Eva Pasco's Blog - Posts Tagged "wip"

With a little help from my friends!

Fellow Indie Fab author, Joanne Van Leerdam, made the suggestion. It was “huzzahed” by the other Fab authors: Lyra Shanti, Aliya DalRae, JB Richards, and R.M. Gauthier.

That suggestion? Compile all 100 of my Sixties Memoirs into an eBook!

This turned out to be an offer I couldn’t refuse because I see this project as passing on a legacy of family memories to my grandnephew who lives on the opposite west coast. My sister, his grandmother, is also keen on the idea because her grandson enjoys listening to her relate stories about her childhood. The collection will enable him to get a glimpse of a maternal great grandfather he never met. The endeavor of dredging dormant memories of my childhood and adolescence enabled me to relive the past and celebrate the spirit of my father who passed from this life too soon.

The beginning:

After the publication of my first Contemporary Women’s Fiction novel 'Underlying Notes' (2007), I sought ways to market and promote it. Because there are elements of the Sixties scattered throughout, I composed and submitted a Memoir to
'The Sixties Official Site.' Webmaster, Carl Hoffman, graciously suggested I become a regular contributor, offering me a featured page on the site. I did just that, and cruised along writing ninety-nine more, along with numerous Retro Flashbacks.

http://the60sofficialsite.com/The-Six...

My first Memoir—"A Mini Tribute to Twiggy"

Twiggy allowed me to become a trendsetter my freshman year of high school. "The Face of 66"—that’s what London's Daily Express called Leslie Hornby (Twiggy) at the age of 16. Skinny, waiflike, hair chopped into a boyish cut, the modish ingénue became the world's first supermodel, and at the same time, my heroic icon.

Twiggy allowed me to become a trendsetter my freshman year of high school. While most of my teen peers were ironing their long hair straight after the Beatles made landfall in America, it became Greaser passé for me to backcomb or rat tease my hair to dizzying heights. While most girls my age developed curves and began to veer into the fast lane, I was rake thin and bookish. Kids in my homeroom affectionately called me "Skinny Bones" or "The Brain."

Twiggy's debut on the model runway put everything in perspective for me. Suddenly, I transformed into one of the cutest kids in ninth grade sporting my new chic Vidal Sassoon haircut with a peek-a-boo wave, and showing off my fawn legs in fishnet stockings as I sashayed down the classroom aisles in miniskirts.

Today, Twiggy Lawson still offers us Sixties Chicks inspiration with her ethereal beauty, chic manner of dress, and super achievements through acting and singing. Twiggy herself is quoted as saying, "The Sixties were a time when ordinary people could do extraordinary things."

Working in earnest to get these Memoirs road ready for eBook publication, I’ve rounded up 41 thus far. Huzzah!

Potato or Potahto

Tomato or Tomahto
Laughter or Larfter

("Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," a song written by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin for the 1937 film 'Shall We Dance')

Plotter or Pantser—or a little of both?

You’re considered a “plotter” if you outline the story of your novel.

You’re considered a “pantser” if you develop the story of your novel as you go along.

In REAL life, even though the best laid plans of mice and men/women tend to go awry, I’m a plotter. Planning my day from sunrise to sunset assures that I’ll make the most of every purpose-driven minute.

In stark contrast, when it comes to writing, I’m a pantser all the way. Although, I might jot down the names of a few characters, and visualize where the story is going from start to finish, nothing is engraved in stone—let alone written down! As soon as I start typing, the twists and turns navigated by my characters pull me along for the ride.

My latest WIP, rounding the bend to the finish line, and illustrative of utilizing the pantser process, is my Contemporary tale, “Mr. Wizardo,” loosely based on L. Frank Baum’s 'The Wonderful World of Oz.' A childhood favorite of mine in third grade, I’d repeatedly sign this book out of the school library to read it over and over.

In REAL Time:

Coming soon—an anthology, 'Once Upon a Fabulous Time,' comprised of the aforementioned tale written by me, Eva Pasco, and those contributed by my fellow Indie Fabs: Aliya DalRae, R.M. Gauthier, JB Richards, Lyra Shanti, and JoAnne Van Leerdam.

Most of us are scrambling by the seat of our pants to meet the self-imposed deadline.

A powerful winter storm referred to as a “bomb cyclone” due to barometric pressure expected to drop at least 24 millibars within a time frame of 24 hours, holds the Northeast hostage in its grip. New Englanders are battening down the hatches as lots of snow, bitter cold, strong winds and blizzard conditions prevail.

An Indie author confined to the comforts of home, I intend to make inroads with my writing, hoping my efforts aren’t hindered by a power outage. Holding steadfast to a promise made to myself for the New Year, I’ve dabbled with my WIP in the genre of Contemporary.

As my signature trademark is that of incorporating geographic entities, historic landmarks, and regional culture inherent to my native state—I established the setting for 'Aida’s Fishing Ground' (current working title): Foster, Rhode Island.

Prior to taking a drive through the town to better appreciate this locale, the setting inspired me to compile preliminary research to ground my fictitious story in realism, thereby blurring the lines of distinction between fact and fiction.

Meantime, delineating characters and plotting scenarios are channeling my imagination to cerebrally compose my story by adopting the “pantser” approach to writing it.

Should blizzard conditions force their hand in causing a power outage, I’ll resort to pen and paper, feeling some affinity with those great writers of yesteryear who produced their literary masterpieces by candlelight.

In my neck of the woods we’ve already experienced that mid-winter rise in temperature which occurs in January. An Indie author, I’ve experienced my own mid-winter spiritual rise through an increase in production for my WIP: Contemporary Women’s Fiction—'Aida’s Fishing Ground.' What may have started off slowly at the beginning of 2018, gained momentum from mid-January.

Every Indie author has his/her signature style, writing goals, and work ethic.

Adhering to my author signature of incorporating historic events, geographic entities, and regional culture pertaining to my native state of Rhode Island, I’ve conducted plenty of research on the rural town of Foster, which is wending its way through the novel.

Striving to blur the lines of demarcation between fact and fiction, this week, for the juncture of chapter 2, I found it necessary to research “fly-fishing” even though my novel is not about “fishing” per se. Another one of my author signatures is that of creating a book title with multiple meanings.

During my January thaw, I’ve managed to draft the prologue, chapter 1, and the beginning of chapter 2 at 2,416 words.

While other Indies are probably dancing circles around me for daily word input, steadfast in their goal to publish a few to several books this year, I’m resolute in “angling” my way.

A writer whose primary genre is that of Contemporary, I take pride in blurring the line of demarcation between fact and fiction throughout the storytelling process. I surmise many writers of fiction strive for the same, and take great pains to do so.

For me, this is achieved through research, ranging from pragmatic to perverse topics of interest.

This week, my spin revolved around a benign Internet search regarding my WIP. Chapter 23, a segment delving into the past—the spring of 1950, necessitated I research popular songs of that year. I even delved so far as to check the month of release, predicating that I cite a few released in 1949 for on-point accuracy.

Authenticate! Authenticate! Authenticate!

Boo hoo! No Elvis Presley or Connie Francis!

Of fascination to me:

On March 31, 1949, RCA Victor introduced the 45 rpm record, 7 in. across with a 1 ½ hole in the middle. It became the industry standard.

Unbeknownst to me:

From 1949 – 1950, RCA color coded their vinyls:

Black – Popular Music
Ruby Red – Classical and Opera
Cherry Red – Blues and Gospel
Green – Country
Yellow – Children’s records
Midnight Blue – Show tunes & Popular Classics
Sky Blue - International

*Did any of the aforementioned make the cut in chapter 23? No!

Typically, I only use a tidbit or two of my findings for authenticating the spin I’m in. Ironically, I did mention, matter-of-factly and nonchalantly, something not stated in this blog:

Frankie Laine’s “Mule Train”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNkRc...

At this juncture along life’s journey, I’m digging in my heels to simplify and declutter my surroundings. I’m leaving no stone unturned in my tour of duty to sort, weed out the extraneous, and donate/discard. I find the process liberating and exhilarating.

Likewise, at this juncture along my literary journey, I’m digging in my heels to progress further along my WIP. Having finished drafting chapter 38, I exercised my better judgment to divide the chapter in two.

In doing so, other things fell neatly into place:

Part One: Chapters 1 – 20

Part Two: Chapters 21 – 39

Part Three: Chapters 40 - ? (I’ll need to dig in my heels first)

Part Four: (To be determined)

Up until my arrival at chapter 40, I hadn’t planned on a part four. In my opinion, that is the awesomeness of writing a novel by winging it all the way.

I’ll certainly be digging my way back to chapter 21 to set the stage for writing chapter 40.

Halfway through this Contemporary, I am closer to seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, although I can’t predict when I’ll reach my final destination. Of utmost importance—leaving no stone unturned in polishing and perfecting my fifth major composition before deeming it road ready for publication.

Similar to purging closets, a writer must declutter by sorting and discarding what detracts from the story.

From where I stand, digging in one’s heels is preferable to dragging one’s feet.

Eva’s Authors Den Page: https://tinyurl.com/yycm7d2w
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