So anyway. Might as well give you something real while I'm at it, and tell you a little about my writing these days. During the summer, I rewrote a story that's been sitting around on my computer for a little while. I think it was a definite improvement, although I could probably still tweak it more. Of course, then I'd have to start looking into getting it published, and that's kind of intimidating. Where do you even start?
I also did some work on a story that I plan to tell using a series of short stories. There isn't enough of a plot to hang a proper novel on, I feel, but snippets of scenes and interactions? That I can do. It might not ever be a published book, but it's a project I want to do for myself at least.
Let's see...there have been other random snippets of writing, and finally, NaNoWriMo! This year's story was called Gemini City, and I loved it. Actually, make that love, present tense. I still really like it. I love the characters, the setting, and I feel the story itself is good, and better than Of Dragons, Wizards, and Fluffy Pink Bunnies, which I wrote two years ago and also quite enjoyed. Gemini City has a tighter plot, though.
Here's the synopsis I posted on the NaNoWriMo website:
"Venturing out for the first time since her empathic talent was "corrupted," a young woman finds herself out on the streets past curfew, when the City of Day becomes the City of Night. She meets a small group of misfits; a touch telepath who isn't quite sane, a seer who's blind even in his visions, and two men who have never forgiven each other for what each did to save the other's life. From them, she learns that Gemini City--the City of Day and the City of Night--is in danger of splitting permanently, with consequences that could shake the whole world."
I thought about changing it partway through the month, once I had a better idea of what was going on, but I never got around to it. And it's still pretty accurate. I never posted an excerpt on the site, but I can dig around my document and find one for you now.
***
Mika and Lucian returned fifteen minutes later, bearing half a dozen donuts as well as a bag of coffee beans.
“Ardath,” Mika greeted her with a polite tilt of the head. She handed her the box of donuts. “Help yourself.”
“Um, thanks?” Surprised by the friendly overture, Ardath opened the box, half expecting to find something disgusting instead of six donuts. On the other hand, if Mika genuinely thought donuts were disgusting, maybe this still was an attack of sorts.
“They're not poisoned, I promise,” Lucian said. He was over by the counter getting real, non-instant coffee started.
Ardath felt her face turn red. “I didn't think—”
Mika turned her head toward Lucian. “I don't need anything so crude as poison.” With that, she swept out of the room.
“Um.” Ardath looked at the now-empty doorway and back at the donuts. “Was that...I mean...”
“She won't do anything to you,” Seth promised. He sounded amused. Jerk.
“How'd you end up with half your group hating everyone?” Ardath muttered, finally selecting a sugar-dusted donut and handing the box to Seth.
“Neither of them hates everyone.” Seth grinned at her, chose a donut, and passed the box on to Lucian, who put it on the counter before continuing with the coffee.
“Mika's just wary,” Lucian said. “She doesn't hate you, she's just not willing to trust you yet. Making you uncomfortable is her way of testing you.”
“And Asher?” Ardath asked before biting into her donut.
“The only person he hates is Seth. It just bleeds over onto the rest of us, but it's nothing personal. Once he gets over his current sulk, he'll be extra nice to you by way of apology.” Lucian gave an authoritative nod and took the coffeepot over to the sink to fill it with water.
“I don't sulk.”
Ardath squeaked, whipping around to see Asher standing on the bottom stair, looking in to the kitchen.
“Yes, you do.” Lucian picked up the box of donuts and held it in Asher's direction. “Donut?”
“Thanks.” Asher stepped into the kitchen and chose a donut. “But I don't sulk.”
“Keep deluding yourself, if that's what makes you happy.” Lucian started the coffee brewing and finally selected a donut of his own.
Asher rolled his eyes and perched himself on the counter, starting into his donut. “I. Don't. Sulk.”
“And I suppose you think you don't throw tantrums, either?” Lucian grinned and took a large bite of donut.
One dark eyebrow went up. “Excuse me? I'm a little old for 'tantrums,' I think.”
“What do you call going out and beating up people who have nothing to do with why you're angry?”
Asher looked down at his bandaged knuckles. “That's not a tantrum. That's a judicious burning off of aggression. And they all threw the first punch.”
“Because you tried so hard to avoid that outcome,” Lucian murmured. “Face it, Ash. Despite what your years say, you're actually a really big kid, sulking and tantrums included.”
“You want a real tantrum, I can give you one,” Asher offered.***
So anyway, that's me these days. Maybe I'll manage to update this more regularly again...we'll see.
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