bad dream

The Magic Mantle, Isobel Lilian Gloag

Wondering about this magic mantle…it doesn’t seem to be doing the job. Get the feeling the poor girl is having one of those naked in public bad dreams…and the magic ain’t working.

and bled into the snow

The Signal, John William Godward

10,252. Saturday! It’s about time! So glad I don’t have to get up and go anywhere today. Last night I worked on the Trail of Shadows outline, asking myself questions, questions, questions, and today the questions continue. They’re endless. The only thing missing is a bright light and the threat of water torture, but I’m definitely tied to the chair.

priscilla slit her wrists…

Romeo and Juliet, Sir Frank Dicksee

10,252. I have to decide which story will dominate in Trail of Shadows. The mystery or the romance? Well I think the title gives a clue to that question. Hello… Trail of Shadows? How romantic does that sound? Dark and mysterious–yes. Intriguing–yes. Hearts and flowers–not so much. Ok. Put away the wet spaghetti. The main plot is a mystery, a murder mystery. The best kind. The romance? Subplot. Substantial subplot. Roses and razor thorns.

July is running out–heck, it’s gone in a few more days and I’m nowhere near a suitable outline. I’ve got Saturday and Sunday to get to it and get it done. Enough muttering in the head going on; get notes on paper. Think until the brain bleeds, and then, think some more. Bleed now, faint later.

they’ll fit when you’re dead

The King’s Daughter, George W. Joy

Something to remember when the way up is steep and the ledges are tiny…the sure-footed writer. My ledges are awful tiny.

What’ve I done this week? Reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Michelle’s already finished it and is threatening me with a quiz at our next meeting. Yikes!

Worked some on the Noraeka scene–brainstormed it yesterday; got a few good pieces. Still working on the Trail of Shadows outline.  Also brainstormed Project B. Making progress, but no new words yet.

don’t worry, said the skeleton

The Bayswater Omnibus, George W. Joy

10,252. Summer is disappearing so fast, like vapor in the wind. Wasn’t it just January? August 1 is my official date to return to writing Trail of Shadows, and I’m looking forward to spending lots of time with Aloli and Emeryk and Noraeka. I’m spending these last few days of July roughing out the story map, but I’m not a linear writer so the roughing out is occurring in fits and starts of thought. But a scene has come to me about Noraeka, completely out of whatever sequence I might have had in mind, but that doesn’t matter to me. What’s important is the scene itself and what it conveys about Noraeka–all of which contributes to the plot. I’m trying to teach myself how to plot, but it’s difficult. I don’t think of plot when I think of story. I think of characters and what they’re doing or not doing; I think of settings, and various intangible things–emotions, influences, world-building details–catalysts that work in the story, that have an effect, but what it all means won’t be clear until somewhere down the road.

So this scene with Noraeka is a good one. I can see how it fits, but not where, and I’ve no idea of the effect it’ll have on the other characters. But I like it! That is the fun of writing. If I were a linear writer, getting the story would be a lot easier for me. I envy my friend Janet who writes her stories one scene after another all the way to the end. How she gets the action to fall into line is a mystery to me.

And that reminds me. I’ll be posting an interview with her soon as I can get my questions together and actually get it done. I’ve got such a list of things to do, writing-wise–good thing I’m not a procrastinator.

these things don’t fit, she said

Judith and Her Maidservant, Artemisia Gentileschi

10,252.  Thinking about Trail of Shadows and how I don’t want it to become another A Lamentation of Swans–one rock around my neck is enough, thank you. I’ve decided to stick with my original tactic. Each time I sit down to write, my goal is to answer this question: “What happens in this chapter?” That’s how I wrote Chapters 1 and 2 of ToS. Now I’m at Chapter 3 and I want to keep moving. No stopping and sobbing in place. Starting August 1, 2 pages a day.

And, since there are always several other butterflies to chase:

1. Finish planning ToS — sketch major story arc

2. Review Project B

3. Plan Raen and Immara story (This one’s been in suspended animation for a while; yesterday it woke up and kicked me.)

My short fiction aspirations have fallen by the wayside. Keep trying to fit them into the schedule, but never happens.

merilda tried on her dragon wings

Music in New York, Homage to Bach, Maxwell Armfield

10,252. Not feeling up to par this morning; it’s the vacuum cleaner’s fault. It insisted we attack the layers of cat hair on the chairs, and the bathroom sobbed it wanted to be cleaned. The bedroom grumbled too. What could I do? I complied; somewhere along the way, my back muscles got themselves into a twist. They didn’t say a thing while I was busy, but when all was done, they started complaining, and they’re still complaining this morning. A friend recommended I drink a glass of cherry juice. Something in the juice works against muscle pain. Well okay. I picked up a bottle of “Just Cherry” at Trader Joe’s and had a glass. The back muscles went from hooting hysterically to giggles. Good enough.

Spent some time during the weekend poking at Trail of Shadows, brainstorming, and got a few more workable threads. Still have 9 days to go, but tonight my time’s going to be spent with Project B.

Heard back from one of the freelance gigs, didn’t get it, but that’s okay. It’s 6:50 a.m., coffee’s ready; time to perk up the brain.

needle and thread

Magnolia, Wilhelm List

10,252. Lunch meeting yesterday with Janet was nice, as usual. We talked about our writing, updated each other on our respective progress or lack of, and enjoyed our general chinwag. A terrible four-car accident delayed my getting home–what should have been a 40 minute drive back to Long Beach turned into an hour and a half, and would have been longer had I stayed in the roll an inch and stop, roll another inch and stop traffic on the 91, hoping to make it to the 605 before dark. I gave up and got off at Pioneer Blvd. in Artesia, had no clue where I was and drove all the way into Cerritos before coming across a freeway ramp to Long Beach. But getting lost has value; now I know there’s a westbound 91 ramp at Studebaker and Bellflower–for the next time I want to escape traffic paralysis–and discovered there’s a whole lot of Indian restaurants in Artesia. Meanwhile the afternoon traffic news reported the 91 West to the 605 was still a nightmare by the time I got home so if I hadn’t of taken my chance and exited, I would have been creeping along for another hour.

And, when I got home, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS was perched atop the mailbox, waiting for me, but I was good. I tore open the mailer, grinned happily at the book, and set it gently down for later. No reading until I’d worked on Trail of Shadows. I casted my characters–that was fun–and did some brainstorming on Inspiration. Before I start to write again, I want to know where I’m going. Don’t want to wrestle with doubt demons, don’t want to stumble around in the dark.

Today, my friend Patricia is taking me to a belated birthday brunch. Right now it’s 8:20 and I’m going to work on ToS until I need to leave and when I’m home again, it’ll be me and more Trail of Shadows. And then, HP! Got as far as Chapter 6 last night before zonking out.

Bright and sunny outside; let’s see what I can get done before Patricia calls.

the seat of my pants has a hole in them

Portrait of a Negress, Marie Guillemine-Benoist

10,252. Read Michelle Rowen’s Bitten and Smitten last night; thoroughly enjoyed it. A laugh out loud read. My first foray into comedic vampire romance is a keeper. Now I’m going to have to pick up her latest, Angel With Attitude.

Finally got a new working title for the romantic fantasy, Trail of Shadows (formerly The Key to Chaos). It’ll do for now. I’m hoping something better comes up in the writing. Right now the plan is to plan the novel. Not right down to the teensiest detail, but a nice rough outline of the story, a map for me to follow. There’ll be patches of pause even after I return to the writing, but they’ll be “the pause that refreshes” the plot ’cause the seat of my pants has a hole in them, and I want to finish this book.

Got a clue about Indera Catalina’s motivation that’s going to work perfectly in Trail of Shadows. Meeting with Janet today, but before I go I’m going to work on getting my story map together. I love story notes–write pages and pages of them, and out of it all I’ll get my map. I need to figure out more stuff about Aloli. So far she’s not active enough.

Oh, and one more thing–can’t believe this happened–but I got a terrific idea for NaNo this year, and this time, I’m actually going to sign up (Last year I just did it on my own.). I wasn’t sure about doing NaNo again ’cause I really haven’t had any ideas but now October will be planning month for this new one. Besides Michelle said I have to do it, otherwise we can’t celebrate at that great restaurant in Fullerton–there’s a hole in my head where its name ought to be–like we did last year. She’s treating this year–never pass up a free (expensive) dinner!

noraeka

The Keys, Edmund Blair Leighton 

2:18 pm

At lunch, went hunting for new authors to read–’cause it’s Friday, not that I’m making an excuse or anything for spending my last dollar. I wandered happily between my favorite genres: fantasy, science fiction, and romance (paranormal, this time) and picked up:

Working for the Devil, Lilith Saintcrow (I need a new kick-ass heroine ’cause Anita’s been disappointing me lately.)

Smitten and Bitten, Michelle Rowen (Thought my friend gave me this book–but no and Michelle’s blog is a joy to read.)

Demon Moon, Meljean Brooks (Word up: Read!)

The Rest Falls Away, Colleen Gleason (Love the title; and a Regency Buffy–need I say more?)

Shards of Crimson, Liz Maverick, Patti O’Shea, Carolyn Jewel, and Jade Lee (From reading Carolyn’s blog, her DX sounded intriguing, and the others are new to me.)

Fool Moon, Jim Butcher (’cause he rocks, from what I hear)

These aren’t going to sit long on the TBR stack ’cause I’m about to go into a reading frenzy, starting tonight with Bitten and Smitten.

10,252. Two weeks to finish the planning of the Aloli book, and I’m so excited! ‘Cause Noraeka is coming to life! She’s going to be so much fun to write. She’s about to become significant in a big way, and what a surprise she’s going to be. My oh my!

And that reminds me–Aloli needs heavy duty work. She’s going to have to power up. La Muse is swanning about, patting herself on the back. Don’t break your arm, dearie. You’ve been on vacation for weeks now and I’ve been in the salt mines all by myself!

All sorts of story questions are starting to pop up. So many I can’t keep up. Came up with a great new scene to introduce Noraeka. It’s going to be hot–and the start of Chapter 2, which is already partly written, but this new scene is going to come first. Chapter 1 will have to be rewritten. Need to make Aloli’s scene with the magistrate superior stronger. And, wouldn’t Noraeka know about Aloli’s visit to the Judiciary? Noraeka values her reputation. She’s not going to be calm about Aloli’s actions.

Also, must sit and figure out stuff about my hero Emeryk. He’s not in bad shape now, but I need to deepen his inner conflict.

So glad the weekend’s here! Yay!