BOTB2

1/12 - First post of the new year! Does it get more exciting than this? Oh yeah, by a lot.

Decent week of writing, though in truth it was more polishing stuff already written, but that's important too. It's good to buff your book to a streak-free high mirror finish. Shiny.

57 pages to go, and this book will match the first in size. It's a loose goal, but it helps me to gauge size.

Speaking of segues, another phenomenal book series is Patrick Rothfuss' Kingkiller Chronicles. Wow. I mean, wow. The story, the characters, the depth of detail, and the almost poetic nature with which he writes, laden with the most amazing imagery.....wow. When I read him I'm awed to the point of profound insecurity about my own writing.

I love the alternating between first-person and third-person perspectives of the main character Kvothe as he retells his life story to Chronicler, a scribe who's more than willing to record this legendary man's exploits. Very unique.

Not only is the story riveting, but there's a poignant commentary woven throughout on the power and peril of rumor and gossip. Instantly one of my favorite series.

The first two novels are currently available (there's a novella about one of the side characters, too), and now I'm patiently waiting/drooling for the third.

This series is so good, some people are actually upset with Mr. Rothfuss, complaining that he's taking too long to produce the next installment. I was struck by this, probably because I'm a writer myself.

While I have to agree that waiting for the next amazing book in an amazing series is torture, I know it will be well worth the wait. I hope Mr. Rothfuss takes his sweet time, because then I'll know that it's the best work he could produce. Never rush an artist, sonny; you get rotten art. Writing a novel is not like baking a cake - you don't just whip one up 'cause you felt like it.

The thing is, if you hold everything back and release it all at one time when its complete, you've missed all those years - yes, years - of not getting your work out there, developing a fan base, and for some, earning a paycheck. I can only assume the same is true for music and painting, etc.

I was going to end this post with a clever joke about a man losing all sensitivity in his tongue but I decided against it when I realized it was completely tasteless.....