I have to stop this song thing I have going. Maybe it’s time to move on to cheesy movie lines. “Somebody stop me.”

It was a bit of a busy day around the home. Which always translates into little writing time. I seem to have done the preponderance of my writing at write ins. Which makes me think that might be a fun challenge for next year. No writing what so ever outside of write ins or meet ups. I’ll give that some thought. I still need to make it through this year’s nano before I start making it harder on myself next year.

This reminds me of this woman I met during my first nano. I was struggling with word count and finding time to write and she was writing three 50K novels at the same time because she needed more of a challenge. laughing. We all have our own crosses to bear I guess.

Time today: 45 minutes

words today: 689

Cumulative total: 23205 or 46.4% (3467 behind)

Scene to share:

“Ms. O’Rourke has not yet risen.” Her house maid informed me.

“Then wake her. It is imperative I speak with her this morning.”

The house maid hesitated.

“Now.”

“One moment.”

It was closer to three minutes before I heard Lila. “Do you have any idea what time it is? Or how foul morning sickness is?”

“Oh, Lila. I am so sorry. But it’s desperate here.”

“It better be, given you got me out of bed before I ate my crackers. And if I were you I would make it quick. Things are precarious.”

The need to explain and get advice before Lila rang off to be sick, forced me to be more blunt than my sensibilities would have liked. “Patrick doesn’t remember me. How do I get his attention?”

“He doesn’t remember you? The cad. Drop him immediately.”

“No, No, Lila. Please. Help me.”

Lila sighed deeply. “Fine but know I think this is a bad idea. Some men prefer the chase. Ignore him. Be cold. Make him want to find out why you don’t want him.”

“I can do that. Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. Wait til I fill Nicholas in on this little call. Ta.”

Character of the day: With held. There is really only one important character left and you’re not ready to meet him yet. Patience young padawan.

Yeah I’m keeping on with the cheesy song lyrics. I dont know why (I swallowed that fly)….

I am stinking tired today. I don’t know if it was the mega push of words last night left a big hole in my brain that has not yet been filled in my creative plot twists or if my five year old is actively sucking every bit of energy out of my body. Maybe I should take a vote on that one. LOL

This morning was the monthly Sno Valley Writes meeting. Our intrepid leader discussed the process around getting published. I am not ready. That is what I learned today. LOL. Not really. I already knew I wasn’t ready. Lack of a completed novel was sort of a give away. We wrote after that with a quick venue change to the Black Dog. I had a hard time staying on task though. The conversation was just too good. So was the Turkey Reuben hold the bread.

Time spent writing today: 90 minutes maybe. If I’m being generous and I ignore all the time we spent looking for a picture of Cooper for the blog. You’ll see him soon I promise.

Words written today: 828

Cumulative total: 22516 or  45% (2489 behind or 5%)

Section to share: full disclosure I didn’t actually write this today but I did my read through last night to look for where I need to buff things out and add more, change more, fix more, etc and this passage amused me. It’s from the screen play Molly is writing in the novel.

Lead comes through the ward checking on patients, taking vitals, joking with some, lighting cigarettes for others. She stops at his bed.

Lead: “Good morning. Good to see you up and about.”

Soldier: “There’s not much up and a about to it.” Angry tone.

Lead: “No need to be dour. You’ll be up striding about in no time.”

Soldier: “Bloody good that will do me.”

Lead: “So you lost your arm, many a soldier has given much more. And you’ll learn to use your left hand in no time at all.”

Soldier snorts: “I’m already left handed.”

Lead laughs uproariously and it rings through the tent, soldiers joining in because they like to see her happy. After a moment the soldier in front of her chuckles weakly.

Character of the Day: Elizabeth Barlow

Assists Molly in getting her screen play in front of a director. Elizabeth gets a promotion to assistant director for her troubles and subsequently looks very fondly on Molly and tries to help her where she can despite judging Molly for her uppercrust upbringing.

By now some of you might have caught on to my little nod to the song Blue Monday. My fave version is from the Jeff Healy Band in the movie Roadhouse. Why a Roadhouse nod you ask? Because that’s where the Sno Valley region held the night of writing dangerously. Fall City Roadhouse. It’s a fun write in with lots of games and a little torture. Not to mention amazing food. Seriously amazing food. Some people get to stay over night and turn it in to a pajama party. Sadly my five year old thinks mommy should sleep at home. LOL.

It was a good writing night for me I think. I won all the word wars and word sprints as well as the most words written. Go me.

It was a costume event, go as a superhero. But since we are writers, really no one showed up as Ironman or Batman or well you get the picture. The winner was Ketchup girl, who needed to catch up on her word count. She wore a fabulous red cape and a necklace made out of ketchup packets. It was a truly clever costume.

And once again my amazing friend Krista took my son for a couple of hours so I could get to the event only a little late rather than going after my husband got home. Krista, if I ever get a publisher, you are so being immortalized in the thanks page.

Time writing today: A little hard to calculate, 545 til 1030 at the write in venue but between dinner and all the games, not all of that was writing time.

Words written: 2403

Cumulative total: 21688 or 43.4% (I am 1650 behind)

Scene for the day: . I was peppered with questions about my film scripts and the occasional suggestion on who should be cast in the leading roles. Nicholas of course started this conversation. He was incapable of not starting trouble when the opportunity presented itself and if the opportunity didn’t present itself he often created it. I kept my mouth shut and gave Nicholas the evil eye often enough to remind him that I could bring up uncomfortable subjects too.

Character of the day: Lady Richmond

Molly’s mother. All she wants is for her daughter to make a good marriage to an appropriate peer of the realm so that she can focus on what really matters. Fashion. And those secretive letters she writes and hides when anyone comes into the room. Is mom up to no good? Can Molly and Nicholas figure it out and use the knowledge to their advantage.

just write five more minutes, Cause there’s only 18 days of nano left. LOL

Wednesday night write in. I love this event. Once again I brought my kiddo. Without babysitter again. I hate the idea of finding a new one. I would rather keep tolerating her flakiness because she is amazing with my son, when she shows up.

I have spent a lot of posts talking about the hows of writing. Finding the time. Etc. I thought I might touch on the actual writing itself. Last year I wrote this spy novel. It felt like every sentence need an hour’s research. I couldn’t just let it roll out. And when I did just let it roll I found later I had to change half of it because my time line was out of whack or some other major flaw. This time the words just flow. It’s Snoqualmie Falls after a huge storm. I almost can’t type fast enough sometimes to keep up with the thought flow. It’s actually been a joy to write this novel. At this point 12 days into this nano I have written more than I did in all of November last year or the year before.

Time: 90 minutes

Words written: 1458

Cumulative total: 19160 or 38.3% (844 words behind)

Section for today:

Nicholas smiled. “Our parents had that little party when I left, she was there. I hadn’t seen her since she was all legs and teeth at Stonecroft. We wrote the whole time I was gone. And I married her quietly after Normandy.”

“A big step from pen pal to marriage.”

Nicholas got up and poured himself a new drink. He took a long swallow before he answered. “I lost so many mates on that day. You know what I am talking about.”

Character of the day: Sir Nicholas Leighton

Molly’s favorite brother. They are close in age and temperament. They were playmates as children united against their old brother and their parents. They are still partners in crime.

why was today rough? Veterans Day.

Don’t get me wrong at all. I am grateful for those who gave their time and risked their lives to defend our country. I have ancestors and relatives in every major war this country ever fought from the Revolutionary through Vietnam, including family on both sides of the Civil war. How fun is that?

However, I don’t see why my son needs to have the day off school. Taking my son to a write in increases the prep time to leave the house by five. And it decreases the time I get to write. And it increases the interruptions to my thought flow by a factor of 100 meaning I am way less productive while I am there. All this extra prep meant I was late for the write in, which tourned out ok because the Writers Cottage was closed for Veterans Day. sigh.

We ended up a Panera. I wrote for a while and then got longer than I expected because I could buy my son a grilled cheese sammie. Plus I have to give them props for having one of the best chai lattes I have ever had. So good I had to get an extra one to go.

What all this meant was: from 1015 to 1 I was at “write in” but I only really got about 90 minutes of interrupted writing time. A side kudos to Deb who tried to bribe some patience from my son with a homemade oatmeal cookie.

Words today: 1489 all written at the write in

Cumulative total: 17702 or 35.4%. (635 words behind)

Passage:

I swallowed and smiled weakly. Nicholas and I had a deal, forged when we were eight and nine and our older brother Stephen had played a long running joke on the two of us regarding the health of a much loved springer spaniel, Tiffy. He convinced us she had cancer and that the tumor was growing exponentially. Finally when she disappeared for two days he convinced us she had run off to die alone. We were inconsolable until the stable hand announced Tiffy had whelped six wriggly puppies. We made this deal on the spot. Two deals actually. The first was that we would hate Stephen and never ever speak to him again. The more important deal was that if one of us asked the other to ‘tell the truth’ we would instantly cease whatever game or trick we were playing and fess up.

Character of the day: Patrick Dumount

Molly’s soldier. sigh. He was charming and vulnerable when she met him in the European theater late in the war. He won her heart. Now an actor with Rank Film and her entire reason for writing the film script. But is he really the hero she thinks he is? Is he really the man she thinks he is? Will it be happily ever after or tears?

Gotta work, rather sleep all day.

ok not really. It’s only blue here because it is COLD. Fall as ended in my neck of the woods and winter is upon us.

Monday is rarely my best writing day though. I volunteer at my son’s library, I’ve talked about this before I know, but because I do so that leaves me with little writing time before he comes home from school. So then I have to write after he goes to bed. Writing after he goes to bed is always risky, I’m usually tired. Today is no exception. In addition to the library time, I spent another half hour on the phone with the power people. Hosted a double play date (5 kids in my house). Did a small ton of house work. Tired was 2 hours ago.

Right now my husband, who just got home, and my son are cutting out snow flakes at the dining table while I stare at my nano novel and will words to come. They didn’t.

Time Writing today: 30 minutes

Words written today: 698

Cumulative total: 16213 or 32.4%. I am now 457 words behind to finish by the 30th.

Phrase of the day:

My mother was behind her desk writing letters and she slid the one she was working on under her blotter in response to my greeting. “Hello Margaret my dear. You are home early. Excited about the weekend?”

I smiled. “Mother, it’s time for complete honesty. I do not want to get married.”

“Nonsense darling every woman wants to get married.” My mother dismissed my opinion without further thought.

Oh to be that secure in your belief system. “I do not. I am writing. I want to be a writer.”

“Do you really think it’s wise to get too involved in those intellectual pursuits? Some men would balk from such a wife.”

I sighed. “I will say this very slowly and with words of one syllable. I. do. Not. Want. To. Get. Mar. ried.”

“I believe you will find married is really two syllables darling. A writer would know such things.”

Character of the day: Wadsworth, butler at Goodwin

I know he’s a very minor character but as I said I’m tired. He’s a loyal Butler, good at his job, and likes Molly, aiding and abetting her in her schemes. And with a name like Wadsworth, there is only one picture I can post.

Greetings and Salutations,

Today was Double Down in the Valley. The Double Down day was actually yesterday for Nano but the Sno Valley moved the event to today. We started at 10AM at one location, moved at noon, at two, and at four. We wrapped by 630 and I was home in time to put my little one down and then put in several more hours writing. Why all this insanity you ask when I didn’t even bother to post yesterday?

Well, Double Down according to Nano is about doubling your daily word count or doubling your donation to them. But I got inspired to DOUBLE my ENTIRE word count or if I failed to double my donation to them. Non donated monies to be used for a pedicure for yours truly this week. Talk about serious inspiration. I need a pedicure like nobody’s business.

As for yesterday, well, I didn’t post because there was too much life in my Saturday to fit any Nano into it. And I’m ok with that. You should be too.

So without further ado:

Hours spent writing: Eight hours at the marathon, minus drive time between locations, and chatting with some of my favorite people. As a side note I won every word war. Go me! Then 2 more hours solid writing after the little one went to sleep. You do the math on that if you are so inclined, I’m too tired.

Words written today: 7761

Cumulative total: 15515 or 31% of my novel. I’ll do the math for you on this one, yes, I doubled my word count. Pedicure here I come.

I wrote way too much today to pick one segment or line to showcase.

Character of the day: Frances “Frankie” O’Rourke

An Irish lass with a quick wit and lilting brogue. Molly’s best friend from the war. They spent time together in the European theater.

I know what you are thinking…What happened to Thursday?

We’re not going to talk about that. Ever.

So on to Friday…The write in this morning was at one of my non preferred locations but still today it was pleasant and productive. They tend to play a lot of local music which is awesome, I love that they support local artists of all types, until you’ve heard the same CD nine times in the same afternoon and the lyrics are starting to creep into your work. Today luckily it was all acoustical, so no lyric creepage. Almost as cool was the fact that when I asked for a tea, the waitress brought me a pot, not just a cup. sigh. I have to enjoy the little things right now. I got a speeding ticket yesterday in the worst speed trap in my town and that has blown the Nano reward budget. Why was I speeding if I knew there was a speed trap? I thought we discussed this. Thursday will not be discussed under any circumstances.

Time writing: 1 1/2 hours at write in. Some chatting occurred. Immensely grateful for Alex who reminded us more than once we were there to write. I think he’s coming to the Tuesday write in this next week which should up my productivity there too. LOL.

Words today: 1279

Cumulative Words: 7754 or 15.5% (3915 behind)

Phrase:

“His lordship rang this evening while you were out.”

I sighed, and then rallied. “I have no time for phone calls now or in the immediate future. Tell my callers I am in bed with typhus if you must but do not disturb me for anything short of a German invasion.”

Character of the day: Lila O’Rourke

Molly’s oldest friend. They were in Boarding school together. While Molly went off to war, Lila stayed home and drank

martinis during the Blitz. She scatter brained, flighty, and irreverent but she’s loyal.

Today kinda sucked.

Not this morning though. I went to the meet up at Writer’s Cottage and met Vicki. That was fab. Although of an hour and a half meet up, I wrote only about 40 minutes of it. LOL. That was the high point. It was all down hill from there on a toboggan.

Time spent; 40 minutes

Words written: 842

Cumulative: 4600 or 9.2%

No phrase of the day. All creative juices were dried from my brain by the series of idiots I had to speak to at the power company today.