#nanowrimo – day 1
It is not yet 6am on Sunday 1st November 2009, and it is the first day of National Novel Writing Month (#nanowrimo).
I have a vat of delicious Ethiopian Sidamo coffee on the brew. I have music. I have the peace and quiet of the early morning. I have bread baking in the breadmaker behind me, ready to reward me in a few hours time for my efforts. The cat lies beside me on a chair, content to keep me company.
I have characters. I have a plot. I have the ability to do this.
How does it begin?
Ah, yes. With the very first words…
“The boy awoke to both light and darkness, to both warmth and cold.”
… and noticed, in the corner, a fish and a horse staring at him intently. “What an inscutable fellow that horse is,” he said to himself.
“No more so than yourself,” answered the horse. “I have been standing here some hours now trying to discern an expression on your face. Really, it’s like staring at a wall.” She gestured to the one nearest her and then passed through it out of sight.
“She can talk,” observed the boy, and then, “I’m talking to myself, but what choice do i have? I can’t very well speak to a fish. It would be – ”
“And why not?” interrupted the fish, glaring with its one orange eye. “At least i’m not mad, which is more than can be said of you.”
“I didn’t mean – ”
“No matter.” He swam off down through the floor, leaving the boy quite confused and, as he now realised, rather hungry.