Paula Coots's Blog: Paula's Blather about Writing. Mostly.

Recovering Perfectionist...what, me? Writers write and love it so why wasn't I writing? Well, Real Life can throw you a few curve balls, but that wasn't all of it. With over 130,000 plus words, Another Rock Star Book 2 was essentially finished, yet languishing in the first rewrite stage. Over the past few months, though, I just couldn't...focus, for a lot reasons. And then last night, BAM! Finally! One of those moments I live for; I saw why I was stuck. I've been riding the see-saw of "This is crap, to hey, this is pretty good" until around 11:30 last night where I hit the final "This isn't working." I was prepared to ditch it completely. About thirty minutes after that point of surrender, I realized that the book needs more than a re-write, it needs the dreaded re-structuring. Now, that fills me with delight. It's a hell of a lot of work, but it always is, when you get down to it. I'm thrilled that I can finally see the way out of this unfamiliar, torturous state that I think may be called writer's block. I've never experienced it before, and I hope I never need to again. Yet as uncomfortable as it's been, it turns out it's for the best. Now I know how I can make this book better. My self imposed deadline just flew the rest of the way out the window, but so what? The story is what counts. Taken from facebook.com/PaulaCootsBooks

This does happen to me. It's baffling, but good for a laugh sometimes, like this morning.
The mystery word that penetrated my brain before I even made it to the bathroom?
"Chilblains."
Really?
WTF is a chilblain and more importantly where the heck have I ever encountered such a word?
I looked it up. "Inflammation of hands and feet caused by exposure to cold and moisture."
OK. That's clearly a word I have a use for in East Texas. I think it's about 60 degrees out there now.
Thank you, Brain. CHILBLAINS!!

Sometimes it seems to me like opinions expressed online get meaner, more self-righteous daily. Maybe it's the buffer of expressing yourself through a somewhat anonymous method that allows you to "speak" much more harshly than you would if you were looking into another person's eyes. We all have our "quibbles" and points of view. We can all get snarky and try to be funny in our little reviews, posts and tweets, etc.
Personally, I like to hear multiple points of view, even the ones I don't happen to agree with. It feels like I get a broader picture of what's going on out there. But there seems to be an element of hysteria over the smallest things! And condemnations "to rot in hell!" for...for what? Something you don't personally like?
It can get vicious over a moustache!
The internet is such a great tool for reaching out to others, spreading knowledge and fun. It saddens me when it's used as a vehicle for hatefulness, over issues great and small.
We're all just people, after all, typing away on our little keyboards.

I present another one of these inconsequential tidbits about writing for your perusal. I'd love to hear about your writing and reading pet peeves or observations, if you have any you'd like to share.
When I read, "He cursed under his breath," it screeches like a car in need of new brake shoes.
Can he curse OVER his breath? It's just one of those things that has appeared in fiction forever, and almost everybody does it. I think if you've done your job as a writer and the reader is fully engaged with the character, it might work better if you just let him say what YOU hear him saying. For example, how about just writing this: "Fuck."
And if he is alone, I don't even think a speech attribution is needed.
Oh, yeah, and speech attributions...well, that is a completely deep subject. If you stare too long into the abyss and all that.

Here's wishing you a great week of reading and writing and everything else you do.

Brian May's Red Special: Inside the Iconic Guitar of the Legendary Queen Guitarist by Brian May

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Astounding.
Truly. Brian May is such a consummate guitarist. And as most of us fans who happen to be guitarists know, that with the help of his father, Brian designed and made a killer guitar. This book digs in and shows us how, and that is an amazing story of creativity, practicality, love, perfectionism, dedication, patience and freaking brilliance. In over 50 years, the truss rod has NEVER needed adjustment! What? And the frets? Never replaced!! Damn. If you're a guitarist, you know how unheard of that is. Plus, if you're not a guitarist, but you are a Queen fan...the book is a fantastic insight into Brian, as well. It touches on the relationship he had with his Dad, especially for the two years it took to make the guitar. Using hand tools and mostly parts that were lying around in Harold's shed in case they could be used for something someday, a priceless guitar was created. Brian's description of what it felt like to play on top of Buckingham Palace on the Queen's Jubilee Anniversary concert is worth the price alone. If you're a guitar geek like me, the fact that Brian let them take the Red Special APART in 2013 (except the tremolo block---wisely leaving that alone) to photograph all its insides...man, it sent ME into spasms of gear terror. Enough said. I find it hard to express how much I love this book, this story, this music, this guitar, this man. What a true genius.



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Craig Ferguson is such a unique and fascinating performer. What he has done on his Late Late Show IS truly unlike any other show on American television that I've ever seen. They say it as a joke on the show...but it's one of those jokes that are more true than funny. He is a writer, director, actor, stand up comedian, host, all around talent...I'll miss him when his long running show changes to a new host this December. At least I still get to see him on the silly but fun game show Celebrity Name Game. So, for now, "I bid you adieu."

I adore words and enjoy taking them out to play and build things. I like new shapes, textures and colors.
Sometimes, though, words or phrases begin to stray toward cliché just a little too quickly.
Maybe the first time I heard the following, I found it cute. Maybe it even amused me or struck me with its fresh vigor. Drum roll, please. How many times have we been subjected to, "I'm on it!" or "I'm all over it!" as the side character dashes off to save the day without so much as a grunt in response from the captain/commander/nut job in charge?
Is it the repetition or merely the ever mutating, lemming-like qualities of what makes our language wander into the weird and wonderful and faddish that turns a word or phrase into a quibble? You never know when one of those new words will assume it's rightful place in the latest edition of our legitimate lexicon.

No worries, though. We word lovers will remain grimly enthusiastic and "all over it!" when the time comes.
Cheers!

The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Who wants to hear my opinions, really? What I love about this book is the writing style. Lots of long sentences with no commas. Followed by short sentences. Or fragments. And occasionally short paragraphs. He's famous for his metaphors and similes, and when I think about when this was written, 1939, I appreciate how he rejected the strict "style" constraints and just wrote what needed to be written. It's all about the story. The pace, creating tension and resolution, and the music of the words. I think that's a worthy goal for any author. At the time, he was widely regarded as just a "pulp fiction" writer. Today, he is considered a genius by many in the field.
I'm on to "Farewell, My Lovely" next.



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Ah, the good old days. And let us not discuss politics, lest I develop high blood pressure from the lack of integrity or even logical governmental processes.
This evening I'm ruminating on the "is-ness" of "is".
As in, Tom Cruise IS JACK REACHER.
I don't think I even have to provide any more examples.
Is that supposed to make the performance somehow more "powerful"?
Okay, I give up. Another example. John Malcovich IS BLACKBEARD.
I don't understand how this accomplishes much, other than adding a sheen of arrogance and perhaps a gleam of pretension.
Another actor would have her name before the title and that seems to work just fine most of the time. That means you are big time, baby!
But I guess the next step...is "is"!
Does that mean your career has reached such an apex that you aren't just acting, you just "is" somebody?
This silly rant is such a tiny speck in the scheme of things, but...whoops, there it "is".

Now, I know, I'm an opinionated oddball. I accept that fact, with the stoicism of a nun who's pledged a vow of silence and never plans to leave the convent.

But the dreaded "P" word. No, not THAT "P" word. That one can be a heck of a lot of fun.

I'm referring to the one that refers to a "very special episode" or "a tour de force" novel.

The "P" word in question is POWERFUL.

As in, "Don't miss this powerful new installment in the ------- Series."

For me, it's a "non-word" in a book blurb. However, when it's used on TV, what strikes me is how the promo announcers drop their voices and sound so grave.

I doubt any more examples are needed, because after all, the word "powerful" in these contexts has been so flogged I'm sure it sluices right through most ear drums and out into the ether without one ounce of effect.

Wait, is that a mixed metaphor? Ah, don't think about it too much. It's powerful!

Oh, and remember my opinions are my own and are in no way endorsed by goodreads or anybody who claims to have a lick of sense.

Ta!