Actually Finishing Something in July 4

And, at last, the final round of "Actually Finishing Something in July" hosted by Katie. My goal was to do a personal edit for Do You Take this Quest?

Were you able to reach and finish your July writing goal?

No, still haven't finished editing. Sigh. I let The Ankulen and Water Princess, Fire Prince distract me towards the end.

If you did not fully complete your goal, were you able to make progress in your project? 

Well, seeing as how I added an entire new chapter (thereby removing a confusing list of names) and got rid of quite a few grammar errors ... I think I made some progress ... I think.

What was the most difficult part of finishing something this July?

When my mind was blank. I mean, there was a reason I had not written the scene the first time I wrote it.

Did you maintain a writing schedule? How often did you write to meet your goal? Did you write into the wee hours of the morning, or wake up extra early to write? 

Nope, I don't use schedules, other than the fact that I can only get on my computer at certain times during the day.

List the three musical tracks that most inspired your writing this July. Tell us why they inspired you and how they fit with your story.

I ... um ... don't listen to music while I write.

As you wrote, did you come across any component of your story that  surprised you? Plot-twists, Grand-New-Ideas!, new characters? 

Madeleine completely caught me off guard when she suddenly got stage fright and fled to the safety of a curtain and refused to come out ...

Choose and share your three favorite pieces of descriptive writing you penned for the challenge.

Madeleine entered the room, but did not, at first, venture to speak to Shira. Instead she stared at the unfinished painting. She had been painting a picture of the ball she had been imagining for Rosamond’s sixteenth birthday … before she had known how tragically it would end. She had finished all of the background, the grand ballroom. Only the dancers had remained for her to paint, as she had been reluctant to paint them before she knew what they were wearing. Only Samson, Shira, Maximilian, and herself had been painted, and only because she had known ahead what they were going to wear. 

- Chapter 7 "Out from Behind the Curtain"

And, actually ... that's all the descriptive I wrote this month in Do You Take This Quest? Umm ... I suppose I could get some scenes from the other two stories I worked on ...

From The Ankulen: 

For a few minutes, I just watched the dancing. Right now, all the Wood Children and Water Babies were dancing in a circle, clapping their hands. The Wood Children were extremely graceful, but the Water Babies kept falling over, and each would have to be helped up by a neighboring Wood Child. In the center of the circle were Tisha and Chris, dancing a fast, intricate dance to the rhythm of the clapping. They were having fun. All of them. 

- Chapter 20 "Party Before the War"

From Water Princess, Fire Prince:

There before him was the largest, most terrifying creature Andrew had ever seen, that he had ever dreamed possible.

It was about the size of a draft horse, but with a dog-like face and cat-like body. It was a mottled black and blue color, with a face that was mostly teeth and nose. The small teeth were like steak knives – the creature also had huge tusks sticking out of his mouths – reminding Andrew of a saber tooth tiger. The claws of the beast were just as horrid as the teeth.

- Chapter 7 "Kirats and Stuff"

I personally consider description my weak point.

Share the meanest, most unfeeling line said by one of your characters from your July writing.

“Easy for thee to say …” - Shira.

What she's insinuating is that the fact that Maximilian is gone means nothing to Madeleine - Maximilian's twin sister.

Pick one of your favorite characters from your July writing. Describe his/her wardrobe. Share how this character would dress is he/she were living in the year 2012 (or, if your character already dwells in the 2000's, describe how he/she would dress if he/she lived in the time period of your choice). 

My favorite character for this book is Madeleine. Sorry, Robin, I just like Maddie better, okay? I actually don't know much about her wardrobe. pretty much typical of the a medieval world. Oh, and it's all paint-stained. Madeleine's an artist.

If she were to live in our day, she'd probably be the sort of person who stays at home with messy t-shirts and shorts. Oh, and a Barrett, or whatever that french hat is called. She's the sort of person who has to look the part.

Pick your all-time favorite bit of July writing and share it with us. Tell us why the passage is your favorite. 

Madeleine froze. Everyone was staring at her! 
She jumped out of the chair as fast as she could, and ran for the nearest curtain. Why in Bookania had she just done that????
She could hear the room erupt in an uproar almost at once, and it took everything King Jeremiah could do quiet them.
But she tuned it all out, as she stood with the curtain twisted about her, concealing her completely from the sight of the on-lookers.

- Chapter 6 "Friendly Introductions"

This caught me completely off guard when it happened. She had been doing an impromptu speech - of her own initiative ... and then ... well you saw! And, yet, it was so Madeleine!

Bonus Question! What was your favorite part of the Actually Finishing Something July Challenge? 

Getting to read everyone else's ... Oh, and the initiative to do my own.