Rosaire Bushey's Blog, page 4

Update time

Hi all

Just a quick post today to give you an update on what’s going on here in the writing cave.  Book 5 of the 30 Stones Saga, “Ascension” is getting a cover as I type. I’ve seen the first draft of it and I hope it will be finalized in the next week or so. Getting the cover is always an exciting time for me because it makes everything feel real. Of course, I’ve still a little more writing to go and while I won’t finish by March 31 as was my original intent, I think April 30 is entirely within bounds.

That is, of course, if I don’t get too side-tracked by my secondary and tertiary projects.  The secondary project is a video/podcast I want to start recording this spring/summer. You won’t see it right away because I want to have several episodes finished before I let them loose. What I’m going to do is talk to independent authors, creatives, and may the odd traditionally published author about them and their books. Sort of like what you’ve seen here with the Proust questions, but more in-depth and more about their stories. So stay tuned for that.

The tertiary project is to start laying down some audio book chapters. This will probably happen after I’ve got the podcast thing a little more solidified but I hope to have at least one book available on audio by the end of the year.

So, thanks for continuing to hang out with me in this social-distance approved zone. Stay safe, wash your hands and I’ll chat with you soon.

Ladies and Gentlemen… Kenny Seay

One of the things I most like doing in this space is introducing you to some of the creative and awesome people I come across. If you follow my social media, you’ve probably met this guy before, Kenny Seay, a guitar player, music teacher, voracious reader, patron of independent authors, and all around good guy. I met Kenny, at a comic-con and through a mutual friend, I’ve had the pleasure to get to know him a little better. I hope you take a few minutes to get to know Kenny as well.

As always, Kenny has consented to answering a modified Proust Questionnaire (which I fully endorse for character development purposes).

1. Cats or dogs? Dogs. Have you ever tried to get the smell of cat pee out of a guitar effects bag? You can’t. (Roe’s note: Even the best people sometimes get this one wrong!)
2. Beer, wine, spirits? Which in particular? Not much of drinker these days, but I’ll drink a beer once in awhile. Mich Ultra
3. Manual or automatic? Automatic, but I learned on a manual.
4. Favorite band you’ve seen live? Extreme. I lived in Boston and saw them live all the time. [image error]
5. Band you wish you would have been able to see? Well, it was Roxanne, but after 30 years I just saw them live in Miami last month! Plus I got to be their guitar tech and hang backstage for a day.
6. Top Five guitar players – any genre? Nuno Bettencourt from Extreme, John Sykes from Blue Murder, Steve Vai, Prince, #5 is the team of Jamie Brown and John Butler from Roxanne.
7. How do you take your caffeine? Coffee and Diet Dr Pepper
8. Beverage of choice? These Great Value brand Apple Cider Vinegar flavor enhancers for water. Only 2 flavors, Limeaid and Strawberry Pineapple right now. They keep me drinking water and the ACV keeps me from having to take antacids.
9. What’s currently on your mind? Been watching You on Netflix with my fiancé. Find myself relating with Joe a little too much… loves books, possible serial killer stuff… haha.
10. Best job you’ve ever had? Being the lead guitarist for a Journey Tribute band. Guitar solos all night long!
11. Coolest/funniest thing you’ve seen from stage? Guy threw a size 13 Converse from about 200 ft back in a crowd at the House of Blues Cleveland. Why? So I could play a guitar solo with it!
12. Ever had underwear thrown at you? Yes. Next question.
13. Biggest myth of being in a band? That it’s an easy life and not work. Especially handling the business side.
14. If you couldn’t play music what would you do instead? Work for Skywatch TV or the Faull Brothers doing conspiracy research!
15. Favorite place you’ve lived/visited? I lived in the Roanoke area most of my life, but loved living in Boston, MA while attending Berklee College of Music. Touring with bands took me to many places, but I loved Louisiana, especially Houma. Swamp land was something special.
16. Define happiness for you. Anything with music or a good book.
17. Greatest achievement … so far. The joy of being a music teacher. I love seeing my students succeed.
18. Describe yourself in no more than seven words. Music lover, book nerd, movie geek
19. What pisses you off? George R R Martin not finishing A Song of Ice and Fire series before HBO did. Grrrr!
20. What keeps you up at night? Shadow people that won’t let me sleep
21. What is your greatest extravagance? My fiancé says food, but my book collection is pretty insane.
22. Talent you’d most like to have? I read a lot, but really wish I was a writer. Maybe one day!
23. Talent you have that you don’t think about much. I’m a way better dancer than you’d think…
24. You would be miserable if you couldn’t … play music.
25. Turn off when dealing with other people. Selfishness
26. Favorite hero of fiction? Bilbo Baggins. I read the Hobbit in 1st grade. I had a fantastic teacher who believed I was ready for it and it opened a whole new world to me, at such an early age. Plus I was short and hairy. (Roe’s note: This answers gives him a pass for the dog thing)
27. Favorite book /writer. Too many to choose! Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, George R R Martin, Stuart Jaffe, and now add Roe Bushey to the list. (Roe’s note: And an extra point for that too!)
28. What’s on your nightstand right now? Veneration by Derek and Sharon Gilbert, Red Priest Rising by Roe Bushey.
29. Where do you fit in the sibling list? (Only child/youngest/oldest)? Middle child. Oldest sibling was a sport hero, who died at age 17 in a car accident. Little sister was a teenage beauty queen who could sing like Whitney Houston. I was a geeky kid who read a lot and played Dungeon and Dragons and Champions. I inherited my brothers rock cassette collection when he passed and fell in love with Van Halen and guitar playing.
30. Give an example of a ‘hero’ or two you’ve met in real life – what story of theirs made an impact on you? My pastor at Journey Church, Michael DuVal. His story of starting Journey Church really inspired me. He lived at The Rescue Mission while starting the church here. A church that didn’t pass around a collection plate during service, and had a 100% money back guarantee on all money donated to the church. Won’t build an actual church building until all the money is ready. No debt. Radical stuff. Helping to plant other churches. He’s pretty amazing and changed my perception of what a church truly is. We meet in a high school auditorium now, but started in a movie theater.
31. How has being in a band changed your perceptions of what it means to be a musician? I’ve been in lots of different types of bands, All original, variety, tribute, dance, metal, etc. People like familiarity. Sometimes you have to spoon feed the crowd something they love before you give them something new to chew on.
32. What advice would you give to creatives who are working the 9-5 but still want to create? Find a way to monetize your talent.
33. Do you have a 9-5? If so, what do you do? I teach music full time, about 50 students a week. [image error]
34. Where can people see you play? Currently you can catch me with Uptown, a variety dance band in Southwest Va. (Roe’s note: Obviously, this was done before COVID-19 (which is a great name for a band) and so you’ll have to check out Uptown’s website and find a time to watch them when all this passes. Watch a promo video here.)
35. Have you cut a CD or can people find recordings of your work? I have CD’s with previous bands Alchemy and 790 Robot Head, but working on getting them on the streaming services now.
36. What is the most difficult part of getting a song from an idea to on stage? It varies from song to song. Some songs just write themselves and appear. I have some riffs that I can’t seem to make work in any song yet. Sitting on some riffs and chords for 25 years…
37. What are your goals for your music? They vary. I make most of my money doing variety music. I still have some original things brewing.
38. Are you looking at any other projects beyond what you have now? A new side gig? I am doing a reunion of my rock band Long Story Short or LSS. An occasional fill in for Trial By Fire Journey Tribute band. Talks of a musical collaboration with Justen Faull from Fourth Watch Films.
39. Your turn – what do you want people to know about you the creative, the person trying to make their way in the world? If you do what you love, you wake up every day looking forward to it.
40. One last opportunity for messaging – what did I miss? Nothing! Looks good to me!

Stepping into the Audio

So, this week I got a box in the mail with a microphone, courtesy of Valerie and Jamie Archual with whom I’ll share a space at Steppin’ Out this year in Blacksburg.  For quite a while I’ve been toying with the idea of an audio book because everywhere I go, people ask if the books area available in that format.

So, I figured I’d give it a try, and Jamie, who is an independent film-maker in his free time, knows a thing or two about electronics helped me out and picked out for me a microphone. What I’ve attached here is a DRAFT, I cannot express enough that there is no (zero, nada, ziltch) editing on this audio file. I realize a couple of my breathing issues and there are some long pauses – but that’s not what this test is about. This is about my voice.

I’ve never been a fan of my voice, most people aren’t. But I need to know – honestly – could you listen to me read a book for several hours? It would sound pretty much like this and for some people that might be an issue as many of my characters are women; but that’s the deal.

So, please do me a favor, and listen to chapter 1 of Magic’s Genesis: The Grey and let me know what you think.

Be specific – why do you like/dislike something? what about the volume/speed etc?  (Again, this is a draft so there is background noise etc. that won’t be there if I do this for real)

I’ve listened to books I liked because of the reader; I’ve listened to books I’ve hated because of the reader – It was a good book, but the narrator ruined it. So the question, again, is will my voice deter you? If the answer is ‘yes, your voice is not fit to be listened to for that long‘ then fine. I’m a big boy and I’ve got very thick skin. If I can’t do it by myself, I’ll have to bring in someone else. I’m ok with that.

Thanks for your help everyone. It’s just a few seconds over 20 minutes. If you can, please listen to the whole thing.

http://rosairebushey.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Magics-Genesis-The-Grey-Chapter-1.mp3

Roe

Thinning the herd

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about my characters.

Mostly, I’ve been thinking about deleting some of them.

I read once how author J.K. Rowling cried when she had to kill a character, I think it may have been Dobby, and to be honest, I was a little heartbroken she did it. But now I understand better why it needed to be done. There had to be some consequences, some real danger, some stakes for the whole book to feel real and to carry the emotional weight she was trying to put into it. That’s the same reason why Avenger’s: Endgame worked so well. Even though only a couple of people died, the fact they were characters we all knew, gave the moment some bite.

Now, I take no pleasure in killing my characters, but sometimes its necessary for the story. Also, time passes and people get older and in a fantasy story it would be odd to have a 70 year old gallivanting around the countryside swinging a sword. Not that age has stopped Keith Richards or Mick Jagger, but I daresay they aren’t touring on horseback.

So, I find that I’m doing a little culling right now. And lo and behold, as I’m doing this, I spoke to someone who is reading the first book in the series, Magic’s Genesis: The Grey, and he says to me, “you’ve got a lot of characters.” We talked for a bit and chalked it up to being a new story – there always feels like a lot of characters in a new story. But then, I realized he may have a point.

All of that then, to say this. There’s a reason. There are six books to this current series. Then I’m going to take a break from Eigrae and do a different series, probably a trilogy. But in the back of my mind, I plan to return to Eigrae in the future, and all of these characters running around now, have a connection to the next series in this world. Well, many of them have a connection. What you’re reading now in the 30 Stones Saga is really setting the stage for the world to come. Most fantasy series start with magic already established, and I purposefully wanted to write a story about the very beginnings and that’s what these six books are. The next time we pop into Eigrae, however, magic will be well-established, and thanks to all these people, we’ll have some of that back-story.

In the future, I may not kill as many characters as I have taking a dirt nap now. But, in the future, I may not have as many characters to choose from.

[image error]Your nerd-host me, with my copy of Vorpal 1. Get yours!
A couple quick-hit thoughts:

A new Vorpal comic is coming this week

You may remember, Jason Tudor, comic book artist and host of the podcast Dollar Box Reads – well Jason’s got a new comic that’s due to be available March 3: Vorpal 3: No One Dies of Threats and as a bonus, he’s releasing a science-fiction anthology series the same day, Seven From the System. Please note the link to Vorpal will take you to the page where you can get the first in the series – as I posted this before March 3 the link for Vorpal 3 wasn’t up yet.

Washington DC AwesomeCon

I have a space at AwesomeCon in Washington DC May 1-3 and if you’re in the area I hope you’ll stop by and see me. That’s all assuming of course that COVID-19 doesn’t have something to say about it by that point. The guest line-up for this event is amazing and includes Christina Rici, Zach Levy (Shazam!), Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd and others from Back to the Future, Christopher Eccleston and Billy Piper from Dr. Who, and a bunch of other great guests along with about 400! exhibitors, artist alley tables and more. And of course, there’s me. I’ll be there too – don’t forget me. I’ll be in the back…probably alone…wanting MJF to autograph one of his books for me…and needing to go to the bathroom.

Penny P’s Backyard

Back in November, you met Chris Valluzo, and independent TV creator who was trying to get crowd-source funding to make a pilot episode of a children’s program called Penny P’s Backyard. Well, he made his funding goal, got the pilot made, and currently has a PBS station who says they are interested. Chris has a lot still to do including trying to pitch the idea to other stations and content providers, but some of you who read about him here, helped out and I wanted to say thank you again. Check out what Chris is up to and be on the lookout for his show – you can keep up to date with the show by following their Facebook page.

Patreon

If you haven’t checked it out yet, I’d like to invite you to check out my Patreon page. For a buck a month, you’ll get a one-hour story by me. I use a random generator to give me a starting sentence and then write for an hour. The stories, if I may say, are generally pretty good. One of them, in fact, is the basis of my next project after book 6 of the 30 Stones Saga.  For $5 a month you get the story and a letter and photo from one of my five cats. Check it out and let me know if you have a patronage tier idea.

9 tips for a more fulfilling con experience

            Photo above, Roe with Kenny Seay of the Uptown Band. You’ll get to know Kenny better soon as he’ll be answering some questions in my Meet the Creative                  series – hopefully in my next blog post.

Last weekend marked my one-year anniversary of going to events like comic-cons and selling my books. I’ve learned quite a bit in that year, and I’ve got quite a bit to learn still, but there is one thing that was evident from the very first time I set up a booth – there are things you can do to make your time at the con better and more worthwhile.

The pitch. Selling your book is a lot like an infomercial – but without the Australian accent (unless, of course, you’re Australian). The elevator pitch is key and you can tell if it’s working pretty easily by searching the eyes and the motions of your customers. If they’re picking up the book and reading the back while you’re talking, that’s not too bad, but not as good as if they’re engaged with what you’re saying and nodding and agreeing with you. “Yeah, I thought so too” and “that sounds great,” and “I’ve always thought that.” The alternative is they’ll glance at your book, say no thanks and move on. When that happens you need to adjust your pitch. And be prepared to say it over and over and over and over. Hopefully, even more. If you have to say it a hundred times it only means that a hundred people have heard from you first-hand. Learn to love your voice.
The display. I was fortunate during my first con to meet someone who had literally written a book on setting up for cons. It was an instructive read and he was an instructive guy. The table has changed a little over the course of a year, but it’s gotten a little better each time. A little more height, better placement of books and newsletter sign ups. It’s a living entity and it should change if for no other reason than to keep you looking at it and wondering how to tweak the edges. Have multiple levels to help guide a customer’s eyes around your product; have something behind you so they don’t get distracted by the table behind you; give them something to look at or read so if there is a customer ahead of them, they won’t wander off.
Pricing. I have to admit it’s really easy to undersell yourself and your product. A long time ago a friend and I sold comic books and we figured we were doing a service by selling a $45 (guide price) comic for 15 bucks. The problem was no one was interested. “There must be something wrong with it” is the natural reaction to a good deal. Never mind we paid 45 cents for it as part of an enormous lot of comics. What we both learned from that experience is that there is a delicate dance you have to play with price. Too much and you’re just being silly. Too little and you’re telling people you don’t think much of your product, or that they shouldn’t expect much from your product. I have always charged less at shows than the price people can buy online and I have always charged people less if they are willing to buy the whole string in a series. It’s not worth losing a customer for a buck or two and if you can bring them on board with your first book, you stand a good chance of keeping them around for the rest.
Small talk. Every event I’ve been to, regardless of how many people are there or how much I sell or don’t sell, there are people who come up to the table and profess that they are either writing a book, or want to write a book. I think that’s great. What I don’t think they’ve hit upon yet is that it’s work. Being able to write a coherent sentence and writing a book are the equivalent of being able to take a walk and running a marathon. One is easy enough, the other is work. BUT – if you’re willing to do the work, you can do either. I’ve had adults and pre-teens make these claims to me, and I try to tell them all the same thing – just do it. Go write your book. The best advice I’ve ever seen is this – write to fill the sandbox. Edit to build the castle. First-time writers just need to fill the box with sand – those are your distance days if I can belabor the running analogy.
Too much small talk. Every event I’ve been to, regardless of how many people are there or how much…blah blah blah … there are people who want to stand in front of the table and just talk about how much they want to write and how great their story is or how lame the last (insert your own genre) move was… That’s fine. I get it. I want you to write your book. I want you to have a table next to mine at the next show. But there’s a limit.
Max out that limit and let people talk until they’re done. At one show a young man talked to me so long I considered charging him a sitting fee. He wasn’t buying a book, that much was obvious. At the end of the show, his parents bought the books for him. You never know, so don’t be rude. Ever.
Listen to what they’re telling you.  About a dozen people this last weekend asked if my books were on Audible or a similar service. They are not. They probably need to be because this is a question I get asked a lot! It tells me the market for stories is there – the market for portable stories that people can listen to in their cars or on their headphones is there too. I’m thankful I have an English wife because no one wants to listen to me read for five hours. Ten hours of con time is like the world’s best survey – listen to what the buyers are saying, and what the non-buyers are saying.
Meet your neighbors. Cons are great places to meet people. Other writers, artists, folks who know when the next cons are or who can give you some good intel on particular events. Be a good neighbor and if they have to use the facilities, watch their tables for them and explain to people who stop by or who are looking at their space that the artist will be right back.
Have fun. We live in a time where the barriers to publication are almost non-existent outside of any limitations we put on ourselves. Have fun with it. Go to the shows, engage with your audience (and you will have an audience) and just soak up the atmosphere. Thousands of people are being a little uninhibited and playful – we probably need more of that.

If you’re going to be in the Washington D.C. area May 1-3, I’ll be at Awesome Con. Stop by and say Hello.

You can find more from the author at: www.patreon.com/rosaire

You can find all books in the 30 Stones Saga on Amazon, or under the ‘shop’ tab on this page.

If you’ve got a question or comment for me, leave a comment on this blog. Thanks for hanging out.

R

 

Have you met Rob?

Welcome back – this week we get to know fellow indie author and fellow Air Force veteran Rob Ward through a modified Proust character questionnaire – a great resource for giving your characters a more fully rounded personality and some agency of their own. It’s also a great tool for writers, as I’ve covered here before, to get to know their characters a little better.

Rob is a native of Richmond, Virginia who retired from the USAF in 2018 after 25 years of service as a communications engineer on AWACS aircraft, and as an acquisition officer, missileer, and an Air Force ROTC instructor.

Rob’s written three books (so far) – including Terror On The Trail; The Emerald Stones and its sequel, Charlotte’s Ring.  So, let’s get into the questions and get to know our featured artist – author Rob Ward.

Why are you writing?  I ask myself this all the time. I suppose I’ve got writing in my blood. My grandfather, William A. Ward, has written numerous books about our Lord and savior. Also, my sister, Cheryl Bradley, has written numerous books that have been well received throughout the reading community. I figured I’d give it a shot and see what I could accomplish. So far, I’m proud to say that I’m learning new and exciting techniques about how to write better, each and every day. God has been good to me and my family!

Cats or dogs? (or something else?) We’ve got a pound puppy, half pit, half terrier….all love

Beer, wine, spirits? Which in particular – any special brand or significance? My wife Danna and I love to share a bottle of Merlot every few days…I also like Corona Light

Manual or automatic? Manual, so I can wave to people and make them feel uncomfortable

Favorite band you’ve seen live? Def Leppard

Band you wish you would have been able to see? Pink Floyd

How do you take your caffeine? Must have goodies, milk or half/half w/ a touch of honey

Smoke? Yuck

What’s currently on your mind? How am I going to answer the next question…

Best job you’ve ever had? Military (flying aboard AWACS while enlisted. It’s how I met Danna)

Favorite place you’ve lived/visited? What did you like about it? Lived—Colorado; Visited—Czech

Define happiness for you —Watching my wife smile as we do something together

Greatest achievement … so far . Serving my country

[image error]

Describe yourself in a couple words . Hmm, boring…no, not really. I’d say well rounded and curious about life in general

What pisses you off? Answering questions

What keeps you up at night? Thinking about answering more questions

What is your greatest extravagance? Lobster and crab legs

Talent you’d most like to have? Being a better multi-tasker

Talent you have that you don’t think about much . Jack of all trades, master of none

You would be miserable if you couldn’t … hike, run, golf, be outside, make people smile

Turn off when dealing with other people. Listening to them brag [image error]

Favorite hero of fiction? Spiderman

Favorite book /writer. Dean Koontz

Favorite book not your own – why? Intensity by Koontz. The book pulls you in quickly and won’t let go

Favorite book of your own – why? Terror on the Trail (it’s a great thriller with tangents…)

Give an example of a ‘hero’ or two you’ve met in real life – what story of theirs made an impact on you? – Tuskegee airman, they inspire me

How has being an indie author changed your perceptions of what it means to be a writer? If you aren’t passionate about your writing, you shouldn’t expect folks to read it[image error]

How long had you been writing when you realized – hey, this is work! (I’m assuming you have, but if not, that’s ok) When I started editing it feels like work…I like creating a story, NOT editing

What advice would you give to authors/artists etc., who are working the 9-5 but still want to create? Find time if possible and always BELIEVE in yourself. If you don’t, then why should others?

Where can people find your books? Amazon Books Rob Ward (Terror On The Trail; The Emerald Stones; Charlotte’s Ring)

Are any of your books available on Audible or other audio service? Yes, audible, iTunes (all books)

If yes to 30, did you do any of the work for creating an audio book yourself ? The Emerald Stones

Without going into great detail, how difficult is it to create an audio book? Hmm, steep learning curve but definitely doable. If I did it (think cave man), then you can do it![image error]

What are your goals for your book/series/writing in general? I want to be done with this thriller I’m working on by May 1 and then I’ve got my next 2 books in the queue

Are you looking at any other projects beyond what you have now? A new series or character in development? I want to write the 3rd book on the Kingdom (Emerald Stones was the 1st, then Charlotte’s Ring…not sure what I’ll call the third (maybe The Witch’s Revenge)

Your turn – what do you want people to know about you the author, the creative, the person trying to make their way in the world? That God loves you! Also, I enjoy talking with folks and learning new things. I really like sitting down and creating something unique!

One last opportunity – what did I miss? Here’s my link on Amazon & Author Central. And you can find me also on Facebook.

 

Remember(ing) the (writing) Titans

It’s been a pretty busy 10 days or so since my last post. Today I found out that Christopher Tolkien (son of JRR Tolkien) died. He was 95 and was responsible for shining the light of day onto the Silmarillion and Children of Hurin among other things. All in all, 95 is a pretty good run.

Sixty-seven, however, doesn’t sound nearly fair in comparison, and it was a pretty awful weekend when I found out Neil Peart had also died – of brain cancer Jan. 7. The lyricist and phenomenal drummer of Rush, Peart has provided the backbone to the soundtrack of my life since high school.

And if you’re wondering what connection the two might have, other than being writers, then you haven’t heard ‘Rivendell’ from Rush’s Fly by Night album, or ‘Necromancer’ from their Caress of Steel disc. Influence begets influence.

As a private person, Peart kept news of his cancer close to the vest so it came as a surprise to almost everyone. As a drummer he was without peer. As a writer he explored a lot of areas that most people can relate to, in short form with music, and in longer form with several books.

If you’ve never heard his music, I envy you – you only get to experience your first time once, and it’s still ahead of you. If you’re familiar with his work, likely you’ve been listening to it a lot the last two weeks. (As evidenced by a report I read today that suggest Rush will make a re-entry into the Billboard 200 album charts soon)

[image error]

If the passage of these two titans shows us anything, it’s that words matter. What doesn’t matter so much is the medium. Song lyrics, novels, poetry, plays, movies – all of it has at its core the heart of the writer, exploring themes that are universal, timeless and at the same time as individual as each author.

That individuality is the reason so many stories can share essentially the same theme, sometimes even plot, but still be very different and worth reading. Every writer puts his/her own voice, experience, imagination, and soul into their own words. What we take from those words is largely guided by the writer’s use of language, feel for their topic, passion for their work, and compassion for their audience. And of course, how we interpret it is largely based on how we, as readers, feel when we dive in.

I won’t belabor this point by quoting Tolkien or Peart. The fact is there are just too many worthy quotes to choose from and I know that if I tried, I would almost immediately think of another that provided a better representation of how I feel.

And that’s all you really need to know – as writers, they were able to capture the essence of how we feel; and create worlds we felt for.

While it’s easy to say the world is a sadder and lesser place for their having left it, I’d prefer to think the world is a much richer and more meaningful place for their having been a part of it.

Rest in peace Chris and Neil, and thank you —  you’ll be missed, but you’ve left a gift for all future generations. One can hardly ask for a better legacy.

 

Finally, Rush was the first band I saw live. As of today, they were the last band I saw as well – a span of 30 years from first to last 1985 to 2015 with a handful of others tossed in between. The link to the short video clip below is, I think, the only video I shot from the R40 tour in Portland, Oregon in 2015. It’s rough video, but I couldn’t have picked a better 15 seconds of a 3 hour concert to represent the man. Ladies and gentlemen, the Professor on the drum kit…

https://www.facebook.com/roe.bushey/videos/vb.534348331/10154042940163332/?type=2&video_source=user_video_tab

Finding my inner Elsa…

I have probably mentioned before the mistake I made between writing books 3 and 4 of the 30 Stones Saga when I took a, what seemed then, well-deserved break. That break turned into about two months and getting back to writing again was more difficult because of it.

This time, I started grinding right away, with a goal of having book 5 out by the end of March. I figured, 1,000 words a day for 90 days and I’d be good. So far, as of Jan. 7, I’m about 10 days ahead of myself with ten chapters and just over 18,000 words completed.

Book five is a bit complicated because it’s where I am starting to bring together a lot of moving pieces from the other four books in the series; part of that included a few bits that were, to put it bluntly, difficult to write. I won’t say I cried, but I was a little emotional as I did what had to be done, and it made me think that I’m getting better at not being quite so concerned as I used to be about how ‘plausible’ everything is.

I’m one of those people who, while watching a movie, says stuff like, “that wouldn’t happen” or “You can’t do that” or “how many bullets does this gun have?” This is especially true when watching movies featuring military hardware being used in ways that are totally incompatible with the way these things work in real life. However, I’m also the person who has a wife who says, “if you’re going to do that for the whole movie, feel free to leave the room!”

And so, when writing ‘fantasy’ I always find myself trying to figure out how something might actually happen – how that wagon would be pulled without horses, and how the people know where they are, or how they are getting to wherever, and where do they go to the bathroom… And here’s what I’ve discovered … I don’t need to.

Look at some of the most popular works of fiction, and specifically, fantasy and you’ll see enormous contrivances, and McGuffins – things that are just ridiculous. For instance, how come nobody in Harry Potter’s world seems to have discovered the internet? And where is the RAF when the Weasely’s are flying Ford Anglias around London? How come no one in the station sees kids running into a brick wall – they can obviously be seen as Harry asked a porter which way to the platform? Where is the “I Swear it’s Magic” YouTube channel? And in Lord of the Rings (one of my personal favorites) why aren’t we bothered that the Giant Eagles could have saved poor Frodo a lot of headache (and a finger) if they’d just flown him over Mt Doom and let him drop the ring instead of making him hike through hell and risk failure? It’s not like they hadn’t had hobbits ride on them before. (Admittedly, there is a line where the Eagles say they won’t fly near men etc etc yada yada, but when the world is on the line, I’m thinking they’ve got as much to lose as everyone else)

So, in my own writing there are times now when I’m trying to figure out how to make go from A to B that I just call upon my inner Elsa and … let it go.

That’s not to say that I’m leaving giant plot holes lying around or disregarding some semblance of ‘making sense’ but I’m also no longer trying to shoehorn common sense and science into something that is patently neither.

Basically, what I’m trying to say, is that the more I do this, the more I’m allowing myself to have fun as I write – even if things as unpleasant as the death of a character need to take place. Because, you know, it makes sense.

Too much of a good thing

Hello and Happy New Year.

As we get ready to close out 2019, I have to ask, how quickly does a year go? Well, pretty quickly, I tell you. And why do I tell you this? Because editing is important.

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Red Priest Rising is now available on Amazon (and here, on this site) and before it went to digital press, I realized that my 90,000-word story used the work quick or quickly no fewer than 90 times. Yikes.

As I have mentioned previously, editing matters.

As you read the book you should find the ‘quick(ly)’ tally a far more palatable total of something like – six.

What’s that say about the other 80-plus instances? Mostly that they weren’t needed. In the flow of the writing process, the word falls out of your fingertips as you ‘see’ the action taking place in your head and the movement seems to matter. But upon further review, meh, not so much. Certainly not enough to warrant 90 uses.

If the story is written well (and I certainly hope that’s the case – let me know by leaving a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads), the action should show the reader how enthusiastically or not the characters are doing something.

As in all things, it helps to have a fresh set of eyes – like a dedicated editor; but it also helps for writers to keep a list of things that the computer can search for during the editing process – such as words that seem to be used often, adverbs, double spaces, homophones (bear/bare, tail/tale, rode/road). It saves time and makes the writing tighter and better.

So, with book four finished I’m already a few thousand words deep into book five which I hope to have ready for release in April. How’s that for quickly?

NEXT UP

Next week, another creator Q&A with indie author and fellow Air Force veteran Rob Ward, author of (Terror On The Trail; The Emerald Stones; and Charlotte’s Ring).

Great gifts – and what I want for Christmas

Great Gifts

Books, of course, are fantastic gifts and I think you understand where I’m going with this so I’m not going to beat you over the head with it, except to say, you know, there are three available right now and you can just slide to the top and click that button that says ‘shop’ and click a few more buttons and I’ll sign a copy or two for you and send them on their way. No pressure.

Another great gift is Patreon. For as little as a buck a month, you can get the gift of me! I do an hour-long story each month based on a random line generator.

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There are other levels as well – and if there is something you’d like to see, or a patron level you’d be more comfortable with, let me know and I’m sure we can work something out. Ultimately, I want Patreon to be a place where people who like the work I do to have a place to see something different.

My Christmas list

I’m not asking for much – unlike the great comic/actor Steve Martin who wanted to be master of all time, space, and dimension … and then go to Europe… I’m just looking for a few minutes of your time — in the form of a book review. You can find my work on Amazon, obviously, but I’m also on Goodreads. So if you’ve read one (or more) of my books, please take a minute and leave a review (you can review each separate book – and you are urged to do so). I cannot over-emphasize how important reviews are to books getting seen by more people – especially in Amazon. If you are hesitant because maybe you think it only merits 1 or 2 out of five stars – do that review anyway – just do me a favor and try to make it funny so I enjoy reading it – but be honest – really. I’ve got pretty thick skin. Of course, I’d love a 4 or 5 star review, but I know not everyone is going to like everything and that’s ok. But if you want to help me out, or help any indie author, leave a review of their work. Please.

Year in (short) review

I suppose it’s time to start considering new years resolutions. – HA! I’m not doing that! But I will do a quick re-hash of a very busy 2019.

A couple weeks ago we met Chris Valluzzo, an independent film maker who is trying to start a children’s television program. As I tap this on my keyboard (Dec 11) his funding goal sits at 58% thanks to 87 people – some of whom gave because they read about Chris right here — so from Chris, and from me, thank you very much! It’s a very cool thing he’s trying to do and if for some reason you didn’t see it before, here it is again. It’s several minutes of your time well spent to see what he’s trying to do. And if you want to throw him a few bucks, it will be appreciated.

We also got to sit down and chat (again) with Jason Tudor, author of Vorpal Comics and Jason was kind enough to invite me to join him on his podcast, Dollar Box Reads. If you’re into podcasts, I suggest you give Jason a listen — you’ll get an instant +2 to your intelligence score, and you can geek out a little bit. And let’s face it, we’re all a little happier when we can indulge our inner geek; and if being a little happier makes the world better, I’m all for it. [image error]

You met Valerie Archual, who writes a blog and has a couple of children’s books making the rounds, including the exceptional Carter’s Star City Trolley Ride. If you like scary places, Val’s brand of travel writing will suit you to your toes. Check out her blog and encourage her to start writing her book. She won’t tell me what it’s about but I can’t wait to read it.

[image error]I would be remiss if I didn’t shout out to Chris Eder Design who hooked me up with my cool new logo; Enoch Creek Productions, who made me an awesome cover reveal trailer (below) for Red Priest Rising (coming out probably in January!) and Rosies Jerkey, for the great dried meat sticks and just for being another guy named Rosaire that I can point to and prove that there are more of us out there than just me.

 

Up next…

2019 was my first year taking my books on the road to conventions, and doing speaking gigs, and it’s been a fantastic experience and one I want to do more of in 2020. My goal for 2019 was 1,000 books in the hands of readers and that’s going to be my goal again for 2020. It’s an ambitious goal and I honestly came closer to it this year than I thought I might, but I’ll make it my goal again with the belief that this year it’s going to happen. I’m already preparing my convention calendar for 2020 and adding some larger comic-cons in North Carolina and Washington DC to the list of shows I’d like to take part in. Click on the events tab to see what’s on the planning calendar.

For my new year’s resolution, I’m going to try to be a little more regular with this blog – maybe I’ll play with some video as well who knows. Until then, have a great holiday season, enjoy your time off, enjoy your family and friends, and spend some time with the phone off and a book open.

Cheers

http://rosairebushey.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/RPR-Trailer-2019.mp4

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Rosaire