About That

This blog has taken on many different themes and purposes, and now, I think I finally know what to do with it.

 

Just write.

 

I'm not someone that forces things. Probably to my detriment, a bit, but I've never been someone that does something he doesn't want to do. It's caused me problems, at times, but it's also cleared the deck for me to focus on things that actually matter to me.

 

In any case, I guess I was gonna write a lot about writing here, before realizing that I get bored with that subject very quickly. Besides, my process is far less interesting than most others' processes. In life, and in writing, simpler is better, and the fewer constraints you place on yourself, the freer you are to soar to new heights, or glide gracefully to the crouch with a laptop and just write.

 

So, while I may still write about writers writing, I'm opening this blog up to be about everything that I care about. This includes gaming, baseball, football, technology, software/web development, and just whatever takes my fancy.

 

Some posts will be quite length, while others may only be a few sentences. Some may even be video posts (WHOAH.)

 

I've added my Twitch feed above, as well as a 'current' section in the top left. Feel free to engage me on anything you see there.

 

Production

My day job is now as a C# developer. It's a great job, and I really like the challenge of developing a new skillset, plus I'm part of a great team, and the work is more than satisfying.

 

Outside of that, I'm developing what I think might become a web 'TV' series. I've worked in technology for quite a while now, and want to start telling some stories that have sprung from that life.

 

Right now, I'm envisioning an initial six-episode 'first season,' and I'm considering just producing it myself. I might Kickstarter it, I might not, but I need to get them written first.

 

Aside from that, I'm always dabbling with modding games, but I've been frustrated, because I keep changing what game, what engine, and I probably need to seek out some advice on how to get started. I'm thinking, more and more, I need to bang out a rough story, and then make my decision that way.

 

Further down the road, there's another novel and another rock record. Actually, a few novels. There's another Endless Wars book that has some real meat to it, but that I keep walking away from, as well as a very weird start to a space merchant novella series.

 

The space merchant novella series is an experiment, in which I do a 'season' of novellas that each tell a story within a larger arc, and I'll release each one for something like a dollar, or even less. We'll see. I'm still trying to work out how that would work. Maybe I'll just release each 'episode' for free, then sell the complete collection at the end of the 'season.' I dunno.

 

Regardless, I wanna get the six scripts for the IT web series done first, then start talking to some folks about the next move there.

 

And, yeah, I really wanna make a story-based mod for Dragon Age, or maybe Divinity: Original Sin, or maybe Skyrim, or maybe the upcoming Wasteland 2 and/or Pillars of Eternity.

 

Consumption

It's been a reeeally slow year in music. REALLY slow. Granted, all my bands dropped new records either last year or the year before. I've been jamming to the new Robert Plant, as well as the new Slash record, and Asteroids Galaxy Tour is releasing a new record next week, and I'm expecting that to be my favorite record this year.

 

It's been too good a year for science fiction on TV. There's so much that I've actually started dropping shows or telling some that I'll be back with them later.

 

However, my two favorite so far this year are not science fiction. True Detective and The Bridge have both knocked me out with how well-written, beautifully acted, and really well-shot they are. Both of those shows are the complete package.

 

The Strain, though, comes close to that level of enjoyment. I enjoyed the first two books (third is in the queue), and absolutely love the show.

 

Reading-wise, I'm still reconciling Disney's declaration that all books, games, and comics before 'A New Dawn' are null and void. It's hard to imagine a Star Wars without events from the 'Old Republic' era being part of the canon. Same goes for the X-Wing series, and a lot of the books from the Clone Wars era, which featured some of my favorite Jedi.

 

In any case, the new novel, 'A New Dawn,' is a solid read thus far. It sets up a couple of the characters that will be featured in the new animated series, 'Rebels.'

 

Gaming-wise, after a HUGE push through the Elder Scrolls Online, I'm taking a break from that series, and finishing my third playthrough of the Dragon Age series, in preparation for Dragon Age: Inqiusition on 11/18.

 

Last on the gaming front, Destiny. A little game from a little developer known as Bungie.

 

It's an MMO FPS, and that's exactly what it is. It's a blend of Halo, WoW, and Diablo. I really like it so far, but it's weird playing a console shooter. I hope this comes to PC eventually.

 

Going Forward

I'm not locking myself into any format here, but I would at least like to post everyday. I'm going to play with the content, and please let me know when something is good or bad.

 

Has there been anything I've done on here before that you really liked? (as if anyone is listening yet)

 

-Blaine

 

On the Road Again

I'm taking a break from exploring the endless expanse known to some as 'the Midwest' to bring you some exciting news.

The first novel in my 'Endless Wars' series is FINALLY available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble!

This has been a looong time coming, and I'm glad that we're finally here.

Also, it'll soon be up on the iBookstore. I'll blast something out when that happens.

To clarify, this is the same novel I released in 2009 with a different cover and a different font. If you wanna double-dip, my son's college fund thanks you.

Also, lulu.com still has the paperback and ebook available, and I actually make more money if you buy it that route.

Lastly, the ebook that is available through Lulu is fully compatible with Kindle and Nook. It's a DRM-free .epub file, so you'll have no trouble moving it from your computer to the ereader via USB.

If you haven't read it, it's the first book I wrote, way back in the 90s, and it may have accidentally triggered that whole 'urban gothic fiction' thing, though it actually has more in common with Star Wars than it does True Blood.

True Blood is a fine series, but it's not the kind of thing I'd ever write.

A Matter of Perspective


So, I'm fleshing out the story of my 'interactive novel' phone app, and I'm still going back and forth about the perspective in the writing. First, second, and third person are all on the table. I have a natural dislike for second person, because I'm not a pretentious fuckwad, and omniscient third person just doesn't seem right for a tale that's relying heavily on mystery. A lot of the game will be the reader controlling where the main character goes, what the main character says, and ultimately, what situation the main character ends up in. What do you think?

I've even given thought to breaking the fourth wall a bit, and forging a relationship between the main character and the reader, but we'll see. How do you feel when the author breaks the fourth wall.

I'm also still hashing out how to have a 'save game' that will a) save the reader's place AND choices, and b) port into the next volume and carry over the reader's choices. Anyone got any pro-tips?

Wedding Receptions


LOOK, if you're going to ask a guy to drive his family and three dogs across the midwest for your wedding, I would like it, NEIGH, I demand that you not serve ONLY diet vegan rabbit food at your reception. I get that you're into the whole 'fitness' thing, but GODDAM! I'm dieting, yes, but I'm doing so by eating normal portions of normal food, not by punishing my taste buds. The next time I walk up to a buffet table and see only carrots, cauliflower, strawberries, and other wild animal food, I may just flip the motherfucker over.

Sitting through a wedding is tough enough. Weddings are a whole lot of 'hurry up and wait.' To then symbolically knee someone in the groin by trying to ram bunny food down their throats is just uncalled for.

ON TOP OF THAT, if you're not gonna have soft drinks ... I don't know what to tell you. I'm an alcoholic meat eater. It's as if this reception was designed specifically to repel my presence. I don't drink and I eat good food. Bizarro Me would've been fine. The version of me that pounds the booze, wolfs down veggies, uses a Mac (oblivious to the irony of being a computer geek and using a Mac), pounds other man butts, and drives American cars would've been just fine at this reception.

Alas, this me has fucking standards, and was saved only by the courage and determination of a kind soul that must've seen the agony rippling through the crowd as the reality of the food selection eventually took hold.

In a single act of bravery, someone whipped up a white sauce chicken pasta, and delivered all of us from the evils of the Vegan Empire.

It was as if Bill Pullman burst into the kitchen and began yelling, 'WE WILL NOT GO QUIETLY INTO THE NIGHT! WE WILL HAVE CHICKEN ON THIS DAY!'

I wanted to hug someone.

Understand, as well, that I was dealing with some things. There's a lot of drama at work right now, we are watching my parents' dogs, one of whom can make noise all night, we drove through horrid St. Louis traffic, right into two-hour Indianapolis construction traffic, followed by our dog keeping us up all night, and then I woke up with back spasms, so I took three Tylenol that were in the Tylenol bottle, except they were actually Tylenol PM, and it was a couple hours before the wedding, sooo ... yeah, the whole thing was kinda screwed up. I'm just glad that my relatives are super-cool and put up with my ass-ness.

That is all. If you haven't bought a book, please take a look at it.

Thanks, all! Leave a comment! I love to have discussions!

-Blaine