I’ve picked up the gauntlet, will you?

November is almost here, and if you are a writer then it’s time to get cracking.

Once a year hundreds of thousands of authors the world over compete in what has been called by some author’s as the decathlon of word crunching. I am of course speaking of the NaNoWriMo, aka the National Novel Writing Month; where each year starting on November 1st at 12:01am standard time these would be novelists attempt to complete a 175 page novel (50,000 words) by the end of November.

In a competition with yourself, or side competitions that can make your head spin, NaNoWriMo is not about Quality…it’s about Quantity. This contest is not for the faint of heart, but it is for novices and professionals alike. So what are you waiting for check

out the information at www.nanowrimo.org and get all of the information there.

I’m signed up, and whether I win or am just recognized as a participant I look forward to this harrowing and grueling event.

Extreme writing, finally a sport I can get behind!

Keep track of my success or failure here

http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/525438

Special Addendum: I won Nano with my novel “And Filbert Said the World was Flat” with 96,712 words

Otis,

I truly wish you weren’t reading this letter.

I imagine I should have been honest with you from the start, but frankly it’s just never been the right time. The cats were always ready to fight us at a moment’s notice, and I didn’t have much time to waste educating you on the finer points of my charges.

The three sisters are unique among all of the Imperial Koi, as a matter of fact it is rumored that they alone are the sole progenerators of the entire species.

I imagine you may find that laughable, I did as well when I first heard this story, but even the ichthyologists I took scales to so they could determine their age were dumbfounded to find their rings were almost an infinite number.

This could very well indicate that their origin may be somewhere around when scientists imagine the big bang to have occurred… they could quite possibly be far older than that.

The official findings from the University of California’s ichthyology department can be found on page 12 in the blue folder you can find underneath the charcoal filters in the Koi shed.

The royal scrolls can be interpreted to read that these same fish were already full grown and breeding in the royal ponds in 780 B.C. Furthermore, legends about Imperial Koi indicate that these three Koi might have been around even longer than that, as can be attested by the semi mythological story of Princess Yamuri. In fact, it is her chop that seals each official scroll.

These Scrolls must be notarized no later than 2 weeks after my death, please take the scrolls to the florist shop at North West Highway and 35. When you get there explain to Mr. Vincent that you are my successor and you have been chosen by the three sisters.

Mr. Vincent will tell you all he can about the three sisters, the rest you have to learn on your own, same as all of the other Koi tenders before you. The same as all of the other Koi tenders who will come after you.

These scrolls have been officiated and notarized by the Vincent family since 1673, when Dutch trading vessels were regularly doing business with the Japanese. These documents are recognized as official and are fully enforceable in any court of law, and may only exchange hands between officially registered Koi tenders recognized by the offices of the Vincent family.

Hurry Otis, before it’s too late… Without the bond forged by the scrolls to yourself, the world itself may very well just fall apart.
May Good fortune follow you, Koi Tender

Best Regards,
Eric Hodge
Also stuffed within the envelope was a torn page from an old comic book.
Emblazed on the left hand side of the page was a laughing statue of a Buddha, and though it was only done in black and white, I could swear that he almost looked like he was glistening. He appeared to be enjoying himself as he looked out into a Koi pond.

It read.

Lucky 7’s Golden Pagoda introduces western man to the mysteries of the Orient, for only 25cents!
As a master of these ancient mysteries, you will be able to know the future, read omens, and have the strength of an army, Good Fortune, long life and enlightenment.

You may wonder…”How can all of this be only a quarter?”

Lucky 7’s Golden Pagoda has made an exclusive offer with the true masters of ancient oriental mysticism, The Silent Brotherhood, and has joined the good fight in the preservation of beauty.

In exchange for your donation of 25 cents to assist in their relocation project, we offer adoption services for the Koi of the Silent Brotherhood. These Koi are no ordinary fish, but are in fact the fabled Imperial Koi of Princess Yamuri.

Included with your adoption fee you will receive 3 Imperial Koi, Official Documentation, and an instruction manual on how to properly care for them.

But wait there is more, fill out the coupon below today and receive a Medallion of Hetar at no additional charge.

The coupon had been hastily removed from the bottom of the page, and it was nowhere to be found.

As I began to fold the letter and place it back into the envelope, I found a final note left by Mr. Hodge.

It read simply,

Never trust a cat.