Author: Clayton Barnett

Former engineer, current husband and father, layabout Pharmacy Technician, aspiring writer.

Work-Vet-Library

There’s much more I’ve seen that what opens below the fold, but having left work at 1730 to go home and change and get the right credit card, followed by a drive to Columbus to get sick Dog #1, back home, dinner (thanks to Daughter #1 for making curry!), a brief discussion of racial socio-economics with my girls – red-pilling them, in other words – I finally sit down at my laptop…

God, I’m tired.  The rest of the cat-and-mouse conversation between Nichole and Teresa soon; tomorrow, I hope.  It’s fun.

Continue reading “Work-Vet-Library” →

Hobbit Birthdays

Never had an idea where Tolkien got the idea of giving things away on your birthday.  Don’t get me wrong: I think it’s a great idea.

In fact, for the next day, make your way to the link, below.  If I’ve not buggered things up, enter WW86P during Checkout to receive a FREE COPY of Cursed Hearts.

Thanks, everyone, so much, for so much!

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/743075

 

 

Walkies

It always make my dogs feel better.  Me, too.

A long, dry spell of not-writing.  Day Job has blown and several family issues.  Getting back on track.  This was a productive weekend, even if I’m another US$3000 in the hole.

“Defiant” – VERY likely under another name, my free webnovel, shall be published by Christmas.  Read about how I’m completing it, below the fold.

Continue reading “Walkies” →

Heading back Down in the Park

With Pirate Twins, my 4000, er, 17,000 word writing exercise complete, I am now returning to my free webnovel, Defiant, to flesh it out into a proper novel.

. . .

I had nothing.  For about two days.  As usual, at Mass this evening, reflecting on the Gospel reading from Mathew (so you know ‘gnashing of teeth’ will be involved…) about forgiveness.  I don’t know why, but I was led to think about the last paragraph of Act II, when Mackenzie accidently finds out what Nichole is.

In an instant,  I ‘saw’ their conversation and reconciliation.  Later that morning, they stand along the west bank of the Willamette River, watching the slow departure of HMIJS Kongo.  That’s 3k words, right there.  I was going to roll that over into going to class later that day or the next morning, but instead realized, with a smile, they’d be stopping in a Zom’s for a parfait or something.  Add a heaping of Nike and there’s 2k more words.

It’s only when I try do I eff everything up.  Shut up, Clayton, and write down what they show you….

Free, Naked, Editing

Ryan Lanz is running a contest for some free editing; enough for short story.  Just wanted to pass it along to my fellow creators.

Aside:  about 5k words into Defiant Part 2.5.  Was stuck all this week, after Nichole’s & Mackenzie’s reconciliation, then saw Nichole and Teresa having a long conversation about coding (at school), and later, her father and the effects of the Breakup in Portland (at Zom’s).  They’re joined by Gil and Joe, and this segues into the one-off I did a few months ago where these four playing in the pool – largely naked – and Nichole accidently diagnoses Joe’s lymphoma.  Rock and roll.

Pirate Twins, coda

This not the short I originally saw.  After last night’s tragic news, I wanted to a little more about the West’s current attempt at suicide.  But, there’s still hope.  Hope, much like Evil, can often be found in the most unlikely places.

Thanks, everyone, for reading this story.  I think I’ll try to make ‘Defiant’ into a proper novel, but I’m taking the rest of this weekend off.

Continue reading “Pirate Twins, coda” →

Jerry Pournelle, RIP

Just months after Steven Den Beste, to who’s memory I dedicated “Cursed Hearts,” comes news this evening of the death of Dr. Jerry Pournelle, the other most responsible for my becoming a writer  (“start your story in the middle!”).

I am devastated. I shall wrap up PT when I can see through my tears.  The world is… so dark.

There are many with eulogies.  I went to a friend’s site, once I’d heard the news.

Pirate Twins 14, The Bridge at Andau, Reprised

Left DayJob an hour early.  When my boss asked why, I told her:  I’m ending the Cold War.  She really should know better than to speak to me.

There’s still a short coda I want to write, as this has been the oddest writing exercise in my life.  It began as just another escapade into Machine Civilization.  That mold broke very quickly, becoming an allegory of the Cold War, something only oldsters like me recall.

Old?  Very:  Tuesday was the 25th Anniversary of my better half and I.  Either her standards are very low, or I’m much better in bed than I realize.  Likely the former.

Once I write the coda – tomorrow – this will end up being about 18-19k words.  Who publishes ‘historical allegories’, these days?

Thanks, everyone, for reading!

Continue reading “Pirate Twins 14, The Bridge at Andau, Reprised” →