In which the last glimmering hope is extinguished.

[freyalorelei.livejournal.com]

Journal entry dated 8/2/05, "Lost and Found". LKH is in italics, I'm regular text. Spelling, grammar etc. the author's own.

Danse Macabre officially no longer has Edward in it.

The last entry was actually written long hand last Friday the 29th of July. What follows are entries that were sort of written long hand over a series of days starting I believe last Sunday, or even Monday. I thought about breaking this very long blog up into smaller ones. But one, I don't know how to do that without getting Jon's computer expertise, and two, well, it sort of all goes together.

Reread the last entry. Not a very cheerful day. But then, I've never gotten 567 pages into a book and lost the thread of it. DANSE MACABRE is my twentieth book. I guess I thought that I could try something different and it would be okay, but you change your work habits at your peril. That whole, if it's not broke, don't fix it. Or maybe this book was one I've needed to do with Anita for awhile and I just didn't know it. Certainly we're tackling some hard issues. Whatever the reason . . . I've lost the thread and I do stand in the maze and not know how to get out. I'm about to do something that I tell new writers never to do. I'm going to print it out and reread, and do some editing as I go, before I've actually finished the book. I tell other writers never do major rewriting until the book is finished. But I don't know how else to find where I need to go. For some reason I've had more trouble than usual holding the plot in my head. I know part of the problem, the new edition on the house.

[Cut for rambling about the reconstruction on her house--which as you know we've all paid for!, and about which NO ONE CARES--and about her friend Richard, who Is In No Way Related To The Character, her repeated emphasis.]

I have now read about four hundred pages of the book. I'm happy with it. Nothing wrong with it. In fact I've written 'nice' by several passages of my own writing. Always nice when I reread and think that I've captured exactly what I wanted to capture on paper. It doesn't happen often. I'm going to paraphrase Mark Twain, "The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug." I, like most writers, feel that most of the time we try to catch lightning and end up with a jar full of bugs. They're really pretty bugs, very shiny and they do light up the dark, but it's not quite what we were trying for. But there are a lot of moments in DANSE MACABRE where the lightning crackles on the page. I've got the metaphorical burn marks to show for it.

I'm not good at giving up on things. In fact, it's one of my worst things. Somewhere around four hundred pages of reading today, I realized the problem with the book. I was trying to put too much into the book. Too much plot, too many characters. Just too much. I've said in several public talks that Edward and probably even Olaf were going to be in this book. I even have some chapters with Edward and Anita. The trouble is that these chapters came over five hundred pages in. You don't bring Edward on five hundred pages in unless the book is going to be at least a thousand pages long. It's not going to be that long. About seven hundred pages is about it. I finally embraced what my subconscious has known for a day or two, that Edward isn't in this book.

[Insert wordless shriek of despair.] Sorry to all those Edward fans out there, I'm disappointed to. But I think it's better to keep the Edward part of the plot and spin it into it's own book, then try and tack it on to the end of a different plot. Any time you raise a major plot point five hundred pages in, you're book either needs a major rewrite, or your plot isn't working. I was ready to trash the book, but I've read most of it, and it works. The book works as is, but it is not a mystery, not in the traditional sense. It is not an Edward plot. Book fifteen will be nothing but the Edward plot [Book FIFTEEN? Uh, isn't the book after DM number FOURTEEN? So we have to wait for TWO MORE BOOKS?], well, okay, that and some very scary vampires that, well . . . Anyway, on the positive I have the second and third chapter of the next book already written. They're a little too abrupt to be the first chapter, but they can be damned close. Set up in chapter one, on the telephone to Edward asking for some help in chapter two, then away we go.

What is Danse Macabre about then, if Edward's not in it? Almost everything is a spoiler. Let's just say that Anita and Richard some to some revelations about themselves as a couple.

[Another wordless shriek.] We learn more of Jean-Claude and Asher's back story. We see the Mother of All Darkness again. Belle Morte plays a metaphysical visit. We meet some of the other masters of the city here in America. We get to go to a ballet about vampires where real vampires play the vampire parts. I actually don't know what will happen at the climax of the book at the club Danse Macabre. [*HEADDESK*] I have thrown out the plots and plans I made. [Well, there it is, up front, straight from the author herself. NO PLOT.] I'm letting the characters take the reins and run with it. I always seem to work better that way, when I'm chasing after my imaginary friends, or they surprise me completely. I'll finish the read through, then we'll get back to where we were, a scene with Requiem, and several of the new vamps from Britain.

So...basically Danse Macabre is yet one more "transitional book" with no sign of a plot and likely little more than smut and angst. It sounds worse than Incubus Dreams, if that's even possible.

.........I'll just go cry into my pillow now.

Comments

[dwg.livejournal.com]

KHHHHHAAAAAAANNNN!!!! *fist shake*

I'm at work and nearly reduced to tears of laughter and pain. If anyone asks, I'll say it's my hayfever starting to act up.

I tell other writers never do major rewriting until the book is finished.

*headdesk* No. No. No. No. No. No. NOOOO!!!

If the book isn't going the way you thought it was - do your rewrites and retrofit the rest so it fits together. LOGIC. It means you don't have to rewrite the entire book. If it looks like you can't retrofit everything to make this new way of book flow, then you can start the rewrite - again, without doing the entire book.

I was trying to put too much into the book. Too much plot, too many characters. Just too much.

Wait, there's plot? What? *bes bewildered*

Characters - KEEL THEM!!! Oh wait, that's not going to happen, because someone's too attached. Well, boo hoo. Serves you right for getting to this point and becoming unstuck.

No sympathy, absolutely non. She brought that bit upon herself.

Too much? Hey, here's an idea - get an editor with a pair. One that's not afraid to tell you, "Hey - take those three hundred pages and summarise them." because seriously, there's no need for nearly 500 pages of wangst.

Let's just say that Anita and Richard some to some revelations about themselves as a couple. [Another wordless shriek.] *shrieks with you*

We learn more of Jean-Claude and Asher's back story. - Wait, what? What's there to learn? They were a cute couple, with a chick. They messed about and were sexy. Really. What's there to learn?

We see the Mother of All Darkness again. - Um, why? Other than to be an Anne Rice ripoff...uh...really...whhhy? She doesn't actually do anything other than sleep and try to be scary and beam herself via satellite to St Louis to add to whatever freakout's already in progress. And she'll be fought off with sex. Because sex scares off everything.

Belle Morte plays a metaphysical visit. - AGAIN?!?! I am so fucking tired of the bad guys just not even bothering to turn up in person to evil up the world. Dumbing down the villains doesn't make the heroine any more heroic, or fantastic. If anything, it makes everyone look stupid. *stabbity*

We meet some of the other masters of the city here in America. - Please no. I like the RPG system of things that a few of us came up with back when the books were good and RPing was actually tons of fun. Now, we just kinda get the good writers, ignore the latest books and write things the way we'd like them to be seen.

If I see anything clown-like from Chicago, I'm going to spew. Just. Spew. If I see anything French and bastardly, or German and ditzy from Boston, I am going to spew and a half. *Stabbity McStab*

We get to go to a ballet about vampires where real vampires play the vampire parts. - *coughAnneRicecoughTheatredesVampirescough*

I actually don't know what will happen at the climax of the book at the club Danse Macabre. I have thrown out the plots and plans I made. I'm letting the characters take the reins and run with it. I always seem to work better that way, when I'm chasing after my imaginary friends, or they surprise me completely. I'll finish the read through, then we'll get back to where we were, a scene with Requiem, and several of the new vamps from Britain.

*eyes bleed* Um. Um. *STABNATION!!!!*

Dear Laurell K. Hamilton,
Please take some time off. Write new notes. Get your act together and a new editor.
Please.
Pretty, pretty please.
Then, and only then, will you be allowed to bitch about the woes of writing your latest book. Mmkay? You're actually under no obligation to publish what you've written thus far, although keeping your promise about Edward - since you've been saying Edward was going to be in this book - would be nice. Sit, go over your notes, make new ones, figure out a way to fit him in.
No love,
Me.

Really, if this doesn't spell the end of her fandom and a massive crash in sales - I don't know what does.

This book is going to be TEH SUCK on so many levels. I'm really going to love and hate pulling it to bits, I just know it.

[/rant]

[junipersgame.livejournal.com]

"We meet some of the other masters of the city here in America." - Please no. I like the RPG system of things that a few of us came up with back when the books were good and RPing was actually tons of fun. Now, we just kinda get the good writers, ignore the latest books and write things the way we'd like them to be seen.

If I see anything clown-like from Chicago, I'm going to spew. Just. Spew. If I see anything French and bastardly, or German and ditzy from Boston, I am going to spew and a half. *Stabbity McStab*

Argh! I know! If she pulls up one from New Orleans, I shall rain a parade of stabbity death upon her. Especially if it's an emasculated french pansy boy >.O

Bedeh. Eh, well, if she pulls MotCs from a city an RPG is based in, the mods and players can just ignore it =P Because, I mean, really. Who wants to deal with /her/ idea of what a 'scary' vampire is, anyways? The last scary vampire she had was Obsidian Butterfly (and before that, Seraphina). Every other vampire LKH has turned into fluffy, hormone-ruled lap kittens. It's terribly sad =(

[dwg.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure that even my fluffy hormone-ruled lap kitten (his name is Sebastian,a nd he would be the German and ditzy) has a scarier little finger than what LKH comes up with. And he's the one that feels bad about not remembering someone's birthday.

I'm fairly certain that LKH used to troll the RPG boards for ideas and such.

*weeps for Seraphina* She was awesome. She's the way bad guys ought to be. She's my villainous highlight of the series. After Obsidian Butterfly, the baddies all turned into omg teh rapistz and other assorted sexual predators, so omg, they MUST be teh evil. I hate the dumbing down of villains, I really, really do.

I kinda hope she's forgotten all about the Corruptors and their line. They were awesome and disgusting too. So much can be done with a vampire that can rot and reform. I should know, I play it.

[saadiira.livejournal.com]

HELL yes. Basties can be scary! And..well...drools over your corruptors.
lol.

LKH? She's got all that pretty stuff she can play with, but then, she just wangsts. What the HELL.

[junipersgame.livejournal.com]

Allow me to join in the weeping for Seraphina. She was so AWESOME as a villian. Best villian in the entire serious, and one of my favorites out of the books I've read. She wasn't just about messing you up physically- she'd do it psychologically, too, and she'd do it /well/. She was just bloody beautiful. *cries*

[missrogue.livejournal.com]

Remember in the first few books how the vampires and other baddies were actually scary? Yeah. That was nice.

I think she's gotten to much of the, "OMG Buffy had nice vampires lets have them too"... vamps are supposed to be evil demonic creatures. I don't care if they are legal now. Again...I like my evil actually evil.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

"I like my evil like I like my men - evil." - Buffy said it best.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_shadowstalker_/]

Buffy's vampires were nice... when they became good guys. As bad guys? Well, Angeleus was pretty damn scary. Just goes to show the fun writers can have with multiple personalitites. LKH is just taking the easy way out.

[demoncougar.livejournal.com]

"Because sex scares off everything."

My reply to that: Such as hundreds of thousands of previously loyal fans. *nods*

[dwg.livejournal.com]

Ahhhh ha ha ha!

Yes. Well put.

[missrogue.livejournal.com]

I love you.

lol. Seriously you just summed up all (if not more) of my feelings. She's taken an awesome kick-ass character....and turned her into nothing more than a slut who fights evil with sex (hmmm... that's a good message for the kiddies).

It's like Buffy Season Sex six. Sex doesn't push the plot along...you actually have to have a plot first.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

...Sitting here, trying to think of a way to go, "Aww. *insert something nice and possibly witty here*" - I think I just thought up the bestest banner for this community.

We're all Bitch, Please Ambassadors.

Hell, I'd wear that as a shirt.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_shadowstalker_/]

Oh come on, like you didn't drool over the Spuffy craziness? But yes, you have to have some sort of plot to support the sex. That's why the first few books were so damn good- they had that plot, and when some sexuality was injected it in just improved the books, but didn't make them smut.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_shadowstalker_/]

*in, it

[harpergrey.livejournal.com]

Ye gods. I think I'm turning into a broken record with this, but just when I'm sure she can't do anything worse to her own writing, she cheerfully proves me wrong. At this point, I'm going to say that in order to be a decent writer, one should probably do the exact opposite of everything she does/recommends doing.

And she's still being published. *shakes head* If it wasn't so funny, it'd just be sad. ;)

[saadiira.livejournal.com]

She's got a NAME. Had any of the last several been her first book, she'd never have gotten to the shelves.

[magdollna.livejournal.com]

Cut for rambling about the reconstruction on her house--which as you know we've all paid for

Hey I want to bitch about that! All my shekels I cheerfully handed over for the first books and then not uncheerfully handed over for the last. ( It's like a bad white trash relationship. I swear Laurell off , and like a siren call I fund myself reaching out to a new book of here hoping it will be different. It's never different just sucking in a whole new direction.)

She is SOOOOOO overwhelmed by having to pick what tile she needs, the wood to be used..Oh, for fucks sake go write in the mountains or something. I read that and kept waiting to hear where the S amd M shit will go and how the water features is really a code for the master/slave retreat in the back 40. I have a great Idea.. take time off and do up southfork or what ever the hell you call it. Focus all your will in to ...oh..having a PLOT.

mags
No damn Edward AGAIN.. why Anita can't screw him??????

[demoncougar.livejournal.com]

"Anita can't screw him??????"

I'm terrified that she will. >.

[random-fat-bird.livejournal.com]

I am not buying this book.

I am not going to sully my bookshelf with something that sounds so bad.

I have had enough.

If I need Danse Macabre, I'll open winamp and have a Saint-Saens version to placate my soul.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

Nameless Fear did a rock version of the Danse Macabre. It's kinda cool to hear it played on electric guitars. Though, I will always have a soft spot for the string version that was used for the theme music of Jonathan Creek.

[random-fat-bird.livejournal.com]

Oooh, rock version. I may peruse, thanks for the info.

And Jonathan Creek *sigh* a soft spot always. Mr Davies, need I say more?

[sugarmaplelife.livejournal.com]

Ugh.

I refuse to pay for this book. If I read it, it will be from the library. LKH must be stopped. ; ) At the very least, she shouldn't be encouraged.

Thanks to dwg for the appropriate icon and the forthcoming review of the book that is guaranteed to be more entertaining than the book could ever be in the reading.

[saadiira.livejournal.com]

Amen to that on dwg.

heart Edward

[naeko.livejournal.com]

I hope he never shows up again.

I left the series with respect for Edward, and if he gets dragged into Anita's vagina new world, I wouldn't be able to handle that :(

Fan angst.... you can ignore.

[d3athw1sh.livejournal.com]

We won't see Edward until book 15....?

I think that is actually a good thing. That means that we don't have to suffer with the pain that will be the pansy version of Edward (we all know it's coming!). I think I will remember Edward the way he was in Obsidian Butterfly and just pretend he died in a plane crash.

Actually, Danse Macabre is book 13. Even worse news for the Edward fans, like me.

Laurell K Hamilton is a complete idiot who needs to die before she kills even more wonderful characters.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

It also doesn't help that they're stupider than...LKH Jon a rabid fangirl taht kant sp3l1!

[tooimpurenangel.livejournal.com]

shouldn't it be "pays"?

[refche.livejournal.com]

I'm relieved about the lack of Edward, actually. I've been fearing his comeback, so I see that as a good thing. As for the rest, I gave up on LKH a short while ago. I'll download a pirate copy of the book, mock it endlessly and not pay a cent for it. She honestly doesn't deserve it.

This has gone beyond a screwed up series. Someone needs to remind her that she's not a Goth teenager discovering sex and all that comes with it. And she needs to be told that not every thought is worth writing down. If you're into a writing habit, self editing is not a bad thing. It's just not recommended for people trying hard to finish their first book or so. Editing in general is a very healthy thing. You just have to have an editor that's not a complete fangirl/boy. And why don't you take that loose break while your book is in the editing process. Spread it out for a few months. Then again, if a real editor got their hands on the crap she writes, she'd have to rewrite the book. LKH probably knows this and hides behind it. It's part of the 'OMG, no time for anything' routine.

The worst thing is, she can afford it for the moment. It's apparent that she thinks the world of her writing, and sees no place for improvement. And she's got 12 books behind her to back that up. After all, one needs to read literature to know if something is good or not. And LKH doesn't read anything beside "research". Again, hiding behind the 'no free time' thing.

*shrug* I'm kinda hoping that when she gets to be 60, she'll look back on this crap and wish the ground to open up. Or at least, her kinds will wish that. It's apparent that LKH is not going to see the error of her ways any time soon.

R.I.P. Edward... No, really. He can live on in fandom. It's a good place when well written.

[refche.livejournal.com]

Or at least, her kinds will wish that.

Kids, not kinds.

[frabjously.livejournal.com]

*disappointed slump*

:(

Being immature...

[infidelkast.livejournal.com]

Well, everyone's already said my thoughts exactly, so I only have this to say...

"...Anita and Richard some to some revelations..."

lol. If she admittedly 'edited' that book, I can't wait to see how atrocious the grammer still turns out to be. Does she EVER reread her blog entries, much less her books?

Re: Being immature...

[infidelkast.livejournal.com]

Oops, just read the next post. XD It's called the EDIT button, Laurell! If you found a mistake on a BLOG entry, and you, I don't know, happen to be a published author: I'd reconsider taking that extra second out of you time and fixing your mistakes. Holy crap, she can't even edit her BLOG entries!

I have nothing more to say to that.

[oohasparklie.livejournal.com]

Well, look at it this way. If he's not in the book, she can't screw him up any farther, eh?

[random-fat-bird.livejournal.com]

A good point. The conflict between being a raving monster and wanting the family life was good, but I don't trust her to take that any further these days.

[tooimpurenangel.livejournal.com]

I tell other writers never do major rewriting until the book is finished.

the hell?
so if you get so far and you realize your book fecking sucks, or you feel differently about a character situation you're not supposed to change it?
you're a fecking author! that makes you god of a tiny little universe. i change my writing all the time!
(of course, i have never actually finished anything because of this, so maybe she has a point?)