Swing Toward The End

No, not as in music and dance, and certainly not from the ceiling fan. I’m just not that kind of girl

No, I’m talking about Cayle and the rapidly approaching end of the year. No, this isn’t my end of the year look-back post either. That won’t go up until the 30th or 31st (but I should probably start working on it, as there’s a lot to cover this year).

Things are more than on track now with Unmasked and Cayle, only I fear I’m going to have trouble making myself go back to my day job January 2nd. Oh my, how I just want to stay and play. I don’t even really want to go to bed at night. I’m now well and truly wrapped in the story and the world and my wonderful Illusionist. Not only is the story progressing, but so is he, as a character. I knew this books would be partly about power dynamics, with him having to stand up tall for what he wants, though he’s never done so before in his life. And it’s working out beautifully.

In a way, the novella was good training for writing this novel. Cayle is essentially a stage actor, and there are a number of performances he gives early in the book.  This means a story going on within the actual novel’s story. See why Through Windows and Hearts was a good warm up? That’s essentially what that was, one story wrapped around another.

The numbers have been as good as all this enthusiasm might suggest to you, though chiefly I’m happy to have the character coming together and the story flow well. I’m up to 34,111 as of last night. 6k yesterday, and two just over 5k days, and a 4.5k. It’s been a nice four days. I’m going to have to see how far I get today, but I suspect fairly far. There’s some good story on deck as I recall.

What I’m finding interesting is the question of music. I have a playlist for every project, and each is a little different, though some songs seem to creep onto all of them, or at least most. I often start working on that as the story idea really starts to come together and take shape in my mind, rather than when I start actually working on the project (which is why Spire of Time, Ashes and Angels, and Queen and Raven all have playlists going already). The thing with the Masques playlist is that it does work, it gets me into that headspace and the songs that hit on specific themes I have in the story definitely trigger me to think about it. I listened to it a lot when I was outlining and while I’m out. But when I’m doing my prep work to write? Nope. Cayle wants cellos. He LOVES cello music (I know why and one day you will too, because there is a reason). What’s interesting about that is the Yo-Yo Ma recording of Bach’s six cello suites are my night music. I have it playing softly while I sleep. Now I keep waking up with Unmasked pounding in my head with fresh thoughts or the knowledge of how to proceed. No, I’m not complaining, not even about the fact that I’m now listening to my “night” music until about 2-3 pm. It’s just interesting, honest.

The one real well, sort of problem that I’m having with Masques is that my mind keeps trying to race ahead into the events of the rest of the series. I’m having to haul on the reins multiple times a day. It isn’t that the story isn’t interesting for Unmasked. This is more a problem of me being able to see the whole sweep of the quartet and wanting it all now. I believe I’ve mentioned in the past that I’m more than impatient. I have a feeling the coming year will go by as quickly as this one did, and just as productively, since I think about half of 2013 will be spent with me driving myself forward down this series at break-neck speed. I can’t wait.

And because I haven’t done one in ages, I’m going to toss a picture in with this post. Those of us in the northern hemisphere need a bit of summer in our day anyway.  Enjoy!

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~ by Julie on December 27, 2012.