R.M. Ridley's Blog, page 32

Spread Truth Not Lies – Vaping!

Another blunt, honest article on the truth behind e-cigs from the medical director of the American Council on Science and Health!

HERE

Filed under: Vaping

And Then… Inspiration

A few months back, my publishing house let us authors know the theme for the next paranormal anthology. – Mr.& Mrs. Myth. I was already contracted to release my novel, and I didn’t think I would have the time to do the necessary work involved, while also working on the novel. So, despite the interesting nature of the theme, I tried to ignore it.

It wasn’t that hard to ignore as I write the stories I’m given, and have little success writing for a specific plot device. As my Muse failed to offer up a story plot to match the theme, I was off the hook.

So the submission dates were just released to the public yesterday.

Turns out I probably could find the time to work on a story were it to be accepted. This fact, of course, made the theme once more rattle about in my brain. Still, as I had no inspiration, I didn’t dwell on it.

I went out for a drive, to get feed for the menagerie in the barn, and wouldn’t you know it – my Muse came a whispering.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the feeling as a new story blossoms in my mind but I am in the middle of edits of ‘Tomorrow Wendell’, plus trying to finish up the fourth novel, ‘Corrupted Souls’, so I almost asked my Muse if this was really the time to be writing a short story?

Seems it is

I’m three thousand words in already, between yesterday and today. It’s going to be a good tale. Will it get in to the anthology – who knows? What I have to do now is to write it, no matter what. That’s my job… as a slave to my Muse.

Would I like for it to be accepted? Hell yes! It was in last year’s paranormal anthology that Jonathan Alvey first saw print. It was that collection which lead to my now working to get the novel to print. It would be terrific to be included in this one as well.

But that isn’t why I’m writing it. As I said, I’m writing it because that’s what I do – write.

I think  a brief foray into another story will do me good any way (and perhaps my Muse knows this). It’s like a transfusion of young health blood, an adrenaline rush, and a good rest all in one – especially if it comes fast and easy as this one is.

Renewed, I can delve back into ‘Corrupted Souls’ with vigor. Refreshed I can clear through the edits.

Still, I can’t help but wonder — just how crazy am I?

If you’re feeling crazy too – check out the site HERE

Filed under: Publishing, Writing Tagged: anthology, current work in progress, edits, Jonathan Alvey, Mr. & Mrs. Myth, novel, paranormal private investigator, plot, publish, short story, Tomorrow Wendell, Urban Fantasy, writer, writing, Xchyler Publishing

A Word From Our Sponsors

The number of followers to this – my collection of random, and scattered thoughts and stories – is not huge.

Something posted on my blog will not affect global tends.

And I’m not sure that I care much.

My numbers do slowly climb upward and every new follower makes me smile. It also makes my worry a bit – in a neurotic, ‘why did they do that?’ sort of way.

All that being true – I would really like to thank all of you who do read, comment, follow.

It does mean something to me and I hope you get something from it.

If there is anything you would like me to post more about, or less (say, water issues?) or have questions – please feel free to leave comments and I’ll try my best to accommodate.

As you all probably have figured out, there is little I’m not willing to post about… especially if it can help another out (say, how not to fix a well pump).

Thank you, to all of you.

Filed under: MIscellaneous

An Interview with an Author… ME!

I was asked to do an interview for a blog and happily agreed. The questions asked of me were different, and probing, and I had a good time doing it.

So go on over and check it out

Interview Link !

Filed under: Mental Health, Publishing, Writing

My Creative Process is Getting Creative on Me

I have been working hard on the fourth Jonathan Alvey novel, ‘Corrupted Souls’.

I am enjoying writing it and think the story will hold together well, and be a good read – but . . .

But by the gods what an odd adventure writing it is.

I write ‘organically’ – I’m a ‘panster’. I don’t plan out the novel, I just sit down and write what comes to me. Usually it all flows chronologically until the last few chapters when, suddenly, scenes from all over the final chapters are crowding into my mind. I’m used to it and keeping the scenes intact then ‘sewing’ them together works for me.

This novel however, the ‘scenes from all over’ phenomena  didn’t wait for the end chapters – it has been going on since the first writing session. I’ve had scenes written that were right near the end, written the same day as I wrote the opening chapter. The entire manuscript was a Hodge-podge of scenes from across the entire plot.

I have surprised myself in my ability to keep it coherently in m mind. It’s like those people who spin plates on sticks, many spinning at a time, always having to keep balance, and yet have all the plates turning at the right speed.

I have finally stitched together all of the beginning and middle. I’m trying to move forward only in a chronological order now; adding the new scenes when I get to them, and stitching what already exists onto those.

I’m just over 75,000 words into this novel. . . and it keeps going. It has been a challenge to keep this one running smoothly, and I know the edits might be tougher than usual, but as long as the end result is a good read it will be worth it.

Everybody writes differently, and no one way is wrong or better, but I might have to have a word with my Muse… after this one is finished.

*never piss off your Muse until the work is done.

Filed under: Writing Tagged: current work in progress, edits, Jonathan Alvey, muse, novel, paranormal private investigator, plot, readers, Urban Fantasy, world building, writing

And Another Voice Againt Knee-jerk Reaction to Vaping

Here is the link

Filed under: Vaping

And Still More Scenes Appear

I wrote, for the first time in a week, what I try to maintain as a minimum word count -1000 words a day. It was a whole new scene in this, the fourth Jonathan Alvey novel, Corrupted Souls’.

Is it an absolutely necessary scene… probably not. It does introduce a character who will be called on later in the novel so that is nice, but could it be cut without damaging the plot on a whole – yeah.

So why is it there? Because it is. Because it was there in my head and I just do what my Muse tells me to.

But with this scene, I’m already at 75,000 words in the novel. 75,000 words and many important scenes yet to write. Yikes!

So this novel is certainly looking like it will be the longest Alvey novel yet. I’m not worried – things happen in edits. And if I find I’m not cutting swathes out come edit time, and that the novel on a whole is cohesive and strong, then so be it. I have nothing against long novels, either as a writer or a reader, I just keep getting surprised when this one continues to unfurl.

I don’t expect that each one in the series will be end up being longer than the previous. I just think that this one happens to have enough in it, that to tie it all together is taking longer than I expected.

 

Filed under: Writing Tagged: characters, Corrupted Souls, current work in progress, Jonathan Alvey, muse, novel, paranormal private investigator, plot, readers, scene, Urban Fantasy, world building, writing

A Sane Voice Speaks About the Insane Bias Against Vaping

Here’s the link to the article

Filed under: Vaping

Soldier On

This morning, after writing a short scene in the fourth Jonathan Alvey novel, ‘Corrupted Souls’, I checked my ‘Drop box’ to see what was waiting for me from my editor. Chapter Two has been bounced back to me, and Chapter Three awaits the first round of edits.

To me this is good news. I have no responsibilities today, and no burdens or stress. For the first time in almost two months, I have nothing to concern myself with except for getting ‘Tomorrow Wendell’ ready for publication.

This afternoon I will spend deep in the edits, slicing off the easy stuff and slogging through the harder decisions.

Filed under: Publishing, Writing Tagged: current work in progress, Jonathan Alvey, novel, paranormal private investigator, publish, Tomorrow Wendell, Urban Fantasy, writing, Xchyler Publishing

About Yesterday…

Yesterday morning I looked at what I faced for the day and blanched. It didn’t look good.

I thought I had two chapters to edit, I had to go and get food for the menagerie ( an hour trip, there and back), and I should crawl under the house with a heat gun (since the water wasn’t running yet).

It was hard to set priorities. I really wanted water but I couldn’t afford to fall behind on the edits.

I brought my wife to my in-laws and from there headed towards the feed store. As I drove, I decided that, when I got home, I’d crawl under the house and spend the afternoon trying to get the water lines thawed then do the edits in the evening/night.

So once home I freed up extension cords, taped the connections so I didn’t have to worry about accidentally electrocuting myself, and crawled into the space under the house. I went deep under, to where the start of the PEX line started. I had thawed the iron pipe coming out of the ground the day before and was delighted to see the standing water around it remained unfrozen.

I peeled back the insulation on the PEX and started heating t with the heat gun … which is when I found out my heat gun is dying. It would run for a bit, then cut out and after playing with i, it would come back to life- but only for a short bit before cutting out again.

I decided to do what I could. I worked down the line, heating the parts where I could pee away some insulation, for as long as the heat gun worked. When it cut out, I’d re-wrap the insulation around the pipes and move down the line.

I had to skip one section because there was a puddle under it, I didn’t like leaving that much unheated but without the option of a hot bath to get into I wasn’t going to soak myself in nearly frozen water.

On and on, bit-by-bit, I went down the line. I finally reached a place that was more water. I could go no further. I had heated about fifty percent of one half of the line. It wouldn’t be enough I knew and crawled back out disgusted with this winters.

I went back inside and started on the edits. They went fairly well and I discovered that Chapter three wasn’t ready for me yet. Less edits than I expected. I had just finished with chapter two when my wife texted me to come get her.

I picked up her and our St. Bernard and headed home but first we had to go to town to buy some cat food. There is a T-intersection on the way to our house from town that is often quite treacherous and slippery in winter. I hit it too hard and we sailed across the street and ending in the ditch.

For ten years out here, I have never had a problem (nor the decades living in the city). This however made the second time I was in (or damn near to) a ditch and had to get pulled out.

Finally got out, (with the aid of a back hoe!) and headed home. I feed and locked up the animals for the night before going in. When I did make it inside my wife was sitting on the couch with an inscrutable look on her face.

“good news is we have water running to all taps” She said, “bad news–why is the bathroom flooded”

I went to investigate and saw no current flooding and no explanation… until I realized the shower stall also had water in it. The drain line had been blocked and the water (when it suddenly started running out of three separate taps) flooded the system, gurgling out the shower drain and flooded the bathroom.

So finally last night at 7pm (and with great trepidation) I took a bath. The water is still running this morning, and although I now believe that that issue will plague us no more this year – that water will no longer be a whispered, forbidden word – I have to admit… even after the truck in the ditch and the flooded bathroom – I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I hope I am wrong. I hope 6 weeks without water is the price we paid to have it now.

Filed under: Homesteading, MIscellaneous, Writing Tagged: animals, back hoe, bath, ditch, edits, frustration, heat, Jonathan Alvey, plumbing, publish, Tomorrow Wendell, truck, Urban Fantasy, water, water pump, wife, winter