November 30, 2007

Friday, November 30, 2007
Waning Moon
Mars Retrograde
Sunny and cold

I’m just running late. Bad night of constantly waking up, so I ended up oversleeping this morning, and everything’s behind.

Yesterday was fantastic, although, once again, getting out of the house was difficult, thanks to the latest stunt pulled by the new owners. I had to file the appropriate legal paperwork for that first, then jump in the car and pick up a friend in Ossining. I took a closer exit than I usually do, figuring it would get me there more quickly. Only they were replacing the telephone poles on the street, so it was one lane for both directions. But I finally got to my friend’s place, she jumped in the car, and we headed up Rt. 9 to Beacon to our other friend’s new house.

It was a lovely drive up the Hudson River, although from Peekskill to Fishkill, it rained quite a bit. But when we hit Beacon, the sun came out.

Our friend’s new house is magnificent. It’s over a hundred years old, and had very few previous owners, the last one living there for many years. You can feel the love in the house. And the light is magnificent. The town of Beacon is also pretty wonderful – lots of artists and creative, friendly people who have a strong sense of place and community.

We did the house blessing, then had lunch at a wonderful organic restaurant (where I bought some local cheeses to bring home).

Since the B’way strike was settled (they dicked around for three weeks and couldn’t wait one more day?), we had to keep an eye on the clock, and I got my friend back to her train in Ossining at the time she normally would have left to go to the theatre anyway.

We’re so happy for our friend. She found the perfect house for her – it feels right. That also gives me hope in my own house move. My house IS out there – I just haven’t found it yet. There are several houses for sale in the same neighborhood – fabulous architecture, old, loving and lovely – but I think my sense of place is still in Southeastern Mass.

Home and tired; got some puttering done last night, but not too much.

More battles today, and plenty of errands. Plus, it would be nice to get around to putting up the rest of the holiday decorations, wouldn’t it?

Lara asked if it felt weird not to go in to the theatre. Not anymore. It used to, whenever I was between shows. I’d get that shot of adrenalin at hour before half hour (call time on most shows) and be raring to go. Now, though – I’ve grown away from it, I like being on my own schedule and doing the writing and the research and all the rest of it, going here and there whenever I wish. I miss the people I enjoy; I miss the energy that a live show generates; I miss the money sometimes; but I don’t miss everything else that goes with it. I do much better the less structured an environment I have. I’m self-motivated, so when someone else imposes a structure on me, I feel trapped. I’m much more productive when I set my own schedule.

Good morning’s work on Earth Bride. I have a sneaking suspicion it will run well over 100K, but that’s what edits are for. I have to trust in the story for this draft and work on the logistics in future drafts. I also don’t want to shove it aside, making it a secondary project as of tomorrow, when I have to start the paranormal that’s due, but I haven’t quite figured out how to juggle it yet.

Have to fix a few more problems with the e-books today, but it should be all sorted out by the end of the day or early tomorrow.

Baked blueberry muffins for breakfast – nice way to start the day.

Brandy – good for you, don’t let Dell off the hook. The AG here in NY has filed a suit against Dell because (as I understand it) so many customers complained that they bought service contracts that weren’t fulfilled. I had a service tech DEMAND that I take apart the computer while I was on the phone with him – he refused to send a tech out to me, although I’d paid in full for a full-service at-home contract. By the end of the call I was in complete hysterics. He kept refusing to let me speak to a supervisor, and I reminded him that I had his name and would file a personal lawsuit against him for pain and suffering. That’s how I finally got my tech. Another time, I was on the phone with a tech on one of those outsourced calls to some other country and the guy said, “In my country, women do not make demands.” And I said, “Buddy, I am in MY country and I’m paying for this DAMNED SERVICE, so you are going to give it to me.”

I can’t wait until I have the money to switch everything over to Mac.

Now, off to get everything else done.

Have a great weekend.

I can’t believe this is the last day of Nano.

Devon

Earth Bride — 82,242 words out of 50,000 (Nano goal)

82 / 50 (164.0%)

Earth Bride — 82,242 words out of 100,000 (completion goal)

82 / 100 (82.0%)

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Thursday, November 29, 2007
Waning Moon
Mars Retrograde
Cloudy and cold

It was a nightmare trying to get out of the house yesterday. It turns out that Nitro PDF embeds a code or something, so anything you create in the trial period is destroyed as soon as the trial period is over and has to be re-created should you buy it (which turns out to be a different version with a different serial number, not just upgrading what you have) or another converter. I think I would have remembered something like that, had it been clearly stated in any of the materials. So I had to re-do the work and sort all of it out since everything disintegrated like something out of Mission Impossible. We will see how NitroPDF and I get along in the long run, but, right now, I cannot in good conscience, recommend them. Disappointing, because it actually does beautiful conversions, doesn’t wonk fonts or graphics, but there are many aspects of dealing with the company that I do not like.

Got out of the house about 40 minutes late, and with the mall traffic and construction, was about an hour late to the family friend’s place up in Old Saybrook, CT. But we had a fun luncheon, and then we went out to some favorite antique stores in the area. I found some lovely stuff, including brass candleholders for my advent table for only 25 cents each and some lovely gifts for friends. And another book by Frances Parkinson Keyes.

Another nightmare getting back, but we got here. Caught up on email, fought some more battles, prepared for more battles that need to be fought today. This week has been Fight Week. But that’s what the companies count on – that you decide you’re too stressed or “don’t have time” to take them to task when they screw you, so they end up getting a third to a half more money out of you than they’re entitled to get. Not from this one – if I’m paying for a service, I expect THE SERVICE for which I am paying, the COMPLETE SERVICE, no excuses, no hidden fees. Or else it’ll wind up being three or four times as expensive for you than if you’d honored the agreement in the first place. I’m starting to think like one of them, now, too: If a consumer is dumb enough and lazy enough to be walked on, too bad for the consumer. However, I am NOT. I do think consumer policies need to be restructured so that there are more severe consequences when companies screw their customers. There are a few bills in various legislatures for this right now, and I’ve voiced my support.

Light morning’s work on Earth Bride. I need to rearrange some chronology, and I have to work it out in my head before I can write it.

I also need to spend more time on the outline for the paranormal, which I have to start on Saturday.

Today, I’m upstate, doing a house blessing for my friend’s new house.

And it looks like the Broadway strike is over, and they are all getting back to work tonight. However, I don’t have to! 😉

Devon

Earth Bride – 79,833 words out of 50,000 (Nano goal)

Earth Bride – 79,833 words out of 100,000 (completion goal)

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Waning Moon
Mars Retrograde
Sunny and cold

Not much to say today. Fought some battles yesterday, did some writing, ran some errands. Treated myself to the new collection of Noel Coward’s letters. Most people have forgotten how clever and versatile the man was – he could write plays, novels, sing, dance, write poetry, criticism, work covertly for the government – he was a consummate actor in many phases of his life, an incredibly smart man, and had many layers.

Finished Joyce Carol Oates’s Journal. If you’re interested in writing and the writing process, I highly recommend it.

Today, I’m off to play in Connecticut for most of the day.

Good morning’s work on Earth Bride. Added an insert to a previous chapter – I’d mentioned the action, but we never saw it, and it’s necessary to one of the developing subplots that will fully flower in the next section of the book.

Quick email to the N3s, one more battle to fight this morning, and then it’s off to play!

Devon

Earth Bride – 78,757 words out of 50,000 (Nano goal)

Earth Bride – 78,757 words out of 100,000 (completion goal)

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Waning Moon
Mars Retrograde
Cloudy and cool

Couldn’t fight all the battles yesterday; there were just too many. So I have more fights to fight today. It gets wearing. Bush has encouraged a corporate culture where the head honchos believe they don’t have to answer to anyone because the Man Who Pretends to be President (because remember, he didn’t win the election, it was handed to him by the Supreme Court) refuses to answer to anyone, especially those who pay his salary.

I pitched for some interesting jobs yesterday and got a bite; I’ll do the samples only if I’m paid for them. No more assigned samples without pay. I sent clips; that’s enough for them to get an idea of my work. They want me to do a test assignment, they can pay for it. Period.

Puttered too much and didn’t get enough done, mostly because it took so damn long to fight the first few battles. Managed to get to the post office and get a few things out that needed to get out immediately. The line was winding around the whole building. Still haven’t finished the decorations.

Today was the first day when it really hit me that I no longer go in to the show on Tuesdays. Obviously, I wouldn’t this week because the strike is still on; but I don’t have to go back ANY week. Odd sensation.

Sad that, since to Zokutu account was suspended, that means all the previous word bars were removed, too. I’m going to have to figure out how to design my own word bar, so I’m not relying on someone else.

Great morning’s work on Earth Bride. I just could not stop. 3726 words. I’m happy with the way the story’s unfolding, and happy with the fresh ways the characters keep surprising me.

Back to work now – some writing and fighting this morning, errands this afternoon. I think I’ll treat myself at the bookstore.

Devon

Earth Bride – 76,582 words out of 50,000 words (Nano goal)

Earth Bride – 76,582 words out of 100,000 words (completion goal)

Monday, November 26, 2007

Monday, November 26, 2007
Waning Moon
Mars Retrograde
Rainy and Raw

Yesterday got away from me entirely. I ran some errands and put up the tree and most of the decorations. There’s more to be done, but I did all I could do yesterday, and was exhausted.

I managed to write 2,152 words on Earth Bride yesterday, which was great, and another 2,796 words today. I also uploaded the piece for verification, and am trying to download my certificate, which isn’t working so well.

But I won my third year of Nano, and that feels good.

I thought I’d sent off my N3 email yesterday and discovered I didn’t, so today, everyone gets two emails.

I have a lot of unpleasant business to deal with – the new owners are pulling more crap, and I have to file the appropriate paperwork, plus there are other fights I have to fight with companies who seem to think they’re allowed to charge whatever they wish and not provide the services for which they are contracted. What part of “Bite Me” do they not understand? Of course, at this point, I’m doing the LEGAL “Bite Me” , which means it’s going to cost them more money than if they’d just behaved honorably in the first place.

The apartment will look great, once everything’s up where it’s supposed to be and everything else is put away. I’m also going to work my way through the stacks of stuff that have piled up in the last few weeks, and hopefully toss a lot of it and file the rest.

Hopefully, my mood will improve as the day unfolds!

But I AM very happy about winning Nano again. And I’m delighted with the progress on Earth Bride. I’m pleased with the story (although I know it needs lots of work in the rewrites) and I love the way my characters continue to surprise me.

Hope you have a terrific start to the week!

Devon

Earth Bride – 72,854 words out of 50,000 words (Nano goal)

Earth Bride – 72,854 words out of 100,000 words (completion goal)

Note: According to the Zokutu link, the account has been suspended AGAIN, so no cute wordbars.

Sigh.

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Saturday, November 24, 2007
Full Moon
Mars Retrograde
Sunny and cold

We’re back from the trip. It was good, but exhausting.

We left early on Wednesday morning, just after 6 AM. The cats woke me up around 3, and it was easier to just get up rather than fight with them and fall back to sleep and oversleep. Except for a bit around Hartford, there was hardly any traffic all the way up. We made our favorite stops in Kittery, through the Yorks, Ogonquit, Wells, etc. The Egg and I is closed for the winter, so we hoped to find a lunch place in Kennebunk. No luck – we just didn’t know where to look. But we found a very good fish shack still open in Arundel, so that was good.

We were so early that we figured, we’re in Maine, we need boots, why not go all the way to Freeport to the LL Bean flagship store? It’s only about 30 or 40 minutes past my grandmother’s. So we did, and we both found fantastic winter boots (hey, I hit my 50K, I get boots).

My grandmother actually felt well enough to come out and do a few errands. She really has improved enormously. And she works out! My 92 year-old grandmother started lifting weights – small ones, but in the past few months, she’s built her upper body strength very well, even with the Parkinson’s. It’s still tiring to take care of three elderly people rather than one, but I was delighted to see how much she’s improved. Her brother doesn’t seem to be doing well, however, and I’m a little worried about him.

We had a lobster dinner, did some visiting, but had an early night. It was pretty cold up there, with a dusting of snow.

Did my yoga the next morning (yes, I brought up the mat). I even got some writing done in the morning – not much, but a bit of work on the paranormal outline and the second Gwen/Justin. I think I have to outline #2 and #3 together. Although each of the books can be a complete stand alone, the character growth from book to book requires me to know the overall scope.

I really wasn’t in the mood to socialize, but too bad for me. Dinner was terrific and fun, though. 52 people for Thanksgiving dinner – wow! I helped in the kitchen before and after, we had a great meal, I got to catch up with people, so it was all good. My grandmother and her brother started to fade pretty soon after dinner, so I got them and my mom home, and we rested for awhile. None of us needed any dinner that night!

I started the work for Confidential Job #1, but it was still a pretty early night.

I love how quiet it is up there!

We left early on Friday morning, driving back down to Ogonquit to Amore Breakfast, a place I wanted to try. It was fantastic. What a great place! We wanted to stop at the When Pigs Fly bakery in Kittery, but it was closed (hey, they’re entitled), so we kept going. We stopped at Earth Spirits in Sturbridge, so I could stock up on incense, stones, etc. They were out of the oils I needed, but oh well. And we were home by mid-afternoon.

It took awhile to get the cats settled, unpack, sort through the mail, etc. And another early night, because it was unusually quiet here, and I wanted to take advantage of it.

Up early this morning, yoga, and then back to Earth Bride. I’d missed it a lot! 1908 words – not bad. It felt good to get back to it.

I’ll email the N3s later today. I have a lot to do. I want to start the decorating this weekend, but, with all the various projects, I have too much stacked up on every available surface. I have to clean it all off first, then dust and vacuum, then iron all the cloths – some were ironed as they should be when put away last year, but some weren’t. So I want to get all that sorted out first, and tomorrow I’ll start unpacking decorations and setting things up.

And getting started on the overseas cards. Thanksgiving was a week early this year, so I have a few extra days to get everything out.

I’m not feeling particularly holiday-spirited, but I hope the decorating will solve it.

Hope you had a grand time!

Devon

Earth Bride — 67,896 words out of 50,000 (Nano goal)

67 / 50 (134.0%)

Earth Bride – 67,896 words out of 100,000 (completion goal)

67 / 100 (67.0%)

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Waxing Moon
Mars Retrograde
Rainy and mild

I feel rather lost without Gwen and Justin, although the first chapter of Book 2 is already writing itself in my head. I finally unlocked the key to this one’s structure, which is helpful, and can now do a truly detailed Writer’s Rough. We get to see Justin’s dark side in this one, which will also be kind of fun. And see how he does or does not come to terms with it.

Worked on material for Confidential Job #1 yesterday afternoon, and ran some errands. Didn’t do much in the evening other than work out.

My computer had a freak-out and I nearly matched it – there was a point where it claimed not to have a hard drive – but we seem to have negotiated a truce, at least for the moment, and I did a restore that seems to have worked.

I found a book on the Greenwich Library discard shelf for 50 cents – a hardback needed for research that I’d nearly ordered from Amazon for $17 earlier in the day, but decided to wait. I love when that happens!

I had a nice morning’s work on Earth Bride. I’ve deviated a bit from the outline, but it’s important to the overall story, and I’ve uncovered a rather disturbing flaw in Niki’s about-to-be husband. But it makes the story richer, so it’s all good.

I might have to go to the city to go to the union office or I might not, if my supervisors didn’t include me in the paperwork. I’m waiting to hear from the union, because I don’t want to make a three hour round trip to the city for nothing.

I have plenty of other errands to do today, and I need to pack. I’m off to Maine tomorrow for the holiday – I’ll check back in when I return. Have a wonderful week!

Devon

Earth Bride – 65,988 words out of 50,000 (Nano goal)

65 / 50 (130.0%)

Earth Bride – 65,988 out of 100,000 (completion goal)

65 / 100 (65.0%)

Done!!!

The first draft of Tracking Medusa was completed just after 12:30 this afternoon.

Tracking Medusa – 74,380 words out of 74,390 words (the next draft will definitely hit 90K)

74 / 74 (100.0%)

November 19, 2007

Monday, November 19, 2007
Waxing Moon
Mars Retrograde (as of the 15th)
Snow flurries

I wrote too much yesterday.

I did just under 2500 words on Earth Bride and nearly 8000 words on Tracking Medusa. I thought Medusa would end at Chapter 30, but I have two more chapters to write, which I hope to get done today.

I was obsessed with Tracking Medusa yesterday, to an unhealthy extent. I had to go out for awhile in the afternoon, and all I could think about was how much it hurt to be away from the characters, especially during the climatic scene.

It needs a lot of work in the rewrite, this entire section, but the skeleton is there. Now I know what I have to go back and plant earlier in the book, and there’s a loose end I forgot to wind up that I still need to.

And the final two chapters still have a few surprises in store.

Slow going on Earth Bride this morning, only a little over 1500 words, because I want to finish Medusa so badly. A few things in EB are also taking an interesting turn.

I love the sense of discovery.

Back to Tracking Medusa.

Devon

Earth Bride – 64,147 words out of 50,000 (Nano goal)

64 / 50 (128.0%)

Earth Bride – 64,147 words out of 100,000 (completion goal)

64 / 100 (64.0%)

Tracking Medusa – 71,574 words out of est. 90,000

71 / 90 (78.9%)

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Sunday, November 18, 2007
Waxing Moon
Cloudy and cold – chance of snow

I had fun with my friends yesterday, but didn’t get too much done otherwise.

Mentally, I was wrapped up in Tracking Medusa. I’m so close to the climactic sequence and the aftermath that the story lives and grows inside me constantly. A character entered the picture who is vitally important to both this section and the next two books detailing Gwen and Justin’s adventures, and I realized that I need to go back and introduce him around chapter three or four. I’m making some notes as to where to insert him in the rewrite. I’m realizing quite a bit that needs to be changed in the rewrite, but that’s okay.

Wrote a chapter in the morning and then half a chapter late at night, when I came back from my friend’s place. I’m going back there this afternoon for awhile, so I want to get more work on Tracking Medusa done before I go and when I return.

I didn’t sleep well – weird dreams, dreams that I can’t remember. But I do remember waking up in the middle of the night thinking I was dreaming Gwen’s dreams, not mine, and wondering how to weave them into the narrative.

It was difficult to switch back to Earth Bride, but I finished a chapter on that today, 2427 words. Again, these last two or three chapters set up characters and dynamics that are vital to the next section, and will probably have to be massively restructured, once I figure out the nuts and bolts of why they’re important.

Back to Tracking Medusa now, to get more done before I join my friends.

Devon

Earth Bride – 62,549 words out of 50,000 (Nano goal)

62 / 50 (124.0%)

Earth Bride – 62,549 out of 100,000 (completion goal)

62 / 100 (62.0%)

Tracking Medusa – 63,088 words out of 90,000

63 / 90 (70.0%)

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Saturday, November 17, 2007
Waxing Moon
Sunny and cold

I did the article revisions and got my report out to Confidential Job #1.

The “job” for which I was about to start negotiations is nothing more than a bait-and-switch – they want me to pay hundreds of dollars to be listed with their bureau, and then I might or might not get hired for seminars. I don’t think so! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I don’t pay to work. I GET paid.

Spent most of yesterday cleaning out drawers, deciding on clothes I’m giving away, tidying up, packing away the summer clothes (yes, I know, it’s late, but it was so warm well into October I kept out the short sleeved shirts).

I worked out some problem spots on Tracking Medusa and came up with tentative titles for the second and third Gwen/Justin tales, but didn’t get a significant word count down.

Instead of working last night, I watched National Treasure. Again. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen that movie. It’s such fun, and I enjoy most of the writing and love the casting. There are certain sections in the movie, especially towards the end, where I can’t suspend my disbelief and always roll my eyes, and I prefer the original ending to the one used in the theatres and on cable. And, from my Templar research, I have a very different point of view on the legendary treasure. But, for the most part, if I want to have a few hours of fun, it’s a great choice, and I’m looking forward to the next one in December. Somewhere in the blog archives, I gave a detailed critique of what I think works and doesn’t work in it.

Dreamed about Tracking Medusa last night, so it was initially difficult to switch back into Earth Bride head this morning, but I did, and got a decent morning’s work out of it: 2616 words.

I’m spending the afternoon with friends, so I hope to get some work done on Tracking Medusa before I leave, and then wind it up by Monday or Tuesday, so I can attack the revisions in December.

Sue – or anyone else coming to NY – in yesterday’s comments, there were some terrific additional ideas for things to see and do in NY. Thank you, Abby and Dru, you rock! I can’t believe I didn’t mention the New York Public Library – the main branch on 42nd St. and 5th Avenue – especially since much of the first section of Tracking Medusa is set there.

Devon

Earth Bride – 60,122 words out of 50,000 (Nano goal)

60 / 50 (120.0%)

Earth Bride – 60,122 words out of 100,000 (completion goal)

60 / 100 (60.0%)

Friday, November 16, 2007

Friday, November 16, 2007
Waxing Moon
Sunny and cold

Yesterday was a tiring day. I got into the city, I ran my errands in record time (even though I dawdled). I picked up books by Sharon Shinn and Stephanie Barron that look interesting. I had a drink at the Algonquin and made notes on Earth Bride. I visited picket lines and offered support.

The union meeting was packed, which is a good thing. I got to catch up with a lot of people I hadn’t seen for ages. I only stayed for part of the meeting – there was some good information; but, unfortunately, because it’s a democratic set-up where anyone who wishes to speak can be heard, too many decide to use public meeting time for personal counseling, instead of setting up private meetings with the appropriate representative. And that gets annoying.

Costume Imp and I then went to Bar X for a drink and a snack; quite a few of our colleagues drifted in over time, and another friend joined us.

I caught an evening train home and didn’t get much done.

I have to revise an article today, do a report for Confidential Job #1, and start negotiations with one of the potential clients who responded to a pitch made day before yesterday. I cut ties with another client who wasn’t worth the time or energy – this was NOT a nice person, and a complete energy vampire. I tried both diplomatically and bluntly to remind the client of the parameters we set in the contract, but it was ignored. So I finished the assignment and ended the relationship. The pay wasn’t high enough to warrant the unhappiness.

Slow morning on Earth Bride. It’s a series of scenes necessary to set up Niki’s growth in this section, and conflict in coming chapters. They’re a little more awkward than I would like, but oh, well.

Off to email the N3s and then get back to work. I have to make up for the work I didn’t get done on Tracking Medusa yesterday, too.

Sue asked for ideas for her trip to New York. Here are some of my favorites:

If you’re here during the holiday season, head up to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, go the Medieval Hall, and experience the Angel Tree. It is one of the most magnificent experiences you will have in New York – the carvings and artwork are stunningly beautiful.

The Empire State Building at twilight – go up there, watch the sun set and watch the lights come up over Manhattan.

The Lower East Side Tenement Museum – the docents are amazing. They’ve re-created the apartments with the actual belongings of families who lived there, and tell you their stories.

The Algonquin Hotel – sit in the lobby and have a drink. They make fantastic classic cocktails and have an extensive menu of their house drinks. I think they make the best sidecars I’ve ever tasted.

Central Park – it’s an amazing oasis in the city, with walkways, boating, skating, the Zoo, and more.

New York Historical Society – right next to the Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side. Terrific exhibits. Great staff.

NY Rangers Game at Madison Square Garden – even if you’re not a hockey fan, there’s nothing like seeing a game in the Garden!

Restaurants: Of course I’m going blank. I usually eat in midtown, between shows. Restaurants come and go quickly in this town. Some of my favorites are:
Maison – 7th Avenue at 53rd St. (French)
Whym – 9th Avenue – I think it’s between 55th & 56th, but it might be between 56th & 57th.
Gallagher’s Steak House – W. 52nd St., just west of Broadway. If Leo’s tending bar, ask him to make you a hot whisky toddy.
Ocean Grill – 384 Columbus Ave. at W. 78 St. – one of my favorites, right near the Museum of Natural History.
Further downtown, the Village, etc.:
The Cedar Tavern – this is near NYU and near Strand Books. Its former location was a Jack Kerouac/beat hangout. The food and drinks are great here. University Place and 12th St.
Peculiar Pub – 145 Bleecker St. – over 400 beers from all over the world.
Café Loup – 105 W. 13th St. Upscale bistro.
Café Espanol – 172 Bleecker St. Great food, great wine list.
Cornelia St. Café – 29 Cornelia St. Great food.
Grey Dog Café – Carmine St., just south of Bleecker. Excellent, healthy sandwiches, wraps, etc. and, of course, good coffee.
Telephone Bar and Grill – 149 Second Avenue, between 9th and 10th Streets – a British bistro, great food, great drinks, great atmosphere.
Cloister Café – 238 E. 9th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avneues. Stained glass windows, good food, lovely garden.
Velselka Café – 144 2nd Avenue, open 24 hours. Great borscht, great desserts, and muffins.
The Minetta Lane – corner of Thompson or maybe it’s MacDougal, and Minetta Lane. Great food, emphasis on Italian.
Pretty much any restaurant in Little Italy.

Music/Theatre Venues that usually have something good going on:
The Knitting Factory — 74 Leonard St., just off Church.
Joe’s Pub – part of the Public Theatre at 425 Lafayette St.
The Blue Note – 131 W. 3rd St. –jazz with great Sunday brunches. Make reservations, though!
The Bitter End – 147 Bleecker St. You can just walk up and down Bleecker and find about a dozen bars with music.

That should give you a starting point!

Devon

Earth Bride – 57,506 words out of 50,000 words (Nano goal)

57 / 50 (114.0%)

Earth Bride – 57,506 words out of 100,000 words (completion goal)

57 / 100 (57.0%)

Free eBook: 30 Tips for 30 Days: Kick-Start Your Novel and Get Out of Your Own Way. A Nano Guide. Available for free download here.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Thursday, November 15, 2007
Waxing Moon
Rainy and blustery

I pitched for 11 jobs yesterday. I’ve been negligent about hunting down new work, and, with the strikes going on, I can’t just shrug and say, “Oh, I’ll make up the difference at the theatre.” Time to hustle.

Spent a lot of time on admin work yesterday. I still have a lot of catching up to do.

Devon’s Random Newsletter went out. If you didn’t get your copy, sign up here.

Ran some errands in the afternoon. The home town’s in a tizzy – ten burglaries in ten days. They thought there was another one up the street – cop cars everywhere, dogs, even a helicopter. Quite unsettling.

Wrote chapter 25 of Tracking Medusa. Gwen and Justin are captives on the yacht, on the way to Greece and the re-animation ritual. I don’t think I have another 30K of storyline left, so it might come in under the 90K mark. We’ll see – it is what it is. I realized a few places that I have to fix in the rewrite, which will add substantially to the word count. I skipped over some of the developmental details to focus on action in this draft. It gets me to the finish line, but there are certain sections that will need major attention in the rewrite.

Plotted out two more eBooks, and did some preliminary work on the paranormal novella.

Had a decent morning’s work on Earth Bride. I’m setting up character relationships and subplots that will be important in the next section of the story, and that’s always time consuming.

Today, I’m off to the city to run errands, visit picket lines, and attend my union meeting.

Devon

Earth Bride –55,555 words out of 50,000 (Nano goal)

55 / 50 (110.0%)

Earth Bride — 55,555 words out of 100,000 (completion goal)

55 / 100 (55.0%)

Tracking Medusa — 60,090 words out of est. 90,000

60 / 90 (66.7%)

Free eBook: 30 Tips for 30 Days: Kick-Start Your Novel and Get Out of Your Own Way. A Nano Guide. Available for free download here.