THE JOY OF WRITING

These last couple of weeks I've found myself coming into the place where I can concretely express why the joy of writing can be so compelling and fulfilling. 

In a nutshell, it's the experience of the story writing itself. 

Let me preface this by saying that you do start with a plan - an outline of some sort. You kind of pattern it out in your head (or on paper); I've done both. Most times getting underway with a new tale is, without question, the hardest. Laying the groundwork, the 'start-up' and where it needs to go can be huge - and difficult. 

But then - aahh - once you're beginning to roll and things are (roughly) falling into place, then the fun begins! It's when your characters are getting well-developed enough ('cause you've taken the time to), they start to grow of their own accord. And once these established individuals begin to interact with one another, those very interactions oftentimes change how you originally imagined the story arc playing out!

It's almost like real life - or - any book you're reading for the first time. You don't know where it's going or how it's going to end (unless, of course, it's a predictable story); it's the very reason you're doing recreational reading for enjoyment in the first place! 

When you have the blessing (like I tend to have a lot), of being able to write a tale in this same fashion as you read one, it is really utter magic! This is probably one of the key elements that keep me engaged enough to continue penning the crazy novels that I do. 

My current brainchild, Em-Erika, is doing exactly that. This project is the first time I've actually taken the time to map out a detailed storyboard synopsis prior to the actual writing. Now, practically 32 chapters into it, the deviations from the outline are many and vast. 

Best example on this one is the fact that some early research for the story revealed that I'd be unable, in the time period being written, to have a female professor at a university where a character could receive mentoring from. This forced me to change it up to where the tutoring the character would get had to come from a (female) classmate instead. As such, I had to develop the new girl to a degree - to the point she became perfect fodder for a needed antagonistic element later in the story! 

You cannot always anticipate these occurrences, and I think, sometimes aren't supposed to! I'm coming into the realization that this is how the true creative flow works! It's absolutely great, and why I figure I'll keep doing this as long as good flow keeps streaming!     

Unknown – But Unafraid?

Earth Day/Mother Earth by Alice Popkorn 

 The stories we tell – in books, television and movies – specifically those NOT about our known circumstances – they fall into several categories; which, if you break them down, are rather interesting to note. Why? Because they speak to how much we’re clueless about, and what we’re probably afraid of!

1.       The unknown of what’s above – in space. Alien invasions, catastrophic impacts from celestial bodies, or any number of a myriad of things in the universe that could shift us out of the perfect little balance we have on planet Earth.

2.       The unknown of what’s below – in the deep. Mermaids/Sirens, ginormous sea beasts or other creatures of mythology. Sharks, whales, octopus (all usually the giant variety!) Maybe include here that which is even below the ocean, the mantle and fiery core (and however we can imagine that going sideways)!

3.       The unknown of what’s on – the other side. The spiritual realm, the dark realm; ghosts, spirits, demons, angels, gods and anti-gods. Who’s friendly? Who’s malevolent? Who seeks our utter destruction? Who seeks to bestow us grace? Probably THE scariest of them all, as there’s much less to go on as far as what can be learned (as opposed to the above) – until we’ve crossed that threshold.

4.       The unknown of what’s within. Couldn’t leave this one out, considering the present conditions we’re dealing with in real life. That which can get into us internally (from externally), that was probably inside something else to start with! Viral/bacterial outbreaks, epidemics, pandemics. The things we can’t even see that can/could spell our demise.

There’s probably more, but that’s enough to make the point. And what is the point? Simply that, it’s intriguing where the storytelling soul of man tends to go in order to give us a good tale and something to think about. Because, believe me, these writers are pondering long and hard as they write their books and their scripts. They’re giving us all material to not only entertain, but to speak to that which is at the very core of all mankind. The want to know more of – what we don’t!

Personally, I happen to believe that this speaks to the greatest potential of human beings there is: the (God-given) ability to be far greater than the little worker bees and ants which most of us basically are. To reach, above, below, within, and without – because at some time, somewhere, before everything we’ve created for and to restrict ourselves – the Divine had in mind for us to be far, far, far, far, far – more.   

RESURRECTION = RECOVERY

Alrighty then, enough of my shameless promos - it's 'Resurrection Sunday' as we like to say. Staying true to form, time to drop some 'fresh Easter eggs' on ya'll (try to make these comments timely don'tcha know!)

Okay, so we're in the middle of a crisis (not of faith, but straight up physically), with the solutions still looking shaky at best.

Now, upon the death and resurrection of Jesus, a resolution to our 'transgressionary crisis' with God was had. Jesus died (boo) but was raised (yay) to deal with the situation. And since this occurrence, we hear regularly of his demise and revival as part of our culture and faith.

May the good news of Easter, the raising of our Lord, be something we can parallel to our current situation. We hear about the numbers testing positive, and climbing cases of deaths. But, does our news and other media outlets focus much on the numbers of RECOVERY? No, because its page 2 stuff, not as 'sensational'. And its not their fault really, it's human nature to focus on the turmoil and conflict till we reach the end (like a book, yo).

RESURRECTION = RECOVERY - there's a metaphor for you! Sure, we gotta talk about the death (and the deaths); it's relevant. But, like today, when we're focused on that 'return to life' by our guy, let's simultaneously get our eye on those numbers of recovered Corona sufferers!

Just like the wages of sin are not necessarily death (thanks to the Man!), Corona isn't absolutely the mark of the death angel on you either! But, ah, humans! We get fixated and side-tracked, don't we? "It's in your nature to destroy yourselves," Arnold, The Terminator once said.

Time to quote 'ol Georgy Bush Sr. 'Stay the course, a thousand points of light.'! (Of course I only remember that from Dana Carvey's impression of him on SNL)!

Peace!

Sleep... or... Death?



I do not know if it is because we are now into the 'summer-death' here in grand 'ol Phoenix that I thought of this, but it came to me recently nonetheless. Or perhaps it's because of watching too much crime drama before going to sleep, who knows.


The notion is this: A common custom we have in covering ourselves; and I'm not talking about the clothes we wear. I'm speaking of how, when we sleep, we cover up - with our sheets and blankys. We generally do it fully, the entire length of our body, except our head. And all the while as we slumber, we are basically unconscious.


Now, the morbid part. When a body becomes deceased, permanently unconscious, we do the same thing; cover it all, head included! Why these dark curiousities come to me I'll never know, but I find it interesting how close these two customs are, and I guess how close sleep and death must be. I suppose it's as close as the foot or two difference in covering, or not covering that head!


Undoubtedly, one of the reasons the parallel came to mind was working on the Cross Gate novels, which have so much to do with sleeping and dreaming. Thought I'd take a few moments out of all that to share my twisted little observation.


Sleep on that one, why don'tcha!

CROSS GATE PREMIERS At Long Last



Unofficially OFFICIAL:

CROSS GATE Book 1 premiered at the Summer 2016 Phoenix ComicCon June 4-7!

Yes, the years of writing, consulting, and endless editing came to fruition at the event

at the booth of AZ Publishing Services, with books on hand for sale!

To have actual product to hold in one's hand is truly a dream realized for this author.

I look forward to more success as the process continues to move on and ahead.

And, of course, Books 2-3 to follow in the next few years! Yee-hah, we get to do all

of the above AT LEAST two more times!

Rock n Roll, and Dream On!

BOOK RELEASE DATE ANNOUNCED!

Hurry, hurry, read all about it!


A book release date for Cross Gate Book 1 has been established!


April 16th, 2016 is the target date. More details to follow.

Walkin' the Dream

One foot in front of the other - just like everything in life, that's how you got to tackle bringing the dream to life. As in, getting a book done! More chapters returning from proofing, so plodding along I go! It's been awhile - as during the holidays, not much was coming back to work on. I've actually found that I have missed it! 


I look forward to some fresh inspiration, as new movies hit the big screen; some book-to-movie themselves. Insurgent (Divergent sequel) arrives in about a month, plus Jupiter Ascending premiers presently. Down the pike, coming back to television is the old hit Heroes, now Heroes Reborn. It may sound ridiculous to look to such as fuel for the fire, but so much of the writing of Cross Gate has occurred that way already. In my latest writing (Cross Over), The Walking Dead no doubt inspired my minions of the demon-possessed, in an apocalyptic atmosphere.


Here's to creativity and inspiration!