Houston, we have cover art!
It’s a - can you call something photoshopped if you don’t actually use PhotoShop? - section of a painting by William Merritt Chase. I went to the American Impressionism and Realism exhibition at the Queensland Art Gallery in September, saw the original, and thought, “That’s my cover!” I love it when dumb luck goes my way.
And I’m beginning to close the yawning word count gap left by my days off sick. Being still in the earliest part of the novel, where I actually know what happens next, it’s not proving too difficult. But by around Saturday evening I’m going to be very worried. I have the beginning (even if Chapter 1 is a bit of a train wreck). I have a fair notion of the ending, and I’ll have a better one once Alice chooses between Fabian and John. But the stretch between the fourth and penultimate chapters currently bears a striking resemblance to the Nullarbor Plain: there’s almost nothing in it.
I’m trying to convince myself that, as gothics depend largely on atmosphere, a slight shortage of incident won’t matter too much, at least not in the first draft. And I’m hoping that my characters will take over - or at the very least, that I can continue keeping one day ahead in my plot-it-as-I-go outline.
If anyone’s interested in closer observation of the impending literary disaster, front row seats are available on my NaNo profile page.
4 comments:
When I write, I immediately pick actors that would play my characters in a movie, and that helps me know how to think of them. Your post reminded me of that. And based on this cover, and the details you gave in your post...I would read this book. 100%. I want to. :)
-Connie @ Constance Reader
That's a really great cover! I like that her head is not cut off :-)
And I'm SURE it's not a literary disaster!
Connie: I tried that, and concluded I need to watch more British stuff. Or that I need to be less of a perfectionist in my casting. (Or both.) But since I always intended for her to make her decision at the last moment, my cluelessness doesn't matter yet.
Aarti: I was adamant that I would have a non-decapitated woman on my cover! It was the first aspect I decided on. And maybe it's the proximity of the weekend, but I'm feeling optimistic today, and thinking that if I can only think of enough things to have happen it won't be too bad.
I want to read this too! Things may surprise you and the writing will get easier and easier.
Post a Comment