
Monday, June 25, 2012
Waxing Moon
Saturn Retrograde
Venus Retrograde
Pluto Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Cloudy and pleasant
Lots of catching up to do!
First, I have to say that the premiere of NEWSROOM on HBO was one of the best-written television episodes Iāve ever seen. The opening alone is brilliant, and it just got better from there. I was thrilled to see John Gallagher, Jr. in one of the best roles –we worked together on Broadway in SPRING AWAKENING. Heās terrific, both on and off stage, and Iām so happy to see him in such a great show. Loved the show, thought it was great, thought the writing and the casting were terrific, and canāt wait to see more.
Second, 1and1 finally fixed the website bug, and āTown Crierā is now available for a free download until July 9. You can read an excerpt and then download the story here. I had a totally cool cover that I had to crop and change because the file upload couldnāt support it, so Iām bummed, but the storyās fun. And it ties in to both HEX BREAKER and OLD-FASHIONED DETECTIVE WORK, although it takes place ten years before the events of HEX BREAKER.
Fridayās Breakfast with the Authors was terrific. All three — Joseph Doolin, Terri Arthur, and Randall Peffer — have books I canāt wait to read. Iāve read some of Pefferās previous work, and look forward to the newest of his mysteries. We sat together at breakfast and had a great conversation.
Went home, worked flat out all the rest of the day. The next two assignments have arrived for Confidential Job #1, and look good. I did some more pitches, and started working on upcoming articles. I managed to get an absolutely fantastic source for the one due this week — someone whose work Iāve admired since Iāve moved to the Cape, so Iām very excited. Pitched for a few other jobs — fingers crossed.
Worked with students, got a good bit of work done on a rewrite of a small writing book I want to release in the coming weeks.
Sundayās class was cancelled. The director told me that people were interested, but didnāt want to commit ahead of time. Well, honey, Iām not going to sit around and see if people show up. She also mentioned that people want ālight creative writing classes.ā Thatās just insulting. āCreative writingā is what you as an eighth grade elective or as therapy. Itās not what I do. I work with people who are serious about and committed to writing. That venue is simply not the right match for me. I have one more thing scheduled in mid-July with them, but Iām not holding my breath.
The āScene Meatā and āSeries Bibleā classes are filling up nicely, and those should be great fun. Iām really looking forward to them.
Worked on the revisions for HEART SNATCHER. For this draft, Iām cutting all the chapters from secondary charactersā POVs, and focusing on those in the POV of Valerie, Max, and Carey. Iāll sprinkle in necessary information from those cut chapters through other POVs. Iām also putting Maxās first chapter right after the prologue, where it was in the original draft (Iād moved it in the second draft to chapter two, moving Valerieās first chapter, originally chapter 5, as chapter 1). Iāll give Max one, maybe two chapters, then do Valerieās, cut Graceās, and then have Careyās. It makes it more of an urban fantasy mystery/suspense than the wider ranging fantasy, but it might serve the book better. The changes are based on both the actual notes from the critique swap and new ideas inspired by those notes.
However, changing the first book in the trilogy is making it harder to write the first draft of the second book.
I wrote out on the deck this morning, some work on a magical realism piece. Iām going to work on a couple of articles today, a couple of press releases, get out two more pitches, and get started on the short story due July 6 and start the Billy Root story that has to go live on July 13. Hopefully, the deposit check I keep getting promised for the ghost writing assignment will arrive today, so I can get that in, too.
It was supposed to rain this morning, so I overslept instead of going to yoga. I need to mow the front before the rain starts (it hasnāt yet) — weāre starting to suffer from vacant lot syndrome again, even though it wasnāt that long since I mowed.
Dreamed about an adventure story — movie, really, with Henry Ian Cusick playing the male lead. I mean, he wasnāt himself, he was a character, so I assume I dreamed a script. I have no reason for him to turn up in a dream, and I wasnāt in it anywhere, so I was dreaming a story. Jotted some notes to see if itās something I can work with in the future.
Back to the page. And the lawn mower.
Devon
Learn how to create focused scenes with impact in the Scene Meat workshop, July 9-13. Learn how to create and maintain a series bible in a one-day seminar on July 14. Take both classes together and save $15!