You know it’s going to be a long day when you finally wake up to the alarm…and realize it’s been going off for four minutes.

This morning’s D&E was sporadic at best.  I got up slightly late.  The family had to be up earlier than usual, and since Mom = official timekeeper and wake-up call, I had to stop every 15 mins or so to make sure they were up.  I got involved in writing between wake-up calls, so I actually got That Man up 10 mins late.  Oops.  Then I made the mistake of checking on my blog post – I’m over at Here Be Magic today talking about Barbarians Do It Doggie Style (in reference to Game of Thrones!) – and then I got involved in Twitter.

All classic mistakes during D&E.  I shouldn’t have even opened an IE window.

So while my daily count may look respectable, it’s actually padded by 500 words I got last night and didn’t report.  *sheepish*  As I said yesterday, I’m in a BIG sex scene – the first big fully explicit on page in the “real” world scene – and it’s slow going.  Writing good, interesting, non-skippable sex scenes is hard work, let me tell you.  I might have to skip ahead and get some of the action scenes done, and then come back, because I’m tired.  (More tired than the characters, evidently.)

Today: 1,128

Total:  18,360

Snippet:

He sighed, his arms tightening about me.  “There’s always great danger whenever I return to your earth.  A purpose awaits me.  Beware until I’m at your side.  You reek of my magic to anyone who can sense it.”

Darkness tried to claim me.  I fought that slow slide to loneliness, even though it was a losing battle.  Anguished, I cried out, straining to stay with him.

“Remember,” his voice echoed inside my head like thunder.  “I come again as called, but this time, I come for you.”

I got all messed up on my days after taking Sunday off, and then posting twice yesterday.  I didn’t bother changing “day 008” last night because it was late and I was tired — so I’ll just flag this as 008b and go from there.  It’s not important in the end, other than helping me determine my average word count.  This really is the 8th day I’ve been working on Fast Draft, putting my average (with this morning’s words) at 2,154.  Not bad.  Although I’d be far from upset if I could bump that up closer to 2.5K a day.  *winks*

So up D&E this morning despite the later night.  I actually woke up at 4:30 and almost got up then, but I figured even half an hour could do me some good later today.  I’m in another smex scene – gee, these characters are like bunnies!  (Although to be honest, this is the first full-blown non-dream scene — everything else has been lead up to this, so it needs to be GOOD.)  So it’s been a bit slower than I’d like.  It’s one thing to have a plot laid out on paper, but another when two people must get intimate between the sheets.  It takes me awhile to get the feel for each scene.  What’s at stake?  Why is she uncomfortable?  What does he risk losing?  etc.  All things that make a powerful, transformative scene.

Speaking of plot on paper, I did a gut check this morning to see how closely I’m sticking to my outline and how far I am.  I’ve reordered a few things — the fountain scene was supposed to come later, but it made sense to move it up.  I also didn’t allow more than 1 little block for the big smex scene I’m working on, which is stupid because it’s big!   The first full-on-page all-the-way I’m-not-dreaming-any-longer  intimacy. 

I’ve only completed 9/20 scenes and I’m over 17K.  That means unless the final two pages of outlines go by very quickly, I’m looking more like 40-50K than 30-40K like I’d hoped.  Sigh.  We’ll see.  I could still finish this by the end of the month if I keep up this pace.  I really think the last few scenes will go extremely quickly…although the “sacrfice” at the top of the pyramid will be a killer!!  In more ways than one.  *evil*

Speaking again of killing…I had a terrible thought occur to me yesterday of a character’s possible death.  Not sure if that will happen yet or not.  I think I could get a sequel out of it, which I didn’t plan at all, so I may do it, even though it’s terribly mean!  (For The Bloodgate Guardian readers, think the “caged heart.”)

This moring’s words: 1,059

Total:  17,232

Snippet:

I wrapped my hands in his hair and jerked his head back so I could see his eyes.  “How will I recognize you?”

Eyes heavy lidded, he lowered his voice to that bone-shaking whisper of menace that curled my toes.  “You will look at me and not be able to breathe.  You will remember my taste and your body will fountain with desire at the memory of me inside you.  If you allow me to mark you with my teeth, your skin will catch fire at the sight of me.  You will carry my magic within you.  You will always know me, in whichever age and world we meet.  We will forever be drawn to find each other, whether on earth, my world, or even Xibalba.  If you give me a taste of your blood, then not even my death or a locked gate will ever keep me from you again.”

Oooh, I’m so going to regret staying up this late tomorrow, but I had to watch the first episode of Game of Thrones! Loooooooved it.  I’d forgotten how much I love this series (I read book 3 when home on maternity leave with the youngest — who’s now almost 8!)!  I did manage to break 16K though and finish the naughty scene in the fountain.  *fans self*

Tonight: 1,013

Total:  16,173

Snippet:

He rose up out of the water with a massive surge like a dolphin powering toward the surface.  Water streamed and plumed around him frantically, celebrating his arrival.  I don’t know how deep the water had been through the gate, but he stood in the pool before me, and now, the water only reached his knees.

Leaving him magnificently, dripping nude.

Head back, shoulders broad and square in that warrior stance that they’d managed to capture in his statue, Tecun closed his eyes and breathed deeply, his hands fisted at his side.  His nostrils flared wide and his head slowly turned toward me. 



Technically this is “day 8” because I decided to take yesterday off.  Days off during Fast Draft (or NaNoWriMo) can backfire by breaking rhythm.  I definitely do better when I’m in the story every single day.  However, That Man had to work yesterday, so getting the monsters up and out the door by 8:30 am for church took a lot out of me.  Then we did lunch out and I took them shopping at Wal-Mart (what was I THINKING?!?!?) and by the time we got home, Mom was done.

I ended up playing games instead (thank you Big Fish Games!)

Getting up D&E this morning was doubly hard, then, because I was still tired from getting up early yesterday plus getting off to a possible slow start, so I primed the pump as much as possible last night when I went to bed.  What does that mean?  I deliberately put the story in my head before I went to sleep.  It doesn’t always work — if I’m extremely tired, I fall asleep too fast to make a difference.  But I had enough time last night to mull over the story before I dozed off, and I realized that I was getting a little stuck on Sat. because the scene was unfolding too quickly.

I needed some tension BEFORE the big event in the scene. *winks* 

So I got busy this morning with some tension and delay.  I had to re-write a little — the cardinal sin of Fast Draft — but I had to fix where I was going before I could continue.  Finally broke 15K this morning (Saturday’s goal, but I’ll take it) — but I’d be even happier if I ended up with 16K by the time my head hits the pillow tonight.

Today so far:  1,242

Total:  15,160

Snippet:

Throwing the blankets back, I started to get up, but a turquoise feather lay beside me.  Over two feet long and slightly curved, it had to be a quetzal feather.  If I’d found it on the floor or on top of the bed, I could have tried to reason with myself that it’d surely just fallen into my bed by accident.  But under the blankets? 

It hadn’t been there last night when I came to bed.  Natalie had laughed at my nightly ritual of throwing back all the blankets and sheets to make sure no creepy crawlies waited to snuggle with me…until she found a massive cricket licking her leg one night.

The windows were shut.  My door locked.  So how had this phantom feather made its way into my bed?

I hoped to break 15K today but it just didn’t happen.  I slept in this morning, which I needed desperately, but that put me behind.  Between fending off starving monsters, climbing Mt. Laundry and destroying the kitchen for dinner, I just didn’t get as much done as I hoped.

Today: 1,882

Total:  13,918

Snippet:

The damned quetzal started screeching again.  My ears rang with the sound, and his world suddenly wavered, thin and insubstantial.  I clutched him desperately, slipping further away, fighting to stay in the dream.  Sleek hair slid through my fingers, and I tore brilliant feathers loose in my effort to stay with him.

“Bring me back to life.”  He whispered inside my head, but I couldn’t feel him any longer.  I couldn’t smell his tropical scent, but I could still taste him.  I’d never be able to eat another guava or passion fruit without remembering, aching for him.  “Wake me.  Call me to your side.  Not even Alvarado himself could keep me from you once the gate is open.”

I slept in this morning, so I didn’t have any words until late (after work).  Luckily, we took the kids to the community center to swim tonight after dinner.  I sat out by the cafe with my laptop and got 1.5K words, and finally hit the other 500 tonight.  (My goal was to break 12K.)

I’m still following my outline pretty well, but a few things popped up today that were surprising, including a tattoo and a zombie.  Woot!  I love zombies.  However, I’m not really sure this last scene is working very well.  It’s not happening quite like I expected, which would be okay…as long as it’s not boring.  I’m too tired to tell.

A decent day, though, and nothing I can’t fix in revision. 

Today: 2,608

Total:  12,036

Snippet:

“It doesn’t matter what you know or believe when you can see me with your eyes, touch me with your body, taste me with your mouth.  Am I not real, Cassandra Gonzales?  Do I not breathe?  Didn’t you feel how much I ache to take you again?”

I barely made it D&E this morning after staying up too late last night watching DVR’d Survivor and America’s Next Top Model.  I actually got up okay (the lure of a programmed pot and fresh hot coffee waiting for me!) but my focus was fuzzy.  I struggled to get a couple of hundred words, and then my mind needed a break.  Still, I made decent progress – though not stunning.

Last night’s words: 770

This morning’s words: 1,144

Total:  8,479

My goal for today is to eventually break 10K.

This is the last longer snippet I’ll share, though I’ll try to do a line or two each day.  This is the first scene with hero and heroine on page together, setting the tone for the erotic components of the story.  What do you think – are they going to burn up the page?

His hands clamped on my upper arms, hauling me up out of the water to him.  The dream again.  I fought to wake up.  I didn’t want to be here.  I didn’t want him to—

I flailed and managed to land a glancing blow to his head, but he chuckled deep in his chest, more like an animal’s purring that any sound a human would make.

“I’m happy to see you too, Cassie.”

I jerked and twisted against his grip with all my strength, but he didn’t slacken his hold.  He didn’t even try to restrain or evade my blows.  Each time he pulled me through the dream, I fought.  I tried to fly free of him, but I couldn’t escape.  We both knew it, and the ease in which he held me to his chest only infuriated me more.  I dug my nails into his shoulders like claws, ripping my way down his meaty biceps. 

His breath hissed out, his eyes slitting dangerously, but he didn’t try to stop me.

“Don’t call me that.  I hate it.  It makes me sound like a little girl.”

The growing darkness in his eyes eased a bit.  “Your mother used to call you that.”

I shuddered, instinctively ducking my head and curling my body tighter into a ball.  “Get out of my mind!”

His lips brushed my temple.  “Forgive me, lady, but that is impossible.”

Tenderness from a massive warrior who could crush me with his smallest finger.  That easily, he made me melt against him.  He had to have felt the tension leaking out of my body, but he didn’t make any move to further his advantage.

Disgusted at myself for letting him win so quickly, I turned to questions.  Analytics and reason.  Not insanity.  Because I had to be insane to think any of this was real.

“Tell me your name.”

Amusement lightened his voice to the warning rumble of an approaching storm.  “You heard a rousing tale about me this afternoon when you toured your grandmother’s property.”

I shook my head, but that only made my lips brush his chest…and the rougher scar tissue over his heart.  Supposedly where Alvarado’s spear had pierced his chest and killed him.  “If you’re really Tecun Uman, the Guatemalan national hero, then how can we understand each other?  He died in 1524!”

“Magic.”

Of course.  I forced out a derisive snort.  “I don’t believe in magic.”

“Besides, I’m not really Tecun.  Or rather, he was not the man people thought him to be.  He was more.  He was legend.”

“So you’re legend?”

“Yes.”

“Then you’re not real.”

He didn’t answer.  His heart beat strongly beneath my cheek.  He stroked my back, his palms so big and broad I could imagine him ripping his enemies’ heads off with his bare hands.  I didn’t want the magic of his hands.  I didn’t want to succumb yet again to his seductive dreams that left me sweaty and needy.

In desperation, I threw out more questions.  “Who are you?  Really?  If you’re not him…”

“I am him, but more.  You won’t believe the truth.”

I pulled back so I could see his solemn dark eyes.  He traced my face as though he was carving my image into his memory forever.  “Try me.”

He arched a brow, his lips quirking.  He lowered his head toward mine but I shoved him in the chest.  “No!”

He didn’t have to stop—a gnat would have as much impact upon his strength—but he paused immediately at my request.  I’d learned very quickly in these dreams that he would always take my refusal seriously, despite the darker edge to his sensuality.  He’d enjoyed my initial struggle too much to hide his erection digging into me.  I’d fought him, even bloodied his arms, but I hadn’t told him no.

“You know what I meant.  Tell me the truth.  I’ve learned things since the first…”  Swallowing hard, I averted my gaze.  The first dream.  The first time I died in his arms, and he brought me back to life.

“Some people know me as Kukulkan.”  When that name didn’t garner my response, he added, “Great Feathered Serpent.  Quetzalcoatl to the people of Teotihuacan.  Tlahuizcalpantechultli, Lord of the Star of the Dawn, but only when my wrath had poured out upon my enemies.”

I made myself look back into his face.  Chiseled, proud, strong, larger than life, yes, but very much human.  “So you want me to believe you’re a god?”

“Some have thought me to be a god because they didn’t understand how my kind could come and go through the gates between our worlds.  For a thousand years, I often walked your earth as a man, until I died as Tecun Uman K’iqab, Black Butterfly Grandson of K’iqab.  I haven’t been able to pass through the gate since.  They’re locked until the Return at the end of the age.”

Now I could roll my eyes and laugh, because I really didn’t buy any of his crap.  “December 21, 2012, yeah, I’ve heard all about it.  The Maya predicted the end of the world thousands of years ago.  Sure.”

“No,” he replied in that calm, solemn way of his that carried so much silent weight and strength that I could almost believe he was a god.  “Not the end of your world.  The time of our Return to your world.  A new age will begin.”

“With Mayan gods walking around again.”

He nodded, letting some of his humor return in the sensual curve of his mouth and the teasing tone to his voice.  “Some thought us to be gods.  Especially when they were taken to be our lovers.”

Taken.  My stomach muscles fluttered, both with fear and an arousal I couldn’t deny.  Another woman might have thought he’d used those words lightly.  I took my date to dinner.  I took—chose—a new lover.

In these nightly visitations, he’d already hinted that he’d take me every way possible, preferably with me kicking and screaming all the way.

I didn’t get quite as much accomplished this morning — but I expected that after the huge day yesterday.  Details, details, they’re crucial for some of these sites we’re visiting.  And the spelling!  Ack!  Q’umarkaj.  Utatlan.  Even Antigua (I always want to spell it with a q for some reason.)  Luckily I’ve found several pictures that help me set the mood.  I’ve been listening mostly to Apocalyptica and Evanescence on the play list.  Especially “Bring Me to Life” and “I Don’t Care.”

Today so far: 1,390

Total: 6,565

Snippet:  first draft only, subject to heavy revision later, still from the opening scene.  Some real life experiences getting added here — That Man just started a timeshare sales position this year!

“How long have I been bugging you to take a vacation?”  Natalie turned to me, grinning, but the concern in her eyes cut me to the quick.  “You need this, Cass.”

I nodded and some of the shadows eased from her eyes.  “It just seems like a fairytale.”

“You deserve a fairytale.”  She tried to laugh, but we both knew how close I’d come to dying.  She’d been the one to give me mouth to mouth until the paramedics arrived.  We’d always been as close as sisters, but now I owed her my life, too.  “Besides, whoever heard of a timeshare salesperson who never actually goes on vacation herself?”

Grateful that she returned to our long-standing banter instead of driving me to tears, I gave her a friendly shove.  “The top salespeople never go on vacation, silly.  We’re too busy making money selling other people their dream vacations.”

“Well, you’ve never sold a view like this.”  She swept her hand toward the glistening lake and the hazy volcanoes in the distance.  “This is pretty dreamy, Cass.”

I could only nod in agreement.

“Hey, you never finished your story, Jose.  Why does the quetzal have a red breast?”

Thanks to Nana, I knew this part of the legend.

“Believing the horse Alvarado rode to be a part of a terrible man-beast, Tecun Uman beheaded the creature.  Unharmed, Alvarado took the opportunity to stab the great warrior in the heart with his spear.  As Tecum lay dying, his quetzal flew down to lie weeping on his breast until he drew his last breath.  Ever since, the quetzal’s breast has been stained with Tecun’s blood as a reminder.”

“A reminder of what?  The Spaniards’ cruelty?”

Jose turned to me with a peculiar look on his face, careful and reverent.  “That someday, he will return.”

Uneasy, I jerked my gaze back to the lake.  I didn’t know if I could ever see so much water and not remember.  The sound of crashing metal on metal.  Thick smoke on the air, the stench of gasoline.  The screams.  Our small pontoon had been broadsided by a party boat, more of a yacht than Lake Taneycomo could really support.

Bone-chilling cold water had closed over my head while fireworks exploded behind my eyes.  Blood on the water.  My blood.  I knew I was dying.  Darkness.

I thought near-death experiences were supposed to be tunnels of light and a blessed feeling of peace, but I’d seen an obsidian pyramid.  A man had pulled me out of the water and lifted me to the sun blazing at the top.  I remembered the feel of his big hands on my back, the heat of his body bringing my cold, dead limbs back to life, his mouth on mine as he gave me his breath. Long blue-green feathers had hung in my face along with his hair, as shiny and black as the pyramid.

Most of all, I remembered his voice whispering in my ear.  Deep and rumbly, his voice had vibrated my bones.  “You’re well-named, Cassandra, for you can bring light to my people.  Help me return.  Only you can bring me through the gate.”

Even now, that distinctive growling voice made my bones want to dissolve my body into a pile of goo. 

Help me return.