For me, the hardest part of writing is the idea generation. Not just the plot, which usually comes in consistent fits and starts. It’s the characters that I need, along with the initial premise, to really get going. It would make sense that the voices would come when I’m at the computer, focused on the book. Instead, they’re often obstinately silent in those moments. Lately, I’ve found that the characters come out to talk when I’m working on some other project, something that engages my mind but in a different way. The characters of my new book, Far Gone, seem to like puzzles. So, puzzling it is…
The new world we live in....
We got out of town, leaving behind the cold temps for a week in warm Arizona. It’s a heavenly migration we do every year… only this year is a little different. COVID-19 has just arrived and we’re going to the store only when it’s necessary, wearing a mask and having dinners delivered by Uber Eats instead of going out. It isn’t that we hoped for… but we’re happy.
And the bad jokes are already starting. What goes with Corona? Nachos! Be safe and be well!
Circling him while he reads
I’ve been married to this guy for almost 26 years and I trust him implicitly. He’s quite literally my favorite person on earth (children not included).
So, why, when my book is done and ready to go to the world, do I still feel terror when he picks it up? Well, maybe that’s obvious. His opinion means the most. But I also know he would tell me he loved it even if it were god-awful. Because he loves me. Nonetheless, whenever he is reading, I circle him like a vulture, awaiting any little sound or expression that might give me a clue about what he’s thinking.
It was that way with my very first (never to be published) novel and I suspect it will be that way to the last.