lolmac: (chemistry lesson)
Beth (the 'Mac' is silent) ([personal profile] lolmac) wrote2003-03-06 12:00 pm
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Progress Report and Teaser

It appears that my writing patterns have changed. Maybe I can blame the weather – while the rest of the US has suffered horrible crushing winter abuse, we’re having one of the earliest springs on record. We’ll probably have a drought this summer due to inadequate snowpack in the mountains. But for the moment, I have daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, and forsythia all blooming at once, along with ‘leventy-jillion other pretty flowers. And a lot of pollen in the air.  *sneeze*

So I haven’t been getting much writing done during the week – a few slow words in the evenings is all. Most of my writing gets accomplished on the weekends. But I’ll take it any way it comes. Chapter 10 of Reverb is moving steadily forward, with frequent pauses to absorb supplemental research (rather like supplemental vitamins, but more fun).

Speaking of fun, I had far too much of it on one particular passage, and I’m going to share it here as a teaser. It almost makes it as a double drabble, and stands alone passably well.


“Now, this stuff won’t explode, but you have to be careful. Make sure your hands are dry before you touch it, and wash them well afterwards.” Pablo nodded earnestly, his dark eyes round as he studied the metal can half-full of fine white crystals that MacGyver had handed him. “Don’t let any get in your mouth, you got that? You’ll know if you do – it doesn’t have much of a flavour, but it’s very sweet. You’ll notice it right away.”

“Is it poison?”

MacGyver laid his good hand on the boy’s shoulder reassuringly. “Better not take any chances. Just be careful.” He handed Julio the worn T-shirt and the sheaf of scrap paper, and waved the two boys away. “Get busy, now.”

He’d been aware all along of Xavier’s keen eyes watching him, studying and absorbing everything he was doing. When he turned his head, he saw the sardonic smile and knew he was busted.

Xavier spoke quietly, in English. “Very slick. You never told him even one little lie.”

“Well, I coulda told him that it’s a slow poison.”

The guerrilla grinned. “Is there a reason you’re not telling him it’s ordinary white sugar?”

~

'Beth
March 2010

[identity profile] lothithil.livejournal.com 2010-03-06 08:02 pm (UTC)(link)
I love this passage! *glee*
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[identity profile] technoshaman.livejournal.com 2010-03-06 08:51 pm (UTC)(link)
OK, now I *gotta* read what that came from. SUGAR?!
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[identity profile] technoshaman.livejournal.com 2010-03-06 09:49 pm (UTC)(link)
hee hee hee hee so when ARE you getting that Twitter account? You know how, you've done your research...

Airplane parts? Oh, PLEEEEEEZE, Bre'r Fox, don't trow me in dat briar patch!

(o/~ Born an' bred in de briar patch... o/~ :)
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[identity profile] technoshaman.livejournal.com 2010-03-09 07:19 am (UTC)(link)
WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!! *holds empty bowl up plaintively* More, please?
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[identity profile] technoshaman.livejournal.com 2010-03-09 07:41 am (UTC)(link)
oh, sure, try and distract me. Want *that* one! :) :) :) :)

(I love the way you do your chapter headings... and I read the ones from Ladder out loud to Robbie, and she caught the double meaning of the coda... :)

(And I will more than likely get to the rest of those words... in some twisted fashion... right now in my queue other than you is the new Weber, Modesitt's Reccluce, and Alton's Feasting on Asphalt II... and I really should get to [livejournal.com profile] annathepiper's book and short story and Seanan's *two* novels... tho I might just save that for the third book to come out later this year....

[identity profile] katxander.livejournal.com 2010-03-06 10:13 pm (UTC)(link)
*groan*

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/idlewild_/ 2010-03-06 11:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Sneaky!

It's the balance of synthesizing research into writing that kills me.... you need functioning brain cells at any given time for that. Weekends are definitely good.

[identity profile] theweasleyboys.livejournal.com 2010-03-07 03:28 am (UTC)(link)
"Is it poison, NANNY?"

Couldn't resist. The title was what it reminded me of. ;)