Another Day, Another Page

So my day started off with waking up at 6am.  There was breakfast and then I hit the gym.  I walked about two and a half miles and then did weight-lifting for an hour.  After that I biked for about fifteen minutes and then hit the treadmill again for another two miles.  And OMG I was tired afterward, but I feel good too.  The gym was insanely hot today and it wasn't much better outside.  Thank goodness I'm now in an air-conditioned room!

But enough about my day!  You're here because you wanna read some good stories!  At least that's why I hope you're reading this.  I wasn't sure I was going to be able to concentrate enough to write, but I did!  I wrote a rather, in my opinion, beautiful piece.  I really like how it turned out and for me, it strikes at the heart.  It is for this reason that I've decided not to post the story today.  Maybe tomorrow I'll finally give you something to read, but today's writing stays in my hands.

So I wrote exactly two pages.  I was going to write more, but I was at that point where my concentration was waning.  It was about an hour and a half of writing, so that's a good thing!  In my writing workshop that I took, my professors always encouraged trying to write at least for fifteen minutes a day.  That may only result in a paragraph, but the point is that you wrote that day.  I wrote today and no matter how long it took or how much I got written, I wrote and I feel great about what I wrote.

I may let one or two people read today's writing, if you're nice. ;)  Rum might convince to let you read it.  Bacon might be acceptable, but rum might really get you in good with me.  I like rum.  Rum is good.  And it's also gone.  Sorry, I drank it all while you weren't looking!

Time to going pirating again!  Check in tomorrow for more updates on my Page a Day project!

Flop Week and Distractions

So this past week has been a bit of a flop.  I've been too tired and haven't been able to sit down and focus on writing.  I know I haven't been getting my page a day!  But it's alright.  Some of that time was spent at the gym and spending time with the spouse, so I think it's alright.  I'm trying not to pressure myself into writing, but I am also trying to stick with it.

It can be pretty rough at times to be able to put your focus on anything at all whether its writing, going to the gym, working.  And if you're like me, there's always a distraction.  And of course there's always games!  But I think what matters most is actually trying to take the time and set out to do what you wanted to.  Hopefully, I'll be able to stick to this and have something to show for it in a year.  I'd like to have something to show for it, even if it's just half of my novel written.  It'll be something and something to help encourage me to write more.

I'm going to have to stop rewriting the first chapter though or I'm never going to get anywhere! XD

I thought I wasn't gonna be able to write today.  I woke up late and really didn't have the head for it.  After lunch I went to the gym for around three hours.  Walked two and a half miles and then did some weight lifting.  And then i came home exhausted, but somehow I managed to write some!

Recap of Yesterday and Today

Alright, so I did actually get some writing done yesterday!  Things were pretty busy so I didn't get to it until after midnight, but I did get a page done!  I also got a page written today.  So far I'm doing pretty good writing a page a day.  I think I will take weekends off (Hey I need a break too!) just because they can be far too hectic.

I've decided not to post yesterday and today's page (Sorry!).  I can't post everything you know!

Today I focused on a follow-up part of The Necromancer, which needs a ton of work, but it's not terrible.  Yesterday I played with a scene involving a pair of pyromaniac twins.  Yup, they're trouble and they got into some.  Yes, it involved something blowing up.  Those boys can either be pretty dangerous to their enemies or dangerous to themselves and anyone within a ten mile radius of them!

Maybe I'll post some reading material tomorrow!  Stay tuned for more!

The Necromancer

Today was a pretty busy day.  I went and got an eye exam, because I'm way too clumsy with my glasses and they needed replacing, so I've got a new pair coming in two weeks!  Woot!  I have a bit of a headache from the exam, but I managed to write a page today!  I'll be honest, part of this one creeps me out.  But I think I managed to take some of that creepiness away.

Anyway!  Enjoy!

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He had long since forgotten his name.  And so had everyone else.  No one came to visit him.  He had no family left.  They had died hundreds of years ago.  His only company was the few apprentices, young mages, who sought him out for training.  There had been too few of those lately.

He stood gazing into the tall mirror framed in charred, blackened wood.  It had withstood many battles and many angry apprentices who sought to take their master’s power.  His pale lips twitched into a smile.  Long black hair hung like string around his face.  His eyes were a brilliant shade of sapphire blue.  He was tall for a human, taller than the shortest northman, but shorter than the tallest.  He bore the appearance of a human at the age of forty-eight.

He spread a hand over his cheek, making the skin tighten for a moment.  He scowled at the mirror, at the age lines that had started to form.  He looked down at his hands that too showed his age.  He scowled again and looked into the mirror.  The mirror trembled as the earth under the tower rumbled.   

He took a deep breath and unclenched his fist.  The earth under the tower settled and the mirror stopped shaking.

“It seems it is time to renew my search for my apprentice.”  His voice was smooth and yet it crackled at the same time, “If he has survived.”

Above him there came a soft clicking and then the large spider unfurled itself and settled on the man’s shoulder.  He reached up to pet one of its hairy legs.  It clicked in pleasure again.

“Yes, I know you shall be quite excited to see him again.  You had so much fun with him, my pet.  Come, we must prepare ourselves.”

He swayed down the stairs of his tall tower, his pet skittering behind him.  A faint purple hue greeted the pair from the room below.  Bookcases lined the walls, covered in dusty tomes.  Jars with specimens floating inside them, lined one shelf.  A series of vials and other glass tubes were scattered along a table.  Several bubbled with different colored liquids.  At the other side of the room was another desk.  This one was covered in notebooks, dusty tomes and sheets of paper.

It was this desk that the pair moved toward.  The man leaned over the desk, moving papers as if searching.  His pet hop into the chair and peeked over the desktop, only its eight eyes showing.  Every so often, it would reach up a leg or two and knock something off the desk.  After a long search, He pulled out a small black velvet lined box.  He opened it carefully and smiled.

“Yes, this will do nicely.”  He said as he lifted a shimmering silver locket from the box. 

The Pirate and the Flower (Second Draft)

Recap of the weekend!  So I went to the gym Saturday morning for the first time in months.  I walked two and a half miles and then did some light weight lifting.  And now I hurt like hell!  But that's okay, because I went to the gym and that's what counts.

The weekend was pretty busy between shopping, the gym and spending some time with the spouse.  I didn't get any writing done.  I know I know!  I should have, but let's face it, sometimes you just don't have that fifteen minutes to sit down and write.  And that's okay.

I was going to go to the gym this afternoon, but my neck was hurting and I was feeling pretty bad, so I decided that I shouldn't go today.  I'll try again tomorrow though!

I was able to get some writing done this afternoon and I feel really good about this one.  I decided to do an exercise in perspective.  I generally write in third person and don't use first person often.  I'm not sure why I choose to do the first post in first person, but it was a good exercise too!  First person is great to get to know your character with and I do like to use it for that.

Since I write in third person mostly, I wanted to rewrite The Pirate and the Flower.  I think this version came out so much better than the first and I'm going to keep writing the story.  It's starting to turn out rather well and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Leave me a comment and tell me which version you like best!

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“I know what it is you desire.”  The woman’s cherry painted lips whispered into the man’s pointed ear.

The elven man chuckled softly and gestured to the chair across from him.  He made no effort to take his black leather boots off the table.  A black leather hat hid most of his face from the woman.  It had a red feather.  Short, jagged and slightly curly red hair peeked out from under the hat and a scar marred his left cheek and disappeared under the shadow of his hat. 

He wore two silver rings on his right hand, one with a sapphire set into it.  There was a black tattoo on the inside of his right wrist.  He wore a sleeveless black vest.  His skin was the deep tan of someone who spent too much time in the sun and not the alabaster white so common with elves.  The rest of his exposed body was covered in numerous scars.  Several slash marks ran down his arms.  There was a deep gash across his stomach and more small scars along the rest of his chest.  Set just over his heart was a blue tattoo of a trident.

“And just what is it,” He smirked, “that you think I want?”

The woman had short, dark hair and deep emerald green eyes.  Her only slightly pointed ears showed her half elven heritage.  She wore a light blue dress that did nothing to hide her vast assets.  On either hip she wore a rapier, one with a hilt shaped into the figure of a white tiger.  The other rapier had a hilt shaped into a wolf.

She settled fluidly in the chair across from the man and leaned over the table, “The only thing any blind man truly wants,” She reached over and plucked the bottle of rum near the man.  She took a sip and leaned back, “to see.”

She startled at his laugh.  He swayed to his feet and his sapphire blue eyes met hers for a moment until he turned away.  She sat tensed as he made a circle around the table.  His boots made a distinctive thud on the floor.  He paused behind her chair.  He leaned over her, brushing a lock of her hair away from her ear.

“My dear Lady, you have no idea what it is that I truly desire.”  He whispered.

The bottle of rum was suddenly gone from her hand.  She blinked and looked up to find the man taking a drink from the bottle.  As he made his way around the table and to his chair, she folded her arms over her chest.

“Then why is it that you are so desperate for this map, Captain Grimhawk?”  She asked.

“So you have heard of me?”

“Who hasn’t heard of the deadly pirate Captain Grimhawk?”

“You would be surprised by how many have not.”

“You know, I never thought I would ever meet you.  Are you really as greedy as they say?”  She said.

He shrugged, “That depends on your definition of greed.  Do I like treasure and things that sparkle?  Of course.  Do I want it all for myself?  Of course.”

“I think the answer would be yes in this case.”  She chuckled.  “There is something that I have always wanted to ask you.”

“And what might that be?”

“How does an elf become a greedy bastard like you?  You’re kind isn’t known for this sort of thing.”  She inched her hand across the table toward the bottle of rum.

He lifted the bottle just before she could take it and took a drink, “I am no ordinary elf.”

“Always a mystery, huh?”

“I do not give out all my secrets after just meeting a lady.  You can at least buy me a drink first.”

She smirked, “But you’ve already got a drink.”

“Ahh, but you see,” He set the empty bottle on the table, “the rum seems to be gone.”

She chuckled and motioned over a waitress, “I guess the rumors about the rum are true too then.”

They sat in silence until a new bottle of rum and two shot glasses were settled on the table.  The waitress blushed and hurried off when Captain Grimhawk flashed a rather charming smile at her.  He chuckled at her retreating back and turned back to the woman in front of him.

“So about this map..?”  He asked as he lifted one of the shot glasses.

“Impatient, aren’t you, pirate?”

“It is why I agreed to meet you here, flower.”

“I want,” She smiled as she refilled his glass, “double the price.”

“And you say I am greedy.”  He chuckled.

“What can I say, I like treasure too and I might just keep this map to myself.”  She leaned closer over the table.

He leaned closer in to her, brushing the bottle of rum and the shot glasses to the side, “I might need something else to accommodate such a hefty price.”

“Just like every man out there, aren’t you?”  She whispered, her lips almost brushing his, “Booze and sex and you’re just happy as a clam, hmm?”

He chuckled softly, “I cannot say that I do not desire you.  What man would not want such a beautiful and delicate little flower?”  His lips brushed hers and then he sat back.

She laughed to hide her moment of frustration, “I am far from delicate, pirate.”

“Is that so?  Are you willing to place a wager on that?”

“A wager on how delicate I am?”  She said in an amused tone.

“You’re obviously a skilled swordswoman, unless you carry those rapiers just for show.”  He smirked.

She blinked and then chuckled, “Are you challenging me to a duel, pirate?”

“I do like a woman who knows how to handle a sword.”

She chuckled again, “You name the place and the time.”

“Outside right now,” He grinned.

“You really do like to get right to things, don’t you?”

“I do want to make sure you show up and now seems like the perfect time, unless you are too afraid to take me.”

She leaned over the table, “I’ll take you any day and I’ll beat you, pirate.”

“Well, then, shall we take our business outside, flower?”  He swayed to his feet, swiping up the bottle of run and downing another swallow.

She filched the bottle from his hand as she passed by him, “If you’re impatient to lose to a woman, sure.”

He chuckled softly and followed her out of the inn.

The Azure Towers of Lonan

Well, I had a bit of trouble focusing today, but I managed to get something written!  This is a different story from yesterday's Page, because I felt like doing something different.  I hope you like it!  Time to brainstorm for tomorrow now!

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In the city of Lonan, two towers domed in deep sapphire loom over the city.  A series of black stone bridges connect the two towers.  The bridges twine in an obscure manner, some meeting, some spiraling upward or downward and some meeting halfway to go no further.  Only those that reside within the towers could truly know the right path to where ever they might be going within the towers.

At the heart and center of the city stood a brilliant sapphire fountain that continuously filled with sparkling, fresh, ice cold water.  It was a blessing for this desert city for there was no known water within miles.  And it was here that Esaias stood with his sapphire blue eyes fixed on the giant towers.

He had once heard of a legend that said when the first Raeca settled here, they imbued the fountain with magic to keep it always churning the purest water.  Raeca.  Esaias consciously ran a hand through his red-streaked black hair.  People on the street glanced at Esaias and quickly moved away from him. He was used to it now, so he did not even scowl at them as they hurried passed.

Raeca were the mages, healers, and magic-users.  Not every magic-user was Raeca.  Raeca are different from other mages, because they control some of the most powerful magic and as a result are more dangerous than other mages.

A Raeca child will be born of the same race as his or her mortal mother and father.  The difference between a Raeca and a normal child is that the Raeca is born with magic flowing through their veins.  Because of the magic, a Raeca child is very dangerous.  At birth, a Raeca has no control over their magic.  Many Raeca do not survive birth because of their uncontrolled magic.

The Raeca of the Azure Towers seek out Raeca children to both protect people and to keep their own magic alive.  It is said that Raeca once dominated the world.  They are said to be born of the dragons that walked before the lesser races.  The true origins of the Raeca are unknown, those tales and scrolls having been lost many thousands of years ago.

Unlike other mages of the world, Raeca are born with the only the ability to control the elements.  It is rare that a Raeca can control more than one element.  No Raeca has ever been known to have delved into the depths of necromancy, but there have been Raeca’s with the ability to heal.

Each element that a Raeca can control is reflected through the Raeca’s hair and skin.  Often a Raeca is born with tattoos that shimmer with a color associated with an element—blue for water, red, orange or yellow for fire, green or brown for earth, purple for air and white for healing.  Other times a Raeca will be born with streaks of color in their hair or their hair will be an unnatural color.

Esaias was born with streaks of red in his hair and deep, dark blue tattoos all over his body.  It was rare for him to be born with hair and tattoos of different colors.  He had learned early on that he could control fire and later in life he had learned he could control water.  He had not had formal training.  It was a miracle he had survived twenty years without any sort of training.

He had grown up on the street of a town some miles from Lonan.  His human mother had been very sick and had died only a few years after Esaias was born.  She had not had much and Esaias was forced to fend for himself out on the streets of the city.  He did not know who his elven father had been and he didn’t care.  If the man had not shown up to help his mother through her hard time than he did not care at all about the son she had borne.

Esaias sighed and looked back up at the tower.  He didn’t feel he needed training, but he felt it wouldn’t hurt to at least speak with someone.  When he was little he didn’t know what he was.  He never understood why people were afraid of him, but as he grew older he found out why.  He had not sought out the Azure Towers until now.

Now, he had a reason.

“Esaias, look!”  A elven girl of about six years old cried from behind him.

The little girl had very pale skin covered in deep blue runes.  Her hair was an unnatural sea-blue.  Her smile was bright and her sea-blue eyes sparkled as she lifted her hand into the air.  A small ball of water had floated from the fountain.  The ball of water churned and slowly formed into a unicorn.  The girl’s smile grew bigger and her laughter rang out like tiny bells.

People stopped to stare.  At first they seemed frightened of the Raeca child displaying her magic, but something about her smile, her laughter made them smile too.

“Euna, what did I tell you about using magic out in the open?  People already hate us enough, seeing you will upset them even more.”  Esaias moved over and closed his hand over the watery unicorn.  It sizzled and evaporated into the air.

Euna put her hands on her hips and scowled adorably at Esaias, “They already know what we are, Sai.  Why do we have to hide who we are?”

“Because people don’t like us and because they don’t like us they’ll try to kill us or worse.  You know that even better than I do.  Now come on, let’s go.”  He held out a hand to Euna.

Euna’s expression grew dark and she looked down at the ground.  After a moment she took Esaias’s hand, “I’m sorry, Sai.  I won’t do it again.”

The two Raeca disappeared into the crowded streets as they made their way to the Azure Towers. 

The Pirate and the Flower

I've decided to start a new project!  For the last year since I got sick I've had a lot of trouble writing.  My illness has greatly effected the way I write and some days I can't even focus to write a single sentence.  I've decided that in order to regain what writing skill I have, I'm gonna have to just sit my ass down and write.

I may not write a full page a day, but I sure as hell can try.  I may not even be able to write some days, but as long as I try I consider that a success.  I may not post everything I write, but I will give a few peeks here and there.

Feel free to leave me comments and even critiques, but please keep them both tasteful.

Without further ado... Here's today's page!

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“I know what it is you desire.”  She said to me.

I smirked at her.  “And just what is it you think I want?”

I could hear her returning smirk, those cherry painted lips twitching upward.  Her fingers splayed over the table and she caressed my hand.

“The only thing that any blind man truly wants,” her finger traced a path up my wrist, “To see again.”

She jumped when I laughed.  I could sense her shock.  She hadn’t expected that.  She had expected me to come crawling, begging over to her, and pleading to be given that simple gift of sight.  But I had no desire to see again.  No one ever understood why.  There was a peace within the never-ending darkness.  It was a whole new world and once the other senses took over, it’s not always necessary to see with the eyes.

I swayed to my feet.  My boots made a distinctive thud on the wooden floor of the tavern as I circled the table.  I paused behind her chair and leaned down.  I reached over and with the faintest brush of my fingers, tucked her hair behind one of her slightly pointed half elven ears.

“My dear lady, you have no idea what it is that I truly want.”  I whispered.

She sat frozen and then she too laughed, “Is that all that you desire?  Men, your all the same aren’t you?  Sex and booze and you’re happy as a clam.”

I chuckled as I finished the circle around the table.  I tucked the map I had pulled from her pocket into my own pocket.  It had been easy to lift it from her pocket—too easy.  I hide the tension, the anticipation of what she might do next.  Not many noticed when I lifted something from their pockets.  It was easier to do if you bumped into the person.  It was even easier as a blind man.

I could hear her loosen her top as she leaned over the table toward me.  So many women forgot far too quickly how their assets were lost on me.  It didn’t stop my desire for them nor me from taking them to my bed.  Sex was so much better as a blind man.

“Well, if that’s all you want in exchange for a little map.  I don’t usually share a room with a man upon the first meeting, but I’ll make an exception for you.”

Again I chuckled as I turned my chair around and sat down in it backward, “I cannot say that I do not desire you.  What man would not want such a beautiful, delicate little flower?”

She laughed, “I am far from delicate, pirate.”

I ran a hand through my dark red hair, flashing her one of my best, charming smiles.  It was one that had so very often made women faint.  I so loved it when they did, but this woman was different and I knew she would not faint.  But it didn’t mean I couldn’t try.

“Mmm.  I guess I won’t know how delicate you are not until you show me.”  I said.

“Perhaps we should take this upstairs so that I can show you.”  She said.

“Why don’t we start with a bottle of rum first?”

“But you already have a bottle.”  She gestured to the one sitting on the table.

“Ah yes, but it is empty.”  I said as I lifted the bottle and drained the last of the golden liquid.

She laughed and beckoned a server to bring us another bottle, “So the stories about the rum disappearing when you’re around are true?”

“So you have heard of me.”

“Who hasn’t heard of the deadly pirate Captain Grimhawk?”  She said.

“You would be surprised by how many have not.”  I said.

“You know there’s something I’ve always wanted to ask you.”

“And what might that be?”

She thanked the server and began to pour two glasses of rum, “How does an elf become such a greedy and deadly pirate?  Normally your kind sit around in trees and stay hidden from the rest of the world in their forest.  Or they are stuck up pricks that need to pull a stick out of their asses.”

I lifted my glass when she passed it over, “Well, I am no ordinary elf.”

She laughed at my vague answer and drank from her glass.  I lifted mine in toast before sipping.  I could feel her eyes on me, so I took a deeper drink from my glass.

“Ahh, rum.  A drink from the very heavens if ever there was one.”  I said.

Her voice filled with amusement, “I’ve heard tell that pirates generally water down the rum to make it last longer.”

“And spoil the flavor?”  I scoffed.  “Not on your life lady.  At least not my rum.”  My rum was far more different and so much better than the piss taverns served, but they did not tend to like it when you brought your own liquor.

She chuckled again and filled my glass, but she did not feel her own.  I pretended not to notice.  The woman intended to get me drunk and probably take off with everything I owned.  She’d probably try to take my ship out of the harbor too.  I took another long drink from my glass so as to hide my amused smile.

“Shall we acquire another bottle and head to your room, pirate?”  She slid her hand across the table to trace the lines of my palm.

“Better make it two bottles, flower.”