Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Stellar Gift of Death Post 85

NPI Day 0: 785 words

Stellar Gift of Death 2011 Revision

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METRICS
New Words:785
Edited Chapter Seven total words: 1853
Total words for the new draft: 25312
Total words for the last draft: 58,916
What I hate: All I want to do is sleep.
The Good: Woot! Finally got over 500 and almost reached the 800 daily I would like to have.
The Bad: I got it with a big chunk of cut n’ paste of what I’m keeping.
Fave line: “I wish you guard types would comprehend I don’t want to lose my bartending license due to poisoning the customers.”
What I'm looking forward to: The meeting with Hiqurguet, if I have any time free at lunch to work on it.
What I'm not looking forward to: 1004 lawsuits to process. That’s the lowest amount I have seen in that tally in MONTHS.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Stellar Gift of Death Post 84

NPI Day 0: 280 words

Stellar Gift of Death 2011 Revision

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METRICS
New Words:280
Edited Chapter Seven total words: 1068
Total words for the new draft: 24527
Total words for the last draft: 58,916
What I hate: The To Do List isn’t even close to being done.
The Good: Got a little bit done today.
The Bad: So far all I can reach is my minimum. :(
Fave line: “So we have to figure out how to contact him without triggering a street brawl.” She propped up her chin. “At least Ckitatans are not homicidal maniacs.”
What I'm looking forward to: Meeting Hiqurguet.
What I'm not looking forward to: 1094 lawsuits to process.

2011 Fiction Word Count Week 34


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Friday, August 26, 2011

Stellar Gift of Death Post 83

NPI Day 0: 515 words

Stellar Gift of Death 2011 Revision

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METRICS
New Words: 515
Edited Chapter Seven total words: 788
Total words for the new draft: 24247
Total words for the last draft: 58,916
What I hate: I can’t even finishing the metrics posts on time?
The Good: More words than I got yesterday.
The Bad: Yeah, I must find more time to work on it if I’m going to make the deadline at all.
Fave line: “My citkemraas tsaihet, clan sisters, always knew if attentions from a male were insincere or not.”
What I'm looking forward to: What’s coming up in Chapter Seven. Events that happened on two different planets are being shifted to one, Zy and Xeryl’s forced partnership is getting shoved forward to become the first plot point, and I think I have to recount the murders again. My weekend plans: Captain America and Doctor Who. *Snicker* I’m so glad I dropped the time-traveling Nazis from my original big idea about this novel.
What I'm not looking forward to: Paying bills, filing paperwork, and 1095 lawsuits to process.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Stellar Gift of Death Post 82

NPI Day 0: 279 words

Stellar Gift of Death 2011 Revision

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METRICS
New Words: 279
Edited Chapter Seven total words: 273
Total words for the new draft: 23,732
Total words for the last draft: 58,916
What I hate: Remembering all the errands I needed to run but one and I was in the neighborhood to run it.
The Good: No problems jumping into the draft and getting something accomplished.
The Bad: But this is the reason why I started before the NPI starts on September 1st. Writing at the paying job is possible and productive when I’m dealing with first draft out of my head. When I’m dealing with revising (finding the parts of the previous draft I want to keep and making them work again), it’s not so productive.

”So just use your lunch hour.” The problem is I have to EAT. And since I can be a klutz with food at my desk, I don’t pull out my manuscript until I’m finished eating. That leaves me with about thirty minutes and the above total is roughly what I can do in thirty minutes. I obviously need to pull time from somewhere else to work on the revising part, but I haven’t figured out where yet.
Fave line: “Good, I don’t think there’s enough room in the saucer for a hydroponics unit.”
What I'm looking forward to: What’s coming up in Chapter Seven. Events that happened on two different planets are being shifted to one, Zy and Xeryl’s forced partnership is getting shoved forward to become the first plot point, and I think I have to recount the murders again. My weekend plans: Captain America and Doctor Who. *Snicker* I’m so glad I dropped the time-traveling Nazis from my original big idea about this novel.
What I'm not looking forward to: Paying bills, filing paperwork, and 1095 lawsuits to process.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Stellar Gift of Death Post 81

Stellar Gift of Death 2011 Revision

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I’ve practically dropped this project from my radar for nearly a month. But I’m picking it back up today in preparation for NPI for September and finishing the bloody thing before the end of the year.

There’s 122 days left in the year, not counting the dregs of August. My minimum for NPI is 250 words a day. By my calculations, I should reach the 120,000 words by the end of the year if I write around 800 words a day. Before the whimpering starts, that’s where I was ending up daily with Alchemy. So it IS doable.

That said, I’m trying to gaslight the roadblocks or otherwise stupid mistakes that I make with my original fiction. Just play along with the scenario.

There was a wacky but wonderful show that was cancelled because the fans were too few and the networks didn’t know what to do with it. It was about a human detective in outer space and her alien sidekick. There was a mystery of the week to solve, usually murder, and a reoccurring romantic interest who was on the wrong side of the law but the detective trusted him. None of the crimes took place on Earth, but rather exotic alien locations. You can see why the networks had issues with it. Couldn’t decided how to market it and couldn’t afford the special effects.

The show dropped hints of how the characters found the close rapport they displayed onscreen, but never did a flashback story to show it. So I’m picking up the slack.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy Metrics Post 27

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy

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METRICS
New Words: 811
Total words for the first draft: 29990
What I hate: Remembering the last time I had something in my hand and can’t remember how it left my hand.
The Good: Finished Part 36. OMG, I finished this story!
The Bad: What am I supposed to do now between lawsuits for the rest of the day?
Fave Jack line: “Go on and kiss her, Dad. I know you’re dating.”
Fave Connor Line: “I don’t want you to have my regrets. Because I can’t save everyone. I try, but nature doesn’t care.”
Fave Natalie line: “Typical Kate meeting?”
What I'm looking forward to: Go home, clean the office, and get ready for Sept. 1st.
What I'm not looking forward to: Getting the house clean so my weekend is free.


Monday, August 22, 2011

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy Metrics Post 26

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy

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METRICS
New Words: 780
Total words for the first draft: 29179
What I hate: Remembering the last time I had something in my hand and can’t remember how it left my hand.
The Good: Finished Part 35.
The Bad: One more part to go and more lawsuits came in.
Fave Jack line: “I already got all the merit badges you can get in first aid when I was a Cub Scout.”
Fave Cain line: “Your father just showed you how not to bait a hook, so we’ll practice that. Get a worm out of the bucket.”
Fave Connor Line: “You’re both adults, you don’t need my permission. Now, go; I’m supposed to be enjoying this time with my son.”
Fave Natalie line: “First aid, you should be helping him with merit badges in that.”
Fave Azkadellia line: “DG thinks I have a chance to be happy on Earth and she wants me to take that chance.”
Fave Miles line: “Maybe now’s not the best time.”
What I'm looking forward to: Finishing this story
What I'm not looking forward to: Getting the house clean so my weekend is free.

2011 Fiction Word Counts Week 33


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Sunday, August 21, 2011

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy Metrics Post 25

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy

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METRICS
New Words: 621
Total words for the first draft: 27684
What I hate: Chores!
The Good: Finished Part 32.
The Bad: Four more parts to go.
Fave Jack line: “My RBI sucks. The coach says I need to pick one sport instead of baseball and football.”
Fave Cain line: “Children games played by adults intent on breaking their skulls for entertainment?”
Fave DG Line: “The Counts left for Central City. Let’s play ball!”

New Words: 326
Total words for the first draft: 28010
The Good: Finished Part 33.
The Bad: Three more parts to go.
Fave Jeb line: Jack was like a little brother his parents had never given him.

New Words: 378
Total words for the first draft: 28388
The Good: Finished Part 34.
The Bad: Two more parts to go for Monday.
Fave Azkadellia line: “Oh I don’t doubt that there will be plenty of things I’ll get confused about. But what do I have here, DG?”
Fave DG Line: “And how much time have you spent out of Dr. McCabe’s company lately?”
What I'm looking forward to: Finishing this story
What I'm not looking forward to: Getting the house clean so my weekend is free.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy Metrics Post 24

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy

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METRICS
New Words: 829
Total words for the first draft: 27063
What I hate: No energy to do anything on the weekend.
The Good: Finished Part 31.
The Bad: It took all day to motivate myself to finish the scene.
Fave Connor line: “Jack has my empathy, the stone-cold son-of-a-bitch of the N.I.H.?”
Fave Natalie line: “If you want to pretend this never happened when we get back to Bethesda, I won’t be responsible for my actions.”
What I'm looking forward to: Can I find enough motivation to finish the next five parts?
What I'm not looking forward to: Dishes and laundry. I forgot about them today.


Friday, August 19, 2011

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy Metrics Post 23

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy

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METRICS
New Words: 810
Total words for the first draft: 26234
What I hate: Commute construction.
The Good: Finished Part 30.
The Bad: Sheesh, I hope this isn’t going to be a trend, taking two days to finish one. I have 6 more parts to go and I need to have them finished before August 31st.
Fave DG line: “Your paranoia is usually right, but I have a plan if that scenario comes true.”
Fave Connor line: “They grow up so fast.
Fave Cain line: “You do realize this is a test.”
Fave Natalie line: “No picking on Miles.”
Fave Frank line: “Is this how it feels when the kids are finally old enough to go to prom?”
What I'm looking forward to: Using the copier at the paying job to decrease the amount of papers I have stored at home.
What I'm not looking forward to: 1277 lawsuits. Yes, parishes sent us more, but I’ve been chipping away at them.


Thursday, August 18, 2011

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy Metrics Post 22

DUF: Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy Metrics Post 22
Date: 08/18/2011
Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy

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METRICS
New Words: 1342
Total words for the first draft: 25424
What I hate: Commute construction.
The Good: Finished Part 29.
The Bad: Why the heck did it take three days?
Fave DG line: “It’s not my fault he crossed over before the eighties.”
Fave Miles line: “Baron Colfer knew what he was doing when he threw the soup bowl at you.”
Fave Connor line: “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.”
Fave Azkadellia line: “Why do you all keep making up words? Is it a something that happens when you go through a travel storm? I thought DG was just indulgencing in bratty behavior but maybe she can’t help it.”
Fave Cain line: “Bigger question is did anyone change the punishments when Galinda returned to power?”
Fave Natalie line: “At least five more labs following my recipe.”
Fave Eva line: “We clearly chose the wrong time to take a lunch break judging by how the servants are gossiping. What did we miss?”
Fave Frank line: “So what’s going to happen to Vandervort now?”
Fave Raw line: “Better now. No sickness.”
What I'm looking forward to: Using the copier at the paying job to decrease the amount of papers I have stored at home.
What I'm not looking forward to: 1342 lawsuits. Yes, parishes sent us more, but I’ve been chipping away at them.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy Metrics Post 21

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy

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METRICS
New Words: 875
Total words for the first draft: 24081
What I hate: Commute construction.
The Good: Finished Part 28.
The Bad: I was hoping to knock three more out like I managed last week.
Fave DG line: “Get this murdering bastard out of my sight before I make some Queen of Hearts declaration that violates everything we stand for.”
Fave Miles line: “If Raw is a lie detector too, let the record show I got no issues with him detecting on me.”
Fave Connor line: “How hard did he hit you?”
What I'm looking forward to: Using the copier at the paying job to decrease the amount of papers I have stored at home.
What I'm not looking forward to: 1406 lawsuits. Yes, parishes sent us more.

2011 Fiction Word Count Week 32


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Sunday, August 14, 2011

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy Metrics Post 20

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy

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METRICS
New Words: 903
Total words for the first draft: 23,203
What I hate: They didn’t fix the speed bump at the end of my driveway Saturday.
The Good: Finished Part 27.
The Bad: I was lazy this weekend, but at least I got the laundry done.
Fave DG line: “So should I start with my inexperience at dating that’s not true on the Other Side? Or the fact that I can count on one hand the nobles my own age who have actually done anything toward rebuilding the O.Z.? I love Wyatt Cain and I am marrying him. If you don’t like it, you can hand in your resignation now.”
Fave Cain line: “Maybe we should look at how history is being taught across the Zone if they’re getting mixed up on what just happened an annual ago.”
Fave Glitch line: “That’s the same speech you gave Galinda when she turned down your betrothal for Ahamo’s! Dangling from the balloon and staring down into the Gap wasn’t punishment enough the first time?”
What I'm looking forward to: Using the copier at the paying job to decrease the amount of papers I have stored at home.
What I'm not looking forward to: 1232 lawsuits.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy Metrics Post 19

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy

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METRICS
New Words: 919
Total words for the first draft: 22300
What I hate:Okay, my weekend goal is to get my damn sleep schedule fixed because nearly falling asleep at my desk is ridiculous.
The Good: Finished Part 26.
The Bad: Only one section today because it was take the August birthdays out for lunch day today at the paying job. It really cramped the writing, but the food was great.
Fave Miles line: “It’s Blue Oyster Cult. I’ve got some Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Hole, R.E.M.; those are names of the bands.”
Fave Azkadellia line: “I’m not nearly as brave as Lily. I don’t want to die with the witch’s sins still on my soul.”
What I'm looking forward to: A new car that doesn’t give me so much shit.
What I'm not looking forward to: Not being able to afford new car until 2020. :p

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy Metrics Post 18

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy

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METRICS
New Words: 1067
Total words for the first draft: 20005
What I hate:Okay, my weekend goal is to get my damn sleep schedule fixed because nearly falling asleep at my desk is ridiculous.
The Good: Finished Part 23. Everybody knows about the plot twist now. Except Jeb but he’s Jack-sitting. Also I found out my lawsuit totals were figured wrong and I only have 1332 left to do.
The Bad: So I didn’t finish it last night.
Fave DG line: “Be careful, we don’t have permission from his father to crack his skull open.”
Fave Cain line: “I only suggested we keep Queen Galinda’s death quiet so the Longcoats wouldn’t take the opportunity to attack. I didn’t expect the Council to actually agree with me.”
Fave Glitch line: “On the surface it looks like they put all their test tubes in one basket, or suitcase in this case, but what if they didn’t?”
Fave Jack line: “Like New Hampshire. They put their Old Man of the Mountain on theirs, then rock slide. The face slid right off the mountain.”
Fave Jeb line: “It won’t be a bad thing to learn then.”
Fave Connor line: “Natalie said the same thing, more or less.”
Fave Eva line: “We started in the rooms of a trader people remember arriving before everyone got sick. We thought maybe he was sick and passed it along since he was one of the first ones to die.”

New Words: 703
Total words for the first draft: 20708
The Good: Finished Part 24 and FINALLY got to use the “wedding rings isn’t a part of the Zone’s culture” idea that has been rattling in my head forever. But Cain is wearing a wedding ring (because Neal McDonough rarely takes his off for roles)? The rest of the explanation is in Part 25.
The Bad: The caffeine finally kicked in, which means I probably won’t sleep good tonight either.
Fave Cain line: “I kissed her this morning and she jumped out of the bed and left the room with a spell.”
Fave Eva line: “The boss took his off. He called Natalie Natalie instead of Dr. Durant to all of you people and he took his wedding ring off!”

New Words: 673
Total words for the first draft: 21,381
The Good: Finished Part 25. Wow. Three in a row.
The Bad: Rizzo, my car, apparently had no oil in her at all yesterday. But the warning light didn’t come on until the engine shut off while I was driving home. *headdesk*
Fave Cain line: “But nobody told me there were rules associated with the thing until Miss Rossi all but accused me of cheating on Adora with you.”
Fave DG line: “Why do you have to make everything so difficult! It’s not that hard, repeat after me: ‘It’s been an emotional week and it won’t happen again.’”
What I'm looking forward to: A new car that doesn’t give me so much shit.
What I'm not looking forward to: Not being able to afford new car until 2020. :p

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy Metrics Post 17

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy

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METRICS
New Words: 332
Total words for the first draft: 18,444
What I hate: I haven’t managed to get my sleep schedule right at all this week.
The Good: Finished Part 20. Poor Cain and DG, but I think it’s hysterical and hopefully the readers will too.
The Bad: Always getting interrupted at the paying job. Namely with the stuff I’m getting paid to do. Oops.
Fave DG line: “I’m sorry! God, I… STUPID! I’d never, well maybe just dreaming. YES, I was dreaming and I’m so SORRY!”
Fave Cain line: “What the hell was that about!”

New Words: 494
Total words for the first draft: 18,938
The Good: Finished Part 22. Plot-twist, ho! And yes, I have been watching the revived Thundercats, how can you tell?
The Bad: I’m going to have to juggle characters in the next sections, and I haven’t figured out what to do with Cain, poor man.
Fave Connor line: “And who’s left from Neverdale are either very young or elderly. But we still may lose them because the virus overwhelms them. Just containing this virus so it doesn’t wipe out the whole country isn’t acceptable.”
Fave Frank line: “We found this in the trader’s luggage. And I’ll feel real stupid for how slow we maybe the driver go if it turns out to be a sample of his moonshine.”
Fave Miles line: “Bioterrorism?”
Fave Eva line: “Jack’s okay too?”
Fave Natalie line: “Positive, both of them are positive, son of a.”
What I'm looking forward to: Fourteen more sections to go.
What I'm not looking forward to: All the money I have to spend on bills and other sundries. *headdesk*

Tuesday, August 09, 2011

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy Metrics Post 16

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy

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METRICS
New Words: 1236
Total words for the first draft: 18,112
What I hate: Not getting my gasoline budget right.
The Good: Finished Part 21 first. It was supposed to be Part 20 until I realized a character was awake for that scene who would be woken up in the then Part 21. Luckily a quick switcheroo fixed things.
The Bad: Keeping track of just how much I have written.
Fave Connor line: “I shouldn’t have.”
Fave Raw line: “Healing will hurt. DG takes son away so not to upset him.”
Fave Miles line: “Oseltamivir isn’t helping.”
Fave DG line: “God didn’t break the mold?”
Fave Natalie line: “Better wake up than in Colima.”
Fave Jack line: “Mr. Cain didn’t like my idea of trading outfits with Dad.”
What I'm looking forward to: Posting the rest of the graphics I have done. Finishing some more sections of this story.
What I'm not looking forward to: 1496 lawsuits today. The stack refuses to go down. *headdesk*

Monday, August 08, 2011

Tin Man: Prince Metrics Post 10

Tin Man: Prince of the Outer Zone

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METRICS
New Words: 288
Total words for the first draft: 5655
What I hate: I stayed up way too late last night because I lost track of time.
The Good: Finished typing up chapter one.
The Bad: Unfortunately, I only have four paragraphs wrote up for chapter two. So I’m putting this aside to finish Tin Man/Medical Investigations: Alchemy before August 31.
Fave Ahamo line: “Are you really surprised that ‘my crew’ comes out instead of ‘my family?’”
Fave Galinda line: And all the men thought she should just relax!
Fave Cain line: “Family is more important than politics.”
What I'm looking forward to: Finishing the floor plans for Kiamoko. I think I’m finally at the point where I can start dealing with what rooms are on which floors. Finish the style sheet. Start chapter two.
What I'm not looking forward to: 1579 lawsuits today.

2011 Fiction Word Count Week 31


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Sunday, August 07, 2011

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy Metrics Post 15

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy

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METRICS
New Words: 804
Total words for the first draft: 16,804
What I hate: Staying up way too late.
The Good: Finished Part 19.
The Bad: I think I may have more editing to do to part 18 for part 20 to play out like it’s supposed to.
Fave Cain line: “Try that argument on someone who didn’t see the show you and Raw made out of your memories.”
Fave DG line: “My mother is dead! Dr. Durant nearly blew up, Jack was almost buried alive! And you want me to keep the damn crown and see who else I’ll destroy?”
What I'm looking forward to: Posting all the graphics I made this weekend.
What I'm not looking forward to: 1579 lawsuits tomorrow. *headdesk*

Friday, August 05, 2011

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy Metrics Post 14

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy

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METRICS
New Words: 1149
Total words for the first draft: 16,000
What I hate: The stupid construction at the end of my driveway.
The Good: Finished Part 18. This had some parts that absolutely delighted me. I wonder if they’ll delight the readers too.
The Bad: Yes, I know I should be working on Stellar Gift of Death’s chapter seven, but I’m trying to beat a deadline.
Fave Connor line: “Yes, this is strictly about making me feel better. I don’t know what I would’ve done if they hadn’t found you.”
Fave Raw line: “So much like Cain.”
Fave Cain line: “What does that mean?”
Fave DG line: “When do you take anybody’s word on anything?”
Fave Jeb line: “The Longcoats ringed their camp with landmines.”
Fave Jack line: “Really, I didn’t get this dirty until the booms started. Jeb pulled me out before the walls caved in.”
What I'm looking forward to: Spending the whole weekend writing.
What I'm not looking forward to: Digging the driving out from under the construction.

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy Metrics Post 13

Tin Man & Medical Investigations: Alchemy

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METRICS
New Words: 1192
Total words for the first draft: 14,851
What I hate: I think my word count totals got off track somewhere.
The Good: Finished Part 15. Finished Part 16. Finished Part 17. That went much quicker than anticipated.
The Bad: My schedule still hasn’t recovered from the weekend.
Fave Miles line: “Somebody’s feeling well enough to make a mess.”
Fave Azkadellia line: “No matter what I do, how I try, they don’t believe I’m not the witch who hurt them.”
Fave Frank line: “Practice,” Frank chuckled. “And mine fits.”
Fave Eva line: “Keep it up, Powell, and you’ll find out why reporters from the New York Times flee my press conferences.”
Fave Jeb line: “I’m not that kind of grown-up.”
Fave Natalie line: “Get Jack; they put him in a hole in the ground. Don’t worry about me!”
Fave Jack line: “The ones in black trenchcoats, what did they do to Natalie?”
What I'm looking forward to: A nice quiet weekend.
What I'm not looking forward to: Answering my help wanted ads. 1570 lawsuits to process. Finishing something.

Monday, August 01, 2011

Fiction Word Count Week 30


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I made more progress this weekend than I thought I would. *Crossing fingers for next week.*