キャミー・タング著「戌年」連載小説 プロのドッグトレーナーであるマリ・ムトウは、厄年を迎えている。 犬小屋と訓練所の改築をしながら、いつも不服そうにしている家族と同居することになった。母と姉に言わせれば、犬の毛とよだれかけにまみれる仕事は、家族にとって恥ずべきものだという。彼女は元カレを説得し、数ヶ月間犬を預かってもらうことにした。しかし、彼の兄は、数週間前に彼女が誤って車に追突した、怒り狂ったセキュリティ専門家であることが判明する。 アシュウィン・ケイトウは十分な問題を抱えている。叔母が玄関先に現れ、同居を希望している。彼は彼女にすべてを借りているので、断ることができません。母親が家を出て行った後、ネルおばさんはアシュウィンと弟を引き取り、愛のあるキリスト教の家庭で育てた。しかも、弟のダスティもアパートを追い出され、居場所を求めている。しかし、彼は犬を飼っている。そして、その犬の飼い主は誰だと思いますか？ しかし、旧友でオアフ島のノースショアでデイスパを経営する私立探偵のエディサ・ゲレロから依頼を受ける。マリの施設で奇妙な破壊行為があり、3年前に失踪したエディサの妹の財布を発見する。エディサはマリが危険な目に遭っているのではと心配する。警備の専門家であるアシュウィンがすでにマリを知っていることを知ったエディサは、忙しい若い女性を密かに監視することを彼に依頼する。 アシュウィンは、活発でのんびりとしたドッグトレーナーに不本意ながら惹かれていく。彼女は、幸せそうな母親を思い出させる。その母親の裏切りによって、彼は人と距離を置くようになったのだ。マリは、アシュウィンの冷たい外見を見抜き、彼が家族に忠実な男であることを認める。彼は、彼女のキャリア選択を批判するだけの母親や姉とは違う。 マリのバラバラな家庭とアシュウィンのバラバラな家庭の中で、過去を隠そうとする人たちから、彼らの周りに危険が迫ってくるようになる。彼らは、影で動く秘密に光を当てることができるのか？ 過去に発表されたパートへのリンクはこちら。 *** 第8章 - 恐ろしくも真っ白な不動産書類 『みんな仲良くできないのかな？』 マリは無用に力を込めて箱に本を投げ入れた。最近、なぜ彼女は人生の中で全員と言い争いをしているのだろう？もしかすると、これは本当に悪いアイデア
Captain's Log, Stardate 04.22.2005
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I celebrated by watching the movie "The Day After Tomorrow" with my husband. Awesome special effects. I loved the tornadoes in
I also watched the most emotional TV episode that I've ever seen, the most recent one of "House." A woman who had several miscarriages is finally pregnant (7 months?) but she also has a fast-acting lung cancer. The whole episode talks about the moral dilemma of saving the mother or the baby. The mom wants the father to raise the baby, and while it seems self-sacrificing, I thought it was selfish because the father would rather have her survive and try for another baby, but she's not taking his desires into account, just her own.
Finally the cancer causes problems with her oxygen levels and they have to operate to try to save her, but she begins to bleed into her abdomen--she's dying. Dr. House has to leave the OR, go to the father in the waiting room and ask for permission for a C-section to save the baby. The C-section would guarantee the woman's death, but the baby might be saved. I started bawling when the father realized he had to give the okay to kill his wife in order to save his son. There's something faintly "Passion-ate" about this, don't you think?
Oh and talk about BLESSED! I've been wondering if I should spend money on Silhouette Bombshell books since my suspense kind of falls under that category of women's fiction. Then suddenly I get a FedEx package that announces I won the eHarlequin Bombshell sweepstakes. I got a Bombshell duffel bag and FIVE FREE BOMBSHELL BOOKS! Including "Stella Get Your Gun," a quirky Bombshell that I've really wanted to get. Praise God! I wonder if this is a hint from Him that I should be writing these types of stories? Hmm . . .
Writing: Man, this manuscript was painful. My analogy is childbirth, although I've never gone through it. :-) The first child (manuscript) just popped right outta me, this second one was a long and difficult labor.
One thing I noticed when finishing is that although I had my handy-dandy spreadsheet with all my scenes listed, and even though I had a whole outline with notes and snippets of dialogue, a few major plot discrepancies only came up when I was typing. It was jarring to have to stop and brainstorm what could save these illogical story directions.
I didn't have these things when I wrote my Chicklit, maybe because it wasn't a plot-driven storyline. For this suspense manuscript, the plot has to make perfect sense and the characters need good reasons for what they do, which in turn drives the story. Any breakdown influences what happens next. I can't get from point A to point C if point B in between doesn't make sense
Luckily, these were fixable discrepancies. I also am glad I took the time to plot my scenes out, because it made writing much much easier and faster. I couldn't imagine what holes I might have written myself into if I hadn't already figured out the plot progression and story logic. As it was, I only had two scenes to trash and rewrite.
I was soooooo distracted by my emails. I really wanted to keep in touch with my writers groups and had a hard time fighting temptation. I really need more discipline.
I learned that I can actually plot a story while writing another one. Since I had already laid out my scenes in detail for the suspense, I could use my brainstorm time (usually the time I walk during lunch at work) for the next projects, the Chicklit novella and Chicklit suspense. I already have a good idea for the Chicklit novella and only a few major points to formulate for the Chicklit suspense. I think I am being very efficient!
The novella is next, since it's shorter and easier to think through. The Chicklit suspense needs tightening of the crime details.
Diet: I've done aerobic exercise everyday this week, either running or walking. Eating hasn't been great food choices (who can say no to Thai food? Yum!) but I'm not overeating, at least. Been drinking lots of water, been drinking lots of iced tea too.
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