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| A compelling cover for an intriguing new INKBLOTS' novel |
Five 'Blots this evening, several regulars unavailable (Happy
anniversary J & A). We chatted about Alisa's imminent and intriguing
release,
SWIFTWATER, and final work on back material, working with designer, and the million and one things to finalize a book.
Comment after last 'Blots: "To
everyone that attended the last meeting, I'm certain that was some of the most
helpful feedback I've gotten at a meeting, so thank you. As I work hard on a
rewrite I'm discovering just how spot on the comments were. It's exciting
to see tangible improvement."
Patrick shared some of his frustrations with being redemptive in
his speculative fiction writing. Read Lewis and appreciate Aslan as a
Christ figure and the redemptive objectives of his writing, but the need
to go back to Scripture, to the source, for true redemption. How to
weave good into tales and a genre that is often dark, bloody, and
seemingly so unredemptive?
Two zombie sisters, Aza and
Duplicity, who sound like they are country bumpkins. The girls grilled
him about... but we don't hear them actually doing the grilling. Off to
the movies, which Gabe had only seen on small screens, never before on
the big screen at a theater. Sarb the name for zombies. Is this
universally accepted or did Patrick invent Sarb. Inter-specie love and
romance, made to sound quite common. I still think you are narrating
conversations and reactions that we should be hearing and seeing. I love
your embedded critic of Hollywood and movies. I would strongly suggest
varying your narrative with protagonist's thoughts, conversations, and
actions. Does Gabe have a mannerism that makes him real? I was then that
I realized why there are zombies, to teach us about sin. Could he
speculate about this rather than prescriptively states it? Or place it
in a conversation. The narrative needs variation. Great content but
better conveyed by placing it in conversation and action.
Sofia
liked it but wondered if there needed to be more different from the
humans they are going to the movies with, unique appearances,
mannerisms, things that are normal in their world but not so in humans'.
Rachel felt like there was too much past tense. Is the recalling of
past scenes slowing the pace of the story?
Further is in
the realm of ideas, as in, The further he thought about it, the more
anxious he became. Farther is physical distance that could be measured.
Alisa
wanted some 'Blots advice. She has several books going but is feeling
weary of all of them, hit a wall. I asked Alisa which book she feels the
most enthusiasm for, is most intrigued by.
The Emblem
was
the first thing she brought up. We started talking about story boarding
or more loosely following the yarn where it leads you. Dickens was very
meticulous and outlined the entire novel before he wrote it, whereas,
O'Conner never wrote this way. Create an authentic character, plop them
in an inciting and dangerous situation and hang onto your hat.
Information bombs and history bombs, chapters that need to convey
essential information but without stalling the pace, disconnecting the
reader from the protagonist's problem.
I read a bit from my imminently forthcoming adult novel
LUTHER IN LOVE. Inkblots members have helped me enormously on this biographical novel, especially the women members; they have helped me with the enormous task of writing from the point of view of a woman, something not so easy for a male author to do (I think female authors do this better than we men, generally speaking).
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