Well, dear readers, I can hardly believe it – and yet I must believe it, for it is true. What can I hardly believe and yet I must for it is true? Well, I’ll tell you what I can hardly believe and yet I must for it is true. Yesterday, just before noon, I finished my new novel. Oh, there will be nips and tucks and little fixes and additions here and there, and my friend Margaret must still read the final sixty pages on Saturday, but for all intents and purposes I am quite done. The thing I find hard to believe, of course, is that I began this book the first week of January, and a mere eight weeks later it has been birthed. I thought Writer’s Block was fast at ten weeks. I think that mysteries, in my estimation, go faster because they’re quite logical in their progression. In writing the Kritzer books (which all took between seven and nine months), I worked in a very free-form way, never really knowing what would come where or how I would get there. I do work in a similar way with the mysteries in that I don’t outline them. But once you are on the journey and you know the major points along that journey, the book just sort of writes itself. Certainly, that seemed to be the case with this new one. Also, I wrote every day, even weekends, and that’s something I usually don’t do. This new book is about sixty pages longer than Writer’s Block. I shall do a few little additions that I hadn’t gotten around to putting in the text (I have notes and what pages they belong on), but other than that, I shall do nothing until Margaret reads the last sixty pages on Saturday. Then, if she has comments, I’ll do any little fixes that we agree on. Then, I’ll print the thing out and take it with me to New York – that way I can read it on the plane and make notes as I go along. I feel quite good about the experience and am looking forward to smoothing out whatever needs smoothing out. Isn’t that exciting? Isn’t that just too too?
I’ll also say that writing this book was quite exhilarating, and I wrote some of it with manic glee, oh, yes, I wrote some of it with manic glee. It ended up being quite different from what I’d originally set out to write. First of all, I’d set out to write a non-mystery. I’d gotten about fifteen pages into that book and did not care for it. At the same time, I started a non-fiction book. I didn’t like writing that either. Then I decided to write a mystery. I spent the whole of December batting my head against the wall, trying to think of a plot or a milieu or characters. I had an idea for a good twist of sorts, and that was all. Then, one of those happy little strokes of luck happened. I decided not to continue with the non-fiction book because it didn’t feel right to me. But something came out of that – and the something that came out of that was the essence of the plot for the new book. Once I knew that that was what I wanted to do, everything started to fall into place. I discarded everything I’d thought about, including the twist. I spent most days trying to figure out a structure, and finally it came to me in a flash. Once I had that, I knew I had a sound foundation. I only knew major points and, as always, refused to outline anything. I had three pages of little bullet point notes, most of which I didn’t end up using. I had certain goals I wanted to achieve with this book, and those were the most fun things to write. Once I began in early January, the thing just took on a life of its own. I never have any idea if what I’m doing is working or not, hence my muse, Margaret. Her unwavering support and energy are what keep me on track. She found the first fifty-five pages I gave her “compelling” and she was fascinated with the characters and the milieu. Once I had that validation, I worked even faster. Anyway, sorry to go on and on about it, but I find this process so damnably interesting that I like to share it.
I’m not quite ready to reveal what the story is about, or what the title is, but I think it’s something you dear readers will get a kick out of. And there you have The Book Report.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because there must be other things to go on about other than this fershluganah book.
I had a lovely celebratory lunch with Miss Tammy Minoff. We went to Casa Vega, a place you can never get into without a twenty minute wait. But, when I drove by it, the parking lot looked pretty empty, so I pulled in. This was about one-fifteen. Normally, that’s the really busy lunch hour, but for whatever reason the joint was practically empty. They really do have excellent food. I had a beef taco and a cheese enchilada and a salad. For once I didn’t overdo the chips and salsa. It was all quite yummilicious.
In the evening I continued watching Tales of the Unexpected, disc two. I am thoroughly enjoying this set – I tell you, some of these stories are really creepy, none more so than Royal Jelly. Even the title creeps me out. Again, the casting of each episode is truly excellent.
My goodness, these here notes have just gone on and on with no humor or oomph. These here notes have simply had no oomph. They have been oomphless. Well, let me be the first to add some fershluganah oomph. We’ve got a nice treat in store for those who will be attending the reading/signing for Writer’s Block at The Drama Bookshop on March 18th. We will be doing the five songs from Bus and Truck, the musical in the book, live and in-person with some very special guest stars. I shall have more up-to-date information about who those guest stars will be in the next day or so. Stay tuned.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must do little additions to the book, I must lunch with our very own Rodzinski and Pogue, not necessarily in that order, I must do some errands, and I must be here for a five o’clock delivery, about which more later. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you want, and we get to give any old answer we want. Feel free to ask book-related questions – I do enjoy talking about it and frankly I’m feeling totally energized about the whole thing right now. Let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we?