Tag: words

feelings, writing

NO.

abby mumford

why is it that whenever you’re told you can’t do something, you want to do just that?

i finished the disaster draft of my second novel on november 10 and told myself that in order to gain the proper amount of distance, i wasn’t allowed to open the document for 2-4 weeks (okay, so bria’s actually the one who told me that, but i listened.)

the very next day, the characters flooded my brain saying PICK ME LISTEN TO ME FIX ME and i couldn’t think about anything else but how to make them richer and more believable and more awesome.

in order to compensate for this break from writing, i allowed myself the luxury of reading and yet, when given free rein, suddenly, it didn’t seem as interesting. when i didn’t have to sneak in my reading, it didn’t seem as decadent. there’s something about reading an extra chapter when other deadlines are looming that feels deliciously wrong. (see what a good kid i am? me doing something wrong = reading more.)

ahem.

and now that three weeks have passed and it’s time to return to my manuscript to flesh it out, i’ve discovered the characters are hiding and the plot is non-existent and the necessary edits feel like sliding down a razor blade banister into a barrel of grapefruit juice (i can’t take credit for this analogy. it’s all tawna and it’s all sorts of painful.)

working on my manuscript is the VERY THING i’ve been craving for the past three weeks, but now that i have permission to do so, it’s not enticing.

how do i trick myself into doing what i’m supposed to do?

basically, if you have any suggestions on the best way to do this…

… please enlighten me.

book club

BOOK HUNGRY: heat wave

abby mumford

who says you have to be crowded into the living room, kitchen, and/or dining room to hold a book club? we are ladies of the 21st century. we don’t need no stinkin’ couches. so pull up a blog and join in the conversation.

the members of the BOOK HUNGRY are (alphabetically): patty blount, kelly breakey, karla nellenbach, vanessa noble, alyson peterson, cynthia reese, elizabeth ryann, and myself. here’s the deal. we pick a book to read. we discuss via email. we post a review on our individual blogs on the same day (3rd thursday of the month). we link to each other. done. i know, genius. click on each one of their names (above) and it’ll take you to their review. browse. enjoy.

this month’s BOOK HUNGRY selection is: 

HEAT WAVE by Richard Castle


what it’s about from amazon: A New York real estate tycoon plunges to his death on a Manhattan sidewalk. A trophy wife with a past survives a narrow escape from a brazen attack. Mobsters and moguls with no shortage of reasons to kill trot out their alibis. And then, in the suffocating grip of a record heat wave, comes another shocking murder and a sharp turn in a tense journey into the dirty little secrets of the wealthy. Secrets that prove to be fatal. Secrets that lay hidden in the dark until one NYPD detective shines a light.

Mystery sensation Richard Castle, blockbuster author of the wildly best-selling Derrick Storm novels, introduces his newest character, NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat. Tough, sexy, professional, Nikki Heat carries a passion for justice as she leads one of New York City’s top homicide squads. She’s hit with an unexpected challenge when the commissioner assigns superstar magazine journalist Jameson Rook to ride along with her to research an article on New York’s Finest. Pulitzer Prize-winning Rook is as much a handful as he is handsome. His wise-cracking and meddling aren’t her only problems. As she works to unravel the secrets of the murdered real estate tycoon, she must also confront the spark between them.

my opinion: first things first. there’s this ABC tv series called CASTLE. in it, there’s the detective kate beckett and the writer richard castle. castle has friends in high places and has been granted access to tag along with beckett so he can get firsthand research experience for his next book series which is based on a female police detective. you follow?

which means the author of this book, richard castle, is a fictional character from a television show.

essentially, this whole book is an elaborate inside joke.

fortunately, i was in on the joke, as i’ve watched more episodes of CASTLE than not, but again, as patty said (in our monthly conversation about the book), this is basically one big marketing ploy. i’m okay with that, but it’s important to keep in mind when reading this book.

it’s fun, fast read, but in this case, i’d rather just watch nathan fillion on screen on monday nights.

p.s. i love that kelly picked a book she’d never read as her choice. i don’t have the cojones to do that because for me, i need to know what i’m recommending, which means i have to have read it first, which means: join us next month as we tackle my pick LIFE AS WE KNEW IT by susan beth pfeffner.

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writing

character building

abby mumford

you can learn a lot about someone by what they say, but you can learn even more by what they don’t say or even just by the tone of their voice.

for instance:

bria: i’d love to find a good chicken salad recipe.

me: that’s so labor intensive. you have to boil the chicken, cut it into cube sizes pieces, and then make the sauce.

bria: you don’t cook much, do you?

me: *startled expression*

bria: you listed three steps. *laughs*

she’s right. i don’t cook much. i don’t particularly enjoy it plus cooking for one means i only need to cook once a week because a recipe yields plenty of leftovers, but that wasn’t the point i set out to make when i made that statement.

which got me thinking about writing. it’s the age old rule of SHOW, DON’T TELL, but to see it so clearly…

i said one thing, but the audience read (the truth) between the lines. chicken salad really isn’t that difficult to make and even with my limited culinary skills i could do so myself.

but again, not my point.

the point is that there are so many ways we get to know people – by talking, listening, watching – and it’s important to incorporate tidbits about the characters in a variety of ways because it’s not only more interesting, but it reflects reality and what’s fiction if not an exaggerated form of the truth?

what’s the sneakiest way you ever learned something about someone? (in real life OR a book.)

writing

habit forming

abby mumford

as i stood there, gravity forcing me to the side, and the guy next to me politely and discreetly offering his shoulder for balance, i couldn’t help but think, “how’d i becoming one of those unbalanced, newbie T riders?”

the truth of the matter is i don’t ride the T much anymore. i live and work on the same side of the river thus removing my need for daily subway rides and turning me into an uneasy rider. i can’t seem to remember when to bend my knees, when to lean against the curve vs. when to lean into it, all of which used to be second nature. back in the day, i could listen to my ipod and read a book and still remain solidly in place, but now because of disuse my T riding habits have gotten rusty.

which left me thinking about my writing habits… previously, i was only writing when the mood struck, not when the word count needed to be up, but since i’m now in the “disaster draft” stage of writing (as coined by bria quinlan), i need to be writing as often as i can.

i’m working hard to develop habits that resemble a professional.

even though i have been writing more regularly, it’s important to remember that just because i’m setting up these habits now, it doesn’t excuse me from hard work. even if it’s only 400 words a night, it’s reinforcing that pattern of sitting my butt in the chair and writing. i’d rather my joints get rusty from sitting too long than my words from non-use.

another way to make sure habits take hold is accountability.

one way is to have write-ins with friends. another way is to announce my goals on twitter because the twitterati always and randomly show up to support and challenge me. it’s that whole team mentality. it’s easier for me to get something done if i know there’s a deadline, but self-imposed deadlines (which are all i have right now) only work so well.

the solution is that i’m training myself to be more open about my actions so that the proper people (or improper if the case may be) can offer support and guidance and cheerleading.

and i’ll continue to hope that when life (or the T) takes an unexpected turn and my good habits take a nose dive, there will be a shoulder to lean on (thanks, random guy on the T) or someone to calm the panic (thanks, bria) or the saying “old habits die hard” comes true.

how do you feel about habits — are there any that can be unlearned? re-learned? do you have any you wish you didn’t? any you wish you did?

book club

things i’ve read. thoughts i’ve thunk.

abby mumford

using bria’s 5 star rating system, here’s the short: star rating and long: what i thought about what i’ve read recently.*

*i use the word recently very loosely.

A BLUE SO DARK, holly schindler
short: 4.5 stars.
long: the idea of the creative process and how it affects us is beautifully and painfully constructed here. aura’s mother is spiraling down a schizophrenic black hole and not only does aura have to take care of her, but she has to come to grips with the fact that she might be affected with the disease too. gorgeous, evocative language. contemporary. thoughtful. stunning.

A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT, linda urban
short: 3.5 stars.
long: an MG novel that is sweet, short, and lovely. since it’s MG, i read it in about an hour, huzzah! fun little book.

AND THEN THINGS FALL APART, arlaina tibensky
short: 4.5 stars.
long: i got this out of the library and before i’d even finished it, i’d bought my own copy from the book store. i found myself dog-earing page after page because not only are the words hilarious, but the emotional truths knock the wind out of you. (and well, here, this review pretty much sums up my thoughts about this book and actually, it was the original reason i decided to read this book.) also, as a “writer”, i appreciated tibensky’s craft. she just nails the teen voice. basically, this book rocks.

BLOOD RED ROAD, moira young
short: 4.5 stars
long: this book caught me off guard. it’s fast, furious, and full of awesome characters, especially saba. she’s happily lived in her twin brother’s shadow for her whole life — but then he’s captured and she’s forced into a quest to find him. being there for saba’s transformation from follower to leader is intense and worth every single second. the only bad thing is that this is the first book in a series and there’s awhile to wait until the next ones are released. UGH! (for me, saba’s up there with katniss everdeen from HUNGER GAMES and katsa from THE GRACELING.)

CORSETS & CLOCKWORK: 13 STEAMPUNK ROMANCES, ed. trisha telep
short: 2 stars.
long: i read maybe 3 of the stories before i came across a really creepy one and i had to stop. i can’t handle the creepy. fortunately, kiersten white’s TICK TICK BOOM was 5 stars and was the last one in the book and was the reason i picked up the anthology in the first place and it didn’t disappoint. action, adventure, lighting bugs, secret identities, yes please!

DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE, laini taylor
short: 4 stars.
long: this book is poetry disguised as prose. the writing is ridiculously gorgeous. (side note: laini came to wellesley books and adriana and i went to see her. she was adorable and humble and strong and fabulous. she said she could get lost in re-writing a paragraph all day because playing with words and bringing out their musicality is her favorite. after reading DAUGHTER, that is obvious.) however, the plot wasn’t my favorite. (in fact, i’m waiting for adriana to finish reading it so i can ask her to explain a major plot point to me.) the ideas put forth in this book are killer and very unique, but i liked this for the writing, not the story.

FORBIDDEN, tabitha suzuma
short: 1 star.
long: the title is perfect. the topic is forbidden (bro/sis love affair) and frankly, the writing was too good and thus i had to stop because i was too uncomfortable reading this. i’m glad i gave it a brief read because it’s always good to test yourself / read out of your comfort zone / know what your boundaries are, but that said, i returned it to the library unfinished.

HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE, jk rowling
short: 5 stars.
long: i was a bit afraid the magic wouldn’t feel the same after not having read this series for years. that was stupid of me. it still lingered on every page and surprisingly, was even more compelling this fourth time around. if you haven’t read this (book or series), WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

IT’S IN HIS KISS, caitie quinn
short: 4.7 stars.
long: it’s one of the most charming stories i’ve read in ages. fun, easy, breezy, funny, story. i’ve read it twice already. (it probably also hits v. close to home). the only reason it’s not getting 5 stars is because it’s kindle only and i’m partial to books and because not everyone i know has a kindle and so i can’t share it with them!

JUST LISTEN, sarah dessen (audiobook)
short: 3.5 stars.
long: this covers a bunch of intense topics, but in typical sarah dessen fashion, it’s a joy to read, umm, listen to. the emotional journey dessen takes you on is just that — a wild ride of highs and lows and it had me shaking my fist at annabel a couple of times. (i mean, no it didn’t. i’m a perfect driver who always has her hands at 10 and 2.) (i tend to listen to audiobooks on my long drive.) anyways, while annabel frustrated me sometimes, she was always true to character and thus, you can’t help loving her, but honestly, owen, the love interest, is the true scene stealer and he alone makes this book worth the read, or umm, listen.

NIGHTSHADE, andrea cremer
short: 3 stars
long: this book is the first in a very popular series. it might even be on the NYT bestselling list. i have to say, i don’t see it. i mean, it’s got all the popular things: paranormal elements, love triangle, sassiness, and while i read the entire thing in two (cross country airplane) sittings, i was never fully wrapped up in it. i had no problem stopping when the stewardess came by with the drink cart and again with the free snacks (woohoo, jet blue!). i almost wish there hadn’t been a love triangle and more time could have been spent on the relationship between calla and shay. i think that also would have solved the problem of too much happening in too little time at the end. i may check out the sequel WOLFSBANE, i may not…

SUPERNATURALLY, kiersten white
short: 3 stars
long: this is the sequel to PARANORMALCY and i have to admit, those jackets are some of my absolute favorites. i think they’re simply gorgeous. as for the interior of the book — evie is a really interesting character and i understand what white was attempting to do here in moving the character and the plot forward, but i found it a bit dull. however, i am now invested in the story, so i’ll definitely be reading the third book, ENDLESSLY, when it’s released and if you’re in the mood for something light, flirty, and breezy, this is the series for you.

THE NIGHT CIRCUS, erin morgenstern.
short: 3 stars.**
long: i haven’t read an “adult” book in ages, but i made an exception for this one because the media blitz about it was overwhelming. the concept was fascinating (a circus, a challenge, a love story, MAGIC), but for me, the execution fell flat. the omniscient narrator created too much distance and i never felt fully invested in marco or celia, which is too bad because they’re the two main characters and because the stage was ripe with possibility (rivals, respect, love, magic!).  yeah, basically (overall) i was underwhelmed, but you might not be.

**this is a tough rating because i personally didn’t like it, but it is a worthy book and the writing doesn’t suck. i know a lot of people will like it (i probably shouldn’t have read this right after DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE.) and i think it could be turned into a visually stunning (if not epically long) movie.

THE PIPER’S SON, melina marchetta
short: 3 stars.
long: i have a like/dislike relationship with books by marchetta. this is the third one i’ve read by her and they are all loaded down with characters. so many characters + too subtle differences = confusion for me. (ask sister E. on the plane back from italy, she had to answer my JELLICOE ROAD character questions ever 5 seconds. talk about a long plane ride!)  i actually even put this book down because i didn’t have the energy to work through it, but adriana told me “just keep reading,” so i did. and i’m glad i did. marchetta has a way of capturing emotional moments that punch you in the gut and THE PIPER’S SON is no different. it was fun to revisit the characters i first met in SAVING FRANCESCA (which is 4.5 stars, BTW), but you have to have read SF in order to truly appreciate PS. both are worth the effort involved.

what have YOU read recently? what should I read next?

actually, i know what i can’t wait to read next, BITTERBLUE. finally! a release date! may 1, 2012. i so so so loved THE GRACELING by kristin cashore and in that book, we meet bitterblue. she’s one of those side characters that you wish you could spend more time with and, check it, NOW WE CAN. i’ve been waiting for this announcement ever since i saw kristin speak at havard square books a couple of years ago. *dances* i love good news like this.