520 bears

[rheasilvia]

The 520 Day Reverse Exchange seemed so harmless - a 300 word minimum sounds very doable! No pressure, right?

So, this is how that is going down.

Crickets chirp… time passes. The deadline approaches.

Idea that is somewhat late, but not terribly late: Hey! I think I’ve got something!

Story #1: I’m not going to be THAT short, though. Maybe around 10k? That’ll still be fine, right?

Author: Sure, sure. I’ll be entirely tied up with work the week before the deadline, but I can make it through editing before then, if I lose some sleep. (Read: an insane amount of sleep.)

Author (in a sleep-deprived editing-crazed fog): OMG, I even have a title - before the story is finished!

Story#1: So hey. Here’s a teensy detail that - for reasons that do not need explaining at this juncture - appears to have escaped your notice: I am not actually the story the recipient wanted.

Author: …. ? !!!

Crickets chirp.

Author panics.

BEARS.

Idea that is really very late: Hey, so I was thinking, maybe if you combine these two other story ideas -

Author: YES! Come to my arms, my beamish boy!

Story#2: I actually am what the recipient asked for! Also, you know. Under 5k. Probably. Very probably. Honest.

So, yeah. ;-) I have no idea whether either of these stories are fit to be read and enjoyed by human beings. Story#1 is still missing an ending, and Story#2 is completely unedited and extremely raw. But it has a beginning, a middle and an end and is a story, which means it can be submitted (and then be edited in the traditional sleep-deprived editing-crazed fog). And I have no actual time to work on it this weekend, and maybe not a lot next week.

Man, I look forward to being able to read again. Also, sleep.

How are you guys doing? Any bears approaching?