I'm working on the editing! Up to page 114 of 164 (of the original manuscript. I'm up to page 125 of 175 in the edited version). Unfortunately, I now hit a point where I'm going to be doing major rewrites, so not entirely looking forward to that. But it's still possible for me to be done by graduation. Especially if I have some productive days.
Here's today's teaser:
~*~
She took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eye. “What would you have me do, Michael? Sit around and watch as they make Grace sicker and sicker? As she gets more and more angry at me for not helping her? I can't just sit and do nothing.”
“That's exactly what you have to do. You can't get involved in this, it's far too dangerous for a girl like you,” Michael said, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
“What's that supposed to mean? I was given these abilities for some reason, Michael. It would be wasteful not to do something with them,” she said as she tried to step around him again.
He moved and blocked her again. “So call the police with your suspicions. Let them handle it on their own. That's what they're trained to do.”
She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I know that, but I'm in a unique place to help. I can't let that go to waste either.” Gathering her courage, she stepped around him once again.
~*~
Short, I know! But I don't want to give away too much of what's going on! Once I get the first draft revised, I'll post some of the chopped scenes. Something to look forward to!
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Sunday, March 9, 2014
I'm Alive!
So clearly, I didn't finish NaNo. Things just got absolutely crazy at the end of the month with interviews and trying to get time on an actual computer to write, and I just lost my motivation. First time I've participated and haven't won. Sadness.
And then I disappeared for like 5 months. Sorry about that. I have a couple things in the works right now (one medical narrative submitted to a student publication, one in the works for our school's literary magazine, and potentially an actually entry into On the Premises), and am determined to get Hidden Souls second draft done by graduation. Determined. I've been putting it off for like 3 years now. Seriously, I need to get it done. And then we'll see about the publication route. I haven't entirely decided what I'm going to do yet.
News, though!
Amtrack is having a writing residency program, where people basically write while taking a really long train ride. I've been encouraged to apply, and it sounds kinda cool and generally fun. But, in order to do that, I had to break down and get a Twitter account. So, you can now find me @CLFiction. Hopefully that'll be updated more frequently than this blog. I'm working on it, I swear!
And then I disappeared for like 5 months. Sorry about that. I have a couple things in the works right now (one medical narrative submitted to a student publication, one in the works for our school's literary magazine, and potentially an actually entry into On the Premises), and am determined to get Hidden Souls second draft done by graduation. Determined. I've been putting it off for like 3 years now. Seriously, I need to get it done. And then we'll see about the publication route. I haven't entirely decided what I'm going to do yet.
News, though!
Amtrack is having a writing residency program, where people basically write while taking a really long train ride. I've been encouraged to apply, and it sounds kinda cool and generally fun. But, in order to do that, I had to break down and get a Twitter account. So, you can now find me @CLFiction. Hopefully that'll be updated more frequently than this blog. I'm working on it, I swear!
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
NaNo 2013: Day 20
Today's excerpt is an interesting one for me as a medical student. On one hand, I have to go with the plot. On the other, I feel that by writing this, I am furthering a misconception about the concept of brain death. As such, this excerpt will be followed at the end of the post with some information pertaining to said topic.
"And on today's broadcast, we bring you the unusual story that seems to have caught everyone attention. A local man, previously declared brain dead, is now sitting up and talking to his family. This is the latest in the string of incidents that many are calling miracles at St. Christopher's hospital downtown," the anchor reported.
Sophia raised her eyebrow and focused on the story as the picture changed to a scene in front of the hospital.
"The doctors told us he was dead, that his body was only functioning because of the tube down his throat. They took out the tube, and he stopped breathing, for a full five minutes. Then, all of a sudden, he's gasping and sitting up in bed," a younger woman explained, clutching a tissue in her hand.
NaNo Stats:
Days: 20
Words Today: 1721
Total Words: 24,175
Words Remaining: 25,825
Average Words/Day: 1209
Educational Information:
There are two ways in which physicians can declare someone dead. The first is the traditional cardiac death, when the heart stops beating. After all, if the heart isn't beating, blood isn't flowing through the body, and thus your tissues die. Technically speaking, the heart needs to have stopped for a certain period of time before death can be called, as people's hearts stop quite often and this can be reversed, either naturally (someone passes out because their heart stops for 2-3 seconds, then restarts), or by us (CPR, or a pacemaker/defibrillator).
However, the second way in which physicians can declare someone dead is by declaring them brain dead. It's actually a fairly involved process to declare someone brain dead, and requires several tests to be performed by two separate physicians. It is not something that is taken lightly. Basically, the person does not have any signs of consciousness (withdrawing from pain, for instance, or eyes that follow a target), nor can they have some basic reflexes, including the drive to breathe. The final test for someone who is brain dead is removing them from the ventilator that is by definition keeping their body functioning, and, ultimately, their heart stops beating. These people can have bodies that are kept alive by the ventilator and medications, but are dead. They are most often put back on the ventilator after 5 or so minutes, and donate their organs. These organs are generally the most likely to survive being transplanted, and are considered better than organs given by those who die from cardiac death.
Bottom line, brain death = death. It is not possible to recover from it, and people do not make miraculous recoveries from it. It is not akin to a coma, where someone is unresponsive, but still dead.
"And on today's broadcast, we bring you the unusual story that seems to have caught everyone attention. A local man, previously declared brain dead, is now sitting up and talking to his family. This is the latest in the string of incidents that many are calling miracles at St. Christopher's hospital downtown," the anchor reported.
Sophia raised her eyebrow and focused on the story as the picture changed to a scene in front of the hospital.
"The doctors told us he was dead, that his body was only functioning because of the tube down his throat. They took out the tube, and he stopped breathing, for a full five minutes. Then, all of a sudden, he's gasping and sitting up in bed," a younger woman explained, clutching a tissue in her hand.
NaNo Stats:
Days: 20
Words Today: 1721
Total Words: 24,175
Words Remaining: 25,825
Average Words/Day: 1209
Educational Information:
There are two ways in which physicians can declare someone dead. The first is the traditional cardiac death, when the heart stops beating. After all, if the heart isn't beating, blood isn't flowing through the body, and thus your tissues die. Technically speaking, the heart needs to have stopped for a certain period of time before death can be called, as people's hearts stop quite often and this can be reversed, either naturally (someone passes out because their heart stops for 2-3 seconds, then restarts), or by us (CPR, or a pacemaker/defibrillator).
However, the second way in which physicians can declare someone dead is by declaring them brain dead. It's actually a fairly involved process to declare someone brain dead, and requires several tests to be performed by two separate physicians. It is not something that is taken lightly. Basically, the person does not have any signs of consciousness (withdrawing from pain, for instance, or eyes that follow a target), nor can they have some basic reflexes, including the drive to breathe. The final test for someone who is brain dead is removing them from the ventilator that is by definition keeping their body functioning, and, ultimately, their heart stops beating. These people can have bodies that are kept alive by the ventilator and medications, but are dead. They are most often put back on the ventilator after 5 or so minutes, and donate their organs. These organs are generally the most likely to survive being transplanted, and are considered better than organs given by those who die from cardiac death.
Bottom line, brain death = death. It is not possible to recover from it, and people do not make miraculous recoveries from it. It is not akin to a coma, where someone is unresponsive, but still dead.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
NaNo 2013: Day 19
Sophia's getting more and more confused now. Things are happening and she's once again struggling to figure out what they all mean. But she'll get there eventually. I think within the next couple days, I'll be writing the reveal of the main plot. Should be interesting.
Excerpt for today:
She took a deep breath and turned to him. "I'm not sure I'm supposed to tell you this, but I've spoken to my Nana."
He raised his eyebrow. "And this is special because...?"
She blew out a frustrated breath. "She's been dead for five*** years. And as far as I can tell, she hasn't been walking the Earth like you during that time. She's been moved on."
He stared at her for a full minute, trying to process the information. "How were you able to do that?"
NaNo Stats:
Days: 19
Words Today: 2045
Total Words: 22,454
Words Remaining: 27,546
Average Words/Day: 1182
Excerpt for today:
She took a deep breath and turned to him. "I'm not sure I'm supposed to tell you this, but I've spoken to my Nana."
He raised his eyebrow. "And this is special because...?"
She blew out a frustrated breath. "She's been dead for five*** years. And as far as I can tell, she hasn't been walking the Earth like you during that time. She's been moved on."
He stared at her for a full minute, trying to process the information. "How were you able to do that?"
NaNo Stats:
Days: 19
Words Today: 2045
Total Words: 22,454
Words Remaining: 27,546
Average Words/Day: 1182
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