Can you even believe how much I’ve posted in the last two days? I KNOW! A LOT! Anyway, the brilliant and formidable literary kitten, to whom I STILL owe an email (I haven’t forgotten, I SWEAR), started fess up Fridays as a way for those of working on writing projects to discuss our success, or lack thereof, regarding each week’s writing. I signed up because what is better than public humiliation to spur the writing?

So, let’s see - a little bit about my novel. It’s titled Murmurs from the Silent Room, but that could change. Right now, for the convenience of this first-time novelist, I’ve broken it into three acts, each between 100 and 150 pages, 100 being the minimum and 150 being the maximum. I’m following Annie Dillard’s advice and writing a book I would want to read - the kind of book I would pick up off the shelves at a bookstore or library, come home with, make a cup of tea or coffee or pour  a glass of wine, and really settle into. I am not sure how that’s working out for me but I’m not worried about it now.  The protagonist’s name is Anna.  Books I turn to for different kinds of inspiration include Fortune’s Rocks by Anita Shreve, because no matter how wrong you know it is, you root for Olympia and Haskell, and Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood because of the way Sidda is used as a vehicle for stories of women, much the way I am using Anna, and Beach Music by Pat Conroy for How To Write a Novel With Lots of Characters Without Crowding it Up. I am so, so near the end of act one I can taste it. My original deadline was to complete an entire draft in July but I’ve amended that to September, and will not be upset with myself if it takes the rest of the year. There is a lot of research involved.

Novel Update: I didn’t work on my novel at all this week. I let myself have this week off from writing and working out to see if I could recover from my sinus infection. It worked. I plan to spend a bit of time falling back into my novel this weekend. I also plan to FINALLY set up a writing space and S. has moved in and I have my desk back - yay! I detested writing at the kitchen table.

Nonfiction Update: I haven’t worked at all on any nonfiction.

Blogging Update: I think I’ve done fairly well with blogging, for me, this week - I am happy with my presence around here.

Reading Update: My reading this year has not been going very well, but I think Joe Hill’s Heart Shaped Box will turn that around…I’m over halfway done and enjoying it very much, and I feel excited to read something else, afterwards.

Happy Weekend, all!