Dug my heels in...

Finally finished Odd Thomas.  Never in my life has it taken me that long to read a book I was remotely interested in.  I am really torn now.  I can't say I was overly impressed with the ending, there was sort of a plot twist that was interesting, then right at the end Koontz went "oh, by the way, here's a character that I never introduced before playing an important role in the finale."  I call BS on that.  Still really like the characters and the story, can't stand the writing.  Still want to read more in the series, despite Koontz killing off a character I really liked.

With Forever Odd on request from the library, I will see if I can make it through book two in less time than it took Koontz to write it.  Glutton for punishment?  I might be!

Armed with a headcold, and a belly full of energy drink, this post may veer off into a rambling mess.  As most of my readers (hi Gibbs!) are people who know me in real life, this will surprise no one.  For anyone that just happened to wander in, I apologize, but make no promises not to do this again in future.  Sometimes, sleep depravation is our friend.  :)

I readily admit that I enjoy a lot of bad movies, and put up with a lot of bad writing for the sake of interesting stories.  Stephen King, in his book, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, says something (which I am paraphrasing from one of the 13 times I've read it), that resonates with me every time I read a crappy book.  He says that everyone has read books that makes them despair if they are at all interested in writing, a sort of, "well, I'll never be able to do this well" sort of feeling.  However, the flip side is also true.  Everyone has also read a terrible, awful novel that makes them think "I already write better than this."  When I'm reading bad pulp fiction, or a dragging narrative, or about cardboard characaters that I can't possibly relate to, at least I can excuse myself by saying, "this is just a confidence boost."  How long can I go on pretending that I read terrible books, not because I enjoy them, but because they make me feel better about my dream of becoming a writer?  I'm not sure I can keep fooling myself, though, when I haven't written much in years.

I start school again in September.  If high-school (and my first degree) memories can be trusted, I'll get lots of writing done then!  It was never great writing, but judging by the books I read, that shouldn't be a deterrent.  Wish me luck!