Well, it is finally finished. The rough draft of "The Heart Broken" was finished Thursday night, and I can say I'm pleased with it. The last chapter was a little difficult to write, as I knew what I wanted to say but didn't quite know how to say it. The last page or two was the most difficult as I had to go slowly so as to not lose the reader from the "speeding up of time". What I had intended to be a storyline in the next book was rather shortened and at the end of this particular book, meaning the storylines were bumped up a bit.
In this book there is the culmination of the 1849 tornado, the loss of several major characters, the rebuilding of many lives, and the introduction of several new characters. I've covered things regarding the Conner family and Alexandria Ford and their roles in this book. What I didn't cover was a few other characters. There was the expansion of the young Mabel Parker friend to Cora Gray. Mabel and Cora are roughly the same age. They attend school together and are best friends. Mabel eventually is called upon to help out, but will she be successful or not in her endeavors. Then there is the introduction of the stern stepfather Jacob Mercer. He could care less about his stepchildren, as his only desire is to sire children of his own. While he's a minor character and only in a brief section of the book, his impact will be felt throughout the next book in the series, "The Heart Mended".
The last set of characters briefly mentioned in "The Heart Broken" are Thomas and Emma Green. He from Virginia, she from Southeastern Kentucky, they arrive in Big Spring in late 1850 and are looking to fulfill their heart's desire and a new ministry in the area. What Emma fails to realize is that women preachers, or women as the head of a church, aren't well received in 1854 nor in rural Kentucky. What she endures will break your heart, but route for her and her family none the less.
All that said, I need to be getting ready for a baby shower for a cousin. Happy Reading!!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
In The Homestretch
Well, I'm on the last few pages before the rough draft will be considered finished. I can't wait. I had been pondering a few things the last week, mainly how I was going to end the book. I had already introduced the next two storylines within this book and still needed to move it forward, yet not too far. On the way home, I connected up and realized JUST how the end of the book should be. Once I started fleshing it out in my mind, the more things started rolling and fit into what I felt I was being led to do for the next book in the series.
Excited simply just doesn't do the word or emotion justice regarding what I felt last night. Things are running so smooth right now, I'm a little scared. I guess because I was taking things "oh so slow" to invoke the right emotions and feelings from the reader that I forgot what it was for my fingers to fly.
Proofing has already been completed for the first 3 chapters and very much on a roll right now. I can't believe it... it looks like it'll be ready for a stocking stuffer at Christmas!
Excited simply just doesn't do the word or emotion justice regarding what I felt last night. Things are running so smooth right now, I'm a little scared. I guess because I was taking things "oh so slow" to invoke the right emotions and feelings from the reader that I forgot what it was for my fingers to fly.
Proofing has already been completed for the first 3 chapters and very much on a roll right now. I can't believe it... it looks like it'll be ready for a stocking stuffer at Christmas!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Almost At The Finish Line
Well, it's been over a month since I posted to my blog, but life intruded yet once again. The downturn in the economy has been such that the daycare has seen a drop off in enrolled children which has resulted in combining classes as well as fluxuating hours. While in once sense it's not a good thing, in another sense it's not a bad thing.
With the fluxuation of hours, I'm taking on new and different responsibilities with the newly acquired title of assistant director (actually I'm one of two now). While I like the change in hours and duties, there are times I yearn for teaching again. Heheheee... but one day or afternoon in the a classroom shows me that I really do need a break. As a result, though, I stay in a "stressful" state because I'm not one that takes to change easily. I'm forever wondering if I'm getting everything done that needs be done, or if I'm forgetting that one little thing that makes my (or someone else's) job a little easier down the road. While some might look at this whole change as a "not so good thing", I'm looking at it as God's blessing to learn during a period when time is a little easier to find!
Writing has been unusually slow the past several weeks. I don't think it's so much that I don't have anything to say, I'm wrapping up the book... so there's lots to say! I think God's intentions were for me not to write during the last couple of weeks. It's been a "struggle" of sorts to get down what I want to say, but with good reason. I'm wrapping up the story of Alexandria (based on the last years of life for my cousin, Lieta); starting the new storyline of Mabel... which not only will be a main story in the next book, but serve to set a tone throughout all the books (honoring/remembering the midwives and medically inclined of my ancestors); and the culmination of one beloved character's life. It will be SO hard to write them out, but it has to be done for the advancement of storyline. I also will be introducing a set of characters, for the series' third book, that will be based on the lives of my g-grandmother's brother and wife, half brother and wife. I really get to explore the area of religion during the mid-nineteenth century through the latter two groups of characters, as well as that of a woman preacher in rural America. It should be VERY interesting.
All that said, now I must head off for work. While the hours are crazy, at least it's a paycheck doing one of the things I love... taking care of children!
Ciao
With the fluxuation of hours, I'm taking on new and different responsibilities with the newly acquired title of assistant director (actually I'm one of two now). While I like the change in hours and duties, there are times I yearn for teaching again. Heheheee... but one day or afternoon in the a classroom shows me that I really do need a break. As a result, though, I stay in a "stressful" state because I'm not one that takes to change easily. I'm forever wondering if I'm getting everything done that needs be done, or if I'm forgetting that one little thing that makes my (or someone else's) job a little easier down the road. While some might look at this whole change as a "not so good thing", I'm looking at it as God's blessing to learn during a period when time is a little easier to find!
Writing has been unusually slow the past several weeks. I don't think it's so much that I don't have anything to say, I'm wrapping up the book... so there's lots to say! I think God's intentions were for me not to write during the last couple of weeks. It's been a "struggle" of sorts to get down what I want to say, but with good reason. I'm wrapping up the story of Alexandria (based on the last years of life for my cousin, Lieta); starting the new storyline of Mabel... which not only will be a main story in the next book, but serve to set a tone throughout all the books (honoring/remembering the midwives and medically inclined of my ancestors); and the culmination of one beloved character's life. It will be SO hard to write them out, but it has to be done for the advancement of storyline. I also will be introducing a set of characters, for the series' third book, that will be based on the lives of my g-grandmother's brother and wife, half brother and wife. I really get to explore the area of religion during the mid-nineteenth century through the latter two groups of characters, as well as that of a woman preacher in rural America. It should be VERY interesting.
All that said, now I must head off for work. While the hours are crazy, at least it's a paycheck doing one of the things I love... taking care of children!
Ciao
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