Blog No. 138
Hello regular readers (and to anyone just joining us). If you follow this blog, chances are you also follow Adventure Worlds. If you don’t, what the heck are you waiting for? Head over there and start reading all the stories we’ve posted there over the last three years (adventureworldsblog.com). For those who have spent time over there, you may have seen Monday’s news instead of the usual story. To repeat it here, due to the lack of regular submissions and most of the work falling to Christian and myself, we have officially gone to posting every other week. It’s a bit sad in that we were able to have a long run of weekly posts with very few gaps, but without content to post, we have to change the format. We could have probably kept the pace going, but the collection is nearing the final stages and we are both hard at work on our first novels. The collection is due out presently (think a month or two) and we still hope to have the novels out in the Holiday season (end of 2015, beginning of 2016).
Writing is hard. There is a lot of daily grind stuff that is hard to do after finishing the day job grind. With Adventure Worlds, the Zine, and being part of some writers groups, there is always something to do. I have spoken with (and worked with) people who think it’s easy. It irks me more than it should. When everything is flowing, it feels like a dream, but anyone who has done anything creative when they weren’t feeling it knows that it’s more work than inspiration. I am really happy with the way my novel is going and I’d rather spend time on that than coming up with something to fill a weekly post. I’m not complaining about the work, overall I love it, but when there are only so many hours in a day, I have to be selective as to what projects get attention.
If you haven’t heard (there is a lot of that this week) there is currently a contest going on at Adventure Worlds. The name for the collection has been chosen, but we need a cover. If you can draw or design and can come up with the best cover for the title No Light Tomorrow, then you could win $50, copies of the book, and our undying admiration. There is more info here: http://adventureworldsblog.com/2015/06/16/cover-contest/. Also, Christian wonderfully explained what the general tone of the book is. “It’s a collection of short sci-fi stories. The stories themselves tend to have a darker tone and a common theme of the characters within having misplaced expectations. It’s that last bit about the expectations which gave birth to name of the book. Ben and I wanted to capture that feeling and started looking at what’re the things that we all just expect will happen. The big one being that the sun will always rise. By calling the book, No Light Tomorrow, we’re hoping to create that uncertainty that even something you’re sure of, may not happen.”
I’m working on Chapter 7 of my novel and I’m starting to wonder if my main character needs a companion. I have the plot of the book already (there are a bunch of places my character is going and they are all ready and waiting for him) but there is always a ton of room to explore (whether it’s your idea or your character’s). The feeling I’m trying to create with my book isn’t a new one. I have had the same feeling reading specific books and watching certain movies and in most of those stories, the character has either a sidekick, constant companion, or gathers a group of friends along the journey. Hob (my main character) does meet a lot of people and makes a bunch of friends, but his journey is mostly solitary. I don’t want to shoehorn anything in, but I’m wondering if I can find a place to add in some traveling companions for him. I’ll have to see when I get there.
That’s all for this week. Make sure to keep going to Adventure Worlds for stories, and spread the word about the contest. We want to bring connect with as many local artists as we can!
Ben Van Dongen 