Pushing

OK, this morning was tough.

My characters didn't really want to do anything and it was the wrong point in the novel to kill any of them (bummer). So, I muddled through.

Still slightly (even slightly-er than in the past) ahead of pace. Still waiting for that 30K slide. I need it badly. This could be an ugly weekend.

Half

OK, so I'm halfway there.
It's been a little slow and a little tough the last couple days. I'm hoping this is last big hurdle before hitting the magical 30,000 word mark which traditionally has been my mark for when things really start to cruise.
<>

Almost there

I was running late for work this morning or I would have added a couple hundred more words to get me officially over the half-way mark. But I'll be there easily by tomorrow.

24,700 not bad.

Today's writing was fun because, for no apparent reason, I started a flashback part for my main character on how he became an FBI dude. It's actually working well with the rest of the book and may come into play for the ending.

No matter. It's just fun. That's the best part about NaNo. I can create a character I truly love and then just forget about him because he bores me later. Or, better yet, kill him!

Busy weekend

Poker Friday (Got creamed)
Stayed up way too late.
Woke up way too late (thanks, Tracy, for letting me!)
Wrote a bit
Took the kids to the Greeley Airport for aviation exhibit (fun!)
Took boys to "Open Season" (at least I got a nap!)
Boys and I went bowling (I stunk!)
Wrote.
Slept.
Woke up early.
Wrote.
Worked with boys to clean their activity room (9 full bags of trash!)
Saw "Stranger than Fiction" (very funny and even saw some fellow NaNo people)
Saw "Borat" (Oh my! I haven't laughed that hard in years. Thought I was going to lose consciousness!)
Wrote
Slept.
Word count: 23,211. Still a bit above pace, but now I'm writing past where I have written in this book before so it will be interesting to see if it goes quicker or slower. I'm hoping quicker.

Fake words, real ones

When you are trying to write 50,000 words in a month, the good part is that those words don't have to be any good.
But then when you have to write 650 words for a bi-weekly column for the local papers, you would think it would be easy. But the problem is that those 650 words might actually get read. So, it's really hard to get out of the mode of writing long crap to writing short decent stuff.
Oh, well.
Anyway, zooming away on track now. I'm still a bit more than 1,000 words over pace. But here comes another weekend!!!

Something different

OK, my NaNo stuff is probably boring the two people who actually read this blog (but I'm still slightly ahead of pace!), so thought I'd bring up something else.

Lost. The TV show. Last season, I was so hooked on this show, I swear they figured out a way to send crack through the airwaves! But this year, I'm bored. Lots of wacky stuff going on. Big smokey monsters. Carnivorous polar bears. A couple deaths. But really just boring. Last night was the final episode before the hiatus until February and I was hoping this whole boring season was leading to something, but it didn't happen last night.

Fortunately, there are some new shows, namely "Heroes" (overtaken Lost for the best show on TV ... especially now that Deadwood is off the air!), "Studio 60" and "The Nine" are all fantastic shows.

So, how do I work, write and stay up on current TV shows? A VCR and LOTS of caffeine.

Fun stuff

One of the interesting things about working on a book that I first started in 1989 (and later worked on in 1993 a bit) is that there is a lot of updating to do (as well as extensive re-writes because I really, really, really liked adjectives and adverbs back then).

E-mail was a brand new thing and I didn't know how it worked so I faked it (not too bad). But now I'm changing it all to IM.

CDs were cutting edge.

Dahmer was the big scary guy (now it's either Bush or Trump, you choose).

Anyway, I'm still spitting out words and I'm a little over pace (yeah!).

Cruisin'

Survived the first weekend ... still on pace (not kicking pace's butt, however definitely on top!)

Yesterday, I had to go in for a medical thing at the hospital, but I hit my count before I left and again this morning, so I'm still golden.

My buddy, Eric, is completely killing right now and that's so cool. Also, our Greeley contingent is doing very well up against our arch-nemisis in Fort Collins. We're having a challenge to see which area will have the higher percentage of completers.

The other good news for the day is that it's Election Day. This is not good because we are once again proving democracy works or because I have a particular favorite candidate I'm pulling for (actually more likely, a candidate I want to lose!). No, my excitement comes from the fact that we won't be getting any more calls, seeing more ads or getting annoying people knocking on our door.

1/10th of the way there

After two painful days, I finally had a good one.

I woke up at 4 a.m. (didn't get out of bed until 4:15) even though my alarm was set for 5 (actually I haven't needed my alarm all week. Strange, huh?)

And then I started writing. It just flew. Characters were fleshed out. An old woman was killed. My cop got wasted. It was really fun.

I think the key for me is dialogue. It takes me a bit to get the feel for a character and how he or she would talk. But once I do, it just goes. Their conversations ramble through tangents and silly stuff and funny stuff and finally get around to advancing the plot while defining the characters to a T (or a P or even a Q).

So, I'm slightly above pace (not as far above as my friend Eric, you can read his update in the Edge of Nowhere link on the right side of the page).

Weekends tend to be tough, but the boys have theater school in the morning, so after I drop them off, I can come home and write for a couple hours so that should help.

Day 2

OK, this morning ...
Woke at 4:45 a.m.
Still earlier than the alarm
But I laid in bed until the alarm went off.
Turned on the computer.
Decided to read the whole next chapter of old book.
That helped because I knew where it was going.
Abandoned where old book was going.
Wrote all new stuff
Much more fun
May have accidentily found out one of my characters is gay who wasn't the first time.
Wrote.
Checked clock.
Checked word count.
Wrote.
Kids wake up and bug me about breakfast.
Writing's done for this morning.
3,104. A little below pace, but not bad.

Simple pleasures

So, one of the candy items are stole from my kids (actually they didn't want it!) was a Tootsie Roll Lollipop. I've always loved those. But now they have a watermelon flavored one. Gotta tell you, it's pretty much heaven on a stick!

A painful start...

Set alarm for 5 a.m.
Get up at 4:15 a.m. because I really want to start writing.
Pull out old novel of which I am revising heavily and FINALLY finishing.
Read first page.
Realize it's total crap.
Freak out.
Start writing anyway.
Each paragraph is worse than the one before it.
Uggghhhh! Why the hell am I doing this again?!?!
Hit "Word Count" about 700 times to see if I passed 1,667 yet!
Not yet.
Keep writing.
It's just so crappy!!!!
Keep writing.
"Word Count"
1,700.
Yeah!
Can't wait for Day 2.

Tracking

I tried this last year and it screwed up my blog... so let's try it again.
Over on the right side you can now track how I'm doing on my word count for National Novel Writing Month. Hope it works!

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

I realize I go off every year on this topic, but GOOD GOD!!!

First here's the news:
R.E.M., Patti Smith, Chic, the Dave Clark Five, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, The Ronettes, the Stooges, Joe Tex and Van Halen have been nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In January, five of the nine nominees will be selected and will participate in the induction ceremony on March 12th at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.

My friend Dan sent me this item and he was very excited because of Van Halen, but I have got to tell you this list pisses me off.

First, Van Halen started in 1974. That means they were eligible in 1999. And they are just now put on the list? Ridiculous!

Second, Van Halen was "discovered" in 1976 by Gene Simmons of Kiss. Guess what? Kiss is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This would be laughable if it weren't true!

Third, R.E.M. was founded in 1980 but nobody knew about them until 1982. That means they are eligible for the first time in 2007. And they are on the same ballot? I like REM a lot. I think they did a lot for rock (alt rock, but still rock). But I really think they have to pay some dues.

The following are NOT in the Hall right now (so how can they justify REM?):

Electric Light Orchestra
Squeeze
Yes
Genesis/Peter Gabriel
Rush (MY GOD!!!!)
Alice Cooper
Jethro Tull (I’m not entirely upset about this because of the whole Grammy thing over Metallica!)
ABBA (My wife likes ‘em)
Styx
Def Leppard (1977 founded!)
Journey
And the most egregious one: KISS!

Any one of these groups should be in there. It is a travesty they aren’t. And until the HOF recognizes these issues, it will continue to be a laughingstock. I mean this is the same group that finally enshrined ZZ Topp and Lynyrd Skynrd … LAST YEAR! REM right after them seems crazy!

VH is a no-doubter. Wouldn’t mind Grandmaster and Smith. But I gotta say that REM needs to wait (and, trust me, I’m a fan!).

New look

So, I decided to mess with the look of my blog. How do you like it?

On the writing front, I'm getting set to do National Novel Writing Month. On Sunday, I met with a bunch of my fellow Greeley writers at Margie's. They are a pretty eclectic group, but many of them are into the "community" thing with writers, and I tend to be more solitary. They gather to write together and do exercises in writing. I just like to write. Sometimes I like to chat about it, but not often.

I wish all of those going for NaNo this year success. I can't remember if I have written here about what I'm going to do this year (and I'm too lazy to go look) so here it is. Every year for NaNo, I plan on re-writing and finishing the novel I started when I was in college, Deadlines. But, every year, right before NaNo, I come up with a better idea. Not this year. So, I'll finally be finishing it. It's the story of a reporter who writes about serial killers ... the twist is that he is the serial killer.

So, off we go. Starts tomorrow after midnight (I love that it's Halloween!!!)

Why?

When I tell people I'm doing National Novel Writing Month and writing a 50,000-word novel in one month, that's what they ask... WHY?

There is something to be said for getting in the habit of writing every day ... of stabbing in the heart that internal editor who tells you your stuff sucks ... of writing to write without a concern for quality.

But the truth, I think, is the sense of accomplishment. It's something I don't get from writing a press release, working on an ad campaign, or (ugh) balancing a budget. It's a personal accomplishment.

For 11 months out of the year, my personal accomplishments are pretty mediocre (finishing a "tough" Sudoku in 10 minutes). But for November, every day is filled with a goal and the entire month has a victory just waiting for me to grab it.

Anyone who's reading this in Greeley is invited to Margie's at 3 p.m. on Sunday to help us kick-off NaNo and see a bunch of other folks ready to accomplish something.

Just a few more days

NANO NANO NANO!!!!

Oh, yeah, and HALLOWEEN!!!

Disillusioned

So, last night Tracy and I went with some friends to see The Prestige.
This is the second of two 1800s magic movies. The other was the Illusionist.
Neither was very good.
<<>>

In The Illusionist, we are supposed to believe that in the 1800s, a magician was able to create a 3D projector that would fool people into thinking a real person was there (think like Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor pulled off in Superman except less believable).

In The Prestige, and I'm not making this up, the plot revolves around ... a CLONING DEVICE!!!

<<>>

I can't understand why someone can't make a good magic movie. I used to interview magicians and they all had really interesting things to say about the process and showmanship. Seems like there could be a good flick there.

Too bad these aren't them.

I'm hoping to see Flags of Our Fathers on Friday with Dono and Dan. So far, The Departed is easily the best pic of the year.

Boys day

So, I had two free passes to Six Flags Elitch Gardens. I bought another at King Soopers so the boys and I could check out the Fright Fest activities at the park.

It's been many years since I was there the last time. And at that point Alex was barely old enough to ride the kiddie rides. So, I sat there and watched him go on the train ride AGAIN as I looked longingly at the big coasters and thrill rides that I knew I couldn't ride.

But this time was different. Sure, we spent some time in kiddie land (they actually have a nice trick-or-treat trail thing that the boys liked). But then we ventured to the bigger things.

Andy just made the 48-inch cut-off for most of the big rides and so we hit 'em. We went on the Batwing ride first which is actually just a giant spinning swing ride with the ability to control some movement by moving the big wings on the seat. Both boys loved it and were excited for more.

We hit a number of other spinning, rolling, flying things and they loved each one. And then we went to Twister II which is the big wooden rollercoaster. The boys were in awe, but they were both excited to go. We ended up going on it twice and despite a crazy-hard beating the rides provides, we had a blast.

Alex freaked a little on some of the big rides at Disneyland a few months ago, but he was gung-ho for rides at Elitch's. In fact, when we saw the Flying Coaster, Andy was sad because he was too short to go on it. But Alex asked if he could go by himself. This rides goes upside down and is pretty fast, so I was shocked he'd want to go. But he did and loved it!

Tracy is not a big fan of amusement parks (meaning, she hates them!), so I am glad that my love of the thrill ride rubbed off on both of my boys.

Over-tained

Flags of our Fathers and The Prestige and Marie Antoinette
They all come out this weekend.
And I have one son's birthday on Saturday and we'll be out of town on Sunday. (Poker tonight)
Last weekend we wasted our money on "Man of the Year" and now there's 3 movies I want to see.
We have all of this plus some really good TV shows: Heroes, The Nine, Lost, Studio 60, The Office, Earl, ER and 24 hasn't even started yet.
Plus, HBO and On Demand.
Plus, NetFlix.
I may actually be over-dosing on entertainment.
Didn't know that was possible.