Category: The Writing

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Plotting: An Evolving Process

Since I had the day off from the Evil Day Job yesterday, I set a goal of finishing the plot for Phantom.  I’ve been struggling with it, so I decided to try a new approach.  My friend Jenna Reynolds had recommended Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat months if not years ago, and I finally got around to reading it.  A lot of it really resonated with me.  I thought, hey, what do I have to lose?  I’ve got to figure out what’s wrong with this story.

The story in question:  Phantom.  It has a great premise.  I know it fits my brand.  I’m excited about it.  Yet something… just wasn’t right.  I couldn’t get started.  I “knew”  (I’m putting that in quotes because I obviously didn’t) the plot – it was all in my head.  (Not always a good sign)  Yet instead of unfolding in my mind like a movie, it kept skipping around, jolting here and there.  Painfully.

So I used some paper and jotted (while driving to my dad’s this weekend) out what I thought the beats might be using Blake’s charts.  It still wasn’t working.  The plot was as flat as the paper.  I decided I was going to have to get serious and do something I haven’t done since The Bloodgate Guardian.

Put the plot on the wall.

I bought some sticky notes while I was at Wal-Mart.  First, I laid out the beats using simple yellow (picture).   This is different than how I envisioned structure in the past.  I’m not used to a horizontal row for each act.  The last yellow sticky on each row is a major turning point (I drew an arrow in the upper RH corner than you can’t really make out).  That’s all I got done, unfortunately, because I had to leave for my hair appointment.  When I got back, I started laying out the major plot scenes I’d come up with between my original spreadsheets and my jotted beat notes. 

I quickly realized that my OPENING IMAGE wasn’t right.  I’d started in the wrong place.  The scene I had thought to open with was good (and I’m still using it) — but it didn’t set the tone and mood.  It didn’t mirror the ending.  I quickly realized I needed an entirely new scene.

Suddenly, finally, I found that the story was rolling in my mind.  *whew*

This is the plot wall after another 2.5 hours of work (picture).  The pink is my heroine, the blue is my hero, the yellow is the main beats.  Voila.  The story laid out perfectly.

Later last night after dinner, I typed up an outline (not a synopsis, not yet) and added the emotion changes and conflict information that Blake talks about.  I’ve never thought of my sections quite that way and it was a very useful exercise.  It feels sooooo good.  I’ve got my theme crystal clear in my mind.  My characters all have static traits.  A central image reflects the theme and is used over and over subtly to support the theme.  I don’t want to jinx myself and say more, but I’m very excited to start this story.

Excited enough to get up at 5 AM to work on it.

Let the Dark & Early summer phase commence!   I just pray my wrists hold up.  After 3K of outline last night, they’re pretty sore. 

[I actually wrote this post last night and scheduled it.  If my morning session goes well, I’ll write a new post with a close up of some of the sticky notes so you can actually see what some of them say!]

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Return to Shanhasson – Spicy Excerpt

 

Return to Shanhasson, book 3 of The Shanhasson Trilogy, a Blood and Shadows book available at Drollerie Press.  For more of my free reads, check out this page.

“I thought your Green Land baths very strange after our steamtents, but I enjoy a long soak, especially when you’re at my side.”

She stirred and stretched her arms over her head, arching her back in blatant invitation. “Why don’t you lie down on the edge and let me begin my massage?”

Eyes heavy lidded, he ran his gaze down her body, but he complied, his mighty arms levering his big body out of the water. “I thought you wanted to give me such a bath that I would lose control.”

“I am. On your stomach, please.”

Laughing, he stretched out as she wished, carefully shifting his weight so he didn’t lie completely flat on his belly. “I can’t fully comply for obvious reasons.”

“Well, let’s see what I can do about that,” she purred.

Dunking her head beneath the water, she surged up out of the pool and straddled his lower back.

“Na’lanna.” His voice was rather strained. “I don’t believe this is a very good starting position. One of us is backwards and it is not you.”

“Patience, my heart. I want to give you a massage first.”

“I don’t want a massage.” Heat rumbled through his voice that had nothing to do with anger. “I want you. Preferably this very moment.”

Selecting the smoky amber vial, she popped off the cork and sniffed it carefully. Exotic scents washed over her: roasted sticks nearly burnt, dark, sultry sandalwood, and beneath, a feral musk that she couldn’t identify.

According to Benton, the desert dwellers of Keldar threw sticks and seeds onto a stone, let the natural heat of the sun roast them, and then they tossed the burnt spices into both their tea and oil. Since their drink of choice was called “Fire Tea,” the oil had captured her imagination, for obvious reasons.

She poured a small amount into her hands and rubbed it into her skin, testing it on herself. The oil heated immediately, releasing a mouth-watering aroma of exotic sandalwood. Whether the oil heated her skin or her skin heated the oil, she didn’t know, but the spreading fire was unmistakable. It didn’t hurt, though, so she smoothed her palms from the small of Rhaekhar’s back up the slabs of muscle to his shoulders. Kneading her way across his shoulders, she said nothing, waiting to see his reaction.

“Great Vulkar, woman, what is that?”

“Fire Oil,” she replied innocently. She didn’t know what the Keldari called it. “Doesn’t it smell delicious?”

“Forget how it smells.” He sucked in his breath and shifted beneath her, his back humping like a horse getting ready to buck her off. “No wonder it’s called Fire Oil; my flesh is on fire.”

“You don’t like it?”

He shuddered, his big hands fisted in the soft mat. “If I were inside you, I’d like it much better.”

Stretching out on top of him, she rubbed her breasts against his back, spreading the oil into her skin. Deliberately, she moaned, tormenting him with her own sounds of desire. It did feel like fire spread across her skin. The scent burrowed deeper in her body, twisting and stirring her hunger. She gripped his shoulder in her jaws and slowly sank her teeth into the heavy muscle until he growled and moved beneath her, his hands sliding back to tug at her ankles and calves.

Her lips and tongue heated with the oil, buzzing and tingling as she rubbed her mouth across the broad expanse of his back. “You smell good enough to eat.”

Wriggling lower on his thighs, she licked a path down his spine, smoothing her palms up and down his flanks. She bit him again, hard enough he groaned so loudly the Blood must surely hear it. “Remember our challenge. You’re not going to lose control, are you?”

“That depends.” Panting, he raised his head enough to glare at her over his shoulder. Sweat dripped into his eyes, and his hair was dark and heavy with steam. “Are you finally going to mark my arse?”

She’d marked Gregar’s ass years ago on the night of their claiming, and Rhaekhar had long regretted that he’d lost that competition, even though he wore many other marks on his throat and chest. “That was my general intention.”

He buried his face in his forearm and cursed, muttering beneath his breath so she couldn’t make out his words. She took that as permission. But first…

She poured more oil into her hands and kneaded it into both cheeks and down his hamstrings. Lady above, she’d never seen a finer warrior. Hot velvet skin stretched tight over sculpted granite, he was a complex mixture of explosive power and incredible gentleness. Although there was nothing gentle about his hoarse growl when she reached under his raised hip to wrap her oiled hand around him.

“I’m going…” He arched his back, lifting his rump so he could thrust in her hand. “To pour…that cursed oil…all over you…while I hold you down…and let your Blood…lick it off.”

Lady, he might as well have doused her head to toe in the sizzling oil. Immediately, her mind pictured it: Rhaekhar lying at her head, pinning her arms against him, while auburn and golden brown heads moved eagerly down her body.

Using his own challenge words, she retorted, “You’re welcome to try.”

She struck, biting deep, gripping his cheek in a punishing bite until blood filled her mouth. Rich with strength, spiced with love, his blood stoked a fire in her that had nothing to do with Keldari oil.

Whatever he meant to say was lost on a roar.

He rolled over so hard she tumbled off to the side and nearly spilled the oil. “Come here.”

“The challenge.” She couldn’t seem to catch her breath. “Do I win?”

He slammed his arms down to the mat, fists at his side. Eyes blazing, he ground out, “Continue.”

“Are you sure?”

He shot her a dark look. “Be wary with that oil, na’lanna. When I come inside you, it’ll spread like wildfire on your tender flesh, too.”

Holding his gaze, she tipped the vial over his chest. “I’m counting on it.”

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What George RR Martin Taught Me

For my early formative years of writing (early 2000s), there were only a handful of authors I read heavily:  Robert Jordan, Laurell K. Hamilton, Amanda Quick, Julie Garwood, Johanna Lindsay, and George RR Martin.  Since the Shanhasson trilogy was my first project, you’ll probably see a lot of those influences.

I tried to take everything I loved from epic fantasy… the lushness of romance…and the sultry romps of LKH (before the arduer took over)…and create a world that contained it all.  Political intrigue, worldbuilding, large character casts, sweeping story arcs, epic journeys mixed with emotional relationships and complex erotic situations.  If LKH taught me that one heroine could have many lovers, then George RR Martin taught me…

To kill characters.

I’m so in love with Game of Thrones on HBO and I’m absolutely thrilled that it’s generating such excitement for people who might not have read the series, but seriously, I’m worried about people’s reactions as those beloved characters start dropping like flies. 

Okay, I don’t quite kill as many characters as Martin, but major characters DO die in the Shanhasson series.  If you already read Road, you know that.  But killing characters is a huge no-no in Romancelandia, and since I write a lot of romance and romance-like work, I want to be clear up front.

Return to Shanhasson is NOT a romance.

However, if your heart isn’t singing with joy at the end…and yes, a few tears might spill from your eyes (I cry every time I read it)…then I’ve failed utterly and completely.

To be completely fair, characters might be DEAD but they’re not GONE.  e.g. there are still scenes with the characters who were killed and they’re still important to the story.  They’re simply bound to appear only in Dreams.  So here’s a little twist for you:  if I bring back the beloved characters, then it’s only fair that I bring back the hated ones too, right?  *wicked grin*

Anyway, if you take a look at the Return to Shanhasson page, you’ll seen the following warning:

THIS TRILOGY IS NOT ROMANCE. Bad things happen. Significant characters die. Love is the greatest gift of all, and sometimes requires the greatest sacrifice. However, love shines in the darkest night. The road is long and hard, but when Shannari reaches her destination, she’ll reunite with all her loved ones she’s lost over the years and find more love and happiness than she’s ever known.

Thank you, Mr. Martin.

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Writing With Tarot

First, in case you missed it, I’ve added pages for both Golden and Return to Shanhasson with links to excerpts.  I also have some good news:  Vicki is officially going to Samhain!  I don’t have a release date for Yours to Take yet but the contract is signed and I’ve got a few edits I need to work on.  We’re shooting for FRIDAY for Return’s release, but I’ll make an official post once it’s up and available.

Now, the meat of this post.  Since I finished the first draft of The Bloodgate Warrior, I switched my attention to preparing the next WIP, either a new contemporary erotic novella (longish) or Lord Regret’s Price, a follow up to Lady Wyre.  Since I have the most notes on Phantom, I decided to whip it into shape first.

So I’m going through my folders and notes, and there’s something wrong.  Something’s missing.  It’s small, but the project doesn’t FEEL right yet.  It needs to be more than a retelling, more than an erotic menage.  Something had me not wanting to write yet but I didn’t know what it was.

Before getting too frustrated, I pulled out my tarot cards.  My good friend Jenna Reynolds has taught me several tricks to use tarot for inspiration.  I started out by writing down my concerns on a sheet of paper.  Then I pulled a card at random and thought about what it could mean.  What was missing?  What did I need to figure out?

The first few cards were generally encouraging but nothing seemed to speak specifically to the solution.  The Fool.  Sure, my protagonist must take that leap of faith to start the story.  Ace of Wands, inspiration, the spark that starts the fire.  Yes, that’s exactly what I’m looking for!  But WHAT IS IT?

Where things started clicking:  The World card.  Something about the circle, neverending story, circle of life.  I drew a circle on a clean piece of paper and started doodling. 

Of course the next card I drew:  The Wheel of Fortune.  Again, with the circle!

Before too long, I realized that I’d missed the heart of my story.  Yes, I had it plotted on 4 spreadsheets.  I had character maps.  But in the end…  I didn’t have a solid THEME, around which everything should revolve.  That one little picture suddenly unlocked everything I needed.  My characters are the spokes in a wheel.  They’re all either trapped inside a vicious circle of their own making… or they thought they’d broken the circle, only to realize they’d broken themselves instead.

I need to break those circles, and then come full circle to heal them at the same time.

It doesn’t change my plot much, but it gives me that extra emotion I needed that will take this from a pleasant retelling to hopefully a killer emotional ride.

Do you have a favorite trick that helps you gain insight or inspiration when you’re stuck?

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Just a Little Late…

Okay, months late!  But I’m relieved to announce that I finally finished the first draft of The Bloodgate Warrior today!  Just under 39K.

I knew I was getting close.  I didn’t expect more than a couple of thousand words to get there, but I kept getting hung up.  Weeks ago, these scenes rolled through my mind like a movie.  Now, unfortunately, they were a slow choppy crawl clouded in dust.  I should have written the climax weeks ago when I knew exactly how I wanted it to go.  Instead, I had to suffer sentence by sentence, feeling my way through the fog.

My big hold up:  according to my spreadsheet, the final climax occurred in the cenote at Chick’en Itza.  Yes, IN the cenote.  But when it came time for that final battle to play out, I couldn’t figure out how Tecun ended up in the cenote.  Why would he willingly jump in there, if Cassie wasn’t down there?  (And she wasn’t)

I did a little catch up for the Evil Day Job today while working on laundry, and then as a reward, I switched to Tecun.  I was determined to finish.  Finally, I got him into the cenote…and then the rest came tumbling after.  *whew*

It needs so much work I’m almost reluctant to even call it “finished.”  The last 10K is really choppy.  It just took me too darned long to finish, so I couldn’t remember little plot points that had been so clear in my head before.  I’m sad to say I was even struggling to remember secondary character names.  Groans.  I’ve still got to figure out a few things too, and I need to do a little research too.  But the biggest hurdle is DONE.

Done, done, done.  Happy, happy, happy.

Now to rest up my hands…

So I can begin the first draft of Phantom while I let Tecun ripen a little before revisions.

P.S. I have a GORGEOUS cover to share with you soon for Golden.  Also we’re very close to finishing up the cover for Return and it’s going to be awesome too!

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Good News Monday

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted good news.  I just didn’t feel like it while my poor laptop was in the shop and I’ve been so behind on everything.  However….

  • I got my laptop back on Friday!  I kissed it and petted it and named it George…  Okay, not really, but I did hug it and I might have almost shed a tear or two of joy as I opened up Word and it didn’t take five minutes to load my file.
  • We’re very close to finalizing Return to Shanhasson’s cover!  If you want an ARC, please e-mail or comment here and I’ll get you the file. 
  • In June so far, I’ve walked 2 of my promised 12 miles.  I hurt the top of my foot yesterday — I guess my Sketchers were tied too tight and I didn’t notice until it was too late.  Ouch!  If it’s not too sore, I plan to walk again today. 
  • Still dieting on plan, although I’m up about two pounds.  That’s a normal game my body plays, unfortunately, but this time, I know if I hang in there, it’ll eventually give up and drop this little bit extra its hording!
  • I survived another high-stress week at the Evil Day Job.  June is going to be rough, I’m afraid, but I know I can survive.   (It’s not often that my wrists are sore from programming and not from writing.) 
  • I’m in Act 3 of The Bloodgate Warrior and wrote the first climax last night.  Poor Tecun got a nasty surprise.

If I push really really hard……

I should be able to finish The Bloodgate Warrior this week.  I’m just scenes away from the end.  (I took my spreadsheet out and propped it up to inspire me with how close I am!)  It’s not so many words that I need to write — they’re just hard ones, if that makes sense.  I keep waiting for the steamroller urge to kick in and just grind “the end” to dust, but it’s still a slow crawl.  However, it’s a steady crawl, and I know I WILL GET THERE.  Eventually.  It’s just taking me longer than usual.

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Beating the Dog Days of Summer

If you go back over the years and look at my history, I never tend to do well over the summer.  The kids are up late, which means I can’t concentrate at night.  We’re up later, because the kids are up later, so I can’t get up early.  If I can’t get up early, I obviously can’t do Dark & Early writing!  So when do I write?  Lunch?  Not with my project load at the Evil Day Job right now.  (Twice in the past three days of work I’ve forgotten to even EAT lunch, let alone take time to write.)

So I have to get a plan of action done NOW.  Some kind of strategy to help me get my projects done instead of waiting (praying) for September.

The first thing I did today was print out June, July, and Aug calendars.  I penciled in all the projects I need to work on.  My releases and planned promo.  I organized my idea file (and yes, I got a new idea germinating.  Sigh.)  I prepared my wishlist of projects too — things I’d really like to work on but haven’t committed anywhere or to anyone yet.  All the various lists are recorded instead of cluttering up my head and distracting me.

I also joined a book club discussing 100 Days of Weight Loss to keep my diet progressing.  35.8 pounds lost since Jan and I don’t want to lose momentum!

I also committed to walking 12 miles in June.  Not a lot by any means, but I figured a challenge would help me get active again.  I seem to do EITHER eating or exercising…I can’t do both at the same time.

Let me rephrase that using Day 1 of the 100 day challenge.  In the past, I used to be unable to exercise and diet at the same time consistently, but today, I’m going to find a way to do both.  I’ve been dieting consistently since January, so I just need to set a small exercise goal that I know I can achieve.  Done!

My number one priority in June will be to finish the first draft of The Bloodgate Warrior.  Then I have two proposals I want to finish plotting, including synopses, and then choose one to begin drafting.  I’ll also have Vicki revisions this month (details will be announced as soon as I have dets in hand).  I’m preparing promo plans for Golden this August, including some FANTASTIC artwork that Soleil is creating.  I can’t wait to share it with you!

So, I’ll continue to eat right.  I’ll begin a modest exercise program.  And probably the most important thing, I need to get enough sleep so I can get up as many times D&E as possible.  (I totally overslept today and wasted a pot of coffee.)  I have to be in bed by 10 pm each night, if not earlier.  Sigh.  That’ll be the toughest thing on my list!

Do you lose momentum in the summer, and if so, how do you plan to combat it?

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The Bloodgate Warrior Snippet

Since today’s my birthday and Stephanie asked for more Tecun, I’m posting a snippet from the fountain scene.  Please remember this is first draft only, unedited, and subject to several revisions later.  Enjoy!

He reached down to his calf and pulled a slim but wicked looking knife out of his boot. “If her magic is concealing it, you may be the only one who can free it.”

“Free what? What are you talking about and why…”

Calmly, he drew the knife across the tip of his finger, and my words stumbled to a halt. I’d never seen anyone deliberately cut themselves like that, or not yelp at the welling blood. He made a low sound more a moan than anything I’d ever heard from him before, drawing my eyes up to his face.

Eyes closed, head tilted back, his body stance braced, he looked like he was in the throes of some really good head, not bleeding.

“Are you okay?” I asked softly, edging closer, as drawn irresistibly to him as the moon draws the tides.

“I’d forgotten.” His voice vibrated and hummed, low and bass.

“Forgotten what?”

He shook himself out of the daze enough to give me that cocky warrior smile that made me want to punch him.  Or drag him off to my room. Holding his finger out above the fountain, he dripped blood into the water. Uh-oh. I was starting to realize exactly what he was doing.

“Are you opening the gate again?”

“Precisely. Not a traveling gate, though. I believe she hid the spear here in this garden. Do you see anything in the water?”

I couldn’t tell if the fountain was original to the palacio or not, but it was gorgeous. The bottom circular tier contained flood lights beneath the water. A smaller, higher tier spilled into the lower, providing a beautiful water feature for the garden. Perfectly trimmed hedges combined with palm trees and lush growth, a semi-private oasis in the midst of Antigua.

“No.  You think the spear that killed you is hidden here? Why do you even want it?”

“Any weapon that bears my blood is a powerful tool in the hands of my enemies. The spear that took my mortal life will possess a destructive force greater than any weapon your technology could create. In the hands of a demon, who knows what it could accomplish? In my hands, I could hold back all the powers of Xibalba.”

“The woman who built this hotel was Alvarado’s daughter.” I hesitated, wondering if he’d really thought about my heritage. I was a very distant descendant of his greatest enemy. “I guess it’s possible that she might have inherited his spear and hidden it here.”

“Did you ever wonder why a Tlaxcalan princess came to be with Alvarado, a man all Maya despised?”

I couldn’t help but wince at his choice of words. Turning my attention to the fountain so I wouldn’t have to see his reaction, I trailed my fingers in the water. Still warm from the day’s sunlight, the water felt uncomfortably alive, clinging to my skin like a glove. “I assumed she was tribute, given to him to save her people.”

“She was given to their enemy to save her people, yes. But she possessed a secret that Alvarado never knew, which allowed her to protect and save as many people as possible.”

I could feel his gaze on me, heavy and intent. His nearness made me think about our conversation earlier about fighting, but I didn’t really want to challenge him that way. But tormenting him sounded like a pretty good idea. My cheeks and neck felt too hot, like I’d blushed fiery red, so I splashed a little water on me.

He sucked in a breath, encouraging me to keep teasing him. “How did Luisa save people? She didn’t write about it in her journal.”

“She was a powerful sorceress specializing in a particular kind of magic.”

I sat on the edge of the fountain and scooped more water to splash the tops of my thighs bared by my dress.

“You do realize my blood is in that water?”

I reached for him, threading my fingers through the belt loops of his jeans to bring him closer. “I don’t care. It’s just a drop or two.”

“My blood carries magic.” His voice thickened, rough and low, doing terrible things to my insides. I felt shaken, stirred, and more than ready to be guzzled down. “Mixed with her magic in the water, you’re playing with a veritable explosion.”

I smiled up at him as I inched my fingers over to his zipper. “I’m counting on it.”

His hands closed over mine. “You’re not worried about being seen?”

I glanced up at the hotel surrounding us on all sides. The place had gone still and quiet after the zombie attack. According to Jose, there hadn’t been many visitors to the area thanks to earthquakes and the viral scare down at Lake Atitlan. If anyone was still here other than Natalie, I’d be shocked.

I tugged at my fingers, but his grip didn’t lessen. My sultry smile slipped, my eyes narrowing. “There’s hardly anyone here and the trees are thick and tall enough that no one would see anything.”

Soothingly, he rubbed his thumbs on my palms, even though he didn’t release me. “You’re affected by the magic of this place, whether you know it or not. I cannot take advantage of what you’re unaware of.”

“I’m not…”

“So you often play in fountains?”

Without even realizing it, I’d slipped back deeper into the water. The lower half of my dress was soaked, my rump decidedly soggy. And I didn’t even feel it.

Or maybe I had felt it, because warm, molten heat flowed between my thighs. The more I looked up into his the harsh angles of his face, the more I ached.

Gently, he pulled me up out of the water. I clung to him, pressing against him even though I was soaked. His erection thudded against me and I groaned out loud. “I had some decidedly wicked things I want to do to you.”

“And you may still do those wicked things. Later. Right now, we need to free the spear. Alas, your magic is the key, Cassie. My own cannot free it.”

“I don’t have any magic.”

His big palms settled on my hips and turned me away from him. I nearly sobbed at the loss, until he pressed against my back, keeping me flush against him. Now this I could definitely get used to.

“You have great magic, especially in this place.” His voice had crossed over to feral growl territory, making me burn hotter. “Especially here, at this fountain, where your ancestor’s magic dances in the water, fed by my blood.”

He lifted me to kneel on the lower tier and then leaned against me, hard enough to push me forward. I gripped the upper tier to keep my balance. He covered me. Not holding me down in any way, but he was so big, so powerful, I’d have no chance of escape. Without exerting himself one iota, he’d be able to dominate me completely. My pulse skyrocketed, my heart thundered. Exactly the way I like it.

“Sexual magic,” he growled against my ear. “She had the power to bring a man to his knees. Even a man like Alvarado. As do you.”

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MayNoWriMo’s Good News Monday

The MayNoWriMo edition!

  • I took Friday off from the Evil Day Job and we drove down to Joplin to eat at Conn’s (and my!) favorite restaurant, Mythos.  So yummy!  The kids were mad that we went without them, so we promised a lunch trip after they’re out of school.
  • I finished Victor’s galleys!  I just need to send the corrections back in.  (I thought they were due 5/6 but realized it said 5/16 instead.  So I’m early, yay!)
  • That Man’s boss let him off early enough Sunday that he was able to join us at church.  We ended up having a nice day out with the monsters.  Bonus:  I had a helper with the laundry and didn’t have to fold it all by myself!
  • The monsters got me a new coffee pot for Mother’s Day, which I sorely needed!  My old one was leaking everywhere.  I’m going to have to get the instruction manual out, though, because I couldn’t figure out how to program it last night for Dark & Early advance brewing.
  • Dark and Early this morning:  after a few days off working on Victor, it was hard to get back to Tecun.  However, I broke 30K this morning!  Woot!

What’s your good news?  Has May been a productive month for you?

Edited to add a Snippet from The Bloodgate Warrior:

“The dark creatures of the underworld will sacrifice the innocent without thought, and thereby gain power from their fear and pain, but that is not where my power lies.  My sacrifice must be willing.”

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MayNoWriMo Update

Whew boy has it been crazy around here. 

Princess Monster practically burned the house down yesterday in the five minutes I was gone to pick up her sisters in the rain at the bus stop.  Even though we’ve been over the “don’t cook while Mom isn’t home” rule a dozen (million) times, she tried to make some hot tea, somehow “tripped” (that’s her story and she’s sticking to it) and dropped a full bag of Splenda blend (the 50-50 sugar mix) on the hot burner.  The plastic bag melted and dumped a pound of sugar out on the GLASS TOP STOVE.  Needless to say, she now has the record for creating the worst mess (other than bodily functions) I’ve ever had to clean.  Luckily no monsters were harmed and the burnt sugar smell has now faded.

The Evil Day Job continues to be very busy right now, consuming my brain enough during the day that I don’t feel like writing much at night.  However, I am still getting up D&E, so I’m clearing about 1K a day.  I need more, but I’ll take what I can get until things settle down a bit.

I didn’t allow myself to come make an update here until I finished a promised interview that was a couple of days late.  Mea culpa.  Tomorrow, I can’t post an update until I complete the final read-thru of Hurt Me So Good before Victor goes to print.  Wheeeee!

Total word count:  28,846

I posted on Twitter this morning that I finished a tough scene, and the next one is THE DREAM SCENE.  The one I originally dreamed about that gave me the entire story in a lightning bolt of inspiration.  Yes, my friends, the pyramid sacrifice!  Whew.  It might take me a week to get through it, but afterwards, the plot will unfold super quickly.  I hope!

Snippet:

I imagined him standing on top of pyramid with a bloody heart in his hand, and my stomach heaved.

He laughed, but it was a harsh, wry sound that made my eyes burn.  “Exactly.  Although the kind of sacrifice I require would not involve pulling your still-beating heart from your chest, noyollotl.”