Archive for the ‘Words Words Words’ Category

[Scotch Challenge] – First check in

Of course I got sick on the very first day of my challenge.

Actually, much of the 31st and the 1st were a total bust. But I did get about 500 words on each. (I also tried to do design work in bed, but only got a little done.)

Mostly I watched old movies and read my friend Rob’s book, which is awesome and you should buy.

But today went better. Nina suggested I just write on whatever scene most excited me and not worry about writing in order. Doing that, I got out about 3000 words on four different scenes. Pasting this stuff together will take some work, but my productivity is WAY up.

Eden, Rob, Bill, mark my words, you will receive no scotch.

The Scotch Challenge

I blame Rob Ziegler.

The first thing you should know is that I normally don’t drink much.

And yet, I was at World Fantasy Convention, standing in the … uh, some party … maybe Tor‘s? I dunno, I was a little drunk.

Anyway, Rob was hard-timing me about the YA novel I was supposed to finish months ago and I was thinking about NaNoWriMo and I (reportedly, I was a little drunk) said, “If I don’t finish this book by December 1st, I’ll buy you something.”

Somehow, something became a bottle of Lagavulin.

Apparently I agreed, since I later found an email to myself, “i owe rob one bottle of lagavulin if i don’t finsh stupid book by dec.”

Lagavulin, in case you’re not classy, turns out to be EIGHTY DOLLAR SCOTCH WHISKEY.

If I were smart, I would’ve told Rob that drunk email contracts aren’t binding and it wasn’t fair anyway because I thought Lagavulin was some sort of fruity wine.

Instead, I complained to Bill Shunn the next morning (perfectly sober) and Bill took ruthless advantage of my hangover. “Oh, well, you can by me a bottle of Ardbeg Uigeadail if you fail.”

And I (perfectly sober) said, “Fine, I’ll do that, Bill Shunn!”

I’m pretty sure he smirked.

.

I’ve been informed that Ardbeg Uigeadail is not in fact cheap drinking chocolate but is ALSO AN EIGHTY DOLLAR BOTTLE OF SCOTCH.

The details are fuzzy, but sometime in the next hour I offered Eden Robins a bottle of A’bunadh ($72)

This was the point where I realized I had a problem and needed help. Interventions were staged before I could offer Bradley Beaulieu a bottle of Old Pulteney.

Still, I find myself encumbered with at least $250 worth of alcohol bets.

But, screw it. I’ll just finish the book, right? We’re talking about 45,000 to 60,000 words in the next month. That’s basically NaNoWriMo anyway. Peice of cake.

Of course I’ll be whining about this all month. Updates to follow.

Oh, I’ve also suggested to Rob, Bill and Eden that if I DO succeed in finishing this book in the next month, maybe the three of them should buy me some really good wine.

World Fantasy 2011!

Gawd, it’s been forever since I’ve posted.

Fortunately it’s been for good reasons and I have much to report, but more presently, I’m at World Fantasy this weekend!

I’ll mostly be bopping around with friends, but if you’d like to see me try to make coherent sentences on a panel, you can find me at:

5:00 PM
Pacific 2/3: Who Wants to Live Forever?: Immortals

Much of fantasy literature posits immortal beings, even civilizations of immortals. How would that change . . . well . . . everything: a person’s psychology, relationships, social structure, even economics? Are the gods different because they are powerful or just because they’ve been around so long?

Elizabeth Bear (M), Rhiannon Held, Grá Linnaea, James Sutter, Dave Trowbridge