It’s August, and I’m on summer vacation. What does that mean? It means I finished writing the manuscript for Smoke and Mirrors last Sunday, and it’s currently in the hands of my agent for a session of reading/editing. That mean’s I’m also holding my breath.
Handing over a manuscript to my one and only agent is a lot like turning in a paper to Bisbee High School’s Mrs. Medigovich. She was tall and model thin. Dressed in designer sheaths and high heels, she walked the halls with the stride of a gunslinger and cast a daunting figure. She was anything but beautiful. With a black mole on her chin, sharp facial features, and her black hair pulled back in an immense bun, she was downright scary. When she knocked her knuckles on the blackboard and said “Hell’s bells, you hounds!” even the toughest varsity football players sat up and took notice. But if you walked away with an A from her senior English class, you had a ticket to sail straight into any freshman honors English class at any college or university in Arizona.
In other words, Mrs. Medigovich was tough, and so is my agent. Over the years I’ve benefited immeasurably from their guidance. One of the smartest things I ever did was listen when, unable to sell my first manuscript, my agent suggested I write something else, and so I did. Instead of firing the agent, I fired that manuscript and wrote the first Beaumont, Until Proven Guilty.
Wait a minute here, you’re probably thinking. Didn’t she say she was going to be talking about summer vacation? Well, yes I am—in a very roundabout fashion.
When I was growing up, summer vacations were for one thing only—READING. My elementary school, Greenway, kept the library open one day a week during the summer months. On those days, I’d drag the family’s RadioFlyer wagon to the school and come back with that week’s wagonload of books.
There wasn’t an actual bookstore in Bisbee. By the time I got to high school, the books that came into our home were in the form of Reader’s Digest condensed books. That’s how I read James Michener’s Hawaii. I believe they boiled it down to about seventy pages, so I don’t think I got the whole thing—and I’m sure they short-circuited a good deal of the material dealing with the missionaries who were focused on sharing a lot more than the gospel. And when I happened to venture into the Copper Queen Library? Mrs. Howe kept an eagle eye on my selections to make sure I didn’t take home something she considered inappropriate.
So I loved reading. I’ve always loved reading, but when I’m writing a book, reading someone else’s poses a real drawback. Other people’s characters take my attention away from my own, and that’s a problem. So most of the time I don’t read.
But this week, when I can’t work on my book, I have King’s X. I’ve read two so far—a Louise Penny and a Daniel Silva. (Yes, I read mysteries. What a surprise!)
One of the things Mrs. Medigovich insisted upon was COMPLETE SENTENCES—something with both a subject and predicate. She didn’t allow any sentence fragments. Ever. For any reason. Louise Penny uses sentence fragments. With wild abandon. And it works. Encountering one of those passages is like taking a breath. Of fresh air. And it doesn’t do anything to keep her from telling her story.
Daniel Silva? I love his geographical references. His art history references. His ability to create iconic characters. (See there? I can write in sentence fragments, too. If I have to.)
Today the manuscript isn’t back in my hands, my computer, or my head, so I’m going to go shopping through Bill’s massive ebook library and see what else is hiding there.
This year’s summer vacation may be short, but I’m enjoying every minute of it.
You are so good. Travel off to different subjects and somehow they seem to relate perfectly to each other. In any event, another good one
For those of us who are retired…you make Fridays the day to look forward to. Another wonderful blog. Thanks.
Blessing to you and Bill.
I laughed when I read “She didn’t allow any sentence fragments. Ever. For any reason. “
And also, when you explained how hard it is to breed other writers when you’re in the middle of writing. Another reason, I love you
Never thought I would be doing this BUT here goes! I love your books. I have read all (except Walker series) at least four times. My favorite is the Beaumont series because that is the first one I read! I am 82 so relate to you that way. When it is your time to leave this earth I hope you just fall over your typewriter (or whatever you use).
Keep up the great writing and I will keep reading over and over!
I love your blogs!!
I wondered how you relaxed. Not wanting other writers’ characters to get in is interesting.
I’ve realized your books structures are grammatically correct, as well as a few words I’ve never seen – which improves my vocabulary (always a good thing).
Enjoy your summer vacation. I am anxious to see your new book(s) that are on the horizon.
I, too, love reading (needless to say, your books and blogs especially). That’s why my first job was heaven sent – a page at a New York Public Library branch in The Bronx. I shelved returned books – what a joy to hold these volumes in my hands! I mentally kept a tally of my next read. So what did I do during my mandatory breaks – read of course! I’d choose a book from my mental shelf, go to a favorite corner of the room and read until my next shift…sheer joy!
I agree with your dislike of truncated sentences. Sometimes they work. Mostly, they don’t. If you haven’t read Robert Crais, try him. My favorite reading, though, is any book of Rick Bragg’s. He’s the best non-fiction writer of our times. His voice reminds me of Ernie Pyle, the best military writer ever.
Glad you are enjoying your vacation!
Hope the agent isn’t too tough on you.
Take care!
I grew up in a difficult home. My only bright spot was the library in our small town. I started walking the long two blocks when I was about 6 years old. Love of reading books has never left me. I know how you feel, and your books have been read over and over again. Because of you I ended up living in Arizona!
Hope all goes well with your agent. Anxious to get your next book in my hands. Enjoy your vacation.
Books really do transport me and have been since i was a kid without the wagon who carried the books home in my arms from the library. I recently found The Book Retreat Mysteries by Ellery Adams and really want to go there right after I get back from an Elm Creek Quilting Retreat. When the places in books are vivid I want to visit. You however, dear author, make me want to meet your characters and have a coffee or a long chat while walking the dog. I don’t have a dog but would get one to chat with Beau. Ali would have been the perfect IT boss when I was doing that and Joanna and Butch the people I’d want to invite me over for bbq! Good friends are great but book friends never disappoint! thank you for bringing them to life and enjoy your break from writing. I just listened to by first daniel silva and was very pleased with it, but those characters can’t be friends with their readers. they are just passing through.
I visited my neighborhood library often and the librarian became my idol. I didn’t have a wagon to haul my books! Your blog, today, brought back memories of my English teachers. I had to
learn and recite the 45 prepositions, diagram sentences and also the “be” verbs! Recently, I bought four coffee mugs at the bookstore at Seabrook that are daily reminders of the proper use of the there’s, the too’s, the your’s and effect and affect!
Mrs. Medigovich was my favorite teacher in high school and you described her to a “T”! Love to read your blogs! Just finished reading your “Den of Iniquity” and thoroughly enjoyed it. Keep up the good work!
I still love reading! Now I listen to audiobooks quite a lot as my 87 year old eyes get too tired to continue reading. This usually happens in a good part:-) My mother graduated from a small high school at 16. Went to a 2 year teachers college and when she graduated she got a job teaching in a one room school in Eastern Montana where the student who came by horseback could be any age (or Indian). I was taught to read with our only book (Bible) by the time I was about 4 or so. And then it was “got your nose in a book again” and get busy elsewhere! And I’m big on Pre-Order! Can’t wait for your next book!
God bless you! What a fascinating history!
I love reading as well. I really love audiobooks especially when the reader is good.
I highly recommend the author Peter Grainger- he has written several series- the one I started with has D.C. Smith as the main character and the first one is called “An Accidental Death”.
What is fascinating is the author is self-published and has only done e-books and audio books and has no printed books!
What a concept!
They are really good reads (or “listens” in my case.) and are thoroughly enjoyable.
I used to like Daniel Silva, a lot. But when one of his books turned into a rant about Donald Trump, our love affair was over. If I want to read things political. I’ll buy them or read the NYT or the WSJ. But his rant ruined that book for me and my respect for him as an author. Glad you have some time for some reading. It’s very hot down here in the Salt River Valley so daytime is for reading. All the best J. A. Jance!
I’m reading ‘A Tree Grows in Brooklyn’. Francie just got to the library, on a Saturday, to check out her two books. She’s making her way through the entire library…alphabetically! Guess who that reminded me of? I could picture the two of you going to that library together and picking out all the books!
I love your Friday blogs !!! Keep ‘em coming. Sentence fragment by Karen.
I have not yet read Silva that I remember but I adore Penny and will devour her books as quickly as yours. Here’s to your summer vacation!! Enjoy.
And a big thank you to your agent who told you to write “something else”
Hey! The personality of writing comes from those incomplete sentences! I think. It makes it more conversational. And why not. It’s a free country! I could go on, but summer heat and life has worn me down this week.
Can’t wait to get your next book! Can’t think of words good enough to tell you how much I enjoy each one. Nap time now.
Dad ran an antique shop and an adjacent antiquarian bookstore in Upstate NY when we were kids. Our summers were for alternately running wild wherever we wanted to go and reading. I drove the librarian…the library was about four doors up the street from the shops…so crazy one summer that she hired me for a nickel an hour to dust all the books in the library as long as I would be quiet while doing so. I discovered many wonderful books that way.
I also eagerly anticipate your new releases.