mister

There’s a moment in the scene I’m writing, one of those searching misterrrr?, waiting on the name, and it is literally killing me (actual literal, I think) that the character would NEVER do what every dad joke bone in my body is screaming to do.

“Misterrrr…?”

“Fuck off.”

“Alright, Mister Fuckoff, what can I get you?”

Every goddamned time. I might have to rewrite that whole section so it doesn’t end up my greatest regret.

Target: 1600 words
Written: 1495 words, novel: Father Lightning

Read: The Stand, Stephen King
Comics: Invincible 103-104, Invincible Universe 4-5
Music: Fully Completely, The Tragically Hip (if it's not the greatest Canadian album ever, it's top five, for sure)

mausoleums and paranormal mechanics

It’s weird; for an agnostic who believes only in what is, I sure write a lot about what isn’t.

Because maybe it is somewhere. In enough universes, enough dimensions, who knows what the baselines might be?

That’s the fun of it. I actually loved the idea of imagination being a primary power source for dimensional travel in Black Science. It makes perfect sense.

And as I struggle to lay the basis of the lore of Nggoth, I can’t help but wonder…

What else is out there?

What else could possibly be?

There are no limits save those we place on ourselves, at least in the dimensional teleports of imagination.

Target: 1600 words
Written: 1683 words, novel: Father Lightning

Read: The Stand, Stephen King
Comics: Invincible Universe 1-3, Invincible 102
Music: Full Swing: Act 1, Various, but mostly for the Big Rude Jake

i think i might have done alright

One of the two scenes I worked on today, I actually teared up at a tender moment between husband and wife. I think I might finally be getting the hang of it.

If I can make myself cry, heck, maybe the same can be true for someone else.

love is patient, love is kind… and so on and so forth.

One of the few things the Bible gets right.

Target: 1600 words
Written: 1623 words, novel: Father Lightning

Read: The Stand, Father Lightning
Comics: Guarding The Globe v2 5-6, Invincible 100-101
Music: Full Moon Fever, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (what an album.  Been a while since I listened to it and I forgot that literally every song on it is a fuckin' banger.)

feels good to be editing

Weird, but it feels good to be in a space where things are actually starting to resemble a final product.

I am hoping this will be ready by November.

Of course, I should probably try to sell The Mungk and The Conflagration Of Boor & Aghast first.

Right?

Target: 1600 words
Written: 1433 words, novel: Father Lightning

Read: The Stand, Stephen King
Comics: Invincible 97-99, Guarding The Globe v2 4
Music: Fukd ID#3, Interpol (that's how it's labelled, anyway)

is kindness only meaningful in anonymity?

I’m not sure that’s entirely true, because sometimes, I would think publicity would be impossible to ignore. One isn’t always unseen, and kindness rarely limits itself to one-on-one interactions.

But do we do it solely for the glory? For the good feeling?

I think that’s the rub. It’s okay to feel good about doing good things; one should feel good about doing good things. But it shouldn’t be the motivator, the only reason.

Good deeds done selfishly, in order to feel good, can still do good, however. Of course, it should never be contingent on that.

If it is, it’s little better than running a charity for the social status; it may do some good, but it’s probably more about lining your pockets and getting you access than doing good for others.

In a case like that, the ‘others’ are bound to be neglected.

It becomes about the appearance of good, instead of actual good. I think that’s what a lot of my fellow lefties tend to forget. It’s not the optics that matter. It’s the results.

Hence, why I get pissed as social media liberals, more interested in cultivating a reputation for being on the right side of things than actually being on the right side. It’s why there’s so little rational evaluation of the outrage generated by ‘cancellation’.

(And don’t get me wrong – the right wing are the king of snowflake hysterics. They get their nuts all in a twist over trans athletes that don’t even exist, for pete’s sake, or the “war on Christmas”, which has yet to even become a skirmish anywhere except in their own minds.)

Anyways, my point is, whether people know it or not, it’s good to be good to people. We don’t do it for the glory; we do it because it’s the right thing to do.

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds – Matthew 5:15-16.

Of course, that sounds like you need to let everyone know you’re doing good, but hey, that’s a discussion for another day.

Target: 1600 words
Written: 899 words, novel: Father Lightning

Read: The Stand, Stephen King
Comics: Invincible 95-96, Guarding The Globe v2 2-3
Music: Fueling The Flames Of A Revolution: A-F Records, Anti-Flag

marathon

After yesterday’s marathon writing session, I’m well ahead of my overall target (over a million words written since New Year’s Day, 2024). So, today, it’s easy work. A little mental exercise to figure out how to timeline all this out; how close are all these events.

When do the parts out of time happen?

These are puzzles to solve; logic to parse.

Creativity is fun, but organization is sometimes equally rewarding.

Target: 1600 words
Written: 222 words, novel: Father Lightning

Read: The Stand, Stephen King
Comics: Invincible 89-91, The Tick 100
Music: Fruitcakes, Jimmy Buffett

epic run

Apparently, when you get on a roll, or get in the head of the character you’re torturing behind the scenes, shit goes into flow mode.

Thank god I’m working from home.

Target: 1600 words
Written: 5314 words, novel: Father Lightning

Read: The Stand, Stephen King
Comics: Invincible 85-88
Music: The Fruit That Ate Itself, Modest Mouse

the beginning of the fifth

I’m trying something different with this draft. Rather than amorphous “edit scene” as my command, I’m setting specific goals for the editing. Not just “edit”, but rather ensure Miles shows the correct level of worry, or make sure Winsome’s description is properly defined in our introduction to him.

Anyway.

Should be fun. Here we go.

Target: 1600 words
Written: 1645 words, novel: Father Lightning

Read: The Stand, Stephen King
Comics: Invincible 82-84, Guarding The Globe 6
Music: Front By Front, Front 242 (to the back, to the left…)

cigars and candybars

Another milestone hit. I might actually finish this thing. I figure I’ve got about three months or so left in Father Lightning, and then, maybe…

Just maybe…

I’ll actually let someone read it.

I’ll celebrate that fact with a nice Perla, and then probably a Kit Kat. Or Aero. Or whatever.

Target: 1600 words
Written: 1850 words, novel: Father Lighting

Read: The Stand, Stephen King (goin' great, boss)
Comics: Dynamo 5 21, Invincible 61-63
Music: Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables, Dead Kennedys

yeah, that’s what i expected

The beautiful country, but not a second alone. Stealing pages as one steals breath in the ocean, with nothing to keep afloat.

Vacations from my vacation.

Peace from the loveliness.

Breath, from the deep.

Target: 1600 words
Written: 1060 words, novel: Father Lightning

Read: The Stand, Stephen King (why I chose this on a week I knew I would struggle to read even one page a day, I don't know)
Comics: Noble Causes 39, Brit v2 12, Invincible 59, Dynamo 5 0
Music: Freaky Styley, Red Hot Chili Peppers