Consumer Reports -- The Delicious Magazine

Deb:

Since that day we have discovered that Consumer Reports Magazine far outshines all other magazines as the paper treat of choice for Freckles. From an entire stack of magazines, Freckles can carefully select the Consumer Reports Magazine from the middle of the stack and chew it to pieces. This is not necessarily an endorsement of Consumer Reports (although we appreciate their reviews and lack of ads), but it is more a testament to the yummyness of their paper and glue.

Caution: If you subscribe to this magazine -- keep out of the reach of rabbits (or at least read it quickly when it comes while you have the chance!)

A Scrumptious Treat

Freckles:

The shiny object tasted delicious. No wonder the high-voiced one spent so much time staring at this scrumptious treat. It amazed me that she hadn’t yet eaten it herself. Maybe she was saving it for a special meal. Well, I’d taken care of that!

Consumer Reports -- YUM!

Deb:

I picked up the salad and carried it into the living room. “Here, Freckles, I have a special treat for you!” I said.

I saw a movement across the room by my chair. There stood Freckles happily munching on my Consumer Reports magazine.

The Discovery

Freckles:

I found what I had been seeking at the summit of the bush. The surface of the object I’d discovered was flat and smooth, with colored pictures on the top. It looked as though it were made of a similar material as the article I had destroyed on the floor, but of a shinier nature. I stretched myself over the branch and nibbled one edge of it. YUM! This had a much better taste than the other item had had. I gave it a good yank and moved it quite a distance. One more tug and PLOP, it landed on the ground.

I stared down at the shiny object from my perch on the top of the bush. It looked like a much greater distance going down than it had going up. Well, I couldn’t let a little distance stop me now. I was the Queen of the Other World. I could do anything! I backed up a couple of steps and launched myself into the air. I swear I flew several feet before dropping to the ground, where I landed with a short skid. I ran back to the shiny object and started chewing.

Deb's a Winner!

Freckles:
Well, Deb didn't get her entry for today posted because she was putting the finishing touches on this thing she's been obsessed with all month -- she calls it her novel. And, guess what? She won NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)! She made it to 50,000 words (actual official count 51,560). They gave her a certificate and everything. The certificate says:

"This literary honor is bestowed but once a year upon the bravest, most dedicated, and GIFTED of writers who have achieved their creative potential in ONE absurdly challenging month. The bearer of this certificate (that's Deb) shall forever occupy a revered place in the firmament of HIGH-VELOCITY NOVELISTS, and his or her work shall stand as an INSPIRING testament to what can happen when one courageous writer triumphs over the naysaying and self-critical voices that stymie the flow of ART AND MERRIMENT in the universe."

I know a lot of other people made it to the 50,000 word goal, but I have to admit that I'm kind of proud of her. Of course, I won't ever admit it to her. Her head is big enough already!

-------------------------------------------------

Deb:
I did it! I finished my 50,000+ words in November. I even beat the NaNoWriMo November 30th deadline. Of course, I won't pretend that the novel I wrote is remotely finished (or even very good!). There is a lot of revision to be done and it could use an actual ending, but those things will come.

I discovered a few things along the way:

1. I CAN write more than 1700 words a day -- each and every day.


2. If you can't think of what to write, just try asking yourself a question about your story. Before you know it you're writing like crazy. This technique NEVER failed me!


3. I can (sort of) work without an outline, but I prefer to have one. My next step is going to be taking the manuscript I have and making that outline that I didn't start with. Then, I will revise with my outline as my guide.


4. I can invent an entire new species! I did it! I needed a new species for my story and one just popped out of nowhere.


5. Characters that you never thought of can just appear in your writing. My main character was running from some bad guys, and he tripped over this new character who was hiding in a bush. I didn't know the character was there until my main character was sprawled on the ground. And...the new character had information that my main character really needed to know. Weird!


6. When I'm writing, I feel like the me that I know I am and that I am most comfortable being. I guess that is what following your passion is all about.

And, I know that Freckles is really proud, even though she doesn't show it.

(We'll be back tomorrow to continue our regular story.)

Preparing the Salad

Deb:

I arranged the dandelion greens around the edge of the plate in a sunflower shape. In the middle I heaped the shredded carrots and topped the entire thing with yellow flowers. It was a work of art, if I do say so myself. Freckles was going to be thrilled!

Seek And You Will Find

Freckles:

I’d made it to the top of the favorite bush of the high-voiced one. I breathed deeply expecting the air to be thinner at this higher elevation. Everything seemed okay. I must have the ability to adjust quickly to heights. I looked around, searching for something, anything I could use for revenge. The seat of the bush was flat with a large branch on each side. I put my front paws up on one of the branches and searched the horizontal surface beside the branch. Suddenly, my eyes spotted the perfect object. It was exactly what I had been seeking.

Selecting the Ingredients

Deb:

In the backyard I harvested some fresh dandelion greens. A special section of the yard provides weeds just for Freckles. I found some healthy leaves near the fence. The greens were endowed with a few beautiful, full yellow flowers. She loves those flowers and they would make the salad I was preparing for her even more scrumptious.

Scaling the Highest Heights

Freckles:

I watched carefully all afternoon, but the high-voiced one didn’t leave the textured bush. Finally, my surveillance paid off. It stood and walked through the portal to the room I have not yet explored. This was my chance! I jumped into the air, and as fast as the wind, I sped to the bush.

This shrub looked massive. From my vantage point, I couldn’t make out where the top ledge began. Would I have enough leap in me to reach the top? I wasn’t sure, but I breathed in a healthy dose of self-confidence and leapt to the highest point. I landed...and stayed. No falling backwards for me. I’d made it. I stood at the summit of the bush.

Deb Makes a Plan

Deb:

Freckles seemed content to rest among the shreds and watch my every movement. As much as I wanted to accommodate her, I needed to start dinner. Maybe I’d make a special salad for Freckles tonight with dandelion greens, shredded carrots (in honor of her shredding activity), and pears. She hadn’t gone for the apple; maybe she was craving pear instead. I closed my magazine and set it on the end table. Then, I rose and walked to the kitchen still planning her special salad.

The Revenge Continues

Freckles:

I rested in my pile of shreds and contemplated my next move. The shredding of the newspaper hadn’t worked as well as I’d planned. I needed a new plan. What else did the high-voiced one enjoy? I thought and thought, all the while glaring at it as it moved around the room.

I ignored the sweet treat, although it looked and smelled rather tasty. I strengthened my willpower against the temptation to eat the high-voiced one’s bribe.

Eventually, the high-voiced one settled into the seat on the large, textured bush. A glimmer of an idea struck me. That was it! The bush! It liked to sit there. I needed to climb to the top of the bush to see what opportunities it provided.

Is this Bonding?

Deb:

When Freckles finished shredding the newspaper, she plopped her body down on top of the shreds. Yep, I had been right; she’d built a nest. She stayed there most of the day, staring at me. I thought it was sweet that she wanted to keep track of me. But, I puzzled over the fact that she hadn’t touched the apple quarter I’d brought her. Maybe she’d digested some of the newspaper and had a tummy ache. I guess I’ll have to make sure she had plenty of her favorite Timothy hay and dandelions to keep her happy. I settled in my chair and read a magazine, content in the knowledge that Freckles and I had bonded.

Enjoying Revenge

Freckles:

I continued with my shredding, determined to reduce the entire material to pieces. Revenge was fun. The destruction was cathartic. Grab, yank, rip, shred. I hadn’t had such a good time in a long while.

Unfortunately, the high-voiced one didn’t seem to care. It just stood there, sneering, with the sweet treat in its paw. It didn’t shout or grab the material or push me out of the way, as I was sure it would. I had thought it would be heartbroken over the destruction of its favorite object just as I was heartbroken over the blocking of my cave. But, no, it was going to take more that a little shredding to get revenge on this one!

The Revenge Nest

Deb:

Luckily I’d finished reading the newspaper, because it would be impossible to piece back together now! I smiled. Of course, I hadn’t thought of it before. Freckles is a girl. In the wild she would have dug a burrow and built a nest. Poor girl! This must be how she was showing me she needed nesting materials. Her timothy hay was in the bedroom. She didn’t have anything like that here in the living room. Well, I wasn’t going to have hay spread all over the living room. I’d let her shred the newspaper and then pick it up later. What could it possibly hurt?

Revenge is Sweet

Freckles:

I was so busy shredding that I didn’t hear the high-voiced one enter the room. Suddenly, it was standing behind me. I sniffed the air and realized that it had my favorite treat in its paw. Bribery! That was how it planned to woo me away from my revenge -- with bribery! I glared up at it. This was revenge. I couldn’t be bought!

Sweet Treat

Deb:

I cut up an apple and removed the core from a quarter section. Freckles liked having a ridge to grab onto when she ate her apples, so quarter sections worked well. I didn’t peel it. She loved the peels on her apples. This one was a Gala, her favorite variety.

I picked up the apple piece and returned to the living room where I glanced around the room in search of my new little buddy. It didn’t take long to locate her, standing by the couch surrounded by the shredded remnants of my forgotten newspaper.

The Queen of the Other World

Freckles:

This was my chance to check out the high-voiced one’s favored material while it was out of the area. I hopped over to the cave entrance and nosed the material. It was very thin and I was sure that it could be easily destroyed. I nibbled a bit of the corner. Sure enough it came away easily. It didn’t taste half bad actually. Hmmmm. This was going to be a cinch.

I grabbed a larger section in my mouth and yanked. A ripping sound greeted my ears. I pulled the piece away and grabbed another. Grab, rip, grab, rip, grab, rip. I soon had a nice pile of shreds in front of me. Ah ha! I would show that high-voiced one who was the Queen of the Other World.

A Treat to Seal the Deal

Deb:


I decided that I should reward Freckles for this step forward in our relationship. A fruit treat would be just the thing to cement our new bond. After petting her for several minutes, I stood, brushed the rabbit hair from my slacks, and headed for the kitchen to get a snack for Freckles.

Freckles’ New Plan

Freckles:

A plan formed in my mind as I rested there beside Big Guy’s feet and allowed the high-voiced one to stroke my back. Let it think it had won me over. I had a better way to show it how angry I was.

I waited until it gave up the stroking and left the Other World. Interestingly, it parted through a Portal that I had not yet explored. There would be plenty of time to explore there later. Now, I had to get to work. The high-voiced one had not realized the favored material had fallen to the floor. This was my chance to examine the substance. This was my chance to plot my revenge.

Unsuspecting Deb

Deb:

Freckles seemed to be asleep as I petted her. Eyes closed, she relaxed and allowed me to stroke her ears and back.

Suddenly, her eyes opened, alert to some noise in the room. She stared across to the couch I had just left. The newspaper I had been reading had fallen to the floor. Nothing very interesting...I was sure she would just ignore it.



(Deb will be out of town at a book festival for the next couple of days, and Freckles isn't allowed to play on the computer until she cleans her room -- not likely to happen. So, we'll be back on Monday!)

An Opportunity Arises

Freckles:

As I contemplated how I could get through that high-voiced one’s thick skull that I was angry with it, I allowed it the privilege of rubbing my nose, ears, and back. It seemed to enjoy this grooming ritual, and I thought it couldn’t hurt to keep it off guard for a bit longer. I would have to come up with a new plan to show it my annoyance at its part in building the barrier. But, what could my new plan be?

My eyes were closed, but I heard something fall to the ground across the room. I opened my eye to see what had happened. It was the substance that the high-voiced one was holding in its paws during my warning nip. It had fallen from the tree where it had left it and had landed in the dirt. I couldn’t tell from this distance, but it looked like it was made from a weaker material than the barrier. Hmmmm. It seemed to be an item that the high-voiced one cherished because it was holding it for a long time. Maybe I could use that fact against it.

Ignorant Bliss

Deb:

Freckles had accepted me! Happiness filled me to the brim. I felt gleeful that my goal had been accomplished! Freckles allowed me to pet her. Petting was an activity that Freckles had denied me in the past. Even with my husband and son she was finicky about where they were allowed to pet: nose, ears, and back were about it. She had an important rule. “The hand must never go near the tail of the bunny.” I made sure during this petting event that the hand never strayed beyond the middle of her back. I wasn’t about to mess up now.

Unexpected Reaction

Freckles:

Well, this certainly wasn’t what I expected! The high-voiced one came over to me and sat next to me. Wasn’t it going to remove the barrier? I’d nipped it to get it to mind, and here it was just trying to annoy me! It held out its paw and touched my nose -- just like it does in our ritual before I leave my Home Place and journey through the portal to the Other World. It rubbed my nose a bit and then stroked my back with its paw. It felt kind of good. Now, what was I going to do. It didn’t seem to get the idea at all. I closed my eyes and contemplated my next move.

Acceptance?

Deb:

I sat on the floor next to Freckles so I could be at her level. I reached out and petted her nose and then stroked her back. She flattened herself and stayed very still, even closing her eyes at one point. What bliss! Freckles had finally accepted me!

Freckles Waits

Freckles:

After nipping my warning at the high-voiced one, I puffed out my chest and settled in my spot, a strategic position beside Big Guy’s feets. From this, my second favorite position (after the inner sanctum of my cave) I could see the entire clearing of the Other World. I could especially see the high-voiced one. I’d sure showed it who was the boss. Now, it would surely do the right thing and remove the barrier. If not, it would feel more of my wrath.

The Cluelessness of Deb

Deb:

Well, I guess I’d been told! Freckles ran past my chair and nipped my foot. How should I interpret this nipping? I’d read that sometimes rabbits are looking for attention when they nip. I somehow didn’t think that Freckles was searching out my attention. Or was she? She couldn’t be angry with me. There’s no way she could know that I was the one who reinforced the barrier to the cave with more blankets, because she wasn’t in the room when I did it. Maybe she wanted me to play! That’s it, I decided. She wanted me to put down the newspaper and have some fun with her. I was thrilled to accommodate her.

The Nip of Warning

Freckles:

I had to let it know that I was aware of its treachery. I needed to make a point. I did it in the only way I knew how. I could kick or I could bite. I chose biting. I decided I would give it a warning nip first, more of a nibble. It would know I was angry and would realize that I had the ability to hurt it if I chose. It would think twice before crossing me again!

The high-voiced one gave me a frightful sneer and then held its paw down with a luscious treat to tempt me. I pretended to run for the treat, but veered at the last minute and nipped one of its feets. Aha! I had hit the target. I had nipped my warning.

National Novel Writing Month

Freckles:

Just thought I'd take a moment out here to tell you what Deb is doing! She's gone and signed up to write a novel this month! A bunch of other writers on the Verla Kay Children's Writer site talked her into it. They were so excited about challenging themselves that she got caught up in the fun and signed herself right up!

Anyway, she's starting today to write a 50,000-word novel by November 30th! That's 1,667 words every single day for 30 days! And she's got work and some meetings and stuff she has to go to, so where she's going to find the time for this plus tell our story, I don't know! Guess we'll see! (And we're just getting to the exciting part of our story!)

You can follow her progress by clicking the icon on the right side of the screen -- the one that looks like this (Sometimes their site is a little slow to load because they've got over 90,000 writers participating) :


Wish her luck!
She's gonna need it =:-)

The Surprise Attack

Deb:

Freckles gazed at me for a long time, and I wondered what she wanted. Maybe she'd take some food from me. I picked out a piece of cracker from the bowl beside me and held it close to the floor. Freckles looked from me to the cracker in my hand. She started towards me. I smiled, thinking she was finally going to take food from my hand. She picked up speed and ran straight for me. Suddenly, she changed direction. As she passed my feet, she gave the top of my foot a nip. Not a hard bite, but a swift nip that felt more like a poke. I couldn’t believe it. I’d been a victim of a run-by nipping!