Kavanagh

I won.

2009-11-30T23:20:00.001-05:00

Word Count: 50000, even.

That is all.

And then there are sparks, I guess

2009-11-30T03:29:00.002-05:00

I'm back at school, and I met my minimum goal for the day! Hooray! Unfortunately, I wanted to have a minimal number of words left for tomorrow, but it's pretty much a full load. I've got an Edlab shift during which I should be able to crank out 2-3K, but it's really going to come down to the wire. I'll probably be skipping House to make absolute sure I make the midnight cutoff.

Happily, I've got more than enough material to get me through tomorrow. I might even skip to the end, if that accelerates my writing. I estimate that the completed first draft of Kavanagh will be around 75,000 words, which is more than I thought at first. I was under the impression that I'd be struggling to find plot events to hit 50K, but it turns out that my outline was juicy enough to get me most of the way there.

I'm not sure why, but the thing I'm most anticipating is going over the printed version of the first draft with a red pen and going nuts. It's probably because I've been subduing my internal editor, and he's screaming to get out. I've read a few paragraphs over to make sure they're at least 10% coherent, but besides that I have no idea what to expect when I sit down and read the hard copy. Plenty of uncaught spelling and grammatical mistakes and misplaced punctuation abound, sure, but I'm no doubt going to cringe over some of the sentences. Urgh. Still looking forward to it.

I can't believe I'm actually going to win.

Word Count: 45441

Where the rim hits the road

2009-11-29T04:46:00.003-05:00

Holy hell am I tired, but--! I HIT 40K TODAY! That elusive 50K is within my grasp now, and I've got all day tomorrow and most of my waking hours on Monday to get to it. I'm going to win; I feel it now. I had some serious doubts yesterday, especially when I couldn't will myself to stop procrastinating for hours on end, but I feel it now. I'm going to win. Speaking of self-motivation, today's ~6000 words were completed with two techniques. One of these you might be familiar with, and the other is a little more unusual.

1. Write or Die! I've heard mixed reviews of this tool. Some people say that it gives them the kick in the ass they need to keep writing, and other people say it just gives them an anxiety attack. I can see both sides of the argument, but it definitely helps me. I use it in Kamikaze mode because frankly, the other two modes are a little silly. For me to be motivated, I either need a real reward or a real punishment, and having my words erased before my eyes is a very real punishment indeed. I actually did 1,000 words in 40 minutes today, and I didn't even have an idea what I was going to type going in. Exhilarating.

2. M&Ms! "What?" Yeah, I know, this one's a little childish, but bear with me. I simple took a "Fun Size" pack of M&Ms, dumped it onto the table, and looked at them for a while. I told myself I could eat one for every 100 words -- a readily attainable goal for a tiny treat. Classic positive reinforcement, Pavlov-style. I wrote 1500 words tonight from 3-4:30 AM using precisely this technique.

Some of what I wrote today was total garbage, which is to be expected, which made me feel like this was more of an exercise of what plot points to not include in Kavanagh. Other sections left me feeling really good about the day. I was able to tie together strings I had never fathomed tying, and I now have a clearer vision of how the final plot is going to unfold. I'm going to need to have a lengthy sitdown with my plot advisor Mr. Anthony F once all is said and done.

Bus ride tomorrow, and at least 5K. Hoo boy. I'm so tired, I'm not even going to skim over this post before I submit. Click.

Word Count: 40367

Where the rubber meets the road

2009-11-28T04:08:00.002-05:00

Oh, you thought I wasn't going to finish? Ha! Ridiculous! I mean, I'm only... 15,000 words away... and I've got... three days? Two and a half?

No matter! I had foolishly made plans for tomorrow, but luckily they fell through at the last minute, leaving me wide open to write all day. Good thing, too, because I'm going to need at least 5K, and I'd like a good deal more than that. 6K would be nice; 7K would be even better... Monday the 30th is going to be a rough day for me, so I'd like to have as little as possible to mop up before midnight and verify.

Okay, it's bedtime. I'm going to need plenty of rest for tomorrow, when I'll be writing in excess of 5,000 words -- 10,000 words, perhaps?!

Word Count: 34933

Lower, lower, lower

2009-11-22T06:10:00.002-05:00

Another 500 words more in the hole today. Not much else to discuss, unfortunately. I'm happy with what I did manage to write, but I'm painfully aware of the fact that I need to write more, not better. I'd love to be able to settle for 2000 words of drivel a night, but I hold myself to... a higher standard. Just kidding, I'm not an egomaniac.

Word Count: 31183

...and going down

2009-11-21T04:40:00.002-05:00

Looking back, I see it's been far too many days since I hit 25K. Only today did I finally hit the 30K mark, and fatigue is really starting to set in. I have the next two chapters outlined, but... something is slowing me down. Not sure what.

I've been feeling rather unmotivated recently: again, not sure why. Hopefully my motivation will start to return in the coming week, because I'm 3,000 words behind at the moment. That's just a good day's worth of writing, sure, but my schedule is awful crowded for the foreseeable future. Luckily, I've just gotten word that my replacement got in today, which I'll pick up on Monday in plenty of time for the Thanksgiving break. I need to get my school projects done ASAP, and keep my break free to write like a crazy person.

Word Count: 30083

Going up

2009-11-20T04:21:00.003-05:00

It is way too late, so I'll keep this short. I closed the gap a bit today, even if I stayed up past my bedtime to do it. Late first class tomorrow, which is nice, but my weekend is looking quite hectic. I need to finish one project and make substantial progress on another, which still means ignoring a third, longer-term one. Urgh.

I'm just a bit over 2K behind, now. The gap will be closed, and what a sound it will make when it finally slams shut.

Word Count: 29498

EDIT: Important! My flash drive's global word count has finally passed 100,000!!! Ahhhhhhh!!! (Also, 600KB of text.)

In the hole

2009-11-19T03:17:00.002-05:00

Such a shame. My last post was so celebratory -- and now I find myself 2363 words behind. On the bright side, I have the next two and a half chapters outlined and I'm feeling pretty positive about the plot as a whole. I'm still anticipating the time when I get to rip this thing apart with the assistance of a close friend and restructure the plot like some kind of Frankenstein monster.

I tried Write or Die, briefly. It worked -- I managed about 400 words in an incredibly short amount of time, but I was disappointed by the lack of italics and indentation, two things I make use of in Kavanagh. I stopped using it short of my 1,000 word goal, but it definitely got me motivated enough to write more than I would have tonight.

My assignments are piling up: it's not looking good for Tom this week, and the beginning of the next. Thanksgiving would normally be a bright spot in these dark times, but I might not even be able to write at all! My laptop's hard drive died two days before NaNoWriMo (of course), so I've been writing on desktops this whole time. I asked Dell for a replacement all those weeks ago, and they told me I'd get it in 1-3 business days. Flash forward to the present, and I still haven't seen the damn thing. I pestered them again today and they said they're sending it, for real this time. Argh. 1-3 business days was again the estimate, with only 3 business days until I leave for Thanksgiving break. FFFFFFFFF

Word Count: 27627

Ooohhhhhhh, we're halfway there!

2009-11-16T01:08:00.002-05:00

OoooOOOOOHHH! LIVIN' ON A PRAYER! TAKE MY HAND; WE'LL MAKE IT I SW--

Things are looking up, and not just because of the milestone. I ended at a good part today. Chapter 11 is already 5 pages strong (in Word, so that's going to mean way more in print), and I'm at the beginning of a conversation that could go many ways, each way resulting in a bunch of character development. OooooOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH, WE'RE HALF--

Another shift at the lab tomorrow, which is good: it's going to force me to sit in front of a computer for 3 hours. Hopefully I'll do some writing then, because I won't be doing any past midnight. I know I should be able to keep my priorities straight, but it's Left 4 Dead 2, guys! Come on, I can't resist that! Oh, OH! LIVIN' ON A PRAYER!

I got my writing done pretty early today, which is also good. The 50K needs to be done before midnight on the 30th, so if my writing schedule continues to drift earlier and earlier, that means I can finish without going too far out of my way that night.

Computer Networks at 10:35 tomorrow, but my voyage through Kavanagh (the book, not the city) continues at 4:00 PM. Wish me luck!

Word Count: 25728

Accelerating, slightly

2009-11-15T03:57:00.003-05:00

Kavanagh's starting to pick up the pace again, even as my lead over the daily goal slips to a scant 57 words. Oh, mercy. Yikes, yikes, yikes.

Luckily for my brain this weekend, I've got the next two chapters outlined: the second half of Chapter Ten, all of Eleven, and a general idea for Twelve. Rin and Sarai's excursion out of the Bazaar has proven quite a boon for my creativity, since I get to introduce all sorts of new characters, and lore, and all that business. My pre-November work continues to pay off: all that world building has turned out to be worth something after all. I had 12,000 words of warmup material -- if only I could count that towards the 50K!

The planets have aligned in my favor, and I don't have any major projects or tests due until late next week. To counteract this, my laziness has gone into overdrive, which combined with my lack of an outline has been the cause of my dwindling daily word count. I need more word wars: the last two I did resulted in ~600 words each, and they were only 30 minutes apiece. 1200 words in an hour, for me at least, is totally ridiculous. At that rate I could crank this bad mammajamma out in a week flat.

Seriously, though, it's bedtime. With any luck at all, I'll hit the halfway mark tomorrow.

Word Count: 23390

Ups and downs

2009-11-14T02:30:00.002-05:00

Slogged my way through the rest of Chapter Nine, and I've finally left Kavanagh (the city, not the book). This is a mixed blessing: I now have a lot more freedom in starting a new plot arc and I get to introduce a few new characters to spice things up, but now I need to figure out an entirely new culture and do a bunch more outlining.

I hope to get 2,000 done tomorrow now that this troublesome chapter is over. I've been keeping a text file of editing notes: stuff I need to pay special attention to in December. It's been growing longer and longer over the weeks, and today it basically doubled in size. The second draft of Kavanagh is going to be much, much different than its predecessor. I can hardly wait to go through my proof copy with a red pen, highlighter and several packs of Post-its.

With my daily word count dwindling, I'm now only 300 words ahead of the mark. Yikes! Keep at it, Tom!

Word Count: 21934

Finally -- direction!

2009-11-13T03:50:00.003-05:00

I diverged from my outline about a week ago, and it hadn't been going that bad... until I hit that wall I mentioned. I felt like I had written myself into a corner. Luckily, today I had the opportunity to have a lengthy conversation with a friend about my plot, what it needs, and where it's going. By the end, I had been given several good ideas and come up with several of my own.

This coming weekend is going to be my last chance to get ahead in words before Left 4 Dead 2 comes out this Tuesday. Oh god. If there's a greater word count killer, I don't know what it would be. That day, I'm getting exactly 0 words typed. I guarantee it.

I didn't get much done today, unfortunately, only about 900 words or so. I'm thanking my lucky stars that I got off to such a good start, or else I'd be behind the goal and feeling pretty unmotivated. I worked on a filler conversation with a useless character today, but over the next few days I should get to some quality scenes and introduce a few new characters and a refreshing setting.

Here's hopin'.

Word Count: 21177

Let's pretend this never happened.

2009-11-12T03:46:00.001-05:00

Word Count: 20257

Twenty Thousand!

2009-11-11T02:33:00.002-05:00

It's the big two-oh-oh-oh-oh! I couldn't be prouder. In celebration, here's another excerpt.

Rin sat on the edge of his bunk, staring at his hand. In it was a miniscule nugget of gold, so small as to not even qualify as a nugget, weighing no more than two-tenths of a gram. He turned it over with his finger, intimately aware that it was the last of his funds. Three days earlier, he had graduated from University Arcanum: not with the highest honors, but still. He was a mage, now, and he was about to buy what might be his last breakfast.

He packed his things into a small leather sack in preparation for the day. First to go were his two magic books: a treatise on the composition and manipulation of precious stones, and a thick tome concerning mirrors and their myriad uses. Next to these he placed his most cherished possession, The Realmic Selections, a crimson book containing countless poetic and practical quotations. In the edges of the bag he crammed in several burlap pouches of alchemical reagents and a couple small vials of liquid, topped by some changes of clothes to pad the fragile containers. Along with the gold he had pocketed earlier, the contents of his bag represented everything he owned. With a sigh, Rin shouldered the bag and headed down the stairs.

Rin had been living in a hotel since his graduation, after he was required to leave his dormitory at the school. Most graduates had a place to go; he did not. His parents lived two weeks’ ride north of Bazaar Kavanagh, where he now resided, but he had no desire to visit them. They had shipped him off to school at nine years of age without so much as a kiss on the cheek. They paid for his schooling and stay at the University, but now that his education was complete, he was on his own. He didn’t exactly pity himself – Bazaar Kavanagh was an incredible place to live – but he couldn’t help but feel a little slighted. Scrutinizing page after page of minute, hastily-scrawled text isn’t what one could call a childhood.

The first three paragraphs of the book. Note that this is relatively unedited, so cut me a little slack. The only person who's read this so far is my mother, and she assures me it's great. Thanks, Mom!

Passed 550KB of text on my flash drive -- that's ASCII text, mind you, so it's 1 byte per character. I like accomplishing things, which I now realize is the whole reason I wrote the batch word-and-character counter. With that, plus Kavanagh's word count, I'm constantly crossing a series of tiny finish lines, worthless mental trophies awaiting me after each one.

Also, I have no classes tomorrow in observance of something called "Veteran's Day." I had completely forgotten about that holiday, so it came as quite the surprise when I rediscovered it today. Tomorrow will no doubt be spent procrastinating, but I'll see if I can't get... 3,000(?) words done tomorrow. That would be crazy town.

Word Count: 20029

Yet another day!

2009-11-10T01:58:00.002-05:00

The exclamation point denotes (somewhat limited) success. I didn't reach 20K, no, but I will tomorrow! In fact, I didn't even reach 18K: I'm leaving that pleasure for a quick confidence boost in the first minute of writing tomorrow. Chris Baty's pep talk I received today reminded me of how pleasantly close 25K is -- the halfway point. I can almost taste it. If I continue with the current schedule, idealized as it may be, of 2K a day, I'll get there on Friday the 13th. Eff, does the 13th of this month really have to be a Friday? Really?!

Word Count: 17974

Urrrrrrgggghhhhhhh....

2009-11-09T01:16:00.006-05:00

Wrote my first filler scene today. It was painful. You know how in TV shows they run out of money for the season and they need to make a bunch of filler episodes? Well, that's Kavanagh right now. December can't come soon enough, so I can strip this crap out of my book. Right now, Rin and Sarai have just embarked on an epic quest... to buy Rin a suit. I'm divulging this information because I feel somewhat confident that it won't be appearing in the final draft -- or the second draft, for that matter.

I'm still ahead of schedule, if only by a few thousand words. Tomorrow has all the hallmarks of a productive day: minimal homework, a shift at the computer lab, people ahead of me in word count... but distractions tend to spring up when you least expect them, or want them. I'm setting an absolutely ridiculous goal for tomorrow: 20,000. That's right, 20K. It's going to happen, mark my words (words! Hehehehe...).

As a side note, I've been using a batch word and character counter on my flash drive full of text files, and at some point last week, I passed 500 kilobytes of text! Go me!

Word Count: 15886

Hit the wall

2009-11-08T05:19:00.003-05:00

I'm not talking about the fourth wall; I'm talking about a plot wall. I've finished the sixth chapter and my outline has run dry. I managed to get in just over a thousand words today, but any more progress is going to mean some serious plot brainstorming. I may need to call in some consults for this.

I spent most of the day playing guitar, the other thing I'm currently trying to get competent at besides writing. It's a big time sink, but it provides the same thrill as watching my word count increase. I need to remember that I have my whole life to play guitar, but only November to finish Kavanagh.

Word Count: 14311

I'd call that progress...

2009-11-07T03:51:00.002-05:00

Hit my target today: 1667 words. That's right, I'm maintaining the status quo, and damn does it feel good. I didn't start writing until after midnight and I still managed to get some writing done. So proud of myself.

Lamentably, on Monday I have both a midterm to study for and some kind of Computer Networking homework due. These are going to have to happen at some point this weekend, along with the 2,000 words I need to stay above the water. My writing buddies are all breaking 10,000 now, which I like to see. Maybe some of them might start passing me, and I could use all the motivation I can get. One of my buddies has 20,000, but... come on, that's ridiculous. I need a closer goal to hit than that. Tomorrow should bring more word wars, and I might even try out this Write or Die thing I've been hearing about.

Word Count: 13109

Still playing catch up, kinda

2009-11-06T03:09:00.002-05:00

My delusion of being able to keep up 2,000 words a day has finally come to an end -- for now. My weekend starts bright and early... tomorrow afternoon, around 1 or so. Last weekend I went crazy and somehow produced 5,000 words; let's see if I can't make that happen again.

Today, I took part in my first WORD WAR against my old high school buddy Proven. It was only for 30 minutes, from 1:00 AM to 1:30, and he stomped me, spitting out >800 words to my 585. I can definitely see why people recommend them as motivation. 585 words in 30 minutes is 1100 an hour, and at that rate you could be done with your NaNo in two days. If you wrote for 24 hours each day, that is.

Things are looking good, plot-wise. I'm starting to stray pretty significantly from my outline, minor characters are asserting themselves, all that good stuff. I'm going to need to take a good long look at my ending this weekend, and figure out how I'm still going to get there. Rin was originally going to leave the city pretty early on in the book, but he doesn't seem to want to leave... speaking of which, that brings me to a mini-rant.

I don't like it when people refer to their characters as being actual entities, having opinions and things to say. I know what they're referring to, and I've fallen victim to that habit twice already in this very post, but it still rubs me the wrong way. Saying that your character doesn't like the name they're given, or disagrees with the series of trials you're putting them through... I guess it's good to get into your character, but that borders on the creepy. Don't hate me for thinking this; I don't hate you for taking part in it. It's just something I keep noticing on the boards. It seems unhealthy, having an imaginary friend past the age of 12. Characters are just that, characters, and if you get too attached to them, you might start pitying them, and then you'll forget how entertaining it is to do bad things to them.

This has been a long-ish post. Good. I'll try to slap up another excerpt or two over the next couple days, maybe a glossary of terms or some world-building material. Meanwhile, I'll keep praying that I get called up for one of the 30 Covers in 30 Days. I'm not a religious man, but jeez. I want a damn cover.

Word Count: 11283

It was not a landmark day.

2009-11-05T02:53:00.001-05:00

Word Count: 10021

It's over 9K?!

2009-11-04T02:45:00.005-05:00

Whew! Writing those last 2,000 words was like rolling around in a pit of thumbtacks -- not really sure how, but the simile sounded right. It was tough, for sure, but I got them out and I'm still ahead of schedule. It feels good.

It took a lot longer today, but tomorrow should be a landmark day for Kavanagh. I wrapped up the ultra-short Chapter 4 not five minutes ago, and I've got all of Chapter 5 and most of 6 planned out in my head. Better yet, I get to sleep in tomorrow and I have a shift working at the computer lab, which means three whole hours of (mostly) uninterrupted writing.

I'll try to get another excerpt up, but I'm still not sure of the best way to go about that. Not that I'm expecting it or anything, but were I to try to get Kavanagh published, potential takers might be turned off by having huge chunks of the book available for free on some crappy blog, even if it is my blog. I need to read up on that.

I look forward to tomorrow. I'll break 10K for sure -- the 1/5 mark -- but will I break the 1/4 mark? 3500 words is a lofty goal for a weekday, but it's not out of the question. Only time will tell...

Word Count: 9042

Another day

2009-11-02T23:58:00.003-05:00

Another day, another midterm tomorrow. I'm glad to say this also (somehow) equates to another 2000 words! I've posted an excerpt that I think is polished enough to represent the book. I've posted it on my NaNo profile, and I'll post it here:

Rin panicked. He seized the metal spear and yanked it out from the noble’s lifeless body. It gave out a final nauseating spurt of blood. He swung the spear around to defend himself, but it was too late. The assassin brought her blade down against his weapon and knocked it away. Rin scrambled over to where it had landed, feeling the thrusts of her knife miss him by mere inches. He took hold of it again, gripping it as though it were his lifeline. He turned and threw it awkwardly. The spear spun sideways in midair, and the woman parried it with a subtle movement of her arm.

Suddenly, she was behind him, knife pressed against his back. His heartbeat sped to a steady thrum in his ears. She leaned forward and whispered in his ear: “I’m sorry.” Her wrist turned, adjusting the blade’s angle for the kill. He only had one chance.

Cascis halad… He struggled through each step of the spell, taking what seemed like minutes to complete it. …firme ariluia… yilah… She hadn’t stabbed him yet, at least he thought she hadn’t, so there was still time.

…duxi. The assassin let out a shriek as her wrists were drawn behind her back and snapped together by an invisible force. She struggled against the restraints, but Rin whirled around, hand balled into a tight fist, and punched her in the cheek. Without the use of her arms, she fell over prone, legs thrashing. Any fear in Rin’s mind instantly turned to rage as he wrenched the knife from her clutched hands. He brought his knee down on her chest, hard. One of her ribs gave way under the blow. He suppressed the urge to vomit, but his bloodthirst continued to rise. He took the knife in both hands, point down. She was pinned. He could take her life at any moment.

That's basically the first fight I've ever written, and I had to use all my strength not to go back and edit it a hundred times over. It's short, sure, but it got me pumped as hell when I wrote it.

Also filed under good news, my only class this Friday (Greek Civilization) got canceled, which means I get a surprise three-day weekend. It's almost as though the muses are smiling down on me from Greek heaven. I guess that would be Olympus? I really need to study for that class.

Word Count: 7009

Off to a great start!

2009-11-01T21:29:00.004-05:00

Things went better today than I could have ever dreamed. I managed to get through the majority of the beginning of the story, right up to the sentence before I introduce Sarai. Rin's found himself in quite a predicament already, and he's only reached the second chapter.

That's the good news. The bad news is that I have three midterms next week, including one tomorrow. It doesn't get much better the week after, either, with a test on Monday that I need to read the Odyssey for. Haven't started that, of course: I'd rather write than read.

Surprisingly, I haven't read much since I started college, mostly because I'm too cheap to buy books and I can't stand reading anything of length on a computer monitor. Thought about getting a Kindle, but the DRM was a big turn-off. If I'm going to buy something (like an e-book), I'd like to own it.

Anyway, I hope to have a similarly productive day tomorrow, and toy with the idea of finding an excerpt to post. I need to read other NaNo blogs and see what they're filling their posts with. I have much to learn.

Word Count: 3992

Update (2:17 AM): Word Count: 5013

Final Preparations

2009-10-31T04:02:00.002-04:00

Alright folks, this is it! By this time tomorrow, I hope to be 1,000-2,000 words deep in Kavanagh. Is it healthy to stay up this late twice in a row, you ask? No, but it is when I get some of my best work done, when not a soul can distract me.

I've discovered the last two weeks that I can't write very fast at all. "Hostel" took me all of 90 minutes to write, and that wasn't even 650 words. It takes longer to write when I'm coming up with the story as I go, sure, but that number scares me a little. If it takes me 90 minutes to write 650 words, it'll take me about 4 hours to write the 1667 I need to stay on track. That's a problem: I'm not sure I can devote that much time every day to writing. I can only hope I start writing faster.

To help my future self with that, I'll be spending a good deal of time tomorrow typing up an extensive chapter-by-chapter bullet-point plot outline, all the while answering the questions I've jotted down and filling in plot holes. This is it; this is the real deal. I've barely written so much as a short story in my whole life, and in 24 hours I'll be writing a novel... that is, if I don't quit halfway through the first sentence.

Warmup: The Informant

2009-10-30T16:16:00.001-04:00

One last story before I start the novel proper, a little more pre-plot material.

Sarai glanced at the grandfather clock behind the bar. Half past ten – the informant was late. She had taken the form of one of her alter egos, a middle-aged woman with long brown hair and a reputation: Meissa. Meissa was known in the Dregs to pay extremely well for information, a kindly woman, but nearly omnipotent. Normally, people with a tip would track her down, eager for compensation. This time was different. She had learned of a man close to the Turafír family, one who could be plied for knowledge. Early attempts at communication were discouraging; her long formal letters of request were met with hastily scrawled notes speaking of spies and assassins. He was nervous, but that only meant he knew something he would be killed for divulging.

Sarai was seated in the corner across from the door, her currently infamous face hidden by a lacy purple veil. The prospect of leaving with no more understanding than she came with made her impatient. Certainly this meeting with the informant was a lie to begin with, a not-so-subtle message telling her that he wasn’t interested. She could just kill a Turafír and assume their form, but… without proof of wrongdoing it would be murder in cold blood. She would need to develop a new identity, infiltrate the family, and find evidence from the inside. That could take months or even years, and all the while she’d be helpless to stop whatever evil they were perpetrating. All because of the cowardice of a single man.

At that very thought, the informant appeared in the door: young, probably in his twenties, with thick black braids and sizeable bags under his eyes. He looked around the room, shaking with anxiety, and spotted Sarai at her table. He made his way over as nonchalantly as he could and sat across from her.

“Mei—Meissa?” His eyes, open wide in terror, frantically searched her veil for a sign of acknowledgement.

Sarai assumed the role of Meissa: motherly and reassuring, yet authoritative. “You’re fearful, young man, I know, but you’re safe with me. No one will know of our meeting tonight.”

Visible waves of relief washed over his ashen face. “Oh, thank you Meissa… I’m late, I know, I’m sorry. I almost didn’t come, I thought you might turn me in, I was so scared.”

“Please, then, tell me why you did come.”

The informant grew paler, beads of sweat forming on his brow. “Y-you asked me to, and – I had to tell someone; I thought it should be you…” He trailed off and fell into silence.

Sarai reached across the table and took his hand. “You did the right thing. Now, it’s extremely important that you tell me everything you know about the Turafír family, everything you’ve seen or heard. You look as though you bear a great load on your conscience, so please. Let me bear it with you.”

“Well… my father’s a servant of the family, has been for almost thirty years now. They hired me last winter after they lost a few people to the pox that season. They trusted my father, trusted me, so last week they took us with them…”

Sarai waited for him to continue. This couldn’t come easy for him, she knew, especially seeing his face contorted in stress, struggling to put what he had seen into words. “They took us with them to a warehouse here in the Dregs, on the other side of the staircase to Tier One. We were supposed to guard the door, make sure nobody went in, but… we were curious, you know? We went in ourselves.”

At this point, his story began spilling out at full speed. He described a prison camp, torture, men in chains – and they were all mages. They were being made to look for something, scour every inch of the world with their minds until they found it. It was called scrying: using magic to locate and remotely view an object. If you knew where it was or what it looked like, it was easy. If you didn’t, it was like crawling through the desert on hands and knees, combing through the sand a handful at a time. What exactly they were searching for he didn’t know, but he had seen terrible things, things that could tear a man apart from the inside out. And so it had; the informant looked like he might collapse at every moment. Every word drained him.

“They—they took a man not any older than me, and they c—cut his hand off, and left him on the floor to bleed! I knew I had to tell someone, someone had to put a stop to this, but my father… he didn’t even seem to care! He’s been with the family so long now – they’ve brainwashed him, they’ve taken his humanity away!”

“Humans have remarkably little capacity for humanity, my child. You, though, you show great virtue coming here tonight. You can rest well knowing that this injustice will be brought to a swift end.”

He raised his hands in protest. “No, Meissa, you can’t! The prisoners, their minds are in chains! Only someone with knowledge of the magic that binds them can pull them out of their state, I know. The Turafírs have a wizard at their disposal, an evil one. He did this, and it can’t be undone!”

Sarai’s heart sank: she stood no chance of freeing the prisoners. Lamentably, shifters were incapable of using magic. She would need to take an indirect approach, one that would leave the captive mages to suffer until she could do something for them.

Still, she mustered as much optimism as possible. “Young man, I’ll find a way. I have many close friends, each of whom will no doubt play a part. This will end, and the Turafírs will suffer for their sins. Now go, rest and remain vigilant. You will live to see the end of this.”

Warmup: Hostel

2009-10-28T17:07:00.000-04:00

I've been trying to write at least a little bit every day to keep both my mind and fingers limber, but school's made that particularly difficult this week. Next week's not looking any better either. I might be off to a stressful start to my first NaNo.

Anyway, I wrote another extremely short story that takes place right before the events of my novel. Rin's just graduated and needs a place to stay. He's tight on cash, too, so a little haggling is in order.

“How long are you going to be staying?”

Rin scratched his head. “Depends on how much it is per night.” The place didn’t look bad: a fine rug covered the floor in front of the clerk’s desk and several oil paintings adorned the walls. It didn’t smell bad either: the unmistakable scent of red wine candles hung in the air. It wasn’t as nice as the dorms at the University, but it would have to do.

The clerk eyed him, confused. “I’ve seen all manner of garb in the city, but that’s quite the costume you’re wearing.” Rin had graduated not an hour earlier, and he was still wearing the crimson robes used in the ceremony. “I guess you don’t see much mage clientele in here.”

The clerk’s eyes suddenly grew wide, exactly the reaction Rin was hoping for. “You’re a mage? I don’t believe it; do somethin’ magical!” All according to plan, Rin thought to himself as he drew back his sleeves and closed his eyes in mock concentration. He inhaled deeply and began his slow ascent into the air. The breeze circulating underneath him felt good on his toes. Meanwhile, the clerk looked on in slack-jawed wonder, taking on an appearance reminiscent of a fish on ice at the market. Rin hung in mid-air until he become bored and lazily drifted back down to the floor.

“I hope you believe me now. So… about that room.” After several awkward seconds, the clerk managed to get his mouth closed and shuffled behind his desk again. Rin silently chuckled to himself. I wonder, will I be getting the room for free, or just at a steep discount?

“Right. We’ve got a bunk available upstairs for twenty a night.”

“T—twenty?! Two grams?!”

The clerk smiled knowingly. “Oh, I get it. You thought your little trick was gonna earn you free board -- unfortunately for you, your floating around up on the ceiling doesn’t feed my kids. Now, as I was sayin’, the bunk upstairs is twenty, and that don’t include meals. There’s a fella across the street who’s got a potsticker cart, cooks ‘em fresh and sells ‘em cheap. For a little extra gold you can sit in with my family at dinner, but judging by your tone I figure that might be a little pricy for you.”

Rin swallowed hard. He had weighed out his gold in the morning as he packed up to leave. He had a little over seven grams, most of which he’d earned over the last week panhandling in preparation for this very situation. The people of the Bazaar weren’t exactly known for their spontaneous generosity. Apparently, even his eleven years of schooling could barely earn him three nights in the cheapest hostel in the Service Quarter. His parents had paid for his tuition and dormitory at the University Arcanum; he had forgotten how expensive the Bazaar could be.

Rin gathered his thoughts and composure. “That’ll be three nights, then.” He fished around in his pockets for the payment, removing two small nuggets of gold and placing them in front of the clerk.

“You know,” the clerk said as he weighed the gold on a tiny scale, “you’re right. Not many of your type stayin’ in conditions such as these. Most students leave Kavanagh just as soon as they graduate. You plannin’ to stay long?”

“I don’t really have anywhere else to go. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to unpack.”

The clerk waved him off. “Right, right. Enjoy your stay, however long it ends up lasting.” Rin headed up the stairs, coming to a large room occupied by several bunk beds. The room was otherwise empty, its inhabitants obviously off exploring the city before sundown. Rin threw his pack off his shoulders and onto his bed.

“Holy hell,” Rin sighed. “I need a damn job.”

Warmup: Gone Uncounted

2009-10-26T17:17:00.000-04:00

I liked Sarai's answer to question 32 so much, I wrote an 800-word ditty about it.

The Baudelaires had a reputation, and from where I was sitting it was easy to see where it came from. A pile of incense, perfumes, fruit, candles and silks covered the dining table, hardly leaving room for my plate. I kept my mouth shut, only opening it to take the occasional small bite. Such was the way of a concubine, and I knew it was what Urseh was drawn to. My competition sat around me, his nine mistresses.

Urseh Baudelaire had a reputation, too. Sitting at the head of the dining table, one could hardly guess that he had any interests besides lounging in his quarters, being tended to by servants and whores. His round stomach and ham hock arms suggested he lived a life of luxury -- which was true enough -- but they also made him seem gentle and kind. This part was untrue, which is what brought me to that room that night.

I had seen his cruelty firsthand in the catacombs deep underneath the city. He often visited these abandoned tunnels late at night, escorted by a compliment of guards. Casket in tow. A casket that contained not a dead man, but a live one. The tunnels were the perfect place to carry out his perverse deeds. He had assumed no soul had bore witness to them, he thought he was alone in the room, just him and his victim. He was wrong; I had slipped through unnoticed, first as a citizen, then as a guard, and finally as a grave attendant. I bore witness that night to unspeakable torture.

He was young, but his father had passed his bloodlust down at an early age. He had been made to watch countless interrogations from the tender age of seven. Thumbscrews. Joint dislocation. Hallucinogenics. Amputation. Such methods weren’t uncommon among noble families, but few nobles tortured prisoners themselves, and no one did it with such relish as Urseh’s father, Shaphas. So it was with his son, grinning ear to ear as his poor captive writhed in pain.

Dinner ended, and the empty plates were removed. It was time to retire to our quarters. Urseh was staring at me; had been since the second course, and I knew what that meant. I would be getting considerably less sleep tonight. He pushed his chair away from the table to leave, and I rose to follow. His slow, lumbering stride took us back to his room, lavishly decorated with tapestries imported from Abdukherim to the south. A manservant had already turned the bedcover down, and quickly brushed past us when we appeared in the wide doorway.

Urseh closed the door behind us and turned to face me. “I’ve been watching you, my sweet. I could hardly pay attention to my meal.” He wasn’t exactly a smooth talker. I had also gone uncounted – he hadn’t noticed that on this particular evening, his concubines numbered 10 instead of 9. “The moment I saw you, I knew you had to be mine tonight.” I managed my best flattered smile. “Urseh, you are too kind with your words. Let me pay a kindness to you, now.”

This was my chance. I moved behind him, drawing my folding knife from within my robes and opening it with a barely audible click. Entirely out of his sight now, I quickly clasped my hand over his mouth and buried the blade deep into his back. The stab was perfectly executed, sliding between his shoulder blade and ribcage; cutting deep into his heart. Immediately, his blood was on my hand, tremendous spurts of it gushing out onto his robes. He cried out softly and was dead within seconds.

I laid his body out on the floor, careful not to make any noise. My tears began mixing with his blood. I hadn’t realized I had been crying, but suddenly my grief was upon me. I collapsed next to his body, paralyzed with emotion. I looked over at his immense body, watching the blood slowly draining from him, observing the deed I had done. Was this my purpose in Kavanagh? Truly, ultimately, no good could come of this.

The minutes flew by. I had shifted back into my true form, although I had no recollection of doing so. I didn’t care if I was caught, I almost wanted to. I wanted to face the court for my sins. I wanted to rot in a cell. I wanted to die.

Eventually I stumbled to my feet. The window was wide open, as though it had been prepared for my escape, just as the bed had been prepared for the night. I walked over to it, wiping my knife on the fresh bedclothes. The knife wasn’t entirely clean; a trace amount of Urseh’s blood had coagulated and held fast to the metal edge. No matter how many times I washed it, it would never be clean. I would never be clean.

Pretty happy with it.

Character Questionnaire: Sarai

2009-10-25T18:30:00.000-04:00

Another 101 questions, this time from the point of view of my female main character. She's a shifter, a member of a poorly-understood race who can change their form to that of any human. You can learn a little about how she uses her powers, and what she thinks about herself in the answers to these queries.

BASICS

1. What is your full name? Do you have a nickname?
Sarai.
2. How old are you? When is your birthday?
I'm 23 years old.
3. Where were you born? Where do you live now? Are you patriotic?
I was "born" in the Bazaar, though if you knew more about my race, you'd know it was more of a construction than a birth. I spend every waking moment serving my city, with no reward or recognition, so yes, I am patriotic.
4. Who are/were your parents? (Names, occupations, personalities, etc.)
My mother Lyria was a shifter, like myself. She too serves Kavanagh, although I don't speak with her anymore. We've drifted apart, becoming unknown to each other. Once two shifters cease communication, it's nearly impossible to begin it again.
5. Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like?
I have no siblings. Shifters can have but one child.
6. What is your occupation?
I keep the balance of power in check by infiltrating the noble families, either offering help or presenting hindrance.
7. How tall are you? How much do you weigh?
I don't know.
8. What color is your hair? What color are your eyes?
Neither my hair nor my eyes have any color to speak of.
9. What is your race?
I am a shifter, as I've said.
10. To which social class do you belong?
I belong to no one class; I move between them as I please.
11. Do you consider yourself to be attractive? Do others?
Attractive, yes. Shifters are all attractive.
12. What is your style of dress?
My style of dress is the style of dress that befits my disguise.
13. Do you have any scars? Tattoos? Birthmarks? Other unique physical features?
No. Were I to be scarred or marked in any way, it would prove an obstacle to my shifting.
14. Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?
No. Shifters are immune to most of the maladies that inflict mankind, and we're known for our endurance and strength.
15. Are you right- or left-handed?
Again, both. I write in the manner that befits my disguise.
16. What does your voice sound like?
How funny you continue asking these questions. It's as though they were formulated to highlight my abilities. My voice sounds however it must sound.
17. What kind of vocabulary do you use?
If I've shifted into the form of a particular person, I mimic the speech patterns of my mark. Otherwise I strike a balance between concise and elaborate.
18. List three quirks or other defining characteristics.
Defining to whom? I can shapeshift, and in this way I am unique, but I also share more similarities with humans than I care to: I have particularly strong emotions for a shifter. Also, I possess the ability to read minds -- to the extent afforded by one's body language and verbal tics.
19. How often do you bathe? Do you wear perfumes?
It depends on my form. When living among nobles, I bathe at least once a day, as is customary, and wear exotic perfumes. In the form of a beggar in the Dregs, however, I often go weeks without bathing.
20. What kind of facial expression do you commonly wear (dour glare, wry smile, etc)?
I tire of this answer, but it's entirely dependent on the situation. If I'm in the guise of a person with certain mannerisms, I do my best to emulate them.
21. Do you use body language? How?
Same answer.
22. Do you have a commonly used saying?
Again, same answer.

CHILDHOOD

23. What is your earliest memory?
I recall the latter half of my creation, once my consciousness had been formed. I also recall previous memories, although they aren't really mine.
24. How much schooling have you had? Did you enjoy it?
The only schooling a shifter needs is the accumulated knowledge of their ancestors.
25. Where did you learn most of your knowledge and skill?
From my mother, and her mother, and hers, and so on to the dawn of time.
26. How would you describe your childhood in general?
Shifters don't experience childhood, per se. After my creation, I was in many ways the same as I am now.
27. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Many of your questions don't really apply to me.
28. When and with whom was your first kiss?
I was in the form of a concubine. The damn fool didn't even realize he had an extra. Must have come as quite the shock when I killed him.
29. Are you a virgin? If not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity?
Shifters don't normally have relations with humans.
30. Do you have a notorious or celebrated ancestor? Does that affect you?
I'm descended from the Innocent line of shifters, which has a long and storied past I don't have time to relate to you. Needless to say I accomplish more in a single day than most do in a lifetime.

INFLUENCES

31. What do you consider the most important event of your life so far?
The first person I killed. Urseh Baudelaire... he was young, but he'd inherited his father's penchant for torture. The remorse I felt was unexpected of a shifter. I stood with the knife in my hands for what seemed like hours until I made my escape. I didn't sleep that night.
32. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
The same night, I overcame my remorse. I felt empowered.
33. What is your greatest regret?
I've killed innocents before, to maintain my disguise. I could have run, and I probably should have.
34. What is the most embarrassing or shameful thing ever to happen to you?
One of the benefits of constantly wearing a disguise is that nothing ever really happens to you, things only happen to the mask you happen to be wearing.
35. Do you have any secrets? If so, what are they?
It would be fair to say that my existence is one big secret.
36. What is the most evil thing you have ever done?
I've never done anything evil.
37. When was the time you were the most frightened?
I've almost been caught shifting several times. People mustn't know that there's a shifter in the Bazaar; it would make my life much more complicated... and much more dangerous.
38. Have you ever traveled outside of your country? If so, to where?
I've traveled outside Kavanagh several times, most frequently to Exai to visit nobles away from the Bazaar.

BELIEFS

39. What is your alignment?
If I were to be pigeonholed like that, I guess I'd be Chaotic Good. It doesn't seem logical to boil an ethos down to two words.
40. Are you basically optimistic or pessimistic?
Pessimistic, but it never stops me from trying.
41. Do you believe in a god? If so, which one and why?
No.
42. Do you believe in an afterlife?
No.
43. What is your greatest fear?
My greatest fear is that I'll be killed before I get a chance to create a successor.
44. What makes you angry? Sad? Happy? Why?
The never-ending corruption of the Bazaar makes me angry, the suffering of the poor makes me sad, and erasing a villain from Kavanagh satisfies me.
45. Do you think people are basically good or basically evil?
I think a person's nature comes down to how they were raised.
46. What are your views on politics?
Politics are a tool for the powerful to abuse the weak.
47. What are your views on gambling, lying, theft, and killing?
They have their merits.
48. How far will you go to defend your beliefs?
I've made defending my beliefs my life's work, and have no regrets.
49. How much do you value money?
I don't value money at all. Anything I could purchase, I could get much easier with cunning.
50. In your opinion, what is the most evil thing any human being could do?
Human beings are capable of great evil. There's never a reason to kill a child: that's my answer.
51. Do you believe in self-sacrifice for the greater good?
Yes.
52. Do you believe in the existence of soul mates and/or true love?
I don't know why, but I do. It's a comfort to know that there exists a person who is meant for you.
53. Are you superstitious?
There are much better things to be afraid of than phantoms.
54. How much do you respect the beliefs and opinions of others?
I respect the beliefs and opinions of those who share my beliefs and opinions. The shifter race has had countless generations to perfect their tenets, and I abide by them. Anyone who disagrees is of no interest to me.
55. How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings?
As honest as I can afford to be without risking my cover.
56. Do you have any biases or prejudices?
I have no pity for those who undermine the human race with their avarice and cruelty.

DEALING WITH OTHERS

57. Who is the most important person in your life, and why?
I am. I try to avoid connecting with humans; I find it complicates matters.
58. Who is the person you respect the most? Despise the most? Why?
I respect Mairo Silvervine a good deal, probably more than any other human. The Silvervine family has little power in the Bazaar, and I have offered aid to him several times, in several different forms. Mairo is steadfast in his character, and for this I respect him.
59. Do you have a significant other? Who? Why?
I don't.
60. Do you have a lot of friends? Who is your best friend?
I can be anyone's friend with the proper camouflage. I move between faces so often; these relationships aren't really meaningful.
61. How do you relate to members of the same race? Class? Sex?
The only other shifter I could possibly come across in Kavanagh is my own mother, and she's much too careful to be discovered. Were I to encounter another shifter, we would glide by each other as though we had never met.
62. How do you relate to members of a different race? Class? Sex?
I look upon humans as a misguided race in desperate need of intervention, which is what I try to provide.
63. Have you ever been in love? If so, describe what happened.
I have, but... I'm not comfortable discussing it. It suffices to say that it was an urge I had to extinguish.
64. What do you look for in a potential lover?
I must insist that we move on to another topic.
65. How close are you to your family?
I've already explained my relationship with my mother.
66. Do you want a marriage, family, and/or children?
I want a child, yes.
67. Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict?
I avoid conflict. It might lead to violence, which is something I'm actively trying to discourage.
68. Are you a listener or a talker?
One must listen before they can speak, and so it is with shifting. I need to surveil my mark before I assume their form.
69. How long does it usually take for you to trust others?
I've never known someone long enough to trust them entirely.
70. Do you hold grudges?
I shed any ill will when I transition between shapes. After all, if I am ever wronged, it wasn't truly meant for me.
71. Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations?
If I'm supposed to be a leader, yes.
72. Do you like interacting with large groups of people?
It makes it easier to fit in, but harder to get any actual work done. Obviously, my victims must be alone to be disposed of.
73. How well do you express yourself?
I benefit from the past generations of my ancestral line. The Innocents have become quite good at human speech.
74. How quickly do you judge others?
I take time for my judgments. A human life is a heavy thing, and must not be taken without proper consideration.
75. Do you care what others think of you?
Only that they are fooled by my disguise.
76. Do you have any enemies? How or why are they your enemy?
Anyone who makes Bazaar Kavanagh a worse place is my enemy.

PERSONAL TASTE AND OPINIONS

77. What is your favorite pastime? Color? Food? Possession?
I don't have much time for entertainment, but I enjoy any opportunity I get to attend the theater. I like the color red, tea, and my weapon.
78. What are your preferences in arts and/or entertainment?
Tragic opera has always particularly moved me, owing to my human qualities.
79. Do you smoke, drink, go whoring, or use drugs? Why or why not?
I smoke and drink, as is required by social situations I find myself in. Where drugs are concerned, I use sleight of hand to avoid ingesting or injecting them.
80. How do you spend a typical Saturday night?
Attending social events, looking for vulnerable targets.
81. What is your most cherished fantasy?
A city free of those who would do each other harm.
82. How long is your attention span?
I regularly spend months at a time infiltrating an organization or noble family, which requires quite a bit of patience, as you might imagine.
83. Do you laugh a lot? What do you find funny?
I occasionally make myself laugh -- a uniquely human concept.
84. Is there anything that shocks or offends you? If so, what?
I never stop being surprised by the atrocities humans will commit against one another.
85. How do you deal with stress?
Assuming my true form relieves my stress a great deal, although I'm not sure why. It should make me nervous that I might be discovered, but it doesn't. No doubt it will eventually result in my capture and execution.
86. How much athletic ability do you have? Artistic?
I have substantial athletic ability; most shifters do. I have some artistic tendencies, but nothing noteworthy.
87. Do you like animals? Do you like children?
I love them both.
88. Are you spontaneous, or do you always need to have a plan?
A plan is a good start to any operation, but skill in improvisation ensures a good end.
89. Do you have a pet? If so, what is his/her name? Species? Fur color? Etc…
I don't keep a pet, no.

SELF-IMAGE

90. What is your greatest strength as a person? Weakness?
My greatest strength is no doubt my shapeshifting. I owe all my weaknesses to my mother, who decided I should be more human: I feel pity, love, and guilt. These are not ideal qualities for an assassin.
91. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I would remove those human qualities. My daughter will not fall victim to such follies.
92. Are you generally introverted or extroverted?
The vast majority of my marks are extroverted, inflicting themselves upon society. When not in the presence of others, though, I keep to myself.
93. Do you like yourself?
Mostly, yes, aside from the weaknesses I mentioned. I occasionally wish I could be less selfless, look out for myself more, but... I cast these thoughts aside.
94. Do you have a daily routine? How do you feel if your day is interrupted?
I do whatever my job -- and by extension, my city -- requires of me.
95. What goal do you most want to accomplish in the next six months? Your lifetime?
In the next six months, I'd like to infiltrate the Turafír family again: I've been neglecting them, and I can't help but think they're up to something. In my lifetime, I hope to create and train a successor.
96. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 20 years?
The Bazaar is an unpredictable place. At all those times, I may be continuing my job, or I may be dead.
97. If you could choose, how would you want to die?
I would want to die in my true form, finally recognized for the work I've done for Kavanagh. Unfortunately, such a thing isn't possible.
98. What is the one thing you would like to be remembered for after your death?
I want to be remembered as a strong link in the Innocent line.
99. What three words would you use to best describe your personality?
Fluid. Cunning. Benevolent.
100. What three words would others probably use to describe you?
Were they to know me for what I really am? Mysterious. Sacred. Merciless. I've heard the way people discuss shifters: we're thought of as wrathful demigods, sent to the mortal realm to protect the human race. Not far from the truth, perhaps.
101. Why are you risking your life to adventure?
It's what I was put into existence to do.

Man, that's a lot of questions! I feel like I have a better grasp of my characters than I did 202 questions ago. Now I just need to further cement my plot; make sure that these characters have enough interesting stuff to do.

Character Questionnaire: Rin

2009-10-24T01:54:00.001-04:00

Here are 101 questions about my male main character, Rin, answered from his perspective. Take it away, Rin:

BASICS

1. What is your full name? Do you have a nickname?
Evferin Triscae. You can call me Rin.
2. How old are you? When is your birthday?
Just about to turn 22, so that'd make me 21.
3. Where were you born? Where do you live now? Are you patriotic?
I was born in a town to the north called Wevic, but I've lived here in Kavanagh as far back as I can remember. I like the Bazaar an awful lot, but I'd don't know if I'd die for it.
4. Who are/were your parents? (Names, occupations, personalities, etc.)
My parents are Atwild and Surtine Triscae. Parents in name only. I assume they're farmers or something -- can we get to the next question?
5. Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like?
Not that I remember. Are you interviewing me or my family?
6. What is your occupation?
Well, I'm currently unemployed. Put down "ex-student," it sounds better.
7. How tall are you? How much do you weigh?
I'm five foot ten, and I don't really weigh myself.
8. What color is your hair? What color are your eyes?
Brown, and brown.
9. What is your race?
Human. Not many other types living in the Bazaar, funny question.
10. To which social class do you belong?
I'm not a noble and I'm not a beggar. Middle class.
11. Do you consider yourself to be attractive? Do others?
I've got a certain charm about me, I'd say. I get my fair share of attention from women, just about as much as I want.
12. What is your style of dress?
I don't have much taste in clothes. I buy a few cloaks and tunics off the back of the Abdukherim caravan every few years. Those folks have been living in the desert for thousands of years; they know how to make practical desert wear.
13. Do you have any scars? Tattoos? Birthmarks? Other unique physical features?
I'd say. I've got a pair of matching disfigurements, one on the inside of my arm here, and a matching one right next to it on my chest. Just barely dodged a bolt of flame. Don't care to mention how that happened, but if you're reading this, you know who you are. Oh, and my Kavanagh Tattoo, of course.
14. Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?
Nope. Not really any physical strengths to speak of, either.
15. Are you right- or left-handed?
Both. Left-handed when I'm writing right-to-left, and right-handed when I'm writing left-to-right. Avoid smudges that way.
16. What does your voice sound like?
Like this: laaa laaa laaa! You're listening to it now, aren't you?
17. What kind of vocabulary do you use?
I use whatever vocabulary befits the conversation. If I'm speaking to simple-minded folk I use simple-minded language, but I'm educated enough to keep up with nobles. They didn't have to study alchemy between speech lessons, mind you, so they could probably out-fancy me.
18. List three quirks or other defining characteristics.
I'm smart, I'm determined, and I'm prepared.
19. How often do you bathe? Do you wear perfumes?
At the University I was able to bathe as frequently as I liked, about once a night. Since my graduation, though, I've had less opportunity. Once a week, or so. I tried some kind of cactus fragrance on once, but my friends were not very supportive.
20. What kind of facial expression do you commonly wear (dour glare, wry smile, etc)?
My face tends to tense up into a sideways frown when I'm concentrating, which is often.
21. Do you use body language? How?
I guess I gesticulate a bit when I talk, especially when someone's having difficulty grasping what I'm saying.
22. Do you have a commonly used saying?
Have you ever known a sane person to have a catchphrase?

CHILDHOOD

23. What is your earliest memory?
Mailing a package to Bazaar Kavanagh with my father, him putting it on the wagon. He mailed me off a couple years later. Funny...
24. How much schooling have you had? Did you enjoy it?
I've had eleven years of schooling at University Arcanum. I enjoyed most of it: the learning, the friends. The tests and professors I could have done without.
25. Where did you learn most of your knowledge and skill?
At the University, but not from any of the faculty. It's easier to learn from a friend; they generally have a genuine interest in your education.
26. How would you describe your childhood in general?
Wasted. If I was to be sent off to boarding school, my parents should have done it earlier. I could have graduated years ago.
27. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Oh, I don't know. My childhood was never really about what I wanted to be. Given the choice, I may have eventually ended up right where I am today, but I'd probably be on better terms with Atwild and Surtine -- that is to say, my parents.
28. When and with whom was your first kiss?
I was either 12 or 13, and I met this sweet girl named Surfi. We didn't last, her views on arcane ethics were so old-fashioned they probably had an inch of dust on them. Sweet, though.
29. Are you a virgin? If not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity?
You're getting awfully personal, aren't you? If you must know, I'm a virgin, yes. Not by choice -- what young man is, after all -- but I never really had the time or dedication for courtship.
30. Do you have a notorious or celebrated ancestor? Does that affect you?
Someone named Grannell Triscae served as a watchman back during the construction of the Bazaar, must be of some relation. He's even got a memorial bookshelf in the University's library.

INFLUENCES

31. What do you consider the most important event of your life so far?
It happened about a week ago, I graduated from the University. Not many people around to congratulate me, but I was proud of myself.
32. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Again, graduation. A close second would be my refinement of a metal animation ritual. I've been told I have a keen eye for runes. Comes with my neat handwriting, I guess.
33. What is your greatest regret?
None, as of yet, and I hope to keep it that way.
34. What is the most embarrassing or shameful thing ever to happen to you?
A particularly poor performance at a demonstration last year. It was part combat, part performance art: I had choreographed quite the show, where I would consume wooden mannequins with massive columns of flame! My columns of flame were more like pedestals, and pine doesn't catch fire as easily as you might think. My lack of coordination also didn't help.
35. Do you have any secrets? If so, what are they?
None that I'd care to mention in an interview.
36. What is the most evil thing you have ever done?
Cheated off a friend in a written exam more than once. I remember the answers I cribbed to this very day though, so was it really cheating, or was it just late studying?
37. When was the time you were the most frightened?
Had a run in with some seedy characters in an herb shop down in the Dregs. I thought they might have knives, but the crossbow was unexpected.
38. Have you ever traveled outside of your country? If so, to where?
The word "country" isn't very well-defined in this part of the world. Wisland to the east is much more politically coordinated, and I took a brief trip there this year.

BELIEFS

39. What is your alignment?
Alignment? Good or evil, you mean? Good.
40. Are you basically optimistic or pessimistic?
Depends on the situation. If things are looking grim, I'm a pessimist. If they're looking good, I'm an optimist. ...I guess that kind of defeats the purpose of that question.
41. Do you believe in a god? If so, which one and why?
I don't know, nor will I ever. I mean, you look at shifters and it seems like there must be one, but the church never appealed to me much.
42. Do you believe in an afterlife?
No idea. Plenty of charlatans trying to make a quick buck faking communion with the dead, but that doesn't rule out the possibility of such a thing.
43. What is your greatest fear?
"What is there to fear but death," as the Selections would say.
44. What makes you angry? Sad? Happy? Why?
Injustice makes me angry and sad. What was the last one? Happy? The removal of that injustice makes me happy. So does money, fame, and all that fun stuff. I am human, after all.
45. Do you think people are basically good or basically evil?
I think the human race is pretty much split down the middle. If it weren't so balanced, one group would have killed off the other by now, don't you think?
46. What are your views on politics?
Hell, the world would be a better place without class politics. It's a waste of time and resources, both of which are needed elsewhere.
47. What are your views on gambling, lying, theft, and killing?
It's easy to say that they're inherently evil, but ultimately they all have their place. Killing, less so, but they all have their place.
48. How far will you go to defend your beliefs?
About as far as the front door.
49. How much do you value money?
Immensely. Who doesn't value money? If it didn't have value, it wouldn't be money!
50. In your opinion, what is the most evil thing any human being could do?
Torture for sadism's sake. There are people like that, y'know, and I really wish there weren't.
51. Do you believe in self-sacrifice for the greater good?
Yes. If the total gain is more than the sacrifice, the sacrifice is worth making.
52. Do you believe in the existence of soul mates and/or true love?
Again, I don't know. It's a nice thought, though, isn't it?
53. Are you superstitious?
No. I've cursed in my bed before, and I'm proud to say I haven't been killed in my sleep yet.
54. How much do you respect the beliefs and opinions of others?
Depends on the person. If their beliefs and opinions are logical, even if they contradict my own, I respect them. I can see the merit in contradictory opinions.
55. How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings?
I'm answering these questions, aren't I? If it's honesty you want, I'm getting pretty tired. ...You can keep going, though.
56. Do you have any biases or prejudices?
I've been told there are some real sweethearts in the Dregs, but I haven't met 'em. The word "lowlife" probably originated in Kavanagh.

DEALING WITH OTHERS

57. Who is the most important person in your life, and why?
Me.
58. Who is the person you respect the most? Despise the most? Why?
I respect the people I do business with, for the most part. The caravan runners and escorts work harder than anyone else in the world. As for who I despise, it's probably any noble, except for Reclair Helia at the Siren's Song. Surprisingly humble and approachable for someone with that much power.
59. Do you have a significant other? Who? Why?
Nope. Always open to advances, though.
60. Do you have a lot of friends? Who is your best friend?
I like to think I do, even if we don't keep in touch. My best friend is probably Dakim at the Freelance Office. Good thing, too, because I'm in the market for some work.
61. How do you relate to members of the same race? Class? Sex?
Relate to? Fine, I guess, although there's alot of variation in character, even within a race, class... or sex.
62. How do you relate to members of a different race? Class? Sex?
They probably interest me more than people identical to myself, honestly.
63. Have you ever been in love? If so, describe what happened.
Relationships are mainly a practical thing for me: someone to talk to and confide in, someone to share that particular kind of companionship with.
64. What do you look for in a potential lover?
Beauty, intelligence, and maturity.
65. How close are you to your family?
Not at all.
66. Do you want a marriage, family, and/or children?
One day, yes. It's all a part of leaving a legacy, which is obviously something I have an interest in.
67. Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict?
I'm not afraid to argue with people, even solely for the sake of a good argument. It's valuable practice.
68. Are you a listener or a talker?
A little bit of both. After eleven years of schooling, though, I'm a bit weary of listening.
69. How long does it usually take for you to trust others?
Trust isn't something earned with time: it's something earned with deeds. A few opportunities to stab me in the back not taken, and I'm already pretty trusting of you.
70. Do you hold grudges?
Yes. I have a good memory, and if you cross me, I won't forget.
71. Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations?
Among peers, yeah. I tend to surround myself with people that have more experience than myself, though, so I generally have more to learn in those situations than I have to teach.
72. Do you like interacting with large groups of people?
Yes, if they happen to be fans of mine. Otherwise, it makes it somewhat more difficult to get your point across, and to be noticed.
73. How well do you express yourself?
Quite well, wouldn't you agree?
74. How quickly do you judge others?
Again, it's not really a matter of time for trust and judgement. Observing the decisions someone makes is usually enough to figure someone out.
75. Do you care what others think of you?
I do.
76. Do you have any enemies? How or why are they your enemy?
I wouldn't say I have enemies. I haven't wronged anyone enough, nor have I been wronged enough.

PERSONAL TASTE AND OPINIONS

77. What is your favorite pastime? Color? Food? Possession?
Sketching. Orange. Vinefruit. My copy of The Realmic Selections. Have I entered the lightning round?
78. What are your preferences in arts and/or entertainment?
I enjoy paintings and music, probably because I don't have the wherewithal to produce them myself.
79. Do you smoke, drink, go whoring, or use drugs? Why or why not?
Go whoring? Uh... no. None of those are crutches I need, so I don't use them.
80. How do you spend a typical Saturday night?
Drawing, writing, or practicing my spells.
81. What is your most cherished fantasy?
Universal recognition in the Bazaar, throngs of fans, dedications at the Arena. Fame, fortune, the usual.
82. How long is your attention span?
I'm sorry, what? Just kidding -- long enough to last me through the endless study sessions and practices required of me to graduate. If I'm interested in something, I'll devote my full attention to it, and there are plenty of things that interest me.
83. Do you laugh a lot? What do you find funny?
I think everyone enjoys laughing. There are a few good comic poets and storytellers that stand on street corners in the Gold and Cloth Quarters, and a couple coins worth of entertainment from them is well worth it. I'm somewhat of a patron of the comedic arts, you could say.
84. Is there anything that shocks or offends you? If so, what?
Ignorance offends me, but after almost twelve years in Bazaar Kavanagh, hardly anything shocks me anymore.
85. How do you deal with stress?
I enjoy the silence of my quarters and write.
86. How much athletic ability do you have? Artistic?
I lack the coordination for sports or swordplay, but I'm a fair hand with a pen. I'm a practiced calligrapher and produce some decent sketches.
87. Do you like animals? Do you like children?
Sure, they're both cute and potentially useful.
88. Are you spontaneous, or do you always need to have a plan?
A well-formulated plan will beat spontaneity every time.
89. Do you have a pet? If so, what is his/her name? Species? Fur color? Etc…
No, but if I did, it'd be something with utility.

SELF-IMAGE

90. What is your greatest strength as a person? Weakness?
My greatest strength is my quickness of mind. I'm smart and I'm a fast learner. My greatest weakness is my literal physical weakness.
91. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I wish I were stronger and more dexterous. I can't brawl and I can't play instruments, and I wish I could do both.
92. Are you generally introverted or extroverted?
Both, at the appropriate times. Is this almost over?
93. Do you like yourself?
I keep feeding myself, don't I? Next question.
94. Do you have a daily routine? How do you feel if your day is interrupted?
Nothing beyond completing all the tasks I need to. Next question.
95. What goal do you most want to accomplish in the next six months? Your lifetime?
I'd like to become famous, but I've already told you all about that.
96. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 20 years?
In 5 years, I'll be a folk hero. In 10, the toast of Kavanagh. And in 20? Retired, hopefully, and not the dead kind of retired.
97. If you could choose, how would you want to die?
P-- next question.
98. What is the one thing you would like to be remembered for after your death?
My contributions to magic and society as a whole.
99. What three words would you use to best describe your personality?
On the rise.
100. What three words would others probably use to describe you?
Smart, witty... arrogant, maybe. I'd understand that.
101. Why are you risking your life to adventure?
I'm not, and I never will. If you're smart about it, you don't have to.

Whew!!! Next up is my female main character, which means I'm going to need a name. Tried to remain as consistent as I could for Rin, and he definitely came out with a more solid voice than he had before. A bit narcissistic, certainly, but enough unlike myself that I won't feel embarrassed writing about him. More to come...

Warmup: Sitting on the Library Steps

2009-10-23T21:04:00.000-04:00

A short piece, I'm trying to nail my setting down.

It’s a relatively quiet part of the city, but that’s not saying much. The roar of a mile-high waterfall would be quiet compared to the Gold Quarter, buzzing with activity on the opposite side of this tier. This area is almost wholly owned by the University. It’s quiet enough where you can read outside, and so you do. It’s home to libraries, museums, classrooms, dormitories, and the occasional cozy tea shop. One such tea shop is right across the street from the library stairs, where you sit slowly turning through the pages of a book on the magical properties of stone. You can see through the glass window, on through the glass display case where all manner of pastry beckon you. Your stomach growls – maybe now would be a good time for a break.

You make your way across the street, moving perpendicularly through the tan flow of people. The sun beats down on you, already making you sweat. At last, you enter the shade of the tea shop’s awning. Closer, now, you take another look at the window, reading the shop’s name displayed proudly in gold lettering: Café Baudelaire. You enter, ringing a little bell at the counter to get the attention of one of the girls standing behind it. One’s eyes snap onto you. She puts down a jug of syrup and heads over to greet you: “Welcome to Baudelaire… oh, Renelle, I didn’t recognize you under that veil! What would you like today?”

You pause for a moment. “I’ll have a Surgovian tea, and – what are those?” You point into the glass case at a mound of circular pastries you’ve been eyeing ever since you came in. Normally you’d be a little embarrassed at ordering anything besides tea, but your hunger has gotten the better of you. Your modesty falls away in sheets.

“Oh, those are fig rounds. We just brought them out of the oven; they’re still hot! They’re sprinkled with almond and some spice I can’t remember. How many do you want?”

You feign surprise. “How many do I want? Don’t be absurd! I’ll have one.” Come on lady, do your job…

“Just one? Certainly you’ve worked up an appetite more substantial than that, a studious woman such as yourself! I saw you go in that library this morning at dawn, and I know for a fact there’s no food allowed in there. It’s well past noon now, you must be famished.” Perfect. You smile and give in. Maybe two wouldn’t be so bad.

Character Exercises

2009-10-23T01:27:00.000-04:00

I feel like I can never do enough of these things to get a feel for my male main character, my primary protagonist. I don't want him to be much like me at all, so no matter how many questions I answer from his perspective, I can't help but worry about his voice slipping away from me. I'll be a few thousand words in, I'm sure, and I'll just start writing like me. Not that there's anything wrong with me, but I'm not the protagonist. Urgh.

My other problem: my secondary protagonist -- the female one -- is turning out much more interesting that my primary one. She's not human, she's got motives, and she's kind of badass. My guy needs secrets! Skeletons in his closet, annoying quirks that'll make him memorable! I fill out these character worksheets and questionnaires in hopes that something will fall into my lap.

I've been lucky with my plot so far. Several plot points have come to me in a sudden burst of mental activity, and they fit in great with each other. Thank GOD I started preparing when I did, and not a day later. For my first NaNo-- my first novel-- my first substantial writing endeavor, ever -- I want a solid outline, with all the cracks filled in. I want characters whose dialogue will basically write itself. I want a fleshed-out setting, which I have for the most part already. 50,000 words is a hell of a lot, and my internal editor isn't going to leave me alone. The going is gonna be slow, so I need to make every minute count.

My novel for NaNoWriMo 2009: Kavanagh

2009-10-22T02:36:00.000-04:00

My first year participating in NaNoWriMo! How exciting. I'm writing a fantasy book entitled Kavanagh, which takes place in a desert city, the titular Bazaar Kavanagh. There are two main characters: a mage and recent graduate of the University Arcanum, and a female shapeshifter who just wants to make the world a happier place. Who knows what adventures they'll embark upon? Who knows if I'll update this blog? Find out over the coming month!

Tom