Final day of Nano and Tall Tales & Short Stories Books!

Well, it's all over but the crying. It is 11:40 and I have finished my NaNo 50,000 words. It was very touch and go for a bit there, especially because at the start of day today, I had 13,932 words to write.

I feel as though I have been wandering around in a weird haze for the past week as I scrambled to up my word count. This NaNo has been especially tough for me, since I was out of town without a regular computer until November 20th. That's when the insanity began as I typed like a mad woman, trying to get words out.

And then the heat in my car went out.

Did I mention today was -18?

So I was writing pen-to-paper as I sat at Midas waiting for the guy to tell me it just magically started working again, even though he didn't do anything to it. His magic trick cost me fifty smackaroos, but he was a good guy, so I think I will go back when it happens again.

Probably tomorrow.

And let me tell you, toward the end, it was NOT pretty. This is an actual excerpt from the final 1000 words as I saw the finish line, pretended people were cheering me on, and officially lost feeling in both my brain and my fingertips.


Still, there was no one outside.

Not in front of her door, not in front of her window, not in the grave yard across the gravel back alley that no body but no body ever used, and not no body near the chapel ruins.

Nope, no body. There was no body outside.

“There is no body.”

“Could ye have been hearing things, Linde Love. I hear that happens as ye get older.”

“I was not-“

“Maybe it was pipes,” Scott suggested once again.

“I know the sounds of pipes here, Scott."

“Maybe it was just kids, daring each other to come knock on your door. Did you ever do that at Litivus Manheim’s estate when you were young? I did.”

“Did you take annoying pills today, Scott?”

“What? Me? No, it is our pathetic author, who can not think of any thing better for us to do but sit here and make stupid conversation for the last one thousand words of her national novel writing month challenge.”

“Oh yeah, stupid author.”

“Any how, there is really no one there?"

“Yes, there is really no one there.”



Who said you had to have talent to be a writer?!

But, I am officially a NaNo winner, as evidenced by my little icon below.

And, on a very exciting note, I met with Steve Van Bakel tonight, editor of Tall Tales and Short Stories Volume III, (as well as Volume II and Volume I, of course...) and mastermind behind Tall Tales Press, based right here in chilly Calgary. The books look great, so if you would like one, visit the Tall Tales Press website or email me and I will get you a copy. And if you're a writer, make sure you submit to next year's contest.

Now I am going to ice my knuckles and rest my brain. Congrats to all the other NaNo winners and participants, and remember if you want to battle the post-NaNo blues, click here.