Back in the Saddle (?)
The last book I wrote is in the anthology Under a Mulberry Moon. Since then, we've bought a house in Idaho, raced back to Seattle to pack up, moved to Idaho, taken a trip to Oklahoma and Missouri, and upon return have been unpacking over 400 boxes. I might mention that 200 of those boxes are books and no, we don't have room for them in our smaller house. Sob.
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| I've found most of my western reference books, and even some mythology books, too. |
My next project is Honey Beaulieu - Man Hunter #4: Crack Shot in Whiskey Gap. So far, I haven't written a word, but I have figured out the opening situation, the ultimate destination (Leadville, Colorado), and even found a drawing of Leadville in 1879, which is the same year that the book is set.
I'm a little worried about the weather because the story takes place in October. Had snow fallen yet? More than likely since the average temperature at night is below freezing, and it barely gets to 40 during the day. I think my characters better bundle up!
There's lots to determine before a book can be written--at least, if you don't want to rewrite the entire thing, which I don't. One of these is location and all that particular location's peccadilloes, or at least as many as can be found.
Everything from elevation to wind can affect the story. If the main character is a flatlander who's visiting Leadville( nearly 11,000 feet), she might get a little winded after a good brisk walk. So might her animals. Luckily, Honey Beaulieu, her mule Pickles, and her donkey Sassy are used to high altitude so they shouldn't have much trouble. Honey's hometown, Fry Pan Gulch, is around 7,000 feet.
Anyway, you can see that a lot plays into creating a novel. If there are any night scenes, will there be a full moon? What sort of wild critters can cause the characters trouble? The more pre-writing work to build a plausible world, the less post-draft rewriting. And I hate rewriting. Really hate it. I much prefer to get it right the first time.
So I better cut this short and get on with it. I'd really like to get this book out by January. With all we have to do (no, we're not unpacked yet) that might be pie in the sky, but I'm going to give it a shot.
Oh, one more thing: there's a contest going on today at my readers' group, the Pickle Barrel Bar and Books. Join and you can participate!
Happy November! And don't forget--FALL BACK.
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ReplyDeleteWhere is Crack Shot in Whiskey Gap???
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