Wednesday, November 23, 2011

It’s NaNovel Update Number 4!

Well we’re heading down that long slippery slope to the end, it’s Day 23 of NaNoWriMo!

First, we have the Statistics:

Total Word count:  56,607
Total Page Count:  192
Total Time Spent:  42.50 hours
Average Words per minute:  21
Average Pages per hour:  4


Second, we have the Write-Ins:

Well this week, rather than the family or work getting in the way of my Writing-In, it was my own health. Yes the, since you’re doing NaNo and got a flu shot (okay that may or may not be a factor in this), you’re going to get sick has hit me. Last year it was a twenty-four hour bug and no real biggie. This year – Pneumonia – yes that lovely chest infection took me by storm Sunday night and on Monday night went to the doctors, was prescribed three medications and told to stay home until 11/24 (Thanksgiving Day). Well Phooey. *pout*


Lastly, we have my notes

I’ve finally introduced my last main character. I know it seems a little late in the book to do so, but this puppy won’t be done when it’s done. It’ll be more like a purposeful To Be Continued... If I write the thing right, Rachael and her ‘crew’ may become my serialized fiction novellas. She seems to like that idea, and so does the rest of the cast.

Now on to our excerpt for the week. This one comes from something I wrote today. Michael’s memory block that has kept his Nueri half from his Human half separate has been removed. Poor guy is two in one. Makes for an interesting write. On second thought we’re going to make it two. Rachael wants to brag about her kids. :}

Rachael clicked off the communication unit. Michael was not going to be happy about this, if her and Traverse’s son had survived. What a wacked out family she had. More whack out than her own family had been when she was growing up. At least all but her had been normal humans. Now she was married to a Nueri, had a Nueri daughter, had an affair with a Pirate and born an aborted baby who’d been sold to the cyborg program. No she definitely didn’t put that past Traverse’s father to have done so.
On the plus side, she smiled, her kids had balls. One was leading a revolution that she thoroughly supported and the other had given the UCPA a big F* you by tracking down his parents. No child, donated to the cyborg program was ever allowed to know where they came from. They were supposed to grow up in their own family loyal to the scientist that raised them. She highly suspected that half those scientist hadn’t any clue on how to raise a child. Then again neither did she. Probably better for both her kids to have been raised by someone else. Though who knew, maybe she’d have figured it out before she completely messed up. Still, Rachael reeled her thoughts in, they weren’t namby pamby kids. They grabed their destiny by the balls and shook it. That was reason enough for her to be proud of them, even if she’d never had a hand in raising them.

Now that the glowing mother has had her turn; let’s peek at Michael’s duplicity, despite the fact he is asking me not to.

Michael slept in the blissful silence of darkness until a gentle shake woke him.
“How’s the head?’ Rachael’s voice tickled his ear.
“Still horrid,” Michael groaned as he rolled to one side. His head still pounded, though not quite as bad as before. He could use a serious neck massage though.
“Here,” she handed him a pill and some water, “take this; Mom’s cure for migraines. We’ve got to lift off in four hours or we’ll be late.”
“Late for what?” Michael asked as he sat up to take the medication.
“Rendezvous with the good Senator to pick up my wayward son.”
“Who?” Michael was still puzzled. His memory was seriously foggy.
“I’ll explain more once we’re on board. The surgery’s probably taken a bit out of you. Medications still wearing off and such.”
Rachael helped him into a ships suit after carefully taking all the IVs and sensors off his body.
“You know for a hospital supposed to be the best, that was a little archaic.” She shook her head and then took his hand. “How’s the head now?”
“Better actually,” Michael felt surprised.
“Probably should have taken out the IV first, who knows what they were doping you up with.” She laughed slightly. “Good thing I know who to make friends with, I think they wanted to keep you for studying.”
“I think I’ve had a life time worth or more of  being studied,” Michael stated harshly.
“I know love,” Rachael embraced him with a kiss. She pulled back into his eyes. “I know,” she whispered.
Her eyes spoke of memories and times gone by, of the things they’d done and didn’t. He saw images of his own past reflected in them, testing, drugging, torture, and he nearly collapsed.
“S---t,” the swear came to her lips as easy as love, “Come on let’s get you to the ship before that temporary block totally dissolves.” She straightened him up and brushed him off. “Come on and follow my lead.”
The halls were quite and Rachael walked through them with confidence. Michael followed trying to imitate the bravado she seemed to ooze, probably not making as much of a go at it given his head still felt like shit. S---t? Since when did she start swearing?
Since you let me out, a little voice responded.
Who are you? his mind wanted to know.
Your other self, the one that’s been blocked from you.
Michael shook his head trying to jumble his thoughts back into one. He wasn’t two people. He was one person, who happened to have the annoying problem of being Nueri.
But it’s not a problem, that little voice came back, it’s a boon.
“How the...” Michael clamped his mouth shut as Rachael looked back at him. He internalized the dialog again as they exited the hospital. How the hell is it a boon?
If you weren’t Nueri you would never have met her, never have had a child, and Transium would drive you crazy.
I killed my wife and child! Michael felt like he was exploding.
Elizabeth is there before you, can’t you see her, she’s leading you to safety.
“Ah, right on time,” Rachael interrupted his internal dialog.
They were a good distance away from the hospital now and had been walking down the street arm in arm, Michael wasn’t sure when that happened. But, as they got to the next corner a car pulled up and stopped. Rachael opened the door and pulled Michael in with her. Neither voice said anything in his head as the car pulled away.


And what about you, my readers, how are you doing? And how are your NaNovels going?

:} Cathryn Leigh {:

Thursday, November 17, 2011

It’s NaNovel Update Number 3!

All right we’ve gotten over the midway hump and we’re now at Day 17 of NaNoWriMo!  

First, we have the Statistics:

Total Word count:  42,805
Total Page Count:  146*
Total Time Spent:  34.55 hours
Average Words per minute:  20
Average Pages per hour:  4

*by the way, I’ve got my pages set up with double spacing, that why the page count might look a little high. I’m planning on printing this for editing by hand, rather than the electronic method I’ve been using for Phoenix Triumphant.


Second, we have the Write-Ins:

Well the family and my husband’s work have been conspiring against me. Still after a failed attempt at making it to the local library on last Wednesday I made it last night! I even found a fellow Writer there, trying to make up for lost days. I averaged 28 words per minute in the hour I was there, so I’d say it was successful. Still hoping to get to one of the big Write-In’s that happen closer to my work.
 

Lastly, we have my notes

Okay, so Light Speed is pretty slow when you have to travel 1,000 light years. I’ve discovered some interesting things about space travel. There’s a lot, and I mean A LOT of time spent twiddling your thumbs. Thankfully Rachael has an over a million books on file and has Michael to translate some of the more ancient works written by me, Miriam and Spook in the 21st Century A.D. Remember Rachael and company are living in the 41st Century A.C. (After Colonization).

I have gotten around to introducing Michael’s half-brother, Kron, and Rachael and Michael’s daughter, Lupita. In fact she’s got the best line written so far, so I think today’s excerpt will feature that. I’m looking forward to introducing Adam soon, the cybernetic aborted baby of Rachael and Traverse. Let me tell you. This is a fun cast!
 

“I think I’ve found a solution to your problem on how to fund your revolution,” Kron stated.
Lupita sipped the tea, but was wary of the Vidal. Kron had warned her about the stuff when he’d first stashed it in his house. To have him bring it out was a sign that something big was up. Bigger, she suspected, than his off handed comment about funding.
“Is it legal?”
“Not in the least.” Kron shook his head as he sipped his Vidal and then his tea. “Might involve Pirates too.”
“Space Pirates?” Lupita leaned forward, eager to know more.
“And you’re mom.” Kron sipped his Vidal and then his tea. He chuckled. “You can close your mouth now.
“Sorry,” Lupita sat back and nearly drank her Vidal in one sip. Luckily the burning stopped her and she spit half of it back. She gulped the tea, though it burned in a different manner going down her throat. “You could have been a bit more tactful.”
“Yes, but I’d say that expression was worth a kilo of Transium.”
Lupita snorted. “Don’t make me go Transition on your ass.”
Kron frowned. “You’ve been hanging around them boys too much.”
“Them boys, are going to be my army, if I can get them some weapons,” Lupita spat back. “So how’s this funding, my mom and Space Pirates linked together.”
“Not quite sure yet, but you know that spacer you’re Dad’s been traveling with?”
“The ‘Spacer bitch’?” It was the term she’d heard thrown about by her grandmother the few time Kron had gotten her close enough. Just glimpses of her father, but she’d known it was him. Whatever pack instinct came with being one of the Nueri Nin Ni, told her that he was family, close family, just as it had told her that Kron was related, though it’d taken longer to figure out how.
Kron leaned forward and Lupita reeled in her thoughts. “Well that ‘spacer bitch’ happens to be your mother.”
Luppita’s jaw dropped once more, but this time she kept enough cool to quickly close it before Kron could comment. “Are you sure,” she looked at Kron sideways, looking for any hint that he was pulling her leg.
“Your father just about came out and said it... How did he put that to me?” Kron sat back as he sipped the last of his Vidal while thinking. “Something along the lines of they got hitched when they were teens, only she went by a different name back then.”
Lupita froze, tea cup half way to her lips. “You’re not joking one iota?”
“No,” Kron looked dead serious. “And she’s got an in to the black market, IF we can supply the Transium.”

For thsoe of you who know Spook and a little bit about her NaNo Project, the Vidal drink, a gin made flavored with Vidallia from the twin sun system of Tellirax, was indeed named for her character, Vidal. Don't worry, they gave me their seal of approval.


And What about you, my readers, how ar you doing? And how are your NaNovels going?

:} Cathryn Leigh {:

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

It’s NaNovel Update Number 2!

Well NaNo has begun and I’ve set up a little NaNo update template to minimize time spent away from my NaNovel. So here’s what I have to say on Day 9 of NaNoWriMo.


First, we have the Statistics:

Total Word count:  25416
Total Page Count:  90
Total Time Spent:  22.22 hours
Average Words per minute:  19
Average Pages per hour:  4


Second, we have the Write-Ins:

Okay I went to a Write-in at a public Library in MA. It was odd not being in a coffee shop but I did accomplish one goal – get my mom back into writing! She went with me and since that Write-In she has utter reorganized her writing space so that she can write at night and not disturb her husband (who is an early bird).

Next up – trying to organize my own write-ins at the Eldersburg, MD Library. I’m going to make it an informal thing tonight. Maybe next year I’ll get the Library involved.


Lastly, we have my notes

The wood stove cooking didn’t go so well for me. My bread didn’t cook all the way through. I really ought to have followed the instructions better. But enough of Non NaNo stuff.

Things are traveling at light speed, which should be expected of a Sci-Fi universe that covers about a 2,000 Light Year size glob of space. Our next quote from what I’ve written this week was chosen based upon a Facebook conversation with Spook. Apparently one of her characters got a gender change mid way and it reminded me of a hilarious conversation between two of Rachael’s lovers. Keep in mind that Rachael is pretty insatiable as it is.

“Alpha Foxtrot Bravo Dash Zero One Niner responding to the communication request from Bravo Tango Sierra Fifty,” a male voice came over Traverse’s communication unit.
“What the...” he flipped the response switch, “Either you’ve had a sex change or this isn’t Rachael.”
Of course as soon as he said that Traverse wanted to hit his head against the wall. He had known there were others ship board with Rachael, he just hadn’t expected them to be awake. Thankfully the man obviously had a sense of humor because a chuckle came across the line.
“I’d fear for the women of the universe if she’d had a sex change.”
“Amen to that,” Traverse chuckled to himself. “This is Captain Traverse of the [to be named Pirate Ship] requesting instructions for landing.”

Oh and see that underlined phrase, yes I need a name for my Pirate Ship. Rachael’s Frisbee 100 (that’s a space ship designed based on the Frisbee and 100 feet across) is the Alfa Foxtrot Brave Dash Zero One Niner (AFB-019), nicknamed Cilla by Captain Robert (who apparently had a huge influence on Rachael as she keeps referring back to him.). I was thinking something along the lines of Juliet Romeo (JR for Jolly Roger?). Use the FAA/Military alphabet and you could come up with some interesting letter/word combinations :}



And so dear readers, I conclude with these three questions for you:
1) Have you a pirate ship name to suggest?
2) How are you NaNovels going?
3) And how are YOU doing?



:} Cathryn Leigh {:

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

It’s NaNovel Update Number 1!

Well NaNo has begun and I’ve set up a little NaNo update template to minimize time spent away from my NaNovel. So here’s what I have to say on Day 2 of NaNoWriMo.

First, we have the Statistics*:

Total Word count:  6327
Total Page Count:  22
Total Time Spent:  5.31 hours
Average Words per minute:  20
Average Pages per hour:  4

*Don’t worry I’m not calculating that every time I post. Nope, I already have a spreadsheet that I log my start and end time, as well as the total words and pages. Then Excel does all the calculations for me. If you think that’s organized you should see my Nueri binder...


Second, we have the Write-Ins:

There are five weeks to NaNo this year, so I’m giving myself a goal to attend four Write-Ins AND the TGIO Party. I’ve already made it to the Kick-Off party, which was a blast. Being at my mom’s for this first week I’m going outside my region (and taking my Mom with me) to attend a Write-In on the south shore of Boston. We’ll be attending that tonight.


Lastly, we have my notes

I won a binder at the Kick-off party and spent the last week filling it with my map of the galaxy and the starships I’ve designed. Funny part is next year I’ll start work on designing one for my mom’s story that I’ve just about convinced her to do for NaNo next year.

Now as to how my story is going. I am having a blast. So is Stowaway, the large tabby feline, who gets to do the Cheshire Cat act because he knows he’s in a novel (this is Dare 1) and he’s decided that’s his purpose for being there (double dare) and he’s going to be trying to convince them they are in a novel (double credit). Only I think he’s doing that more for his own entertainment than anything else.

Oh, I’ve also managed to find a way to mention a few trilogies that my friends and I have written *grin*

Rachael let out a swear as the deceleration made her mess up her course.
“Have you down loaded anything new to my tablet?’ Michael asked.
“Death and Fairies, Aeserion and The Phoenixes of Vervell.” Rachael spoke responded with out paying much attention to what she said.

That’s right through out the story I get to make references to these three book as Michael works on translating the ancient Latin alphabetic texts to the oriental like character language now used. Apparently, Rachael’s father used to read these trilogies to his kids. She can’t read the Latin alphabet and translation keeps Michael out of her hair while they’re out in space.

Now, should I start counting the number of times Rachael beds someone? I could include Michael too, to increase the count. He’s not nearly as bad as her though and only beds others out of necessity. (What happened to those anti harassment laws? I have no idea!)

And now I’m off to do some old fashioned cooking on a wood stove. *giggles* It’s back down from the year 4000 AC (after Colonization) to 1800 AD. I’m just a century hopper!

Oh and how are you NaNovels going?

:} Cathryn Leigh