USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

Tuesday, 11/24 Write-In

SOdhner — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:56:11 +0000

Just a reminder that there's another write-in tomorrow at Bookmans. The other two were a lot of fun with good turnouts, so hopefully we can continue that trend.
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USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

Blockage begining to clear...

Odo.itas — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:10:47 +0000

I've been up for over 24 hours now, and just sat down an hour ago with a story I could write within the novel. It started with the idea of writing about a man waking up from within a dangerous place. One that had once been safe. And, well, it kind of grew from there. I'm still well below where I need to be before the days over, but at least it's a start. Here's the blurb I came up with.

--------------------------

They had warned him about the Sultan's Palace. That it was a place of dark desires. He had assumed they meant it as a warning against sinning while there. It would have been just like Rolph to give him such a cryptic warning to keep him "on the righteous path, the only true path for a hero". He hadn't then known that Rolph had actually been to the palace before. Hadn't known it till he saw Rolphs handwriting on a note. When he recognized the handwriting he stuffed the letter in his pocket, not entirely sure what he'd do with it, but wanting to know what Rolph had been doing here.
It had been about a week and a half after the Sultan invited him to join him in the harem when he finally got a chance to look at the note. Not wanting to anger the Sultan he asked one of the harem girls to read it to him, but she claimed illiteracy and excused herself citing the need for cleanliness. He hadn't known that she was going to the Sultan. He hadn't known a lot of things.
For one, that Rolph had been the Sultans son by his favorite concubine. That Rolph had been taught by the local equivalent of a cleric. That he had learned his religion well, and had a falling out with his father. He hadn't known that the letter in his hands, an alien script to his eyes, was the final letter given by Rolph to the Sultan. An insult to the Sultans very way of life, and a curse on his line, a vow never to let the line be carried on in himself.
The Sultan wasted no time, and had him thrown into the dungeons while a magi could be summoned. The magi was to bind his soul into a new gem for the Sultan to wear, so that he could never rise again, and could never proceed to the afterlife.
Fortunately the magi was an old friend, from days long past, and had promised him a way out. The magi was to bring a sprite. It would be small enough to be hidden from the Sultans sight, yet have a potent enough spirit to make the gem glow as though a human spirit were trapped within. He would be killed within moments, but had already been prepared for such a thing. His ensured body waited for him back in the city. His spirit would simply fly there, and he would rise with a weapon in hand, and a pocket full of gold. It would be difficult to pull off, but if done right would save them both from his wrath.
Everything happened according to the plan. The Sultan never checked the magi's robes, and so never found the sprite. The sprite was slain mere moments before he was, and was pulled into the stone while the blade opened his throat. Make no mistake, it was horibly painful, but it was a small price to pay compared to the penalty he'd been given.
Of course nothing could go easy for him. His spirit arose, and he fled to the city. There he found his new body waiting for him, just as he'd left it. He even checked the pockets before he entered it to be sure it was all as it should be. He entered the body and felt himself pulled deep within it, anchored within. He waited for the old man to come and free him from the stasis he was in, so that he could be about his business. Could find Rolph and appologize for not listening to the warning. Could go find himself a nice farm girl to settle down with. Or maybe find another ancient ruin to explore, he had left an awful lot of gold behind with his corpse after all.
He continued to wait. He'd been through the process before, and new the routine. The old man came into the Sarcofogi room once a day, and used the bodies within as a material link to those he watched over. When a spirit had returned to the body, the old man said a few words and the body was released. He even had figured out a way to reach out to the old man while in this state, his body may be frozen in time, but his mind certainly wasn't. So he reached out, and felt... nothing. He tried again. This time he felt something... older. Something a bit more alien than the mind of an old man lost in the past. He didn't know what it was, but he pulled back. Perhaps the old man had gone out for some spell components. Yeah, that was it. He just needed some more ground buksis seed, nothing more. Perhaps he had simply taken on a new client. A fellow mind, trapped in flesh and time, waiting for no more than release. Yeah, that had to be it. Except... except that the mind was moving. Hadn't that mind learned how to reenter it's own body?
He reached out to it again. This time it reached back. He felt it wrap around his thoughts like a vine wrapping around a new growth elm. Squeezing him, testing him, weighing his strength of will. He tried to fight back a scream, and then realized he'd not be able to scream even if he tried. The strange force moved into his field of vision now. It was a woman. Slender, lithe, young. She would never do as a wife (she didn't have the hips for children), but as a mistress? In any case she wouldn't be out of place back at the Sultans Harem.
Under any other circumstances he would have cast an appraising look over her body at this point, but being trapped in time meant that he couldn't adjust the angle of his eyes. He could do nothing but stare into her eyes, as she stared into his. And then he saw the age in her eyes. He saw forests being burned down, siblings catching light along with their homes. He saw men being led deep into a forest by an enchanted song. He saw men being led into a tent by a wiley Satyr. He saw the old days. He'd never heard of male Dryads before, yet he surely saw them now. He'd never heard of this type of ancient ritual, but he saw a young man lying in the mud, as holy sandlewood was placed under his skin at the points where his spirit was strongest. Saw the sandlewood grow beneath his skin.
He reached out once more to find the old man. He used all the strength of will that he possesed, felt outward across the minds of the city looking for the spark of magic that was so strong in that man. Looking for the wistfullness and nostalgia that followed the old man no matter where he was. He reached till he felt himself tearing at the seams, till he had stretched out to the very walls of the city, but he could reach no further. Whether the walls were warded, or whether he was simply not strong enough, it didn't matter. The old man, who hadn't gone one block from this building in more than fifty years, wasn't anywhere within reach, and couldn't help him.
Once again he tried to cry out. Not because of what he saw of the ancient and near past, but because of what he saw of the future. As he stared deeper into her eyes, he saw the ritual being performed on himself. Saw the transformation happening within his body, despite the spells cast over it. Saw the other form rising up from where he now lay. He didn't see himself ever arising again. The body that rose up in that future to be, it wasn't his. The spirit within was not his. And yet he knew that he could no sooner stop it than he could rise up from this sarcofogus without the old mans help. He prayed then, to the gods he had never acknowledged. To the gods who he had cursed more times than was his right. He could see them in his mind. He fell before their countenances grovelling. Begging their interference.
Something was wrong. Though he could see them in his mind, he could tell they weren't very near. They seemed hazy, and almost immaterial, or they seemed firm, yet at a great distance, as though warded from this place. Almost in the way an evil creature is driven away from hallowed ground. But these gods were not evil, well, not all of them. He began to shudder as he realized that there was no one coming to his rescue. The most he could hope for was that the creature before him would find another host for her wicked designs, and that he would be left to go slowly mad in this place he'd hoped to find release. But what was far more likely is that he would soon be given the same treatment the other poor bastard was given. That he would rise again, but not as a man, and not as himself. The spirit he once was having been sublimated to power the transformation ahead.
It was then that he saw the others. Saw them coming ever closer. There were five of them, all alike, all with the same, deep, cold, ancient eyes. He pulled his mind within himself, and slowly whimpered.
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USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

Fading fast

Odo.itas — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:22:07 +0000

About a week ago I was a mere 600 words from the half way point, and about a thousand words ahead of the minimum goal to stay on track. Then I hit a wall. I only could think of one other scene that needed to be done, and had wanted that scene to be one of the last scenes in the story. Every time I sat down I tried to come up with any other scene to write. I did brainstorming sessions where I wrote quick summaries of the stories so far. I went through a list of the main viewpoint characters and how they related to one another. I wrote out what stories had been touched on that might be more fully fleshed out, like the story of the Captain of the Guard who suspects his wife of infidelity, but I don't have any idea where to go to with those, or even where to begin them.

I finally gave in today and decided to just write the scene, and hope that there is still something else to write about once it's done. So I sat down at the computer and... couldn't think of where to begin. I decided to do a quick recap. A story so far kind of thing to lead off, and got another few hundred words (enough to cross the halfway point), but even now I don't know how to write that scene. So I set it aside and I'm calling it a night. For so long it was getting easier to write, but now I'm not certain I'll make it to the 30,000 word mark.

Ah well.
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USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

Night of Writing Dangerously in San Fran

psotos — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:37:21 +0000

Hey is anyone going to the Night of Writing Dangerously in San Fran? Its on the 22nd. I am going and if anyone wants to share rental car, hotel, etc let me know.
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My Blog: http://hankfrost.blogspot.com/
My Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxjrVZlCFzU

USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

All Nighter???

tlsmith — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:37:47 +0000

Last year I attended the East Valley group and had a blast. Are we joining them this year? 7pm to 7am?

To everyone who is new, it's an experience, lots of word count games, lots of thanksgiving left overs, lots of faces you haven't met. Just don't do so much coffee and candy you're totally buzzed the next morning, or do and get in even more writing done waiting for the high to wear off.

This year I'll switch to decaf a little earlier, whether we do it East or West.
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USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

I can't believe this is happening to me!

Carol Trevillion — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:03:43 +0000

I just sat down in front of my computer to work on my NaNo writing, when what happened???
I had to take my husbsnd to ER again! Spent the whole day there. I just got home @9;52 tonight Phoenix time. I missed most of the first week while he was in the hospital, and now it looks like he's going to be there a while again. I was moving along pretty well...I caught up and was beyond my daily count, but now??? Word count at this minute: 43,833. Of course I still need to get my house cleaned and cooking done for the 21 people coming for Thanksgiving @ my house! Oh, well, wish me luck. If I don't get back for a couple of days, you all will know where I've been. Glad you all are having a great time this year. Sorry I haven't been able to attend the events, but I'll try to make any that are planned after we are all done in December, unless I'm at Arowhead Hospital Suits, that is. Love you guys.
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CAROL TREVILLION

USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

I hit my wordcount goal of the day!

a.n.pesch — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:37:36 +0000

Hey all you PheNoWrimo-ers! Here's a fun little thread I thought might be a nice motivator to have around, so use if you will, ignore if you won't. This is the place you can proclaim your ecclesiastical joys of hitting the ever-daunting quota of the day without shame, and show off your finest moments at the same time. Whether you're aiming for the 1,667-word-a-day minimum, or setting your sights higher to an averaged 2,000 words or more, tell us all here and strut in glory. Simply say "I hit my wordcount goal of the day!", tell us your total wordcound, do a little jig, and post your best passage of the day. Sentence, paragraph, page, doesn't matter, as long as your basking on your daily success!

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I, myself have happily hit my wordcount goal of 3,333 words today, and now stand at a total of 3,342 words! :)

"As the speed of the sparks reached a peak, something deep inside me seemed to shift ever so slightly; the cold, the night, the wind, all disappeared, and I was suspended—perhaps for a year, perhaps in the blink of an eye—in a torper of cocconed nothingness. The ground beneath my feet vanished, faded away as if it had never been. Time—what was time?—it lost its meaning so fully that my memories, carefully ordered chronologically at normal times, blurred together, and I could imagine that yesterday had brought about both my first steps and my first fight, one after another. "

Who's next?
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"Procrastinate today. Don't put it off."
~Ellen Degeneres

USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

North Side Write-in Schedule (finalized)

calante — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:38:49 +0000

I figured I'd post this anew, so it doesn't get lost in the old thread. So! Just as a reminder for any North Side wrimos looking to meet up, here is the schedule we decided on:

Mondays: 6 pm, Starbucks at Kierland Commons
Wednesdays: 6 pm, Borders at Tatum/Cactus
Saturdays: 1 pm, White August Tea
Sundays: 1 pm, Scooter's Coffeehouse

Tonight (Monday 11/2) is the first write-in. I will probably be heading over a bit early tonight, so I'll try to stake out one of those nice big tables for us. Feel free to show up early, late, and leave whenever you like (this particular Starbucks is open until 10 pm).

Hope to see you there!

-Megan

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USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

Thursday 11/19 writein

tlsmith — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:59:18 +0000

Hellooooo, yes a definate echo in the room. It's missing the tapping of fingers on keys, the banter on where to take characters and jokes on plots.

If you're still one the way, Great, I feel lonely.

If you're thinking about it, Great, I'll be here till the end.

COME ON DOWN, plenty of room.

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USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

Top 10 NaNoWriMo motivators

SimplyLiv803 — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:39:25 +0000

Hey all,

Here's a link to a post I wrote listing this week's Top 10 NaNoWriMo motivational posts.

http://wp.me/ppRTu-8r

There is lots of great info and inspiration, PLUS links to some fabulous writing sites. Hope they'll be useful for you.

If you know of any sites that should be included on my next list, please let me know.

Thanks, and I hope everyone's creativity is in full force. I'm at 30K, how's everyone else doing?

Olivia
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2008/For Purple Mountains/53,000
Writing is a solitary job–but there's nothing lonely about it. I have always been too immersed in what I was doing, mad at it or laughing at it to wonder whether I was lonely or not, it’s simply solitary –Wm. Faulkner

USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

tuesday, 11/17 write-in

Rosekauai — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:33:25 +0000

Its official guys. I'm in Arizona now, and will be at the write-in tomorrow night. Who else is going? I'd love to meet you all, so tell me what to look for! I'll be wearing a green, salt-stained hat that says "Kauai" on it!

Can't wait!
~Kelly
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"The first draft of anything is shit." Ernest Hemingway

USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

wrimo roll call!

rozeecheeks — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:00:27 +0000

hello, all! time for "who is your daddy, and what does he do?" i kid, i kid! how about "who are you, and what is your novel about?" yeah, that sounds better.

i'm rozeecheeks/rhia, and i'm your ML. i'm a framer at a craft store. when i'm not writing (meaning every month other than november) i knit and read christopher moore books. i also spend a lot of time at soccer practice and school events with my partner and our two little ones.

my first nano year was 2005. in 2006, katantion and i took over ML duties when Mea Culpa stepped down. last year, we split into phoenix and east valley. katantion and nekowriternyan are the ML's over there.

my novel is in a genre that i really don't know a lot about. the plot just sort of jumped out at me and shoved my other plot down a flight of stairs. it's about a medical transcriptionist who starts receiving voice files in which someone is plotting a murder. she has to use the clues she's given in each upload to keep it from happening.

ready? set? go!

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05-Homotastic: Tales of a Teenage Fag Hag - Fail.
06- Homotastic (take 2) - Epic Fail.
07- 36 -WIN!
08- What Goes Around Comes Around - Loser
09- ctrl+alt+murder

USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

Light Rail Write-In!

SOdhner — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:50:44 +0000

Okay, everyone! This is supposed to be happening TOMORROW, Saturday the 14th. Who is going to be there? I'm planning on it, assuming I won't be alone.

From the event calendar:
"We will board the light rail at 19th and montebello at approximately 10:30am and ride it all the way to the end of the line at sycamore and main in mesa at approximately 11:35am. the return train boards at approximately 12:00pm and arrives back at 19th ave. and montebello at approximately 1:05pm. make sure your laptop is charged!"

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USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

Critique, anyone?

Corialos — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:27:53 +0000

I was unaware as to the number of people in my area participated in NaNoWriMo...

If anyone is willing, would you perhaps critique my work? I'd rather that it be done privately, if possible. Just give your e-mail address if you're interested in volunteering. Thanks!

--Cori.

P.S. Mine is corialos@gmail.com
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USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

ML fail.

rozeecheeks — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:15:20 +0000

once again, i suck. yesterday i said i was going to the light rail write in, and i didn't. so so sorry, guys. this morning there was a memorial service for a friend of mine who died two weeks ago. i didn't have a ride until about 11 last night. but when a friend offered to let me hitch a ride with him, i had a choice to make. and i decided that the memorial for scott jeffers, entertainer extraordinaire, was where i needed to be. i apologize for being absent from the event that i put together.

i will be at the bookmans write-ins this coming week. for serious.
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05-Homotastic: Tales of a Teenage Fag Hag - Fail.
06- Homotastic (take 2) - Epic Fail.
07- 36 -WIN!
08- What Goes Around Comes Around - Loser
09- ctrl+alt+murder

USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

Yes! yes! yes!

Carol Trevillion — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:42:01 +0000

YES! YES! YES! I can't believe I caught up! I was almost ready to give up when my hubby went to the ER the Friday before Nov 1st. and I spent all those days with him while thet docs were trying to find out what was wrong and during and after his surgery. His recovery at home is still taking up a lot of my time, but I did it!
A whopping 25,179 words as of last night!!!! Maybe I'll make it yet! I'm not using any kind of out line ...just writing. I am amazed at my little pea brain is doing with the story and the characters as my now numb fingers move across the keys.
I love reading everyones' e-mails. Keep it up. It has kept me from giving up! Thanks, you guys!
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CAROL TREVILLION

USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

East Valley Midway Wants Some Phoenix Bodies

Katantion — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:40:44 +0000

Heeeeeey Phoenix. Amber here, the EV ML.

We're having our midway party tonight at Skateland if any of you want to come. We'll be there from 7:30 to Midnight, decidedly not writing. It's 8$ admission/skate rental if you tell them you're there with NaNoWriMo.

Skateland is here:
7 E Southern Ave
Mesa, AZ 85210
skatelandmesa.com‎

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-Amber is ML: East Valley

USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

Who else in Glendale?

Alxa — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:25:58 +0000

Just checking for the Glendalers out there. Anyone interested for a writing session at the Main Library or something? Or maybe someone for word wars to keep me honest.

Using the library comp at the moment (don't ask) so might be bit getting back to ya.
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"When I can't think of something to write, I often don't write anything. And then I pretend it's a style." Tim Minear

USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

Workshop At Bookman's

Buffy Christopher — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:02:41 +0000

Come Join Wendy Ely and Buffy Christopher at Bookman's on Northern and 19th Ave in Phoenix, AZ at 9:30am on Saturday 11/14 for a FREE WORKSHOP The Craft Side of Writing where we will discuss Exploring Plot, Showing Versus Telling, Bring Characters to Life and Cleaning Up The Manuscript.

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USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

Surprise Arizona: Right outside of Phoenix! Please unite!

calmdownandsmellthehotchocolate — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:15:31 +0000

Hello, hello.
My name is Alie Ann, and I was wondering if any fellow nanowrimo writers lived in the same area.
Come on down and come together as one!
Sorry if that sounds cheesy.

Please tell me about your novel for this wonderous year of 09.

Title, maybe a sample, and a little bit about your story.

Making new friends is loads of fun!
Haha, my own anwser will come in my next post.
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09- Crowd: In the making...

USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

West Side - B&N Peoria Wednesdays 2-6

SimplyLiv803 — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:06:17 +0000

To West siders who are interested and available:

There is a write-in set up for Wednesdays at:

BARNES & NOBLE
7685 West Bell Road
Peoria, AZ 85382

The session begins at 2, and we can stay as late as 6. I was hoping for something closer to evening, but they already have a group booked on Wed pm's and Borders simply said no.

If you are attending, please let me know, because B&N needs to know.

Thanks,
Olivia
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2008/For Purple Mountains/53,000
Writing is a solitary job–but there's nothing lonely about it. I have always been too immersed in what I was doing, mad at it or laughing at it to wonder whether I was lonely or not, it’s simply solitary –Wm. Faulkner

USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

Google Wave Invitations

trask — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:41:27 +0000

I have a few Google Wave invitations to spare, so I'm going to send them to the first five people to ask for one.

1) Post here to reserve your spot as one of the first five.
2) Send me a private message with the email address the invite should be sent to. (so you don't have to post your email address in public)

And rozeecheeks, I already sent one to the phoenowrimo address at gmail, as thanks for being our ML.

- trask
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USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

Write in at bookmans

Odo.itas — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:41:31 +0000

Don't forget about the write in at bookmans on 19th ave and northern today at 11:30am. Hopefully we'll have a better turn out this week than last.
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USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

Yes!!! I'm cought up!!!

Carol Trevillion — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:07:10 +0000

Yes! I finally got cought up!!! I am at my 18445 words! That's 112 words ahead!! Thanks to you all for your word of encouragement. I didn't answer because I was trying so hard to catch up after I lost all those day with my husbsnds' hospital stay. He's still trying to recover, but at least I can sneak out some writing time. Sorry I haven't been able to meet with any of you, but maybe we can all get together for a Victory celerbration in December. I'll be out of town the first week of December, but would still like for us to all meet up after.

Love you, guys, Carol
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CAROL TREVILLION

USA :: Arizona :: Phoenix

Moving to Scottsdale on Monday!

Rosekauai — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:31:19 +0000

Well it's official folks. As of Monday night, I will officially be a resident of Phoenix.

So, hook a girl up! When/where are the write-ins for the week? I'm out of town again on the 20th, but I want to hit up one or two before I go!
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"The first draft of anything is shit." Ernest Hemingway