Protecting The Writting Time- Part II

So much for protecting the writing time.

In a recent 17 day writing challenger, I managed to complete...one day.

In the past three weeks I have neglected to maintain the protection that the writing demands. Instead, I have been focused on other matters which may appear to take precedent, but which need to have a secondary place to the writing.

It is not that the last three weeks have not produced any writing, it's just that the last three weeks have not produced enough writing to warrant the past three weeks.

The current projects have been expanded and two major cover stories are being formulated for a local magazine that I have written for in the past.

Get the writing the protection that it needs before the writing opportunity is gone.

Protecting The Writting Time

  At 16:45 Friday 30 March 2018,  Good Friday the world changed.

  The much maligned opportunity to acquire quality writing time came to fruition and presented itself before me as an initial unwelcome visitor. While the past seven days have been spent composing documents for the annual tax return, I have been allowed to make notes, jot ideas and began composing a feature story that I have long held dear to my heart.

  I have also returned to a evolving story line, also near and dear to my heart, which holds a partial connection to the previously mentioned feature story. That developing story has also had more attention to it in the past seven days that it has had in the prior months.

  Not every one gets another opportunity to write. This one, shall be protected.

Healthy Time

Earlier this week I was in San Francisco, a city I first visited in the 20th Century.  Since then, I have made a number of return journeys to the city. Business,  work, and with my family.  It is the location of the moment when I realized that my Father's health was failing.

This week, it became the catalyst for a change of direction.

I'm runnin out of healthy time. 

Counting On A Miracle

  Earlier this week I received a private message from a person whom knows, how shall I say, my history. They provided me with some information about my eldest daughter. When I went to verify the information, their report was confirmed and the last known connection that I had to my children, was now gone.

  So, once again, in the words of Bruce Springsteen, "I'm counting on a miracle, to come through."

A Piece of Crap

I was watching the Syfy channel this week and thought the film was "a piece of crap".

I changed over to another channel and was watching some horror film and thought it was "a piece of crap."

I have actually been told that some of my writing is too good and I need to "dumb it down".

So this week, I am working on a "piece of crap".

It will probably be a blockbuster.

Plagued By The Memories

Plagued by the memory of the women in my life.

They show up in my novellas. They show up in my memoirs.

The show up in my nightmares.

Sometimes, they collaborate on the issues that haunt me.

Lost Love

Sailing.

Daughters.

Australia.

Solitude.

Writing.

I'm Gonna Need a Bigger Boat

Houston, we have a problem.

Nothing as dramatic as the O2 panel exploding off the outer skin en route to the moon.

Nothing as devastating as Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Eve.

Proportionally, just as devastating.

My writing laptop took 25 minutes to boot up today and another 7 minutes to open a browser window.

I'm gonna need a bigger boat.

Or a new laptop.

In Bruce We Trust

Bruce Springsteen had his first hit in Australia with "Born To Run". The track was met with moderate success until the advent of FM radio, where the crisp and clarity of transmission put it into perspective. When "Born in the USA" was released, it became clear that Springsteen was tormented by women in his life. "Tunnel of Love" being the benchmark.

The internet has given insights into the writings of Bruce, as we, fans, can now delve back and discover the trauma in his life - predominately created by relationships - and how it was covered in his writings.

Writers, it seems, capture the essence of the their relationships, in their words.

And so while reviewing some previously written material, I discovered that traits of certain women in my life had found their ways into my words. Some it was the way they wore their hair, others it was their toxic relationship with their mother, and most always included the trauma of being a father.

I never considered it before today but it appears that Springsteen was one of the most influential writers in my life.

In Bruce We trust.

Stalkers in the Shadows

In the James Bond film, Spectre, the "Nine Eyes" committee chairman, "C", advocates for more surveillance.

Recently, and not for the first time, I have, again, discovered that one of the people in my past, is yet again stalking me. This time, they are operating under their own name, with ambiguous credentials for their employment. Truly, one of those moments in life where I can now look back and say that I missed a bullet,  this is a person who made their choice to depart from my life.

So what is it that keeps bringing these persons back into my life?  It's hard to believe that this person, or the previous, have any interest in what I do - they have not contacted me. (Contacted others around me, but not me.)  Lingering in the background they just seem to be watching what I do.

Perhaps lamenting the wrongs that they portrayed to me, waiting to see if such atrocities will make it into print.

Here's hoping that I never make it the list occupied by Gwyneth Paltrow, Lennon and Jodi Foster.

Science Fiction, Memoirs and Relationships

Three weeks into the new year and what have I learned form the Writers Lament?

I've learned that I have not protected my writing time enough.

Until such time that i can rest on my laurels (and royalties) I have to continue to write.  Sometimes it's not for the money, today is was for the message for my children.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

I was a father to two.

I still am, but my daughters don't know it. I continue to write about what has gone on, and what their father has lived through in their absence.  One day, when I am gone, they will read about really happened.

Until then I continue to write.

Science fiction. Memories. Relationships.

Three subjects I am apparently, not very good at.

18 January 1990

18 years on.

"Bravo 910, would you proceed to the Wool Store please.  Alarm sounding."

It was another long night at another fire.

Still photograph at 1 minute 39 seconds, Police Command Post.

Writer's Lament for 2017

At this time in December,  most people look back on their accomplishments and make resolutions for the next year

As a writer, 2017 was the first year I did not have a major publication. How did this happen?

In December 2016 I received a new assignment at my employment. That task was a lot of creation and documentation. I was just getting the place secure when in July I received another assignment. That, my current assignment, has blacked out my writing time as I grapple with sixteen hours days seven days a week.

Not that it's an excuse, but it robbed my writing time. Lesson learned: protect my writing time.

T'was not as though I did not write, I wrote in the moments that I could, in the arenas I am comfortable with, in the genres I tried. I just didn't "follow through" and spec enough to have a major publication.

2018 will need several major publications.

Happy New Year.

Merry Christmas from Chesterfield Inlet

Merry Christmas from Chesterfield Inlet, a place of few igloos.

No one chooses to be here, it's just a place where the soul goes.

SoCal is still close to the hurt, and those last few thousands miles, the cold, and the isolation, numb that which robs the soul.

Vale Murphy

Vale, Murphy.

Geocacher, author, friend.

Jacob and a Fan

Really?

Two weeks after I wrote of my co-author, being The Cat in the Lap,  he becomes the poster child for the local veterinary store.

I don't remember signing any photo release.

Maybe it's just a fan selfie of her and him.

A Cat in The Lap

There are times when I struggle to accomplish things during the week

There are times when I struggle to accomplish things by years end.

And there are times when I recognize that I may never accomplish, or repair, what has been done in life.

This week is the first time in four months in a new position that I have had some semblance of a Saturday to myself. Not before time too. I completed (almost) all of my work by noon, cleaned, did chores, and this evening, started to write. No sooner had I started writing did my companion - Jacob the Cat, come and began critiquing my work. He would usually perch himself on the printer and look down on my work space. The printer is broken so he plopped in my lap.

A Cat in the Lap seems like almost a good title for an enjoyable read.

Much better than trying to rewrite history.

I Bought A Car

I bought a car.

Not for my wife.
Not because I have a child.
Not because I have a family.
Not because I'm getting a divorce.
Not because I'm crippled by child support.
Not because I'm immigrating.
Not because I'm remarrying.
Not because my daughters need transport.
Not because another car died.
Not because I'm out of paying child support.

I bought a car.

This time, it was for me.

Why I Write

I write not to release the demons within me,

But rather to resolve the conflict the demons have brought.

September 11

Sixteen years ago today, the world stopped.

 I know exactly where I was when I first heard of September 11. I know who I was talking to. I know what I did.

I know know what the effect of that day was upon me.

This morning, I set about my day heading for surgery when the names of the heroes of United Flight 93 were being run across the screen.  People who had a glimpse of what had happened elsewhere, powerless to help them, but did their own thing.

For All Mankind.

And it struck me. My forefathers before me had their own pivotal moments in time. World War 1. Sir Robert Menzies "and as a result, Australia is also at war." Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The wars of my forefathers, are now my wars. Children who are in school have no knowledge of how much September 11 changed everyone's way of life.

May they never have to tell their children of their own war.

How Far Will You Go To Write?

How far will you go to write?

Will you...

• give up your country?
• take a chance on an untested ability? 
• maintain a day job that can, on occasion, take your writing time away?

Since movng to the United States, I have never worked as hard as I have recently. It's not about just making a wage, it's not about saving for a rainy day, it's about volume.

The volume of work - do more with less for the same amount.  How far can an employer go?

I have recently lost a lot of my writing time, not though neglect. not through disinterest...but through work. Forty days and night have been lost. I went forty days without writing.

Oh, the humanity.

How far will you to go write?

Techincal Difficulties

There are a number of organizations for whom I write for.

There are a number of organizations for whom I entrust my writing to.

And there are two organizations where I am currently witting as a development point. For the past few months, I have been crafting science fiction, developing a first person story telling trait which has been, historically, a harsher genre to write in.

Now I am perplexed by a technical issue that has prevented me from uploading the story for the past three weeks, despite the story gaining viewer traction.

A Gateway error is preventing me from accessing the server in which the story resides.

The story is still being written, it's not in the public forum.

I need to write a resolution to a technical difficulty.

What I Do, What I Write

Next week, I travel interstate for a conference which pertains to my "day job". While it is no secret about what I do - a quick search of Google will show that - there is very little writing about my work.

Conversely, twenty years ago, I was in an environment which now has numerous appearances in a variety of genres - self help, family, motivation and science fiction. How is that I was able to turn a career into profitable works?

I wrote about work.

The New York Times in 2014 wrote that "just being a novelist is a lot harder than it looks". Never has this been more apparent when people inevitable ask me what I do to support my writing. Again, it's no secret, but what I actually do - well, that needs to stay on the 'down low'.

This week I started working on a piece of speculative fiction and several thousand words in, I recognized that had I been sitting at a Starbucks writing, (as most writers seem to be identified as commencing there) any Tom, Dick or terrorist in the area would have been able to see "what I actually do".

Delete.

Our Nations Security, is far more important, than anything that I might write in the imaginative world of the Saturn Sector.

In Memorium

But for the stroke of a pen, there go I.

Vale,  Constable Mark Goodwin.

It took twenty five years before I could write about him.

Force Majeure of Parental Alientation

Each week, I look at the bank page where my blog resides and try to decide what stains will grace it.  Mostly, this blog alternates between the development of the writer within me, the injustices orchestrated against fathers, and occasionally, recent events in my personal life.

This week all three managed to combine into a "force majeure" event, a phrase normally associated with a contract where certain circumstances beyond their control make either party unable to fulfill their obligations.

Acts of God, natural disasters, civil war are the big three that most think of. Sometimes it can be the mental grind.

This week I had to take on the State of California and the Commonwealth of Australia as, once again, their errors which are compounded with automatic penalties, were once again identified as inaccurate. The State acknowledges that the error occurred, but claims it has no authority to correct it. At the same time, they report that they are legislated to act on a thirty (30) day response. The Commonwealth of Australia report that they have no recourse when payment is not made, but must continue to act until so resolved.

No one wants to take responsibility, but will proceed regardless rather than redress the error. Sounds like a poor parenting plan. And it is.

Having championed the cause, I have returned home to receive correspondence from my native country addressed to my daughter at her mother house. Apparently, her mother can receive payments for our daughter at that mailing address, but when a gift from me is sent to our daughter, it is marked "return to sender".

It was only in recent years that I found a name for the "force majeure" of my life.  It's called Parental Alienation. And it's taught by the evil mothers to our children, learned from their mother.

Wickedness, repeats history. As done to the mother of our children, so is now done to our children.

Speculative Fiction

In the writing world, numerous success stories can be found of fans who have turned their writing into contemporary masterpieces. Author E.L. James like the Twilight series so much, they wrote the 50 Shades series. Last week I was reminiscing about a project that begin some twelve years ago that did not evolve, and I began reading about the "fan fiction" which drives a number of successful spin off series.

Star Wars and Star Trek are two of the most popular, allowing evening the novice writer to be able to compile a story based upon the loose collection of characters, in a world which has been established - but not yet fortified on it's boundaries.

Website FanFiction.Net chronicles a lot of speculative writing, and the pitfalls as well.  Writers who have created characters, fleshed them out and developed stories, don't want to see their hard work copied, even plagiarized. But apparently they are comfortable with endless computer games based on their premises - have you ever counted how many Star Wars games there are?

About twelve years ago while with the computer game company, I attended the preview of a game that enthralled me so much, I wrote about it at a number of game sites. Fast forward, I have now started writing my own speculative fiction, using some of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) characters as background for my own story.

Speculative fiction is back in vogue.

Recalling The Soundtrack To My Teens

Three years gone, the soundtrack to my teenage years still resonates.

Vale "Doc" Neeson.

#whitescarves.

If You're Going To Write

If you're going to write,

...you should give up your love of sailing.  There will be time for that later.

...you should give up some relationships.  There will be time for that later.

...you should give up your country.  There will be time for that later.

...but you should always remember your blogging password.  There won't be time for that later.

Back to our regularly broadcast schedule.

#amwriting

One Man's Demons

Demons.

The demons that live inside of all writers, are the Demons which they write about.

Injustice. Infidelity. Loss.

Some pain is arguably viable - the ridges of skin from a burn.

Some pain is arguably invisible - the soul of parents with missing children.

Some fathers write about the loss of their children to foreign forces.

Others write of the loss of their predecessor.

One man's demons, is another chapter of the Major Project.

Write For The Message

Some writers have full time occupations until their income allows them to give it up. I received a check last week and based on it's value, it may be a while before I give up my

Stephen King worked in a laundromat writing in the morning before he went to work.

There is hope for me yet.

We write not for the money but fot the message.

But the money will make the message a lot more fluent in publication. 

Not For The Money

The Major Project.

I will have a major book release by the time my life is over.

Not for the money.

Not so I can walk into a book store and see my name on the spine of a series of books.

Not so I can be on television of have a major motion picture based on the book.

But so my children will know just what their Father went through.

February 28

Today's the day the Teddy Bears have their picnic.

Feb 28. An iconic day in history.

A buddy of mine has a birthday.

A woman I once knew has a birthday -  she once sent me a pager that she was ready to settle down. Apparently not.

On Ancestry.com, my grandparents were married today.

Twenty years ago my divorce was finalized.

Thank you, Tori Amos. 

The Verizon Wireless Fraud Game

Got a bill today charging me for the fraudulent change of my account by a Verizon Wireless employee. Verizon Wireless charged me for a change they made without authorization.

Time to rectify their error - 22 hours and it's still not corrected.

Verizon Fraud Game - change your account, because it will take more of your time to correct than it does to just pay it,