Music to Write by

I'm still working my way through the revision for Rain. Yes, the process is still an arduous one for me but I think it's getting better. I hope I'm not too optimistic when I say the revision should be finished by the first of next month. At that point, Rain will be sent out to publishers and agents for their consideration. And sent out again and yet again. I have a number and/or a date on my query history sheet and if nothing happens by the time the number or date is reached. Well, I've kind of made up my mind---I will be publishing it independently and online. I want it out there somewhere and in some form.

Snow, the rough draft, is getting done as well. At least the primary love story is proceeding nicely. I'm working on the secondary arc now a bit more slowly. I want to get the facts and the tone right historically speaking. The time period can so easily become ---stereotyped? 

Both come from the same time period and I've been listening to a lot of the music I loved as a teenager: Motown, bubble-gum rock, and war protest songs of the late sixties.

I've also been thinking about that romance rule that says you have to have something keeping your couple apart for anything from 60% to 94% of the story. I've never liked that rule. I've always preferred letting them get together then spend the rest of the time trying to wreck havoc with them or the relationship.

"You think you're in love. Life is wonderful and nothing will ever hurt again? Bwa-ha-ha!" She cackled. Not a chance! I'm mean, ugly, and my mother always dressed me funny.


Back to the music, an old favorite of mine popped up on my playlist and I thought . . . perfect! Falling in love should be easy----but??? Will it stay that way? Should it? Can love persist or even grow deeper when things change? When challenged? Oh, yes, me and my questions again.

So I give you Mr. Len Barry and my personal trope that falling in love is easy.

 

 

 

 

 

Now I must get back to work. I have a very patient critique buddy who has been waiting far too long for her feedback! 

"Rain": First Draft Completed!

Oh, I've been waiting so long to be able to post this!

 

a facsimile of what a former boyfriend would call "the chick dance of joy"!

 I just typed the last line in "Rain"!

I've only been writing it, on and off, since 1994. Yes, almost twenty years. I don't really know how to act or what to feel right now.  As some of the younger bloggers I've read would say: "too many feels". So many I can't put them all down right now. They contradict each other anyway.

I will gather all the input from those who have read it and do a rudimentary edit when I come back from a short trip to Missouri this weekend. On May 4th and 5th I will be attending the DFW Writer's Convention---and pitching "Rain" to an agent. Beta-blockers and other anxiety-reducing chemicals will be needed. And no, I haven't written that yet either. After all you can't pitch a story until it's finished and you know who you are pitching it to. O.K. maybe you can do the former but I've been told most agents want to hear about a finished book and I wanted to able to look them in the eye and say I had completed a manuscript.


Yes, lots to still do but time to move on as well. I guess the best way to put it is: weather is changing. . .it's time  for "Snow". . .then comes "Familiar Strangers" then "Summer Heat" then "Fatherhood"----you know the list. Writing. . .it's a chronic, raging disease. . . and the strangest joy.

Note: Yes, I know in my last blog post I expected to be finished in a week. It was very wishful thinking---it was much harder than I expected but that's another posting. My apologies and, if you've been waiting on this posting, thank you so very much for your patience.