Where have I been?
I’ve been MIA here … why? Partly it had to do with a big change to my website, which threw me off. I couldn’t quite figure out how to navigate it, and various visuals I used before were suddenly missing. I was, as they say “all 6s and 7s” (an expression I love).
Also, I’ve been struggling to finish Moonsick, the working title of the Young Adult historical novel I’ve been writing. For years. The final stages are always the most intense.
Why is it always like this for me? Even now, in the 8th draft, I sometimes feel I’m just scratching the surface of this story.
The return to Real Life
But enough of my whining! It’s Boxing Day, our lovely Christmas holiday is behind us. I’ve played with my new toys, and now it’s time to begin to get back on track. Real Life.
My plan, now, is to go through the manuscript, copy out all the scenes that pertain to Napoleon and paste them into another file. Napoleon’s relationship with his stepdaughter Hortense is key to this novel, and I need to make sure that there is a clear arc. It’s a time-consuming approach, but I used it analyzing the arc of Hortense’s relationship with her music teacher (another important thread), and I was glad I did.
And so, onto Napoleon …
From the good book department
I recently read, and loved:
Commonwealth, by Ann Patchett
Tell Me Three Things, by Julie Buxbaum
The Girls, by Emma Cline
Each of these novels kept me up reading too late into the night. Highly recommended.
Who knows? I might even post again before the New Year, but if I don’t, have a Happy New Year!
