I’m not ashamed to admit I have lots of books. Always have. And I buy lots of books. I love the feel of the them in my hands, the weight of hardbacks, the feel and smell of fresh paper, the sight of print and white space on the pages, etc.

So it’s no surprise that when the topic of going to a bookstore comes up, I’ll be the first to shoot my hand up in the air and say, “How fast can we get there?”

What may be surprising, especially to writer friends who know I’m currently working on a novel about cars, that in fact, I don’t own any car books. No books about the history of the automobile, no historical evolution of vehicles, no who’s who biographies in the automotive world. All my research and information about the world has come straight my head; from everything I’ve learned, seen, experienced, and talked about…until recently.

On one of my latest trips to a local bookstore (because there has been at least one other trip since), I indulged in several “must have” books on the subject of automobile and auto buffs, all of which are in your typical coffee-table book style with slick, glossy paper and bold photos, and they all contain information I already know.

I’ll admit the thought of setting up and positioning myself standing in front of a shelf crammed full of similar automotive books for my author’s photo that would grace the back inside cover of my car novel makes me somewhat giddy at the moment. But it also seems cliche’. I’ll have to take my future agent and editor’s advice on that matter when the time comes. They will know what helps sell books and what appears cheesy.

Back to the books themselves, I’m now the proud owner of the following:

Sundays with Von Dutch - Calabasas 1970 by Richard Karl Koch and Tony Thacker. I’ve always loved Dutch’s style.

Barrett-Jackson - The World’s Greatest Collector Car Event - by Larry Edsall. As a former, 5 year driver for the Barrett-Jackson event in Scottsdale, Arizona, this book was a definite “must have.”

Dream Garages by Kris Palmer. The photos are slick and drool-inducing to car people like me. But the information about each garage owner is better than anything I’ve ever read about the subject.

Up In Flames - The Art of Flame Painting by Tim Phelps. Anyone who really knows me knows my love of painted flames and how far back me and flames go. Another “must have.”

And finally, Great American Hot Rods by Keith Harman. A wonderful, thick book of custom street, show, and strip cars. Six months after I wrote about one car in particular for my car novel, I found an eerily similar car photographed in this book. Things like that speak to me and reassure me that I’m on the right track.

There are a couple more car books I hope to pick up someday to complete the collection though I’m not really sure why. It just seems right and for the research authenication, it’s probably a good idea.

But for all I read, have read, experienced, and internalized, I know I’m going to dread that first question from an audience that asks how to easily and affordably bump up the horsepower of a naturally aspirated, detuned 426 Hemi engine. After all, I’m a writer, not an engine builder…at least, not anymore.

The assignment:  Write a chapter that captures the atmosphere of a car show.  Sights, sounds, flavor, or ‘flava’ if you will.

The end result:  Yet another chapter with one of the main characters, the antagonist, digging himself deeper.

I like this character but not enough to give him the starring role in every chapter.  The problem is my protagonist is so much the nice guy he wouldn’t utter a peep if a semi truck was parked on his foot.

Questions:  How do you make a protagonist interesting when everyone loves evil characters?  How do you ‘un-mayonnaise’ a nice guy protagonist?

Finally back working on the car novel.  First six chapters are formatted, corrected, and through their third edit and revision.  I really, really like parts of it, not so enamoured with others but at least those parts are small and far between.  I know that if this one sells, I’ll have to read it several more times, looking for errors.  Everyone says they come to hate reading their own work at that point, but I don’t think I’ll ever tire of reading the whole thing.  I guess I just like cars too much and all that world contains.

Yesterday I listed my work done to date and completely forgot a fourth short story that I began last week before our pet world turned upside down.  That one can sit on a back burner for a while as my subconscious works on some details.   Another horror tale.  *Sigh*  Yeah, I like those.

One flash fiction is in the box, one short story is half finished, first chapter of the cat story is complete, the first half of the car novel is waiting, not so patiently for me to once more turn the key.  “American Graffiti” has been watched, all my car-oriented email has been read and replied to, I am in the car frame of mind.

So why aren’t I writing?

I’m thinking about something I realized recently about the small writers group I’m a part of.  There’s no structure and it’s more of a social group than anything else.  I truly believe that structure for the most part is counter-creative yet there has to be some structure in place to get things created.  It hurts my head to think of it and even more so to try to figure out what to do about it.  I’m too new at this to know what we’re missing or what I’m not seeing as an alternative avenue.  I just know that for me working in near-vacuum conditions isn’t working.

Or maybe I just need more confidence.  Is it just me?