Tag Archives: novel

My Train of Thought Jumped the Tracks

Posted on May 8, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Over a week ago I asked myself how I could de-funkify (I suppose that’s not a word, but I like it). It seems I have not yet found the answer, as I sit here on Non-Sequitur Thursday with not a post in sight nor many thoughts in my head. Another question I have asked before: What’s a blogger to do?

I did not go running (what a surprise). I took a short walk with my schnoodle Tabby, but nothing blogworthy. I had thought to fix something interesting for supper and do a cooking post, but felt in too much of a funk to do so. I finally forced myself to make a tossed salad. The therapeutic benefits of chopping vegetables are not to be denied. Unfortunately, today they only lasted as long as the vegetables did.

I managed to maintain enough oomph to make some Italian salad dressing (the kind in the envelope where you add oil and vinegar). Then I made another envelope’s worth and put some stew beef in it to marinade for crock pot purposes tomorrow. So apparently my funk is not completely incapacitating.

Finish That Novel May is progressing. Not progressing nicely, but I am putting words on paper. I’ve written a few more scenes. Actually, they kind of flow one into the other, so it’s more like one long scene. I was just getting to the exciting part when my break ended. I hurriedly wrote two more sentences then went back to work. My boss was near my work area but did not say anything to me. It’s kind of too bad, because I was all set to say, “I was just getting to the poison!”

Oh dear, have I given away a major plot point? I always say too much! Oh, OK, not really. I’m just being dramatic again. In fact, I think I have said enough for this to count as a blog post. Perhaps my funk will clear of its own accord in time for Lame Post Friday.

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Posted in blogging, humor, Non Sequitur Thursday, personal, writing and tagged blog post, funk, novel, Tabby, walking, writing. Bookmark the permalink.

T.G.I.L.P.F.

Posted on May 2, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

You know that means Thank God It’s Lame Post Friday, right? Otherwise, all my work has been for naught (said with my wrist on my forehead). Not really, of course. I just felt like being dramatic.

It is not just Lame Post Friday, though. It is the first day of Finish That Novel May. I am putting it out there in order to put myself on the spot. I have declared to the world that I am going to finish my novel. I have 31 days to make good on that boast.

Yikes.

I did write a few notes on the novel, and I wrote a letter to my sister in which I talked about my plans for tackling the project. Now I must get on to the real work. However, right now it is Lame Post Friday, my day for random observations and half-baked philosophy.

I did observe a nice-looking dog outside a house when I looked out the window at work today (of course, I like to think all dogs are nice). He was a biggish brown mutt, lying comfortably on a front walk, just chilling. Yesterday on my way home I observed a springer spaniel puppy, jumping happily on the fence to greet a passerby. At least, I think it was a spaniel. You know I don’t know from breeds.

My own dog continues to improve from last week’s malady. We keep giving her the medicine prescribed.

I must plan some Mohawk Valley adventures for tomorrow. For this reason, I shall skip the half-baked philosophy portion of Lame Post Friday, hit publish and carry on with my Friday. Hope you’re all having a lovely beginning of the weekend.

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Posted in humor, Lame Post Friday, personal and tagged blog post, Friday, half-baked philosophy, lame post, novel, random observations, writing. Bookmark the permalink.

Running in Place toward May (and July)

Posted on April 24, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had been going to write a Running In Place Commentary, because I ran in place on the mini-tramp today. However, in looking at my WordPress notifications, I saw some interesting comments on yesterday’s post. One in particular gave me my topic for today’s post.

Fellow blogger Mark Bialczak suggested I declare next month Finish That Novel May. What a marvelous idea! Like NaNoWriMo only I don’t have to write the whole damn thing in 30 days. For one thing, May is 31 days. Already I’m ahead of the game. And I have a lot written on this novel. Some needs to be cut, some new scenes written, lots of organization…

So that is my new plan. I will no doubt write further blog posts on the topic.

In the meantime, in the interests of Non-Sequitur Thursday, I’ll just mention that I wrote more on the new novel while at work today. A new character magically appeared. I love it when that happens. Other characters are developing, plot points present themselves, I am enjoying it a great deal.

As the Boilermaker 15K continues to approach (yes, another non-sequitur), I knew I must run. Of course the weather did not cooperate, with snow falling all day. Then again, what do I care about the weather? I can and do run in crappy weather. However, today I elected to run in place on the mini-tramp.

While I ran, my husband Steven and I watched The Blue Dahlia, which we DVR’d from TCM back in February. Naturally we discussed what we were watching, but I mustn’t share too much, in case you’d like to watch the movie sometime. It is not one of the cheesy ones I delight in giving plot summaries of.

Incidentally, the Boilermaker is in July (I just wrote the headline and realized the reference might be obscure).

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At Least I’m Writing SOMETHING

Posted on April 23, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Welcome to another Wuss-out Wednesday. I was busily writing while at work today (before my shift and on breaks, as usual), but not on a blog post. I started a new novel. Oh, it is so fun to start a new novel! New ideas just appear in my head and I write them down. I feel brilliant.

I’m writing this novel a little differently from how I’ve attempted previous novels. I started writing a list of potential names, then I just dove right in and started writing. No notes. No outline. All I have, other than the pages of novel, is a growing list of characters, so I don’t use any names that are too similar (so annoying to the reader, I know it drives me crazy).

Of course it is the wrong thing to do, to begin a new novel. I VOWED I would finish the last one I started. You see, I have many, many novels started and only one I ever finished. And that one’s not very good. My later novels are better, but they are not finished. It is mortifying to admit this, but it is true.

However, my latest unfinished novel (I mean the one before the one I just started) was at a STANDSTILL. I simply could not progress. I had to take a step back and I just couldn’t bear to not be writing. Sometimes I can only write what comes out of my pen.

In case anybody is wondering, I am still working on the play about bananas. I’m writing on that every night before bed. Yesterday I wrote a speech from the play within the play (I just can’t write anything that is not complicated, I suppose).

So that is my story about why I did not write a blog post today. Tomorrow I will try to find a little more time to write an actual post. But since tomorrow is Non-Sequitur Thursday, I make no promises.

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Posted in blogging, humor, personal, Why I Cant Write a Post, writing, Wuss Out Wednesday and tagged blog post, not writing, novel, play, writing. Bookmark the permalink.

As the Laundry Turns

Posted on April 17, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

My usual plan when I’m going away for the weekend is to write blog posts ahead. WordPress even has a handy function whereby I can set the posts to Publish at an appropriate future time.

You know what, I can just hear somebody carping now (or is it karping? Carping looks too much like carpe diem, which is not the same thing): “I thought the point of the blog was to write every day. If you write blog posts ahead, you are not writing every day now, are you?”

Oh, shut up (I explain) (that’s an S.J. Perelman joke). I’ll still write every day. I just won’t necessarily write a blog post. After all, this blog is not the only thing I write. Besides, SOME readers LIKE to see a post from me every day. I can’t let them down, can I? Of course I could, perhaps sometimes I do, but I try not to.

I wrote the above when I was sitting in the laundromat Wednesday, wishing to high heaven that somebody had left a magazine lying around. Once I found a trashy paperback in the laundromat. That was sweet. It was somehow a randomly found paperback was a more engrossing read than any number of books I have purchased or selected at the library.

No such rescue awaited me on Wednesday. I sat there with my notebook, attempting to write my novel, a letter, my play, a blog post, ANYTHING. It was no good. However, I see that the silliness I did manage is over 200 words. I call that a blog post, and quite appropriate for Non-Sequitur Thursday. But whatever will I do on Lame Post Friday? Stay tuned, we’ll find out together.

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Posted in blogging, humor, Non Sequitur Thursday, personal, writing and tagged blog post, blogging, lame post, laundromat, novel, silliness, writing. Bookmark the permalink.

Tired of Not Writing

Posted on October 29, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

I just looked back at my posts for the past week and see that last week I had a Tired Tuesday. I am mortified to admit to being tired again today. I am further mortified to notice that last Tuesday I at least had the excuse that I had just done laundry. Today all I did was come home and take my dog Tabby for a walk. I had thought to write a Pedestrian Post, but my brain seems uncooperative.

In fact, all my brain seems to want to write is Wrist to Forehead Tuesday. After all, I did not have Wrist to Forehead Sunday, I wrote about something! Then yesterday I didn’t have Middle-aged Musings Monday, I wrote about something! Couldn’t I have gone three days in a row writing about something? Apparently not. That is why my wrist is inclined to go to my forehead in the usual dramatic gesture.

I’ve been having a bad writing day all day. When I got to work this morning (arriving early to have writing time, as usual), I opened my notebook and looked at it. Then I reached for my puzzle book. Many years ago, i would always do a puzzle before working on my novel (whichever novel I was working on at the time). It would clear my brain, since I was always reading somebody else’s fiction at the time. Today, however, reaching for my puzzle book was not a good idea. I have done all the puzzles I like. I am reduced to looking at the “Hard” crossword puzzles, which are, I admit it, too hard for me. Alas.

On break and at lunch I couldn’t write either. My brain rebelled. I had been thinking about my novel a lot while I was working. This usually helps. Today not so much. So here I am, writing this ridiculous blow-by-blow of me not writing. How embarrassing is that!

But what can one do? Hit “Publish” and try again tomorrow, as usual. I hope my readers are all having a pleasant Tuesday.

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Posted in blogging, commentary, humor, personal, Tired Tuesday and tagged blogging, Middle-aged Musings Monday, mortified, not writing, novel, wrist to forehead, Wrist To Forehead Sunday, writing. Bookmark the permalink.

It’s Pouring Rain and I’m Cooking Sausage

Posted on October 24, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

When I said I would try not to have a Wuss-out Wednesday this week, I did not say anything about not having a Non-Sequitur Thursday. For one thing, today is my Friday. What could be more non-sequitur than that? Oh, I suppose a few things. Enlighten me, if you feel you must.

It actually feels more like a Tired Thursday, but that doesn’t have the same alliterative ring that Tired Tuesday does. I did try to write something during the day at work. I opened my notebook, took out a pen and turned to a blank page. In between breaks (you know, while I was working), I thought about what I could write. The result was a few more paragraphs on my novel. Not good paragraphs. That novel is at kind of a standstill, but I’m still plugging away. I am determined to bring it to some sort of a conclusion.

After work I went to the grocery store. I bought plenty of ingredients for a few good cooking posts by the end of the weekend. And when I say “good,” I mean I expect the food to taste good. I make no guarantees about the writing (although I flatter myself that I am not contemptible in that department).

It was raining when I left work, so I thought I was off the hook for walking Tabby. The rain stopped by the time I got home but looked ready to start up again at any excuse. Tabby doesn’t like to walk in the rain. I was afraid if we started our walk and the rain started back up that Tabby would stand still and look at me, expecting to be magically and instantly transported back home.

Still, she was so excited to see me and did seem to expect an adventure. I thought, oh hell, it’ll be something to write a blog post about. We set out. It almost immediately began to rain again but very lightly. For once Tabby didn’t seem to notice. I had put on a warm jacket and had the hood up, so I was fairly comfortable, except for my back.

Like many people who are overweight and over 40, I suffer from back pain. Today I blame work. I spent the morning standing and the afternoon sitting. My back likes it better when I am up and down. I thought, this is OK. A walk always helps. Today, not so much. So we only walked for a block. At least Tabby seemed to enjoy it.

And that has been my Thursday/Friday. I see this bit of blathering on has gotten my word count over 400. I’ll just slap a kicky headline on and call it a day. Hope to see you on Lame Post Friday.

Just one quick note: Do you find this is more Stream of Consciousness than Non Sequitur? I’m afraid it might be.

My Interrupted Kiss

Posted on September 25, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

So there I was, on a break at work, writing on my novel. I’ve been having the darnedest time lately coming up with scenes to write. At last I just started something. As sometimes happens (and it’s GREAT when it does), I went on from there.

OF COURSE the Get Back to Work buzzer sounded just when it was starting to get good. Two characters were right in the middle of a kiss (no, it’s not a sex book; don’t get your hopes up) (you know who you are). I don’t write books about thinly disguised versions of myself and others, but I felt rather as if it was my lips that had been interrupted.

Naturally I went back to work, however ill-used I felt to be doing so. One must keep one’s job, after all (if anyone says, “Don’t quit your day job,” I’ll scream. I HATE that joke) (EEEEEEEE! I just knew somebody was going to). I suppose it’s just as well. I was not at all sure how I wanted that scene to progress.

On subsequent breaks I managed a few more sentences. Then a few more after work at the laundromat, where I am now, as I write this. As you may have guessed, the scene ceased to progress.

It raises the writerly question: if I had been able to continue instead of being interrupted the first time, would the scene have progressed differently? As I said, I was not sure how I wanted the scene to go, but if I had kept writing, maybe I would have figured it out. I guess we’ll never know.

Does it matter? Perhaps not. But I thought it might be something to write a blog post about on Wuss-out Wednesday.

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No Longer a Blank Screen

Posted on September 9, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

I just now said to myself, “You know you’re going to write something. You always write something. So just sit down and write something.”

Although nothing much is coming out. It is a definite Monday Malaise (I wonder if I have used that as a title yet). My body is tired and my brain feels dead. In fact, I did use it today. Not much, but some. I came up with a couple rather killer ideas for my novel. No, I don’t mean ideas about who the killer is. I know who the killer is. Or do I? Hmmmmm….

I didn’t do much with the ideas except jot them down in the little notebook I keep in my BDU pants pocket when I’m at work. The notebook is really to jot down work things, but it’s good for all kinds of purposes. I wonder if I could manage to write a few actual paragraphs of novel before the evening is done.

The other thing I did was edit and email out two articles to Mohawk Valley Living, my new favorite magazine. That is rather nerve-wracking. I keep thinking my writing ought to be better. Oh well, I suppose one can work on these things.

And then I said to myself, “Oh yeah, I have to do my blog post!” What a thing to forget! I sat right down and stared at the blank screen. What a terrible sight.

Oh, but look, it isn’t blank any longer! It’s a blog post! Maybe not a good blog post, but why make judgement calls on a Monday? For yet another day I can call myself a blogger (although in general I do not; I say, rather, that I write a blog) (I live for these semantic subtleties). I look forward to seeing what I come up with for tomorrow.

No More Deleting!

Posted on September 4, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

This is dreadful. I keep typing in a sentence or two then deleting it. I have done this before and it is always distressing. In the meantime, the clock is ticking and I have other things I would like to be doing. Astute readers will by now have concluded that today is Wuss-out Wednesday.

I actually did write some stuff today. I wrote a good portion of a blog post about a Mohawk Valley adventure. I was not displeased with it, but I must look up a few things and write some more on it. I wrote a little more than a page on my novel. The progress on my novel was something of a coup, because I thought of a new plot development and started writing a scene to implement the addition.

Sometimes when you write something it just helps you write more. Other times you write and write and then you are done. You cannot write any more. When you try, for example, to write a blog post after that point, you type in a few sentences and immediately delete them.

And then you steel yourself and begin typing SOMETHING which you do not allow yourself to delete.

And this is the result. I shall try again on Thursday.

Mohawk Valley Girl