94,193 and the editing is well underway, completion this week.

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Bobby’s Back is now undergoing a concurrent edit by my lovely wife as I finish the book. It’s up to 94,193 words and very much so crisp and clean in my opinion. The last two days were tough as I had to go back and rip out all of the trash that seems to work its way into any book you write. I reread some parts and wondered when the aneurysm had burst and how I didn’t die if my brain had been so badly damaged as to include that dreck in the book.

Seriously… what possessed me to put such nonsense into an otherwise good book?  Well, it pained me to remove several thousand words that I’d worked hard on at one point but the book is much improved as a result. I’ve written a lot in the last week and while the word count is only a bit higher than the last time I posted there’s over 5K of new material that I’ve written in the meantime. Most of it pretty good. My editor will have the final opinion on that in a day or two. And then, it’s on to the agent’s desk.

Right now I’m within 12 days of the end of the book in the book’s timeline. It’s got a pace problem… I’m out of breath trying to keep up with events!  Yup, it’s going to be a “can’t put it down” kind of a read. That makes me proud.

So, before I forget, “Thanks, God. I appreciate the fact that you’re guiding my fingers on the keyboard.” I couldn’t do it without him, nor would I want to do so.

Keep praying, four days to go until this baby is done.

92,243 and growing rapidly

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Just want to mention that I will be an antisocial wretch until further notice, this thing is booming toward the conclusion. I love being a character writer versus a plot writer. The characters grow and change just like real people and they surprise me with their actions. Just like the people you know, they are not rational or lovable at all times. But they are special to me when I’m writing.

Keep praying, it’s getting close.

82,200

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82,200 words.  Yes, full steam ahead, the end is in sight for Bobby’s Back. What will those horrid terrorists think up next. Guess you’ll have to buy the book to find out.  (and, it will be published, of this I have no doubt!)

In related news, it’s peanut butter sandwich time. And, bedtime.

very close to the end

Bobby's Back is getting close to the conclusion.

Old habits die hard.

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I was watching a show recently and there was a scene where my brain screamed, “Inzar Qital” at me.  Huh?  It’s “battle alert” in Arabic. The hero was going into a bad situation and my brain was screaming warnings.  In Arabic.  All the really bad/dangerous things I experience, as well as normal stuff like weaponry and aircraft, pop into my fevered little head in Arabic first.

Would you like to guess where all my “Spidey Sense” is rooted? They did a mighty fine job at Defense Language Institute and my other schools.  My Sea Daddy Pete also encouraged me to think in Arabic. We all did it. It made us better linguists. Better spooks. Better warriors.

So, 23 years after I last put on the uniform (right about this time of year!) I’m still processing all the heavy stuff in my language.  I think that’s pretty cool. Please excuse me if it slips out of my mouth. I will translate if you ask.

That is all. Return to your duty station. Yella! (move it!)

Greasy paper grocery bag.

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My wife and I went to a fish fry tonight.  There’s a bar at the end of our block. We go once a year (that will be increasing) to have dinner there, as they have a really good Lenten fish fry.  Crispy fish and decent french fries with a loose cole slaw.  Mighty fine with a Diet Coke and a couple of lemon wedges.

On the walk home I thought about the best fish fries in my life – Appleton, Wisconsin and my grandmother’s place.  The joint we went to had a lot of names over the years, but it was probably best known as “Bleier’s” by the locals.  Might still be for all I know.

It had been owned by Rocky Bleier.  Rocky was an amazing fellow and his story is well worth reading *(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Bleier)* when you have a moment.  The bar was there a long time and his family owned the place,  http://www.classicwisconsin.com/fishfrys/damned.htm but it was sold long ago.  In my day it was the place were you called in the order and then sat in the lobby with all the other customers waiting for your order to come out.  There was a bar there and the adults would knock back a cold one while they waited. It was worth the wait.

You’d get it back to Grandma’s and the kids would rush the table. The adults did the same thing. There was a frenzy as the packages were unloaded and fries and fish spread about the table. Little cups of tartar sauce and packages of ketchup for the fries. The bag was so greasy you could almost see through it by the time you’d driven the 8 blocks or so to where  she was living (she never moved very far out of that part of town. I’m the same way now. Guess it’s a family trait.)

After dinner there’d be icecream or popsicles. I still think it was the best darned fish dinner around.

My final trip was almost thirty years ago.  I’d gone up to visit my grandmother before I went into the service.  We went to have dinner on a Friday night.  I was kind of shocked when my grandmother ordered a beer and knocked it back with her fish.  She laughed at the expression on my face. I guess it was kind of silly to even be shocked.  She lived life to the fullest and made it to 96 years of age.  A beer and some fish were no doubt part of the formula.

Now, at past the 1/2 way point in my own life, I’m enjoying those memories of years ago. The smell of fish and fries, the greasy paper bag and the family all together for dinner on a summer’s evening in Appleton. We can’t go back to those times, but it sure is wonderful to have them with us in our memories.

Maybe next week I’ll order a beer and let it sit on the table for Margaret.  I think she’d like that.