NaNoWriMo 2009

I've just signed up for nanowrimo. It's probably cheating to do nano for a rewrite, but who cares? I need the motivation! I have to submit Karmic Cat to my novel critique group for our December critique spot. We do one full ms per month, and my turn's up again. Except, I want to rewrite the whole darn thing from a different (older) POV. So, let the (re)writing begin! Will I be ready for that December critique, or will I have to send them my revision of LEELA'S STAR (of which they are probably thoroughly sick!) again??

Poetry Friday-Lucy's Picture Day

Nani took this picture of Lucy and Nani's sister & cousins.
Winter 1940(?) Mainpuri, India.

LUCY'S PICTURE DAY - Nandini Bajpai

Lucy leapt onto the bench
lit by the mellow winter sun
There, the girls sat for pictures
as they got their homework done

Lalli, Usha, Kumud, Sushma
Cousins, sisters, friends, and foes
None of them could match the lovely
El-e-gance of Lucy’s pose

Ears tucked, muzzle lifted
White on chest, front paws, and head
Lucy waited for the birdie
“Smile please” your Nani said.

A short poem for my Old Pet Chronicles project. This one is about Lucy, probably the first dog my Mum (Nani to my kids) ever had. She looks so cute! Wish I could reach into the picture and scratch her behind the ears.

Update: I didn't consciously set out to write a schoolyard chant, but just realized (thanks to my 9 year old) that is what that rhythm is. We even Miss-Mary-Mack'd it! Somehow, I can see the girls in the picture (three are now septuagenarians!) doing the same ...

Poetry Friday roundup is at Kelly Herold's Big A little a!!

The big picture

This week is reading time. I've sent off my revised ms to five wonderful people who have agreed to read it and tell me what they think. I have three full and partial mss to read in exchange. I'm really enjoying it. It's so nice to relax into a story someone else has written.

Reading their work made me realize how much easier it is to see the big picture, the story arc, the plot inconsistencies etc. if the ms is not my own. It is so hard, at least for me, to step back and read something with fresh eyes when I've been working away at it for months. The only way I can do it is to let something that's been finished sit for a while, and come back to it, or to outline.

Here's a picture of my outline for LEELA'S STAR. It is plain and boring (compared to the one for my last novel, which had pictures of settings, characters etc.) but it really did help me revisit timelines, story arc, characters, settings, and so forth, and figure out if the structure worked.

So, what do you do to step away and take a look at the big picture of your 1st draft? Do you outline (before or after the 1st draft), do you let it sit, do you send it to trusted critique partners to read? I'd love to know how other people deal with it!!

Happy Diwali!

Tomorrow is Diwali. It celebrates (with lights and fireworks) the return to his kingdom of Prince Rama, the hero of the epic poem--the Ramayana, after 14 years in exile. So, here's to happy endings and homecomings this fall! May good fortune step into your home and light your days!

For us, it has been a good one. Two days ago my husband’s consulting gig turned into a job offer that he has accepted. And today my revisions are complete.

Poetry Friday - Lost Cats

Nani's sister, Usha, with Kaloo -1964

LOST CATS -- Nandini Bajpai

Kaloo would hiss at the postman--
pink mouth, white fangs, in a black velvet face.
“Is that a cat?” he’d ask “Or a panther cub?”

Before him Nani had his brother Tashi,
a Siamese cat, like his mother Mona.
He fell in a well and drowned, poor Tashi.

And then Nani brought Kaloo,
who was black, just like his name,
and not like his mother at all.

She brought them from Meerut
to Delhi, a distance of 30 miles, and
two hours, those days, by road.

So Mona lost her sons, just as Nani
was starting to lose Rippun, your uncle,
and her only son of four daughters.

He as a baby then. It took a long
time for them to know that he would not
grow up, grow healthy, live long.

Those days doctors couldn’t
help babies during a difficult birth,
you see? It’s different now.

And Nani's Kaloo just vanished
one night. A lovely, silky, black cat.
Gone overnight, just like that.

Nani had no cats after that
until Rippun passed away at twelve
and her girls were grown.

Nani’s four daughters--Padmini,
Rohini, Nandini, Anuja, grew up, grew
strong, and made her proud.

This one came out a bit sad, somehow. Losing my brother is not something I dwell on often, but it worked its way into this one because of something my Mum (Nani to my kids) said when she was talking about the cat. I haven't shown it to the kids yet. Maybe I'll change it or write a different version for them ... can't decide. They should know it doesn't always turn out well with pets or people.

Above, a picture of Ripu Daman Chauhan, my brother Rippun. The hands holding him up are Mum's.

This is the latest of the Old Pet Chronicles, a project I started for Poetry Friday. Poetry Friday round up is at Anastasia Suen's Picture Book of the Week.

Critique group traditions

Kay Kudlinski shares her lovely critique group quilts

Last Saturday I attended FANNING OUR FLAMES, a workshop for Critique Group Leaders, organized by the New England SCBWI. The speaker was Kathleen (Kay) Kudlinski, author and veteran critique group leader. The workshop was wonderful! Kay had some great ideas, suggestions, and tips on what makes a writing group work well for everyone. The group attending was also amazingly knowledgeable and experienced.

There was too much that was discussed for me to encapsulate here (for that you should schedule one of Kay's workshops!), but I did want to mention one of the things she talked about that struck a chord with me--establish traditions within your writing group.

Mark special occasions for your members. Celebrate rejections (they have a certificate for the 100th rejection!) as well as acceptances, because rejections mean you have submissions out there. Celebrate birthdays, completion of drafts and revisions, book sales and launches ... everything! She shared two beautiful critique group quilts she had pieced together herself with a square for each member. Every time someone is down about something, or sick, they get to have the quilt and be enveloped, literally, by their writing friends.What a great tradition!

I had been deputized to represent my group since our actual critique group leader, April Prince, was busy that day. I can't wait for our next meeting so we can talk about the workshop and begin to incorporate some of Kay's suggestions into our group. Particularly traditions. I may even start a quilt!!

Poetry Friday - The Ballad of Romy

Nani's sister and Nani (holding Romy) - early 1950s

THE BALLAD OF ROMY - Nandini Bajpai
(Run Romy run / Hide Romy hide / Run, hide, spit, fight!)

Romy was born in the washer-man’s shack
Where a hot hissing iron
steamed wrinkles out of crumpled clothes

His mother, the washer-man’s calico cat
A dainty graceful fearsome mouser
Taught him well before he went to Nani’s house

Mango lassi orange striped, study buddy;
He swatted Nani’s fountain pen
stretched out upon her open books as she studied

But all was not well in Romy’s world …
In the alley, over the wall there
lurked a vicious cat who looked—just like Romy!

The alleycat stalked, the alleycat sprang
And every few days he jumped
over that garden wall and thrashed poor Romy

Romy could run; that served him well
until the day, the horrible day
that cunning cat cornered him, with no escape

There was hissing and spitting (even some shitting)
Which cat was which?
Who knew in that rolling flat-eared fur-flying fight?

Then at last one battered tom peeled away
defeated, and the bristling
champion stayed his hard won ground

Nani grabbed a broom and whacked him hard
“Meeeoww?!!” said Romy
For it was Romy!! Who had at last earned his scars.

Run Romy run / Hide Romy hide / Run, hide, spit, fight!

This is a 1st draft of Romy's story. Romy was my mother's cat when she was in high school and college. (See another picture of mum, Nani to my kids, holding Romy. It was ruined by water exposure :-( ) Though the details are accurate, I didn't have time to polish it as much as I wanted. But the kids gave it their approval and here it is; another installment of the Old Pet Chronicles.

At this rate I might have enough material to compile a copy for family gifts by year's end!

Poetry Friday round up this week is at Crossover.