Tea & Magic

Nano – I AM A WINNER!!!

PC Wheeler — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 03:45:54 +0000

So, I gave up posting updates about writing for Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month) and concentrated on writing my novel. And guess what? With an hour and a half to spare, I came in at just over 50000 words! I am a winner!

I am extremely stoked about being able to write 50 000 words in 30 days, but more than that, I have an almost completed first draft for a novel in my grubby little paws. The genre is a little bit different to my usual YA Fantasy – this one is contemporary romance. but with a nod to my sci-fi/fantasy fandom roots. The actual premise I came up with only two days before starting Nano, and, surprisingly, the whole plot flowed pretty well as I wrote. I feel like I got to grips with the characters, and I know them inside out, and I should finish this story within a few thousand words more.

So, watch this space for more information about the new story!

Nano Day 8

PC Wheeler — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 05:11:41 +0000

Damn you Nano!

I was about to tally my word count and post that I had made it back on track when I looked at the time and realised it was already Day 9.

So, Day 8 totals remain with me behind

Daily Word Count: 2157

Total: 13252

Good news is I have a head start on today.

Nano Day 7

PC Wheeler — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 04:00:14 +0000

Words today: 2240

Total Words: 11095

Pleased with my word count today. I’m just shy of where I need to be at to be back on track. Now if only I could stop being distracted by other things.

Here’s a snippet that will really confuse you (if you’ve read the previous two):

6. INT/EXT DIVE BAR ON KLAXION PRIME. NIGHT

RANDOM

(to bartender)

The Reformation Leader. Where is he?

BARTENDER

Only paying customers allowed here. And we have ways to make you pay if you know what I mean.

RANDOM

(placing hyperlight detonator on bar)

If you’d like, I could pay with this. It’s messy but very effective, if you know what I mean.

BARTENDER

You’re bluffing.

RANDOM

There are, or rather, there were many who said the same. Unfortunately they’re not around to tell you otherwise. I’m Random Star, by the way. Heard of me?

BARTENDER

(visibly nervous, points to the corner)

The one you want is over there.

RANDOM

Thank you, my man. And I’ll have a scotch, if you know what that is.

He saunters over to the dimly lit corner where A hooded and cowled figure waits. He can’t see the hooded figure’s identity. The hooded figure nods as if expecting him.

RANDOM (CONT’D)

Lazarus Cane, I presume.

HOODED FIGURE

I’ve used that name, yes.

RANDOM

You’ve led me a merry chase across the galaxy. I don’t like it when people play games with me.

HOODED FIGURE

Let’s not play games then

The hooded figure starts to lower their hood and reveals themselves to Random. He stumbles back in shock.

Nano Day 5

PC Wheeler — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 04:02:12 +0000

Todays words: 833

Total words: 8418

I didn’t quite reach my quota for today of 1666 words, but I’m still ahead of the curve, so I’m not too worried. Just can’t seem to keep my eyes open, plus I need to figure out what my next scene is going to be. I’ve got some key points and a possible ending, but my middle is a bit shaky.

Here, have a snippet:

“Now, if you could all please get out your copies of Macbeth. Last time we discussed the
journey that each character goes on, how they change from the start of the play to the end–” A spitball whizzed past her ear. Suzie let out a sigh. “There will be a compulsory essay at the end of this section that will count towards a good portion of your grade. If you want to pass, you will pay attention.”

The boys in the back continued to joke around with each other. A group of girls closer to the front were discussing the latest episode of Dancing with the Stars. One of her A students, Sarah Baumgardner–a lanky redhead who had a penchant for wearing black–turned in her seat and yelled out, “Guys, just shut up. Miss McKinney is talking.”

“Fuck you, dyke,” said Parlow from the back of the class. “We don’t have to listen to you.”

“Mr. Parlow,” Suzie said, her voice as sharp as her anger. “It is against school policy to use bad language or any kind of slur in class. You will please report to the vice-principal.”

She scrawled a hasty note with a description of the infraction and held it out for Parlow as he sauntered, grinning, towards the door. He snatched the note from her hand. “Good, because I sure as fucking hell didn’t want to have to sit and listen to you for the next half an hour. Your whiney voice gives me a headache.” He turned from her and muttered, “cunt” under his breath.

“What did you say, Mr. Parlow?”

He turned and towered over her, and for a moment, Suzie felt genuinely frightened. Parlow was only sixteen, but he was tall, and his arms and shoulders were padded with lean muscle. Her five foot three frame would have no defense if he decided to get physical on her. But he only smirked at her and said, “I don’t know Miss McKinney. What did you think I said?”

She put her hands on her hips, refusing to show how intimidated she felt under the circumstances. “While you’re talking to Mr. Rothberg, please let him know you’ll be glad to do any extra-credit assignments he is willing to set for you to make up your grade in my class. We had already discussed the matter, so I’m sure it will be no trouble for him.”

Rothberg was going to be pissed at her for throwing the extra work of setting and grading assignments for Parlow on him, but at this point, Suzie could pretend she’d thought that was what he had meant all along.

Once Parlow had left, Suzie let out a deep breath. The atmosphere in the room shifted and slowly the chatter died down. Chairs scraped and Suzie reshuffled her lesson plan. This time when she dove into the lesson, she had the majority of the students attention.

Nano Day 4

PC Wheeler — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 03:34:33 +0000

Today’s word count: 2296

Total word count: 7585

I’m happy with my progress so far. Suzie (female protag) meets Henry (male protag) in the last bit, although she doesn’t realise it yet.

Nano Day 3

PC Wheeler — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 03:31:15 +0000

Words written today: 1829

Total words written: 5289

Total named characters: 14

Introduced my main female character today. I like her. She has issues.

Nano Day 2

PC Wheeler — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 03:05:19 +0000

Words today: 1714

Words total: 3460

I’m liking the main character in this. He is really fun to write! I’ve got two problems, the obvious one that the character thinks is the one he needs to solve, and the not so obvious one which is the one he really needs to solve. Here’s a snippet:

“You don’t remember me, do you?” the woman said, hands on hips, and now that his eyes had become accustomed to the dim light he could see the cold expression on her face. “Typical.”

“I do apologise. I meet a lot of people in my line of work Miss–” He raised an eyebrow.

“We met at Jake Simpson’s birthday party last year. Maybe this will remind you–” her voice dropped an octave as she leaned forward– “Oh, darling, you have the most wonderful tits I’ve ever seen. Why don’t you come back to my place, and we can discuss creating a role just for you in my television show.”

Henry frowned. How the hell was he supposed to remember every single woman he’d brought back to his flat. “Oh, um. Yes, well, sorry, I was going to call but I lost your number.” He shrugged. “Wasn’t much I could do, could I?”

“I programmed my number into your phone.”

“Ah. Well you see, I dropped that phone into the sink by mistake. Had to get a new one. Lost all my contacts.” He shrugged.

The woman gritted her teeth. “I’m a good friend of Jake’s. He would have given you my number. Jesus. I don’t give a toss that we shagged and you never called me, I pretty much expected it from your reputation, but you promised to consider me for a part in your show. That’s just plain bollocks.”

Henry nodded. “Of course, absolutely. I’m terribly sorry.” He pulled his wallet out his pocket and fished out a business card. “Look, the number on this card will get you in touch with my assistant. Give him a call and he’ll take care of everything. I know for a fact there’s at least one part coming up that you’ll be perfect for–”

His words were cut off by a deluge of icy water in his face. The woman set his empty water glass on the table. “You really are a fucking arsehole.”

She stalked off, her behind looking rather fetching in the tight leather. Henry eyed the sway of her arse until she vanished out the door, then he shrugged, mopped his dripping face up with his sweatshirt and motioned to Maria/Miriam behind the counter.

“Could I have another water here, love,” he said.

Nano Day 1

PC Wheeler — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 03:26:11 +0000

Word Count: 1746

http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/participants/cilla-clare

Not bad for day 1 – I’m still trying to figure out what this book is all about, so this was a mixture of character and then a few plot starters. So far so good.

NaNoWriMo

PC Wheeler — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 13:28:00 +0000

So, in a fit of insanity, I signed up for NaNoWriMo. That’s National Novel Writing Month. You can check it out over here: http://nanowrimo.org. I don’t have any ideas as to what to write about yet, so I’ll be thinking on that for the next couple of weeks. I’m a sucker for punishment, aren’t I?

I’ve been writing like mad…

PC Wheeler — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 14:41:46 +0000

…for the last few months, and it feels good. Just nothing I’m legally allowed to publish (fanfiction). But the ‘write every day’ adage h0lds true no matter what you’re writing. I feel I’m producing a lot more than I was previously and I’m finishing stuff–which has forever been my problem.

So now it’s time to revisit some old stuff. I’ve taken a look at ‘Magic Lessons’ and I can see some glaring things where it needs to be fixed, but on the whole, I’m happy with it and I feel ready to send it out again. As far as ‘Resonance’ goes… I know it needs an overhaul, but I think I have a bit of a mental block about it, so for now it’ll have to wait. But I’m going to focus on new stuff–more short stories and the like. I still have to juggle the writing with other commitments, so it will be slow going, but I’m happy with where I’m at and I know you can chip away at a mountain one stone at a time.