My second draft is finished. That's really good news. I hope to send the manuscript to an agent or a publisher in a couple of months. I'd like to finish one more draft to the work, and then I'll consider it ready. I finished the last 70-page section yesterday, and frankly, I had a good time reading my own writing. I know there are still some weak areas in the narrative, but I'd like to see what other people say about it before deciding for myself what to fix. But I really like my characters, and I enjoy the storyline.
Now that I have some time, while I wait for several people to get me some feedback on my book, I guess I need to get started on the sequel. I've already "started" it, but it's mostly intros for some other characters and some ideas I have for what needs to happen to them. I'm not going to turn it into another five billion character piece, where every single semi-significant person gets airtime in the story. I just want to focus on a couple of other people. So I'm shifting the focus to a little orphan girl, a priest, and a piece of history section about a queen. The latter will be like a flashback, a story from an ancient past that coincides with the current one. The good and noble knight from the first book will still be the/a central character. This is going to be a difficult story to pull together, I think, but I'm excited about hte characters. I'm looking forward to writing a spunky, intelligent, seven-year-old orphan girl. And I'm happy to delve into the disillusionment of a baffled priest. I needed to have several ideas in place, so I could set up for it in the first book. The first book could definitely stand on its own, but I think it will be a good idea to be ready with a sequel in case I actually get published and start selling books. Plus I enjoy the story, and I think I'll have a good time continuing it.
Anyway, I think I'm going to read some of Blue Like Jazz, because my girlfriend wants me to. Hehe. I'm not promising to finish it. I like it, and all, but those books never hold my interest for any extended period of time.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Hind's Feet
I moved to SLC at the end of December, 2006. In the short time that I have been here, though it has seemed like much longer for I am by now a bit settled in, I have been sick for a week, failed to achieve anything with two different auditions, gotten a lowly job with not enough shifts and newly discovered the need for a root canal on one of my teeth. The first month and a half in this little town is less than one might expect. The only thing that goes very well is my relationship with Cassie, but I do not plan to talk about that on here, and it will not have much of anything to do with the things I do say, except to mention that she is a great encouragement to me through this time.
But honestly, and I know this may seem trite or not entirely sincere, but I believe it is best for a man to face failure and hardship, setbacks and difficulties. I did not come here to be handed my dreams on a silver platter. I came here to run the race, or fight the good fight, or whatever metaphor you like. I didn't come here for an easy coast through life or a one-shot ticket to the high road. I came to follow a path I believed was right for me. I remember Hind's Feet on High Places with great fondness, for I think of the impossible heights climbed, the lowest valleys braved, the beautiful sights seen all because of hardships and difficulties. If anyone has an easy life, in which all of life's treats are provided for them, I do not imagine they will truly be going anywhere. I am learning to breathe, learning to crawl, learning to walk, learning to run, and soon I will learn to fly. And I do not let go of my hope. That, my friends, is a powerful thing. That is a gift worth getting.
My story continues on the slow editing process. Not nearly so slow as the two years of actually writing the story, but it continues nonetheless. And that is a thing that I have recently found myself driven for. I am on to the fourth section. Just this and the last one to go, and I hope it is going alright. It gets easy to gloss over weaker points in the narrative for lack of invention and a desire for speed, but I believe I adding and subracting what it needs. I still hope to finish the second draft midmonth and then send it to some friends for a lookthrough.
Please, pray for me. I know I ask that more an more recently, but what can I say? I am trying to live life right and it is such a daunting dream to follow. Pray that I could keep my positive mindset, my firm resolve, and pray that events would work out in my favor. Thanks.
At first Frodo felt as if he had indeed been turned to stone by the incantation. Then a wild thought of escape came to him. He wondered if he put on the Ring, whether the Barrow-wight would miss him, and he might find some way out. He thought of himself running free over the grass, grieving for Merry, and Sam, and Pippin, but free and alive himself. Gandalf would admit that there had been nothing else he could do.
But the courage that had been awakened in him was now too strong: he could not leave his friends so easily. He wavered, groping in his pocket, and then fought with himself again; and as he did so the arm crept nearer. Suddenly resolve hardened in him, and he seized a short sword that lay beside him, and kneeling he stooped low over the bodies of his companions. With what strength he had he hewed at the crawling arm near the wrist and the hand broke off;
But honestly, and I know this may seem trite or not entirely sincere, but I believe it is best for a man to face failure and hardship, setbacks and difficulties. I did not come here to be handed my dreams on a silver platter. I came here to run the race, or fight the good fight, or whatever metaphor you like. I didn't come here for an easy coast through life or a one-shot ticket to the high road. I came to follow a path I believed was right for me. I remember Hind's Feet on High Places with great fondness, for I think of the impossible heights climbed, the lowest valleys braved, the beautiful sights seen all because of hardships and difficulties. If anyone has an easy life, in which all of life's treats are provided for them, I do not imagine they will truly be going anywhere. I am learning to breathe, learning to crawl, learning to walk, learning to run, and soon I will learn to fly. And I do not let go of my hope. That, my friends, is a powerful thing. That is a gift worth getting.
My story continues on the slow editing process. Not nearly so slow as the two years of actually writing the story, but it continues nonetheless. And that is a thing that I have recently found myself driven for. I am on to the fourth section. Just this and the last one to go, and I hope it is going alright. It gets easy to gloss over weaker points in the narrative for lack of invention and a desire for speed, but I believe I adding and subracting what it needs. I still hope to finish the second draft midmonth and then send it to some friends for a lookthrough.
Please, pray for me. I know I ask that more an more recently, but what can I say? I am trying to live life right and it is such a daunting dream to follow. Pray that I could keep my positive mindset, my firm resolve, and pray that events would work out in my favor. Thanks.
At first Frodo felt as if he had indeed been turned to stone by the incantation. Then a wild thought of escape came to him. He wondered if he put on the Ring, whether the Barrow-wight would miss him, and he might find some way out. He thought of himself running free over the grass, grieving for Merry, and Sam, and Pippin, but free and alive himself. Gandalf would admit that there had been nothing else he could do.
But the courage that had been awakened in him was now too strong: he could not leave his friends so easily. He wavered, groping in his pocket, and then fought with himself again; and as he did so the arm crept nearer. Suddenly resolve hardened in him, and he seized a short sword that lay beside him, and kneeling he stooped low over the bodies of his companions. With what strength he had he hewed at the crawling arm near the wrist and the hand broke off;
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Hot pics of me with my haircut
Since my last post, I've received numerous requests from hundreds of crazy stalker-people for me to post some pictures, displaying my incredible good looks. They've begged me and begged me, and I just can't say no to creepy fans, so here they are. New pictures of me with my haircut.
I know you are all stunned. Just, please, no more pounding down my door for more photographs. I think these will be sufficient, thank you. Have a nice day.
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