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: Charles Heath
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?
If it’s Tuesday, it must be Belgium
And probably would be, if I was away on holidays in Europe, simply because I’ve always wanted to be in Belgium on a Tuesday just so I could use that line.
By the way, it’s out of a movie, but I’m not sure which one. Obviously, it wasn’t that great if I can’t remember it.
But…
Searching for locations for my stories takes a lot of time and effort, using Google Earth and other means like street view. Finding houses, or apartments required a great deal of real estate research, almost to the point of buying a property.
Is there any better way to see the street it’s in, the neighbours, the neighbourhood, and inside the house and gardens. Almost as if you lived there, which of course you do in the story.
Last year we decided to go on an adventure
The reality of that saw us in Canada on the trans-Canada highway heading towards Banff, on icy roads in winter. Yes, that’s where we were this year in early January, getting a feel for the place, the roads, the weather, the people, and the sights.
Cold, yes. Atmospheric, yes, exciting, double yes. Sometimes research is really fun, well, I don’t call it that, otherwise everyone else will think it was not the birthday treat that it was meant to be.
And was.
My wife’s 65th birthday will be one she certainly will never forget.
So..,
Writing is proceeding better now that I’ve knuckled down. The Trans-Canada experience has been translated into a story attached to a photo and now sits on the writing blog
The treasure hunt story that went from an idea to reality is now at its 32nd episode and has taken shape, now that it’s moved beyond the initial two episodes I wrote in Canada, and it’s going to be around for a while yet. New players, and contingency plans. Evil will be lurking behind and under every rock.
And as for the helicopter crash story and its aftermath, I’m on the last part now where the main character knows why he’s just been put through hell, he now had to go through another.
We shall see what transpires
And the Being Inspired series just got 80 and 81 written, and ready to be published.
By the way, Canada was spectacular in winter. I thoroughly recommend you go, adventurous or not. Lake Louise frozen over and the ice castle at the Fairmont Hotel, well, there are no words to describe it. Youjust have to see it yourself.
“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.
