Seven things I didn’t know when writing a novel.
When I had made the decision to pen my first book, several things happened during the process I hadn’t expected. During this journey I was enlightened by these seven:
1.) Discipline – each day I made an appointment with myself for two
hours to write. At first this seemed simple enough to do. As the months rolled along, I was tested often by the temptation of skipping a day here or there. Being focused to the task became paramount.
2.) Loneliness – the isolation from the people I loved the most when I locked myself away to write became one of the demons I fought each day. I wasn’t prepared for this feeling.
3.) Interruption – every writing session while working on the novel was a different experience. There were days the words flowed faster than I could put onto paper. Contrary, there were days where more time was spent staring at a blank page. It didn’t matter how my writing was progressing during any specific session, if the phone rang or someone in the household needed to ask a question, I was surprised how annoyed I became of the disturbance.
4.)Mental Exhaustion – after struggling with words, or racing to keep up with my thoughts, when I had finished for the day, often I found myself mentally bankrupt.
5.)Consumed – the deeper I was in the book, the more I became possessed by the story. Each night while lying in bed plots would begin to take shape. Chapters were born. I couldn’t hide; the novel would find and consume my thoughts.
6.) Fear – this emotional monster constantly toyed with me. Would I ever finish? Was I capable enough to write? Will anyone like what I had written? Oh, there are more. Fear became a scary beast and also a terrific motivator.
7.) Thrill – euphoria overwhelmed me when the last word was scribbled down. I had just scaled the highest mountain, swam the deepest ocean. I danced the Red River Jig. In reality, I celebrated by going out for a nice dinner with my wife.
About the author ~
Rolf attended Princess Margaret Elementary School, John Pritchard Junior High and Graduated from Kildonan East Regional Secondary School where he had majored in Culinary Arts.
Rolf is married to his wife Irma since 1997. Together they have a wonderful blended family with Rita and Clark Bodoano and Grand children, Alexandria, Patrick and Braeden. Jason and Leah Tutlies, and Grandson Easton. Mandel Hitzer, and the youngest Jessica Hitzer. Clearly the growth of his family is still a work in progress.
Rolf Hitzer has several passions besides writing, they include being at the log cabin on weekends. Spending time on the water with a fishing pole in hand. Wildlife viewing and especially Moose calling during the fall rut. Playing a range of Poker card games and a variety of board games.
Rolf is a Member of the Winnipeg Real Estate Board, The Manitoba Real Estate Association and the Canadian Real Estate Association. He is currently working on his second novel.
Check out the website for Hoodoo Sea
Visit Rolf's blog
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The Book ~
The government of the United States of America is on the verge of startling the world.
Billions of dollars had been invested in its space program.
And now, the moment of truth has arrived...
Scott Reed is the man for the historic mission. He is the Wing Commander chosen by the elite brass at NASA. The assignment to test flight the first speed of light craft, held top secret, was about to shock the world. The risk? Utter and complete failure. The reward? Being a part of the greatest human accomplishment ever known to mankind.
Major James Harrow, second in command of the four person crew, despised his Wing Commander. Harrow was a proud and patriotic American. What was NASA thinking when they selected a Canadian to pilot the voyage? There was no comparison as to who was the better skilled aviator. This was his time, his moment. Major James Harrow was about to prove to everybody they were wrong to bypass him as Commander.
The weather conditions were perfect and lift-off for the test flight was text book. The triumphant cheers from Mission Control in Houston were echoed all the way to Cape Canaveral. The silent fear of the first hurdle of the flight had been succumbed. All systems were go! That is, until the crew and SOLT-X1 entered the Bermuda Triangle...
Read an excerpt ~
White.
The room was a sterile, monotonous white. Had you been standing there blindfolded and then had the blind removed, you’d be convinced this was the cell of an asylum. But there was no padding on these walls. This was the briefing room at the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida. Even the uniforms were white – with the exception of the bright blue NASA crests just below the left shoulder.
Wing Commander Scott Reed wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. His crew was at his side. Everyone stared at the white walls in complete silence as they awaited their final instructions. As a unit they had never been this quiet for so long. The hours, days and months of training drills were now over. They were ready for the adventure of a lifetime.
The mission they’d prepared for would be historic. These astronauts were about to perform the first test flight ever at the speed of light. “Warp speed” was the language they used at NASA. At the time of the selection protocol, there had been thirty potential recruits. After each training module and testing round came the elimination stage. Scott and his crew were the final four left standing.
Scott had absolute confidence in his team. They were disciplined and tough. Each member had a particular area of expertise that would contribute to the success of the mission.
Scott was the only Canadian. Considering the recent political mood since the Iraq War, he’d been surprised when NASA had called upon him to lead the mission. Not bad for a kid from Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he still lived when he wasn’t on duty. The years he had dedicated himself in the Aeronautics and Astronautics program at MIT were now worth every minute.
The room was a sterile, monotonous white. Had you been standing there blindfolded and then had the blind removed, you’d be convinced this was the cell of an asylum. But there was no padding on these walls. This was the briefing room at the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida. Even the uniforms were white – with the exception of the bright blue NASA crests just below the left shoulder.
Wing Commander Scott Reed wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. His crew was at his side. Everyone stared at the white walls in complete silence as they awaited their final instructions. As a unit they had never been this quiet for so long. The hours, days and months of training drills were now over. They were ready for the adventure of a lifetime.
The mission they’d prepared for would be historic. These astronauts were about to perform the first test flight ever at the speed of light. “Warp speed” was the language they used at NASA. At the time of the selection protocol, there had been thirty potential recruits. After each training module and testing round came the elimination stage. Scott and his crew were the final four left standing.
Scott had absolute confidence in his team. They were disciplined and tough. Each member had a particular area of expertise that would contribute to the success of the mission.
Scott was the only Canadian. Considering the recent political mood since the Iraq War, he’d been surprised when NASA had called upon him to lead the mission. Not bad for a kid from Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he still lived when he wasn’t on duty. The years he had dedicated himself in the Aeronautics and Astronautics program at MIT were now worth every minute.
