You had to go

first lines on the cutting room floor

IMG DESC: Overhead view of a corner writing desk with writing detritus (laptop, papers, journals, index cards, pens, pencils, coffee mug and Dimple Abichandani’s book A NEW ERA OF PHILANTHROPY) from loft in Oak Cottage at Hedgebrook. On the floor there are about 120 wads of paper, formerly chapters 1 - 13.

They say it takes seven tries to leave an abusive relationship and that goes for any kind of partnership.

If that’s true, then today should be my last day on the job.

They also say that you can put a frog in boiling water and it will jump right out. But if you put a frog in cool water that gradually heats up, you can boil that frog alive.

If that’s true, I feel bad for all those frogs that died to prove some dude’s point.
If it’s just a metaphor…well, tonight I’m going to boil some frogs.

This was the opening paragraph to my novel PROPOSITION, which is now in its tenth draft in 3.75 years. That paragraph and the rest of page 1 are now on the cutting-room floor, as evidenced in the above graphic. (It’s Wad #37 clockwise from right.)

Here’s why: