Well, dear readers, one sits and one writes in a void. One hopes that what one is writing is good and that an interesting story with an interesting setting with interesting characters is being told. Doing the first part of any new book, no matter how much fun and no matter how well it may be going, is always scary for me until I’ve heard the first report from Muse Margaret. On Benjamin Kritzer, I would give her ten pages at a time and get the reports. With each book I get bolder and wait to give her more pages. For the Hofstetter books I really wait until there’s fifty pages. I wasn’t going to do that with this new one because I’m in such new territory – I was going to give her thirty, but then I like to give her stuff once a week and I got thirty pages done in less than a week, so I just kept writing and when the week was completed there were forty-five pages to give her. And yesterday I delivered them. As most dear readers know, Muse Margaret has been my Muse from book one. I trust her implicitly and if something is bothering her I listen and even if she’s not being articulate about the specifics, I always get to the bottom of it and I have never once not fixed something that’s bothered her, because she knows me, knows my voice, knows how I work, and knows when something doesn’t feel right. I have been blessed to have her and none of my books would be here were it not for her constant encouragement and good taste and judgment. But giving her the first batch of pages always makes me nervous and waiting for her phone call is always crazy making, although I usually just mush on with the writing, which is what I did yesterday. Mind you, I always know that whatever she says will be couched in a positive way, which is the only way to ever approach me about something. She got the pages at one-thirty, and I got the phone call at three-thirty.
I knew the minute she began talking that she was happy. You can always tell with her. But I’ve never, not even with the Kritzer books, heard her quite this happy. And you have no idea how good that made me feel. The lovely thing is that she’s so specific about what she likes, and that’s what’s so great to hear. You must understand, the idea for this book isn’t new. It’s an idea I had two decades ago, and one I brought to David Wechter at some point after we wrote The Faculty. I knew the basic idea was a solid one, and we created a story. But for screenplays one is working within a certain form, and David is very much about that kind of structure, while I’m less concerned about it and more concerned with having good characters and story – I do understand about the structure and I go along with it, very much that three-act movie thing. I was okay with what we created and we pitched it a few times and once it actually got close. I’d told Muse Margaret about it, and she, like me, loved the basic idea of it and “saw” it in her head. When we moved onto other things, I don’t think there’s been a year that’s gone by when Muse Margaret hasn’t mentioned it and said she just had a feeling about that idea.
So, last September, when I knew I had to get serious about figuring out what the new book would be, I came up with what I think is a really good story for a new Hofstetter book. But I also began thinking about this other idea, because Muse Margaret had brought it up again. And I called her and said, “What if it’s not a movie – what if it’s a book?” And she instantly said yes, that she absolutely loved that idea. I then called David and told him that I was thinking about making it a book and he gave me his blessing. I found our treatment and read it, and I actually really disliked it intensely in just about every way. I thought it was too clichéd in certain ways, I thought the characters were “types” rather than flesh and blood, but I still loved the basic idea of it. So, over a series of conversations with Muse Margaret, and keeping just a handful of things, like the title and the name of one of the main characters, I began to find a whole different story and feel for it. Those conversations were really helpful and really great and I took lots and lots of notes. We decided that the original title was too jokey so I told her the alternate title, the name of one of the characters, and she liked that much better. But she called after a few days saying the name of that character didn’t feel right to her. I really liked it, but as she explained why it didn’t feel right I saw it right away. So, I changed the name – once, twice, three times, four times – and finally found one I liked, only to find it was an actual name and I knew due to the person who had it, that it wouldn’t work for us, and it still felt too jokey anyway. After a couple more tries, I found one I loved and Muse Margaret agreed. I changed the spelling of it three times before settling on the one I liked.
So, at that point I thought I had my title, but as Muse Margaret thought about it, she felt it still wasn’t right, and as we got to the bottom of it, I knew exactly what she meant and she was right. I then looked to another character, and out of that came the book’s final title and one we both absolutely love. So, this book is very personal for her, and I was so worried she wouldn’t like what I’d done, but there was not a word, not a beat, not a character, not a line of dialogue that she didn’t like. In the end, she had me add one word to a description and that was it. She loved the dialogue and the people and the whole feel of it – I really can’t say more without giving away what it is, which I will not do due to prying eyes from non-dear readers. But I was over the moon about her reaction and on I go. She’ll now probably get forty-five to fifty pages a week until I’m finished. I’m really intending to keep this book to two hundred actual book pages, or maybe a bit less, which comes out to about 260 manuscript pages. I feel that’s the right length for this story.
Other than that, I got a good night’s sleep, I answered a lot of e-mails about the benefit, I had a cup of chicken corn chowder and a ham and Swiss on rye with no onion rings or french fries, and I picked up several packages and some mail. Once back, I wrote three pages, picking up right where I’d left off. Then we had a couple of rehearsals – one number, after hearing the performers do it, I knew wasn’t going to be good enough, and the musical director and I lobbied to get it cut, which it will be. The performers are very sweet and attractive, but the song doesn’t work for them (the fellow was a replacement), so we’re asking them to introduce an act instead and I’m hoping they’ll be relieved and happy to do that instead. The other number, which features James Barbour and James Mulligan, will be very good.
Then I did some futzing and finessing of the previous day’s writing, and then it was time to head over to the theater for our brush-up rehearsal. I immediately remembered just how much I hate doing the drive at rush hour. The twenty-five minute drive took about sixty minutes. We began our rehearsal, basically just a run-through of the show without lights or costumes. The cast has been off for two weeks, but you’d never have known it. They had their good energy and everyone was focused and there and I’m happy to say that after two weeks away, the show is really good and fun to watch. So, they play four shows this weekend, only one of which I’ll see, on Saturday night, because I know several folks who will be there. After rehearsal I came right home, but stopped at Gelson’s for some snacks, since I’d only had soup and a sandwich. I got a teeny-tiny thing of mac-and-cheese, some Super Chinese Slawy, and a tiny bit of chicken noodle soup. Then I came home, ate all of that, and then wrote another four pages for a total of seven. I’m coming to the last couple of pages of the current chapter and at that point the book’s plot kicks into high gear (everything thus far has been setting up all the characters and the history of things).
Today, I shall mostly write. Other than writing, I’ll eat, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, then we have a four o’clock rehearsal for an hour or so, and then more writing, and then I really hope I can watch a motion picture and relax. If I can just get my six or seven pages done prior to rehearsal, I think the evening can be mine all mine.
Tomorrow IS mine all mine, so it’s just writing, some liner notes, some patter, starting to choose the songs for the next Kritzerland show and cast the two guys. Saturday is another late afternoon rehearsal, but otherwise it’s just writing and then seeing the revue in the evening. Sunday we have a band rehearsal at the Pasadena Playhouse at noon and I should be home by three to do some writing. Monday, I’ll try to be up very early to get at least three to five pages done, because once I leave around eleven, I’m gone until eleven or twelve at night.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, write, eat, hopefully pick up some packages, write, rehearse, write, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: If you could have me produce one album – not reissue something, but produce a new album – what would it be and why? Also, if you could have me reissue one album what would IT be and why? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy that Muse Margaret is happy. When there’s a happy Muse there’s a happy author.