This morning I finished the first draft of the short story I’ve been working on for the past week. Came in at 5500 words, which is over the limit, but a good place to start for revisions. I routinely strip away at least 10% of most manuscripts on the first editing pass. I “wrote” most of the ending in my mind before I went to sleep last night, although it ended up being a little different in execution when I actually got to the computer this morning.
Last night’s Grey’s Anatomy was one of the best in a long time. Whoever came up with the idea of casting Sharon Lawrence as Izzie’s mother deserves a medal. Good character development and exploration throughout, and the final scene between the chief and Meredith was the culmination of most of this season.
As soon as the cameras revealed Violet admitting to herself that she was happy, I knew something bad was going to happen on Private Practice. It’s become a TV tradition of late to show a character in almost a dreamlike state of euphoria before the boom falls. I can’t believe they’re going to leave us hanging like that for the whole summer, though. Bastards.
Sierra’s time came and went on Survivor. She lasted longer than most people expected, including herself, especially considering she was technically voted out the moment she arrived in South America. Strategically I think it wasn’t the best move, as she didn’t really pose a threat to anyone. Given the outcome of the votes during the reward challenge, it’s clear she didn’t win any friends among the remaining survivors. She fit in well with Brandon and Tyson at Ponderosa, though. Steven seems to be flying underneath everyone’s radar at the moment, and if I were he I would be thinking about how to paint a target on JT’s back soon. It’s pretty clear that if JT makes it to the final two (or three), he would be the odds-on favorite against just about anyone else, so getting him out before they reach that point would be a good strategy, in my opinion.
I finished the new Elmore Leonard the other evening. It’s called Road Dogs and is about two guys who were in prison together and what happens among them after they get out. Well, that’s not quite it — one of them gets out first and sets up camp with the other one’s girlfriend, who has plans of her own. It’s all about dishonor among thieves as everyone tries to outcon everyone else. It’s a caper, of sorts, but a deadly serious one, featuring familiar characters from previous Leonard novels. Nobody writes dialog like him — he makes it seem so effortless.
