Goldspire - under construction

Let it be known that, in the Year of Our Lord 2011, my sons are going to bed and sleeping through the night like good human children (as opposed to the insatiable and feral mutant-wolverine cubs they resembled in their earliest years). Amen.

What this means is that I have no more excuses for not writing. (The year did start slowly, thanks to illness and 10 straight days of icy streets and no school, but those have passed.) I have time, health, and a surprising remnant of sanity. So I've officially begun outlining my first novel, Goldspire, which stars Andreas and Tanion, who were 5th and 6th in my '20 Heroes' series, published last year at FantasyLiterature.com.

Though I was a mathematically-challenged English major, I've calculated this: 1,000 words per week yields 52,000 words per year. (And 2,000 would be 104,000--amazing!) So here we go, like Andy in The Shawshank Redemption, slowly and steadily carving out the path that leads to the heart's desire.

Cheers,
RR

On the knife-edge between past and future ...

It's not by accident, dear follower, that 2009 has been the least productive year for me as a writer since I seriously embraced it as a hobby/alternative career in 2003. As previously stated, I've been the only full-time attorney at my agency since late May. Coupled with our younger son's continuing refusal to sleep through the night--however unsurprising, as his brother was a similar beastie--the additional burden has sapped the energy I'd previously devoted to night-time typing. (And in all candor, there have been too many nights of procrastination via TV or social surfing.)

That said, I've continued to read, record ideas, and write reviews for Fantasy Literature, which has achieved an entirely new level of utility and popularity this year.

I'm delighted to announce that the blending of these activities has resulted in an exciting venture for 2010. During the year, FanLit will publish 25 of my original character sketches/flash fiction works as a series titled "25 Heroes in 2010." The series will appear HERE.

Because my agency will have a second attorney soon, and because I have no doubt that my younger son will acheive nocturnal nirvana this year (and, God willing, be potty-trained), I also have other writing plans and goals, one of which is to write at least 25,000 words of a first novel draft. I hope to provide updates in the months ahead and hope that my work will be some small part of a healthy, prosperous, and joyful new year for you and those you hold dear.

Cheers,
RR

10 things I've learned or remembered from Battlestar Galactica

This week, I finished watching Battlestar Galactica (the 2003 reimagined TV series). Simply put, it's the best SF/F video-saga I've ever seen, with a remarkable (large) cast and strong writing that makes the most of a dynamic premise. (Of the approximately 75 episodes, I'd only classify about two as weak.) My favorite episodes were the pilot (movie); the exodus from New Caprica; the mutiny; and especially those following the appearance of the Pegasus.

Throughout the entire saga, themes and truths emerge with a powerful relevance. I've identified 10 I want to share:

1. In storytelling, all has happened before, and all will happen again. If the characters, setting, and circumstances are compelling, it doesn't matter.

2. Names matter. Appearances matter more. Words, and their delivery, matter still more. Actions matter most of all.

3. As an artistic element, divine intervention is like good liquor: a little will warm you up and help you appreciate the wonder and mystery of life; too much will give you a headache and may make you feel used.

4. Respect your story's past. Revelation is wonderful; retcons are pesky.

5. Technology (or magic) tends to outrun morality. This is dangerous because increasing knowledge and power, without increasing wisdom and compassion, creates the potential for greater and greater disasters.

6. Sometimes you've got to roll the hard six.

7. Life is beautiful but fragile, imperfect but worth fighting for.

8. We only have one world and one life. We need to honor and cherish both.

9. Every time you see someone, he or she may be a different person. And there's no guarantee you'll see him or her again.

10. Faith, hope, and love--with them, you can transcend disaster and find a new beginning, a new world.

Cheers,
RR

The hardest part ...

... is indeed rejection. I learned last night that "Love & Winter" is not one of the winning entries in The Writers of the Future Contest. I'd been trying, though, to prepare myself for that outcome during the last six weeks and am (very nearly) at peace with it. The Contest will continue to hold the story, in case the anthology has space for one or more non-winning finalists (who are still invited to the workshop in L.A., so this chapter is not entirely closed).

The sun is shining beautifully today, Halloween festivities are on for tonight, and I have countless other things for which to be thankful. And this story will see the light of day eventually, in the best possible place, for the ideal reader(s). All is well. Now, in the glorious turning of the seasons, I need to turn my attention to other works ...

The waiting is almost the hardest part ...

... second only to rejection. Be that as it may, however, I'm thrilled to announce that my tale "Love & Winter" is one of eight finalists for the current quarter of the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest. The eight stories will be forwarded to four authors/judges, who will select the top three ...

And wait till they see my swimsuit!

Wonderful news after a grueling day of court.

"Creative Sentences" at Shared Worlds

This morning, I had a great time giving my presentation on speculative fiction legal systems at the inaugural session of the Shared Worlds creative writing/world-building camp at Wofford College. The students were intelligent and inquisitive, posing questions on everything from immigration to capital punishment to 'victimless' crimes, and I hope the exercises I planned will enable them to hone the governmental structures of their worlds.

The camp looks fantastic, and I'm sure it'll only get better from year to year. I look forward to being a part of it, and if you know any teenagers who might enjoy it, please do let them know about it.

As for me, I must sadly return from the camp to a terribly busy week of court ...

Back to school

It indeed appears that I'll give a presentation at the inaugural session of the Shared Worlds creative writing camp at Wofford College. The tentative title is "Creative Sentences: Designing Speculative Fiction Legal Systems" (which I hope is an example of res ipsa loquitor), and the tentative date is July 30th. I have no intention of lecturing for a full hour, so in the coming days, I'll devise a lesson plan that will likely involve the students drafting laws in their spec-fic settings, making accusations against each other, and finding defenses and loopholes. If all goes well, mayhem will ensue ...

Blade Runner

I finally watched Blade Runner (the final cut version), and ... wow. Dark and disturbing and, definitely, a masterpiece of sci-fi film-making (in details ranging from the not-quite-human behaviors of the replicants to the score). Then this dark jewel from Rutger Hauer at the climax:

"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain ..."

Two thumbs up.

Food for thought

I came across these lines in the story "Gift from a Spring" by Delia Sherman (Realms of Fantasy, April 2008):

"Isn't that what art is?" I asked .... "Making things up?"

"No," she said. "That's what commerce is about--identifying a market and satisfying it. Art is about seeing the truth and revealing it, as beautifully and forcefully and honestly as you are able."

Amen.

Why am I here?

At long last, I've done it. I've broken down and started a web-log.

I confess this isn't something I've wanted to do. I believe it was Guy Gavriel Kay--a fantasy author I admire greatly--who had no web-based presence for a long time because (to paraphrase) he was inclined to take after a Roman emperor and let people wonder why there was not a website (or statue) dedicated to him, as opposed to wondering why there was. (Since then, fans have developed an excellent site, brightweavings.com.)

In the spirit of that sentiment, and the simple fact that I'm all but unknown as a writer, let me be clear that starting a blog isn't a testament to my greatness, but rather a means of (I hope) forming friendships and becoming part of a community of people who believe that words and stories-- especially those that value goodness, beauty, and truth--can still enlighten, entertain, and encourage. (And what better day for a beginning than this glorious Easter Sunday?)

Thank you for walking with me on my writer's journey. Cheers, Rob