National Writing Challenge: Week 4

Looking for my NaNo contest link? GO HERE

Warning: Some excerpts may contain adult language and situations.

11/30 OMG This is it!! I can't believe another NaNoWriMo has come and gone. One novella done, another almost. AND NOW....

WEEK FOUR BEST NANOWRIMO LINE CONTEST WINNER:
He smiled at her warmly, let go of her hand, then he turned and jumped out the window.
--Written by happy-go-lucky

HONORABLE MENTION:

...the circus was serene, until a booming scream tore through the silence.
--Written by mijahu

AND THE GRAND PRIZE WINNER: WEEK 1, .harmony. Congratulations!!

Today's total: 1166. GRAND TOTAL, NaNoWriMo 08:52621

Today's Favorite Line Written: Ironic, how one journalist had posted a mostly flattering article while fucking Evan's woman, whereas Evan's woman planned to post a decidedly unflattering article while fucking him.

By the way, my personal Favorite Line written for NaNo was this:

All Evan found himself able to think at present was of the grinding need to be Desiree's sexual CPR kit...and to resuscitate her as many times as she would let him for the rest of the night.--from Kata Sutra, written 11/22



11/29 The family did our Christmas decorating in the morning, then I had work the rest of the day. I was pretty tired by the time I got home, so only got a page written...plus I'm still scratching my head over some key plot points I need to tie together. Maybe I'll dream program for an answer tonight.

Today's total: 302. To date: 51455

Today's Favorite Line Written: The very truth she'd been so desperate to discover about him until last night had suddenly become the one she least wanted to discuss.



11/28 YEAH, Baby!! Somewhere in wee hours of 2am this morning, typing alone in dark silence, I crossed the fifty thousand word mark and won the challenge. Kata Sutra still has some finishing up work, however, so I'll keep plugging away while other fellow NaNoers hit the mark and download their award certificates. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL....and don't forget, I'm still looking for Best Line winners for this final week, so get those entries in before the deadline!

Today's total: 1306. To date: 51153

Today's Favorite Line Written: A future Evan knew he wanted with a desperation as great as the need to draw breath, regardless of what kind of article Desiree had written about his dojo...or whether she loved Mak more than she cared for him.


11/27 Happy Thanksgiving to all! I ended up working at the "day job" on turkey day today, once again falling short on word count. I wonder if I'm just trying to draw out the anticipation of crossing the mark?

Today's total: 1611. To date: 49847

Today's Favorite Line Written (okay, so a couple together this time): The truth was, they'd never been friends. They'd shared a common need within the walls of the dojo—several needs, as it turned out—but Evan had never truly been Makoto Chinen's friend. He'd been an opportunity.


11/26 Fell short on word count and plans to attend the final local write-in, bummer. But still moving on forward, and hoping to hit the big 50k in the next day or so!

Today's total: 1436. To date: 48236

Today's Favorite Line Written: “listen to yourself--you're paranoid, jealous, and so far down the path to the wrong conclusion that I can't even Mapquest you out.”


11/25 Got a good stride going today, approaching the neighborhood of an ending for KATA SUTRA. Good conflict/argument scenes today, so those fingers started flying!

Today's total: 3445. To date: 46800

Today's Favorite Line Written: “I never slept with either of you because of the story...I fell for you in spite of it.”


11/24 Hit a little over average word count today, setting up a crucial conflict scene but still not sure what will become of the three-way love triangle in Kata Sutra.

Today's total: 1695. To date: 43355
Today's Favorite Line Written: The rest of that night, conversation was reduced to the way Evan's body spoke to Desiree's, and her cries in response.


11/23 Kind of lazy day today, and even though I'm still feeling a bit lackluster I made up for some of yesterday's lackluster word count.

Today's total: 3450. To date: 41660

Today's Favorite Line Written: Proof yet again that when Mak least expected pain, life scheduled him for a root canal.

National Writing Challenge: Week 3

Looking for my NaNo contest link? GO HERE

Warning: Some excerpts may contain adult language and situations.

11/22 WEEK 3 WINNERS, BEST NANOWRIMO LINE WRITTEN!!!

WINNER:"I don't know what happened the last few months... but when I woke up this morning, I had a bottle of gin in one hand, and an accounting degree in the other."---Written by Hugo_Jawfaln

RUNNERS UP: Mother didn't struggle much when I killed her.--Written by fthsquared

There is nothing more satisfying than playing tic-tac-toe in the margins of the Book of Life.--Written by Xuxilbara

Congrats to all, and Hugo_Jawfaln advances to the finals for the chance at the Starbuck's Gift Card!!

As for me...held a yard sale this morning, sat through the Twilight movie twice, and still not feeling the greatest. But I did manage to write another scene.

Today's total: 1149. To date: 38210

Today's Favorite Line Written: All Evan found himself able to think at present was of the grinding need to be Desiree's sexual CPR kit...and to resuscitate her as many times as she would let him for the rest of the night.

11/21 Called off work, feeling pretty blechy today. Barely managed 1/4 of today's word count.

Today's total: 460. To date: 37061

Today's Favorite Line Written: Some of the words she'd begun to understand, the rest needed no translation--hearing Mak speak his native tongue burned through her like an erotic firestorm.


11/20 Edited Immoral Magic all morning, figuring I'd write late after work...which almost backfired when a headache and flu-like feelings just about sabotaged me for the night. Then my characters had so much to say and do to one another that the muse took over and I got my daily count in--plus some.

Today's total: 2657. To date: 36601

Today's Favorite Line Written: When had Desiree stopped being a mere distraction--just a fiery sexual convenience--and become the dream of a future he never knew he wanted?


11/19 The ranks really thinned out--only three of us showed up for this week's local NaNo write-in. Am still sailing along above the total goal, even though today's count was a bit shy.

Today's total: 1549. To date: 33944

Today's Favorite Line Written: Tossing the key down on a warped round table, Mak turned to face the woman who had become a deer in the headlights of harm's way tonight, thanks to his profoundly fucked up life.


11/18 Pounded out the rest of an alleyway fight scene for Kata Sutra today, a bit short of daily word count, but I'm still ahead of the game overall. Now I just have to decide whether to forge ahead in the writing, or fall back to fill in where I jumped ahead to get to this "juicy" part!

Today's total: 1633. To date: 32395

Today's Favorite Line Written: She obeyed Mak—a curious recurring theme with her tonight—and slid in beside him.


11/17 Spent the main part of the day with more editing and query follow up, but around ten PM I was at work and finally got a flash of a scene from Kata Sutra I wanted to write. So the muse has spoken--Kata Sutra it is!

Today's total: 1922. To date: 30762

Today's Favorite Line Written: “There's nothing you need to know,” Mak leaned in to press the remaining words against her lips, “that this doesn't tell you.”


11/16 Adrift without a ship today, since I finished my NaNo book! I couldn't decide which in-progress book to work on to pick up my word count, so instead I entered an excerpt of this year's NaNo in Reading Writer's Romantic Encounters contest. Then pulled out LAST year's NaNo, which was recently turned down by the first place I subbed to, to polish it a bit before sending it back out. Oh, and I sent a status inquiry in on SUITE SEDUCTION, which has been under consideration for a whopping seventeen months now. And in my personal reading-for-enjoyment today, I ran across some interesting research I may well use in my upcoming ANGELIC SEDUCTION. So no word count, but a busy writer day nonetheless!

Today's total: 0. To date: 28829

Today's Favorite Line EDITED!!: Isn't there a law against plaid flannel on the West Coast?

National Writing Challenge: Week 2

Looking for my NaNo contest link? GO HERE


Warning: Some excerpts may contain adult language and situations.

11/15 IT IS FINISHED!!! I completed BUILDING SEDUCTION today, exactly halfway through the challenge! Since the novella is shorter than the 50k suggested word count, I'll continue participating by working on other in-progress stories. And NOW...**WEEK 2 CONTEST WINNER!!**

The number of entries may have dropped off this week, but certainly not the quality!! After careful deliberation, I had to give a winning nod to this line:

"Oh aye, because nothing says 'I love you' like a good storm off."--Written by Morgans-Spiced, submitted to the nanowrimo.org forum

And close behind were these runners up:

What job besides stripper requires fishnet stockings?
--Written by Hulagirl10, submitted to the nanowrimo.org forum

AND

"If it gets to the point where I start making sense to you, I would say that it would be about time to drug you again, wouldn’t you agree?”
--Written by DeniseB, submitted to the nanowrimo.org forum

Excellent job, everyone! And Morgans-Spiced advances to the final round to vie for the Starbuck's gift card.


Today's total: 2758. To date: 28829

Today's Favorite Line Written: She didn't want him, which had made every moment spent toiling over this little side project burn like a jagged sliver shoved up his love life.


11/14Woke up this morning all excited to start writing, since I'm about to reach the big climax scene. Took one look at my precious little girl's face, realized I have to work 6 out of the next 7 days, and pushed my laptop aside. Took a day off from NaNo so we could hang out at the museum, rent some movies, and go swimming. My characters are in limbo waiting for their big moment, but THIS moment was even bigger. I know they understand.

Today's total: 0. To date: 26071


11/13Today I was a little late to work because I just couldn't stop writing until one of the characters got to say a line I'd been really looking forward to! As this series is novella length, I'm actually closing in on the end of this book, so I may begin another in the series or do some pickup work on some other in-progress pieces to make the 50k goal for NaNo.

Today's total: 2531. To date: 26071

Today's Favorite Line Written: The kiss was suffused with an ageless, almost fatal passion; a living entity that existed apart from the two lovers, yet bound them together the way a thread joins two fabrics while retaining an identity of its own.


11/12Tonight was another local NaNo write-in, so I didn't pen a word until hitting the coffee house. Managed to get 800 words in between rounds of witty banter. Came home all fueled up on Chai Lattes and zinged up another 1800 words. Gotta love writing by the light of a full moon...and a caffeine buzz!

Today's total: 2529. To date: 23540

Today's Favorite Line Written: There was no doubt about it; if she wanted to make trouble for him, David's breezy island flower could very well turn out to be a category five hurricane.


11/11 Stayed up til 3am finishing word count, then up at 9am to tackle more. I find I type faster when I'm writing conflict/argument scenes. Anyone else find their adrenaline gets going then, too?

Today's total: 2090. To date: 21011

Today's Favorite Line Written: You think you're so smart, she willed him to hear her thoughts...but you're still flunking Gina 101.


11/10 MONDAYS!! Gak. I'll leave it at that, other than to say I dug in my heels and made my word count plus some...though it took until well past midnight to do it.

Today's total: 1843. To date: 18921

Today's Favorite Line Written: Dark clouds sailed in over the perfect morning, and David wondered what could have gone on between the last time she'd clung to him in passion and now to warrant her harbinger-of-doom attitude.


11/9 Made my word count with only an hour and a half to spare in the day...waited until evening to finish the love scene since Sunday beckoned me with the promise of a fun family day.

Today's total: 1881. To date: 17078

Today's Favorite Line Written: Flashes of the earliest human ancestors flicked through her mind, from a time when tribal drums and soaring bonfires were still insignificant next to the pounding, insatiable beat of a man yearning to mate with his female.


11/8 Week 2 got off to a HOT and smoldering start for my characters. Alas, there's nothing like having to stop writing when you're smack in the panting midst of a crucial love scene...because your kid has to go meet "Barbie" for a photo op and free tote bag. But that's where today found me, and hey, this was like BARBIE, man, serious stuff. so off we went!

Today's total: 1245. To date: 15197

Today's Favorite Line Written: The atmosphere around them seemed to thicken, as if molecules of their overabundant pheromones and lust spilled out and hung in the air like tropical mist.

National Writing Challenge: Week 1

Looking for my NaNo contest link? GO HERE


11/7 ***WEEK ONE CONTEST WINNER DAY!!!*** Today was one of those days I knew was going to get away from me as soon as I forced open exhausted eyes. Didn't make quota, but my 1 week total is still in the running.

Okay, enough about ME...onto the CONTEST! WOW, I was impressed with the eighty entries I received (here, the NaNo forum, and MySpace), and what a tough job to choose ONE winner! With no further ado...

**THE WINNER, WEEK 1:**

And somewhere between imitating the president and saying completely blasphemous things about organized religion, Alice fell in love.
Written by ".harmony," submitted on nanowrimo.org.

RUNNERS-UP:

It was as commonplace as talking about the weather now - sunny skies, and also a slight chance of serial killings, taking an umbrella advised.
Written by "Lynndenial," submitted on nanowrimo.org

She supposed one could flip a pancake with a flounder, but it would depend heavily on the state of the flounder in question.
Written by "chelonia," submitted here on the blog

The problem with living in Death's waiting room, Tammy always thought, was that no one was ever in a hurry to meet their appointment.
Written by "Johanna Ransom," submitted here on the blog

CONGRATULATIONS to all four of you, and our first place winner .harmony moves into the next round for a chance to win the Starbuck's gift card. Good luck!!

Excellent job to all...but it's not over yet!! There are three whole weeks left to have YOUR chance to shine with a Best Line Written...so keep 'em coming!

Today's total: 1096. To date: 13952

Today's Favorite Line Written (by me, heh): Their lips met before David even realized he'd reached for her, and the room around them imploded until the only reality left was the utter perfection of their joining.


11/6 Slept in a bit to make up for last night's late hours, but got right to writing upon waking. Despite time out to clean the house and work on my daughter's new learn-to-read program, I barely managed to squeak out my daily quota in time to post this and head to work. Whew!

Today's total: 1684. To date: 12856

Today's Favorite Line Written: The monstrous bed sat there staring, and couldn't have been more obvious or insistent if she'd trained spotlights on the beckoning mattress.


11/5 Instead of writing on auto pilot upon waking, I delayed until nighttime in order to join fellow NaNoers at a local write-in. While there we had so much fun gabbing, joking, and discussing our stories that I barely managed a scant 500 words...so I had to pick up the slack at home.

Today's total: 2383. To date: 11172

Today's Favorite Line Written: David wasn't supposed to be spending this island excursion rutting like a Wild Kingdom episode...though as plans were made and they disappeared behind their respective doors, he couldn't for the life of him remember why.


11/4 Hitting the polls to vote split my writing time today, and I fell a bit short of my desired word count...but rocking the vote made up for it!

Today's total: 1501. To date: 8789

Today's Favorite Line Written: In all Gina's studies to date, none had fascinated and stymied her as much as the realization that humans needed to know they were not alone in the universe...and at the same time hoped that they were.


11/3 I was dressed and ready to go to the first local NaNo Write-in when my husband announced he had to run errands and hit the gym. That left me on munchkin duty, but I got my word count in, and a fun little sequence to boot!

Today's total: 1914. To date: 7288

Today's Favorite Line Written: Her nonchalance made it clear she was oblivious to the blood-churning effect she was having on him—much to his relief—and that he had no similar effect on her—much to his disappointment.


11/2 Almost two full scenes today, with some interesting hints shaping up as to what troubles are coming the characters' way!

Today's total: 3036. To date: 5374

Today's Favorite Line Written: In entranced wonder Gina watched the ocean sigh back onto itself and bellow forth, shooting sprays of foam skyward as the glittering sea hurled itself against a jetty reaching out like the resort's right hand.


11/1 Up Up and Away! I barely chose a male lead yesterday, and while I wanted to start writing at midnight, Halloween plans meant no time to give any thought to his big entrance. So when the clock struck twelve, all I managed was a two-sentence note on how the lovers meet. This morning, however, I pounded keys until the first scene was done.

Winner of my FIND ME A HUNK contest: Katherine Weber with this short, sweet prompt: "He owns a construction company and has been hired to build something for the resort." There were several people who had variations of this theme (architects, construction guys going on vacation, etc.), but hers fit the bill to perfection. Congratulations...and thank you for introducing me to Mr. Right-for-this-book!

Today's Total: 2338 words

Today's Favorite Line Written: Her eyes slid away from his, back to the swimsuit she was no doubt wondering whether she could will onto her body without having to uncross her arms.