Day 18, 38,734 words. Some high quality google searching and inside joking going on.
I am having So. Much. Fun.
My novel is moving along, still no end in sight, but I'm probably enjoying it more than any of my previous novels. Today I was inspired to write almost 4,000 words so I might take a break tomorrow. (I keep saying I'll take breaks but I'm so excited by writing that I never do!)
I moved the plot forward today but also included some gems: blusher (and I tried really hard to take out an ebook version of any Kathy Reichs novel so that I could get a direct quote but completely failed), discussions of the relevance of Emilio Estevez to the field of postmodern social work, the return of *NSYNC's bodyguards, Lonnie and Dre, and as per Katie's request, an explanation about the polar bear boxer shorts.
This excerpt is a bit long, but it gives a bit of update on the story, plus some choice Emilio bits.
“SETH!” You could always tell when Olivia was speaking in all caps, as well. “Where the hell are you? Why haven’t you called me back?”
“Uh, I’m in Maui. I just, decided to take some time, clear my head.”
“Clear your head is right! Last I heard you were going on TWO dates with Hagrid (the monomynous one, not the fictional character from the Harry Potter series), and then I see you in the papers, dancing on tables and kissing girls but they’re saying you’re with Simon Greengage? What is going on?”
“I think you said you had urgent news? I’d love to tell you all about it, but it’s not a great time. I’m just getting ready to pack up and head to the airport, actually.” I wasn’t sure if this was true, but it was easier than saying, “I’m holed up in a two thousand square foot Molokini Suite at the Grand Wailea hotel, with Simon Greengage, and I’m not entirely sure he can’t hear everything I’m saying to you right now.”
“Well call me from the airport then! But wait, where are you going now? Tahiti? Tibet?”
“Oakland, actually. Just heading home.”
“No, come here instead! Come back to Los Angeles. That’s the news I had for you… I heard you lost your job - really sorry to hear that. I called you to get the dirt on Hagrid and Si, and when you didn’t call me back I just gave Laura a ring and she told me about it. So then, I was having lunch with a really good friend, I don’t think you know Tabitha?”
“No, don’t think so.”
“Well, she’s on the board over at the LGBT Centre, you know, the big one downtown? Anyway, she was telling me about how they’re looking for a new director of programs, and mentioned some of the qualifications, and I thought to myself that it would make a great job for you, and so I told her you were looking, and of course she knows who you are, you’re the most famous lesbian in the country right now, after Ellen of course, and you know LA, everyone’s in love with celebrity, and she thought it could really bring in the donation dollars if they got you working for them, and so she made me promise you’d call her and set up an interview. So bottom line, come to LA, stay with me, we’ll set up a meeting, and bam, you’ve got yourself a new job!”
“A new job. I don’t want to sound ungrateful—“
“But you will.”
“But I was really looking forward to some down time. I’ve been doing these postmodern exercises on liminality and authority; for homework I have to watch every Emilio Estevez movie ever made (including, of course, Mission Impossible in which he had an uncredited role) and imagine which Emilio best represents the future that I want to have for myself. As you can see, it’s going to take a while before I could make a decision like that. Besides, I love Oakland. I don’t know if I want to move. Leave my friends, my house?”
“Don’t forget, your boy toys are both in LA. Isn’t that incentive enough?” She giggled. I tried to chuckle but failed miserably.
“Seth,” she continued, “it’s just a conversation with Tabitha. It’s not a commitment. You can still watch all your movies, though if you want some unsolicited advice, I think that Emilio’s role as in Another Stakeout, the one when prankster cops Chris and Bill are joined by a Gina from the DA's office to stakeout a lakeside home, has always kind of reminded me of you.”
“That’s a lot to absorb. I haven’t finished watching them all, yet, but I’ve always sort of seen myself as more of an Emilio circa Young Guns II, in which he was able to fully capture the darkness of William H. “Billy the Kid” Bonney.”
“Huh. I never saw you that way, but I suppose… anyway, this is beside the point. You’re unemployed and have nothing better to do. Just come to LA and talk to Tabitha. I’ll set it up. Want me to pick you up from LAX? What time’s your flight?”
“Er, no, don’t worry about it. I’ll just find my own way. And anyway, I’m probably heading back to Oakland. I’ll call you from there.”
“All right, Seth. Travel safe, then. And if you show up at my house tonight, the spare room’s all yours.”
I turned off the phone and threw it down on the table. I picked up my room service sandwich and nibbled at it, pondering my options. What would Emilio Estevez do? While I tried to channel an aging and frightened Billy the Kid, the screen door slid open and shut behind me.
Coincidentally, I found a photo of Jude Law and Emilio Estevez together:
My novel is moving along, still no end in sight, but I'm probably enjoying it more than any of my previous novels. Today I was inspired to write almost 4,000 words so I might take a break tomorrow. (I keep saying I'll take breaks but I'm so excited by writing that I never do!)
I moved the plot forward today but also included some gems: blusher (and I tried really hard to take out an ebook version of any Kathy Reichs novel so that I could get a direct quote but completely failed), discussions of the relevance of Emilio Estevez to the field of postmodern social work, the return of *NSYNC's bodyguards, Lonnie and Dre, and as per Katie's request, an explanation about the polar bear boxer shorts.
This excerpt is a bit long, but it gives a bit of update on the story, plus some choice Emilio bits.
“SETH!” You could always tell when Olivia was speaking in all caps, as well. “Where the hell are you? Why haven’t you called me back?”
“Uh, I’m in Maui. I just, decided to take some time, clear my head.”
“Clear your head is right! Last I heard you were going on TWO dates with Hagrid (the monomynous one, not the fictional character from the Harry Potter series), and then I see you in the papers, dancing on tables and kissing girls but they’re saying you’re with Simon Greengage? What is going on?”
“I think you said you had urgent news? I’d love to tell you all about it, but it’s not a great time. I’m just getting ready to pack up and head to the airport, actually.” I wasn’t sure if this was true, but it was easier than saying, “I’m holed up in a two thousand square foot Molokini Suite at the Grand Wailea hotel, with Simon Greengage, and I’m not entirely sure he can’t hear everything I’m saying to you right now.”
“Well call me from the airport then! But wait, where are you going now? Tahiti? Tibet?”
“Oakland, actually. Just heading home.”
“No, come here instead! Come back to Los Angeles. That’s the news I had for you… I heard you lost your job - really sorry to hear that. I called you to get the dirt on Hagrid and Si, and when you didn’t call me back I just gave Laura a ring and she told me about it. So then, I was having lunch with a really good friend, I don’t think you know Tabitha?”
“No, don’t think so.”
“Well, she’s on the board over at the LGBT Centre, you know, the big one downtown? Anyway, she was telling me about how they’re looking for a new director of programs, and mentioned some of the qualifications, and I thought to myself that it would make a great job for you, and so I told her you were looking, and of course she knows who you are, you’re the most famous lesbian in the country right now, after Ellen of course, and you know LA, everyone’s in love with celebrity, and she thought it could really bring in the donation dollars if they got you working for them, and so she made me promise you’d call her and set up an interview. So bottom line, come to LA, stay with me, we’ll set up a meeting, and bam, you’ve got yourself a new job!”
“A new job. I don’t want to sound ungrateful—“
“But you will.”
“But I was really looking forward to some down time. I’ve been doing these postmodern exercises on liminality and authority; for homework I have to watch every Emilio Estevez movie ever made (including, of course, Mission Impossible in which he had an uncredited role) and imagine which Emilio best represents the future that I want to have for myself. As you can see, it’s going to take a while before I could make a decision like that. Besides, I love Oakland. I don’t know if I want to move. Leave my friends, my house?”
“Don’t forget, your boy toys are both in LA. Isn’t that incentive enough?” She giggled. I tried to chuckle but failed miserably.
“Seth,” she continued, “it’s just a conversation with Tabitha. It’s not a commitment. You can still watch all your movies, though if you want some unsolicited advice, I think that Emilio’s role as in Another Stakeout, the one when prankster cops Chris and Bill are joined by a Gina from the DA's office to stakeout a lakeside home, has always kind of reminded me of you.”
“That’s a lot to absorb. I haven’t finished watching them all, yet, but I’ve always sort of seen myself as more of an Emilio circa Young Guns II, in which he was able to fully capture the darkness of William H. “Billy the Kid” Bonney.”
“Huh. I never saw you that way, but I suppose… anyway, this is beside the point. You’re unemployed and have nothing better to do. Just come to LA and talk to Tabitha. I’ll set it up. Want me to pick you up from LAX? What time’s your flight?”
“Er, no, don’t worry about it. I’ll just find my own way. And anyway, I’m probably heading back to Oakland. I’ll call you from there.”
“All right, Seth. Travel safe, then. And if you show up at my house tonight, the spare room’s all yours.”
I turned off the phone and threw it down on the table. I picked up my room service sandwich and nibbled at it, pondering my options. What would Emilio Estevez do? While I tried to channel an aging and frightened Billy the Kid, the screen door slid open and shut behind me.
Coincidentally, I found a photo of Jude Law and Emilio Estevez together:
HAHHAH, love the picture. I also really enjoyed the postmodern social work exercise involving Emilio Estevez movies. I have to confess that I kind of see Seth more as Emilio Estevez from the Breakfast Club - "the athlete" with a heart of gold.
ReplyDeleteHILARIOUS! That needs to be a quiz in a teen magazine. We would all know so much more about ourselves if we knew which Emilio Estevez movie best represented us. I wish that I had the name of the book that Seth is reading so that I too can do some homework to improve on my liminality and authority.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy that you're having fun!
I love this so much. That must be the best use of Emilio Estevez filmography in dialogue I have yet to see.
ReplyDeleteIt's so great that you are enjoying your writing so much, it really shows in your excerpts.