Mob Week on AMC Feels Like At Least A Month

I’ve often wondered what it is like to write a book.  Particularly a Big Thick Book.  I’m sure some kind of outline is written first so the plot is roughly figured out beforehand.  It probably changes as the writer gets to “know” the characters, but the rough storyline is likely sketched out before the actual writing of sentences begins in earnest.  (Unlike this blog I might add.  I have no idea where this is going.)

When reading my latest Big Thick Book, The Gold Coast I found myself thinking about author Nelson DeMille’s writing process.  For example, nothing happens in the first 248 pages.  Surprisingly this is okay, because his character building is so interesting and often funny.  And considering how much happens in the last 20 pages, I can’t help but wonder if DeMille sort of thought to himself “let’s get this show on the road” while he was pecking out page 734 and stubbing out a cigarette directly on his desk.  This is total conjecture since I don’t know this guy and have no clue if he smokes, or if he has a desk.

Bottom line, this is a good book and I think it would appeal to guys in particular because of the Mafioso storylines.  So Andrew, let’s agree to turn off Mob Week on AMC with promos by Rudy Giuliani and read The Gold Coast instead.  And by turn it off, I mean “fuhged-about-it.”