I Swear! I have too many places to update!! Between Twitter, Facebook (personal and fan page), Tumblr and Here, I end up spending all my time talking about my writing instead of Actually Writing! Have to work out a balance...
Anyway, the big news is that I made to 50K for Nanowrimo! 50,000 words in my novel and I did it on Nov 19th! Since then, between holidays and houseguests I've only gotten another 7000 done but things in the story are progressing well. The characters have embarked on the epic quest to save the kingdom from the evil menace. I'm planning to end the story somewhere in the neighborhood of 80-90K words.
So time to keep pushing for the end!
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Thursday, November 1, 2012
It has Begun!
Nanowrimo officially started at Midnight last night and before I knew it, I was 1400 words into the continuation of Dream Flyer! My brain and my fingers were flying. Today, I cannot keep the story and the characters out of my mind! The other Nano folks here in Reno have been amazing so far and I can't wait to see more of them. It's inspiring to be around other writers for support and encouragement. I'm definitely looking forward to writing more.
What's so interesting about this process and what makes it different from what I've done before is that I am not even attempting to write a coherent, flowing narrative. Knowing me, it will be coherent and flowing because I have a hard time not writing that way. But I'm not forcing myself down that path. If I'm having fun with describing a room or a character, then I just go with it. Can't find quite the perfect word or the right phrasing? Get something on the page and keep going! The most important thing is to Keep Writing!
Up until now, I averaged about 1000 words an hour. Last night, I wrote my first 1400 words in a little over an hour. And that was with nothing really getting me started. I set the scene and the characters in my mind and starting typing. What amazes me is that I didn't feel a pressing need to make things happen. I spent my first night describing the scene. There was some dialog as my main character was given a tour of her new surroundings, but the majority of what I wrote was description, and I'm not done with the tour - not even close!
So yeah, a good start!
On a side note, I am veeeeerrrrrryyyyyy sleepy. Going to bed after 1 AM and being woken up at 3:30 (then again at 4:30 and eventually getting up at 6:00) does not make for a very alert day. All Hail the Mighty Power of Caffeine!
What's so interesting about this process and what makes it different from what I've done before is that I am not even attempting to write a coherent, flowing narrative. Knowing me, it will be coherent and flowing because I have a hard time not writing that way. But I'm not forcing myself down that path. If I'm having fun with describing a room or a character, then I just go with it. Can't find quite the perfect word or the right phrasing? Get something on the page and keep going! The most important thing is to Keep Writing!
Up until now, I averaged about 1000 words an hour. Last night, I wrote my first 1400 words in a little over an hour. And that was with nothing really getting me started. I set the scene and the characters in my mind and starting typing. What amazes me is that I didn't feel a pressing need to make things happen. I spent my first night describing the scene. There was some dialog as my main character was given a tour of her new surroundings, but the majority of what I wrote was description, and I'm not done with the tour - not even close!
So yeah, a good start!
On a side note, I am veeeeerrrrrryyyyyy sleepy. Going to bed after 1 AM and being woken up at 3:30 (then again at 4:30 and eventually getting up at 6:00) does not make for a very alert day. All Hail the Mighty Power of Caffeine!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
An Ending?
So I just sketched out the big final action sequence of Dream Flyer.
It feels sooooo strange! For Book 1 of Undead War, I had NO clue how I was going to end it until I was about 3/4 done. (At the time, I didn't even know there was going to be more than one book). In Book 2, I knew what was ultimately going to happen, but it was a very vague outline. For Book 3, it's the same way. For Dream Flyer, I know exactly what's going to happen and even have snippets of dialog.
This is definitely the most planning I've done for my writing so far.
Now, I know myself. There will definitely be twists and turns when I actually get there - possibly major alterations even, but it does feel good to have that target sitting there. I know where I'm headed. One of the big events even brought tears to my eyes, so I know I'm definitely on the right track. Don't worry though, no spoilers.
In other news, I met up with some folks from my region for nanowrimo. Good bunch of people so far (and all ladies... kinda strange). I can't wait to meet with them again and chat some more. It's always so inspiring to talk with people who share a love of writing! Our municipal liaison is enthusiastic, energetic and friendly; in short, she's awesome!
On that note, I'm making it a priority to listen to more Writing Excuses, a podcast by one of my all-time favorite authors, Brandon Sanderson. He and a few other writers discuss all of their experiences and offer up advice on how to craft good stories.
To wrap this post up, I want to add that I really hope my experience with Nano makes me a better writer overall. My goal is to be published by a company someday, maybe even one of the big ones. It's one of the things I really want to focus on when I ultimately retire.
Ahhhh..... The Future!
It feels sooooo strange! For Book 1 of Undead War, I had NO clue how I was going to end it until I was about 3/4 done. (At the time, I didn't even know there was going to be more than one book). In Book 2, I knew what was ultimately going to happen, but it was a very vague outline. For Book 3, it's the same way. For Dream Flyer, I know exactly what's going to happen and even have snippets of dialog.
This is definitely the most planning I've done for my writing so far.
Now, I know myself. There will definitely be twists and turns when I actually get there - possibly major alterations even, but it does feel good to have that target sitting there. I know where I'm headed. One of the big events even brought tears to my eyes, so I know I'm definitely on the right track. Don't worry though, no spoilers.
In other news, I met up with some folks from my region for nanowrimo. Good bunch of people so far (and all ladies... kinda strange). I can't wait to meet with them again and chat some more. It's always so inspiring to talk with people who share a love of writing! Our municipal liaison is enthusiastic, energetic and friendly; in short, she's awesome!
On that note, I'm making it a priority to listen to more Writing Excuses, a podcast by one of my all-time favorite authors, Brandon Sanderson. He and a few other writers discuss all of their experiences and offer up advice on how to craft good stories.
To wrap this post up, I want to add that I really hope my experience with Nano makes me a better writer overall. My goal is to be published by a company someday, maybe even one of the big ones. It's one of the things I really want to focus on when I ultimately retire.
Ahhhh..... The Future!
Monday, October 22, 2012
On The Hunt! (Scene from Dream Flyer)
Shadows slide across the the floor, silent but moving with a purpose. A young woman of Latino descent speaks with an older blonde man. She giggles and lays a hand on his arm, her brown eyes glittering with obvious attraction.
Unnoticed, the shadow slowly stakes the shape of a man and slips closer to the couple. Two slits appear in the thing's face and form into a glowing red eyes. A mouth forms and twists into a cruel, toothy smile.
The man grins at the woman and says in a smooth voice. "Wait here while I get us some drinks."
A soft raspy chuckle emanates from the shadow as the man walks away. The woman shivers suddenly and wraps her arms around herself. The dark shape rises from the floor, tall and sinister. A gleaming knife blade appears in its right hand.
"Hello darlin'..."
Short scene, but this is the set-up for the first attack by the "Shade" in my latest project, Dream Flyer. I originally wrote this in my notebook while sitting at Starbucks because I couldn't get imagery out of my head. I cannot wait to get this far into the book as this really scene leads to some major revelations about the main character, Dina and what is really going on with her.
Unnoticed, the shadow slowly stakes the shape of a man and slips closer to the couple. Two slits appear in the thing's face and form into a glowing red eyes. A mouth forms and twists into a cruel, toothy smile.
The man grins at the woman and says in a smooth voice. "Wait here while I get us some drinks."
A soft raspy chuckle emanates from the shadow as the man walks away. The woman shivers suddenly and wraps her arms around herself. The dark shape rises from the floor, tall and sinister. A gleaming knife blade appears in its right hand.
"Hello darlin'..."
Short scene, but this is the set-up for the first attack by the "Shade" in my latest project, Dream Flyer. I originally wrote this in my notebook while sitting at Starbucks because I couldn't get imagery out of my head. I cannot wait to get this far into the book as this really scene leads to some major revelations about the main character, Dina and what is really going on with her.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Drabble 5: My Little Krogan
Missed a few days because I finished my latest Psych episode and took a little time to play some Torchlight 2. Getting back on track though so here's a little excerpt from one of my favorite characters in one of my favorite video games, Grunt in Mass Effect. I love trying to get into the character's heads and think about what they're doing when Shepard isn't around. I may do a couple more of these in the next couple weeks.
I stare through the reinforced glass of the room that I woke up in. Below me, the cargo deck filled with crates. I know they contain food and weapons and supplies but I don't care. I keep looking at the Kodiak - the shuttle that takes us out to planet-side missions. My heart rages in my chest and my blood boils. It's been days since I got to see the spray of blood from my enemies; hear the tearing of flesh and crunching of bone; taste the tang of unfiltered air.
I need to get out of here.
Shepard promised me combat and my body screams out for that promise to be delivered. I understand now that this is normal for my people. We were born and bred to fight and nothing will change that, not even curing the genophage, the plague that stopped my people from over-running the galaxy. I don't care about domination or revenge or my heritage or my future.
I need to kill something.
Okeer whispered to me in the tank. He told me our history and what it meant to be krogran. He showed me images of our people and the glorious battles they fought. But until I watched my first enemy fall before me, none of those words or pictures meant a damn thing. Watching that thresher maw fall and seeing those traitorous scum bleed out on the same battlefield. That taught me everything I need to know.
I need something to eat.
I stare through the reinforced glass of the room that I woke up in. Below me, the cargo deck filled with crates. I know they contain food and weapons and supplies but I don't care. I keep looking at the Kodiak - the shuttle that takes us out to planet-side missions. My heart rages in my chest and my blood boils. It's been days since I got to see the spray of blood from my enemies; hear the tearing of flesh and crunching of bone; taste the tang of unfiltered air.
I need to get out of here.
Shepard promised me combat and my body screams out for that promise to be delivered. I understand now that this is normal for my people. We were born and bred to fight and nothing will change that, not even curing the genophage, the plague that stopped my people from over-running the galaxy. I don't care about domination or revenge or my heritage or my future.
I need to kill something.
Okeer whispered to me in the tank. He told me our history and what it meant to be krogran. He showed me images of our people and the glorious battles they fought. But until I watched my first enemy fall before me, none of those words or pictures meant a damn thing. Watching that thresher maw fall and seeing those traitorous scum bleed out on the same battlefield. That taught me everything I need to know.
I need something to eat.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Episode 4: The Phantom Drabble
Halloween is coming and I LOVE this time of year! Here’s a little something to set the mood, inspired by the Slender Man. If want a good scare, check out Slender Man on youtube and specifically the long-running episodic posts from Marble Hornets. Creepy Stuff! Anyway, on with the show!
——————
Stillness descended on the rural town. One by one, the lights winked out in the houses scattered along the quiet streets until the only illumination came from the street lamps. The moonlight was muted by a thin layer of clouds and the stars were barely visible. This quiet would be peaceful if not for the underlying tension in the air, a palpable feeling of fear and dread.
Something stalked the streets.
Moving through the shadows, a lone figure slipped from one patch of darkness to another with silent, gliding steps. An inky blackness seemed to follow this creature, for it could not be considered a man. Its torso and limbs were elongated, like a shadow of a man cast by a distant light. Its skin was pale and withered like old parchment. There were no eyes, no mouth, no nose - its face was just warped flesh.
Wherever it moved, the darkness grew and in that deepening shadow, it looked even less human. Black tendrils stretched outward, writhing and grasping. It made no sound and the air around the creature became deathly still.
Eventually it came to stop in front of small ranch style house. The porch light flickered like a candle. Curtains fluttered in the second story window and a pair of large frightened eyes could be seen in the sputtering glow.
The light finally went out with a soft pop and a shower of sparks as darkness surged toward the house.
Tonight, the phantom will feed.
——————
Stillness descended on the rural town. One by one, the lights winked out in the houses scattered along the quiet streets until the only illumination came from the street lamps. The moonlight was muted by a thin layer of clouds and the stars were barely visible. This quiet would be peaceful if not for the underlying tension in the air, a palpable feeling of fear and dread.
Something stalked the streets.
Moving through the shadows, a lone figure slipped from one patch of darkness to another with silent, gliding steps. An inky blackness seemed to follow this creature, for it could not be considered a man. Its torso and limbs were elongated, like a shadow of a man cast by a distant light. Its skin was pale and withered like old parchment. There were no eyes, no mouth, no nose - its face was just warped flesh.
Wherever it moved, the darkness grew and in that deepening shadow, it looked even less human. Black tendrils stretched outward, writhing and grasping. It made no sound and the air around the creature became deathly still.
Eventually it came to stop in front of small ranch style house. The porch light flickered like a candle. Curtains fluttered in the second story window and a pair of large frightened eyes could be seen in the sputtering glow.
The light finally went out with a soft pop and a shower of sparks as darkness surged toward the house.
Tonight, the phantom will feed.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Drabble the Third: Musician
I got behind on my Drabble-A-Day entries over the weekend due to a lack of time and energy. So to make up for it, here is another second one for today. I think the inspiration is clear. I hope you enjoy it.
—————
She spins like maple seed caught on the breeze. Colorful silken fabric rustles and snaps with crisp whip-crack sounds. Her hair, unbound, tumbles over her shoulders as she comes to a stop in front of me. Our eyes meet. A flirtatious wink makes my heart flutter and I find myself grinning back at her.
She turns away again and her body begins to undulate to the slow pulsing rhythm of the drum. I wet my lips and bring the mouthpiece of my clarinet back into position. My breath slides over the reed as my fingers flow over the shining keys of my instrument. I close my eyes and let the music ripple outward from my heart and soul.
A connection is made: sound and movement intertwined in a pattern that can only be described as sensual. When I open my eyes, she stands facing me, her hips sliding back and forth hypnotically while her arms and hands weave a slow, intricate pattern. We stare at each other, lost in a moment of passion while the music swirls around us.
Finally, she turns away to face the crowd once more. They watch her adoringly but very few of them are aware of the link that has been forged. As long as the music continues, she and I are one.
—————
She spins like maple seed caught on the breeze. Colorful silken fabric rustles and snaps with crisp whip-crack sounds. Her hair, unbound, tumbles over her shoulders as she comes to a stop in front of me. Our eyes meet. A flirtatious wink makes my heart flutter and I find myself grinning back at her.
She turns away again and her body begins to undulate to the slow pulsing rhythm of the drum. I wet my lips and bring the mouthpiece of my clarinet back into position. My breath slides over the reed as my fingers flow over the shining keys of my instrument. I close my eyes and let the music ripple outward from my heart and soul.
A connection is made: sound and movement intertwined in a pattern that can only be described as sensual. When I open my eyes, she stands facing me, her hips sliding back and forth hypnotically while her arms and hands weave a slow, intricate pattern. We stare at each other, lost in a moment of passion while the music swirls around us.
Finally, she turns away to face the crowd once more. They watch her adoringly but very few of them are aware of the link that has been forged. As long as the music continues, she and I are one.
Drabble #2: My Little Time Traveller
Last weekend, my daughter was watching Phineas and Ferb yesterday (thank you Netflix!) and after an episode involving time travel, she said those exact words from the first line of the scene below. Later, my wife and I watched the latest Doctor Who and I couldn't get her little voice out of my head. This drabble was born. Enjoy!
--------------------
“I wish I had a time travel device to go meet my ancestors!” The young girl’s voice cut through the stillness of the lazy Sunday morning.
The girl’s father sat behind his desk, sipping his coffee and watching over her while cartoons played in the background. A small smile slid over his lips as he muttered softly to himself, “that’s my girl.”
“I know daddy, I have to be careful though. If I change anything, it could cause a pair of ducks. I don’t know why that’s bad, but the Doctor guy with the blue box - he said it could really mess everything up.”
“I think you mean ‘paradox’, honey.” he said, the grin becoming wider. ”And yeah, those are very bad. Has mommy been letting you watch our shows again?”
She played with her dolls, not answering for a little while. Distractedly, she responded “No, I just had a long talk with the man. He was really funny. He asked if we had any fish fingers, but I laughed at him and said that fish don’t have fingers. I hope he comes back again some day.”
Goosebumps appeared on his arms as a cold shiver ran up his back. ”What man are you talking about? Who was it?”
She turned an angelic smile up at him and said matter-of-factly, “Yep! That’s him!”
--------------------
“I wish I had a time travel device to go meet my ancestors!” The young girl’s voice cut through the stillness of the lazy Sunday morning.
The girl’s father sat behind his desk, sipping his coffee and watching over her while cartoons played in the background. A small smile slid over his lips as he muttered softly to himself, “that’s my girl.”
“I know daddy, I have to be careful though. If I change anything, it could cause a pair of ducks. I don’t know why that’s bad, but the Doctor guy with the blue box - he said it could really mess everything up.”
“I think you mean ‘paradox’, honey.” he said, the grin becoming wider. ”And yeah, those are very bad. Has mommy been letting you watch our shows again?”
She played with her dolls, not answering for a little while. Distractedly, she responded “No, I just had a long talk with the man. He was really funny. He asked if we had any fish fingers, but I laughed at him and said that fish don’t have fingers. I hope he comes back again some day.”
Goosebumps appeared on his arms as a cold shiver ran up his back. ”What man are you talking about? Who was it?”
She turned an angelic smile up at him and said matter-of-factly, “Yep! That’s him!”
Tumblr Time!
Hey All!
I haven'e been active on here lately, and for that, I do apologize. Between here, Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr, I'm finding it hard to keep up. I really need to start linking these places together. One thing I have started doing that's been fun is writing a Drabble-A-Day on my Tumblr site. (For those of you who don't spend time around Fan Fiction sites, a "drabble" is a short scene which is not attached to a larger story.) Rather than send you over there, however, I'll be posting the drabbles here as well.
The first one I did was a scene involving my main character in Star Wars: the Old Republic. He was a Sith warrior who married a cute little Twi'lek smuggler named Vette. I always thought their relationship was incredibly cute and thinking about their relationship, this scene was born:
------------------------------------
“Vette, have you seen my spare saber hilt?” I had to shout to be heard over the low hum of the engines. The Emperor’s Wrath, indeed. Crawling on the floor of the engine room and squeezing into spaces way too small for someone of my …stature.
“And why would you think I’d have it, oh great and powerful sith lord?” My wife’s voice had a sharp edge to it that I’d come to recognize and dread; the tone that usually preceded a round of scathing remarks. It amazed me that so much passion and fire could be contained in a creature so small and beautiful, but then, that was one of the reasons I married her.
With a hand on her hip, she continued scathingly. ”You think I stole it or something? Maybe I pawned it on our last trip to Nar Shadda. Is that what you think? Maybe your ‘apprentice’ borrowed it or that walking fleabag! Why would I take your stupid saber thingy?”“
I turned to look at her. Even sitting on the floor, I barely had to tilt my head to look into her glittering eyes. ”Actually, my love. I was asking you because the last time I had the ‘saber thingy’, it was attached to my belt. The one that you pulled off of me and threw across the room during our last stop in port; when everyone else had shore leave…”
Her eyes became wide and a dark flush spread across her aqua-colored skin. An almost shy smile slid over her lips and she slid down onto the floor next to me, her lithe form pressing against mine as she wriggled under the metal pipes. Now her voice was soft, playful, and just a bit breathless.
“I’ll help you look.”
I haven'e been active on here lately, and for that, I do apologize. Between here, Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr, I'm finding it hard to keep up. I really need to start linking these places together. One thing I have started doing that's been fun is writing a Drabble-A-Day on my Tumblr site. (For those of you who don't spend time around Fan Fiction sites, a "drabble" is a short scene which is not attached to a larger story.) Rather than send you over there, however, I'll be posting the drabbles here as well.
The first one I did was a scene involving my main character in Star Wars: the Old Republic. He was a Sith warrior who married a cute little Twi'lek smuggler named Vette. I always thought their relationship was incredibly cute and thinking about their relationship, this scene was born:
------------------------------------
“Vette, have you seen my spare saber hilt?” I had to shout to be heard over the low hum of the engines. The Emperor’s Wrath, indeed. Crawling on the floor of the engine room and squeezing into spaces way too small for someone of my …stature.
“And why would you think I’d have it, oh great and powerful sith lord?” My wife’s voice had a sharp edge to it that I’d come to recognize and dread; the tone that usually preceded a round of scathing remarks. It amazed me that so much passion and fire could be contained in a creature so small and beautiful, but then, that was one of the reasons I married her.
With a hand on her hip, she continued scathingly. ”You think I stole it or something? Maybe I pawned it on our last trip to Nar Shadda. Is that what you think? Maybe your ‘apprentice’ borrowed it or that walking fleabag! Why would I take your stupid saber thingy?”“
I turned to look at her. Even sitting on the floor, I barely had to tilt my head to look into her glittering eyes. ”Actually, my love. I was asking you because the last time I had the ‘saber thingy’, it was attached to my belt. The one that you pulled off of me and threw across the room during our last stop in port; when everyone else had shore leave…”
Her eyes became wide and a dark flush spread across her aqua-colored skin. An almost shy smile slid over her lips and she slid down onto the floor next to me, her lithe form pressing against mine as she wriggled under the metal pipes. Now her voice was soft, playful, and just a bit breathless.
“I’ll help you look.”
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Why Psych?
I keep coming back to writing fan fiction for the TV show Psych... Why? Good question! Basically, it comes down to what is familiar and enjoyable. Like a favorite book or comfort food, Psych makes me feel good. I settle into the characters and the story and it just flows. I don't think of it as work because the characters just speak to me. Not literally, of course. That would be crazy... (Shut up Shawn, I am not!)
So yeah - I love the show, but there are a lot of shows that I love: Farscape, Firefly, Fringe, Doctor Who... Why am I not writing fan fiction for those? Again, good question! Maybe I will someday, but as much as I love these other shows, they don't get into my head the same way that Shawn and Gus and Juliet and the rest do. Something about those characters resonates with me on a level that makes me want to write stories about them.
And then there's psychfic.com. The site makes it so easy to put my stories out there for a very appreciative audience. I get a count of how many people have read my story as I post each chapter. I get reviews that are very encouraging and positive. (Not as many as I would like, but I do get them.) Basically, it lets me get my writing out there to a specific audience who seem to really like what I do.
Psych has really helped me grow as a writer, letting me focus on the craft of writing good, fun dialogue. I can focus on plot and character interactions with people that are already well-established. It's helped me in my own writing to make characters that are believable and enjoyable to read. I look back at my first novel and I realize that I could have done SO much better, but I've found that is true of all authors. You never stop learning and growing in this profession (or in my case, hobby). When I retire from my "real" job, I know that I will be spending a lot of time writing and I can look back on my body of work and learn from what I'm doing now.
So what's next? Well, I'm about halfway through my latest Psych episode, On the Turning Away. After that, I'll be gearing up for NaNoWriMo and my goal is to get a huge jump on my newest novel, Dream Flyer. I've made decent progress so far, but I really want to focus on the story and get it done! I'm planning to send it out to publishers and seeing what happens. After that, I'm planning to get the last book in the Undead War trilogy completed - Khol's story needs an ending! So, big things planned, but I am excited.
I'll keep you posted!
So yeah - I love the show, but there are a lot of shows that I love: Farscape, Firefly, Fringe, Doctor Who... Why am I not writing fan fiction for those? Again, good question! Maybe I will someday, but as much as I love these other shows, they don't get into my head the same way that Shawn and Gus and Juliet and the rest do. Something about those characters resonates with me on a level that makes me want to write stories about them.
And then there's psychfic.com. The site makes it so easy to put my stories out there for a very appreciative audience. I get a count of how many people have read my story as I post each chapter. I get reviews that are very encouraging and positive. (Not as many as I would like, but I do get them.) Basically, it lets me get my writing out there to a specific audience who seem to really like what I do.
Psych has really helped me grow as a writer, letting me focus on the craft of writing good, fun dialogue. I can focus on plot and character interactions with people that are already well-established. It's helped me in my own writing to make characters that are believable and enjoyable to read. I look back at my first novel and I realize that I could have done SO much better, but I've found that is true of all authors. You never stop learning and growing in this profession (or in my case, hobby). When I retire from my "real" job, I know that I will be spending a lot of time writing and I can look back on my body of work and learn from what I'm doing now.
So what's next? Well, I'm about halfway through my latest Psych episode, On the Turning Away. After that, I'll be gearing up for NaNoWriMo and my goal is to get a huge jump on my newest novel, Dream Flyer. I've made decent progress so far, but I really want to focus on the story and get it done! I'm planning to send it out to publishers and seeing what happens. After that, I'm planning to get the last book in the Undead War trilogy completed - Khol's story needs an ending! So, big things planned, but I am excited.
I'll keep you posted!
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Writing has been tough lately. It's something I love to do but there are so many distractions and responsibilities that it is really hard to make myself sit down and commit to the process. With that in mind, I'm going to take the advice of the late Ray Bradbury: write every day.
Now I know there's a lot more good advice floating around out there but that's just another distraction for me. Every minute I spend reading or listening to advice from others about how to write is a minute I could actually be writing. At the moment, I've got two novels in progress and another "episode" in my fan-fiction series for the TV show Psych.
I can't complain: I've got two completed novels and a novel's worth of fan fiction. I've also got two "screenplays" that I wrote for work: a pair of fun training videos - one done as The Twilight Zone and one as Mission: Impossible. I've been asked to do a third one and the concept I keep coming back to is the Wizard of Oz. So yeah... Another project to work on!
So I am going to make it my goal to actually do what Bradbury suggests. Writing SOMETHING every day: a blog post, a new chapter in one of my novels or fan fiction, or maybe even something for an entirely new or different project. I know that if I ever want to make this more than just a hobby, I have to do it. Hmmm... November is coming up. Maybe it's time to do National Novel Writing Month.
http://www.nanowrimo.org/
Take the month of November and really go crazy on writing? We will see.
Now I know there's a lot more good advice floating around out there but that's just another distraction for me. Every minute I spend reading or listening to advice from others about how to write is a minute I could actually be writing. At the moment, I've got two novels in progress and another "episode" in my fan-fiction series for the TV show Psych.
I can't complain: I've got two completed novels and a novel's worth of fan fiction. I've also got two "screenplays" that I wrote for work: a pair of fun training videos - one done as The Twilight Zone and one as Mission: Impossible. I've been asked to do a third one and the concept I keep coming back to is the Wizard of Oz. So yeah... Another project to work on!
So I am going to make it my goal to actually do what Bradbury suggests. Writing SOMETHING every day: a blog post, a new chapter in one of my novels or fan fiction, or maybe even something for an entirely new or different project. I know that if I ever want to make this more than just a hobby, I have to do it. Hmmm... November is coming up. Maybe it's time to do National Novel Writing Month.
http://www.nanowrimo.org/
Take the month of November and really go crazy on writing? We will see.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Chapter 2 of Dream Flyer
Trying to get myself back in gear for writing and I figured I'd post this for anyone to look over for more feedback. The chapter is titled "First Encounters".
To break the monotony, she began to play and experiment with her ability to fly. With only a thought, she dove downward through the sea of white, feeling the rush of wind through her hair. Turning upward, she went into a loop while twisting in circles. She imagined she was a bird, spreading her wings and banking left and right. There were no landmarks for her to gauge how fast she was going, but the wind whipped through her hair and made the hem of her dress snap like a flag on a windy day.
This was freedom!
Up and down were difficult to determine but she discovered that when she stopped focusing on staying aloft, she began to fall. She let gravity fully take hold and found herself caught in the weightlessness of free-fall. She tumbled and spun through the air until she tucked her arms in at her sides and plunged downward even faster. A cry of excitement flew from her lips as she reveled in the sensation until, suddenly, she felt something shift.
Slowing her descent, she scanned the area around her. She couldn’t tell what caused the change. The lighting had dimmed slightly and the air felt cooler. She was still surrounded by clouds, but something felt… different. A faint sound crept around the edges of the silence, a high-pitched whine and a rush of air. The noise got louder and louder until Dina thought it was going to tear her apart. She felt like she should recognize the sound and though it was familiar, she couldn’t remember.
Suddenly a huge metal blade sliced through the clouds only a dozen yards away from her, causing her to scream with fear and surprise. Her scream was was instantly drowned out as the noise became a deafening shriek that made Dina clamp her hands over her ears. The blade rushed downward at a frightening speed but she was also able to make out a larger shape through the clouds. It was long and narrow and she saw the glow of white-blue flames and blinking red lights. Whatever it was, it seemed to take no notice of her.
Panting and shivering in the clouds, the sound slowly faded. She hugged her arms around chest and tried to slow her breathing. Was it a sword, swung through the air by some flying monster? It didn’t look sharp enough to cut anything, but the size was incredible. The blade was at least ten feet across and she had no idea how long it was. The shadowy shape she saw deeper in the clouds had to be hundreds of feet in length.
While she was trying to make sense of the encounter, the clouds below her suddenly erupted with light and an explosion ripped through the chilly air. After blinking in shock for a few seconds, Dina launched herself toward the flickering flames below. The air rushed over her and as she got closer, a dark twisted shape suddenly flew by her. She only got a brief glance but it looked like a piece of metal, larger than her and scorched by fire. She could smell smoke in the air while she whirled around the area. More burning, mangled pieces of metal hurtled through the air and began to fall away from her. On one piece she saw some letters and numbers and on another she could make out the word “Delta”.
Then she heard a scream. The feeling of complete terror that accompanied the sound sent chills up her spine. It was fading quickly so without another thought, she flew in that direction. The unending shriek got louder and louder until she could make out a shadow of a person falling through the clouds.
Without warning, the sky cleared and she could see a sea of twinkling lights in the darkness below her. The lights formed crisscross patterns on the ground and when she looked back over her shoulder, she saw a clear night sky filled with twinkling stars. The clouds had vanished, but she could still see the burning debris plummeting around her.
While she was trying to make sense of the encounter, the clouds below her suddenly erupted with light and an explosion ripped through the chilly air. After blinking in shock for a few seconds, Dina launched herself toward the flickering flames below. The air rushed over her and as she got closer, a dark twisted shape suddenly flew by her. She only got a brief glance but it looked like a piece of metal, larger than her and scorched by fire. She could smell smoke in the air while she whirled around the area. More burning, mangled pieces of metal hurtled through the air and began to fall away from her. On one piece she saw some letters and numbers and on another she could make out the word “Delta”.
Then she heard a scream. The feeling of complete terror that accompanied the sound sent chills up her spine. It was fading quickly so without another thought, she flew in that direction. The unending shriek got louder and louder until she could make out a shadow of a person falling through the clouds.
Without warning, the sky cleared and she could see a sea of twinkling lights in the darkness below her. The lights formed crisscross patterns on the ground and when she looked back over her shoulder, she saw a clear night sky filled with twinkling stars. The clouds had vanished, but she could still see the burning debris plummeting around her.
Shaking away her confusion, she focused again on the falling person. “No! No! Please, God No!” a female voice cried out between terrified screams. Dina got closer and made out a few details, long black hair streaming away from a woman with pale skin. Her eyes were huge and filled with panic. The woman blinked in confusion as she spotted Dina zipping toward her.
The woman let out another shriek of terror as she turned to look toward the ground. Dina screamed too when she saw how close it was. Dark earth filled her view but she ignored it and reached out again for the woman. Dina’s fingers brushed her arm but the woman became hazy and indistinct. Her screams faded abruptly and the world around dissolved into cold white mist once more. The ground, the lights, the woman, even the twisted fiery wreck were all gone.
Dina was alone again.
The woman let out another shriek of terror as she turned to look toward the ground. Dina screamed too when she saw how close it was. Dark earth filled her view but she ignored it and reached out again for the woman. Dina’s fingers brushed her arm but the woman became hazy and indistinct. Her screams faded abruptly and the world around dissolved into cold white mist once more. The ground, the lights, the woman, even the twisted fiery wreck were all gone.
Dina was alone again.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Learning to Fly
This is the latest version of the first chapter of my latest book, Dream Flyer. It will undoubtedly be edited and changed as I get further into writing and after my editor and proof-readers have their input. I will be posting more later. I hope you enjoy.
Her first memory was of floating in a sea of white. When she awoke, she blinked groggily before
looking around at an impenetrable mass of swirling mist. The air chilled her skin but the cold didn’t
seem to bother her, even though she wore only a thin cotton dress, pink with
white flowers around the knee-length hem.
She was a young woman, her figure
slim but showing the curves she would grow into. Her
hair, a soft brown color tumbled over her shoulders in wavy curls exaggerated
by the moisture in the air. She blinked
slowly and looked around, her gray-blue eyes wide with fear.
As she bobbed slowly in the still air, she tried to remember
how she got here, but there was nothing. She didn’t know her
name. She had no recollection of her parents or if she had any
siblings. She couldn’t picture a house or any other place she might have
lived. She didn’t remember having any hobbies or
friends. She knew that a home and a family existed, but there was
only empty space filling the place where those memories should be, just like
the mists surrounding her.
Letting out a startled cry, she suddenly realized that she
was hovering in mid-air. There was
nothing solid beneath her and when she looked down, she felt sudden lurching
sensation and began to fall. A
frightened scream burst from her chest as she flailed her arms uselessly while
plummeting through the clouds. “NO!” she
shouted, her voice cracking with fear.
Almost as quickly as it began, her fall stopped and she
began to hover again. Chest heaving, she looked around and trailed her
long, thin fingers through the mist. She tilted her head to look upward
and thought to herself, “up”. Immediately, she floated upwards.
With another thought, she banked left and right, weaving through the air as
gracefully as a bird. She rolled onto her back and stretched her arms
over her head as she floated through the air. It felt like swimming but
without any sensation of pressure or weight.
The feeling of flying made her stomach flutter with
excitement but she couldn’t fight the dread that sat in her chest like a lead
weight. M The world around her was
silent and formless. She was alone and
lost in her troubled thoughts:
Who am I?
What is this place?
What happened to me?
Where is everyone else?
The questions kept forming in her
mind but there were no answers until one word flowed through her min, a name. With a quiet sigh, she said softly,
“Dina. My name is Dina.” She looked down at the cotton dress she wore
and she came to another realization. “I
like flowers and the color pink.” Looking
around again at the swirling mists surrounding her, she added, “And I can fly.”
For now, that was enough.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Starting a New Book is Hard!
So as I said before, I've begun writing a new book and I can honestly say, getting this just right is really difficult. I want to convey what the story is about without giving too much away too soon. I've already rewritten the prologue and first chapter five times - usually after getting feedback from friends, but also because I'm trying to get it right. There's been a lot of progress this week. Characters are developing and events are occurring! Introducing new characters and settings. Quickly closing in on the 10K word mark.
As soon as I get final updated draft that I'm happy with, I'll post a preview here. Take care all!!
As soon as I get final updated draft that I'm happy with, I'll post a preview here. Take care all!!
Friday, April 13, 2012
Mass (Effect) Diversion
So like it says in my Bio, I'm a major gamer. LOVE games of all kinds: video games, role-playing games, card games, board games... I've played a LOT.
Recently, I got WAaaaaaaay into Mass Effect. Absolutely love the game and while I'm not happy about the ending, I still love the game. I took my adept character, James (who looks quite a bit like me, only a little more blonde) through all three games. When I got done, I just didn't feel satisfied so I thought for a bit and wrote my own version of the ending.
If you haven't played the game this won't make much sense to you and if you have played but not finished, it will be a major spoiler. Consider yourself warned.
James Shepard ME3 Ending.
Oh, and that happens to take you to my Tumblr feed. I'm not majorly active there, but I do enjoy the microblogging thing.
Okay... Back to Mass Effect. I've got a galaxy tomess up save!
Recently, I got WAaaaaaaay into Mass Effect. Absolutely love the game and while I'm not happy about the ending, I still love the game. I took my adept character, James (who looks quite a bit like me, only a little more blonde) through all three games. When I got done, I just didn't feel satisfied so I thought for a bit and wrote my own version of the ending.
If you haven't played the game this won't make much sense to you and if you have played but not finished, it will be a major spoiler. Consider yourself warned.
James Shepard ME3 Ending.
Oh, and that happens to take you to my Tumblr feed. I'm not majorly active there, but I do enjoy the microblogging thing.
Okay... Back to Mass Effect. I've got a galaxy to
Psych Episode 5 Finished
So I wrapped my latest Psych episode! (If you're coming to this page from there, HI!!) If you're coming here from somewhere else, check the previous post for a link to my psychfic page so you can check it out!
Now that the episode is done, I'm going to focus more attention on my new project, a young adult fantasy tentatively called Dream Flyer. Stop back in the next few days for a preview of the story. I'll be posting more news about it as I go and I may even preview some more chapters as I get them written.
Take care!!!
- JWG
Now that the episode is done, I'm going to focus more attention on my new project, a young adult fantasy tentatively called Dream Flyer. Stop back in the next few days for a preview of the story. I'll be posting more news about it as I go and I may even preview some more chapters as I get them written.
Take care!!!
- JWG
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Back to the Beginning
My website got hacked so rather than spend more time and money there (I'd rather be writing!) I decided to come back to blogspot and update my page.
For those of you that are new here, I'm J.W. Grace (Jim to my friends) and I've been writing semi-seriously since 2009. I've written and self-published two books of a "modern action horror" trilogy called The Undead War and I'm currently working on the final book. Check over to the right of my page for links on where to order it.
I've also been writing a virtual season for the TV show Psych. There are currently five complete "episodes" and if you like the show, I really think you'll like my season. Check it out here:
JWGrace at Psychfic.com
Very recently, I've begun a brand new project in the genre of young adult fantasy. Stay tuned for more details. I'm really excited about this new novel.
I'll be adding more content to this as I get time so check in often!
JWG
For those of you that are new here, I'm J.W. Grace (Jim to my friends) and I've been writing semi-seriously since 2009. I've written and self-published two books of a "modern action horror" trilogy called The Undead War and I'm currently working on the final book. Check over to the right of my page for links on where to order it.
I've also been writing a virtual season for the TV show Psych. There are currently five complete "episodes" and if you like the show, I really think you'll like my season. Check it out here:
JWGrace at Psychfic.com
Very recently, I've begun a brand new project in the genre of young adult fantasy. Stay tuned for more details. I'm really excited about this new novel.
I'll be adding more content to this as I get time so check in often!
JWG
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