Progress

So, what's new? Well, I'm making constant progress with book three of the Nameless Planet series. I'm really pleased with how all of the characters have come together and dynamic of the group is really interesting. These relationships are what really enthuse me about fiction and to be able to do them in a way that is nuanced as I'd planned is highly gratifying. What's more is that the end is in sight. It's still in the distance, maybe two months away from a complete draft and another few for the final draft, but I'm making very steady progress and I'm excited.

I'm in  talks with a few local bookshops about the possibility of some book signings. There's nothing concrete just yet, but I have a good feeling about it. Independent bookshops are so much easier to work with and are a lot more reasonable than the big names (who shall remain nameless, if only at the request of my lawyer, Jameson). But my point is that when you're dealing with people as opposed to faceless corporations, then it's a lot easier to achieve something.

I'm re-reading Cormac McCarthy's entire bibliography at the moment. It's really great for me because he's one of the reasons that I wanted to get into writing. His stark, yet vivid, descriptions and his work with language I find really interesting. I love any author with a really distinct style and this is something that McCarthy definitely has. Although he's inspired me, it's strange to think that my prose style is quite different to him. Every so often I like to use his bluntness as an effect, almost poetically, but when writing I'm always more drawn to the gossamer yet in depth prose of authors like Mervyn Peake. I suppose, without really trying to do so, my prose has kind of merged these two schools of thought with something completely of its own too, which is the whole reason I got into writing really. I have stories that I want to tell, but I want to tell them my way in my style.

I play video games too, which I'm not sure if I've mentioned on here before. In terms of storytelling and character I've always felt like these can be every bit as intense and gripping as a book and have definitely shaped my writing. Unfortunately, some public opinion seems to have a lot of backlash against video games and I'm hoping to be able to write a few articles soon to be able to confront this. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, of course, but it seems wrong, to me, to dismiss a entire medium of which there are millions of worlds to explore. Anyway, I'll save the entire thing for another day and when / if the articles appear I'll post links to them. There's a lot to be said.

So, as usual, I'm quite busy, but to be honest I wouldn't have it any other way. Now I must away to update my author biographies before writing 9000 words this week!

Remember kids, being an author is glamorous...

Sam