When I began to write "The Priest and The Peaches" it was taking place in the present. The Peach characters were adults, had families and careers and flashbacks were taking place during dialogue that transported the reader back in time. After about 15k words I left it alone for a few days and when I returned and read it I promptly tossed it. It was too confusing the way it was being presented. I mention this because when I tossed it I also tossed several characters that may, down the road, reappear. Actually, at this point in time, I do not remember who they were. Bottom line, I am glad I did it. If I had not I may never have met some of the characters that followed them and are in the book. For example, the antagonist herself, Beatrice Amon may never have been. Other folks like, "Migraine" Magrane and "Fadeaway" Walker, and even Mr. Levinski, aka "Humphrey Pennyworth" I would never have gotten to know. I had a lot of fun interacting with these folks, even if they had minor roles in the story. Oh yes, "Little Red" Coffey. I certainly enjoyed working with him.
You asked what might be five things people do not know. What I have discovered in my brief writing career is the fact that most folks have no idea what the life of a writer entails or the work involved, especially when you write a book. They seem to think that you sit around with a pen in your hand or a keyboard on a big wooden desk that overlooks a pretty lake with swans slowly moving about while you pen or peck away creating fabulous prose. Yeah---right! They do not know about the hours upon hours of re-writes, of editing, of proof-reading and then doing it over again and again. The do not know--well, to be fair, I guess I don't know a lot about their stuff either. I do know this---I'm not about to trade places with anyone.
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