An Addiction to words is a Tough Habit to Break.

After writing a short and having to carefully choose which words to use, it is possible that I enjoyed a limitless word count for this scene in my current WIP just a bit too much.

Seeing the pool area from inside the house didn't do it justice. The planters were arranged for paramount effect on the viewer inside, but outside, the greenery's varied layers invited the visitor to explore the large pool area without dripping into the waters cool depths. A fountain lavished the far side of the pool area with a constant flow of water, giving the area a refreshing music of sweet ambiance. Nestled within the green of the potted plants, near the shallow end of the pool, stood a cabana of vibrant yellow and blue striping overhead, and a heavy veil of yellows tied back to the corner posts giving them a sturdy yet yielding sway to any breeze that dared stir the air. The scent of roses lingered in the air. Porsche scanned the area to find the flowering bushes of deepest red nestled against the sandstone building. She momentarily craved the opportunity to repose here in this garden oasis, drinking in the sensations of luxury mixed with quiet pleasure.

Sedrick's nudge on her elbow grounded her, bringing her back to their purpose for being here. "He's over there by in the cabana."

Porsche took several steps in that direction, stopping short. Dr. Whipple's description of Mr. Palmer didn't include his apparent age. She had expected an elderly gentleman in a wheelchair. The man before them was anything but old. He sat looking the other direction, oblivious to their approach. His hair was dark and a bit on the shaggy side, definitely in need of a cut. His shoulders were wide and well muscled.

Sedrick stepped around her, walking up to Mr. Palmer without hesitation. She remained where she stood watching. Mr. Palmer turned his chair slightly and returned Sedrick's greeting. Something about him triggered a familiarity that she couldn't place. She stared at him, unseeing, trying in vain to place what it was.

Mr. Palmer's casual greeting and polite smile with which he greeted Sedrick froze when he looked her direction. A strange expression etched his otherwise handsome features.

"Don't worry man. She's a student. I'll be taking care of you and all your man needs. She don't even need to see your bits."

Writing a Pain-filled Story

Writing update, least you perceive that I'm waiting on my laurels for some humongous event.
While children focused on finishing the school year, yours truly focused on creating an autobiography.
 I'm very aware of those of you who have asked me to write my own story over the years. I've gently refused delving into painful memories of living with the pain. But with WUFC's (Writers Unite to Fight Cancer) founder asking for me to share my story in under 4000 words, I have at last acquiesced. The limited word count allowed me to touch on moments that illustrate my experience with Multiple sclerosis without reliving them intently. Doing so made the hard part of the task much easier. At last the tale is completed and with beta readers.
(Beta readers are skilled authors of my acquaintance that will shred my baby before returning it to me in the course of making it stronger, faster, better than it was before. Okay, maybe not faster.)
Lest you get too excited or begin to place me in hero status, be aware that I have ulterior motives and that it is for a good cause that I write. This autobiography will be submitted, with a nice out-of-pocket fee in WUFC's annual writing contest. Contest winners will be published and sales from the book will be donated to cancer research.
I'm proud to be a part of WUFC at this juncture in my life and will let you know how the piece does later this summer/fall. If it does well, I'll obviously encourage you to purchase the book (I probably will anyway.) And if the piece doesn't win, I'll share it here.
Until then my friends---
Live in the beauty of the sunlight,
Laugh with those who share your lives, and
Love more intently than you have before.

Get Your Crafty Little Hooks in 'em!

Some have asked, "What in the heck is a 'hook' and do I need one?"

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition has 7 definitions for the noun (we won't mess with the verb for this one.) The definition that we are interested in for this answer is 1 b: something intended to attract and ensnare So this is our goal in writing since there are literally over one hundred thousand books out there vying for the reader's attention.

The successful author must become an adept fisher. If you have met or know a fisherman, you very quickly learn that fishing is an art. The goal is not to catch every fish with a single hook on a single cast but several fish over a period of time. And we all know how fishing stories are all about the biggest fish and the one that got away.

In writing, our goal is to hook the reader, or fish, not once but over and over again. The more often, the better because not only with the fish come back to your fishing hole or book, but he/she will bring friends. We like friends, they buy more books.

(Me, wiggling my brows like the villain in the old silent movies.)

A 'hook', according to yours truly, is that single sentence that catapults the reader into a frenzy of unanswered questions. This is the 'sweet spot', but beware--you, the author, had better be prepared to answer the myriad of questions with a wide net. Don't run scared here. You have the tools, a vivid imagination and hopefully a plot, even if you are, like me, the occasional 'panster.'

I try to weave one of these 'hooks' into the end of almost all of my chapters. They can be as short as: I was pretty crazy. Which engenders the questions like:  Crazy stupid or crazy young or crazy in love or a few other crazies. What does she mean crazy? Crazy how?

On the other hand, the 'hook' can be a bit longer. As in: "It's taken care of, most of it anyway. Let's step into the hallway." Thus the questions hit a wider spectrum. What is 'it'? Taken care of, how? Most of it, what part wasn't? Why do they need to step into the hallway?

The tricky part of a hook is answering these questions in a believable way and without the dreaded INFO DUMP. Did I say that? Yep. But this is a topic for another day.

Let's return to how to handle the 'hook'. In a previous post we see that we are ending a chapter with a hook, but does it have to be the very last sentence(s) of the chapter? No, BUT it is recommended that the chapter end within one hundred (100) words of the 'hook'. Any more than that and the author risks losing the impact of the 'hook.' After all, the 'hook' is a tool used by authors to create that illusive 'page-turner.'

If you are a reader, you're reading this going 'so what?' I love this author and the way he/she writes. He/She never uses these things you call 'hooks.'

Oh contraire my dear friend. Maybe this tool is used so expertly you haven't noticed why you feel compelled to turn the page or buy the next book in the series.