General Update

Had a good (and short) visit to the Eye Clinic today, Consultant was happy which makes me happy. Back for another check-up in 3 months. Still got another eye related issue (I won’t bore you with the details, it might upset the squeamish) ongoing, I’m back there on Friday for a check-up on that front.

I’ve finalized next months release and made the cover.
It won’t be the only free ebook next month as because it’s very short I will be doing a 2nd release next week as well.

Next month will also see “The Armstrong Moment” appearing on the Linguistic Erosion website (I am aware of the release date but I will give another update closer to the time), I’ve also had another flash piece accepted by 365 Tomorrows. As yet there’s no info on a release date for that.

I’ve written!

Created a flash short this morning and submitted it to 365 Tomorrows so it’ll be early June before I know anything about that ones fate.

I was pretty happy with it despite its shortness. It said everything I wanted it to.

No spoilers on it, sorry.

Currently trying to decide what next months free release ebook will be as there’s plenty to choose from that is already finished.

The Digital Ape

“They” say that if you had an infinite number of monkeys at an infinite number of typewriters they’d eventually produce The Complete Works Of Shakespeare. The monkeys would probably write dirty jokes that are just as good or better than old Will’s.

Providing they didn’t spend most of the time flinging poo at either you or each other.

With the Internet anyone can now publish a book or a story.
Admittedly there isn’t an infinite number of us but at the speed we write no doubt we’ll eventually cover every story idea that the human brain can come up with.

And I’m part of that pool of creativity making new books and stories.

I am A Digital Ape.
Brachiating my way across the world wide web only pausing to fling poo.
Let’s face it, that’s all Facebook is really for – flinging our poo at each other.

All hail The Digital Ape, he walks upright and uses a keyboard.
He also likes bananas. Oook!

Spreading yourself too thin

This is something I am guilty of.

I have a LOT of ideas that are either in development or just a few lines or a few paragraphs or well under way. Sometimes I find being able to sit down and write (ie:- having the desire & motivation) quite difficult.

So I’ll try to write but I am VERY easily distracted. Not to the point of ADD but I am pretty easily distracted, I find it very easy to procrastinate too. Currently in my development queue I have at least 40 stories ranging from just an idea written down to 1 line of story, 1 sentance, a paragraph all the way up what would equate to several pages.

My single worst piece of procrastination would be my Hitch Hikers fan-fic story which I’ve been working on since I was 16. And I’m 43 now. So I’ve got it bad.

I can finish stuff. My 50+ published ebooks and several flash fiction stories online are proof of that.

All I’m saying is I’m a complex individual.

I’ll just write when I can, is that fair enough?

A sneaky peak at a work in progress…….

“All The World In Wax” – here’s a little taster to whet your appetite.

All around the town, the pasters of posters were advertising the coming attraction. “Recently arrived; from Lychburg, Tn. All The World – In Wax! See how life is lived in other states!” The poster promised mysteries would be unravelled amidst a cloud of popcorn aroma and tilt-a-whirl screams.

The carnival would run for a week as it always had in the past, then quietly dismantle like a snake eating its own tail and move off during the night leaving nothing but an empty field. Nothing but a few half ripped tickets and a broken coconut shell to show anything had ever been there except the field.

(This is my attempt to channel both Ray Bradbury & Stephen King at the same time, any opinions are welcome)

IT LIVES!

I’m back!

Laser surgery over and done (well, at least for another 6 weeks) and it was probably the most painful things I’ve ever encountered in my life up this point.

And I’ve been exposed to CS Gas (many times) and fractured my ankle too.

Yesterday was really painful and this morning was pretty damn uncomfortable too.

I’m on eye drops for a week and tablets until tomorrow.

No clue when I’ll be back and writing again.

Today I……………..

Typed up my current bedside notes for “The Space Museum” which is still its working title unless I can think of a better one.

I’ve now got an artist working on a potential cover (in slow time) in the shape of one of my sisters.

The ideas that currently exist appear to work fairly well as notes that I’ve typed up, how they work when I come to turn it into chapters is entirely another matter.

I think the situation I’ve created to make my 2 lead characters the last 2 Americans alive doesn’t sound completely ridiculous or insane. I’ve already abandoned the sad “everyone dies” initial idea for my original ending, its just way too dull and a real heavy bummer to boot.

In order to improve it I created a new character and a back story of their survival which works for me.

I’m of a mind to create a timeline for the story so I can refer to it as I am writing, it’s a possibly helpful development tool which may or may not be implemented. Frankly anything I do this week before Thursday is a bonus.

“It’s been done before”

Never ever EVER Google your potential story ideas, because someone else has almost certainly suggested it before you.

Things I’ve had to abandon after Googling:-

Cosmonauts before Gagarin.
Ayers Rock Is A Spaceship.
Kubrick faked the moon landings.

Latest flash short NOW online to read!

http://www.linguisticerosion.com/2013/04/the-keepers-kept.html

The Keepers, Kept | Linguistic Erosion

And my newest flash short “The Keepers, Kept” is UP! (Oh, and currently being reworked into a novellette – possibly)

Totally not a statement of intention, okay?

I’m saying that so people don’t expect me to follow through then get disappointed if or when I can’t manage to complete what I’m thinking about.

Okay, caveat over.

On Sunday Linguistic Erosion will publish “The Keepers, Kept” on their web site.

It’s a short piece of flash fiction that tells a little bit of a story but enough to be understandable.

One of the things people have said about some of my previous shorts were that a few of them could have easily been extended into something more. The more I read over “The Keepers, Kept”, the more I started thinking that about it myself. The story does and can stand alone. But I feel like I can do more with it.

So I’m going to try. I may fail. But I’ll fail having tried. Which is better than never trying.

So far I have outline ideas for 15 specific chapters, each of which I am hoping I can make about 2000 words long or more. Which may well put me at 30,000 words – way more than anything I’ve previously written for one single story.

I’m going to try. I have no set timetable, no set amount of words per day or week or month even.
There’s no finish line as such, if I can answer to myself “have I reached the end of this?” then it’s done.

Wish me luck.
I’m gonna need it.