Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Waxing Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Cloudy and warm
I managed to get out the door for a run this morning, but it wasn’t easy. I am just exhausted from the last couple of days. I still have to get some paperwork filed to day with the appropriate authorities, but I think the situation is on the way to being resolved. The person I fired had the gall to argue with me — and I was in no mood for that, let me tell you. When I can do in less than an hour what she’d been paid to do and hadn’t managed to in over three weeks . . .well, you get the picture.
I’m signed up for a beginning clay class in July. They’ll let me sit in on another class to make up for the one I miss when I go out of town for work. So that’s all settled, and I’m very excited. When I go to pick up the pieces from this previous workshop, I will buy my set of clay tools, and I’ll be all set. It’s on Thursdays during the day, which is fantastic. I understand that a lot of people want to/need to go to class at night, because of day jobs — but being able to take a day class, where I’m around people like me who aren’t 9-5, makes all the difference in the world. There’s a very different mindset between “day job” and non “day job”.
I have a question for you, since most of you who read this like to watch movies. I’m having a dilemma in the screenplay. One character has positioned herself to look like she’s part of the good guy ensemble, when, in reality, she’s beyond working with the primary antagonist, she’s perfectly willing to double cross him as well for her own purposes. I’m not sure how much of that to show. I set a hint in the piece early on. Now, she seems to be in the same dangerous situation as Lucas’s girlfriend, only it’s all a sham. Do I only show the scenes where she’s playing like she’s on Alicia’s side? Do I sprinkle in a few of what she’s really doing in this section? Or does it become a big reveal later on, when it seems she’s been rescued by the protags and then turns on them? I’m leaning towards the latter, but, since I set the hint in early on, I don’t want to leave the audience feeling confused or unfulfilled. When you watch something, how much do you want revealed as it unfolds, or do you prefer a surprise, even if a hint’s been laid down early on?
I was doing something else entirely yesterday when I had a sudden breakthrough on a piece I’d worked on over a year ago and put aside because I got stuck. Originally, I was going to submit it as part of a shared world series. But there are restrictions — that have nothing to do with shared world locations or characters, but with character motivations dictated by the series — that were giving me a problem. I realized that, if I really want this piece to be in my vision, I have to dump the shared world aspect, rebuild the world into my vision of what serves the piece well, and then the character motivations I want to use for these characters will make sense. It means a good solid few weeks of world-building, but I’ve got a good 100+ pages of material and notes, and I hated to abandon these characters. Maybe I”ll take the material with me this weekend and see what kind of world building I can do.
I’m so exhausted from the past few days. I may go down to Philly and just do the work I’m there for and hang out for the rest of it, doing very little else. I need a change of scenery.
The vet is pleased with Elsa’s progress. Real health will take a long time to achieve, but she’s so much better than she was just a few weeks ago. I’ll type up the medication/feeding instructions for my mom today — Elsa is dosed a total of 8X/day on the various remedies.
I’m going to try to tackle some more on the screenplay. I don’t think I’ll have it entirely done by tomorrow, but I think, once I push through this section, the rest of it will fall into place pretty well. Then I can put it aside for a few weeks before I take another look and then start making cuts.
Next week, I want to get back to POWER OF WORDS and also move forward with the revision on ANGEL HUNT and BEHIND THE MAN.
Devon
Archaeologist Dr. Gwen Finnegan is on the hunt for her lover’s killer. Shy historical researcher Justin Yates jumps at the chance to join her on a real adventure through Europe as they try to unspool fact from fiction in a multi-generational obsession with a statue of the goddess Medusa.
Buy links 
When plans for their next expedition fall through, Gwen and Justin accept teaching jobs at different local universities. Adjusting to their day-to-day relationship, they are embroiled in two different, disturbing, paranormal situations that have more than one unusual crossing point. Can they work together to find the answers? Or are new temptations too much to resist? For whom are they willing to put their lives on the line? Available on multiple digital channels 
SAVASANA AT SEA
Yoga instructor Sophie Batchelder jumps at the chance to teach on a cruise ship when she loses her job and her boyfriend dumps her. But when her boss is murdered, Sophie must figure out who the real killer is -- before he turns her into a corpse, too. A Not-Quite-Cozy Mystery.
Buy Links 
PLAYING THE ANGLES
Witchcraft, politics, and theatre collide as Morag D’Anneville and Secret Service agent Simon Keane fight to protect the Vice President of the United States -- or is it Morag who needs Simon’s protection more than the VP?
Buy links 
THE SPIRIT REPOSITORY
Bonnie Chencko knows books change lives. She’s attracted to Rufus Van Dijk, the mysterious man who owns the bookshop in his ancestors’ building. A building filled with family ghosts, who are mysteriously disappearing. It’s up to Bonnie and her burgeoning Craft powers to rescue the spirits before their souls are lost forever. Buy Links 
RELICS & REQUIEM
Amanda Breck’s complicated life gets more convoluted when she finds the body of Lena Morgan in Central Park, identical to Amanda’s dream. Detective Phineas Regan is one case away from retirement; the last thing he needs is a murder case tinged by the occult. The seeds of their attraction were planted months ago. But can they work together to stop a wily, vicious killer, or will the murderer destroy them both?
Buy link 
Ink In My Coffee 
I think you need to rest – meaning you need to get somewhere where you can kick back or sight see or do something that gives you a relaxed feeling. YOU WORK hard – for your money. Going to the fiber fair last weekend removed me from the stress in my life. Renewal – that’s what you need. Ok, I’m done lecturing.
On the screenplay: I love being surprised. I really like when I don’t care for a character like I should and I’m not sure why. The writer will *try* to influence my feelings in that way, but the writer falls short (on purpose) then I find out why later – he/she is a louse, a traitor or worse. I don’t want to know from the first that he/she is out to get the MC’s. I want to be surprised. That’s my take.
Devon. Drop what you’re doing and take a break. Even fifteen minutes of doing absolutely nothing would help. Though I suggest a massage.
Ref: clay classes
Oh, you are going to enjoy that! I loved my clay classes. It was a great stress reliever too.
Ref: screenplay
I like clues, the subtler, the better. It makes me want to watch it again so I can see the characters develop their plots.
Hints that leave me wondering if I’m supposed to think good things or bad things are great, re: Nina in 24, Janice in FlashForward, and the ever-changing Ben in Lost. You want to sympathize, and you want to be surprised, even fooled. I don’t like when I can guess ahead of the plot. I feel smart, sure, but then I’m disappointed. I think the way Ben’s character is written is just brilliant. Michael Emerson does a brilliant job making me sympathize with Ben, then feel betrayed by him.
I’d want a couple (not too many) well-placed, subtle hints so that at the end I can feel surprised, but not tricked. I want to be able to look back at the plot and go, “yeah, why didn’t I see that?!”
Glad you’re signed up for another clay class. I bet it’ll be great!
Yeah, you need to take a break. And no point arguing the work has to be done, etc, etc, cos it’ll still need doing (and some) if you do yourself serious harm. I took a day out yesterday, had so much on my mind, didn’t sleep the night before. This morning I was hunkydory again. Had I not take the time I’d still be emotionally drained today and unable to do anything.
Delighted that Elsa is doing so well. Fingers crossed it carries on.
On the screenplay, for me, a well-laid hint (and a few more here and there) will hold me through until the big reveal because the hint has put me on the alert, and it’s more dramatic when a “shapeshifter” character reveals his/her true nature.
You’re right about “day job” and “non day job.” When I have been without a day job and can focus on my writing, the days have a whole different rhythm and, to me, a sharper feel. d:)
Like some other commenters I prefer a few well placed hints. I want to have my suspicions about the character, but not know full well that they are traitorous. That way I feel a part of the story, not just someone who feels puzzled about how the ending occurred.
The clay class sounds like it will work well for you. And I’m ever so glad to hear that Elsa is feeling better.
Wishing an uncomplicated day for you.