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Just discovered that “The Love Song of Oliver Toddle” is on Morva House’s Thoughtful SF&F list.

You may notice some other authors you know there as well.

That’s a nice way to polish off an evening.

Cath

Don’t throw away anything you ever write. Ever.

After a very reluctant start to my writing session today, I fell into the groove. I decided that some of the ideas of things I had used before in the original version of Substance were things that rang true to the characters. In some ways, I’ve been trying to make this rewrite too different from the original, and have been isolating myself from the bits of the characters I find the most rewarding.

This is not to say that the prose I wrote the first time is the best prose it can be. But the ideas are good and sound, and I find that I can use pieces of what I thought would have to be discarded.

Which just goes to show you that sometimes you can over think this writer thing.

***

So, in a sort of manic fever, I wonder if I can get the basic foundation of the book (Stephanus’ move to Mistraldol, Esme’s trial, Stephanus’ defection, Errol’s trial) laid out sooner than later. This would be an action focus.

Then I would probably do a villain action focus, and then solid character arcs. And then Maassketer it together, and then 10 percent solution it. Awesome. Direction.

In the end, this story seems to want to go together like lasagna, one layer at a time.

***

At any rate, don’t be afraid to revisit your old stuff. Sometimes your instincts are good.

Catherine

I’m home. Half asleep because I have taken my second delicious hit of codeine for the day. Which just goes to show you that you can’t power through this stuff. I’ve been sick for about 5 days, and have been working and playing anyway. Granted, the weekend was filled with sleeping every chance I had.

Now, I have ‘roids, antibiotics, codeine cough syrup, and a tendency to sleep. I hope to return to the world tomorrow. The betrayals of our body to our spirit, eh?

***

One of the ways we measure the passage of time is that we move on. Bryon and I cleaned out a trunk load of old costumes, wigs, and props, and shunted them off to his high school’s anime club kids. Only I’d guess about 3 more loads of that size, and I think we’ll have it well in hand.

***

Of course, the world has been carrying on during my mental absences. When I rejoin the world, there will be a few issues to catch up on. Until then, I sleep. Oh yeah. Mmmm…

Cath

Fighting an Internet addiction that is keeping you from being productive? Trying to figure out how to get in touch with your more playful creative side?

Consider using a notebook.

As a pure experiment, I wrote yesterday’s chapter of Substance using a notebook. Yes, it was the usual crappy first draft, but I found it easier to access the plot points and the characterizations I wanted.

After doing this, I transcribed the chapter, and now I will embellish it on computer.

It doesn’t take me a whole lot less time to do this than it would for me to pour over it. Plus I focused on the story, rather than getting distracted, and that helped me access creativity.

Your mileage may vary, but I think I’ll be playing this way for a bit.

Catherine

But not in real life. I spent the Labor Day weekend entertaining some out of town friends. Sunday and Monday I finished up my Harry Potter reading through book 3, relaxed with the husband after a couple of hectic weeks of beginning the semester, saw Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and just enjoyed the great weather.

Regrettably, Sunday, our dryer of 20 years died the death. Monday was also spent shopping and purchasing a new dryer. Once again I learn that I am not a fancy appliance person.

***

How’s the writing coming? Well, pretty good. Here’s a new recommendation for some of you, although there are good things and bad things about this book. Write. 10 Days to Overcome Writer’s Block. Period by Karen E. Peterson caught my eye while I was writing at Barnes and Noble last night. Bryon is spending a lot of time taking tickets for volleyball games the next two weeks. Teacher duty. Yay. I ran out of Potter, picked it up, and was suckered by pop psychology. Anyway, there was a Kurt Vonnegut quote on the cover. That was good enough for me.

***

Peterson, a PhD in psychology, suggests that people have one writing agenda with their right brain and one with their left brain. There’s a fascinating section in chapter 2 about how brains work, and how brains can be underdeveloped due to certain nurturing techniques or lack thereof. The book is full of ideas and techniques about how to access that creative part of your brain as you write, about how to try to keep that part of your brain from being too all or nothing.

In my own case, I discovered that my tendencies to dislike rewriting, but still require my work to be perfect, probably have some root in my upbringing. I’ve been playing with the idea of how I write, spending some time with my first draft in a notebook for Substance to engage some playfulness, and shuffling my writing tasks around to be more playful. I’m still writing for my allotted time, but I’m mixing it up a bit. Which is good. You know when writing begins to feel like writing your dissertation, that’s a bad thing.

Anywhoo, take a look at this book, especially if you need to jumpstart your creativity a bit. It’s a little more woo-woo than I’d like, but I’m finding it useful, so there’s that.

***

Imagine my delight today when I found the Static Shock entry in my trash bin. So you get that too.

I need to get back to some novel stuff. This was my little break. I’ll see you guys later on today. I may get an unplanned day off this week. I have a rather annoying sniffle. Bah.

Cath

What determines success in a life?

There are some writers who have managed to successfully mix very full careers with writing, and even a few who feel that writing might not have happened as well as it would have if they had had a lot of free time. In short, some writers say that the paucity of time makes them value the time they have more, and helps them to do something more important with that time.

This is me, trying to brainwash myself.

As you know, it has recently been suggested that I become a full-time administrator at work. The first step in this process would be a proposal suggesting the needed changes for the ELA program, and if the administration thinks change is a good idea, then it might be a reality. In as little as a year, or as long as never, this could happen.

When I initially picked up my coordinatorship 5 years ago, it turned out to be a mistake. I was extremely unhappy. That was a very different job than the job I have now. Thanks to the cooperation of my dean and the college, my job has actually become fairly pleasant. I have fought long and hard for that. Before the thoughts of a deanship came up, I was sitting in Barnes and Noble writing, thinking how nice and flexible my job was. Finally. Not too much to do. Just right.

Of course, as I got into the next two weeks, I discovered I was living the lie.

Continue reading “Some Ruminations on Careers and Writing”

There comes a time when most authors are going to need a book on poison.

Recently, I’ve read two, and they have both been topnotch. I would like to recommend them to you.

The Elements of Murder by John Emsley. British chemist John Emsley has written a book that takes you on a journey to the “darker part of the periodic table.” The book is divided into six sections: mercury, arsenic, lead, thallium, antimony, and a catch all section of other periodic poisons at the end. The book scientifically describes the element, breaks down its deadly qualities, and talks about accidental and deliberate poisoning with the element. Along the way we learn useful tidbits about how the poison was used (and abused!) in a variety of historical incidents.

The Poisoner’s Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York by Deborah Blum: This engrossing tome is a biography of two of forensics most important historical figures: Charles Norris and Alexander Gettler. These two transformed the way medical evidence was perceived in American courts. Part historical account, part forensic education, I had a hard time putting this book down. It’s a fascinating read in a world where poisoners often get off, and the government decides that poisoning alcohol to enforce Prohibition is the moral thing to do. History and science are unsettling in this book, as are the doubts of the scientific detectives themselves as they refine their techniques. This book will definitely make my best of the year list.

***

I need to find a couple of good books about venoms and plant based toxins, but I’m now up on the chemical side of things. Best not put any incriminating quips in my blog, however, lest an investigation come home to roost later.

Catherine

1. Women are not as white as snow. They are as white as ricotta.

2. If you are a woman who does not have children, do not compare yourself or your future child to an animal or an inanimate object. Otherwise, you will probably give birth to said animal or said inanimate object.

3. When invading the home of a wind, giant, or ogre, make sure the lady of the house hides you and the wind, giant or ogre has a good dinner before you come out of your hiding place. You could get eaten otherwise.

4. If an old man shows up to help you with your fortune, it’s probably the ghost of the cadaver you buried and no one else would.

5. Very beautiful men need 7 veils to hide their beautiful faces. These guys are usually vain.

6. If you play practical jokes on a man, he will inevitably marry you to get even. A life-saving technique is to bake a replica of yourself out of bread. Fill the heart with cream, so when he stabs you, he’ll get squirted with cream and express remorse. After that, the marriage is gonna be great.

7. If you are the youngest child in a family, rest assured, you are also the smartest and the most beautiful. Your fortune is assured.

8. There is more royalty in Italy than there are peasants.

9. Never trust the Lame Devil. Especially if you’re another devil.

10. Whatever the dwarf tells you to put on the deck of your ship, you do it. You will inevitably run across an island of creatures who need what you have in abundance (ie you load your deck with carrion, you meet an island of vultures.)

***

Hope these tips are helpful to you in your Italian travels!

Catherine