First 32 words

I get a jump start on you guys, so I thought I might rub it in your faces. My first 32 words:

The gravel crunched under Sarah's feet as she trudged toward the curb. The hot Texas sun was beating down on her back. She was sweating profusely.

"Fuck," she hissed under her breath.

Chance of failure: Nil

I scoff in your general direction,* Dan.

*East

Chance of failure: Moderate

Three years ago I completed a novel. It helped that I was unemployed and really had my heart set on it. Everyone else in the contest was close at hand and we positively re-inforced each other to finish.

Two years ago I did not complete a novel. I was unemployed that month as well, but had just moved across the country and had a whole new city to explore. My heart wasn't in it and my support network of people was 2700 km away.

Last year I didn't even try. I had a full-time job and was never going to be pushing out 1667 words a day.

This year I am underemployed and social networking sites have advanced enough that they can create the support network to keep me going (@dkaszor). And yet ... I also have a major project due this month ...

WPDNF: 1667

There are horses and there are gates. Shall ever the twain meet? Maybe.

We have a slimmed down roster for NaNoWriMo U of A 2009. I prefer to think that this means that we're leaner and hungrier. I know I am: as soon as I finish this blog post I'm going to have a snack. But nothing that will compromise our sveltness (sveltitude? Hell, why not both if it will help you reach fifty grand faster?), I promise.

Anyway, we have twenty-one twoone lined up this year, fully one third seven six of whom are past winners (though granted this figure includes a couple of people who told me that they were "maybe" in, and who I'm promoted to "definitely" in on the basis of not having heard otherwise from them). I think seven is the minimum number of completed novels we should expect this year. Woot? You're damned right.

Justin Benko
Sarah Bidanjiri
Ashleigh Brown
Courtney Burr
Richard Casey
Natalie Climenhaga
Adam Demaniuk
Amanda Henry
Daniel Kaszor
Scott Lilwall
Dave Miller
Chris O'Leary
Shawna Pandya
Samantha Power
Nadia Rushdy
Chris Schafenacker
Steph Shantz
Heather Smith
Steve Smith
Krystia Sulatycki
Jake Troughton
Ray Wheeler