh yeah - I went there. This is the best image I could find to illustrate one of the things that has been in my imagination over the past month as I rewrote DISTILALTION - it's not quite right, a little too...perfect, but nonetheless a visual helps.

Hello again.

Summer has flown by because I have been having way too much fun rewriting DISTILLATION. I took a serious hiatus from Blogger - though I've been around the Twittersphere a bit. It was a choice I needed to make between reading and thinking about writing and just WRITING. Over the past two months I have completely reworked my novel and not only do I think it is much better, but I feel that I have finally embraced the writer I never knew I wanted to be.

When we start out writing, there are so many preconceived notions of what is and what is not good, inspiring, marketable, enlightening, or worthwhile. I just read a tweeted blog post entitled You Want to Write Trash? thanks to @AmyJRomine. This post is about a woman whose husband thought her Gothic romance was trash and didn't see why she would write such drivel. Well, it turned out her husband was a good reason to need some romance in her life.

My life is pretty good, but like most, it is full of work and bills and responsibilities and other boring things. So I write to escape it, to add some measure of fantasy to my days. And this time around with DISTILLATION, I finally let go of my preconceived notions. I stopped trying to cling to some modicum of reality, because I asked myself the question: Who the hell wants to escape to reality? Not me.

Earlier this spring I tried to read a realist novel by a well known author whose prior work I had enjoyed years ago. I got to page 50 and when a character was lamenting a horrible tragedy for the 10th page in a row, I closed it and never picked it up again.
I wanted fantasy - damn it. I wanted witches, and ghosts, and magic, and maybe a little mystical love. Okay maybe a lot. Well good thing I had the summer ahead of me to rewrite a book with the potential for all of those things. And man, has it been fun.

When I let go, so did Alice (my MC). She articulated what she wanted, she stopped shaking in her boots, she faced her fears to find the truth, she figured out she wanted her man early on, (and let him know it), and she let others help her to accept herself for who she is, which in the end enabled her to solve the mystery, which made everyone happy. Alice (and I) achieved so much more than we did in the first version. We went so much further, in so many ways. Looking back at the story I thought was "done," I now see as a real let down. It was so UNSATISFYING.

DISTILLATION went from being a half baked magic realism flopper, to a full on gothic, darl, scary, fantastical, magical, funny, sexy, and - I think - inspiring story. No I am not calling myself a romance writer these days. Still supernatural women's fiction. But, I stopped telling myself I must be the only one who reads good love scenes twice just for fun, or gets excited when full on magic brings down that bad guy. Once I embraced what I wanted and let myself stop worrying that it was silly, then Alice embraced her talents and had a real adventure.

Now, let's just hope that when the rose colored glasses come off, it reads as good for others as it does me.

On "Fictional" Mothers

2011-05-08T16:26:00.001-04:00

Mothers are everywhere in the books I read, and there happens to be one in my WIP as well. Since I read a lot of fiction with women protagonists, often there is a mother daughter clash, usually a gentle - I think this woman is crazy - sort of thing - and a - I don't know why my daughter thinks I'm so crazy sort of thing. Think Ya Ya Sisterhood. In all actuality, I believe it is romanticized. In fiction, we fictionalize pieces of our lives. Change the details. Change the ending. All as a way of dealing with it.

Not surprisingly, Alice thinks her mother Josephine is crazy in DISTILLATION. She doubts her because of the way her mother has failed her in the past. I guess it is not one of the things that sets my book apart. But the reason this shows up in so many books is because many young women have that sort of tug o war with their mothers. We write what we know after all.

Daughters grow up with a paradox, as I am sure sons do with fathers too. We idolize them, we look to them for identity when we are young. Then as we get older and break away into adulthood, we question them, we scrutinize every mistake, and we are horrified by those mistakes. When I realized my mother did not have control over the world, and that some of the decisions she made were not good ones, I think it changed me forever. This theme is in my novel. For fathers and sons, I can only speak from an archetypal/ literary sensibility. The son too looks to the father for identity, and in literature anyway, the son must make peace, make amends, or outrun the sins of the father. If we are considering son/mother and daughter/father relationships, well we must consider Oedipus and Electra. Is it true we daughters always end up marrying men with the traits of our fathers and sons their mothers? I hope not.

So, there's the rub. I love my mother, and as I've gotten older I have evolved my understanding of her as a human, and as a woman. Writing Josephine and Alice has been my way of articulating that journey. Not everyone gets along with or is best friends with their mother or father. But as people we are always changing, and for me at least, and as it seems many others, writing has been one way for me to gain perspective.

What sets your novel apart?

2011-05-06T18:24:00.001-04:00

Having recently a conference, I have been doing a lot of thinking about how a novel needs to stand apart from others in its genre. It is really unsettling, when you read a book and realize that it has such similar elements to something you have been slaving over for a few years and showing to only your writing group. But that's how it goes. Ideas tend to trend, or so it seems.

So, I made a list of some books I've read in the past years or two that had something that set them apart, in hopes that I will find something in my novel that is not in theirs and be surprised I do have something, or perhaps brainstorm some ideas, not like theirs, from see what others have done.

Not in order of reading or release - all somewhat in my genre - some closer than others:

Her Fearful Symmetry - Audry Niffenegger - told from the ghost's perspectiveHorns - Joe Hill - the devil is the hero - a familiar character in a new way
The Little Stranger - Sarah Waters - the end has a twist - don't want to give it away
The Lace Reader - Brunonia Barry - the end also has a twist - a psychological one - similar, but different that The Little Stranger - in both - what you think is happening all along is not what is happening. I think it is masterful when an author can trick the reader.
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane - Katherine Howe - historical narrative interlaced with a contemporary story
The Dead Path - Stephen M. Irwin - a fairy tale witch in a thriller style narrative
The Tooth Fairy - Graham Joyce - uses a familiar character in a completely new way

It is daunting and intimidating to set out to think of something new and original. Isn't it true that there is nothing new under the sun. I think those authors who have snatched up surprise should be applauded. A MS one has started at for too long, looks like old socks after a while, and I know that is why distance is important. But sometimes, if you look again, you just might find there is something unexpected in there. If not, you too might consider what isn't out there and how you can bridge the gap.

6 Reasons Why I Love The Muse...

2011-05-01T12:06:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I went to Grub Street's The Muse and the Marketplace writing conference 2011. It runs for both Saturday and Sunday, but this year I only went for only one. Conferences are expensive and they can be somewhat intimidating, especially if you are shy. But they are so worth it. I have actually never been to any other conference besides the Muse, and this was only my second year going, but I hope to go to more in the coming year. There is Write Angles conference that happens right here in the Pioneer Valley and it is affordable. I want to go to more because going to conferences is the best way to exercise your writer muscles, beyond writing itself that is. Yesterday, I had an amazing time. So here are 6 reasons why I love this conference, and why I think all writers should find away to go to at least 1 writing conference a year.

1) You meet other writers. You have all heard before, and know first hand, that writing is often a solitary endeavor, that can in fact be lonely if we don't reach out. The writing group is an important remedy to this, as is social networking on line. But at a conference, you get to meet folks who write in other genres, who share your hopes, dreams, and frustrations, and who are just as excited as you to learn more and stretch their writing skills. I met some really great people yesterday, and I admit I was a bit shameless with the business card thing. Anyone who uttered more than a sentence in my direction got a card. Hey - why not? It's a great way to get people to remember you and check you out. So if you are here because of that card - THANKS for stopping by!

2) You meet published authors. One of the best events for me this year was meeting one of my writing idols: Alice Hoffman. She was lovely. She led a seminar of brainstorming for a linked story collection and it was so fun just to hang out with her. And, being the Lisa Simpson that I am, when she needed someone to write on the board and take notes, my hand shot up. So, I got to be her assistant. Yay! What fun. She was great.

3) You learn things. The Muse and the Marketplace is great because it does exactly what it's name says, it presents opportunities to spark the muse, and to explore the marketplace - two different aspects of the writing life, but each equally important, depending on where you are in the process and what your current goals are as a writer.

Last year, I was getting ready to query DISTILLATION for the first time, so I focused a lot on the Marketplace aspect. I went to seminars with "agents on the hot seat" talking about what they do, what they like, don't like, and how they view the industry right now. I also went to query sessions and met with an agent for the purpose of getting feedback on my query. It was so helpful all around. This year, I am working on revamping my story a bit, and so I focused more on the Muse aspect. I learned about the elements of thrillers and mysteries, and I got some insight into the essentials of structure.

4) You get outside your comfort zone. This may seem like the most terrifying part of the conference, and it fits into a number of the other reasons for going to the conference. You can't meet people if you sit on your phone checking your email the whole time, or if you won't strike up a conversation. But when you do go out on a limb, it is rewarding.

One risk I took was submitting my first page (anonymously as required) to the "Author Idol" seminar, in which a panel of 4 established writers listen to a professional "reader" read first pages one at a time from the submission box. If they hear something they don't like, they raise their hand. At two hands, the reader stops reading. SCARY. The conference also offers a version of this with Agents, which I watched last year, but did not submit too. That is even scarier, because they have much more critical ears, as is expected.

When the reader get to yours you tense up and stop breathing, hoping your face is not turning red, and that it's not obvious they are reading your piece. The anonymity is important because the agents or authors can be more open about their reactions. This may make you think: "No Way! Why would I put myself through that?" And yes, it even says in the brochure this exercise is not for the thin skinned. But it is great. You get so much insight into your writing. Which brings me to #5.

5) You get honest feedback on your work. This, for me, is the most important aspect of going to a conference. Whereas some conferences do the speed dating style pitch sessions, The Muse allows you to sign up (at an extra, but tax deductible, cost - it does not go to the agents - it supports Grub Street programs) for a one on one, twenty minute session with an agent or editor of your choice. Here is a reason why The Muse and the Marketplace is such a high caliber conference. Amazing authors and agents volunteer their time to this event. Of course, authors do get to sell books, and agents may just find a submission they are interested in, but overall it is so generous of them to do this.

6) You feel like a professional. Last week I wrote about having a business card, and about how they help boost your sense of self as a writer. Going to a conference does the same thing. The Muse is at the Park Plaza Hotel is Boston. It is really nice. They serve a fabulous lunch. The presenters are top shelf. The attendees are serious, just as serious as you. What a great way to affirm: I am a writer. I am willing to work (and perhaps invest a few Benjamins) to further my career as a writer, and this is because I am serious about my craft and want to learn, network, and invigorate my writing practice. Going to a conference validates your goals as a writer - whatever they may be, whether you want to write your family memoir, get your work accepted in a literary magazine, publish a novel, or just express yourself.

I'd love to hear about other conferences out there that people think are great and anyone who did go to The Muse and the Marketplace (some of you are there right now!) tell me what you loved.

Do you have a business card?

2011-04-22T20:01:00.000-04:00

Do you have a business card? Why do you need one?

These were questions I asked myself last year before I went to my first big conference.
Initially, I did not have a business card, but I decided it would be good to hand it out to all the people I met at the Muse. So, I designed one myself. I thought it was pretty cool at the time and it definitely made me feel official.

I went to the conference and I handed out maybe 5 business cards, but alas the rest are still in the box. Is this a bad thing? Maybe, if only because I am sure I missed a few opportunities along the way. But overall, having the cards was a good thing because I did make a few good connections. Connecting with fellow writers and getting people to visit my blog was well worth the $20 I spent on 100 cards. Even if I still have 95.

It was a way for me to leave my mark . This year, looking back, I saw that the old ones were amateurish. The learning curve is steep. So, I decided to get new ones professionally done up. They are much cooler. In the end, I know I will feel better if I have them to give out. Even if its only a few.

So here are my reasons why I think aspiring writers should have business cards (especially if you are going to conferences):

1) It will make you reach out to people. After all you spent the money - so why not hand them out. Shameless self promotion is not a bad thing and doesn't have to be shameful at all.

2) It will make you feel like a professional. Having a business card in you pocket or purse with your name, your blog, your twitter, and your email is saying I have it together. I am in the business of writing.

3) It's something to say during a conversation with a stranger - "Hey, I loved your comment in that seminar. Here's my card. What are you writing?"

4) They are fun to make and give you a chance to consider your image. How do I want to portray myself as a writer?

5) You never know who will contact you. That is what the card is for after all, to give strangers a reminder of who you are and what you are about. Bring them to your blog, gain more followers, maybe even have that agent you pitched randomly check you out.

If you plan on attending any conferences, or if you just want to feel like a professional, a business card is the way to go. And when you do sign that book deal, well then you will have something to put on the table at your signings so people can find you online. I don't recommend putting your address and phone number on it though. I did that the first time. But why, in this digital age, do we need to? Email is often the first contact and anything more can be asked for if needed. So, email, blog, twitter if it applies.
Reach out to the masses and maybe they will reach out to you.

Wannabe Me - An Aspiring Writer's Reality

2011-04-22T10:41:00.000-04:00

Today I thought I would show you some of myself. I am a writer - currently an unpublished one - but I am working hard and loving what I do. So - at the risk of boring you, I thought it might be nice to see some of what The So Called Wannabe Writer's Life looks like over here. All of you of course have your own Writer's Realities - and all of us are unique.I love seeing the process, the place, and the personality of fellow writers - published and unpublished. I find myself looking in the backgrounds of pictures to see what kind of counter top or wall paper someone has. I just like those things. I also love to see their yards and their pets. Am I weird? Well, yes.

So here I am:

Not a great picture - but - it is me. Ariel Swan writer of supernatural women's fiction.
This is my wannabe writer's reality.

This is my office - the table where I do planning and school work. I am home on vacation from the day job - teaching eleventh graders English literature and writing. I love to read and write and that is what I do in my free time. 16 year olds on the other hand - not so much. I wish I had a classroom full of students like me. You can see in the picture some grading I need to do - today.

I am an obsessive planner. (As a teacher and a writer.) I love organizing and putting things is order. Told you I was weird.

I have started using art paper - long 12x 18 art paper - to look at my plot - as I am revising - and to lay out genealogies - which is a layer that has been added to my WIP - well not really added - it was part of the original idea - but something I chose not to do in the first draft. Now that I am revamping - adding oomph and more story to support my premises - I have added it back in. The trick is not to make it too complicated - but to use the family tree in points of interest only.

I am an avid reader of everything.

These are some of the books I have on my working bookshelf. Some of them I just reference for inspiration - others I look at to chart plot pacing that has worked. To Ride A Silver Broomstick one I use for witch knowledge - spells and herbs and such - which figures into DISTILLATION. There is also the Oxford Dictionary of Superstitions. And of course a regular dictionary which I use all the time. Somewhere in there is a Writer's Market too - but now I use Query Tracker which is much easier as it is up to date and cross reference-able.

Although you can't see me I am sitting at this desk right now. Spooky. My writing desk is a mess and every time that phone rings it scares the bejesus out of me- especially when I am writing a scary scene. Up to the right is an antique unframed mirror I found in an old garage when I worked for a General Contractor doing the books. I love antiquy things - especially old Dags and such. These also figure into DISTILLATION.

You can also see to the left the pile of my print outs - that is all novel stuff. Spread out it looks more like this:

All right - I cheated - I pulled out the files and the print drafts too. It is a lot. As I've said I've worked - hard - to make this story what it is. Maybe too hard. And now I am re-writing - which is different than revising. Some say I should put it away. But I mostly write in the summer - so I do get some distance. After this rewrite - and an edit - I will stop and move on. I am stubborn - what can I say. I want to get it RIGHT.

One last thing to see. I said I like seeing pets - so here is one of mine. My baby - Simone. Tortie Point Siamese and Princess Extraordinaire. I also have chickens.

So, that's my Writer's Reality. What makes up your Writer's Reality?

The Recluse Writer

2011-04-03T18:59:00.000-04:00

Recluse: One who lives in seclusion. At what point does writing become a bad habit?
I have been in a world all my own lately. The day job keeps me busy during the day and then at night I am back at my keys. Not blogging, not Facebooking, well...maybe a little Tweeting, but writing. On the weekends, I wake up and I start writing. If left to my own devices I will write all day. My husband even complained this past Friday, when I had an unexpected snow day, that I ignored him all day. I wrote for twelve hours.

Of course you would think I am making excellent progress with all that writing. I am, sort of. In the midst of deep revisioning of DISTILLATION, I am losing myself, but checking myself, much more deliberate this time in making sure I am telling the right story. I go for a while, then I hit a road block, realizing I am painting the wrong picture, or not focusing on the right thing, and then I have to go back and think, rewrite, edit, and think some more. It is grueling, but exhilarating.

The problem is that I am starting to neglect my other duties. Vacuum? Never heard of it. Go out to a ladies night? Well, I would but I've been writing all day and (and since most of my friends just give me the blank stare when I talk about writing), I think I'll just take a bath and think about what I wrote today.

Same goes for visits to family. I could have gone over the last vacation to hang out with my sister, but instead I needed to make sure I got some writing done. I do have a deadline after all with the upcoming conference.

It's not like I don't do anything else, but the weekends are full of writing and it is hard to even think about what else has to get done. I tell myself I'll do it during the week, and then the week is so busy with teaching that those things get put off again. And the next weekend I can't even remember them because I am lost in my fictional world.

Do you lock yourself away? At what point does the writing become too encompassing? Is this a healthy thing? I am willing to bet that it is a good thing as long as it doesn't go on too long. Eventually I come out and say hello to the world. Which is what I am doing right now. Hello world.

Style Award! and..."Swamp Girls at The Hatchet Motel"

2011-03-12T13:41:00.000-05:00

So, my writing group friend Perri awarded me the Stylish Blog Award. This is my second award ever and I am very flattered, though as I posted over @ Lesser Apricots, I have to think it is a bit ironic, considering my blog is entitled "Writing Blog." I never really thought about what people would refer to my blog as and I guess I didn't consider the title I put up there would be actually be it. (?) Go figure.
So, here is a challenge. I am going to try and think up a cool new writing blog name. So many of you have such original ones. So...any ideas you have would be appreciated. Since I am supposed to tell you seven things about myself, maybe these will help give you (and me) some ideas for that new Blog Title. Incidentally, I guess (according to Lulu) I am better at thinking of novel titles than blog titles.

1. I grew up for the first ten years of my life in a haunted Victorian, and for the second ten years of my life in a lake side cabin with a dock and a canoe as my first mode of transportation into town.

2. I met my writing group via a post on Craig's List

3. I am a Cancer on the cusp of Gemini - born June 24th 1977

4. In my immediate circle of female family members spells and fortunetelling are not uncommon.

5. If I had one superpower it would to breath underwater.

6. My favorite feature on a person is the nose, and I have a particular male nose that I find very attractive. Instead of nice butt, I say nice nose.

7. Lilacs, fireflies, garden strawberries, Siamese cats, antique hats, and the sea are a few of my favorite things.

So thanks to Perri, and here are those I am passing the award on to:

Fine Sarah over at The Strangest Situation
Jayne over at A Novice Novelist
Anne over at The Piedmont Grille

Thanks everyone and pass it on. Oh...and leave a comment with any crazy blog title you can think of. I don't know, if I were a plagiarist I'd say Swamp Girls at The Hatchet Motel. Perri you do have such style!

Is your title bestseller worthy?

2011-03-10T21:12:00.001-05:00

Totally stealing this from my writing group friend. She is struggling with a new title for a revitalized WIP. Check it out here. But...in her post she noted the website Lulu Titlescorer. I let it have at Distillation with its magical calculations and it came up 63% likely to be the title of a bestseller. HA! Will someone please tell an agent that.

Try yours out. I love my title and that is one of the secrets I harbor - well it won't be after right now - when and if I get a publisher to want my novel - it will be VERY hard on me if they want to change my title. I feel that everything in my book leads to it and comes from it. But of course, I would be reasonable. (maybe)

So please test out your titles. I hope they score high. Even if it's as accurate as a magic 8 ball - hey its something.

Oh how I love being haunted

2011-03-07T20:14:00.001-05:00

I was just in the dead man's room. When we moved in it smelled of dying. There were boxes of medical supplies still in there the day we came to view the house and we might as well have been viewing the body of the guy whose dying there made buying this house possible. Not all hauntings are mysterious or magical. Sometimes, spirits are just...there.

Okay, I don't know that he actually died here. But that room had a feeling. You know the feeling. That one where it seems someone else is still there. I have lived in houses like this before and I think that is why I love old houses so much. Growing up, I lived in a crumbling old Victorian with my mother and my sister. It was a magical place, this both my sister and I, who is twelve years older, can agree on. There were eves closets with secrets, a scary cellar with an old coal closet, a library with a fireplace, a sunroom with dust motes floating, lazy cats, and a wild garden. So much atmosphere, so much ambiance. I was the little one and because of this the most sensitive. There is a story. I don't remember if I told it first or if it was told to me later by someone else who remembered what I'd said. I complained of hearing the voices of men one morning, of seeing shadows cast against my curtains. They were mumbling, angry, I seem to remember. Maybe it is because I have re-lived this in DISTILLATION, or maybe it is because I just remember it. But, I know that there were no men. The question always was, whose voices were they? Were they real or imagined? This became one of the central legends of our old house. It became said that the house held the ghosts of men because men had trouble there. The house didn't like men. Perhaps this perception had to do with more terrestrial issues going on around me that I didn't understand. Perhaps not.

In any case, I love a good ghost story to this day. And it is not just an old house than can bring me to one. With ever passing season, I sense the movement of time and of souls. I feel the essence of life whirling around me and there are spirits in the air. Spirits of nature, spirits of the dead, spirits of life. Hope glides on a spring breeze, foreboding gathers in the dark clouds of winter, nostalgia grows in a cascade of orange autumn leaves, and summer, oh summer, that is the most full time of all. In the summer I sense a paradox - the fullness of life growing all the while cast the shadow of certain oncoming death. I love summer. Summer is all. Perhaps that is why I have chosen to set my own ghost story in the summer.

One way or the other, here's to be being haunted. Have you ever experienced a haunting?

Where Shadows Dance ~ Learning from What we Read

2011-03-02T19:33:00.002-05:00

I stumbled upon a series a few year ago and I happy to announce that the next book in the series is out today. It is a Regency Mystery series featuring Sebastian St. Cyr: a lovely, roguish, troubled aristocrat who solves mysteries in his ample free time. I am not a person who picks up books with the mystery logo as a rule. But, I accidentally came into this series, and late, all because there was a book on the shelf entitled Why Mermaids Sing. I picked it up based solely on the title and didn't even notice the mystery logo on the spine. I have a thing for mermaids that dates back to pre-Little Mermaid days . The rest is history, because I fell in love with Sebastian and his mysteries. I actually pre-ordered last year's hard cover of What Remains of Heaven and I am excited to BUY Where Shadows Dance.

As with every book I read, this series has helped me to see who I am and who I am not as a writer. I learn from everything and I notice both things I hope I can do as well, and that I think are not my style. Reading books that are not in my specific genre help me to further identify my genre, which we all know is not an easy thing to do.
So, check out author C.S. Harris's blog and maybe check out the Sebastian series. The cover is a little romancy, but one thing I have learned from Harris's blog is how a writer is not always in love with the cover the publisher thinks is right. What do you learn from what you read?

In need of some action

2011-02-26T20:01:00.000-05:00

The last two months have consisted of gearing up for the great revisioning of DISTILLATION. I received some feedback that was so specific and so right on that...it hurt a little. Well, okay, a lot. But I learned, from two separate readers, what my strengths were and my weaknesses. They agreed on almost everything, independently. I was pleased to finally see, once the nasty bits had stopped blinding me, that the strengths were many, and that the nasty weaknesses few, but alas major enough to take me more than a month to process and come to the point where I could create a plan.

I planned, and I planned. I used large art paper to construct detailed outlines of what I have and what I need. Finally, this week, I started the revision. The first fifty have been charged with a task. Within them, I have to get to a certain event, one that all along people have told me to move up, but one I felt needed a slow, smouldering build. This event started at page 150. Yikes! Then it moved to page 118. I thought that was an improvement. And now. It has been cut away with a boning knife (pun intended if you know my hook) and is waiting in the wings for its reveal somewhere before page 50.

OMG. Can it really be done? It has to be. The problem, I have discovered, is that atmosphere, setting, and mood are my thing. That is what I am most comfortable writing. I've always thought of writing novels and making a movie with words. Maybe that is misguided, but I think in scenes, I think in images. That is not to say that character and dialogue are not important, they are and I have always put a lot of focus on those parts as well. Plot too. Now that is REALLY important. If you don't have a story that moves forward with events and questions and discoveries and a good ending - well then, your story is boring.

No, these things I have always thought about and I think are elements that are in my story, if not perfected. But...what I didn't really think about, at least not in the terms that are apparently required, is the ACTION. I have been happy to spend five or fifteen pages describing a scene in which there is plot happening, but I love the description of shadows, of light, of smell, of sound, of facial expressions, of feelings. I am a sensory writer. No surprise I started out in poetry. And I think many of my scenes are beautiful, chilling, ominous, filled with...atmosphere... and like I said - there IS plot happening, but I think I sent it to the back of the room too often. I spent too much time creating a world, and it took too long to make the action happen. Slowly, it has been coming to the forefront. But now, I am the kamikaze writer. I'm going in and bringing ACTION to my novel - no matter how many darlings I have to kill.

This task is harder than it sounds. This week, on vacation, I spent a few days, whole days, writing the first chapter. The first 16 pages. If at least 3 chapters must come before page 50 then, I have at most 16 pages for each. So I wrote the first chapter, and I needed to "disrupt my character's ordinary world." I am trying to provide the reason for her departure and introduce Objective # 1 - which is to resolve internal conflict. I wrote it and I thought it was good - but I wasn't sure of it. I read it to my husband - and for once - he gave me really good feedback. "I don't care about the mother or her husband right now. I care about that guy she saw outside the building. What's up with that? Cut the conversation short and get on to the next scene." He was so right. What happened was that I got caught up in the description of my MC and her conversation with her mother. Throwing in some back story, trying to draw thematic parallels, all the while painting a picture of every nuanced move. Arg!! It sneaks in there even when I try not to do it. How frustrating.

So, today, I re-wrote. I cut it down by six pages. I stuck to the action. I moved it forward. I established my MC and her main inner conflict. I introduced an important supporting role, but only introduced, and I set the stage for the novel's themes. In ten pages, I got my character to the door of leaving her normal world. Now the next chapter will start right in the new world, and the third chapter will close the door behind her so she can't go back. I vow to stick to the action. I vow to make every paragraph, every page move my MC forward. I vow to tell myself over and over - less is more - do not digress - keep - moving - forward. No paragraphs of back story, no paragraphs of ambient description. One foot in front of the other. By page fifty - a major discovery will have occurred and a major objective of solving the main mystery will be securely on the table.

This doesn't mean I will abandon my love of atmosphere, nor will I ignore the past that drives my character's decisions, but I will pepper them in, one sentence at a time. No more.

Revisioning is hard - but...it is also exciting. Once you have the plot set out and fleshed out with all your wildest desires, and then pared down to something better. A firm, clear headed revisioning is...almost freeing. I get to take what I loved and make it so much better.

How do you revision your writing?

Are you in it for the Muse or the Marketplace?

2011-02-23T18:18:00.000-05:00

So, I've registered for The Muse and the Marketplace conference in Boston, April 30th and May 1st. This will be my second year going. I heard about from one of my critique partners two years ago when we first started our writing group. (Woohoo! Anniversary this month.) When she told me about it, I thought I would never be able to attend such a behemoth of a conference. Over 500 hundred participants, famous writers, established agents and editors, and even a few recent literary notables in the mix. Last year I was very nervous to meet with an agent face to face. It was pre-query and it was the first time I would present my query to anyone. It was not a pretty picture - but I learned a lot. I was also less interested in the workshops as I was in meeting an author of choice.

Now, I am less nervous about meeting an agent, and am approaching that whole business from a new angle, not looking for a query critique - but more for some answers on common page critiques. The author situation is pretty much the same, as I am going to meet Alice Hoffman, the author that got me started writing in the first place.

But this year, the main reason for going is to get some insight from seasoned professionals on how to rework my WIP. I am more interested in the Muse aspect, specifically the revisioning Muse, than I am in the Marketplace. I am hoping to learn something about pacing, structure, and the essential elements of keeping a reader guessing. This, I think, is the natural progression of the process. I wrote the novel, I thought I did my best, I submitted it, and I learned I could do better. So now I am working hard to do just that.

In any case, I know that it will be a blast. If you are in the Massachusetts area - I strongly suggest you check out the site. As my husband said to me today, it may not be easy, but you don't learn anything from that which comes easy.

Horns - Contest - I want it. You should read it.

2011-02-22T19:58:00.001-05:00

I've blogged about Joe Hill's Horns before and if you haven't read it - and you like horror type novels - then you should read this. It's original and really awesome. AND...if you want to enter a contest to get a copy...go HERE.

And just a side note - if you are unfamiliar with Joe Hill - it is a neat little fun fact that The Shining is dedicated to him...by his dad. But his writing stands alone.

A Message for Beginners

2011-02-21T11:59:00.000-05:00

I came across this today at The Chocolate Chip Waffle and it was exactly what I needed to hear at just this moment. I love Ira Glass and now I love him more. Thank you Terresa Wellborn.

"Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you.
A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through."

~ Ira Glass

First Line

2011-02-07T19:32:00.000-05:00

My actual first line is as follows:

"My mother told me never to start a new endeavor on the full moon, but as was my nature then I didn't bother to pay attention."

Fortune's Favors

2011-01-21T12:18:00.000-05:00

Process: I first shuffled all the cards thoroughly and in the traditional way, the deck cut with the left hand, and then I spread them in a fan, face down, and picked four out at random, four that seemed to call to me. I am reading them in the order of the spread. I did not choose which one went where. Again, I am using the traditional Universal Waite Tarot deck and the interpretations are assisted by Arthur Edward Waite’s accompanying discussion of the tarot.
This time I have chosen a 4 card spread, a goal and achievement spread.

First, envision the goal you are trying to achieve. My goal: To find success with my writing, and by that I mean to find a compatible and interested agent and to eventually be published.

Card 1: The seeker and his or her goal.
The Five of Cups

I am very familiar with this card. It is one that showed up in Alice’s reading in DISTILLATION. A cloaked figure stands on the shore. In the distance is a building – a castle perhaps – one with a tower in any case – a high point. The figure is on the shore of the river and there is also a bridge in the distance to the right. The seeker must cross the bridge to achieve the goal. This is a card of loss. The seeker is gazing downward contemplating the three fallen and empty cups. That aspect of the card indicates a focus on something lost. The Pictoral Key to the Tarot by Arthur Edward Waite indicates that this can be related to patronage of some sort – or of a marriage. There are also two cups still standing however, and this is indicative that there are more possibilities for union or patronage. More positives to focus on.

Card 2: The past- that which is influencing the current state of the quest.

The Seven of Wands
An individual stands above a crowd apparently battling them from the high ground with his or her own staff. This is a card of competition and/or negotiation – it can also be seen (Waite) as a card of valor and intellectual, wordy strife. Given that the individual has the upper hand in the image – it can be seen as a card of success. So – in the context of the past – from my POV, I see this as me being in the middle path of my journey to succeeding at my goals. Competition and intellectual strife have certainly been a large part of that, but so has the hope of success and doing well.

Card 3: The present condition of the goal, what is happening now that is influencing the attainment of this goal, or the current state of the goal.

Queen of Swords.

Though the image here seems to indicate strength, it is seen as a card of sorrow, of infertility, of sterility. The queen is holding out her hand expectantly, the sword is there, but is not in a position of use or power. She is reaching for something and is coming up empty. That is how I see it. So far, lots of possibility, lots of interest, but no offer. Yet.

Card 4: The future – the outcome of the goal.

The Star

This is a card of the major arcana – it features a woman bending on one knee pouring water from two jugs, one into the pool, the other into the land. There is one large star in the sky behind her and seven smaller stars. In addition, in the distance is a leafy tree with a bird in it. Waite indicates that this card has sometimes been seen as a card of hope, but he feels it is more a card of eternity and inner light, truth unveiled, a pouring out of the soul, and an element of fertility as she is an earth mother.

So – my interpretation as to the future of my goal – I see it as indefinite, but positive. It indicates to me that my writing is positive in its outcome. The act of giving, of pouring forth my ideas and my soul will result in an eternal and fruitful outcome for me as an individual. This does not mean I will get an agent and published, but it means that my writing is important and that is leading me down a path toward goodness no matter what.

Fun Contest from Brenda Drake Writes

2011-01-19T17:47:00.000-05:00

First Line Contest - Too Fun! Here is the graphic from Brenda's blog, she is hosting this fun contest that you all should do

Weronika (pronounced 'Veronica') Janczuk is a writer and an agent with D4EO Literary. She also writes YA, literary, and historical fiction, and blogs about it here. An interview with Weronika will be posted here sometime before the contest so go on over and check it out.

Brenda's Instructions: Go to her blog and sign up on the linky. On February 7 and 8, post the first line of your manuscript (any genre) on your blog to get critiques from your followers and then hop around to the other participants' sites and give critiques. Polish your line and enter it into the comments of the contest post on February 9 like this:

Name: Ariel Swan
Title: Distillation
Genre: Women's Lit

"My mother told me never to start a new endeavor on the full moon..."

You get the idea.

Prizes from Weronika:

1st place -- a critique of the first 50 pages + query

2nd place -- a critique of the first 25 pages + query

3rd place -- a critique of the query

I'm in. So go to it.

Team Jacob All the Way - better late than never

2011-01-15T20:26:00.001-05:00

So, I am late in coming to this trough, but I have recently (as in 5 minutes ago) finished the Twilight films. No, I didn't read the books and I probably won't. Being a high school teacher, and beyond teeny-bopper schmoopiness - I did not even consider Twilight when it came out. Many of my students were into it and still I resisted, privately rolling my eyes at the bubble gum vampire adventures they swooned over. But now that the hype is passed, I figured why not watch the films, because, I confess I was at one point a full on vampire girl. Full on.

I was absolutely obsessed with Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles when I was sixteen. I wished very much that Lestat or someone like him would come through my window and transform me. Alas, it never happened. I have a whole vampire library to prove my obsession went way beyond Rice's series. In fact, even as a young lass, way before Anne Rice, I was in to films like Once Bitten and The Monster Squad - I was just into that type of thing. But Lestat is not Edward. The vampires I was raised on were not PG 13. Classic to modern, Palodori to Camilla, Dracula to the Blood Countess, they were much more erotic, not to mention intellectual and sophisticated.

But...I happily watched all 3 Twilight films, ready to forgive its flaws, and eager to be swept away in romance and fantasy. Twilight - the first film - was good to start. I liked the setting, I liked Bella, and I liked the Native American descended from the wolf thing. The vampires, however, were lacking and just a bit silly with their sparkly baseball, which I had previously heard about. Just like musicals in which I like everything but the singing, I liked everything but the vampires in the first story. It was enough in the end however, to make me want to see New Moon. I watched that last night. Not so good. As with many trilogies #2 seemed but a bridge story. Not enough about what I was interested, which much to my chagrin, was Edward vs Jacob.

I was particularly struck by the sexual allegory, albeit par for the course in vampire lit. Bella and Edward can not consummate their relationship because it means he must "bite" her, or enter her body and pull from her the very goodness he so desires. Now this varies depending on the lore, but most vampires are not able to engage in the traditional sexual act. The bite and the drinking of blood is their release. Meyers doesn't seem to be playing it this way, but her rules are vague to say the least. Can Edward actually do the deed? He wants to be married first before they "do it" - interchangeably relating to having sex and him making her into a vampire, on which be blames his old fashioned ways - being 100+ years old and all. But as a teenager, it makes sense that Bella is abstinent, and a vampire boyfriend, who for one reason or another is unwilling to go beyond a kiss, makes sense.

And then there is Jacob: warm blooded, animistic (in more ways than one). His clan can have children, and only some of them "inherit the gene" for being a werewolf. He is tan, he is jacked, he is witty, and...he can do what needs to be done. No contest. Although, running around perpetually without his shirt on and donning cut off jeans is a bit questionable. But...he is also dangerous. He says himself, he doesn't know what he could do to her if he got angry. Uh oh. Watch out for those hot blooded guys, they might blacken your eye or worse, therefore presenting another allegorical warning. Even the nice guys can be dangerous if they are that type.

But of course Jacob never hurts her, and neither does Edward. But Edward is a vampire, he is cold, pale and sickly looking, mopey, and somewhat insecure. Who would want that for a man? This was most prominently dealt with in the winter/tent scene in Eclipse. Of course Jacob can keep her warm, and the line that he is..after all...hotter than Edward made me laugh hard. So true.

Overall, it was teen romance, mixed with the classic vampire love story, which I once was in love with myself, so I can't fault it for that. The evil vampire clan thing was totally unnecessary and I tried to ignore it in all the movies as much as possible. It was not possible though in New Moon and that is why that was the worst of the three films.

Now, there was a moment there, between New Moon and Eclipse where I believed that maybe this story was going to end in a new and original way. Maybe Edward would actually consummate the relationship with a deep and juicy bite and they would actually live happily ever after, and after, and after, going against the traditional vampire story. And, truly, I suppose that is how it ends in a way. We just don't get to see the deed being done, which was a major let down. Instead all we got was a flower laden field with talk of wedding dresses and guest lists. Isn't that how it is for every bride? all fantasy, and little focus on the reality of married life. A virginal wedding with oh such a surprise on the wedding night. Now that IS the old fashioned way.

In Eclipse, I thought for a moment that Bella would choose Jacob and the whole thing would be turned on its head. The scene where, as a wolf, he rubs his head against her like a pet dog, brought tears to my eyes. A guy who is hot, magical, and as soft and cozy as a pet pooch - well who could want anything more? She even kisses Jacob and tells him she loves him. All the vampires, including Edward, told her she shouldn't "marry" him and become a vampire. So why didn't she choose Jacob for God's sake?!

Well, because there is one theme that will go on in perpetuity. Women always choose the guy that is not right for them. Even if he himself tells her he is not the right guy for her. The nice, warm blooded, family oriented, caring guy will never win out over the withdrawn, despond ant, outsider. Nice guys always finish last.

Now, I almost do wish I had read it along with my school girls. I could have then told them that worst guys are hairy on the inside, and not the outside.

Fortune's favors?

2011-01-12T09:39:00.002-05:00

The Tarot is a form of divination using archetypal imagery to delve into the psyche. Archetypes have meaning to us all and any image will have some meaning to the seeker. Just like the interpretation of dreams, it is more important what the dream (or card) makes you personally feel (afraid, relieved, rushed etc.) than the actual story of the dream or image.

Josephine, the mother of my MC Alice Towne, reads tarot cards. In DISTILLATION she does a reading for her daughter - which took me a lot of time to do. When I started my novel I never thought I'd be doing tarot readings for imaginary characters, but it was insightful for me and for Alice, I think.

I grew up with a traditional with a Universal Waite Tarot deck in my own household. I played with it often, examining the images and imagining their stories. Although I do not claim to be a true cartomancer, I know my way around a deck. So, I thought it might be fun to add a little divination to my blogging repertoire.

So, here is the card for today: The Seven of Cups - pulled from a shuffled deck - cut with the left hand.

Cups is a generally positive suit. This card depicts a figure gazing at an array of full cups. It is an indicator of imaginative purpose, of possibility, and of potential realization. Each of the cups may contain something desired or something feared, and the figure is in contemplation of those possibilites. The cups sit on a cloud, rather than at the end of a road or in a distant landscape, which means the object of the seeker's imagination is not yet a reality. Attainment of something desired is not guarenteed, but the possibility is there. It indicates that there is yet a choice the seeker must make, or a path he or she must take to bring what is wanted to fruition. I see this image as a reflection of wishing, of wanting, and of inaction.

If I am the seeker, this means I must stop looking at the imagined possibilities and get back on the road in order to actually make any possibility a reality. If applied to my writing - this means I need to get writing and stop waiting, something I have been struggling to do.

If you are the seeker what does this image mean to you?

What author would you like to meet?

2011-01-08T10:01:00.000-05:00

I just checked in at the 2011 Muse and the Marketplace website to see how this year's conference planning was coming along and found that my favorite author, the one who inspired me to write novels in the first place, is going to be there. Now I am going to have to go - because I must meet Alice Hoffman.

If you could meet any living author, who would it be?

#2 No Kiss Blog Fest

2011-01-02T15:32:00.000-05:00

My second blogging/writing resolution is to get more involved in the online community. I have been visiting Nathan Bransford's forums again and I am going to try and comment on others blogs every day and begin taking part in some of the activities going on. So...Starting right away - my first activity is to participate in the "No Kiss Blogfest" which I learned about from Lindsay's (a.k.a Isabella's) lovely blog Adventure in Writing - which linked me to Frankie Writes who is the creator of this exercise. Note: This excerpt has been edited for length quite a bit.

I stepped down from the bank onto the ledge and felt the shock of the water surge through me, sucking the air from my lungs. I let out a little yelp and saw Kyle turn his face to see what was happening. I had no choice. It was either stand there exposed in my underwear, or dive in. So, I jumped, the freezing water rushing over my body, tiny bubbles effervescing against my skin.
I swam across to the ledge where Kyle was now sitting up again, and found a wide rock beneath the water on which I could sit, modestly submerged. But my rock was in the shade and I began to shiver.

“It’s really cold,” I chattered, my arms folded over my breasts.

“It’s invigorating for sure,” the sun was in his eyes and he was squinting at me. “You can come up here in the sun. Believe it or not, I’ve seen women in their underwear before.”

I laughed a little sourly, and breathed “Yeah,” looked away and shivered harder.

“Come on,” he held out his hand to me and after a moment I took it, getting a foothold on my rock and stepping over the water onto the dry, sun drenched ledge. “See?”

“See what?” I said sitting down beside him, shaking still.

“Not so bad.”

“No,” I laughed.

When I looked back at Kyle was staring at me. I held his gaze, my stomach doing flips, my arm pits prickling, watching him watch me.

“I’ve never met anyone with your color eyes before,” he said matter of factly.

“Ah. Yes, a family trait.” I looked down, breaking the hold, a little embarrassed.

“They’re almost all gold. It’s interesting. You’re different.”

“Than what,” I asked, feeling warm and relaxed now in the sun, although a jittery feeling inside persisted.

“Than the other girls I know.”

“Really? Well, I’m not sure that’s a good thing, but thanks I guess.”

“You seem so …” and he broke off, not finishing his sentence.

“So what?”

“I don’t know… solitary, hiding out in that old house. Truthfully, I’ve been a little intimidated by you.”

“Ha,” I laughed, incredulous, and then felt I shouldn’t have. “It’s true, I guess. I’m here taking some time for me. But, I wouldn’t say I’m hiding out,” I said.

He was quiet for a minute, thinking, looking off into the woods and then back at me. Then with one finger, he touched the tip of my nose. “You look like a llama.”

“What? I thought llamas were ugly with big hooked snouts.” Of all the things I’d ever wanted to look like, this was not one of them.

He laughed with a full smile. “No. Llamas are cute. They have long dark eye lashes and pretty triangle shaped noses like you, although mostly they don’t have freckles, but there are blonde ones.”

“I see.”

He was still smiling, his head leaning on his shoulder, his body leaning back on one hand.

I shifted my eyes sideways, sensing that there was something uncomfortable in the possibilities of where this conversation could lead.

I imagined how he would taste: sweet and cool as silver. Then reality slipped in. I saw Steven’s brown eyes peering out at me from my conscience, sending at once a pang of both guilt and anger through me.

I turned my face, breaking the moment, before Kyle even made up his mind.

When I turned back, he was still close to me, but I could see the intention had faded. He smiled with closed lips, leaned away, and slipped into the water and waited for me to follow. Disappointment and relief surged through me as I plunged in after him, bracing against the shock of the water, and we swam back across.

Do you have an almost kiss - either from a WIP, a movie, a novel, or...wherever to share? If so - get to it - but stop off at Frankie Writes first to sign up so yours will get added to the list.

Happy New Year! #1 Reading and Writing

2011-01-02T15:27:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year. Resolution # 1 - to start blogging more often about what I am reading and finding out what you all are reading.

I am reading right now "Outside the Ordinary World" by local author Dori Ostermiller.
So far this book is pretty good. It is about Sylvia Sandon who swore she wouldn't become like her mother (imagine that - it seems to be a common theme) but finds that she is retracing some of her steps as Sylvia tries to create a better life in small town New England (also very common in these parts) as her marriage is failing. The beginning at least is set in California in the 1970s amidst ambient brush fires that give the sense that the world is going up in flames.

I was a little familiar with Ms. Ostermiller before because she runs the Writers in Progress Workshops in Florence, MA. I have considered attending them numerous times and still plan on it at some point. I did try to contact her a few times because she did offer manuscript critiques (for a fee which I couldn't really afford) - but I was going to see if there was a partial critique we could do. But alas, she didn't return my calls or emails. But when I saw her book in the library the other day I figured, she must have been busy with this.

and "At Home: A Short History of Private Life" by Bill Bryson
This book is non-fiction and is one I heard about on NPR - I ordered it from the library and had to wait. It is really interesting - taking the reader through all the rooms and passageways in a home - and in doing so going off on a million tangents about the things found in them - or in ideas (somewhat) related to that room. I started reading it because I love old houses and I wanted to know the history of the rooms. Unfortunately though, Mr. Bryson does not stick to that formula. For example, he spends the entire chapter on the Cellar (which I was very interested to learn about) talking about the history of bricks and cement. Right now - we are in the study - and he is talking about the lives and habits of rats and mice. These are interesting subjects, though I do not share his particular interest in eccentric architects, and I have kept reading - but it is not solely about the house. It should have been a clue that one of Mr. Bryson's earlier works was "A Short History of Nearly Everything."

So What are You Reading? Please do tell.

Suspense and M. Night Shyamalan

2010-10-31T18:29:00.000-04:00

Like Janet Reid I am now posting multiple blogs on Sundays. At least for today when I am thinking about techniques for suspense.

In passing today - and the other night - I caught The Happening on television. Have you seen this movie? I actually saw it in the theater. I love M.Night Shyamalan and I know many people just don't get his work. So...I want to talk about it a little. Here are my reasons for liking his work:

1) He spins light horror and the classic fairy tale in a whole new way. Everybody loved The Sixth Sense - it was a ghost story at its best - and I love ghost stories. It had the then uncommon twist that the guy didn't know he was a ghost. The Village which came out after Signs, (which I will discuss in # 2), was seen as just not up to the same standard as the previous two films which were filled with suspense and spooktacular tension. The Village however is a deft commentary on modern life, societal anxiety, and the power of story telling. The same happened with The Lady in the Water. People hated it - I loved it. But it was a modern day fairy tale that was both suspenseful and heart warming.

#2 Masterful direction - in every Shyamalan film his talent as a director is clearly exhibited. He is not being arrogant when he parallels himself to Hitchock by making cameo appearances in his films. He is as talented - if not more- that than great master of suspense. To examine this I ask you to consider Signs and The Happening. In both of these films there the viewer never sees the monster. In signs there are very brief glimpses of an alien and in The Happening - the monster is the wind in the trees. Yet, he is able to make the view tense and jumpy with just implication. In The Happening when they figure out that it is coming from the plants - suddenly a beautiful shot of the wind blowing tall grass in a field becomes ominous. Run! The wind is coming. I also love his use of color both symbolically and as a means of distraction or direction. Often his scenes are beautiful and sinister at the same time.

# 3 Comic relief/ Satirical commentary. This is not in every film - but in most. Shyamalyn's ability to incorporate humor between tense moments, or to utilize light and bright moments of human tenderness to contrast darkness and fear is masterful. The Happening - I believe - is quite satirical. It is a funny movie. The over the top violence is ridiculous in places - but it again is showing something about human beings. The underlying theme that we are destroying the planet and it is going to get back at us is noble, timely, and scary. The humans stupidly offing themselves is not plain gore - it is exactly what we are doing every day by destroying our planet. Shamalyn also uses television and radio background broadcasts or newspaper headlines to underscore his points about society. Watch and listen for them and what seems inconsequential or funny is often a jab at what you might be missing all along.

#4 Use of Allegory and Archetype - this is scene in Unbreakable and The Lady in the Water the most - but it is in all of his stories. The Lady in the Water used allegory and archetype to present its tale of humanity. It was akin to Melville's Pequod in that that little apartment complex was the ship of the world - it represents the path we all share as human beings and the very essence of the human struggle: peril, doubt, cooperation, belief, and unity. It also had a mermaid -type lady so I loved it even more.

And he is a story teller of the best sort. He is writing High Concept stories and then bringing them to life in films that leave on thinking long after the screen goes black. Or at least they should if you are paying attention.

His work is inspirational to me in my own writing and if I could choose a director for DISTILLATION (if it ever were to get published and then made into a movie - hey I can dream) I would pick him. His subtlety and sophisticated treatment of the genre of suspense, horror, and fantasy is some of the best we have from today's creative minds.

Literary Cretin

2010-10-31T11:32:00.001-04:00

Happy Halloween! To celebrate the transition into the dark time this year I decided to read a horror story - a real classic. Stephen King's The Shining. I had never read this book before, though I had seen the movie a thousand times. The first time was when I was eight or nine years old and my friend's aunt let us watch it - and this was no edited for tv version either. I think it scarred me for life - so much that I went on to read quite a bit of Stephen King throughout my teenage years and now write books about...ghosts and murders.

I am almost done reading the book now and I am loving it. As well as a good read, I am appreciating the horror writing techniques. It is really well written and it is really scary. A few items I have liked: Danny sees the woman in the bathtub -all gross and dead - and she comes out and follows him and strangles him. Jack - the dad - goes to investigate and at first sees nothing at all, but when he turns away he hears the sound of the shower curtain being pulled closed. He turns back and he can see the shadow behind it - but he does not actually see the ghost at that point. I loved that. The sound of the shower curtain closing was the scarier element - more than actually seeing the woman. Also - the topiaries - which are not in the film. They move - but only when the observer looks away. My initial thought when reading the first of these scenes was that it was a little silly, but then it was a little scary, and now just thinking about animal shaped topiaries is giving me the heebie jeebies.

I think Stephen King is a good writer. Some of his work is better than others - and some of itI actually consider literary horror or just plain literary. So why do some people think he is a low brow writer? I am an English teacher - a high school English teacher who teaches the classics - and has begun incoporating YA lit into my classroom at least on a self selected read basis. King's writing is a lot better than much contemporary fiction. Of course, much contemporary fiction is considered low brow too.

So what is good fiction? What is literature? Shakespeare? Well he was a low brow writer. He wrote for the uneducated masses and his work is rife with dirty jokes - some very dirty. Sure he also wrote about the human condition - but name one story that doesn't. What about Steinbeck - or Melville - the great American writers - who also wrote about the human condition - but also wrote about the poor and desperate and adventure stories (respectively). Or Faulkner or Joyce? Is that literature? So bizarre it is nearly impossible to read?

What makes something "literature"? And, are we, who read - and/or write - with and/or for the masses, Literary Cretins? I don't think so, but you tell me.

Finding time to write

2010-10-17T18:58:00.000-04:00

My writing ladies met today and we had another good round of critiquing. One thing that came up, as I am sure comes up all the time for writers, is that we have trouble (especially this time of year) finding time to write.

Family, school, jobs all make finding time difficult. Right now I am feeling really cramped by my day job. I am a high school English teacher and it is both rewarding and absolutely draining, emotionally and physically.

Many people do not understand the job of a teacher. This is made more apparent by the things politicians, parents, and film makers say. This is the superjob that goes completely underappreciated. It is believed that a teacher should make up for all that a family situation lacks and advance a child intellectually despite exterior influences. This is very difficult, but almost every teacher tries their hardest to make it happen. But when you have a student who comes from a family that does not have an educational foundation with books in the home and an interest in learning new things (ie. closed minded), that feels teachers are worthless, and who encourages their child to "hit the easy button" by cheating (it does happen), it is a difficult job. Not to mention the constant onrush of 20 or more children (whatever their age) needing answers, needing support, not waiting their turn, hitting each other, engaging in typical behavior, but behavior that is unexceptable in a classroom nonetheless, and the bizarre disconnectedness of administrators is various applications of nonsupport and uninsightful micromanagement, it becomes a VERY difficult job.

After eight years I still find myself drowning at times. I have a student teacher this year and right now is a difficult time for me to feel like I am leading her into something worthwhile. It will change. October is the month where it all catches fire and right now I have a lot of fires to put out. Things will settle down. There will be amazing moments in learning and growing. But right now...it is consuming me.

It goes without saying that I am not doing much writing. How can I? I want to get back into the world of DISTILLATION and LADY SLIPPER (the continuation of the story) - but it takes a while to get my mojo on. Once I do get back into novel mode, it can only last so long - then, when I have to come out and grade papers or deal with a tough day of student defiance and apathy - I am angry - yes angry - about having to do that. About having to step back into the muck of real life rather than create a ficitional one.

Is this a writer's illness? Are we escapists who would rather live in an imagined world? How does one overcome the emotional drain that life brings and easilly step in and out of the writing mind without it feeling like it is a gigantic leap that - in itself - is disruptive?

How do you find time to write? How do you make the jump to the writing mind from the reality mind? I know it is an escape. I have said so myself. But I am finding it to be an escape accessed only by traversing an tremendous divide.

Writer's Journey

2010-10-13T15:00:00.000-04:00

I called in sick today. I really am a little sick - ear ache and sinus ache, but I think it is really just being run down from too many teenagers more than anything else. And it might have been due to that wedding I went to this weekend with the open bar. I drank a little too much red wine. Not good for the sinuses. It was a fun time though and great to see a long lost cousin happy.

At the wedding something happened that I think is relevant to other writers on the journey to getting published. I have let a number of people read my MS in its various stages of revision. I have my writing group of course who see it chapter by chapter - and they have helped me to make it so much better - chapter by chapter.

Then...I have given to those most unreliable of critics...some family members: my mother, my sister, and then my aunt requested it. So - even though it was about to go through a major overhaul (each one has seen a new draft) I let her read it. At the afore mentioned wedding, another aunt talked to me about the book she had heard so much about and congratulated me on...getting it published!

Wait...don't misunderstand me...I HAVE NOT EVEN FOUND AN AGENT YET. But...people outside this long road we wanna-be writers are on have no idea how the publishing world works. This was even worse than my mother in law, who, when I said I'd finished the first draft, asked if I had chosen a publisher yet.

I can't fault these aunts for the miscommunication. Family members are proud - which is nice - when one of their own "writes a book" and because people don't know what the publishing world is like - they just assume you write one - and then you get it published - easy as pie. No wonder so many people try and write novels.

Needless to say I had to put both hands up and say STOP RIGHT THERE and clarify this situation. I wasn't embarrased - but a little regretful for for letting the fam read it - period. They assure me that their impressions are not prejudiced in my favor - but don't worry I don't buy it for minute. It's hard not to share what you've worked on for so long and I have tried to keep it within my inner circle.

Has anyone else had this happen? What strange and funny things have been said to you by family and friends outside the writer's journey?

I've learned to link, Back to it, and the Lonely Quest

2010-09-26T20:02:00.003-04:00

Hello from my corner of the world. First off I would like to congratulate Matt Rush for having been linked in Nathan Bransford's "This Week in Publishing" post last Friday. How cool is that? As an English teacher, I will be talking about banned books more than usual this week. So many of the books on my classroom shelf have been banned. It is scary though that a lot of parents are afraid of what is in those books. At open house two weeks ago - I put up a power point that had hooks for the books we read in my class and I headlined Hamlet as "Ghosts, Murder, Sex and Suicide!" One mother paled at the sight of this tag line. I bet she's never read it. But we wouldn't ban Shakespeare would we?

I also wanted to note that the Author!Author! blog got me thinking about Author Pics just this evening. If only I had an agent I would start thinking about one. I wouldn't want to be caught off guard without one as she says often happens. So, just for fun, what about this one?

Just kidding. That's a little scary. It would bring 'newest female horror writer' to a whole new level. That's me last summer taking a break from writing.

Anyway...I am back to it. I have read through DISTILLATION twice in the last four weeks. I made significant changes to the pacing and I worked hard on character continuity. Making sure dear Alice keeps her emotions straight. I think I was successful. When I finished the second go through today I felt really good about it. Even though I've read the thing so many times now (changing it a little or a lot each and every time) I am taken aback by how much I like my own story. It makes me laugh, it makes me cry, it even scares the bejesus out of me at times. I like that the best.

Someone commented on some blog last week (sorry I can't remember which) that the query process is like wandering through the desert. I totally agree with that assessment. What a lonely quest. Even with the writing group (thank goodness for them) and the blogs, it is still so bizarre. We send stuff out - maybe it gets a response - maybe not - and the consistency is nonexistent. One never knows.

Reflecting on the Journey

2010-07-29T19:56:00.005-04:00

I set out to write this blog more for me than for anyone else. I wanted to chronicle my writing journey. I do not host contests or look for guest bloggers and I do not have many followers. But still I write. The community I have become a part of through blogging has been invaluable to me. I have learned so much from all of you.

I started this blog with a completed rough draft ms less than a year ago. That draft had taken me roughly two years to complete. When I started writing it - the first 100pages were so bad. That was the first summer and then when the second summer came around, I went back and rewrote the whole thing and actually got a handle on the plot. By the end of that second summer I had about 180 half decent pages. One year from then, by the end of the third summer, I had 300+ pages and a completed ms. That was last summer. I have spent the last year editing, revising, revising, revising again, and getting feedback from a writing group, which somewhere along the way I started. Amazingly, I got my writing partners through craig's list of all places. And though I had never used it before they turned out to be the best people I could have hoped for. Crazy how things happen.

In addition, I have read and read and read books in my genre - hunting them down and coming across some excellent finds. I have analyzed books both past and present that were in my genre or had some element of writing I thought was good. I went to a big scary writing conference in Boston and met with an agent who told me to change my title and told me to compare myself to a horror writer. My god did I agonize over that conference for months. I have written query letters till I cried - literally - hating those damn things. I think writing a decent query letter has been the hardest writing I have ever had to do - much harder than writing the novel.

And now I am here at the height of the fourth summer - three years. I thought it was time for me to take a moment to stop on this great mountain climb and enjoy the trip for a minute- even though I have not yet reached the summit and still may very well have a long long way to go. I am proud of myself. I have worked really hard and though I am just at the beginning of the hard part - I just am amazed that less than two years ago I felt really nervous with my new writing group because I thought they were going to think my book was silly. I remember the first time I told my friends I was writing a novel - I was so embarrassed to even confess to such a pipe dream. And while it still may end up collecting dust in the bottom drawer, still I have come this far. Someone other than my friends and family asked to read my novel. An agent asked to read my novel. And no matter what ever the verdict is - I know this too will be a great learning experience and one more step up the mountain.

So thank you. I am so thankful to have found this community of bloggers. I am so thankful to those people who have read my novel and said good things about it - or even better told me how to improve it.And I hope that you are all still there for the rest of the journey.

Check it out

2010-07-20T15:18:00.001-04:00

There is a fun contest over at http://jayneferst.blogspot.com/2010/07/contest-to-celebrate.html

and the prizes are really fun. Now I want to collect Agatha Christie books.

A double rainbow sort of day

2010-07-15T20:11:00.005-04:00

If you do not follow Bransford's blog - here is a great video - what ever that guy is on - I want some.

If it is cuT off - here is the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQSNhk5ICTI&feature=player_embedded#!

The Great White Whale of an industry

2010-07-13T19:07:00.006-04:00

Every day I am seeing posts about "the state of the [publishing] industry". My mother even has soap box lecture when it comes to how the publishing industry is shooting itself in the foot. Granted there are multiple perspectives here: that of the agent, that of the writer, and that of the reader.

As far as the agents go - it is a scary scene. They go on at length about how self publishing is going to destroy the industry, and E-books are its death knell. For example, albeit more optimistic than most, Nathan Bransford (http://blog.nathanbransford.com)blogged today about Mike Shatzkin's prediction that by 2015 at LEAST 50% of the book market will be through E-book publishing. Bransford goes on to comment about how this will affect "the industry" even beyond the "brick and mortar" bookstore which will of course be a fossil by then (according to the prediction.)

To quote Bransford,"it will have huge implications for the way books are planned, marketed, acquired, published, and discovered. Everything from the seasonal publishing calendar to print runs to marketing campaigns will be in for reevaluation." He does, as I said before, put an optimistic spin on it. Again from Bransford's blog: "[P]eople are still buying and reading books. The ease of access afforded by e-books might even mean they'll buy more when they can download a book at home rather than planning a trip to the bookstore...Authors will still write books, publishers will still be the go-to place to put a book together and market it, there will be self-publishing for those who want to go it alone, and readers will have still more choice and ease of access." But still, as he says, "there is lots still to be worked out on the author side, including paltry royalties and more reliance on authors for platforms and buzz-making."

What I wonder is - where do the agents fit in? Certainly I believe they will still exist, but will they lose their position as gate keepers? After all, as of now, they sit high atop their summit of power - authors bending and begging based on their every whim. I read their blogs and many complain about how tired they are of seeing the same thing over and over again. They make examples out of wannabe writers who have (gasp) made an error in their submission format. Of course - I know it is important to read the directions and people should follow them if they want to play the game. But it seems that there is a lot of buzz out there that the game will change and there are a lot of sharp words about how it will be the end for us all. Be warned, they tell us, you writers don't want this. It will mean no money and more work for you. But that then means less money and maybe less work for them too, right?

But what Bransford says does make sense and if this happens, maybe there will be a recalibration of the industry, evening out some of the ...let's say idiosyncrasies of the game. Or maybe it won't. I hope it is true that for readers at least, the self publishing through E book ease(although they are not the same thing)will give more choice to readers. But, how will those choices be measured? How will one find the books they are looking for? Genre search? If everything is digitized will that make it easy to locate the Women's supernatural mystery I have been looking for? Or will there be an overload - too much supply - with not enough quality?

Although that brings me to my personal reader and writer view of "the industry" and this is something the agents hate hearing. Why is there so much crap out there? When I look at the new books shelf I laugh out loud at some of the stuff that is being published. But if it is what sells - then I guess more crap in the on-line market place will be exactly what people want. And it will be cheap. Think I-Tunes for books. $3.99 is my guess for new fiction.

So where does this leave us writers? I secretly hope I will get published under the old ways before this predicted transformation is complete. I have never believed self-publishing was an answer to the writer's struggle. To get in the door and to get a book "traditionally" published has always been a badge of honor. Now it is even more so. As far as E-books are concerned, I have nothing against them - although I see there is a diminished revenue because the cost is smaller. So how do we value the craft of a writer in these digital times? I don't know.

But, I am against total; E-publishing. I think to myself - without that book to hold in my hand - why bother? And I don't just want to hold it - if so I'd go to a vanity press. I want to walk down the book isle at the grocery store (yes the grocery store) and see it right there on the eye level shelf. I want to see it in people's beach bags. I know...big dreams. But without that as a possible reward - never mind the money - why would anyone publish for people beyond themselves and their close friends and relatives. (I know, I know...according to agents family and friends are a valueless audience.) I will certainly agree to publish an E-book - through my traditional publisher after the hardcover is out. Even if only libraries buy that hard cover - hey it's there. I want a physical book to my name. So what ever else these changes bring - I hope that does not change - at least in my time.

That's brings me to the last point. If what they say is true (and not necessarily Bransford here) and the number of books taken on by publishers diminishes to almost nothing, and the market is flooded with self-published junk, and avid readers can no longer find what's good anymore, well then there is only one thing to do: Go to the library and begin devouring all those classics you didn't get to. Re-read the ones you've already read. Thus we will fill the drought with the rich waters of that which is old, noble, and reminiscent of a better time when the "industry" was strong and proud.

I received an award

2010-07-12T08:19:00.004-04:00

Wow - thanks Piedmont Writer. I am not really sure what to do with such an award because I am - as you said - a freshman here.

But thanks for the

award. And now I need to pass it on to someone else.

I will give this lovely "Bloom of an Idea Award" to Perri - because she is not only a writer - but is also a farmer and a mom and wow - she impresses me all the time.
http://maggiesfarmicelandics.blogspot.com/

And do I have to say some things about myself or is that just for certain awards?

Well - IDK - but I haven't done an about me - so I'll say seven things anyway - even if it is against award protocol.

1)I am a high school English teacher and have my summer off. I love teaching Hamlet, the Iliad, and All American Literature. My students are Juniors - aged 16-17. Oh what a job.

2) I am named after a wood sprite in Shakespeare's the Tempest (not that little mermaid)

3) I have three cats (Pedro, Lydia, and Simone) and 8 chickens (Helen, Clementine, Red, Agatha, Martha, and Gertrude [the 3 witches], and Elenore and Ophelia.

4) I love water - because I am a Cancer (but on the cusp of Gemini)

5) I am 33 and 5' 0" tall (on a good day)

6) I have only one sibling - a sister who is twelve years older than me

7) I grew up on a lake and when I was 14 my dad gave me a canoe and it was my trasportation for a long time.I have many fond memories of meeting my friends at the town beach and spending days island hopping and swimming

Thanks again Piedmont Writer - and maybe someday I will have more than 50 followers - but I have to admit - I am not as dedicated a blogger as many. I really just want to share my writing thoughts - because my husband can only listen to so much. I read them much more than I write them. I love reading everyone's posts very much.

Summer of the Slush - and Hot Chicken TV

2010-07-06T16:15:00.008-04:00

So - it is here. I have begun.
I am in my mermaid room - that is painted blue like the sea and has mermaid painting, posters, and statues - because I like mermaids and always have - WAY before the silly Disney movie came out and stole my name for the mermaid part. I am older than she. I did like the movie though - but that is NOT why I have a mermaid room for an office. Anyway - it is on the second floor of our century year old farm house - that has no airconditioning of course. I am melting up here. I wish I were under the sea.

But still I plug away. Tweaking my query letters and researching agents. Finding great new blogs to follow. Reading the blogs of those that I have been following and trying to get a comment in here and there.

It's a tough life being on summer vacation and pushing my ms on equally hot and tired agents no doubt. And when I get bored I go outside and watch my chickens - who are huddled beneath their house in the deep shade right now because it is 100 degrees outside. But when I stop by they emerge and put on a show - because everyone likes hot chicken tv.

So what are YOU doing in this heat? Many of my followers are from other parts of the country - so how's the weather out there?

Query Wars

2010-06-30T14:03:00.005-04:00

Hello readers. It has been a while again. I have been focusing so much on getting a query I like (and doing some non-novel living too) that I have not been online much at all - except to read your blogs of course.

So - I am on the precipice. I am about to send out my queries. I have written at least six versions and I am down to two. Which one makes the book more appealing? If you have read DISTILLATION - which one portrays it more accurately? Please advise.

QUERY 1: Please note that the first paragraph changes based on the agent.

In May of this year, I attended the Muse and the Marketplace writer’s conference in Boston, MA, where your interest in women’s and supernatural fiction, as well as your approach to the industry, caught my attention. I am seeking representation for my novel DISTILLATION and thought it might be of interest to you.

In 1794, the town of Ashfield, Massachusetts refused Samuel Nightingale burial in consecrated ground on suspicion of being “in league with the devil”. His house, though damaged in the fire that killed him, survived. Everyone knows this tale. But, two centuries later, when Alice Towne discovers the preserved bones of an infant buried in the ancient cellar, it becomes clear the house still has secrets to tell.

Her whole life, Alice has wanted to be anything but like her mother, Josephine, a woman who believes in omens and has a flair for drama. So, when Alice’s relationship falls apart and she seeks refuge caretaking the old house, Alice tries hard to ignore the stories everyone has about the place. Even when river stones keep appearing in the kitchen, the odor of peppermint lingers in every corner, and there is a figure of a woman lurking beside the garden, Alice explains it all away and allows a job at the historical society and a handsome young beekeeper to distract her.

When an intruder leaves a frightening warning inside the house, it seems certain someone very alive is trying to frighten Alice. Everyone in the town has either a secret to share or one to hide and with help from her mother and a slew of colorful characters, Alice will uncover the truth behind the house on Watt’s Hill. In the process, if she just believes in a little magic, Alice might also distill the true essence of who she is.

Complete at 97,000 words, DISTILLATION is women’s fiction and a supernatural mystery in a quintessentially New England atmosphere. It is also a story about the sometimes difficult relationship between daughters and mothers. It will appeal to readers who enjoyed Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

QUERY 2:

I am a teacher of literature and creative writing from western, Massachusetts seeking representation for my novel DISTILLATION. I am approaching you because ....DISTILLATION is a mystery with women’s themes, supernatural threads, and regional flavor. I believe it will appeal to readers who enjoyed Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic.

Alice Towne has been trying hard not to think. She doesn’t want to dwell on her failed relationship. She doesn’t want to know what omen her mother believes predicted the breakup or what the tarot cards have foretold. And most of all she doesn’t want to consider how river stones keep getting into the kitchen, or why the smell of peppermint pervades every corner, or who the woman lurking around the garden at night might be. She just wants to be alone and to do her job sitting this old house.

But when Alice unearths the bones of an infant from beneath a two hundred year old hearthstone, she begins to pay attention. After an intruder leaves an eerie warning, Alice realizes the house on Watt’s Hill has an untold story someone is still trying to hide. But in order to find out the truth, Alice will have to face what she is running from, and in doing so, she just might distill the essence of who she truly is and what she really wants.

DISTILLATION is complete at 97,000 words. Please let me know if you are interested in looking at some pages. Thank you for your time and consideration.

VOTE FOR 1 OR 2
If you are new to the blog or have not checked it out in a while - please feel free to read the first few "Sneak Peak - Chapter 1" - due to editing the post.

Books and Summer Reads

2010-06-12T12:17:00.009-04:00

I just finished Margaret Atwood’s The Year of the Flood, which is a follow up to Oryx and Crake. If you have read and loved, as most do, her Handmaid’s Tale, you might like this dovetailed pair. As with Handmaid’s, these take place in a dystopian, not too distant future world where animals have been gene spliced to create new species and the social ills of civilization are taking their toll on everything. It is a fast forward look at where our consumerism, vanity, corporeal and corporate corruption might take us.

As with Handmaid’s Tale, Atwood’s imagination brings to life women who patiently navigate their way through dangerous situations that threaten their individuality, bodies, and mental states with hushed tones and secret conveyances while planning a way to escape and/or to survive. Oryx and Crake begins with a man isolated in a world recently wiped out by plague, in which the boots of guards dead outside biological engineering companies still bake in the sun, and where compound animal species (such as rakunks) roam the forest that is taking over what was once civilization. He tells the story of the man who was responsible for the destruction of everything and in the end finds others who are still alive. The Year of the Flood tells a parallel story of a group of subversive “greenies” who are called God’s Gardeners and who seek to live an anti-consumerist, ecologically friendly life and to spread the word before the “waterless flood” destroys the world. This story ends at the same place the other one does, except from the other side of the camp fire, so to speak. I really liked the way the two books were not a series in the traditional sense, where one story follows another. Instead, they are concurrent stories that converge in the same spot.

Other books I can recommend: If you have not already read The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe, it is a great summer read. It is a modern day Salem witch story that oscillates back and forth between a young woman discovering her heritage in Salem today and the story of a real witch from the Salem Witch Trials. I actually just added it to a list of choice books in my upcoming American Literature class. In an attempt to actually get kids to like reading, we try to assign enjoyable, contemporary novels that pick up on themes or subjects from the canon, as outside, independent reading and I thought the kids would really like in connection to the early New England works we read in class.

In relation to Howe’s book, I can also recommend if you like witchy women and historical fiction: Daughter’s of the Witching Hill by Mary Sharratt. This is an excellent piece of historical fiction that takes place in the early 17th century in England – centering on a “cunning woman” trying to make ends meet with folk magic mixed with the then forbidden Catholic faith. It takes place during the reign of James I, and his Daemonologie, which was the basis for interrogations and examinations precluding the various witch trials across Europe and New England.

I also recently read Joe Hill's Horns. This was a very interesting new type of "horror" story - I guess, written by none other than the son of Stephen King. For some bizarre reason, the agent I met with at the conference I went to recently suggested I compare myself to Joe Hill. By this comment, I am not sure if she even read my pages. But - this book - about a guy who wakes up one morning with devil horns on his head - is a unique and good read.

I am interested to hear in books others have to recommend. As school is getting out soon, I will be reading probably two books a week, so bring it on. I just returned from the library and, as always, came away with an armload of books. One I just picked up that seems interesting is a nonfiction book on the history of poison and chemistry. The chemical revolution is something I researched for DISTILLATION - from alchemy to modern day pharmaceuticals and my brain is ticking away at some ideas for the new story I am writing.

I also plan on reading some classics this summer – which I always plan – but do not always actually get to. Currently, I have Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway, Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (just coming off Hamlet at school and this is a must) and Scott Fitzgerald’s The Beautiful and the Damned on my list.

Query Writing

2010-06-06T17:30:00.006-04:00

It's been a while. For weeks now I have been immersed in my other life, the one that does not involve living in my imagination.

The last time I blogged, I promised another entry about what I discovered at the Muse and the Marketplace conference about how the successful authors I met there got their agents. But, the answer was too depressing. They all got their agents because one of their author friends recommended them.

So, I felt discouraged.

I also felt discouraged from the responses to query letters - generally at the conference - and to mine on these on line forums. There is no way anyone can write a plain good query letter. Everyone who reads it will think differently. Some will say too much about this. Others - too much about that - I want to hear more about this (the thing you cut out the first time) - or they say this doesn't have anything to do with the story. But it DOES! That is why I put it in there!

I have been guilty of burying my lead. Yet, when I put it at the start it seems wrong - because "the lead" happens half way through my story. But I guess the point is not to tell the story - it is just to get them to turn to page 1. Mu newest query is too long. I know it. I want to go back to the short one I liked that "buried the lead." I want to talk about the quirky characters in the town and my mcs relationship with her mother - this is what makes the story good. If I only tell the action, it reads like a horror novel. No wonder the agent at the conference said I should compare myself to Joe Hill. But my novel is nothing, nothing like his work. So what did she see?

I am almost done with teaching now and am able to think about the novel once again. I am feeling really deject and wretched about the submission part. I want to get it off my desk - so to speak - but I feel like I would be better served taking out my life savings, going to Vegas, and blowing it all on a one shot craps game. I think my odds of success would be better.

What I want to do is write. That is what I love and that is why I am doing this and if some 24 year old agent thinks my stuff stinks - then fine. A lot of the stuff that is out there stinks and I thought I was writing a pretty low brow commercial novel. But when I read the other queries on those query pages - and read books about women meeting the ghosts of their dead aunts and talking about dating and shopping with them - I realize the problem is my writing is not drivel enough.

I started because there were no books in the genre I wanted to read. Now I have written one and that is that. I can't wait to write/read the next one. And I'll keep writing them. I just need not to care about the publishing part.

Cheers to writing. BTW - just for the record I have not yet sent out one query to an agent. Next time I write I will be close. Just got to write a query I am happy with.

So you are afraid to go to a writer's conference?

2010-05-03T12:15:00.005-04:00

A few weeks back, when reading some of the blogs I follow, there was a discussion about the fear of Writer's Conferences.

Well, if you want to immerse yourself in the world of writing - a good writing conference is just the ticket. I am so glad I went to the Muse and the Marketplace in Boston this past weekend.

Saturday started out giddy. I ran into my writing group friend and met some of the people she already knew and everyone was so excited. Of course we were a little nervous too because some of us, me included, had our agent meetings first thing.

The agent meeting: was okay - not great. My agent wouldn't shake my hand because she was sick - which did not seem like a fortuitous beginning. She looked tired and claimed that since this was her first time at the conference she wasn't really sure what her role was. But... she gave me enormously helpful feedback on my Query, even if some of it was different than the pointers I have read before. She offered advice on genre - telling me "Women's Fiction with a supernatural thread," which was interesting and something I had not thought to call it.

She then went on to my ms and told me she loved haunted house stories, which was encouraging, but she didn't understand why I didn't start with the house. I did originally start with the house - but that got changed based on workshopping. She then said she wanted more back story. I had more back story - but based on workshopping removed a lot of it. So - that made me cringe. I agreed with the changes my writing group suggested (eventually) and I think the beginning is a lot stronger. But, not for this agent and the agent is what matters.

In the end of our 20 minute meeting - she said - make the changes and "query me." Not the same as send me the pages directly with a big bright red "Requested" stamp on it - but still it's something.

She was not scary at all. I felt comfortable with her even though she didn't shake my hand and I was able to talk to her just like a regular person. Which is probably because she is one.

After that, on to a panel of agents and editors explaining the terms and procedures of the publishing industry. Very informative. They did seem like an unreachable club - but they were friendly and funny and made it very clear they were in the business to sell books. "We don't like to crush people's dreams," one of them actually said, "what ever you do, write from the heart." This was funny is a sick sort of way.

They stress over and over that good writing is what wins the day. But, they also made no bones about how subjective it is. 'If your mc reminds me of my ex-boyfriend, I stop reading...If you wrote about a house fire, I stop reading. My house burned down last year and I can't love a story about one, and an agent should love your story, otherwise they won't be a good representative.' I am paraphrasing, but these are actual things they said.

I think the lesson I took from this is that perseverance is key. We all know that of course - but in the face of rejection it is hard. What one hates another might love. I also saw this again and again in the Agent Idol sessions where a reader read the anonymous first pages of peoples' manuscripts submitted then and there. The agent was told to raise their hand at the point during the reading that they would have put it down. There was wide variety - sometimes one would put up a hand - but the others wouldn't. Sometimes all three would refrain, or if there was a major point of confusion - all three hands would go up. It is very subjective.

From this I also heard again and again how important it is to find agents who represent your kind of book. All of them said - from multiple panels - that they LIKE you to compare your book to other works. But don't just pick the most recent best seller, and be accurate. Say what it is that makes your book similar to another book. Don't pick the ones that are cliche at this point from Harry Potter to Janet Ivanovitch. So that is useful - but not as easy as it sounds.

Also genre - do pick a genre - but there was SO MUCH variation on genre definition. Not what a genre is - but what a book's genre is. It all depends on what an individual focuses on in that book. And it can change with marketing ideas. So even though you might say your book is historical fiction with a supernatural thread - someone else might call it a paranormal thriller - or women's fiction with a supernatural thread. Also - good to know - but not very easy to get right.

And of course - the query, the query, the query. That is the most important thing. Get it right in the query. I was encourage to learn from my agent that my query, though in need of work, did leave her intrigued.

So - those are the first lessons. It was enormously enlightening overall. And it was really nice to hear them talk about it in person. To see them agree or disagree. To make them explain themselves and people did.

Later I will write Conference Re-Cap # 2 on meeting authors and how authors got their agents.

Conference

2010-04-29T19:18:00.002-04:00

On Saturday I head east to Boston. This western MA writer will be in the belly of the beast for the Big Conference: The Muse and the Market Place hosted by Grub Street Writers.

I am a small town girl living in a small town world and to go into the city is a big deal for me. Not to mention that this conference will be 500 people strong - all eager writers looking for feedback. There will be some big shot agents and editors there - and a number of best selling authors. All of whom I am hoping to hand my little business card to.

I have run the scenarios over and over in my mind and who knows how it will all go down. But this is the moment where I have to overcome my fears. I have to be proud of what I have written and let it speak for itself.

I know I will come away with new insight and some helpful feedback. I know that I will see the playing field.

What I don't know is how what I have to offer will be hold up. If nothing else I will come back with some solid ideas about what to do next. Since I have not queried one agent yet, I count this as a blessing. This is a check point.

I will be meeting with Rebecca Oliver - the agent who signed Brunonia Barry - author of the Lace Reader. She works at the same house as a woman who signed Katherine Howe another author who I consider to be in my genre and who has had wide success with her fabulous book The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. It is exciting to know that at least one person from that agency will be there and I am meeting with her.

Maybe I will be pleasantly surprised - or maybe I will be thankful I have not yet put that manuscript out into the world yet and that I still have time to work on it.

Only time will tell. Until Monday - which is when I will be back...wish me luck.

Cover Art Dream

2010-04-11T19:16:00.006-04:00

I know that I am far from even considering this - and even if I do get my novel published it is most likely that I will have NO say in the cover art - but I wanted to share the artist that I feel embodies the look I would like to put with my own work. You may recognize her syle as she is the artist who is responsible for the images in the opening to the show Ghost Whisperer.Her name is Maggie Taylor and these are her images and I LOVE THEM.

Query Revised

2010-04-07T15:32:00.001-04:00

Here is query revision # 3 - or 4 depending on if you count the first one I showed to almost no one.

Dear Agent:

Alice Towne refuses to be like her mother. Infidelity having tarnished the life she planned, the last place she wants to be is home with Josephine, who pines over bad decisions and waits for fate to deal a better hand from the tarot deck. Determined to prove she is strong and independent, Alice heads for the hills of western, Massachusetts where she takes a position sitting a two hundred year old house, intending to plan her next steps in solitude.

Like all old houses, this one too has a history, one of sick children and suicide, which the townspeople are more than willing to tell Alice about. In fact, they eagerly draw her in to their world. Teddy Shepherd offers her a part-time job at the local historical society, neighbors entangle her in gossip, and Kyle Erickson wants to get in her pants. All of which enables Alice to ignore what is really going on.

Despite the warnings of the witchy women who own the hardware store, Alice tries to explain away the round stones appearing in the kitchen, the odor of peppermint lingering in every corner, and the figure of a woman lurking beside the garden. But by the time Josephine comes to visit, escaping her most recent drama, Alice is unwell. When she unearths the bones of an infant buried in the cellar, Alice can no longer deny that something is wrong. If she wants to survive the summer, Alice will have to prove that history is not the whole story.

DISTILLATION, inspired by a true incident in Ashfield lore, is in the genre of New England magic realism and is complete at 97,000 words.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

My Query - comments welcome

2010-04-05T08:03:00.002-04:00

Dear Agent (just for this forum - in a real one I would address the agent):

Haunted by the superstitious lore of her mother, Alice Towne hasn’t been able to shake the feeling that something is not right. When she looks in the mirror, she sees only the outline of a person drawn by someone else, and not the person she wants to be. So Alice leaves everything behind, turning away from a relationship burdened by doubt, and takes a house sitting job in the hills of western Massachusetts, where she intends to consider her next step in solitude.

Before long, however, the colorful denizens of Ashfield entwine Alice in a fated web. Joan Shattuck, the crazy eyed, chainsaw wielding neighbor, shares the history of sick children and suicide surrounding the house Alice is now responsible for. Ruby Johnson, a well funded debutante turned trendy organic farmer and the daughter of the retired CEO of Sedgwick Pharmaceuticals, is more than willing to be friends. Teddy Shepherd, a spicy transplant from New Orleans, and unlikely town historian, is a little too eager to embroil Alice is the town’s history. And, the women of Ashfield Hardware, an unsettling pair of twins who administer an unusual variety of remedies, seem to have plans for her. Then there is Kyle Erickson, farmer, bee keeper and handy man, who more than anyone, slips beneath Alice’s resolve to be alone.

Soon, the isolated house begins to show signs of its disturbing history, and Alice becomes plagued by unexplained nausea, haunting songs in the night, and the pervasive smell of peppermint, not to mention the ghostly figure of a woman in the garden. When Alice unearths the bones of an infant buried in the colonial era cellar, she begins to search for the truth of what happened on Watts Hill in order to bring peace to the house and to her own life.

I am a teacher of literature and creative writing in Massachusetts, and my own experiences living in the hill-town of Ashfield inspired this novel. Distillation is in a genre similar to such recent successes as Brunonia Barry’s The Lace Reader, as well as Katherine Howe’s The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. Distillation is my first novel and is complete at approximately 97,000 words.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Hello out there

2010-03-21T13:37:00.013-04:00

I sent out my first twenty pages to Muse yesterday and it left me feeling a little insecure. On Friday night I spent a lot of time thinking about this process and how stunned I am that I am even at the point of putting it out there - and how exhausting this editing process has been. But, I am about to be knocking at the door of the writer's club and hoping I will be let in so to speak.
After the conference - no matter what happens there, in terms of feed back or reception, I will begin the Summer of the Slush Pile. I cringe at the thought of it -but what else can be done? I do have some finish work to do on the rest of the ms - which I think I will get done over April vacation. After that - it is time to brace for rejection - and hope for a little luck. I also plan to work on my next story over the summer - which I am tumbling in my brain now.

One goal I do have for Alice in the next book is for her to discover her family history.

I created Alice Towne's family name from my husband's paternal grandmother's line - the Townes. This is taken from my own family's interests in the subject as well as that the Townes actually are descended from Rebecca (Towne) Nurse of the Salem witch trials. We were told a while back - but just recently we actually saw the genealogy ourselves- and it is her brother Jacob they are descended from. (Thanks for that btw). With this view of the genelogy we also discovered some bizarre coincidences that I had no idea of before - there was an Ariel Towne (male) and his great grand daughter was named Alice Towne.

I have a whole ficitional genealogy I wrote at the start of the novel tht shows Alice's line. In my story, Alice is the rationalist who doesn't believe in the family lore and her mother left the life behind for what she thought was security - and I ended up focusing on Alice coming to terms with her supernatural inclinations (through the ghost story element) and accepting her mother for who she is - but due to editing - did not end up including the genealogy. The two women, as far as Distillation is concerned, are removed from other family members and when a letter comes from an aunt at the end... well... we have a transition point and an opportunity to find out more about the family, find out things Josephine has either stopped talking about, never knew, or never told.

For the record, I am not actually writing about the real life people in my husband's family. And my mother recently asked me if I were going to ever write about Italian witches too - the strega. I don't know where it will go yet - but I have it all rattling around in my brain, and I also want to remain true to the "New England magic realism" genre I intended to write from the beginning.
By this I mean, unlike some other stories with "real" magic in them - my stories also leave room for doubt. There is more than one kind of magic in the world.

I have also been working on the glimpses into the history Alice uncovers in Distillation. This is the finish work I need to do over April vacation. They are not historically detailed chapters, but rather 500 word glimpses into specific moments adding context to what she uncovers - but with an ear toward fairy tales and poetry. The plan is to intersperse them throughout the novel's 30 odd chapters and combine each glimpse with one of the seven stages of the alchemical process of transmutation.

The plan, the plan, on with the plan.

How many licks does it take?

2010-03-13T15:31:00.003-05:00

I have been revising and revising and revising. Writing group met last Saturday and I spent the rest of the day reworking my first three chapters - again. I have to confess - I try to be a good workshopee - I try to take criticism well - but it is so hard sometimes when you have spent so much brain power to do it one way and then it is suggested to do it another way. But this is the name of the game and any writer needs to be able to take it - and enjoy it. Which is easier said than done of course. After initial frustration and denial that removing altogether the second chapter which gives the back story of why Alice is heading to Ashfield - I realized it was what I should have done long ago. I always hated that chapter and I had said many times before. And now - with a little outside wisdom to help me - I can see that there was never any reason to show that argument. Maybe I needed to write it so I knew what happened - but my readers don't need to read it. I have taken the advice of my writing group and a number of writing web sites and have now sprinkled in the back story in small doses in other places. At least that was what I set out to do - but soon I realized that most of it was already in there in some form or another and that I didn't even need to add more in. What a liberating feeling to delete much of the Steven scene. I am happy to have done it. In the same stroke though I had to move much of the initial view of Josephine - which I did find ways to sprinkle in. And I think it works better now.

Having done all of this - I was then able to pull forward yet another chapter into the first three. Now all of the main characters are introduced in those first three chapters and the stage is fully set. I have erased all time shifts - even if that means Evelyn leaves the day Alice moves in - which I hated the idea of originally when I combined the two coming to Ashfield chapters. But now it doesn't seem so bad. I kind of just let it be .

I am intending to send my manuscript to the MUSE on Monday. I have a little tweaking to do on the letter and the synopsis - now that I have taken out the Steven chapter - but that shouldn't be hard to do. Famous last words.

In other news. I checked out of the library a short novel by Stephen King that I had never heard of until I was doing a recent google search on the subject of what is planned to be my next novel. In an article on the subject - the murder of a girl on an island off the coast of Maine - it said that Stephen King had written about the incident in the afterward to his story The Colorado Kid. So I checked it out and sure enough he beat me to the punch -sort of. I have not read his story yet - but it is the story of a boy who is found dead on a beach on an island off the coast of Maine. As far as I can tell he did not use the original circumstances as much as I plan to.

So I don't know if this is a good thing or not - but at least I am picking ideas that Stephen King also thinks are good. And I think my story though inspired by the same event - will not be the same story at all. But I still have to read the rest of the book. So we'll see.

Otherwise - grading papers is on going - but I use my writing as a reward. Once I have met my quota of papers for the day I can work a little on the ms. That is where I am at now - so onward.

Last thought - it is utterly flabbergasting how much I have edited this novel in the last two months. From the 7,000 word cut - the count is now 96,500 - down from 103,000 - to the trimming of the first three chapters . I can liken it to pruning a rose. Prune more than you think you should and it will blossom into something beautiful. (I hope)

Sunday and Stephen King

2010-02-28T13:33:00.006-05:00

Stephen King says in his book On Writing of the days when he was a high school English teacher and trying to write on the side, that by Friday afternoon he'd felt as if he'd spent the week with jumper cables clamped to his brain. "If I ever came close to despairing about my future as a writer, it was then. I could see myself thirty years on...with six or seven unfinished manuscripts (in my desk drawer) which I would take out and tinker with from time to time, usually when drunk. If asked what I did in my spare time, I'd tell people I was writing a book - what else does any self respecting creative writing teacher do with his or her spare time? And of course I'd lie to myself, telling myself there was still time, it wasn't too late, there were novelists who didn't get started until they were fifty, hell even sixty."

This is how I feel today.

Real life vs. Writing life

2010-02-24T19:37:00.004-05:00

Snow day today - but yet I did not spend any time on my writing. I spent so much over February vacation that I am resting - although always it is like an addiction. As soon as I open that novel I am in and I am lost in novel land. I can say I will just take a peek - see if the edits are ringing true and the next thing I know I have been entrenched in the world of Alice, Kyle and Evelyn for eight hours. Obsession is an issue.

Also - as March looms - so do "real life" responsibilities. I will be teaching an MCAS course at night in March - and there are the research papers and the leaking sink, and the window installation to consider. I look at my calendar and I realize that except for my writing group meeting two weekends from now - and the subsequent tweak of the 1st 3 chapters - which will follow their critique - I will not be "in my novel" again until April vacation - and that is just one week before the Muse.

I have not dared to consider the POV situation since posting the question. I think my ladies might give me some feedback on that possible change however - and I dread the possibility of switching it all - which is how I might spend April. But then again - I want it to be the best it can be.

Real life vs. writing life - I envy those who have been able to make writing their day job - but alas that is rare. Even if I were to catch lightening in a bottle - I most likely wouldn't quit my day job. But love the escape of being "in my novel" and I eagerly await the input of the writing ladies and the hiatus of April - and most of all the scary, exciting challenge of The Muse.

Now begins the march through March - let's get it done

The Story of how the story came to be

2010-01-24T15:29:00.006-05:00

So - two things. Talked to my "ideal reader" today and was just completely taken aback at how well she seemed to understand my protagonist. Sure, she is my mother - but I have to think that she has pulled most of her insight from the actual writing. I hope so anyway. It is such an exhilarating feeling when someone says back to you what they "heard" when they were reading it and it makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up.

I was thinking that since I have been so lazy with this blog I figured maybe I should give a recap of the process I have been through so far with Distillation.

From 2000 until 2006, I lived in Ashfield,Ma., a tiny town tucked away on a plateau in the hills of Western Massachusetts. I got my first real apartment with the man who would eventually become my husband. We did in fact get married in Ashfield in 2005 on the back yard lawn of an elderly couple who took us under their wings and helped us to make Ashfield our home. During our years there, I had gone to graduate school and become a teacher, and thought for the first few years I did still work during the summer doing horrible child care jobs, I at some point found myself with little to do during the summer and so I read. I was completely taken by the town and being a lover of history, I checked out of the tiny town library the double volume set of the history of Ashfield one summer afternoon. I had written in high school and in college and had briefly considered getting a Masters of Fine Art, (ie. a creative writing degree), but was so disgusted by the pompous, ultra-chique, cliche "writers" I encountered in all of the creative writing courses I had taken at UMASS as an undergraduate, I decided against it. I was not one of them, nor did I want to be.

So, I was a teacher with time on my hands and I discovered the history of Ashfield, in which I read a small blurb about a man named Samuel Nightingale who had been refused burial in the Baptist Corner cemetery because he was suspected of being a wizard. I also learned a great deal about the Peppermint Industry which supported Ashfield in the early 19th century. These were the seeds of the story, but they germinated for at least a year before I did anything with them. I think this was around 2005 - when I was planning my wedding, which took place in July of 2005. By April of 2006, Mike and I were moving out of Ashfield, having finally found a home we could afford, but alas it could not be in Ashfield where house prices were soaring in the housing bubble. So we moved out.

We spent a year getting acclimated to our house and doing work on it. Then, the following Spring of 2007, on a wet March day,I had a surge of inspiration. The muse arrived I guess, because I came up with an important detail, the center of the conflict: the bones of an infant discovered in a relic of a colonial summer kitchen, a basement kitchen, with a dirt floor and an enormous hearth. So, I wrote an outline. I still have that original outline and it is far from where my story ended it up. It had three women in it and was going to be a mother, maiden, and crone story. However, much of the basics are already there.

So, I spent the summer months of 2007 writing a very rough partial first draft. About 100 pages. Really, I was just figuring out my story, framing and reframing it. Creating and killing characters. Thinking of and then changing names. I struggled with and went back and forth between different points of view. I also played with the tone I wanted to have in my story: fun, scary, ironic, fairy taleish, realist, dark etc. I reread my main book of inspiration:Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman, and searched for other books I wanted to emulate but I could not find any. That was a main motivation, I discovered. I wanted to write the book I wanted to read. When I had originally read Practical Magic years before, when I was still an undergraduate in 1998, I thought, "my god, I should have written this book." Looking back at it in 2007, however, I realized there were elements about it that did not fit what I wanted to write - yet there was a certain essence, the old town aspect of Massachusetts, the history of a family of women, and magic of course. New England Magic Realism is what someone called Hoffman's works and that was what I wanted to write. By the end of the summer of 2007, I had one hundred pretty dreadful pages. But I had the bones, so to speak, of my story.

And then school started again and I didn't think about it much until February vacation - but by then I had started to research. I went to see a colonial summer kitchen. I read books on alchemy and superstition in New England. I bought my own copy of a book on modern witchcraft, one I had read in high school. By April of 2008, I had decided that the 100 pages I started with needed a complete overhaul, including a switch in point of view. So I began again, using some of what I had done before, but changing most of it in some way or another.

That summer, I focused completely on writing the novel. I did not have anything else to do. I didn't take a class or participate in any seminars at UMASS. I just wrote and by the end of the summer I had 170 pages I was pretty happy with, but certainly still first draft material. I worked over the February and April vacations of 2009 as much as I could making more changes, overhauling parts again, cutting, rewriting, and doing lots and lots of outlining. I was really working with plot then and pushing to "finish" the book in the upcoming summer. So, summer 2009 came and I hit the ground running. I read through what I had - made some changes and some decisions and then it was a marathon. I reached the top of the mountain - being the climax of the novel - by late June and by mid-July I came to the end at just over 300 pages. Of course, this was just the end of the first complete draft and certainly in need of much work still, but the story was all there.

Since then I have been working with a writing group - the test audience - as I like to call them. I started this group last February when I was thinking about the 170 pages and knowing I was going to push to the end. There are only three of us - but it is the right number - and they are enormously helpful to me. I also printed a manuscript early last August - so I could show it to people. But quickly, it filled up with editing marks and notes from myself. I was not ready to let it outside the office door in full form yet, only in pieces to my writing group. Then, this December, I took the plunge and let it out. I printed a new copy and of course quickly made changes as soon as it was printed - but I gave it to my ideal reader - who has now passed it along to the English professor - these I wrote of in the last entry.

I am spending the winter reading and ruminating. I have found more books over the past two years that I like and are of the genre I have written. I pour over acknowledgments and make lists of agents who have represented authors writing in my genre. I compare myself to them. I make notes about everything my test audience and my ideal reader tell me. I think about the next overhaul which is coming this spring/this summer. I need to focus on the first 50 pages. I need to get it out there and that is what must grab them - the first three chapters.

I tremble with excitement over this process and I cringe at the possibility, no the inevitability - of the disappointment that will come in some form or another and at one time or another. But, still I push on. The journey continues.

-Ariel

Still Going

2010-01-23T13:23:00.007-05:00

So I have not blogged since I set it up, but I am making it a resolution to do so more often now. My novel is in its second revision and has been released "outside the office door." I recently read Stephen King's On Writing and I have to say that it was like he was speaking directly to me. I know the book has been out for a while - but so much of his insight was relevant to my craft and seemed so timely to me.

Having now given my book to my "ideal reader" which I was surprised to realize was my mother - a person with whom I share a taste in books - I am now ready to vet the book in progressively more objective arenas. First to the English Professor who will undoubtedly mark it all up in red. Then to the lady friends and family member, who will have their own insights, though I know this will be far from an objective eye. The writing group is getting through it and I must admit that I am elated when they like the chapters I've sent. But that too has its limitations on objectivity - because they are now my friends. We are about to hit our one year anniversary of the writing group.

So - the problem remains that I need a truly objective reader that does not know me. Someone who can read the novel before I go to agents. There are conferences to consider - and I will try that route. But I am open to suggestions.

This stage of the process has been interesting to say the least, and frustrating if I am telling the truth. Having printed a copy to go out of the office door has left me in a waiting mode. It is like I am separated from a romantic partner and taking some time to myself, but can't stop wondering what he is doing right now. My book is more than an object, it is a living breathing creature at this point and I miss it. I am compiling the list of changes that need to be made based on my writing group and the feedback from my ideal reader. Then there will be the corrections based on the English Professor's work.

I am both eager to get back into it and also sluggish about doing so. I open the book and I flip through the pages and all I see are words, words with a huge helping of neediness and responsibility hanging on every corner. I want to make the story the best it can be. I want to feel like I have an excellent product to sell. And three years into it is not too many, but it gets harder and harder to change the one you have been married to for so long. It takes work and I think my partner is willing to change - I just have to start.

The miniscule details, the small inconsistencies, the questionable authenticities - such as what kind of cows would a life long small town farmer have? And what kind of mint is acceptable for a Mohito - those are no worry. But it is the fear or perhaps the knowledge that there is still rearranging to be done. Chapters to cut or to add. That it scary. That is hard.

Till Next Time

-Ariel

Just Finished and Getting Started

2009-08-25T08:17:00.004-04:00

So - here is the first blog entry. I am just getting started with what I told myself I would do once the novel was finished. That's right. Distillation is completely drafted - although I will be spending the next few months workshopping it with my writing group, and continuing to edit and revise. Hopefully, there will be no more major overhauls though. Now begins the long process of getting the word out there and getting some people to eventually notice it.

It has been an extremely fun process writing this novel. Even though over the past three summers there were many long hot days sitting in my un-airconditioned office on the second floor of an old farm house writing for hours on end. I have enjoyed creating a world parallel to reality, but filled with much more vibrancy, ambiance, adventure and possibility.

I think the element I have struggled with most is genre and I am not willing to label myself yet. But as a literature teacher - I love master works of fiction and though I knew I would be far from writing the next great American novel, I set out to write "commercial literature." But something happened. I eventually had to admit to myself and to others that I was writing a ghost story. What more, I wrote a ghost story that was not a heavy handed, thematic, post modernist mess - which in my experience is what would earn it a "literature" classification.

Inspired by Alice Hoffman's Practical Magic and The River King, I decided I would write New England Magic Realism. But then, in a conversation with an old friend, I said:
"I want it to be magic realism, but I think it is burgeoning on horror." He then said to me: "The difference is the focus. In magic realism, the focus is the people and their issues, in horror the focus is the monster." What a wonderful moment of clarity - although I am sure not everyone would agree with this simplification, but it helped me a lot.

So, I will not dare classify myself just yet. But, I have written a ghost story with themes of female independence, lost fathers, mother/daughter relationships, love, and betrayal. Overall I think they came together well. And the focus is my protagonist Alice Towne, and not the ghost that haunts her. It is a mystery. It is a love story. It is the protagonist's personal journey.

I look forward to writing more posts, though I am nervous about where this will take me. This is the first step toward trying to "get published" and we all know how hard that can be. So, maybe the blog will be it. Maybe I will self publish. Or maybe, I'll catch lightning in a bottle.

-Ariel Swan