Wait For Me There

What a month March was. I had COVID for the first time. Traveled for my day job. Had multiple extra curricular obligations. And my favorite event of the spring, Planet Comicon happened. That three weeks was intense and I took a couple of days just to reset afterwards. Later, in a meeting at work, I admitted I hadn’t been at my best for several months and that I hoped having some time off would help me get back to where I needed to be for myself and everyone who depends on me. 

Hi, I’m Jason and I write stories I hope you’ll read and like. Thanks for coming over to read. (Some of this may be familiar ground if you read each of these entries. Not an apology, just a heads up.)

Organ of Record: The Envoy and War In Vain

Once I’d gotten over being sick, I dove back into revisions on THE ENVOY. I had begun a Big Fix pass because the the middle of the story was really – soft. If you’re a writer, you’re familiar with the term Mushy Middle and that was the problem with that draft of Envoy. It wasn’t bad even though it didn’t live up to the promise of the first third, but it wasn’t exciting and moved things forward very slowly. It was mushy in the way quicksand of 1970s TV shows was mushy. And about as dangerously boring. 

Amid the various obligations and unacknowledged depression that was mounting I started the Fix. Then I got sick, then and then and then. My process involves paper and red pens and then going back to type so I’ve been dragging the manuscript back and forth with me to work on it when I have five minutes. Two days ago I finished the red pen fix and am typing up the changes. I’ve read this book over a dozen times now and I love how it’s getting better and better with each draft. It’ll go out to a couple of trusted readers before the end of the week.

And while I’m doing that, because I can’t spend all my day in front of screens, I’m going back to revisions on WAR IN VAIN, the next installment of The Wave stories with Rob Schamberger. The benefit to that one having been sidelined as long as it has is that I’ve learned a lot from what’s happened with Envoy so I’m hoping I can speed this process up with War. 

I recently took a test that claims I’m familiar with 22,400 word families. Using those word families to create stories – choosing the right ones and then placing them strategically so that they are coherent – is harder than it looks. That’s the battle. That’s what makes writing difficult. There are over 140,000 words in the English language in regular use throughout varying industries and realms, so the math of stringing words together is formidable when you think about it. Writing is work, friends.

We’ll Remember Distant Times & Places

At Planet Comicon, I acquired a Batman book I’d been looking for since I was a kid for a great price. Since I didn’t table this year at the show I was able to spend time in the comic boxes looking for the stuff I would like to have in my collection, even though I recently downsized it considerably. Finding that DC Special inspired me to search further for the others in that line with the Flash and Superman. I’m pleased that now I have all three and treasure them as much as if I’d been able to buy them at The Town Crier back in the day.

Batman Spectacular (DC Special #15), Flash Spectacular (DC Special #11), and Superman Spectacular (DC Special #5). Covers by Marshall Rogers (Batman), Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (Flash), and Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez with Dick Giordano (Superman). Man, I just REALLY love the Dollar Comics format. It made the books special and they stood out on the rack. I also have the Jonah Hex and one of the Swamp Thing books in the DC Special series. JLGL did the Hex cover and Swampy’s cover was Wrightson because who else could have?

And I’ve been a fan of Shawn Levy’s adaptation of THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU since I first encountered it on cable a few year back. In fact, the most recent viewing of it reminded me (again) that Jonathan Tropper’s book was still out there for me to read so I went to my library and borrowed a copy yesterday. (Having just finished Michael Moorcock’s THE ELRIC SAGA PART I, I was between books even though I have Anne McDermott’s WHAT ABOUT THE BABY? essay collection and I need to review SEE YOU AT SAN DIEGO for a potential project that will occupy my summer while I’m revising.)

There’s a scene in this movie with Tina Fey and Timothy Olyphant where her character (Wendy) asks if his character (Horry) hates her for leaving him after the accident that leaves him brain damaged. It’s a beautiful moment that tells almost their entire story in about 2 minutes. 

But it’s not just that one moment, the script is full of shortcuts that reveal a ton about the characters while moving the plot. It’s funny, bittersweet, and just about perfect, I think, as is the cast. I recommend it.

At Capacity

I will never be embarrassed to admit that I struggle sometimes. I tend to overcommit myself at work and in my writing ambitions, and that contributes to the overwhelm which contributes to the feelings of dismay and disappointment that builds and builds on my metaphorical shoulders until it sinks me. I want to accomplish so much and be the person I see in my head. When I can’t get that image to match up with the guy in the mirror looking back at me I despair. 

Look, you’re not alone if you have times you feel like this, too. I find talking it out with my wife, with my colleagues, with my brothers and friends helps me put it in perspective. The bags under my eyes get heavy and pull me down but not nearly as fast as it used to. I hope you have a process that works for you in those situations and if you don’t, I hope you keep looking until you find it. You matter to the ones who love you I’m glad you’re here. 

I’ll see you when I see you.