Thanks be to God, I’m able to write again. My wife made bag-in-the-skillet dinner, a minor victory for her, freeing up an hour for me. Don’t mistake: I enjoy making dinner for my family – for the same reason I enjoyed being a design engineer or enjoy writing: the creativity. But when HAVE to write… well, other writers understand. Last night I was a basket-case: alien to myself.
Anyway. Who’s up for a road trip to Lubeck?
Skipped dinner to knock this out. I’ll grab some cheese before bed. I introduce three new characters in 1200 words. I hope that violates MANY guides to Proper Writing. Not sure where this is going tomorrow night, but I’m pretty sure busty, bossy Libby will be in it!
At long last, I am very pleased to announce the release of my fourth book – and third novel – of Machine Civilization: “Cursed Hearts.” The paperback is available via Amazon and Goodreads.
To make it easier for y’all to celebrate along with me, all three novels, in their ebook form, are available at Smashwords for only US$0.99 each! (note: you might need to toggle Adult Content: On in the upper right to see CH)
Thanks for everyone’s support and encouragement!
Europa’s appearance was originally in Part 4, but the break didn’t fit. This installment is a little shorter, but my action sequences always are. You’ll see more of that next week once ‘Cursed Hearts’ is commercially available.
Editing of Proof Copy this weekend. Shall I come back to Logres & Europa? Move onto something else? I get many ‘Likes,’ but comments & quesions are very welcome, too!
“It is not good that man be alone.” Thanks be to God, Europa’s back, even if just for this installment. Everybody gets older. Not one, single clue what happens next. Awesome!
RealLife(TM) work followed me home, not much, but I was off the clock, which sucked. I’m trying to make this a 4-5,000 word story complete by the time my CH proof copy gets here (irrational deadlines!) so that’s 1k words each night. That’s about what’s below the fold. Makes sense: my stories are characters and their interactions; this whole entry is Logres on his own, so, honestly, it’s a little boring. I had to get him halfway across Europe; now that that’s done, I hope he and Europa can show me what comes tomorrow!
All right: I’ve an idea for a short story. I’m breaking it into parts, three, probably, that I can write over the next few days. Reilly’s out, but I still wanted something nostalgic, but, as I said in the last post, inside my future history. So, let’s rock.
It’s my fault, really: I cut my teeth on writing visual novels, so I expect multiple endings. Of course, that’s a luxury that trad novels don’t have. I am now embarking on the third attempt to kill everyone* in Cursed Hearts. Given my track record, it will take at least two more attempts. Look: here’s “Bad End #1:”
He ran at her. Her horrid grin returned at she ran at him, her arms stupidly held out behind her. I cannot let her touch me! Must render her unconscious…! In less than two seconds they closed –
Maya jumped; he’d seen her flex just a moment too late: his right hand over his head closed on air just an inch below her foot. He skidded to a halt, knowing before turning about he’d lost: there was no way to get to Cat in time. He turned about.
Maya was holding the hands of a shaking and crying Cat, speaking to her softly. But not so soft that Chris could not pick out the word “…death!” Reacting at last, Corporal Cortez directed the team of men towards the wrecked car. The fire was spreading.
Chris began a steady walk towards the only two things that mattered to him. At three meters, Maya spoke up, without turning.
“No closer, brother! Or I eat her!”
“Let her go, sister. Take me in her place.”
Now her head moved just a little left; her eyes sliding to the corners. Red, but lessened, he thought.
“Why not the both of you? Two meals plus a dessert!”
Chris did not understand, but drew some comfort from the sound of another dozen soldiers coming out of the hangar. This group headed towards them.
Fade to black. WTF! Seriously, wtf! That didn’t explain anything! In a VN, I’d give you that for making poor choices throughout! Well, I’d have killed you earlier if you’d tried to get an ending like that.
So, it’s 4k words later. No parking garage, only Anton’s driver dead. Tomorrow; I swear I’m ending this tomorrow. Excerpt below. And, the check’s in the mail, I love you, I won’t come in your…
*Anton lives**. There’s an Epilogue.
**I think. Not finished. Continue reading “Tertium”
I’d really like to say that RealLife(TM) has been really busy. And, I’ve been working hard on finishing ‘Cursed Hearts.’ Plus, there’s this new story idea I’ve been playing with….
It’s all a lie: I’ve been a lazy drunk for a month. I come home from my day job, make dinner for the family, drink shitty wine and watch anime. My wife noticed immediately (my ‘jerk’ factor goes up rather quickly when I don’t write – my girls think it’s funny: ‘daddy’s on another alt-right rant again!’). So, in a moment of clarity (and a quiet house with no-one to bother me) I braved Writer’s Fear and sat down with Nichole and…
Wrote a way to get Maya onto Miramar Air Station…
Wrote Chris and Cat taking a tour of a C-130H… but, God help me…
I STILL HAVEN’T STARTED KILLING MY MAIN CHARACTERS!
i suck
Here I go to the time and trouble to kill Anton, only to realize at lunch what a conundrum that makes: sure, Maya now knows the entire plan to try to save Chris & Cat, but that still leaves her at UCSD, miles from Miramar Air Station and at the mercy of their passive and active defenses – to say nothing of the ‘boss battle’ in the hanger. It’d be 5k words, minimum, to get through that.
Soooo… Anton doesn’t die. Maya (and her riders) tempts him, instead. Fits the theme of the story better, really. Anton accepts, calling for his bodyguard/driver, Manuel. He promises to get her through Security. I’m not sure if he’s scared for his own pampered, aristocratic life, or if he’s sincere. We’ll see.
Personally, if a demoness was resting her teeth on my neck, after killing my soldiers, and having leeched about 10% of my life out, so long as it wasn’t about my wife & kids, I’d talk a deal, too. Buy time. The horse might learn to sing.
machciv 