Lucky Seven Challenge

I'm still writing, although not here. I free-write each day (today was 70 days in a row), and I've finally gotten into a rhythm on the novel I announced two years ago (egad) that I was writing. Some discipline finally has crept into my work; I write a minimum of 1000 words a day, five days a week. Suddenly the novel has really taken off (surprise), though it needs much revision, and also more research. I passed the halfway point in my rough draft earlier this week!

What brings me here today is a challenge by my writing pal, Talya Boerner, whom I met at a writers' retreat in Arkansas last fall. She blogs at grace grits and gardening. This is her challenge:

Go to page 7 or 77 of your latest work. Read down to the seventh line and then post online the next seven lines or sentences. Then head off and tag seven more writers.

I am not going to tag anyone. Since I seldom blog, I don't think that's fair! But if you wish to play, I'd love to see what you are writing!

Here's mine, from page 77 of the rough draft:


"If you desire, I should be quite pleased to write you a reference.”

The young man beamed. “Thank you, Professor. What you just said means a great deal to me!” He hopped to his feet but paused at the door. “Feel better, sir.”

"Thank you. I'll simply need to get up on the other side of the bed tomorrow." Stafford smiled. Martin grinned and left, his footsteps tumbling down the stairs.

Notes in hand, Stafford strolled to Christ Church the following Monday to speak to the garden club as he had promised Miss Jameson. He hoped his relaxed gait belied the knots in his stomach.

So Behind!

I have over 300 posts to read in my Google reader. It is a safe bet I will not get to all of them. When I was in MO with my family, I was in MO with my family and not online. Much, anyway. I was on Facebook more than here as FB is shorter and more to the point.

Today I read short stories and wrote my morning pages. I tried to write the ones for yesterday while I was waiting at the MD's office for my every six month checkup, but I had to fend off a woman who said she wanted to see the beauty of my handwriting and then grilled me on my journaling practices. I was so happy when I was called for my appointment!

I missed my last writing class last night as I simply was too tired to go. I was in bed before it would have been over. I emailed the program director to let her know that I would not be there; she said she would forward the email to the instructor (who had failed to give us her contact info) and I've not heard from her. The fee for the class was very small and I think in this case one got what one paid for.

But, after speaking with Taciturn, I have signed up for another class via the Writers' Digest. This one is just to help me firm up my composition abilities. I am skipping the grammar class as I really don't think I need it (I CLEPed out of freshman English over 30 years ago and I know good websites that help in that area).

I ordered a compilation of stories by Raymond Carver this afternoon. Of all short story writers, he is the one I've read who addresses the people with whom I grew up. I've loved his work since I learned of it, shortly before he died over 20 years ago. I read an essay this afternoon by someone who was too drunk to attend a party at which Carver was in attendance and has beat himself over the head since. I'm fortunate in that I feel as though I've met him. An ex of mine wrote almost as well as Carver but was too lazy to do what needed to be done to get that work recognized and published. Again, he is himself a character in a Carver story. This person now sells Ranger boats. He is capable of so much more.

I baked bread this am and now am cooking up some chicken in a ginger sauce to eat with basmati rice and salad. I haven't cooked in two weeks so this is fun!

A clearer head, pollwatching, and escaping the snake

My back is better today, although a nerve must have been pinched somewhere as my left arm is all pins and needles. I can live with that. I opted after I washed the cell phone to forgo any more Flexeril, and just take Motrin. Today, I don't know that I'll need anything.

I agreed to be a pollwatcher on Election Day. I went to the training last night, which was pretty basic. I'm all about preparation, though, and felt better about this since I went to the training. It was nice to see a woman there at the training I had not seen since I was one of her nurses during her cancer treatment several years ago. I also saw a man I just met at our new church this past Sunday. And I met a woman who was involved with financing a writing project I did earlier this year for a non profit.

Funny how politics unites various aspects of my life.

Speaking of writing, I picked up a copy of the magazine Poets & Writers at the public library and found some writing exercises to do. They are easy; they just require the doing. I told someone a while back that I want to write, but when I think I will sit down to do it, the laptop turns into a hissing snake and I run away. I'm trying to get past that. Having little projects like the one for the non profit has helped.

Reading ties into all of this. I've found myself reading much more. In the last few weeks I've read 5 or 6 books, which is incredible for me. Reading is always ruined for me when I think I must read, as for school, instead of reading for pleasure. It takes a couple of years to relearn the joy of reading. I must be at that point now. I've even reading authors I never heard of, such of Amy Hempel. It is good to stretch.

Ten years ago I saw a tinted photograph in an antique store. Judging from the dress of the people in it, I'd say it was made around the turn of the 20th century. There was a little boy on the porch railing in the foreground, and an elderly couple in the background. The man looked off to the side, while his wife looked directly into the camera, her face open and smiling. I loved that photograph, but didn't buy it in time. It inspired me to make up a story around the elderly couple, though. That tale has been in my head for years. I just need to write it down.

I actually wrote three pages yesterday. It felt good to play with the words and the structure. We'll see how this goes!