For the dog, not me. I’m for the cheap wine, with some occasional gin in the warmer months. See, for example, my recent post on Instagram (@machciv). The story below follows immediately on that from my last blog post; I’d seen all of it, but was just too tired. Bad news at work, bad news at home… it piles up. Instead, let’s have three friends drink tea and nibble cookies on a rainy, Portland, Sunday afternoon!
Tag: friendship
Silverfeet
As long-time readers know, if I “go dark” right in the middle of a narrative, it’s a bad attack of RealLife. This was; again. And, it was onto someone who does not deserve it: God, the Fates… someone resents tf out of our naming our eldest dog Lucky Star. At eight years old diagnosed with sarcoma; two nasal surgeries followed by radiation.
Now, less than six months later, his breathing becomes labored. A week later, he is weak on his front legs. Monday, he cannot walk. Vet consult to consult to consult: I shan’t bore you with details. It might be a slipped cervical disc in his neck. Anesthesia for an MRI/surgery has a good chance of killing him due to his congestive heart disease. For now, we’re throwing prednisone at the wall and hoping it sticks.
After eight hours in the vet ER Tuesday, I’m not really in the creative mode. Fortunately, after my Lenten Exercises, it’s difficult to stop. I was able to put together what’s below the fold over two days. I’ve a quarter-page of hand-written notes about how to wrap up Part One. My wife and girls are off to a major, but local, swim meet this weekend; we three old, dying, dogs shall sit about the house and eye one another. I’ll type, too. I appreciate everyone for putting up with me. I’ll do better, soon.
“Tiger, tiger: burning bright!”
Anything set by firelight is amazingly atavistic. We are the descendants of all those that stayed close to their family and the fire to listen to wondrous stories. Think of it as evolution in action.
“Why isn’t the plot here, yet?!”
Because I needed to put the third and final piece (eavesdropping and Mackenzie) into place, first. Now the rest of Part One can begin to unfold. Things are going to be fine.
In Part One.
Filling In
God was kind enough to give me two pieces of the puzzle to part 1 of my next book. Just now I saw the third piece*… right when I have to make dinner** for the family… arrgh!
*Nichole, as hybrid student/teacher in V. Bishop’s coding class, has a discussion after class with Vicki about improvements to the gain of the remote sensors used by the agriculturalists up the Columbia. If Nichole backtracks on Mackenzie, that yields her:
1. A personal agent in the dictator’s household;
2. An agent with access to financial records;
3. A means of audio eavesdropping.
YES!
**Pork medallions in mustard-cream sauce, flambed with apple brandy.
Oakland
Still messing about with my characters, but, plot-wise, there’s no there-there.
Time, alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine will fix. Please bear with me.
F&A Cover
Formerly an exclusive on Gab.ai, where you can speak freely, below the fold is the cover of the my next novel. Monica is wrapping up her copyediting, so I hope to have a proof copy in my hands in no more than a week. A week beyond that should see it released to the wild. So honestly, call it two to three.
I really need to get back to writing Part Two!
Montrose’s Toast
This did not end where I expected. I knew Teresa would look into what’s going on out east. A play for the throne? Wow. I am now reacting to, not writing, this story. I must make haste slowly.
Friends and Allies
Chose the winning design for the cover of my next novel: The Saga of Nichole 5: Part 1 – Friend & Ally. It still needs a little tweaking, so I shan’t roll it out quite yet.
In other news, I’m also getting back into the habit of writing. I have to: if I am about to publish a book called ‘Part 1’ I tanjed well better have a ‘Part 2’ lined up on deck and ready for launch. Of course, I don’t. Quite.
I hand-wrote about two pages of notes yesterday. That’s something for a pantser such as myself. Still, with all the RealWorld things I had to do about the house today, at least I was able to lay down a few words for Act I.
0 AND 1
A good two days: even with the icepick, by drinking iced tea all morning until around 1230, followed by a switch-over to wine, I can up with 1900 word like this. I’ve lots of careful groundwork I need to lay down before… well…
Make haste slowly.
machciv 