First we stopped by and visited Knott's Berry Farm's Halloween Haunt. It was a busy night, so we weren't able to visit all the mazes or see any shows, but we had fun visiting with friends and watching people getting scared in the fog.
The next day we drove out to Glen Helen to take part in Run For Your Lives, which is a 5k obstacle course with zombies. I participated in it last year, but we didn't think we would be able to do it again this year until Run For Your Lives announced that they would be doing a night run. Our group promptly signed up to be zombies again, and we decided to go with a tourist theme.
(The husband says this is going to be our Christmas card)
The night race was interesting. When you work during the day you'll get an occasional scare, however, at night time things were kicked up a notch. Runners didn't see us or realize that we were zombies until they were almost face to face with us, and people were screaming left and right. It made my retired monster heart very very happy.
However, the course wasn't very well lit, and as a result of that there were quite a few accidents and people running off course. Also, since we were at the front of the course this year and not towards the middle, there was a lot of down time in between waves of runners, and it was over way too soon.
Regardless of these problems it was still a lot of fun, and we can't wait to do it again. Thankfully next years race is a lot sooner and a lot closer to home.
Last week was also a remarkably good writing week despite everything that was going on. I finished the first part of the serial and sent it off to a couple of good friends to beta. One has already finished it, the other is in the process of reading it and doing an in depth edit. If any of you, dear readers and WIPpeteers, would like to beta it as well - just let me know in the comments. Please be advised that while it's no where near 50 Shades of Grey or Anything He Wants, it is explicit. Also, since it's the first part in a serial, it's only about 10,000 words long.
The other contemporary project is flowing along smoothly. I knocked out about about 3,000 words on it yesterday, and I'm bit more than halfway through, but not quite at the 2/3rds mark. I'm hoping that I can also get this finished quickly so I can return to The Undying Ones.
And now for the WIPpet Wednesday goodness!
WIPpet Wednesday is run by K.L. Schwengel. To join in on the madness, all you have to do is share a piece of what you are working on that some how correlates with the date. For example, since today is October 2, you could share 10 paragraphs from page 2, or you could share 2 sentences from chapter 10. You can also add the date together, 10+2=12, and share 12 words from your work in progress. Then, share a link to your blog over at this linky thingee, and stop by other blogs to see what they've shared.
In between working on my other projects, I did start working on another prologue for The Descendants. This will take place in book three, though there is a possibility that it may become a short story that ties into the series, but it is only set a year or so after the prologue that introduces Vivian. This prologue introduces another character, Maya, who becomes one of Vivian's best friends through the course of their adventures. Maya is actually a really great girl, who's very nice and very smart, but she's only 12 in this bit, so she's a little bratty.
Since today's date is the second, I'm going to be sharing 8 paragraphs from the prologue (10-2=8)
She wished her parents had sent her to the summer camp her friend Katie Perkins was going to instead. It was a fancy equestrian camp where the campers learned how to ride and care for horses, and at the end there was a big show. Maya loved horses and longed to ride one, but the closest she had ever come to one was petting the ponies at the state faire. Katie was so lucky. She going to come back with all sorts of ribbons and pictures, and nothing Maya could bring back from France would beat that.
To see more WIPpet Wednesday posts, go here.
However, the course wasn't very well lit, and as a result of that there were quite a few accidents and people running off course. Also, since we were at the front of the course this year and not towards the middle, there was a lot of down time in between waves of runners, and it was over way too soon.
Regardless of these problems it was still a lot of fun, and we can't wait to do it again. Thankfully next years race is a lot sooner and a lot closer to home.
Last week was also a remarkably good writing week despite everything that was going on. I finished the first part of the serial and sent it off to a couple of good friends to beta. One has already finished it, the other is in the process of reading it and doing an in depth edit. If any of you, dear readers and WIPpeteers, would like to beta it as well - just let me know in the comments. Please be advised that while it's no where near 50 Shades of Grey or Anything He Wants, it is explicit. Also, since it's the first part in a serial, it's only about 10,000 words long.
The other contemporary project is flowing along smoothly. I knocked out about about 3,000 words on it yesterday, and I'm bit more than halfway through, but not quite at the 2/3rds mark. I'm hoping that I can also get this finished quickly so I can return to The Undying Ones.
And now for the WIPpet Wednesday goodness!
WIPpet Wednesday is run by K.L. Schwengel. To join in on the madness, all you have to do is share a piece of what you are working on that some how correlates with the date. For example, since today is October 2, you could share 10 paragraphs from page 2, or you could share 2 sentences from chapter 10. You can also add the date together, 10+2=12, and share 12 words from your work in progress. Then, share a link to your blog over at this linky thingee, and stop by other blogs to see what they've shared.
In between working on my other projects, I did start working on another prologue for The Descendants. This will take place in book three, though there is a possibility that it may become a short story that ties into the series, but it is only set a year or so after the prologue that introduces Vivian. This prologue introduces another character, Maya, who becomes one of Vivian's best friends through the course of their adventures. Maya is actually a really great girl, who's very nice and very smart, but she's only 12 in this bit, so she's a little bratty.
Since today's date is the second, I'm going to be sharing 8 paragraphs from the prologue (10-2=8)
Maya Lensherr was not sure what was so special about France. She watched the countryside pass by the window of the rental car and wrinkled her nose, wishing, for the millionth time, that she was back home instead. Home where she could sit by the pool and read her books. Home where she could understand the shows on the TV or the people around her. Home where it was warm, and not raining.
“What do you think, kiddo?” Her dad asked from the driver seat, his reflection smiling at her from the rearview mirror.
“I’m bored.” She sighed, slumping down in her seat.
“Bored! France is not boring. There’s history here just waiting for us to find it!”
“C’mon, kiddo! What happened to my budding archaeologist?” Her father was an archaeologist specializing in ancient cultures and he had been thrilled when his daughter had announced one day that she wanted to follow in his footsteps. Granted, she had been seven at the time, and cared more about discovering a new dinosaur than an ancient civilization, but he had been excited nonetheless. He had done what he could to foster her interest in the subject by buying her books about Romans and Greeks and taking her to museums.
However, as time had passed, Maya’s interest in digging around in the ground for bones and pottery shards had faded. Now she would rather read, or play games on her nintendo gameboy. She was beginning to develop an interest in boys, and there were never any boys around her age at museums or digs for that matter either.
“There’s nothing here! Just trees and grass and...” When her father had mentioned taking the family on a trip to one of his dig sites, she had been expecting another trip to Pompeii or Egypt - not rainy old France. In Pompeii or Egypt you were surrounded by history, and there were exotic things every where to look at. In France there was only stuffy museums, and people who talked funny.
She wished her parents had sent her to the summer camp her friend Katie Perkins was going to instead. It was a fancy equestrian camp where the campers learned how to ride and care for horses, and at the end there was a big show. Maya loved horses and longed to ride one, but the closest she had ever come to one was petting the ponies at the state faire. Katie was so lucky. She going to come back with all sorts of ribbons and pictures, and nothing Maya could bring back from France would beat that.
To see more WIPpet Wednesday posts, go here.
Oh the tragedy of youth! I'm with Dad on this one. Enjoy the ride! You'll get no sympathy from me, young lady. (Says the woman who spent whole days reading in the car on road trips when she was 12.)
ReplyDeleteAh, poor dad. I bet he doesn't realize yet that Maya has changed her thoughts on archeology. This is a great scene that really gives us a look inside Maya's character.
ReplyDeleteI would rather be in France than in an Equestrian camp, but my husband would quick to argue that he'd LOVE to be in an Equestrian Camp... in France :)
ReplyDeleteMaya is definitely a teenager, reminding me of my own fickleness from back then, although for me, I would rather be in my room playing Barbies than playing the Nintendo or even reading. Going to a dig site would have cool only if there was already bones and stuff to see.
Anyway, good excerpt, as it's taking me down my own memory lane of teenage-hood.
Ah, I feel kinda bad for both Maya and her dad in this scene! (Though I can't quite support her "stuffy museums" complaint!). Definitely some great character development happening in here, though.
ReplyDeleteI like the excerpt. It reads like so many interactions between parents and growing-older kids. As a mom who notices these things, I see it nearly every time I go out.
ReplyDeleteI feel for Maya. Her dad is not listening to her. As the mom of a newish 12 year old (male, and not really ready to be 'into" girls yet), I listen when he says he's bored. Because of that, he's willing to try stuff I tell him I think he might find interesting, but which he might not have picked for himself - things like art museums, Shakespeare, and William Carlos Williams poetry.
It seems to me that dad doesn't want to let go of his dream that she'll love what he does. It's possible that he spoiled that dream with too much "encouragement". Kids like to have things that are theirs - theirs to pursue,or outgrow, and that are stheir own idea. When adults try to direct those things - poof! - the magic in them can vanish.
If dad had known and allowed the riding camp, it would be a different story, and maybe a better relationship between father and daughter.
I don't see Maya as bratty - I see her as a girl on the cusp of young womanhood, evolving and changing...not fickle, just growing and learning herself.
I particularly object to adults who call children, especially older ones, 'kiddo'. It seems a little insulting and definitely minimizes the child's opinion. Instead of "France isn't boring", he might have responded with,"What would you rather do instead?" or "What can we do to make it more interesting for you?" His answer was dismissive, and, if he has a sullen daughter later, that may have something to do with it. She tried to speak her mind, and was not heard.
You've really roused my unschooling, be-respectful-of-the-fact-that-children- are- people Mom heart with this one! =)
And, BTW, my 12 year old is a Miah, too (for Jeremiah)! And, while he doesn't read a lot of fiction, he loves conducting online research, and he can tell you an impressive array of information on every Nintendo system. His first was a Game Boy Advance, when he was 7.
I hope Maya's dad realizes the error of his ways -that what excites him will not necessarily excite his daughter, because she's her own person - in time to have a good relationship with her. 12 year olds are fascinating, invigorating, changeable people worth knowing!