The Word Count

July was a busy month. I won't bother going into all the details, but it was just plain busy. The last time I was working on Natalie's Hunt, I looked at my word count for the month of July. I probably shouldn't have done that. It bummed me out. I didn't write nearly as much as I wanted to write.

So with a new month starting in a just a few hours (less than 5 as I am typing this), I am setting my sights forward. There are some very busy times coming up for August. We will have visitors the last couple weeks of the month. So the house will be kind of full, and kind of full really isn't the best time for writing. But I will do my best, and give extra effort to the first couple weeks and get as much done as I can so that when August comes to a conclusion, I can look at my progress and feel happy about it.

I am not all bummed out about my progress. I am enjoying seeing new things in the story as I go. My method of writing is that I have the "basic" story in my mind. After that it gets filled in with lots of new details and things that tie it all together. It's those last parts that I don't truly know until I sit down and really start writing.

I get into the story in my mind, and I start writing what I am seeing, and my imagination creates as I write. It's a wonderful and thrilling experience that I would gladly enjoy almost every day. I only say almost because I know the imagination needs its recharge time. I can manage that. But first I need to get into the position where I really can write daily. At that point I could eventually publish 2 or 3 books, and 2 or 3 short stories every year. I've tested my theory and I know it's true. I really could write that much. Granted, I only have story ideas in my head that would cover the first two years (maybe 3). I don't doubt my brain could come up with some new material to keep me going beyond that point though.

I'll think I'll go write something now.

Wanted - Dead or Alive

"Every man dies. But not every man lives." William Wallace (played by Mel Gibson) from the movie Braveheart.

A specific event in my life reminded me that I am alive, but I need to be more than just alive. I needed to live.

Increasing Likes

Last week I decided to do a brief advertising campaign on my Facebook author page.

In the past I was not very impressed with advertising on Facebook, but I decided to give it another try.   I restricted my budget as a matter of prudence (well, that and not being impressed the first time around).

This time I was kind of impressed.  The advertising generated new likes on my page.  Which is really cool.

But since I'm spending money on it, there is an unspoken (actually I think I said it out loud, but who's counting that thought anyway) thought that it should generate book sales so that my investment would be recouped.  So far I have not detected sales I can trace back to the facebook campaign, but I am doing my best to be certain.  If it worked, then I will invest in it again.

Writing History Into the Present

It's an interesting phenomena to write about vampires, or others who are either immortal or live very long lives.  They get to experience points in history I have no way of experiencing myself (except for reading books).  They also have the time to travel to places that I have neither the time nor the money to travel to myself.

So as I reference the histories of my vampires, I have no choice but to rely on my own creativity, and the research I can conduct on my own.

Part of that research is to do what I can to meet people from other countries.  I have met someone (through the Internet) from the country mapped above.  If you read Jeremy's Kiss, then you know I have a character who is from there (but quite a few years ago).  So talking this new friend I am getting some insights about what this character may be like.  Of course I have to make it complicated by having him in a conversation with a vampire from Japan, one from early American, one from modern America, and one from mainland Europe (not sure if I said where the last one is from yet).  So it's not like there is a single cultural issue going on here.

In the end, I have to find a way to blend these characters.  They have certain rules I have applied to them, and still they need to be themselves in their own way.

Fluers De Mal (by Sarah Brightman)

Translated, it basically means the Flowers of Evil (but the translation is not perfect as the words meanings are not precise).

The song has a wonderful sound, and honestly I would love to play the violin as it is played in this song.

The Violin & The Bow

Have I mentioned yet that I play violin?  I can't remember if I brought that up in this blog or not yet.  I know I have shared it through other outlets, but this blog has been so much about writing and what I have written that I am not sure I have mentioned that I play violin yet.  So tonight I am going to talk about playing the violin.

I first picked up the violin in 1979 (I won't say how old I was at the time - those who know, know).  My parents found a used violin at a reasonable rate and I started lessons.  Then I moved, was in class in school for a short time, and we moved again, and I didn't have an instructor and I had only barely started.  So for years I didn't have an instructor and the violin was stored away.

Fast forward to 2007 and my parents still have that violin and they brought it to me where I lived at the time.  I found an instructor and took lessons through online video chat sessions.  I won't say that is the ideal way to do lessons because there were so many mistakes I was making that she was not able to see.  Still, I wouldn't trade those lessons for the world.  My instructor was just wonderful and really got me back to enjoying learning to play the violin.  I even invested in a new violin (better quality).  I kept the original one, because it is my fist and I am going to hold onto it until I see my life coming to a close (hoping that's about 60 or so years away).

Tragedy hit though and I set the violin down for about a year and a half.

I moved to a new place, and decided (with the blessing of my online instructor) to take lessons at a local music school.  I have been doing that for 3 years now.

I had 2 violins.  I had 2 bows.  The funny thing is that each violin liked one of the bows and not the other, and they didn't like the same bow.  When I say didn't like, what that means is that if I played the violin with the wrong bow it would make weird noises and just not sound good at all.  He said I need to rehair my bow.  The cost to rehair the bow is as much or more than I paid for the bow in the first place.  I wasn't going to do that.

So I did a little research on violin bows and decided I really did not want to go back to an uber cheap bow.

I stopped at my now favorite violin store and worked with the staff and picked out a new Brazilwood bow.  It was close.  I almost got the Carbon Fiber bow, but the Brazilwood just had a nice sound on my violin.

I've played it.  It's wonderfully smooth and gives my violin a brand new sound.  Who knew?  I mean besides violinists who have been playing long enough to have learned what I just learned this week - that the bow really does make  a difference.

The photo above.  That is my violin with it's new bow and it's old bow.  I think they look good together.

Did some Editing

A young woman who is now reading Jeremy's Kiss asked me very politely if I would look at a story she is writing. She dreams of completing it and publishing it. Naturally I said yes. I really hope her dream becomes a reality, and now I am given an opportunity to help her see that dream come true.

She sent me her story, and I am very impressed with her imagination and creativity.  She has the beginnings of a very thorough story.

Then I set my mind to the task of editing.  Grammar corrections, ok, gotta have those.  Then comes the harder part.  Which parts need some expanding and clarifying?  Which parts aren't quite making sense to the story I am reading?  Did I feel like something was missing?

I have gained a whole new respect for professional editors.  Their job is clearly a difficult one.  Finding and fixing what can take a story to the next level is a skill or a talent that not everyone possesses.

So this is really my shout out to all those editors out there working so hard to make the stories authors write into something even better than it was when the author first penned it.  Many thanks for the hard work.

Monday Music Redo - Snuff by Slipknot

I was looking over old posts last night and noticed that yesterday's music post was actually a repeat.

So that's great. I really need to figure out a way to stay on top of my music posts so I don't repeat posting music. There is way more than enough music out there to not have to do repeats for a very long time.

I am posting this bonus song today to make up for that lapse yesterday. It just has that vibe about it that gets me in the right mood for writing.

Close My Eyes Forever

If I close my eyes forever, will it all remain unchanged?

Yeah, that one lyric really speaks to me about the immortality of vampires.

Within my story lines, vampires sleep during the day. It is part of their being, their very nature. They do not have a choice about it. When dawn comes, they will sleep, and all their instincts drive them to safety (as sunlight kill vampires - They Do NOT Sparkle!!!!).

I'm Going Camping

The clothes are packed.

The cooler is packed (and iced).

The dishes are cleaned.

The coffee is ground.

The trailer is parked and ready to be loaded.

The truck is ready to get through a work day, and come home to get loaded.

We have a reservation at the Sea & Sand RV resort.

A spot that I am told overlooks the Pacific Ocean.

I have a box filled with both books.

I'm going camping, and I hope I capture at least one or two amazing photos I can share.

The 13th God

Earlier this year I joined the Northwest Independent Writers Association (NIWA). This is a group dedicated to supporting Independent authors and showing that authors do not need publishing houses and tons of resources to provide good quality books that are worth reading.

All of the members of the group are invited (actually highly encouraged) to submit a short story each year to be published in a NIWA anthology. This years theme is to write "speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy, horror, or something at least close)" with the number 13 as an element of plot or setting.

I submitted my short story entitled "The 13th God". As it is a short story, I won't say too much about it, because in a few words I could easily give away the story.

The story I submitted was accepted and I am very happy with the compliments the reviewer/editor gave the story. Now comes the hard part. Correcting my mistakes and fixing parts of the story that need to be clarified for ease of reading. When I read through what the editor asked me to work on, I honestly felt a little bit overwhelmed. It actually seemed like a daunting task.

I will face that task though. I fully intend to make sure this story is worthy of the association I have joined. I have time, but I dare not waste the time that I have.

Before The Dawn

Just listen to the lyrics, or read them if you prefer.  Everything about this song is just meant for Vampires.

Almost ready for camping

I woke this morning to the dawning realization that I had forgotten to write a post for yesterday.  Bad blogger, bad bad blogger.

Ok, enough beating me up.  I know I need to do better.  In lots of things.

Yesterday I had the day off from work (loving the 4 day weekend - need those like once a month I think).  So yesterday was spent with the RV trailer getting it ready to go camping next weekend.

Cleaning was a huge issue.  Apparently some mice decided to it make their home.  The smell was not pleasant.  The insulation, paper towels, and toilet paper shredded to make little mouse homes was not pleasant.  The mess they made was beyond not pleasant.  The small trash bag quickly filled.

One of the tires was flat, so that had to come off and go into a dealer for repair.  I set the jack under the trailer and started lifting.  The trailer did not move, but the jack did.  Pulled the jack out and put a board under the trailer and tried again - this time the trailer lifted.  Got the tire off and headed out to get it repaired and also pick up more cleaning supplies and mouse traps.

The tire was 26 years old (dang, I didn't know they could last that long) and still had good tread on it - but the rubber was definitely too old to be repaired.  One expensive replacement later, plus shopping for cleaning supplies and mouse traps, and we are back at the trailer.

New tire on.  Cleaning again.  Lots of duck tape to cover the place the mice were stealing the insulation from.  The generator would not start (so couldn't test that the trailer will get power from being plugged in).  The battery is in good shape though so I do at least have power from the battery.

It's clean enough to take camping, but could still use a bit more work.  On the way home realized I forgot to take off the propane tanks to have them topped off, and also realized I forgot to set the mouse traps.  No doubt the little mice are crawling over the box of traps laughing their little tails off.

Interview With Michelle

We have a special guess at our blog tonight. Michelle, recently returned from a mysterious island has joined us to give an interview. She'll share a bit more about herself and a bit about her experience on the island.

Lee: Michelle, thank you for coming by for this interview.

Michelle: Thank you for the invitation. Ever since I read the story myself, I've been hoping to for an opportunity like this.

Lee: Well, hopefully you did enjoy the story, even though you knew it was primarily about you. Could you tell us a bit more about yourself.

Michelle: Yes. As you know from the story, I am from Canada and I am bilingual. My family moved a few times while I was growing up, but I eventually settled down and married and lived in the Edmonton area. Unfortunately that marriage didn't last, but I did get two wonderful children, so I can't complain too much. After the divorce, I just wanted to get away from my ex husband and moved to the Northwest Territories. I won't say exactly where, because I am still very protective of my children and my privacy.

Lee: How did you meet Frank for the first time?

Michelle: It seems like a lifetime ago, but I did work as a freelance writer. He was writing as a hobby. We met through the Internet. In fact, that was how we corresponded and got to know each other. It's amazing how much you feel like you can get to know someone even though they are so far away. We did that for several months, and then it was like he was someone I didn't know at all. I guess it scared me and I decided I didn't want to go through another issue like with my ex husband, so I broke things off.

Lee: It sounds like there are still lingering emotions where he is concerned.

Michelle: Can we move on to another topic?

Lee: Certainly. Tell us a bit about when you first arrived on the island.

Michelle: Ok. I can do this. When I woke up there, it was very traumatic. There are no words to describe the terror of waking up in such an impossibility. I know I had things with me to help me survive, and I am not a stranger to camping or taking care of myself. But still this was far beyond anything I could ever imagine. Every camp ground I have ever been to, I could still hear people around me. There was always the people I went camping with, whether they were family or friends. There were cars and traffic, or airplanes that could be heard. Sometimes I sought out times and places where I didn't have to hear these things. On the island I was constantly without that presence. There were no cars. There were no planes, or boats. There was nothing electrical. It was like the entire world as I know it was taken away from me.

Lee: It did seem like it was emotionally traumatic for you.

Michelle: I guess you are referring to how much I cried.

Lee: Yes, I am.

Michelle: It was very emotionally traumatic, and I know I cried several times. The terror was overwhelming at times. Then there was the loneliness. And there was Frank. He really hated me. I had no idea he really hated me like that. I know my ex husband is bitter, we both are, but he is the only person I ever expected that kind of anger and vitriol from. It shocked and scared me to see Frank like that. When we corresponded, he was always seemed like a kind and thoughtful man. I know he had difficult emotional issues, but I never saw anything like that look in his eyes that day. But the story didn't cover everything. I guess it had to be edited to keep it interesting. There were days on end in which I didn't cry. There were times Frank and I crossed paths and I didn't cry about it. There were other storms that I survived without the overwhelming fear. I guess if there was anything I would critique it is that the story made me seem more emotional on the island than I really was. Once I got past the shock and focused on survival, most days that is all I did. Just focus on the survival, like putting one foot in front of the other.

Lee: That definitely gives a new perspective on this story. We are going to need to stop at this point. I don't doubt there is a lot more we could ask. Would you be willing to answer questions from some of our readers?

Michelle: Yes, up to a point. I won't reveal any details that could indicate where I really live. As I mentioned, I am protective of my family. Also, we are working on finishing this story, and I will respect that and not give away details of what happened after I woke up in my bed.

Lee: Thank you for being with us Michelle. And thank you for working with us to finish the story. I am sure we all look forward to hearing more from you. If you have any questions for Michelle, please ask them here, and we'll get the response out as quickly as we can.

Read All About It

Twice Even.  Sure, this might seem like a shameless plug for my books again.  But that really is the title for the song I am putting in today's Monday Music.

Shameless plug.  Buy my books, read them, love them, give them amazing reviews and tell the whole world how awesome they are (shameless plug over with).

Like I said.  Twice on the song.  The first time is intended for you to just listen to the song.  The second time it is accompanied by an amazing video performance.

Enjoy.