Writing Wednesday || NaNoWriMo Check-In #4

WE’RE IN THE HOME STRETCH, FOLKS.

Current Word Count

44,109 of 50k! It’s not quite the 45k I was feeling so ambitious about last week, but it does mean that today through Friday, I only have to write about 2k a day.

After doing a few 3-4k+ days, 2k is peanuts.

Favorite Line

“Kate used to think [Dom] was adventurous, too. He was the one who introduced her to tree climbing when the Ruizes first moved to Purgatory Springs, and over spring break, it was tradition to go frog catching down by the mill pond. He always managed to find the fattest toads, even if he never actually caught them. That Dom was fun. That Dom was the one who’d become Kate’s best friend. That Dom was not this one, not the one who seemed to boil over with so much disgust.

She was one part relieved, one part crushed when he sat on the opposite side of the table instead of moving a chair to squeeze in beside her. Be that way, she thought. It was possibly the pettiest thing that had ever crossed her mind, and she allowed it to be. Her patience had run out.”

Admittedly, I feel like I’m out of snappy one liners, though probably not. Maybe I’m just over-saturated with Napoleon being generally disagreeable.  Either way, have a snippet about Dom, Kate’s best friend who’s not adjusting too well to the new supernatural, paranormal parts of her life.

Favorite Character

It’s time for Dominic Ruiz to shine! Honestly, he’s not as awful as that snippet above seems. He’s Emmy’s twin brother (and the younger twin, not that he would allow anyone to know that terrible knowledge and live to tell another soul), and he’s on the football team and is a part of the drama club. Put the kid in the theater and he’s a natural. Put him on the field and he’s also a natural. Just a good kid all around.

Before all this business with hell, Napoleon, and the things that go bump in the night, Dom and Kate were two peas in a pod, close as could be. I wouldn’t say pseudo-siblings, because Emmy is the only sibling Dom has ever known, and no one can ever parallel the relationship he has with his twin, but still. He and Kate have been joined at the hip since they were about eight, and it’s been a delightful friendship. Lots of getting in trouble together, lots of asking Emmy for school help, lots of cult classic movie nights tearing apart all the corny special effects.

But they’re not on great terms right now, because Dom is feeling replaced. Napoleon is taking up so much time in Kate’s life, and on top of that, it’s hard to believe someone when they say they need to focus on preparing to save the world instead of on your friendship, even if it’s your best friend in the whole world. It just sounds really outrageous, and a lot like an excuse, a way to avoid saying “I don’t want to spend time with you.”

When it comes down to it, though, he’ll support Kate through anything. He just needs to work through his feelings first, and maybe get used to the weird cat that she insists on bringing into his car.

He totally hates that Napoleon is just bones. He hates it so much. Don’t tell anyone he’s squeamish.

Goals for This Week

FINISH THIS PUPPY.

We are hitting 50k on Friday or BUST, folks. I’m not giving up on winning NaNo for the fourth year in a row, not when I’m so close. Is this more of a collection of word vomit than a real draft? Yes. But am I going to have 50k of word vomit that I didn’t have before and that can be shaped into something more appealing?

HELL YEAH.

I’ll see you on the other side with a total wrap on the project next Wednesday! Wish me luck, and if you feel like keeping an eye on where I’m at without having to wait a week, check in here on Saturday morning!