Tomorrow, there’s always tomorrow

I spent most of my time setting up some guest posts that you'll be seeing over the next ten days. There are some really cool authors stopping by, and I expect you to check out their wares.

This stuff is important, because there will come a time when we need to step out and promote our own books. I'll be doing that very soon.

I also wrote one guest post involving Lorelei my Muse. I'll offer it to one of my street team members first when I'm ready to launch The Playground. It still needs links that I won't have until I pre-publish.

I'm cooking up ideas for other guest posts to keep them all a bit different. Lisa has some fun new posters to go along with The Playground, so I need some posts from her point of view too. It seems like I can write these even with distractions. While my wife watches American Idol or something, I can hack out 500 words or so.

I've wanted to get back into graphic novels for a long time now. I have some real classics from before the advent of the ebook, but haven't bought one since. I promised myself that I would read at least one this year, and I broke down and ordered a paper one.

I'm a little bit disappointed that I can't get it electronically. Maybe if I'd have shopped harder, I could have found something in electronic format.

It was the artwork that drew me to this one, and I don't mind telling you that I'm always on the lookout for Lisa ideas too. Madame Mirage has some powerful girl art, and maybe I can find something to keep Lisa's image up to snuff. Still, a computer generated super heroine, sounds like it has something going for it.

You guys have no idea what I go through to keep Lisa updated. I even have clothing sites bookmarked just in case something might work for her. My search history must look pretty dicey to any NSA agent who checks it out.

Speaking of my browsing history, I also wrote a murder short story last night. I'm pretty happy with it, but there is no speculative element involved. That kind of leaves it homeless in a way. I could post it here, or save it for Macabre Macaroni next October. Either way, I had a blast writing it, and will do something with it eventually. I'll claim word count in the 2200 class, so some writing happened.

Yup, NSA must think I'm either a pervert, a poof, or a murderer. When the black helicopters come I have no idea what island they'll put me on.

Tomorrow is the day. Yak Guy better be ready, because I have plans for him.

Getting a start on my weekend work

I started on my task list Friday night. I read nearly a third of a Harry Dresden novel before bed. This one’s better than the last two. Reading new fiction – check.

I made it out of bed fairly early, and went through my routine. Once the dog came back in, I got some coffee and got started.

I found myself at the writing cabin, and whipped out nearly 2000 words. I’ll wait until the weekend’s up to post a word count.

I’m at an awkward place right now where some elements have been planted, and I need to let the stress build before they start making sense to Patty, my main character.

I decided to throw more personal stress into her life. That usually works, but I can tell it’s going to need some rewriting. Doubt* the raven croaked a few times, but I ignored him in favor of new words. He can have his say when I go over it the next time.

This is where Lorelei** usually shows up and bails me out with some kind of inspiration. I went to the door and looked toward the lobby/living room, but she never showed up. I wandered into the kitchen, and grabbed some coffee. The pantry usually has a pop tart or something, but I got distracted.

My little wooden recipe card box caught my eye. Inside were recipes for past story elements. There was one for black powder, one for frog poison, and even one for phosgene gas. It got me thinking.

With all the NSA spying that goes on, I almost have to be on some kind of watch list. I’m writing fiction, and doing research, but there isn’t any way of telling why I’m making the keystrokes. Just stringing those words into a blog will probably get me read. (Yay readers) It’s almost like McCarthyism has raised it’s head again with something new for us to fear. Do other writers ever worry about this kind of thing? Maybe those that write bodice rippers are immune, but what about the rest of us?

I have little atoms of a story floating around in my head about this very issue. Maybe by the time Will ‘O the Wisp gets written they’ll form something more solid. It’s best to let them float around until they form something more substantial.

Real people are stirring, so I stopped to update my blog. The girls are going shopping later, and they aren’t stopping anywhere that interests me. This will provide more writing time. Tomorrow will be dedicated to editing The Cock of the South.

* Doubt is a raven, I think. He seems to have some unusual qualities.
** Lorelei is my Muse.