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It doesn’t change what I have to do
No novel editing today but I do have all my work dinners and lunches made, along with breakfasts for several days. I also caught up on my finances. I feel pretty pleased with what I’ve accomplished today and I’m in a good mood from my favorite episode of the current season of Doctor Who so far.
This is going to be another tiny blurb for that same potential short story. I really need to come up with a working title. I’m such a Whovian that “Don’t Bleed” is what’s coming to mind.
He shakes his head. “It’s not that simple. I can’t break the spell. It’s tied to my life.”
I suppose that does make sense. It doesn’t change what I have to do.
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You’d have years of extra time
Three movies in three days. That’s three more than I normally would watch. Today it was Black Panther, which I missed seeing in the theater. I enjoyed it, but I had issues with several of the key decisions made by several of the characters. There was a lot of me shaking my head and wondering, “Why are you doing this?”
This isn’t a movie review blog, though, so I’ll leave it at that. I’m also fairly tired and it’s much later than I typically stay up. Please excuse typos more so than normal.
I did edit a few chapters in my novel! Chapters 14, 15, and 16, which brings me to the end of the first part. I hope to have time for editing more tomorrow, but it’s also my weekly meal prep day so we’ll see.
Here’s a tiny snippet for that would-be short story of mine:
“You can put an end to this. With all the people who’ve died, you’d have years of extra time. Decades.”
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Nothing will be the same
I went from watching Love, Simon last night to the Hate U Give tonight, because apparently I like emotional rollercoasters. Super happy feeling stuff one night? Obviously let’s follow it up with a tragic film about systemic racism and the impact it has. I really recommend reading the Hate U Give and/or watching it. We won’t fix any of the problems in our society if we don’t acknowledge them.
Random First Sentence tonight:
It’s silver against concrete. A ring. Thin, twisty. She bends to pick it up. It looks like flowers strung together. Too large for most her fingers, it slides right on her left thumb. Nothing changes, this isn’t some Lord of the Rings knockoff, but nothing will be the same again either.
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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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What more could you possibly have to lose?
I’m continuing to make progress on my novel. Chapters 11, 12, and 13 edited tonight. Chapter 14’s a lengthy and pivotal one so I’m saving that for tomorrow. Now for this blog post, then to walk the dog.
Once more, continuing from yesterday:
“It can’t!” she snaps. “That’s the whole problem!”
“I can fix that. I can fix his body.”
“How?”
“I’ll show you.”
She shakes her head but doesn’t walk away.
“What more could you possibly have to lose than the alternative?”
All the fight drains from her body. She sags, clutching her dying son close. “All right.”
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What if he didn’t need those things?
Chapters 7, 8, 9, and 10 of my novel edited! They’re all short chapters but it makes me feel accomplished to have gotten through four on a worknight anyway. Maybe that’s why I made some short chapters in the first place. Hmm.
The downside is that, at least on workdays, I have time to work on my novel or this new short story of mine, but not both. I really need someone to adult for me so I can spend most of my time storying.
Continuing directly from yesterday’s snippet:
“I don’t have the money for a transfusion or stitches,” she says this without looking at me but she does stop walking.
“I don’t want your money and I can’t give blood or sew anyone up.”
“Then how can you possi-“
“What if he didn’t need those things? What if his body could heal on its own?”
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I need to know if I can end this
I just edited Chapters 5 and 6 of my novel and they made me happy, something I need to enjoy while it lasts because damn does this thing have its depressing stretches.
I also meal prepped my lunches for the week, which I didn’t have time to do yesterday after I got back from Fresno.
My mind is far from this potential short story of mine, but let’s see…
She’s about to hurry off, shielding her boy from me like I might snatch him away so I say the desperate thing because I need to know if I can end this, “I can save your son.”
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Literally just repeat
Back home and somehow still feeling super full from a dinner that didn’t seem that large when I was cooking it.
I’m still leaning toward telling the story from the point of view of the person who approaches the mom. That may have something to do with not wanting to write kid dialogue (I’m not good at that.)
Another short one tonight since it’s been a busy weekend and I still have things to do before bed:
“Just because no one can explain it yet doesn’t mean it’s magic.”
“True, but we have an advantage: we know magic is real.”
“I could literally just repeat the last thing I said.”
It’s another snippet from the same story.
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The shattered world in their eyes
I’ve had a lovely, relaxing day with family and friends.
Jumping right in, this is for the same story of the last several days:
They’re all the same, the parents who come here. Terrified, desperate. Going in there’s hope, however great or small. Coming out, the lucky ones are relieved, whatever price they’ve had to pay steep, frightening, but better than the alternative. The rest, though, you can see the shattered world in their eyes.
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Blood and stitches
Safely at my brother’s. It was a slightly longer than usual drive, with a minor accident causing the longest slowdown.
Another (very short) snippet from this story that’s still formulating in my head:
People used to take out loans for houses and cars, now they take them out for blood and stitches.
I’m tired so that’s it for tonight.
