I don’t understand why some people hate the fall. Sure, the days are shorter. But the weather’s cooler and allergy sufferers everywhere are looking forward to relief.
And of course, fall brings the election. There’s no escaping it. But once it’s over, we won’t be plagued with all the campaign ads.
But the most ridiculous complaint is that everywhere you look, someone’s selling something flavored pumpkin or caramel. Seriously? That’s a complaint? Add a little chocolate, and you’ve got the perfect flavor combination.
What does the change of seasons have to do with writing? Nothing, really. Other than serving as a reminder that time is marching on and admiring yellow and red leaves doesn’t get books written.
What I’ve Been Writing
Flicker of the Flame has taken up most of my time this month. I’m happy to report I’ve come to the end of this rewrite. I’ve added a new opening scene and have started what I hope is one last quick editing pass in preparation for sending out for editing.
A project I started last year is also nearing completion. I’d been invited to contribute to an anthology with a twist. The main story line follows a down and out taxi driver who’s battling mental illness. The stories in the anthology are about his fares during one very eventful. We were given free rein as far as genre, which means some of the stories are quite edgy and others very sweet. This project is already in the editing phase, which means it could be published by the end of the year.
What I’ve Been Reading
Lilith’s Brood
My attention turned to one of the classics of science fiction. Octavia E. Butler’s story follows Lilith, one of the few survivors of a nuclear apocalypse, who awakens to find she’s being studied by an alien race. As she gets to know her handlers, she’s not sure if the aliens intend to save what’s left of humanity—or destroy it.
The Story of Civilization
I’ve also been perusing the first volume of Will Durant’s ten volume Story of Civilization. The first thing I should note is that the work should be called the “Story of Western Civilization” as that is the main focus on most of the ten volumes. I picked up the first one because it covers eastern civilizations: Persia, China and Japan among others.
And why am I reading this, you might ask? It’s because I am starting to work on Sting of Power, the third novel in my series, and am building the world in which it is set. My thought is to use these ancient cultures as inspiration for the ones I am creating. Fun Fact I Did Not Know: one or more of the ancient Chinese emperors were early socialist. I don’t think that will make it into the book, but it’s interesting, nonetheless.