Alex Laybourne's Blog, page 63
January 2, 2013
The Synchronicity of dreams
I saw a post on Facebook yesterday, and it really got me thinking, and besides this post has sparked more than a few story ideas in my mind.
It was a comment from Becky Fyfe – a wonderful author and wonderful mother who I have had the pleasure of getting to know over the last few months.
The questions that were raised, to jump away from her post, as it is was of a personal nature, were about dreams. Is it possible for people to synchronize their dreams? To share the same experiences under varying circumstances.
Dreams are a powerful thing and something (among a great many ‘things’) that fascinate me.
The first question that came up was if a person tells you there dream, and it affects you so much in its nature, that you then have the exact same dream when going to sleep. I can understand this link, dreams are after all somewhat suggestive in nature and often incorporate elements from our recently experienced day.
However what about this…
A fever in a young girl results in a dream about a parent dying, fast forward so many years and that girl has become a mother and has children of her own. One of these has a fever, and suffers from a nightmare about a parent dying. Sure, dreams about the loss of a loved one are fairly commonplace, but under such identical circumstances?
What about other dreams, none loved one related. Could it be that there is a genetic predisposition to dreams? I have no idea about the science of it all, but you must admit, it sounds plausible. Let’s face it, so many character traits and mannerisms are passed on through genetics, that is can only be expected that some of this spills into the dream world.
I have seen a lot of conversations on this subject, and words thrown around like lucid dreaming, astral dreaming and the like, and it seems that there is a definite split between viewpoints.
I don’t know what I believe as it has never happened to me, not even close, but the concept of it is intriguing to me, especially as a writer. Think of the stories that could be woven with that as a basis.
What if it is not the dream itself, but the fever that creates the link, a pre-set way for the body to handle sleep when sick. The questions that can be asked are endless, as too are the answers.
The truth is, I guess, that we will never really know, it is just another one of life’s many mysteries.
What do you think? Is it possible for people to share dreams? What about not just sharing a dream in terms of setting and general nature, but co-inhabiting one single dream? Two very different possibilities, but each one equally thought-provoking.
I guess it leads on to a question about whether we can control out dreams, to what extent and whether we should want to or not. The idea of controlling a dream, is to, a stifling thing. No different to telling ourselves, or someone else, to stop using their imagination. We ask a lot of our brains, day in day out, and sleep, or so I like to think, is not only for us to recharge in, but also for our brain. It is freedom for it to do what it wishes. To harness it, and force it into shackles and lead it down a certain dream path just feels wrong.
January 1, 2013
I Will Not Become a Mobile Phone
I was watching TV the other night with my wife, and the standard end of year Cabaret act was on. A very funny guy, who always cracks me up. Yet, at times, he makes some very serious, and good points. One of which was the inspiration for the title of the this post.
You only live once… we have one chance to make out mark in the world, and I for one am determined to make 2013 the year that this happens. It is a year for change, a time for growth. My determination levels are high, my abilities – I think at least - are there, and my mindset is now firmly turned away from time-wasting on fully focused on success… but which one is waiting for me, for there are two forms of success in the world; lasting and fleeting.
It may seem obvious, but sometimes it is these obvious points that are the first forgotten
I will not be a fleeting, one hit wonder, who fades away into obscurity, swallowed by the crowd and thrust into a writing purgatory, hunted down and buried by my fellow craftsmen who, in their own quest for success have lost their way completely and becomes ghouls of the written word.
(Too much?)
I didn’t think so either.
I want my name to climb the ladder and cement itself at the very top, but to do that, to achieve true success, you cannot ignore those around you. To do that, to become so focused on ourselves that we forget everything else will only lead to us being regarded as the aforementioned mobile phone. People will pick me us, read our work, and enjoy what we have to offer for a year or two, only to cast us aside the moment something new comes along. We create no lasting effect or lingering sense of continued, untapped potential.
I want to be remembered, to make an impression that will keep people buying and reading my work, well, forever. I am not saying that I will become a much revered figure of classic literature of the future. I write horror for crying out loud, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be remembered, or any of us for that matter. The long-lasting climb to the top is hard, it is not always fast, and is filled with pitfalls but ultimately, I believe that the hard work will pay off.
Once you reach this summit, not amount of mobile technology will be able to dislodge you. They will make mobile phones designed to accommodate you and your work. That is lasting success. To be spoken of, to be read and enjoyed forever.
Poe, Lovecraft, Stoker, Shelley and of course King are examples of horror names that have achieved lasting success, whose books will be remembered, and while there are others, these are the main ones that come to mind. It is not these individuals that I wish to emulate, but rather the likes of Crawford, Wellman and Merritt that I wish to avoid.
You only live once, yet some people never die.
December 31, 2012
New Beginnings: A Guide to 2013
Well New Year was ushered in with style in Holland. The fireworks going off in my street were awesome. Next year I will definitely be adding my own to the party.
Now, as I sit here, a full year ahead of me, I start to think about what I expect from myself in the coming 12 month period. Now that I have one book published and more agreed on principle, this is my time to push words, increase my productivity and get a good catalogue of work at least ready to be published. Given to how that avenue of the industry is not as instantaneous as the creation sector.
I am to finish typing up my edits on the third short story collection that I have ready and then it is on with the novel. It is 74,000 words currently, and while there is a fair bit needed to be tweaked on it, the bulk of it is there, so I do not think it will be too much work. (Touch wood)
With that done, my path is clear, I will have a good bulk of work ready for submissions, and can push on.
So what are my plans for the new year exactly? Well, allow me to lay them bare for you.
Improve my editing skills and speed, I want to have this novel banged out as close to the end of the month as I can.
Write more. I don’t have a very big window for writing, around 2 hours a day, but that include my blogging, networking and promoting time also. I will find more time for writing, and be more productive in it. My plan is 1000 words a day, given a 5 days writing week that is 5,000 words a week That is around about 260,000 words a day. Now I know I will lose some time to editing and the like, but if I am honest, I should be able to crank that 1000 our without any problem, so feel confident this will be achievable even with everything else thrown in. Of course that is 1000 words on my fiction, blog posts are something extra.
Socialize more. I would love to make a friend this year. A real life friend I mean. Currently there is nobody in my life, other than my wife, who I could call a friend. I’m not a great socializer, and that is part of the problem. This year will change that. However, I will be actively socializing, everything will be looking to improve me, as a person, as a writer, and help me push forward in my career.
I am done playing around. No more time-wasting, or lollygagging if you will. I have a busy schedule, and while we all need to kick back and relax from time to time, I am officially done with doing it to excess as I so often found myself guilty of last year.
I want to read more, I had a really good middle six months in the year, but since then the time has just disappeared. My Kindle is almost dead, and thanks my kids currently MIA. I’m sure to find it, and if not I have plenty of real books to get working through.
To combine with my daily word total goal, I intend to write two full books this year. (100,000 words plus) and a few short stories. I have the third Highway to Hell novel, that comes first, and then after that I want to write about a wonderfully dark character I have met who shall remain secret for now, to protect his identity from those that want his immortal ass destroyed.
I want to submit more short stories and pieces of fiction to anthologies and publications. I didn’t submit anything in 2012, and will ensure that changes this time around.
I really want to increase the quality of posts on the blog. I would love to see a big increase again on last year. I went from 5,000 to 21,000 and see no reason why I cannot increase that even further, to between 50,000 minimum and maybe even upwards to 100,000. Big ask, maybe, but a few big posts that I have planned will hopefully put me on the right track.
Well, those are my main goals for the year ahead, and I plan to succeed in each and every one of them.
What are you goals for 2013? I would love to hear them.
Onwards and Upwards!
2012: A Year in Review
So, I am nothing if not a man of traditions… ok, I’m lying there, I think. I only have one tradition and that is to go to my wife’s grandmother on a Sunday with the whole family.
Any who, I digress once more.
As we approach the end of the year, we always seem to cast our mind back over the year that was, and I am no exception. It was certainly an interesting year, but at the same time oddly frustrating.
I want to break it down into the good, the bad and the ugly, why… because it seems like fun and well… why not.
The Good:
I published a book (Twice). I launched my novel Highway to Hell as a self published writer, and was subsequently, as I am sure you all now know, contracted to MayDecember Publications and therefore pulled my novel, and have, as of two days ago, had it republished. So yeah, one year, one book, two publications.
My blog increased in stature 5 fold, moving from 5,000 hits in year one to 21,000 in year two.
I wrote two novels and four short story collections in 2012, not bad for a man with a very limited writing window each day.
I edited almost all of the above, besides one novel which I plan to knock out in January.
I have managed to plan out (as far as I can plan) 15 novels, plus a 10 books series with a more serious tone to it.
My son and fourth child was born, happy and healthy, above all things the best achievement this year.
I was appointed, or rather, forced myself to be appointed as the Social Media manager for the company where I work.
I survived the year, my family survived the year as too did all my friends, we are happy, healthy and ready for the next round.
The Bad:
I published a novel TWICE. Ok, it was great news being signed, and I could not be happier, but at the same time part of me wishes I had published more.
I didn’t write enough. Ok, I’m sure every writer says that, but I really wish I had written more in the last 12 months.
I wasted too much time playing games and goofing around when I should have been working.
I grew bored with my day job and found myself getting quite down about it for a few months, and subsequently became a real grouch.
I didn’t read enough
I became the social media manager at the company where I work. This makes it twice because while I have set up a blog, and am the sole person responsible for the posts, it is not a promotion, there is no extra pay or anything of the sort, merely an addition responsibility that has been given to me in a job I dislike anyway. Or rather a job that isn’t writing and so I dislike by default. The company is good, the pay is good, but it just isn’t me in the long run.
I didn’t improve my networking skills anywhere near as much as I wanted to. I really need to improve my people skills, and my promotional skills. I have a long long way to go in that respect, and it is one of my primary goals next year.
I lost my direction for a while, in my writing, and my blog. Ok, this is kind of a repeat of the above, but I wanted an even number. It’s one of my idiosyncracies.
The Ugly
I feel that on a personal level, I have failed myself by not making the profess in my career that I had wanted at the start. Looking back I see so much time, not necessarily wasted, but time spent treading water. No more, onwards, upwards and to the top I march.
I lost over 25 pounds in weight, only to put a large chunk of it back on again. I would love to get more exercise in the new year and just be healthier in general.
So that is it in a nutshell… I think.My 2012 was a mixed bag, and maybe I am just being an old ‘zeurpiet’ as they say in Holland, but I am often hard on myself. I have a goal, and I need to make sure I work harder to achieve it.
December 30, 2012
Meet the Horror Prince Pretender-- Nick Wale interviews Spooky Writer Alex Laybourne
A note about Alex Laybourne:
Alex is a young guy who is going places. He’s prolific, talented and completely enveloped by the business. I have met many writers and interviewed many talented people, but Alex Laybourne struck me as a guy who really has some special aura– some special style. Read on and meet the horror prince…
Q) Great to meet you Alex!
My recent interview with Nick Wale to talk about me, my writing and well... me. I hope you enjoy it.
When the Winds of Fortune are Blowing, Set Your Sails and Stay the Course
Sometimes, everything just comes together. Throughout my life, I have always been the unlucky one. I don’t mean that in a ‘pity me’ tone, but rather in a near comic one. I literally have no luck, I never even win a coin toss. My sister and I when we were young would toss a coin to decide who could choose the evening tv shows. I never one. Not once… in years.
However, that seems to have changed recently, and as a result of hard work, blood, sweat, and tears, I am got some momentum built and am not positioning myself to make a real charge.
I have always had big plans for myself, but now everything is starting to come together, and I find myself having to pinch myself at times. My novel has been published, and not only have I got dates penciled in for the second and third installments of the trilogy, but also a tentative date for my short story collection(s).
Yes, I can now not only stand up and call myself a writer, and have the work to back it up with, but I can say that for the first time I can remember, I am in a great position to make things happen.
Who can say what will happen in the year ahead, all I know is that the hard work starts now, and I will be grasping this chance with both hands and have no intention of letting go. I have a great editor, outside of my publishers, so have two professional sets of eyes viewing my work, and a wonder agent / PR manager who, like me is young but fiercely driven, and together we have plans to march our way to the top of the hill and stake our claim.
December 28, 2012
Review Assistance: Have You Read my Book?
Ok, I’m sure you already gotten sick of my singing the publication of my novel from the rooftops. I can only apologize and say that the good thing is, this is as good as it gets. I’m only going to get worse 
That being said, this post is a simple request to all of those wonderful people who bought and reviewed Highway to Hell when it was a self published novel. I would like to ask you all if you would be so kind as to repost your review on the new links for the novel?
It is currently only on Smashwords, but in a few days it will be on Amazon also.
I don’t want you to feel pressurized into doing so, but it would help me a great deal if you would be generous enough to oblige.
Of course, new readers, can grab their copy at the end same time offer a review in due course.
Come With me and Travel the Highway to Hell
2012 is drawing its final breaths, and what better way to celebrate the passing of a year than to finish it on a journey into the very bowels of hell.
That is right, my novel Highway to Hell has today hit the virtual shelves.
Currently available on Smashwords for the very reasonable price of $3.99 and will be entering the expanded distribution program, along with an appearance on Amazon in both e-book and paperback formats.
Highway to Hell is the first in a trilogy of novels that follow the adventures of 6 unfortunate… or fortunate depending on how twisted you are. In a tale inspired by Dante Alighieri come and journey with me on life’s greatest highway… the one that leads right into Hell.
Marcus, Becky, Richard, Helen, Sammy, and Graham. All complete strangers, different ages, backgrounds and even countries, but they all have one major thing in common…they all must DIE.
Sentenced to offer their penance in the many chambers of Hell, their lives are nothing but a torturous experience. They are brought face to face with their past, their mistakes and the implications that had for others. Until one by one they are rescued and thrown together. Walking in a dying world, they are introduced to their rescuers who do anything but conform to their angelic stereotype. Together, bonded by an unknown destiny the group is set on their quest; to find one individual buried deep within the many Hell worlds. Not only does the fate of their world rest on their shoulders, but that of existence itself.
Heaven and Hell, Angels and Demons, these things were once considered opposites, but what happens when they become neighbors, allies…friends?
I would like to extend a thank you to Denise and Todd at MayDecember Publications for taking a chance on me, and hope I can repay them with some good sales that will help establish them as a top horror publisher.
December 27, 2012
MASTERS OF HORROR SEASON ONE, EPISODE THIRTEEN: IMPRINT
Reblogged from Written in Blood:
MASTERS OF HORROR SEASON ONE, EPISODE THIRTEEN: IMPRINT-United States/Japan-2006
Billy Drago as Christopher
Directed by Takashi Miike
Teleplay by Dasuke Tengan
Based on the novel “Bokkê, kyôtê” by Shimako Iwai
Takashi Miike’s Imprint is a story that is so disturbing and that leaves such horrific images riding shotgun in your brain that a move to something more peaceful is immediately required.
A great review of one of my favorite Masters of Horror movies. Takashi Miike is a genius and this tale messed me up for days when first saw it.
Irving Unleashed... A Revealing Conversation with Terry Irving
The last time I met with Mr Terry Irving we spent a lot of time talking about his career. This time I had a lot of mail from people asking to know more about the man. Let me take you to a cold winter evening in 2012. Terry was busy– but anxious to get the interview started. The tape rolls as follows…
Another fantastic interview with Mr. Terry Irving
