S.C. Mitchell's Blog, page 43

The Seeds Are About To Be Planted

At long last I am back working on Seeds of Immortality, the third book in the Demons Rising series. I am almost finished with the first draft, and hope to have it done, edited, and to my beta readers sometime next week. Then comes the fun of putting together the cover.

With luck, this will be my last self-published title. Now that I have a publisher I will be able to spend less time on things like covers and formatting, and more time on writing, editing and promotion. It’s been fun, learning the process from the ground up, but I have so many stories I want to tell, it will be nice to have the Soul Mate team behind me as I move forward.

Until next time,

Steve

Get ready for act 2!

Well, my brief stint as an actor is over (for now anyway). We had a great run this weekend. Lots of laughs and applause, so I must have done something right.

I had a ton of fun, and interacted with an incredibly talented cast and crew.

And…I’m exhausted. After the final performance we tore down the set, and moved costumes, props and set pieces back into storage. There is so much that goes on before and after the show that people don’t see, and so many people onstage and behind the scenes that make the magic happen. It is a complete team effort.

It was a creative process much like my writing. We built scenes, created characters and told a story. We had a fantastic director to pull all the pieces together.

But, unlike writing, this was a group effort. Tomorrow (yeah, I’m giving myself today off) it’s back to just me and my computer.

Then again, I now have a publisher on my team, and an artist working on my book cover… and soon an editor helping me sharpen my story. I also have a wonderful (and growing) group of friends and fans, my audience, reading my books and following me. Maybe writing is not so different from putting on a play. If I think of Swiftly Beats the Heart as my overture and Demons Rising as my first act, then it appears that Son of Thunder is just waiting in the wings.

Get ready for Act 2!

Until next time,

Steve

 

Interview today at SMP Authors

I’m being interviewed today on the Soul Mate Publishing Author site. Stop by at http://smpauthors.wordpress.com/

For Lack of Three Little Words – A Tale of Two Whorehouses

A little over a month ago I was asked to play a part in our local theatre production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. I play the Texas Senator that gets caught (literally) with his pants down in the whorehouse, plus a number of other fun and challenging bit parts. Our first show is this coming Thursday.  It has been such an incredible experience working with this wonderful and talented group of thespians.  They made this old man, who hasn’t set foot on a stage in almost 40 years, feel welcome and comfortable.  I just can’t say enough about how great the cast has been.

To prepare for my part, I sat down and watched the movie version of Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, starring Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton.

 

*****[SPOILER ALERT]*****

I AM ABOUT TO REVEAL THE ENDINGS OF THE MOVIE AND STAGE PLAY.

IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO ATTEND AND WANT TO BE SURPRISED, STOP READING NOW!

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

*****[SPOILER ALERT]*****

 

 

 

At the end of the movie the Sheriff (Burt Reynolds) confronts Miss Mona (Dolly Parton).  Dolly sings her theme song I will always love you, lamenting the fact that they can never be together because she’s a whore and he wants to run for public office. Burt simply responds “I love you.” He picks her up and carries her to his pickup truck and they ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after.

It’s a romance, plain and simple. I write romance, and believe in Happy Ever After. It’s in my soul, and it’s the heart of every romance I write. Happy Ever After happens. You can count on it.

So, imagine my surprise when we get to practicing the end scene in the stage play.  The Sheriff confronts Miss Mona. Instead of her singing I will always love you. He’s just sung She’s a good old girl, a song where he says that he’d like to tell her some things, but she already knows. In the stage play he never says those three precious words “I love you,” and tragically two people, so much in love, part forever.

Up to the ending, the story is essentially the same, but for lack of three little words, the ending is different. The movie is a romance, the stage play is a tragedy. It made me wonder how many times in real life people lose out, not by what we say, but by what we don’t say.

It’s something to think about later, though. Right now I’m thinking about dropping my pants in front of a couple of hundred people this weekend. It should be good for a laugh at least.

Until next time,

Steve

Winter projects

It’s shaping up to be a great winter for writing. This morning I sent the newly formatted and pre-edited copy of Son of Thunder off to Soul Mate Publishing. I am so looking forward to working with one of their editors to really polish my baby.

My next goal will be to finish Seeds of Immortality, the third book in my Demons Rising series. I am very close to the end and hope to have it done, edited and to my beta readers before Thanksgiving.

After that I plan to concentrate on Daughter of Darkness, the sequel to Son of Thunder.

On top of all that, I have two very exciting projects in the works. I was discussing a concept I had with a couple of my fellow RWA romance writers. The idea is that I co-write a novel with one of them. They would write the female perspective in the book and I would write the male perspective. We would alternate chapters and see if anything materialized. Two of the ladies said they’d be interested in the project so about the middle of September, one of them and I started writing a paranormal-erotic-thriller we’re calling Mind Games. We’re 20 chapters in and I think the story is fantastic. A few weeks ago the second author jumped on board and we began a YA action-adventure novel. It’s been a fun challenge for me to jump between the two stories and I am excited about what we’re producing. I will bring you more information on these projects as they move forward.

Now, that should be plenty to occupy me right through the end of the year and beyond, however certain characters, from the other novels I have on the back burners, have started calling to me lately. They really want to tell their stories.

It looks like my New Year’s Resolution this year will be to be prolific.

Stay tuned,

Steve

 

Blogging elsewhere today.

I’m blogging today over at the Soul Mate Authors blog: http://smpauthors.wordpress.com/

Stop by and discover my deep, dark secret.

The manly art of Lefse making.

Where have I been?

Yes, it has been quite a while since I updated this blog, and I apologize profusely for that. I have been traveling for the past two weeks. Driving long hours, visiting wonderful places and people. Fun was had, but blogging went by the wayside. I finally made it back home this weekend for an annual tradition. Lefsa day.

For those of you unfamiliar with lefse let me just say…you are missing out. This Norwegian flat bread is the basis for an extraordinary cuisine that includes a jelly-like white fish treated with lye and stacked like cord-wood behind the cabin in the winter cold, rich, bland cream sauces, and macaroni boiled to within an inch of it’s life. (In Norwegian al dente means ‘not yet done’.) Thank the Lord for Swedish Meatballs or I would not have survived my church’s annual Lutefisk dinners.

But the shining star of the blond, bland traditional Norwegian cuisine…is Lefse!

Lefse

This incredibly versatile and almost tasteless flat bread is made of mashed potatoes, flour, cream, butter and salt. Now come on, can you get any blander than that?

Okay, I hear you asking…what’s the big deal?

My friends…here is the big deal. Behold my vast array of lefse making tools:

Lefse tools

What is that implement in the center you may ask? (go ahead…you may ask.)

Lefse Sword

Yes, that is my Lefse Sword. If ever one food reflected the proud bearing of a cuisine…a people…Nay, A NATION! it is Lefse. For Lefse is made with a sword!

Oh how those hearty vikings, fresh from the rape and pillage of Europe must have looked forward to wielding their swords in the kitchen upon their return to Norway. Hearty men in horned helms flinging bland flat bread on to table and shield in a quest to find something…anything…that would make that lye soaked fish palatable.

Now woman, stand back, for this is a manly art, and not for the faint of heart.

Balls of cold dough…

rolled so thin you can almost see through them.

Then the sword is applied…

to move the thin pastry to the griddle.

Brave Warriors

It is the truest mark of a man’s skill at arms.

At my side was my trusty sword-mate (my niece’s husband) Matt. He learned the craft at my knee a bare three years ago. The boy became a man that day, and has since upheld the annual tradition that is Lefse Day.

Lefse is once again available for meals, for snacks (it isn’t just for breakfast anymore). A dinner roll replacement with butter, a wrap for sandwich fixings, a basis for hundreds of different meals, snacks and desserts. This flexible food has limitless options, and only wants for a bit of imagination. Don’t take my word for it. Look here: http://www.norskenook.com/index.cfm?event=galleryView&galleryid=670&photoIndex=2&page=1

If we are frugal, our batch will last through the holidays, though most years I am forced into making a second batch. Gladly do I draw my sword and march once again into battle. For we must have lefse for  Christmas. But there will come that day, usually late into a cold, snowy January, when the lefse runs out. Then we must wait, and do without lefse, the rest of that cold, dark year, for the grand tradition that is…LEFSE DAY!

Until next time (munch, munch),

Steve

The Creative Process

Lately I’ve found myself with so many creative irons in the fire I’m jumping from one thing to the next. Some days I find myself writing in the morning, doing Music for the the New IRPMUS Gaming system in the afternoon and attending play practice in the evening. I can’t remember ever being so happily busy. There is something about hanging out with creative people that is stimulating.

A few days ago I attended a meeting of my local writers group, where we discussed self-publishing and publishing in general. Being the most advanced of the group I was happy to share my knowledge. Later that evening I was struggling to learn a Jazz Box dance step for our theater production. (I’m not much of a dancer.) A couple of the young people stepped up to help me out. It’s got me thinking lately about the creative community, and how different it is from the corporate atmosphere I worked in most of my life. People climbing the corporate ladder tend to push or hold others down as they work their way to the top. My experience in the creative communities is that others tend to want to pull you up with them.

With that thought in mind, I’d like to highlight some creative people on the way up, that could use a helping hand. A couple of guys from my IRPMUS Live Improv Group have struck out to create a game system from our onstage lunacy, and from what I can see they have a pretty creative product in production. To help get started they created a Kickstarter campaign. I myself have signed on at the Pig Snouted Goblin level, and am looking forward to receiving the game system and other benefits of this level, which look to be a bargain.

If you’ve got a bit of time, stop by and check out the IRPMUS Ultimate Role Playing Game Kickstarter at: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nhgames/irpmus-ultimate-role-playing-game

You can get in for as little as $2.00 on something unique and creative.

Until next time,

Steve

Author and Book Pages up on SMP Author Group!

Yeah, I’m still floating from the news that Son of Thunder will be published, and it just keeps getting better. Today my Author Page and Book Page went live on the Soul Mate Author Group site. Check them out:

Author Page: http://smpauthors.wordpress.com/meet-steven-mitchell/

Son of Thunder book page: http://smpauthors.wordpress.com/meet-steven-mitchell/son-of-thunder-by-steven-mitchell/

While you’re there, check down the sidebar for the incredible group of authors I’ll be joining at Soul Mate.

Also, I will be blogging there on a regular basis, but I will also be keeping this blog alive. So much to do, and it’s all good stuff. No wonder my head is spinning.

Until next time,

Steve

This is it!

Paperwork signed…T’s crossed…i’s dotted. It’s now official:

Son of Thunder will be published by Soul Mate Publishing. I’m so excited to be joining Soul Mate’s incredible bullpen of writers.

It’s still so hard to believe it’s finally happening. I received a laundry list of things to do from my publisher (yeah, MY publisher…boy, that sounds good) and I couldn’t wait to dive into it. A bio, a back cover blurb, how do I envision the cover looking…FUN STUFF!!!

Anyway, if you have some time, stop over to Soul Mate Publishing at: http://www.soulmatepublishing.com/

Tell ‘em S. C. Mitchell sent ya…you know, the new kid on the block…

Until next time,

Steve