November has begun, and like so many others this month, I have started writing in earnest. (see nanowrimo.org for more information on this phenomenon) I’ve changed my plans, however, and I’m putting my space opera idea on hold for awhile. New story idea began as a stream of consciousness description of a childhood playground scene and turned quickly into a prequel to my last story. So, same main character, a couple years younger than in the first story, bouncing back and forth, revisiting childhood memories and such. And I’m pretty sure at this point, I will probably end up combining this story with the last (the last was a little flimsy on wordcount, anyway, and needed an ending to cap it off).
I’m technically at 6771 words, unofficially at 11,162 words (I had started a few days before the first of the month) - goal: 50,000 words by the end of November (unofficial goal: 54,391 words :-). At the rate I’m going, I should be fine, though I will have a few days of travel this month where I’m not sure if I’ll get a chance to write.
(Writing is an adventure.)
4 days ago
Update: I’m still writing another book during the month of November, and I’m still writing that space opera book some time in the future, but I’ve decided to push the space opera further back in my schedule. Next month, I’ve decided on a comical novel - not sure of the name, not totally sure of the plot, though I’ve got a lot of it already in mind (I would especially like to come up with a good ending before I begin writing, as well as a few more characters … it’s just that kind of story, I think). Thanks. More later.
1 week ago
This is a family favorite. Quick and easy to make. Tell the truth, I usually double the recipe, and I hardly ever add the vanilla extract anymore. Also: when it starts to fully boil, start the clock - closer to one minute on the dot, the better - then be quick about mixing in the oats and peanut butter and be quick about spooning it out onto foil before it starts to harden too much (might prefer two spoons). Enjoy!
No-Bake Cookies (Candy)
Combine in saucepan:
1/2 cup milk
3 cups sugar
3 Tbs cocoa
1/2 stick butter
Let boil for one minute, then turn off heat and Mix in:
3 cups oats
1 cup peanut butter
1 Tbs vanilla
Drop by tablespoons onto wax paper or aluminum foil — Quick!
2 weeks ago
Starting a second book. (Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t totally finished the first one yet - stuck in first-draft stage for now - planning to return to it after a month and a half to work on second draft) For this second book, meanwhile, I had planned to write 50,000 words in 30 days (from Nov. 1 through Nov. 30) according to the spirit of nanowrimo.org, but I have since decided on a 70,000 word novel as 50,000 words is really a bare-minimum novel size and I wanted something a little more meaty. And with that larger number in mind, I went ahead and started writing - ready, set, go! - current word count: around 10,000 (proud of my quick start, personally).
Space Opera would be the genre of this new one. Although I hate the name (too close to “Soap Opera” for comfort), I’ve decided to just embrace the category whole-heartedly instead of acting all artsy and too-cool-for-the-name-space-opera-y and so forth. So, it’s a sprawling sci-fi adventure tale with a large cast of characters with intertwined story lines and whatnot - a space opera - after that definition, perhaps 70,000 words is not enough, after all! We’ll see. More later.
2 weeks ago
I’m making bread today - every time I bake bread, I resolve to do so more often. Those resolutions, of course, go unheeded (present resolutions excepted, of course … as usual). This is the basic recipe I follow for Flax and Sunflower Seed Bread, but this morning I’m substituting bulgar wheat for the sunflower seeds (MIA) … I’ve never cooked with bulgar wheat before but judging by its birdseed-toughness, I am boiling it first per the packages instructions before adding it to the bread dough. Wish me luck! (I recommend adjusting the recipe according to your bread-making experience - if you have none, find a good bread-making how-to online - there are lots of little tips and hints and guidelines that make the whole process “work.”)
Flax and Sunflower Seed Bread
* 2 cups water
* 6 tablespoons honey
* 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
* 2 tablespoons butter, softened
* 1 1/2 cups bread flour
* 1 1/3 cups whole wheat bread flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup flax seeds
* 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1. proof yeast in 2 cups warm water with 6 tbsp of honey dissolved in it
2. add yeast, additional water, honey, and butter to the mix of flour, salt, and seeds
3. knead by hand or in a sturdy mixer
4. let rise one-hour, punch down and shape into two loaves
5. let rise 45 minutes
6. bake at 375 degrees about 30 minutes
2 weeks ago
