The site graph with today’s word count
And the total words to 10th November
I like to think all is going according to plan.
Tag: #amwriting
NANOWRIMO Day Ten
I didn’t take very long to finish off my quota of words today, and with the spare time, I decided to go back over the plan and see how the second half of the book is holding up in accordance with the plan.
Despite the misgivings I had in becoming a planner for this exercise, it had proved a good idea, particularly when you have to write a certain numberof words a day to reach the target.
Last year, it was a pantzer effort, and I know, at times, I struggled with continuity, and found myself having to backtrack when plot changes required earlier intervention.
Writing as a pantzer is much more viable when you have a much longer time to write the story, like a whole year, because I find I sometimes get only so far, and I nedto thinkabput the next step.
Today I’ve taken the time to translate all of the notes for the forthcoming chapters into a bound notebook, with several pages for each of the chapters, allowing for a number of possible later changes.
I now feel I’m in a better place to continue.
Are you keeping any secrets?
It’s a theme I have used in a number of stories because it fascinates me the propensity some people have for explaining the unexplainable, and actually, believe they have convinced the other person.
It works sometimes, but not everybody is prepared to accept their lies. Especially when their alibi crumbles before their eyes.
Better not to have said anything in the first place.
Or, better still, don’t do anything that you have to cover up later on.
Or perhaps I’m turning a molehill into a mountain.
I’m suffering from indecision, one of those moments in a writer’s life where either you get on with it, take a holiday, start a new story, or finish another one.
I want to get on with it, finish it, sent it to the editor, and then move on, but I can’t.
I’ve written three different endings to this story and I’m not happy with any of them.
Over the last few days, I have taken a break away from it. Every time I load it up and sit on the page where I want the end to start (a rather curious mix of opposites) it draws a blank.
Will I take it out with a ‘bang’?
Will I let a few of the secrets out of the bag?
Will I try to set it up for a sequel?
Wow! So many possibilities.
The crux of the matter is relationships where people keep secrets from each other rarely survive, though sometimes it depends on how big the secret is. In my mind, if I was the one who was thinking about keeping a secret (most likely impossible because I can’t keep a straight face) I would share it.
If it was my partner keeping the secret, I wonder how I would react.
It’s an interesting question and begs the question of how much of ourselves is woven into the fabric of our characters.
We can if we haven’t the experience of keeping secrets only guess at the outcome. Or if we do, how much easier might it be?
Perhaps I’ll sleep on it one more night.
In a word: Spark
So, as far as I’m concerned a ‘spark’ can happen when electrical wires cross and the resultant ‘spark’ can start a fire, or the fire is already alight and ‘sparks’ fly making it worse by starting more spot fires.
But…
Another meaning is that a ‘spark’ is created by a ‘spark plug’ in order to force the pistons of an engine to drive the crankshaft
This leads to…
There is no spark in this relationship, so perhaps it’s going nowhere. No, we’re not looking for a fiery spark, but a small amount of very intense feeling
Spark?
I was watching God Friended Me last night and I’m sure like many others we were waiting to see that spark that would change their relationship from the friend zone, to something else.
And…
it’s there, but something seems to be holding them back.
As for the word spark, well there several different meanings, one of which I am familiar with when I was young.
Being called a ‘bright spark’
Depending on who used that remark, it could either mean you were clever or you were a smart ass, which I suspect the latter was the reference to me.
Then, moving on
Saying something inflammatory ‘sparked’ the crowd into action. A single remark can be equated to a literal ‘spark’ that can ignite a reaction.
A lynching perhaps?
And what about, once upon a time, a ship’s radio officer, he was called ‘sparks’ or ‘sparkie’, also a name that sometimes refers to an electrician.
I can see plenty of uses for this word in a story.
NANOWRIMO Day Nine
I’d like to say I have a cunning plan, but I don’t.
I’m happily working on the final part of part two, and have just completed two of the three chapters. It was going to be two only but I’ve found that I need one more. The section is still on plan, though a little longer from fleshing out the plotline.
It reads well, but by the time it’s finished, it will change the start of the third section of which I was outlining, and going back to it, the pages now have lots of scribbles on scribbles and crossings out.
Writing the first and second sections as separate parts had crystallised how the start of the third will be written, and I find myself going over the outline for later chapters and discovering holes that can now be filled.
And surprisingly I have a very clear idea of what will be in the last section, and, in fact, I’ve almost written in my head. I think one night I’ll probably sit up and write them before it all disappears. I’m sure you all know that feeling, when the words are there in your head, and you can almost see it.
Until you wake up and it’s all gone.
Past conversations with my cat – 24
This is Chester – as you can see, he’s not very happy with me.
I thought I might run the current political climate past him, see what he thinks about watering down gun laws, politicians taking bribes, sorry, campaign donations, and who would make the better leader.
Pity, he said, a cat can’t run the country.
A typical response, I’m guessing, but it does give me a momentary pause to consider the possibility.
Cats sleep all day.
So, it seems, do our politicians.
Cats ignore everything we tell them.
So, it seems, do our politicians.
Cats sit around all day when not sleeping, looking like they’re working, but they’re not.
So, it seems, do our politicians.
Perhaps he’s right, we could no worse having a cat run the country.
Any chance I can be his campaign manager?
“The Devil You Don’t”, be careful what you wish for
John Pennington’s life is in the doldrums. Looking for new opportunities, prevaricating about getting married, the only joy on the horizon was an upcoming visit to his grandmother in Sorrento, Italy.
Suddenly he is left at the check-in counter with a message on his phone telling him the marriage is off, and the relationship is over.
If only he hadn’t promised a friend he would do a favor for him in Rome.
At the first stop, Geneva, he has a chance encounter with Zoe, an intriguing woman who captures his imagination from the moment she boards the Savoire, and his life ventures into uncharted territory in more ways than one.
That ‘favor’ for his friend suddenly becomes a life-changing event, and when Zoe, the woman who he knows is too good to be true, reappears, danger and death follows.
Shot at, lied to, seduced, and drawn into a world where nothing is what it seems, John is dragged into an adrenaline-charged undertaking, where he may have been wiser to stay with the ‘devil you know’ rather than opt for the ‘devil you don’t’.
Purchase:
Searching for locations: Chateau Tongariro, New Zealand
This chateau was built in 1929 and was originally intended as a hostel for hikers.
It is now near the Whakapapa skifield on the slopes of Mount Ruapehu and within the boundary of the Tongariro National Park
We had afternoon tea in the lounge several times, and it is very pleasant in winter with the log fires burning.
The interior is still as ornate as it had been in the 1930s. The chairs are very comfortable, and the atmosphere pleasant.
Mount Ngauruhoe can be seen through the window of the lounge. This was used a backdrop in the filming of Lord of the Rings.
NANOWRIMO Day Eight
Ideas are muddying the plan.
As the story progresses through part two, the anticipated conclusion to this part has changed a little.
This then makes the lead into part three a lot more cohesive in terms of teasing out the storyline in the direction I was hoping to take it.
The problem is that I had made a start on the first chapter of part three but it wasn’t quite running as smoothly as it should. You know the feeling, the words are there, but you’re not very satisfied with them.
Now I am.
This means that chapters two and three will follow without any apprehension.
However, I am getting a little ahead of myself because I still have to finish of the last two chapters of part two.
So, it’s back to work.
A matter of life and … what’s worse than death? – Episode 22
For a story that was conceived during those long boring hours flying in a steel cocoon, striving to keep away the thoughts that the plane and everyone in it could just simply disappear as planes have in the past, it has come a long way.
Whilst I have always had a fascination in what happened during the second world war, not the battles or fighting, but in the more obscure events that took place, I decided to pen my own little sidebar to what was a long and bitter war.
And, so, it continues…
When we arrived back at the underground site Martina was waiting, and it was clear she was extremely annoyed. Word, somehow, had filtered back of what just happened.
“Are you totally mad?” she snarled. “You know what’s going to happen now?”
I had a good idea but chose not to speak.
“They got what they deserved,” Carlo said. “They found the missing man that you left on the side of the road, by the way, and it was lucky we were there when they found him. Whether they believed it was an accident or not, they were heading to Chiara’s, and we had to do something about that.”
“And you didn’t think that might have consequences?”
I think all of us had considered what would happen as a result of what could only be described as an ambush. And, while I thought, as no doubt the others had also, it might lead to retribution killings, it might not. Wallace could not afford to be seen acting like the Germans, who certainly would have lined up a dozen villagers and shot them and might not do anything.
But, when he realised I was involved, and that the so-called remnants of the resistance could and were willing to cause him trouble, he would have to do something about it. Especially with a high-value defector coming his way.
“Wallace certainly can’t do anything about it, other than come and ask questions. He can’t afford to be seen acting as anything but a British officer.”
“But he could get Leonardo and his men to do it for him.”
“Surely he wouldn’t kill the same people he’s lived with all his life.”
“Leonardo’s allegiance’s go to anyone who hands him a free meal ticket. Until the so-called British arrived at the castle, it was fine to be the resistance because he was being paid handsomely for his help. When the Germans left the castle, he considered his job was over, and we all went our different ways, hoping the war was over for us. Of course, that was only wishful thinking. Even when the British turned up at the castle, with the express intention of capturing and repatriating to England any Germans who wanted to defect, his advice was to let them do what they want.”
“What changed?”
“The man in charge, Wallace you call him, sent out a message for those who had been in the resistance to come up to the castle to talk. Leonardo thought it might be an opportunity to get back on the payroll. Carlo and I and several others didn’t go. There they were told they would be paid for each defector they collected and brought to the castle.”
“Didn’t he think that might be a little suspicious since it was just as easy for Wallace to send his own people to collect them, and not have to pay anything?”
“Now that we know they are Germans masquerading as British, it makes sense. But Leonardo is little more than a fool and greedy. He doesn’t care who pays so long as they pay. I suspect he has no idea who he’s working for, or what happens to the people he collects. Anyone who opted out of the new arrangement seems to have disappeared.”
“Many?”
“Three that we know of. They’re probably locked in the dungeons with the others you saw there.”
“How come he hasn’t come after you?”
“Too much trouble, and possibly because it’s a fight he can’t necessarily win.”
“He might not have a choice now. Wallace is going to have to do something about us, simply because he can’t let the defectors fall into our hands, and especially now that we know that’s why he’s here.”
“Then if it’s a fight he’s looking for, then we’ll have to give him one.”
“On that, I just had a thought on how we might be able to even up the odds a little, but I have to give it a bit more thought.”
An idea came to me, one that might just work because I was counting on the fact Wallace would have to do something and depending on… “In the meantime, we have to do something about the rest of the villagers, just in case I’m wrong about Wallace. How many people are left in the village?”
“About twenty. All the rest scattered when the Germans came the first time, and half of those that remained were killed for one reason or another. The previous commander of the castle frequently lost it when any of us refused to co-operate.”
“Then send Carlo out to round them up and put them somewhere safe.”
“There are no safe places anymore,” Carlo said, “None that they don’t know about.”
“What about here?”
“It’s the only place we have left that no one knows about.”
“Well, you don’t have much of a choice.”
Martina was not happy. Her isolated resistance effort was steadily becoming a large-scale attack, not the sort of operation she had intended. But I don’t think it would have stayed that way for very long, given Carlo’s actions.
She turned to Carlo. “Go and round them up and bring them here.”
“And if they refuse?”
“Then we’ve done all we can for them. But tell them that it’s a distinct possibility they will die if they stay where they are. Take Chiara, and hurry. I doubt it will be very long before the castle finds out what happened to their men.”
Carlo and Chiara grabbed a weapon each and left. When they returned, it would be to formulate a plan to take down Wallace and the others at the castle, hopefully before the defector arrived.
That plan that was evolving in my mind didn’t exactly involve the villagers, but the three or four remaining members I was now working. Leonardo might not know of all of them, or even if he did, one of them would be Wallace’s first calling point. It just depended on who he sent.
And if I was a betting man, and if he knew that one of his men was ‘seeing’ Chiara, then that’s where they would go.
The only question to be asked at this point, would we be too late to take advantage of an opportunity to reduce the odds?
© Charles Heath 2019
Thrills, Spills, and just a dash of Romance 