Geeky Writing Project for the Day

I knew from Forging Day how old my characters were at the time of the story.  I decided that since I'm going forward with the same folks, it would be nice to know their birthdays.  I went through with my gaming dice tonight and rolled birthdays for all of the major characters for which a birthday celebration could conceivably occur during the story.  Since I'm a little OCD about some things - now I'll probably have to go through and look up their astrological signs.

The Child's Day

She made me laugh and laugh, so I had to share.

Here was a part of the child's day, as relayed to me by her:

They had a fire drill today.  She got separated from the rest of the class.  They went north and she went south.  She knows she went south because we told her where the mountains are. (They are always to the west if you are in Denver.)  The para went north with the other kids.  Her teacher found her waiting, south, and said he was the last one out. He told her then that all of the others had been eaten by walkers and they were the only survivors.  The end.

Ah Tuesday

Not sure if the writing is going to be a go today or not.  The child (well, 14 year old girl with autism), was a disaster at school today.  It's after 7 and we're still working on homework. Bedtime is 8 (because the bus comes at 6:45am). I don't know why I keep trying to reason with someone that seemingly can't be reasoned with. I have to stay calm and work through things. No wonder my character, Olivia, is impulsive with a short fuse.

Getting back to work

I finished about 5 pages in my sequel to Forging Day tonight. I think I've earned some puttering time.

I think about my stories and where I'm headed with things, off and on during the day.  Here are some of the things I've pondered today.

In my story world, the big Change, of some people no longer being human, happened in late June. It's now early February and people being people, these things come to mind...

What is the gestational period of a troll?

What is the gestational period of an elf, or a dwarf? What about a part human, part other child?

Do the new species breed true - yes, I decided.

Do birth control pills work with non-humans? Nope. Not yet. Different body chemistry. I already decided in Forging Day that Dark Elves and Humans are different blood types, and Dark Elves have different reactions to medications. They're not completely incompatible, but they are enough different that doctors need to do some studying.

Trolls and condoms - probably not a great mix due to the talons. I'm thinking that my two troll couples are expecting babies, but I haven't decided when (see gestational period ponderings).

While most jobs are accepting of their formerly human employees, I feel some professions are more resistant - health care, working around children such as teachers or caregivers. For the hairier types - no jobs in food service for now.

How are other countries responding to the Changed among them? I haven't decided yet. I will probably do a little research on how xenophobic some countries are now and extrapolate from there.

I kinda, sorta have a vague notion of where this story is headed, but I also know from experience that sometimes my characters have minds of their own. There are parts of the first book that ended up nowhere near the way I expected. I just have to roll with it. (If I were typing on a typewriter, instead of a computer, that would be punny. If you've never seen a real typewriter, I just sound cracked.)

And on a closing note for today's blog, here's a small excerpt from Chapter One of the still unnamed Book Two.

“Captain Jackson, sir, I apologize.  I guess I’m a little light-headed.  What I observed was that normal flame did not damage the large slimes in any way.  My normal missiles barely singed it.  It took every bit of energy I could muster, and then some, to super charge the missiles enough to take them down.  I will do what research I can, but honestly, I think we’re going to need a sample from one, or ideally a live, whole, slime, in order to test our theories.”

“And how do you propose we capture one and hold it without more of my men getting hurt?”

“I don’t know – maybe a really big glass beaker?”  I remembered, a second too late, that Captain Jackson did not approve of levity – especially from civilians.

Checking In

It's been a while.  I've been bad.

This Spring I started a new project - I started writing my first book of urban fantasy with an adult twist.  I submitted it to the publisher last night.  Today, I have a contract!  We've had a lot of adversity over the last few years.  I finally feel like things are coming together.  I continue to do my crafting, and will have to update around that area, and my daughter is in high school this year - which just blows me away.

Anyway, here is the blurb for my book.  It should be out Spring/Summer 2015.

Global apocalypse never felt so good.

At twenty-five, Olivia Mitchell almost has the perfect life. She almost has a job. She almost has a boyfriend. She almost has a future. It’s a good thing she has friends. And on a sunny day in June, she and her friends watch the world step sideways into a new reality—one of magic and dreams made real.

Out of the chaos, people are reborn as Elves, Dwarves, Goblins, and Trolls. Olivia’s dreams transform her into a Dark Elf mage, and her new girlfriend is one sexy kitty. However, with magic came demons, monsters, and things that draw blood in the night.

A werewolf is carving a path of blood and pain and murder through the park next to Olivia’s home. The old Olivia would have been hiding under her sister’s bed. The new Olivia is going hunting.

In times of trial, some people fall to their baser natures, some people give in to their fears, and some rise to accept the challenge.

Adversity is the forge of the soul. For Olivia, today is Forging Day.