World War 1990: Nederlandse

We are almost done with the blockbuster opening, let's go Dutch 51st Mechanized Brigade!

We're plowing through the Police of Klazienaveen* chapter. It looks good. We're concerned it's a little slow, as the chapter follows a policeman around town as he deals with various war related issues. But like we said, it's looking pretty good, well formed, things make sense, etc etc.

Actually, this chapter looks kind of like the police short story in To Survive the Earth, which follows around a policeman dealing with various post alien invasion issues.

*Look it up on Google Earth.

Dutch Poletie

So we're working the police chapter, or Poletie, in World War 1990: NL.

Here's what happens:

Cops wake up.
Cops get briefing.
Cops go on patrol, see town, people, etc.
Cops arrest downed Soviet pilot.
Cops manage traffic, army, KMC reservists.
Cops get called to nearby border to stem refugees.
Cops realize Soviet paras are all over the place.
Cops head back to town.
Cops realize they have to fight for town.

In this way we learn about town, main characters, characters about town, plot lines, character arcs, etc etc.

Thoughts?

Looking Good, Stroock, Looking Real Good, Oink

OK, we'll stop being coy about The Battle of the Three Seas. The three seas are the Barents, the Black Sea and the Sea of Japan. Forget the South, the Sun shall rise again.

The Battle of the Three Seas feels good, at least the wrapping up of the Battle of the Sea of Japan. The new plan also allows us to beef up the Barents sea chapter. This is our chance to write about something that's fascinated us for 25 years. Let's get it right.

NL feels good too.

Basically we're in a good mental place where writing is a mere formality, like a sculptor needing only to remove the unnecessary bits of rock.

We're progressing nicely.

That said we're actually planning to write less this year.

Usually our afternoon efforts are unfocused and willy-nilly. So let's just cut them and refocus on the morning.

No writing after lunch.

Gone Dutch: Again with the two cops thing?

So in World War 1990: NL we have a chapter where the reader follows a pair of Dutch policeman.

This morning we realized that we've used this device before, in Eastern Storm, and To Survive the Earth.

Whatevs. It's a good way to show what's happening around the Netherlands, and a good way to have characters involved in several different situations.

It will be nice to watch some Nederlanders smack around some Kraut refugees, no? 

Loeb would like it, anyway.