A Failure of Mystique and other stories

So, I didn't get AK'd on Tuesday, and nothing else terrible or tragic happened. I just got so exhausted after several busy weeks that all my internal alarm bells went off. Word to the wise: when getting busy starts to hurt physically, it's time to extricate oneself from everything that can be escaped. Hence, no blog posts on Tuesday or Wednesday.

But it's Friday, it's raining, I got a decent amount of sleep despite one of my books and one of Maeve Binchy's both trying to keep me awake, and here I am.

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Inspiration is never timely.

For a week, I've been trying to pause in drafting one novel so I can give my mind a break before writing another during November and December. It isn't working. Two days ago I finished a chapter and told myself to stop. Yesterday I wrote 1600 words, which for me, for one day, is fantastic. Ah, well. I suppose I can't complain.

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Writers' link of the week: Roni Loren on whether blogging kills author mystique. Quite frankly I think it does, at least if you give out very much about yourself. Unfortunately, you'll notice I can't stop. I like blogging.

On the other hand, as Ms. Loren and some of her commenters point out, blogging can work in your favor, too. It's just wise, I think, to try and avoid getting on people's nerves.

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Music of the week: Have a little Fauré.

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Funny of the week: Sci-fi and fantasy on the Cheezburger Network!! Seriously, all my nerdy friends talk about Dr. Who. All of them. Maybe this'll be me one of these days.

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It really is raining here. But the fall colors have started to brighten, and oh, are they lovely.

Happy weekend!


  1. So, did you want to hear about my favorite Doctors and companions and my favorite episodes? :)

  2. A TARDIS mug...woohoo! Ok, seriously, weird timing, Jenna. I just spent 20 min. at work today,trying to find someone who had watched Dr. Who, so that they could clear up something for me. Finally, one of our reps had. Apparently, in a shop full of photo nerds, I am the only one nerdy enough to have watched Dr. Who.

  3. George, :D

    MissPhotographerB, there are different kinds of nerds I suppose. But seriously, you too? When I said "ALL my nerdy friends" I thought I was being hyperbolic. Guess not. :)

  4. If you want to really get addicted to Doctor Who, I suggest you watch Season 3's "Blink" and Season 2's "The Girl in the Fireplace" before you start going through them in order. They're both good representatives of what's awesome about the series that don't require a lot of background knowledge.

  5. The issue you raise, Jenna about "mystique" is rather interesting. I myself do not like mystique when it comes to real people (reading a mystery story or novel is a different thing entirely); candor and openness is refreshing and necessary in order for people to make an informed decision about those whom they might relate with.

    When it comes to TMI, that's something that increasingly becomes an issue the less you actually know a person. Your spouse, I think, should know the "entire you," but there are things that it's not appropriate to share with anyone else. I must admit to being skeeved out by the example on Loren's blog about M&Ms, which is something that I think that almost no one else should be told about--least of all posted on a blog for all of the world to see.

    I suppose that I think it's cool to see the essence of an author publicly as manifested in general values and appropriate specific likings to share. Readers/viewers/listeners can keep distinct the experience of a story or acting or singing performance from the real person. This would be easier to do by experiencing the created work first and then learning about the creator, if one wishes.

    It's not that there aren't moral judgments that one can make about the creators of art and literature (for good or ill), but how that interfaces with one's understanding and assessment of a work--especially in the case of a morally problematic person--is very complicated and would warrant lengthy exploration elsewhere.

  6. Chris, good to know. I'll keep that in mind. The series is on my to-give-a-try list for sure.

    Carrie-Ann, I totally agree about the TMI issue (ack... I completely forgot about that M&M example! Gross.) Likewise, candor and openness in real life.

    I was thinking about some of the bigger authors; Rowling, for instance, who played very coy until after the last HP book was released, which I admired. But then, read enough of C.S. Lewis' non-fiction, and you'll know the man well enough to understand a fair portion of the thought processes behind his fiction. I like that, too. Maybe it comes down mostly to not being tacky or offensive.

    As for moral judgments and the understanding and assessment of a work, you're so very right. That could be a whole series of blog-posts. One I might write someday, if I can make myself face the possible controversy. :)

