Mud, Empty Water Tanks And Fractious Children

This morning I thought I would do some writing. I have a third book to write and I need to get that started while I give myself a break from thinking about the second. It started well. I opened up the word document and started typing a few words. But then it all went down hill from there.  The T.B.T.’s are both a bit fractious today, and started running riot through the house.

We decided we would entertain the pair with a big job. During the week we discovered we had nearly run out of water, which was a shock as we have had a lot of rain recently. One emergency call to the fire brigade for water later it was plain the current situation cannot last (we think it might have something to do with topping up the pond which leaks). We decided to shift the largest unused water trough from the orchard into the spot and use that as a pond instead.

The family troops down, and empties the trough then lugs it back to the home section. We start emptying the old pond, rescuing the fish and removing the old lining. Somewhere along the way we lost both boys, got ourselves caked in mud, and wet right through. We also forgot we had left the bread dough to rise in the bed (the E.I.C. tucks it in with the electric blanket going to make it nice and toasty so it rises.)

After rescuing the dough that ate the bed, changing 5 sets of clothes (the littlest changed clothes mid job and then rejoined the fray), and cleaning the floor of sugar (don’t ask), we are settling in for the afternoon.

Maybe I can get some writing done – either that or play some Civ5

A Happy Thing Shared Twice

 

 

 

 

 

I had to share this twice  [I posted it on michaeljparry.com]

A screenshot of the Amazon page for The Spiral Tattoo where under “Customers who bought this item also bought” appears Stig Larssons The Girl Who Kicked A Hornet’s Nest…

A Long Delayed Posting

I have been a most slack blogger of late, but then a lot has happened recently.

So now The Spiral Tattoo is available for sale from Smashwords and Amazon. I have been guilty of watching the Amazon rankings a little too much It is very exciting because obviously people are buying my story, I just wish I knew how many!  I am sure my publisher will tell me sometime soon what sales are like.

On the writing front I have finally finished writing The Oaks Grove, book two of the Tales of Elanore and Gurt. I have been wrestling with the manuscript for months, and only today came to the realisation that I was stuck on writing to “The Plan” and that “the Plan” involved a whole lot of unnecessary twaddle meant to build up to a predetermined word count.  So I wrote to what seemed to be the end of the story and that meant dropping several chapters of stuff that wasn’t needed. It means that the story at this stage is a bit short, but I am confident in the next editing pass it will come out to the right length.

In a random moment we went to Cars2 yesterday at the Civic Theatre in Waipukurau. This might just be our family outing theatre now, as the cost was cheap, the environment friendly and non- frantic, and the munchies of good value [$5.00 for lollies, popcorn and fizz].  I liked the movie but felt it was too adult aimed for the little kids.

Normal Services Are Due To Resume

I just noticed how quiet I have been on here. I guess it’s a number of factors. Sickness, birthdays, lack of building progress and a level of paralysis over the LIANZA elections has meant I haven’t been that keen on writing. However I have been playing a lot of Solitaire

I think though a more normal amount of posting (for me that is) will be in the offering. If only I can finish that game of Minesweeper

Low Ebb

This week has been quite poor on the writing front. I am feeling a little frustrated with myself as I haven’t progressed the story, and I haven’t written anything here. I did write a wee bit on the work front though. Hopefully this week will be better and I can report a lot more progress.

Study

I got my final grade for the first course in the “Writing for the Web” programme I am doing. I was very happy with my A

I am however feeling frustrated, grumpy and a little anxious with the second course in the programme. This course focuses on the technical side of writing rather than the coding side that the previous course taught. My first assignment is due after Easter and I am not very close to even starting it. I wonder if it is the nature of “writing” courses or the nature of this course, but I am finding it all very pointless. I am finding that I am not engaging with the content mainly because I think the delivery is really bad.

Which of course leads to self absorbed posts like this, as I am finding I am sitting down to study, getting angry with the course, which leads me to get moody with the family, although it’s no fault of theirs.

I sort of want to quit the course, even though I have paid for it and the last day for withdrawing with a refund was yesterday, and I won’t get anything at the end, and just be happy with the A from the first course. Sigh

Boxing Day Sales, Cherries, Berries And Demo

The TBT had both received Warehouse Gift Cards for Christmas, so we decided to brave the hoards at our local and go get some Lego for the eldest (his choice), and Duplo for the youngest (his choice). Upon arriving we found, firstly not many people there, and secondly lots of bare shelves. We think maybe the second had a lot to do with the first. So a quick trip to the big smoke of Palmy North was required, where upon we found full shelves and a Warehouse full of people.   Anyhow happy boys with their purchases, and we managed to get out of the shop alive and not baring any scars!

 

Christmas has been good, with the first berries from the Logan Berries, and the first Cherries from the two cherry trees out front. Yum, makes me impatient for when all of the trees out at Entfarm are producing! Maybe we need some sort of super growth agent to let them fast forward through several years Growth!

We have finished most of the first part of demo work on one of the chimney’s, with just the backing wall needing to come down now. Work is starting a pace from here on in I think!.

This week, as I am not working, I intend to catchup with study, write another 3,000 words, mow lawns, spray thistles on the block, and do more prep work around the house for the big move. Not sure if that sounds like much of a holiday really  

 

Beginnings

Still not much happening on the writing front, even as the building stuff races forward at an ever-increasing speed.   I think a general tiredness, and need for holiday are to blame.

So to give myself some extra incentives to get going, and because one likes to share, I am posting the first part of chapter one. Of course this will most likely change upon revision, and any glaringly obvious typos and flubbed sentences will be corrected later..

A Darkening Dawn

A Tale From The Seasons of Chaos

By Michael Parry

Chapter One: A Meeting At Dawn   

      “It is said that ebb and flow of civilization marches across the lands like the tides of night and day, sweeping from sea to sea, delving into mighty ravines and skimming over plains and forests.  First casting a light amongst the stones, and then shadows on the river. Bringing brightness again to glance upon eyrie and bringing a deep blackness to the streets. I can lay no claim to the truth of this, but having seen with mine own eyes the rise of Empire from the ashes of ruination, I will allow that on this day I can find no fault”.

      From a fragment of scroll found in the ruins of Gar’Lordium.

 

      The stones wept, or so it seemed in the dull dawn light.

      Sitting on a stone that once may have been a lintel, Robert D’Lures used damp clammy fingers to stroke the wet stone along the edge of his blade, seeking to erase the specks of rust that tarnished and blunted its edge. His mind was elsewhere, as he let his hands move in a rhythmic motion, while he sought to lean his back towards the fire that burned behind him, and while his eyes searched out the darkness. He knew that if he let the numbing cold fatigue, that clung to his limbs like the vines that tore at the walls of the abandoned keep within which he sat, overtake him, then death would surely follow.

      Still the grayness of the dawn, barely lightening the darkness behind curtains of steely rain, sat upon his spirit as much as the wetness seeped into every damp fold of his body. To him at that moment, not only did the tumbled towers and walls weep, but even the wet stone dampened with persistent rain, seem to cry out against the will of man and his own dead dreams. The unending rain could have been the tears of the gods for a golden age long passed, or merely the earth seeking to wash the stain of man from her scared flanks.

      Once Robert may have debated such issues with comrades and companions, but now he was alone, tired in both body and spirit. He had been pushed to that edge of existence where one can either leap off and plummet to doom, or pull back and cling to anything with a hope blinded by reality.  Robert, who many had described as having a calm self assurance that one usually found only in the aged, knew within himself that this dawn in which he sat was that moment. He had known as he had lit the fire in the night, seeking what shelter he could, and dry wood, that that moment approached. He had known as he had eked out the last stale bread from his sack, and the rank warm stale wine he drank to wash it down. He had known when awakening to pangs of hunger and as he had unwrapped the stone from its pouch and started to sharpen the edge of his blade.

      Robert knew, deep within him that when he had finished he would either take his sword and end his life or sheath it again and march forward in a quest for answers. Which is why he didn’t stop. He knew he had nothing to cling too and feared the moment when he would stand, knowing what his choice would be, must be. And knowing this himself, knowing that his spirit fought within itself, that the spark that burned within him burned bright and did not wish to end this way, he fought on. Not alone in a damp forest, in a ruined castle, on a hill that once many years ago had held forth a dream now long forgotten would this ending come. And so the stones wept as he wept, in a cold denial that the fire within and without would soon end.

      It may be that at moments like these that fate will intervene, or mayhap the uncaring gods will turn their face to the world and intercede. It maybe that they won’t and a tragic tale unknown to any will end and return only to puzzle some curious soul in years to come. At this time Robert needed that intervention, and perhaps it was fate, or the gods, who saw that spark about to flicker and die, and moved to intercede. Or perhaps it was just chance and a will that would not be broken, that knew given time something, anything, would come along to help drag itself back towards light. Whatever it was, as damp numbed fingers finally let slip the stone, to lay forlorn amongst muddied grass, and Robert slowly stood, sword dangling from a limp wrist, shoulders hunched as though weighted down. It was then that from the forest below came the muffled stamp of hooves, the dull clank of steel on steel on leather and a quiet murmur of voices and horses.

      Robert straightened, his blade rising, and blinked the wetness from his eyes. He turned his head, seeking from whence the noises came. His heart blood coursed though his veins as what sustained his flame roared back into life. His mind, though weary, already sort to divine the future and what actions would be needed if friend or foe came upon him. He stepped back into the half open chamber where he had made his fire and quickly smothered it, before edging along the line of a tumbled wall and up into the narrow embrasure that used to be the opening of a tower. Within its shadowed  safety he watched as a line of horsemen emerged from the forest and began to end its way up the hill towards his vantage.

Writing Progress and A Weekend Away

Not much to report on the writing or study front from last week. I am glad I managed to get so much done last weekend as since last Sunday it has been one of those weeks. Nothing to be done about it though. So this week I shall get back into the swing of things. I suspect though that writing time might be sporadic considering Christmas is fast approaching, and organising the shift of the house is coming through to the fore.

We managed though to get to Wellington for a weekend away, while one set of grandparents looked after the sproutlings. We had thought to get to the movies, but instead ended up watching a video at our friends place We did manage to do some good shopping though…

 

Objectives, Death Row Dogs, And Houses on The Move

It was another successful week on the writing front, as I finished chapter two, started chapter three and reached my target of 3,000 words for the week to Friday. I am sitting at just over 9,600 words, which feels great. I can’t wait to clock over 10,000 words this weekend. ALthough the studying has not gone as well, as I keep get distracted by writing. Can’t say I am too upset by that, but must do better.  

Death Row Dog AKA Candy is settling into the family quite nicely. Her and Pooch have a lovely time playing together, and the eldest tornado child wants both to be sleeping in his room with him.

The house moving is a step closer as we have verbally accepted an offer on the land, and next week we will sign the paper work. We are starting to book in the various contractors, with the first date we need confirmed being the septic tank/water crew, as they need to be finished before the house moves on.