Current Project: Untitled Fantasy/Murder Mystery Novel
Current Pitch: Pinocchio meets In the Heat of The Night. Plus Practical Magic.

First (Relatively Minor) Flashback: Pg 36
First Real Hint of Tension Between Sisters: Pg. 37
Number of Major Changes to Original Six-Chapter Outline: At least 7

Song From Current Project Playlist: “Optimist” – Zoe Keating

Goal Met: Not Yet.

Okay, so this time I really had ample opportunity to finish my chapter before Friday. Instead, I worked on Teen Wolf fanfiction like the failure I am because oh my God, this season. And — and cliffhangers! And, okay, yes, I’m a tiny bit obsessive with semi-poor impulse control, but I’m LOVABLE, DAMN IT.

In my defense, I do have until tomorrow night to finish the chapter before I fail my goal, and I did get a pretty good start on it last night. It’s just that I do the majority of my writing at night when even God is asleep, and unfortunately, I have to work this weekend.

But yes, to the project. I yelled at all the gardeners last week because it made me feel better, but like most writers — I imagine — I’m a little bit architect and gardener both. I love writing notes for stories. I can, and have, filled up whole notebooks on character descriptions and world-building details and who’s going to do what and go where and end up with whom. I make detailed outlines for everything I want to happen . . . and then I start writing, and wholly unexpected characters appear from out of nowhere and people cough up graveyard dirt in their sleep and love interests who were supposed to start out as antagonistic strangers turn out to be childhood sweethearts instead, and I just go with it and write and make new outlines.

The bad news is that, as I’m figuring these things out, I can tell the mystery is taking longer than it should to really get going. The good news is that my magician sister has finally committed to the possibly-impossible cause of resurrection.

So . . . woot for eventual plot advancement?

She didn’t understand why he couldn’t do with flesh what he’d done with stone, paper, and glass.