One thing kept me fairly sane throughout the month of April – a month where crunch time is in full effect and plenty of major projects are coming due: working on my script for Script Frenzy [LINK]. Although I’m nowhere near DONE with the script [and much cutting is in my future with it], I did manage to cross the 100-page mark needed to win Script Frenzy!

I’m really proud of myself because it’s the first time I’ve written creatively since November with NaNoWriMo [LINK], and it’s the first time in about 9 months in which I’ve written something that I actually want to go back to and edit and revise and submit.

Below is an excerpt for the screenplay, the screenplay of NO NAME. LOL It will have a title some day, but the one I originally had, Hell’s Angel, doesn’t really fit the story or character any more.

Remember, this is a VERY ROUGH, haven’t looked at it at ALL draft of the script. LOL Judge accordingly if you must judge.

Here’s a quick synopsis of story: A woman returns to her life after a 10-year bid for killing her husband with one thing on her mind: reuniting with the daughter who hates her.

INT. COFFEE SHOP – MORNING

Peighton, dressed up, is sitting at a small table in the corner, typing on a laptop.

She looks deep in thought.

DETECTIVE DEEKS

Good morning, Peighton.

Peighton looks up and is none too thrilled to see Detective Deeks before her.

DETECTIVE DEEKS (CONT’D)

You look nice.

Peighton doesn’t respond.

DETECTIVE DEEKS (CONT’D)

See you’re fitting into the world quickly.

Detective Deeks points at the laptop.

PEIGHTON

I used computers in prison…while I was getting my degree, Detective.

Detective Deeks looks outside the large windows and spots a motorcycle in a parking spot. He points toward it.

DETECTIVE DEEKS

Is that your cycle out there?

Peighton nods.

DETECTIVE DEEKS (CONT’D)

And you rode it here? Dressed like that?

Peighton looks up to him and nods.

There is a pause.

DETECTIVE DEEKS (CONT’D)

(clears throat) You mind if I sit here?

Peighton shrugs.

PEIGHTON

If you must.

Detective Deeks sits, stares at Peighton.

DETECTIVE DEEKS

I’ve done some research on you…

Peighton snaps her attention toward him. She’s angry.

PEIGHTON

What the hell for? I haven’t done shi…

Detective Deeks lifts his hands.

DETECTIVE DEEKS

I know you haven’t. I don’t suspect you of anything.

(softer) This is about your past. About what happened to you.

PEIGHTON

And why is that any concern of yours?

DETECTIVE DEEKS

Because my son is seeing your daughter, and I want to know everything about her. And that includes you.

Peighton returns her gaze to the laptop.

DETECTIVE DEEKS (CONT’D)

And I’m sorry.

Peighton eyes Detective Deeks.

PEIGHTON

For what?

DETECTIVE DEEKS

For seeing you just as a murderer when I didn’t know all the facts.

PEIGHTON

(shrugs) Doesn’t matter. Most of the world goes off indicting people without knowing all the facts. Why should you be any different?

DETECTIVE DEEKS

Because I work to be different. And I think you’re a good person.

PEIGHTON

And you tell me this, why?

DETECTIVE DEEKS

Because I don’t want you to get hurt.

PEIGHTON

By what?

Detective Deeks sighs.

Peighton shakes her head and points in his direction.

PEIGHTON (CONT’D)

Don’t even go there.

DETECTIVE DEEKS

I know things. Things you don’t.

Peighton closes her laptop and places it in her bag. She drops money on the table and stands.

She bends to Detective Deeks’ ear.

PEIGHTON

You just can’t believe people can change, can you?

Detective Deeks turns to face Peighton. Their faces are close. There is a pause as they stare at one another.

DETECTIVE DEEKS

I believe people can change. I don’t believe the people you hang out with have changed.

Peighton stands and takes a step back.

PEIGHTON

Well, they haven’t done nothing to prove me wrong yet.

Detective Deeks raises an eyebrow.

DETECTIVE DEEKS

Really? Nothing?

Peighton looks away.

DETECTIVE DEEKS (CONT’D)
Just protect yourself. If things start to feel funny, protect yourself and get out of the way of danger.

Peighton gives him a parting glance. Nods.

PEIGHTON

Heard you. OK.

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Didn’t think it would happen.

Waited ’til the last minute to even participate and had no real idea what I would write about, but after completing NaNoWriMo the last four years, I just felt the need to do it this year. Would feel like a failure if I didn’t.

The first week was like gangbusters. Wrote a little over 21,000 words that first week. The second week, cleared 30k. The third week, I peter out a bit as school and stress weighed heavily on me. Fourth week, came back and hit that last hurdle and cleared 50k. Total, 50,043 was hit tonight.

Is the story good? Hell, it’s not even a story any more. By week three my interest in the story peter out, so I began jumping into various sections and just writing, so right now, I have a mess, and I probably won’t even go back to it. But it did get me to writing even during the stressful first semester of my doctoral work, so that at least tells me that if I’m more structured I can write something good during this time.

I’m proud of myself. Now, to finish the semester and get into a new project!

Want to hear an excerpt of NaNoWriMo project, Educating Sophia? There’s a new excerpt below! You can check out the first two excerpts at Shon Bacon @ PodBean!

Excerpt Three of Educating Sophia

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Didn’t post yesterday. Got to 13,043 words on Day 4.

Today was my long day at school. I usually get onto campus about 8 a.m., and I don’t leave campus ’til about 8, 8:30. Was lucky enough to have a class canceled and managed to get in about 1,500 words, and then just before midnight, I knocked out close to 900 words.

SO, today’s total was 2,324 words. My overall total right now is 15,367.

Hope to get to 17,500 words tomorrow.

The cool thing right now is I came up with a rather exciting (for me anyway, lol) way to develop the story, so now there is no worrying about writing in order or fingering out the whole story. Right now, I’m writing pieces as they come.

Thinking about making the story interactive, so my creativity is “webbing out” right now, and whatever it links up to in reference to this story, I’m tagging it, writing it, and syncing up to the next thread of the story.

Exciting times, I say. Exciting times.

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Well, today, I wrote about 2,100 words, and my total NaNoWriMo word count is 10,050.

Proud of self. Have written and not let it get in the way of ALL the other things I have to get done.

In the midst of writing today, I got a bit stressed; this is why I need an outline, LOL

I didn’t think I would hit the 10k, but then I had a bit of inspiration, something to add to the story…and thus the beginning was changed, too.

Instead of just showing you some words on the screen, I decided to create a podcast of me reading the first pages of my NaNoWriMo ‘09 project, Educating Sophia.

I hope you enjoy it.

Leave comments!

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Well, I jumped into whatever it is that I’m writing. Still don’t have a firm grasp of plot or anything; I’m just going where the words take me.

On day one, I wrote about 5,200 words.

This morning, I woke up and went to Starbucks, got me a white chocolate mocha and a slice of pumpkin bread and wrote before doing anything else. Got about 2,800 words in.

Sitting at 8,015 words for the first two days.

My goal for myself is to get to at least 30,000 words during NaNo because with school and all, I’m not sure I can hit the 50k. If I can cross the 15k mark by Sunday evening, I will be happy.

And proud of myself,

How are you guys doing on NaNo thus far?

Hope to put up an excerpt soon!

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It’s been a VERY long time since I’ve been over here.

And school is the time-sucking culprit!

I’ve been busy with school and reading and research…and now am about to get into the part of the semester where papers have to be written, so it will get even more crazy.

HOWEVER, I do plan to work on a NaNoWriMo project for November. I’ve participated for the last four years and have “won” each year, and it felt wrong to at least not try to write something this month.

This is a challenge for me on several fronts:

1. Usually, I outline my NaNoWriMo projects. I’m going into this completely cold with a title, a character name, and fuzzy thoughts on what the story is about.
2. I’m in school, and school is like a full-time job plus double-overtime. It’s going to be rough.
3. I haven’t written anything creatively in nearly three months. A record for me, so I’m very rusty.

Because of this, my goal is to do a NaNo-Lite. No, this doesn’t actually exist. As we all know, NaNo has people attempting to write 50,000 words in 30 days. I’m going for 30,000 words in 30 days. Still a lot of words for a woman with barely enough time to do everything else in her life, but I think I really do need this so that I can feel – at least mentally – that I’m still creative.

I’ll be posting throughout the month, giving you guys updates on my writing challenges, of which I’m sure there will be at least ONE.

For now, I’ll leave you with my title: Educating Sophia.

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I always get emotional when things end.

I nearly lost it when Friends went off the air, and Will & Grace? Forget about it!

Same sadness evades me at the conclusion of every NaNoWriMo.

I look back at the last thirty days with fondness, with sadness, and with happiness.

Fondness because it is the one month out of the year, and has been since 2005, that I put my creativity above all other things and try to make literary magic happen.

Sadness because this is the first NaNo year in which everything and its mother became obstacles that tried to thwart my success. I have never, ever, had a November this insane, this busy, this chaotic, this dramatic, this serious. All of these obstacles not only kept me from writing some days, but they also diminished my overall happiness with the world. I was tired, sluggish, irritated, angry, confused, anxious – any and everything that could culminate into a nervous breakdown. But I didn’t break – not all the way anyway.

Which brings me to Happiness, happiness because I made it through NaNo and made it through BIG TIME. Happiness because I did take those moments to step away from writing in order to help those loved ones that needed me. Happiness because I did take time to pray for those who needed me to pray and as a result, I grew closer in my relationship with God. Happiness because, Thank God, November is over, and I can write, but not like some crazy demonic chick with book-book-book on the brain.

I can finally take a breath…and jump into whatever’s next.

Which just so happens to be finishing this daggone NaNo project – about 20k to go – while working on some short script projects and gearing up for Christmas ‘08 – the event, *chuckling*

Thanks for following me on my NaNo travails; starting next Monday, I’ll be giving weekly updates on my journey to FINISH this manuscript and do something with it!

Today’s word count:  3,722

Overall word count:  71,086

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I really did want to write yesterday, but alas, we all know that a stomach full of turkey is conducive to passing out on the couch in a daze.  And that’s pretty much what I did – except for the small flashes of football I saw during the few times I awakened in my food haze.

Today, Black Friday, I got up early (about 5:00 a.m.) – though that wasn’t the plan – to head to the mall with my sister.  I absolutely abhor going to the mall during the holiday season – or any store for that matter, but my sister was treating at The Avenue (great store for BBW, BTW), and I couldn’t say no.

It was pretty great; I got some cute tops, a cute outfit or two, and I bought my first-ever pair of grown up sexy heels.  Now I just need a reason to wear them, LOL

When I finally got home, I had to head back out again, and I didn’t get “settled” into the house until about 4, 4:30 in the afternoon.

I had a LIST of things to do – none of which got done…EXCEPT writing.  I categorically REFUSED to let another day go by without writing, especially with the last weekend, the last two days of NaNoWriMo upon us.

I’m happy with today’s total.  Hell, I’m happy with the week’s total.  Hell, I’m happy with the month’s total.  I broke my personal goal, which was to write 66,000 words in November.

New goal – to break 70k mark by Sunday night; it seems like an easy feat; however, I have MUCH EDITING and GRADING to do this weekend…AND I have to finally put my kitchen and fridge back in order!

We’ll see how the writing goes!

Today’s word count:  3,484
Overall word count:  67,380

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The words called me.

That’s all I can say about today.  This afternoon, I decided to write.  The goal?  To write SOMETHING, hopefully at least 2k.

Well, I did more than 2k, and it’s really because of the story and the emotions swirling around me today.  Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and it’s always been a personal holiday for me – a time to get together with family, to break bread, to state what we’re thankful for, to laugh, to create memories that would hold us until the next year’s festivities.

I’ve been thinking a lot about those memories, which have nothing to do with the novel.  What does is the personal aspect.  My NaNo project – The Fixer – came about through personal issues.  I was all set to write two screenplays during NaNo, but a week before NaNo began, I was feeling tired and angsty and tired of feeling angsty, and God told me to write the story.  He knew that I often used my words as a cathartic act and whether this story would ever see the light of day in the publishing world (I wish), it would help ME to get through some issues.

Most of today’s writing was not even close to being real – except for my six-year-old self drinking beer with my Pop Pop while sitting in his truck and waiting for my mom and grandma to finish grocery shopping – but it made me think of family, think of the dysfunctionality of families, and how the best families are those that acknowledge the dysfunctionality and connect and love one another despite it.

Family kept me writing today.  Dreams, memories, and fractured truths kept me writing today.

And on the eve of a day where we talk about what we’re thankful for, I’ll say I’m grateful for those things that kept me writing.

Have a safe, happy, blessed Thanksgiving.

Today’s word count:  4,876

Overall word count:  63,879

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OK, I wasn’t sure I would write today because I had a lot on my agenda, but I got it ALL done – to include writing!

I woke up about six this morning to put out the trash, and I couldn’t go back to sleep.  Nothing I did could make me snore again, so I made some coffee and got to work.
What did I do today?  Question should be what didn’t I do today.

I worked on edits to two manuscripts that clients are anxious to get back in a few weeks.  Then I got offline and spent an hour praying and journaling.  Then I organized my exercising for the month of December; fyi, I’m a planner, and I kinda live by the organizer I carry with me everywhere.    Then I organized all the things I need to get done for my Ph.D. application.  All that will get done in December.

I did a few more things, and then the writing bug hit me.  I wanted to get it all out at once, but little things – like my bro blowing a tire, phone calls left and right, Thanksgiving-related questions and conversations and the like – halted me from doing the writing in the set two-hour time frame.

But alas, the writing got done, and I am grateful,

What’s my goal for tomorrow?  Hmm, dunno!

Tomorrow, I have to edit the two manuscripts, talk to a client, grade essays, and start preps on that bird.

If I have an excuse to get up early again, like trash – lol – then I might find the time to write.  I’m keeping fingers crossed and prayers upward.

Today’s word count:  2,380

Overall word count:  59,001

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