Immersion and mis-estimates…
Crime novelist P.D. James
C.E. Grundler
For the last few weeks I’ve been neck deep in a round of edits so immersive that it’s all I can do sometimes to pull myself free and return to the ‘real’ world. I’ve been working in eight to ten hour binges. I used to set a timer to remind myself to stop to take a break now and then, but I’m finding the ‘puppy’ system works even better, because puppies don’t have snooze buttons and unlike my older boys, when Emma needs a walk that’s not negotiable. And while she plays and snoozes, I work.
I have to admit, for me, this is when the real writing fun begins. All the heavy lifting is over. The story is solid, cohesive, and now it’s just a matter of tidying things up, tweaking the flow of scenes and dialog, indulging in all that scenery previously flagged with a simple <> or the like. The first time around I didn’t invest time into those details — no sense dressing up scenes that might not make the final cut. But now everything that lacked the drive, didn’t pack a punch or paint the right picture is gone, the structure is rock-solid. Now it’s all fun and games, at least until someone gets hurt…then the real fun begins! True, this is also the phase when I have the tendency to switch from moderately reclusive to full-blown shut in, wearing the same ratty sweater for days while surrounded by an ever-changing collection of cold, half-empty coffee mugs, a bowl of popcorn, and a half-eaten apple. And that’s why the quote at the beginning of this post made me smile.
I’ve always considered writing a solitary endeavor, at least, the way I approach it, and that meshes perfectly with my solitary ways. I’m not saying that’s a good thing or a bad one. As writers, we’ll all fall into our own comfort zones on the spectrum of social vs. solitary, and each has its own advantages when it comes to writing and marketing. Personally speaking, my contentment with isolation works for me. And when I read that quote I thought, “Lonely? Not in the least.” I’ve never felt lonely, surrounded by a world of characters with lives unfolding as they’re faced with trials and tragedies intended to push them to their limits. True, it is me throwing them into the fire, off a rooftop, or under the bus, (in this book I take that metaphor semi-literally.) I don’t have time to be lonely — I’m too busy herding crazy characters.
On another note, after decades of living with assorted variations of mutt varieties, the universe decided to play a fun one on me. I’ll start by saying Emma has to be one of the sweetest, most well-mannered dogs I have ever encountered. She’s curious, playful, and all around as delightful as any puppy, but she’s also surprisingly intelligent and quick to learn commands. In the past, the dogs who found us were normally full grown, so you have a general idea what you’re dealing with, size-wise. My entire life, that size has always been large and up, and I’ll be the first to admit, this 10 pound bundle had me stumped. As you can see by the photos, she looks like a baby pit-mix. Moxie was a pit-mix, and Moxie was seventy-five pounds. Surely if Emma was so tiny, it was just because she was so young…
Blur-Dog certainly looks like a pit-pot-luck.
Well, not quite as young. Yes, Emma has a mouth full of pinchy puppy teeth — about four months worth, according to the vet. She’s older than we first thought, and she’ll likely top out at twenty pounds.
Twenty pounds??? But thats… a LITTLE dog!
Normal dog sized Loki beside carry-on size Emma
Okay, all of you out there with those itty bitty dogs, stop laughing. Twenty pounds IS little, when over my entire lifespan, dogs ranged from 55 pounds up to 90. Despite being only 5’2″ myself, I’m a ’big-dog’ person; it’s just what I’m used to. A cat-sized dog is taking some adjustment, though I will admit with each passing day I’m discovering the advantages to a tote-bag dog. Such as…
BATHS:
Easiest dog bath I’ve ever done. Ever. EVER!
Anyone who ever wrestled 90 pounds of reluctant, miserable, dejected dog around a bathtub knows what I mean. Nothing about that task is easy, and the older I get, the more my back curses me. But not with porta-dog! Simply place in sink, wash, rinse, repeat. Work at counter level — no strained back lifting or leaning over. Fast, fun, and easy!
STORAGE/PORTABILITY:
Confuse-A-Cat! (Anyone?)
Big dogs require big spaces. Rex regularly lays directly beneath my chair when I write, and there isn’t exactly enough space for my feet and sixty or so pounds of fur. But not with mini-dog. Mini-dog can share your lap, or simply tucks itself into the nearest boat-bag, which also serves as easy transport. In fact, hot-pink boat-bag has become a favorite dog bed. On the boat, where space is a commodity, smaller is definitely better!
FEEDING:
Little dog = little meal portions. Food doesn’t come in 50 pound bags, and it doesn’t cost as much. Less food goes in, which, in turn, leads to…
POOP PICKUP:
…Less to come out. Being one sixth her big brothers’ size, she deposits 1/6th sized treasures. With the boys, sometimes it’s like picking up after ponies. Emma could use the cat box and I wouldn’t know who left what.
EXTREME CUTENESS:
Without any point of reference, Emma’s proportions could be that of a dog many times her size, and that’s what makes her diminutive stature so insanely adorable. Still, I’m training her with the same rules as everyone else: Know our commands, no jumping, cats get absolute respect, and only calm, polite dogs get pet. I expect the same manners from everyone, regardless of size or how cute they are. And as of this morning, she’s losing the pointy hip bones and ribs skinny puppy look. The scale read a whole 12 pounds.
And on that note, it’s time to take the kids for a walk, then back to my edits.
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