On Plotting, Baking and Running

Today's “To Done” list:

• Baked butter tarts (with Eldest Daughter)
• Ran/Walk 5 kilometres (very slowly, but it got done!)
• Laundry (last load in dryer now – whoo-hoo!)
• Figured out major revision snafu (Wheeeeeee!)

My Azores book, now known as No Life But This, had much of the main conflict based on a misunderstanding. Well, not exactly a misunderstanding (see how I rationalize it?), more of a “what he doesn't know won't hurt him” concept.

Even as I was writing it my gut was telling me this was a mistake. I worked really hard to make the misunderstanding make sense, to give it good motivations, and I think I did a good job of that.

But it was still a misunderstanding.

Now, in romance, there's nothing more annoying than reading a book where, if the hero and heroine would simply talk, the story would be over by Chapter Two. I like to think No Life But This wasn't in that category, and yet my gut was telling me I was toying with that line. So when Jane Porter at SIWC told me “Don't base it on a misunderstanding!” I knew I had to make some changes.

Thank goodness none of then were that major. The misunderstanding really only came into play during the black moment, when my hero finds out the truth, storms off in anger, and jeopardizes the happy ever after. But because I deleted the misunderstanding, I had to come up with another reason for him to storm off, or face the fact I'd have to re-write the last 20,000 words.

Not something I wanted to do.

So while baking, running and laundering today, I mulled over how to make it all work...and I think I've hit on a way that stays true to both my characters, falls nicely into the plot of the story, and even gives us further glimpses into the theme of the novel.

It's been a good day!

---