First up, my ROW80 update, with the mix of highs and lows that have marked this week. Second, I (re)introduce my NaNoWriMo tale, PATH TO THE PEACOCK THRONE.
I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that November has always been a challenging month for me, between trying to balance school, health, and other challenges. We’re barely a week into the month, and I already feel like I’m on a rollercoaster. There have been a mix of highs and lows, and though my head is spinning, I’m trying to stay focused.
The Good: I’m meeting my exercise goals (4 times/week), and I almost succeeded in my MWF blogging schedule. One cool thing is that I hit my 100th post on Monday. I’m still a shocked that I’ve made it so far. Many, many thanks to everyone who reads and comments — you all keep me motivated!
Em and I have also posted the first Fun Not Fear! check-in, with the usual NaNo mashup. If you haven’t already, swing by to share your progress, or to cheer on the WriMos in the bunch.
The So-So: My NaNo word count started out strong, but I faltered on Saturday. I attended a local meetup of WriMos in the area, but didn’t get any writing done. And in terms of my thesis, I started out strong here as well, but life got wonky before I could finish the sections I had hoped to get done this week.
The Could-Be-Better: I received some unsettling news about an illness in the family last week, and it upset me more than I realized it would. I’m better now, but the couple of days I spent in the Depths of Despair have thrown my schedule off kilter.
At the moment, I’m also trying not to get sick. The temperature dropped suddenly, and my asthma is flaring. I ended up sitting outside for Saturday afternoon’s NaNo meet-up, and although I thought I’d be warm enough in my sweater (hey, it had sleeves, and it covered my chest), I was feeling pretty poorly by the time I got home, and didn’t get anything done.
The Bottom Line: I’m feeling better about things, though I’m slightly overwhelmed by everything that needs to get done this week. I’d usually pull a few all-nighters to get myself back on track, but given the health thing, I need all the sleep I can get. “One step at a time” will be my mantra for the next few days.
(Re)Introducing PATH TO THE PEACOCK THRONE
On Friday, as part of the Warm Fuzzies blogfest, I posted three songs that inspire my current WIP. I’ll be talking about this story for the rest of November as way to keep me motivated through NaNoWriMo. I’m terrible at synopses, but the one that I’ve drafted goes like this:
Liandre, a sheltered princess who dreams of adventure, gets her wish when the death of her father exposes the terrible secret of her origins, catapulting her into an unexpected world of danger and discovery. Along the way, she’ll cross paths with allies and adversaries, watch legends come to life, and find magic more powerful than any she’s ever encountered. Better yet, she might just uncover the threads of identity she thought lost.
If PPT sounds a little familiar to you ROWers who have been visiting me for a while, it’s because I was working on it during the end of Round 2 and beginning of Round 3. 25,000 words in, I abandoned it. My protagonist, Liandre, felt incredibly flat, and I had given away the identity of the ultimate villain within the first four chapters — a definite no-no, especially since his identity is key to a larger conflict that won’t be resolved until Book 2.
Taking time off to rethink my plot (which was pretty much nonexistent) has proven incredibly beneficial. I now have a better sense of where the novel is headed, the ultimate goals I need to achieve, and what has to be done in order to get there. Better yet, I decided to switch the POV from 3rd person to 1st person. Suddenly, my flat-as-cardboard protagonist came to life. She needed to be the one telling her story, without the filter of a narrator, and now that she has the mic, she has come to life. 😀
For NaNo, I’m bracketing the first 25k I wrote, and starting in the middle, hence my semi-rebel status. I don’t know if I’ll end up using any of that original material, but my goal right now is to just move forward, and worry about the beginning when I know exactly how the novel ends. 😀
Anyway, have a wee excerpt! This is taken from the very end of Part 1, where Liandre is “crossing the threshold” from her old life into a new world filled with danger and uncertainty.
Dawn came upon swift wings, the ebon sky yielding to the blush-and-gold of sunrise. Unlike Edric’s departure for Laehira the year before, there were no well-wishers assembled to see me off, no band playing jaunty farewell tunes, no father to bestow a formal blessing upon me. I was no longer sister of the newly-crowned king, but the scion of a land most believed to be little more than myth.
Even if Edric had been at liberty to tell our countrymen the truth of my origins, few would be able to comprehend it. To them, Vao Artan was a fable, a cautionary tale told to disobedient children. My own governess had recited the dreaded tale before bedtime when I was young, and it haunted me still.
“Beware the bird-women across the sea,” she always began, “for they feast on the flesh of naughty little children, and use their bones to line their nests.”
To think that I was now one of those frightful bird-women, that their blood, their magic, flowed through my veins, marked me as different was a fact that I could hardly bear. My skin prickled at the knowledge, as though it no longer belonged to me.
Not perfect, of course, but since it’s NaNo, that’s allowed. 😉
November 6, 2011 at 11:10 am
ohhh sooo good! Thank you for sharing!
November 6, 2011 at 11:17 am
Whee, so glad you liked it! I am seriously thrilled with this novel right now. 😀
November 6, 2011 at 11:12 am
Sounds like you’re doing well, hope the asthma settles down soon and sending well wishes for you and your family.
Katy Bennett recently posted..Website Updates and blog updates
November 6, 2011 at 11:18 am
Thanks so much, Katy! Keep the well wishes coming — I think we will need them in the weeks to come.
Hope the rest of your Sunday goes well. 😀
November 6, 2011 at 11:49 am
Love the excerpt – can’t wait to see more! You’re doing well despite not feeling so hot. Keep plugging along! I’m around for sprints today if you need a little group love!! Best wishes that your week goes well and for your family 🙂
Lauren Garafalo recently posted..ROW80 Check In 11/6/11
November 6, 2011 at 5:36 pm
Whoo-hoo, thanks, Lauren! It feels good to think that I’m doing something right. 😀
November 6, 2011 at 12:10 pm
So sorry to hear about your sojourn in the Depths of Despair, ROWsis! It’s hard to deal with family crises like that, and it is only normal to have to take some time to deal with it. Being sick doesn’t help either. I’ve been sick for a few days, too, so I feel for you; my asthma makes every cold worse–grr!
I love the excerpt. It feels so good to work with characters who are full of life and promise, doesn’t it? I’m tempted to post some excerpts, if I can get over my terror, lol.
Keep taking care of yourself, mentally and physically. The rest will fall into place.
Elizabeth Anne Mitchell recently posted..Christine de Pizan’s Letter of Othéa
November 6, 2011 at 12:28 pm
Love, love love this excerpt. The Naughty children bit is great!!!!
I am so sorry you haven’t been feeling well and please do take great care. It is hard as we are so used to pushing ourselves but your health comes first and always should.
Em recently posted..ROW80 Check-in 6th November
November 6, 2011 at 2:22 pm
Sorry to hear about an illness in your family. Wishing you the best. I’m also struggling with asthma in the cold months. It’s interesting, some asthmatics struggle more when the weather gets warm and humid, others when the weather is cold and dry. Sounds like we’re in the “cold and dry” camp.
Despite all these crazy things in your life, sounds like you’re making a lot of significant progress. Path to the Peacock Throne sounds like a lot of fun and I’m glad you got re-inspired!
Wishing you the best for the coming week!
November 6, 2011 at 3:09 pm
Congrats on your success, Lena. Please take best care of yourself… Sleep, rest, fluids, yadda yadda… 😉 So sorry to hear of your family member’s illness. I’ll be sending positive vibes your way.
August McLaughlin recently posted..Eat Like a Pilgrim, Write Like a Pro
November 6, 2011 at 3:16 pm
One day at a time works. I hope you feel better. Keep up the good work with NaNo.
November 6, 2011 at 3:33 pm
Lena, that is fabulous! I’m not usually a fan of first person, but I felt that I was right there with Liandre! Love the bird woman reference along with your great title. (I’ve loved that title since day one…even when I didn’t know what the story was about!)
Take care of yourself. Stick to the basics this week. Write for school, for thesis, for NaNo. Drink hot green tea. Take a vit-C. Skip the extras until you feel on top of the world again. Don’t risk getting sick – or swamped!
Nadja Notariani recently posted..Sunday ~ A Summary …
November 6, 2011 at 4:20 pm
Love the excerpt. A very strong voice. Take care of yourself and good luck with the upcoming week.
Raelyn Barclay recently posted..Sunday Summary, #ROW80, & #NaNoWriMo Oh my!
November 6, 2011 at 4:34 pm
Good luck on your NaNo. It sounds interesting and take care of yourself. Drink warm things like tea, if you’re so inclined. 🙂
November 6, 2011 at 8:02 pm
I love the sound of the story. Intrigue excites me 🙂
I’m so glad to hear that you’re putting your health above everything and not pulling any all-nighters. You’ll get further behind if you get sick! Sorry to hear about your bad news this week too 🙁
Sarah Pearson recently posted..Musical Stories 18: Children’s Literature
November 6, 2011 at 8:28 pm
In the face of life stuff, you are still doing good, Lena! Take care of you and the asthma.
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