While the main purpose of this blog is to try and bring attention to my passions, it would be irresponsible of me not to mention all of the great people that I have had the privelege of rubbing shoulders with over the past several years.
Tania Elicker has made perhaps some of the biggest impacts on my love affair with sci-fi/fantasy. Her novel, The Flame Weaver, is a brilliant look into the way her imagination works. I urge anyone who enjoys the genre to peruse that book - she's one of those tortured artists that doesn't realize how adept she is at storytelling. The more people who are out there and able to convince her otherwise, the better.
If high fantasy isn't your cup of tea, you could always check out Nace Phlaux's freshman release, Coincidence. If you've ever stopped to think about life, you know how perfectly things manage to fall into place. The love of your life could be just around the corner; a statement heard loudly enough by the wrong people could completely change your destiny. Phlaux wraps his story up with a bow that could unravel with the slightest tug - it truly is an winding journey, but it is one that couldn't have unfolded any other way.
Finally, several years back, I had the opportunity to work with a guy whose real name I still don't really know. SplashKhat had a tremendous influence on the direction my stories took. Although he was in a completely different medium, it was one that I once ventured upon. As time passed, and I realized that it wasn't something I was proficient enough to pursue whole-heartedly, I always looked back at him with respect and admiration. At one point, I reached out to him on a whim, and we had almost collaborated on the final piece of his magnum opus. At present, he's doing very similar things as I: trying to develop his own video games.
There are, of course, many other people that have had a huge hand in helping me to develop into the storyteller that I am today. There are other writer's that I emulate. There are masterminds of such caliber that I could never hope to match their talent. Perhaps in one of the other blogs down the line, I'll highlight these folks. They deserve their moment in the spotlight as much as anyone.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Friday, December 21, 2012
The Ultimate Penultimate
I'm finally feeling like I'm making some decent progress on this damn chapter. Several of the characters have taken their final bow for the trilogy (excluding the epilogue). Most of the action sequences have been taken care of, and the final chapter is structured instead for exposition and a big reveal.
This chapter is monstrous. I've said it before, but it bears repeating. The last section I was working on was Steel Tip and his troupe, and just one section ran six and a half pages. And I write incredibly small. My written pages end up being longer than typed pages. All told, this chapter is already 28 pages long, and it's still going.
When it gets to the point that I can see the end, I start to write more purposefully. There's definitely a flow to my writing, but further up the river, so to speak, my habits tend to focus more on being more relaxed. I write when it is convenient. Now, with a sense of finality, my writing sessions are more structured. I plan on sitting down and writing more often. A reality where I am finished by the end of the year is completely justified, especially in the next coming days.
For now, I have to slay this massive beast that still stands proud and strong before me. These final chapters are always a little meaty, but I've never been faced with one this enormous. It'll feel like a huge relief once I manage to put it behind me, although I'm sure a little melancholy as well. After all, this goodbye is going to be a long one. It may be years before I get to write about some of the characters again, and that is a painful realization indeed.
In the meantime, there is always the need to push on. This monster of a book is going to be done soon, and I hope that it is something that I can share with everyone.
Soon!
This chapter is monstrous. I've said it before, but it bears repeating. The last section I was working on was Steel Tip and his troupe, and just one section ran six and a half pages. And I write incredibly small. My written pages end up being longer than typed pages. All told, this chapter is already 28 pages long, and it's still going.
When it gets to the point that I can see the end, I start to write more purposefully. There's definitely a flow to my writing, but further up the river, so to speak, my habits tend to focus more on being more relaxed. I write when it is convenient. Now, with a sense of finality, my writing sessions are more structured. I plan on sitting down and writing more often. A reality where I am finished by the end of the year is completely justified, especially in the next coming days.
For now, I have to slay this massive beast that still stands proud and strong before me. These final chapters are always a little meaty, but I've never been faced with one this enormous. It'll feel like a huge relief once I manage to put it behind me, although I'm sure a little melancholy as well. After all, this goodbye is going to be a long one. It may be years before I get to write about some of the characters again, and that is a painful realization indeed.
In the meantime, there is always the need to push on. This monster of a book is going to be done soon, and I hope that it is something that I can share with everyone.
Soon!
Monday, December 17, 2012
Sales Spike!
It might be a little presumptious (I've had people return copies of my book before), and it may be only slight, but I've had the best month in... well, months, in terms of sales.
Better yet, the attach rate for the series increased as well. Typically, I get about 20% on a return readership. That is to say, if 10 people buy The Bindings of Fate, two of them will purchase As Darkness Falls. It will be very interesting to see how things go once The Enemy Within is out.
Last week, I spoke about sales strategies, and what I plan on doing regarding the first book in the trilogy. Rather than do a few days of free sales, I'm thinking of permanently lowering the price of Bindings. It's clearly my first book, and I want to get more people on board for something which is a decidely niche title. Medieval superheroes hadn't ever been done before, to my knowledge. I think some fans have envisioned the Avengers as such, but even that came out after May 2011.
Of course, as Bindings becomes more open to the public, with a cheaper price, I imagine I'm going to get hit with a massive amount of hate (or so it would seem, anyway). More people will get their hands on it, but the attach rate will probably drop.
That % is just a number. I don't really care about that. If I couldn't impress 95 out of 100 people, I'd just be incredibly happy to entertain those five other people. As of right now, it looks like I'm writing the Tellest series for 200 people. If that's the case, I salute you all, and I'll continue to write for you. Thanks for being on board thus far!
Better yet, the attach rate for the series increased as well. Typically, I get about 20% on a return readership. That is to say, if 10 people buy The Bindings of Fate, two of them will purchase As Darkness Falls. It will be very interesting to see how things go once The Enemy Within is out.
Last week, I spoke about sales strategies, and what I plan on doing regarding the first book in the trilogy. Rather than do a few days of free sales, I'm thinking of permanently lowering the price of Bindings. It's clearly my first book, and I want to get more people on board for something which is a decidely niche title. Medieval superheroes hadn't ever been done before, to my knowledge. I think some fans have envisioned the Avengers as such, but even that came out after May 2011.
Of course, as Bindings becomes more open to the public, with a cheaper price, I imagine I'm going to get hit with a massive amount of hate (or so it would seem, anyway). More people will get their hands on it, but the attach rate will probably drop.
That % is just a number. I don't really care about that. If I couldn't impress 95 out of 100 people, I'd just be incredibly happy to entertain those five other people. As of right now, it looks like I'm writing the Tellest series for 200 people. If that's the case, I salute you all, and I'll continue to write for you. Thanks for being on board thus far!
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
The Culmination of Everything
It's been a while since I've posted an update, and that's because there's been very little to tell. Still, I think it's important that people know how far along the book is, and how well I am in my mind.
Things are still on track for this book to be completed at the end of the month. I have about four more sections to write in the penultimate chapter, and then one last chapter that will reveal the secrets of the universe (of Tellest). I promise to explain why people are gaining these powers, and what that means to the other powerful beings of the world.
After that, I'll type the final part out, and then put the entire thing in a drawer somewhere for a month. Then, I'll pick it back up, and do a preliminary edit on it before sending it out to someone who knows better, and can better strengthen my voice. After he's done with his red ink, I'll edit it one last time, put the final touches on it, and commission a cover to be made. In May, it will be out and ready to be in your hands (or on your desk).
I'm struggling with a couple of the details for when it is complete. This is going to be my longest book, by far, and because of that, I'm debating what I should do about the cost. When all is said and done, I've put the most work into this, and I would like to think that I should be compensated for it, so I'm thinking about raising the price compared to the last one. This one would be $4.99 as opposed to the $2.99 I've been selling the last ones at. If anyone happens upon this blog, it is most likely because you're already a fan of the books in some way, so I'll leave it to you. What do you think my book will be worth?
One of the reasons that I'm questioning myself is that it's been quite some time since I've received any kind of feedback on the books. Sales have slowed dramatically as well, so I'm getting a much smaller indication of how much people value my writing. Before, when I released As Darkness Falls, I could tell what kind of attach rate I had with my readers. You can tell that I have about a 20% rate. That is, about 1/5 of the people who read The Bindings of Fate liked it enough to purchase the sequel. That may not seem like a huge amount, but, in my view, that's splendid.
You see, I know that my first book has a sinister lull. I've talked about it before in one of my other blogs. There are a variety of people who will pick up my book, but a special niche of the audience will tolerate my journeyman flaws. Once people were able to trudge through one of the weaker moments in The Bindings of Fate (specifically between Chapters Ten and Thirteen, if you're familiar with the work), I believe they were treated to one hell of a ride.
You see, in those 20-some pages, I tried to force character development onto my protagonist. I wanted to give the audience a little more familiarity with him. Yet the whole time, it showed him as infallible and indomitable. Kaos became a man with no weakness (with the exception of spiders, of course), who was able to do in one day what eight men could not do in decades.
Of course, that was a weakness that should reflect on me, not the story. There were plenty of ways that I could have written those passages leading to the Valley of Kathka that would have made Kaos' success seem more appropriate - more realistic.
I didn't do that, of course, and it's hurt my reputation as an author in some regards. It's also helped immensely, because I've been able to identify some of my biggest flaws.
One of my lowest reviews has this to say about The Bindings of Fate:
"Here is another issue that bothered me. The main character enters a tournament. Why? For treasure. In fact, he repeatedly calls it "treasure". Not money, not gold, not anything specific. Just generic "treasure". The treasure he gets? A treasure map to go find... treasure! And he's so excited about it, he goes and finds this lost treasure that a group of eight other men could not find in their combined lifetimes. In. One. Day.
As I've said before, the realistic chances of Kaos finding anything that eight other men could not is a little beyond the realms of ridiculousness. I should have said that no one really bothered to try looking, or that they had just recently come into possession of the map that would have lead to the fabled treasure. The former is actually accurate to the story as well. With the Knights of Virtue recently developing the City of Wonders, who could blame them for not wasting time trying to find a city that may or may not exist?
And again, the main character's flawlessness is brought under the lens as well - something I've not forgotten, despite that review being written a year ago yesterday.
Another reviewer actually threw down his copy on several occasions, and couldn't even make it through the book:
Throwdown 1: Our hero won 4 gladiator battles, found a magic gauntlet in a lost city and then sleeps with the Duke's daughter ALL WITHOUT TAKING A BATH. It wouldn't be such a big deal, but the author mentions how Kaos has blood and sweat all over him and the guy changes clothes, but doesn't even splash water on his face. Ridiculous. Also worth mentioning: all of the above happened within 48-72 hours. Really?
Now these complaints I take odds with. I've responded to the "your character never takes a bath" comment on other forums before, and frankly, it always strikes me as a little odd. Why should I ever have to mention that the character uses a washcloth or cleans himself in any regards? It should just be implied when he's clean in the next scene. I don't ever write about any of my characters taking the time to urinate, but is that supposed to imply that they never do it? Fake spoilers ahead: the antagonist of the story actually dies of a bursting bladder.
It's the comment about the cliche that actually makes me realize that I'm not going to please everyone, and I'm alright with that.
All that said, however, let me further explain what is going on in my head as I near the end of these books. As I sat, quietly writing this morning, the creeping, nagging worry that I'm not as good a storyteller as I wish to be would ferment in my mind. The echoes of those comments, specifically the first one, still resonate within me. It has effected my confidence, and in turn has effected the speed in which I've proceeded along this last year. Everyone has doubts about their abilities, and most of mine are fostered from these admitted flaws.
In spite of that, however, I think that my writing has steadily improved since I wrote the previous two novels. In this third book, I wrote a very similar treasure hunting sequence as the ill-fated chapters 10-12 in BoF. It was because of that complaint, however, that I identified that weakness, and for that, I say thank you.
So it boils down to this:
Things are still on track for this book to be completed at the end of the month. I have about four more sections to write in the penultimate chapter, and then one last chapter that will reveal the secrets of the universe (of Tellest). I promise to explain why people are gaining these powers, and what that means to the other powerful beings of the world.
After that, I'll type the final part out, and then put the entire thing in a drawer somewhere for a month. Then, I'll pick it back up, and do a preliminary edit on it before sending it out to someone who knows better, and can better strengthen my voice. After he's done with his red ink, I'll edit it one last time, put the final touches on it, and commission a cover to be made. In May, it will be out and ready to be in your hands (or on your desk).
I'm struggling with a couple of the details for when it is complete. This is going to be my longest book, by far, and because of that, I'm debating what I should do about the cost. When all is said and done, I've put the most work into this, and I would like to think that I should be compensated for it, so I'm thinking about raising the price compared to the last one. This one would be $4.99 as opposed to the $2.99 I've been selling the last ones at. If anyone happens upon this blog, it is most likely because you're already a fan of the books in some way, so I'll leave it to you. What do you think my book will be worth?
One of the reasons that I'm questioning myself is that it's been quite some time since I've received any kind of feedback on the books. Sales have slowed dramatically as well, so I'm getting a much smaller indication of how much people value my writing. Before, when I released As Darkness Falls, I could tell what kind of attach rate I had with my readers. You can tell that I have about a 20% rate. That is, about 1/5 of the people who read The Bindings of Fate liked it enough to purchase the sequel. That may not seem like a huge amount, but, in my view, that's splendid.
You see, I know that my first book has a sinister lull. I've talked about it before in one of my other blogs. There are a variety of people who will pick up my book, but a special niche of the audience will tolerate my journeyman flaws. Once people were able to trudge through one of the weaker moments in The Bindings of Fate (specifically between Chapters Ten and Thirteen, if you're familiar with the work), I believe they were treated to one hell of a ride.
You see, in those 20-some pages, I tried to force character development onto my protagonist. I wanted to give the audience a little more familiarity with him. Yet the whole time, it showed him as infallible and indomitable. Kaos became a man with no weakness (with the exception of spiders, of course), who was able to do in one day what eight men could not do in decades.
Of course, that was a weakness that should reflect on me, not the story. There were plenty of ways that I could have written those passages leading to the Valley of Kathka that would have made Kaos' success seem more appropriate - more realistic.
I didn't do that, of course, and it's hurt my reputation as an author in some regards. It's also helped immensely, because I've been able to identify some of my biggest flaws.
One of my lowest reviews has this to say about The Bindings of Fate:
"Here is another issue that bothered me. The main character enters a tournament. Why? For treasure. In fact, he repeatedly calls it "treasure". Not money, not gold, not anything specific. Just generic "treasure". The treasure he gets? A treasure map to go find... treasure! And he's so excited about it, he goes and finds this lost treasure that a group of eight other men could not find in their combined lifetimes. In. One. Day.
The hero is stabbed through the leg with a spear? Two pages later - he's off saving the world... sprinting and leaping. The main character is perfect at everything, all the time, but he's also perfectly humble, perfectly handsome, etc. etc."
As I've said before, the realistic chances of Kaos finding anything that eight other men could not is a little beyond the realms of ridiculousness. I should have said that no one really bothered to try looking, or that they had just recently come into possession of the map that would have lead to the fabled treasure. The former is actually accurate to the story as well. With the Knights of Virtue recently developing the City of Wonders, who could blame them for not wasting time trying to find a city that may or may not exist?
And again, the main character's flawlessness is brought under the lens as well - something I've not forgotten, despite that review being written a year ago yesterday.
Another reviewer actually threw down his copy on several occasions, and couldn't even make it through the book:
Throwdown 1: Our hero won 4 gladiator battles, found a magic gauntlet in a lost city and then sleeps with the Duke's daughter ALL WITHOUT TAKING A BATH. It wouldn't be such a big deal, but the author mentions how Kaos has blood and sweat all over him and the guy changes clothes, but doesn't even splash water on his face. Ridiculous. Also worth mentioning: all of the above happened within 48-72 hours. Really?
Throwdown 2: Our hero makes a deal with a necromancer that if he defeats his champion, he'll let the Duke's daughter go free. Kaos defeats the champion and now she is free. "Free to watch you die!" (insert evil cackle). This was too much cliche and I liked Twilight for the love of Pete.
Now these complaints I take odds with. I've responded to the "your character never takes a bath" comment on other forums before, and frankly, it always strikes me as a little odd. Why should I ever have to mention that the character uses a washcloth or cleans himself in any regards? It should just be implied when he's clean in the next scene. I don't ever write about any of my characters taking the time to urinate, but is that supposed to imply that they never do it? Fake spoilers ahead: the antagonist of the story actually dies of a bursting bladder.
It's the comment about the cliche that actually makes me realize that I'm not going to please everyone, and I'm alright with that.
All that said, however, let me further explain what is going on in my head as I near the end of these books. As I sat, quietly writing this morning, the creeping, nagging worry that I'm not as good a storyteller as I wish to be would ferment in my mind. The echoes of those comments, specifically the first one, still resonate within me. It has effected my confidence, and in turn has effected the speed in which I've proceeded along this last year. Everyone has doubts about their abilities, and most of mine are fostered from these admitted flaws.
In spite of that, however, I think that my writing has steadily improved since I wrote the previous two novels. In this third book, I wrote a very similar treasure hunting sequence as the ill-fated chapters 10-12 in BoF. It was because of that complaint, however, that I identified that weakness, and for that, I say thank you.
So it boils down to this:
- Bad press has made me second guess myself briefly, but I'm still in the game.
- If anything else, the bad comments have helped to strengthen my resolve.
- This book is going to be a monster in length.
- Help me to price out this new book. Do I keep it at $2.99 or do I ask for $4.99. Do I do a early premium and then drop the price later? The price is in your hands.
Friday, November 16, 2012
String Theory
At the end of this third book, I've come to a point where I'm trying to give every character their own time to shine. There are two large focal points that are separated by hundreds of miles, and a whole hell of a lot of mountains.
In each of these locales, I have a handful of characters who have been favored greatly by the readership over the past couple of years. New abilities have been discovered, and, of course, the characters themselves have grown. Recently introduced characters have to have their place in the sun as well, however. As The Bindings of Fate suggested, fate has woven a web between everyone, and without all of their stories, the saga cannot be properly told.
There is an extra dimension to the conflicts that we see in the story, and that dimension was largely hinted at in the second book. External forces have been pushing Blacklehn and Tarson to converge on Raleigh, and despite all the trouble that Kaos Kreegan has found himself in, nothing will prepare him for his encounters in The Enemy Within.
Though Kaos has always seemed at the center of the universe in the Child of the Stars trilogy (and rightly so, given the name), there is indeed a greater scope. Everything is connected - things don't just happen without a purpose. Perhaps the gods have their hand involved in the events that have come to pass, and those that will.
To truly see where the story is going, you need to know where it has evolved from. With that in mind, I'm happy to announce that the next full-length novel I will be working on for Tellest will focus on Kaos Kreegan's childhood and his first real quest. It will be called "The Veil of Mists" and it will introduce you to characters that you may have only heard about in passing, and also show you glimpses of familiar faces that you might not have thought to see again.
Work has resumed on Devour, but I'm still very cautious about putting a firm schedule to it. My programmer has always been awesome to collaborate with, but I know that he's incredibly busy. He's been tutoring me to try and pick up some of the slack, but there is a lot of logic/math involved, and, admittedly, that's not my strength.
In any case, things are still plodding along in Tellest. Hopefully, I'll have some more meaty news for you soon. With the wrap of my book coming shortly, I intend to start the trickle of excerpts. Maybe one per month until the release!
Until then, take care, and thank you for your continued support!
In each of these locales, I have a handful of characters who have been favored greatly by the readership over the past couple of years. New abilities have been discovered, and, of course, the characters themselves have grown. Recently introduced characters have to have their place in the sun as well, however. As The Bindings of Fate suggested, fate has woven a web between everyone, and without all of their stories, the saga cannot be properly told.
There is an extra dimension to the conflicts that we see in the story, and that dimension was largely hinted at in the second book. External forces have been pushing Blacklehn and Tarson to converge on Raleigh, and despite all the trouble that Kaos Kreegan has found himself in, nothing will prepare him for his encounters in The Enemy Within.
Though Kaos has always seemed at the center of the universe in the Child of the Stars trilogy (and rightly so, given the name), there is indeed a greater scope. Everything is connected - things don't just happen without a purpose. Perhaps the gods have their hand involved in the events that have come to pass, and those that will.
To truly see where the story is going, you need to know where it has evolved from. With that in mind, I'm happy to announce that the next full-length novel I will be working on for Tellest will focus on Kaos Kreegan's childhood and his first real quest. It will be called "The Veil of Mists" and it will introduce you to characters that you may have only heard about in passing, and also show you glimpses of familiar faces that you might not have thought to see again.
Work has resumed on Devour, but I'm still very cautious about putting a firm schedule to it. My programmer has always been awesome to collaborate with, but I know that he's incredibly busy. He's been tutoring me to try and pick up some of the slack, but there is a lot of logic/math involved, and, admittedly, that's not my strength.
In any case, things are still plodding along in Tellest. Hopefully, I'll have some more meaty news for you soon. With the wrap of my book coming shortly, I intend to start the trickle of excerpts. Maybe one per month until the release!
Until then, take care, and thank you for your continued support!
Monday, November 12, 2012
The Culling
Oh yes, there will be blood.
I've talked about it before, but I'm nearing the point of no return for certain characters. This will be their final bow, and that realization is both humbling and terrifying.
One of the things that I set out to do as a storyteller is tell the story of a character without a bias. Even though my universe is a complete work of fiction, there is still a spark of truth that is set to the events. I try, in no uncertain terms, to show when someone has something interest to say, rather than presenting it as fact. The reader can determine whether or not it is important to the story, but the character, in revealing that portion of his or her nature, can clearly represent what is important to them.
Though this novel lies at the end of a trilogy, I've included new characters, several which show up as late as the final chapter. Some of them have been referenced to, and some have had no precursory introduction. Their lives are at stake as well during all the turmoil, and it would have been crude and disheartening if I didn't display just what odds they were up against.
Meanwhile, there are veterans of my saga who are forced to come to grips with their own mortality. My readership may already know of the kind of damage that can be done within several hundred pages. Some characters are not meant to make it through to the end. This doesn't mean that they weren't important. They had their role to play, as we all do. The best that they can do is have an impact on someone's life. In that way, they can leave some kind of lasting legacy.
There will be those who survive the horrors of battle. These heroes (and villains - though who is to say which is which?) will bear the scars of lost loved ones, of broken dreams and unfounded wishes. Of course, not all who survive war end up unscathed. Some survivors leave only a broken, maimed husk behind, the memories of their hellish encounters enough to rend their very sanity. Others walk away with only a fleeting semblance of hope, a rapidly diminishing black spot growing inside their hearts. If all that is evil in the world is left to fester, what hope could good possibly venture?
Yet, among the shadows, a new light dawns. There are those who fight, knowing that the odds are ever against them. Some press on, despite all the pain and torment that plagues their lives. Few laugh in the face of danger, tempting fate like some exotic lover. As long as their is a world to protect, to help endure, they will remain. The tales of those who fell too soon may be written in stone, or on tattered pages, but it is the blood they spill that leaves a permanent place in history. Oh yes... there will be blood.
I've talked about it before, but I'm nearing the point of no return for certain characters. This will be their final bow, and that realization is both humbling and terrifying.
One of the things that I set out to do as a storyteller is tell the story of a character without a bias. Even though my universe is a complete work of fiction, there is still a spark of truth that is set to the events. I try, in no uncertain terms, to show when someone has something interest to say, rather than presenting it as fact. The reader can determine whether or not it is important to the story, but the character, in revealing that portion of his or her nature, can clearly represent what is important to them.
Though this novel lies at the end of a trilogy, I've included new characters, several which show up as late as the final chapter. Some of them have been referenced to, and some have had no precursory introduction. Their lives are at stake as well during all the turmoil, and it would have been crude and disheartening if I didn't display just what odds they were up against.
Meanwhile, there are veterans of my saga who are forced to come to grips with their own mortality. My readership may already know of the kind of damage that can be done within several hundred pages. Some characters are not meant to make it through to the end. This doesn't mean that they weren't important. They had their role to play, as we all do. The best that they can do is have an impact on someone's life. In that way, they can leave some kind of lasting legacy.
There will be those who survive the horrors of battle. These heroes (and villains - though who is to say which is which?) will bear the scars of lost loved ones, of broken dreams and unfounded wishes. Of course, not all who survive war end up unscathed. Some survivors leave only a broken, maimed husk behind, the memories of their hellish encounters enough to rend their very sanity. Others walk away with only a fleeting semblance of hope, a rapidly diminishing black spot growing inside their hearts. If all that is evil in the world is left to fester, what hope could good possibly venture?
Yet, among the shadows, a new light dawns. There are those who fight, knowing that the odds are ever against them. Some press on, despite all the pain and torment that plagues their lives. Few laugh in the face of danger, tempting fate like some exotic lover. As long as their is a world to protect, to help endure, they will remain. The tales of those who fell too soon may be written in stone, or on tattered pages, but it is the blood they spill that leaves a permanent place in history. Oh yes... there will be blood.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Recalibrate
I probably shouldn't have played The Scorpions like it was a challenge to Sandy. That was most likely my first mistake.
The hurricane hit my area last week, and it had a pretty severe impact on the community. Trees had demolished houses, power lines were strewn about like shoelaces, and some of the people nearby are still without electricity. This is definitely the worst storm I've seen in my area in my lifetime, and for a lot of other people I know, I'm sure they feel the same.
To all those who weathered the storm, my prayers go out to you.
It has been very strange trying to acclimate myself to the land of the powered again. We were down for 72 hours, and were doing a variety of things to help get us through the dark hours. We did crossword puzzles, we tortured the cat (lovingly - we rolled her up in a couple blankets and made her a Peanut burrito), and sometimes, we just talked for hours at a time. I'm very lucky to have Rhianna in my life - no matter how long we've been together, there's still more I find out about her every day.
There were things that I missed in those three days, however. My hobbies, for sure... it's crippling to go cold turkey on video games - I imagine people who quit smoking have an easier time of it. No television except for whatever we had on DVD that we could pop in Rhianna's laptop. No access to email or facebook... I often forget how much of a social creature I've become in the last several years. I felt naked without the internet, and I'm very appreciative to have it back.
It was a struggle to write this past week as well. I couldn't bring the book to work, because there was hardly any time to work on it, and the day is burning to fast during this time of year that by the time I get home, I can barely see what I'm working on. Even with some of our fancy flashlights, it's a struggle to really find your focus on a page when you write this small. And none of that even comes close to being out of that comfort zone that I've mentioned in previous posts. Seriously, how am I supposed to write without a hair dryer providing magical white noise that whisks me away to another place?
After not writing for three days, I was forced to recalibrate myself. I spent pretty much all of Friday night staring intently at what I'd already put to page, like Michaelangelo stared at the block of marble before it was David. I had to set myself back in that world, and in the mindset to write. The good news is that I'm back in top gear, writing like crazy.
The bad news, if you can call it that, is that my story took on a new twist that's going to require a little more intensive care on my part. I always neglect moving forward cautiously into the final chapter of my books, and they always end up becoming their own monsters. The Bindings of Fate's last chapter nearly tripled the length of the chapter before it. As Darkness Falls was doing it's own thing, but that's only because of the way I broke up the action. It ended up being about 12 pages longer than the chapter before it.
Now that I'm closing up The Child of the Stars trilogy, I can tell that The Enemy Within is definitely going out with a bang. I may even have another chapter to throw in after the one I'm working on to help me dole out all the secret reveals - and trust me, there are a lot of them. I digress. You want details, I'm sure. All of the characters that you've grown to love in these books gets their own little piece of action in this last chapter. It's an impressive overlay that will have a very cinematic feel. I'm thinking it might push close to 40 pages when all is said and done.
With that in mind, I'm pushing back my previous deadline. I know some people might find it a little annoying, but I'd also like to think that the delay will allow it to grow at a more natural pace. A delayed art can eventually be good, but a rushed job will always be terrible. The new deadline that I'm shooting for is May, 2013. That would mean that The Enemy Within would release on the two year anniversary of The Bindings of Fate's release.
Furthermore, I had discussed previously that work on the game was going to be finished sooner than I had anticipated as well. Sometimes the people you work with on a team start off with very good intentions, but other things can get in the way. I'm of the mindset that when you're first interviewing people you're not meeting them, but rather, a representative of them on their best behavior. With that in mind, development on the game is going to take a bit longer than I had previously expected as well. It's my goal at this point to try and get Devour completed and ready for release alongside The Enemy Within. I'll have more details to post over the next few weeks, surely.
Finally, just because one project has a few kinks, that doesn't mean they all must. Kev and I have been working on a new game that we'd like to unveil soon, and of course, it is Tellest related. Old-school gamers should like it as well, but that's as much as I'm able to reveal at this point in time. Stay tuned!
The hurricane hit my area last week, and it had a pretty severe impact on the community. Trees had demolished houses, power lines were strewn about like shoelaces, and some of the people nearby are still without electricity. This is definitely the worst storm I've seen in my area in my lifetime, and for a lot of other people I know, I'm sure they feel the same.
To all those who weathered the storm, my prayers go out to you.
It has been very strange trying to acclimate myself to the land of the powered again. We were down for 72 hours, and were doing a variety of things to help get us through the dark hours. We did crossword puzzles, we tortured the cat (lovingly - we rolled her up in a couple blankets and made her a Peanut burrito), and sometimes, we just talked for hours at a time. I'm very lucky to have Rhianna in my life - no matter how long we've been together, there's still more I find out about her every day.
There were things that I missed in those three days, however. My hobbies, for sure... it's crippling to go cold turkey on video games - I imagine people who quit smoking have an easier time of it. No television except for whatever we had on DVD that we could pop in Rhianna's laptop. No access to email or facebook... I often forget how much of a social creature I've become in the last several years. I felt naked without the internet, and I'm very appreciative to have it back.
It was a struggle to write this past week as well. I couldn't bring the book to work, because there was hardly any time to work on it, and the day is burning to fast during this time of year that by the time I get home, I can barely see what I'm working on. Even with some of our fancy flashlights, it's a struggle to really find your focus on a page when you write this small. And none of that even comes close to being out of that comfort zone that I've mentioned in previous posts. Seriously, how am I supposed to write without a hair dryer providing magical white noise that whisks me away to another place?
After not writing for three days, I was forced to recalibrate myself. I spent pretty much all of Friday night staring intently at what I'd already put to page, like Michaelangelo stared at the block of marble before it was David. I had to set myself back in that world, and in the mindset to write. The good news is that I'm back in top gear, writing like crazy.
The bad news, if you can call it that, is that my story took on a new twist that's going to require a little more intensive care on my part. I always neglect moving forward cautiously into the final chapter of my books, and they always end up becoming their own monsters. The Bindings of Fate's last chapter nearly tripled the length of the chapter before it. As Darkness Falls was doing it's own thing, but that's only because of the way I broke up the action. It ended up being about 12 pages longer than the chapter before it.
Now that I'm closing up The Child of the Stars trilogy, I can tell that The Enemy Within is definitely going out with a bang. I may even have another chapter to throw in after the one I'm working on to help me dole out all the secret reveals - and trust me, there are a lot of them. I digress. You want details, I'm sure. All of the characters that you've grown to love in these books gets their own little piece of action in this last chapter. It's an impressive overlay that will have a very cinematic feel. I'm thinking it might push close to 40 pages when all is said and done.
With that in mind, I'm pushing back my previous deadline. I know some people might find it a little annoying, but I'd also like to think that the delay will allow it to grow at a more natural pace. A delayed art can eventually be good, but a rushed job will always be terrible. The new deadline that I'm shooting for is May, 2013. That would mean that The Enemy Within would release on the two year anniversary of The Bindings of Fate's release.
Furthermore, I had discussed previously that work on the game was going to be finished sooner than I had anticipated as well. Sometimes the people you work with on a team start off with very good intentions, but other things can get in the way. I'm of the mindset that when you're first interviewing people you're not meeting them, but rather, a representative of them on their best behavior. With that in mind, development on the game is going to take a bit longer than I had previously expected as well. It's my goal at this point to try and get Devour completed and ready for release alongside The Enemy Within. I'll have more details to post over the next few weeks, surely.
Finally, just because one project has a few kinks, that doesn't mean they all must. Kev and I have been working on a new game that we'd like to unveil soon, and of course, it is Tellest related. Old-school gamers should like it as well, but that's as much as I'm able to reveal at this point in time. Stay tuned!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)