Tobie Rose slips inside the door and closes it behind her against the wind. After taking a moment to unbutton her sweater, drop her bookbag on the ground, and look around, she flips a switch, and the room is filled with soft lamp light. Rain streaks the windows as WriMos hurry by outside: weathered veterans, nervous newbies, the stressed and the excited.
Noveling season is upon us. She isn't sure what it will look like this year--not having any novel ideas (not really), and it being her first year in grad school and all.
But the Coffee House is already starting to flicker with the spirit of November. The familiar couches will soon be filled with writers, new and experienced; coffee cups will litter the tables, and manuscripts will pile in corners and less convenient places. And the Inner Editor closet will, hopefully, be securely locked.
"Well," she says to herself. "There is only one thing to do til other people start coming in, really." And she shuffles to the stove and sets a pot of tea water to boil, preparing the oven for a batch of lime-raspberry muffins, all the while keeping an eye on the door and waiting for old friends and new acquaintances to stop in for coffee and companionship.
----------
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Okt 2, 2009 - 10 37
Eidolon Oracle walks in the door and takes off his jacket and hat, hanging them on the coat-rack by the door. He smiles at Rose as he crosses the room, warming his hands by the stove. He pours himself a cup of chai tea and settles into one of the comfy chairs.
"I'll be here for the haul." He says with a roguish grin. "I get to use this for homework for my Narrative Voice and Character class this year. Mind you, my professor may be rather surprised when I drop an over 50,000 word chunk of text on him at the end of the semester. He only told us 'over 15,000' of novel/novella material. . . mind you. He won't be unhappy with more."
He takes a sip of his drink. "Mind you. I still haven't decided whether to go with Fantasy to prove to him that the genre at least has potential to be art. Or if I want to cave to his comfort-zone and try something more out of my normal range."
----------~ Suffering from some of the more extreme side-effects of being born.
22,409 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 11 05
(Is this like a RPG? Im a bit confused....)
----------Athens is really just a big typo. Y'see, "s" is right next to "a" on the keyboard. They meant to name it Athena, but the secretary wasn't a very good typist.
______________________________________________
Ya this is me. Wow, I'm so cool you read my sig?
46,181 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 11 13
*squees*
Indy walks in, smils at Rose and Eidolon, and sinks down onto her loveseat tucked away into the corner farthest from the door. She grins, having a hard time containing the excitement that's finally there. Only a month 'til Nano starts!
Lime-raspberry? That's a unique combination.
Eid, that's awesome. Really awesome. Well, if your grade depends on him liking the story, I'd go with something that isn't scifi/fantasy. But if you want to risk it, go for it!
Welcome to the CoffeeHouse, Babblebop! No, it's not an RPG-- we just always start the year off like this. :) It's just a thread that's been around for several years to converse in.
*sighs* Due to moving houses, my Internet's getting cut off Monday and I won't get it back until Thursday. And next Saturday, I'm leaving to visit Lunas for a week. So, this'll be interesting-- I'm sure I'll miss out on a lot.
But it's wonderful to be back!
----------"Footsteps in the snow suggest where you have been, point where you were going: but where they suddenly vanish, never dismiss the possibility of flight..." - Diane Duane, A Wizard Alone
1,426 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 11 14
"It is a virtual space. A place where people come together and get to know each other through the use of writing. I am not playing a role, nor is it a game. I'm just here, in the virtual Coffee House, hanging out with my fellow WriMo's and chatting." Eidolon Oracle sips his tea. "And enjoying a cup of virtual tea."
----------~ Suffering from some of the more extreme side-effects of being born.
22,409 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 11 17
Ah. Thank you, Indy! Ok sooo....
Babop sticks her head around the doorframe nervously. There are only three people there so far, and they look friendly, so she creeps in quietly, and sits down in the back with a book. A CotFD book, of course.
Umm.. I'm writing a CotFD fanfic, so I'm reading all the books again to get the hang of the characters.
----------And you can just call me Babop.
Athens is really just a big typo. Y'see, "s" is right next to "a" on the keyboard. They meant to name it Athena, but the secretary wasn't a very good typist.
______________________________________________
Ya this is me. Wow, I'm so cool you read my sig?
1,426 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 11 17
Indy! Good to see you! Long time no see.
The grade depends on the quality of the writing, and I think he is objective enough to get past his anti-fantasy bias. But It will be interesting either way.
Also means I have to write WELL for NaNo. . . Not that I have had a problem with that yet.
----------~ Suffering from some of the more extreme side-effects of being born.
22,409 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 11 27
Mmmm..... my mom just made some donuts...... with soybean paste on them..... YUMYUM! *eats* Anyone else want some virtual ones?
----------Athens is really just a big typo. Y'see, "s" is right next to "a" on the keyboard. They meant to name it Athena, but the secretary wasn't a very good typist.
______________________________________________
Ya this is me. Wow, I'm so cool you read my sig?
1,426 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 11 35
"Welcome to the Coffee House." Eidolon Oracle smiles at the newcomer. "I'm always willing to try something once." He takes one of the proffered donuts. "So, what is this CotFD? I am unfamiliar with the acronym and Google was less than enlightening on the subject."
----------~ Suffering from some of the more extreme side-effects of being born.
22,409 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 11 44
Babop grins. "No, Google, probably wouldn't help. CotFD is Castaways of the Flying Dutchman, by Brian Jacques. I call it CotFD for short, but I don't think very many other people do. I'm pretty sure other people call it the Castaways series." she replies. "Oh, and the random fact of the day: these donuts smell like onions. Slightly."
----------Athens is really just a big typo. Y'see, "s" is right next to "a" on the keyboard. They meant to name it Athena, but the secretary wasn't a very good typist.
______________________________________________
Ya this is me. Wow, I'm so cool you read my sig?
1,426 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 11 53
I was trying to think of works by the authors listed in your sig that had written something with the initials CotFD. I wasn't coming up with anything. Mostly because I am quite familiar with Redwall and discounted Jacques because I knew it wasn't a Redwall book. Castaways was one of his better works: great improvement on Redwall for certain.
And oddly enough, my writing prof keeps bringing up Redwall because he just read all of them to his son over the summer. He doesn't have a high opinion of Jaques as a novelist, though he does think that the Redwall books are great 'ripping yarns'. (Not art or worthy of the term literature in his mind.) I'll have to remember to recommend Castaways to him. He might like that one better.
----------~ Suffering from some of the more extreme side-effects of being born.
22,409 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 11 59
XD yeah, Castaways is fantabulous. Redwall's ok, that's what got me hooked on Brian Jacques in the first place, but when I discovered CotFD....yeah. I actually first discovered CotFD at a book signing in Atlanta, my parents took me there for my birthday, and I brought my fave Redwall books. Then I'm like "Ooh what's this Castaways stuff?" because it was the tour for the third book so I got that....... :D:D:D I've still got a pic of him, me, and my little sister somewhere.......
----------Athens is really just a big typo. Y'see, "s" is right next to "a" on the keyboard. They meant to name it Athena, but the secretary wasn't a very good typist.
______________________________________________
Ya this is me. Wow, I'm so cool you read my sig?
17,073 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 12 35
Flaithbheartaigh walks in from outside, ignoring the coat rack as he scans the room, his eyes eventually falling on Eidolon.
"You didn't have to HIT me, I was going to come in eventually," he says, as he notices the coat rack. "Though, I must admit, hearing that there were donuts was what really convinced me. Anyway, I'll be with you all in a minute but first, I really need a cup of tea."
After a moment's work, Flaithbheartaigh settles down into an open chair, a cup of tea precariously perched upon one knee.
"Now then, I do believe I am late in making my introduction. Hi, I'm Flaithbheartaigh. If it helps any, you can call me Sean. I'm a friend of Eidolon here and he said it'd be alright if I popped in so, after he hit me for hesitating, I took him up on the offer. I'm still pretty new at this sort of thing so I'm kinda of nervous but I'm also rather excited. Anyway, I'm running out of things to say so I think I shall turn to my tea before I REALLY start rambling."
----------Just call me Sean... your fingers will be grateful, it's a whole 12 letters shorter, and with 50,000 words to write already, you've got enough letters to worry about.
22,409 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 12 44
Babop grins. "He did WHAT?", she laughs. "Umm, nice to meet you, Flatherbagheartaigh... I think I'll just call you Sean, actually. You can call me Jen if you like."
----------Athens is really just a big typo. Y'see, "s" is right next to "a" on the keyboard. They meant to name it Athena, but the secretary wasn't a very good typist.
______________________________________________
Ya this is me. Wow, I'm so cool you read my sig?
102,107 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 12 48
Sushi enters the coffee house, escaping from the world outside, and snags a muffin before flopping down on a couch.
"Welcome, babblebop," Sushi says, nodding in eir direction. "Welcome, Flaithbheartaigh." She nods around the room to everyone else, greeting them by name. These were old familiar sights by now. She takes a bite of muffin. "Mmm, interesting. Then again, NaNo is always interesting, so we need an interesting muffin to suit it."
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http://www.sushimustwrite.com
38,206 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 12 53
"Good evening," Doc Spoc says in a Eastern-Europe-vampire accent. He then reverts to his regular, general-Americana accent. "I'm here. Yes. The party can truly commence."
----------'05: Tainted Logic [fail]
'06: The Boss [50k]
'07: The Penultimate Showdown [50k]
'08: The Undead Escorts [72k]
'09: ...
22,409 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 13 03
Babop (I'm going to change it to Jen, ok?) snickered, and dug her thermos cup of chamomile tea out of her bag.
----------Athens is really just a big typo. Y'see, "s" is right next to "a" on the keyboard. They meant to name it Athena, but the secretary wasn't a very good typist.
______________________________________________
Ya this is me. Wow, I'm so cool you read my sig?
27,488 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 13 20
Karebear looks in the window, debating wheather to go in with all these strangers.
----------Eventully, the extroverted part of took over and she walked into the Coffe House.
She hung her coat on the coat rack and took a seat a well-judged distance away from the others.
"Uh, hi." She says and then digs a bottle of yellow substance out of her bag. She takes a sip. Then
she looked in her bag for her favorite book, Line of Duty by Terri Blackstock, and started reading.
Karebear
23,087 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 14 31
Mara sneaks in, heading straight to the kitchen area. She opens the cabinet as quietly as possible and pulls out a bag of marshmallows. "Ahh, much better," she says to herself. Still moving silently, she comes up behind Eidolon and tosses a couple of marshmallows at his head before dashing to the other side of the room and flopping in a sofa chair.
"Hey everyone! I'm Mara. I shouldn't be here, because I have no time, but I'm here nonetheless. I've broken my sacred rule of having an idea--even if I change it--before posting. I have like, two characters, and no clue what to do with them. Anyway, good to see all these new faces! I promise not to have [i]too[/i] many lightsaber fights. I like hot cocoa, marshmallows, and weather that involves sunshine and 75-90 degrees Fahrenheit. I also like costuming and acting and geeking out."
Mara curls up and pulls out a notebook and starts scribbling nonsense as she waits for ideas to hit her.
----------NaNo '09: Dreams Are Made On
NaNo '08: Model Society
NaNo '06: The Kinstrife of Ahman
NaNo '05: Twilight's Daughter
NaNo '04: Through the Dusty Gate
14,017 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 15 28
Thank GOODNESS! The Coffee House! Rose, I came around the forums earlier today and did not see it. And it made me very nervous. I left.
But now everything is okay. ;)
----------"Biting my trewand pen, beating myself for spite,
'Fool,' said my Muse to me, 'look in thy heart and write.'" ~Sir Philip Sidney
"You know, I'm too old for this sort of evening. I always was." ~"Indiscreet" 1958
10,150 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 15 45
Dear T-nite, I was trolling the forums all yesterday, and the site had not yet been relaunched. After midnight it was down for maintenance, which was a good sign; but I needed sleep. I had to teach this morning, y'know.
*scoops up some of the marshmallows Mara tossed at Eid's head and drops them in her hot chocolate*
Hallo Babop/Jen. :) Chamomile tea ... good choice!
Hallo Karebear!
Hallo Sean! Have you NaNoed before? (If you haven't, I'm not sure how Eid's let you get away without doing it for this long ...)
Anyway. I've been meaning and intending and planning to make these muffins for ages, but time ... has been doing its thing. Being a grad student will probably cure my procrastination habit for good. It may also kill me in November. But if I must die young, I'd rather it be death by writing. Anyway--lime and raspberry may sound like an unusual combination, but believe me, it is very, very good. :) If you don't believe me, try it: http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=21583.0
Does anyone else have no clue what they're writing yet?
102,107 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 15 58
Yay, a recipe! Thanks.
I have an idea that has been developing in my mind for months, but I'm open to other ideas, most likely an idea that'll grab me on the 31st at 11pm.
You're definitely not the only one.
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http://www.sushimustwrite.com
46,181 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 16 11
I've forgotten how busy this place gets…
Welcome back to the veterans and glad to see you to the newbies!
I have an idea for the first one, but I don't know what I'll be doing for the second story. My goals are 50k in one story, and then at least a 1k story. Because I don't feel like stressing myself this year. :)
Oh, Mara: what's wrong with a lightsaber duel or two? :P
----------"Footsteps in the snow suggest where you have been, point where you were going: but where they suddenly vanish, never dismiss the possibility of flight..." - Diane Duane, A Wizard Alone
102,107 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 16 43
Did someone say lightsaber duels? I'm in!
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Witty signature feature broken. Please try again later.
http://www.sushimustwrite.com
47,645 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 18 20
Me three!
Hey, everyone, oldies and newbies alike!
Rose, if I can work, do grad school, and win NaNo for two years in a row, you can do it, too. *nods firmly*
*settles into her usual windowseat* This is going to be a good year.
----------"Do you think he plans it all out or just makes it up as he goes along?" Captain Theodore Groves . . . on NaNoWriMo?
I handwrite NaNo. Yes, I am insane.
Moderator :: Writing Groups and Clubs
17,073 / 50,000
Okt 2, 2009 - 21 35
*realizes he has been asked a question and looks up from his tea*
Hi Rose, this is my second year NaNoing and I was actually introduced to it by Eid's sister and a few friends, even though Eid and I had been rooming together for a year and half by that point... must have slipped his mind or something. To answer your other question, all I have so far is a rather boisterous main character who's been pestering me to get busy. He apparently doesn't like being alone.
Greetings to all new people I haven't made an effort to say hi to yet. I hope to get to know you all better as time goes by. Now... where's my tea?
*resumes sipping*
----------Just call me Sean... your fingers will be grateful, it's a whole 12 letters shorter, and with 50,000 words to write already, you've got enough letters to worry about.
47,867 / 50,000
Okt 3, 2009 - 03 53
Th' Tumbleweed enters cautiously, the hood of her cloak thrown back. She glances at everyone nervously as she makes herself a cup of mint tea. She smiles and nods briefly. "Hi, everybody." Then she goes to her favorite place in any room -the corner -and proceeds to pull a binder out from her bag and starts writing. But she keeps her ears open to the conversation...
-----------Tahl/Keij/Cariya/Phae/Kohra/Tumbleweed
Never trite when I write 'cause the Lord is my light
And His Word is my bond so ya know ...He's alright ~dc Talk
22,409 / 50,000
Okt 3, 2009 - 05 35
Jen grins. This year will be fun..
I wwan't November to be here already!
----------Athens is really just a big typo. Y'see, "s" is right next to "a" on the keyboard. They meant to name it Athena, but the secretary wasn't a very good typist.
______________________________________________
Ya this is me. Wow, I'm so cool you read my sig?
102,107 / 50,000
Okt 3, 2009 - 06 36
Patience, grasshopper. Just over four weeks to go. Yet four weeks too many.
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50,000 / 50,000
Okt 3, 2009 - 06 39
Abby Mills walked into the little coffe shop on the corner and smiled to herself at the sudden smell of latte's and scones. what am I doing here? I don't even like coffee
Abby thought to herself as she pulled off the adorable coach scarf her mother had gotten her last year for her 20th birthday. Pumkin loaf, thats what I'm doing here, I can not be without their amazing pumpkin loaf
Abby stood in the short line behind a women with bright red hair and hideious green stilettos. After about a 5 minute wait, Abby stepped up to the very attractive man behind the counter.
"Good morning, what can I get you today?" He asked, staring at her with sleepy blue eyes, seeing it was only about 7 AM.
"Two slices of pumpkin loaf...and a vanilla bean cappachino." Abby pulled out her blue wallet, monogramed with her initials, and waited for her total.
"That'll be $5.96." He said with the click of the cash register. Abby sighed to herself, $5.96? That's insane, and handed over the money. The man smiled at her one last time and Abby walked away to await her, expensive, breakfast at one of the little green tables.
To be continued...
----------************************************************************************
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http://goneinsane09.blogspot.com/
64,123 / 50,000
Okt 3, 2009 - 06 56
Auld Soul, new to NaNoWriMo but certainly not to writing, looks around the room with a smile as she shakes the raindrops off her coat and hangs it up on the rack.
After picking up her non-fat latté and snagging a lime-raspberry muffin with a grateful thank you, she makes her way to the big burgundy leather chair beside the fireplace.
Sinking down into the buttery softness of the chair, she curls her legs up onto the cushion and listens in on the conversations around her. She realizes how happy she is to have found this coffee house, for she likes to be among 'her own kind' now and then. Occasionally she reads a paragraph or two in the new 'Bones' book by Kathy Reichs, but mostly she is interested in what the others have to say.
"I'm raring to go on November 1st and have everything in place to begin tapping away. In the meantime, I'm catching up on some of my reading to keep my mind off my characters who are always disturbing me with their chatter."
----------Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.