The Cluckery

Crits (Quick Update)

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 22:05:09 GMT

Received a good crit on my chapter two of The Game. I'm going to experiment with removing chapter two, since it is a depressing mirror to chapter one. Chapter one my main character, Ios, goes from hopefulness to despair. Chapter two goes from despair to hopefulness. And I keep feeling something is wrong with it. Too much downer in the beginning.

The main reasons I am holding back from removing it is the two flashbacks. But I think, as long as I don't make any references to those flashbacks in the other chapters that follow chapter two, then I can get away with "recycling" -- cutting and using those flashbacks later. After all, I plan on a good deal of this novel being flashbacks. Besides, with my new revision to chapter one, I think the info on my character's god is now set up without this chapter.

So, I'll try a fixup of both chapters, so that I can cut one out and see how that works and see if my instincts finally agree.

ETA: I completed the fix up and it works pretty well. He's still not cured of depression, but it's not such a weight anymore dragging him down: he's surviving, which is one half the novel's entire point.

WiP and Stuff

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 16:35:38 GMT

Been busy on my wip, and nano07, the Game. I have up to chapter three edited; although, only chapter one's revision and chapter two are ready to post--which is well, since I don't have enough "points" at OWW to post a third chapter. Chapter three, though, involves a lighthouse. My two mages have went to the coast to help erect one and add magic touches. My model? A recreation of the lighthouse Pharos, as shown in Usborne's Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece. (A book I recently found at a yardsale.)

Here's a little dose of information I gleaned about it, complete with my tangents and digressions. The Pharos at Alexandria was one of the Seven Wonders of the World (and I'm not crazy about these new ones, by the way): four hundred feet* of towering white marble. (Mine may be marble, may not, but it most certainly won't be that high.) The picture in Usborne's shows a great fire inside the top, the cupola, that reminds me of the watchfires in the Lord of the Rings movies. I guess I never thought on how the light of the lighthouse worked before now; that's why I love pictures. But, another resource says mirrors were employed as well. Above the cupola stood a twenty-one foot statute of Poseidon, and the light inside the cupola shone to a distance of thirty-eight miles. The book shows it on an island, and other references agree. And although, the site on which the Pharos stood has been covered by sea, interestingly enough, after it fell in the thirteenth century A.D.**, some stones were used to in an Arab fort. (That recycling stuck with me, and I'll have to make something, perhaps a statue or the flame itself be recycled from long ago monument. Or better yet, some trophy taken from the enemy. Oooh....)

* Usborne's says 300ft.
** Usborne's says 14th C., A.D.

(Sources: the above mentioned Usborne's and also Wil Durant's The Life of Greece--part of a fabulous series called The Story of Civilization. The Usborne's book is good too, what with all its pictures from a market place to the inside of a Grecian home, pictures with people in activities, like moments of life captured. Such pictures always inspire stories in me.)

In other news, one of our few black swallowtails hatched. This one we raised from an caterpillar this year, not one that over-wintered. Been so few of them, though. We only had about four so far, of this first batch this year, and haven't seen many more. No pictures, but the one we released had a lot of distinctive yellow: a male. I hope one of the "cocoons" will hatch us a female, at least.

ETA: Since I wrote this up last night (the only way I make time to post anything), another butterfly hatched. A female. And, both chapters are now up.

Wishy Washy

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 14:02:10 GMT

I've been making up viable summaries/outlines for both The Game and Return To Sender. These were working summaries, to let me know what to revise and add. Also they are tools to help me analyze the conflict and tension levels before I start writing. Once you lay down scenes you like, it's hard to tear them back up and start over--not so much so if it's just a scene on an outline. Not to mention, I'm worried about the length of each novel. I write under not over (usually around 70-80k), and I must hit at least 90k for each.

Anyway, back to the point. I don't know what changed since I last journaled, but now I want to work on TG more than RTS. RTS has more salvageable material and I know a definite agent to try a query with, but still . . . . something is pulling me to TG more.

So I'll follow the muse for now, but I will also be working on a YA fantasy that's been niggling for a while. I recently bought some children/YA novels at a yardsale to check out, as research for the market. The Deltora series by Emily Rodda. I got the first series plus a few more for about $5 - $6. But they are for the younger grades/ages -- the 4th grade age group -- and mine? Well, the two principal characters are 15. Sort of. One's been 15 for 150 years. But still, it feels like it will be for an older age group--but I need to make sure. Which is why I'm reading the Deltora series.

I also bought, and devoured, a non-fantasy YA called Red Kayak by Priscilla Cummings. Great book. That one inspired me, more than the fantasy series, to work on my own YA.

Though I imagine once Early Edition tv series (season 1) comes out in June, I'll want to work on RTS again, since it was a major influence on that novel. I'm way too influenced by . . . influences, it seems ;-)

So, I guess I have to live in a wishy washy world. For now :-)

Long Time, No Blog

Thu, 29 May 2008 02:19:32 GMT

Been a while since I've blogged. I hope to get more active again, as my energy levels go up and my time is freed up a little more. I'm currently working on two novels, both nanos ('06 & '07); and I'm currently putting my old nano '05 aside until my frustration levels and patience levels are more equable.

Lab is the one being put aside.

RTS and The Game are being pushed to the forefront, RTS a little further than Game. I want to work on both, but The Game has the best chance. Standalone in every sense, better quality, stronger story, but--it's dark fantasy, and if God forbid I get published, I don't want to be labeled a dark fantasy writer. Because what I write, 90% of the time, is just fantasy--weird fantasy, maybe, I hope, but still that's not a subgenre available. I write where the muse leads, basically, and sadly, she doesn't stay dark all the time. I guess rewatching Stephen King flicks and the Saws might change that . . .

Anyway, blame it on that great Jane Austen biography I read (I'll have to find the link), that movie of hers I watched (Sense and Sensibility--with Hugh Laurie in it as a minor character!!), and that novel I re-read (Persuasion; tied for favorite with P&P)--all recently. For now I want Regency/Victorian settings, and that was my inspiration for RTS, so . . . let's hope I don't get burned out on those any time soon.

Well that's about it.

Update

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 23:55:14 GMT

Haven't updated in a while. I've been rewriting Lab, with the help of Book in a Month by Victoria Lynn Schmidt. Pretty good. But she thinks the exercises don't take that long, and they take longer than the actual rewriting time I have scheduled. I don't foresee this novel rewrite being ready until close to May/June. Then, I'm going to work on a partially written novel. Well gonna catch up on blogs now.

Update

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 02:06:06 GMT

Slowly trying to catch up on stuff--again. I have rough versions of three crits sitting on my computer since . . . well, some were done on Thursday through the weekend. I've just been so tired, I haven't gotten them finalized and posted.

Some of it is weather. I'm a sun hog. I like to bake in 80-90 degree heat.

Some of it is writing stuff. No replies on queries I had out--from before I posted my query packet at my crit group. Also, I don't know what to do with Lab. The crits I got on the sample pages say my writing needs a thorough edit, and, if I recall correctly, I believe it's awkwardness as the main culprit. I don't know what to do about that. I want to work on a YA story, but . . . I haven't.

There's some pressure from work; I keep falling behind, failing to meet my own goals. Heck it's gotten to the point I even dream about inventory related problems, lol.

Worse of all, I have no energy. I don't really have a cold, but all I wanna do when I get home from work is sleep. My one highlight in the week? Lost. Especially since I don't get a chance to take photos. Lost is doing amazing. I don't know what I'm going to do once its 6th episode is shown, since they only had those done pre-writer's strike.

Oh, but some good news: my sister has her website up now. She makes jewerly; real nice, creative stuff, related to nature.

Well, that's about it. I gotta work on getting those crits up now.

Dog pic & Flower

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 21:57:15 GMT

Mom's Valentine Present and some dogs. The chihuahua is our neighbor's, visiting.

More pics

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 21:22:12 GMT

Purple finch and junco (snowbird) this time.

Pics

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 20:51:44 GMT

A few pics as promised, of a squirrel, nuthatch, and blue jay:

Snowday

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 20:45:47 GMT

Well, I'm finally catching up some. Last week I had a lot of time off from work due to snow/ice, but I was also sick for that entire week so I mostly slept. By the way, I swear by Zicam. I usually take much longer to get over a cold, but I started taking the Zicam for colds the minute I felt a ticklish throat and it really helped.

Today is another snow, or rather ice, day. So, since I'm feeling mostly better--just allergies now, I think--I'm going to work on catching up on stuff, journals, crits, transfering pics and video. I didn't have the chance to do much of anything this week, with being so busy catching up on work and other related things and still feeling a little tired from the last dregs of the cold.

I'll post some pics soon that I took; gotta get them up on flickr first. Couldn't get the bird I wanted: rare, for us: a pileated woodpecker. He's too shy and I swear he teases me, pecking away on a tree too far away for the camera to take through a glass window. Evil.

Musings: Daydreaming

Sun, 10 Feb 2008 15:50:46 GMT

Does anyone else feel, as a writer, you need time to just daydream about stories or possibilities? To just let your mind wander creatively but freely and unrestrained? Lately, with my jobs, hobbies, and novel plans, I haven't had much time. I try to "daydream" while driving to work: not always safe ;-). And "daydream" myself to sleep, but that works too well, and I don't remember any of it, though sometimes it infects my dreams, which may or may not be a good thing depending on whether or not I want, for instance a skin bubbled up with a lot staring eyes chasing me around in a nightmare.

But as much as I enjoy it and need it, I feel guilty, because I'm the only one that does that in my family, so it seems wrong. Plus, you know what I do while I'm "daydreaming"? Generally, nothing: sitting there or laying in bed (if I get to sleep in for once). I could be doing things I promised, that need to be done, that are non-writing related. I could be working on my novels: being the serious, productive writer. But the more out of whack I am--whether depressed, stressed, or uncertain--the more time I need to daydream, because that comes easy; you can't mess up daydreaming, after all. And then that means procrastinating. So my guilt is real justified there.

So I guess there is no getting past it: daydreaming, a guilty pleasure, just like that extra chocolate you're not supposed to eat but you just can't get past.

Not much writing done, but ...

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 23:58:25 GMT

Some photos are done.

These two were sitting on the squirrel feeder.

Update

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 03:28:32 GMT

An update, briefly. Been taking more photos this month. Here's a few:

As for as writing, I have a few queries out on Lab, but I haven't sent out too many. And I'm thinking of holding off on doing any more in order to work on and sub a potential YA fantasy; it was once a novelette, and I hope to expand it. I'm also working on a short story. Well, that's about it.

Picture Day

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 21:36:00 GMT

Been taking pictures with my new camera instead of writing on my day off. Here are a couple of 'em:

Behind again

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 01:28:27 GMT

Behind again, due to work craziness and my new camera coming in. However, I hope to mail Lab's first query letter by Fri. It is very nearly done. The main proof is over; only the very minor corrections remain.

Best of intentions, but . . .

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 22:40:35 GMT

May have had the best of intentions, but this week I had pitiful output. Mainly because relatives visited for the week. Also, today, I got a pistol crossbow and messed with that a while, then went into town and got some stuff, and then shot the crossbow some more and then intended to only spend an half hour hour with my other bow, but ended up spending an hour. Ah well. Revised submission goal? Next Monday. Especially as I have to work at the longer job this week, for four days instead of three or two. So . . . well, that's about it for now. Will right more later.

2008

Sat, 05 Jan 2008 01:07:59 GMT

Been a while. But since I'm getting active again in writing, I might as well be active again in journalling.

As for as progress, I'm working on Lab. I'm proofing right now, and I believe by the end of this coming week, I will have it done and ready to submit. Finally. I believe it was my 2005 nano.

My goals for 2008 include:

Fixing up and submitting my 2006 nano series, a duology of RTS and sequel.

Fixing and submitting my novella, TWOS

Finishing first draft of 2007 nano, TG

Of course, I also plan on doing a 2008 nano.

That's it for writing up date so far. Got some proofing too do, if I wanna keep to my goal. Ta.

ETA:

Well, I thought I should explain at least what the latest nano and the older books are about. Those who know me, know that Lab or Labyrinth was about a thief who finds doorways to worlds inside a labyrinth. RTS or Return to Sender has a Victorian inspired setting, but is about my main character trying to do what the dead want him to do, to give them and the living some peace. Its sequel needs serious rework, so I'll not explain it yet. TG is my 2007 nano. Full title: The Game. Its setting is inspired by ancient Greece and the characters undergo a specific ordeal--which is a popular spectator sport--to awaken their magic. Then, armageddon happens. That's about it.