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The Mist

So I saw the Mist today. Yes, I went to see it by myself but you know what? That's okay.

I almost cried. So very close. In fact there may have been a tear or two.

Go see this movie. Now. Like right now.



I haven't updated in awhile. I've been through a lot this semester...realized a whole great deal of things, and yet not much has happened. I know that I want to go back to work at Conseco this summer but that I'm going to make a better effort for social things, for instance.

Those word counts aren't accurate. I'm completely revamping Skin and Bone. There are so many changes that whoever has read any pieces of it will hardly recognize the final product (2009, maybe).

For some reason, The Mist (which is phenomenal by the way) has inspired me to make my camp novel, The House on Hickory Hill, be the best damned book it can be. Riddled with emotion, struggle, and the supreme battle of good vs. evil. I've already written a few incredible scenes that I need to insert. Powerful stuff.

I just need to find time to write again. I got so much to do these next three weeks. In fact, I have to start studying for a test now. See you soon, readers.

One on one

I should be writing other things right now but I feel the absolute need to do some philosophical reflection right now. So here it goes...

One on one.

One of the most profound, powerful things I have found in this life is having a one on one conversation with someone. A deep, emotional exchange between you and some other soul, someone you either truly care about and/or are truly interested in (in any way). To sit with another person and to talk, in depth, about any subject is so incredibly powerful.

It is as if we are strongest, most honest, and most intelligent when it is just us and another person we trust and yet at the same time we are vulnerable, emotional (to any degree), and weak. It is at this time that we are honest with our companion--and ourselves. So many truths become self-evident during these conversations.

It is a harmony of souls. One person to another.

I don't know if this is obvious or a given to anyone else...but through my experience, these are....

Well, to be honest. I've not only lost my train of thought but also my desire to continue this. I don't wish to delete it so I'll leave my ramblings here. I hate for this blog to become like my livejournal and other things, which I used mostly as an outlet for frustration. Maybe that's the best way to do it, I don't know.

Personally, though, I don't care to read other's anger, nor reflect on my own. But writing it seems to let it out. And not just anger, either but a whole array of emotions, most of them in fact.

So there it is.

In writing news, I'm back onto House on Hickory Hill. Skin and Bone is on pause for now.

Enjoy life, everyone.

The same black line that was drawn on you was drawn on me

And now it's drawin' me in. 6th Avenue heartache.

So yeah, I love the Wallflowers now. Don't care much for Bob Dylan but his son and his son's band are awesome. The Difference, 6th Avenue heartache, and of course One Headlight. Totally adore them now. Rather, I can't express in words how much this band means to me. It is one of "those" bands to me now, if that makes sense to all you audiophiles and music gurus out there.

So let's talk about life. No job, and I don't care to talk about it. I'm currently in the process of being setup with a kid as a mentor, via Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. And I'm also doing an after-school tutoring program where I might get the chance to drive a university vehicle (awesome!)

At first I was completely nervous about BB/BS but after my interview and going through orientation, I'm now just ready for the phone call that says "hey we got a match." The kid is going to want to do this and he's gonna love me, I'm just waiting for now.

Not sure what to think about the tutoring thing but it starts tomorrow so whatever.

I think I've unlocked what I need to unlock in Skin and Bone, my novel. I just got to keep kicking. We can build it, yes we can.

Our Endless Numbered Days

That is the title of a CD by Iron & Wine. I used it for the fact that it is poetic and awesome. Great "band" by the way (quotes because it's pretty much just one guy).

Yes, I'm back at school. And yes I survived that first week of classes. I did drop one, because it was impossibly hard, but I picked up another which is incredibly easy. Not that I'm slacking, only trying to make things easier for myself. Teaching--nay--learning to become a teacher in and of itself is going to be challenging.

I haven't written in awhile, nor have I read but frankly I don't give a shit. I'll get around to it, always do. I'm just trying to get into the swing of things once again.

I'm hopefully going to start big brothers big sisters soon which is both exciting and nerve-racking.

The weather sucks. Its unbearably hot and I have no air conditioning. I wish it were fall.

Not sure why I'm up so late. in fact I think I'm gonna go to bed.

Night, world

Interesting Already

So I had a very interesting morning this morning, or dream rather.  Basically I was with a group of people and we were sneaking around some house (was the father’s house of one of the people in my group) and for whatever reason we were trying to sneak a couple chickens into his house, ones I guess we rescued, because he had a nice little chicken coop and some chickens already.  Well we go in there and for whatever reason, I knew that I could stop time, right, so I did.  What I’d do was really focus and then clap my hands.  Everything would become still.  The only things that could move were me and anyone else because, I learned, even though I could stop time, I couldn’t interfere with free will, choice.  So humanity could still move about but everything else just froze (including the chickens).  It was kind of Harry Potter-esque how we were sneaking around at night.

 

In the other part of the dream, I was with another group of people, a group of peers, all guys.  I was some sort of leader in this gang or whatever it was but some guy was smart-talkin’ and tryin’ to usurp my authority.  Well I got into a big brawl where I was fighting like three guys at one time.  I managed to incapacitate two of ‘em and pull a knife on the other.  Then there was a skip in the dream or something happened and that guy I pulled the knife on had become the new leader and I was just a loner.  I remember now, they threw a bunch of knives or shot arrows or something at me and whoever was still allied with me.  They all died but I got pumped full of knives, I think they were knives, and pretended to be dead.  Then I was like able to travel through the Twilight (which would make sense if you read the Watch series I’ve mentioned in other posts) which basically meant I could travel in this sub-reality, in darkness, where they couldn’t see me.  I attacked a couple who were trying to use flashlights to spot me and failed.  Then in the end I came into the light, confronted my nemesis, and got the majority of the guys to return to my side.  That was all.

 

I’ve been using deductive reasoning to figure out this zombie-thing, like how to make it realistic.  I don’t want to go the end of the world/demon route, nor do I want to use the toxic waste excuse.  It will involve a virus (not the T-virus from Resident Evil) and the virus will be extremely mutative (which could later lead to, god-forbid, fast zombies) and it will involve hemophilia (which will help explain how one bite can kill)  See everyone has the virus already, it was in the water (“Was there something in the water?” people always ask that in this type of scenarios) but I’m thinking it lies dormant until you die, when you die it mutates and takes over.  When you’re bit, the saliva from the zombie transfers the mutative strain of virus into your blood and unlocks the dormant cells in there, which kills you in about 24 hours and then takes you over.

 

That’s a start anyways.  I feel kind of like House or something, trying to figure this out.  If only I had a vast knowledge of medicine, then I could probably come up with a good explanation easy.  Alas, it will just take time.

 

Tuesday

Fuck this Tuesday and every Tuesday ever!

No particular reason other than Tuesdays are the very worst day of the week.

Anyways, I updated the word counts for my two novels.

That's all. I felt the need to update but didn't have much to say so sorry for the short post.

Take care.

A New Post

Well...immediately counting down the few days until Harry Potter. Yeah I'm a fanboy but can you blame my excitement? When you anticipate something for so long and it's so close you can feel the weight of the book in your hands, you get excited. Anyways after that countdown I'm waiting until the first weekend in August when I get to go visit some family (practically my second family) and then the couple of weeks until school.

I'm also kinda stressed because I need to secure a vehicle before I go back to school and time and funds are short. I'm trying for a Jeep but we'll see.

As for novel length, I haven't updated my count but I got almost 16,000 words going. I've also got a nice book of guitar tabs/chords going and I'm also kinda working on writing my own songs (taking inspiration heavily from Colin Meloy and The Decemberists).

That's my life for now.

"I can't wait to quit this job."

"Hands on a miracle...

I've got my...hands on a miracle." -Foo Fighters

So it's about 2 AM, little less than 3 hours until I leave for vacation. I'm caught up on all my Punisher MAX comics and I'm about to start my novella about a guy who can conjure and manipulate lightning/electricity. That's the update on my life. Feelin' a little weird because of this energy drink...like I gotta burp or something.

Email me...I'll have internet access. I may or may not check up on here though so email is your best bet.

Good night, good luck, good day, and good God.

Cheers,
Will

Ghost of a Dream

Here's the dream I dreamt:

It was like a marathon of sorts, a long trek on a long track. Along the way were people that stood in your way and the only way past them was to incapacitate them. The problem that came up among me and my fellow marathoners was do we kill them or just neutralize them. I suggested neutralization because it was more humane. (I think the people in the way were teachers or had something to do with teachers). Well the only other part I remember was the end. It led into like this sort of bubble/spherical watchtower thing. Inside, I was surrounded by a bunch of baddies. It was me and a few of my fellow marathoners versus dozens of these punks (men and women). Some of them had knives, others had guns. We were, as the French say, fucked. Too true because I took seven bullets to the chest, mostly from the side. Then something happened. I don't know how I knew, but I knew that I could do something spectacular. I clenched my body up tight, closed my eyes, and realized some sort of energy, knocking everyone back and disarming them. I did this several times, beat up several people, and then went on to another dream.

It was great. This wouldn't be the first time I've exerted some sort of psychic/kinetic energy. Good times.

Ooh baby you want me? You can get this lapdance here for free...

Got your attention? Those're lyrics from N.E.R.D.'s "Lapdance" they're pretty awesome so check 'em out.

So yesterday I was feelin' shitty. Aside from the massive headache (I took about two grams worth of aspirin. Yeah, I'm doin' grams now biatch) I felt almost sick to my stomach and I was tired. I came home and took a nap for few hours and still the headache wasn't gone. It did go away eventually and I managed to be well enough to go to Wal-mart to get some stuff. I got new sunglasses, a watch, some legal pads, and some memo pads in which to jot notes. Good stuff.

I didn't write anything yesterday but it's okay, I had good reason. I didn't read either, save some comics.

No news on any of my stuff submitted out there, so I'm still waiting.

I want to rant about commercials. Obviously no one likes them but nowadays they sicken me. None of their gimmicks, lame songs, false promises, or overt sexual content sway me. It does nothing but irritate and turn off. I hope the same is true for you. In fact, I hope you don't even watch TV like I wish I didn't.

That's all.

Right about now, the funk soul brother...

Well, folks. Today's the summer solstice which is the longest, brightest day of the year. It's true, I was blinded when I left work today, my eyes were burning so much they almost watered. That could also be due to the fact that I have contacts and they're very sensitive (as you contact wearers know) to different climate conditions. Either way, I was painfully (minor) reminded that it is summer.

In good news, I wrote at least 2,000 words today (on break of course). At least. I wasn't counting but I did finish my dog story and got a good ways into my fatguy story (both mentioned in previous posts). I also started my next endeavor, Ghost Writer. And came up with a cool idea. I'm going to title that story Sandman. Ooh can't wait.

The dog story and the fatguy story take place in the same universe, in a town called Conner's Corner where everything is connected.

Right about now.

That's it for now. I finished Ghoul almost done with Brother Odd and about to start Lisey's story.

Goodday sir.

Don't Wait Up

I'm up to three rejections and one acceptance right now, which is fine. I'll take the one acceptance even if it came with ten rejections (don't jinx it though, still got stuff pending).

I finished Ghoul and it ended in a typical Keene fashion. I won't say what that is for those of you who haven't read his stuff before. Don't worry, his stories are great and this is him at his pinnacle. His next novel, Dead Sea, which is excerpted at the end of the book, is going to be great. He's finally going back to zombies. He has two more novels coming out after that one. I forget the title of one but the other is Ghost Walk and I think has something to do with a haunted house. I've never read any of Keene's short stories but I might buy some of his collections of his website. Because I love this author as much as I love SK. I can't wait for a www.williamclements.com. Haha.

I haven't written all day but I'm hoping to finish my dog story (the one mentioned one or two posts ago).

That's it for now.

Waiting For My Real Life To Begin...

This is it!!

I am finally a PUBLISHED author.

My story "Distortion" is featured on Magazine of the Dead. I'll admit that it's not my best work but it's my work nonetheless. Please enjoy. Ooh I'm giddy.

In sadder news, "Cast Them Out" was rejected early this morning but I'm hoping to submit it elsewhere this evening.

Music:

And the title says it all. Colin Hay's CD "Going Somewhere" is incredible. The songs "Waiting For My Real Life To Begin" and "Overkill" were both in episodes of Scrubs. The way they employ the songs into the episodes is so incredible. Then again, Scrubs + music = incredible...and I don't even like math!!!


Anyways. I'm hoping to finish both Ghoul and Brother Odd by the end of the week. I'll then start in on Lisey's Story. Don't worry Rob I'll read Phantoms when I go on vacation. I think I might take King's On Writing with me too because I've had the urge to reread it.

In writing news I've started another short story about a guy who takes care of his morbidly obese next door neighbor and snaps, due to the obese mans fatness, and kills him in a grotesque, sadistic fashion. It'll be funny in a sardonic (I think that's the correct usage, it took me forever to remember this word) way.

Enjoy my story!

All You Ever Wanted Was Someone To Truly Look Up To You...

Linkin Park's new Minutes to Midnight album is pretty good. I don't listen to the complaining or the whining. LP is progressive, enough said. Oh and they're pretty awesome.

I've started a list of a slew of ideas for short stories and the current one I'm working on is about a couple of abused, neglected dogs rising up against their owner. It's morbidly comedic but pretty awesome.

Movies:

Nightwatch and Daywatch. These are movies based off of books of the same name, by Sergei Lukyanenko. Apparently he's the biggest sci fi author in Russia. I guess he's their version of Orson Scott Card. Anyways, here's what I have to say about both movies.

Nightwatch: "The son also draws."

Daywatch: "A man without pants has nothing to hide, except a knife."

Submitted

Wow so I've submitted a sh*t ton of stuff today. Here's my list:

Story - Market - Date Sent - Status

Don Lewis - Whispers of Wickedness - 6/9/2007 - REJECTED

Suffer in Silence - Arcane Twilight - 6/15/2007 - Pending...

Distortion - Magazine of the Dead - 6/16/2007 -Pending...

Wandering Trust - Crime and Suspense - 6/16/2007 -Pending...

Sanitized - Thieves Jargon - 6/16/2007 - Pending...

Lycanthropy - Lycanthrope The Beast Within - 6/16/2007 - Pending...

Poems:
Left-handed - Chimaera Serials - 6/16/2007 - Pending...

Bentoville Cemetery - Chimaera Serials - 6/16/2007 - Pending...


I'm tracking all of these on Duotrope, which is quite handy. Thanks again Rob.

As for my novel, I haven't written anything since I last updated and I may not write any of it today. I'm feelin' kinda tired and burned out, not of writing but just of writing prose. I'm thinking about writing some poems today, though.

Wish me the best.

EVERYBODY'S WORKIN' FOR THE WEEKEND!

Sorry but that song was playing in my head at 6 A.M. this morning.

I wrote just over 1,000 words yesterday and about 900 today. I've updated my word count and as you can see I'm at about 11% which mean's I'm one-tenth of the way there. It's kinda weird to think about. I just have to write nine more segments of ten thousand words and I'll be done. Yet it feels like there's so much to write.

I think as I write this I'll release little "secrets" here and there. The quotes mean that they're not real secrets because they're not giving anything away or spoiling anything.

Today's secret: The first section of this novel takes place in Frankton, which is based off a town in between here and Muncie, one I pass through on my way to and from Ball State. While taking my friends home, they mentioned how much of a zombie town it is and that kind of stuck with me. I mean, it really is because there's never anyone outside or anything. So it would be more aptly named a ghost town, but a zombie town sounds cool. Maybe I'll call my book Zombie Town, but as I told Rob today, I don't want to include 'zombie' in the title. Probably not 'undead' either or similar words. It'll come to me sometime. Rob did show me this cool site called Bonsai Story Generator. Essentially, it turns the text you enter into it (up to 5,000 words, I think) into some kind of a poetry format. You have to see for yourself. Its useful for coming up with titles apparently though I haven't tried it myself.

No new music, books, or movies today. Or comics. I'm still reading Ghoul, Punisher MAX, and listening to Joshua Radin, Richard Buckner, and Secondhand Serenade. Oh, actually...I picked up Dean Koontz's Forever Odd yesterday from the library. It's the third part in the Odd Thomas series and potentially the last. I haven't opened it yet, so I'm hoping to get to that today or at least this weekend.

Take care, Spidey fans.

Another day to write

Okay, first of all...I'm sorta upset.

Someone at the office, nay multiple someones, complained to Christy (my supervisor's supervisor) because they saw me reading yesterday. OMG he was reading!! Look, I was on a break/lunch but I didn't have a sign that said so. Fortunately my supervisor gave a break sign and told me about it so its all taken care of. What pisses me off is how people flip out when other people are reading (which, as a writer and avid reader, is completely offensive) but mostly, how some people just need to mind their friggin' business.

ARGH! Okay, that's off my chest.

Next order of business: guitar. Now, look down at the picture on my previous post. That's option A. Option B is:




An Acoustic-Electric. I've already pretty much made my decision but here's how both weigh in:

I'm going to get them both eventually
I play acoustic more than electric
I know more acoustic songs
It's hard to rock out/solo on acoustic
Silver satin is cooler than blue


I'm going with the Acoustic, of course.

As for writing, I wrote about eight hundred or so words yesterday. I'll update my word count at the end of the week while smiling because I'll have my first Conseco paycheck in hand. Well, pay stub because I'm going to cash it at lunch.


Music:

Okay, thanks to Rob (for showing me Pandora) and Pandora (for finding this song), I've found a band called Secondhand Serenade. It's actually just a guy and his acoustic but he's awesome. It's a sort of emo band but the songs are great and not about suicide or crying!! My favorite song of theirs/his is "Vulnerable"

Someone Else's Life

That's the title of one of Joshua Radin's song. He's so great, I've been listening to him like all day. His songs are very mellow and relaxing, great writing/reading/whatever music.

I finished The Long Walk today. This was my first Bachman book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The ending was...interesting, but definitely not disappointing. In fact, I kinda loved it. So now my focus is on Ghoul even though I have more Stephen King books to read, mostly Lisey's Story and From a Buick 8 which are going to really help me with my zombie novel because they are about people and mine is about people (the zombie apocalypse, though it rules their world, is like an afterthought).

OMG (yeah, that's right) check this out:




I'm getting this Ax when I get back from vacation (July 10th or something) after I get my paycheck. I've been creaming my pants (heh, sorry) over and over for this guitar since August, I think.

I'm going to get a nice, hardshell case for it too.

I cannot wait.

In other news, I wrote about 800 words yesterday which is short of 1,000 words but that's not my goal, exactly, that's Rob's.

COMICS!!:

Picked up World War Hulk Issue 1. I wanted to pick up Issue 8 of Punisher War Journal but they claimed it didn't come out this week, even though it clearly did. Bastards. I hate that comic store for many reasons. First, the bag and boards (Even though its really nice that they're complimentary) are not modern size, they're bronze or silver age or something. Also, there's always a bunch of guys playing table top games, like guys older than me. I don't mind guys older than me, nor them playing table top games. I think what annoys me is that it seems like they're always in there playing games and not contributing to society like I am.

Oh well.

Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday

I haven't written a lick yet today but I'm just about to. I'm getting a few thing situated (bookmarking some good ezines and such to submit to).

My goal is this: to get stories published in four free markets. By free I mean they don't pay. Then I'm going to do two small paying ones. Once all this is accomplished, I'm gonna make Lycanthropy the best it can be and submit it to weird tales. It definitely needs tinkering and is on like its eighth revision right now.

Music Recommendation:
The Hill by Richard Buckner (actually anything by this guy). In particular, The Hill is a collection of poems from Edgar Lee Masters' Spoon River Anthology. It is the awesome! It's like the coolest project he has ever undertaken, I think.

I'm currently reading:
The Long Walk by Richard Bachman (AKA Stephen King) and Ghoul by Brian Keene. Both books are undeniably great (almost finished with Walk, it's a fly-through) and it goes without saying that both authors are the cat's pajamas. (Sorry, but I've been dying to use that expression ALL day! Weird, eh?)

And so it goes.

And so it begins.

I wrote about two thousand words today. I'm taking a break from House on Hickory Hill, my aptly named camp novel, to work on my zombie book and also to submit short stories. I'm feelin' pumped about this zombie story. I'm takin a cue from Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead (comic that I totally recommend) and focusing on characters and not gore. Not to say their won't be gore and other nasty surprises, only that I'm going to work very hard to make these characters interesting and appealing.

As far as music, I've found a new artist. His name is Joshua Radin and he's awesome. His music has been on Scrubs and there's a commercial (Kohl's or JC Penney or something, I think) that uses his song "Only You." Not only have I fallen in love with this guy, but I've also learned to play "Only You" and another one of his songs, "Everything'll be alright." It's so tight...love it!

So, I submitted one of my stories to Whisers of Wickedness. It doesn't pay but I figure if a non-paying magazine publishes me, then I got a chance getting others to publish me. Then once I get a few stories published in the non-paying market, I can do what I really want to do and that's submit my story, Lycanthropy, to Weird Tales.

That's my goal.