Shakey start

I went back through the "Houston" section of "Place of Safety" and it's coming across as a bit low-key...and I'm not all that sure it's such a bad thing. Something I'm trying desperately to avoid in POS is deliberate mash-ups, like you find in so much fiction these days. "Intensified dramatic moments" meant to illuminate what the author is trying to say but that only come across (to me, anyway) as fake and manufactured. And my biggest fear about this book is that it will seem that shallow and manipulative. If that happens, I'll have failed Brendan.

That said, I do have this section basically plotted out. As mentioned earlier (I think), I printed out a copy of the full story -- 370+ pages -- put each section into its own binder and have plenty of paper to add in when I find an area that needs development. Doing this helps me see what's missing...and lets me try things out to see what does fit...and makes it easy to toss aside things that don't work or expand upon things that do. All in red pen (which is good for noting typos, as well).

Tomorrow, we're having a working dinner after the office closes, so I've no idea how much I'll be able to get done, but my next step is to dig into Brendan's return to Derry and confrontation with his past. By this point, he's about to turn 25, he's had experiences he'd never have gotten in Derry and life is beginning to let him know the direction of his destiny.

It's looking like I'll be up here at least through the end of the year. My boss and I talked, today, and part of what we'll be working on tomorrow night concerns his plans for the company, which include me running all the pack & ship parts of it. I'm torn about this. I like having the job and being able to pay my bills and even put some aside, and overall it's a decent place to work for. I may still get to travel...well, I'll have to since I'm handling Toronto's Book Fair at the end of October...but it means becoming part and parcel of western New York. I'll have to change my health insurance to up here, and car insurance, and get my car registered and a New York driver's license. It's like another step in my removal from Los Angeles...and seeming more and more permanent a direction for me. Because the fact is, I got no other prospects in the money-making...and POS wants to keep me busy till then.

So...it seems my life is letting me know the direction of my destiny, as well. Odd how that works out.