Killing Floor

Finished reading Lee Child's first novel, Killing Floor. Just loved it. Great voice and a simple, unvarnished story. I'm not sure I'll like his subsequent books as much. Killing Floor was written in first person, and for some reason after this novel he switched to third person for his Reacher novels. I read the teaser for his next novel in the back of Killing Floor and was less than amazed by it, I'm sure mostly due to the change in proximity through the voice shift. Have to think about it.

But if you haven't read any of the Jack Reacher series, definitely read this one. Just excellent.

On a side note, titles always interest me. I kept waiting to see why this one was called Killing Floor. There's one tiny mention of a "killing floor" from a slaughter house in the book, but it has next to nothing to do with the plot. I'm pretty sure they picked it because it sounded cool and that was all. I also noticed the phrase "bad luck and trouble" in this book, which as it turns out is the title of one of the Reacher books down the line.

Still Kicking

I was starting to think I'd imagined all those queries. I just got a partial request from a huge house in NY. Very cool. He says he takes about 8 weeks to respond. Which is about when I'll hear on the others. So it looks like I've got a quiet summer ahead. But of course I'll be too busy writing my next book to notice. :)

It's been quiet...too quiet

Apparently my queries are being read around some sort of postal worker bonfire for kicks. Next to no activity for the past couple weeks. Not sure what -- if anything -- to make of it.

I did have some unusual activity on one of the partials I had out. It was rejected a few days ago with a few nice words. Okay, I was good with that (well, as good as you can be with a rejection). Then yesterday I got another email from the same agent (written from scratch, not a reply to my emails) titled "Your ms". It went on (and I mean ON) about how much she liked my story and how the writing was very good, but basically left off with "good luck with your writing". I wasn't sure what to make of it. After much humming and hawwing, I ended up sending her a thank you for the comments. Weird day.

I still haven't started the new book, yet. Lots of research and thinking, but little else so far. I also sort of want to write a couple of short stories first.

Beyond that, I've bitten the bullet and started exercising and limiting my calorie intake. About three years ago I went on the "Zone" with no exercise and lost 65 pounds in 9 months (yes, I was a pig). I fell off it after that and put about 50 back on slowly. I've decided to count calories this time (something I've never done before) and progress into a cardio/strength training routine at home. So far so good. I've lost six or seven pounds so far. Of course, I'm hungry all the time and every teeny weenie muscle in my body hates me now. :)

That's about it for now. I still haven't decided if Thrillerfest is doable or not. I'd really like to go, but that baby's expensive. We're still in a wait and see posture for now.

Step away from the computer

Writing is a solitary endeavour, but even Batman leaves the Batcave now and then. With the discipline required to get your butt in the chair (BIC) every damn day, and the full attention (to say the least) that most projects require, especially near the end, it's easy to forget the rest of the world. Sometimes it even feels like you're supposed to forget it. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

The world, with all its interruptions and annoyances, is what fills the writer up and enables them to write full-bodied, believable fiction. How can you write about the relationships of your characters, if you don't have any? How can you deal with the conflict between what your protagonist wants and everything else pulling at them if your life is a one note song?

Of course, we all fall into the trap now and then. The trick is to recognize it before it requires medication. Make dates with your spouse/lover. Plan weekend outings with your family. Try new things you've never done before. Your writer bone will be nervous as hell, but you'll actually be strengthening it.

I also find that when I've hit a wall and can't find a solution, getting away from the problem and doing something ordinary and mundane tends to magically solve it. Mow the lawn, paint a room, wash the car...whatever. It may not feel like it, but your writer bone -- which is in the back of your brain between the desire to put melted cheese on fries and daydreams about Missy Peregrym -- will still be chugging away on the problem and thankful that you got your interfering conscious fingers out of the way.

And when those days/weeks do come up where you need to roll the stone over your cave's entrance to hit a deadline, your family is going to be a lot more understanding. And your fiction will be that much more relevant, layered and accessible.

Request number three

Just got another request for the full manuscript. This was a pretty neat one, too, since it was based on the query, the first chapter and the synopsis, not just a letter. Luckily no one was home besides me so my screaming was unobtrusive. ;)

I know it was silly, but I was getting worried there. Just like I'll be worried again three days from now.

And just to make sure I don't get a big head from even manuscript requests, when I told my wife about it she said "This is a different agent than the last one who asked for it, right?"

Gotta love it.

Ode to the Right Brain

By the light of dawn,

I twist the words.

No longer letters,

but merely obscureds.

The opus was done,

such a long time ago.

Or was it just yesterday?

I no longer know.

Like breadcrumbs for pidgeons,

I toss the letters out.

Then try to stay strong,

and elude the blackhole of doubt.

Though in the end,

there's nothing to do;

but wait for the clock

to stop its backward skew.

I so miss the days,

when my characters were me,

instead of just hooks,

in a blood-stained query.

Rough Day

After a day of no email activity at all, I got 4 form rejections today. Well, three to start out, then one in minutes on the queries I sent out to replace the rejections (I try to keep a constant number out there.) Some days just go like that.

It occurs to me that the initial query submission stage is like tossing slightly damp paper towels against a window. Sometimes you have to keep tossing new projectiles to replace the ones that didn't stick at all. Sometimes they look like they're sticking, but then they'll fall off and take a couple others with it on the way down. So far, if you can get them to stay for a week, they seem to be sufficiently dried and glued to the window. Until the agent monster comes along and busts the whole damn window, of course. ;)