So I’m on the final leg of my version of the Twin Cities Region Writing Tour (Traditional Route). We’re hanging out at the Blue Moon Coffee Cafe, which is a delightfully atmospheric cafe of the kind enamored of writers, students, revolutionaries, lexicographers, and other dubious characters.

At this point, we’re all feeling pretty loopy. Currently my status on Google Chat reads “NaNo 2014: Bringing a crossbow to a raygun fight” and the Bacon Torch has been freely offered to all of the comrades who would like an alternative to the Traveling Shovel of Death. (We conjecture that it’s the most delicious weapon that you’ve ever smelled.) I’ve scored my nominal win (50K words) though I will keep on making additional words through to the bitter end. The novel isn’t remotely finished.

The other thing that’s fun is chatting with NaNo pals. The Tour is great because it conjures that slap-happy, final-exam atmosphere in which great ideas can float up through the miasma of caffeine, barely restrained panic, and uncontrolled brainstorming. Or in my case, the Muse of Research can waltz in with techno-whackery that I’d never anticipated. I was thinking “weaponized welding rigs” and what I got was the Bacon Torch. Or its vegetarian option. Let’s not forget the vegetarian option.

And the communiques from various novelists are loads of fun.

• “I just had some people pop up from Book 1. Wonder what they’re up to.”
• “I’ve got to kill her soon, but I’m not quite sure how she’s going to die.”
• “Now my characters have finally found the people with the answers, so I should be getting more words from here on.”
• “We’re done with the striptease with weapons. Now it’s time for the explicit surgery scene.”