Category Archives: writing

The Pain of Self-Rejecting

Recently I was invited to participate in an anthology and I submitted a short horror story. The editor returned with notes and suggestions for changes to the story but like its dark cruel ending.

Sadly, the changes felt ‘a bridge too far’ for my vision of the story and what it needed to achieve my goals. So, I have withdrawn the story from consideration for the anthology.

This is the first time I have run aground on this particular shoal in the treacherous sea of publishing. It’s not the editor’s fault, they are not wrong because as the person putting together the anthology  it must reflect their taste and their vision for what works in speculative fiction. I am not wrong. I have a very clear idea and vision for how this story and how horror stories work to me. It is simply a conflict of different artistic takes and vision.

I am not naming the anthology or the editor. This isn’t about complaining, whining, or bitching but a recognition that sometimes things simply can’t be made to work out for all parties involved.

I wish them the best and now the story will sail off into the storm of submission once more.

 

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Well, That Was a Day Lost

Yesterday I awoke to a blinding migraine. I hate it when they sneak up on me while I am sleeping. If I am awake I can usually feel the pre-migraine show starting up take my meds and keep them from become more than simply troublesome, but if they strike in the night I wake to find that any amount of light and noise is intolerable and I am forced to use the heavier medication that leaves me groggy, dizzy, and useless for nearly everything for a significant number of hours.

It wasn’t until about 2 pm that I became useful in any capacity and it wasn’t until around 9:30 pm that the migraine itself lifted.

Needless to say I did not go to work and I did not get any writing completed.

It could have been worse. Today looks to be better.

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First Author Event

The release of my first published novel Vulcan’s Forge is just two months away and with it comes my first in person event as an author, a book signing on March 28th at Mysterious Galaxy.

I admit that even two months out I am nervous.

Now, I am not one of those people who have a terrible fear about public speaking. I have been on a number of panels at science-fiction conventions, made presentations at my day job, excelled at my speech class, and even performed in a play before a paying audience, but I am also nervous and unsure about things I have never done before. I am looking forward to the event and I am planning on more in the southwest region to help promote the book.

What should I do at the event is one of those questions I haven’t yet answered.

I have been to a number of author events and I’ve seen it handled in one of three basic ways.

  • Read from the work being promoted. This is good for hopefully generating interest in the work and moving units.
  • Make a speech/presentation. There are very successful authors out there who do not read from their work but rather use the time to talk about the process, the world, and what the writing means to them.
  • Read from some other work. This can be used as sort of like a Blu-ray bonus material. The people who go the events get peeks at short stories or novel in progress that people who buy the book will never have,

All three of these approaches have advantages and disadvantages. I think I could do any of them fairly well. I am just going to have to decide and which one.

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Brief Comments on the Passing of Mike Resnick

Mike Resnick noted science fiction author and mentor to many up and coming writers has died. He did not disclose publicly that severity of his condition and there are a great many in the field that will miss him.

I never had the fortune to have personal interaction with Mike other than a few passing online comments and an ‘almost there’ rejection letter. (He said he was onboard for the story until the last two pages.)

Many of my writing friends have had close communication and guidance from Mike and all had nothing but good things to say about the man, as a writer, as a teacher, and as a human being. That’s a damned fine eulogy right there.

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It Begins Again

Yesterday I moved beyond notes, character design, and outlines with actual prose written on my next novel. I will admit that I did not get as much written on day one of the novel as I had hoped but words are on the page and the project has at least a little momentum.

Sunday night for whatever reason turned out to be a poor sleep night. I awoke after about 3 and a half hours of sleep with a parched throat and after cool water to deal with that issue I spent the rest of the evening in a sleep/wake cycle that precluded any real rest. While I did get writing done on my lunch break at the day job, in the evening I was simply too exhausted for anything more strenuous than watching the final episode of season two of The Crown. There wasn’t enough Princess Anne in the season, she’s clearly become my new favorite character.

I would love to get my novel’s first draft completed by the end of May. That would mean about 20,000 words per month or about 5,000 words per week. That’s is a doable goal despite this halting start from yesterday.

I am also working out the design for a Newsletter that will come out monthly. In the final week of each month I plan to release an email newsletter with defined content to help promote myself as an author. I am also thinking about releasing, also on a monthly schedule, previously published short stories of mine in an audio format.

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My Personal Year in Review

Well we’re about to start another arbitrary cycle around our local star and that means it’s time to look back at what we’ve and answer for it. Wait, that didn’t come out right, it’s time for personal reflection and growth. Yeah, that sounds better.

Anyway, I have to say that this year has been a pretty good year for me.

Naturally, the biggest writing news is that Flame Tree Press purchased my novel Vulcan’s Forge with the publication set for March 28th, 2020. This was a joy and a surprise. Vulcan’s Forge, which languished on my former agent’s desk for a year unread, was a book I wrote entirely for myself. It was an experiment to see if I could sustain a cynical tone for an entire novel, and a labor for my love of film and the genre film noir in particular.  Blending it with science fiction and making constant references to movies throughout the book Vulcan’s Forge is in one manner my most personal work.

In other aspects of my writing life I managed a few interesting short stories and one of my previously published works A Canvas Dark and Deep has been selected for reprint in the anthology Twilight Words coming in spring 2020.

My goal for 2020 is to have my next novel, Do We Not Bleed?, written by my birthday in mid-May. A detailed outline is already produced, and I have high hopes for this piece.

2019 was also the year I fully committed to listening to Podcasts. I have a number of fun, informative, and challenging podcasts on regular rotation. One that has been most surprising in just how fully engaged I have become with it is Scriptnotes, a podcast about screenwriting and things interesting to screenwriters.

Clearly with my love of movies screenwriting has always been a fascination with me. John August and Craig Mazin each week discus the business, craft, and art of screenwriting with many of the topics applicable to other forms of writing as well. They are also gamers, puzzle solvers, and entreatingly amusing people.

My day job continues to be good. I am so happy to be part of a vibrant strong union. Too many times before in my life I have been chewed up by petty bosses and it feels great having an organization at my back instead of being stabbed there.

IN gaming my sweetie-wife and I added Lords of Waterdeep to the regular rotation of our board and card game nights and it’s become very popular. In role play gaming I took a massive step into the past and began running a campaign of FGU’s Space Opera a game system I ran quite successfully for many years during the 1980s, PDFs of the rules are available at a quite reasonable price and it’s been fun, challenging, and amusing to engaged with the typo filled rulebook.

Here’s to looking to 2020 with hope, optimism, and confidence.

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Surgical Update

Yesterday, December 18th, I went into the hospital for a scheduled bit of minor surgery. A hernia repair that would have normally been perform in an outpatient surgical facility but die to my sleep apnea that anesthesiologist insisted on a full hospital operating room.

The surgery went well, and I went home just shortly after noon.

I have to say that this was the most engaged and friendly surgical team I have ever encountered. When I was wheeled into the O.R. each person introduced themselves and their position. My comfort and safety seemed paramount at all time and I never doubted that I was in good care.

Post Op was dull but necessary with concerns well address that my lungs had recovered, and I was in no danger of not getting enough oxygen. My sweetie-wife was there, picked up my medications, and drove me home one I was released.

When they did release me, I started walking out of the recovery room and a nurse said, ‘You can’t walk.’ I looked down at my feet and snarked, ‘clearly, I can.’ But of course, they were meaning I was not *allowed* to walk.

Once home I took a course of pain killers and now I have a week off the day job to recover. Surprisingly sitting up straight and lying flat on my back at the most painful positions. Luckily, I have a recliner chair and that is very comfy. There are times when I am sitting that and feel absolutely no discomfort at all. Then I move and spoil it.

Today I had my first email interview as a tie in to the upcoming release of Vulcan’s Forge. That was a new and novel experience.

 

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The Good News Post

So, there are several bits of new news to share this chilly December morning.

First off: Because I have a minor surgery scheduled this week and then a week off from my day job for recovery that mean I will not be working any more overtime. The money is nice, and I love chipping in and helping out my team at Kaiser Permanente but it’s really nice to get back to a normal schedule that allows for writing.

Second, pivoting of the subject of writing, our favorite local bookstore Mysterious Galaxy is saved! They have new owners and a new location so the store will not have to shutter depriving San Diego book readers, un-employing its staff, or leaving its various book, gaming, and writing groups homeless. Truly this had made this season festive.

And HBO’s Watchmen reached the season one finale and for once I am not disappointed by a project associate with showrunner Damon Lindelof. Quite the contrary, this series was fantastic. Every element plays perfectly in tune with the themes that grounded this version of the story and all the major points and developments were well established. The characters both as written and as performed simply captivated and for those that are the older versions of ones from the sources material managed to be true to their natures while exploring logical and consistent change from the thirty years that had passed. While Angela Abar (Regina Hill) may have been the protagonist of the story Laurie Blake (Jean Smart) took home favorite character prize from this viewer. Where the original graphic novel Watchmen centered thematically on the Cold War and the ever-present threat of nuclear annihilation with those ideas and terrors informing not just the plot but the look and feel of the story this Watchmen explored the lingering horror, hate, and trauma of racial injustice and bigotry. Starting off with the slaughter and destruction of ‘Black Wall Street’ in Tulsa Oklahoma in 1921 and ending with crisis from Tulsa that threatens the world, Watchmen 2019 explores justice and the thorny issues confusing that concept with its petty cousin vengeance. Best off the season did not end with a plot cliffhanger. While the final shots left a terribly large question unanswered it did not fail to resolve the essential conflict or theme of the series. If there is never a season two the show is still full resolved and satisfying. Thank you, Mr. Lindelof, I do so hate cliffhangers.

 

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Scattered Thoughts

Life continues to be very busy. On this upcoming paycheck I will have 26 hours of overtime clocked so this post will cover a number of subject all very briefly.

 

I’ve been watching Star Wars from the ’77 film through The Last Jedi in preparation for the new movie next weekend. Of the original trilogy Empireremains the best in terms of character, writing, and filmmaking despite having no real ending. The original ’77 movie is complete but very simple and Jedi is hampered by an overly simple script. Finished The Force Awakens last night and Ford had so much more to do as an actor than he did in Return of the Jedi that even with the repeated beats from the first film this one is much better than Jedi. For me the only parts of Jedi that still holds up is the central heart of the narrative, Luke, Vader, and the Emperor.

Watchmen on HBO continues to amaze but I am still holding my breath to see if it falls apart in the final episode.

I have my next novel outlined but I am holing off starting until after the insane hours slow down.

I have a minor surgery scheduled next week. It will likely mean again another week with perhaps just a single posting.

I have also learned that at this time the plans for an audio edition of my novel Vulcan’s Forge has been placed on hold. So if you want a copy it will be hardback, paperback, or e-book for now.

The UK is leaving the EU and I hope that doesn’t trigger a cascade of economic shocks through the world markets. It also looks to have set up another round of Scotland wanting to break up the UK and if that happens what may happen to Ireland and Whales?

Trump is going to be impeached but it is highly doubtful that he will be removed. No one is coming to save us, it’s on us now. I think the Democrats should not focus on winning back former voters who went for Trump in 2016 but rather get to the polls those who sat it out last time. Attack your enemy where he is weak not where he is strong.

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This Hurts

I’ll admit that this hurts more for the employees of my favorite local business but it’s a dagger to the heart of the bibliophiles of San Diego as well; we may be losing our beloved Mysterious Galaxy.

Mysterious Galaxy a bookstore that specializes in Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Mystery, though they will order any in print book for you, is losing their lease and is in a desperate search for not only a new location but a new owner as well. If the search is not successful our cherished institution will close.

I have been a regular customer of the place for many years ordering nearly every book, including my e-books, from them. In addition, for about ten years I have been a member of the writers’ group that meets there twice a month and that experience has not only given me friendships but critical skills that made my upcoming first novel publication possible. The staff has always been friendly, helpful and knowledgeable introducing me to several authors I might not have tried without their introduction.

Fiction is full of last-minute miracles and we hope for at least one in the dark times.

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