Tuesday Musings

Couple of questions from yesterday’s blog. Siobhan – Wallyworld is the nickname for Walmart. And yes, there are a lot of soap actors on my boards. I do this for two reasons. There are a few soap magazines and it’s easier to find them than to scan several “variety” type rags for one or two precious pictures of someone for my characters. I like to have several pictures of the person representing many moods, especially if I’m not that familiar with their work. Secondly, you can find more casual or action pics of soap stars. Scenes from the show, etc. In mags they’re more formal shots, posed for the sitting. Take yesterday’s “cover” (that’s what I call them). There’s a photo of my heroine Maddy aiming a gun, which she actually does in the book AND Clooney (my hero of course) running from a car explosion, only in the book he’s the one in the explosion. They add to character dimensions that I’m looking for. I also make up writing tapes/CD’s for each book. Some have words, others don’t. If I’m in the zone it doesn’t matter if there are words or not, but if I’m having trouble, am easily distracted then I have to go with instrumental. For example, on Maddie and Nathan’s tape is the Theme from Somewhere in Time and Etta James singing At Last. Since they are mysteries, you’ll also find songs like Smugglers Blues and In the Air Tonight. Ambience, so to speak. These books were about the Delmont siblings and Clare Delmont was the youngest. When she takes to the floor at the local bar, Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Look at Little Sister plays. It gives me a feeling for the character. This is another of the covers, the book is Gifts from the Devil. I’ll get back to them some day. They call to me every once in a while just to let me know they’re waiting.

Monday, Monday

This is the character board I did for The Devil You Know, I've changed some of the people I picked out for my characters though. This isn’t an actual storyboard, but a small (about the size of the flat insert in shirts) group of images that I would take with me if I worked over at Bebo’s house. We used to do that a lot, work in her bedroom while my brother Howard watched TV in the living area. We’d bounce ideas off of each other, talk through storyline problems, search through endless magazines for character pictures. Some days we’d go over to B&N or Borders (whichever had an outdoor sitting area) and write. The original opening scene for The Devil You Know was written while at one of those places. I used to be able to write in long-hand then. But most importantly, I would come home full of energy and excitement about the writing that I couldn’t wait to get started. I miss those days. When we’re through with The House we’re going to try to start doing that again.

They’ve brought the “s” word back in to the forecast (snow) for this Wednesday. I have an appointment early that day that I had to wait three weeks to get. I don’t know what I’ll do if I have to cancel it, so I’m hoping for a light snow and no ice.

That’s it. A co-worker is on vacation and I have to work a 1 – 5 shift today. I hate that. I can’t really do anything because once I get started on something I have to quit and get ready for work. Oh well, it’s only one day. I’ll also be working Wednesday night and a full shift on Saturday, so I’ll be picking up 12 extra hours this week. That will help.

I’m outta here. I have to go to Wallyworld tomorrow and since I have to be at work by 1:00 I’ll need to get up early and get stuff done.

Have a great Monday everyone.