D20 Writing Fun!

Having trouble coming up with creative aspects when writing? To short story writers as well as my novelist kith: This one's for you! I took the idea from Orson Scott Card's M.I.C.E. quotient and from a gamer's 20-sided die, ground both finely in a mortar and pestle, mixed with a little art from my drawing book and baked in a well-greased blog at 451°F until readable. 

The concept is simple: Look at the first selection (Mileau), roll your D20 and follow the number to the corresponding number, and VIOLA! You have the setting for your story. Then, follow the same directions for the Idea selection. BOOM! You have your idea. Character is a little different as it has a bonus section for creating a more indepth character. Roll again on this section to add a point of inner conflict for the character. A 'Disgraced General' could be fun, and the implications of having a 'Priest' that has a drug 'Addiction' means a whole different set of issues for a 'Drug Lord' with the same 'Addiction'. And just watch what happens when a 'Disgruntled Sycophant' gets fed up with his 'Abusive Government Leader'! Finally, go to the Event selection and roll to find out the flux of your new character's outer world.

 I hope that you have fun with this as you prepare to write in 2015!

Waxing On

I change culturally and mechanically, often taking form and function from nature and nurture and then forming friction from my last presupposition. By degrees, I stray from what is natural and move toward the mechanism. Enamored often with myself and with what vapid concoction with which I enforce and define my flux. To defend my disfunction, dispel my critics and insolate my invention. And the invention is not mine. I inhabit the measure of path to which my foot is most firmly nestled and think it safety. It is certainly not safe. Nothing along the path is safe, but dangerous. The deadliest however, is the unwillingness to change. I know this, culpable for my response. My soul knows too little to go. I know too much to stay. My soul only knows what I tell it. Or, at least, what it's been told. And it's been told of an illusion of safety and forgets the reward of risk. It knows the mechanism; The machine. It knows what I've allowed. So, it is my responsibility to expose it to the possibilities. To feel the future, thinking forward and give it a singular option: Go!

It is not in the rearview or bathroom mirrors. It is outside my ken. In the realm of the impossible-unfathomable.

Post-NaNoWriMo... Er... Post.

Well, after the rigors of NaNoWriMo, I have done a lot of soul-searching-- In the past four days. I am pretty sure that after the first day or so of soul-searching, I realize that it then moves to fruitless navel-gazing and then on to sour-seaching. I meant to take a week off from writing at all, you know, "to rest". But, I really miss writing. And I am itching to see what it is that I actually wrote. So far, it's various degrees of rapidly cooling passion that seemed better in my head than type on a page.

Yep, I know that it is part of the process but, I want it to be finished. My vision for the book was an action-packed, alt history, weird west/steampunk fantasy, un-romance. I'm probably not seasoned enough to tackle any two of the descriptive genres at the same time, let alone one. But, herewego.

I hope to have a readable second draft ready for my beta-readers by the first of the year. I am excited to have it in the works and published in ebook shortly after that and finally in solid form by spring. If I can get on the stick, I can have The SkyRift ready by then, too. If you want to read the first 5,000 words, you can click here to read it.

I DID IT! NaNoWriMo 2014!

Well, I did it! I wrote 50,000 words! In 30 days from November 1st through November 30th, I wrote 50,000 words! The book is called The Plum Line and I have some cover art coming. I am totally stoked. I will fill in the details on what exactly is next, when I know. Thanks to all the folks that gave me so many words of encouragement and understanding when I ignored them and wrote all these dang words. Next, I will be going back and reading it to see if it makes any sense.

NaNoWriMo Update 2014!

Friends, I just wanted to pop in and tell you a little as to how I am doing for National Novel Writing Month. It has been tough the past couple of days. If I know what it is that I want to write, I can write fairly quickly. In fact, it is feasible that I can write around 2000 words in under two hours. However, that is definitely in a best case scenario. If any of you desire a sneak peak at what exactly it is that I am writing, check it out here. Also, feel free to ask questions about the story. I will answer in a way that is as forthcoming as possible. If you are not the proud owner of my ebook Brimstone Deep, buy it here.

Last Post Before Nanowrimo

This is it! I am going to spend the next few days bending all my writing energy on readying myself for Nano's rigorous writing schedule. The first seven days of November, I will be shooting for 5000 words a day. I know that I may not hit anything close, but I need the head start. Also, I need to know what is possible. I have written that many words in a day, but we are talking all day. With few distractions. And nothing else to for which I was responsible. Furthermore, if I can, I can take it easy the remaining days. It always seems like the last week is the doozy, considering Thanksgiving and all. Heck, if I find that I am actually able to do it, I may just continue through the month. Look for my page here, and track my progress if you want. I may post the actual body of work on the site, I'm not sure yet. Excerpts, though. Definitely excerpts. Also, if any of you want to take a crack at writing 50,000 words in a month, sign up for free here.

Here I go.

Made-Up Car Games

Travelling back and forth to a recent conference, I realized just how many made up car games we, in my family, have made up. These pass the time enjoyably, are often educational and may give you insight on your fellow travelers. Here are a few of our favorites:

1. Superpowers: We go around the car in a clockwise pattern and tell the types of superpowers that we would like to have. Then, the next person will put some sort of a limit on it. For instance, person #1 may say, "Superstrength", and person #2 may say, "Only once a day, at noon, for ten minutes." Then #2 will give their desired superpower such as "flight" or "invisibility" or "mindreading", then person #3 may limit their power by saying, "Only when you hold a live mouse in your mouth" or "...When you are asleep." This game can last for a long time and hijinx and hilarity often ensue.

2. Three Lines (aka, the Story Game): The whole car load contributes to telling a story... Three lines at a time. Depending on your riders bent toward creative storytelling, you could have a pretty great story on your hands, and often hilarious, as the participants will often intentionally sabotage the direction that the story will take. Disclaimer: Don't try too hard to control it, just flow with it to ease frustration and encourage others to do the same.

3. The Four-Letter-Word Game: This isn't what you think. The first person picks a word with four letters such as 'sail'. The next must offer another four letter word beginning with the last letter of this word. S-A-I-L ends in 'L', so the next word could be 'lent', L-E-N-T. Then, the next player, using the letter 'T', may say, 'took', T-O-O-K. No word can be offered twice, or the person is out. Also, the person is out if they cannot think of another word to continue. I would encourage everyone to spell the word after you say it to prevent confusion and to add to the education of any newer readers. The strategy comes in when you keep giving the person that follows you in rotation the same letter over and over. After a while, they will run out. The last person left is the winner.

Characterization of Insecurity

The surest sign of insecurity is the need to defend oneself. National Security could be called National Insecurity due to the hunt to protect against those things that make us feel vulnerable. To hide secrets and secret away vulnerabilities. To make sure that I am in the position of power and those that make me feel the least safe are not. I then, rely on political maneuvering to make me feel like I am on top. Because, if I'm on top, no one else can be, right? No one will get one over on me.

I once heard that "An insecurity is a false security exposed." So, how do I respond to accusation? Whether it is true or not, I feel that it is important to respond the same way in every situation. Responding from fear is unhealthy and ephemeral. It does not solve a problem, at best, it only relieves the pressure of the present conflict. And it creates an underpinning for catastrophe. Tomorrow's tragedy is today's comedy built with shoddy tools and poor preparation.

In writing, our preparation is the character fraught with insecurity and winning security once their identity is discovered. What is sensitive to our protagonist? Where is it most sensitive? When? This will expose our protagonist and give readers a clue as to these insecurities even in the case that our narrator is an unreliable storyteller. Like someone who chews their food around a bad tooth. We see the startled pain of a misplaced bite and the frozen, cautious expression on their 'face', even in subtlety. Creating insecurity in a character is not difficult, it's choosing the path and reaction of fear.

When a protagonist is confident in who they are, they no longer negotiate their morality, are indecisive or defend their position. They do what has been created in them to do. Right or wrong, they deftly act despite criticism, threats or bodily harm.

The Harrowing Tale of the Mundane.

I've never really been a fan of puzzles. But, once in while, the puzzle that is my life has another piece lock firmly into place. And whether I acknowledge it or not, it is for the better. Yep, I know that the word better needs an appropriate context. But, conflict in any setting, is the gym for the soul. I can use it properly, or improperly. I can be better after my various staccatoed stints to visit conflict, healthier, or I may have possibly pulled something, herniated something, or just chosen not to work out.

The problem with choosing not to use the conflict to become a better version of myself, is the same reason I have never found sunken treasure: I have never hunted for sunken treasure. There is sunken treasure hidden for me, not from me. There exists within reach the wealth of life, love, art and health, but it does not come without the price of the treasure hunt itself. In fact, the value of treasure is realized only in this process. I once heard, "Nothing good can come from money that you did not earn." 

In the same way, healthy thought processes and emotions are not those left unbattered or unbattled. They are healthy because they are measured, weighed, tested and rebuilt. I worked for it. Fought for it. Bled for it. I invested in it and may not see the results until I am distanced from the conflict that was used to develop it.

I keep this in mind as I create characters for our stories. I don't flinch to put my protagonist in a pickle because of the reward. And it is important as I fight the day in, day out battle of my story.

Sometimes, working out that puzzle is just what I need to slow down and focus on the most important part of that puzzle: The next piece. 

Romance and Gear Grease

Writing has been at a bit of a standstill. Not because there has not been ample time, I honestly have simply been "unmooded" for this particular creative outlet. Stress causes that, I'm sure. Also, I have not been working out, and according to people that know, that contributes to stress. However, writing is not only a creative outlet for me, it is part of who I am. I am a writer. Good or bad, that facet is part of my ever growing identity. So, not writing is a type of starvation rather than a type of fasting or healthy abstention.

Anyway, I am moving into uncharted territory for myself: Romance. Please take into consideration that I have no real desire to write a tale that investigates base chemistry between individuals, one's desire for another, or even a tale that rests on co-dependent intrigue. I am far more interested in depicting the deeper, ancient limerance of our plight in all relationship. The intentional, on-purpose push past pain and shame, hurt and death, and into the enveloping immersion of true love. The hover of mouth over mouth may never culminate into a kiss. Desire is not realized in the reciprocity of being loved back, but in the fervor of one that brings the strength of their ability to be a source and resource for another. This is the age-old story of a parent who loves her children without expectation for renumeration. An artist's purity of creation for it's own sake. A God's empowerment of a people who could one day be just alike. Romance for romance. Not for the hackneyed illusion of giving for the sake of getting. Altruism in it's perfect form. Anchronistically misunderstood and powerful in any context. We have explored the banal, oversexed, and transient forms. And ashes remain. I just hope I am a good enough writer to convey this. Bear with me as I attempt this amid smokestacks and gear grease. Appositional to black powder and undiscovered peril. Because love is only love if it remains in any milieu and landscape.

Maps.

So, the mileiu for The SkyRift is an alternate American West during the Civil War. California is split amongst the Union State of Jefferson, the Manchu-Chinese Territory of the Imperialist nation of China and the "neutral" New Mexico Territory. This world has been a blast to build and explore and I am thinking about utterly decimating parts of the civilizations on the continent, both elder and nascent. Just not in The SkyRift. Also, there will be a few surprises from little-known historical figures and some fun mechanical "baddies", as well as an unleashed "pain-in-the-rump" that will dog our heroes world for books to come. Check out the above map and tell me what you think!

Rewriting.

It is really important to set goals for myself when writing, and realize those goals realistically. Unfortunately, I know as well as anyone that writing voluminously and speedily do not a story make. I was getting close to the end of The SkyRift when it occurred to me that I was writing the wrong story. So, I restarted. Completely different story. Now I feel that when I sit down, I can write with a lot more clarity. Having a clearer picture in my mind allows me to elucidate the milieu and idea of the story via characterization. The best stories, in my opinion, are not due to great settings, events and systems of thought. They are the arcs of great characters. It would be irresponsible as an author to leave visceral worlds without a heavy carbon footprint, so to speak. Though rewriting the book sounds terrible, it is actually really fun and amazing. It should not push back my timeline very much either. At least, I hope not. If my 1st draft is not finished by November 1, I will have to wait to work on it for a whole month, due to Nanowrimo and the Dr. Lee project that I'll be working on (2000 words a day, folks).

I was speaking with a friend recently who was a little frustrated by the amount of rewrites she was having to do for an indy film that she is producing. She then told me that it is not uncommon to rewrite a hundred times! That places my project in a less daunting light. 

I am about to put my short story, Brimstone Deep, on Smashwords, making it available at the iBook store, Barnes and Noble, etc. It will be nice to not be so exclusive in the way Amazon publishing demands. So, all you out there who are not too excited about Amazon will have other options. 

Do you have a book bouncing around in your head? Join me during National Novel Writing Month. Click here to sign up! It's free and will greatly improve your writing! 

"Gear"-ing Up For The SkyRift

Well, I am ogetting nearer to the finish line with my new book, and have decided to go forward with beta readers, as they agree, of course. Also, I will be calling the ebook The SkyRift (TSR). Due to the people's choice regarding my writing focus for NaNoWriMo, I will be pulling Dr. Lee from TSR as a main character. She will be in TSR, but her story will be told in her own book, in the month of November as I write it. I am really happy about this, as I had originally set out to write about Jim Harper. But, I really wanted to set the story in an alternate American West where the Chinese had discovered the Pacific coast of the Americas decades before Columbus. And that is where the conscientious part of me kicked in. I did not stop to think of the implications of the world I was building. Having a territory that is established by China would change everything! So, I've had to hit the research and create something that not only feels 'real' to me, but rings true to readers. I turned to a writer/blogger who writes steakpunk in a post-colonialist focus. She'll remain anonymous for now as I have not asked permission to mention her (and who knows, she may not want to be connected to my book). But, she gave me a lot to think on. Some of these pointers are embarrassingly basic.

Anyway, I am contacting beta readers now to ask them for help, so that TSR can make "all you dreams come true" (embellishment alert).

By the way, The SkyRift is going to need reviews from the outset, so please let me know if any of you want an advanced copy and I will provide one at the cost of a review. :)

And the Winner IS...

The votes have all been tallied and I will be writing my NaNoWriMo novel about Doctor Sue Lee! Now, I must retreat to my author's lair to concoct the story line for the book. I have really been putting a lot of time in this character, so I cannot wait to write her. Thank you to all the voters!

Distracted.

The catch for writing in volume is making time, and then to make that time count. I think that I can pump out a thousand words in about an hour, if I have a pretty good idea what it is that I am about to write. And that is the trick. Having in my mind's eye what it is that I am about to write.

Now, I am really good at daydreaming. As a child, I daydreamed my way through life, ignorant of the people and places around me. As an adult, that sort of inner-brain dwelling is not a desired attribute among employers and friends. So, discipline is utilized to make sure that happening at appropriate times. It can be excellent for writing, however. I have been practicing writing under some pretty distracting circumstances. I will write, for instance, in family common areas. Talk about interruptions. Among the loud discussions, the clamor and my youngest one's desire for me to chase her through the house, I find that I am able to keep my train of thought focused on the writing at hand. More and more. Whether it is any good will be up to the reader to decide.

The next part is what happens between writing sessions. How I think and what I think about during the down time. That has been more of a challenge. Sitting still and simply breathing is conducive to the idea process. A phrase simply preempts a larger idea and turns character focus in a new or more interesting direction. Those phrases typically develop within the context of these silent times. I highly recommend them.

I am looking into primitive functional movement (Not necessarily the guy in the video) for health. I have only begun to research this so, I'll shut up about it for now. However, physical health, good eating, rest and exercise are essential to mental and emotional well-being. And that is from where so many great ideas come.

And now, back to writing.

Steven Pacey Versus My Book Dysfunction.

I am an agonizingly slow reader. I think that I may actually write faster than I read. That is why it is with certain vulnerability that I tell people what I am reading when I am reading it. Because I will probably still be reading it by the next time we talk about it. This makes Audible that much more valuable to me. Not a commercial here, just a fact. Despite this, understand that I love the feel and smell of a new, or even a used, book. I like being the first person to break the binding, and, truth be told, the feel of the pages... Against my face. (Don't act like you have never rested a cool book on your face, your nose nestled between the pages.)

 So, it is no surprise when I keep books around. Instead of taking my post-read books to one of our wonderful used bookstores, I often keep them much longer than I should. Some, I keep for good reason, as I have several voracious readers in my house. Others, however have no purpose but to make me happy when I look at them. On top of that, I have a stack of books that I have yet to read, fiction and non. There is no logical order to what I will read next, though at one time I did: Fiction, non-fiction, fiction, non-fiction, etc. Since I have no real process, I often just read whatever strikes my fancy.

I do have a trend when deciding what to read versus to what I will listen, however: I will read non fiction 90% of the time. With fiction, I like reading larger tomes myself, whereas, I enjoy listening to shorter books. Another factor is the narrator. One of my faves is Steven Pacey. Were I wealthy enough, he would read everything to me at my behest.
"Mr. Pacey, would you be so kind as to read the morning paper to me, sir?" I would say.
Or, "Mr. Pacey, would you please read my utility bill aloud?"
He would, of course, answer in the affirmative and I would continue to happily pay him his due.

The moral of the story: Between Steven Pacey reading things to me and reading a good-smelling book slowly, Steven wins hands down, I guess.

Freedom is a Place at the Unexplored Reaches of the Sea

The subtle rasping of life's little industrial-grade file seems to be doing it's darnedest to clear the tougher spots on my thick skin. I have written very little in the past week; maybe a thousand words. I have been in the market for some good ol' fashion CHANGE and I believe that I've been dealt it in spades. So, I guess I do not write well in the presence of spades.

The long view is that change will make me better. The short view? "This sucks." Despite all the melancholy, I am struggling to guard the inward part of me. The part that feels and the part that develops my world-view. I am working hard to take a path unpaved, and maybe, "unblazed". This is the path crowded by many of these rasps, all reaching to break-off callus and calcification. Making soft what was hard, and making me free.

I read an article recently about "Wealth vs. Anything Else" in which you have two options: Freedom or Comfort. Guess which one it recommended?

So, I am hopping back into the writing saddle and riding that Freedom pony into the sunset.

Sorry about the mixed metaphors.

VOTE for my NaNoWriMo Story!

Okay. I now have the two choices for my 30 day writing excursion with NaNoWriMo. I am going to choose according to comments on this blog. The two choices are as follows:

1) I want to write about a life coach in a high level business environment. At once, he takes on three highly successful and scary/messy clients. The Life Coach thinks that these three individuals simply want to get to the next level in their careers, family, etc. "He ends up with more than he bargained for." Thriller, I think. Darkly humorous, maybe? Certainly comical themes.

2) Steampunk fantasy set in the old west starring none other than the highly capable and secretive Dr. Lee from my short story/ ebook, Brimstone Deep.  Dr. Lee uncovers a secret plot to crush the Taiping Revolt that has now migrated to the Manchu-Chinese Territory in the American West during the American Civil War. Political intrigue/ adventure.

There you have it! Please vote!

The Catharsis of Hidden Things

Accountability is normal. Or should be. When I do not make my inner issues known to someone to which I answer, those inner issues often go ignored or abandoned, misinterpreted or wildly out of control. The exposed intrigues of individuals with high influence, the moral failings of role-models and leaders, and the all-too-public collapse of much beloved entertainers, can often be traced back to the lack of a support community with which it is safe to make a mistake. But, in this day and age of the war on privacy and the zeal of many to retain it, we often forget that we indeed, need to be completely open and exposed to a faithful few, so that our unseen struggles can be seen by us for what they are: Completely normal. Our issues only become aberrant without this level of vulnerability.

This is why writing can be so much fun. In character development, we can show the vulnerabilities of our protagonist and create the story arc of their rise, fall and rise again (and fall again if we choose), in context of community and relationship. In the Hero Story, the  the Mentor exposes and equips the hero to deal with their inner issue. The protagonist's failure is often seen by those closest in the end of the Second Act. Even in the Hollywood Formula for film (Lou Anders gives a brilliant explaination of that here), there is a provision for this, as the protagonist is escorted or goaded into maturity by the 'Relationship Character'.

But, writing is not enough to deal with my issues and vulnerabilities, personally I must have people in my life that will push me to be the best me.

Hey! Check out Paul Green's Weird Western blog over at Wordpress. He gives me a generous review here.

Nanowrimo Choices!

For those of you who have read my short and sweet blog, you know that I am prepping for NaNoWriMo. Honestly, I have still never hit the 50,000 word goal in a month. However, I will be prepared for November 1st for my intial installment of 1,667 words, but probably more like 2500 words, as that will be my daily goal for November. I have my first book idea and will be divulging it as I settle my second book idea. Then, I will blog it and let the people vote! All five of you!

To outline the story, I will use the 7-point story structure that author Dan Wells (of Writing Excuses) talks about here. It is a great balance of structure and creative and keeps me focused without making me feel stifled. I highly recommend it.

I have been truckin' along nicely with Sky Rift. I am expanding the way the story is to give a view of what is actually happening in the rest of the world at the time, and not just the alternate American west during Civil War times. I am adding some baddies that will also be part of the bigger world in general. I really want to make the American west what it really was: A high carnival for a world of opportunists and risk-takers. Also, I really want to write it with the discovery viewpoint that is outlined in the book 1421 by Gavin Menzies. It is believed that the Ming Dynasty actually discovered the American continent well before ol' Cristoforo Columbo. So, I'm building it from there. What if the Chinese stayed? Even expanded in what is now California? Throw in a little fantasy, some steam and gearpunk, and viola! A novella o' fun!

A Vision for BLOGGING. Or whatever.

In this blog, I am trying to accomplish a couple of things:

1. Be interesting, but only briefly. I am not exposing my life's work here. Only random thoughts, in bite-sized nuggets. Because time, y'know?
2. Open a subject for your opinion. If I write a lengthy post, chances are you are getting my opinion shoved down your maw. It would be great for me to quickly tell how I'm feeling and leave plenty of room for you to leave yours.
3. Draw the readers into a type of relationship. People are rarely vulnerable when they say they are. Vulnerability is found over time, intimately. Interdependently. However, anyone that is paying attention will begin to see what I never intended, but will be glad they have. 
4. Create group enthusiasm. About my books, what we eat, genre fiction, yada yada. These are things that I care about, and I would love for you to care about them as well.
5. Creative Outlet. It's fun, healthy (so far), and helps me continue to write when I am not, in fact, writing.

And there you have it! Now, go buy my ebook or review it! (That was to create Group Enthusiasm)

The Littlest Willing To Do What The Biggest Won't.

Comfort is overrated. Yet, we'll move heaven and earth to get it. Undervalued is pressure, overlooked is confrontation and undesirable is conflict. These things mold us into our 'better selves', laying tracks for our destiny into undiscovered country of healthy and happy. This is true of ourselves, our characters in fiction, of the people in documentaries and news coverage. We are actually attracted to the things that change us, but, we'd rather have others go through these trials.

The conflict is not the trial itself, but how we deal with it. How we choose to let the conflict change us, how we will allow ourselves to feel in those times can determine the speed at which we deal with it.

I will ask myself, "How willing to mature am I?" or "Am I willing to look stupid?" or "Am I willing to be wrong?"
My answer to these questions can determine the time spent in that conflict. Sometimes the answers bring the call to action that is needed. Sometimes I set the fire, and sometimes it sets me.

Free. 

What if I can write this into my characters as it is being written into me? How can I cause a reader to feel the weight of the conflict, the edge of emotion, the freedom of being shaped by the pressure?


If you have read Brimstone Deep, please leave a review here!

On The Contrary

I have brilliant kids. And I feel like they are sharpening me on a regular basis. They pay attention to my inconsistencies and have no problem pointing them out. It's a very humbling (code for embarrassing) experience to have my children expose my frailty and inadequacy at the hands of naiveté and learning. Makes me feel small. They are not even being mean. I am the psychological lab rat in their didactic game of boundaries. They are poking and prodding at my integrity, self possession, volition and resolve. In short, they are figuring out what is 'ok' and what is 'not ok'.

My answer? Let them come. Let them practice on me. I should be a safe place for them to fail, hurt, hurt others, be rude, love and hate. They need to know that nothing that they do or say will change the way that I feel about and treat them. They require time spent to play with my emotions and see my response (healthy, hopefully), determining whether they can afford to hurt me or to protect our relationship. And it needs to be ok for me to deal with a little embarrassment, a little hurt and a little sadness here and there, for them to figure out who they are and who we are together.

If you have not yet read Brimstone Deep, please check it out here. And, write a review if you are so inclined. Thanks!

The Dapholio - A Brief Writing Exercise.

The short fever of revolution began when the artist' guild struck a powerful bargain with the industrial conglomerate. The deal was as follows: 'We design your machinery to be cheaper and more efficient and you promote our artists, those of whom we approve, to popularity. Create an appetite for whatever it is that we want to serve. Then we both get control. Control. We control appetites, you enforce the feeding. Dollars and cents from dolls and gents. And they will think, over time, that it was their idea.'

The beautiful soul of mankind is found in the need for freedom, however. And freedom flowers in the most embarrassing places that fear and control can imagine. Which makes for a tight fit for liberty, as they have poor imaginations and a grip empowered only for what they have a grid to comprehend.

When artists find that walls are being built around them, fear and control find that they have a superior headache with which to deal. When those artists have access to the very machinery that works to build those walls. Biomechanics can be a real problem when wielded by free individuals.

The sleek machines were beautiful for only a short period of time. Souls robbed from precious men and women and becoming the consciousness of said mechanics covered in the black soot of boilersmoke, pressing steam into an energy source, powering these sentinels of control.

The market was held on the underside of the massive bridge that once linked the mainland city of Bywater with the island city of Singleton, now severed by the last civil war. The market is called Black by the authorities and William's part in it was considered highly illegal. The promotion and sale of wares unapproved by the GuildCon government. Soap, handwoven textiles, and wilted fruit sat side-by-side with firearms, booze and assassins for hire. It was filthy and silent.

William sold his goods. Schematics and sketches sold to anyone desperate enough to build a biomechanical device, then pilot or wield it. But, William felt the tide of revolution rising. He watched as the pathetic and impoverished lost the will to live. As crime bosses took over and policed the dark places. It is the very way that he earned a living. Until he lost a leg. Now, he looked past his table of wares despondently, considering an attempt to find out what was left on that little island city just a few miles away.

The short clipped step of a little man in a brown homespun shirt announced the arrival of Helmut.
"Mister William?"
"Yeah?" William shifted his eyes to see the pathetic little man.
"I have really great news." He seemed to shiver, a lethargic blink of his told me that the 'news' was neither really great or news at all.
"Lemme guess, Boss Turnic wants me to off somebody? I can't." I tapped my leg. I won't.
"No sir. A man at the gates wants to meet with you. Looks pretty important. He said that if you wouldn't come with me to give you this," He laid a carton of dark brown eggs on the table, "Said that he wants to buy your schematics. Also, wants to hire you to make something you might be interested in."
William was interested. He took out a small egg and held it out to Helmut.
The little man's serious face cracked slightly into a grin, his eyes giving the slightest lift at the edges.
"Thanks."
"Take me to this man. What's his name?"
"The Dapholio, he calls himself."

"The Dapholio." 

The Stuff Dreams Are Fed To

I have made sacrifices. In the search to push into 'greatness', I have sacrificed good, solid things for risky things that turned out to be great. But, mostly, I have fed good, solid things to a devouring, selfish wolf called waste.

Often, this wolf poses as wistful, hopeful and even, altruistic. Hours, days, months and years have been fed to it's salivating maw. In the context of writing, I feel that I have fed it my time under the guise of 'collecting information' or 'honing my skill' but, never really feeding time to my cow called writing. 

I call writing a cow because it is slow, constantly feeding and slowly digesting. It pulls it's food back up and chews it again and again. What's born of it, then nurses from it and itself grows. Then, the process cycles again and again. One day, I'll get to eat from it, but not without plenty of care and nourishment. Not without plenty of space for it to roam around and simply graze. 

At some point, when the wolf gets too large to ward off, it will turn and it will devour that cow. So, time to sacrifice that wolf. Whatever that looks like. Television, Facebook, and even Workaholism and Busy-ness. It begins with a plan to trap it, the structure with which to trap it, the execution of the plan, then, the execution of that wolf of waste. Until that plan is carried out, we continue to tolerate the things that get in our way to be more than just successful, but be fulfilled. 

Kill the wolf.

Because Food

1. I have a favorite farmer. Yes, I said farmer. Besides my wife, I mean. Joel Salatin is his name. Check him out.
2. I love Chipotle. The food is amazing, and for good reason. Have you read what is going into your food? Garbage and poisons, mostly. But, not with Chipotle. Why? Because they buy their ingredients from people who don't industrialize food and pump it out of a factory.  Instead, they find people who grow and raise things that are not genetically modified or fed poison. See above.
3. I have a favorite health motivator. It isn't someone from the Biggest Loser. Daniel Vitalis isn't this week's latest dietician and workout guru, plastering selfies all over social media. He has challenged the way I think about what I eat for completely different reasons than, "it's good for me."
4. I may have mentioned Bulletproof Coffee before, but let me say it again. I love butter in my coffee!

Young Bucks, Dollars and Sense.

As I am writing through the next Jim Harper Fantasy Western, Sky Rift, I realize that I am going to make decisions that I cannot undo. For instance, were I to give Jim a scar, I would need to take said scar into account anytime I am "looking" at him in the book. If I were to give him a gatling gun for an arm, washing the dishes could get frustrating. Well, folks, I am about to pull that trigger. I am about to lay down a whole system of technology, and I am not really sure how I feel about it. It's a massive commitment.

I am looking for a name for this technology, and the closest that I've come is Soul Tech. Yep, sounds stupid, but what was meant to be a temporary name has grown dear to my heart. But, it isn't within the framework of the story/world.  So, I am looking for a name for this system of antiquated tech.

I have not officially started the audio work yet for the audio book... And I realize that I probably won't get to due to a short week. I am heading to sunny California. Research, you know...

Thanks to all who have written a review for Brimstone Deep. Much love!

Tin Voice

This week, I will be beginning my initial recording for Brimstone Deep on acx.com. I am concerned about two things:

1. My voice - Let's face it. I'm nasally. There is no deep timbre, no resonant bass. Though, I think that I can do accents and voice acting. So, I may be capable of making it entertaining. Which is ultimately important.
2. Working with my wife - She writes/produces music so I know that she knows what she is doing. The issue is the tension that working together can cause. So, I need to settle a few things in my mind when working under her demands.

But, I am excited about the prospect of the whole project. Recording, distributing (Audible and iTunes), and marketing. I feel like this undertaking can lead to new possibilities. Who knows? I may be really good at it. 

I will be blogging in a few months about my opinions regarding Amazon's infrastructure as I see it. So far, I am pleased, but I really do not have anything else with which to compare. For 90 days, I am exclusively with them.

I am in throes of the next weird west tale. At this point I am calling it Sky Rift or SkyRift or whatever. The name is not etched in stone. I am hoping to release it late September/ early October. I am pleased with how it is coming along so far. I think you will be, too!

If you have read Brimstone Deep, PLEASE consider leaving a review here.

The Dapholio

Crying through clenched teeth, Kith kicked himself away from the grate. The blackness of the hole on the other side clamored the onset of the steam-spitting machine and it's grasping, constricting, segmented tendrils. The grate squealed as it was ripped from rusty hinges, the glowing tendril shooting into the air above him.

Tectonic steam beasts aside, Happy 4th!

-Laurian

Dripping Pen Held Aloft; Paper Spattered With Emotion

I was thinking about the kinds of manuscripts I would love to write. This is what I determined were my top 5:

1. I would love to write something heartbreaking and weepy. Something by which you could imagine the Faux Fix song Tokyo Train playing in the background.
2. Next up, I would love to write my autobiography, and it be amazing without any embellishment. Then, I would be the best writer ever.
3. The ultimate fantasy western, by which everyone else measures fantasy westerns. Yeah, that sounds ridiculous, but a boy's gotta dream.
4. I would love to write for film. Well, good film.
5. Anything that my favorite writer would read and ask me to sign his copy.

I want to remind you, blog reader, to check out my uber short ebook, Brimstone Deep. If you read it, please leave a review! Thanks!

A Much Needed Reminder

My brother in law sent this to me a long time ago in a PM on Facebook. Whenever I feel that I have lost focus and am having trouble finding worth in what it is I do, I speak this over me like a blanket. It is a great reminder. For those of you who create anything in any capacity, please enjoy this. Unless you just do not like encouragement.

I Like People

I hope I am good student.

I feel as though I miss people on a fairly basic level. Try as I might to pay attention, my brain chases rabbits through the details of a person's story, often times missing the underlying heart of the matter. Sometimes it is because I feel that I already know what they are going to say and they tell it too slowly. Agonizingly. Other times, because they tell it so briefly or without emphasis on anything I care about, I attache little emotional value to it. Also, I have an 'emotional detachment defense mechanism' that is initiated when someone is too sad or comes across as too emotionally needy. This EDDM has really come in handy at times. But, because I deal with actual people with real feelings, this EDDM should be used sparingly, so that I can respond with honor and compassion for their needs. Why bring this up?

In writing, I realize that an engrossing story is driven by people, their decisions, and other people's reaction to and proactivity regarding those decisions. To write people, I need to read people, so to speak. Emotionally, I need to find the place where I can just let people be people and see their intrinsic value in who they are despite their offensive choices. And stay connected. In writing, I need to write people with an effect to keep them in the story.

So we'll see. Is the heinous bad guy worth redeeming? Is the boring milquetoast character at very least a part of an interesting story? Is a hero allowed to fail and fail and fail and still allowed to be the hero?

Whatever.

If you like what I'm doing please consider a 'like' for my Facebook authors page here.

'Writing' Music, Writing 'Music' and Writing.

I've recently had some serious encouragement from a writer and film maker who will remain nameless. Whether he was intentionally encouraging me maybe up for grabs, but it is too late. I am very encouraged. I was so happy to hear that so many of his preferences and processes are/were similar to mine. Not because I need validation. But, I definitely like validation.

Anyway, when asked what he listens to as he lays pen to ink he told me about a great trailer music composer/group. So, I am currently listening to Audiomachine. I'm digging it.

My wife is getting ready put out another album, I'll keep everyone apprised of her progress. She has been writing some amazing stuff. Certainly some good stuff to create by.

I wanted to call the next fantasy western ebook SkyGate, but then I remembered to make sure that there were no other books of the same name. There were. And I really liked the name, too.

In the next ebook, we will find ourselves in a story preceding Brimstone Deep. This will give more background on many of the characters. Also, we may see a side of some that may make us have mixed feelings about them going forward. Or at least, I hope you will.

Prepping for Nanowrimo

Yeah, I know it's early. But, I work full-time and write in my spare time. For those of you who are not familiar with National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo), it is 30 days of daily writing with the goal of 50,000 words by the last day. November is the month and yes, I am already preparing.

50,000 is not too bad if I have nothing else to do, but I have a sizable family, community and work responsibilities, not to mention other types of self-imposed projects. Just because I have 1667 words to crank out, does not mean that my four- and seven-year-old "will understand" why daddy is not making eye-contact and paying attention to all the concerns of their little worlds. I'll never look back from my last moments and think, "I sure wish that I spent less time with my kids and more time honing my writing skills.

Anyway, I will be posting two exceptional options later on and track my progress through this blog. I would love to have a vote between the two options and write it based upon reader votes. I'll keep everyone posted.

If any of you have had a chance to read my short ebook, please leave a review here. I thrive on these reviews. Thanks!

A Silver Bullet to Put Down Wild Ideas

Hollywood does weird western and steampunk poorly. I love the genre's, but the best things that we have are Wild, Wild West and Cowboys and Aliens. The Lone Ranger, I thought, was going to change that. But, alas, it was for not.

It was the last one that I want to discuss, however. It was the Lone Ranger (not the movie), that really fueled the steam engine between my ears regarding an American west milieu. A thought nagged at me about 10 years ago.
Why would the Lone Ranger use silver bullets, if not for werewolves? 
After that, it was all I could do to keep from building that world. Unfortunately, I had overlooked the whole Copyright infringement thing. But, instead of burying my ideas in a shallow, unmarked slush pile, I reinvented the whole idea, and viola! Brimstone Deep was born. Obviously, this short story is not the whole story. But, I certainly wanted to gauge the reaction and interest that many might have to the western fantasy with yours truly at the helm. There have been enough encouraging words that I getting ready to release more from that world. Tentatively, the book will be called SkyGate SkyRift.

Anyway, I am going to write a workable script for Brimstone Deep and see if it might be possible to market it, as I do have a few avenues through which I can.

I feel like I've stretched my fingers now. Back to writing!

Bathroom Humor and Zombie Plague

Inspiration for my writing comes in many places and forms, but here are my Top Five:

1. History Podcasts. One in particular that I should mention is Dan Carlin's Hardcore History. History already feeds my imagination, but HH brings out a voice that seems to adhere some of my wackier thought processes to actual truths. The possibilities...
2. Lectures. It does not matter what it's about, really. Anything to which I was ignorant prior. Sometimes it is simply a word or phrase to which I'm exposed. A vague concept or theory can be the skeleton of an entire idea or setting for a book. Our words become worlds.
3. Dictionary. Oh, yes. A good, old-fashioned dictionary, with phonetic spellings, rich etymologies, and definitions galore are the malleable ingredients of the wordsmith, world builder and word nerd alike. At least this word nerd.
4. Bathroom. Ahem. This is the writer-king's porcelain palace of plot practice. It has a throne and everything. Go ahead. Say it. Say, "He gets all his ideas on the toilet." I don't care.
5. My kids. They have the imagination energy of a thousand suns. It pays to listen to your kids. Especially mine. They must get it from their mom.

For a story that I'm outlining, I wanted to use the plague idea, but found that it was coming too close to the zombie plague. Sure, I could do it. Yeah, it's hip. But, as much as I love the idea of using a zombie plague, "I'm not gonna." I need something else to chase my protagonist across otherwise foolish landscapes and corner my heroes into a noble fight. There are lots of great writer's who do this well. I would rather read them than write it, frankly. By the way, the plague that I was playing with was one that turned human flesh into mechanized, clockwork copper. I think I could even make it work. Oh, well. Back to the drawing board. Or bathroom.

Intuitive Writing and Transitional Housing

I have been encountering a really neat scenario while writing. It's happened several times and find it to be really fun. From time to time, I will through something into a story without any research. After, establishing the workings of the idea, the name of an individual or whatever, I'll do a little research and find that: The name of the milieu or character means or gives foreshadowing or purpose to the character's story arc; There was a character or event similar around the same time; How the parts of the story interact with each other are actually true.

It reminds me of Tolkien's essay On Fairy-Stories, where he deals with the idea of sub-creation. At least, that's what I took from the essay. It may have been about anything for what I can remember.

So, I am the director of a non-profit in my city designed to help people's immediate needs as well as direct them toward longer term process. I am thinking about setting up a fund for our next endeavor: Transitional Housing. We have talked about this for several years but, done little to get this rolling. Now, however, we may have a solution. Cargo Container Homes. This may sound funny initially, but it is a low cost option and is rather trendy. Hit Google and check it out. Let me know if you have any feedback. Thanks!

Also, if you have any feedback regarding my ebook Brimstone Deep, please leave a review here.

Butter In My Coffee and Other Tales of Suspense

I am currently on the Bulletproof coffee bandwagon and have been for about a month. The simple reason is health. I like coffee and I like butter. And I am being encouraged to like them together. I am not hardcore, as I do not actually buy any of the Bulletproof products, but I am putting grass-fed butter and coconut oil in there. So, in about two more months, I will make a judgment as to whether or not, butter in my coffee does, in fact, promote good health. Even if it does not, I think I'll continue to put concentrated oils (sounds silly when I say it this way) in my morning coffee.

As to writing, I am at a real crossroads. I have been writing (rewriting) a story for my children for several years and am going to kill my darlings. I lose track of the story with these characters, and frankly, I believe they deserve their own book. So, as much as I hate the idea, my band of outcast mercenaries with the hearts of a gold-ish substance must be stricken from the record. For now. Here are the reasons:
1. My story is aimed at mid-grade readers; these characters make it much more mature.
2. It bisects my story beyond what I believe I can handle as a writer.
3. I am beginning to picture another world for these characters altogether.

Ok, so maybe I am not really killing them, but they have been a part of this story in my mind and my children's imaginations for so long that I am concerned that we will miss them in this context.

If any of you have read my ebook Brimstone Deep recently, and have had any detectable emotion about it, please consider leaving a review.

Nothing A Little Superglue Can't Fix

So, I have some friends who decided that it would be a good idea, after soundly shearing a gouge out of their westie's fur, to superglue some of the shorn clippings back to the dog. I originally thought the dog had a bullet hole in it's shoulder, as the spot looked like a small, blood black scab. But, nothing so adventurous as that.  No blood was involved in the clipping of that embarrassed animal.

I am pleased to announce that since the release of my Weird Western ebook Brimstone Deep (You can get it here for only 99¢: http://www.amazon.com/Brimstone-Deep-Laurian-Smith-ebook/dp/B00KKBYRQM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403473815&sr=8-1&keywords=brimstone+deep ), I have sold and given nearly 550 ebooks until the present! This is a little more than just exciting for me, as this is my first time to use Amazon's publishing infrastructure. The marketing aspect is a little exhausting, but I really love the possibilities.

Next up for the ebook? Audio. I am gearing up to record my ebook and publish to Audible.com and iTunes through acx.com. The process itself seems like it would be enjoyable, and with a little help from my genius singer/songwriter/producer wife, I think that we can make a quality recording. I'll keep everyone posted.

As for my next endeavor into the alternate West, I am in the throes of polishing an e-novel that I will again release to Amazon. Hopefully, I'll be able to answer some of the questions that many people have been asking about the world and it's character's. I'd love to hear any feedback about this.

Thanks to everyone who has been so supportive with the ebook! I am so honored by the attention, reviews, follows and 'Likes'.