The Halfway Point

Well despite the fact that today's writing felt a bit choppy at times, I passed the midpoint of my first draft, hitting 50,250 words/201 pages this morning. The more I write this book, the more fascinated I become with the character dynamics, not just the hero and heroine, but the people that populate their lives, and in turn will have their own books. The drunken Lord Redburn who is trying to drown his pain in a brandy bottle; Poor Gracie left to the mercy of her puritanical uncle upon the death of her third fiancé; the emotional battlefield that has left both Sarah and Longville scarred and wounded; and the embittered Avery whose life as a duke's by-blow has altered every aspect of her existence allowing her to live on the fringes looking in, but never truly a part.

The trick seems to be filtering these people into the first book without overpowering it with them. They often act as foils to move aspects of the plot further and in some instances give the main characters their motivation, but I have to often remind myself that they need to be kept in the background so as not to crowd the book with too many strong characters. Still, I want to give a hint of who they are to intrigue the reader and want to read more about them and thereby leading them into picking up the next book.

Like how I automatically assume these will be published? Nothing like the power of positive thinking. It's like I always say--where there's a Kelly, there's a way. See what happens when parents raise you to think there's nothing you can't do? It's entirely possible they may have created a monster...moohahahaha

And on a completely different topic, Nikki pointed out my egregious error yesterday by not listing Prison Break and Grey's Anatomy amongst my favorite TV shows. Let me correct my mistake and add them now. And I heard Prison Break was coming back with all new episodes this March. Woo hoo!