As of 5.30pm yesterday, I reached the magical 50,000 words. I haven't finished yet, mind you. And I intend to keep writing, to try and bolster my regions word count average. Given that one person in my region has written over 257,000 since the start of November (I kid you not, she really has done it), I have an obligation to keep writing and boost my word count as much as I can before the end of the month.
I have a green bar, though, and come November 25, when I can officially validate, I will then have a pretty purple bar!

So, congrats to everyone who has achieved 50,000, and good luck to those who are still working towards it. There is still time - don't give up!

It wasn't as productive a weekend as I had hoped, but I can't complain.
Saturday was my very first write-in, and in 5 hours I wrote 5,000 words.
Sunday, with a number of interruptions to deal with, I wrote 6,470 words.

So, total word count for the weekend is 6,470 words.
Total word count so far: 32,756 words

At the end of Day 5 (Australian time): 20,050 words.
That is all.

Novel Title: Nine Years In The Pit
(You wanna know what it's about? Email me - I'm not risking certain tech-savvy busybodies finding out through Google alerts.)
Day One word count: I didn't make specific note, but it was somewhere over 5,000
Day Two word count: 8383
Day Three word count (so far): 12,006

The motor is officially running, people, and I have the RSI in my wrist to prove it.

So, as soon as I found out that the Amazon Kindle was going to be available to Australians, I immediately pre-ordered it. It was shipped on the 19th, and I got it a few days later. Seriously, Friday turned into one of those up-down days. Down, as in feeling like crap and suffering nausea and vertigo whilst trying to focus on multiple tasks at work; up, as in watching the tracking details of my Kindle on Amazon.
And once the new and shiny tech arrived at work, it was even harder to concentrate on the job. I am happy to say that I did manage to get some outstanding tasks dealt with.

Soooo, I charged it up, ordered a few books (because what's the point of having it, and nothing to read but the How-To manual?) and took a really late lunch break to slink around the office and show off the new and shiny.

The sweetest thing is that I, who am usually way behind the 8-ball on these things, am probably one of the first Aussies to have on. And it is sweet! Seriously, I love my new and shiny.

On a final note (because it's late and I probably really ought to shouble be going to bed), the very first book I bought and downloaded for my new and shiny?
John Barrowman's Anything Goes - naturally...

Title: What Never Should Be
Chapter 43: The Pathway Forward
Author: blucougar57
Summary: What might have happened if Jack had refused to join Torchwood in 1899?
Rating: M
Warnings: Torture, Severe PTSD, AU, mild sexual descriptions
A/N: This is the penultimate chapter. There is just the epilogue to come, but whilst this particular story is nearly over, it's really only the beginning for Jack and Ianto in this AU. There is more to come.


( Chapter 43: THE PATHWAY FORWARD )

Title: What Never Should Be
Chapter 41: A Taste of Normal
Author: blucougar57
Summary: What might have happened if Jack had refused to join Torchwood in 1899?
Rating: T
Warnings: Torture, Severe PTSD, AU

( Chapter 41: A TASTE OF NORMAL )

Basically, what it says on the tin. I had the opportunity tonight to meet Jeff Lindsay, who is the author of the popular Dexter books. He is in Australia at the moment on a book tour, and I got to attend a reading from his latest book, a Q & A session and signing. Didn't get to ask any questions myself - the couple of questions I had were asked by someone else, but I didn't mind.

I enjoyed hearing him read from his book, and I got to exchange a few words with him when I got my book signed. I left happy - my first book signing with a well-known author, and I didn't get tongue-tied and end up embarrassed and feeling like an idiot!

He was pretty friendly, and with a good sense of humour - no small thing when by his own admission he was exhausted from the amount of travelling he'd done.

It was a great session, though, and well worth staying in Melbourne for. And after the last few weeks that I've had, it was nice to have something like this to look forward to.

Title: What Never Should Be
Chapter 39: Restoration
Author: blucougar57
Summary: What might have happened if Jack had refused to join Torchwood in 1899?
Rating: T/borderline M
Warnings: Torture, Severe PTSD, AU, uncomfortable adolescent-ish discussions of male sexual responses.


( Chapter 39: RESTORATION )

My copy of the latest Torchwood mag arrived today, and I nearly gagged when I saw '11 pages' of RTD interview advertised on the front. Wondered briefly if I could remove the offending segment and have a ritual burning.

I flipped through it briefly - very briefly in the case of the RTD... stuff... but despite my best efforts, some things still caught my attention. In particular, the question to RTD about whether he's established a tradition and that someone has to die in every series of TW. Oh no, he replied. He just focuses on the plot, and goes from there.

Plot? Pardon me while I go and choke in a quiet corner.

And then, to add insult to injury, there was the now standard comment about why it was just so logical that Ianto had to die. I thought I was recovering, and then I found myself wanting to throttle the man all over again.

After I consoled myself by imagining cutting out the Janto pin-up, and covering Gwen's face on the Torchwood calendar with it, I started to contemplate the situation afresh, and I've come up with a theory.

Exit Wounds and COE were all about deconstructing Jack, and stripping away from him everything that he loved. He lost Ianto. He lost his grandson. He lost his daughter by default. He lost the Hub, and probably Myfanwy into the bargain. He lost his brother permanently.
Gwen, however, is still there, unscathed and ready to carry on bravely.

Conclusion? Gwen Cooper is about as important to Jack as a pair of dirty socks. If Jack was meant to lose everything that was important to him, then going by RTD's theory about how Gwen is the heart of Torchwood and everyone just loves her sooooo much *gag* and she's Jack's soul mate *insert violent retching*, Gwen should have been the first to go. But no, she's still clinging on like a limpet on viagra.
Killing off Tosh, Owen and Ianto profoundly affected Jack. Apparently, he couldn't care less if Gwen lives or dies, so killing her off wouldn't mean a thing to him.

Evidence? Jack didn't want to look at Gwen after losing Ianto, and I don't believe that was just a line to get Frobisher to send her back to Cardiff. He didn't need to add a line like that. Frobisher had already conceded. I really do believe Jack couldn't stand the sight of her, knowing she hadn't lost anything.
Secondly, Jack was all too willing to leave her behind on Earth at the end. Seriously, he couldn't leave quick enough.
Would he have left if Ianto had survived? I don't think so.

My heart warms at these thoughts. I may be descending into the realm of crack with this theory, but I reserve the right to believe in it with everything I have. And bugger anyone who thinks otherwise.

In the meantime, I know I have fics to update. The next chapter of What Never Should Be is written, and will be posted as soon as I type the bloody thing up. (I handwrite my chapters before typing) And I promise I will also respond to the wonderful comments left for the previous chapter, as soon as I have an attention span that lasts longer than fifteen minutes.

Can't wait until Saturday is done with - these last two weeks have truly been a nightmare, but the end is in sight. I hope.