Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Dreams

Accidental Author? How did she do it?

You’ve already heard all the hype that preceded the movie, Twilight, which had sold out before it even opened weeks before. Her books have now been translated into 38 different languages, and counting. The movie was a great success and there will be movie sequels and of course, more books. That’s the short of it folks and here’s the million dollar question:

How did a stay-at-home mom with 3 kids manage to write her first novel, get it published and literally become an overnight sensation? In a word, or two, High Concept.  That’s the magic buzz word that leads to fame and fortune in the publishing/filmmaking business—period. It’s your ticket to success in a business that never guarantees success of any kind, and there are plenty of horror stories out there, as you have already heard.

Let’s face it, 99.9 percent of writers will fail to even get anything published, let alone, make it big as a writer of any kind. So what separates the exceptions, like Stephenie Meyer and David Wroblewski, of Edgar Sawtelle fame? High Concept, of course. Don’t look for anything else under the sun folks. I’ve been saying it forever now, if you don’t write from a high concept idea, you’re never going to enjoy this kind of success. High concepts sell. Mediocre concepts wane, and bad concepts die before they’re even born. Where do you want to fit in?  I don’t know about you, but I’m all for the high concept. Okay, so let’s define what a high concept is and what it is not.

A high concept is an idea that when you hear it, you get it all at once. In other words, it’s an idea that captures a specific feeling.  For example, the idea behind Twilight is this:  When you can live forever, what do you live for? That’s a damn good question, and therefore, a high concept that propels this story into the deepest recesses of your mind, as you search for your own personal answer. It’s a question that matters because it is profound and universal, yet very personal to each of us. Everything hinges off that one dramatic story question. And so, we search for an answer wherever we can find it. In books, however long, in movies, however shallow, under a rock, wherever. A high concept is, in essence, the engine, the spark that drives any story, from beginning to end.

In the Sawtelle story, the dramatic story question is found in its fascinating prologue. Who is the mysterious figure that procures this bizarre poison and who will he kill with it, and why? Specifically; What motivates people to kill? What drives them? All good questions, and we get great answers along the way. Over six hundred pages worth of good answers. Never mind that the story is modeled after Shakespeare's, Hamlet. Its plot and its characters often surprise us and the story's central premise, the spine of the story, a motive for murder, moves us and drives us in search for answers throughout the volume of pages.

But even high concepts have their limitations. However, a high concept of any kind will always be favored and considered in the media, whether it be for publicity in publishing or film making. And with so many great high concepts floating around, why should publishers or film studios limit their financial possibilities? They go for the big money. The monster deals that will yield bigger dollars. Why not? Why settle for less?

You get the point. Mainstream High Concepts are the way to go. Publishers and filmmakers will take care of the rest. And by that I mean, publicity and promotion of your book or screenplay. And casting, star performances, musical score, and special effects, which are some of the most important elements that will either make or break a movie. In a book, the reader supplies all of these things with their imagination, of course you already knew that, and I only mention it because it’s easy to forget that is indeed the case. Which is, BTW why writers are advised not to go overboard with character description. In fact, if you’re writing literary fiction, character description is all but not there. Romance novels, like Harlequin, are a different breed where description is a must, and not so much because the writer is inclined to do it, but because publishers require it.

Okay, have I gone off topic far enough?  Well, sort of, but not really because all these things play into the high concept arena. But a high concept is not enough and it cannot exist in a vacuum. A great idea is not enough. You must also execute its details, its dialogue, its plotting and its themes to perfection. Nothing else will do. It’s an orchestration of many disciplines which all hinge on the spine of the story, its premise. Its amazing high concept. A universal idea that sells, on contact.

Okay, so here’s what a high concept is not:  it is not any idea, even a good idea such as, an important person dying of cancer. That’s not enough. It’s an idea but nothing more. Now if you take that same basic idea and add another element, let’s say an important person dying of cancer whose last wish is to donate their body to science in hopes they find a cure for cancer, while they are still alive!  Now you’re getting somewhere. See the difference? In the first example, there’s nothing at stake, nothing to lose “except a life” and lives are lost every day, even important lives. But in the second example, we’ve taken the same basic idea and fused it with a high concept:  A cancer patient donating their body to science, while they’re still alive. Do you see how you can suddenly see this book or movie unfold in fantastic ways? BTW, I just made that high concept story up, off-the-cuff, but feel free to make millions off it if you like. All you have to do is take a few years to write it―maybe more. Good luck with that. (Can I get any more pompous?)

Let’s get back to Meyers’ books.  First of all, Stephenie Meyer has said and claims on numerous occasions that she had never written a novel before. Yet, she is being hailed as a talented storyteller. And I believe she is. I think she’s a natural. (Does her success have shades of Truman Capote as ghost writer for Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird?) In Meyer’s case, it would be her editor that might have given her a helping hand along the way. Who really knows? I can’t say if Meyer works off her editor’s outline for a story, turns in a first draft and that’s it, maybe ghost writers take care of the rest. But it sure seems that way, at one long book per year. 

Heck, it’s virtually impossible to write anything that fast, let alone something good. (Can we sequester Stephenie Meyer, lock her up in a small room with nothing but a computer and ask her to, just write?) Okay, okay, let’s give Meyer the benefit of the doubt and look at another angle. You’ve heard that writers are born with talent. That good syntax, sparkling adjectives, and brilliant storylines, ooze from their pores and that writing cannot be taught. Well, let’s settle the record straight--shall we?

Can writing be taught? Sure it can. Anyone can learn to write just as anyone can learn to paint in oils or build furniture. Just about anyone can learn the mechanics of writing. And that is to say, plotting a story, foreshadowing its events, crafting sub-text and dialogue, and so on. Heck, you can even learn how to develop high concept ideas that can sell for millions. You get the idea. These are known as skill-sets. Techniques you can learn and even master if you practice long and hard and smart enough. I think we can all agree on that. Now here’s the part that cannot be taught. The magic of stories. And by that I mean what Hemingway called “the magic dust on butterfly wings”. Careful not to rub it off, because it will never fly, as you know. Can we define that magic dust that Hemingway alluded to? 

Or is it just as illusive as the wind itself. And how does it apply to screenplays? Movies are of course a visual medium that depend largely on images and emotional performances buy A-List actors. So there is another dimension to writing for film that one must master, namely scenes loaded with sub-text. And sometimes, stories can either get lost in the shuffle or be enhanced by the performance of an actor, but the magic is there, scene-by-scene, and moment by moment, which when edited into a seamless work of art, it either flies with magic dust, or it does not. Books and movies such as, To Kill a Mockingbird, or Shawshank Redemtion, soar with that kind of magic while so many others do not.

And, as it happened to Stephenie Meyer, she dreamed of a story that spoke to her subconscious, she wrote it down as it came to her, page after page and before she knew it, she had an almost 600 page novel she could try to sell. She mailed out 15 queries, (which she learned how to write on the internet) and she got about 10 rejections, 4 no-replies, and one interested publisher--just one. But that’s all it takes. The rest, as they say, is vampire history. But what makes Meyer’s vampires so different and so human is just that, their humanity.  Her vampires are not cartoon character cut-outs that merely sink their fangs into every Jane, Sallie, and Mary they come across. They are beautiful and they are powerful “beyond belief”. They are villain superheroes with a twist. They are young, sexy, and extremely likable characters.  And they are trying to do what all human beings do—they are seeking meaningful, fulfilling lives. Hence; the things they will live for. Good marketing.

Stephenie Meyer's story is the quintessential success story in publishing and certainly an exception. We don't have all the insider details that led to publishing Twilight, and probably never will, athough, she has been candid about her success and dismisses it as a fluke.  And not to make a comparison, but Toni Morrison never intended to become a writer either. She dreamed of becoming a dancer, and we all know how her dancing dreams turned out. In other words, dreaming is not enough. Somewhere along the line, sooner rather than later, you must take appropriate action if you want your dreams to become reality.

It appears then, that some people fall into certain careers by accident and become hugely successful at what they do, overnight. But that's usually not the case. It is the subconscious that gravitates people towards their deepest desires, and before they know it, they've accumulated specific knowledge and they apply it towards their hidden goals. And finally one day, it all comes together, like magic. But it is anything but magic. That being said, we are all wired for something, but not for everything. 

The Twilight movie has of course helped book sales tremendously, not that the books needed the help, but let’s face it, a well-produced movie will always bump-up book sales and usually lead to a series of books. Which BTW, the covers for these books are very provocative and curious, as well as beautiful in a very simple way. I was immediately attracted to the twilight cover even though I’m not a hard core vampire or sci-fi fan. For me, the cover was enough to make me curious about the story, and that is certainly part of the lure and desire to acquire this series of books. As far as reading them, that’s difficult because they are competing with more than a hundred other books on my wish list. I too need the eternal life of a vampire to read everything I like.

And the cycle of life for books like these will endure forever, if that’s what the public wants. It can certainly endure as a TV series, like Buffy, or stage plays, like Phantom of the Opera, and so on. I’m sure that all those options are being considered and in the works. Not to mention all the merchandising from hundreds of products.

So, in other words, we can sum this up as follows. Vampire dreams lead to even bigger mega-dollar dreams of fame and fortune, realized because a housewife with three children believed in herself, and believed in her story, and against all defying odds, she was published in grand style.  She took a chance and listened to her inner voice that asked the question, what do I have to lose?

And the answer came back:  Magic dust on butterfly wings.

************************************************************************************

Next Monday's Post 3/2:  Finally, Back Cover Book Blurbs Revealed

In this Post, I'm going to demystify the secret to writing powerful blurbs for your back cover. What's the real purpose of a blurb?  Find out next Monday, March 2nd. The answers may not only surprise you, but they may blow every neuron in your brain. Check with your doctor before reading this Post.

*********************************************************************

March 9th Post: Part One -  Book Buzz, Trust, and Sales DNA

Ever wonder what it really takes to promote your novel successfully? Well you're going to latch on to this Post like a hungry puppy because I'm going to milk the ground rules to what I call Sales DNA 101. You don't want to miss this bizarre Two Part Post. It just doesn't get any freakier than this folks. Mark your calendar and check it out March 9th.

*********************************************************************

March 16th Post: Part Two - Sales DNA 101

This of course is the continuation of the above article and since it's the grand finale for this Post, its the best part. It's a monstrosity of deft proportions and I just had to break it up. I think I'm almost back to my neurotic self again. Good Lord.

I Love the Plastic Smell of My Kindle

Are books on the verge of extinction?

Okay folks, I thought I’d follow up my last post about the Kindle’s high price and its wanting features, such as, no color, and settle a debate that’s been going on since e-books hit the publishing scene several years ago. I’m not going to get technical about it or even long-winded because there’s no need to.  This is an issue that even a moron can figure out in half a second flat.

To refresh your memory, the well-known question is this:  Will e-books ever replace paper books?  You know, this question is so ridiculous that I’m ashamed to address it. It’s like asking if the internet will ever replace television. Of course not. The world needs them both.

And no, I didn’t break down and buy a Kindle, for the love of God.  I just needed an interesting headline. I still enjoy the pulp and glue smell of my hardcover books and yes, I will buy a kindle as soon as they’re priced at $99.95. I’ll “run right out” and get one.  After all, Amazon.com is getting $9.95 for most of the e-books they offer.  That’s a bit expensive when you consider that you’re really not purchasing any tangible book products, other than the Kindle, that is. (I know, I know, it’s a perceived value pricing thing.) As a matter of fact, it’s the most expensive 150 megabytes of space per book you’ll ever buy. What? Yeah, something like that.  I told you I wasn’t going to get too technical.

But how cute is this photo of Jeff Bezos, peeking from behind the Kindle 1 last year? Had his fingers been clad in monstrous diamond rings, I would swear he’s a dead-ringer for Liberace. (Google him, young guns.  Baby Boomers, you can stop guffawing now.)  In fact, he’s so adorable and so devious that he had the audacity to claim the Kindle will eventually replace all books. (The headline reads: Books aren’t dead, they’re just going digital.) Wowee, all of them Mr. Bezos? How exciting. I’m sure that public libraries around the globe got a kick out of that one. 

I sure hope Bezos has thought things over about this whole, taking over the publishing world with Kindles thing. It’s an idea that goes beyond a goal, a dream or even something plausible. It’s outright hubris and a distortion of reality. It’s just plain silly.

But then again, maybe Bezos really knows how to play to the media and he’s brilliant at spitting out sound-bites to generate publicity. And besides, eliminating paper books would obviously not be a smart thing for Amazon.com. I think he's aware of that fact. So somehow he is brilliant at something, after all, since he has managed to design a product that again, many people will “line up” to pre-order this contraption at $359 a pop. 

Although, I would much rather believe that than think Jeff Bezos is a modern day Gutenberg, in white, Kindle clothing.

Don't miss my next Post:  Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Dream:  How did she do it?

 

Kindle 2 - Great Idea, Backwards Technology

I was just about to plunk down my Credit Card when...

The all-new Kindle 2 is set to hit retail outlets on February 24, my birthday.  What an auspicious moment for me.  Hey, I'll treat myself to one of these "beauties".  That's what I was thinking at first, but as I perused Amazon.com for more information about the new Kindle, I was soon un-sold instead. Congratulations on the convincing  marketing Bezos. You're the only merchant that has un-sold me a prodcut, ever.

And I'm sure Jeff Bezos can afford to sell this Kindle 2 for about $199, as opposed to $359, and not take any losses. The bulk of the Kindle 2 is probably manufactured in Taiwan for about $19 bucks a piece or maybe less.  But since so many people have already paid even more for the KINDLE 1, which was priced at $399 last year, why should Amazon cheat themselves out of half the profit? Are they that altruistic? After all, they can hardly keep up with the demand for these hideous things. Not that they’re so ugly, mind you, but they look plain and uninteresting. They look cheap, but of course they’re anything but.

Just stick with the program, Bezos, and charge what the targeted upper middle-class traveler's / Yuppy student’s market will bear. (Did I get the demographics right?) Have you seen the bibliophile dorks on Amazon.com that tout Kindle 2 as if it was the best thing since B&W TV? Come on now, where do they get these folks?  Get a clue people, this thing is as revolutionary as day-old bread. Bezos claims that e-ink technology, “…does not do color.” How uninspiring is that? What are we stuck in the Fifties? Did Joanie really love Chachi? Was The Fonz cool or what?  Oh, excuse me, I was just having a transcendental flashback.

Here are some modern Blues Clues for Jeff Bezos:

1.           There are other colors besides white, you know.
   
2.           Skins and so-called leather covers for this device are also over-priced.
   
3.           People like black and chrome finishes, even more than white.
   

Here are a few suggestions to improve the look and feel of the Kindle 2:

1. 1.    How about adding a silver Bling-Bling chain that you can attach to your Kindle so you can wear it around your neck? You know, like Flava Flavs clock.
   
2. 2.    Or, how about adding a few more dozen staggering features and benefits to go along with it?  Like connectivity with the Space Shuttle’s console interface, for instance.
   
3. 3.    And lastly, how about lowering the price so everyone that loves to read can afford one.  If that’s out of the question, and I’m sure it is, then why not offer three easy payments of $119, just like Ron Popeil does? And throw-in a few “free” skins with the deal.
   
4. 
   
5. Oh, one more thing. Why does Amazon insist on selling technology that hearkens back to a bygone era when we’re trying to get beyond the dawn of black and white television and into the digital age?  Is Amazon revolutionizing the digital era or are they taking a giant leap backwards in time with a product that promises so much, but ultimately delivers very little for the money. WTF?
   

It’s obvious to me at this point that the Kindle 2, as it now stands in this consumer’s view, is nothing more than a packaging of old technology, mixed with electronic ink technology that has yet to match or surpass color HD TV.  Am I expecting too much?  Yes, for $359 dollars, I’m expecting much more than an un-cool, gigantic black and white cell phone that doesn’t even make phone calls.  What a gyp.

In short folks, this product tastes like a gourmet shit sandwich on fresh, five-grain whole wheat bread. Mmm…yummy. Does anyone care for a bite?

By the way, have I mentioned that I like the Kindle idea but I just can’t bring myself to buy one? Anyone else getting any of this?  Thank you.

The Publishing Glass is Half Full--of Poison?

What The Funk is a Hybrid Novel Anyway?

You’ve heard it all before folks and every time you turn around on a dime, someone is raining on your publishing parade. I think we’re all aware of not only the pitfalls of writing a novel, but the astronomical pitfalls of getting one published. But isn’t life always like this all the time though?  Nothing is ever easy, after all. If anything was easy, as easy as the Staples “Easy Button”, we’d all be basking under a palm tree in Tahiti with a Piña Colada gently held to our lips and we’d marvel at the wave patterns like Robert Duval did in Apocalypse Now.  Dream on.  You’re not alone in this uphill battle, even though I know that just like me, you hope you’re the next David Wroblewski, author extraordinaire of  Edgar Sawtelle fame and fortune. (Need anyone be reminded?)

But that’s the good news. The Sawtelle story is the quintessential example of what a Hybrid Novel is and how to freak one together.  Aspiring authors need to learn this old-fashioned technique in order to be the next big hit in the world of publishing. It’s easy. Let’s break it down into three easy steps.

First, you must be smart. But not just any smarts will do, mind you.  You must be as close to genius as possible. Hold on now, because If you’re not a genius, like Cormac McCarthy, then ingenious will do nicely. You see how easy it is to overcome obstacles?

Next, you must be what they call, “passionate”. A word that McCarthy seems uncomfortable with, and admits it’s too fancy--implying it has sensual connotations. (If you saw him in Oprah’s interview, you know what I mean. And if you missed that gem of an interview, you can still see it on YouTube.) Doesn’t everything wind up on YouTube, sooner or later?

Okay, so back to the “passion” thing.  Let’s keep in mind that Wroblewski worked on the Sawtelle story for about ten years in his spare time. Take note that this is not only “passion” but an innate belief, a knowing that this story will succeed in the marketplace.  Although Wroblewski says that this first novel was an experiment of sorts--a study and an exploration more than anything else and that he never expected it to get published, despite his uncanny ability to write engaging prose. (Except for Henry's Chapter.)  Humility is a good thing. I think it’s clear though that his diligence and attention to detail along the way has paid off.

Not to mention the valuable feedback he amassed during those ten years from a long list of so many friends and professionals alike. Not a bad way to experiment. He had a good support system, to say the least, and that certainly counts for something. Maybe everything. And it’s a good thing that Wroblewski landed such a lucrative deal because he has plenty of friends to thank. Unless they’ve already been paid in Super Bowl pizza and beer parties. Who knows? Not important at this point. You get the idea.  Hey, let’s not forget, it was ten years and about 600 manuscript pages to go around.  What a pest. I can’t even get my mother to read my lousy first chapter. And that’s only 18 pages.

Okay, so do you have “passion”? Sure you do. Nobody sets out to write a novel of any length just for the fun of it. And you must be well-read and willing to borrow some ideas that have already proven themselves to be winners.  You must plan your freaky hybrid story to the point just short of plagiarism, or at least work off the assumption that your premise, your brilliant idea, is a surefire concoction or word-manna from heaven. And then you must learn many things along the way and apply them to your story in such a way that your novel will improve and get you closer to your publishing goals. But let’s say that unlike Wroblewski, you don’t have a support system of checks and balances in place.  No problem. You can always pay for the services and opinions of impartial readers who are more than eager to steal, I mean, give your tome a read of sorts. Don’t have the money? Sure you do.  All you have to do is sacrifice a few things. You know, prioritize. Wow, two out of two, so far. Now we’re…you know, whatever.

Okay, so lastly, you must pick the right agent, or the right publisher. I think agents are a wise choice since they know if your story will sell, and to whom it will sell. They are insiders, after all, and they have connections to people such as Stephen King for example. And we all know how valuable a flattering book blurb from the master of suspense is.

Fine. So first and foremost, how do you go about finding the right agent for your particular novel?  They are a discerning bunch, as you already know and they don’t take on just any project. Why should they?  Let’s face it, they have to be just as excited about your story as you are. They have a track record they must live up to and with so many queries piled up on their desks, they have the luxury to be picky.

So, just like Wroblewski, you close your eyes and skim your index finger (or middle finger) down a massive list of potential agents and stop anywhere. You know, like pinning the tail on the donkey kind of thing. If you like what this agent has to offer, then you repeat your highly scientific search and send out a half dozen queries and get back six rejections. Fine, you say. You’ll send out a dozen queries next time and then you’ll sit and wait for the phone to ring, and it does. And viola, you have a deal! But not just any deal. But a major deal bid by a huge publisher. Fantastic. You see how easy that was?

All right. Now for the book blurb from Stephen King. Hmm…that’s a tough proposition right there, but not impossible. It all depends on how creative your agent and editor are, right? Right. Great, so how exactly do you go about setting a fire under your agent's ass to get anything even close to that from happening?

I wish I had a funny answer but sadly enough, I don’t. (Frown here.) Whatever makes you feel better because here’s where the schtick ends and the naked truth begins. (Oh, the horror of it all!)

Here it is:  Do your homework. Come up with something different and new that’s never been written before in a flavor only you can conjure up. For example, let’s say you put together a hybrid story based on Romeo and Juliet. You know, like West Side Story.  Or let’s say you take a seed of an idea, like in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, and embellish it with the Vietnam experience, and you transform it into the mega-movie, Apocalypse Now.

One more. How about delving into European markets for ideas from unknown books in this country, and piece together your own freakish novel and come up with something like, Planet of The Apes.  These are known as hybrids these days. A modern word for what's been going on in the world of literature, music, and film, for ages, my friend. That’s the buzz word. Don't fight it. Ride with it and stop trying to re-invent the wheel.  The Greek gods get very angry when you try.  

In other words, there's nothing new under the sun folks.  Deal with it.  Those that came way before us have already figured it all out and they don't like it when you mess with their tried-and-proven template.  Unless you're the next Cormac McCarthy that is.  He has a direct pipeline to Aristotle's ghost and channels all the unwritten amendments to "The Poetics" and then he has the audacity to change them and make them his own. (Have I gone too far?)  

So please, get your freaky hybrid on and just do what you do.  That’s what I do.  It's a bit of wisdom I picked up from the gorgeous, super cool, SADE.  We’ll see if this formula really works. Stay tuned.

Oh, BTW, if you're a first-time novelist concerned about your platform, or the lack thereof, relax, that's what the Hybrid Formula is designed to do.  Build your name brand. 

*************************************************************

Hmm…you see how easy all this really is? I told you it can be done in three easy steps. And so the glass was not only half full of poison, but half full of hope too. That’s otherwise known as the Oriental Ying-Yang Circle of Life.  It's a beautiful thing.

 

 

Toni Morrison's, A Mercy: A Found Treasure

Two decades after her first novel "The Bluest Eye," had been published in 1970, Toni Morrison disclosed in an Afterword that she was dissatisfied with the book's language and its structure, and that it 'required a sophistication unavailable to me', she had confessed. Be that as it may, whether that was the case or not, I believe her first novel stands on its own merits, although, the sophistication she referred to, if you will, can be found in her newest work, "A Mercy."

Without question, in my view, it is very much a contemporary classic work which resonates, not only with sophistication, but wisdom as well, after all it has been 39 years since the writing of her first novel and Morrison's insights into human nature, especially within the context of race relations, is quite profound.

Morrison has certainly put to good use her fertile mind, her imaginative ideas, and her passion to tell a story, a history of slavery that to her has always been too close for comfort but always within reach--emotionally within her grasp. Certainly her rich family ancestry has passed on to Morrison, many of the stories she so vividly talks about in all her books.

The many heartfelt tales her wonderful characters portray and live out throughout her novels, in one form or another, are as breathtaking as they are heart-breaking, and more so, is the story told by Florens in this story. An unknown character, who we soon learn, named Florens, opens this tale with a confession. A bloody deed. She tells of how she plans and plots her way to YOU, as she refers to the reader's conscience, as I understand it. Almost as if she wants us to be co-conspirators, or witnesses to her crime.

At first, this is a confusing, albeit a necessary ploy on Morrison's part. Confusing because the narrative, its syntax that is, is somewhat unusual, because of the narrator's awkward phrasing, and necessary because Morrison knows how to involve her readers -her audience in a partnership. She's a master at getting her readers to participate and become an active part or a willing character in her stories and I believe she succeeds brilliantly in this case.

But it is after that short, poetic, first chapter. The chapter you must read twice, in order to get it, that the story opens up as Jacob Vaark, the "white-man's conscience" in the story makes his entrance and stirs things up a bit. But of course, the very astute Morrison gives Vaark a formidable handicap: He is just as human as any other white man and therefore just as greedy, despite his admonition: "His distaste for dealing in flesh."

Morrison goes on and makes wise use of her invisible, sinister, narrator that opens the story, by using this narrator to begin many other chapters, slowly and methodically cluing us in on her devious plot. The task, the errand at hand she has been sent to carry out in the name of justice. In the name of her mother, a minha mae. (Meaning, "my mother" in Portuguese.) It is all very intriguing and as always, Morrison's plots are very active and take many turns and multiple points of view, which adds a wonderful texture to her writing.

If I had one tiny criticism, which I've justified in my own mind, it is that the ending sounds a bit preachy and authorial. Maybe even hard-hitting to those who receive the character's (and consequently, the author's) brave message. A message that Morrison has penned in subtler ways since her first novel. A message of her pain and the long-suffering among Blacks in a predominantly White world. The injustice wrought on her and her people throughout many generations. A strong admonition that nonetheless needs to be heard, and heeded. I just don't agree that it should be delivered so transparently in a work of fiction. (Could Toni Morrison be testing the waters for her take on an upcoming non-fiction account of slavery? We'll see.)

The characters in this novel are also delineated superficially, which is most likely intentional, as the plot and it's main theme, namely, injustice, are at the center of this powerful and beautifully written story. If you're a newcomer to Morrison's writing, any of her great novels is a good place to start enjoying everything she has to offer.

Start with her first, as mentioned, "The Bluest Eye," and work your way up, one by one, up to "A Mercy." So far her last story, but hopefully, not her last book. Reading this novel was like discovering an old 17th century relic that contained an important message with valuable seeds inside of it. Seeds that when sown inside your heart, grow magically and eternally into something profound. Something beautiful.

Thank you for the courageous words, Toni Morrison, they are well-received.

About Your Story's Premise

Life's unforseen events sure have a way to distract one and delay your goals at times.  I thought I'd write a quick post to keep in touch.  Right now because of recent open-heart surgery, I've been unable to post, write or finish my book and I've missed another self-imposed deadline to self-publish.  It appears that I'm several months from editing my final draft, but trying my best to continue with my goals and at the same time survive this major surgery.  The good news is that my story is very polished and I'm about one quarter of the way proofing and editing. I wish I had more time to dedicate to it but my health is interfering since the surgery and I've been unable to continue posting here as well.

I'm determined of course to finish what I started 2 years ago and finally shop my MS around to see what kind of reaction I get from agents this time around.  Plenty of rejections to be sure, but I think I'll get a few requests for a full MS.  It's amazing what re-focusing and rewriting will do for a story. Sometimes the main idea gets lost in translation and before you know it, all your writing veers off into something close to what you want to say but not quite as focused as it should be. That had been the problem with my story until I finally had found a way to connect the dots and sharpen the imagery and the premise that I've been trying to crystalize for so long.  

Here's the thing: 

Sometimes you start out with a basic premise but somewhere along the way, you find a deeper premise, a more focused idea that will take your story where you really want it to go.  So unless you start out with a difinitive premise, your story may flounder for lack of focus.  You can of course have more than one premise in your story but that means that you'll have to be more careful and more strategic in not diluting the main premise which should be the central idea and the point of your story to begin with.  This is what I've been struggling with all along, but I think I finally have a good grasp of my storyline, which means that I know exactly where to start it and how to finish it. Big difference.  This is nothing new to me and I've always known the pitfalls of a weak premise but sometimes you just want to dive in and test the waters. In doing so, you can hopefully emerge from the depths of despair and save your story along the way, as opposed to letting it drown. 

I've worked out all the kinks, as far as I can tell, and I know one thing for certain.  My story is much more focused than it has ever been and its central idea shines through from page one to the ending.  That's a good feeling and a sense of achievement that has finally come together for the good of the story.  A learning experience that had begun with so many ideas that now make sense and work together to form a complete and cohesive story that everyone can enjoy.

BTW, many would-be authors think that self-publishing is the kiss of death.  It can be depending on many things. In my case, even if I had a million dollar deal on the table, I'm going to self-publish my novel anyway.   Only I can publish it the way I want it, with the cover I want and the title I think is best, and so on.  Besides, as a graphic designer, I do know a thing or two about book design and I have plenty of marketing experience to know what I want and what I think will work in the marketplace.  Publishers can do what they want with my novel in order to sell it, but this is my project first and foremost and even though I would like to land a million dollar deal, just like everyone else, I could care less about selling it just the same.  My work is done and it's done my way, with all my ideas and my words and nobody can take that from me. A big ego you say?  Hardly.  I don't have all the answers, but I do have answers to what's in my heart and soul and the kind of story I want to tell.  

Sometimes, we are the answer.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

BTW, I'm still working on the review for Toni Morrison's Mercy which is half done and I'd like to finish it and post it soon.  Her book is an excellent study.

Godspeed folks.  Hope to be back soon.