Love, Love, Love, Hate



I'm forced to follow my own stupid rules for novel writing so I can't go back to the manuscript today and write another 500 words or so. I already did my word count for today.

So... I'll post a little more here.

Amazon.com has three new reviews for My Great-grandfather Turns 12 Today:

--I think everyone will love this book. I almost didn't get this book when it popped up as a freebie, thinking it was for young children and that it might be smarmy. After reading part of the first chapter I ordered it and am so glad I did. It was a great adventure story, also appealing due to the insight into what life was like long ago. I rarely give five stars. This book deserves them all. Fun, fast read for everyone.

--I loved this book. What a fabulous book for all children to read. A way to breach the generation gap. I wish my grandparents had been willing to share their stories.

--I read this just to see what types of books are being written for children. I loved it. I hope there are more authors doing this type of story. Makes me think about grandfather's, that I never met and their fathers before them. Makes me wish I knew more about them.

And here's one from a few months back that says Pope Bob was horrible:

--A book that requires a real Catholic knowledge base for many of its details, and apparently an AA familiarity and research, that is extremely repetititve as the main character deals with his alcoholism--over and over-- and test of faith. The ending is very abrupt, rather strained in its reality, and the whole concept of the world being without a pope for months/years without more of a miracle description of the curia and the ongoings in Rome is just a gigantic plot hole. I see where Bill Dodds won an international 3 day Novel contest...maybe if this was written in three days it would qualify. As for a Kindle book on line and for sale at $2.99, it was not worth it. Makes an Amazon reader wonder why they should select a Prime book for borrowing.
If you want to go back to a good Catholic read, go back to Black Patent Leather Shoes from the 60s. Hardly anything here about what makes a pope--especially the supposed first American Catholic pope. If it were a movie, it would last about 5 minutes! I am not that familiar with alcoholism, but this may reflect the process that "alkies" face; but the writing does little to make that struggle come alive.

One star!

Just keep writing.

First Things First

I'm always a little surprised at how much time passes between my posts on this blog. I mean to write them more often but...

When my time or energy are at a premium I choose writing a novel over writing about novel writing.

I hope the same is true for you. Given the choice between reading about novel writing or working on your own novel, choose your novel first. You can read about novel writing after you've completed your daily word count.

And, yes, I've completed mine for today. I'm about two-thirds of the way through my latest, the point at which -- you may recall -- I begin to have serious doubts about the book and how it's being written. (Stupid idea, poorly done.) Not too much of that this time. Yet. I assume it will come.

And, it's at this point I begin thinking about what I'd like to write next. The idea, a character or two and a "what if?" came to me the other day (a kids' book) and it's been enjoyable considering them, but...

First things first.

Like you, I need to finish the one I'm working on now.

That's always the case. Even after dozens and dozens of books.

Just keep writing.