Jordan Castillo Price's Blog, page 53
January 23, 2012
Too Real!
I wasn't feeling well last night so I went to bed crazy-early (like 8:30) and by the time 5am rolled around I was having all kinds of crazy dreams. In the last one I was back at the library clerking with a couple of teenagers who didn't know what they were doing, a customer who couldn't articulate what he wanted, new equipment I didn't know how to use, and a drive-up window with another customer who wanted information from me I'd have no reason to know. Then I glanced out the window and saw a line of cars stretching back from the drive-up window all the way across the parking lot. Aaagh!I honestly don't need the hyperrealistic reminder of how hideous it is to work a day-job. But thanks, subconscious, I'm starting today especially grateful.
(The previous dream where I was Ville Valo's girlfriend was much nicer, even though I kept inexplicably changing my shoes and we couldn't seem to get a chance to be alone and some idiot stole the money the band was supposed to get from the venue they were playing so we were looking for an ATM in the middle of the night.)
January 21, 2012
Don't fear the non-flow
I was browsing through Study Hacks last night, and I was struck by a post provokingly titled Flow is the Opiate of the Mediocre.
Flow is that "magical" state of work in which the hours fall away, and we become so engrossed in our process that it's almost like we've achieved an alternate state of consciousness. Artists, writers and runners are typically cited as people who get into flow, but really anyone doing any non-passive activity could potentially experience it.
I have always considered flow to be a personal goal of mine. It feels amazing, after all, to tap this place where I'm so in tune, so involved, with my creativity. It had never occurred to me that there might be times when NOT finding the flow might be preferable. Why? Because not being in flow is a good indicator that I'm about to take a risk. To do something different. To approach a writing project from a new angle from which flow doesn't automatically happen, because it's the path less taken.
How cool is that?
I'll probably always love flow. It feels like flying. But now, instead of getting down on myself if I'm "not feeling it," I can look at those times as an opportunity to stretch and keep things fresh.
Flow is that "magical" state of work in which the hours fall away, and we become so engrossed in our process that it's almost like we've achieved an alternate state of consciousness. Artists, writers and runners are typically cited as people who get into flow, but really anyone doing any non-passive activity could potentially experience it.
I have always considered flow to be a personal goal of mine. It feels amazing, after all, to tap this place where I'm so in tune, so involved, with my creativity. It had never occurred to me that there might be times when NOT finding the flow might be preferable. Why? Because not being in flow is a good indicator that I'm about to take a risk. To do something different. To approach a writing project from a new angle from which flow doesn't automatically happen, because it's the path less taken.
How cool is that?
I'll probably always love flow. It feels like flying. But now, instead of getting down on myself if I'm "not feeling it," I can look at those times as an opportunity to stretch and keep things fresh.
Magic Mansion final vote closes Monday morning
It's the final vote in Magic Mansion! Did you cast your ballot?Here's what readers are saying:
"This story is captivating. I started reading it this morning and I'm already impatient for more."
"Yay!! I'm loving this."
"I love that as the story goes on, every character gets a moment to round out, everyone gets their own little spot light. And I'm loving this story and can't wait for more."
"I don't know why I didn't read this before except that I hate suspense and I think I was just waiting to read a few chapters all at once. Well that failed since I totally forgot to read the story at all. Now though, I'm so glad I found the story again because it's just so damn exciting."
"I'm loving the story and can't wait for Kevin to go down in flames."
Here's your chance to weigh in...and also, if you've been putting off reading because the suspense of a serial is too much, you can catch up with confidence, knowing all will be resolved in February's JCP News!
The polished story will be available in ebook and paperback in a few months.
Voting closes Monday morning, 7am CST.
Step into the Mansion...
January 19, 2012
Manikin and Tainted at Brief Encounters
January 17, 2012
Bill-icious Vertigo Review
"I’ve read this story four times now but I can still remember how it gripped me from the very first paragraph the first time around, as it still does exactly the same thing."Whenever a reader tells me they're re-reading my work, I feel a massive sense of satisfaction that has less to do with basking in praise and more the gratification of seeing that my creation is being cherished. Every one of us only has 24 hours in our day, and to have readers re-gift me with another investment of their time is just HUGE.
When a reviewer reads a piece multiple times? I can't even imagine it. I'm not a reviewer, but the impression I get is that many of them are buried under a teetering virtual pile of ebooks that they will never see the bottom of. That they need to finish books they don't even particularly love because they must then craft a review. That the pressure of having to read all this stuff sucks the joy out of reading for pleasure and sometimes it feels like more of an obligation.
So to have someone in that situation stop and re-read my work three and four TIMES? Holy hell. Amazing.
http://briefencountersreviews.com/201...
And more interview-
http://briefencountersreviews.com/201...
January 16, 2012
A stunning Payback review
A lot of my readers have only read PsyCop and shy away from Channeling Morpheus because there are vampires in the series--and I gotta say, there are so many derivative done-to-death vampires series out there, I totally get that.
But I've always thought Channeling Morpheus was an exception, because it's more of a character-series than a vampire-series. Cole from Brief Encounters Reviews really digs the things about the story that I do: "From the moment Wild Bill sidles up to Michael at the bar and casually calls him Michael, Michael, Motorcyle, this story just takes off and doesn’t let up. I remember when I read this for the first time, devouring it three times in one sitting because not only did it have the hottest m/m/m menage encounter I’d read, but also such a unique and uncomfortable one."
Come check out the new review, and tune in all week for reviews of the first five books of the series and a new interview with me!
But I've always thought Channeling Morpheus was an exception, because it's more of a character-series than a vampire-series. Cole from Brief Encounters Reviews really digs the things about the story that I do: "From the moment Wild Bill sidles up to Michael at the bar and casually calls him Michael, Michael, Motorcyle, this story just takes off and doesn’t let up. I remember when I read this for the first time, devouring it three times in one sitting because not only did it have the hottest m/m/m menage encounter I’d read, but also such a unique and uncomfortable one."
Come check out the new review, and tune in all week for reviews of the first five books of the series and a new interview with me!
Pupils Away!
You know the way characters' pupils kinda "voom" open in romance novels when they spy the object of their desires?
You should see Puffy's eyes when I open a new bag of treats! VOOM!
You should see Puffy's eyes when I open a new bag of treats! VOOM!
JCP News - Last Magic Mansion vote!
JCP News January 2012 issue is out. Don't miss seven luscious chapters of Magic Mansion, culminating in the final vote!
January 14, 2012
TV Tie-ins
I was looking in my library's catalog to see if they had Eureka Season 4 on DVD, and to my surprise, I saw there are three Eureka tie-in novels. How interesting! I've always been keen on writing a tie-in novel because I really love the challenge of taking someone else's character and storyverse and basically playing in their sandbox so flawlessly that everyone just sounds like "themselves." Maybe it's akin to being in a band and playing a cover song from another artist you really, really like. (Except it's probably more like writing a new song "in the style of" some other artist.) Most definitely it's just a sanctioned sort of fanfic.
My guess is that your plot would need to start and end without affecting the arc of the series. No new relationships could be forged, no one can gain or lose any abilities (except for the duration of the story...hm, that's an interesting idea.) You'd need to always end up at square one again without feeling cheated.
Digging deeper into TV tie-ins, I see Lee Goldberg has written novels for TV shows he produces, like Monk and Diagnosis Murder. I imagine the fans of these shows are in their glory seeing the characters handled by the man himself.
I imagine writing a tie-in for a small time author like me would involve pitching a sample chapter and an extensive outline to the right person. I'm too busy for that right now. But it'd be fun to put on my bucket list.
My guess is that your plot would need to start and end without affecting the arc of the series. No new relationships could be forged, no one can gain or lose any abilities (except for the duration of the story...hm, that's an interesting idea.) You'd need to always end up at square one again without feeling cheated.
Digging deeper into TV tie-ins, I see Lee Goldberg has written novels for TV shows he produces, like Monk and Diagnosis Murder. I imagine the fans of these shows are in their glory seeing the characters handled by the man himself.
I imagine writing a tie-in for a small time author like me would involve pitching a sample chapter and an extensive outline to the right person. I'm too busy for that right now. But it'd be fun to put on my bucket list.
January 13, 2012
Design Fangirling
I was just watching a training video that blew me away...enough for me to overcome my shyness and email the trainer to thank him for making a huge positive impact on my workflow. It occurs to me I'd like to give a shoutout to the trainers who I lovelovelove.
Nigel French - Lynda.com trainer, amazing graphic designer. His Photoshop for designer courses are sorely needed since most Photoshop courses seem to focus on photography
Mordy Golding - Illustrator genius. He generously offers free hour-long Illustrator seminars on Fridays with Mordy
David Blatner and Anne-Marie Concepcion - InDesign gurus, trainers at Lynda.com and creators of Indesign Secrets podcast/videocasts. (I believe the short Indesign Secrets videocasts are free at Lynda.com, where they also have full-length paid courses well worth the money--I bookmark certain chapters and periodically re-watch them because the InDesign learning curve is so steep.) The blog at Indesgn Secrets is very active, lively and helpful.
Dave Cross and Corey Barker - my favorite "Photoshop Guys" as they focus not only on image processing but on design, typography, workflow and special effects. Corey does cool reconstructions of movie poster art and Dave made me love smart objects.
Nigel French - Lynda.com trainer, amazing graphic designer. His Photoshop for designer courses are sorely needed since most Photoshop courses seem to focus on photography
Mordy Golding - Illustrator genius. He generously offers free hour-long Illustrator seminars on Fridays with Mordy
David Blatner and Anne-Marie Concepcion - InDesign gurus, trainers at Lynda.com and creators of Indesign Secrets podcast/videocasts. (I believe the short Indesign Secrets videocasts are free at Lynda.com, where they also have full-length paid courses well worth the money--I bookmark certain chapters and periodically re-watch them because the InDesign learning curve is so steep.) The blog at Indesgn Secrets is very active, lively and helpful.
Dave Cross and Corey Barker - my favorite "Photoshop Guys" as they focus not only on image processing but on design, typography, workflow and special effects. Corey does cool reconstructions of movie poster art and Dave made me love smart objects.
