CPs, Goals, and Vampires

So today is my day to talk about reading or writing or to do a review. So I wanted to give a little update on my current WIP.

But first I just wanted to say how AMAZING all my bloggy friends are and how much y'all have helped me grow as a writer this last year or so.

Second I wanted to say that I can't believe that it's not even the end of January and I already have a fantastic Critique Partner (Lindsey, I <3 you!!!!!), but also a possibility of a second one. Last year at this time I was seriously doubting my commitment to writing. I had pretty much given up on myself as a writer.

Now I have a WIP I love, 1 (maybe 2) crit partners, and a burning desire to take this thing the whole way.

And it is ALL BECAUSE OF YOU.

Your contests, your comments, your blogfests, your blogs, your spirit, your encouragement.

Like REALLY, REALLY big

So far, I've stuck to the 100 words a day pledge that I made. Sometimes it's just barely 100 words, but I'm writing something each and every day which is a total win for me. I haven't written this much in the last 2 years. I'm up to 6500 words!

I'm falling in love with my FMC (Layla) and beginning to see how my MMC (Tavares) is going to work.

I'm finding myself VERY influenced by Mercedes Lackey's 500 kingdoms series and by Buffy the Vampire Slayer (which I am rewatching for the amazing rewatch over at Nikki Stafford's blog)

I am basically doing a blind rewrite - I know where the story is going and if I want to review a word choice or something I look at my NaNo document. But for the majority of the time I'm just writing it for the first time all over again. And it is SO much better. I did a dangerous thing on Saturday. I reread the 12 pages I've written since the beginning of January and guess what?

I still loved it. I love the changes, I love the tighter scenes. I love the way the characters are moving already. Is it perfect? No. Will I have to edit and revise and cut and rewrite? Most definitely. But that's okay, because I still love it.

Even if it does have a vampire. And no title (yet).

And just to make things interesting I thought I would post a tiny teaser.

            Erandell almost fell over the balcony. She couldn’t have heard that right.

            “Let Moira go and I will stay,” the girl said. Her voice was quiet, but firm.

            Tavares was silent and Erandell held her breath waiting to see what he would do. This whole situation was completely unprecedented. She couldn’t interfere; she could feel the enchantment holding her back and she gritted her teeth in frustration.

            “You would stay in her place?” Tavares asked.

            “She has a family that needs her.”

            “And you don’t?”

            “Are you taking my offer or not?”

            There was definitely something special about this girl with her pale green eyes. Not only had she somehow resisted the impellment charm, but she had spunk. Erandell wondered if Tavares had ever been slapped before.

So how about you? Super excited about any writing projects? Stuck in the doldrums? Cheating on your WIP with an SNI? Do tell!

Loonies

Or something like that. Sorry, no majorly witty title for Retail Wednesday this week. And I had to work in the "L" somehow.

Anyhoo. Let's not waste any more time shall we?

Most Annoying Award:

I was called to the front for a customer. When I get up there the customer is holding a pristine, crisp, without even a corner slightly curled, medical book. "I want a damage discount on this!" she announced. I look at the book, obviously confused. She points at a white air bubble the size of a pinhead. Seriously. About 1/16 of an inch in diameter. In the center of a cover, but barely even noticeable. And in no danger of causing any damage to the book. It wasn't even big enough to pop, that's how small it was. I look at her again. She scowls"Can't you give me a damage discount on this?" I look her straight in the eye and say, "I'm sorry, it isn't damaged." (all right, I think I've got to get out of retail. I'm actually saying the things that should probably stay in my head.)

The dot was about as big (maybe) as the biggest dot here.

Phone Freak Award:

Phone rings. I answer. "Thank you for calling Borders, this is Rebecca. How may I help you?"

Customer: Yes, I was wondering if you had a specific pair of shoes in stock?

Me: Um, this is Borders bookstore.

Customer: This isn't FootLocker?

Me: No, it's not.

Customer: Well, do you have their number?

Why, yes! I have it memorized just for your convenience!

(For the record, FootLocker closed in our mall about 3 years ago.)

Private Amusement Award:

We were working on our required pull list - taking books that we have too many of or that aren't selling and sending them back to the warehouse. I picked up the gardening one and was leafing through it at info before heading off to the section. One of my coworkers was standing nearby and we had been joking around. I see one of the titles and it strikes me as a little funny, so I read it out loud. Much louder than I intend. With a (rather cute) guy customer standing nearby. The title of the book? Marijuana is Safer. The guy whipped his head around so fast and looked at me with wide startled eyes. He didn't say anything. I tried not to burst out laughing and ran away so I could tell my coworker (whose back was to him) what had happened. She said, "Well, you don't look like the kind of person that would say something like that."

This is pretty much how he looked.

Not the Brightest Crayon in the Box Award:

Guy comes up to coworker A who is standing behind the information desk.

A: Hi! How can I help you?

Guy: Do you work here?

A: Yes, what did you need.

Guy: (leans closer and looks around) Are all the books here for sale?

No, see, the books on the right hand side, second case, third shelf - those are for sale, but nothing else.

Witty Coworker Award:

One of my coworkers recognized a guy that we are sure has been stealing from us. We've never caught him in the act, but we know he does. So she lets all of us know he's in the store. Another coworker, P, asks for a description. He's about A's height, dark curly hair, t-shirt and jeans with a hoodie that he's holding over his shoulder. However, A adds, when he comes in to actually steal, he puts on the sweatshirt and pulls the hoodie up to cover his face from the camera. P blinks and says, "So we're looking for an actual hoodlum."

Wait for it, wait for it... okay there it is. Yeah. It took me a minute too.

The guy on the right? Total hoodlum. The guy on the left? Not so much.

So that's it for the abbreviated version of Retail Wednesday. Man, I need some crazies to come in!

P. S. Sorry this is up so late, but my sister and I got caught up in watching Buffy *cough*Angel*cough*

Who would want to stop watching this extremely palatable face?

and then we went out for ice cream with the Ladies' Fellowship at church. Because as much as I love you guys, this

was much more important :)