Storms, Traveling and the USB Drive

Wow, we had quite a storm this past month.  The sky was as dark as midnight and the thunder rumbled like there was a bowling tournament in Heaven!  The wind blew the rain against the windows like a car wash.  I made sure to grab my USB drive, which has a backup copy of my novel,  before heading down into the basement.  Whenever the weather radio goes off during this active storm season, I grab the USB drive.  Leaving it behind would feel like leaving one of my children behind.  I've told my hubby many times that I feel like this story is my baby.   If I don't bring my laptop along on trips, even day trips, I like to bring along a copy of my manuscript on my USB drive.  What if there was a fire?  What if there was a tornado that relocated my house?  It's always good to be prepared.  I couldn't imagine all the time and effort I put into it being gone, like it never existed.

I'm currently a little over 61,000 words on my manuscript.  Since I like to read books 300-375 pages in length, that's the size I'd like my novel to be.  Normally, that's about 85,000 to 90,000 words.  That means I have 2/3 of it written!  I still have plenty of revising to do, as well.

I'm currently reading Crystal Gardens by Amanda Quick.  She doesn't provide a year for the setting, so from my research, I was able to determine it took place after 1829 when she mentioned Scotland Yard.  She also mentioned traveling by train, which the first passenger trains in England began in the 1830s.  The telegram also became a method of communication in the 1830s and 1840s.  It's good to know these things, so I don't try to incorporate them in my own novel, which takes place in 1820.  I haven't decided if I'll include the year, or make the reader guess like Ms. Quick does.  If you're ever looking for a good mystery, I recommend reading one of her books! 

I hope you have a safe and Happy 4th of July!  It looks like we will be having our backyard picnic again this year.

Veronica 









I Dreamed A Dream

I saw Les Miserables for the first time last week; the 2012 movie with Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway.  I'm not really a fan of musicals, but I made it through this one thanks to subtitles.  I loved the opening scene with the ship being pulled in.  That was quite some cinematography. 

One thing I always enjoy about films with a historical setting is the costume design.  I especially paid attention between 1815-1823.  I love the empire dresses and that trousers were replacing breeches.  I've never been much of a fan of knee breeches.  Men used to wear them with white or black stockings covering their calves, with buckle shoes and it doesn't look masculine to me.  Now, if he were to wear a pair of knee-high boots such as Hessians or Wellingtons, well that's a different story.   It was interesting to see more of the poor in this film, as we normally see the wealthy dress in historical films.

Some of the songs were familiar to me from college.  I had a friend who loved Les Mis.  I can remember "On My Own" and "Castle On A Cloud".  "Do You Hear The People Sing?" has been stuck in my head since I first heard it.  "I Dreamed A Dream" was so familiar to me, that it took me a while to realize that was the song Susan Boyle sang in her first audition when she blew the world away with her talent.  Now, that's the lesson in the old saying that you cannot judge a book by it's cover!  I loved this verse in the song, "But there are dreams that cannot be.  And there are storms we cannot weather."

Something I discovered from the DVD extras was that Victor Hugo, the author of the original novel, was born the same year as my protagonist; in 1802.  I hadn't even planned that.  I should see what other historical figures were born in the same year.

I've been busy updating my web site, so check it out when you can.  Just keep in mind that I'm new to this and I'm learning as I go.

Hope you're enjoying the start of summer.  It feels like April here!

Veronica