A Stitch In Time

Life is difficult at the moment.

My back is a mess of pain and confused nerves which constantly send incorrect information to the pain receptors in my lower extremities, and cries for pain medication to my noggin.

I'm having the house underpinned which is a three grand expense I could have done without just before Xmas, but which the the house desperately needs.

My car brakes decided now would be a good time to require repairing and if I delayed any longer, the callipers would carve their initials into the discs.

My son's 18th is coming (two days before Xmas) and, of course, the fat bloke in the red suit is nearly upon us.

I'm sure I'm not the only one with money worries and stress up to the eyeballs.

But take a moment to think about Kennedy and Brendan Eyberg who will be spending their very first Xmas without their parents this year...all my issues seem to pale into insignificance - how about yours?

If you'd like to help, then place your order for the Strange Publications 52 Stitches anthology. Once you have placed your order, then fire off an email to the wonderful Cate Gardner to receive a further gift of her wonderful book Strange Men in Pinstripe Suits & Other Curious Things which I've just finished reading and recommend highly.

So two excellent collections for the price of one, and you'll be helping out two little kiddies who shouldn't have to face this time of year alone, but through tragic circumstance were robbed of their parents. If you can, buy a couple and give them out as Xmas gifts.

Not Fair

Aaron, you had a big hand in this - if it doesn't work, I'm going to come find you, but if it comes together as it seems to be in my head - I'm going to come and find you...and kiss you.

Last week I edited a YA manuscript. Only recently I also commented to friend that I couldn't write YA - it just didn't come out right. (I'm the guy who sat down to write a unicorn story for my daughter and ended up killing most of them with Chimeras', by ripping out their horns and severing their heads. I ended up writing her a little poem about unicorns in the snow instead.)

Then I wrote a flash fiction piece I intend to sub to the AHWA flash fiction contest. It is an adult thinking back over his life as a kid which leads to a big final scene. But all the things a kid experiences and has to put up with came flooding back to me. A huge majority of this flash piece could be looked at as YA - although it's not in the end. (At least I don't kill any unicorns in this one)

Last Wednesday, Aaron blogged about romance writing. I made a silly comment which I'll include here in the spirit of full disclosure:

I'm toying with the idea of writing a good dark romance. It's kind of like toying with the idea of writing a porn film with a story. A noble thought, but maybe impossible to actually achieve.

Still, good writing should always win in the end, so if I take the major plot points in all these formula romances and add a dark twist, with a real story, then shouldn't that stand out from the herd and sell?

If nothing else, it would give me something to use my erotic writing skills for...

Then this new paranormal romance anthology was opened for submissions, with initial notification coming out through the Southern Horror Writers Yahoo Group. According to JT, it was a sign.

Then last night I saw an ad for a new TV series which was so close to my original idea it was scary. Saving Grace (I've provided the link here but I'm not reading any of it. I don't want to be subconsciously influenced). I've never seen this before, but the core premise was so similar I almost went searching for a noose. Needless to say, until I've got this outline rock solid, I won't be watching the series.

But, on closer introspection, there are differences - big differences. My story is YA, Grace is most definitely not. Mine has a romance, Grace has sex (from what I've seen on the ad). My main character is male - Grace isn't, my MC is dead, but not in a zombie way, and not in a in-need-of-redemption way, but in a way I'm yet to pin down, but I'm working on that-kind-of-way. (I know, big part of the premise, but it's still coming to me, and even if I did have it, I don't want to give it away here.)

I'm also not sure if I can condense it down to 8500 words for Scary Kisses. I can see a YA series here, clear as day. I'm thinking any story for the anthology would have to be a later-down-the-track-type-of-thing, a single incident in an ongoing history of this character.

I've already outlined the first book. I'm already seeing places to add in foreshadowing, humour, romance, clues. I've already started to shape minor characters to help build the bigger picture. The story, and the characters, don't even have names yet! Honestly, I have committed a 553 word/ 3 page outline to file. :c)

The kick off for book two has already been included.

No - I'm not abandoning AKL - God no! This is my project on the side. This little YA series will be what I play around with when I hit a hurdle in the creative-juices-flowing-type circumstances. I will do backgrounds and profiles on all the characters, the world they live in, the situation, possible scenarios in the future. I will story book the whole thing. It is set in my home state, to begin with, so I'll be doing little research trips.

Cate has TPA with wonderful quirky characters she has revisited over and over again. This will be mine - I hope.

Fingers firmly crossed.

Interesting Stuff II

Do you remember a few weeks/months ago we talked about the benefits (if any) of doing study? I talked about the amount of time I dedicate to assignments and how I wondered if it was time well spent...alright, hang on, I'll see if I can find the post - err, no, I can't find it. Maybe I dreamed about posting that one.

Anyway, I vaguely remember something about wondering if the amount of time I spent on study would be better spent on just writing, and practising the craft.

Here's an interesting take on it from Tess Gerritsen's blog. Make sure you read the comments as well. I'll be finishing my diploma now I've started it, but I'd think twice about recommending it to anyone who just wants to write fiction.

Chuck McKenzie has started a new online zombie novel. I was unfortunate to not have followed the first one and that got rave reviews and may have other plans in the works for it, so don't miss out on reading this one.

An interesting interview of Nathan Bransford over at the Book Deal blog.

Go here to download issue 1 of Ruthless Peoples Magazine and read Aaron Polson's spectacular flash piece titled 'Man Bites Man' - satire at its biting best (It's a pity the mag editor didn't screen his publication for typos though. Still it's only the first issue so a couple of hitches can be excused - I guess). (And happy birthday for the 15th)

And lastly Cate (Catherine J Gardner) has The Marionette Manipulator & The Headless Bride up on 52 Stitches - yes it is as odd as the title sounds, but it is told in the unmistakeably wonderful voice Cate is becoming well known for. Very much worth the read.

And tonight - will be the very first post from my laptop as it comes online - stay tuned...