Writing has been accomplished! Over the last few days, I've been revising the opening of Dunallon, and that's more-or-less done, shaving a grand total of about 3,000 words from my too-long manuscript. Only 50,000 more to go. And still tell the same story, mind you.

Best of all, today I managed about 1100 words in Land. It's been a week or two since I even looked at it, so it was good to get back to. I've got seven chapters "done" for all practical purposes, and a boat-load of scenes that bring it up to at least 14 chapters. Those scenes need some fillers between. I need to work on the Bad Guy. 

It doesn't surprise me that I put that off. I don't like Bad Guys. I wish they weren't necessary. I think there are all kinds of ways that people practice being evil and not all of them involve the cliche-ish rapists, murderers, drug dealers, etc., that publishers seem to want. I think my current Bad Guy is involved in "white-collar crimes," the kind of person who hires others to do his dirty work, so his hands stay clean. In a world where wealth and influence impress people, he stands tall. Few people object to the greed, cheating, and lying that he does to stay ahead. He dresses nicely, supports his family and doesn't even beat his wife. He gives to the church and never misses confession. (But what do these people confess? I always wonder about that).

But he sells his nephew into slavery so that he can steal the nephew's home and riches. He arranges an attack on an innocent woman that results in her rape and her young guard's death. He destroys the land around him and beggars his employees and tenants. 

No, he isn't a flashy, in-your-face bad guy. But he's plenty evil, all the same.