Okay, so maybe this thing is working out. Maybe.

I've spent the last couple of weeks trying to integrate a massive amount of backstory (mostly from the War) into the current story as a parallel narrative and, so far at least, it seems to be working.

Stain has a whole new opening, I finally got to write a scene from Albin Darril's POV, and I'm actually pretty happy with this!

This integration has, however, shown the need for massive restructuring of the middle of the book - including a different villain, er, assassin, er, sort of both and neither, and that too is coming along quite well. Now I just have to figure out how to kill someone(s) without Dubric getting (or at least being stuck with) their ghosts. ;)

Feel free to make suggestions. lol

Farewell to a Princess

Our Malaysia died this morning, hit by a car right in front of our house. She was three years old, had been a fabulous mama to a perfect litter of kittens, and was very much adored. She was also determined, ornery, spoiled, particular, and in all ways a Princess. Since we can no longer worship at her altar and bow to her many whims, I can only say goodbye my sweet princess. We loved you and miss you very much.

For a mere ten dollars

I meet with my writing group twice a month for lunch followed by much gabbing at Borders. We critique each other, support and encourage each other, and do our best to keep each other accountable because, let's face it, we're all mired with life upheaval. Grandkids. Grown children moving back home. Job changes. New romances. Illness and injuries and car trouble and, well, life.

In short, we've been slacking with our writing, all of us so we've devised a plan. Create a writing goal. Hit it, there's no penalty. Miss it, pony up $10 toward a writing retreat.

My goal is 8 more finished chapters of Stain by our next meeting (the end of this month). I'm CHEAP and there's no way I'll have to pay.

No freaking way.

Speaking of Stain, I'm working at integrating the Pavlis Accords and other important events into the narrative, not as flashbacks but as intersecting story. It's coming along really, really well.  :)

Gilby and Otlee

Now that all the house-stuff is done, I've been trying to focus on Stain. The current draft is mostly finished, length wise, but a real mess, content wise. That's okay, it's fixable.

But, in an effort to show that it's not all awful, I'm sharing a scene from about mid-book with Gilby and Otlee. Since Dubric, Dien and Lars are insanely busy with bigger problems, Dien has sent the boys to bring in a known drunk (Crith) supposedly for a minor offense, but actually because Dubric has been haunted by Crith's wife's ghost for a couple of days. There's been no time to investigate her murder because things in Faldorrah are a bit nuts to say the least, and Dien assumed it would be an easy and safe task to delegate.

Easy and safe in a tambo book? Um... no.

Anyway, the scene's below the cut. Hopefully it'll last through revisions because I really like Gilby. ;)