So I stopped at the grocery store on the way home from work, even though I was concerned it would cut into my writing time. I was unaware how appropriate the word cut was when I pulled into the parking lot.
I got the bare essentials: chips, salsa, and a 12 of the Schlafly seasonal brew, Summer Lager. I foolishly gripped the cardboard case by one of the handles as I walked to the car. Sure enough, the handle broke and the 12 pack fell to the ground. I heard something break and exclaimed "Mother Fucker!" just as two old ladies walked past. Judging by their expression, they were both mothers.
Glass had exploded from the top of the cardboard case on onto the parking lot. I bent to pick it up the glass shrapnel, knowing I'd be the one to run over the glass and incur a flat tire if I didn't, and promptly had my finger sliced open.
"Son of a bitch!" I said. A passing guy said "Watch out, that shit is sharp." Understatement of the year. I finished picking up the bits of glass, my finger bleeding the entire time. It wasn't a gusher but it wasn't a paper cut either. I went back into the grocery store to wash it off but the sensor on the modernized sink wasn't working. I stuck a small square of paper towel on the bleeding cut and drove home.
In writing news, I wrote 2.5k in short order after I got home and not a drop spilled on the keyboard. Now I'm going to drink one of my eleven surviving beers.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Camp NaNoWriMo - Day 13
In non-writing news, I found a dollar on the ground a few minutes ago. So far, it has been the high point of the week.
I passed 10k last night. One goal for the week down. I'm still gunning for 25k by Monday but we'll see how it goes. It's less than 3k a day to meet that goal. I'm pretty sure I can do it as long as the characters cooperate. Also, I plan on staying out really late Thursday night.
Whitlock just met the first of his five people who roomed with the missing girl in college. Since I've never done a first person narrative before and never a mystery with so many characters, every paragraph is a learning experience. What's this woman like? How was her relationship with Amber? How much of Amber's sordid past do I reveal?
Deciding how big of a douche I want to make Amber's biological father is also proving to be a little problematic. He's a career burglar so I can't make him a nice person. On the other hand, I'm thinking about having him be a lazy loser who just tries to get by. I'll probably decide seconds before I write it.
I passed 10k last night. One goal for the week down. I'm still gunning for 25k by Monday but we'll see how it goes. It's less than 3k a day to meet that goal. I'm pretty sure I can do it as long as the characters cooperate. Also, I plan on staying out really late Thursday night.
Whitlock just met the first of his five people who roomed with the missing girl in college. Since I've never done a first person narrative before and never a mystery with so many characters, every paragraph is a learning experience. What's this woman like? How was her relationship with Amber? How much of Amber's sordid past do I reveal?
Deciding how big of a douche I want to make Amber's biological father is also proving to be a little problematic. He's a career burglar so I can't make him a nice person. On the other hand, I'm thinking about having him be a lazy loser who just tries to get by. I'll probably decide seconds before I write it.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Camp NaNoWriMo - Day 12
Camp NaNoWriMo continues to advance like a freight train, waiting for no man. I got in some solid writing time last night and I'm making good progress. While the story isn't coming as smoothly as Bullets Don't Blink did, the writing is measurably better. Must be the Chandler influence.
While I'm still way behind the official count, I'll still hit 50k by the end of the month if I write 2333 words per day. Since I normally write 3-5k per day when things are working, I'm not very concerned about being behind. I'm planning on hitting 10k tonight and I'd like to hit 25k before I come back to work on Monday. We'll see how it goes.
Even though I have no right to think about the next book while the current one is still in the womb, August's novel is probably going to be a fun pulp fantasy story. November's will likely be another crime book.
While I'm still way behind the official count, I'll still hit 50k by the end of the month if I write 2333 words per day. Since I normally write 3-5k per day when things are working, I'm not very concerned about being behind. I'm planning on hitting 10k tonight and I'd like to hit 25k before I come back to work on Monday. We'll see how it goes.
Even though I have no right to think about the next book while the current one is still in the womb, August's novel is probably going to be a fun pulp fantasy story. November's will likely be another crime book.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Camp NaNoWriMo - Day 11
I had an insight while I was cursing at the keyboard earlier.
When I started Between Hell and a Hard Place, I intended it to be little more than a modern era homage to The Big Sleep. It's already morphed into something else. While it's still a kick ass detective yarn, it's actually a story about family, specifically the black sheep. It's about Jack's place in the Whitlock family and Amber's place in the Brissette family. Funny how a story that was supposed to be about wise ass remarks and people getting hit over the head wound up with a theme.
The writing is flowing smoothly but is going to be an uphill climb for the foreseeable future. I am undaunted, however, and pretty damn sure I'll be caught up by the 18th. I thought of two red herrings I'm going to use as far as suspects go, which will give my story a much needed edge. Plus, tracking down Amber's natural father and the guy she had a restraining order against should give the story some legs.
When I started Between Hell and a Hard Place, I intended it to be little more than a modern era homage to The Big Sleep. It's already morphed into something else. While it's still a kick ass detective yarn, it's actually a story about family, specifically the black sheep. It's about Jack's place in the Whitlock family and Amber's place in the Brissette family. Funny how a story that was supposed to be about wise ass remarks and people getting hit over the head wound up with a theme.
The writing is flowing smoothly but is going to be an uphill climb for the foreseeable future. I am undaunted, however, and pretty damn sure I'll be caught up by the 18th. I thought of two red herrings I'm going to use as far as suspects go, which will give my story a much needed edge. Plus, tracking down Amber's natural father and the guy she had a restraining order against should give the story some legs.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Camp NaNoWriMo - Day 10
Yeah, so I'm roughly a week behind schedule. I could blame external factors like my trip to Tulsa and subsequent relationship woes but I'd say the four days of hiking and doing everything I can but write are to blame.
It is not an insurmountable goal for me to still hit 50k by the 30th, however. I still have twenty days and I've written a hell of a lot more than 50k in 20 days before. I'm going to take tonight off and hit the ground running tomorrow.
Speaking of external factors contributing to me not writing, The Avengers was awesome! The Hulk was by far my favorite part, followed by Loki. It was a great flick. The only minor complaints I have would be not enough Captain America and I don't think everyone needed to have witty one-liners. I know they're a Joss Whedon staple but I don't see Thor making jokes. Other than that, I'd say it's the best super hero movie I've ever seen.
In other news, I shaved my beard off and feel like half a man. I'll be regrowing it directly.
It is not an insurmountable goal for me to still hit 50k by the 30th, however. I still have twenty days and I've written a hell of a lot more than 50k in 20 days before. I'm going to take tonight off and hit the ground running tomorrow.
Speaking of external factors contributing to me not writing, The Avengers was awesome! The Hulk was by far my favorite part, followed by Loki. It was a great flick. The only minor complaints I have would be not enough Captain America and I don't think everyone needed to have witty one-liners. I know they're a Joss Whedon staple but I don't see Thor making jokes. Other than that, I'd say it's the best super hero movie I've ever seen.
In other news, I shaved my beard off and feel like half a man. I'll be regrowing it directly.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Camp? What Camp?
Okay, so circumstances derailed my start of Camp NaNoWriMo. Without
getting into too much personal detail, I wound up coming back from the
Magical Mystery Tour several days early. The point I'm trying to make is that I'm at 3798 words as
of this writing. Not only that, I'll probably not pick it up again
until Monday. Still, I've written 50k in 10 days before so I'm
confident I'll "win" again this month.
On the plus side of the ledger, I've done a bit of hiking this week and
On the plus side of the ledger, I've done a bit of hiking this week and
Thursday, May 31, 2012
The Zero Hour Approaches
Time is ticking away. Just over 12 hours remain before Camp NaNoWriMo kicks off. Am I ready?
Meh. As ready as I was last time. I had some insights this morning about Whitlock's family life this morning that I'm going to work into the story and a news story about a guy high on bath salts that ate another man's face off might make it into the novel at some point.
I'm not too worried about it, though. Since I'm embarking on what I'm referring to in the blog as The Magical Mystery Tour tomorrow, I'll have 7-8 hours in the car during which to think before I finally start writing.
I've got high hopes for Between Hell and a Hard Place. I'm planning on focusing on Whitlock more than the actual plot, much like most Raymond Chandler books are more about Philip Marlowe being awesome than they are about him solving mysteries. We'll see how it all shapes up.
Meh. As ready as I was last time. I had some insights this morning about Whitlock's family life this morning that I'm going to work into the story and a news story about a guy high on bath salts that ate another man's face off might make it into the novel at some point.
I'm not too worried about it, though. Since I'm embarking on what I'm referring to in the blog as The Magical Mystery Tour tomorrow, I'll have 7-8 hours in the car during which to think before I finally start writing.
I've got high hopes for Between Hell and a Hard Place. I'm planning on focusing on Whitlock more than the actual plot, much like most Raymond Chandler books are more about Philip Marlowe being awesome than they are about him solving mysteries. We'll see how it all shapes up.
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