On writing: Beginning a new novel

For about three weeks I've been making notes on the protagonist for my new novel. I started writing Saturday night. After a few beers...and a few glasses of wine...I opened another beer and suddenly I was typing full-out.

An hour and a half later I had the first three pages done...as well as a bunch of plot notes and even had the ending fully written out.

On Sunday, over coffee, I  read what I had written, expecting to begin deleting. Instead I really liked what I had down, and, besides [quite] a few typos, may have captured the feel I was going for. Even though it's early yet, Paul [the main character] is filling out nicely, and even with all of his predicted weaknesses and mishaps, seems to be someone I'm going to enjoy spending the next year or two with.  Probably over a few beers.

On writing: The dreaded SYNOPSIS

The book's done. It's good; I'm really happy with it.

My query letter is written...not so good.. It needs work. An agent won't read my book if they aren't intrigued by the query. I'm trying...even getting some professional help. [Thanks Gary!]

Onto the synopsis. Somehow, I'm to put the main plot lines of the story into a  one or two page summary...keeping it interesting, hitting the key points and leaving out the mundane.

This is hell.

I  made progess on it tonight, but the professional procrastinator that I am, I made more progress on my notes for my next book...actually for my next protagonist. He's starting to really form for me, and what he's up against is no fun...especially with his limited skill set and built in weaknesses.

The thing is, I'm starting to love this guy, and, the story is beginning to form--organically [Thanks Beck!] ...without me forcing it.

And this is why I'm addicted to writing...I may even be getting better at it...[not counting tonight...I'm posting from an Irish Pub in Raleigh with internet access...]
Geoff

Freedom and Rejection: Jonathan Franzen

I started reading Jonathan Franzen's "Freedom" on Saturday. I was on the treadmill at the gym, reading on my trusty old Nook when my phone started blinking, indicating that I had mail. I opened it to see that it was another rejection from a New York agent, and I had to smile.

There I was reading a book by the author that made the cover of Time Magazine as I received a kind let-down email on my book. Mr. Franzen and I are on opposite ends of the literary scene. and that's okay [for now] because damn, can that man write.

First Submission: First Rejection

At the beach for Beck's b-day

I wrote about sending out my first query letter on Wednesday. Well, I actually sent out a small batch [5] based on advice I'd read.

By Thursday morning I had my first [form letter] rejection. It wasn't a surprise. After all I had 46 rejections on my previous novel.

But still...I've worked really hard on this book, and have been editing for 10 months, where for my first book I edited for 10 minutes.

So, what to do?
First off, I need to get used to it...there are more coming. Then I'll rewrite my letter before submitting it again, and finally, I'll keep believing in the story; I laughed as I read a section in the middle of the book the other day...and to me [who wrote it and have read it countless times] it was a good sign...my characters made me smile.

On Writing: Pete Hamill

On Wednesday we were eating lunch in Manhatten when I looked across the restaurant and saw one of 

Pete Hamill

my favorite authors, Pete Hamill having lunch. I tried to explain to the chef I was with how cool it was for me.

I wanted to say hello, that I was a big fan, etc. etc. the way other people go crazy when they see Derek Jeter.

Of course I didn't.

First, I didn't want to interrupt their lunch.  Second, I was afraid I'd tell him I was an aspiring author who'd just begun sending my book out to agents and make a fool of myself.

Still, it was a highlight of my time in New York to see the writer that so well defines the city, it's history and especially it's people.





On writing: Submitting to Agents

I'm in NYC, and for some reason I am always creative here. When every other visitor is exploring the sites, I'm in a Starbucks or a dark bar typing away. Of course I should be creative here, my first book started as a short story in my hotel overlooking Times Square four years ago.

I have finished my [10 months of] edits, and, after re-reading the book again have decided it's ready, so this morning I sent my first query to an agent after working on my letter for probably not long enough.  I have a good feeling about the letter and a good feeling about the agent, though.  It's kind of cool to decide who to send your manuscript to first. Chances are it won't be the last once rejections begin to flow, but for now I feel great.

Besides, I owe to Billy Connelly and the other great characters of Into The Middle Distance who are ready to meet the world. Wish us luck.

On reading: When a book clicks

Haven't been reading much lately, but yesterday I finally dug into The Sojourn. I started it last week and read about 15 pages. It didn't capture me, so I wasn't expecting much when I read again yesterday...but then, on about page 23, I was hooked. The whole book clicked for me, and I read for an hour straight.  I
 can't wait to find out what happens, but I don't want it to end either.

And that's the point. I try to never give up on a book, because who knows when it's going to pull you in and own you. How many people give up on a book [that they might have loved] too soon?

I'm incapable of telling where [or even if] in Into The Middle Distance that the reader connects. I wrote it and still spend two hours a day with it, so there's no way for me to be objective. A lot happens in the first pages that hopefully pulls the reader in, but I think until the reader builds empathy for the protagonist...in this case Billy....there is no real connection. As a writer, I can only hope they stick with it until they do.

On writing

There is so much advice out there on the internet for aspiring authors that, at times, it can be overwhelming. There are thousands of would-be-writers looking for the magic formula to get published.

I admit, I've read it all, sometimes late into the night; advice on genre, plot, voice and marketing your book. Recently I read a blog post, 'On Hope' by Natalie Whipple, who, after countless rejections and months of self-doubt, finally got published. Not to great sales or acclaim, but to the payoff and satisfaction of believing in her own writing. I wish her the best.

For me, it's been best to ignore the buzz and focus on my writing, and then the characters. I write best when I am alone, deep in my story; believing in the book, and knowing it's up to me to bring it together. If, at the end of the day, my story resonates, with people, it will do well; maybe even great. Imagine that.

Writers: National Book Award Finalists

The finalists for the National Book Award were just announced. The Tiger's Wife, The Bhudda in the Attic, Binocular Vision, Salvage the Bones and The Sojourn are all on the short list.  I just started The Sojourn, so it's too early to tell how I feel about it.

Either way, it must be something to be one of these authors who's book was [mostly] little known, and to suddenly have such well-deserved attention to their work.

It's fun for me to dream of the what-if's once in a while...then, back to reality and back to work. 

Thanks to everyone for all the kind words on my short stories.

Geoff

Getting published: a jump in hits

Since my story was published last week, the blog has had a big jump in hits. Now don't get me wrong, a big jump is taking it from 5 or 10 to 30 or 40 a day. But still, it's cool. Hopefully some of the new readers will become followers and I can continue to grow the site.

As far as the book, it's coming along great....I'm [speed] reading it and reviewing beta reader notes, before I send it for editing. Yeah, maybe I'm stalling, but I want to put out my very best work this time.

Then, I'll send it out, up to 46 times [like the last one] and wait [yes, at the bar] to be discovered. That way, no matter what happens, I'll be at the bar.

On Writing: short story published

As I wrote about yesterday, my creative non-fiction story, A Piece of Me, has been published in the Yale Journal for Humanities in Medicine, an on-line magazine. The link is below:

http://yjhm.yale.edu/essays/ggardner20111013.htm

On Writing: Love and Loss

My great friends Connie and Laura came with me to Providence in March to recruit students for work. We had an amazing time. Connie hadn't been doing well, and so it was like an escape.The first night we had lobster, the second night steak. Both nights we had steamers, [clams], which I introduced to Connie I few years back and she fell in love with. We laughed, made fun of each other, and the ladies shopped. Connie got halfway through Into the Middle Distance and told me "This is the one. This is the one that will get published..." She had a way of motivating me, and everyone.

Laura and I are back in Providence this week. Without Connie; she died right after we got back from our last trip up here. So, needless to say, it's been a tough visit, but we have great memories and our other friend Beth joined us and is a great help.

 Back in April, I wrote a story in the waiting room as Connie lay dying. It was another one of those that I wrote in one sitting; crying the whole time. After Connie's death, I submitted the story--again and again--not because I cared about it getting published, but because of Connie. It was rejected quite a bit.

The crazy thing? Just as I packed for the [sad] trip back to Providence, I received an email accepting the story in the Yale Journal for Humanities in Medicine. I can't help but think Connie has something to do with this; we will toast her again this evening, of course, and I will post the link as soon as it's published...

Geoff

So, I just finished The Last Werewolf, but I'm still not sure how to rate it.  On one hand it was really fun to read in a new genre, and the author is a strong writer; his murder and sex descriptions make my writing look tame in comparison.

On the other hand, it was hard for me to suspend disbelief and buy into all of the premises of the book; werewolfs, vampires, etc. But once I did I enjoyed the story and read it quickly.

So, I guess I'll rate it a four out of five...because the book certainly delivered what it promised. Then, I'll run back to my safety zone; mainstream and literary fiction...where almost nothing happens, but at least I don't worry about my protaganist getting attacked by the undead.

The Writing Life: Jonathan Franzen

I just read how Jonathan Franzen [award winning author of Freedom] always starts with the character, and never the story.  Without realizing it, I've been doing the same thing. I've been working on a character for my next book--the main character, starting to get a sense of what he's like; even what he looks like. Still, I have no idea what this poor bastard will be up against; I just know it won't be pretty.

Franzen also said that he always writes a female character first, afraid that if he writes the male first, he'll be in danger of writing himself into the story...very interesting.

I tend to think more along the lines of another author [can't remember who...] that said all of his male characters are him, and none of them are.

Either way, I can't get going on the next one until I finish this one, which I just printed out for the first time. It's thick and heavy, and yes, it's sitting on a bar.

On writing: Writer's Conference

There's a big writer's conference coming to Asheville in November, and I can't decide whether or not to go. I know I should, of course; there will be agents and did I mention agents? Besides that there is a great line-up of seminars and workshops.

But I doubt I will go. I get claustrophobic just thinking about it. Surrounded by writers, many of them with books published, all of them jockeying to get noticed. It scares the hell out of me.  I can't imagine sitting around and talking about my book to a room full of strangers.

I'm not even the shy type--last week I spoke to a college class of fifty students with only an hours notice; no problem...but, the idea of standing up and reading from my book....hell no. Maybe I still don't consider myself a true writer, yet....

Still, they say so many authors get their agent at these conferences, so I know I can't just write it off. So, for now, put me down as undecided....

On Writing: My Last Beta Reader

Sorry I haven't been blogging as much lately, but the good news is I'm putting finishing touches on the book. My wonderful beta-reader, David, just finished reading and commenting on the last 2 chapters and thinks [with some tweaks] it's ready.

He has been a motivating, life-saver [book saver, actually], coming onto the scene at the perfect time. I was in a bout of doubts with my rewrite when David and I got into a reading list discussion [writers ask everyone what they're reading, like other people ask your sign...] David, it turned out, also loved literary fiction; actually he reads some how-brow stuff that I wouldn't get, but something made me ask him if he'd read mine, and he agreed.

Before giving me his  first comments on Chapter 1 and 2, he apologized in advance, hoping I wouldn't take offense. His notes were painful to read, with words like "amateurish" and tons of crossed out passages and corrections. I laughed out loud when I read his comments. They were brutal...and dialed-in. He was exactly right...at one point he wrote "you're a better righter than this..." on the margin.

Overlaying David's advice onto that I'd received from my [terrific] earlier beta- readers before has been really helpful, and instead of bringing me down, I know it's making my book better.

Halfway through reading the book, he came to me and said that I write really characters well and that he couldn't wait to see where the story went, which made my day.

And what did he think when he finished it? He loved it!

I'm grateful to David and my other beta-readers for giving me the time and commitment to help me with my book. Let's see where it goes from here....Geoff

On Writing: Reading Now

Lately I've been reading two books at a time, one "real" book and one Nook book. I take the nook to the gym and read it on the treadmill or bike and I read the book at home, usually in bed.

Right now I'm reading "The Invisible Bridge" in the book, and just started "The Last Werewolf" on the nook.  The Invisible Bridge, by Julie Orringer, is literary fiction; and as such is building slowly, and I look forward to seeing where it goes. The Last Werewolf, by Glen Duncan is upmarket horror [?] maybe, a genre I haven't read in years.  The reviews on it are mixed, so I'm looking forward to seeing where mine falls. Already-through 50 pages--there's been humor, murder and crazy sex; so yeah--I think I'm going to enjoy it. If nothing else, it's nice to step away from my usual reads...

What are you reading?

Last Chapter

For those of you that have been following my posts, you know I've been editing INTO THE MIDDLE DISTANCE since January. At this point I've been editing longer than it took to write the novel. Which is good, I guess.

On one hand I know I'm doing the right thing be being so diligent, but on the other I miss the creative process. I've written a few short stories and have jotted down ideas for my next novel [actually ideas for the next character, not much on plot].

Maybe I'm stalling. Afraid to finish. Afraid to put it out there and have it rejected like my first book.  I know I need to see it through before I dive into my next one, or I'll have a shelf full of unpublished novels when I die.

Now that I sounded all that out, I realize I just need to sit down and finish chapter 20 and see what happens. Wish me luck.

Movies on Writers: Midnight In Paris

Recently I saw Woody Allen's new movie, Midnight in Paris.

I loved it.

Maybe it was because I could relate to the main character, [played by Owen Wilson] an aspiring author facing his doubts about his own writing as he prepares to get married on a trip to Paris.

A great romantic comedy, it is at times moving and hysterical, and, as a bonus, it stars the great literary characters of the twenties. 

For those of you in Asheville, it's still playing at the Carolina. If you see it, please leave a post.

Have a great weekend.

The Writing Life: Quitting a book

As an aspiring author, I should be reading all styles of writing in fiction. And, I should finish every book I start. The reasoning: even books I don't enjoy can teach me something about the craft.

Here's the problem. Of the three books I started last week,I managed to plow through the first one, get half-way through the second before giving up, and abandoned the third on page 4. Each of these books are by author's who's acclaim I'd give my first born for [sorry Ash], and I've read every other book one of the authors wrote, and loved them.

So, if there's a lesson for me in this, I guess it's that there will be people that love my book and people that quit it on page 4...and everything in between. And now I know to be okay with it, either way .[Not a chance, actually; but it's the lesson for the day.]

The Writing Life: Top paid authors

Forbes Magazine just did an article about the world's highest paid authors, including James Patterson [over $80 million], Stephen King [$28 million] Stephanie Meyer, the Twilight series author [$21 million] and Nicholas Sparks, my nemesis--I'm sure he's worried--[$16 million].

I also got paid this past year for my writing. I received a complimentary copy of the Flash Magazine edition my story was published in [a $15 value]. Let me tell you, when I opened the mail and saw my story had been published in such a great magazine, the feeling was priceless...

G

The other writer in the room

I go to Barnes & Noble at least twice a week to write. Invariably the same guy is there. Another writer, I've decided.

How do I know? He sits in the same place every time, spreading out his work in front of him. Once every hour or two, he'll get up and wander the store--looking at books, I guess--returning to his table, where he left his computer and papers.

This is pretty much how I act. I try to sit in the same spot each time--I always buy something--a coffee at least, and I take occasional breaks to go peruse the new hardcover fiction releases, either to pick my next book, or to daydream about mine being there.

Lately, we've even begun to acknowledge each other. Shit, for all I know it's Charles Frazier [Asheville resident and author of Cold Mountain] with a beard. More likely I'm guessing, is that he's struggling like the rest of us; hoping to finish his book soon and dreaming of getting published one day.

I've never talked to him, but I wish him luck, and I think he does me. He nodded to me the other day when I showed up; pretty demonstrative for a writer.

On Writing: Never give up.

Everyone has been talking lately about The Help, especially now that it's been made into a movie. It's not really up there on my to-read list, but I'm sure I'll end up getting to it eventually. What's cool to me is how the author, Kathryn Stockett, never gave up, even after 65 rejections from agents. For a year and a half she continued to revise her book and send it out, one time even telling her husband she was going on a girl's weekend, and instead checking into a motel down the street from her house to immerse herself into her book.

I can relate.  Now that I only have four chapters left I'm stealing every chance I get to work on it...I'm so close to the end I can't stand it, and have been typing so much I think I'm getting carpe diem...or is it carpal tunnel?  Either way, who cares, there's no stopping now...

G

On writing: Building a fictional world in a real town

Shortly before my father died we were talking about my first novel, Mystic Shove. I described the concern I had with the location for my book. It is set in Mystic, Ct.--a real town [a great town!] which wasn't the problem...the problem was that I had added a marina right off the downtown waterfront where one didn't exist. Beyond that, I had the protagonist jogging to a beach a town over, where he could look out at this lighthouse, which plays a big part in the book, and the problem there was that the daily jog would probably have been about ten miles each way...Blaine is in amazing shape, but a 20 mile jog each morning wouldn't have left much time for anything else...so in the book I say it's about three miles each way.

My father listened to all of this and then smiled. "Geoff, that's the beauty of writing fiction..."

...and he was exactly right  Sure, get your facts right where you can, but if they don't work then change the map, the character or the weather, even...that's the beauty of fiction. 

1st book, 2nd book

When people ask me about my writing I tell them that I've written two books, which is true--some of you have read them both. But in the sidebar of my blog I say that I'm working on edits for my first novel.

This is confusing. But, sort of like putting a job that I didn't get on my resume, say at NASA, the publishing world doesn't count the book collecting dust in my office, and only considers a "first book" as your first published book.

So, yes, I've written two books, I'm working on edits on the second one, which if it gets published will be my first book.

Now that I've cleared that up for everyone, it's time to start happy hour.  Cheers.

On Writing: Sarah's Key

So, I'm knee deep into Sarah's Key, a book that's been on my "to read" list for a long time.  I moved it up based on feedback from Erin and Rebecca...and I'm glad I did. It reads so easy, and I can't wait to see where it goes.

Okay, that's not entirely true. Part of me is glad that I don't know what happens yet, and that I still have the rest of the book to enjoy.

Does that ever happen to you? Are there any books you love so much that you wish you hadn't read them [yet]?

Writing through the doubts

On Friday, I saw the results of a short story contest I entered. It didn't win, place or get honorable mention....and they gave honorable mention to a lot of stories [forty I think].

This came just after I got really stuck in chapter 13 of my rewrite. My writing was awful, the story was lagging...and it seemed like the protagonist was just running around doing errands. So, I'm behind at work, I have errands to run and I have my characters errands to run....

These are the times that the doubts creep in...or in this case, take over.  All of these hours/weeks/months of effort for something that no one may ever read. It's easy to start doubting what you're trying to accomplish, and wonder whether you even have what it takes to do this writing thing. [Feeling sorry for yourself is a big part of the doubts, too]

So, I took Friday off from writing, and went to a great party and concert. Saturday morning I took my son and his friend to the mall for back to school shopping; we have an unspoken agreement on these trips....stopping at the cash machine, I paid him off--he left happy not to have Dad tagging along, and I dove back into the book on the second floor of the amazing new Barnes & Noble at the mall.

An hour and a half later, they showed back up, shopping done. And me, I'd plowed through chapter 13, making some needed changes that I'm really happy with [Billy, my protagonist, decided to skip his errands]

Now I think I'm back on track. The doubts have been vanquished. [For now...]

On Writing: Beta readers

Beta readers are what they call the small group an author lets [or begs to] read their writing. Of course, like usual, I had no idea of this terminology until it was too late...

The idea is, when you're ready, that you share your work with family and friends, in order to receive positive reinforcement and constuctive criticism. The problem I had several years ago is that I would ask people to read my work before the ink was dry, expecting the reader to fall down in passionate disbelief at my great writing and instead getting scared looks after the reader tried to decipher my giberish.

Not good.

Like everything in a writer's life it seems, I learned this one the hard way....don't ask people [especially family] to read your work until you've edited it thoroughly, otherwise you're asking for trouble. I would say things like "Don't pay attention to the spelling...or the plot. Ignore the cardboard characters and suspend disbelief at the premise; but then please, please, tell me what you think....don't hold back."

The good news is my beta readers aren't the 'hold back' types...which brings me to the present, where I don't share my work until I mean it. I've lost the daily fulfilling positive feedback, but in the long run, I think my writing will be better off....and so will my beta-readers.

More on beta-readers in a future blog.

If you're enjoying the posts, please forward it on to friends with similar tastes...I've hit a roadblock in growing the site and need your help.  Thanks

Geoff

Authors respond

After posting about favorite books, I've often shot out a quick email to the author, or more likely, the author's publicist, just to let them know I blogged about their book. I didn't think much of it, more of a courtesy, really.

And then they wrote back. Almost all of them that I've reached out to have taken the time to respond. I don't know why, but I never expected a personal response.

Author Paul Watkins thanked me for my kind words and let me know that he's been writing under a pseudonym, Sam Eastland,  for several years. I immediately downloaded Eye of the Red Tsar, a historical Russian murder mystery, and I look forward to reading it next.

Author Mark Mills responded and let me know that his book House of the Hanged will be available in the US early next year. I can't wait. No, really...I'm searching the internet for it tonight.

Author Jaimy Gordon [Lord of Misrule] wished me luck in my writing and author Erik Larson [In the Garden of Beasts] took time to let me know that he's now reading a thriller, The Informationalist.

I know better than to think that I'm now on a first name basis with any of these great authors, but these are some of my literary heroes. And they are gracious. And classy. How cool is that?

Writers write

I just received a rejection on a submission that has been out since early June. For some reason I had my hopes up for this one, and when I got the email and saw the 'just not right for us" phrase, I was disappointed.

But that didn't last. What I've read everywhere, is that, no matter what, writers write. And I've been writing. Hours and hours this week on edits for my book--including one plot change I'm excited about, as well as a new short story I just submitted.

Sitting around waiting for responses just doesn't work, and if you're not actively writing, then you're not a writer [at least if you're an amateur like me.] But I've been writing, the characters are anxious to keep the story moving forward and I can see a light at the end of the tunnel on this book.

Oh, and I have the spark of an idea for my next one...

Have a great weekend.
Geoff

What to write next?

I finished Into the Middle Distance way back in January, and since then I've been focused on the editing process. Which is nothing like the creative process. Writing the first draft of a book, even though I've only done it twice, is thrilling. There's nothing like it. I can't wait to start on my next one.

But there's the problem. I have no idea what my next book will be about. I'm not particularly worried, a story will come to me [I hope] and for now I really need to get the edits done...which is why, instead, I've been surfing the internet.

This morning I found something really helpful though. Erik Larson, author of In The Garden of Beasts--which I'm reading now--spoke about this exact topic in his blog.  He calls it "The Hunt" for the topic of his next book, and reading about his process calmed me down. If the author of multiple NY Times Bestsellers has no idea what to write about next, it's probably okay that I don't either. Luckily for me, I don't have agents or publicists sweating it out.

You should read his books--I can't wait to see where In the Garden of Beasts goes, but if you haven't read any of his books, I'd start with Devil in the White City. Then check out his blog, he's great, witty and informative--but don't stay over there--he's got to have thousands of followers--I have thirty-two, and I'll know if you leave me... 

Have a great day!

Geoff

Nook or Book?

I got a Nook for Christmas last year, and I love it. You can download a new book in seconds, so you're never without something to read. And it stores hundreds of titles and is easy to travel with.

 It hasn't taken over though. Sometimes you want to hold the actual book in your hands, and when you're done have it to display on the bookshelf. And you don't have to stop reading when a plane takes off or lands.

How about you? Have you bought a nook or a kindle yet? Or are you old-school? Please take the survey on the sidebar and let me know.

On Writing: More reviews

A few more award winning books I've recently read:

Lord of Misrule, by Jaimy Gordon won the National Book Award in 2010. Goodreads describes it as

"A brilliant novel that captures the dusty, dark, and beautiful world of small-time horse racing, where trainers, jockeys, grooms and grifters vie for what little luck is offered at a run-down West Virginia"

I found it very literary. And dark. Another fearless writer, Jaimy Gordon's character descriptions are intense. So are the sex scenes. These award winning authors don't hold back. Ever.

 

Let the Great World Spin, by Colum Mccann won the National Book Award in 2009.

"In the dawning light of a late-summer morning, the people of lower Manhattan stand hushed, staring up in disbelief at the Twin Towers. It is August 1974, and a mysterious tightrope walker is running, dancing, leaping between the towers, suspended a quarter mile above the ground."

A novel, based on true events, about a French tightrope walker who actually walked across the two towers. 9/11 was never far from my thoughts as I read this amazing story.

And finally, Empire Falls by Richard Russo. It won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2002.

"Richard Russo—from his first novel, Mohawk—has demonstrated a peerless affinity for the human tragicomedy, and with this stunning new novel he extends even further his claims on the small-town, blue-collar heart of the country."

This novel was so good, I went out and bought every book  by Russo, and there are a lot of them. He writes small town stories with such subtlety and skill, that you almost don't credit how great of a writer he actually is.

Richard Russo has become one of my favorite authors.

How about you? When you read a good book, do you start following that author--reading everything by them you can get your hands on?

On writing: A Visit from the Goon Squad

 If you're not already a member of Goodreads, I would highly recommend joining. It's a great place to organize your books, read reviews and connect with members with similar reading interests. If you decide to join, add me to your friend list.

Lately, I've been reading mostly award winning books. The latest won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction this year. The review from Goodreads for A Visit from the Goon Squad reads:

"Bennie is an aging former punk rocker and record executive. Sasha is the passionate, troubled young woman he employs. Here Jennifer Egan brilliantly reveals their pasts, along with the inner lives of a host of other characters whose paths intersect with theirs. With music pulsing on every page."

When I read Goon Squad I couldn't help but think that Jennifer Egan is a fearless writer. Each chapter has a different POV [point of view] and time. So one chapter might be set in the present, and the next goes back twenty years...very challenging for the reader, but I enjoyed it. You certainly don't get as attached as you might to the protagonist...mainly because it's hard to tell who it is.

Lord of Misrule, by Jaimy Gordon won the National Book Award in 2010. Goodreads describes it as

"A brilliant novel that captures the dusty, dark, and beautiful world of small-time horse racing, where trainers, jockeys, grooms and grifters vie for what little luck is offered at a run-down West Virginia"

I found it very literary. And dark. Another fearless writer, Jaimy Gordon's character descriptions are intense. So are the sex scenes. These award winning authors don't hold back. Ever.

I enjoyed this one more that Goon Squad.

Let the Great World Spin, by Colum Mccann won the National Book Award in 2009.

 

"In the dawning light of a late-summer morning, the people of lower Manhattan stand hushed, staring up in disbelief at the Twin Towers. It is August 1974, and a mysterious tightrope walker is running, dancing, leaping between the towers, suspended a quarter mile above the ground."

A novel, based on true events, about a French tightrope walker who actually walked across the two towers. 9/11 was never far from my thoughts as I read this amazing story.

And finally, Empire Falls by Richard Russo. It won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2002.

"Richard Russo—from his first novel, Mohawk—has demonstrated a peerless affinity for the human tragicomedy, and with this stunning new novel he extends even further his claims on the small-town, blue-collar heart of the country."

This novel was so good, I went out and bought every book  by Russo, and there are a lot of them. He writes small town stories with such subtlety and skill, that you almost don't credit how great of a writer he actually is.

Richard Russo has become one of my favorite authors.

How about you? When you read a good book, do you start following that author--reading everything by them you can get your hands on?

Writing Short Stories

The process I follow to write a novel has been very different from how I've written short stories. Every short story was written after waking up in the middle of the night, except for one, and that one was written in the waiting room at the hospital.

Where my books seem to come in fits and starts, the short stories seem to gush...I finish them in one sitting and can barely type as fast as I need to in order to get my thoughts down. And they haven't required much editing.

The Lobsterman is one example. I had been working on my first book, but woke up and wrote this story at 3 in the morning. I can't post it yet, as I have it submitted to The Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition. They are expected to announce the winner next week in Key West--I'm not thinking I'll win, but an honorable mention would make my day...

...and help me when I get ready to query a novel again. Agents like to see publishing credits, even short stories or contests on submissions.It's a sign the writer is taking the craft seriously, and has been recognized for the effort.

I have three other stories out right now as well; hopefully I'll get an acceptance with one--you'll be the first to know. Wish me luck. 

Writing Minor Characters

In both of my books--in any book, I guess--there are many, sometimes scores of minor characters. They fill in the scene, serve a purpose to move the story along [in my books they often serve a beer to move the story along] and are generally kept under control. They know their lines, if they're lucky to get any, and they keep to the script...

I know this is a trend with me, and maybe it's just me, but in both of my books several minor characters have really tried to play a bigger role; speaking when they have no lines, walking into scenes they weren't meant to be in, etc.

That's okay, I think, I'll fix thier ass in the second draft.

Then my beta-readers get ahold of a draft, and instead of talking about the main character or the story line, they inevitably comment on this or that minor character [that didn't even exist before I started writing!] and how much they like them. How they make the book better, and how they hope the character plays a bigger role as the book goes on. All of my beta readers have done this. And usually with the same minor character.

Other--major--characters they shred with ease. Not likable, one-dimensional.  Where's this going  [you do realize I'm doing you a favor?]

 But, for some reason, there's an attachment to a minor character. And to be honest, I have it too.

In the second book, among others, it's Destina. Her real name is Tina, and she's a part-time bartender at the New Hampshire Inn Billy ends up at. However, her dancer name is Destiny, so Billy [who's wife is Tina] --who thought the topless bar was a sports bar [honest]-- blends it and calls her Destina. She's likable, funny and a bit dangerous for Billy, and for some reason I write her with ease.

So, instead of worrying that I need to get back on track, I try hard to just let the story go where it's headed, even when characters like Destina take it places I never thought of.

Editing update: just finished rewrite of chapter 11 out of 20 at Barnes & Noble [that other writer guy was there--he's always there...]: Full glass of cab as I start 12: hopefully Destina sticks to the original plot...

The Query process

In order to get a book published the traditional way, an author needs to have an agent. The way agents "interview" authors begins with a query letter, and they recieve thousands of them. This letter is like a resume for your book, and authors spend hours working on them.  If an agent is intrigued by your query they may request a partial [usually three chapters] or the full manuscript. For Life as Opinion I had 18 versions of my query. Here's one of them.

Dear Ms. --------

Blaine Buchanan and his brother Boyd are late and it’s getting dark.  Afraid of their mother’s abusive boyfriend, they hurry along the train tracks―but what if one of them were to get hurt?  Then they’d have an excuse for being so late.   

Recently discharged from the army, Blaine is drawn to the Connecticut coast of his youth.  He buys a lobster boat from an old fisherman with a connection to his past.  Soon he meets Samantha and is immediately attracted to her and they eventually begin to date.  The healing powers of the open ocean and perhaps love give him a newfound sense of belonging. 

Blaine must come to terms with his unspoken secret before losing Sam and the new life he has created.  A sudden recall to the military and serious injuries in Afghanistan leave him doubting that happiness was ever his fate.  His return to Mystic brings a sacrifice that delivers a long deserved redemption from the abiding power of the past. 

An upmarket commercial novel, Life as Opinion is complete at 70,000 words. I believe Life as Opinion will have appeal to fans of Mark Mills and Nicholas Sparks, and have included the first ten pages for your review.  I am currently working on my second novel.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

As I discussed in an earlier post, I probably queried with my first novel too soon--before it was completely polished, which apparently is a common mistake. I'm not making that mistake with Into the Middle Distance, and when I'm done, and published, I plan to go back to Life as Opinion and try again, and then, if the query intrigued you, you'll get to meet Blaine and Sam.

Writing and Reading

I read an article recently on the reading habits of writers. Without realizing it I've been following the trend: I read about a book a week, and usually in the genre that I write [except for me, I love literary fiction...but I'm not that good. If I'm lucky my books will get classified as "upmarket mainstream fiction" and if not then they will be simply called "commercial fiction."]

Reading reenergizes a writer. Getting lost in a great book replaces staring at a blank screen. But you're never that far from your own book. An idea pops into your head, or the solution to a scene you're struggling with comes to you while you're mowing the lawn.  Some of my favorite books that I've read and plan to read. By genre:

   Historical Fiction: Amagansett, by Mark Mills. This book is in my top ten. I've read it three times and would also classify it as literary. The author's skill at description and character development is matched by the slow build of the murder mystery.
To read: Historical Non-Fiction:In the Garden of Beasts, by Erik Larson. A true story about a new ambassador and his family struggling to understand Hitler's Germany. This author, who also wrote Devil in the White City tells true stories so well that they read like fiction.


 Literary Fiction: In The Blue Light of African Dreams, by Paul Watkins. I credit Paul Watkins for my love of literary fiction. Probably 20 years ago I found this book on the shelf at a library in Orlando, finished it that night, and then tracked down everything else he ever wrote. This book is an adventure set in World War II Africa.

 Nonfiction, True Crime: A Death In Belmont, by Sebastian Junger. This book is scary true. Author Sebastian Junger [The Perfect Storm] tells of his childhood memories of the Boston Strangler.

 Literary Fiction: House of Sand and Fog, By Andre Dubus III. My father died a year and a half ago. As I walked to the bridge at the marsh to scatter his ashes, a beat up old volkswagon van pulled up, and Andre Dubus stepped out and joined us to pay his respects. This man is a hero to me and responsible for me believing I might be able to write. More on him in future blogs. House of Sand and Fog was nominated for three Academy Awards as a movie starring Ben Kingsley. It's riveting....but the book is better.

More book recommedations in future blogs. If you decide to read, or have read any of these, please leave comments. What are your favorite books? Genre?

On Writing: How my story got hijacked

With both of my books, I knew the ending before I started writing, and I had some key story elements in mind, and was excited to get it all down on paper. This is going to be great, I'd think, and start writing. That's when it would all fall apart.

I blame the characters.

They rarely [never] comply.
 It's as if you write their physical description, drop them down into some setting and  situation, and they just look up at you and say, "See what you got me into. I'll take it from here."

To a fairly new writer, this was a bit of a shock.  I mean, it's my story, I know where it's supposed to be going. Shit, [sorry Morgan] I'm the one typing...But it never fails that a character takes off and starts acting a certain way or doing things even I didn't see coming. Which is fine, even really cool, actually. ....except, I need character A to be in such-and such a place at a certain time or my next main story element falls apart.

I'm not above begging.
 [Yes, each character becomes extremely real to me--and hopefully will to you when we get this book deal done]. Begging never works. I just end up looking like a nut [except to the other writer in the corner...he gets it] muttering to myself in Barnes & Noble.

Or pouting.
 I'll walk away from the computer with a "now what are you gonna do" attitude, eventually wandering back after browsing some book I could be reading, guilty that I left these people I love [yes love. You can't spend this much time with them and not love them] in literaray lingo...sort of the same as when you read a book and stop in a key scene and come back to it later, leaving your poor characters frozen holding the gun, about to kiss, or whatever...

Anyway, I eventually give up and just start typing, thinking,  fine, let's see where this goes...and you know, it always goes somewhere great. The problem of the story works itself out, and the character gets to do what they were going to do anyway...which is how it should be, because, at the end of the day, it's their story, and if I sit back and watch, magic just might happen....

More on begging....
If you are enjoying my posts, please pass the link on....which, for now, is the only way to get to my site: referral.  If I can build hits and followers I may show up on a google search some day when an agent comes looking for me...as for now, I gave up looking for myself on page five of Google Search yesterday, [Yeah, I googled myself...] after my buddy Rob said he'd be happy to support The Geoff Gardner Memorial Bowling Tournament that popped up.

Write, Rewrite, Rejected...Repeat

A few of my friends, on hearing about my blog have asked where they can get my first book. And that's just it; you can't. Life as Opinion [before that it was called Mystic Shove] was turned down 48 times by agents before I moved on. Four of them requested partials [three chapters] and three asked for the full manuscript; all eventually turning it down: "Loved it, but couldn't sell it in this market..." was the best feedback I got.

And they were right. It wasn't ready. Not even close.[Still isn't actually....]

The good news was, right before getting my final rejection I started writing my second book, and sure enough, the shit day Billy Connelly was having made me feel not too bad about myself [yeah, I created his shitty day, but he did the rest; more on that another time]. Many aspiring writers go the self-publishing route after rejection, and you can't blame them. Nowadays you can upload your novel on Kindle in twelve minutes [so I've heard], and who knows, maybe it will sell. The problem is, for me anyway, I want to put my very best out there, so if the people who do this for a living say a book isn't ready, then it isn't.  [Ask me again in three years if I'm still not published...]

So, when I finished Into the Middle Distance, I didn't rush out and start sending it to every agent in the big apple. Instead, I put it aside, took a few weeks off and then dug in and started editing. First I reread it again from front to back, skipping simple typos, and focusing instead on flow and story line, finding things like Billy going to bed on a Friday night and waking up on a Tuesday morning. That was six months ago. Since then I've been rewriting the entire book, from scratch...word by word, page by page...it's hell. As of now, I'm halfway done. Finished chapter ten last night [might need to recheck it as I was getting pretty deep into the cabernet at that point...]. Once I've finished that, I'll reread it in one sitting [God Save the Queen]  and then send it to my new editor [Thanks Deborah!] as well as to a few of my beta-readers [you know who you are-thank you].
And then we'll see. Thanks for everyone's support.
Geoff

On Writing

Now that I've announced my love of writing, I guess I need to talk about it. My first book --Life as Opinion--started as a short story. I was in New York, on a recruiting trip. We were on the train up to Poughkeepsie, along the Hudson River, headed to the CIA. A NY Post was left in the next seat and I started reading, eventually coming across this short article about a retired man, who, after seeing a [stolen] van speeding down the parking lot of a Wal Mart towards his wife [who was pushing the empty buggy] dove, shoving her out of the way just it time. But not for him. He was killed, and the follow up story--interviewing neighbors, etc. was amazing. Besides being a great neighbor, father and friend, it turned out that the man had also been a war hero in Korea, even saving some of his soldiers by risking his own life.
I couldn't stop thinking about this man and what he did, and in a foggy way, it reminded me of something from my childhood....something similar, but not good....and there it was...the bookmarks for my story.
At first it was three pages, then fifteen, and eventually [three years later] 250...



 

Published

After 5 years of mostly secretive writing, my short story, Should Have was accepted for the April edition of Flash Fiction Magazine.  So, with that, I've decided to quit my job [that got overruled] and begin a blog, announcing to the world [okay to the 3 or 4 people that find this] my intentions to take it to the next level and get a novel published.