Today the Universe…

has been giving and taking. More on the taking side. I can't really explain the incredible frustration of the day job gyrations. The alligator quotient was higher than Fearless Felix's leap. And no matter how many times I slew them, they just kept on coming like some crocodilian zombie apocalypse. (Yes, it's still on going.)

And then there were two other moments. The first was a clear understanding of the motives of a character in one of the WIPs (Return of Lars) that I had been struggling with. I did have a motivation for them, but it was kind of a dickish motivation. This one is much better. There's at least 3 twists and several reveals that can happen with it. And one is a major turn which, if I handle it right, would be one of those "Holy crap, I need to rethink this whole story" moments for the reader when it's revealed. So, yeah, thanks.

The other moment concerns the main WIP (Post-Rapture Industries). Since I haven't had the time to actually, you know, write the words down I've been overthinking the themes and what I really want to accomplish. It started out mostly as a way to poke fun at the pre-millenialists, but there's only so far that can take you. I've come to several conclusions about just what the theme really is. I mean, sure, it's a "true love" story. It's about finding home. Lately I've been thinking of the eschatological meaning of what is going on. There's a lot of bits that have been falling from the muse, and I've been wondering what all it means. Well, this song (Grokked from Terri Windling) sums up the message quite well and fits very close to my own internal beliefs. Sometimes the muse has someone else's voice.


The great thing about Scrivener is I can copy all these things into it, and not be worried about where they go or how they fit together. I can jumble them in and organize it later.

So, thanks again, Universe. Next time could we do it without all the alligators? You know, just for a change.

90,855

Done and done. Although, in checking some things in chapters I rewrote this evening, I ran into some errors I had introduced. Damnit. I'm not sure I'm up to another read through at this point.

So next up will be synopsis (synopsi?) and query letters. I've already started to put together the first batch of agents I want to submit to. I already had one beer as we did some socializing tonight. And it's 1:30am. So I think I'll save my celebrations for sometime tomorrow. For now, it's into the bin with all those notes. Copy the files to the thumb drive, and hit the sack.

G'night, ya all.

The Writing

Okay, so I tried not talking about the writing, thinking that I would do more of the actual, you know, writing part.

That didn't happen.

So, now I'm going back to the using the WIP counters to drive me forward. I've been working a little, but I've made it three days in a row now. Time to crow.

I crossed the 80,000 mark. Go me. Also, added some tension and feelings, whoa whoa, feelings.

He pointed at me like firing a gun, "You're job is to protect the family name. It's my job to protect the Old Man's ass. Those are different goals. You would have to avenge him, I want to make sure you don't need to."

Progress, too slow for comfort

Finished editing a few more chapters (and you can see the updated word count). I'm now into the areas that I haven't visited much. On the plus side, things seem to be in pretty good shape (yes, typos abound, and tortured grammar galore). Most changes are in adding plot lines that show up later. Doing the good footwork as it were. I know there's one section I'll have to do a major rewrite on, adding in one or two scenes, but hopefully not much more than that. I think I'm pretty lucky that the story came out pretty coherently the first time through. Lucky, because I read other authors who have to do much more. Maybe it's first timer's luck.

WIPping it out

On through to Chapter 5 with the rewrite. I did a new tally and we're up to 76776 words. The problem is, the first five chapters are the ones I've rewritten about five or six times (the files have the number 7 on them, but I think one of those was a reordering). I'm not into chapters I've only made a cursory edit over. So the slog will become a little more molasses like.

And tomorrow there's the company picnic of which I am the "offical" photographer. Then on Sunday is the parade and my debut as announcer. Right after that is the writers group, which I have one story to read.

Busy, busy weekend. Hope yours is a good one. If you're relaxing at all, relax for the both of us, will ya. I was a long week as well.

WIP

Working on chapter 4 of the novel doing rewrites. Sprinkling world building details and more of the interior landscape of the protag the way Jackson Pollock applied paint to canvas.

As long as the families didn't abuse our positions, the balance maintained and nobody who didn't need to be hurt got hurt. A live and let live mentality prevailed. Not that it was or would always be that way. That the families kept bladesmen, the embodiment and defenders of their honor, spoke in a louder volume than a police blotter ever would.

Whipping it out

Chapter 8 is down for the count. And that count brings us to 75281. Yippie!

Wordless Thursdays

Put another chapter through the rewrite mill. That took way longer than expected. TV is evil. Okay, so maybe just one or two channels (for different reasons). One increases by blood pressure until I can't get myself out of rantville. And then it's some moments before I can reboot back (the stupidity is that dense it can bend conscious thought around it) to reality and refocus. So tomorrow I'll update the word counts (because it'll hopefully move even more).

We're back into meeting weeks. So even more distractions.

I'm haunted by that Gary Owen

Today was a first for the job search. We received a response to one of the applications I've made in the past week. It was a rejection (basically, "Boy, are you way too over skilled for this job, but thanks for thinking of us"). So, yeah, at least someone out there is actually looking at my resume. Oh, and I can do the work. You'd be surprised at how good I am at work I'm over qualified for and how I'm able to find enjoyment elsewhere. And maybe the benefits that position supplied were worth more than the actual pay (help paying for coursework, good medical).

Oh, and really damn tired of scrolling through the reposted job listings (hey, JobFox, stop it) and the "work at home" listings. And again, I'm trying to brainstorm a better way to search through large amounts of data online to find something interesting when you don't know what it is you're looking for.

And the last point today about the job search. I'm really tired of job posting sites that require (or constantly sell) paid memberships to access data. There's something slimbally about that practice and so far I've run into three of them. And they also tend to have "exclusive" listings, which are behind the "pay me now" firewall. Yeah, see, I'm out of work and you want me to pay you $30 a month to access listings you've charged the other company $300+ for their listing? That's what we kindly think of as a scam. No, really, scummy. Exactly the same business model as "we'll publish you as long as you buy 1000 books." And the whole, "if you become a paid member we'll expedite you resume/advocate for you" sales push only makes be want to shove bamboo spikes under your routers. Including the "your resume might be part of the problem, and we'll help you fix it for only $300," sales pitch. Wrap it up and roll over. Real slimeball tactics there.

Finished rewriting the first 50 pages of the novel in time for submission to the group critique. So we also have an updated word count total, 74437. The problem with going forward is that I haven't rewritten any of the rest of the novel, and I have no notes from someone else looking at it. It's (obviously) not impossible, just harder and slower. However, this set of rewrites when much faster than I expected. I'm hoping that means I'm getting better at this.

Here's hoping the magic continues.

Rewriting Sunday

Starting to rewrite way too late, but fortunately I have a slight reprieve until Tuesday to get the first 50 pages done. This past week the voices had been bugging me that I was sloughing off. I should be looking at this layoff as an opportunity to write.

For anybody who has been laid-off, we know that finding a job is in and of itself a full-time pursuit. And I've been over obsessing that search as well. I've been having a hard time dealing with not having a day thing.

But yesterday morning my brain clicked over and I've been pouring through all my notes from Viable Paradise. And really wishing I had three more hours with Teresa. Most of the other critiques I'm going through and will be recycling their notes. I'm keeping what she did. It's like watching magic. And I think I need to study her notes a few more times to glean all the info I can.

So, a little bit of a stuttering start, but Chapter One is down. Now, the first fifty is also the segment I've already rewritten a few times, so I don't expect the counters to move that much, but we've still added to he word count. We're up to 73311. Now it's back to the coal mines.

Raas Xaafuun is a full story. I'll let it molder a bit before going back for another turn through it. Probably after I've gone through most of this rewrite.

WIPped into Rejection

I think I have what Bette had before. I feel like crap and hurt all over.

What I thought would be two chapters got condensed into one. Which is okay as I felt two chapters would be a bit long for the denouement. Chapter 41 came in at 1705 words, which feels about right.

On the other side, it's done. I'm not very happy with the ending. While the ending of the action I think should work, I'm not sure people will accept the emotional tone of the overall story ending. It's not so much a "they all lived happily ever after" as it's more of a "coming to grips with who they are and what they have to do." Well, that can be fixed in the rewrite. That's what rewrites are for, aren't they.

But, hey, it's done. I wrote a novel. Now I need to get back to work and fix it. So, as you can see, I know have a second progress bar to track rewrites. I'm not sure how I'll do this, but I'll try. I'm sure that number will go up and down. And the new target of 85000 is a rough guess. That might change as well. I know I want to be over 60000 and under 100000.

So now I'm only two days over my third deadline. The path forward from this point? Some writers feel you should let the first draft sit for a time before starting. I'm not sure that's my process. There's that novel critique I need to get done for a friend. I'll need to go through all the critique notes from Viable Paradise (which I have been avoiding to keep me going forward). There's a few short stories I've been wanting to work on. I don't know. My brain is kind of fuzzy at the moment.

And finally, checking in tonight brings word from Weird Tales that they're passing on "Prince Wanted." Well, it was sort of a long shot as well for that market. Ann says it's not what she's looking for, which I think is part of her boilerplate. At least the last few rejections have had that line. So part of tomorrow will be looking for a new home for that one.

WIP it all night long

Chapter 40 came in at a whopping 2875 words. I have a feeling in rewrite I'll break that into two chapters although right now I can't think of how I would do that. Okay, maybe I have an idea, but it doesn't feel as natural as the other two times I've had to do that. There's very little dialog, which is unusual compared to the rest of the book. And with it being so late I'm not sure if the chapter is entirely cohesive. Although I do like how it ends (I'm not sure how other people will react to it though). This is the chapter that ends the action in the book. It's all down hill for the last two chapters (or what I thought might be two chapters, that part of my brain that helps me estimate these things is now quibbling over that). So we now have a total of 71525. Not bad. Looks like I planned that out pretty well. My guess is I'll go a little over the 73000 mark, but not by much (and this is why I listen to that part of my brain that helps with the estimating). I'll also redo the math on my totals. Not like I haven't screwed those up before.

I started a little way into 41. Just so I wouldn't have a dead end tomorrow.

And now, it being way too late, I'm to bed.

WIP it into high gear

Chapter 39 is in the bag. We added 1545 words bringing our total to 68650. Only three more chapters to go. Hopefully this weekend we'll be finished with the first draft. Unless the damn breaks and the waters rise.

Which has happened before.

And I probably just jinxed myself.

So tired. Must sleep. See you all when the sun is up again.

Five Golden Rings

Okay, well, that'll be tomorrow, but it's close enough.

I'm back. Yes, not enough time or access for the internet. We spent time with family, so need I say I'm glad to be back with you all? Seriously folks, it was good to spend time with the family. I think Mom and I are a little closer. I didn't get to see my brother because of scheduling. Caught up with the nieces, the nephews not so much (one got sick, the others just wanted to play video games), the siblings-in-law, and found myself in the grocery story in Canton thinking, "All these people look familiar. My people." Canton was where I went to High School (well, Plain Township actually).

Now we're back with the gatos, and they are glad to see us. Right now they are at the other end of the couch doing a mirror cleaning. It's like they're the Synchronized Tongue-Cleaning Olympic Team. I give them a 4.5 (out of 6). They aren't exactly mirroring each other, and they get distracted when I look at them.

Even with all the craziness I got Chapter 38 done (using my Mom's computer). She came in heavy at 1920 words. Which brings us to a total of 67105. That leaves me with four more chapters to go before rewrite time, two of which are action (for me those go quickly) and two to wrap it up.

The drive home tonight was crazy. Not so much from the weather, which was here, but from the idiots who decide that driving 20mph in a 60 zone, when it's been scraped and salted, is a good idea. Hint, it's not. First car we nearly had an accident with because the car in front of us screened our view (fortunately nobody was in the left lane, although it wasn't as cleared). Second car, well, dude, if there are eight cars backed up behind you, pull over (I was number 5). Don't keep driving the 12 miles into town (slowest 12 miles of the whole trip).

The other shoe failed to go off. I found myself yelling at the TV news as they were all saying, "Foiled Terrorist Attempt" shouting "Failed, it's a 'failed terrorist attempt.' If it was 'foiled' someone would have jumped him before he set his crotch on fire." And you don't want to know what I was yelling when the "Second Terrorist Incident that Wasn't a Terrorist Incident" got reported. Seriously, not news. Okay, the news was "flight attendant panics" not "Another Nigerian tries to blow up airplane, but was just sick in the bathroom." NewsFAIL. Oh look, now everybody is interested in Yemen. You know, like those of us tracking this were for the past eight frickin' years. And those news outlets who are talking about "the next war" (thank you Joe Lieberman, when are you out of office again?) you can't say that and complain about the debt ceiling.

Ugh. I'm getting all ranty-stabby again. Must think of other things.

Okay, is it wrong that when the Weather Channel plays the theme to Home Alone during "Your Weather on the 8's" that I giggle?

Oh, and before I forget, Holy Crap the Browns won a real game last weekend. Surely that's a sign the Apocalypse is nearly upon us. Run! Run for your lives!

A day as long as my leg

Well, just finished dinner at 9:30pm, so that should tell you what kind of day it has been.

The day thing is feast or famine. Today was feast (after two days of famine). And design work filled the schedule. First a special job for a friend of the owner. I'm assuming it's going on top of a jar (or side of a jar) for a gift of food. I got to be a bit crazy playing with hot colors, some cartooning, and license to be a little wacky. Frankly, if I may say so, I blew the stoppers out and created a funky little piece. Then I finished the day with form design, the stall mucking part of the job (it's dirty, it pays the bills, not glamourous in any sense - even if Mike Rowe gave running commentary - and you feel like you're shoveling shit - so you buck up and do it the best you can).

In other news I've started taking the welbutrin again. I may have over reacted to some emotional problems, but the holidays are stressful enough without me adding to them with being a dick. I also had an episode of going to extreme anger over the slightest problem. I don't wish to suffer through the holidays. We'll relook at it again after the New Year. Tomorrow I have a doctor's appointment. It won't be a good one. There's several issues to discuss, welbutrin being the least. I switched over to extended release metformin in October when a side-effect of the regular kind became too much. However, I don't think I'm responding to this formulation as well, although the side-effects are gone. My weight has been creeping up even though I'm eating less, fewer "extras" (like ice cream, pop, bagels, donuts, etc) and I'm working out on the Wii (6 minutes of Super Hula Hoops, OMG!).

I've only managed about 50 new words on Chapter 38, but I am self-editing some little pieces that will be in an anthology soon. Since the matter of pay for markets has come up and I've made comments on it in support of Scalzi's position (if you've seen the arguments, you know his position), I'll mention that there was no pay for these pieces (although there is the chance of royalties). The differences are 1) I went in full aware of that - and no payment, frankly, is more honest than fraction of pennies per word, 2) The editor is respected in the field and will edit these pieces professionally, 3) I honestly have more chance of exposure through this antho, and in the right quarters, than from some 4theluv or semi-pro markets, and 4) I had a hell of a lot of fun writing them and enjoyed the challenge of writing a story in blog form and in twitter length.

Then tonight we had an "emergency meeting" to discuss some of the issues surround our new Village Charter. And here I'll make a shout out to Dwight who is in the hospital with pneumonia. I just heard tonight and I hope you're feeling better soon. Some measure of panic over things easily remedied. And I think it showed part of a point brought up in the meeting, we have strong leadership in the Village and we exercise that for the service and betterment of citizens of the Village.

WIPped into Submission

Chapter 37 weighs in at 1710 bringing our total to 65185 (or 89%). Unfortunately, looking at my notes I've combined what I wanted to accomplish with Chapter 38 into 37. Which I think is okay as I'm only 200 words into Chapter 38 and I think it's going in a different direction than I thought. That was part of the whole, "my writing is crap" feeling from today.

On top of that I need to find a place to send "A History of Lightning." I've let that sit for too long. So off to John Klima at Electric Velocipede. Good luck little story.

Black-strap Molasses in January Slow

Well, I didn't get any words out this weekend. But, with a slow work day today (person I've been covering their work for during the past three months is back to work today), I pounded out Chapter 37 (about 1600 words).

Having missed the "middle of the novel and all my words are crap" stage, it's finally rearing its hoary head. It's all crap. There's no tension, everybody is happy happy, joy joy. And they all go along with each other.

Of course that could also be because they've learned to trust one another.

But no, it's all crap. It'll all have go in the rewrite.

Yeah, I hope to be over this pity party for one by the end of the next two chapters. If not, it's going to make for a real bitcher of a rewrite.

I'll post the actual numbers tonight as I get it into a formated file.

Partying like to was 2008

You know, it was only last year that working and extra 8 hours a week was normal. This week I worked that and feel like crap. Oh, how quickly we adjust back to normal. Last night I was exhausted and had a headache. The difference, I think, is that last year the overtime 1) was paid at time and a half instead of "bankable hours," 2) the work was a little less mentally taxing (this week was layout and design) and 3) the time was predictable.

This weekend we try and catch up with hopefully getting the tree up, cutting hair, finishing up some Xmas shopping, and maybe, hopefully, get Chapter 37 out of the way (this should be the last "difficult for Steve" chapter, except for maybe the actual last chapter). And, if I'm a good boy, get at least one of the deer rewired and out in the yard.

This week we scheduled the 110,000 mile maintenance. I have to say I'm a bit worried as it involves a new timing belt. The last care I had the timing belt changed on the engine blew up a week later (which led to a 6 month long battle with the dealership on whose fault it was, eventually I convinced them they couldn't bamboozle me). I trust this mechanic a lot more, but it's still got me a little spooked.

In other news I'd like to give the captcha a few more days. It's been very effective in chasing off the spammers. I (as of Thursday) still saw them hitting the site, but their traffic is down, and I don't think they've found a way around the captchas to actually get a comment in on one of the old posts. I'm thinking of taking it off on Monday, so we'll see.

I've stepped down the Wellbutrin this week. I'm not sure how it's all working so far, but then it's been a stressful week. I'm going to stop completely today and see how we do over the next week.

Crack that WIP

Just folded in Chapter 36. It came in at 2340 words. Which is a bit on the heavy side. It starts off a little slow, but the majority of it is action.

Parting the seals and the one in the middle lost his head. As his body dropped piercing the clouds and the one on the right developed a puncture wound through his back, between his ribs and into his left lung. That broke up the stalemate. The thumper closest to me on the left attacked before I could withdraw my blade and his blackjack to my left shoulder sent my arm numb.

... I let go of my sword, still embedded in the ribcage of the other thumper and body slammed the one with the blackjack using my numbed side. He stumbled back a step before going down. I had to take an extra two steps to keep from falling over with him.

The thumper with my sword in him fell to his knees, dropping the sticks he had held. Then he started toppling backward. I ran and jumped to tackle him, the pommel of my sword jamming in my own right side ribs, but changed his momentum forward. He collapsed on his face and I went spilling over him. At least I had kept him from falling on my sword and damaging it.

I got to my knees to see the thumper I had slammed was already on his feet. I jumped up into a run, pulling my sword from the back of the fallen thumper and getting the tip up just in time to run it through my other attacker and we piled together. His arm that held the blackjack, raised to strike me, came down hard on my numbed shoulder. Turning cold numbness into streaking fire. I shouldered him off my blade, yelling from the pain, and he fell on his back. I could tell he wouldn't get up again. I flicked my blade quickly to throw the blood and gore off of it.

That brings us to a total of 63475 words. The end is in sight. The consequences of this chapter is they find the information they need to locate the magician. Next up is what to do with it, a final meta battle move (of which we foreshadowed, but you find out what it is this chapter, essentially the bomb goes off), then the assault on the hideout, and the final battle. Then the wrapping up of those who survived getting back to work. And finally the chapter about chopping wood, carry water.

The next few weeks are going to be very busy. I don't even have the Xmas Tree put up yet. I still haven't heard definitively if we're closing shop for a week (of which I'm of two minds, 1) bummed because less money but 2) psyched that I might have more time to write). Plus we have to get the car worked on. We're at the 110,000 mile maintenance line. So time for new timing belt, new spark plugs, a valve job, and new cabin filter (in case you're wondering it'll be nearly $1000). We'll have to leave the car with them the whole day. Which for us means a lot of logistics on who has what car when. Fortunately it's coming at a point where we can arrange it (this past semester and next semester, not so much).

The Year Without a Santa Claus

Is exactly like what half a day of work without the internet is like when your work requires internet connection. Our T1 line was down half the day (and our DSL backup decided to tank as well). No internets, no email, no functionality. My day thing requires my connection with several webservers (todays' work necessitated connection to three different client webservers), remote access login (needed two machines), and various FTP sites (three of them). The other part of the day thing, the design part, was in need of email and two FTP servers.

So all that came to a screeching halt today.

As a side note, I had gotten below 200 blog articles to read lately (since Thanksgiving I've been averaging between 300-400 on a rolling basis). I had been looking forward to getting below 150. Yeah, I'm back up to 300. Sigh.

But, while waiting for it all to come up, before the Other Fun Part of the Day&tm; showed up, I did get some good wordage out, finishing Chapter 36 (slightly north of 2000 words) and starting 37.

However the Other Fun Part of the Day&tm; showed up and sucked my brain, energy, and time, working me over lunch and until 7:20pm tonight. Joy. I can't talk about it too much, but let's just say it approached FUBAR. I really was hoping I wouldn't regain my reputation for taking the impossibly complex and screwed up and making it functional and intelligent. Yeah, really hoping I wouldn't have to do that again (or get the rep that I could do it). Damn it.

So, sorry I couldn't play much today. On another plus side I did realize that I need to schedule that Yellowstone in Winter Vacation sometime soon. Much of Yellowstone is without internets and cell connection. That may be a good thing for me. By noon I was getting a little twitchy without connection. The DB shakes weren't far behind.