January 13, 2019
Dearest Readers,
We’ve started in on our latest novel Katy and Markie: Love and Lust. This is the third consecutive year we’ve started a book – under one of our pen names – in January and in the previous two cases everything was done in twelve months. We’re not entirely sure that will be the case here, but we’re not entirely sure it won’t be either.
Writing a book should completely consume a writer. If it doesn’t – if it’s not your first thought waking up and your last before falling asleep – it’s probably not worth writing. It’s a great feeling, that consumption being one of the best parts of being a writer, showing you are completely in tune with the journey you want to take yourself, your characters and your readers on.
This book is being started somewhere in the middle. We’re not entirely sure where, probably between a quarter and a third of the way through. We don’t always do this, but before the New Year some inspiration hit us and we made some notes and we are fleshing those notes out right now. After that, we can start at the beginning.
For those of you waiting to dive in and start your first novel, don’t wait! Dive in and do it! There is no time like the present. We were once afraid of getting started on our first novel, too. It’s perfectly normal.
MORNING BRIEFING
Here are some things you may find interesting to know:
Almanac
In 1435 – A papal bull issued by Pope Eugene IV forbids the enslavement of natives found on the Canary Islands, if they convert to Catholicism. Eugene IV’s time a pope was tumultuous and he is on record as saying he regretted ever leaving his monastery. He was pope from 1431-47 and he remains the last pope to take the regnal name Eugene. His birth name was Gabriele.
In 1968 – Country singer Johnny Cash performs two shows at Folsom State Prison in California. The resulting 15-song live album, Folsom Prison Blues, represented a comeback for Cash, whose career had been going nowhere for a few years. It went to #1 on Billboard’s country album chart and #15 on the national album chart.
Your Hit Parade
#1 songs on this date in 1962:
Hot 100 – The Twist…Chubby Checker (1st of two weeks for this chart run and second of three weeks total. Had previously hit #1 in 1960, the only song to hit #1 in separate chart runs)
Soul Chart – Unchain My Heart…Ray Charles (2nd of two weeks)
Country Chart – Walk On By…Leroy Van Dyke (12th of 19 weeks)
Album Chart (Mono) – Blue Hawaii…Elvis Presley (5th of 17 weeks)
Album Chart (Stereo) – Holiday Sing Along with Mitch…Mitch Miller (1st and only week)
– Chart data courtesy of Billboard.
Numbers Racket
10,617: the continuous number of days the US has been at war.
$21.935: the number of dollars, in trillions, of America’s national debt. – Source: usdebtclock.org
662: days until 2020 election.
Philosophy 101
Those authors are successful who do not write down to others, but make their own taste and judgment their audience…If it is enough that I please myself with writing, then I am sure of an audience.
Henry David Thoreau
Diary – March 24, 1842
This is very good advice for a writer and while Thoreau doesn’t mention it by name, he is referring to writer’s block, an altogether common and dreary problem facing anyone who has ever had to write anything, be it a novel or a report for work.
We’ve always thought writer’s block stemmed from the misconception that no one will be interested in reading what you wrote. Once we got over that, it became easy to say what feel needs to be said every time we sit down to ply this trade. If someone likes it, great. If not, that’s all right, too. I wrote what was on my mind and what more does a writer want? Everything good thing that stems from writing – personal satisfaction, readers, money – comes from this, comes from reaching inside and writing from the heart every time out. Anyone who writes for any other reason is not writing, but merely typing.
Have a good day, and many thanks for reading.
Kaitlyn