Ray Daley's Blog, page 71

All right?

Are you all right? I’m okay.

I wrote a short this morning based on a dream I had in the early hours. About 1200 words or thereabouts.

I’m glad I remembered it, sometimes dreams are hard to remember. I had to wing the ending because I woke up before there was any resolution so I made up an up-beat not-quite-ending.

I’m going to have some lunch now, I’m well hungry.

 

You be good now!

Slightly orange

Back from my check-up, my pressures were still pretty low. Still got a lot of the orange dye on my eyes which I’ll wash off shortly.

Have to go back next month as someone forgot to schedule me in for Visual Fields but that’s not a bother.

Read a Brian Aldiss story whilst waiting and also wrote a bit more of the story in my jacket notepad.

A quick life related heads-up

I have my post-op (laser surgery) check-up at the Eye Clinic tomorrow so if I don’t receive any actual treatment I should be back online a few hours after coming home. If there’s any actual treatment, it’ll be longer and I’ll be back online by Wednesday.

I wrote something new (again!)

Finished my new story, just shy of 1700 words.

Not bad for an idea that literally came from nowhere.

At least it’s another vampire story written.

And I still have that idea from yesterday to work on too.

 

I wanted to watch Moon, instead I half watched it while writing the story.

I’ve never worked in any kind of idea like that before (despite having done vampires twice prior to this), I just hope people like it.

Off to bed now, another productive day over.

Another give away

I thought the title “Shaking Shakespeares Trousers” sounded quite weird but readable.

Anyone wishing to use it, please say so here and obviously I want my credit in the piece for coming up with the title.

Release schedule and what’s finished.

This is rumour control, here are the facts:-

There are 16 FULL and completed stories of various lengths (from flash upwards) which are ready to be released. These will either be ebook releases for next year or sent to one of the flash publishing sites such as 365 Tomorrows or Linguistic Erosion. I am looking to try sending to new places too.

As for this year, ALL the titles are complete and have been chosen for specific months.

The October release is done but needs a cover.

The November releases, because there are several are all complete but one may still need the ending modified. At it stands, it IS complete but is still subject to editing. One title has a cover, the remaining three still need covers. One is for Armistice Day, the rest are for the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary.

The December release only needs a cover.

There are also 7 titles which have previously been published on Facebook which may be reused here on the blog.

I get there in the end

I finally typed up the story I handwrote on the 10th of Sept.

Gave it a bit of polishing & editing on the fly, seems to work okay.

As a time travel story I wasn’t sure if the paradox worked and correctly cancelled itself out. It did.

Happy that’s all finished.

Couple of days off after all this constant working methinks!

…..and Taxes

I’m not dead yet. But I did have to file a tax return for the US today.

I’m British. I’ve lived my entire life in the UK.

I guess because I made my books purchasable in the USA via Amazon that they sent me a tax form.

 

Dear American tax man. I am not American. I do not live in America. So it sucks that I am subject to US tax law.

 

I guess it really does make me two things though.

1) A proper author.

2) A proper international author.

It’s a giveaway!

A title that just popped into my head but I have no desire to write.

“Love; During The Time Of Flowcharts”

As always, if you choose to use it please tell me and I’d like my credit for having created it too.

Enjoy!

Whither inspiration?

Possibly the single most commonly asked question to a writer is “Where do you get your ideas from?”

Many people struggle to find inspiration but it is literally everywhere you look. Everything you see & everything you hear is a potential idea if packaged correctly.

My classic example:- I was on a trip to the hospital for a check-up at the Eye Clinic, part of my journey took me on a loop that went around a new shopping development and I saw a sign above a store. Or rather I didn’t see ALL of it. I saw 2/3′s of it.

And the bit of it I did see made me think “There’s a story idea right there.” And sure enough, I pulled my notebook & pen out of my inside jacket pocket (because I now ALWAYS carry something to write on and with) and scribbled it down. I’ll use it eventually, it’s quite a funny if slightly weird prompt. No spoilers, sorry.

So there, literally doing nothing, minding my own business when an opportunity presented itself and I took it.

I’ve had that kind of thing happen when I am reading, I’ll see a phrase or a title and think “I could use that in a story” then have to stop reading to write it down before I forget it. No issue there, I’m in my room, notepads & pens both by the bed and by the tv/computer.

My most recent release “The Last Day With My Friends (In The Marble Orchard)” was based on one single phrase I read in a Philip K. Dick book, it struck me as an odd phrase, something I’d never heard or seen before and it gave me an idea which is now out there to read for free.

Even my most recent idea (so new in fact I haven’t even committed it to paper so this is its first appearance anywhere outside my head) which I got whilst watching a survival program.

Literally anything can flip that switch and set your imagination in motion.

Just be ready for it.