Month: December 2018

• Since I use a PC, every Sunday is back-up day. I save everything I’ve written during the preceding week to an external hard drive and two flash drives – even it’s just one line. If you’ve ever lost anything to a BSoD, you’ll certainly understand.
• Last night, I received a “MACHINE CHECK EXCEPTION” error. This proved the wisdom of a regularly scheduled Back-up Day.
• Back-up Day is not to be confused with Bag Changing Day. Though both may be scheduled on the same day, they involve different paraphernalia.
• Reading three books simultaneously is more difficult at 67 years old than at 27 years young.
• What are they? – Satis’ Redemption of Erath Book 1, Sinclair Lewis’ It Can’t Happen Here, and Mankiw’s 7^th Edition of Principles of Microeconomics.
• Why do I read more than one book at a time? Idon’t know. Been doing it since I was in the engineering program at Pitt. Even did it when I was in the USAF’s basic training program. “Are those books in your locker, Fedorka? Sergeant, yes, sergeant. Are you a book-learning man?Sergeant, yes, sergeant. The UCMJ, Nine Princes in Amber, and The Theory of Moral Sentiments. Which are you reading now? Sergeant, all three, sergeant. You read three books at onetime, book-learning man? Sergeant, yes, sergeant. Well, you’re gonna read one tonight, aloud, to all of us. Which one will it be, book-learning man?Sergeant, the UCMJ, sergeant. Good choice, son. I look forward to it.”
• In truth, Lewis and Mankiw are re-reads.
• Lewis was given to me by a close friend. Thanks,Mike.
• Mankiw was undertaken to patch the potholes in my memory. Thanks, chemo.
• If you’ve never read Lewis, you should. Start with Main Street, Babbitt, or Arrowsmith before you tackle It Can’t Happen Here. Lewis is an acquired taste akin to the enjoyment of Yalumba grapes.
• As for Mankiw, meh. It’s a textbook.
• Now Satis’ story is well written and way imaginative and perfectly offsets the other two, sort of like a cold glass of cow’s milk with a plate of spaghetti in Terri’s red sauce.
• Spent too much time the last 3 weeks on Book 4.
• Okay, back to Chapter 62 – Wilkins’ Goods. See y’all (yinz) later.

Chork (Lye Tella’estela Hummien’dulin)

Took a much needed 10 days off, what with the holiday and the struggles of the never-ending Book 3.

Thanksgiving was the best in years, featuring our little extended family and the best turkey Terri has ever roasted. We laughed and ate well, laughed some more, played ‘31’, and laughed until my laugher was tired. This Saturday, we polished off the leftover turkey in a soup rich with flavor, noodles, and chunks of turkey and vegetables – perfect for this sliding-thermometer weather of San Antonio.

Started back in a few days ago (though I did add a sentence or paragraph here and there when none were looking). Rearranged a few chapters, fleshed out few more, and finished off two new ones.

What’s the hold-up? We thought you had the entire story mapped out, you say. Why is Book 3 taking so long?

Well, there are two reasons.

The first is that Book 3 was always intended to finish the story of Chork’s ‘childhood’, to get him to the point where he begins his ‘more formal and regimented’ pursuit on Gunter’s Island to become a knight. However, along the way, Chork has drags his feet and meets new characters. Though the book continues Chork’s story as the main protagonist, that ‘bastich’ Emperor Rhince (just had to get in a Johnny Dangerously reference) and his sorcerer-agents continue to wreak havoc on the realms of Brehm.

Those new characters, a host of both good guys and bad, are the second reason. Once they appeared as planned, they demanded their own special times on stage. Afterall, they argued, what fun is to be had by just showing up in the middle of our story? (And yes, the characters do talk to me 24/7).

I caved to their un-ending nagging but suggested a compromise. No long back stories, guys. And, since most of you are headed to the same dots on the old map, I’ll explain how you get you there.

So, the number of chapters in Book 3 continue to add up.

The good news is: There’s a lot happening in Book 3. You’re gonna need a scorecard.

The better news is: I’ve developed a scorecard.

Though started in the print version of Book 2, I’ve finalized the icons for chapter headings, ala Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time epic. Those icons clue you in to who the chapter is about. If you don’t give a hoot about Shatayir and his sandwich making skills, you can skip that brief chapter (though I caution you because some of these characters play a key role later in the story).

More news: These new icons will make their way into an updated edition of Book 1 while my editor, the incomparable Arlie Marx, rips apart Book 3.

You can view these icons on my website here.