Depending on how involved I get in Red Orchestra or Ubik tonight, I may make a general post later. Though if that's what you're looking for at this particular moment, you may want to look elsewhere. This itty-bitty post has nothing to do with anything save Paradise -- which, for the unfamiliar, is what I'm currently calling my dystopian, post-nuclear, romantic, darkly comedic, dramatic psychological thriller of a book. If the idea of a book like this entices you in all the right places then I highly recommend that you read the first two segments before going any further in this post. If nothing else, you'll want to have read the first chapter. The introduction can be forgotten about for a bit.

So, a bit under two months after I started the first chapter, I'm starting up work on the second chapter of the book. In my current line of thinking the second chapter is going to be divided into two separate parts. After the first two writing sessions with it I've arrived at a partial draft (a mere seven pages) containing the chapter's flashback as well as introductions to two major characters. As of now it's a very easy-to-read chapter which has a fairly light tone; I've forgone the dense details of the first chapter for far more dialog-driven segments for the first half of Chapter 2. I'm planning on delving back into a darker, more foreboding mood at the point which the chapter currently drops off at.

Currently the chapter is in very, very rough shape. I haven't looked over it at all yet, and probably won't do so until I get a decent beginning and end to the thing written. So if there are any issues that crop up while you read through it that you want to bring to my attention, keep in mind that currently all I want to hear is some very general feedback. Once I get a full draft of it done, then I'll be down with some more specific feedback -- I'll also put up an HTML and PDF version then too. For now, it's just DOCs for all.

Quickly, though, I will WARN you that the chapter contains a bit of "adult language." Which is to say that I swear a bit. Well, a bit more than a bit. No sex, violence, blood, or gory text is presence though. So "Amen!" to that.

Linky: http://www.polycat.net/writing/paradisec2_week10_draft1.doc

I'm not sure why I feel the need to post an update on such unfinished progress other than the fact that this information is as much for me (if not more so) as it is for anyone else. Think of reading this site as having special, forbidden access to your sister's top-secret, pink-ruffled diary.

Wait. No. Think of a better comparison than that.