Stats

Dragon Knight

New words: 665
Total words: 6,356

Mean things: uncooperative castle staff. Knight is a chauvinist.

Favorite: Nothing. Bad writing day.

Music:
Nothing.

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Today's attempt at writing was like this: . Seriously. I don't know what's wrong with this chapter; it just won't go. Unfortunately, everything that happens in it is necessary to the plot, so I can't just chunk the chapter out the window and start somewhere else. A good portion of today's "new words" were actually added to the FIRST chapter when I did some revision based on suggestions from people at OWW.

On the other hand, I am learning a lot about how a castle was run, thanks to Anthony Viscount Montague's Book of Orders and Rules. I'm having to par down his staff because my knight is just a knight, but at least I know what they CALLED these people.

So today's attempt at writing was a wash. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. Considering how frustrated Sir Cynric is in the second half of this chapter, maybe I can channel some of my frustration into that.

Stats

Dragon Knight

New words: 1,430
Total words: 5,691

Mean things: faced with dead knight's family.
Nice things: um, nothing. Bad.

Favorite: The Wall had stood as the northern border for Rheine for a thousand years without incident, but rumors floated throughout the country that the northern barbarians had discovered a weapon that would pierce dragon scales, that they were breeding a dragon army, that they planned to attack soon. Cynric truly hoped this was all conjecture, but he would guard his section of Wall with a will.

Music:
"The Unquiet Grave" - Kate Rusby

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I don't feel like I've written more than a thousand words today. In fact, I feel like a complete slacker. Weird. Of course, it could have something to do with me knocking off at 12 PM instead of 1 or 2 like I usually do, but my hands are actually sore and I don't think I can do any more today.

Stats & Submission

Dragon Knight

New words: 623
Total words: 4,261

Mean things: baron STILL a jerk.
Nice things: understanding manservant

Favorite: Perth was an oddity in Rheine; while the Rheinen tended toward blond hair and blue eyes, Perth had blazing red hair, like a sunrise just before a storm. His eyes were a clear green that danced when he was amused or turned a threatening grey when he was angry. He was taller than most Rhienen, as well, topping six feet. He claimed to be from an island nation in the northern sea, but never explained how he came to be in Rheine, serving a very minor knight.

Music:
"Serve Me" - Unto Ashes

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Word count still sort of sucked today, but I finished this chapter (and put it up on OWW) and decided to go over "The Queen's Huntsman" for submission. I sent it in to Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show a few minutes ago. The last time I submitted something to them it was rejected, but it was an encouraging rejection. It seems that "The Queen's Huntsman," being a fairy tale, will be difficult to place; most magazines seem to be leaning toward dark fantasy right now. Either that or I just need to find the right ones.

I have decided that "25 Years" by Blackmore's Night is my new favorite song. When I have money, I'll definitely have to get the CD.

Stats

Dragon Knight

New words: 694
Total words: 3,623

Mean things: baron is a jerk. Need a squire.
Nice things: going home.

Favorite: As they rode through the village outside the Woolgar castle, Baron Alvey’s people, serfs and freemen alike, scurried out of the way of the procession, oddly silent for what should have been a triumphal return. The barbarians were defeated, after all. Then Cynric remembered how many infantrymen had fallen on the field, how few were returning with them. The battle had claimed many more infantry than it ought to have, and the families of those men were here now, learning of their losses only because their husbands, fathers, sons, brothers were not coming home.

Music:
"25 Years" - Blackmore's Night

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Tired of the music on my hard drive, I signed up for Pandora and made two stations, one based on Celtic/Gaelic/Medieval/Pagan music (Mediaeval Baebes, Sarah McLachlan, Inkkubus Sukubus, Nightwish, Switchblade Symphony, etc.), the other on rock/grunge (Alice in Chains, Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Slipknot, etc.). Between those two, I should never have a problem setting a mood. Of course, right now my Celtic station is playing Depeche Mode. Weird.

Writing didn't go too well today. I just couldn't seem to get going. I think it's partly worry, partly the Internet being distracting, and partly tiredness. Tomorrow should be better.

Stats

Dragon Knight

New words: 909
Total words: 2,929

Mean things: having to inform family of knight's death.
Nice things: finally a landed knight.

Favorite: Cynric applied the kerchief to the space between spines, where the bony ridge sliced it cleanly in two. The boy turned white, obviously imagining a human body in that space. “Armor might protect one from that ridge, but we are not certain of that. And an armored man would be too heavy for the dragon. He expends a great deal of energy keeping himself aloft, after all. Hence the enormous meal he just enjoyed.”

Music:
"Mad World" - Michael Andrews

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Sometimes characters take on a life of their own once I actually start writing. Thankfully, it's usually the minor characters. The baron who my knight looks to was supposed to be ponderous and serious but overall a good guy. Instead, as I'm writing, he takes rash risks on the battlefield and foists some of his more onerous duties onto Cyric. This is not a nice man. And yet, it makes perfect sense for the rest of the story that he expect too much of his knights and is sort of a jerk. I guess sometimes the subconscious writer-brain knows what it's doing.

Stats

Dragon Knight

New words: 2,020

Total words: 2,020

Mean things: battle. Covered in blood. Not-so-bright commander.
Nice things: helpful pages. Happy dragon.

Favorite: Colsweart hovered ten feet above the battlefield, his wings beating rapidly to keep him at a hover. Orange and red flame poured from his throat over the archers’ line. A few had managed to get out of the way and were futilely firing at the dragon. No man-made weapon had ever managed to pierce dragon scales, but somehow everyone still thought they had to try. Cynric could see the bright flashes as the arrows bounced or glanced off, sparks showering from the point of impact.

Music:
"All Nightmare Long" - Metallica

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I dreamed about dragons all last night (except for the one bit of dream where I was teaching, dammit!), which I took to mean my subconscious was ready to start on this novel. So I dove in. I'm still not quite finished outlining, but I've got 12 chapters done, so I'm sure I can keep the outlining well ahead of the writing.

Otherwise, happy We're Not British day, my fellow Americans! Try not to burn off any necessary body parts. We're celebrating with a weekend-long movie marathon. Last night we watched The Hurt Locker, Kelly's Heroes, and Saving Private Ryan. Still on the stack are The Longest Day, The Patriot, We Were Soldiers, The Sum of All Fears, Black Hawk Down, Tears of the Sun, Platoon, Outpost, and Red Dawn. Should be fun.

Short Stories

Today I worked on "The Queen's Huntsman," which I think is just about ready to begin submitting, and started a new Truthsayer story, "The Truthsayer's Ward." I plan to finish outlining Dragon Knight today (I've been slacking a bit while trying to come up with more conflict, but I think I have it now) and possibly start writing it tomorrow.

The part of my brain that's in constant freak-out mode freaked out after I sent Necromancer off to Jodi, worrying that it's really garbage, that she's not going to be able to find anything nice to say about it, that she's going to tell me just to give up on this writing thing. I really hope not, but that freak-out part of my brain never shuts the freak up.

We're still waiting to hear about W.E.'s interview, speaking of freaking out. I know it's only been three days, but we need something now.

Off to outline, watch X-Files, and continue cross-stitching.

Revisions Part Deux

Necromancer

Revised: Ch. 16-21 (end)

Total words: 69,910

Fixed: Passive voice, complicated sentences, more description

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I had every intention of quitting earlier, but decided 11:30 was too early to stop working. So I finished the book. It's still going to need a lot of work, but I think I've done all I can and fresh eyes--specifically Jodi's eyes --are going to have to look at it before I can do any more. So I'm e-mailing it to her in a couple of minutes (you have been warned, Miss Jodi!) and going to watch more X-Files, cross-stitch, read, and finish outlining Dragon Knight.

Phew!

Revisions

Necromancer

Revised: Ch. 11-15

Total words: 63,730

Fixed: Anachronistic language, more description/detail

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More Progress

I got a few more chapters outlined on Dragon Knight today, and am having fun with the idea of playing with a twist on the fantasy trope of the love-interest chick cutting off all her hair, dressing as a boy, and pretending to be the knight's page. The twist being that the knight doesn't find this at all endearing, actually finding it kind of weird and creepy.

W.E.'s interview was a 50/50 thing; he's not sure he nailed it, but he doesn't think he completely messed it up. The interviewers were apparently worried about him being "overqualified" for an assistant's position (and yet somehow he's not qualified enough for a generalist, which is the next step up--go figure) and running off the second someone offers him something better. He tried to convince them that that's not going to happen. Hopefully he succeeded. Otherwise, tomorrow he's taking a test to see if he can do water testing at the water treatment plant, and another temp agency apparently "has an opportunity" for him, but haven't gotten back to him on that yet. SIGH.

Well, as long as SOMETHING comes through to pay the bills, I guess I'll have to be happy. But I'll still complain if W.E. comes home smelling of sewage every night.