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.