Here’s today’s present progress on my book about a kidnapped baby with webbed hands and feet; her 17-year-old half brother who’s determined to rescue her; a creepy island in Puget Sound that’s been quarantined since 1918, and the Mother Hydra cult that has established itself thereupon; now with Bonus! fish people, religious zealots, and a teenage cryptozoology fanatic who really should’ve picked another hobby:

Project: Far-Fetched
New Words: 2786 (not good for 3 days, but not quite embarrassing either)
Present Total Word Count: 17,021 words
Goal: 65,000 words

Observations: Realized I needed to know more about the kind of boats people use here in the PNW; I have a passing familiarity with boats on the Gulf Coast, but the Gulf is generally a quiet place to go motoring about, and I didn’t know if I could count on similar things/boats/motors/styles up here. I think I picked a transportation vessel that is — if not ideal — at least marginally credible. It’s not a huge point, but I figured I’d rather make it look right the first time than change it later. STILL not on the island. That will absolutely change starting next chapter, I swear.

Resolutions: I will NOT quit working on this — not until I make at least another 5000-10,000 words on it, so that it’s worth the time to give to agent/first readers/etc. My progress has slowed due to some day job projects and the possibility of a very cool new assignment (for which I must do some homework first), not to mention the sudden and alarming construction on my new apartment; but I WON’T drop it. Even if I’m only doing a few hundred words a day, I will keep dragging myself forward on this. It’s a fun story, and creepy and good, and I want to turn it into an Actual Potential Project. Dammit. One way or another.

Things Accomplished in Real Life: Performed day-job duties for several hours; read part of a book that I absolutely must finish for the sake of a potential gig to be forthcoming; emptied the contents of my closet into my bedroom; cried a little; introduced the kitty to the electricians, who admired her accordingly; made sure the cat wouldn’t try to hide underfoot in the bedroom (the closet and under-the-bed are her preferred spots when frightened); hunkered down to work some more while trying to ignore growing headache and sounds of demo from the bedroom closet about twenty feet away.

Reason for Stopping: Psynde is coming over soon for supper and laptop-adjustments; I felt the need to wrap it up at a tidy corner — the end of a chapter. Tomorrow, our heroes will find the sinister little island and begin explorations, meet new friends/monsters/etc. But not today.