I added the raw word count deficit (i.e., total minus target) because that feels like potentially a motivating data point; rate to finish is cool, but this early in the project, it won’t move much unless I get ahead or behind by an enormous amount. Whereas moving the deficit below zero (i.e., getting ahead) is… Continue reading Heatstroke Heartbeat progress, 2022-09-18
Category: words
Accountabilipost
I put myself on a regimen after Labor Day: 60,000 new words of Heatstroke Heartbeat by the end of the year. (Heatstroke Heartbeat is the third installment in a quartet about the illegal underground dragon-racing scene in the city of Yemareir; the first two books, Brimstone Slipstream and Windburn Whiplash are awaiting cover art before… Continue reading Accountabilipost
jack and the apples
Art first; context later. Jack was Adam John First the Third, As hale a lad as you’ve ever heard Run over the brook on a rotting log With an apple in his pocket and a loose-skinned dog; And V was Valentine Eve Vereen, As sharp a lady as you’ve ever seen Sew pockets in the… Continue reading jack and the apples
The Book of Yvaine
In the featured image for this post, you’ll see a set of nine “story cubes” — dice with pictures on them. My daughter, Una, chose this set of nine and asked me to tell her a story. Because I cannot write short fiction, this is what came out of it. Once, in the middle of… Continue reading The Book of Yvaine
Words 1-28-2015
The riot of battle done, Esker’s wound reasserted itself as he skulked along an alley of the claim. It was not bleeding too freely—it was a small wound, and his blood scabbed fast—but it was bleeding, and not a little, and who knew what might have been on the damned bullet? [[54]] He paused to… Continue reading Words 1-28-2015
Words 1-26-2015
Azmera Berta, off balance at the tense interaction between the Amen-Enkhs, swiftly and awkwardly adorned Hasina with his token, a silver barrette subtly styled in the shape of a violin’s bow. That left Ozier. The giant’s hand plunged into a pocket big enough to hide a loaf of bread, and emerged dripping, or so it… Continue reading Words 1-26-2015
Words 1-23-2015
To quell it, he answered the easier question. “Your man Taho,” he said. “He killed her father.” “Shame you didn’t just ask for him,” said the Tungsten Kid. “I might have thrown him in. Not sure he’s worth the food he eats, to be honest; he can’t fight much, and he wouldn’t know eld Art… Continue reading Words 1-23-2015
Words 1-14-2015
They drew up, at last, to the edge of the mine, a few hundred feet from one of the wide earth ramps that had admitted the great stone-wains to and from the depths. Hasina sat and dangled her feet from the edge, kicking her legs out once. Esker hesitated a moment. Hasina looked back with… Continue reading Words 1-14-2015
Words 1-13-2015
It was not until they could see the strip mine’s blotchy shadow begin to creep down from the horizon that Esker began to speak, still staring straight ahead. “The five of us would take food and water and come out here for a whole day,” he said. “Not when it was too hot—we knew better—but… Continue reading Words 1-13-2015
Words 1-12-2015
“Know in your bones you will,” said Esker. “The Nine, Epseris, what have you got against the damned girl?” “She’s nothing to me,” said Epaphos, “but if I must die, I’d rather be killed by you. That’s the Tungsten Kid out there. There might be a few runes stupid enough to use achrom in their… Continue reading Words 1-12-2015