Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, not listening to music and taking a break from writing although here I am writing so what the HELL kind of break IS this? Let me get right to the most interesting thing of yesterday, the call from Muse Margaret, that didn’t come in until almost eight-thirty in the evening. Reading a hundred pages at a pop is daunting sometimes. In any case, I could tell there was something wrong instantly. She did talk about a couple of things she loved but then got down to the problem. I knew it might be a problem and it was, for her. I mentioned at the time I was writing it several days ago that it was an extremely tricky section and that I hoped I got it right. When I reread it, I felt it was okay, but Muse Margaret wasn’t having it and in the end the reason she wasn’t having it was correct. Up to this point, she’s loved everything about the book. And after we figured out what to do, then she mentioned all the things she loved in the new pages. So, fixing the issue was pretty simple, actually. It meant cutting a total of seven pages, but not seven consecutive pages. It was basically two three-page sections and then two paragraphs. They were extremely easy lifts to do and it fixed everything she had a problem with. I figured out the cuts with her on the phone. Then I spent thirty minutes doing the lifts, adding a few things to make the transitions smooth, and moving one half-page thing earlier where it made more sense. So, that’s done and I feel better about it, too, plus I get to put those seven pages between now and the end, should I need them. There’s one other section we’re going to talk about. She actually loved it, but because it happens early on in the book and then gets referred to in certain ways 400 pages later, I’m seriously thinking about taking three pages of it and moving it to where it will make more sense towards the end of the book, so people don’t have to remember something that far back. I’ve already marked the cuts and I’ll run them by Muse Margaret. That will make the next section I’m working on much easier, I think. I have a lot of material to cover in about thirty pages, and at this point in the book it’s really important to keep things moving along. So, that was the most interesting part of the yesterday.
The non-interesting part was no modern major miracle, but I’m still ever hopeful. I did get eight hours of good sleep, got up, answered e-mails, then began a long bout of futzing and finessing, but I was pretty happy with everything after smoothing it all out, which took almost two hours. Then because I’d enjoyed that mac-and-cheese so much I had it again. And it was just as good. Then I began writing new pages, finished the penultimate chapter and began the final chapter. Depending on length, I may move some stuff from the final chapter to the penultimate chapter, but I won’t know that until I’m further along in the final chapter. I’m intending to write at least three more pages tonight, more if I’m so inspired. I did take a few breaks, had some telephonic conversations, and I did watch a few irritating YouTube videos that were irritating and on YouTube. And that was pretty much it.
Today, I’ll be up by ten-thirty, and I’ll call Muse Margaret and talk about the stuff I want to do to the early section of the book. I think she’ll agree. I’ll futz and finesse, I’ll write new pages, I’ll pray for a modern major miracle, I’ll write more new pages and that will be the day and evening.
The rest of the week will be exactly that until I’m finished. If I’m really productive today, that could be tomorrow, Friday at the latest. I have to attend casting sessions on the weekend.
Quick, let’s all put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s all break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, let’s all dance the Hora and the cha-cha-cha, for today is the birthday of our beloved dear reader vixmom. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our beloved dear reader vixmom. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR BELOVED DEAR READER VIXMOM!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up by ten-thirty, futz and finesse, write new pages, eat, write new pages, take a break, and write new pages. 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 to have fixed a brief section of the book where the writing went astray..