NaNoWriMo: Days 21-30

NaNo ends today! Although I made it to 50K earlier in the month, my goal was to finish my story by today--and I did. I wrote those lovely words, "the end," a couple days ago. (Usually I don't actually write them, but it felt fitting this time.)

Word Count:

55,729

Satisfied?

Yes; quite.

Mood:

Excited it's over!

Hours of Sleep:

Too many! Something like 10.

Cups of coffee:

1, starting on 2.

Today's Snippet:

(Robbie is meeting Kara's dad for the first time.) 

He clasped his hands in his lap and watched Robbie for a moment. "Your parents are Joe and Ella Blake, correct?" 

Robbie nodded. "You know them?" 

"I know of them," Mr. Reinhart clarified. "I know that they are decent people. I know of you, too." 

Robbie shifted in his chair, wishing he could fidget more than just the occasional movement of a leg or arm. 

"I see that you anticipate what I am going to say," the man said, unflinching in his eyes' hold on Robbie. 

"I have made mistakes, sir." 

"Yes. Have you finished making these mistakes?" 

Robbie's eyes lifted until he met those of Kara's foster father. "No, sir, I am afraid I will always make them." 

"Well!" The man smiled. "An honest answer." 

Robbie shrugged. "It would be foolish to lie." 

Things That Make Me . . . Thankful

This seemed appropriate for today... Honestly, this list is extensive, more is added to it every day (my celebrations), and I'm sure you'd be bored near the beginning--so I'll try to keep it short.

Things that make me thankful:

• Family and friends
• Hugs
• Thilly little insights
• Time and motivation to write--at the same moment
• Kind words
• Coffee
• Unexpected beauty (sunsets are a particular favorite)
• Evidence of Papa's Love, for me and for others
• Chocolate (might be connected to the previous one...)
• Sleeping in
• Reading
• Dancing
• Freshly baked cookies
• Demonstrations of selfless love, especially toward strangers

What are you thankful for, today and always?

NaNoWriMo, Days 14-21

Word Count:

51,849

Satisfied?

Pretty much. This past week I've been focusing on things other than my story, so it's nice to get back into it--and I'm excited about how the ending is turning out.

Mood:

Joyfully content.

Hours of Sleep:

5...

Cups of coffee:

2

Today's Snippet:

(The Blakes and Kara are camping.) 

Robbie’s head appeared in a nearby tree. “You people don’t pay attention much, do you?” 

Kara looked up. “What are you doing up there?”  

He wrapped his legs around the branch and tipped himself backwards, until he was looking at her upside down. “Care to join me, Kars?”  

She couldn’t help but laugh, though she hid it quickly.

Robbie held out a hand, as if he would be strong enough to lift her from that position. It was very tempting for her to pull him down as proof that he couldn’t.

Celebrations: Writing Room

Today I'm Celebrating...

Besides the obvious (see previous post), today I'm celebrating my new office/writing room!

Jane Austen wrote at a table this size. Sometimes, I do too.

Recent happenings in my house meant we had an empty bedroom. Since my room wasn't an ideal place for both my desk and my bed, I now have an office for the former!

I have an obsession with a collection of candles.

This was also a chance for me to free up some of my shelf space. Funny--my room doesn't look any less cluttered...

Yes; those shelves are in the shape of check marks.

I love my desk.

What are you celebrating?

NaNoWriMo, Day 13: WON!

Word Count:

50,015

Satisfied?

You betcha! I was hoping to "finish" today. My story isn't done, and I'll write the end before November ends, but now I can worry less about word count and more about content.

Mood:

Joyful and celebratory!

Hours of Sleep:

I don't actually know...I think it was around 8.

Cups of coffee:

2...considering a 3rd.

Today's Snippet:

(Robbie hurt Kara and is getting ready to go apologize to her.) 

His dad told him that was part of becoming a man: being able to face your mistakes and admit that you had been wrong. 

If that was the case, Robbie would almost rather remain a boy.

NaNoWriMo, Day 12

Word Count:

46,616

Satisfied?

Very! I was aiming for 45K and didn't really believe I'd make it to that--especially since a large portion of the day was taken setting up my new office! (Which I am very excited about. I'm dubbing it my writing room. As soon as I get a new chair, that's where I'll be. All the time. Goodbye, world!)

Mood:

Happy, and sleepy. I'm two of the seven dwarfs!

Hours of Sleep:

Six.

Cups of coffee:

Two.

Today's Snippet:

(Kara is writing a letter to Robbie, which she never intends to show him. "Because I won't understand my feelings until I see them in writing.") 

Love can’t be one sided. It can be, I guess. There’s a term for it; I can’t think of it right now. I had always hoped that I would never have to experience it.

Then you showed up, and now I am in danger of that very thing. 

NaNoWriMo, Days 8-11

It's been a busy weekend with not much time to write until after midnight last night--so I got a little behind with these posts.

Word Count:

40,091

Satisfied?

Somewhat. I was aiming to reach that before midnight, but I didn't. But both Saturday and Sunday I passed the minimum 1,667 so I'm happy enough.

Mood:

Motivated

Hours of Sleep:

Usually around seven

Cups of coffee:

Between half a cup and three cups. I try not to have more than three.

Today's Snippet:

“Robbie, wait,” his dad called to him, his tone urgent.  

Robbie turned back to face him. “What is it now, Dad?” 

“Your pants are falling down! It’s a good thing I stopped you, or boy would you have felt embarrassed in front of all your friends!” 

Robbie rolled his eyes. “See you later, Dad.”  

“I have a belt you can borrow…”

“Goodbye, Dad.”

NaNoWriMo, Day 7

Word Count:

27,576

Satisfied?

Very! I was aiming for 27K and I made it. Take that, NaNo!

Mood:

Happy! And my Pandora station is singing love songs to me again, so I can't help but smile. I can't write during them, but when I don't have to write, they're fun.

Hours of Sleep:

Seven...but it was weird hours. Like, 3am to 10am. Weird. Thank you, election results, for keeping me awake. So nice of you to end late... haha.

Cups of coffee:

THREE.

Today's Snippet:

(This is a flashback to when Kara was around ten years old. Some girls from school decided to give her a makeover. I haven't decided if I'll keep it, but...it's there for now.) 

Kara squirmed in her seat a little as one of the other girls started brushing through her hair. 

“How did you get a stick in here?” She laughed. “It doesn’t really matter. I just wasn’t expecting it!” 

Kara blushed. “I don’t know.”

NaNoWriMo, Day 6

Word Count:

22,695

Satisfied?

Somewhat. I was initially aiming for 25K, but I needed a break after yesterday....and I know I can easily hit that tomorrow.

Mood:

So sleepy. But that has more to do with the current time than anything else.

Hours of Sleep:

I don't actually know this.

Cups of coffee:

Three.... I discovered the most amazing coffee ever. It comes from Ikea. Get some, people. Dark roast...simply perfection.

Today's Snippet:

“Can I ask you a question, Kara?”  

She glanced at him. His tone held sincerity, but she couldn’t help teasing him more. She may as well have fun as she got to know this strange family. “That was a question in itself,” she said, “so I don’t know why you felt the need to ask permission for it--while you were already asking it.”

“Okay…can I ask another one?” 

“And, again, you just did. If you want a third, I suggest you just ask it, or you may find I won’t be quite so willing to hear it.” She laughed lightly.

NaNoWriMo, Day 5

Word Count:

20,117

Satisfied?

Absolutely!

Mood:

Content, and ready to relax with a movie.

Hours of Sleep:

I think it was seven.

Cups of coffee:

TOO MANY. I had 3. And hot chocolate. Don't judge.

Today's Snippet:

“When you’re right and I’m wrong, you’ll know. I was taught that being able to admit when I’m wrong would make me happier. So you’ll be right, and I’ll be happy. It’s a win-win situation.”

Kara rolled her eyes. “You are ridiculous.”

“You’re right.” Robbie grinned, and his eyebrows went up as his chin tilted down. “See what I did there?”

NaNoWriMo, Day 4

Word Count:

12,103

Satisfied?

Yep. I definitely could have written more, given time, but since my only chance to write today was in the car (where half the time words and my stomach don't mix well), a little under 2K is enough.

Mood:

Sleepy. So sleepy.

Hours of Sleep:

I think it was around 8, but it feels like fewer!

Cups of coffee:

About half a cup... Maybe that's why my answer to the above is what it is...

Today's Snippet:

(Kara is an author. As an author, she goes through days when writing just plain stinks.) 

She focused in on the page once again. She had only written two words. 

This is pathetic. Does every author struggle this much? 

She wasn't even sure if she wanted to keep those two words. She sat and stared at them for a moment. There seemed to be nothing terribly offensive about them, so she decided to let them stay. 

Time for the next two. If only all writing happened two words at a time, it might not seem so overwhelming to her.

NaNoWriMo, Day 3

Word Count:

 10,305

Satisfied?

Yes! I wasn't expecting to get more than a few hundred words today, because I only had an hour or so to write.

Mood:

Content

Hours of Sleep:

7

Cups of coffee:

Just one. I was tempted to get another, but resisted. Aren't you proud??

Today's Snippet:

(Robbie's family is gardening...it's early spring. They see Kara walking and call her over.)

“Come on and help us,” Robbie called.

She shook her head. “It’s too cold for that.”

“Aw, come on. Don’t be a spoil sport. Think of how much you will love having a tomato plant that has your name on it!”

She shook her head again. “I don’t much care if a tomato plant is named Susie Mcgee on a day as cold as today is.”

“Where are you from, that you think this is cold? It’s decent today!”

“You have a very strange definition of decent when it comes to the weather.” 

NaNoWriMo, Day 2

Word Count:

7,492

Satisfied?

I am! I was aiming for 7K, and I still have time to write before it's family time.

Mood:

Joyful

Hours of Sleep:

Six...

Cups of coffee:

Almost a full, LARGE coffee. Yummy.

Today's Snippet:

(I just had to bring this word into it!) 

“Honey, did you say ‘thilly’?” 

“Yes, darling, I did.” 

“Why? Why not just say ‘silly’?” 

“Because I didn’t mean silly. I meant thilly.” 

Robbie shook his head. “Thilly is just silly with a lisp, Dad.” 

Joe put a hand over his mouth. “I can’t believe you would say such a thing.” 

He crossed his arms. “Is it not?” 

“Of course not! Thilly is sillier than silly. It is a completely separate word.”

“That’s not a thing, Dad.” 

“It will be—when people start using it more.” 

Ella shook her head. “Stop trying to be Shakespeare by making up your own words. He’s not an ideal role model. Especially with all those accusations of plagiarism and such. That isn’t something to portray as edifying in front of your children.” 

“Yeah, Mom. Davey and I are still young, impressionable children, and now we’re going to think plagiarism is okay, because Shakespeare did it, and Dad wants to be Shakespeare because he made up one dumb word. That’s definitely going to happen.” 

“Now, see, Ella? That’s an example of something thilly.”

NaNoWriMo, Day 1

Word Count:

3,661

Satisfied?

I was aiming for 5K...but I'll take it. Maybe I'll get to 5K before sleep tonight!

Mood:

Happy/Excited

Cups of coffee:

Just one!

Today's Snippet:

(Ella, Joe, Kara, and Robbie are weeding.)

She looked over at Kara. “Yes—that’s perfect. See, Joe? She pulled it right from the bottom, and got the whole thing. That’s what you should be doing.”

Joe’s mouth opened in pain. “You…you killed it. Kara, how could you kill it?”

“You’re kind of tree huggers, aren’t you?”

“Dandelion huggers. And sometimes chickens. Chickens get squirmy when you try to hug them. Trees, though? Not really.”

Ella giggled. “Joe is just silly about dandelions.”

“And Ella is just silly about chickens.”