Fast Fiction

Today was another day in the car - though I didn’t travel as far as the Antelope Valley, I went to two different valleys.

I started with a drive to Canoga Park to the Borders there to meet up with some other far-flung wrimos. When I arrived at ten, the parking lot was nearly empty. I walked around, a little worried that I didn’t see anyone in the place and no big comfy chairs placed anywhere (as some Borders do have, or maybe I’m getting them confused with Barnes & Noble). I went upstairs and found the cafe. I ended up asking another fellow toting a laptop if he was a wrimo and realized quickly when he said “a what?” that he wasn’t.

I got a cup of drip coffee (from a guy who I don’t think has ever sold a cup of coffee before) and walked around for another ten minutes or so and then settled down at a table next to an outlet. Soon my intended wrimo prey joined me and we talked for a while and then I settled in for some wordage.

time..running tally..words…words/minute
11:30…..21,540…..454…..30.27
11:45…..21,907…..367…..24.47
12:00…..22,451…..544…..36.27
12:15…..22,817…..366…..24.40
12:30…..22,898…...81…...5.40
12:45…..23,166…..268…..17.87

Then I packed up my things, and took off to Pasadena, stopping to get gas first as I knew I had another twenty or so miles to go and my gas tank gauge was flashing “add fuel” all week.

Up in Pasadena I found the Vroman’s gang already in full swing with their write-out and the Vroman’s staff absolutely wonderful in checking up on us. The set up was the table used for in-store events - so there are a series of chair set up as an audience for us. Several patrons actually sat there, probably just to rest or chat for a moment, but it made the noveling feel like a spectator sport. I wish we could have gotten them to do the wave.

time..running tally..words…words/minute
2:30…..23,363…..197…..13.13
2:45…..23,631…..268…..17.87
3:00…..23,774…..143…...9.53
3:15…..23,827…...53…...3.53
3:30…..24,260…..433…..28.87
3:45…..24,285…...25…..,1.67
4:00…..24,826…..541…..36.07
4:15…..24,963…..137…..9.13
4:30…..25,239…..276…..18.40
4:45…..25,815…..576…..38.40
5:00…..26,115…..300…..20.00

It was a huge group, so there was lots of chatting, but I got my 5K for the day, so I was pretty pleased with that. I had to leave in a timely fashion, as I had dinner plans later.

The other cool thing is that I’m over the mid-way hump. I’m telling a story, though the plot leaves a little to be desired.