WIP Wednesday Gets Snowed In
10 Feb
How the hell does Washington, DC get over 3 feet of snow in five days? The fence outside my window, which is the standard size and make for wooden fences, has all but disappeared. And that’s not a drift, it’s really just that much snow.
Isn’t this supposed to be the south?
No fear, though. I could use a run to the store, but we certainly won’t starve. Just damn dude, what if I want a burrito? Or, I don’t know, some damn sunlight.
But I’m pretty sure the end is nigh.
The good side of this all being that I’m not at all tempted to leave the apartment. It’s been quiet around the blog, even though several topics have been fluttering through my wee brain all week. I’ve had trouble tearing myself away from Plaguebringer, both mapping things out (which is painful at this point– the honeymoon is over. No more rockstar for me) and writing. I’ve not done any today yet, but I’m sitting on 46.3k, and that’s not counting things I have scripted or already written for the second half of the book. I am, however, nearly halfway through.
Today’s little excerpt, which is unbearably rough since I wrote it yesterday, shows us what happens when you threaten a mercenary’s paying client. Assuming, of course, said mercenary is a sentimental badass. He wraps his hand around your throat and…:
The man, choking and twitching, soon realized that the less he struggled, the more he could breathe. He stopped after a few flurried moments of resistance, and stood there wilting, eyes popping.
Elan growled for a moment before the words came. “You tell your master, who by the way is not half as clever as he thinks he is, that he can’t afford me or my Company.”
He tried to say, “But–”
Elan squeezed, eliciting an impotent cough from the man. “And tell him that if you, or anyone even slightly suspect comes within fifty feet of Prince Ronan, I will personally disembowel them. My illustrious Lord is not exempt.” And then he gave a great shove, sending the man hurtling back into the brick wall.
The little noble righted himself, clutching at his reddened throat.
Elan took a step forward, liberating his other sword. Every instinct in him told him to use them, but his reason won. “The only reason you’re still alive is because I want him to know. So he had better, or next time you won’t be so lucky.”
The man, still choking, stumbled away.
Elan spat on the ground after him. “Pigfucker.”
I confess, I just wanted an excuse to use the word “pigfucker” here. You can tell I invented the country of Navaquin because all their insults are based on whom or what you’re sleeping with. Because I have an adolescent sense of humor. (According to some, an adolescent boy sense of humor. But believe me, girls are just as rotten.)
Recs forthcoming this weekend, as I’m about to finish a huge plot thread in the next few days, and therefore have my head firmly lodged up my own ass.
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Now playing: Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Gold Lion
via FoxyTunes
I love how your rough excerpt looks shinier than my finished drafts. Hope the snow clears soon.
“Wilt” should be used more often (as a verb describing human behavior). It is perfect.
Well, not as perfect as pigfucker, but you get my drift. (No snow-drift pun intended)
Yeah, we got a total of about 26 inches over the course of a week here in Central VA. You have fun with that up there!
Hi stranger!
Shall I bring you a snow shovel? We’ve had much more in NC (my area of it anyway) this winter than usual.
“…the end is nigh.” Three feet of snow in Washington? Sounds like the apocolypse.
That excerpt rocked!
Pigfucker? Oh dear. I use the word motherfucker for the first (and probably last) time in my writing life in the current WIP, The Skinner, and it’s taking all my willpower not to delete it. I’m writhing on the tines of guilt!
Cate, argh, it’s all repeated sentence construction and awkward phrasing! Hm, that’s not a graceful acceptance of a very kind compliment though, is it? Thank you, you are too sweet!
Aaron, oh dear, no more drifts! I hadn’t thought of it, but “wilt” is a fun word. I’ll have to remember not to cut that bit.
MG, my husband has to go down to Duke every other weekend for school and oh god, yes. Last blizzard he was stuck driving home in it. This weekend he did the smart thing and stayed here. We’re all getting slammed!
Alan, I know right? My friend in Toronto is giving me hell for stealing her winter. Thanks very much for the encouragement.
Mike, it all began because in Nepal they use “sisterfucker” as their end all be all of awful insults. I was thinking how weird it is that we’re all so obsessed with the concept… yeah. I probably shouldn’t be allowed to worldbuild. Good thing I don’t have any guilt forks around, or I’d be really screwed.
How long can you stand the writhing? I have faith!
Ah, swearing in novels. Unlike shorts stories, where I have to reign myself in : ( Needless to say, I have never used “fuck” with such alacrity as I have in SOUL JERKY.
Pig Fucker, by the way, is fantastic and should be uttered at least once per chapter.
Very cool.
Be thankful for snow and inspiration as both can slip through your fingers and become a distant memory in no time.
Of course, here’s hoping the snow doesn’t last too long and inspiration never leaves you.
Excellent excerpt.
Nat, I do the same, and man is it hard. Our love of the word “fuck” is so undervalued, man. So many fabulous forms– like pigfucker!
BT, too true. I’m definitely running with the inspiration, but I’m starting to get over the snow. I should slow down and enjoy the pretty while it lasts though– especially here we may not see another snowy winter for a decade. Thanks!
According to some, an adolescent boy sense of humor. But believe me, girls are just as rotten.)
Indeed… although their insults tend to revolve around the tensile strength (or lack thereof) of the subject’s nether-regions.
Also, I agree with Cate. I wish my first drafts looked this sparkly. But since they don’t, I will simply revel in the fun of reading yours.