Must Feed Addiction...

It's a dreary day and today I just wanted to write a little bit about...well, anything.  I think that more than likely writing will be what I do for the rest of the day.  Even though there are some chores that really need doing, I really need to at least write something.  A blog entry seems like a good start to me.  After all, I promised I would keep you posted, and keep you posted I shall.  

As you know, I'm not participating in NaNo this year due to recently having a baby.  However, that doesn't mean I don't write at all.  When she takes her nap, I pick up the pen.  That's how it has to go.  Recently, I finished and turned in my Gelfling Gathering story, but my personal goal for November was to start a new novel by the end of the month.  The end of the month is almost here.

So far I've come up with some ideas for my vampire cyberpunk story.  It's been a long time since I wrote in the cyberpunk universe and I love meshing the setting with gothic horror.  But, I'm afraid I'm not really sure which way I want it to go.  I have good character concepts (except for the hardest part, picking the names), and a good setting, but I think I need a more simplified plot.  

Either way, I really want to start writing it, but I'm not what my friends like to call a "pantser."  When I just free write what comes to mind, while that can make for an interesting chapter or two, I usually get stuck at some point and can't think of anything.  Then, I lose steam on the project and usually don't come back to it.  (It's what happened to my steampunk love story, though I do intend to get back to that at some point.  I really felt like I had something special in that one, but I digress...)  The point is, I prefer to have a complete outline before I start anything so if I don't know which way I want to go I can refer back to the skeleton of the story.  The problem lies when I try to build the skeleton and I can't figure out how to connect point A to point B.  

Writing is amazing.  It lets you build worlds, build characters, and tell a story that has never been told before, or to tell a story that's been told before in a totally new way.  I wanted you to know that I still intend to be able to tell my stories to more than just a few test readers.  I recently turned in my "Blood Rain" novel to Curiosity Quills publishing company.  I'm hoping that they'll be interested because I liked their upfront and honest policy, and I think my story could be a good fit there.  We'll have to see.  I exhausted the online databases to find an agent for it, and even though I got some interest and some good responses, no one took it.  I think "Blood Rain" is one of my better novels and deserves a good home, and so does "Blood Moon" and "Blood God" (when it's totally finished).  I can't have that if no one gives it a chance, so I can't give up on it.

Well, I've talked a good bit about writing and I've come to a decision.  I'm going to write the first chapter of the new story just so that I can get psyched up about it again.  That chapter is planned out, so maybe it'll get my synapses firing with some fresh ideas.  Wish me luck.  First, I have to go fishing for the right names...

Blood of the Werewolf = RAGE! >:-(

ARRGGG!

As most of you know, playing video games is one of the things I do with my little amounts of free time when I'm not writing.  Every now and again there's a game that comes along that really leaves an impression on me.  "Skyrim" left an impression on me because it was such a fun game with so much you could do.  "Don't Starve" left an impression on me because it was so unique and addictive and I love anything that alludes to Lovecraftian monsters.

And now, there's "Blood of the Werewolf."  I got this game (among many others) during a Halloween sale on Steam.  I enjoy platformers and consider myself to be decent at them, and this one sounded perfect for me.

Let me start by saying one of the things that really irritates me about video games is how women are portrayed in them.  I'm not what you would call a "feminist," but I don't understand how in video games  a woman is either portrayed as a complete "batch" or a damsel in distress that needs to be rescued.  (Don't get me started on "Metroid Other M...")  Anyway, I always thought it would be compelling to have a story about a woman facing overwhelming odds to rescue her kidnapped child.  One thing that people tend to forget is how powerful motherhood is and that it is one thing that makes a woman very strong.

Well, I got my wish.  "Blood of the Werewolf" is about a woman whose husband was murdered and her child was kidnapped and now she's facing impossible odds to get him back.  (And, she and her family happened to be werewolves, but you get the idea...)  Anyway, I was ecstatic.  Hooray for a powerful female character protecting her child!

This is the most difficult game I've ever played.  This is the kind of game that makes hard core gamers want to throw their controller through their screens.  I found myself close to the end of the second level shouting obscenities and fighting the urge to bite my controller in half.  The game was more difficult than original "Castlevania," but the deathtraps were more like "Meatboy." But, dare I say it, worse?   The point is, this game was too damn difficult.  I like a challenge, but I no longer have time to memorize every way to jump or spend thirty minutes trying to figure out one puzzle.  (I actually tried for about twenty minutes or longer before I gave up.  I can be pretty stubborn...)

So, long story short, what is frustrating and filling me with werewolf-like rage is the fact that I will never be able to beat this game, so now I won't get to see the ending.  GRRRR!  I suppose I could cheat and look it up at some point, but I hate doing that.  Well, I can have a little grim satisfaction thinking that probably since the child is a werewolf, his mother will get to the end only to see he's wolfed out and killed a his kidnapper anyway.

If you're a hard core gamer, pick this game up.  I must admit, when you get through one of the rough traps it is very satisfying and does make you want to go on even if you wished you had put the game down thirty minutes ago, if not, good luck.  If you're protonjon, please play this game with some friends and put it on youtube.  And, if you're a gamer and like to watch people play and comment on obscure, old, and indie video games you can check out "http://www.youtube.com/crono141" and you can listen to me, my husband, and our friends playing and commentating on various games.  

In the meantime, I'm going to go crinos and release some of this rage for awhile...

Halloween is over, let the writing begin...

Hello all,

Sorry it took so long to post anything.  This has been a long and kind of weird month.  Things are going pretty well, though.  Our Halloween Party was a success and we got to see a lot of friends that we haven't visited in a long time.  Everybody has a strange schedule now, so we have to make the most of our time together.  The only bad thing was that I got sick with a sinus infection a day or two after the last party so on Halloween itself I was mostly curled up on the couch trying not to feel ill.  And, as usual, not many kids went trick-or-treating on our street.  (This is probably because we're the only house that obviously gives out candy.)

I'm happy to say that I've finished my story for "The Gelfling Gathering."  I'm done with revisions and now I just have to have someone check the grammar and then I can send it in.  Even though I seriously doubt that I'll be one of the top five, please be praying for me.  That still would be my dream job, and I think I have as much a chance as anyone else.  It really just depends on what sort of story they were looking for, and you never know unless you take that first step and compete.  I'm hoping that I can send it in next week.

I'm also working on a Castlevania PDQ game to run for my friends.  Even though it isn't "real" writing, it's a good creative exercise and has been a lot of fun to plan.  I'm hoping to start that up next weekend.  Ever since I ran the "Grimm" game, I've wanted to run a pure Castlevania gothic horror style game.  Some of the most fun we had in that game was a side adventure where the group braved Dracula's castle to rescue one of their friends.  I have high hopes for finishing this campaign as well.

Also, even though I'm not actively participating in "NaNo" this time around, I actually do have an idea for another urban fantasy vampire story.  So, I'm going to work on that whenever I have the time.  I think the ideas are good, but I have a lot of planning to do before I even attempt the first page.  Still, you never know, I might manage to get a really good start by the end of the month.  I think that starting it by the end of the month will be the goal, rather than 50,000 words.

Well, I'm off to take down the decorations from the Halloween party.  Hope to talk to you again soon.