The Midnight Post

Three things. Three very important writer-like things.

1. Psych is on. And it's one of my favorite crime shows ever. There's Monk for Tony Shaloub. There's Murder She Wrote for it's obvious criminals but not so obvious how they dunnits. There's CSI and NCIS for their crime scene-y-ness. And then there's Psych. For it's wacky crimes--- wacky criminals--- and wacky cast. I love it all. It's (and don't judge me, here) Monk meets a modern day Get Smart. It's not the most brilliant show you'll ever watch but it's entertaining and in one of the best ways possible.

2. I am editing. I am editing PW and helping with TLOATH and, also, I'm critiquing a book for a friend. I'm Alex Bennett's Beta reader and so it's my job to help him make his NaNo project a sparkling gem of a book. And I have to say, I'm a lucky gal. Between Aria's superheroes and Alex's leprechauns, I am in pretty great hands on the writer-reader level of happiness.

3. I've picked the project I'm going to do for my WriMo. Psych! Ha! I totally fooled you. No, see, the problem is, I HAVEN'T chosen a project and my WriMo starts in three days! I have so many guys. I have SO many ideas. Right now, it's a toss up between a book from a guy's perspective (it's a romance! A contemp. romance!), a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, and a middle grade comedy about a girl trying to get rid of a curse. But there're (and I kid you not) SEVEN other ideas that I'm fighting not to bring to the forefront of my mind. I should just... pick one. I know! But I'm agh! I'm going crazy here.

But if a writer doesn't know insanity, how does he ever hope to make the world more sane?

Take care, Loves. And I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Love,
Deserae

Saturday Snapshot #4: For Talia

I write songs for my books, as you guys know, and there's one in particular that I started but never finished--- liked, but never quite got  there with. Well, I thought I'd post the half-bitten lyrics for a girl named Talia who's got heart, spunk, and wisdom for days, but might need a little something every once and again to make her smile. Hope this does the job, Love.

"Trust Me" -KISSE
I know you look at me and all you see's
A broken-hearted lovesick personality,
But all you've done is glimpsed at the surface
Trust me I'm working on
Becoming me and loving you
You seem to be alright now, Love, and I'll be too,
But all I know's that hearts are imperfect---
Trust me, I'm learning,
That when things start to fall apart, we've still gotta hold together.
I'll recollect all my broken parts and save them for later.

We stare out onto the lake, throw a pebble in and watch it sink
And I know what you're thinking: Just keep on breathing
'Cause, Love, we're not through yet;
Our world is dark, now, but there's light up ahead and
Trust me we'll make it, buh-lieve me, we'll make it through.

---- This is where I've always stopped, but here's the second verse even though I need to change it---

I know that soon there's gonna be a day
When cynical delusions keep flooding my brain,
Just hold my hand and say that you'll lead me,
I don't mind being
The one who keeps asking for help
This is the only way I know to save myself,
So promise me you'll be right beside me,
Trust me I'm trying...
And when things start to fall apart,
You know I'll get it together,
Brush it off, stand up, and restart
Because I know things get better

We stare out onto the lake, throw a pebble in and watch it sink
And I know what you're thinking: Just keep on breathing.
'Cause, Love, we're not through yet,
Our world is dark, now, but there's light up ahead and
Trust me we'll make it, buh-lieve me, we'll make it through.

Love,
Deserae
P.S. The song above is a favorite of Ms. T's. Definitely give it a listen and her blog a look-see.

New Project Anxiety

My fingers have been itching for this moment, the ''new project.'' It's been a long time coming and I am finally setlling down to get all those ideas in my head out onto a piece of paper. It's harder than it sounds, Loves; it's a multi-hurtle challenge. The concept and those first ideas are round one. Laying them out in a workable first draft, round two. Being able to re-write that first draft into something readable, round three. Giving that last draft some time to rest, and then tackling it again (and maybe again) until it's SOMETHING, the final blow.

I love a project when it's a baby. When it's just a mess of ideas that one day could be something amazing or something someone might want to read if the right words were strung together in the right order. But then actually doing that--- actually writing up that first draft--- is the scariest thing of all. What if I never finish? What if I can't get past page one? What if, after all that work, it's no good? Should I start over? Should I abandon ship? Am I a terrible writer? Should I have gone into dentistry after all?!

Agh. The fear. I get it all the time when I'm typing up that first draft. The ideas didn't need me--- I needed them. They constructed themselves, and I listened attentively like the good little school girl that I am. Then they wanted to be written. Then they needed my help. And now I'm panicked because I, of course, liked doing all of the listening and none of the work. It's scary to be responsible, at that point, for the outcome of the story--- the ideas were awesome, but am I going to blow it when I put in my own two cents?

The first draft intimidates me. I can pour my heart out into this thing and still not be finished. I can fail miserably before I even begin. I can write a draft that I think is brilliant but really isn't and I have to start again from square one. Or it can be brill.

New project angst is, at least, teaching me something: to know what could be, I first have to begin.

Wish me luck, Gang,
Deserae