I've spent the morning poisoning two of my characters. Not an easy thing to do:) But it's for their ultimate good. I was reading through the manuscript and hit a dull patch and this was just the remedy. I decided to poison them on a whim, fully intending to take the scene out if it didn't work, but it seems to have worked. Oh, those poor people we create! We just heap trouble upon trouble atop them. I'm glad I'm the author instead. Sometimes it's just plain work to keep that manuscript moving. I tend to want to go off on narrative tangents and internal monologue like this here which can slow the tension and action down mightily and lose readers like you...
Though some, like my beloved friend, Mary Bailey, say they like my more narrative style:) Bless you for that!
Speaking of remedies, I've come up with a solution for my schedule. I'm going to have to cut back on blogging so often. I'll be here a couple of times a week should you miss me. Although considering all the blogs out there you might not:) Just think of me writing furiously behind the scenes which is what I dearly love.
Speaking of wonderful blogs, I've made some new artist friends whose blogs bless me immensely and thought I'd share them here. We've become acquainted through The Frontiersman's Daughter. Laurie is from Texas, Nancy lives in Alabama, and Heather is from Oklahoma. If you take the time to visit, I know you'll be blessed!
Laurie Pace: http://lauriepace.blogspot.com
Heather/Audrey Eclectic: http://reverieart.blogspot.com
Nancy Huggins: http://hugginshaven.blogspot.com
When I see the art of these ladies I'm so thankful God gifts each of us to do something for His glory. And I'm thankful these women reached out to me because of a simple book! Each of them are in the sidebar under my blogs of note so you can get there in a quick click:)
Aw, thanks Laura for the mention :) its always so fun to meet a kindred spirit out there, and I've enjoyed visiting with you so much! I cant wait to reread The Frontiersman's Daughter and then your upcoming book!
ReplyDeleteHave fun poisoning all your characters, but dont get too carried away ;)
~heather
Can't wait to read the book you are working on... poisoning the characters? I love having things to tease the brain and focus on and that is definitely a direction I would have not gone! I am finishing up two paintings today..much to do.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing as always.
I dropped a kettle on Cora's foot today.
ReplyDeleteI have a hard time not using narrative. It's my nature.
Ahhh....There's nothing like a good poisoning. Don't let your characters backtalk you about it. It beats a hanging by a mile ;-)
ReplyDeleteI *do* love your descriptive narratives. I like to "see" the places and people I am reading about. Nothing aggravates me more than to read a historical with a beautiful cover and title and then have absolutely nothing in the pages to prove its time period!
Totally understand your need to scale back on blogging. I'll be ready to read whenever you post something new. Hope you have a fruitful day of writing!
Riveting opening sentence there, Laura! LOL. As long as some police force somewhere doesn't confiscate your computer and wonder just what you've been researching...and why! LOL.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm glad you're scaling back on your blogging -- not that I don't love 'visiting' with you each day -- but I totally understand your need to write! And we'll reap the benefits by and by.
And I agree with Mary about your narratives...you managed a great balance in TFD and I appreciated your words transporting me back in time to a world I hadn't even begun to imagine. Now I feel like I lived there!
oooohhh.......poison....hmm, sounds like it will be a "sickening" part of the story's plot! (pun intended)
ReplyDeleteI've often wondered how you write novels, blog almost every day and keep up with 3 males in your household! I understand the need to back up a bit on the blogging area.
I always look forward to reading what you have to say. So I'll still be here, waiting to hear from ya!
As Mary mentioned, nothing more frustrating than settling in with a historical novel, only to feel like the author skimmed the surface of a potentially rich setting. I was thrilled when I began reading TFD, to find that you are not such an author.
ReplyDeleteIs that in TL, in which characters were just poisoned?
Funnily enough, this morning before I read your post I was having the same thoughts about scaling back on blogging. I've been posting three days a week for some time now, thinking of going down to two. Blogging's fun, and I'll not stop visiting my favorites, but time is limited and the WIPs should get the lion's share of what time we have for writing.
Oh Heather, You've said the magic words - "reread" my book:) That sure makes me smile. I think the only books I've reread other than Scripture are Jane Eyre and L.M. Montgomery's The Blue Castle, and Catherine Marshall's Christy. So thank you for saying so!
ReplyDeleteLaurie, Wish I could pop into your studio and watch you paint! Thanks so much for anticipating my next books! Poisoning never occured to me before - must have a little villain in me:) Bless you in all you do today.
ReplyDeleteBritt, If you're a narrative lover then I think I'll love your book. And I love the name of your character. Ever since I watched the movie The Last of the Mohicans I've been a big Cora fan. If you simply dropped the kettle on her foot you are a kind author!
ReplyDeleteI can't count how many times I've heard people say they wish historicals would be truer to the setting and time period, etc. So your writer/reader instincts are right on!
ReplyDeleteThanks for understanding about the blogging bit. Of all the online things I do, my blog is my favorite, because of you readers. I don't want to lose touch with any of you!
Kav, I had the same thought as you - my opener here sounds downright nefarious:) Am not sure I spelled that right!?
ReplyDeleteSo glad you're another who likes a balance between narrative and dialogue. It's hard to strike the right tone with that. I tend to go toward the narrative but I think it's like Britt said - it's my nature!
And please keep visiting here - I'd miss you very much if you didn't!
Lisa, I've been wondering how you manage 3 men and 3 little women (yourself included) and do all you do! Bet you feel a little like I do when you are able to sew and quilt - JOY! I don't think there are enough hours to read, research, and write. But I'm working on it:)
ReplyDeleteYes, Lori, the poisoning appears in the pages of TL or TCL or whatever it will be:) But not until about page 200 or so. Is that a spoiler?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're a narrative lover - quite a few here. Setting should become a character all its own without taking over the story, of course.
So we're thinking alike in regards to scaling back on the blogging? I'm not surprised:) But I'll sure visit when you do!
Thank you for the kind words Laura..I will know whenever you post because I have you in my blog roll. I love the pictures of the old bottles..I bought some old bottles last summer and then bought some labels like that and glued them on and they really look very prim. I don't have them in my blog yet but will have soon now that the weather is getting better and I can take pictures outside where they turn out much better.
ReplyDeleteI will be watching for your posts when ever you have time.
Hugs to you
Nancy
Nancy, It's always a joy to hear from you here. I love the old bottles, too, and wish I had some. I tend to have the old mason/canning jars from long ago - and have used them when I can.
ReplyDeleteThank you for adding my blog to your blog roll. It sure is fun to keep up with folks that way. Thinking of you today!
I'm glad you're writing more but will miss having you light up my mornings so often with your blog. There's a scripture that I return to often...Proverbs 4:23 "Above all else, guard your heart. For it is the treasure of the Kingdom." So... Good for you. You're doing just that.
ReplyDeleteMyrna, I need to commit that verse to memory. I'm glad you see a correlation between that and my desire to find balance. Hearing from you is blessed confirmation. Knowing you are out there reading my rambles is God's gift to me!
ReplyDeleteAh, the things we writers do to our poor characters. But poison them? Wow! I'll be interested in reading how you get them into and out of this predicament, Laura, which I know you'll do very well.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear you're allowing yourself to cut back on the blogging so you can focus on your stories, although I know that had to be a tough decision. There are only so many hours in a day, and as you mentioned in your previous post, yours are quite full now that you're dealing with deadlines on a regular basis.
Keli, I'm having such fun with this current WIP:)I never imagined going to quite this extreme though the plot does have an element of suspense. Hope I can pull it off! Thank you for your encouragement on that. I'm so blessed to have you for a reader.
ReplyDeleteIt is really hard to cut back on blogging though some writer friends have advised me to do that for some time now. Some don't blogs and they feel it's a waste of creative energy but I really like connecting with people and I've always opted for a more personal touch. I bet you feel the same.
Am thinking those feet of yours haven't touched ground yet:) Can't wait to hear what you and Rachelle are up to next!