First Draft for The Last Dance

Done-du-done-du-done!

I just finished the first draft for "The Last Dance". (It's Sean and Susie's story). Now I get to print it out and read through it for the very first time. And I get to see if it makes any sense. Because, who knows, it could be rubbish.

Near the end, I honestly wasn't sure that I could bring them back around. I wasn't sure I could do it, but Sean just fell onto the page like a champ and I couldn't be prouder.

This is the first adult fiction novel I've ever attempted. All the rest fall into the young adult category and all touch on young adult themes like coming of age, etc.

I like young adult for several reasons. One is that I am older than my characters, which means I know more than them (ha!). Another is that the themes can be a little more chaste. I cannot tell you how many sex scenes I've unfortunately come across in adult fiction. Blech! I cannot imagine writing a graphic sex scene in a novel and then looking my friends and family in the eye over the turkey at the holidays. Can you say awkward?

That being said, this story is decidedly more adult with adult themes and conversations. It is probably not something I would recommend to my teenage daughter, if I had one. And since I just have sons and there is no way they will probably read any of my stories, least of all this one, I have no worries. I'm actually not sure I will ever show this one to anyone. But, that doesn't mean it wasn't important for me to write it.

The other novels are easier to show. This one would be hard because of the intimate nature of some of the conversations and feelings expressed by the characters.

This is the first time where I have really written from a man's point of view (the story is told third person through Sean and Susie - also something I have never tried before) but I think I might have gotten close. Men are so different to write then women. It is far easier to be in a woman's complicated mind than a man's...uh...uncomplicated mind.

The Last Dance is also shorter than my others, coming in at around 32,000 words. It's funny to me that it is so short when adult fiction tends to be longer than young adult fiction and my young adult fiction novels are quite overlong for the genre. I did it backwards but I don't care. Sean and Susie had a simple story to tell and I tried to tell it.

I can now go to bed and sleep without them interrupting my dreams with their stories. For one night anyway...and then who knows? I might hear from my Princess...

Unbelievable Day of Writing

Sean and Susie had to take a short break while I handled some business these last two weeks. But Chad took the boys to Disneyland today just so I could catch up and write. (And so they could have fun, I'm sure.)

Twelve hours later my carpets and rugs are all cleaned and I worked on six chapters today. I transcribed one chapter and wrote five. I grew my story by a total of fifteen single space pages. Now I am about to start chapter eighteen and I couldn't be happier.

Thanks Chad!

Sean and Susie

Sean and Susie are coming along well. Every time I think of their names I can't help but think of Brad and Suzy by Jude. Sean and Susie are nothing like Brad and Suzy but the song is catchy and I can't help but think of the chorus when I write my Sean and my Susie.

Sean and Susie are shaping up and they're falling onto the page, little scenes and interactions, on a daily basis. I'm on chapter ten and moving quickly. This morning I constructed the Christmas Eve/Day scenes and I've started the first few paragraphs of the writing. I'm enjoying seeing them in a happy place right now because there is a little (or will it be big?) heartache ahead.

Reading back through the first chapter it is amazing to me how light and easy Sean and Susie are. They come off completely unburdened by the world. As the chapter progresses I can feel the dramatic change that happens as their circumstances are revealed.

I sure hope those two crazy kids can make it.

Whatever the outcome, I am enjoying the writing tremendously. I love to write for the sake of writing and I love to create my characters and see their lives unfold. The process of writing makes me extremely happy. The world feels more alive, the blues more blue, the greens more green. At the end of my life, I will probably have bookshelves filled with my (mostly unread) creations but the picture won't be right. It won't show the joy I got from the journey.

Due to mother's day, I have the day off from mothering and I get to devote my time however I choose. So I am off to write. I am off to spend Christmas Eve with Sean and Susie.