Cracking Open the Story

by syaffolee

Yay! I have passed the 25k mark, the halfway point in the 50,000 words in a month challenge.

Basically, I’m writing this story by the seat of my pants. No outlines. Making stuff up as I go along. But despite all of that, the story is at a point where the plot is rolling along whether I want it to or not. That’s because it’s turning into a bit of a murder mystery. And because there are clues that the main characters are finding, the rest of the story will have to follow logically from those clues.

For those of you following along, I do plan on including these characters in the next couple of chapters:
*The High Priestess
*The Lovers
*The Wheel of Fortune
*The Magician
*The Star

As for the rest of the cards that haven’t shown up yet, for some of them, their appearance will depend on where the plot goes. Others won’t be so important.

* * *

Here’s an excerpt from chapter 11:

“What makes you think I’ll do you any favors?”

“If you don’t do me a favor, I’ll rip up your couch cushions and get your neighbor to attempt to set me on fire on top of the remains. In your living room.”

“Is that a threat?” Another Tequila Sunset was placed in front of her, but she didn’t touch it. “I want to know what this favor is before I accept this drink. Will it involve theft?”

“Nope.”

“Murder?”

“No.”

“Torture? Blowing things up? Breaking laws? Giving annoying people wedgies?”

“No. Nope. Nada. And that sounds fun, but not that either. We’re going to be visiting a psychic. I set up an appointment via e-mail for ten thirty in the morning.”

She was nonplussed. “A psychic? They’re all frauds. Are you planning on driving one mental by giving her real visions?”

“Well, there isn’t anything more hellish than seeing things that you know aren’t there.”

* * *

I’m currently working on chapter 12. Here’s the opening teaser paragraph:

The Devil had wanted to go gambling, to destroy fortunes. He had wanted to go to a strip club to wallow in the illicit pleasures of the flesh. He wanted to go drag racing on the Strip just to piss off law enforcement. But no. He wasn’t doing any of these things. Instead, he was at a grocery store staring at macadamia nuts. Macadamia nuts! He could kill someone with those things. If only he had the creativity to figure out how.