Monday, September 24, 2012

Post: Surprise Visit, The Magic Number, And Update!


So I read this article about a mother being arrested for letting her kids play outside. Considering the circumstances (a cul-de-sac, little to no traffic), my reaction was all, "really?" Granted, it's important to keep an eye on kids, even if they're playing with other kids in the neighbored (which was my case Saturday). Why do I bring this up? That was my first thought when a sheriff approached my door.

Oh, snap. The gig is up!

Nah. Turns out the gentleman with the badge around his neck wanted to know if a previous resident lived at our address still. Nope, but it was cool meeting a local sheriff. More writing fodder in the notebook!

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There's five new members to welcome to the blog this week. If you have a second, have a visit. You won't be disappointed!

and
 Emma

Also, feel free to congratulate Nichole Giles for her success in landing an agent. I'm amazed by how many of my best blogging buds are getting picked up left and right. I'm so excited for you all!

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Update: 10,000 is a magic number for me. Why's that? It means the story works. In its imperfect, rough-draft glory, getting words on the page isn't a chore. Now, if I can get this cold under control, I'll dump more words this week. We'll see. We're celebrating my dad's 70th birthday this week, so reaching 15K is a manageable goal, I think.

Enough talk. Let's write!

Shashabooey!

Be on the lookout for more tropes, reviews, and other awesomeness this week. We're going to give September a proper sendoff here.

Had you any interesting visitors this week? Make new blogging friends? Tackled a few more words to your WiP? What's up?

I'm David, and can you guess the value of this action figure?

Given away during the 1997 rerelease

31 comments:

  1. You can do it!
    And happy birthday to your father.

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  2. 10,000 seems to be a magic number for me too. Although I did have one at around 30,000 where I stopped. Only because a movie came out that strongly resembled my manuscript. Ugh.

    Happy Birthday to your dad.

    And my guess for that figure is $75

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  3. Nice goals, DPK! I'm rooting for you! And yes, HUGE happy birthday to your dad! And at first I was thinking a couple hundred bucks, but then saw the date, so I'm with Jay... it'll be just under a hundred, I think...

    :D

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  4. Thanks for the mention! That article about that poor mother makes my heart skip a beat or two. Does this mean I'm going to let my kids get in trouble for playing in our backyard while I watch them from the kitchen window?

    Congratulations to your dad!

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  5. They seriously arrested her? Wow! What is this world coming to? My guess $300+

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  6. I know some of those awesome blogs! Good luck on the writing and don't waste your life savings on that action figure!

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  7. I'm gonna guess $99.99. And next time the sheriff comes to my door, I hope I'm not arrested either, because my kids are ALWAYS playing in the backyard.

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  8. I got to talk to an officer this month too! Lots of fodder!!!! Good luck and HBday to Dad!!!

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  9. How uncanny:) We had a run in with our local sheriff also. Someone stole our sons golf cart (its safer and slower than a 4-wheeler) and took it for a joy ride through town. while we we gone on vacation. You just never know what happens while you are gone, relaxing and enjoying family time.

    Thanks for the shout you gave me a while back. I was away on vacation at the time. Boy, you miss a lot when gone from home!

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  10. How much is that action figure worth? I'm going to guess twenty dollars.

    Hearing you talk about your dad's birthday reminds me that my parents are going to be kind of moving to SLC for the winter. They aren't set on living her permanently as they still have their roots in Idaho. But they are exploring it by renting an apartment. It will be interesting.

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  11. You can arrest someone for that? Wow.

    Keep up the writing, David! And happy B-day to your dad!

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  12. I know, so many writers signing with agents these days. It's wonderful! Gives me hope. :) And I have no idea about the action figure, but it'd probably excite my hubby.

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  13. I'm going to guess $150.

    Hooray on your new followers and your wordage!

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  14. For the action figure I'll guess around $75. Hubby would have a better idea as he used to collect Starwars. He always said it would be an investment and that we'd never starve.

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  15. Wow. First of all, thanks for the mention (even though I was already a follower and just had to re-follow because I changed my e-mail address). :)

    As for the arrested lady - holy crap! Living on military bases for so many years I know about rules regarding unsupervised children. There are line-of-sight rules, there are arms-length rules, there are age limits, etc. I have had many friends get in trouble on post for leaving their kids in the car while they ran into a store or to pick up another kid from practice, etc., or sending the kids to the neighborhood park as a group but without an old enough child or adult. But none of them have ever been arrested! It has always been a warning.

    Also, Happy Birthday to your dad!

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  16. I'm grumbling at your figure. I missed getting one of those :( Long story.
    However, I do have one of the ultra limited theater edition double-sided posters for TPM. Yeah, that relates to the Luke story.

    I have a funny cop story. I need to write that up...

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  17. Lucky you weren't busted! Yes, congrats to Nichole. She signed with my publisher. =D

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  18. 10K is a good start, yes. As for the figure, I'd say $75, but only in the package. HA!

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  19. No visitors this weekend, but we're okay with that. :) Not a clue what that package is worth, maybe a hundred bucks?

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  20. I read that article too, and it made me think there must be more to the story.

    That there was bad blood already between this mother and the neighbor who called the cops goes without saying.

    But considering, as a teacher, I know how hard it is to get ANYONE to investigate suspected abuse and neglect, no matter how many times we report it -- I have a hard time believing the cops hauled the mother away to jail that fast.

    Unless she got nasty with them when they questioned her. Maybe told them off. That DOES NOT make it right, of course. But cops are more likely to overact when you don't drop your head and say, "Yes sir."

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  21. Congratulations on your writing progress. :)

    I know nothing about action figures, but I'm going to guess $70.

    Happy Birthday to your dad!

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  22. That Star Wars action figure is probably around $200 by my guess.

    And 15k is feasible if you work hard!

    -Matt

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  23. Good luck with your writing goal! Right now, I'm between content edits and copy edits. I'm taking a little Guild Wars 2 break. ;)

    P.S. Happy Birthday to your dad!

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  24. Good luck with your writing goal. Sounds very doable.

    As for the action figure, I am guessing 350 :)

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  25. Poor Tammy! When I was a kid we were shown the door and told not to come back until supper.

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  26. I'm a bit concerned that so many of my bloggy friends are having encounters with the law.
    I'm not good with the action figure guesses, but I'm thinking near the 200 mark.

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  27. I had the sheriff visit once before as well, but that was when I was a kid. Scary! But writing fodder, yes.

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  28. I don't think you can allow your kids the run of the neighborhood these days--it's not safe.

    I did do some tackling on my WIP this week. Thx for asking. :)

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  29. Woohoo! Congrats on your goal David! That's awesome!

    I need to do some more writing. ;)

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  30. Yay for 10,000! Every time I see a police officer I immediately think of everything I've ever done in my life and wonder if it's grounds for arrest. So far the answer has been no :D

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  31. I'm getting over a cold, too. Hope you feel better and reach that writing goal!

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