Liquid Amber

Again, kudos to TimInMich. The photo I posted last Monday is sap oozing from a cherry tree.

Overheard #112

"And that is the tenuous connection between point A and point B."

Great Research Site

There’s a lot of stuff I don’t know – and much of it pertains to my work-in-progress. Fortunately, I stumbled across the How Stuff Works website. What a wealth of information! The articles cover a broad range of topics and are easy to understand. Check it out; it’s worth a click.

Mysterious Planning

My new project is threatening to become a whodunit. I started with my usual chapter outline, but soon realized that unless I planned in a different way, I’d end up with a hopeless muddle. I needed to start with the crime.

So far my note headings include:

• The Crime
• The Suspects for Motive #1
• The Suspects for Motive #2
• The Suspects for Motive #3
• Red Herrings
• How the Kids Discover Clues

This last section is turning out to be a bugaboo. Transportation is often a problem for teens, and my protagonist is no different. Plus, high school kids are frequently saddled with well-meaning adults, a situation that is not conducive to covert investigations. My first step is to get them a better car, and the second is to ditch the chaperones.

Mystery Photo

What is it?

The answer will be posted on Saturday (9-25-2010).

Sunday

I bought these “pumpkins on a stick” at the farmers’ market. They’re intended to be decorative, not edible, and when the picture was taken, they were starting to wrinkle with age. The photograph is taken with a shallow depth of field, and the gray background is our deck, seen through a window. Reflections of other “pumpkins” are visible in the glass.

Overheard #111

"You need 100 nanoseconds, and even that might not be sufficient."

A Sure Sign of Fall

When close to 40,000 undergraduates descend on our community, they can’t help bringing a few germs along with their mini-fridges and flat-screen TVs. It’s my turn for the Students Are Back Head Cold, and consequently my new project isn’t exactly zipping along. I do have two book recommendations, though.

Suspect

by Kristin Wolden Nitz

Peachtree Publishers, 2010

While sifting through clues and red herrings, I learned much about writing and how to construct a riveting plot.

Fair Game

by Valerie Plame Wilson

Simon & Schuster, 2007

I read this book as research for my next project, but since this is not a political blog, I won’t say much. However, if you believe in the Bill of Rights, you may find this book disheartening. (The Fair Game movie is coming out this year.)

Sunday

I went searching for butterflies and found bees. The honeybee pictures weren’t great, but I like this bumblebee. The web at the bottom is for TimInMich.

Overheard #110

"I think frog is the new pig."

A Bit More on Speaking Your Truth

The attack on my friend Fang Shimin was covered in Time Magazine.

Shimin (web name Fang Zhouzi) is the author of seventeen books, many of which expose scientific corruption in China. His writing has put his life in danger.

Hard at Work

How great is it to research a new novel? I can spend my time armchair traveling, web surfing or reading and call it work.

Taking a cyber vacation to the setting of my work-in-progress isn’t really wasting time on the Internet. Web cams remind me that the skies over Mackinac Island are often overcast, and even in summer, visitors wear sweatshirts. Travel blogs point out that the bus ride from Avalon to Two Harbors is slow, dusty and bumpy, and if my characters had any cash, they’d travel a different way.

I get to search the web for new knowledge, like how to play darts (you don’t try for a bull’s eye every time) or how to crack a safe (if possible, steal the whole safe and move it to a secure location).

I love a good nonfiction book, especially about a subject I’m unfamiliar with. I expected intrigue and clandestine adventures from Femme Fatale, a biography of Mata Hari, but I ended up feeling sorry for her. From reading More Money Than God, a book about the stock market, I learned about selling short and leverage buyouts, and that it takes a lot of guts to operate a hedge fund.

Off to work I go.

What’s the Story on the New Camera?

I’m making progress.

I know something about the automatic functions on my camera.

I’m trying to learn some basic photography concepts beyond, “Isn’t that pretty? Hang on while I point the camera at it.”

I can resize photos to a web-appropriate dpi. Don’t you hate it when you try to zip over to someone’s blog, and it won’t open or takes a few epochs to click into view? That can happen when picture files are too large.

I’ve learned I need a USB media card reader to load my photos on my computer. My new camera and my aging computer don’t play nicely together.

I’ve viewed the tip of the iceberg of photographic manipulation and realize that someday I’m going to have to learn a whole bunch more stuff.

I tried to go on a photo-shoot today at Sessions Lake and discovered you can’t see the water from the trail. I could hear swans paddling on the lake. I hope you can visualize graceful white birds on sparkling blue water, green leaves, puffy clouds because I couldn’t get close enough to the lake to take a picture without leaving the trail and trampling through the local flora.

In parting, here’s a butterfly – not a perfect photo, but it’s something.

Maize and Green

Yep. This is corn silk.
Lori and TimInMich guessed Monday's photo correctly.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Overheard #109

"Nagging is the constant search for justice in an unjust world."

Speaking Your Truth

When children ask Patricia Polacco if her stories are true, she says, “Yes, but it might not have happened.”

As a writer, I appreciate the importance of truth in expressing emotion, rendering dialog and detailing description – whether the story is fiction or nonfiction.

As a former scientist, I think of truth in a different way. Textbooks relate facts, but working scientists rarely speak of truth. We talk about replicating controlled experiments and data that are consistent with a larger hypothesis because often it takes a long time to figure out how nature actually works.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about truth in a political sense. In America, we expect truth, and find fraud, cover-ups and misappropriation of funds scandalous. But this isn’t true of every country. My friend, Fang Shimin (net name Fang Zhouzi), has devoted his career to exposing scientific corruption in China. Last weekend Shimin was attacked by two thugs, apparently in retribution for his role as a whistleblower. Fortunately, he escaped with only minor injuries.

Today, I’m thinking of freedom of speech, the privilege of living in a place where truth is expected, and the great gift of a legal system equipped to fight dishonesty.

Mystery Photo

What is it?

The answer will be posted on Saturday (9-4-2010).

What, No Sunday Nature Photo?

For years now, I’ve managed to come up with some image of the natural world every Sunday morning. Not today, though. I recently purchased a new camera (Canon Rebel T2i), and I’m trying to figure out how to use it and manage the files. My previous photos were taken with a Sony Cyber-shot which is basically a point and shoot. Now I need to learn something about photography.

I will have a mystery photo up tomorrow – taken with my old camera. I think it’s an easy one, but then I know what it is.

Overheard #108

"Nagging never helped anyone."

Another Frog

Sometimes gray treefrogs will pose on a pink lily.

And other times they insist on the hose rack and wear a dead spider on their foot.

For Want of an E

While proofreading my WIP, I discovered:

We cut through the ally.

Ouch. Apparently, I’ve been reading too much historical fiction involving swordplay. While I’m typing random letters:

allay
alley
ally
aloe
alloy
allow

aloha

Sunday

the thinker

the little mermaid

Write by the Water

I'm a guest blogger at writebythewater today.

It’s All About Stealth

I walked toward the pond at Fenner Nature Center. Plink. Plink. Plunk. My footsteps had scared several frogs and maybe a turtle into the water. I turned on my camera. Plip. Plop. More were frightened by the electronic whir. I stalked a sleepy-looking fellow, floating with his head above the surface. I focused, wondering if reflected sunlight would spoil the picture or make it more interesting.

“Is there anything in there?” a woman shouted as she came up to the pond.

The frog disappeared into the murk. I turned so she could see my camera.

“What are you taking pictures of?” She yelled even though she was standing next to me.

“Frogs,” I whispered, hoping she’d turn down the volume.

“Oh, I see ‘em now.” She hadn’t taken the hint.

Plunk. Plop. I put my finger to my lips.

“They’re all over the place,” she shouted.

“Could you please be quiet?” I whispered. “I don’t mean to be rude, but you’re scaring the frogs.”

“They’re all over the place! They’re all over the place!” Her voice kept getting louder.

I sighed, and eventually she left. Then I managed to photograph some of the braver individuals. Stop by tomorrow to see more frog pics.

Overheard #107

"What makes you think I don’t want to be bothered?"

Teen-Parent Relations

On Monday, NPR did a piece on teen-parent relations that I found interesting both as a parent and as a writer. The examples mentioned in the article didn’t seem real to me as neither my kids nor my characters get hysterical about what they’re going to wear on school photo day. The part about teens not foreseeing the consequences of their actions is golden.

Art Imitates Life

or is it the other way around?

Recently my kids have been living out some of the dramas I’ve written about. In Chapter 6 of my WIP, Michael lost his keys, and last Monday, Jeremy lost his wallet. Fortunately both boys recovered their possessions. In Chapter 20 of one of my previous novels, Lia parked near a college campus and returned to find her car vandalized. Unfortunately, Sam had the same experience in July. The repairs on Lia’s car were fast and inexpensive, but in reality, quick, cheap auto repairs are totally fictional. In Chapter 14 of my WIP, Michael flagrantly exceeded the speed limit and didn’t get caught. Jeremy was not so lucky.

You might say this is coincidence, or I could claim I’ve nailed the teenage experience. Either way, I seem to be predicting the future. I’m tempted to change the mom’s career so she’s a highly successful novelist.

Sunday

A friend told me this is a white-faced meadowhawk.

Overheard #106

"There is never a reason for tediousness."

Curmudgeonly Rant on Spelling

Why is it okay to spell some words in more than one way? Just decide already. Don’t tell me that ocher is just as good as ochre. How can gallivant, galivant and galavant all be correct? One spelling should be enough for any word.

In a fit of pique, I looked up ocher and gallivant.

Merriam-Webster prefers ocher to ochre. The Free Dictionary also likes the ER spelling and suggests ochery and ocherous are real words. Cute Writing tells me ochre is the British spelling. Microsoft Word shows no preference.

Merriam-Webster likes gallivant better than galavant and doesn’t even mention galivant. The Free Dictionary prefers two Ls and an I, but lists galivant before galavant. Microsoft Word only accepts gallivant.

Writing Retreat

When you think of a writing retreat, perhaps you envision peace and quiet, a respite from the responsibilities of family and work. Maybe you see long stretches of uninterrupted creative time, solving thorny plot problems and finding new insights into characters. You might imagine time with good friends, belly laughs and shared ideas. Or does the idea of a writing retreat summon fears of having nothing to say?

The retreat I just left was wonderful. I worked hard on revisions and made good progress. There is something about sitting across the table from another hard-working writer that keeps me on task. I solved some problems with my WIP and discovered other issues that need to be fixed. I enjoyed the time with great friends. Thankfully, writer’s block left me alone.

This was my fifth writing retreat and the third with my awesome critique group. It occurred to me I have never done new writing at a retreat. I always spend the time revising. Okay, my process involves lots of revision, but still …

Maybe next year.

Sunday

I chased this hummingbird clearwing moth all over the yard.

Overheard #105

"It’s hard to escape the criticism of a red-winged blackbird."

Update

Photo by Jean Eddy

This week, I’ve been volunteering at band camp. This is a six-day stretch of early morning to late night days at which the high school marching band learns next the new halftime show. The maturity difference between the incoming freshmen and the soon-to-be seniors is astounding. Five minutes with the incoming freshmen totally validates the concept of the Tween novel.

I was appointed photographer of Jeremy’s metal band. I need a better camera.

On Thursday, The World’s Greatest Critique Group goes on our annual retreat. I hope to finish the revisions of my current work-in-progress.

Sunday

This picture is a little confusing, but it's so hard to photograph butterflies and moths.

Reading the Fine Print

Next week is Band Camp. The kids practice from early morning until late at night for six days, and miraculously the halftime show falls together. I signed up to help all day on Tuesday. Somehow, my name also appeared on the volunteer lists for helping all day on Monday, baking brownies, picking up eleven dozen bagels and helping with activities*.

How could this happen?

I knew when I was supposed to work, so I didn’t look at the volunteer assignment sheets until it was too late to bail out.

Sigh.

Monday and Tuesday are pretty much toast, but I’m likely to gather enough data for a couple more novels.

*Man, I hope I get water balloons instead of word games this year.

Overheard #104

"Dialog attribution clutters up your white space."

High School English

Jeremy: How’s the novel going?
Me: I got back comments from Amy. She’s an English teacher.
Jeremy: Were they constructive?
Me: Yes.
Jeremy: Did she tell you to use more metaphors, similes and personifications?
Me: No.
Jeremy: They’re the only things that are important – other than overlying themes.

Wednesday

Bunnies don't like to be photographed.

Sunday

rose and unidentified insect

Take a Liking to a Viking

I admit I like Vikings. Their behavior was often unacceptable by today’s standards, but still, they have a certain romantic appeal. Plus, Vikings are the local high school’s mascot, and my maternal grandparents were Danish.

I’ve been reading the Saxon Tales by Bernard Cornwell and picked up some Viking trivia.

Horned helmets: I already knew the horns were a myth. No warrior involved in hand-to-hand combat would wear a hat with handles that could be grabbed by the enemy.

Longboats: The fanciful beasts carved on the prows could be removed when the ship was used for trading. Many of these trade missions were reconnaissance designed to identify the richest villages to plunder later.

Vikings: Back in the day, these folks were known as Danes or Norsemen. The word viking was a verb. To go viking was to go plundering, pillaging and burning.

Overheard #103

"We used to skinny-dip. Now we chubby-dunk."

(This quote was overheard by one of my facebook friends, but I couldn't pass it up.)

Did I Mention Loud?

Metal Band Update

Me: That’s the best I’ve ever heard you play.
Jeremy nods.
Me: But if it’s that loud two floors up, you need to wear ear plugs.
Jeremy: We’ll turn down the volume.

The lesser of two evils.

Sunday

Overheard #102

"Power ballads are songs girls like, and guys pretend to like so girls will like them."

Words of Wisdom

Thanks to Ruth McNally Barshaw for this bit of genius.

"Sometimes writing is hard.
Sometimes it flows and it's perfect and you even know that, as it comes out of your pen.
And other times it's like each word is a splinter and your pen is the tweezers..."

Look for Ruth’s third book Ellie McDoodle Best Friends Fur-Ever early in August.

Metal Inspiration

Me: What song are they playing?
Sam: It’s the one Jeremy wrote last night.
Me: He wrote a song – while they were moving the drum set?
Sam: They were talking about how irritating it is when Katie calls them Hon so I suggested they write a song called Attila the Hun. I think that’s it.

Brilliant!

If you’ve ever tried to wade through Joseph Campbell’s Hero with a Thousand Faces or studied the Hero’s Journey in other forms, click here. Justus R. Stone sums up the whole thing brilliantly.

Sunday

Heavy Metal Mama

Jeremy and two friends formed a metal band. Neil plays drums, Katie sings, and Jeremy plays guitar and writes their songs. Yes, I’m proud. I’m also worried about potential hearing loss - for the band members.

They used to practice at Neil’s house because he has a super-fancy drum set and a finished basement. Neil also has four cats, and unfortunately Katie is allergic.

Sigh.

So, much of the summer has been devoted to converting our unfinished, extremely cluttered basement into a practice space. They cleaned out one corner and hung old blankets to form a room. I contributed dorm room carpet from Home Depot, and we’re still discussing economical sound proofing options for the remaining two walls. They installed a mini-fridge for soft drinks and even plugged in my old metronome.

Still, our new sound stage isn’t perfect.

Jeremy: We have ants down here.
Me: Are they the big ones or the little ones?
Jeremy: I don’t know. Medium.
Me: It makes a difference. The little ants love ant traps. They rush right in and eat the poison. The big ones are carpenter ants, and they don’t like traps so much.
Jeremy: There’s a dead one in the corner. Wanna see?
Neil: Wow. Maybe we could write a song about ants called Poison.

Overheard #101

"Tattoos are freckle envy."

The Writing Space

Usually, I plunk myself down in front of my huge computer desk in the bedroom and type away. This space is not glamorous or particularly neat. It doesn’t even have a convenient window, although one might argue the monitor is a window to my imagination.

Sometimes people from my writing group meet at a local bookstore café to write. There is something about seeing other people working hard that makes me work hard. (Of course they are probably working hard because they think I’m working hard.)

Near the spot where yesterday’s squirrel was resting, we have a couple chairs and tables. It’s shady all day, birds sing, and breezes rustle leaves. I never write there. The laptop cord doesn’t reach, it’s hard to read the monitor in natural light, and there’s no place to put the mouse. I realize these problems have simple solutions. Still, that spot is better for reading than writing.

Where do you write?

Even the Squirrels Are Hot

I took this through the window and there’s some glare off the glass.

Happy Independence Day!

Sunday

I’m pushing the resolution of the camera on this one. These little flies are fast; I was lucky to capture one.

Overheard #100

"That takes infinity of time, and we just don't have it."

It’s Not Over ‘Till Somebody Spills

Or is it?

All good things must end – including novels. At some point, every writer has wrap up the story and clarify mysteries. Some authors use a character to explain everything. Hercule Poirot gathers all living suspects in the drawing room and describes his deductive reasoning. Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort duke it out with wands and words several times, and Lord Voldemort gets to do most of the talking.

Those final soliloquies are so tempting to write. I had one in my WIP, until I realized it wasn’t necessary. The story still made sense when that dialog was cut. Changes could be made earlier in the novel to release clues. Now the ending focuses on the protagonist’s victory, not the antagonist’s defeat.

Sunday

Overheard #99

"That makes something not completely unlike sense."

Happy Midsummer

Tonight is Midsummer Night, and my dream of serene sunny days filled with productive writing has not yet materialized. Revisions are limping along, this blog is neglected. Other people are blogging though, and I’ll send you off to visit them.

On Wednesdays, Alice Pope’s SCBWI Children’s Market Blog, compiles helpful industry posts, and two caught my eye. Mary Kole at kidlit posted a letter from a reader about using a good telling sentence to introduce showing. This is similar to starting a paragraph in an essay with a topic sentence then backing it up with specific examples. Jennifer Crusie wrote a terrific, content-filled post on plot in Argh Ink.

Pink Flamingo

Today, I'm over at Happy Mailboxes, a very cool blog by the fabulous writer, Lisa Wheeler.

Sunday

Overheard #98

"He was off in the Sam-osphere."

More on Plot Problems

So what is a plot problem? When I introduced my exercise at Tuesday’s Write Night, I was asked to give an example. A plot problem is anything that isn’t working, doesn’t make sense, or bogs down the story. Plot problems are easy to revise around and delightful to put off, but eventually they have to be faced.

Here are examples from the group that don’t give away anyone’s story.

• Getting a character to do something he didn’t want to do
• Explaining an essential technicality of a magical world with humor
• Rescuing characters from a high-tension, hopeless situation
• Bringing two disparate characters together
• Adding excitement to a lack-luster sequence of events

 In case you haven’t guessed, the last one was mine. Yesterday I replaced a chapter of sludge with action and tension.

Plot Problems

Last night's Write Night exercise seems to have worked out well - if I do say so myself. Here's the exercise.

Briefly summarize a plot problem in your novel.

Make a list of 5 or 6 solutions. (They don’t all have to be practical. They don’t all have to work. Brainstorm wildly.)

Pick one solution and write a scene that begins to implement it.

Sunday

Overheard #97

"In my next life, I’ll have poise."

LIAR: the Unreliable Narator

Liar
by Justine Larbalestier

Bloomsbury, 2009

Picture shows the new US and Australian covers.

For reviews, see The YA YA YAs, Librarilly Blond, Bib Laura Graphy, A Chair, A Fireplace and a Tea Cosy, and The LibrariYAn.

This book is not for the squeamish. It has a raw brutality that even the multiplicity of lies can’t mask. That aside, Liar is a masterful example of the unreliable narrator. The tale drips out slowly as if Micah is reluctant to tell us the truth. Then the story shifts and Micah admits she’s lied, and promises to be honest next time. Then the story shifts again. And again.

If you’re writing a novel with an unreliable narrator, there’s much to learn from this book.

Bargain Vacation – Transylvania

Wildwood Dancing

by Juliet Marillier

Alfred A. Knopf, 2007


For reviews, see teen reads, Emily’s reading room and the book book blog.
 
 
Fascination with vampires has made Transylvania an increasingly popular vacation destination. In Wildwood Dancing, the reader can observe Night People from a safe distance and still enjoy moonlight revels with inhabitants of the Other Kingdom. Dancing lessons and haute couture ball gowns are included in the price.
 
“Children love forbidden places, especially when they lie deep in a mysterious dark forest, where all kinds of wonderful games can be played, games that last from dawn to dusk and spring to life again the next morning.”

NYC Libraries

Jump on over to Jumping the Candlestick to get all the details.

Sunday

Here's a damselfly link.

Overheard #96

"If you turn into an alien, can I have a ride in your
 UFO?"

Wednesday

since it's June

Bargain Vacation - France

The Vintage Caper

by Peter Mayle

Alfred A. Knopf, 2009

For reviews see New York Times Sunday Book Review, goodreads, and Wine Peeps.

If you needed an excuse to frolic through France, sampling culinary delights and indulging in fine wines, you could join Sam Levitt as he investigates the theft of three million dollars worth of aged Bordeaux.
 
“Returning to Paris after a long absence, there is always a temptation to plunge in and taste everything. Call it greed, or the result of deprivation, but food in Paris is so varied, so seductive, and so artfully presented that it seems a shame not to have a dozen of Brittany’s best oysters, some herb-flavored lamb from Sisteron, and two or three cheeses before attacking the desserts.”
 
“The restaurants of Marseille were the reason God made fish.”

On Cassis: “A village on the sea is a magical sight on a sunny day; a village on the sea with twelve excellent vineyards in its back garden is enough to make a man want to throw away his passport and stay forever.”

Sunday

bee fly

The Sameness of It All

Yesterday while working in the garden, I realized that revising a novel is a lot like yanking out the weedy stuff and nurturing the colorful stuff.

Overheard #95

"Subtlety is potentially ineffective."

Purposeful Revisions

I once heard an editor say that every revision should have a purpose. While this may not work for every writer, focusing on a specific problem can tame the seemingly overwhelming task of revising rough drafts.

The purpose of the first draft is Getting the Story Down.

For my WIP, the second draft is the Logic Draft. Before I started writing, I outlined the novel in detail, but I deviated from the plan and introduced a few subplots near the end. These changes had to be set up early in the story for them to make sense.

The third draft is the Page Turner Draft in which I slash and burn the boring stuff. I make sure my subplots overlap so that when one resolves, there are still plenty of things to worry about.

The fourth draft will be the Voice Draft. This is simply a page by page analysis to make sure all characters stay in character.

After that, I’ll read it and decide.

Wednesday

Okay, the duck is a bit dark and the background is too light, and Photoshop could fix all that, but there's this novel to revise ...

Bargain Vacation - Botswana

The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency

by Alexander McCall Smith

Random House, 2002

For reviews see About.com and BookBrowse.
Here is a YouTube video of the TV series.

This book is less like taking a vacation than moving to Botswana and setting up shop amid the dust, sweltering heat and fierce beauty of the land. You’ll drink innumerable cups of bush tea and become accustomed to a slower pace of life. You’ll learn not to get on the wrong side of witch doctors and when searching for missing persons, you’ll remember to check if leopards or crocodiles are in the area. Although the book is a quick read, this is not a short vacation. Be prepared to settle in.
 
“When you see these hills from a distance, they are blue; as all the distances in this country are. We are far from the sea here, with Angola and Namibia between us and the coast, and yet we have this great empty ocean of blue above us and around us. No sailor could be lonelier than a man standing in the middle of our land, with the miles and miles of blue about him.”

Sunday

Overheard #94

"Okay guys, ties and flies."

Bargain Vacation - India

Our summer vacation seems to be a non-starter this year, so, I thought I’d share snapshots of my recent literary travels. These trips are free from the library, no vaccinations or passports are required, and some include time travel bonuses.

Tiger Moon

by Antonia Michaelis
translated by Anthea Bell
Amulet Books, 2008

For reviews, see teen reads, Powell’s books, writing with a broken tusk and charlotte’s library.




If you’ve ever wanted to experience a monsoon, visit a desert oasis, see the River Ganges or rescue a princess, read Tiger Moon. One review (writing with a broken tusk) quibbles with cultural, geographical and historical aspects of the novel, and I admit I’m not qualified to judge these topics. That aside, this mini-vacation includes the opportunity to ride a white tiger, an experience unavailable on many costlier tours.

"How does a story of India begin?
Does it begin with the three rivers the Ganges, the Yamuna, the unseen Sarasvati pouring her dreaming waters down from the snowy mountains to the hot, dry plain?"

Tune in next week for more travel discounts.

Sunday

Overheard #93

"Big Brother is texting you."

Slush

Writer’s Digest has a checklist for improving rough drafts. 21 Tips to Get out of the Slush Pile by James Plath.

Check it out. It covers more than simply eliminating typos.

Gender Guesser

One of my facebook friends mentioned a website that analyzes word choice to predict if a text sample was written by a man or a woman. Since my WIP has a male protagonist, I was eager to try. I pasted the first 300 words into the box and got weak female. Okay, that was disappointing, but the project still needs work, so I checked the first 300 words of TAoCBS (male protagonist) and got weak male. Better. Third time’s the charm. I pasted in 300 words of CBL (female protagonist) and again got weak female. Phooey.

As a former scientist I felt compelled to test the system. I tried a couple posts from this blog and got male. Uh oh. Then I pasted in several posts from other people’s blogs, and they all came out male – no matter who wrote them.

Fiction is different than blogging, so I have a favor to ask. Will you test 300 or so words of your fiction here and post the results in comments? Just say whether your protagonist is male or female and if the gender guesser agreed. Thanks.

(I’m secretly hoping the results will be meaningless.)

Blue Plate Special

Blue Plate Special

by Michelle D. Kwasney

Chronicle Books (2009)



This YA novel traces the stories three generations of women/girls in a dysfunctional family. For reviews, see Frenetic Reader and goodreads.

Blue Plate Special is a fascinating study of voice. The story is told in three first person points of view and the three voices remain distinct throughout the novel. None of the voices is particularly eccentric, yet they do not merge or mimic one another. Michele Kwasney excels at keeping each character’s personality true.

Writers are often told it is difficult to sustain an unconventional (quirky, sarcastic, humorous, regional, ultra-intellectual) voice all the way through a novel. Maintaining three separate but equal voices must also present interesting challenges. I recommend this book to writers who are striving to perfect their character’s voices.

Sunday

Overheard #92

"Sometimes getting out of work is more work than just doing the work."

The Fixer Upper

Starting round two of novel revisions is like buying a fixer upper. The first step is deciding if the project has potential. Is that lovely view worth the time and effort required to make the house beautiful? Is the concept behind the novel strong enough to raise a meandering tome out of the slush?

The second step is deciding where to start. Probably everyone can agree that the avocado shag carpet or the last scene in chapter 18 have to go, but they may not be the most pressing problems.

Next a plan is required. Before I start reconstruction, I need to know which walls are load-bearing and if pipes and wires are hidden inside them. If I eliminate that subplot, does my antagonist’s character arc fall flat? Are there other places to put those wires, pipes and character developing scenes?

For the time being, I’ll focus on removing enough clutter so the structure is visible. When it’s time to go in with the sledge hammer, I’ll know what to do. The project seems daunting. As the proud new owners of a bargain property once told me, “Every surface of every room needs repair.”

Rainbow

We don't see many rainbows in Michigan because the sky is often overcast after rainstorms. This photo is cropped strangely, because I was trying to delete the neighbor's roof.

SCBWI-Michigan Spring Conference

On Saturday I attended the SCBWI-MI 2010 Spring Conference, The Tortoise and the Hare: Journey to the Finish Line. There was a star-studded line-up, and the conference was packed with useful information about writing and illustrating.

I was reminded of ideas that had been put aside while I struggled with writing or revising, and the speakers organized information in a way that made it fresh. Here are the pearls of wisdom I gathered.

Jay Asher explained how to build suspense by creating overlapping subplots, so that when one problem is resolved, other issues remain to keep the reader turning pages.

Beth Fleisher advocated mapping arcs for plot, character, emotional development and setting.

Ruta Rimas discussed analyzing a manuscript word by word, at the level of sentences and by paragraph.

Donna Gephart suggested we fill in the blanks in this sentence for our protagonists: I’ll do anything to ___, just don’t ask me to ___.

It was an action-packed day, and unfortunately I didn’t get to hear all of the speakers.

Sunday