Cherie Priest's Blog: It's awards season, so here comes the shameless self-promotion, page 30

You raise my hopes then you raise the odds

Here's today's progress on my poltergeist-plagued hotel horror story, wherein everyone’s favorite steampunk Texas Ranger joins forces with a goth-as-hell gunslinger-turned-padre who may (or may not) have supernatural powers:
Project: Jacaranda
Deadline: March 31, 2014
New words written: 4218 (STILL GOT IT)
Present total word count: 39,353



Things accomplished in fiction: Shit meets fan when the storm arrives. And that's all I'd better say about that.

Next up: It's all over but the shouting. Nothing left except for the wind-down, which I plan to conclude tomorrow. This Draft Zero will fall a little short of the 45k projection, but not by much - and it will undoubtedly grow in post-production.

Things accomplished in real life: Neighborhood jaunt with dog; cooked big fat lunch; cleaned up after myself; failed to start laundry so oh crap, I'd probably better do that now. I've accomplished virtually nothing else today, I admit.

Other: One more push tomorrow. I can do this. [:: weakly waves pom-poms for myself ::] [:: collapses ::]

Other, besides: Despite one hella-slow writing start to 2014, I am now officially back up to an average that's better than 1k/day. I need to hold to this, as much as humanly possible - for there are many, many words to compose this year ... and if I don't pace myself, I'll be screwed.

Four-legged other: Greyson remains overjoyed by (a). what snow remains, and (b). all the kids running around the neighborhood, because school's been cancelled. The kitty remains, as ever, wholly unimpressed.





Number of fiction words so far this year: 31,773

Keep it down, now - voices carry

Here's today's progress on my poltergeist-plagued hotel horror story, wherein everyone’s favorite steampunk Texas Ranger joins forces with a goth-as-hell gunslinger-turned-padre who may (or may not) have supernatural powers:
Project: Jacaranda
Deadline: March 31, 2014
New words written: 4859 (BOOYAH)
Present total word count: 35,135



Things accomplished in fiction: Ghosts, drunks, bloody injuries; the hotel fights the efforts to secure it - its goals aren't exactly what they seem.

Next up: Barricaded survivors fight the hotel, while trying to keep from killing each other. To limited success.

Things accomplished in real life: Not one, but two jaunts around the neighborhood with the dog; not much else, frankly.

Other: DEATH MARCH AHOY. We call this shit momentum, folks...

Four-legged other: So it hasn't gotten over 24 degrees all day (never mind the wind chill) and we've received about 2 inches of snow. The cat could not care less; she's either lying atop her favorite heating vent, or sitting on my electric blanket pretending that none of this nonsense is happening. But Greyson is overjoyed. He has frolicked madly in the yard, played wildly with one of his dog friends (who came by for a visit), and personally snorgled every child who was out sledding - never mind every friendly person who happened to be hanging around, appreciating the chilly novelty of it all.

In short, it has been (in no uncertain terms)...the Best Day Ever.





Number of fiction words so far this year: 27,555

Alone in a darkened room: The Count

Here's today's progress on my poltergeist-plagued hotel horror story, wherein everyone’s favorite steampunk Texas Ranger joins forces with a goth-as-hell gunslinger-turned-padre who may (or may not) have supernatural powers:
Project: Jacaranda
Deadline: March 31, 2014
New words written: 4170 (YEAH)
Present total word count: 30,276



Things accomplished in fiction: The surviving hotel guests/staff/visitors barricaded themselves inside. The lights went out. Shit got weird. No, not that kind of weird, you pervs.

Next up:

Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; made a very tasty lunch; answered some emails; cleaned the kitchen.

Other: Great word count today! Now if I can keep it up for the rest of the week maybe I'll draft this bad-boy out by the end of the month after all! Fingers crossed for this deathmarch, y'all. I'll try to get a head start tonight, and cough up a few more. I need a break, though. Maybe a snack. Hmm...

Number of fiction words so far this year: 22,696

I will still remember when you've long forgotten me

Here's today's progress on my poltergeist-plagued hotel horror story, wherein everyone’s favorite steampunk Texas Ranger joins forces with a goth-as-hell gunslinger-turned-padre who may (or may not) have supernatural powers:
Project: Jacaranda
Deadline: March 31, 2014
New words written: 5003 (over the weekend)
Present total word count: 26,106



Things accomplished in fiction: Interviewed everyone at the hotel, spotted a terrible pattern; killed off one more guest; chased another one off - though there's no telling how far she'll get; finished section 3 out of 5 - so I'm about 2/3 through the story, huzzah. (Give or take.)

Next up: Lock down the hotel for the big storm, because baby, it's here.

Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunts around the neighborhood with the dog; grocery shopping; post office; cleaned house; had friends over last night for shenanigans; managed some business stuff (yes, over the weekend); had a temporary dog-guest off and on, then sent him home.

Other: That's a cumulative total, and I wish it was higher - but this week I'm going to buckle the hell down, I swear. I don't really have a choice.

Number of fiction words so far this year: 18,526

For fear of death, in fear of rot

Here's today's progress on my poltergeist-plagued hotel horror story, wherein everyone’s favorite steampunk Texas Ranger joins forces with a goth-as-hell gunslinger-turned-padre who may (or may not) have supernatural powers:
Project: Jacaranda
Deadline: March 31, 2014
New words written: 2331 (better)
Present total word count: 21,103



Things accomplished in fiction: Met the Ranger, got him up to speed; stumbled across one more not-a-crime-scene, with one more body. Remained acutely aware that the storm is coming onshore within the next few hours, and it's either evacuate the island - or stay trapped in the carnivorous hotel, which may or may not withstand the weather.

Next up: Interrogate the staff. He's a Ranger. He can do that.

Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog despite the miserable cold because he's a big fluffy mountain dog and the chill means NOTHING to him; went to the post office and mailed some stuff to my agent's office; did some research; got down to inbox zero; procrastinated a little by tweeting pet pictures and so forth; mostly got back on my feet/into my regular routine - which sometimes takes a few days, after I've been out of town.

Other: Going to try to write more this evening, get a headstart for tomorrow. We'll see how it goes.

Number of fiction words so far this year: 13,523

I'm distant in those hollow eyes

It's been an eventful long weekend, since last I posted! My apologies - and my further apologies for the deep-seated disappointment you're bound to experience, upon seeing how crappy my recent word counts are. In my defense, I was (a). out of town, and (b). I had to trash a bunch of material and rewrite it.

Not that it's much of a defense.

BUT FIRST. First, I did Legendary ConFusion in Michigan - and it was jam-packed with awesome, as per usual. I got to see many folks I don't hang with very often, met a few cool people from the internet, and likewise a few who I'd never had the pleasure of encountering in any fashion prior to Friday. I also tried my hand at two new things: D&D, and archery. The first one was a lot of math and bickering, but also a great deal of fun; the second was likewise a great deal of fun, but also a mighty bruise on my inner arm because I'm awful at archery. As it turns out.

There were panels, there were readings, there was shopping. There was also a new baby, for Yanni has welcomed daughter #3 into the world - though she declined all our punny suggestions for a wee girl born almost right in the middle of the event. (More's the pity.)

There are pictures over on my twitter feed, if you scroll back a bit. I didn't take any myself, but I RT'd any in which I appeared. Because vanity, I guess.

The other major distraction of the last week has been a 5-month-old lab-mix puppy named "Rufus," who has decided he wants to live here with us. A lot.

We brought him in from the cold last Wednesday afternoon, after my husband almost ran over him with our car - and by Friday, we'd successfully tracked down his owners. The pup was thenceforth returned...only to escape and reappear on our doorstep twice since then. I assure you he does have a loving family, but this loving family maybe isn't the sharpest of all possible loving families, if you get my drift. We've had a talk with them (Or two. Or three.) about keeping the little guy secured; so here's hoping the fourth time's a charm, because it's cold outside - and the world is full of fast-moving vehicles.

But boy, does he love Greyson.

Anyway. I believe that gets us all caught up again, if briefly. So here's recent progress on my poltergeist-plagued hotel horror story, wherein everyone’s favorite steampunk Texas Ranger joins forces with a goth-as-hell gunslinger-turned-padre who may (or may not) have supernatural powers:
Project: Jacaranda
Deadline: March 31, 2014
New words written: 1220 (meh)
Present total word count: 18,772



Things accomplished in fiction: Investigated crime scene; met the Ranger for the first time; temporarily lost track of a nun.

Next up: Find out what's up with the Ranger; reexamine the final words of our most recent victim, for there's a big fat clue in there; begin lock-down proceedings for the hotel, because a storm is coming onshore - and it's going to be a doozy.

Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; convention and travel; unpacking all the things; catching up on all the business things; refilled prescriptions; went to grocery store; cleaned my bathroom because yuck; started getting sick with whatever my husband picked up while I was gone.

Other: Another crappy word count, but to cut myself some slack - it's actually about 1k higher than that. I spent yesterday trashing a bunch of crappy words and rebuilding them...but I lost some in the process. Now I'm back on track, but I'm trying to stagger these middle parts with care - lest they sag, and become tedious.

Number of fiction words so far this year: 11,192

Wind up your reasons demons and ghosts

Here's recent progress on my poltergeist-plagued hotel horror story, wherein everyone’s favorite steampunk Texas Ranger joins forces with a goth-as-hell gunslinger-turned-padre who may (or may not) have supernatural powers:
Project: Jacaranda
Deadline: March 31, 2014
New words written: 1349 (meh)
Present total word count: 17,552



Things accomplished in fiction: Removed all evidence of the ghastly death.

Next up: Investigate the scene of the crime(?); arrival of the Ranger.

Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; laundry; trip to bank for a little travel cash; a whole bunch of emails - but I got down to inbox zero, so there's that.

Other: Not my finest word count, and not a successful meeting-of-the-goal on the 2k/day front - but I spent most of the morning going back and reworking yesterday's material. It'd been itching in the back of my head, that the flow wasn't right - something wasn't right - and I was right, it was wrong. Anyway, I fixed it now. And I'm stopping early for the day, because I need to sort out my travel details and get packed for Legendary Confusion...which I set out for first thing in the morning. I mean, really first thing. Need to leave for the airport at 6:00 a.m. Urgh.

Revenge of Other: Tomorrow's early departure aside, this is going to be awesome! I will try to keep up some progress on the word count while I'm gone, but I might not blog about it; for general "on the road" pictures, details, shenanigans, and whatnot - keep up with me via Twitter or Facebook. Hint: I almost always post MUCH more material on Twitter when I'm out of town. Or in general. Since Facebook won't actually SHOW you what I post unless I pay them - even if you have already "liked" the page or whatever. Just sayin'.

Other from the Black Lagoon: Michigan, here I come!

Number of fiction words so far this year: 9972

In the shadow of summers now past

Here's recent progress on my poltergeist-plagued hotel horror story, wherein everyone’s favorite steampunk Texas Ranger joins forces with a goth-as-hell gunslinger-turned-padre who may (or may not) have supernatural powers:
Project: Jacaranda
Deadline: March 31, 2014
New words written: 2185
Present total word count: 16,203



Things accomplished in fiction: Another ghastly death, a bit of new information.

Next up: Getting rid of the body. Come to think of it, this poor padre spends a lot of time getting rid of bodies. Bless his heart.

Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; a rather meaty interview with Paul Goat Allen over at B&N (I'll post a link when it's live); foraged for lunch; got down to inbox zero (barely); adjusted this weekend's travel plans; argued with Delta airlines; called up the hotel in Dearborn to beg for an early check-in.

Other: If I can average 2000 words a day, I can nail down a Draft Zero by the end of the month. Not saying that's going to happen, but it is (at least) within the realm of hypothetical possibility - even with the travel break. Anyway, I'm off to a promising start!

Number of fiction words so far this year: 8623

The yellow bird a specter lost to linger

Here's recent progress on my poltergeist-plagued hotel horror story, wherein everyone’s favorite steampunk Texas Ranger joins forces with a goth-as-hell gunslinger-turned-padre who may (or may not) have supernatural powers:
Project: Jacaranda
Deadline: March 31, 2014
New words written: 6438
Present total word count: 14,018



Things accomplished in fiction: Got to compose my padre's mythic back story, among other things. It frankly delights me - one of my favorite scenes I've written in ages.

Next up: Some analysis, some violence. The arrival of the Ranger, and the approach of a storm.

Things accomplished in real life: (Oh hell, let's leave it at the weekend's tally of stuff.) Daily jaunts around the neighborhood with the dog; post office; bank; Walgreens; a run to Target; grocery shopping; regretfully declined a couple of convention appearances; watched a bunch of TV (HOORAY for the end of the mid-season hiatus! Hooray also for the return of AHS:C and JUSTIFIED!); cleaned house; did a crap-ton of laundry.

Other: That word count above sounds awesome, but most of it was written in fits and starts, over the last couple of weeks. I'm only now able to sit down with this project and give it the daily, methodical attention it needs...so probably 2k of that is from today alone, if that tells you anything. That said, I will be hard-pressed indeed to get a draft nailed down by the end of the month - partly because I'm taking off at the asscrack of dawn on Thursday for Legendary ConFusion. Don't get me wrong, I cannot WAIT for that marvelous event; but it's gonna take a bite out of my work routine, that's for damn sure.

Bride of other: I'm resetting this year's fiction word count, natch. 2013 topped out around 178,000, which isn't too shabby - but I need to clear more like 250,000 in 2014 if I want to stay out of trouble. (Approx 110 for the MAPLECROFT followup, 110 for GODBOTHERING, and another 30 for JACARANDA before it's finished.) That sounds like a lot, but really, it's just 685 words a day, give or take. Because obviously every single day I'll have the opportunity to sit down and HA HA HAHAHAHA I can't even finish typing that, but you know what I mean.

Four-legged other: Greyson went to the dog park yesterday, and after some initial boredom (none of his usual dog-friends were there, and he didn't "know" anybody) ... he warmed up and had a pretty good time. Car rides remain Just Plain Awful, but he's still okay about getting into the vehicle - and cool when he arrives someplace new. I'm relieved to report this, because it'd been several weeks since last we'd been able to take him out there. I'm glad the lessons learned from our "gradual desensitization" efforts haven't been altogether lost.

Bonus four-legged other: On this morning's walk, we met a new dog - named "Buzz." He's a pretty brown and white pit mix of some sort (boxer? hound? no telling) ... and I thought he looked familiar. I was right! We saw him on the news the other day! One of his new owners was out there with him, and we chatted a little while Buzz and Greyson bounced, play-bowed, and licked each other through the fence. Buzz is a sweetheart of a fellow, and I'm glad he's landed in such a good home. Burly cockles of heart: warmed.

Feline-specific four-legged other: The cat says that it's my job to lounge on the electric blanket all day with her. Who am I to argue? I mean, as long as I get some work done...

Number of fiction words so far this year: 6438

No sound to break, no moment clear

2014 is underway, and I'm a little behind where I'd like to be (progress-wise) on Jacaranda; but in my defense, I've been on the road a lot. I spent a week in Florida over the holidays, then turned around and went to Texas for almost that long - in order to attend Space City Con.

Since last I posted, I mean.

Other things that have been distracting me from work ... well, let's call them reasons, rather than excuses. Or then again, let's not. Let's think of the following as "some stuff that's happened lately." Ahem.

Dumbasses who text while driving: My husband was waiting at a stoplight, and some dipshit girl plowed into him. Never even looked up from her phone, never hit the brakes. Plenty of witnesses. Her car was totaled, but our old tank of an SUV looked a little surprised - like if it could talk, it'd ask, "Did someone just touch my butt?" Since then, the husband has been in and out of doctor's offices and physical therapy places, and now he has to go to this girl's court hearing on Friday. I'm not sure exactly (a). why he has to be there, or (b). what all she's been charged with, but she was on probation or something for some kind of fraud charge, so heaven only knows what's in store.

Florida and family: All adventure, all the time. Got to hang with my mom, sister, cousins, niece and nephew, and so forth. Stayed in the very hotel that inspired the novella-in-progress. Macguyvered a broken oven timer alarm with a golf tee. Bought my mom a smartphone and did my best to teach her how to use it. Did not actually kill anyone, and the travel was uneventful - even though I booked through super-discount-airline Allegiant. The service was good, the flight was fine, and for a $99 round-trip ticket to Orlando/Sanford, I've got to recommend it.

Galveston, and Space City: Made it to the convention without incident, and was treated to a VIP tour of the Johnson Space Center, which basically rocked my face off. Met lots of nice people, signed plenty of books, and left many signed books with the awesome folks at The Galveston Bookshop - in case you missed me at the event, but want one anyway. All was well, until it was time to leave.

Coldpocalypse Part One: Then did difficulties abound. Arrived at the airport to find the line for the US Airways counter wrapping all the way around the ticketing hall. To make a long and ridiculous story short, I eventually got my ticket and narrowly made my plane to Charlotte ... where upon landing, I found a voicemail from US Airways telling me my connection had been cancelled, and I needed to call a 1-800 number to get rebooked. To make yet another long and ridiculous story short, I couldn't get a direct flight home guaranteed anytime soon - so I settled for the last seat out to Atlanta, hoping I could make it back to Tennessee before the world froze. My fabulous husband drove down and picked me up, bless him forever.

Coldpocalypse Part Two: Like civilized and ostensibly prepared house-owning adults, when the temperature bottomed out we left our taps running in accordance with tradition. I was all back-patting myself the next day when I got annoyed by this weird noise I kept hearing...and finally indulged my OCD enough to go track it down. Guess who had a busted water pipe under the house! My husband was off at physical therapy (see above) so I was home alone by the time this wondrous revelation did occur. I panicked and called (no shit) about half a dozen plumbers, only to learn how not-special my situation was, and that no one would come out for at least 48 hours. However, the husband got hold of his younger brother (the contractor who did our bathroom). He arrived ASAP, and fixed everything like a champ...but not before I took a stab at turning off the water from the street. The cover was frozen shut, and whilst prying it up, I managed to (somehow) cut the ever-living crap out of my hand because I am an awesome and nimble genius. And I did not successfully turn off the water - partly because I had to spend the next ten minutes cleaning myself up, and making sure I didn't need any stitches. (I didn't. It's fine, just a little gross.) Urgh.

There are pictures. Of the good things - not the cut-up hand or exploded pipe, natch. Click here for NASA pics, family pics, dog and cat pics, and the like. No gross hand stuff. I promise.

Thus far, 2014 has been up and down - though in the new year's defense, some of that stuff listed above happened at the tail end of 2013; and there's been some great stuff to offset it all, though I can't talk about it now. Suffice it to say, I feel like I'm in for a roller coaster - but so far things are leveling out on the side of "thumbs up" or at least "quickly resolved and/or not as bad as things could have been."

I'll take it, you know?

And coming up, I've got word metrics on deck - daily, if I can manage it - except that as mentioned, come Thursday, I'm heading out for Detroit. Other than THAT, I mean. I've got work to do, and I'm going to be a better blogger when it comes to these things...because I find it helpful to hold myself accountable.

Anyway, I think that brings us up to speed.
Stay tuned, y'all.
There's more to come.