A [NaNoWriMo] Novelist...

5th November

2011-11-06T02:58:00.002Z

I haven't updated this last couple of days because I've not been very well. Friday was a very stressful day, and I was pretty sick (I think I'm allergic to all this American dairy) so my wordcount wasn't brilliant. I wrote about 4k yesterday. Today I've only written 5,000, but that brings me to a nice 25,000 which I'm pefectly fine with. After all, I have work to do!

ALSO, and this is amazing, MY COVER GOT MADE. So, NaNoWriMo have this thing where they recruit a bunch of awesome artists to create covers for a few Wrimos during November. You nominate yourself/get nominated, and then the artists have the final choice as to which cover they make. 30 people get covers made, and mine was one of the ones they chose. This makes me feel awesome!! lol.

And they got my character down (aside from her level of attractiveness, anyway!)

See?

On another note, my novel is getting super crazy. I don't know what's going on any more. And I do believe that I like it.

“Ah-hah,” Emmeline gloated. “I knew you couldn’t discriminate against this kind of beauty.”

I waited to respond until I had reached the top, collapsing to my knees before I realised that we were actually sitting in - well, an area that was made for sitting. I pulled a face. “I don’t see anything beautiful,” I muttered. But I was glad that I at least wasn’t dead. And that I hadn’t made a fool out of myself. I couldn’t wait to tell Eris about all of this.

“It is beautiful,” Emmeline said, her tone forceful. “I’m sorry, but just wait. It really is nice up here. You can come and sit, and - well, it’s not that cold. Here, would you like a cigarette?” She patted down her pockets until she came up with an opened packet. They probably didn’t belong to her. She didn’t seem to care. I shook my head.

“I don’t smoke.”

“That’s what everybody says. But the tea makes it nicer.”

“The tea what?”

“Makes it nicer. Here, look.” She lit the end of a cigarette between her lips, and then passed it to me. I took it for fear that she might burn me with it, and then stared at the thing like an idiot.

“What the hell am I doing with this?”

“Smoking it,” Emmeline coached. I tried to hand it back. “Nope. Not until you’ve at least tried. If you don’t like it, you can give it me right back. Go on. The tea makes things taste different.”

I wasn’t sure how much of this I believed, but her offer seemed fair enough. I lifted the thing to my lips, inhaled, and almost choked. But Emmeline was right. It tasted like nothing I had ever tasted before. Like pomegranates and fresh water and sweet, sweet sugary apples.

“Wow.” I didn’t know what else to say. The smoke hurt my nostrils as it blew out, but the taste was divine.

“If you liked that, you should try sex.” Emmeline took the cigarette back and put it between her lips. “Seriously. It’s amazing. That tea - it’s god.”

“I’m not sure-”

“God.”

Words written: 5,021
Total word count: 25,051

2nd November

2011-11-03T04:37:00.000Z

Annnd another day where I really can't be bothered to blog. I used all my finger power on ze writing (well, minus repetitive strain power, but I'd really rather not crack that out at all, kthnx).

So, today was both a failure and a success. It took me long enough to get my characters out of the house (fail), but I did finally manage it after 11k words (success) - and now I really don't know where to go with the novel (fail). Yet, I still hit 15k. I think it's going pretty well, and I'm sure I'll come up with something dramatic to keep me on my toes.

Want an excerpt? Of course you do.

Before I could react, if such a thing were even possible given his speed, his right arm flew back and came down on the side of my face with such force that I immediately saw star-spots across my vision. I reeled, but having nowhere to go simply stood still, stunned into silence. My mouth opened without my consent, in shock, but he didn’t care.

“Get out!” he ordered. “Now!”

I didn’t understand what he was saying, or why it was so important. Why did he want me to leave so badly? I trembled, but my whole body was frozen to the spot. I couldn’t have moved even if I had wanted to. Vaguely I heard Eris say my name, but my brain was too focused on Uncle’s face as it darkened from pale pink to scarlet with anger. He was holding his breath, but only so he could hit me harder.

His fist came down again, this time crashing into my shoulder so hard I swore I heard something snap. Still I didn’t move. I couldn’t. I was rooted to the spot, not knowing why but still knowing that I couldn’t move. Uncle didn’t seem to care; he’d stopped caring after deeming us useless to him more than a year ago. My brain was whirring. I wondered why we were still living here, why he hadn’t kicked us out yet, or why he hadn’t gone and just auctioned us off to the highest bidder - all whilst he brought down his fist twice more.

I felt his knuckles connect with my jaw, and this sent me stumbling over, away from Eris and towards the door. That was the last place I wanted to go. Uncle darted after me, the alcohol I knew he must have in his bloodstream not doing anything to slow him down. I pulled myself to a stop, hit the floor hard on my knees, and felt my wrists crack as I landed on my hands. Uncle kicked at my side, sending me sprawling.

Eris remained silent. I wondered whether she was dead.

Word count: 7,140
Total words: 15,163

1st November

2011-11-02T04:12:00.001Z

Off to a rolling start! I will not stick around for long, because I'm hurrying for an early bedtime. :) It's going well, and I'm not dead yet. I have my characters (although they're not doing much yet) and an emerging plot. This is good. I also managed to stay on top of my school work. I don't know how well that'll work tomorrow considering I have a paper due on Thursday, but all the more reason to get ahead now.

Anyway, an excerpt anyone?

When we reached the top, past Uncle’s room without any problems, I released my breath. I hadn’t even realised I had been holding it. My lungs burned and I took in several large gulps of air as we slipped through the door into our bedroom.

Eris still had her back to me. She stood looking out of the window which I had forgotten to latch. There was a cold breeze that snaked through and she appeared to be repeating my motions. I saw her shoulders roll as she took in breath after deep breath and let her head sink forward to rest on her chest. I was torn between going to her, laying my hand on her shoulder, and just leaving. I could go downstairs, leave her to sort herself out. I could make her fix it, this time.

But, I didn’t. I couldn’t. Not really. Eris, despite her dark humour and snarky attitude, was as fragile as some of the women that Uncle chose to bring here. That was, after all, what he had initially intended for us. I closed my eyes, leaning back against the door as I tried to clear my mind. There wasn’t anything that I could do for her. Not really. I could only be there for her, help a little to clean up - well, whatever it was. How could I prevent it from happening again?

“I really screwed up, Persey.” I opened my eyes at the sound of her voice. It was clear from the way she held herself that she was still in pain, but she didn’t sit down. The blood on her skirt was more obvious in the electric light that came from the bare, hanging overhead bulb. I shuddered, my hand involuntarily going to my mouth.

Word count today: 8,022
Total word count: 8,022

29th October, 2011

2011-10-30T04:34:00.000Z

H'oooooookay. So very lame. I suck at keeping up with journals, blogs and - well, just about everything. Ignore me.

So, for those of you still following this, and for those of you who don't know: this year things are going to be a little bit interesting. This year I am going to attempt to take part in NaNoWriMo whilst studying abroad. In America. Chapel Hill, North Carolina to be exact. Omg. This is going to be crazy!

Having said that, so far I'm not freaking out too hard. I have a basic plot, some basic characters, and a determination to have fun. I'll keep this entry nice and short and just post up that little synopsis from the NaNo site. Hopefully soon I'll have a character sketch of some kind, but I can see tomorrow and Monday being very hectic. Halloween is a bigger deal out here, and I also volunteer at the local animal shelter on weekends. GAAH. I'm setting myself up for a tough deal this year. -___-

But whatever. I'm happy and excited. And my plot is batshit insane. WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG??

Synopsis:

Persephone and Eris have always been close. Or at least, Persey has spent most of her life cleaning up her sister's messes. They join "The Great Jeremiah Bach's Travelling Circus" with the hopes that things will be different for them here, that they will be able to start afresh.

And things do change - but not necessarily for the better. The people are nice enough, and the jobs aren't hard, but there's something a little bit strange about the whole set-up. There is a talking tiger who plays dead for a living; a chicken man who can sprout feathers at will; a woman who has had more affairs than her husband (which isn't the strangest but makes Persey feel odd); a man called Avel who lives in the "basement" (only nobody knows where the basement actually is); and a strange cloud that follows them wherever they go, like a perpetual storm is brewing over their heads. The star of the show is a unicorn called Nightverse - but none of the troupe members will say the creature's name, and nobody can even tell Persey why.

To top it all off, ever since they arrived Eris has been acting strangely. She avoids Persey's questions about where she goes late at night, and has a worrying knack for always being around when the worst of the trouble kicks off. Persey is beginning to get a little suspicious that Jeremiah Bach might not be telling her the whole truth.

The problem is, it's hard to pin down exactly what the problem is - because everything here is just the tiniest little bit outré. And then, of course, there is that rabbit hole...

So, yeah. That's a thing.

Also, I got nominated for 30 Covers, 30 Days again. Last year I didn't make the final cut. This year I hope to be a little luckier. Although, just being chosen for this is exciting enough. It means somebody is interesting in my novel. SOMEBODY IN THE WORLD CARES. That, in itself, is a mircale, folks. Truly.

1 day 23 hrs 26 mins until NaNoWriMo 2011

10th November

2010-11-10T23:12:00.000Z

Ta-daaaaa. 50k has been reached! I've taken it nice and easy, with a few simple 2-3k days, and one day of writing nothing at all. Bwaha. I started to lose interest in my novel, added a couple of new characters, and BAM! It's all going well again.

I don't have much else to say, really. I'm feeling pretty chuffed, even despite how long it's taken me. XD I want to finish this novel now, damnit! :D

Any how.

50,000th word: Leo. (How boooooring. But fitting, no?)

Sentence: “Arabella...” Leo shook his head again and wiped his palms against his shirt.

Scene? Ah, here's a sneak peak! Warning: THERE BE SPOILERS AHEAD.

Jemima nodded and reached out for Leo’s hand. “He was the one who wanted to talk to me,” she said. “But he left me with two other men. Gunner - and the... scientist.”

“Well, this Lemington is a scientist. He’s mad.”

“Doctor-”

“I’m sure it’s a long story, not worth delving into now.” Leo shook his head to clear the smoky whirls that were curling up from his cigarette. “The letter, though, was written by your father, Jemima. It’s clear that they are on familiar terms, although I’m not sure exactly what their relationship might be. There wasn’t the entire letter - and my memory is a little foggy.” He massaged his temples, and then looked up. His eyes were narrowed, and his jaw was tense again. “It was serious though,” he said determinedly. “That much was clear. It spoke about secrecy and subterfuge. I really...” He took another drag from his cigarette, and then clicked his fingers animatedly. “Yes! It said: The city will drown.” Suddenly his excitement was lost. He frowned again.

“Oh my god...” Arabella couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her fingers, holding onto the cigarette for dear life, began to tremble just at the prospects of what this idea suggested. “You mean... sabotage?”

“Pop’s going to try and destroy Glory?” Jemima couldn’t hold back her tears. “Why?” She flung herself onto Arabella, taking her by surprised, and buried her face in the older woman’s dress. Her tears were hot, even through the fabric, and made Arabella feel even less steady.

“Do you think it was literal, Leo? Oh, please...”

“I don’t know.” He ran a hand through his hair, and shook his head. “I don’t think there’s any way of telling. I don’t know what to do, where to go from here. Things are so different down here than they are back home. In London. We have police that don’t report everything on the evening news-”

“Things are different down here because they have to be.” Arabella stubbed her cigarette out against a burnt patch of the wood floor by her right knee. “We’re a nation made of working class and politicians. We have nothing in between. We never had to.”

“It’s a city of glass, Arabella,” Leo murmured. “How the hell are we going to survive down here?”

Words written today: 4,779

Word count: 50,131

3rd November

2010-11-04T16:45:00.000Z

Paaahhh. I suck so badly. XD I updated my thread on Gaia yesterday, but was too tired to post here as well! It's funny really, I had a weird sudden attack of crazy illness. Like, I don't even know what it was. I had a nice warming bath before bed, thinking it'd relax me after all of the typing I've been doing -- and when I got out I felt kinda dehydrated. So, I got myself a glass of water, and then, almost immediately, like BAM. I lost my vision, felt extremely nauseou, couldn't walk properly or feel my feet or hands. I couldn't heart very well, and it was all very odd. Needless to say, throwing up wasn't fun. But, straight after that, I was fine. I felt a bit weak and shaky (still do, a tiny bit) but that was it. I really don't understand what happened!

In light of this, I think I won't try to put myself too hard with the writing. I'm pretty much on target to hit 50k on Saturday, which is the same time as last year. I think that's pretty damn awesome! Plus, there's no point rushing if I'm going to make myself ill again.

Anyway, the novel is going well. Although I have realised that Leo has a nasty knack of getting himself drugged and abused. It's the second time it's happened in 30,000 words! Yikes. Maybe I should keep an eye on him...

Arabella and Jemima have got a bit of a situation to get out of themselves. Yaaay!

Here's a little piece to be going on with, in all it's unedited glory!

“How am I supposed to look after her if she won’t even come out of the damn bathroom?” she asked. She rubbed her hands over her eyes, and stood there for a moment with her fingers pressed against the bridge of her nose. “What am I supposed to do?”

Leo gazed into her face, realising for the first time how young she actually looked. She had high cheekbones that accentuated the dark depths of her almond shaped eyes. The sadness in her face only served to demonstrate the severe lines of her chin, exaggerate the shiny quality of her eyes. He smiled sadly and shook his head.

“I don’t know,” he whispered. “I never got this far in the parenting book.”

Without thinking, he drew her towards his chest, like he used to do with Lorraine when she couldn’t cry any more. She didn’t resist, although she didn’t exactly seem happy at this contact. Yet, he drew her in, wrapped his arms around her waist and let her head fall onto his shoulder.

She was taller than Lorraine had been, thinner. When he held her it felt like he could, easily, hold her tightly without having to worry that she would break in half, right down the middle. There was a kind of wiry strength within her that he had not expected. It was comfortable, surprisingly so, and they stayed there for a few minutes. Leo breathed in the smell of her hair, a kind of warm cinnamon smell, and tried to think what it was that he could do to help her.

Words written yesterday: 7,237

Total word count last night (day 3): 27,364

2nd November

2010-11-02T23:57:00.000Z

Another update - whut? Yes. That's right. I'm not dead. Although my fingers might disagree there, and my poor brain. It's been a long day of writing. I started writing after my uni work at around 2pm, and finished for the day about half an hour ago. How much did I accomplish? Quite a lot. XD

I got it into my head to see if I could hit 20k today, and with a lot of word wars, I did it! I'm very proud of myself, especially because it doesn't feel too much like I'm forcing it. Not like last year. I've enjoyed writing every bit of the novel so far, even if some bits have been tougher than other, and some bits sound like a three year old wrote them. The best part is that the characters are pretty much writing it themselves! My subconscious is coming up with all of these plot twists and turns, and I'm not yet running out of ideas, which is brilliant. As long as it keeps up like this, I'll write as much as possible. 50k in five days is possible so long as I'm enjoying myself like I am right now.

But before I go to bed, I have some stuff to do, so I can't spend too long talking about how awesome I am. :D Unfortunately, I have more reading to do. So now, I'm going to do it. However, here's a little excerpt from the crazy mass of words that poured forth today:

Jemima started to sing. The verse of some song that Arabella hadn’t heard since her childhood filled the room, Jemima’s voice strangled and shaking. “Doo-doo-a-diddy. Doo-doo-”

“Jemima. Mimi! What’s the matter?”

She wouldn’t stop singing. Arabella lowered her onto the floor, leaning her back against the wall of the room, and then taking a deep breath, she stepped into the parlor. The smell, at once, was frightening strong. It was a mix of perfume, strong and bitter, and something else. Something metallic. At first Arabella couldn’t see anything at all. The only lights in the room were the ones in the corner that flickered on and off. Shattered glass was everywhere; she could see it glinting even in the dim light.

She could just about make out the shapes of the two large armchairs that Vincent had procured from a colleague after he was deported, and the outline of the fireplace that was so similar to her own. And then she saw it. Deep inside her chest something snapped. A cold, icy dread filled her pores, and suddenly she felt as though she might faint.

In the middle of the room there was a wooden chair from the matching kitchen set. Jeanette — for presumably it was she — hadn’t made it out of the apartment. Holding her breath, Arabella took a step closer, and then she saw it. Against the dim backdrop of the delicately adorned parlour, the deep gash in the side of the woman’s neck appeared like a grotesque monster. Dark blood the colour of wine stained the material of her dress, soaking the front and the pleats of the skirts. Her head lolled sadly to one side, and it sickened Arabella to even look. Bile rose in her throat. She swallowed hard and backed out of the room, shaking.

Jemima was still sitting on the floor, her hands over her face, rocking back and forth. She continued to hum, but more quietly now. Every few seconds she clapped her fingers over her ears, and then moved them back to her eyes. Back and forth, back and forth.

“Mimi, honey…” Arabella could hardly speak. The lump in her throat was the size of a golf ball, felt like it was suffocating her, but anything was better than going back in that room. “Mimi, we need to go. Mimi? Mimi, come on honey.”

Eventually the young girl looked up. The shock on her face was reflected in Arabella’s eyes, and she sadly opened her mouth in an ‘o’ shape. Then she started to hum again. She got to her feet, grabbed hold of Arabella’s hand, and began to tug her back out of the apartment. Arabella grabbed the spare clothes that Jemima had dropped in her terror, and they stepped out into the hallway outside without saying another word to each other.

Arabella couldn’t explain it, but the horror of what she had seen had been more than just absorbed by the both of them. She felt like this monstronsity was sitting inside of her, and she was unable to tame it. One second she imagined simply running, screaming, crying — and the next she couldn’t imagine doing any of those things, all she could see was the blood, the glazed look of panic that had been ingrained into Jeanette’s dying face. Her slack jaw, her wide frightened eyes. Just one look at Jemima told her that she could feel the same monster clawing inside of her.

Once they were out on the sidewalk they stopped. Jemima dropped to her knees and vomited, wretching so hard that gave herself a slight nose bleed. Arabella picked her from the floor and wrapped her arms around her, unable to offer her any more comfort than this. Together they stood in silence for a long while, until the lights around them dimmed well into the evening, and they were left with nothing but a cold, pale glow.

Words written today: 12,012

Total word count: 20,124

1st November

2010-11-02T01:00:00.001Z

And we're OFF!! Yeehaw! Already this year is going better than last year. So far I like my characters, my plot, and I'm having fun getting everything down onto the screen. Things aren't going as I planned, and I love it! So far today, Leo has tried to kill himself, failed, and ended up in the city of Glory. There he has tried to 'run away' from the hospital in which he's being kept, and been beaten to a pulp by a guy who is suspicious of his motives for being in Glory. XD Meanwhile, Jemima has been attacked by two thuggish gentlemen whom she has evaded and robbed of their gun.

Awesomesauce.

I also went to a write-in at the Norwich Millennium Library, which was good fun. It would have been better if I hadn't had to write on paper because my laptop decided to play silly buggers. However, I got a good thousand words written by hand, and won one of those awesome animal bracelets that springs back to shape whenever you take it off! I got one that's supposed to be a monkey in my survival pack at the weekend (doesn't look much like a monkey, but to hell with that!). Today, I got a purple kangaroo. One of the dares is, if you have trouble with your word count, to include the animal you have on your band. Well, we all know how much I like monkeys! (coughCHIZcough). So, we'll see how that goes!

Anyway, it's definitely time for bed. I have uni stuff to do tomorrow as well as writing. Ah, life is good.

Here's a little except:

“Previous occupation?”

Leo held his breath, counting to ten in his head. He had been in worse situations than this when Lorraine was alive, but none too recently. He didn’t know how to answer. What if this information was already something he had? Was it worth it? “Shop assistant,” he lied. It had to be for the best; at least until he knew exactly what was going on.

“Mhmm,” Hopkins said, raising his dark eyebrows. “Shop assistant?”

“Senior,” Leo corrected. “Senior shop assistant. I was almost the manager.”

“Uh-huh.” The doctor leaned over, his starched collar digging into the pink flesh of his neck. “Is that right?”

“Yes.” Leo gritted his teeth, knowing that it was probably obvious that he wasn’t being truthful. He hadn’t been in a situation where lying was necessary in a long time. Come to think of it, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d had such a length conversation with anybody but himself. “You could ask anybody. Why’s it so important?”

“Because, Mr. Crane, we take our business very seriously here and we don’t want anybody to jeopardise that. Do you understand?”

“Jesus,” Leo muttered. What was this, the mafia? “Who exactly do you think I am?”

“The point is, Mr. Crane, this is exactly what I intend to find out.”

There was a dead silence. Leo could hear nothing but the steady hum of Doctor Hopkin’s breathing as he stood over him, watching as though he was affraid that Leo might rip himself free of his ties at any moment.

“Look,” said Leo eventually. “What has any of this got to do with anything? I’m confused, and I don’t know what you want with me. If you check your records, you’ll see that I wasn’t exactly in a good state of mind when I did what I did. I didn’t intend to end up here, for sure. I don’t even know where here is. I’d appreciate you keeping your end of the bargain.”

“Bargain?” Hopkins wrinkled his forehead in a pseudo-surprised manner. “I wasn’t aware that this was a negotiation Mr. Crane. Was it?”

Words written today: 8,110.

Total word count: 8,110.

Another update tomorrow. =D

~ Toodles!

31st October

2010-10-31T12:46:00.000Z

NaNoWriMo!!!! Omg, SO SOON. I hereby promise to update this blog every day during NaNoWriMo 2010, even if it kills me. Amen? XD

I'm really pretty excited. Today I'm wanting to take it nice and easy, get ready for the Halloween party that I'm heading out to tonight, and then go into NaNo tomorrow feeling awesome. Bwah... It's entirely possible.

I have some character sheets still to fill in, which I'll do today before going out. I've already filled out Leo and Arabella, my two main characters, but I still have Jemima, Vincent and Louis to look at before tonight. That should be fun because I don't know much about them yet - and since Vincent is my villain I think it'll be important to get a better grip on him. I'm a bit worried about Jemima, since she's only 8 years old and it's been a long time since I was 8 years old... My sister is too old to ask questions as well, although she often acts younger than she is. Perhaps she can provide me with some valuable information when the time comes, ha.

I really want to have a bath, so that I can think things over better. But there are two problems. Firstly, I have three other housemates who might want to use the bathroom, since it IS the middle of the day. I can't just go hogging the damn room all day, can I? Well, not even all day... But if somebody needs the toilet, or to wash their hands/face, then I'll be in trouble. Blah. The second problem is that our bathroom is, to put it bluntly, disgusting. I mean, REALLY disgusting. It's like it's infested with everything that is possible. We have slugs and snails appearing from god only knows where, and no curtain on the window, which means anybody could see through while I was lying there. It's just not good. Plus, the bath isn't exactly clean. AND NONE OF THIS IS OUR FAULT. I can't stress this enough. We've only been living here for a month, and the previous tennants left the place in such a state it's not even worth talking about...

But, I REALLY want a bath. My neck is really sore from sleeping on it funny, and I really can't see any other legitimate way to relax in this place. Gaaaah. Whatever. Maybe I'll just suck it up and try to get the place clean enough to use the bath for 20 minutes. I mean, how bad can it be? And I have some yummy Lush bath products that I bought yesterday. Surely they'll make the room less... gross? SURELY?

Anyway, back to NaNo: I'm so freaking excited!! I can't wait to start writing. It seems like it was a billion years ago when the last NaNo made me so depressed. It wasn't NaNo, I guess, more myself and my homesickness. Well, this year is different. I have the Norwich NaNo group (not as awesome as back home, but still pretty damn cool!) and I'll be home for the second week, which means I can go to two of the meets back home too! Ah, best of both worlds. <3 I don't really know what I'd do if I couldn't go to a meetup... I'd probably just crash and buuuurn. But that's not going to happen. I'm aiming to write at least 100,000 words this year, if not more (we'll see how the novel goes). And, I'm allowed to make this plot as silly as I want to in order to have fun. Of course, I'll try to keep it serious, but writing seriously for NaNo never seems to work. However, if I start off with a serious outline and add silly stuff later, with any luck it'll be the kind of silly stuff I can get rid of later if the novel is worth saving. Right? Riiiiight?

I'm sure I'm right. Write. Bwaha.

Well, it's half past twelve, and I have some things to do. I have to do the washing up from last night (we had an awesome chocolate fountain party with like... 40 cupcakes that Smartie and I made, and marshmallows, and sweetieees. Nom. Messy, though). I also have to have that bath (or shower, we'll see), do my NaNo character sheets, and then prepare my outfit for tonight! I'm going as a zombieee. Of course. I got a shirt from Primark which I'm gonna rip up nice and messily, and other than that I guess I'll just paint my face and stuff. Pizza hut then pubcrawl tonight! Yeeehaw. Unfortunately, I have that 9am tomorrow morning... Oops!

Hopefully I won't be hungover. Or drunk. Hungover writing is no fun at alllll.

Tomorrow, it begins! Expect an update. :D

Toodles~

15th October

2010-10-15T19:44:00.000+01:00

Now playing: Little Lion Man - Mumford & Sons

Weep for yourself, my man, you'll never be what is in your heart.
Weep little lion man, you're not as brave as you were at the start...

First off, that song is TOTALLY the song for my new novel. It's perfect! It fits my main character to a TEE. Seriously. I don't think I've ever felt like that about a song before. Omg.

Anyway. It's almost that time of year again. The time of year where I live purely hopped off coffee and sleep very little. Snacking instead of eating properly, meals that don't require washing up, dirty laundry and a "Who CARES?" attitude. Yep, that's right, it's almost NANOWRIMO! YEEHAW! Okay, this year I'm so totally psyched about the whole thing.

That's probably because last year was such a fail. I started two novels, didn't finished either of them, and in the process of pushing myself SO HARD to write an unnecessary amount of words I just totally sucked all of the fun out of the month. This year I've learnt my lesson. If I want to go out after having written my daily goal worth of words? I WILL GO OUT. If I want another coffee, or an early night - if I want my main character to become a hippy-transvestite in tights and a bandana? IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

In the process of trying to be better than ever before, I forgot that NaNoWriMo is about the fun of writing, and the hard work - but not to the point of almost killing your love for writing. I think my last fail has probably contributed to my lack of any success through the rest of this year. NaNo 2010 is going to be better. I'm going back to the beginning, enjoying every bit of it. Socialising with the uni writers, getting drunk and writing at half 5 in the morning when I have a 9am seminar? That's what I'm talking about.

Bohemia over working-class-deadbeat ANY DAY.

Okay, okay, I'm rambling. Whatever. Here's the plot synopsis for 2010. I'm hoping it should be fun to write, but if it gets too much I'll just throw in some drugs and have my characters trip through multicoloured rape, or some shit.

THIS YEAR IS GOING TO BE SO MUCH BETTER THAN LAST YEAR. I'M PROMISING MYSELF THAT, RIGHT NOW. Bring it on guys, bring it ON.

A Broken Horizon, NaNoWriMo 2010.
In the 20th century, mass population increase led to the founding of 'New Glory', the impossible city under the sea. Politicians, labourers and the bourgeoisie flocked to the city with the hopes of finding a new life without the hindrance of the morally corrupt surface world.

60 years later, Glory is nothing but a legend. Widespread disease and famine has left Earth floundering, her resources running low. People are dying; civilisation is trying, unsuccessfully, to move on. One man, ex private detective Leo Crane, is so caught up in his own alcoholic sadness that one sunny May morning he fornlornly decides to walk into the North Sea, pockets weighed down with stones.

Rather than death, however, Leo finds instead the city of Glory in all her - Glory. What unfolds is a tale of discovery, passion and deception. After all, the scientists from the surface world will do anything to get hold of this thriving place and make it their own. And somebody needs to stop them.

Rate yourself and rake yourself, take all the courage you have left - wasted on fixing all the problems that you made in your own head.

10th October

2010-10-10T18:41:00.001+01:00

Jeeeeze, is it getting towards that time already? I guess so. I've been so busy updating my shit on Gaia and the NaNo forums that I haven't bothered to come back here! I should. I've been keeping a writing journal instead, though, which has been a semi-substitute. It was encouraged by my new creative writing teacher (autumn semester, second year of UEA, whoo!) and so far it's going quite well. Although, a lot of my updates come through sounding whiny or overly negative. I just have a lot to complain about! Ha.

The new novel I'm planning is going well so far. Fantasy, underwater setting. Politics, crazy scientists, a little girl and a drunkard ex-detective from the surface world who is still holding out hope for finding his lost daughter. I'm hoping it'll have some kind of noir-detective ring to it, but I don't think it will go all that well considering the detective part of the novel isn't that strongly connected with the rest of it. Ah well. Planning is planning, and you never really know how it's going to go until you actually write the damn thing.

Anyway, I have to go and take Tom to the train station soon (his first weekend staying with me in my new Norwich house! Although 'new' probably isn't the right word to use...) We're just watching the end of Collateral first. Good film. :)

Updates soon! Hopefully...

I won't promise much, though.

You know how it is.

Toodles! ~

29th March

2010-03-29T17:01:00.001+01:00

Just a small update for me, but I thought I'd better show y'all that I'm not completely dead yet. Again. :B I've been very very busy again recently, what with coming home for Easter and playing the catch-up game with people, y'know... So, I've not had chance to do anything much.

I've still got an essay to write, which I need to get started on asap if I want to get a decent grade, really (not to mention I'll enjoy being home more when I have less to do), and since arriving home over a week ago I've not read any of Gunmetal and Lace. Shockhorror! I know I've been a bad girl, but I do plan on doing some reading of that tonight, or at least over this week. I really want to get that damn proof ordered sharpish!

So, I have my essay to write, GaL to reread a final time, and a bunch of other stuff to do. I'm sorry if I'm not very active online while I do it!

11th March

2010-03-11T21:28:00.002Z

I felt a bit better today, and could actually smell and taste some stuff, too! Although, my hearing is still screwed up, and I still have a stuffy nose and a bad head. I think I'll go to bed after posting this, I'm that tired.

Today was, again, pretty standard. Rachel, Kate and me went to the module enrolment session today, only to find that everything they told us was in the pack they'd given us before (and which Kate and me had already read, so we didn't even need to be there!) Then I came back, ate and spent some time reading for my seminar, which started at 4. This was really interesting, as we were talking about the issues of both race, and sex, and my seminar leader Ben is really relaxed. We had a few jokes about Hillary Clinton and Margaret Thatcher, but generally the discussion was quite serious; it was really good, and I felt I learnt a fair bit, or at least got some bits of information I'd never really paid attention to before...

This evening I did very little. No editing, because I don't think my brain is up to anything like that yet, but I'm about to go and do some reading for next week before sleeping. We have to read Tarzan of the Apes which so far looks like a brilliant read, and Ghostwalk which I'm also really looking forward to (especially because the author of that is giving the lecture on Monday!) So, on the whole a good week for books, methinks - although if you ask me that after a weekend of crammed reading, I might answer differently!

Tom is coming to visit tomorrow, so before I sleep I should also hoover the room and make it tidy for when he gets here. That's also why I want to start reading now, so I have less to do while he's here. I should also buy food, but it's too late now, and I have little money. I'm sure he won't mind eating pasta... Haha. Ah well, it could be worse: I could have no food...

Anyway! Time to go listen to some crappy radio and read before sleepy time. I hope this cold will be gone, at least mostly, by tomorrow. I don't want to pass it on to any more people. :gonk:

Night guys!
x

10th March

2010-03-11T00:09:00.002Z

I haven't really been feeling fantastic today. I knew I was going to get a cold on Friday when I started off with a cough. The cough got worse over the weekend (though luckily didn't ruin Wicked too much) and then yesterday I developed some nasty cold symptoms. Today has been awful; I've lost hearing in one ear, can't taste anything, and can't smell anything either. Ah well. Hopefully it'll go away soon!

I've done my washing tonight, watched two episodes of Dead Like Me, and am now talking to Tom. As of midnight (11th March) we start Skyping, and now I'm getting ready to go to bed. The lecture today was quite interesting, on sexism (with a focus on the feminine; next week we have a lecture of masculinity), but everything seemed kind of muffled. I was intending to maybe post about it, but I don't feel much like doing that now.

I went to the cinema with my flat mates. We saw the Green Zone. Not brilliant, but not bad. Action-y Matt Damon. I got what I paid for. :P Would have been better if I wasn't feeling so queasy while watching it. I almost fell asleep at one point because my cold was having a nasty attack. Good night, though.

Sleep time now. Cold blog not coherent.
Bed.
Night.
x

9th March

2010-03-10T01:28:00.004Z

I don't really have anything to talk about today, so that kind of makes this blog post redundant. But, I figure I'll post it to let people know how I got on with my essay. It took me hours to get it written, but I did manage to get it all done in one day, which is a plus!

I also edited three chapters of GaL, so I'm on 18/21 now! =D

Talked with Tom about going to London in the summer, and we're contemplating seeing two shows (Avenue Q, We Will Rock You, and Oliver! are still in the running) and staying in a hotel over night. However, nothing will be booked/finalised until he comes to stay at the weekend. In two days (aka the 11th) we will have been going out for a year. It seems like much longer, yet time has totally flown. :3 I'm a very happy person right now.

I'm also very tired. I've been for my run tonight, and done some stretches (although I think I still probably managed to pull my calf muscle...) so I'm going to call it a night. Today's been somewhat productive, so I've got nothing to complain about, even if I didn't do my reading for tomorrow's lecture yet!

Happy, happy.

Toodles~
x

8th March

2010-03-09T02:18:00.002Z

Today I have been bad. Sort of. Today I skipped one of my lectures (my Literature In History II module lecture on The Turn of the Screw) to go into town with Natalie and Isabel. Isabel's hamster, Peanut, died yesterday, so we went into town to buy cake from Number 33 to cheer her up. We ended up going shopping, for clothes and food, which I totally hadn't planned, but it was good because I ended up buying two nice new tops for a decent price. :) Things could be much worse!!

Other than that, today has been pretty uneventful. I wrote a plan for my essay, which I'm going to work on tomorrow, and did some editing. I've been speeding through that pretty well at the moment, and once I've been through it once, I'm going to read through it once more (hopefully finding little to no error) before I .pdf it and get it sent off for the proof. I think I should make my deadline of April 1st, because I'm currently on chapter 15 out of 21 of the first read-through, and I've only been working on it sporadically due to uni. Once easter rolls around, and I'm at home, I can spend a couple of days just reading through it, no pressure, and then I'll be done. Hey, maybe I'll get through it even before April! That would be brilliant, and give me plenty of time to make a cover and stuff for it (because I do want it to look good, really... >_>)

Ah well. It's half 2 in the morning now (which is only allowed because my 10am seminar tomorrow has been cancelled) and I need to sleep.

Hopefully more editing tomorrow, after that damn essay on Native Americans being portrayed as 'savage'. Yay.

Wish me luck!

Toodles~
x

7th March 2010

2010-03-08T01:18:00.002Z

Jesus Christ. I know it's been a while. I've been putting this off forever.

I've had a serious problem with depression over the last few months (quite possibly a combination of homesickness and being on a new kind of medication that messed my body up quite badly) and so I haven't felt much like commenting here. Especially since it seems like NaNoWriMo was such a failure (with regards to the quality and dedication of my novels, anyway, if not word count), and I've not written much since then.

However, I am now no longer taking said medication, and I'm feeling much better! I'm much less homesick, and I haven't cried in weeks. =D It sounds stupid, but I'm much more productive now (and am even losing a bit of weight after having been trying for MONTHS), so I'm definitely much pleasanter to be around.

With regards to the lack of writing, there are a number of reasons for this. Firstly, I managed to finish Gunmetal and Lace in first draft form, and have since been editing it. This is now my major project, and until it is done the only kind of writing I'll be doing will be essay writing for uni. Secondly, the essay writing. It takes up a lot of time, and when I'm not writing I'm almost definitely reading for my classes or sleeping. In this case, then, writing isn't a good thing to be doing - I'd definitely rather sleep.

Once Gunmetal is finished, though, I've got a budding idea in the back of my mind about what I'll work on next (for the SuWriMos probably). After that, I plan on perhaps rewriting what I have of the third book in my trilogy, completely scrapping the original stuff and perhaps even changing narrator, concept and story-line. But, we'll see about that. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. :3 For now, GaL is enough to keep me occupied. My deadline for that is to have it completely edited, converted to .pdf with all the right page-sizes and margins for a book (if you know how to do this, please let me know!) and with a front cover to go on the book by April 1st. I want the proofcopy that NaNoWriMo offers so that my mum can read it on her holiday in May, and last time it took about 4 weeks to process and send. This will be one of the only books my mum has ever read, so I really would love for it to be finished in time...

On a completely different note: I went to see Wicked again yesterday with one of my flatmates!! I thought I'd never go again because, y'know, lack of Kerry Ellis and all, but Lucy really wanted to go and I thought I'd like to go again to see Dianne Pilkington and Oliver Tompsett again before they leave at the end of the month. I'm so sad they're going! The entirety of my favourite cast will be gone! I hear Lee Mead is playing Fieryo next, and I've never wanted to die faster. XD

Anyway, Alexia Khadime was playing Elphaba, and I have to admit I was almost worried about her. I knew she had to be good enough to be in the show, but Kerry's was a hard act to follow. She has a good voice, with a good range, and isn't totally useless with her power, but Kerry is by far more powerful. Alexia was good with the whole 'transformation' part of Elphie's role, where after the interval she appeared older, wiser, more cynical, etc., but I still can't get Kerry's final Defying Gravity out of my mind. Still, my heart was still going crazy during this performance, and I was on the edge of my seat, so it was by NO means a failure.

Basically, that show never fails to make me feel happy, productive, inspired and musical. :P I'm planning on seeing if I can take my sister to see The Lion King in the summer (Mum may want to go as well, but we'll see...) and I'm thinking about coercing Tom into spending a weeking/overnight in London to see one of the shows he'd like to see (Les Mis, or Avenue Q, I think), rather than do what we were originally planning to do (going on holiday together). This way he can save a bit of that money for when I'm in America in 2012 for my degree; he can come see me, then.

Aaaaannnyyyywaaaay. I have lots to talk about, but I won't. I'll just try and update more regularly in here again. I'll do my best! Even if all I have to talk about is university shit... :)

Toodles~
x

6th November

2009-11-06T23:13:00.002Z

DONEDONEDONE!
Phew!
I wrote 13.5k today to catch up for being lazy and only writing 5.5k yesterday, and hit 50,000 words at 8:22 this evening! I'm so pleased. 6 days! That beats last years by like, a day and two hours. I'm proud. =D I also started a new novel yesterday, which is so much better than the first one. Shh. That explains the 13.5k day without death. >_>

Now I can settle back to a nice 3k a day and do some work for uni. I really need to do some work for uni. >_o Haha

50,000th word: "You're". How dull.
51,000th: "a". Not much better. XD
Sentence: "You're a young man!" Even worse =P

Ah well.

Sleep now. And uni work. And sleep. I have a poorly back. xD

*dies*

4th November

2009-11-05T00:12:00.002Z

Today has been a day full of ups and downs, that's for sure. More servere homesickness, but since today has been my day off (well, strictly speaking I should have been doing reading, but oh well) I managed to hit my goal of 10k. :]

That puts me at 1k ahead of last year's schedule, even with that bad start. Maybe I will be able to do it in 6 days. Then I can feel better by doing lots of work for university. : )

Anyway. I'm super tired, so here's an excerpt:

“Goddamnit! Lockdown!” Her panic was contagious, and my heart began to thump so loudly it almost drowned out the alarm.

“What the hell set it off?” I demanded, facing each of the others in turn before finally resting my gaze on the locked and bolted window in front of us. “And how the hell are we going to get out?”

“Front door,” Lyn breathed. “We have to get out there - it’ll be the only one not yet closed.”

Before I had the chance to question her queer logic, or even demand a further explanation of our trouble, she had grabbed me by the arm and was pulling me out towards the main staircase. Above us we heard the scraping of chairs and a shout of dismay in the voice of a man, but this only made us move quicker.

We reached the front door in what seemed like seconds, the thudding out of feet the only way I had of keeping time. We flew down the staircase, manuscript carefully tucked away under Kysin’s arm, and found that Lyn had been right in her assertion. The front door was wrenched open with visible relief from all of us, and we fled out into the darkness of the night gladly.

We ran until we reached the cars, out of breath and exhausted. Panting I doubled over, resting my hands on my knees as I fought to regain my breath. Lyn beside me coughed. I began to laugh, uncontrollably, with the feeling of pure pleasure rippling through my body. We had done it! This was the first step, and we had won. Things could only get better from here, and then those other government oafs would simply have to believe me.

“What’s so funny?” Lyn asked angrily, tossing her head like a displeased horse. Leaf dropped to the floor beside his car and shook his head. “What’s with the damn cackle?”

“I never thought myself of a thief,” I spoke through my laughter, hiccuping until my chest hurt. “And I don’t think I’ve ever seen Leaf move so quickly in my life!”
Tomorrow is going to be a busy day too. I just hope my back stops hurting so bad. Damn this silly unversity chairs! > : (

Words written today: 9986
Total word count: 31,014

3rd November

2009-11-04T00:03:00.002Z

So, last night was something of a disappointment, because I was attacked by severe homesickness. Luckily I managed to catch up today, which is good because it means I'm on target for hitting 50k on day 6 - one day earlier than last year! I just have to keep it up.

I don't know how much of this my poor back can take (it's seizing up like crazy), but I'm determined to give it my all. I also put an excerpt up on the NaNo author page of mine, if anybody cares, or is even reading this. I think I'm talking to myself... >_>

Anyway. Except:

It was almost midnight when I finally heard the doorbell ring. Lyn had been gone for almost eight hours - not that I had been counting - yet when I let her in she didn’t seem at all tired. If anything, in fact, she seemed more lively than she had earlier, and bounded into the foyer with a grin on her face.

“Morbid, much,” I commented, but she ignored me. Already I was fond of the dynamic that was growing between us, and found myself hoping desperately that she wouldn’t disappoint. I imagined she would make a fantastic questioner.

“Job done.” She jumped through to the sitting room and sat herself down on the same sofa she had occupied earlier. I watched her for a moment, allowing her to catch her breath, and then descended on the arm of the chair, like a wolf on its prey.

“Do tell me how it went,” I pleaded. It had been my intention to assert my authority here, claim importance and show my desire for knowledge, but I was so riled by the thought of just revenge that I couldn’t help myself. “Tell me. Did she cry?”

“Not much,” Lyn admitted, picking at something in her teeth. “She didn’t believe me at first, and we argued for a bit. Then I hit her and tied her to a chair, and she seemed more willing to listen. She said she was sorry, and she wouldn’t tell anybody about your dad - I assume that’s something you don’t want to talk about? And then, well, I just gave her a good last moment by making her watch me dance naked.”

“What?”

“I’m joking.” Lyn rolled her eyes. “I just shot her, okay? Is that good enough?” She huffed loudly and folded her arms across her chest in a childish manner.

“I’m beginning to think this was a bad idea,” I ventured, but Lyn stopped me.

“I did what you asked, and cleaned it up nicely. Nobody will even know she tried to go home. She’s buried out in a nice patch of cemetry outside one of those early little villages in East Side. They’ll never know.”

Word count for yesterday: 6,290
Word count for today: 9,486
Total word count: 21,028

1st November

2009-11-02T15:43:00.002Z

NANONANONANONANO! =D

So, of course, NaNo started yesterday, and while I'm not up for a long update, I'll say that I didn't get as much done as planned, but am enjoying myself. I had a lovely time at the Notts NaNo meet, and now have my own pet rock - and then spent the evening with Tom and friends, doing Halloween things and then writing. It was great :)

Now I'm back in Norwich and should WRITEWRITEWRITE!

Here's a small exerpt of what's happening so far:

Outside I tried to hold my breath, panic rising at the thought that I had drunk enough to make myself sick. I hadn’t had that much! I could count on one hand the amount of drinks I’d allowed myself tonight, and they hadn’t even been strong ones. I gagged, body doubled over as I hovered in the gutter, trying my best to keep from vomiting.

“Shit,” I swore, my stomach lurching again. “Not good, not good...” I took a deep breath; feeling my ribcage rise and fall was enough to make me feel violently ill again. Head spinning, I struggled to keep myself upright, a sharp piece of brick biting into the tender skin on my palm. I clutched the hem of my dress, focus drawn from my stomach, but to no avail.

I didn’t even get the chance to ask for help before I felt my legs go inexplicably weak and I collapsed to the floor in a heap. My head hit the concrete hard, stars whooshing into vision against the black of the night sky. The music of the party was too loud, my body too tired to move. I lay on my back, arms sprawled out, and let my vision go black. The sickness subsided slowly, and I was left empty and cold, my body fixed in a half-state of levitation. I brought my knees to my chest and closed my eyes.

The only thought that was tangible enough to grasp, was how much I hoped I hadn’t ruined my dress. Little did I know, that was going to be the least of my worries.

Words written yesterday: 5,234
Wordcount overall so far: 8,743

22nd October

2009-10-23T00:05:00.005+01:00

So, the countdown to NaNoWriMo 2009 begins!

I didn't forget about this blog, but I've been really busy lately. I've had another assignment to get sorted out before NaNo, as well as arrangements to go home for next week (because it's my reading week =D).

Also, of course, there has been NaNoWriMo preparation to be had. >D This year my idea came pretty late - but it was actually my last blog that got me thinking. A changeling child, an Alice in Wonderland spin... And, I came up with this:

In the world of Fane, the Changeling race are struggling to adapt to the rules of the modern world. In this new and growing world outside their own, children are harder to steal, knowledge harder to glean - life just isn't as prosperous as it once was. The rulers of the quarters of Fane (West, East, North and South) are doing their best to save a world they know is dying - and for West that means she will fight to the very last before she sees her fellow rulers collapse, no matter what the cost in collateral. Some call her mad; others avoid calling her anything at all.

Lo, a young Human working in the city, falls asleep one night under the stars, only to wake in a world where nothing is as it seems. Threatened, she will do whatever it takes to get back home - wherever that really is...

Yeah, the synopsis is a bit of a cop-out, but it's something to work with. Basically, a girl in her late teens get kidnapped by some kind of accident (i.e., her changeling family are very scatterbrained and their daughter is not a baby any more...). She has been working in a strip club, so has seen many things, but at first is convinced she's been drugged. The people are different, with rainbow coloured tinted skin and strange mannerisms, and everything is not as it seems. And, of course, there is a take-over bid and world danger. =D You know it's going to be good.

It's better than nothing, right? I don't think it will be as good as last year, but it should be fun at least.

I wrote a character sketch for West the other night. I'll post it here, and TRY to be more active between now and NaNo.

	Promotion The day I got my promotion was the day I stopped worrying about what everybody would think of me. It’s a difficult task, deciding to throw away a habitual life-time of pestering and preening, just to be sure that somebody likes you - but I made the jump because I knew that I wouldn’t need to care any more. And, when I say ‘promotion’, I mean nothing more than a lovely little jump up the social ladder. It was an accident, really. That’s what I tell myself. I guess I was just in the right place at the right time. A morning in early August, cool and bright. I’d been stood idly by one of the great bay windows in my father’s office, listening as he chattered incessantly into his intercom-phone. I’d been waiting for him for a good thirty minutes by this point, and he showed no sign of letting up with the conversation. The worst thing was: he wasn’t even talking business. “No, Marianne. No, no, not at all! She’s a lovely girl. -What? Yes! Don’t be silly. Of course I’ll let her know. Will you? Really? Of course...” And it went on like this, the same, over and over and over and over- In the end, I just walked up to him and put my finger on the receiver. “Oh, Wisteria, honey! I was having a conversation with poor Marianne. You know how rude it is to interrupt people when they’re talking. Why couldn’t you wait a little longer?” “You’ve been talking to ‘poor Marianne’ for half an hour longer than I care to listen to you talk to her. Why did you ask me in here if you’ve nothing to do but chatter away like some half-wit moron?” Dad always hated it when I talked to him like he was stupid, even if it did seem that this was the case. He lowered his snowy eyebrows into something of a frown, the shimmering skin around his lips growing taught as he held back a nasty response. I would have smiled, but there was a reason he’d called me here, and it wasn’t for this, so I held my tongue of my further comment and folded my hands on my hips impatiently. “I called you here to discuss a few matters with you regarding those new jobs opening up in the ladder. You know the ones I mean?” I shook my head. Office grunts like Wisteria West didn’t get to know these special kinds of information. We weren’t important enough, apparently. My dad took a moment to shoot me a funny look, and then changed his tune. “Well, then I’ve got news for you!” A beaming smile made its way across his face, and he leaned forward to tap my arm genially. Dad and I don’t get on at the best of times, so this contact was disturbing in itself. I shook him off. “Tell me, then,” I grumbled, folding my arms across my chest. “I’ve not got all day.” “You have now, daughter of mine,” Dad crowed happily. “They’ve been talking about a new system of government, based on votes-hereditary, which I’m sure you’ll have heard about-” I hadn’t, but I nodded anyway, wanting him to cut to the chase, “And the votes are in!” He paused expectantly. “What? Are you expecting me to say something witty?” I raised an eyebrow in annoyance. He didn’t seem to mind, simply leaned back in his expensive leather armchair - new? - and tapped his finger on the table in front of him. “Are you going to tell me what’s so exciting?” I asked again, stifling a yawn. If I was here any longer I was pretty sure they’d fire my ass and it’d be all his fault. “I’ve been chosen from four thousand government employees to be the new face of government for the west of Fane!” The grin on his face expanded, as did my annoyance. “You?” I scoffed. “Ruler of government?” “At the end of the current term,” Dad admitted. “I’ll be one of four new rulers of Fane. Doesn’t that sound marvellous? It’s what I’ve been working towards for years! And, now, it’s finally here! Goodness, your mother would be so proud. I wish she were here to see it...” “It was your obsession that killed her in the first place,” I muttered darkly, pouting. “Well, congratulations, I guess. I don’t suppose there are any perks for a girl like me in this new system of yours?” I asked lightly, highly doubtful. Dad had never much cared about me, or my job. To him I was a disappointment, simply because I was born with the wrong spirit. How could I help it if he’d made a mistake? Being a grounded Changeling was hard enough in the world of business, I didn’t need his pressure too. “As a matter of fact,” Dad commented drily, “there is something quite interesting about these new positions. I mentioned votes-hereditary, right?” “Right.” “Well, I’ve done the voting part, which means that the West family is in power for life! Or, at least as long as we are good for the people. Isn’t that smashing?” It took me a moment to comprehend what he was saying. Working my jaw to sooth my stomach I shrugged my shoulders. “What exactly does that mean?” “Well, if anything were to happen to me, naturally you’d be the new ruler of the west of Fane. It’s hereditary, like those Earth monarchies we used to hear so much about. You know?” “If anything happened to you...?” I repeated, a nasty feeling broiling in my stomach. “If I were to die, or become very ill suddenly, you would have to take my place.” Innocently Dad chuckled to himself and lit up a pipe. Mirroring him, I returned the smile. Little did he know what I had in store for him. Silly half-witted moron.

9 days until NaNoWriMo 2009!

8th October 2009

2009-10-08T15:25:00.001+01:00

October is here again! You know what that means, right?

...

NANOWRIMO IS COMING! Haha. I'm excited about it this year, as always, although there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding how much time I'll have to write (what with my creative writing course demanding a lot from me) and whether I'll actually have an idea by November. It's entirely possible that I won't have an idea, which will be the first time in... Well, ever.

I think I'm having trouble because I've had to do a lot of work on my portfolio for my creative writing class recently, and getting a GOOD idea for that was hard and a lot of effort - so an idea for NaNo is also hard. Not to mention I've still got an unfinished novel that I need to FINISH, and which I don't really want to abandon. I guess I didn't really plan my year out very well, did I? XD Ah well, I'm sure I'll work something out.

Perhaps a story about a changeling child,
Or an Alice in Wonderland spin,
Or maybe a story about a person from a different world getting stuck in the local prison system.

Hey, maybe a combination of them all! It doesn't matter; it'll be a bit of fun. I look forward to it though :)

Tonight I'm going home to see my mum and my sister, and Tom. I get to see my DOGS AND CAT TOO! I miss them so much after not seeing them for three weeks. It's going to be good.

On the train I have a lot of reading to do, for my course, and maybe some writing too, depending on how long it all takes. :P But, it's going to be a nice relaxing journey, hopefully.

Also, I should start blogging more. After all, isn't that like... the tradition?
:3

Something like that. :D

I'll update soon!
~ Toodles
xx

19th September 2009

2009-09-19T11:19:00.002+01:00

So, I would feel exceptionally guilty about not updating this place in so long if I hadn't been so busy over the last few months. I've not really had much time for the internet (as I didn't think I might), what with Jor coming, the huge party, doing loads of AWESOME stuff, Jor going, getting ready for exam results - EXAM RESULTS - GETTING INTO UNIVERSITY!! and stuff like that. You know, the whole shebang.

Speaking of university... OHMYGODILEAVEFORNORWICHTOMORROW. It's the scariest thing ever, knowing that I'm about to leave home and I may not ever come back for good. I'm at Dad's house at the moment, spending some last-minute quality time with him (or at least trying to anyway) and getting ready to go home at 4ish to pack Steve's car with all my shit. I have a lot of shit.

In fact, I have so much shit that I'm pretty sure it won't all fit in my room. I mean, I have a suitcase full of clothes, two boxes of food and toiletries, two boxes of bedding and bathroom stuff etc., and two more boxes of shit. Just shit. XD It's going to be insane! We're supposed to head off quite early though so we can get to Norwich at around 11ish. We can move into our accommodation from 10am, and I want to get there as soon as possible because I want to get unpacked and meeting people. I'm scared.

Mum's going to help me settle in, though, and then I'm meeting Becky (SHE GOT IN TOO) and we'll go exploring or something. Probably not for long since I have a ticket for the fresher's icebreaker in the evening and I don't think she wants to go much. Hopefully I'll get along with my new flatmates and they'll be going as well. :) Hopefully. *fingers crossed*

Other than that, though, I don't have much to talk about. I started writing a new novel, I guess, but the chances of that getting past 60k anytime soon are quite slim. I've not had much time to write, nor have I really wanted to. I'm just enjoying this stage in my life, and as soon as I'm settled down again I should be able to get back on it.

Also, the NaNoWriMo thread (one of them at least) is up on Gaia. I saw it and nearly wet myself. :D Can't wait to get involved in that again. =D

But, for now, quality time with Tom and Dad.
Toodles!
xx

27th June

2009-06-27T16:21:00.002+01:00

JORDANA IS COMING ON MONDAY! Eeeeeeeeee.

XD I'm so excited I don't think there are even words to describe it. We're going to drive down to London (Gatwick) tomorrow afternoon so we have time to rest before picking her up, and then get to the airport for 5:30am. :D Then we've got a lovely long drive back to Derby in the rush hours traffic, haha. But, WHO CARES?! It's going to be so AWESOME it won't even matter!

Holy Jesus. It's all I can think about.

I'm going out tonight to Danni's birthday party. We went into town dancing for her birthday in May, and we're going to the British Legion for a proper party tonight. It's going to be good, though I won't be drinking because I only have a fiver left of my money. Oops!

Ah well, that's probably best. I don't want a hangover tomorrow when we go to get Jor, because that would be baaaaaaaad don't you think? :P

Anywho. I think I want a nap before I go out. So, I'm gonna nap for an hour, shower and get ready. I just hope that Dad can find the party place. >_> Silly.

Maybe I'll update during the next two weeks, but I doubt it. I'll be having far too much fun for the internet. =P

Toodles!
xx

11th June

2009-06-11T23:24:00.003+01:00

Oh for goodness sake! I've been so busy I've completely forgotten about this place. I have SO much to update about! I think it's impossible to do it all. I'll have to try and be brief.

One: I'm in the middle of exams right now. These are my final exams at Sixth Form. Ever! Unless I have to come back next year because I failed, which I definitely hope will not be the case. Really, really truly. My exams finish on Monday (I have three exams in one day... >_o) but once they're over it means I can get on with writing the final few scenes for Medina's novel and starting Roboto for the SuWriMos which started on June 1st. :D I can't wait to get out of school, but at the same time I'm really nostalgic about it all, and I just know I'm going to miss it. :(

May Ball was a laugh, as was the after-party, at which I got so drunk I fell down some stairs! But it's okay. The teachers who went to the after-party were more drunk than me. Mr Murray, my history teacher, was so drunk he could barely speak by three in the morning, and he spent £150 on drinks without even realising it! He's insane, I swear. Mr Read, my psychology teacher, went around kissing everybody. He was really that drunk. X3

Two: As for writing, I can't wait to start the third novel in my trilogy. My MC actually has a name now (Minerva), and a backstory. And a surrogate daughter. Whodathunkit? =3 I'm at 124 with Medina's novel currently, and I think about another 10-20k max will finish her off. Then I'm all set for a summer of writing! :D

Three: JORDANA IS COMING TO STAY WITH ME HERE IN ENGLAND! Holy hell! I'm so psyched. The person I've been talking to, and who has been my muse for the last five years, is finally coming to England! We've got so much awesome stuff planned for the two weeks that she'll be here, such as a massive belated 18th birthday party for my step brother Isaac and me (it's a masquerade ball!); taking her to a theme park just after she arrives; taking her around where I live; and, finally, this leads me onto my last tanget: We're going to London to see The Phantom of the Opera!

Four: YES! That is indeed another musical I will be able to cross off my list! I'm super excited about it, as it's taken me a while to get my courage up to spend more money on another show (especially after I spent so much on going to see Kerry's last show in Wicked - more on that in a minute...). But the idea of Jor coming to England, and going to London, prompted me to ask her if she'd like to see a show. Of course she said yes. I'm very excited about it. Seats in row O of the stalls. I've no idea how good they are, but at this point I don't really care.

Five: Kerry's last show at Wicked. What can I say about that? Oh, my, god. Only that it was perhaps the best day of my life. Alisha, Becky and I went down to London on the coach on the morning, and spent the whole morning and most of the afternoon doing whatever we wanted in London. We went to Baker Street, and went into the Sherlock Holmes museum there - which was AWESOME - and then we went shopping for a little while. We went to Hamley's again, explored the whole store, and then stopped for a coffee. Then, we went to see Wicked. Again, I don't really have any words to describe how awesome it was. I mean, I've seen the show before, but this was just... Amazing.

Kerry's performance was stunning (I can think of no other word) and you could truly tell it was her last show. She really seemed like she was enjoying it, and whenever she came onto the stage or started or finished a song the audience went completely wild. There were some really hardcore fans there, too, all painted green and stuff which was amazingly funny to see. It was a heartbreaking moment when Kerry said "For the last time, I feel truly Wicked." All of the Wicked fans were crying because of that, because it really hit home then that she wouldn't be coming back. It was really sad. D: And then, there was interaction between actors that you don't usually see - usually it's hidden behind a mask of character, a face that they must put on whether they're feeling the music today or not. On Kerry's last show, the whole cast seemed to be in a strange combination of mourning and celebration. A celebration of Kerry (and other leaving cast members) time in the show, and how it had affected them, but a simple mourning for the show without them.

Oliver seemed so upset during As Long As You're Mine, he held Kerry so tightly in his hug that I'm sure she must have been struggling to breathe. They clung to each other, and then with plenty of teary-eyed smiles and characterised speech, they were on with the show. Dianne, on the other hand, had a little more of a hard time keeping herself together. During the duet For Good, and during the finale, she was crying so hard that she could barely keep herself upright, and had to walk the long way around the stage to make sure she was presentable for the final scene with her and Madam Morrible. It really added to the effect that the show is trying to portray at the end, and I have to say it really was the best I have ever seen.

At the end of the show there was a thank you speech, mostly spoken by Dianne who said goodbye to all the leaving cast members, and gave Kerry a big personal thank you. There were many tears here, from actors and fans alike, and it really was a moving moment. Dianne professed that Kerry had been a great friend since the beginning, when she joined the show in London two years ago, and in her own speech Kerry thanked Dianne for being so great, and for really helping her get into the role (I get the impression her first partner as Glinda wasn't so good... XD). It was a sad thought that she wouldn't be performing with this people again any time soon, since she'd performed with them pretty much every day for three years. :O

She thanked her fans, too, which was a real sweet touch. Somebody in the audience screamed out "Kerry! I love you!" And in the middle of her speech, she stopped, laughed, found them in the crowd with her eyes and replied with a not particularly hesistant "I love you too". XD It was amazing to see such willing interaction. She said that she couldn't look at Diane, or else she would cry. :P

And, guess who was in the audience? BRIAN MAY. He was sat so close to me, I could see his freaking HAIR (though you'd have to try pretty hard to miss it XDD). It was altogether an awesome experience - though I've probably gone on for far too long about it.... >_> Oh well.

You know my fangirlish is Wicked-related. :3

So, here's my updated list of shows. Hopefully I'll keep this blog more alive once the exams are over:

Wicked (4)*
We Will Rock You (1)
Mamma Mia
Chicago
Phantom of the Opera
Les Miserables
Avenue Q
Lion King
The Sound of Music
Blood Brothers
Oliver!
La Cage Aux Folles
Grease
Hairspray
39 Steps

Six: Finally, I'd like to throw a big hug out there to my boyfriend. He's a writer too, and has made me realise over the last three months that being single isn't so great after all. <3

I think it's time to go to bed, now. Really, I do. I promise to keep this place more up to date from now, though. Especially once I go to university. I don't want to miss out on getting down all these awesome memories. <3>

Toodles!
xx

28th February

2009-02-28T16:56:00.003Z

Guilty guilty guilty. Again. XD Apologies, as usual. I've been very busy.

But I have good news! I'm writing again! Medina's novel is coming along - with a fair amount of difficulty, but that's only to be expected - and I'm set to hit my goal of finishing the novel sometime in May. I hope I can get it done before then because I'd quite like to have all of April to revise for my exams, but if worst comes to worst the latest I'll probably finish it is sometime in June. It feels good to be working again. I don't feel anywhere near so lazy as I have done recently.

Since starting writing again I've written something like 12.7k, which I'm extremely proud of for saying I didn't write a thing on this novel for four months. Hell, I didn't write ANYTHING for three months... So, this progress is fantastic progress. I'm hoping I can speed up again eventually, but I think getting back into things slowly is probably the best way for me to deal with things when I'm having so much trouble. On the other hand, writing slowly ensures that I can take into account a lot of the feedback I've had recently (not a LOT of feedback, but it's stuff that has been pretty hard-hitting, and made my question my ability to write quite severely and made me incredibly shy about putting pen to paper, or words on a screen), and I actually like a lot of what I've written in the past few days. I like my description, though I'll admit that my scene transitions are not perhaps the smoothest scene transitions ever written. XD

Whatever. Writing is writing, right? :D

And here's a lovely big extract to celebrate my final blog-return-ness. :)
Spoiler alert!

“Shit,” Miaan swore, even more loudly this time. Medina felt her heart drop to her stomach, so fast and hard she thought she might faint from impact. “I found her.”

“Neon?” she asked faintly. Ellette rubbed the small of her back absently, the water running in rivulets under her clothing, and craned her neck.

“You found Neon?”

“I found her. It’s - shit - it’s not good.” His voice became muffled as there was an explosive clatter coming from inside the room. Ellette winced and Medina felt the younger girl’s whole body grow tense with the movement.

“Is she - is she okay?” Ellette asked, her voice echoing out through the rain.

“No.” Miaan said nothing else, only came out from the bedroom, his face looking suddenly drawn and much older than it should. Through the heavy dashing lines of water from the sky Medina could just make out the faint marks of tears on his cheeks, and his voice seemed closed with emotion.

All Medina could think was that she could have stopped it. Whatever had happened, she had been there and she could have prevented it. Instead she had run away. How many more times was she just going to run away when things got difficult? How long would it take her to learn the damage that she could cause?

Her legs grew weaker, her vision blurring. It was her fault.

“She’s not okay?” Ellette’s voice was shaky, but definitely stronger than Medina felt.

“No,” Miaan answered. “She’s not okay. She’s dead. They broke her neck; killed her.”

“I told you,” Medina murmured. They moved out of the rain, away from Neon and back towards the kitchen where the lights were brighter and everything seemed much more surreal. “I was sure that something was wrong, and I did nothing. I didn’t do anything.”

“It’s not your fault,” Ellette started, but Medina wasn’t listening.

“I could have stopped it but I didn’t. I could have done anything, but I didn’t...”

“Medina, listen to me, you’ve not done anything wrong.” Ellette stopped in the centre of the hallway, careless of the broken glass she was now standing on. “Look at me Dee. Look at me.” Medina avoided her gaze, but Ellette drew her face back with the steady guidance of a hand under her chin. “You did nothing-”

“I did nothing. But I know who did. I know who did this.” Her eyes became glazed, her face unfocused. Then, she narrowed her eyes and frowned, her spiky features shifting menacingly.

“You do?”

“Yes, and I’m damn well going to make sure that they pay for what they did to her.”

Mrs. Whitbeck's Daughter - a prompt exercise

2009-02-08T15:29:00.002Z

A writing prompt. Something new. I think I like it.

Mrs. Whitbeck’s Daughter

They had been her sister’s shoes - the little white sandals with the sunflower buckles, and fresh, un-pulled velcro fastenings - but they are Germaine’s now. She can recall how jealous she had been when her mother had brought them home, in a gift-wrapped box with a pink ribbon. The ribbon was the colour of the lining of the shoes, and immediately Germaine had wished that she could have them, even if just to touch. Sally had worn them everywhere, even to bed on that first night, and for weeks would only take them off for the special things. A walk on the beach, for example, was a special thing. But Sally was a sister too nice to be jealous of for long, and she had let Germaine wear the shoes too - just to try them on. They were too big, the straps dwarfing her four-year-old feet, and she had felt silly. Germaine remembers this now, the feeling of her feet sliding against the soft interior of the shoes, her toes barely even poking from the end.

Now the shoes sit beside her, dirty and worn on the soft, yellow sand. Sunlight plays across them, highlighting the little sunflowers - now no bigger than Germaine’s right thumb nail. She watches as a breeze stirs in the air above, and the sand jumps as if in protest. She watches in the distance as waves roll onto the shore, repeating the same motion of calmness, time after time. She does feel calm now that she is out here. Her mother is at home, cooking, or cleaning, or making herself busy and flustered. Germaine does not like the atmosphere of the house any more, not without Sally. It seems too warm in there, sometimes, stuffy and like she can’t breathe. The beach is the only place where she can come to breathe.

The air is cool and nice on her face, which she turns skyward, letting the sunlight wash over her like a warm hand, a touch of gold and angel-light. Sally used to love the beach, used to take the shoes off - as Germaine has done now - and paddle in the ocean, holding her dress with one hand and waving frantically with the other. Germaine had always watched, always followed the motions, said the words and looked after the shoes. That was how things worked.

Now there is nobody to watch, and Germaine is lonely. There are only the shoes, and the empty beach, and the rolling surf. There is the breeze, but that is not a person, not somebody she can talk to, and the sunlight. There is sand she can touch, feels cool beneath her fingers, but even this reminds her of her sister.

Everything reminds her of Sally. Especially the shoes. She thought that by bringing them here, putting them back on the beach and waiting, she might be able to think without the sadness. There is always sadness. When her mother laughs at home, at something trivial that Germaine has done, there is a beautiful explosion of glitter, and light and noise, and then she covers her mouth suddenly, as if remembering that Sally is dead, and that she should be sad. Germaine thinks that this is contagious, because now nothing is funny.

The shoes aren’t as pretty as she remembers. They’re not as clean, or as cute, and they are too small for her now. Even too small for her. She pulls her knees to her chest and stares out into the distance, the blue and gold view blurring into a hazy line of white dots of light through her eyelashes. She can hear a bird, somewhere, and some children playing on the other side of the bank, but here the beach is empty.

No, not empty. There is Germaine, and there are the shoes.

And there is Sally.

Germaine does not need the beach to see Sally; she does not even need the shoes. Sally is there, she has been told, in spirit, and now she can feel her. With each gentle brush of the wind against her face there is Sally’s hand, and Sally’s laughter, and with the soft sand beneath her feet there is the comfort that her sister had to offer. Even in the sea, way out in the blue, Sally is swimming, smiling. Germaine does not need the shoes, and perhaps this is the realisation that she was looking for when she came to the beach.

She will leave them here, for somebody else to find and to love, and then she will go home to Mother. Because six-year-old girls do not run off to the beach by themselves without good reason. She had a reason, and now she will leave. Mother will be angry, no doubt, but Germaine doesn’t care. This is what Sally would have wanted: she is sure. There is still the sadness, but Germaine thinks that this is okay. It won’t last forever.

Climbing to her feet, brushing the sand from her white summer frock, she looks out to the ocean again, smiling, and waving to an imaginary sister swimming in the water. And, bare feet padding on the cool earth underfoot, she begins to make her way home. Breathing.

3rd February

2009-02-03T08:43:00.001Z

:DDDDDDD

...

Kitty has the flu. *emo*
And is still at school. Goodness knows why.

1st February

2009-02-01T18:23:00.002Z

I feel guilty. :(

I haven't updated in daaaaaaaaays. Weeeeks. Almost a month. (Well, not quite, but you know...)

I suppose it's because I see that there's very little to write about when all I do every day is the same pattern over and over again. It's sad, really, because I'd like to get some variation in there, but I generally don't have the time. The most exciting stuff that has occurred recently is the hair cut I got on Thursday, and the 18th birthday parties I've been to on the last couple of Saturdays. I also got my eyes tested again on Friday, and they've told me that my eyes aren't as good as they were a year and a half ago and that I need new glasses - and in truth, I already knew all of that anyway.

I spend all of my time working for school, or thinking how I should be working for school (like now), or sleeping. I spent about a third of my time sleeping. I don't know what's wrong with me, but I'm always tired. Perhaps I just need to stress less. - Actually, I'm trying that, and it's working to a certain extent. It's difficult not to stress though, because there's just so much to stress about.

Like exams. I had my psychology exam on January 21st, which actually went pretty well, but there was so much to learn for the exam itself that I found myself just eating, sleeping and breathing psychology for a few weeks. Now it's over, I'm really really glad, but now we're back into the full-time balance of three subjects again.

I got accepted into East Anglia University for English Literature (they didn't want me on the creative writing course, but they offered me a place on the straight Lit course, with creative writing modules, so I don't mind too much) and so I'm just going to sit around until March, when I get my exam results for General Studies and Psychology, and then I'm going to reply to the universities and let them know about my choices. It'll most likely be East Anglia as both first and second choice - English Lit being my first choice, followed by American Literature with creative writing as my backup. The other universities are nice, I'm sure, but they don't appeal to me as much as UEA does. I really want to end up there.

Speaking of English Literature, I got the first draft of my coursework back this week, which was a comparison of the presentation of the protagonists' conflict with society in The Bell Jar (Sylvia Plath), and The Bluest Eye (Tony Morrison). Mrs Archer had previously look at the essay and told me that at least a couple of paragraphs were written at undergraduate level (a great complement), and then when I got back the full marked version I was told that she was lost for words (which NEVER happens). Even without any changes she marked me at having full marks on the assignment, which like... rarely ever happens. I was absolutely ecstatic. It made me really look forward to next year, especially if university is going to be as enjoyable as that coursework was. :)

I'm going to miss home though. D:

Anyway, dinner time now. And then I have English homework to complete, unfortunately.

Toodles.

xoxoxox

12th January

2009-01-12T22:28:00.002Z

Now playing: Vanessa Carlton - Heroes and Thieves

I'm blinded by these Heroes and Thieves at my door, and I can't seem to tell them apart anymore. Just when I figured it out; darling it's you I'm without. Well I'm stubborn and wrong, but at least I know it. I keep movin' along, and hope I can get through this

So, it's time for some writing. I haven't really done much recently, and tonight when I stumbled across a website full of six-word-long stories I decided to have a go at some for myself. they're great fun, and a decent way to just write whatever comes to mind, making it fit the six word framework.

Here are some of the ones I wrote tonight, for better or worse, posted live:

1. When she awoke, she saw him.

2. Don’t you know I miss you?

3. I don’t know you any more.

4. This is the best of me.

5. I can’t find you. Reach out?

6. I need you to need me.

7. A flicker of light behind you.

8. Give me time. I need it.

9. I think I lost something. Help?

10. Do you know I hate you?

11. A shot in the dark. Bang.

12. Pianos and prostitues line the streets.

You should try some yourself. It would make me happy if my blog comments were full of six-word stories? Anybody?

You know you want to.
:O

xoxox

... I'm without your comforting logic like, these days are the ones I'll miss, and I seek a solitude that I can't find without you

10th January

2009-01-10T19:33:00.003Z

Exams, Romeo & Juliet and current news here we go! :D

So, I know my updates aren't particularly close together any more, but give the small amount of time I have to myself to actually write these updates, I think it's amazing that I'm even updating at all.

So, anyway, in one of my last updates I think I mentioned that I was going to see Romeo and Juliet performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford, and that went ahead on Thursday night, so I can update about it here. Firstly, though, Thursday was also the day of my first General Studies exams (one and two, both an hour and fifteen minutes long - so we were under exam conditions for two and a half hours). They had to move the exam forward for half an hour so that we could sit the exam before going on the trip to see R&J performed (because there were a lot of sixth formers on the trip), so we started at 1:30 and finished at 4pm. The exam was easier than I thought it would be, but that doesn't make Monday look good - they'll probably make it harder just to spite us, and that's the Maths and Science paper. Oops.

Anyway, as soon as the exam had finished we all had to rush out to our coach, and then travel to Startford. The show was due to start at 7:15, and we got there at 6:45, so we had plenty of time to wander around Stratford town. We (Sarah, Becky, Georgie and Hannah) went into Sainsbury's, bought some sweets and chocolate brownies, and then headed to the theatre. We were in the Courtyard Theatre because both the Swan and the other one are undergoing renovation at the moment. It's a nice theatre, though.

We arrived there at about 6:30, and so wandered around the gift shop for the rest of the time. I bought a pencil which says "2B or not 2B" on the side - I thought it was rather funny - and a programme. Then, when the teachers started to arrive we went and stood outside. There was a momentary panic when we realised that the teacher who had our tickets had not yet arrived (and this was literally two minutes before the show was due to start), but she arrived just in time, gave us our tickets and we went into the theatre. Sarah, Becky, Georgie, Hannah and I had seats in the stalls, on row C. We were so close to the stage (one of the round horse-shoe type traditional Shakespearian stages) we could see the actors really well. Some of the drama students were up in the circle, which looked pretty cool too.

The show was awesome. Romeo could have cried for England; the way he could turn his tears on and off was pretty damn awesome, and the setting was 1940's, so all the costumes were pretty damn sweet. All sombre colours, red lipstick and neat hair, haha. Benvolio was damn hot. I seemed to be the only one who found the dirty jokes funny - possibly because I was the only one to understand them - and a great source of amusement all night was the fact that the actors were spitting like camels. XD Because of the lighting, and the fact that they didn't have microphones and so had to talk really loudly, meant that you could really see the fact that the actors were all spitting at each other. In fact, one actor even managed to spit when he wasn't talking! It was pretty damn hilarious, especially when Romeo could be seen to fire this great GOB of spit into the air. We could see it on the stage for ages afterwards.

Mercutio was fantastic, and we were all GUTTED when he died. Peter, the comedian of the show, was adorable. I loved him, especially when he burst into great sobs. It was so exaggerated, it was awesome. Romeo was good, but he didn't show too much emotion in his eyes. Juliet was alright, though the death scene was over a little too quickly for my taste, and she wasn't really that dramatic. Bah, I loved the whole show.

It was clever, as well, how they did the whole show with such limited props. Basically, all they had was a bed which they wheeled on for Juliet's bedroom scenes (and which they walled off with a cage-like thing for the death scene in the mausoleum), some knives, some bar stools and the costumes. Very clever. :)

Afterwards, we swiped some of the confetti from the stage (like the geeks we are) and went to go and stand outside. We were all buzzing, but we got even more excited when we saw Benvolio (Daniel Percival) cutting through the crowd. Like the crazy fan girls we are we squealed, and ran after him. We managed to get him to stop, and then we got him to sign our programmes. Omg. It was EPIC. XD Two teachers caught up with us asked "Why have you stopped?" saw Daniel and were like "Ooooh, okay. We'll meet you at the coach". LOL. It was wonderful.

We then headed back to the coach, still buzzing with excitement, and headed home. We didn't get back home until about half twelve, so at school yesterday I was practically dead. Never mind, though, it was worth it.

Annnnyway. Other news...

OMG YEAH. Tonight I booked tickets for Wicked again. I'm going with my sister and Becky on May 9th, for the 7:30 performance. You know what that means? :OOOO

I'LL BE THERE FOR KERRY'S LAST SHOW! Holy shit, it's going to be awesome. We'll go down to London in the morning, shop during the day and then see the show. I reckon it'll be pretty cool. Especially because Becky hasn't seen Wicked before - I'm not even sure if she's been to the West End before... I'm already looking forward to it.

Also, because I feel guilty about not blogging about writing for a while, I've been getting some really good feedback from somebody on FictionPress. I started writing a new story randomly (something I can just write on for the shits and giggles while doing exams) where I'm rewriting the story of Sleeping Beauty, and this person really liked it. Since they read that they've been giving me really positive feedback on a lot of my pieces of work that are posted on there, so I'm pretty pleased with that.

Other than that, I have little to report. Exams are taking over my life, as they do twice a year, so I'd better go and do some revision, since other than buy birthday presents and spend three hours playing pool with Alex, Joe and her friends today, I haven't done anything productive - and I've done nothing to do with school... >_>;

3rd January & We Will Rock You update

2009-01-03T22:15:00.005Z

Pretty damn awesome show. I knew I was going to enjoy it, and I did. Very much so. I have to confess that Wicked is still definitely my favourite musical (not hard when I've only ever seen two musicals live, but whatever) but WWRY was still pretty damn awesome. I took a picture of the theatre (and a picture of us ouside the theatre, but we won't go there because I'm way too ugly to be on the internet).

I also have a picture of the Wicked theatre I feel the need to upload finally.... >_>

Anyway! On to the update about the day. :D

We started our day quite early today, but it wasn't early enough that it was painful. Up at eight, leave the house for half nine ready for a 10:18 train from the midlands to St. Pancras in London. We had first class tickets, everything was incredibly smooth-going, and we ended up in London direct on time at 12:05.

From St. Pancras train station we slid through the tube part, got on the Picadilly line and headed for like... the second stop along, and then from there on the District line to Tottenham Court Rd., where the Dominion theatre is located. We arrived there at perhaps 12:30, and after some wandering around Tottenham Court Road we finally decided that we were going to eat at Burger King, opposite the theatre. How original. We couldn't pick up our tickets until an hour before the performance (which started at 2:30), so we didn't have much else to do. So, we ate. XD

Then to the theatre, where my sister and I bought programmes for the show and glow sticks for the finale. We fought over the blue ones, and then headed into the theatre, where we found our seats. We had seats Z 26-30, and they were actually pretty awesome seats. They were about three or four rows from the back, right in the centre of the theatre (I was on the end of the row, which was great). We could see the whole stage, and there were actually no other people in front of us for the next four rows so we didn't have any tall people in front of us. Being as short as I am, that can get incredibly annoying... We could have moved forward a couple of rows, but we were actually very comfortable where we were, so we stayed in our assigned seats, haha.

The performance was wonderful, I have to say. The woman who played Scaramouche (Sabrina Aloueche) was very good - I was actually worried about her, since Scara seems like quite a challenging role to play - and I was particularly impressed by the Killer Queen (Mazz Murray) whose songs were almost flawless and whose voice was like a powerhouse. She had a lot of raw energy in what she sung, and she was great with the quirky sex jokes. Sabrina, I have to say, pulled off the sarcastic Scaramouche very well. I also enjoyed the performance displayed by both Khashoggi (Alex Bourne) who did very well as the smarmy-I-wear-sunglasses-inside-control-dude, and Meat - who was originally played by Kerry Ellis. Meat was actually played by Rachel Tucker who made it to the semi-finals of I'd Do Anything on BBC, and who was Mum's original favourite to win. XD With her following Kerry I was a little worried about her performance of No One But You, but she performed it very VERY well, and her costume was super cool. x3

I think what made the performance even more memorable, though, was the fact that they had a few technical difficulties with Britney Spears' microphone. The poor guy playing Brit (I think it was Ian Carlyle) had problems getting his face-mic thing to work, and so his first song/words were a little shaky. One of the techies had to come across stage, hand him a microphone as he went, and then when Brit went to sing into THAT one, it also didn't work. XD Second microphone later, he was there on stage trying to perform 'karate' moves, dance AND sing all the while holding a hand-held microphone. The other leads on stage at the time were really trying not to laugh. The audience found it hilarious.

What the cast got at the end of the show was what I'd call a half-theatre standing ovation. There were a few very enthusiastic fans at the front who were on their feet well before the finale, and a few kids behind us doing the same, and by the end of the show mostly the back half of the room was on their feet. It was a great atmosphere (but I have to say, definitely more of a Rock N' Roll type thing than a magical Wicked type - I guess that's to be expected, duuurrr).

The show finished at around 5:15, and from there we headed back to the tube, and to St. Pancras following the lines we'd followed on the way. We hit a massive queue of people in the station at Tottenham Court Road though, and in one of the tubes we were so packed in like sardines that you couldn't even turn around. It was actually very funny. I loved the atmosphere. XD

And, of course, from there on home. We got back around half eight, and I've been home ever since. I'm tired now, rather sad about my lack of revision (or any kind of studying) over the past few days, and running out of things to talk about. I think we're done here for the day..

Or not!
Here's a list of all the shows I currently want to see. I'll probably bold the ones I've seen once I see them, and put how many times I've seen them, because then I can keep track of everything and I want to one day be able to say I've seen all the shows I really want to see. XD

Wicked (3)*
We Will Rock You (1)
Mamma Mia
Chicago
Phantom of the Opera
Les Miserables
Avenue Q
Lion King
The Sound of Music
Blood Brothers
Oliver!
La Cage Aux Folles
Grease
Hairspray
39 Steps

I also wouldn't mind seeing (if they ever come to the UK):
Urine Town
9 to 5 (a new production!)

Hell I still want to see Wicked again. >_>

Eh. Knowing me I'll probably add more. Even so, my list is looking a little bare of completion at the moment. How sad. I need to get a job so I can afford all of this. =S

Anyway. I think it's bed time. Or something.
G'night.
x

2nd January

2009-01-02T23:26:00.002Z

Holleeeeeeeyyyyy shiiiiiz.

Fifteen hours until we see We Will Rock You on stage. =D I'm super excited, because I don't really know what to expect. I've seen a good portion of the first half of the musical on Youtube, sure, but that was over the internet which is obviously slightly different, and it also had the original cast (Kerry Ellis included). I've also got a copy of the soundtrack, also with the original cast, and I love what they've done with all the songs - but still. I hardly know anything about the musical. Unlike Wicked (which we all know I know far too much about...) I don't know anything about any of the actors starring in the show right now, nor do I know if anything has changed since the original production. I'm also super excited, because while I have been to see Wicked three times, this is in effect only my second ever West End musical. =O

And we all know how much Kitty likes musicals, eh? Dad says we have good seats, since they were the most expensive ones, and I hope he's right. It would be awesome if we were somewhere in the middle, near the front in the stalls (I know we're in the stalls, but I don't know where abouts yet since we're picking the tickets up on arrival tomorrow), but if it's anything like Wicked even sitting behind a pillar will be awesome.

I really am excited.

Oh! And, because the theatre isn't in Victoria, we also get to go someplace else to see it. I mean, it's not far away, but to go inside another theatre will be pretty damn sweet. Especially since I've only ever seen one West End theatre. And, if I'm right, I think the theatre has got a big statue of Freddie Mercury on the roof thing, which is pretty epic.

A summary of the show from the theatre website:
We Will Rock You is set in the future, on a place once called Earth. Globalisation is complete. Everyone watches the same movies, wears the same clothes, and thinks the same thoughts. A safe, happy Ga Ga world. The Company Computers generate the music and the kids download it. All musical instruments are banned. But resistance is growing. A hero is needed. Is the one who calls himself Galileo that man, and can he help them Break Free...?

See? Looks pretty awesome, huh?

Of course, I love the Wicked theatre (what fan wouldn't? - look, it's all shiny and green, and Elphaba-ised, ish, whatever. Anyway, both theatres are cool.)

but I think this actually sets the scene for the show quite nicely - from what I've heard/seen.

... Whutageek. Talking about THEATRES now? Holy carp, I really am insane. >_o

I think it's time I called it a night. No doubt there will be a fairly extensive update about tomorrow some time soon - there will probably be less to report than last time, since we're going with Dad and Cath, seeing the show and coming home. There'll be none of this hanging out in London business. T_T

Ahem.
Bed time.
Gooooood night.
:)

1st January, 2009

2009-01-01T23:25:00.002Z

Happy New Year everybody!

Let's make it a good one, right?

Also, I'm going to see We Will Rock You on Saturday, in London, as part of my Christmas gift off dad. I can't wait. :D
Mum got me some truly awesome gifts, but to write a post dedicated to them now would be rude, since I think I've still got something of a hangover. XD

Maybe some other time.
x

17th December & the Wicked Update

2008-12-17T22:32:00.002Z

I promised I'd write an entry about my day in London, and I figure tonight is the best time to do that. First things first, though, it was quite possibly one of the best days of my life. My sister and I had been looking forward to going to see Wicked again since we went last time in May, and we'd been saving up much of our money so that we could go again. My sister didn't think that we would go, though, because I told her (quite truthfully) that all of the tickets of the lower price range had gone, and that we simply wouldn't be able to afford it.

I thought that this was honestly the case, and I had almost resigned myself to the fact that we wouldn't be going, when I - on the off chance we might get some money for the cause - asked my Mum if she would mind me taking Alisha all the way to London by myself. It's along journey, and a very big place, and I thought she would say no. I couldn't have been more wrong though, because she actually seemed pretty thrilled by the prospect of us going together, and she said that she would even pay for the show tickets for us (£60 plus p&p each!) on the one condition that she could be there when I told my sister that we were going.

So, on Saturday December 13th, 2008, my sister and I were going to see Wicked, for possibly the final time. When I paid for the coach tickets I made sure we could get there early in the morning, and we would have time after the show too. At 7am on the Saturday morning we arrived at the coach stop for the 7:15am coach to London. It was freezing cold, and pouring it down with rain. The driver let us straight onto the coach because the weather was so bad, and because I'm a wonderful sister I let Alisha have the window seat. We left the coach stop at exactly 7:15 by the coach clock, and after a couple of trips onto the coach by dad to make sure we had all the food we needed for the journey, we settled into the trip nicely. For the first couple of hours Ally and I dozed on and off, because we'd woken up quite early, and at around 10am we made a video on my phone. Our first video of the day.

We arrived in Victoria coach station, London at around 10:30am, earlier than expected, and it was still raining. Since the show didn't start until 2:30pm, we had nothing to do. Originally we'd planned to meet the Wicked cast, and get their autographs, but the weather was so poor that this would have been impossible with only the little umbrella that I had between us, so we went back into the underground station and got ourselves some food. MacDonald's. *eyeroll* I've found that when in London I lose my appetite, though, so I didn't eat much. After that we decided that we had plenty of time, and we decided to get ourselves onto a bus tour of London.

It was about twelve o'clock when we got onto our tour, which was due to last for two hours. Alisha insisted that we sit on the top of the bus, which had a little shield over the top at the front, and the rest was open-air. We sat near the front, so we didn't get wet, but we were still freezing. It was so cold up there I lost all feeling in my feet, fingers, ass and nose. It was awesome, though because we saw a few epic landmarks. However, Alisha began to worry that we were going to be late for the show if we did the whole circuit, so after an hour on the tour we asked the tour guide where the best stop would be to get the underground back to Victoria station, opposite which is the Apollo theatre where Wicked is performed. The tour guide directed us off the bus at Piccadilly Circus, where we walked back towards Oxford Circus, along Regent Street. On the way, we saw Hamley's Toy Shop.

Here we made our second video of the day. Hamley's is the most epic toy store I have ever seen in my life. Not only is it huge, and old, it's lined from floor to ceiling on the bottom floor with stuff toys. Alisha and I went wild, and spent a good fifteen minutes running around the bottom floor. We didn't stay long, though, because we didn't want to miss the show.

A quick underground trip later we were back in Victoria, and ready to see the show. We both bought items from the souvenir shop. I got a new Wicked sweater, and Alisha bought a mug with the Wicked logo on, and then we went to go and sit in our seats. I had been worried that they weren't as good as they could have been, since we had X 3 and 4, near the end of the row on the right side of the theatre. Last time I had been so close to the edge, I'd sat with a pillar in front of my face for the whole show. This time, I'd done well when I bought the tickets, though, because X isn't - as I thought - the third row from the back. It's actually quite far forward, and so we had PRIME seats. We could see the whole stage, and we got some little binoculars to focus up in the faces of the cast. Here we made another video on my phone, showing our seats. I couldn't wait for the show to start, and neither (I think) could Alisha.

The best moment, though, was when the show started. Galinda came hovering down to stage in her giant bubble, and I whispered to Alisha frantically: "It's DIANNE! DIANNE!" since we both love Dianne, and think she's definitely the best Galinda we've ever seen. That was the first moment of excitement. The beginning of the show was flawless, but little did I know it was about to get better. The moment Elphaba came onto stage, I grabbed the binoculars from my sister, and almost cried out in delight. "It's KERRY! IT'S KERRY! KERRY! KERRY! KERRY!" I could hardly contain my excitement. KERRY ELLIS WAS FINALLY PERFORMING. From the moment she said her amazing "Oh, what, do I have something in my TEETH?" to the end of the shown, I had a huge grin plastered across my face. Well, until they performed the sad songs, then I wasn't smiling. XD I spent the whole performance with this fantastic buzzing in my chest, partly to do with the volume of the casts' voices as they sung.

When Fiyero came on, I threw another hissy of excitement whispering "It's OLIVER!" happily as my sister grinned at me. I laughed so hard at points of that show, I don't think I've ever found anything like that so funny before. The show does get better every time you see it.

There were two girls sat behind us who, for one, had bought pretty much the whole gift shop between them, and secondly who were sobbing so hard by the end of the performance it was almost comical. It was their first performance, and it was truly a wonderful one for them to have seen. Kerry Ellis, Dianne Pilkington and Oliver Tompsett all on stage at the same time is enough to make any true Wicked fan happy. <3

After the show, Alisha and I made another video, this time outside of the theatre. It was around half five, and since we'd eaten lunch so early we were really hungry. And, since we didn't have to be back in Victoria to catch the coach home until 9pm we decided we'd head for something to eat. We went back to Regent Street. Here we found a Marks and Spencers (classy, I know), and ate in the dinner hall section. Again I couldn't finish my food, but it didn't matter. I was having so much fun, even the rain couldn't keep my spirits down.

After eating we went shopping, and went into Borders and a few other awesome shops before finding ourselves back at Hamley's. We couldn't resist it, so we decided that we'd give ourselves a limit to how much we could spend, and go in and buy something. We walked out half an hour later with two cute dog plushies between us, which we named London (my doggy) and Fiyero (Alisha's)., and a packet of candy cane sweets with chocolate inside them. After this, we headed back to the coach station to find the departure area, which we were worried about finding.

We got back there an hour early, and sat in the station for a while, making videos, watching our other videos and playing with our toys. >_> What a big kid I am. Seriously.

The coach arrived on time, and we got on it at quarter to nine, leaving at 9pm sharp. On the way back we attempted to make a final video, but by this time we were tired, and my phone was running out of battery, so we left it half finished, and fell to sleep. By the time we got home it was midnight, and we were surprisingly tired. By the time we got to sleep it was 1am. It was honestly SUCH an awesome day. I'll never forget it if I can help it. <3

It made me realise, though, just how independent I can be. I was worried about taking Alisha in case something went wrong, but everything went off perfectly, and we avoided any disasters carefully and easily. It was wonderful, and if I could get the money, and better weather, I'd do it again in a heartbeat, this time seeing more on the bus tour. :D

The sad thing is, the point Alisha remembers best about the whole day was that on the way back to the coach station we saw a man pissing up a wall. XD What a wonderfully disturbed child she is. :B

-- There. I told you I'd update. sorry it's long, but it was so cool it deserves a long entry. Aren't you glad I didn't update about my WEEKEND in London? Goodness, we'd have been here for WEEKS.

As for today, it's been a pretty awesome day. Penultimate day before Christmas break, we had coffee and tea and croissants and chocolats in Mr Summers' English Lit class, successfully stalling him for two hours and planning an essay rather than writing one. Matt baked a chocolate cake - a huge one - and it was ferking WICKED. Seriously.

Tomorrow I have a mini Christmas party in Psychology with Mr. Read, and he's taking photos of us to put on his wall. I wonder if I should curl my hair or not... I don't know. If I can get up early enough I guess I just might try it. That photo will be on the wall for a whole year. It has to be good. O_O

And then I have two weeks off for Christmas, New Year, and to revise for my Psychology and General Studies exams that are coming up in January. I hate exames. >_o

Anyway. Bed time. Tooooodles.
xoxoxox

16th December

2008-12-16T21:20:00.001Z

A Wicked update to come! When I have the energy. D:

12th December

2008-12-12T21:09:00.002Z

HOLY HELL.

WICKED TOMORROW!!

*hyperventilation*
Omgomgomg. XD I'm very very excited, and also rather nervous. The prospect of dragging an eleven year old around London doesn't really excite me as much as the prospect of seeing Wicked again does. Hopefully everything will go smoothly, and on Sunday you'll have a good full blog full of fun and hyper stuff. I'm still hoping Kerry Ellis will be performing. I'm hoping even more than we get to meet her outside the stage door, and that we might be able to get photos, and autographs. *collapses* But even if she's not there, it'll be an awesome performance. It has to be. It always is. :P

And now, it's the time where I go to bed because I need a full eight hours sleep if I'm going to have a good day tomorrow. It'll be a long day. >_>

WICKED IN EIGHTEEN HOURS AND FIFTEEN MINUTES. OMGGGGG.
<33

4th December

2008-12-04T12:59:00.001Z

Man do I suck. >_o

Hazel's birthday party on Tuesday, was great fun. Last night... I don't think I have an excuse for not posting. I spent my time at the University of Nottingham last night, though, doing some kind revision and catch up session. Maybe I'll blog properly tonight. :D

1st December

2008-12-01T22:59:00.003Z

Now playing: Kristin Chenoweth - Because He Lives

Goodness, it's so depressing that it's actually December. -_-' I hate this post-NaNo depression. I don't know what to do with myself. I have time on my hands, nothing to fill it, and no desire to find something else to fill it except writing. I've found a way to avoid doing things for a month, and I don't want to start doing them again, and so I have all of that free time as well. Plus, (not that I'm complaining) my homework levels have been lower recently to allow for revision time.

I guess I am trying to get back into the academic swing of things, though, because I started my psychology revision today, for my exam in January. I have an exam for three topics, and so I started making my revision cards for one of those three topics. Sadly, it took me an hour to make cards for just ONE little booklet of notes. Basically, I'm screwed. *eye roll* Oh well, what else is new?

We put our Christmas tree up today. It's epic awesome. We're also setting up our BlueRay DVD player, so I look forward to watching Mamma Mia (I hear it's awesome =O) on BlueRay on it tomorrow, with Mum. :]

I started reading a little of Black Hour today, and was actually pleasantly surprised by the quality of Medina's third person narrative. Perhaps I'm not so bad at it as I thought, though it's not perfect by any means. I guess I'll just have to put up with it, though, because I refuse to make any major overhauls, I'll just highlight any big issues and otherwise read it as I would read a normal novel (with more awkward stumbling and grimacing, that is). I'm getting Steve to print it out for me when he has the chance, and from then I'll have something more to fill my time while I'm not revising. And then, after the exams in January (and a little bit in between now and then) I can get back in Medina's novel and finish it (hopefully) before the summer exams. :D

Right. It's 11pm, and that means it's time for bed. Late for a normal night, but I'm still recovering from my NaNo sleep schedule. @_@; I can't wait to get back to my early nights. That'll be another way to eliminate all that extra time I seem to have accumulated this last month. :)

So night all.
x

30th November

2008-11-30T14:38:00.003Z

DONE!!

Holy crap. This month has been a long one. A really long one. And yet, oh so short. I can't believe it's over already, and it's time to return to the normal world of less-than-deathly amounts of caffeine, sleep and effective homework completion. Damnit. I want to go back to my novelling bliss. Please?

The novel is finished, all 116,697 words of it, and I don't think I'm ever going to touch it again, apart from to post it on the internet (with just basic spell check and formatting). I don't think I want to edit it, because although I loved the characters, and the story, I doubt anybody would really want to read it, and to be honest I wouldn't even know where to begin. It's been tough to write, and somehow I think it would be even tougher to edit. Don't even go there. @_@;

Anyway. Today, then, is my relaxation day. Apart from homework, I shall do nothing but watch TV, go for a walk, go out for dinner and enjoy myself. Though, having finished my novel at precisely eleven minutes past one this afternoon, I've had nothing to do since. I'm almost bored. O_O

Well, it's time for that walk I mentioned, where I can mull over what's happened this month, and then think about going back to work on Medina's novel- which I can't do until I print out all of the 80,000 words I have so far to familiarise myself with the story again. So, I'll leave you all with an excerpt, and go. :)

“I’m not joking, darling,” she said. “I wish I were. Mary says that there’s a two week window between finding out the unfinished business and solving it, or I’ll end up in limbo forever. And the worst bit about that is that I won’t be able to phone you. Limbo after the two week period becomes like-” There was a muffled voice as Mary clarified. “It becomes like prison, in hell. With torture. Lots of torture.” Her voice was weak.

“So I need to go to Eula and track down the next of kin of Florence Blouse to get your money back, in two weeks, or else you’ll be damned for all eternity? Literally?”

“That just about sums it up.”

I couldn’t believe it.

“Look, honey, I have to go. My minutes have run for the month-”

“But you didn’t tell me her name, or anything-”

“I have go hon, toodles!”

There was a crackle, and the line went dead. I swore loudly, threw the phone onto the floor and watched as it bounced on the hardwood floor. Danger shrugged.

“What was that all about?”

“My Mum,” I said bitterly. There was no way around this. Whatever higher being there was up there obviously just didn’t want me to rest. Ever. “Hey, Danger,” I said. “Fancy another journey?”

“To Eula?”

“Yes. To finish my mother’s unfinished business.”

Danger thought about this for a minute, and then pulled out her mobile phone. “Sure, why not? It’s not like I’d ever be able to relax in this place again, anyway. Shall I call the crew?”

“Sure. Call the crew. Tell them to pack their shorts and tees. It’ll be hot where we’re going.”

“Road trip?”

“No, just tell them we’re going on vacation, and I’m paying.”

Danger smirked at me and then offered her hand up for a high-five. And then, “Kez? It’s me. Danger. Fancy going on holiday? Eula? Right. Gather the crew. We’ll leave at five.”

I should have known that things wouldn’t get easier. What did I expect? I was a Candy Girl. Since when do things ever work out as planned?

Words written today: 2,525.
Word count: 116,697.

29th November

2008-11-30T02:24:00.002Z

So, the novel isn't finished. That last chapter took a lot more work than I'd planned. I am, however, set to write the epilogues tomorrow, just in time to finish NaNoWriMo 2008 with a finished novel. It makes me happy.

For now, though, it's 2:30am and I have more important things to be doing. Like sleeping.

Excerpt: [spoiler alert! XD]

“For god’s sake Olive, can’t you keep yourself under control?” Rouge snapped. “What the hell are you laughing at?”

“I was just- they were- look!” She pointed, then, noticing Cassidy on the floor. Suddenly Cassidy wasn’t laughing, in fact, she was scrambling to her feet, still holding a number of wires in her hands that had been trailing along the floor, clutching at them for some support. My heart lept and I felt my hands grow cold in panic.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Rouge turned on her. “I told you to get out of here. Blue, get her out of here! For god’s sake! Can nobody do anything right in this place? If you’d just do as I asked then we’d never have half of these problems. Stop standing there like an idiot and get her out of here!”

Cassidy, though afraid, didn’t flinch as Blue headed towards her. Rouge was still gripping the control box for the electric chairs in her hands, the lever hanging loose as though it had not been fitted carefully enough. Cassidy seemed to be looking at it, and then she spoke, calm and curious.

“What do these wires do?” she asked, tilting her head to one side.

“No, don’t touch those! Put them down!” A sudden change, and was Rouge was waving frantically. Her head still tilted to one side Cassidy brought the wires a little closer together, and watched as Rouge almost had a heart attack.

“What happens if I put them together?” she asked. “Will it reverse the flow of the current?”

“No,” Rouge said quickly. “And besides, the power box isn’t even on.”

And then Cassidy shook her head. “You’re wrong,” she said. “Look, see? You’re careless.”

With that she pressed the two wires together, and before any of us had the chance to react we heard a faint buzzing, and Rouge began to shake uncontrollably. I closed my eyes, clung onto Danger for support, burying my head in her neck. There was a cry of pain, inhuman and terrifying, a thud, and then there was silence.

When I opened my eyes, everybody but Danger had moved further into the chamber, and they were all gathered around the middle, where Rouge had been standing.

“Is she?”

“I think she is.”

“I wonder how...”

“Cassie-”

“But how?”

“Electric currents.”

“Science.”

“Rouge?” Olive’s voice broke our jumbled examining, unsure and scared. “Rouge?”

“She’s dead.” Blue, who had watched the whole scene from afar without much interest, now approached the younger girl and laid a hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay,” he said. “It’s okay, you’ll be okay.”

“It’s not okay.” Olive’s face crumpled, and tears sprang to her cheeks. “It’s not, it’s not.”

“It is okay. I’m sure we’ll see her in hell.” For a brother, he didn’t seem particularly grieved by Rouge’s death, but then I assumed that he was in shock. Either that or he didn’t agree with her moral values. But the fact that she had gone to hell; well, that was something we could all agree on.

The shop was ours.

The world was safe.

I couldn’t help but think that it was a little anti-climactic, though.

And Cassidy as Hero? Who’d have thought?

Words written today: 6,760 =O
Word count: 114,193

28th November

2008-11-29T00:31:00.002Z

Now playing: Tracie Thoms - Let Love Begin

I don't think I even deserve to write a blog today, because I've been rather unproductive, but to be honest I think part of this is due to my usual pre-completion blues. Rather than the rush that a lot of people get from being near to the end of their projects, I get all nostalgic and teary-eyed, and then can't force myself to write. I lose all motivation and have to slug through the end. It's happening again right now, and though I thought I might be finished by today, I think I'll move that date forwards to tomorrow. I have the final chapter to write, and two epilogues (which aren't really that important). I'll do them tomorrow. I promise?

XD

Instead of writing, I spent my evening singing badly and watching videos on YouTube. One, the video of Idina Menzel on This Morning in October, made me laugh too hard. She was talking about her job as a wedding singer before she hit Broadway, and there was one incident where while she was in the middle of singing this guy on the dance floor started having a heart attack. She stopped singing, but her manager urged her on all like "the band never stops playing, don't stop singing! Keep singing!" So, she started singing again and then the bride came up to her and was like "you're so heartless, my uncle is having a heart attack and you're still singing!" and apparently Dee ran straight over to the buffet and started just stuffing her face with eclairs. XD I found that hilarious in itself, but then one of the hosts (I forget his name) was asking her if it happened a lot, if she was like, unlucky and bad things happen to her and whatever, and she said: "What, when I sing do people die?"

I laughed so hard. They also had a discussion about Idina wetting her pants on stage from laughing/singing too hard, and about the time she fell through the trapdoor during Wicked and ended up down A&E with a broken rib dressed in her full Elphaba outfit.

Behehe. That made my day.

Also! The Wicked tickets arrived today! It's such a load off my mind. I CAN'T WAIT. Seriously. I was worried that something might go wrong (mild state of neurosis anybody?) but it's okay. I have all of the tickets, so everything should go smoothly. December 13th! Holy shit! =O

Okay, back on topic. Excerpt (from whatever little I actually wrote):

King nodded. This was getting tedious. I shifted from foot to foot boredly, scanning the four Directors in front of me and then smiling viciously. Queenie glared at me, and Princeton began to quiver, his face contorted with fear. It was a shame really, the fact that I was going to have to kill him, since he had always been so fond of me. I had grown rather attached to the idiot, I have to admit. Perhaps I could be more lenient- No. No, I mustn’t get ahead of myself.

“Darling, can you pass me the bat, please?” I turned over my shoulder and smiled at my brother. He was obviously uncomfortable with being here, even though I had allowed him to wear a mask to hide his identity. I had argued that it wouldn’t matter if they knew who he was, since they were going to be dead soon anyway; the fact that he wasn’t comfortable with the murder in the first place didn’t really help, I guess.

He passed one of the baseball bats to me, sliding it into my hand and then slinking back to the wall where he hunched his shoulders over even further and seemed to disappear into himself. I winked at Antoinette and then sidled over to the table.

“So, shall we get this over with?” I asked. Queenie cringed, but it seemed they had already come to some silence agreement to let me do whatever it was I needed to do. Little did they know that I fully intended to go all the way to death, whether they reacted or not.

They didn’t even put up much of a fight.

Words written today: A lousy 518 words
Word count: 107,551

27th November

2008-11-27T23:41:00.002Z

Now playing: Eden Espinosa - I'm A Star

I love this song more than is healthy...

Making progress!
Almost there!
Might finish tomorrow, or Saturday. :D

Excerpt:

“Don’t move an inch,” I demanded. “Move and you’re dead.”

“Aren’t we dead anyway?” Jack asked lazily, trying to cover his fear with carelessness. Princeton elbowed him in the ribs, but he didn’t quiten down. “You’re obviously intent on killing us all anyway, so why should we make it easy for you?”

“Easy?” The four of them were currently tied to each other, and to their chairs, around their table. They had been so easy to surprise, I hadn’t even had to knock them out to tie them up. Olive and Blue stood behind me, with an unimpressed-looking Indigo, Antoinette and some nameless drones Blue had picked up from an agency somewhere. We were going to have to have them unconscious to get them to the lair, which we had furnished appropriately, but this was just too much of an opportunity to miss. “I think it’s as easy as it’s going to get, to be perfectly honest, lads- oh, and Queenie? Sorry about your arm. We really did try to make it a little more painful.”

Words written today: 3,397
Word count: 107,033

26th November

2008-11-26T22:52:00.002Z

Now playing: Shoshana Bean - Home

I know, I know, that blog yesterday was absolutely shocking. But, I don't care. I hit 100k, and I'm pleased. I think this is the earliest I've ever done it, and I think I'll be able to finish the novel this month. No, scratch that, I will definitely be able to finish it. I have one and a half chapters, and then two epilogues to write. And then I'm done. I'm currently writing Rouge's last proper chapter, and it's kind of touching, in a good way and a horrible violent way. XD But, that's just Rouge all over.

And then we have the confrontation between the two MCs. It'll be the first and last time they ever meet. How cool is that? :O AC will wonder what all the fuss is about, and Rouge will wonder what the hell is going on, and why she wasn't informed. =P And then, the epilogues will tie up some random loose ends (well, as much as they can be tied up in NaNo), and that will be the end. If I finish early I might... write something random, maybe work on PaLS for a day to fill up the time, or something. And then I'll print off Medina's novel and get stuck back into that again. But, only relaxedly because I'll have exams to start revising for, and then exams to sit. It's all good though, overall this NaNo has been great. And, I'll hopefully have a finished first draft to show for it as well, which is something I haven't had since the adventure with Merce in 2006.

Get this, my 100,000th word was: ALONE. Baha. Poor AC.

Anyway. I'm tired. So, like, here's an excerpt:

Olive seemed somewhat bewildered, but she nodded her head and smiled. I reached into my pocket and withdrew a small velvet box. I placed it in her palm, and for a moment she just looked at it. Then, wiping the blood from her hands and onto her skirt, she opened it carefully. Inside there was a small silver ring, with three rubies set carefully, sparkling in the dim lights of the lair. Olive sucked in a deep breath, gazed at it for a moment, and then opened her mouth like a fish out of water.

“Oh Rouge,” she breathed. “It’s beautiful.”

“It’s red,” I said. It didn’t matter that I was stating the obvious, making a fool of myself. I was in love, and that was the only excuse that I needed. “They’re rubies. To remind you of me. You know, because Rouge means-”

“Red. I know. I learnt French when I was little.” She smirked at me, took the ring from the box and slid it onto the middle finger of her right hand.

Words written over the past two days: 5,103, 3,573.
Word count: 103,636

25th November

2008-11-25T23:50:00.001Z

100k!!

*collapses*

More coherent blog to come tomorrow.

24th November

2008-11-24T23:11:00.002Z

Now playing: Les Miserables - On My Own

And now I'm all alone again, nowhere to turn, no one to go to. Without a home, without a friend, without a face to say hello to, but now the night is near, and I can make-believe he's here

Today I feel good about myself. I didn't have any homework, so got in, had a nap and then got on with the writing. 4k later I'm another chapter towards ending this thing. >D It makes me feel good, and so now it's just about bed time. :D I'd write more, but to be honest I don't really feel like rambling, and there's a cat sat on my face, making typing this extremely difficult. It's taken me ten minutes to get this far. =O

Excerpt for the day - here's a bit of not-quite-sex:

“Oh hush, you,” I said, reaching out to slap her bare arm lightly. Even despite the snow that was still falling outside she had chosen to wear a vest top and a skirt short enough that if she bent over I could see her underwear- or lack of it. Not that I was complaining, but the distractions were something I could do without. It was crucial that we managed to pull this off, because otherwise I had no idea how it would all work out in the grand scheme of things. If I could kill the morons, how would I ever get rid of any of them?

“Don’t you like to hear the truth?” Olive said, coming towards me and wrapping her arms around my neck. “Does it make you feel inferior?” Inticingly she let her lips linger on mine for a moment, and then pulled away, bouncing into the centre of the large, square room. I took a second to make sure that our trap was secure, and then jumped after her, grabbing her around the waist and tickling her. She giggled happily, squirming away from my touch, and together we danced around the room laughing loudly.

“Shush, shush,” I said, not really caring whether she listened to me or not. I pulled her close, pressed my lips against her and then let my hands wander down her back. She made a tutting motion, pulling away, and then grinned.

“You’re such a tease!” I cried out, reaching for her. She danced away from my fingertips, sliding this way and that as I reached out after her. Her skirt bobbed as she moved, her hair loose and wild. I wanted to grab her and make love to her right there, but that would be incredibly inappropriate- or, at least, we didn’t have time.

“Oh, I do try,” she sung and then stuck her tongue out.

While she was distracted I lunged for her, and together we tumbled towards the corner of the room. I pinned her to the wall, kissing her deeply and holding her arms high above her head so that her midriff was exposed.

“Oooh,” she taunted as I pulled out of our kiss. “Fiesty. I like that in a woman.”

“You’re too young to know what you like in a woman,” I said jokingly. “You’ve only ever had me and that damn robot. How would you know?”

“Maybe I’ve had more?” she breathed, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Her breath mingled with mine- she smelt like peppermints- and I pressed myself closer to her, our bodies entwined against the wall.

“Really?” I asked with a smirk.

“How many more?”

“Oh, hundreds.”

“Were they better than me?”

“Oh yes, every single one of them.”

“Really?” I kissed her again, and then licked her nose. She tried to keep a straight face, but failed miserably and was soon giggling too hard to speak. “Really really?”

“Yes,” she said in between giggles. “They were all, taller. And they had-”

“Longer fingers?” I tickled her thigh underneath her skirt and she doubled up with laughter, almost headbutting me in the chest. I backed up just in time to catch her, and she tumbled against me, still laughing.

“No,” she gasped. “Your fingers are definitely the longest.”

Words written today: 4,038
Word count: 95,233

On my own, pretending he's beside me. All alone, I walk with him 'til morning...

21st, 22nd &23rd November

2008-11-23T22:38:00.003Z

Here's a nice blog for the last three days, simply because of internet access problems. Actually, that's a lie. Friday night I didn't blog because I fell asleep while still writing, and therefore didn't bother to blog. I was too tired. Yesterday I wrote a nice amount of words (about 5k or something), and today has been another good day as well. I'm making good progress, and should hopefully be able to finish the novel by the end of the month. Maybe. >_> I love Rouge's scenes, especially her scenes with Olive, and I'm looking forward to the next couple of AC scenes, so it shouldn't be too bad.

After a shaky middle two weeks (at least, the poor story has been suffering, and so has my health) I think today has proved that the final week is off to a good start. Not only am I enjoying myself again, I've worked out pretty much everything that I need to include in the novel before the end. I've worked out where both storylines must end, and it's not too bad actualy because there's a similar amount of plot left for each of them. Then, there is the final scene, followed by two epilogues, and then I have to go back and slide in those blogs that I left out (that I was talking about on Saturday), and I'm done! :D

It makes me happy to think about it. And, although there's more plot left than I thought, I'm still getting there, and still hoping that I'll be able to finish it all off in time. :] Then, I can go back to my serious novel (which I'm missing more than I ever thought possible) in time for Christmas and all of the exams. December will be my take-it-easy month, I think. :)

Excerpt time!

“We just have to try harder,” Olive pointed out. “Look, just because it doesn’t work out first time around, it doesn’t mean you should give up.”

“But this isn’t the first time around,” I said quietly. My nose began to grow numb and so I started to walk, taking steps small enough that Olive could keep up. “This is the third time, now, and I’ve killed people before. I’m not bragging, but it’s not as though I’m some idiot who has just decided that they need to die. I’ve been planning this for years, and yet nothing has happened. Both Queenie and King are both still alive. How can that be?”

“Like I said,” Olive repeated. “Fate. You’ve got to give it some time. Perhaps there is some specific way that it’s meant to be done.”

“But maybe it’s not meant to be done.” I folded my arms across my chest and sighed. “What if I’m not meant to kill them? What if I’ve spent my whole life planning for something that shouldn’t ever happen? I’ve always wanted to rule the world, always wanted to be the one in control, but I can barely even control them. I only started planning for their deaths a few weeks ago, sure, partly because of you- don’t ask me about that- but that shouldn’t matter. Each one of these murders was perfectly planned; I spent hours running through all the angles in my head, working out what would work and what wouldn’t. Come on, Queenie even fell out the window. That kind of stuff just doesn’t happen unless a person is going to die.”

“It was the ground floor window,” Olive said with a small smile. “I don’t think she could ever have killed herself doing that.”

“But that’s my point! She didn’t die, and yet she was supposed to. It makes me feel like I should just give up now.”

“If you give up, though,” Olive said as she held out her arm for a taxi. She knew how much I hated public transport, but I only hoped she would be the one paying. “If you give up on all of this, then what will you do? Is there anything else you could do?”

I thought about this for a moment, and didn’t answer until we had climbed out of the cold and into the back of a cab, telling the driver our address.

“I don’t know,” I answered her, making sure my voice was suitably hushed for such a place. “I’ve never wanted anything else. Ever since I was small, ever since Blue and I were little, I’ve always wanted this. I remember this conversation I had. It must have been when Indie was a baby, and Mum had just fired the nanny, or she quit, or something, and Blue told me that I would never be as powerful as our father. You know, he was very powerful. He worked for the government even before The Directors, but he left when Blue was born...

“Blue told me that I could never be like Dad, because I was a girl. He said that because Papa was descended from the Thau that I would never have a chance to be like him. Magic doesn’t travel through the female genes, he said, and he told me that I would have to watch as he ruled the world...” I trailed off, gazing out of the window as the black and white skyscrapers whizzed past. The snow was falling properly now, and soon there would be a thin white blanket along all of the streets. I shivered. “So, I told him that I would prove him wrong. This is what I’ve wanted since before I can remember wanting anything else.”

“Then how can you give it up?” Olive asked me. “If it means so much to you, if you want it so badly, then how can you let something so small ruin everything?”

I shook my head.

“I don’t know,” I said softly. “I guess it’s just because I’m sick and tired of nothing working out right.”

Words written over the last three days: 14,874
Words written today: 6,188
Word count: 91,197

20th November

2008-11-20T23:33:00.002Z

Now playing: Kerry Ellis - Behind These Walls.

Best. Song. Ever.

Today hasn't been as productive as I'd like, but was better than I'd hoped. XD

Excerpt:

When his grasp on me slackened I yanked away from him, flinging myself towards the door. In my frantic haze I didn’t realise that the door was locked until Fitz had hold of me again; and still I fumbled at the lock, clawing at the wood, unable to understand why the door wouldn’t open.

“Clever of me, wasn’t it?” he hissed in between heavy breaths. “See, I thought you might put up a fight. You’re that kind of person-”

“Screw you,” I spat, spinning and bringing my knee forcefully into his groin. He staggered backwards, unstable on his hind legs, and then crouched onto all fours. This was his first animal display since our arrival, and despite the situation it still shocked me to remember how animal he actually was. Making a run towards the window, I hurled myself over the top of his desk, scattering papers everywhere and almost impaling myself on the end of a fountain pen. Fitz followed, barking and snapping like a feral dog- which, I suppose, was what he was.

“I guess we’re doing this the hard way, then,” he snarled, leaping onto the desk in a fit of rage. From here there was nowhere to go. The window was barred, the shutters flapping wildly in an attempt to remind me of what I was missing. I tried to scream again, but before the sound escaped my lips Fitz had leapt into the air again, and seconds later he landed on me with full force. This time I wasn’t quick enough to dodge him, and we collapsed on the floor together, his full weight pinning me to the carpet.

“Get off me!” I yelled, trying to beat out against him. I let my arms swing wildly, but he met ever blow with one of his own. With surprising dexterity he flipped me onto my back, pinned down my arms and then repeatedly headbutted me in the stomach, winding me so badly I could feel the bile rising in my throat. I let out another few feeble outcries, but these went unheard, ignored.

“You’ll consider my proposition,” Fitz uttered through gritted teeth, pressing onto my arms so tightly his claws engraved patterns in my skin. I wriggled beneath him, but it was no use. He was surprisingly strong, and had easily come to terms with his animal disadvantages.

Words written today: 3,705
Word count: 80,028

19th November

2008-11-19T23:53:00.002Z

Not bad today, not good. Saw Easy Virtue. It's almost midnight. Too tired to talk.
Better update to come tomorrow.

Excerpt:

“Ah.” Olive shrugged her shoulders. “Was she supposed to fall from a great height?”

I nodded sadly, my head bowed on my neck.

“Was she supposed to die?”

I nodded again.

“Mhmm. Slight problem.”

“Really? You don’t say.”

“She’s not dead.”
"I can see that.”

There was a silence between us as we watched a number of people file out of the rooms across the way from the green where Queenie had landed, and I watched my plans for her death fizzle out with the presentation of a cold compress for her head and an icepack for her badly damaged arm.

How could this have happened? Twice?

“Fuck,” I muttered bitterly, bringing my thumbnail to my mouth in annoyance. “Why won’t she just die?”

Words written today: 2,007
Word count: 76,317

“Maybe we should try somebody else?”

“Aw hell.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Maybe we should.”

18th November

2008-11-19T14:21:00.002Z

Belated post. :)

Now playing: Scott Alan - The Distance You Have Come

And when that day has come, when you've conquered what's behind you, don't forget the moments that have come before. And when you reach that place, when you're miles from where you started, don't forget the distance you have come

Last night- as my luck always decrees- was my best writing night in days. I actually hit my target of 3k, and didn't die trying. My Internet died instead. We went over our bandwidth for the month (three hours before it was due to start the new month) and so we got cut off. On the plus side, we now have full Internet again and I no longer have to worry so much about the amount of Internet I'm actually using when I sit on Gaia or update my NaNoWriMo word count obsessively. XD Soon Steve should unblock YouTube again, and I'll be able to listen to Kerry Ellis' new song (from the album Keys by Scott Alan) on repeat. I'm SO getting it for Christmas. I don't normally buy CDs, but this I've decided that I'm going to ask for all of those CDs that I really love, just to show my appreciation. So, at the moment that list consists of:

Keys - Scott Alan
Dreaming Wide Awake - Scott Alan
Wicked In Rock - Kerry Ellis
I Stand - Idina Menzel

I'm thinking of adding another Kristin Chenoweth CD because I like the other one of hers that I bought a few months back. And, as for DVDs I've been pretty sad and asked for Tin Man (because we had it recorded from Sky, but somebody deleted it off our Sky box), Les Mis 10th anniversary show (because I just really wanna see the damn thing), Stranger Than Fiction, and a special edition of The Wizard of Oz, because I know when I go to uni I'm not going to be able to take a video with me; I won't likely have a VCR. A DVD player on the other hand, well, I'm typing on one right now. ;)

Anyway. Enough about Christmas, and Kerry Ellis, and the Wizard of Oz. I'll leave you with another excerpt from the wonderful world of Exos, where my story is getting stranger and stranger by the day:

“Is she actually drunk?” he asked me. Spinning on his backside he shuffled to look me directly in the eyes where I was still crouched next to him. I shrugged my shoulders.

“I wouldn’t put it past her,” I answered. “Look, we’re really sorry we ran you down-”

“I’m afraid that a simple apology isn’t likely to cover it.” He pulled a disgusted face at my appearance, and then looked back at the trailer behind us. “I could have been killed- maimed- in an accident like this, and you wouldn’t believe for a second how much of a problem that would have been. As it is I think I’ve sprained my leg, and you shan’t get away with it. You- all of you- how many of you are there? - You will look after me until I have made a full recovery. First you will deliver me to my house and then you will wait-”

“I don’t think so,” I said, shaking my head sadly. “In case you hadn’t gathered, we’re in a bit of a hurry.”

“I don’t think you quite understand the severity of this situation, Miss.”

“No, let me make it simple for you: We need to get where we’re going, and we need to get there fast. Does that make sense? We need to get there, because there are lives that are at stake, and we’ve come too far to give up now.”

“If you do not come with me, then I shall report you for such reckless driving, and you shall have your vehicle taken from you. I can assure you now that listening to me would be your best course of action.” With an icy level gaze he took in our reactions. Eden was still snorting to herself, and Vivienne had poked her head around the door in time to here this last roll of speech. She cast a confused glance around, and then shook her head.

Also, worrying as it is, Rouge has been getting it on with Olive. This was... not planned? In fact, Olive as a character was never planned. Rouge sleeping with her brother was, and Rouge sleeping with Antoinette I can handle, but Rouge getting very close to having sex with Olive in an air duct while spying on government leader Queenie? It makes me faint just thinking about it. I knew I had to have a little bit of sex, but this is just ridiculous. Even said in Rouge's own words: "Olive’s kiss was rough and took me by surprise. In fact, I think it took us both by surprise." Mhmm, yes love. Whatever. Now I have the dilemma of figuring out if it would be appropriate for them to sleep together properly, and whether I could use a love triangle (square?) to bring about her downfall. It's not entirely out of the question, but I'd always thought of Antoinette as being too loyal, and I don't like the idea of Olive betraying Rouge... And Blue betraying his sister is out of the question. I mean, he'd never do that... Would he? Blergh. If anybody out there is actually reading this, feel free to let me know what you think. XD

Ehe.

Words written today (yesterday): 3,099
Word count: 74,289

And there'll be days when the weight of the world will bind you, and you're wondering if the world really needs you. But keep on goin', keep on driving, 'cause the sign ahead will soon be behind you.

17th November

2008-11-17T23:14:00.005Z

Now playing: Oliver Tompsett - Anybody Else

Baby can't you see, you and I were meant to be. Yes you and I were meant to be. If I had to make a guess I'd say we'd be just fine

While today hasn't been a fantastic day in terms of writing, at least I've done some. I've almost written the amount I'm supposed to. 2/3 isn't bad, really, I guess. :P

I'm too tired to write much more, again, though, besides the fact that while today has been really rather crappy, I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I want that double study period. Becky and I are going to spend the time researching which film we're going to go and see on Wednesday night. It's gonna be WICKED mate.

Oh yeah, and I'm going to see Wicked again. December 13th Matinee. The seats aren't fantastic, but since we paid the full 60 squids for them, they'd better be better than the ones we had last time. They're further back, and still out in the corner, but they were expensive. Blergh. I've booked everything, the tickets for the show and for the coach. I haven't told Alisha about it yet, though, since I want to surprise her. I hope it'll be a really nice pre-Christmas surprise. I figure if we get there are 11am, we can hang around for the cast members again, see the show, and by that time it'll be around 5:30pm. Our coach doesn't leave until 9pm, so I'd like to take her around London on the tube, show her some of the sights and maybe take her Christmas shopping and buy her a present or something. It's gonna be so schweeeeeet. :D I can't wait. It'll be even better if Kerry Ellis is performing, though knowing my luck she won't be. XD

Never mind! I don't care! I just love the show. And I'm so glad I finally sorted it out so that we're going again. It's going to be so much fun. <3

Now, an excerpt:

“I’m fine,” I muttered. “I just want to sleep.”

“All you do is sleep,” Danger said. I felt the trailer tip slightly as she jumped to her feet, and then Kez hit another bump on the road and we all bounced. “You never come out of that shell, I bet it absolutely reeks in there.”

“It doesn’t,” I said, but I didn’t have the strength to argue. “It’s better than being out there.”

“Why? What’s wrong with our company?” This came from Kez. I pulled the covers back off my head and shot a confused glance in his direction.

“Kez?”

“Yeah, I’m still alive, would ya look at that?”

“You’re not driving,” I stated feeling rather dumbfounded.

“No, really?”

“But- I- who is driving?”

“Eden. We switched over for a break. Don’t worry, she’s got the map all set out in front of her, it’s a straight road. She can’t possible screw it up.”

“But Kez,” Danger said, laying a hand on the older man’s shoulder. “You forget one tiny little thing.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

“Eden can’t drive.”

This piece of information fell into the silence, and then before we had chance to react in any way, we felt the trailer hit another pothole in the road and it bounced off the road. I clawed frantically at the side of my bed to keep myself from falling out as Kez and Danger stumbled into each other and landed awkwardly on the table.

“Eden!” Q shrieked, her voice slipping into ultrasonic. “What the fuck?”

“Hey! Hey!” she called back, hardly phased. “I got it all under control, darlings.”

Words written today: 2,108.
Wordcount: 71,231

'Cause coming home to you each night fills me with a joy endlessly...

16th November

2008-11-17T00:58:00.002Z

Been ill today. Blergh.

Not written much.
But, it's okay. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, and hopefully that'll help me to get better. And then I'll be able to write my little heart out. :)

Excerpt for today:

“God, I wish we had a TV,” Eden moaned. I glared at her. The lack of a television was the least of our worries at the moment. The trailer was falling apart, the window had been boarded up with some wooden boards we had found in a dumpster outside a foodcourt where we had stopped to see if there was any cheap food on offer. We had been unsuccessful with regards to the food, but at least the trailer was a little less drafty now. We’d also had the problem of buying new clothes. The people at the dance club had taken everything else; they’d taken anything they thought would lift a profit, and so now we were driving without TV, radio, or half of the things we had brought with us. Not that we had had much to start with.

“Oh shut up Eden,” Danger retorted. “I don’t think you should be worried about that right now.”

“Well why not?” she asked, short dark hair bouncing as we hit a bump in the road. At least Kez had managed to find that new road map. “I’ve got nothing else to do, have I? We don’t have a fucking TV.”

Words written today: 1,523
Wordcount: 69,084.

15th November

2008-11-16T01:38:00.003Z

Now playing: I dunno. XP

Today has been much MUCH better.

Too tired to talk. Here is an excerpt:

“Oh dear,” I said, letting the sarcasm spill into my tone. “I thought you loved us, and that’s why you live in our house and eat our food. I guess I was wrong. Blue, can you take her back to her room please? And lock the side door, I don’t want anybody leaving this house tonight.”

“But- Rouge!” Indigo screeched, jumping to her feet and slamming one of her feet to the floor angrily. “That’s not fair! I helped you out and everything! Why do you always do this! You know I’m going out tonight! I told you!”

“Precisely.”

“Then why won’t you let me go out?”

“It gets dark outside too late. I don’t want you going out there by yourself. Especially seeing as you smell like pig. You might get mistaken for a farm girl and raped, or something. I wouldn’t want that happening to my poor beloved sister, now, would I?”

“Rouge, you’re such a bitch,” she spat. “You’re a fucking arse! I hate you.”

“I hate you too. Now, please get out of my room before you get any more of your dirt on the furniture. I only just had it cleaned.”

She swore again, angrily tossing her head, and then in protest she dropped her still burning cigarette to the floor and smushed it into the carpet with her foot. I glanced at her calmly, knowing that she was waiting for an explosion of anger, any kind of reaction that might show my anger, but I kept my face completely straight.

“Oh, now that wasn’t nice,” I said coldly. “Blue? I need you to bring Antoinette up here as well, I want to speak to her about getting that door blocked off. It’s loosing us too much heat.”

He frowned at me, but I shot him a toothy smile and he didn’t say anything. He knew just as well as I did that if I got Antoinette up here while he was gone, then I wouldn’t be sleeping with him tonight, and I think he wanted that more than he wanted to see Indigo happy. So, he strode up to her, grabbed both of her arms and frogmarched her out of the door, glaring at me over his shoulder as he went.

“That wasn’t very nice of you, you know,” Olive reprimanded. “You really shouldn’t treat her like that, especially if she’s your sister.”

“Half sister,” I corrected her. “And besides, she deserves it. She’d only be out sleeping around for a bit of cash anyway tonight, so it’s best if I stop things before they get out of hand.”

“From what I hear you’ve got a bit of a promiscuous repuatation as well. It’s a little hypocritcal don’t you think?.”

“Ah, but the difference, Olive, darling, is that I only sleep with people I know, and I certainly don’t ask them to pay in anything but pleasure.” I winked at her. “Now, if you wouldn’t mind, I believe I just accidentally arranged myself a date with Annie, and I’d appreciate it if you’d leave me be for a while. Our robot Maimee is free for the evening, if she’s your sort of girl, and if not feel free to amuse yourself how you will.”

“I don’t sleep with just anybody,” Olive said, her eyes wide with shock. “What kind of girl do you think I am?”

“Maimee isn’t just anybody,” I said with a smirk. “Trust me. You’ll regret it if you don’t give her a go. I’ll send her down in a couple of hours. You’ll thank me later.” She got to her feet, eyes still wide and a look of confusion spreading across her face. She’d come a long way since she’d arrived here, though. A couple of weeks ago I think she might well have been horrified, not just confused, and she probably would have left the house immediately. Now, I could see that this wasn’t the case. I reckoned she secretly quite wanted to have some fun tonight, and since I was otherwise engaged I would keep my promise.

“I don’t want you to send her,” Olive said. She locked her gaze with mine, blue eyes swimming with something I might even desribe as a growing lust, and then she looked away.

“We deserve a celebration; I have the perfect plan in mind for our Queenie, so tonight is for relaxing. I’ll send Maimee around at eight. Go and get yourself ready.”

Words written today: 3,899
Wordcount: 67,659

14th November

2008-11-15T00:55:00.003Z

Blergh. I'm ill, I'm allowed to slack off.

585 words written, in the last twenty minutes. It's all I've done today. Pity me.

And Alex is at like... 76k.
Bitch.
XD

I won't catch up now, what with school, but that's okay. I said she could win this year, anyway. Or, actually, I didn't 'say she could win' as such. She told me she was going to win, going to beat me, and then took it as the law. I won't tell her otherwise, because then we might get sneaky to beat each other, and I don't see the fucking point in that. Even now her word updates are few and far between so I don't know where I stand. I can't be arsed to keep track, though, and chase her words, because I think I'd rather focus in the finishing of the novel, rather than the overall word count.

I've had some ideas, though, for tying the novel up earlier than planned. I've been thinking that I'd rather finish it earlier than later, so that I CAN finish it this month, and then I could spend the rest of my month maybe working on something else, maybe even editing this novel or something. I was thinking, rather than having many more random scenes in the middle I might actually start the wind-down now. I only just got into the action with AC and the gang, and for Rouge, Olive and Blue things have really not even started. I'm thinking... for Rouge, I'll have five more attempted death scenes (each where they fail and they move onto somebody else with hopes of better luck), and then the final showdown for her, and then for AC I'll have a couple more mini scenes, the arrival at Mimi McNeil's house, an important revelation, and then I can have my characters meeting or something. That'll be fun. I also need to go back through and make the original 'blogging' elements stronger, because so far I have two blogs. Mhmm. Yes, I got distracted. XD They'd be better done when the whole novel is finished though, so I'll add those later.

Anyway. No excerpt tonight.

Words written today: 585 words.
Wordcount: 63,760.

13th November

2008-11-13T22:50:00.001Z

No writing today.

Shocking.

I also REALLY don't feel well at all. .___.

12th November

2008-11-12T22:26:00.002Z

Now playing: Something on the radio

Tonight has been something of a disappointment when it comes to writing. I did however do all of my homework and take the dogs for a walk with Mum. She's having some issues with her employer at the moment (all to do with the regionalisation of the Fire and Rescue Service, thank you government imbeciles D<) and so we took the time out to go for a walk this afternoon. I then did homework, had a power nap (damn you sleep!), worked on the plan for my English Literature coursework. So, by the time I got around to writing it was 9:45 pm. Needless to say, I only got 1000 words written. It doesn't matter though, because for the last two nights I've done pretty well, and tomorrow night is going to be another bad one because I'm helping out on the open evening for sixth form, for psychology this year. :D I can catch up on Friday.

An excerpt, not that there's really much point:

The hallway we found ourselves in last let out into a room that was very much like a dressing room, filled with girls of around Boo’s age, dressed in similar clothes to our own. Many of them were preening in front of mirrors, brushing their hair and applying makeup so thickly it looked like half of them were wearing a second skin. We stood in the doorway together, lingering, until one of the girls wandered up to us curiously.

“Who are you?” she asked, wrinkling her pert little nose. “You can’t be here, not with boys.” She eyed Kez, Casper and Cooper with a certain element of disgust, and then turned to me. “Mhmm?”

“We work here,” I said cooly, hoping that she wouldn’t question why we were there, in the room with her.

“Oh.” Suddenly we were a whole lot less interesting, and she was about to flounce away, back to her giggling group of friends, when I held up my hand.

“Hey, we’re kind of new here, and we’ve been told to take me friend here outside for some fresh air. Where’s the back door?”

“Back door?” The girl wrinkled her nose again. “Won’t your Radios go off if you leave the building?”

“We’ve got a special permit,” Danger added, nodding her head. The blonde girl in front of us hovered for a moment, unsure whether to trust us, and then she nodded her head, curls bouncing.

“It’s a bit complicated, but I can show you from here if you like. I’m not doing anything important.”

“We’d appreciate it,” I said hurriedly. “Really, we would.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she murmured airily. “Let me get my shoes.”

Words written today: 1,112
Wordcount: 63,184

11th November

2008-11-11T22:46:00.002Z

Let us take a moment to remember those who laid their lives down for us. -Remembrance Day, 2008. 90th anniversary. Thank you.

Now playing: Avril Lavigne - Innocence

Waking up I see that everything is okay, the first time in my life and now it's so great! Slowing down I look around and I am so amazed. I think about the little things that make life great. I wouldn't change a thing about it, this is the best feeling

Today has been rather odd. =O I got home, did a little bit of homework, fell asleep for three hours, did more homework and wrote. Actually, not odd really, considering the amount of sleeping I've been doing lately. Anyway, tonight I got to have my characters angst due to the sex scene I wrote earlier today, and they're currently in the middle of a break-out. They pulled the typical "Doctor, she's sick! Come look!" *bash over the head with a chair and escape* "Ha, suckerrrr" type plot line, but I don't care how unorginal it is. It works. Sort of.

And now for a mini craptacular excerpt. :)

His kisses were sloppy on my neck, wet, and they raised goose bumps all along the flesh of my arms and my bare legs. I shivered, despite the fire burning in the grate, and he must have taken it for a shiver of desire for he suddenly grew more urgent. He moved his hands along the entire length of my body, kissing and murmuring to himself as he did so. He laid me down, began to unbutton the dress from my shoulders, and then I could no longer hold my gaze above me head. I closed my eyes, and waited.

Moments later I felt a familiar rush of cold air, and his wandering hands made their journey lower, patting and poking in places I had hoped never to expose to a man like him again. I was reminded of my last long-term boyfriend, Lucas, who had been a wonderful man with a great personality, but his love-making left a lot to be desired. Sadly, it was like taking a trip down memory lane, only this time there was a horrible knotting fear in my stomach, I was shaking, and I was utterly uncomfortable.

Master Himes seemed totally unawares of this fact, though, and kept at his incessant poking for another few moments. I felt his breath on my legs as he bent to kiss the tender skin on the inside of my thighs. I found myself wishing that he would just get on with it and leave me be. I just wanted to curl up and cry. I couldn’t do that until he had finished.

The violation came suddenly, then, and I almost jumped away from him in shock. Closing my eyes had sheltered me from his actions, allowed me to believe that he was no longer there and it was somebody else, but the sharp shock brought me around again. I opened my eyes, and he grinned down at me, moving over me.

Instantly I wished I’d kept my eyes closed, though, because now he was talking to me. He was whispering sweet nothings into my ears, expecting a response. I lay there, stony and cold and trying my best not to cry as he moved.

“Come on baby, talk to me,” he whispered longingly. “Come on baby, come on.”

I ignored him, pretending that he wasn’t there. There was nothing there but me in the middle of an empty room. The sensation was all in my imagination. And then I thought of Boo, and the fear that trebled in my stomach was for her. I knew what to expect, did she? I knew how to handle myself, did she? At least he was being gentle for me… Would Boo be so lucky?

Words written today: 3,944
Wordcount: 62,069.

This innocence is brilliant, I hope that it will stay. This moment is perfect, please don't go away, I need you now, and I'll hold on to it, don't you let it pass you by...

10th November

2008-11-10T22:37:00.004Z

Now playing: Idina Menzel - Hope.

See ourselves flying over the moutain, Hope is the bravest most beautiful bird in the sky. Only Hope can light the way, only Hope can heal the heart, only Hope can keep the clouds hiding the moon and the stars

This is honestly one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. <3

Anyway. Today I've had fun with my writing. Although, AC's storyline just got really dark. They've already had their house burn down, been attacked by 'seasonal' zombies, and been chased by the police for breaking into a gas station, so I don't think that being gassed and kidnapped to work for a "dance" club is all that out of place. What's weird is how they're all really relaxed about it at first because they've been there for a week, and they're just being taught how to sing and dance. And all of a sudden, their timetable says "special session", and Boo and AC are like "Shit, what could that mean?" and BAM!. There you have it. Whores in the making.

I'm worried about my mental state. O_O

There was a sofa in front of his desk, and we took it.

“Now, you don’t know why I have called you here, do you?” We shook our heads. “And in that case I must commend you on such brilliant behaviour. We love to have employees like you, quiet and dignfied as you are-”

“You can hardly call us employees, though,” I cut him off, my voice stony with worry. His dark, beady eyes landed on my face and he watched me for a moment, then a smile spread across his face.

“No, I suppose you’re right,” he said. “But I’m not particularly bothered by political correctness, so I’m afraid you’ll have to make do. Now, as I was saying... Upon you’re arrival here I selected you two for this special task because I thought that you could handle it beautifully. You, Eight, are young and beauteous, and tight.” I shot a shocked glance at Boo and saw her swallow hard.

... Seriously, how does that just happen? Well, it's kinda fun to write, at least. Roll on the sex scenes. >D

Words written today: 3,948
Wordcount: 58, 121

If only we were as strong as this bird, spirit would never die. What do we name it? Only one word. Hope is the bravest more beautiful bird, Hope is the bravest more beautiful bird in the sky

8th & 9th November

2008-11-10T00:53:00.003Z

Now playing: I don't even know... >_o

Yesterday doesn't get a post, because I only wrote 500 words and spent my whole day basically relaxing. Hey, it's practically tradition to do that after you hit 50k.

Today I was back into writing again, 4,088 words written, which isn't as much as I've been writing lately but I think maybe 3k a day is a good goal to aim for, as a minimum.

I'm too tired to post anything else.
But, here's an excerpt for your viewing pleasure:

There were eight women, as I had already discovered, each of them dressed from head to foot in black except for one band of white around their faces. Their clothes, while relatively loose fitting, were cleverly put together and stuck well to the form so that there was optimal movement. The material, which at first I had assumed to be some kind of leather, was actually cotton, and by the looks of it in this harsh light it appeared to be hand-spun. Each one of them was stood in a different pose, arms and legs raised in position for battle or hand-to-hand combat.

Nunjas. There was no other way I could think to describe them, and even now I can only remember their resemblance to both Nuns and Ninjas, equally fiercesome and loveably religious. To be honest, when confronted with a sight like that, I didn’t know what to think. I snuck a glance over to Olive and found her reaction to be almost identical to my own. Her eyes were wide in shock, but it looked like she was amused to a certain degree as well, despite the fear.

“Well,” I said snidely, finding myself incredibly less scared than before. “What have we here? Ninja nuns? Isn’t that against your following, ladies? I’m sure the Lady Aeve-”

“Shut it, you,” one of the women snapped. She was the tallest, the one with the most weathered face, and I assumed that she was the one to have spoken before. Three of the others nodded with their leader, the older ones, and the rest stayed completely impatial to our discussion, their eyes fixed on the wall directly above our heads.

“I think I have the right to know what this physical assault is the consequence of,” I said in a mockingly pained manner. “You’ve tied me to bed for goodness sake.”

There was a silence as the superior nunja thought this over, and then she nodded. “You know what this is about,” she answered by way of explanation. I simply shook my head.

“No, I believe you’re very much mistaken. I have no idea what I’ve done to deserve such wonderful treatment.” For the moment I was maintaining my calm relatively well, but already I could feel my levels of anger begin to rise. If these women didn’t let me go pretty soon, I might well explode. I knew this from experience.

“Miss Daniella Park and her loyal lover Sofia Jem,” the youngest of the nunjas announced. She took a step forward in military style before speaking. “You have been charged with illicit activities behind the back of the Church of our Lady Aeve. This is seditious and unlawful, as well as being physically and morally wrong.” Her speech was rehearsed, and made her seem younger than she probably was. I couldn’t give a more accurate age for the habit that she wore in her ninja style.

“I have perfectly no idea what you’re talking about,” I said, my voice growing thin. “I think you’d better leave. Now.”

Words written today: 4,088
Wordcount: 54,163.

7th November - 50k BABY!

2008-11-07T22:27:00.002Z

Now playing: some shitty song on the radio. I don't even have a victory song. .___.

YES! THAT'S RIGHT! I did it. *dies*

Today, I decided that come what may I would write that 50,000th word OR ELSE. It turns out I didn't need to contemplate filling an empty threat, or think about going into extra time, I sat my ass down at 5pm this afternoon and wrote. And wrote, and wrote. I churned out all but 2k before dinner, and now I'm sitting here, rather smug, knowing that by 10:20pm on November 7th, I hit my 50k.

I didn't know if it was possible, but apparently it is. With time to spare. Now I have three weeks to write as much (or as little) as I like, and try not to kill myself from caffeine overdose, or some such thing. >_o

50,000th word: 'the'. How exciting.
50,001st word: 'pretence'. Better.

An excerpt to put this in context:

I’d taken the bonbons from the Emporium myself. I’d hand picked each and every one of them, made sure that they were perfectly round, beautiful things. I’d been so tempted to try one, almost put one in my mouth to savour the wonderful, flawless flavour, and had to remind myself of the symbol that they would become. They would be the first expression of my freedom from the government, my first call-out to The Directors to watch their backs. They were perfect because I chose them to be.

And then, they were tainted. Each and every one, thirteen bonbons tainted by my hand. I went out and bought the arsenic myself, under the pretence of needing rat poison, and used a seive from the kitchen to make sure that they were all dusted evenly. Perfectly. Perhaps Blue was right, perhaps I’d lost part of myself in that meeting room, when they’d placed the brown envelope in front of me and exposed my failures for what they were. Perhaps I had lost something, my sanity maybe? My mind?

I didn’t know, but it didn’t matter. The bonbons were perfect.

Another excerpt for the hell of it:

I always find that I have my best dreams in the moments after dozing off. I still feel the weight of sleep closing in on my, and my imaginings are vivid and realistic. The colours are always brighter, the dialogues more beautiful- or at least more pleasing to my ‘drama gland’- and the people always seem to glow.

Chris was not glowing. That was the only indictation that this wasn’t a dream. The colours were bright, the dialogue certainly appealing to my sense of drama, but the glowing? Well, that was missing.

“What?” I jolted out of my half-sleep to find a crowd of people in front of my bed. Kez appeared to have stopped the trailer, and he was just making his way from the driver’s booth when I came to.

“What is it?” I jumped down from the bed, the sounds of spluttering, coughing and gasps of shock assaulting my ears.

“Do the Heimlich!” somebody cried worriedly, and then a chorus of “Yeah, do the Heimlich manoeuvre! Quick!”

But for all the speech nobody seemed willing to do the manoeuvre, and so the coughing just kept on coming. I moved around Q, who was stood motionless in front of me with a hand pressed to her mouth in horror, and then I saw him. It was at this point that I realised that it wasn’t a dream, because nobody was glowing.

Today I have written:
-A death scene involving skittles
-A (not so) high speed chase (involving two trailers and a 'rusty bucket' police car)
-A plot to take over the world, one arsenic covered Bonbon at a time.

Words written today: 8,042.
Wordcount: 50,075. :)

6th November

2008-11-06T22:13:00.002Z

Now playing: Heart - These Dreams

These dreams go on when I close my eyes. Every second of the night, I live another life. These dreams that sleep when it's cold outside, every moment I'm awake, the further I'm away.

Today has ben one tiring day. But, I've managed pretty well. The kids have reached the first stop in their mission to save the sweet shop, alright, though it's taken them a while to get there. I have the first death scene coming up shortly, as well as (hopefully) a plot to kill a government leader in the villain's storyline. This should be interesting. As for word count, I'm doing pretty well, I guess, for saying that we're only six days into NaNoWriMo. XD If I work hard tomorrow and don't suffer any horrible incidents that might keep me from writing my planned amount, then I should be set to hit the bit 5-0 tomorrow. I hope all goes well, because it really would make me feel fantastic to be able to say I'd reached the 50k in just a week.

Tomorrow I'll have to write 9k, which could be a bit of a challenge though. D: I get in from school at 1:30, tomorrow, after an hour at bookclub which will leave me sufficiently relaxed, so hopefully I'll be able to churn out at least 1.5k before Alisha gets home from school at 3:30. And then I have a little time in between her getting in and her leaving to go to a school disco- when I will stop to do her makeup- and then after that I should have the rest of the evening to write. I don't know if it's a realistic target, but I think it's one that I could reach with enough hard work and effort. If only I'd written more on Monday. *eyeroll*

Anyway, now for the excerpt of the day!
Why yes, the prose is getting worse. You're going to need glasses by the time I'm through with you! XD

“Then I think we’ll just go home. I think that’s the general consensus on the matter-”

“Oh but you mustn’t!” April cried shrilly, her arms flying in an animated move of warning. “No! You mustn’t do that. You mustn’t even think it.”

“Uh, why?” Danger pulled a face. I thought she might be about to hit the other woman, which I would definitely have commended. I could feel myself growing pale, all thoughts of being home in the next few days wiped from my mind completely. In fact, I was so distraught by this revelation that I thought I might just cry.

“Because if you even so much as think these negative anti-prophecy thoughts, you will die.”

“We’ll die?” Casper asked incredulously. “Like, literally? Or metaphorically? Because if it’s metaphorically I think I can handle that-”

“No. You. Will. Die.” April laid her sheet of paper on the table, on top of the gardening handbook, and then shook her head sadly. “You must listen to me; this is of utmost importance in your quest-”

“But what if we don’t want to do the quest?” Vivienne whined. “What if we don’t care about the damn shop and just want to go home?”

“Oh quit with the angst,” Boo cut in, speaking with a loud, harsh voice. “This is our duty, yeah? We should do it.”

“But we could die,” Cassidy said, suddenly deciding that it wasn’t quite so fun any longer.

“You probably won’t die, you know.” April smiled thinly. “It’s very rare that it happens. Dying.”

“For most people it only happens every seventy-eight years,” Q pointed out. When met by several icy glares she clamped her mouth shut and took a step back.

Favourite non-excerpt lines:
“Well, it might narrow things down a bit, eh?” April smirked. “Look, guys, you need to take this more light-heartedly. You seem like you like to have fun, so what’s so different about this? It’s a quest, an adventure, where you get to battle evil foes and fight for the prize. Why, when I was your age I would have loved-”

“Yes, but now we’ve got television.” Danger popped a piece of bubblegum in her mouth. “Have you get any more to tell us?”

Words written today: 5,837 (so far)
Wordcount: 41,296 (so far)

Is it cloak and dagger, could it be Spring or Fall? I walk without a cut through a stained-glass wall.

5th November

2008-11-05T22:19:00.004Z

Now playing: Something random on the radio.

I could write something really witty about the elections (Yay Obama!), or I could make some comment about Guy Fawkes' Night, or what's on TV, but, I'm just going to do this:

35k! *dies*

I'm tired, and every part of my body hurts except my face. Blergh. It's all worth it though! I feel like a machine! (Never mind that spanner that somebody threw in there last week, we seem to working -fwjiomg- fine?)

Lines for today (the best shit you've ever read):

Wait, did I say quiet street? I meant mostly quiet but with the odd sound of muffled footsteps and a few odd moans and coughs. Moans? Grabbing onto Danger’s shoulders for moral support, I poked my head around her side and let my jaw drop at what I saw. They were shuffling, like humans, but their faces were drained of all colour and life.

“Holy crap!” Kez cried in shock, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “What are they?”

“I think they’re... old people.” Cassidy’s face was a mask of horror as she took in the scene. “They’re old people, right?”

And, from Rouge:

“I never said it was your fault,” I countered. “I just said that I hated her, and that I wanted a hug. Why do you always take everything to be so much more important than it really is? You read into things too much.”

“It comes from having an evil overlord-wannabe as a sister,” he said sadly. “You’ve really screwed me over, you know.”

I got to my feet and sauntered over to him, rubbing my hands through his thick hair. He froze under my touch, and then leaned against me, as though he was letting everything go and was more than ready to let me love him.

“You see?” he added quietly. “You’ve really messed me up.”

“I’ve done no such thing,” I murmured, leaning over so my breath tickled his ear. “Why would I do that?”

“You’re making me commit sin,” he answered earnestly. So earnestly, in fact, that I found myself giggling.

“You’ve been listening to Indigo again, haven’t you?”

“She makes some good points, you know. You just never listen to her.”

“That little bitch,” I said fondly. “She doesn’t know what she’s talking about. She’s not one of us, not really related to us. Having the same mother doesn’t count, you know.”

“Of course it counts,” he argued. “She’s still our sister.”

“Bastard sister,” I cracked. “Sure. I’ll start listening to her when hell freezes over. Now, can I have that hug or not? I’m really feeling the need for some love here.”

Words written today: 5,206 (so far)
Wordcount: 35,514 (so far)

4th November

2008-11-04T22:26:00.002Z

Now playing: Katy Perry - Hot N Cold

We used to be just like twins, so in sync. The same energy now's a dead battery. Used to laugh 'bout nothing, now you're plain boring. I should know that you're not gonna change

I downloaded Katy Perry's album. I love it. : D

And, after an interesting day at school I think I'm doing really well. I've really enjoying writing today, and the 5k that I've written really doesn't feel like it. This puts me way ahead of my target, so I'm going to run with it and see if I can't get 50k by Friday. That would be wonderful. *bounce*

I got my characters drunk tonight, which was amusing, and I had Rouge's bosses threaten to fire her. It's kinda funny. She's all like "But you CAN'T fire me! I'm special!" and they're all like "Ms. Noir, you're the Health Food Coordinator. It's hardly special. -Oh, and while you're at it you can have an assistant. Maybe she'll take your place one day". I love it. XD

Torture is the best kind of therapy.
And, now for another craptastic excerpt.

“I’m a HERO!”

That produced laughter all round, even from Boo who was looking rather queasy. Eden cackled to herself before falling back on her bed, and I wiggled my eyebrows enticingly.

“You can’t be a hero without a hero name, though,” Q called back. She’d just cut through from the driver’s box up the front of the trailer and was making her way towards her bed, considerably less drunk than the rest of us, but still looking rosy-cheeked and generally quite relaxed.

“A hero name?”

“Yeah, you know. Like Superman, or Cat Woman, those foreign guys that we always hear so much about in the news. If you’re going to be a hero you totally need a hero name. Like, an alias?”

“Yeah, I knew what you meant, but what kind of hero name could I have?”

“Geek Girl?” Danger snorted.

“Fat chance,” I said. “Not likely. Ew.”

“What about AC cooler,” Eden cracked.

“Shut up,” I whined. “Don’t make fun of my name, it’s not funny.”

“That’s not your name anyway,” Q pointed out. “Stop complaining.”

“What am I going to do without an alias thingy though? I can’t be a good superhero if I don’t have a name, and I can’t have a name because I’m not cool. I’m too drunk. Can’t we sleep now?”

“No!” Danger cried. “No, if you’re gonna be a hero you need to be one now. That means you’ve got to stay up late or something.”

“Is that written in the rules?”

“It is now.”

“Crap. Okay, give me a name! I’m going to be such as awesome superhero. I’ll be able to fly, and sprinkle magical dust on people to make them tell me the truth, and I’ll hand homemade candy to all of the kids to make them happy and stop them from being all evil and stuff. Does that sound like cool- do they sound cool?”

“Yeah!” Eden yelled enthusiastically, making the trailer rock so hard that I nearly fell over and ending up sitting on the table, on top of the playing cards. “Yeah, and you’ll bake evil cookies that the villain can’t eat or they’ll get poisoned, and you’ll be able to solve all your crimes really quickly because you’ll be able to bribe them with sweets. That’s pretty damn sweet.”

“Candy Girl,” Boo snickered. “Yo, that sounds like something on one of those fifties infomercials. ‘Buy Candy Girl today and she’ll stay sweet on you for always’.” She burst into laughter, but nobody else joined in. We all looked at each other excitedly.

“Yeah,” I murmured. “Candy Girl. That’s actually kinda-”

“Cool, and you could be really-”

“Famous.” Q smirked. “Boo, you’re a genius.”

“Yeah man,” she answered, and then frowned. “Wait, why?”

“Candy girl. That’s frickin’ awesome,” Danger laughed. “And it’s very fitting too don’t you think?” She raised her eyebrows, still grinning. “Like, we’re on a quest to save the world- Madam Butter Rum’s World- and we’re going to save all the candy in the store as well.”

“Dude, it’s like it was meant to be.” I pulled a face and then collapsed back on the table. “I’m going to be a hero, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Danger slapped her thigh happily. “I totally knew you weren’t a loser.”

“Right,” I said happily, glad that I’d finally figured out how to lock away that horrible boring part of myself. “Whatever. Sure you did.”

“Candy girl.”

“Epic.”

Words written today: 5,201
Wordcount: 30,291

You, you don't really wanna stay, no. But you don't really wanna go...

3rd November

2008-11-03T22:28:00.002Z

Now playing: Katy Perry- Waking Up In Vegas

Don't be a baby, remember what you told me. Shut up and put your money where your mouth is, that's what you get for waking up in Vegas. Get up and shake the glitter off your clothes, now, that's what you get for waking up in Vegas

So far so good! Today, aside from some extremely emotional shit I've been going through and won't divulge over here, has been fucking awesome. In terms of novels that is. XD Today I didn't get up until 11:45, making the most of my last lie in before school starts again, and then I got myself started writing at about 2pm. It was a little difficult to get started, but I found once I started doing some word wars again the words came quite easily. They're of a questionable quality, but hey. Words are words. :D

So, I now have a grand total of... *drumroll please*

25,000 words!

*parties*
I think that beats last years day three struggle by a fair bit, and I'm very proud of myself. I also think that this novel is going to be quite long, and although I don't REALLY like anything in particular from today, I'll put up a little excerpt thingy anyway. Because I know how much you like to read my shits. :P

(Once again, all typos are intentional. >_>)

“What about if we have questions?” Kez slid the prophecy towards her across the table. “You said you’d answer our questions.”

“I shall try to answer them.”

“Okay, then, what does it mean?” Kez was growing dark in the face, and it was clear that his dislike of the woman had not been at all hampered by the disaster that had occured in his Big Top.

“Ah, that I can’t tell you,” she answered with a smug smile. “That’s not my job.”

“There’s somebody else who has that job?” Vivienne, who looked as though she hadn’t sleep in more than one night after her ordeal involving a kettle and a box of matches rubbed a hand through her hair. Her blonde roots were beginning to show and she looked incredibly annoyed.

“Of course there is.” Oracle reached up and patted in one of her other pockets. “I have her details here... Hold on...” She fumbled around for a moment, and pulled out another piece of paper, equally crumbled and as old as the first. “I’m afraid she’s a little behind the times though, and doesn’t have a phone number. To get your answers you’ll have to go and visit her in person. She runs a little hotel in the south of the city. It’s only a couple of days travel from here, I should think.

“It’s been a while since I last visited her- we were both still in mini skirts back then- but I keep in contact with her via letter. Or, at least, I did until there was that postal strike. They still won’t deliver her mail to that hotel.”

“So we’ve got to go and find a woman in a hotel to ask her more questions about the prophecy on a piece of paper?” Kez asked, his lips barely moving as he tried to restrain himself. We were all tired, and this wasn’t helping. She could at least make it simple for us couldn’t she?

“Exactly!” Oracle cried, her voice breaking at it reached a pitch too high for human ears. She clapped her hands together happily and grinned her trademark stupid grin. “You just have to go and see her, and she’ll know what to do.”

“Right.” Kez sighed and then waited a moment. There was silence as we all became lost in our own thoughts, nursing our respective drinks, and then Oracle coughed.

“Now, if there are no more questions, I still have a coffin to buy. Do you think I should go with a dark coloured wood, or something a little less bold? I was thinking if it’s dark it will stain less, but I’d very much like it to look nice in the church for the ceremony-”

“Orrie,” Danger interrupted and laid a heavy hand on the old woman’s shoulder. “We don’t care. If I were you, I’d leave now before somebody dropkicks you out of the nearest window, hmm?”

“Well, well,” Oracle muttered in lighthearted disgust. “Grumpy much?”

“No, just sleep deprived.”

“Well, you have my number if you need me,” she said as she got to her feet, her unfinished tea sitting where she had left it. What a waste of money. Waste of time, space and effort as well, but the money was important if we were going to be travelling... “Although, you mustn’t call me after Sunday because they’re going to cut the phone lines, or replace the number or something. My neice is moving into my place after the funeral.”

We watched her go together, twelve pairs of eyes firmly fixed on her back and wishing her all the grisly death and violence in the world.

Words written today: 7,186
Wordcount: 25,082

Why are these lights so bright? Oh, did we get hitched last night?

November 2nd.

2008-11-03T00:44:00.002Z

Now playing: P!nk -

I'm the instigator of underwear, showing up here and there uh oh. I'm always on a mission from the get-go, so what if it's only 1 o'clock in the afternoon: it's never too soon to send out all the invatations to the last night of your life

AWESOME day today. Seriously.

I've written 7747 words today, and it hasn't even really hurt me too much. I also rediscovered my love for word wars. HoyeshIhave. <3

I wrote for a bit, didn't get far but by introducing a new character really enjoyed myself, went out for dinner, wrote a bit more, and then started warring. Now I have chapter three completed, chapter four completed, and a first paragraph for chapter five. And the real action is just about to start. I'm happy as... a happy person on happy pills. >D

NaNo + alcohol really isn't good for the brain... >_<

I'll leave you with a little food for thought. Typos included, and TOTALLY on purpose.

“Oh, Eden, push your legs together,” I moaned and covered my eyes with my hand. “That was more of you than I ever wanted to see. Why did you dress like that?”

“Because I was a vampire, duh,” Eden said pointedly. “Vampires look like that.”

Danger laughed and put out her cigarette in the ashtray. “Honey,” she said to me, “Halloween is just a short nickname for 'International Dress-Like-A-Slut Night'. Didn't you get the memo?”

I shook my head, the joke lost on me for a moment, and then I smiled.

“I just don’t understand why she wouldn’t talk to me,” Eden muttered, crossing her legs in a more ladylike manner than before. “I mean, I tried everything.”

“Well, face it, dudette, maybe she just doesn’t like sparkly vampires, hey?”

“I wasn’t even sparkly,” Eden whined. “I was all black and dark and dangerous. I even pretended that I wanted to eat her and she wouldn’t listen to me.”

“Like I said...” Danger laughed and then got to her feet, straightening out her skirt. “Anyway, if she didn’t want you then she can’t be worth it, can she?”

“No, you’re right.” She sighed and then bent to pick the shoes up off the floor, almost falling off the sofa as she did so. I reached out to grab her arm but she only handed me my shoes. “Here,” she said happily. “I borrowed them. I hope you don’t mind, but none of my shoes screamed vampire quite like the patent leather. I sort of cracked the heel a bit on the way home, because I didn’t realise it was this late- Gracie told me that it was only last night, but it’s not last night it’s tomorrow, so I got confused and tried to grab the underground, and my foot got stuck in one of those grate thingies that the air comes in from, and I fell over.

“It’s nothing that a shoe-maker guy won’t be able to fix though, right?”

“Right,” I agreed, not feeling in the right mood to argue with her. I didn’t even know what she was talking about half the time, and she’d lost me after ‘I borrowed them’, so I just nodded and smiled. “It’s fine, I’ll just get a new pair. You keep them.” I handed them back forlornly and then picked up my book again.

Words writen today: 7,747
Wordcount: 17,880

I'm a story to tell the alibi, they wanna go home I asked them why...

November 1st

2008-11-02T12:24:00.003Z

Now playing: P!nk - This Is How It Goes Down

Gonna run, gonna scream, gonna crawl down on your knees. When you realize that no one's gonna measure up to me, doesn't matter cause I'm over it now

I know, a slightly late blog for November 1st. What can I say? I was busy. =O

I stayed up until midnight and managed to get a good 3k written before actually going to sleep, and then got up relatively early to go to the regional meet. There were loads of us there, it was awesome. Though, we had to leave early because Alex wanted to get home. I hate that. I guess next week I can stop for as long as I like because she'll be working. Does it sound harsh that I don't mind that? :/ Oops. Oh well. It's November, I'm allowed to be a bitch.

After the regional meet Dad took us to the cinema at the Quad- because I hadn't stayed at the meet, I could go- and we saw Space Chimps. Sure, it wasn't the best movie ever but it made me laugh in quite a few places, and it had Kristin Chenoweth (blatantly playing the best part) in it, so that was a bonus. Then we went out to Markeaton Park for the anual bonfire celebration. It was a big early this year, and it absolutely pissed it down with rain. We got soaked.

By the time I got home I felt like a drowned rat, and not even in a good way if that could be taken in a positive light. >_>

Anyway! After that I stayed up until 2am and wrote another 7k. So, my total for the first day came to a nice, round, 10,000 words. I'm pretty happy with my wordcount, but, I think I need to figure out a way to get back into my story. I need to get more attached to my characters, get inside their heads. I used to be so good at it; what happened? :(

There will hopefully be another blog later to update progress. :D
As for now, perhaps a little excerpt.

“Morning Vee,” I greeted her. “Morning Cassidy.” Cassidy nodded a blonde head but said nothing in response. “There’s a bit of confusion and-” I felt the tears welling up again and had to bite my lip to stop myself from crying out.

“Oh, honey, what’s up?” Vivienne questioning worriedly, covering the distance between us easily and sweeping me into a hug. Of all the people that worked in the circus and sideshow- which helped to fund Madam Butter Rum’s crazy new candy ideals- Vivienne and her sister were the two that I felt were easiest to talk to. Some of the others scared me more than I’d like to admit, but aside from being incredibly talented with horses and stupidly flexible, neither of these two girls had anything about them that I could be scared of. Well, except for Cassidy’s obvious mental disarray which she explored through a classic stereotype known fondly among us as “blonde”.

“Everything,” I cried, wrapped my arms around her. She was nicer to hug than Q, and always seemed much more welcoming. “Look, the whole building is gone! The whole Emporium is gone, and nobody has a clue where it’s gone-”

“Gone?” Vivienne frowned, and then craned her neck to peer around the corner of her trailer to see the store. “Gone. Oh goodness. Cassie, look!” She turned to her sister and waved her arm frantically at the hole left by the building. “The whole damn building has disappeared!”

“Wow,” Cassidy mouthed, her jaw slackening as her blue eyes widened.

“Is that why you came over?”

“Yeah,” I nodded, sniffling. I wiped my nose on my sleeve and then shrugged my shoulders. “I wondered if any of you had heard anything; it can’t be possible for a whole building to disappear overnight and for nobody to have heard anything, can it?”

Vivienne cast a thoughtful look at her sister, who was still gawping at the spot where she could now see trees and church spires instead of concrete blocks, and then shook her head angrily. She seemed to be mad at herself, though I don’t think I could have said why.

“No, I didn’t hear anything. I slept like a baby all night. Cassie?”

“Nothing.”

“Oh,” I muttered. “Damn. Can you ask around? See if any of the lighter sleeper heard anything? We’ll meet at the Boheme in an hour and see what sense we can make out of all of this. I’ll head over and help Q get these kids home, and- make sure you get Kez to come over. He’ll know what to do.” Or at least, I hope he’d know what to do, since he was the Ringleader of the circus, and surely he had more power than any of us to decree our next actions.

As for me, I was utterly bewildered by the events of the morning, and my stomach was churning with the of effort of stopping myself from throwing up the breakfast I had eaten this morning. I’d known the tingling hadn’t been because of that curry.

Wordcount: 10,079

I'm gonna rage, stay out really late, gonna hang with all my friends you hate...

31st October

2008-10-31T22:51:00.002Z

HOLY CRAP.

1 hour until the beginning of NaNoWriMo 2008!
I'm... not as excited as I have been before, but looking forward to it anyway. I've not finished all the homework I wanted to finish, but it's okay, I still have a few days before school.

SHIIIIIT.
XD

No blog yesterday because I spent the day/night with friends. We played squash at Dragon's, where Lauren got us in for free, and then we ate junk and watched movies all night. There could be some amsuing photos on facebook soon >_>

But anyway. I WILL post a blog about London eventually, it's just going to take a lot of effort to write because so much happened. I think that if I leave it for a while, I may forget the unimportant details and just be able to post something a little more interesting for you all.

As for right now:
1 HOUR UNTIL NANOWRIMO 2008.
XDD
I'm shitting myself. I don't have a plot or anything... But, I think I'll start with Rouge. Just a little scene, and then I think I'll set the rest of the novel in the autumn. It'll start on Halloween, I think, and have an introduction to Madam Butter Rum's Sweet Emporium and AC, Danger, Q... a few of those people, and then I'll get into action a little more tomorrow, I think.

I don't know how long I'll be able to stay up, but I think that 1am should probably be my cut off. I need enough sleep that tomorrow I'll be able to do some writing without dying of sleep deprivation, so, yeah. >_>

Now, I'll take a nap for an hour, and get myself ready for the madness. Holy cow. X3

60 MINUTES EXACTLY BY MY LITTLE COMPUTER CLOCK UNTIL NANOWRIMO 2008!!
<3

29th October

2008-10-30T01:22:00.002Z

Shit a brick.

I can't be bothered to blog tonight. (Today? Holy shit. TODAY. It's October 30th).

Can I panic nao?

*cries*

2 days until NaNoWriMo 2008!

27th October

2008-10-27T23:00:00.004Z

Now playing: Wicked Original Broadway Cast - No Good Deed

One question haunts and hurts, too much, too much to mention: Was I really seeking good or just seeking attention? Is that all good deeds are when looked at with an ice-cold eye? If that's all good deeds are, maybe that's the reason why no good deed goes unpunished

I owe you all a blog update, one all about the antics of London, and my shopping trip today with the girls (and Joe >_>) but, to be quite honest, it's going to have to wait until I have more energy. I was going to blog it today, and even told myself that I really really should or else I'd be a loser, but I think I'd rather be a loser than be so tired I can't function.
X3

Why yes, I am that tired. I'm surviving on a little over 18 hours sleep for the whole weekend, and that does not bode well for somebody who would, on average, sleep over 30 hours in a single weekend. XD

So, I'll update when I have more energy. :]

Toodles~

4 days until NaNoWriMo 2008!

One more disaster I can add to my generous supply?

23rd October

2008-10-23T22:13:00.003+01:00

Now playing: Emilie Autumn - Juliet

Meet me beneath my balcony and say 'no one but you could ever fill my night, be the sunlight in my every day'. Underneath my balcony I'll say 'no one but you could ever fill my night, be the sunlight in my every day'.

Excited about tomorrow and the weekend now. It's going to be great. I'm going to make sure I keep a little journal about everything while we're gone as well. A whole weekend in London. Epic.

>D

Hazel's house by 3pm. We're going to stuff our faces (or not) and then get on the coach by 6:05pm. We should be in London by 10pm ish, and then we've got to hop on the underground and make our way around the system for a little while, so we can get to our hotel. >D I hope it all goes well. I'm quite nervous as well, since we don't really know where we're going... XD

Best get some sleep. I want to be alive tomorrow. =P
:D

8 days until NaNoWriMo 2008!

You're in my stars you know, don't need no crystal ball to tell me so...

22nd October

2008-10-22T21:55:00.003+01:00

Now playing:

How old are you? I'm older than you'll ever be. I've been dead a thousand years, and lived only two or three. I don't mind telling you : my life was ended by your hand, the kind of murder where nobody dies. But I don't suppose you'd understand. Call off the search; we've found her.

I really should learn to make these entries before I get tired, shouldn't I? It's pathetic really. It's 10pm and already I'm dying to get myself to bed. Year 13 in sixth form really does take it out of you. I guess I never really figured how much it would drain me. And this does NOT bode well for NaNo... XD

Tonight, as well as having Alex and Hazel around to plan everything out for the weekend, I managed to also sit myself down, write an essay and do a little NaNoWriMo planning. I decided that I wanted to have twins in my novel at some point this morning, having known that I wanted one of the twins to exists for a few weeks now. I couldn't decide at first which personality to give to which twin, which took some time to figure out, but now I think I've sorted it out. Cassidy (who is no longer the gang-fight daughter (that's now Ginger)) is going to be the intelligent twin, the one who always comes up with the routines for their acrobatic shows etc. and Vivienne-You-Can-Call-Me-Vee is the 'blonde', not-so-intelligent one. I think it should work well, and I think they might accidentally end up becoming central characters... >_>; Shh, don't tell Ginger, Danger or Q. They might hurt me while I sleep. -ninja-

Anyway. Other than the NaNo planning, and the excitement for this weekend (which is building up nicely now), there's only one more piece of information of any importance. And that, ladies and gentleman, and is that I have managed to nab a spot on the school trip that's going to Stratford to see Romeo and Juliet! Performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company! *scream of excitement*

I was gutted when I found out that we English Lit. students wouldn't be going, but the Lang and Lit kids and the Drama kids would be. However, once I'd resigned myself to this inevitability, an opportunity presented itself when Sarah said to me that her teacher had mentioned that there were five spare tickets. I almost raped her in excitement, asking her to ask said teacher if it would be possible for me to go. And it is. And I am. £27 it costs, but compared to the £130 minimum I'm dishing out this weekend for the London Scene with the girls (and Sam), I think £27 is entirely reasonable, and not at all expensive. XDD

I just REALLY REALLY want to go.
It's all good. Mum agreed.
: D
*does a happy dance*

And now it's bed time. >_o

7 days until NaNoWriMo 2008!

If I am Lolita, then you are a criminal and you should be killed...

21st October

2008-10-21T21:52:00.002+01:00

Now playing: Les Miserables - At The End Of The Day

At the end of the day you're another day older, and that's all you can say for the life of the poor. It's a struggle, it's a war, and there's nothing that anyone's giving. One more day standing about, what is it for? One day less to be living.

I know, I know, I missed a blog yesterday. I swear there is a good explanation for it. Or, rather, a lame explanation but an explanation all the same. (Jeeze, how many times can I use the same word in one sentence?) Anyway, last night when I got home I went straight to the writing corner and read a nice big chunk of No Plot? No Problem! (such an AWESOME book, by the way, I read it every year before NaNo comes around now) and then read the rest of The Hound of the Baskervilles. I never realised how awesome that book was, either. It's shocking.

Anyway, either the coffee I made myself as a treat, or a nice dose of PMT (I hate that time of the month...) lead to an extremely aggravating headache. I was in bed by 10pm, which is early for me these days, and so I really couldn't be bothered to mess with my head any more than necessary to make a blog entry.

There. Lame excuse ahoy! :D

About today... What happened today? Very little really. I could regale you all with tales of school and other random shit that's happened to me today (what little there is), but none of that is interesting enough to warrent me writing it down. Aside from doing a little writing in my study period and finishing up writing the character sketch for Rouge at the point she decided she was going to take over the world, I have done nothing creative and therefore nothing that deserves to be put in this journal.

I got in from school, and promptly decided that I was going to have a nap. Which I did. I slept until 6pm, and then was still doing homework until twenty minutes ago. It's pretty pathetic really, but at least I feel relatively cheerful thanks to that little period of uninterrupted sleep in my nice warm bed. I think I'm coming down with the flu. >_> whatever, I'll push it off. I really, really, REALLY will. There is nothing in hell that would make me miss school now, I can't afford to.

So, however boring my life is, at least I can now start counting down the time until NaNo starts. Yes, that's right! 10 DAYS UNTIL NANOWRIMO 2008 PEOPLE!!! I don't think I've ever been so excited in my whole life. Except from this time last year, and, the year before..... XD I'm such a dork.

So, 10 days to go means it's time to really knuckle down and get some planning done. Or, in my case, surf the forums for any possible dare that I could use to make my plot even more wacky and insane than it already was. I'm also getting ready for my weekend in London. I hope I'll get some random inspiration while I'm there, since I love London so much. I don't think I'd like to live there, but a whole weekend there is going to be FUCKING AWESOME. Yes, that's right, it even deserves a swear word of appreciation.

And don't forget. I hate anime. :)

As for that character sketch...

Beginnings

The gentle patter of raindrops on the glass windows echoed through the nursery, casting long thin dripping shadows along the walls. Blue and I were bored, as usual, and sat together in front of the fire which had burned down a number of hours ago and was now only smouldering embers. Our mother had come in and taken Indie out to nurse her in private, and with the nanny having quit last week when she realised that my mother was going to refuse her next pay check, Blue and I were left to our own devices.

The weather, however, decreed that we could do very little to amuse ourselves other than hide in our room and pretend to like each other. Back then, and I’ll glad admit it, Blue was an annoying little brat, and I was a selfish, determined equal. We hated each other.

The nursery was growing cold, and rather than sit in his armchair like normal, Blue left my side and resigned himself to shivering under the covers of his bed, peering out with dark, intelligent eyes. I drew my legs underneath myself and settled down to make use of my evening by reading some book or other- I forget which, now, it was so long ago.

The scene becomes imprinted upon my memory at the point when I was rudely interrupted from my musings by the family cat, a little white ball of fur named Wiggles, who climbed onto my lap and began almost instantly to make himself comfortable and purr loudly with content.

“Hey, look,” I had commented, setting my book aside. “I’m Dr. Masterville.” I sat myself up straighter and began to pet the cat in a rhythmic manner, making reference to our favourite character from a familiar comic. “Look, Blue, look. Isn’t that funny?” I petted Wiggles some more, and giggled to myself.

“You don’t look anything like him,” Blue corrected me. He raised an eyebrow in a rather annoyed manner.

“Why the hell not?” I demanded with a measured amount of indignance. I thought I looked very much like Dr. Masterville, and to my young mind it seemed that Blue obviously just hadn’t read enough of the comics.

“Well,” he considered, and slipped the covers from his head to his shoulders. “For starters you’re a girl. Dr. Masterville isn’t a girl, he’s a man. Like me.”

“You’re not a man,” I told him. “You’re a stupid little boy. I do look like Dr. Masterville. I’ve got the cat and everything.”

“You’re not evil enough, either,” Blue carried on. “You’re too girly, and you squeal too much. Girls like the colour pink and don’t like getting muddy or wet. Villain’s have to be stronger than that because they have to be brave. You’re not brave.”

“I am too!” I retorted and stuck my tongue out angrily. “I’m braver than you anyway. You cried yesterday because you saw a spider in your room.”

“It was a big spider-”

“And you still wet the bed.” I smirked.

“I do not!” Blue cried and huddled himself back up in the blanket. “You’re a girl, anyway. Girls suck.”

“I am not.” I shook my head and stuck my tongue out again. “I’m every bit as man as you and I can prove it.”

“Oh yeah? And how?”

“I bet you I’m taller than you.”

“Nuhuh.”

“I bet you I can run faster than you, too. I bet I can play the piano better, and I bet I’m cleverer than you, so there.”

“Nope, nope, nope,” Blue swore, eyes darkening. “Besides, you’ll never be as powerful as Dr. Masterville. He owns the whole world, and all the people in it, and he could make everybody do exactly as he wanted. You couldn’t do that.”

“I could so!” I argued. “Why couldn’t I?”

“Because you’re a girl-”

“You already said that.”

“You didn’t let me finish. You’re a girl, so you’re weak and a loser, but you also don’t have as much power as Daddy did.”

“What’s he got to do with anything?” I questioned. “Why bring him into it? He’s been gone since you were a baby- I think he didn’t like you.”

“Daddy was a des- descen- Daddy was related to that man who used to rule Exos. The Thir? The Thau. He was related to a real villain, a real powerful man, and he was powerful too. You won’t be like him.”

“Why won’t I? I can be powerful, too.”

“Not you can’t. You’re not like Daddy.”

“I could be.”

“No you couldn’t. You’re a girl.”

“Shut up!” I shouted at him. The cat jumped from my lap as I clambered to my feet. “Shut up Blue! You’re stupid, and I will be powerful, and I’ll show you how evil I can be.” I stomped over to him and hit him twice on the shoulder. He cowered beneath his blanket, only his eyes peeking out of the darkness that cloaked him.

He didn’t say anything at first, and the only sound was the rain on the glass of the nursery window, but then he poked his head out from the covers again. With something like a meow from a cat in pain he shrugged his shoulders and spoke.

“Do you really think so?”

“Yes,” I swore, still fuming. “I will prove you wrong. You don’t know anything.” I shoved him once more and headed back over to the armchair, poking the fire angrily with a poker on the way. Flames jumped upwards and then died down again.

I couldn’t understand why Blue thought that I wouldn’t be able to do it. The only explanation I could come up with was that he wanted me to be weak and stupid like all those other ladies, like Mum, and I didn’t want to be like that. If I was like that, then he would have all the control, and that wasn’t fair. I was bigger than him, older than him. I deserved to be able to prove him wrong.

“So,” I said, sitting myself down in the chair with an air of grace and authority. “Want to make it a bet, then?”

Blue shook his head.

“Okay,” I told him. I spoke with the sincerity of youth, but little did I know how important this promise to myself, and to him, would become in my life. “You’re on. I bet I can prove you wrong. I bet I can be just like Dr. Masterville; I’ll own the whole world, and everybody in it.”

“You will?” Blue asked meekly, the bedclothes still held tight around his head as if to keep out the words I was speaking.

“Yep.” I grinned. “I’ll even own you.”

Yup. You know you love Rouge and her awesome violent, competitive tendancies. :D

10 days until NaNoWriMo 2008!

At the end of the day you're another day colder
And the shirt on your back doesn't keep out the chill

19th October

2008-10-19T23:32:00.002+01:00

Now playing: Natalie Cortez - What I Did For Love (A Chorus Line)

Kiss today goodbye, the sweetness and the sorrow. Wish me luck, the same to you. But I can't regret what I did for love, what I did for love. Look my eyes are dry.

POST 100!

Yes! I actually just hit post 100 on this blog. After two years. XD That's pretty pathetic, but it makes me smile anyway.

*ahem* So... The planning for TAoM is coming along nicely. I did some basic character bios today, so I can keep track of my generally main characters. AC and Rouge got longer, more detailed, full-on biography sheets, but the rest of the characters just need the basics to get them straight in my head. I learnt some interesting stuff about my characters this way, though. Apparently Cassidy grew up in a gang, one of eight children- five of whom died before turning twenty- and has a dead sister called Juliet (I like that name). Casper now has a name (he being the other one of my two male characters, after Chris); Chris is still 2D and boring, but hey, that's just how it goes; Danger has five siblings (which I wasn't aware of until today) and she has a gay crush on AC. Mhmm. Where did THAT come from? Q longs to be noticed by Lyndon, a character I've yet to plan out, and is the super intelligent one (apparently).

This is all good, but I still have the problem of not having enough male characters, and I've yet to come up with characters for the sideshow/carnival that'll be travelling on the quest with them. And, I've not even thought about Rouge's party yet.
...

It doesn't matter. I'm getting there. >D

Also, I'm tired now. Maybe I won't blog any more tonight. =O

We did what we had to do. Won't forget, can't regret what I did for love...

18th October

2008-10-18T14:15:00.002+01:00

I know. It's poor.

No entries for the last few days.
I don't even have an excuse. *eyeroll*

I've been busy, but no more than usual, I guess. I've not done much writing, although last night I did work on a character bio sheet for Rouge, which turned out quite amusing. She appears to have sex on the brain, all the time. XD

Erm, what else...
So, last night I got an email from UEA saying that they had got my UCAS form, and that they'd be in contact with me shortly. I was quite close to dancing around my room. No other university has emailed me or anything yet, which makes me want to go to UEA more than ever now. I mean, I REALLY want to go.

As for NaNo in general, I've never felt more unprepared. XD Today I'm thinking about going through and making really simply bio sheets for ALL of my characters who will be going on the "quest" because otherwise I won't be able to keep them straight, and then I need to work out which plot points I'm going to allocate to AC and which ones to Rouge. Other than that, though, I don't want to plan anything else because I'll get myself all bogged down and bored. I want NaNo to be all about running with random ideas even if it doesn't work out. So, maybe the feeling regarding lack of preparation isn't a bad thing. Maybe it's exactly what I need. I need to loosen up.

-_-

We just made cookies (my sister and I). Chocolate chip ones, and gingerbread ones. Though, I ate too many, and now I feel sick. Dad and Cath went out and left us cooking, and apparently when they got back they thought they might have to put out some fires, or something. They thought that the food would at least be burnt, which wasn't the case. In fact, it was only the cookies that Alisha put in AFTER dad got back that ended up burnt, and that was because we were eating lunch and she forgot about them. XP My gingerbread ones turned out splendidly; Dad ate about four of them, before being told that he should stop or the diabetes might kill him, Alisha had a couple as well, and even Cath had one and said how nice they were. *feels smug* If only I hadn't had two of them, plus a chocolate one, plus sandwiches and crisps. *feels ill*

Blergh.
Maybe I'll go lie down and think about my characters or something. I hear we're going for a walk in a little while... =P

Toodles.

Coming back for MORE?

2008-10-14T22:42:00.002+01:00

Now playing: Idina Menzel - Let Me Fall

It's October again, leaves are falling down like rain. One more year's come and gone, but nothing's changed. Wasn't I supposed to be someone who could face the things that I've been running from?

I sent my UCAS form off tonight. Paid for it, and everything, so now all I have to wait for is Mr Kilgour to do his thang. =O

I'm watching Cold Case now, ready to go to bed. I just thought I'd post something up here, first.

KISS AND MAKE UP

"And why the fuck couldn't you tell me this before you let the monkey outside?" Rouge threw her hands up into the air and advanced on me quickly.

"I- I- the monkey wanted o-out?" I didn't know how else to defend myself, but I knew I had to say something. When Rouge got into these moods it was quite easy for her to get violent, and I had more than enough scars already. I didn't need any more. By age six I'd already counted five-hundred-and-six of the damn things, and that was before she got "damaged".

"For fuck's sake, Blue. You really are pathetic, you know that?" She began to pace up and down the Sun Room, her skirt swishing angrily around her legs.

"I know," I mumbled. All I'd done was let the monkey outside in the snow. How much harm could that do?

"God! And he actually agrees with it!" She let out a little bark of sarcastic laughter and slammed her fist against her palm. "I really hate you sometimes."

"I know," I said again. Really, what do you say when your older sister is ready to castrate you and stick your living-breathing body into a boiling vat of acid?- and I'm not exaggerating that, I've seen her do it.

"Shut the fuck up!" she shrieked. And then, before I could react I felt the whoosh of air as one of my sister's priceless vases was thrown at my head, flowers and all. Luckily, when she gets angry her aim is poor, and I was able to dodge it.

"Hey!" I yelled. "Come on Redd, there's ab- absolutely no need for that!"

"No need? No need? I'll show you no fucking need!" She grabbed another one and hurled it at my face, and then another which made contact and glanced off my shoulder. I'm surprised she's even got any of the damn things left.

"Shit! That really hurt!" I grabbed my shoulder and rubbed at it furiously whilst backing myself into a corner. It would probably be okay so long as I made her feel like she was in control.

"Oh, I'm sorry did my antique vase smash all over your shoulder? How clumsy of me. Here, have another one!" This one hit as well, bounced of my chest and knocked me backwards. And, sadly enough the only thing I could think was 'Thank God she's not using the cutlery again', because that had been an interesting experience.

"I'm sor- sorry," I said. "Real sorry. I won't do it again, I promise?"

"You sure as fuck won't!" she screeched and hurled something smaller at me. I realised upon impact that it was the monkey, and that she hadn't thrown it, the bloody thing had jumped itself like a psychotic fur-ball on a suicide kick. I pulled at the creature angrily and attempted to toss him to the floor. He bounced away before I could, though, and up into his mother's arms. "Oh, sweetie," she murmured softly. "Did he hurt you? You're a fucking bastard, Blue, you know that? A mother fucking sweet-faced bastard."

After a few moments she looked up. Chiz jumped from her arms and scampered away, and she smiled at me sweetly.

"Come here," she said. "You're bleeding."

"It doesn't matter," I said with a shake of my head. "It's only a cut."

"No," she whispered moving closer to me. "Let me have a look at that." I knew that to disobey her would be disastrous at this point, so I let her come closer. She rubbed at my arm gently, and began to trail her fingers up and down my face where a shard of the vase had grazed my right cheek. "Poor, poor baby," she whispered. It became a mantra, a soothing comforting mantra for both of us.

She kissed me once, and then again, and then pulled me down onto the bed. I could never understand why arguments always led to sex, I really couldn't.

--

I went to an interview once, for a place washing laundry at one of the local hotels. They asked me whether I'd be happy to work full hours, and actually sleep on the site, and I was only too happy to oblige. I'd have done anything to get out of that house. "Do you have any family?" they asked me, and I told them about my sisters. "So why do you want to come down here, then? Is there a reason?" they'd questioned and the only thing I'd been able to say slipped from my lips before I was ready to admit it.

"Why yes," I'd told them, "There is a reason, really. My older sister is a psychopathic sex-obsessed bitch with ambitions to take over the world, and my little sister is a glorified whore, so I don't like to spend much time with them."

Needless to say, I didn't get that job after all.

But I swear this is not who I'm meant to be

14th October

2008-10-14T13:18:00.002+01:00

You know, it occurred to me this morning just how much I love this blog. It's silly really, because even after writing in it for two years I've only just figured out WHY I like it. And, even now, I'm still not sure. People don't really read it, not much anyway, so that can't be a reason why I'd want to make my little ranty posts... And I have another blog on livejournal, but I don't ever actually update that, so it can't just be the prospect of having some place to blog... I think I've grown rather attached to the thing, actually. I've been blogging since October 2006 now, which is two years ago to the month. I started the blog before I really began to enjoy NaNoWriMo, and now I can honestly say that when I get bored and I read back over this blog I actually enjoy doing it. I read things I wrote when I was half asleep, or things I wrote back when school was still easy. Boy, if I knew then...

So anyway. I promised a longer update today, since my blog last night was little more than a glorified in-your-face-I-managed-to-write. I guess I run out of things to talk about, though, because school just doesn't seem to be an appealing topic at the moment. I suppose I can talk about UCAS though...

I finished my person statement a while ago, now, which means that as soon as Mr. Kilgour (our head of centre for Derby Moor) checks over my form and reads my reference and such, I can get my form sent off to all the universities I'm applying to. They say that first come isn't necessarily first serve, but in my opinion, when you're applying for a course as competitive as the one I want to go for, it's best to get the statement and everything in as early as possible, in case you start to look lazy. Tonight when Mum gets home I'm going to ask her for her credit card (would you believe it costs £17 to send the form? How stupid! Imagine if you got all rejections; that would be like paying to get REJECTED. That would suck). Anyway, yeah, I'm hopefully therefore going to get that sent off later, then, and tonight I'm taking my sister up to see Derby Moor. Because we moved house, we're now in the catchment area for DM, even though I went to Littleover, which is the better schoool. We're hoping she'll get into LCS, but if she doesn't then DM is her only option, so it'll be good for her to have a look around so she can convince herself that the school isn't as bad as she thinks... Even if it is pretty bad. :/

Tonight I also have two pieces of homework to do, but that's okay. As soon as we get back from the open evening I'll get those done, and then I can work on another character sketch I started earlier. It's another AC scene with her mother, but this time it's set during and just after her mother's funeral. I thought it might be interesting to introduce Q as a character in this environment, because until now I haven't done anything with her in it.

I should probably cut this blog short now, actually. I'm due to go to back to school in three minutes for my last lesson of the day (I had lunch time off), and I've got a history lesson to work on my individual assignment. I'm studying Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe, so it's pretty awesome getting to work on it. I get to listen to music while reading, too. :D

Anyway!! Really now. I'm off. I might blog again later, but if I don't I'll at least post a couple of those sketches I wrote last night.

Toodles. <3

13th October

2008-10-13T22:59:00.003+01:00

Today was awesome. I wrote two character sketches, and did no homework. XD

Too late to blog now, though. I'll do it tomorrow. >3

12th October (The REAL post)

2008-10-13T00:41:00.000+01:00

Now playing: Wuthering Heights - Hayley Westenra

Out on the wiley, windy moors, we'd roll and fall in green. You had a temper like my jealousy: Too hot, too greedy. How could you leave me, when I needed to possess you?

So, today has been a pretty cool day as well. Today I didn't really do a lot, to be honest with you. I didn't wake up until 11am, and then I basically sat around all morning. I had a bit of an argument with my sister, who was being unreasonable, and my mother, who was arguing with everybody today, but other than that things went pretty smoothly. I sat around on the computer for most of the day, watched the latests episode of Bones from Thursday night which I hadn't gotten around to watching yet (I'm saving Cold Case for one night this week when I'm feeling particularly free of homework and other obligations), and then it was more internet until about half six this evening. At this point I decided I'd go around and see my friend, who I hadn't seen for a few weeks.

I spent a couple of hours at her house with one of her other friends, and we watched Eddy Izzard videos on youtube until we laughed so much we got a bit sick. >_o I headed home then, and sat around on the internet for a bit longer. The relaxation was what I needed, and it really did me good.

After a conversation on one of the NaNo threads I decided it was finally time to write my synopsis for my NaNo novel, which I've been putting off for a week or so now, and so I sat down and did that. It actually turned out pretty well, I think. It's longer than I'd planned, but it shows what the story is going to be about for both of the main characters, which is pretty effective, I think. If you want to read it, you can find it here: My NaNo Page

Whilst writing this synopsis, which I did totally on a whim, I came up with the inspiration for a character sketch for A.C. I decided in that split second (you know, as you do), that her mother was going to be a ghost who kept harassing her over the phone at the most inappropriate times, and of course this spawned a whole sketch conversation between the two of them. It's only 500 words, but I really enjoyed writing the whole thing.

Words written today: Five hundred and something, again, plus a synopsis.

Lines for today: Again, pretty much all of them. I think my favourite line tonight, though, is... "ust because you’re a non-living non-breathing trickle of residue on the phone line it does not give you the right to harass me like this every morning before work."

I hated you. I loved you, too.

12th October

2008-10-12T22:00:00.002+01:00

That's right! You guessed it!
It's Character Sketch time! *wheeeeee*

I'll probably make another blog later. Maybe. >_o

LONG DISTANCE PHONE CALLS

“Yes, okay Mum, tonight when I go to bed I promise that I’ll make sure to lock the front door before I sleep.”

“You see! That wasn’t so hard now, was it?”

“No Mum. I just don’t see the point in locking the door when there’s an alarm on anyway, and the chain’s across. Danger doesn’t go to bed until way after I do, because she doesn’t need to be up until after me-”

“Danger? Who is Danger?”

“Oh for goodness sake, Mum. We go through this every day. Just because you’re a non-living non-breathing trickle of residue on the phone line it does not give you the right to harass me like this every morning before work. One of these days you’re going to make me late!”

“It’s my duty to look after my youngest daughter,” my mother prattled. I put one hand to my forehead and sighed. What was worse than getting up early on a Monday morning for a dentist’s appointment before work? Getting up early for a dentist’s appointment before work, only to have the phone ring just seconds before I left the house. I thought today she might have forgotten, or at least that by leaving early I might avoid the conversation.

“Mum, I’m your only daughter,” I corrected her. “And besides, I’m not so little any more. Don’t you think it’s time you left me alone for a little while? You didn’t ring me this often back when you were alive, so what’s your excuse?”

“I have a lot more free time on my hands, now,” my mother complained. “It’s not like you’ve got anywhere else to be, anyway! Wouldn’t you rather talk to me instead?”

“Not really Mum,” I said to her honestly. I switched the phone to my other ear and attempted to apply another layer of lipstick in front of the hall mirror before leaving. It didn’t matter that it would only get messed up in the dentist’s office anyway; I wanted to make a good impression. “Look Mum, I told you yesterday. I’m not heading straight for work today, I have that appointment, and I’d hate to do it but if you don’t let me go I’m going to be late and I’ll have to put the phone down on you. Can we do this later, please?”

“Oh I wish you wouldn’t brush me off, so! You always act like you’re so old, and you don’t need me any more. And all I was doing was ringing up to make sure that you were okay and that you hadn’t been raped, or worse burgled in the night!” she let out a gasp of shock, and I could picture her shaking her head in shame at the gossip that might ensue.

“Sure, I know you care less about me than my money, Mum, but seriously. I am old enough to look after myself now. Come on, let me go or I’ll put the phone down. You can ring me later, I promise. When I get in from work. How about that?”

“Oh alright, alright,” she muttered airily. “If you really must go I guess I’d better not make you late.” I checked my watch. I was already late. Rolling my eyes I made a move towards the table on which the phone cradle rested. “I’ll call you tonight then, Apple. Mhmm?”

“Yes Mum, you can call me tonight. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Good bye lovee! Good bye!”

There was a brief buzz as she residue dissipated, and then the line went dead. I have to admit, she really was making this difficult for me recently. With a toss of my head to dislodge a curl that had gotten itself stuck to my ear, I set the alarm and left the building, wondering if she’d ever just leave me alone. It really was difficult to move on and grieve when every day I could expect a phone call from the woman who was supposed to be dead.

It made me wonder, really, if it was just me. Do I attract the weird things in life? I think I must.

11th October

2008-10-12T00:03:00.000+01:00

Now playing: It Matters To Me - Karmine Alers

If you go down burning what do you have to lose? You're so scared you can't see the truth, but I see the rainbows that you can't see. If it don't matter to you, it matters to me. Remember the times, we laughed till we cried...

Haven't really posted much here lately. I've been too busy enjoying the freedom of not having to write much at all. Today I tried out Holly Lisle's How To Beat Writer's Block, which was actually pretty effective. It got me working through the issues in the trilogy, and then proceeded to make me want to write another character sketch. The one I've written today is shorter than the first one, and from AC's point of view. It's a more general thing, not an actual scene from AC's life, but I sort of like it anyway. <3

As for school, it's busy as all hell as usual, but it's okay. Today I worked my way through the biggest piece of history homework ever, and I felt so good for it all of today, then. So I was then free to do whatever I wanted for the rest of the day. I read a chunk of The Hound of the Baskervilles for my enrichment book club, had a nap, and surfed the internet for the rest of the day.

Now, despite it being only midnight, and me not getting up until 11:30 today, I feel so tired I could literally drop to sleep right here at my keyboard without much effort at all. In fact, it would be less effort to sleep here than to do anything else. And yet, I can't sleep because I'm talking to people. I like talking to people. >_o

Anyway. I'll put the sketch here, because it's only short. Enjoy. (Or not, whatever).

RAINBOW DISASTER

The rainbow of brightly colour candies lined the walls of the sweet shop on 57th street. They could be seen even from across the street, lit by neon strip lighting across the front of the shop that read “Madam Butter Rum’s Sweet Emporium”. Every morning from the day I got the job working at that place I would feel an unexplainable desire to get inside as quickly as possible, since without the lighting, even early in the day, the street looked empty and barren. The cold greet streets were washed out and dull, and the only thing I knew would bring brightness and beauty back to the street was to get inside and turn those fantastic neon lights on.

Even when I had been working there for weeks, months, I still found myself drawn to the lights on top of the building. After much pestering I managed to get Madam Butter Rum herself to agree to add a new light to the outside of the shop. It was a classic candy wrapper image, bathed in wonderful rainbow glory. In the winter it shone like a bright light in the darkness, like the story of the Goddess Aeve coming down to Exos to bestow upon the good believing people good fortune, luck and happiness. In the summer, during those hot, sultry summer nights in the city, the lights were like a guiding beacon, showing the children that there was an end in sight to the mad heat. They would come here in there hundreds- not all at once, but they would roll into the shop in a steady stream of bodies, each with money that they couldn’t wait to spend.

Inside the shop there was always air conditioning. I had asked for that to be installed as well, since beforehand it had been too warm, and all of the staff could barely cope without passing out, never mind smile and act happy as we were ordered to. After the air conditioning unit it was easier to be happy though, and the bright lights inside the emporium made the candy glow. Sometimes I used to think on it as a disco ball, throwing out those lights of all different colours. Sometimes I wondered whether it was right for us to be exposed to the colour for so long, wondered if it would desensitise us to the beauty. But after six years of working there, I still wake up every day with the desire to run into the shop and turn the lights on. I love to bring the children into the shop, I love to hand them their candy, watch as they climb onto stools and reach up into the glass boxes for their bags of Pick ‘N’ Mix. I love to be the one who can tell them “You’ve got two more grams if you’re going to give me that much money. Why don’t you go and get some more candy to fill your bag?”

I guess I was just born to work in a sweet shop. I was born to work alongside the rainbows and neon lights that feel like religion. And that was why I felt like my whole life had been turned upside down, when I woke up one morning to find our precious sweet shop, our home in the city, was no longer there. I can tell you now, if Danger hadn’t been there with me that morning, I do believe I might have died from the shock. It was devastation. And you know what the worst part of it was? The worst part of it was that for the first time since starting work in that place, I couldn’t turn on those neon lights and watch the city come to life. This is what death must feel like, I thought. There’s no way a person could live if they were to feel as dark, and cold, and empty as this. The prophecy, then, and the resolution that was made to bring Madam Butter Rum, and her sweet emporium, back to Central City, seemed like the most logical conclusion in the world.

Words written today: Five hundred and something, plus writer's block stuff which doesn't really count.

Lines for today: I like most of them, actually.

Borrow my faith, borrow my heart..

9th October

2008-10-09T22:36:00.001+01:00

Took last night off to do homework and watch The Sound of Music. Took tonight off to do homework, watch Austin Powers and draw a naked woman for life art. ;]

I'd write, more but it's late.
Maybe tomorrow I should write something more detailed. XD

7th October

2008-10-07T22:38:00.002+01:00

Now playing: Beat It - Michael Jackson

No one wants to be defeated, showin' how funky strong is your fight. It doesn't matter who's wrong or right.

Today has been awesome. Seriously. I managed to hit my goal for 80k at school and then had the rest of the night to do absolutely nothing. NOTHING. I didn't go any homework. I surfed the internet until gone eight in the evening, and then decided that I fancied having a crack at writing a character development sketch for Rouge, my new villain. I wrote the scene where she first buys her mute Talk Monkey pet. I really enjoyed it, wrote 2k, and for the first time in ages I geniuinely like the whole thing. Sure, it would need editing and crap, but I don't care. I like it so much I'm going to post it here. Beware: Crap Ahead. =P

CHIZ

The first time I saw Chiz I knew I’d fallen in love. I remember he was sat by the side of some Gypsy gentleman with a wide-brimmed hat, long coat and moustache that could rival Blue’s teenage ponytail. It was getting dark outside, and the weather was taking a turn for the worst. It was getting colder, and the dark clouds overhead threatened a storm if I didn’t hurry along soon. It was the perfect weather for a carnival.

Blue had told me that morning that I couldn’t have a pet. We’d sat in the Sun Room discussing animals in general, their plus sides and negatives, because Blue loves to talk about things in terms of business deals, and I had mentioned that I wanted to get a pet. I wanted something, an animal preferably, to lighten up the house because it gets awfully lonely in the towers around wintertime. Blue had shaken his head in annoyance, smiled at me and told me that I was always buying things to make the place less lonely. He said we should just downsize.

I disagreed. And so, when Blue argued with me again I did exactly what any other self-respecting independent woman would do: I went out and bought myself a pet. The carnival was in town and had been for a couple of weeks so far, but I’d neglected going that far into the C.C. before the day I went for Chiz. The walk seemed unnecessary effort, and I was far too busy trying to paint the guest room for when Mother came to stay- she didn’t come to stay, after all, but the room does look nicer now that it’s not that hideous orange that Indie painted it the last time- and I hadn’t felt like walking more than two feet from our house, never mind all the way into the centre of the C.C. I would have needed to take the train, and at the time it seemed like more discomfort than I could bear.

But when it came down to it, I would have done anything to prove to Blue that I was right, and that he was just being childish. So, I walked the half-mile to the nearest inner-city rail station, slid on at the back and hoped that nobody I knew would see me. I hate being seen on public transport, it’s so humiliating. I’ve told Blue time and time again that we should buy a car, but he insists again and again that we don’t need one. He says that we hardly ever go anywhere, and as much as I hate to admit it, it’s true. The only time I ever leave the house is to pop into the Palace Corp. to meet with The Directors, and I do that so seldom it’s not even worth it. Most of the time we work over the weblink.

The city was cool and damp, but the carnival was set apart from this biting weather in the dome they’d set up for it. Walking through there was like stepping into some giant bell jar, some bubble with almost-invisible walls. They forgot the roof though, so while the sidewalks were dry, the rest of the damn thing- all the roofs of the stalls and the little counters where they keep the rubber ducks- was soaked through.

The menagerie was located at the far end of the carnival, in a tent the size of our back yard. It stretched perhaps thirty feet in width, and was longer than I could be bothered to investigate. I didn’t head in there with the intention of buying anything in particular; I just knew that I really wanted something to live in the house with me. It would be even better if it could annoy Blue, though, and ideally I wanted something that would give Indigo the heebies. I was about to settle on searching for a snake- spiders seemed to commonplace, and besides which we already had enough of them in the attic- when I caught sight of a young girl.

She was probably no older than eight or nine, only ten or so years younger than myself at the time, and she was waving this great big banner above her head that read something like ‘Anim-azing animals on display. Beside the bar’. I didn’t even know it was legal for them to have a portable bar in a place like that, but being in the situation I was in- public transport really does mess with my nerves something rotten- I decided that it wouldn’t hurt me to have one drink. And the Anim-mazing animals didn’t sound too much of a bore either.

And that’s when I saw Chiz for the first time. The Gypsy man was sat on a barrel nursing a drink that smelt faintly like whiskey, or coffee, or possibly a combination of the two. Chiz was the most magnificent monkey I’d ever seen. He was also the first monkey I’d ever seen, and the moment I laid eyes on him I knew I had to have him.

“Is he for sale?” I asked the man, eyeing up the little ball of brown fuzz cautiously. He looked a little young- I assumed it was a ‘he’ anyway- and his face looked like a smashed watermelon, but I found him adorably cute. He sat stock-still, gazing at me with eyes that could have melted iron.

“Sure is love,” the man told me. “Hickle-back monkey, two years old. He’s an Animi, least we thinks he is. I fink he’s one of them talking ones, but as far yet we ain’t managed to get a peep out of him.” I continued to gaze at him, weighing his posture and his stare with my own. He certainly looked healthy, but if I didn’t know what a Hickle-back monkey was before that day, what did it matter if I thought he looked healthy?

“You want to get him off your hands then?” I asked coyly, twirling a strand of my hair around my finger. I learnt quite quickly in life that if you want anything for cheap, the best way to get it is to act cheap. It never fails.

“We sure do sweet ‘eart. He’s lovely an’ all, but we can’t take ‘em all back with us. You want him?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” I played for time, twirling my hair some more and shifting from foot to foot. “I don’t have much money.” I counted what I did have, and that came to just over eighty Exos dollar bills. I wanted to get a drink before I left, and then maybe stop on Fourth Street to see if the new order of boots had come in.

“We was lookin’ for around sixty white,” the man told me. Sixty dollars was probably not bad for a monkey. I’d heard they were expensive; especially for a talking monkey. The little creature watched me intently, eyes following my every action as though he knew exactly the kind of scam I was trying to pull, and he admired every inch of it.

“That’s a shame,” I said, pawing at my mini skirt. I was glad I hadn’t dressed for the weather, for once. The Gypsy man was groping me with his eyes now, but I resisted the urge to shiver with disgust. All in the name of getting back at Blue. “All I’ve got is fifty dollars, and I’ve got to pay for the train fare back home...” One flick of my hair and he was almost drooling.

“Fifty you say?” he asked me. “S’all you gots?”

“Yessir,” I answered in my most earnest voice. “I really want him, too.” The monkey was bobbing his head excitedly now, rubbing his hands together.

“An’ you really want the flea ball?”

“Yessir.” I shifted feet again and brought my hands down to my lap, trying to appear younger than I was. It wasn’t hard; he was all over me.

He appeared to be thinking about my proposition, or rather my appearance and what he could say to his wife when she found out that the monkey had gone for ten dollars less than she’d wanted. He watched me, and I watched the monkey, and finally he spoke.

“So, you gots to catch the train?”

“Yessir.”

“How much white does that cost?” I quickly calculated how much it would cost a girl half my age without a privilege pass, and then clicked my fingers.

“About six dollars for that maybe.” It seemed like the long way around a negotiation, but I wasn’t going to rush him. He could ask me as many questions as he liked as long as I could get my hands on that monkey. I had the perfect little outfit in mind for him sitting in my closet from the time Indigo decided to raid the animal right’s works for contraband.

“So, you want the monkey?” I wasn’t going to get annoyed at him. I wasn’t.

“Yessir, and I have forty four dollars to give you. Can I please have him?” It took all my effort to keep the edge from my voice, and the smile I gave him hurt my face. The monkey appeared to be laughing at me.

“Forty four? You fink that’ll buy the monkey?”

“It’s all I have.”

He thought about it some more, and I imagined I could see his wife at home threatening him with a belt and sleeping on the grass outside their trailer, but apparently even her threats couldn’t hold off my charm. Finally he shook his head and laughed.

“I must be insane, girl, but you convinced me. I take it you know how to look after ‘im then?” I didn’t, but I nodded my head anyway. This kind of thing was what the weblink was for. “Alrigh’, take the poor sod. I’m sure he’ll love you.”

With a smile on my face I handed him the money from inside my bra and allowed the monkey to swing up into my arms. He still seemed to be laughing at me, but now it was in a respectful kind of way.

“By the way,” I said just as the Gypsy began to back away with his whiskey-coffee into the darkness of his stall. “Does he have a name?”

“The Misses named him Solomon,” he said. “I think it fits him.”

“Thanks.” I looked at the monkey with a degree of amusement, and the look in his face told me that he hated his name just as much as I did. “Alright,” I said once we were out of earshot- the bar was much less appealing now- “How about Chiz, and then a cup of tea in the HeartBreak?”

He nodded, and it was settled. Chiz was mine, and tea was on the menu.

Words written today: 3,267.

Lines for today: most of them.

Just Beat It, Beat It

6th October

2008-10-06T22:44:00.000+01:00

Now playing: Never Neverland - Stephanie J. Block

In those tales bad guys seldom did win, so the captain was eaten... Mum, let me go to Never Neverland! So I'd pretend, I'm flying away.

A short entry tonight. I'm happy tonight.
I've written 1.5k today, and got to a decent scene. By which I mean a scene where Ellette gets beaten up. >_o I know I'm not very nice, but it does have something to do with the plot, honest! ... Sort of, anyway. I don't think there's actually anything else to say today, other than having an hour for a nap in the evening sure makes for a nice night. <3

I'm going back to bed now. =3

Words written today: 1,521.
Overall wordcount: 78,666 (Only 1.4k to go! =DD)

Lines for today:

"...You know, I hate that man.”

“I had gathered. We did try to blow him up.”

“And Exos how I wish we had succeeded,” Medina replied bitterly.

I'm flying away!

4th and 5th October

2008-10-05T21:52:00.001+01:00

Now playing: I'm A Star - Eden Espinosa

Someone give me a chance, and watch me break through. I deserve to be seen, this dream feels way overdue. I was born to perform more than anyone knows, I am passion and guts, I want this and it shows!

It has been brought to my attention that all I ever do is rant. XD I rant, I moan. I'm boring. =O

Today I've yet to write much, but that's okay. Yesterday I didn't write much either, but that's also okay. To be perfectly honest, I have all month to get this last 4k written, and I won't die if it takes me all the month to do it. =]

Also, I'm happy. In a contest run by the lovely Holly Lisle (who has some fantastic writing tips on her website www.hollylisle.com) I have won today's prize. So, I should be getting my hands on a copy of her How To Beat Writer's Block. Hellyeah! I could dance. This is great. It's normally worth $50 which is wonderful in itself, but it might just help me enjoy writing again. ;]

Holly, my faith lies in you.

As for tonight, I think I'll get back to my writing and enjoying myself. ;3

Lines for today:

“I won’t sit here discussing my sexual activity with you like a business deal. For goodness sake. I was fine before I met you, didn’t need anybody to ‘keep me busy’ then. You say it like what we had was the most special thing in the world. All it was- well, it was nothing more than a physical exchange. Nothing else. And you knew that at the time, so don’t be giving me all this rubbish about my longing for physical intimacy after you’d gone. If I remember correctly- and I know I do- it was you who talked me into sleeping with you the first time, which proves my point. I can cope perfectly well without a sexual relationship.”

“So?”

I am more than the average no one - one chance!