Not in the Mood

            As a writer, you have your high and low moments, much like anything in life. Today, for some reason, seems to be one of those low moments; I don’t know why, but today simply is. It happens, just like that scene from Forrest Gump, where he stepped in a pile of shit. What did he say? “It happens.” Maybe I sat in a pile today; I don’t know. Anyhow, welcome to the writer’s mind, where we second guess our work, overly criticize ourselves and doubt our future success. I said I would share everything with you on this journey, and I was not lying. This is what I am facing now.

            My mood has kept me from writing much today, although I have had the time to do so. I think about the story a lot and miss working on it, although I can’t bring myself to produce any pages. I took my walk earlier and found my mind drifting to other reveries. Today I am simply not in it. Oh, well. This will pass soon.

            On a happier note, my sales have increased on bn.com. Each of my stories have sold nicely (here’s hoping they will continue to rise). If you have any friends who like horror stories, do send them to bn.com, and tell them to search my name, Robert Perry. You can also send them to my blog, where I have all the necessary links posted. Word of mouth is always integral to any business; I would greatly appreciate your passing my name along. If I’m successful, I’ll even name my kid after you. Anything is better than some of the stupid ass names the movie/rock stars come up with. Tu Morrow? Really?! Apple?! Honestly, people! What happened to names like Chuck, Bob and Jennifer?  Why not just give them names like Trunk Lid and Sweat Pants! Or better yet, a number: 24601. Good God! See why I don’t read the news!

            Alright, I’m focused again. Everything’s good; everything’s happy. Pretty sunset, palm tree in the yard, etc. etc. etc. I have enough work to keep me busy for the next few weeks, months even, so the ideas have come to a halt. It’s a good thing, I believe, as too many story thoughts end up pushing each other to the side. Let’s just get through the few I have now, and focus on new ones later.

            I hope everyone had a nice holiday. The New Year is approaching; please don’t do anything stupid. Alcohol and fireworks do not play nicely together. I read once of a guy who, after indulging in “the drink,” tried to light a rocket fuse by holding a match to his backside and, well, use your imagination. I think he died.

            I’ll leave you on that happy note. Thanks for reading!

           

             

Two Notifications

            It’s Christmas time, so the posts will be sporadic. There, I said it! I have been busy as hell, and not with writing. You know how Christmas goes, so I need not comment on all the gift buying, menu planning, crowd evading, item finding, etc. It’s been fun, though. Enjoy the holidays while they are here. We all return to our crabby, cruddy state when they are gone!

            I have received two important notifications since the last blog. No, I am not published yet. I would have been more vocal about such a triumph. First, I have heard from Holly, and she informed me that the cover for Bleodsian is being put together. Second, I have heard from another individual who is working on covers for me, and he is gearing up to begin work on the e-cover for “Mommy’s Gone Crazy.” He is amazingly professional and has a keen understanding of the field. I will tell more of him when I have permission to do so (oh, and you never need to worry about popping up in my blog unless I ask your permission first. So, rest at ease). I will have to give him a brief understanding of what I want for the covers, something I will start today, hopefully. I am excited to work with him and with all the talent I have surrounding me: Holly and Joseph for photographs, David for artwork, my friend for design, and Melissa for editorial work. I think it will be a good team.

            With all these individuals working on projects, I had to write out a list of “whose doing what.” I like lists sometimes; they make me feel less like an idiot, and I get to cross things off. That excites me. Sad life? Yes, yes it is. The first of the year we will meet and go over some details and get everything in order for the creation of the cover. Until then, you all will have to hang tight for the new arrival of the covers.

            I got a little bit of writing done yesterday on “Mommy’s Gone Crazy.” It was not a lot, but it was a good writing spree. I love when you really get into a good vein and plow through the story. It all came together nicely and I got to a good stopping point. The suspense is building as the narrator tries to find his daughter amid the debris of the ravaged house. Something just moved; was it his daughter, or the ex-wife who has gone mad?

            Alright, I am gone for now. If you do not hear from me again, make your Christmas a special one, a holiday worthy of remembrance.

Rob Complaining About Time

            The problem with writing is that there is never enough time to complete the things you want to accomplish. Sounds a lot like life? Well, yes, it does. The only difference, however, is that you engage in life full-time, while most of us only write part-time. I have not worked these past two days, and all I can show for my productivity is a blog (plus this one) and three pages of text. It is difficult to ever get a good length of time to write when so many things need to be accomplished. When I am home, I find I work around the house first, then engage in my writing last. It’s always on the bottom of the list for me, because for some reason I consider it “leisure time” and not an actual occupation. Take today, for instance: I worked over my menu for Christmas Day, cleaned and worked some in the yard. The laundry is being washed and I tried to set up a pull-up bar, all things that need to be finished. But what of my writing? Oh, that just gets pushed to the side, kicked in the ass and shoved into a corner.

            Writing is not easy, especially since you have to fit in into your social time. No one goes to an office to write their novel for 8 hours a day. That would be ideal, but such things do not happen for would-be writers. Once you are published and you make a name for yourself, then you can quit work and set your sights on writing full time. That is my long term goal; I don’t see it happening anytime soon, but it is a goal nonetheless.

            My major challenge is always time; I never have a stretch of time to devote to my writings. I blame no one. It’s my fault that I don’t put greater importance on my writings. Perhaps I don’t value my writings? I don’t know. This is certainly something that needs exploration. If you are going to write, it should be paramount in your life, not just something you do for the hell of it (unless, that makes you happy).

            Well, I hope you have enjoyed my first bitch fest. No doubt there will be plenty more to come in the future. On a happy note, the ideas I have floating around in my head for future works are all taking shape nicely. I am going to record one now and start ‘pushing it around’ a little.

            Thanks for reading…..

First Update: Mommy's Gone Crazy

            For those of you just joining us, my name is Robert Perry, and I am a writer of general and psychological horror. My goal for this blog is to record and illustrate for you my journey to publication. As I said in my first blog, you are welcome to laugh at my mishaps and rejections; I will always try to make this as funny as possible, as no one wants to read boring crap. Feel free to check out my facebook page and follow along on twitter. That being said, on with the show.

            I’m taking a break from writing “Mommy’s Gone Crazy” to scribble out this blog. I’ve been working on it for most of the day, and it’s coming along fairly well, though I can’t seem to get into it. Some stories explode from the mind, while others seem to poke along at an ass-dragging pace. This work has a bit of a different style than most of my previous works. I usually begin with a very reflective opening, then proceed into a bit of an existential story where all the emotions are severely heightened. This story begins very quickly and stays at that pace. I’m always open to new things, so I will see how it does.

            If you are not familiar with the story, or have missed me running my mouth about it, this work deals with a character who must save his daughter from her crazed mother, who is also trying to kill her. He goes to rescue her and finds that the house has no power, and strangely enough, an unlocked and slightly opened front door. Will he get to his little girl in time? Or will Mommy have other plans?

            I’ve sold a few more stories; so now I won’t have to show up empty handed on Christmas day. Thanks. I’ve also made a few more contacts in the writing world. Life, it seems, is about contacts and all the people you know. Remember that when applying for a job. It’s who you know, not what you know. You could be the Queen of England or the King of Rock n Roll, and it won’t matter; know people, and you’ll do well. I know few people, so right now I suck. Oh, well. Keep at it, right?

            Keep checking back with the bn.com site, as more of my stories will be coming on line. As soon as the images are ready, I’ll post them. Remember to look for the horror stories under the name of Robert Perry. Please don’t purchase the barn story thinking it is mine: it’s not, and I get no revenue from it! No barns!

            We were out of town this past weekend, and were able to take some awesome pictures for the FB page. The area was Jekyll Island, and we got some really nice shots. Look for them to appear soon on the facebook page.

            Alright, I need to get back to work.

Story Ideas

            I am definitely in writing mode now, as the story ideas are flowing once again. I took my walk this morning and worked through several. I keep a book of ideas in my desk, where I jot down whatever comes to mind on a certain story. Those random thoughts usually form into a strong storyline, or at least that is the goal. I finished working through “Mommy’s Gone Crazy” this morning, and have yet another story to add to the book. You may not know it yet, but I wrote a full-length novel a few years ago (can’t believe it’s been years since I finished it!). The book I wrote is actually the middle work, out of three. There is also a sequel and a prequel. It is the prequel I am concerned with now, and the painter in the story. Like “Mommy,” this short story is another exploratory work where I can get to collaborate with and get to know the character in the setting. I have to structure it first, and hopefully in two months, I can start construction of it.

             The new storylines are exciting to me. Each one is coming together nicely and introducing themselves rather cordially. I have spent a lot of time working on my platform, much to the chagrin of my characters. It is nice to be ‘back in the saddle,’ with my pen (keyboard) in my hand, and a paper (screen) before me once again. My friends have missed me, and I them. I hope to get the first short story completed soon; I will then move onto the succubus project. I said that yesterday…sorry. Writers have great minds for ideas, not memories!

There has been some fruit reaped from the gothic site. I used the fruit analogy because I am dieting and feel it will help me to lose weight. If I said, “I had a shitload of cupcakes from that site,” one: it would not make any sense; and two: what the hell do cupcakes have to do with a gothic site? You see, the fruit analogy works much better. Trust me. Anyhow, some people have reached out to my blog from there. Nice.

            Ok, that is all for now. ‘Like’ my page on FB (search Robert Perry), and if you have not done so already, check out my writing at bn.com. I’m under the ebooks tab. Search Robert Oliver for those (haven’t changed my name yet). If you need to download Nook, it’s very simple, and a link is located at the right of the blog screen. It’s free and will give you access to thousands of books.

            Thanks for reading!

           

A Busy Day

            Busy day today. I had a lot to do, and fortunately I have gotten a lot of it completed. I looked over a website today, gothic.net, and found a forum on there. Introducing myself through a post, I have hopefully opened up the blog to more readers. They also take submissions, so I am considering submitting a work. I have sent off numerous works before and have usually met with rejection; it’s the name of the game. “Hey, I feel great today. Let’s send off a work and be reminded that I’m a piece of shit!” Hah! I think my style may work for them. We’ll see and I’ll let you know.

            I took my walk this morning and was hoping to mentally organize things better, but everything is still jumbled. I know I have two short stories to begin and the next novella (which is a lengthening of one of the two short stories). The work on “Mommy’s Gone Mad” is underway – the paper is sitting beside me, yearning for my attention. For short stories, I outline slightly, unlike the novellas and novel, where I had a book of notes and outlines. I’m anxious to start it, as I think it will be a good one. After that, I will start work on my succubus project, as I am calling it. I have a short story and a novella which will deal with the idea of a succubus, or an avenging female spirit. Google it for more info. Those are going to be kickin’ stories.

            If you checked the FB page lately, (and you should check it daily!) you will notice one significant change: my name. Yes, it is still me, but things have shifted slightly. I am trying out my new pen-name. Allow me to introduce Mr. Robert Perry to you all. The name works and I like it.

            I have been in touch with another person who will be assisting with cover designs. There is nothing definite yet, but when I have more to share, I will post it. Look for the new cover for “Mommy’s Gone Mad” coming soon.

            I think I am going to start submitting my works to competitions again. I did that formerly, but have since stopped – the rejections piled up and my morale dropped! There is a Writer’s Digest short, short story contest coming up; I think I mentioned it earlier. I’ll give it a shot. Wish me luck.

            Alright, the characters are growing restless. Got to go…

Looking the Part, Vol. 1

            I was told the other day that I “look like a writer.” I’m supposed to wear glasses; I don’t. I normally dress in black blazers, with dark colors; or vibrant, loud purples and soft lavenders. I like deep blue shirts with black ties (anything actually looks good with a black tie: free tip for you) or forest green with tan ties. Everything must flow and look sharp. My slacks are “modern fitting” (meaning they are tight as hell). Shirts are tucked in, hanging out, matched with jackets or simply worn open at the collar, showcasing my skull necklace - which I always have on. I wear a thumb ring; sometimes, two other rings on my right hand (ring and index finger), or a blue tiger-eye stone: ring finger only. I dress professionally at work, smart when going out, casual at home. So, with all this being said, why would I be told I “look like a writer?”

            First off, how the hell does a writer look, anyways? Do we walk about with pencils behind our ears and dictionaries under our arms? Do we use words like extemporaneous and interpolate when ordering lattes at Starbucks? Do we correct others’ speech, either mentally or verbally? I don’t know. Or maybe it has nothing to do with appearance; perhaps it has everything to do with action. Are we writers because we run through the woods to get a better understanding for what the branches feel like when smacking us in the face? Or because we eat and drink horrible things to comprehend just how disgusting they are, then write about it to you? Again, I don’t know.

            This has been puzzling me for a while. Now understand, I am a gothic writer. If you don’t know what Gothic literature is, hold tight: I’ll write a blog soon about it. But for starters, think Edgar A. Poe. Ok, Gothic. Right. With that out of the way, I am a Gothic writer, hence the pics in the cemetery. You hate cemeteries; I love them. You want a pet dog: I want a raven. Dark, stormy nights scare you: I thrive on them. Flowers adorn your desk: a skull sits on mine; You fear death: I…well, we’ll cover that one later.

I believe that you dress accordingly, and how you present yourself will be your appellation. Now, if you are a sports writer, don’t walk about with a helmet on all day. I don’t carry a shovel with me everywhere I go (read my stories). I don’t feel compelled to dress like anything other than what I am. So, if I dress like President Obama or the Sheik of Napoli, I’m still a writer. If I wear blue jeans and an Eagles tee, I’m still a writer. Bathing suit: same thing. Naked….never mind, you get the point.

The person was being nice. I told them I was writing, and they spoke the line. If I had told them I was in training to be a space shuttle pilot on the manned mission to Mars, they would have said I looked like an astronaut. This is how it rolls for me. All I can say is read my works, then you will know I am a writer.

I really don’t care what I look like (big lie; actually, I put a lot of emphasis on my appearance, but you get the idea). I don’t want to look like a writer: I want to be a writer! And I am one, published or not. Dress is only secondary, though the aesthetics may help.

Briefly, all is well. I am gearing up for another project and some editing of Bleodsian. I have a short story/novella combo I want to work on, the short story coming first; but not before I work on “Mommy’s Gone Crazy.” I think you all will enjoy it. Look for it soon.

I have almost forty ‘likes’ on my page. Please tell your friends, neighbors, and anyone you can trap in the elevator to look at and like my page. I’d appreciate it. Also, follow me on twitter and check out my works at bn.com. All links are posted on the blog page.

Thanks for reading.

The Writing Conference

            I would really love to attend the Writer’s Digest Conference coming soon. Would anyone want to wire me the money to go? Please? I really need to attend one, but not now. Hopefully soon I will be able, as they usually have 60+ editors/publishers there, waiting to tear your work to pieces, and your soul! Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? Imagine standing in line for three hours, waiting rather impatiently as you slowly nudge forward. The woman in front of you has a voice to match her girth and talks only of her cats at home; the man behind you can’t breathe through his nose, and so uses his mouth, nearly sucking your blazer into his throat. You begin to have thought of moving aside and allowing the human vacuum to inhale the cat-woman; you smile to yourself at the thought. Oh, the woman wrote a story about her cats. Imagine that! 200 hundred pages of furry paws and whiskers you endure slowly and painfully, much like torture. Finally, it’s your turn and you hand them the work. They (meaning some awkwardly looking, intimately deprived woman in her mid-forties who wears her glasses on the tip of her hawk-like nose) look at it with sadistic pleasure while you try not to compare her to that Chihuahua  you saw taking a shit on the sidewalk earlier in the day.

            She puts it down, adjusts her glasses (even though they are nearly cemented to her nose) and stares up at you with this look, half-crazed and wildly bizarre, as if saying “if you ask me out tonight, I will publish your book.” You can’t say yes because you are still hung-up on the idea of that dog, and so stare blindly at her. She then, realizing you will return to your hotel room alone, begins a diatribe of your work, telling you first that it is utter shit (see previous sidewalk comment). You still smile. She then tells you about your characters, you know, the people who have been living in your head for over a year and are nearly like family. They are too dry, too human….wtf, you think; but still you stand there, smiling and dying. Then, for the final blow, and she removes her glasses for this one, folks, she says the only think your work is truly good for is pipe cleaning: no, not the ones beneath your sink. No, the only pipe she has in mind was the one connected to my ass, the same one she now wants me to shove my story up!

            As you leave the building, feeling more like trash and less like a writer, you see that same dog. He’s finished doing his business, and out of compulsion you desire to kick him. What’s the use, you say, and walk back to your hotel, where you will probably cry until the sun rises.

            So, would anyone want to sponsor my trip to the conference?..................

The New Photo

            The Photo shoot blog was very popular and I heard a lot of laughter about it today at work. That’s good (if you think watching me get my ass kicked by some tough bikers is amusing!) Anyways, thanks for all the support and perseverance; you guys have more endurance than I do. I’ll just turn this publishing thing over to you and you all let me know when I’m famous. How’s that?

            Two days ago I purchased my first photo for a future cover from Joe Sheehan. I have his link posted on my blog site. His works are great, if I may say. Joe exhibits a dark streak with rather light colors; it’s brilliant and amazing how bright yet dark his images are. The work was shown to me a few days ago, and when I saw it, I knew immediately the picture would be perfect for my next little project, the story “Mommy’s Gone Crazy.” Joseph, (we’ll be proper here) unknowingly captured the essence of the story with his picture. He is also a professional portrait photographer working in Central Florida. I like his works and think he has a good grasp on things macabre; so, his works will certainly appear on my covers in the future. We both are excited to collaborate with one another, as our works seem to fit nicely together. Check out his site and remember him for your next family photo. If you have an awesome picture and think it would be great as a cover, feel free to email me at accantoallatomba@yahoo.com, and we’ll talk.

            Holly is doing well editing the photos; the poor girl is rather busy with all her endeavors, so for her to fit this into her schedule is truly both kind and generous. I will no doubt have them soon, and I promise you all will get the first glimpse of the new book covers. I will also be working with another individual who will construct the covers locally. A little more on him later.

            The story mentioned above, “Mommy’s Gone Crazy,” is a work I will start shortly. It’s about a man who gets a frantic call from his daughter that her ‘mommy’ (his ex-wife) has suddenly succumbed to her mental derangement and is trying to kill her. His whole mission is to get into the voluminous and vaulted mansion and save his daughter. But with all my stories, what appears to be simple is not always the case; the villain could be more sinister and more secretive than once imagined. Has mommy really gone mad, or is there more residing in the shadows of the house?

            This story gives me an exciting opportunity to work with a character-type I have been molding for many months now, perhaps years, even. Collectively and individually, she is known as Alexandretta, and she is singularly the most prominent driving force behind all my female characters. I mentioned her in an earlier blog from several months ago, but now she has come into her own, and in this story, I will deal with her directly, making her the star of the occasion and not simply the major influence. Look for more on all of this in a future blog.

            I say now, Behold, the Rise of Alexandretta….

            Thanks for reading!

First Photo Shoot

            Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Mine rocked! I was finally able to take my pictures for my new facebook page. Allow me to paint you a picture, if I may; we, my wife and I, went to the Pinewoods Cemetery in Daytona Beach to take pictures. I like cemeteries and figured it would be a perfect fit for a horror writer photo shoot. It was, save for the fact that this deliciously morbid cemetery was across the street from biker central, where all these leather-clad guys were staring at this pansy-looking “Hollywoodesque” guy in a black blazer and tight pants hanging over tombstones! I was scared shitless! Actually, it was a lot of fun, and Melissa exhibited her photographic dexterity in taking all the pictures. Many of them came out really well, much to her praise. I sat beside stones and laid upon the ground; it was awesome! There were some wonderful staircases and some depth to the cemetery that made the place perfect. I love cemeteries, just sayin.’ You see, gothic writer at heart. What else would you expect from me? Fields of daisies with butterflies fluttering about, or fluffy clouds and soft music? Com’ on? Read my works and you, too, will puke at the idea of fields or clouds.

            Got the pictures; next step was the FB page, which I completed last night. I thought it a brilliant idea to make myself a hot chai before going to be; you know, a hot, caffeinated beverage designed to sustain the body and mind for hours on end? Yeah, that one! So, when I couldn’t close my eyes for love or money, I decided to construct the page. I selected my favorite pics from the photo shoot, and finally, after much cursing and yelling, figured out how to start the page. I hate the new FB. Bastards! Anyways, it’s up and running, so check it out! Search my name and you will find the page. Every friend who likes it makes me feel less like a turd, so help me out here!

            With both of these going, I feel pretty good. I have my first shoot out of the way and my page is finished. Like it and receive updates on all my efforts. Also, I have a new email address, if you care to send a lengthy correspondence. You can find it on the page. Also, I will be posting some new links at the right, so keep an eye out to learn more about the photos on the covers!

            Busy weekend? Yes, it was! But a good and productive one. Keeping reading, and like my page. Oh, and for an infomercial: buy my works at bn.com!

            Thanks for reading!

An Introduction to Bleodsian

            I started Bleodsian two years ago, and the work has taken so much of my time to bring it to completion. It is, however, nearly ready for the web, with the exception of some minor “touch-ups.” Working on a project for such a length of time can be wearisome, and this one had its moments. I will say, however, that when I got to the end, the whole episode sped up quickly and the ending came out wonderfully. When you all get a chance to read it, I would love to hear the feedback.

            The story is about a middle-aged man who is diagnosed with a rare blood disorder which turns out to be fatal. With the aid of a voice only he can hear, a voice which nearly commands him, he sets out on a course to restore his health with a “plan” devised by the sinister voice. The question arises, to what lengths would you go to restore your health? Another question, and paramount in the story, is what is our relationship to nature and the entire natural world? And what is death in relation to everything? Should something die in order for something else to live? Ponder these, as Mr. Cacciare did.

            I am anxious to post it on bn.com and can’t wait to hear what everyone says about it. There is a definite shock factor to the story, one which will hopefully raise questions for everyone to think over. I am not trying to change society with the tale; merely, I am trying to help us think through our own existence and how we correspond to the natural world around us. Look for it soon.

            That’s all for now. I will post more on Bleodsian as the web-publication date draws nearer. Check out my stories this weekend and find me on twitter, where I post updates on my writing career.

            Thanks for reading…..

A Freezing Walk

            I did a search for my blog on line today and found it rather easily. It was surprising, to say the least. I noticed, though, that I have more work to do in order to make it more accessible. On a walk I took earlier, I had all of these things running through my mind. It was pretty out, but sadly enough I paid little attention; I am still debating about the pseudonym issue. I teeter back and forth, not knowing if I should take on a new name or embrace my original appellation. Help me here…

            So, it’s cold outside. For those of you who enjoy it, I’m delighted for you. For the rest of us who hate this shit, my sympathies. I’m out trying to think (I always take long walks to help me process an issue) and freezing my ass off. Oh well, at least the walk was nice and fruitful.

            I looked over my stats from yesterday, and had quite the international community reviewing my blog. That’s pretty damned cool! People from the UK, Russia and Germany read my blog. I have several friends in the UK, friends I made on a writing site based in that country, and they seem to be checking it out. It’s exciting to see the endeavor grow. Keep reading and telling your friends!

            I am starting to put together a little blog on my latest novella (a work shorter than a novel but longer than a short story), and I will have that up soon. I’ll start to go over some of my works for you all, so you can get a feel for my style, and maybe even learn a thing or two about me. I’m proud of Bleodsian; it came out really well, and the ending will nearly have you in tears. It has taken me two years to write and edit, but now it is complete and nearly read for bn.com. Look for it soon!

            Gotta run now; have to go to work soon. Thanks for reading and remember to check out my works on bn.com