Bedtime

My hands started to hurt, so I took a break to read and tighten what I'd written.  I changed a name, and fixed some typos.  It's a very tight manuscript so far.

I think that, as an oral history, the plot is a little less direct than many readers will expect.  It's a mood piece, and a character piece primarily.  I think I'm starting to be okay with it.  Im still very much in need of feedback. 

But not nearly NEARLY as much as I am in need of sleep.  I'm bushed.  I'm gonna put on a film, and fall asleep to it, with my little dog grumbling next to me.

Brain Melty.

   Okay, so that's the first section done.

   As is my custom, I have no idea if this is readable or interesting to anyone who isn't me. 

   If you are interested in reading the first 11, 000 words, let me know.  I'd appreciate any avaliable feedback.

  I'm about to enter the dark crunchy heart of the book, before coming out the other side to daylight again.  Sunday is always the darkest day, for some reason.  Your mood hits the low point, you start to despair of ever finishing.  So, if I'm gonna be in that kind of mood, I may as well deal with with second world war at that time.

  So far I am following my outline fairly closely.  I have removed one character, and folded his story into someone else's, and I think it's for the best.  Perhaps if I expand this story at some point, I'll add that character back.  One thing about this kind of a story, is that there is always room for more interviews.  I am trying to do as few as I have to to finish this story on time.  For better and worse, I'm sure.

I am so smart.

   I just locked myself out of the house for about an hour.

   (long slow clap)

   Back to it.

Progress Report Day 1 so far

Well, I'm done with the pulp adventurers now.  It's time to talk to people about how they got their powers and introduce my Superman clone.

Progress is good, and I like what I've done so far, I think.  I'm on pace.

Time to stretch my legs, and comfort my heart-broken Papillon, who is locked in a crate to restrict his movement as he overcomes a slipped disc. 

As usual, a late start

I slept 7 hours and have frittered around for an hour and a half.  The automatic garage door opener seems to be buggered up.  I can't figure out what's wrong with it.  It's likely simple, really, but I'm fucked if I know what to do.

Anyway, we will have to make do without for a few days, unless inspiration strikes.

Back to it.

Book underway

It is 2 am.  I'm 2,300 and change into the book.

It's flowing fairly easily, and I'm having fun so far.  All good thing.  I've no idea if anyone will enjoy.  I never do.

If anyone wants a look, let me know.  I'm always happy for feedback during the work.

More tomorrow.  Sleep now.

Okay. 2.5 hours to go.. crisis averted

    My laptop keyboard was being hinky, and today the e and w both gave out completely. 

   And so, witness the power of this fully functional wireless solar keyboard.

   I'm having a little trouble getting used to it, but I'll get there.

One More Time

So, it's six hours until the contest starts.  My outline is completed (it's loose, and I'm still tweaking).  I know better than to make it very detailed.  In the heat of the 3-Day, it could well go out the window.  It always has before.  I vowed, though, not to assy this again without one.

My book is Strange Adventures: An Oral History of the Superhero 1925-1986.

It's split into four parts:

1. Secret Origins (1925-1945)
2. Reverse Alchemy (1946-1961)
3. Silver to Twilight (1962-1985)
4. Distant Memory (1986-present day) 

I think I'm going to have a lot of fun with this one.  There's a plot, and it's pretty simple but I think it's nifty.  Mostly, though the book is personal reminiscences of the people who were there for that brief little 60 year window when super-powered men, women and other flew and fought and strived to change the world.

It's also about how we coped with losing them, and carried on.

So, it's ambitious, but not overly complicated.  This has been my bane. 

Okay.  Back to it.  I'll be posting semi-regularly this weekend.  Feel free to keep up as I do.  Or not.