Sometimes I forget how much I love it.

Take right now, for example: I have this idea for this year's NaNo that it will have a quasi-Victorian setting, maybe based on reality, maybe a little steampunk, so I looked up books on Victorian history. For those keeping score, that was when Queen Victoria ruled England, circa 1840-1870. I now own three books on Victorian history, because not only are the books full of information and juicy little tidbits that will pad out my daily word count nicely, but sometimes they're just hilarious. I'm sure that someday people will look back at our time and wonder what we were thinking, because that's what's happening when I read these. And I'm having fun. I like learning. History can be interesting!

But I'm not the sort of person to seek out nonfiction books normally. I have to have a good reason. And research for NaNo is a pretty darn good reason.

This is why I know I could be a professional writer. Because I don't mind the research. It's quite fun to absorb all the bits of information during the research phase then have them suddenly coalesce in a somewhat coherent whole during the draft phase.

Here's to research. May it never get boring.

And here's to me, who got a whole lot of books (and the 2nd season of Heroes), because it's that little thing known as my birthday. Huzzah.

  The Hound and the Falcon, Judith Tarr and Inside the Victorian House, Judith Flanders
file under: books , celebration , reallife , thoughts , writings Posted by Jen at 12:33 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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From Justine Larbalestier's blog.

file under: reallife , writings Posted by Jen at 1:14 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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from here.

[Fiction] Friday Challenge for March 14, 2008:

Backstory: Tell about your characters feelings toward animals, and why she feels that way.

Aislinn is a character in my 2007 NaNo novel. She is the daughter of a king, and knew she was destined to give her life to the forest surrounding the castle since she was a young girl. She rides the forest often, loves her hunting horse, notices the little people and especially the groom in the stables. Since the world I set this novel in is your typical quasi-medieval sorta English countryside (it was supposed to be real England once, but I lost the time to do research), people know how to hunt. They use bows and spears, but I'd like to think that they do somewhat like the American Indians did: they thank their deity for the animal that gives up its life so that they might live. Aislinn has never had a pet, not unless you consider a horse a pet (and she doesn't, not when her mare derives as much joy from running as she does), but there were always dogs racing around the great hall, scrounging for bones. She tolerates them but makes sure they don't follow her to her rooms.

She has a soft spot for deer and rabbits.

  Oh My God, Jars of Clay
  Renegade's Magic, Robin Hobb
file under: muses , writings Posted by Jen at 12:34 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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So if you've been reading this blog for a while, you might know that the writer's group that I participate in has written an anthology of short stories based on landmarks of St. Louis. I'm in it, with a modern day faerie tale that takes place at the Muny (the Municipal Theater in Forest Park, the oldest and largest outdoor amphitheater in America, with trees growing out of the stage...)

And by golly, the book is out! You can check out the page at www.toastedraviolibook.com (though there's not much there at the moment) which has a link to buying the book online, do a book search on Amazon for Toasted Ravioli, or (the best way) ask me for a book in person. That way you get a discount and a signed copy and I (or the group) gets more money.

Or better yet, come to our first signing this Saturday (tomorrow, eek) the 26th of January at Legacy Books, 5249 Delmar (at Union) from 12 pm to 5 pm. All the authors will be there, so you can get a full complement of signatures on your new book, and the authors will read from their work. There should also be a Q&A session for the curious.

I hope to see you there!

  No Such Thing, John Mayer
  Hood, Stephen Lawhead
file under: books , celebration , reallife , writings Posted by Jen at 12:40 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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We are what we believe we are. C. S. Lewis

So I have to believe I am a writer. And I really have to get Bastian out of that tree.

Back to work.

file under: muses , writings Posted by Jen at 8:45 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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I am made of win! Four years in a row, for 200,000 words. Four stories, one complete. This one is almost there. Just one more "chapter" and I'll be done. Then I wonder what I'll do with it.

(made by me with the lolcat builder @ icanhascheezburger.com)

Time for dinner, at 10 pm. Ah, writing.

  Mischief Managed!, HP 3 sdtk

file under: writings Posted by Jen at 9:50 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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I am 1200 words from finishing NaNo 2007 (aka I'm 97.6% done). The story might be done. Might go a few thousand over. I'm pretty happy with it, though like all first drafts it has some very wonky moments and discontinuities, but those can be fixed.

Apparently in my even-numbered years of doing NaNo I will be able to complete the challenge by not only writing 50,000 words in November, but finishing the story. Woot! Now if I could only figure out what the heck to do with them after they've been edited up. I'd really dearly love to submit something to magazines or contests next year. My problem is that I don't write short stuff...I'm not very good at being concise when it comes to non-technical writing. Oh well. There's a few ideas rattling around in my head that could conceivably be short...ish...

in the end it's better to say too much
Than to never to say what you need to say again

(John Mayer, Say)

Now it's off to sleep, and one more day of the crazy insanity that is NaNoWriMo 2007.

  Say, John Mayer
  The Golden Compass, Phillip Pullman
file under: writings Posted by Jen at 1:05 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Check this out: I have written 11724 words of Forging the Forest (working title, anyway), and I needed to hit 11667 today. Go me! I'm on track and ahead by a few. I believe, in the four years that I've been doing NaNo, this is the earliest I've ever been ahead, if indeed I've ever been ahead before the month was almost over...let's see if I can't stay this way.

My cousin's wedding was wonderful, I got my dress sewn and was complimented numerous times on it (though they're all family, so dunno how much of that was just familial bias or awe at the fact that I actually, yanno, took the time to sew something versus an actual appreciation of the design of the dress), finished knitting the fingerless mitts (though they, and the HP scarf, need to be blocked), and my mom's show went well last weekend. She's got another one this weekend, so if you are in the Lou and need some christmas presents, stop on by...

and I finished Elemental Magic, a romance anthology which includes a short story by my favorite author Carol Berg. So sweet to realize the characters are (SPOILER) characters we (sort of) know. Hers was quite the best in the book. I could be biased, I realize.

I wrote 2400 words today. Not quite as good as yesterdays almost 3k, but pretty darned good. I almost don't know what to do with myself. Guess I'll get a little extra sleep.

What did you do today?

  Why Georgia, John Mayer
  Guess I should return Austenland to the library. Back to Leven Thumps 2.
file under: books , celebration , reviews , writings Posted by Jen at 12:12 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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At SF Novelists, the post author says he can't read for pleasure without analyzing the book for writerly flaws. That makes me sad, and it obviously makes the author sad as well, since he's vowed to read a book for fun by the end of the year. Hurrah! Although...just one book? Good Lord, if I don't have the joy of reading once I'm a "real" writer, do I want to do it?

Perhaps the reason why I haven't exactly gotten anything in publishable form yet is because I read too much for pleasure. I always have a book with me. You could truthfully say that I am addicted to reading. I hope I never lose the joy of marveling at an author's ability to manipulate my emotions and show me a different world. I hope you all have that pleasure.

Kelly McCullough says the best way to write is to write. He's right (haha, I'm punny), but there are certainly days when that doesn't seem possible. I'm a little run down right now, what with getting ready for Wrockstock Spooktacular (which includes a heck of a lot of laundry, knitting/fringing/probably not blocking a PoA scarf, and packing) and my cousin's wedding (which includes sewing a dress and retouching photos and dealing with all the attendant issues of putting many people in a small space) and NaNoWriMo (of which I am co-Municipal Liasion of the St. Louis Region and therefore need to get people to come to write-ins and make them fun, and I need to get a pair of knitted mitts done so my hands don't freeze in the apartment during furious writing episodes). Oh, right. Can't forget about Artists Boutique, the art show that has my lovely momma on committee. Whew. Wish me luck.

I hope you all are getting more sleep than me. It's a bad thing when you're sleep deprived before NaNo...

  The Other Boleyn Girl, Philippa Gregory
file under: writings Posted by Jen at 3:35 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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(via storytelling) Norman Rockwell's summary of his work process:
1. Hey, this is looking like it'll turn out pretty good
2. My God, I've ruined it. Look at this mess!
3. Wait. Maybe I could -.

Sounds like NaNo I predict that I will be listening to the PotC 3 and Elizabeth:The Golden Age soundtracks quite a bit during this November. I still haven't gotten my NaNo ML privileges yet, but they are promised soon...

One of these days I'm going to be able to laugh at my writing insecurities.

  At Wit's End, Pirates 3 soundtrack

file under: writings Posted by Jen at 9:28 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Writers write, and it isn't some flippant thing done in the rags of spare time. It's identity. It's soul. --Kate Elliott, on Deep Genre

There are days when I feel like a writer, and days when I don't. I know that if I want to make a dream come true and write my great novel, I have to do it, and do it lots, and do it well. There really is no excuse, even when I make one, like I never seem to be in th mood. I've proven to myself that I can write every day, damn the other things that need to get done, and do well in the other things even in the face of NaNo. I just don't seem to do it well without the pressure of a deadline.

The other day, someone asked me what I really wanted to do in the future. My dad answered for me: "She's a writer." It made me happy, but a little sad, too. I do want to be a writer. I think I'm good enough (though I could be suffering from incompetency and unaware of it [journal article, PDF]), and I have plenty of ideas. But there's quite a lot between the idea and a book you hold in your hands at Borders, and sometimes I don't think I have enough to get through that. Sort of like medical school. I think I probably would make a good doctor, but medical school is not the sort of thing you play at. I see the med students walk around campus and am always a little disappointed in myself for not being good enough to join them. At least writing doesn't cost nearly as much.

I'm very excited for November. It means that, even though I'll be insanely busy, at the end I'll have a wonderful (if verbose and full of continuity errors) chunk of story that I will be pleased to continue working on.

Here's to writing. Here's to following your dream, and finding your soul. I only hope I can.

  Horseback Address, from the Elizabeth: the Golden Age soundtrack
  The Quarters Novels: Volume One, Tanya Huff
file under: writings Posted by Jen at 2:50 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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The NaNoWriMo site officially opened for the season yesterday (or today, depending on where in the country you are), and I'm ready to write. November seems alternately too far away or way too soon. I had a nice brainstorm about this year's story yesterday, and I think I've got a nice plot worked out. I keep having doubts about the originality of the story, which seems to be a trend with me, but I don't *think* I've read anything like it...

I've noticed an annoying trend, though. Each year it seems like I have to use the 'forgot password' tool for the NaNo site, even though the computer has a cookie stored. And for some reason I'm not getting the email saying that I've requested a new one...so, blah.

I'm still catching up on missed sleep from the weekend, which I should tell you about...maybe later. Probably should do some work!

  Bolero, Moulin Rouge 2 soundtrack

file under: writings Posted by Jen at 11:08 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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(doo da, doo da)

...but I can't tell you or Carol Berg will kill me, haha. This weekend at Archon I had the privilege of hearing some of the beginning of Carol's next book, Breath and Bone at a private reading. According to her, I'm one of about 7 people who know. Sweet! The book comes out in January, and I'm even more keen to read it now than I was after the end of the first book in the Lighthouse Duet, Flesh and Spirit when it came out in May. Excuse me while I squee.

Archon (the St. Louis sci-fi/fantasy/comics/pop-culture convention that's really in Collinsville IL) was very good. I debated about going for quite a while, because it was so expensive this year. Archon 31 was also NASFiC, since Worldcon was awarded to a non-North American site (Yokohama, Japan). It was, therefore, a national con and not a regional one, and theoretically worth more, I guess. I have very limited con experience, so I can't tell you if it really was bigger than normal (though some of my new con friends say it wasn't). I knew Carol Berg would be there, and I really wanted to see what she had to say. I took at look at the programming and decided that it would be worth it to pay that much, and indeed, it was. Thank goodness I have a car that could make the forty-mile round trip now.

There were quite a few writing panels, and I've got many notes which are going to live in my manuscript folder. It was pretty cool to interact with authors and agents, some of whom I've only encountered on blogs. And it's doubly cool to actually talk with the authors, most of whom are really nice and surprisingly approachable, especially for a shy girl like me (unless I'm talking about myself, sigh. then I seem to run on forever). It was wonderful to actually have a discussion with one of my favorite authors about writing (Carol sat down with me for an entire hour) and get some great advice. I was really intending to sit down this evening and write some on my novel, but the computer thwarted me with its one-two punch of slowness and browser-crashing in the middle of my entry, sigh.

It wasn't just writing. I went to panels on Harry Potter and Firefly, attended a workshop on Irish Ceili dancing and belly dancing, and saw the SFWA Musketeers demonstrate fencing techniques.Saw my cousin Brian, but didn't get to attend any of his panels. The writing panels really made it worth it, even if the days were looong.

I had a couple of mini-epiphanies about the novel while at panels, so that's good. I've just got to get the damn thing going. I can't believe how far I haven't gotten in the story, sigh. The workshops are going to be helpful, though, especially ones like Writing Realistic Violence and Plots that Work. And of course Carol's very good advice. I still can't believe I got to monopolize an author like that. She was very nice about it. I felt awfully stalkerish. Some people want to meet movie stars or sports celebs; I geek out over authors. She had some helpful hints for the anthology which I need to follow up on, and she had a dedicated cadre of fans that followed her around the whole weekend, so I made some new friends. Thank you, Carol, this weekend meant alot to me.

Maybe I'll fit in a little writing before it's time for bed...

(incidentally, this is entry 700 for this blog. Sheesh. I know not all of them are pithy and meaningful, but it seems a large number to me...)

file under: books , celebration , fantasy , writings Posted by Jen at 10:25 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Tuesday night, I met Jim Butcher, author of the Dresden Files and the Codex Alera, and have two books signed by him and actually interacted with the man, and that made me a happy girl. (Until my class presentation partner emailed me a totally changed presentation at 11:30 pm, but that's another story.)

Jim's a really funny guy. And he seems like he cares about his readers. He spent about an hour on Q&A, various insightful questions by readers who obviously care about his stories I was seated right next to him, since I sort of sidled up along the side of a bookshelf so I could set my bookbag down (I was carrying my laptop and a bunch of papers for the presentation. I did *some* work, honest). The speaker for his mic was next to me, so it was a little loud, but not terrible.

I was so proud I had the courage to ask a question. I'm not usually that bold. But he's very approachable. I asked how he comes up with the twists at the end of his books. He answered that what normally happened is that he piles up every bad thing he can on his main character, then figures that he'll get out of it somehow. He sends off chapters to his beta readers (man, what I wouldn't give to be a part of *that* group) and every so often he'll mention, 'see, I *knew* he'd get out of it somehow,' and someone will write back saying, 'you mean you didn't know beforehand?' So I feel better about my stuff if a famous best-selling author doesn't know how his stuff will end either.

There were probably fifty to eighty people there (I'm terrible at estimating, though), so the signing line wasn't too long. I brought White Night and Cursor's Fury and stood behind a lady who works for an internet service provider as a tech. Which I should look into, because more money would be nice. (Though, on the upside, I got a very positive annual review from my boss today, so perhaps a raise is on the horizon?) The lady knew about NaNo, which always amazes me. I have met so many people who don't know what it is that I have a little spiel that I spin out to inform them

When I got up to the table where he was signing, Jim was very nice and said how are you, etc, and I told him thanks for writing the books and that he's an influence on m writing and I've got 65k of a novel I hope to finish this year. And he didn't sound at all exasperated when he told me to make sure that when I finish this one to write the beginning of the next. Which I've already done, actually I hope that when I'm a fancy published writer I can be as generous to my fans as he is to his.

Side note: the neurobio presentation went pretty well, aside from some random technical difficulties. We had a video clip that should theoretically have been embedded in the presentation, but every time the file switched computers, it wouldn't show up. It's not that hard to Insert>>Movie, so I wasn't too worried. I stopped by my lab before class to print out slides and outlines and bibliographies, and I inserted the movie again and did a cursory check over the file. Things seemed fine.

Get to class, check out the file, and lo! the movie works. Cool. Close the file (which was a bad idea, I guess) and when it comes time to actually present, does the movie play? Of course not. No big deal, just play it off the desktop.

The fun part was when, in the middle of the pres, some slides randomly lost their text. All of them were slides with pictures on them, so at least they weren't blank slides, but there's a reason there's text on the slides...to remind you what to say. Luckily my partner had an old printout of slides, so we were able to present *some*thing, but that sure was annoying. I don't think it was a mac-pc conversion issue, because that hadn't happened before, but maybe it was a difference between M$2000 and XP. Most of the slides with missing text hadn't been edited in a few days, so I don't know where the text went. Weird.

I did make a mistake on the identity of a receptor on a slide that lost its text, but I at least figured it out. I think my partner might have introduced more slides than I, but perhaps it was simply that the slides he presented had more information on them, and he read them, slowly, instead of *presenting.* Eh. I answered questions, though, and presented better. I think. I knew more about the slides because I typed most of them up. Hope it showed. Had a few people ask questions where I was able to say, "and that's the next slide," so I had good flow. Nice to know that I can still be good at some design elements.

  And Now We Are Free, Gladiator soundtrack
  Moonshine, Rob Thurman
file under: books , funny , writings Posted by Jen at 5:51 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Strange to think that five years ago today I saw my first Lord of the Rings movie. It was so long ago I have to link you to my first blog. Life has never been the same, eh?

What did I do before Orlando Bloom, elvish, Tolkien? I bet you can trace the upward movement of my lifetime word count in all my stories from December 2001 on...there were a few years there, in high school, I think, when I didn't write at all, unless required...yet now I have 150,000 words in three years, and probably equal to that with other writing projects.

And think of all the money I've spent on the franchise, eek

  John Mayer, Wheel (Live)
  Academ's Fury, Jim Butcher (yes, again)
file under: lordoftherings , writings Posted by Jen at 4:24 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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There's a whole story that goes along with it, but I'd be late for the NaNo TGIO (Thank Goodness It's Over) party if I did. So for now, bask in the glorious that is me and my (perhaps quarter-of-the-way finished) novel.

file under: writings Posted by Jen at 5:48 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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One week until Halloween and... November. When that crazy writing thing goes on, you know...
Check this out: Wired 14.11: Very Short Stories. A bunch of famous people wrote 6-word stories, and some of them are very good.

Like...
I’m dead. I’ve missed you. Kiss … ?
- Neil Gaiman

It cost too much, staying human.
- Bruce Sterling

There are lots more. You should take a look.

Oh, and Happy Legolas Day. Check the archives if you're lost.

file under: writings Posted by Jen at 11:29 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Writing is exhilarating, when it's working. It's mostly working right now. I finally got out of the boring beginning (yes, I admit it, it's boring right now. That will change, I hope) and presented the conflict. Sort of. Now I get to rush to the end, because I'm fighting both time and word count limits. But I'm a sprinter, and I have a kick.

Heh. Hot damn. I was worried there for a bit that the fairy tale I was working on wasn't going to end up with any fairies in it.

Wanna see my Harry? No, not that Harry. Not that other Harry, either, though admittedly influenced by him. The Harry of my story. Funny how I have no problem finding guys to model my characters after, but the girls are much more difficult. Anyway. this guy is quite a muse.

Back to work. Both kinds.

  Pompeii, E.S. Posthumus

file under: writings Posted by Jen at 1:34 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Well, it's true. I can finally cross off my Roswell fanfic as my only completed fiction work. Well, first draft of a completed work, anyway.

I finished Artist of Heaven tonight around 11:35pm. Ok, yesterday. It has approximately 52206 words, or as few as 51977, depending on which word count you take most seriously. I'll have to do some editing (some! as if that isn't an understatement) but overall I'm pleased. Thank goodness there was no falling Zip disk troubles to worry about, and Thank You Lord that my computer has performed (nearly) flawlessly since it was fixed just before NaNo. Life is good.

Happy December!

  Coldplay: Clocks

file under: writings Posted by Jen at 12:12 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Say hello to Artist of Heaven. 50723 words and counting. I'm almost done with it, and I'd like to think I'd finish it tonight. Done just a few hours earlier than last year I'm happy with this one, it's got some gaping plot holes and some inconsistent characters, but it all worked together quite nicely.

Now all I have to do is study the massive amounts of muscles in the human body for the quiz tomorrow...

file under: celebration , writings Posted by Jen at 8:18 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Two days until the end of November. 3100 words left. Do you think I can make it? I might even be "done" with the story then, since I don't think I have all that much to tell. Think of that. A complete story in one month. It would be nice.

Of course, it would be even easier to do if I weren't suddenly interested in a series of books by Piers Anthony, written back in the 80s/early 90s. I'm currently on number 3 in the Incarnations of Immortality series, and they've been very satsifactory so far. Check them out. Wish me luck.

At least it's getting cold, so I have no desire to be out and about.

  With A Tangled Skein
file under: writings Posted by Jen at 4:31 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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...so I'm only a day late. Hope you all had lots of turkey and mashed potatoes. Sooo much food, as usual, at my grandparents' house.

Since it is actually the 25th, Happy Birthday Mom! I love you.

And in writing news...you knew there was going to be writing news, didn't you? I'm three-quarters (well, 76.76%)of the way finished, with 6 days left. Let's see if I can write 11k + in the next week, shall we? All while learning the numerous muscles of the body. Oh dear.

Family is in town so hopefully we'll get to do lots of fun things and I will avoid spending too much money, because unfortunately rent is due soon. Can't wait to see RENT in theaters and Wicked! this weekend. Whee!

Somewhere in there I'm going to have to figure out when to write. Wish me luck...and let me know who you think should be the winner of a fight between the archangel Gabriel and the Devil.

Sleep!

  Ben Jelen, Give It All Away
  Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader
file under: celebration , writings Posted by Jen at 12:17 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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(here's a fangirl moment: HARRY POTTER! Squee! And yes, I will be dressing up for the showing. How much so, I haven't determined yet, since it will likely be cold. But dammit, I have a costume, and I'm going to use it! I made a skirt, for heaven's sake. Only twelve hours before I get to see it...)

I just thought I'd inform you all that I have passed the halfway point for NaNo. I'm actually 52% finished, and it's only two days past the Ides of November...this weekend will be pretty crazy, so I'll be lucky if I get anything written tomorrow (must remember to bring the laptop to type while waiting in line for the movie!) but hopefully I can make pages (to quote Laurell K Hamilton) later in the weekend when I'm not helping my parents out with the two (count 'em, 2) art shows this weekend. Eek! Gladly I will accept your ideas about angels and put them in the story, no charge. I've already plundered my apartment and garden and Forest Park for the story, why not your ideas?

everything's going to change, isn't it? Brownie points to those who know what I'm talking about.

{ETA: I forgot to mention that, surprisingly, I aced my latest lab practical! Largely due to the fact that I got all the bonus questions right, but it's always a very happy thing to see the 'X correct out of Y" with the X bigger than the Y. At least I can remember some things...}

  Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire soundtrack
  "Sunshine, Robin McKinley
file under: writings Posted by Jen at 12:11 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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I'm somewhere in the vicinity of 8000 words right now. Depending on which program I'm using, I have 8400+ or 8500+. At home I have more. I like that counter better. I'm still behind, though. I should have been at 10k last night, so I need to work harder. I did write almost 3500 words last night, though, so it can be done. I just have to get my butt in gear and do so.

I have a new computer at work. It's very pretty, for all its PC-ness. I had to remember all my passwords and programs that I had on the old one, but wow, it's fast. And in eight months it will be obsolete. Wow.

Guess I should get home and write some more...it's sad to see my potential progress go down on the meter, so I would like to make it go up...

see you on the flip side. (11 days to HP 4!)

  
file under: writings Posted by Jen at 5:36 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Another year, another November, another NaNo...With my lack of computer, I only wrote some outline-type things last night after midnight. Hopefully I can stick with this story...don't know how it's going to work out, but I've got some good ideas. Feel free to hop over to Artist of Heaven and check things out...but you'd have to comment if you want to read the good stuff Well, I hope it will be good.

Unfortunately I could only go down from my stellar performance on the first A&P exam, but I only missed two this time, so yay. Still good. I should have studied levers more carefully.

/*soapbox
And any of you liberals out there who are PO'd at Bush's stupidity and malleability, please go sign this petition. The Supreme Court should not be dominated by any one political party.
end soapbox */

file under: writings Posted by Jen at 9:58 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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From oneword., when I should be studying. Just thought I'd share a little writing blurb with you.

The prompt was "midnight."

I thought I had seen it all but the night was more beautiful than ever. and I knew that I had someone waiting for me on the other side of dawn, and that made it all the sweeter. who knew that the darkness of the night would make the morning worth waking up for?

It's pretty silly, but that's what you get from a brain saturated with MCAT-ness. Please pray for me. It will be good or it will be bad, and there's nothing I can do about once it's over. I don't think I'm prepared enough (haven't even written practice essays) but my mother is convinced that I test well and everyone thinks I'm smart. Quite a trick, eh, to have all these people thinking I know what I'm doing all these years?

On the upside, I got invited to my first bachelorette party. Strip club and dancing On the downside, it's on Saturday, so that will be a loooong day.

Another upside: time off tomorrow! Downside: studying! Sigh. Hopefully the studying will be on the upside.

  Prime Minister's Love Theme, Love Actually sdtk
  The Belgariad: Volume II
file under: writings Posted by Jen at 11:53 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Word Count

50139 / 50000 words

In case you're wondering, the nickel bit in the title is in reference to Lell's lovely encouragement and motivation of offering a nickel to write a heckuva lot of words one night when I was truly behind. Thanks Lell. You've been such a dear!

I will try to post more about it when I get myself sorted out. For now, I think I'm going to try that little thing called going to bed before 2 am.

But here's a taste:

"It's…just something else to get used to. Before I came here, you know, I didn't believe anything like this could be real. I thought I was going crazy. Or my imagination was running wild," Jon said, running his hands through his hair, the coppery curls standing in disarray. "But now I find out that they were truly my memories, that I had lived before. I think I've accepted that with remarkable aplomb, really, but now you're saying that I'm some sort of magician?"

"Not only a magician," Taliesin returned. "It is the heritage of kings, the right of power. But you wanted to eschew that for normalcy, or what little you could have of it, since royalty is rarely ever allowed the chance of liberty. But even when faced with proof of the forces arrayed against you, you elected to trust in the strength of your body rather than anything mystical, the word of your advisors. Would you consider it, embracing this power within you?"

Jon looked at his hands, staring at them like he expected to see something different about them. "What could I do?" he asked softly.
"Become more," Taliesin whispered.

  National Treasure Soundtrack

file under: writings Posted by Jen at 11:37 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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National Novel Writing Month - National Novel Writing Month

The elusive green purple bar. The green purple bar of 'winning.' I'm so close to 'finishing' NaNo...only about 2000 words left. We'll see if I make those tonight, what with actually *working* at work and the Spidey 2 dvd coming out tonight...must also remember to pick up the National Treasure soundtrack, because it was fun. And maybe Hero, though I should probably wait until I see it to buy it. Ah well.

And just in case you were curious...I have been around. Just figured that if I was writing, I ought to be writing NaNo, not posting. I'm sure you'll see much more of me than you like soon enough. Silly Orgo. Test in a week! Eek!

  Jars of Clay: Portrait of an Apology

file under: writings Posted by Jen at 9:56 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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I've realized that I really enjoy looking things up for writing my story, almost more than writing. This is, at this moment, probably because I don't want to have to do a bit of expository backstory which is a pain in the butt to write and frankly, quite boring. But I think I've got more of a plot now. Which is good, because I'm still very much behind...like 11,000 words behind. Which is why I should be writing right now instead of posting. Ah well. You know me, the queen of procrastination.

But I did want to share one funny thing I've found on my researching...Duncan McLeod, the main character in the Highlander the Series tv show, is a fine upstanding (immortal) scotsman, right? While researching an appropriately menacing Welsh, Scottish, or English first name starting with M I found out what Duncan's name means. I got a laugh out of it. Doesn't mean you will. Perhaps I've just been staring at the screen too long.

DUNCAN, DONNCHADH, DONNACHADH: brown warrior
MACLEOD, MACCLOUD: son of the ugly man
(from 20000 names.)

  Mandy Moore & Jonathan Foreman: Someday We'll Know

file under: writings Posted by Jen at 3:31 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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The Art of the Lord of the Rings So it's the halfway point of NaNo and I'm only at 34%. Ugh. Also, my story keeps not wanting to be saved to zip, so if I write anything today, it will be with the hope that I start where I left off last night. Bugger. Ah well. I guess that gives me an excuse to read the chapter and a half of orgo that I didn't this weekend. Sigh. I have fallen into the trap of 'oh, there's time, you can spend a little time on ----' and then there isn't time anymore. Blast.

The orgo test comes back tonight...*prays* sigh. I really have to do better with this. I just hope that the last test isn't during the last week of NaNo. It would be pretty hopeless then. Ah well. Wish me luck!

Partied with Olga this weekend. We went to Panama Red's downtown...they had a Brazilian band playing. It was hot but fun. I danced alot. I think my knees are still hurting.

Oh, and did you notice that it's been a year since I was mugged? Strange to think that. And quite a few people still don't know that it happened. There was a spate of robberies last week in the Central West End (did you know that London boasts a CWE as well? Theirs probably came first, though) and that guy had a gun. Thank goodness my assailant didn't.

*tries to think of where she left off in Artorius Rex Novare* Screw it. I have to study. At least I have my word count.

file under: writings Posted by Jen at 10:35 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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You haven't forgotten that I'm doing nanowrimo just because I'm not posting it here, right? You know why I'm not? Because Livejournal has a feature that allows you to friends-lock posts so you control who reads it for future electronic rights protection. Since I am insane and holding out the slim-to-none hope that one day I can be published, friends lock is the way to go. I'm also too lazy to do the same to this blog, and since I have no idea who reads it, this would be a bad place. But if you have LJ, head over to artorius rex novare and comment on one of the posts you see there. I might be nice and let you in J So yeah. Been hard juggling orgo and writing, and will most likely spell disaster for both, but at least I have something to look forward to when I'm killing myself over orgo. Reactions suck!

Don't you just want to get the Extended Edition of the Return of the King? Yahoo 50 minutes of bonus footage! I DO want to sit in my chair for four hours straight! Just over a month til it comes out...I shall have it! And in about half a month I shall have HP & PoA and Spidey 2. Whee!

Onto the ickiness. Read on for more ranting. Warning: exceedingly long, because I'm tired and out of it.

So I get up early this morning to go help my dad set up for the Artist Boutique in Kirkwood. Actually manage to get there on time despite waking up about 10 minutes later than I should have and walking out the door about 15 minutes after I should have. Get all set up, and then lots of people come by, so this is good. Hopefully the rest of the day went as well. But I left after an hour, because I had to get back and gather up all the miscellaneous crap that goes along with studying orgo and meet Eileen at a café near my place. It used to be called Aesop's, but now it's the Blackberry Café. As far as I know it's the same menu (now I can say I have had baba ghanouj, and liked it) and the same owner, just different name. Eh. Weird. Anyway, I get there, I'm a little late, but Eileen usually runs quite late, so I ju