Once again, Christopher sits, facing a now familiar little girl, holding her stuffed bear.
Christopher: I hear congratulations are in order. Your story now has a home.
Theodora: Growwr.
Grace: Yes, with Shenanigans Press. They’re the Young Adult stories for Mischief Corner Books.
Christopher: And they’ve accepted Wind Me Up, One More Time.
Grace: We’re so excited! (giggles)
Christopher: (He smiles, but his eyes are a little sad.) Again, congratulations! I’ll admit I’m jealous.
Theodora: Growwr?
Grace: Isn’t our scribbler working on your story right now? I thought she wrote something while she was in England? Or was it Scotland or Ireland?
Christopher: All three. It’s more Leiwell’s story than mine, although Damian and I did get a little attention while our scribbler was in Scotland. It was part of a response to one of Paula Wyant’s prompts, her Wednesday Words. I didn’t get as much attention while the scribbler was traveling as Leiwell, though. Or for that matter, Quartz.
(A red curtain appears behind the boy, the girl, and the bear.)
Quartz: (his voice comes from behind the curtain) Hah! Finally some quality story time instead of playing secondary character to you!
Chrstopher: (pointedly) We’re not even in the same universe, even if we end up together a lot in this Fourth Wall space. Besides, shouldn’t you be busy with Secondary Characters Speak Out?
Quartz: I’m a modern character, even if I’m part of a fantasy/fairytale setting. I can multi-task. Besides, as you say, we’re in Fourth Wall space. Congratulations, Theo, on your new home. Now if only the scribbler would hurry up with my story and find me one.
Theodora: Growwr.
Grace: She’s working on it. She got some ideas while she was in Scotland-
Quartz: She’d better get some ideas after a fine display of stones like that. The National Museum of Scotland is quite a place.
Grace: -and she started steady work on it while in Dublin-
Quartz: Another fine city, I’ll admit. The people there have rhythm and moves. I ought to take Nimmie Not there…wait. What am I saying?!
Christopher: (chuckles) Behold the consequences of the scribbler’s attention.
Quartz: Oh, hush!
Theodora: Growwr.
Grace: Remember, our scribbler will be busy with edits for our story, though. Plus she’s got five notebooks filled with stuff she needs to type up.
Quartz: Right, right, she’s a busy scribbler as always. As long as she doesn’t forget to make time for me.
(The curtain disappears.)
Christopher: Five notebooks? Has it really been that many notebooks for her?
Theodora: Growwr.
Grace: She finished two journals while on vacation, plus one spiral-bound notebook. All written by hand, since she left her laptop in the care of friends. All part of her unplugging. Sort of unplugging.
Christopher: You’re right. I forgot, she filled out three notebooks before she left. They’re full of stories, poems, Morning Pages, notes, quotes, and book reviews. Put them all together and there are five of them.
Theodora: Growwr.
Grace: Plus she’ll need to keep up with her weekly and monthly blogs, along with our edits.
Christopher: Not to mention NaNoWriMo is coming up. In addition to everything else.
Theodora: Growwr.
Grace: Christopher, you should get some time during NaNoWriMo. She’ll be working on My Tool, My Treasure.
Christopher: When she isn’t working on your story.
Theodora: Growwr.
Grace: True.
Christopher: Well, I guess all there is to say is good luck! I hope you enjoy your new home with Shenanigans Press.
Theodora: Growwr.
Grace: Thank you! Good luck to you, too! May you enjoy your NaNoWriMo time!
Christopher: I’m not sure if “enjoy” is exactly how I’d describe what’s coming…well, maybe I will enjoy it. (He smiles a little.) Thank you.
Theodora: Growwr!
Grace: Keep an eye out for our story with Shenanigans Press, everyone! Remember, it’s Wind Me Up, One More Time! (She waves goodbye)
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