A foray into fiction . . .

by | Sep 19, 2016

While promoting Bonsai and Penjing, Ambassadors of Peace & Beauty is claiming most of my attention right now, my fiction life continues on a parallel track.  You could even say it is in what might be called a parallel universe, because my historic novel-in-progress is set in Renaissance France.  When I’m asked about this, because it seems strange to some that I have this intense interest in things French as well as in things Japanese, I say that my non-fiction world is Japanese and my fiction world is French.

Where I am with the novel is at an awkward stage.  It’s too big!  I have about 120,000 words and need to cut it to 80,000, which will equate to about 300 pages.  So, I was thrilled to be able to go to the Historic Novel Society Conference in Oxford, England earlier this month and learn some tricks and tips from experts.  In essence, I plan to start over — fairly typical for first-time novelists, I gather. Guess what I’ll be doing this November when it’s National Novel Writing Month!  In the meantime, here’s a link about the conference from the Times Literary Supplement for you to enjoy:   https://www.the-tls.co.uk/making-history/

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