Ghosted

Damn, I love this job.

Before I could write tonight, I sat down and started free-associating/typing stuff about my bad guy. I figured out who the bad guy is in the middle of an RWA Nationals session, and nearly gasped out loud at the awfulness of it, because it will utterly shatter my heroine when she finds out. Anyway, I knew who, but only had a vague sense of why, and no idea how my heroine would discover this. I also don’t know how yet, but I think that’ll be easier. The point was, I needed to understand my bad guy better.

And in the process of this, I realized that a throwaway character was going to be important, and there was this whole unexpected twistlet (not a full twist in the sense of changing the entire plot, but an unexpected “You’re what?!” type of thing) in there. At first I started questioning whether I was jumping the shark, but I don’t think I am. I think the book needs this.

Also, I’m changing the title. Does Ghosted sound like a book you’d want to read?

(When I told Ken the new title, he said “Oooh!” which is exactly the reaction I was looking for.) ::beam::

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In house news, we got new (correct) paint, and fixed the kitchen window and the kitchen wall (different shades) and then became obsessed with touching up little problems throughout the house (which was also depressing because we hates the evil people who painted over the wood, we do, and we wants to strip all the wood, so putting paint on it was traumatically contradictory, to say the least). The curtains are now hung. Hoo-rah, and onwards.

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Currently Reading: Heart of Stone, CE Murphy
Lately Listened To: Bare, Annie Lennox
Recently Watched: Psych

Yesterdays and todays

We were planning to go to Kingdom Twelfth Night yesterday, but on Thursday evening after the Shire meeting, Morgana and Brian (with whom we were to be carpooling) and we discussed details, and it became obvious that none of us were truly enthusiastic about going (for one thing, the feast was full; for another, we didn’t want to get up early; and for yet another, there was the chance of heavy rains, and the drive was long to begin with). So we decided, along with Thomasina, that we would have high tea at Fresh & Fabulous and go see The Golden Compass. Which was all quite fabulous.

I’d read the book in anticipation of the movie, and the movie surpassed my expectations. They had to take a lot of text and pare it down, yet still make sense and keep the action moving, and they pulled that off in spades. Pacing was excellent. I’m stunned that the actress who plays Lyra did so well when it was not only her first role, but she was playing against a green screen for a good portion of it.

Most importantly, I want a daemon! Yes yes yes!

After that, Thomasina headed home and the rest of us ended up going to Roxsbury Deli for dinner, and then we hung out for a bit until I realized the cats should have been fed, oh, two and a half hours earlier. So we came home and put them out of their misery.

I’m a bit sad we missed Twelfth Night, though, because two of our friends got their AoAs and Cat won the Bard of Caid competition! Go Cat! Woo hoo!

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Fourth and fifth rejections of the year… ::shakes fist at sky:: Damn you, efficient editors!

I don’t know if I’ve announced this sale before, but since the countersigned contract just hit my desk, it sounds pretty much good to go: Pangaia magazine had a contest, and Teresa and I (as Sophie) are finalists with “Under a Double Rainbow.” Our story will be published in an anthology by Llewellyn Publications, The Pagan Anthology of Short Fiction: 13 Prize Winning Tales. I’m especially chuffed because it wasn’t an erotica contest, but we sold them an erotica story!

After going to the gym this morning, then dashing home and showering and lunching with Ken, I headed off to a nearby coffee shop, where I met up with Ellenie (fellow RWA-er), where we worked for nearly 3 hours. In total (I did a little bit more tonight), I hit more than 2K for the day, which is exactly where I want to be. I could’ve done more, even, but the idea is to not burn out right off the bat, y’know?

Most importantly, I laughed out loud twice as I was writing, which is always a good sign (unless you’re writing a tragedy, I suppose).

We’re hoping to schedule writing sessions at a coffee shop on three Sundays of the month (the other Sunday being the Los Angeles RWA meeting), which would be quite spiffy.

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Currently Reading: Heart-Shaped Box, Joe Hill (about to start)
Lately Listened To: RWA sessions
Recently Watched: Doctor Who season 6 extras, Graham Norton with Sharon Osborne and David Boreanaz (hilarious!)