I write because my passion is to tell people stories.
Stories of love and hate, of fear and hope. Stories where good people do bad things and bad people do good things. Stories of lives that are unexpected, horrible and beautiful.
I write these things because I believe they are true in real life, therefore should be in fiction too. But not matter what I write, I always seem to be asking ‘why’?
Just wanted to give you all a quick update on the the anthology that holds my 5th published short story. It was going to be released on December 1 2009, but due to unforeseen events and deadlines the release date has been pushed back to January 1 2009.
I’d rather the editors and owners do this, than put into production a book of sub-standard quality. Now that I’ve had a chance to read through all of the stories (yes, special privileges for us authors) I know that you will all enjoy this anthology when it’s finally ready for purchasing.
And to prove it, below you will get to hear the very first promotion for the anthology titled Chinese Whisperings: The Red Book. Check it out:
I have no fancy stats for you today. Only an apology that I haven’t continued to update you on my novel writing progress.
Essentially, my week two word count total looked like this:
Days 8-13 = 0
Day 14 = 1000
And my week three word count total looked like this:
Day 15 = 2000
Day 16 = 1760
Days 17 -21 = 0
On November 22, I should have been at 36,667 words. I was at 19,257. In the latest NaNoWriMo pep talk I’m part of the 3rd NaNo Writer group. The “Go On Without Me” group.
I could rattle off a list the length of my arm with excuses, but I won’t bore you with the details. Yes, I had a lot to do this month and yes I chose to spend it doing things other than writing this novel (because there was writing involved, but I digress). We all have busy lives and it’s how we “chose” to spend our time that matters.
So on November 23, just before I went to bed I checked out a few of my friends NaNoWriMo stats. Two of them had already met the 50,000 word goal. A little purple banner was next to their names with brilliant white text that read “Winner”.
I wanted one.
So I got up the next morning and wrote 2,438 words. Yesterday I wrote 3,742 words.
According to a bunch of word count calculators, I have to write just under 5,000 words for the next 5 days to win.
I’m calling all of my bosses (because I have multiple jobs) and asking if I can push back a couple of deadlines. Some I can’t, but some I can.
I’m hopeful that I can do it, even though I’m asking myself to write half of a novel in 5 days.
We’ll chat on Tuesday, December 1st, and you’ll find out if I made it or if everyone went on without me
I had a dream last night that I was standing in front of a class as a presenter. A student asked me the age old question everyone asks a writer, “where do you get your ideas from”?
I answered that ideas are everywhere and one student in the front laughed at me saying I was avoiding the question. So I proved it to him.
I asked one student to tell me what one of the books in his bag was. It was an Encyclopedia. I asked another student if he had any strange items on him. He had Binoculars. I asked a girl at the back to tell me something she had done as a child that wasn’t something normal or everyday. She told me her bike was stolen and her and her parents went door to door to see if anyone saw anything or could help.
3 items. For the final piece of the puzzle I asked for the name of guy who had laughed. His name was Dave. So…
A young magician named Dave was taking training in a very special school. The boy wanted to be the very best and decided to sneak into the head master’s chamber one night to peak through the old man’s Book of Knowledge. He was looking for something simple that the head master could believe he figured out for himself. But then he found a spell he had to try. A spell that would make him Far Seeing; to see great distances without traveling them on foot. And all he has to do was say a simple incantation, so he tried it. Well, he turned into a bird and with no vocal cords he couldn’t say the reversal incantation. Now he had a problem. He would have to find someone who could help him out of this mess, without speaking to them, somehow get them to read the incantation at the bottom of the page locked in a tower in one of the most prestigious magic schools in the land and not have the headmaster find out.
Ok so it’s not the best story but it did prove my point.
Now that I’m awake, I pass the challenge on to you. What story can you come up with using the three items from above as your inspiration – you don’t have to use the name. It can be in any genre with any plot line, but try to keep it under 500 words. You just want to create a story idea, not write the whole story. Post your story idea in the comments or post a link to your blog.
This is great way to get over the mid-week slump, and if you are in middle of NaNoWriMo this might give your creative juices a squeeze.
“Remembrance Day” is what November 11th is called in many Commonwealth Countries – such as Australia, Barbados, Bermuda, Canada, Ireland, South Africa and United Kingdom (as well as the allied country Ireland). “Veterans Day” also falls on this day in the United States, and Armistice Day is celebrated in France and New Zealand.
In Canada, Remembrance Day is a statutory holiday, but sometimes I wonder if we really remember what this day is about? Is it just another holiday – a day where we can all celebrate not having to go to work?
I remember… Remembrance Day was dedicated by King George V, on November 7th 1919, to commemorate the sacrifices of members of the armed forces and of civilians in times of war, specifically since the First World War.
November 11th was chosen because WWI formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 (11:00am, November 11, 1918) when the Germans signed the Armistice Treaty.
Thankfully, a lot of people remember to bow their heads at 11:00am and thank the men and women who gave their lives in WWI and all the wars since. Some buy also poppy’s to show their support as well.
The poppy is Canada’s flower of Remembrance, has been since 1921, thanks in large part to the Canadian military physician John McCrae’s poem In Flanders Fields. As mentioned in the poem, poppies bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in WWI, their red colour was an appropriate symbol for the bloodshed.
John McCrae wrote that poem in 1915 for the burial of his friend and it was published that year by “Punch”. It grew to be very popular, and least he got to see some of the recognition before he died of pneumonia in January 1918, just ten months before the end of WWI which his poem now commemorates.
At 11:00am on November 11th, Canada, and many other commonwealth countries, will observe two minutes of silence to remember those who have given their lives in the service of their country.
Whether you believe in war or not, this day isn’t about war. It’s about their lives and our freedoms.
My heart is with my dear friend Cpl. Levac in the Canadian Air Force, and the men and women that he serves with. You make me proud to be Canadian.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved, and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.
The daily goal all NaNoWriMo’ers try to meet is 1667 words per day. So far I’m doing pretty good at reaching that (so why can’t I do this during the other 11 months of the year?). I did mess up on Day 5 (I had a huge migraine) and on Day 7 but I made up for Day 5 on Day 6 and plan to do the same on Day 8. Now, let’s recap Week One of this literary adventure…
Word Counts (novel total after the dash, goals in brackets):
Day One: 3,395 – 3,395 (1,667) – Sunday
Day Two: 2,715 – 6,110 (3,333)
Day Three: 2,310 - 8,420 (5,000)
Day Four: 2,065 – 10,485 (6,667)
Day Five: 715 – 11,200 (8,333)
Day Six: 3,444 – 14,644 (10,000)
Day Seven: 1,190 – 15,834 (11,667) – Saturday
Novel Stats For Week One:
Number of People Killed off Screen: 1 planet + 997 thousand (Mothership 255) + 25 (Planet Tarton)
Number of People Killed on Screen: 8
Violent Acts done to the Main Characters: 1 rape/beating
Violent Acts done by the Main Characters: Blew up a planet by mistake + destroyed numerous Myrith Arrows
Phrase from the Villain: “Oh my. Did your balls just drop, boy? How interesting.” – Corin Macias
Phrase from the Minor Character: “Um, Sir. Did you have a plan? I mean besides relying on my perfect piloting skills and pure dumb luck?”- BensonWats
At the end of this week you are on which Chapter: Halfway through Chapter 4
Other:
I know what you’re thinking. That’s a lot of really bad things happening to your main characters, what’s the deal? I think I answered this on Twitter by posted that “I’m emotionally destroying my characters so I can rebuild them into heroes”, and my friend Michell agrees with me (I think) saying “No pain/mutilation, no gain/retribution”.
There was this forum on NaNoWriMo.org that asked you to create a PostSecret for your character. I did one for Tori when I really should have been writing on day 4 but hey I still think it’s cool.
Also, I mentioned in my supplemental post I created a very basic outline for my novel. This novel has 15 plot points (two are place holders that just say “something big & bad happens” but I’ll work on those). I am already on point number 5 which reads “Harper infiltrates the Myrith system and arrives on Mothership 255″. I think that my outline (and story overall) will take more than 50,000 words to tell but at least 50K will give me a great head start.
How did your first week of NaNoWriMo go? Did you meet your goals? Have any favorite stats or phrases you wish to post?
Not participating this year? No problem, but you can still leave me a comment anyway (I need the encouragement).
I Remember…
