cloudy, rainy, sunny, cold and warm. oh
Gary came by at 5:30 and he, Michael, Trudy and I took the photos of the new baby blue VW beetle (convertible) for the article for the Globe and Mail. Now, there's a mouthful. Thankfully I write good. Even more fortunately, Gary photos good.
Happily the unexpected rain, which came while Lise and Donna were working in the garden this morning, cleared up just as they left and Gary arrived. We drove the beetled into the field by the pond, put the top down and Gary took all sorts of fun photos...including the one Lise suggested with me in the stationary car, but this long scarf billowing out behind me - thanks to a huge fan and Michael holding the scarf out with a bit of nylon thread tied to the scarf and a broom handle.
Again - just like Jane Austen and Dennis Lehane!
But we had just a riot...and it was an exquisite day. For photos.
From a writing/editing point of view it was a bit of torment. It's always like this for me, so fortunately there's no panic, and not a huge amount of stress...but life would be easier if the book was perfect the first time!!!
I'm definitely in the 'muddle in the middle'...and I need, when I get discourage or concerned, to remember the parts I adore - and remember that, at least for me, writing is a process. Like art. It's an analogy I've used before and sometimes forget when I'm in the middle of the struggle. That, like painting a picture = like Clara's portraits of ruth and the Three Graces - it doesn't happen with a single stroke. It's layer after layer, adding nuance, shading and light - shaping. going over it and over it.
Interestingly, I know when things are working and when they don't. Sometimes there're just one or two sentences in a page that work...so I isolate those and erase the rest, and build back up. In one case today I moved big chunks around. Added a new scene and a new subplot...really just a touch here and there. To add depth. Nothing huge. Again, like a portrait...amazing the impact a single dot of colour or light can have. It doesn't need to all be put on with a trowel.
So - back to work tomorrow morning. At this point I also need to keep reminding myself to take the time needed. If I do only half a page, but it's great, then it's far better than doing ten that still aren't right. And there'll be more edits. With Bury Your Dead I have six edits on my computer before I even showed it to Michael...and a few more after that before my agent, editors and I were finally satisfied it was as good as it could be.
So, it's early days yet for this book...only halfway through, or slightly more, the first edit (or second draft, depending on how you look at it - comes to the same thing, really.)
Still, disconcerting to hit a big, mucky, slog... but it will all work out.
thank you, too, for all your celebrating about the Anthony, the Macavity and the Barry nominations! And for not getting tired of celebrating. I SO appreciate it. Yippee!!
Not sure I'll be able to blog tomorrow...very busy afternoon and evening - but will try.
Wanted to mention that I have an event Sunday, from 2 to 4pm - at the Mansonville Library. My Assistant Lise will be there, as will Michael...as will the little blue bug! Love to see you there too!
