Back-flash-back-flash

Sometimes my writing style confuses even me.  I like to flick around in time… my flashbacks will come to present time and then have an entirely different flashback.  This is not something from the classical SF I’ve read, nor is it particularly a thing in the types of anime we watch (which is mostly ‘cute girls doing cute things’).  As a result, with the exception of about 400 words, everything I’ve posted about Nichole’s Book 2 is a flashback from where she is standing looking out to the northeast at the migration of the Nation before their assault on the cannibals.

For about two sentences you see “real time” below the fold, then, God help me, I do it again and flash back to how they got there.  This is her third trip upriver, so I’ve no reason to dwell on details – and I don’t – and just toss a few mile markers down.

AFTER THIS!  After this, I think I will be entirely in ‘present time,’ with the possible exception of a verbal montage to get the Nation across the Washington Cascades.  While I’d not seen Nichole’s interaction with Rye until my fingers tapped the keys, this is an interesting development… one that I’ve no idea where it will lead.

After talking with my wife and teen daughters, there’s nothing particularly afoot this weekend for us.  God willing, that means I can lay down 4k-6k words and get within striking distance of a conclusion to Book 2.  Anyone have any ideas for a name?  I got nothin’ right now:  no-one knows what Foederati means; Enemies at the Gates is clichéd and taken…  I’d like it to be a perversion, if you will, of the first title, “Friend and Ally.”

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Modeling Clay

No, that’s not a pun on my given name.  Just where we’re headed.  A solid, two days work below the fold.  My boss has been gone for two days – a working vacation, as I call it – so I do not arrive home exhausted and shocky.  Here’s some theology, politics, and conversation.  With a few surprise reveals.  I think after a couple of thousand word this weekend, I’ll be finished with Part 2 and ready to wrap everything up in 3.

On Sunday, September 16th, the missus & I will be seeing Gary Numan in Columbus, Ohio.  I hear he plays “Down in the Park” in this tour.  How very appropriate.

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Tack

As in sailing.  This was leading me away from the plot.  So I saw Nichole show off and swing things about.  This part two is supposed to be centered around Mackenzie d’Arcy, just as part one was about Nancy Brunelli.  That means I need my main character back home.

Where she just might walk into her friend’s flat, with Mac’s hair in twin-tails and Gil with his shirt off… I like to think of it as a love-hexagon.

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Drencum

“… which is what we was drinking, as we sat about the Korova Milk Bar, trying to make up our raszudoks as to what to do this evening…” ~ A Clockwork Orange.

I’ve been taking caffeine tabs with my boxed wine.  And my beta-blockers.  I’m going to die soon, aren’t I?

Prep-work done with one line into the badlands.  This story is about to go places I can only imagine!  Unlimited Witch Works!

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One tale or two tails?

As usual, tired from DayJob.  Still managed to get an idea across.  Things will be picking up rather quickly after this; having covered her first trip up the Columbia, I can gloss the second.  The interesting parts will be the interaxions with the Special Police followed by the Horsemen.

Please note the Special Guest Appearance by a book from the Award Winning, Amazon Best Seller, Jon Del Arroz, the leading Hispanic voice in SF… when he’s not mowing lawns.

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Life Imitates my Art, again

In chapter 10 of my forthcoming book, Friend & Ally, there’s an exchange between Nichole and her human friend, Mackenzie, who’s a wonderful artist:

“Oh.” Another bite. “So you’re an… android?”

“Yes! Completely self-aware and a fully stand-alone machine! But…” She looked about conspiratorially, leaning a little forward. She was very happy her friend leaned in, too! “…I’d rather stand with my friends than alone!”

Mackenzie leaned out, laughing out loud for once. A bit of crepe fell out of her mouth.

When she started on her second crepe, Nichole had them amble east and north, toward the river. Mackenzie could guess why. Indeed: coming to Naito Parkway, she spied Kongo’s mast in the distance. But, for now, she was too taken with the new world being opened up before her.

“Not at all!” Nichole had replied to her. “Several of my siblings are quite taken with art! My eldest sister, Hajime, does oil painting! If I can get some time on the PSU satellite links, I’ll try to print some copies for you!”

“That would be nice.” To look at art made by someone who wasn’t human… Mackenzie shuddered slightly in anticipation.

“You okay?” Nichole asked. They walked close to one another under her umbrella; typical for Portland, mostly cloudy had become light rain.

“Yeah.”

While horribly mischaracterized by the media (c’mon, Popular Mechanics!) as AIs, these are merely expert systems, using heuristics to create paintings the programmers want to see.  Real art by real AIs?  I seriously doubt we’d understand it.

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Friend for dinner

Work sucked less; dog still not well.  After work had to walk to my car in the rain.  I’m writing books set in Portland, so I regarded it as theater training.  Still maneuvering my way to the conclusion of Part 1 while at the same time laying the groundwork for Part 2

I want to show that Gil and Nichole love one another, but at the same time I want to show that they both know there’s something very odd about their relationship.  In other words, it’s a pretty typical guy-gal thing.

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The Revolution’s Calling Card

Now that the plot is finally here, it’s time to introduce our antagonist.  The Fourth Law didn’t really have one.  Echoes and Cursed Hearts had one’s that were also sympathetic.  Friend & Ally’s was more off camera than on.  This time, it’s going to be different.  Yet another new way for me to write!

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