In the beginning

I thought it would be good to post about what started me on my novel writing.

An acquaintance sent me a book that she wrote.  It took me about an hour to read, and it was insipid and  saccharine at best.  I know those are mean words to write, but it is truth.  It was every cliche in extremely concise text.

It was bad.  I knew I could do better.

So I found inspiration, came with an idea,  created my heroine, and have steadily and carefully built up my story, which is why it  has taken me so very long to craft.  If I didn't work for a steady paycheck, it is possible that it would have been completed by now, but my life is what it is.  I love my life, and jam pack it with as much pretty, creative lovelies as I can.

So here I am, staring down 70,000 words with a strong, proud gaze.  The end is in sight.

This weekend was a sad one - nothing to do with my family or anything, but I attended the memorial service of a person whose life ended entirely too soon.  I am hopeful that I will be inspired to write again in the near future, but I am  not going to force it.

I would love to take a "get lost" drive in the country around Nashville.  It has helped me so much  in the past to remove myself from the reality of my surroundings.  If the weather is cooperative this Saturday, I hope to be driving  someplace lonely and quiet.

62,000 Words

That's right.  I'm over 60,000.  At one time, 60,000 seemed like an insurmountable number.  It was my  Moby Dick, my completion of the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred program, but I got past it, and I was positively elated!

I am so close to my goal  of 70,000 that I can almost reach out and feel it with my fingertips.  When I hit 60 last week, I looked at my book for the longest time, and didn't know how I would be able to expand the story any more,  but I soon told my mind to shut up, because I knew that faith trumps any human emotion, and I got inspired.  I  know I can carry this story through to my goal.

This past Saturday morning, thankfully before it got beastly hot, dear husband and I took a trip to the historic Nashville City Cemetery.  It had always been on my list, but I had never gotten myself there.  It was so helpful to be surrounded by all of that history, all of that collected time.

59,000 words

That's right y'all.  Just short of 60,000 words.  I never in my wildest dreams  thought that I could take the story this far, but now I have the confidence to get to that goal of 70,000 words.

This past Sunday,  I took a drive into the country,  on the sort of roads that locals look at the passing car and say "oh...is that what cars look like these days?"  We saw countless goats, and cows, and horses, and towns that, if you huffed and puffed on them hard enough, could get blown to dust.  All sorts of old houses, barns and stores, and the vistas....need I describe the views?

We shall not discuss the sorry sunburn I got.  I am convinced that I am indeed the whitest person ever to breathe.

It was very inspiring.  I was so thankful that I brought pad and pen with me, just in case thoughts for my book came to my head, and did they ever.   I am truly pleased.