In the Zone

So, not much to report here lately. I get that way when I'm writing. Its like the rest of my life goes on hold and I have to be reminded to go out and smell the roses once in a while. I have purposefully not been in the Zone for quite some time - at least a few years now - because the last time I was in the Zone, I was there for almost two straight years.

This time, my new novel is shorter, more focused, and a lot less involving - but a lot more fun. It involves a certain favorite hero of mine traveling through the last days of the life of Amelia Earhart (as amended by wikipedia ;) So far, I've written about her espionage against Japan, the crash of her plane, and her rescue by a Japanese submarine. In the near future, Amelia Earhart will face a Japanese firing squad. So much fun!

It has helped my writing process immensely that two fine actresses played Amelia last year giving me a great range with which to work for her character. Amy Adams played a young, feisty Amelia Earhart in Night at the Museum 2 - Battle of the Smithsonian. I love Amy Adams and she was great in this role. Unfortunately, her character was a little too cartoony for a serious attempt at portraying Amelia Earhart. But then, Hilary Swank played the title character in the movie, Amelia, opposite Richard Gere. She brought a more diplomatic approach to the character - deciding to make her a real person versus a fictional portrayal. Unfortunately for Amelia, the script gave Hilary Swank little to work with and one was left wondering just who Amelia Earhart really was and what drove her to be the kind of person who would want to fly around the world.

I opted for a middle ground on Amelia Earhart knowing that I need only keep to the accurate historical portrayal of her during the hours leading up to her ill-fated last flight (which was the first chapter of the book). After that, I was off in fictional speculative territory anyway. I've tried to keep Amelia real, but also offer some of the backbone present in Amy Adams portrayal. The more I write, the closer I think I'm getting to my ideal portrayal of this American icon.

Anyway, I'm enjoying writing again. I don't think I'll ever become the hermit I was during the writing of the ill-fated First Novel, but I might be a little more flaky as time moves forward. So, don't be surprised if I blow people off in the near future to spend more time with the lovely Amelia and her charming and enigmatic time traveling companion.