180,135 words, to be exact. Hurray, I am finally finished with my novel ‘Tarnished Valor’. I never dreamed I would get to 180,000 words. That’s 350 pages single-spaced). When I started writing the novel in January 2007 (One year ago in the Dominican Republic), my goal was 150,000 words. I took a break from it last fall, because I sort of ran into a bit of writers block. So I worked on two shorter novels (Orion, Symbiont of Passion and Orola, Warrior Priestess). Both books will be published in 2009. Once I started up again with Tarnished Valor, I found my interest again and from then on it was write, write and write.
Well, here I am today. Finally finished with the first draft. My mind is clear again, but now the work begins. Editing and editing. Make sure there are no spelling errors, of which there are many at this time. I’ll have to iron out some inconsistencies in the story because as the story started to progress, new ideas popped into my head and I eliminated some stuff that I had planned, ideas that didn’t pan out. The ending turned out differently from what I had in mind, but I’m happy with it. I believe it’s a great story.
Once I’m finished with editing and fixing errors, then I’ll be looking for an agent. I don’t really want this book published as an e-book. It actually is too long for that. Rather, my dream is to find a print publisher. But we’ll see what happens. It will be a slow and possibly a long road, but that’s okay.
My next novel is probably going to be another Science Fiction novel. It’s been kicking around in my head and I had to suppress it. I already have the title. Epsilon. It is based on a short story I wrote ‘Outpost Epsilon’, to be published by Midnight Showcase in August. I liked the world I created there and it calls for a longer novel. We’ll see. For now I am as happy as a clam.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Will they ever learn?
Sometimes I wonder about the mentality of people. The east coast of the US and Canada has been battered by a huge snowstorm these last couple of days. Now anyone with a partially working brain should know that when snow is blowing across the highway, visibility is low and the road surface is slippery. Why then don’t drivers slow down? I can understand it at the beginning of winter when the first snow is falling and drivers have to get used to the new conditions. Even then, the logical part of a person’s mind should kick in and say: “Hey, this is just like last year. We better slow down.”
I was watching TV last night and they showed a highway somewhere in Ontario. A car was spinning out of control and sliding down the highway at a speed much too fast for the situation. As it came finally to a halt, another car slammed into it. There were over 600 accidents in a very short time on another stretch of highway.
Are people actually that stupid or ignorant they don’t realize that they have to slow down? I don’t understand it.
We’ve had our own bad weather here in Manitoba. Bitter cold and another snowfall with the resulting usual vehicle accidents that follow. Living outside of Winnipeg, I’m on the highway a lot. How many times have I driven in bad weather, barely able to see the road, when a car or truck would pass me, I don’t know. Many times. I’ve wondered often if they are driving in a different dimension where there is no snow with slippery road conditions.
Of course, I’ve seen quite a few of these ‘I-am-safe-in-my-car’ drivers in the ditch or worse, smashed up down the road. I’ve just witnessed an accident where one car tried to beat the yellow light and had a near head-on collision with another car. An accident that should never have happened, because there is a warning light ahead of the intersection signaling the change of the traffic light from green to yellow to red. Once that warning light flashes, there is no way you can make it across by green, or even yellow, unless you speed up. And that is the greatest danger and the most stupid move.
Will they ever learn and smarten up?
On a lighter note. Today the clocks were set one hour ahead into Daylight Savings Time. It’s earlier this year. Why they did that escapes me and it makes no sense. We’re supposed to save electricity. How? The time we turn on our lights just shifted from evening to morning. Anyway, now we have to get up an hour earlier. Yak. Even our canary didn’t like it. Usually he is chipper and hops around. Sings. When I say to him ‘good morning, how are you today?’ he comes, spread his wings and bites my finger. (It’s a ritual we have. I know it’s silly, but what the heck! Other people take their dog for a walk) Not this morning. He just sat there on his perch, all puffed up and just opened his beak a couple of times to acknowledge me. No chirping, no singing. I guess we’re all creatures of habit. Even the birds. I wonder if the birds outside have Daylight Savings Time? I didn’t see them in the birdfeeders.
Have a nice day.
I was watching TV last night and they showed a highway somewhere in Ontario. A car was spinning out of control and sliding down the highway at a speed much too fast for the situation. As it came finally to a halt, another car slammed into it. There were over 600 accidents in a very short time on another stretch of highway.
Are people actually that stupid or ignorant they don’t realize that they have to slow down? I don’t understand it.
We’ve had our own bad weather here in Manitoba. Bitter cold and another snowfall with the resulting usual vehicle accidents that follow. Living outside of Winnipeg, I’m on the highway a lot. How many times have I driven in bad weather, barely able to see the road, when a car or truck would pass me, I don’t know. Many times. I’ve wondered often if they are driving in a different dimension where there is no snow with slippery road conditions.
Of course, I’ve seen quite a few of these ‘I-am-safe-in-my-car’ drivers in the ditch or worse, smashed up down the road. I’ve just witnessed an accident where one car tried to beat the yellow light and had a near head-on collision with another car. An accident that should never have happened, because there is a warning light ahead of the intersection signaling the change of the traffic light from green to yellow to red. Once that warning light flashes, there is no way you can make it across by green, or even yellow, unless you speed up. And that is the greatest danger and the most stupid move.
Will they ever learn and smarten up?
On a lighter note. Today the clocks were set one hour ahead into Daylight Savings Time. It’s earlier this year. Why they did that escapes me and it makes no sense. We’re supposed to save electricity. How? The time we turn on our lights just shifted from evening to morning. Anyway, now we have to get up an hour earlier. Yak. Even our canary didn’t like it. Usually he is chipper and hops around. Sings. When I say to him ‘good morning, how are you today?’ he comes, spread his wings and bites my finger. (It’s a ritual we have. I know it’s silly, but what the heck! Other people take their dog for a walk) Not this morning. He just sat there on his perch, all puffed up and just opened his beak a couple of times to acknowledge me. No chirping, no singing. I guess we’re all creatures of habit. Even the birds. I wonder if the birds outside have Daylight Savings Time? I didn’t see them in the birdfeeders.
Have a nice day.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
March update
I’m waiting for Stardogs 2 to be released. I haven’t even seen the cover yet. I’m a little disappointed about that. The book was supposed to be available in February already. My publisher Midnight Showcase has some problems with editors. Not enough editors. That of course drags all the new releases. All my other books are moving up and down at Fiction Wise.
I’m busy with my novel ‘Tarnished Valor’. My goal was 150,000 words, but I’ve passed that number. So far, I’ve written 162,000 words and still not finished. I might even reach 175,000 words. That would be nice. It’s funny, sometimes when I look at my outline of the story, I’m wondering how I’m going to reach my goal, but then when I write, the ideas seem to just come and I have no problem filling the pages.
The last 20,000 words or so I wrote into a scribbler, because I was away from my computer. Then when I came back, I transferred it into the computer, doing the first edit as I wrote. It takes longer that way. I find writing it on the keyboard is in a way easier, because when I want to insert something I can do it right there. It is harder when I use a scribbler. Then I have circles, and arrows and triangles everywhere.
Getting spoiled. Maybe some day I’ll have a laptop, which I can take with me.
I just came back from a little walk to pick up my mail. It is snowing outside and minus 11 Celsius. The wind isn’t bad, which made it bearable. Now I’m back in front of my computer, warm and toasty. It is difficult sometimes to take a break when the writing flows. But it is important to get the exercise and some fresh air.
I’m busy with my novel ‘Tarnished Valor’. My goal was 150,000 words, but I’ve passed that number. So far, I’ve written 162,000 words and still not finished. I might even reach 175,000 words. That would be nice. It’s funny, sometimes when I look at my outline of the story, I’m wondering how I’m going to reach my goal, but then when I write, the ideas seem to just come and I have no problem filling the pages.
The last 20,000 words or so I wrote into a scribbler, because I was away from my computer. Then when I came back, I transferred it into the computer, doing the first edit as I wrote. It takes longer that way. I find writing it on the keyboard is in a way easier, because when I want to insert something I can do it right there. It is harder when I use a scribbler. Then I have circles, and arrows and triangles everywhere.
Getting spoiled. Maybe some day I’ll have a laptop, which I can take with me.
I just came back from a little walk to pick up my mail. It is snowing outside and minus 11 Celsius. The wind isn’t bad, which made it bearable. Now I’m back in front of my computer, warm and toasty. It is difficult sometimes to take a break when the writing flows. But it is important to get the exercise and some fresh air.
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