Not exactly sure I can leave it alone

I thought it couldn't be tweaked again - until I read it this morning

WILL THIS PROCESS EVER BE FINISHED??

CHAPTER 1

NOT ALL CHANGES...

Page 1

Dad parked in front of the familiar redbrick building, but even from here I could see that things had changed. Above the white stone entrance there was a new school crest. It showed a beast standing on two legs, with sharp teeth, lolling tongue and limp front claws, that leered down at the visitors to school.
“D-ifferent!” I commented as I hurried around the car to join him.
“Umm! Mr Jenson’s ‘lost’ toupee isn’t still flying from the flag pole?”
“No-one ever proved that was me,” I squeaked but my footsteps faltered.
Dad smiled, with a steely glint, as he put one hand on my shoulder to keep me walking forward. We stepped into the reception area, then pressed the buzzer by the viewing window, and waited. A tall woman, with two biros stored through the bun on the back of her head, marched briskly over from her desk at the back of the office.
Dad was distracted by her unusual hair accessories, “G–ood Morning. I’m Simon Trainer, and this is my daughter Jess. We’re here to see the Headteacher.”
She whipped a pen out of bun storage and tapped it on the desk as she checked the Head’s diary, “Mr McIntyre is in his office. I’ll just let him know you’ve arrived. Please push the green button and I'll let you in.”
Dad and I exchanged glances that condensed his lectures and my promises to small, but significant, facial twitches. Then I pushed, and the lock release. We walked into the brown, tiled corridor and sat while we waited.
“Mr McIntyre will see you now,” called the assistant as she approached.
We followed her into the room which was dominated by a long curving desk. Mr McIntyre was reaching into one of the furthest drawers. He seemed to freeze for a moment. I watched him draw a deep breath before he swivelled around.

Not exactly ... as long as it was - under 100,000 words

Right - ignoring all other versions - I am going to post the new first page tomorrow.

I have been editing, re-writing, editing, polishing and generally slaving over the book for three days solid - banned from all internet access.

Got lots done - must remember that, any time I need to get work done: don't go on the internet!
I've been saying that to the Minnow for years - don't know why I didn't apply this rule to myself until this weekend!

CURRENT WORD COUNT - 98,000!! Final drafting still to go on Chapters 10 to 20
Yet still all plots, sub-plots and threads are present.
It's amazing how much fewer words you need when writing in active rather than passive verb forms.

Boy's Toys

Well, it went like this:
one minute I was being all helpful (because I do read every comment on the Bransford Blog) so I just clarified a point of order - on the subject of why two of the 'boys' were squabbling!
You know, serious stuff like who said what first t-h-e-n, next thing I know, I've got 'offers' coming at me from all sides!

Cheers Nathan!
I was struggling to keep from joining in and that would not have been helpful!

ps I know how to delete comments too - I know kids from my school hang out here!

i-Quote Challenge - the writing response

• Inspectors are back
• Partner seeking alternative employment
• A1s
• Never getting on a computer long enough to make it worth my while getting my 'pendrive' out of my pocket -

The only thing I make time to write is my new writing challenge - I call it 'i-quote response poetry'.

I think it could be the makings of a book!! What do you think???

"Without love in the dream, it will never come true." -- Robert Hunter
THE HEART HAS GRAPHENE FLEXIBILITY
Loving foundations -
strength beyond tensile limits:
unbreakable bonds.

"If you do not conquer self, you will be conquered by self." -- Napoleon Hill
MULTIPLE PERSONALITY?
Don't conquer yourself,
others line up to do it:
be you - keep true - one!

"It is not my business to think about myself. My business is to think about God. It is for God to think about me." -- Simone Weil
VAIN THOUGHTS
Thoughts about oneself
surely, like shiny 'talents',
show active wisdom.

"Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality." -- Abraham Lincoln
THE COMMONALITY IN COMMITMENT
'Promise' means nothing,
the 'sorry' of things you'll do,
just hot air and hope.

"Better by far you should forget and smile rather than remember and be sad." -- Christina Rosetti
EXPERIENCE, ACCEPT, ADJUST
Smile and forget - eh?
Not to sadly remember?
Sounds like man's advice.

"Any time that is not spent on love is wasted." -- Tasso
WASTE NOT WANT NOT
Don't waste time on love
guard and cherish each minute:
arduous ardour!

"Stop asking if the glass is half full or half empty. Instead ask "What's in it? How did it get there? What can I do with it?" -David Kaufman
THE GLASS CONUNDRUM SOLVED
Half is perfection:
Suggests refreshment shared now,
plus more for later.

THEN, ON SUNDAY, I FOUND THAT THERE WAS A COMPETITION - c-o-o-l-t-i-n-g-s!!!!!!
@kingsplace
BRITISH WEATHER
Summer laps lazy
dripped rain, after heat hazy,
weather of whimsy.

HOLIDAY NEXT WEEK - RETURN OF THE EDITOR

Not exactly ... as long as it was - Chapter one

BACK IN THE SAME OLD GROOVE
We parked near the front of the familiar redbrick school. Even from here I could see changes. The front of the school was now dominated by a decorative shield. At the top were three stars dangling from a cord and, underneath those, was an odd-looking lion standing up with teeth, tongue and front claws all visible.
“It looks more impressive than a tree, a book and a couple of moons,” I commented nervously, remembering the old school crest.
Dad smiled reassuringly, and put one hand on my shoulder, as we stepped into the carved, white, granite entrance. Everything looked so familiar, and yet subtly different too. We pressed the buzzer by the small window and waited. A grey-haired woman, with two biros stored through the bun on the back of her head, bustled in from the other office.
Dad was not distracted by her unusual hair accessories, “Good Morning. I’m Simon Trainer, and this is my daughter Jess. We have an appointment to see the Headteacher.”
She checked the Head’s diary, “Mr McIntyre is in his office. I’ll just let him know you’ve arrived. If you’d just push the button there, I will unlock the door and let you in.”
I pushed and then felt the door release. We walked into the brown, tiled corridor and sat side by side and looked through the glossy prospectus.
“Mr McIntyre will see you now,” called the assistant as she approached.
We followed the secretary just a little way into the room. I looked at the curving desk that ended with matching filing cabinets. Mr McIntyre was reaching into one of the lower desk drawers and he seemed to pause as he became aware of our presence. His head moved to the left and his face turned slightly up. I watched him draw a deep breath before turning to face us.

Not exactly writing

Been working on the re-editing - go Beth!! 105,000 words and shrinking!

I think of the book - in this form - as the Haiku version of the first - edited and abridged etc

Have been writing poetry about relationships on Twitter - I-quote keeps dragging me (kicking and screaming) there, so here we go:

UN-KNOWN Knowing sounds certain- More self examination; psych-emeleon

HUMAN? Not really human: bitter, depressed and mourning - feels - somehow - other

RELATIONSHIPS RUST Neglect encrusts care; you tarnish the core of love, take it for granted

Sestina -six word poem
In-relationship's comfortable is dull in-sensitivity now.

EYES SEE OUT We live our lives, each thought, word, feeling and deed, so why are we self-blind?


(Nathan Bransford says...)
TIMELESS NOT TIMELY Eye to brain and heart, words digested are soul's food. Salves spirit - melds mood!

Driving haiku

I did observe all rules of driving, honestly, but something the boy said yesterday has been spinning in my head since I heard it.

Maybe poetry got throught the autistic filter:
'I dance to the music of my own heart'

Oh! Oh! Looks like it's time for another Haiku

INDIVIDUAL
Life's tarantella -
I dance to my own heart's beat;
I'm not square or round.