. . . is 1081 words further along. Maybe I’ll finish it by the end of the week. Then I can get back to The False Side of Shadow.

Speaking of Slow . . . I don’t have a title for this story. I need something catchy. I’m not sure Slow Valentine is going to cut it. ponders Well, considering how slow Slow is going with . . . maybe it is appropriate. LOL!

I was positive today would be worse than yesterday. I'm fortunate to be wrong! YAY!

Made my goal of 1k with more on the Slow Movin' valentine story. Steph was kind enough to send me a gentle reminder. I figure I'd better get it done before she shows up on my doorstep. It's a bitch living in the same town! LOL!

Just too blasted tired, no doubt from dealing with pain. The bruises are looking mighty nice, and the rib muscles ache like I've been bowing down to the porcelain god in search of my sparkle. (Anybody reading Shermel's blog would understand . . . LOL!)

Not looking forward to tomorrow. Third day is the worst day.

Good night.

1148 words.

Orlaith and Jenna go head to head in the WWF Smackdown! Well, okay, maybe not. Sure deflated Mama's sails, though, when Jenna suggested she was going to ask for Marguarethe's hand in marriage.

snicker

Off to work, blech!

1288 words, first half of chapter 6. Jenna is this close user holds thumb and forefinger a hair of a fraction apart to meeting with the Symbouhera at a little get together. But who makes her more nervous? The evil Bertrada Nijmege who wishes her blood? The mysterious councilor who has plotted her demise not once, but twice? No.

Jenna's biggest fear is meeting Margaurethe's mother.

EEK!

Rather than wait for the inevitable, and possibly puke on the woman's shoes in front of God and everybody, she's asked Orlaith O'Toole to speak with her before the shindig. I guess I'll find out what happens during that meeting tomorrow!

Tried to post yesterday, but it wouldn't let me. Durnit!

Another 1029 words yesterday. The ol' Mysterious Councilor is now living in the house that Jenna built. He debates on hiring another assassin, but decides against it. (Besides, I don't want every one of these books to be about Jenna dodging some assassin.) Instead, he's going to throw his weight behind Nijmege's desire to kill Jenna on her own. It won't further his ambition of getting rid of the Symbouhera, but that'll have to wait until the vasilissa is dead.

Tried to post yesterday, but it wouldn't let me. Durnit!

Another 1029 words yesterday. The ol' Mysterious Councilor is now living in the house that Jenna built. He debates on hiring another assassin, but decides against it. (Besides, I don't want every one of these books to be about Jenna dodging some assassin.) Instead, he's going to throw his weight behind Nijmege's desire to kill Jenna on her own. It won't further his ambition of getting rid of the Symbouhera, but that'll have to wait until the vasilissa is dead.

1029 words today, all world building. Spent an inordinate amount of time researching monarchies at Questia. I’m really enjoying the investment I made by subscribing there. Beats dropping everything to dig through a public library. I’m basically hammering down exactly what the Symbouhera does, who’s responsible for what. And how does that affect Jenna and her advisors? Who has the most power in the overall scheme of vasilissa, council, and advisors? Where do they have to work together?

It’s interesting. I’ve placed the woman who wants Jenna dead in charge of the Euro Sanguire justice system. Jenna’s advisor, Father Castilllo, is in charge of the Lower Court system, dealing with the ‘commoners.’ (If there are commoners among Sanguire. LOL!) That means that Castillo the priest must work with Nijmege the known murder pre-meditator. Heh.

And advisor Valmont is in charge of the military arm of their people. At the same time, advisor Reynhard Dorst runs covert ops. That means they have to work together, as well. Not a pleasant prospect when one has had secrets to keep, and the other is sworn to tattle all to their mistress

1558 words. Chapter 5, scene 1 complete. Margaurethe's mother pays a surprise visit. No love lost between Mum and Jenna's predecessor. Margaurethe's idea to use Rufus Barret's painting of Jenna – sullen tattooed streetkid – to intimidate the arriving council has backfired. Now Mum thinks Jenna and Elisibet the Tyrannos are way too similar.

Oh, and I discovered that Margaurethe's father, Tireachan O'Toole, is closely affiliated with none other than Symboulos Bertrada Nijmege. She's the one who wants to murder Jenna with her bare hands.

Family and politics. Gotta love 'em!

3104. Finished Chapter 4 and put out 2k worth of world building via in depth character sketches.

Should be able to get 2k done tomorrow as work called; they don't want me in until 5pm. That'll give me extra time in front of the computer. Yay me!

So a friend has asked me to write a Slow Movin' short for the Academy Valentine's Day special. (Which is why I busted out the last Slow short, because I needed to establish my MC had split with her previous grrlfriend.) I've been racking my brain for a week, trying to find something, somewhere, somehow. Nothing seemed to work. Once I get a starting point figured out, usually stuff just flows. But for the life of me, no starting points reared their cute little heads.

At work, I was vacuuming a room and BAM! There it was! Woot!

Busted out 627 words at lunch!

My original goal for today was 2k words. Nope. Didn't make it.

I wrote 1153 words of chapter 4. Jenna's POV as she watches the arrival of the dread Symbouhera, the council of five that has ruled the European Sanguire since her predecessor's death four hundred years ago. Her advisors have returned from their tasks of 'welcoming' the Symbouhera, and are discussing their impressions.

I'm discovering quite a bit about the Sanguire these days. Once Jenna gets her realm in order, I believe there are going to be others a tad upset with her. What are the European Sanguire doing in the Americas? What of the indigenous native Sanguire, trapped on the reservations with their Human counterparts? And the Mayan/Aztec branch in Central and South America? Did they ever expand their kingdom to include North America? What of the European Sanguire who arrived during the mass exodus to the New Land? Jenna's decision to have her people move to her rather than go to Europe to assume her throne is going to have some major repercussions.

3134 words today. 1k of chapter 3, and over 2k of world building as I develop characters and finish up the last of the Sanguire Encyclopedia.

Whew. My hands are killing me.

Forgot to post my word count yesterday.

1127 on FSoS. I'm halfway through the first scene of chapter 3. Seems like Lionel Bentoncourt's wife has a purpose; she beefed herself up. Don't know where she'll be going with herself.

And put it another 1250 in world building. Still working on the Sanguire Encyclopedia. I've discovered the need for more than one Sanguire nation and had to do some historical and geographical research.

My boss called yesterday while we were skating down the street to the convenience store (the one where the owner's been stuck there since Tuesday afternoon.) No writing this morning. He wants me to come in at noon today so I can at least get a full 8 hours. Yippee! That'll give me a full TWELVE hours for the WEEK!

Food, rent and utility payments are overrated.

Chapter 2 is complete. The focus is on Jenna. She's waiting to meet the Symbouhera – they're due to arrive at any time now. Getting cold feet, jitters, nervous stomach, etc. Wondering what the hel she thinks she's doing, and what the hel is going to happen.

Next chapter is from Lionel Bentoncourt's POV as they arrive at their new home.

For those of you who've read the first book, remember the portrait that Rufus Barret did of Jenna? The one that Margaurethe bought at the art gallery? snicker Imagine the staid and elderly Symbouhera as they arrive in the main lobby of the building they'll be calling home, and overlooking them is that same portrait. heh Couldn't resist. Should piss Bertrada Nijmege and Samuel McCall off no end.

The boss called today. The weather sucks, and business has been cancelled. All the meetings for today and tomorrow are no more. So, I didn't go to work. And I don't go to work tomorrow. I'm scheduled on Friday. sheesh I'll be lucky to make 12 hours this week! Damned good thing my wife has her financial aid coming in, or we'd never make it through this month. Can't wait for business to pick up.

Or maybe not. Then I won't have as much time to write!