Chapter Challenge Update AND True Blood!

Evening all,

Another weekend has come and gone, and so too has another episode of the HBO vampire series, True Blood.  Now this isn't a review of the latest episode or anything; it's just me professing my love for a show that I couldn't have imagined me loving.

I've blogged about it before, so if you're not familiar with the show's premise and care for a recap, check it out.  This latest episode was something of a filler, with lots of plot elements being explored, yet very little being truly resolved or revealed.  Honestly, it felt a little thin, because of being stretched to accommodate so many different characters.  I think I prefer episodes that deal with only 1 or 2 characters and their stories.  However, I do understand that everyone needs their Jason, Bill, Eric, Tara, Hoyt, Lafayette, etc. fix.        

For fans of the book, I can say that Bill lowered the hammer on Sook, and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.  I really felt it in the show, so props to the writers and actors.  Speaking of the writing, I felt the dialogue in this particular episode was strong.  That was a good sign, for if I have one minor quibble with this season it has been that some of the conversations have been a little too rote for my taste.  There's a particularly fabulous bit between Bill and a dancer that had the writer in me drooling.  At any rate, there were some wolves, so I was happy.

Now for the real reason for this post, an update on my weekly chapter challenge progress.  My partner, Margaret, sent me her work for the week this afternoon, as well as her thoughts on chapter 2 of a semi-completed piece I sent her.

I'm not going to lie, I love every last stitch of encouragement she gives me.  She definitely points out when I've done something that doesn't jibe, but I find myself really clinging to the, "I loved it!" etc. that she occasionally offers.  She may be doing it only to be positive (which is sort of a requirement to participate in the weekly exchange of work program we've established), but it means a bunch all the same.  So thanks, Margaret!

I had a pretty productive writing week last week, so I have actually finished up a chapter for the uncompleted work that I'd been sharing prior to summer craziness, and plan to send that on to her as soon as I'm done typing this (or first thing in the morning as I now realize it's on the other computer, and I don't REALLY feel like booting it up before going to bed).  I also started, and have nearly finished drafting, the first of a series of short stories I'm working on.

The real elephant in the room (for me) is my WIP that I've been editing through the last few months.  It's the same story that Margarette has read the first 2 chapters of, and I've recently kind of gotten the gumption to finally tear back into it thanks in part to Margaret's encouragement/thoughts.

So in short, the Chapter Challenge rocks!  If you're a writer and interested in the group (and maybe finding your own Margaret), you can check us out on the Writer's Digest forums.