This Is Me--2024 A to Z Theme

My A to Z Themes in the past have covered a range of topics and for 2024 the theme is a personal retrospective that I call "I Coulda Been" which is in reference to my job and career arc over my lifetime. I'll be looking at all sorts of occupations that I have done or could have done. Maybe you've done some of these too!

Saturday, November 13, 2010

A NaNo Update




22,053 Words!

        I'm right about where I need to be on the suggested word count, but not where I'd like to be.  Actually I'd rather be at 50,000 words right now so I could just be ladling on the gravy.  If I keep my pace, or kick it up like I'd like to, I will complete the 30 day goal of 50,000 words fairly easy--well, perhaps not easy, but it should be doable.

        Since I began my novel, Time Light, something has taken place which pleases me.  I really like this story.  At first, it was okay--just so-so for NaNo.  Now it's my baby and I'm starting to fall in love with it.  As I get to know my characters better, I grow fonder of them and am excited to see where they end up.  The story is filling out and I'm excited by it.  I can very easily see this as turning into a series of three or more novels, as I can see many more stories branching off from this one.

        On a previous post I presented a possible blurb for the novel.  Here it is again:

                                         Time Light

John Proffitt is losing it. First he lost his job, then his house, and now his marriage is in jeopardy. Could he be losing his mind too? Increasingly obsessed with the suspicious activities in the abandoned building across the street from his apartment, he tries to unravel the mysteries of the sounds and lights that come from the building and the men he sees leaving each night. Are they visitors from another planet or something else? In his investigations he uncovers not only the identities of the strangers, but also the secrets within himself.

            Here is more of a synopsis of the story:

          
The story starts in April of 1965 in the city of Chicago.  John Proffitt is awakened in the middle of the night by a deep noise accompanied by a steady vibration.  He investigates to find a brilliant beam of light emanating from an abandoned building across the street from the apartment where he and his wife are living.  A short while later he sees people leaving the building he thought to be abandoned.  He grows increasingly troubled as he begins to witness this same event on a nightly basis.  He sets out to figure out what is going on.

           As he starts examining this mystery he comes to the realization that he has no memories of anything in his past.  He has not been working for over a year.  His wife, Della, has been the one bringing home the paychecks and they are barely getting by on the money she makes.  She is becoming fed up with the situation and divorce seems on the horizon

            John discovers that he had been the head of a technological company when his memory loss came about.  After he has to stop working, he and Della lose their house and are forced to move.   Eventually, with the help of Della, his psychiatrist, and an associate from his company John begins piecing together his past.

           However, the peculiar events that he sees happening at night threaten his return to mental health.  He must prove that what he is seeing is real and find out why these events are occurring.  His investigations begin uncovering odd and disparate connections that he must make sense of in order to unravel the mysteries of the street of empty buildings where they live, the management company that owns these buildings, and the questionable operations of the company where he had worked.

           Having come to a realization that the abandoned building is being used as a port of entry for alien invaders he struggles to find people whom he can trust and who will believe his story.  He risks his life to get the evidence he needs to convince the authorities so they can stop the invasion.   But is it all really as it seems?

           In Time Light John Proffitt is confronted by the racial conflict of the mid-sixties river town of Cairo, Illinois; issues of love and trust in marriage; and secrecy and deception in the corporate world.   Seeming to be living on the brink of insanity, he comes to the realization that escape is sometimes the best and only solution.


        So there you go--here is my current synopsis without giving away too much.   This NaNo novel is truly seat of your pants writing.  I've been starting to formulate future plot details in my head, but I'm not outlining.  I'm just writing as I go.  I did write my closing paragraph and I will probably write the closing scene soon.  The rest of the story is being written just as though I were reading it from the beginning.  We'll see how that goes.   At least I'm having a good time.

         On Monday I will be reviewing Alex J. Cavanaugh's CassaStar.   I hope you will check that out to see what I have to say.

          If you're doing NaNo how's it going so far?  Whether or not you are doing Nano, do you have any comments or suggestions about either the blurb or the synopsis?   I'd thought about reworking that blurb, but I'm too busy writing the real stuff.  But I'm still open to suggestions.   Thanks!




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25 comments:

  1. Congrats! You are ahead of me in the count. I have an itching to revisit an earlier book and revise, which is ok. I like the "by the seat of the pants" approach. Good luck this week!

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  2. Great job! Sounds good. You actually have me interested in a novel. (Reading yours I mean)

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  3. I like that you thought of the background details as well, the details in the setting, that town ...

    How did you choose a surname Proffitt for the main hero? :))

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  4. Yay, Lee. Keep it going. I'm proud of you!

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  5. Neat story. Kudos! I am in awe of all things NaNo.

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  6. You are doing well Lee, it must be hard to write so many words. Keep up the good work.

    Yvonne.

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  7. Love the sound of your story Lee!

    I'm at 22k for NaNo - it's been crazy finding the time, but so far so good! :)

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  8. You're about 2000 ahead of me, but when I stopped writing last night I was right on target for the day. (And that's only twice now I've gained on the target.) But I've some fresh new ideas and ready to attack it today.
    And should I be worried about Monday?

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  9. Hi Lee I really do appreciate all the support you give me so when I was given this award I knew you just had to recieve it seeing you spend all your time on a pc.
    It;s on my Christmas shopping blog.

    Yvonne.

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  10. Interesting synopsis/blurb! I like the sound of your novel.

    Keep up the NaNo progress!

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  11. Interesting plot line! And great to read how excited you are about the story! Congrats on your fast progress!

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  12. I'm taken in by your synopsis; it's sounds like a heck of a thriller. Can't wait to see it in print!

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  13. This sounds very exciting! I look forward to the day I can purchase it from B & N!

    And congrats on the nano count!

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  14. Nice! Kinda reminds me of Dark City, an awesome movie.

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  15. A port of entry for alien invaders???!!!

    The guy's crazy.
    Tell him I said, "GET A JOB!"

    ~ D-FensDogg
    'Loyal American Underground'

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  16. Great work! Keep at it and keep enjoying it!

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  17. You really write good! Thank you for sharing!

    God bless you!!!

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  18. Thanks to all of you for your encouragement. The writing and life has been causing me to get behind in my blogging activities, but I'm sure you can understand that. I will hopefully be getting around to visit each of you in time.
    Thanks!

    Lee

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  19. Muy interesting. I'll be happy to read your draft and give feedback. This is my kinda story! Abd it has a wormhole. Congrats! on your Nano success.

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  20. Congrats on the word count, Lee! I'm actually a little behind in my word count at just past 20,000, but I figure if I keep pushing I'll not only catch up, but should be able to forge ahead soon.

    I like the blurb and the synopsis. Sounds a little Dean Koontz-ish, as in is it really paranormal/ET or is there a reality-based answer that explains it all away. Good job. Keep it up!!

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  21. Your original description was and is still interesting and can be of use when you only have limited space to let people know what your book is about. But now I'm even more intrigued with your story due to the time period, location and unfolding events. I'm also pleased to see all the progress you're making & that you're loving w/ your story. This all points to a must-read book!

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  22. Hi Arlee,
    I will tell you this much, I don't like Sci-Fi as a rule but and this is a big one, LOL, Your snippet has me interested and intrigued. There I said it!
    Who knows maybe I'll end up liking Sci-Fi?
    Love Di ♥

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  23. Great progress on Nano!!! I'm not nearly where I need to be...but, plan to really dig in next week.

    Your novel sounds fascinating! Alien intrigue, psychosis, and racial issues - intense. Best of luck to you getting the rest of it banged out by 11/30!

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  24. I love where you are taking your WIP. Got to love aliens.

    I'm just 20K with my word count. Need to catch up!

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