I haven’t posted my word count on Janus Watchers in almost a month. Why? Because I’ve only written about 2,000 words on the novel in that time (and I’ve done some editing). Which means I need to do some major rocking and rolling during the next two months (my first draft completion goal is now August 20).
I did send out the Cyprus story (now entitled Gravity Defiant), which I completed at 3,300 words and after approximately fifteen editing passes. Thanks to Vicki, E-spouse, Stephen, Suzy, and Sam for editing and insights, particularly after I changed the ending four times.
I am allowing no further distractions to the primary task at hand, however. I’m going to take a page from writer Danny Adams and add some interesting factoids to my–hopefully more regular–progress reports:
Today’s word count: over 1,000 words on JW (yeah!).
What I ignored in order to write: house cleaning, yard work, Critters critiques.
Inspirations: Anxiety, Star Wars (though I have yet to see the new movie).
Needed research: Medical. Does a knife in the liver kill? How quickly? Also, I need to reread the Prometheus myth to make sure I’ve got the details right.
Exercise: None yet, but I’m going to try to get a 40-minute walk in this afternoon.
Listening to: Yu-Gi-Oh movie (my kids are watching it, and my desk is in the living room).
Distractions: the kids, chocolate, Dry by Augusten Burroughs, impending date tonight with Enviro-spouse.
Have a great weekend, friends!
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Because I am a genius:
The records of 131 consecutive patients treated for liver stab wounds during a 20-year period were reviewed. All were operated on. Bleeding from the liver injury ceased spontaneously before operation in 41% of the cases. The chest, stomach and extremities were the most common sites of associated injury. In 36% the liver was the only injured organ. The liver injury was managed with simple surgical techniques in all but three cases. The mortality rate was 4.6%, and only one of the six deaths was directly attributable to the liver injury. Complications, mostly involving the lungs and the wound, arose in 27% of the series. Stab wounds of the liver are relatively benign and the great majority can be satisfactorily treated with simple surgery. Excluding juxtahepatic venous injuries, the mortality and morbidity are due mainly to associated injuries.
Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=3354299&dopt=Abstract
Thanks, Chad. You are a genius! If you ever want work in research, call me (not that I can afford you). Okay, so now, do I figure out a way to kill off the guy who got stabbed in the liver or do I let him live?
And welcome, Neil, delurking Californian. I’m not completely ruling out plastic surgery–my commenters are the hardcore group. But wouldn’t it be powerful of me to actually have some effect on California’s economy?
I just thought of a serious flaw in my previous comment. This was a study of knife wound cases brought to the hospital. The really bad ones were still lying under a sheet somewhere.
What they don’t tell you about liver wounds is that if the blood coming from the wound is black, it’s not good. Black blood = about ten minutes, maybe fifteen.
Well, Chad said what I was going to say. That your liver is more slice and dice-able than other organs of the gut. Otherwise they wouldn’t be able to transplant just chunks instead of the whole thing. Let him linger for 3 chapters.
Prometheus- he came unbound. That IS fatal. Undone is critical, unwound is chronic.
That’s all the help I have to offer; it’s too hot here to think.
Vicki - you sound like my type of gal - I must find out more about you.
married as I should have expected.