Manuscript Milestone

Today I completed the last chapter of The Waiting Booth. It was the moment that I've been waiting for in this process. I didn't actually type the words, THE END, but I did a little dance (Napoleon Dynamite style), took a deep breath, and let myself feel good for a minute. Now what? Well...it was only the first draft. I have gone through this process knowing that I will hate editing, rewrites, and more editing. Thus, I now begin the second draft of the book which will focus on edits. There are some holes in my story. Sometimes the details were in my head and didn't make it to the page. I've also taken two online classes during this process on POV and Show vs Tell. I'm thinking about adding in an entire POV. I'll take what I've learned and try to apply better writing techniques throughout the book. Wish me luck. THE END.

Inspired

People who have inspired me this month:
1. Son: My son finally left home to return to college. I made it into that bedroom for a monumental cleaning. Ahhh...
2. Teacher: I'm taking an online writing class called Show and Tell Workshop by Shannon Donnelly. At first I thought she was rather brutal. Now I think she's just GOOD. (sd-writer.com)
3. Fellow Writers: Members of the Arkansas Diamonds are getting their first works published. KUDOS.
4. Leonardo DiCaprio: Saw Inception and could see it again.
5. Niece: My niece took the ACT and SLAM DUNKED it.

In honor of all those who have done such great work this month, I vow to complete this first draft. I am on the final two chapters of The Waiting Booth. Bless my sister who reads every word with support and enthusiasm.

Fun Analyzer

I write like
Dan Brown

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

I inserted my last blog post into the analyzer, and this is what I got! I enjoy Dan Brown's books, so this was a nice result. If I had been awarded another author comparison that I'm not so crazy about, I might not be smiling right now. Great way to start a Saturday.

The Writer's Lightbulb

The other day, my husband and I were talking when he called someone a 'hawkeye'.  I replied, "What is that?" since what I heard is 'hogeye'.  He responded that he was being facetious since the guy cannot see anything far away.  I still didn't understand why a nearsighted person would be a  'hogeye'.  I was still confused.  I repeated, "Still don't get it."  He patiently elaborates, " It's like calling a big guy 'Tiny' ."  I thought that was hilarious, but still no prize for getting me understand 'hogeye'.  Much later, after I  wrote it down, he got a chuckle.

In my current manuscript, I needed a secondary character to appear and I didn't have a name or persona.  I gleefully used the idea from this conversation to name him 'Tiny'.  No, I won't be using the names 'Hawkeye' or even 'Hogeye", but I love the thought of meeting a hulking character called Tiny.  This is really how I get a lot of ideas for major and minor plotlines and characters.  Something happens in daily life, and I think, "I could use that."

Actually, I wonder if most authors just pick up a daily newspaper to come up with some intriguing and unique plotlines.  Haven't you ever read a news article and thought, "You just can't make that stuff up!"  I believe that's why people are so drawn to reality televisiont.  You know what they say... Real life is stranger than fiction .

A Hot Book Trailer

Confession Time: I didn't know about book trailers. I saw my first one this morning. It's hilarious!

Another Road Trip

I've been on the road again.  St. Louis is a neat place to visit, but I can honestly say I've been "satisfied".  Twice in one month is enough for me.  Both were driving trips with an audio book to pass the time.  I can't even remember the title of the first book from two weeks ago, so that says something about my opinion on it.  It was an audio book rental from Cracker Barrel.  Just as a side note, when you rent from Cracker Barrel, they charge you for the book at rental.  Then you bring the book back to get a refund minus the rental fee.  I thought that probably folks get to the checkout stand and think, "Holy cow, I didn't expect to be charged $40 for a book rental."  The second trip to St. Louis was much better due to the great audiobook- The Lovely Bones.  I used an Audible download credit for this one and it was well worth it.  It was so good that I could hardly wait for the return trip where I could hear the rest of the story.  A young girl named Suzy has been murdered and tells the story of the drama playing out on earth before and after her death.  The author, Alice Sebold, gives a unique rendition of a different kind of heaven and the afterlife.  I would highly recommend The Lovely Bones in print or audio.

Where's My Happy Ending?

I listened to an Amy Tan audiobook this month, The Hundred Secret Senses.  I engaged in a rollercoaster ride of emotions with the main character, Olivia. The story is basically the releationship between Olivia and her half-sister.  Olivia is half Chinese, while her much older half-sister is full Chinese. The story is rich with Chinese culture.  I have always felt that I can identify with the  characters that Amy Tan writes.  Being the product of an American father and Korean mother, I understand the irritating, funny, mystifying, and sometimes maddening experience of a bi-cultural home.

I think the author did a great job of telling a story where you feel invested in the characters.  I wanted them all to be happy. I needed to be happy because I had become the main character watching my story unfold.  The ending was powerful in case you haven't guessed.   I wonder if writers struggle with telling a story ending that will not make everyone happy. Have you read anything lately where the ending surprised you?