New Year, Five Resolutions

So we’ve made it into 2013 and proven the Mayans are right up there with Nostredamus and a series of recent quacks coming out of the woodwork predicting the end is nigh.  The sky isn’t on fire, oceans aren’t boiling or bloody red, cats aren’t sleeping with dogs and the only grogs I’ve seen lately was a recent visit to the Montreal Biodome. So I guess we’re good.

Having spent New Year’s in Montreal, we spent a lot of time with my brother-in-law and his family; we don’t get to see them that often, so this was a treat for my wife and our kids.  One of the things my brother-in-law’s wife mentioned was a tradition from Peru, something they do in her family each New Year – resolutions.  My first reaction was to groan inwardly.  Then she explained how members of the family did five resolutions, wrote them down and gave them to their significant other or posted it.  Five instead of one?  Sounded like a greater chance of failure to me.  The other family members would police the resolutions in an effort to support the others, effectively making the list a semi-contract, with any number of people to watch out and keep you honest.

My wife and I hooked on to this idea and exchanged our lists.  Needless to say, one of them was my lack of commitment in my writing.  This is easily supported by a fairly close-supervising and high standard expecting boss, which has led to more than a few 60+ hour work weeks.  Well, this is no longer an excuse and my wife, Caroline, will be doing her darndest to keep me typing.

So, with a view to getting things started, here is the pertinent resolution:

I’ve committed to a blog a week, in addition to completing the last edit of my fantasy manuscript and no less than two short stories, with a view to submitting all before the close of 2013.

May the New Year be prosperous and peaceful.

Signals Explained

To clarify, Signals from the Arc is an ambiguous reference to one of the story lines I started developing.  It refers to the ‘magical’ construct within a futuristic urban fantasy setting I’m researching and fleshing out.  The ‘Arc’ philosophy and relative abilities is how magic is explained and defined by those that have access to it.  What I started seeing was a potential link with all the other settings I had ‘conjured’ and put to paper (or keyboard, as it were).  With this in mind, it became a suitable metaphor to encapsulate all my writing endeavours, without singling one out.

What is an arc?  There are several answers: It supports great amounts of weight; it bridges gaps; it fulfills both a style and a function; it connects one element to another.  In this latter statement we find the crux of my intent.

The Arc is that place where the unknown finds its power, the source code of all things mystical, magical and unexplained.  I could just as easily state my story ideas are the result of some mystical connection, where my imagination comes to life and provides the bases for my plot lines.  This is certainly not a new concept in and of itself, but certainly one I am happy to embrace as I start gathering my thoughts and telling the stories I see, those fleeting images in my mind.

Embrace the Arc…. Listen for the signals, for they will set you free.

Inspiration and Techno-babble

Aside from being a voracious reader of science fiction and fantasy novels, role-playing games have always been a heavy influence. For the first several years as a player, I later switched to Game Master. I was forced to start plotting out adventures for the players and voila, essentially you are living the story during game nights. Leading a group in RIFTS, AD&D and Legend of the Five Rings was incredibly rewarding.

I finally figured out the techno-babble and back-end requirements to creating and upkeeping a blog. Up went the Inspiration page, which details how Ihr'Vessen came to be, as well as the About Me page (more to follow) and off it goes - let the games begin. I'm now linked in (leashed, as my father would likely say).

Thoughts on Blogging

For the longest time I have fought the seemingly inexorable tide of comments and suggestions to "get into the social media." I have a Facebook account, largely untouched except to post family pictures or for other odds and ends. As an aspiring author, I see (numerous) places on the 'Net suggesting authors develop a blog to help reach out to readers and market their novels. As an aspiring (read: unpublished) novelist, I found this rather counter-intuitive.

"How can you market a novel that isn't yet published?"

After a bit of soul-searching and fighting the urge not refute the blog trend simply because I dislike 'band-wagonism', I was hit with an epiphany. I realized this blog wouldn't, nigh shouldn't, necessarily be restricted to marketing. I already have a process whereby I collect my thoughts and review what's written to my notes and how it drives further plot points. Why not share the process, use this tool to help focus my thoughts?

So, with only the slightest shake of my head, I dive into the realm of blogs. The hope and the dream is to help refine my process and writing to eventually lead to seeing my works published.