Pen, Ink, and Angst

I've moved this blog to WordPress

2011-09-09T06:28:00.001-07:00

I very rarely use this blog anymore.

I was using it to mirror my Live Journal site for a while but now all my writing and professional posts have moved to WordPress. I will keep this blog active as a fallback in case WordPress ever craters.

Follow me there at:

http://kennethmarkhoover.wordpress.com/

Thanks, guys, I appreciate your patience! :)

New Haxan Story Published by Beneath Ceaseless Skies

2009-12-17T06:11:00.000-08:00

"High Moon", my new Haxan story, is now up at Beneath Ceaseless Skies. Please, click the banner to read the story. Hope you like it:

New Haxan Story Published on The Western Online

2009-11-20T06:56:00.001-08:00

Hooray! The hits keep a'comin', haha. My NEW Haxan short-short "Three Wise Men" was accepted and is now up at The Western Online.

This was kind of experimental for me. I don't often write short-shorts. This one clocked in at 1300-words, but I enjoyed writing it. I hope you like it, too. Please, click on the banner below to see the story and let me know what you think, or let the editor of the magazine know.

Thanks, guys! :)

New Haxan Story Published

2009-10-27T12:09:00.000-07:00

The Western Online has just published my brand new Haxan story "In the Image of Our Maker". Yay! So please click on the link below to check it out, and I hope you enjoy the story. Thanks, guys! :)

New Story!

2009-10-14T09:29:00.000-07:00

My Haxan story "Till Death Do Us Part" was accepted by The Western Online and it's up now if you want to read it. Hope you like it!

"High Moon" is Rising

2009-10-03T10:09:00.001-07:00

Beneath Ceaseless Skies told me today my story "High Moon" will be published in December. It's a Haxan story (what isn't these days) and I hope you like it.

But until then, if you haven't had the chance, or if you are new to my LJ, please check out the original story "Haxan" and the podcast as well published at Beneath Ceaseless Skies.

And don't forget the Haxan Page and Haxan Gallery for added content, character biographies and other neat stuff.

(Hey, you gotta get your Haxan fix someway, haha. Yes, I know I'm being silly, but it's that kind of night.)

My Interview at Whispering Dragons!

2009-10-02T07:53:00.000-07:00

Susie Hawes of Whispering Dragons Digital Magazine interviewed me for the first issue. Click on the link below and download the PDF (it's free!) and check it out. Hope you like it! :)

Whispering Dragons Digital Magazine

Website Updated

2009-09-18T12:18:00.000-07:00

I updated my website. There are new professional writing links, some new articles, and on the Haxan page "How I Created Haxan" that I hope you will enjoy. There's also a new Sample Story, "Ashes, Ashes!" first published by Cosmic Science Fiction in 2004 and I've posted the cover for the upcoming anthology Destination: Future by Hadley Rille books which will include my story "Rubber Monkeys."

Just click on the Haxan badge below and you'll be brought right to it.

Enjoy! :)

David Weber Interview

2009-08-12T08:11:00.001-07:00

My interview of David Weber is now live at Strange Horizons. Give it a peek!

Wordcraft and War Fiction: An Interview with David Weber

Haxan Gear

2009-08-04T10:38:00.000-07:00

I set up an account with CafePress and now have Haxan gear for anyone who might want mugs, tote bags, throw pillows, clocks or shirts. All kinds of cool stuff!

I've kept the price as low as possible. Not interested in making money, just having Haxan Gear out there for fans who have asked about it. I ordered a coffee mug first to make sure they look okay, and I have to admit they are great.

So if you're interested just click on the mug below and you can see all the Haxan Gear that is currently available. Hope you like it! :)

Haxan Gallery

2009-07-23T07:19:00.001-07:00

For those who are interested, I've included a new page on my website, a HAXAN GALLERY. Check it out if you have time. I hope you like it.

I've also updated many other features of my website, including the News Page, with new writing links for those seeking to perfect their craft, and my essay titled "What I Learned in New Mexico", along with a brand new Sample Story called "The Perfect Quest" published by SDO Fantasy in 2004. It's another Sugawara story, for people who like his adventures. I've also updated my FAQ Page (with additional questions about Haxan I've been getting from people) and Links that you may like to follow.

Also included on the Haxan Gallery page is added content entitled "How I Tried to Find Haxan" for the fans. So there's lots for you to enjoy and browse around on if you are so inclined.

Have fun!

New Story in Drops of Crimson!

2009-06-30T17:46:00.001-07:00

My dark fantasy story "The Gate Between Worlds" is now up at Drops of Crimson Magazine. HOORAY! This is their YA issue and I'm really happy to appear in it.

This is my story about the Buddhist Nun, and zombies, and fried chicken and honey biscuits. Now, c'mon, how many stories like that have you read recently?

Click on the banner below and read the story about Mama Luiz and her sixteen-year old Buddhist Nun charge, Lilith Boddicea (who tries to be a good Buddhist Nun but that whole "non-violence" thing is a sticking point). They solve crimes! They eat honey biscuits! And did I mention zombies?

Hope you like it!

Haxan Podcast!

2009-06-18T11:40:00.001-07:00

My story "Haxan" is now offered as a podcast by Beneath Ceaseless Skies. Click on the banner below and you'll be taken to the page where you can either listen or download the story in an MP3 file. Hope you enjoy it!

WOO HOO! Drops of Crimson Accepted A Story!

2009-05-29T08:59:00.001-07:00

Drops of Crimson accepted my YA dark fantasy story "The Gate Between Worlds"! This is way cool. I really love this story and I love the protagonist: a six-foot, sixteen-year old Buddhist nun who has difficulty living up to her vow of non-violence. Oh, and there's a New Orleans obeah with a degree in anthropology, a gruesome murder, a Fried Chicken King who sells honey biscuits, and one or two zombies in the mix.

No, not the flesh-eating kind, but zombies as they were traditionally envisioned.

So. Yeah. Buddhist nun and zombies. Oh, and honey biscuits. What's not to like?

I'll post a link when the story goes live. Hope you enjoy it!

"Haxan" Podcast Poll

2009-05-26T10:59:00.000-07:00

Beneath Ceaseless Skies is having a poll whether to podcast my story "Haxan" or some other story. If you have time could you please go over there, register as a member (it's free) and vote for "Haxan"? Thank you!

http://beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/forums/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=285

New Haxan Banner!

2009-05-25T08:41:00.000-07:00

wedschilde created an awesome Haxan banner for my website. I'd really like for you to take a look and tell me (and her) what you think. I believe she captured Haxan perfectly. And when you go to the website and click on the banner it brings you directly to the Haxan page. How cool is that? (George Jetson would be envious of the ease which surrounds our lives, although he does have that flying bubble car and automatic dog walker.)

Oh, other new stuff on the website, too, including a new sample story "Hour of the Tiger" which was my first Sugawara story ever published and some other little bits and pieces, links to other articles and stuff. But, imo, that Haxan banner rocks.

Man. If that's not reason enough to party right there then I dont know what is. Have a good Monday and a great Memorial Day! :)

CHECK OUT THE HAXAN BANNER!

"Sea Devil" Goes Live in Drops of Crimson!!!

2009-05-01T11:45:00.001-07:00

Woo hoo! My story about Sugawara the samurai has just gone live in Drops of Crimson Magazine. Click on the link below and you can read how Sugawara takes down the sea devil. Hope you like it! Check out the other fiction in the magazine, too. :)

"High Moon" Sold to Beneath Ceaseless Skies!

2009-04-26T10:51:00.000-07:00

Beneath Ceaseless Skies bought my story "High Moon" yesterday. It's one of the Haxan series and actually gives a little peek into Marwood's distant past. (Assuming he's just not slap crazy and imagining all this which is always a possibility.)

And there's more! I have three new character biographies on my Haxan webpage. Yay! Free content! So check it out, please, and read about Black Sky, Dr. Rex Toland, and Hew and Alma Jean Clay, all citizens of Haxan. (Some more reputable than others, thank you very much, but that's Haxan for you.)

So far so good this week. Patrick had a good baseball game yesterday with a hit and assist to tag out a runner on first base. They lost the game but he was excited about how well he played. I placed a Sugawara story with Drops of Crimson, sold a new Haxan story to Beneath Ceaseless Skies and have new Haxan biographies posted for fans. Later today I'll have BBQ chicken, chili hot beans, potato salad and vodka gimlets to celebrate.

Much excitement in the Hoover Clan! Woo HOO!

Sugawara Strikes Again!

2009-04-21T13:01:00.000-07:00

My short story "Sugawara and the Sea Devil" has been accepted by Drops of Crimson. I'm pretty stoked about this. I like this magazine. It's gotten a lot of attention lately because the stories inside are, you know, good.

Personally speaking, I LOVE this story about Sugawara. It's without a doubt my absolute favorite. Partly, because he does some un-Samurai like things and there's lots of martial arts as well. (Well, okay, you got me. It's a Suguwara story. There's always martial arts.)

But one of the things he does is use a naginata to fight the "sea devil" because no other available weapon will give him the reach he needs from the platform he has to fight from. (Yes, that's a tease.)

Now I know what you're saying. Big deal, he's using a fancy spear. Except a naginata was historically a weapon intended for use by samurai women. (Yes, there were female samurai.) Some male samurai might eschew using a naginata even though it was studied by men, just not as much. But that doesn't bother Sugawara because he wants to stay alive. Or try to. Silly bastard.

Look for the story at the end of April. (I think.) Of course I'll provide links and stuff. Yay!

Colt Dragoon -- The Weapon

2009-04-03T11:58:00.001-07:00

U.S. Marshall John Marwood primarily uses a .44-caliber Colt Dragoon. This is a single-action pistol. That means he has to cock the trigger back every time he shoots. He can't stand there pulling on the trigger and blasting willy nilly like the Lone Ranger or Roy Rogers or some other cartoonish character on television. He has to stand under the returning fire of his opponent, cock his gun and aim. And the guy across the plaza has to do the same thing. The type of six gun you see in Lone Ranger episodes and the like didn't exist until much later in the century.

Sometimes a man would "fan" the trigger, but this was rarely done because you couldn't really hit anything. Better to take your time, aim well, and fire. Though gunfights themselves were extremely rare in the West, the man who aimed the straightest often beat the man who drew the fastest. That was the reality of the world back then, even in the world of Haxan. Speed was helpful...but aim was better. And since Marwood uses a Colt Dragoon, a fairly heavy gun even for 1874, it's his aim and not his speed that wins the day. So far, anyway.

The Colt Dragoon was a popular gun during the Civil War and afterward. Wild Bill Hickock and other persons of that era also carried it. The gun wasn't loaded with cartridges you see on gun belts in movies. It was a ball and powder pistol fired with a percussion cap. Though the cylinder has six holes drilled into it, Marwood only loads his gun with five. The hammer is kept on an empty chamber for safety purposes. Only if he has time before he goes into action will he load that sixth chamber. (Most gunfighters did this. They figured if you can't kill someone with five rounds a sixth isn't going to help. You'll be dead by then anyway.)

As with most people who use a gun like this, Marwood reloads it every morning. Moisture in the night air can dampen the gunpowder and cause a misfire (Admittedly, this was less likely to happen in the desert where the humidity is low.) It was smart tactics to reload your gun every morning for the day. And as powder, conical slug and percussion cap cost about eight cents each, this added up to a lot of money, about $2.40 a month. That's not chicken feed, and when you add in the cost of practice then it really mounts up.

People often used rifles and shotguns to hunt and protect themselves back then, even in Haxan. But they were under NO illusion as to what a revolver was for. It was made to kill people. It had no other use and people of the West understood this. Guns -- revolvers -- were made to kill other human beings. That was their main function. Men, and not a few women, didn't purchase revolvers and plink away at cans and bottles just for laughs.

One last note. Often you see movies and old shows from the 1950s get the terms "gunman" and "gunfighter" mixed up. They aren't interchangeable. A "gunman" is a bad guy or someone who sells his gun for murder. A "gunfighter" is someone who is working on the side of the law. The men and women of the real West knew this difference and would never have confused the two terms.

Whether Marwood is a "gunman" or a "gunfighter" is left to the reader to decide.

Below is a pic of a Colt Dragoon. This is very similar to the one Marwood uses, except his sports a "yellow bone" handle. Once again, I'll leave it to the reader to imagine what kind of bone it might have been.

BCS Forum Post About "Haxan"

2009-04-03T09:31:00.000-07:00

Some people have commented on the story in the Beneath Ceaseless Skies forum. They've been very nice. If you care to read their comments then CLICK ME HERE.

"Where do you get the names of your characters?"

2009-04-03T09:00:00.001-07:00

"Haxan" Has Gone Live!

2009-03-26T02:29:00.001-07:00

My dark fantasy story about a mythical Western town, "Haxan", has been published by Beneath Ceaseless Skies Magazine. Please, click on the link below the title and you'll be taken to the story. I really hope you like it.

HAXAN

Appearing NOW in Beneath Ceaseless Skies Magazine

03. 26. 09.

And if that isn't enough. And don't you think it ought to be? There's a new biographical character sketch about Marwood on my webpage. Free content with the story. Now I ask you how can you beat that? Click here to read biographical material about U.S. Marshall John Marwood!

Blood.
Dust.
Wind.

Hell Is Invited To Supper

2009-03-25T11:31:00.001-07:00

And Haxan thought it was a rough town. Find out how wrong they were TOMORROW!

HAXAN

Appearing tomorrow in Beneath Ceaseless Skies Magazine

03. 26. 09.

Blood.
Dust.
Wind.

Marwood Rides Into Haxan

2009-03-24T08:48:00.001-07:00

See what is waiting for him when he arrives. I'm sure everything will be okay. I mean, what could go wrong in Haxan, right? In TWO days!

HAXAN

Appearing in Beneath Ceaseless Skies Magazine

03. 26. 09.

Blood.
Dust.
Wind.

What Happened to the Gold Double-Eagles?

2009-03-23T06:19:00.001-07:00

Find out where the money is in THREE days!

HAXAN

Appearing in Beneath Ceaseless Skies Magazine

03. 26. 09.

Blood.
Dust.
Wind.

Where is Magra Snowberry?

2009-03-22T07:55:00.001-07:00

Find out what happened to her in FOUR days!

HAXAN

Appearing in Beneath Ceaseless Skies Magazine

03. 26. 09.

Blood.
Dust.
Wind.

Beneath Ceaseless Skies Teases Haxan!

2009-03-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

Beneath Ceaseless Skies has posted a snippet from the story. Give it a peek. Here's the link!:

HAXAN Tease

Three Stories in Three Days

2009-03-21T11:20:00.000-07:00

I like to be challenged. I like setting goals for myself and seeing if I'm up to meeting them.

I had the idea of Three Stories in Three Days for several weeks. I wanted to see if I could do it. No immediate reason, other than the alliteration sounded good and I thought it would be a decent test of my artistic skills and endurance.

I'm telling you, it almost killed me.

I got up early every morning, had a big breakfast and coffee, and was working by eight. I often finished around eight or nine (I can't really remember) that night, with an hour or two (or three) of downtime. But even though I wasn't writing those hours I was thinking of the story at hand. It was all very intense, more than I realized it would be, I guess. I should have known better.

The problem was even though I was working on the first story of three, ideas for the other two kept popping into my head. So I had to deal with that and compartmentalize. It was a mental juggle. It didn't help that my nights were for the most part sleepless. Ideas (and some angst) kept intruding on my rest. Initially, that first morning, I had some trepidation. Was I insane? This was a really big project. Who was I trying to impress? What did it mean, if anything, that I wanted to do this? Not to mention I'm of the school a story is as long as it needs to be. Oh, no, what if a story had to be 40 pages? That's a lot of work for one day. Was I setting myself up to fail?

Eh, quit your whining, you fuck, and get to work. Failure is not an option.

By the second day I was 2/3 through the second story when I was faced with a decision. I could write a quick and easy ending or go for the gold and write the ending the story had to have. Which meant it would be longer and I would have to keep working. But I was so tired! If you read my blog with any kind of regularity you know me well enough to know what side I came down on. Story comes first. But when I was into it I was psyched. I kept getting up every couple of pages or so to work off some of the kinetic energy that was flowing from the story into me. When I finished I thought I had written something pretty special.

By now I was damn near running on fumes. The whole mental aspect of this was more draining than I figured it would be. I've written three days in a row before. I've written an entire story in one day. I've written 10.000 words in a single day. But the whole dynamic of Three Stories in Three Days was like nothing I've ever attempted before. Because day by day I had to shift into another gear. Often I would think, "I"m not going to be able to do this." But then I realized I did not want to fail. So I kept going. I pushed myself. It was all mental. That surprised me.

On Day Three I was dragging. It was zombie time. I had no reason to be ashamed. I could quit. I already had completed Two Stories in Two Days. But that's not what I set out to accomplish. I started the third story. It didn't want to flow. By noon I only had about four pages. I was running out of time and starting to panic. I recognized I was being held up more from exhaustion than anything else. I knew these characters and the setting. (Which is the reason I chose them to be all Haxan stories, because I thought that would make it easier. Haha. Fool that I am.) I pressed on.

By six o'clock the ending began to reveal itself, like slices out of an orange. I had to put them together. I have three Writing Rules: Tell a good story, persevere, and trust your instinct. I depended heavily on the last two. I instinctively felt the story was good, but I had to keep going and most of all I had to trust myself. I wanted to quit. I couldn't quit. I had to finish what I had started.

I did it. I wrote the story.

When I was finished I sat looking at the screen. I was beyond the point of being able to concentrate. I had lost that ability long ago. The past three days were a wild blur. It had been incredibly intense. I don't know if anyone else would have felt that way. Maybe their experience would be entirely different. But I am still amazed how personally intense those three days were with story, Story, STORY. Man. I still can't believe I actually did it.

Bottom line, I wanted to prove something to myself and I guess I did. It doesn't mean anything in the long run. But I learned something about myself, what I can do, what I am capable of. That was instructive.

And to answer a question you might have, No, I am NOT going to do this again, haha. At least not on purpose! Once was more than enough, believe you me. You can give it a shot!

I want to thank everyone who was cheerleading from the sidelines. That was a big help, more than you can ever know.

I'm still kinda stunned. Three stories in three days. Doesn't mean anything to you, maybe, but I was able to accomplish it. I set a goal and tested myself and met the challenge. Best part? The stories don't suck.

But, boy, did it ever wear my butt out.

Do You Night-Walk? The People Of Haxan Do!

2009-03-21T08:14:00.001-07:00

Find out how they do it in FIVE days!

HAXAN

Appearing in Beneath Ceaseless Skies Magazine

03. 26. 09.

Blood.
Dust.
Wind.

Third of Three Stories Down! NONE Left in the Thunderdome!

2009-03-20T19:18:00.000-07:00

I am so exhausted. Mentally and physically. It took everything I had to finish "Grand Guignol" today, all 3700 words.

It's a psychologically dark, claustrophobic and gritty story. Which means it's pure Haxan. But, man, it was tough. I was fighting myself as much as anything. After three days, switching gears from one story to the next to the third...it wore me out. That was the hardest part. Switching mental gears like that. But I'll write about that later, if you don't mind.

I am truly wiped out. Beyond the point of able to focus. But I did it. And I feel pretty good about that accomplishment.

Three stories in three days. I'm not bragging. It's just something I did, that's all. That's all.

Man. Am I ever going to sleep tonight.

See you guys later.

blood, wind, dust....

Second of Three Stories Down! One Left in the Thunderdome!

2009-03-19T17:57:00.001-07:00

Started and finished "Wuthering" today. Came in at about 5000 words. This one is pretty dark. Surprised me how dark it turned out. And I loved the villain in this one and how Marwood must fix things aright. I think the resolution will come across as something of a surprise. Different even for Haxan. I hope so, anyway. (It surprised me. I didn't see this ending when I started the story at eight o'clock this morning. But what else can Marwood do with that kind of bad guy?)

And we learn some personal things about Marwood we didn't know before. Magra, too! (Jake Strop wasn't in this one. He was delivering government papers to Fort Providence, haha.)

One more story to go. Assuming I finish this I'll have a lot to say about what I learned writing three stories in three days. Because I did learn something.

Of course, it's not a given. Not yet. I've got one more to write. I think it'll be "Grand Guignol" because the way I'm seeing "Ozymandias" that one's gonna be kinda long. Which means it'll come in around six pages, lol. You can never tell about these things. I've long ago given up trying to see the future in stuff like that.

There's no profit in trying to second guess yourself.

Anyway, "Grand Guignol" tomorrow. Please, God, let me get it done on time and let it be a short one! (I could use the break.)

blood, dust, wind....
blood, dust, wind....

First of Three Stories Down. Two Left in the Thunderdome!

2009-03-18T18:47:00.000-07:00

I started and finished "In the Image of His Maker" today. It came in at 4,000 words. I'm satisfied with how it turned out except I swear I have NO idea where I'm going to sell it. Grr.

I suppose I could drive up the psychological aspect a bit and blood it up some. That might open up some markets. I'll probably do that anyway. And if I'm really pressed I might be able to trowel some dark fantasy through there, but then that might end up changing the story into something it wasn't meant to be in the first place, and I'm loathe to do that.

Eh. What can you do. The story had to be written. I had to write it. Nothing I can do about that. I might be able to go back in a week or two and fiddle with it. We'll see. I can't obsess over that right now.

Tomorrow I start on "Wuthering" or "Grand Guignol" either of which will be a straight up dark fantasy. Yes, Haxan, too. They're all Haxan. Everything's Haxan. Blood, dust, wind.

Okay, tired now. Bed.

blood, dust, wind
blood, dust, wind
blood, dust, wind...

New Content on My Webpage! (As if we needed an excuse to party!)

2009-03-17T11:31:00.001-07:00

've added new content on my web page. New Haxan stuff (biographical sketches!), a new sample story ("Joke Hell"!), new essay, and other fun stuff.

I'm especially excited about the new Haxan content. I'll be adding more characters sketches as time goes on. Marwood's character sketch will appear the day "Haxan" is published by Beneath Ceaseless Skies.

Visit me! Bookmark me! And, please, check back regularly because more changes will be a'comin'. Yay!

Ego And Confidence And Why You Need Them To Write

2009-03-11T13:21:00.000-07:00

Today I met my writing buddy mjryan and while I didn't get any writing done we had a long and effective conversation about the writing process, ego and confidence.

It was very helpful for me to have her express where she's at both mentally and physically with her writing and I think she was helped by what little advice I could offer from the perspective of someone who has some things published. We mostly talked about the difference between Writer Wannabes and Writers. She's definitely in the latter camp but doesn't always see it or believe she's there or believe she's earned it. That's understandable.

One thing I got to thinking about was the confidence thing. I understand how some people have a problem with that. I did, too. Now in full disclosure I happen to carry around a rather large and unmanageable ego so there's very little writing-wise that I don't think I am capable of. I guess there's also a bit of experience on my side that gives me confidence. I mean, as I was telling my writing buddy, I feel I could write a straight up romance if I had to. That doesn't mean it would be very good, but I have the confidence I could do it if I wanted. Does that make sense?

In other words, there's no genre I feel I can't write. Maybe it's wrong to think that. I don't know. But that's how I feel, right or wrong. I have that much confidence in myself. Now to be fair I have no intention of writing something like that because there are other genres I prefer to work in.

I guess some of that confidence is earned. I have sold over thirty short stories and articles to professional and professional magazines, I'm a member of SFWA and have a membership pending with HWA and I sold my first novel in 2005. Pretty cool. Not the best in the world, maybe, and I'm not satisfied with just that, but not bad for now.

Nevertheless our conversation got me to thinking all about confidence and awareness and "paying your dues" when it comes to writing. Like I said, I'm maybe not a perfect candidate to use for a generalization about this because I am a bit of a lunatic to begin with. That probably colors my perception of reality just a tad. I admit that. But knowing you're a nut is half the battle of dealing with being a nut, so I feel I'm in a good place there, too.

Of course, on the flip side there's the whole "I'm a writer I'm not sure this is correct here's my angst pity me" which I'm also familiar with. Yes, I probably have WAY too much confidence for my particular talent pool. But that doesn't mean I also don't have a healthy dollop of angst mixed in as well to leaven that confidence.

Writers. Man. It's a wonder we function at all.

The last thing we talked about was believing in yourself. I think this can help you more than anything else when writing. I remember someone asked me many years ago "Have you sold a novel?" and without even thinking I answered, "Not yet."

Later he told me he was very impressed with that answer. He said it told him a lot about the mindset of a writer, how you had to believe in yourself even if no one else did. I guess that's what I'm trying to get across in this essay. You have to be all about the "Not yet, but I'm capable of doing it" rather than the "No, I haven't, I'm still failing."

Believe in yourself. Trust yourself. And never give up.

Do those three things, and even in the midst of a blizzard of rejections you will one day get that acceptance letter that validates the belief you had in yourself.

Or you could just be a whack job like I am and live in your own little fantasy world where you're the Superhero who saves the day. Hey, that works too.

I'm living proof of what straight-up lunacy will get you.

"Alpenglow" Finished!

2009-03-09T16:40:00.001-07:00

Well, I guess it was nagging me so I sat down and finished "Alpenglow" and it came in right around 5300 words. I'm pretty happy with the way this story turned out. I had been fighting it a little so this afternoon I erased the final third and rewrote it cold. Of course an entirely new ending presented itself to me.

A better ending.

Isn't that the way it always works? *sigh*

One problem was I had a character doing something dramatic but the more I thought of it the more convinced I became the drama was entirely all on my side. (Me, Drama Whore!) The conflict was there and necessary to the story, but I let my own emotions come into play and force him to do something he would never do under any circumstance. At least...not this time.

(I remember some weeks ago when I was at the coffee shop and I wrote this scene and told my writing buddy about it. She looked at me as if I were crazy. Even she knew it was wrong. God bless writing buddies!)

I wasn't being true to him. My fault. He knew it, I didn't. I finally came around to his way of thinking. He's happier now. Me, too.

Funny. I had every intention of taking the rest of today off. I went into the garden and drank a little raw whiskey while sitting in the sun like a lizard. It was nice while it lasted then I got up and went inside and made a beeline to my laptop.

Guess I wasn't finished after all. It works out well, though. It does free up time next week I can apportion to something else, writing-wise. That's good. Less stress is always welcome.

Huh. I feel I accomplished something significant today. Happy? Hm, perhaps.

More like relief.

Tie A Bow On It!

2009-03-06T20:13:00.000-08:00

Long day today. I got a lot accomplished, not least of which was the second "High Moon" rewrite.

I'm very pleased with how it turned out. It's done. It's solid. I'll give one more pass tomorrow and send it back out.

Me tired now. Me sleep.

I get a shout out from Richard Parks! Woot! (Darn nice of him, I'd say)

2009-03-06T15:19:00.000-08:00

Richard Parks blogged about the highs and lows of writing series fiction. He mentions my story "Haxan" which will appear in Beneath Ceaseless Skies later this month.

He has some thoughtful advice for writing a series which you should take to heart if you ever want to tackle a project like this. Then he ended up saying some awfully nice things about me and my writing. I want to thank him for that.

You should give it a look.

It's Not Rocket Science. Seriously, It's Not.

2009-03-06T11:54:00.000-08:00

If a person of color has a problem with your story then you should listen. If a white person has a problem with your story then you should listen. If anyone has a problem with your story then you should listen.

That doesn't mean you have to write what only makes them happy. It means you should listen because they really do have better things to do than revisit their pain. That's all.

But if you do listen, don't pretend to agree to the person's face and then turn around and snark to everyone else you never agreed with her critique in the first place.

Come on. It's not rocket science. Seriously. It's not.

Monkey Writer Dog Can Solve Your Sex Woes!

2009-03-06T11:32:00.001-08:00

I'm listed on the Internet Book Database of Fiction.

Mentioning this at a party is guaranteed to get you laid.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

(Okay, probably not. But it was worth a try.)

Racefail 2009 in the SF/F Community

2009-03-06T11:25:00.000-08:00

I've never been one to shy away from calling people what they are. And I can't shy away now even though I'm only a tiny guppy in the SF/F pond.

What I'm about to link you to, in case you don't know, has been going on for quite a while. These are professional people, some of whom I've met.

Some of them I used to respect.

What am I talking about? Well, they're calling it Racefail '09. Actually, they're calling it a whole lot of things, but I like that term. It's got people angry. And for good reason.

Me trying to condense this SF/F fan/writer/editor/publisher shit storm into a coherent synopsis is beyond my puny mortal ability. Fortunately, you can read an excellent summary about it here.

The summary was written by popelizbet and I found it through kynn 's own LJ.

As for myself, if you've read my blog for even thirty seconds you know which side of this I come down on.

Monkey Writer Dog On The Razor's Edge

2009-03-01T11:30:00.000-08:00

Flug. I'm right on the edge with this cold. It could fade away into a bothersome little head knocker kept at bay with Sudafed and black coffee...

...or degenerate into a horrific snot-fest accompanied with an overwhelming sense of gakking myself to avoid the misery.

It's like God is going to flip the coin in the air tonight and I'll see on which side it lands. But if this is the same God who gave me chickenpox on the night of my first communion, well, then I guess I know how it's gonna end. We'll see, though. He knows me pretty well. I don't react well when people (or deities) personally piss me off. I'm like an elephant. I have a long memory of past slights.

Anyway if it does get bad I've got an unopened bottle of rye whiskey in the freezer just begging to help me fight this cold. Then again, who needs the excuse of a cold to crack that soldier open?

I feel pretty good right now, but a little too lethargic to get up and do any work in my office. Bummer. I really wanted to start concentrating on my writing this month because February was such a mess. I guess can work from bed tomorrow, though. All I really have slated is to complete my synopsis for the novel and get that off the Five Star. If I'm able I'll also meet my writing buddy Tuesday for coffee.

I've gotten several nice emails about my story "Death Storm" which has just been published in Drops of Crimson. Really touching; I'm glad people seem to like it because this was one of my personal favorites, too.

"Death Storm" Appears in Drops of Crimson Magazine!

2009-02-28T08:20:00.000-08:00

Click the banner below to read my new Sugawara story, "Death Storm" now appearing in Drops of Crimson!

Announcing Mark Hoover's SF and Fantasy Website!

2009-02-20T04:19:00.001-08:00

I'm thrilled beyond words to announce the grand opening of my new science fiction and fantasy web site. I hope to attract lots of visitors (and prospective customers), so I invite you to visit my site at your convenience and let me know what you think about it. I value your input and I hope you find the personal and professional content to your liking. :)

Please forward this announcement to anyone who might be interested in reading genre fiction and to help me spread the word. To see my site, just click the "Visit My Site" button above!

All my thanks to everyone on my Flist who supported me, and all you lurkers out there! Bookmark me. Yay!

Mark Hoover

http://kennethmarkhoover.com

Sekrits! I Haz Dem!

2009-02-18T09:55:00.000-08:00

Got a synopsis to write and a few other tidbits and I'll send Flashpoint Zero off to meet its fate in the big wide world all by its lonesome. *wipes away a tear* Fare-thee-well, little tale.

Hooray! Tomorrow I meet my writing buddy. I'm looking forward to it because I will have an opportunity to work on my short story "Alpenglow" and not worry about other things that keep crawling from the woodwork and being all demanding and stuff. Like I'll listen anyway.

Oh, and I have an announcement to make Friday. Hee.

*runs away to covet his special sekrit and hide it for another day*

Five Star

2009-02-13T18:36:00.001-08:00

Five Star wants me to resubmit my mystery/thriller novel Flashpoint Zero. They have a new editor over there now and new submission guidelines. They passed on Red Widow, but asked me to resubmit this one, so I'll be busy this weekend getting that together.

HAXAN

2009-02-12T13:32:00.000-08:00

Blood.
Dust.
Wind.

HAXAN

Appearing in Beneath Ceaseless Skies Magazine

03. 26. 09

"Widdershin" Sold To Three Crow Press

2009-02-11T14:35:00.000-08:00

Three Crow Press just bought my darkly erotic science fiction story "Widdershin" for publication in August or November. WOO HOO!

My Writing Buddy And Me

2009-02-10T15:51:00.001-08:00

Here is the coffee shop where I write a couple of times a week with my writing buddy:

Here is my writing buddy, . She's shy.

Here she is writing. You should check out her LJ. She's smart and she knows stuff. When I talk too much she yells at me, though.

Here we are. She's actually writing. I'm pretending.

We often sit in front of the window so we can keep an eye on who's coming and going.

Eh, one of me.

Money Flows To The Writer

2009-02-09T09:43:00.000-08:00

Next?

2009-01-29T14:27:00.001-08:00

I got the rewrite for "High Moon" finished and sent it off. I believe I did a good job but was reaching a point of diminishing returns so I needed to get it out. I'm meeting my writing buddy again tomorrow and I'm thinking of starting a new story, except there's going to be a problem with that.

I've got some personal stuff piling up on me for the next month so I might not have much time for writing. Not much I can do; I can't get out of it. (I've tried.) So I don't want to start a story and then leave it hanging...but then again I don't want to take that kind of time off when I'm sort of in a groove of story writing.

So I guess I'll probably start the story and hope I can catch up to it and give it the attention it needs in the coming weeks. Like Pooh says:

"Oh, bother!'

Show Me The Money

2009-01-29T11:58:00.001-08:00

While I maintain print was long overdue for a shake up, I don't view this economic downturn as any kind of validation for self-publishing.

Here's how it works: Money flows to the writer.

That holds true in all cases. I don't care how many magazines go under. Or how desperate you get to see your stuff published.

We're Writers. We Write.

2009-01-28T08:44:00.000-08:00

I maintain the print magazines that are going under is a good thing in the long run for our industry. Let's face it. Print has needed a high colonic cleansing for a very long time now. The cobwebs needed to be cleared out. Heck, in the last couple of years I've seen changes in print magazines that were a direct result from economic forces manifesting themselves from online magazines.

Rejection return is one such example. I know I'm not alone here. Online magazines tend to have a faster turnaround for rejection/accepting stories. I saw print magazines make a real effort to catch up in this regard over the last two years. Same for payment and publication of stories.

I'm not pro-print or pro-online or anti- either one. I'm pro-WRITER. That's why I believe in the long run this will be a good thing for both writers and the publishing industry. It's capitalism, red in tooth and claw. In our profession magazines die and others take their place. Sometimes they prosper and sometimes they don't. Like the song says, the times they are a-changin'. Writers and magazines who adapt will succeed. Those that don't will fall by the wayside.

There are no guarantees in this brutal business. But you knew that before you jumped in with both feet. And if you didn't you just had a dash of cold water to the face which is also a good thing. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Especially in this industry.

Realms of Fantasy is just the first. I expect many more "Big" science fiction and fantasy magazines will go under as well. I can see the death rattle in two of them right now and if you pay attention to the markets like I do I'm sure you can, too. And don't think it will be confined to print because plenty of online paying magazines will go belly up as well. I'm not happy about it. I don't like it anymore than you do. But let's get real here. We knew this was going to happen sooner or later. The trick is to remember why we are here in the first place.

We're writers. We write. We would do so if there were no magazines whatsoever to publish in. At least I would and you probably would, too.

Yeah, it's bad right now. Downright nasty. And it's going to get worse. But in the long run lessons will be learned and other magazines will have the opportunity to fill the vacuum. I really do believe this will be good for writers and publishers in the long run.

Hang in there. And remember you're a writer first.

We'll get through this. We always do. And so will the magazines.

"High Moon" Rewrite

2009-01-13T18:33:00.001-08:00

Beneath Ceaseless Skies wants a rewrite for "High Moon" one of my Haxan stories. The editor really had some good suggestions. Now it's up to me to see how I can make them work. If I can, I definitely think the story will be better overall and the conflict between Marwood and Bull Hod that much sharper.

It won't be easy, but I like challenges. Now I HAVE to finish "Alpenglow" in the next several days so I can hit this rewrite hard. I'm excited. Not so much about the almost-sale, but how the story will be so much stronger in light of the changes the editor wants. He really did have some good suggestions and I was flattered he took the time.

Oh, and tomorrow I meet my writing buddy. That will help. Maybe I can bounce ideas off her.

A little more reading for tonight and I'm off to bed....

Words

2009-01-13T09:16:00.001-08:00

I'm doing some reading today. I did the little corrections on the story last night (they had to do with the timeline of Sacajawea's life and the controversy surrounding it) and wrote another page or so. I'm set up good for when I meet my writing buddy tomorrow and work on the story. It's coming together and as I as lying in bed last night I saw the ending really taking shape.

I'm still on track to finish "Alpenglow" this week. Got some reading to catch up on today, though, so I'm setting aside time for that.

My foot still hurts and I'm not moving around much. Shame, because it's nice outside and I'd like to go for a walk.

Leftover pizza for lunch today, I think.

Me Productive

2009-01-10T08:43:00.001-08:00

I had a bad migraine the last day or so and it cut into my ability to work on my story. I need to be more productive this weekend which means I want to meet the goal of finishing my new story. That's my goal. So I must buckle down and write, write, write.

Now, where did I put that comic book...?

Queries and Tigers and Bears, oh, my!

2009-01-10T08:42:00.000-08:00

One thing I would like to see is some sort of standardization with queries. Seriously. Some agents want a query letter and synopsis and first three chapters. Some want query and synopsis. Some want just the query -- email only, please. Some want query snail mailed. Some want query, a three page synopsis and first ten pages of the manuscript. Some....

Well, you get the idea. A writer friend of mind was telling me how she was mailing out queries and practically every agent she was contacting wanted it done differently. "Jump through that hoop, monkey writer dog...."

Of course, I don't know how you would implement said process. Even though we have standardization in format for manuscripts the query thing would be more difficult to enforce since it reflects agents' desires. I get that.

But, yeah, anything that makes *my* life easier I'm all for.

Keep going, baby. You know you like it.

2009-01-07T14:04:00.000-08:00

I was talking to my writing buddy today at the coffee shop about show don't tell in fiction. And it got me to thinking.

I have a problem with over description in my stories. I can just describe, describe, describe a scene in the most exquisite (and therefore exhausting) detail and be happier than a spanked monkey in a rainstorm. I love delving into detail. Minute detail. Tiresome detail. To the detriment of the quality, and salability, of my fiction.

Fortunately, I recognized this fault early on and made a move to address it. But it's a constant battle. When I'm writing today I'm always aware of word count. I can look back on ten-thousand word stories I wrote ten or fifteen years ago and now see if I wrote them today they'd be half the length. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

To make her point my writing buddy was talking about Lord of the RIngs and how Tolkien went into detail of describing every blade of grass. It made her put the book down and lose interest, she said. But I loved that stuff in LOTR because it was scratching that description itch between my shoulder blades I constantly battle.

Ideally, there has to be a balance. I'm trying to find that balance in all my fiction, particularly the Haxan stories. In one of the stories I used a descriptor of how the moon was like an orange lantern in the sky. A couple of people said they really liked it. I liked it, too, but I remember sititng there when I wrote that wanting to tell how the light was playing on the desert and cactus, giving it an unearthly quality. You know. Go into minute detail. Slap the reader across the face with it. But I held back, recognizing that the original description of the moon as an orange lantern did that already.

Live and learn, right?

I'm not big on minimalism, either, but it has its place. When it's done well it can be more effective than a dense block of descriptive text. It's just hard to do, imo.

Even so I can't help but remember a friend many years back who said to me, "Wow, you really know how to paint a picture. It's one of your strengths. You're very good at description."

Me: "I know."

Unfortunately, I've never gotten the humility thing licked.

"Alpenglow"

2009-01-03T11:59:00.001-08:00

It's a nice sunny day so I sat out on the deck and started a new story, "Alpenglow". It's another Haxan tale and the idea I had percolating for "Samsara" but just retitled.

I've got four pages done. Not bad, I guess. I'm starting to see where it's going and the direction looks promising so far. Maybe it won't entirely suck once I'm done. This one is shaping up to have heavier fantasy elements than the others, though. We'll see how it comes out in the wash.

I might do a little more tonight, but this is a decent start. I'm satisfied.

Oh, and I think I'm going to make spaghetti and homemade focaccia bread for dinner tonight. Yum!

Resolutions

2009-01-03T08:34:00.000-08:00

I"m going to concentrate on short stories again this year. But if a big project comes along and interests me then I might do it. I'm leaving myself open to that possibility which is something I didn't do last year.

But mostly short stories, I think.

"Phaedra"

2008-12-18T22:33:00.001-08:00

I was so frustrated this morning. I had met my writing buddy and was going to start my new story. A real start, not just some brief notes jotted on a yellow legal pad.

But I couldn't get started. It wasn't coming together. I kept trying to force it but the story I was going to write entitled "Samsara" wouldn't come. I knew it was there. I knew it had to be told. But I couldn't make it surface. Couldn't make it gel.

I couldn't even write the first line.

I was very frustrated. My writing buddy tried to help with several good suggestions. Not her fault. Nothing was working for me. I drove home two hours later in a total funk. I ate lunch and then crawled into bed. To hell with the day. I give up.

An hour later I awoke and got my laptop back out. I started a brand new Haxan story entitled "Phaedra" and worked on it all day and into the night. A retelling of the mythical story Phaedra. Haxan is good for things like that. Twenty-seven pages, most of 5500 words but the story is finished. It's solid. I wrote it all in two sittings. It flowed. It just poured out of me. I swear the damn thing wrote itself, all twenty-seven pages.

I still want to write "Samsara" someday. I will. But today I guess I had to write "Phaedra" first. Well, sometimes the Muse is like that. Don't ever bet against her. You'll always lose.

I"m tired now. It's past midnight and I'm off to bed.

Today was a good writing day after all.

"Death Storm" Finds A Home

2008-12-16T13:34:00.000-08:00

Drops of Crimson accepted my short story "Death Storm" for their February 'Blood and Roses' issue. I'm happy about this. I've always liked this story and its character, Takeo Sugawara. I'm glad it found a home and will now have readership.

"Death Storm" is one of my Sugawara tales and a personal favorite of mine. I love Japanese culture and it often arises (as does martial arts) in some of my fiction. (Oh, yeah, I often write about Russians, too.) I readily admit I'm a Japanophile and I'm entranced with the Samurai culture. (These stories take place pre-Edo Period.) I like the honor and loyalty and selflessness. Anytime you put poetry, flower arrangement and swords together you're on the right track as far as I'm concerned. Of course they were also very violent which has story potential, especially for a brooding loner like Takeo Sugawara who has one big Mad-On. He carries a famous sword called "Falling Flowers" (Many of the famous swords of that time had names) because when he uses it heads fall like...well, you guessed it.

When I was writing about him his stories often wrote themselves. I toyed with the idea some years back of writing a full-blown Sugawara novel. But the market place is up to its eyeballs with Asian-based fiction and I've never been one to jump on a bandwagon. But that's okay, too. I'm not sure there's a novel there anyway, if truth be told, and the stories I've written and had published over the years pretty much tell his complete tale, although not in chronological order. (That is, they weren't written or published in chronological order.)

There's still one Sugawara story idea that's been clanking around in my head for many years. Maybe someday I'll write it. I hope so.

Anyway, I'm happy about this placement. I like Drops of Crimson, I think they publish good work and I'm happy to be associated with them. And the editor, J. Lee Moffatt, said she "loved, loved, loved" the story which made me feel really good because, like I said, this has always had a special place in my heart, too.

I'll provide a link and stuff when then story appears next February if anyone is interested....

Long, Slow Afternoon (I deserve it)

2008-12-14T11:21:00.000-08:00

I finished my story. It came in around 5500 words or so. In the immortal words of another writer, I don't think it entirely sucks.

Now I'm going to enjoy the rest of the afternoon lounging around on the deck and drinking whiskey....

Crunch Write

2008-12-12T18:36:00.001-08:00

I'm setting this weekend aside to finish my short story "White Hawk". The weather isn't supposed to be too bad, either, so maybe I'll do a bit out on the deck. I'm going to meet this goal.

Flame on!

Contracts and Coffee Mugs, Oh My!

2008-12-11T18:01:00.000-08:00

Today I met my writing buddy and did three pages on "White Hawk" which maybe isn't a lot but it was a good three pages. I see the story even clearer than I did before. Many of the previous Haxan stories ran about 7k. This one looks to be a mite shorter which is always helpful for marketing.

I'm toying with the idea of doing a crunch-write and finishing the story this weekend. Not sure if that will happen, but it's nice to dream.

Also today I signed and mailed the contracts for the reprint of my short story "Tryst" for Three Crow Press. Man, that little story has been good to me in a lot of ways. Can't complain if someone likes it enough to want to pay for a reprint. Okay, it's not much...still money, though.

Remember my other story "Heart's Issue" that appeared in Drops of Crimson? They now have a little CafePress thing going on the side. Check it out. I'm going to get the coffee mug, it looks cool: Drops of Crimson Shop.

Haha, and if you really want a blast from the past here's the old coffee mug CafePress did for my Strange Horizons story "Slugball" illustrated by frankwu . All that stuff is no longer avaliable, but you can see a little picture of the coffee mug. There was the usual stuff like bookbags and shirts but we also had Christmast ornaments! Frank and I always laughed about that. (We still do. It doesn't take much to make us laugh.) Heck, I bet Ernest Hemingway never had Christmas ornaments. Take that, Hemingway. You, too, Melville because you didn't have one either, you poser.

In other news I slipped on ice today and liked to blew my fucking knee out. I'm okay, no harm done. I'm so agile and my reflexes so cat-like I was able to avoid any serious damage. I just included the phrase "liked to blew my fucking knee out" because it sounded dramatic. It's still true, however, that I have cat-like reflexes. That part is true. No, it is. Okay. Don't believe me. Fine. I can live with that. Mad? No, I'm not mad. Why would I be mad? Let's just move on. I'm a liar, I guess, that's all. No, I'm not going to forget it. What? Do I often have these conversations with myself? Why, as a matter of fact I do.... Scare you, much?

Right now I"m watching the Palladium Channel on TV. They're showing the old documentary Monterey Pop and Jimmy Hendrix is doing things with a guitar human beings weren't meant to do. Amazing talent. If you've never seen this documentary I urge you to give it a peek. Really good filmmaking and the music is seminal.

Well, that's about it for tonight. I'm wrapping things up around here. I'll read a bit and crawl into bed. 'Nite.

From Little Imps Do Great Ogres Grow

2008-12-05T13:36:00.001-08:00

You know how it is. You have a little edit suggested to you by someone you trust but it's not much so you figure "Fug it, I'll do it later."

And then someone else gives you some other advice on a completely different story and you know they're right, but it won't take very long so you figure you'll do that tomorrow because right now you're eating peanuts.

And this story. And that one over there. And the other.

Before you know it you're talking about a really big time investment. Now you've got a big mean ogre staring down at you demanding to be taken care of. He has a great big club with iron power-points and all you have is a hand with some skin on it. Yeah. Like that.

So that's what I've been doing all morning. This edit here and this edit there, oh shit I forgot this one too, because my friends know what they're talking about and these changes need to be made. So I've made them. But it took a lot of time because there were a lot of them even though they were little and I kept putting it off.

Why do I do that? Dunno. Go figure.

Now, where did I put those peanuts...?

"White Hawk"

2008-12-05T10:55:00.001-08:00

"I walked between the bodies. Everyone was dead. Horses, dogs, men."

Got three pages under my belt yesterday at the coffee shop. Feels like a solid start. Welcome to Haxan!

What Writing Is, Charlie Brown

2008-12-05T10:52:00.000-08:00

I know your life is chaos right now. I know that and you know that.

But sometimes you have to be a right bastard if you ever want to write. Sometimes you have to shove other people out of the way and make room for yourself so you can write. It's not a nice thing to think about. I know that. But no one can write for you. You have to do it yourself because you are a writer. Don't forget that.

You see, writing isn't like any other thing. It's completely you, no one else. Therefore, since that's true, sometimes you must push people aside, even those you love, to make the room you need so you can write. Yeah. It's very selfish. But writing demands selfishness on our parts. It doesn't allow anything else to impinge upon the freedom it wants to have in our minds, and its desire to express itself on paper because writing is even more selfish than we are.

Writing will NEVER be loyal to you. The only loyalty will be what you have for your writing.

Like I said, writing is very selfish. It has to be or you're really not writing. In the words of Truman Capote, you're "typing."

You have to get that straight in your mind. Listen, it's not your talent, it's not your ideas, it's not your perception that you have to overcome. It's YOU. You have to overcome you so your writing can prevail. In a word: you must submit.

Writing isn't happy with second place, either. It demands it be first in your heart and mind and soul. Writing isn't interested in being best friends. It wants to be all. And you have to make that commitment. You have to move beyond the point where writing is a game. It has to become your breath. Your living breath.

Speaking for myself I don't see that in everyone who says they want to be a writer. But I see it in some people and they got me to thinking about it yesterday. You have to plant your flag and say, "Okay, I'm in all the way" and then go down with the ship if that's what's called for. Because writing doesn't make any promises, either. There are no guarantees and there never will be. Writing doesn't meet you half way. You have to climb Mt. Everest and then jump a little higher and you still might fail.

Writing gives nothing. It only takes. And as a writer you have to give and give.

That's what writing is about, Charlie Brown. And I think you can do it and I think you need to do it and I will always be there for you. But even so all I can do is show you the landscape.

You have to go into it alone. And once you're there, never turn back.

Man, is there ever some nasty stuff swimming around in the Styx

2008-12-03T12:56:00.000-08:00

Finished the story. Done done. I'm glad and relieved. Now it's in the hands of my first readers and I can concentrate on a new story. Yep. We're going back to Haxan.

Someone asked me what the new Haxan story will be about. I gave my standard reply: "Oh, probably guns and wind and dust."

Then I got to thinking, Hey, maybe that was too flip. Then I thought some more and realized, Nope, that's about right.

Another friend remarked "Santa Claus doesn't come to Haxan."

I think that says it all.

Welcome to Haxan. It's a rough town. But somebody's gotta tell their stories. I got picked. What am I supposed to do? I can't ignore them. These people are talking to me. I have to tell what I hear.

Anyway, the next story has the working title of "White Hawk" and I'm looking forward to starting it tomorrow. I'll make a few notes tonight, though.

Rewrite

2008-12-02T10:58:00.001-08:00

The rewrite/edit for "Styx" went much better than I thought it would. One more pass and I should be done.

I'm pretty happy with the way this story turned out. It's a relief. One more pass, two at the most, and this story will be done. Even better I can start thinking/planning/working on a new story tomorrow when I meet my writing buddy and not feel guilty about it.

Yeah, I'm happy. Take a picture while it lasts, lol.

Writing Angst...which this blog is all about, really

2008-11-30T18:47:00.001-08:00

I mentioned before I have some old stories in my trunk that I've pretty much put aside because I'm mainly working on new stuff now. I'm doing that for a lot of reasons, mostly because I think it's the right thing to do. Many of those stories are tapped out and I think I've moved on both stylistically and artistically since I wrote them.

So I was in a bit of a quandary when I came across a magazine looking for a particular story type. I think I had something, but since I made the decision to move on from that older work it has to be the right kind of magazine for the right kind of story which I have moldering in the trunk. This didn't fit the criteria so I never submitted it.

Maybe a mistake. Maybe. But either I'm moving on or I'm not. Either I'm growing as a writer or I'm not. And I'm pretty damn certain I am.

Okay. That's not to say if a high-profile magazine wanted something and I thought I had a piece that was appropriate, I wouldn't submit it. So is this me just being picky or me really trying to make what I perceive as a much-needed course correction and trying to stick to it?

You can see my problem. I wouldn't be writing this entry if I wasn't 100-percent sure I made the right decision. I'm 99-percent sure. But that remaining one percent niggles at me.

Oh, well. What's done is done and the window for submission has elapsed. I have to trust my instinct that I did the right thing. I believe I did, anyway.

I also didn't do the rewrite for "Styx" this weekend. Not good, but not entirely unexpected. I want to start something new. I'd like to get at least two more stories under my belt before the year ends. That's my target. But I honestly should do the rewrite for "Styx" first and that's going to make things tight.

I'll just have to get it done, I guess.

Sorry for the grumbling. I'm just trying to work this all out....

Finished Today

2008-11-26T13:47:00.000-08:00

Finished the last edit for "Till Death Do Us Part" and I'll send it out when I hear back from my first readers.

Not much else on the writing front to report. I'm still sifting through story ideas for my next project and of course I've got the rewrite for "Styx" circling me like a hungry buzzard. That story is so demanding. But I'm scheduling that for the upcoming weekend -- tentatively. Then my first readers will get it, too. Lucky them.

For myself I'm looking forward to getting back on my weekly schedule with my writing buddy. One thing does irk me. The old coffee shop where we used to meet closed down so we had to move our circus down the road a mile or two. This new coffee shop is busier than the old one...hence the reason it's still open, I guess. Still, I liked the other because it was much quieter and not as much bustle going on around me.

Oh, well, beggars and writers can't be choosers, it seems.

If I had anything more pithy to say I would say it. I don't, so I guess I'll end this post here.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Mice and Writers

2008-11-26T07:11:00.000-08:00

Not much to report today which doesn't mean I didn't have a good day. Because I did.

I had a friend over and we did lunch. It was fun. Talked about writing and watched part of an old movie on TCM. Talked about writing some more. Who says the life of a writer isn't interesting?

Tomorrow I need to do a little edit on "Till Death Do Us Part" if only to show something for the week before Thanksgiving. I've been thinking very seriously about starting a new story next week, but I also have the rewrite for "Fishing the Styx" hanging over my head. Maybe I'll do "Styx" this weekend. Nothing else planned. If the weather's good I'll go out on the deck and work on that. I'd like to have it out of the way so I can start something new next week. That would be ideal.

But we all know how best laid plans oft gang agley. Ahem. That's true for mice as well as writers.

"Fishing the Styx"

2008-11-22T16:27:00.000-08:00

I finished the new story and it's a big relief off my shoulders. This is one of the most difficult stories I've ever written. I think it's good, I think it might sell, but it was a tough one to write.

It could have gone either way: delve into comedy or be stuck in an act of self-pretension. Not surprising given the content and I wanted to straddle that line and just get a good story written. So it was a struggle. But I've finally finished it and can now turn my attention to a new Haxan story.

I'll let this current story lie fallow for about a week before I do any rewriting. I usually do this. Distance of time and space allows me fresh insight when I open up a story I've just finished and I'm able to do my editorial work without getting lost in the "newness" of the piece.

So all in all I'm satisfied about that and now looking for something new to work on. There are a few ideas banging around in the attic of my mind. I'll probably get some old stories sent out to new magazines and then start toying with starting another story. Again, like I said, one almost certainly to be set in the Haxan world.

Another Day

2008-11-19T07:14:00.000-08:00

I've been struggling with a lot of things lately, some of them personal but most of them related to my writing. I go through dark periods like this every once in a while, but I think I'm starting to come out of this one.

It's just that I don't always think I have enough to say or anything deep to report on the blog, so I don't update. I haven't been writing lately, which is a bit of a bother. But it doesn't appear to be a block or anything like that as much as it's just laziness on my part. But I talked to a friend last night who helped me see some things in a bit of a different light and I'm more motivated now than I was.

I've tentatively put tomorrow down as a Big Writing Day. I'm clearing my calender of everything I can and will set aside the day to finish my latest story, "Fishing the Styx". It's been weighing on my mind too much, has been more difficult to write than I ever expected. So tomorrow is The Day. I'll just sit down and finish it, come what may. Not that I expect it will be a tough slog or anything. I actually believe it will go quite well. But it needs to be done so I can get back to writing the Haxan stories.

I also have two stories that have come back and I need to send them out to other editors. Not a big deal, but it's the kind of office work that I find imminently boring. Part of being a writer, though.

I know. It's not all perfume and roses, lol, who'd a thunk it?

I'm actually looking forward to working on the story tomorrow. I'm ready to get beyond it and it's ready to be finished. I can't do it today because I have some personal things that need attention, but tomorrow, as Scarlett sez, is always another day....

The "Me" Update

2008-10-22T13:01:00.001-07:00

Busy today, but I got more writing done on the new story and have about nine pages total. Not bad. This might be a decent story if I can pull it off. Tricky, though.

I'll get up early tomorrow morning and head out for New Mexico. I'm really looking forward to this trip for a lot of reasons. I think it will be good for me and I can learn a lot. That's always good for a writer, especially when you can learn something new about yourself. I think so, anyway.

I've still got to pack tonight. I'll bring my laptop, of course, and post updates when possible. See ya!

Story and Voice

2008-10-21T13:45:00.001-07:00

I did three pages on the Styx story this morning. It's coming along. More importantly I think I've found my voice for the story. I was missing that, too. It's still a bear, though.

Getting ready and psyched for the upcoming trip to New Mexico.

Primeval Scream

2008-09-30T18:05:00.001-07:00

Maybe I need to rethink this.

I won't let this story beat me.

I must persevere.

It's like we're facing each other in the Thunderdome, except Tina Turner isn't around to show us her fantastic legs and nice rack. But, yes, as it stands now both of us have entered...and only one will walk out.

I won't let this story beat me. I will not quit.

Thinking It Through

2008-09-25T18:38:00.001-07:00

Today I woke up at 3:30 a.m. and the first thing that popped into my mind was the story I'm working on.

You see, it's been worrying me. And I knew if I was waking up that fuggin' early then there was something seriously wrong with the story as I envisioned it and had so far written.

So I thought about it most of the morning and finally realized I was telling the story I wanted to tell, I was even telling the story that needed to be told. But I wasn't telling it the right way.

Let me explain. As it stands I'm in the middle of a flashback and the next scene will be another flashback spinning off that flashback. Now, I'm not one of the Ivory Tower Commandment From On High Types who says flashbacks in fiction is always wrong. Come to think of it, I kinda like flashbacks. But two in a row is probably a serious technical error and it hurts the story in a major way. So I thought some more while sitting with my Writing Buddy (and also in the midst of bugging the hell out of her while she was trying to write a book review, you know, doing actual writing work, but I kept chatterboxing and then she yelled at me to shut up and I kind of got the hint) and I figured out how I should have been writing this story in the first place.

So, yeah, I'm relieved. Because this has been going on for two days and like I said when I'm waking up in the middle of the morning and the story is nagging me that something is fundamentally wrong with it...well, you either gotta fix it or let yourself go slowly bonkers.

I'm not telling you this so I can show you how I'm such a dedicated writer eaten up with angst and desire for the perfection my art, and how you should not only pity me but hold me in esteem for my willingness to sacrifice to The Muse . Not a bit of it. I'm just mentioning it because sometimes, as a writer, you have to go through this kind of irritating bullshit before you see the story as it must be, not as you think it should be.

It was a good lesson for me. One I learned a long time ago but had forgotten. It was a good reminder, and one I needed.

This weekend I'm going out on the deck and start this story over. I'm looking forward to it. I can see it in my head much clearer now.

Man. It's a relief. Now I have to try and get that vision down on paper.

The hard part.

A Good Start

2008-09-22T06:15:00.001-07:00

I found the beginning I needed (no, the beginning the story needed) and wrote 2300 words this afternoon and tonight. I feel good about the progress I have made so far.

I think it's a good start. A very good start. And if I don't fuck this up it might be kinda good.

At least I'm past the beginning and into the story now. It's really starting to open up in a big way for me, too, which is always helpful. And I want to thank everyone who had suggestions for me. I really do appreciate your help and your concern. That means a lot to me.

I'm tired now. Bath and a bit of reading, maybe a Gunsmoke radio episode or two, and I'm off to bed.

Exercise in Frustration

2008-09-21T10:52:00.000-07:00

I don't see how to start this. I know the story, but I don't see the Why. And I can't write it if I don't know that. So it's kind of important.

Some stories you can feel your way through as you go. I don't think this is that kind of story.

I have to know the Why.

I've discarded like six different beginnings because they're not showing me the Why behind the story I want to tell. The story itself is correct. I trust my instinct on that point. But the Why is escaping me. It's like trying to pin a slimy pumpkin seed down with your thumb. No matter what amount of pressure you apply it keeps popping free.

It's very frustrating.

"Fishing the Styx"

2008-09-21T09:06:00.001-07:00

"Hell isn't a gated community like heaven. Everyone is welcome here."

Fishing the River Styx

2008-09-17T16:49:00.000-07:00

If you had money on Haxan you lost. My next story will have the working title "Fishing the Styx". I've made notes about it this afternoon: character names, place descriptions. I'll start it tomorrow when I meet my writing buddy at the coffee shop.

I"m looking forward to working on this story. I like the idea of fishing the Styx. Imagine what you could catch....

Better yet, imagine what you wouldn't want to catch....

Clearing the Decks

2008-09-17T12:24:00.001-07:00

I've finished edits for both "High Moon" and "Till Death Do Us Part" and now I'm turning my attention to my next story. I'm writing these things faster than I can get 'em out to magazines for consideration. Which, I suppose, is better than not having stories to submit. But I expect I'll do some mailings either tomorrow or next day before the weekend arrives and get some of them out.

I know I said I was going to write something different, but let's face it: I'm stuck in Haxan. I like the characters and I like the setting and I'm nowhere near done telling stories about them. But I've also got a list of other story ideas and there is one or two that've been knocking around in my brain. I'll review my list tomorrow when I meet my writing buddy and see what I want to write about next.

I'm not particularly worried, just kind of curious what the next story is going to be about.

But if I were you I'd put my money on Haxan. Just saying.

Editing For Fun And Profit

2008-09-16T03:56:00.001-07:00

I've learned long ago never to do a time study for my stories. What little I ever get paid in comparison to the hours I put in writing them is enough to make the most optimistic person go bonkers.

Today I'm going to edit "High Moon" since it's been sitting cold for a couple of weeks. Now would be a good time to take a look at it. Then I have a couple of business emails to write and then I can turn my attention to the next story.

Still not sure about that one, though.

I have some other stories out with editors. Haven't heard anything recently. This is a slow time with publishing, I think. Slower than usual, that is.

Story Finished!

2008-09-15T14:00:00.001-07:00

I finished the new Haxan story, "Till Death Do Us Part" this afternoon. I'm still getting over this cold, but I felt guilty not working on the story even though I probably could have used another three or four days to build up my strength and health. I'm not saying this to show how committed I am, just to note that if I was feeling guilty for not writing then I must have been doing better than I felt.

This is one of the few stories I have ever written that is slated for a specific (and themed) market. Mostly, I wanted to prove to myself I could do it. Along with the length, right at 2,000 words, it was a bit of a challenge but I don't mind challenging myself when I write. It helps keep me interested.

If all I did was write the same story over and over I would bore myself. I like finding new ways to tell stories, and I think I did it in this short story.

So I'm pretty satisfied with what I accomplished. Now I can turn my attention to a new story. I know I said earlier I was going to write something different -- something non-Haxan -- and I think I will. It should be a nice change, a sort of break. Then I can go back to Haxan.

I'm not done with that town yet. Not by a damn sight.

Let's Play Catch Up While We Have The Chance

2008-09-11T01:51:00.001-07:00

I'm finally getting over this bronchial crud I've had. It's the first day in about a week I've felt halfway human. Assuming I ever was. There's occasionally discussion of that from time to time. I have my own views.

I know I'm feeling better. I'm thinking about the story again and want to set the end of the week down as a timetable to finish. Pesky timetables! But I feel I can do this without driving myself into a relapse.

In other news: I'm about to hit the wall over Obama. I don't think he understands he's in a fight for his life. He'd better wake up. But you know what? If he doesn't, fine, I'm moving on and done with the Democrats. I'm already a Cubs fan. I don't need Double Losers in my life. Hell, and I'm a writer. That's Triple Loser. Sheesh. Cut me some slack, Universe.

I want coffee. I ate breakfast today which was a big difference from the rest of the week being sick and all, but I didn't have any coffee. To be truthful I probably feel better for not having all that caffeine flowing through my veins. Maybe I should rethink this.

I heard Five Star dropped their SF/F line. Bummer, but not surprising. Mystery and romance pay better and are easier to sell to libraries. SF (I can't speak as much for fantasy) has always been the redheaded stepchild of literature. They keep trying to pretend they're not, but they are and it's a reality we who work in the genre have to live with. Of course, how Hollywood depicts the genre doesn't help much, either. Most people think SF is all about bug-eyed monsters and rocket ships. Good luck trying to get that shit published nowadays.

It's been raining a lot lately and now it looks like we're get some over-splash from Hurricane Ike. All this wet weather isn't helping my cough and chest congestion any. Well, like I said, this post is pretty much all about me.

Chester went to the vet last Friday. He has a rash on his tummy, but it's nothing just a reaction to the grass. The vet wasn't concerned.

I've let slip through my fingers the last week getting my stories out to editors. Gotta get back on track with that, too.

Okay, time for some lunch. I see hot soup and crackers in my future.

Now. Wasn't that painless? Just say "yes" and move on. It's what I often do to keep myself quiet. :)

On Rejection

2008-09-10T03:07:00.001-07:00

Even the "Stop killing trees!" has some piquancy. But it's the "I'll hold onto this unless something better comes along" that is really enervating.

"Till Death Do Us Part"

2008-09-02T16:04:00.001-07:00

I started work on the new story today. Got three pages done. I'd like to keep this under (okay, around) 2,000 words because that's how I see the story length for this one. There's just no acceptable reason to stretch this one out because if I did that I think the story would lose impact.

We're getting a little wind from the remanants of Gustav. Don't know if it will rain. Whatever, I will work on the story tomorrow, except the AT&T guy is supposed to come out tomorrow and replace the lines so my Internet will work right. Well, he'll have to prove that.

Kenneth Mark Hoover, Writer 2.0

2008-08-27T12:45:00.000-07:00

I'm not saying I'm putting aside all my old stories. There are one or two that might be salvageable. Heck, I sold an old story as a reprint a couple of weeks ago, but can't say anything specific about it right now because the magazine is still being put together. But I think that story might be the exception, at least as far as my older stories go, than the rule.

You see, when I made the decision to write nothing but short stories this year I was also making a conscious effort to reboot my writing career. I looked at my old stories that had not sold and decided I have moved on in a lot of different ways. I'm not saying they don't have any intrinsic value, because they do. I just decided they don't portray the voice I have now, and the voice I'm using now, the story I'm telling now. Or trying to. That's all.

So, yeah, I've rebooted myself. And so far I've been satisfied with what I've written and what I've been able to sell. And the inroads I've made with a few through these new stories. Even rejections, when viewed in that light, are valuable.

I don't know if what I'm doing is smart in the long run. Maybe I shouldn't be trunking all these unsold stories from last year and beyond. But I've done it anyway and I'm concentrating on all new stuff, at least for the remainder of this year. And it's kinda worked.

Yeah. I'm pretty happy with Kenneth Mark Hoover, Writer 2.0 so far.

So far.

Idea vs Story

2008-08-26T12:01:00.001-07:00

Today I made my notes and fiddled with names and stuff for the new Haxan story. I have all that down, but it's only an idea right now. I don't see the story yet. I know it's there. I just have to dig a little deeper in the motivations of the characters to find it.

And that's cool. Sometimes story jumps right out from the idea and screams to be noticed. Sometimes you get the story in your head, but can't find the idea to use as a framework to tell the story.

I'll find it, eventually, I'm certain of that. Half the fun (oh, who am I kidding, all the fun) is finding it along with the characters themselves.

How I Write

2008-08-22T07:33:00.000-07:00

I can carry a story in my head four or five days, but I don't go longer than that. I meet another writer once or twice a week at a coffee shop and write there for two or three hours each session and I will write at home during the day (out on the deck when the weather is nice) for as long as I want to. I don't keep regular hours; I see no need to as long as I keep making progress.

Sometimes my instinct will tell me I'm falling a little behind and I might put in a longer day to make it up. I don't obsess over how many words I write per day. There's a story about Oscar Wilde who worked in his room all morning. When he came down someone asked him what he did. "I put in a comma," he replied. He went back up after lunch and stayed the afternoon. When he came back down he was again asked what progess he had made. "I took the comma out."

I don't know if the story is true, but it sounds like Wilde. Some days are like that.

I often do the office donkey work (preparing mailings, queries, researching markets, etc) on Sunday so they can go out Monday. Anything I write during the day I often review at night, and then again the next day before I write more. I find this keeps the story fresh in my mind. Even if I skip a day of writing I will still often read through the story I have so far so I can keep it in the forefront of my mind, and, of course, I am ALWAYS thinking about the story no matter what I'm doing: driving, going to the store, listening to music, etc. The story is NEVER very far from my mind at any time, and I find this helps me quite a lot in both the creative process and understanding how the story must be written.

Of course, that's just me. Ask 100 writers and you'll get 100 different answers.

Tricky Endings

2008-08-16T14:08:00.000-07:00

"High Moon" is coming along slowly. The ending is tricky. It's one of those endings that if I don't get right the reader will say, "Well, that was dumb" and I'm trying to avoid that for obvious reasons. Hence, the "tricky" part.

It's like feeling your blind way through a hall of Jell-O. Sure, you can push your way out, but it's better to follow the path, I think. Squishy, though.

Rewrite Request

2008-08-05T18:02:00.001-07:00

Beneath Ceaseless Skies wants me to rewrite "Haxan" and resubmit. I thought about this all day yesterday, if A.) I wanted to do that, and B.) How I would do that.

I thought about it and figured out "B" easy enough. "A" was a little more difficult because I didn't want to make the story into something it wasn't meant to be. But after thinking about it I realized all they really want is to have some of the supernatural elements front-loaded in the story. I can see their concern with the current story structure and don't have a problem with fixing that.

I always approach a rewrite request with the same metric: Will this make the story better? If I'm convinced it does then I don't have a problem with a rewrite. This rewrite request doesn't really help the story much, in my estimation, but it doesn't hurt it, either. So on that basis I don't have a problem giving them what they want.

I'll be working on this today.

Diminishing Returns

2008-08-03T20:49:00.001-07:00

I'm thinking about quitting and not for the first time. I'm...tired. Tired of the hoops I have to jump through, tired of the postage, tired of being treated like a POS by agents and editors alike, tired of writers themselves not willing to stand up to the publishers who take them for granted and therefore make everything harder on those of us who view this as art.

It's not worth it. I don't know if it's ever been worth it. I've become hard pressed of late to see any value in sitting alone in front of a computer screen for hours on end with absolutely NO guarantee of worthwhile outcome. And since self-publishing is an absolute anathema to me...well, that pretty much leaves quitting as my only option.

It's not that I don't believe I can't sell another story or even another novel. I just don't see the value in it any longer. It doesn't mean anything to me. It's not as important as it once was to me. I just don't CARE about it any more.

I wasted two years and three novels and got nowhere with them. That's a huge investment in time and energy and for what? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

It's really got me bummed.

I'm not posting this on my other LJ. This is just for here. But it's how I feel lately, and no amount of quotations can change that right now.

Erasure

2008-08-02T17:15:00.001-07:00

Color me irked.

I was thinking about my story these past few days and decided I don't like the direction it's headed so I'm going to delete the last page or so and find a new direction. No big deal, but the way I have it set up now gets my hero in trouble in a similar way he experienced in the first story. I'm guessing he's smart enough to have learned from past mistakes so I'll back up about 200 words and take off again.

I still hope to finish this story soon, though. Got a big query and manuscript mailing planned for Monday so that's kind of hanging over my head, too, cuz I gotta get it prepared.

Details, details....

On Writing and Being a Writer

2008-07-31T11:11:00.000-07:00

All too often I hear the refrain "if you're not writing you're not a true writer". As if word production in itself is some magical requirement that awards the participant the mantle of a writer.

It's not about word production, or how many stories you sold or how much money you make or how high your platform is. It's about what's true in your heart. And that not only goes for writing but any endeavor you begin. I'm just putting this in the context of writing because, well, I'm a writer. It's what I know best.

When I was starting out I was in the same place most newbie writers are when they begin. I doubted I was a writer (though I wanted to be one) because I wasn't writing every day -- although I was writing sporadically. It is only with the passage of time and some experience under my belt that I can look back on those days and realize, Yes, Virginia, I was a writer.

Wow. Kinda cool. And I'm still one today. Who'd a thunk it?

You see, if I don't write another word for the rest of my life I will still be a writer. Nothing can change that. Ever. And that's the power of writing, of believing in yourself, of making the necessary sacrifices to get better and better by almost immeasurable increments (and sometimes measurable) until you reach a point where people not only want to read your work they want to PAY you for it.

Wow. Kinda cool. Who'd a thunk it?

When new writers begin there's a lot of starting and stopping. A lot of half-finished chapters and half-baked ideas that swirl around in your head like mashed bananas in a Cuisinart. But if you stick with it, if it's something you really want, then with time comes a professional measure of maturity. There are still half-finished chapters and half-baked ideas and a lot of starting and stopping....but you view it in the context of a larger framework. To wit: It's part of the process of story creation. You think Hemingway didn't write an occasional sentence that made his stomach turn? Joyce? Shakespeare? Get real. Of course they did. We all do. That's part of the Mephistophelian deal you enter into when you take on this profession. You're going to appall yourself at times with what you put on the page. The way you combat that is by having the cold-blooded passion to recognize the mistake, correct it, and move on. In other words, view it in the larger context of story creation.

I believe writing is first and foremost an art form. There are very good, technically brilliant, writers out there. But it is the artist who will often be remembered. I'm not arguing this is right or proper and I'm not arguing technicality doesn't have its place in the story. Joyce broke all the rules with Ulysses, but it's still a technically brilliant novel. No, I'm arguing that's just how it is. Art often trumps technical perfection. That's the creative dynamic in operation. That's the human quality.

And writing, just like everything else, is all about being human. Period.

Wow. Kinda cool.

Who'd a thunk it?

Lighthouse

2008-07-30T08:21:00.000-07:00

I came across this quote speaking to the seeming futility of writing. I think it captures a philosophical truth about perseverance and why you should never quit: Mainly, because it's not about you. It's about the words themselves.

Often, it's easier to find cause and effect in a quote than reality. I understand that. And I'm not saying this quote ameliorates some of the doubts that have cropped up recently with my own writing. But it does provide an interesting context in my life right now and so that's why I'm acknowledging it.

Anyhoo, here it is:

"Lighthouses don't go running all over an island looking for a boat to save; they just stand there shining." --Anne Lamott

Facebook

2008-07-30T07:58:00.001-07:00

Hi, I lost my Facebook profile and have to build a new one. Here's my profile. If we were friends before let's be friends again, and if we weren't friends, let's be friends now. (I'm in an expansive mood today.) Thanks!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1406857235

The Glass Key

2008-07-28T08:39:00.000-07:00

Perseverance is key, but sometimes I wonder if it's made of glass. But it grinds you down after a while so it's hard to stay optimistic in the face of that. It's like the WWI pilots who knew they were going to die but went ahead and kept flying anyway because there was nothing else to do.

Submitting and resubmitting and submitting again often feels like that to me: pointless. But there's nothing else you can really do; that's how the game is played.

I'll have to think about this some more.