Number two of three novels in the have been [digitally] published now.
The first one was my unfinished, appropriate-for-all-ages story which I was working on for a couple of years.
This one? It does have some similarities; such as being a Nano project in progress for years now. It’s also unfinished, and has a female as a central figure…as Kindergarten Dropout.
Is there any difference? The characters are adult, and so would the rating be. At least a PG-13 rating if a movie…pushing for an R. The story takes places in more than one state – and even out of the country in parts.
Plenty of intrigue, violence, mystery, death; and even some romance (what I keep getting told is in the story at least).
Of my paltry fanbase, this novel was read and commented on the most. It also seems the one people most want to see completed.
I’d rather talk about the tech than talk about me – but here are the nuts and bolts on the situation…
People know I write. When asked if anything is available to read, usually I point them to my Figment profile for free stories. I’m asked if I have anything published, and I talk about some unfinished novels, or projects to revise.
Three novels are in the pipeline for [digital] publishing. One is the first draft of a complete story, and the other two haven’t been completed yet. Why would I publish unfinished works? It keeps with the motto of Leanpub: Publish early, publish often.
I discovered Leanpub this year as a sponsor for Camp Nanowrimo. I realized they were also a sponsor for Nano 2012, but for whatever reason I did not explore it.
What stands out most publishing through Leanpub is an opportunity to have an unfinished work available for purchase; which can not only provide valuable feedback, but the opportunity to provide free updates to readers. Leanpub also has great free services to make works ready for publishing – not only converting your text to be available for Kindle or iPad, but a pdf which can be used to make a print version.
The royalties are simple to understand (you keep 90% minus fifty cents per copy). Another cool perk is a Nano category in their bookstore.
All three projects currently on my profile are Nano works I mentioned at various times on this blog. They all have free previews, and variable pricing for any who hate paying retail. I have a new email address for taking feedback and critiques, and also to respond.
Leanpub is a simple (and free) way to start publishing, but much elaboration upon a book’s design or layout is possible…if the writer wishes.
The video below is a little geeky and cutesy at the same time; explaining the site better in ten minutes than I can in a thousand words.
The image is taller than what I usually show, but I’ll try to make it a shorter post to compensate.
Still writing this strange November. Much has been different for me compared to a year or two back. I’m sticking with my story from last year, and [so far] staying on-par with my personal goals so far.
I usually do some things to get ready for the Nano season. This year I hesitated; whatever that reason was. My updates here and my sponsor page have been sketchy at best. Today I updated my Figment page (sorry for not mentioning updates there for at least a month). There also hasn’t been an explanation for why I am writing what I am this month.
So what’s with the pic? I did an earlier post showing the main character’s “last known whereabouts” when I was writing. If you where she was as it happened, that could only complicate things for her. The image is an indication of where she’s been.
What’s happening now? Well… According to all, she is ending her journey. Kadie, the man from the establishment, and also- That reminds me, maybe I’ve been letting her get a bigger lead than intended. Here is the “establishment” in question:
That chapter did go much longer than intended, but that’s what the magic of a second draft is all about. It’s all about quantity over quality though: in the month of November.
Of course to quote Anthony Kiedis, “Now that is a lie.” If I let everyone know where she was, someone might want to go out and catch her…and then I’ll never be able to finish the book on my own recognizance.
For fun, I’ll test out the idea of letting you know where she’s been: also to prove I finally got to the “inciting incident” and its consequence, so to speak. You can also check out the scene at that locale [while it lasts] by scrolling down or “hit[ting] the jump” as I like to say.
Spoilers ahead – be warned!
If you DON’T want to be spoiled, you have two options (both which are FREE by the way):
1) Wait until (at least) July for me to start posting chapters on Figment.
“You know… For whatever it’s worth, this kind of reminded me of when I was younger.”
Tilting the tiny bit of cider left in her glass side to side, Geenie sees the sparse bit of cinnamon and other bits of spice dance; like watching from underwater as a river’s current pushes the debris along. “Why is that?”
“Oh, maybe it’s silly…” Setting his glass down on the bar area, and grabbing the decanter again; this time able to handle the heat of it’s contents. Without asking he poured; refilling Geenie bit by bit almost up to the very top. Slouching back into his seat, Jack poured in that same sloppy way to freshen his own highball glass; so contrary to the all too gentle nature he made sure she got the most liquid with least amount of byproduct. Maybe it was a protective gesture for Geenie, or Jack really just enjoyed the way the grittiness interacted with his beverage- or merely just the way it looked.
They each took another casual taste before he continued. “It’s not exactly related to any of this right now, but it just made me think it up. You know…” Pausing for another sip. “It just came to mind.”
“It’s ok. You don’t need to explain it. That happens to me sometimes also.” She didn’t know what to expect since Jack’s mind seemed to be all over the place when he was feeling comfortable in his own skin. She might deny it under oath, but she had an interest with whatever he planned to say.
“Hey, I’m really sorry about that,” the driver tried to look behind him to say. His voice was much louder than he probably thought. His voice filled the inside of the limo and rattled around against the wooden looking floor. It had a sincerity to it and much of the nervousness shook off from his hasty maneuver. Putting his eyes back on the road – glancing between the windshield and rear view mirror. “I needed to get this thing on the other side of the road.” He looks back into the mirror to see his male passenger’s reaction; knowing the road ahead is as clear: as clear as it’s been since Geenie made it to the intersection before the limo arrived. I had to get this beast around since I didn’t think it would be easier getting to the highway any other way. And, I figured you were kind of in a hurry.”
Looking towards the front, Jack flashed a nod the driver’s way and spoke quietly. So much so, it was barely audible.
“Right. Sorry about that,” the chauffeur took the cue as a subtle reminder to be quiet for the sake of the other person huddled near him. “Good to have you aboard. Where are you heading to. Portland?”
Without a watch, it was tough to know how long the voyage by air actually took. Geenie didn’t care. She was more concerned with the whereabouts rather than how far away she was from any danger, or even noise. She was standing and watching Jack from afar. The airport was basically a small version; practically an airstrip. Looking around more when she let her eyes adjust more, she realized in fact it actually looked like nothing else but an airstrip. Despite its size, it was plenty noisy. Then again, Geenie never heard the true sound of a plane large or small except from the inside of it. This was a whole new experience.
Standing what seemed far away, but probably much closer than she realized, she watched from a safe distance while Jack took a little extra time discussing whatever topics seemed somewhat important to be with the pilot with a still running plane. They were less than a hundred feet away but the constant sounds being right on the seemingly makeshift type of runway made things most difficult.
Despite her still drowsy state, Eugenie was trying to study the two men or at least how they interacted. The did not appear to be friends but somehow have something in common if they can keep up bantering that way. It was also a rare time Geenie had to observe Jack and how he held himself. Most of this is with Jack right along side or when he was away, there was some sort of distraction keeping Geenie away. She still wasn’t sure what to think of him, but he seemed to always have a favorable shred in him no matter the interaction.
Eventually Jack made his way back towards Geenie. If she wasn’t thankful, her ears sure were. Jack tried to say something about asking if she was ok, but the plane crossed past their area; severely hampering and other nearby sound. He repeated, “How are you holding up?”
“Yeah, just try to relax back there, the pilot said while twisting his head- even though he can’t make eye contact with his passenger. “It looks like you were already up for a long time.”
“And I thought I was having a good hair day,” Jack almost yelled. All tone stripped but it was obvious the two of them held no ill will towards one another. If blood between them was the slightest of spoiled, how could Jack have pulled off some strange late night aeronautic feat such as this. Jack wondered for a moment if these planes he rode in were usually so noisy or if it was just something he selectively forgot. With a nod, he looked behind himself and saw their passenger. Making a careful leaning motion, jack settled into his seat.
Geenie was so out of it, she didn’t know what to make of things. It was not her fault. She was probably so sleepy at this point, she wouldn’t care if Jack was a foe or the actual friend he was slightly shaping himself into. He already seemed to be more than a little bit heroic. Answering the call of duty certainly seemed to fit Jack Robinson to a certain extent. He certainly doesn’t seem the type however; then or even now.
Things like this were too complex of thoughts right now, but they ran through her head at various times. She didn’t know who to even choose as an alternate at this point. If Jack wasn’t a “good guy” as kids say when speaking about a protagonist in a cartoon, then what exactly was he? A part of Geenie really didn’t want to know. Continue reading →
I don’t know about the other guys, but this is the most daunting blank piece of paper I ever had to face.
They say a blank piece of paper is the ultimate foe of a writer. I am not a writer, and up until now I did not have a problem filling up pages of paper with my words: thoughts, facts, and opinions. This time it’s different. It’s the end. Not only an era of sorts, but it really was the ending for many people.
For some, this was the walking away moment. Not all had that luxury of course. Rolling or carried by pallbearers away from where it all happened. It’s a fact. It happens in every war; conflict; policing action. Time in and time out.
Most of the time this sort of thing I can eventually explain away. Yes I always take things a teeny bit personally, and even more when I have some sort of involvement. This time things were much different. Maybe this is the only time I had the word “failure” in such a sentence or a moment in time. This times it’s different.
A failed mission is jargon of course, as is a scrubbed or aborted one. Sometimes missions fail for a reason so innocuous it makes no sense; but still technically a failure. I had a lot but to me those were mostly just things that went bad. The last thing I was ever associated with was a big failure. I feel I failed all the men who were under me or even just “along for the ride” so to speak I’ve never been so hard on myself for something.
I know I begun already but this is the beginning of the end. As conflicted as I was to tell any stories or even get as personal as I did, I really don’t know. Maybe I feel safe knowing it is not my real name and my family will probably know nothing about this. In a way it’s like a diary but just, a little more like the captain’s log I guess. Even if my family read this, they still couldn’t be sure since nobody knows my full name anyway.
Up to this point I tried not to get too personal. Maybe I succeeded. Maybe I failed but I just didn’t realize it at the time. I decided to treat putting my story down as a path to something. Maybe it’s corny, but I never knew the right words to use to express myself most times. Maybe since my family is all private in each member’s way. Well my family and then “the clan” as known of course.
Honestly I am never afraid to do a task but I had fear from time to time. Maybe I was just blissfully unaware or I was so hyped up doing all of this I never stopped to look and realize where I was until the moment already passed my by, like my military service record for example.
EVERYthing happened. And there there was nothing. That’s all I wish I’d have to tell you but it would be a disservice to all of my brothers as well as me too of course. One and for all, and all of that stuff no matter who it is taking the charge.
We’d do a lot of joking about if they wanted to do us in they better do their homework. Maybe that was fate or it was just dumb and blind coincidence, but it was a doozy for us. Maybe it was a little too much here and there, but that’s just how we rolled- literally I mean.
Compared to the other patrols, we’d roll a little bigger off the books from time to time. Sometimes it was for a good reason since we’d have another extra vehicle to scare away anyone who might be planning for one scenario and then getting another. Puts a little crimp in the plan if you know what I mean. If you expect three and get four, sometimes it can be enough intimidation to retreat or it can also pop the question if the intel being sniped from a rat was lying or being deceptive. The slightest bit of doubt can shake the strongest stuff apart and I know it.
What happened the particular day was the worst day of the best time I ever had. I really can’t put a lot of it into words but I know there was a lot of bad in a mountain of good. If I stayed where I was I would be far below where I am now. Even if people might think my life is just normal, boring or average. I’m thankful for every bit of it. At least on the surface I seem normal for the most part. That’s more than some in my group ended up with.
This is not to say I was unharmed. There was a lot of rehabilitation and if it wasn’t for the support of my family I wouldn’t know what would have happened to me or the condition I would be in now. Things were really rough and a lot of what I had to deal with is tough to put into words to make me sound how I really felt. It might all come across badly even though I don’t mean to. A lot is just facts.
In some respects it would have been a lot easier to have lost a chunk from me or even lost a body part. It must sound like the weirdest thing and I probably don’t even truly mean it, but I would not have been going up such a steep hill or road. I was an unfortunate casualty of HTI.
The more information one gathers can also lead to less and less confidence in that said information. This is even more true when the information gathers to a particular moment of time. It all becomes a judgment call more than what the genuine truth is. Most often it’s an estimation given with the copious amounts of skewed facts. It can be mining or panning for gold. Scooping everything told into a tray and then sifting it down to the few shimmering nuggets which count.
Words and words, guesstimation and conjecture. Most battles have these details recounted but everyone has their own take. Some really believe it all or think it’s what they saw or experienced. Many will start with the truth, but add a coat on top; thinking it’s what was wanting to be heard or read by whoever. In most cases in those times of war it’s best to be completely honest since more often than not nothing needs to be hidden.
The most pivotal moment of the group is known no more or less as “the incident” rather than anything descriptive or symphonic to the ear. Most every man in that convoy had an obscure view of it all. Few saw, but the mind has coping mechanisms. The same way the mind tries to mask the pain of a lost love or only drawing the happy moments from a person who passed on – the same is done to shielding the mental trauma and anguish by holding on to an entire scenario; locking it away and parsing it out in minute details if anything. Later it may trickle out in the worst of times. Some toss the words battle minded or a number of other cliches to mask what it really is. Mental trauma. The brain thinks it knows best even if it doesn’t feel like it to the owner of that mind.
Oh, Mesnard! 