The Curse of the NaNo Plot Bunnies...

Now there's a title for a new book...well, maybe when I finally get around to finishing this one, I shall write it. (Not to mention the small matter of all my other unfinished ficlets whose characters abuse me constantly for forgetting about them. I must finish 'Children of the Revolution' before the next millenia, otherwise they may kill me...not to mention the two and a bit fantasy novels I found half-started in a notebook the other day, all of which need doing because, dammit, they're good. Ish.)

But I digress. And procrastinate, something I've been doing rather well at throughout the *checks NaNo discombobulator* 16 days of NaNoWriMo. As you may have guessed, it's going swimmingly. Not. The two stories I was originally going to write both fell by the wayside, so now I'm only writing one and it wasn't one I'd planned on doing in the first place. Don't you love it when a plan comes together like that? [/sarcasm] However, I am rather in love with my new story. It's a steampunk-esque Jack the Ripper-based novel, with a fiesty heroine, a supernatural twist and guest appearences by a (very) thinly-disguised Doctor Watson from the Sherlock Holmes stories; a fan fiction-based Bill Sikes from Oliver Twist, complete with dog; long dead poets and, er, the Elephant Man. Please don't ask me how poor Joseph Merrick came to be part of this whole shebang because it wasn't planned, but lo and behold there he is. God bless him. And the steampunk thing is just me being a tad obsessed with the whole genre. Cos I like to make things difficult for myself.

A brief synopsis:

London, 1888. Death stalks the East End district of Whitechapel, striking fear into the hearts of all citizens of the fair capital. At the bidding of her mysterious mentor Charlotte Gunner-Hawkyns, the headstrong only daughter of a widowed wealthy lawyer, investigates the murders using 'steampunk' technology and the help of her sailor lover and a streetwise but loyally affectionate urchin, all the while thwarting her aunt’s suggestion of marriage to a Viscount and the stifling social whirl that this would entail. She knows Queen Victoria, has an inventor on speed-dial, and is mentored by a mysterious yet ancient old man who knows a thing or two about the darker side of life. Can Charlotte identify the Ripper and stop him from killing again? Will her aunt’s scheme to marry her off be thwarted? Who exactly IS her mysterious teacher? All this and more will be revealed…

Well, it will be revealed if I ever get off my bum and write. Right! Enough procrastination - I've characters to torment. 22,723 words and counting...erk!!

Remembrance Writing...

I know, I know - two blog posts for the price of one, right? And I have yet to fill you all in on Brighton. To follow, I promise...But I just wanted to post this because, for some ridiculous reason, I am quite proud of this poem. Since November 1st I've been writing a poem every day, the idea being that by Samhain next year I'll have 365 poems to do something with. Burn, probably. Who knows? Anyway, since today is Remembrance Day, I took it as the theme of my poem this evening and as I'm procrastinating like anything instead of NaNo-ing, I thought I'd post because I actually quite like it...

Red The Poppy, White The Grave (A Villanelle)

I do not know your names, but I know you died.
Fighting for your land in some foreign field.
Today we shall remember you with pride...

And what of all the friends you fought beside,
Who answered when the country first appealed?
I do not know your names, but I know you died.

Through mud and blood and desert you did stride,
And not to fear or anger did you yield.
Today we shall remember you with pride...

How many of you left at home a bride,
And learnt to keep your sorrow tightly sealed?
I do not know your names, but I know you died.

For when your country sent you, you complied
And all your own emotions were concealed.
Today we shall remember you with pride...

In conflicts past and present you abide,
And now at last your bravery's revealed.
I do not know your names, but I know you died.
Today we shall remember you with pride...

Not that bad for a half hour's work, methinks (oh-so modestly). If only my NaNo novel was as easy; of the two that I started on November 1st, both have now fallen by the wayside and I've decided to concentrate on the story that replaced the Arthurian legend one. It's a sort-of steampunk Jack the Ripper thing, with a twist. Now I just need to crack on, catch up and get writing. GO!

And So The Epic Adventure Begins...

Well, that was an unqualified success...not. Having set myself the task of writing two novels for NaNoWriMo this year, I've stumbled at the first hurdle. And so farewell, Morgan LeFaye and King Arthur in your Swinging Sixties remake - 300 words in and I could tell you weren't going to play ball. (Although bugger the lot of you for annoying the hell out of me for weeks and then getting stage fright at the last minute...) Even the turning-of-the-short-story-into-novel may not be as straightforward as I initially thought, so this could be a very long 30 days.

Having said that, I have just opened a blank Word document and might just go with what I did the first year and write whatever comes into my head, with no thought of plot, marvellous prose or what the hell my characters think they're doing. Watch this space...

And to all those who are also embarking on the long and perilous NaNo voyage, I bid you luck and shall see you all on the other side. It's a long and ardouous journey, but at the end of it we'll emerge blinking into the sunlight wired on caffeine, skinny as they come and rambling incoherantly, but dammit, we're writers...bring it on!!

Lorem Ipsum...

And so November is almost upon us, which means several things...

1) Lots of complete and utter idiots with fireworks.
2) An excuse to wear snugly jumpers, curl up with a hot chocolate and a good book and not go out because "ooh, it's a bit parky out there and it's raining".
3) My annual attempt to render myself even more insane than I already am begins.

Yes, it is indeed *that* time again. National Novel Writing Month, or NaNo, as it's affectionately/grudgingly known, kicks off on November 1st and once again yours truly is going for it. Write a novel of at least 50,000 words in a month, you say? Certainly, my fine fellow; in fact, why don't we make it two for the price of one and I'll throw in some apples as well!

One month, 50,000 words...except make mine a double because this year I'm attempting two novels. Oh, as well as having two or three rehearsed readings with my writer's group, setting myself the challenge of writing a poem a day for a year (starting on Samhain) and holding down a full-time, stressy job, among other things. Oh, and blogging. I may end up shooting myself at this rate. But it will, as always, be an experience.

Luckily for me, I have a vague idea of where my stories will go this year. One is to attempt to turn a short story I wrote into a fuller-length novel (thanks to kds at the Emilie Autumn forum, otherwise known as published author Kathryn Smith, for making me think I could do it. Read her 'Brotherhood of the Blood' books; they're amazing). The other is a modern retelling of ye olde Arthurian legends, set in the 1960's and reclaiming Morgan Le Faye from the 'incestuous whore' tag she's been saddled with over the years. It'll be interesting. I think. Come back to me on Tuesday and I'll probably be pulling my hair out and screaming that I can't write anything ever again, but for now I'm upbeat and positive.

In fact, to get my itchy fingers sorted out and attempt to engage my brain, I set myself a bit of a challenge: write a 26 word story in alphabetical order. Et voila the result...

A Little Piece of Heaven
At Beachy Cove, dawn echoes from ghostly hideaways immemorial. Jack kissed lucky me near open pools; questing, reaching, searching the undulating valleys, watching xanthic Yellowbill’s zooming…

It's short but sweet, and certainly made my brain work. Right, bring on November...