“You Are In My Vision”

Eleven days straight at Day Job.  At least I was able to think a great deal about what the hell might or might not be going on.  True to my style, I went for the minimalist approach.  So, we get a little overlap of the last scene from Joe’s perspective, followed by Nichole doing gallant machine things and Joe doing gallant human things.

I am genuinely happy when machines and humans compliment one another as men and women do.

Last Sunday, our parish priest – in anticipation of Thanksgiving – asked us to consider what we’re thankful for.  Besides the trite answers (“my family!”), what I really thought was that God let me see, and write, stories like this.  I don’t deserve it.

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“Barring RealLife…”

The next morning, my boss asked if I could come in for half days over the weekend, as well as cover some over Thanksgiving.  Given the Dog with the Golden Nose and my lay-about wife, I’ll take what money I can.  But, that means I’ll be working two weeks straight.  While I’ve the spirit to come home and write, my flesh is rather tired, dragging myself through the door at 1745 in the dark and cold.

But I’ll keep trying.  Here’s some more of Nichole.  I need to write the last two segments from Joe’s POV, so I can weave them together in the editing phase.

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“You’re a movie”

“Hey.  Aren’t you supposed to be writing?” My wife asked, per our agreement.  I’d spent a few minutes looking at ‘ground view’ on Bing Maps of the north side of the Lewis and Clark Bridge, followed by a few minutes of resting my chin in my hand.

“Yeah.  But I can only write what they show me.”

She nodded at that and returned to her studies.  She learned years ago that I watch a scene unfold in my mind as if I’m sitting in a theater.  When the reel stops, I just write down what I saw.  I’m more a reporter than a writer.

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Meta-exercise

Defiant began life as a writing exercise.  What if, I thought, during NaNoWriMo – which I am not formally taking part – I made a writing exercise of my writing exercise?  My slovenly, lay-about, unemployed wife suggested that she study some training manuals while I write each night.

“Fine.  Forty five minutes.”

“Why that?”

“Ten to immerse, thirty to write, five imbedded to tactical edit on the fly.”

“Okay.”

We started Monday. Not being an idiot, I’ve built in a 3-day lag for the blog, for RealLife(TM) events.  Dailies, these will be shorter than my typical additions.  I enjoy the exercise.

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“Code: Tiger”

Yes, it’s been a-while.  I’m a lousy writer and terrible person.  For those you not out on a date with your current or future spouse, here’s a treat:  3600 words of a battle just about to start.  Being Veterans/Remembrance Day, I have Nichole look around at one point, recalling the living so that she will be able to recall the dead, fighting to save their homes and families.

When I write the battle at L&C bridge – which should go quickly, I’m not one for battle scenes – there’s a moment with Nichole and Joe at the end of it, then back to the City.  At that point, I’ve all the raw material, about 80k words, complete, and just need to edit it into a coherent novel.  By Christmas.

If any hot strawberry-blonde girls want to gift me US$500 for the 99designs.com cover for this book, I’ll use your image, if you do.  Otherwise, I’m having to sell a kidney.

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Noblesse Oblige

Made some revision to the end of my last post, when I was blindingly drunk.  I’m now, of course – it’s Saturday night – but at least I’m older not to write!

Local politics.  I’ve no stomach for it, but Nichole has to have this out with the Mayor.  Fret not:  like all of Defiant, I cannot keep myself from killing people.  This overlaps a tiny bit, to my last post, because I saw the wrong things.

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Peace is Our Profession

As Churchill noted, jaw-jaw is better than war-war.  But, there are some people that just need killin.’  Cannibals, for instance.  I know way back in Defiant Act I, wrote that how they were dressed and cut their heads, “it was hard to tell the men from women.”  So, I could be really edgy and call them tranny-cannies; that should trigger a few thousand hate-hits to my little blog.

Meh.  I’m just here to tell the stories they show me; as Nichole discovers, sitting across from Mayor Johnson, in his study, politics is work.

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“Oh my God! We’re Supposed to Start a War!”

Said Prince John to his brothers and Queen Eleanor, around 1185 in Chinon Castle.

I feel the same way.  From my last post, I knew I’d seen enough to move things forward; not all in one day:  my notes point toward about 11k words of story.  But, time to get going!

So why do I have Teresa kissing Nichole outside the Miller Library?  WTF does this have to do with the Cannibal Army storming the Lewis & Clark Bridge?  Where’s the killing?  Where’s the nerve gas?  SRSLY?

If nothing else, I’ve SEEN when the breathless messenger comes rushing into the room where N and the Mayor are having their very guarded conversation, announcing the loss of the bridge to the Enemy.  That’ll get things rolling!  N has some funny, but pointed, things to say about how/why Japan lost the Pacific War, starting with Guadalcanal, and how that impacts His Honor’s response.

Bleeding Jesus, but I need an Editor!

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