...after a serious brainstorming session with Loving Husband and a bottle of wine, I set to banging out the detailed outline for THE ROAD TO HELL. I had the right idea with the previous draft, but I was getting too caught up in the immediateness (is that a word?) of the scene/chapter -- heck, even of the novel -- and stopped seeing the Big Picture.
Because there is a Big Picture, kids. The HELL ON EARTH series is a projected five-book main story arc, with three one-shot standalone novels spotlighting supporting characters. And unlike, say, Janet Evanovich's fun Stephanie Plum series, where although events from previous books do carry forward, there's no major story arc (that I could see by Book 7, at any rate), the HELL series has a series-wide plot.
So I was so thoroughly buried in the second book as a book that I failed to see it also as part of the series. Once I figured out what Jesse must accomplish/do/set in motion in this book -- to further the overall series plot -- I was able to plan around those points for specifics in the novel itself.
Gah, does this make sense?
Loving Husband was an essential part of the brainstorming. I have to say that I'm blessed with a very supportive, very helpful hubby (who looks damn cute with or without his beard). Thank you, Loving Husband! And a huge thanks also to the ever-fabulous Heather for agreeing to look at my outline (as well as the feedback)! Mooches smooches!
My agent (bless him) has given the thumbs up to (for?) the outline. So now it's with my editor...who says he'll try to read it next week.
So basically, I have a week's time to take a mental vacation from all things Jesse. It's a long time in coming.
Club Med vacation...the an-ti-dote for civilization... la la la...
((NOTE: Apologies for a rambling post. It's almost 12:30 am, and I should be sleepingzzzzzzzzzzz))
4 Comments:
Yay! Brain vacation! What was that Stephen King once said? 'Every once in a while, your brain just kinda chucks it all and goes to Florida.' Sounds like a planned brain vacation was overdue, doll.
I'm so happily greedy knowing that there's much of Jesse to come. And so uber glad you've got the Big Picture in mind. :)
Well like the Good Dr. Franknfurter always says, "A mental mindf*** can be nice." =) So enjoy yourself!
The mellowing effects of wine... LOL!
Thanks, guys! It's nice not actually writing for a bit. It's giving me time to, oh, read and, you know, pack my house up for the upcoming move, gah...
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