Turtle Slow

Well hello there~ 

It’s been a frantic cluster of days.  I’ve been sequestered in a literary box with wagon wheels carrying me forward “turtle slow” across the country.  There’ve been many bumps along the way, one of which is finding the time and energy to keep the momentum.  Real life happens and with Memorial Day being this past Monday, I’ve lost a day of writing.

The story is going well.  I set my focus on hyper drive and accomplished two chapters.  I see the end in site and will hopefully be tying everything up within the next week or two.  I had hoped to submit a finished-edited work by the last day of school on Amazon so that I’d be free to dedicate more attention to my 15 year old underfoot, but sometimes even the best of plans need to be altered.  I’ll be lucky to turn in a rough draft for editing at that point.  Let’s see if I can maintain the wind in my sails so that my editor can soon work her magic, red pen and all. 

I’m aiming for a quality story…with depth and richness to the characters and a colorful landscape to frame the experience.  I’m weatherworn just from considering the many angles of perspective.  I’m ready to arrive at my final destination both in the storyline and in the process of writing. 

I sometimes ask myself a simple question as I pen a story, “Will the world be a better place for the telling of this tale?”  If my answer is “yes” then I suppose it’s worth sharing. 

My goal is to entertain, to pull my audience in and give them something to look forward to with every virtual turn of the page…to escape the everyday and travel miles afar…from beginning to end. 

I appreciate having the say regarding fate even if just on paper.  None of us are blessed with this ability in real life.  As you know, there are many unexpected twists and dips from moment to moment. 

The thing that I appreciate the most about writing is that I have a say on how the story ends.  I have a sense of control over other people (although they only exist in my mind).  I really wish that we could have the means for a re-write or a do-over…to voice the perfect response at the exact moment we need to, to stand up and challenge while maintaining our dignity. 

I’ve had readers contact me looking for a sequel to my first book.  (I’m flattered.)  However, there are times when I’ve read book two and wondered why it is was the author did such a good job at telling a story in the first only to remove the positive elements in the next?  I know that most who have read “Falling Whispers” would enjoy reading more, but until I can put forth something that honors Dora and Carmen properly, for now I’ll push the cart in another direction.   I’d rather not change the “happily ever after” even if it means I’m sacrificing the potential for monetary gain.

Real life is messy…it’s painful, it’s scary, heartbreaking and yes, with bits and boulders of wonderful mixed in.  It sometimes reminds me of driving down the street without any brakes…in the wintertime, on ice…with a blindfold on, over a lake…with someone in the passenger seat telling jokes so as to make it not seem so dangerous.  Is it even possible to make it to the other side all in one piece?  The wondering is what keeps me set on trying.

With all of that said, I have a book to finish.  I hope you’ll all forgive me for a condensed blog this week.  Time is ticking and I must do my best to produce a new story that you will enjoy and that I feel proud enough to share.  Now to find a title, design a book jacket and market the finished product.  Catch you next time…I’m the author who is wearing many hats.

Have a great week!

~Trixie