Posts Tagged ‘ writing ’
I’m 20 pages deep into the first draft of The Riddle Box, and I’ve been using the same 5 page/week plan as Spell/Sword — but I think it’s time to put on my Big Boy Pants. Time to write 10, son.
It will also justify my shiny new toy: a Samsung Chromebook.
It’s always a treat when you stumble upon a new facet of the characters you’re writing.
I’ve been with Rime and Jonas for a while now, through Spell/Sword and in
Phil Noto
their far, dark future of Lodestar. As every writer must, I know a lot about them. More than I’ll ever subject the reader to, more that would remotely be germane to the narrative. But still I can be surprised, and find out something brand new about my protagonists in the process of writing.
I’ve been working on Riddle Box, the second book, and it’s a murder mystery. It’s completely different from Spell/Sword structurally, and purposefully puts the kids in a radically different situation than the first book.
Today, I discovered that Rime is a huge nerd for mystery stories.
I mean, me too — but Rime is a pretty sour sort, and can be a moody jerk. It is positively delightful to watch her get jazzed up about solving the mystery of The Riddle Box.
What’s next? Am I going to find out Jonas is an opera geek?
Or rather, I’m a terrible, terrible one.
Please buy my book so I can stay up late playing Mass Effect and quit my day job.
Enough people have finished the book to start asking me some pointed questions about it.
Questions like:
1. Wait, what?
2. Is it RHYME or REE-MAY?
3. What’s all this about Jonas being a murderer? Say it ain’t so!
4. You do realize that the ogre’s name changes in Chapter One?
Artist – Bruno Vergauwen
5. Wait, you killed them? Why are you so horrible?
To which I respond:
1. Dude, I know, right?
2. It’s RHYME, like ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’.
3. Not telling. Yet. Keep buying books, suckers.
4. [hides in a barrel]
5. Dude, I know, right?
And a couple of people have also asked “So, Jonas keeps mentioning his Master, the knight he served. What’s his Master’s name?”
Here’s the fun part. I have no idea.
Names are very, very important. The best ones appear, fully formed in the savannah of my mind — or I fall upon them like wild beasts in the tall grass.
And I haven’t caught his Master’s name yet.
I know the shape of their story, the gleam in the old man’s eye — but not his name, not yet.
Isn’t this great? It’s like Spell/Sword is spoiler-proof.
I had the great honor this past weekend of seeing my words on stage — in the form of an avant garde puppet show.
It was wonderful and strange…and more than a little surreal. To not only see your words being interpreted by a performer and director, but having them come out of a puppet’s grill.
I played it cool, though — cool as a cucumber. OKAY, I’m lying. I immediately ran up after the show and demanded pictures of the puppets and performers that performed my pieces.
Methusio! – Puppet Monologue #1
Methusio and Cocktail Glass
Oh man, every time Methusio would take a sip from the glass, it would start giggling. It was hysterical.
Methusio’s Performer: Geneviève Esquivié
Genevieve is a native French speaker, which made the monologue just that much more awesome.
The Devil – Puppet Monologue #2
![Lucifer - The Morningstar [in puppet form]](http://spellsword.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/2013-05-04-21-11-58.jpg)
Lucifer – The Morningstar
[in puppet form]
Look at the green eyes! Few things have made me as happy as seeing those eyes.
The Devil’s Performer: Nathan Altman
I wish I had taken a sneaky picture during the show, they had 15 sock puppets all performing Puppet Monologue #3. It was this surreal chant/rap. I loved it tremendously.
Okay, okay — I know I’ve been quiet here on the blog, but I just wanted to remind everyone of my Goodreads Giveaway! Click the image below to enter — the contest ENDS IN JUST OVER A DAY AND A HALF!!!!
Gundam Pilots not eligible to win.
You do have to be a Goodreads member to enter, but who isn’t these days. Also, add me on there so I can be nosy and see what books you are reading.
I promise to actually blog a bit in the next week, updates on Riddle Box progress, nerd matters, etc. etc.
I have some friends performing an avant garde puppet show this weekend.
What, your friends don’t put on avant garde puppet shows?
Wow.
Get better friends.
I contributed a couple of monologues to the project, so I’m beyond excited to sit down and see them performed. I was also working on a rockabilly theme song for the show, which sadly won’t be recorded in time. Here it is, for your entertainment pleasure.
‘Psockosis’
blue swing
Ride on down to the river
Slide on down to the river
My babe and me
Being lazy and free
Hiding down by the river.
There’s something in the river — ooooh
Something the river — -yeah
come and lets see
what it might be
Floating along in the river
quieter
Peeking in the river — yeah
Sneaking in the river — ooooh
What could it be?
Take a look see
What’s that thing in the river?!?
rockabilly explosion – great balls of fire
Holy shit, and Sweet Baby Moses
I done stumbled on a Psockosis!
My baby fell out
that aint no trout
I looked again
head started to spin
Hot damn and Sweet Baby moses
I done stumbled on a Psockosis!
Psockosis – yeah!
Psockosis – naw!
I bout had to pick up my jaw
Psockosis – yeah!
Psockosis -naw!
That damn sock is starting to talk!
Now I’m all alone on the river bank
My baby run off and you’re to thank
Can’t believe the hand I was dealt
my baby run off with a piece of felt!
Holy balls, and Sweet Baby Moses
I done stumbled on a Psockosis!
Heart broke and sad
feeling real bad
I waved goodbye
and started to cry
Shit fuck, and Sweet Baby Moses
I done stumbled on a Psockosis
Hot damn, on a Psockosis
Hot damn, on a Psockosis…
playout
Man, it’s good to be writing again.
Artist Unknown
Like Heinlein said, I want the Roc’s Egg.
I want the leather of my sword-grip to creak as my knuckles go white. I want the lightning to crackle between my fingertips like Egg Shen. I want the Flux Capacitor to ignite as I travel through time.
I want the power, I want the fairy tale.
I want to run down the secret hallway, and slam my rainbow colored key into the console of the Black Lion. I want to save the universe with Rock and Roll, my electric guitar made of steel and griffon-talon. I want to wake up in the middle of the night to the sound of Holmes and Watson clattering by in a horse-drawn carriage.
I want the legend, I want the world of doors.
I want the Master Sword dreaming in the glade, and Excalibur in the Lady’s hand, and Cloud picking up Zach’s sword — his mind all wind and shadow.
I want all the promises that the world is not as it seems. I want Mulder and Scully in a Ford Taurus arguing with the night. I want all the possibilities, the promise of wonder. I want Seven Dragonballs, even if I never get to make a wish.
I want the doors. The endless, endless doors.
I want this world to be not as it is. Or, at the very least, I want the walls of this world to get a little thinner. Thin enough to hear the music from the Universe One Over.
I want to tell my story and I want my mom to get better and I want there to be enough money and I want Emerson back. I want my Beloved to never know pain or doubt, and I want my friends to never know want or despair.
I want to break the rules. I want to undo and shine and defeat and cheat death, cheat life, mashing in the codes on my controller and rolling back the cruel grip of time.
I want to snatch the lost from death’s grip.
I want to not be afraid. Of the Unmaker and its thousand, thousand shadows.
I want there to be more magic in this world, because there is so little — just a tiny, tiny drop.
Such a little thing to shine in the darkness. The secret flame we clutch in weary hands through the wind and rain.
I want the thousand heroes, I want the doors open wide.
Most of all, I want you to help me pry them open.
I think it’s this artwork right here.
Artist – Andrew – ~shu-no-kurohi.
I dropped a few copies of the book off at the high school I used to work at, with strict instructions that they be dispersed only to the truly devout nerds in attendance.
Today I got an email from one of my teacher friends, and my very first piece of true Spell/Sword fanart. Also a sweet review:
Actually, I just finished the book right after I sent you the fanart. Overall, it was great. Maybe could’ve used a few runs of spell-check, but great overall. I’m a bit confused, though- you never really explained what Jonas did to earn the title of murderer. Is it going to be explained in the next book?Also, your original cover is great. Really solid, yet open for ideas.
