Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Post-Christmas
Yesterday, I officially completed the first draft of "The Underground." It's a Christmas miracle! Even more miraculous, it came in at slightly over 80K. A few weeks ago, I was shooting for 70K and hoping I wasn't being greedy. I don't know where the words came from, but I'm not complaining. The plot has culminated, and things are as settled as they are going to be before the sequel. I didn't kill as many people as I thought I would, but some of them were left wishing they were. I guess that's horror novels for you.
In Christmas news, I got many many wonderful gifts. The winner:
Gyoko/漁港 - FISH AND PEACE
The cover screams tattoo ideas, but I'm not sure how a school of fish would look around my arm. Though if I was to get a school of fish, they would have to be robot fish. Here's a clip of Gyoko performing live. The camera shakes on purpose, to mimic a brief earthquake.
I have to admit, Shinkai-san is very handsome. He wasn't at the fish market the last time I went, which was probably a good thing. I only have so much courage, and it took almost all of it not to pass out when I saw Captain Morita. Seeing your heros in person is always a shock. I would like to see the market again, but I don't know if it's open in winter. My Japanese friend is looking into it for me : )
Writing wise, I have a lot of edits on the horizon. SOUL JERKY needs a major overhaul. I know something isn't working. It's not a HUGE problem, but I need to see it clearly. In the meantime, enjoy this:
In Christmas news, I got many many wonderful gifts. The winner:
Gyoko/漁港 - FISH AND PEACE
The cover screams tattoo ideas, but I'm not sure how a school of fish would look around my arm. Though if I was to get a school of fish, they would have to be robot fish. Here's a clip of Gyoko performing live. The camera shakes on purpose, to mimic a brief earthquake.
I have to admit, Shinkai-san is very handsome. He wasn't at the fish market the last time I went, which was probably a good thing. I only have so much courage, and it took almost all of it not to pass out when I saw Captain Morita. Seeing your heros in person is always a shock. I would like to see the market again, but I don't know if it's open in winter. My Japanese friend is looking into it for me : )
Writing wise, I have a lot of edits on the horizon. SOUL JERKY needs a major overhaul. I know something isn't working. It's not a HUGE problem, but I need to see it clearly. In the meantime, enjoy this:
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Win Me Over
Eight ways to win my heart:
Granted, I am doing this meme all willy nilly and not in order. Oh well.
1.
2. Provide strong coffee. Cold brewed in the afternoon and summer/spring, hot in the late fall and winter.
3. Hate Seinfeld as much as I do.
4. Give me a wide berth when I stumble out of the bedroom semi-lucid and unable to form full sentences.
5. Compliment my dog. Pretty much all pet owners go gaga over this, but don’t assume. There are some ass-hats among us.
6. Lox and bagels for lunch. REAL bagels, not those circles of bread that pretend to be bagels. And so help you if the cream cheese is low fat.
7. Repeat this sentence, “You’re right, American music has sucked since the mid-90’s.”
8. Find out what TV show/movie this is from. The description EMI posted is for a different movie.
Granted, I am doing this meme all willy nilly and not in order. Oh well.
1.
2. Provide strong coffee. Cold brewed in the afternoon and summer/spring, hot in the late fall and winter.
3. Hate Seinfeld as much as I do.
4. Give me a wide berth when I stumble out of the bedroom semi-lucid and unable to form full sentences.
5. Compliment my dog. Pretty much all pet owners go gaga over this, but don’t assume. There are some ass-hats among us.
6. Lox and bagels for lunch. REAL bagels, not those circles of bread that pretend to be bagels. And so help you if the cream cheese is low fat.
7. Repeat this sentence, “You’re right, American music has sucked since the mid-90’s.”
8. Find out what TV show/movie this is from. The description EMI posted is for a different movie.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
To hump or not to hump
How much sex can we have in our books? That depends on how much our characters are having (not how much we wish they would have, or how much we think is "appropriate"). We must look at them, at who they really are, and ask ourselves, how much action are they getting? They might not be getting laid at all (for which I weep) or they might be fornicating with such force that the pages of the book shake. How/when/where they fuck might barely merit mentioning, which as writers we must endure with maturity and poise. Other times...
My characters are getting laid a lot. This is all justified. One of them, as I have mentioned, is a whore. Sadly, not the noble kind who get paid and make life easier for horny men. I hope she dies. Meanwhile, Carlo has acquired a girlfriend. As such, he is boning at every opportunity. The details are worth mentioning because everything is new and sparkly to them. I am amazed that he hasn't passed out from the amount of blood rushing away from his head. Forcing him to endure a stupid museum party, when he could be doing something much more naked and interesting, is just cruel.
To humping.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Sluts and Pimping
A trip to an abandoned museum to drink beer and use toilets that don't flush is a lame idea. Unfortunately, one of my characters is married to an idiot. She's a hot idiot, something I'm sure all the other guy's she's fucking have noticed, but that doesn't excuse it. Some of these people are on the south side of 25, they have better things to do. For one, they could drink in a place with working lights and plumbing. But there they are, each for their own reasons. Carlo, for example, is a really really good friend. Alas, he will not be rewarded for this.
In other news, I have stories on the brink of release. Two are available for pre-order!
OLD SCHOOL
Includes my two stories, "The Runaway" and "New Human".
Remember your favorite monsters? So do we. And we're going to make them do some very bad things...
ANTE MORTEM
Including my story, "The Good Friend"
Stories too good to die.
MALICIOUS DEVIANCE
Good guys are overrated.
There are others, which I will post about as the release dates get closer : )
Friday, December 17, 2010
Meme-tastic
25. Do any of your characters have pets? Tell us about them.
There was a pet in “Butterscotch”, but otherwise I avoid it. I can’t help but be distracted by the practical concerns of having a pet in a horror story/novel. What do you do with them when the shit hits the fan? You would have to write it in, which sounds troublesome, or leave the pet behind. The latter would traumatize me.
26. Let’s talk art! Do you draw your characters? Do others draw them? Pick one of your MCs and post your favorite picture of them!
In school I would draw comic book style woman with enormous breasts when I was bored, which is the extend of my artistic talent. And, as many of you know, I am shit at visualizing my character’s faces/bodies. That leaves me with a lot of pictures of famous people in my photobucket account. Here is Toichi, from my story “108.” Look for him in the upcoming DEAD BELLS anthology.
27. Along similar lines, do appearances play a big role in your stories? Tell us about them, or if not, how you go about designing your characters.
It really depends on the story. For “Fuji” in “The B-Team” appearance was extremely important. I held back one thing, the color of his hair. I like to give readers room to use their imagination : )
Another thing is that white people are not the default race in my stories. In my current WIP, the MC is Japanese and his name is Carlo. (This wasn’t to hide his race, the name was his mother’s idea). Carlo’s race doesn’t affect the plot. And, while they are all cognitively aware, no one in his circle thinks about it. I do talk about Carlo’s body, because a crazy woman keeps trying to hump him and readers should know what the appeal is.
That doesn’t mean race has to be directly relevant for me to mention it. Sometimes the idea of someone being one or the other is so strong, I include it because I want the reader to see what I see. Draken as a white ex-army brat, is a good example. There is no profound literary reason for her whiteness, other than she simply is. Tick, on the other hand, is Hong Kong Chinese because his biological parents are. My hands were pretty tied at that point.
28. Have you ever written a character with physical or mental disabilities? Describe them, and if there’s nothing major to speak of, tell us a few smaller ones.
I’ve written about a paraplegic and a blind man, but those stories were awful. The characters were fine - the plot stunk out loud. Let us never speak of those stories again.
I’m not sure I would classify Tetsuo (Active Imagination) as mentally disabled. His brain works in a very different way, but you won’t find a name for it in any psychology textbook. There is also Ping, Ruby Tam’s paramour. He doesn’t speak, but I’m not sure if he’s mute. There’s a lot I don’t know about Ping.
29. How often do you think about writing? Ever come across something IRL that reminds you of your story/characters?
Constantly, and yes. I’m at a loss for a specific example.
30. Final question! Tag someone! And tell us what you like about that person as a writer and/or about one of his/her characters!
Are you trying to kill me? Right now everyone is wrapping presents, baking cookies, and about one minute from a nervous breakdown. Here’s a nice happy music video, about a whimsical wedding in which anything can happen:
There was a pet in “Butterscotch”, but otherwise I avoid it. I can’t help but be distracted by the practical concerns of having a pet in a horror story/novel. What do you do with them when the shit hits the fan? You would have to write it in, which sounds troublesome, or leave the pet behind. The latter would traumatize me.
26. Let’s talk art! Do you draw your characters? Do others draw them? Pick one of your MCs and post your favorite picture of them!
In school I would draw comic book style woman with enormous breasts when I was bored, which is the extend of my artistic talent. And, as many of you know, I am shit at visualizing my character’s faces/bodies. That leaves me with a lot of pictures of famous people in my photobucket account. Here is Toichi, from my story “108.” Look for him in the upcoming DEAD BELLS anthology.
27. Along similar lines, do appearances play a big role in your stories? Tell us about them, or if not, how you go about designing your characters.
It really depends on the story. For “Fuji” in “The B-Team” appearance was extremely important. I held back one thing, the color of his hair. I like to give readers room to use their imagination : )
Another thing is that white people are not the default race in my stories. In my current WIP, the MC is Japanese and his name is Carlo. (This wasn’t to hide his race, the name was his mother’s idea). Carlo’s race doesn’t affect the plot. And, while they are all cognitively aware, no one in his circle thinks about it. I do talk about Carlo’s body, because a crazy woman keeps trying to hump him and readers should know what the appeal is.
That doesn’t mean race has to be directly relevant for me to mention it. Sometimes the idea of someone being one or the other is so strong, I include it because I want the reader to see what I see. Draken as a white ex-army brat, is a good example. There is no profound literary reason for her whiteness, other than she simply is. Tick, on the other hand, is Hong Kong Chinese because his biological parents are. My hands were pretty tied at that point.
28. Have you ever written a character with physical or mental disabilities? Describe them, and if there’s nothing major to speak of, tell us a few smaller ones.
I’ve written about a paraplegic and a blind man, but those stories were awful. The characters were fine - the plot stunk out loud. Let us never speak of those stories again.
I’m not sure I would classify Tetsuo (Active Imagination) as mentally disabled. His brain works in a very different way, but you won’t find a name for it in any psychology textbook. There is also Ping, Ruby Tam’s paramour. He doesn’t speak, but I’m not sure if he’s mute. There’s a lot I don’t know about Ping.
29. How often do you think about writing? Ever come across something IRL that reminds you of your story/characters?
Constantly, and yes. I’m at a loss for a specific example.
30. Final question! Tag someone! And tell us what you like about that person as a writer and/or about one of his/her characters!
Are you trying to kill me? Right now everyone is wrapping presents, baking cookies, and about one minute from a nervous breakdown. Here’s a nice happy music video, about a whimsical wedding in which anything can happen:
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Better Than Baseball Cards
Have they ever made cards for characters in genre novels? I ask because that would be really cool. Kind of like baseball cards, with stats and what not. Just as long as it didn't turn into some Pokemon thing.
Person 1: I present Cujo. Full rabies powers, activate!
Person 2: I present Moby Dick, who eats Cujo.
Person 1: No literary fiction! And also your whale now has rabies.
Person 2: Curse you, Penguin Classics!
I hate Pokemon. Long story. In other news, the time for nudity and frolic has passed in my WIP. Things will only get dark and bloody from here, for which I apologize. My characters didn't ask for this. The only one who even deserves it is Lisa, who as far as I'm concerned can go fuck a leprosy-ridden cactus. Carlo, Dex, etc., I weep for you. You deserve your own trading cards, even Brian who really isn't that interesting. But hey, he's well-intentioned and that's better than I can say for a lot of people.
Oh what the hell, let's all make trading cards for at least one WIP character. Don't pretend you don't want to. In fact, if you read this you're tagged. For those without artistic talent, do what I'm about to do: pick a photo of a celebrity. That's what they're there for.
Carlo *surname withheld*
Gender: male
Age: 26
Location: Stewart, CT
Profession: Contractor
Sexual preference: Straight (A tragedy, but life goes on).
Special powers: Ability to withstand psychotic women. Stamina (you know what I'm talking about). Smarter than you.
A high school drop-out with a SAT score of 2200, Carlo is a man of mystery. You can blame his mother for that. The modern-day equivalent of Atlas, Carlo takes on way more responsibility than he was to and soaks up a sense of obligation like a sponge. On the old-fashioned side, he knows how to treat a woman and won't hesitate to engage in fisticuffs should his lady-love's honor be insulted. *Would rather die than wear the outfit in the above picture.
*I like the outfit fine, and Pancho looks great in it. But we're not talking about Pancho.
**Yes, yes: Pancho and Carlo are similar names. It amuses me. Call me a dork, if you must.
Person 1: I present Cujo. Full rabies powers, activate!
Person 2: I present Moby Dick, who eats Cujo.
Person 1: No literary fiction! And also your whale now has rabies.
Person 2: Curse you, Penguin Classics!
I hate Pokemon. Long story. In other news, the time for nudity and frolic has passed in my WIP. Things will only get dark and bloody from here, for which I apologize. My characters didn't ask for this. The only one who even deserves it is Lisa, who as far as I'm concerned can go fuck a leprosy-ridden cactus. Carlo, Dex, etc., I weep for you. You deserve your own trading cards, even Brian who really isn't that interesting. But hey, he's well-intentioned and that's better than I can say for a lot of people.
Oh what the hell, let's all make trading cards for at least one WIP character. Don't pretend you don't want to. In fact, if you read this you're tagged. For those without artistic talent, do what I'm about to do: pick a photo of a celebrity. That's what they're there for.
Carlo *surname withheld*
Gender: male
Age: 26
Location: Stewart, CT
Profession: Contractor
Sexual preference: Straight (A tragedy, but life goes on).
Special powers: Ability to withstand psychotic women. Stamina (you know what I'm talking about). Smarter than you.
A high school drop-out with a SAT score of 2200, Carlo is a man of mystery. You can blame his mother for that. The modern-day equivalent of Atlas, Carlo takes on way more responsibility than he was to and soaks up a sense of obligation like a sponge. On the old-fashioned side, he knows how to treat a woman and won't hesitate to engage in fisticuffs should his lady-love's honor be insulted. *Would rather die than wear the outfit in the above picture.
*I like the outfit fine, and Pancho looks great in it. But we're not talking about Pancho.
**Yes, yes: Pancho and Carlo are similar names. It amuses me. Call me a dork, if you must.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Do you really?
I know, I know, everyone has seen this by now. It's still hysterical.
Granted, there are painful elements. For instance, sometimes dumb-asses do get huge book deals (sweet DJ Ozma, tell me it's only sometimes). Also, I'm not sure where people get the idea that pumping a book out (as an unknown writer) is a quick way to make some money. Permit me to suggest some more lucrative alternatives:
1. Sell a body fluid. Blood, sperm, even urine if you can find someone who will take it.
2. Sell your body. But wear a condom, gonorrhea doesn't cure itself.
3. Steal
4. Allow a celebrity to impregnate you.
5. Get someone to dare you a significant sum of money that you won't cut off your own finger. Cut off finger.
If, like me, you still insist on expressing yourself via the written word, then God speed you. But it might be best to cast off the pesky hope of becoming the next Stephen King. The King name will be making money long after his last descendant leaves earth to live on their moon mansion. The reason being that society will only allow so many "mega celebrities" in a field at any given time. So decide which is more important: Being published, or making lots and lots of money being published. But don't be sad, if you picked the first. There are plenty of cool things about being a writer. Make a list of a few of yours, for those moments when you want to give it all up, hump a rock star, and start collecting child support checks. Here are mine:
1. I can watch videos like this, and call it research:
Learning is fun.
2. It's not coffee. It's "talent fuel."
3. I can share the things I love with people I've never met.
4. It's not alcohol. It, too, is talent fuel.
5. Deciding whether to use "dick" or "cock" is a legitimate creative decision during my day.
Now, to writing!
*As always, I apologize to Saotome "basket of baby ducks" Hikaru, for associating his likeness with my filthy blog in any way. Especially in an entry in which the word "gonorrhea" was used. This was not intentional.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Youthful Innocence
Few things broke my heart like finding out dinosaurs and cave men didn't live at the same time in history. I like this version better:
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
The Trouble with Serial Killers
I'm worried about my serial killer. He's just so NICE. I worry his personality is dampening the mood of impending doom I'm trying to create. When the shit hits the fan, I don't want readers going, "Well, I'm sure he had a good reason." Ying loves the guy. To be fair, they have a lot in common. Other than the killing thing, though to be fair there are days when Ying gets home late from work. And I could have sworn we used to have two shovels in the garage.
Anyway, I have to focus on little ways to make my serial killer off-putting. Not to other characters, who by and large think he's a gem of a guy, but at least to readers. They don't have to hate him, I'm not picky, but I do want him to be memorable and creepy. Even if he's creepy in a "cute" way. Cute is fine. There are plenty of dirty, terrifying serial killers.
I think the only hope I have is to make sure readers like the rest of the characters more than they like Adam. That way they can be sad, when he kills said other characters. Although they don't have to like Lisa. Only one person is dumb enough to like Lisa, bless his heart, and he could very well be dead soon. Or not. I'm not married to slaughtering Brian, though I'm not sure letting him live would be a mercy.
When I start to feel down, which is often at this stage, I remind myself that I can almost definitely make it to 80k. There are other things that perk me up, like learning something new about my characters. I love those moments:
1. SC (nickname for one of my MCs) continues to evolve. Most recently, it has come to light that he has nocturnal paralysis. Not all the time, just when he has a really fucked-up nightmare. Sorry, SC.
2. Really Lisa? You make your husband do that? If I wanted to, I could have you die up a rhino's ass.
3. Look Adam, I find your fantasies hot and all. The thing is, I'm not sure where you got the idea that brothers do that sort of thing. But congratulations on being comfortable with your heterosexuality.
4. Bad, Brian! Grow a pair right now!
5. Oh, John. Really? You know your mother is insane. We all do. A hickey is not a sign of physical abuse, though Dex certainly did enjoy it. Just because you don't want to bone each other doesn't mean she doesn't have womanly needs. SC can get the job done. Now behave, or I go into graphic detail.
The expression is perfect, it's the rest of the outfit that SC would have a conniption over. Nor do I think Pancho would be overly thrilled to know how many "twins" he has out there in Sin fiction land. As with Sam Lee and Ranma, Pancho has a face/body that fits a lot of different personality types and story ideas. Kind of like Lee Kang Sheng does for Tsai Ming Liang, or Johnny Depp for Tim Burton. Some people may wonder why those directors use the same actor as a lead in so many movies. To me, it makes perfect sense. You go with what works.
*To Pancho: If it helps, SC gets laid a lot in this book. While this pales in comparison to the action you get in videos like "For You", putting SC on a bed with a pile of women doesn't really work for the plot. I hope you understand.
Anyway, I have to focus on little ways to make my serial killer off-putting. Not to other characters, who by and large think he's a gem of a guy, but at least to readers. They don't have to hate him, I'm not picky, but I do want him to be memorable and creepy. Even if he's creepy in a "cute" way. Cute is fine. There are plenty of dirty, terrifying serial killers.
I think the only hope I have is to make sure readers like the rest of the characters more than they like Adam. That way they can be sad, when he kills said other characters. Although they don't have to like Lisa. Only one person is dumb enough to like Lisa, bless his heart, and he could very well be dead soon. Or not. I'm not married to slaughtering Brian, though I'm not sure letting him live would be a mercy.
When I start to feel down, which is often at this stage, I remind myself that I can almost definitely make it to 80k. There are other things that perk me up, like learning something new about my characters. I love those moments:
1. SC (nickname for one of my MCs) continues to evolve. Most recently, it has come to light that he has nocturnal paralysis. Not all the time, just when he has a really fucked-up nightmare. Sorry, SC.
2. Really Lisa? You make your husband do that? If I wanted to, I could have you die up a rhino's ass.
3. Look Adam, I find your fantasies hot and all. The thing is, I'm not sure where you got the idea that brothers do that sort of thing. But congratulations on being comfortable with your heterosexuality.
4. Bad, Brian! Grow a pair right now!
5. Oh, John. Really? You know your mother is insane. We all do. A hickey is not a sign of physical abuse, though Dex certainly did enjoy it. Just because you don't want to bone each other doesn't mean she doesn't have womanly needs. SC can get the job done. Now behave, or I go into graphic detail.
The expression is perfect, it's the rest of the outfit that SC would have a conniption over. Nor do I think Pancho would be overly thrilled to know how many "twins" he has out there in Sin fiction land. As with Sam Lee and Ranma, Pancho has a face/body that fits a lot of different personality types and story ideas. Kind of like Lee Kang Sheng does for Tsai Ming Liang, or Johnny Depp for Tim Burton. Some people may wonder why those directors use the same actor as a lead in so many movies. To me, it makes perfect sense. You go with what works.
*To Pancho: If it helps, SC gets laid a lot in this book. While this pales in comparison to the action you get in videos like "For You", putting SC on a bed with a pile of women doesn't really work for the plot. I hope you understand.
Monday, December 6, 2010
People Who Inspire Me, Entry Three
Japanese Rockabillies:
This is what happens when you take the rockabilly lifestyle and apply it to some of the best looking men in the world. I found out about Japanese rockabillies by happy accident, and they became a big part of the reason I was excited to go to Japan. By then, the existence of the Yoyogi Park rockabillies had become the inspiration for Fujiwara Shogu, one of the MCs in "The B-Team." I wrote the novella itself after seeing them in person, and became inspired to include another character, Fuji's best friend. This time the inspiration was an actual person (not the idea of rockabillies in general). So it makes sense that I would start with this picture:
Coolest guy ever.
I took videos that day, and realized that I could hear the lyrics in one of the songs: "Bye Bye Carol." A Google search led me to the band, which led me to the discovery that rockabilly music is alive and well in Japan. And there was great rejoicing. I am now happily in love with groups like The Mackshow, The Colts, and The Sneakers.
*Kotaro-san, lead singer of The Sneakers. He is fantastic. You can visit the band's Youtube site, or follow him on Twitter.
*The Mackshow.
I raise my glass to you, Japanese rockabillies. You are a huge inspiration to me, and I adore you.
This is what happens when you take the rockabilly lifestyle and apply it to some of the best looking men in the world. I found out about Japanese rockabillies by happy accident, and they became a big part of the reason I was excited to go to Japan. By then, the existence of the Yoyogi Park rockabillies had become the inspiration for Fujiwara Shogu, one of the MCs in "The B-Team." I wrote the novella itself after seeing them in person, and became inspired to include another character, Fuji's best friend. This time the inspiration was an actual person (not the idea of rockabillies in general). So it makes sense that I would start with this picture:
Coolest guy ever.
I took videos that day, and realized that I could hear the lyrics in one of the songs: "Bye Bye Carol." A Google search led me to the band, which led me to the discovery that rockabilly music is alive and well in Japan. And there was great rejoicing. I am now happily in love with groups like The Mackshow, The Colts, and The Sneakers.
*Kotaro-san, lead singer of The Sneakers. He is fantastic. You can visit the band's Youtube site, or follow him on Twitter.
*The Mackshow.
I raise my glass to you, Japanese rockabillies. You are a huge inspiration to me, and I adore you.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
ガッツだぜ !!
Some people read great writers and feel sad, because they think they will never be that amazing. I read someone like Stephen King, or Jack Ketchum, and think, "Well, that's a relief." Granted, there was no danger of me becoming the biggest name in horror. I have a better chance of getting Pancho for Christmas.
*It's fun to dream.
Don't get me wrong, I want to learn something every time I read a great horror novel, or any great novel for that matter. The same goes for short stories and interviews with successful writers. I just don't see myself bound for that level of public acclaim. If I continue to write what I love, and I intend to, I hope to amass a group of readers who enjoy my voice and celebrate/endure my odd fixations. A cult following would be fantastic, but I won't hold my breath ; ) After all, in life some seek greatness while others find it thrust upon them. Still others write about people fucking and then a monster shows up. I believe I fall into this latter category.
Let me put it this way: I greatly enjoyed the movie "Chopping Mall." In fact, I usually enjoy "bad" horror movies a lot more than good ones. The same does not hold true for books, thank goodness. When you slap bad movies and quality books together, add some naked men and a love of Hong Kong culture, then strain it through my brain you get a "Sin" story. It's not crap, but it's not about to win any awards. I'm fine with that. What I want is to sell stories that will make people happy. If "RELENTLESS SODOMY: The Musical!" gives you a grossed-out chuckle, or "The Underground" makes you look at serial killers in a different way, then I am a raging success in my own mind.
That said, we all have moments where we want to curl into a ball, and question why we ever decided to be a writer. When that happens, remember: You've got guts. We all do. Otherwise, we would have given up by now.
*Poison darts, rejections. Same thing.
*It's fun to dream.
Don't get me wrong, I want to learn something every time I read a great horror novel, or any great novel for that matter. The same goes for short stories and interviews with successful writers. I just don't see myself bound for that level of public acclaim. If I continue to write what I love, and I intend to, I hope to amass a group of readers who enjoy my voice and celebrate/endure my odd fixations. A cult following would be fantastic, but I won't hold my breath ; ) After all, in life some seek greatness while others find it thrust upon them. Still others write about people fucking and then a monster shows up. I believe I fall into this latter category.
Let me put it this way: I greatly enjoyed the movie "Chopping Mall." In fact, I usually enjoy "bad" horror movies a lot more than good ones. The same does not hold true for books, thank goodness. When you slap bad movies and quality books together, add some naked men and a love of Hong Kong culture, then strain it through my brain you get a "Sin" story. It's not crap, but it's not about to win any awards. I'm fine with that. What I want is to sell stories that will make people happy. If "RELENTLESS SODOMY: The Musical!" gives you a grossed-out chuckle, or "The Underground" makes you look at serial killers in a different way, then I am a raging success in my own mind.
That said, we all have moments where we want to curl into a ball, and question why we ever decided to be a writer. When that happens, remember: You've got guts. We all do. Otherwise, we would have given up by now.
*Poison darts, rejections. Same thing.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Focused
I really need to read more, and watch more movies. As pleased as I am to be making steady progress on my WIP, I also know my tendency to hyper focus. As I've told Ying, I'm small picture. I'm working on a novel right now. My thoughts are on it, my schedule revolves around it. Now is not the time for movies and frivolity.
Except that movies and books feed the muse. So does music, which I recently have become much better about. I'll even listen to it while I write sometimes. I know, WTF? I think I'll skip the coffee run tonight, and stay home to watch "I Don't Want to Sleep Alone." A movie about a man caught between another man and a "winsome" young woman (Netflix's description, not mine). I think you all know who I'm rooting for.
In the meantime, back to brainstorming, music, and various internet scampering. Because wasting time is often the best way to get ideas. So are photos of handsome, shirtless men:
Fantastic. For the rest of you, here's a picture I took in Hong Kong of a man and his bird. The bird was very naughty, and devised a daring plan of escape. It failed.
Except that movies and books feed the muse. So does music, which I recently have become much better about. I'll even listen to it while I write sometimes. I know, WTF? I think I'll skip the coffee run tonight, and stay home to watch "I Don't Want to Sleep Alone." A movie about a man caught between another man and a "winsome" young woman (Netflix's description, not mine). I think you all know who I'm rooting for.
In the meantime, back to brainstorming, music, and various internet scampering. Because wasting time is often the best way to get ideas. So are photos of handsome, shirtless men:
Fantastic. For the rest of you, here's a picture I took in Hong Kong of a man and his bird. The bird was very naughty, and devised a daring plan of escape. It failed.
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