I finished edits and proofing on the gnome story. The only real problem I have now is making that last fight scene between the witches longer. Anya says it’s too short, and I agree with her. I checked to make sure I didn’t describe the characters’ eating too much since Susan says that’s a no no. It’s a problem for me because I love to describe the food. And I love it when other authors describe what people are eating. Unfortunately, I’m in the minority. In fact, I’ve had a couple of readers complain that I did it too much in other books. There is one scene in the gnome book that describes the pizza and how much they like it, but that has to be done in order for them to get tickled about it and start laughing. It enhances the budding attraction between the two characters.
As soon as I get that last fight scene figured out, the book will go to three beta readers (one has already read it as it was written). When they finish, if there aren’t too many changes suggested, it will be almost ready for publishing. I was hoping to have this done before the beginning of Round Two, but it didn’t happen. And two of the betas might take a little longer since they are involved in their own ROW80 projects. But I can be working on my ROW80 project while I’m waiting, so I’m not going to hurry anyone. I’ll just be glad to get that scene done and the story finally finished. This one took a lot out of me. Whew!
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Congrats! I can’t wait to read it. And I agree with Susan, you do get into food description a bit much, but at least you describe great sounding food. It looks like you still don’t have a working title yet. Maybe you should put the food in the title, ‘Gnome Pie’ or ‘Gnomish potatoes’ or ‘Gno anchovies on my pizza’. okay those are terrible, never mind.
You are hilarious! Gno anchovies! LOL
There are a few places that I describe the food a little, but I don’t make a big deal out of it. Except in the one place where it helped further a relationship (you have to be there). Traditional authors get by with doing it all the time. Why do indies get picked on for doing it??? 🙂 There are actually books by certain authors I love to read because I know they are going to talk about food.
Great job finishing up your story! It’s hard sometimes to get all those scenes looking right. Good luck on the next round and glad I’ll see you there!
I finally got that final fight scene finished today. I only added about 250 words to it, but that’s all I have. It’s going to have to be enough. 🙂
See you in the next round!
Hmmm. I’ve never thought about food scenes. I don’t like merely hearing about what foods are available, but to read about smells, texture, and how food brings two people together while sitting around the table…I think I like it. I’m not the norm, I see….ha! I suppose I could have guessed that.
I’m glad to know that some people besides me love to read and write about food. I think there are more of us. It’s just that there aren’t as many of us as there SHOULD be. LOL. It’s going to happen in my books. I’m trying to tone it down…I think Susan beat it out of Kait. Bwa ha ha. But it’s going to happen a little. If I can’t be true to what I feel when I’m writing, what’s the point? I honestly am trying not to dwell on it as much, though. Hey, maybe I should write some of those mysteries that are centered around food like Diane Mott Davidson and Joanne Fluke write. 🙂
Ha! There’s an idea! And yeah…I’m a fairly food centered person, too. It’s funny that this topic comes up on your blog today…over the weekend, my dad and I were looking at photos from when I was growing up. We were laughing because around 70% of them (at least) were around the table with us eating! Ha!
I just don’t like scenes where the only point of it is to tell me what other people are eating. Because…I don’t care. Not like they’re gonna share it. 🙂
One thing that sometimes helps me with writing a fight scene (esp and epic one) is to think through it in 4 parts:
1. Set up- how do they get into the fight, the sizing each other up, getting in the information that’s going to be important later on.
2. They’re in the fight. Testing each other out, learning each other’s abilities. Hero is the underdog. Gets put in his place. Has to rally.
3. Something changes things. The Hero thinks he sees a way to win or otherwise gets inspired to really go on the offensive. But then his opponent smacks him down again. And in the smackdown he figures out what he’s been doing wrong.
4. Then the Hero takes that new info and pulls out all the stops to beat the crap out of the opponent and save the day.
Good luck with it.
Ooh, thanks, Susan! 🙂 Good points on the fight scene.
Yeah, only big foodies care what others are eating. LOL
Fight scenes are not my strong point, so I wish you lots of luck in getting it the way you want. 😀
As for food, the only thing I hate about reading scenes where people are eating is that it makes me hungry and then I have to eat. LOL
Yeah, I’m a lover, not a fighter. LOL.
I remember when I used to read those Archy McNally books by Lawrence Sanders (taken over by Vincent Lardo when Sanders died) and they always talked about the food he was eating. I loved it!