http://douglasblaine.posterous.com I write every day whether I like it or not. posterous.com Mon, 27 Feb 2012 06:54:32 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~3/ZcbEjc5tCYY/a-sketchy-plan-for-diversion http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/a-sketchy-plan-for-diversion <p> <span style="color: #c0c0c0;">It only stands to reason that I should write up each of <a href="http://1000days.douglasblaine.com/20120225/therefore-but/" title="Therefore…but">those six options</a> I came up with yesterday. Surely that's how the pros might do it? Right?</span><p /> <span style="color: #c0c0c0;">1) Therefore she determines to break into the pumping station to rig the timers, but she needs a magician who can hack the timers.</span><p /> "I need a hack or a tweak or whatever you call them."<p /> "It won't work, Woo." Cursnahmola, the old spell-spinner, perched on a worn felt rail near his lamp. He'd folded his book closed but kept a long finger in the fold. He no longer shaved his head in the manner of a spinner, but he kept it close. The black had lost its youthful gleam and was well salted even into the brindle of stripes cascading down his thighs [into his stocking].<p /> "I haven't even told you what I want."<p /> "You want a chron. You want a chron so you can adjust the sluice timers at the pumping station. Woo, you're not even the first person today asking for one." He licked his top lip like he was about to return to his book and turn a page, but set it aside on the table instead.<p /> Woo took his concession of reading as an invitation to outline her plan.<p /> "That's more subtle than what the others had in mind. Still won't work."<p /> "What aren't you telling me, Nahmi?"<p /> "He can't spin a chron without first reading the timer. Someone would have to go with you," a voice from the kitchen interupted. Woo hadn't seen Mohnil, Cursnahmola's apprentice, when she entered the dimly lit suite. He'd sat quietly at the table as she outlined her criminal scheme.<p /> Turning to Cursnahmola, Woo threw out her hands at the realization she'd not been speaking as privately as she'd thought.<p /> "I'm too old to keep secrets from him," Cursnahmola said, and then continued, "Not someone. Not you. Me."<p /> <span style="color: #c0c0c0;">[initially I was thinking Mohnil would approach Woo after this meeting (and maybe he still can), but now I'm thinking that Nahmi will tell her no then do it himself alone.]</span><br /> <p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #c0c0c0;">349 words on day 949</span></p> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://statikpulse.com/posterize">Posterize</a></div> </p> <p><a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/a-sketchy-plan-for-diversion">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/a-sketchy-plan-for-diversion#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~4/ZcbEjc5tCYY" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/150235/palisade14.jpg http://posterous.com/users/j1ftZuacq Douglas Douglas Douglas http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/a-sketchy-plan-for-diversion Sat, 25 Feb 2012 20:31:49 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~3/JQFtru97KZs/thereforebut http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/thereforebut <p> Therefore-Buts...<p /> She comes in looking for more water but leaves having escaped a rape and getting her district's water ration reduced.<p /> Five options:<br /> 1) Therefore she determines to break into the pumping station to rig the timers, but she needs a magician who can hack the timers.<p /> 2) Therefore she determines to sell a family heirloom to bribe the mayordomo for more water, but he's greedy and what she brings isn't enough.<p /> 3) Therefore she goes to the mayordomo's home to ransom him, but she finds him dead upon her arrival.<p /> 4) Therefore she must talk down an angry mob of her fellow Bel Avi upon returning home, but the city guard arrive to impose martial law before she can calm them down.<p /> 5) Therefore she determines to steal water from neighboring district, but discovers that district has been obliterated.<p /> 6) Therefore she shadows the mayordomo hoping to find blackmail material, but she's caught and captured while snooping by the rapist guard.<p /> <p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #c0c0c0;">162 words on day 947</span></p> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://statikpulse.com/posterize">Posterize</a></div> </p> <p><a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/thereforebut">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/thereforebut#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~4/JQFtru97KZs" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/150235/palisade14.jpg http://posterous.com/users/j1ftZuacq Douglas Douglas Douglas http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/thereforebut Sat, 25 Feb 2012 08:53:14 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~3/uTgiP033cDk/jingle-pants http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/jingle-pants <p> <span style="color: #c0c0c0;">"None of you bird-dogs ever could," he said without malice despite the insulting slang his people often used for hers. Then his tone changed to another one Curswoom recognized quite well. "We can work that out. Come with me."</span><p /> <span style="color: #c0c0c0;">The dark-haired woman was already composing the next name on her list as Curswoom followed the guard down the corridor and into a small empty office.</span><br /> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #c0c0c0;">###</span></p><br /> Woo ducked into the room and stepped to the side; the guard followed her in. On the opposite wall hung two sets of jingle-pants. One pair was in the original style: a belt of soft leather straps with bells sewn on. The full-length straps tangled in the legs of the Bel Avi to sound their arrival and slow their pace to a walk. Many bells were missing from that pair. The other was a newer pair and in the current style: a half-length split skirt of cloth and bells. With the proliferation of [gunpowder-based weapons] [humans] no longer needed to slow the Bel Avi as much as they used to.<p /> Except for a desk pushed against a second door, the room was empty.<p /> [begin the rape here]<br /> <p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #c0c0c0;">193 words on day 946</span></p> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://statikpulse.com/posterize">Posterize</a></div> </p> <p><a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/jingle-pants">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/jingle-pants#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~4/uTgiP033cDk" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/150235/palisade14.jpg http://posterous.com/users/j1ftZuacq Douglas Douglas Douglas http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/jingle-pants Thu, 23 Feb 2012 07:07:07 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~3/qSKg2qSvqS4/the-price-of-jingle-pants http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/the-price-of-jingle-pants <p> <span style="color: #c0c0c0;">Goal: Curswoom, "Woo", wants to convince the city to increase the water ration for her district more hours of each day, but first she's got to see the proper people at the Pratacalla.</span><p /> The dark-haired woman at the dark-wooded desk pushed her finger down the list of names until she reached the first one with no mark beside it. "This is your name. Please, make your mark here."<p /> "I can recognize my own name. Even when you have given me my father's." Curswoom ran a line through the mistake wondering if it were purposeful or accidental. Next to it she wrote: Beh Lavi Curswoom instead of Beh Lavi Curswola. She x'd beside it then looked the woman in the eye. "He's been dead a year now."<p /> The woman didn't blink or apologize, but she did smile and look to the guard. On purpose then.<p /> "You won't get in looking like that," the guard standing beside the desk said. He was uniformed in the usual palace attire: a white tunic, absurd crimson utility pants, and black boots. He carried both a dagger and a sidearm, but because the Pratacalla was a civic building he did not wear any insignia indicating his rank. He distinctly avoided looking below Curswoom's shoulders to her body, legs or tail.<p /> Curswoom wore only a corset-like leather plackart to armor her abdomen from arrows. The remainder of her body was uncovered. Bold and scandalous to most people, but common place and obvious to the Beh Lavi. Her people with their long ostrich-like legs were runners. And runners couldn't be weighed down or constricted by unnecessary clothing. When she whisked the auburn tip of her tail into the edge of his gaze and cracked it's ropey length on the tiled floor he continued to stare over her shoulder like a blind man missing all the normal interests.<p /> "She called my number. I'm signed in."<p /> Now he made eye contact. "That just means 'next'."<p /> "I can't afford jingle-pants." [The truth was she could have worn her father's.]<p /> "None of you bird-dogs ever could," he said without malice despite the insulting slang his people often used. Then his tone changed to another one Curswoom recognized quite well. "We can work that out. Come with me."<p /> The dark-haired woman was already composing the next name on her list as Curswoom followed the guard down the corridor and into a small empty office.<br /> <p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #c0c0c0;">390 words on day 945</span></p> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://statikpulse.com/posterize">Posterize</a></div> </p> <p><a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/the-price-of-jingle-pants">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/the-price-of-jingle-pants#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~4/qSKg2qSvqS4" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/150235/palisade14.jpg http://posterous.com/users/j1ftZuacq Douglas Douglas Douglas http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/the-price-of-jingle-pants Thu, 23 Feb 2012 05:26:45 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~3/UZGbdV5RPGI/beh-lavi-at-the-bottom http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/beh-lavi-at-the-bottom <p> April 18th is my new end date for 1000 Days.<p /> A FANBOY warm up:<br /> Elizabeth and Tony made the lasagna, poured the wine and served the bread, for Gustav and Konstantine had grown too old and too important to bother themselves with such dinner preparation.<p /> The bolter rose slowly to hover above our heads, and Terri flew away.<p /> The servants were not allowed to light the candles to guide the old king's feet down the hall to his bed, nor were they encouraged to assist him up the uneven steps.<p /> Rajesh intended to prepare the beds for his guests, but the sheets he thought were clean were dusted in ash and sand.<p /> Stan spurred his horse to a throaty gallup, or he would never make the train.<p /> The wind tugged at the candles' flames like a spinster plucking eyebrows, yet the little fires remained.<p /> The barbarian threw up her shield to block my sword, so I rolled to her side and kicked her feet out from under her.<p /> Some of those coordinating conjunctions, specifically 'nor' and 'for', are a challenge to write. I'm better at 'yet' than I am 'or' most times too.<p /> Beh Lavi, Curswoom, Praincala or Pratacalla, Jingle-pants.<p /> Goal: Curswoom, "Woo", wants to convince the city to increase the water flow for her district for more hours of each day.<p /> "You won't get in looking like that." The guard distinctly avoided looking to Curswoom's uncovered legs or tail. She whisked the auburn tip of it into the edge of his gaze then cracked it's ropey length on the concrete floor. He continued to stare over her shoulder like a blind man missing all the normal interests.<p /> "They called my number."<p /> "That just means 'next'."<p /> "I can't afford jingle-pants."<p /> "None of you Beh Lavi-curs ever can." He surprised her by using the [proper name of both her race and clan] rather than the denigrating slang: bird-dog. [maybe he wasn't as bad as she'd assumed].<p /> <p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #c0c0c0;">325 words on day 944</span></p> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://statikpulse.com/posterize">Posterize</a></div> </p> <p><a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/beh-lavi-at-the-bottom">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/beh-lavi-at-the-bottom#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~4/UZGbdV5RPGI" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/150235/palisade14.jpg http://posterous.com/users/j1ftZuacq Douglas Douglas Douglas http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/beh-lavi-at-the-bottom Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:02:15 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~3/a1Ao2yhLyg0/back-in-less-than-a-week http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/back-in-less-than-a-week <p> I'll be back on the daily routine in less than a week.<p /> I've both enjoyed the permission not to write and looked forward to the end of my hiatus. <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://statikpulse.com/posterize">Posterize</a></div> </p> <p><a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/back-in-less-than-a-week">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/back-in-less-than-a-week#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~4/a1Ao2yhLyg0" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/150235/palisade14.jpg http://posterous.com/users/j1ftZuacq Douglas Douglas Douglas http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/back-in-less-than-a-week Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:04:42 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~3/ZyvnDD3Q2PE/until-february-22 http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/until-february-22 <p> I've been writing but not posting for a couple weeks. It's been rather miss-able.<p /> Rather than slog through these last 56 days I'm going to take a purposeful break.<p /> I will be back for the last on February 22. <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://statikpulse.com/posterize">Posterize</a></div> </p> <p><a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/until-february-22">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/until-february-22#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~4/ZyvnDD3Q2PE" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/150235/palisade14.jpg http://posterous.com/users/j1ftZuacq Douglas Douglas Douglas http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/until-february-22 Wed, 11 Jan 2012 06:28:04 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~3/DxA-01VlHrw/i-bought-plotto http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/i-bought-plotto <p> A book arrived in the mail yesterday from Amazon. Hardcopy book; real mail. I hope the texture, heft, and aroma of a book will never stop bringing my day to a halt so that I can imbibe the sumptiousness of a new one.<p /> This one is an odd duck of a book. It is a reprint of a book from the late 20s, and it is a Mechanical Turk for plot construction.<p /> I've always been skeptical about learn-to-write books and software. Maybe it's the too-good-to-be-true sense I get for the effort of writing. Maybe it's the instinctual knowledge that writing is a gifted art. But since I still struggle with unloosening that gift from the packaging and finding the batteries, I rubber-neck these types of books. I'm sure all these books have at least one morsel of value, but the good books are the ones which have more morsels than gristle. I've read a few of those.<p /> I think this new book, Plotto by William Wallace Cook, out-gimmicks all the gimmick riddled how-to-write books. The intriguing part, the characteristic which brings the value, though is that it is the grandaddy of such books. It is the how-to-write book that this generation of books forgot existed. I'm looking forward to finding out how this genre read for our grandparents.<p /> So far, it seems genuine and lacking of self-awareness. And complicated.<p /> <p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #c0c0c0;">229 words on day 935</span></p> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://statikpulse.com/posterize">Posterize</a></div> </p> <p><a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/i-bought-plotto">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/i-bought-plotto#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~4/DxA-01VlHrw" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/150235/palisade14.jpg http://posterous.com/users/j1ftZuacq Douglas Douglas Douglas http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/i-bought-plotto Fri, 06 Jan 2012 20:49:35 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~3/0B-O058V6zQ/the-junko-cafe http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/the-junko-cafe <p> Thomas flecked a chip of red paint from the railing overlooking the river. Underneath the red, a layer of green separated from the perpetually moist teak; he dug his thumbnail into that next. His last breakfast at the Junko Cafe was talking longer than it had all week.<p /> He heard the waiter approach from behind. Thomas blocked his coffee cup with a hand and turned. "Could we switch me to just water?"<p /> The waiter withdrew the coffee pot.<p /> "With ice, please" Thomas added in practiced Bandeeian.<p /> "My apologies, sir. We have no ice today." Thomas peered into the main area. Only overcast sunlight from the wide entry arch illuminated the empty dining room next to his balcony spot. A double row of silhouetted four-tops seemed to barricade the exit. When he'd arrived it had been darker than usual, but he'd arrived earlier than usual as well. Hadn't there been other diners then?<p /> "You are having trouble in the kitchen. No electricity?"<p /> "It should be back up soon. I came to tell you they are finishing up your breakfast. I'll get you some water."<p /> "Make that two, Taniel."<p /> The waiter nodded to the man at the top of the steps and retreated to the kitchen. The newest and only other person in the Junko fingered back a spray of dark hair that may have been better groomed when he left the house. His moustache, however, was precisely trimmed. He wore a grey suit and black monk strap shoes, but no tie. He was a little person.<p /> Thomas felt a bubble of mirth rise to his chest while the words 'midget' and 'dwarf' rose to his head. Fear chilled the feeling in his chest when it occured to him that one of those two words was the equivalent of nigger, but he wasn't sure which. Not that he had plans to use either aloud.<p /> The man's arms seemed shorter and his head larger. He was standing at Thomas' table when Thomas realized he'd been speaking as he came down the steps from the main floor to the balcony. His hand rested on the back of the empty second chair.<p /> "Sure. Please," Thomas gestured for the man to sit with him.<p /> The man coaxed a polite smile from a stiff sigh. "I was saying 'My name is Harry Whiteround.' I believe you are Thomas North?"<p /> "Yes. Yes, I am. Sorry for that. I don't...I just...I..."<p /> "Don't get out very much?"<p /> "Yeah. Thanks. Sorry."<p /> //<br /> <p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #c0c0c0;">xxx words on day 932</span></p> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://statikpulse.com/posterize">Posterize</a></div> </p> <p><a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/the-junko-cafe">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/the-junko-cafe#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~4/0B-O058V6zQ" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/150235/palisade14.jpg http://posterous.com/users/j1ftZuacq Douglas Douglas Douglas http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/the-junko-cafe Tue, 13 Dec 2011 06:57:23 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~3/4fWX8gqWNag/platting http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/platting <p> <span style="color: #c0c0c0;">I had not meant to be gone this long. Bad discipline; nothing new. I’m going to try to do a focused talky thing here, so if you’re looking for story check tomorrow’s post.</span><p /> Last night as I went to bed I employed a technique which I’ve known about for a long time. A trick to help me write the next morning. A thought game I neglect to use nearly all the time: think about what you want to write in the morning. Simple enough, but hard to accomplish effectively when the next twenty-five things through your head before falling asleep aren’t that one writing thing. This was the case last night.<p /> Even before that, there was trouble. When I considered today’s writing, I couldn’t get my head out of the Hartwhile garage. I couldn’t imagine any other shops, bars, groceries, or tattoo parlors sharing the space carved out by Honey Farm Circle. I couldn’t jet out of Honey Farm Circle to imagine the clinic, or the RBG’s office, or the showdown locale. I couldn’t imagine what the constabulary (constablewick?) looked like. Where it was located or how far.<p /> Today, as I write this, I’m wondering if having a defined setting isn’t one of those requirements I have for my writing, but hadn’t realized until now. A quick mental inventory of the things I’ve written here on 1000 Days seems to bear this likelihood out. Whether I convey that setting to the reader or not, I have one for my characters; even when they just talk on the page, they’ve got a place to talk in my head. Great.<p /> Wait, non-sarcastic great. Could this mean I’ve unlocked a solution to some of my writing challenges? Could it mean that merely (ironic use here) coming up with a hut, street, mesa, corner, jungle, attic, or office in which to have my characters talk and act will keep me moving forward on the page? Surely such props are non-critical needs?<p /> I know that some folks write by starting with maps. When I did that sort of thing before 1000 Days, I ended up spending a bit more time platting than plotting. I suspect I’d be able to rein that in a bit these days.<br /> <p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #c0c0c0;">390 words on day 926</span></p> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://statikpulse.com/posterize">Posterize</a></div> </p> <p><a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/platting">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/platting#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~4/4fWX8gqWNag" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/150235/palisade14.jpg http://posterous.com/users/j1ftZuacq Douglas Douglas Douglas http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/platting Wed, 30 Nov 2011 06:53:30 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~3/2HdmUqynEaE/in-which-tangent-man-plays-a-minor-role http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/in-which-tangent-man-plays-a-minor-role <p> Yesterday one of the reasons my writing came to a halt was I’d introduced a possible new character along with Constable Ock. This character (unnamed in the writing, but suddenly alive in my head) has the potential to disrupt the remainder of the plot I’ve got in mind both because of her early prominent placement in the story and her general intentions. She also has the potential to insinuate herself into the plot neatly, but with added tension. I wasn’t immediately sure how to include her. The balance of my halted writing came from my trying to write a cop well enough not to be noticed.<p /> Now that I’ve got a plot of sorts, I’ve got to develop the theme a bit. What cream is rising through the milky bubbles of my poorly stirred plot is that ‘mothers will always protect their children’. However, nascent instinct tells me some catalytic element is missing from that theme. Maybe there should be a ‘because’ at the end? Ugh, I had a book which defined theme in a way that resonated with me—I can’t find it.<p /> Found it!<p /> And he, James N. Frey, in it, “How to Write a Damn Good Novel”, calls what I’m thinking about a premise. Maybe that’s what I was thinking too. Based on a quick re-read I’d amend my phrase above to ‘protecting your child ruins the status quo’. I should make that sound more fun to read. I’m not sure there is much drama in not maintaining the status quo.<br /> <p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #c0c0c0;">271 words on day 923</span></p> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://statikpulse.com/posterize">Posterize</a></div> </p> <p><a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/in-which-tangent-man-plays-a-minor-role">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/in-which-tangent-man-plays-a-minor-role#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~4/2HdmUqynEaE" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/150235/palisade14.jpg http://posterous.com/users/j1ftZuacq Douglas Douglas Douglas http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/in-which-tangent-man-plays-a-minor-role Wed, 30 Nov 2011 06:03:32 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~3/HEUEesGp4iM/fanboy-fails-to-the-rescue http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/fanboy-fails-to-the-rescue <p> <blockquote class="posterous_medium_quote">"Hide it." Narkkid handed the cylinder to Tjon. "Uma, get up out of there and get back to work on that Shortle's flit. He wants it before noon.<p /> Narkkid was scooping coffee grounds when the police landed…</blockquote><br /> [describe the pair of cops here]<br /> “Good morning, officer. I’m just making coffee. Would you care…”<p /> “Citizen, please address me as Constable Ock or just Constable.” The marquee on Constable Ock’s chest plate scrolled an echo of his declaration in the three most common languages of [the name of the city] , [Tjon’s native badger language], and MILSpec. Narkkid read each hoping the not impolite delay would give the girl a few more seconds to gain distance or hide.<p /> “Constable Ock, would you like some coffee?” she asked in the [first most common of the three most common]—the same language they’d both used initially.<br /> <p style="text-align: center;">###</p><br /> I’m clearly out of practice writing these days. I’m going to punt with a FANBOY …<br /> <p style="text-align: center;">for, and, nor, but, or, yet, (so, plus)</p><br /> Uma toed the foot-shield back and stepped on the button to elevate the Shortle’s another few inches, <strong>and</strong> Tjon split his attention between a screen and a notepad transcribing the information on one to the other.<p /> Narkkid tried to assure Constable Ock that none of them had a chance to speak to the girl, <strong>but</strong> she sensed he didn’t believe her.<p /> Neither Uma nor Tjon nor Narkkid had spoken to the girl, <strong>for</strong> there wasn’t enough time.<br /> Narkkid volunteered many details, but she didn’t mention the cylinder.<p /> Tjon hid the cylinder in their best stash, <strong>plus</strong> he loaded the gimme-stash with a suitable bribe amount.<p /> Mrs. Crown seemed anxious to interrupt the constable in a number of places, <strong>yet</strong> she remained quiet till the end.<p /> The constable completed his questioning of Uma, <strong>so</strong> she returned to her work on the Shortle’s.<p /> Eesh, I’ve even blown that with a couple repeats.<p /> BBL<br /> <p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #c0c0c0;">331 words on day 922</span></p> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://statikpulse.com/posterize">Posterize</a></div> </p> <p><a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/fanboy-fails-to-the-rescue">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/fanboy-fails-to-the-rescue#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~4/HEUEesGp4iM" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/150235/palisade14.jpg http://posterous.com/users/j1ftZuacq Douglas Douglas Douglas http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/fanboy-fails-to-the-rescue Thu, 10 Nov 2011 06:49:50 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~3/C3XWrCfoyy0/melodies-or-landscapes http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/melodies-or-landscapes <p> At a glance Narkkid didn't look ex-military. Her body was small and lithe; her black hair was long and straight; and her brown eyes were soft and light. But when she spoke, when she asked her mechanics to prep a flit or when she told a customer their ride wouldn't be ready for another week, then the evidence of her past life surfaced like a dead body in a river. Listeners knew that she'd seen and done things they could only imagine. They knew she had told people to "Go there; do that." knowing full well they'd die in that going and doing. And that she'd done it more than once.<p /> Though she had been very good at what she'd done, she never liked it much. She'd have rather been a musician or a painter creating melodies or landscapes with her hands; being a flit mechanic was as close as she'd gotten in the ten years since she'd retired.<p /> Knowing she wouldn't utter the next number in her countdown, she went to her office and set the door near closed.<p /> <p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #c0c0c0;">180 words on day 910</span></p> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://statikpulse.com/posterize">Posterize</a></div> </p> <p><a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/melodies-or-landscapes">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/melodies-or-landscapes#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~4/C3XWrCfoyy0" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/150235/palisade14.jpg http://posterous.com/users/j1ftZuacq Douglas Douglas Douglas http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/melodies-or-landscapes Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:03:26 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~3/BGhD60ZwtaI/four-times-the-amount http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/four-times-the-amount <p> Some how Tuesday got skipped. It wasn't all that misterious, but it was much less intentional than usual.<p /> She set down a linen napkin triangle with the point shortly draped over the edge of the metal patio table. Next, she placed a white saucer on top of that napkin. And finally, Madrigar's tea on top of that. The base of the glass was larger than the recess in the saucer which forced the glass to tilt. The awkwardness bothered here, but she had known it was coming.[initially that didnt seem pointless to me]<p /> "Did you know when I applied for a stall here in Rundark I barely had enough money to buy one of the smallest licenses? I was going to use my mother's tea service until I could afford better."<p /> Madrigar smoothed his napkin—one of her mother's. "I like your mother's settings."<p /> "Thank you." She smiled. "When they told me I won the SA gate—the gate—I cried. It was four times the amount<p /> <p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #c0c0c0;">164 words on day 909</span></p> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://statikpulse.com/posterize">Posterize</a></div> </p> <p><a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/four-times-the-amount">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/four-times-the-amount#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~4/BGhD60ZwtaI" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/150235/palisade14.jpg http://posterous.com/users/j1ftZuacq Douglas Douglas Douglas http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/four-times-the-amount Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:01:52 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~3/70dwSq9g_Y4/refound http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/refound <p> Steven Tattersall, diviner and layabout, unlatched his leather-clad portmanteau and folded back the halves on the kitchen table. He tucked the lid all the way underneath the right side to help it lay flat. Some few papers tucked into the pocket of the lid caught Karen's attention, but she could never after realize why. Steven carried on by unsnapping the top panel on the left side and propping up a folding-rack of bottles filled with liquids and powders. The little staircase of ingredients reminded Karen of a space-saving spice rack she bought on TV.<p /> "Aces! I thought I'd lost that." Steven pulled a small brown memo book from under one of the legs of the rack and flipped the pages.<br /> <p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #c0c0c0;">xxx words on day 904</span></p> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://statikpulse.com/posterize">Posterize</a></div> </p> <p><a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/refound">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/refound#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~4/70dwSq9g_Y4" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/150235/palisade14.jpg http://posterous.com/users/j1ftZuacq Douglas Douglas Douglas http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/refound Wed, 09 Nov 2011 06:16:37 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~3/awg3-bkkk58/interrogating-maddi http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/interrogating-maddi <p> <blockquote>Madrigar was difficult to indulge, but Musi tried every morning. If she offered him a thick slice from a still-warm loaf of Courthouse Rye he would only accept the crusty heel—”Unbuttered, please”. If, during the heat of the day, she walked over an insulated mug full of green apple flavored ice the mug would later be returned—cleaned—by one of his customers instead with great thanks for the wonderful refreshment. [One more example here]. [at first she thought he was being polite since he didnt have much money. But as the attempts wore on she treated it more like a game (also she became suspicious of his appearant lack of wealth)]<p /> [when she first set up her stall she'd thought-arrogantly- that her business would boost Madrigar's but over the months as she watched the flow of traffic she realized he sent her more patrons than she ever sent his way.]</blockquote><p /> <br /> <p style="text-align: center;">###</p><br /> Finally, late one morning Musi leaned on the ironwork fence which defined the limits of her café and happened to border with Madrigar's chappi stall. The second day of the week often ended early, so no one sat at her tables or leaned at her bar. Madrigar was tearing down his stall.<p /> "Maddi," she called out to his back. "Maddi, come join me for some Drangee Purple when you're done. I have some things I'd like to talk about if you have time."<p /> "A moment only," he said without turning. He held aloft a finger as if to illustrate his quiet comment. Musi wondered if he meant 'In a moment' or 'For a moment' or both, but she prepared his favorite tea as if he intended the former. She poured it into in an Old Fashioned glass just as he sat down at her worst table. She sighed.<p /> "We could sit up front if you like. Where we can watch Diptuu set up his belts." She pointed to one of her most requested tables.<p /> "Someone may come."<p /> Musi laughed. "Not till after lunch they aren't. I may not have been here for twenty years, but I know enough to know that."<p /> "Still," he said. Musi recognized this single word as his final comment on many discussions they'd had over the spring and summer. Followed with nothing more than silence, it invariably brought their discussion to a conclusion with Madrigar getting his way.<p /> She set down a linen napkin triangle with the point shortly draped over the edge of the metal patio table. Next, she placed a<br /> <p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #c0c0c0;">416 words on day 908</span></p> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://statikpulse.com/posterize">Posterize</a></div> </p> <p><a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/interrogating-maddi">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/interrogating-maddi#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~4/awg3-bkkk58" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/150235/palisade14.jpg http://posterous.com/users/j1ftZuacq Douglas Douglas Douglas http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/interrogating-maddi Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:03:35 -0700 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~3/T5a_EyhYfWQ/nineteen http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/nineteen <p> <span style="color: #c0c0c0;">Fleh! I haven't written since Thursday. Let's call it a mixture of good reasons, laziness, and spoiled opportunities. I did fiddle with the Hartwhile piece, made a spreadsheet of some threads I might devote my final hundred days to, and joined a genealogy site to help organize the Bringer family tree. So, there's that</span>.<br /> <p style="padding-left: 30px;">Narkkid put two fingers in her mouth and whistled. The girl stopped abruptedly and turned. Narkkid waggled the [something characteristic] cylinder in her hand. Even at this distance, she could see the girl's lips tighten into a pissed sneer. The she scanned up, looking to the sky over the Hartwhile shop.</p><br /> <p style="padding-left: 30px;">“Incoming,” Tjon said. When the three looked back to the girl, she was gone.</p><br /> <p style="padding-left: 30px;">“Hide it.” Narrkid handed the cylinder to Tjon. “Uma, get up out of there and get back to work on that Shortle’s. He wants it before noon."</p><br /> <p style="padding-left: 30px;">Narrkid was scooping coffee grounds when the police landed.</p><br /> <p style="text-align: center;">###</p><br /> Tjon closed the bug scanner and dropped it into his apron pocket. "Nothing here. It will take me longer to do the perimeter. If you even want me to?"<p /> Narkkid stepped back from the huddle and walked over to the still open front bay threshhold. Honey Farm Circle wasn't the quietest part of [town], but it wasn't the most raucous. Red Rodney's, the...[some description I don't feel like doing right now]. "No. Don't bother. We don't want to look more suspicious by being more thorough. Something tells me our little friend won't have much trouble staying unfound. Uma, the Shortle's?"<p /> "Done, boss. Want me to put a bow on it?"<p /> "You hear his message?"<p /> "No, then?"<p /> "No, but bring it over front. I don't feel like two trips up my butt today." Uma and Tjon laughed; Narkkid went on, "Tjon, you've got twenty minutes to scan that tube—nothing harsh—then I need you back on that new Bainbridge."<p /> Neither Uma nor Tjon moved right away. Narkkid sensed they wanted to talk about the girl since they hadn't done that amongst themselves—only to the police—but she wanted to think about it to herself for the same reason. "Nineteen..."<br /> <p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #c0c0c0;">352 words on day 903</span></p> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://statikpulse.com/posterize">Posterize</a></div> </p> <p><a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/nineteen">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/nineteen#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~4/T5a_EyhYfWQ" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/150235/palisade14.jpg http://posterous.com/users/j1ftZuacq Douglas Douglas Douglas http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/nineteen Thu, 27 Oct 2011 06:32:35 -0700 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~3/gWG0lVqKj8Y/the-strategy-of-the-final-days http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/the-strategy-of-the-final-days <p> I've found myself relying on the artwork of others to catalyze my morning writing over the past years. In recent weeks it seems the only way I've written anything compelling. I thought there was going to be a conclusion to that, but I guess not. Smile.<p /> A fortnight ago I'd talked about making the final one hundred days special in some way. I think I only mentioned writing the same plot for that hundred, but at the time I was mulling other possibilities too: write for an actual full hour, set a page/word count threshhold, learn to touch type. Those sorts of things.<p /> Well I missed being able to do the full hundred by a few days, and I don't know for sure when I'll be able to start—probably Monday. I am going to combine two of the above. I am going to pick a single plot and I'm going to set a word count threshhold. I haven't locked in either one of those specifically, but it has crossed my mind to crescendo my word count each month or so during the remaining time.<p /> Some of the most likely threads are: <a href="http://1000days.douglasblaine.com/tag/partly/">Partly</a>, <a href="http://1000days.douglasblaine.com/tag/benha/">Charming</a>, <a href="http://1000days.douglasblaine.com/tag/shanty/">Shanty</a>, <a href="http://1000days.douglasblaine.com/tag/bringer/">Bringer</a>, <a href="http://1000days.douglasblaine.com/tag/hartwhile/">Hartwhile</a>, and <a href="http://1000days.douglasblaine.com/tag/crainewood/">Crainestock</a>. I'm not opposed to others, but these came quickly to mind. If you'd like to plead you case for one of these or another one not mentioned above then leave me a comment below.<br /> <p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #c0c0c0;">234 words on day 902</span></p> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://statikpulse.com/posterize">Posterize</a></div> </p> <p><a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/the-strategy-of-the-final-days">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/the-strategy-of-the-final-days#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~4/gWG0lVqKj8Y" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/150235/palisade14.jpg http://posterous.com/users/j1ftZuacq Douglas Douglas Douglas http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/the-strategy-of-the-final-days Mon, 24 Oct 2011 19:58:26 -0700 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~3/VuFbhSixKUM/i-coulda-bought-a-falcon http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/i-coulda-bought-a-falcon <p> <span style="color: #c0c0c0;">So, I'm writing after nine on a Monday evening. Cue the suckiness...</span><p /> <a href="http://thecountryfucker.tumblr.com/post/11628133203/six-string-samurai">http://thecountryfucker.tumblr.com/post/11628133203/six-string-samurai</a><p /> He had big knuckles and thick fingers, and it made no sense; he was a deft guitarrista. He taped the ear pieces of his Buddy Holley glasses a month back before a show in Toledo when the left side lost a screw. The right was fine, but the symmetry appealed to him. He chose a pair of black over white Spectator shoes this morning, and they already showed wear than he liked but not more than he could handle—not today. In between, he rocked a hobo's canvas tuxedo with worn cuffs top and bottom. The uchigatana was freshly sharpened, and he was drunk.<p /> And getting drunker, because desert was a lonely place for a performer.<br /> <p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #c0c0c0;">127 words on day 899</span></p> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://statikpulse.com/posterize">Posterize</a></div> </p> <p><a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/i-coulda-bought-a-falcon">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/i-coulda-bought-a-falcon#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~4/VuFbhSixKUM" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/150235/palisade14.jpg http://posterous.com/users/j1ftZuacq Douglas Douglas Douglas http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/i-coulda-bought-a-falcon Mon, 24 Oct 2011 19:12:17 -0700 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~3/a9Xs-w5feTQ/77119389 http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/77119389 <p> I should do some planning.<p /> Or maybe some transcribing...<p /> 20101121 - I've been thinking more about ploting lately. How many times have I written that bullshit?<p /> Maybe if I appended "...Bringer of Mist." at the end of that sentence it would help some. Fortunately it happens to be true. I have been thinking of it. I haven't been doing it, but have been thinking of doing it. I had a lot of stuff there. Some good intra-family conflict that could scale well I think.<p /> Mr. Johnathan Goffe fails to save his brother-in-law fromt he Bringer of Mist and because of this his sister hates him, Or something like that at least. When he decides to go find the Bringer of Mist (don't recall why) he discovers that the Bringer of Mist is his brother-in-law. The previous Bringer of Mist and the brother-in-law switched or the brother-in-law inherited the role for some reason. There are plenty of permutations available here. I should consider that most aren't storiable.<p /> Ah, yes, he went looking for the Bringer of Mist because no one was dying. He discovered not only that his brother-in-law had taken over but that he had refused to perform his duty for some reason.<br /> <p style="text-align: center;">###</p><br /> I've come down a different permutation since a year ago. I think I ended up with something I like better. The Bringer of Mist is Johnthan's older brother, and he has inherited the mantle of Bringer of Mist from his father. His first act of bringing, a ceremony with aged volunteers and their sponsors, he selects a number of tinkers and unexpectedly brings Jennetta's husband, Warren Harrfield, who was there in the capacity of a sponsor.<br /> <p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #c0c0c0;">280 words on day 898</span></p> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://statikpulse.com/posterize">Posterize</a></div> </p> <p><a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/77119389">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/77119389#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DouglasBlainePosterous/~4/a9Xs-w5feTQ" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/150235/palisade14.jpg http://posterous.com/users/j1ftZuacq Douglas Douglas Douglas http://douglasblaine.posterous.com/77119389