Here's another terrific article.
________________________________________________________________
Copyright 2000 by Alicia Rasley www.sff.net/people/alicia
No, this isn't about sit-ups! The sagging middle we're concerned with is between the opening and the climax of a book. Many writers lose control and motivation in these essential intervening chapters because they forget the purposes of the middle of the book.
ESTABLISH THE PURPOSES:
Our openings and climaxes usually work pretty well because we know why we write them. The book's opening has introduced the setting, the major characters, the themes, and the basic "problem" or premise of the plot. The climax brings all these elements together in an ending that explodes with released tension. But few of us know why we write the middle, except to join the beginning and the end.
But the middle is more than a transition from point C to point W. The important middle scenes develop conflict and explore the setting, characters, and theme, while moving the plot forward.
The plot purpose is the most obvious-- the middle scenes present most of the events of the story, showing how each leads into the next. The cause-effect chain of the story events must be strongest here in the middle. At the end of the first few chapters, the protagonist has embarked on a journey, and every event marks an advance towards the destination. But we have to be ruthless here so that the journey isn't a meandering one with too many blind alleys– every scene should be centered on an irrevocable event that changes the course of the plot.
The middle is the time of rising conflict, where the "on-the-brink" situation in the opening chapters gets more and more intense. If the external conflict is a campaign for mayor, every scene makes the election outcome less predictable... and the costs of victory more acute. If the romantic conflict is that the heroine is disguising her identity, then every scene should bring her closer to discovery, and her deception should become more dangerous to their growing love.
Another fundamental purpose is to develop the characters, especially the protagonist(s), so that their motivations are understandable and their actions clearly further the plot. These middle scenes also hint at and then gradually reveal any hidden issues or secrets within the major characters. This is also where we develop the relationships between the protagonist and others. Their interactions, of course, will cause many of the important events-- the conflicts, the alliances, the rivalries-- that move the plot along.
The middle also has the purpose of deepening the "world" of the novel. Here you can explore the setting and its effect on the characters and events, examine the protagonist's relationship to the society, and develop the themes or values that drive the protagonist and the society.
Most important, perhaps, is the evolving of the problem or question which drives the plot. If you're writing a mystery, the problem is "whodunnit?" The question in a romance is "Why do they come to love each other, and how does this change them?" The middle of the book assembles the "evidence" that will eventually solve the problem or answer the question.
Finally, of course, the middle builds towards the climax, setting up the elements necessary for resolutions of the conflicts and the central problem or question.
AVOID THE CIRCULAR AND LINEAR PLOTS:
The middle sags when some of the above purposes are unfulfilled, or fulfilled in a dreary way, or fulfilled not simultaneously but one by one. Experienced readers can identify these single-purpose scenes: "Oh, here's the scene that shows how brave she is and then there's the scene that shows how conservative her town is, and then finally we get to the scene where she defies the mayor." In this kind of middle, every action scene is preceded by a scene of contemplation and a scene of decision, and followed by a scene of reaction. (If this sounds familiar, it's probably because you've read some of my drafts!) The book ends up circling the same ground twice, straining the reader's patience.
An opposite but related problem is a series of action scenes, each merely relating one event and leading into a scene that relates the next event. This will result in a linear plot that stretches out a series of events like knots in an elastic string-- thin and weak.
MULTIPLY PURPOSES IN SCENES:
The middle can, however, be deepened and strengthened by following this advice: Have three purposes at least for each scene. One should be "advance the external plot". For the others, consider these:
Develop character.
Show character interaction.
Explore setting or culture and values.
Introduce new character or subplot.
Forward subplot.Increase tension and suspense.
Increase reader identification.
Anticipate solution to problem.
Divert attention from solution (but still show it).
Show how character reacts to events or causes events.
Show event from new point of view.
Foreshadow some climactic event.
Flashback or tell some mysterious past event that has consequences now.
Reveal something the protagonist has kept hidden.
Reveal something crucial to protagonist and/or reader.
Advance or hinder protagonist's "quest".
Obviously you won't usually pick out three of these purposes and deliberately insert them into a scene. Rather, realize that action, dialogue, narration, description, and internalization can all be used in the same scene to add greater depth.
STRUCTURE THE MIDDLE FOR POWER:
EARLY MIDDLE:
1) In this part, the protagonist is really getting engaged in the problem of the plot. Work on crafting exciting events, perhaps confonting the protagonist with some obstacle and forcing growth and change. Avoid the tendency to use this section to show off your research or teach the reader.
2) Show a contrast between the protagonist and some other character (perhaps the villain) which will turn out to be important later. For example, they can face the same obstacle but respond in different ways. The way the protagonist chooses might exhibit the very quality needed to win some battle in the end. A contrast between the hero and the heroine, perhaps leading to a conflict, might work here also.
3) Start developing your secondary characters, and show their relationships with the protagonist. Show, for example, how they reinforce the protagonist's values, or interfere with the quest, or cause some event to happen. The subplots should be starting here if they haven't already. Consider how they will contribute to the main plot and/or development of the problem.
4) Ask "What can go wrong for the protagonist?" Or have the protagonist make a mistake here, setting off a chain of unexpected events.
MIDDLE MIDDLE:
1) This might be a good time for a little release of tension. Have a quiet scene between the hero and heroine perhaps, preferably during a pause in the midst of danger or adventure. An inconclusive love scene might work here.
2) Keep the tension level ascending, then falling back a bit, then going even higher. Assume a "crisis mentality": Let things get peaceful, then throw deepening trouble in there. Keep increasing the level of emotional risk with every new event, and make each new event contribute to the eventual climax. Consider grouping several events in one scene, or have action taking place simultaneously, which together will force a succeeding event. This avoids that linear plot.
3) The protagonist should have to face internal conflict here, and might get a chance to do some work on it. But consider interrupting that with some external conflict, so the internal isn't actually resolved.
4) Start closing off options or avenues of escape for the protagonist. Eventually (perhaps the beginning of the end?) the protagonist can be left with only two options, and choosing one will lead into the climax.
5) This is a good point for the protagonist face betrayal, actual or suspected, at this point. A trusted friend, even the lover, can betray (or appear to betray), so that the protagonist's sense of certainty is shaken. In a romance, you must be careful not to make this apparent betrayal only a trivial misunderstanding; make the suspicious event worthy of the drama implied in "betrayal".
END OF MIDDLE:
1) Can you increase the time pressure on the protagonist? Don't allow procrastination! The clock is ticking!
2) Try injecting a disastrously unanticipated event. Then slow the pace, show the protagonist's reaction and options. This forces the character to re-evaluate and re-start.
3) The internal conflict should be affecting the external conflict here, so that later the protagonist has to overcome the internal to address the external, OR find that overcoming the external gives the strength to address the internal.
4) Resolve a sub-plot or two, so that the resolution contributes to the final climactic events.
5) FORCE the situation to require action of the protagonist, either before or after making the choice between two options. Make it intense and dramatic here.
6) This is another good place for a love scene, whether it proceeds to sex or not. (It could be just that they declare their love.) A love scene at this point might mean that the major romantic conflict between them (such as lack of trust) has been resolved, Then they can work together to resolve the external problem. Or the lovemaking itself can help resolve conflicts between them, and so could take place when they're ready to fix things.
For greater emotional drama, however, a love scene can cause more romantic conflict, especially a clash of loyalties (the lover vs. the cause). If so, this should take place at a crucial moment, such as right before the crisis (when the worst happens) This technique can actually bring on the climax (no pun intended!), by forcing the protagonist to choose between the lover and whatever, another variation of the famous two options.
Just keep this in mind: Make the situation demand action. That gives a coherent structure to the middle of the book: First, get the situation established, force the protagonist into taking action, show how the consequences of the action affect the characters and bring on the climactic events. Then all you have to do is write the climax and resolution! But that's another article....
Alicia Rasley is a 13-year member of RWA, a writing teacher, and a RITA-award winning Regency author. She teaches at Painted Rock .
Copyright 2000 by Alicia Rasley
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Excerpts of Julia Quinn speech
Absolutely terrific points made in this speech that I want to remember!
___________________________________________________________
Keynote Speaker: Julia Quinn (aka Julie Pottinger)
Excerpt from HODRW October 20, 2001 Workshop
At the recent HODRW annual workshop/Molly & Aspen Contest Award Ceremony, Julia Quinn's keynote speech was a collection of Top Four lists (she claimed that Top Tens or even Fives was just too strenuous a task). Here is the first of her lists, "The Top Four Things She Learned Before Selling Her First Book:"
Number one: And if you take nothing else home from this speech, I beg of you to remember this: When setting up your workspace, make absolutely sure that you cannot reach your refrigerator without getting up from your chair. The implications here are obvious. My first book was written in my teeny one-bedroom apartment in Berkeley, California, and as my then-boyfriend-now-husband tends to go to bed before I do, we figured we'd set up his desk in our bedroom. The only place left for me was a desk-height counter in the kitchen‹right next to the fridge. I didn't even have to roll my chair an inch to reach the refrigerator handle. Procrastination is bad enough. Procrastination with food is a recipe for disaster.
Number two: There's no substitute for knowing your market. And in this I include both creative factors and nuts and bolts. I probably don't need to talk much on this topic because all of you here have obviously taken the most important step toward knowing your market by joining RWA. I, on the other hand, didn't join until after I sold my first book, which left me in the dark about a number of very important factors. I'd read enough to have a pretty good grasp of what, editorially, made a good romance, but I had no idea, for example, how many words my manuscript needed to be. Now, you'd think I'd find some Writers Digest book, or send away for a tip sheet for an answer, but no, I was smarter than that, so I grabbed a Johanna Lindsey book, typed out one page, word for word, and then proceeded to do rather involved mathematical calculations to figure out how one of MY typed pages compared to one of her printed and bound pages, and therefore, how many pages would I have to write to fill up an entire book? Then it occurred to me that if I wanted to have a good scientific sample, I ought to type out another page and see how that compared. And a third, to get a good average, and then maybe a fourth and a fifth, since now I was really catching the rhythm of Johanna Lindsey's writing, and that might be a good thing to study, since she is, well, you know, just a little bit successful. Clearly, I could have saved myself a great deal of trouble by investing in a membership to RWA, which could have provided me with word counts in a jiffy.
Number Three: The only way to finish a book is, unfortunately, to finish it. The world is full of first chapters, and to a lesser degree, second and third chapters. If you want to be a writer, you have to write! It has to be a priority. Now, it may not be your first priority, and contrary to what the person sitting next to you at your last writers' meeting said, that's okay. Your first priority might be your day job, or your family, or any number of other things. Writing doesn't have to be #1. But it has to be up there. If you want to write, you've got to write, and that means carving out a little time for it. Maybe all you can do is one hour, three times per week. If that's the case, then go for it! A friend of a friend who wanted to write a novel once noticed that a lot of her favorite books had between 350 and 400 pages. Then she realized that with 365 days in the year, if she wrote one page per day, she could have a novel done in one year's time. She did it, and she sold it, and then she sold it to Hollywood with Cher in the starring role. So the moral of the story is, to steal a phrase from the sportswear world, just do it. You don't need a lot of time, but you need consistent time.
Number Four: Rejection is a part of the journey. When my agent was trying to sell my first book, I remember her saying to me, "We're only going to send it to four houses at a time. That way if everyone rejects it for the same reason, you can do some edits before we send it out again." I thought this made a lot of sense, although when I got those first rejections back, one said that the story was great but the characters were obvious, anothersaid that the characters were great but the story was lame. And another said that the characters were likable but the story was too simplistic and the heroine was not believable (somewhat inexplicably despite the fact that the characters were likable.) So there was no big consensus on why I wasn't worth publishing. But everyone who took the time to write more than two lines in their rejection said the same thing---I was a good writer and had an engaging style. So even if some people didn't like my story and some people didn't like my plot, I knew that when push came to shove, I had my own voice. And when everyone is bending over backwards to point out your weaknesses, it's good to know your strengths.
But at the same time, it's hard to get around one simple fact. Rejection sucks. And sometimes the only way to get through it is to stick to your guns, look at your rejection letter and say, "Well, obviously you don't know anything about romance novels." I did this for about eight months straight, but I won't mention the people I addressed that mental phrase to, since most of them now answer to titles like editorial director and vice president.
Julia Quinn is the New York Times bestselling author of ten novels. Visit her website at www.juliaquinn.com.
___________________________________________________________
Keynote Speaker: Julia Quinn (aka Julie Pottinger)
Excerpt from HODRW October 20, 2001 Workshop
At the recent HODRW annual workshop/Molly & Aspen Contest Award Ceremony, Julia Quinn's keynote speech was a collection of Top Four lists (she claimed that Top Tens or even Fives was just too strenuous a task). Here is the first of her lists, "The Top Four Things She Learned Before Selling Her First Book:"
Number one: And if you take nothing else home from this speech, I beg of you to remember this: When setting up your workspace, make absolutely sure that you cannot reach your refrigerator without getting up from your chair. The implications here are obvious. My first book was written in my teeny one-bedroom apartment in Berkeley, California, and as my then-boyfriend-now-husband tends to go to bed before I do, we figured we'd set up his desk in our bedroom. The only place left for me was a desk-height counter in the kitchen‹right next to the fridge. I didn't even have to roll my chair an inch to reach the refrigerator handle. Procrastination is bad enough. Procrastination with food is a recipe for disaster.
Number two: There's no substitute for knowing your market. And in this I include both creative factors and nuts and bolts. I probably don't need to talk much on this topic because all of you here have obviously taken the most important step toward knowing your market by joining RWA. I, on the other hand, didn't join until after I sold my first book, which left me in the dark about a number of very important factors. I'd read enough to have a pretty good grasp of what, editorially, made a good romance, but I had no idea, for example, how many words my manuscript needed to be. Now, you'd think I'd find some Writers Digest book, or send away for a tip sheet for an answer, but no, I was smarter than that, so I grabbed a Johanna Lindsey book, typed out one page, word for word, and then proceeded to do rather involved mathematical calculations to figure out how one of MY typed pages compared to one of her printed and bound pages, and therefore, how many pages would I have to write to fill up an entire book? Then it occurred to me that if I wanted to have a good scientific sample, I ought to type out another page and see how that compared. And a third, to get a good average, and then maybe a fourth and a fifth, since now I was really catching the rhythm of Johanna Lindsey's writing, and that might be a good thing to study, since she is, well, you know, just a little bit successful. Clearly, I could have saved myself a great deal of trouble by investing in a membership to RWA, which could have provided me with word counts in a jiffy.
Number Three: The only way to finish a book is, unfortunately, to finish it. The world is full of first chapters, and to a lesser degree, second and third chapters. If you want to be a writer, you have to write! It has to be a priority. Now, it may not be your first priority, and contrary to what the person sitting next to you at your last writers' meeting said, that's okay. Your first priority might be your day job, or your family, or any number of other things. Writing doesn't have to be #1. But it has to be up there. If you want to write, you've got to write, and that means carving out a little time for it. Maybe all you can do is one hour, three times per week. If that's the case, then go for it! A friend of a friend who wanted to write a novel once noticed that a lot of her favorite books had between 350 and 400 pages. Then she realized that with 365 days in the year, if she wrote one page per day, she could have a novel done in one year's time. She did it, and she sold it, and then she sold it to Hollywood with Cher in the starring role. So the moral of the story is, to steal a phrase from the sportswear world, just do it. You don't need a lot of time, but you need consistent time.
Number Four: Rejection is a part of the journey. When my agent was trying to sell my first book, I remember her saying to me, "We're only going to send it to four houses at a time. That way if everyone rejects it for the same reason, you can do some edits before we send it out again." I thought this made a lot of sense, although when I got those first rejections back, one said that the story was great but the characters were obvious, anothersaid that the characters were great but the story was lame. And another said that the characters were likable but the story was too simplistic and the heroine was not believable (somewhat inexplicably despite the fact that the characters were likable.) So there was no big consensus on why I wasn't worth publishing. But everyone who took the time to write more than two lines in their rejection said the same thing---I was a good writer and had an engaging style. So even if some people didn't like my story and some people didn't like my plot, I knew that when push came to shove, I had my own voice. And when everyone is bending over backwards to point out your weaknesses, it's good to know your strengths.
But at the same time, it's hard to get around one simple fact. Rejection sucks. And sometimes the only way to get through it is to stick to your guns, look at your rejection letter and say, "Well, obviously you don't know anything about romance novels." I did this for about eight months straight, but I won't mention the people I addressed that mental phrase to, since most of them now answer to titles like editorial director and vice president.
Julia Quinn is the New York Times bestselling author of ten novels. Visit her website at www.juliaquinn.com.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Oops, they've done it again
RWA is just looking for trouble. Over the past several months, they've tried to institute Graphical Standards that might not allow the posting of member websites (those who have written erotica), the infamous Award Ceremony and, to a lesser degree, the on-going negligence of on-line chapters. Now they're revoked sanction from several previously recognize publishers. And they've irritated those publishers and a goodly number of members in the process?
My only question is WHY? Why all this now when we're nearing the end of the term for those in office? And why this sudden 'urge' to put constraints and limitations on members and publishers alike? What the heck is going on?
I can say one thing definitively. I will NOT vote for any RWA incumbents. They've gotten too much like our local and national politicians by speaking out of both sides of their mouths. I once had a lot of respect for these board members but...it's fading rapidly and I fear what the end result of all these machinations will be--both for the organization and the members.
My only question is WHY? Why all this now when we're nearing the end of the term for those in office? And why this sudden 'urge' to put constraints and limitations on members and publishers alike? What the heck is going on?
I can say one thing definitively. I will NOT vote for any RWA incumbents. They've gotten too much like our local and national politicians by speaking out of both sides of their mouths. I once had a lot of respect for these board members but...it's fading rapidly and I fear what the end result of all these machinations will be--both for the organization and the members.
Monday, August 15, 2005
Gas Prices
I don't know what anyone else thinks about the rising price of gasoline. I'm sure it's very likely most people feel a good deal of upset and a lot of concern especially in this day and age when our income isn't rising as fast or as far as the cost of living. Certainly, the rising cost of gasoline makes one really consider those little trips to the party/grocery store for a single item or the pleasure drives our dads used to take us on during a Sunday afternoon. I know it has for me.
But with the rising cost of gas, we can look forward to rising costs for every item we purchase from any store. After all, those items have to get to that store. The costs of their transportation will add to their end cost--the price we pay.
I already try to make a 'grand circuit' when I need to go out. I try to make my errand/shopping trips as cost-effective as possible by hitting more local establishments. I keep my vehicle in good running order and drive as efficiently as possible. I doubt it will be enough. I suspect gas prices will continue to rise until they hit or exceed $3.oo a gallon.
It may come to the point when I'll need to retire from my day job just because it'll be cheaper to stay home. Unfortunately, I need the money from the day job to finance my modest needs. It's the classic Catch-22. And it's pretty sad.
But with the rising cost of gas, we can look forward to rising costs for every item we purchase from any store. After all, those items have to get to that store. The costs of their transportation will add to their end cost--the price we pay.
I already try to make a 'grand circuit' when I need to go out. I try to make my errand/shopping trips as cost-effective as possible by hitting more local establishments. I keep my vehicle in good running order and drive as efficiently as possible. I doubt it will be enough. I suspect gas prices will continue to rise until they hit or exceed $3.oo a gallon.
It may come to the point when I'll need to retire from my day job just because it'll be cheaper to stay home. Unfortunately, I need the money from the day job to finance my modest needs. It's the classic Catch-22. And it's pretty sad.
Monday, August 08, 2005
RWA Brouhaha
Well, having finally caught up with my email, I'm sorry to say that once again RWA has made the gossip pages and angered a number of its members in the process. I didn't attend the Award Ceremony, due to the food poisoning, but apparently Nora Roberts declined to emcee the event after she viewed the script. She thought not enough time was spent honoring the Award winners and too much time was spent on past world tragedies. I've heard other comments that the winners were hustled off the stage too quickly for them to even thank 'their mothers' :-)
While I agree the Awards Ceremony needs to be revised (I don't think it was appropriate to have a 'history' lesson, either) I am reminded of when I finaled for the GH. During the rehearsals for the ceremony, each of us finalists were cautioned--repeatedly--about taking too long thanking our moms, dads, husbands, kids, family pets, etc. We were advised to have a short speech prepared just in case we did win. A very short speech.
I don't think any winner had a speech less than three minutes (mine would have been but then I didn't get a chance to say it :-) ) Even though the winners had tears of joy clogging their voices, most of them were allowed to finish their speech. If they weren't allowed to do this at this year's ceremony...well, Nora was right.
RWA needs to remember WHO this ceremony is for and WHY we have it.
While I agree the Awards Ceremony needs to be revised (I don't think it was appropriate to have a 'history' lesson, either) I am reminded of when I finaled for the GH. During the rehearsals for the ceremony, each of us finalists were cautioned--repeatedly--about taking too long thanking our moms, dads, husbands, kids, family pets, etc. We were advised to have a short speech prepared just in case we did win. A very short speech.
I don't think any winner had a speech less than three minutes (mine would have been but then I didn't get a chance to say it :-) ) Even though the winners had tears of joy clogging their voices, most of them were allowed to finish their speech. If they weren't allowed to do this at this year's ceremony...well, Nora was right.
RWA needs to remember WHO this ceremony is for and WHY we have it.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Home! I'm Home!!
It bears repeating :-)
Home! I'm home!
Wookie and Zuzu were ecstatic. After all, they haven't seen me in a week. So after I managed to get my luggage inside, I had to spend a good half hour petting and stroking and making over my furbabies. This wasn't a hardship :-) I was pretty happy to see them too.
My husband had already left for workwhen I arrived but he left me a Vernor's chilling in the fridge, a card and a huge dark chocolate Hershey's bar as a welcome back gift. The man knows what I like :-) This morning he took me for breakfast--the first good food I've had in a week! LOL Of course, I was only able to eat just a little of it since my stomach still isn't recovered from the Hilton Revenge but I brought the remainder home so I can nibble on it later today. I've lost 5 pounds during this past week though I certainly wouldn't recommend the method, LOL!
I'm going to try to gather some energy--maybe take a nap with the Wookster (she does that so well!)--then I'll post some of my thoughts about the conference.
Home! I'm home!
Wookie and Zuzu were ecstatic. After all, they haven't seen me in a week. So after I managed to get my luggage inside, I had to spend a good half hour petting and stroking and making over my furbabies. This wasn't a hardship :-) I was pretty happy to see them too.
My husband had already left for workwhen I arrived but he left me a Vernor's chilling in the fridge, a card and a huge dark chocolate Hershey's bar as a welcome back gift. The man knows what I like :-) This morning he took me for breakfast--the first good food I've had in a week! LOL Of course, I was only able to eat just a little of it since my stomach still isn't recovered from the Hilton Revenge but I brought the remainder home so I can nibble on it later today. I've lost 5 pounds during this past week though I certainly wouldn't recommend the method, LOL!
I'm going to try to gather some energy--maybe take a nap with the Wookster (she does that so well!)--then I'll post some of my thoughts about the conference.
Monday, August 01, 2005
Sunday & Monday in Reno
First an additional Saturday note: I missed the Awards ceremony due to another bout of the Hilton Revenge (or bad conference food). Some people are saying it was great as befits the 25th Anniversary celebration of RWA but I'm also hearing darker stories that aspects weren't what they should have been. If true, that's unfortunate.
Yesterday, I was able (though I had a few iffy moments of nausea) to take the Bay Line tour of Lake Tahoe, Carson City and Virginia City. Lake Tahoe is gorgeous!
Before we got to Carson City, our bus broke down (I think the transmission died). The guide called cabs to take us the the Nugget (a casino) for our complimentary buffet lunch. I managed to eat some but the Hilton Revenge returned. One thing that struck me as I wound my way to the restroom. I passed a line of slot machines completely populated by senior citizens. They sat like zombies, pressing the buttons, hardly blinking--good grief, hardly breathing!--as they lost their money. Now, I don't mind gambling. I've done it myself. But I kept picturing these little old ladies and gents throwing their rent/medicine/food money into the casino coffers. I just wanted to shout 'Hey, these people are in business to make money--not make you rich!' But...was it my business? Not really. The lunch came with a $2 coupon for cash to gamble with while we were there. My $2 went into my pocket and stayed there.
Virginia City was a typical tourist trap. Very picturesque...in a kind of seedy, run down fashion. There were the routine gift shops and casinos. There were a couple of tours I didn't have time for, ie an underground mine tour which I would have loved. Susan McClure and I did take a trolley ride around town which was rather interesting and we went into a bookstore that had some very old volumes in it that I would have liked to look at. But the temptation to buy would have been too strong and I wanted to keep my luggage weight down.
All in all, it was a very enjoyable day with lots of spectacular scenery--we even saw some wild horses--not sure if they were mustangs or not.
Today, Monday, I'm packing to go home. I've got my Maalox and Imodium in my carry on--Just In Case. It's been a good conference (well, except for the Revenge thingie) but I'll be glad to get home.
Yesterday, I was able (though I had a few iffy moments of nausea) to take the Bay Line tour of Lake Tahoe, Carson City and Virginia City. Lake Tahoe is gorgeous!
Before we got to Carson City, our bus broke down (I think the transmission died). The guide called cabs to take us the the Nugget (a casino) for our complimentary buffet lunch. I managed to eat some but the Hilton Revenge returned. One thing that struck me as I wound my way to the restroom. I passed a line of slot machines completely populated by senior citizens. They sat like zombies, pressing the buttons, hardly blinking--good grief, hardly breathing!--as they lost their money. Now, I don't mind gambling. I've done it myself. But I kept picturing these little old ladies and gents throwing their rent/medicine/food money into the casino coffers. I just wanted to shout 'Hey, these people are in business to make money--not make you rich!' But...was it my business? Not really. The lunch came with a $2 coupon for cash to gamble with while we were there. My $2 went into my pocket and stayed there.
Virginia City was a typical tourist trap. Very picturesque...in a kind of seedy, run down fashion. There were the routine gift shops and casinos. There were a couple of tours I didn't have time for, ie an underground mine tour which I would have loved. Susan McClure and I did take a trolley ride around town which was rather interesting and we went into a bookstore that had some very old volumes in it that I would have liked to look at. But the temptation to buy would have been too strong and I wanted to keep my luggage weight down.
All in all, it was a very enjoyable day with lots of spectacular scenery--we even saw some wild horses--not sure if they were mustangs or not.
Today, Monday, I'm packing to go home. I've got my Maalox and Imodium in my carry on--Just In Case. It's been a good conference (well, except for the Revenge thingie) but I'll be glad to get home.
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