December 23, 2005
happy everything!
Happy Everything, everyone. Stay safe, stay warm, and I'll be back next year.
And remember:
G'night, all.
Posted by sdshaver at 04:20 AM
December 21, 2005
a good place
I've far from hit the schedule I wanted, but I'm still in a good mood. Why, you (don't) ask? Because Firebird's Wish is in good shape, I'm starting to love it again, and I can go home and visit my family without feeling like the book is looming over my head, begging to be done (which was the November sitch).
I am at a good point to go away for eight days and enjoy myself. This is an excellent place to be.
So while chapter two still needs to be written, I have a fair idea that it will be. Perhaps even in longhand on a plane, though I suspect Curse of Chalion will take precedence.
But for now I must bake a suitcase and pack some macaroons.
Posted by sdshaver at 09:39 PM
December 20, 2005
chapter 2
Moving along. But mostly spent the night going back over one, rearranging this, highlighting that, and shuffling the deck a bit. Also began the first stage of my keeping cakes.
Off to bed.
Posted by sdshaver at 12:48 AM
December 19, 2005
chapter one (rewritten - final)
Chapter one is done. Chapter two will be tomorrow.
In my commitment to go to bed at sane hours, I will now do so. Night!
Posted by sdshaver at 12:32 AM
December 18, 2005
chapter 1-ish
The Firebird's Wish
Reason for stopping: Shower.
Mammalian Assistance: Nickel, the desperate housecat.
Cups Consumed: Diet Dr. Pepper
Exercise: :(
Mail: Ummmm....
Today's words Word don't know: motte (I really gotta add that one)
Words I'm surprised Word do know: n/a
Tyop du jour: "blade" instead of "braid"
Darling du jour: "With a resounding thwack, the brushy end of Ria's rowan switch met with the business end of the sprite, sending it flipping head over heels into the air."
Mean things: Rampant fairy-thwackin'.
Books in Progress: Lois Bujold, Curse of Chalion
Other writing-related work: I do so love beating up sprites.
Posted by sdshaver at 05:14 PM
revise...revise...revise
Continued to embellish, reduce, recycle, and rewrite. Little pieces. Stitching up the tattered corners. Closing the loops.
Finally ready to hit 1 and 2 one last time. Wiki writing is helping a lot.
And with that...bed.
Posted by sdshaver at 03:41 AM
December 17, 2005
wiki!
I've created a private wiki for cataloguing data about the world of Ceoboraan.
This is proving to be addicting. But good. It'll make my final revisions in January very thorough. At the same time, it's pulling me away enough from the story that I'll be able to revise without being so close to the characters.
Very likely this is how I will spend much of late January when I get around to PttD.
Posted by sdshaver at 02:53 PM
December 15, 2005
brainstorming first, outlining second
Brainstorming emails exchanged between me and a writing partner. We want to do something fun and finish it mid-2006. I'd say more, but since nothing's set in stone yet, I can't.
Posted by sdshaver at 01:14 AM
December 14, 2005
okay, I lied
I made ice cream instead.
But I did brush up a scene in 23. That whole chapter is probably going to be hardest hit by line edits.
Hm. Tomorrow night. Right now I think my brain is relaxing from being in GOTTAWRITEGOTTAWRITE mode for the last six months.
Posted by sdshaver at 11:57 PM
light revisions
Night one of the charge of the Light Revisions Brigade. Not much done, because I was making ice cream all night. But I revised a bit in 25 through epilogue to accomodate for some plot stuff.
I'll wrap up a short scene in 27 tomorrow, and then dig into chapter one. I like the dialogue changes I made. I'm so clever.
I ain't commenting on the bullshit sparkling debate raging on in the geek-blogosphere about fantasy vs. science fiction. It's basically the same argument I heard in the early 90s about space opera, but in Hogwart's uniform instead of that sexy two-piece latex number. Which to me says it's a fool's debate, and I have books to write and ice cream to make.
However, if I were to comment, Scott Lynch would very likely have said absolutely everything I ever could on the matter, and with better humor, eloquence, and bigger words (hagiography is a word?) than me.
Posted by sdshaver at 01:39 AM
December 12, 2005
Finis!
Finished revisions at 105k words, 28 chapters.
HA HA HA HA. I'm so awesome.
Light revisions next. Slight alteration to chapter one (I'm serious about the fairy-thwacking idea) and then that is IT for thirty days. Battle Firebird is OVAH.
Next up: short story, and finally finally finally get back to Poison to the Dead!
Posted by sdshaver at 11:50 PM
chapter 27 - mostly done
The Firebird's Wish
Starting Wordage: 101159
Ending Wordage: 102960
Reason for stopping: Bed
Mammalian Assistance: Atticus staring at my chin
Cups Consumed: None
Exercise: 60 min. cardio, 10 min. yoga
Mail: Administrivia silliness.
Today's words Word don't know: n/a
Words I'm surprised Word do know: remiges
Tyop du jour: threadbaker (instead of threadbreaker -- ha ha ha ha -- hrrk)
Darling du jour: "I understand," Jin said quietly.
Mean things: One of my characters had a Giles-in-"The Sacrifice" moment.
Books in Progress: Lois Bujold, Curse of Chalion
Other writing-related work: I wrote most of this after coming home from Narnia at midnight. I've been pondering it most of today, because it's the last chapter, and it has to tell a lot without telling. I think I got across what I need to. Characters are now safely unconscious, and I must be, too.
- i'm just sitting around
being foolish
when there is work to be done
Posted by sdshaver at 02:53 AM
December 11, 2005
chapter 27
The Firebird's Wish
Starting Wordage: 97250
Ending Wordage: 101159
Reason for stopping: End of chapter.
Mammalian Assistance: Needle-like claws.
Cups Consumed: One (cocoa)
Exercise: 45 min. strength, 10 min. yoga.
Mail: Refinance your penis! Bad credit no problem!
Today's words Word don't know: dropoff
Words I'm surprised Word do know: eyeholes
Tyop du jour: And she think she knew why.
Darling du jour: "We'll take care of the happy reunion business later."
Mean things: Ria took one for the team.
Books in Progress: Lois Bujold, Curse of Chalion
Other writing-related work: 27 will be the last chapter, and then one epilogue. I believe I may even finish tomorrow. Yay!
- but now we have
only confused hearts
i guess all we have is really all we need
Posted by sdshaver at 01:04 AM
December 10, 2005
night off
I should just make Friday night the official Night Off. That's when everything seems to happen.
26 is next. I have 12,000 words to finish the book. That's approximately three chapters and an epilogue. I did say optimistic, right?
I know what I'm doing with the deadzone between this book and the next: a short story. I haven't written a short story for the fun of it in...uhhhhhh...well, a very long time.
Oh hell, let's just talk about the 2006 plans in the extended director's cut of this post, yeah?
Now to the 23rd 2005
Finish Firebird. Should be doable. Revise lightly, throw in a drawer, drop an anvil on it.
23rd to the 31st 2005
Watch Serenity a zillion times. Outline "Poetry in Motion" in longhand. Outline Poison to the Dead in longhand. Use spiffy new journal.
January to Mid-February 2006
Write PttD. Work on "Poetry in Motion" when I'm bored with Myr and company. Continue to starve Firebird.
Mid- to end of February2006
Revise PttD.
March 2006
Fish out Firebird, print, ponder, line edit. Short story may be done by now, depending on how I feel about it.
April 2006
Mail Firebird to first publishing house. Shop "Poetry in Motion" around. Dig out PttD and begin ponder/line-edit. Send Firebird to foolhardy first readers.
May 2006
Agent queries. Send PttD to first publishing houses. Start something new (probably modern).
June 2006
Get knackered if Firebird comes back, revise again, send out again.
July 2006
Sleep.
Posted by sdshaver at 01:42 AM
December 09, 2005
chapter 25
The Firebird's Wish
Starting Wordage: 95397
Ending Wordage: 97250
Reason for stopping: Bed! And I want to know what happens to Isaac.
Mammalian Assistance: Platonic kitty-love.
Cups Consumed: Three: honey ginseng, orange-mint, and silver jasmine.
Exercise: 20 min. strength
Mail: $10 off my Seattle Sutton meals! Whoo hoo!
Today's words Word don't know: n/a
Words I'm surprised Word do know: n/a
Tyop du jour: n/a
Darling du jour: His voice crooned, soothing and soft, a child promising to show them a secret he'd buried in the forest or a pretty rock he'd found in the neighbor's garden.
Mean things: The elderly didn't pay their heating bill.
Books in Progress: China Miéville, Perdido Street Station (so...slow...)
Other writing-related work: So ends 25. I'm now at a point where I am once again playing Dr. Frankenstein and sewing in bits from the old version to this one. I'm optimistic that I'll hit the 110k mark. Ha ha ha. Remember that word. "Optimistic." I'm also bursting at the seams with the need to write Poison to the Dead. May start outlining that one in longhand on vacation.
- you've seen her opening doors
she's a history turner
she's a sweetgrass burner
a dog soldier
Posted by sdshaver at 01:07 AM
December 08, 2005
whack! home run!
I have an overwhelming desire to start the book off with Ria wielding a hickory stick and smacking a fairy across Greenholt Keep.
Yes, but would it be compelling?
Posted by sdshaver at 06:28 PM
chapter 25
The Firebird's Wish
Starting Wordage: 93745
Ending Wordage: 95397
Reason for stopping: Bed.
Mammalian Assistance: Atticus and Nickel continue their lap-assault.
Cups Consumed: Diet Dr. Pepper is my friend
Exercise: n/a
Mail: n/a
Today's words Word don't know: vaned, afterfeather
Words I'm surprised Word do know: rachis
Tyop du jour: n/a
Darling du jour: "Berna was one of his chickens."
Mean things: Grapefruit spoons. Eye sockets. That's all I'm going to say.
Books in Progress: China Miéville, Perdido Street Station (yes...still)
Other writing-related work: Hey look, my blog's back!
Posted by sdshaver at 12:19 AM
December 07, 2005
chapter 24
Previous Wordage: 90946
Finished at: 93745
Reason for stopping: Bed.
Mammalian Assistance: Atticus-butt, Nickel-snout
Cups Consumed: Lacking.
Exercise: 45 min. strength, 10 min. yoga
Mail: Lovely letter from someone who liked "Safe and Sound". Thank you, lovely person!
Today's words Word don't know: glugs, Elsewhen
Words I'm surprised Word do know: n/a
Tyop du jour: none I could find
Darling du jour: "Do you have thometheen I can blot thith with?"
Mean things: Ria messed up. Big time.
Books in Progress: China Miéville, Perdido Street Station
Other writing-related work: My butt hurts from sitting in this chair.
Format stolen wholesale from Elizabeth Bear, because I can.
Posted by sdshaver at 07:32 PM | TrackBack
We've Moved
The site finally gets a title. And...uh..."Three Cups Later" is a reference to the copious quantities of tea I drink, not breast augmentation. Yeaaah. Thanks.
So...the short story is, my site got hosed, my provider didn't have adequate backups, my wrath was furious, sky got blotted forty days and forty nights, yada yada yada, and now I have a new provider.
Certain archives are gone. Gone! Seven months worth of gone. Not that anyone was really reading this, but....
And now a couple other changes are forthcoming. Like an update format for the nights I write.
This site is still foremost about my professional writing (or attempts thereof). I am still slogging my way through the Novel That Will Not Die, and I still haven't sold a book.
So, that said...on with the show!
Posted by sdshaver at 06:53 PM