I’m currently writing the first volume in what I see as a Duology. It’s working title is Redmantle and it is a Renaissance Fantasy that involves alternate history a dollop of magic and a large helping of Political and Religious conflict. It centers around a civil war based loosely on the English Civil War but spills over into mainland Europe.
Say Tweedldeedee
Wasting Time
I’ve been following a forum associated with The Time-wasters Guide a review site focusing on speculative fiction sci-fi/fantasy gaming. In other words wastes of time. :) However a writing workshop called Writing Excuses and a Writing Circle called –oddly enough– Reading Excuses both have a major presence on the TWG forum.
Being the intrepid waster of time, reformed gamer, and struggling writer that I am –I was drawn in and felt the need to jump into the Reading Excuses with both feet. This is good because I find that reading my own text repeatedly can become a vacuous mind-numbing prospect which leads to periods of unproductive daydreaming and, um, games.
Reading Excuses give me the opportunity to put my Philology into play (yes children I actually studied divinity) and tear someone else’s work to shreds. As a critic I lean toward canonical criticism –meaning that I look to how characters interpret the meaning of events and circumstances, then rigorously apply those doctrines wherever those things appear in the work. I comfort myself that text belongs to the reader and the characters not the author so when I rip apart a subplot or manner of expression it’s nothing personal. Of course if it’s MY writing then it’s personal buddy! 😛
Well all that was said to explain my current dilemma. I have a book in progress, but I’m not sure I’m ready to share it. I have notes on another book, but I’m not sure I can put together anything to be reviewed in anything like a short time. However I committed myself to submit to Reading Excuses on Monday! Whatever is a boy to do?
Day Three
Like the new theme but will have to customize it eventually. Still tweaking and adjusting, but thought it would be good to get started on more substantive posts.
Been working on the collectable card game. So many exploitation novels have been written around a game that I thought I’d try reversing the process and creating an exploitation game around the novel. The game is a reasonable facsimile of the game player by the characters, should be fun.
House Warming
New ventures often require a new design for living. This is a new area of authorship for me and I’m just feeling my way. But it became very clear early on that Author sites are primarily about sidebar communications with readers. Reader response isn’t limited to co-creating a world of imagination and discovery as the world of the text merges with that of the reader and the writer. Blogs and comments let Readers feel that sense of connection and partnership that fuels the sort of readership that spans generations. I’d like to think that this small move is the start of a beautiful relationship.