I was fully prepared to start editing form the start of the book, and think "Man, what was I thinking?"
But I was very pleasantly surprised. Aside from ironing out some inconsistencies for 'facts' that hadn't been entirely decided when I started, it's been a blast to go back and read.
It's kinda like... you've been watching a TV series for years, and then you come to the dramatic conclusion, you start watching the reruns form the start, and you get hit with an odd sense of nostalgia. I find myself thinking "Hey, I remember when that happened!". Polish a couple typos, refine a line here and then, and move on.
This first editing run will be pretty lightweight. I'll miss a ton of typos, I know it.. then another pass or two concentrating on typos and such... I have to create a chapter header graphic also... but overall, this editing this is much less of a chore than I rememeber... then again... I did just start...
Joseph Picard's writing projects and life ramblings including the kiddos, and life in a wheelchair.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Cheryl N., 1981-1999
Ten years ago today, Cheryl N jumped form her 10th floor bedroom window, and was killed. Her 'true love' had betrayed her idealistic heart, and to her, the world ended. She couldn't see how many people loved her, or how many people her death would affect.
Rest in peace, Cheryl.
In happier news, Watching Yute (which will be dedicated to Cheryl) has pretty much completed the first draft stage. More or less. In Lifehack news, I've gotten a boxload of new copies today. Primarily meant for the sci fi convention in october, a few will be circulated in Maple Ridge. Specifically Haney Books, and 'Let The Games Begin'.
In even happier news, today was the party for my daughter Caitlin's 2nd birthday. (Conflict-y day, hmm? I'm glad her actual birthday is not the 24th... this was just the convient day for the party.) I BBQed a mass of grub for the mob of family that came over, and Caitlin was dazzled by the deluge of gifts that she didn't really need.
One such gift was a huggable piggybag, which oinks for a while when you put money in. She loves it. "Money??" she asks. When she gets it, she stuffs it in, and oinks along with the pig. Her oiking is hilarious. A lot of her animal sounds are inspied by how *I* immitate the sound... which is a big too realisitc and difficult for a 2 year old... but she did impress people the other day with her elephant impression. For that matter, she was the only child in a room full that knew what an elephant says.
Back to the pig. It's way past bedtime. She's been crying in her room for a long friggin time now... "MONEYYYYYYY!!!" Geez... what have we started?
Rest in peace, Cheryl.
In happier news, Watching Yute (which will be dedicated to Cheryl) has pretty much completed the first draft stage. More or less. In Lifehack news, I've gotten a boxload of new copies today. Primarily meant for the sci fi convention in october, a few will be circulated in Maple Ridge. Specifically Haney Books, and 'Let The Games Begin'.
In even happier news, today was the party for my daughter Caitlin's 2nd birthday. (Conflict-y day, hmm? I'm glad her actual birthday is not the 24th... this was just the convient day for the party.) I BBQed a mass of grub for the mob of family that came over, and Caitlin was dazzled by the deluge of gifts that she didn't really need.
One such gift was a huggable piggybag, which oinks for a while when you put money in. She loves it. "Money??" she asks. When she gets it, she stuffs it in, and oinks along with the pig. Her oiking is hilarious. A lot of her animal sounds are inspied by how *I* immitate the sound... which is a big too realisitc and difficult for a 2 year old... but she did impress people the other day with her elephant impression. For that matter, she was the only child in a room full that knew what an elephant says.
Back to the pig. It's way past bedtime. She's been crying in her room for a long friggin time now... "MONEYYYYYYY!!!" Geez... what have we started?
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Final peices of the Yute plot....
When I set out to write Watching Yute, I set a framework first... we start at point A, end up at point Z, and we obviously needed to pass through F, M, and T along the way...
As I wrote, I 'ad libbed' B, C, D, etc.. most of which, I had a pretty good idea of what they'd be. Maybe I'd have a good idea for Q, and I'd leave myself a note for later, and so forth. As of the other day, I now have ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ.
Sure, XYZ hasn't been fleshed out yet, but I know what they are. Similarly, every other spot is open to revision.. something I said during D, for example, might have seemed like a good idea at the time, but has come to not fit quite to well after ideas that reached maturity in S.
BUT! It's all there, waiting for the 'grunt work'. Then the first draft is done. Then I'll refine it, and refine it, and refine it, then Ill get a copy to pass around to my volunteer editors, and then.. then it'll be done...!
I have a few ideas for the cover that came to me the other day as well. It will probably feature the background from this image:
But without the anime representation of Cassidy.. I just don't think anime on the cover sends the right message. She'll be on there in some way, and.. well.. just wait for it. I'll probably work on it while the editors are doing thier thing.
In a related story, May 24 will mark the 10th anniversary of the passing of an old distant (IRC) buddy, Cheryl N., known more commonly as Eris in IRC. We weren't super super close, but I spoke to her on the phone about her romantic problems the day before she killed herself.
She still seemed upset of course, over her boyfriend, but within a 'reasonable' amount. The next day the news hit us all through her boyfriend. Shocked, I called her number, and got her mother. When I asked nervously for Cheryl, her mother quietly said in her thick accent, "She dead today." Well, that was chilling. We'd all hoped it was some kind of hoax.. a stunt to get back at her boyfriend.
How does this relate to Watching Yute? Well, I'm dedicating the book to her, since the book deals with many of the issues Cheryl N. faced in ther final days. One of the central characters is named after her as well, (not the last name though). I considered changing that, but it just kinda... had to be.
In much much happier May news, on the 27th, my little spite Caitlin will be turning 2 years old! A smaller party this year.. I'm still saddled with finding a theme of some sort... last year was farmyard... which this year? Circus? Uninspired perhaps, but hey... she's gonna be 2...! I'll wait for her 3rd birthday for the roswell alien autopsy theme....
As I wrote, I 'ad libbed' B, C, D, etc.. most of which, I had a pretty good idea of what they'd be. Maybe I'd have a good idea for Q, and I'd leave myself a note for later, and so forth. As of the other day, I now have ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ.
Sure, XYZ hasn't been fleshed out yet, but I know what they are. Similarly, every other spot is open to revision.. something I said during D, for example, might have seemed like a good idea at the time, but has come to not fit quite to well after ideas that reached maturity in S.
BUT! It's all there, waiting for the 'grunt work'. Then the first draft is done. Then I'll refine it, and refine it, and refine it, then Ill get a copy to pass around to my volunteer editors, and then.. then it'll be done...!
I have a few ideas for the cover that came to me the other day as well. It will probably feature the background from this image:
But without the anime representation of Cassidy.. I just don't think anime on the cover sends the right message. She'll be on there in some way, and.. well.. just wait for it. I'll probably work on it while the editors are doing thier thing.
In a related story, May 24 will mark the 10th anniversary of the passing of an old distant (IRC) buddy, Cheryl N., known more commonly as Eris in IRC. We weren't super super close, but I spoke to her on the phone about her romantic problems the day before she killed herself.
She still seemed upset of course, over her boyfriend, but within a 'reasonable' amount. The next day the news hit us all through her boyfriend. Shocked, I called her number, and got her mother. When I asked nervously for Cheryl, her mother quietly said in her thick accent, "She dead today." Well, that was chilling. We'd all hoped it was some kind of hoax.. a stunt to get back at her boyfriend.
How does this relate to Watching Yute? Well, I'm dedicating the book to her, since the book deals with many of the issues Cheryl N. faced in ther final days. One of the central characters is named after her as well, (not the last name though). I considered changing that, but it just kinda... had to be.
In much much happier May news, on the 27th, my little spite Caitlin will be turning 2 years old! A smaller party this year.. I'm still saddled with finding a theme of some sort... last year was farmyard... which this year? Circus? Uninspired perhaps, but hey... she's gonna be 2...! I'll wait for her 3rd birthday for the roswell alien autopsy theme....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)