The Burial Watch

edging close

2011-07-14T15:41:00.000-07:00

Two chapters left of this story, and I think it will be fine for a September release. The story does meander a bit, but really, it holds from the beginning, and has a darker feel than most of my novels. Not sure what will happen after this reading, but at least I'm pleased with how it's falling into place.

maybe a freebie?

2011-07-10T21:21:00.000-07:00

I'm seriously considering giving this novel away on Smashwords. I'll still do a print format, which won't be free, but the ebook will be up for anyone.

We will see...

figuring things out

2010-08-31T13:12:00.000-07:00

I've had the title for this book since before it was written, but I wasn't sure why it was called The Burial Watch.

Today, I really understood it. It's at 96K, plenty of words to trim, because there is a lot of overloaded hoo haa that needs trimming. But I'd been thinking this story was too meandering, not going to amount to anything.

Maybe it will. At least now I have a manner with which to shape it. Maybe some editing will commence. It certainly needs it!

foreshadows

2010-01-05T08:32:00.000-08:00

Today, out in the dark on my walk, I saw my shadows, as Rose does.

Then I realized of whom those shadows will represent.

And I even wrote it down!

One more piece in the puzzle...

this book is done

2009-12-02T16:13:00.000-08:00

And I'm not having to cook dinner tonight!

My husband is barbecuing, as I told him I was going to finish today. He stopped on the way home from work and the burgers are on the grill as I type.

I did slice onions which are done, and the cheese too. But the rest is in his hands.

And this book is out of mine. I knew there were about two chapters left to write, and so I did. I think it ended pretty well. At least I'm happier with this one than the last.

And speaking of last, this is it for the year. No writing this month, as it's full of other activities. But I'm pleased with what I've penned, typed, whatever.

And that's it for this story, for now...

Today's word count- 6,621 (split between two chapters)
Total word count- 96,150

last day of NANO

2009-11-30T20:30:00.001-08:00

And I had a great day to end it, getting three chapters written!

Not quite finished, but I'm getting close. It felt good to just WRITE today, after a few days off and shorts days as well. Today was back to good old pounding the keys.

This story, again, is just going its own way. But I'm fine with that now. Some stories are just that way.

But now, I'm going to sit and watch the last two minutes of the football game. After all I wrote today, and this month in total, I've earned it!

Yesterday's word count- 4,001
Today's word count- 9,421 (split between three chapters)

really starting to cook

2009-11-27T21:22:00.000-08:00

Last night or early this AM I came up with even more for this book. I've learned that even if I think I know what's happening, chances are something else is around the corner.

Which makes the writing all the more exciting. Making me thrilled to get back into it, which I'll be doing on Sunday. Tomorrow is a road trip, which will be fun. I've had lots of little breaks with this novel, but after tomorrow it's going to be coming down with a hammer.

And now that I know how the end will go, I'm ready to start chipping away with large strokes.

Today's word count- 4,025

short break approaching

2009-11-25T20:43:00.000-08:00

NANO in November ultimately takes breaks, the main on coming tomorrow on Thanksgiving.

Especially since I'm cooking, or supervising the cooking. No time to write!

But today I had a good day, and things are starting to snowball, little flakes being picked up every day.

I'll get some work in on Friday, then taking home Thea on Saturday. Her home isn't really here, but when she's here it's like she's home.

Tomorrow she's cooking. We'll see how that goes!

Today's word count- 4,320

so tired

2009-11-24T20:11:00.001-08:00

But not of writing. Of cooking, and it's only Tuesday.

Today I made beef in beer sauce, which is a lame way to say what it's really called, Belgian Stew, and that's not even in Flemish! It's really good, made with a can of ale, loads of onions, bacon and some beef bullion, in addition to three pounds of stew meat.

It's really good.

Then I made chocolate stout cake with the leftover beer, and finally some raisin bread that rose too much and fell but was still very tasty.

Oh and I did some writing.

And I miss it, which is GOOD! I was getting just a wee bit burnt, like dry toast. Now, once this week is over, I'll finish up my novel with gusto. Especially since little issues have been coming this week, building into a huge snowball once I really get back into things.

In the meantime, it's all about cooking. Making cornbread, cranberry sauce and stuffing tomorrow, then the big guns come out on Thursday.

And I have so much to be thankful for; faith, family, football, food. Four F's, in that order.

I mean, yeah, I can skip the turkey. Just bring on the pigskin! (With a smidge of pumpkin pie on the side...)

Today's word count- 3,496

short day

2009-11-23T18:22:00.000-08:00

My eldest is home for the holiday week, and I got a chapter written, but not much more.

Not any more, but she and I went shopping, picking up a few groceries for the upcoming turkey dinner. She's going to take charge, and I can't wait!

Not much writing will happen this week, Friday I'll hit it hard, but then Saturday we take her home, so that will be a quiet day. But maybe that's good, whet my appetite when Sunday rolls around. I think I need that sort of kick, wanting to return to the story, not feeling like it's a big pain in the...

Keister. I need to be hungry, need to wish I had time to add another few words.

This will be a week for it!

Today's word count- 3,628

back to work

2009-11-22T18:19:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I did no work. None that could be classified as writing/editing etc...

It was so nice to get a break. Today I jumped right back in and things went pretty well.

The more I write of this book, however, the more things change.

Which seems to be how things are going with my writing these days.

But as long as the words continue to flow, I'll take it.

And now, off to ice cream!!

Today's word count- 7,917 (split between two chapters)

my husband is home!

2009-11-20T21:25:00.001-08:00

And this will be short.

Today's writing was okay.

I don't know what will come tomorrow, because my daughter gets home then.

But I'm at nearly 50K, so that's pretty good.

Today's word count- 7,356 (split between two chapters)

more than a minute

2009-11-19T18:37:00.000-08:00

Okay. So today...

I wrote some pretty okay stuff. I contradicted myself, which I'll sort out later, but otherwise it was good. For not having much of a handle on this story, it's settling into a good rhythm, and I'm pretty happy with it.

Been doing some editing on another project at the same time, but this does take precedent, and after a somewhat odd beginning, it's rolling right along.

I've been doing a LOT of writing lately, and it's all starting to blend together. But that's the deal right now and I'm just going with the flow, knowing it will all be okay. Elmo is in this story, and that I did NOT plan. But he's there, in all his annoying glory.

I'm liking the characters, liking the flow, a nice humorous undertone, and the main plot is trying out to be something I'd hadn't given thought to. Only in a tiny bit, yet it's become a BIG DEAL.

Then there is The Worst, which isn't all that bad, but in Rose's mind it's getting bigger all the time.

I don't know what happens when this story ends, in that what I DO next, but I do KNOW the end of this tale, or at least I have an idea.

How it will REALLY end, who knows!

Today's word count- 7,077 (split between two chapters)

I feel sort of bad

2009-11-18T16:56:00.000-08:00

The last time I posted here was Sunday!

I have been writing since then, and finally today I felt like all the work was good.

Yesterday half of it was good. Today, it was THERE!

Not as I planned, but since when is it? More of Rose trying to decide if she wants another baby, Gray too.

But I think a burial is coming, well, I know it is. Maybe one more.

Either way, here's the word counts for M, T & today...

Today's word count- 7,102 (split between two chapters)
Yesterday's word count- 7,792 (split between two chapters)
Monday's word count- 4,373

today was better

2009-11-15T17:01:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was wondering if I was suffering burnout, feeling uninspired and weary. Today's work was better, and I'm happier with the work. One chapter, but that was fine. All I needed.

Now time for dinner.

Today's word count- 3,671

day one

2009-11-14T16:39:00.000-08:00

And even though it's the fourteenth of November, here's another work starting out. I wrote this first part in the morning, then the afternoon, with the feeling this might be the last first draft I type.

Yeah. I'm actually considering the next book I start will be in long hand.

We'll see how that goes. For now, this book is so much looser than Memories of Home, no past ideas to have to follow through with, no pressure. Only as many words between now and 30 November as I can get.

Still, it's strange. I feel a page is turning, figuratively of course. In that the way I write is in flux. No longer do I read the previous day's work out loud, only that I read it over.

And once I'm writing with pen and paper...

Oh that's for another day!

Today's word count (and what will happen to a word count when it's on sheets of paper!)- 6,225 (split between two chapters)

coming closer

2009-11-09T12:36:00.000-08:00

The last few mornings I've been walking, I've had songs for this project going through my mind.

Every time I come up with something new, character-wise.

Today I think Buster's going to be a diabetic.

And I think, this time next week, this story will be a'rollin'.

NANO part 2?

2009-10-28T16:05:00.000-07:00

I am really thinking, depending on how long it takes me to write the main NANO 2009 story next month, that I really want to write this one too.

It will just come down to the days, how many of them are left once NANO #1 is done.

Just saying...

characters

2009-10-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

A few nights ago I sat and wrote down a few names, been rolling them around in my head since then.

Makes me excited to write this story.

That's all I had to say.

yet another idea

2009-10-17T10:28:00.001-07:00

I went to a funeral on Friday, and that's where this idea really jelled. It had been coming to me before that, maybe a day before. But once I went to the funeral, there it was.

Mostly it's about the sense of what happens after death but before a service. How life seems in limbo, as if you can't go on until the deceased has been feted, in one manner or another.

I have a pretty good idea of the plot, names, etc. When it will be written is ANYONE'S guess...