Reb MacRath's Blog, page 39

One-month Report on Marathon First-Drafting

By setting, and sticking to, a minimum goal of 500 words daily, I've nearly drafted the first third of the new Boss MacTavin novel since November 5.  Generally, I've managed 700 words, occasionally 800 or 900.  From now on detailed outlines are the way I plan to fly because I enjoy the security...and the rush that always follows deviating from the plan.

Next challenge: starting the clerical duties--typing what I've written on a schedule that I must determine.  Wren Doloro has suggested Moleskine's 'EverNote' notebook, which transmits written text into digital form.  I'll use that for the next book!  Now, without sacrificing speed, I must begin the typing--or face a massi ve typing task three months down the road.

Motivational tactic:  regard the weekly typing as a substitute for things I liked about the old cyclical method:  write 50-75 pages...stop...put it through three drafts...then carry on again.  As I type I can refresh my memory on key character and plot points...determine if the pacing is still on point...etc.

What do I like best about Marathon First-Drafting?  I'm high on the sense of momentum.  I love the creative adventure, undiluted by clerical drudgery.  Each page is a fresh discovery.

And what's the greatest challenge, for me?  Going with it in the spirit of making the world's greatest mudpie--something that needs worlds of work but is a living blast to bake.  Shaking that ancient sense of right and wrong, that old fear of 'mistakes'.

I'm having the time of my life. :)

How 1 and 2 Equals One

SOUTHERN SCOTCH and THE ALCATRAZ CORRECTION are both Boss MacTavin novels...but they're very different books in terms of tone, style and character.  For readers who've downloaded both, it may be useful to know a few things.

SOUTHERN SCOTCH is a genesis story, subtitled "The Bloody Rise of Boss MacTavin".  Though Boss bears next to no resemblance to James Bond, I had in mind a three-book arc similar to what Daniel Craig seemed to have planned with Casino Royale."  When Pete McGregor, a flamed-out Scottish athlete, ends up in the wrong place in Atlanta one night, he's half-blinded and beaten terribly.  Five years later, he comes back with a new name and a new look, on the trail of the bastards who beat him.  Boss has grown in wealth and power, but his spirit is still crude--largely shaped by his passion for Mickey Spillane and his towering thirst for revenge.  This first tale is narrated by Dodge Cunningham, a young rogue who'd indirectly helped cause the beating that night.  Through other eyes, I believe, we can better see the change in Boss as the trail leads him to the heart of the Atlanta porn trade.  It's a wild, bloody ride but at the end Boss has changed and is prepared for higher ground.

THE ALCATRAZ CORRECTION takes place three years later.  Boss is partly based in San Francisco and he's doing quite nicely in business and love.  Though he still has his quirks and edge, and though he can be brutal,  he's developed a a strong code and a passion for proper Corrections.  Boss tells the story this time.  I know readers will warm to the difference.

And for those who miss the Dodge Charge that only seemed to be 'talking' in SS, there's a Hertz in TAC that's anything but 'just' a Hertz.

I can scarcely excite my containment!

The magic days are almost here: four free books for two full days:

Friday 11/30 through Saturday 12/1

The four titles and links appear on the right side of this blog.  I've devoted my life to my writing and I celebrate this chance to share what I've learned with you.

Four tales of mystery, romance and suspense...delivered with style and passion and wit.

Welcome to MacRathWorld.  You won't regret your visit.  Cheers!

Reb

MACRATHWORLD GOES TOTALLY FREE

Yes, for two days my four ebooks  will be reduced to a Yule-perfect price:

Dates and links will appear here tomorrow.

Download...Sample...Then enjoy, knowing that you're in good hands.

Do that sexy thang, First Draft!

An older dog learns a new trick:

I've always favored the cyclical approach: composing a novel in sections and stopping to do a few drafts of each part.  And don't let anyone tell you there aren't advantages to this.  There are.  The  biggest two are that the writer's confidence is boosted, as is his/her memory of particulars/placement of clues, etc.  Plus, of course, it's far easier to do the end-drafts than it is to start revising a novel of 300 pages or more.

But to survive the new ebook jungle, I needed to learn some new footwork if I were to put on some speed.  Two to five years between books wouldn't do.

One month into the new novel, I'm able to say this:  There's a greater sense of momentum and thrust in just getting the tale on the page, not stopping to polish every other month.  I enjoy the fearless pleasure of this mudpie-making phase--playing, taking chances, discovering as I go.  And I've learned to steel my mind against thoughts of the rewriting chores I will face.

Four months to get it all down on paper.  Four to five months to revise.  Then three months to plot and outline the following year's work.  I'm stoked!

Memo to myself, though:  Be sure to type up the handwritten pages at least every other week to avoid a month of typing at the end of the first draft.

THE BIG BRAWL: CLAUDE BOUCHARD & HENCHMEN

I had a dream. I got to spar with four favorite ebook writers whom I've never met:
CLAUDE BOUCHARD (CB). You all know Claude: the charming and amiable author of The Vigilante series. Claude, in fact, uses his charm to conceal his deadly skill at entrapment.RUSSELL BLAKE (RB). You know Russell too, or think you do. Prolific isn't the word for this man. His output is staggering. So is his hype. I see Napoleon reborn—with the heart of a komodo dragon. Beware!JOHN A. A. LOGAN (JL). You love the brilliant mind behind THE SURVIVAL OF THOMAS FORD and STORM DAMAGE. But did you know that Logan boxed and also served as a trainer? He'll pound all hell out of my penchant for fun unless my wits are reinforced. KIRKUS MAGOWAN (KM). You know the gentle giant behind THE FALL OF BILLY HITCHINGS and WRATH. But did you know he's almost mastered the Karate technique 'The Black Hug'?

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!The stadium has filled.  And refreshments have been served.  Please refrain from throwing beer or carrot juice at the contestants.  The Big Brawl begins in 4...3...2..Go!

ROUND ONE
CB: You've got so many names, Reb, I hardly know where to begin. El Reberoo, The Rebster...You've also gone by Kelley Wilde?RM: Don't stop there, babe. Carry on: My other pen names include Dodge Cunningham, Johnnie Allegro, Nick Mercurio, Cherokee Blacke...CB: But your birth name--RM: Bubba, stop right there. Or I'll tell the world you're Italian.CB: You watch your mouth, I was born in Quebec!RM: But your accent's Italian.CB: As if you would know! I've never even talked with you!RM: Hey, whose dream is this anyway?CB: Let's back up a second. You're not even Scottish, dude. You were born in Buffalo.RM: Oh, for crissake. Next you'll be telling the world that I'm not pint-sized either.CB: You're over six-feet talL, Reb!RM: Okay, now I'm taking the gloves off. I 'd like to remind you my Aunt Esther said: 'From my earliest girlhood I worshiped men's feet. But now that I'm older I've had to cut down. One foot, give or take an inch, is all my doc allows me. Even so, I'm proud to say, there's no rest for the wicket in my door.'CB: WHAT'S THAT GOT TO DO WITH ANYTHING!RM: As much to do as my having been born in Buffalo or anywhere. We find our real roots through long searching. The answer's in our blood, our bones. I'm from Edinburgh, not Buffalo. CB: Reb, have some Ben and Jerry's ice cream...gargle with salt water...and you'll be fine. Maybe then I'll be able to tell if I'm talking with Groucho Marx, Oscar Wilde or Andy Warhol. RM: Lunch, you say? You're paying? Swell! In that case, you can bring a companion. Hell, bring one for yourself as well. I promise not to tell a soul who won't swear to repeat it.CB: AUGHHHHHHHH!
(CB retires to his chair, signaling he's won the round.)
ROUND TWO
RB: Hey, everybody, check out these amazing 5-star reviews for Jet 3, 4, 5 and 6, the four latest installments of my new action series--RM: Russ, please. Remember the rule? No touts or links allowed here.RB: Rules are meant to be broken. RM: Not in The Big Brawl.RB: But I can't engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent. What else can I do but promote my own work? You're not exactly setting the charts on fire, kiddo.RM: True.RB: I mean, just to set the record straight: You've published four novels a lifetime ago with two major publishers. One award but crappy sales. Now you've published four online. I publish eight in a year, at the least. So Big Brawl is a little misleading.  More like Mosquito Smackdown?RM: Yes and No.RB: I get the Yes. But how's the No?RM: Aunt Esther once said of her old friend Estelle: 'That woman adored getting married. The gowns, the gifts, the bands—the gifts! But terribly, invariably, the honeymoon always...began. Back to the salt mines on white satin sheets.'RB: It would take me a lot more tequila than I'm able to afford to start to fathom what that means.RM: In its own way, it celebrates nonsense. Just as you or I celebrate nonsense if we believe for a moment that we can control our compulsions in art. I don't believe you deliberately chose to work 20-hour days in order to turn out a novel a month. And length of composition is no guarantee of quality.  If it were, no one would read a great quickie called ON THE ROAD. You do this because you must—you were born to write your way. And I never chose to spend 20 years on THE ALCATRAZ CORRECTION.RB: You just touted your own work! RM: Why not, it's my dream. If I can't cheat here, where can I?
(RB storms back to his chair, flashing links to those reviews.)
ROUND THREE
JL: All right, lad, you've had your fun. What are you really up to? You've got two series going now that couldn't be more different, not only from each other but from everything else online. On the one hand, we have two short Christmas thrillers filled with poetry and romance. On the other, we have the thrillers starring Boss MacTavin, hardboiled and bloody and loaded with shocks. RM: True, they do seem to be miles apart. But the Xmas thrillers have their shocks and the other books have their romance. 'Hard-won' happy endings are common to them all. There's more violence, for sure, in the MacTavin novels. But I'm as meticulous as I can be about the way I edit it—I've always preferred the Hitchcock way of cutting at the moment of impact.JL: Do you think it's wise to proceed with your plan to re-issue your first book, THE SUITING, written all those years ago? That's much darker than your writing now.RM: It's still a fun book. Why disown it? Besides, I'll reissue it as “The Perfector's Cut”, using the skills I've acquired since then to finetune and clarify, expand. I'll also add a new original piece. Re-owning this piece of my past is a vital step for me in owning my new work.JL: One thing about you troubles me. May I...come out with both lips blazing?RM: Do. But I'm demoralized that only one thing troubles you. Me, I love having high-maintenance friends, worth every emotional penny they cost. After all, as old Aunt Esther said--JL: Reb, please. I swear to Jesus, I'll be ill.RM: I hope not. You can't have your cake and toss your cookies, you know.JL: Aren't you concerned in the slightest about this madcap persona of yours? You're a serious writer who acts like a clown. Show more respect for your work, for Christ's sake!RM: I show due respect for my work, lad, any time I drop a jaw or turn an ear my way, perhaps catching sufficient attention to inspire a beleaguered, busy soul to download some opening pages. In a landscape that's cluttered with more and more signs, I do whatever it takes to stand out, proclaiming simply: Eat at Reb's.JL: Will you just try that someday without dressing like Ronald McDonald?RM: I can only quote Aunt Esther: 'Strictly stylistically speaking, sometimes I feel like a 44D stuck in a roomful of Twiggies.'
(JL, with enormous dignity, throws up his hands, says 'My round' to the judges and goes back to his chair.)
ROUND FOUR
KM: Reb, as you've said, I'm a plain speaker. I want to come straight to the point--RM: You know, I lived in San Francisco—where a strayed loin was the quickest way to get from Pant A to Pant B.KM: That may be. But I'm talking about points and not about pants. My position on your work's grown stronger. Your word play really is unique—but it gets in the way of the story.RM: In what way?KM: In what way what?RM: In what way does it get in the way?KM: Sometimes a sentence feels....loaded, you know? Like, the sentence has more than one meaning. And every now and then I stop to wonder WTF or to enjoy the word play. Reb, the style should be in the background of a proper thriller. We shouldn't be aware of it. We shouldn't even be aware that we're reading something that's been written. I mean, we should feel smack dab in the middle of a movie on the page.RM: Aye, that's one way of reading a thriller. And one way of writing one. But—let me mention two dear dead old names—if you read a thriller by Richard (The Manchurian Candidate) Condon or Lawrence (The First Deadly Sin) Sanders, you'd be amazed at how wonderfully and wittily they write.KM: Okay. But times have changed. And, remember, we're writing for Kindle.RM: Too true. But let's give readers whole worldfuls of choices, from enjoyable quickies they read in a night to books they may play with a couple of days.KM: Dude, your sales are gonna blow.RM: That depends on whether my instincts are right.KM: And what do your instincts tell you?RM: That there are others like myself in search of books they can, and must, and will put down repeatedly. To gather a tan in the sun of the style. Or savor a tryst with a foxy young phrase.KM: Still, sometimes I like your Tweets better.
(KM goes back to his chair, certain his last quip has won him the round.)
The panel deliberates. And it's anybody's guess who's won. The Rebster may still have a chance—till Claude Bouchard springs from his chair, pointing a finger at Reb.
CB: As my Aunt Francine said, 'There's no Battle of the Sexes—just a Battle of the Sixes, waged by men who are jealous of those blessed with nine.”
Reb falls to the floor, mortally wounded, it seems. The hardly-needed countdown starts. 10...9..8..
But at 6, Reb's fingers twitch.
And at 4, he sits bolt upright.
And at 2, he's on his feet.
And before he's counted out, he roars:
“Abstinence makes the fond grow harder!”
The judges cheer. MacRath wins by a point.
NOTE: The above verbal exchanges took place only in my dream. But I thank my assailants for coming and I also thank all four for the fabulous novels they've written.

Ken McKea's Narrative Mischief and Magic

If you haven't discovered Ken McKea (aka Brad Strickland)'s high-powered Jim Dallas thrillers, you're in for a real treat.  now's the right time to catch up.  Eden Feint is the third installment of the proposed thirteen-part series, at once a tribute to the great John D. MacDonald and a fresh departure.  Taken together, the first three books are like the opening movement of a rich classical score.  McKea's about to shake things up, I believe, in the second movement.  So start now and be prepared.  Here's my Amazon review of Eden Feint:


The third in the series of Jim Dallas thrillers should signal the end of Phase One, if author Ken McKea's on point...as I suspect he is.  I say this because the first three books are variations not on a theme but on a narrative tack:  we don't meet the villain till very late in each book.  In Atlanta Bones, we're ungraware of the villain's existence for quite some time.  Cuban Dagger pulls off a magical twist on this technique by naming the villain early on...having Dallas spot him in passing--and then seeing the results of the assassin's cruel work with the knife, building up our sense of fear before the big brawl at the end...and Eden Feint?  I'll avoid plot spoilers except to say that there are more than one and once again we're made to wait.

This is a wonderful, beautifully written novel with a crackerjack mystery at its core.  And Dallas and his huge part-Seminole semi-pacifist friend Sam have grown into one of the great mystery teams.  McKea has shown painstaking care in developing the theme of Jim Dallas's transcendence of his burn scars.  The other theme, Dallas's drive for revenge--and his ticking off the days on the calendar until his wife's killers leave prison is really picking up steam here.

But:  my New Year's prayer is that a second phase begins with the fourth Jim Dallas novel.  In the next outing I want some serious action on the page, not off.  And I need for Dallas to square off against a terrifying foe--one who's in sight from the get-go.  In other words, I need the big guy to get in more serious trouble.

That said, five stars--because McKea writes wonderfully, his settings are terrific, the characters are compelling and deep...and because somewhere John D. MacDonald is smiling.

But Reb Baby, What is an Anytime Yule?

Strategy must never lag in an attempt to become a brand name.  So I reviewed my branding progress...

At this point, I have four books that fall evenly into two camps: Reb's Rebel Yell Crime Tales for Bad Boys and Girls comprises SOUTHERN SCOTCH and THE ALCATRAZ CORRECTION, both starring Boss MacTavin, the very soul of Southern Scotch. The second camp I labeled Reb's Rebel Yell Yuletide Chillers, containing NOBILITY and THE VANISHING MAGIC OF SNOW.

The first camp seems effectively covered, the camp tag suggesting that these are both thrillers and wild rides.  Definitely not for those who prefer cozies...but tailor-made for those who like bloody good, good bloody fun.  And I regularly reinforce the Southern Scotch connection on this blog, Twitter, Facebook and my website.

The second camp tag, though, I've started to think may be selling these Yules short.  When I set out, years ago, to revolutionize the Xmas book industry, I envisioned a series of short, suspenseful tales that could be read any time of the year.  Not tales that just happened to be set (Die Hard, for example, or Reindeer Games), at Christmas.  Not sentimental schlock that could only be read in December.  No, I saw something new and different and exciting:  little thrillers fusing Christmas with other holidays...while remaining top-notch reads any old day of the year.

NOBILITY commemorates Christmas and July 4th in the story of a Man Without a Country who takes on a gang of pickpockets on board the Amtrak Crescent.  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008VAGH7Q

THE VANISHING MAGIC OF SNOW celebrates both Christmas and Thanksgiving in the tale of a man who uses magic to transcend the recession that's ruined him.  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007VCCI0K


The third book in the series will fuse Christmas and April Fool's...

The camp tag, I decided, had to reinforce my binary approach.  And so I've decided to change it on Amazon to "Reb's Rebel Yell Anytime Yuletide Chillers".

Fingers crossed.  We grow as we go or we perish.

Hi-ho!

Coming Attractions

11/11:  A provocative piece about my "Anytime" Yule chillers"....and why they can and should be read any ole day of the year.  Including April Fool's Day, when the third one will go Live.

11/15:  A review of Ken McKea's third Jim Dallas thriller, Eden Feint.

11/18:  A wild and woolly Q&A with Reb MacRath himself!  Not even CLAUDE BOUCHARD UNCHAINED has prepared you for this free-for-all.

Getting Back to Five

Brad Strickland repeats some terrific advice on his blog http://kenmckea.blogspot.com Do three things daily to advance your writing or your work.  If you think about it, that's about a thousand steps a year.  Quite a bit can be accomplished if those steps are well-directed.

I plan to up the ante, though, returning to a little game I played years back, called Five.  I'd had a five-year plan, in fact, and worked with daily lists of five.  The trouble was, I'd stumbled on so many different fronts that my lists were too dispersed: I needed a new job in a new city, a decent apartment, good furniture and clothes, etc.  I needed to get back in shape.  I needed a new circle of friends.  As you can imagine, five years turned into six...then seven...and then eight...and on till I stopped with the practice of five.  I never stopped struggling, I never stopped writing, I never stopped sending out queries--but I abandoned the practice of Five.

Brad's inspired me to return to it...and this time to narrow my focus.  Right down to the head of a pin.  Five things daily, without fail, related to my writing, publishing online and starting to build more momentum. The main step, taken daily--ah, these multiples of five!--will be getting  500 words down on paper.  I must also work daily at strengthening my presence on Twitter, Facebook, and various book forums, etc.

Soon I'll record a sample log for one week, either here or on Brad's blog.  Brad liked the concept of Five, but suggested 3 daily writing goals and 2 daily personal goals.  I like the idea of the two personal goals...but will hold fast to five for the writing.  At this point in my life, 1825 steps a year appeals to me more than a thousand.  And 730 personal steps may help put a still bigger smile on my mug. So, seven is heaven, though I'll call it Five.

Stay tuned for occasional updates.