Been taking a break...

...from blogging. That doesn't mean I have stopped writing, though. Currently I'm working with my brother adapting one of my short stories into a short film :-) I know I have to be more aggressive if I want to publish some of my stories but it's just not my style - well not yet anyway. I've been thinking of setting myself time goals. Perhaps that's the only way to get something done ;-)

I can only hope...

http://www.imdb.com/news/ni4222010/

Knightrunner

I'm knee deep in writing the short story Knightrunner. It's really taken on a life of its own and I can't wait to have it finished. I'm thinking of publishing it here on my blog when it's done :-)

Working on Knightrunner

I'm currently working on the short story Knightrunner. It's incredibly fun to write, as putting myself into the shoes of a complete nerd is awesome. I work with a bunch of guys that could easily be the blueprint for my hero, and I guess that the main character is a combination of a lot of nerds I've come to know (and love) through the years. Funny thing is that I listen to the Swedish metal kings in Opeth as I write this story. Somehow it seems fitting :)

Still waiting...

I'm still waiting for the editor to give feedback on my script. At first I was kind of drained after finally sending it to the editor, but now I'm getting an itch to start writing some more. I have another mystery in my native language brewing, but I'm also developing Knightrunner in my head.

I have a plan B if the editor rejects my script. When he agreed to take my script, he told me that about 1% of the scripts they receive each year actually get's published. Fortunately I know another publisher and I am going to contact him if this doesn't pan out.

Until then, I will keep on writing. I guess I will never stop writing, even though my stories will not be published anywhere. It's in my blood :-)

The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction

I would love to submit a short story to The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. However, paper publishing seems to be dying so I've looked at some online substitutes. With the addition of the online version of Fantasy & Science Fiction, there is Strange Horizons, Locus Online, SciFiDimensions, and Analog Science Fiction & Fact. All these look very good and I would be lucky to get published on any of these websites. So, how to proceed?

The first thing is to write the short story. The story I have in mind isn't really sci fi, but it certainly falls into a similar category. The story is called Knightrunner, and the plot-line is as follows:

A middle aged software programmer is miserable in his role as a mediocre code monkey at a company that doesn't recognize him or his work. His personal life is no better. He is stuck in a loveless marriage, with three kids that take more that they give. Depressed and actually thinking of suicide, he stumbles out one night and upon an elderly woman being robbed. He manages to chase away the robber and receives a thrill he has never experienced before. Consequently he starts to dress up in a home made uniform and go out at night to perform heroic deeds. He calls himself Knightrunner, but realizes the being a hero is easier said than done.

I know it's not very original but I find this plot fascinating and really want to explore it. Additionally I do think a story like this belongs in a sci fi / fantasy environment. And if no website will publish it, I will simply post it here :-)

Time of truth...

Well, I've sent off my first manuscript to an editor at a publishing company (a true publishing house, not these dubious ones so easily found online). After discussing my situation with him, he suggested I write a novel in my native language and I did. It's my first full novel mystery and in English it's called Magma.

I've been debating whether to translate it to English or not, but I guess I'll just wait and see for now. The editor I sent it too said that about 1% of the manuscripts they received each year got published. That's not good odds but at least I've tried :-)

An appointment with an editor..

I have an appointment with a real life editor (the one I've been in contact with). He is coming to my home country this weekend and I'm going to show him my work and get to know the publishing procedure.

I've been writing sporadically these past weeks (my intended writecation) but I have a new found faith that I can accomplish a lot without quitting my day job ;-) Stephen King's On Writing has been a real inspiration and given me a reality check and belief that I can really do this!!!

Summer's here...

What a wonderfully sunny day outside. I think I'll go outside for a walk and listen to "summer's here"...

Kay Shapiro it is

I have chosen an author name (English that is). After careful consideration (tossing a coin) I chose the name Kay Shapiro.

Regarding publishing, I halted my collaboration with the publishing firm that contacted me earlier. I did some research and it didn't take long to find some rather bad reviews for this publishing company. After reading through a detailed description of a Finnish author's experience with the company, I ended my communications with them.

Currently I am waiting for a reply from a professional editor that I have been in contact with. I'm hoping it will help me get a footing in the publishing world. In the meantime I have started writing my first Icelandic novel. This will be the first full novel I'll write in my native language. The story is a thriller and it came to me almost complete (and in Icelandic). Now it's just a matter of getting it down on paper :-)

First doubts

I received a response today from the first publishing house I submitted to. They are interested in my script (Against All Odds) and propose collaboration.

I should be excited! In fact, I should be over the moon. The reality, though, is that I'm scared and full of doubt. I don't believe that you should get a "callback" from the first publisher you send to so I'm full of suspicions and doubt.

For now I'm trying to remember these words: "Don't get on the boat unless your ready to cross all the way."

Hopefully my doubts will dissapear soon.

I'm so excited (and I just can't hide it)

The profile for Against All Odds is ready!!! I can't believe it! It's almost been a year since I started the book and the "birth" has been both difficult and amazing (as I imagine most births are).

I've been scanning publishers and the next step is to send out the profile with a partial copy of the novel. I'll also continue writing The Other Woman and That Fat Feeling. If everything goes according to plan, at least one of them should be done when my "writecation" is over :-)

Back to nature

So, I'm going back into the country this weekend and I will stay for as long as I have to. When I return, I'll have three full length novels with me. I already have plots for about five novels or so waiting when these three are done. But first thing's first and I have to finish and roll these three out to editors at publishing houses.

I'm going to take two novels with me on vacation, since reading (or listening to audi books) always stimulates my imagination and rests me in between writing. The two novels I picked are:

From the Corner Of His Eye by Dean Koontz. This was the first novel I read by Koontz and none I've read by him after that has compared.

As She Climbed Across the Table by Jonathan Lethem. I haven't read this one before but I'm fascinated by the notion of a sci fi novel that's somehow represented as a regular novel ;-) I'm looking forward to reading it.

And so it begins...

The writecation has begun. I have three novels to completely finish:

Against All Odds
The Other Woman
That Fat Feeling

My first project is to organize the plotline for The Other Woman. My plan is to create around 20 chapters, each starting with a diary entry and ending in the scene that envoked and/or sparked the diary entry. To set up the plot I believe I will use a large whiteboard and postit stickers. The story will be told in the first peson, past tense (very typical).

The challenge is to keep the underlining story even and going throughout the whole plot. Setting the plotline up on a board will help me work through that challenge.

My next project will be to re-write (again) the sub-plot for Against All Odds. I'm just not ready for that one - not yet.

World of Warcraft

I've heard some pretty great stuff about WoW but never really tested it until recently. I have to say that it is so amazing!!! I also tried EverQuest but that wasn't as appealing to me. Of all the online games I've tried, WoW is the best. Still, I haven't really tried Star Wars: Old Republic yet (because it hasn't been released).

During my vacation I have to be especially careful not to let WoW swallow all my time and focus instead on writing. The result is nevertheless that WoW ROCKS!!!

More about poems

I'm suddenly very interested in poems and I've been reading a lot of them lately. Kevin, from Toronto, wrote to me as he shares my love of poems in a "fairy tale getup". He also advised me to read Emily Dickinson. I've never read anything by her, other than was fed to us in school, but I'm really starting to appreciate her.

Here are the first two stanzas of Dickinson's poem Hope.

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

For some reason those lines spoke to me. Perhaps it's because hope is really the thing that keeps me warm ;-)

The Final Countdown

Only one more workday before I go on my vacation. I've already set up a timetable for my writing projects and finally I will be able to focus 100% on what I love doing the most.

Isn't life just wonderful??? :-)

Damn my horrible memory!

Last night as I was going to sleep, I had the most interesting idea for a sci fi short story. As the idea developed I got more into the story. In the end I had the plot outlined and my main characters in the bag, and as I drifted off to sleep I had decided to write the story tonight. Now, as I sit in front of my computer totally ready to write, I have done everything I can think of to remember what the plot was about. Unfortunately I can't even remember the characters I had pictured so incredibly live in my mind just last night.

This teaches me to get up and write down when the idea hits me, even if it's just a few words. Oh well! If its meant to be, then it will come back to me... (I hope).

Star Trek TOS

I've watched all The Original Series episodes, of course, but recently I saw them in BlueRay. Although it's nice to see the stuff in HD (you can see the makeup, zippers, etc) the really cool thing about this release is the re-mastering of the space images (planets, Enterprise, etc.)

The old franchise is very delicate and this re-mastering is very well done. Examples:
Old screenshot
New scrennshot

The re-mastering only enhances the wonderful experience that is Star Trek TOS. My favourite character has always been Spock and he continues to be so (even though I can now see his terrible eye shadow ;-)

I've already ordered my own copy of Star Trek TOS on Blue Ray and I can't wait to see all the old episodes in a new light :-)

Poetry

I gave up writing poetry many years ago but - to be fair - my first attempts at writing turned out to be poems. I was 9 years old when I produced the first poem and sadly it has been lost in the sands of time. I only remember that it was very dark and gloomy (I came into teenage angst very early ;-)

Still, I enjoy a lot of poems and some of my favourite poets inlucde Lord Tennyson, W. H. Auden, and of course, Edgar Allan Poe. These three authors all have in common to have written "fairy tale" poems. Here are examples:

Lady (weeping at the crossroads) by W. H. Auden
Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe
Lady of Shalott by Tennyson

So, I wrote some poems back in the old days and now and again I come across them. Here is one that I found recently when searching through some of my notebooks from about 12 years ago:

Resurrection

I found my heart in my head
And realized I was dead.
I pulled it out -
Without a doubt -
"Now you're stupid", it said.

I left some love in my brain,
It made me go insane.
There's nothing more
To keep the score
Of sorrow and simple pain.

Not a masterpice and I don't really remember what I was thinking while writing it. Usually these poems just came and I never struggeled with them. Actually they still do (come to me that is). The difference is that I don't write them down anymore. Writing poems is not my strong side and I'll leave that to others ;-)

The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub

The book (I actually listened to the audio book version) takes off slowly but once it get's going, it becomes a typical Stephen King book, totally sucking you in. I'm not really sure where Stephen King ends and Peter Straub starts. I haven't read much by Peter Straub but maybe I will now.

The Talisman was haunting. It carried me off to an unreal world and for some reason I was contantly thinking of an attitude that was presented to me by one of my literary theory teachers back in university. He said that literature was like the starry sky; you couldn't really create anything new, only give a new perspective. He told us to imagine that we were on Mars, looking up at the sky. We would see pretty much the same stars as we do on Earth but from a different angle. I've never quite forgotten that and listening to The Talisman I was reminded regularly. I don't exactly know why.

Anyway, must remember to pick something up from the library by Peter Straub. I hope he's as good solo as he is writing with Stephen King :-)

Writecataion Confirmed!

I've just confirmed my vacation - that is my extra long vacation that will be spent writing. I actually got a pretty good idea for a thriller while driving out in nature last weekend. I'm feeling the "mood" come over me more frequently but I'm also having less trouble shaking it off.

I'm just hanging on because after three weeks I'll be free (as a bird) to write all day - and night!!!

Just Waiting...

I find myself waiting for my vacation (or "writecation" as I call it). Since I've decided to take this time off to write, I don't really do any writing at all these days. While lying in bed at night I still get ideas but I'm not really doing anything about them for now. I'm just piling them up on my computer, in my notebook or simply filing them away in my mind (probably they'll get lost forever there!)

I hope I'll actually make a real go of the time I've set aside for writing rather than just procrastinate through it. If I do, then I'll just have to give up my writing career (which I don't want to do). So it's a kind of sink or swim situation. That's the only way to go ;-)

Weaveworld by Clive Barker

I read Weaveworld a couple of months ago and I have to admit that I was blown away. It instantly became one of my favorite books and I'm wondering what to read next by Clive Barker.

Weaveworld tells the story of Fugue, a magical world which lies woven within a rug. Just that concept alone is so incredibly wonderful that I was captivated. Some of the characters are also unforgettable but what I love most is the way Barker tells the story. I think I will read Weaveworld many more times but I would also like to read The Damnation Game, as well as other stuff by Barker.

First Real Feedback!!! (and it's positive :)

Got the first real feedback today. A woman read Against All Odds and even though I wasn't really happy with the latter part, she LOVED it :D :D :D

She urged me to get it published and said that she'd read plenty of chic lit that was way worse (even a popular chic lit book that she read recently). Her only complaint was that it was so short. This means that my next task is to review it with this in mind. Still, it's exciting to get true feedback :D

My "vacation" is coming up and I will rewrite, write, review and finish! Can't wait :D

Beginnings

I’ve been studying beginnings since it’s quite important to start off with a bang. I’ve looked at some of my favourite books and read the first paragraph, sometimes just the first sentence. There doesn’t seem to be a rule.

I’ve already published a special entry for my all-time favourite book, The Regulators and quoted the first page (Summer’s here...). Additionally, here are the openings of 5 of my favourite books:

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
My father has asked me to be the fourth corner at the Joy Luck Club. I am to replace my mother, whose seat at the mah jong table has been empty since she died two months ago. My father thinks she was killed by her own thoughts.

After the Quake by Haruki Murakami
Five straight days she spent in front of the television, staring at crumbled banks and hospitals, whole blocks of stores in flames, severed rail lines and expressways. She never said a word. Sunk deep in the cushions of the sofa, her mouth clamped shut, she wouldn't answer when Komura spoke to her. She wouldn't shake her head or nod. Komura could not be sure the sound of his voice was getting through to her.

Weaveworld by Clive Barker
Nothing ever begins. There is no first moment; no single word or place from which this or any other story springs. The threads can always be traced back to some earlier tale, and to the tales that preceded that; though as the narrator's voice recedes the connections will seem to grow more tenuous, for each age will want the tale told as if its were of its own making.

Cujo by Stephen King
Once upon a time not so long ago, a monster came to the small town of Castle Rock, Maine. He killed a waitress names Alma Frechette in 1070; a woman named Pauline Toothaker and a junior high school student named Cheryl Moody in 1971; a pretty girl named Carol Dunbarger in 1974; a teacher named Etta Ringold in the fall of 1975; finally, a grade-schooler named Mary Kate Hendrasen in the early winter of that same year.

Songs of Distant Earth by Arthur C. Clark
Even before the boat came through the reef, Mirissa could tell that Brant was angry. The tense attitude of his body as he stood at the wheel - the very fact that he had not left the final passage in Kumar's capable hands - showed that something had upset him.

When browsing through several beginnings I saw that they all start in a story mode (despite Barker’s conclusion that nothing ever starts ;-) Stephen King even takes it so far to start with a fairytale beginning. I’ve been writing my third (and last) chic lit book, called That Fat Feeling. Here is the first paragraph in the script as it is now:

That Fat Feeling by Nicole Ashby (that's my writer's name)
“Would you like fries with that?” the young girl with the greasy hair asked me. Up until three years ago, I never got asked if I wanted fries with my burger, to supersize a meal or enlarge the soda. It was just assumed that this 300 lbs woman wanted the biggest meal available. Now, as I straightened my size 6 skirt, I had a choice. I declined the deep fried carbs and walked away with my weekly package of sin.

I’ve never had much problems with beginnings, but I’ve never given them much thought either. Maybe my start is good enough, maybe not. It’s intended for a special audience so it’s bound to capture some people’s interest more the others ‘. But we’ll see :-)

Update! Received an e-mail from a reader who pointed out to me that actually The Joy Luck Club starts with a prefice of sort. The first paragraph is like this:

The old woman remembered a swan she had bought many years ago in Shanghai for a foolish sum. This bird, boasted the market vendor, was once a duck that streched its neck in hopes of becoming a gopse, and now look! - it is too beautiful to eat.

I just turned to the first chapter and didn't even check for a prefice. This type of intro is not uncommon, though, and it's good to know that this is a valid possibility when you're starting a story.

One Profile Down...

...two to go :) It's all moving in the right direction. I'm going to start with about 30 publishers but I still have plenty of time since the plan is to start sending the profiles (and bits of the scripts) in late July. The novels are these:

Against All Odds: Elizabeth is in her late thirties when she unexpectedly becomes pregnant after a one-night-stand. She embraces her new role as an expecting mother but when she finds out that her best friend is dying from leukaemia, her life and her ideas about motherhood take a new turn.

The Other Woman: Take a peek into Kelly Cassel’s journal. She’s just broken up with her boyfriend, who’s left her for his wife. She’s lucky enough to be surrounded by a group of great girlfriends but she soon realizes that every heart has a story.

That Fat Feeling: Sara has been fat all her life and when she get’s gastric bypass surgery and loses her extra weight, all her dreams start coming true. Her career as a news anchor takes off, she meets a great guy and she’s able to do all the physical activities that she never could before. Five years after the surgery she starts to wonder why she’s not happy with all that success and that perhaps her problem wasn’t the fat after all.

That Fat Feeling is the least developed of these chic lit stories and I have a feeling that it will take a few turns in writing. Against All Odds is mostly finished and The Other Woman just needs some final touches. If I can refrain from playing online games in my extended summer vacation I should be able to finish all these three and send them off. Then I want to write some sci fi short stories and finish my thriller. My little brother has also suggested that we write a screen play together and I'm definately open for that :)

Selecting Publishers

There are SOOOOOO many publishers in London. How to choose??? We're talking about hundreds! I can easily narrow it down a bit but it looks like I will have to do some heavy research as well. In the end, though, it will also come down to luck and tenacity...

The Other Woman

Well, I've started to behave just like a writer. Today I picked up a script that I had previously discarded, completely turned it around and created a new story in a very different style. I also gave it an appropriate name: The Other Woman.

Yes, you guessed it. It's chic lit once more. I can't seem to get away from it. Oh well, no use in fighting it. I will include that script in my chic lit pile that should be ready to go out to editors after this summer :-)

Sherlock Holmes (The Movie)

Just watched the new Sherlock Holmes film. It was rather like a long episode of House. This shouldn’t be surprising as the character of House is based on Holmes (as well as Wilsons’ character is based on Watson). It just goes to show the power of English literature.

I did write a small “who-dunnit” a few years back as homage to Agatha Christie. I’d like to do a similar homage to Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. It’s quite fun to take a certain style you’ve loved reading for years and years, and actually create something with it yourself. Being in the driver’s seat instead of the back seat, so to say.

As the last few posts have indicated, I haven’t been doing much real writing lately. Instead I have been exercising like a mad person and trying to focus on my job. Still, the urge to write has manifested itself in long forgotten ways, like poetry. I haven’t written poetry in years but now I’ve started to write it again. I’ll never be a serious poet, though, but it’s an outlet for sure – at least until I get myself sorted with the “real stuff” ;-)

Yesterday I went to see a play written by my little brother (with some of his fellow students of course). It was great to see his work in action. It’s also a joy to work creatively with him and I have an idea for a movie script that I would like us to co-write in the future.

It’s all coming together, piece by piece, one step at a time, slowly but surely. One thing’s for sure: the show must go on...

Not Healthy

Abstinence from writing has not been healthy to my soul (my thighs are hard as rocks though). I always brood when I don’t write and I have to find a way to get some creative outlet. I’m thinking of either starting some short stories or cutting the novel into smaller chunks so that I can work on something. I think I’ll even start tonight…

Ideas

I've been purposely not blogging recently because I'm frustrated with how little time I can spend writing. Instead I have exercised and spent time out in nature. Being so tired physically has helped me cope with the need to write but the ideas keep flowing.

In 5 weeks or so I should start my vacation and it's going to be so much fun :D

Pop Culture in Writing

I'm wondering about how much (and if at all) it's wise to insert references to pop culture in writing. I guess it depends on the intended audience but I want to try to leave it out altogether. However, it's not going so well because my mind likes to connect the dots. Still working on this...

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

I was 14 years old when I read The Time Machine for the first time and it blew my mind right out of the clear blue sky. Until then I had always seen the future as inevitably linked to man’s continued technical progress. It was a mind-altering experience to see a possible future where man would not only stop evolving but de-evolve.

Of course, once I was over the greatest shock I realized that there was a great flaw in Wells’ plot, i.e. man’s desire to journey into space. The mysteries of the Earth may be finite, but the mysteries of the universe are infinite and out there just waiting for us to come and find them. There would always be new challenges urging us on and I wasn’t worried that Wells’ future would come true.

Growing older (and hopefully wiser) I saw that there was a deeper element to the story. In the book man invents machines that can do anything and he stops thinking for himself. Having everything handed to you on a silver platter could actually kill your curiosity and your exploring spirit. That would mean that the drive itself is gone and thus it matters not the multitude of mysteries out there. Even today some people just don’t have any spirit for adventure. They are happy just being comfortable and cringe at any hint of imagination. What if these people would be all of humanity? (oh the horror!!!)

A literary theorist would probably also pounce on the split of the human race in Wells’ book. Maybe not the fact that the Eloi were content to let the Morlocks do all the work and have none of the comforts; but rather that by splitting the wild and primitive part from the intellectual part the latter loses its drive and passion (both being primitive emotions).

Actually literary theory bores me these days and so I’m not going to dive more into this aspect. I just loved the book when I read it. I read it again about three years ago and it was nearly as good then. The book has almost everything you need to keep a good science fiction story going. I may even dig it up and read it once more this summer.

Problem Solved...

I have decided to take an extra long summer vacation, starting next month. This is the only solution I see for my writing crisis (the crisis of not having enough time to write) and I feel a weight off my shoulders now that I've made a decision.

I'm planning for my vacation to start on June 17th so only 42 days to go until I can jump in the fire (with hell in my eyes and death in my veins)...

Making Like a Volcano (or not)

Some weeks just have a heavier work load than others, and this is just such a week. I feel how stressed out I become when I don’t have the freedom to write my fiction every day. I work as a technical writer and that kind of writing just doesn’t do it for me - creative wise that is.

This is the status of my projects:

Against All Odds – Novel
Finished but not to my satisfaction. I still have to grow from the subject of the sub-plot so that I can come to a solution that makes the reader feel that he has learned something. I know that this is because I’m just learning this lesson now myself, so a little patience is needed. Every day makes a difference here and I’m very nearly there. (Still, there’s nothing standing in the way of me starting the profile…)

That Fat Feeling – Novel
Only starting but the story is all but finished in my mind. I’m just juggling a few perspectives, not really decided which one I’m going to land on. Am I going to write it in the first person, third person, past tense, present tense, will it be light and witty or serious and pondering? The perspective and style are very important. I have a tendency to become too preachy, so I will have to keep an eye on that :-)

Sci Fi Exercises – Mini stories
This one is purely on hold. It will keep until I have time!

Not So Short Stories – A collection of three novelettes
I have these three outlined but I’m not sure yet if I will push through with them in the near future. There are just so many stories I want to write but I don’t have any time!!!

Epic of Darkness – Stories / Game
For a couple of years now I’ve been thinking of creating a game world. For some reason a post-apocalyptic world always comes to my mind. It shouldn’t have surprised me recently when I realized that I already have a story into that type of world. I see endless possibilities, both in ruined cities where the survivors would have to rely heavily on creativity to continue surviving, as well as in nature where man would be pitted against animals and the natural elements.

I can’t shake this growing need for writing, writing, writing! Getting this stuff from my mind and into a word document. Seeing the narrative from my head come alive on the screen. The only thing that can ease the creative pressure (other than writing of course) is physical exhaustion (as my bike knows by now). So, I’m pretty busy with work this week but I will have to find time to write (or ride my bicycle to work every day). If not, I will make like a volcano and erupt…

Remembering That Fat Feeling

I'm so excited about diving into a new subject. I've been thinking about it alot, dredging up feelings that I filed away long ago. It's like jumping into the ocean, you need a moment to catch your breath and let your body get used to the cold. Now I'll just have to take a deep breath, put my head under and remember what saved me from drowning in the first place :-)

My Untidy Mind

It’s been said that creative minds are rarely tidy, and mine’s definitely a mess (just like my table at work). While creative people have untidy minds, I also think that they “feel” the world a little differently than others. The difference between highs and lows are more extreme.

Sometimes I can almost cry at the pure beauty of little things, such as looking into a shallow pond, stroking the bark of a very old tree, or gazing at the world through a silk veil. I can pretty easily work myself into an emotional state, where my senses are finely tuned into the world, even its smallest and inconsequential things.

It’s an incredible experience to expose oneself so to the external world but it can also be damaging and take you down with a vengeance. If the universe searches for equilibrium, then you need a low for every high. A good writer can use both highs and lows to ignite the creative spark and build a story that readers can relate to. If writers are the mold that create fiction, then the imprint of the world has to be a bit deeper on them than on regular people.

Yesterday I took my bicycle for a long ride and something unexpected occurred. I’m usually very careful on my bike but on the top of one hill, I sort of freaked out. I had ACDC’s Highway To Hell on my mp3 player and as I started rolling down the hill, I held on to the steering wheel with all my might and raised my legs into a V shape. Needless to say, this upset the balance of the bike and sent me into a very fast and wobbly ride down the hill. With I’m going highway to hell blasting in my ears, I laughed like an insane person until I was beginning to slow down a bit (a couple of old people nearly broke their necks turning their heads when I passed them).

With adrenalin rushing through my body, the first thing that came to my mind when I was down was that now I knew how I would describe the sensation people go through when they

• try to regain control of a car on a slippery road
• lose their footing while skiing and slide down a mountain
• get left by their spouse

Basically any scenario that involves an escalating situation that requires you to accept that you have limited control, hold on and just try to live through it.

I’m not saying that I will make a habit of jumping onto the adrenalin junkie train. What I’m saying is that I don’t have to. I can have a strong emotional reaction to the smallest things, but when life does hit me with the really good/nasty stuff (like that totally reckless bike behavior) it will ripple through me like a bolt of lightning. And if I don’t channel that emotional rush into writing stories, I will burst!

Now that I've gotten that off my shoulders I think I'm getting ready for writing again. Perhaps I will even start tonight...

Resting the Mind

The best way to rest the mind (at least my mind) is to work your body into exhaustion. I rode my bicycle 17 miles today and then did 20 laps in the swimming pool. I’m so tired that I can’t see straight as a result my mind has stopped broadcasting and started receiving.

So, it’s an easy night ahead for me. I’m thinking of taking off to the movies to see Iron Man 2 or something similarly easy to digest. I have a crazy week ahead of me at work so I don’t think I will be able to do any writing yet but next weekend is definitely startup time for That Fat Feeling. I already have a very good idea of what it will be like but, as I’ve seen with my latest project, stories can take on a life of their own. Then you’ll just have to go where they take you :-)

Fringe

I miss X-Files as much as the next person but it hurts a little less because of Fringe. Ok,ok... there‘s no Mulder in Fringe, they don‘t have any aliens (of course this depends on your definition of “alien”), and that stupid cow in the lab was all right as a running joke in the first season but enough is enough!

In short, Fringe is ok. It’s like a rebound lover, that is it helps you get over the real thing (X-Files) but it’s not a keeper!

The Master Cleanse?

Now that I’ve finally finished my first book, I feel like I need to be cleansed of it – at least for some time. I’m thinking of getting on my bicycle tonight and just race around the city, feeling the wind on my face and purge my mind of the subjects of Against All Odds.

In addition I intend to submerge myself into the world of EVE during the weekend. I know I should do some exercises instead but, to be honest, I’m a bit exhausted creatively speaking. I know that this is just a temporary issue and there is still so much more to write (so many stories, so little time) and after some subject detox, I’ll be ready to go again (no pun intended).

What a Difference a Day Makes

It's done! I've finished! My first complete novel is ready!!!

Yesterday I was totally lost in the ending but then I visited my little brother, handed him my unfinished manuscript and we read and we talked (well, I talked mostly). Just talking about the plot, about why I've been writing this book and how it connects to events in my own life, got me going. I even landed the name for the book (which is the third title for this book but this one covers everything in it).

So, my first novel is called Against All Odds (thanks bro). I've printed out two whole manuscripts and sent to two persons I trust. I'm already on the profile and everything should be ready for promoting in two weeks, give or take a few days.

I know I should start on my second sci fi exercise as soon as possible but the next chic lit book is already knocking on my door. The working title is That Fat Feeling, and I don't think I have to explain what that's about ;-)

I Surrender...

I'm putting my manuscript in another person's hands - without an ending. I need feedback before I can proceed. Hopefully fresh eyes can help me close this case :-)

Growing Pains

I’m wondering why it’s so difficult for me to end my novel and have come up with three possible reasons:

1. I’m afraid to end it because then I’ll have to start working on processing it for editors
2. I can’t end it because the subject is still haunting me and I can’t let it go
3. I don’t think I have an ending that’s good enough

So, to explore these problems further and with possible solutions…

Nr. 1. The best way to counteract this one is to start work on the profile immediately. That way I won’t have the luxury of hiding behind the “no-ending” as an excuse not to start profiling. I have the templates ready and starting work on it no later than next Saturday is as good a timeframe as any.

Nr. 2. I have two main plots in the book and one of them is still a live issue for me. I’m always revising that part, adding, editing, rephrasing, etc. I have to stop it. Closing that plot for any editing no later than next Friday sounds like a plan.

Nr. 3. This is a problem. This is definitely a problem. An ending needs to be some kind of resolution. I’ve closed most of the threads in the story but I need to have it all make sense in the end. I want the main character(s) to have grown. Perhaps this is linked to issue nr 2 in a way. Perhaps I need to grow myself before I can send my main character off with some kind of life lesson. Timeframe on that? That’s a toughie…

"Some-Kind-Of-Freeze-Ray"

My minds is absolutely frozen!!! I have tied all the lose ends together for my novel but I'm still shy of the ending itself. Perhaps I was putting too much pressure on myself with the whole symphony analogy but no matter how I try, I just can't get the ending down on paper.

What to do? What to do?

All Good Things...

A novel has to end. I can't believe how hard it is tying up all the lose ends and creating an ending that brings satisfaction to all the threads in the story. I've had a wonderful time writing this book and its also difficult to let it go. There's always more to say, more to add, but I have to end it.

The plan is to read the whole thing aloud this week and make some small changes to the dialogue so it will be natural and flowing. I have stopped making changes and adds into the plot. The literature on good writing states that an ending should resonance, like the last perfect tone of a symphony. I actually think I've got that but I have to get there, tie it all together and bring it to a close.

Always Look On the Bright Side of Life

That weekend in the country was just what I needed. There's just no substitute for running around in mother nature singing Always Look On the Bright Side of Life (and whistle of course).

I managed to do a lot of rewriting today but I'm still not done. I never imagined the work that goes into a single novel. But I will get it done. I have to give myself another week so, unfortunately, my next exercise will have to wait even longer.

I've been thinking alot about it. I went swimming today and that gave me another idea for the short story. It may be going in a new direction but that's how it goes with imagination. Creativity flows like a river and it's always finding new paths.

Admittedly I am terrified of what's going to happen as soon as I'm done with my first novel. If I don't try to sell it I will never be able to spend all my time writing. I have to give it a go. It's like I read somewhere: You're never too old to grow a pair and go after your dream :-)

A Tribute to Hubble (and Gas Giants)

Since Hubble is 20 years old a lot of shows have been paying tribute to the telescope and the images it has provided for the past two decades. Hubble has tought us so much about our own solar system, as well as given us an open eye to the cosmos.

Just finished watching a show about our solar system and I realized for the first time how incredibly imortant the gas giants are for our survival. What if Shoemaker-Levy had collided with Earth instead of Jupiter? Well, I don't think we need to ask. The gas giants swallow all sorts of crap that would destroy the fragile life on Earth if it would impact it.

I love the gas giants (oh, and Hubble of course :-)

A Weekend in the Country

I'm having a weekend in the country so not of a lot of writing (or rewriting) done these days. The silence and fresh air are good for creativity and hopefully I will write a lot tomorrow :-)

Even Fleas Find a Way

I wonder if it‘s a coincidence that of all the possible surroundings for an alien planet, I chose one with massive natural disasters. With the volcanic eruption currently threatening all of Europe, along with all the earthquakes shaking the world for the past months, one cannot but accept the vulnerability of life as we know it.

A while back I saw a picture of the earth cut in half and showing the thin layer of the planet that sustains life. It was very small. Life is so fragile but also very resilient once it’s set (life finds a way, or was it love finds a way? I can never remember...)

Anyway, the Icelandic volcano has been dubbed Mordor in my books. Not because I believe it houses something evil, but because it’s awesome power has captured the world and reminded us that we are just fleas on this planet’s coat. But even fleas find a way...

When to Stop?

I have been rewriting my first novel for the last week and it’s been going amazingly well. Even a little too well. It seems that every time I finish a chapter and start a new one, I get a new idea and have to start all over again. The plot has evolved so that the sub-plot I intended to add, has somehow become the main focus of the book.

I’m starting to wonder if it was a mistake to add the plot to the book to begin with, and that perhaps I should have written a new book altogether. Can you ruin a good story by adding too much into it? I believe you can.

So when do I stop? Where do I stop? How do I stop? I’ve decided that on Sunday evening I will close the last chapter on my first novel and start to write a profile on it. After that it’s on to my next chick book.

Ps. Thanks to the people who have sent me recommendations on telescopes. I still have a few weeks to decide ;-)

The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands P2

Just finished The Waste Lands. INCREDIBLE!!! I want to read all the Dark Tower collection before I listen to the audio books. So it's on to The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass...

Individual vs society

"Society exists only as a mental concept; in the real world there are only individuals.”
- Oscar Wilde

Ok, my new (very) short story (aka exercise) is about a person born on a planet that is constantly ravaged by such horrible natural disasters that life is remote and scarce. How would it be to live on a world that can only support a few individuals? Can they evolve into communities? Can they form societies? What kind of societies would they be?

I sat in a coffee house last night sipping a cup of raspberry tea and watching group interactions around me. I tried to alienate myself from the norms of our society and see it through a stranger's eyes. Tried to see the patterns that make up our society. It was not easy. Rules of our society are like communication; we are so integrated with them that we don't notice them on a day-to-day basis.

So, issues in this story revolve around communication, interaction, self-sufficiency, evolution, etc. My only fear is that the subject is too large for a short story and that the issues will prove too complex for the exercise.

But I’ve got to try…

Adrenalin Rush

While driving to work this morning I listened to Metallica's Blackened and that gave me an incredible adrenalin rush. When I was 14 years old I read my first Stephen King book, Cujo. As I read it I had ...And Justice For All on replay and the songs on that album are irreversibly interwoven in my mind with the terror and despair that comes with reading Cujo. So as I stepped into the office, I was already high on adrenalin. That’s the only way to start your working day :-)

It is becoming increasingly clear to me that good books suck you in like dreams do. They take you on a ride that you have little control over and all you can do is hang on (it's also kind of like falling in love). I'm keeping this in mind now that I'm starting my second exercise. Having problems giving it a name but the plot is slowly coming together in my mind. Will start to write soon (and why have I started to type like an out-of-breath William Shatner? Must-kill-Khan!)

My Telescope

I've been searching for a suitable telescope to get for my birthday and this one is looking really good:
http://www.amazon.com/Orion-SkyQuest-Classic-Dobsonian-Telescope/dp/B001DDW9UW

I need a telescope that is easy to move around (ok this one is a bit big but apparently not that heavy), will show me the surface of the moon, the rings of Saturn and distant stars and galaxies. This one get's great reviews :-)

Summer's Here

Just been to the library. Got myself two Stephen King books, one that I haven't read before and one classic. Just Before Sunset is a collection of stories. I have read some of them but not all. Looking forward to dipping into new King stuff, even though he definately has his off days now and again.

I also got a copy of The Regulators, since I appear to have lost mine. I love that book. I think it's because it's so incredibly rich in imagery. In a way SK goes overboard in the metaphores and the audio book version definately tones it down a bit. Still, if you're into metaphores, The Regulators is a rare treat. Just look at the way SK describes a hot day:

"Summer's here. Not just summer, either, not this year, but the apotheosis of summer, the avatar of summer, high green perfect central Ohio summer dead-smash in the middle of July, white sun glaring out of that fabled faded Levi's sky, the sound of kids hollering back and forth through the Bear Street Woods at the top of the hill, the tink! of Little League bats from the ballfield on the other side of the woods, the sound of power mowers, the sound of muscle-cars out on Highway 19, the sound of rollerblades on the cement sidewalks and smooth macadam of Poplar Street, the sound of radios — Cleveland Indians baseball (the rare day game) competing with Tina Turner belting out 'Nutbush City Limits', the one that goes Twenty-five is the speed limit, motorcycles not allowed in it' — and surrounding everything like an auditory edging of lace, the soothing, silky hiss of lawn sprinklers. Summer in Wentworth, Ohio, oh boy, can you dig it. Summer here on Poplar Street, which runs straight through the middle of that fabled faded American dream with the smell of hotdogs in the air and a few burst paper remains of Fourth of July firecrackers still lying here and there in the gutters. It's been a hot July, a perfect good old by God blue-ribbon jeezer of a July, no doubt about it, but if you want to know the truth, it's also been a dry July, with no water but the occasional flipped spray of a hose to stir those last shreds of Chinese paper from where they lie."

Can you describe a hot day in more detail? More vididly? The scene comes so alive in my mind everytime I read this and when I'm out walking on a hot summer day, I sometimes hear the "silky hiss of lawn sprinklers". This is what I aspire to. I want to be able to paint an image like this. Maybe someday...

No Particular Alien In Mind

Got some feedback (gisp!) on my first sci fi exercise. A reader (gisp again!) wanted to know if I had decided beforehand what the alien would look like. In short I have to say no!

I have to admit that I didn't really think this thoroughly through. I don't know that much about biology and nothing about astrobiology. Although astrobiology is a fascinating subject (yes, I'm quoting Spock) it's just one of so many things I want to learn more about.

There are just over 7 weeks until my birthday and since I'm getting myself a telescope for my birthday present, I will be busy learning the best ways to study our solar system. Still, I will eventually have to study astrobiology, at least to some short extent, to get just a little bit more "science" into my sci fi stories ;-)

Reading Aloud Works!!!

Read 6 random chapters from my first novel aloud last night. I’m no actor so I didn’t do special voices for the characters but I added some flavor all the same. I heard immediately that I still have some work to do. Some of the narratives and conversations didn’t really sound right when listening to them and since I’ve added a sub-plot, a few things in the plot don’t add up anymore. Thus rewriting and self-editing continues.

I’m actually getting really proud of this first novel as I read it and listen to it. I think that this is something I would buy and read myself (even though its chic lit). This is good, as I have to sell the manuscript if I want to get it published.

Waking From The Writing Transe

I have been engulfed in my book, Empty Womb, Open Heart, all day. It literally swallowed me and I'm just getting out of it now. While I was writing one emotional scene, I almost started to cry. It's amazing and it's such an outlet.

I should be able to finish this book within a week and then I will start the profile on it. I don't see why I should wait any longer sending it out to editors. Before this though, I intend to read it out loud chapter by chapter and listen to the recording. This should be the final phase but I listen to a lot of audio books so I'm just looking forward to it :-)

Traveling Light - P5

Personal Log

Final entry. Breathers are all empty. My uniform has seized protecting me from the harsh climate of this planet and it is just a matter of hours.

I feel that I should leave something profound as my final words, but nothing comes to mind. I chose to become an astronaut. I wanted to explore. Dying alone on an alien planet was not what I had in mind but it appears to be my destiny.

I have seen things that many of my brothers will not even glimpse in the farthest regions of their imagination. Still, my final thoughts will be of home. Home...

Author's note: I had more than one ending in mind. One of my ideas was that the alien would find unexpected nourishment in a Coca Cola bottle, be swept away on a cat's fur and freeze to death with the words "Must be some kind of freeze ray" on his lips (it's a joke that only people who've seen the old He-Man cartoons would know). It was just a crazy exercise and I felt like adding some humor. Eventually, though, I stuck to the simple ending of the alien simply dying alone on Earth.

As is probably apparent, this exercise was about seeing Earth (and humans) through alien eyes. The next exercise is on and will deal with social psychology...alien style of course ;-)

Traveling Light - P4

Personal Log

I have discovered what has caused the tremors. The tall beings I have seen appear to be, either a smaller species, or the young of much larger creatures. One such beast went past me today just as I was leaving the ship and as it stepped down it brushed up against my ship and made the ground shake. I have never been so terrified in my life. I was so scared that I lost my natural ability to blend in the surroundings. If the beast hadn't been so huge, it would have seen me.

I cannot see how my people could ever be able to establish communication with the creatures of this world but I know a few scientists that would give everything to try. For them I will capture all the information I can.

I have gathered every piece of scientific equipment that has its own powersource, although limited. It is lucky that my ship was equipped with a device to record sound as it appears to play a large role on this planet. It is not so long ago that our scientists discovered that sound exists, since our species does not make or sense it.

All instruments have been turned on. They will keep running, recording, analyzing, until they run out of power. I will be dead long before that.

Eye Of The Beholder

It's really weird writing this Traveling Light narrative. I decided that the only perspective available would be the logs made by the astronaut. I guess it would have been easier to be in his head instead but I liked the challenge. It also makes the story more mysterious - at least I think so ;-) I am still deciding on the ending but whatever it will be, I will post it tomorrow.

I was amazed at how easy it has been to rewrite, edit and add to my first novel (called Empty Womb, Open Heart). Hopefully this is a sign that I am turning my talent into skill...

Traveling Light - P1&2 Rewritten and P3

Since I'm rewriting my chic lit, I'm in the rewriting mood. I decided to rewrite the first two parts of Traveling Light, just as I added part three...

Mission Log

The unexplained phenomenon that swallowed my ship and brought me to this part of the universe has disappeared. In addition, massive fuel depletion has forced me to land on a small planet in this strange solar system that I’ve found myself in.

I managed to send a message to Home Base before my ship was engulfed but due to problems with multiple systems in the ship, I cannot be certain that it went through.

Almost all power has been drained from the engines and there’s barely enough to run life support. I have power to run basic systems for the next six days and I wait for rescue.

Mission Log

It has been four days since I landed on this planet. No sign of rescue and all my attempts at communication have failed. I have passed the time researching the planet I landed on but limited power resources have made the investigation difficult.

I have performed low level scans and they show that the atmosphere on this planet is not toxic but it would be difficult for me to breathe. The atmospheric pressure is substantially higher than what I am used to so if I am forced to leave my ship, I will have to keep a breather with me at all times. The temperature is also lower than what is optimal for our species but my uniform should protect me for some time. I should be able to keep the pressure in the ship for up to 15 days if I am careful.

There is still a chance that my message reached Home Base but if it did not, there is not much hope of rescue. In addition, whatever force it was that sent me here has possibly gone and left no way for my people to get to me.

Mission Log

I have been stranded on this planet for five days and my power supply has almost depleted. Despite this I have continued scanning and gathering information about this place.

During the night I awoke to an incredible rumble. The ground shook violently for about 10 minutes and the air seemed to vibrate. I was unable to determine the source of this tremor so I have secured all lose items in the ship to prevent them falling on me.

I still have hopes of rescue.

Personal Log

Last day to be rescued has passed. Power is almost depleted and life support cannot be sustained much longer. I will have to venture into this strange world tomorrow if no one comes for me. There have been no more tremors but I have heard some strange sounds. I am certain that something brushed up against the hull of my ship about an hour ago. Scans have shown life forms but without more power I am not able to perform detailed scans on them. I only know that they are large.

Personal Log

All power has been lost and I have to acclimate myself to the atmosphere on this planet. There was another rumble today and the ship shook violently. There have also been additional sounds and I am terrified of what awaits me out there.

I have started to use the breathers and I cannot postpone this any longer. When I decided to become a space explorer, I knew the risks. But now, as I face inevitable doom, I cannot shake the deep loneliness and sorrow of ending my days on this alien planet.

Personal Log

This world is even stranger than I had imagined. The scans indicated the presence of vegetation but I had no idea that it would be so dense. My ship appears to have landed in the middle of an overgrown area so it is almost impossible to see it if you do not know it is there. This has been the single piece of good fortune I have enjoyed on this trip.

It was difficult to move due to the pressure of the atmosphere and I used a breather the whole time. I did not see anything that could have caused the tremors and no life forms outside the vegetation. I did hear some sounds in the distance but they seemed to be carried from afar.

This evening I will go again. If I am going to die here, I will use my time to investigate, record, scan, and log. Perhaps someone will find the ship one day and know my fate.

Personal Log

The pressure change has made me sick. I have been dizzy, feverish and completely lost my appetite. Still, I have to go out. I don’t want to die cooped in this ship like it is my coffin.

Personal Log

The creatures that live on this planet are horrible. I saw them. There were two of them and they were so alien that I lack words to describe them fully but I will try.

They are so tall and how they move is completely incomprehensible to me. I must do scans to find out what keeps them from falling apart. Their bodies are so scattered. There is a dense middle but I’m stupefied why the rest of the body simply does not float away.

Since there were two of them I speculate that they communicate but I have no idea how. They have no feature that I am familiar with and I will bring a camera to record their image just to relieve me of trying to explain further what I saw.

It is amazing the raw and primitive emotions it brings to see such alien creatures. Fear and disgust are just the beginning. Somewhere in there, though, there is also curiosity.

Personal Log

I have completely lost my appetite. No matter how I try, I am unable to force myself to eat. My body is giving up to this incredibly harsh environment. I know there isn’t much time left and I want to explore more. Since this will be my last legacy, I want to make it a good one.

Personal Log

I saw more creatures today and recorded their images. The dense vegetation helps me hide and my natural ability to change the color of my skin (and uniform) helps as well.

I have surmised that the creatures communicate through sounds and gestures. I have been trying to find out about their diet but it is difficult to know when they are eating when you don’t know how they do it.

One of the creatures had something smooth and flexible running from one of its five major extremities. This one was the only one with this feature in such abundance but other than that, they all look the same.

Exposure to this climate is slowly killing me and my senses are not what they used to be. I would give anything to be back home, even just for a minute. To bathe in the purple waters and bask in the sunlight of the twin suns. 

Is there a lonelier death than this?

Revision & Self-Editing

It's a strange feeling reading something you've written yourself. Especially if it's something you wrote a long time ago and can hardly remember doing it. I have been writing since I was 9 years old and through the years I have come across old stuff that I have to rely on the handwriting as proof that it's actually my own stuff. I don't even recall thinking about it, let alone writing it. But that's just part of the fun.

Tonight I have the wonderful task of re-writing and adding a sub-plot to my first full length novel. I started it last summer and finished the first draft pretty quickly. Unfortunately, it's not exactly the kind of book I'd like to be writing but honestly, I just can't help it. Frankly I was worried that I would never be able to write the kind of novels I like myself: sci fi, fantasy, thrillers, weird science, etc. Instead I'd always be stuck with writing some chic lit that I'd never read myself.

I discussed this with a friend who has some experience and he suggested that some stories you just have to tell and get out of the way so that you can start to write what you want. It makes sense and as soon as I stopped worrying about this and just started allowing whatever wants to come out to flow, I've been feeling a lot better.

So, a lot of chic lit editing this weekend and in addition - whatever I want :-)

Star Trek Online

I am a major Trekkie and as such I was pretty excited about Star Trek Online. I've been playing on and off but I have to say that it hasn't grabbed me as I thought it would.

I can't deny that it is a thrill to enter the Star Trek world. Unfortunately the thrill ended there for the most part. I want more in the lines of exploring new worlds and going where no one has gone before. I don't need to be blowing stuff up at every turn. Perhaps too much to expect from a game and maybe I should focus more on reading and stop playing these video games....

Nah!!!

Big Creative Weekend Ahead

Friday tomorrow and I am planning a big creative weekend. I'll finish this Traveling Light experiment and hopefully start my next sci fi exercise.

Still, I have other writing projects going on as well. These past couple of months I have been busy writing a book that will be a part of a chick lit threesome I will pitch to some editors next fall. I have finished the first draft of book 1 of the threesome and book 2 is well on its way.

I can't believe I'm finally allowing myself to write :-) It's sooooooo wonderful.........

Traveling Light - P2

Mission Log

I have been stranded on this planet for five days and my power supply has almost depleted. Despite this I have continued scanning and gathering information about this place.

During the night I awoke to an incredible rumble. The ground shook violently for about 10 minutes and the air seemed to vibrate. I was unable to determine the source of this tremor so I have secured all lose items in the ship to prevent them falling on me.

I still have hopes of rescue.

Personal Log

Last day to be rescued has passed. Power is almost depleted and life support cannot be sustained much longer. I will have to venture into this strange world tomorrow if I am not rescued. There have been no more tremors but I have heard some strange sounds. I am certain that something brushed up against the hull of my ship about an hour ago. Scans have shown life forms but without more power I am not able to perform detailed scans on them. I only know that they are large.

Traveling Light – P1

I have a lot of stories to tell but I have to admit that I’ve been having problems ripping them from my mind and putting them into a coherent plot. Now I’m going to try a simple exercise and see if it helps me finish a plain story about a lost astronaut. The story is called Traveling Light.

Mission Log

The unexplained fuel depletion has forced me to land on an uncharted planet. I managed to send a message to Home Base but due to problems with multiple systems in the ship, I cannot be certain that it went through. Almost all power has been drained from the engines and there’s barely enough to run life support.

I will remain with the ship for the next six days and wait for rescue. My supplies will sustain me for now and if the power drain has stopped, I should be able to keep life support for that time.

Mission Log

It has been four days since I landed on this planet. No sign of rescue and all my attempts at communication have failed. I have passed the time researching the planet I landed on but limited power resources have made the investigation difficult.

I have performed low level scans and they show that the atmosphere on this planet is not toxic but it would be difficult for me to breathe. The atmospheric pressure is substantially higher than what I am used to so if I am forced to leave my ship, I will have to keep a breather with me at all times. The temperature is also higher than what is optimal for our species but my uniform should protect me for some time.

There is still a chance that my message reached Home Base but if it did not, there is not much hope of rescue. Whatever force it was that depleted my ship of its power had infected my system long before and when I realized that I could no longer trust my computer, it was already too late.

Author's note: I realize that a true astronaut is a scientist and would probably give scientific numbers about the atmoshpere, power drainage, etc. but I've decided to focus more on the fiction and less on the science in this first exercise.

Ugly Bags Of Mostly Water

Sci fi gives us an amazing opportunity to look at ourselves through alien eyes. Who can forget the computer voice from Star Trek TNG’s Home Soil describing humans as Ugly bags of mostly water? It’s an accurate description (well, ugly is a matter of opinion).

Many aliens have described us as inferior and plenty have commented on our looks. Being able to distance oneself from our own race and discuss things that are obvious, is a privilege of the sci fi author.

In the short story collection The Cyberaid (by Stanislaw Lem) the robots call humans palefaces and think they are the most hideous beings in the universe.

If I remember correctly it was in Stephen King’s I Am The Doorway that an astronaut was infected by aliens and eyes grew on his fingers. These eyes saw humans as disgusting monsters.

Of course these are the literal interpretations but we have a very good recent example of humans being "ugly" in a less literal sense: the hugely popular movie Avatar. A lot of people were actually depressed after seeing that movie and frankly, I’m not surprised. It painted a rather disgusting picture of humans and, as I said before, that’s the privilege of the sci fi author :-)

V - The New Series

I saw the original V(isitors) series (created in 1984) when I was just a kid. I was thrilled and excited! Last autumn I saw the first V remake episode, that is V 2009. In short, I was thrilled and excited. The new show holds basically the same elements as the original one did. It's a simple story of good vs evil, the good being humans and the bad being aliens.

Not the most original sci fi you can get, but in a world with not enough sci fi, I'll take it!

Why Not?

“You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?'”
- George Bernard Shaw
 
I know it's totally weird but sometimes I dream about other worlds - literally. If I'm lucky I manage to write the crazy stuff down before it all slips away with the rising sun, but not all the time.
 
I've ofter wondered about dreams. I guess they're a collection of our thoughts, memories, emotions, etc. Still, I've had dreams that seem to spring out of nowhere at all. Is that even possible? I have a freakishly active imagination and ever since I can remember, I've had at least a few worlds going on in my head. When I'm not writing, the only place for them to really emerge is through my dreams.
 
The problem with dreams is that they evoke such raw emotions that keeping a plot together is really difficult. Often people just remember being happy, afraid, angry, or whatever. They can't really tell you what caused the emotion.
 
Still, I've had some of my best ideas during sleep and I hope that it will continue :-)

The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands P1

After major stubborness in accepting Stephen King's Dark Tower series, I'm finally getting there. I recently started reading The Waste Lands and I'm loving it! I'm amazed how the King can lull you into his world and then you're completely under his spell. I have major respect for SK.

More on this later.

Life, But Not As We Know It

One of the fascinations of science fiction to me is the possibility of life, but not as we know it. I guess it’s also why I love everything regarding evolution, natural selection, social psychology, etc.

The most common definition of sentience is that it is the ability to feel or perceive subjectively. If we ever met other sentient beings, would we be able to communicate with them? Life evolves to survive in its surroundings.

Since the living conditions on Earth are fairly rare in the known universe, we can only assume that life has evolved quite differently in other places. Just thinking about the possibilities fires up the imagination and ignites sparks of creativity. The most exciting thing about writing science fiction is that anything is possible…

Eve Online, World of Darkness, Star Wars: Old Republic

Beeen thinking about renewing my subscription to Eve Online. I have never really gotten into the game. Perhaps I should try their "girlie" game, World of Darkness ;-)

Still waiting with much anticipation for Star Wars: Old Republic. Hope they release it (at least in beta) soon.

Casting Shadows, Summoning Light, Invoking Darkness

A truly amazing threesome by Jeanne Cavelos. The series is called The Passing of the Techno-Mages and occurs in the Babylon 5 universe. The story takes place in the middle of the Shadow war and revolves around Galen and other Techno-Mages.

The Techno-Mages have always intrigued me. The thought of using math and science to create something that can be described as magic... well, that just the best of both!

Defying Gravity vs Stargate Universe

Just finished watching the 13 available episodes of Defying Gravity. It's sad that the series got cancelled because it was just getting interesting. There are multiple possible reasons why it was cancelled and I don't believe for a second that one of them is that the show was not good enough. Sometimes a show just doesn't take off (I remember American Gothic, it was called "the best TV show that no one saw"). So, too bad for us Defying Gravity was cancelled, but even worse for true sci fi fans, Stargate Universe is not.

I like Stargate SG1, I completely fell for Stargate Atlantis (yes, even all the running in Canadian forests), and I was so excited when Stargate Universe started. What a letdown! Too much sex, not enough action, and no aliens! Sheeesh! Give a nerdy girl a break!

Unfortunately, a lot of people like more sex and no aliens. According to some sources on the web, SGU is actually the most popular SG show of them all. It sucks having taste that's so radically different from the bulk of the population but there you have it.

Actually, I've been thinking of writing a screenplay of my own sci fi TV show. The show would probably be somewhere between Star Trek Voyager and Farscape, as the main plot revolves around the science crew of a ship given the task of jumping from one galaxy to another and gather information about new life. The strength of such a show would be the incredible possibilities of exploring drastically new life forms and civilizations. The weakness would definitely be too little sex (at least as we know it). But, it's a work in progress - still gathering dust in my mind.