Paige Hawthorne: Blog

Thank you for showing us that you're capable of less than masterful writing. Your book, "No Middle Name" contains some examples of the types of mistakes I make. And probably other amateurs do as well.

In these short stories, there's a rush to reach a climax. Make that conclusion. Too much excitement in too short a time. The villains aren't fleshed out. Even Reacher is hurried into an idealized form.

Of course your weakest page is superior to my best one. But, sad to say, your short stories don't compare with your novels.

In fact, now that I think about it, take the time to consider your body of work, I'm having some reservations. I wonder if you'll ever achieve much literary success.

Paige

Psychotherapeutically, I'm probably considered an Odd Duck in several US cities. When I'm traveling on business, ideas for my little Winter stories pop into my head from time to time.

Up comes my cell, dictation time.

"I'm glad I switched from a two inch barrel to four. Better holster balance."

"My son was sporting major wood."

"What about the arsenic in "A Rose for Emily?"

Bars, airport lobbies, restaurants. Strange looks, anyone?

Paige

It's been a choppy crossing at times, but I've tethered my third story. I'll lower the bridge to SOL tomorrow and post the final chapter.

In the meantime I've been toiling away at "Winter's Eternity" and it's taking me forever to get my head around it. If I ever finish it, I'm going to follow a reader's advice and post a chapter every three days. Instead of the more frequent pace I've been on.

Sally forth!

Paige

The first time I read my stuff is as I write it. Then, I read each chapter for the second time after the story is finished and I've started posting.

In between, some odd chap, thornfoote, mumbles around and about for a while.

If I were a serious writer, if I had the time, and most especially the talent … if, if, if. (Insert something here about fishes and wishes.)

Of course I'm also distracted by sex, drugs and rhythm & blues.

Paige

P. S.

Some readers can be such pluckers of nits. One guy faulted me for using 'payed' as the past tense of pay. Prosaic misconception on his part. Erudite folks, as most in here are, will recognize the propriety of 'payed' as engaged throughout Balkan interpretations of Vedic meter. Elementary.

My own (real life) father, like KCPD Homicide Captain Dave Jennings, is a catholic reader. And I followed. By the time I was 14, I was bright enough to realize it would be a year or two before one of my short stories was accepted by the New Yorker fiction editor.

Of course I never wrote a story, let alone submitted one.

So, around 20 years later, SOL is my New Yorker equivalent. The publishing standards here seem to be a bit more liberal than the magazine's - - everything I've sent in has seen the light of day. So far.

But … fuck it. I write, people read. So there!

Still.

Paige