Going Round Again

We're all at different stages of being sick again in my house.

The little one has never really gotten over her cold from weeks ago. The lad is just about over a bout of tonsillitis. The better half has been crook-as-a-dog for the past week and is slowly coming out of it thanks to antibiotics, and now I'm starting to come down with something. It's a never ending bloody cycle!

I'll be glad when winter is gone and I can bake in 35C+ heat. I love summer!

On the writing front: as many of you alluded to (are you all writers or something?), I have had a plot twist/subplot smack me in the head. I was driving down to watch the lad play footy on the weekend and a thought occurred to me. It will require making a minor character's role a little bigger, and probably give me an extra chapter between the big climax and the resolution - one of those 'so now he thinks he's safe, we'll throw the minor loose end at him to pump up the adrenaline one last time' - but the difference here will be the unexpected resolution of that loose end - which, of course, will allow for further expansion of another character in the next book.

I've got a bit of writing done this week (a little over 3.6k at this point, final count sometime tomorrow in the WIP report), but gaming has side tracked me somewhat. For those of you who need to know, Australia won the second test at Lord's by an innings and 20-odd runs for a 2-0 series lead. At the end of the first session on day one in the third test (after being sent in to bat) Australia are 1-477 (good decision Strauss - not). Yes, I think I've sorted out this game and need to bump up the difficulty level but it is fun hitting Broad all around the ground...moving on.

I need to set aside some time to read. I'm finding the motivation a little hard at the moment because my current book for review is in PDF format. As e-readers are not plentiful within Australia, I'm stuck with reading on the laptop. Not a pleasant duty and with everyone sick at the moment, I'm lacking sleep. Reading off a screen has an almost ironclad guarantee to make me doze. Don't worry, Joan. I promised I'd have it read and reviewed during September, and so I shall.

Best part about work at the moment is the slight slowing down. Unfortunately everyone but me seems to be on holidays or attending conferences, or interstate for one reason or another, but this week is one of taking a breath before getting stuck into my major projects - which means I can get a little bit of writing done. Writing at work leaves more time for gaming at home...reading, I meant reading at home. ;c)

That's enough of an update from me at the moment. This blog is pretty much doubling as my journal at the moment, cataloguing my journey as a writer and not giving out a lot in the way of advice or tips. I haven't done a link salad in, like, forever. But this too will change. When I've finished the first draft of Inner Voices (IV), I will begin bringing together all the advice I was given while working with Gill Ainsworth of Apex fame. I will also be pulling out all the tucked away advice from my hero Pharo. The plan is to let IV (how's that for a cool shortening of a book title?) sit while I learn the technical bits behind writing that I've only got a loose grasp on at the moment. I intend to post the lessons and tips as I go, so we'll get back more towards the help in writing I was once more known for (by my hundreds of adoring fans).

Oh, one last thing, I've updated the links in my sidebar to show all the writer's blogs I frequent. Blogger has allowed me to easily import everything from my Google Reader which was nice - so go have a look at the names of the writers I read the blogs of, and if you're one of them, some reciprocated blog linkage love would be appreciated. Of course, if you're not listed and would like to swap links, I'm happy to sort that out as well - just drop me an email or leave a comment.

Peace Out (I don't know why I had a sudden urge to write that - sorry)

Father's Day Wrap Up

My family don't want me to write - I'm sure of it.

They all know I have a weakness for cute little Pokemon and other time wasting games like golf on the Wii. For Father's Day, I got Ashes 2009 for the Wii.

Last night I managed to do two things Ricky and the boys couldn't: I won in Cardiff (in under three sessions!) and I scored over 300 in the first innings at Lords. I managed zero reading or writing ;c(

Heading into the third session on day one of the second test, Australia has been bowled out for 320 and England are reeling at 4 for 70 odd. How will I ever get any writing done when things hang in the balance?

Okay, it's true I'm playing it on the easy level to figure out how to control the myriad of functions - it's quite an in depth and complex game - but an ass kicking is still an ass kicking. Cricketing world order has been restored, at least in my house ;c)

On top of that, further evidence of my family's attempts to keep me away from the keyboard include: a new micro SD chip for my daughter's old DS unit so I can hunt all the Pokemon I want when not playing cricket, and a sorely needed new step ladder so I can get additional jobs done around home and not lug around the big ladder (when not playing cricket or hunting Pokemon). Is it just me or is there a pattern forming here?

I hope all the dad's out there had a great day. Thank you to my lovely wife and kids for making my day as wonderful as always.

Can't Sleep

In the famous words of Robin Williams - it's oh two thirty in the morning. What's the oh stand for? Oh my God it's early!

Yes, it's 0233 here and my mind is running off on fuzzy and weird tangents when all I want it to do is shut down so I can go to sleep.

As it became obvious this wasn't going to happen, I got up and fired up the laptop (note to self: in the middle of winter, when you decide to work at stupid hours, put some pants on - my legs are bloody freezing!)

So, I went back and revisited my, you beaut big climax scene which I think is too short because it's missing the beginning third.

Some good news - the title of the first book came to me. One day you will all hopefully be able to purchase a copy of 'Inner Voices', Book one of the Nathan Steele series. (you'll have to imagine the trumpets and doves, voluptuous women gesticulating gently at the unfurling banner over head - you know, nothing too over the top)

More good news would be that I stopped obsessing over the length of the chapter and just finished writing it.

Bad news is, it currently sits as the second shortest chapter I've written, the first being...the first chapter. A fast start and a fast finish? Maybe...maybe I just need to let them sit and come back later with fresh eyes.

Which leads us nicely to some more good news...I'll be letting it sit where it is and come back to it later with fresh eyes...couldn't see that one coming could you? Oh, you did... :c(

Well, that's enough from me and it's good night from him, so because it's technically Sunday here, and therefore Father's Day in Australia, and I'm going to be tired and not feel like looking at a computer screen at all tomorrow, Happy Father's day to everyone out there.

Time for bed...

AHWA NEWS DIGEST [03.08.09-03.09.09]

The following digest of recent horror news is compiled from pieces published to HorrorScope and the Australian Horror Writers' Association website.

2009 AHWA AGM Notice
The Australian Horror Writers Association's Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place in September, and all AHWA members are invited to attend and be involved in the organisation's future developments. 9 September 2009, 7:30 pm (EST), Venue to be confirmed (Melbourne metro area). Please contact AHWA Secretary Ian Mond for further info on the location of this year's AGM.

Family Demons Takes Awards At Fright Night
Australian horror film Family Demons, directed by Ursula Dabrowsky, has won awards in the following categories at Fright Night Film Festival 2009. Click through for details.

Eneit Press To Launch Two New Books
Eneit Press would like to invite you to the launch of two new books: Life Through Cellophane by Gillian Polack, and In Bad Dreams Volume 2 edited by Sharyn Lilley. 4th October, at Conflux. Click through for RSVP details.

Eye Of Fire Issue #1
Brimstone Press has launched a new, free e-zine entitled Eye Of Fire. Issue #1 can be downloaded here. Subscribe to Eye Of Fire as a show of support while Black Magazine is being restructured. Angela Challis, Brimstone Press and Black Magazine Editor-in-Chief comments: "...With enough interest shown through free subscription to this e-zine ... Black (magazine) will be back!" Click through to subscribe.

Paul Haines' Slice Of Life
A man. A liver. A mind? Meet the mind of Paul Haines. Slice of Life contains seventeen glittering stories, dripping with twenty first century paranoia and anxiety - to be launched at Conflux 09, 29 August. Slice of Life is a fund-raising venture for the Paul Haines cancer fund. 100% of the cover price will help Paul Haines fight his cancer. Help give Paul Haines a slice of life. Click through to order.

Dymocks Southland Bestselling Horror Titles For August ‘09
Dymocks Southland is a general bookshop in Cheltenham, Victoria, boasting an extensive range of genre stock. Click through for the top 10 bestselling horror titles for August 2009.

Shards and Shards: Damned and Burning
Shane Jiraiya Cummings' debut collection, Shards, has been published and is now available from Brimstone Press and selected bookstores in Australia. Every story in Shards is illustrated by Australian dark fantasy artist Andrew J. McKiernan. Coinciding with the release of Shards is the bonus e-chapbook, Shards: Damned and Burning. Shards: Damned and Burning can be downloaded (PDF) for free from the Brimstone Press website (click on the Shards page).

Thrill The World 2009 Perth
Perth zombie lovers and Michael Jackson fans are organising a zombie-themed dance off as part of the Thrill The World 2009 event. Organisers are inviting people to dress as zombies and dance to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” as part of a simultaneous, worldwide Guinness World Record attempt. October 25, South Perth Foreshore. Click through for details.

Lovecraft Annual No 3
Lovecraft Annual No 3: New Scholarship on H. P. Lovecraft has just been published by Hippocampus Press. Edited by S. T. Joshi, this volume includes essays from Australian writers Leigh Blackmore and Phillip A. Ellis.

Digital Fringe 2009 Open For Entries
Digital Fringe is an open access public arts festival that places contemporary screen based media in public locations. In keeping with the Fringe Festival charter, Digital Fringe is open access and accessible to emerging and established artists, particularly those working in screen based and new media. Click through for more details.

Aussiecon 4 Membership Rates From September 1, 2009
Aussiecon 4 have announced that the following membership rates will hold from 1 September 2009. Click through for details.

Festive Fear
Tasmaniac Publications presents FESTIVE FEAR! An anthology of original stories from some of the leading horror writers working in Australia today. Fourteen disturbing tales, that will make you wonder if Christmas really is something to look forward to?

Writers Workshop Of Horror
Writers Workshop Of Horror includes an unparalleled list of teachers, all experts in their fields of endeavor. Woodland Press assembled a dream team of writers, editors and professionals for this special project. The book focuses solely on honing the craft of writing. Click through for more details.

Shades Of Sentience Short Story Competition
The Shades Of Sentience short story competition is open to "horror, fantasy, science fiction, and anything in between." Click through for more details.

Worldshaker Shortlisted For Golden Inky Award
Richard Harland's Young Adult steam punk novel Worldshaker has been shortlisted for a Golden Inky Award. Harland's book is one of 20 youth literature books listed on the awards shortlist - announced on the State Library of Victoria's youth reading website on August 21. Click through for a list of nominees.

World Premiere Of Australian Film: Eraser Children at Fantastic Planet Film Festival
Fantastic Planet, Sydney’s Sci-Fi and Fantasy Film Festival and Crumpler are proud to announce the festival’s opening night film: the world premiere of the Australian science fiction feature Eraser Children. The festival runs for eight days at Dendy, Newtown Cinema, from October 30 to Nov 6, 2009.

The Lifted Brow's Valcapella and Dwinn
The Lifted Brow is an Australian magazine of writing, art, and music. The magazine's recent midyear issue includes an ambitious eighty-minute audio drama by Brisbane writer Thomas Benjamin Guerney entitled "Valcapella and Dwinn".

LegumeMan's Underground Fiction Forum
Independent Australian publisher LegumeMan Books, known for titles that explore the dark and absurd, has recently launched a forum to discuss underground fiction and culture.

The Man Who Collected Psychos
In The Man Who Collected Psychos: Critical Essays on Robert Bloch, editor Benjamin Szumskyj gathers essays examining Robert Bloch’s novels, short stories and life, as well as the themes and issues explored in his influential canon. Featuring a Forward by Robert Hood. Available from McFarland Publications.

Jennifer Byrne Presents Monsters and Bloodsuckers
As part of the special Jennifer Byrne Presents series, Monsters and Bloodsuckers is slated to screen on the ABC at 10pm, Tuesday 8th of September. A special episode of First Tuesday Book Club, the half-hour programme will focus on the classic horror novels Dracula by Bram Stoker, The Werewolf Of Paris by Guy Endore, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. Guest authors joining Jennifer Byrn, are noted horror and occult writer Leigh Blackmore, childrens' book writer Catherine Jinks, novelist Tara Moss, and novelist Will Elliott.

Submitting News

If you have news about Australian and New Zealand Horror publishing and film, or news of professional development opportunities in the field, feel free to submit news to Talie Helene, AHWA News Editor. Just visit HorrorScope, and click on the convenient email link. (International news is not unwelcome, although relevance to Antipodean literary arts practitioners is strongly preferred.)

For information on the Australian Horror Writers' Association, visit australianhorror.com.

This AHWA NEWS DIGEST has been compiled, written, and republished in select Australian horror haunts by Talie Helene. Currently archived at the AHWA MySpace page, and Southern Horror; hosted at the social networking sites Darklands and A Writer Goes On A Journey; and hosted by AHWA members Felicity Dowker, Brenton Tomlinson, Scott Wilson, and Jeff Ritchie (Scary Minds: Horror's Last Colonial Outpost).

If you would like to support the AHWA News effort by hosting a copy of the AHWA News Digest on your blog or website, contact Talie to receive a fully formatted HTML edition of the digest by email.

Review: This Is Not A Game by Walter Jon Williams

My review of 'This Is Not A Game by Walter Jon Williams is now up over at HorrorScope - your home of all great book reviews - go have a look and if you like techno-thrillers, near future sci-fi, have fond memories of D&D, or like to learn the tools of the trade in writing a story, then do yourself a favour and go out and buy the book.

On my review scale I'm giving it a well deserved 4.4!

A Good Day

Today has been a good day for a number of reasons.

Firstly, I added a touch over 2000 words to the current WIP - excellent! Except I've struck a strange obstacle. I've written, what seems to me, to be the middle third of a chapter first. I know what comes after, but the first bit is eluding me unless I want a chapter that is around half the size of all the others.

I know it comes down to just write the story, don't pad, and all that, but this is the major climax - and it all seems to be happening too fast! I've slowly increased the pace until the point where our hero has had the crap beaten out of him and he's just about to find himself in the firing line between the good guys and the arch nemesis, and then has to use his own cunning to defeat the bad guy, save himself, and the day, but I've arrived too quick! I've gotten caught up in the action and rattled it off. (please, no male jokes this time - I'm feeling sensitive and vulnerable).

So before I get him out of the pickle, I've let things cool down. I'll go back to it after a nights sleep and see where I can heighten the tension, make the beating a little more vivid, pack in the punches - so to speak.

Another reason it's been a good day is because Jack of all Trades by the wonderful K.C. Shaw arrived in my mailbox! The only downer to this is the pile-up of books which sit in front of it before I can read it. My 10 year old daughter is also eyeing it off (It would be okay for her to read, wouldn't it, KC? Hanging around with dark fiction writers makes me ask first...)

But the last writing-related reason it's been a good day is because the list of books standing between me and everything else I want to read has been reduced by one! I finished 'This Is Not A Game' by Walter Jon Williams. This was a good book, but I'm somewhat biased because I'm a gamer from way back - not a video game player - a D&D player. I was rolling dice and talking to myself long before there was an AD&D. It is what really got my creative juices flowing in the first place and what I've tapped into to get back into characters heads ever since - but I digress...

This book has characters who are gamers, and the protagonist is also a writer who eventually switches from writing fiction to reality-infused-with-online games - these things are huge and have multi-million dollar budgets. But part of the appeal is because Williams also feeds out some mechanics on how to write a fictional story in the action/thriller genre. It's all pretty cool and that's just the first Act of the book (yep, it's even written in three distinct acts like all good little writers are taught). From there, the D&D aspects move more to the background and the obvious writing lessons disappear all together, but the story really takes off (which is more writing lessons in itself).

Okay - wait for more to be posted, like an actual review, on HorrorScope, tomorrow, or maybe Saturday if I don't find enough time tomorrow.

And totally not related to writing, but very cool anyway, I solved two major headaches at work today that have been hanging around my neck like a millstone for the last few weeks. The annoying bit is that I gave the guys the solutions and work arounds sometime back but nobody believed me until they implemented the suggested fixes today! There's some old saying about soaring with turkeys, and something about eagles - can't remember, but I think you know what I mean and it definitely applies to the Thanks Giving guest's of honour that I work with!

Only one major headache left to solve and then I can start making my own migraines by rolling out the first of two major projects I need to get done before Christmas this year :c(

2010 will definitely see more time for writing if I get everything right, so it'll be worthwhile - at least that's what I keep telling myself ;c) (there, I tied the last good bits into having something to with writing - kind of).

Time to catch some Pokemon - oh, is that the time...maybe just time to get some sleep instead.

Here's hoping you had/have a great Thursday as well!

Writer Appreciation

Writing is a lonely vocation so any excuse to say think you to those people out there who help make it a little less lonely is something that should be encouraged.

Hence Cate's blog, which was inspired by the post over at Nathan Bransford's blog, and which has inspired a few others to take up the baton should be applauded. And now here is my effort in spreading my appreciation (warm wet towelettes can be found just inside the entrance, please clean up before you leave).

I have always looked to Cate Gardner as the iconic 'Mother' of the loosely affiliated writing group I've become a part of. It has nothing to do with age, or an Oedipus complex, it has everything to do with a writer who has produced a large body of seriously impressive work who still takes the time to encourage and interact with other writers, especially if they're new to the game. She always has a nice word to say, and if you're lucky enough for her to have a look at your work as a beta reader, then her comments are insightful, encouraging and helpful.

If Cate is the 'Mother' then I look to Aaron Polson as the 'Father' of the group. All of the writers I'm going to mention have serious talent, so to keep listing that will get repetitive very quickly, but Aaron has a knack of creating vivid and detail sensory narrative which draws the reader in so completely that physical reactions to written words are common place. He has taken the time to read a few pieces of mine and my work has become better for it. His advice and blog posts are informative, sometimes funny, and often allow a light bulb to appear ever so briefly above my head.

Jamie Eyberg, the irreverent Natalie Sin, the zany Carrie Harris, Danielle Ferries, Felicity Dowker, Barry Napier, L.R. Bonehill, Jodi Lee, the other Kate's (Taylor & Shaw), the man with the amazing August - Jameson T Caine (congrats once more, buddy), the eternally young Rebecca Nazar, Alan Baxter, Anton Gully, Laura Eno, Alan Davidson, Jason Fischer, everyone at AHWA, Joan De La Haye, Benjamin Solah, and David Such are the usual suspects who, along with "Mum and Dad", tend to leave comments on this blog and give me the encouragement to go on. With all these cyber friends, who all know the trials and self doubt a writer goes through, writing doesn't seem like such a lonely profession.

Every single one of these people have written something, somewhere, which has amazed me. I read a lot of new writers work as part of my slushing duties, and I read a fair amount of newly published work through my reviewing, and it seems obvious to me that all of these people have an immense talent which will see the light of day to the greater public through a medium of their choice in the not too distant future.

Reading back over this impressive list, it would be remiss of me to not specifically point out a few people who have, and in some cases, still do, have (or had) a big impact on my writing. Amy Treadwell, my guru - Pharosian, and Gill Ainsworth.

I am proud to name all of them as my friends!

And I'd like to take this opportunity to say to those of you who visit and lurk in the background, who may have only commented once or twice, or who have nothing to do with writing but have found my ramblings somewhat entertaining (I believe they now have a vaccine for that), a great big thank you and your presence is also appreciated.

Okay, before I get all teary-eyed and start pasting pink all over the blog again, I think that's enough appreciation for one post.

Please don't forget to deposit your soiled towelettes in the receptacle on the way out.

A New Type Of Progress Counter For WIP Wednesday

I give you the Happy Bean. It is a happy creature who is always to be found with a beer in hand and proud of the words it has so far committed to paper/binary. It's count is always at 100% because he has totally completed all the words it claims to have completed at the time of reporting.

As it is more than happy to just let the story run its course, there is no target and therefore we are always meeting expectations. We will get there when we get there - wherever 'there' happens to be...

All I'll be adding is a weekly word count on WIP Wednesday, which this week stand at:- 2628 words, for a current overall total of...

Is This A Problem

My first instincts tell me maybe, but then the old saying of 'a story takes as long as it takes to tell the whole story' rings through the vacant space which I refer to as my mind.

I'm going to struggle to make 50k in my current WIP. A little while back, Cate mentioned she was struggling to find wordage and thought I'd have no problems reaching my goal. At the time I said I didn't think that was the case. Tonight I did a new outline of the last third of the book based on a new scene I had an idea for. I managed to re-script chapter 11 entirely, reworked chapter 12, and added a new chapter 13.

Total plot now plays out over 16 chapters instead of 15. Current average length of each chapter sits at 2100 words (some longer, some shorter). That math seems to suggest a first draft of 33600k, somewhat short of my target...

I know I want to go back and add in some additional layers, so I don't really see an issue with being able to legitimately move the wordage up close to 40k.

So I guess that's what I'm really looking at as my first target. I have a couple of other scenes which may need to be played out in the beginning of the book, but I'm not sure if they're needed and won't really know until the first draft is done.

The question I'd like to ask you: Should I drop my target at this point? If yes, should it go to 33.6k or 40k? If no, then do I stop and continue to work the outline to expand the scenes I think I need?

Am I thinking too much and should I just shut up and write the story, and who really cares about wordage and percentages anyway?

Did I just answer my own questions?

So I've done some writing last night and again tonight, as well as the new outline which is fairly detailed. I've also managed to complete another third of my current book-for-review. I'll finish 'This Is Not A Game' tomorrow and write up a first draft review (hint: it's a good book to this point), and then round out this weeks WIP total with a couple more hours on the laptop.

If things continue as they are, Nathan Steele, Book One (still looking for catchy title), will have it's first draft complete by the end of September. It's something to aim for...