I don’t know if there is any interest in this, but I do want to start sharing more than ‘I got published’ entries. What follows below the cut is the result of my combining two writing exercises from NaNoLJers (‘Character Creation‘ and the ‘It’s Hot!‘).

Meet Gunter, he’s going to be the main character of a novel I’m working on in my brain at the moment (tentatively planned to follow ‘Deadmonton’ in my “writing schedule” lol). I hope you’re intrigued by him, because I plan to do quite a few exercises with him as I get to know him before I begin writing the novel with him in it 🙂

An icy gale forced itself into the narrow alley between the ramshackle buildings. Discarded sheets of newspapers flew up into the air, spun around like frenzied dances then fell back onto the ground, spent.

Gunter stood on the street at the alley’s mouth. Light from a gas lamp post flickered and fluttered, playing games with his facial features. Shading and illuminating them at its whim. The wind picked up again, rushing out of the alley and pelting him with daggers in the guise of dust. Pulling his coat tighter against himself, he wished, not for the first time, for his fur. Alas, as easy as it would be for him to change he would doubtlessly attract attention and that was the opposite of what he wanted right now. Dian was so close he could smell him. He hadn’t followed him halfway around the world to lose him now because he was a bit chilly.

Gunter could hear the distinctive clatter of the wheels and hooves on the cobble stone, a horse-drawn carriage was drawing near. He pressed his back against the building behind him, putting as much distance as possible between himself and the horse. Even so, as the horse drew alongside him its nostrils flared, its eyes grew wild and it skittered sideways giving him a wide berth.

The carriage’s driver cursed and pulled on the reins, struggling to control the frightened animal and keep the carriage from tipping. The two wheels closest to Gunter came off the ground a foot then slammed back down with such force Gunter was surprised to only see splinters of wood fly off rather than the whole wheel shattering.

A noise came from inside the carriage followed by the head of a rather tousled-looking Englishman. The man’s eyes fell on Gunter, the light post illuminating and exaggerating his Eurasian features and golden skin tone. As the carriage raced the corner and began to turn the man yelled, “You there, coolie, go back to your jungle! Your stink is frightening my horse!”

You have no idea how true that is, Gunter thought without humor as he tipped a non-existent hat at the retreating carriage. No idea at all.