I’m just saying …

It feels totally great when words flow effortlessly off the keyboard. That has been the reality of this afternoon. Three thousand words and counting (I’m on a short break) on novel three which is now weighing in at about 47,000 words. It’s been SO much fun to see what is happening.

When I lived in Vietnam, I often cringed at the caricature of Americans who would tour through the country. They, of course, didn’t speak the language. They were loud and proud. They were demanding. They could be nice, yes. But they carried an air about them that their country was far superior to the one they were visiting, even though they might really enjoy visiting some of the incredibly cool places in Vietnam.

I saw Americans turn their nose up at food, at situations, at the loss of electricity, at the dirt and pollution, at the cultural misunderstandings, etc…  And I, who lived permanently in the country, had a very different take on the situations, because I spoke the language, studied the culture and history and tried to make friends with as many people as possible.  I understood why tourists might think and feel the way they did, but I still sometimes cringed at their behavior.

Well, in my writing this afternoon, I have had a blast playing into all those stereotypes by bringing a rich, egotistical billionaire to Vietnam to try to get his way in one particular trying situation. I have made him loud and proud and just so obnoxious that it’s both funny and (hopefully) extremely interesting.

I love it when I enjoy what I’m writing, and right now, I’m having a blast. I hope that it will one day translate into a bunch of readers having a great time exploring these characters as well.

“Untitled Novel” coming your way sometime in 2014. My goal is to finish the draft in another 10 days!  If I have more writing sessions like I had today, shouldn’t be a problem!