Lake Missoula

Wrote about 500 words in the early afternoon and quickly realized I was going B-F-B-F again; it happens when you’re a Pantser:  you’re getting along on a storyline and suddenly realized, crap! I didn’t give that any exposition!  So, I spent an hour polishing the 500 words and inserting them retroactively while making several other editing changes, all the while imaging what it was like in the 20th Century where writers quite literally cut and pasted their manuscripts.

Having said all that to say this:  the first part is what I wrote about Jenkins then spent time retconning it into what you’ve already read.  The rest is getting the Nation moving north and west, ending with Nichole putting on her new Bard hat!  One more gloss to see the military units of the Nation over the Cascades, meeting the City’s Regular Army, then turning north against the cannibal’s main horde, as the civilians on the horse-drawn wagons make their way into the area around Napavine… and then…

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Back-flash-back-flash

Sometimes my writing style confuses even me.  I like to flick around in time… my flashbacks will come to present time and then have an entirely different flashback.  This is not something from the classical SF I’ve read, nor is it particularly a thing in the types of anime we watch (which is mostly ‘cute girls doing cute things’).  As a result, with the exception of about 400 words, everything I’ve posted about Nichole’s Book 2 is a flashback from where she is standing looking out to the northeast at the migration of the Nation before their assault on the cannibals.

For about two sentences you see “real time” below the fold, then, God help me, I do it again and flash back to how they got there.  This is her third trip upriver, so I’ve no reason to dwell on details – and I don’t – and just toss a few mile markers down.

AFTER THIS!  After this, I think I will be entirely in ‘present time,’ with the possible exception of a verbal montage to get the Nation across the Washington Cascades.  While I’d not seen Nichole’s interaction with Rye until my fingers tapped the keys, this is an interesting development… one that I’ve no idea where it will lead.

After talking with my wife and teen daughters, there’s nothing particularly afoot this weekend for us.  God willing, that means I can lay down 4k-6k words and get within striking distance of a conclusion to Book 2.  Anyone have any ideas for a name?  I got nothin’ right now:  no-one knows what Foederati means; Enemies at the Gates is clichéd and taken…  I’d like it to be a perversion, if you will, of the first title, “Friend and Ally.”

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Threshold

Putting aside our visual novel, OTChi Kocchi, it was NaNoWriMo that taught me to be a novelist.  I am utterly wedded to the idea of irrational deadlines; were I not, nothing would ever get finished.  This entry of Nichole5’s second book would put me just over the 50k limit demanded by NNRM, were I playing along.

That’s all well and good, but I need the Nation across the Cascades, beating the cannibals, betrayed by the Special Police, and burning Portland.  In two weeks.  Dang.  The best I can hope for is either a mild heart attack that sidelines me from my DayJob, or a meteor hits the place, with the same affect.

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Stretching Home

I really need to find a doctor or NP.  My drinking has lead to liver disease or cirrhosis.  Not that I’ll stop drinking until N5 v2 is complete, but I’d like to know exactly what’s wrong with me:  even with Metoprolol, my BP is up, I get tired easily, lose my balance in the mornings, and my right under my ribs hurts.

In the mean time, Nichole starts her tour.  This segment touches on her school fellows and puts Nancy in a can.  We’ll be back to Zom’s for dinner – have to fit Joe in somewhere as he’s a part of the second to last scene of Part 3… a fighting retreat.  Honestly, I don’t actually see him die…  Tomorrow should be a good day for writing.  If you’re inclined, pray for me*.  I’d appreciate it.

*For the stories, not my health.  I’m gonna die regardless… need to get these out!

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The Deep breath…

Made a start on Part 3; the final part.  After what’s below the fold I came to a halt as I realized Nichole’s time in the City before she departs on her mission to the Nation with need some meticulous planning on my part.  She won’t be back for at least two months so I have to have all of my other characters otherwise engaged.  Both in their day-to-day lives as well as for what happens in the end.

I’ll likely be dark for a couple of days.  Unless I die (and I’ve told my wife to make a suitable post here if I do) I’ll be back with more content in a bit.  Cheerio!

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Back to the Present

Forgot my blood pressure meds last night.  As it was cooler this AM, I made coffee around noon.  Not being a total idiot, it was 50/50 decaf.  Halfway through my second cup, I wondered why I felt so tanjed awful.  I moved to the other side of the formal dining table (where I write) and picked up the BP machine.

164/90.  I then recalled my missed med.  Which I took immediately.  By dinner, and after several glasses of wine, I checked again.  150/90.

Dammit!  I took a third half-pill and reached for the whiskey.  At least I was able to wrap up Part 2 today! Be a shame to die before I complete part 3 and the book!  For those that are new or do not recall, the very last section, called “present day,” hearkens back to this.

There will be a break of a few days as I have to see the unfolding of the joint campaign of the Nation and the City’s Regular Army & Militia A against the cannibals.  Only once they are defeated can I allow things to go to hell.  Halloween comes fast; must make haste slowly.

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Rebellion

An explanation of the surprise Nichole walked into in the last post.  I’d tried to fit Joe into this as well, getting everyone together before things go to hell, but it didn’t work:  I had to keep the 3.5-way conversation as tight as possible, so his part came right back out.

We’re north of 43k words!  I knew Nichole would have a meeting with Mayor Johnson before she was seconded to the Nation.  Seeing here that his daughter – and possible successor, Teresa is present, I think the Army general, Tessmer, will be there, as well.  Four-way dynamics are easiest to write, and in my advanced years, I am all about easy!

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Modeling Clay

No, that’s not a pun on my given name.  Just where we’re headed.  A solid, two days work below the fold.  My boss has been gone for two days – a working vacation, as I call it – so I do not arrive home exhausted and shocky.  Here’s some theology, politics, and conversation.  With a few surprise reveals.  I think after a couple of thousand word this weekend, I’ll be finished with Part 2 and ready to wrap everything up in 3.

On Sunday, September 16th, the missus & I will be seeing Gary Numan in Columbus, Ohio.  I hear he plays “Down in the Park” in this tour.  How very appropriate.

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“All of Alcohol is divided into three parts…”

Probably sounds better in Latin.  Which makes an appearance in the last few lines of this update.

Saturday I had two mixed drinks:  gin and Monster.  Wrote about 1600 words.  Sunday, as I was making then eating my chili con queso con carne, I’d beer.  Wrote Nichole and Tuchman into a room, about 150 words… then, nothing.  Late Monday AM, back to wine and 1100 words were there at my fingertips.  I’ve seen the snippets of their ride back and her reunion with Gil and Mackenzie, but I’ve RealLife matters to attend to.

So much for beer.  Sad.  I homebrewed for over fifteen years, but gave it up because of the carbs.  “All things change; all things die.”

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Tack

As in sailing.  This was leading me away from the plot.  So I saw Nichole show off and swing things about.  This part two is supposed to be centered around Mackenzie d’Arcy, just as part one was about Nancy Brunelli.  That means I need my main character back home.

Where she just might walk into her friend’s flat, with Mac’s hair in twin-tails and Gil with his shirt off… I like to think of it as a love-hexagon.

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