There were so many things I wanted to talk about this week, and naturally I got caught doing other things that seem to only make more and more demands on my time than I really can spare. It's my fault, though. I say I can do this and that, and then I realize it takes me away from what I really need to be doing (writing!) but I'm committed to it and can't back out. Curses for that Southern lady upbringing!
Anyway, checking out the blogosphere and working on my own resolutions for 2006. Mike and I decided to stay home, which is kind of rough because last year was rough (see previous post), but I really just wanted to be here when push came to shove. We watched the sunset at the beach, then continued to sit as the sky turned from orange to pink and scarlet. The few clouds stood out in purple 3D relief, Venus appeared, and a sliver of moon that looked like a cuticle grew brighter and brighter as we sat there. I longed for a single flower to toss into the waves, but there were none around. Finally, as we headed for the Jeep, I saw a flowering bush and stopped to pick one.
“I want to put it in the ocean for Miss Kitty,” I said.
“Okay,” Mike said.
“I know you think I'm crazy. It's silly, right?”
“No, I think it's wonderful. You're wonderful.”
Is it any wonder I love this man?
So we tossed the flower into the ocean and watched as it washed up on a crescent of sand.
“What's it mean when it comes back?” I said.
“I don't know,” Mike replied. “But it'll go out soon. The tide's coming in.”
I will do things better in 2006. Via Alison Kent's blog, I clicked to this mantra by J.A. Konrath. The dude is cool, and wise as well. I read an article about him in Writer's Digest a couple of years ago, and I still have it. I remember thinking that he seemed like a guy who deserved his success. Even better, he gave me hope that I had a chance.
I've also been following Miss Snark's Crapometer this week. I love that woman, whoever she is. She's taught me more about synopsis writing than all the articles I'd read previously (though Lisa Gardner's synopsis workshop is a close second). Miss Snark reads 1000 word synopses and makes comments. I think it's the reading of them for myself, however, that REALLY demonstrates what works and what doesn't. Some make your eyes glaze over. Others make you want to read the book. Some confuse the hell out of you. Miss Snark doesn't do this all the time, though. Mostly, she dispenses wisdom and snark from her anonymous digs in Brooklyn, ably assisted (or accompanied) by her poodle, Killer Yapp. If you want to be a writer and you DON'T read her blog, shame on you.
Though it's New Year's everywhere else, we're still waiting in Hawaii. Two more hours, roughly, until the ball drops or the surfboard falls or whatever. It's sort of strange. For years, I was ahead of my mainland friends because I lived in Europe. Now, I'm behind. Everyone's gone to bed and we're still waiting. More time to hone those resolutions, I guess.
Hauoli Makahiki Hou.