Category: writing

Homing

On Saturday I was a guest at a local author fair.  The idiots who run the County Library System scheduled this at the same time as an Ohio State football game.  That means nothing to me – not being one of these people – but it hit the attendance below the waterline.  Even tucked into a corner as I was (I wonder if they know my politics?) with three others, I sold eight books.  The guy to my left sold two.

Still and all, it was pleasant to chat with those who seemed interested, even if they weren’t buying.  Several voiced their surprise that in only four years, to the month, I was able to produce four plus one novels and a children’s book… plus short stories only followers of this blog read.  Quite the opposite of how I’ve seen myself:  lazy and distracted.  I’m sure the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

Cleaned up ‘Friend and Ally’ and re-resubmitted it to Createspace.  I also filed for the Copyright on it.  The edit of ‘Foes and Rivals’ should be before my eyes in 48 hours; just in time to gorge myself on turkey.  Hopefully I’ll have its proof copy in my hands in less than ten days.  My Xmas deadline looms ever closer…

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Oath Breakers

I’m credibly informed they do not keep your breath fresh.

Less than 36 hours after my declaration that “I’m not writing anything new this year!”… I saw something.

No, I’m not writing anything new in November  (he dessemulates); I’m far too busy for the Book Fair of the 17th and the release of “F&R” three weeks later!

But.  I saw the cover of my next book.  It’s bright to dark as you look right to left.  You see the sides of four older teenagers:  machine Henge, with her purple hair & gold eyes looks at her intended, human Gary with love. He returns that look, while back to back with his sister Faustina, with her dark hair & glittering turquoise eyes, as she looks to the figure in shadow on the cover’s left, tempting her to evil.

This is going to be seriously awesome. I’ve explored a little of this in my ‘Second Bridge’ and ‘Worlds Without End’ writing exercises, even noting at the time that Faustina needs her own novel…

That time is soon.

https://machciv.com/category/worlds-without-end/

https://machciv.com/category/second-bridge/

Fault Lies

I’m fully aware what a catastrophe the two “ending” posts of Foes & Rivals looked like:  they looked like shit.

My objective that weekend was to make an end; and, just for Nichole, I managed a poor one.

Do Gil & Mac really…?  What about Brunelli and Reilly?  Is all hope lost?  And what’s with Nike’s mystical bullshit?…

…are all questions I asked myself. And re-wrote, and addressed.  Each book is a challenge to myself; F&R was borrowing from Larry Niven:  how to destroy your own world?  To a large degree, I met that challenge.  And I’m never doing it again.  I’ve no idea what – or who – comes next.  But, no more misery.

NaNoWriMo 2018

Nope.  Not me.  Right around 2130 of Halloween, I send the third-pass edit of Foes & Rivals to my talented copyeditor, at the same time taking a vow I’d write nothing, original, in November.

I now turn to implementing her edits to Friend and Ally while she processes its sequel.  I don’t think I’ll have F&A ready for the Local Authors Fair on 17 November… maybe “limited edition” proof copies?  Like Niven’s first edition of Ringworld, where the Earth rotated in the wrong direxion.

Besides DayJob, Husband/FatherJob, and WriterJob of 173k words in 7 months, I am so, so tired.

Trifecta

Between the cheap wine, caffeine tabs, and lisinopril, I’m keeping at it every night this week.  As I was finishing this up, I was, thank God, allowed to see that a brigade of the Nation is already closing on the flimsy position the City has north of the bridge.  This will allow me to avoid any prolonged battle and instead precipitate the domino-like collapse of first Portland’s armed defense followed by its civil collapse.

In the mean time, let’s wrap things up with the Mayor.

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Drinks and Drama

Everyone that looks at Nichole, “…a seeming poster girl for Irish Tourism!…” is often taken aback by the fact that, one, of course, she’s a three year old machine, and two, was coded and raised in Japan.  Orientals and Asians are not self-loathing as Whites have been taught to be over the past 4-5 generations.  Some things obvious to her are total heresy to those about her.

Dialog!  At last!  Lots and lots of dialog!  And while everyone is talking, I set forces in motion that cannot be slowed or stopped.  We’ve Teresa firmly in the picture, a glimpse of Mackenzie; I just need Nichole’s love, Gil, back in.  Once I’ve everyone in hand, it’s ‘that famous final scene.’

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Grrlpower

Getting some of my main characters back together, even if only for a little while.  I need things in one direxion to be political and in the other, personal.  I wish it would be Mackenzie that somehow get’s ahold of Gil, who deserts and rides back to PSU once Nichole is finished with her talk with the Mayor, but Mac and Gil have no radios…

Or.  Did he just recently give her something that he and the other’s at Ludlum Electric put together?  Not so much a radio as a ‘panic button’?  Hmmm.  I’ll ponder that one.  I admit, it’s kinda lame, but it get’s Gil to Mac moments before Nichole comes busting in with her Iliad of Woes from the North.  N5 has talked the Mayor into trying to talk his way out of this… but what if Rhun and his people refuse to listen?

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Going South

Nichole finds Joe.  Most importantly, that allows me to resume dialog between characters, rather than merely giving exposition as to what Nichole is up to.  I hate that; my stories live and die based upon interaction.

So.  Nichole finds Joe.  Tells everyone “rocks are falling!  y’all gonna die!” is not much of a transition, but there it is.  At least they’re talking again, minus Joe’s accidental head-butt into N5’s plug.  Yeah:  talk your way out of that one, kid.

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