NaNo 2011 - why, yes, I am doing it. I just forgot to tell you
32,032, words NaNo meter 62% complete
(I like my NaNo meter better than the others.)
PIGS IN SPACE
This year's novel started out badly in my head - still no ideas on 15 October. I toyed with a mystery about an icon we have on the iconstasis (icon wall dividing the altar from the rest of the church) of St. Nicholas, who, for some reason, is wearing red shoes. I thought about rewriting my first NaNo novel, Adverse Possession, because I finally understood that I need 2 main characters to carry the story over the decades. I still think it would make a great movie of the week, if they still made those.
Finally, I decided that I'd go with my strengths and headed for SF. Still without an idea, my son D'Argo (now a junior majoring in Systems Engineering at Hugely Expensive University On The Lake) talked about applying to Henson Puppets for a co-op.
Which led to Youtube videos of the Muppet Show. Which led to PIGGGGSSSSS INNNN SPAAAAAACCCCCEEEEE!
Oh, why not? What would happen to pigs in space?
Thus we find Trea, some hundred years from now, applying to be a pioneer on the newly established Lunar Colony. I had her backstory pretty clear and the most awesome opening line:
"Did you ever consider that you may have been poisoned, Miss Nilsson?"
I split up the novel into 3 parts - 20K on earth, 10K on the shuttle with the pigs, 20K on the moon. I finished that first 20K more or less on time* but realized I was boring myself to death. The real story doesn't start on Earth, it starts on the moon.
Oh, OK. In the middle of a sentence, I started again. This time with action! adventure! pigs!
New people I never thought of arrived, a plot suddenly reared up its head and I realized that what I want to write is about the state of nature vs. civilized society. I want to write the book before The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress. Not a prequel, but a woman's point of view of how a society comes to be. While Heinlein's novel, one of my all time favorites, is a big honking political novel, a favorite genre, I don't think I'm up to that challenge.
As it is, I have to write a gauntlet scene now, which is why I cleaned out some of my fridge, made 4 quarts of chai concentrate, and am writing a blog entry.
BTW, ED is also doing NaNo with year. She sat on 3K for more than a week, but was inspired by an online friend to finish her book. To Pasta Papa, wherever she is, thank you.
*More or less on time - in great part due to teaching/coaching 2 separate NaNo classes at a home-school co-op. I have to win if only to keep ahead of 25 kids.