Defiance.

I did it.

I started the new book.

7 pages, 1,900 words. And I like it already.

I guess what it comes down to is that I don't care what's gone down, who's walked out, what's been lost, or where the time's gone. Sooner or later when the past becomes a jumbled mess the best thing to do is toss a match on the fucker and watch the whole thing burn. Then you can stand back and observe what's birthed from the still-glowing embers, what stirs through smoking ashes to rise again.

By the way, the name of the novel?

Appalachian Phoenix.


Have a nice weekend.

Challenge.

Since I've only written one novel, I still feel like I'm making this process up as I go along. I'm quite the pantser when it comes to composing. I've had this character in my head for a few months, and she's been growing and changing... but it's only been recently that I've put a few things together and figured out the story she's going to feature in. Today I finally hit on what the story's first scene should be, and that naturally led my imagination into some delightful places I'm excited to visit in the weeks to come. 

Tomorrow. Starting the new book tomorrow. Tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow.

And of course, just like you, I have so many things on my plate to contend with. The new Clark Kent job, school, family, friends. The last book... it still needs a lot of work. It's under review with an agent, but we're fast approaching the query limit time. I'm blogging again, and fitting in an afternoon walk when I can. You know. Life.

It's ok though. Challenge makes us stronger. Right?

Back.

It's been a while, friends, but I'm happy to see the keyboard still works in just the same way and the blog-o-sphere continues to turn happily on its axis just as it was when I last left it. 

My apologies for the prolonged silence. I had to take some time away from everything online to deal with personal issues. It was a hard road, but I'm over the worst and on to the next series of challenges life has to throw at me. I've learned a lot over the last four months, about myself and life in general, and I'm sure that'll shine through in the entries to come. 

I want to get back into blogging and the wonderful sense of community I experienced last year. I'm ready to focus on my writing platform again. But most of all I'm ready to share my goals and progress with the thousands of other crazy people out there who are doing the same thing I am. 

So, first things first: I want to write the new novel between now and August. (Typing that makes me feel simultaneously excited and ill.) Nevertheless, I think that's doable, don't you? 

Appropriate.

Howdy, y'all. Hope the last four months did you well.

When the Going Gets Weird, the Weird Turn Pro

So I took a break from the blog. 'Bout a month or so.

I stepped back from posting when I realized just how much I dreaded updating my journal. I'd open the dashboard, pull up a new post and sit there, chewing my lip, my guts twisting. What the hell am I going to post about today? I'd think. The whole motivation behind this blog got mixed up with a business-minded attitude about myself and my writing. Instead of journaling about my life as a writer, I was building my "platform" in the most efficient way I could think of.

Which was what undid me, I think. Efficiency sucks. Ha, no... don't look at me like that. It sucks the creativity out of my brain. It turns music into numbers and poetry into words on a page. This stopped being my journal and started being an ongoing resume... every time I posted, I'd wonder what a potential agent or editor's opinion would be of the entry. If I was putting the right words out there. The right thoughts. The right face - that is, the face of the next published horror writer! Cue the trumpets.

Well... sorry, screw that, guys. The nature of art has nothing to do with business. I could go at this concept all soapbox-style, but you I'm sure you know what I mean.

I want to record my journey as a writer, from the small place I'm in now to the vast undiscovered country of the future. How my process works. Current projects. Learning about myself and my craft. This life experience from my little corner of the writers' universe. I took the last month to figure out why I never wanted to post anymore, and I've realized I can't turn this into a business in my brain. I have to just live my life and tell my stories. Everything else will follow along.

Hopefully you will, too. Come back soon.

P.S. I was Raoul Duke (Hunter Thompson) from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas for Halloween. Picture above. I rocked it. That is all.

Celebration: The Release of CassaStar!

I'm coming out of my brief blogging hiatus to let you guys know what a special day it is today - Tuesday, October 19th is the release date for Alex J. Cavanaugh's novel, CassaStar!

I've been eagerly awaiting this novel for months. Check out this awesome book trailer:




Congratulations on the book release, Alex, and I wish you the best! May your sales be plentiful - I know I'll be buying my copy very soon!

Music Monday: Lizzy Ross

This weekend I had the distinctive pleasure of a quick road trip to Durham, NC to see Lizzy Ross perform. Lizzy just released a new album, Traces, in June. Her sound is technically alternative rock... but it's hard to categorize what I heard on Friday night. Her music is a delicious hybrid of folk, jazz, rock, and blues, with clever lyrics and riffs impossible to resist dancing to.

The venue was a private little gathering spot out in the country, and as the sun went down, tiki torches blazed and strings of tiny Christmas lights twinkled under the stage rafters. As the evening deepened, the music became more and more intoxicating, with the band effortlessly spinning out tracks from the new album like "Wedding Cake" (a fast-paced song with a playful sound but a serious subject) and "Cross the Cuyahoga" (an ambitious track that alternates between a driving beat and a lyrical chill-out chorus). More and more people got up to dance as the show went on, and it was remarkable how easy it was to get lost in the music with complete strangers - the sound just took us all over, and we gave in happily.

I was reminded a bit of KT Tunstall with some of her songs, and Norah Jones on others, but it was about the time Lizzy busted out a cover of Chocolate Jesus by Tom Waits that I knew she had her own style and sound. It's obvious she's worked hard to become as good as she is, and even though the show was a small one, she and her band played their hearts out. They finished up with a great couple of songs - the bluesy, dance-hall crowd pleaser "Bones" got the audience up on its feet and out on the dance floor, and Lizzy treated us to a solo version of the title track from her new album, a bittersweet, poignant song about remembering love and having the hope to try and claim it one more time.

I really enjoyed the show and would definitely go see Lizzy again. I bought a copy of her new album, Traces, and I've already been listening to it this weekend. I'd highly recommend if you're in the Durham, NC area sometime in the next couple of months trying to make it to one of her shows. You'll have a great time. Here's a video of her performing her song "Bones" at the Festival for the Eno in July.


Bones from Lizzy Ross on Vimeo.

Happy Monday! Hope the new music makes it a little easier today.