The Clockwork Turns

After the party this morning (the one for my neighbor's son's 1st birthday, did I mention that in the last post?), we came home and I sat down at the table with my sister's laptop (for some reason I have problems writing at my own computer) with my flashdrive and started working on Clockwork. I intended to just edit a couple of chapters (ironically focusing on eliminating the words "just" and "back" wherever possible, since I use them way too much). That didn't happen. I ended up moving to the couch and plowing through about 20 chapters in around 3.5 hours. I'm quite pleased with how things are going.

The robot-related accidental infrastructure is still showing up, which is good, and I'm discovering hints about the (new) climax that I unknowingly dropped. Some part of my brain was definitely heading in this direction anyway: it was just the rest of me that was ignoring that bit. The magic was considerably easier to delete than I thought it was going to be. Now the common populace of the Province thinks my shero (female hero) is a robot instead of a witch. Special effects can do wonders when combined with stupidity can work wonders.

I've found myself talking to my computer screen several times today saying "Oh, Reymfla. You're so naiive. I'm sorry I made you this way," and giggling to myself because I know what's going to happen and my characters don't. Ha. I see through Remnil's riddles and metaphors.
Speaking of Remnil's metaphors, it turns out that a passage of dialog between him and Remfla that originally had no purpose whatsoever has slightly altered into a delightful bit of symbolism. Pages 60-61 (when the pages are 8.5x11) completely reveal pretty much everything, but it's hard to notice unless you already know what happens. Ha, I love foreshadowing that only functions that way in hindsight. All I will say about that is this: stay away from the mosquitoes, guys, and don't make the mistake of accidentally becoming a spider.
It also turns out that the main male character in the book has remarkable similarities to one of my friends when it comes to appearance and food. This was completely accidental, and I find it amusing. Of all the things he could be eating in a particular scene, it was tacos.

The next chapter I have to edit is going to be the most difficult so far, I think, which is partially why I stopped for the day when I did. There's a great deal of plot holes and irrelevancy to the new main plot. I might have to twist it around and drive the big gathering in an entirely different direction. It also needs to give reason for Reymfla's future confrontation of the High Tribunal of the Dark Side.
There's also the matter of the following chapter in which a development in the romantic subplot depends on magic. I might have to replace it with accidentally taken drugs in this case (not random drugs I invented just for this purpose-- this particular plant is mentioned a few times beforehand).

Anyway, I hope I didn't spoil too much for you. Today was a productive day, but now all I want to do is sleep. This may be because I was up past 11 Friday night watching Star Trek: First Contact and up past 11 again last night watching Caprica.

So here's the big question: Do you guys want me to read some of The Clockwork Experiment next week, or Part 4 of Ascension: Enlightenment?