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January 20, 2016:

THE MUSE APPROVES

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, this month is flying by, like a gazelle finishing a new novel. And in six degrees of separation, I, too, as you know, have just yesterday finished a new novel. I was really nervous about the last half of the penultimate chapter and the addendum, but I stayed up until two in the morning futzing and finessing it. Then I was up at seven-thirty and looked at it again and was pretty pleased with it, and only did a tiny bit of further futzing and finessing. Then I printed out the pages, took them to Staples and got them Xeroxed, and then drove them directly to Muse Margaret. But before we go any further, here is some entertainment for your mental delectation. The opening number from Sunday’s Kritzerland show.

Wasn’t that fun? I have many others, but You Tube was being persnickety last night, so I’ll try to upload them today. After dropping the pages off, I had to deal with a little something unpleasant but it was actually quick and effortless, so that was a pleasant surprise. Then I came home. I was super tired from only five hours of sleep. I did some stuff on the computer, had some telephonic calls, and then tried to gird my loins for the next two things I have to deal with and very soon, like today or tomorrow. So, some more strong vibes and xylophones for more miracles would be very appreciated. Then I decided to sit on my couch like so much fish to see if I could doze off for a bit.

To that end, I went to the Flix of Net and chose The Last Five Years, the film of the musical. It’s completely odd to me that anyone thought this was a good idea, in the same way it was completely odd to me that anyone thought filming Lucky Stiff was a good idea. Two off-Broadway musicals both filmed – sounds crazy, no? Sounds crazy, yes. One of the producers of this film was the record label who issued the cast album. Uh huh. Anyway, not a fanatical fan of the show itself, but this film, for me, is so completely misbegotten I couldn’t even fall asleep during it. The show has an interesting conceit and the movie, of course, makes hash of it instantly. I like Anna Kendrick and she’s fine here – Jeremey Jordan not so much, at least not for me. But the director is so intent on making CINEMA out of this and it just doesn’t work. I have no doubt it was a low budget affair, but still I cannot imagine anyone made anything back on it.

Then I got the call I’d been waiting for – Muse Margaret. When I finish the last twenty or thirty pages of a book I’m always petrified that I’ve ruined everything. So, until I hear from Muse Margaret, I am very uneasy. Well, she was VERY happy with all the new pages (about 105 in this batch) – she thought the story wrapped up very well, she laughed out loud several times, and she was even touched and got teary-eyed a couple of times, which made me happy. She had not one note. It was exactly the phone call I needed to have. When I first got the idea for this book back in June (I’d actually jokingly thought about this idea a year ago), I wasn’t sure how to do it. There were many avenues open and choosing the right one was key.

I let it brew for a while and then I settled on the idea I liked best, but that was just a very general version of the idea. Back in September I began making notes, as I always do. Looking back at them I had a few different ideas for the title, but on those notes I’d already decided on my favorite and that hasn’t changed. But I eventually used pretty much every note I had or variations on whatever it was. I wrote the first three pages back in November, just so when I began on the first of this month I’d be in motion as it were. It was a rough pass, but it was very easy to smooth out. Even as I wrote ahead I began to slowly understand how this was going to evolve. When I gave Muse Margaret the first thirty-five pages and was waiting for her call, I realized I’d really screwed up chapter one by having written it in the third person, where nothing else in the book was in the third person. So by the time she called I’d already adjusted that and made it first person – it was pretty simple to do, actually. And her only note was exactly that.

As most of you know, I do not outline. I let the book guide me rather than the other way around. I find that much more exhilarating and freeing. But once I made the decision that all but two sections of the book would take place in various restaurants then I knew everything would work. And up until the penultimate chapter, which I began writing last Saturday, the book was essentially a two-person book – oh, a few extraneous people here and there of no importance, as in a waiter or a valet car attendant, and the one sequence that takes place not in a restaurant, which does have some other characters in it – very briefly. I also knew I was walking a tightrope in that the book really doesn’t have a plot. It tells a story, absolutely, but in a very different way. Writing the penultimate chapter was hugely frustrating. The first half was really good right out of the gate – it was the second half, where I’d decided to introduce two new characters. I struggled and struggled with it – futzing and finessing over and over again – some of it was good, I knew that, but it just didn’t feel right to suddenly have two people that we’d never met before appear (I mean, there was obviously a reason they were there, that wasn’t the problem). I finally took a shower and realized the book has to be the two people and that’s it. We see the story through one character’s eyes even thought the book is really about the other character. And that relationship as it grew really became endearing to me. As Muse Margaret said, it had an underlying sweetness to it, which made the humor really play because there was an emotional underpinning to all of it.

I asked yesterday if anyone had figured out what the book was based on these here notes for the past two-and-a-half weeks and no one had. Normally I won’t mention what the book is or the title for fear of prying eyes, but this is not one that can really be stolen (you’ll understand why when you hear what it is) and we’re also going to try and get it out in the world very quickly, maybe by mid-March. In any case, I had a great time writing this one, with only a couple of times where I’d get off the track and have to get back on. Writing what is in essence a purely comic novel is a first for me and I hope everyone will enjoy the humor. Grant already has an idea for the cover, and I begin proofing today or tomorrow, and then will have my usual proofers do their work.

Then at five, Sami and her mom came over and we went for a celebratory meal at Genghis Cohen. We did the same last year when I finished Murder at the Hollywood Division. The food was yummilicious in the extreme and we had fun. I told them about the book and the process of writing this one and I think even Sami might read this one. Once back home I had, of course, one irritating e-mail which I gave a cursory response to, but nothing that I’ll deal with until at least next Monday, since I have two other pressing things to deal with first. But it’s like – just give it a rest for a couple of days. Then I sat on my couch like so much fish.

Last night, I watched a motion picture on the Flix of Net entitled Pure, a Swedish film from Sweden starring Alicia Vikander, who is up for an Oscar this year. This film was made five years ago when she was about twenty. She plays a slightly batty girl with problems, who discovers the music of Mozart one day on You Tube, and gets a job at the concert hall as a receptionist. It’s not a great film, but she is really wonderful in it. After that, I just relaxed and listened to music.

Today, I’m sure I’ll have the usual finishing the book let down and weariness – it happens every year. I have some things to do, I’ll eat, I’ll have two copies of the book printed for proofing, I’ll finally get over to the mail place (it will have been a week), and then I’ll do a bit of work and relax.

The rest of the week is meetings and meals, figuring out the next Kritzerland show so we can begin to cast it, and a couple of work sessions, too.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, eat, print copies of the book for proofing, and hopefully pick up packages. 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 like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy that Muse Margaret approves – in fact, she said this is now her favorite of all my books.

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