This came completely out of left field. So much so that for yesterday and today, having come home from DayJob, I just stared at the screen. I know a little about what happens right after this and quite a bit about Faustina’s actions once back to Savannah…
But I never saw this.
As long-time readers know, if I “go dark” right in the middle of a narrative, it’s a bad attack of RealLife. This was; again. And, it was onto someone who does not deserve it: God, the Fates… someone resents tf out of our naming our eldest dog Lucky Star. At eight years old diagnosed with sarcoma; two nasal surgeries followed by radiation.
Now, less than six months later, his breathing becomes labored. A week later, he is weak on his front legs. Monday, he cannot walk. Vet consult to consult to consult: I shan’t bore you with details. It might be a slipped cervical disc in his neck. Anesthesia for an MRI/surgery has a good chance of killing him due to his congestive heart disease. For now, we’re throwing prednisone at the wall and hoping it sticks.
After eight hours in the vet ER Tuesday, I’m not really in the creative mode. Fortunately, after my Lenten Exercises, it’s difficult to stop. I was able to put together what’s below the fold over two days. I’ve a quarter-page of hand-written notes about how to wrap up Part One. My wife and girls are off to a major, but local, swim meet this weekend; we three old, dying, dogs shall sit about the house and eye one another. I’ll type, too. I appreciate everyone for putting up with me. I’ll do better, soon.
From a few in-person, including my wife, but mostly via email. Why almost no one ever leaves comments here, I don’t know.
There was much unhappiness how I wrapped up Defiant Act 2.5: at the pool with Joe’s diagnosis. If I were to distill is all down, I guess “casually tossing out a main character!” would be the flak I caught.
Yeah. I did. Because this was never meant to be a coherent novel, but a nine-month long writing exercise, the break from Acts 2 and 3 was huge. 2.5 was meant to be a bridge; but, it seems that like the Lewis & Clarke, it was a bridge too far. The anchor issue is that Joe MUST have cancer and go to Japan for treatment: he’s on the boat back to Portland with Maya in “Cursed Hearts.”
Is it the hyper-sexualized environment of the pool, and the emotional whiplash after, when Nichole5 realizes her First Friend is sick? A human girl would have no idea about his illness and banged him then and there. Nichole5 chose to shatter the moment for everyone in face of what she sees as a medical emergency.
Perhaps I went too far, too fast. I’ll give some thought as to how I might re-write this. Suggestions welcome, as I see nothing, right now.
To cite Arkada of Glass Reflections: ladies, gentlemen, and others, I present to you the final installment of Act 2.5 of “Defiant.” Yes, you read that right: the writing component is complete. Editing and ret-conning the four parts of this 18-month, 85.5k writing exercise into a proper novel will begin.
And therein lies your chance, you followers of this blog and those that have wandered in via my sole social media presence on Gab.ai: if you so desire, you can d/l and read the entire story between now and Saturday, for free. It’s very, very rough, but you’ll get what you pay for. Come Saturday, whenever I wake up, I’ll be pulling the entire ‘free webnovel’ down as I begin to turn it into a commercial novel. As always, I’ll do the first-pass editing myself. Second and copyediting – and a cover – are as yet an unknown; after the layabout wife and the Dog With the Golden Nose, it’s all ramen and Taco Bell salsa packets here. My sole, possible, hard-deadline, is January 26th, when I might have another Creative Writing panel at Ohayocon. If I do, I’d like to say, “since my last panel, I’ve published two books… what did you do?” Keeps the snarkers from snarking.
Anyway, there’s just over thirty five hundred fricking words below the fold! Open a bottle of wine or make a pot of coffee, the one right next to that bottle of bourbon, sit back, and, please, see what I’ve seen… and have fun!
Wow. Never killed a guy during a blowjob. The guy, not me. Well, I was doing the killing… it was Maya…. Never mind; just never mind. Obviously I shan’t be having my teenage daughters proofing that part.
Maya’s at Vancouver International Airport, waiting for one of the rare flights to San Diego. Time to flick back to Chris and Cat (and Anton, too, I guess). Need a double-helping of Relationship Development before a certain someone’s plane touches down. As I learned from “Defiant,” every time I start writing romance, a battle breaks out; so, I’m not sure what’s going to happen, but I know it will.
Below the fold is Maya taking leave of the acquaintances she made on the freighter, Jodhpur, as it crossed the Pacific. Machine Civilization: it’s one, big, dysfunctional family!
Friday night, Ohio State University. Wife and I went to see Milo Yiannopoulos, a British free-speech advocate touring US college campuses. . . who seem to have quite a problem with free speech. The full video of his talk can be found here. I was first in line to ask a question (about politics and theology . . . anyone who’s read my books just rolled their eyes) right around the 1:16:18 mark.
Right after me, my wife stepped up to ask her question about legal immigration. However, she led off with a tiny vignette about herself… AND BROUGHT THE HOUSE DOWN!
Married for 24 years, together for 27. I love her more every day. A photo of two awesome people, and one banal, middle-aged drunk below the fold.
“Barring any unforeseen RealLife consequences – as such happened last November– I’m feeling very good about this project.” He said in hubris, in the post just below this one.
Our oldest dog had a nasty nosebleed last Tuesday. Our local vet said to give him some diphenhydramine. That worked for a week. It was back on Monday; bad enough I’d to take him into Columbus to MedVet. They did a CT and rhinoscopy; he has a tumor in his right nasal cavity. We’ll find out by Monday if it’s malignant or not.*
Note to all writers out there: never, EVER, say nor write what I did in that sentence on top of this post. Don’t.
*It would almost be better if malignant, as it would be easier to treat with radiation than with surgery.
For the first time in just over two years, I’m on vacation. Even that’s qualified, as we’re in Houston/Galveston, but the reason we’re here is my wife’s 6 month post cancer-treatment checkup. Still, better than central Ohio.
Had I been home, I’d be working on “Henge’s Big Day;” I’m not, so I’m not. I did, however, see a vignette that I alluded to while writing “Defiant.” Some skinny-dipping at the PSU pool with my main characters. Was finally able to type it out, today.
This takes place halfway between Act II and Act III.
An experiment, just to keep me writing. People I’ve never met, places I’ve not seen – and that I don’t recall – for over thirty years. And here I am, about 60k words later.
Creativity is occasionally creepy: where does all this come from?
Anyhoo. There are still flaws in what’s below. Someday, after I’ve written Part 2, I’ll get this all cleaned up and ‘novel-ized.’
Played with different ‘voices’ in this one; too much gin to get it all right. Actually excised a couple of paragraphs: I was lecturing again. Thanks, Will!
Let’s do this again. Soon!
I mention this in my first novel, “The Fourth Law,” in which the AI’s there, Ai and Henge, specifically, are able to make an unanticipated link from their world, to ours. All via Dorina, of course. She deserves her own book, but how do I write a book about someone an order of magnitude smarter than I am? I’d just make her seem dumb. I’d rather die than fail her that way.
“Kissing? This book has kissing?” From the ‘Princess Bride’. A wonderful movie; my eldest daughter tells me the book is even better. Perhaps someday. Maybe in fifty years someone will say, “‘Defiant’? The book was soooo much better!” Whatever. Kissing below the fold. Almost have Part 3 wrapped up!
machciv 