Editing and Stonehenge

I need to apologize to all of my lovely, brilliant, and wonderful blog followers. (No, I don't think that I am laying it on thick...) Why, you might ask? Well, I have been a pretty bad blogger! I need to blog much more often to keep you updated on the progress of Mortal Obligation and things in general. So, right now I am going to take a few minutes to tell you about the editing, or 'fluffiing', that I have been working on for the last week.

Well, a couple of days after I finished the first draft, I was still unsatisfied with part of the story. It was something that the characters were telling me, but I couldn't understand the 'why' of it. I had come up with a reasonable way of explaining it, but it left me unhappy. Then on the way home from the allergist lightning struck my brain. Okay, not really, but I did have a major epiphany. I felt like the clouds had split and a giant beam of glorious sunshine was basking my car in all of its brilliant warmth. No really, that is how I felt! I even did a little dance in my seat making the people in cars next to me glare and speed away nervously. This idea made everything click into place, and my characters all smiled and nodded at me in relief. I had finally gotten what they had been trying to tell me. (If you are worried about the fact that my 'characters' were nodding at me while I was driving on the highway... well, I can't argue with you. I am a little bit crazy.  But my muse sings the clearest while driving. What's a writer to do?) So, I have been going back and fleshing out that story line, adding little pieces of information, and loving it! Oh, the drama! The angst! Makes me giggle. It makes everything perfect and I am so happy to share it with everyone. Maybe in a few weeks I will put up another sample.

Now, about Stonehenge. I happened to catch a special about Stonehenge on PBS tonight. They were trying different possible ways of how those long dead people moved those monstrous stones.  I have always been fascinated by Stonehenge, and hope to go to that powerful place one day. The theories they had about the tools and skills they needed were very interesting. They still aren't convinced that they used the system they tried on the show, but I am thinking that it is possible. I think that they were trying to get it done faster than the people would have been able to, or inclined to do and that would have made it more possible. You have to factor in determination in the equation. When I look at that place, I see so much human spirit and persistence. They wouldn't have given up if it took them forever to dig out trenches, or if rain washed out those trenches. It was something they felt had to be done and the work it required wasn't going to stop them.

Now, ready for me to tie these two topics together? That's right. I have a point! Writing a book is a little bit like creating your own Stonehenge. It requires a LOT of work, persistence and pain. But it is worth it all, because you are making something that holds a  part of your spirit. And I am pretty sure that those monolithic stones hold a great deal of its builders spirit. Writing is something that you have to believe in, something that you really want to do.

I won't be writing for the rest of the week, I have some important stuff to attend to this weekend that will keep me busy and away from the computer. I will be back next week, and will try to post more often. Happy writing and reading everyone! I hope you have a great weekend :)