My reassembly/edit of my WIP has produced about 42000 words so far. There are a handful of new scenes. I would say I'm 50-60% of the way through the story. Hero and Heroine are falling in love, with some serious denial and a couple of complications (an engagement, a little legal entanglement, some backstory/history to overcome). My heroine has actually begun to admit, at least to herself, that she has some serious feelings for this guy. He actually has a lot more issues to overcome, so he's not there yet. I think I have "chapters" numbered up to 15 now, in sequential order. Some are around 1k words, some quite a bit larger. I have another 3-5 scenes that need basic editing that I could add in, but I'm missing a piece first.
I have found that my NaNo write covered about 80% of the heroine's POV, and about 20% of the hero's. Most of my new scenes have been through his eyes. That's kind of strange as I look at the story now, since I feel that the biggest conflict and growth is actually the hero's, not the heroine's. Then again, the heroine's POV carries much of the major action, which is probably why it was easier to write her first. Maybe it's a bit cliche that he will have to prove himself "worthy" while she merely has to stick to her guns about what she wants in life. We'll see.
I am off this afternoon, and I have to admit that I almost didn't bother to sit and do any writing/editing. There's a new Indiana Jones movie out, and of course the Narnia one (and, let's face it, I haven't seen a single movie that's in the theaters right now, so they're all new to me). I seriously considered taking myself to the theater for the afternoon as a reward for cleaning house and running errands this morning. I probably should have--days off when the kids are at daycare are very very far between for me--usually they're home with me or one of them is sick. Where, oh where, have my priorities led me?
Friday, May 23, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Wip me, Beat me, Take away my Charge Card...
I haven't written in almost 2 weeks. Family trips just sap the energy right out of you, and blow it up like a peep in the microwave until every last millisecond of your time is full. Then you come home and that mega-peep deflates into a crunchy, splatted mess. Which pretty much describes how I've felt yesterday and today.
Hopefully tonight, or else Thursday or Friday I will find a couple of hours. In the mean time, that silly writing prompt exercise has invaded my head. Claire and Helmut keep whispering about their motivations, their next steps. I don't need another WIP. I have one that needs finishing. I have ideas, strong ideas, for 3 more. I guess this one makes 4.
I must resist the urge to start something new. I must finish my WIP. I must resist the urge to start something new. I must finish my WIP. I must resist the urge to start something new. I must finish my WIP. I must resist the urge to start something new. I must finish my WIP...
Hopefully tonight, or else Thursday or Friday I will find a couple of hours. In the mean time, that silly writing prompt exercise has invaded my head. Claire and Helmut keep whispering about their motivations, their next steps. I don't need another WIP. I have one that needs finishing. I have ideas, strong ideas, for 3 more. I guess this one makes 4.
I must resist the urge to start something new. I must finish my WIP. I must resist the urge to start something new. I must finish my WIP. I must resist the urge to start something new. I must finish my WIP. I must resist the urge to start something new. I must finish my WIP...
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Writing Prompt
I saw a writing prompt recently, listing a handfull of made-up newspaper titles to start from, and was inspired. This is not my WIP, nor do I have any plans to make it a WIP. But it was fun to throw together :) Enjoy!
She was new to the building, and a blonde. Helmut always noticed the blondes. Especially the long-legged ones. She sat one one of the brown leather armchairs in the corner of the ground-floor Starbucks, calmly sipping steaming liquid with ruby-red, plump lips. Kissable lips. Her long legs were crossed primly at the knee, but her skirt had ridden up, revealing a tempting glimps of shapely thighs. One high-heeled pump dangled from her raised toe, playfully.
Helmut slid his laptop bag to the floor in front of him, and studied her surreptitiously as he slowly added sugar and a splash of milk to his dark-roasted coffee. Not too sweet, not too creamy, just enough to take the edge of bitterness off. Her hair color was probably natural, or a very expensive salon job. Platinum highlights around her face accentuated a golden tan that was slighlyt pink around the temples. He could picture her sunning herself on a beach, bikini top unhooked while he massaged tropical-scented oil into her supple skin. Helmut smiled to himself. This morning was turning out better than he thought.
He slung his laptop bag back over one shoulder, loosened his tie a touch, setting it slightly askew. He reached his hand up, and brushed the hair above his forehead, knocking a strand out of place. Perfect.
Helmut picked up his coffee, hunched his shoulders slightly, and walked over to the blonde, wearing the boyish grin that so many women had been able to resist.
"Excuse me, miss?" The blonde looked up, dazzling him with saphire blue eyes. "I wonder if you could help me a minute."
She sat her cup down on the side table, and studied him, her appraisal cool. This close, Helmut could see that she was a little older than he had guessed, probably late 20's or maybe 30. Her eyes were too knowing, her face too refined to be a college intern or fresh-faced secretary. Even better. Women her age always had strong mothering instincts. He congratulated himself on choosing the perfect ruse.
"I am meeting my new boss in a few minutes. How do I look? Is my tie straight?" Helmut tried to make his voice sound a little helpless. A bachelor in sore need of a woman's guidance.
"Trying to impress your boss? Your tie is crooked." Her voice was low and smooth, sexy. Helmut felt a tightening in his groin, and suddenly wanted, no needed, to hear that voice say his name.
He reached one hand up to fix his tie, deliberately knocking it offcenter the other way. "How is this?"
He watched her glance at her watch, then stand. "Here, allow me," she said, her expression polite but her voice amused. As she stepped closer to Helmut, her scent filled his nostrils, light and fruity with a hint of coconut. He held still and as her fingers brushed his lapels, deflty adjusting his tie.
"Much appreciated. My name is Helmut, by the way, Helmut Forester. And you are?" He reached out his right hand. She accepted it, and gave his hand a quick, businesslike shake. He did not immediately release her fingers.
"Claire," she looked down at her hand, and carefully extracted it from his grasp. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Helmut Forester, I must be on my way."
Helmut watched her walk calmly toward the bank of elevators, her posture confident, hips swaying lightly.
**
"Fifty bucks I get her in bed in two weeks."
"No way man, I don't bet on a horse I've never seen with my own eyes."
"Quiet, you two, the meeting is about to start." Martha from HR gave Helmut and Ben a withering stare. The woman reminded Helmut of his grade school principal, her steel gray hair combed into a severe bun, and dark-rimmed reading glasses hanging on a chain around her neck. Reflexively, Helmut sat up a little straighter and wiped the grin off of his face.
He flipped open the manilla folder sitting on the boardroom table in front of him, and scanned the pages. As the CFO of Hunter & Fox, he would be expected to present the current numbers to their new CEO, CJ Hunter, son of the newly retired James Hunter. Helmut had not yet met the new guy, but he understood that his new boss had been a rising star at his previous post. He'd taken an internet startup from his friend's garage to a multi-million dollar corporation in just under 6 years.
Hunter & Fox was a completely different sort of business, Helmut thought with a frown. All of the flash and hype of the internet wouldn't help the kid here. He was in for a rude awakening.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," began James Hunter, who now sat on the board of directors for the corporation, "Allow me to present your new Chief Executive Officer, CJ Hunter." The room errupted in polite applause as a long-legged blonde stood up beside old man Hunter.
"Shit," muttered Helmut under his breath and glanced back at Ben.
Ben looked from Helmut's shocked expression back to CJ Hunter, Claire James Hunter, and nearly burst out laughing. He picked up a pen and scratched something onto a sheet of paper, then pushed it over to Helmut.
"$1000, 2 weeks."
Helmut smiled slowly, recalling her scent, the way his name had rolled off of her tounge. He picked up his own pen, wrote his reply, and shoved the paper back to Ben.
"Deal."
She was new to the building, and a blonde. Helmut always noticed the blondes. Especially the long-legged ones. She sat one one of the brown leather armchairs in the corner of the ground-floor Starbucks, calmly sipping steaming liquid with ruby-red, plump lips. Kissable lips. Her long legs were crossed primly at the knee, but her skirt had ridden up, revealing a tempting glimps of shapely thighs. One high-heeled pump dangled from her raised toe, playfully.
Helmut slid his laptop bag to the floor in front of him, and studied her surreptitiously as he slowly added sugar and a splash of milk to his dark-roasted coffee. Not too sweet, not too creamy, just enough to take the edge of bitterness off. Her hair color was probably natural, or a very expensive salon job. Platinum highlights around her face accentuated a golden tan that was slighlyt pink around the temples. He could picture her sunning herself on a beach, bikini top unhooked while he massaged tropical-scented oil into her supple skin. Helmut smiled to himself. This morning was turning out better than he thought.
He slung his laptop bag back over one shoulder, loosened his tie a touch, setting it slightly askew. He reached his hand up, and brushed the hair above his forehead, knocking a strand out of place. Perfect.
Helmut picked up his coffee, hunched his shoulders slightly, and walked over to the blonde, wearing the boyish grin that so many women had been able to resist.
"Excuse me, miss?" The blonde looked up, dazzling him with saphire blue eyes. "I wonder if you could help me a minute."
She sat her cup down on the side table, and studied him, her appraisal cool. This close, Helmut could see that she was a little older than he had guessed, probably late 20's or maybe 30. Her eyes were too knowing, her face too refined to be a college intern or fresh-faced secretary. Even better. Women her age always had strong mothering instincts. He congratulated himself on choosing the perfect ruse.
"I am meeting my new boss in a few minutes. How do I look? Is my tie straight?" Helmut tried to make his voice sound a little helpless. A bachelor in sore need of a woman's guidance.
"Trying to impress your boss? Your tie is crooked." Her voice was low and smooth, sexy. Helmut felt a tightening in his groin, and suddenly wanted, no needed, to hear that voice say his name.
He reached one hand up to fix his tie, deliberately knocking it offcenter the other way. "How is this?"
He watched her glance at her watch, then stand. "Here, allow me," she said, her expression polite but her voice amused. As she stepped closer to Helmut, her scent filled his nostrils, light and fruity with a hint of coconut. He held still and as her fingers brushed his lapels, deflty adjusting his tie.
"Much appreciated. My name is Helmut, by the way, Helmut Forester. And you are?" He reached out his right hand. She accepted it, and gave his hand a quick, businesslike shake. He did not immediately release her fingers.
"Claire," she looked down at her hand, and carefully extracted it from his grasp. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Helmut Forester, I must be on my way."
Helmut watched her walk calmly toward the bank of elevators, her posture confident, hips swaying lightly.
**
"Fifty bucks I get her in bed in two weeks."
"No way man, I don't bet on a horse I've never seen with my own eyes."
"Quiet, you two, the meeting is about to start." Martha from HR gave Helmut and Ben a withering stare. The woman reminded Helmut of his grade school principal, her steel gray hair combed into a severe bun, and dark-rimmed reading glasses hanging on a chain around her neck. Reflexively, Helmut sat up a little straighter and wiped the grin off of his face.
He flipped open the manilla folder sitting on the boardroom table in front of him, and scanned the pages. As the CFO of Hunter & Fox, he would be expected to present the current numbers to their new CEO, CJ Hunter, son of the newly retired James Hunter. Helmut had not yet met the new guy, but he understood that his new boss had been a rising star at his previous post. He'd taken an internet startup from his friend's garage to a multi-million dollar corporation in just under 6 years.
Hunter & Fox was a completely different sort of business, Helmut thought with a frown. All of the flash and hype of the internet wouldn't help the kid here. He was in for a rude awakening.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," began James Hunter, who now sat on the board of directors for the corporation, "Allow me to present your new Chief Executive Officer, CJ Hunter." The room errupted in polite applause as a long-legged blonde stood up beside old man Hunter.
"Shit," muttered Helmut under his breath and glanced back at Ben.
Ben looked from Helmut's shocked expression back to CJ Hunter, Claire James Hunter, and nearly burst out laughing. He picked up a pen and scratched something onto a sheet of paper, then pushed it over to Helmut.
"$1000, 2 weeks."
Helmut smiled slowly, recalling her scent, the way his name had rolled off of her tounge. He picked up his own pen, wrote his reply, and shoved the paper back to Ben.
"Deal."
Friday, May 2, 2008
Live from Starbucks on a Friday night
Words: 32125
The Ipod's in my bag, but not on. Oddly, I'm finding the background noise of people talking to be almost as good as music. I must be getting used to music deprivation at work (strange rules about radios, IPods's, etc make it difficult to listen to anything other than my coworkers discussions).
It's really chilly. I think I'm sitting under a vent. Note to self: bring a jacket. It is still spring, after all, and it's 10pm. It is supposed to be chilly. This place is a lot louder than I would have expected.
I've had a good 1.5 hours of fairly uninterrupted time tonight, plus another 1.5-2 yesterday between work and my exercise class. Somehow, that was all used for the same set of scenes. Total of 3000ish words, mostly brand-new, but as a rewrite of a scene from before. I ought to keep going, but I need a couple of completely brand-new ones, that in my initial NaNo draft were reduced to about a paragraph. And I'm brain dead. I do better writing a scene if I've had time for my sub-conscious to work on it before I hit the keyboard. So, maybe tomorrow or Sunday.
Let's see, my hero and heroine are starting to realize that they're compatible, and finding each other interesting. Attractive and interesting. Too bad for the that their complications are still very much in the picture. Next up: giving those complications a little screen time.
And now, for a little photo inspiration for my hero. Imagine this guy, except blonde, with light blue eyes. And a tad older. Wearing a tie. Ok,he's just cute. I am in the middle of watching the Covenant on the DVR, and he's is just really really cute. And he'd look great as a blonde :)
The Ipod's in my bag, but not on. Oddly, I'm finding the background noise of people talking to be almost as good as music. I must be getting used to music deprivation at work (strange rules about radios, IPods's, etc make it difficult to listen to anything other than my coworkers discussions).
It's really chilly. I think I'm sitting under a vent. Note to self: bring a jacket. It is still spring, after all, and it's 10pm. It is supposed to be chilly. This place is a lot louder than I would have expected.
I've had a good 1.5 hours of fairly uninterrupted time tonight, plus another 1.5-2 yesterday between work and my exercise class. Somehow, that was all used for the same set of scenes. Total of 3000ish words, mostly brand-new, but as a rewrite of a scene from before. I ought to keep going, but I need a couple of completely brand-new ones, that in my initial NaNo draft were reduced to about a paragraph. And I'm brain dead. I do better writing a scene if I've had time for my sub-conscious to work on it before I hit the keyboard. So, maybe tomorrow or Sunday.
Let's see, my hero and heroine are starting to realize that they're compatible, and finding each other interesting. Attractive and interesting. Too bad for the that their complications are still very much in the picture. Next up: giving those complications a little screen time.
And now, for a little photo inspiration for my hero. Imagine this guy, except blonde, with light blue eyes. And a tad older. Wearing a tie. Ok,he's just cute. I am in the middle of watching the Covenant on the DVR, and he's is just really really cute. And he'd look great as a blonde :)
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