March 26, 2018 - On The Banks Of The Nolichucky

My last revision of Blood Money has been back to the editor for a couple of weeks now, and I’m cooling my heels, waiting for the next go-round. This is a perfect time to work on new submissions, so I’ll bring you up to speed on what I’m doing while waiting. I have a revision under-way of my story on the young Davy Crockett. Since I live 15 miles from his birthplace, what a perfect fit, right? Now if only a publisher will see it that way. To draw inspiration for this story, I made the trek back to the site of The Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park in Limestone, Tennessee. As I gazed at the crude cabin, reconstructed to simulate what his cabin would have been, resting on the banks of the Nolichucky River, how could I not title my story “On The Banks Of The Nolichucky?” My mind flashed to the Disney song: Born on a mountaintop in Tennessee, and while the area is mountainous compared to flatlands, that song might be a little misleading. As I walked the hillside, gazed out over the rushing river, and realized young David Crockett surely spent many days fishing in that same river and exploring those same hills, it brought a sense of connectivity to a period of history I know little about--other than what I’ve read. History books have detailed the life of Davy Crockett, what could I possibly have to add? Instead, I wrote a story of modern-day twins who traveled back in time to find themselves unprepared in a world of no internet, smart phones and GPS. These two teens would have perished if not for the assistance of young David - there is no reference of him ever being called Davy as a lad - Crockett and his family. Once you choose to write historical fiction, OH! THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!  You'll be on your way up! You'll be seeing great sights! You'll join the high fliers who soar to high heights. - Dr. Seuss

March 19, 2018: Missed deadlines

   My second revision was supposed to go back to the editor a week before it actually did−my deadline, not my Editor’s; still I missed it. I finally finished my second read-through of the 383 page novel that will soon become Blood Money­−the first in the Baker Manor series, and I found edits every single time. I was thankful to find them, but horrified at what I was missing. Small mistakes−a comma where a period should be, too many “shes” beginning a sentence, (one of my downfalls!) and misplaced quotation marks abound.

I can’t help but compare the read-throughs as the difference between driving a red corvette with a souped-up engine and a rusty outer shell vs. one with a good-looking body that won’t run. If I’m chugging down the road, limping on four bald tires, and blowing smoke out the exhaust like there’s no tomorrow, what good does it matter if the face looks good? (Disclaimer: this is not intended to reference in any way, shape, or form my vast-approaching old age!)

Science tells us the mind is capable of scanning entire blocks of words in a matter of seconds, but often leads to less comprehension. Proofreaders, on the other hand, are expected to read slowly and catch every misplaced comma, every incorrectly placed word, and every incorrect verb tense.

Today’s software programs offer great tools in proofreading, i.e., spell-check, find and replace, and grade level; however, hard-copy reading is still the best way to go. At least in my humble opinion−or IMHO (what did we do before emojis and acronyms? We certainly wouldn’t be able to have a decent text conversation with our grandkids, that’s for sure). For now, Blood Money is back to the editor a’waiting the next go-round; not sure what that is, but, well, time to pursue another contract.😉

March 5, 2018: Revision can be fun.

Can you believe we are already in the third month of the New Year? Time flies when you’re having fun…it flies whether fun is involved or not, actually. Long evenings of revision can sometimes be fun or it can be stressful. I’m forever looking for ways to relieve stress; otherwise, I go to bed with it and rise with it after very little sleep. When a particular word, phrase, or sentence eludes me during revision, I twist it and turn it a thousand different ways before I’m satisfied. Chamomile Tea is a favorite at 8pm, stretching after hours of revision helps, but until I get that darn wording correct, nothing will free my mind completely. 

Take for instance that sentence on which I learned to type, (boy, did I just date myself, or what?). The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. We could also say: Muddy in color, the fleeting, flying fox darted right and left before sailing over the snoring canine. The first sentence utilizes as many keys on a typewriter as possible. The second sentence tickles the tongue and paints rosy pictures. Both sentences say the same, but it’s not so much what you say in writing as how you say it.  Granted, without a strong plot, the story won’t hold interest; but even with a strong plot, if your reader isn’t drawn in, the story falls by the wayside.

Be honest, in the first sentence, what kind of picture did you see in your mind as you read it? I saw a brown fox jump over a sleeping dog. In the second sentence, I saw a brownish colored fox, darting hither and yon−possibly shielding himself from view behind a boulder or tree, before stretching out to his maximum length to sail over an unsuspecting dog, snoring away. Think Roadrunner and the poor fox that constantly fell victim to his own antics. No matter how that fox sneaked around, over and through, he never succeeded; but the viewer didn’t mind. The entertainment was part of the journey. 

Writing is a journey. Revision is your road map, or GPS to the millennials.