9, 10...

First drafts of chapters nine and ten, though short, are done. Have started eleven.

I recently met a literary agent who laughed at my 5 days in Dearborn. Rightly so. I thought about it all some and think I may have found a way to do a month-long run there relatively soon. Will post when I know for certain. All in all, I'm happy with the book's progress and how the story's working out.

I continue to read more Christopher Buckley, this time Florence of Arabia which has a great premise (finding peace in the Middle East through the emancipation of the region's women). The story, though, becomes rather intricate, which I don't think to that extent is necessary for my work. Buckley does do a good job of working in Arab cultural and historical references; something I need to work on.

Off Roading

Why do automakers cease making certain models or go out of business themselves?

-A make or model may fall out of favor with consumers because of style, lack of safety, performance, mileage or accoutrements (8 track player only...)

-Could be recalled for a particular reason.

-Could have an unfortunate name (The old story of Novas not selling in Mexico because they didn't want a car that's name meant "doesn't go.")

-Replaced by a more market-friendly model

What else? Any stories come to mind?

Crazy 8s and the Name Game

A draft of Chapter 8 is done. It includes the quintessential Detroit intersection of Motown and motor oil. Good times. Put together an outline for 9. Will start Sunday.

While reading Buckley's The White House Mess (1986) I got a chuckle out of an accounting firm he named, Dewey, Skruem and Howe. This made me think more about how I name my characters and what potential for humor there might be. I came up with an idea that'll hopefully not only make people laugh, but help them connect with the story and the characters as so many of us Americans have emotional attachments to the automobiles in our lives. I don't even drive anymore, but I cheer inside anytime I get to handle a stick shift. And just the sight of a certain make or model can take my memory back the way songs or scents do. I reckon I'm not alone in that regard.

Eating My Words

I'm a cook. My story takes place in a town with the biggest Arab population in America. I know next to nothing about their cuisine. That's about to change. I came across some recipes lately and I'm gonna put some Arab cuisine in my mouth to make my experience and those of my characters richer and more accurate.

Pointers from Thank You For Smoking

In an attempt to learn more about the genre (e.g., how to make fun of something without being an asshole), I just finished reading Christopher Buckley's Thank You For Smoking (1994) which takes on political correctness via the fight in the U.S. over smoking. My concern lately has been how to set a story in Dearborn without tearing the town to shreds. Here's what I learned from Buckley:

1) Ain't no shame in short (less than 10 page) chapters.

2) That it's important to give background info on characters so the reader can readily connect with them. I haven't been doing this. I need to become friends with my characters. Right now they're acquaintances.

3) The use of industry specific knowledge. What's the difference between an amateur and a professional? The amateur may know how to turn a phrase, but a pro can do that and be an expert on the subject at hand. While I do not want to bombard readers with minutaie, I do need to prove I'm a cut above an amateur.

4) The importance of historical context. Buckley does a nice job of letting his contemporary audience know that tobacco has been an issue for hundreds of years, not just since the 1950s. He does this by finding the more relevant and cool stories from history and bringing them to our attention. If I can find parallels to my story from history, it would ground it and perhaps make it more acceptable.

5) Women. Buckley's women in this particulary novel are sex objects and savvy in business, if not downright ruthless. While one of my main characters is a female, most are male and the female voice is marginalized. I need to work on this.

Most importantly, I've come to the conclusion that the joke isn't on Dearborn, it's on U.S. officials who continue to encourage a way of looking at our country that may no longer exist (or maybe shouldn't exist), ie, that we're #1 and that everything's fine. If anything, the people of Dearborn in my story fight this when they see it does them no good.

7 Complete; MI interviews; On Deck

I just finished chapter seven and moved bits of it into 8, so that's started. I'm happy how the story is moving and how intrigue/tension is building, but it's still a little thin and could use some fattening up.

I sat down with a friend from Michigan yesterday to pick her brain about her time growing up there. Her most specific memories of Dearborn pertained to their Arab pastries. As a pastry baker, I should have no problem working them into the story and into my tummy, hopefully in October. I have also promised myself to email the Dearborn reporter/blogger and to get that ball rolling. This is my chance to do a better job of putting my finger on the pulse of local affairs.

Lastly, I'm close to finishing Buckley's Thank You For Smoking which I will discuss in more depth next posting.