Jun. 13th, 2010

tinhuvielartanis: (Cadmus Priest)
Because the book cover is almost a done deal, I sent out an email to just about everyone, telling them that I am indeed going to be published. One can't be too careful about such things, especially when one is a pessimist and a cynic. But things seem to be rolling along nicely, so I figured, what the hay?

I got an email back from Cathy, an old friend whom I met at BMG what seems like an age ago now. She and Glenn are doing okay after a long bout of financial scares. They are, after all, American citizens living through the second Great Depression. I'm prodding her to come for a visit. They live in Florida now. I also got a note from Carl, which said in part:

"Of course, a tiny protective part of me feels the need to warn you that, if getting a book publishing deal is anything like getting a record deal, your work is only just beginning and you may be about to enter a whole new world of pain. But in a good way. I think."

I think that's one reason why I'm so hellbent on completing the series, so I can pay attention to the business side of The Relics when that comes. Since Fey is a small publisher, I doubt there will be much red tape; however, I'm going to try to market myself (*gulp*), which will take time away from writing, but will help me no end when the other two books come out. A person or product doesn't just appear with a bevy of fans. A fan base has to be created, nurtured, and encouraged to bring in more fans. That's what I kept going on about with The Joker Blogs, but that's neither here nor there. Not anymore, anyway.

Today finds me with 5040 words added to the manuscript, which now stands at 63,439 words. I'm well over three-quarters of the way finished with the story, so it looks like Augury will be closer in size to The Chalice and The Blood Crown will be the monster of the three. Crown topped off at 111,818 words. My one big fear in all of this is that the stories get a cult following and I am then tapped to write more about this Vampiric world. I'm wholly uncertain whether or not I have it in me to do. I guess we'll find out come December and afterward.
tinhuvielartanis: (Cadmus Dark Eyes)
There are a lot of people who look down on fanfiction. To those people I do dramatically say, "SHUT YOUR PIE HOLE!" No, seriously, shut it. Fanfiction should have a higher place amongst writers and the writing community as a whole because it's an expression of creativity. It doesn't matter that these characters aren't of your own making or that some people engaged in the same thing you're doing happen to be Slash writers. I personally think that ever creative writer should write at least one fanfiction in his/her life. It's like taking a vacation from your normal work and playing around with worlds that are wholly unfamiliar. It gives you a break from your day-to-day writing, dealing with difficult characters, and feeling yourself sucked into a story that might be going nowhere because you've lost your passion. That break could mean the difference between finishing a work and not finishing it.

As I've mentioned here before, The Darth Maul Estrogen Brigade saved my writing self. Writing Darth Maul made me realise that I could do with my characters what I did with Maul. I could place them in any situation and any set of circumstances in order to salvage the work as a whole. Putting Darth Maul at a flea market also helped me come to grips with the fact that my own writing, be it my material or fanfiction, could be extremely therapeutic. Working with the DMEB and Sith Academy brought me out of a 10-year writer's block and I've been writing ever since.

Except for a period of time last year while I got involved in Joker fanfiction, my only experience with FF had been within the Star Wars universe. I'm not sure what my next fanfiction sojourn will be. For about a minute, I thought it might be Mad Hatter, but then I thought better of it, much to everyone's relief. If the urge comes to me to write fanfiction, I shall absolutely write whatever I want to write, and I'll be proud of what I write. It might not be the best literature in the world and some of it may be off the wall at best, but it keeps my imagination going and my fingers moving.

I made a terrible mistake back in 1990. I stopped writing because I thought what I was writing was cack. When I stopped, I couldn't get started again. It took a decade and the discovery of fanfiction in 1999 for me to start writing again. So, all that said, if you write and you're having a hard time with your characters or narrative, try some fanfiction. You'll be happily surprised at the result. I know I've been. And to those of you who think you're too good to stoop so low, nobody is interested in you anyhow. ptptptptptpt
tinhuvielartanis: (Can't Stop Writing)
I'm writing on the Cliffs because I don't want to write anymore on The Augury of Gideon. As the day progresses, I'm like that little wind-up doll in the Pristiq adverts, except I don't get wound back up. My quality of writing is fresher and much better in the mornings than in the afternoons. Since the writing has been coming to me more easily, I look forward to getting up during the day. Of course, this is a direct result of my getting to sleep as well. Once my insomnia comes back, all this may change. Then again, I wrote "The Sainted Confessor" during one of the worst periods of insomnia I believe I've ever had. Now it bears the question, did I write because of the insomnia, or did I have insomnia because of what I was writing? That whole chicken/egg conundrum is enough to break a weakened brain.

Maybe I should talk to the doctor about changing my anti-depressant from Cymbalta to Pristiq so I won't continue to be that wind-up doll That'll be in three months though and, by then, I should have this book written and the manuscript of The Blood Crown proofed for the final time. But the Pristiq might be helpful if I go into full marketing mode for The Chalice. The book is due to come out sometime before Christmas. I go back to the doc about my meds in November. It might work out if I decide I want to try the Pristiq. It'd be nice to have a day where my ass isn't dragging by 6 PM every day.

I've been thinking about the Iyinskiian writings. They are a set of essays and lists of things that revolve around a planet called Iyinskii and a country in particular called Dannagran Dram. I tell stories about the smallest bird in Danny Dram that is really very easy to catch, but is impossible to hold on to. It is the Great Iyinskiian Beeping bird and its call is so loud, it renders its prey temporarily deaf. There's also the Grisly Bear, the ugliest bear you'd ever see...anywhere. I have maps and names of towns, ethnic groups, types of music. There's just so much there. Once I have the time and inclination, I think I'm going to start compiling all of this and working on making it as cohesive as I can. Perhaps I could get it published as a children's book.

Picture it. Me...a children's author. If that image doesn't cause you to have nightmares tonight, then you just ain't breathin', dude.
tinhuvielartanis: (Torquemada)
So I'm biding my time until it's time to go to bed. This is the mischief I got up to. Take the poll, you know you wanna.

[Poll #1578088]

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