We’re coming in on the end of the month, and I am happy to report that I’m well on-track.  It’s been a busy writing week–of course, I made it easy on myself by working on the short story I knew I’d be able to make progress on!  This story may turn out to be nothing but a fluff piece, but I’m enjoying it.

And besides, as they say (and by “they” I mean Brenda Ueland), no writing in which the creative force is at work is ever a waste of time.  That’s not a direct quote, I’m not at home and don’t have her book with me, but something like that!

As things stand, I have about a thousand words left, which after 49,000 is hardly anything.  I will most likely finish tomorrow, a day early…and I find myself oddly reluctant to do that!  I remember I had the same feeling last year–I had a big push over Thanksgiving weekend and was well ahead the last few days…and I kind of hated to finish before the 30th.  I suppose because then the journey is over.

Which is silly, of course, because it’s not like I’m going to stop writing on November 30th, or December 1st.  I’m not even sure the short story will be over (most likely not).  But the loss of the goal takes some of the push out of things, and I rather hate to lose the impetus before the month is actually up.

Oh well.  I’ll most likely hit 50,000 on the 29th, and still carry on with the short story over the next few days in a slightly less intense way.

For tonight, hunting for an excerpt…and here’s one from the other short story, the one that got stuck–but that I’ll probably finish eventually and may ultimately be more useful than the fluff one I’m writing right now!  No context needed, it’s the opening page, and though it is with characters from my novel, it’s meant to be possible to read it independently…

            “So is it true that cats can see ghosts,” Jasper asked, “or is that just part of the air of mystery you put on?”

            “We don’t put on anything,” Tom said with an indignant twitch of his tail.  “We’re just naturally mysterious.”

            Jasper shook his head, and supposed he should expect this sort of thing by now, after a month spent traveling with a talking cat.  “Duly noted.  So can you see ghosts?”

            “As part of our inherent and inevitable air of mystery, yes.”  Tom flicked his tail again, and continued trotting down the dirt path between two fields.  “Are you just asking out of idle curiosity?”

            “No.  By the way, does curiosity really kill—”

            “Less often than it does humans.  Why were you asking about ghosts?”

            Jasper shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets.  “Rumor I heard at the inn this morning.  You were having your post-dawn, early-morning nap.”

            “Which is very important,” Tom put in.  “Nearly as important as my post-breakfast, mid-morning nap.”

            “Right.  Anyway, there’s supposed to be a manor house ten or fifteen miles down the road that’s having a ghost problem.  I figure anyone who owns a manor house can pay to get rid of a ghost, and this particular wandering adventurer could use the money.”

            “Do you know anything about fighting ghosts?”

            “No,” Jasper said, and grinned.  “That’s why I wanted to know if you can see them.”