I was just busy "networking" aka "running all over the internet commenting on everyone's business."
However, it is Friday the 13th, and I wanted to talk about dust bunny books. There are two books that are commonly held to be your "practice" books. The first book you write--and anything written during NaNo.
I've got this first book--the first book I wrote, and I don't know what to do with it. They say your first book is a throw-away book, but I like this book and it's integral to the Sarah series. I don't want to throw it away, but it's sort of... pacing impaired. I think it may have been over-edited. Plus, it's about someone with OCD written very stream of consciousness, so it's choppy from that too.
Has anyone recovered a book that was drawer-worthy? or will edits just Frankenstein it to something hideous and unrecognizable?
I almost feel like starting over, but I don't want to do that either. Ugh. I just don't know. Plus, the poor thing was even shifted to be second in the series, so it suffered through a batch of rewrites over that. I have friends clamoring to get their hands on this other series, and some of the later Sarahs are rocking awesome. I really wish I could save Devi from the middle of the books and give her an entire series.
It's not that bad, but... ugh.
Anyone?
Also, can you actually shelve books? Will you shelve your NaNo book if you're writing one? I can't stand to see books shelved. It just seems so sadly tragics. Stories going untold. Characters thrown away. Sniff. Sniff.
BTW--I'm still sick. It's time to see a doctor about a culture I think. (I meant a throat culture--because I'm not sure if that made sense. I'm a little impaired myself today.) I'm worried I have Strep throat. I used to get it so often when I was in my early teens that they decided I was a carrier. Now, I seem to have no tolerance to it. This has been an odd sickness. I'm not piling up Kleenex by the box load. It's just in my throat and lungs. Every time I get something like this and bring up Strep throat, the husband goes into public service announcement mode with the kids and brings up that Jim Henson died of strep throat. I think this makes us sick in a new way, but I can't be sure.
B got an award today, though. She got a "Terrific Kid Award" at an assembly. T got this last year and has turned into a braggart about it--to the point that he's become a pest. Thank goodness that B got hers now too. We get to put the bumper sticker on our car and become one of "those" parents. It feels like we're slapping on a badge of "uncoolness" in doing so, though. I'm not sure how to counteract it. I did wear a Pantera sweatshirt to the assembly, so that would win me cool points--except for the fact I wore it because it's warm and snuggly. Well, also, I've never gone to a Pantera concert, and I don't know where I got this sweatshirt. I usually get "nods" from teenagers that see it--like I'm hard core. Is it wrong that I don't correct their impression?
Happy Friday, everyone!
