I find it a lot easier to write a big ole' novel when I'm stable, and easier to write a bunch of short stories when I'm not. But here I am writing 'sequels' to short stories. Weird.
I wrote a sequel to "Jeremiad" because it had been bouncing around in my mind. For those not aware, "Jeremiad" is the monologue story of the titular lounge lizard revolutionary. It's not the stuff that books are made of, but if it expands naturally, I could put it all into an anthology.
Likewise with Alan. Alan is just a guy, but he starred in "Moving In, Moving On" and proved himself capable. I've started him in a new story, that's outlined and just needs writing. Shouldn't take two days, if unmolested. Then I'll run it by a native speaker just to be sure and then roll "The Language of Ice Cubes" out to markets. Apparently Alan needs longer titles to be confident.
When it comes to the book "Lived Too Long To Die", that's making slow but steady progress, and the next stages of plot are firm in my mind. I have a proposed ending as well, but hey! Why ruin everything with finality?
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#I never have been and hope to continue to avoid being accused of falling into the 'Mary Sue' trap. Nonetheless, I personally have engaged in a variety of adventures that inform my more free-form characters. From time to time, I venture to say that some situations, when appropriate, are colored with my personal experience as a guide. I'm not 'writing what I know', I'm taking what I know best and applying it to a speculative framework. To varying degrees of success.
This picture will be hilarious to precisely three people and various degrees of mystifying to the rest.
Bonus: damn, everybody loves 'Laterally', for the most part. This is Unheard Of.
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2000 words? Yes
Short Story "The Language of Ice Cubes"
Book "Lived Too Long To Die"
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Reading - "Dragonsdawn" (Anne McCaffrey)
Alright, you've teased us long enough. What is Lived Too Long To Die about? It sounds... mystifying.
ReplyDeleteYou don't really have to tell me. I suspect I'll keep looking like that girl, holding the shoe, no matter what you say.
And I'm definitely pro-Jeremiad-sequel.
-bn
Sequels to short stories? Intriguing.
ReplyDeleteWell, 'sequel' is probably an inspecific word. I could steal from the Lovecraft phrasebook and call these two the 'Jeremiad Cycle' and the 'Alan Cycle': associated pieces in the same milieu
ReplyDeleteIn the case of Jeremiad, this "Pure Humanity" is a self-contained expansion of the character in the same style (monologue) and setting.
In the case of Alan, this new story is in the same genre (magical realism) in the same basic setting, but not related plot-wise with the previous story in the cycle.
I've planned a better post on Lived Too Long To Die later, for after I push it forward a little farther.