erin

halfway there

So I have hit the halfway mark for NaNoWriMo. Lookit the nice little progress meter:

26132 / 50000 words. 52% done!

And I’m not entirely sure where it is going. I had grandiose aspirations of doing 75k this month but I really don’t think I’m up for it. I might see how far I can get beyond 50k since I’m on pace to hit it early, but I haven’t decided yet.

Not that I’m feeling bad about it. I rather like it so far. I’m learning interesting things about my writing style, having done this so many times. I am not an outliner, I am not even much of a planner. I think I like the surprises that come with not planning, with not knowing what’s going to happen next.

I seem to start with location, and then find different ways to explore it. Approaching it from different angles, telling bits of its story through different characters. My location for this one is, at least, in very good shape. And I have a thread of something or other flowing through it that is plotish if not fully grown plot yet. There are holes in it, of course, but there’s still a good long way to go.

Am guessing that it’ll end up much like the circus did, a 100k or so draft that can be reshaped into something tighter and more coherent. I do have a tendency to ramble off in different directions but I usually learn something or find something to bring back with me.

I think that’s my favorite part about the rough draft stage, that so much of it is exploration and I never know what might turn up on the next page.

By erin, ago

things you find when you’re not looking for anything

We went for a walk this morning because the weather is beautiful and the leaves are mostly fallen in piles of yellow and red and orange on the ground. It is bright and sunny but breezy, and we decided to walk longer than we usually do. Instead of stopping somewhere around Pickering Wharf we wandered further down Derby Street, past the House of Seven Gables and down near the Salem Ferry.

Why was I unaware that there is a house covered in magical statues and creatures and contraptions near the Salem Ferry?

It is marvelous. There are birds made from horseshoes and sea serpents fashioned from iron and rope. Creatures fashioned from driftwood and metal. I was very glad I had decided to bring my camera.

I love this city. There are more photos (and also photos of leaves and pumpkins) on my Flickr photostream.

By erin, ago

there will be time, there will be time

I have been meaning to post here for days and keep getting distracted. The time gets away from me, I get distracted by a hundred things. I wonder where the day went, and then the week. Tricksy time, going ever onward without stopping. Apologies. Here is a picture of birdies to make up for it.

Salem Hallowe’en was something, as usual. We wandered around downtown in late afternoon and then came home before it got too too busy. I sort of immediately fell into NaNoWriMo and forgot about a lot of other things (I still have stuff to put on Etsy that needs to be photographed) but that’s ok. Am just under 15k right now. I’ve been considering going for 75k instead of 50k but that might be too much for one month. Maybe.

Spent the last 24 hours or so going from anxious to bouncy to elated and there was far too much candy and wine involved. Kind of tired today, but still happy. Need to get back to novelling and other stuff but history unfolding in front of one’s eyes is a teensy bit distracting. I am sad about some of the state-by-state decisions, particularly in California, but the good outweighs the bad.

I love that Cute Overload is taking suggestions on what kind of puppy Sasha and Malia should get. I vote Corgi, myself.

I am happy and hopeful. I am enjoying writing my NaNovel. I like that outside my window everything is falling leaves and nicely gray skies. Warm fuzzies and tea.

By erin, ago

recycled words

Have just discovered the art of Will Ashford and I’m completely smitten.

I have always loved art with text and text with art, and this combines text & art in a really lovely way. Found his stuff by accident, too, doing Google image searches for “old books” when the umbrella caught my eye. It makes me unreasonably happy.

By erin, ago

october

It is only my second October in Salem, and last year we were still in unpacking mode so we didn’t really have the time to stop and look around enough. It’s fun, though I think my favorite part is all the technicolor trees. We were severely lacking in trees living in Boston.

Went for a walk today and took a lot of photos. Wasn’t really planning to, just brought the camera on an excursion for bread. Came home breadless, alas, but did get some great photos and a pumpkin spice latte. Best of the photos are now on my Flickr photostream. Also met a cat named Maleek who enjoyed pets on the head (you can see him on the photostream, too).

Finished the tarot sevens. Am pondering my plot or lack thereof for NaNoWriMo now that it’s only days away. I am feeling a bit like I’m in a holding pattern, waiting for the rest of 2008 to tumble into writing and holidays and then fall into 2009. I am taking some time to enjoy the scenery.

By erin, ago

on anniversaries & apples

taken at macks apples, londonderry, nh, 10.13.08

Yesterday was my 2nd wedding anniversary. We went to New Hampshire to go apple picking and bought a cotton candy pumpkin and I took a lot of photos, some of which came out remarkably well. I am endeavoring to be a better photographer. After apple picking (Mutzu apples, which are fantastic) we went out for dinner at the Indian restaurant we’d been meaning to try for ages and it was wonderful. They had naan stuffed with basil that was possibly the best thing ever.

Today I finished the last of my edits on the novel and sent it off all pretty and shiny to be read by a few wise, bookish people to get some outside opinions on it. It is odd to be free of it, if only temporarily. I have been working more or less nonstop on it for the last week or so, since the boy read it and gave me some very good suggestions on things to add and adjust.

I have things to do, of course. I have the troublesome sevens to paint for the tarot deck. I have NaNoWriMo coming up in two weeks and I use a little bit more planning for it, though I never like to plan too much for NaNo. I like to see where November wants to take me without a map.

I should clean the studio, and I would like to add some more things to my Etsy store. I finished The Graveyard Book, which was not entirely what I was expecting but fit my mood nicely and made me want to play in graveyards (which I can easily manage around here). I should start The Catcher in the Rye, or possibly re-read Einstein’s Dreams.

And there are apples to eat, as well.

By erin, ago