Thoughts
It was one year ago today, May 24, 2016 that I posted the first chapter of The Protector. It was a story I had been working on for a couple of years; but never finished. I had promised myself that I would not post anything until it was at least half written because I was so afraid I would never complete it. I did not want to be one of 'those' authors who left their readers dangling with an unfinished story. But those thoughts were getting me nowhere, and I decided maybe what I needed was a little push and a little pressure to jumpstart my writing.
On a whim I logged into FFN and posted the first chapter. The reaction was immediate. Followers, favorites, reviews and reader hits started popping up in my email. There were a few mentions on Facebook and in several blogs, for which I need to say 'thank you' again. Apparently there were people who were interested in post-apocalyptic, dystopian, sci-fi stories.
This past year has been an amazing learning experience, and I want to thank everyone who has stuck around with me to get to this point. The biggest change happened when Bellebiter agreed to beta for me. I greatly admire this lady, and cannot begin to express how much her help – and now friendship – mean to me. She has: held my hand, kicked my ass, listened to me whine and bitch, sent me encouraging notes when she sensed I was depressed, prodded me along when I lagged, and scolded me when I rushed through important scenes. All this was done while 'gently nudging' me to become a better writer.
I still have a long way to go; but I'm getting there.
There are five or so more chapters and a short epilogue left in the story and they are approximately seventy-five percent written. We'll be finished soon.
To celebrate this one-year anniversary, I've decided to share a little something I jotted down after receiving one of those 'gentle nudges' on the importance of using more descriptive language.
This took place after writing the first rough draft of chapter 28 in which Jasper did a lot of 'laughing.'
For humor purposes only! Enjoy.
A Conversation with Jasper
I'm surprised to see Jasper standing on the porch as when I step outside my door in the morning. He laughs, chortles, giggles, chuckles, titters, roars, guffaws, howls, snorts, snickers, smiles, grins, smirks, and cracks up, at the confusion on my face, before asking, questioning, demanding, querying, inquiring, and quizzing, if I have read my emails this morning.
When I nod, guiltily, he hands me a small package. "What is this?" I inquire, ask, question, quiz.
Jasper just cocks one eyebrow at me and tells me it's a gift from Bellebiter.
Upon removing the wrapping, I find a brand new Thesaurus. "But I have one of these," I reply, retort, return, respond, and protest.
"Yes," he agrees, "but, apparently your copy doesn't have any instructions on how to use it."
"Well, you know… I was in a hurry, just trying to get the words onto the screen," I mumble an excuse, while watching my bear, bare toe scuff a line in the dirt covering the porch, which hasn't been swept in months, years, ages, generations, millennia.
"No apologies," he continues, turning to walk away. "Now, go clean up that mess of a chapter!"
"And to think, you were starting, beginning, becoming one of my favorite characters," I huff at his disappearing back. "I even added a love interest for you and some sexy times in a two-person bathtub."
"You hinted at some sexy times in the bathtub," he glares, facing me once again. "Other writers let me actually use my dick, cock, schlong, baby-maker, boner, anaconda, dong, junk, member, staff…. "
"Stop, stop!" I scream, covering my ears to block out his words. "I'm an old, retired librarian with grown children, I don't want to hear that stuff."
Jasper just laughs, chortles, giggles, chuckles, titters, roars, guffaws, howls, snorts, snickers, smiles, grins, smirks, and cracks up as he begins to walk away again.
"Hey, Jasper," I call out to him. "Can you tell Bellebiter I'm sorry?"
"I think you just did," he answers laughingly, as he disappears from sight, site, view.
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Thanks for reading.