Well, the first is the temporary book cover for Pandamapocalypse my CampNaNo and NaNoWriMo novel. The second is a discovery from lots of work today developing my main character and as close as I can come to what Liz (the main character) looks like is Aisha Tyler. Except Liz likes to wear her hair in big Afro Puffs on either side of her head. I may have to draw my characters rather than have them look like celebs. But I like Aisha a lot so I could see her dragoning up and saving the world!
Oh, my word count is 5,665. That is 664 words more than I needed. I think spending the time developing my peoples helps me feel the story better.
I still don’t have the name of the town. Maybe I will name it after the hero of the day. Her name is Violet. Has there been a town by that name? It seems a little weird. I’ll keep working on it.
Trick or Treat is nearly the exact term I would use for 2020. I have been keeping a journal and writing a book for first CampNaNo where I wrote about 25K and now starting at midnight plan to add another 50K. Getting ready for the start of NaNoWriMo this year required me to edit the spring start of the book and make sure all the journaling and whining and prompts not touched got put in the section of yWriter that keeps that count for being in the total word count. I want that count to be purely story.
All of that to say, I have now relived 2020 from March on. It has been a slow and boring rollercoaster full of angst and sometimes loneliness. Since my book is loosely based on the pandemic, it is titled Pandamapocalypse (I may have to rename it as I can never remember the way to spell it. Clue: There are Pandas and Ma’s but remembering is there an ‘a’ or an ‘o’ after the second ‘p’ and then after the ‘c’ has no hints to hold onto.
During this year I have watched more series than I think I ever have. It is curious how the writers come up with their plots. One thing I have noticed is that if it is a long series they resort to using the holidays as they come. Making sure there are tricks and treats for Halloween seems to give them lots of fodder for maybe even two episodes.
My characters have only experienced Easter and that was too fearful to do more than think it and move on. So they are going to get a treat both on Earth and on Haven as they all celebrate in ways to help them enjoy life again and yet stay to the mission to see why it is spreading and how they can help stop the process. My trick for them is how, now that the virus is human, things can get worse before it gets better while trying to keep it light enough that I want to write.
Well, I did manage to blog. Yay, me! Hope you all had a great Halloween and didn’t get tricked.
Wow! How did we get here already! It’s already Friday! It’s been so long since I have been inside a business. Somewhere on this blog, I talked about taking my Kali to the vet for her shots. Somewhere on this blog, I told about going and getting temporary fillings. By the way, they are still there. I hope they will continue to hang on. <–My first “O” word! I think it was the beginning of March. OMG! It seems like forever ago. It seems like yesterday. It reminds me of how we have always remembered common dates. We ask, ‘What were you doing when JFK was shot? Or ‘Where where you when we heard about Bobby? And the not distant past asks, Where were you working on 9/11?
This one is different. Maybe it goes like this: What was the last real day before lockdown?
The thing is, I never went anywhere before. As retired folk, we can’t afford to go anywhere. Often the bones were hurting, and I didn’t feel like going anywhere, Now, I feel like hopping in the car and just driving forever. I’ve always been a bit of a hobo, I like to travel. And fibro put an end to that. Too tired. But now I think I have rebellion working overtime. The body is still complaining. I barely have the energy to walk around the yard. But not being able to, enforced by the wicked virus, is crazy-making. Right?
So that is what day it is. Anyway, Word count that was caught up yesterday on CampNaNo. Behind again. Ouch! So I must leave you and get over to yWriter and see what I can do to fix it. My characters are having dance parties in the middle of the Pandamacalypse. And today is the day on Grey’s Anatomy that O’Malley dies. O’Malley! {See what I did there?}
I woke with the sound of Arya Stark’s voice. I am no longer in love with Game of Thrones. The ending was atrocious. But sometimes a good GoT quote is called for. “Not today” is what we all should be saying. But then again while in the midst of this stuff and losing track of what day it is, all we need is one more day we can’t claim.
Trash is out so I guess it’s Thursday. No Grey’s Anatomy, except all the Netflix ones I’ve been watching. But I’m still pretty sure it is Thursday. Another week has gone to blurry.
Nothing is better than a call from offspring. That makes today very special. I got to touch base with the adultrens. Everyone seems to be fine, calmer than the last time we spoke even though there are newnerve-wracking situations in each of their lives. They seem to be holding it together and keeping on a healthy path. I feel better. I’m still mom and worried but their voices help me take a breath and be grateful.
As of last night, I was 31 words ahead of goal on my CampNaNo. NationalNovel Writing Month started way back in 1999. I think. I read Chris Baty’s book, No Plot, No Problem I think in 2001. I have written a NaNo every year and sometimes twice a year ever since. I love writing like that. Others may never read my novels but the adventure that flies from my head through my fingers is more fun than any other novel out there. Who but me knows what I like to read? Anyway, I should let Chris Baty speak for himself.
But speaking about novel writing I have 3 and 1/2 hours to get another 1,667 words in to be on track. I have dragons and hippos fighting and an angry virus that is sentient. It doesn’t matter how big you are when it is the smallest things like atoms and viruses that can destroy everything. I hope my characters figure it out better than the government is doing it. Deep Breath. Control what you can.
I spent today editing my CampNaNo story, Haven in 3D. I don’t do it like the picture, though I think I might near the end. My process is: Open yWriter project. Open Word with the RTF of that project. Then I open Grammarly Pro. Though I don’t think I am down to the words but the actual overall story, why not fix what I can as I read?
After I have cleaned up a scene in Word, I copy and paste it back into the yWriter scene and move on to the next scene. I think I added 26 words. That was a surprise because at first, I was killing words left and right.ย I spent from around noon to just an hour ago. I covered one chapter and two scenes from the next chapter. I needed to do this one to have all the information I needed for the one I just finished. It is fun to get back to the spring novel. It has all my favorite Haven characters. I can’t wait to get the series up for everyone to enjoy. It could just be me. I hope not. But if so I have had a fun time living part-time in another universe!
There is no validator this year but I added a buffer just in case yWriter is less than a validator would have. Look at this if you want to see the life of a NaNoer:
I love the applause at the end! Writing is lonely work. Thanks for your encouragement along the way. It really helped!
Whew! I managed to get just the right amount for the day. Like being beaten to death by the characters in my head! 48,379 The light is at the end of the tunnel! I hope it isn’t a train!
I’ve had a pretty good run the last couple of days. Impending snowstorms for reals are happening on the planet Crim. I love it when the writing happens without my brain hurting! By the way, I wrote early as they are expecting such strong winds and blizzard conditions by 1:30. Oops! It is in two minutes. The snow is getting denser and the winds are picking up. I hope we don’t lose power. But at least in writing, I’m ready! 43,429 Take that!
Working on my series: Haven.
Doodler (zendoodle.com)
Music major: voice and piano
Mom of four great adults
Reiki II practitioner
I have been on disability/retired for 10 years now from depression, anxiety and fibromyalgia.
Hi! my name is Sebastian (You can call me Seb!) ...welcome to my Blog. I'm a photographer from Worcester, Worcestershire, England. Thanks for dropping by! I hope you enjoy my work.
Books, games, music, and life โ filtered through the mind of a writer, drummer, and philosopher who thinks too deeply about all of it. If it moves something in your chest, I'm interested.
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