I am currently doing final revisions on THE PACT for Carolrhoda Fall 2012 as well as piecing together short stories with a strong autobiographical content--stories of two adolescent girls growing up in a large, chaotic family.
The PACT revision is a more analytic process--taking something I wrote 2 years ago and solving problems in logic and scheduling and age-appropriateness. But the stories are full of layers and psychological obstacles and confrontations with old loss. I am trying to find my way into them gradually, hanging on to small, symbolic memories and shaping stories around them. It is very hard work and at times exhausting. But good. And high time to do it.
My other, as yet unsubmitted, novel sits on a shelf in my office, vibrating and hissing. And the new voice in my ear, Bella's voice, only a minor character in SUMMER OF SILK MOTHS, she wants to tell her own story her own way. I am thinking this will be more of a separate novel than a sequel. Not sure. This is how it rolls for me, Fall 2011, deep writing, many projects. Loving my work right now, feeling very busy and pulled under, but grateful.
The PACT revision is a more analytic process--taking something I wrote 2 years ago and solving problems in logic and scheduling and age-appropriateness. But the stories are full of layers and psychological obstacles and confrontations with old loss. I am trying to find my way into them gradually, hanging on to small, symbolic memories and shaping stories around them. It is very hard work and at times exhausting. But good. And high time to do it.
My other, as yet unsubmitted, novel sits on a shelf in my office, vibrating and hissing. And the new voice in my ear, Bella's voice, only a minor character in SUMMER OF SILK MOTHS, she wants to tell her own story her own way. I am thinking this will be more of a separate novel than a sequel. Not sure. This is how it rolls for me, Fall 2011, deep writing, many projects. Loving my work right now, feeling very busy and pulled under, but grateful.