Monday, September 10, 2012

An Uncharted Break


In the middle of all this pre-release date stuff for Uncharted: Story for a Shipwright, I thought it would be nice to take a little break and talk about the story I’m working on—the one I mentioned a while back. The coming of age story set primarily in 1969. It started out as SPILLED COFFEE, changed to WHISPERING NARROWS, but now I think I’m back at  SPILLED COFFEE WHISPERING NARROWS  seems too romancey and sounds too much like a mystery (yes there is some romance and a bit of mystery, but it’s more literary fiction with a commercial bent, like Uncharted).

The first draft is complete at 80k words and now it’s revision time. My trusted beta readers have provided helpful feedback and now I need to address the problems with the story. It’s always a challenge to know what to alter and what suggestions to veto, but when certain issues gain a consensus, there’s probably something to it. So, for the past few months, it has been sitting in the corner like a problem child—a source of vexation. I think the biggest fault with this novel is that I simply didn’t know the main character, Benjamin Hughes, well enough. I knew him quite well as an adolescent—his early teen summer of 1969 is the primary part of the story. But I hadn’t developed enough of his adult life to flesh him out as a thirty-five-ish year old character my reader can relate to in the early 1990s, when the story opens and to where it returns at the beginning of each chapter. (The switching back and forth is a trick in itself!)

So, I’ve been taking long walks lately, bringing Benjamin along. I asked him, “So what exactly did happen to you and your sister between 1970 and 1992?”

And guess what! He’s been very cooperative! In fact, he introduced me to a new character, Christopher, and cleared up some details on other players in the story. The challenge will be writing Christopher in a realistic and sympathetic way. He’s a complicated character whose idiosyncrasies will require a ton of research. I will need to handle him delicately.

Since this story is written in a male, first person POV (as is Uncharted) and deals a lot with family dysfunction (like Uncharted) it seems that it would be a good follow-up novel to publish after Uncharted, as opposed to my GIRL RUNNING novels, which have a very different feel.

A while back, I even came up with a cover idea—it may be a bit busy and I might have to scratch it, but it at least provides a pretty picture for this post! I'm also hoping that the title brings to mind the old saying,  No use crying over ....   

12 comments:

  1. I LOVE this cover! It's so fresh and original. And I can't wait to read more about Christopher! Go you!

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    1. Yes...hmmm...if I recall correctly, it was a certain crit partner who suggested the cover have a cup of coffee spilling onto an old diner counter... ;)

      I can't wait for you to meet Christopher...he's going to be very tricky writing!

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  2. I'm excited to read this one when it's ready!

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    1. I'm really looking forward to having you read it, Michelle!

      Even more than that, I can't wait till I have time enough to research and get writing again--you know how time absorbing the publishing thing is. And that doesn't even cover the moving thing (yeah, in two weeks we officially 'move' to NH--that is, we change our residence and where we will be spending most of our time).

      Actually, all the distractions are good for me right now. Not enough time or energy to obsess over any one thing in particular! :)

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  3. Yeah, I can relate to Spilled Coffee a bit easier.

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    1. Hehe--I could easily name it "The Spilled Coffee Blues" :)

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  4. I'm with Anne, I love the cover. What a neat way to spill the liquid! And yep, I'm intrigued about Christopher too. Write away Bridget! Such wonderful, amazing forward progress!

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    1. Liza, Once I wrapped my mind around revising--and the potential therein--the ideas started flowing. It may end up being a total train wreck, but it will be a fun write!

      I'm glad you like the cover--I'd very much like to use it, or something like it.

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  5. What a great twist to the cliche.

    I know what you mean about conflicting feedback. It's okay if you agree with one and not the other. But if you think both have merit, it's impossible to figure out which direction to go. And then all you get is a headache. :(

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    1. Yeah--I guess that's why an 'incubation' period is good. Even if the criticisms aren't spot on, they tend to point out problem areas and time often yields some pretty creative remedies.

      I'm glad you like my cliche twist :)

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  6. Even without reading the book (something I'd love to do, by the way - hint! hint!), I adore the title and the cover... both do what they're supposed to... make me want to read the book (when you're ready, of course).

    In the meantime, good luck with your big move! Dan and I are making our seasonal shift from Michigan to New Orleans next week, so we're probably doing many of the same things right now! ;-)

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    1. Laura--the Queen of Subtlety--I would love to have you read it! But you'll have to wait until I finish the revisions, and those will have to wait till we get packed up and transferred--and then there's that book launch/signing. Once that's out of the way, and I finish my research on neurological disorders and prostheses, I'll need another few weeks to write. But, YEAH! when it's ready, I'll put you on the 'short list'. Thanks for offering! ;-)

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