The editing meter hasn't changed since Saturday. With the Hunter Campaign and Weekend Heroes yesterday, I didn't have time to do any more writing. But I did have a reassuring talk with my editor, who told me that we can and will do the book the way I want it. I love this man very much; he's passionate about his work and my work and the work of the other writers and illustrators at Ardor House. He's been thinking about it a lot, about the market, and marketing, I made him think he said. So my book will be a fantasy paperback, without illustrations, save the cover. There you have it. My book. Just my story, my words.

I'm looking forward to his editing comments, to finishing the manuscript and starting conceptual work on book 2 about Sol and the fall of the Tress empire. I feel motivated.

At the office... not the same story. The training has got me thinking about my role at the office and what I could do to change things there. And then my thoughts naturally stray to the things I can't change. Like our manager, mr. Goodnews I'll call him. With the yearly talks and the potential bonuses linked to that, there are some very unhappy faces, not to mention ugly rumours and complaining. Not an environment that makes me perky. I suddenly remember why I never talk much to the colleagues...

So what's on the menu this week? A night alone, with a brief visit to Casus Belli's favourite historian. Legend of the Five Rings on Tuesday night and nothing else. Plenty of time to write. Maybe some shopping because I need shoes.

I'm relieved. And a little bothered by my colleagues. Let's get cracking.

My chest and back are ouchie. I mean really I can't sit because it hurts. And I'm wearing my best bra... Is my cup E finally taking its toll? And no husband home tonight to hug it all better... He's away for work.

/tries to sit up straight while muttering away the pain...

Another day was spent at Balamaethor's house. The posse accompanied him to the bank and back, while still arguing over Fiona and her request to join them. Paythan seemed to think that she was a ditz and would only get in their way and Yng didn't want to endanger any young women. Fabi was a little uncomfortable about having a yearning girl nearby. Doctor Melvin was the only who voted yes, until Ulfgar simply said: "Let her come. Either she's incompetent and she'll die, or she's not and it that case she can join us." Melvin was satisfied and went to tell her that she could join.

Balamaethor paid our heroes generously for watching him so closely for three days. Generously for such a small job, but still not enough to buy those magical items some of our heroes are dreaming of. Those seven thousand gold pieces on the pirate's head sounded more like it.

Fiona arranged a ship for Fabi and his posse and they set sail for a nearby island where a pirate's hideout was rumoured to be. The ship's captain and crew were a little afraid of the pirates. They assured our heroes they would defend themselves if necessary, but they would only drop the heroes off at the island and then be on their way.

The heroes relaxed on deck as the ship set sail and Fiona tried to make conversation with Fabi, but he was too busy to talk to her. Doctor Melvin jumped in to make Fiona a little more comfortable. She started to ask questions about Yng, who scared her a little, and the Doctor explained that Yng was not in a good mood lately. And that he might not be human either...

"Sail ho!" A ship on the horizon. Ulfgar grinned and took a bottle of greek fire out of his bag. Could it be the pirates? What adventures lie waiting for our heroes on the pirate island? find out in two weeks!

This is going faster than I thought.

44808 / 85107 words. 53% done!

I've paused now because I have to write the dreaded sex scene...

37289 / 84134 words. 44% done!

It's nice to see how much work I can do on my day off. I was afraid I might be tired because of the training yesterday, so I'm pleasantly surprised. I'll be taking a break to play a game for now; I've been editing since 11 this morning. And look how far I got.

They hurt. Again. I'll have to look back through my LJ to see when was the last time that I got my feet looked at but it's ouchie. I don't have a lot of shoes that make it better. I have the slippers I bought for Drachenfest with their nice thick soles, they give comfort, but my feet also get cold. All of the shoes I can wear to go anywhere make my feet ache though...

My feet are like litte contortionists; they can take pretty much any position; high heels, flat boots, narrow tennis shoes, I can wear them all, and they all start to hurt me sooner or later because my little spineless feet don't seem to have a stable shape of their own. Walking around barefoot hurts immensely, just as much as the high heels.

Does anyone know how to make my feet musles and bones feel like themselves again? Does anyone want to take me shopping for some really good therapeutic shoes?

With a number of friends going on about how much fun they had at Unity this weekend, I want to go too next February. And Unity is a great excuse to wear something inspired by war uniforms. So I started googling for photo's of women in uniform...
( Photo's behind cut )

If you can find any other pictures that fit this style, old pin-ups or some such, please paste them in a comment. I'll be watching video's on Youtube about how to do 1940's hair now...

23948 / 83286 words. 29% done!

Stuck on a scene where Sol has a bad day. I have some nice ideas but I can't get them down yet. Work in progress. Otherwise the revisions are progressing nicely. I wonder how much work the type-editor will need to do; I take pleasure in fixing the commas and the capitals.

This week in Nathreee's life:
-The traditional recipe for Snert has been perfected for my slowcooker.
-No, I will not be making any for our D&D guests tomorrow night. I do on the other hand have plot for them. And some kind of stew.
-Wednesday and Thursday will be spent at the Assertiveness Training at a little castle on the Mookerheide, the local moors. I have mixed feelings about the whole thing, as I fear that I will be having my period in those days and consequently will be overly sensitive and teary-eyed.
-Friday and Saturday I can recuperate and play more KotOR! It was on sale at Steam this weekend and I decided to brush up on my Star Wars knowledge and try it out. So far I'm stuck on trying to operate the turret on the Ebon Hawk and I'm a light-side goody, of course.
-Sunday I will finally join the Hunter Campaign and in the evening the Weekend Heroes will convene in Ost Guruth.

Sometimes when I stand in the show and the sun shines in through our bathroom window, I can really see what my skin looks like and think a dermatologist could have a field day on me alone. My parents should have just called me Spot. I have red spot on my arms and legs where teeny tiny little hairs are having trouble piercing their way through my skin. I have white spots along my spine and in other places where I sweat. And you know how people sometimes think birth marks may have some kind of significance? Well I sometimes think I may have important 2nd world war documents inscribed on my skin in morse code. Either that or I may be Rorschach's lovechild.

Sometimes I wish my eyes weren't so damn good...

23948/83286 words = 29%

Tickers can of course also be used for this.
Anyway, back to Seeker and failing...

The story keeps getting better and better. It surprises me, because matociquala and stillsostrange seem to hate the editing phase so much.

But now I've reached a new thing... Magic is usually so powerful in my world. Jareth and Estha and Topaz are all very powerful. Seeker is not. And I have this scene where he tries to fight off some thugs with his magic, and fails. But how?

Sondel is definitely a name that will be used, but it is, as Dama pointed out, a female name. The scribe will be called Lanbri. Thank you.

The weekend heroes were in Trestlebridge this weekend, defending the town against the evil tarkrip orcs. As Fabulas loudly sung battle songs and played his theorbo, the heroes followed Dwizel who relentlessly attacked every orc in sight while trying to find his way around their camp. Findrael made kindling out of their huts and signal fires as Rea amused herself bashing orc skulls with her shield. The Weekend Heroes would have razed the camp if it wasn't for that damn respawn rate.

It was a good night. In two weeks, the Weekend Heroes will reconvene at Ost Guruth to assist Radaghast the Brown in exploring the Red Pass. Hopefully, they will defeat many wights. The people of Middle-Earth can rest a little easier with such bravery on their side.

I seem to be a little stuck on Axendo and the old writings he finds in the Hall of Records. It's because he finds things there that are from book 2 and I want to get them right. I'll be posting a little thing later where you can vote about a character's name... I've almost got it worked out.

This week is looking to be a normal week. Finally. Tell me about the things you are planning to do at Unity, I so want to go NPC there when this book is done. My head is still stuck on Maerquin. Ellenora is in love, and I think Fedor is too. What a rush!

A normal week with a little Legend of the Five Rings diplomacy, a nice dinner with Bram, a kick-off for a personal training at work that will teach me and my colleagues more about assertiveness and persuasion, and a visit to my brother and his wife in the weekend.

Come down to earth Nathreee... Nah sorry, not working, must write more, must dream more.

Sitting at home for days on end because of illness is such a sure-fire way to make me restless and jittery. I can't seem to concentrate for long, not even on fun TV series of 40 mins. Let alone write. Oh no. It drives me nuts. And the worst thing is:
I don't know what to do to make it better...

So help me out. How would you describe someone who is so struck with realisation that he is speechless? Surprise doesn't quite cut it. Bewildered has a positive ring to it, and this is definitely negative. I'm not sure about the word shocked, I don't know if it's strong enough for what I have in mind. And speechless is not the right word either, because he ends up saying one word. So I'm lost...

I thought I might get some writing done now that I had to stay home. Lots of writers do their thing while wearing pyjamas and Bimfoodle's presence can't be bad for my state of mind either. Or so I thought.

I can't remember what I did yesterday though, except from occaisionally feeling either very hot or really cold. I could neither muster the strength to write a word, nor summon the will to play a game of any significance. And today is not much better. Look at the time and I have gratingly produced some very bad lines about Axendo being threatened by Yugir and his thugs. Bimfoodle is giving me looks of pity across the desk and Remco is coughing exhaustedly in the background. Being ill sucks.

I'll just continue writing badly until I start feeling better...