So, Why All These Posts?

Simple, really. We have internet connection today. In the country, where we reside, internet is very, very spotty. We came to a town yesterday and today and now we have internet.

This blog was created for the dozen or so people that will be willing to take a chance on the new ebook that’s coming out, The Smile Ambassadors, (shameless plug). Two, or maybe three of those people might want to know a little more about: A. the author, and B. the stars of the book.

So, here we are, in a hotel room, hooked up to the aether and combining those 0′s and 1′s into something we hope is coherent. While we are here, we might as well delve into something with substance; the writing process. First, a little music please.

It is as simple as that. Music. We use it as both a “white noise,” and an adjunct to have the creative juices flow. Being a bit older than most of the kitties out there, we still have a memory of decent music on which to draw.

But, to get back to the writing bit. Years ago, in another time, in another land, writing was our vocation. We wrote by the deadline. That was fun. It was not that “take your time its a newspaper” kind of deadline. No, it was real, hard, up against the clock deadline. When that second hand swooped to the top of the clock, the microphone was live, and one better have something to say, because dead air is just so….tacky.

Yup… was a radio newsman back in the day.

We digress. Ahem, “The Process of Writing.” For every writer, there is a different process. For ourselves, it all begins as a swirling, nebulous cloud. A germ of an idea, if you will. The swirling goes round, much like the creation of a galaxy. And that is where the music plays a part.

You have to hand it to Grateful Dead fans. They collect Dead music in all shapes and forms. Some compile hours of the same song done over 20 or so years. Take the song, ‘Eyes of the World,’ for example. One enterprising soul gathered about six hours of that tune from various concerts. the assemblage begins in the early 70s and takes you through to the early 90′s. Six hours of the same song. But what happens when one begins listening is that a certain groove begins to take hold. That swirling nebulous idea continues its swirl, ’round and ’round. What happens next is that the center becomes tighter. The germ of the idea becomes focused. Meat is added to that bit of an idea as the swirling music continues in its circular motion. The bits of notes fly off the swirl and attach themselves to the germ of an idea. Until, now, there is a plot!

Continue further down the path, or rabbit hole, if you will, and you have an outline. At this point it is important to run from the barn to the house to grab a pencil and jot down some quick notes before the swirling takes it all away.

Now, one has an outline. The whole story has been flashing before your eyes as the notes have played in your ears. Now, its only a matter of expanding on that quick glimpse you were allowed.

Ah, and that is where the fun begins.

Oh, did we fail to mention, that we are down in the barn making tie dye when this all happens?