9.28.2007
TRAMBLINGS...
(Fearless Women, Courtesy of ARTSELVES or drspellman@sbcglobal.net).
Hey, Beautiful People. Did you guys get a chance to check out THE FINISH PARTY? That picture on the front page (the one with everybody cheesin') is exactly how I picture the group when I'm away from them. We spend so much time laughing. It's been the antidote for damn near everything. We laughed our way through a power out and flash flood in Joshua Tree. We've laughed our way into becoming friends. AND. We've laughed our way through uncomfortable manuscript critiques. There are been a few even in the midst of all the laughter. There have been some tears but at the end of the day we know it's because the group wants each and every manuscript to live up to it's potential. And we all know that some things work better than others so we're able to ask for what we need out of the critique process. How cool is that? I usually take it straight-no-chaser but there may come a day (soon) when I submit with the instruction to only tell me what works. But just in case it gets a little too "raw" our safe word is dessert. That's how we call a time out to regroup. I haven't had to use it yet (knock on wood) but I reserve the right to shout it out if my feelings get hurt.
Anyway, I was up for critique at the last meeting. I submitted thirty pages of an untitled work-in-progress. I submitted the same pages about two years ago and the critique was like night and day. There were many notes the first time around. All good. All useful. This time, however, most of the group had the opposite reaction. Interesting. Here's what I think happened. The book unfolds like a mystery (though it's not a mystery) and when I look back over the early comments most of them fall into the "clarify what's going to happen" category. Does that make sense? The chapters alternate between the past and the present. The present is set in New York and the year is 2000. The past takes place in California and New Mexico. The year is 1984. It's the same character in both chapters but she reads as if she's two different people. The events of 1984 have shaped who she has become but it'll take awhile (maybe 200 pages) before we realize how one influences the other. I am asking readers to trust the journey, have faith in the ride, and now that we've learned one another's strengths, and weaknesses, the group is able to do that.
So, anyway, the reason that I resubmitted those pages instead of moving forward on the manuscript I've talked about for the past two years is this...I've thrown it out. Yep, that's right. It just didn't work and in all honesty I didn't have much enthusiasm for the story being told. I know, I know, it was my idea but I can be wrong just like everyone else. There are parts of BGH (working title) that worked but most of it didn't. It just didn't have anything to say. The book was "lighter" than anything I've ever written and I don't think I can pull it off. If you've read THE MACEO BOOKS then you know that my comfort zone is heavy and dark. I'm not going to fight it anymore. As a teenager I wrote these really dark short stories that bordered on horror. Or psychological terror.
My dad, in all his kindness, didn't want to discourage my efforts so his response was, "Baby, you ever think about children's stories?" I laugh when I think about that because I recall that he sat patiently while I read him a creepy story out loud. It made him sweat. I remember that distinctly. He was sweating and looking wild-eyed. My mother (she of the sharper tongue) said, "Don't have her writing children's stories, she'll kill up all the babies." She was probably right. She still talks about a poem I wrote in seventh grade that made her "wake up in a cold sweat" for years. Tramble women are prone to exaggeration but you get the picture. This new/old book was accepted as a substitute by my ever-patient editor and I could not be more thrilled.
So, here we go, ya'll ready? I am pledging here and now to finish this book in a year and two days. Anyone out there want to mark their calendar and hold me to it? You can send me monthly nudges or ask for page count updates. Let me know at nichelle@uppitygirl.net (How ya like that new email address?) if you want to play gatekeeper. A year and two days will be September 30, 2008.
Now, on to music. The lists have been a big hit and thank you all for sending in your own. This morning I let my iPod chose my playlist. Here's what it thought I needed to get going this morning. And I swear to you it chose KC on it's own.
Born Under a Bad Sign, Jimi Hendrix (This might be my favorite Hendrix song of all time. I have his blues album and it makes me very, very happy).
Get Down Tonight, KC & The Sunshine Band
Lalo Schifrin La Nouvelle Orleans, IMANI WINDS
I Want To Walk You Home, Fats Domino
Gimme Shelter, The Rolling Stones
Theme From "A Summer Place", Percy Faith and His Orchestra
Iko, Iko, The Dixie Cups
Dream On, Aerosmith
Do Watcha Wanna, Rebirth Brass Band
It's My Life, No Doubt
Young Hearts Run Free, Candi Staton
Creep, Radiohead
Criminal, Fiona Apple
In This World, Moby
Baby Please Don't Leave Me, Buddy Guy
The Godfather - Waltz, Nino Rota
Death Letter, SON HOUSE.
Check out the LYRICS to "Death Letter"...talk about sending a chill down your spine.
"I got a letter this mornin, how you reckon it read?
It said, "Hurry, hurry, yeah your love is dead."
I got a letter this mornin, how you reckon it read?
You know it said, "Hurry, hurry, how come the gal you love is dead?"
So, I grabbed my suitcase and took off down the road
When I got there she was laying on a coolin board...
...Well, I walked right up close, looked down in her face
Said the good ol' gal got to lay here til the judgement day..."
That should do you or you could scream for dessert.
Until next time...
(Fearless Women, Courtesy of ARTSELVES or drspellman@sbcglobal.net).
Hey, Beautiful People. Did you guys get a chance to check out THE FINISH PARTY? That picture on the front page (the one with everybody cheesin') is exactly how I picture the group when I'm away from them. We spend so much time laughing. It's been the antidote for damn near everything. We laughed our way through a power out and flash flood in Joshua Tree. We've laughed our way into becoming friends. AND. We've laughed our way through uncomfortable manuscript critiques. There are been a few even in the midst of all the laughter. There have been some tears but at the end of the day we know it's because the group wants each and every manuscript to live up to it's potential. And we all know that some things work better than others so we're able to ask for what we need out of the critique process. How cool is that? I usually take it straight-no-chaser but there may come a day (soon) when I submit with the instruction to only tell me what works. But just in case it gets a little too "raw" our safe word is dessert. That's how we call a time out to regroup. I haven't had to use it yet (knock on wood) but I reserve the right to shout it out if my feelings get hurt.
Anyway, I was up for critique at the last meeting. I submitted thirty pages of an untitled work-in-progress. I submitted the same pages about two years ago and the critique was like night and day. There were many notes the first time around. All good. All useful. This time, however, most of the group had the opposite reaction. Interesting. Here's what I think happened. The book unfolds like a mystery (though it's not a mystery) and when I look back over the early comments most of them fall into the "clarify what's going to happen" category. Does that make sense? The chapters alternate between the past and the present. The present is set in New York and the year is 2000. The past takes place in California and New Mexico. The year is 1984. It's the same character in both chapters but she reads as if she's two different people. The events of 1984 have shaped who she has become but it'll take awhile (maybe 200 pages) before we realize how one influences the other. I am asking readers to trust the journey, have faith in the ride, and now that we've learned one another's strengths, and weaknesses, the group is able to do that.
So, anyway, the reason that I resubmitted those pages instead of moving forward on the manuscript I've talked about for the past two years is this...I've thrown it out. Yep, that's right. It just didn't work and in all honesty I didn't have much enthusiasm for the story being told. I know, I know, it was my idea but I can be wrong just like everyone else. There are parts of BGH (working title) that worked but most of it didn't. It just didn't have anything to say. The book was "lighter" than anything I've ever written and I don't think I can pull it off. If you've read THE MACEO BOOKS then you know that my comfort zone is heavy and dark. I'm not going to fight it anymore. As a teenager I wrote these really dark short stories that bordered on horror. Or psychological terror.
My dad, in all his kindness, didn't want to discourage my efforts so his response was, "Baby, you ever think about children's stories?" I laugh when I think about that because I recall that he sat patiently while I read him a creepy story out loud. It made him sweat. I remember that distinctly. He was sweating and looking wild-eyed. My mother (she of the sharper tongue) said, "Don't have her writing children's stories, she'll kill up all the babies." She was probably right. She still talks about a poem I wrote in seventh grade that made her "wake up in a cold sweat" for years. Tramble women are prone to exaggeration but you get the picture. This new/old book was accepted as a substitute by my ever-patient editor and I could not be more thrilled.
So, here we go, ya'll ready? I am pledging here and now to finish this book in a year and two days. Anyone out there want to mark their calendar and hold me to it? You can send me monthly nudges or ask for page count updates. Let me know at nichelle@uppitygirl.net (How ya like that new email address?) if you want to play gatekeeper. A year and two days will be September 30, 2008.
Now, on to music. The lists have been a big hit and thank you all for sending in your own. This morning I let my iPod chose my playlist. Here's what it thought I needed to get going this morning. And I swear to you it chose KC on it's own.
Born Under a Bad Sign, Jimi Hendrix (This might be my favorite Hendrix song of all time. I have his blues album and it makes me very, very happy).
Get Down Tonight, KC & The Sunshine Band
Lalo Schifrin La Nouvelle Orleans, IMANI WINDS
I Want To Walk You Home, Fats Domino
Gimme Shelter, The Rolling Stones
Theme From "A Summer Place", Percy Faith and His Orchestra
Iko, Iko, The Dixie Cups
Dream On, Aerosmith
Do Watcha Wanna, Rebirth Brass Band
It's My Life, No Doubt
Young Hearts Run Free, Candi Staton
Creep, Radiohead
Criminal, Fiona Apple
In This World, Moby
Baby Please Don't Leave Me, Buddy Guy
The Godfather - Waltz, Nino Rota
Death Letter, SON HOUSE.
Check out the LYRICS to "Death Letter"...talk about sending a chill down your spine.
"I got a letter this mornin, how you reckon it read?
It said, "Hurry, hurry, yeah your love is dead."
I got a letter this mornin, how you reckon it read?
You know it said, "Hurry, hurry, how come the gal you love is dead?"
So, I grabbed my suitcase and took off down the road
When I got there she was laying on a coolin board...
...Well, I walked right up close, looked down in her face
Said the good ol' gal got to lay here til the judgement day..."
That should do you or you could scream for dessert.
Until next time...
Labels: Music, New Manuscript, THE FINISH PARTY
