Thank you for visiting my website. Today is the first public broadcasted push to the world. Take a look around and I also invite you to follow SD Hendrickson on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! Stay informed on the upcoming fall release of The Mason List.
And now for the official cover reveal of The Mason List!
Mud Vein by Tarryn Fisher
Blown away. Those were the words I had after finishing Mud Vein. This Book Rack entry is a current read of mine instead of pulling from the vault. I will preface. This book is not for everyone but I personally loved every weird piece of it. In fact, I have not read something on this level of psychological romance since Gone Girl. I hate to use that comparison because it’s not even close to the same story.
Any summary of the plot would do an injustice to future readers. Here’s what I can say. Girl is kidnapped and left in a strange house. She finds a man from her past tied up in the same strange house. The story twists around their means of survival while the girl comes to gripes with her past.
Reason for being on the Rack:
Hands down, the writing. The style and the flow of words twisted across the pages. I also appreciate where the author had to go in her mind to write something this haunting. I wasn’t so much involved in trying to love the book or the characters. The words spiraled around in a picture that allowed the reader to feel the main character in a weird psychological way. I say weird because it’s in a way you can relate to but not really sure you want to with the character.
I read the good and bad reviews going into this book. I think for some people, it’s difficult to associate with darkness. The main character is a very troubled individual and has been most of her life. The writing puts the reader smack dab in the middle of her troubled mind. And it’s not very pleasant at times. In fact, it can be very confusing on how someone can think in such a manner. But that’s the darkness. Sad people are often not logical.
Instead of Gone Girl, I think a couple of Terrence Malick films would serve as a better comparison. I did not love the first one I watched. That’s because I didn’t understand. You have to feel the experience of his films. You have to feel the experience of Mud Vein. Every ugly piece of the beautiful book.
If you are interested in reading Mud Vein, here’s the Amazon link. If you are worried about the cover, it’s not that kind of book. It’s metaphorical and makes sense once you read the story.
This post comes live from where I do my best writing. Everyone needs a writing cave. Unfortunately, mine is a red chair parked in Panera with an endless supply of espresso.
Since The Mason List went to the editor, I often get these questions. Are you going to write another book? Have you started writing another book?
The process of writing my first novel was a learning experience. I used the platform from NANO (National Novel Writing Month) for the first draft. I went into NANO with the following concepts.
A love story of a boy and girl who live on a ranch. The girl is poor and lives on the charity of this rich family. Instead of being the typical story, make the poor girl hate the rich family.
That was all I knew when I started NANO which may surprise those who beta read it. Everything spiraled into The Mason List as I logged into NANO each day to hit my 1700 words per day. I wrote from the cuff. It was intense but it pushed me to put words on paper in abstract fashion. I didn’t think about elaborating. I just moved forward through idea after idea. The concepts came out of thin air with little depth to each scene. This gave an initial shape to the story.
When I reached the 50,000 word mark at the end of the month, I saw a lump of clay which had the resemblance of a story. I spent the next two years shaping that lump into what is currently being edited for release. I learned the hard way on what worked for me and what didn’t in the writing process.
So the answer to the question is yes. I am writing a second novel. It’s called Red Dirt Claws. I have taken a different approach with the second book. I have written excerpts out of order. Spur of the moment at times. Some very light scenes and some very deep. Most of it consists of dialogue between characters. With each exchange, I get a little better grasp on the characters. I get to know the characters as they get to know each other. I know. Sounds like a strange concept but it seems to work. I hope this approach cuts out on the many rewrites I did for The Mason List.
After collecting all my sporadic writing over the last few months, I have an approximate 26,000 words rough draft. I plan for this novel to be much, much shorter than The Mason List. I’m aiming for 80,000. The Mason List is what I call the epic love story that is also New Adult/Young Adult. Red Dirt Claws is more the classic New Adult story. Moving forward, I would like Red Dirt Claws to be ready for the editing process when The Mason List goes live to the world in a few months. Here’s to hoping and not holding me to this time line.
That’s the writing update coming live from the red chair.
Writing Song of the Day: Band of Horses – Detlef Schrempf (Acoustic Live from the Ryman)
“The next day held a cloud over my heart like a sad scene from Steel Magnolias. The small television broadcasted the only VHS tape I could find on short notice. Rochellas had electronic equipment straight out of 1985. I despised that movie as much as Ouiser if she was tied to a chair and forced to watch it on repeat. I needed blood and guts. A nice Saw movie would serve a better purpose but that might scare the little brats into coming over to my seat. Covering my face with a large set of sunglasses, I blocked out the chaos in front of me and prayed for this damn headache to go away. But I knew it would stay lodged right where it belonged after what I did last night to Jess. ” – Alex, The Mason List
Not the spiciest of quotes from The Mason List. However, Steel Magnolias ran on repeat yesterday and it reminded me of the line from the book. I personally adore the movie. Alex Tanner; not so much.
It also reminded me of the fun concept of characters. The ladies of Natchitoches, Louisiana jumped from the screen as larger than life except for the fact they were real people. Based on a true story, Robert Harling captured the colorful lives of his family and hometown in memory of his sister. Check out the full story here.
Jess and Alex’s Back Road Mix is Live! As the editing process continues, listen to an old school mix tape inspired by the characters from the upcoming novel, The Mason List. Get a sneak peak into the world of Jess and Alex as they drive down the back roads of Arlis, Texas. Picture the dirt slinging in the windows as they flip through their favorites and fall in love under the sounds of the stars.
SD Hendrickson 