Oops...

The blog experiment has been hit and miss all of a sudden. These past few days off, I actually wrote less than I believe I would have if I had been working. Perhaps under the mistaken belief that I had plenty of time. Yet here I am, the night before going back to work, and no real writing to show for it. I'm sure some part of me will rationalize it away by saying my brain was simply over-worked by the (unnecessary) strain I put myself under to finish the “Beta-Eden” script for Creepy #7.

I did, however, do some much needed organizing of my new writing space in the second bedroom. Not as many distractions in here as writing in the living room. Though I'm sure I'll find a few to make up the difference. I also got a lot of reading done, mostly Hellblazer. I'm reacquainting myself with John Constantine since I have some Hellblazer story pitches in mind, ones I'm actually quite excited about.

Who the hell I'll pitch them to, no idea. Maybe if I sell this latest script to Dark Horse, I can get enough street cred to get someone to take a look.

In the meantime, enjoy this meager OSP offering:

Moonlight reflected in the creature's scales as its serpentine tail broke the water's surface, arcing like a rainbow of a million silver sparks. (Spectrum 9; if it ain't broke... John Jude Palencar, pg 64)

Graphic disappointment

Some say the blood of countless religious wars turned the once verdant landscape of the land into a graveyard of sand with sun-bleached bones for epitaphs.   --(Just outta nowhere.)

I've been reading a lot of comics, mostly for research, but also desperate for some entertainment. On the research level, I'm pretty happy that I can take that and turn it into something. On the entertainment level, I'm sorely disappointed. I'm not gonna name names, but, damn!

I read stuff that was the product of lazy writing; 4-5 issue story arcs that read like they could have been written in a week or less. Padded stories, perhaps, to fill out a TPB. If you're under pressure form the publisher to produce X amount of issues to collect into a TPB, please make damn sure it's well-written. Don't pad it with boring filler and gratuitous full page spreads. Write a goddamn good story, regardless.

'Nuff said on that subject. I've got at least a four day weekend ahead of me. Nose, meet grindstone.

Dead folk sure can play the blues.

The skeleton fingers of the old bluesman plucked at the strings of the old steel guitar. The memory of the music hummed in the marrow of his bones. His body clicked and clacked like a marionette in rhythm with the tune. It was a catchy little dirge, of course. He needed no voice to express his pain. The pits of his skull where his eyes once were burned with the fires of Hell. Look deep enough into them, you'll see him down there, wailing and gnashing. 

Yeah, he sold his soul. But it was goddamn worth it. Damnation may be eternal...but so are the blues, man.

--(From Spectrum 9, once again. Eric Bowman image.)

Finished my re-write for the “Beta-Eden” script for Creepy and sent it off. Now just have to wait and see if they like it. Fortunately, despite my wife's lack of comic book storytelling knowledge, her writing skills still make her an excellent editor. She helped me trim down my exposition considerably. All in all, the story ended up better than I thought it would.

Now to get the second bedroom in order to turn into my new writing office. No more writing in the living room and scattering comics and papers all about. That'll make the missus happy.