Jeff O'Handley, Author

Jeff O'Handley

The Doubting Writer Finds His Voice

Another lightweight post

“Gonna take two weeks, gonna have a vacation”–Summertime Blues, Eddie Cochran, Jerry Capehart

Last night, in the final hour or so before I went to bed, I was writing today’s post in my head, a non-review review of Sleeping Beauties, a 700-plus page doorstopper from Stephen and Owen King. The super condensed review: I liked it. But. It’s that ‘but’ that causes the problem, makes me want to write about it. It’s also that ‘but’ that’s going to stop me from writing about it today, because it’s 6:36 in the morning, I’m not really awake, and I want to try to be in the office by 8. Rather than leave a half-assed ‘review’ that doesn’t say what I want to say, I’m going to punt, and not just for this week. Next week’s post (if there is one at all) will probably be nothing more than a ‘Merry Christmas’ message. The week after that will almost certainly be my last reading list for 2017, and then? Hopefully then I will have actually written the post about Sleeping Beauties that I want to write.

The quickie weekend update: The gang’s all here, all the birds are again in the nest, and most of our Christmas shopping (at least for the wife and me) is done! Sweet!

There’s a tree in the stand, but it’s completely undecorated. If my children are nice (and they are), they will string the lights today while I’m at work, a job that I have grown to loathe over the years.

Had a good conversation with Agent Carrie over the weekend to talk 2018. We’ve got a plan in place, and we’re both feeling optimistic.

I’ve been  busting a nut on the WiP. I have so far trimmed 5000(!) words and 30(!!) pages. A lot of the pages (well, a few) have been eliminated simply by killing the extra 1.15 pt space at the end of paragraphs that Word insists on putting in; I’ve got to change my default settings. The monster is still north of 130,000 words and I’m not quite halfway through. My goal was to be done with this pass by Christmas, but that may not be realistic. The end of the year is, however.

That’s it for me, what’s going on with all of you?

6 Responses

  1. What's going on with me? I'm still trying to get caught up in my e-mail, although I'm not making it a priority (probably why I'm still behind). Got the tree up, but it needs some decorating. Still have to hang the stockings and clean up the place a bit. Then I have to go through all the presents and find those that DEFINITELY need to be under the tree before Saturday. I told my friend I could go to her house for Christmas (this Saturday), but she insisted it was time for her to travel to ME (yes, she's bringing the food to cook). Driving is so much easier than cleaning. Don't you agree?

  2. I'm reading Sleeping Beauties now!

    I haven't put up a tree in years. Started because of a tree-climbing cat, then I got used to NOT going through the work and effort. All my presents ship out to the kid's homes anyway. I'm all done with Christmas, except cooking dinner for the family get together. Then, its all over – whew.

    Good luck with the rewrites. Sounds like its going well.

    Have an awesome Christmas and holiday week.

  3. -Thanks so much, Donna. I'm curious to hear what you think about Sleeping Beauties.
    There's definitely something to be said about 'minimalist Christmas,' but we're not there yet. Enjoy your Christmas!

  4. My December was completely cracker-jack crazy!!! Barely had time to breathe – now that 2018 is right around tonight's corner, life has slowed a bit – which is a very good thing.
    Wishing you and your family a fabulous 2018!!!

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