Wednesday, March 29, 2006
It's Wednesday
That's about all I can say. It's Wednesday.
And it's been a while since the last post. Did I not write about going to Shreveport to the Hustler Club? What happened there? Did I save it as a draft accidentally? I could've sworn I wrote about that. Now it's not like my husband and I frequent strip clubs, but it was the only place in Shreveport that played rock music. I think it's the only place anywhere that plays rock music. And when they played "Figured You Out" on that Saturday night just before we left, I thought I was gonna freak out. I like that song way too much. So much so that when I was listening to it yesterday I missed the turn at Lockesburg on my way to Nashville and ended up having to go through Mineral Springs to get there. I was ten minutes late to my adjunct faculty observation.
I hate when I can't get the ideas in my head to turn off. I started on the first chapter of my sequel right after I came back from Shreveport. I had some of the first page down, then wrote the other scene that's toward the end-I had to get that one down. I worked on most of the first chapter again while at the doctor's office and the whole time I was observing Larry Cross's class. He's teaching the music class, like I do every week, so he was just lecturing on the Classical symphony...like I don't know about that already. He's doing the same things I am-so he passed his observation.
Here's some good news though-despite the two rejection(form) letters I got over the weekend. An agent from Artists & Artisans e-mailed, requesting the first five chapters. Wow. So I spent Monday morning tweaking some things and sent them in a big .pdf file. It's making me nervous, and all I can think of is what she'll find wrong with it. It's kind of a shame the middle and latter parts of the book are better than the beginning-but maybe the characters and the writing will be enough to get someone started. This agent is also a musician and dancer, and the agency doesn't have a long list of clients so maybe this is the way to go. One of the novels they sold is called the "Tuesday Erotica Club." A non-fiction book they represented is something like "The Metrosexual's Guide to Living." Not exactly high-brow literature, but that's not what I wrote. It's an indedpendent agency that's not even listed in my Writer's Market books. I always think "Wayne's World"-"I just hope you didn't think it sucked!"
That e-mail lifted my spirits some-I was beginning to get kind of down about it. But many writers have been turned down numerous times. You just have to keep trying.
I got my audition tape off to Rock Star: Season 2. The band is Tommy Lee's new band Supernova. Argggg...That would be something. I doubt the tape got there in time-I had trouble trying to figure out how to edit and Tony had to do it for me. I sent it express, but it got there a day after the Friday deadline-although the application itself said Monday March 25th. Strange, because the 25th was Saturday. Hmm...anyway, the Hawg's gig was good, but it wasn't my best. I was still battling my cold and I don't like the way I looked. I was almost over my cold until I caught one again last Friday. I went to Dr. Walker yesterday, but have to wait until I get my paycheck to go pick up my prescriptions. I should be better by the time StarDaze rolls around.
In the meantime, I'm almost finished cutting the word count on the manuscript. I took a lot out of the beginning, and have managed to cut out about 15 pages. I'm almost to the end sequence now, when they go to Las Vegas, and I've cut back the profanity and cleaned up some love scenes. (Bummer.) I'll probably have to cut the piano scene...and that turned out so well. Anyway, I'm still proud of my little hair metal love story, and am excited about its continuation. I feel like I can't get it written down fast enough. I'll probably spend all summer writing it. Then I'll be done with my sexy bass player for awhile, at least until I can get more ideas for the "prequel." It'll be sad to let him go.
And it's been a while since the last post. Did I not write about going to Shreveport to the Hustler Club? What happened there? Did I save it as a draft accidentally? I could've sworn I wrote about that. Now it's not like my husband and I frequent strip clubs, but it was the only place in Shreveport that played rock music. I think it's the only place anywhere that plays rock music. And when they played "Figured You Out" on that Saturday night just before we left, I thought I was gonna freak out. I like that song way too much. So much so that when I was listening to it yesterday I missed the turn at Lockesburg on my way to Nashville and ended up having to go through Mineral Springs to get there. I was ten minutes late to my adjunct faculty observation.
I hate when I can't get the ideas in my head to turn off. I started on the first chapter of my sequel right after I came back from Shreveport. I had some of the first page down, then wrote the other scene that's toward the end-I had to get that one down. I worked on most of the first chapter again while at the doctor's office and the whole time I was observing Larry Cross's class. He's teaching the music class, like I do every week, so he was just lecturing on the Classical symphony...like I don't know about that already. He's doing the same things I am-so he passed his observation.
Here's some good news though-despite the two rejection(form) letters I got over the weekend. An agent from Artists & Artisans e-mailed, requesting the first five chapters. Wow. So I spent Monday morning tweaking some things and sent them in a big .pdf file. It's making me nervous, and all I can think of is what she'll find wrong with it. It's kind of a shame the middle and latter parts of the book are better than the beginning-but maybe the characters and the writing will be enough to get someone started. This agent is also a musician and dancer, and the agency doesn't have a long list of clients so maybe this is the way to go. One of the novels they sold is called the "Tuesday Erotica Club." A non-fiction book they represented is something like "The Metrosexual's Guide to Living." Not exactly high-brow literature, but that's not what I wrote. It's an indedpendent agency that's not even listed in my Writer's Market books. I always think "Wayne's World"-"I just hope you didn't think it sucked!"
That e-mail lifted my spirits some-I was beginning to get kind of down about it. But many writers have been turned down numerous times. You just have to keep trying.
I got my audition tape off to Rock Star: Season 2. The band is Tommy Lee's new band Supernova. Argggg...That would be something. I doubt the tape got there in time-I had trouble trying to figure out how to edit and Tony had to do it for me. I sent it express, but it got there a day after the Friday deadline-although the application itself said Monday March 25th. Strange, because the 25th was Saturday. Hmm...anyway, the Hawg's gig was good, but it wasn't my best. I was still battling my cold and I don't like the way I looked. I was almost over my cold until I caught one again last Friday. I went to Dr. Walker yesterday, but have to wait until I get my paycheck to go pick up my prescriptions. I should be better by the time StarDaze rolls around.
In the meantime, I'm almost finished cutting the word count on the manuscript. I took a lot out of the beginning, and have managed to cut out about 15 pages. I'm almost to the end sequence now, when they go to Las Vegas, and I've cut back the profanity and cleaned up some love scenes. (Bummer.) I'll probably have to cut the piano scene...and that turned out so well. Anyway, I'm still proud of my little hair metal love story, and am excited about its continuation. I feel like I can't get it written down fast enough. I'll probably spend all summer writing it. Then I'll be done with my sexy bass player for awhile, at least until I can get more ideas for the "prequel." It'll be sad to let him go.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Plugging Along
Well, well, well...got my first rejection e-mail today. Not for us but best of luck!
I didn't like that agency's website anyway. No, I knew I get those. Just wait till they start coming in the real mail! Where you actually have to hold it in your hand and...blah, blah, cry, cry.
I continue to fix the manuscript. I've been able to pare some chapters down. And it's getting better...the writing and the story. I've cut a lot of the profanity...which in a way is disappointing. Now I feel it's lost some of the realism and characterization. Having to clean up my drummer's language just doesn't work...
I've grown way to attached to this story. It's almost like an obsession-all I want to do is read and fix it. All I did during the gig this weekend at Hawg's was write the sequel in my head. I've got a lot of great ideas. I wrote the timeline during the faculty meeting last Friday. It's a lot of ideas I already had, but now they just keep coming. It's sad, really. I'm in love with my hero and want to be there, back in the days of my youth when spandex and eyeliner ruled. People dog it out so much now, but we really did have a good time and those are still some great tunes.
I've been in la-la land. It's tough to be locked up in your own imagination. I got too cracked up watching homestarrunner.com-Strong Bad E-mail and his stuff about death metal bands and rock operas. I was laughing so hard I was in tears. I also like that Nickelback song too much.
Don and I fixed up the extra bedroom so I have an office again. I've spent every night on the computer. It will be nice when Don's gone on this big install and I'll have the house to myself(aside from taking care of Cass) and will be able to get the manuscript polished some more. I just hope that when someone asks to look at it they won't think it sucks. I think it turned out pretty good. It's just schmaltzy commercial trash fiction-plain old-fashioned entertainment. So someone might want to read it...
I didn't like that agency's website anyway. No, I knew I get those. Just wait till they start coming in the real mail! Where you actually have to hold it in your hand and...blah, blah, cry, cry.
I continue to fix the manuscript. I've been able to pare some chapters down. And it's getting better...the writing and the story. I've cut a lot of the profanity...which in a way is disappointing. Now I feel it's lost some of the realism and characterization. Having to clean up my drummer's language just doesn't work...
I've grown way to attached to this story. It's almost like an obsession-all I want to do is read and fix it. All I did during the gig this weekend at Hawg's was write the sequel in my head. I've got a lot of great ideas. I wrote the timeline during the faculty meeting last Friday. It's a lot of ideas I already had, but now they just keep coming. It's sad, really. I'm in love with my hero and want to be there, back in the days of my youth when spandex and eyeliner ruled. People dog it out so much now, but we really did have a good time and those are still some great tunes.
I've been in la-la land. It's tough to be locked up in your own imagination. I got too cracked up watching homestarrunner.com-Strong Bad E-mail and his stuff about death metal bands and rock operas. I was laughing so hard I was in tears. I also like that Nickelback song too much.
Don and I fixed up the extra bedroom so I have an office again. I've spent every night on the computer. It will be nice when Don's gone on this big install and I'll have the house to myself(aside from taking care of Cass) and will be able to get the manuscript polished some more. I just hope that when someone asks to look at it they won't think it sucks. I think it turned out pretty good. It's just schmaltzy commercial trash fiction-plain old-fashioned entertainment. So someone might want to read it...
Friday, March 10, 2006
Now For the Real Work
Noël and Heather have both finished reading-and they love it!! I had Heather crying all the way to Houston. She was even calling me at work to tell me about it.
I got brave and sent my first e-mail queries Monday. Tuesday, I actually got a reply from Coral Press, who publishes nothing but musical fiction. He said they were more literary than commercial, but if I'd send the first two chapters, he'd take a look at it. Wow!!
I don't have my hopes up too high, but I figure if he's willing to take a look despite the fact it's not what they normally do, that's a good sign. My query letter must be pretty good. I also think having my degree and being married to a former Coral Reefer band member is helpful.
I posted a short scene-(Randy's walk on the balcony in Las Vegas)-on the Writer's Digest Forum(of course warning readers of the language) and I actually got some positive feedback, which was to tone down the profanity. Sure, I can do that, that's not a problem at all. But they liked the story...and the writing. One person said it was "intriguing and very real." Maybe too real? With all those F-bombs? These are eighties hair rockers. "Fuck" and "Shit" are as common as "and" and "the." But I guess it is pretty intense if you're just the average reader. I read back over the excerpt last night, and there's just one paragraph, Randy's rant, that goes a little overboard but the rest isn't that bad. That's me, though, but I'm used to it. Noël and Heather didn't see that as a problem, either, throughout the book. That was just normal dialogue for the time and characters. I do want the book to have a wider appeal, so I'll be using the backspace bar a lot it looks like.
I got brave and sent my first e-mail queries Monday. Tuesday, I actually got a reply from Coral Press, who publishes nothing but musical fiction. He said they were more literary than commercial, but if I'd send the first two chapters, he'd take a look at it. Wow!!
I don't have my hopes up too high, but I figure if he's willing to take a look despite the fact it's not what they normally do, that's a good sign. My query letter must be pretty good. I also think having my degree and being married to a former Coral Reefer band member is helpful.
I posted a short scene-(Randy's walk on the balcony in Las Vegas)-on the Writer's Digest Forum(of course warning readers of the language) and I actually got some positive feedback, which was to tone down the profanity. Sure, I can do that, that's not a problem at all. But they liked the story...and the writing. One person said it was "intriguing and very real." Maybe too real? With all those F-bombs? These are eighties hair rockers. "Fuck" and "Shit" are as common as "and" and "the." But I guess it is pretty intense if you're just the average reader. I read back over the excerpt last night, and there's just one paragraph, Randy's rant, that goes a little overboard but the rest isn't that bad. That's me, though, but I'm used to it. Noël and Heather didn't see that as a problem, either, throughout the book. That was just normal dialogue for the time and characters. I do want the book to have a wider appeal, so I'll be using the backspace bar a lot it looks like.
Monday, March 06, 2006
It is Finished!
Whew!
Long deep breath, sigh of relief...it's done! Now I wanna cry.
I went to my mother's and wrote all weekend, from the time I got there until 2 a.m. Sunday morning. I only stopped to eat and run around Mena for about two hours. Oh, and I did sleep some. I even took the laptop from the den to my old bedroom so I could write the last words in the exact same place I wrote the first ones. I would've been sitting in the same spot on the floor but I would've had to move the furniture.
I cried like a baby during the last chapter, and the epilogue. Not because it's that sad, it's just very emotional, and I've been trying to get to this point for almost twenty-one years. It's also sad because those days in music are gone, and I wish I could go back there. Everyone criticizes it so much now, but we had a really good time then. It was just cool...
Now the hard part-sending out query letters. I sent three via e-mail this morning. Then noticed they had a typo. Well, that's just great. I sent one to Coral Press, which is a regular publisher, and two to some agents. I thought I might as well dive in. I don't expect this book to be a national best-seller or see it as a in-depth attempt to look at hair metal and culture, I just think it's a pretty good story with cool characters and someone from my generation might enjoy reading it. It's just dirty, schmaltzy commercial fiction.
I already have a lot in mind for the sequel! Erg....
I'll miss Jon for a while. He's my dream man-my perfect male alter ego. Now it's time to take Paul Hackman's picture off my desktop. That's gonna be a tough one.
I'll just send out my queries, and hope for the best. In the meantime, my band's working on its original stuff, and our gigs kick back off this weekend in Hot Springs. Yippee!!
Long deep breath, sigh of relief...it's done! Now I wanna cry.
I went to my mother's and wrote all weekend, from the time I got there until 2 a.m. Sunday morning. I only stopped to eat and run around Mena for about two hours. Oh, and I did sleep some. I even took the laptop from the den to my old bedroom so I could write the last words in the exact same place I wrote the first ones. I would've been sitting in the same spot on the floor but I would've had to move the furniture.
I cried like a baby during the last chapter, and the epilogue. Not because it's that sad, it's just very emotional, and I've been trying to get to this point for almost twenty-one years. It's also sad because those days in music are gone, and I wish I could go back there. Everyone criticizes it so much now, but we had a really good time then. It was just cool...
Now the hard part-sending out query letters. I sent three via e-mail this morning. Then noticed they had a typo. Well, that's just great. I sent one to Coral Press, which is a regular publisher, and two to some agents. I thought I might as well dive in. I don't expect this book to be a national best-seller or see it as a in-depth attempt to look at hair metal and culture, I just think it's a pretty good story with cool characters and someone from my generation might enjoy reading it. It's just dirty, schmaltzy commercial fiction.
I already have a lot in mind for the sequel! Erg....
I'll miss Jon for a while. He's my dream man-my perfect male alter ego. Now it's time to take Paul Hackman's picture off my desktop. That's gonna be a tough one.
I'll just send out my queries, and hope for the best. In the meantime, my band's working on its original stuff, and our gigs kick back off this weekend in Hot Springs. Yippee!!
Thursday, March 02, 2006
The End is Near, Part II!
The final love scene is done. I was up till three in the morning-but it's done. It's graphic, it's dirty, it's sweaty, it's intense...I wonder how many other authors turn on porn in the background while they're trying to work. Hmmm...I actually had bags under my eyes this morning. I looked rough. It needed to written-it's been on my mind all week and my husband is worn out. *wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more*
Now on to the last chapter. And yes, it is the last chapter. There should be no Part II's or anything like that. I think it's all turned out rather well. I gave Noël the chapter this morning, with a warning that she might need a cold shower when it's all done. I won't send it to Heather until she gets to the end of Las Vegas and calls me-she'll be swearing me up and down, I'm sure of it. I'll get a call at 2 a.m. and she'll be furious!
Here's to completion!!!
Now on to the last chapter. And yes, it is the last chapter. There should be no Part II's or anything like that. I think it's all turned out rather well. I gave Noël the chapter this morning, with a warning that she might need a cold shower when it's all done. I won't send it to Heather until she gets to the end of Las Vegas and calls me-she'll be swearing me up and down, I'm sure of it. I'll get a call at 2 a.m. and she'll be furious!
Here's to completion!!!
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Hot and Bothered
What can I say...I'm so full of creative energy I can hardly stand it!
I spent last Friday digging through my original box full of Circus magazines-it was funny to go back and look at some of that stuff. I also found a binder of all my rock pictures and the original handwritten manuscript. I was afraid the box had been dumped-Don moved it into the extra closet in Cassie's room. I threw out the box itself and got a better empty from out of my office and then brought it over to show Tony and Noël. We took a cool little trip down memory lane. Then I went down to the studio to use the computer there-I was there for about three hours, getting things filled in for the LA section. When I got home I dug out my old cassettes and found the original tape of songs I recorded off of 98 Rocks the summer of '85. I decided to sit down and catalog every song I mentioned in the book, plus the songs I think should be the background music for certain scenes. I was up til almost three a.m.-because I watched Almost Famous, Rock Star, and Two Weeks Notice. Granted Two Weeks Notice isn't a rock & roll film, but there wasn't anything else on TV. The song list is huge-there's at least a hundred tunes on there. I've decided to put together my own soundtrack for the book, and it's gonna have some great stuff.
The whole band went out to Caliente Saturday night. They played one rock song the whole night "Pour Some Sugar On Me," and Don wouldn't let me dance on the pole. Go figure. I got so ripped on tequila.
I wrote most of the evening Sunday. It took me a while, but I got through a good deal of the chapter. I was right to the love scene when I had to quit from brain strain. Don went to the studio late, then called and asked, "Are you done with that love scene? Will you call me when you're finished?" Sheesh. Needless to say, I didn't even get started on it.
Monday-back to my real job. And I actually had work to do. I got some grading caught up. I did some more writing that night, even broke down and did some pen and paper stuff after I shut down my laptop. I was back at it again while giving the music test Tuesday morning. Yesterday afternoon I got stuck doing two things as once-started putting the soundtrack together and getting through the love scene when Frank called to say he was coming to talk to me. Oh, swear word! I had rock CD's piled everywhere! I did some more stuff during rehearsal last night. We've been working on original tunes, and I think the two we have are pretty good, although Don doesn't like them. It's hard to write songs, especially when you're trying to write songs.
Noël is out sick but e-mailed me from home wanting the next chapter. I had it printed up and have been trying to give it to her since Monday but she was out. I e-mailed her the first part of LA. Heather called asking if I'd sent the latest stuff to Jimmy-I had, but he's been out of town and not able to check his mail. I had called her Friday just to see how things were going-she loves the story and I told her not to be too upset with me about what was happening between my hero and his girl. I'll have it all resolved, I promise!!! Noël said she wasn't too upset but wanted these two to get their #)*$%& together!! Musicians. We're a screwy bunch.
I spent last Friday digging through my original box full of Circus magazines-it was funny to go back and look at some of that stuff. I also found a binder of all my rock pictures and the original handwritten manuscript. I was afraid the box had been dumped-Don moved it into the extra closet in Cassie's room. I threw out the box itself and got a better empty from out of my office and then brought it over to show Tony and Noël. We took a cool little trip down memory lane. Then I went down to the studio to use the computer there-I was there for about three hours, getting things filled in for the LA section. When I got home I dug out my old cassettes and found the original tape of songs I recorded off of 98 Rocks the summer of '85. I decided to sit down and catalog every song I mentioned in the book, plus the songs I think should be the background music for certain scenes. I was up til almost three a.m.-because I watched Almost Famous, Rock Star, and Two Weeks Notice. Granted Two Weeks Notice isn't a rock & roll film, but there wasn't anything else on TV. The song list is huge-there's at least a hundred tunes on there. I've decided to put together my own soundtrack for the book, and it's gonna have some great stuff.
The whole band went out to Caliente Saturday night. They played one rock song the whole night "Pour Some Sugar On Me," and Don wouldn't let me dance on the pole. Go figure. I got so ripped on tequila.
I wrote most of the evening Sunday. It took me a while, but I got through a good deal of the chapter. I was right to the love scene when I had to quit from brain strain. Don went to the studio late, then called and asked, "Are you done with that love scene? Will you call me when you're finished?" Sheesh. Needless to say, I didn't even get started on it.
Monday-back to my real job. And I actually had work to do. I got some grading caught up. I did some more writing that night, even broke down and did some pen and paper stuff after I shut down my laptop. I was back at it again while giving the music test Tuesday morning. Yesterday afternoon I got stuck doing two things as once-started putting the soundtrack together and getting through the love scene when Frank called to say he was coming to talk to me. Oh, swear word! I had rock CD's piled everywhere! I did some more stuff during rehearsal last night. We've been working on original tunes, and I think the two we have are pretty good, although Don doesn't like them. It's hard to write songs, especially when you're trying to write songs.
Noël is out sick but e-mailed me from home wanting the next chapter. I had it printed up and have been trying to give it to her since Monday but she was out. I e-mailed her the first part of LA. Heather called asking if I'd sent the latest stuff to Jimmy-I had, but he's been out of town and not able to check his mail. I had called her Friday just to see how things were going-she loves the story and I told her not to be too upset with me about what was happening between my hero and his girl. I'll have it all resolved, I promise!!! Noël said she wasn't too upset but wanted these two to get their #)*$%& together!! Musicians. We're a screwy bunch.
