Exciting times

I opened chpter 22 yesterday with a couple of paragraphs. I find it better if I leave it incomplete - that gives me an incentive to go back and finish. If I save it away, having completed a chapter, it makes it that much harder to restart.

Anyway, I am gearing up to the reveal, perhaps the most important part of the book, which then leads rapidly to the completion.

I'll try to give some idea, without giving the game away, but I am about to whisk the hero back in time to witness events, and also am trying to weave a bit of love interest into it - yes, I know, fellas, the sloppy bits, but it is what the lassies want, so they tell me.

Me, I'm not into this sloppy stuff; for me it's more like "gerremoff, wham bam, thank you ma'am", but I am trying hard to get it right.

If I don't, then there are those out there------------------------------> who shall remain nameless for the moment, who will put me right, or will try!

So, as part of this love interest, I need to have the lady drag our hero into her bed - oh, yes, fellas, it happens, don't you know! When she does, that's where I whack him, and she misses out on her goodies! Nice twist, huh?

Here's a section that I writted this morning. Out of a total of 2100 done this morning, I can spare about 400 to give a taste. Whether or not these words will remain as is, be changed or scrapped, remains to be seen.

Extract ( copyright, naturally):-

Finishing off his plate, he refilled the two glasses and glanced out of the window, where the river was bathed in the failing sunlight of dusk.

……..

His attention was drawn to something: yes, that was it, a boat. A rowing boat was making its way slowly across the river, making a large curve against the tide. The rower, with jacket and breeches, his Montero pulled down over the face against the cool breeze, and two people, a man and a woman aboard.

Perhaps it is the ferry, taking these two people over the river. She is dressed in a full hooded cloak and he has the tall flat topped conical hat adopted by many puritans. The lace of his collar and cuffs stand out in the dying light. They must be on a journey somewhere, following their business on the other side.

The boat moves down river in a large curve, against the tide, then turns to return with the tide to its landing point on the other side. It seems so graceful, so peaceful yet it must be hard work rowing a boat on the river at this time, with the tide running like that.

The boat arrives at the other side, the ferryman climbs out and pulls the boat’s prow into the grassy bank and ties a rope to a post. He steadies the boat and helps the woman to climb out safely onto the bank and then helps the man lift a chest from the boat.

The man climbs out and pays the ferryman, who bows and returns to his boat to begin the return journey, making the same curve as before.

……

“Duncan?”

“Duncan!”

Someone was trying to draw his attention, shaking him by the shoulder and calling his name!

“Duncan! Come back, please. Please come back to me!”

The scene remained as he felt something warm and soft. The voice continued, repeating, “Duncan, come back!”

“Come back? From where?”

The boat and the river faded as he discovered his face was pressed against someone, someone soft who was holding his head against her bosom.

He looked towards the river, but could only see reflections of the room in the glass, the darkness outside unbroken by any form of light.

Angela stood by his chair, holding him tight, his head pressed against her bosom, calling his name.

Moving to sit upright, he asked “Did you see the boat, Angela?”

“What boat?”

“I was watching a boat rowing across the water. Didn’t you see it as well?”

“No, Duncan, I didn’t! Were you dreaming?”

“Not a dream, more a vision, I think.”

“Did you go back there? Was it Alice, do you think?”
“I think I must have, Angela. It was as if I was standing on the bank, watching. It was

end of extract.

Good, innit? Or is it? Only time will tell.

Oh, by the way, I'm dead chuffed. My reader in Australia, who was totally unaware of the project, has read the first 16 chapters of the draft, and has given it the thumbs up! He says he is not qualified to give anything like a critique, but he reckons it is enjoyable and readable.

As I write this blog entry, the word total stands at almost exactly 57000. This present chapter needs perhaps 6 or 700 more to finish, then I estimate another 7 to 10 thousand after that to completion in just a few weeks time, maybe sooner - it all depends.

So, looking forward to the completion of the first draft, I will need help, I think.

I have not decided as yet, but I am leaning towards asking for help. Binky has done a sterling job for me, and I cannot thank her enough, but she has followed the story as it has unfolded, keeping me from all the usual major boo boos such as name and character changes, story diversions etc.

Stinky has enjoyed the story, as much as she has seen, but she got confused by my plot changes, which is understandable, given the roughness of the writing. I did go off track a bit, and she followed into the wilderness, bless her. She too, admits that she cannot give a critique, other than the obligatory oohs and aahs!

So, I fancy I will be asking for a volunteer to do this when it is complete!

Anyone amongst my net friends care to volunteer so that I may consider it more deeply?