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You’re coming with us
Here’s an entire scene that never made it into my novel. Not even close. How not close? Paul was never a named character in any draft of it.
The doorbell rings just after 1100. Discounting Dante and my followers, we don’t often get visitors. I set aside the book I’m reading and go to the front door to peer through the peep hole. It’s the man from the stabbing.
<Carson, the guy you saved is here to see you.>
I open the door, smiling out of politeness. “Good morning. It’s good to see you up and about.”
<Okay. I just got out of the shower, I’ll be out in a few minutes.>
“Hey. Good morning,” he extends a hand. “I’m Paul.”
Shaking his hand, I step aside and gesture him in. “Eyan.”
“Er… Thanks,” he stutters.
“Please sit down,” I lead him into the living room.
He lowers himself onto the couch. “So… I managed to get your names and address. I hope you don’t mind. I just wanted to thank you.”
Considering how well known Carson is, his finding our address is not a feat to be wondered at. I settle across from Paul, on a lazy chair. “It’s my friend, Carson, you want to thank. He’s the one who saved your life. I was just with him.”
Paul’s eyebrows go up momentarily. “I wasn’t unconscious the whole time. I remember both of you.”
Yes, but you didn’t hear the silent conversation that proceeded my help. “Carson is really
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Alan Rickman as Snape is one of the best casting choices ever made
I’m testing this theory where, because I’ve been sitting in front of my computer for the last couple hours and Ianta already did her computer-screen-blocking stint, I’ll be able to get through this blog post without her getting between me and my words. To that end, that’s this whole blog post. Goodnight!
Juuuuuust kidding.
So I didn’t edit Chapter 14 today and I don’t even care. I was too busy being super happy about how insanely adorable Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is. Then I was too busy being super happy about how insanely adorable Love, Simon is. The (audio)book made me legitimately happy. Half the time I was walking around with this ridiculous grin on my face as I listened, and when I finished it, I started it over again.
The movie’s really pretty different (just as a general heads up to anyone who may be interested) but I think the changes worked for it and it was Erika-happy-making in its own right. I generally enjoy my fiction darker and more complex than this, which is great and all, but a book or movie or song or whatever that makes you happy is a really fantastic thing and I’ve been having a blast riding this happy wave.
I think I’m going to diverge from that story that’s been simmering the last week to post an excerpt from my novel that makes me happy, happy being the obvious theme of the day.
<What’s wrong?>
<I’m getting
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Five minutes left until sunrise
Another evening that didn’t go as planned, but pleasantly so. I spent good time with a friend. Now I’m sitting down to write this blog post and I have a very happy purring kitty who is sure I’m here to love on her. My iMac is, after all, the cat throne. It’s been claimed and furred. They think they’ve claimed it and I know they’ve furred it.
I wouldn’t call this a First Sentence exactly, it’s something that would be in the middle of a story. A scene, written just now:
“Five minutes left until sunrise,” Tony announces.
Damn it. Focus. Concentrate. Channel the energy through my hands into- Shit, I’ve lost it again!
“Slow down,” Anita instructs, unflappable as always. She’d probably be her same calm self approaching the damn heat death of the universe.
“Did you not just hear him say we have five minutes? There isn’t time to slow down.”
“Four minutes and-“
“Shut up,” I say through my teeth, “I know it’s less than five minutes now!”
“You don’t need all four minutes and whatever seconds. Not if you slow down,” she continues as if there’s been no interruption.
“That doesn’t sound counterintuitive at all.”
“Trust me. Face the barrier again. Extend your hands. Close your eyes.”
I follow her instructions. I don’t have much choice. Five of our friends will die in that suntrap if I don’t.
“Breathe out through your nose and out through your mouth. Deeply. Good. Now, keep the breathing up.”
I
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It felt like less of a lie
Today I edited the first chapter of the Way of Attrition (my novel). Incidentally, while I think it’s a cool name that fits, I’m undecided. A different name may fit better.
I hadn’t seen Ianta in hours but she was quick to pop up when I got to work.
I’m upset by the admittedly not at all surprising confirmation of Kavanaugh. The FBI investigation was so short I can’t be expected to take it seriously. Regardless of the rape allegations,
- The absolute refusal of the Republicans in Congress to do their jobs and consider Obama’s nomination, claiming the voters needed to have a voice,
- The way in which the Republicans changed the Senate voting rules for confirming Supreme Court nominees, robbing the party not in power of its voice,
- And the Republican rush to confirm someone new before the voters could have a voice through the midterm elections,
makes the Supreme Court nominations a sore spot for me. Quite honestly, I find the above three decisions disgusting when viewed together.
When you add that Kavanaugh’s partisan rant against Democrats, the Clintons, the media, and the left should have disqualified him from serving on the Supreme Court, which is supposed to be the opposite of partisan, it’s more upsetting.
Then, of course, we have the rape allegations. Let me outline what I saw as the reality of the situation prior to today’s confirmation:
A) If the allegations are correct then, worst case scenario, a rapist is appointed to the Supreme
