Setting the Mood

Stephen King wrote in his book, On Writing, that you should have a quiet room and a door to shut out the world while you write.  OK, I have that, but it's not always quiet when I write.
In order to help me set the mood of the scenes I am writing, I play music.   Only instrumental, never vocal. 
On the stack next to my desk, I have a CD entitled The Hollywood Sound (John Williams and the London Symphony Orchestra), the soundtracks from both Sherlock Holmes films, Danny Elfman's Serenada Schizophrana, Beethoven for Your Beloved, the soundtrack to Hereafter, Birth, The DaVinci Code, and Downton Abbey.

They help me create the mood of a scene.  I wonder what a seasoned writer would say.

Gardening and A Favorite Book about Writing

When I began this blog, it blossomed from an idea as a place to track the progress of my first book.   Up to this point, the shy bloom has only opened a minuscule amount, hardly enough to view its bright colors, fresh fragrance, and full extent.   I have provided a few petals of my manuscript, but also discovered that other shoots emerged and formed buds.
My manuscript is not the only blossom I am nurturing, fearing it will shrivel up and die.  My garden is expanding, growing, and multiplying.  I have pulled up raw unedited short stories like turnips and potatoes.  You have to clean them before you eat them.  General comments sprouted.  Tidbits about history, places, ideas sprung up like weeds, between cracks.
An realization came to me the other day.   I have spent time plowing, nurturing, watering, tending, weeding, and admiring for almost three years on becoming a writer.   And I feel that now I can put that word behind my name at the top of this blog. 
During this process, I have had to relearn how to write, the basic sentence structure, build a better vocabulary, read, re-read, write no matter what, and dig a spot where I can plant myself to do it.
Along the way, I have picked up several books about writing.  Books by writers about writing.  Books about style, grammar, and vocabulary.  My journal has been a learning experience.
One book was Stephen King's On Writing.  After reading a library copy, I had to own it.   I tracked one down at the Half-Price Bookstore and grabbed from the shelf.  Now, I can take a highlighter and sticky notes to it.  The first half is an autobiography of King's interesting life.  The second two sections -- The Toolbox and On Writing -- are fantastic.   I learned the basics.  King spills it out.  Here's what I did and you should, too, if you want to be a published writer.   I highly recommend it. 

Taking a break.

Now, I am waiting the reviews from my five readers.   I printed out five copies of my book and distributed them.   All are due to be back by mid-April.   So in the meantime, I have been taking a break and reading...  as well as cleaning house, getting stuff ready to sell on Ebay...

But soon, I will return with new short stories.  I also keep working on the one entitled "A Hard Road to Travel: The Letters of Two Sisters."   What lies ahead for them?  Who knows?  Not me!

As I mentioned, I am reading.  Right now, "On Writing" by Stephen King has encouraged and provided me with lots of great information.   I have to be honest and say that I have never read any of King's books.  I have enjoyed some of the movies based on the books.  Who wouldn't love Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes?  (Well, maybe King himself.)

Latest on my book

For the past two mornings, I have actually worked on my book.   I've always heard they can take on a life of their own.   Mine is not exception.   Sam keeps running around in my brain.  Write me!  Write me now!   I'm stuck in the same place you left me!

Ah, what it must be like to be Stephen King or Fannie Flagg or Kathryn Lasky or... well I could go on for days.   Surely, they must just have minds that watch the world and write about it constantly.