Hello to all-a-ya!
Vacations are coming up in the Clark household. Alan has eleven days scheduled off starting Thursday, yeah! He needs to relax for a few days and just hang out at the house and drink lots of beer! I'm quite certian he can take this one on hands down. He's going to be a little busy working on some origninal material in the studio and two gigs coming up the weekend of the 12th. Me, not until October, but my work schedule on the norm gives me some extra off time during the week, so it's all good!

For some writer's, what I am preparing to do may be their worst nightmare. Word count, getting a novel written in a month (or close to it). As long as you reach the assigned number, in this instance 50 thousand words, you are declared a winner. No prizes are given, just a mega boost to my writer's ego and bragging rites. That's a lot when you consider most people can't write a 500 word essay! I love the challege though. It gets me keyed up and ready to rock!
For those who don't understand this insanity, pray for me! When I subject myself to these "contests", what little housework got done nearly comes to a standstill during these challenges. Work is work, but armed with pen and paper everywhere. I have a laptop. It does not go with me to work. (I'd go postal if something were to happen to it there, and trust me, it probably would.)

I will occupy nearly every waking moment to the cause or at least 1500 words a day. By the last week, I should be able to crank it up and sail right past 50k by at least another two thousand. That's the plan. In the site's forum sponsoring the challenge, I read tales of people shutting themselves up, families tread lightly about the house. Writer's who are serious about their craft can be like poking a gorilla with a stick during these times of trial. Be nice to us, we can bite. I have read about those who become stuck in the middle of the month, maybe 500 words into the story, really pray for those folks! Who knows? I could be one of them *gasp* Hell no man! I'm too f**king crazy! (I'll write the word potato if I have to get the last words in if necessary. I actually saw that written about in a writer's forum)
So, in addition to Alan on vacation and a couple of our neices from California here soon, my challenge is heightened. Our two cats are of no help either. They think they can just climb right up on the desks and lay there. No space is sacred when it comes to my little dears.
I will keep you all updated on my progress, it may be at the end of the month when all is said and done though. If there are some of my writing buddies doing JulNoWriMo (July Novel Writer's Month) good luck!

My wooden moose writing totem sits behind my laptop, watching, urging me on.