The Best Laid Plans

"Anger burned inside Chris. These weren't scientists taking bits and pieces for testing, but souvenir hunters selling pieces of a "real live shipwreck!" He remembered the feeling he got each time he saw some of it gone, then remembered the wonder he'd felt when he first came across it. It had always saddened him to think that one day, there'd be nothing left. But to think that day might be today angered him beyond measure. And the more he thought about it, the more he realized he wasn't going to let that happen."

Not sure if you do this, but when I'm working on something, I keep a supplemental "scratch" document associated with whatever I'm working on.

Because I usually write in a linear fashion, without plans or outline, I use it to jot down random notes, thoughts on future scenes, bits of dialogue that come to mind that I'm not quite ready to use, potential character names and the like.

I've mentioned ad nauseum I'm working on a novel I began more than a year ago and abandoned, having to do with eighteenth-century pirates returning to modern-day Cape Cod.

I suspect there will be some wacky adventures, elements of danger, and pirate raids on Home Depot to acquire wood to rebuild their ship. I think their goal will be to go "home," wherever that might be. I'm not quite sure yet.

Anyway, I opened the scratch document the other day and saw this notation:

70,000+ by 12/31/08 and done.

Ah, the best laid plans . . .

In other news, I'm delighted to report my story "The Intersection" has been selected to appear in the upcoming Night Terrors anthology from Blood Bound Books. A few familiar names in there, as well as some new ones. It's an honor to be included among you.

And I'm not sure if that's the Table of Contents, but if it is, it will be the third time one of my stories has "taken up the rear," i.e. been the last story in an anthology. I don't give myself credit for much, but if I do say so myself, I'm pretty good at endings.

I've also shared before that this story too was once abandoned, so maybe there's hope for me and my "pirate novel" yet!