Nano Progress report
As I struggle along here at 29,160 words (and not done for the day yet), I've been trying for the last few days to make something comprehensible out of chapter 15 and I fear I'm just making myself more confused.

I know I'm supposed to be working on new stuff for Nano and I was for a while there, but I ran into this mess, and really don't feel comfortable going forward until I straighten it out. Too many versions written so long ago I no longer remember them. This is not good.

If I don't get my act together soon, I'll be writing Normavel's snow scenes in the snow again!

I love the pep talks we're getting from the Nano folks. There's so much good encouragement in them, I'm going to save them to reread again as I continue to work on this and other projects.

Today we were reminded that just because you're researching things on the internet that make you look like a serial killer, not to worry--it comes with the territory.

Well, enough procrastination here.

Shark attack

Phew! I nearly fell off my surfboard there for a couple of days. The sharks were nibbling at my toes. But this morning I finally made a breakthrough on chapter 13, or what is currently 13. I'm driving ahead on this one story thread. I'll need to go back and pick up the other pov's and story lines--not sure I can call them "subplots," as I won't know for a while which is subplot to which. I'm thinking this is the mainline, but--to totally mix my metaphors--nothing is set in concrete here.

Without including today's word count, I'm up to 18,591, which is still ahead of the NaNo game even with my lousy progress, or lack thereof, for a few days.

I should have realized Nov. 4th & 5th are always the nadir of my year. Must be my biorhythms. Funny thing is that I never remember until it's past. You'd think I'd see it coming each year. But I don't. If I'm going to get sick, it's usually then. This year it was my car that got sick. Well, maybe that's a good thing--better the car than me!

Nano progress ~ Day 3

Doing well on Nano-ing. 5367 after two days. Discovered the part I wrote yesterday doesn't fit my vision of this book, but belongs in Candles.

I have a much clearer picture of where Beacon is going and how it's going to fit into the series. I was thinking of it as kind of a bridge book--a coming of age story--but now I see that it is really the next step.

But that leaves New Moon hanging. Chronologically it needs to come before Beacon, since Sir Marq and Sir Breeyan are already established by the time of Beacon Burning. But whether it takes place coincidentally with Candles or not, I'm still not sure. There is a time gap in the middle of Candles, and if the season is right, that may be the right place for New Moon. Or perhaps it belongs earlier. Well, I won't worry about that now. I've got enough problems trying to sort out Beacon.

Spent most of today trying to get one of my printers working. I've got three, and none of them were happy. The Lex is out of ink. The Dell is acting up and refusing to print anything. And my ancient reliable 692C HP is being a brat--I finally reinstalled it as a 693, and it's working fine. Vista only recognizes 691 and 693, for some weird reason known but to itself.

On top of that my Clipmate won't transfer anything to this blog, which is another pain.