I’m cleaning out my computer of old files while I await my new iMac, and I came across this floorplan of an apartment. I don’t remember where I found it, but I used it as a reference when I was writing Women of Power. This became Stella and Linda’s apartment. Stella’s bedroom is on the right and Linda’s is on the left.
So I set a new goal for myself for 2013– to write an average of 8 pages a day for the year. I didn’t expect to be so far behind already. It’s not even the middle of January and I’m already behind by 50 pages. Of course, being sick doesn’t help. I am determined to get five books done this year though– at least. I’ve got too many good story ideas that I need to get done.
Of course I have the 82 Eridani series in the works, and I want to get on the new Senta series, but I’ve also got an idea for a series taking place in the medieval version of Senta’s world.
Well, I survived the worst of the flu and even got back to work a few days. Now is my chance to get some writing done this weekend and look forward to meeting with the Shared Word Group on Tuesday.
I had my share of feeling run-down during December but right now I am suffering from a full-blown flu. I’ve been to the doctor, but apparently they don’t have a cure for that yet! I live in 21st century America. I want to take a pill and be all better!
I’ve been writing a bit on both Astrid Maxxim and 82 Eridani and both are coming along well. It’s a little Jeckyl & Hyde going from one to the other, but there you go.
Mark Coker at Smashwords reports that Smashwords authors have enjoyed a 76% increase in sales through Apple iBookstore after Christmas. See the original post here. This is aggregated from 125,000 Smashwords titles, so it’s too early to tell if that has had an impact on my books, but it sounds good. Apple has been my best selling outlet for a while now.
On a related note, sales are up for my books at Amazon’s Kindle Store too.
Obviously having a small sales increase (of the amount that I might hope for) won’t immediately make me wealthy or allow me to retire from teaching and focus on writing, but anything that makes you feel good about writing can be a great motivator. And getting my books out into the hands of readers makes me feel good.
82 Eridani: Journey is going to be the first book in a seven book series. I was kind of inspired by Game of Thrones (which I have not read, but have watched). I thought “I need to write a story like Game of Thrones.” One filled with sex, violence, and violent sex; one based loosely on historical events; and one that plays out over a vast setting and over a multiple book series. Of course, there is already a Game of Thrones– so I’m not going to write it again. Besides, I want to tell my own stories, so instead of writing a fantasy story, I thought I would write a space/sci-fi series.
The first book, Journey, as the name implies, is all about the journey to the new solar system. There is a plot in the story of course, but it is also about introducing characters and themes that are continued throughout the series. Here are a few hints of what is included so far: genetic manipulation, robotics gone wild, adultery, serial murder, spying, and lots and lots of space sex (which is just sex, but in space).
I’ve had the basic outline for what is becomming 82 Eridani for about 10 years. The basic premise is a starship from Earth arriving in a distant solar system. The overall plot is based on events occuring during the exploration of America in the sixteenth century.
Originally I had planned my alien solar system to be Vega. I have read several great sci-fi stories that use Vega as their setting. But as I began thinking of the various things I wanted my setting to do, I thought that the one I had picked might not be quite right. I spent a few weeks reading about the stars in our Earth’s neighborhood, finally settling on 82 Eridani as my best choice.
Tomorrow, a little bit more about this story.
I read chapter four of 82 Eridani: Journey to my writers’ group last night and received generally favorable feedback. Writers’ groups are a great resource for any writer and mine “The Shared Word Writers’ Group,” despite being quite small, has been a great help to me.
I’ve shared the first four chapters, but I’ve written six so far. These are fairly long chapters and this will be one of my longer books– 4,000 word chapters x 30 chapters = 120,000 words. Of course, that’s just how I’ve plotted it. My books usually tend to end up shorter than originally planned. For instance, The Voyage of the Minotaur, The Drache Girl, and The Two Dragons were all plotted out at 125,000 words and they ended up being 110,000, 105,000, and 106,000 respectivley.
Stay tuned tomorrow, for a little background about the book.
Wow. Looking back at my notes, I see that this time last month, I was about sixty days ahead of my writing goal. Now I’m about two weeks behind. This has been a trying time in may day job and it’s not only taking time from my writing, but it’s dragging me down mentally and emotionally so much that when I do have time, I can’t quite get into it. Those of you who have never worked as a teacher do not and cannot know the amount of daily pressure that teachers are under. It sounds like I’m whining– and I guess I am a bit. The events of the past week just illustrate one layer of the stress that goes along with the job.
Teachers are expected to be educators, counselors, clergy, parents, social workers, and friends. They are expected to care for their students as if they were their own children, to provide for the students what their parents can’t provide, and to lay down their lives if necessary to protect them. Most teachers know this and are ready to do so. On the other hand, teachers are criticized and blamed for every problem that their students have, whether it is low test scores or bullying. My cardiologist, wondering why my blood pressure was so high asked me “is your job stressful?” I said, “You have no idea. You’re only a heart surgeon.”
Anyway, three more school days and I’ll be out for two Winter Vacation weeks. Hopefully I’ll be able to write something then.
For Astrid Maxxim, like any of my books, I have copious piles of notes. I thought I would share some of them with you. These are the character notes I wrote before I ever started the first book. There were a few changes as I wrote, but they’re mostly the same.
Astrid Maxxim (11-4-97)
Girl Inventor
Mom, Kate Maxxim, CEO of Maxxim Industries
Dad, Roger Maxxim, Inventor (Mad Scientist)
Toby Bundersmith
Boy Astrid Likes
Dad, Martin Bundersmith, Widower, Engineer at Maxxim
Denise Brown
Astrid’s Best Friend
Dad, Dennis Brown, Head model maker at Maxxim
Dad, Jeffrey Richards, Coffee shop owner.
Brother Dennis
Valerie Diaz
Astrid’s Other Best Friend
Dad, Sergio Diaz, Head of Security at Maxxim
Mom, Sofia Diaz, Housewife
Robot Valerie
Girl Robot with Valerie’s memories.
Christopher Harris
Toby’s Best Friend
Dad, Carl Harris, Engineer at Maxxim
Mom, Winnie Harris, Chemist at Maxxim
Austin Tretower
The New Kid
Lives with Grandmother, Pearl Tretower (retired)
Gloria Maxxim
Astrid’s Cousin (Parents: Carl and Loren Maxxim)
Think’s Astrid is a nerd.
