writing and other stuff
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Happy Birthday!
To celebrate my progress on The Loss Queen (and my birthday), The Artifact Competition, The Gun Golems, and my three short stories will be free for a week, starting tomorrow!
Friday, August 1, 2014
The Loss Queen: Progress Report 5
Approaching Infinity: Book Five
57,800 words
I got a late start on this volume, but am actually more or less on par with where I was on Book Four at this time last year. If I can continue the pace, which I should be able to do, then I should easily finish Book Five and have it out before the end of the year.
It's been very interesting going over 12-14 year-old notes and I'm amazed at how well the old and new are coming together. I keep thinking that some of the key elements from the original material are somehow going to clash with the established continuity, but so far, so good!
Oh! And August 4th is my birthday. Woohoo! Anyone who is feeling especially giving, please feel compelled to review any of the AI books on Amazon or Goodreads (assuming you haven't already).
57,800 words
I got a late start on this volume, but am actually more or less on par with where I was on Book Four at this time last year. If I can continue the pace, which I should be able to do, then I should easily finish Book Five and have it out before the end of the year.
It's been very interesting going over 12-14 year-old notes and I'm amazed at how well the old and new are coming together. I keep thinking that some of the key elements from the original material are somehow going to clash with the established continuity, but so far, so good!
Oh! And August 4th is my birthday. Woohoo! Anyone who is feeling especially giving, please feel compelled to review any of the AI books on Amazon or Goodreads (assuming you haven't already).
(Review! Review! Review! Review! Review! Review! Review! Review! Review!)
Do you feel it?
Monday, July 14, 2014
Book Five Blurb (Short & Sweet)
For several centuries, the Viscain Emperor has sought The Place with Many Doors, crushing each civilization encountered along the way. His Shades have fought and died to advance the Empire’s frontier and their efforts have finally paid off. Though Planet Loss—soon to be Planet 1612—houses The Place with Many Doors, its secrets will not be immediately accessible. One civilization yet remains to defy the Emperor, but will they, or their enigmatic queen, be enough to stop him from using the Doors to finally satiate his boundless hunger?
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
The Loss Queen: Progress Report 4
Approaching Infinity: Book Five
31,400 words
Whatever concern I had about this volume taking longer than normal has proved—so far—to be unfounded. Let's all engage in some collective finger-crossing to make sure that this doesn't change!
31,400 words
Whatever concern I had about this volume taking longer than normal has proved—so far—to be unfounded. Let's all engage in some collective finger-crossing to make sure that this doesn't change!
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Free Is Good
From Monday, June 9th through Friday, June 13th (!), both The Artifact Competition and The Gun Golems will be free for download from Amazon.com.
Friday, June 6, 2014
O M G
I'm usually pretty good with TV/movie violence. I'm not saying that I'm an advocate of it, especially when it's gratuitous and for the exclusive sake of shock (I kind of felt that way about the new Rosemary's Baby and stopped watching), but on shows (usually cable) where it's an integral part of the story and moves the plot along, it can be a pretty intense, adrenaline-pumping draw.
I just watched the latest installment of Game of Thrones (season 4, episode 8) and was mentally—and physically—stunned by the visual fate of Oberyn Martell. I say visual because I knew essentially what happened to him from reading the books, but... wow. That's wow in a sickened/fascinated/I-don't-know-how-to-feel sort of way. I literally just stared at the credits without seeing for nearly a minute, trying to process. I don't think there's anything wrong with the scene—it's certainly not for everyone—but it succeeded in being terribly disturbing. What it also did, and perhaps more importantly, was create an indelible memory bursting with a dark cocktail of emotions. Of course the graphic display alone wasn't enough to do this, the show had done a good job of developing Martell from the beginning of the season, and it's that combination of investment and stark, unveiled violence that will make the character live forever in my memory.* Having been inundated with media for most of my life, there are probably many other examples of this, but right now, I can think of only two particular instances where I've had a similar reaction.
The first was to the climax of To Live and Die in LA. I saw that in the theater when I was in junior high and have never forgotten that scene or quite how it made me feel.
The second was to the climax of Seven. That one was a little different because, despite the very graphic imagery of the previous crimes, we never see the contents of the box. But because of the previous crimes, we have no difficulty accepting Kevin Spacey's word. The blood on the box and Morgan Freeman's reaction to what's inside both help.
There are lots of shows that have very graphically violent content. For some it's schtick. For others, it's a storytelling component that helps to forever leave a mark. There will always be those who will argue that such components are not necessary, but I'm not one of them.
Do you have any examples of your own you'd like to share?
*Some may say, and rightly so, that my reaction to and commentary on fictitious events reflect naivety, or an easy, sheltered, and even privileged life. That may all be true considering that really terrible things happen in reality all the time. I've never tried to hide the fact that I'm a big proponent of escapism and can only say that the world would be a much better place if all violence and injustice were just fabrications, diversions to keep us entertained.
I just watched the latest installment of Game of Thrones (season 4, episode 8) and was mentally—and physically—stunned by the visual fate of Oberyn Martell. I say visual because I knew essentially what happened to him from reading the books, but... wow. That's wow in a sickened/fascinated/I-don't-know-how-to-feel sort of way. I literally just stared at the credits without seeing for nearly a minute, trying to process. I don't think there's anything wrong with the scene—it's certainly not for everyone—but it succeeded in being terribly disturbing. What it also did, and perhaps more importantly, was create an indelible memory bursting with a dark cocktail of emotions. Of course the graphic display alone wasn't enough to do this, the show had done a good job of developing Martell from the beginning of the season, and it's that combination of investment and stark, unveiled violence that will make the character live forever in my memory.* Having been inundated with media for most of my life, there are probably many other examples of this, but right now, I can think of only two particular instances where I've had a similar reaction.
The first was to the climax of To Live and Die in LA. I saw that in the theater when I was in junior high and have never forgotten that scene or quite how it made me feel.
The second was to the climax of Seven. That one was a little different because, despite the very graphic imagery of the previous crimes, we never see the contents of the box. But because of the previous crimes, we have no difficulty accepting Kevin Spacey's word. The blood on the box and Morgan Freeman's reaction to what's inside both help.
There are lots of shows that have very graphically violent content. For some it's schtick. For others, it's a storytelling component that helps to forever leave a mark. There will always be those who will argue that such components are not necessary, but I'm not one of them.
Do you have any examples of your own you'd like to share?
*Some may say, and rightly so, that my reaction to and commentary on fictitious events reflect naivety, or an easy, sheltered, and even privileged life. That may all be true considering that really terrible things happen in reality all the time. I've never tried to hide the fact that I'm a big proponent of escapism and can only say that the world would be a much better place if all violence and injustice were just fabrications, diversions to keep us entertained.
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