Writer's Digest has posted a 12-Day Plan of Simple Writing Exercises to keep our minds limber. Today's prompt seems simple enough; I merely have to create the titles for 10 books I'd like to write. So, here goes.
1. Jilted, Kilted, and Liquored-Up: My Life as as an Irish-American Writer. This will be the title of my (first) memoir.
2. Knight Time. The first book in my Patrick Knight series of mysteries.
3. Game Mastering for the Story Teller.
4. Chase Your Dreams Like They Stole Your Last $50. A big idea book on recognizing and achieving your dreams.
5. Knight Fall. A book in my Patrick Knight series of mysteries.
6. Last Knight. A book in my Patrick Knight series of mysteries.
7. Strings Sing the Heart. A fantasy romance about a Bard.
8. McDonald on Asimov. A study of the themes of Isaac Asimov's fictional works.
9. Of Bandors and Banjos. A history of the banjo in American music.
10. I Can't Love You Anymore. A collection of poetry and stories of failed love.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Escorpimmia
0 comments
Escorpimmia
Fast-moving implements of destruction, escorpimmia mindlessly scurry across various terrain on arachnid bodies while pummeling victims to the ground with powerful simian torsos and finishing them off with poisonous tail stingers.
Created solely by Red Wizards of Thay to terrorize Aglarond, escorpimmia cut large swathes of wanton destruction as they wander mindlessly from place to place. These large monstrosities know from nothing except rending, smashing, and destroying anything in their paths. Those unfortunates encountering these beasts know two things with certainty: Red Wizards lurk nearby and death waits even closer.
Unintelligent and violent: In combat, these abominations ruthlessly charge their foes, fiercely swinging their mighty arms. Any creature unfortunate enough to be knocked prone or dazed by an escorpimmia quickly finds itself the target of repeated tail stings as the beast tries to pump deadly venom into their victim. Escorpimmia don't communicate with anyone but their Thayan masters, who issue simple commands then turn them loose to rampage and destroy.
Horrific Abominations: Created to strike dread in the hearts of those protecting Aglarond from the ever persistent Thayan encroachment, these abominations do just that. Rending hapless victims limb from limb or pummeling then poisoning helpless defenders only temporarily satisfy these beasts’s urge to destroy. Escorpimmia exude hatred and anger and live only to satisfy their voracious appetites for destruction.
Fast-moving implements of destruction, escorpimmia mindlessly scurry across various terrain on arachnid bodies while pummeling victims to the ground with powerful simian torsos and finishing them off with poisonous tail stingers.
Created solely by Red Wizards of Thay to terrorize Aglarond, escorpimmia cut large swathes of wanton destruction as they wander mindlessly from place to place. These large monstrosities know from nothing except rending, smashing, and destroying anything in their paths. Those unfortunates encountering these beasts know two things with certainty: Red Wizards lurk nearby and death waits even closer.
Unintelligent and violent: In combat, these abominations ruthlessly charge their foes, fiercely swinging their mighty arms. Any creature unfortunate enough to be knocked prone or dazed by an escorpimmia quickly finds itself the target of repeated tail stings as the beast tries to pump deadly venom into their victim. Escorpimmia don't communicate with anyone but their Thayan masters, who issue simple commands then turn them loose to rampage and destroy.
Horrific Abominations: Created to strike dread in the hearts of those protecting Aglarond from the ever persistent Thayan encroachment, these abominations do just that. Rending hapless victims limb from limb or pummeling then poisoning helpless defenders only temporarily satisfy these beasts’s urge to destroy. Escorpimmia exude hatred and anger and live only to satisfy their voracious appetites for destruction.
Monday, November 2, 2009
The Question
1 comments
The note landed in front of him, wrapped in a crisp $20 bill. That always grabbed his attention; Pete's left hand wandered up to unfold the paper. As his eyes scanned the pencil-scribbled question, he felt his stomach lurch.
“Not again”, he thought, snatching his hand away. “I can't fucking do it anymore.” The heavy scent of overly-cologned boys on the make wafted in from the patio and the giggling of drunk girls secretly wanting to be ogled overwhelmed his own voice. He recalled how many times he had relived that particular nightmare. Job after job, city after city, that same question chased him, haunted him. It ate away at his insides and made him sick to his stomach, leaving behind only the bitter taste of bile and the ache that comes with it. The sights and the sounds and the smells ended up being all the same no matter where he went. As the question was always there, waiting.
***
Pete ran, at first, from his New York home to Miami. Then to New Orleans, and to Kansas City, and on to Cleveland. Some of the cities were warm and wet, others hot and humid, some just stank of sweat and sweet tea. But the distance never salved the wound, and the question never went away, never changed. It just reappeared night after night after night. Even setting sail on the Caribbean didn't help, the salt water air didn't diminish the reek of boys and booze So Pete turned to drink. But the more he drank, the less soothing each shot became. His drinking become legendary, often leaving him in a stupor from his afternoon emergence from bed until he returned there again, too sloshed to worry about his shoes, his clothes, his wellbeing. And still the question haunted him. He couldn't avoid answering it, couldn't ignore it. The neon lights of the shops and bars cast his pallor in garish glows that made him look as ill as he felt every time he heard the questions. As ill as he felt every night.
Thinking companionship might help, Pete hungrily pursued women. The relationships always started great, as Pete was smart and handsome and incredibly talented. But the question would only stay quiet for a night or two then start echoing again in his head. The forced unconnected socialization he endured day and night left him empty, hungering for something real. As still the question came at him, time and again. His frustration grew and, fueled by drink and insomnia and despair, sabotaged his partnerships. They ended poorly, often with bursts of yelling and flowing tears. Every city housed landmarks of his journey – a broken window here, a fist-sized hole in the drywall there. And still the question remained. It hung in the air, unspoken and dreaded every night until, without fail, it came. Most times the messenger unknowingly hastened Pete's downward spiral. And yet, like the need to breath or the rising of the sun, the question persisted.
***
The folded slip of paper still lay in front of him. And despite his horror, his revulsion, Pete knew he would have to answer the question tonight. Just as he had done every night since it was first asked. He sighed deeply, tears welling in his eyes. And he succumbed again. His soul silently nodded in assent and his eyes, downcast, failed to see the triumph faces and shouts of joy that arose with his failure. Just as they had last night. And last week, and last month. His hands moved of their own volition, knowing every nuance of the ritual. His mind screamed “NO” but was ignored. And his mouth started reciting the words that slowly killed his soul every time he uttered them.
“Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world...”
“Not again”, he thought, snatching his hand away. “I can't fucking do it anymore.” The heavy scent of overly-cologned boys on the make wafted in from the patio and the giggling of drunk girls secretly wanting to be ogled overwhelmed his own voice. He recalled how many times he had relived that particular nightmare. Job after job, city after city, that same question chased him, haunted him. It ate away at his insides and made him sick to his stomach, leaving behind only the bitter taste of bile and the ache that comes with it. The sights and the sounds and the smells ended up being all the same no matter where he went. As the question was always there, waiting.
***
Pete ran, at first, from his New York home to Miami. Then to New Orleans, and to Kansas City, and on to Cleveland. Some of the cities were warm and wet, others hot and humid, some just stank of sweat and sweet tea. But the distance never salved the wound, and the question never went away, never changed. It just reappeared night after night after night. Even setting sail on the Caribbean didn't help, the salt water air didn't diminish the reek of boys and booze So Pete turned to drink. But the more he drank, the less soothing each shot became. His drinking become legendary, often leaving him in a stupor from his afternoon emergence from bed until he returned there again, too sloshed to worry about his shoes, his clothes, his wellbeing. And still the question haunted him. He couldn't avoid answering it, couldn't ignore it. The neon lights of the shops and bars cast his pallor in garish glows that made him look as ill as he felt every time he heard the questions. As ill as he felt every night.
Thinking companionship might help, Pete hungrily pursued women. The relationships always started great, as Pete was smart and handsome and incredibly talented. But the question would only stay quiet for a night or two then start echoing again in his head. The forced unconnected socialization he endured day and night left him empty, hungering for something real. As still the question came at him, time and again. His frustration grew and, fueled by drink and insomnia and despair, sabotaged his partnerships. They ended poorly, often with bursts of yelling and flowing tears. Every city housed landmarks of his journey – a broken window here, a fist-sized hole in the drywall there. And still the question remained. It hung in the air, unspoken and dreaded every night until, without fail, it came. Most times the messenger unknowingly hastened Pete's downward spiral. And yet, like the need to breath or the rising of the sun, the question persisted.
***
The folded slip of paper still lay in front of him. And despite his horror, his revulsion, Pete knew he would have to answer the question tonight. Just as he had done every night since it was first asked. He sighed deeply, tears welling in his eyes. And he succumbed again. His soul silently nodded in assent and his eyes, downcast, failed to see the triumph faces and shouts of joy that arose with his failure. Just as they had last night. And last week, and last month. His hands moved of their own volition, knowing every nuance of the ritual. His mind screamed “NO” but was ignored. And his mouth started reciting the words that slowly killed his soul every time he uttered them.
“Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world...”
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Urban Fantasy Notes - Comic Con 2009V
0 commentsAter brief introductions, the panel delved into the first point which was "common denominators': what factor(s) are prevalent in a significant portion of the urban fantasy design space. Two prevalent points emerged from this:
- A very "detailed" and "accurate" NON fantastic world must be created and explored so the 'fantastic"element has a place to fit in. If you are writing about Venice, CA., for example, be sure to build an accurate and interally consistant Venice BEFORE you add the supernatural elements.
- Because the audience is more savvy, has access to MUCH more information (due to the internet), and communicates internally MUCH more and much more frequently than ever, you internal consistancy, rules construction, and overall world structure has to be tighter and more compelling than ever before. Expectations escalate MONTHLY in this genre.
The panel then explored one of the most critical choices an author must make early during their creation process: is the fantasy or supernatural element "open" or "closed"? To be fair, rather than an either/or situation, there's really a continuum ranging from completely closed to completely open and every story has a place on the continuum. For clarity, "open" means the general public is aware of the general situation (i.e. in the Anita Blake series, most folks know about the existance of Vampires, there is state and federal legislation, etc.; "closed" means the secret(s) are closely held and only a small slice of the gereal population is aware of the situation. In addition to the two obvious choices (make it closed, make it open), two additional options were prevalent:
- Much like real life, there are just a few folks who choose to see (and thus can see) while the overwhelming majorit choose NOT to see or believe. So it's not closed by way of intentional secrecy but rather but public acceptance or avoidance. It's really a matter of the collective subconscious..
- Do NOT make the determination ahead of time, but rather start telling the story and see how this issue plays out. It becomes more a matter of weighing how things go rather than predetermining the outcome. It's more organic.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Juliet Blackwell
- The Faint of Art (as Hailey Lind)
- Shooting Galery (as Hailey Lind)
- Brush with Death (as Hailey Lind)
- Arsenic and Old Paint (as Hailey Lind) [forthcoming in 2010]
- Secondhand Spirits
Marjorie M. Liu
- Darkness Calls
- Hunter Kiss (e-book)
- The Iron Hunt
- Companion Story - Hunter Kiss
- Inked [forcoming in 2010]
- Tiger Eye
- Shadow Touch
- The Red Heart of Jade
- Dark Dreamers
- Eye of Heaven
- Soul Song
- The Last Twilight
- The Wild Road
- The Fire King [forthcoming in 2009]
Jackie Kessler & Caitlin Kittridge
- Black and White
Diana Rowland
- Mark of the Demon
Sina Grace
- Cedric Hollows in Dial M for Murder
Seanan McGuire
- Rosemary and Rue [Forthcoming in 2009]
- A Local Habitation [Forthcoming in 2010]
- An Artificial Night [forthcoming in 2010]
Harry Connolly
- Child of Fire [Forthcoming 2009]
- Game of Cages [Forthcoming 2010]
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Ender's Game (spoiler light)
1 comments
Having just finished Ender's Game I want to organize my thoughts about the story and it's mechanics. I learn daily that as a writer I read differently; now I care about the structure of a work almost as much as the story it contains. I'll keep separate my thoughts on Orson Scott Card's politics from those on his writing. His books and essays on writing inspired me to put the stories in my head down for others to read and (hopefully) enjoy.
Ender's Game tells Ender's story from a third-person present-tense viewpoint. With only two exceptions (both instances being Valentine), we see only Ender's thoughts and emotions; Card presents everything else as Ender experiences it. Despite the amount of growth and change Ender experiences, the book is an event story; it starts when Ender is accepted into Battle School (to prepare to fight the buggers) and ends when Ender defeats the buggers. Telling the story from Ender's perspective and having Ender as both protagonist and main character makes sense; only Ender experiences and sees everything. For another character to tell the story, Card would either have significant gaps during the narration of the command school or Card would have to switch narrators during the story; both choices feel inferior to me. Choosing the event structure also makes the most sense; Ender's importance lies in his potential to defeat the buggers once and for all. Focusing on Ender's changes (telling the story using the character structure) would dilute the series of crises that forged Ender's spirit and honed his instincts. (Although I do agree that the events that happen after, on the unnamed colony world ARE significant to the story, they represent almost a second climax). The structure reminds me of Lord of the Rings; Frodo getting thrust into the events of the world and him leaving the world after having left his mark bookend the narrative of the three books. His leaving Middle Earth after Mt. Doom was a necessary step to highlight his story's conclusion; much like Ender Wiggin's discovery and subsequent journey conclude Ender's story (at least in term of the first book_.
Card's prose does not dwell on description; it displays a verbal frugality that drives the narrative and allows evocative language double purpose: not only does a detailed description add to the texture of the story but it also draws the reader's attention by demonstrating value. These descriptions seldom occur. Card describes action much as he does scenery or people - sparsely and efficiently. His strength is his ability to invoke in the reader empathy for Ender's plight throughout the entire novel. The one weakness that my attention always comes back to is how unchildlike Ender acts, even after we are told he is still a child. On some levels, it's that maturity and fresh intelligence that drives the story but occasionally I found myself stepping out of the story to wrestling with some act Ender performs.
Nonetheless, Ender's Game earns its place at the top of Sci-Fi food chain. The story compels and is carried along by tight prose focusing on the important and never giving the spotlight to something which should remain in the obscurity of the footlights. If, by some chance, you have not read this book it should be moved to the top of your "to read next" pile.
Ender's Game tells Ender's story from a third-person present-tense viewpoint. With only two exceptions (both instances being Valentine), we see only Ender's thoughts and emotions; Card presents everything else as Ender experiences it. Despite the amount of growth and change Ender experiences, the book is an event story; it starts when Ender is accepted into Battle School (to prepare to fight the buggers) and ends when Ender defeats the buggers. Telling the story from Ender's perspective and having Ender as both protagonist and main character makes sense; only Ender experiences and sees everything. For another character to tell the story, Card would either have significant gaps during the narration of the command school or Card would have to switch narrators during the story; both choices feel inferior to me. Choosing the event structure also makes the most sense; Ender's importance lies in his potential to defeat the buggers once and for all. Focusing on Ender's changes (telling the story using the character structure) would dilute the series of crises that forged Ender's spirit and honed his instincts. (Although I do agree that the events that happen after, on the unnamed colony world ARE significant to the story, they represent almost a second climax). The structure reminds me of Lord of the Rings; Frodo getting thrust into the events of the world and him leaving the world after having left his mark bookend the narrative of the three books. His leaving Middle Earth after Mt. Doom was a necessary step to highlight his story's conclusion; much like Ender Wiggin's discovery and subsequent journey conclude Ender's story (at least in term of the first book_.
Card's prose does not dwell on description; it displays a verbal frugality that drives the narrative and allows evocative language double purpose: not only does a detailed description add to the texture of the story but it also draws the reader's attention by demonstrating value. These descriptions seldom occur. Card describes action much as he does scenery or people - sparsely and efficiently. His strength is his ability to invoke in the reader empathy for Ender's plight throughout the entire novel. The one weakness that my attention always comes back to is how unchildlike Ender acts, even after we are told he is still a child. On some levels, it's that maturity and fresh intelligence that drives the story but occasionally I found myself stepping out of the story to wrestling with some act Ender performs.
Nonetheless, Ender's Game earns its place at the top of Sci-Fi food chain. The story compels and is carried along by tight prose focusing on the important and never giving the spotlight to something which should remain in the obscurity of the footlights. If, by some chance, you have not read this book it should be moved to the top of your "to read next" pile.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
What IS Sci-Fi?
0 comments
So what IS Science Fiction? We bandy the term about all the time, yet I believe it's a somewhat amorphous term we all nod our heads at and don't actually define. Sci-Fi means different things to different people; while that's as it should be it DOES make for some confusion, whether that's between author and publisher, book seller and customer, or fans.
Whenever I think of Sci-Fi, the first thing that comes to mind is advanced technology: space flight, planetary colonies, ansibles, etc. Obviously, this has to be examined relative to the time the book was written. (Very little of Jules Verne's technology is cutting edge NOW, but at the time it was written? THAT's a different story.)
Aliens also automatically mean Sci-Fi to me. Life forms from another place and drastic mutations are just as significant as spaceships in defining the genre.
Orson Scott Card, in his book How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy, discussed several boundaries defining speculative fiction. The essence of that discussion, and the (admittedly) over-simplified definition that results, is as follows:
Science Fiction includes all stories that take place in a setting contrary to known reality while following the same rules (and logical extrapolations therefrom) as our own.
What do you think? Accurate? Weak? Too exclusive? Too inclusive? Let me know!
Whenever I think of Sci-Fi, the first thing that comes to mind is advanced technology: space flight, planetary colonies, ansibles, etc. Obviously, this has to be examined relative to the time the book was written. (Very little of Jules Verne's technology is cutting edge NOW, but at the time it was written? THAT's a different story.)
Aliens also automatically mean Sci-Fi to me. Life forms from another place and drastic mutations are just as significant as spaceships in defining the genre.
Orson Scott Card, in his book How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy, discussed several boundaries defining speculative fiction. The essence of that discussion, and the (admittedly) over-simplified definition that results, is as follows:
Science Fiction includes all stories that take place in a setting contrary to known reality while following the same rules (and logical extrapolations therefrom) as our own.
What do you think? Accurate? Weak? Too exclusive? Too inclusive? Let me know!
Friday, August 15, 2008
Top 100 SciFi Books of All Time
Labels: Sci-Fi, Science Fiction 2 comments
Austarnet.com has a user-updated list of the Top 100 Sci-Fi Books; new users can vote for ten books off of a list of about 150. The current Top 10 is about as solid a list as one could expect:
1 Orson Scott Card Ender's Game [S1] 1985
2 Frank Herbert Dune [S1] 1965
3 Isaac Asimov Foundation [S1-3] 1951
4 Douglas Adams Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy [S1] 1979
5 George Orwell 1984 1949
6 Robert A Heinlein Stranger in a Strange Land 1961
7 Ray Bradbury Fahrenheit 451 1954
8 Arthur C Clarke 2001: A Space Odyssey 1968
9 Isaac Asimov [C] I, Robot 1950
10 William Gibson Neuromancer 1984
Tell me what's missing? What's here that shouldn't be? How should the order be changed?
1 Orson Scott Card Ender's Game [S1] 1985
2 Frank Herbert Dune [S1] 1965
3 Isaac Asimov Foundation [S1-3] 1951
4 Douglas Adams Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy [S1] 1979
5 George Orwell 1984 1949
6 Robert A Heinlein Stranger in a Strange Land 1961
7 Ray Bradbury Fahrenheit 451 1954
8 Arthur C Clarke 2001: A Space Odyssey 1968
9 Isaac Asimov [C] I, Robot 1950
10 William Gibson Neuromancer 1984
Tell me what's missing? What's here that shouldn't be? How should the order be changed?
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