Done--Right? Uhm, No...But Still...

Oh, the comments I have...

So, I was awakened this morning...some creepy little nose-picking kid (you have to be here to see why I harp on that some days...really) woke me up way too early....then the dog had to go out...and the neighbors scare her (not that I blame her) .... and the Muse started to whisper, with a cudgel, in my ear...actually when I finally crashed at 4am this morning, the Muse was still talking to me.  I kept telling her if it was that important, she should hang on to it, verbatim, until morning.  I should have said until I was awake and cognizant..but hey...she woke up me, with the first paragraph still intact from the morning before :-) ...and I of course had to sit down and write it...

I wrote 2206 words this morning.  My official nano word count is :
with the drum roll in the background....

50563 words

Which means, like, I'm done writing the novel, right?
No.  Not at all actually.  :-)  It means I am done trying to win the NaNoWriMo contest...because I hit the 50000 word marker.

Not counting rewrites and editing, I still have a lot of writing to do.  This is not your little 50000 word novel, not by a long shot.  Despite the fact that during rewrites, most of what I have now is going to hit the use it later in another story bin, I still have a good bit of writing into this version of the novel.  And I haven't really done anything more than get the ball rolling...unless I plan to write gobs of chapter books about these characters...which, ya know, could happen, should I develop a following for them...but I don't know...that's far too much for me to think about right this second...

I think I want to get the story basics down and out first before I start carving it up with the editing knife.
No way is this going to fit into any romance genre.  No way it touches the paranormal aspect I had so wanted to include.  It's raw and it's gritty, in a calm and weird way.  There are too many other things, too many other aspects, I have yet to even touch upon yet.

I am loving it too.

This was only the morning writing run too.  R has plans for this evening so I won't be camped out in his arms on his couch tonight...I will be slaving away at my computer--after removing the popcorn that grows like tribbles all over the house on the weekends when N is here.  :-)

I want my cookie now, see.  I hit the 50000 word mark.  I want my cookie.  I deserve it.  lol
Actually, I think I want a nice meal, with some sort of apple--or peach--cobbler, with a nice thick rich coffee for dessert....

Imagine what I will want once I actually finish the novel....not just the contest....
lol

Ok--I'll get back to you in a few....

Nano-Bites

Well, I was so worried and so afraid I would never make it to 50000 words from November 1 to November 30.  I was so afraid I would never be able to finish what I started....

Here it is, still technically Saturday, November 14, for me, as I haven't gone to bed yet, and I am officially at: 48357 words.

If there is one thing we should all know by now, it's that 2000 words in one day is not a real issue for me.

Today, this morning, a very interesting thing happened.  I sat down, thinking I was writing back story, more word padding, I will admit.  What actually happened was: I rewrote the intro.  I rewrote...so much.

Here's another midstream shift that has hit.  Even though it coincides with a great deal of what I have already written...it is a completely different novel.  It is absolutely not what I set out to write.  Not before November.  And certainly not since beginning the contest.

There are things inside me, quietly begging with all their might, to be allowed to come forth and show themselves.

Now, the original archetype of the story remains.  You can't spend twenty plus years with the same characters and not know them inside and out.  So when these changes of direction come in mid-stream, I can keep up and see which way the wind is blowing, even if the manner in which it all happens just completely baffles me.

This section, this direction, feels really really REALLY good to me.  I am pushing, but not overly much.  I am striving, without forcing.  Heck, most of the time, I am trying to keep my fingers from catching on fire as the characters do all the work and I struggle to keep up with them.

I wrote 10674 words today.  Today.  In one day.  Just one day.  Not that I haven't before...but not like this...I wrote about four thousand words this morning, before my loving smurf of a son kicked me off of my computer--and sent emails no less!  Sheesh!  I did save my document before being thrown out of my room.  I spent all day stewing.  I didn't want to work on my netbook--I had 4000 words on the desktop and no way to switch them over from one to the other--without starting a fight with two young children...either of whom might have chewed my arm off today had I tried to touch anything that might have gotten them away from their games--they were learning to read, darn it.  (starfall)

I worked all day.  I had a really good day at work too.  I worked on R's sock.  I am six+ inches into it.  Two more inches and I start turning the heel.  This is the prototype, let's see what we need to adjust next time around, tester sock.  I am really enjoying the snot out of this too.
I even had to place an order with knitpicks today--and I didn't even order any yarn!
I ordered more needles...and a couple books to even things up.  One is a book we've wanted for awhile because we liked it when we borrowed it from the library--and the other is an interesting looking sock making book.  Yes, I am officially addicted now and I am not even done with the first sock.

Both my kids are here, in case you missed that.  Which means fun fun fun -- it never stops.  :-)   N tried to color raw eggs with blue food coloring.  Which, btw, does come off little boys when the boy is soaked in warm bubbly water and scrubbed gently with olive oil soap.  Although the soap does not wash off the ornery attitude, not at all.

And I wrote a total of 10674 words.  With everything else that was going on.  I stayed up after the kids went to bed and I wrote, knowing I have to get up in the morning, knowing I will have clients waiting, knowing R will be here first thing to play with us, knowing I have to get up and write some more tomorrow too.  After my lead character wakes up as she went to bed and the writing stopped there....

If I wrote like that every day--and sometimes I do--I would have a whole entire rough draft done in five frakkin' days.  Five.

I have a boyfriend who is threatening to make my life a living hell once Nano is over.  He is determined I will edit and rewrite my book until it is the best I can make it.  He is not going to stop until I submit my book to publishers and to whomever else it takes to get my book out there.  He has my permission to threaten me in cases like this.

Do not underestimate what positive reinforcement from your partner can do for you.  It's amazing.

Then again, he is seeing that himself, as I kinda egged him into buying that first real estate investment property.  One property.  Positive cash flow.  Boom.  Boom.  Boom.  He's not even done buying the first one and he has a second one in mind for the next one as soon as the first closes.....

He is stumbling a little over things internally, even though he has planned to do this for seven years, only because for the past five years he had someone with him who shot down each and every idea he had, because it made her uncomfortable, because she had no capacity to think outside the box, or outside of herself.  Funny thing is--the very first property he is buying--positive cash flow from the closing date on.  He has all the win/win scenario stuff on his side from the get go.  She held him back from this.  He could have quit his day job by now if not for her negativity.

There is a lot to be said for letting go of the negative influences in your life.  Look at all the good things that have happened to him since he has.
Or all the things that have happened to me since I have.

I could be mean and show the flip side, but I don't have it in me right now.

I am returning to my regularly unscheduled nano update now.

I had an outline drawn up to follow the last idea when the novel jumped ship and swam catty-corner.  This bare bones outline can still be used, once it's been heavily modified...since basically it's the same people, with the same story.  But....it's completely different from what I planned to write.  An utterly different view of the activities that go on...

What I am writing is ... the back story.  The behind the scenes how did she reach this point stuff.  Stuff that was to be hinted at from novel to novel...because this 'fair maiden' is a serial--I've known her for 20+ years--give me a break--I have more pieces of her life in my head than I do my own....which is not as bad as it would seem to most...

These are not the pieces I had planned to focus on, not in any novel really.  Yet, this is the novel I am writing. This is the novel I will finish.  This is the novel I will take my sandstone to and polish.  This is the novel that will be published, first.

It's harsh.  It's bare.  It's brutal.  And it is so bloody brilliant at times.  I know where this stuff comes from.  I know why it comes.  Parts of it are going to be hard for some to swallow.  I know if it continues to go the way I think it is, it's going to cause pain to those who think it is written for or about them, or things they have been involved in.  But--it isn't about them.  At all.  It merely echoes those things--as this character has had all these experiences in place long before the people who will feel the reverberations ever entered my life.

I like this novel.
I like where it's going.
I understand why the shift, and I am good with it.
Although I am still quite surprised by the depth of it.

Here's to a beautiful rest of the month.

I shall continue to write after I reach 50000 words.  Although then I may not really keep track of anything.
Once I reach the end, which I know will come after 50000 words, I will start into editing and rewriting.  Whatever it takes.

I am so glad R is going to be riding me to publication.
This is the book that wants to be published first.  For that I am both happy and surprised.

And if I finish one book, guess what that means....I can finish more....

One book...after another...and the cycle is begun....

Bless you, Chris Baty, and your wonderful contest.  Thank you.
I have spent how many years saying I was planning to write, planning to be a writer.
I've been a writer now, for a couple of years, admittedly so.  Thanks to you, I know I am a novelist as well.
A novelist.

Imagine that.
Me.
A real live novelist.

:-)
Waa hoo!!

I have to go find food before i can sleep --and I have to get up in a couple hours.  The boy does not sleep in...no matter how much we wear him out....

Cheers!

Nano Update

Snarf.

22761 words into this work--and I had an idea for a new direction.

The joy of this particular story is it's one that I have had roaming through my brain for over twenty years.  That means I have all sorts of background information and ideas and time flows and too many other things.
Even though when I sat down to write that intro an entirely NEW character popped up and wanted his say as well...which is cool...because technically he's been in the background for the past few years without me really realizing it...so focused have I been on other aspects...

The thing is...the change in direction can encompass all of what I have already written--with some heavy re-writing -- so I am not in need of tossing everything...except the notes I have been running from--and changing the order of things...

I was wondering how 'fair' it would be to keep what I have rather than starting over--and the overall consensus seems to be--keep it--this is the rough draft....

Although now i am interested to see which way this direction takes me--it's not that this changed has altered what I want to write--and since this is a draft I haven't really paid too much attention to things like oh verb tense (which bugs me when I go back to figure out where I left off night after night) --  I think revelation is a much better term, now that I think about it.

So, last night, and today as I sit here waffling and baffling over things, I think I can say yes, the direction changed, but it was more of a solidification of things on some levels...as well as a shift in focus of the work...without really shifting all too much...

Cool.

Wait.  You have to get a really good visual on the Muse working w me on this one.  Now, usually I have a series of Muses to help with things when I write, but apparently I asked for a specific Muse to help with this Nano project, to keep me on track--and to date you have to admit she's been doing a wonderful job...

But you have to SEE her...
I hate to be cliche, but can we say Dominatrix Vampire here?
Whiter than white rose petal skin, that not shiny but waxy skin that looks so soft you could sink into it for days....
Black black waves of hair framing her face, spilling over her shoulders, down her back.
Big wide black eyes, with long fluttery lashes and thick black eyebrows all arched and perfectly groomed.
Blood red, dried blood red, scarlet maroon lips lush lips.  Not Angelina Jolie lips.  But still, lickable.
Tall, thin but not model thin.  Not bony.  Curvy.  Not overly buxom.  Round fertile hips.  A leather bustier/corset tightly tightly laced.  Low riding more than skin tight black leather pants.  Eight inch stiletto heeled over the knee laced up boots, in again black leather.  Black finger nails.  In her hand a cat-of-nine tails flicking back and forth as if it were a cat's tail.
And she doesn't sit.  She paces.  Paces back and forth.  She has this smile on her face.  Not as if the kitty just ate the cream, but the wily cat just snatched the canary up and there's not feather one trace to be found.  More than a Mona Lisa smile.  This is devious and cunning...while still maintaining the I am all sugar and spice facade.
She has a name.  I dare not utter it aloud.  Lest I feel her vengeance.  I know better.  :-)

If you've ever read the stuff I've written about my Muses...you know...you don't mess with them.  Brutal is an understatement.

And now that that devil has been given her due, I think I better turn my brain round to making notes, re-arranging notes, working on the new direction.  I surely do not wish to keep this particular Muse waiting too long.  :-)

This has started to blossom into a really beautiful day...

Is This My First NaNo Update Here?

Facebook is wonderful for quick updates.  I forget to do things here though, because of it.

So, word count overall is now 14123 words.

Merit badges I have earned thus far:  nano socializing, caffeine abuse, procrastination, word-count padding (dream sequences), the rally, creative nonfiction...does secret noveling count if I am on the phone and still working on my story?  I work at home--secret noveling is a bit difficult in relation to how others are able to manage this...

I think I am going to keep re-earning these same badges over and over...and I like it....

General Update

            Ok.  So I think I am understanding why I set up the other blog.  I have a mentor on hand at the moment who is trying to help me get my business and my professional life sorted for better…actualization of my plans?  For lack of any other description than that at the moment.  I am withholding judgment and a good many other things until I am certain of anything.  But, hey, at least we are moving forward here.

            Speaking of moving….we looked at houses this weekend.  We spent Sunday afternoon perusing a few open houses, with E in tow.  The original intent was to get a feel for what we (bf and I) are both after in a home together.  Well, we found an incredible house that we both love.  Three acres of land.  A fenced backyard for the dogs.  Tons of room inside.  A fireplace.  An incredible kitchen.  A wooden deck out back.  Ah.  At least the bf is checking into the viability of us actually getting this house.  We already have an offer in mind.  Money to put down.  Plans for the basement and so many other things.  It’s beautiful.  And if not this one, then there are plenty of others out there just waiting for us. 

            I have been running on a lot of energy from others lately.  Haven’t really stayed my own course through.  Too many what ifs and assumptions going on in my world.  Things are never dull here.

            I watched Underworld the Rise of the Lycans Sunday night.  Well, ok, so for a lot of it I was asleep on the bf’s chest w the girl curled up against my legs, but I got the gist of things.  I really like this movie.  I am impressed with it, very much.  I would like to point out that Sonia was blonde in the Evolution film, and far more pregnant than she was in this one, but overall, this was an excellent flick, in and of itself, and it tailored itself in nicely to the other two movies.  I really like that.  Some of the characterizations were off just a touch, but not enough to really set my teeth on edge.  I do like the trees in this movie, of all things.

           

            Which leads us to another segue here…upon recommendations and amazon reviews I bought Alwyn Crawshaw’s Ultimate Painting Course…I need more than this book offers…I was looking for something particular and this book isn’t it, although it is a very good book, please do not get me wrong—there is a lot of information to be had in this book….one thing I got from my original skimming of this book is the decide what you want to paint…decide your favourite subject….mine is trees.  The second I paused on that section of the book to read it, I knew.  Trees are my thing.  Not ‘landscapes’ or forests or anything so..vast..or maybe so typical…but trees.  Individual trees.  With their gnarled twisted branches and vast array of branches off shooting from other branches.  I saw an amazing tree this weekend…you could not see the tree for all the vines and ivy crawling up and over the thing…it had already dropped all its own leaves, but was green from root into the branches from its symbiotes.  Or parasites, depending upon how you look at it. 

            I also watched the Other Boleyn Girl.  Now, I have studied Queen Elizabeth.  I studied her sister Queen Mary, barely, but still.  Mostly in regards to Elizabeth and not really into her own life or times.  I have also studied Mary Queen of Scots.  I have never really delved into the complexities of Henry’s court or anything of that nature.  I did not know Anne’s sister bore the King a son, much less a daughter.  I knew only on the periphery that someone had bourn the King a son.  I’d never researched farther into it.  This movie was very well done.  I love the way things came together.  I love the way things were portrayed.  As annoying as I found the view points often shown through the walls and barriers, I understand that is how court was held then.  Someone was always listening.  Someone was always watching.  Be it maids or servants or other royals.  There was always someone there, even at the privy box door.  I was not all together certain of Eric Bana  pulling off King Henry—but he actually did a terrific job.  Although all I have been able to think since the end of that movie was they called Anne a Witch—because her uhm girly  bits had the power not only to change one man’s religion, but to change an entire country’s religion in the process.  She changed the world by the power of her girly bits.  Such is the power of girly bits, people.  If you know how to use it, you can control the world.  So it has been writ the universe over since the dawn of time.  However, I do think it is time to invest some study into the machinations of that court prior to Elizabeth….I love this sort of thing.

            My son ‘reconstructed’ one of my journey dolls for me this weekend,  Funny thing is, it was something I myself had wanted to do, but couldn’t bring myself to do it.  I think now she is even more lovely.  He broke off one stick, the one that was much longer than the other.  Now they are about the same length.

            I must do research on kachina dolls.  I will reveal more of the project later on, but I need to make two bodies for kachina dolls.  I am not making the heads/masks.  Only the bodies.  Hmm.  Very interesting.  I have been looking for something to push me to buy the armature wire I have been wanting, to try out some of the ideas in my brain…..

but which avenue do I go?  Traditional kachina…or my more …known…safer…spirit doll body methodology….research research here we come….

           

            I have also been asked to knit (or crochet) something for a friend.  She offered to pay for it, but I will not hear of that.  I need to go stash diving in order to pull the yarn, but this is going to be fun.  J  I love things like this.  Maybe I will be able to finish the other project I have had in mind for this friend…for months now…I’ve even started several times only to frog it every time.

            Does anyone have a good recommendation for a toe up sock pattern book?  Now that I am so proud of myself over the Turkish cast on, I want to make the bf socks.  He’s going skiing in Feb and I am supposed to knit him some ski socks.  I have no clue what that means yet, as I plan to take the man to a couple yarn stores to check out yarns before I commit to anything yet.  My red Venus doll, which is what started this entire process, is coming along quite well, in my opinion.  I am eager to see how she looks once she is finished….I still need to figure out what I want to do with the Kali Ma pattern.  I know I want to make her…I just have to do it.  Still wish there were a Sri Ganesh pattern available from the same designer.  I love her patterns.  I have four or five now.  Even though I have only finished one doll from the patterns I’ve bought.  I shall have to research toe up sock patterns and books in a bit as well. 

            I have pulled information and prompts from another writer’s group I am supposed to be a part of and haven’t really done too much with lately.  I shall begin posting prompt session from them as soon as I am able. 

           

            When I sat down last night and began to go through the ‘assignments’, it dawned on me that other than planning things for the NaNoWriMo project, I have not been in control of the topics of which I have been writing lately.  I have been working from prompts and more prompts.  This is not a bad thing.  I am writing.  I am just wondering at the path I am currently taking, wondering if I am setting myself up for something else down the road.  We’ll see.  I am writing and that is good enough for me at the moment.

            Speaking of prompts, I am off to see the textyladies for Talkative Tuesday.  Plus, I do need to rewrite last week’s prompt as well….

            TTFN….

Announcement

Please do note: today is the day that I OFFICIALLY signed up for NaNoWriMo 2009.

Please stand by--updates will be coming as they become pertinent.