R.F.G. Cameron's Blog, page 3
January 28, 2014
Reveille
Some people will probably think this is a bit crazy, but when you live next to a training base you can tell the time by the bugle calls every day you can tell when they're late.
I'm used to reveille (04:00), end of day retreat (17:30), and taps (21:00). When I hear reveille at 07:14 instead of 04:00, it makes me wonder if someone feel asleep on night watch, woke up thinking "Oh crap! Oh crap!", then hit the button to play the call.
I'm used to reveille (04:00), end of day retreat (17:30), and taps (21:00). When I hear reveille at 07:14 instead of 04:00, it makes me wonder if someone feel asleep on night watch, woke up thinking "Oh crap! Oh crap!", then hit the button to play the call.
January 15, 2014
Kats, Critters, and Demon Baby
Today I’m taking a break from writing sort of could be maybe – it really depends on how the rest of the day evolves as it chugs along the ever-changing track of diapers, feedings, and naps. Yes, (*gasp* *sob*) I’m one of those wicked stay at home parents who writes. Unlike some of the other parents, those intrepid stalwart souls who decide to stay home to nurture their child, I’m an XY pattern.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my daughter. Seeing her smile when she wakes up, her certainty that I’ll make her world better with a clean diaper and a snack of mom-juice makes a world of difference. Hearing her outrage when I don’t get that diaper changed fast enough or it’s taking forever for her snack to be ready is just as rewarding.
Just as watching her beginning to roll over (front to back and back to front) and sit up in her little chair at ten weeks of age is rewarding. I know that in many respects it won’t be long before I have lessons to plan and teach, activities and interests to cultivate, and if I’m blessed one day she’ll forget she needs me. I have the feeling that by the time she realizes I’m still useful I’ll be gone, but such is the price of my world. But, I digress.
Back to why it’s a sort of break day. I guess the main reason is I’m tired, it’s quiet (for the moment), and I’ve done a bit of work thinking up different life forms for a storyline. When I was younger, I always hated the two-dimensional paper doll ‘alien creatures’ some authors thought were all it took to craft an interesting story. Yes, I liked seeing the main characters grow and evolve as the story progressed, but why did all those alien supporting characters have to be so, bland.
The Wife gets irritated with me at times because there are occasions when I’ll think out loud and describe a creature with the usual response of: “I’d rather read about it, when will the story be ready?” She never does like hearing she’ll have to wait, because I do try to make my supporting cast interesting. No cookie cutter ‘it looks like a dog (cat, horse, insert Terran animal name here) but isn’t’, instead I research ancient life forms, let the reptilian mind wander a bit, and come up with, critters.
Currently The Wife has a copy of “Mono-Earth: The War of the Egg” in her pumping bag, a little ‘light’ reading to do (140,000+ words plus defining appendices) when she’s on lunch break. We were talking last night and her complaint was: “It started out with an interesting prologue, then in the first chapter it switches to some ordinary guy. Why? I mean, hearing what an ordinary guy he was when he started telling his part of the story was boring, until he got to that canyon and stuff started getting weird – now that was interesting…”
I suppose it was too simplistic for me to answer with: “I did it that way because sometimes ordinary boring people stumble into and get swept up with events so far beyond their control they become less than ordinary characters.” I’ll try to remember the rolled up newspaper I got across the snout next time…
While I let my current cast of miscreants, creatures, and victims ferment and come up with more of the story they want to tell, it’s time to crack open the works of others and visit their worlds. I’ll also watch some inept Sci-Fi movies (Demon Baby laughs at Terminators and such – she’s a future empress of the multi-verse after all), and do some laundry. I remember I once had clean socks, somewhere, sometime. I’d better go see what the cat did with those socks, he plots to take over the multi-verse one empress at a time you know…
Don’t get me wrong, I love my daughter. Seeing her smile when she wakes up, her certainty that I’ll make her world better with a clean diaper and a snack of mom-juice makes a world of difference. Hearing her outrage when I don’t get that diaper changed fast enough or it’s taking forever for her snack to be ready is just as rewarding.
Just as watching her beginning to roll over (front to back and back to front) and sit up in her little chair at ten weeks of age is rewarding. I know that in many respects it won’t be long before I have lessons to plan and teach, activities and interests to cultivate, and if I’m blessed one day she’ll forget she needs me. I have the feeling that by the time she realizes I’m still useful I’ll be gone, but such is the price of my world. But, I digress.
Back to why it’s a sort of break day. I guess the main reason is I’m tired, it’s quiet (for the moment), and I’ve done a bit of work thinking up different life forms for a storyline. When I was younger, I always hated the two-dimensional paper doll ‘alien creatures’ some authors thought were all it took to craft an interesting story. Yes, I liked seeing the main characters grow and evolve as the story progressed, but why did all those alien supporting characters have to be so, bland.
The Wife gets irritated with me at times because there are occasions when I’ll think out loud and describe a creature with the usual response of: “I’d rather read about it, when will the story be ready?” She never does like hearing she’ll have to wait, because I do try to make my supporting cast interesting. No cookie cutter ‘it looks like a dog (cat, horse, insert Terran animal name here) but isn’t’, instead I research ancient life forms, let the reptilian mind wander a bit, and come up with, critters.
Currently The Wife has a copy of “Mono-Earth: The War of the Egg” in her pumping bag, a little ‘light’ reading to do (140,000+ words plus defining appendices) when she’s on lunch break. We were talking last night and her complaint was: “It started out with an interesting prologue, then in the first chapter it switches to some ordinary guy. Why? I mean, hearing what an ordinary guy he was when he started telling his part of the story was boring, until he got to that canyon and stuff started getting weird – now that was interesting…”
I suppose it was too simplistic for me to answer with: “I did it that way because sometimes ordinary boring people stumble into and get swept up with events so far beyond their control they become less than ordinary characters.” I’ll try to remember the rolled up newspaper I got across the snout next time…
While I let my current cast of miscreants, creatures, and victims ferment and come up with more of the story they want to tell, it’s time to crack open the works of others and visit their worlds. I’ll also watch some inept Sci-Fi movies (Demon Baby laughs at Terminators and such – she’s a future empress of the multi-verse after all), and do some laundry. I remember I once had clean socks, somewhere, sometime. I’d better go see what the cat did with those socks, he plots to take over the multi-verse one empress at a time you know…
January 8, 2014
Kindle Availability Update
This is more note than blog, and I hope nobody minds too much.
I'm currently updating the Kindle versions of my work, from the DRM protection to non-DRM -- I've heard a bit about people having problems with such.
During the time while I do the changeover and update the listings, I do have Epub versions I can email (gratis, limited number) if I receive a PM with an email address.
Have a great day and enjoy
I'm currently updating the Kindle versions of my work, from the DRM protection to non-DRM -- I've heard a bit about people having problems with such.
During the time while I do the changeover and update the listings, I do have Epub versions I can email (gratis, limited number) if I receive a PM with an email address.
Have a great day and enjoy
January 5, 2014
New Year, New Books, & Work Ahead
My New Year’s resolution, take time from my writing to make certain my infant daughter does not develop diaper rash or eat the cat (I do believe Kore the Kat Guardian would readily agree with the last part). Baby girl comes first -- she makes sure of it.
The reality about my writing is I do have quite a few works in various stages. My filing system runneth over, with stories from the concept stage to novel length, all waiting to be finished (some at the edit / proofreading stage). Whether AI (Artificial Intelligence) and androids, intelligent prototheria (monotremes), humans taking the threat of their self-induced extinction out among the stars, or an ancient battle computer waging its last war, the characters involved all have their stories to tell. Perhaps it’s time to finish the tale of the warrior adept who magically gets pulled from her version of reality into ours, where she wakes up in a newborn’s body.
During the year to come I plan on finishing off the Regeneration series with the back story (a prequel prelude that helps put the Regeneration world into better perspective) and the end story. At present my editor is a bit occupied. Perhaps after other characters have a chance to tell their tales, I might chance another visit to the Regeneration world to see if there are new characters with new tales readers might care to see.
For now I’m pounding the keyboard at odd intervals as baby girl establishes a pattern. For now I’m looking forward to an interesting year.
The reality about my writing is I do have quite a few works in various stages. My filing system runneth over, with stories from the concept stage to novel length, all waiting to be finished (some at the edit / proofreading stage). Whether AI (Artificial Intelligence) and androids, intelligent prototheria (monotremes), humans taking the threat of their self-induced extinction out among the stars, or an ancient battle computer waging its last war, the characters involved all have their stories to tell. Perhaps it’s time to finish the tale of the warrior adept who magically gets pulled from her version of reality into ours, where she wakes up in a newborn’s body.
During the year to come I plan on finishing off the Regeneration series with the back story (a prequel prelude that helps put the Regeneration world into better perspective) and the end story. At present my editor is a bit occupied. Perhaps after other characters have a chance to tell their tales, I might chance another visit to the Regeneration world to see if there are new characters with new tales readers might care to see.
For now I’m pounding the keyboard at odd intervals as baby girl establishes a pattern. For now I’m looking forward to an interesting year.
December 24, 2013
Back Stories before Christmas
I finished the back story for the Regeneration books, and oddly enough it went from a planned novelette to a long novella or a short novel. At 43,300+ words I'm glad the back story is more or less finished regardless of whether you call it a novella or a novel. Then again the length will change once my editor sees it and starts telling me what I forgot or need to rewrite.
At any rate enjoy your holiday, I'll be changing diapers and deciding whether to finish the last installment of the Regeneration series or dive back into a different series that's been languishing.
Feliz Navidad, Merry Christmas, С Рождеством, Frohe Weihnachten, pick a greeting
At any rate enjoy your holiday, I'll be changing diapers and deciding whether to finish the last installment of the Regeneration series or dive back into a different series that's been languishing.
Feliz Navidad, Merry Christmas, С Рождеством, Frohe Weihnachten, pick a greeting
December 22, 2013
Market vs Readers
Writing is a portal that allows many people to share an inner vision that another person has had. Different writers open different portals, whether it’s a wryly twisted perspective on our world, the lives and interactions of beings from another world, or the surreal horror of being trapped in a dream with that which we find monstrous to name a few.
Traditional publishing typically caters to markets. Works that will appeal to the widest number of customers within a traditional publisher’s market are the works chosen for publishing. Often enough the publisher will have the writer follow a general formula the publisher found sells. Even if that publisher’s basic formula for what makes a good book leads to a vague ‘sameness’ in the works of different authors, that’s what sells.
Who caters to readers? Who creates fiction for the readers who don’t want another story that drags on to an all too predictable result? One answer is independents, whether it’s a small niche publisher that seeks out new voices or the indie author who self-publishes.
For all the complaints about how horrible the work of independent authors is, it isn’t completely true. Many traditionally published authors started out as independents – they typically started with periodicals that published their work. In addition, many indie / self-published authors today go through the same process traditionally published authors do and more, because there is no big publishing house to do it for them. An indie author who does due diligence will find an editor, get professional cover treatment, and do all or most of the marketing and promotion.
A writer who writes with the reader in mind also listens to the readers, whether it’s a fan base of one or a fan base of ten thousand. Readers catch details, little glitches that writers, editors, and proofreaders often miss. As well, when the readers indicate they’d like to know more about the back story that led up to a certain novel, the writer who keeps the readers in mind listens. The questions that readers pose can help the writer who listens to revisit material they otherwise would have simply filed.
Take care and until next time, enjoy passing through the portals and visiting the various writers’ worlds.
Traditional publishing typically caters to markets. Works that will appeal to the widest number of customers within a traditional publisher’s market are the works chosen for publishing. Often enough the publisher will have the writer follow a general formula the publisher found sells. Even if that publisher’s basic formula for what makes a good book leads to a vague ‘sameness’ in the works of different authors, that’s what sells.
Who caters to readers? Who creates fiction for the readers who don’t want another story that drags on to an all too predictable result? One answer is independents, whether it’s a small niche publisher that seeks out new voices or the indie author who self-publishes.
For all the complaints about how horrible the work of independent authors is, it isn’t completely true. Many traditionally published authors started out as independents – they typically started with periodicals that published their work. In addition, many indie / self-published authors today go through the same process traditionally published authors do and more, because there is no big publishing house to do it for them. An indie author who does due diligence will find an editor, get professional cover treatment, and do all or most of the marketing and promotion.
A writer who writes with the reader in mind also listens to the readers, whether it’s a fan base of one or a fan base of ten thousand. Readers catch details, little glitches that writers, editors, and proofreaders often miss. As well, when the readers indicate they’d like to know more about the back story that led up to a certain novel, the writer who keeps the readers in mind listens. The questions that readers pose can help the writer who listens to revisit material they otherwise would have simply filed.
Take care and until next time, enjoy passing through the portals and visiting the various writers’ worlds.
December 17, 2013
Thoughts on Research
Writing can be interesting at times for an author of fiction, whether the genre is Historical, Sci-Fi, Romance, or Western, the story has to be plausible which involves research. Don’t get me wrong, research can be absorbing when one tidbit leads you on to another nugget like a will o’ wisp until you wind up far afield from where you started, and thirty minutes late for picking the wife up from work.
That arriving late to pick someone up from work, take my word for this, it’s not so good as I’ve eaten cold shoulder on many nights due to being late. What I find worse than that cold shoulder served up for dinner is not doing any research. Whether the author is just starting out or is well established, research and attention to detail pays off not only in setting the context but also in helping the reader suspend their disbelief temporarily.
Suppose I wrote a book labeled as Historical Fiction as opposed to Alternate History, and in the first three chapters readers with a decent knowledge of the time period referenced spotted fifteen anachronisms (i.e.: someone or something not in it’s correct chronological or historical time). Let’s suppose this book involves the Roman Empire around the time of 450 CE, and there’s mention of lunar landers, Christopher Columbus, belt-fed machine guns, and Norma Jean. The work would have my editor wondering if I’d lost my mind, not to mention anyone who actually picked it up to read it.
While I might not attain fame and fortune with my writing, one thing I do promise my readers is that I do my best to keep my work plausible every time. I might take the liberty of not explaining exactly how an alien race gets around limitations of physics our physicists haven’t figured out ways around yet because I’m not a physicist, but my solutions won’t be completely implausible either.
A vessel full of colonists that is sent to another stellar system would still take time to arrive at its destination, whether months, years, or centuries. Two species from completely different evolutionary lines won’t be able to have offspring without a lot of cut-and-paste gene splicing and in vitro assistance. A puppet won’t become a real boy simply because someone clicked their heels together, unless I’m writing a fantasy full of magic, swords, and taverns with really tasty mead served in large flagons.
For now I need to wrap this up for the morning, as I do believe my infant daughter will need her diaper changed before too long. Have a great day and enjoy reading whatever you have at hand.
That arriving late to pick someone up from work, take my word for this, it’s not so good as I’ve eaten cold shoulder on many nights due to being late. What I find worse than that cold shoulder served up for dinner is not doing any research. Whether the author is just starting out or is well established, research and attention to detail pays off not only in setting the context but also in helping the reader suspend their disbelief temporarily.
Suppose I wrote a book labeled as Historical Fiction as opposed to Alternate History, and in the first three chapters readers with a decent knowledge of the time period referenced spotted fifteen anachronisms (i.e.: someone or something not in it’s correct chronological or historical time). Let’s suppose this book involves the Roman Empire around the time of 450 CE, and there’s mention of lunar landers, Christopher Columbus, belt-fed machine guns, and Norma Jean. The work would have my editor wondering if I’d lost my mind, not to mention anyone who actually picked it up to read it.
While I might not attain fame and fortune with my writing, one thing I do promise my readers is that I do my best to keep my work plausible every time. I might take the liberty of not explaining exactly how an alien race gets around limitations of physics our physicists haven’t figured out ways around yet because I’m not a physicist, but my solutions won’t be completely implausible either.
A vessel full of colonists that is sent to another stellar system would still take time to arrive at its destination, whether months, years, or centuries. Two species from completely different evolutionary lines won’t be able to have offspring without a lot of cut-and-paste gene splicing and in vitro assistance. A puppet won’t become a real boy simply because someone clicked their heels together, unless I’m writing a fantasy full of magic, swords, and taverns with really tasty mead served in large flagons.
For now I need to wrap this up for the morning, as I do believe my infant daughter will need her diaper changed before too long. Have a great day and enjoy reading whatever you have at hand.
