#NaNoWriMo Progress on Day 20 = 86065 words

Yesterday, I developed a new character, more or less out of the blue. She came as a surprise to me but she has already had an amazing impact on the plot and caused major issues for Mel. Of course, Isla is not yet aware of her, for reasons which will only become clear when you read the finished novel. And you will be able to read it, since I intend to get this published, as soon as I've finished the challenge here on NaNoWriMo and then completed the necessary editing, after a spell of reflection. This is turning into a damn good story, my characters are developing and influencing the story as we move forward together towards a conclusion that I had thought was fixed when I started. Not so, the characters had different ideas and it looks now as if this will be the first book in a series of, probably, three.
I've actually introduced a couple of well known names into the story, more by association than as actual appearances. The new character, for example, is described by Mel as being the spitting image of Kelly Brook.
I've managed five and a half thousand words today, in two sessions, bringing the total to 86,065, which takes me to 72% of my target on day 20. Tomorrow, Monday, is a time for a short writing spell, since I'll be at the office for much of the day and then dancing ballroom with my wife in the evening.
We had our usual Sunday walk today, but the fog made the landscapes more mysterious than open and the chill air had us walking rather faster than usual.
Wordle has, once again provided me with a diagram pointing out the most frequently used words. This will be a real help when I get down to the editing process. Today's image is from Chapter 23.

#NaNoWriMo Progress on Day 19 = 80,518 Words

The ITIN application is now in the post to the US Embassy in London. Be interesting to see how quickly they deal with this. Though I'm glad they provide the service, as it's very costly to do it direct to Texas.
The antibiotics have finally stopped the toothache, so my sinuses are clearing: it's good to breathe freely again.
Short walk today, under grey skies. Have another once I've done this, before settling down for the last of the evening.
The challenge through NaNoWriMo is still going well, with an extra 4,800 odd words added to bring the grand total to 80,518, which is about two thirds of my target. I had one of those eureka moments today, whilst I was sharing breakfast in bed with my wife. So, I've had to do a new character profile, which involved finding a suitable picture from the web (I always base my characters on a picture, as I'm a pretty visual guy). Found a suitable lass and got the profile completed and added to the spreadsheet timeline. This new character, although entering the story relatively late in the day, has given me a real boost. I think she'll not only make the book a better tale, but will also make it possible to turn what was going to be a stand-alone into a short series; probably three.
So, looking forward to the next session, tomorrow. Hope all the other challengers out there are doing well and not getting disheartened. It's a tough task to complete this challenge, but it's worth the effort to end up with a new novel at the end.
And then begins the editing, of course.

The Wordle picture is from Chapter 22. Isla's name is very prominent, so I'll have to check that when I do the editing. Of course, the chapter is very much about her and Mel's relationship to her, so not surprising her name comes up a lot.

#NaNoWriMo progress, day 17 = 71414 total words

The antibiotics have more or less kicked in and left me feeling much better. Had a pleasant country walk this morning after breakfast, to refresh the spirit.
The NaNoWriMo challenge has been a great motivator for me and today I've achieved 60% of my self-imposed target, completing 5,136 words in two sessions and reaching a total of 71,414 words. Much happening in the story today, with half a dozen minor characters elbowing their way into the plot; not sure whether none, all or some of these will reappear just at the moment. But they provided some fun and diversion and erected a few small barriers for my hero to overcome. But Mel's a game guy. And the heroine, Isla, is a spunky, young woman with a determined independent streak. They continue to surprise me from time to time, which is all great and keeps me on my toes.
The picture is a Wordle image of Chapter 20. It's interesting that 'Isla' appears quite a lot in this chapter. The story is narrated from Mel's pov, in first person, so his name only appears when someone calls him by it. And the 'love' and 'make' should give some indication of the romantic element here.