@kaymart
Active 1 year, 7 months ago- Rank: Charismatic Rebel
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I must apologize for a few reasons.
First, because I haven’t been around. That’s completely my fault. I had actually forgotten about this account altogether. I became quite occupied with StoryEmbers.org and so this one completely slipped my mind.
If you would like me to begin posting bits and pieces here again, I shall do that sometime “soon”.
I’m back – at last – and I’ll begin posting some bits and pieces in this thread. Today is when I plan to start.
Let’s get started…
This first bit is the first part of a character interview. Well, of sorts. You’ll see. Warning, it is over 1K words and it’s not finished.
I hesitate as I enter the coffee shop, glancing left and right as I try to locate the woman I am supposed to be interviewing today. After contacting her about this I nearly canceled the entire idea after hearing her get all choked up about the memories. They must have been horrendous.
Not seeing anyone who resembled the middle-aged woman I spoke on the phone with just two days ago, and so I chose one of the empty tables in a corner thinking she would prefer the solitude for this [interview]. I don’t want her to decide that answering my queries will only upset her and leaving.
I ordered a mocha for while I await her arrival, sipping on the hot beverage as I leaf through the thin stack of papers in front of me on the table. Each time the door opens I glance up, hoping it’s the subject of this interview. Usually sighing with disappointment when I see it’s a man or an older couple–or a younger couple. I doubt she would bring anyone with her.
I was busily reading through my notes and writing down key words to remind me of questions I had forgotten to put on the list when the door opened for the umpteenth time. As had become almost customary for me, I glanced up as the cold air from outside fluttered the pages spread out on the small table. I sighed. Another couple.
But something about this couple struck me as peculiar. They appeared somehow familiar to me, but I couldn’t pinpoint from where. My eyes remained glued to them, observing as the man grasped the woman’s elbow gently, protectively. Almost as if doing his best to keep from losing her. I absently wonder why that is, but at just that moment she meets my eyes. The reluctant smile lifting the corners of her mouth prompts my own.
The man glances in my direction when she says something to him, and he responds to her before starting towards me. I lift my coffee cup as a way of greeting them, nodding toward the cash register to indicate they might want to get something before starting. They change directions.
“Good morning.” His greeting sounds almost stilted, and I wonder if I inviting him was a good idea. He appears a bit more protective of the woman than is normal.
But maybe there’s more to the story than I know.
I stand, holding out my hand first to the woman who grasps it and gives it a good shake before releasing it and tucking her hand back into her coat pocket. I turn slightly, offering my hand to the man as well, but his expression gives me the impression he will refuse. However, before I have the chance to withdraw my hand he reaches out and grabs ahold of it, shaking it a bit too vigorously.
“Don’t hurt her,” the woman reprimands him softly, nudging his arm. He releases me, his hand going back to [grasp] her arm once more in his.
“Do either of you want something to drink? Coffee or water? I think they also have milk. Or perhaps you’d like something to eat?” I clasp my hands behind my back while I wait for their replies. The man’s arm now surrounds the woman’s shoulders, hugging her to himself as if permitting her to move about would allow someone to steal her away.I raise an eyebrow at the odd possessiveness of the man but say nothing because–as before–it could be due to something of which I’m not aware. Instead, I motion to the cashier, then the table and chairs.
“So,” I start, “would you like anything before we begin?” They glance at each other, and the woman nods quickly. The man accompanying her helps her to sit–I’m only just noticing the cane she holds in her hand. I quickly jot down the word /cane/ as a way to remember my question about it.
The man goes to place their order–hers, rather–leaving the woman sitting and me standing as I watch him. The coat hides most of his appearance, but his strong, square jawline and prominent nose tell me he’s used to the out of doors. The winter cap sitting askew on his head [hides] most of his hair, but I can just make out some chestnut brown ends sticking out from beneath the knit fabric.
“Did you make his hat?” I glance over at the woman as I ask her this; my notebook remains closed so she knows I’m not interviewing her yet. She blinks in surprise that I’m addressing her–I wonder why that is–and glances toward the man who came with her. He’s standing at the counter waiting for what he ordered to come through. I raise an eyebrow again at how he digs in his pocket when the cashier returns and tells him the cost.
/Didn’t he have time to get money out while he was waiting?/ I shake my head before turning back to the woman sitting at the table and fingering the delicate-looking pendant around her neck. The oval shape is too small for holding pictures, but the light shining above our heads reveals there is an inscription. But it’s too small for me to read from this distance.
“What does it say?” I indicate the necklace, hoping she will understand and tell me the answer. She looks down, gripping the [pendant] tightly in one hand, as though fearing I might take it. I reached out and placed my hand over hers instead. She glanced up suddenly, her eyes wide and a little squeak escaping her. I tried to reassure her by smiling again. Her hand remained stiff beneath mine, however, and I withdrew.
“You seem a bit jumpy to me,” I say as I maintain eye contact. “Would you mind telling me why that is?” She glances towards her companion nervously, her eyes widening when she sees him approaching. I’m not entirely sure why she’s so afraid, and follow her gaze. The man coming towards us is carrying a steaming cup of coffee in each hand. The expression on his face could be one of either anger or blankness.
I glance back at the woman–she still hadn’t told me her name–to find her eyeing the man with a kind of apprehensiveness. I’m not sure why she looks so afraid, but I want to let her know she isn’t alone. I’m here to help her if the need should arise.
THANKS to you both!!
I haven’t been able to get here, and had forgotten about this story. I may work on it occasionally, but I’ll be posting other bits and pieces if you don’t mind.
For instance…
Stronger than you Think
[Markus Brody] stood at the top of the hill nearest his house located on the outskirts of Bramble Creek, [State name]. He gazed into the distance, asking himself why he didn’t just leave this place. No one was likely to miss him if he made a run for it.
I’m not brave enough to do that. As badly as Pa treats me I can’t’ desert him like that. He squatted and plucked some of that grass from the wealth of [dancing, long green stems]. Straightening to his full height of nearly six feet, Markus fiddled with two of the [long] pieces, allowing the others to fall unnoticed back to the ground.
If only his father was more willing to bend. Unlike this grass, he was rigid and cold. Unfeeling is how his mother put it the day before she disappeared. He never saw the shrunken, former blond again.
Okay. I’m trying to decide how I want to do this.Sharing my writing, I mean. I want to, and Daeus mentioned a group in the forum…but I couldn’t locate it. I’ll also share a few book covers with you guys, if you don’t mind. (tough if you do, because I am anyway).
THANK YOU, CATWING! Sorry for not getting back to you sooner!
I’m sorry I haven’t been back except that one time a few days ago. I’ve neglected this site mostly because I forgot (let’s be honest). But also because I haven’t had much time for writing. No, that’s not right. Let’s just say I’ve been foolish and leave it at that.
The novel critique forum, you say, Daeus? I couldn’t find it when I looked before and just now. Maybe I was looking in the wrong place.
I’d love to know what people there might be saying about it. Can anyone update me on that? 🙂
GOD BLESS!
I sadly have not worked in this story very much since posting the bit I did at the top. But I think continuing will be a must now that I’ve reread the comments here. I hope you won’t be disappointed.
Possible titles
~ Stand Together
~ The High Road
~ Marching on
~ Grief-Stricken~ Tough Choices / Decisions
~ Look to the Stars
~ Deep Roots~ Love me This way
~ I Bleed for you
~ Stand strong / TogetherAs usual, please let me know if you would like a title. I have these and many more.
Oh. I had forgotten about this conversation!
How about I post a few more story titles and the plots that I think goes with them? (Am I able to post photos?) *shrugs* I’ll try anyway.
I need as much help as I can get with my plotting. I thought I could write by pantsing, but that hasn’t been working out for me. I tried plotting before, but it didn’t work out, either.
I figured I should try for both at once, but that’s not working, either. My plotting could be improved, but I’m not sure what to do or how to do it.
Help?
Thank you for the invite (@snapper, was it?) but I really don’t understand how this is supposed to work. And I think it’s an old post, anyway? But perhaps I can join in another time.
I’m trying to write in an older novella for Camp Nano this year. it’s actually making some progress, even though it’s a fairly personal story that’s difficult to write.
Oh, and did I mention I wrote a scene for a different novella than the one I was planning on?
MEMORY!
See what I mean about repetition? I had already mentioned my website! :O
