Here, There be a Writer

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

WIPpet Wednesday test drive: Christmas Trees

This week: 
      *Novel: made significant progress on my read through of The Real Road Trip. The only hard part is not making changes now, instead of waiting until I have finished reading the rough draft. I have 49 pages to go. Aiming for the week's end to complete the read through and then begin the small fixes, the spelling, grammar, and minor missing words or sentences.
       *Reading: Almost complete with The Monsters Within (Stephen Cole, a Doctor 9 adventure). It's good, but currently not my favourite. Have 54/55 pages left. Going to start Windhaven (George R.R. Martin) and then I went and bought new Neil Gaiman books (that will be February's reads: Anansi Boys, Stardust, Coraline, and Good Omens). Can't state enough that Neil's writing is Ah-Freakin'-Mazing! Go read his stuff!! Second being James A. Owen.  Also, go read his stuff!! :-)
        *Writing: wrote a press release for The Mousetrap and started working on a complete rough draft of Christmas Trees (the working title) and since I am going to try WIPpet Wednesday Links Page. This is my first time. Here is a 21 lines for the 21st of January from the current draft of Christmas Trees:

Bob stood there, in the singular floodlight of Bob’s Christmas Trees. It was cold and the wind was starting to pick up, but he couldn’t leave to get anything warm to drink, not even some hot cocoa. No he had to stay put, no one to manage while he was gone.  He wanted some coca so bad or something warm. His fingers were getting really cold, but had to stay here until at least nine.

There were a half dozen folks meandering through the small lot of trees. Their conversations, he heard, ranged from the prices of Bob’s trees to whether they were worth the cost. Bob sighed.

A sharp voice said, “He has to wonder why anyone would buy these scrawny rejects,” it belonged a thin yet neat man, from not too far away. He was within eye shot of Bob. Did that on purpose, Bob was sure of it. He shifted from his left foot to the right, his apron weighing down his jeans sagged, they sagged under gravity. Bob hitched up the jeans, realizing that he had forgotten to put a belt on today and was really regretting it now. 

The conversation continued as Bob thought about business. "One, two, three," he said to himself. "Three more, if I could just sell three more." Well then he would break even. It had been a very hard this year. Nobody seemed to have enough money nor did many came for live trees anymore. He sighed.

There was a man who was fondling the needles of a Douglas fir, one of his last on his lot. Bob eyed the man, hoping he would buy the tree, trying to ignore the sharp man's comments.

         *Editing: finished re-write of The Audition. Going to keep the title. I wanted to change it, but honestly couldn't come up with anything better.
         *Social Media/Visiting: Monday and Tuesday visited 3 to 4 blogs.
         *Planning for Critique Partner Meeting: preliminary stage. Have discussed getting together, nothing planned yet. Thinking of working on my smaller writings first, before tackling the novels.

This week to work on:
         *Novel: complete the read through.
         *Blogging: before Friday 1 new blog entry.
         *Writing: complete rough draft for Christmas Trees.
         *Submit: 1 new submission (at least 1 by Friday).
         *Theatre Stuff: various things and stuffs for The Mousetrap...

Overall, Dear Readers, I am feeling that I am really making headway on this year's goals. Making the writing a priority, which last year wasn't always a thing. Doing better because I want it!

Mousetrap is coming along quite nicely. My cast is starting to get off book, two of them have ALL TEH LINES, but I can see characters being born and the accent work is coming along. Also, it's nice to have friends who know how to teach accents. Steadily acquiring props, costumes, and set pieces. It's all exciting! No wonder why I am wired whence I get home. Whilst at rehearsals I have such adrenaline going.

How are your goals going, Dear Readers? This is part of A Round of Words in 80 Days, a blog challenge that let you make goals and share this goals with fellow writers. This is a Blog Hop, come a visit, stay for the writing and cookies!

Music for Today:

15 comments:

  1. You had me at Neil Gaiman. I love most of his books, but Neverwhere is my all-time favorite. Also, I have not seen Mousetrap in years. That takes me back to seeing it with my mom when I was in high school.

    I'm nosy, so I looked at your bio on the sidebar, and we are practically neighbors! *waves hello from Rochester*

    Great snippet. I feel for poor Bob and his Charlie Brown trees. I get the feeling the potential buyer might be someone important, though. :)

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    1. Oh. My Gods! Yes!!! neverwhere I couldn't put down, Graveyard was also so good. I love the darker side of stories and the bit of the macabre.

      ~waves~ Hi Rochester!! :-)

      Glad you like the snippet. I am really trying to finish some WIP that have been laying around, but Christmas Trees was borne from a little Christmas Tree lot that I past going to friends out in Addison, the image just grew from there.

      Thanks for stopping by!

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    2. Amy! You're in Rochester?! Seriously?! How did I not know that?! I'm between ALbany and Saratoga, on the Hudson. For me, you're not that far a jaunt....I see a mini-WIPpeteer gathering as a distinct possibility - the kids and I are hoping to go to Sterling for the Renaissance Festival this summer....hmmmnnn....

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    3. Wait...how did I not know this??? We actually drive I-90 at least twice a year because my in-laws are near Boston. So a mini-WIPpeteer gathering is a very real possibility!

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    4. Amy,
      Shan,

      I would love to have a meet up this summer!! w00t!! We should really try to make it happen...Totally!

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  2. I like the color scheme on your blog.

    Welcome to WIPpet Wednesday. :-) I hope you stick around. It's a fun group.

    I like the image of this poor purveyor of Christmas trees standing out in the cold freezing his fingers off in the hope of selling enough tress to break even. I intensely dislike standing out in the cold for no reason. I feel sorry for Bob.

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    1. Thanks! I'd been hearing about WIPpet Weds since I started A Round of Word figured it was time to give it a try!!

      Purples and Blues are my favourites, and black is nice and slimming. :-) Working on a semi-processional logo to go with it.

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  3. Thank you for those book recommendations, Cindy. I'm always adding more books to read -- and Neil Gaiman is already on my list for his support of indie writers! What energy you have channeled here from all that work on the play to the writing. I've been a part of WIPpet Weds off and on and love to see what others are writing, when I have time. Who has enough time? Re your snippet, how could a reader not have sympathy and hope for Bob? Looking forward to reading more. Have a great week.

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    1. Thanks Beth! Glad you enjoyed it, will probably post more next Wednesday!

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  4. Oooh, Coraline! So good. That's the only novel my kids have ever successfully sat through. :)

    Congratulations on your progress, and welcome to WIPpet Wednesdays!

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  5. Welcome to WIPpet Wednesdays. :D I'm a little behind this week so just made my way here now.

    Great excerpt. Poor Bob. I love the way he's focusing on all those little nagging things that someone would really focus on...how badly he wants hot chocolate, how his pants are sliding down because he forgot his belt. You've done a lot of characterization in a short space.

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    1. I have a thing for the poor sots of the world, the underdogs and the like! :-)

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  6. There is actually a Christmas tree farm in Galway, NY named Bob's Trees. It's a big deal in these parts.

    I want to bring Bob a big mug of cocoa, a belt, and a hug. And I want to buy one of his trees - a Scotch pine or blue spruce would be perfect - even though it's January!

    You've got so much going on....I can feel the energy from here! =D

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    1. Oh that cool, must be a psychic connection. And I thought it was random! :-)

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