Words Words Words

Back in graduate school, in the writing workshops, we were told that Tolstoy said you could use the word 'suddenly' just once in a 1200 page novel. I have no idea if this is true, but I passed the rule on in my workshops.

Working on Velocity 4, I'm wondering how often I can use the word 'dubiously.' As in, "Are you sure?" she asked dubiously.

What do y'all think?

More Cat Pictures

Here's where Jasper likes to sleep while I'm writing. Sometimes she shifts around, puts her chin on the ENTER key. and created havoc in my manuscripts.

Real Life Drama at the delagar Household

The two cats converge on my chair, where I am busily writing my novel, my earphones on, Steve Earle singing about laying his guitar down in my ears. They are staring intently upwards.

This is never a good sign.

I twist around in the chair toward the window to see what has caught their attention.

Holy hell, it's wasp.

I leap from the chair, spilling my laptop and coffee and dignity. Two minutes later, the wasp is smashed, the dog has fled in terror and the cats are watching me from the Way High Up.

"Why did you let a wasp in the house?" I demand of them. "What kind of cats are you?"

They regard me with disdain. Obviously wasps are my department.

A List

These are the Household Chores, in the order of I Hates Them to I Don't Minds Them To I Likes Them Well Enough

1. Cleaning the Bathroom (duh, who likes this one)
2. Cleaning the cat boxes
3. Vacuuming
4. Putting away laundry
5. Mowing the lawn/raking the leaves
6. Taking the car to get its oil changed
7. Scrubbing pots and pans
8. Scrubbing the kitchen floor
9. Scrubbing the stove and counters in the kitchen
10. Unloading the dishwasher
11. Loading the dishwasher
12. Doing the laundry
13. Cooking
14. Buying groceries
15. Taking the dog for his walk

What I really like to do, as all y'all know, is sit in my chair and read SF fiction novels, also write science fiction novels, also drink coffee. Anything that interferes with that is an irritant and an annoyance. But some things are less annoying than others.

For instance, I just made soda bread with rum-soaked raisins in it. Because a writer's gotta eat, after all.