WRITING/PODCASTING A NOVEL IN 30 DAYS NOV 24

National Novel Writing and Podcast Posting Month 2021

Welcome friend to Create Art Podcast where I help you tame your inner critic and create more than we consume. I am Timothy Kimo Brien your thankful head instigator with over 20 years in arts and education. How I accomplish this is by providing you with commentary, interviews, discussions, and projects that will inspire you to create art. This month I will be podcasting daily and writing a novel in 30 days. I am participating in NaPodPoMo and NaNoWriMo again this year as I did last year and you can hear those episodes here. You will be able to listen and read along to what I wrote for the day. I like to practice what I preach when it comes to art so I am challenging myself to write and having you come along for the ride. It is my hope this inspires you to accomplish your goals with your art and if you would like to share what you are doing email me at timothy@createartpodcast.com

History of NaNoWriMo and NaPodPoMo

NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month began in 1999 as a daunting but straightforward challenge: to write 50,000 words of a novel in thirty days. Now, each year on November 1, hundreds of thousands of people around the world begin to write, determined to end the month with 50,000 words of a brand new novel. They enter the month as elementary school teachers, mechanics, or stay-at-home parents. They leave novelists.

NaPodPoMo: NaPodPoMo* is a month-long event along the same vein as National Novel Writing Month aka NaNoWriMo. The difference? Well, instead of writing a 50,000-word novel, you podcast every day for 30 days from November 1st-30th. Use any platform you desire. From full production studio to iPhone app and just about anything in between. The goal is to use the challenge of podcasting daily as a form of podcasting boot camp.

The Writing So Far

24 Nov 2021 daily count 1702 cumulative count 35272

“Papa didn’t tell us about that, no wonder she seems a bit weird. I can be her friend, I know what it’s like to be the weird one,” said Rachel.

“Thank you sweat heart. I knew I could count on you; you have the heart of your mother for sure,” said Carl. He gave her a hug and a kiss on the forehead as he left her room. Carl walked downstairs quietly and sat down at the kitchen island. He drank his coffee in silence remembering all the meals he had had at this house. It wasn’t his and he didn’t feel at home here, but he felt safe. He wanted the same feeling at his house, he wanted to be the father he always wanted to be but didn’t know that he wanted to be. Now was his chance, even if it would only be for a short time. Once he finished his coffee he set the alarm for the house with the code that Carmine had given him and locked the front door. He looked out at the field surrounding the house before he got into his car and just listened to nature. It would be another hour before he got home, and he thought about stopping at the gas station which would be open at this time. He wasn’t sure he wanted to have another conversation with the clerk on duty. He got into the driver's seat and turned on the car. The car felt good and strong, unlike him. He turned on the podcast that had been playing and this was the final episode of the season. The host was interviewing a garbage can and Carl rolled down the window hoping the fresh air and the podcast would keep him awake.

As he was approaching the gas station, he knew he needed to grab another cup of coffee. Most people would have passed on having a coffee this early in the morning. It was about three, but he knew that the coffee would ensure he would be awake enough to make it home. There was still no one in the parking lot and the clerk was still behind the counter from what Carl could see, so he parked his car near the front door and turned off the motor. The lights inside were still blinding and he covered his tired eyes.

“Back for more coffee huh,” asked the clerk?

“The first cup was so good I needed to grab another one on my way home. Where’s the freshest pot,” Carl asked?

“I just got done making one, it’s the first on the right. If you drink that coffee so early in the morning you’ll never go to sleep,” said the clerk.

“Sleep is for the weak, plus I’ll get enough sleep when I am dead,” replied Carl.

He grabbed another large cup, meat stick and candy bar and placed all the items on the counter to be ringed up. The clerk mechanically ringed up the items and bagged the meat stick and candy bar. “That will be four seventy-five, I comped the coffee for you,” said the clerk.

“Much appreciated. When the guy they took away in an ambulance was here, do you remember anything else about him,” asked Carl?

“Afraid not, we were doing a shift change and all I saw was the EMT’s take him away. I didn’t even see when he fell down but the guy that did is on the second shift, he should be in tomorrow, or later today. I guess It depends on how you look at it,” replied the clerk.

“Yeah, I used to work third shift and time is weird when you are trying to tell someone about something happening. I’ll come by tomorrow and see him, what’s his name,” asked Carl?

“Alan, I’ll let him know you will be coming by what’s your name,” asked the clerk?

“Carl, I appreciate the info and let Alan know I am thankful for the help with my friend. He is more like a little brother than a friend. Take care,” said Carl as he headed out of the gas station and to his car. Carl got into his car and started it up one last time, hopefully, before heading home. He messaged Cheryl and let her know he was about thirty minutes away. He put on a different podcast. This one was about conspiracy theories and in the past Carl remembered that it was creepy. It was run by a guy calling himself Salis Dannit and the host claimed he was a vampire and an overnight talk show host. Carl doubted it was true, he thought it was all kitsch and an act. In the episode Carl turned on, the host was discussing stories about people who obtained eternal life and the cost to their souls. In this episode the guest was a self-proclaimed professional investigator of the occult. Both the host and guest were discussing individuals in the 1500’s that were famous occultists. A name popped up, John Dee. Carl stopped the car once he heard that name. He was in the outskirts of the town and about ten minutes away from home. Carl sat there mesmerized with the conversation. He stopped the podcast and attempted to download it. Because he was in the outskirts of the town his internet connection was slower than usual and he saw lights pull up behind him, so he stopped the podcast. Carl thought it must be a cop that pulled up behind him, so he grabbed his wallet and waited for the officer to approach him.

Carl looked in his rear-view mirror and saw a person exit the car that had pulled up behind him. Like he assumed it was a police officer and as the officer approached, he touched the back of Carl’s car.

“Having car trouble tonight,” asked the officer as he shined his flashlight in the car looking for contraband?

“Nope, just having one of those NRP driveway moments,” joked Carl squinting due to the brightness of the flashlight.

“NPR driveway moments, this isn’t a driveway, and I don’t care if you are a federal employee,” said the officer.

“No, it’s a joke, an NPR driveway moment is when you stop your car while listening to something very thought provoking. I am on my way home. Here is my license, registration and insurance,” said Carl. He handed the officer his documents before he was asked.

“So, what was so compelling that you had to stop on the side of the road at three thirty in the morning,” asked the officer?

“It was just a story about someone I thought I knew, did I do anything wrong,” asked Carl?

“Well, it's dark out and you didn’t have your flashers on. Someone who is speeding through here might have slammed into the back of your car and not even have known it until it was too late. Have your NPR driveway moment in your driveway and not here okay,” said the officer.

“Thank you, officer, I’ll head straight home, I am just a few minutes away,” said Carl hoping there was nothing more.

“I see you have a coffee from the gas station back a ways. How long ago did you leave there,” asked the officer?

“Must have been about twenty minutes ago,” replied Carl.

“Yeah, I was just there myself and the clerk said someone was asking about an incident that happened on second shift yesterday. Was that you,” asked the officer?

Carl was getting nervous, and he felt immensely tired. It felt like an episode may hit him at any moment.

“I had a friend I couldn’t get ahold of yesterday and the clerk said my friend had passed out while in the gas station and they took my friend away. I just came from the hospital where my brother is right now after he had a similar thing happen to him and the docs don’t know why it happened. I was checking in on his kids and then I came back this way to go home,” said Carl quickly.

“That’s a lot of coincidence. It's too involved for you to be lying about it. Where is your friend at now,” asked the officer?

“The clerk said they took him to the hospital, so I assume he is in the same hospital as my brother. I’m heading back to the hospital tomorrow, or rather, later today, and I’ll see if he is there and see how he is,” replied Carl.

“I was in on that call, what’s your friends name,” asked the officer?

“Vince,” replied Carl.

“Yeah, that checks out. When he left the scene, he was stable. He couldn’t talk for some reason and looked like he was in pain. The EMT’s took good care of him and I’m no doc but I am sure he is going to be fine. Get home and get some rest. That coffee is going to keep you up. I’d recommend not drinking the rest of it so you can sleep,” said the officer.

“Thanks for letting me know officer. Vince is a good friend and having this happen to both him and my brother is disturbing,” said Carl.

“Probably not as disturbing as the NPR program you are listening to. Here is your paperwork. Get home safe,” replied the officer.

The officer went back to his car and pulled around Carl and speed off in the same direction Carl was going. Carl took a deep breath and turned the podcast back on as he pulled into the road. When Carl had made it home it was near four o’clock in the morning. The night was fading as the sun started to come up slowly. He stayed in his car for a few minutes and then turned it off and headed up the stairs to his apartment. When he entered, he saw Cheryl sleeping on the couch and lightly touched her.

“Let’s go to bed. I am taking the day off work,” he said to her softly. Cheryl stirred a little bit and groaned.

“I’m glad you made it home safely. I tried to stay up, but I was too tired,” Cheryl said sleepily.

Reaching Out

To reach out to me, email timothy@createartpodcast.com I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and lets start that conversation.