Writing "Wilfair," "Redwoodian," and "Stay Awhile" have all been different experiences. The first two books have one thing in common, and the last two do as well. In summary:
Er. I mean, Summary, Gomery:
"Wilfair": When I started writing "Wilfair" I had in mind a more traditional book. The self-pub movement hadn't yet broken wide, so I wrote a book that, in my mind, adhered to a more standard form. (And let me stress again: traditional pub has been great to me, so saying the "standard form" isn't a dig at all; it's just that there are general guidelines one wants to follow when approaching a story.) I feel very satisfied when I look back at it (though I do wish I'd added *one more Fair and Gomery moment; dang it.) There are one or two parts where I can see myself wanting to break out, a little, and run. I also wrote it in total silence, with no one knowing, which was rather wonderful but not realistic. But then along came...
"Redwoodian": It was around the time I started the second book that self-pub broke wide. I thought that might be a fun path for this series. With that in mind I, in effect, let it all hang out with this book. I knew I wouldn't be selling it traditionally, so I let "Redwoodian" be what it wanted to be. Long spates of dialogue, four people in a car for the first sixth (a general no-no in the pantheon of writing rules), a ten-page hug that isn't an acknowledged hug, weird stuff that I don't get around to explaining? Yep. It's all in there. When I revisit it, it feels 1000% what I intended and wanted it to be (to use a "Redwoodian" reference). "Wilfair" is too, of course, very much so, but it was my first. I love and am proud of them both. Not braggy, chest-puffy proud. Just. I put a lot into them and enjoyed the process, very much.
One last thing: I think I might have been *slightly* too shy, Fair Finley-style, to fan the flame on the romance in "Wilfair." Oh, the flame is lit, in the first book. FOREARMS. DAMP LOOKS. But when "Redwoodian" came along, and I saw that our potential sweethearts were going to go in one direction regardless of my hemming and hawing, I had a very big "oh hell" moment. And that's when I threw my hands in the air and was like, "Hey, Fair and Gomery? So you say there's going to be the slow peeling of evening gloves and the pressing of shredded cheddar cheese onto each others' chests? FINE. Let's do this, people!" Then I attempted to high five them but they totally ignored me (they're pretty into each other, those two).
The upshot? I owned the fact that, shyness be damned, I could be as stomach-flipping as I cared to be.
What the first two books have in common is I wrote them without anyone knowing. Which is not the case with the next one...
"Stay Awhile": The third book has been a very different writing experience from the first two because of one reason: you. Suddenly, after "Redwoodian" got picked up by Forever Young Adult (thank you x 1000, FYA), and they interviewed me (so nice), I started getting blog visitors. (FYA also very kindly reviewed "Wilfair" but things began to heat up 'round this blog after the "Redwoodian" write-up.)
I met my blog visitors, and they became, to me, friends who'd leave great comments or offer insights. And suddenly, as I was writing, I would think "oh, I hope Carly likes this" or "wealhtheow is SO going to figure out what seed I'm planting here" (she actually will, with one line, which I've already semi-told her about).
And the specter of possibly disappointing people I now know and enjoy haunted me, a tad. But the bigger presence was an exciting one: The thrill of possibly delighting people who are hoping to be delighted. That was my engine all summer, and it served me well: I love and am proud of "Stay Awhile," too. It's a more ambitious book than the first two, and I'm asking readers to take some bigger leaps of imagination.
You guys are totally up for it, I know.
It hasn't been a totally different experience, though: "Redwoodian" and "Stay Awhile" are kindred spirits in their mutual sheer juicy homina love sparkle, sparkle I shoveled straight into their hot hearts with abandon. I once again stayed true to letting my personal freak flag fly when and where I wanted to. I believe in form and structure and following the golden arrow of the story through a book, but I didn't hold back on my mad enthusiasm with "Redwoodian" and I didn't on this third one, either. There's probably more of it in there, in fact. We'll see if that's a good thing or not!
Anyway. Musings today. Ladies who haven't had your song dedication up yet: I think I'll finish those out next week, after Thanksgiving, because I have a few thank-y posts I want to do over the next few. Can't wait for '80s week to resume! Such fab suggestions from y'all. Woot woot.
* About that missing Fair and Gomery moment: Maybe I will write it. I'm going to take a couple of weeks off before I start "Fairwil," which is actually already unofficially started. Perhaps I'll write it then!
** And THANK YOU, all caps, for letting me talk about this process. I'm always afraid to come across as overly proud of what I'm up to if I say I'm happy with it. I see the quirks of the series, but I'm pleased with it, too, overall. Probably like any us feel during a major undertaking or project! In the end, I have a lot of abiding enthusiasm and affection for the Wilfair world. I hope that's contagious. Wait. Is there a nicer word than that to end on? You know what I mean. Uh, catching? Uh. Not that either. I hope you're feeling what I feel. How's that? :)
A Tale of Three Books
