Monday, July 6, 2009

Turning Point: Writing Kathryn's Beach

This is actually a continuation from Friday.

During an ice storm, my reading maniac friend, Terrie, called with a bad case of cabin fever. She had nothing in the house to read and couldn't get out to get a 'fix.'

I told her to check her email in an hour and I'd give her something to read. She had no idea I wrote - no one did. So I banged out a short story, the first chapter (basically) of Kathryn's Beach.

She emailed back, "Then what happened?"

I replied, "It is a short story, you make up the rest. Either she goes and it works or doesn't, or she stays and it works or it doesn't."

She writes back, "NO! I want to KNOW what happens."

Well sheesh, I didn't know what happened, it was a short story. What was wrong with her? Short stories are -- SHORT!

She won. I wrote an hour or two a night and emailed it to her. In three weeks, I had the first draft of Kathryn's Beach written. I'm done!

Nope, not only was she printing off the email manuscript and giving to people to read (un-edited), she was hounding me about what happened NEXT!

You get the picture - I'm doomed.

http://nadinelaman.blogspot.com/2009/07/64-question.html

5 comments:

  1. What a great validaton that your writing was keeping someone interested, Nadine. I wrote one too that was put on a friend's Halloween blog and people e-mailed me saying - But what happened next? I couldn't tell them - I don't know. I still don't - I feel if I had extended it I would have spoiled the impact and whatever came next would be an anti climax.

    So that's great you make Kathryn's Beach work.

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  2. Good morning, Anita,
    I know what you mean. It feels strange to think something is finished and have others asking for more.

    I'm not sure I would have written more if I had known she was sharing it with others. I know I wouldn't have written with such abandon and recklessness if I knew there was an audience beyond her. She definitely launched my writing in a different direction.

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  3. Its funny how writing a short story can lead to a novel - in your case three! I don't blame Terrie - I wanted to know what happened next too! When's book 4 coming out? :-)

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  4. Okay, Carrie,

    I'm make an announcement about book four and see how many fans catch it. It is official, I am considering a fourth 'Kathryn' book. I didn't want to confirm that while I had Cathy wound up that I was killing Kathryn. Book four's working title is Beyond Beaches. It is probably 10 years after Storm Surge. It opens in London.

    I don't know when it will be out. Remember the vote on the blog was to write Act Like You Mean It next. I suspect that either Red Planet Revolt or Raven's Song will follow Act.

    Before BB comes out, I need to spend time in London. With three kids at university, I'm not sure when I'll be able to afford an extended trip to England. But when I come, I will see lots of friends too.

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  5. Sheesh! First word I write is wrong! "I'm" should be "I'll". Whose day is it to watch me? I need supervision.

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