Tag: family

January, Part 1 – A Look Back

Yes:  dark again.  But for many reasons, good, other, bad.

For the Good, below the fold you’ll find a couple of pix of me and my wife at central Ohio’s largest animecon, Ohayocon.  For Friday I reprised my very popular Elias Ainsworth (Ancient Magus Bride)… over 500 pictures of me.  Saturday, the missus and I were White and Red Blood Cells (Cells at Work); pictures?  Not so many.  Still and all, it was great fun for us and for our daughters.  Poignantly, Daughter #1 (in green) will be off to University in the Autumn… will she join us next year…?

A few days after that, at 53-year-old I’d my first colonoscopy.  While all seems well, no, I’m not posting pictures from that.

Quickly following on, Daughter #2 succumbed to con-funk, which she passed onto my wife – who now has bronchitis – and later to me, who, after suffering with a URTI for a fortnight, am finally getting better.  And I refuse to discuss yesterday’s blood-draw where I seized.  First time in a quarter-century.

Part two of January in 24-36 hours… great things are afoot for Machine Civilization during the month of February!

Continue reading “January, Part 1 – A Look Back” →

Reflexions and Recollexions

Having made the decision that my next novel will be built around the 23k words I’ve already written for “Worlds Without End” (see sidebar or Menu, depending on how you’re viewing this), that means I’ve already an established location, Knoxville/Oak Ridge, established characters, the Hartmann’s and the Tohsaka Machines, a pre-existing relationship, Gary & Henge’s love for each other, a well as a sprinkling of tension, Gary’s sister’s, Faustina’s jealousy of the Machines and even mentally crippled Tracy.

I’ve even one plot arc:  Pinocchio.  Henge’s desire to manifest a human body and make children with Gary.

What I lack is opposition; an antagonist.  I cannot use Faustina, as that is merely to replay “Cursed Hearts.”  I’ve broadly hinted that there may be other Machine tribes, perhaps made in St. Petersburg and Milan, but I’ve not seen anything about them.  Having made a page of notes on New Years Day that summed up to nothing at all, I tried letting my mind roam free these past few days.  What I recalled was the significance of music in letting these stories unfold in my mind.

“The Fourth Law” and “Echoes of Family Lost” would have turned out very different, if at all, without my listening to the old ELO album, “Time.” Nightcore and Trance was the backdrop of my descent into madness for “Cursed Hearts.”  Gary Numan’s “Down in the Park” and “Are Friends Electric?” were the direct cause of “Friend and Ally” and its sequel, “Foes and Rivals.”

At work and home, I’d been listening much to my Pandora J-pop station.  As much as I enjoy it, I don’t speak Japanese, so no story-related ideas could come into my head.  For now, I’m back to a little Nightcore, hoping to  be shown something.  This weekend, I’ll try pulling out some CDs and playing those, too.  Oh.  And if you think CDs are retro, I’ve cassettes and even vinyl in the basement; get off my lawn, whippersnapper!

Not sure what I can do over the next week; a week from today the big central Ohio animecon, Ohayocon, starts.  Per normal, we’ve a hotel room and I’ve cosplay ready to go.  Perhaps some notes between now and then?  Afterward, I’m back into writing, with both feet.  Ideally, I’d like the “WWE” manuscript to be complete by Easter.

If any of y’all have suggestions for an antagonist/antagonists, plot lines, music I should listen to, please comment away!

Continue reading “Reflexions and Recollexions” →

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/

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.

Continue reading “Trifecta” →

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.’

Continue reading “Drinks and Drama” →

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?

Continue reading “Grrlpower” →

Threshold

Putting aside our visual novel, OTChi Kocchi, it was NaNoWriMo that taught me to be a novelist.  I am utterly wedded to the idea of irrational deadlines; were I not, nothing would ever get finished.  This entry of Nichole5’s second book would put me just over the 50k limit demanded by NNRM, were I playing along.

That’s all well and good, but I need the Nation across the Cascades, beating the cannibals, betrayed by the Special Police, and burning Portland.  In two weeks.  Dang.  The best I can hope for is either a mild heart attack that sidelines me from my DayJob, or a meteor hits the place, with the same affect.

Continue reading “Threshold” →

Stretching Home

I really need to find a doctor or NP.  My drinking has lead to liver disease or cirrhosis.  Not that I’ll stop drinking until N5 v2 is complete, but I’d like to know exactly what’s wrong with me:  even with Metoprolol, my BP is up, I get tired easily, lose my balance in the mornings, and my right under my ribs hurts.

In the mean time, Nichole starts her tour.  This segment touches on her school fellows and puts Nancy in a can.  We’ll be back to Zom’s for dinner – have to fit Joe in somewhere as he’s a part of the second to last scene of Part 3… a fighting retreat.  Honestly, I don’t actually see him die…  Tomorrow should be a good day for writing.  If you’re inclined, pray for me*.  I’d appreciate it.

*For the stories, not my health.  I’m gonna die regardless… need to get these out!

Continue reading “Stretching Home” →

Back to the Present

Forgot my blood pressure meds last night.  As it was cooler this AM, I made coffee around noon.  Not being a total idiot, it was 50/50 decaf.  Halfway through my second cup, I wondered why I felt so tanjed awful.  I moved to the other side of the formal dining table (where I write) and picked up the BP machine.

164/90.  I then recalled my missed med.  Which I took immediately.  By dinner, and after several glasses of wine, I checked again.  150/90.

Dammit!  I took a third half-pill and reached for the whiskey.  At least I was able to wrap up Part 2 today! Be a shame to die before I complete part 3 and the book!  For those that are new or do not recall, the very last section, called “present day,” hearkens back to this.

There will be a break of a few days as I have to see the unfolding of the joint campaign of the Nation and the City’s Regular Army & Militia A against the cannibals.  Only once they are defeated can I allow things to go to hell.  Halloween comes fast; must make haste slowly.

Continue reading “Back to the Present” →