Nano days 10-16: 6,211 words

Been a writing fiend, and it’s going really well.  I did take last night off to work on a story for an antho, but other than that, I wrote every day.  I’m coming up on 40k whch is so exciting, and things are really heating up!

Stats (all days combined):

Wordcount today:  6,211
Total for Nano so far: 15,217
Words left: 14,783
Treat: Hot chocolate!
Nick is: being evaluated
Asha is: being saved by Joe
Emily is: in unspeakable pain
Mood music: Tool, Eyes of Eden, Various

Excerpt: in which the shit hits the fan…

I was looking at myself in the mirror when I saw it: my new eyes flashed to black with silver streaks.  My heart plummeted to my feet. What was going on?  Why were my eyes doing that?

I blinked, and they went back to normal.

I grabbed a brush out of the drawer and started to brush my hair. It always calmed me.  Always soothed me.  I needed soothing.  I needed answers.

And answers you will get in time, an unfamiliar voice said in my head.  It’s too soon.  I need to grow stronger first.

Grow. Stronger.

I dropped the brush, and it clattered on the floor.

I ran out of the room, not sure where I was going – where could I go? I was locked in here, with this thing in my head, and –

Don’t be afraid.  I will not harm you.

I wanted to close my ears, make myself not hear her.

You cannot get away from me.  I am within you.

I could certainly try, though.

I went back to the bathroom and frantically searched for anything that could bring me pain.  I figured if I was hurting, I would be able to ignore her.

My shadow.

Of course, the bathroom didn’t have anything.  Who knew?  They probably anticipated this sort of thing and didn’t want us to hurt ourselves.

Were there others like me?

Yes. But no one as strong as I.

I sat on the bed, my hands shaking.

“What do you want?” I asked, my heart racing.

Your beautiful, young body.  And your mind.  That is all.

That was all?

“And here I thought you might want world peace or something,” I muttered.  “What if I asked you to leave?  Would you do it?”

I cannot.  I am entwined with you now.  If you hurt me, you will hurt yourself.

Nano days 8 & 9: 1,530 words

Slow going here.  Been stressing out about some things and my wrist was hurting last night, so both days were low wordcount days.  That’s okay, there’s still time to catch up.  And since I’m not about 50k anymore, it’s okay.  Totally okay.

Some interesting things happening storywise.  I’m very excited about the possibilities.

Stats (both days combined):

Wordcount today: 1,530
Total for Nano so far: 9,006
Words left: 20,994
Treat: Chocolate pudding, yum.
Nick is: being held captive by Piper
Asha is: still freaked like whoa
Emily is: Terrified and excited to get her sight back
Mood music: Adam Lambert (Trespassing) – technically, his music, while I love it madly, is too upbeat for this story, but last night I had an urge for his music.

Excerpt:

Emily is seeing Soren for the first time (she was blind and now can see)….

Soren cleared his throat, and I finally got my first look of him.
He was…an angel.  Wingless, but no less ethereal and beautiful, with white hair pulled into a braid that tumbled down his back.  Eyes that were black as night and held streaks of silver.  Long, elegant fingers.  A simple robe that reminded me of clergymen.
But his eyes…breathtakingly beautiful.  It was as if I could look into them and see eternity.  See the shifts of space and time, see civilizations being built and dying.  I could see my entire life in his eyes, and never get tired of it.  I could see the universe, the world, the fragile light of a soul.  Mana, as we Hunters called it.
It was all there in his eyes.

Nano days 5-7: 3,020 words

I’ve been very, very busy and the days are just flying.  Finally, I have a few minutes to do an update.

Yesterday, I had a HUGE revelation about one of the main characters.  It is SO huge that it’s going to impact everything I’ve planned.  But this will make it better, and a bit heartbreaking (sorry, can’t help that — some parts of Fey Touched were heartbreaking, too).  I also have a solid idea for book 4, if you can believe that.  Lots happening.  Lots of thinky-thoughts going on.  I just love my subconscious.  It is so wonderfully evil.

Stats!

Stats (all 3 days combined):

Wordcount today: 3,020
Total for Nano so far: 7,476
Words left: 22,524
Treat: Good music!
Nick is: a puppet dancing on Piper’s strings :shudders:
Asha is: freaked out like whoa
 Emily is: scared and angry
Mood music: Dawn of Destiny and Eyes of Eden

Excerpt:

Soren took deep breaths.

I prodded my wrist, trying to see if I’d been injured.  See?  No. Feel.

“I’m so sorry.  That one was strong enough to break through my magic. It’s strong enough to make you its vessel.  I got rid of it.  It won’t be hurting you again.”

My stomach was flip-flopping.  “It called me its soon-to-be Queen.” An icy finger ran down my spine.  “What did it mean?  I’m no Queen.”

Weight on the left side of me signaled that Soren sat down on my bed. “There’s a hierarchy there among the grave touched.  They have a Queen.  And a King.  Their version of nobility and commoners.  It is determined by strength.  The Queen usually takes a vessel when she’s strong enough, and chooses a mate who is as strong as her.  And they rule the Nether together.”

“But I wouldn’t be the Queen.  I’m not grave touched,” I protested.  Having even a slight connection to those things was freaking me out, sending me in a tailspin.  Vertigo made me lay back against my pillow, putting my hands over my bandages.  When would these blasted things come off?

“That’s exactly it.  The one who is Queen is planning on taking you as her vessel.  And through her, you will be Queen.”  He brushed a wayward strand of hair from my face, his fingers cold and soothing.  “I will die before I allow that to happen.”

“Thank you.  I don’t want that to happen, either.  It sounds..horrific.”

“Being taken as a vessel is an unbearable kind of torture. One that you cannot begin to imagine.”

Nano Day 2: 1,650 words

I did better than I thought, and the scene just flew.  Kinda of petered out at the end, but that’s okay.  I’ll figure it out.  Draft total is just shy of 28k.

Stats:

Wordcount today: 1,650
Total for Nano so far: 2,966
Words left: 27,034
Treat: Halloween KitKats
Nick is: still in the twilight zone
Asha is: terrified
Emily is: still very, very scared
Mood music: Xandria
Favorite lines:

“Are they working you to death?” she asked, her lips quirking in an almost-smile.  The smile faded around the edges.  “That was a joke. You know, death?  We can’t die.”

I knew that, but I wasn’t in the mood for jokes.  “I’ve been seeing things and I might become a vessel to some dead entity that wants to have a body.”  It all came out as one, very rushed sentence, and when I was done, I let out a huff of air.

I hadn’t meant to bring it up that way.  I wanted to ease into it, massage it a bit, but shit – it just came out.

Fallon’s mouth formed an oh of surprise – or maybe horror.  Not sure.  “Um, care to repeat that slower this time?  These drugs make me slow and stupid.”

 

I love having Fallon back.  Now, to get her back to hunting…