Empire Falls…

Each day when I drive over to my son’s school to pick him up I read a couple pages of whatever book I’m enjoying. Today, it was Empire Falls and I noticed something interesting.

Of course, I know I’m not the first to notice this, so please forgive may enthusiasm for the obvious.

The book is written from several points of view. It’s third person, but the tense changes with certain characters. I’m sure I’ve read other books like this, but they would have all been before I started writing fiction myself because I’m keen on noticing tense and person. It’s fascinating to me what an author chooses and if they employ this choice in most of their work.

The success of the device, I feel, is hinged on the storyline of the character in present tense. And it is successful due to Tick Roby’s story being the most unnerving of all the characters.

My only criticism so far would lay it the use of italics for large sections of the past. It’s not an easy font style to read and it leaves me wanting to skip those parts, though so far, I haven’t.

I’m very much liking this novel and would suggest it.

standing in the hall…

I’ve not been writing here as much as I have been writing in my own little world. And though I keep setting goals for myself, life gets in the way of the small ones.

I think almost every day about setting word count goals and idea goals, prompt goals and so forth. But in the end, writing when it strikes me is the only goal I have at the moment. Soon I hope to devote full time to my stories, but at the moment there seem to be complications coming in from all sides, and lucky for me, I have the ability to give them my time.

But, I have been writing. I’ve been working over my short stories and searching for places to submit, I’ve been working diligently on Fall into Shadow, the modern version, and I’ve finally gotten past the huge brick wall keeping me from continuing Back into the Sand.

So, goal met. I wrote yesterday, I’m writing today, and I will write tomorrow. Goal. Met.

DeHaven…

Last night, Christopher Scott DeHaven continued his journey through hell. It was nice to finally get past the block I’ve had for the past weeks, but I’m still writing very skeletal. I read too many writing books, had too many concussions, and have let my skills wither a bit.

But. I’m writing.

Happy day.

DeHaven and Warren…

I’ve placed word counts of my novels on my front page and now Back into the Sand is back in the front burner again. Huge huge hurdle, past the fact I don’t want to make this journey with DeHaven or Warren, I never wrote Warren’s outline. I wrote DeHaven’s and worked his story all out. But the two are intermingled.

So, the task at hand is Warren’s outline, his story.

back to it…

Finally, I have quiet and I can get back to it. Feels good.

dang it, let’s try this again…

Yup, once again, I did not keep up with my goals. Ok, well that is not entirely true. I am still steadily writing Back into the Sand (BitS for short), but I’m not posting it for all to read. I have a few very kind souls who have been keeping up with it and helping me keep the characters true to military life.

On the other front, I have procured a copy of Novel and Short Story Writer’s Market. I have far too many short stories sitting on my hard drive (and elsewhere for safe keeping) not to send them out.

New beginnings. Always.

for the love of books

I want to be a writer. Not just a writer, but a great writer with a novel on the shelves of every brick and mortar book store there is. But, to write, I have to read and I have been sorely lacking in that department lately. So to remedy this, I’m starting a reading list and a ‘books I love’ list.

First, a little insight into my eccentric book buying. I must own a book to read it. I can’t borrow and I won’t lend, but I will give away a book even if it’s my favorite – other than books I may not be able to replace. I only purchase large format paperbacks. I love the way they lay open in my hands and how they usually have satin covers that feel nice when I run my fingertips across the back while I read.

Now, onto creating the lists and I promise I’ll take a book off the shelf to read. Promise.