The day started out normal enough. Well, if you call normal wanting to bang your head against the keyboard and take up basket weaving. Which, I’m guessing as writers is pretty normal. Anyway, as noted below, I was struggling with plot issues, which made me abandon my WIP and segued into trying to figure out characters who appear later on in the series.That’s when it started. The insistent tapping in my brain to pay attention to something I’d been trying to ignore. No matter how much head shaking I did, I couldn’t rid myself of the tapping. And finally, on the drive home, stuck in traffic due to road construction, it hit me.
The characters and the plot for Book 4 were wrong. That’s why I couldn’t get the earl and Jack off my mind. They were trying to tell me I had the wrong hero for Book 4, that Jack was the proper hero and if I didn’t stop ignoring this fact they were going to kick me in the cranium until I paid attention.
Suddenly things started falling into place. I got home and since it was a beautiful, warm day after 4 days of rain and mist, I went out for my walk, working my imagination as hard as I was pumping my legs. And my arms. I noticed partway into the walk that I was talking to myself and gesticulating wildly while working through the plot. I’m sure I looked like a crazy person to all the passing motorists.
By the time I got back home, I ran down to the computer and typed it all up to send to my CP. I was so excited. The kind where you feel like there is this explosion of joy welling up inside of you and you just want to scream and laugh at the top of your lungs because EUREKA – you’ve figured things out and ohmygod this is going to make things SO MUCH BETTER!!!
I slumped back in my chair after I hit the send button, exhausted. And a little perturbed that it didn’t help my plotting issues with Book 1 in the least. Oh well, can’t have everything.
Then, since I was in front of the computer I decided to flip through my blog roll. I was reading Jill Shalvis’s blog and clicked on the cover of her new book, Shadow Hawk, which took me to amazon. Now, to be honest, I’ve never read a Harlequin Blaze before, but this past year I’ve been branching out, reading more contemporary. I scrolled down to the plot blurb. My eyebrows shot up. Wounded hero...handcuffs...Now this sounds interesting...
By the time I finished reading the blurb I was reaching for my purse and keys and was out the door and off to the bookstore. I arrived to find only two copies left. I snagged one, nearly running into the bookshelves because I couldn’t take my eyes off the abs. Seriously, that cover should have come with a warning...I looked up just in time to see another cover that caught my eye. Hot Dish by Connie Brockway. Hmm, I thought. Picked it up. Read the back. Added to my pile. Okay, now I’m leaving. I swear, I’m not buying anything else. I’m go—
Oh. Jo Beverley has a new book out?? Lady Beware?
Sigh. I swear I only went there to buy one book. But three books later I made it home. Oh well, I’ll think of it as reward for figuring out Book 4!
12 comments:
Oh, thanks for buying my book!! I hope you enjoy the inside as much as you enjoyed the outside, lol.
I'm sure I will - I snuck a peek at the first page and had to force myself to put it down until I finish my other book first!
I just love plot breakthroughs - I'm glad you had one!! Would've loved to have seen you on that walk - LOL. One advantage of living and walking in the woods, no-one sees me like that *g*.
I've got to find Jo's book + Nicola Cornick has a new one out this month too. So many books, too little time.
That's a great image of The Author Hard at Work. Glad you felt such a rush of joy - sounds like it made up for the previous keyboard-head-pounding. I can't wait till I have the whole Brimstone series in a nice neat row on my bookshelf.
"The kind where you feel like there is this explosion of joy welling up inside of you and you just want to scream and laugh at the top of your lungs because EUREKA – you’ve figured things out and ohmygod this is going to make things SO MUCH BETTER!!!"
I've had these moments, too, and I LOVE it! There's no other feeling like it in the world.
That's great, Kelly! WTG on figuring it out!! :)
I don't read a whole lot of Blaze, but I do like Jill Shalvis and that one sounds really good. And that's one hot cover Hope it provides inspiration.
I love when a plot falls into place, there's no better feeling. And isn't it crazy how secondary characters can take over a story? Happens to me all the time and drives me nuts
OMG you crack me up!
Shadowhawk looks great - I haven't read it yet but Jill writes amazing heroes.
Congrats on your epiphany!
So cool about the plot breakthrough!
And Jill's book is rocking - I read it in a day!
That is so awesome about the breakthrough Kelly! I can just see you walking down the stree, arms madly waving LOL.
I bought a pile of books the other day too, and I've been banned again from buying more until I read through my current pile. :)
Jill Shalvis writes the kind of books I don't like...and I love her writing. She is amazingly talented with characters. I'm more of a paranormal/urban fantasy reader but her talent blows me away.
I've had the same thing go with my book. And usually I'm in the middle of something else when I realize it. Glad you figured it out.
BTW, I'm reading "Slammerkin" which I think you recommended. Very good book, totally riveting, but cripes, its depressing. I'd already read about Mary Saunders before, so I know the end, but what a vivid book.
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