Every now and then I ask myself, just why I do I do this? Here I am, sitting in the Morebucks trying to gather some sort of wakefulness, considering what I've been doing the past several days, weeks, whatever...
In case you don't know, when I blog I generally do it in a stream of consciousness and I do tend to sidetrack myself. A mental multi-tasking, as long as the tendons in my wrists allow me.
And I listen to my iTunes...a lot.
"Life is Just a Tire Swing," Jimmy Buffett...how appropriate.
So anyway...my last blog post was the announcement that I will put out my first novel, "Parasite Girls" later this year as an e-book, through Amazon.com and Kindle.
The first order of business was to get the manuscript ready. It was not. I had taken this rather strange, knocked out story with few characters and settings that are more familiar to American audiences. Seemed the best and easiest one to get out there, and I feel it's a good story.
"My God," Jethro Tull, from Aqualung Live...
This is very different from what you will find if you page back through this blog. I do not consider myself a great writer, nor do I consider myself cutting edge. I just choose to write something different, and I like being different. It's easy to make up silly stories based on whatever came before.
I've made that mistake in the past. It does not work, though it may for a short-term ego and checkbook fix.
It is not cool to walk into a bookshop (there are no such things it feels to me around here) and see shelf upon shelf upon shelf of alleged original works that are nothing but knock-offs of Stephanie Meyer and whatever else. It bores the shit out of me.
Because I know I can do better; but can I make myself do it.
"Parasite Girls" is not a great novel, but it is a good story. About remaking oneself, finding oneself again, and realizing that no matter how many years pass and how many miles pass under you that there are still people that matter in your life. Not always your family, either.
Not that I know much of what that's about...but I suppose it's what I wanted to see, and perhaps others will experience that.
As usual I tackle too many issues at once, but the issues become secondary I hope to the people that are living them.
So, why do I write? I have always enjoyed it. To me, it's fun. I enjoy creating a world within the real world, and making characters up that are like those I see around me, but also those who are just a bit off-kilter, and even, yes, fucked up. We all are.
That said...I'm nearly done with it. I discovered through a friend an interesting software called Grammarly. It's a trick to use, and you have to be patient with it and make it work to your advantage.
The best way for me is to use it chapter by chapter. It offers grammatical help, way beyond what spellcheckers do. You also get a lot more in the way of alternatives to words you use too much.
I did not realize how much I used certain words to the point of madness. I feel incredibly illiterate now. What the fuck happened there?
At this point, I am down to the final chapters, but even then I need to really read it over...the more I read, the more I realize it does not always flow. Getting there, though.
Either way, should be a good read. Once it's ready, then I'll worry about the next step of navigating the mad world of getting it formatted for online. And every other damned thing.
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That's what I do most days...not a lot of work, and time on my hands, better do something with it.
"Caress Me Baby," by Omar Dykes & Lou Ann Barton...old Jimmy Reed stuff with Jimmie Vaughan on guitar.
My several months without medication has turned out okay. I still feel periods of nervousness and my mind jumps ahead to things before I have to rein it in.
When it comes to the writing, I find myself planning out ideas well ahead. I have at least two more story ideas, one of which is good but it does not make enough sense to go anywhere. You can't start something if you don't have a good timeline and plan in place.
And I have too much to do right now; so thinking about it is all I can do.
Idea to turn another story from my past into a first-person narrative...and then I have to get back to something else.
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I am off to New England tomorrow, for a week to visit my sister and bro-in-law up in Maine; a couple days there, see some friends, and then to Boston where I'll sell a guitar to an old friend, and meet up with more friends.
Cool thing, here:
https://pinterest.com/pin/553168766700477254/
That's me, one of my agent's charges on Pinterest. I think it's a good idea to get us out there, but I wonder how it will work. Gotta wait and see.
"I Wish Lunch Could Last Forever." Back to Buffett I see...great song from "Off to See the Lizard."
So yeah...the first book in that thing called the Sweet Dreams Series. I am taking on an old and dear friend as my "Japan Advisor." Sara may be interested in helping me plow through some of this, and give me some good insights on the land I've not been to yet.
I will eventually get back to that...as my friend Alice says, "One Tiger at a Time." I think this comes from taming the tiger or something.
So I'm trying to do that...feel more and more like a person in a hurry. Is this my lack of meds, so I am now foot to the floor? No idea.
I also did get a bit of write-up in Front Row Literary, the online version. A portion of the first book was put up, and the who I am bit. Very nice.
Now...I will get the chance to take my new ride on a good long run, which should be enjoyable. The Silver Saturn finally was retired in December, after just under a quarter million miles. I have an '06 Honda Civic with few miles. Nice ride, and I'm enjoying it.
I have to consider so many things, and a nice long ride will help with that.
To answer that question again...this is something I love very much. I enjoy coming up with these stories, ideas and things, and I want to see them in the hands of others. I just hope very much that a larger circle beyond my friends can read these, and get something good out of them.
"I Cover the Waterfront," old version of the John Lee Hooker track...
So do I do this for the money? Well, I've never made any as a writer; would be nice. Could I make enough to do just that? At this point, no. But I also am first and foremost a broadcaster. Radio is my first love, and I wish to stay in it, despite my just being a jobber the past four years out of the 29 I've invested in it.
It's how it goes. You do what you can, and I still do.
I know that my ego would love to see some of these in book form. I would strongly hope I don't let shit go to my head, but we're human. I don't want it to be that way. So I do it; cool, what's next?
I will eventually get "Parasite Girls" ready and it will get out there. I just hope I can be patient enough to do it right, get it set right, get the right everything in place, without taking too long. My goal is by the spring, and that I believe is in reach.
My recent examination of the story has shown it to be a good one. I don't think much more is needed. Other stories? We'll see.
The one thing I will tell others who say, "Oh, I've always wanted to write a story about..." and then they tell me all about it.
Well...do it.
My old and dear artist friend Sunny said it over 20 years ago...you just have to do it.
Make the time, take it and fucking do it.
I'm outta here...Peace.
