I didn’t write as many words as I would have liked last week, but this week started off with a lead-off homerun(Yes, I used a baseball metaphor because I also started out the week with my baseball romance. Because I thought it was funny. And because I can.)
Writing
I decided to focus in a bit this week so picked just three projects and worked on one of them a day. This method seems to be working well, so hopefully my brain does not become convinced it can actually work on all the things at the same time(hint, brain: you can’t). Haha. That lasted almost the whole week. On Friday, I decided to try to work on all 3, with a minimum goal of 500 words on each before moving on to the next one.
Triple Play
This one is coming along. I was actually surprised that I wrote 3000 words with very little trouble on Monday. I added another 519 on Friday. And I’m continuing to learn new things about my characters and digging into what makes them tick. Especially Rhys. That boy could use some hugs and someone to tell him he’s worth more than he thinks.
Rhys scowled. He hated those nicknames. And all the sports blogs cycled through the same exact ones, and thought they were all so clever. "That's not who I am," he said.
Here You Come Again
I had a good day on Tuesday with this, over 2100 words. Even if a side character is trying to take over(this is not your story, Jord! I can write you a side story if you insist, but come on). I didn’t write as many words on this on Thursday, but a little over 1200 still isn’t too shabby. Just 129 words on Friday.
I'd already ignored two voicemails from her this morning, one that had come in last night. I didn't really want to know what she thought I owed her. Or what she expected from me. I already knew that, and it was always something I couldn't give. Or at least wasn't willing to.
Dear History
This is the project I only worked on one day instead of two. I figured on a smaller word count on this, since right now I’m just writing letters between the characters as well as their journal entries. I may do a more traditional narrative for the present time line, but for the past, I’m planning on keeping it to what these two wrote down. I added 1400 words of journal entries this week. Didn’t come back to this on Friday.
I want them to be gone. I do not know that I have ever wished for anything more than that. Maybe that I could see Thomas more often than I am able. But, right now, I may sacrifice even that for
From Aaron Mathis’s Journal, January 1861
Reading
Lakelore
I listened to Lakelore by Anna-Marie McLemore, narrated by Vico Ortiz and Avi Roque. This story about two nonbinary teens finding each other was just… It was so good. And to realize they could still be accepted if they showed the parts of themselves they tried to hide away. Also, I will probably listen to anything Vico Ortiz narrates forever and ever. Also, adding this to the pile of “books I wish existed when I was a teen so I could have figured myself out before my 30s”.
Crafting
I got an idea to make a bookmark for the first book in my Baseball Boys series. Since I was still waiting for my fabric for the larger project to arrive, I figured I could do this one fairly quickly. So, I designed it on stitch Fiddle, cut one of my scraps of fabric to the right size, and started it. Once the front was finished, I cut a piece the same size and stitched around it to finish it off. Usually I use white thread to do this, but I decided to stick with the baseball theme.
Story
I wrote a couple longer short stories(closer to novella length, really) that are set around this coffee shop. We see a bit of Tiso in them, though only from the other characters’ POV. I decided I wanted to write some really short stories that are from their POV instead. So the Whole Latte Love Shots series was brewed.
"Mar..."
I quit while I was ahead. Marius had already retreated to a table and taken out his sketchpad. The man had been coming here long enough for me to know I wouldn't get his attention just by calling his name. I kept the cup in my hand and rounded the counter. "I'll be right back," I assured the customers still standing in line.
I was the only one working behind the counter at the moment. As was usually the case. I didn't mind, though. I enjoyed seeing all the people who came through and getting to know the regulars. I set the cup down on Marius's table. "One Perfect Crush for the introverted artist."
Marius jerked his head up and blinked at me a few times. "Oh. Tiso. I didn't know my order was ready. And I ordered a simple flat white. Are you giving your drinks special names again? I thought you'd quit that when you started confusing people."
I just smiled then turned and headed back to the counter. If we weren't busy, I might have stayed and talked to him for a while. Marius had been coming in here since, well since I'd been a new hire and before he'd changed his name and asked if I would use he/him pronouns. Which I had not one single problem with. I thought gender was nonsense, but if it worked for you, it was no skin off my nose.
Attraction, of both the sexual and romantic type, was another thing I found to be nonsensical. And yet I saw so much of it right here in the coffee shop. Sometimes I'd even ease it along, if I thought I could. Hey, if it made the people involved happy, who was I to stand in the way of that? I just didn't want any of it for myself.
When I turned again, I saw Marius had already returned to his drawing. The flat white, the perfect crush name had just been for him, would sit next to his hand for the next half hour as he absentmindedly sipped from it. I found comfort in the fact that some people were such creatures of habit.
Speaking of creatures of habit... "Hey, Den. You here for your weekly peppermint mocha?"
They grinned shyly at me. "If you still have it. I thought it would go away after Christmas, and I'd have to wait until next year to get it again."
"I still have a little peppermint syrup left. It's not on the menu any longer, but I can whip one up for you."
"Only if it's no trouble."
"None at all," I assured them. In fact, I already had a note to order more of the syrup. My boss wouldn't thank me for what he considered an out of season expense, but I always figured it was good to keep the regulars happy. And this was such a simple thing.
"It's crowded in here today," Den said as I started their drink.
"Good day for business. Might not be any empty tables, but you could sit right over there," I said, nodding to Marius's table.
"Are...are you sure...they won't mind."
"Not at all. He's so into his drawing, he probably won't even notice you're there."
Den swallowed as they took the cup from my hand. "All right. Thanks, Tiso."
"Not a problem at all," I told them, grinning to myself as Den sat at Marius's table, and Marius's attention instantly locked on them. Well, sometimes it was good to nudge a creature, or two, right out of their habit.