Blog entry 62

Revised GG word count 11/13/2011 – (chpt 21 count to 2118) = 95,446

Revised GG word count 11/14/2011 – (chpt 22 count to 2913) = 95,322

Revised GG word count 11/15/2011 – (chpt 22 count to 2965) = 95,374

Revised GG word count 11/15/2011 – (chpt 27/28 count to 1540) = 95,615

Revised GG word count 11/16/2011 – (chpt 21 count to 2421) = 95,918

Revised GG word count 11/18/2011 – (chpt 27/28 count to 1619) = 96,238

Revised GG word count 11/21/2011 – (chpt 35 count to 6228) = 97,930

Revised GG word count 11/21/2011 – (chpt 36 count to 3861) = 98,877

I have been remiss, my better half tells me, by being too technical in blogging about the progress of Golden Gate. I included the chapter by chapter updates and resultant word counts (see above), but failed to mention the actual writing processes at play. Let me correct that error.

I’ve been rewriting those chapters, initially hoping for completion by Black Friday. That date is unreachable, so I’ve slipped to the end of 2011. This assumes, and we all recognize the dangers of an assumption, that submitting a PDF format novel to Amazon.com electronically would open the gates for vast numbers of my literary fans to stampede to Amazon.com and buy Golden Gate for the paltry sum of $.99. See the Amazon.com Associate at the bottom of this blog.

Along the way I saw the movie Julie and Julia again. It was viewed from my favorite place and position, on the couch with my right foot elevated. Am still struggling with crutches and having to hobble around as my right heel fracture mends. There have been benefits, and bright shiny objects.

The most fascinating object has been a squirrel. He (or she, as I can’t see identifying parts to be convinced of either case) has been regularly grabbing my interest on the railing of our deck. Last week he/she was sunbathing. I kid you not. Stretched out flat on the railing with his tail wiggling in the sunlight he sat for five or more minutes, daring me to find a good camera. I did take pictures with my cell phone, but through the glass windows it was imperfect at capturing him/her. And just the other day he/she sat on the railing, chewing on an acorn – and I swear – was belching. I could actually see his stomach move after he finished an acorn. Could it be that squirrels belch? Was he teasing me? Did he/she know I was watching?

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Blog entry 61

Chapter 21, revision I was read at the November 2011 RWG meeting. Critique comments and author response is noted below.

Very supportive comments were received. Samples are noted below:

RWG member 1 – keeps my attention; best work yet. Action can be visualized

            RWG member 2 - page 3, next to last paragraph – great description

                                     page 5, “something was off” – great description

            RWG member 3 - Vivid; could picture hooks going up. Well done!

                        Written like for a movie

Inputs on revision I, are in the process of being considered for incorporation.

RWG member 2  –

            Paragraph 1 – in last sentence check usage of “as” – done

            Page 2 – reduce of repetitive “hook” – done

            Page 3 – “over the side” used twice – done

            Remove usage of “C-141” – done

RWG member 3 –

Consider usage of “weenie” – reject

RWG member 1 –

            Suggested use other than “mischief in their minds” as cliché– done

                        (Will use suggested “minds set on mayhem”)

            Asked usage of RPG – reject

            Second paragraph, 3^rd line – “imagined” and “pictured” too close – done

RWG member 4  –

Page 1 – Use up, vice upward – done

Page 1 – wrt “the three, “one falling back” – done

Page 2 – top sentences, “to action” – done

            Page 2, “named the spaces” may be superfluous– done

            Page 2 – remove “kin” as sole use of slang – done

            Consider removing “the heartbeat raced” – done

            Search for and reduce usage of “just” – done

            Consider usage of pompous vice “weenie” – reject

Takeaways –

Ensure review for and reduction in use of “just” in wording –

Try to get and keep energy of action higher, consistently

Blog entry 60

Revised GG word count 11/10/2011 – (chpts. 32/33 count to 3674) = 95,124

Revised GG word count 11/12/2011 – (chpt 20 count to 870) = 95,189

Revised GG word count 11/12/2011 – (chpt 21 count to 2015) = 95,342

Revised GG word count 11/12/2011 – (chpt 23 count to 830) = 95,333

Revised GG word count 11/12/2011 – (chpt 24/25 count to 1350) = 95,343

Chapter 21, revision I will be read at the November 2011 RWG meeting today. Critique comments and author response will be in the next blog entry.

Blog Post 59

Revised GG word count 11/09/2011 – (chpt 29/30 count to 4804) = 94884

Revised GG word count 11/09/2011 – (chpt 31 count to 2766) =94,906

Well here is part of the rest of the story. On the first of November I fell off a ladder while doing maintenance in my garage attic. The ladder slipped out from beneath me as I started to descend. My right heel suffered a minor fracture as it hit one of the ladder rungs and the side rail. The rung and side rail are severely distorted, and I will need to eventually cut off the top to make the ladder reusable.

The event has dramatically altered my life. I hobble around on crutches and sleep on the couch so I can keep my feet elevated – to reduce swelling. My right foot is in a removable cast. My writing has become more concentrated as I can’t do much else. This is both a blessing and a curse as Monk would say on his TV show. I may now finish before Christmas so hope is there. Getting around is quite another thing. Wish me luck. I’ll keep you informed as I hobble along. 

Blog Post 58

10/25/2011 – completed revisions to chapters 20 and 21 – word count now stands at 91,563.

10/27/2011 – installed bathroom mirror

10/31/2011 - completed revisions to chapter 22 - word count now stands at 92,133

10/31/2011 – completed revisions to chapters 24/25 - word count now stands at = 92,185

10/31/2011 – completed revisions to chapter 26 - word count now stands at 92,852

10/31/2011 – completed revisions to chapter 27/28 - word count now stands at 92,962

Blog Post 57

The bathroom mirror is now installed, and chapters 16/17 are finalized. The revisions upped their word counts by 4567 words, so the total Golden Gate word count now stands at 89,734.

Latest update - Working on chapters 18/19, and that chore is complete. Total word count now at 91,029.

Dunno if I have mentioned it before but it bears repeating. I type with just one finger, so only one is shortened by the process. Another part of the writing process is that recycling is emphasized. Each word has been used before (probably in another context) and thus recycling is stressed.

Completed resizing, staining and installation of master bath cabinet and vanity decorative footers

Blog post 56

This blog is all about the process of completing the project, writing and marketing Golden Gate, the first novel of the Tessera Trilogy. Along the way, as fellow blogger Hildred of http://hildredbillings.blogspot.com/ , author of the Musings of a Procrastinating Author blog would say, there are numerous bright shiny objects that present themselves, and distract us from our objective. I need to bring you up to date on several shiny objects in our yard. Well truth be known, they’re not shiny, or bright, but definitely cute. I speak of raspberries and rodents.

Months ago two raspberry plants were given a home in our garden, in the hopes they’d yield berries for Offspring. In the past few weeks I’ve walked by, and savored a few delicious tart berries straight off the bush. Exceeding my joy at that, I noticed that their roots had spread and some sprouts had come up. I diligently dug those up and replanted them under the grape vine, in hopes that next year there would be lots of berries. Keep your fingers crossed.

The rodents, well they’re another delightful tale. The first is a baby chipmunk, whose visage has appeared on our Facebook page, resting atop a small cement pagoda style ornament by the backyard pond. I noted that he appeared to be worshiping. Six days ago I was in the back and heard a scratching sound from our gutter downspout water collection barrels. I walked over and was startled by the sight. The chipmunk’s heads was peaking out of the downspout. As I moved closer, he turned around and tried to climb up, inside the gutter downspout. It was quite a scratching tune his feet made, but I knew he’d never make it. I withdrew, letting him achieve a slower heart rate and escape to his borough.

The second rodent event was just five nights ago, as Nancy and I sat down to eat dinner. Outside the bay window, through the screen, I spotted him. We both moved to the window, as the baby squirrel started chewing on hibiscus branches and leaves. I was able to get a photo of him, through the window and screen, and it amazed us both. We were amazed that the squirrel, despite being less than three feet from us and clearly able to see us, continued having dinner on the deck railing. Perhaps he’ll grow more cautious with age. So there you have it, all you needed to know about raspberries and rodents.

More now on the process; finished chapter 15 – hooray for the home team. Progress doesn’t, however, support putting Golden Gate on Amazon.com by Black Friday. The overall GG word count has inched upwards again, to 85,167, marked by completion of final revisions to chapter 15. Final revisions to Chapter 35 are now afoot, as much of it had been reviewed, critiqued, and revised after a RWG reading some weeks ago.

Saturday another shiny bright object injected itself in the process, the RWH monthly meeting, including The Parade of Prose. A fellow RWG member and I chatted at length, finding similar mental processes in our respective creative projects.    Four pen names depending on particular product, prose, lyrics, musical CDs, poetry. I joined four other RWG members on a panel at The Parade of Prose, discussing Writing and Publishing in the New Millennium. It was a rewarding occasion, with valuable insights provided by other panelists; three of the five are published.

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