CampNaNoWriMo Progress & Snippets - April 2019
I swear I'm going to get better than this... said every writer, ever.
This year, I'm doing CampNaNoWriMo, again, with the first book of a brand new series in the GameLit genre - which is a brand new genre, for me. It hasn't got a title yet - those usually happen once the book's written, in just the same way that chapter titles are done once the chapter is written, and then only if I remember.
Below you'll see the first 10 days' progress and snippets. I won't be sharing all the book, just around 150 words from each day. So far, the first words and progress for each day up until yesterday are as follows:
April 1
Progress: Well, there was no fooling with this day. I had a full morning of homeschooling and doctor's appointments with blood tests attached, followed by more homeschooling in the afternoon. It was busy, and disrupted, and not many words happened.
First Words from Chapter 1 - Into the Blue
The cat ran under Weyona’s feet, and she swore. She was trying to juggle house keys, her mobile, and her purse, and the damn thing took full advantage, scampering through the barely opened door and out into the yard.“Toxic!”
Every time she said it, she almost winced, but it still made her smile. It was a bad name for a cat, but the kids named him, and she’d thought it was cute at the time. It wasn’t so cute when she was looking for him out in the park. The looks she got shouting his name as she searched the flower beds and fish ponds were borderline priceless!
Most people would be sympathetic. She lived in a cat containment zone, where pets weren’t allowed outdoors. If one escaped nearly everyone helped get it back before the local pet patrol found it.
April 2
Progress: A day at home, and an early start before homeschooling. More words got done, but I had specialist appointments to make and was distracted and put off my stride. I took some downtime in the afternoon.
First Words from Chapter 1: Into the Blue
This was the ninth time this week Tox had gotten away, and something told her the neighbours might be less-than-understanding, this time round. A much as they said they admired her for adopting a rescue cat, she didn’t think they were ready for the reality of it.She raced after him, slamming the door behind her as she stuffed her keys and mobile into her purse.
“Tooooxiiiiic!”
But the cat ran on, straight across the road and through the gates of the park. Weyona ran after him, coming to a screeching halt on the curb to let a car roll past, before bolting over to the other side.
“Toxic” she shouted, following it with a muttered, “you furry pain in the ass.”
He’d vanished from sight by the time she reached the entrance, but she didn’t let that bother her. She knew exactly where he’d gone.
April 3
Progress: Another early start, but one peppered with distractions, followed by homeschooling, a sport break, and more home schooling, and the first round of edits for Book 4 in The Magic Below Paris series. Wednesday's are always a bit busy, and this one moreso than usual. Words happened. I made it so.
First Words from Chapter 2 - Touchdown
“Luka?” she called, lifting her head, but Luka wasn’t there.Panic surged through her and she looked around.
“Nettle? Lena? James?”
She saw nothing but trees, no-one but the shadows creeping along the ground.
It is dusk, and the Howling Woods is full of wolves and goblins. The village at its edge might provide a safe place from both... if only you can reach it...
Weyona saw the words form in her mind, and thought she almost heard a voice, but whether it was Theo’s, or her GM David’s, she couldn’t be sure. All she knew was that she had to find the village... and to do that she had to work out which way to run.
If she didn’t choose right, she’d end up moving farther into the forest.
I could do with a clue, she thought.
Roll 1d8.
April 4
Progress: More words... and more homeschooling. Also preparation for a meeting to renew the schooling registration. Admin needed doing, too, so I made some space for that.
First Words from Chapter 2 - Touchdown
“Please, don’t,” she began, trying to pull one leg free so she could lash out with her foot, but he only laughed.What was going to happen next, didn’t. Two long arrows flew in from the side and slammed into the werewolf’s all-too-human chest. At the same time, the hairy beast holding her jerked, yelping in surprise. He threw her to one side as he rolled to his feet, roaring in anger.
The human-wolf started to shift, growing in bulk and gaining fur, just as two more arrows shot through the dark, their shining tips piercing his throat and stomach. Weyona kicked away from him, scrambling back into the shelter of some bushes as she tried to keep hold of her pants.
She thought about making a break for it into the dark, but thought again. The unseen archers might not be able tell her running away from the monsters moving in, and she didn’t want to be shot. The rest of the wolf pack had returned.
April 5
Progress: Another early start, more homeschooling, and another doctor's appointment, this time for the blood test results - all normal, which was great relief. The admin really needed doing and took precedence over words, but some words still got done.
First Words from Chapter 2 - Touchdown
Looking around, she saw that the layout of the base was somewhat different to how she remembered it. It was bigger than Theo had described it, and more a small village than a base. Weyona stared.There was the smithy she remembered, and over there, the fletcher's. The inn was new, though, and so were the cottages arrayed beyond the main buildings lining the main street and parade ground. The captain rode up to the building his group was headquartered in, and then around the side of it to the courtyard housing the stables and the prison block.
Her arms tightened around Gregory’s waist, and he laughed.
“What do you think?” he asked, bringing their mount to a halt as a young soldier ran out to take the reins.
To her surprise, Weyona saw the new arrival was male. Theo had always had female soldiers on stablehand duties... and on kitchen duties, now she thought about it... and latrine duties. She was glad to see that wasn’t always the case.
April 6
Progress: An early start and day spent mostly on tackling the admin - I have a task list that needs to be completed over the next couple of months. I must remember to share that some time. No homeschooling so I was able to clear some decks.
First Words from Chapter 4 - At the Temple of Merilor
Rosalind pivoted towards the window. She knew that voice!But not as Rosalind—and she was hearing voices, again. This time the voice sounded just like Theo.
On a 12, you are sure you recognise Kallea disguised as an Olgarion standing on the other side of the room.
Rosalind scowled.
Roll initiative.
Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she was sure she heard the rattle of dice being rolled. It made the whole situation seem very surreal.
Why in all the worlds would Peter’s assassin character be here? Unless... Gregory broke in before she could respond, stepping in front of her to block Chopin’s line of sight.
Chopin... Peter always named his characters after famous composers.
Initiative 20. This time the voice was definitely Theo’s, and nothing like the voice she’d heard before.
“Kallea’s not here,” Gregory told him, and then plucked a dagger from its sheath and threw it.
What’s your flat-footed armor class?
April 7
Progress: Today was the first day of normal time. Daylight savings ended! Admin took over most of the day, but words still got done.
First Words from Chapter 4:
Instead of walking past the Dragons’ headquarters, Gregory surprised her by turning down a path that took them past the cottages lined up behind the businesses lining the main street. Until then, Rosalind had thought people lived above their work places, but now she saw that many lived in a row of small houses at their backs. Across a narrow street, stood another row of small houses, each set on a neat plot of land, fenced by ramshackle palings. Gregory caught the direction of her stare.“We make sure everyone has a place of their own. Everyone contributes to the community, so they deserve at least that much. We help them build it, and fence it. After that, it’s up to them to make it something more. Come. The temple’s this way.”
A low stone wall had been built the next street over, although Rosalind could see a larger wall was planned.
April 8
Progress: Despite an early start, the morning was constantly disrupted by phone calls and a long-awaited delivery. Homeschooling continued, although it was a difficult day, with maths creating more problems than were solved. I was able to do some writing in the afternoon, but household tasks could also not be ignored.
First Words from Chapter 4:
The Chamber of Cleansing deserved its name, Rosalind thought, after being hustled into a two-chambered cubicle. She was told to undress in the first half, and then to go stand in the second and be prepared to use the wash-cloth and soap provided to clean herself as the deities intended.
As the deities intended?
It was all she could do not to laugh, but Rosalind obeyed the instructions, and was pleasantly surprised when warm water showered over her from what looked like a hole-filled bucket attached to a pipe in the wall.
Magic or physics? she wondered, and then decided she didn’t care.
April 9
Progress: This was a massive day. I wrote in the morning, and then went to the meeting that would decide the podling's educational future for the next two years. It was a relief to be told homeschooling could continue. The afternoon was spent destressing, and culminated in the first day of trying to develop a running habit - although, at this stage, it is more of a short walk-jog. Twenty-five years of neglect have resulted in some leg strength and a tonne of fitness. I need to fix that.First Words from Chapter 5 - To Be Titled
If Rosalind was honest with herself, she hadn’t really through about which deity she wanted to follow, but Merilor made sense. Apart from being the only deity with any representation in Dragonshaven, he was also a deity of her homeland...and as a nature deity, having her mother follow him would make her youngest daughter happy. Nettle always played as a druid.That thought brought a smile to Savila’s face, but the silver-garbed priestess said nothing, and Bergit continued.
“You also wish to train with the Dragons, in effect, taking on the training of two demanding trades, is that not so?”
Rosalind nodded, and the priestess frowned.
“It is a difficult path,” she said. “Few who choose it can sustain it.”
“I will cross that bridge when I come to it,” Rosalind told her, “but, if it means that the characters hunting me are unprepared, then I’m willing to do the work.”
April 10
Progress: Today was a difficult day. Homeschooling and sporting activities were fraught with tears, possibly as a continued stress bleed-off from the meeting and routine disruption the day before - and I missed the second day of jogging. There was some joy in the day, though, when my son and my grandson made an unexpected visit for the afternoon and evening. It was wonderful to see them. Admin continued for part of the afternoon, and I got some words done later in the evening. They weren't many, but I am determined that not one day will go past without something written. There is no longer any point in waiting for Life to play nicer. I've had shenanigans since June last year, when I recovered from a back injury, only to have a precancerous growth cut out of my leg. Things are showing some signs of improvement, but the world isn't finished with me yet, so I'm going to get words done every day, no matter what the disruption, or the stress, or the trauma., because how can I say I'm a writer if I don't actually write?
First Words from Chapter 5:
She took a breath to continue, but Savila broke across her.“It’s not enough,” she said, explaining when Bergit looked at her. “The names. They’re not enough. We’re going to need more than just clerical magic to banish the demons; we’re going to need someone who understands the arcane, as well.”
“And who is willing to work with the Order to banish the demons from this plane?”
At her words, Rosalind felt a frisson of excitement flow through her.
A wizard! For a moment she wondered if she would be forgiven for changing her career, but then she shook her head. No. She had chosen, and the path was one that Theo would never guess at in a hundred years—and they were strong classes, if she worked them right. She just had to choose the right skills and feats to spice them up.
April 11
No words, yet, although the morning jog is done. This post is going up, and then the usual morning duties need to be performed. Writing will occur in fits and starts between homeschooling and those tasks.
My Other Works of Fantasy:
The last twelve months have focused almost purely on science fiction... okay, except for the 4 novels I've written for LMPBN, and a couple of short stories, one of which will be released in Fireside Creation's Dragonscales anthology. Apart from those, I have a trilogy I wrote as the first novels of my career, and the first book in an incomplete series.
You can find them at the links below:
From LMPBN with Michael Anderle:
Trading into Shadow
Trading into Darkness
Trading Close to Light
My early fantasy novels - the Shadow series. Note: completing new covers prior to a rerelease of the series is on the Task list. Until then, you can find them as they look below:
My other early fantasy novel, and an early sci-fantasy novel - these series are slated for completion by early and mid-next year, respectively. The links are below the covers:
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| books2read.com/u/4DoAOQ |
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| books2read.com/u/3nYKVP |
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