A good morning of writing, as I step into new territory on the novel. It's been awesome -- I've spent so much time reworking the previous two sections, figuring out what the future world is like along with the situation of the aliens, that the new stuff practically writes itself. Today's scene takes place at the Old Capitol mall in downtown Iowa City, which has been converted into a detainment camp for the aliens.

Can I just tell you how much fun I had with this section?

I'm looking forward to one last writing session before leaving for DC tomorrow. I wasted a bit of time re-reading earlier sections of the novel, tweaking and tweaking. I know now that I need to just move forward. I can reread the old stuff later.

A related question -- anyone know if Amtrak trains come with power outlets? My laptop's battery is good for a little over 2 hours, and I was hoping to do some writing on the ride up to DC and back again. Just curious.

If there's no laptop-juice on the train, I've got Jenn's novel and a couple 'zines to read on the way, so I'm sure I'll have plenty of reading materials. Plus they're giving away up about $250 worth of books in the WFC freebie bags! So if you're going, save room in your suitcase!

In job-related news, I had a really good phone interview yesterday for a really interesting tech writer job at a small medical software company that sounds like a perfect fit for me. [UPDATE -- just got a call and I have another interview on Tuesday when I get back!] And I also think I nailed my interview with the large pharmaceutical company for the editor job with them (one of the managers went to NC State, where I went, and went through their writing program). [UPDATE -- no dice; the pharma gig didn't work out]

So I may just have my pick of jobs, which would be nifty. I may be able to do some part-time work with the editing position, if I get the full-time position as a tech writer (even better, the writing position is in Chapel Hill, my favorite town in NC next to Ocracoke).

All in all, things are looking up, I must say. Which goes to show that stressing about jobs is never beneficial. Just chill out and send those resumes out and let whatever needs to happen, happen. Later!

Now Playing:
"Down on the Upside," Soundgarden

Now Reading:
Bag of Bones, Stephen King

Today's Words:
1,000

Words for '03:
134,000

Today's Quote:
The camera holds on the alien, and the lighting effects from the camera illuminate the delicate scars around the mouth of the female alien and the glistening layer of condensation covering her oval face. She doesn't move anything but her hair-tentacles, dark blue-black cords that flop and quiver across her head. Some of them stretch down as if trying to get a better look at or smell the capsules still sitting on her upheld palm. Her hand doesn't move for a long, silent moment.

And then the capsules disappear into her thin plastic jacket, and she takes three long steps toward the camera. One moment she is there, looming above the person filming like a distorted shadow, and the next she has dropped from view.

She has gone into the tunnels under the mall-turned-camp.