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.