Everything is Changing! Ahhh!

It's really not all that terrible. Things aren't changing for the worse, I'm not giving up blogging or writing or breathing. I'm just changing a few things (like the look of the blog, please let me know what you think!) in an attempt to streamline all of the new projects I have going on.

This process would be faster if I were better at HTML and Javascript, or if I knew all of the best ways to consolidate the oh so many social networking tools that are now available. I'll get there. I'm learning.

Just a quick list of some new stuff: (some things have already been mentioned here, like Flipped Book Reviews)

Flipped Book Reviews! This has been a ton of fun so far, and I only see it getting better. I get to joke around and have fun, and I can't wait to see how people take to it.

Book Covers! As my design skills improve I will be building a portfolio, mostly here on the blog. There will be a page for covers that I've sold (when that happens) and there is already a page for cheap covers just up there on the tab thingy. :)

Short Films! This is the youngest and least developed of my new ventures, but one that I am crazy excited about. Not a lot to say just yet, but there will be plenty of awesomeness to come.

Consolidation! Very soon, I will be bringing all of these things together (with lots of help from friends, both old and new).

So there you are, just a little update and explanation as to the changes you will be seeing around here as time goes by.

Thanks so much for reading,
buh bye then

Happy Pi Day!

(image borrowed from http://ck022.k12.sd.us)

It's Pi Day, and although I'm not really a math guy, I can totally appreciate Pi Day. So, if you are a math nerd, or know a math nerd, be sure to celebrate Pi Day with as much enthusiasm as you can muster. Go 3.14!

Anyhow, I'm not doing a ton of social networking right now, but I will be around. As much as I want to build an awesome legion of followers by being witty and loveable, it is more important that I actually do the work of writing right now. After a lull like the one I have just been through, writing is the only way I can really get back on track.

But, I'm not going to disappear. I want to get to know more of you folks out there. I want to read your blogs in the morning whilst I chug gallons of coffee like a frat boy with a funnel full of PBR. If you want to talk, email me or Tweet @kenlindsey1981 or leave a comment.

I'm still reading as well, but I'm not promising when I'll post book reviews. When I can, I will. I'm still reading indie books, and eventually, when I'm caught up and feeling better about having been a huge slacktard for the past six months, I'll probably jump back into a weekly review to help support my indie author homies.

Some good news: I've been doing writerly type stuff and things everyday. It's mostly been editing (I'm going to be re-releasing The River Runes soon, with better editing, a bit more story, and a much better cover) but at least it's productive.

Ok, folks, thanks for reading! I think that's all I have for now :)

Buh bye then

Follow Friday and The Deleted Post

Another Follow Friday!

Today's question:
The Blogger Apocalypse made me a little emotional. What is the most emotional scene in a book that you have read lately?

I'd have to say that the scene from, The Vampire Lestat, where Lestat decides to turn his mother is pretty freakin emotional. (I'm re-reading after like 10 years and it's still awesome.)
******

I'm also going to put yesterday's blog on today's, since it was deleted in the Bloggerocalypse. It's a little longer than most of my posts, but please to read and enjoy:

I can't begin to describe how good it feels to be writing again. I've been editing and revising and talking with beta readers and revising and editing for months. That's part of the gig. I'm okay with it and even happy to do it. Those last bits of writing a novel are hectic and scary and, at times, brutal as all hell. But when you're finished...

What a feeling.

I've been looking around a lot at book reviews on Goodreads and Amazon. Especially, indie book reviews. I've also been looking around at blogs and forums to see what types of things folks are saying. Wow, is it ever polarized out there?!!

A common thread on one side out there, is the belief that all indie authors have self-pubbed because their writing wasn't good enough to get published traditionally. Is there some merit to that? Yeah, of course there is.

When you give everyone the means to put their ideas and opinions out there for the world to see, a lot of what goes out is going to be crap. People who don't know the first thing about world or character building, spelling, punctuation, editing, etc. can now write anything and call it published.

So, yes, of course people will take advantage. Every teenager who writes a poem about how badly his girlfriend hurt him and how no one in the world has ever felt that way before and how the darkness is crushing and the world is fading... They all believe that they are writers. Good writers.

Although, is this true of every indie author? Of course not. Joe Konrath is an amazing writer. Read something from him, I dare you. It's great stuff. He has a general rul, that I think makes a lot of sense. You can't be great at anything, unless you've put 10,000 hours into it. I think he's right.

Writers, real writers, know that it takes time and work to create something worthwhile. There will be failures (oh the failures) and missteps along the way. You will crumple pages full of writing and never look at them again. You will cuss and pound your head on the desk because you have to delete thousands of words that you wrote when you were full of coffee and cable tv. You will finish stories that you spent months on, and then realize that they are garbage.

So, will some indie authors be horrible? Yes. Will they learn from it and get better? Maybe.

On the other hand, do you really believe that agents and other readers of the slush pile the world over will always give every book a fair shake? I don't think so. I do believe that most folks in the writing industry truly love what they do. They have to. Anything to do with writing will swallow time like a fat kid with cake.

But everyone has bad days. Everyone with a job looks at the clock at the end of the day, just wishing they were somewhere else. I know that there are unpublished books out there that would have been great, but were never given a shot.

There are problems with both sides of the issue.

Writers: Write the best book possible, and then get people to read it. Not your family or your friends. Strangers. Find people you don't know that will read your book and tell you the truth. Find lots of them.

Then listen to what they tell you. Revise, edit, do it again. Find new readers. Once you know that your book is at its best, make your decision. I chose to self publish, not because my manuscript was rejected.(I didn't really try the traditional route, other than half a dozen queries I sent out to agents right after I finished my FIRST DRAFT. Don't do that!) I chose this route because I think things are changing, and I want to get in before it's too late.

Could I be wrong? Yes, but I could also be right. I'm happy with my decision and I know that I am going to keep on learning. The day I decide my writing cannot get any better is the day I stop writing.

Thanks for reading through my rambling,
buh bye now

Warning: This is a long one :)

I can't begin to describe how good it feels to be writing again. I've been editing and revising and talking with beta readers and revising and editing for months. That's part of the gig. I'm okay with it and even happy to do it. Those last bits of writing a novel are hectic and scary and, at times, brutal as all hell. But when you're finished...

What a feeling.

I've been looking around a lot at book reviews on Goodreads and Amazon. Especially, indie book reviews. I've also been looking around at blogs and forums to see what types of things folks are saying. Wow, is it ever polarized out there?!!

A common thread on one side out there, is the belief that all indie authors have self-pubbed because their writing wasn't good enough to get published traditionally. Is there some merit to that? Yeah, of course there is.

When you give everyone the means to put their ideas and opinions out there for the world to see, a lot of what goes out is going to be crap. People who don't know the first thing about world or character building, spelling, punctuation, editing, etc. can now write anything and call it published.

So, yes, of course people will take advantage. Every teenager who writes a poem about how badly his girlfriend hurt him and how no one in the world has ever felt that way before and how the darkness is crushing and the world is fading... They all believe that they are writers. Good writers.

Although, is this true of every indie author? Of course not. Joe Konrath is an amazing writer. Read something from him, I dare you. It's great stuff. He has a general rul, that I think makes a lot of sense. You can't be great at anything, unless you've put 10,000 hours into it. I think he's right.

Writers, real writers, know that it takes time and work to create something worthwhile. There will be failures (oh the failures) and missteps along the way. You will crumple pages full of writing and never look at them again. You will cuss and pound your head on the desk because you have to delete thousands of words that you wrote when you were full of coffee and cable tv. You will finish stories that you spent months on, and then realize that they are garbage.

So, will some indie authors be horrible? Yes. Will they learn from it and get better? Maybe.

On the other hand, do you really believe that agents and other readers of the slush pile the world over will always give every book a fair shake? I don't think so. I do believe that most folks in the writing industry truly love what they do. They have to. Anything to do with writing will swallow time like a fat kid with cake.

But everyone has bad days. Everyone with a job looks at the clock at the end of the day, just wishing they were somewhere else. I know that there are unpublished books out there that would have been great, but were never given a shot.

There are problems with both sides of the issue.

Writers: Write the best book possible, and then get people to read it. Not your family or your friends. Strangers. Find people you don't know that will read your book and tell you the truth. Find lots of them.

Then listen to what they tell you. Revise, edit, do it again. Find new readers. Once you know that your book is at its best, make your decision. I chose to self publish, not because my manuscript was rejected.(I didn't really try the traditional route, other than half a dozen queries I sent out to agents right after I finished my FIRST DRAFT. Don't do that!) I chose this route because I think things are changing, and I want to get in before it's too late.

Could I be wrong? Yes, but I could also be right. I'm happy with my decision and I know that I am going to keep on learning. The day I decide my writing cannot get any better is the day I stop writing.

Thanks for reading through my rambling,
buh bye now

Second Draft Finished!

Hey, it's Monday. Happy Monday!

So, the last week or so has been amazing. Not only has my mind been set to reeling by all the amazing stuff I continue to find out about the possibilities of self publishing, but I also finished up my second draft of "The City" (which is no longer the title, will update you with the new title soon). I'll post the updated word count and such at the bottom of this here bloggity.

Now it comes down to lots of editing. I snuck a peek of my gorgeous editor's notes page, and well, there are a lot of highlighted areas. Wow, but I think that's a good thing. I've been so attached to this book for a long (long long loonng looooonnnngg) time, and I believe a new set of eyes is going to really help me to button this thing down. (it doesn't hurt that those eyes are big, brown, and beautiful) Thanks for all your help, love. :)

Another exciting bit about all of this is that I get to dive back into Clockwork Charlie. This story has been pounding through my thoughts and dreams almost non-stop lately. I can't wait to get further into this one and see what comes out of it.

And now for updates:

First draft word count was 87,412
Second draft word count came to 86,727 (before editing)
Second draft finished! Clockwork Charlie is back into full time status :)

I think that's it.
Thanks for reading,
buh bye then

Laziest Blogger Ever

Hey folks that are kind enough to use a little bit of your free time to read my little blog here. Sorry I'm a huge slacker. I've decided to post today, and I hope to be more faithful about it in the future. Feel free to message me threateningly if I am away longer than I should be. :)

So wow, there is a lot (by a lot, I mean holy monkey buttloads) of talk about success in self publishing right now. I actually feel a little bad for some of the authors that are being used as examples out there. Amanda Hocking, for one, has been thrust to the forefront and used as banner carrier by a group of people that she doesn't necessarily agree with.

Yes, she is self published. Yes, she has become successful. No, she does not hate the traditional method, or the publishers that have for so long stood upon that method. I'm sure that she is very happy with her success, and I wish nothing but the best in her career (along with the others out there that have done well on their own). However, it is not fair for huge chunks of the writing world to use her story in a fight that she neither has nor wants any part of.

Now I'll admit, after hearing some of the stories out there self publishing has become a much more attractive option for me. It was always a fall-back, in case of emergencies idea, but honestly it seemed almost like admission of failure. However, after some studying and searching, it seems like it may be the right route to go... for some people.

Although anyone seeking that route should still edit and edit and edit, and get others to read your story before declaring it finished, it seems a quicker way to go from the finished point to the published point. And then, your career is in your hands alone. The amount of time you are willing to put into socializing your book, marketing it and getting others to know about it... well, it's all up to you.

It really is a new and exciting world we're in, but I have always been enthralled with the traditional process. Agents and publishers and deadlines and the rest that comes with it... it all seems so romantic, and if you succeed... well what a testimony you will have.

I suppose there are two points to today's blog: The first is that traditional publishers and the rest that comes with the traditional route are not evil. Yes, they may be big (or not so big in many cases), and they probably seem scary to someone that is waiting for them to critique what may be your life's work, but they are not evil. Just because things may change, and it may feel like a revolution, doesn't mean that things were wrong to start with.

Second... well, second I guess means that I have some thinking to do. There is a decision to be made here for me. Self publishing no longer seems like failure, as a matter of fact, there are a lot of benefits to that route that are attractive to me. I do still love the traditional story though, and a publisher takes a lot of the responsibility off of the author's hands.

I guess that's it for today,
thanks for reading and sticking with me even when I'm a slacker,
buh bye then

Wednesday... ummm yeah

Hey there... you :)

I don't have a lot to write today, I've actually been fairly busy with my WIPs. Woke up this morning with lots of thoughts for Clockwork Charlie, and got some work done on it. It's still a very exciting story for me, especially after reading through it for the first time in quite a while.

With C.C. being the second novel I've worked on, I've noticed that there are lots of folks out there that only write long form stories, or only write short stories. I really enjoy both formats, and was wondering if anyone has preferences when it comes to your WIPs or even what you read...

let me know!!

Never Enough Coffee Friday

Hey, good morning... What? Anymore coffee... No I'm afraid I drank it all. Sorry 'bout that.

Some mornings it just seems like there is not enough coffee to go around. But hey, it's Friday, and that means it's time for some updates.

As I mentioned before, I have been a pretty big slacker recently and not a lot has gotten done. However, I've been working steadily this week and things have been pretty smooth and awesome, so I do have some stuff to update you on.

Sadly, Clockwork Charlie still sits in the mixer, with no new word count or changes. Don't worry, she's patient and it's probably better that she have some extra time before I put her through the things she's about to go through. Oh yes, there will be a lot of rough times for young Charlie... MWAHAHAHAHA!! (that was my evil laugh)

Changes are abounding for "The City" though. First of all, the title is almost definitely changing, though I haven't quite found the right replacement yet. Also, the city that the story is about has been given a name. Yep, I listen when my crit partners speak, and naming the city was mentioned by more than one of them.

Next, the ladies that are featured in the story are going to be more rounded. I set them up for awesomeness, and then being lost in the story of my main character, kind of left them by the wayside. Therefore- more girl butt kicking to follow. :)

Other stuff is changing, but my coffee meter is running low, so I'll just kick you some stats:
1st draft, word count up to and including Chapter 8: 58,089
2nd draft, word count up to and including Chapter 8: 56,841

This isn't a huge number change, but aside from editing, I have also been adding and changing a lot. So, there ya are :)

hope your week was great,
buh bye then

The leaves, the Revisions and the Schedule (or Fall for Just1Writer)

Hey there, long time no see. How are you today? I'm good, rushed but good. thanks for asking!

Ahh, November. It really is a beautiful month, especially here in northern Idaho (at least compared to Nevada, where you live may be just as gorgeous, who knows?). The leaves are golden and orange, and scattering themselves... well everywhere. There is also lots of wonderful rain, and nice cool days to bask in.

I love to see the seasons change, and this, has inspired me. Of course, you may already know that since it is November, I have started revisions. Today actually, I was a big slacker yesterday and didn't do anything. Today, however, went really well. I'm cruising through Chapter 1, and I believe there is already vast improvement. Yay! (sorry, I get a little enthusiastic) My goal for this revision, is to have it done by the end of the month.

Is this a lofty goal? Yes. Is it attainable? Yes. Will I actually be done before the end of November? Maybe, maybe not, but it makes me feel better to have a goal. There are some parts of this revision that will be long and painful, I will be killing lots of my little darlings, rewriting a secondary character arc, and doing lots of editing. Editing. Editing. Editing.

Still, there will be other bits that I can skim over. Parts and places and people that do not need tinkering. THAT is very exciting for me, and I'll use the juice from that, to keep myself going in the rough patches.

In other changing news, I've decided to set up a real schedule for this blog. It's worked so well with my word count, I can't help but think it will be good for this part of my writing as well. Starting next week, (because I already missed Monday) I'll be posting Monday, Wednesday and Friday. There is a formula.

Monday will be general writing stuff day. I'll talk about parts of the journey, questions, topics of interest, etc...

Wednesday will be about other writers. I want to share some of my favorite books, find out about gems that I may not know about already, and maybe even talk about other bloggers and what I have learned from this community.

Friday. Friday will be about my Works in Progress; word count, schedule, and all of my little darlings.

As for this week, well...

Clockwork Charlie is on a hold while I dive into revisions (you know, unless the muse starts cracking the whip on that one). As of now, CC sits at 7,016 words, and I feel great about all of them right now.

Revision of The City has started, and I'll be updating on that as we go.

that's it for now,
thanks for stopping by,
buh bye then

Woman Troubles, Robots, and Chapter 2!

Good morning, good afternoon, or good night (whichever it may be). How are things?

I love writing about Mac. Who is Mac, you ask? Well, Mac is the robot in Clockwork Charlie. He is her sidekick, her friend, and the only family she has left (not going in much further than that at this point I'm afraid). It really does take me back to the sci-fi and fantasy stuff I read as a kid, C.S. Lewis and L. Frank Baum... The hero always had a loyal sidekick, someone they could trust, no matter what. There's a big part of me that misses that, misses the simplicity in it. Anyhow, it's lots of fun for me, even in a more adult setting like C.C.

Writing from the perspective of a woman... Needless to say, it is very different. I've written women main characters in my short stories before, but this is already a very different venture for me. One big thing I've already come across, is trying to write about a woman's body; without seeming lecherous. I think I'm staying on the right side of the line, but only time will tell, right? ;)

I'm very proud to say that I have been able to hit my 500 word goal every day, excluding the weekend. If I am able to write on the weekends, I'll use either my Saturday or Sunday to get a 2,000 word day in.

The count thus far, is at a healthy 4,125 words. YAY! (that is not sarcasm, just in case you were wondering) I have just climbed into Chapter 2, and I'm very happy with my pace.

Mmmm, the coffee is delicious today, but my cup is empty. Time to get away from this glowy box and get a refill.

I think that's it for today,
Thanks for reading,
buh bye then

New Friends, Word Count, and Progress

Hey you! Gee, that is a very nice shirt. Is it new?

Wow. I have to say that I loved my first Blogfest! Thanks so much to Dayana for putting it on, and thanks to everyone who visited, commented, and even became followers of my blog. It was all very exciting, and I loved being able to read all of the other stories that came out of it. You can click HERE to check those other stories out, and see Dayana's latest blog.

Can't wait to find another Blogfest as fun as Animal Writes was! :)

And now on to something completely different! (or at least, kind of, a little bit different)

Writing continues for Clockwork Charlie (of course it continues, I just started!). I'm already really enjoying this story, and am totally in love with my MC. I think that's important; caring for your MC. You're going to be taking this journey with them, helping them, and even causing them pain. So it stands to reason that if you don't care, no one else ever will (at least, it seems logical to me).

What do you think?

Now, while I wrote my first novel, I wasn't in need of a full-time job. I was able to set a word count of 2,000 a day, and meet that goal. I loved it. It was incredibly freeing (and also too freeing at times, what with all the slacking).

I no longer have that luxury. I work a full-time job, and have lots of people in my life, that are fun and beautiful and wonderful. 2,000 words a day is just not a realistic goal right now, so I'm going to shoot for 500.

So far, so good. Clockwork Charlie is now at a healthy 1.788 words (I have no definite end number, though I'm shooting for somewhere around 80,000). I'll keep you up-to-date on my progress, wish me luck and lots of coffee :)

thanks for reading,
buh bye then

A Short Story, a Blogfest, and a Pizza Boy (minus the pizza boy)

ANIMAL WRITES BLOGFEST (CLICK ME)


So I signed up for my first ever Blogfest! You can follow the link on that there TITLE :) You really should, Dayana has a great blog, and I'm super glad to be one of her followers.

An advance warning: This is not a feel good story, and it may get a little graphic. Animal cruelty is disgusting, and I tried to be honest about that in this story.


Scent of Fear

sniff snuff sniff
This damn kennel reeks of fear, I've been smellin' it since they started bringin' in those others. First timers... ya can always pick 'em out by that smell.

I lean against the bars ta' see what's there... can't see much, but the growlin's already started. Once they catch a whiff of another dominant, the newbies always go right ta' growlin'. Most of 'em won't last though... there's just too many of us ol' timers here, and we already got the taste and scent of blood.

Once you make it past your first time... well, ya' can't ever go back.

There's a ruckus outside; a bunch of snarlin' and bangin' against the kennels. Someone got loose. Dutch'll be here any second, and whichever poor bastard is out there, well he ain't gonna make it to see the ring.

SLAM

That'll be Dutch... I scoot way back in the kennel and pretend to be sleepin'.

"What the hell's goin' on in here? I'll skin you mangy bastards if you don't..." I hear him take a couple steps... there's a mean soundin' growl, then a thud and a whimper. "Well, I'll be dipped. I think you're Dallas's pooch, huh?"

Must've been Runner, then... He's a beast. I don't know what Dutch hit 'em with, but it had'ta been big, cuz Runner ain't even whimperin' anymore. Bad for Runner, but good for me. That means one less fight for the rest of us.

"The rest o' you mutts better keep yer' damn yaps shut!"

SLAM

With that, Dutch is gone, just as quick as he came. The fear is even thicker in here, now, most of these dogs ain't seen Dutch before. They got no idea what he's like, or how he acts when we ain't here. He feeds me good, and even lets me sleep in the bed with him... when I win, and ain't too bloody and hurt, that is. He promised that today was gonna be my last fight. All I gotta do is win, and he won't bring me back no more. I plan on winnin'.

There's no more growlin' or barkin' now. The old timers like me are just waitin' our turn, and the newbies are too scared, too wired, too clueless to know how to act. So they just stay quiet. It's better that way anyhow.

The noise from outside is gettin' louder. They'll be makin' bets and talkin' trash like they do. Pretty soon, Dutch'll be in ta' get me. Then it'll be time ta' get ta' work. It ain't fun, and I'm older than I once was, but at least I get fed regular. Some o' these poor dogs get brought in, off the street. Hungry and tired, without any meat on 'em, but willin' to fight to stay alive.

I guess that's what we all got in common.

Then, the noise from outside gets real loud. Someone opened the door, and I'm sure it's Dutch, cuz all the others got real scared again. I can't stop my tail from waggin'. I know what's comin' next, and it makes me all jittery. My front shoulder still hurts from last time, but I don't limp or whimper. Can't let 'em see me as weak. They'd be on top of me quick, I know I would.

"Come on, Duke," says Dutch as he starts unlockin' the kennel. "It's time to show these pups how we do it."

sniff sniff

I can smell blood on him as he puts the shades over my eyes. Could be Runner's, but I don't think that's all. They've already had a few fights today, and there's always dogs that don't make it out. The thought puts me on edge, and I can't help but to start snarlin'. Don't know who I'll be fightin' today, but it's bad luck for them.

The place he pulls me to smells bad, like blood and smoke and piss. They always do. The people are already screamin', some of 'em know me and yell my name. "Duke. Duke. Duke." That's always strange, the only one I care about is Dutch, and he's right next to me.

"Okay, Duke," I can feel Dutch kneelin' next to me, "it's about time. You gotta just one this one more, ya' know."

I can smell the dog across the ring. He stinks, and I got a picture in my head of what he should look like. Big. Mean.

Dutch jerks the blinds off my head and I only have a second to look... I was right. He's huge, and he's got blood and spit hangin' like shoelaces off his face. This ain't gonna be easy.

Soon as his mask comes off, this one's on the lunge. He comes at me low and quick, just not quick enough. He means business, but he's a first timer, no doubt. He's already low and half-way turned when I snap up his back paw. He ain't frail, but I tear through his skin quick, and he starts flailin'. He's scared. This won't take long.

He turns real fast, spinnin' two or three times before I feel the bones crack. He screams loud, I see a few heads turn away. It ain't pretty, but I don't know what they were expectin' when they came here. He starts pullin' away, and I let him.

The screamin' stops, and he thinks it's over, but I didn't hear Dutch's whistle. I'm on him fast, and he's surprised. He yelps, but it only lasts a second before I feel the flesh on his throat give way.

Ahh, there's that whistle. I let go, but somethin's wrong. There are new people, and lights everywhere.

"Get down!" they holler over and over again, and folks are listenin'. Dutch won't be happy about that.

I'm spinnin' around, lookin' for Dutch when I feel somethin' go around my neck. It's a leash, and it ain't Dutch. No point in fightin'. Whoever's holdin' this thing is strong, and ain't gonna let go. I just hope Dutch is okay, I don't hear him anymore.

"Well you're a good boy, aren't you?" It's a gentle voice, no one I've heard before, and he leans down next ta' me. "It's okay, fella, you're retired now. There's some food in the truck, and we'll take real good care of you."

Retired... looks like Dutch kept his promise this time.

692 Words, a New Beginning

Good Morning, fun seeker. You're looking (insert something sexy here)-tastic today!

Wow, staring at that white page was daunting. I spun in my chair and clucked my tongue, made high-pitched groaning noises and tapped my fingers in a ghost pattern on the keyboard, without pushing them in. My girlfriend even laughed at all my craziness as she asked, "Is this part of the process?"

"Yes."

That first sentence is an ice breaker, it's my ticket into this new world, and it needs to be a good first impression. I probably spent more time tottering here, thinking about those first words, than I did writing. I'm okay with that, it was a beginning, and I think that this new world and I will get along just fine.

If you haven't already guessed, I started writing my next novel, "Clockwork Charlie," yesterday. I woke up with the bug, and got a quick outline written before I had to go to work (my day job- blech). I felt good about it, and it was a nice release; proof that this next story was ready to be told. I didn't really think a lot about it at work, it's just not a conducive environment for that sort of thing.

As soon as I got home though, I knew it was time to get to it. It went really well. I didn't reach any number goal or even really set one, for that matter, but I got started. 692 words, that's what this new beginning comes down to, and I think we're off to a great start.

Oh, and I got to reference TikTok, from the Oz stories, in my writing! How cool is that?

In other news, the coffee is delicious, and I'm hungry. I think I'll have some yogurt and Grapenuts. Mmmmm, foods...

Buh bye, then

Some Time Apart...

Well, hello there.

Right after I finished the first draft of my novel, excitement was overwhelming, and I didn't really think of much else. I was ready for edits and critiques and revisions. I was ready to offer my own critiques to friends and crit partners looking for the same thing as I was. It was all very exciting, a new era, a new world for a writer just finishing his first novel. I was ready for all the new steps.

Now, I'm ready to be writing again.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still very excited about everything and happy to be patient as crits roll in and editing trudges forward. However, I miss writing. So, it's time to get on with it.

I have quite a few steps left to really be finished with "The City" (name change coming soon) but I can't take any of those steps until I'm ready for revisions. Thusly, I will now step away from it. I will send chapters as crits come back, I will be patient and thankful to those that are sacrificing time and talent to help me out, and I will get those revisions done when the time comes.

For now, though, I need to write. It's a release, and I need it. It's a bit like breathing for me, and as much as I love to snorkel and look beneath the waves, I also need to know when to come up for air. And who knows, maybe a little time away will be good for us, "The City" and I.

She's very important to me, and I love her, but I need time to be my own man. I'm sure that she'll flourish away from me as well. She needs time to mature, to develop into her own story...

Ok, I think I took that metaphor a little too far, but you get the point. So, within the next few days, I plan to start work on Clockwork Charlie, and I'm very excited.

I think that's it for now,
thanks for reading,
buh bye then

Hey, I won!

So, I've been moving very slowly in my editing. Very slowly. I'm pretty much a lame slacker who needs a task master to keep me on mark. I'll get back to it, as a matter of fact, I plan on getting through a bunch of it today. I just need to not play on the interwebz too much... hmmm, this could be more difficult than expected.

I have been getting some awesomely helpful reviews/crits from the folks that have been kind enough to trudge through my first draft. I don't know if any of you will ever read this blog, but you pretty much rock infinite. I'm still working with my crit partners on a chapter-by-chapter, close up review (which is very important and helpful) but I also have a few whole story reviews trickling in. These are both very encouraging, and very painful. I can see that I will be slaughtering my "little darlings" once I start my revision. (If you don't understand the reference, read more of my earlier blogs ;))

I'm ok with that, though. It's all part of the craft, part of becoming a better writer, and that's what this is all about. I want to have this book (and others to be named in the future) published, and therefore, must learn to whittle away the excess, trim the fat, hone the skill... etc.

It's all actually very exciting to me, and I can't wait to start writing this story again.

On another note, I won something! That's right, me. Ken. This guy! I've been reading several blogs recently (look at my blogroll to see which ones) and I entered my name in a contest at WAG THE FOX (click that title to check it out) pretty much on a lark. Then the unthinkable happened; I won the contest! wOOT!

Because I've been such a slacker, I didn't even know about it until I finally checked the email I have linked to this blog (yesterday). There are a handful of sweet books being sent out to me, and I can't wait to start reading. A huge thanks to WAG THE FOX (in case you missed it the first time) for holding such a rad contest in the first place!

Now, I need to brew more coffee. That means I need to get away from this computer for a moment. So I'm going.

Thanks for reading,
buh bye, then

French Toast and Brains

Hey there!

...I know, I've been a slacker. I'm sorry. I'm back now, though :)

Actually, I haven't been slacking... that much. I've been reading for others and responding to crits. I now have around ten crit partners, not to mention the folks who agreed to read for me from Critters.org. It's pretty amazing, and scary, and strange to know that there are strangers from all over the globe (literally) reading my book. Wow.

I've received some crits from early chapters already, (mostly positive, and with great ideas to help me along) but I haven't finished my first edit yet, so no revisions. I want to get as much input back as I can before I start that process anyhow. It'll be long and painful, but I'd also like to write this story as few times as is necessary.

I had french toast for breakfast. It was good. I made it. Also, I had (am still having) lots of coffee :)

What? You don't have coffee? Go get some! I will wait...

See, much better, yes?

Hey! If you know about any great books about zombies, tell me.

ummm, that's it for now,
buh bye then

Crit partners, puppies, and coffee (of course)

I didn't get much work done over the extended weekend. Nope, I spent time with loved ones, just playing around and watching Star Wars :) I feel it was just as productive as any other weekend!

I found my first crit partner the other day (yay!). She seems to be a very awesome lady, who happens to be an English teacher... in Japan! (how freakin awesome is that?!) For anyone who may not know, a crit partner is someone who will read through your work, and critique it (now the "crit" thing seems pretty clever, huh!) (No, it's not some random Dungeons and Dragons reference) (Though, I could see why you'd think that) (wow, I'm using to many of these).

Anyhow, she already sent me a very informative review of my first chapter. She pointed out some things I hadn't noticed, as well as confirmed a few things I was already thinking. I'm excited, though I think the process might be a bit rough (like tearing off a band-aid).

Grrr... You may have already heard about or seen the video of the girl throwing puppies into a river. It literally made me sick to my stomach, which never happens. Anyhow, two days after I heard this story, I heard another one. An old lady had found the puppies (well five out of six puppies) and was nursing them back to health. How amazing is that?!?!? My heart swelled and choirs sang and monkeys threw poo in celebration...

It seems that it may have all been for nothing. Many people are now saying that the puppies the old woman was holding in her photos, do not closely enough resemble the puppies that had been in the original video. The rumor is; the girl that had thrown the puppies cried out for help when she started receiving threats, and a neighbor jumped in to help, making the video.

Grrr... ok... breathe in... remember that this blog is supposed to be about writing, not evil people.

I know it was a tangent, but I've been thinking about it a lot, so I decided to share. Now to brew more coffee (I love the french press!) and get back to editing.

Thanks for reading, buh bye now-

Bloggity updates and other stuff

Hey there, you're looking spiffy today ;)

umm, this is funny, and I love Assassin's Creed


Yeah... So, I've been doing some work on the blog! (if you didn't notice) I dig the tabs on top of the page (go ahead and look) a bit more than the links that had been on the side of the page (don't bother looking, they're not there anymore). I also added my "Works in Progress" page, so you might be able to see what I've been up to, at least as far as writing goes.

I'm still editing and doing the big read-through on "The City," but I've made some progress in other areas also. I finished up a first draft of my query letter, but I'm going to hang on to it a bit. (I actually sent out some early queries, but I think I'm going to edit it a bit before sending more). Haven't gotten any further with the synopsis, but I haven't been slacking, so I'm okay with that.

In the past few months, I've written a couple of short stories that I am going to start submitting. My first stop with those, will be an awesome magazine called "The Sun." (I may be late finding this jewel, but I love it!)

As far as projects go, I already have the idea for my next big one. It's only an idea for now, but I'm pretty excited about it! Wanna know more? Well, for the low price of $9.99...

Just kidding :)

I don't have much, but the generic idea is a diesel-punk storyline about a girl called Clockwork Charlie. That's it for now, as I said, it's a very new idea.

So that's all I have for you, for now.
buh bye, kids

Editing and gopher milk

I finished my first edit of Chapter 1 last night. I swear I've been over those pages, at least a dozen time, and still I found things that needed to be fixed. Tense issues (changing "is" to "was" or "are" to "were"), paragraphs not being broken where they should, and even spelling mistakes... SPELLING!

Oh well, calm down, and take a deep breath. (oohhmmmm) Okay, much more zen now :)

So yeah, my first read-through and edit of Chapter 1 is done. Yay! However, I haven't started my query letter yet, and my summary is still untouched. I'm nervous about letting people read it, trying to get it out there, and about my possible failure. Don't get me wrong, I did write the book for myself, and I finished it for myself (even after all the wrong turns and breaks in writing).

There is still a big part of me, though, that needs this book to succeed. I know that the odds are against me, and there are thousands of "writers" out there that never have a word published... I don't want to be one of them. Also, I know that the art should be for me, and it is. I love writing, always have, and probably always will.

I guess these jitters are to be expected. I am, after all, in brand new territory.

Hey! I also got the new Scott Pilgrim graphic novel (an early birthday present from a beautiful lady) which I intend to read within the next few days. I'm very excited to finish the series, and the movie was pretty rad ;)

that's it for now, I think.
Thanks for reading

The Storm

So I wrote a poem not long ago, but without internet access, I didn't get to post it. I have the good ol' "webz" again, so I'm going to post it now. And away... we go!

Where is the bridge
To stand me away from the waves
The sand, the rush, the crash
Not the surf but the sand...
The waves.

Where is the bridge
To carry my scorched palms from the swell
deep beneath the salty, breaching foam
your hand, your eyes, your breath
Not the sex but the heat...
The waves.

Where is the bridge
To keep me dry through your storm
The sweat, the tears, your rain
Not the ocean but the cloud...
The waves.

Still and thorough, you beat against my roof
Hot and strong, you press on my shutters
If you are the storm, I need no bridge...
No curtain, no door, no roof
Come in, my storm, and rage forever with me.*



So that's one of the things I've written in the last month or so. As I already may have mentioned ;) I finished the novel, and have also written a short story. Things have been good in my world, more zen than in the recent past.

Good day