Help me choose an opening

I got a rejection that got me thinking today. The rejection said the concept for my book is good, but the writing in the first few pages didn't blow her away. I realized that the prologue was the first thing I wrote for the book, and that was nearly three years ago now. I've done some tinkering with it, but never really gave it a full rewrite. So, I came up with a whole new prologue to my book. The IDEA is the same - the plot is the same, but I changed the perspective and the way I gave the exposition that is essential for the rest of the book. The new version is half the length which I DEFINITELY think is good.

I've had a feeling for a while now that the prologue might be what's holding me back, and I'm wondering if my new attempt might work better.

Anyway, I don't want to say any more to skew results. I'm a bit leery of posting the prologues, so if you are willing to help me and read the two versions, leave a note in the comments (if I have your email already, great), or if not please email me at jason.flum@gmail.com and I'll send you the two versions.

Thank you in advance....

Men men men men

In response to Megan's blogpost found here:
http://meganrebekahblogs.blogspot.com/2010/04/where-are-men.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MeganRebekahBlogs+%28Megan+Rebekah+Blogs%29

(Megan, I'll take it down if you want me to, though of course kind of the point is hardly anyone sees this anyway)

I really think the reason men don't blog is very simple: it's a lot of work. Mind you, I said we're lazy, but it's not really just LAZY. The fact is, there's only so much time in the day, and what's available for writing is even more limited. I have 8 followers so far - one's my wife, one's her friend, and one's my sister.

The only reason I really keep this up to any degree is that one day I do hope to be a professional writer, and Caitie tells me having a web presence is important. Maybe one day people will find this blog and look back at it and think, "Wow, he was an idiot back then, did you see that crazy Lost theory about the numbers?"

Or maybe not.

But the point is, there's so much WRITING I want to do, and time IS limited.

So, back to the book....

Wherever you are....

If you can, vote "yes" for your school budget. If you value education at all, vote yes for your school budget. If you care for your neighbors, your children, your town, your own wallet - whatever the reason may be - vote "YES" for your school budget. But damnit, go out and vote!

planning and waiting

It's been a while since I've written. To be honest, last week was very busy for me with writing. I've been working on what I suppose is my second novel, and it's going fairly well. I got about 20 pages done last week, and am really getting towards the meat of the story. I seem to keep proving to myself that outlining just wouldn't work for me at all -- I come up with most of my best ideas on the fly (it's how I like teaching, too) and outlining really limits my creativity. I don't think I'd have come up with half the ideas I did had I pre-planned them. That said, I DO have a general idea going in, and I am always working towards an end goal (though that end does tend to alter as the story does if need be).

I'm still waiting to hear back from the agent who has my full. It could be any day now, given the timeline I was given. I'm on pins and needles, I'll admit. All I can do is keep hoping...

Hunger Games

I finished reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins last night. It left me kind of befuddled. I really enjoyed the book, but it was one of those stories that if you thought about it too much things didn't quite add up -- or at the very least the coincidences and conveniences of plot become overwhelmingly obvious. Still, the book is very exciting and definitely creative. I liked the voice she uses to tell the story, though I think by telling it in first person she forcibly limited some of the information that, as a consumer of complete stories, the reader feels they want to know some of the things she leaves out. Perhaps some of those answers will come in the sequels, but the story told feels completed.

Of course, I do tend to overthink these things.

A couple of weeks later

I haven't had much to say lately. I'm working on my new book - I think it's actually coming along pretty well.

On spring break now, so hopefully I'll have some time to really work on it. Now that I have the general gist of where it's going, it's a matter of filling in the details. Still, I think it's on the right track now.

Sondheim concert

Caitie and I went to see the Sondheim 80th Birthday Concert tonight - and WOW. I just want to get as much of a playlist down now as I can remember:

America -- Karen Olivio and cast
We're Gonna Be All Right -- Jason Danieley and Marin Mazzie
Don't Laugh - Victoria Clark
You're Gonna Love Tomorrow/Love Will See Us Through -- Jenn Colella, Matt Cavenaugh, Laura Osnes...and someone else I can't remember right this moment.
Johanna - Nathan Gunn
Too Many Mornings -- Nathan Gunn and Audra Mcdonald (the first real stand out of the night)
It Takes Two -- Chip Zien and Joanna Gleason (this made me very happy)
Finishing the Hat -- Mandy Patinkin (WOW)
Move On -- Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters (Seriously, I was nearly in tears it was so beautiful)
Pretty Women -- Michael Cerveris and George Hearn (so cool!)
A Little Priest -- Michael, George, and Patti Lupone (AMAZING!)

Suite from Reds
So Many People - Laura Benanti
Beautiful Girls - David Hyde Pierce
Ladies Who Lunch - Patti Lupone (awesome - especially when Elaine Stritch rose at the end)
Losing My Mind - Marin Mazzie (beautiful)
The Glamorous Life - Audra Mcdonald
Could I Leave You- Donna Murphy (WOW)
I'm Still Here - Elaine Stritch (Yes, she is. Incredible)
Sunday - 300 or so Broadway actors -- one of the most powerful, beautiful things I've ever heard in my life.

I THINK that's everything -- I may have missed something in the second act there - but I'm not sure what...
What an incredible night!