So I'm in the final read-through of Murder by the Acre. Me, my red pen, sticky notes, notebook, and a stack of over 250 pages of story. Just about every page so far is getting a mark of some type -- mostly formatting or inserting a word or deleting a crutch word. (Crutch words: very, really, just, some, etc., which can work in dialogue, but don’t in narrative.) I've not come across anything major. Fortunately I have an early proof from Crystal that has helped a lot.
Otherwise, I'm not doing much. Work, write, sleep, work, write, sleep, etc. I did exercise in the pool last night. My arms and legs ache today, but not in a major way. I hope to exercise tonight, too. Depends on what time my roomie gets back from a church temple trip. It takes two people to put the ladder in the pool. Originally the ladder wasn't that heavy, but to accommodate my weight safely, we added wooden bracing and steps. It's heavy now.
By the way, I noticed I used "final" in the first paragraph. I keep saying "final" this and "final" that because I keep hoping it will really be final. Of course, I know my proofers will find errors, and so I'll have to make more corrections, but that major ones should be out of the way. I guess I shouldn't use "final" until it's actually at the publisher -- although I can still make corrections until the FINAL distribution copy is approved, can't I? Perhaps I'll just work on MBTA forever and ever and ever … not.
Anyway, that's what's going on in my world. A big shout out to Kirsten who is well on her way to becoming a librarian AKA Marian (see the Music Man for explanation). Another shout out to Frenzied Feline, Trixie, Jean, and Michelle, just because I can. And another shout out to Erudite Redneck who gets all pouty if he's left out and to Holly Lisle who won't get pouty but who might think I'm not stalking Her Writerness anymore. (I'm sorry, Holly, but I've been dealing with the restraining order that Pam and Jessica put on me so I've not had time for you.) In fact, consider all my readers and fellow bloggers shouted out to. Or as our friends and neighbors at HeeHaw used to say: S-A-A-A-A-A-LUTE!
I'm outta here. Have a good one. Or have a good two. If fact, have whatever number of good ones you want. Let's keep you happy. Night!
6 comments:
Dr. ER told me to tell you that Endless, the porm, is "effing brilliant." She went on and on about it. She is a poet her own self and said a bunch of stuff that you would understand but I didn't, so can't remember.
What I do know is I was wowed by that one, especially, myself. The poem made me mad at first. Then it annoyed me. But I kept feeling compelled to go back and read it again and again. Took me a long time to figure out where the punctuation seems to be implied -- but it shifts, too. It is a great piece of work. Dynamic. Almost like it's alive. Sort of has its own force, and every time I go to it, its power sucks me in, twirls me around until I see stars, then it slings me out of itself. But I want to go back and get inside of it again.
I mean it. And I'm sorry it took me so long to say so.
When Dr. started talking about it, I started talking about it, and we had a great conversation about it. She laughed when, she said, she realized that we each were come to the poem the same way we do music: She, being a trained cellist, comes at music, and your poem, from structure and approach to get to its soul and a glimpse at the songwriterpoet, and I, being a chicken-pickin' guitar player, come at music, and poetry, from its soul first to get a glimpse of author while only vaguely or generally aware of structure.
Anyway, bravo -- from both of us.
I agree with ER's assessment. The book has some truly wonderful poems. I highly recommend it.
Thanks, Tech!
And a SF-writer friend once claimed that "final" is a transient state.
ER, give my thanks to Dr. ER and also to yourself. I appreciate your comments and how you both approached the poem. Makes me feel like I have talent after all. Knowing that there are at least two people (four, actually, because Jean and etc also had nice things to say about EndlesS) who liked the poem touched me deeply. Sometimes I feel like I'm shouting to an empty room. Nice to have some good company! :)
Thanks, etc. See above for my thanks to you, too.
I'm so pleased for you, Kristen. Soon you will be Marian ... although it was kinda freaky when everyone started singing and dancing. The local library doesn't have as much singing ...
Consider yourself shouted back to. :)
I feel properly shouted at now. Mind you, I normally only allow my hubby to shout at me, so consider yourself even more special. :)
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