Permission to Walk Away

The synopsis for True Surrender is as finished as it's going to be. (We'll see how long that lasts!)

But an interesting thing happened during the 5-month-long writing of the (2-page!) synopsis. I found some things I wanted to change to make the main character's personal transformation more believable and compelling. The challenge, as usual, is to integrate the changes into the storyline!

There was also a chapter I hadn't finished. I knew what affect I wanted to have on the character (Major Aaron Bricewick) by chapter's end, but I hadn't been able to nail down THE sequence that gives it strong 'impact-ability' ... probably because I'd worked too closely on the novel for so long (2 years and counting).

In the four weeks since I gave myself permission to accept the synopsis and walk away from the project for awhile (I even worked on a short story idea for a bit), at least ONE of these issues has become clearer to me (the unfinished chapter).

So perhaps these unexpected benefits of the process of writing the synopsis will make the time I've spent worth it (believe me, I've questioned that many times!). Certainly it will make for a stronger story!

Interview with Last Chance Character Quinn Belmont

I was looking at past blog entries tonight and realized I hadn't posted the third in the series of character interviews. So, here is what Quinn Belmont has to say about his role in Last Chance Rescue...

How do you know Jessie?
She was one of our medics in Iraq, and we had some of the same friends. But the way I come back into her life in Last Chance Rescue ... well, let's just say it's a shock to both of us.

Will you tell us a bit about Iraq?
Damn, you don't really want to hear about that, do you?!

If it would help to understand you ...
Look, if you haven't lived it, you can't understand it. We were out there getting sniped at and blown up by suicide bombers and Improvised Explosive Devices. I saw a lot of nasty stuff -- legs and hands blown off, head injuries ... hell, I was injured twice myself.

You lost friends there?
Everyone lost friends.

I heard you lost two of your closest friends.
[Long sip of beer.] My girlfriend ... and Max. Me and Max were close ...

Is that when you started drinking?
I was drinking long before that. Drinking was only the start of my problems when I ran into Jessie in Last Chance Rescue ... and I didn't like that she had all these guy friends. Guys and girls can't be 'just friends,' you know what I mean? She was way too friendly with some of them. Especially Brad.

Sounds like you were jealous.
I wouldn't put it that way. She and I, you see ... we were connected by what had happened to us in Iraq.

But you threatened Brad.
That's an exaggeration. I just didn't like him much. Although I guess it's a good thing he was around the night I overdosed ...

Will you tell us about that?
No can do. You'll have to buy the book!