Written by Sin

Communication

2011-07-22T13:30:00.001-07:00

Spider hole. That was what I called the picture (in Japanese) of a funnel web. I don't speak Japanese, but thanks to Google translate and the internet, I can communicate. In fact, some of the people I talk to the most live on the other side of the world. It's a humbling experience. There are a lot of things I can't say. Everything has to be simplified, and it can take a long time to say what I mean. Even then, I have to hope I didn't mess up.

As a writer, it's incredibly frustrating. We take pride in the words we use and the way we use them. But sometimes we forget the most important point: the message.

Writing Stuff and Ranma

2011-07-15T13:25:00.000-07:00

I got a lot done this week, story wise. Mostly it was editing: I got through the pile, including the gay erotica, and realized that a lot of them need a lot more work than I expected. This is frustrating, since it means I can't do the computer edits and submit them in a week, but on the plus side I have a stockpile of stories whenever a new magazine/anthology comes out. Before, I wrote stories specifically for markets (which I still love), but it's nice to have a safety net. I also submitted two stories, on old one and one brand new one. The other new story I wrote, "Sacrifice", is waiting for August ; ) The story was a risky one, for me. While I don't shy away from controversy, I also don't court it. I have to be in the mood to write something "edgy" and it isn't always something you can plan for. The original plot for "Sacrifice" was much tamer, and I'm really happy that it ended up the way it did. I love these characters, and I can't help but hope that I get to see them again some day.

In other news, there are one and a half months left to enter my Grand Contest! Based on comments, I think people are going to need it. It seems that people are intimidated by how many Ranma pictures I already have. In addition, there is some confusion over which one is Ranma and which one is Show-yan. I went to find a picture of the two of them together, and realized that they actually don't stand in close proximity to each other than often.

They're both on the left. Show-yan is in the back, Ranma is in the front.

Shorts

2011-07-11T13:58:00.000-07:00

I'm editing this week, which makes me want to write, which I'm not supposed to do because I'm editing. Today I did paper edits on two short stories, one that has already been accepted and one that needs more work before I can submit it. I have a stack of other short stories that need my attention, and I'll get to as many of them as I can this week. There's no rush, but I do want more stories out in submission land (or at least ready for submission land) before I edit THE B-TEAM. I really miss Fuji. He's one of my favorite characters, and writing about him makes me think of Japan.

But first I have shorts to edit. And maybe some gay erotica, though I already have several of those that are ready to be submitted. Which reminds me, the four gay anthologies I am in are now all available for purchase on Amazon, including "The Handsome Prince"(Cleis Press), which you can win if you send me the best picture of Ranma. The other anthologies are:

1. Rock & Roll Over (STARbooks Press)

2. Gym Buddies & Buff Boys (STARbooks Press)

3. Brief Encounters (Cleis Press)

Meme, by Sin!

2011-07-08T13:29:00.000-07:00

K.V. Taylor tagged me, and I'm happy to avoid making a real entry ; )

1. Are you a rutabaga?

No, but thank you for asking : )

2. When was the last time you ate lion meat?

I'm sorry, I'm not into beastiality.

3. Upload a heartwarming picture of something that makes you smile.

4. If you could go back in time and kick the crap out of someone, who would it be?

Dude, I'm a Buddhist.

5. Name one habit that makes other people plot your demise.

I talk too much. It doesn't help that very few people (in the states) share my interests, and I inflict them on Ying's friends, who now know way more about Japanese rock than they ever wanted to.

6. What song would you like to be playing while you are kicking the crap out of someone?

7. How many goats, stacked atop one another like Yertle’s Turtles, would it take to reach the moon?

Enough to reach the moon.

8. Describe yourself using obscure Latin words.

I don't know any obscure latin words. Would you settle for Cantonese swear words?

9. Why does evil exist?

To give people a reason to freak out over rock music.

10. What the chiz are you thinking right now?

The same things I usually think about: Asian men and coffee.

And now to tag : )

1. Danielle Ferries
2. KISSES IN SPAIN
3. Brendan P. Meyers
4. WD Prescott
5. Barry Napier

11. Pick a funny nickname for number 1.

I'm trying to think of one involving "The Castle of Otranto", without making her sound cursed. Danielle, any thoughts?

12. Make up a Haiku about number 2 (I don't do rhymes, even though I just accidentally made one).

Guys in Kishidan
I forget which you like best
Think of them naked

13. Where would number 3 hide in the event of the apocalypse?

That depends on the nature of the apocalypse. You don't hide the same way from zombies that you do from floods.

14. Where does number 4 purchase his pants?

Insert funny answer. The coffee hasn't kicked in yet!

15. What would number 5′s favorite dance move be?

The Dragon Dance

Self Abuse

2011-07-05T13:47:00.001-07:00

I finished the story that took me two weeks to finish. I even thought of a title, changed a character's name, and edited it. All this left me very, very stressed as evidenced by the fact that I haven't been able to sleep since. I had a long weekend, but it wasn't very restful but thankfully we didn't do any yard work, I think that would have killed me. Now I can hold on to the story for another month, until THE RED PENNY PAPERS opens for short fiction subs. Which begs the question, why bothering writing and editing it in two weeks? I have no idea. All I know is that I would have gone crazy if I didn't keep writing. I still went crazy, but as any writer will tell you there's no way around that.

In other news, I'm ready to edit "The B-Team", the horror novella I wrote last year. My plan is to get "The B-Team" and "OCEAN" edited/published before I move on to my novels. I had very specific soundtracks for each novella, a best of Elvis CD and "FISH & PEACE (Gyoko), respectively. But first, I'm going to write another short story : )

Grand Contest

2011-06-27T09:13:00.000-07:00

In regards to my "Grand Contest", there seems to be some confusion over which one Ranma is. Here is a video of Kishidan, Ranma is the one who goes to Egypt. Drink him in ; )

Title : )

2011-06-21T13:29:00.001-07:00

I started a short story, based on a picture I saw yesterday. Most of the time, when I see a picture of a person or a band I like I see the person/band. Every so often, however, I see something else. Sometimes it's later, when I have a character in mind and I need a face and body to go with it. I have pictures on my computer right now, of "characters" in my current WIPs: Kaito and Aoyama-san. Kishidan fans will recognize them as Hikaru (sans regent) and Ranma. I'm a big Kishidan fan, but I don't see them in those pictures any more. I don't see them in this picture either:

This is for the best. If I wanted to imagine Hikaru doing the kinds of things Shino is doing, he and every other member of Kishidan would have every reason to take out a restraining order on me. The same goes for other Japanese bands, some Rockabillies in Yoyogi Park, and King from DJ Ozma. That said, I'm not sure how Hikaru and Pancho would both testify against me in court.

In other news, I haven't gotten any submissions for my Grand Contest yet. Don't be shy, people. All pictures of Ranma are good pictures. Here, to remind you, is what Ranma looks like:

Ranma is the one in orange, perhaps keeping his shirt on because sweet merciful crap look at Hikaru.

Let it Go

2011-06-16T13:15:00.000-07:00

I stopped writing my werewolf story. I hated writing it, it made my OCD worse, and I realized that it wasn't going to be a "Sin" story. It might have been a good story, but my voice wouldn't have been in it. Never say that giving up makes you a loser. Some things should be given up. There is nothing noble about completing something that makes you miserable, that you will get no joy out of, just to say you did it. If you need to feed your family, or keep a roof over your head, that's noble. Life is suffering, that doesn't mean we have to go out of our way to create it. (There's lots of good stuff in life too, the word suffering doesn't mean everything in life sucks).

So I'm going to go back to "Bad Boy". I miss the novella, and I love the characters. That's another thing about the werewolf story, I loved the main characters, but it wasn't where they were supposed to be. That made it hard to get to know them, and it took tremendous effort to move the plot foreword. It took me so long to realize I should give up, that it isn't going to be an easy road back. I don't even remember how to enjoy writing any more. My brain is fried, and it needs time to heal.

On a happier note, there's still time to enter my Grand Contest! I realize that the picture I included wasn't the best. You can't really see Ranma and, given that a lot of Kishidan members have similar hairstyles, it makes it hard to know who to look for. So here's a better picture. Enjoy : )

Grand Contest

2011-06-06T13:16:00.000-07:00

It's contest time : ) I got two contributor copies of "The Handsome Prince: Gay Erotic Romance.". The stories are in "once upon a time" style", and are all man-on-man.

*Pug not included

The winner will receive their own copy, signed by my pseodonym. Try to guess which story it is! Just kidding, my pseudonym is "Fox Lee" and my story is the one inspired by Chinese period movies. It's the first one in the book! To win a copy, all you have to do is inspire my muse. Which is a nice way to say I want you to find me a picture of this man:

The one in the hammock. His name is Ranma, he's in Kishidan, and the Japanese spelling of his name is 星グランマニエ (Ranma = ランマ). It doesn't have to be a picture I haven't seen, but Ranma has to be the focus of it. The contest will be open until August (the hottest month), and each person can only pick one picture. Hint: I prefer pictures of Ranma with short hair. When you choose your picture, email it to FuzzyBlueElf@gmail.com To men!

I'm Alive!

2011-05-26T13:23:00.000-07:00

With my father's visit last week, and being sick for a few days, I have not been on my blog in a long time. I've barely written anything, and my muse feels battered, bruised, and broken. Long story short, I hate having OCD. But this blog isn't about my anxiety disorder, so you can breath a sigh of relief ; ) I will find my way back, it's just that being sick magnifies everything and the last few months have been hard. Why? No fucking clue. I have been focusing on my Buddhism more, which has helped. I meditate daily now (until I got sick), and I am way more conscious of the bullshit in my head. Of course, monks use much nicer language. Here is a video of one talking about how he and his friends used to sneak out of the temple to see movies. Whatever faith you are, this is adorable:

Standing Nippon

2011-05-21T19:25:00.000-07:00

Kishidan singing "Swinging Nippon", with the lyrics changed to "Standing Nippon".

He's Got Legs

2011-05-16T13:57:00.000-07:00

My dad is visiting for a few days, so I don't know when I'll have time to write a proper entry. I don't have any huge news, but I do have a contest coming up (with nudity!), so there's that to look forward to. In the meantime, enjoy Yukki. I love him enough to ignore the nightmare strawberries from Hell.

The Beast Within

2011-05-11T13:33:00.001-07:00

The Richard Laymon books I bought on eBay came in the mail. As happy as I was, it also reminds me how much I used to love Leisure Fiction. Their covers always caught my eye, long before I knew which publisher was which, and seeing "Mr. Hands" in a book store is what brought me back to horror. After that I discovered Brian Keene, Jack Ketchum, and of course Richard Laymon. When I found out he was dead it broke my heart. He always looked so happy in the books, and I especially liked the one of him and the aliens. After reading one of the Beast House books, he became my hero. It also showed me that I was being far more demure than I had to be in my own writing. He wasn't the only author to do that, but he did it in the most memorable way.

Lest you think me a pervert, I have Richard Laymon books without giant dongs in them. At least I think I do. Having not read all of them, I can only speculate that one of them might not involve sex. That would be a shame, but I'd still read them. I mean, I've written books without sex scenes in them. *thinks* All right, that's a lie. But I could, in the right situation, write a story without nudity in it. Then I would cry and drink large quantities of whiskey. So, for my own good, I think I'm going to keep writing sex scenes and stick to recreational drinking.

*What the inside of my head looks like.

WIP Soundtrack

2011-05-08T13:04:00.000-07:00

I got sick, so very little was accomplished this week. I did write two chapters in my new WIP, something to write alongside my other WIP "Bad Boy." It's not like me to have two WIPs going at once, but what with getting sick and not sleeping enough, I found myself in a fucked up state of mind. I'm not sure when I'll finish "Dirty Sex and Four-Legged Douchebags" (Not dogs. Dogs are not douchebags). If I have to be sick to be inspired, it might not get finished for a long time.

*Me with Hachiko, in more lucid times.

Since announcing "P.S. I love you" by Hound Dog as the first song as part of the soundtrack, I keep hearing hearing songs that inspire ideas and/or get me into the character's heads. Today I heard "Renegade" by Styx, and it was perfect for Jude. Yes, after "Hey Jude", and yes that song is in the soundtrack, too. The female MCs name is Ika, so if I hear any rock songs about squid I'll let you know.

New Story Idea

2011-05-03T20:05:00.000-07:00

It might suck. At least it has a good sound track:

Brain down!

2011-04-28T13:47:00.001-07:00

My brain doesn't work. I've had all week to write/edit/whatever and all I've managed to do is read half of a book. I can't brainstorm about my WIP, and my urge to edit is incredibly low. So I'll stick to reading. At least then I'll remember how to write. Or make my brain jealous ; )

Bad to be

2011-04-26T13:27:00.000-07:00

Apparently, Kaito was only the beginning. Hotaro was waiting in the wings for his own chance to run around Tokyo getting into trouble, eating food that makes me hate myself, and meeting the kind of men that make me trip over my own feet. Because I like the background to be pretty, before I splatter it with blood. This novella is mostly in the developmental stage: four chapters in, and I realized that I needed to do a lot more brain storming. Luckily I have OCEAN to edit, and I already miss those characters.

In any case, I'm not surprised that Hotaro was waiting. I wrote about a hero, now I want a anti-hero. Not that Hotaru is a bad guy. He's very sweet, despite his many many issues. However, after being weak and powerless for almost thirty years only a monk would wake up a better, stronger man and decide to stay the course. Hotaru has tasted the sweet sweet nectar of unbridled violence and wants more. He just doesn't know how much yet. As for the man in his life, I'm not sure if he's going to be a good influence or a bad one.

Meet Aoyama, the pale man. It's hard to imagine him not in a suit, and I'm not sure he ever will be (nudity excluded). He's like a cat: capable of great loyalty and affection for the right person. Everyone else should be afraid.

I am a Mountain Goat

2011-04-23T11:57:00.001-07:00

The Animal In You - You're a Mgoat!

Mountain goat personalities are very much loners. Observing the goings-on from their unique perch, they are consummate voyeurs and when mingling with other terrestrial animal personalities they feel uncomfortable and vulnerable. After brief forays into their world, they must return to their place of security.

Balance is a critical component of a mountain goat's life, and they are moderate in every facet of their behavior. With conservative family values, their politics are middle of the road, and their even-keeled life has similar characteristics to that of their cousin the sheep. However, there's an air of eccentricity about a mountain goat, and this is reflected in their unusually decorated homes.

Nimble of foot and quick of mind, mountain goats are adept at extricating themselves from tricky situations. Usually though, they're're responsible for getting into these predicaments in the first place and have a habit of not learning from their mistakes. Although intelligent, they do not have much in the way of street smarts and could be considered naive. This is probably due to a lack of real-world experience.

A creature of gossip, mountain goats subscribe to the rumor mill that includes tabloid magazines and TV shows in an attempt to better understand the world of the terrestrial personalities. They love to watch soap operas and other shows depicting the tumult of human relationships. With this affin-ty for intrigue and gossip, they would make a great movie critics, writers, hairdressers or tabloid journalists.

If you're looking for a scout guide or hiking partner, this sure-footed beast is an ideal choice. However, its talents as a leader are suspect. Because of its solitary existence, it does not have the insight into human behavior that is required for leadership. Mountain goats are not risk takers and need to feel solid ground beneath their feet before making any major decision. Mia Farrow is an exemplary mountain goat who manages to maintain her balance while snakes and rock-falls threaten to dislodge her grip on life.

I know these quizzes are for fun, but this is pretty much on the nose. I'm a huge loner, and I do talk about celebrities/other people in order to unravel how "normal" people act. I read People magazine not because I care, but to know what other people are talking about. I suppose eccentric applies, too ; )

Death

2011-04-20T13:37:00.000-07:00

I started a short story this week, because I go crazy when I'm not working on something. I tried to occupy my brain other ways. I watched a movie this weekend, I read "69", "Sordid Sex Lives", and started "Audition". I did the treadmill two days in a row like I'm suppose to and listened to music. All this did was encourage me. Especially the movie, "Departures." I was fascinated by the depictions of encoffining. Of course, as a horror writer I had the obvious question: what if you woke up?

Granted, there is nothing new about people waking up while "dead" in fiction. Yet there is a specific tenderness and beauty to Japanese encoffining that inspires me. So I started writing "Hotaru". I didn't write much, before I had serious concerns about it turning into a novella. I already have a novella to edit. Two actually, and four novels. Hotaru doesn't care. He keeps growing, and has been renamed "Bad Boy." Because if you have a chance to start over, you don't always decide to be a good guy.

Departures

2011-04-18T14:07:00.000-07:00

One of the best movies I have ever seen.

Memory Lane

2011-04-14T15:29:00.000-07:00

I think I am almost done with OCEAN, my love letter to Japanese men (gay and straight), seafood, and Japan. I listened to the soundtrack on the treadmill, and thank goodness I did. I had forgotten a lot of the journey that got me here. It makes me realize why it was so hard to write this week. Nothing triggers OCD like self-doubt. In any case, I am in love with my characters again. Not that I fell out of love, but I had lost touch with them. I realized that Tomoaki, a character that almost didn't exist at all, saved the story. My original ideas were good but there would have been no passion (take that any way you want). There is also Suzuki-san, a character there would have been no need for. So thank you, Tomoaki. You are a pain in the ass, but you're the best thing to ever happen to OCEAN.

I listened to this song six times while I was writing this entry. Enjoy!

Sin for Sale

2011-04-12T13:19:00.000-07:00

OLD SCHOOL, the anthology with my stories "Runaway" and "New Human", has been reviewed by Eric Mays at THE AUTHORS SPEAK. Check out the interview if you're still on the fence, you'll want the book when you're done : )

As befitting its title, OLD SCHOOL brings back horror the way it used to be. My stories involve werewolves and Frankenstein, respectively. My werewolves are not sexy, nor do they have shirtless pissing contests with emo vampires. As for Frankenstein, I looked at it as a science fiction story (like the first one). "New Human" ended up being one of my favorite stories, and one I still think about. I'm not sure if I'll ever take Mr. May's suggestion to make it bigger, but I have to admit the idea is tempting. I miss my Frankenstein monster, and the creature she helped create.

In other news, I got my copy of MALICIOUS DEVIANCE: an anthology about bad people doing bad things. Horror is full of bad guys, but the good guys are usually the stars. The ones you root for, feel bad for. In this anthology, you're going to root for the bad guy. Either that, or get nightmares. My story, "Death and Decay," is set in Sai Gung, Hong Kong. I've been there in real life since, and told my father-in-law how cool it was to see that the stuff I wrote about is "real". I was only referring to the location, but Tai-Dau is one of my favorite all time characters. Like "New Human", I'm tempted to bring him back some day. He's going to keep killing people, I might as well write about it.

Lulls

2011-04-07T13:29:00.000-07:00

Stories have lulls. Even novels that can be described as "action packed" have them. Otherwise, our characters would hyperventilate. Or drop dead. Dealing with lulls can be problematic. You start to feel like you aren't making the novel exciting enough, or that nothing is happening. This is because it takes a lot longer to write a chapter than read one. If you're worried, calm down and read the chapter. Does it still suck? If so, edit. If not, unclench. Your characters need time to breath, and we need time to get to know them.

I've had two or three lull chapters, with short chapter reminding readers that very bad things are waiting for our heros. Kaito and *name withheld* were in the eye of the storm. They spent this time getting accustomed to being a couple, dealing with death, and arguing. By this time, I hope anyone who reads the story will be rooting for them. I've also noticed that my bad guys are kind of like a deadly version of the three stooges. The head guy is an asshole, but the rest are kind of lovable. I considered editing them to be scarier, but what they do is scary enough. The fact that they can be silly and even sweet with each other makes it worse when they remind us that, as far as they're concerned, humans are meat.

Kaito is especially meat. A sacrificial lamb, if you will. Very soon he is going to find that out, and he is not going to be happy. You would think he would run away someplace safe, and the story would be over. Unfortunately, people are stubborn and sometimes stupid. Worse, they are sometimes brave.

Men

2011-04-05T13:28:00.000-07:00

I did a lot of running about yesterday, including a trip to the dermatologist (I'm like a dalmation). As such, I've had a three day break from the hot man love. I wouldn't say I'm returning to it. There is only time for so much sex in a horror novel, and I think I'm reaching the saturation point. Kaito has to get out bed and do other things. Run for his life, for instance. It is very important that he say alive. Not just for himself but for, well, pretty much the whole world.

I have spent a lot of time thinking about how he will feel about this. No man wants to be told that he is a precious precious flower, far too valuable to be unprotected for even a fleeting moment. I'm not saying that women get off on being damsels in distress, or that it is a natural role for them. It isn't. Nor am I trying to make a statement on gender roles. There are plenty of men and women who would avoid danger by throwing orphans between themselves and the monster.

But we're not talking about them. Kaito is perfectly willing to take care of himself, and is as manly as manly can be without becoming a douchebag. Now he is going to be told that he has to let other people do his fighting for him. That will be a blow to the tender nuts of his pride. Worse, he will be told to stand back and "hope for the best" if the man he loves has to act as a human shield. Even with the world at stake, I don't know if he can do that. We might be screwed.

*A rare photo of the reclusive human male

What Matters

2011-04-02T13:30:00.000-07:00

I'm past the halfway point in "Ocean", and thinking more and more about gay characters in fiction. Especially lately, with certain authors being told to give characters a hetero-sex change. I have to ask, haven't we come further than that? I looked over my own stories today. Out of the ones I've sold, over forty, I have two with prominent gay characters. Out of the twenty stories in limbo, I have four. Not a huge number, but it can't be helped. You see, just like in real life, I don't get to decide whether someone is gay or straight.

Writing a story, then switching a gender, is not a small thing. You have taken a human being, and told them they aren't good enough the way they are. If you think that doesn't matter, because it's a fictional character, think about all the people reading that story. People who might have liked to see someone like them, who isn't the token *insert gender/race/sexual preference*

Could Kaito have been straight? I thought about it, before I was sure what he was. The answer is no. Even if his man lust didn't come up once during the story, and the word "gay" never left my fingertips, he is a gay man. And even when I thought it wouldn't come up, it made a difference to how his character acted in certain situations. For example, when the people around him make comments under the assumption that he likes the ladies. Does he get angry, annoyed? Sad that his brother is probably a homophobic butt-hole?

By the time it does come up (no, not that), readers will know a lot about Kaito. If I did it right, the fact that he's gay might be a surprise, but hardly a shock. That wasn't intentional, but rather a reflection of Kaito. Like regular people, he doesn't spend every waking moment contemplating who he likes to fuck. In fact, he probably spends less time than most people. Given that his penis works, and is of at least standard length, there really isn't much to think about. Most of Kaito's thoughts revolve around hating his brothers, and wishing he was taller. We've all been there.

Gay

2011-03-31T13:14:00.000-07:00

When I started "Ocean" I didn't think sexual preference would come up. Just as I wouldn't point out how ruggedly heterosexual a character was, unless it was relevant. Then I met *name withdrawn to prevent spoilers*, and realized that I couldn't honestly portray Kaito without mentioning how he felt about *name withdrawn etc.* It wouldn't be the focus, this is a horror story after all, but how many horror stories have a romantic subplot: either two character that fall in love, or an established couple? Take a minute to think about it.

Yes, a lot. So whenever I wonder how much to disclose about Kaito I remind myself that if it's OK for a straight character, it's OK for him. If a publisher reads "Ocean" and goes "Eww, too gay" then I didn't want to be published with them anyway. I'm sure there is a debate about whether sex is ever "relevant" outside of erotica. My position is that fiction should reflect real life. In real life, people bone. Including, and sometimes especially, when they are scared. Granted, they should probably wait until the monster is not actively trying to eat them. So you have my solemn word, Kaito will not go the way of so many horror movie sluts. For one, he knows the difference between "knocked out" and "dead." And he's not going to tell his lover to check out a strange sound, while he cowers in the bedroom in his underwear. Something to think about, ladies.

Self-Promotion

2011-03-29T11:35:00.000-07:00

Huzzah! KV Taylor, of THE RED PENNY PAPERS did a mini-review with your's truly. In it, you can find the inspiration behind my story, "Predation", as well as the kind of mature, deep introspection that goes into so much of my work.

Speaking of which, the MALICIOUS DEVIANCE anthology is available at Amazon.com! Anyone who roots for the bad guy in movies will love this anthology. In it, you can find my story, "Death and Decay". It's the kind of story you see on The Hallmark Channel, or Lifetime. Boy finds boy, boy gets hired to kill boy's lover's husband. It's very romantic.

In other news, I'm 12K and change into my new novella. It's going faster than I anticipated, even with frequent research breaks. I find it's easier to do it that way, then try to cram in all the knowledge I'll need at once. That's what bookmarking is for. Google searches have included the Rainbow Bridge (in Japan), Japanese funerals, and weird fish. And, of course, maps.

*I think I might have to change the bridge. My character turned out gay, and having him on something called the "Rainbow Bridge" is a little too precious.

Soundtracks

2011-03-24T12:29:00.000-07:00

I am behind on everything. I haven't started edits on "The B-Team" (I have to print it out), nine of the ten shorts I have to edit are still waiting, and I'm not studying hiragana or using the treadmill enough. In other words, I have been doing the bare minimum (and sometimes less). The culprit is stress, mostly involving a flatulent dog who should learn to do what he's told. Don't worry, he's fine. He's also willful and smelly.

If I get my schedule together, I will have ample time to edit a short story a week, and work on "The B-Team," while also writing the novella. As for hiragana, by using Japanese tweets and Facebook posts I can test myself even on the days I don't "officially" practice. And I can always use the treadmill late at night, instead of watching mindless TV. It's certainly more relaxing. And it gives me a chance to listen to music, especially the albums/songs I associate with my stories. Including the new novella I started, because I am crazy. I don't like listening to music too much while I write, but it's great for brain storming:

THE B-TEAM: a CD of Elvis's greatest hits. There are scenes with Fuji, where "Hound Dog" and "Blue Suede Shoes" does wonders. When I edit, I'll bring in more Japanese Rockabilly, especially TROUBLE, HOUND DOG, and THE MACKSHOW.

OCEAN: "Fish & Peace". I'll probably have to change the title of this novella. It's the English translation of my Japanese protagonist's name, Kaito. It also sounds a little too close to Gyoko's latest album, "Sea" (which I look forward to getting in the mail). "Fish and Peace" is great for inspiration, because it embodies the spirit of fish culture and the ocean. My novella isn't about fish culture, but the ocean is a major character: It's where Kaito's life stops being ordinary. The ocean loves Kaito. Unfortunately, it has a big favor to ask him.

*You can download Gyoko songs here. If you've ever been curious about Japanese rock, now is the time!

If you search for Korean boys...

2011-03-21T13:32:00.000-07:00

Within the last few days, several people in various countries have looked for Korean boys naked/fucking, etc. It depends on who's looking for them, but the gist of it is the same. They want young, virginal Korean boys. Then they find my blog...

This is Okite Porsche (of Roman Porsche's/ロマンポルシェ) ass. Personally, I think it's better than boy bands. Not that boy bands aren't adorable, they are, but adorable isn't enough. So to everyone who went looking for Korean boy bands and found Okite Porche's ass instead, you're welcome. Korean boy bands rarely, if ever, get naked for you. Okite Porsche is much more generous. Still not convinced?

Nudity, kissing a cute dog. If he can cook, Okite Porsche is officially the perfect man.

In other news, I have ten short stories to edit and submit. And I keep wanting to write more, but from now on my only writing day is Monday. The rest of the week is for editing novellas/novels. Huzzah!

"Special" Effects

2011-03-17T13:18:00.001-07:00

I watched a horror movie today, which included several scenes involving a man with maggots on/in various parts of him. He was brushing them off, washing them down the sink, etc., as one would if covered in maggots. What struck me was that the maggots appeared to be alive. I've seen similar scenes in other movies, and am bothered by the fact that living creatures are being used for entertainment (in a manner which kills/harms them). It's cruel, and with modern effects it's unnecessary. We can make it look like someone has three eyes and a penis for a nose, we're certainly advanced enough to make fake creepy crawlies.

I'm not trying to go on a tangent, but I wanted to put it out there. I love the horror genre, and I hate to see things like this happen. So what do you think?

Being Human

2011-03-16T13:31:00.000-07:00

AMERICAN RED CROSS - link to donate
Also, you can text REDCROSS to 90999 to Give $10 to the Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami!

There are some things I don't understand about human nature. Why, in the midst of chaos, death and destruction, some people try to make money off other people's suffering and compassion. Then there are people who go online to tell the world that what happened to Japan is karma. They make me ashamed to be a human being. As a Buddhist, it makes me sick that they would use the concept of karma to justify comments that can only be described as maliciously hateful.

They are in the minority. Far more people are heart broken over the devastation. To everyone who gave money, or wished they had the money to give, you make me proud to be a human being. Don't underestimate the power of simply letting it be known that you support Japan, that you believe they can stay strong. Thanks to modern technology, we can let them know that the world is with them.

In the Pool

2011-03-12T15:07:00.000-08:00

Reading "In the Pool" by Hideo Okuda and enjoying it very much. I'll review it at Skunk Cat Book Reviews when I'm done. Usually I do horror, but this book deserves a shout out.

Though I don't review every book I read, way too much pressure, I admit I have been very bad about reading. My enthusiasm was peaked by a recent trip to a thrift store, where I bought an old book with "sexual/racial themes" from the 1970s. I also bought a thriller, whose plot wasn't described (it was an advanced reader copy). I don't know if I'll ever write a thriller, but I'd like to know more about them.

In other news, I am sure you all know what is happening in Japan. The American Red Cross is currently accepting donations to help (thanks to Aaron Polson, for the link).

Japan, I love you. Stay strong.

Rock and Roll

2011-03-09T13:15:00.000-08:00

Been listening to a lot of music lately, especially Japanese Rockabilly. Clearly, this will filter into my writing : ) It has once, as "Fuji" in "The B-Team". I'll be editing that novella this week, and will need to make sure Fuji doesn't overshadow the other characters. It's not easy, considering that Fuji is cooler than everyone else in the book (except his best friend).

*The Sneakers. I bought their CD, "Happy Wanders", in Japan and follow their lead singer, Kotaro-san, on Twitter.

OLD SCHOOL

2011-03-07T11:06:00.000-08:00

With my stories, "Runaway" and "New Human".

Old School. Our monsters don't sparkle.

People Who Inspire Me, Entry Four

2011-03-03T13:29:00.000-08:00

There is no one in the world I admire more than Captain Morita/森田釣竿船長, and the members of Gyoko/漁港. I grew up in Connecticut, near the ocean, and fishing was a big part of my childhood. I don't live close to the ocean anymore, but I still eat anything that comes out of it and I'm always looking for something I haven't tried yet. Japan opened up a whole new world: so many fish I had never heard of or tasted! Whenever I go to Japan, I visit the Urayasu fish market because it reminds me of where I came from. My father always gutted the fish we caught in the kitchen, so I know what happens to fish before it gets to the table. I know you shouldn't waste fish, or any food.

Of course, I always look for Captain Morita/森田釣竿船長 at the fish market. Because he is my hero, and I believe in what he and Gyoko/漁港 are fighting for. Know what you eat, know where it comes from.

In America, we often don't know where our food comes from. We don't know what it eats, before we eat it. I know I eat things that aren't good for me. I should eat more fish, more vegetables. It's hard, when there are no fresh fish markets where I live, and the stores make it more and more expensive to eat healthy. But I can try harder. I don't eat hamburgers any more, and I buy frozen fish at the Asian grocery store. I eat more rice, and less pasta. And I will try harder.

So, what does this have to do with fiction writing, what do fish have to do with horror stories? I believe that whenever something inspires our souls, it will inspire us as writers. It will make us better writers.

The Red Penny Papers, now with Sin!

2011-03-01T13:37:00.000-08:00

Issue Three of The Red Penny Papers is out! It's a great e-zine that I highly recommend, and not just because my story "Predation" is in it. Do you like nudity and hitchhiking? If so, my story is for you!

In other news, today is my wedding anniversary! Ying and I have been together...well I forget, but we've been married four years. He puts up with me, spoils me, and pretends to listen when I explain the delicate nuances of Kishidan videos. And he didn't divorce me when, with the excitement of someone winning the lottery, I told him we were married on Ranma's birthday. I'm a lucky woman.

Delicious Bonito Flakes

2011-02-27T19:32:00.000-08:00

Stupid Edits

2011-02-25T13:35:00.000-08:00

I managed to somewhat edit one story this week. Once they are all edited/submitted, I can breath. The fact that it took a week to almost finish this one bothers me. But the story was a mess, and there was no way around it. The others are much more solid, all I need to do is fix some grammar and do some tweaking. Including the new one I wrote yesterday, because it's not like I have novels to edit or anything.

With so much on my plate, I'm grateful that "Ocean" is nowhere near ready to be written. As tempting as a new project is (bright shiny!), if I ever want to have a novel published I have to, you know, polish/query/sell one. And so, just to remind myself:

1. SOUL JERKY

2. Active Imagination

3. Toxic (gay erotica)

4. The B-Team (novella)

5. The Underground

Can you tell I'm the type to hoard things a bit too long?

A Ninja I Am Not

2011-02-22T14:05:00.000-08:00

Monster is a much bigger mess than I thought it would be. It can be fixed, but it's going to be more time-consuming than I thought. For one, I realized I was Frankensteining two stories together. It's not all crap, but there's a lot of it. I have to make it scary again, before it turns into whatever the fuck I was writing yesterday.

In other news, I have been going over my pictures of Japan and realized how much I like the pictures where people catch me.

This is one of my favorites. For one, the young men are very very attractive. In addition, I really like the look on the face of the one who saw me. I can only define it as bemusement. That is one of the great things about Japan: they tolerate tourists like gentlemen (or ladies, as the case may be). I have seen Rockabillies in Yoyogi Park put up with people, whose asses they could easily kick, treating them like inanimate objects.

"Hey honey, come take a picture of me next to this statue!"

"I think it's alive. It's breathing."

"Just take the picture. We still have to find a McDonalds."

You go on ahead. They'll keep your wife company.

Why I Have a Treadmill

2011-02-21T14:22:00.000-08:00

My novella has a name: Ocean. It even has the bare bones of a plot. This came from half an hour on the treadmill, during which I blasted my character's soundtrack and let my mind roam. I know how the novella starts, where my protagonist works, and more or less where the shit hits the fan and the mechanism behind it. There is also a personal message wound in, though I'm not sure people will see it. Or if they do, they'll wildly misinterpret it. For more on that, read this article on Cracked.com, about writers who meant one thing only to go down in history as meaning another. Makes you wonder how your words will affect people.

Hikaru has a fish. I have an idea about fish.

Calm Before the Storm

2011-02-20T16:54:00.000-08:00

See? By using the right title, you can make anything sound intense and kick-ass. I am useless (by design) this weekend. I think traveling, plus some unexpected bursts of creativity, wore me out. I've been getting up later and later, which frustrates me. So I'm useless. Monday I will return to a glorious explosion of creativity, as detailed below:

1. Go over the stories Ying edited, and polish them for submitting.

2. Take my story "Monster" and make it something something great.

Ok, so this is mostly editing. Which can be very creative, if you made enough mistakes the first time. In other news, I have an idea for a novella. I have put my previous novella attempt on hiatus, since it isn't ready. It even has it's own soundtrack : ) What it doesn't have is a plot, or a plan beyond the first chapter. Which is where the soundtrack comes in.

My last novella, "The B-Team", has a character born out of my love for Tokyo (and specifically the Yoyogi Park Rockabillies). This novella will be the whole love letter.

I miss the ocean

2011-02-19T12:18:00.000-08:00

Temple Street Gets Sined

2011-02-17T13:25:00.000-08:00

The first draft of "Visible" is finished. I wrote this in Connecticut, and delayed tweeking due to something we writers call "laziness". Last night, however, I realized something: I wasn't ready to finish "The Way I Was Born." So I tweeked "Visible" and printed it out for Ying to edit : )

Of course, now I have to finish "The Way I Was Born." The idea for this story came fast and hard. The execution, not so much. I think it has to do with the location. Hong Kong stories always take more time, because of the pressure to get it "right." A Chinese protagonist in Hong Kong will not think/behave the same way as an American protagonist in a small town. Words like "douchebag" probably won't come up a lot, for one. Luckily I have Ying to tell me, "A Hong Kong person wouldn't say this." Is he always right? Not necessarily. He traveled in a certain circle in Hong Kong, and I write about a difference one. Which is a nice way to say that he was kind of a goodie two shoes. My characters, on the other hand, tend to come from "the wrong side of the tracks" (another phrase my protagonist wouldn't say), and be a lot "dirtier". Thank goodness for research.

I think I can finish "The Way I Was Born" today. The bad stuff is about to happen, and things tend to go faster after that. Then I can show it to Ying, and horrify him with what I did in the place of his birth. Of course, he's used to it.

*For the record, my finger stayed out of most of the pictures.

Asian Invasion

2011-02-15T13:15:00.001-08:00

I am so, so fucking behind on editing my shorts. Part of it is that I kept writing in Asia which made an embarrassing situation worse. That doesn't make me any less happy that I actually wrote : ) This is the rundown:

1. Hong Kong: I wrote six chapter of a novella I first attempted during the September trip. I kept the spirit of the first scene, but changed the characters and story. I stopped at six chapters because I don't know what happens next. I have a general idea, but not enough to put words down. This is one of those stories that has to be dug out, slowly and relentlessly.

2. In Japan, I asked myself "What if a man couldn't stop masturbating?" I know, I know. Penis. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it would be a special kind of hell.

3. I went in a different direction after that, and wrote "Unwelcome." I wanted to give it a different title, but it would have ruined the ending. The story is based on two very different things I love in Tokyo. One love is as pure as the driven snow. As for the other...

This, more than anything, has made me decide to become a millionaire horror writer. I imagine Stephen King felt much the same way.

Feel The Love

2011-02-14T12:09:00.001-08:00

Sorry my updates and online activity has been sporadic. I'm home now and, other than having to unpack a butt-load of stuff, life has returned to normal. Regular blogging will resume, but first...

Happy Valentine's Day : )

Old School Contest!

2011-02-09T17:19:00.000-08:00

Ends Sunday Night!

Would you like to win a copy of Old School, a brand new traditional horror collection now available from Belfire Press? It's easy as listening to the Funky Werepig! Check out the last Monthly Harroink here.

All you have to do is answer a simple question: How much wood could a woodchuck chuck? Send your answers to R. Scott McCoy at rscottmccoy 'at' necrotictissue 'dot' com by Sunday, February 13 before Midnight for your chance to win a copy of Old School!

***

Old School, a traditional horror collection born of seven twisted minds, invites you back to a time when vampires and werewolves were monsters who made humans quiver in terror. Fourteen short tales offered by David Dunwoody, Jackie Gamber, R. Scott McCoy,Natalie L. Sin, Horace James, Gregory L. Hall, and Louise Bohmer, all tied together by selected poems from Zombie Zak – Old School reminds one of terrors best not forgotten.

Within these pages, evil children terrorize, witches gather the teeth of the young, cosmic blobs eat the world, while creepy crawlies ruin a man’s life and a headless ghost seeks revenge. Wander down this spooky path with poems and stories that revive our nightmares about golems, harpies, and other forgotten creatures.

Short Story: It Begins

2011-02-08T11:00:00.000-08:00

I started the short story today. I decided it was a real idea, and not just a "interesting" idea. The beginning is slow (not to read, but to write). My character is not exactly a ball of energy at the moment. He's beaten down, depressed, and carrying more guilt than he should. We all fuck up. At least his was in the right place. I suppose that's not much comfort, given the circumstances.

And who knows. Maybe things aren't as bad as they seem. Maybe there's a second story, left behind where his story started. Or waiting where he's headed.

Productivity, At Last!

2011-02-07T07:32:00.000-08:00

Finally caught up on the work I thought I would do in Asia. I can't blame being on a different computer, because I love my travel laptop. Some things are just too hard to do on vacation. I did get six chapters down in a novella, and write two short stories, but that's just torturing Ying.

In other news, I am flying through my bonus sized issue of NECROTIC TISSUE. Hint hint, horror fans with extra spending money. I actually did read some while I away, a creature horror anthology : ) I didn't read on the plane, and have given up trying to. It doesn't work. It's easier to watch MEGAMIND four times. And I did. Sweet ballsacks that movie kicks ass. I thought about whether they would ever do a sequel, and hope they don't. It would only piss on a great movie.

And now to brainstorm the new idea I have for a short story. It might suck, but I'll go with optimism. I can usually nip the terrible ideas in the bud, it's the misguided ones that give me trouble.

漁港!

2011-02-01T22:49:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, I went to the Urayasu Fish Market. Ying and I left Shinjuku Sunday morning, both of us very tired. Japan played Australia the night before, and the game started at midnight. Japan won, so we went to bed late and happy!

Of course, you all know why I go to Urayasu...

*Me, with Captain Morita

Captain Morita and Kujira-san are two of the nicest people I have ever met. It was wonderful to see them again, I was surprised they remembered me from last time!

*Me, with Kujira-san

And now, my new most valuable object:

Forever Fish Rock!!

Write Hard!

2011-02-01T01:29:00.000-08:00

I have been nominated, by Danielle Ferries (http://danielleferries.blogspot.com/)! However, given that I am on my travel PC, I have no idea how to post the picture. Also, I think everyone else had been tagged at this time *lol* That's what I get for being lazy. I also can't figure out how to attach a link, hence the clumsy cut and paste to get to Danielle's blog: P There's nothing wrong with my PC mind you, it's just that I'm not used to PCs and become rather helpless as a result. So just imagine that the "Write Hard" picture is there. Or picture hard-core nudity, your call.

I feel bad not giving you anything to look at, so here are my latest purchases from Shibuya Tower Records:

(From left) Miyavi/雅 (CD) and Gevil/ゲビル (single with DVD).

I swear, I don't spend all my time in Tower Records. If you visit my Facebook page, I have the pictures to prove it!

New Addition to the Family

2011-01-26T23:59:00.001-08:00

Rock On

2011-01-25T23:53:00.000-08:00

This is why I will be broke when I return to the states.

Current haul: "Kisarazu Graffiti" episodes 2-4 on DVD, "Roman Porshe/ロマンポルシェ", Seikima II/聖飢魔II", "The MackShow/ザ・マックショウ", "The Colts/コルツ", and "The Ulfuls/ウルフルズ"

Live from Shinjuku

2011-01-24T23:46:00.000-08:00

Shinjuku is good : ) Shibuya has my heart, but this is a cool place all on its own. Our hotel is located right across from Tocho, which kicks ass. Tocho was one of the places I didn't get to see last time I was here. So far Ying and I have been to Ueno Park, Yoyogi Park (to see the Rockabillies and get street food), walked around Shibuya, and took a heroic trek to find Shinjuku Tower Records. I have bought many many CDs/DVDs, and am only allowed one more souvenir. I am also going to get my Kishidan calendar later in the week. I just felt my heart skip!

Tomorrow, I plan to go to Urayasu/the fish market. I think the market's name translates to "Silver Spring", but don't quote me. You can't trust Google Translate, no matter how well intentioned it is. Urayasu is far enough away that I can make a day of it, especially since I need to make a quick stop at the package store first.

In writing news, my novella is giving me no end of trouble. There is a lot of emotional stuff to get through, before everything can go to hell. At some level I wanted to tell my characters to just fuck already, but it isn't that easy. They've been best friends forever, and one is stubbornly determined to not rock the boat. Luckily creepy stuff happened in the first chapter, otherwise I'd worry that I was writing a romance novel. Which wouldn't be a problem, if I actually was.

I am not. More scary stuff is going to happen. I promise.

Birthday Boy

2011-01-23T08:41:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday to Saotome "basket of baby ducks" Hikaru!

Swinging Nippon!

2011-01-22T01:20:00.000-08:00

I'm baaack.

Good-bye, Hong Kong

2011-01-20T18:28:00.001-08:00

Today I bid farewell to Hong Kong, and head to Japan. I had a great time here, and saw a lot of things I didn't get a chance to last time : ) I went to the jade market for the first time, and met more of Ying's school friends.

I've been asked, a couple times, if I could live here. The answer = I don't know. I'm not a city person, and Hong Kong is as city as it gets. There's always food, and always something to do, but I think I would miss suburbia and I know I would miss having a house. Also, Hong Kong isn't big on coffee. It's here, it's good, but you won't find the abundance you do in the States or...

Japan : )

Sin-Cam: Window Dressing

2011-01-18T07:43:00.000-08:00

Sin-Cam: Dim Sum in Hong Kong

2011-01-17T23:23:00.000-08:00

Sadly, he was not available as a souvenir.

2eseh.jpg hosted at ImageShack.us

2011-01-15T17:43:00.001-08:00

postcontent

The Natural Arc of Things

2011-01-12T09:56:00.000-08:00

WRITING NEWS: Old School and Ante Mortem are out and ready for purchase. Three times the Sin, for the price of two! In this economy, it would be wrong not to buy them.

In other, also writing, news, I am immersed in a rather long short. An end of the world short, which tend to fall into two very enjoyable camps (if done right):

1. Action, action, action!

2. Character driven, action in the latter part after adjusting to a world gone to shit.

Try to guess which I picked. Also, there are giant mutant *insert killer animal here* But later. First my characters had to meet, establish a friendship, and become the last people on earth. They will either grow sick of each other or...

Reality

2011-01-06T12:22:00.000-08:00

It intervenes, even in fiction. I recently found out that using Kinkos (or similar businesses) to print out SOUL JERKY for editing purposes would cost more money than I want to spend. So I'll have to use my printer, which is currently unavailable. My plan for passing time on the plane thus thwarted, I was happy to find myself with a novella idea (based on the short story, inspired by the picture in the previous entry). Yay, I thought, something to do! Then...

It's still yay, but there's also this:

This is the real life Osaka Bay. Unless I decide to piss on the laws of physics, or remake the bay, I have to re-envision my ending. Luckily, I haven't even started the story yet. So, no deleting! Still, I have to spend some time with this picture (and websites that show the area around Osaka Bay). Otherwise, I'll have a really stupid story ending. To give you an idea of how stupid, please enjoy this:

"And then our hero's leapt from the top of the Statue of Liberty, hands intertwined, and plummeted directly into Yankee Stadium."

Not saying I'm going to kill my characters off. Their fate hasn't been revealed to me. As usual, I would like them to live. And have sex, which might be difficult due to the conditions I plan to have them meet under. Fiction can be very cruel.

On a lighter note, here are the Ulfuls (who rock), and their love letter to Osaka: Osaka Strut. As you can see, it's a great place to live or visit. Unless you're in my future novella, and your name happens to be Taka-san or Sebastian. It sucks to be in a horror story. No Ulfuls dancing around, no time to stop for some takoyaki. Just running for your life and hoping you live along enough to get laid again some day.

Intermission

2011-01-02T20:17:00.000-08:00

Writing a short story based on this picture:

I've always loved it. The posture and setting are perfect. I'm about a third in, and it's time for bad things to happen. I don't want to rush that part, as I have so many times in the past. First drafts are like big lit up arrows saying "Look, this is where you suck as a writer!" And so I'm taking a break, listening to some Kishidan, and trying to make sure that my story doesn't suffer from premature ejaculation. Fingers crossed!

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T23:56:00.000-08:00

Let's kick some ass : )

Post-Christmas

2010-12-30T10:13:00.000-08:00

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:

Win Me Over

2010-12-26T15:26:00.001-08:00

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.

Merry Holidays!

2010-12-25T20:52:00.000-08:00

Go, Tommy, put your back into it!

To hump or not to hump

2010-12-21T13:50:00.000-08:00

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.

Sluts and Pimping

2010-12-20T13:25:00.001-08:00

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 : )

Meme-tastic

2010-12-17T23:29:00.000-08:00

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:

Better Than Baseball Cards

2010-12-15T13:35:00.001-08:00

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.

Do you really?

2010-12-13T13:28:00.000-08:00

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.

Youthful Innocence

2010-12-11T21:16:00.000-08:00

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:

The Trouble with Serial Killers

2010-12-08T14:05:00.001-08:00

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.

People Who Inspire Me, Entry Three

2010-12-06T15:21:00.000-08:00

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.

ガッツだぜ !!

2010-12-02T14:07:00.000-08:00

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.

Focused

2010-12-01T14:31:00.000-08:00

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.

Writing, lust, and writing

2010-11-29T13:07:00.000-08:00

My WIP is currently at 30K+ Still now sure how I'm going to make it much, much longer. I have the ending in my mind (the last several chapters), and I love it. The challenge now is to make it the ending to a novel and not a novella.

In lust news, I have noticed the guitarist for Gevil, 虎馬クローム:

I'm tempted to take him home as a souvenir next time I go to Japan, but I don't think my husband would like that. You can't blame me, I am easily smitten by men with wonky teeth. Big ears are a plus, but not required. That said, how fucking cute are his?

Ah well, back to writing. Let the questions begin!

22. Tell us about one scene between your characters that you’ve never written or told anyone about before! Serious or not.

I can't think of a specific one, but definitely couple stuff. While it is good to include the otherwise boring conversations couples have, to show who they are as people, a little goes a long way. But I still need to know more, and thus I see my characters do and say a lot of stuff that never makes it onto the page. Does a reader need to know every tender thought that is going through Carlo's head these days? Barf, no. It is pretty adorable though.

23. How long does it usually take you to complete an entire story—from planning to writing to posting (if you post your work)?

The average short story gets imagined and written in one to two weeks. I can't recall how much time I spent mentally planning my first two horror novels (first drafts). I think they took about three months to actually write. Maybe more, for SOUL JERKY. My current novel took very little preplanning. Frighteningly little, actually. I think because so many characters get their five minutes of fame, so to speak, while the plot builds towards it's tragic conclusion. That's not a spoiler. By the first few chapters, we all know this isn't going to end well. I'm just going to make sure you're really, really attached to these people before I start slaughtering them. Enjoy!

24. How willing are you to kill your characters if the plot so demands it? What’s the most interesting way you’ve killed someone?

I am completely willing, but it's not always easy. I believe in killing the ones that are meant to die, I guess you would say. "The B-Team" had a death in it that just gutted me, but it had to be done.

Most creative death would have to go either Tony in "Across Causeway Bay" or the unfortunate victims in "Hunger in Tsuen Wan." I won't spoil the latter, since it will be coming out in a future anthology, however I think Tony's story has been out long enough. If you plan to read it, this *picture barrier is your chance to flee:

*Yoshikitty, Hello Kitty's tribute to Yoshiki of X Japan.

And now for the reveal: Tony gets eaten by the Star Ferry while desperately trying to swim across the harbor. I felt horrible for him, but my hands were tied. That's something I think only other writers truly understand. To everyone else, we kind of look like assholes.

Huzzah!

2010-11-26T09:56:00.001-08:00

If this song/video doesn't make you smile, I would check your pulse.

Merry Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T00:59:00.000-08:00

We all celebrate in our own way.

Yes, Fine, We'll Listen to Lady Gaga

2010-11-23T13:38:00.000-08:00

Stories can be fed by the most surprising sources. I have nothing against Lady Gaga. I think she's sweet, incredibly talented, and I enjoy her outfits immensely. On a subjective level, her songs don't particularly move me. It isn't a genre I prefer, and I gravitate towards male singers anyway. That said, I love "Bad Romance." I'm not ashamed to admit that. And, as I recently found out, my muse really likes "Alejandro." A good song, no doubt. I scratch my head a bit over why it fuels Carlo's character/relationship with Dex so much. His name doesn't even have enough vowels in it.

Oh, what the hell:

Getting Carlo Laid

2010-11-22T13:42:00.000-08:00

Carlo's sex life is important to my novel. So as not to spoil anything, I will simply say that previous to page one he spent a long time not having sex. I don't mean being a virgin. I mean knowing how good sex was, being found attractive by women, yet refraining from the pleasures of the flesh for an extended period of time. Why he did this, and his "return from retirement" say a lot about him as a person.

I have no doubt that I'm writing some very valid sex scenes. The question I struggle with, is how much of a sex scene. The last one I wrote took three tries. Left to my own devices, all my characters would boink in full frontal sweaty glory. But that isn't always appropriate. With a character like Carlo, the specifics of what he does in his intimate moments says something. And by that I mean something beyond, "Hey, look who's getting laid!" And thus an eight page chapter became an eleven page one.

That wasn't the only thing that got longer. Ha ha!

Sadly, I don't know if Carlo will get another sex scene. Unpleasantness is afoot, and Carlo's girlfriend isn't the only one who wants a piece of that sweet sweet action.

Research

2010-11-19T13:21:00.000-08:00

I am now at the "oh shit, I have to write HOW many words?" stage of my current novel. It is my understanding that the average horror novel runs 70 - 90K, but that some publishers won't look at anything under 80K. So 80K is always my goal, if not on the first draft then after the rewrite. As many of you know, I tend to write tight and bulk up later. SOUL JERKY, for example, is due to explode with more blood and sex at some point. ACTIVE IMAGINATION will need more character building, and I have a feeling THE UNDERGROUND will need a richer small town world post-first draft. That's OK. Part of the joy of writing is going back and giving something a good tweak.

Another fun part of writing, is the kind of stuff you get to call "research." Some examples, in no particular order:

1. How to remove a cat skeleton

I have no desire to debone someone's pet, or go collecting road kill. There are just some things I think might be applicable to, shall we say, larger mammals. Also, is there anything people won't ask about online?

2. Pictures like this!

These are tanuki. They are fucking adorable. I wrote about them in "Dominant Male," available now in the August 2010 issue of Sounds of the Night : ) The story is set in Kisarazu, Japan, which means I was legally obligated to make one of my characters a Kishidan fan. They make these laws for a reason, people.

3. Wikipedia entry on summer sausage. Ladies?

4. Virtual shopping for blue suede shoes. Only the best for my characters.

5. Picking out videos to capture the mood. Sometimes I have more than one. For THE UNDERGROUND, I currently have three. I like this one, because it embodies masculine virtue. Which is something I identify strongly with Carlo, and hope the reader will too. Enjoy.

Watch DJ Ozma - Roppongi Tsunderella Subbed in Entertainment | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

*Fun fact. The physical inspiration for Carlo is in the video. And, based on what I've seen here, that's about where the similarities end. Although if Carlo were to pour cold water over his near-naked body, I don't think his girlfriend would complain.

Plotting, sex, dogs!

2010-11-17T13:32:00.000-08:00

My current WIP is coming along. At 5K, it impossible to predict how I'll feel once I'm deep into the story. Right now, the reader is still meeting people: Carlo, his wonky yet well meaning friends, his friend's slut wife, and the serial killer they will unfortunately cross paths with. There is also Dex, a woman who appreciates the finer things in life. Finer things, of course, being Carlo's ass.

I want this novel to work, but it's a slightly different style for me. There's much less backstory, very few flashbacks. I miss them, but you can't shove that kind of stuff into every story. Also, since the bulk of the horror will be crammed into one night, readers will really, really have to give a rat's ass about these people. Otherwise, the scary stuff (note to self, make scary stuff scary) will be so much farting in the wind.

This is my first line:

"The grin on Brian’s face made Carlo cringe all the way down to his ballsack."

Fantastic. Based on that sentence alone, one might grossly misinterpret which genre I'm writing in. Though, to be fair, there will be much boning. Tender boning, slutty boning, creepy serial killer boning. It's a bone-fest, quite frankly.

In other news, here are some writing questions!

19. Favorite minor that decided to shove himself into the spotlight and why! 
That depends on how you define “in the spotlight.” I don’t think I’ve had a minor character become an MC yet, in a novel or short story, but I have had them surprise me. Kagemura-san leaps to mind, of course. He wasn’t going to exist at all, then he was, then he got two chapters (and a reference later on). Indeed, he is magnificent.

On a side note, because the thought amuses me, I have had a character who would have preferred to be a minor (character). Tick, the drummer from SOUL JERKY, spent a great deal of the novel more or less mortified. He couldn’t even enjoy getting laid. Yet there he is, primed for a sequel. Sorry, Tick.

20. What are your favorite character interactions to write? 

The first blush of romance is incredibly fun, tied with dialogue between any two (or more) guy friends left in a room long enough. Have you ever seen a bunch of guys busting each other's balls? Hilarious.

*Remember: a true friend will always help you arrange your bubbles.

21. Do any of your characters have children? How well do you write them?
Some of them do, but I rarely include the children. Kenichi, from “Active Imagination,” has a baby who gets some page time. I think you have to like kids, to write them really well. Suffice to say, I prefer dogs.

People Who Inspire Me: Entry Two

2010-11-15T13:12:00.000-08:00

For the second person that inspires me, I present 永瀬翼

His twitter account says Tsubasa, so I will refer to him as "Tsubasa-san". I first saw him on my trip to Japan, outside Shibuya station. The reason he inspires me is simple: It takes huge balls to be a street musician. People are in a hurry, and a street musician has to work hard to get their attention. I was too shy to ask Tsubasa-san to pose for a picture, so this is the best one I have:

Tsubasa-san played the keyboard that day, he also plays guitar, and I thought he was wonderful. I was very happy that I already bought his CD. Maybe it's risky to buy an artist's CD before you hear them sing, but I decided to be bold. You can find Tsubasa-san on twitter, where he gives updates on where he is going to appear.

To every writer fighting to get their stories/name out, remember that street musicians are our brothers and sisters. They fight as hard as we do, and have the same dream. Here is Tsubasa-san singing "It's Only Love." As you can see, it's windy outside and probably cold. Yet there he is, submitting his work. If you like what you hear, then go on twitter and tell him. We all know what it means, to hear from a new fan : )

Tasting and Judgement

2010-11-11T14:20:00.000-08:00

I have an idea for a novel. And, since I finished the first draft of "The B-Team" ahead of schedule, I actually have time before Christmas to write it. Theoretically. I don't want to edit my pile of first drafts before Christmas, too stressful. Besides, it'll be great to have something to do on the next plane ride to Japan. In fifteen hours, I figure I can get a huge chunk of "SOUL JERKY" reread and ravaged with the blue pen. I don't use red pens to edit. It reminds me of school : P

As of this moment, I promise nothing. I have had many, many novel ideas that turned out to not have legs, were too ambitious, or just weren't right for me. I want "The Underground" (tentative title) to work, but it's largely out of my hands. It may just be a neat idea, without the oomph to make it an idea other people want to read.

*On a side note, for the amusement of fellow pet owners, my dog just took a long leisurely fart while sleeping. They're such delicate creatures.

Anyway, back to my serial killer themed novel. Because the world doesn't have enough of those. Done right, yay! Done wrong = Lifetime TV Movie. As long as I beat the crap out of enough women. Otherwise, it's not empowering. I have named my serial killer Adam, since a nice, normal name makes it creepier for me. It's also creepy when they give themselves some ego stroking god-like name, but you can't have both. You don't see anyone named "Dwight, Judger of Wanton Sluts." His victims could be laughing too hard, to realize they were being eviscerated.

Right now, I am at the exploratory research and brainstorming stage. As with any creative process, be it books, movies, or music videos, enjoyment varies. There are times when you do what must be done, learning things that will only be interesting in context much much later. Then there are days when part of your job is to be buried in piles of half-naked ladies.

*This video brings up an important point. Excluding women, who are often bright and shiny, we have to stop this sparkling business. There is only one person with a penis who is allowed to sparkle, and that is King. So unless he becomes a vampire, let's cut the Twilight shit. Thank you.

Brain Peekings

2010-11-10T13:37:00.000-08:00

6. Where are you most comfortable writing? At what time of day? Computer or good ol’ pen and paper?

In my office, late in the afternoon, on my laptop. My hand cramps up after about two seconds of longhand, so that's out of the question. I tried keeping notebooks for my novels, but I just end up running around my own head. So now I just fill a few pages with the basics, for future reference during edits, and leave it at that. With short stories, I save a few relevant websites for reference. Sometimes it's just a page from my favorite baby name site.

7. Do you listen to music while you write? What kind? Are there any songs you like to relate/apply to your characters?

99.9% of the time, I don't listen to music. However, I often have a cluster of songs related to novels/scenes/characters, and sometimes even short stories. With "The B-Team," I unexpectedly found myself listening to music while writing. The day I wrapped up the novella, I listened to an Elvis CD over and over again. For my last novel (Active Imagination), I would listen to Meatloaf before writing.

8. What’s your favorite genre to write? To read?

Horror, on both counts. As with movies, I like blood, boobs and body counts. Penises are good, too.

9. How do you get ideas for your characters? Describe the process of creating them.

It depends on the character, but I do have some general habits. A character's relationships with other characters and the "off page" people in the lives, is the most illuminating. So basically I spy on them, like a creepy pervert. Before that, I let my brain have a field day with character ideas. Not everyone works out, and sometimes you find yourself adding people later. "The B-Team" originally had seven core characters. One didn't fit, and I found myself quite enamored with two side-characters that I never saw coming. Kagemura-san would be the stand out. He appears in two chapters, and definitely took on a life of his own. I look forward to seeing him again in the sequel.

10. What are some really weird situations your characters have been in? Everything from serious canon scenes to meme questions counts!

"Calvin's Dead" and "RELENTLESS SODOMY: The Musical!" are probably the weirdest. The former hasn't been published, so I'll just say "jello" and leave it at that. In RSTM, a man had to routinely collect dozens of errant dildos from the stage of a small theater. That wasn't the weirdest part.

And now, something jaunty!

Go ahead. Try not to fall in love with them : )

The End is Near

2010-11-09T13:27:00.001-08:00

The first draft of "The B-Team" is almost done. This makes me sad, because I love Fuji and want to write about him forever. Not that the book centers around him alone. That said, Fuji is the one I would like to see naked. And, in my own way, I have. It helps that he sleeps that way.

But no, this isn't a story about Fuji. It's about friends, and what happens when online ones become real time ones. Then bad things happen. It's a horror story, after all. Ying is very upset about this, since I've let him get attached to people and he KNOWS they're not all making it to "The End." I did what I could, I got some of them laid, but at this point my hands are tied. One of them died yesterday, and believe me when I say I took no joy in it. Now things are racing towards their conclusion, which slows down my writing immensely. Action sequences are my weakness, and I have to watch out for certain words. Also, only use "suddenly" if I'm in a characters head and that's actually how they would think. Not just so I sound like a real writer, but because I don't want to shortchange my characters (living or deceased).

If I do finish today, I suppose I'll use the rest of the week to catch up on Netflix movies. I might also do some light brainstorming, and see if any short stories come out of it. On that note, I am particularly taken with this picture:

There's something very sweet and whimsical about this picture, which of course makes me want to turn it into a horror story. You know, after I edit Show-yan and Saotome "Basket of Baby Ducks" Hikaru out. They already have lives, and I don't write fanfiction (though I love people who do). That "underwater" moment captured on camera can exist in the fiction world, too. The question is, who else is there?

Love

2010-11-08T13:27:00.000-08:00

Love and the horror genre go together like peanut butter and jelly. For the sake of the entry, let's say horror is the peanut butter and love is the jelly/jam. I use strawberry jam, which makes it extra romantic! Anyway, everyone makes a PBJ differently. Some load on the peanut butter, and slip in a little jelly. Others only put peanut butter on one side (WTF??) and make the rest of the sandwich look like a hemorrhaging jam factory. Me, I like a nice layer of peanut butter on both slices of bread and a solid middle layer of jam. Clearly peanut butter is the star, but without the zing of preserved strawberries it's too much. My mouth gums up, and I end up hoovering a gallon of milk.

Such is love. Short stories being an exception, since they often don't have time to cover a butt-load of human experiences. Anything longer, say a novella, and I would feel remiss not including people kissing, hugging, and maybe doing things that could get them arrested in some states. Think of how many couples you know (married or dating), then how many people actively looking for that special someone. Might they find themselves terrorized by radioactive penis monsters? Perhaps not, but in fiction it is entirely possible. And we're all writing about radioactive penis monsters (RPM), in one way or another. Maybe your RPM is a vampire, or a serial killer with a thing against hookers. Then there are the wholly undiscovered RPMs, creatures of your own imagination unleashed upon the page. Unless they're stalking a nunnery, you can bet there is some happy couple, or two people about to fall into bed together, who will have to deal with that shit. So how much do you include? What is your peanut butter to jelly ratio? Does it change wildly with each story, or stay fairly static?

Whatever the answer is, remember that there is someone for everyone. Even radioactive penis monsters. Though I have seen things far more horrifying:

People Who Inspire Me, Entry One

2010-11-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

I plan to do eight of these, since it's a lucky number. These are people, outside the horror genre, who inspire me for various reasons. They are people I respect, usually follow on Twitter, and I believe my life is richer for knowing they exist.

Day 1: HIROZUMI

I discovered Hirozumi over the summer. I didn't know who he was, all I had was a picture posted by a third party on Twitter. Basically I started with, "Wow, that guy has fantastic hair." Since I wasn't content to leave it at that, I did some research. As it turns out, Hirozumi is many things: an artist, taiko drummer, and lead singer of the band Gevil, to name a few.

Along with the drawing above, Hirozumi also etches pictures into metal, and even denim. He also has a jewelry line. To get a look at his work, I highly recommend following him on Twitter where he posts lots of pictures of his drawings, etchings, and snapshots of his daily life. This one is my favorite:

Gorgeous. You should also check out his band, Gevil, on youtube or via their website. Here is a taste of their musical style, and one of my favorite songs:

Bikini girls, handsome men, and a thumping bass line. I might be in heaven.

Hirozumi inspires me because he is incredibly passionate and hard working. I would love to see him perform live one day, either with Gevil or doing a taiko drum performance. He makes me want to work harder at what I do, and for that I am grateful.

Shogo. Fujiwara Shogo.

2010-11-03T13:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I decided how to introduce Fuji to readers. The answer came when I realized part of his backstory, which I thought would stay off page, would work. This made me extremely happy, as I had already done most of the plotting and dialogue in my head, for fun.

In part, it explores Fuji's life in Japan. As he will soon be jetting off to glamorous Connecticut, the window was closing fast. While Fuji connects with his online friends over horror movies and related tidbits, his first love is music. That part of his personality, and the way he expresses it, are totally alien to his American friends. They're going to meet him in person in a few chapters, but I want readers to be the first. They'll get to see Fuji in his natural element, side by side with guys like this:

I was a fool to think I wouldn't base a character on the pictures I took of this guy. The character I built around the image(s) is Kagemaru-san, Fuji's best friend and fellow senpai in their Rockabilly "tribe." I don't know if the real person rides his kohai as hard as Kagemaru-san does, but I like to think he's at least as cool.

To all the Yoyogi Park Rockabillies, I love you. If I fuck something up in this novella, I apologize. I promise my heart is in the right place.

Bye Bye, Carol

2010-11-01T13:22:00.000-07:00

Of course I had to start my novella in November. Because really, what could be more fun than the underlying pressure of NaNoWrimo pressing on the back of my mind? Granted, I'm not doing Nano this year. But I still now it's happening: It's out there. To those taking part, I salute you. As for me, I will try to ignore the number 50,000. 50K in one month is doable, as many of us know, but it's not what I'm going for. I want to savor this experience, and take my time crafting the story. NaNoWriMo is a literary Iron Man competition, and I'm looking to scamper in the park.

As I write, I am attempting to add a video of the Rockabillies I recorded while walking back from Yoyogi Park. I know I mentioned it before - repeatedly - but here we go again: one of my MCs is a Rockabilly. He is also an Elvis fan (not mutually inclusive), as well as a fan of B-movies. That's how he meets his online American friends, my other MCs. I have their names, their ages, and varying degrees of backstories. I don't like to know everything before I sit down. For example, how did Ronald and Heather meet and become an adorable married couple? It's a mystery, and that's nice. Here, for those interested, is the "cast" in full as they exist pre-novella:

Dwight: For most people better in small doses, yet a loyal friend and all around good guy. Recent lottery winner.

Robert and Heather: Adorable married couple and small business owners. Heather is a bit of a mother hen.

Richard: Unhappy small town resident who longs for something, anything, different to happen. Relies heavily on his inline friends, due to his living situation.

Kensington: Office worker, unhappily engaged. Beginning to realize that she's either going to have to marry her fiance or admit that she'd rather gargle scrap metal.

Fuji: Factory worker (night shift), Rockabilly. Always knows where he's going to be on Sunday afternoons.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T10:23:00.000-07:00

Leader of the Pack

2010-10-29T13:24:00.000-07:00

Last night I spent an hour or more listening to Elvis songs on Youtube. Elvis song, after Elvis song, after...well you get the point. I have no particular affinity for Elvis Presley, though I would be insane not to respect and admire him as a singer. I listened in such abundance, and even got into it, because one of my MCs is a fan. I plan to start my novella monday (not for Nano, just a coincidence) and have spent a lot of time thinking about Fujiwara "Fuji" Shogo. Granted, there are six pivotal characters in said novella. But as any writer can tell you, we play favorites. And it's impossible not to be smitten with this one. When Fuji walks into a room, even other man feels a little bit smaller (you know where) and a whole lot dorkier. To quote a dialogue I plan to hone later:

Roger: Dude, it's Fuji. It's like Elvis Presley and James Dean had a kid. He could snap his fingers at a woman, and she'll whip out a pair of kneepads.

Rick: They had a Japanese kid?

Roger: Seriously? I propose a situation where two guys make a baby, and you pull the race card?

Ah, Rick. You poor horny bastard. Alas, he will remain horny in this tale. It's not that I don't want him to get laid, I want all nice men to get laid, but it's simply not in the cards. In part because everyone's life is going to end up in mortal danger. Regardless of what slasher movies tell you, that is NOT the time to take a shower or have sex. But don't worry, I'm sure I can get Fuji in the shower before that happens. At the very least.

Nudity: It's half the reason we watch B-movies in the first place.

Bowm Chicka Bow Wow

2010-10-27T13:37:00.000-07:00

Thanks to KV Taylor, a post about writing!

16. Do you write romantic relationships? How do you do with those, and how “far” are you willing to go in your writing?

I have a pseudonym for writing gay erotica. What does this tell us? If you think it means I channel my lurid prose and homosexual content away from horror writing, that would be no. A big throbbing no. I write about love, lust, and the feelings in between quite often. Enough that I greatly appreciate writing gay erotica as, among other things, a way to explore plots that leave little room for scary shit to happen. On the other hand, if it's a horror story it's a horror story. If that involves dude on dude action, all the better.

A lot of my characters are in love, or meet that "special someone" before the shit hits the fan. As for how far they will go, that depends on the tone of the story. I like writing sex scenes, but only when they fit. Sometimes it's "wink wink, nudge nudge", and other times readers know exactly who put what where.

17. Favorite protagonist and why!

Really?? I have no fucking clue. As a consolation, I will talk about my newest protagonist-in-progress: Fujiwara "Fuji" Shogo. He is one of the six main characters in the novella I am planning, and he is beautiful. Part of the reason I was so excited to go to Japan, was that I would get to see the Rockabillies (like Fuji) in person. He's the kind of guy who can wear sunglasses at night and not look like a douchebag. Ladies, you may swoon now.

18. Favorite antagonist and why!

Tai Dou. Although "antagonist" might be a strong world. Yes, fine, he is the "bad" guy. He's also a very sensitive soul. He'll be unleashed on the world, and Hong Kong in particular, via the upcoming "Malicious Deviance" anthology (Library of Horror Press).

Ah, Hong Kong:

These two were sitting right across from me, in a mall food court. Look at them, so involved in whatever they're doing. I am especially fond of the one on the right. And, as always, I love seeing male friendships in action. It's very sweet : )

The Men of Japan...

2010-10-25T12:33:00.001-07:00

Oh yes. It's that time : ) If you want, please feel free to play the video below while perusing the following pictures. I know I will.

I had jet-lag, I was miserable. The thought of eating made me want to puke. And yet, I would have still found the energy to swipe the table clear and mount our waiter (middle) like a rodeo bull. Alas, you can't see his face. As my wits returned, I got much better at taking stealth pictures.

The trick is to pick a target, and pretend to be interested in something near them. Luckily, as a tourist AND a gaijin, I could pretend to be amazed by pretty much anything. Birds. Window displays. Signs. If your target becomes suspicious, look down at your camera and furrow your brow. This creates the illusion that:

A. The camera is very confusing, and you are having difficulty operating it. Or,

B. You were taking a picture of something else, and are startled to see a human being in the shot.

First day wandering Shibuya. Nearly got whip lash several times. Luckily, this specimen was directly in front of me.

Not only were there hot men EVERYWHERE, they came in multiple sizes and styles. Here we see a cluster of tight bodied, youthful salarymen. One of them seems to have noticed the camera. Sadly, his pants stayed on.

Those of you who enjoyed the street musician in my previous post might appreciate seeing a different side of him. Sweet heaven.

There were the kinds of guys you would take him to meet your mother, like this fellow. He and his friends were dancing to the soundtrack from Grease. I nearly ran in the opposite direction until I saw him.

Then there were the kind of guys that made you forget you had a mother. Or your own name, for that matter. I believe this is their king. He had another man bring him beer, during a break, after which he proceeded to light a cigarette and resumed dancing.

You know what else is great? Japanese guys are not afraid to own a pink cell phone, or a small precious dog. If I was single, I would still be in Japan. I would also be remarkably sore and dehydrated, if you catch my drift.

This adorable phone charm (Totoro) belongs to a Japanese High School boy. He looked eighteen, I swear.

Revelations

2010-10-19T15:01:00.000-07:00

Things I learned in Japan, in question/answer format:

1. Do dreams really come true?

Yes.

2. What is it like to meet one of your heros in person?

Terrifying. Even though Captain Morita and Kujira-san are incredibly nice, meeting them caused my brain to quickly overload, then shut down. Thank goodness for pictures!

3. Vending machines: Overrated?

About as overrated as oxygen. I miss Japanese vending machines with the passion of a thousand suns, and would gladly kill a busload of orphans to see them again.

4. At any point, did you tire of watching the rockabillies?

That is impossible.

5. Any good looking guys over there?

Tokyo has the most beautiful men I have ever seen. When I die, I want to come back as their underwear. I will elaborate on this in a future entry.

Snippets

2010-10-18T16:36:00.000-07:00

I am way, way, waaay behind on everything. It will take a while to get back in the groove of things: Though I am back from Asia, I'm visiting family and my schedule is still a bit wonky. I will return to the real world soon, just not yet. It's nice to have a chance to sit back and think, after three weeks abroad. They say travel changes people, and I can certainly affirm that. At the risk of being philosophical, I am not quite the same person I was when I left. That is a good thing : )

My blog posts will probably consist mostly of pictures and stories from the trip for a while. Not because I am incredibly narcissistic, but because I haven't really gotten anything done on the writing front other than a chapter and a half of a future novel (written in Hong Kong). Also, I finally had a chance to download pictures into my MAC and organize them in my photobucket account. That said, I do have some stories set to come out soon and look forward to pimping them in a dignified and respectful manner. Possibly alongside pictures of half naked men.

And so, without further ado, visuals!

The view from my hotel room. I have included "Hikaru Duck" for dramatic effect. The hotel was in Shibuya, and further down is Shibuya crossing. Every time the traffic stops, masses of humanity converge on the multiple crosswalks. It's a sight to behold, and I used it nearly every day. For one, it took me to TOWER RECORDS. Speaking of which...

The Kishidan section, at Shibuya TOWER RECORDS. I forget if I went three or four times, and that doesn't include another TOWER RECORDS I went to. I also went shopping for used CDs, with Ying's friend. He found me a copy of "Boy's Color," for which I am eternally grateful. On a side note, I never go CD shopping in the states and had forgotten how much fun it is when I know (and care) who the artists are.

Turned into a Holy Grail in my mind, due to it's affiliation with Kishidan, I wanted to find one in the worst way. After two days, nothing. Not even in Chiba. My sorrow was immense, and I lamented ever experiencing the sweet sweet contents of Georgia Max for myself. Then I found out they had it in a vending machine right across the street.

One of the sleep-deprived salarymen of Japan. You see them everywhere, though their favorite spot to take a nap is (logically) on the subways. And get this: When they get off at their stops, they still have their wallets and valuables. I dick you not.

People in Tokyo are a wonderful combination of minding their own business, and incredibly kind when approached. In my case, this was usually to ask for directions in the subway stations. These two people were no exception. They were more than happy to let me take a picture of their pug, and quickly went to work on getting him to pose for me. Like pet owners around the world, they seemed delighted that I realized what a handsome special dog he was : )

Flash back

2010-10-16T20:27:00.000-07:00

The Rockabillies : )

Hong Kong Pictures, Part Deux!

2010-10-13T07:45:00.001-07:00

A pensive lemur

Attractive male, trying to eat in peace

Happy dog, in a shop where I found a jade cicada

The Peak

Zodiac garden, at the Kowloon Walled City Park

At the bird market

A happy pig : )