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
Monday, July 6, 2009
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When Paul Fenton stops for breakfast in a small town, he gets more than he bargained for in the process.
When two-hundred-year-old human remains are discovered on one of Neptune's moons, Earth's history falls into question.
Emily's husband persuades her to try thalidomide to ease her symptoms as she is unaware of the devastating effects.
Who is the women's shelter bomber? Melissa Ryan suspects that her husband knows.
Further developments with the Wilder family.
A hidden past shakes the O'Donovan family to its core
A swirl of emotion and choice, set in Cape Town, South Africa
Love is a constant, but it comes at a price.
When the road ahead is unclear, sometimes you have to rely on trust.
The struggle between good and evil is ages old. It gets all the more complicated when the good guys aren't all good and the bad guys have redeeming qualities.
Story of a land mothering two races of people – the light-skinned and the dark-skinned.
A gifted Ukrainian ballerina comes into possession of a mysteriously coded address book.
Six passengers' lives change for better or worse after they arrive in Honiton.
Resilience and love in a harsh and unforgiving age
Kathryn's Beach
High Tide
Storm Surge
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.
ReplyDeleteSo that's great you make Kathryn's Beach work.
Good morning, Anita,
ReplyDeleteI 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.
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? :-)
ReplyDeleteOkay, Carrie,
ReplyDeleteI'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.
Sheesh! First word I write is wrong! "I'm" should be "I'll". Whose day is it to watch me? I need supervision.
ReplyDelete