mailing sunny - hot and humid - temps 29
Very muggy. LOVING the geo. But I spend all day editing on the screen porch. Absolutely heaven. Take trudy for a walk when I get fed up or frightened, or confused. She is getting in good shape.
To be fair, the book is also in far better shape than I dared hope - both in terms of the quality and structure of the first draft, and the way the second draft is going. I made a lot of notes in the weeks I took off between the two, and I think they're paying off. Today was a bit dicey - some pivotal stuff needed to be added and switched around...but it worked well. Oh, thank heaven.
Amazing how powerful fear is. I was thinking this morning, after editing just 5 pages of the 25 I was hoping to do - that maybe I should stop. Just stop. I didn't want to do it anymore. Oddly, this wasn't in a particularly difficult section. and while tired, I don't think I'm any more tired than anyone of you.
I think it was fear...again. Not focussed, just sort of free-floating. fortunately I recognized the feeling...had it in the first draft too - and in each of the past books...as I near the end of a draft I shy away from it. Feet that had felt light and strong suddenly feel leaden. Some invisible power is pushing me away from the end, like a polar opposite magnet.
But clearly that's not reasonable, and certainly not an option. So I just need to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Nose down.
And sure enough, within a page, that feeling had gone. Am now at page 228 out of 280. Slightly more than 60 to go, though I suspect I'll be adding some at the end. I think I hurried it, so desperate was I to finish the first draft. My hope is to be finished the second draft (first edit) by the end of the week. It should be possible, though I also know it slows down at the end, just because of the intricacy of it.
Had a fun day yesterday. Edited until 1pm, then Michael and went to Knowlton and had lunch with kevin and Terry Tierney. Then at 4:30 I interviewed Kevin as part of the Knowlton WordFest. Fabulous festival...lots of amazing guests. Kevin produced Bon Cop, Bad cop. Very funny - and the most successful Canadian film at the box office in decades. His new film is out in Oct and is called French Immersion.
Must run - Bal, Linda, Bethany and their friend Trevor have arrived...staying in cottage...came over for swims, drinks, nibblies. then I'm off to give the literacy speech to end the Knowlton WordFest. Bye!
Showing posts with label Knowlton WordFest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Knowlton WordFest. Show all posts
Sunday, 17 July 2011
Sunday, 18 July 2010
Phew
mainly sunny, warm, temps 25
Lovely day, some cloudy periods, breezy but refreshing. So far it's been a spectacular summer. Such a relief, especially for people getting married on the weekends.
The weekend's been taken up with the Knowlton WordFest...the first annual literary festival, organized by the Knowlton Literary Association. (KLA - which they admit sounds like either an airline or a terrorist cell).
It was a blast! Exhausting - but very, very successful. I heard some amazing talks by some fabulous writers. Susan Briscoe, a great poet. Isabelle Lafleche, whose book, J'adore New York is wonderful, and doing brilliantly in terms of buzz and sales. And loads of others...don't want to turn this into a phone book. But it was thrilling - as a reader and a writer.
The conversation at the Theatre Lac Brome yesterday was very fun - but then Jim Napier is a master interviewer. The two of us sat on stage, in comfortable chairs, a table between us, and microphones. And Jim asked me questions. Now, Jim is a long-time friend, so we know each other well. In fact, as you know, he stayed with us, which made it even easier. Gave us a chance to chat a little and get caught up. But he didn't tell me what he was going to ask, and I didn't want to know. So much better if these things are spontaneous. What Jim does that's so brilliant is he makes an interview feel like a conversation.
So we chatted for 50 minutes - opened it up for questions - chatted with the audience for twenty minutes....then did a book signing. In the middle of which my cell phone rang it was Anne Dowson, a host on CJAD the big private radio station in Montreal - we'd arranged to do an interview promoting WordFEst - but it was supposed to be later. Anyway, it was a live interview and I really had no choice, so the poor people in the book line had to wait while I did the interview.
But people seemed relaxed...I hope. Oh, want to say that Jim has a great crime fiction website called Deadly Diversions. It was just named on the 50 top sites for crime fiction. It's well worth visiting...excellent.
Then off to the Cafe Inn for a lemonade and to meet the film-maker. He's interested in the option for the books, to be made into made-for-tv films. I don't want to sound jaded, but lots of producers show interest, but few can come up to the standards we need. So it's always cordial, but there are no expectations.
Then scooted home, picked up Michael and off we wrnt to our regular Saturday night meeting - then got together with friends for ice tea after.
Jim arrived back after a dinner in Knowlton about the same time we did, to find us in the kitchen making peanut butter and jam sandwiches to eat in bed. Jim was exhausted too so he headed up too.
Up early, over breakfast Jim, Michael and I discussed the upcoming workshop on creating a sense of place in crime fiction. Jim and I (mostly Jim) had done quite a bit of emailing and planning...but it was very useful to go over the agenda.
We had no idea how many people would come...three, ten? Twenty? When we showed up at about quarter to ten there were fifty or more people. It was wonderful. Very fun. Talking about choices in terms of setting...of some of the great and memorable locations...Chandler and LA, Christie and St. Mary Mead and a few others - I'm a little tired and even these famous names escape me...Donna Leon and Venice. Wonderful. The fact that setting is a character in books.
then came the fun. After we'd taken questions for a while, the workshop participants were sent out to a crime scene, staged by the amateur theatre company. A man lay on the bench in the mill pond park, under the roof of the bandstand. A pool of blood under the bench, a huge red book with a photograph sticking out of it and blood on it on the ground, along with a flask and a tophat. The man wore tails - but no socks or shoes.
there was crime scene yellow tape, and a cop guarding it (who happened to be Philip Lantier, the head of the festival) Everyone went over, made notes, returned and wrote short descriptions. And a few even had the courage to read them out. What amazed us, genuinely, was the quality of the writing. One wrote brilliantly about the little ant tracks throught the blood. Another described the clouds - one created an inspector and a fictional town. And they were all differnt - in tone, in what the picked up and focussed on.
Well, I've written enough - but it was a great privilege to be part of the first Knowlton WordFest! And to meet a few of you too!! thank you for coming. How wonderful to celebrate the word...written, spoken, sung.
And now I'm home with Michael and Trudy, in pjs, eating chips and watching the British Open. Ahhhh.
Lovely day, some cloudy periods, breezy but refreshing. So far it's been a spectacular summer. Such a relief, especially for people getting married on the weekends.
The weekend's been taken up with the Knowlton WordFest...the first annual literary festival, organized by the Knowlton Literary Association. (KLA - which they admit sounds like either an airline or a terrorist cell).
It was a blast! Exhausting - but very, very successful. I heard some amazing talks by some fabulous writers. Susan Briscoe, a great poet. Isabelle Lafleche, whose book, J'adore New York is wonderful, and doing brilliantly in terms of buzz and sales. And loads of others...don't want to turn this into a phone book. But it was thrilling - as a reader and a writer.
The conversation at the Theatre Lac Brome yesterday was very fun - but then Jim Napier is a master interviewer. The two of us sat on stage, in comfortable chairs, a table between us, and microphones. And Jim asked me questions. Now, Jim is a long-time friend, so we know each other well. In fact, as you know, he stayed with us, which made it even easier. Gave us a chance to chat a little and get caught up. But he didn't tell me what he was going to ask, and I didn't want to know. So much better if these things are spontaneous. What Jim does that's so brilliant is he makes an interview feel like a conversation.
So we chatted for 50 minutes - opened it up for questions - chatted with the audience for twenty minutes....then did a book signing. In the middle of which my cell phone rang it was Anne Dowson, a host on CJAD the big private radio station in Montreal - we'd arranged to do an interview promoting WordFEst - but it was supposed to be later. Anyway, it was a live interview and I really had no choice, so the poor people in the book line had to wait while I did the interview.
But people seemed relaxed...I hope. Oh, want to say that Jim has a great crime fiction website called Deadly Diversions. It was just named on the 50 top sites for crime fiction. It's well worth visiting...excellent.
Then off to the Cafe Inn for a lemonade and to meet the film-maker. He's interested in the option for the books, to be made into made-for-tv films. I don't want to sound jaded, but lots of producers show interest, but few can come up to the standards we need. So it's always cordial, but there are no expectations.
Then scooted home, picked up Michael and off we wrnt to our regular Saturday night meeting - then got together with friends for ice tea after.
Jim arrived back after a dinner in Knowlton about the same time we did, to find us in the kitchen making peanut butter and jam sandwiches to eat in bed. Jim was exhausted too so he headed up too.
Up early, over breakfast Jim, Michael and I discussed the upcoming workshop on creating a sense of place in crime fiction. Jim and I (mostly Jim) had done quite a bit of emailing and planning...but it was very useful to go over the agenda.
We had no idea how many people would come...three, ten? Twenty? When we showed up at about quarter to ten there were fifty or more people. It was wonderful. Very fun. Talking about choices in terms of setting...of some of the great and memorable locations...Chandler and LA, Christie and St. Mary Mead and a few others - I'm a little tired and even these famous names escape me...Donna Leon and Venice. Wonderful. The fact that setting is a character in books.
then came the fun. After we'd taken questions for a while, the workshop participants were sent out to a crime scene, staged by the amateur theatre company. A man lay on the bench in the mill pond park, under the roof of the bandstand. A pool of blood under the bench, a huge red book with a photograph sticking out of it and blood on it on the ground, along with a flask and a tophat. The man wore tails - but no socks or shoes.
there was crime scene yellow tape, and a cop guarding it (who happened to be Philip Lantier, the head of the festival) Everyone went over, made notes, returned and wrote short descriptions. And a few even had the courage to read them out. What amazed us, genuinely, was the quality of the writing. One wrote brilliantly about the little ant tracks throught the blood. Another described the clouds - one created an inspector and a fictional town. And they were all differnt - in tone, in what the picked up and focussed on.
Well, I've written enough - but it was a great privilege to be part of the first Knowlton WordFest! And to meet a few of you too!! thank you for coming. How wonderful to celebrate the word...written, spoken, sung.
And now I'm home with Michael and Trudy, in pjs, eating chips and watching the British Open. Ahhhh.
Saturday, 17 July 2010
WordFest
mainly sunny, humid, temps 26
Lovely day. thunderstorms in forecast for this afternoon, but seems impossible right now. Except for the gathering humidity.
Edited yesterday for most of the day - wrote a scene that occurred to me in New York. Oddly, and perhaps frighteningly, it appears to be a somewhat pivotal scene. I actually removed one scene that was just complicated, and replaced it with this far simpler one - that really allowed the two characrters to get into stuff.
Had to stop to jump into the shower then Michael and I headed into Knowlton for the 5-7 opening cocktail for WordFest. Met Jim there, then the three of us had dinner on the terrasse of the Cafe Inn - and listened to our young neighbour, Amos, sing. Such a beautiful backdrop, of the mill pond, the church spire, and the mountains.
Lovely.
Woke early to do a 7:15 live radio interview on CBC Radio with my friend Dave Bronstetter - promoting WordFest - and discussing the question of setting. And the wisdom, or folly, of setting a mystery in Canada. There's a huge, and in my mind misguided, school of thought among agents and editors (and therefore some writers) that setting a book in Canada is akin to putting it in a garbage can and setting it on fire.
I don't agree. In fact, I suspect many of you are drawn to my books because they're set in Quebec, not despite it.
Though, of course, it's impossible to say if they'd have been even more successful if they were set just across the border in Vermont. Or in the Cotswolds. I suspect they wouldn't be - mostly because while I like both areas, I love quebec.
Indeed, this will be part of the discussion at the workshop on settings for crime fiction that Jim Napier and I are giving tomorrow here in Knowlton. I suspect we'll be discussing it this afternoon, too, during our conversation on stage at the Theatre Lac Brome.
Oh, went to the first WordFest public event this morning - the marvelous Louise Abbot, a local writer/film maker and historian. She gave a terrific talk on how to bring local history alive. Very exciting for those of us who are interested in history.
By the way - the French word for 'workshop' is atelier. Isn't that great? Sounds so much better than workshop.
So, Jim and I have decided we're actually giving an atelier on crime fiction writing.
After our conversation today I have a 3:45 radio interview on CJAD with Anne Lagace Dowson - then meeting a Canadian filmmaker interested in the series, for an ice tea and talk - then have to scoot home, pick up Michael for a meeting in Sutton tonight. Poor Jim, our houseguest, is on his own. I wrote him an email earlier in the week nominating us as the worst hosts in history - or at least the worst hosts he's met in a while.
Be well - talk to you tomorrow, I hope!
I'll try to blog tomorrow.
Lovely day. thunderstorms in forecast for this afternoon, but seems impossible right now. Except for the gathering humidity.
Edited yesterday for most of the day - wrote a scene that occurred to me in New York. Oddly, and perhaps frighteningly, it appears to be a somewhat pivotal scene. I actually removed one scene that was just complicated, and replaced it with this far simpler one - that really allowed the two characrters to get into stuff.
Had to stop to jump into the shower then Michael and I headed into Knowlton for the 5-7 opening cocktail for WordFest. Met Jim there, then the three of us had dinner on the terrasse of the Cafe Inn - and listened to our young neighbour, Amos, sing. Such a beautiful backdrop, of the mill pond, the church spire, and the mountains.
Lovely.
Woke early to do a 7:15 live radio interview on CBC Radio with my friend Dave Bronstetter - promoting WordFest - and discussing the question of setting. And the wisdom, or folly, of setting a mystery in Canada. There's a huge, and in my mind misguided, school of thought among agents and editors (and therefore some writers) that setting a book in Canada is akin to putting it in a garbage can and setting it on fire.
I don't agree. In fact, I suspect many of you are drawn to my books because they're set in Quebec, not despite it.
Though, of course, it's impossible to say if they'd have been even more successful if they were set just across the border in Vermont. Or in the Cotswolds. I suspect they wouldn't be - mostly because while I like both areas, I love quebec.
Indeed, this will be part of the discussion at the workshop on settings for crime fiction that Jim Napier and I are giving tomorrow here in Knowlton. I suspect we'll be discussing it this afternoon, too, during our conversation on stage at the Theatre Lac Brome.
Oh, went to the first WordFest public event this morning - the marvelous Louise Abbot, a local writer/film maker and historian. She gave a terrific talk on how to bring local history alive. Very exciting for those of us who are interested in history.
By the way - the French word for 'workshop' is atelier. Isn't that great? Sounds so much better than workshop.
So, Jim and I have decided we're actually giving an atelier on crime fiction writing.
After our conversation today I have a 3:45 radio interview on CJAD with Anne Lagace Dowson - then meeting a Canadian filmmaker interested in the series, for an ice tea and talk - then have to scoot home, pick up Michael for a meeting in Sutton tonight. Poor Jim, our houseguest, is on his own. I wrote him an email earlier in the week nominating us as the worst hosts in history - or at least the worst hosts he's met in a while.
Be well - talk to you tomorrow, I hope!
I'll try to blog tomorrow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)