A Light Through the Darkness

I am still doing NaNo, and I’m going to be doing daily updates from now on.  Today, my total stands at 8363 words – I’m about 14k behind, but I’m trying to catch up.  I refuse to give up!

I also received my edits for Last Rites this past weekend, so I have to start working on those.  But I really, really need to get my NaNo done, as it’s the Advent Story I’m going to begin posting on December 1st.  Yes, Schrodinger and Molly are coming back for another season!

Also, I’ve been asked about their first adventure.  I think I will be collecting the first Advent Story into ebook form (and possibly offering it on Lulu as well, for those who want a hard copy) and putting it up for sale for a small amount.  I don’t know if I’ll be able to get it done for December 1st, but I’ll try to have it available before Christmas.

So many things are happening right now.  I’m overwhelmed, and excited, and exhausted.  It’s a great time.

Originally published at The words of Valerie Griswold-Ford. You can comment here or there.

Really! Almost half a Lowell! (which is 10k in a day) For being exhausted, that's damn fine. If I didn't have to be up at 4:30 am tomorrow, I'd write more, but well, yeah.

Time for bed for me.


Starting Count: 101887
Ending Count: 106465
Net Gain: +4578
Current Word MTD count: 7857


Starting line:

Alex growled something from behind his gag, but Nikki ignored him. She looked at all of them. “Then go, and know that no matter what, we are one. We are the Horsemen. We are together.”

Ending line:

“We gave you every opportunity to be together,” Lyla told her. “Every relationship must have some sacrifice. He was not gone long.”

Darling:

“The very first thing I will do is skin that Horse,” Madness said, her voice cool. “And use it for a rug.”

An image sprang up in front of him, framed in more of her webbing: Malattia’s flayed hide, head still intact, spread out before a fireplace, a grotesque mockery of a bear rug. Her eyes, though, weren’t glass: they were filled with pain and anguish, and he realized in that moment that Madness would keep the Horse alive, trapped in her own skin, tormented for eternity.

Oh wow. Today, we slogged. Three chapters. Lots of words. The end is coming.

Starting Count: 94284
Ending Count: 99417
Net Gain: +5133
Current Word YTD count: 9116


Starting line:
Power flowed into her, into the gaping maw of Famine coiled deep within her, and Cleo felt her Horseman start to rise. The problem was, there seemed to be no limit to the Chaos stretching across the road, and unless she and Rick could break it, the ambulance was going to crash right into it. And then the gods only knew where it would end up.

Ending line:
“But, Father, she’s not near her time,” Chrys said. “It’s barely the beginning of the third trimester – the child will not survive a birth here, now.”

Darling:
Then Thom and Lucifer were there, side by side, both on tall horses that shrilled challenges. Beside her, Strijd screamed in response as Rick took aim at Lucifer. Cleo didn’t even think: vines of Power rippled from her, twining around the false Horse that her twin rode.

Lucifer didn’t move, even as Rick’s shotgun blast ripped a chunk from his shoulder. He just raised his other arm, which held a long sword, and waited for the ambulance bearing down on him.

But Cleo’s vines slithered up around Thom’s mount, dragging it bodily off the road even as it fought against her. Thom grabbed one of the vines and Cleo shrieked as cold, icy Power flowed back up into her, burning into her. Spiders with long legs scuttled up along his arms and across the rope, dragging Madness’ webs behind them, their eyes fixed on her. She poured more Power against his, fire to his ice, life to his death, and the onrush of spiders faltered as huge leaves opened on the vines, Venus flytrap-like leaves that crushed the arachnids as they moved towards her. But it only slowed them. She looked up to see Thom’s dead eyes, dulled by cobwebs that rippled in their depths, staring fixedly at her.

You cannot resist. His thoughts oozed into her mind, coated with an overtone of coppery bile that hung heavy in her throat. You cannot win. Join us, Cleo, and live. Join us and you can have whatever you want…

There always seems to be a battle, somewhere. Even if it's an internal one. This one is, and yet is not.

Yoda I am tonight.

Also, I screwed up my metrics the other day, I realized. The counts were off. I've fixed them in my spreadsheet.


Starting Count: 95007
Ending Count: 95703
Net Gain: +696
Current Word YTD count: 3059


Starting line:
But why was she here now? And where were the others? There was only one Horse on the knoll.

Ending line:
The question stopped Sylvia, and she blinked. How could she stop them? There was Power here, of course, but she needed to direct it, and there was nothing that sprang immediately to mind. As she stood there, her arms raised and her brow wrinkled in confusion, a cry went up, distracting her.

Darling:
Sunlight flared and then died, plunged into a dark night illuminated by a blood-red moon that hung, bloated, over the scene.

I know, shocking, huh? :p

Not only did I get words done on Last Rites, but I also got some of the plot summary done for Tales. In fact, the only must-do on my to-do list that didn't get done was taking down the Christmas tree. I call that a win.

Metrics:


Starting Count: 93291
Ending Count: 93980
Net Gain: +689
Current Word YTD count: 1256
Val’s Tea Fund: $9
Worldbuilding words: 567

Starting line:
“Okay, everyone, time to fly.”

Ending line:
His form shimmered as they came up to the Gate, a faint blue glow surrounding him. Justin frowned, but the glow lifted up from Kith and swarmed the large padlock, forming an insubstantial key. A soft snick echoed through the silence, and then the gate swung open.

Darling:
Kith led them down a long, winding path through a dark evergreen forest, far different from the dead trees that seem to coat so much of the Shadow Lands. Moss thudded under Cerberus’ hooves, and the dry, dusty scent of pine filled Justin’s nostrils. Somewhere in the distance, a crow cawed, and Justin’s skin crawled again, this time with foreboding. Who knew what they would find in Madness’ realm?

Starting Count: 21345
Ending Count: 22295
Net Gain: +950

Starting line:
Alex whipped around, looking in the same direction she was.

Ending line:
You are right, little one, the Spirit said, and Cleo trembled at bit at the Power suddenly presented her. We are one, not two. You are a Horseman, and I am only a piece of your soul. It is time we remind my brother of that.

Darling:
“You’ve become a coward, sister. Obviously, putting you into mortal clay was a mistake. You enjoyed my fire once.” He spread his arms and the flames roared up again, battering against her, breaking through her blanket. The wooden beams caught fire and he laughed. “Let this be the first of many burnings we enjoy on this ride!”

**

War is not a nice character. Just sayin'.

Starting Count: 18260
Ending Count: 18832
Net Gain: +572

Starting line:
We need to get away from here, but where? Father Michael would send Chrys after him as soon as the guards were found.

Ending line:
“He’s an asshole, and assholes keep things to themselves.” Cleo shook her head. “Especially things that can give them power over other people.”

Darling:
Not yet, but there might be later tonight.

**
And yes, it's about to get good. Thom is cranky. Nikki is cranky. Rick is cranky.

This should be frigging EXPLOSIVE.

Starting Count: 16826
Ending Count: 17624
Net Gain: +798

Starting line:
He was lost. Lost in his own mind, a fate he’d always feared, especially after watching his mother slip into madness. And yet, the world moved around him, somehow incorporating his delusions into itself, molding reality to his own warped senses. The doctor within was quietly amused at the hubris of the patient.

Ending line:
But she didn’t stop. Image after image pounded into his head, until Thom was curled up on the floor, weeping in pain, his brain alight with more information than he could process.

Darling:
That intrigued him. Despite himself, Thom went into the bedroom and pulled aside the dark curtains. Outside, silhouetted against the falling snowflakes, stood…

A horse. A tall, grey horse that shook its mane and then dropped its head to lip at the snow on the ground.

“Um, yeah. You’re a horse?”

Yes, I’m a Horse. He could hear the capital letter when she said it, and her head came back up to look down at him. So?

“So I’m talking to a Horse, in my head, and you think that’s going to convince me that I’m not crazy?” He laughed. “Yeah, right.”


***

Mental note to self: torturing characters gets you words. Especially when the character is practically begging to be tortured.

Starting Count: 15622
Ending Count: 15797
Net Gain: +175

Starting line:
As always, the atmosphere inside the cottage reeked of the Balance, and the taste of it made him faintly nauseous.

Ending line:
She turned towards him, pale green eyes faintly amused. “Are we really going to engage in this banal small talk? Or should I get straight to the point?”

Darling:
Nope. Not a one. :(

***
I suppose it's better than nothing. At least I wrote something, yes?

Starting Count: 13502
Ending Count: 14480
Net Gain: +978

Starting line:
“I’m a scientist. We’re kin to philosophers. Deep thinking is part of our makeup.” She rested her hands on the dark leather and looked up at him. “What can I do for you, my Lord?”

Ending line:
He nodded. “One of the Three Spirits needed to cast the Cleansing. Now do you understand why we need to keep you safe?”

Darling:
Madness’ deft fingers reached into the tapestry, pulling out a small portion. “This loom is very old,” she said, spreading the piece she’d taken out so Sylvia could see it. “Almost as old as time itself. There’s always been a weaver to keep the threads straight, but the loom itself is the one who creates the fabric. Some legends say the loom is the embodiment of the creative spirit of the universe itself. We’re all here, Chosen. Every one of us has a part to play in this dance, and the loom keeps it all intact. Look here.”

***

I will get this book written. I will.