tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178988492011-11-11T21:10:23.346+01:00<A href="http://www.nanowrimo.org">A National Novel Writing Month</A> effort.Beth Winternoreply@blogger.comBlogger201100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17898849.post-1134401056186148122005-12-12T16:22:00.000+01:002006-06-23T05:55:34.103+02:00

Part 13: Things to do in New Granada when you're boredOn Sunday afternoon, I was contemplating desperate measures.I'd re-read both of Green's books twice, and braved my fear of the Internet long enough to research some of the more salient points on Google. There was no use going to the Library Magical, since it would be teeming with Alhambra bigwigs monopolizing all the good books. Genevieve

Beth Winternoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17898849.post-1134400913538477872005-12-12T16:20:00.000+01:002005-12-12T16:25:20.246+01:00

Interlude 4: Video[Surveillance Recording 0000000341; Video Surveillance Trial Run Stage 4; Execution of sentence: As Sadat, Jibril][Private Archive File]The picture is surprisingly clear for CCTV in 1972, the date and hour emblazoned in one corner, seconds scrolling smoothly at the end. The camera is placed on a gallery overlooking a stone courtyard lit by moonlight. There are two people on the

Beth Winternoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17898849.post-1133417818307160342005-12-01T07:14:00.000+01:002006-01-01T17:45:40.336+01:00

Part 12: Je ne regrette rienSomeone was taking the pins out of my hair.I opened my eyes and focused on the pale blur that resolved into Anton's face. It felt wrong to me, and it took me a moment to realize that what was missing was his habitual gently mocking smile. He looked - sad?I reached up to help him with my hair, but he caught my hand."Leave this to me. It'll help your headache."I nodded

Beth Winternoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17898849.post-1133293274748938262005-11-29T20:40:00.000+01:002005-12-01T07:14:33.443+01:00

Part 11: Old ghostsSomeone was knocking at the bathroom door. Politely and relentlessly. Tap, tap, tap.I hid my face in Kirill's damp hair. "Can we pretend we're not here?"Instead of answering, he just slid his hand down my back and thighs, and slipped in under my knees. The movement sent a pleasant shiver through me as his fingers caressed my sensitized skin, but I still made a wordless sound of

Beth Winternoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17898849.post-1133142985175051362005-11-28T02:55:00.000+01:002006-03-16T13:39:46.650+01:00

Part 10: Make it personalThe door of my apartment building closed behind me like a coffin snapping shut. My feet found each step down, balance on the crag in the concrete just before hitting the asphalt, like I always do, little rituals that you find yourself inventing once you've been living in one place for over half a decade. My mind was elsewhere.It wasn't premonition, the Sight, any

Beth Winternoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17898849.post-1133014657130556772005-11-26T15:16:00.000+01:002005-11-26T15:17:37.130+01:00

Interlude: New Granada Police Department Case File I/A/20051014103TRANSCRIPT OF ITEM 24, DIGITAL ANSWERING MACHINE WELCOME MESSAGE FOUND IN THE APARTMENT OF THE DECEASEDVoice 1: [female, identified as Amanda Carlton-Hughes, the deceased] Hi, hello and ohayo, this is Mandii's house and it's quiet as a mouse, so leave your note - fuck, messed up again-[footsteps]Voice 1: [from further away,

Beth Winternoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17898849.post-1133014592590475012005-11-26T15:15:00.000+01:002006-01-01T16:16:51.530+01:00

Part 9: Bringing down the houseMaps turn even the coziest, darkest alleys into lines and letters, clean and sharp and all too simple.I've never trusted them.I didn't intend to start so now, even though everyone else seemed hell-bent on running over my intended route until they could run it backwards and blindfolded themselves. I saw no point to it. I knew where I would have to go.For a moment, I

Beth Winternoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17898849.post-1132754482953405412005-11-23T15:00:00.000+01:002005-11-23T15:01:22.976+01:00

Part 8: Animal SacrificeThursday afternoon, I was close to poking my eye out.Alhambra's not as dressy as formal occasions at Darkspring Manor, but it still warranted a bit more attention to my looks than a day at the office. This year, the modern mage fashions ran to modified Golden Age Hollywood chic, and while at least I didn't have to look up the way it had to look, since it had been in vogue

Beth Winternoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17898849.post-1132519710287107372005-11-20T21:45:00.000+01:002005-11-20T21:48:30.310+01:00

Part 7: Are you now or have you ever beenI wanted to find something I could scream at, but the security at Rossov Trading could not be tighter. Skyler and Chuck were overseeing things with faces grim as death, and the place was teeming with just about all the employees. I knew that the logistics center would be just as crowded. Kirill was pulling his people in, drawing the peasants inside the

Beth Winternoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17898849.post-1132253405358449342005-11-17T19:49:00.000+01:002006-01-01T16:14:56.413+01:00

Interlude 2: Message logsFrom: Alyssa Dreamstone To: Anton Kirillovich Date: Wed 11 Oct 2005, 14:11 CSTSubject: Once more unto the breechAm at work now. So's His Stiffness, and already with the questions. Wants to interview the big boss tonight. When are you dragging yourself in? Time's a-wasting.-Al From: Anton Kirillovich Rossov To: Alyssa Dreamstone Date: Wed 11 Oct 2005, 14:26 CSTSubject: Re:

Beth Winternoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17898849.post-1132237132984106332005-11-17T15:17:00.000+01:002006-01-01T16:12:57.433+01:00

Part 6: Lady of the DanceFor once, I actually managed to wake up early enough to make it downstairs before Dolores, Kirill's housekeeper, left for the day. For my efforts I got pancakes and eggs Benedict, not to mention ten minutes of running commentary on how pale I looked and why didn't I take better care of myself, complete with a discreet glance so that the nosy bitch could check whether

Beth Winternoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17898849.post-1131832650011354162005-11-12T22:56:00.000+01:002006-01-01T16:11:13.986+01:00

Part 5: Two to tangoKirill hadn't spoken a word since we said our goodbyes to Arthur, and he didn't say anything when I swiped the car keys from him. He just raised an eyebrow and went around the Jaguar to get into the passenger's seat.It took me a minute to fiddle with the seat and mirrors, but the car itself started up like a dream. Like riding a tiger, I thought. Not something you forget.I let

Beth Winternoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17898849.post-1131809599304701302005-11-12T16:27:00.000+01:002005-12-28T17:29:36.573+01:00

Part 4: Tea with the DevilsAll of New Granada is magical, but Clearview Heights has the magic of money, second only to the magic of blood. It reclines on the slope of Mount De Vries like a Roman senator on a banquet bed. The sidewalks are marble, and the alley cats wear diamond collars.I felt drab and inadequate as Kirill's Jag rolled smoothly through the Clearview twilight. I'd spent close to

Beth Winternoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17898849.post-1131476293743901122005-11-08T19:55:00.000+01:002005-12-28T16:57:22.493+01:00

Interlude: EpistologyArthur, Duke de Nueva Granada, to Magistrix Salome di Geraudi.Darkspring House, Clearview Heights, New Granada, 10th October, Anno Domini 2005My dear Salome,Please accept my apologies for the long silence. I am sure You appreciate the tedium that I have found myself in; at times I am of the thought that the only reason one would want the burden of power is to commit an

Beth Winternoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17898849.post-1131386196761806262005-11-07T18:54:00.000+01:002005-12-28T16:52:29.210+01:00

Part 3: The seven habits of the successful occult business manager"You definitely have more luck than brains." Merle sounded insufferably smug as he examined my twice-bruised body. "By all counts you should have major injuries by now.""Thank you for that insight. Can I dress now, Professor?"He bristled, which meant another point for me in our ongoing private scuffle. The age card might be a cheap

Beth Winternoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17898849.post-1131195672126845292005-11-05T13:59:00.000+01:002005-11-06T10:13:03.066+01:00

Part 2: Kittens and books and car accidents, oh my Just in case, I kept on my guard when we drove into my neighborhood. Out of sheer paranoia - the Latin Quarter might not be as swanky as Radclyffe, not to mention places like Clearview Heights, but it's not Crime Central either, and any wannabe mobsters staking out my apartment would have to deal with threats like Mrs Cortez from across the road

Beth Winternoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17898849.post-1130945037504863532005-11-02T16:17:00.000+01:002005-11-02T19:21:57.466+01:00

Part 1: Of retrospection, vampire hair care and why the IRS does not suckI woke up in an empty bed, though by the way the sheets were arranged I could tell Kirill had not had a sudden attack of chivalry and done something silly like sleep in the guest room. Good; after last night I felt much better knowing that while I'd slept, any tresspassers would have been faced with six foot plus of angry

Beth Winternoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17898849.post-1130845612546694542005-11-01T12:45:00.000+01:002005-11-01T12:48:42.866+01:00

Prologue, or why going down dark alleys is a bad ideaIt was time to make a mental note: dear self - the next time you have the brilliant idea to do a deal with a street-rat that requires you to walk down a dark alley at three in the morning on a Monday before you've had a chance to examine the goods, just go and jump off a five-story building. It'd be quicker and less painful, that's for sure.It

Beth Winternoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17898849.post-1132519866130534442005-11-01T12:30:00.000+01:002005-12-22T16:23:04.796+01:00

Linguistic note:New Granada and all characters featured in the novel are fictional, though they hail from real countries. In particular, many of the characters are Russian and their names follow Russian naming structures of Christian name followed by a patronymic and only then the surname - the literal English translation of Kirill Yevgenyevich would be "Cyril son of Eugene". Addressing someone

Beth Winternoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17898849.post-1129408738186123692005-10-15T22:34:00.000+02:002005-10-15T22:39:14.060+02:00

This blog will host the National Novel Writing Month efforts of Beth Winter, hopefully posted in daily increments of 2000 or more words, with the goal of writing 50,000 words from November 1 to November 30, 2005. Since unlike her other writing endeavours, this one will only be written with the aim to get as much writing done as possible, please do not expect much in the way of plot or coherence.

Beth Winternoreply@blogger.com0