So this is my life right now.

I got this book. I can’t really talk about it. I mean, it’s still being created. It’s fresh, still new, like a babe. Let’s call it SB for Secret Book. This book has taken over a good part of my daily thoughts, and I’ve spent the last few evenings just working on it.

SB has also entered my dreams. No seriously, I’ve had two dreams with it and both moments ended up in the book.

This is the part of writing that I love about writing. The pure joy of creation, not being bogged down in marketing, query letters (to agents and publishers), etc. Just me and a blank piece of paper. Nothing but possibility.

The only thing I can compare the feeling to is back when I used to play jazz. For me it was the saxophone (alto and soprano), and there is this wild feeling of freedom once you know a song and its chords. That confidence that you are on this, you are in control and you can take the song wherever you want. There is pure improv possibility at that moment. It’s a flash of lightning, controlled energy.

That… right there, is what putting together a first draft feels like for me. And I’m in the midst of it. That is the smile on my face.

Hello.

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So recently I ordered a copy of the Shadow of Mordor. It is a videogame, for those that don’t know. Another one attempting to trick me out of my money because of my love of Tolkien and the films based on his books. I don’t know why I keep getting sucked in by this. Pretty much every Lord of the Rings game I have played has been bad (including the LEGO game, which is just creepy since they use actual dialogue from the films. Odd choice).

The worst Lord of the Rings game you may ask? The Third Age. It’s their attempt to make a Final Fantasy game in the Lord of the Rings world and failing badly. How bad, do you ask? At the end of the game you fight the Eye of Sauron.

Let me repeat that, you fight a giant flaming eye. Here I will even give you proof. See the picture. You want to see Tolkien’s worst nightmare? There you go. Seriously, how high were the writers of that game when they came up with that idea?

When I see bad ideas like this played out in entertainment, I always wonder why no one said anything. Like Jar Jar in Star Wars. Seriously, why did no one say anything? There were hundreds of people around Lucas!

Moving on…

Anyway, I bought the Shadows of Mordor because I couldn’t help myself, but I have decided I won’t let myself play it yet.

I am going to have to earn it first… after I finish the first draft of this book. So you hear that Middle Earth! I will save you, but you have to be freaking patient. This is what I’ve decided to do with the time given to me. (You see what I did there.)

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I also need to finish a new draft on my unpublished novel Cassandra on the Island. This has been one of my goals for years now. I wrote this book quite a while ago, but other projects have always distracted me from putting all of my energy into it.

This book was my thesis from grad school, it got me an agent immediately after graduation. This book is nothing but possibility and possibly the most beautiful of my works. So why do I keep it sitting around?

I don’t know. I just get distracted by other things (like SB right now). You got to follow your muse and my muse kept telling me it was not the right time. But a lot of work comes with this. After I finish that draft I need to start the game of query letters again and that sounds exhausting.

It always sounds exhausting, and (as most writers will tell you) the process gets worse each year. It’s a congested market. And when you are playing in the field of literary fiction, as compared to genres, it is even more difficult.

See, there is no proven plan for any literary fiction work. Each is different. While genres have a pretty understood audience and specific market to hit, literary fiction are born with a lot of hope. Some fly, some die (a lot die actually). But literary fiction is, in my opinion, where the art in the artform takes place. The leaps are made there, I believe, and I’ve always been about trying new stuff in my stories.

So we’ll see… It’s on my plate. Right after SB… and possibly the video game… Oh Hell…

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The other thing in my life is Permanent Spring Showers, my new novel. If you follow my blog or even merely visit from time to time, you know this is a big part of my world now. I’m really proud of the book and I would love for all of you to check it out. If you enjoy my blogposts (which is nice), they are nothing in my opinion compared to my fiction. You should grab a copy, heck, even the eBook is on sale for only 3.99. Here it is on Amazon- http://amzn.com/1631120816. 

Okay, that is my pitch. Anyway, I’ve been appearing around different writing sites about the book. Here are some links to check out-

Fiona Apple and Permanent Spring Showers. I love the concept of the Undercover Soundtrack. Authors write about the music that inspires their work. For me, music is always on when I write (I’m listening to music now). Fiona Apple was a big influence on this book. This article is a discussion about that relationship.

“Throwing Logic to the Wind.”  In this guest post on Nancy Christie’s Focus on Fiction, I discussed my history with this story and the bizarre path it has taken to fruition. There is nothing normal about Permanent Spring Showers for me. This post dives into it.

I’ve given three interviews about the book so far on different writing sites.

• The Booknatics
• Author Deborah Kalb
• Author Julie Valerie

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So that is my life right now. A little mad, a little wonderful, and a little hopeful. I love writing and I have always dreamed of finding success in the field. Each year, it feels a little closer. I have always said (and continue to say) that I earn every one of my readers. Who knows? With a few more lifetimes and I might be where I need to be.

Thanks for reading!

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New book! New book! New book!

My latest novel Permanent Spring Showers was just published by 5 Prince Books. You can find out more about my novel as well as my other books (including A Jane Austen Daydream and My Problem With Doors) and grab a copy via my author page on Amazon.com here.

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Need an editor? Dream of finishing that book but need some help? Learn about my editing services by visiting this page on my site. Or you can contact Rebecca T. Dickson and request to work with me by clicking the image below.