Hello Internet, today is Friday the 13 of July, 2012. So it goes, and moving on.
So, I've been looking over the last couple of posts from the last year I tried to maintain a blog and I broke many of my own rules and commitments for keeping this blog and in my own writer's path. For one, I did not maintain this blog and second, I wrote two books in the year I said would not be about writing books. So it goes, moving on. There is no falling backwards, there's only stumbling forwards. There is no true commitment, only results. Insert mantra here, moving on.
So the question is, what have I been up to in the last year that kept me away from the blog. Writer's block kept me from the blog and shame kept me from starting up again. So much for the blog. As for writing, I have finished a handful of short stories, at least the first draft and I also finished the third book/part of "Mr. Gravedigger's Apprentice", thereby completing my first book! Or at least a first draft of it. And now the real work/heartache begins. Book Three: The Vampire Lord is (or was in the first draft) 22 chapters long and 30,661 words long. It was completed on September 10th, 2011. And now the real work begins as they say.
The second draft was not a re-visioning draft, but more copy editing. Since most of the book was written on the computer and made up of copy and pasted notes and sections juggled from a myriad of different documents, the first thing to do was to clean up the messes, remove repeated sentences, work on the grammar, make sure the characters' names were all consistent. One character had two or three names throughout the book and another character had their gender switched on multiple occasions. It might change again in later drafts, but for now it was necessary for the flow to have it constant in one. Then came the first read through and I had to cry...
Books and stories are a writer's baby. Sometimes you do your best and what you think is a great idea can become a horrible mess. Hold onto your old drafts and notes and be ready to let go of things you don't need. It's easier said that done and it's still a work in progress.
As for Grandma Hannah, that's all been but abandoned until further notice. Would I go back to it one day? Probably. Today? No. Have I read it recently? The thought of it actually makes me cringe and intrigued at the same time. For a start, I remember the energy and the work went into writing it. On the other hand, I remember the first read through breaking my heart. On the third hand, I remember it having potential. On the fourth, it would be a lot a lot a lot of work. I'll see.
New short stories. I love short stories. They take less time to work then a book eight times it size. I'm not sure if I talked about In The Midst of A Dream yet. It's one I'm pretty proud of, an accumulation of three separate ideas mashed into one short story that may or may not be something even bigger. It isn't, though I keep writing ideas for the book that would come after it. I have a thesis damn it and I want to stick with it.
Then there is "Them", which is a short story practically about a man who begins to see shadows closing in on him and totally not about my parent's separation. It isn't and I'm sticking to that story. There is also an attempt at another story set in the fantasy world next to Rhinestone and Princesss Jenny called "The Pessimist" inspired by the TV series Merlin and my Interpersonal Skills class in college. Both of these stories will be making there way to my Tales of the Dragon Bard site, once they get their baths. (Meaning I'm going to clean them up and tidy... I'm not throwing my laptop in the tub).
Speaking of my alternate site, Nicole Connors has been so kind to redo the color scheme of Tales, making her an amazing woman with more skill and patience than I could ever be. I know, I watched her do it. So thank you Nicole!
Speaking of college, I went to a semester of Redirection through Education. It's a program designed for recovering drug addicts and those with mental health issues who want to work towards education or vocation. It was inspiring and life changing. I'm going back in September.
I'm getting tired so what are some of my plans? Well, I want to write a couple of reviews, an essay I've been working on with my sister and of course FINISH THE BOOK. We shall see what we can come up with. Nap time.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
120713
Friday, July 13, 2012
Thursday, July 12, 2012
A Year Without A Blogpost
Hello Internet! It is I, Eric Rawlinson, your Dragon Bard! Back from a year hiatus. Well, what have I been up too? Well, I worked on and abandoned another blog, which I've started up again. There have been several deaths in the family, my parents have separated and I am on a quest for spiritual enlightenment.
:)
So how've you been internet? Did you miss me?
I'm beginning to feel in my brain the beginnings of the headache I feel when I write, like a physical force in my brain trying to stop me from writing. You're working to hard, it says. Relax, play a video game. Do you know what I say to that force? Nothing. No swear words, no cry of defiance, nothing. I ignore it, even if I can feel it snaking its away around in my head. I don't know how many people know how physical obsession can be, but for me, it's almost a living creature in my brain.
So I do whatever I can to write. Because to write is what I want to do. Writing gives me the voice that I want, the feelings that I really want. It doesn't mask my pain, it expresses it, it puts it down on paper, or in the case the screen, and then I spread it to others, bearing myself to other people. Does it take courage? Yes. But courage is not the absence of fear, it is the will to do what needs to be done. And what needs to be done? I need to be happy with who I am. And what makes me happy? Writing "The End" at the bottom of a page.... Okay, so I don't really write The End at the bottom of a page, you know what I mean, it's a metaphor. The point is, I almost stopped writing this blog post three or four times. I've conjured up my anima and myself to keep going and I never took my fingers off the keys. Because I want to write. And I can't be a writer if I don't write.
This is a rant, I know, but it's also a written rant. Which means I've written something. Which means I'll go to bed happy tonight knowing I've done something I love instead of going to bed knowing I wasted this moment.
Now's the point where this gets really emotionally, as I want to cry. I can't stop. This is part of who I am and this is where I'm going to grow. Thank you for being a part of this. You've played a small part in reading, who ever you maybe.
:)
I'm not sure what I'm trying to say, so I'll say it like this. My name is Eric Rawlinson, I am the Dragon Bard. And I'm back again.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
120712
No Promises, Just Results.
:)
So how've you been internet? Did you miss me?
I'm beginning to feel in my brain the beginnings of the headache I feel when I write, like a physical force in my brain trying to stop me from writing. You're working to hard, it says. Relax, play a video game. Do you know what I say to that force? Nothing. No swear words, no cry of defiance, nothing. I ignore it, even if I can feel it snaking its away around in my head. I don't know how many people know how physical obsession can be, but for me, it's almost a living creature in my brain.
So I do whatever I can to write. Because to write is what I want to do. Writing gives me the voice that I want, the feelings that I really want. It doesn't mask my pain, it expresses it, it puts it down on paper, or in the case the screen, and then I spread it to others, bearing myself to other people. Does it take courage? Yes. But courage is not the absence of fear, it is the will to do what needs to be done. And what needs to be done? I need to be happy with who I am. And what makes me happy? Writing "The End" at the bottom of a page.... Okay, so I don't really write The End at the bottom of a page, you know what I mean, it's a metaphor. The point is, I almost stopped writing this blog post three or four times. I've conjured up my anima and myself to keep going and I never took my fingers off the keys. Because I want to write. And I can't be a writer if I don't write.
This is a rant, I know, but it's also a written rant. Which means I've written something. Which means I'll go to bed happy tonight knowing I've done something I love instead of going to bed knowing I wasted this moment.
Now's the point where this gets really emotionally, as I want to cry. I can't stop. This is part of who I am and this is where I'm going to grow. Thank you for being a part of this. You've played a small part in reading, who ever you maybe.
:)
I'm not sure what I'm trying to say, so I'll say it like this. My name is Eric Rawlinson, I am the Dragon Bard. And I'm back again.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
120712
No Promises, Just Results.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
"Mr. Gravedigger's Apprentice Book 2: The Grand Illusion" and other projects
So, looking back, I haven't been posting in my blog as often as I said I would be. But then again, as I look back at the things I said at the beginning of the year, I also said I wouldn't be writing a book this year. And seeing as I haven't been posting at least every other day and I've so far written 3 books, so much for those ideas.
I've written, or started to write, many blog post in the past month, but none of them felt good enough to publish. Some of the time I wasn't even sure what I was trying to say and I ended up second guessing myself and quitting. I've been doing that too often lately. So instead of dwelling on the projects that I've abandoned, whether temporarily or permanently, I'm going to talk about the projects that I'm working on and completing.
I have finished the first draft of a new short story. 'In the Midst of a Dream' is the story of a man with amnesia who has dreams of the event that took place just before he lost his memories. But one night, he dreams of something more. It's a fantasy part comedy, part parody along the same lines of my Glimpse through the Curtains series. It might be included with that as well.
Exciting news on graphic novel/comic/illustration front. Nicole has just finished inking the Believer short and will be here shortly to show them off to me. She's also been working on illustrations for the short stories 'Four Years', 'Slayer and Prey' and 'A Good Thing'. They're all looking very good and I can't wait to see the results.
And last, but certainly not least, the second book of the first volume of Mr. Gravedigger's Apprentice has been written. The Grand Illusion. Every time I hear about a writer who supposedly wrote the book from cover to cover, on a typewriter without mistake, I honestly laugh. The pain and heart ache that is going into this book give me a headache thinking about it, and I don't even want to think about editing it. I hate editing 12 page short stories double space, and I currently have over 100 pages of single space pages to edit once this is over. And I'm not even finished the complete volume. Sometimes I sit, uninspired at the computer, thinking to myself 'I'm not skilled enough to write this'. 'Am I doing this right?' 'Will anyone like this?' 'Am I insane?' Nothing gives me a better sense of relief than to finish a chapter and nothing kills that relief faster than knowing there's another chapter to write.
In my middle school year book: Eric Rawlinson - 8F1 Ambition: Writer. Oh boy...
I said it before and I'll say it again. If I didn't love this life so much, I'd quit. That being said, I love this life. God knows why.
So, right now I'm working on a couple of things. The first is Book 3: The Vampire King. That will be done when it gets done. Most of the ideas for chapter 20 are already down, I just have to put them altogether. Me and Nicole will work on a couple of things together and hopefully, with her illustrations, I will start putting together the anthology at last. We shall see.
I probably have more to say, but I can't think of any right now. I can't get how much I looked like Harry Potter out of my mind. Talk to you all soon
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
110714
I've written, or started to write, many blog post in the past month, but none of them felt good enough to publish. Some of the time I wasn't even sure what I was trying to say and I ended up second guessing myself and quitting. I've been doing that too often lately. So instead of dwelling on the projects that I've abandoned, whether temporarily or permanently, I'm going to talk about the projects that I'm working on and completing.
I have finished the first draft of a new short story. 'In the Midst of a Dream' is the story of a man with amnesia who has dreams of the event that took place just before he lost his memories. But one night, he dreams of something more. It's a fantasy part comedy, part parody along the same lines of my Glimpse through the Curtains series. It might be included with that as well.
Exciting news on graphic novel/comic/illustration front. Nicole has just finished inking the Believer short and will be here shortly to show them off to me. She's also been working on illustrations for the short stories 'Four Years', 'Slayer and Prey' and 'A Good Thing'. They're all looking very good and I can't wait to see the results.
And last, but certainly not least, the second book of the first volume of Mr. Gravedigger's Apprentice has been written. The Grand Illusion. Every time I hear about a writer who supposedly wrote the book from cover to cover, on a typewriter without mistake, I honestly laugh. The pain and heart ache that is going into this book give me a headache thinking about it, and I don't even want to think about editing it. I hate editing 12 page short stories double space, and I currently have over 100 pages of single space pages to edit once this is over. And I'm not even finished the complete volume. Sometimes I sit, uninspired at the computer, thinking to myself 'I'm not skilled enough to write this'. 'Am I doing this right?' 'Will anyone like this?' 'Am I insane?' Nothing gives me a better sense of relief than to finish a chapter and nothing kills that relief faster than knowing there's another chapter to write.
In my middle school year book: Eric Rawlinson - 8F1 Ambition: Writer. Oh boy...
I said it before and I'll say it again. If I didn't love this life so much, I'd quit. That being said, I love this life. God knows why.
So, right now I'm working on a couple of things. The first is Book 3: The Vampire King. That will be done when it gets done. Most of the ideas for chapter 20 are already down, I just have to put them altogether. Me and Nicole will work on a couple of things together and hopefully, with her illustrations, I will start putting together the anthology at last. We shall see.
I probably have more to say, but I can't think of any right now. I can't get how much I looked like Harry Potter out of my mind. Talk to you all soon
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
110714
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
My plans for the next few months
Well, it's been a long time since I've posted in this blog. It might be a good time to talk about some of the things that have been going on during that time, at least about my writing. Since the last post, which discusses the first five chapters of Mr. Gravedigger's Apprentice, I have completed another short story, started another one and finished another six chapters of Gravedigger. I'm currently focusing on Gravedigger at the moment, since the flow seems to be so good with a couple of other projects on the back burner.
I also have an account on figment.com! figment.com is a story sharing site, where writers may put up some of their work for everyone to see. I've posted a few of my short stories there and planning on posting more as soon as I get around to editing them to the point where I feel comfortable sharing them. The site is geared more towards teenagers I've been finding, so many of my more adult books might be unwelcome and I still have to find an outlet for those stories. In the meantime, go on and check it out. http://figment.com/users/33809-Eric-Rawlinson. Send them love!
Other bits of exciting news, my good friend Nicole is now working on the Believer graphic novel again. It's very exciting. My friends Etienne and Nicole are both very talented illustrators and they're also looking for opportunities for gainful employment in their craft. They both are keen on working with me on my projects and I am more than happy to do so. From illustrating my work to just encouraging my craft, I cannot thank them enough for their contributions. So I'm going to plug them to... the number of you that read my blog. Here they are:
Nicole Connors Tumblr: http://nrconnors.tumblr.com
Etienne Buxton's website: www.etiennebuxton.com
That has been the past (and maybe a bit of the future) and the title of this article does say next few months. Well, within the next few months, I plan to finish at least two thirds of Gravedigger. I'm already a third finished, so another third in three months will be no problem, if I don't have it done by this time next month. Wait, of course I will. I'm about a quarter of the way through that third now. (Wrap your heads around that math if you want.) Also I wish to and will be doing some more collaborative work with both Nicole and Etienne. Nicole will be making the Believer graphic novel a reality. And together we may be doing more than just illustration work. I also plan on getting stories together and making them into audio dramas for all of you to enjoy. I just want to figure out sound effects and such, and when I have more information I'll let you guys know. That's all I have short term plans, but I do have bigger and badder ones coming up... maybe just bigger. We shall see how it goes.
Due to lack of funds, I'm not sure if I can make it to some of the conventions I want to go to. It's sad I know, but there is one that's free and I will be there. We shall see how it goes.
Well, that's it for me and my stomach, I'll talk to you guys soon
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
110614
I also have an account on figment.com! figment.com is a story sharing site, where writers may put up some of their work for everyone to see. I've posted a few of my short stories there and planning on posting more as soon as I get around to editing them to the point where I feel comfortable sharing them. The site is geared more towards teenagers I've been finding, so many of my more adult books might be unwelcome and I still have to find an outlet for those stories. In the meantime, go on and check it out. http://figment.com/users/33809-Eric-Rawlinson. Send them love!
Other bits of exciting news, my good friend Nicole is now working on the Believer graphic novel again. It's very exciting. My friends Etienne and Nicole are both very talented illustrators and they're also looking for opportunities for gainful employment in their craft. They both are keen on working with me on my projects and I am more than happy to do so. From illustrating my work to just encouraging my craft, I cannot thank them enough for their contributions. So I'm going to plug them to... the number of you that read my blog. Here they are:
Nicole Connors Tumblr: http://nrconnors.tumblr.com
Etienne Buxton's website: www.etiennebuxton.com
That has been the past (and maybe a bit of the future) and the title of this article does say next few months. Well, within the next few months, I plan to finish at least two thirds of Gravedigger. I'm already a third finished, so another third in three months will be no problem, if I don't have it done by this time next month. Wait, of course I will. I'm about a quarter of the way through that third now. (Wrap your heads around that math if you want.) Also I wish to and will be doing some more collaborative work with both Nicole and Etienne. Nicole will be making the Believer graphic novel a reality. And together we may be doing more than just illustration work. I also plan on getting stories together and making them into audio dramas for all of you to enjoy. I just want to figure out sound effects and such, and when I have more information I'll let you guys know. That's all I have short term plans, but I do have bigger and badder ones coming up... maybe just bigger. We shall see how it goes.
Due to lack of funds, I'm not sure if I can make it to some of the conventions I want to go to. It's sad I know, but there is one that's free and I will be there. We shall see how it goes.
Well, that's it for me and my stomach, I'll talk to you guys soon
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
110614
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Mr. Gravedigger's Apprentice: The First Five Chapters
At the beginning of the year, I claimed it wasn't the right time to start a book. Now here I am, five months later, starting off my second book this year and I must say I'm pleased as punch. And now its time to reflect a little on how well it has been going.
So, I've just finished the fifth chapter of working title Gravekeeper. If you want to get technical, I've written six chapters so far including the prologue. Each chapter averages somewhere between 2500 and 3000 words each, and if I were to write another chapter, I would have outdone my first book entirely by word count alone, and I am no where close to finishing the second book. I think the reason for this is because I'm more in my element with Gravekeeper than I was with Grandma Hannah. Where Grandma Hannah is a good story, it wasn't my style in any sense. It was first person, present tense, coming of age story. Where as Gravekeeper is a third person, past tense (with the exception of the prologue, which is present tense for effect), sci-fi master/apprentice story. I wouldn't say I'm enjoying writing Gravekeeper more than Grandma Hannah. Its just... hmm, maybe that is what I'm saying.
Overall, the story is going remarkably well. There are a few hiccup with tone, but I'm trying my best to just get the story complete. Editing something longer than anything I've ever written before if going to be an experience, but something I look forward to. Also, I must be extra careful. Yesterday I almost forgot to introduce (or reintroduce) an important character who will be needed to the third act of the story. That is what rewrites are for, but it is best to have these important aspects in the first draft.
Also, now that I have a blackberry, I have a little bit more freedom with where and when I can write. The keyboard is a little small for me to type on as quickly as a regular keyboard, but at least I can email myself small important notes as I think them up. Also, I can save my files on my blackberry and jack into computers to work from there. Just need to remember to back them up onto my harddrive sometimes.
Anyway, I think that's enough for now. I'm looking for things to post to my blog in order to keep interest. My interest more than others. I'm sure I'll find something, maybe some old work or random poetry I come upon or write. We shall soon see.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
110524
So, I've just finished the fifth chapter of working title Gravekeeper. If you want to get technical, I've written six chapters so far including the prologue. Each chapter averages somewhere between 2500 and 3000 words each, and if I were to write another chapter, I would have outdone my first book entirely by word count alone, and I am no where close to finishing the second book. I think the reason for this is because I'm more in my element with Gravekeeper than I was with Grandma Hannah. Where Grandma Hannah is a good story, it wasn't my style in any sense. It was first person, present tense, coming of age story. Where as Gravekeeper is a third person, past tense (with the exception of the prologue, which is present tense for effect), sci-fi master/apprentice story. I wouldn't say I'm enjoying writing Gravekeeper more than Grandma Hannah. Its just... hmm, maybe that is what I'm saying.
Overall, the story is going remarkably well. There are a few hiccup with tone, but I'm trying my best to just get the story complete. Editing something longer than anything I've ever written before if going to be an experience, but something I look forward to. Also, I must be extra careful. Yesterday I almost forgot to introduce (or reintroduce) an important character who will be needed to the third act of the story. That is what rewrites are for, but it is best to have these important aspects in the first draft.
Also, now that I have a blackberry, I have a little bit more freedom with where and when I can write. The keyboard is a little small for me to type on as quickly as a regular keyboard, but at least I can email myself small important notes as I think them up. Also, I can save my files on my blackberry and jack into computers to work from there. Just need to remember to back them up onto my harddrive sometimes.
Anyway, I think that's enough for now. I'm looking for things to post to my blog in order to keep interest. My interest more than others. I'm sure I'll find something, maybe some old work or random poetry I come upon or write. We shall soon see.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
110524
Monday, May 23, 2011
Stories From My Past
Taking a break from writing the fifth chapter of my new book, I decided it would be best to clean up my computer's hard drive and back up my old documents. My process has been to just copy and past my entire documents to my external hard drive, but today I decided to do it differently. As my computer is starting to slowly die, even opening a word processing program becomes a strain on its memory. So I decided that I would transfer some of the old folders and simply delete them off of my computer entirely. That would make future backups much simpler.
So I began to do so, noting which of the file folders were larger with very limited success and discovering a large amount of music I can no longer listen to because the stupid licenses were expired three computers ago. And of course, being a writer, I discovered a large amounts of old projects. Some of these stories dated back to over decade ago and I amused myself by reading a few of them. And wouldn't you know it, I've gotten a lot better over the years.
Let me pick out a few for you as a couple of examples. The earliest story I chose was title "Don't Read (Until You Are Ready)". As far as I can tell, I'm not sure anyone would be ready for the atrocity in store for them, but I digress. The story, I think, is about a group of children who were genetically modified at birth so that they could form a resistance to... something. I'm guessing a force of pure evil, but I'm only guessing at the moment. Its a sci-fi action story, if you wish to be polite, and it is very unintentionally hilarious. Back then, I thought I was writing the greatest novel ever. You may give me credit, I was twelve years old.
The next story I scanned was a story called 'Raks and the Nightstalker'. For those of you who know, Raks is one of my characters whose name I use often. Early in his time, Raks was an immortal dark sorcerer who's powers made Superman look like a wimp. This story, as the first line of text describes, is "Raks' first adventure after he escaped from Hell'. In a revised edition I discovered, this line was changed to 'Raks' first story after he escaped from The Dark Land'. However, I failed to revise the name Satan, so there was very little point. The story describes the warlock as he is sucked into the first battle with his arch nemesis, the Nightstalker and meets his love interest, Miranda. It honestly isn't as exciting as it sounds. The story itself is dialogued based. Literally. Every single line and paragraph, with very rare exceptions, is talking. And I thought my first book was bad. The story was supposed to be an epic, spanning thousands of years of conflict, love, loss, betrayal and so on and so forth. Long story short, I wrote it in my head, learned from it, forgot most of it then moved on. Next story.
The next story skips about six years. I use openoffice, because Microsoft Word is a pain in the ass. Though I did use it to write two chapters of my next book and found it tolerable once I got the hang of it. Moving on. One of the stories I recognized the name, but openoffice insisted it was corrupted. So I opened it with MS Word. I couldn't even copy and paste it out, that's how hard ass MS Word without a key is, but I was at least able to read it. The story was called, the Legend. About... three years ago, I planned another space opera like story. It was going to center around Raks, a powerful mage whose magic was based on technology and his rise and fall from power. I started to write down concepts not only of the story but of the universe and from that came the Legend. The Legend takes place in a brothel on an entertainment planet and follows Loch, a boy hired as a gopher for the 'entertainers' who work there. I never got much into the story, back then I never ever finished a project, but what I wrote down still makes me think. The main bits I wrote down was a legend that explained human conflict and sexuality and my own feelings about love and romance. Or at least back then. Some of what I wrote I feel conflicted about now, but I understood where it was coming from. Again, like more of my concepts if you were to sit down and read them, it is mostly dialogue, question and answer sort of thing. But a more interesting read than Nightstalker.
Looking back on all that I've written, what I can remember and what I have reread, I feel more confident about my writers journey. And as I look forward to publishing my antthology and completing my second book, I wonder if I myself will look back in twelve years back at what I have written at this time. Perhaps I will even look back at this blog. I wonder what I will think then.
The work waits and I must continue to write my next masterpiece. Or maybe my unintentional hilarity in twelve years. I'll catch up with you all soon.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
110523
So I began to do so, noting which of the file folders were larger with very limited success and discovering a large amount of music I can no longer listen to because the stupid licenses were expired three computers ago. And of course, being a writer, I discovered a large amounts of old projects. Some of these stories dated back to over decade ago and I amused myself by reading a few of them. And wouldn't you know it, I've gotten a lot better over the years.
Let me pick out a few for you as a couple of examples. The earliest story I chose was title "Don't Read (Until You Are Ready)". As far as I can tell, I'm not sure anyone would be ready for the atrocity in store for them, but I digress. The story, I think, is about a group of children who were genetically modified at birth so that they could form a resistance to... something. I'm guessing a force of pure evil, but I'm only guessing at the moment. Its a sci-fi action story, if you wish to be polite, and it is very unintentionally hilarious. Back then, I thought I was writing the greatest novel ever. You may give me credit, I was twelve years old.
The next story I scanned was a story called 'Raks and the Nightstalker'. For those of you who know, Raks is one of my characters whose name I use often. Early in his time, Raks was an immortal dark sorcerer who's powers made Superman look like a wimp. This story, as the first line of text describes, is "Raks' first adventure after he escaped from Hell'. In a revised edition I discovered, this line was changed to 'Raks' first story after he escaped from The Dark Land'. However, I failed to revise the name Satan, so there was very little point. The story describes the warlock as he is sucked into the first battle with his arch nemesis, the Nightstalker and meets his love interest, Miranda. It honestly isn't as exciting as it sounds. The story itself is dialogued based. Literally. Every single line and paragraph, with very rare exceptions, is talking. And I thought my first book was bad. The story was supposed to be an epic, spanning thousands of years of conflict, love, loss, betrayal and so on and so forth. Long story short, I wrote it in my head, learned from it, forgot most of it then moved on. Next story.
The next story skips about six years. I use openoffice, because Microsoft Word is a pain in the ass. Though I did use it to write two chapters of my next book and found it tolerable once I got the hang of it. Moving on. One of the stories I recognized the name, but openoffice insisted it was corrupted. So I opened it with MS Word. I couldn't even copy and paste it out, that's how hard ass MS Word without a key is, but I was at least able to read it. The story was called, the Legend. About... three years ago, I planned another space opera like story. It was going to center around Raks, a powerful mage whose magic was based on technology and his rise and fall from power. I started to write down concepts not only of the story but of the universe and from that came the Legend. The Legend takes place in a brothel on an entertainment planet and follows Loch, a boy hired as a gopher for the 'entertainers' who work there. I never got much into the story, back then I never ever finished a project, but what I wrote down still makes me think. The main bits I wrote down was a legend that explained human conflict and sexuality and my own feelings about love and romance. Or at least back then. Some of what I wrote I feel conflicted about now, but I understood where it was coming from. Again, like more of my concepts if you were to sit down and read them, it is mostly dialogue, question and answer sort of thing. But a more interesting read than Nightstalker.
Looking back on all that I've written, what I can remember and what I have reread, I feel more confident about my writers journey. And as I look forward to publishing my antthology and completing my second book, I wonder if I myself will look back in twelve years back at what I have written at this time. Perhaps I will even look back at this blog. I wonder what I will think then.
The work waits and I must continue to write my next masterpiece. Or maybe my unintentional hilarity in twelve years. I'll catch up with you all soon.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
110523
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Alien Man and Dragon Bard Collaboration
I have exciting, earth changing news. Well, exciting news! Okay, news! My very good friend, teacher and soul brother, Etienne Buxton, aka Alien man and I have started a series of projects together. Me and Etienne have wanted to work together for some time and was waiting for the perfect project to collaborate on. In fact, we waited for so long, there came not one, but three projects. So what could we do besides work on them together?
I of course, am really excited at the idea of working with another artist. The first project is one that we've been discussing for some time. Literally. I have been collecting, with Etienne's permission, most of our conversations off of Facebook messenger and he plans to take some of the better times and illustrate them. Sounds strange, but I think it would be very interesting. Also, he will be illustrating my second graphic piece, a sort of spiritual successor to one of the Glimpse through the Curtains short stories Believer called Epilogue. I still haven't finished the story completely, which is bad considering he's started to paint... but I think it will work out.
Also, I've started to write stories based directly on Etienne's own stories, art philosophy and style, with his permission, and giving to him to do as he sees fit.
For more about Etienne Buxton, the man, the Doc and the Alien Man, visit his website at www.etiennebuxton.com. He's an illustrator and always looking for employment and oppurtunity to use his impressive skill and spread his love for his craft.
As for me, I have to finish Epilogue before Etienne catches up and remember not to close the browser before I copy the convo. Catch you guys soon!
Speaking of websites, I've started a new YouTube channel. The user name is TheDragonBard. Right at the moment, I'm just talking about going to visit my girlfriend, but that'll change quickly, I promise. Maybe.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
110503
I of course, am really excited at the idea of working with another artist. The first project is one that we've been discussing for some time. Literally. I have been collecting, with Etienne's permission, most of our conversations off of Facebook messenger and he plans to take some of the better times and illustrate them. Sounds strange, but I think it would be very interesting. Also, he will be illustrating my second graphic piece, a sort of spiritual successor to one of the Glimpse through the Curtains short stories Believer called Epilogue. I still haven't finished the story completely, which is bad considering he's started to paint... but I think it will work out.
Also, I've started to write stories based directly on Etienne's own stories, art philosophy and style, with his permission, and giving to him to do as he sees fit.
For more about Etienne Buxton, the man, the Doc and the Alien Man, visit his website at www.etiennebuxton.com. He's an illustrator and always looking for employment and oppurtunity to use his impressive skill and spread his love for his craft.
As for me, I have to finish Epilogue before Etienne catches up and remember not to close the browser before I copy the convo. Catch you guys soon!
Speaking of websites, I've started a new YouTube channel. The user name is TheDragonBard. Right at the moment, I'm just talking about going to visit my girlfriend, but that'll change quickly, I promise. Maybe.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
110503
Thursday, April 28, 2011
The Gravekeeper's Apprentice
I've just finished the first draft of the first chapter of my next book. I'm calling it 'The Gravekeeper's Apprentice'. The story is set in a world where most of the dead are buried in a massive graveyard, where ghosts, skeletons and zombies roam. And watching over all of them is the Gravekeeper. I started working on this story about a year ago as a little joke, after seeing all the cool steam-punk cosplayers at FanExpo. I thought about what my own steam punk character would look like and it slowly turned into a bit of a story.
So far, the story is about the struggle between tradition and change and how it affects everyone with a certain viewpoint. And its a battle between the informed and the ignorant. And of course, it'll have elements of the mater and apprentice as well. Oh, you want to know the plot? Well, that I'm keeping to my chest for the next little bit. I'm sharing the story with a few people for encouragement and editorial support, but I don't want to reveal to much about it until I at least have book one finished. Oh yes, I have concepts for about three mini stories, but the whole work will be published in one volume. Alright, here's a bit of a hint. I've already named the first three books. The first book will be called First Night. The second will be called Carnival. The third book will be called Vampire. Not much of a hint, I guess, but we'll see how it goes.
I'll keep you all posted on this project, now that I've found some steam for it. I'll report back soon.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
110428
So far, the story is about the struggle between tradition and change and how it affects everyone with a certain viewpoint. And its a battle between the informed and the ignorant. And of course, it'll have elements of the mater and apprentice as well. Oh, you want to know the plot? Well, that I'm keeping to my chest for the next little bit. I'm sharing the story with a few people for encouragement and editorial support, but I don't want to reveal to much about it until I at least have book one finished. Oh yes, I have concepts for about three mini stories, but the whole work will be published in one volume. Alright, here's a bit of a hint. I've already named the first three books. The first book will be called First Night. The second will be called Carnival. The third book will be called Vampire. Not much of a hint, I guess, but we'll see how it goes.
I'll keep you all posted on this project, now that I've found some steam for it. I'll report back soon.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
110428
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Outdated
Recently I've been reading the book Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein and I was enjoying it. However, I had to stop reading it, all because of an underlining theme that just got worse and worse as the book progressed. It wasn't the religious undertones, which was the reason I stopped reading it the second time I tried to read it. In fact, I quite enjoyed that section now that I am a little more secure about my beliefs.
No, the problem I had with the book was the amount of sexism in it. Every male in this book, apart from the protagonist Smith, is a sexist chauvinist and its driving me nuts. If this wasn't enough, all of the women practically fall under terrible female stereotypes. Flirty, have sex at the drop of the hat, there for men to be stared at. They're all intelligent yes, but each of them is in one form or another rather degraded. And it just completely turned me off. I found myself reading through it after two thirds of the way in, desperately looking for something to validate me continuing to read. But by the time I reached the blatant homophobia, I had to put it down.
Its too bad, I was really enjoying the story and how it progressed. But it just became too much. Much like many other books I've been reading. For a few months I was reading the 007 books and enjoying them for the trash that they were. My absolute favorite was Dr. No, with the maze and the squid and killing people with a sand blaster. Spoiler: Bond survives, kills the villain and sleeps with the girl.
But I had to stop reading the series after Goldfinger. The whole thing just became too much. If you've ever read anything by Ian Flemming, you can tell that the man is sexist, racist, homophobic and... well probably intolerant of quite a few things that people should be more tolerant of. But in Goldfinger, he does something that is completely unforgivable. Pussy Galore. Even the name is horrid. This characters sole existence in this book is a homophobic statement. She's the head of a group of lesbian cat burglars, hired by Goldfinger to pretend to be nurses during their scheme. James meets her, then he broods about homosexuals. Basically he sits, spews nonsense about them, then comes to the conclusion that homosexuals are sick.
So what does Pussy Galore actually do in the book. Get this: Not much. She pretends to be a nurse, which amounts to being pointless. She's on the plane when Goldfinger holds Bond hostage, but she does little to help him escape other than to wink. Then when he does escape, she sleep with him. "Because I never met a real man like you, James". I thought wanting to barf was only a saying.
So I gave up on James Bond as well. I'm not ashamed of reading them, nor do I regret it. I learned a lot from them. But I will never do it again. Stranger in a Strange Land I've given up for now, but maybe I will try again when I'm more tolerant of intorlerance.
Not sure where I'm going with this, as usual, but I think I will leave you with hope. I started reading a novel of one of my favorite characters, Nero Wolfe. It was a story involving racial rights, during the fifties. I was worried I would ditch one of my favorite characters in this one, especially Archie Goodwin. Goodwin is known to be a womanizer and a bit sexist, but the books are written in such a way that Goodwin often comes across as flawed rather than a super man. But I wondered how he would handle race. But then came the most brilliant line ever. Archie was thinking about racisim and he narrated: "If I need to feel superior to someone, and I often do, I need a better reason than the color of his skin"
Did you ever have to stop reading a good book because of one aspect? I stopped reading the Sookie Stackhouse books because of the Fellowship of the Sun. How about you?
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
110426
No, the problem I had with the book was the amount of sexism in it. Every male in this book, apart from the protagonist Smith, is a sexist chauvinist and its driving me nuts. If this wasn't enough, all of the women practically fall under terrible female stereotypes. Flirty, have sex at the drop of the hat, there for men to be stared at. They're all intelligent yes, but each of them is in one form or another rather degraded. And it just completely turned me off. I found myself reading through it after two thirds of the way in, desperately looking for something to validate me continuing to read. But by the time I reached the blatant homophobia, I had to put it down.
Its too bad, I was really enjoying the story and how it progressed. But it just became too much. Much like many other books I've been reading. For a few months I was reading the 007 books and enjoying them for the trash that they were. My absolute favorite was Dr. No, with the maze and the squid and killing people with a sand blaster. Spoiler: Bond survives, kills the villain and sleeps with the girl.
But I had to stop reading the series after Goldfinger. The whole thing just became too much. If you've ever read anything by Ian Flemming, you can tell that the man is sexist, racist, homophobic and... well probably intolerant of quite a few things that people should be more tolerant of. But in Goldfinger, he does something that is completely unforgivable. Pussy Galore. Even the name is horrid. This characters sole existence in this book is a homophobic statement. She's the head of a group of lesbian cat burglars, hired by Goldfinger to pretend to be nurses during their scheme. James meets her, then he broods about homosexuals. Basically he sits, spews nonsense about them, then comes to the conclusion that homosexuals are sick.
So what does Pussy Galore actually do in the book. Get this: Not much. She pretends to be a nurse, which amounts to being pointless. She's on the plane when Goldfinger holds Bond hostage, but she does little to help him escape other than to wink. Then when he does escape, she sleep with him. "Because I never met a real man like you, James". I thought wanting to barf was only a saying.
So I gave up on James Bond as well. I'm not ashamed of reading them, nor do I regret it. I learned a lot from them. But I will never do it again. Stranger in a Strange Land I've given up for now, but maybe I will try again when I'm more tolerant of intorlerance.
Not sure where I'm going with this, as usual, but I think I will leave you with hope. I started reading a novel of one of my favorite characters, Nero Wolfe. It was a story involving racial rights, during the fifties. I was worried I would ditch one of my favorite characters in this one, especially Archie Goodwin. Goodwin is known to be a womanizer and a bit sexist, but the books are written in such a way that Goodwin often comes across as flawed rather than a super man. But I wondered how he would handle race. But then came the most brilliant line ever. Archie was thinking about racisim and he narrated: "If I need to feel superior to someone, and I often do, I need a better reason than the color of his skin"
Did you ever have to stop reading a good book because of one aspect? I stopped reading the Sookie Stackhouse books because of the Fellowship of the Sun. How about you?
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
110426
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Storytelling
So I had an interesting couple of days. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with the amount of activity the past week and a bit and I felt mentally and physically exhausted. But I was bored. So instead of spending the evening watching Batman, I decided to get off my butt and actually do something for the evening and went out to one of the events on Facebook. My friend was surprised I showed up, seeing as I told him the day before I wouldn't be, but was pleased none the less. It was a small group, around ten young adults and a senior. We played a couple of board games, but mostly we just talked.
One of the things we talked about was story telling and me being a writer talked about some of the stories I know. As it happened, the service the next day was on the subject of story telling and its importance in theology in Unitarianism. And the speaker was actually at the table with us. And when I said I knew a couple of stories, she invited me to tell a story. At first I was hesitant. I love telling stories, especially in front of a large group. But it had been so long and the group would be entirely new to me. So I said I would think about it. I more like obsessed over it the rest of the evening and the next morning. And so, having woken up with ample time to eat, bathe and obsess some more, I decided to go. And, sure enough, she invited me again. And after a moment's hesitation, I accepted.
I was nervous as hell, but I discovered that the hardest part of story telling is starting. Once you start, you can keep on going on and on and on. Coming up with what I wanted to say was easy. I introduced myself as a writer and a story teller and I said a few words about how storytelling was important to me. How it could be used as a learning tool as well as a way to explain this world. But I skipped the most important reason why I love storytelling. I love story telling because I love to tell stories. I'm pretty good at it, if I'm in the right mood. And so I began my story. I got a few laughs as I told the Just So story of how Camel got his hump. And I got applause from the audience. George Burns is right. There is no greater feeling in the world than the sounds of laughter and applause.
I spoke with many lovely people after the service, who all told me I performed so well, and asked me if I was a member of a storytelling or story writing guild. Now there's a good ideas. I've been doing about twenty minutes of research and come across nothing. I missed the story telling festival in Toronto completely. So it goes. But I will keep looking, it sounds like an organization I would like to join.
In the mean time, I feel more and more that I have found my place in writing and story telling and I will continue to pursue this life.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110417
One of the things we talked about was story telling and me being a writer talked about some of the stories I know. As it happened, the service the next day was on the subject of story telling and its importance in theology in Unitarianism. And the speaker was actually at the table with us. And when I said I knew a couple of stories, she invited me to tell a story. At first I was hesitant. I love telling stories, especially in front of a large group. But it had been so long and the group would be entirely new to me. So I said I would think about it. I more like obsessed over it the rest of the evening and the next morning. And so, having woken up with ample time to eat, bathe and obsess some more, I decided to go. And, sure enough, she invited me again. And after a moment's hesitation, I accepted.
I was nervous as hell, but I discovered that the hardest part of story telling is starting. Once you start, you can keep on going on and on and on. Coming up with what I wanted to say was easy. I introduced myself as a writer and a story teller and I said a few words about how storytelling was important to me. How it could be used as a learning tool as well as a way to explain this world. But I skipped the most important reason why I love storytelling. I love story telling because I love to tell stories. I'm pretty good at it, if I'm in the right mood. And so I began my story. I got a few laughs as I told the Just So story of how Camel got his hump. And I got applause from the audience. George Burns is right. There is no greater feeling in the world than the sounds of laughter and applause.
I spoke with many lovely people after the service, who all told me I performed so well, and asked me if I was a member of a storytelling or story writing guild. Now there's a good ideas. I've been doing about twenty minutes of research and come across nothing. I missed the story telling festival in Toronto completely. So it goes. But I will keep looking, it sounds like an organization I would like to join.
In the mean time, I feel more and more that I have found my place in writing and story telling and I will continue to pursue this life.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110417
Thursday, April 14, 2011
What I've been reading
One of the things that I've always got conflicting advice about as a writer is how much I should be reading. Some books I've been reading says I should be reading all of the time. Another book says I shouldn't be reading while I'm writing. This bit of advice never made sense, because I'm ALWAYS writing, so I should never read? Another book flat out accused me that because I was reading a book on how to write, I wasn't reading anything at all. Which is very rude and unfortunately very true.
I understand the advice about not reading and writing at the same time. There is the danger of writing in the same style as the book you're reading, but honestly, I've never had that problem with reading and writing. For me, the danger has been playing video games and writing, since the video game pulls me into its addictive qualities and distracts my mind from my work until it doesn't function properly.
But this is beyond the point. I believe we should read. It's better for our minds and we can see what other writers are up to. That being said, I've been reading some pretty tame books recently. I've become a huge fan of Rex Stout and the Nero Wolfe books and over the past few months I have pretty much read about six or seven Nero Wolfe books. They're pretty fun, but they're not what you would consider great works of literature. But I've never been too much of a fan of what people call 'great literature'. As I mature and become older and wiser, I've noticed I'm enjoying more than I thought I would.
Recently, I've been completely engrossed by Hienlein's Stranger in a Strange Land, a book that reading has been hazardous to my health on more than one occasion. It sure makes riding the subway a lot quicker though. I'm really getting into the book a lot. Its pretty good, the philosophy is pretty solid, but does every male character have to be a misogynist? I understand it can happen, but it's like all the sexual violence in Brent Weeks' Shadow's Edge. We get it, but does it have to be in every scene? Actually, there's a huge difference between Stranger in a Strange Land and Shadow's Edge. Stranger is better paced and the main characters are likable.
The 100 books from the BBC list is going around again and I've recently scored 18 (when I found our 'Northern Lights' was The Golden Compass. Seriously, The Golden Compass is my favorite book of all time, I've never heard it referred to as Northern Lights. Ever). I've been looking over the list and wondering if I will ever read all of them. I can say, without a hint out doubt, that I doubt it. Some of them are Jane Austin, who I've tried to read on some occasions when my sister started to read them. I could never get through them. But I have read about a fifth of them and I am so young still. But not before I've read every single Nero Wolfe story.
What have you been reading? Next on my list appears to be Nineteen Eighty Four.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110414
I understand the advice about not reading and writing at the same time. There is the danger of writing in the same style as the book you're reading, but honestly, I've never had that problem with reading and writing. For me, the danger has been playing video games and writing, since the video game pulls me into its addictive qualities and distracts my mind from my work until it doesn't function properly.
But this is beyond the point. I believe we should read. It's better for our minds and we can see what other writers are up to. That being said, I've been reading some pretty tame books recently. I've become a huge fan of Rex Stout and the Nero Wolfe books and over the past few months I have pretty much read about six or seven Nero Wolfe books. They're pretty fun, but they're not what you would consider great works of literature. But I've never been too much of a fan of what people call 'great literature'. As I mature and become older and wiser, I've noticed I'm enjoying more than I thought I would.
Recently, I've been completely engrossed by Hienlein's Stranger in a Strange Land, a book that reading has been hazardous to my health on more than one occasion. It sure makes riding the subway a lot quicker though. I'm really getting into the book a lot. Its pretty good, the philosophy is pretty solid, but does every male character have to be a misogynist? I understand it can happen, but it's like all the sexual violence in Brent Weeks' Shadow's Edge. We get it, but does it have to be in every scene? Actually, there's a huge difference between Stranger in a Strange Land and Shadow's Edge. Stranger is better paced and the main characters are likable.
The 100 books from the BBC list is going around again and I've recently scored 18 (when I found our 'Northern Lights' was The Golden Compass. Seriously, The Golden Compass is my favorite book of all time, I've never heard it referred to as Northern Lights. Ever). I've been looking over the list and wondering if I will ever read all of them. I can say, without a hint out doubt, that I doubt it. Some of them are Jane Austin, who I've tried to read on some occasions when my sister started to read them. I could never get through them. But I have read about a fifth of them and I am so young still. But not before I've read every single Nero Wolfe story.
What have you been reading? Next on my list appears to be Nineteen Eighty Four.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110414
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Dinner Parties
"If you held a dinner party, and could invite anyone, fact or fiction, who ever existed, who would you invite?"
This question was put to me a while ago and I started to compile names. But then I came to an interesting conclusion. If it were possible to invite anyone to my party, then I should be able to be invited to theres. That would be far more interesting for me. If I had a party with Nero Wolfe, Darth Vader and the Duke of Wellington, that wouldn't be very fun for them. But if I were to be invited to go to Freedom Hall to meet Harshaw and a streak? Now that would be awesome! In fact, I'd make a day of it!
I think I'd start with breakfast at Gormenghast, where the food is exquisite and the company is eccentric. Then lunch with Darth Vader in Empire Strikes Back. I always wanted to know what was discussed and what was served. And of course, tea at the Mad Tea Party, I couldn't pass that up. And Dinner at Wolfe's, with the company of a genius to pass the time. And round it all off with a drink at Valhalla and sing a warriors song.
So my question to you is, if you could have a meal anywhere, fact or fiction, whenever wherever, where would it be?
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110409
This question was put to me a while ago and I started to compile names. But then I came to an interesting conclusion. If it were possible to invite anyone to my party, then I should be able to be invited to theres. That would be far more interesting for me. If I had a party with Nero Wolfe, Darth Vader and the Duke of Wellington, that wouldn't be very fun for them. But if I were to be invited to go to Freedom Hall to meet Harshaw and a streak? Now that would be awesome! In fact, I'd make a day of it!
I think I'd start with breakfast at Gormenghast, where the food is exquisite and the company is eccentric. Then lunch with Darth Vader in Empire Strikes Back. I always wanted to know what was discussed and what was served. And of course, tea at the Mad Tea Party, I couldn't pass that up. And Dinner at Wolfe's, with the company of a genius to pass the time. And round it all off with a drink at Valhalla and sing a warriors song.
So my question to you is, if you could have a meal anywhere, fact or fiction, whenever wherever, where would it be?
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110409
Thursday, April 7, 2011
The Alien Man Love Poem
Alien Man, Alien Man
What do you see?
Alien Man, Alien Man
Where would you be?
Alien Man, Alien Man
If you were free?
Alien Man, Alien Man
Would you see me?
(Alien Man created by Etienne Buxton http://www.etiennebuxton.com)
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110407
What do you see?
Alien Man, Alien Man
Where would you be?
Alien Man, Alien Man
If you were free?
Alien Man, Alien Man
Would you see me?
(Alien Man created by Etienne Buxton http://www.etiennebuxton.com)
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110407
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
First Chapter Theater: Surt's Forge
(Welcome to a new section of the blog: First Chapter Theater. This is where I show case the first chapters of books I've started and either are on hold or long forgotten. This month on First Chapter Theater I present the first chapter of Surt's Forge. I started writing Surt's Forge over 13 years ago and I have never gotten past the first six chapters. I might get back to it some day, but for now, here is the first chapter as last written three years ago (and slightly altered today) for everyone to see.
Enjoy!
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110405)
Enjoy!
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110405)
Monday, March 28, 2011
Promises and Results
My friend Lezley gave me some advice about how to handle this blog and writing in general. Don't make promises, just give results. Or something like that. She probably remembers the exact wording better than I. And as a result, I haven't been making to many lofty promises except to one person, myself. And while I do believe in this mantra of sorts, there are a few promises that I've made that have helped me to get back on the horse recently.
It always surprises me when complete strangers like my work. I've been showing off my work for a while now, but mostly it has been to friends and family and sometimes I wonder if they're just smiling and nodding and patting my head when it comes to writing. I know they aren't of course, because I trust them, but also because of all of the reaction I've been getting to my work as it begins to spread. I was at my friend Etienne's house and I had an entire dinner table rapt with my writing ideas. Rapt may not be the best word, but I'm marketing myself here. Entralled! Heh. I pitched to them some of my work that I've done and yes, even some work I haven't even started. They seemed to like my ideas and they all said they'd read them. That's always a nice feeling. Now I actually have to write them.
Speaking of Etienne, there's another promise that I've made, but one I fully intend to keep. Etienne is an artist and a fantastic one at that. And he's a fan of me and I'm a fan of him and we totally want to work together on something. And I'm sure we will soon. I've been telling him my dreams, which isn't so much a promise as it is a goal I don't know how to obtain right at the moment. I told him how I want to write comics and make short films of my work and he thought it would be an awesome idea. I completely agree with him too. As soon as I can figure out how to do it, I will make it a reality. Oops, a promise. Well, it's a dream.
As for promises, I'm still waiting on my editors to get back to me so I can finally complete A Glimpse Through The Curtains. It's practically clean up time for the majority of them, nothing major anymore. But it still needs to be done. I still need to figure out the plan for how I'm going to distribute them. I'll be looking into magazines soon, but honestly, I still want to self publish.
Anyway, that's enough for me now. It's a result to get a blog post out and now hopefully more will be on the way as I begin to write Secretary more. Keep you posted.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110328
It always surprises me when complete strangers like my work. I've been showing off my work for a while now, but mostly it has been to friends and family and sometimes I wonder if they're just smiling and nodding and patting my head when it comes to writing. I know they aren't of course, because I trust them, but also because of all of the reaction I've been getting to my work as it begins to spread. I was at my friend Etienne's house and I had an entire dinner table rapt with my writing ideas. Rapt may not be the best word, but I'm marketing myself here. Entralled! Heh. I pitched to them some of my work that I've done and yes, even some work I haven't even started. They seemed to like my ideas and they all said they'd read them. That's always a nice feeling. Now I actually have to write them.
Speaking of Etienne, there's another promise that I've made, but one I fully intend to keep. Etienne is an artist and a fantastic one at that. And he's a fan of me and I'm a fan of him and we totally want to work together on something. And I'm sure we will soon. I've been telling him my dreams, which isn't so much a promise as it is a goal I don't know how to obtain right at the moment. I told him how I want to write comics and make short films of my work and he thought it would be an awesome idea. I completely agree with him too. As soon as I can figure out how to do it, I will make it a reality. Oops, a promise. Well, it's a dream.
As for promises, I'm still waiting on my editors to get back to me so I can finally complete A Glimpse Through The Curtains. It's practically clean up time for the majority of them, nothing major anymore. But it still needs to be done. I still need to figure out the plan for how I'm going to distribute them. I'll be looking into magazines soon, but honestly, I still want to self publish.
Anyway, that's enough for me now. It's a result to get a blog post out and now hopefully more will be on the way as I begin to write Secretary more. Keep you posted.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110328
Friday, March 25, 2011
Writing Fan Fiction
For the last week and a bit, I've been writing fan fiction. It makes me realize how much I've missed writing it. I love to write fan fiction. I've been writing fan fiction long before I even knew there was such a thing. It's really how I got started writing. I would take other peoples characters and put them into other peoples situations to make something unique. Okay, blatantly plagiaristic. Hey, I was between the ages of five and twelve. I didn't know anything about copyright infringement. At least until I got zero on my report in grade 3 for copying out the book. Its how my imagination began to blossom. For years, my main focus had been on Commander Keen and inventing new adventures, characters, enemies for him. He had a bat cave and a mermaid girlfriend and everything. Looking back on it now, it was kind of silly while being really really cool.
I guess I'd still be writing the same way if it hadn't been for my Uncle Ed. He asked me why don't I create something for myself. And like that, my life was changed forever. He and I created something unique. Or at least less blatantly plagiaristic. We created a metal being, whose planet was destroyed by human miners, who kills the humans on his world and heads for earth for revenge, only to be sent back in time to Earth before the miners left and he has to stop them for even going. As I came up with ideas, my uncle would write down one word themes. Little did I know, this would be my first introduction to plot elements and construction.
Since that day, I still stole other peoples situations and gadgets and ships and planet names, but I started to develop my own characters and way of writing. And as I went along, I got better and better and soon my work could stand alone as its own two feet as an original work. But I still love to do fan fiction.
To me, fan fiction is an art form of its own. Its a challenge to see how well you know the characters. Not necessarily their past story and every little detail about them. But the general idea of them. What are they like? How would they react? What would they do? And that's what I play around with in my fan fiction. And most of all, try to have fun with it. If you're not having fun with it, why even bother?
The first story I ever published on the internet was a fan fiction. An adult fan fiction to be precise. That is a fan fiction that involves adult situations. It was a short little tale based off of the video game Neverwinter Nights. A short tale that became an epic novel filled with fantasy and sex. And one that broke off from its video game fan fiction roots and took on a lot of its own creation. Which makes it harder to write. While I wanted to write this novel with all its wonderful characters, I had to remember half of them were not mine. And I couldn't change the characters that weren't mine to be mine because it wouldn't be fair to the work. Its a fan fiction and a sequel to the game. Plus, I never ever got feed back. A hundred hits a week, but no feed back. It just do well for my self esteem. So I stopped posting them. But I still write them once and a while.
So for now, I'll write them privately and work on my book. But fan fiction will always hold a place in my heart.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110325
I guess I'd still be writing the same way if it hadn't been for my Uncle Ed. He asked me why don't I create something for myself. And like that, my life was changed forever. He and I created something unique. Or at least less blatantly plagiaristic. We created a metal being, whose planet was destroyed by human miners, who kills the humans on his world and heads for earth for revenge, only to be sent back in time to Earth before the miners left and he has to stop them for even going. As I came up with ideas, my uncle would write down one word themes. Little did I know, this would be my first introduction to plot elements and construction.
Since that day, I still stole other peoples situations and gadgets and ships and planet names, but I started to develop my own characters and way of writing. And as I went along, I got better and better and soon my work could stand alone as its own two feet as an original work. But I still love to do fan fiction.
To me, fan fiction is an art form of its own. Its a challenge to see how well you know the characters. Not necessarily their past story and every little detail about them. But the general idea of them. What are they like? How would they react? What would they do? And that's what I play around with in my fan fiction. And most of all, try to have fun with it. If you're not having fun with it, why even bother?
The first story I ever published on the internet was a fan fiction. An adult fan fiction to be precise. That is a fan fiction that involves adult situations. It was a short little tale based off of the video game Neverwinter Nights. A short tale that became an epic novel filled with fantasy and sex. And one that broke off from its video game fan fiction roots and took on a lot of its own creation. Which makes it harder to write. While I wanted to write this novel with all its wonderful characters, I had to remember half of them were not mine. And I couldn't change the characters that weren't mine to be mine because it wouldn't be fair to the work. Its a fan fiction and a sequel to the game. Plus, I never ever got feed back. A hundred hits a week, but no feed back. It just do well for my self esteem. So I stopped posting them. But I still write them once and a while.
So for now, I'll write them privately and work on my book. But fan fiction will always hold a place in my heart.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110325
Friday, March 18, 2011
Bleak World
(Warning: Morbid)
I see a faded old sign, on a dusty old street as I walk aimlessly to I know not where. The sign welcomes me to Bleak World. I know this place well. I once lived here. All the colours are off, the people are mere shapes and the national anthem is a skipping rhyme sung off key.
I walk the streets filled with houses fallen to disrepair, but people live there unnoticed and uncaring. They don't speak, and when they do they speak in a strange font that chills me to the bone with its aggressive friendliness. They speak only in promises and play little games in the dark. I move on.
Terrible things happened in Bleak World, but it was a long time ago. No one speaks of it, but it echoes off the walls like a memory that no one can forget. The ashes of every fire that ever burned littered the ground and burns the nostrils of anyone who stays close. And still, I move on.
It is always Autumn in Bleak World. The trees have let their leaves fall to the ground to rot and everything seems to be waiting to die. No birds are around save for the black birds that wait for the food to be ready. In many ways, these birds are the only friends I trust here.
The graveyard is large and mostly unkempt and the cemetery gate opens and closes to the wind who is the only visitor. It happily opens to me with the same squeak it gives the wind and slams behind me with the next gust. I am assaulted by the names of the past and I know them all so well. Some of the graves are nameless, but I know who lies there. There are not who I've come to see.
There I am. My grave stands tall, reminding me that I lived here once, in this cold dark world where nothing tasted good, where no colours but brown existed. And I read the epitaph with a triumphant nod. I took it from a poem that I hate, but it is a line that is most fitting.
“Do not stand at my grave and cry. I am not here. I did not die.”
I don't look back as I slip through the cracked graveyard wall and walk away.
Goodbye, Bleak World.
(This is a little piece I'm working on, inspired by the Tim Burton Exhibition. Sometimes to get something out of your head, you need to write it down. It'll be interesting to see how it works out.
If you're wondering, I'm actually feeling pretty good today. Life is pretty perfect, except for the writing block. I'll talk to you guys soon.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110318)
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Chapter 6: Done!
Alright! Chapter 6's first draft is really finished this time. Excellent! I had to power through it and it came out pretty well. Now the editing of the book can happen in earnest!
Yeah, that's all I have to say. I got to finish a couple of other things now. I'll keep you guys posted.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110312
Yeah, that's all I have to say. I got to finish a couple of other things now. I'll keep you guys posted.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110312
Friday, March 11, 2011
Uninspired
I'm not sure whether its a dip in depression after writing the first draft of my book, or not being able to come up with sixth chapter or just one of the many events or concerns that are on my mind, but I've got the block again. I haven't been able to think of things to write in my blog. I try to think of something. Maybe putting up a short story, but I don't know any I want to share right at the moment. Psycho Duck takes more time and energy than I would have hoped he would. And I always wonder 'what's the point' when I start doing something like My Writing Heroes. Still, I know it's the depression speaking during these times and not 'really' me. Doesn't change the fact that these times still happen and when they do, they suck. Still got to move on.
I'm thinking about selling some items that I own in order to get some money for self publishing. I was thinking about printing out the books myself, but I couldn't figure out how that works.
I got to go for now. Something's weighing on my mind and I have to deal with it.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110311
I'm thinking about selling some items that I own in order to get some money for self publishing. I was thinking about printing out the books myself, but I couldn't figure out how that works.
I got to go for now. Something's weighing on my mind and I have to deal with it.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110311
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
A week without a blog post
It's been a week since I've posted in this blog and a lot has happened. Not much of it has been writing related. Chapter 6 of Grandma Hannah continues to kick my ass, no matter what way I look at it. I'm considering just cutting it out altogether and extending certain scenes in chapter 7 to compensate for it. I'm not sure what I'm trying to do with it, but I know it has to be important. We shall see.
A Glimpse through the Curtains has been going well, except a few people never got back to me. That's disheartening to say the least, but the feedback that I have received has been very useful. I'm thinking about how to use it and I might take a page out of my sister's boyfriend's book and make these stories into panphlets. It's cheaper than making a book and maybe I can squeeze in a few more illustrations from my friends. That still leaves the question of where I should sell it and who my audience is. I'm thinking my audience might be artists. They've seemed to be enjoying them the most without a lot of raised eyebrows. That too, we shall see.
I've been experimenting with ways to get myself motivated into writing. I bought a printer and a three hole punch. Now I'm left with paper flying everywhere and random binders making their way back and forth between my bed and my desk, depending on which one I'm using at the time. I also need to clean my room, but that's another story.
Trying to beat a bout of depression that's been hitting me hard and repeatedly while writing can be difficult, but I can't cripple under my depression with so much work needing to be done. This week, I'm looking into some volunteer oppurtunities that might include cheaper and healthier food. Fingers crossed. Hopefully it will include some experience, I'd love to look for a job. Self publishing and trips to Ottawa don't pay for themselves.
Hopefully the blog will be a little steadier now. I'll try to force myself to do my best. I'll keep you guys posted.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110308
A Glimpse through the Curtains has been going well, except a few people never got back to me. That's disheartening to say the least, but the feedback that I have received has been very useful. I'm thinking about how to use it and I might take a page out of my sister's boyfriend's book and make these stories into panphlets. It's cheaper than making a book and maybe I can squeeze in a few more illustrations from my friends. That still leaves the question of where I should sell it and who my audience is. I'm thinking my audience might be artists. They've seemed to be enjoying them the most without a lot of raised eyebrows. That too, we shall see.
I've been experimenting with ways to get myself motivated into writing. I bought a printer and a three hole punch. Now I'm left with paper flying everywhere and random binders making their way back and forth between my bed and my desk, depending on which one I'm using at the time. I also need to clean my room, but that's another story.
Trying to beat a bout of depression that's been hitting me hard and repeatedly while writing can be difficult, but I can't cripple under my depression with so much work needing to be done. This week, I'm looking into some volunteer oppurtunities that might include cheaper and healthier food. Fingers crossed. Hopefully it will include some experience, I'd love to look for a job. Self publishing and trips to Ottawa don't pay for themselves.
Hopefully the blog will be a little steadier now. I'll try to force myself to do my best. I'll keep you guys posted.
Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110308
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