FEBRUARY 2007

February 13: The Storyteller's Job
February 23: Thoughts & Thank You
February 26: Touch

February 13

The Storyteller's Job
The life of a storyteller is both exciting and not. I don't know how exciting it is for anyone else to frequently hear "I wrote 2000 decent words today." To me, it is my life and I love it. I love the fact that I have this opportunity to write every single day. To do research. To bounce ideas off of people. To have my mind changed. To have my heart broken.

I recently had my heart broken with a rejection from a prospective agent. But, it was a good rejection. It was personal, thoughtful and encouraging. I like that even though I still cried when I read the rejection. Later, I had time to thank my lucky stars that I had this opportunity to be rejected. I would have preferred an acceptance but the agent had good reasons for not accepting the manuscript - the biggest one being hat he doesn't work with Sci-fi much. I thought he did. That was my mistake. Better research in the future.

Still, I'm writing. I'm submitting my work around and being published. My life and job is to be a storyteller. I do this in many ways - The Edge of Propinquity, Freaky Friday Fiction, Novel #1 (up to 32,000 words now), my fiction short stories and my freelance work. I am honestly content with life right now and not that many people can say that.

There are two things I find myself doing now that my focus is on telling stories: Looking at the craft of writing and looking at the craft of story planning/plotting/telling/unfolding.

I am rereading one of my favorite Sci-Fi space opera series: the Matador series by Steve Perry. Actually, that particular series is just three books. There are eight books involving the universe that trilogy is in. I am rereading them all. Technically, I think they are supposed to be Men's Adventure novels. I don't care if they are. I love them

However, now that I'm rereading them, I find myself pausing to look at the technical aspects of Perry's writing style and the way he lets the story unfold while he does the necessary world building. He writes just enough to let you know what's going on in the context of the story but no more. There is a lot of telling instead of showing but it still works. Also, there are a lot of assumptions that the reader will just "get it." I like that. I look at how he does what he does - when I don't forget about all that stuff and get lost in the story. Yes, for me, it is that good of a story.

The second thing - the craft of storytelling itself - came up tonight. I watched a movie called The Inside Man with Denzel Washington, Clive Own and Jodie Foster. The acting was excellent and the story was just about perfect in its telling, plotting and unfolding. However, I hated the movie. While I was watching it, I hated every character on screen, figured out 95% of the plot as it went along and was bored.

But, and this is a big but, in retrospect, this movie was almost flawless in its telling. The more I think about that, the more I'm impressed with it. All of the clues were there for the audience; for those with an eye for detail.

The fact that I hated the story but am impressed with the storytelling seems paradoxical to me. It reminds me of one of my favorite authors, Stephen Donaldson, and him having the dubious honor of writing a book where I loved the writing and HATED the story. So much so that I will not read any of the other eight books involving that particular universe.

It makes me think about the job of a storyteller. I disliked The Inside Man because I had no sympathy for any of the characters in the movie. None. I disliked Lord Foul's Bane because I absolutely loathed the main character. These two subjective opinions bring to light something I have always considered important in storytelling: Emotional investment in the story and characters by the reader/viewer.

While no story or character can be all things to all people, it is part of a storyteller's job to tell a story and portray some of its characters in such a way that those experiencing the story for the first time become emotionally invested. In other words, that they care about the character(s) and the story itself. It is important for them to know what happens.

This is one of my main goals when I tell a story - do I care what is happening? Does it matter to me (as the author) if Sebastian lives or dies? If the answer is "no" and Sebastian is a main character, I have done my job wrong. If I don't care, how can I expect anyone else to care?

I will be thinking about this for a few weeks to come because, while I have always wanted my readers to be emotionally invested in my stories, I never had real reason why so obviously displayed for me before: It doesn't matter how good of a story it is or how well it is told if no one cares what happens to the characters or how it turns out in the end.

Tarot Card for the Day: The Devil

February 23

Thoughts & Thank You
A ton has happen over the past couple of weeks of vacation/working. For most of it, I was in California, visiting friends. I stayed with Heather in Sacramento for almost a week and really enjoyed my time there. While Heather worked at work, I worked on the novel. I reached the half way mark while in CA, ahead of schedule. That was really nice.

I honestly thought about moving to Sacramento, wondering what it would be like and if it would be good for my career or not. In the end, I decided against it because of several reasons. The biggest one is the fact that I am allergic to California now. I cannot go back to CA without having all kinds of itchy eyes and runny nose problems. There are other reasons but that is a major one for me.

I do need these trips to CA to remind me why I should not return but it doesn't make me miss the people there any less. I brought home good memories and more Heather paintings

Dundracon was a very good time thanks to my friends. These biannual heart-family reunions mean so much to me. There's so much fun, talk and sharing that goes on with them that makes my life richer every time I return.

This year, there was a more subdue feeling but not in a bad way. There was more one-on-one talking/sharing and less performing for the masses. Less competition for attention. Oh, there was beer, lunch money and trash talking but there an undercurrent of inclusion or an effort to make sure everyone felt included.

I don't know. Maybe I'm just talking through rose-tinted memories. I had such a good time.

Thank you to Team Volare for being the politically incorrect people we are.

Thank you to Rob for getting the beer and calling me "Pretty lady" as well as enjoying the LARP.

Thank you to Wendy for sharing a hotel room with me and talking late-late into the night like girls at slumber parties do.

Thank you to Bill - a huge thank you - for running "Rhun's Avalon Inn" with me and for just being the awesome guy that you are.

Thank you to Dave for making it so I can write this convention off as work related! Not to mention the awesome compliments to the LARP.

Thank you to David and Lori for the bar, the cookies and for being points of contact for LARPs. Also, for being awesome in the Endless Adventures LARP.

Thank you to Big Dave for always being there to help out and pick up the slack.

Thank you to Devon and Matt for just being there to talk with me. I really like it when we do.

Thank you to Rich for running two very awesome games.

Thank you to Greg and David for putting me up and putting up with me.

Thank you to Good Omens for continuing to be what we set out for the group to be all those years ago. By the way, the swag is pretty darned keen.

I feel like there are more people to thank for making my trip so darned good but I can't think of them off the top of my head. It is these fond memories that keep me going with times are tough and it feels like the whole world hates me. I know it doesn't and these memories prove it to me.

On the writing front, I am very pleased with what's going on. I got an email from my contact at the big company I will be doing non-fiction freelancing for that the paperwork is moving through the system and I should have that all dealt with in a couple of weeks.

I picked up a co-authorship contract with a company that is not MWProductions that I am very excited about now that I've started looking at the books and the universe I will be writing in. I adore horror and I can't wait to let my imagination take on this new playground.

I got an email from MWProductions about the next project they have me scheduled for. I don't have any of the details except what it will be based on. No idea if it is just contributor, co-author or single author. I'm really hoping for my next level of Author (prestige class: RPG) which will be the single author cover credit.

I've officially picked up a professional editor for Regresser's Evolution in hopes of giving it the text massaging it needs to not only get the agent I want but to get a book contract.

Novel #1 is ahead of schedule and Draft Zero should be done by 1 April. The next story for the Edge of Propinquity has been started and I'm still futzing around on the non-TEoP stories I want to write.

All in all, my writing plate is very full and this is a very good thing.

I think my cat missed me. She has been attached to me since I got home. She's even sleeping up by my head and purring in my face - something she never does. Hopefully, she will shift into "I'm mad at you" mode and ignore me for a couple of days. This constant attention is hard on the sleep and on my work.

Tarot Card for the Day: The Devil, Inverted

February 26

Touch
These days after my vacation and the convention have been very busy. I seem to have missed the Con Crud rampaging through my friends as well as the normal post-Con blues. Thank goodness. I don't like dealing with either one of those things. Mostly, I've been too busy. I had to catch up on all sorts of "end of month" type tasks and deal with extra stuff like calling the tax guy and having my car looked at. All in all, I believe I am now caught up on everything except for loving the cat. Esme is still attached to me. I think she really missed me this time. We may not get into the "I'm mad at you" phase.

It is amazing to me how something so little can really affect a person. Especially something very mundane with nothing behind it. Something happened at DDC that is hard to put into words. But, it has been on my mind ever since. My mind has dubbed it "The Touch."

It just happened. There was no warning. It had neither prelude nor epilogue. It was single event that lasted no more than a second. I had turned to the person on my left and handed them something. I used my right hand. He used his left to accept it. In the transfer of the item, the backs of fingers and my nails brushed against his fingers. That was that.

But it wasn't. I don't know why but that single brief touch was charged with electricity for me. My heart rate sped up, my stomach dropped at least one floor, my breath caught in my throat and I could not do anything but sit there and blush for about five minutes. I was incredibly aroused and confused.

It is really making me think and wonder. This is not a person I am usually attracted to. However, had he wanted me at that moment, he could have had me - no questions, no quibbles, nothing but acquiescence. I wonder why that touch is affecting me like this.

Also, and I almost hate to admit this: I want to feel that feeling again. I want it really bad.

So, it has come. After three and a half months, I'm going to have to dip into the money set aside for my Writing Year. I finished paying off this month's bills and looked at the checkbook and saw that I will not have enough for next month. Yes, I do know, almost to the penny, how much I spend on household bills each month.

This will make me cranky for a little bit. But, I know it shouldn't be. I set aside this money specifically to use during my Writing Year. I am paying myself to write. I should not begrudge myself my salary. But, not only is my boss a slave driver, she is a miserly bitch when she starts getting nervous about money.

At the same time, I can't be too cranky about money. I should have a decent tax return. I have one non-fiction contract lined up. I've just picked up two paying fiction contracts and I have some hefty "deferred revenue" from previous writing coming my way.

Still, it is kind of a pain to have to stop and think with I'm invited out to dinner at nice places and mentally calculate what I have in my "mad money" allowance. I want to go play but now I have to be careful. No random money spending anymore. Not until this year is done or my non-fiction freelancing picks up enough to pay me enough to play.

After months of my friends bugging me to try out Emerald City Chronicles (the vampire faction), I finally did. I came in as an NPC for a special event. I was cautiously optimistic about the whole thing because I trusted my friends' opinions but had had very disappointing dealing with this group (the werewolf faction) in the past.

I was not disappointed in this game. Not at all. I was welcomed in with my retinue both in and out of character. I had a blast and some mighty fine role-playing scenes. I was amused, entertained and challenged. I really think the entourage (Jim, Dan, Brad, Rory, Cherie) I had with me really added to the impression of "visiting VIP - do not fuck with" feeling I was going for with this cannon character.

I've started the creation of a PC character that will, hopefully, start on 10th of March. I've just got to find time to write her up well and get her (minor) wonkiness approved by the STs. Hopefully, all will be approved. I'm really looking forward to getting my "game on" with the EC crowd. It reminds me a bit of the Palo Alto games. Plus, I'll get to RP with friends from Masquerade.

Tarot Card for the Day: The Tower

February

Continue on to: MARCH 2007
(Created by JLB)