Hey all,
Here’s a new article for my “Writing Class” series. I’ve referenced Bob Ross in some of my live classes before, but after rewatching the series, I finally wrote something more thorough down. Hope you enjoy.
I wanted to paint like Bob Ross. I used to watch his show, The Joy of Painting, every day after school. He fascinated me, and there was nothing more relaxing after a hard day at school than listeni…
Pardon my absence. I recently started writing the third novel in the Watchmage Chronicles, not to mention my daily excursions hunting the elusive pokemon (my calves are killing me). Every time I want to blog, I end up working on the novel.
So where’s the second book? I decided that I acted in a rash manner when I eschewed an agent and self-published. I was angry at the way my publisher was treating my first novel, and the “agents” that came forward to represent me were obvious scams. Not to mention the pervasive fear that keeps coming back: I will die before I finish my stories. I know that has to do with Valerie’s death, but it’s a part of me now. You never know when the end is coming, so spend every day as if it’s your last. If it’s my last, I’ll keep writing.
Not that I regret self-publishing–I like the personal control–but I live too close to the buck, and I don’t write fast enough to make a solid living with it. A novel a year is about all that I can manage.
Instead of releasing the next book right away, I am querying agents, hoping that they will overlook the fact that it’s already out there. I dug myself into a hole, but I want to climb out.
Even if no one bites on Watchmage, I have ideas for new stories. Worst case scenario is that I keep Watchmage self published and go for an agent with that one.
Anyway, I’ll try to blog here more often. I have an idea for a new article on writing, that I think will go over well.
Have a super awesome happy fun time day.
Craig
As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve become mildly obsessed with Pokemon Go. It’s my new Geocaching. I’m walking for at least two hours every day now, and usually covering 5K. The thing is, I feel like it’s time that I can spend doing something more worthwhile to the community. I think that I’ve found it.
Like the rest of the universe, I’m obsessed with Pokemon Go. This should not be a surprise to anyone that knows me. What not everyone knows is that I am (or used to be) a geocacher. Most of you don’t know what geocaching is, and that’s okay. But there might not be Pokemon Go without it.
Since Thursday, I’ve been playing Pokemon Go to the point where very little writing is getting done. It’s a ridiculous amount of fun, and great exercise. But more than that, it’s bringing people together.
Everytime I go out hunting, I see tons of other people doing the same, people that I’d never interact with in my life. Now we’re chatting, giving each other advice, and just chatting. Again, PEOPLE I’D NEVER INTERACT WITH. I suddenly know the people in my neighborhood and in the parks I go to. It’s amazing. Pokemon Go is bringing people together. No arguments about religion or politics. If anything, a little mild trash talk about taking over gyms.
I think that Pokemon Go might be the secret to harmony and good will. All ages, all races, all religions: we all play.
It makes me happy.
Don’t forget to pick up my 2nd novel, The Watchmage of Old New York. If you like history, fantasy, mystery, or weirdness, it’s the book for you. No pokemon in it, but lots of magic and faerie races.
It case you’ve been wondering what I’ve been working on the day few days. The anniversary is July 4th and 5th, so I thought it’d be a good time to finish this article. Enjoy
Independence Day in New York City is a time for high spirits, popping off the fire plug (at least during my childhood), and fireworks. But In 1857, the holiday turned bloody in one of the largest r…
Source: The Dead Rabbits Riot
I went for an echocardiogram yesterday for my heart issues. They also hooked me up with an 24 hour take home ekg machine. I hate this thing, the wires keep snagging, and I can’t shower 😦
But there’s a bright side. I looked in the mirror this morning and saw all the wires and electrodes attached to me. The first thing I thought was “this looks awful.” The second thing:
This look would make a great story character.
Boom.
BTW: In honor of summer and summertime reading, I have lowered the price of The Watchmage of Old New York to 99 cents. This is only until July first, so hop on the watchtrain (there is no actual watchtrain, but it’s still a purdy damn book. Awards and shit.
Happy Friday. Get your wiggle on.
Ok, you all know that despite not being a dad, I am a purveyor and connoisseur of dad jokes. I’ve posted jokes with the laughing dog meme before, even the Rick Grimes meme. Lately I’ve been obsessed with the “family groaning at a restaurant while dad laughs” meme. I’ve decided to bless you all with some of my favorites.
You’re welcome 😀
Or, you can hate me forever. Either way, credit goes to @IFindItFunny2. This is some exquisite punishment.
I’ve decided that it’s time to look for an agent again.
When I first looked for one back in 2012 (for Song of Simon) I got a few bites and requests for more. Mostly what I got was disappointment. Of course, SoS eventually got picked up by a publisher, so I thought that I didn’t need an agent anyway.
I was wrong. After immersion into the publishing industry, I realized that I had no idea what I’m doing. I rewrote and self published The Watchmage of Old New York after its long, popular stint at JukepopSerials. I’m proud of it. It’s a great story, and I plan on spending many years writing sequels (The second is in beta mode, and I’m plotting the 3rd right now).
The thing is: I can’t make a career out of self publishing. I’m not so prolific that I can write a book every three months (my planning, writing, and editing routine is purposefully long and arduous. A good book takes time). If I want to make this a real career, I need someone that knows what they’re doing, someone that knows the business. I was arrogant to believe that I can do this alone.
I have confidence that I can attract an agent for Watchmage, but I know that everyone says that. More to the point, I have confidence that this is what I need.
The downside is that I will probably have to take Watchmage off of the market if I get an agent, but it’s worth it in the long run.
Don’t worry, this isn’t a health post. Although I’m still worried about the heart issues, I don’t think i’m gonna croak any time soon.
Ever since college, I’ve been keeping a journal. That’s pretty common, a lot of people do. Not many people keep it in the bathroom.
Yes, I have a bathroom journal. No, I do not log my shit in there. I just find that the bathroom is a good place to write. I was originally inspired by my friends in college, who kept one. It was a communal book, and they all wrote in it. Sometimes they had conversations through it, other times just random entries about their lives. I did the same with my roommates, and anyone that graced the porcelain god in my apartment was encouraged to do the same. What i ended up with was a record of mine and my friends lives from college on.
We finished the first book my last year in college (it’s in my bookcase), and I started a second, thicker book. Since I lived alone for most of my adult life, it was mostly me that wrote in it. These days it can be weeks or months between entries. But i love it. Sometimes I’ll look back and see snapshots of my life, remembering all that happened, and where I came from.
And so we come to the end.
I am on my last pages of the journal. By the end of the month, it will be filled. Of course I’ll start another one, but I’ve been using this one for 15 years. 15 years of my life, my loves, my failures, the roller coaster of my crazy life, now archived in my bookcase. Maybe some day I’ll take it out to read again, but I don’t do that with the first book. Maybe when I die, someone will find the books and think “why is this guy writing while he shits?” I’ll have no answer (cause I’ll be dead).
The journal is dead. Long live the journal.
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