Melodrama's so much fun.

It's funny.  I wanted to create drama and tension in the story, but now that I'm in the last few chapters, it's almost like there is too much drama.

I think that's called melodrama.

I mean, it's better to have too much than too little, in the sense that it's probably easier to tone it down than it is to artificially insert drama.  It means the story is working, actually.  I've got all these characters doing all these dramatic things, saying all these dramatic things, because I've been trying to lead the story to a climax, so I guess that's what happens when you do it right.  The wider stream is narrowing and becoming more intense.

I can be try to be more subtle and oblique in the rewrite.

Melodrama to me is when the emotions don't ring true, so I'm hoping that these sentiments aren't phony but a natural consequence of the actions the characters have taken.

So it just has to be handled right.  Not removed, just done with taste.

I'm worried about the main human bad guy.  For me, just about anything the Vampires do is O.K.  They almost can't be too villainous -- they're Vampires!  (These are also the most fun chapters to write.  I've even added in a few scenes, because I like their responses to everything.)

But the worst villain in the book is an abusive corrupt cop ex-boyfriend, and even though I've tried to write about him from inside out -- that is, with his justifications and rationalizations intact --  he is still a pretty bad guy.  So...that needs to be worked on, a little.  Not sure.

Now that it's getting to the final confrontation, just about everything he says is despicable.



I had two really hard tricks to pull off in this story. ( 1.)  Making the main vampire repent and turn into a good guy, even though he commits murder at the beginning.  To make that believable.  He needs to be redeemed.   I drive him down, down, down, and he continues to react in good ways.

And (2.) have the sister of the victim forgive him.  Despite her knowing he committed the murder.
To have a religious response to a repentant, who has obviously paid for his crimes and is willing to pay the ultimate price.

Part of the trick is to have the ex-boyfriend be even worse, in comparison.

But I don't want him twirling his mustache...



I'm at 50K words and rounding into the final stretch.

I'm forcing myself to slow down a little, get these last chapters right, spend a little more time thinking about them.  I've worked out everything but the final battle.  I mean, I know there will be final battle, but I haven't planned it out yet.  Like blocking out a fight scene.

But I have faith my subconscious is already working on it.