Guess what I'm doing? You got it! Writing my little heart out. I'm working hard on the third Sherry (short for Sherlock) Holmes Baldwin tween mystery, I So Don't Do Makeup. While it's pretty much plotted out, there are always surprises. Plot stuff that looks like it makes sense in the outline, but doesn't on the page. Characters who decide to take matters into their own hands. Children who forget their swim gear, thus forcing their busy, focused mother to make an additional trip across town. Yes, Child, #2, I'm referring to you.But, but, but...I didn't want you all to feel forgotten. AND I've been given a couple of very adorable awards and must link and thank and even list some obsessions. Say what?? Me? Obsessions?
Thank you Barbara Martin for this, well, fabulous award! HOWEVER, what makes you think I have ANY obsessions, let alone FIVE?!I am so very tempted to say I have ZERO obsessions, but I sense a sharpened bolt of lightning winging its way toward me. So, I will admit that Obsession is my middle name and that I'll have a tough time limiting my list to five. But here goes....
1. The first obvious one is licorice. If you've been reading this blog for even a little while, you'll know I adore adore adore licorice. Red. Black. I adore you equally. Way, way more than chocolate. Which I don't really adore at all.
2. Disposable plastic gloves. I always have around 500 of these in a kitchen drawer because there are many things I don't like to touch. Such as, raw meat, laundry, certain cleaning supplies (Comet), onions, turkey guts, wet sponges, people. Ha! Kidding about the people. Just checking to see if you're keeping up!
3. Christmas tree ornaments. I buy a new one every year and date it. I try to find an ornament that represents something significant about the year. Some years have more than one new dated ornament because I couldn't narrow down the field.
4. Packing up the night before. I just don't sleep well if I'm not ready for the morning. I haven't managed to pass this particular obsession on to my children. Pity. It would make our mornings much smoother.
5. List making. I don't know how people navigate life without lists.
And here's an obsession I've successfully given up: letting the gas gauge dip below half. My gas light actually came on this morning!
Thank you, Barbara Martin for this very fun exercise. Although I'm little worried at how quickly I was able to type out this list! Seriously, folks, I'm reasonably normal, lots of fun and not nearly as odd as this post would suggest!
I'll take care of thank-yous for the other adorable awards in another post.
Please, please don't feel obligated, but I am curious about others' obsessions. That said, I completely understand if you don't join in (busy life, privacy issues, eating lunch). But if you do want to play, I'm nominating the following bloggers (in alpha order--oops! another obsession!) for the Your Blog is Fabulous Award:
Brian Kell of The Eyeball Afterlife
From the Desk of Bee Drunken
Gabe of Gabe's Meanderings
Maggie May of Flux Capacitor
Sara of Putting the Sara in Sarakastic
Good luck with the third! Hope it's a great success.
ReplyDeleteDo you find yourself diverging much from the original outline? I didn't outline my first book until the 2nd or 3rd revision, and then it was to impose structure on what I had. The result turned out pretty well, but I berated myself for being inefficient, so for the 2nd book I outlined up front, and found the outline restricted my thinking a lot, so I pretty much dumped it, and I'm back to winging my way through the plot.
1. Lists
ReplyDelete2. Are
3. Awesome
Lists - I love them. Of course, checking off things on the list ought to rate up there somewhere, too.
ReplyDeleteHave fun with Sherry!
Love your new cover - I DON'T DO SPOOKY. :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the award, and on all the work you've been getting done. I wish I had been making more progress on my writing.
ReplyDeleteAww thanks for the award it made my day! Also your blog is fabulous.
ReplyDeletei had the same obsession with my gas tank until i couldn't afford to! :)
ReplyDeletethanks for the nomination, i'm really glad to know you.
I am a huge red licorice fan, and not that Twizzlers crap. Black licorice, however, is from Satan.
ReplyDeleteHow many words are you into the draft? Let's see who finishes first! Haha!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this award, Barrie! I love the obsession list . . . I'm a rubber glove girl myself.
ReplyDeleteWell-done you on plotting out your THIRD book!
I'm a huge list maker too! My purse is always full of lists :)
ReplyDeleteIf I could have listed a sixth obsession than list making would have been added. I can't survive a week without detailed organization.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the award, Barrie. I'm a list-maker, too. I hope your third book just flows itself onto the page. I like the title.
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ReplyDeleteYes, lists! No, to filling my tank before "E"! It gets filled when my husband gets in and realizes that I've been coasting on fumes. If it doesn't get filled in time, I trade cars with him.
ReplyDeleteGary: I don't diverge too too much from the outline. I often find I have too much material and have to cut a plot line . I do diverge enough to keep it interesting to write. The outline works for me, but I really believe it's all about what fits your writing style. :)
ReplyDeleteKristina P: Have you tried black licorice for Australia? You might change your tune.... :)
ReplyDeleteBee: I really should switch to reusable rubber gloves. Better for the environment. Plus, they fit better. I used to use them. For the life of me, I can't remember how I ended up addicted to disposable plastic gloves.
ReplyDeleteMitch: I don't think we're on the same draft, are we???
ReplyDeleteYou don’t seem at all obsessed to me – but perhaps that’s because I am equally obsessed? Does gender factor in? I think most women can relate to your list/lists!
ReplyDeleteNo, I'm technically on my final draft, so I guess a race isn't fair. It was worth a shot, though!
ReplyDeleteYou don't sound obsessed to me either. You sound like a busy mom! No listy no doey, I always say. Congrats on the awards and your third book. Way to go!
ReplyDeleteGood to hear you are working so productively. I’m having an intense writing week too. I wonder if it has to do with spring and the extra daylight?
ReplyDeleteIt intrigues me that your method is so different from mine. I don’t outline in a first draft. You must need more structure in a mystery. I used to write very detailed outlines when I was writing academic papers.
You sound like a very organized person. I’m a list maker and a pre-packer too.
Will there be a Sherry #4 or will you start something new?
Keep the licorice away from me. I promised Bitchy I'd be good.
ReplyDeleteBarrie, I don't think there's a writer alive (or dead for that matter) who isn't obsessed with storytelling and the written word. :) I like licorice but chocolate is my obsession. Good luck with book #3. Love the title. I so don't do makeup either, at least not very often.
ReplyDeleteA well deserved award, if I must say. Congratulations on working so diligently on your third book.
ReplyDeleteIt must just feel so wonderful to be on the third book--very real?! :)
ReplyDeleteI share that 4th obsession with you. And I only have the ONE child to get out the door in the a.m. I'm guessing if the kids adopted the obsession, we could probably let some of it go for ourselves!
Yay! How exciting! Keep on working on that book--cute title, too! (:
ReplyDeleteNow I want licorice! I love licorice, too. There's an Australian brand they've been selling at Costco that is just amazing.
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah! Book #4 will either be a Sherry....or not. :) It hasn't been decided yet.
ReplyDeleteGee, Barrie... thanks for the award. I'll will post my 5 obsessions this weekend. I'll be obsessing about it until then.
ReplyDeleteI'm SO happy to hear you're working on book 3. Awesome! And I love the title. I have my 12 year old ready to read ISDDM over spring break.
You must LOVE Good and Plenty then. Right. It's my FAVE!!!!
You're not obsessed - you're organized - and good for you. That's why you have this great blog and a third book moving along (with an outline) and 4 happy kids! Go, Barrie, go! (And I love the 2nd book's cover AND the 3rd one's title. It looks like my 1st will be out when your 2nd arrives.)
ReplyDeleteGabe!! Glad to hear our books will meet on the shelves! congrats!
ReplyDeleteBrian: I cannot imagine life without Good and Plenty! And...Yay for your daughter reading ISDDM over spring break!!
ReplyDeleteLists rock! And yours is good.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm thinking I need plastic gloves! I touch meat! I touch Comet! I touch people! I never thought I needed protection, but now I wonder?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I do not make lists. That is probably why I haven't finished my manuscript yet.
grats barrie... neat obsessions, too :o lol
ReplyDeleteI wholeheartedly agree with Kristen! And I love your idea to use gloves for doing laundry! My boys are only 7 and 9 and already it's getting a little icky. Now I can face the future! ;)
ReplyDeleteAnd your blog is fabulous!
I'm glad someone shares my obsession with gloves :)
ReplyDeleteJenKneeBee, we glove lovers are a dying breed. Alyssa Goodnight, you won't be sorry if you join our club!
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for all the lovely comments about the blog. I'm amazed at how attached to her I've gotten!xo
Really? Disposable plastic gloves? REALLY?
ReplyDeleteI probably should never prepare food in front of you. Fun list!
Wow, finally someone who doesn't adore chocolate either!! I will always choose licorice over chocolate.
ReplyDeleteAnd I haven't filled up at half a tank since my dad stopped paying for the gas card (I've got two kids...it's been a while!)
I share several of these obsessions.
ReplyDelete"Christmas tree ornaments. I buy a new one every year and date it. I try to find an ornament that represents something significant about the year."
But my mom shares this one with you. Sadly, she insists on doing this for every member of the family, meaning that we get 4 new ornaments, just from her, every Christmas! (In addition to the one I insist on buying on each of our vacations.) Our tree is getting bigger and bigger each year just to accommodate all this nonsense!