Back to work

I took an extra day off work, but now it’s time to head back.  I’m still hobbling around, but at least I can put more weight on that foot.  I should be okay for the day.

I’m getting mentally prepared for this weekend.  I’m spending it writing.  There is this contest that happens every Labor Day weekend called the 3 Day Novel Contest.  In three days you have to write a novel from scratch.  All you are allowed to have is an outline.  No writing before midnight the first night.  It’s such a rush.  I recommend everyone try it at least once.  However this year I’m not going to directly participate.  Instead of starting a whole new story, I’m taking the time to finish my current work.  Since I haven’t signed up or plan on submitting anything, it won’t be a problem.

I had originally planned on attending this year’s Copper Con.  A sci-fi convention the second week of September.  I’m not so sure now.  If my foot is doing better by then, I’ll consider it.  Otherwise, spending three days standing on a recently broken toe doesn’t sound like a good idea.

That’s all for now.  Type to you later.

Toe much in toe little time…

I’m officially apologizing to the universe.  In some way I have scorned it and am now paying the consequences.  It started with pink eye, moved on to a cold on my day off, and now breaking my little toe.  I don’t want to find out what’s next.  I’m ready to heal and move on with my life.

I’m not sure how I’m going to drive tomorrow.  I’ve already missed enough work with the pink eye thing.  So as to not whine at any of you further, I’ll sign off now.

Colds, School, and Summer Reading

There is something fundamentally wrong about living in Arizona in 110 degree weather… and catching a cold.  It’s also bitter sweet that I had the day off of work.  I took the day off so I could go with my son, Atticus, to his first day of Kindergarten.  So it was convenient that I already had the day off, but crappy because I had things planned to do.

Everyone’s back to school now.  My daughter, Hailey, started last week.  My wife, Shanalee, started this week, but her internship started last week.  I go to my class starting Thursday.  It feels like the summer just flew by.

My summer reading didn’t go quite as planned.  There were plenty of books that I didn’t get to.  Two books that I only managed getting halfway through, one of which I don’t plan on picking up again.  I did partake in the great Harry Potter fiasco.  I read it in two days, resulting in a bad case of eye strain.  Overall, I liked it.  I do feel, as many have already mentioned, that the camping in the tent bit could have been drastically shortened.  The epilogue was just okay for me.  It still left a great deal unanswered in my opinion.

I also read Volk’s Game by Brent Ghelfi.  This was something out of what I normally read.  In fact I read it only because  Brent is in my novel writing class and this was his first publication.  I have to say, I’m glad I did.  It was a wonderful novel about Russian underground mafia.  The corrupt nature of the government.  Throw in some thought-lost stolen art work and you have Brent’s book.  Although it’s not for the faint of heart.  He graphically describes scenes of torture that are most vivid.  I expect to see great things from Brent in the years to come.

More recently I finished Thin Air by Rachel Caine.  This is the sixth book in the Weather Warden series.  These books are like candy for me.  They’re easy reads that I can devour in a day or so (without the eye strain).  My only qualm  is that the ending is such a cliff hanger (as all these books are) that I hate knowing I have to wait a year for the next book.  This book was a roller-coaster ride to the finish.  I have to say though, it felt like it was just part of a bigger book.

That’s it for now kiddies.  Type to you later.

Output: words and donations

Thursday’s writing fest didn’t go off quite as I had planned.  There were things that I needed to get done.  Like disinfecting the house, cleaning all the bed sheets, and anything else I touched.  That aside, I still had a great deal of time to write.  I managed to re-write two chapters and put out a little over 1,000 words.  Personally I feel that I should have done much more.  With exception of the re-writes, I didn’t accomplish more than on my write nights.  It’s as if I’m conditioned to only get that much out before my creative juices dry up.  Hmm…  I hope that doesn’t happen once I get the opportunity to make this my daily practice.

I just cleared it with my wife that this Labor Day weekend, I’m going to indirectly participate in the 3 day novel contest.  The only thing is I’m not going to register and I plan on working on my current novel.  Three full days of getting it all out.  I plan on turning off the internal editor and just write my heart out. I really want to finish this thing.  Once it’s done, I can turn back on the editor and let him work over-time.

Here’s the current word count.

*hushed silence fills the room*

20,031 words.

It’s coming along, but never fast enough.

Now it’s off to Goodwill.  Hailey finally cleaned out her room.  If only she could have done this before we moved last year.  It might have saved us a trip.  As it is, the car is completely full with her unwanted things.  Not to worry, I’m sure it will all be replaced with more meaningless crap by Christmas.  I really don’t think she realizes how spoiled she is.  What can you do?

Hooray, pink eye!

I woke up yesterday with my eye feeling a bit scratchy. By lunch time, it grew to an angry red and pussed gooey eye boogers. Because I have had children in day care, I’ve experienced this before…

Pink eye.

Everything I touch can become infected. It’s kind of like a diseased King Midas. First and foremost, I not supposed to touch my eye. If I do, everything I touch after that can get infected. I click the remote, put it down, you pick it up and change the channel. Then rub your eye…

BAM. Pink eye.

Although it does have its upside. See, it takes 24 hours after starting medication before it is no longer contagious. That means no work. Which in turn means, a full day to do all the writing I can muster. Here’s the trick. My wife also knows that this is not a debilitating sickness. There is a good chance she’ll want to take advantage of my being home and make me do extra chores. How terrible would that be? Getting out of work just to do more work. The injustice of it.

I will just have to convince her that, yes, I am indeed still working. My job today is stationed in front the every beckoning blank page. Sure, it doesn’t currently earn me any type of income, but some day it will. That’s why it is so important that I hone my craft at every possible moment that presents itself.

Makes sense, right?

Well, I have to drop Hailey off at school. When I get back, it’s on. I’ll let you know later how it went.

Type to you later.

Reassurance…

A good friend of mine sent me a link to this video of Neil Gaiman on Myspace. Most of it, I have heard before in one form or another, but what I found particularly interesting was his description of his writing style. Once again, he gives me hope that I still have a fighting chance:

You’ll have to click here to see, I can’t seem to get the video to play here… hmmm.

*   *   *

Last night I awoke just before three to one of the biggest thunder storms I have seen or heard in a long time.  My only wish  was that it would happen during the day.  I lost about an hour of sleep.  Everyone in the house did fine.  The kids, if they woke up, didn’t get upset at the noise.  The dogs were even calm through the event.

I absolutely love thunder storms.  I remember as a kid watching them roll in and counting the lightning bolts shot from the thunderheads.  Eventually the sound of the thunder would catch up and send us running for home.  Then in a premature twilight the city would be blanketed  by a curtain of rain.  Mom had the candles ready just in case.  A warm hot chocolate steaming from a mug gripped in both hands.  And when it was time for bed, I let the white noise of falling rain put me to sleep.

It just doesn’t seem to be like that any more.  Chalk it up to global warming or merely too busy to notice the wonders around me.  Who knows.

More novel progress…

After my final count tonight, I added another 976 words.  That brings my new total to…

19,102 words.

Chapter nine and still rolling.  Big ‘Woo-hoo!’ for me.

Has this ever happened to you?

The other day I was rehashing my trip to San Diego for Comic-con ‘07.  The long lines for popular panels.  Sitting in awe of brilliant speakers.  So on and so forth…

Anyways, the first night I was there, I got a hold of a pair of early screening passes to see Stardust.  After waiting nearly an hour in line, we were dismissed because the theater had already filled before we could see the glass doors to enter the building.  Apparently they used the same manner of think that only about 40% of the passes that are handed out actually get used.   However at a fan convention as big as this one, I would be safe to say that 98% showed up to see it.  That aside, we headed back to to the Gaslamp Quarter to drink our woes away.

On the way out of the this shopping complex, descending the escalator, I hear, “Hi Steve.”  Going up the opposite escalator were a group of people I did not recognize.  It was definitely a woman’s voice, and I think there was one young woman looking at me, but I didn’t recognize her.  She smiled and continued on her way.

No I know what you’re thinking.  Steve you’re hearing thing again.  But I’m not.  For the mere simple fact that person with me heard it as well.  Now I was still wearing my Comic-con badge that had my name on it, but it was facing my chest.  I lost her in the crowed and couldn’t find her again

Who was she. and how did she know me?  I tried to come up with some answers.  The best I could come up with was she picked a random common name and said “Hi, Steve”  to every man she passed.

Oh, well.  A mystery I may never solve.

Did you hear that?

This after noon. Did you hear that noise? That loud smacking sound?

It was the sound of dawning comprehension as the palm of my hand hit my forehead. The answer was right there in front of me, if only I had taken the time to see it. Now I need to do a little weaving, and I should be well on my way in the second act of my novel.

Novel progress…

After a careful count, I’ve tallied my work up to date.

Drum roll please…

18,126 words.

Being the average novel length of 60,000 – 80,000 words, I’m just slightly under a third of the way through. I already mapped out the last third of the novel, so currently I’m wading in the middle. Fun, fun, fun- let me tell you. So send all the positive energy that you can spare my way, and I’ll plow through it as fast as I can.

Type to you soon.