Tools of the Trade

As a writer I use Text Edit for all my first drafts, that's on Apple, Mac OS 10.7.5

I use it because, I hate MS Word! 

I don’t why, I just do. It’s just so a Baroque. Too frilly and ornate.

Okay, okay, in the end, for the final draft, I do have to go there...

All this has to do with my process: I usually write big, long books, complicated books. I break my draft down into chapter files so I can ping pong back and forth when I’m working, and not scroll a gazillion miles through a Word Doc to find the chapter I’m looking for. That's always a fun thing to do. Maybe that’s just me. Everybody has their own process.

The good things about TextEdit?

It's simple, easy to use.

It's great for reading aloud… you know text to speech. Oh Fiona, you have my heart.

But the latest version.. or next to latest... has a lot of bad things and a lot of weird things going on.

Somehow, the menus are different than every other program ever made!

Oh, and how I wish there was a word count. But that aside, this is what really bugs me now:

After opening about 20 files, or ping-ponging back and forth between a lot of files, I invariably get the message that the document cannot be saved. (I forget the error message #). WTF? It's a text editing program...

And for some reason, after an undisclosed amount of time, TextEdit automatically locks my file. What am I not writing fast enough?

Okay, let’s try save as... WTF, there is no save as...

Revert document? Let’s try that…

Oh no, my hard drive is spinning out of control, my thighs are catching on fire.

Captain's Log, Supplemental

Back in March, I was approached to write a video game for an Indie Game Studio who shall remain nameless...

A very cool project. How could anyone say no? And when I say write, of course I mean a huge backstory, the narrative, the settings, the characters, the dialog... the whole nine yards, as well as the grunt work (for me): a lot of the promo materials...

Money was discussed, a share of the profits at the end. I didn't give it much thought really... and dove in, body and soul, heart and mind.... This was awesome! I got along with the developers, I was full of ideas, and the lead designer, (famous in game circles), pretty much signed onto everything I came up with.

Two hundred hours later, I came up for air... I started thinking about the money...  I did the math!
Ouch! All that was on the table was a 1/4 of one share... A 1/4 of one share? That's .25 cents on the dollar. WTF? Even if the game made $1 million, I'd wind up with $2500. Like that was even going to happen!

I felt so undervalued... like the writing part of the game was worth nothing...
Depressed? Yes. Feeling foolish? Yes.

I chose to resign from the project.

Anyhow, fast forward a couple of weeks:
Yesterday and today, I get a message from the Game's producer: "maybe some kickstart funding could be used... maybe we could pay you for your time..."

Crap. Now what do I do?

Random Batman

separated at birth

Two Leonards

A question

Am I the only person in the world thinking about Keystone Cops?

(from wiki /PD)

GENRE JAM UP

Genre Jam, Volume One: Death & Injury now up on amazon...

Genre Jam

...and for a mere ninety-nine cents (US)...

This is my 8th published title.

So...at what point do people stop and wonder, okay this guy has written eight books, so he can't totally suck! Maybe I'll try reading one... Well, here's your chance! And, at 99 cents---that's practically giving it away!

(Soon available for the nook and at the  i-tunes store)

New Book

On Sale Today, just published...

Genre Jam, Volume One: Death & Injury

A compilation of five short stories resulting in death or grievous harm. A mix of genres, from science fiction to urban fairy tales. A sampler of my work, but be warned, each story in this collection ends in death or injury.

Oneway Ticket to Mars

I read the story this morning about the Dutch organization looking for volunteers to move to Mars. Hmm, volunteers? Maybe we could have a vote or something. Who would you like to see get a oneway ticket? I'm thinking this guy is first on my list... Surely, it's a more humane way of ridding this planet of his presence, than say, ejecting him out the airlock into the cold vacuum of space. Act now! For a limited time, a free pair wooden shoes and a tulip are included in the offer.

Paperback Writer

My third novel is now available in softcover

seen (scene) along the AT

shameless plug

All My Books...

Blade Runner Frog

Book Covers

A rhetorical question: which do you like best?

Cover Designs for my next book...

Apologies to Dire Straights

Counterfeit Art