Don't Tread in Me

2.5k words in 4 days.

Flying in the face of the deadline for “Blue,” I devoted a good chunk of my time yesterday marking up a hard copy of the story.

Oranges, pinks and greens now color my manuscript with jaunty directives like “Move!”, “Add Beginning,” “Fill In,” and “Connection Needed.”

For some reason, this always motivates me. Don’t ask me why. The inner workings of my mind are scary places, and I try not to tread in them often.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Spent

The Hushing Days has finally claimed paper, a riotous amount of ink and paperclips aplenty.

The whole of the novel lies across my kitchen table in an inelegant sprawl reminiscent of a long-legged teenager just in from finals.

Held together with the aforementioned clips, the bulk of the manuscript rests in quite readable font on crisp and new paper.

The last three chapters, however, lie crammed in miniscule script on the back of earlier chapters, as my paper supply ran dry. Chapters 17, 18 and 19, therefore, will require a magnifying glass and possibly tweezers to edit. Well done, me.

Besides that tee-tiny glitch, the printing out of the first draft went remarkably well. Relieved to the point of shock, I followed my book’s lead and committed an inelegant sprawl myself across the couch.

Hard copy days are, well, hard… at least for someone with the mental stability of a spent dandelion in the wind.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

Battling the Undertones

There’s some leeriness going on. Some precognition b.s. spoiling a perfectly good Monday morning.

Normally, I would just pop my meds and wait for the mellow to hit, but since it’s not my brain stinking up the joint with doomsday-ness I’m at a bit of a loss.

No, I can’t even blame the four-legged, furry muse for this one. She’s tucked and stuffed and snoring at my side. No ill inklings coming from that quarter.

So, where, oh where are the fateful undertones coming from?

Um, well, that would be my printer.

See, my printer is neglected. Terribly. I’m literally going to have to Swiffer it off before I turn it on. So, I suppose, a little nerves at the prospect of printing out the entire first draft of a honking-huge novel is reasonable, but…

I could really use some team spirit from the office supplies, ok?

Yes, yes, I know that paper jams and ink shortages are on the horizon, but there is no need for apocalyptic thoughts.

Really.

I promise on those four horsemen coming over the hill.

Great. Now, I’ve caught the leeries.

Run.

Save yourselves.

Until tomorrow…

Chloe

The Hard Copy Masochist

It’s hard copy time!

With only one more Brone-Reimagined scene to sweet talk out of the old imagination, tomorrow I will be ready to send the whole of The Hushing Days to the printer.

It will be the first time the novel will feel paper beneath its words.

The first time it will luxuriate in ink upon its plot.

The first time it will feel the dreaded Red Sharpie of Rebuke across its back.

Trust me, it’s going to be a long, hard process.

There’s still a heck of a lot of writing to be done, a lot of writing to be tweaked or tossed outright.

Glaring holes in storyline and character will be tripped upon, breaking ankles and spirit.

It will no doubt be a day of slack-jawed horror for all involved…

But, man, I’m looking forward to it!

Until tomorrow…

Chloe the Happy Masochist