How to Start Eight

I finished Chapter 7 on Friday night! It was the fastest chapter to write so far. Zoe's there, she's had her first anger-moment, and Zachary's decided he doesn't like her. Oh, and Dr. Murphy's back, too. He actually went to the mainland and brought Zoe back with him. They know one another. He had been staying at the mainland facility while recuperating; and, later I want to make it known that for years now he has been going back there to work with Zoe off and on. There were times he was away from the island and Zachary didn't care where he went because, well, he doesn't like Dr. Murphy. But that's why there's a level of familiarity there between Murphy and Zoe.

Trish has read chapters 4-7 in the space of a couple of days and she's given me such nice compliments I don't know what to say. She did give me a note for Chapter 6... take out references to "getting some." She pointed out they wouldn't really put that on Zachary right now, one thing at a time. Even if they know it might happen (MIGHT), they really wouldn't be talking about it.

Notes:
* Want to do more water scenes. Show how at-home he can be in the water.
* What's wrong with his back? Is it nerve damage or not?
* Is he still "sick" and if so, will it progress anytime soon?
* Where's Paul Spencer these days? Will he come back for a visit, or to implement some change that he's paid for?
* I want to have a scene where Jacob betrays Zachary's trust.
* Why didn't they ever talk about Zoe before? I need to have a good reason.
* When do we learn what happened to Feem? And when we do, will it play out like it did in my other draft where they are at dinner and someone tells the story, and then Zachary remembers it (pretty much verbatim from the old draft...and this is going to be the ONLY scene that survives this way!).
* Still be thinking of how he leaves the island.
* Can we see Bruce? And the other hybrids interacting with Zachary directly?

In other news I am almost done reading "The Host." Stephenie Meyer's done it again. I love her style. I love the things he chooses to include in her storytelling, and the way her characters think. I love the first person thing! I am just so, so inspired by her stuff. I've never felt like someone else's style feels like my own style. I think that way, too, and hopefully write that way. I've also noticed she has some very short chapters. So I should keep that in mind, too... I'd love to find out what her typical wordcount per chapter is. Just an fyi.