Saturday False Starts

Over at Wyrdsmiths, my alter ego posted her usual Saturday Mornings Funnies. This time I've chosen to embarass myself with something more recent -- from my college years. As I explain in my post, like most writers, I have a collection of these sorts of short beginnings that fizzle out and don't go anywhere. I've never "thrown them away" (read: deleted, as most of them are Word files of one sort or another), because I always secretly hope that inspiration will hit and I will find the perfect ending for them some day.

How about you? Do keep your scraps? Have you ever finished one of them?

Quick Re-Direct: SF Novelists

My alter-ego wrote a blog over at SF Novelist about her (and, secretly, my) titling process. It's called Something Clever or What I Usually Call My Novel. As you can probably guess from the title of this post our process is, as we say in the MidWest, "interesting."

Another Great Review (Bloody Returns)

A new Review! This one from Library Journal Many Bloody Returns: Tales of Birthdays with Bite. Ace: Berkley, dist. by Penguin Group (USA). Sept. 2007. c.368p. ed. by Charlaine Harris & Toni L.P. Kelner. ISBN 978-0-441-01522-1. $24.95. FANTASY

In this anthology, 13 talented writers have found clever ways to intertwine two seemingly disparate themes, vampires and birthdays. Christopher Golden's "The Mournful Cry of Owls" tells of a mother who, on her daughter's birthday, must explain the strange truth of the girl's ancestry. In Kelley Armstrong's mesmerizing "Twilight," the rebirth date of the vampire Cassandra has arrived. Now she has one unpleasant task to perform. And in "Fire and Ice and Linguini for Two," Tate Halloway writes a funny, romantic piece about the vampire Sebastian reluctantly celebrating his birthday, although he believes it cursed. Some stories are better than others, but all are entertaining and worth reading. This excellent collection will appeal to the growing legion of paranormal fans. Recommended for public libraries.—Patricia Altner, BiblioInfo.com , Columbia, MD

Rituals of Beginning

I started DEAD IF I DO yesterday. I didn't actually write any words on the page mind you, but I started. You scoff, "How can you say you started when you didn't write any story?"

There are a certain number of things I do as part of my rituals of beginning. First, I have to create a folder under my "novels" directory with the title of the new novel. Then I have to create a document with my novel template (which has all the necessaries already in place like using Courier 12 pt, having my contact information, space for the title, my byline, etc.) and then I make space for the first chapter and rename the thing.

Then I closed my computer and watched "Little Ms. Sunshine."

So, see! I started.

What do you _need_ to do in order to start? Do you have to buy that special notebook or special pen?

Wyrdsmith Writing Meme

Kellyover at Wyrdsmiths posted a meme about writing and I thought I'd play along...

What do you find _______ about writing?

Hardest? Lately, starting. But, after I get over that initial hurdle, the hardest part is usually keeping the plot moving forward. I have a tendency to like just hanging out with my characters soap opera style. Fun for me, but hell on the plot.

Easiest? Character. A lot of people live in my head many of them fully-formed. Getting them out is easy. Figuring out what to do with them is hard.

Most fun?

Honestly? Seeing my name in print. It's a rush.

Most Tedious? Some days, depending on my mood it's the writing down of all the scenes in my head. Slowing down my inner play long enough to write it all out and have it make sense to someone other than me.

Coolest? Knowing that I make s**t up and people pay me for it (sometimes).

Least cool? Some of the business aspects. I wish the publishing climate was such that there was a place for all good stories, regardless of "the market."

Best? When inspiration strikes and I look up from my keyboard and realize it's 2 a.m. and I feel so pumped like I could write more.

Worst? Realizing my kid will be up at 5:30 am....