Ray Daley's Blog, page 27
October 17, 2016
I Aten’t Dead!
Due to circumstances beyond my control, I’ll have no internet access for the next 10 days, so I’m be going dark as of now.
I’ll see you when I’m back online.
Keep reading my stuff and sending reviews.
Love and peace to you all,
Ray Daley.
October 13, 2016
The “Lost” Novel, more info
6 A4 PAGES of synopsis, all typed on the old electric typewriter I had.
Roughly 6 pages of handwritten things on the large lined notepad. It was clearly either a spare from Hereford or aquired via Jon in Unit Publications & Forms Store.
Somewhere in the region of 20 sheets of handwritten things (too nervous to see what they were) on small A5 sized notepad paper. A cursory exam says each sheet contains plot items and outlines.
This is stuff from (I found a fucking date!) 24th Dec 1991. So I was probably in my early days of Command Receipt & Dispatch then.
I’m not sure if anyone who isn’t a writer can understand what this is like for me, rediscovering this stuff. I genuinely thought it was lost during the move back home.
I’d declared it gone several times over the last 20+ yrs.
It’s almost like finding gold.
I recalled it being fairly detailed but even skimming the synopsis, I didn’t realise what level of detail I’d gone into. It’s pretty freaking deep.
Characters have names, descriptions, backstories, ages. Likewise for scenes, locations, quests.
It’s a cross between fantasy & SF. It’s a very blurred line between the two.
And it seriously deserves to be finished.
Nothing but news!
I am SUPER excited!
Why, I hear you all asking?
Because I found my very first outline for a novel which I started working on WAY back in my RAF days, so it’s over 20 yrs old.
It’s not in perfect condition but it’s more than legible so I can easily type it up at some point in the future when I’ve got nothing else to do. (This will be quite soon, more in a different update)
I was totally convinced that it had found its way into the bin when I moved home from the RAF so I am totally stoked to discover that it still exists and that I can still read it.
It’s from before I was seriously looking at being a writer, and I was in my 20’s so I expect it to be fairly pretentious and immature.
But it’s got an absolute crapload of world building, character development, background research (back when that meant going into the library, as it was pre-internet!) and all that literary goodness.
I already had the outline for “Space Musuem” and “Service Provider” so this means there are 3 possible novels in the pipeline.
Be afraid! Be very afraid!
October 7, 2016
Heads up about 2 Feedbooks titles being taken down
In the meantime, please download them from Smashwords until I get an explanation that I’m satisfied with.
This is to Feedbooks.
It’s a bit naughty to remove an authors work without telling them, consulting them or informing them why you’ve done it.
I’m lucky that I distribute my stuff in such a way that allows me rapid access to the original url.
If these titles were taken down for a reason, I want to know why. if it’s a mistake, put them back and apologise. If someone complained about them, tell me why.
Whatever the reason was. I deserve to be informed.
October 1, 2016
News on ebook releases
Some info for my readers.
The 2 titles scheduled for November are way too short and have been pulled. I’m replacing them with what was Decembers slated release. So I’ll be putting out something Christmassy for December to fill that space.
There’s also still the chance of “Dualism” and one other pay title coming out before the end of this year. Those are still on the “maybe happening” board.
September 17, 2016
Nursery Rhymes for Modern Times [poem]
Nursery Rhymes for Modern Times:
18 September 2011
Oh the Grand Old Duke Of York, He had 10,000 men,
But that was before the military cuts & now he’s only got 100.
And their all in Afghanistan for the 4th time.
The Curious Travellers [Flash Fic]
The Curious Travellers
17 September 2014
by Ray Daley
“Father, will we ever travel to Earth?”
“Of course not, foolish boy!”
“But why?”
“Because we are already there.”
THE END
[Authors Notes:- Before today, this never had a title.]
September 15, 2016
Story Generator
I got this from somewhere but forgot to take note of where. It’s not mine, but it’s useful.
I. Story
In a (setting), a (character) faces a (situation).
II. Setting (choose one)
_ generation ship
_ space station
_ Mars
_ distant future
_ fantasy realm based on (choose one)
_ Mesopotamia
_ Egypt
_ Persia
_ Greece
_ Rome
_ Israel
_ Mayans/Aztecs
_ contemporary America (specify a presidential administration from Eisenhower to Obama)
_ Atlantis
write two adjectives describing this setting:
III. Character
M _ F _ (choose one)
age range: (choose one)
16-18 _
19-22 _
23-30 _
30-45 _
45-65 _
65+ _
(choose one) _ good _ ambivalent _ bad
write three adjectives describing this character:
class (choose one)
_ upper
_ middle
_ lower
affiliation (choose one)
_ insider
_ outsider
IV. Conflict
(select up to three plot elements from the following list for the character to deal with in this setting — the writer gets to choose up to an additional two)
_ religious conflict
_ romance
_ war
_ murder
_ betrayal
_ natural disaster
_ man-made disaster
_ non-human intelligences
_ conspiracies
_ false accusation
_ political intrigue
_ familial relationships
_ supernatural (if you choose this one, pick one or two from the following list)
_ ghosts
_ ritual magic
_ dreamquests
_ channeling
_ telepathy
_ telekinesis
_ precognition
_ athletic competition
_ lawsuit
_ brainwashing
Now, fit all of your choices into the story-format sentence given under Story and send them to the writer in need of a plot.
September 13, 2016
The Shape of Come To Things [flash fic]
13/9/16
By Ray Daley
We’d been showing them the images for quite some time now.
“How many is it now Jan?” That was Letts, even he was amazed that they hadn’t run out of descriptions yet.
“Two hundred and forty-two. And no sign of slowing down.”
“A beach ball with string tied around it.” The things were still going.
Letts grinned. “Have they got any idea? That we’re human? You can only keep showing them pictures of sperm for so long before they work it out!”
I shook my head. “As long as we keep talking to them through the interface, they still think we’re machines. Have the Air Force got a fix on their ship yet?”
Letts swiped his hand across his throat. That was it, they’d finally locked on. I could see him holding up one hand, gradually taking down his fingers. Until only the thumb remained, then even that was withdrawn into his fist. Then Letts nodded.
I typed our last message on the interface. For cybernetic lifeforms with no concept of emotion I’d say they got extremely angry.
Still, we’ve kept the planet safe for another day. And we’ll get some good tech out of them. Even if we have to kill them.
THE END.
September 9, 2016
Friday On My Mind [poem]
To give you some context, this is something I wrote during my quiet time as an RAF clerk.
Friday On My Mind
27/6/94
(C) By R. P. Daley
It’s Nine a.m on Monday and they’ve chained me to my desk,
‘Cos I did no work last week; so today I’m doing less.
And I’m screaming for my lunch break but it’s only just gone ten,
So I have to wait two hours and I’m screaming louder then.
See me bimble back from lunchtime; like I just don’t wanna start,
Someone said “Do Nothing“; so I took that to heart.
It’s ten past two on Tuesday and even now I find,
I’m waiting for the weekend with Friday on my mind.
And five o’clock feels far away; But I’m still sitting here,
So I’m dreaming of the NAAFI and I dream another beer.
It’s way past one on Wednesday; The middle of the week,
I’d like to ask for stand-down but I don’t have the cheek.
It’s five to six on Thursday and I’m still in my room,
The working day it looms ahead; like rain clouds bringing gloom.
It’s eight-fifteen on Thursday and now I’m on my way,
My body has to go to work but in my mind I play.
It’s ten p.m on Thursday night; I’m drinking in the Bop,
My right hand keeps on raising beers; my liver screaming “STOP!”
It’s eight o’clock on Friday, another duty clerk,
My head is screaming “Never again!“, my features looking stark.
Is the week now really over; or has it just begun?
I’m stuck in here ’til five o’clock and it’s only turning one.
Remember there are two years left, since on the line I signed,
Another two years spent this way; with freedom on my mind.
The End.
