Prompt: Blinded By Time

Any time a post begins with "Prompt:" it's a scene or story written from a prompt picked randomly from my Pinterest board, "Prompts."

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http://www.prweb.com/releases/InventHelp/Vision-Invention/prweb10966513.htm

BLINDED BY TIME

Can you help me? I laugh. When you've been blind as long as I have, your other senses get sharp. And you gain new ones. A sixth sense, yes, sure. I nod and blink, and maybe you've never seen a blind person blink or even move as skillfully as I, but I'm not necessarily the average blind person.

Ah, yes. Everyone wants to know how it happened, but it's not much of a story. Or, you had to be there. It's not nearly as exciting when you don't live it.

You insist, do you?

I laugh again. Sure. You do insist. Well, let me just say that I didn't ask for it. And, like all the worst wounds, it happened because of someone that I cared very much about.

I had only just become immortal - but maybe that's another story for another day. My eyes were bright - and a visionary blue, mind, not frosty like they are now. And I had fallen in love. 

Everyone says they'd rather not become immortal, because when you're immortal, you watch everyone you ever care about die. You see everything they ever go through. But, of course, I didn't believe it - hogwash, I said. I turned a - excuse the pun, a blind eye to the problem. Ignorance truly is bliss, after all. And with my un-aging heart, I fell in love. Deeper in love than I believe many get the chance to fall into. It was beautiful - divine is the only really accurate word to describe it. Angelic, impossibly romantic and platonic, black and white, innocent and terribly guilty. The highest mountains and the deepest valleys. 

Most people give up immortality so they don't have to lose those they love. I lost mine anyway. 

He gave up on me. He knew about my - my "gift," he called it, and told me that he couldn't stand to hurt me like that. He gave up on my strength, gave up on belief, gave up on faith, until we were suddenly separated.

It was like I'd lost wings - the only perfect part of me gone, leaving me screaming agony, sobbing torrents, pulling at every loose piece of me and rubbing myself raw. There seemed to be nothing left, and when I was finally done crying - 

Well, I had a dream. I'd been "blessed" again, they said. Instead of being a nameless (and now soulless) immortal, I'd be given the right of a goddess. But with a sacrifice. No sight - only a clock. An endless, ticking clock.

I've given up on being bitter, you don't have to worry about that.

You look at me with an empty face, that questions the truth of my lies. And I just smile and tell you that, no, they aren't contacts. And there's a reason I haven't a grey hair on my head.

It's Over Now

I'm (kinda) free! And so are a heck of a lot of writers!

So, the solid ending for National Novel Writing Month is officially over, and I'm pretty happy about it. My handle on my sanity was starting to fade a little bit. I ended somewhat significantly under 50,000 words, but did get about 36,000 in there. So, not great, but definitely good.

[Side note: I met a girl who, with two days left of November, still had 127,000 words written. From that month. I admire her will to write]

I am very happy with the thoughts that have turned out into words and the characters that I've had conversations with... And the real idea now is that it's only going up from here. I have the beginning laid out, I have the plot started, and I have... A sense of accomplishment?

Also, Christmas is coming - that's good news. I'm broke, but it should be fun anyway.

NaNo Update

I think the universe chose November to be the busiest of all of the months. Halloween ends, Thanksgiving and Black Friday happens, and then November 1st is the official signal for all things Christmas if the day after Thanksgiving isn't.

BUT! Good news, I have an update for you!
So, the official goal for NaNoWriMo is 1,667 words a day. But, who are we kidding - sometimes, I can hardly even wrench out 1,000. So, I've been under the goal this whole time (predictably, I suppose) but I'm at about 30,000 words, which is much better than last year's NaNo attempt. And, I have a teeny little quote to share!

"...My ribs had to expand to fit everything my heart was bleeding. It felt like the colors of an oil spill - with all the same shades of a rainbow, but they had been manhandled, mottled and twisted and unclear."
- Rebecca (Beck) Cruss, How to Be a Cat Lady

My books don't generally get poetic like that, but when they do... We'll just say I get very excited.

All in all, we have a story on our hands. Every sentence I write is followed by a sort of mantra ("It will be edited, it will be edited, it will be edited") and every word is added to the total. The best part of all of this is that I feel like I'm in control... Sorta.

Happy writing!

And Here We See NaNoWriMo

It's about to be a frenzied month, I'll tell you that much.

With all the homework I have, the job I'm trying to hold up, and the mess that is my room, there's not much that's going to keep me motivated except the story itself. I think it's definitely going to be a difficult task to keep a story up, especially with the way my writing habits have been over the past few months (they haven't been pretty).

But I really hope this story keeps me motivated.

The story is called How to Become a Cat Lady, and it's not only about cat ladies, but magic, as well. In fact, the cat ladies are the magical piece of the story.

Here's some pieces of the inspiration to chew on:

"Being a witch, in the present century, is a lot less about potions and spells, and a lot more about the cats and boots to go with your hat."
"Not that we don't use potions and spells."
"Oh, yeah, we use potions and spells daily. But... The cats!"

 

This is some concept art I had for the cover - I have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to all the ideas (AND CATS) for this book. I've planned all the major characters, got a few main plot points down, and whipped up some background information today. I don't want to say that I feel like I'm ready for this book, since it's such a dangerous trick to play on yourself... But I am so ready, at least to get started on this idea. I have big hopes and dreams for this little guy.

On the other hand, good luck to your writing this month! There are no promises or spells I can bless you with that will keep the writer's block away, but I can wish creativity and imagination upon you, and send hopes of good cups of coffee or tea or apple cider to you this November. I plan on updating the internet with all of my news (and maybe even a couple day to day snippets) on how the month progresses.

May your writing be inspired and your writing juice of choice be potent.

Link to the Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/allysonita/witch-darling/?etslf=3288&eq=witch

NGL

I'm not going to lie to you.

I am a young author, stressed about her life and her liberty and especially her pursuit of happiness - because the thing that would seemingly make me happiest would be a a couple of decisions made, cut and clean. And right now, that decision is to help myself "Take Off." I would tell you that I'd like to "Get Myself Out There," except that it's my least favorite phrase in the world; one that I've heard countless times from both my mother and father, as well as every single person I've ever asked for advice on a career in essentially anything (of course, that's not to say that it isn't good advice - I'm just sick and tired of it).

This page is a place that I am going to dedicate to putting my own works in a physical form. I won't deny the idea of them being open to constructive criticism, but it is also a sort of Rough Draft Portfolio.

Welcome to my world of short stories and bits of writing. This is a fresh start.