I've got that song from The Wizard of Oz buzzing around my head for two reasons. First, we took "the boys" (aka the new kittens) to the vet for the "big snip" (ie neutering) and front declawing (while I still have some sheers left). They came through the procedures fine. The vet seemed a bit surprised at how "lively" they were. I could have told her! The Count apparently escaped at one point and they had a heck of time catching him. Well, he is named for the Count of Monte Cristo, after all.
The other cutting is to my work-in-progress. Ever since I had to do a huge revision to the first half of a book, I've been somewhat neurotic over the pacing at the beginning of my books, and this one's no exception. I felt something was "off" and the story really takes off in about Chapter Four. But I can't start in Chapter Four, unless I do a ton of (pace-destroying) flashbacks. I've also got to set things up so the heroine does not come across as a stalker. So what's an author to do?
I found a scene in Chapter Six that -- ah ha! -- could work really well earlier on. It's got the hero and heroine, and the hero's a little smashed, so he can say a few things that indicate to both the heroine and the reader that Bea's love isn't totally one-sided. Whew! And it's fun, because he's a little smashed and saying those things. And Bea gets a few whispered words in there as well. They aren't alone at this point...but I'm suddenly thinking, as of right now, that maybe they should be. Then Bea and Ranulf could get a little physical, too.
Wow -- I like it! I really like it! I feel another revision coming on....
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