New Faces and Old

Now into Chapter 3 of "The Janus Games" where two more important characters take the stage. For anyone who read "The Changeling Kill," Angel Ortiz is back. She is the new point of view character I mentioned in some earlier posts, the one I had not developed in my head to the level required to give her a POV spot. I've slowly gotten into her head as I contemplated the plot. She's tough and independent, of course, and her main personality trait is she wants to be seen as a human being first, then as a woman, then as a Latino woman. She hates being stereotyped. She's cautious about men, perhaps too much so. Her cop's brain tends to suspect everyone of something. These will be decisive factors in both "cases" that she will help investigate--a stalker on the one hand and a small company who has an employee handing over customer information to a competitor.

The other new character about to make the scene is a cop -- and maybe even a suspect as well -- who will investigate the stalker angle and perhaps provide a love interest for Ms. Ortiz. I've got him partly mapped out, enough to start writing him.

A Working Title!

Inspiration struck this morning, and the new Jack Watson mystery has a working title: The Janus Games. Part of the multiple plots is that people aren't who they seem to be, hence "Janus". This title may change of course, maybe if I find a word I like better than "Games."

Of course, the writing itself comes slowly. While all the fingers of my left hand are outside the cast, the ring finger still cannot take much pressure. I am going to try touching a key with it...oops. That "w" I just hit caused a little jolt. Best let it heal some more and go back to the 6-finger method.

Speaking of games, "Game Faces" is going to print post haste, making four novels in both mediums. I also signed a print contract for "Dabblers." Too bad I can't get around much yet, but I'll be in good shape come October for the author fair in Joliet with lots of books to sell.

Keeping A Good Attitude

Got in a few more pages on the new Jack Watson novel. Up to page 12 now. I also had an idea about the big final scene, which comes pretty early in the game for me.

I did a bit of research into some voice recognition software to help me out while my arm is in a cast, but having read some reviews of it, I'm not so sure it would help. Looks like there's a lot of learning required as well as "training" it for individual speech patterns.With some reports that it introduces computer performance issues, it might be more trouble than it's worth for the few weeks of recovery.

Now that some of the shock has worn off, being out of commission to a degree threatens to bum me out more. Working on a new novel helps, although it's slow going. I think I'd go nuts without Jack's newest adventure to keep me occupied.

"Seer, Tyro, Fiend" will reach the editing stage in a while, and I'll have to break off and tend to that. Really glad I had the cover art done before the accident as working on that would be awfully hard now.

Slow Going

The next Jack Watson mystery is underway. The six-finger typing method makes for snail-paced progress, with frequent rest breaks required due to the heaviness of the cast on  my arm. But I've done 5 pages so far this morning, and under the circumstances, I'm rather proud of myself. A couple of times, I've accidentally hit a key with the third finger of my left hand--very painful. It's the bone below it which is broken, and while I can bend the finger itself, pressure HURTS! But I'm slowly learning ways to work around my injury and look forward to being able to write at full speed again.

It's been a week of firsts, many of which I do not intend to do a second round. First time having an air bag go off. First time breaking any bones. First time being taken to the hospital by ambulance. First time being pushed along on a stretcher. At one point, while I waited for x-rays, I thought of how many times my book characters had done these things. My fictional accounts proved not far from reality, which just goes to show that the old rule "Write what you know" does not need to be applied rigidly.

Yesterday, I was looking at the Chicago Writers Association's website, and lo and behold, the article I wrote a ways back, "Observations for the Pre-published" is now posted. Here's a link.
CWA Write City Mag

Last Thing I Expected

This will have to be a short post, and I fear it will be riddled with mistakes. On Monday, after finishing all files for submission of "Seer, Tyro, Fiend" to Write Words, I took a break to run some errands. On the way home, I was in a traffic accident. I am okay except for a broken bone in my left hand. The cast makes typing rather difficult with only the right hand and one finger on the left hand. Doctor said the cast will be on at least 3 weeks, but I will try during this time to make SOME posts here.

I did send off "Seer, Tyro, Fiend" this morning, and will now start work on a third Jack Watson book. No title as yet. Being my computer skills are somewhat challenged, this new novel may take advantage of being the best outlined and planned thing I've ever done.

Pulling It Together

Ah, editing. While my writing time was limited yesterday by the weather--the Chicago area received anywhere from 3 to 9 inches of rain--I did manage to do some work on "Seer, Tyro, Fiend" and even more this morning.

First, I saved my Microsoft Word manuscript as an .RTF file. This is the format that Write Words wants to receive books in. I also modified it to Times New Roman 12 point instead of the Courier New 12 point I usually write with. I like Courier, a non-proportional font, because it's easier to spot some errors and omissions, like an extra space after the end of a sentence (there should only be one between the period and the start of the next sentence). My draft is also double spaced whereas I need to send it in as single spaced. The reformatted version tends to bring out repetition more since more text appears on the screen at once.

Next, I turned on the feature which displays format marks, like new line or tab. The mark at the end of a paragraph should be the paragraph mark (backwards P with a line through it) and not a new line (left pointing arrow with a corner on it). I find that when the new line mark ends a paragraph, it gets lost when the manuscript is turned into a galley. Just trying to save some work down the road.

I also wrote a blurb, which I think is pretty good.

Seer - A psychic. Tyro - A beginner. Fiend - A diabolically cruel person.
When a fledgling investigator comes to Stefanie Durant's Windsong Lake art studio to ask her to use her psychic ability, the Ken, to find a missing insurance beneficiary, she refuses, saying her recently-reawakened talent does not work that way. Yet she cannot stop thinking about Nadine Oberg, a teen who ran away from home and disappeared on the streets of Chicago ten years ago. Driven in part by a recent encounter with a tormentor from her own past as well as an inexplicable obsession about the missing woman, Stefanie undertakes to hone and use her psychic power as a force for justice.  
Her efforts induce staggering changes in the Ken, transforming the pinpoint of light she sees in her visions into a guiding star which will lead her deeper into the mystery surrounding Nadine and the unknown fiend who made her flee. As the intricate web of secrets and deceptions begins to untangle, Stefanie's involvement goes deeper still and more visions portend danger as the fiend menaces her and people she loves. Can her Guide Star lead her to Nadine and the identity of the fiend before it destroys Stefanie's life too?

I've started another reading of it in its final format, and I've found a couple of things to fix. Maybe I'll be sending it off next week?

Nature Intrudes

Short post today because it's raining like the dickens around Chicago. Sump pump has been running and running and running. For the time being, the deluge has stopped, but area roadways are still flooded. We've seen worse...

Of course, with monitoring the homestead, I haven't done much writing today. Been thinking more about the next project, a third Jack Watson book. A couple of titles came to mind, but then I decided they pointed too much to who the bad-guy is and I want that to be part of the puzzle.

Also having some ideas about a third Windsong Lake book. Yeah, right. I haven't finished the second one. At least, not enough to send it out into the world. "Seer, Tyro, Fiend" is actually pretty darn close to ready, and perhaps not having a lot of time to work on it today is a good thing, because we get a break from each other.

The most annoying thing that happens, with this or any other novel I'm writing, is that good ideas seem to occur to me in the middle of the night. Then I fall asleep and can't remember them in the morning. I had a couple about "Seer" but of course now they're gone. Oh, well. Maybe when I pick it up again tomorrow.

Don't Be Afraid to Just Say It

Working through the word frequency counts on "Seer, Tyro, Fiend" some more. Yesterday, I started on the word "had" and went from 616 occurrences to 300. Today, I hit on one of my bug-a-boo words: "that". I tend to overuse it, especially when I fear a more complex sentence could be misunderstood. On careful rereading, I usually find the word isn't needed. What really takes the count lower, though, is removing it from dialog. Yes, people use "that" a fair amount, but here too I noticed that (oops! See how it crept in?) I noticed my characters doing the same thing, i.e., constructing sentences the way I do. Now we get into the realm of natural conversation, a topic all of its own.

When I got bored hunting for instances of "that" to change, I took a relative break by going to the end of the frequency list, where the counts are down to two. Tricky thing here is how far apart those occurrences are. Not all of them can be removed or changed, but it's worth it to check.

Per the title of this post, one of the words I take a look at is "said." Not a thing wrong with it, really, but the key is moderation. I'm talking about "tags" for dialog here. A few things to consider:

1. If you can replace the tag (Bill said) with a bit of action that creates an image, so much the better. Example: Bill dropped his knife and fork noisily. "I don't want to listen to your lies."
2. Don't suffer from Thesaurus-itis either. Too many crafty words substituted for "said" draws too much attention. It pulls the reader out of the story with either amusement or annoyance at the obvious avoidance of a simpler word. 
3. Watch out on going with "said" too many times too close together. "I didn't go to the movies," Bill said. "I thought you did," June said. "I already saw the one playing," Bill said. Sort of like the rhythm of  a train on the tracks after a bit.
4. Keep in mind, sometimes a tag isn't needed at all. If you just have two characters talking, the reader is savvy enough to realize the lines of dialog alternate between them. Throw in some action (#1) now and again as a reference point if the conversation goes on for a while, or just an occasional tag.
5. And when people in your book "say" things, remember that editors laugh at you when you have characters do the impossible. She giggled. He snorted. I defy anyone to giggle a response or to snort it. However, either of those two might be considered as replacements for a tag. She giggled. "I figured you would say yes."

On my frequency count list, the word "said" was used 242 times, with the smallest separation being three words. I will look at it, but I won't obsess about it.

Grunt Work

This morning, I ran my word frequency counter macro against "Seer, Tyro, Fiend" and began the tedious job of working through the major repetitions.

First up, the word "had." The result of the counter indicated it appeared 616 times in the manuscript. I opened the file and used "Find" to locate each instance of "had." Sometimes it's possible to remove it with no change in meaning at all, or to rephrase something to avoid using it. An example of rephrasing would be when narrative says "I had no idea..." can be changed to "I did not know..." Then again, I'll also be checking for the word "did" along the way.

The main aim here is not to remove every instance of overused words but to determine if there is a better one to use in some cases. Example: "He had the bluest eyes I ever saw." Change that to "His eyes were the blue of the deepest part of the ocean." Or maybe just "His eyes were the bluest I ever saw." Depends on how important the description is. Words like "had" get used in so many ways, but there are frequently many other words that say it better. Look up the word "had" in a dictionary some time. One reference on the web listed 38 different uses of it!

Some of my other troublesome overused words are "that", "was", "something", and a few others. For anyone  undergoing the self-editing process, have a look at a valuable book by Bobbie Christmas called "Write in Style." It's a great reference I turn to again and again, and it's also a fun read.

Editing Continues

Still tweaking "Seer, Tyro, Fiend" but I think it's down to just tweaks with no major changes required.

This is the stage where I find places to add little bits of dialog or individual actions that reflect a character's personality or underscore an idea.  I modified the sequence of the final big scene just a bit because I thought of something important that I missed, i.e., under the circumstances, although she herself is in danger, Stefanie is worried about Paul who is also in danger. These two people share an uncommon emotional bond, and for her to not think about him regardless of her circumstances would not work.

Of course, there's still a long way to go in the editing process. I'll do the word-repetition program. I also like to go through the manuscript one final time, when most everything else is done, and turn on the feature which shows paragraph endings, tabs, and such. I've had problems in the past where I get the galley and find paragraph changes have disappeared. It usually relates to the combination of key strokes at the end of one paragraph and the start of a new one. Catching it before it happens saves my editor and me time in corrections.

Now if I could only find a way to make stuff written in italics reliably stay in italics.

Narrative in a Sequel

Started over again on editing "Seer, Tyro, Fiend" with a new objective in mind. Since it's a sequel to "Dabblers," there comes the issue of picking up the threads from that book to bring the new reader up to speed, i.e., introducing characters and historical references, as well as recapping for someone who reads series in sequence.

But the Windsong Lake Series, as I've dubbed it, is written in first person point of view. Stefanie must relate some things that cover both groups of readers, but I started to wrestle with the tone. The original manuscript has narrative sections for this purpose, but in editing, I realized these departures from relating the current story might be breaking things up too much. Rather like when an actor on stage does an aside that addresses the audience. Okay for a Shakespeare play, but what about written fiction?

I reworked a few passages in the first two chapters, but I found I still cannot get past the occasional "aside." If I try to interleave past events and descriptions of characters into the immediate action, it becomes very stilted and awkward, constantly having sentences that begin with "I remembered..." or "I thought about..." The balancing act I came up with is to start off with something like that, continue the middle of the description  as a narrative, and then bring it back to the current scene at the end of the paragraph.

Is this how it's supposed to be done? I don't know. I just hope it works.

Anachronisms

While working on "Seer, Tyro, Fiend" this morning, I caught a sneaky anachronism, one of those Gotchas. Most people think of the word as referring to a person, place, or thing showing up in a time period where it should not be. For example, a character in American colonial days leaning against a telephone pole, or making reference in a historical romance to California before the state even came to be. There's another type of anachronism that can happen in fiction, where things happen out of sequence. An example might be a character going upstairs when she is already upstairs.

Here's the one I found today: Stefanie has an art show at a gallery and some paintings are sold. Someone also commissions her to repaint a work that sold before they could buy it. Another painting sold is a very personal work that she did not want to include in the showing but did at the urging of the gallery owner. The next morning, she goes to her studio and meets up with her friend, Amy. She begins to tell Amy about the show and mentions the sale of the painting she did not want to include, along with a troubling encounter with someone from her past. Before they can pursue the subject, Amy must attend to customers in her store, and Stefanie goes upstairs to her studio. Later, Amy comes up and they continue their talk while Stefanie mixes paint colors. Amy admires one of them and asks if it is for the commissioned work.

Ha! Stefanie had not yet said anything to Amy about the commissioned painting! An anachronism. This was easy to fix by having Stefanie mention it in her first discussion with Amy before being interrupted by customers. Because of my haphazard approach to writing, there may be more.

Actually, there's an anachronism in "The Dreamer Gambit" that has been there since it was published. Oddly, only one person has ever made note of it, and that was a good friend of ours. Other reviewers have never seemed to notice it (or were too polite to say they did). Because "Dreamer" had been rewritten and revised so many times, I'm not a bit surprised.

Don't think for a minute I'm going to give it away! I'd be curious to hear from anyone who has noticed it or finds it.

Dealing With Structure

This morning, I dove into examining the structure of "Seer, Tyro, Fiend" by making a sort of outline. I made a chapter by chapter list of the main events or plot points to see where crucial turning points occurred, places where something changes forever. These should occur at chapter breaks, usually bridging the end of one and the start of another, the better to keep the reader reading. I still struggle with this and my insistently nagging inclination to make the chapters of somewhat uniform size. I know it should not matter, but I'm a bit anal retentive and like things even and neat. In this case, I'm trying to break out of my usual mold. Once I got through the list, I started hacking at the manuscript again to adjust these hooks without paying (too much) attention to chapter size.

There will be many passes of editing, reading, revising, and polishing before "Seer" is truly ready for public consumption. Another tricky pass (or two) will involve verifying that I've played fair and provided the reader enough clues to attempt to figure it all out. While I like a surprise ending as much as anyone, I'd still rather go for that "duh-oh" sort of surprise, as in "Why didn't I see that coming?"

On that note, the third Jack Watson book is really starting to take shape in my head. I added more notes to the file this morning after imagining a scene which will (a) be the first from one character's point of view, (b) set that character's position on a major topic, and (c) introduce someone who could be a suspect. The dialog I dreamed up both satisfies and intrigues me. Some thoughts about the Big Scene have begun to tease my imagination as well, and I've poked around for ideas for a title although it's early in the process for me to be doing that.

I'd better be careful or I'll get so interested in the new book that I'll wind up rushing through "Seer" and not giving it the attention it deserves.

Payday!

Yesterday, I received my royalties for the first quarter and was delighted that it was more than for last year in total. Hope the trend keeps up.

Proofing of "Seer, Tyro, Fiend" continues this morning, and I'm finding gratifyingly little to change. Mostly a word here and there. I put aside concerns about chapter breaks because I won't know until after a first reading what else I might add or take out. The pacing is the most important thing.

Ideas for a Jack Watson #3 keep coming with different scenes building in my head or in my notes. I think I've started to nail down my main antagonist, the stalker, with a bit of background and motives. I'm liking the idea of having most of the mystery revolve around the identity of this person and who the target is, with all the other characters having a different notion about it. It sets up for a nice surprise revelation.

On another front, I've got two reviewers lined up for "Dabblers." It's a little bit scary waiting to hear someone else's opinion, but hopefully a good review or two will help pull in readers and pave the way for "Seer" when it's done.

What's Next

I started the editing process on "Seer, Tyro, Fiend" this morning. The first pass is always the toughest as I see so many things I want to change. In the first three chapters, I'm already looking toward the organization aspect, of making sure that there is a hook at the end of each chapter. I know I pay way too much attention to chapter length, but as I mentioned in an earlier post, I do this to be mindful of not letting things get too choppy and avoid ruining the pace, especially so early into the story. Long way to go on this one...

Since one story has been completed, I needed to start thinking about my next project. As I lay in bed last night, I found myself thinking about ideas I've had for another Jack Watson book. One inspiration came while my husband and I went through some old files of his. I made a joking reference to a line in a movie ("Burn After Reading") about secret files, and he told me about how some businesses prevent the dissemination of proprietary data. Voila! I had a case for Jack to investigate. Off goes the imagination to develop the idea and create a plot.

This morning, I spent a few minutes typing the ideas into the first document of a new folder on my computer (each book has a folder of its own). I know I also have some in the small notebook I keep in my purse. The ideas are scattered bits and pieces mostly, sometimes with questions. One big issue to be addressed is the antagonist. I have envisioned a stalker who will also have a point of view, dropping hints to the reader along the way. But the stalker needs development, a persona, a goal and motivation for his/her actions. I haven't even decided which gender the stalker is or who will be the one stalked. I want to keep the target ambiguous, a part of the suspense, as the other three point of view characters each suspect someone else with different motives.

The plot thickens, as they say, but therein lies the fun.

We Have A First Draft

Finished writing the first draft of "Seer, Tyro, Fiend" yesterday. I'm already looking toward the editing process. First step, making a sort of outline to determine what happens where. Also, I need to go back to check for anachronisms and discontinuity stuff because of things I changed. For example, the layout of Stefanie's studio was revised toward the end, so I must make sure all earlier references still mesh with the final concept.

I also have a pretty good cover design. Like "Dabblers," it has a scene through a window at the top and then something else germane to the story at the bottom, all on a black background with room in the middle for the title and my name.

Also starting to give more thought to my next project. Another Jack Watson entry?

Busy Morning

In addition to a load of laundry and trips to two stores, I dove into the Big Scene for "Seer, Tyro, Fiend." I find I have to go back to earlier chapters and make adjustments to passages that describe Stefanie's studio. Since the crucial conversation she is engaged in with the "Fiend" of the title requires tying up clues and facts from throughout the book, I have to go back and check what was said and sometimes change that.

These dramatic moments can be tough to write. I know what I have to reveal, but I worry about pacing. We're on a build-up to action here, and there's no room for descriptions or thoughts which slow the pace. I stopped about midway through the scene to go do errands, but I kept thinking about it as I drove to the stores and back. I realized that some of the revelations I had just written could really wait for the wrap-up chapter to come.

I can hardly wait to get back on it after lunch. At this rate, I might even have the first draft done by afternoon.

Scattered

Well, it's finally here. The big scene. The one I've been orchestrating for what seems like weeks. Oddly (or not) I find myself doing all sorts of other things instead of diving in.

Playing with cover art is one example. I have one layout done, but I also had a number of other ideas. A search for images on Google brought me to a dynamite picture I would love to be able to use, and in an unprecedented move, I sent an email to the website's administrator to ask permission. Haven't heard back yet. If the answer is no, or a too-high price is required, then I'll just go with what I have. It mirrors the look of the "Dabblers" cover, and I can fashion the blurb to have it make sense. I like to do that. There should be something in the blurb to suggest what that cover is about. I've read books by others where the cover art winds up making no sense at all. Doesn't seem fair. The thing that first drew my eye to the book has nothing to do with the story. Even if the story turns out to be excellent, I still feel duped.

Yesterday, I wrote up a plan for offering a limited editing service. I want it to be simple and affordable for the newbie writer, but I also want to protect myself legally. I believe the plan I made does this reasonably well. Heaven knows I've seen such offers in other places where that wasn't done. I still need to work out a few details before I'm ready too hang out the shingle.

On the promotional front, I have someone willing to review "Dabblers." Just hope the reviewer likes it. It would be so great to have a quote for the print edition.

It's All Coming Together

While I was without a computer this morning, I still accomplished a lot. Did some work on the cover for "Seer, Tyro, Fiend" which is going to be a bit tricky. I need to construct a picture to be seen through a window, similar to the "Dabblers" cover. It would be great if I could find just the right picture to use, but I try to be extra careful to work only with downloaded images that indicate they care free for any use other than resale as is. So I played with a likely candidate, although I might wind up searching for something that requires less fiddling with.

From an old printed proofreading copy of "Dabblers," I retrieved my description of the layout of the Greenleaf Emporium since a lot of the action in "Seer" takes place in the loft above the store. What's in the draft of "Seer" may need to be tweaked slightly so that everything is positioned correctly. For this, I did a sketch of the layout on paper. Certain features of the space need to be in certain places or else the scene I have in mind would face physical impossibilities. For example, the stairs that go up to Stefanie's studio are just inside the main entrance to the shop below. From the first book, I noted where I had indicated the main entrance is, and I had to be sure to put the stairs upward in a place that made sense in relation to where they end in the loft. Since artists like northerly light, I had to make sure there was a window on the north face of the loft, and that will require a couple of corrections to a scene where Stefanie adjusts some blinds before she starts to work.

I may need to do a "storyboard" for the big scene. It's not much; just the basic layout with circles to represent people and arrows to show how they move from place to place. Now that I have the layout of the loft, I am figuring out who is where and how they get there. I often wind up doing sketches for these action-filled confrontations so I don't create those physical impossibilities. Then the trick is to describe everything either in earlier chapters so the reader has a good vision of the layout or in quick strokes during the scene. Those quick strokes can be tricky: they have a way of slowing the pace and also sometimes seem contrived, lacking only a voice-over to indicate the author forgot to explain all this earlier. For me, nothing ruins the excitement of a scene in a story quite like having to page back to an earlier chapter to figure out what's what.

The Home Stretch, Sort of

Blog hits have been surging lately, much to my surprise. Don't know what I'm doing right, so best not to change anything. There's an old saying about a bird in the hand . . .

"Seer, Tyro, Fiend" progressing faster now. Yesterday's scene included a major revelation, and today's chapter brings in a crucial character. It's Saturday morning in the book at this point, and the whole thing may just wrap up by Saturday night, or at least until the final "loose-ends" wrap-up chapter. While there's always a sense of satisfaction (and maybe sadness) at completing the first draft, there's much more work to be done before the manuscript is publishing ready. By the time I get done reading, tweaking, adding, subtracting, proofing, correcting, looking for overused words, checking formatting (i.e., paragraphs end with a line return, etc.) which makes for a cleaner galley, proofing again, I'll be so sick of the darned thing I can't stand it anymore. I will also be itching to get started on the next book, but I know I must be careful and not call this one done just so I can move on.

Nailed It

While a lot of the weekend was devoted to getting ready for and entertaining company, I hit the ground running this morning with a head full of ideas for "Seer, Tyro, Fiend." First, I figured out how to complete a pivotal scene which changes the nature of events. Second, I now have a more solid idea about the big confrontation. I know where it will be, who will be there, and the general sequence of actions. Third, I have a  cover concept, a new one, and I went in search of images that would work for it. Once again, execution will be the key, but I think I've got something that is doable, intriguing for the would-be reader, and follows a similar theme as "Dabblers."

As I plan the big scene, where yet another bombshell will be dropped, I found I had to go back to the "Dabblers" manuscript and determine things about the layout of the Greenleaf Emporium which also houses Stefanie's artist studio. That's where the scene takes place as it turns out. Luckily, nothing I envisioned was in contradiction to my descriptions in "Dabblers."

Another interesting development is that, while driving around this morning doing some errands, I suddenly had an inspiration for a Windsong Lake Vol. 3. It wasn't much, but I mapped out some things that I'll need to do research on beforehand, because I'm thinking it will take place in England although I've never been there. But my husband has been there, as well as two dear friends of ours, and I think I'll be able to tap them for enough of the "feel" of the place.

Yet, I still owe the Jack Watson series and Vol. 3, and maybe that should come first.