friday stuff

     Fitch peeled the rest of the thigh dressing off, and produced a roll of soft cotton and clean dressing from his bag.  He whistled an off key sailors tune as he spread some salve on the wound, covered it with the new dressing, and wrapped the whole upper thigh with the roll of cloth.  "Keep that clean, if you wish to bathe later, let me know and I"ll make sure the water is fresh and replace the dressing again afterwards.  Now, how's that shoulder feel?"

    Cerryn responded with a shrug that sent new twinges of pain through her shoulder. 

    Captain Fitch eyed the puckered scar tissue where Randir had healed her.  "Yeah, I can see that it'll hurt for a while, but...  Your companion is a talented healer, I know of few pure healers who could have tended that one as thoroughly as he seems to have, even without the shadow wound."  His eyes closed as he ran his fingers across the scar.  "I did a little reading last night, found a reference to shadow knives in an old text.  According to that text, You're probably the first person who has survived such a deep wound from one, I'd say that had your friend not done whatever he did, you wouldn't have lasted the night."

The above section was part of what I worked on (and reworked some of) earlier this week.  I actually managed to put together a couple of thousand words during breaks at work this week.  Some of it feels pretty good, some is easily recognized as low-grade dreck from work.  I believe I've commented before on how I can tell what's written at work, and what's written when I'm at home and actually "in the writing mode".  It may be getting harder to tell th difference.  (or I'm getting less perceptive).  We'll see...

     Speaking of we'll see, my opthamalogist has recognized that my left eye is developing a cataract.  I hadn't noticed any problems until she pointed it out, now I realize that for the last couple of months, at times I felt like I was looking through a dirty window with my left eye.  I'd put it aside as side effects of allergies.  I've spoken with the regional flight surgeon, and have come to the nervous decision to deal with it as soon as practical.  The surgery, considered routine, gives me the willies...

    It gives me the willies because of something I faced 23ish years ago.  I'd been working at Denver Instruments, where I worked on soldering parts to electronic instrument circuit boards all day.  One Friday after work, I took my paycheck to the bank, where they were laying new carpet.  My eyes started burning shortly after getting home from work.  Apparently (as explained by the ER doctor later that day), the fumes that my contact lenses absorbed every day from work interacted with the carpet cement fumes to create an acid of some sort, that etched my eyes under my contacts.  I spent the next 4 or 5 days with patches on my eyes, completely dependant on my girlfriend for everything, waiting to find out about any permament damage.  Not having any vision for that time (and the corresponding worry) has made me very sensitive about my eyes.   (I still remember listening to the superbowl on tv that weekend as Craig Morton and the broncos got slaughtered.  Needless to say, I'm a bit nervous about having the cataract surgery (as described by the opthamalogist, they make a hole in the side of your lens, stick an instrument in, and scramble/liquify your lens with ultrasonic waves.  They then replace it with a permament contact lens-like implant that will give me perfect vision in that eye.)  I was okay until he mentioned "they make a hole in the side of your lens.  <<<Shudder>>>

     Anyway, I've another doc visit next week, to further examine the problem and discuss options.  In the meantime, as Red Green would say,

"Keep your stick on the ice"...

Jim

Another week, time to reorganize

I apologize for not writing this last week, I plead all the usual reasons.  However, we have managed to finish our taxes, pending a review, and I've gotten a few dozen minutes in writing on Imperfect Hope.  I found some good inspiration recently, and I'm building on it...

     I'm still suppressing my inner critic, most of the time, but each time I write at work, I have to spend a few minutes reading something of what I've already done to get air traffic control out of my brain, and creativity back in.  Sometimes I can't resist amending something I reread.  They're small changes, often just a different word or rephrase a sentence.  I'm still holding off on the major rewrite, the one that comes after first draft is done.  In the back of my mind, I've come up with some major structural changes I want to fiddle with.  I keep toying with a flashback, even though it's considered a  poor choice in first novels, simply because it's done too frequently.  If I don't "flashback", I'll write the segment I've in mind, and it will either become part of Imperfect Hope's opening chapters, or it will be the core of the "prequel".  More to come.

     In the area of character development, Randir and Cerryn have some minor changes due, for one, I'm considering making Randir slightly more "human".  I want to do this to portray the evolution of the K'tath following the contact that Brandis brought in the "era" before Imperfect Hope.  It will make the relationship between he and Cerryn more understandable, though I still intend to keep the tension between them high due to the cultural differences.  I'm still not sure where it goes, even within Imperfect Hope.  Dilemna's... 

     Anyway...  This week promises to be another busy one, but I've intentions to finish the scene I'm working on.  Perhaps I'll toss a blurb your way later this week...

Clear skies,
Jim

Setting a goal or two...

     Yeesh...  February already.  I'm working an overtime shift on a saturday, and as is usual, my thoughts are elsewhere when I'm on a break.  After whacking the side of my head to get off the imaginings of poipu beach sand and a umbrella decorated mai-tai, I settled in on considering the spring projects.  Ouch.  Change the channel, quick...

     Plan B, muse about goals.  I'm not ready to choose a deadline for finishing Imperfect Hope yet, other than reminding myself daily that "I will finish it...  I will finish it..."  Instead, I'm putting some thought into fitness, both physical and mental. 

     Since we've started working with Charity (personal trainer and part time whip cracker), I've noticed a considerable increase in energy and strength.  Balance is coming back, and the weight is slowly starting to come back down after an ugly summer and fall.  Time to set some targets.

     I'd like to climb Longs Peak (again, but finish this time) .  I know I'm not physically ready for that challenge right now, so we need to set some interim goals.  My idea is to target a 12'000 foot peak for June, and a 13'000 footer for July.  That gives us until May to build our stamina on other trails, as they open up in the spring.  Let's see how the spring goes, though...

     Imperfect Hope remains my primary goal, writing wise.  I will see what kind of writing schedule I can keep to this spring.  Ideally, I'll finish the first draft by early summer, and take a bit of a break before starting the rewrite.  Right now I'm building steam as I get Randir out of a coma caused by too intensive healing and drop the hints about getting him back to a krath healer to undo the shadow knife damage.  Cerryn, in typical fashion, is focused on finding the culprit who attempted to assassinate her, and failed only because of Randir's overextension.  Meanwhile, the agent of the empire tries to get his plan back on track after being foiled at Mud Bay...

     Finally, I may be starting up a collaberative blog later this spring.  I won't name names yet, since I'm still working on the details of what/who/how/when, but I'll let you know more as it comes along.  As always, more to come.....

Clear skies,
Jim

Workings of D'oril, Geography

     If you're a regular reader, you probably already know that the D'oril that I am using for my writing world came to be during IFGS game writing years.  From the D'oril mini-series through Sha'te Valley, and to a lesser extent, Piper on the Hill, I wrote about "The Far North".  Originally, D'oril was loosely attached to the Land of the Seven Tribes, mostly for storyline convenience.  I imagined the divider between the two lands to be represented by the E'tel river, a "Columbia Gorge" type river that in each game, would provide a tangible crossover between 7 Tribes and D'oril.

     Later, I began blurring the boundary.  The Inn of the Stumbling Friar, firmly entrenched on the south side of the river, became a part of D'oril, at least as far as my writing was concerned.  In IFGS/7 Tribes lore, the Inn of the Stumbling Friar was a crossroads near the northern frontier, conveniently located between several other duchies.  I roughed out the area as an important crossroads, settled by Merrick, the founder of the Inn, recently attracting a small community of settlers including blacksmith and such. 

     As I write for myself now, though, I've had to divorce D'oril from L.O.S.T., for many reasons.  One, I need to have total control of all storyline aspects, two, I really can't take the time to figure out whose toes I might be stepping on, and hence who I need to ask permission of when I write outside of D'oril proper.  So, the birth of the confederation, and formation of a new land.

     I do have maps drawn up, and perhaps soon enough I'll digitize them such that I can share here, but for now, a verbal description will have to suffice.  D'oril still resides in the far north, in a region much like northwestern canada, rugged coastal mountains with a dense, almost rainforest like (except for the cold) region inland that compromises the bulk of "D'oril".  Still north of the E'tel river, the rolling hills continue eastward, with the forest becoming less dense as the climate dries out.  North of the forest, plains begin to intrude, the harsh steppes.

     The Confederacy (as tentatively named) is a loose confederation of duchies, city states, and mercantile holdings south of the E'tel.  The couple hundred miles south of the E'tel are very sparsely populated, considered the frontier, The Inn of the Stumbling Friar being one of the few outposts along the "northern Trade Road".  That road links the eastern and western halves of the confederacy that is divided by a mountain range running north/south to almost the E'tel, the Inn of the Stumbling Friar sits at the northernmost edge of both those mountains and the trade road.

     The western coastline of the confederacy is rugged, much like the norwegian coast with fjords and such.  Like the eastern reaches of the confederacy on the other side of the spinal mountains, the civilization level grows as you head south.  There are only a few useable ports/harbors in the northern half of the continent, climate becomes more temperate as you head south, but the coastal waters are considered barely navigable due to the weather and large number of uncharted rocks and islands.  The port cities are the core of the merchant guilds that make up a third of the confederacy's "government", they hold a dear monopoly on trade out of the western harbors.

     The eastern half of the confederacy is the breadbasket of the region, with rolling, partially forested hills and rich bottomlands.  Independant duchies make up the majority of the civilization, with the northernmost town being rather small, though aggressively expansionistic.  The bulk of the confederacy's "civilization" lays further to the south, with towns giving way to cities, trails becoming paved roads, and the frontier like atmosphere in the north getting swallowed up by regional laws and regulation. I've left description of the lands south and east of the confederacy vague.

     Across the western ocean from D'oril and the Confederacy is the Empire of Tallux, and entire new continent.  Though I've defined some basic characteristics, for now, I don't need to know much about it, so it remains pretty vaguely sketched out.  The focus of my first tales will remain on the east...

     Imperfect hope begins on the frontier between Mud Bay, the northern-most town and harbor along the western coast, and the deep forests of D'oril.  Most of the story will remain within the western portions of the confederacy.

     Needless to say, there's a lot more to the geography, and that geography plays a large part in defining the cultures and storylines.  There'll be more to come.....

Clear skies,
Jim

excerpt, and a return to writing

     "Well danced, Questor".  Nunners was tired, his breath came heavily, but he kept up his defensive stance.  In front of them, the raiders regrouped, fresh swordsmen came to the front.

     "We've done what we could, serjent."  Cerryn glanced back at Randir again, his eyes were still closed, breathing shallowly.  "If you'll gather Randir and your trainees, pull back.  I'll hold them long enough for you and your men to escape."

    Before the serjent could reply, a bell began ringing at the land side of the causeway, followed by the clatter of dozens of boots.  "Sounds like the major's arrived with help, guess I'll stick around to see the end, now."  Nunners face held a wide grin.

     I wrote the above passage last year, it's near the end of a crux scene where Randir, Cerryn, and some militia help hold out against some raiders.  It was near the end of my productive time last year, when I still seemed to have some energy, despite the chaos of the times.  Much of what followed are some of my favorite scenes, from the end of the causeway battle, to the recovery scenes at the militia outpost afterwards.  Action, dialogue, and emotion.  It came together.

     That's not to say that what came before will all be tossed out, there are some good scenes, and most of what I wrote prior to the causeway scene is story critical.  I just seemed to hit my stride with that point, a stride that I hope to pick up again with the same fervor I had earlier.

     I actually managed to get in some good time on a break at work today, though I"ll admit that switching from ATC-Brain to Writer-Brain was wrenching.  I've said it before, 20 minutes isn't enough time to be productive.  Here at home, I can find more time, but finding the muse when I"m worn from atc is another story.  Anyway, I'm back on the tracks, just have to get that boiler going.....

     I'm working on picking up where I left off, specifically, when Cerryn awakes the next day.  Randir is still a mess (shadow magic is a real pain...), and the local surgeon, though skilled, is at a loss as to how to treat him.  Cerryn will have to make a decision, go after the traitor with the shadow knife, or find a way to help her "Cha'kel".

More to come...

Clear skies,
Jim

I'm back...

     A week off.  It wasn't nearly enough, but it was sorely needed.  I hope we'll be able to take our real vacation in september, we're tentatively planning to return to Kauai.  I'm looking forward to burying my toes in warm sand.....

     California was... California.  At least we missed the worst of LA, flew in to Ontario, the airport there is about two miles from where Irma's dad lives.  It was good to see Antonio, he's doing well, and can still kick both of our butts playing Dominoes...

     I really liked the Stanley.  Estes Park was cold and windy, but that's to be expected in January.  The history of the hotel is amazing, from F.O. Stanley, who was as good as dead from tuberculosis prior to his arrival in barbaric Estes Park (little more than hunters and ranchers in 1907), who built the hotel from the ground up to celebrate his return to health (and health related exile from the wealthy high society back east), to the decay and dilapidation in the late 80's when it was essentially abandoned and occupied by homeless squatters, to the restoration that began in the late 90's.  There's still a lot of work to be done, but it was one of the most comfortable hotel rooms I'd ever stayed in.

     It wasn't just the amenities, in fact, the room was fairly basic.  However, there was a sense of welcome there that you just don't get from gleaming steel and glass super-resorts.  Being off season, the hotel was nearly empty of guests.  The restaurant, Cascades, served first class breakfast and dinner, and though I didn't sample it this time, their single malt scotch list includes some of the really really exclusive scotches.  (I think, though I can't remember right now, that they list a 50year old Macallan, along with 25yo, 18yo, and 12yo Macallans.  Knowing what a bottle of 18yo costs, I shudder to thing what the 50 year old goes for.  Perhaps I'll celebrate the completion of my first novel with a glass of 25 year old at the bar. 

     Then there are the ghostly episodes.  I know there are skeptics out there, and sometimes I'm one, but...  There were things there that I couldn't explain.  The ghost/history tour was fun, we took it the day after our first night there, and the guides explanations of things that regularly happen at the stanley certainly meshed with what we experienced the first night (which was experienced without reading any other visitors accounts prior to arrival).  Perhaps I can be persuaded to write about those experiences later...

     Back to my own writing.  I chose to leave the laptop behind on our trip so I could truly rest, I think it was a good choice, I do feel creatively refreshed.  Imperfect Hope, first draft, awaits.  And perhaps that tumbler of 18 year old Macallen scotch, to be shared with the ghost of F.O. Stanley at his hotel.  Oh, wait, he was a teetotaler.....

Clear skies,
Jim