Twofer Tuesday - I’m Afraid I’ve Been Working

I am still reading. I’m so glad. I must confess to a bit of a worry after my reading bug returned. I was afraid it would go again and leave me alone.
It’s still here, it’s still working, and I am enjoying it more than ever.
Along with reading, I’ve knuckled down to, sort of, editing Biting The Dust. I’m doing my best to just fix the obvious errors this round. I still find myself sneaking in a bit of rewriting here and there. I’m fighting the urge to pull on the boots and get after it properly.
They're for after the hard copy reading, I remind me.

These boots were made for writing.

And speaking of being afraid, I segued brilliantly, guess what I’m reading?
Yup, Afraid, by Jack Kilborn. I won this several months back from the wonderful Women of Mystery. It’s been in the TBR pile since about July.
Waiting.
It’s a gripping story, good pacing, and not as gross as I’d feared. Most enjoyable.

Here’s a bit:

“Josh followed Sal’s stare with the flashlight.
It came to rest on the huge man standing next to the window, quietly slow dancing with the naked, mutilated corpse of Maggie Morton.”
- Afraid, Jack Kilborn, Grand Central Publishing, 2009.
#
From my efforts this week here are two freshly edited sentences from Chapter Two of Biting The Dust.

“Show yourself. I refuse to talk to the disembodied.” Eury’s voice came from her abdomen.
“That might not serve you well someday.”
#
For more, or to find out how to participate, please see the Women of Mystery.
And thank you for stopping by.

I appreciate it.

The Boots Worked

The North Saskatchewan River at Preacher's Point. The photo has nothing to do with the post. I just like it.

I finished my vampire western yesterday.
I put my boots on for the final push and wrote the final scene just before 11:30 a.m. The manuscript came in at just under 56,000 words. I’d thought at first it would be around 60,000, but toward the end I realized it would be closer to 55,000.
It felt good.
I haven’t written “The End” nor have I used the editing symbol -30- on that last page yet. That glorious moment will come in its own good time.
About a week ago I got an idea for a third book. It grabbed hold of my imagination and it would not let go.
Originally, the vampire western was meant to keep me occupied while my first novel’s first draft cooled off.
I was going to get after editing it. Instead I took a few hours off in the afternoon and then cracked open a fresh file and began working on the third book.
I’ll get the editing done on the first one, and the second one, but for now I’ve got to get something done on the third.

These Boots...

... were made for writing.









By popular demand, okay two commenters mentioned it, here are the cowboy boots I bought for writing.

They're Boulet, a Canadian brand, and they're deerhide.

I put them on and let them work their magic on my mind.

They're comfortable. They feel good. When I wear them I scale the dizzying heights of nearly 5'5".

They help me concentrate and think like my characters. One character likes the feel of bare feet in her boots. Good for her. I don't share the opinion, but at least I got a chance to try it and feel it for myself. It's all part of the research and it's important.

I often wonder what else my writing will compel me to do, but learning things and experiencing life are big draws for the job.

I have a very good job.