On Dec. 10, I was awarded a History Merit Badge with my first-place win in a Historical Short Story Challenge held over the weekend at the Writing.com Angel Army, of which I am a proud member.
My story is "An Afternoon at the Exposition," set in the Columbian World Exposition in Chicago in 1893, the Chicago World's Fair which honoured the sisters from Louisville who penned the tune and lyrics that were soon adapted as "Happy Birthday to you."
The song was written by the two, principal and teacher, as "Good Morning to You," for the classes to sing.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Nov. 28: Post-NANO
Well, having ushered Mary at the Old Railroad Trestle into the stable (lacking only a few scenes of dialogue and a final ending) it's time to shift gears a few years into the future (from Mary's standpoint) and across the Big Pond: from 1911 in South Alabama to 1914 Edinburgh/Dover/France, and from YA quality to sweet romance but with an 18+ level concept. This new one is a short story of my conception; I've been asked to author one for an upcoming (Spring 08) charity anthology. How utterly cool is that? I'm truly honoured. This new story came to me fully plotted in only two sleepless nights, so it's ready for dictation through my tapping fingers and into the PC.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Nov. 22: Happy Thanksgiving
40,254 wc, 8 days to go!
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Nov. 20-21
WC 37,885
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Nov. 17: 30,160 WC!!
The noose of circumstances is tightening around my stalwart heroine, who is about to discover yet more new information. She has about 3.5 more days of life
Looks like there will be some more backdrop added, unless those are a very Event-filled 3.5 days :)
Nov. 16
Still keeping the pace and scheduled to completion on November 30.
Mary continues to develop as a character, as does Spiritualist Minister Termather, the trouble-stirring new event in her life.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
MADE THE MIDPOINT! NOV. 15
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Nov. 14
Tomorrow as midnight turns to Friday, Nanowrimo for 2007 will meet its midpoint. I'm pounding away on Mary at the Old Railroad Trestle, trying my durndest to reach 25 K by the time I stop writing on it tomorrow. Right now (while breaking to work on an Assignment) I'm at 21,581.
I say I'm stopping to do the coursework, but I think it's also because Mary has yet again surprised me; make that "freaked me out.
Nov. 13: wc 21,581 and counting
Nov. 13
Despite a late start, the writing went well; I only worry now I've over-foreshadowed the end!
WC: 1550.
I'm feeling good about this again!
Nov. 12
Missed out on writing on Sat. Nov. 11 and Sun. Nov. 12 because of preparations for the three courses I'm teaching and one of the student courses. Also had Content segments to work up and upload. Accomplished no other writing at all (though a good deal of writing on Sat. for the Lesson prep.)
Nov. 12, Monday: word count 17,784
I now know not only the Final Death (which I knew from the moment of the story unspooling on Oct. 30) but two penultimate deaths--which I now (Nov. 13) think may become three; and I'm seeing how to drive my heroine further and further into the close trap of circumstances which embed her in conflict with herself as well as her social group.
Nov. 12, Monday: word count 17,784
I now know not only the Final Death (which I knew from the moment of the story unspooling on Oct. 30) but two penultimate deaths--which I now (Nov. 13) think may become three; and I'm seeing how to drive my heroine further and further into the close trap of circumstances which embed her in conflict with herself as well as her social group.
Friday, November 09, 2007
Nov. 9
Completely out of the blue, Little Miss Mary blindsides me and it's my own durn fault.
Thinking at the commencement of today's session, what could I think of to write about now?
Could it be even that I'd said all Miss Mary needed me to say, only 14K in?
Did I have a novella on my hands instead of a Nano Novel?
Well, Miss Mary showed me..that little 14-year-0ld girl first gave me a totally unexpected and significant passage..
and then sledgehammered me emotionally as she dropped into a Long Dark Night of the Soul..
Shades of St. John of the Cross.....
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Nov. 8: Success to Success!
BUT: adding in the 443 words of introduction to the NEW novel, a historical which has been plaguing me since May 2002, I've actually written 2570 (including the 183 of backdrop on the new).
I am pleasedDelight: I am WRITING, I am CREATING, I am INSPIRED.
November 2007 is truly being wonderful to me.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Nov. 7: What A Rollercoaster!
She's fast developing her talents at dialogue as well as description..and that wry humour of hers is becoming very apparent.
The funnel of circumstances is tightening around her, and no matter how she tries or which way she turns, the danger of her secret (Seeing the Dead) is closer and closer to immediate revelation. That pesky old Spiritualist minister, Jepthah Termather, reappears; and we find out what a tightly-wrapped, close-knit gossiping community the small town of Cameron's Crossing really is...
Poor Mary: pushed closer and closer to her ultimate choice...
WC: 12,262
Plus an additional unrelated fantasy short of word count 1,454
Nov. 6
Spiritualism, Plantations, out of state schoolteachers, prehistoric Native history, and Seeing The Dead
Nov. 5 Nano Progress
Made up for it today though, spent the entire day (8.5 hours} writing on Mary's story. We're expanding now into the Civil War, sacred Indian burial grounds, and social caste mixing lol!
Word Count: Monday Nov. 4: 8441
Monday, November 05, 2007
Nov. 4 Nano
Made up for it today though, spent the entire day (8.5 hours} writing on Mary's story. We're expanding now into the Civil War, sacred Indian burial grounds, and social caste mixing lol!
Word Count: Monday Nov. 4: 8441
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