It’s the final day of NaNoWriMo…and I passed the 50,000 word mark earlier today!  During my lunch hour in fact, which felt a little odd (though not as odd as writing a character’s death scene during a lunch break earlier in the month…)  Microsoft Word thinks I wrote 50,274 words this month, and NaNoWriMo’s online verification counters comes in at 50,011…but either way, I’m happy to pass the goal line!

I’m not at the end of the novel, so I plan to continue on into December with a “half-NaNo” for 25,000 words…if it lasts that long.  I think I’m more than two-thirds through the plot, so we’ll see how long it takes to hit the end of the novel.

It’s been a lot of fun exploring a different writing world, and I especially loved writing an alien character who is very confused by Terrans.  Not to mention making up alien fairy tales…that was pretty great too. 🙂  I already know this draft is going to need a lot of revision, what with info-dumping and POV issues and some undeveloped themes…but that’s kind of to be expected in a completely new writing world (and new genre even!)   That’s something to think about some time later…and at least I feel like I have a workable first draft to revise.

For now, I’ll be writing to the end of the story…and here’s a recent excerpt for you!  From the point of view of Leilathya, who is definitely not Terran…

I had noticed that one of the chairs had a bundle of black fur on top of its seat, but I did not pay that any attention until I was walking past the chair. That was when the bundle moved, uncurling from a tight ball and lifting what was definitely a head, to blink at me out of green eyes.

“Oh!” I backed up a step. “I am sorry. I did not know anyone was aboard.”

The creature stretched its jaw apart, revealing a long pink tongue and many sharp teeth. This may have been simply a yawn, but it also may have been a threatening gesture, and it is not wise to take chances. I backed up another step. “I do not recognize your species,” I said. “Are you sentient?” Most sentient aliens were much larger, but this was another matter it was better not to take chances with. For example, there have been numerous serious diplomatic incidents caused by people mistaking Qwapli for something that ought to be wiped up off the floor.

The creature uncurled two paws, stretched and said, “Mrrrow?”

“I do not recognize that language. Do you speak Galactic Standard?”

“Mmrr.” The creature rose up on four feet, leaped down from the chair, and paced toward me, long tail waving behind it. “Myow?”

“Aza!” I called over my shoulder, trying to keep my gaze on the approaching alien. “There is a small furry creature on board and I do not understand what it is saying to me!”