Hello, everyone!  I woke up this morning to Art Bell.  If you’ve never heard of him, go on down to the website and take a look around.  He’s coming back to the radio (well, the Internet) and I’ve found his show to be entertaining.  His show deals with oddities like UFOs, ghosts and the such.  I started listening to him when I was working third shift at Anthem (a long, long time ago).  Do I believe what he espouses?  Some of it.  I like the EVP/Ghost hunting episodes and some of the more reasonable conspiracy segments.  I bought a subscription when I heard he’s coming back  Give it a listen when he’s back on July 20th.

The new project.  One of the things that I am liking about this one is that I am trying to make the main character as unlikeable as possible without completely alienating him from the readers.  I know that I am going to get a lot of comparisons to the show “House“, in that the character isn’t the likeable sort of person.  They’re right, but “House” is really nothing more than an a re-hashing of Sherlock Holmes (not bashing — I loved the show).  So far, the main character of The Marvelous and Malefic Doomsday Medicine Show (Love that title!) is not a misunderstood genius, but rather an avaricious individual.  If he’s not getting paid, he’s doesn’t give a whit about you.  Of course, we’re going to have flashes of humanity here and there, but not enough for us to look at him differently.  He’s going to change over the course of the book, like the dragon in “Skyrim” says:

"What is better: to be born good, or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?"

Which is the theme of this novel: you can overcome the worse parts of your nature, but it takes an effort.  I’m aiming to get this book finished and out there before Christmas — this year (I feel that I have to qualify that.  I mean…Tyro’s novel has been a project for almost twenty years).  I’m looking forward to revealing the antagonist in the book, since it’s a callback to my first novel (still on sale!).  I still have that fire in my belly for this one.  I am going to try to finish Cat, Rabbit and Clover at some point this year as well, it’s just that the more I write it, the more I want to add and the longer it gets, I just need to focus on the scenes that need to finish and get it off to the editor.  I need to get this done because I finally got the title for the sequel: The Three L’s: Love, Luck and Lumber.  Evan’s series can go on as long as there is interest in it.  Most of the other projects are trilogies (I’ve been told they tend to sell better), and I think the only things that are one-shot works are all my horror projects (which I should get to them at some point) and maybe the one romance idea I have (which takes place at around the same time as the current work — I wonder if they should reference each other?)

Well, speaking of writing — I should get to that for the few minutes I have before I have to get off to work.  I hope y’all have a good day.

Sincerely,

Seething Apathy

This is really just a small test to see how my iPad takes to the new interface.  Honestly, I liked it better when I could use my Word to type, cut and paste everything on directly.  Apparently, Microsoft and WordPress have had some sort of falling out.

 

Anyway, I think I am going to stick with using my main PC for the day to day blogs and use the iPad when I am out at conventions…or I forget to post.

There will be a longer post tomorrow.  Pinky swear.
Sincerely,

Seething Apathy 

I know I’ve been away for a while, but now I am back and I’m going to put forth a much better effort in maintaining this blog – since last I’ve chatted with all of you, I’ve put out another book:

This one is also an experiment as I am trying to drum up sales by attaching it to a website service which I’ve mentioned this blog.  Which means hopefully this shady little operation will get some traffic…which means I should write something here as a proof of life.  So…other than some several starts and stops to books (no surprise to those who know me) there hasn’t been a lot going on.  It’s just me trying to not destroy my computer with well-intended fixes and trying to squeeze in writing at work and home.  I am going to get back on track with this (stop laughing, Rob).

On the work front, as I mentioned that I’ve finished one book in a month and I am working on a new one.  I’m hoping to get this one finished and out by year’s end.  The title – and this one I am sticking to! – is The Marvelous and Malefic Doomsday Medicine Show.  It takes place in the same fantasy world as The Quietest Heart, but in the future (not jet-pack and lasers future, more like 400 years ahead – similar to pre-World War 1 Europe).  I have a couple other projects that take place in this time period that I am also trying to work on.  The fun part is the research on that time period.  There are a lot of advancements that I never really thought of happening then, like refrigeration.  I’m trying to bring in some modern conveniences for that time but justifying them with either ‘magic’ or ‘we have rocks that do that’ (like smokeless gunpowder, refrigeration and antibiotics – parenthetical note: the rocks aren’t the antibiotics).  It’s an interesting time period as far as technology, social issues and politics.

Anyhow, I do want to thank someone for getting me back into this:  Amanda Hillard-Beam.  A columnist for the local paper – she has some witty insights in being a mother, journalist and bon-vivant.  I’m going to try to get back into the 500 words-a-day schedule with this.  I’m trying to think of anything else that’s come up…oh, I have taken up photography as a hobby and a side business venture.  The cover for The Dreaded Day Job is one that I did on my own.  I would like to say that I’m doing this because I primarily have a deep passion for the visual arts, but to be honest – it’s cheaper for me to make my own book covers.  Seriously.  A good book cover runs upwards of $500.00.  If I can save myself some money, then by all means I’ll do it.  Could also turn into a way of making a little money, who knows?

Well, I should get lunch made and finish getting ready for the day.  At least the computer is still alive.

Oh – remember that picture of the nice, neat desk?

I hope y’all have a good day.

Sincerely,

Seething Apathy.