Brr!

[pbray]

Writing: Only 747 words this morning, along with revisions to two previous chapters. Still having trouble switching the action back and forth from the two ends of the empire. A bit like learning to drive a standard transmission, I'm assuming it will get better with practice.

Went out to lunch with jennifer_dunne to try out a new restaurant. Food was okay but pricey for what you got. If I'm paying ten bucks for a meal, I want someone to bring it to me, rather than pushing a tray through a line. Did help Jennifer brainstorm the central character and plot for her new novella--my incessant watching of disaster specials came in handy once again, as I suggested a speed boat crash would make an excellent plot device. If she winds up using it in the final story, she owes me a beer :-)

Reading: I haven't finished a single book so far in 2006 which says much about the chaos of my life at present. But I continue to buy books at a rate than will exceed the 52 book challenge. Latest treasure acquired for the TBR stack was mizkit's The Cardinal Rule. I haven't read any of the Silhouette Bombshells before, so this will be a new experience.

Saving the serious book buying spree for Boskone. Yay for cons where I have a car in the garage and don't have to worry about airline weight restrictions :-)

Comments

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

One of the biggest problems I had during the writing of CI was figuring out the timing of the investigation that occurs and whether any communication would be possible between Jani and Lucien while they were at opposite ends of the Commonwealth. I seriously contemplated an ansible-like device that allowed for instant communications, but I couldn't justify it.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

I'd kill for an ansible.

It's a real balancing act. Lady Ysobel can only act on what she knows, which is weeks out of date. But the reader knows things she doesn't.

I keep being reminded of the Battle of New Orleans. It was ultimately irrelevant, since the peace treaty was already signed, but the news hadn't reached the Americas yet, so the combatants fought and died in earnest. Once you know this, it completely changes how you view that battle, and how you tell the story of what happened there.

What I need is to find a way to make the time lag work for me, rather than against me.

[mmarques.livejournal.com]

I have enough books in my "to read" stack for a good start on the 52 book challenge (maybe even enough to finish it), but one person keeps giving me large books I want to get off that stack. I'm half-way through The Constant Gardener (about 600 pages, but it's printed to be easy on the eyes), but then I'm faced with Atlas Shrugged.

[mizkit.livejournal.com]

I haven't read any of them, either. *grin* Hope you enjoy it!