November 2017
Infernal Clock: Calendark
29/11/17 12:14 Filed in: Publications
In readiness for posting the link through to the Amazon page - possibly as early as this weekend! - I've updated the 'Publications' page to include the cover for the upcoming Calendark: The Infernal Almanac. Yee Haa!
Now I'll have to finish the book I'm reading so that I'm all set to get stuck into this after the weekend. Oh the horror of it all!
Check out the Infernal Clock blog site for news for this and other releases.
Now I'll have to finish the book I'm reading so that I'm all set to get stuck into this after the weekend. Oh the horror of it all!
Check out the Infernal Clock blog site for news for this and other releases.
Comments
Flash Reading
Not done much reading in last week or two; part of the problem of having longer working days. Just started a Sheri Tepper book. My first of hers.
Only just managed to get this week's FlashFeed (1.7) in too! Still 100% though, so more self awarded Brownie Points, thanks. I think that means I've done more writing than reading this week. Now that IS a first.
PhotoPrompt for FlashFeed1.7
Writing highlight of the week was finding my 'old' foldaway Bluetooth keyboard and pairing it with my phone. I've got Writer+ on the phone and also Wordpress, that means I should be able to type out little bits and bobs out anywhere whilst on the move. Happy days!
Keep Reading and Keep Writing folks!
Only just managed to get this week's FlashFeed (1.7) in too! Still 100% though, so more self awarded Brownie Points, thanks. I think that means I've done more writing than reading this week. Now that IS a first.
PhotoPrompt for FlashFeed1.7
Writing highlight of the week was finding my 'old' foldaway Bluetooth keyboard and pairing it with my phone. I've got Writer+ on the phone and also Wordpress, that means I should be able to type out little bits and bobs out anywhere whilst on the move. Happy days!
Keep Reading and Keep Writing folks!
The Partial Demise of Zevonesque
23/11/17 09:44 Filed in: Website
Had a decision to make for a while, whether to keep zevonesque.com and awalker.org or get rid of one (clearly I need to keep one, duh!).
I had the Zevonesque site for many years, whilst the awalker site I got when I worked for myself for a couple of years. Whilst I don't need it for work at the moment I may as well keep it for writing as it's got my name in it (shame AJWalker was unavailable). The alternative would be to change my pen name to Zevonesque, which I've decided against.
The first item on the menu was 'Real Ale Walks' which I don't have on this site, but I have my other Twitter account and Wordpress site 'RealeLiverpool' for that side. Other than that it held the same things that are on this site.
Over the last couple of years I've only been updating this site and whilst I could keep both - maybe making zevonesque for ale or non-writing blogs - there is a cost implication which I can't really justify. So it is with a slightly heavy heart I have to say farewell to zevonesque.com
Of course Zevonesque will not die quite yet, Twitter will still be awash with it or to put it another way;
Zevonesque is dead, Long Live Zevonesque!
I had the Zevonesque site for many years, whilst the awalker site I got when I worked for myself for a couple of years. Whilst I don't need it for work at the moment I may as well keep it for writing as it's got my name in it (shame AJWalker was unavailable). The alternative would be to change my pen name to Zevonesque, which I've decided against.
The first item on the menu was 'Real Ale Walks' which I don't have on this site, but I have my other Twitter account and Wordpress site 'RealeLiverpool' for that side. Other than that it held the same things that are on this site.
Over the last couple of years I've only been updating this site and whilst I could keep both - maybe making zevonesque for ale or non-writing blogs - there is a cost implication which I can't really justify. So it is with a slightly heavy heart I have to say farewell to zevonesque.com
Of course Zevonesque will not die quite yet, Twitter will still be awash with it or to put it another way;
Zevonesque is dead, Long Live Zevonesque!
Microcosms, Flash and an Android
Not sure how many times I've done Microcosms but it must be in the tens. All those times I've always gone with the three story elements that are given rather than spin the wheels till I find something more up my street. But this last time I span to get three different elements. Shocking behaviour!
It must have worked for me a little as it was nice to get a Second Place from the Judge Bill Engleson all the way over in sunny California. Thanks Bill!
Think I'll go back to the Original Spin (not sin) in future though. Don't want to make it too easy on myself, do I?
Over the weekend I also managed to write a quick story for FlashFeed1.6 too. So far I've managed all the weeks and hoping to keep that going as long as possible. Nice to keep the Flash muscles going.
But the other none flash challenge stuff still needs to be worked on, especially now that Calendark is done and dusted.
I've got me a new cheap smartphone which I've yet to pair with the bluetooth keyboard. Downloaded a writing app onto it too. My first ever Android phone, and I do feel like I'm cheating on Apple. But needs must.
Will see how the phone, the keyboard and the App goes and will report back. Should mean I can type up flash at the very least whilst I'm on buses or trains.
It must have worked for me a little as it was nice to get a Second Place from the Judge Bill Engleson all the way over in sunny California. Thanks Bill!
Think I'll go back to the Original Spin (not sin) in future though. Don't want to make it too easy on myself, do I?
Over the weekend I also managed to write a quick story for FlashFeed1.6 too. So far I've managed all the weeks and hoping to keep that going as long as possible. Nice to keep the Flash muscles going.
But the other none flash challenge stuff still needs to be worked on, especially now that Calendark is done and dusted.
I've got me a new cheap smartphone which I've yet to pair with the bluetooth keyboard. Downloaded a writing app onto it too. My first ever Android phone, and I do feel like I'm cheating on Apple. But needs must.
Will see how the phone, the keyboard and the App goes and will report back. Should mean I can type up flash at the very least whilst I'm on buses or trains.
CalenDarK arT wOrk
18/11/17 13:55 Filed in: calendark
Great to see the artwork for the cover of the upcoming CalenDarK anthology. Makes the book seem that much closer.
And now we don't have to thank Steph or David aka 'the Harvesters' (sounds like a dodgy folk duo), no now we have to thank the artist for a job well done. So take a bow Tim Youster. Nice work fella!
If you take a close look at the diagram each of the authors names are included on the cover which is a neat idea.
He's over on that there Twitter thing @TimYouster
And now we don't have to thank Steph or David aka 'the Harvesters' (sounds like a dodgy folk duo), no now we have to thank the artist for a job well done. So take a bow Tim Youster. Nice work fella!
If you take a close look at the diagram each of the authors names are included on the cover which is a neat idea.
He's over on that there Twitter thing @TimYouster
A Hatful of Brownie Points
17/11/17 12:16 Filed in: microcosms | Writing
A day off. On a Friday. So what can I do? Well, clearly I can't not do a Microcosms, can I?
So yip, a quick 300 words later I've gone and done three Microcosms in four weeks. I'm awarding myself a hatful of brownie points. Shame they can't be used as currency anywhere.
For the first time ever I've spun and chosen three different story elements than was originally provided. I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me.
Anyway, still plenty of time for you guys to get your story on.
So yip, a quick 300 words later I've gone and done three Microcosms in four weeks. I'm awarding myself a hatful of brownie points. Shame they can't be used as currency anywhere.
For the first time ever I've spun and chosen three different story elements than was originally provided. I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me.
Anyway, still plenty of time for you guys to get your story on.
Clocking Calendark
14/11/17 21:20 Filed in: Infernal Clock | calendark
Really looking forward to Calendark - the second of the time-based horror trilogy curated by Steph Ellis & David Shakes. The first was the Infernal Clock, which featured 24 stories each centred on an hour of the day. My story was predictably set at closing time - Last Orders folks!
Calendark is to feature sixteen stories each based around a specific day on the year. There are fourteen great writers in it (and I'm going to be in it too). I'm sure it's going to be a cracker and I can't wait to get it in my hands in paperback (and probably on my Kindle).
The authors featuring in Calendark:
A few familiar names in there, with a strong showing from the FlashDogs which is great to see. Special mention must go to Steph Ellis and David Shakes for their work in bringing the idea to fruition. It is not exactly a thankless task, for there have been many thanks. And so there should be! One more ... thanks!
Keep an eye on the Infernal Clock blogspot to see how it's going. Or then again you can just keep an eye on here. Let's face it I may mention it.
If you haven't seen the Infernal Clock you can find it on Amazon (just click here).
Calendark is to feature sixteen stories each based around a specific day on the year. There are fourteen great writers in it (and I'm going to be in it too). I'm sure it's going to be a cracker and I can't wait to get it in my hands in paperback (and probably on my Kindle).
The authors featuring in Calendark:
- David Shakes
- Stephanie Ellis
- Craig Anderson
- Sian Brighal
- F. E. Clark
- Catherine Connolly
- Christina Dalcher
- Mark A. King
- Marie McKay
- Chris Milam
- Sal Page
- Ewan Smith
- Chris Stanley
- Clive Tern
- AJ Walker
A few familiar names in there, with a strong showing from the FlashDogs which is great to see. Special mention must go to Steph Ellis and David Shakes for their work in bringing the idea to fruition. It is not exactly a thankless task, for there have been many thanks. And so there should be! One more ... thanks!
Keep an eye on the Infernal Clock blogspot to see how it's going. Or then again you can just keep an eye on here. Let's face it I may mention it.
If you haven't seen the Infernal Clock you can find it on Amazon (just click here).
Robots and Dogs
Happy to have managed to get a story up on Microcosms tonight. That's my second in three weeks, Geoff! So I can take a few weeks off now. Probably.
Yesterday I did a quick story for FlashFeed1.5 The Wooden Robot. So amazingly I have managed a story each week of the new FlashDogs 300 word (well, 2000 character) challenge. I'm now no longer a cockapoo, I've been upgraded to one of my favourite pooches ... I'm a golden retriever!
Woof woof!!
Yesterday I did a quick story for FlashFeed1.5 The Wooden Robot. So amazingly I have managed a story each week of the new FlashDogs 300 word (well, 2000 character) challenge. I'm now no longer a cockapoo, I've been upgraded to one of my favourite pooches ... I'm a golden retriever!
Woof woof!!
Bario and the Kelabit Highlands
06/11/17 20:43 Filed in: memoirs
To go with the recently uploaded memoir piece on my trip to Bario in the Kelabit Highlands of Borneo (click here to read) are some photos taken there.
View from the Jungle Blue Dreams
The 'road' to the Salt Spring
A dragonfly (or somesuch)
Rice drying by the Longhouse
Thanks to the JBD
The Longhouse
A Pitcher Plant near the road to the salt spring
Low hills around the town
Water Buffalo taking an interest
View from the Jungle Blue Dreams
The 'road' to the Salt Spring
A dragonfly (or somesuch)
Rice drying by the Longhouse
Thanks to the JBD
The Longhouse
A Pitcher Plant near the road to the salt spring
Low hills around the town
Water Buffalo taking an interest
November Writing Project
There was the little decision earlier in the week not to drop in and try a second NaNoWriMo. It was a pretty easy call to make without any plan in place and more pertinently a lack of surety of my available time this month. The writing projects I had in mind at the start of the year have stalled and are still in sight of the starting blocks. Rather than invent yet another goal (to complete NaNo) I have decided to get back on to one of the original projects and after a little deliberation I have decided that it will be: Project 1 - A Short Story Collection. Let's face it, it shouldn't have taken too much thought to come up with doing the damn things in the order I came up with them!
Project 1 is a series of 12 short stories, initially aimed at being between 1500-3000 words each, that's a total of 18k-36k. Given I've done two already then that means probably about 1000 words a day if I aim to do them in November - or a short story ever two days or so (compared to a consistent 1667 a day to do NaNo).
In terms of achieving 12 stories that work, are independent of each other and stand up the key thing in such a short space of time will be the number and depth ideas. So this month driving time = ideas time.
Of course whilst this is to some extent to replace NaNo as a driving force to complete a 'work' it's not like I won't have achieved anything if I don't finish them all by the end of the month; I'm not going to issue myself with an internet Badge for completion or reward myself with a T-Shirt. If it goes over by a week or even more then so be it. But the main thing is to drive something forward and to at least attempt to complete one of the goals I set myself at the start of the year.
Not crossing that bridge, yet.
The ultimate aim will be to get 12 stories together that I am happy with and that I can self publish some time in the new year. It'll probably just be Kindle, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Then again if I have 12 stories I'm happy with then maybe I'll just have a bank of 12 stories I can submit to publications... Anyway, like I say, get over that bridge when I get to it.
Project 1 is a series of 12 short stories, initially aimed at being between 1500-3000 words each, that's a total of 18k-36k. Given I've done two already then that means probably about 1000 words a day if I aim to do them in November - or a short story ever two days or so (compared to a consistent 1667 a day to do NaNo).
In terms of achieving 12 stories that work, are independent of each other and stand up the key thing in such a short space of time will be the number and depth ideas. So this month driving time = ideas time.
Of course whilst this is to some extent to replace NaNo as a driving force to complete a 'work' it's not like I won't have achieved anything if I don't finish them all by the end of the month; I'm not going to issue myself with an internet Badge for completion or reward myself with a T-Shirt. If it goes over by a week or even more then so be it. But the main thing is to drive something forward and to at least attempt to complete one of the goals I set myself at the start of the year.
Not crossing that bridge, yet.
The ultimate aim will be to get 12 stories together that I am happy with and that I can self publish some time in the new year. It'll probably just be Kindle, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Then again if I have 12 stories I'm happy with then maybe I'll just have a bank of 12 stories I can submit to publications... Anyway, like I say, get over that bridge when I get to it.