Posts Tagged ‘london’

Last night was Earth Hour and dedicated my hour to working on Never. I jumped forward again to continue a part that I had left behind months ago. It was productive, and it felt good, but it didn’t flow as much as I was hoping. Thank God for editing.

Here’s an excerpt.

I was wounded. I was about to respond, but I caught the driver looking at us in the rear view mirror, an eyebrow inappropriately lifted. Instead of saying what I wanted to, I let it rest, temporarily. I’d have to ask her if she thought this was a mistake when we got a moment alone. I ached to be closer to Renata, but retreated to my side of the car. It was already beginning, the show we’d put on for others. We were already broken and we were only ten minutes in.

While my writing has been a little bit sporadic lately, which was expected for this time of year, I am closing in on the Renata chapters, which feels really good. I think the chapters I’ve written have been tight, and hopefully meaningful for the character. I have one chapter left, and it’s probably the most important of the set. It will completely set the stage for everything that follows it.

Since I’ve spent the last few months in Renata land, I have to say that I miss her counter-part, Ryan, immensely. I miss writing for him and as I suspected earlier, I really believe that he is the one that drives my story. Every now and again, I spend an hour or so going through the later part of my story that is already written to spend time with him and hear his voice in my head again.

Sometimes I fear that Renata is simply delusional in these beginning chapters, and that she completely self-absorbed. I think I’m so freaked out about keeping my word count low that I don’t afford her the time to be concerned about other people, which makes her come off as the most annoying friend ever. As I write this out, it occurs to me that I could definitely fit that into this final chapter I have to write. I could have her recognize at her rock bottom just how bad of a friend and sister she’s been. I could have her start to give a damn about what’s happening in every one else’s life.

Even though I have already written the Renata and Ryan’s first encounter and subsequent romance, I can’t wait for her to actually get there — meet him. Not because I just want to get passed this hurdle, but because I’m excited for her to experience it. It’s fun to write her story right now as she makes all these silly promises to herself that she will not keep, and for her to have no idea that Ryan is coming into her life, or that he even really exists for that matter. She only has the slightest hint of him, but that hint was meaningless at the time and it won’t occur to her for quite a while.

So after I finish this all important final chapter for Renata’s part, I get to write for just Ryan. He too will absolutely have no idea what’s about to happen in his life, or that Renata is coming. I’m so intrigued by writing this part. Since Ryan is going to be in LA, and he’s become a pretty famous guy in the meantime, I’m going to have to do some research, and a bit of celebrity gossip observation, to get an idea of what’s realistic for him. Ever since I gave up celebrity gossip for lent back in 2008, I don’t pay attention to it very much. I forgot just what the paparazzi cares about, and where exactly they like to strike. I will be honest and tell you that I’m not overly looking forward to going back to places like TMZ and the like. It just rubs me the wrong way, which I’m sure sounds odd considering one of my characters is supposed to be famous. Oh well, that’s how it goes I guess.

More than anything, I have to convey that Ryan is exhausted, paranoid, and lonely. And I’ve got to get him on that plane to London so he can meet Renata.

Speaking of London! I am going to London in September for a week. I’m thrilled about this because the majority of my story takes place there, and I so look forward to seeing things first hand. For example, I realized a month ago that I stupidly forgot about customs in my airport scene. I have Renata and Ryan unboarding an airplane, picking up bags, and getting in cars as if it was just some domestic flight. I’ve been through customs before in Ireland, Mexico, and obviously back in the states. I’m sure I could write it off like “They passed through Customs without any trouble,” or something, but I’d love to actually know what that experience is like, and sure enough I’m going to get to experience it and note it.

Hopefully, I can also get away to Oxford for one of those days, since part of my story takes place there as well. There are so many things that I’ll be able to observe and write about in such a better way now. I can’t wait!

Words written: 971
Setting: England’s M40
Perspective: Ryan’s Narrative

Favorite line (#wipfavline on twitter):

I had never expected to get the part. But isn’t that how it always goes for burgeoning actors who make it to the big leagues? You always hear them say that during press junkets, “I never expected to get the part.” And now it was my turn. But it was the honest truth. I thought Lawrence was only trying to give me an ego boost when he came to me with a plane ticket and a script.

© 2009 Rochelle Michael

Words written: 1,336
Setting: London and Oxford
Perspective: Renata’s narrative

Favorite line (#wipfavline on twitter):

The framed photograph in Ryan’s room had not done her justice. I thought that I knew her face so well since I had studied it so many times, but this face was fresh and vibrant. Her full lips were mauve and just like Ryan’s, they turned up at the corners ever so slightly. Unlike in the photo, her auburn hair was now long and pulled back in a ponytail. She reminded me more of a cheerleader than a classics professor. She was stunning. Seeing her now in person made me worry that I wasn’t nearly beautiful enough to be with her heart throb son.

© 2009 Rochelle Michael

Words written: 1,403
Setting: London, at the apartment.
Perspective: Ryan’s narrative

Favorite line (#wipfavline on twitter):

“I need help packing,” she requested.

My heart sunk. I finished my task and went to the bedroom where I found suitcases opened and her clothes scattered across the bed. It was the visual representation of my broken heart, scattered into pieces.

© 2009 Rochelle Michael

Words written: 2,650
Settings: Somerset, England at the Widcrest. London, at the apartment.
Perspective: Ryan and Renata’s respective narratives

Favorite line (#wipfavline on twitter):

I had expected some sort of shock written on her face, but instead it spelled the realization of an expectation. It’s as if she knew this day would come. “Do we have to go?” she asked, holding onto her knees tightly.

“I’m sorry, but we do,” I said and left it at that. I knew she needed no further explanation. We sat there quietly for a moment, and just as I’d felt responsible for the rain that kept us indoors, I now felt responsible for the media cyclone we were going to have to run from.

© 2009 Rochelle Michael