Tag Archives: Reading

Writing on a Sunday Afternoon

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It’s Sunday. Hallelujah and amen! I’m sitting in a bakery, enjoying a latte and working on my book. I think I may have developed arthritis in my left hand, but it might just be the cold. It’s still chilly outside. Why do they have the a/c on? Regardless, I’m working on my book for the first time in a month, and I’m ready to be done!

I had planned to work on it a little yesterday, but my friend had other plans. Part of that is my fault. I really wanted to go the The Cheesecake Factory for their avocado egg rolls. It was worth driving almost 400 miles. I had to suffer through two pet stores, but I eventually got my egg rolls. Also, I ate a delicious burger, and a beer.

But even before then, having to wait an hour and a half to be seated, we went across the hall at Stonebriar’s Mall to the Barnes & Noble. I don’t know about you, but I get excited when I’m in a bookstore, and a little sad. Excited because of the number of books at my disposal to be read, and sad because of the limited state of my finances.

I didn’t let that deter me from searching, finding several titles that I need to buy. I always scan the bargain tables first, hoping that a title or two may jump out. Then I see what’s on the best sellers table and new releases. I walk with no clear idea of what I want, only desiring for a book to jump out at me. One did, The Fifth Gospel by Ian Caldwell. I can’t wait to start on it!

My friend also bought a couple of autographed books, Splintered and Unhinged by A.G. Howard. I already bought her an autographed copy of the third book when the author was signing books at the B&N in Amarillo. While there, I couldn’t resist looking to see if my friends might have their books in stock. Sadly, they didn’t have them in the store. Oh well.

Still, I see in the bookstore an indwelling space of knowledge and entertainment. I’ve met a few authors, most just at the beginning of their careers, but exciting nonetheless. This is what I’ve chosen to work towards, to have my own writing published, hoping and waiting for a reader to spend their hard-earned money to read what I have to say. That, I believe, would be satisfying and humbling.

Until then, I’ll labor in obscurity, honing my craft, working towards that moment when I’ll be ready to put myself out there to be read, to be enjoyed and criticized. It is at once scary and exciting. I want to enjoy this for a moment longer. Maybe, God willing, I’ll find some small measure of success. I can only hope and dream for it. No, that’s not true. I’ll also have to work to earn it. So be it.

Lazy Day

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It’s a bit of a lazy snow day. I haven’t done much except had breakfast, finished reading The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and written a few simple book reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. I wrote my most scathing review to date. Want to see it? Okay, since you asked.

This is what I had to say about Home Depot: Profiles in Courage…

“Poorly written collection of stories that came across as a bitter ad hominem attack on people the author didn’t like. The book is neither clever nor humorous and was a complete waste of money. Do yourself a favor and steer clear.”

That’s the entirety of the review. It wasn’t eloquent of well written, but it is the truth. And I’m worried that my writing is bad!

What it did do is make me more determined to write a good story, write it well, and make it something people will want to read and share. That’s my goal. I know I repeat it a lot, but I have to pump myself up. In my head I hear Rob Schneider’s character from The Water Boy, “You can do it!”

A snow day is just a reading day

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Looks like I may be snowbound in the morning. Even if I’m not, I have no intentions of leaving the house. Tomorrow will be a day just to relax and maybe do a little reading for myself. I don’t have, or maybe it’s truer to say that I don’t take, the time to read anything just for the pure enjoyment of reading. It’s become a chore to read and that’s a shame.

Yesterday, I made it to the book store. Maybe I should back up a little. Last week I went to the local Barnes & Noble for attend an A.G. Howard book signing for Ensnared. While I waited for the signing to start, I browsed the selection available, and I found The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. I have to admit I’ve watched the movie but I never read the books. The horror!

Also catching my eye was a book by Guy Consolmagno, SJ* and Paul Mueller, SJ entitled Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial? …and Other Observations from the Astronomer’s In-box at the Vatican Observatory. I’ve come across Br. Consolmagno on several science shows on Discovery. I have always found what he has to say to be illuminating.

As a lover of fiction and fantasy, I knew I needed to buy The Hitchhiker’s Guide…, but as a Catholic myself, and one that has an interest in science, Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial? also piqued my interest. At the time, I didn’t have any money to spare, and the little money I couldn’t spare was spent buying a copy of Ensnared to be signed.

Which brings me to yesterday. I had some time to burn, so I went back to B&N to browse and kill some time. I found The Hitchhiker’s Guide..., and I decided to buy it. I chose to wait until payday to the other book, but I had to buy a second book, reasonably priced. Since I’ve been wanting a new copy of it, I bought myself The Hobbit.

I’m almost done with Douglas Adams’ novel. I’ll probably finish it tonight. I may or may not read The Hobbit. I’ve read it so many times already. I do have other books on my too read pile so I have plenty to read, regardless. Either way, I plan to enjoy my day off and allow myself to disappear into another world for a few hours. It’s a nice way to get out of my own skin and into an adventure, all without leaving the comforts of home.

Now that I think about it, that sounds rather Hobbitish, and perhaps that’s not a bad thing. But I do have a rather Tookish desire for real adventure, just not enough to brave the cold and the snow.

 

*Society of Jesus, commonly known as the Jesuits.

Whilst I wait…

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I’ve been twiddling my thumbs, my WIP in the hands of my friends, waiting for them to finish reading and listening to their critiques. I’m trying not to dwell on it, but I confess that I’m harassing on of them. “What do you think? Huh? Huh? Well, is it good!? TELL ME NOW!!!!!

To keep my insanity at bay, I’ve pulled out my 2014 NaNo and began to read it. Not too shabby, if I’m allowed to toot my own horn. I’d pat my back, but I’m writing this in bed, with my laptop balanced on my lap, if you can believe it, and I don’t want to get up. Then again, I don’t have a horn either. I’m belaboring this so I’ll move on.

It’s odd to read something that I’ve written, especially after I’ve let it sat awhile without touching it. I get wrapped up, wondering what’s coming next. I was at that point when it abruptly ended. No more story. What happens next you stupid writer!?

Oh, wait, that’s me. I need to sit down and figure that out. I wanted this to be a one book story, but I think it may require a sequel to get to where I want to go. And this is just the back story to another novel that I’ve already written but needs to be rewritten and edited. So much work just to tell a story. I swear!

But it’s keeping me busy, and that’s good. Now I need to get back to it. I need to know what coming next. I have no idea, and it’ll drive me crazy if I don’t figure it out, and I’m crazy enough as it is.

 

Answering the call

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I found a couple of brave readers to give my manuscript a quick once over, so you can rest easy. I, however, am a nervous wreck. Will they like it? Hate it? Turn me over to the grammar police who will decide that I should die due to my many grammatical infractions? Maybe I should try to relax and find something better to do.

So I took out another manuscript, and I’m glancing over it, wanting to see what I need to do to finish that one. I’m not too invested in completing another work, but it’ll give me something to do, and I need to get into the habit of writing everyday. It’ll also take my mind off of the fact that two readers hold the key to my happiness or misery in their hands.

So, no pressure.