Jumpstarting my novel?

It's been a while since I've added anything to my novel, but maybe I have something here to get me started again, I hope. There's certainly opportunity to develop this:

Maybe John attends some function, a fund-raiser. Maybe a charity thing. Maybe he meets a friend or acquaintance who's married but still trying to find the next Mrs. Doe. Does Mrs. Doe know? Most of these people are folks John would have never associated with or who would have never associated with him before he became a best-selling novelist. Showing up with Rebecca surly would put a jolt into some of them. Maybe she's had a run-in with a few of them; maybe reported on a shady deal or two. Of course, the new dress would temper the angst. She would definitely turn some heads. None of them had seen her like this before. Oh geez. What about the friend. He won't be able to keep his eyes off her. He doesn't even know they've been dating. Has it really been that long since they talked. John chuckles at the thought. What if Doe had seen Kate on TV. Would he have made up some excuse to go to KC for the weekend?

JMU86er

The Professor

I am trying to write a novel, but that’s nothing new. I’ve been trying to write one since my early teens, at least. I will turn 41 later this year, so I’ve been at it a while. Not exactly hard at it, though. I’ve taken a few years off here and there. Anyway, one of my weaknesses is describing people. My characters have hair color, skin color, perhaps even eye color. Some are six-foot-three and athletic, whatever that is. Some are fat and some are skinny. They might have an irritating, nasally voice. Women are “nice looking” or “attractive.” Perhaps they look like “poster girls,” or not. But usually that’s it. You get the picture _ or the lack of one. I look at the way published novelists describe their characters _ the way they move, the way they look at something or someone, the way they pick up a glass of milk, or whatever. The similes and metaphors they use. I have no chance. I just don’t see that stuff. At least not until I met “The Professor” last week.

I mentioned earlier I am new in my job and the person I replaced was gracious enough to introduce me to the faculty and staff I will be covering. Of course I’m responsible for covering the Mathematics department, among others, and let’s just say math is another of my weaknesses. I’ll keep you posted.

The Professor _ I’ve already forgotten his name _ teaches in the biology department, I think. Anyway, he had a crooked face, a description I have seen other writers use but had never actually seen in real life. For what it’s worth, the encounter inspired this:

We shake hands and then Dan starts telling the professor about his new job. I notice the professor’s half-eaten microwave dinner sitting on the desk as another topic surfaces. The professor seems in no hurry to get back to it. Obviously, he has enjoyed getting to know Dan over the years and is truly surprised to hear he is leaving. I try to listen in, but the face is such a distraction. Maybe if the beard and mustache had some length to them, I wouldn’t have noticed. But it’s so glaring. The left side of the mustache is at least twice as long as the right, outlining an equally crooked mouth. The words all come from the left side while the right side barely moves. Am I staring? I look at the shelves overloaded with books and wonder if he has read them all, or how many times. One of the shelves is perpendicular (Wow, a math term) to the others, cutting the office almost in half, bisecting it, you might say, and leaving the narrowist of passages from the front to the back. Even I would have to turn sideways to get through it. The professor, while I wouldn’t call him fat, certainly has more of a belly than I. He would make a good Santa Claus if he grew out the beard and mustache _ no artificial whitening required. The nose, maybe a tad on the large size, also seems to be located on the left side of his face. An illusion? His steel-blue eyes don’t seem out of place and there’s nothing particularly noteworthy about his ears. I wonder what’s behind the perpendicular shelf. More books? Another desk? Maybe I’ll find out someday. Right now, it’s time to move on. Another firm handshake, a cordial goodbye.

Well, maybe this will come in handy someday. I’ll work with it a bit.

Good luck Orioles & Nationals

Despite Peter Angelos, the Baltimore Orioles are still my favorite American League team. And now that Washington has a team, I also have a favorite National League team. Go Nats. I hope I can stomach your new owners better than Angelos. That shouldn't be too difficult.

OUCH! I'm not real creative, but ...

I can do better than this. This design needs work, but it's time for bed. Actually, past time for bed. Anyway, this will improve, eventually.