First of all I’ve decided to follow in Dean Wesley Smith’s footsteps and sit down to write this blog without a plan, without a clue, with only the directive to write. It works for him (he puts out enjoyable stories and novels using this very same technique), and I have done it to modest success before as well.
I call this my off season. I’m in limbo waiting for my cover artist and formatter to finish with The Cowboy’s Baby Goes To Heaven so I can publish it by November, although I certainly don’t have to be. I’ve got a story to edit, two novels to complete, and a critique session to participate in. I don’t need to simply wait and anticipate, but I seem to have some sort of block about wanting to see something that’s this far along actually published before I dive into the next thing.
So, as you can see below, I’m immersing myself into the spirit of the season by watching horror movies. My goal is one horror movie a day for the whole month of October, something I used to do regularly before 9/11 took the wind out of my sails and left me depressed all through the rest of that year. I have never yet completed a whole month of October and the horror movie marathon since then. Until now, maybe. Gosh, there’s only eight days to go.
Some of these horror movies leave me feeling bad as well, but pretty much not the ones I actually select. I’m leaving the really ugly ones alone and going for the over-the-top or the atmospheric or the just plain silly ones. I could swear we had Scream 4 in the house, but we don’t. I’ve added it to my Netflix list.
What should you take from all this? Number one: my new book’s going to be available in November or shortly before. It’s a romantic comedy that leaves readers smiling, if not laughing. I’m really pleased with it and the cover that’s emerging from Streetlight Graphics. THE COWBOY’S BABY GOES TO HEAVEN. Number two: it’s probably better not to follow my lead about taking time off to see your next book launched. But if you find yourself in what you think of as writer’s block, following Dean Wesley Smith’s pattern of just sitting down at the computer and putting fingers to the keyboard is the best thing you can do.
Follow Dean Wesley Smith’s progress writing this year through his blog
And see my books and stories at
http://amazon.com/author/gretchenrix
Also available for Nook and Smashwords readers.
Photos by Roxanne Rix.
WHAT I READ THIS WEEK: The Fall by Annelie Wendeberg.
WHAT I WATCHED THIS WEEK: The Phantom of the Opera. Unearthed. White Zombie. Willard. Secret Window. Scream 3. Drag Me To Hell.