Put to Rest

Today, I hit another milestone. I finally have put Chapter 6 behind me and like I said to a group of likeminded writers, it took me thirteen times before I became satisfied in my work. Yes, yes, thirteen is indeed the supposed unlucky number but in my world, maybe it is actually lucky. Who knows?

Now onto having the entire novel of 21 chapters finished by this year, yeah, I don’t think there are enough hours in my day. I have been doing segment editing and proofreading of 4 chapters at a time and chapters 7, 8, and 9 have been worked on almost as much as 6, but still there isn’t enough time.

I’ve been working on a strict, self-set, schedule to accommodate everything in my life and my lifestyle. From family to work to exercising to editing, I have almost everything scheduled. Usually I fall behind in something in my life, mostly its sleep, and have a hard time catching up. Personally, it has definitely been sleep and keeping fit and healthy.

“A healthy body harnesses a healthy mind to help create all the wonders that only you can bring forth.” ~Anthony Rhodes
Keep your body healthy, your mind sharp, and never stop. Don’t quit until you are satisfied with the results that you are looking for. That’s what I tell myself and now it’s put to rest. Chapter 6, welcome to my novel.

Spilling my Heart on Digital Paper

For some, times are tough, good, or haven’t changed nearly enough to tell a difference. Times for me have gone into a downward spiral. And this may not be all about writing or hardly about the Within series but I just feel the need to throw down my problems somewhere and hope that I can get it through this thick skull of mine to move on.

Currently, I make good money for the area that I live in but like they say, “The more money you make, the more you spend.” And that’s the truth. But as of right now, due to possible foreseeable circumstances, I’m at this moment in time making $15k less a year. That right there is a pretty big chunk if you ask me and working to get it down to about $7800 less a year.

Now before any of my family or friends jump to conclusions and start contacting me in one way or the other, I’m still at my techy job and no my pay didn’t get cut. This has to do with big brother. My college loans have increased, by far. The good thing with this is, I’ll be pay them off in about 10 years but that’s 10 years of scrapping pennies together, as long as the interest rates don’t go up...again. Now to stick with my job and work through this decade of repayment hell.

I love the field I am in; I love techy electronics networking stuff. I enjoyed it in my youth and enjoy it now and it’s something I have a fair amount of knowledge on. But the hours that I’m supposed to work and promised to only work is not what I’m working and being on salary, not what I'm getting paid for. It’s like this, if you love a song so much and you listen to it over and over, you’ll eventually get burned out on it and that’s what I’m feeling and I hate it. Take something you love and drill you with it for an average of 12 to 18 hours a day, you’ll eventually get tired of it. Enough ranting, if I say what I feel, someone from work might read this and take offense and then I'll be looking for a new job.

That's all from me for now and I apologize that this isn't about the Within series but I just needed to vent. I only wish I was able to work on my novels and still make the same or better pay. Hey, it’s my dream, so let me dream.

Back to the Grind

Here we all are, 8/18/13. Finally my work schedule for the past 15 weeks has hopefully changed back to the way it used to be. From 12 to 18 hour work days back to 8. If only I got paid overtime… That’s a whole other story. Anyway, my work schedule has changed, my vacation, I’m on my last day, and a lot of things I have experienced.

During this time I have not gotten to write like I’ve wanted to and meeting my personal deadline by the end of this year is right out of my reach. But I can’t complain too much for I’ve met some interesting people that will be difficult to forget; some in a bad way, others, good. With the meeting of these people, character creation comes into my mind. Taking traits from these people and implementing them and my experiences with them into my characters.

I’m sure it’s the same or almost the same for most writers. But I would not have thought of these things on my own if I did not go out and experience them for myself. Branching out and opening your mind up to new ways of life is something I’m not keen on. I like to stay in my world, my bubble, and live life the best I know how. As I watch others in their lives, I don’t have to be directly involved, but I can get the basis understanding. It’s almost like going to Wal-Mart and watch people be…themselves.

Scary as that may sound, I’ll move onto the next thing; the categories of people. I’ve noticed also that there is a certain “type” of people they belong to. You learn this in school, not by teachers or professors mind you, but from your peers. The preps, the geeks, the nerds, the goths, the emos, etc. etc. and it’s no different out in the real world.

Don’t judge unless ye be judged. It’s not about judging someone but categorizing. You’ll notice in your life, knowingly or unknowingly, that you’ll see someone act and possibly look like someone you know personally. For an example, a buddy of mine’s brother (whom also I consider a friend) acts, thinks, and somewhat looks like a guy I worked with for the past fifteen weeks.

It was almost uncanny. So it is like, “Hey, this guy is like so-n-so. What if…” and I proceed to follow the same path I would use for my so-n-so friend (names need not apply) and what do you know, it worked. So if you are a people person or have a lot of friends, take a look around. You just might see a variety of similarities that you never noticed before.

...tomorrow...

Juggling, if anyone knows anything about me should know that I juggle. No, not the balls, but endeavors. I have finished fully editing another chapter in the first book of the Within Series. Yes, that’s one step closer but each step forward, I’m pushed leaps and bounds backwards.

My schedule in life is filling up ever so more with each passing day. I’m promised on the horizon, I will have different position and it looks as if I’ll have some more times on my hands. But before that happens, a storm is approaching.

Work is going to have me doing installs of a new system starting here in the following weeks all over this state and in two others. I’ll be spending excessive amounts of time away from home, away from family, away from my writing. My goals for this year, in having Within ready to be released, is starting to dwindle into next year.

It disappoints me so but in the long run, it will all be worth it, or so I’m told. Here’s to the future. Here is to what tomorrow will bring. It’s not about getting there, it’s about the journey. I read that somewhere...

Immortality

Immortality; an interesting concept, something that’s desired by many, and it’s a pain in the butt to keep up with. Let me tell you what I mean.

If you’ve read the first two chapters of, “The Chamberlains”, a Within series little prequel bit, then you know that we’re dealing with immortals. If you haven’t ready them, click these following links and get caught up.

Chapter 1 - Unforeseen

Chapter 2 - In Session

With that out of the way, let’s get into it.

 I’m currently juggling five books from the Within series, all the while adding on the prequel. That right there is a cluster all in itself. Now, add the concept of immortality with some of the characters and their back-story. It’s tough to keep up with it all.

Taking my characters and twisting history just slightly to fit them in the past may sound like fun. But, overlapping each of their lives through hundreds to thousands of years, it gets confusing even to me, and I’m writing it. So keep it clear, I’ve no created charts and timelines in my recreation of history.

Immortality: what a pain.

Those that are Dearest to us.

It’s Sunday, February 24, 2013, and I haven’t posted a blog since…well, the last time. So here it is! This weekend has been totally crazy with time. A friend of mine and his wife got themselves a house and my wife and I went to go help with some moving. It took a while but it was worth it. Spending time with a friend, reliving your past with some stories, all the while carrying some heavy boxes; that’s always fun.

Why in the world am I creating a blog about helping my friend move when I should be creating one about “Within”? I’ll tell you why and it’s something that’s uncommon knowledge to some of those that are close to me. Sometimes when a writer writes (not sure with all writers but for me, I do this) they use experiences from their past, change it, and morph it into scenarios that fit their characters.

This buddy of mine has had a tremendous effect on my life, so much, that I have based an entire character around him. He doesn’t know that (unless he reads this blog) and when the book is released, our stories that we relive and tell to each other, will be shared among the readers. It makes me feel good to say that there’s people out there that makes a difference in our everyday lives.

Perhaps it’s a cashier that you see every morning when you buy your coffee. Maybe it could be your wife or husband whom helps you through those tough times in when you feel like you just can’t go on. It could even be your brother or sister who picked on you and teased you throughout your childhood.

Everyone out there has a story, everyone, but how does it affect you?

Older & Wiser

Today is my birthday. I know, I know, happy birthday to me, right. Another year older and another year wiser, they say. Who says? I don’t know for certain but I will tell you this. Every day we may not see ourselves changing but if you go over your life, you know all too well that you have. I have as well and I want to go on how I’ve changed as a writer.

At first, “first” as in back in the 90’s, I didn’t care to be published. I wanted to write for the joy of writing. I wrote all kinds of things that have been lost throughout time. From poems, epitaphs, short-stories, to little greetings cards; you name it, I pretty much done it. I may not have been the best but it was an enjoyable time for writing.

Somewhere along those lines, I lost a number of things. I lost journals, poems, letters, and my first book that is now to this day titled, “Within”. Losing these things, I gave up on it, for years. I adapted, changed, and never thought I would start writing again. As you can see, that didn’t last forever.

Certain moments in your life can cause one to do all sorts of things. For me, I would have to say it was a combination of people, certain books that I’ve read, and the extensive amount of work that goes into writing directions and rules for other individuals/groups/companies. Going back over and over to correct those works I realized, “If I can do this now, why not do it for myself?” Hence, I picked up the pencil once again, but this time it was for my own purposes.

A year or so passed, my old book resurfaced in my mind and I brought forth all that I could remember. Now, I was told that “writing” is the hard part, I beg to differ. For me, I could write and write, telling the story from a variety of other character’s perspective. It’s like the story hasn’t stopped in my mind and I’m not sure when the river of creativity will cease on this one series, so until then, I’ll let it flow.

So with age, my creativity has changed, my style has changed, but most of all, I’ve gained patience. Going over what I already have done years ago, I realize now my errors that I couldn’t see then. I guess that’s the “wiser” part that they were talking about.

So to everyone out there, it can get better with time, but you have to work for it.