Mistake on WotF

Just sent in my story to Writer's of the Future contest for the second quarter.

I was looking for another new story when I noticed a certain file.  Oops and something stronger I usually don't say. I sent in the wrong version. UGGGH! To say the least.  They were marked differently and I should have noticed that.

Supposedly that has happened before and can be fixed so we shall see. But still Not Good.

Not gonna read number two

I read "Trick Of The Light" by Rob Thurman and decided with the way she ended it not to read any more in the series.

Not that the writing or ending was bad, except for this one thing with two of the characters. While reading I put up with some not good activities and a god character or two but this time a writer went over the line for me.

My head didn't explode as she may think but she also lost a fan and buyer. And I won't be recommending that book either. I don't believe what she did was needed and she added it after the case was solved. She was pulling together a couple of loose ends and added this event between two of the main characters.

Oh well there were a couple of other lines that put the pagan beliefs above Jesus and the whole Bible story so it's just as well.

Changes one more time

I changed it again as you can see.

I like the colors a bit more than my last try but I may change it again if I find a better template and colors.

And I added a page for my stories. There will be some free ones there and I will include a list of any other sells and where you can find that story.

And I may include links to stories written by other people that I like.

And please tell me what you think.

A new book and writing

I am reading "Doppelgangster" by Laura Resnick...nicely done. Mostly. the opening felt a bit busy and slow at the same time and took a while to get to the point but still well done. If you like light hearted UF books try it out.



And even though I had to do some yard work yesterday and help my wife take pictures of her Easter Bunnies and solar fat cat I did get some writing work done.  And Sunday, today, I am doing some writing.


But if you need some easter stuff or gifts check out my wife's stuff a link is on the side.

Found the page thingee

  So there will be some new pages at times but it will take a while to get them all done.

Changes

  Yeah, I changed a few things here, finally.  If you find the colors hard on your eyes or the words hard to read please say something.

And when I figure out how, I will be adding additional pages. One page will be about the various books I am working on... maybe two or three pages. One page might be about my family, have to decide, and one probably will be some free stories. Probably only two to four. Or links to the stories of writers like me.  And one listing any e-books and/or e-stories I do and where to buy them. That I might list on the first page.

I will be doing some e-stories, I just have to find the time to clean some up...too many nitpicks and bad grammar. I've said that before, maybe I will just have to start... possibly pick one night a week to do that.

More rejections

Intergalactic Medicine Show sent me a rejection last night. Kinda fast compared to the past but my last couple of stories have been sent back quickly compared to usual. It didn't take them long to figure they didn't like my writing or story.


And today I got one from Castlepod. I just sent that one a few days ago, that is very fast for them. It's taken them four to six months to get back to me. They must really not like that writing.

Another update

I mentioned getting close to 84,000 words for one of my novels, I thought I might be just under that. But I realized that I need to add some description of the city the action takes place in.

In my New Mage WIP the MC lives in Boulder Col.  In one other I just wrote three chapters of so far, I will leave the rest until I'm done with one to three of the ones I an working on. Anyway, in that novel the MC lives around here..as in where I live not here on the blog.  :)

I planned to make up the city for "Storm Born", the 84,000 word novel. There are certain characteristics that I most probably not be able to find in real city; like a sports stadium nick named the Box. I could make it an area of the city but we shall see. So when I go back to add descriptions, that will probably carry the novel over the 84,000 word mark. Which would be good and that means that I can now relax and just head for the finish. I think two chapters will do it. And I know a good part of what will go into those two chapters. My MC has to fight a werewolf and figure out how to get through a magical shield that has been placed over much of the stadium. I thought of two ways. One is that the wizard making the shield is an elf so that the shield can't touch iron or any metal with iron in it. So it actually stops a couple of inches above the seats and my MC has to break a seat off to have room to squeeze under the shield  maybe a unicorn helps him do that. He does fight one and I was thinking he does it a favor so it wants to help....I don't know for sure we shall see.

 
In Bright Eyes, my third WIP, I don't name the city either. I probably should. Probably make up another one but it could be a real smaller city near the ocean  We shall see on that too.

One rejection

So far I have received one rejection back not surprising JJA didn't like it any better than my others even though it got a HM.  Obviously the writing still needs work with a HM but other writers have had them sell.  And he might have at least noticed it was better written but...

Ideas

I've gotten a bunch of ideas lately but no time to work on them I hope I can remember them.

The latest has to do with a swordsman in our times. He chases evil creatures and those who work with them. A dark character who looks tough and unemotional but would risk his life for someone in trouble...depending who they are. A big time drug dealer or an abuser he would probably leave to their fate. This guy's wife though knows him better than anyone but may leave him because he got a call-I don't mean phone call-- while they were having sex. She doesn't know why he just stopped. It's the latest in a series of happenings in their life.

The other night I thought out the opening of a story. About a girl out on her own who is somewhat based on my daughter. This story will more than likely be a simple SF and short even though I have no idea what happens to the girl.

Can't recall them right now but I have had three or more other ideas. Two had to do with SF. One was Space opera. But I still have more UF ideas than any others, at the moment.

As a PS I wrote some on New Mage this morning and maybe later tonight, need to go to the store now!!!

New books

Went to Barnes and Noble today. I was looking for four books that were suppose to come out this month. Thought I would wait 'till the second weekend to give them time.   [rolls eyes upward]   well I was half right.

Two of those four were there. I checked the other two and they aren't suppose to be there until the end of the month.  What! Books are suppose to come out at the beginning of the month...don't publishers and bookstores know anything?

Well, that is true in my experience anyway.  :)


So I need to go back the first weekend of next month. Maybe I will have another 15% off coupon by then.

The books I bought were "Changes" by Jim Butcher...Finally the paperback version is out. Seems like I've been waiting for more than a year. Speaking of don't publishers know it's less than a year these days for hardbacks to come out on paper??? Obviously Butcher's publisher didn't get the memo. :)

And I bought "Late Eclipses" by Seanan McGuire.  It has been out for a bit and actually I thought I had bought it already but I can't find it if I did, maybe I just remember the cover from her web site. Oh by the way I love her name, wish I could use it in a story.

But I found two more books  "Dead Waters" by Anton Strout part of a humorous UF series. And "A Hundred Words Of Hate" by Thomas E. Sniegoski part of his Remy Chandler series. Remy is an angel who wants to be human...more or less.


The two books I want weren't there yet: the next one in Lisa Shearin's series. Can't quite recall the title something about cons and conjuring. Than there's the next Walker story in a series by C. E. Murphy. And I may get another series by her. Truthseeker I think it's called. All of these other writers are just at the beginning of their careers with the one series I am reading and maybe a couple of other books. Around Five to ten books per writer. But Murphy has been around a while or is very prolific. She has out four series with probably close to, if not over, 20 novels. Still at the beginning but significantly further than any of the others.

So I may have enough books for the year already. There's the next Trickster book out. I will probably read it but the writer did something to two characters I really wish she hadn't. Should have seen it coming but...

And one hard SF by Hogan that sounds interesting. And the Next Lt. Leery by David Drake should out soon.

Writing not

 No writing today

I was able to send out six stories, and do some housekeeping with my files, decided which stories are going where but no writing.

I worked in my father -in -laws yard and helped my wife take some pics for her web site but no writing

Reading

Thought I would say something about what I am reading now. 

First up is  

laura anne gilman's "Pack Of Lies" Second in her PUPI series.   Warning-- there are  a couple of minor spoilers. I tried to keep them very minor but if you want to read this book be warned.

  PUPIs use "Magic" to investigate crimes committed by Talent or those who can use her form of magic-which isn't magic. Hmm, she's the second writer to say that. Wonder if there's a reason?

Anyway, first off the name of the book makes me wonder. "Pack Of Lies", the MC has started calling the group she works with her pack. When that finally connected, I thought "Oh oh". To top it off she has had a precog feeling of danger with them. And again to top it off from the first series we know that something bad is about to happen, without going into too much spoilers, there are minor Talents who have been brainwashed. Neither her nor her group are minor but in the first series there was a red hair girl that was caught and brainwashed, later she was released. As far as I noticed she never showed up a third time. And the MC of this book had red hair. As I mentioned before Bonnie the MC in this series was a minor character in the other series even though so far she hasn't met Wren the MC from the other series which is surprising. And when gillman mentioned the redhair girl I mentioned I wondered than if she was Bonnie. But, as I recall anyway, both disappeared from the story later.

Changing the subject somewhat Gilman seems to have contradicted herself. In the first series she gave the impression if not out and out side the New York police didn't except the reality of mythical animals that hang around NY but in this one they do.

Finally, she confused me. Not that isn't hard at times but the case the PUPIs are working on involves attempted rape. But up intill a certain point everyone was acting like the girl had been actually raped. Including a detail that has to do with magic and virgins. Again I won't explain more just in case someone wants to read it. You learn about the case in the first page or two.

I think that's all.

I am also reading Simon Green's "The Good, The Bad, And The Uncanny". A Nightside novel. Not as macabre as some in that series...so far. But it also contents Green's sense of humor. A damaged Android wearing a Monk's robe, singing Gregorian Chants intermixed with hot Gospel songs. Just the way Green says it has me smiling.
The Nightside itself doesn't seem to be as mean in this one...again so far. Not that it's nice. Green also has contradicted himself a couple of times but only in very minor areas.

Jim Butcher has a blurb on the front cover but Green was around and a pro quite a while before Butcher I would think Green should be on Butcher's cover. Not that it's a big deal.

I thought up and partially written out a story that could take place in the Nightside even though I have my own world for it.

An extra on Writing News

My novel "Storm Born" is coming along. I am on chapter 13 0r is it 14, anyway by the way things look now I will be just under my minimum goal of 84,000 words. I have 79,000. And I need to finish this chapter and maybe have two more. So I figure I will need 7,000 words per chapter and I'm not sure I can get that many. If I can come up with one more chapter that leads to the end maybe I can reach that goal.

I figure two chapters for the ending--my MC still has to fight that werewolf who killed the young woman he found at the beginning. I had forgotten that and he still has to figure out what the Box is he is suppose to think in. A woman who may have a gift of foretelling told him that. To my MC she may have the gift, he's not sure. Even though I'm afraid to the reader it will be even though I want them to question it too.

Anyway, I won't be done 'till June, more than likely, even with 80,000 words or so. But Maybe I can finish during my vacation this year. I started it during 2010's vacation so it that fits.  :)

Hadn't thought of e-publishing as business

Dean Wesley Smith has a post that talks about how e-publishing, evidently even only your own stuff, is a business and boy does he mean business.


http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=3483#comments


Getting a separate banking account and the whole thing.

And I hadn't realized how much he is involved with a new publishing company he is working with. Not sure if it is just e-publishing or not but if I understand what he has mentioned before, it might be just books and stories from the people involved with it.

Anyway, that means I have even more to think about. Some of it I have already discussed with myself; like getting someone to help with the covers and the copy editing--to get the nitpicks. I would need help with both.

Oh yes

I may be changing my blog around. Just the colors and if I can find them adding some apps. I've seen some blogs that look pretty cool. And one had an app where you could chart your progress with whatever stories/novels you are working on. or reading. That sounds neat. But I have to decide when to do it. It could take me a week or three to get to it. For that matter a month or three. We shall see.

Writing news

Okay I had a good day of writing today. No playing or busy work even though I do have two stories and or chapters to critique but I can do them during the week.

Almost finished chapter five of my "New Mage On The Block" novel...may change that title to something to do with fireworks, in accordance with a certain musical video but we shall see. I will add a link to that video later.

Anyway, I wrote and wrote today. The scene is where NA, my Main Character, is attacked by someone who wants to rape her, in more than one way, to punish her for taking away his girl friend. NA helped her escape the guy. I went further with it adding something I got from a almost rape scene in laura anne gilman's "Pack Of Lies"- I may have something to say about that book soon. I hadn't planned on adding that extra bit but it seemed to be called for and would partially explain NA's anger.

I also did some good revising in "Bright Lights And Chaos" my Nano Novel. The book originally had nine chapters but I split one up so it now has ten. Still whether small number of chapters but I will probably split up two or three more. I have over 81,000 words in that novel now.


Oh yes, in New Mage even though it has somewhere around 50,000 words I may not be able to add another thirty thousand. Unless I think of another one or two chapter ideas its about time to turn the corner to start to head down the end stretch. I may have said that already but it still true. But if I only get 60 to 70 thousand I can E-publish it as I have stated recently.


I really want to e-publish some of my stories, probably two sets and maybe a couple, three in singles. But I will have to sacrifice some writing time to go back over them. Some of my earlier stories probably need a lot of revising but I will only do some as I look for typos and bad grammar etc..

I am about one fourth done revising a short story I will probably send out in a month or so. Doing the revising during the first break at work so it's taking me a while.     and speaking of that I need to send my HM WotF story to Lightspeed as well as a couple of other stories to other mags, hopefully before the end of this week.

That's it for now maybe more very soon.

How long is right for my novels?

I have mentioned that one of my novels will probably be around 90,000 words but the other two I am working on may not get over 60,000.


Of course we shall see how long they are when I get done, I could be wrong. But at the same time if I kept them under 60 I wouldn't have to worry about coming up with more chapters therefore more adventures. One of the two almost seems to be 75 to 85 per cent done at 40,000 words. That is I am ready to turn the corner to the ending sequence. Two maybe three more chapters. At the most that would be thirty thousand more words but probably significantly less.


This is important because in e-publishing length isn't so important. If I go that way I could leave them under 60,000. 


For more on that here is a post for Dean Wesley Smith's blog. He discusses the hows and whys of novel length. 



http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=3412

Novel words

And I'm still working on revising my Nano novel. Most probably won't be done by the end of March though. I'm only on chapter three. Of course I have already gone over chapter nine-the last chapter- and maybe chapter eight. So hopefully they won't need so much work.  I'm up to 80,000 words so more than likely it will be very close to 90 when I'm done...that could be barely over.

Well, a little good news

My last entry in WotF received a Honorable Mention. That would be my sixth, I think.

Not quite the big good news I want-that I have referenced in previous posts- but it is something.

Now I can send out this one to Lightstream.  Maybe the story will partially grab John Jacob Adams who is there.  One of my earlier stories has partially grabbed him. He said a couple of nice things about it. That was years ago, and of course no one else thought even that much about that story.