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January 15, 2013:

IN THE HOME STRETCH

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, it’s a little hard to believe, but I think I’m in the home stretch of the new book. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, I, BK, think I’m in the home stretch of the new book, which means down to the last 100 or so pages. That means I should be done by the end of the month. You might ask how I can be so sure of the length so I guess I can just spill the beans and say that the new book, for those who haven’t already figured it out, is the new Adriana Hofstetter mystery, number five in the series. I am having a good deal of fun with it for various and sundried reasons that will probably be instantly clear when I reveal the title of the book. The last two days especially have been fun, writing characters I love and who amuse me no end. I will say that with this kind of white heat writing, I really don’t do a lot of socializing or talking on the telephonic device. I just get very focused and determined and because I don’t outline I’m always anxious to keep plowing forward simply because I’m as interested as Miss Hofstetter as to how things progress. I have done what I normally do with this series when I reach this point in the book – I’ve written little one-line things for each of the remaining chapters, just the gist of what needs to happen. That’s how I spent a lot of my day and evening yesterday. I got up at my usual nine-thirty time (I’d gotten up several times during the night, so one of those times I turned on the heat so it was not too too cold when I got up) and set about finessing, futzing and fixing the previous day’s writing, which took a bit of doing, as I made several additions and rewrote a bit of the dialogue. I was supposed to go to the editing room at noon, but that got pushed to two. But I only wrote one page and then found out I wasn’t getting together with this person I haven’t seen in thirty years – that got pushed, too. So, I went and had a cobb salad and a bagel, picked up some packages, and then moseyed on over to the editing room to finalize episode five of Outside the Box, which premieres this coming Sunday.

The editor, based on our conversations, had already done a few things. First we watched it the original way, then he showed me his redone first half, which really only involved putting back two lines we’d cut and removing one auditioner, just to move it along a little. I ended up snipping a bit off the end of the two lines that had been added back, and then that whole opening sequence played really well for me. Then we watched the original versions of the three musical numbers. We talked about shortening this or pulling up that, but in the end they just play well for me and the episode definitely doesn’t lag or feel like the eight minutes it is (and thirty seconds of the eight minutes are the front and back credits). We’d already removed the first verse from the third song, and I just didn’t want to shorten them anymore. They’re not even that funny, but they just play well for me and feel like they’re what someone would do if they actually had such a stupid idea for a musical. On that level, I’m really happy with this episode, and it’s really fun to see a completely different kind of opening scene, something we’ll do more of in season three. So, we locked the episode, made the compressed and uncompressed files and put them on the hard drive. He then showed me his first cut of episode six, our season finale – just the opening scene, which I actually thought played wonderfully. I saw one line to cut, but it’s shorter than most of our set up scenes already. I’m also going to look for a couple of other line readings on two little lines, but beyond that I was very happy with it.

After that, I came back home and buckled down, Winsocki and wrote five more pages. Then I did some other things, including watching a bit of a new double bill Blu and Ray of Ship of Fools and Lilith, two films that have absolutely nothing in common, which begs the question why are they together on this Blu and Ray. Ship of Fools looks okay, Lilith looks better. Both are in their correct screen ratios. I actually watched about twenty minutes of Lilith, which I’ve never actually seen all the way through, only assorted scenes.

Then I wrote another five pages and got two paragraphs from finishing the chapter I’m on, which I thought I’d save until morning, so I can move directly on to the new chapter. So, a total of eleven pages – hopefully I’ll like them when I read them in the morning. Then I took a hot shower, did some other stuff on the computer, cast another singer (we’re two away from being fully cast now), and that was that. Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must get a good night’s beauty sleep.

Today, I shall finesse, futz and fix yesterday’s writing, and then I’ll finish the chapter I’m on and begin the next chapter, after which I’ll print out all the new pages, Xerox them, and then deliver them to Muse Margaret, who probably won’t get to them before the evening. Hopefully, she’ll like them. Then I’ll eat, then I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, then I’ll come home and write six or so pages, take a break and try to write the set of liner notes I must get done, then write some more, then spend the rest of the evening getting organized for the February Kritzerland show – I’m a full week behind where I should be for getting people their material.

Tomorrow it’s more of the same, Thursday I may or may not see this person I haven’t seen for thirty years, Friday is more of the same as I’m sure Saturday and Sunday are. I am absolutely going to have a nice meal this weekend no matter what. I will find someone who can do it and I will do it.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, finesse, futz and fix, I must print out pages, I must Xerox pages, I must deliver pages to Muse Margaret, I must eat, I must hopefully pick up some packages, and I must write, then write more, then hopefully write liner notes. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite films of Mr. Warren Beatty, the star of Lilith? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, as I enter the home stretch on the new Adriana Hofstetter mystery.

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