Eric Arvin's Blog, page 31
January 29, 2012
Goals
This year I have set goals for myself. I don't normally do this, but this year I felt like I needed to. I have become very...apathetic lately. Everything is a shrug. When life becomes boring you must give it a shake, a slap, or a tickle. Apathy is not attractive.
So, I sat myself down at the beginning of this month and gave myself a stern talking to. There was name-calling and vases thrown, there were fist fights and insults, but after all was said and done I came up with FOUR things I hope to accomplish by year's end.
The first of these is getting my ankle and foot properly seen to and hopefully fixed for good. It wasn't until last year that I was told there was a surgery that cold possibly help me. My response: "Well, fuck! Why wasn't I told about this before?" I got the name of a good surgeon from my orthopedist and tried FOR MONTHS to get in to see him. If you are a regular reader of this blog you know how that went. Now I've contacted another doctor and so far this one is much quicker. He's looking over my ortho's notes now to decide if I'm someone he can help. I haven't heard from his office in a week, though, so I might give him a call tomorrow.
My second goal is to find a new living situation. Because of money and a few other disasters, I've had to move back into my parents' home. This is not ideal, but it is necessary. Before the year is out I plan to either have a new apartment or an add-on to the house. I've already looked into the latter and it's do-able. I might even get French doors that lead onto the deck. I'm gonna feel so fancy! I'll know more tomorrow.
Goal numero three is accomplished. I wanted to have my surreal horror/magical realist novel The Mingled Destinies of Crocodiles & Men. This is my baby. I found a wonderful editor who is not shy with the red ink. Now, I need to get the book published.
My final goal of the year is to get back into the bodybuilding regime - the workout and diet - I once had. That said, I don't think I'll ever be huge like Ahnold, but I would like to see just how large I can get. In March I hope to start really getting into the regime full-force. I might even look into getting some new equipment for garage/barn/gym.
I'm excited about this. It's the end of January and I'm already 25 percent done. Excellent, Dante! I'm certain there will be some bumps along the way, but such is life, right? I'll keep you all informed of my progress. Cross those appendages that can be crossed.
So, I sat myself down at the beginning of this month and gave myself a stern talking to. There was name-calling and vases thrown, there were fist fights and insults, but after all was said and done I came up with FOUR things I hope to accomplish by year's end.
The first of these is getting my ankle and foot properly seen to and hopefully fixed for good. It wasn't until last year that I was told there was a surgery that cold possibly help me. My response: "Well, fuck! Why wasn't I told about this before?" I got the name of a good surgeon from my orthopedist and tried FOR MONTHS to get in to see him. If you are a regular reader of this blog you know how that went. Now I've contacted another doctor and so far this one is much quicker. He's looking over my ortho's notes now to decide if I'm someone he can help. I haven't heard from his office in a week, though, so I might give him a call tomorrow.
My second goal is to find a new living situation. Because of money and a few other disasters, I've had to move back into my parents' home. This is not ideal, but it is necessary. Before the year is out I plan to either have a new apartment or an add-on to the house. I've already looked into the latter and it's do-able. I might even get French doors that lead onto the deck. I'm gonna feel so fancy! I'll know more tomorrow.
Goal numero three is accomplished. I wanted to have my surreal horror/magical realist novel The Mingled Destinies of Crocodiles & Men. This is my baby. I found a wonderful editor who is not shy with the red ink. Now, I need to get the book published.
My final goal of the year is to get back into the bodybuilding regime - the workout and diet - I once had. That said, I don't think I'll ever be huge like Ahnold, but I would like to see just how large I can get. In March I hope to start really getting into the regime full-force. I might even look into getting some new equipment for garage/barn/gym.
I'm excited about this. It's the end of January and I'm already 25 percent done. Excellent, Dante! I'm certain there will be some bumps along the way, but such is life, right? I'll keep you all informed of my progress. Cross those appendages that can be crossed.
January 28, 2012
January 27, 2012
10 Confessions
I got this email thingy from a friend, so I thought I'd play along:
1. I haven't been to a movie theater since 2003.2. I've never read Catcher in the Rye.3. Mariah Carey? Mariah I-Don't-Carey. Blech!4. I HATE being in crowds of people. It makes me very dizzy.5. I have no idea what looks good on me and haven't been clothes shopping in years.6. I smile entirely too much. It's deceiving.7. I have arguments with people I have never met. I usually win these.8. I posed nude in Italy, then had my salad tossed by the artist.9. I swear that I am giving up writing at least 5 times a year.10. When we were kids, my two brothers and I went to a costume party as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the bible. We were accused of wearing dresses. I looked fabulous.
1. I haven't been to a movie theater since 2003.2. I've never read Catcher in the Rye.3. Mariah Carey? Mariah I-Don't-Carey. Blech!4. I HATE being in crowds of people. It makes me very dizzy.5. I have no idea what looks good on me and haven't been clothes shopping in years.6. I smile entirely too much. It's deceiving.7. I have arguments with people I have never met. I usually win these.8. I posed nude in Italy, then had my salad tossed by the artist.9. I swear that I am giving up writing at least 5 times a year.10. When we were kids, my two brothers and I went to a costume party as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the bible. We were accused of wearing dresses. I looked fabulous.
January 26, 2012
This Week's Bullet Points
1. Downloaded the new Joseph Arthur 2-disc work, Redemption City, from his site FOR FREE, thanks to a heads up from Chris at Stumbling Over Chaos. Very experimental stuff, with at least three real gems.
2. Finished Brandon Witt's Submerging Inferno. A wonderful debut novel about demons, vampires, and witches.
3. The Airborne Toxic Event covers my favorite song, "Boots of Spanish Leather," on the new Bob Dylan/Amnesty International covers project. Awesome.
4. Having found a kickass editor, I have been revising my epic manuscript, The Mingled Destinies of Crocodiles & Men all week. I see red! Literally. It's like a bloodbath here!
5. Alcatraz: Glower, Sam Neil! Glower!
6. Does John Williams need to be Oscar nominated for EVERY piece of music he writes?
7. I have not seen Albert Nobbs, but I have to say, I was quite excited to see Glenn Close back in the Oscar fold. And Max von Sydow!
2. Finished Brandon Witt's Submerging Inferno. A wonderful debut novel about demons, vampires, and witches.
3. The Airborne Toxic Event covers my favorite song, "Boots of Spanish Leather," on the new Bob Dylan/Amnesty International covers project. Awesome.
4. Having found a kickass editor, I have been revising my epic manuscript, The Mingled Destinies of Crocodiles & Men all week. I see red! Literally. It's like a bloodbath here!
5. Alcatraz: Glower, Sam Neil! Glower!
6. Does John Williams need to be Oscar nominated for EVERY piece of music he writes?
7. I have not seen Albert Nobbs, but I have to say, I was quite excited to see Glenn Close back in the Oscar fold. And Max von Sydow!
January 24, 2012
My Best Sellers of 2011
According to my royalties, these are my five best sellers of 2011. All are available HERE:
#5
#4
#3
#2
#1
#5
#4
#3
#2
#1
January 23, 2012
January 22, 2012
What Type of Writer Be I?
What type of writer be I?
I've been thinking about that a lot lately. What's my style? What do readers think when they hear my name?
I've been spending time on Good Reads lately - that online library/chat room/encyclopedia - reading over reviews. Not just reviews of my own writing, but that of other authors as well. While reading reviews of one's work can be a very affirming hobby, it can also be a dangerous one. As a writer, one is bond to run into negative reviews. Some of these can be quite helpful, well-written, and insightful. Others can be vicious, as if the reviewer now has a personal vendetta against the author.
Some people have been disappointed with my latest work, Galley Proof . While I wish that weren't the case, there has never been a proven way to please everyone all the time. Some people just won't connect with me or my writing. That's fine. We are not clones.
A lot of this disappointment, I think, comes from expectations. Many of the less than favorable reviews come from people who have never read any of my other works. My writing, I have been told, is not typical. I write for Dreamspinner Press, a m/m romance publisher, but my books don't fall neatly into that genre. I have been lucky enough to find a publisher who believes in my work so much she'll publish me anyway. The best description of my writing I've seen so far was from a reviewer who said I wrote "gay fiction with romantic themes." I think it throws readers when they go looking for a balls out romance and pick up one of my books. They soon find my book doesn't follow a particular template. When you are not what people expect you to be, it's something akin to taking a big gulp of Pepsi only to find that it's really iced tea.
(Then again, maybe they just hate my writing.)
I hate the idea that I'm a disappointment to anyone. At heart, my books are about character more than story. I prefer the surreal and fantastic storylines to the contemporary ones. Of the TEN published books I have written, only THREE were intentionally written as romantic. Simple Men succeeded the most, I think, in capturing the genre's template. I tried again with Another Enchanted April, and then once more with Galley Proof. The latter two branched off from the m/m genre as I was writing them. I freely admit that. Yet I find them much more interesting because of it.
I don't have it in me, the ability to write sweeping m/m romance. But maybe that's a good thing. There are a number of master traditional m/m romance writers out there. As long as I have a publisher, I'll be happy to be the weird guy at the party telling stories that might be just a little off. I might not be the most popular, but I'm a lot of fun.
I've been thinking about that a lot lately. What's my style? What do readers think when they hear my name?
I've been spending time on Good Reads lately - that online library/chat room/encyclopedia - reading over reviews. Not just reviews of my own writing, but that of other authors as well. While reading reviews of one's work can be a very affirming hobby, it can also be a dangerous one. As a writer, one is bond to run into negative reviews. Some of these can be quite helpful, well-written, and insightful. Others can be vicious, as if the reviewer now has a personal vendetta against the author.
Some people have been disappointed with my latest work, Galley Proof . While I wish that weren't the case, there has never been a proven way to please everyone all the time. Some people just won't connect with me or my writing. That's fine. We are not clones.
A lot of this disappointment, I think, comes from expectations. Many of the less than favorable reviews come from people who have never read any of my other works. My writing, I have been told, is not typical. I write for Dreamspinner Press, a m/m romance publisher, but my books don't fall neatly into that genre. I have been lucky enough to find a publisher who believes in my work so much she'll publish me anyway. The best description of my writing I've seen so far was from a reviewer who said I wrote "gay fiction with romantic themes." I think it throws readers when they go looking for a balls out romance and pick up one of my books. They soon find my book doesn't follow a particular template. When you are not what people expect you to be, it's something akin to taking a big gulp of Pepsi only to find that it's really iced tea.
(Then again, maybe they just hate my writing.)
I hate the idea that I'm a disappointment to anyone. At heart, my books are about character more than story. I prefer the surreal and fantastic storylines to the contemporary ones. Of the TEN published books I have written, only THREE were intentionally written as romantic. Simple Men succeeded the most, I think, in capturing the genre's template. I tried again with Another Enchanted April, and then once more with Galley Proof. The latter two branched off from the m/m genre as I was writing them. I freely admit that. Yet I find them much more interesting because of it.
I don't have it in me, the ability to write sweeping m/m romance. But maybe that's a good thing. There are a number of master traditional m/m romance writers out there. As long as I have a publisher, I'll be happy to be the weird guy at the party telling stories that might be just a little off. I might not be the most popular, but I'm a lot of fun.
January 20, 2012
Crooked Fingers: Your Apocalypse
Fantastic song.
January 19, 2012
This Week's Bullet Points
1.
Galley Proof
was released last week to very positive reviews. Both print and ebook formats are up on Amazon, where it made the Amazon bestseller list for gay books. I haven't been on a bestseller list since
Simple Men
. I feel pretty again!
2. I prefer the newer episodes of M*A*S*H with Charles Winchester. Frank Burns just annoys the hell out of me. I also like the character growth in the latter episodes of Hot Lips.
3. Signed a contract last weekend to have Simple Men translated into Spanish, French, German, and Italian. Woot! I'm a global whore!
4. Soon after I updated my Facebook status on the translation news I got a congratulations from Patricia Nell Warren, author of The Front Runner. That was awesome! Like many a gay, I find her writing absolutely soul-stirring.
5. Geraldine Page in Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice reminds me of Jessica Lange in American Horror Story.
6. Get over it, Elton John.
7. I wish ABC would grow a pair and give the gay character on Happy Endings a boyfriend episode. Just saying that he's gay does not a gay make. This ain't Melrose Place in the 90s.
2. I prefer the newer episodes of M*A*S*H with Charles Winchester. Frank Burns just annoys the hell out of me. I also like the character growth in the latter episodes of Hot Lips.
3. Signed a contract last weekend to have Simple Men translated into Spanish, French, German, and Italian. Woot! I'm a global whore!
4. Soon after I updated my Facebook status on the translation news I got a congratulations from Patricia Nell Warren, author of The Front Runner. That was awesome! Like many a gay, I find her writing absolutely soul-stirring.
5. Geraldine Page in Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice reminds me of Jessica Lange in American Horror Story.
6. Get over it, Elton John.
7. I wish ABC would grow a pair and give the gay character on Happy Endings a boyfriend episode. Just saying that he's gay does not a gay make. This ain't Melrose Place in the 90s.
January 18, 2012
Hurts - Sunday
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