R.B. Wood's Blog, page 18

Thinking Different

Over the last few weeks I’ve really come to appreciate what’s really important. Before I got sick, I was dashing through life doing a job, running errands, taking care of animals, making sure the bills got paid, going to bed just to get up the next day to do it all again.

Now that I’ve been home for over a week from rehab, my priorities are very different. I do two sets of both my Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy (yes, I’m up to two sets now) daily. The Speech and Cognitive Therapist was here yesterday and we built a daily schedule to get my higher/executive decision-making functions back on track.

This includes at LEAST an hour a day working on my new as of yet untitled novel. Doctor’s orders—gotta do it!

But I also spend my day speaking to my family, enjoying being with my wife, reading and discussing the actual news, playing with our animals…

In short, working toward getting better and living life.

For my upcoming birthday post, I will be writing about 2016 and things I need to change to better enjoy my second chance at life.

But for now, I’m smiling a lot more…and for the first time in years, I’ve been getting up every morning saying—NOT “What do I need to get done today?”—but just “Today is going to be a great day.”

Feels pretty good.

Peace.

Cognitive Therapy

During my stint in rehab, the young lady in charge of my speech and cognitive therapy and I were chatting about ways to help me regain my focus, among other things, lost to the strokes. I started to talk about writing and my very real fear that I might not be able to tell stories anymore.

I, of course, was fishing for sympathy. What I got instead was a very thoughtful look, then a smile.

"I think that's a brilliant idea!" She said.  "You need to start writing again to get your brain back in gear. Let's use your passion to help you heal."

Not a SMIDGE of sympathy.

We discussed a plan.  I'd stay away from the behemoth that is my Arcana Chronicles series for the moment and work on a new standalone piece. My therapist left our session excited.

I was terrified.

I love writing.  But for the life of me, I had NO new ideas for a story....none. Where once there had been too many ideas floating around my little brain, now there was just this annoying buzzing sound.

Every  cognitive session there after, the question: "Have a story idea yet?" Came up. No, dammit.  Not yet. For ten days I've been trying to think of a story idea. Two days ago, I got one. It was like a switch was flipped from 'off' to 'on.' More ideas arrived.

It was glorious.

I posted the story blurb on Facebook a couple days ago.  Here it is for your comment:

"Jason Az lead a simple life. A well-paying job at the local insurance agency, Temple on Saturdays and brunch with his mother on Sundays. But when a series of medical mishaps result in multiple strokes and a coma, no one is sure whether or not Jason will survive. Just as all seems lost, Jason returns to the land of the living and is in perfect health to the astonishment of his doctors.

The problem is, he didn’t come back alone. "

Now all I have to do is write it. And come up with a title.

Peace

 

The Word Count Podcast Episode 52 – OPEN for SUBMISSIONS!

DEADLINE EXTENDED!!

Some of you are aware what happened to me over the last month. I won’t rehash it here (if you are interested, I wrote a BLOG POST about my experience).

Let’s just say that The Word Count Podcast by all rights should have permanently and rather unexpectedly ended with episode 51.

But a couple minor miracles later, I’m alive and ready to open up Episode 52 for submissions.

The theme is simple. With the New Year on the horizon and the experiences I’ve had recently, I thought a story about “Second Chances” would be appropriate.

In the meantime, for those unfamiliar with the show…

The Word Count Podcast is truly one of my joys. I direct, produce, write and host the show—and also come up with the various themes our writers—The “Word Count Irregulars”—use to create unique and brilliant stories.

All for the listener and lovers of great storytelling.

There are no endorsements, no paid stories. It’s all done for the love of the written word. And downloads are always free. Always.

The only thing I ask is a little help via social media to point folks at the show.

To start listening go to either my Libsyn Page or to iTunes:

LIBSYN

iTUNES

There are Fifty one shows available right now!

THE WORD COUNT EPISODE 52 – “Second Chances”

Submission Guidelines (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY)

GENRE: Any.

DEADLINE: I must receive your submission by MONDAY 4 January 2016 by MIDNIGHT Eastern time.   NOW THURSDAY 7 JANUARY!

THE DETAILS: The work must be an original story based on a theme of “Second Chances”

Do NOT exceed SEVEN minutes.

As this is a podcast, I need to receive a file of YOU, a friend or multiple friends reading (singing or otherwise performing) your work. MP3 FORMAT ONLY, and please attach your MP3 file to an e-mail or contact me for a Dropbox link.

Your submission MUST also contain the following:

Your pen name
Your latest bio
Links to your website(s) – Include your personal site, Facebook Fanpage etc.
Your Twitter handle (if you have one)
A photo of you I can use for the show notes
At the end of your recording, please add “This is author of and you’re listening to The Word Count Podcast”
Permission to use your recording in the podcast.

Send your file to me@rbwood.com (or via the dropbox link I can provide) by 4 January 2016  7 January 2016. You can also e-mail me with questions beforehand. I do reserve the right NOT to post your submission, but will communicate that to you should it be the case. I add the ‘Explicit’ tag to the ‘cast, so if your story uses adult themes or language that’s ok—but it should be necessary for the story.

 

 

 

 

Adventures in Rehabilitation

Hello my friends!

I know I’ve been away for a month. A lot has happened…and some of you have bits and pieces of the story. So I thought I’d write up the facts of the last few weeks to bring everyone up to speed.

Let’s start with the good.

I’m home as of today. I’ll be recovering for a while longer, but I’ve been released from hospitals and rehab facilities and deemed healthy enough for home care so this is a very good thing.

So. What happened?

My Nemesis: The "Imperial Walker"

Six weeks ago, I developed a blood clot in my right leg (A DVT or “Deep Vein Thrombosis”). I was put on anti-coagulation meds…and then the bottom fell out. On Sunday, 15 November, I was running an errand for the cat shelter Tina volunteers at when I began to cough up blood. I called the wife, had an ambulance meet me at the house. I pulled into the driveway, put the truck in park and proceeded to fall out of the vehicle continually coughing up blood.

I remember being placed in the ambulance and pulling into Faulkner hospital—but nothing after. I have about four days missing from my memory that my wife helped piece back together.

I was intubated, while they worked on my bleeding lung, which had collapsed. The medical team discovered I’d developed anti-bodies to Heparin—the anticoagulation meds they injected me with. This resulted in clots blowing everywhere into my system impacting my lungs and resulting in over a dozen mini-strokes.

Apparently (I was unconscious at the time) I should have died. Twice.

Needless to say, I’m still here causing mayhem and mischief.

Once I woke up a week after being transferred to the main Brigham hospital complex in Boston, I found myself in intensive care with three main medical teams – Thoracic, Cardiovascular, and Neurology --working my case.

Hospital stays are bad. The experience was by far the most frightening and humiliating of my life. I was still in a bit of a fog, I couldn’t walk and my speech center had been effected. I was at a pretty low point—then my children and ex-wife arrived. Tina had called Valerie to let her know what had happened and my ex offered to bring the kids up for Thanksgiving. It was the sweetest thing—and became the pivot point putting me on the path to recovery.

I was moved from Brigham and Woman’s Hospital to a Rehabilitation center a couple weeks later. At this point, I could only walk with a walker, but my speech had improved. Once I was settled in the Spaulding West Roxbury Rehab center, I was immediately signed up for Physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.

I will say this about the team at Spaulding. They worked me incredibly hard. I went from constant pain and an inability to function by myself to being able to handle all normal day-to-day functions and walking unassisted.

I improved so fast that they cut me loose in 10 days. I was told that going from my original condition to being able to go home in the timeframe I’ve worked toward is nothing short of a minor miracle.

I think it’s all down to the remarkable doctors and therapists I had. I’m sure my stubbornness played a role—and wanting to get better not only for me, but for Tina and the kids played a major part in where I am today.

I still have pain in my leg—and I need to rest every 20 minutes or so. I’m still building back my cognitive abilities that are slowly returning to normal. We still have to figure out definitively what caused all the clots and resultant strokes, but I have a great team of doctors on the case.

Don’t get me wrong—I have a long ways to go until I’m back to being myself. I lost nearly 40 pounds in the past month—a lot of it muscle mass that will have to be built back up. I’m going to have to figure out how to pay the medical bills that are coming in…

But I’m alive. And I’m getting better each day.

So many of you sent me words of encouragement and prayers—I ‘m blessed to have marvelous friends and family who have been with me every step of this process. To my wife Tina who dealt with everything—including the possibility of losing her husband—I love you baby. Thank you for taking care of me. To Valerie and the kids—Your visit meant the world to me—thank you for making me laugh and celebrating Thanksgiving with me...and for smuggling in your mom’s most excellent Apple Crumble.

To my work colleagues who have been concerned and have done their best to balance concern with respect for my privacy—thank you for the cards and best wishes. I will be back…

With continued support and effort I WILL return to my normal self—sans a few bad habits. Just need to mitigate the clot situation once and for all and continue my therapies…

So that’s it, in a nutshell. You’ll hear more from me as time goes on.

Peace.

 

 

 

And now for something completely different

Sorry all...bit of a change in plans. Sunday afternoon was a wonderful time--had written nearly 5,000 words, went to brunch with my beautiful bride.

Then the bottom fell out. I began coughing up blood--a lot of it. Been in the ICU for two days...stable at the moment. Going in for a scoping procedure to find out why the bleeding is happening.

Gonna be offline for a few days, obviously. Hopefully this gets sorted soon.

posted from my iPhone

Peace.

 

 

NaNoWriMo – Day 15

Starting Word Count: 29888

I spent yesterday morning listen to the news while cleaning the basement.  The physical activity helped to burn off the excess anger at what happened in Paris.  But I'm determined to focus this blog back to writing. I mentioned yesterday I lost years writing and I won't be doing that again.  I have to push through this time.

I chatted with a few friends via Facebook and Skype yesterday. Today I'll be following up with family ---just...because. I have some wonderful, supportive and "kick me in the ass when I need it" peeps. And the results of all those conversations is I wrote like a mad man last night.

It was as much therapy for me as it was storytelling.

 

NaNoWriMo – Day 14

Starting Word Count: 27351

I started to write last night.  I'm moving through the second act and was looking forward to starting the third act this maybe this weekend.

Then Paris happened.

Things are still unfolding as I write this, but what's clear is this is the most devastating attack in France since WW II.

While we watch again as horror and terror rule our news outlets, I want to share with you a little story. Book two of the Arcana Chronicles was originally entitled The Young Practitioner. The second act of the book took place during the Boston Marathon.  It was a series of scenes of my main characters looking for a terrorist for the length of the race.  I'd actually finished the book and was readying it to send to beta readers.

That was in April of 2013. Then the bombings happened.

I live in Boston and remember that day and will for the rest of my life.  It stopped book two and it stopped my writing for nearly two years.

What happened in Paris tonight is devastating.  And terrible.  And I want to scream at the heavens at the injustice of it all. I've just heard commentary about the " damn Islamists."  That's like blaming all of Christianity for what the KKK gets up to.

I know....I'm rambling.  Sorry.

I think one of the reasons I write is to escape from the incredibly messed up world around us.  Say a prayer, light a candle, send out a white light.

Tonight, Paris needs all the good we can give.

 

The Word Count Episode 47 OPEN for Submissions!

Back in the saddle, Ready to rock ‘n roll with a new Word Count Podcast!

As we continue our march toward the seminal Episode 50 I’m soliciting ideas for the big show…so send me your thoughts on that.  Should it be a “Best of?”  Should we include Author interviews?  Should everyone record their stories naked (Like I always do)?  Who knows…email me or tweet me.

In the meantime, for those unfamiliar with the show…

The Word Count Podcast is truly one of my joys. I direct, produce, write and host the show—and also come up with the various themes our writers—The “Word Count Irregulars”—use to create unique and brilliant stories.

All for the listener and lovers of great storytelling.

There are no endorsements…no paid stories.  It’s all done for the love of the written word.  And downloads are always free.  Always.

The only thing I ask is a little help via social media to point folks at the show.

To start listening go to either my Libsyn Page or to iTunes:

LIBSYN

iTUNES

There are forty-six shows available right now!

But in the meantime…Episode 47.  We are back to our three word prompts:

Theater.  Tourist.  Savory.

 

THE WORD COUNT EPISODE 45

Submission Guidelines (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY)

GENRE: Any.

DEADLINE: I must receive your submission by FRIDAY 1 MAY 2015 by MIDNIGHT Eastern time.

THE DETAILS: The work must be an original work based on the key words:

“Theater, Tourist, Savory”

Do NOT exceed SEVEN minutes.

As this is a podcast, I need to receive a file of YOU, a friend or multiple friends reading (singing or otherwise performing) your work. MP3 FORMAT ONLY, and please attach your MP3 file to an e-mail or contact me for a Dropbox link.

Your submission MUST also contain the following:

Your pen name
Your latest bio
Links to your website(s) - Include your personal site, Facebook Fanpage etc.
Your Twitter handle (if you have one)
A photo of you I can use for the show notes
At the end of your recording, please add “This is <state your name> author of <state your work(s)> and you’re listening to The Word Count Podcast”
Permission to use your recording in the podcast.

Send your file to me@rbwood.com (or via the dropbox link I can provide) by 1 May 2015. You can also e-mail me with questions beforehand. I do reserve the right NOT to post your submission, but will communicate that to you should it be the case. I add the ‘Explicit’ tag to the ‘cast, so if your story uses adult themes or language that’s ok—but it should be necessary for the story.

I’ll only be accepting SEVEN stories this time—so get moving!

Peace

 

FINALLY! The Word Count Episode 46

Welcome to the much-delayed Episode 46 of “The Word Count” podcast!

I apologize to everyone—especially our four storytellers on the show this month.  I’ve been dealing with some…entertaining…health issue of late.  Hopefully I’ve turned that corner and get back to both writing and podcasting!

The show this month was supposed to be released back in February.  The theme is “My Bloody Valentine” So now it’s My bloody Valentine…in the Spring?

Yeah.  That’ll work.

But before we introduce our cadre of writers, a bit about the show:

What is The Word Count Podcast?

It is a free broadcast by writers for writers.  Simply put, a theme for each show is announced via this site, Twitter and Facebook and writers are given a week or two to write AND RECORD their stories based on said theme.

Why?

Why not, says I.  It’s a great way to practice writing and public speaking.  It’s another way for writers to get their work “out there.”  And I love to meet fellow authors and have a blast putting the show together.  It’s just that simple.

Okay.  Where can I find it?

 

You can listen to the latest podcast below, subscribe via iTunes or listen at the show’s site.

 

Direct: http://thewordcount.libsyn.com/webpage

 

iTunes (and remember, iTunes takes their sweet time in posting.  If you don't see it yet, keep trying!): http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/the-word-count/id392550989

 

Our guests this week:

Bill Kirton “Haemoglobin.com”

Before taking early retirement to become a full-time writer, Bill Kirton was a lecturer in French at the University of Aberdeen. He’s written stage and radio plays, short stories, novels, skits and songs for revues, and five non-fiction books aimed at helping students with their writing and study skills. His five modern crime novels, Material Evidence, Rough Justice, The Darkness, Shadow Selves and Unsafe Acts are set in north east Scotland and his historical crime/romance novel, The Figurehead, is set in Aberdeen in 1840. The Darkness won the silver award in the mystery category of the 2011 Forward National Literature Awards and his spoof mystery, The Sparrow Conundrum, was the winner in the humor category.

He’s published a novel for children called The Loch Ewe Mystery, and his latest publication is a satirical novella about online gaming and the real and virtual worlds.

He’s had radio plays broadcast by the BBC and the Australian BC.  His short stories have appeared in many anthologies, including three of the CWA’s annual collections, and one was chosen by Maxim Jakubowski for his 2010 anthology of Best British Crime Stories. It’s also been optioned by a film company in Los Angeles.

He’s been a Royal Literary Fund Writing Fellow at universities in Aberdeen, Dundee and St Andrews.

Twitter: @carver22

Website: www.bill-kirton.co.uk

 

J. D. Robinson “The One Way Heart to Hell”

J.D. is a current resident of Durham, North Carolina with her husband, son, and beta fish named Ghost. She's a foodie, a recovering coffee addict, and a rabid fan of the dark and deadly. When she's not out traveling the world, you can usually find her hunched over a keyboard late at night, typing away into the wee hours of the morning about demons, wars, and all the poor humans that get stuck in the middle. You can find out more about J.D. and her passions by following the link to her lair: http://jd-indieauthor.com

Twitter: @Sachula

 

 

Cameron Garriepy “The Folly”

Cameron D. Garriepy is the author of Buck’s Landing, the first of the New England Seacoast romance series, and a champion of emerging writers and independent authors everywhere. She is a Managing Editor at http://writeonedge.com Write on Edge, where she created Precipice: The Literary Anthology of Write on Edge as an annual spotlight for short fiction and memoir writers. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of http://bannerwingbooks.com Bannerwing Books, a small independent press and publishing services company. Cameron also writes for her own http://camerondgarriepy.com eponymous blog, fondly recalls writing her first romance novel in middle school on an antique typewriter, and shares her life with her patient husband and six-year-old son. Her second full-length novel, Damselfly Inn, will be released on April 13, 2015.

 

Riona Mackey-Wood “My Bloody Valentine”

Riona is a high school student, avid swimmer and star of her water polo team.  Not only is she developing her talent for writing, she is exploring forensic science and other interests in school. This is her first short story

The Word Count Episode 46 OPEN for Submissions!

Ah, Valentine’s Day.  A Hallmark-store created sap-fest meant to remind jackwagons to actually be romantic to their partners.  What a load of...poop (What?  My kids read my blog).

Let me tell ya something, boys and girls—if you love someone, EVERY day should be Valentine’s day in some form or another. So for this, the 46th episode of the word count, our intrepid writers will NOT be writing about romance.

 

THAT's Better...

The Theme this time is “My Bloody Valentine.”

This should be the antithesis of sweat hearts and cherub-faced cupids. We are talking horror stories that make the previous Halloween ‘casts look like Curious George stories.

So the detailed requirements:

 

THE WORD COUNT EPISODE 46

Submission Guidelines (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY)

GENRE: Horror

DEADLINE: I must receive your submission by FRIDAY 13 February 2015 by MIDNIGHT Eastern time. How deliciously perfect.

THE DETAILS: The work must be an original work based on the theme “My Bloody Valentine.”

Do NOT exceed SEVEN minutes.

As this is a podcast, I need to receive a file of YOU, a friend or multiple friends reading (singing or otherwise performing) your work. MP3 FORMAT ONLY, and please attach your MP3 file to an e-mail or contact me for a Dropbox link.

Your submission MUST also contain the following:

Your pen name
Your latest bio
Links to your website(s) - Include your personal site, Facebook Fanpage etc.
Your Twitter handle (if you have one)
A photo of you I can use for the show notes
At the end of your recording, please add “This is <state your name> author of <state your work(s)> and you’re listening to The Word Count Podcast”
Permission to use your recording in the podcast.

Send your file to me@rbwood.com (or via the dropbox link I can provide) by 13 February 2015. You can also e-mail me with questions beforehand. I do reserve the right NOT to post your submission, but will communicate that to you should it be the case. I add the ‘Explicit’ tag to the ‘cast, so if your story uses adult themes or language that’s ok—but it should be necessary for the story.

I’ll only be accepting SEVEN stories this time—so get moving!

Peace