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Rachael Herron

(R.H. Herron)

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HOT DAMN

November 28, 2006

I did it.

Today, I hit the 50,000 mark with the word stabbed. Actually, the hero and heroine are making out in a pantry, and he gets stabbed with a knitting needle. Thought that was a good 50,000 word . Two days early, yo!

I’m about 2/3 done with the novel itself, and NaNoWriMo was such a wild ride that I think I’m going to continue using its momentum. I’ve written 50,000 words before. Four or five times before. Maybe six. But never all at once, never in four weeks. It feels like an astonishing victory and I can’t wait to get home (I’m at the little mama’s house) so I can upload the work and see my progress bar turn to the winner’s purple bar. Isn’t that silly? I can’t WAIT to see it go purple.

Crazy plan, man. Crazy plan for these Oakland people to think up (you know it’s based here, right?) 70,000 people worldwide signed up, and I know as of this writing, 4883 have finished.

Make that 4884. Oh, yeah. Little victory dance in my chair. Uh-huh. DaWEET, daWEET, woopwoopWOOP! That’s the way, uh-huh uh-huh, we LIKE IT. Uh-huh uh-huh.

That was the dance. The finishing party is on Friday, and I get to go, having conned someone into working for me. I can’t wait. CAN’T WAIT. That was so fun. You have to do it next year. Seriously. SO FUN. Plus, then you don’t have that excuse that you have no time to write. You do, too. I actually got more running time in this month than I have in the longest time — I was better at time management somehow.

OH MY GOD.

I’m so happy.

*Edited to add – HEY! They’re calling me a 2006 Winner already, even though I haven’t officially sent in my words! See, the box at the top on the right? YIPPEE!

*Edited a second time to add: Further proof that I can’t talk anymore, not while writing this much. While I was reading the recipe card, I told Lala I wanted to make oatmeal kittens. WHILE I WAS READING THE CARD which clearly said oatmeal cookies. Well, come on. Wouldn’t everyone like an oatmeal kitten? How cute would that be?

Posted by Rachael 46 Comments

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. greta says

    November 28, 2006 at 5:35 pm

    YAY for you!

    Reply
  2. Rebekkah says

    November 28, 2006 at 5:59 pm

    Congrats!
    Just about an hour ago I was actually wondering how you were doing, as I realized how close it is to the end of the month. (I don’t usually sit on the couch and think about random bloggers who I’ve never met, but I’ve been doing some writing myself lately, and your quest has certainly provided some inspiration.)

    Reply
  3. Ali says

    November 28, 2006 at 6:00 pm

    Yay, you made it! And I’d love an oatmeal kitten if you’re offering ๐Ÿ™‚
    The winner’s certificate is pretty nifty too. Want to trade stories sometime?

    Reply
  4. Lorette says

    November 28, 2006 at 6:02 pm

    Hooray! Congratulations! I might sign up again next year. I love that your hero gets stabbed with a knitting needle!

    Reply
  5. Carrie says

    November 28, 2006 at 6:13 pm

    Yay you!! Congrats, girlie!!!

    Reply
  6. Susie says

    November 28, 2006 at 6:55 pm

    …and it couldn’t have been more fitting that a knitting needle was instrumental.
    I signed up and then balked at the last moment. My penance has been NaBloPoMo, posting every single day for the month of November. I’ll bet I’ve written almost 50,000 words, but you sure couldn’t make a coherent tale from them.
    Congratulations! We’ll be looking to pre-order from Amazon, right…?

    Reply
  7. amisha says

    November 28, 2006 at 7:03 pm

    woooooooooooo-hoo!!! congratulations!! you’re a rockstar.

    Reply
  8. chris says

    November 28, 2006 at 7:13 pm

    You’re making oatmeal kittens? I SOOO want one!
    And congrats on being a NaNoWriMoSoFoWoHoHoHo winner . . . I’m incredibly impressed!
    Hell, I couldn’t even get a crappy swatch done for Norovember.

    Reply
  9. nicole says

    November 28, 2006 at 7:38 pm

    Congratulations, Rachael! I am definitely up for trying it one of these years. Thanks for the inspirado!

    Reply
  10. --Deb says

    November 28, 2006 at 7:57 pm

    Congratulations! That’s just so impressive!

    Reply
  11. Christina says

    November 28, 2006 at 8:04 pm

    Congratulations, Rach! Now, go make me an oatmeal kitten!

    Reply
  12. Rabbitch says

    November 28, 2006 at 8:23 pm

    Yay you!
    And kittens with or without raisins? ’cause, like I have bridgework and the raisins get stuck in my teeth …

    Reply
  13. Amanda says

    November 28, 2006 at 8:48 pm

    Mmmm….kittenlicious….
    Oh, and WOOHOO for 50k!!!!!

    Reply
  14. Laura says

    November 28, 2006 at 9:11 pm

    YAY you made it!! Isn’t it weird how you manage your time BETTER when you have 30,000 things to do AND you are crazy enough to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days? Isn’t it weird how that works? I was finding extra time to get shit done up to my eyeballs! I got more stuff done in that first NaNo month than I did in an entire year of unemployment. It is weird. Does getting someone to work for you mean we get to stay later at the party or what? Bouncy!

    Reply
  15. Laura says

    November 28, 2006 at 9:13 pm

    PS don’t tell anybody but in 2003, I wrote over 75,000 words in less than 30 days. I might be insane.

    Reply
  16. Janine says

    November 28, 2006 at 9:29 pm

    You go, girl (as outdated as that phrase is, it’s all I can think of!)!

    Reply
  17. Emily says

    November 29, 2006 at 12:35 am

    dude. That’s a lot of freakin novels. I better get reading.

    Reply
  18. Krista says

    November 29, 2006 at 1:36 am

    Congrats! Sounds like it’s time to crack open a box of Cadbury eggs to celebrate.
    And, oatmeal kittens could be done. All you’d have to do is find a cookie cutter in the shape of a kitten. It’d be a little messy since the dough is so sticky, but the potential for cuteness is there.

    Reply
  19. Kay says

    November 29, 2006 at 4:59 am

    YEE, congrats. I’m a writer, too (mostly short fiction with a few longer pieces thrown in there, and one novel-length work), and NaNo is a HUGE accomplishment. Definitely ride that momentum if it’ll hold.

    Reply
  20. grace says

    November 29, 2006 at 6:04 am

    So happy for you … and pass the oatmeal kittens!

    Reply
  21. jenn says

    November 29, 2006 at 6:41 am

    Congratulations, lady!

    Reply
  22. Kirstie says

    November 29, 2006 at 7:38 am

    Congratulations! What a great accomplishment!
    I have to really admire that much creativity and sheer hard work. I signed up for the much tamer NaBloPoMo, and that’s challenging enough for me.
    Yay, you!

    Reply
  23. Celia says

    November 29, 2006 at 7:57 am

    WOO HOO!!! And will you save a few of those oatmeal kittens for me?

    Reply
  24. Toya says

    November 29, 2006 at 9:18 am

    Yeah congrats Rach……

    Reply
  25. Donna says

    November 29, 2006 at 9:39 am

    I knew you could do it! Welcome to the club ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  26. Amanda says

    November 29, 2006 at 10:01 am

    Congratulations. And please don’t make any oatmeal kittens ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  27. Michelle says

    November 29, 2006 at 10:33 am

    And tasty, too!
    I’m so proud of you. You won!
    And yes, I’ll be joining you next year. Woot!

    Reply
  28. maryse says

    November 29, 2006 at 10:48 am

    congratulations! i don’t think i’ve writen 50,000 words in my life.

    Reply
  29. maryse says

    November 29, 2006 at 10:48 am

    written…

    Reply
  30. BigAlice says

    November 29, 2006 at 11:31 am

    WOOOO! Congratulations!

    Reply
  31. kryyyystyyyy says

    November 29, 2006 at 11:34 am

    YAHOOOO!!! you gone and done it!! wahooo!!!!

    Reply
  32. Avrienne says

    November 29, 2006 at 11:53 am

    Congratulations! I’m definitely not going to make it this year…I got really, *really* sick a few days ago, and I was already behind. There’s no way I can crank out 17K+ words before tomorrow night. Oh, well, I’ve won before….

    Reply
  33. Juti says

    November 29, 2006 at 12:36 pm

    You are my official inspiration. Congratulations on your goal achieved!!

    Reply
  34. Kim says

    November 29, 2006 at 12:46 pm

    Is it wrong to be so incredibly proud of someone you’ve never met? Who cares! I’m so proud of you! Overall, looks like this has been your year! The wife, the house, and now this! Throw in a great new dog and your gorgeous new hair, you are my “it” girl for 2006!

    Reply
  35. becky says

    November 29, 2006 at 1:11 pm

    Yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yippeeeeeee, hoooooorayyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!! Woohoooooooo! I’m so happy for you; ain’t it a GREAT feeling? It’s so super duper great, great, great! I’m about 3/4 of the way thru my book, myself, and I’m just so danged grateful U told me about NaNoWriMo, man, cuz it’s been so wonderful! Whoo-hoooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!! (That purple bar is so satisfying, man, so satisfying, so so so so very satisfying!)

    Reply
  36. rho says

    November 29, 2006 at 2:42 pm

    look at you your winner you with 5 words to spare ๐Ÿ˜€ Congratulations!!!!

    Reply
  37. Brooke says

    November 29, 2006 at 2:49 pm

    Congrats to you! That must feel great!

    Reply
  38. Erika says

    November 29, 2006 at 5:04 pm

    Congratulations!
    I bet oatmeal kittens like milk.

    Reply
  39. alison says

    November 29, 2006 at 5:53 pm

    Congratulations! And put me down for a dozen oatmeal kittens, please.

    Reply
  40. Susan says

    November 30, 2006 at 10:38 am

    Rock ON! Well done. You really are a writer, aren’t you- that many words strikes fear in my heart, and I talk A LOT.

    Reply
  41. Amanda says

    November 30, 2006 at 10:44 am

    Woot woot! Congrats!!!!

    Reply
  42. Dr. B. says

    November 30, 2006 at 11:36 am

    Stabbed, indeed. Congratulations! Oatmeal kittens for everyone!

    Reply
  43. LizKnits says

    November 30, 2006 at 1:20 pm

    Congrats!! Looking forward to seeing that read in print.

    Reply
  44. Rebecca says

    November 30, 2006 at 7:20 pm

    CONGRATS! I am so impressed!

    Reply
  45. Mandy says

    November 30, 2006 at 10:38 pm

    I want an oatmeal kitten.
    Congratulations!!! ๐Ÿ˜€
    xo

    Reply
  46. Steph says

    December 1, 2006 at 6:06 am

    Woohoo! Congratulations. Gives me a new way to use the word Stabbed.
    “Dude, you totally stabbed that sweater!”

    Reply

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