Blawg

Hi, blog!

I kind of hate you at the moment. And blogging. It is draining me. Blog blog blog blogblgobgoblgoblgbogbgoblgoblog. So I'm taking a break.

See you on the flipside, blog.

Peace, love, and naps,
Paul

All work and no play

Having wrapped up my WOTF story, which is ready to go out in the mail this weekend, I'm trying to decide what I want to work on next. I need to be working on something because all work and no play make Paul a dull boy. Hmm, okay wait. That quote doesn't make any sense. I like staying busy. Moving on...

The novel is still on hiatus while I try and wrap my head around why it isn't working for me. I'm toying with the idea to write a short story or two in its world, just to see if it holds up. Or to figure out what the bleep is actually going on in there. But I'm not (mentally) prepared for that move yet.

So I'm currently trying to finish up the civilized cannibals story. After that I need to review my WOTF critique for "The Lady of Jeweled Dreams" and see if I can't whip that piece into a stronger story. John O'Neill from Black Gate did mention he'd like to see more from me and that's the only other piece of high fantasy that I feel is submittable. We'll see what I can do to it when that moment arrives.

Eugie is sending me the latest issue of City Slab to review for The Fix Online. Looking forward to that. I find it so much easier to review print material than to read a large PDF file.

Oh, and I need to do some more work on the comics for Sandra McDonald's The Stars Down Under...

A small update

The WOTF story that's been kicking my ass lately is finally shaping up to be something whole. I figured out how it'll tie up in the end last night, and now just need to pump out about another 2,000 to 3,000 words to bring it to a close. Unfortunately, the March 31 deadline approaches, but I have high hopes that I'll finish it in time. The editing-as-I-go plan is, not surprisingly, very counterproductive. I think after this story I'll stop doing it and just wait until the end to clean everything up.

Yup, maybe more later...

Fourth marker reached

The Waterways Novel

60,084 / 80,000 words. 75% done!

Whew. It's been interesting getting back into the Novel. I took a break from it for all of December, focusing more on short stories and comics. It continued to hover in the back of my mind though, poking at me, reminding me that it was still alive and needed its litterbox changed at some point. Then I went on vacation and thought very little about writing in general. That was both good and kind of scary. I just don't think I can't not write. Yes, double negative there. Eat it up.

Anyways, the point is I forgot a lot of things. Tiny details, character quirks, plot, plot, oh my god the plot is so out of it currently, teetering on sense and no sense, among other things. I reread the first few chapters, resisting the urge to tinker with them and then just said "feck it" (not really) and plowed forward using my notes and whatnot. We're getting closer to the climactic ending where Lots of Things Happen.

The next marker is at 75,000 words. I suspect by then I'll be very close to the end. I can--and oh so will--add more words later in the rewrite.

It's weird. I set these markers (15K, 30K, 45K, 60K, 75K) as a sort of way to avoid overtalking the work-in-progress. I find the less I talk about a big project, the better it goes. I guess when it is only my expectations I have to meet...well, I can handle myself just fine. Been doing it for twenty-plus years. Yet, I'm supposed to talk about the novel at these markers. It is suppose to be, like, a reward. Funny that I still keep everything vague and brief. Wonder what is up with that...

But yay! More progress.

Homage is where the heart is

About a week ago when I announced that Aoife's Kiss was buying my short story "After Effects" I made a side reference that the piece contained "a teeny homage to the Robot Man." Since nobody asked me what that meant, I figured I'd talk a bit about what I like to do with my short stories. Namely, I like to put in little bits of adulation for writers, musicians, artists, and a thousand of others whose work I've come to respect over time.

This is why I absolutely lurve the show LOST. Details, details, and details, along with the quick a-ha moments where they show you something obvious yet make it so transparent that you don't realize what you are seeing. LOST absolutely bounces in delight when it showcases books (Carrie, Catch-22, Heart of Darkness, Rainbow Six, and Stranger in a Strange Land to name a few), makes light of philosophers (John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau), and lets slip those seductively damning numbers (4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42, in case you forgot). It cares about these things, making it important that they are mentioned, that they are carefully revealed with respect and attitude.

Sure, the producers must like it when a fan picks up on a reference...but whether they do or don't, it truly doesn't matter. The deed is done, and its meaning is out there for whoever to take it in. I like that. I like looking for those sorts of things, linking one and two to make three, understanding the why and how of a creator's intent.

Now where was I? Oh right. Homages. I suspect I'm not the only one.

I won't reveal all of my secrets now (I'll wait until I'm insanely famous for that, of course).

So, who is the Robot Man then? To me, that'd be Isaac Asimov.

And how did I bend my knee? I named the spaceship that the story's events transpire on The Foundation. Plus, there's some robots on board (though they do not adhere to the Three Laws of Robotics). There ya go.

Progress

The Streets of the City

2,245 / 4,000 words. 56% done!

New words: 592

Woo. The counter meter says I'm halfway done, but now I'm thinking this might end a little bit sooner than 4K. We'll see. The ending is still swirling about in the ocean that is my thought process, but it's looking to be an abrupt one. Hopefully it's one that works. Also, there's a gun in this story. I'm not really a big fan of guns in my short stories, but this one is quite pivotal to the plot. But guess what? The darned thing is never fired once. Might as well be a water gun, eh?

And now I'll take a break from this story to enjoy the weekend with the family.

New story troubles

The Streets of the City

1,205 / 4,000 words. 30% done!

Started a new story today. It's an idea that's been swelling in my head for the last few days, and it's turning out to be the hardest thing I've ever tried to write so far. Why? Hard science. Normally, if I toss something technical into my shorts I just leave it to the wayside, letting both the in-story characters and reader accept it as is. Makes it easier than figuring out the ramifications of such advancements. Well, I keep doing that, and while it works when it needs to, I'm trying something different here. Research, research, research...I'm up to my elbows in it, but it's all good. Let's just hope I survive this outing...