Another post from a dozy Blogger

I really must get the hang of this blogging lark, a first time reader might think I'm mute - but anybody who knows me KNOWS I chatter with the best of them.  Just been very busy with second draft of WIP, and working through some personal stuff.

I also must start submitting flash again.

Watch the ether....

God is it THAT time already?

Who set the clock forward to spring?  Last time I took a peek we were in depths of winter....

So much has gone on - life, writing, stuff.  Current novel is first-drafted and now well into the real business of knocking it into shape.  What I can take from this lapse (in time) is - I'm not an avid blogger!  I only speak when I have something to say.


 And now I've said it....

Cornbread and Candy Sauce

Here's a little seasonal gift. A flash of mine that was originally published in The Ranfurly Review.

Cornbread and Candy Sauce

Big, fat, flakes tumbled down, covering everywhere – deadening sound and softening contours. An icy wind flapped in from the north causing some flakes to swirl and dance on their way down from the leaden sky.

Snow was falling hard.

The blizzard had been raging all day. And now the barn had a drift stacked up against the lea-side. Inside, flakes fluttered through cracks in the boarding – to flurry in a spiral and sprawl over the floor. They lay where they landed – no warmth melted their hearts. The quiet was like a presence – heavy and waiting.

Back and forth a rope swung slightly – a tiny occasional creak the only indication of the weight it held.

Drip.

A viscous, crimson plop.

A furry scurrying told of interest from some hidden inhabitants. But the long rope, attached to the rafters, swung lone and inaccessible. Experience dictated the position.

Drip-drop.

Dark red, thick, mixed with the snow covering the iron ground.

Suddenly a crack of yellow light from the door; foot stamping and hot breath blowing on hands. Ma shone the lantern on the rope’s bottom. They both stood and admired the plum-bob weight - Christmas dinner.

“Sure is a big ‘un.”

“Sure is.”

“How’d ya catch it?”

“Same as usual - corn-bread and candy sauce. Gobbled it right up. And then - thwack!!”

A mime matched the words. A hammer blow to crack a small head.

“When’ll ya draw and pluck it?”

“When time’s right. Waddaya think?”

“20 minutes a pound’ll be a long cook at that weight! Best not stuff it – it’ll take forever to roast, else.”

The lantern’s light wavered and receded; voices dimmed and faded out. The latch was closed.

Plop-plop.

Thick blood dripped down stiff fingers and onto the floor, covering a wristwatch and obscuring the dial.

Not everyone ate turkey at Christmas.

Ho, Ho, Ho!

Post NaNo - I got the 50K done - WooHoo!!

So, I wrote 50,077 words last month. they were in sentences, paragraphs and everything. I even managed some fair spelling, too. Ok, what the hell, I'll admit it - I relied on spell-checkers. Doesn't everyone?

I calculate I am about 62% complete on the first draft and I'd like to get cracking on writing the other 38% over December - so come the New Year I can slap that text about a bit and get a solid second draft.

I am also concurrently (Multi-tasking, me) submitting my second novel Market Warfare, and I hope to get an Agent interested in helping me take it to market.

Any offers?

NaNoWriMo

It's November and it's NaNoWroMo time!! Can the bunch of us keep up the output - will there be a novel at the end? Who knows, but it's jolly good fun and very helpful to write in competition against others. Very motivating. Meanwhile I have some printing to do to get the other novel out of the door and on it's way to some lucky agent!

Such a lot done...

since last I posted. Second draft finished and away to a reader panel. And I'm 20K plus into WIP3. I find it a challenge to try and emulate Trollope and write 2000 words a day. Thing is he did it longhand using a quill pen (I think) and then went on to his day job.

If I keep this rate up I'll be finished mid September and can get back to the third draft of WIP2.
Busy busy busy...

The WIP is finished ....

Well the first draft is anyway! I am so looking forward to letting it set, writing some flash and then getting down to the second draft!

Woo Hoo!