An Evening in the Cemetery

            Have you ever spent an afternoon walking through the park, only to realize hundreds of slabs of stone rose from the ground, and startling little angels glared back at you, as if in defiance of your presence? That park, you realized, was actually a cemetery, and you were on a photo shoot scouting mission. Ok, maybe your life is not as cool as mine (actually, that dead thing I found by the lake the other day has a cooler life than mine). I’ve said all that to say this: I am that guy strolling through the cemetery looking for the  right location for the “Gothic Angel” shoot. I’m that strange. Yes, I am.

            We all got together (Lady Perry, Joe and Aaron) and headed out to explore some cemeteries in the area. The first was nice and secluded, and had a very lovely section beneath a spruce (I think it was spruce). The area was good, but not quite what we were looking for.

            The second location was a very exquisite, and might I add, very creepy cemetery much closer to town. Several stones rose from the ground, their carvings and etchings harkening back to a time when death was a prominent guest in every household. Antiquity rested on the property, and it presented itself to us in its full evening grandeur. As you can see, it impacted me greatly.

We will shoot in a few days, maybe a week or so. Right now, we are getting everything together and making preparations. It is such an awesome location. The story, naturally, takes place in a cemetery, hence our location choice. I actually think I used cemeteries a lot in my writings….now I’m going to have to check on that!

Aside from that, I’m still editing “Gothic Angel.” The first read-through went well, and the worst is out of the way. The first edit is always the roughest; it’s where you get all the grammatical errors out of the way. Now, I can focus on continuity and internal issues. It is a short work, so it is not exactly a complicated matter. I’m going to try and read through it once more tonight, then allow it to make its rounds.

Well, all for now. Thanks for reading.

Not Easy Being a Writer

            I finally finished reading one Writer’s Digest magazine last night. That is the peril of taking on too many damned things! Here’s my daily reading list: I have the Writer’s Digest, where I get so much valuable information on writing/critiquing (so I won’t skip reading it); Food and Wine magazine, a publication I absolute love; my own editing; three books from other indie authors (which I said I would read and review); Two Years Before the Mast (a most excellent book, and one I read for simple pleasure); and finally, the 2012 Writer’s Market. That’s a ton of reading, and it bogs me down daily. I fall behind and then have to play “catch-up.” Is all of this for writing? No, but 80% of it is, not even counting the research I do.

            It’s not easy to do all of the above and while continuing to write (not to mention two blogs, extensive correspondence and the organization of the team. Sometimes, story writing is the least of the things I do. People simply don’t understand. There is a lot of work that goes into a story. Readers pick it up and peruse it, thinking, “Man, this shit looks easy. I could be a writer any day of the week.” Ok, pal. Go for it! You see how easy it is to be a writer in the 21^st century. And Oh, do hold down a full time job that has you working nights, days and weekends. Try it and see!

            Am I in a bitchy mood? YES, I am! For all the trouble we endure, all the hardships of writing and editing, all the emotional rides we take in constructing the story, all the hours of labor, and intensive thought, what do we get for it? Here’s what we get: a review which says “the ending was shit,” a comment which says “try again, loser.” I don’t have the luxury of time or a team of full-time editors to take my work and lighten my load. I don’t have a staff of assistants to fetch texts, gather information or help critique an idea (hell, even create one for me). I don’t have a contract which gives me endless amounts of money so I don’t have to hold down a job. I have none of what the professional writers have. What I do have, however, is criticism! Ah, the old critique, how I love thee and loathe thee.

            What am I proving with this anyways? But, then again, no one reads this, so I could say whatever I want. Rubber baby bunkie bumber! I am Superman! “Not only could we do the weather; we could do the weather with a gorilla molesting us in the butt.” –Lewis Black (Italics mine). Random squirrel pooping on a tree limb. What time do I clock in tomorrow? SEE??

            Ok. I’m done. Too tired to continue. Noting much has changed here. No photo shoot today. Don’t know when we’ll reschedule. Going to take some pics with Joe tonight, and hopefully get something for “Gothic Angel.” Editing is nonexistent. Two manuscripts need my attention, as do the blogs. Hopefully I will have time for them.

            For the few of you who actually follow along, thank you. It means a lot to me.

The Brief Update

            Greetings, everyone. I hope this finds you out digging around in cemeteries and searching for ghosts and witches in old houses. Yes, I hope it finds you doing all these things, as I no longer have any time to engage in my favorite past-times (well, digging around in cemeteries was a stretch; I photograph them). I have not started editing “Mommy’s Gone Crazy” yet, but plan to in a few days. I like to let it rest for a little while before I engage with it. I have also finished looking over a friend’s work; it was really good and had an awesome ending. I liked it.

            As I was saying, I am entirely busy and engaged for the next few weeks. I have editing, a new short story to write (“Gothic Angel”), and my two blogs. Did any of you read about Alexandretta at wordpress.com? If not, check it out. It’s been met with a lot of great responses so far.

            Joe wants me to assist with a project of his, so I am not starting to divert some time to it. I think it will be a fun endeavor, and I do look forward to working on his “script.” Aaron is also in on it. I’ll tell you more about it later, as our first meeting is still pending.

            Once I start editing, expect a very grumpy Mr. Perry to appear on here. I don’t know why, but I hate editing. It pains me to no end. I remember editing the novel with Lady Perry; it was a pain in the as…you get the point. I hate it; I simply do, although it is essential to the work. I hope to have it wrapped up soon, and on the market. I really want to get it listed.

            The next project is Bleodsian, with “Mommy’s Gone Crazy” coming in right behind it. Bleodsian is my novella about a man who attempts to correct his ailing health, and gain eternity in the process, by rather unusual means. The story is really good, and the ending, I believe, makes it. Look for more on this soon.

            Well, this has been fun….goodnight.

The Story is Finished

            The text is written; the pages print; and the document in the file. Phase One of the writing process is Complete! Yes, I finished "Mommy’s Gone Crazy" earlier today. I sat myself down and threatened not to leave the chair until I had finished it, bathroom breakes included! Bodily functions have the ability to spur one on to complete a work.

            The story came out really well. I cannot tell you how excited I am to have the work completed. It ended very nicely (in writing terms), and I am pleased with the conclusion. At 34 pages, it is a bit of a lengthy tale! I did not intend for it to extend as it did, but once Alexandretta took the helm, the story simply grew until she saw fit to end it.

            Editing will begin soon. It’s not my favorite part (actually, I hate it more than driving a nail through my foot), but it is a necessary part of the process. The story, as I said, is 34 pages. I will read it thrice. That means I will read 102 8 ½ by 11 sheets of paper before you ever see this work on-line. Melissa will do the same. Image what it was like when we were editing the novel (232 pages). I’ll share some editing pics soon. For now, ease your eyes on the finished product:

We discussed the situation earlier and found that there are four phases for the life of the story. The first is the writing phase, which is already completed. The second is the editing phase (shoot me now). The third is the newly added e-cover phase (I love you, Aaron and Joe). The fourth and final is the act of e-publication (buy my book). So, one phase down, three to go!

            I should hopefully have it up in about a month, perhaps a little more. We still need cover art for it, and then about three good weeks for Aaron to create a cover. So, look for it soon. Until then, you can check out my wordpress blog and read about Alexandretta and the imagination behind this story!

            If you or any of your friends are interested in purchasing any of my stories, do know that the Nook app for your computer and android phones, as well as iphones, is free. The link to the webpage is at the right of the screen, or simply search the market on your phones for the app. As always, I appreciate you guys and your support. If you like the story, “you’re welcome.” If not, “up yours.” Lol! Joking.

            Alright, everyone have a nice Sunday night. Thanks for following along. Until next time…..

A New Endeavor

This is my first blog, my first attempt at putting my thoughts into an electronic format. Many have written their ideas and notions, and even shared intimate pieces of themselves upon the illusory fabric of the internet; it is not my design to do such. I have but one major goal with this endeavor: to establish a creative writing source for authors.

I have been writing for a few years now and have completed one novel (it is one of three), one novella, and over a hundred pages of short stories. I write in a manner worthy of Edgar Allan Poe, perhaps the greatest mentor a young writer can have. Like every student, I have taken the style of Poe and blended it with my own style to create what I like to think of as psychological horror. I may write about ghosts and monsters, but the idea behind the story is ‘what is most believable.’ Is there truly a ghost in the next room, or has the deeper recesses of the mind conjured some image and placed it in the shadows, thus creating the ghost? I love the constant battle between the logical and the illogical, the natural and supernatural. These themes you will find replete within my writings.

I am a young man, though my age has little bearing on this work; I have lived long enough and experienced enough of the good and bad of human creation to truly rationalize a story which epitomizes the human experiment, as I loving refer to it. I have also acquired enough of a skill in writing, a skill I am now prepared to share with the public. I make no claims to be any master of the art; I am a humble student who merely wishes to share his thoughts and ideas on certain writing issues. I have thought of a few good topics thus far, ranging from character development to writing location. There are many topics swirling in my mind, and if you care to read them I am more than willing to bequeath them to you.

Fear not, reader, as this is not entirely a boring academic resource filled with saw-dust like tidbits and unpalatable delicacies. I have a strong interest in reading, wine and cooking. I will occasionally share with you some of my adventures in the kitchen and wine world. I may, if the ghosts are moving and the suns all align, even share a personal story or day with you. As the Count of Monte Cristo once said, “wait and hope.”

I suppose this is sufficient for now. Enjoy and happy writing.