Falling over My Feet

Trivia:  Leaves are turning fast in our yard -- except for the peach and apricot, but they're never in sync with the Colorado weather.  Since we aren't getting enough, we went up the Rist Canyon to see more leaves.  The road is winding, hilly and narrow all the way from Bellvue to Stove Prairie and down the Poudre Canyon.  Since it was Monday morning, almost all the traffic was going the opposite way.  -- Nice to break the routine.

Oh, we almost got too close and personal with a couple deer who didn't have sense to stay in the yard where they were grazing.

Reading:  I've started a Charlaine Harris marathon.  When I went to B&N, I couldn't find Koontz where I thought he'd be (to stock up on Odd books to read them in sequence).  Found Harris' Harper Connelly series, so that's what I'll read.  Now I can only hope I don't decide to go back to Voices of Ghost Creek.  I've got enough on my writing plate.

Read Harris' A Secret Rage, a stand alone about catching a rapist -- of the main character and a couple of her friends.  The mystery has all the elements of enjoyment.  Nicely drawn characters, even the secondary ones.  A nice trail of clues.  A satisfying climax.  It kept me reading past my bedtime.  Maybe more important, that southern atmosphere.

Writing:   Emma bopped me up the side of the head.  Figuratively, that is.  Came up with another character out of nowhere and had to do a little research of Skadi, a Norse goddess of winter and other things.  When I went back into my character/location log to save my notes, I found I'd been writing by the seat of my pants.  

So, last night I updated a lot of stuff like I should have been doing the last couple months.  Physical characteristics.  Tics.  Favorite words.  Basic attitudes.  Wishes and desires.  Weaknesses.  All that stuff -- What was I thinking not to keep it up to date?  Not much, obviously.  


So, Maxim 10001:  Defining your characters makes your book easier to write.


Found a treasure trove in B&N yesterday -- besides the coffee and cinnamon scone and Harris' books.  Was looking to see if they were stocking Realms of Fantasy again ... if they're publishing again.  Anyway I discovered Writer's Digest's Novel Writing.  All sorts of good stuff from getting ideas to marketing after a book is published.  

The last article is a discussion of why novelists need a platform just as non-fiction writers do.  -- I know the info is useful, but I want to be a hermit; it suits my disposition.  

Progress:  Not much.  It was the weekend.  Did get my crits done, so now am waiting to read the next chapters. 

Won't be writing as much tonight either.  Castle is on the TV.