Sunday in VnG

Today we had a lunch engagement in town. We were saying goodbye to Christine, who is leaving Supernova where she has worked for the last 'forever' as the French (and English) teacher.
WE met up in a place that has been renovated this year. It was originally an OAP haven, but has been spruced up and is the perfect venue for meet ups like this having plenty of space, good food- even as the token veggies we were happy, and reasonable prices.

On returning home I took up my 'November position' at the PC and typed a few words in the story that is going to smash the book charts. A new character popped up today, and I feel she may be a regular, in what could be a series of books. I say series as the ideas that are popping up for adventures would mean an epic tale if I put them all in this one.

So far I have written 37589 words, which puts me just over 75% of the total needed to fulfil the challenge. Will I make it to 50,000 -oh yes, and then some. Will I do it before the 30th of November -oh yes, and then the editing and proofing will begin.

MY main concern now is to find an illustrator to collaborate and throw together a few pictures to bring the book alive even more. SO if you can draw, or know someone who can please let me know, or put them in touch with me. I'm looking for 'basic' pencil /pen drawings- less is more?!

Man-Made

Today's photo challenge - Man made:  The Bishop's Palace in Astorga, as designed by Gaudi -Mad made doesn't have to mean bad or ugly!

Oh and BTW writing total toady - 30,401 words - over 60% of the challenge done, but less than 60% of the book. I feel it will be a wee bit longer than 50,000 words, and have a sense that it's my best work yet. Not only that it's filling me with childlike glee as I 'pen' the incredible antics of the cousins.

Typical Tuesday.

A typical Tuesday in November in Casa TulStig. (If there really is such a thing)

07.00 wake up to cat purrs in my ear.
07.05 Shave , Shower Teeth.
07.30 Dress.
07.40 Feed cats.
07.50 Take Xali and Cuddy for a walk.
08.30 Hang leads back up and feed dogs. Pop toast in toaster.
08.45 Eat breakfast and fire up the PC
08.50 Check e-mails and Facebook posts, replying as necesasry. Maybe aquick game of something on facebook.
09.00 Leave for school
09.15 Arrive at 'Eurobar' for preschool chat with Andy
09.30 Teach First Certificate class
11.15 Kick students out
11.16 Meet Sue and Lily for a walk down the Rambla and a Coffee somewhere.
12.30 Home again - make soup for lunch.
13.00 Eat lunch
13.30 Back at the PC - check the internet for any important updates. Write.... Tony goes off for a Siesta at some point now.
15.00 Time for a break - juice
15.10 More writing - (today reach 28,351 words)
16.30 Time for a drink and a biscuit. Pick up book and read some.
17.00 Tony reappears from his siesta. Chat and stuff.
18.00 Get ready and head off to school.
18.20 Do photocopying etc.
19.00 Teach Pre-First Certificate class.
20.15 Kick students out.
20.18 Walk home
21.00 Dinner at home - Thanks to the week's daily chef- Mr Tone.
21.30 More PC stuff -Blog, check facebook, e-mails etc
22.30 Settle down in front of TV after giving cats and dogs their supper biscuits.
24.00 Bedtime.....


And as for today's photo challenge - 'Where you slept'
ON the first night of my first Camino -in a dorm with over 100 others - for more details read the excellent 'Magic of the Camino' available on Lulu.com  (unashamed self plug over!)

Half way; plus...

I started the morning off with a Skype call with Michelle in Australia, who is also doing the NaNoWriMo challenge.  We had a great chat about our writing projects and other things , and I felt even more than inspired by the time we had finished. 

I had set myself a goal to have at least 25,00 words written before turning the computer off tonight, well I am happy to say I have now written 26.066 words and had done by five thirty this afternoon despite:

• Having to go to the supermarket to get a new microwave as ours had started 'sparking'.
• Wrangle with our neighbour who had crashed into our car while reversing in the road, then lied about it- lucky the boys in the bar were watching and called him on it.
• Then had to spend nearly two hours talking with the insurance company and copying and sending them documents by e-mail.
• Had a 'long' interruption when two women came from the electric company to check our bill, and wanted me to sign something without reading it.
• Had to prepare lessons, and actually teach some English (can you believe the inconvenience of it all) 

SO I'm signing off for now to go give myself another pat on the back.  Oh and BTW I am having such a great time travelling with my characters. 

Today's Photo Challenge:

 Drink... A Bailey's bananacolada -just one of the delicious cocktails we had whilst cruising the Adriatic back in September. Mm could do with one of those now! 

Fira de Noviembre

OK so first things first - Not much writing down today, but I am at 22,291 words and the story's going well.

So why not much writing today- because it's been a relaxing day enjoying the Vilanova November Fair. We did intend to pop out for a couple of hours, but then bumped into some of the Supernova teachers and ended up joining in the wine tasting, and enjoying a few glasses of the red stuff.

Interestingly whilst we were drinking a man came up to me and said "Shouldn't you be at home writing?" -it was a fellow NanoWriMo writer who had recognised me from my profile picture on the site. We chatted a while and agreed to meet up again during the week, or next weekend.

Anyway we ended up back home around five , and I promptly fell asleep on the sofa. 'The best laid plans of mice and men' ... as they say!

I set myself a challenge to get to the halfway mark (25,000) by shut down of PC time tomorrow evening, and am still feeling confident. 2,700 words (just over) - I think I can do that, even with the Monday to-do list I have.


And Today's photo challenge : night - and here's R2 (or is it Erasmus??) in his favourite night place, well at least until he joins us in bed when the lights go out.

Tuesday's story

After an early morning class- well 10.00 - 11.15 I rushed home to drop Tony off at the dentists, whilst I did some of the weekly shop. This afternoon I wrote. I have now reached the quarter way point -25% written, well just over in fact with 12,957 words. I'm enjoying seeing the graph on the NaNoWriMo site creep up bit by bit.

Whilst I was writing I was thinking that I'd love to be in my book - well in all honesty I am in my book -in fact in some shape or form I am in all my books. I'd love to be part of the gang chasing up clues and having adventures, which of course I am as I write. I'm on the outside looking in as the story develops, which also puts me on the inside.

This morning whilst walking the dogs I had a twenty minute (or so) brainstorming session about the plot and a couple of 'stick'-ish points I had been pondering. Out in the fresh air my brain was working well and the ideas flowed, adding in some important factors that already were in the plot but that needed clarifying. Now they are clarified and things are swimming along just as nicely as before. Just one sticky-ish point to be resolved in this sector and tomorrow I shall ask my muse to join me on my walk and stump up the answer...

And today's photo...... Day SIX: a favourite thing....

This is 'Blue baby' and is one of Cuddy's favourite toys, and yes she even knows his name. If we tell her to go get him by name, she does just that- Intelligent my daughter!

Monday at Casa TulStig

Another busy day her eat the PC face, and indeed in Casa TulStig itself.

Tone had a morning down town, whilst I prepared classes for today and tomorrow, did two loads of washing, changed the bed, walked the dogs, swept through and even showered Xali (much to his chagrin!). Then at some point during the day I managed to write another just under , word in my children's fantasy adventure. I am loving how the story is coming together- it's great fun and even making me laugh out loud. At this rate I should have my novel completed before the end of the month without too many problems. although I know life can, and will, most likely interfere at some point.

And today's photo challenge - Five O'clock: no more needs to be said.... except I think I was just a few seconds late.

November day Two..

I have decided (found out?) that when I am out under a little pressure I usually up my game and get on with it.

SO my goal for today, as it is for every day during November, is to write at least 1667 word to push my novel along towards completion. Today I've managed just over 2,000 so far, and that probably will be today's total as I am going to break for lunch. Then this afternoon I have classes until 21.45.

Before settling down to write this morning I had other jobs that needed doing.

Job one was to take the car in for it's annual road-worthiness check- The ITV (MOT). IT was booked for 09.30 this morning. Before that I walked the dogs, and having a bit of time on my hands afterwards planned a couple of lessons. Happily the car passed, with a few suggested revisions, so I don't have to go trawling around to the garage to get anything done urgently.

Getting back from the ITV job two was to do some washing, being a nice day, and get it out on the line. No problem there. After this I sat down to job three -more lesson planning. Again no problem and I'm pretty much sorted for this weekend- it's my Saturday to work!

And the next job was to do the weekend's chopping, so back in the car to Lidl, shop, home, unpack, and now for some writing.

Looking at the clock I was amazed to see all this was done before 10.30.

The writing has continued to flow again this morning, and the story is moving forward. My characters are settling into their roles. I can hear their voices clearly, and am getting well acquainted with them. This morning I even woke with another plot line to add- just as well I have that notebook always handy.

And so to today's photo challenge:

Day Two -Colour:
A late blooming (self seeded) sunflower that's adding a touch of summer colour to our autumn, and just look at the blue of that sky -magical! 

NaNoWriMo

I'm guessing the more observant amongst you will have noticed the badge at the top right of my blog page. Yes i'm about to slip into a month of writing madness.

During the month of November I have taken on the NaNoWriMo challenge again. Last year this resulted in my first novel -Winner. This year I will be writing 'The Key', my first children's book. I've got a sketchy plan of where I want the story to go, but know that as it pans out my characters will have their say and take me where they want to go.

So from the 1st November I have to write an average of 1,667 words a day to achieve my goal of a 50,000 word novel by the end of the month. Like last year I am a bit worried about making the goal, but with a bit of encouragement and concentration, and help from my muse, who has already been sitting on my shoulder and pushing me for a plot outline, I think (scratch that I KNOW) I can do it.

Already I've made writing buddies of two other people who are doing the challenge in VnG, one other writing in English, and one who is writing in Spanish. We are going to encourage each other and may even have a write in (in a local cafe or library) together.

So if I'm not around for days on end it means I'm away with my characters having adventures, so please forgive me.....

 

Of rain and writing

Today we have been blessed with a good old downpour of rain.

Today I had lunch with Julie, and as the rain started we had to move our table inside the restaurant, then when we finished , make a run for it- me back to the car, Julie back to her flat. On my way back from Julie's in Cubelles I felt trapped as the water rose in the drains -even raising some manhole covers about a foot above their settings - and closed the underpasses under the train line, but eventually found one I could get through and got home safe and fairly dry.  Since then it has been raining on and off, pouring and showers. We love it - the cats on the other hand don't and they took shelter on their jungle-gym.

Books update:

• Magia del Camino - Victoria is working like a trouper on the translation and hopes to finish sometime in December. We are then thinking of having a Spanish book-launch.  I love the way my words read as translated by Victoria, and know it'll be a great read (if you speak Spanish of course).

• Das Winner - I spoke to Michael today who is just over a third of the way through translating Winner. Luckily he's really enjoying the task as we ll as the story. HE hasn't read past the parts as he translates them and is looking forward to finding out the rest of the story. He's also got his mum to read what he has translated (Michael is originally from Germany) and she too is enjoying the story and wants more... Michael's also pointed out a few tips in a possible edit (second edition) of Winner, which I am currently working on.

•  Take Two - I had a quick chat from Janey today who has been reading Take Two, having rushed and bought her copy as soon as it went on general sale- she reported that she has already been in tears, and is loving the follow up to Winner.

• The Key -I must ashamedly admit that work on the new project has currently stalled.  I've been so busy editing and promoting the other books and setting up the HoT website (still under construction!), as well as settling back into my school timetable etc etc, but intend to get back to it this week. I've also been let down by a second possible illustrator, so if you can draw and fancy seeing your work in my kids book(s) let me know...