2013 in retrospect

Well then, another end to another year is upon us all. I feel that 2013 was, for me, a very productive year. I wrote my first novel in only three months time, completed three short stories, several articles and poems. I also started working on my second novel and have come rather along with it, if I do say so myself, a Gothic love story that, in my opinion, will rival any Shakespearean sonnet. I literally spent every available opportunity this year writing, and for a writer I don't know what could be more rewarding. In short, I truly hope that 2014 has the same premise as this year did, not just in writing but in positive experiences as well. For instance, I traveled to several cities this year which always holds with it plenty of excitement. As I always say, out with the old and in with the new, so long as the new is as, or more, positive as this year was.

Beyond Busy

Forgive the delay, but I've been keeping myself beyond busy lately. My second novel, though it is coming along rather nicely, is definitely taking longer than I would care to admit. And then I have had a constant torrent of family issues to deal with, none of which are even worth explaining. A wise person once said 'This too shall pass' and I know that the way things are, while in no way much of an emergency, are not going to last forever. My saving grace is my ability to consistently remain focused on my goals. The importance of them and the elation I'm going to feel when they are completed.

Wine to the rescue!

As usual, I have been spending the majority of my time working on my second novel. Unlike the first, when I virtually had no writer's block in the process, This novel has carried with it it's own unique series of obstacles and interruptions. From family issues and the usual tribulations of life, I find myself spending more and more time adding to the development of the plot, not that such a thing is necessarily bad. The one saving grace for this particular series of issues is one that many writers would agree can be a lifesaver. Wine. It doesn't have the same detrimental effects that other forms of alcohol(beer, liquor) possess. And, no matter what's going on, when I drink wine and I'm close to paper, the words flow out of me like magic. I also find it fascinating how in tune with the story line everything is. New twists and turn I hadn't even previously thought about reveal themselves in ways that are just amazing. Because I have several other endeavors going on at the same time, I have pushed my deadline for the second novel a few months. And as far as I know, it could definitely take longer. But, for now, at least I know that it WILL be finished. Now I understand why Galileo once referred to wine as the 'Nectar of the Gods'.

Happy Halloween 2013

Once again the time has come for my all time favorite holiday. I simply love Halloween. Perhaps the reasons for  me are definitely different than for others as I appreciate the historical aspects of the holiday. You see, for me, trick or treating and playing dress up for no particular reason are a bit tawdry to say the least. I like to contemplate that this magical night is the time where spirits of the long passed receive the chance once again to walk upon the Earth. Even if such a concept is flawed, I do find it overwhelmingly interesting. And, when my time comes to partake in the afterlife, I can hope that for one night a year I get to haunt everyone and anyone.

Take the proper steps

In the publishing world, just like any other, there exists some painful realities. The one reality that every writer must come to terms with is the subject of what I refer to as white collar plagiarism. This is what happens when budding writers mistakenly send out portions or full manuscripts of their work to well established publishing firms without having the rights to their work copyrighted. So essentially what happens is the firm blatantly steals the work and gives the credit to some low-achieving hack writer they, themselves, have made the mistake of trying to promote. Being fortunate enough that this scenario has never crossed my path, I have heard several horrible experiences of other would-be writers who weren't so lucky. Legally, there really isn't anything the would-be writer can do to ensure those responsible can be held accountable if the proper steps are not taken before hand. Namely, getting all of one's work copyrighted. Whenever you complete a masterpiece, you want to make sure YOU are the one getting the credit and all of the benefits that come with that. So, with that in mind, before you show your work to anyone, even certain family members and friends, make sure all copyrights belong to you!

Familiar Process

My new novel, though not as far along as I would have it by now, is coming to fruition rather nicely. As usual, as soon as I put my pen to paper the magical creative process follows through. I do become impatient at times because, like others, I, myself, would like to know how the story is developing. But, when all is said and done, I'm pretty sure I will have another masterpiece on my hands. I'm giving myself a deadline of five months to the day to finish, that's two months longer than my last novel took to complete. I want this novel to be a tad longer than my first one. And, who knows? If I have the same sort of positive experience with this one as I had with my first one, which seems to be the case right now, there may in fact be a third one. But, I don't want to get too far ahead of myself.

Recent trip to Yosemite

Recently I was able to visit Yosemite National Park, located in California. As luck would have it, It was only one day after my visit of it that Government shutdown forced the park to close. I must say, I had more than a good time as a result of going there. The views were spectacular. While I didn't do as much hiking as I wanted to, It was still surreal. I also stayed in a rented cabin about ten miles out of Yosemite that was more like a mansion-style townhouse than it was a cabin. Complete with hot-tub, cable-t.v, and views beautiful enough to rival Yosemite. Yeah, you could say that I had a wonderful time.

Starting a NEW novel!

The beginning of the year brought with it my first attempt at a novel. I must say, the whole experience associated with it was nothing less than positive. That being said, I'm going to attempt to have lightning strike twice and start working on a new one. This particular story is going to include themes once foreign to yours truly. I'm actually going to use the concept of love as it has been used before in several Gothic tales. Elements of pain, loss, and deals with supernatural beings are but a taste of the story line that I'm currently developing. With any luck, this novel should be completed within the same time frame as my first one was.

 

Excerpt from 'Virtue's Villainy: The Flaccid Depths of Decay'

The following is an excerpt from my most recently completed short story 'Virtue's Villainy: The Flaccid Depths of Decay'.

'The fanciful wooden door creaked as it opened. Sticking her scarf draped head around the corner from it, a mocha-colored woman looked in and saw an older, distinguished gentleman holding a small glass of bourbon. "You called, Mr. Wellis, sir?" Standing in his study among a large expensive desk and tall shelves full of books on law and history, he motioned with his hand for her to come inside the room. "Close the door, please." Slowly closing the door, she was hesitant to walk towards the man, as she knew what it would entail. Walking behind her, he removed her dress of tattered cloth and as he proceeded to force himself upon her, she did her best to put the terrible scenario out of her mind....'

Imagery versus Reality

A large part of being a writer is the understanding of the power of imagery. Imagery can inspire and incite and no matter the subject involved, it always has the ability to stay both beautiful and interesting. Reality on the other hand is a completely different animal altogether. Reality usually becomes both tedious and ugly very quickly. Think of the classical depiction of the Sorcerer. In terms of Imagery, they are powerful, wise, in full control of themselves and of their surroundings and possessing knowledge and abilities the rest of the world could only imagine having. In reality, most modern day sorcerers live obscure and mostly impoverished lives. Many of the rituals they perform have very little, if any, effect on the world around them and many of them do what they do either for family tradition, or a desperate act of gaining attention or financial reward. The same things can be said in regards to satanists and witches. I, myself, never forget the need of imagery to separate the exorbitant from the mediocre. It, in and of itself, is the ultimate tool to forge what is most important in literature, and everything else in between: Interest.

31st Short Story Completed!

Just completed my 31st short story 'Virtue's Villainy: The Flaccid Depths of Decay'. Just like every one of the others before this one, I put every ounce of my very being into it. And just like most of my other ones as well, this one was essentially based on previous myth. I feel that myths, american or otherwise, that are not developed into a full fledged story almost erode with the coming of future generations because each generation has a different version of them to a degree. So, by expanding on them to meet my own creative needs its almost like I'm keeping the purer version of them alive. For what is story telling without proper appreciation of myth?

Forward from 'The Road to Nowhere'

'Sometimes it isn't the best and brightest among us who can inspire a story worthy of mention. Sometimes it is those who dwell in the subterfuges of society and are hardly noticed by the general population who can, from their own terrible experiences, beckon the imagination. That can especially be true with regards to Horror. This story was much different than my previous works not only in terms of length, but also of content. Never before was I evoked to craft a tale inspired by someone whom society had no knowledge at all. When one considers that, It's difficult to fathom how many untold stories from unsung lives there must be. As a story teller, I believe it is a trait of our craft to be able to take the most overlooked and mundane aspects of life and add certain twists, if you will, to cause new perspective. For each life, no matter how it is perceived, truly is a story....'

End the Cliche!

Lately I have seen a sort of pattern in regards to film making, and Hollywood in general. There is nothing original being bestowed upon the public. It is all regurgitated ideas from cliched formulas that are so antiquated as far as modern story-telling methods go. And the reason for all of this mediocrity is simple: belief in profit. Because many film makers have become so obsessed with profits, they have flat out refused to take any chances at all on material that may be considered original. This narrow view point brings me to ask a simple question: Would any of the great classics exist if the same people who run the entertainment industry today(movies, music and literature specifically)called the proverbial shots back then? I think the answer is beyond obvious. I may not know for sure, but my observations have concluded that the public has grown rather weary of the same old, same old. You can only show something, anything for so long before something original must take its place and that is where the major dilemma begins. I can't tell you the last time I read a truly inspiring ghost story from a modern author and all of the decent horror films I have seen recently I could count on my fingers. Ironically, I believe that if profit is all that these control mongers are interested in, they could definitely increase their chances of making more of it if they gave the public more originality on a frequent basis and put to rest the same tired, cliche-style entertainment.

Excerpt from 'The Loss of Heaven'

This is an excerpt from my most recently completed story, 'The Loss of Heaven'. Again this story has the Wicked angel E'ferries as the main protagonist.

'For times unknown, they had been ignored. Waiting and preparing themselves for the precise moment. The fallen cherub E'ferries and his legion of demons had obsessively observed their celestial overlords every move. Channeling their rage and feelings of oppression, the darkened angel meticulously waited for the time when the defenders of the Heavens were at their weakest point...'

Excerpt from 'Innocence Lost'

The following is an excerpt from a story I completed last year entitled 'Innocence Lost'.

'....Opening the chest, she was surprised to see that it was almost bare except for a few contents on the bottom. A small portrait of a beautiful girl in a nuns' habit, a mummified rose, and a leather-bound book, the kind most people wrote their memoirs on. Being that Francesca was a well-read child for her age, seeing the book infatuated her in much the same way toddlers are excited when seeing toys.Taking the book, she then duly cleaned the dust covered rocking chair. Making herself comfortable, she opened the book and lightly blew the dust off the pages...'

Write what you feel

When it comes to revising your work, all I can say is to never let others influence what you are creating. Many times I have seen people get rejected from big publishing firms for whatever reasons and then they wind up believing that if they alter their work, then they'll finally be accepted. That shouldn't be the case. A true writer writes because it is what they feel, not to have everyone love their work. The black magician Aleister Crowley did not believe in revising his writings in the slightest as he thought they represented the holiness of what is the humanistic creative process. I follow a similar belief simply because I have a tremendous amount of faith in my abilities. People either accept you, or they don't. One thing I definitely have noticed about most of them is that they are extremely fickle about what exactly they 'like' and what they don't.

Love of Forests

I love walking through forests. When I lived briefly in both Washington state and Idaho, the forests there were simply serene. When I visited Europe all those years ago, the forests there definitely had a certain feel to them. In the ancient days, people believed that a spirit of the forest existed. I really don't know if I disagree with them. Modern day druids and pagans love to conduct their rituals in forests. To me, they are a major source of inspiration, especially when they have a haunted history. The Carpathian forests, for example, are said to be very haunted and I really hope that one day I'm able to go there.

Cost of perfection

Doing a little research the other day, I learned that a lot of famous writers from the past suffered from depression and many, in fact, wound up committing suicide or destroying their lives via alcohol or drugs. Some of the writers that actually did that were involved in the same genre that I have been with a good majority of my life. It's one thing to look at that, but then again if they hadn't had such inner conflict perhaps they would have never created the masterpieces that they did. I know from my own personal experience, that, even though I would say I'm in no way thankful for it by any means, pain always drove me to excel. And then maybe there is another perspective that maybe there is such a thing as a curse for dark writers. Poe and Lovecraft both died miserable and broke. Plath committed suicide by way of putting her head in an oven. Stoker never lived to see any of his works garner any sort of appreciation at all. It definitely makes you wonder.

Continual search for inspiration

Lately, I have been continuing my everlasting search for inspiration. As a writer, I guess its useful to have the ability to find it just about anywhere. From day to day life experiences, to movies, music, books, and everything in between. I'm going to be starting a new story soon. This one has many connotations to the Louisiana area so, of course, I'm studying up on haunted plantations, psychotic plantation owners, voodoo, etc. As with every story I write, I try to put every ounce of my being in my work. To be inspired on a continual basis, and to inspire others as well is, I feel, one of the more challenging things about being a writer.

Confidence

If you're a writer, I feel the most important thing one can have in regards to their work is confidence in their abilities. You see, we all live in a world where there are far more critics than there are creators. The actions, attitudes, or words of those critics can be damaging to those who do not have a strong sense of worth. I, myself, have been told several things that I felt were less than kind. Of course, several reasons were given to justify those who said those things to me, from 'it's constructive criticism' to 'Yes your work is original and eccentric, but....' Truth is, ridicule is ridicule. If you have the ability to consistently ignore it and not let it change the person you are, that might be a good thing. So, in that regard, confidence is priceless.

R.I.P Jeff Hanneman

Usually I don't post anything regarding the deaths of celebrities. But, when such a death occurs to someone who I feel was inspiring to me in any way, I must take the time to show my concern and appreciation. Today Jeff Hanneman, one of the lead guitarists from the Metal band 'Slayer', passed away due to liver failure. I grew up listening to Slayer. Their fast, aggressive, yet melodic style to me was the epitome of what a metal band should sound like. Jeff's songwriting abilities were completely ahead of their time. Riffs from songs like 'Angel of Death', 'Tormentor', and 'Postmortem' still make me bang my head! Needless to say, the Metal community and music in general was dealt a serious loss today. R.I.P Jeff

Cambria and everything else in between

Recently I had the privilege to go to the small Californian city of Cambria. It was quaint, but I thought it was nice. Very picturesque and I loved both cemeteries that were there. While up there, I also visited the Hearst Castle. To those who haven't been there, Its a modern day castle in the city of San Simeon created by William Randolph Hearst, a successful newspaper publisher, and Julia Morgan, a world renown architect. I really do love spontaneous trips. I feel that you get so much appreciation out of life by taking them. This Halloween I'm supposed to go to the city of Salem, Massachusetts. Hopefully, that goes well. Speaking of Salem, I just viewed the movie 'The Lords of Salem' the other day by director Rob Zombie. While it has gotten less than favorable reviews, I thought it was very entertaining. I also had the experience of finishing my 30th short story 'The Loss of Heaven' the other day. Life has been positively eventful to say the least.

   

The Novel is Finished!

Alas, it is done! I have finished my first novel "The Road to Nowhere(The Demons of Mabel Chimes)". Three months to the day! I really find it amazing. Not one single period of writer's block. Nothing, aside from the daily interruptions of life, that would make me lose long sessions of time. The same repetitive actions on a day by day basis. I can testify to how much work goes into a book someone really puts effort into. I must admit that I've had harder times writing short stories. As far as writing itself goes. this was definitely a positive experience the whole time.

Almost finished!

As of right now I have reached over 100 pages on my novel. That means very shortly I will be finished. I can't believe its been less than three months. I know that writing a book is roughly a third of the effort it takes to make one successful, but still. I really felt the magic working while I wrote this one. It's like I was meant to write this, I think. If only the rest of my literary efforts could be as smooth!

2/3 of the way done!!!

When I say that this book is essentially writing itself, I really mean it!! I'm already two thirds finished with it, and it's only been a little more than two months. Its like there are some sort of strange forces at work and I am simply a fleshly vessel. I mean, I have this kind of experience every time I write a short story, but never to this extent. The words, the themes, the characters, etc. They are all coming along by themselves. It's very odd. But, no complaints from me at all. The most important aspect of this story, and every single one that I write by the way, is the originality. I consider plagiarism to be a cardinal sin. One that is totally unforgivable. That is why I have no patience with hacks, or critics who are only interested in what the public feels is popular. If things keep going the way that they are, I should be done before the end of next month!

Half of my Novel done!!

Well, I must say that I'm amazed that I have already completed half of my first novel. Considering that it has only been two months since I started it and my short stories usually take me several months to finish, I am definitely at a loss for words. Because of the progress that I have been making with it, it makes me wonder if something otherworldly is, in fact, assisting me. This story just flows from pen to paper. While I have had that sort of experience before, it was never like it is with this book. If this is the case, I hope the rest of processes involved are just as easy!

Interruptions

I really hate interruptions when I'm working on something, anything. Every person involved in the creative process has to get themselves to a certain state, if you will. A state where every thought makes sense in terms of what you are working on. With stories, that state basically means that words just flow out of you to paper. When an author gets to this state, anything can derail them. So, we have to be careful of putting ourselves in an environment that isn't very distracting. That can be tricky because life just doesn't start and stop at our leisure. But, anyone who attempts anything important and has to deal with several interruptions a day probably knows exactly about the frustrations I'm talking about!! 

Novel one third finished!

Well, it's been about a month and two weeks since I started my novel. I'm happy to say that I have already gotten 40 pages written. When you consider how many times I have been plagued by writer's block when I'm trying to complete a short story, it is truly mind boggling that I have come this far so soon. I am completely thrilled about where the direction of the story is going. Hopefully, if I can keep up the momentum, I can be finished much earlier than I anticipated. My mind is consistently churning about future plans regarding the book as well. From publication, marketing, and so on. It's very exciting!

Catalina

This last weekend I had the pleasure of going to Catalina Island, located off the coast of Long Beach, California. While there, Ms. Anthropy and I were very busy walking trails, going on ghost tours, visiting museums, and, of course, drinking a lot of wine. 12 bottles to be exact! I had no idea that the Island had the history that it did. Many films had been made there, it was a frequent of many Hollywood socialites, and so on. The ghost tours were especially interesting. And while the Hotel we stayed at was definitely not worth the price we paid for it (we didn't get hot water for TWO days!) I really had a decent time. I'm actually writing about my experience in an article and submitting it to the San Diego Reader.

So far, so good

well, the progress on my Novel is gradual. And so far, as with all my other works, it seems like the book is writing itself. I'm trying for a length of at least 120 pages. I feel that this book is going to be slightly more original than the other novels that are flooding the market. And I truly believe that is what the public truly wants. I feel most of us have had enough with all the regurgitated material from Hollywood based on what some hack writers feel are going to 'sell'. New ideas are my agenda. For horror, and everything else in between.

Other side of Horror

I must admit, my novel isn't going to be like the rest of my past works. The differences are not only going to be in terms of length, but also of theme. You see, I write what I like to call 'Elemental Horror'. Essentially, that means I take all of the different facets of Horror from Gothic to Gore, Satanic, Erotic, and so on. One highly overlooked aspect of Horror is the theme of Sadness, or the tragedy, if you will. It carries with it the other side of Horror with themes such as emptiness, loss, pain, and such. Writers such as Sylvia Plath touched on the subject. In my novel, there wont be any Magic Rituals or mass slayings. But, there will be other topics keen to Horror such as Mental Illness, Automatic Writing, and, of course, the theme of Melancholy. I'm giving myself a deadline of 8 months. I don't know if I'm going to attempt other Novels after this one, I guess it all depends on how much I enjoy myself while writing it. 

Starting my first Novel

I'm excited to say that I'm actually starting my first(and probably last) full length novel. Titled 'The Road to Nowhere', It's a story concept that I haven't been able to get out of my head for a long time now. I feel that when the universe gives you a certain nudge, you have to act on it or else you risk not living up to your fullest potential. I've never actually done this before because, as you know, I prefer writing short stories. There's always the risk that you, as a writer, will lose the audiences attention if you drag a story out further than it's supposed to go. So, I don't know what to expect from this particular story. Hopefully, all goes well.

Good start to a new year

So far, so good. 2013 has started pretty well for me. I was informed recently that another one of the articles I submitted to the San Diego Reader is going to be published. I also finished a couple more and submitted them as well. I've been getting a lot done with my new story 'The Loss of Heaven' as well. Me being the way I am, I do enjoy being as productive as can be. Time is the one resource you can never replace. Speaking of which, I wonder when I'm going to spend some time prowling cemeteries. It's been quite a while and I must say, it's one of my favorite past times. I also have my mind thoroughly set on the Occult. No matter how much time I spend studying it, I always want to increase my abilities as far as it's concerned.