Hello again Readers,
As I mentioned in my last post, I'm taking part in something called NaNoWriMo; or to give it its full name, National Writing Month. It's an annual event that takes place in November where writers from around the world take up the challenge to write a 50'000 word novel in one month. And this year yours truly is taking part.
As I also mentioned in my last post, I'm quite easily distracted and a bit of procrastinator so when I heard about NaNoWriMo, I thought it would be the ideal motivator to kick me up the arse and get on with finally writing a book. It's something I've always wanted to do so this seems like the perfect opportunity. At the moment I'm only at about 3'500 words which is pretty slow going and currently presenting me with a bit of an uphill struggle. But, I've finished my first chapter and have a layout of the next one all ready to go! I'm also making sure I get a bit done every day, even if it's only a sentence or two. Hopefully, I'll get some time in the middle of the month to sit down and really hammer away at it. In the meantime, I'm quietly confident that by the time November 30th rolls around, I'll have my 50'000 words done. Maybe I'll even exceed that target, who knows!
One thing I feel I must stress, is that at the end of the month, if I have managed it; I'll by no means have a full finished novel ready to try to get published. I'm using NaNoWriMo to get my first draft done. No doubt it will take a fair few drafts and hundreds of revisions before it's ready to even start submitting to agents, let alone be good enough to publish; but it's a start in the right direction and that's what matters at the moment.
I'll be updating the blog with my progress as time goes on and hopefully on December 1st I'll be writing a celebratory post; we shall see. In the meantime wish me luck!
Thanks for reading,
Tim
Wednesday, 7 November 2012
Monday, 5 November 2012
Hello Again?
Hello readers! (if, indeed, there is anybody reading this),
I'm not really sure what this is. It's not a revamp as I haven't made any changes to the site, in terms of design or layout (although, this is something I've taken under consideration). I guess you could call it a relaunch, even though its not like this was an extensive blog site with lots of content that's changing its identity and welcoming back hoards of old fans and followers. But it is me starting again with a blog that has been long neglected and bereft of anything that could remotely be described as dedication or even a concerted effort.
Originally, the point of this blog was a place where I could post my short stories, samples of more extensive writing and works in progress. The idea was that I could put myself, and my work out there; build up a readership and hopefully make some contacts in both the worlds of writing and publishing. Unfortunately, as with so many things, real life got in the way. I tried to concentrate on work, telling myself that a career as a writer was merely a pipe dream and that I should focus on getting an 'actual' career, or as my teachers used to call it, 'a proper job'. I could carry on the writing in my spare time and maybe one day, if I was really lucky, my dream job would fall in my lap. Sadly, as already stated, life got in the way and the writing, and this blog, fell by the wayside.
Well, no more. It's time to have for a little self belief and a little more dedication to what it is that I actually want to do with my life. I'm getting back on the writing horse as it were, and I'm going to use this blog to help (hopefully). I'm going to carry on with (actually) posting some of my work on here as well as using it as a kind of journal. As I carry on writing, I'll be posting about my experiences in the land of letters, words and other literary nonsense; random things that pop into my head when I'm trying to concentrate on writing and my arch nemesis, Procrastinatron, rears his ugly head (more on him in the near future) and finally, any handy tips or inspiration that I stumble across or happen to come up with myself. My hope is that as well as giving myself a much needed kick up the backside, this blog will serve as insight into the life and mind of someone who desperately wants to make it as a writer and his journey to make this ambition come true.
But why? I hear you ask. Why after so many years of saying this is what I want to do with my life, after all the times I've tried and failed or just plain given up, why now am I doing this in such a concerted and enthusiastic way? Well, there are many reasons but for now, I'll just go over a few of them. One, is that November is also Nanowrimo, or in layman terms, National Novel Writing Month.Basically, this is an online event where wannabe writers, actual writers and anyone who fancies it, takes up the challenge to write a 50'000 word novel in one month. I'd never heard of it until last week so I've decided to give it a go and use it as the motivation I need to finally get that pesky first draft finally written and done. Whether I'll succeed or not, remains to be seen but rest assured loyal readers, you'll be the first to know.
Another reason happened just last night. I received a text message containing a very exciting, writing related opportunity that's just too good to pass up. I'm not going to go into it now, but keep your eyes peeled on this blog for more news in (hopefully) the very near future.
Finally I was inspired by a very unlikely source. Felix Baumgartner, the man who jumped from the edge of space and broke the sound barrier without the aid of any powered vehicle. Whilst watching this, quite frankly, crazy bastard make history after ten years of preparation and practice, I thought to myself 'hell if that guy can come up with a plan to do that, co-design a suit that assures he won't explode, implode or melt his face off; if he can then go up further than anyone has ever gone before, IN A BALLOON! Then I've got no excuse to not sit at my computer and fill a blank word document with enough words that are coherent enough that one person may want to read them.'
So here we are, at the beginning of what I hope is the first day of the rest of my life. What may become of all this? who knows, but I hope you'll all stick with me on this and continue to read whatever drivel I may spout.
Thanks for reading,
Tim
I'm not really sure what this is. It's not a revamp as I haven't made any changes to the site, in terms of design or layout (although, this is something I've taken under consideration). I guess you could call it a relaunch, even though its not like this was an extensive blog site with lots of content that's changing its identity and welcoming back hoards of old fans and followers. But it is me starting again with a blog that has been long neglected and bereft of anything that could remotely be described as dedication or even a concerted effort.
Originally, the point of this blog was a place where I could post my short stories, samples of more extensive writing and works in progress. The idea was that I could put myself, and my work out there; build up a readership and hopefully make some contacts in both the worlds of writing and publishing. Unfortunately, as with so many things, real life got in the way. I tried to concentrate on work, telling myself that a career as a writer was merely a pipe dream and that I should focus on getting an 'actual' career, or as my teachers used to call it, 'a proper job'. I could carry on the writing in my spare time and maybe one day, if I was really lucky, my dream job would fall in my lap. Sadly, as already stated, life got in the way and the writing, and this blog, fell by the wayside.
Well, no more. It's time to have for a little self belief and a little more dedication to what it is that I actually want to do with my life. I'm getting back on the writing horse as it were, and I'm going to use this blog to help (hopefully). I'm going to carry on with (actually) posting some of my work on here as well as using it as a kind of journal. As I carry on writing, I'll be posting about my experiences in the land of letters, words and other literary nonsense; random things that pop into my head when I'm trying to concentrate on writing and my arch nemesis, Procrastinatron, rears his ugly head (more on him in the near future) and finally, any handy tips or inspiration that I stumble across or happen to come up with myself. My hope is that as well as giving myself a much needed kick up the backside, this blog will serve as insight into the life and mind of someone who desperately wants to make it as a writer and his journey to make this ambition come true.
But why? I hear you ask. Why after so many years of saying this is what I want to do with my life, after all the times I've tried and failed or just plain given up, why now am I doing this in such a concerted and enthusiastic way? Well, there are many reasons but for now, I'll just go over a few of them. One, is that November is also Nanowrimo, or in layman terms, National Novel Writing Month.Basically, this is an online event where wannabe writers, actual writers and anyone who fancies it, takes up the challenge to write a 50'000 word novel in one month. I'd never heard of it until last week so I've decided to give it a go and use it as the motivation I need to finally get that pesky first draft finally written and done. Whether I'll succeed or not, remains to be seen but rest assured loyal readers, you'll be the first to know.
Another reason happened just last night. I received a text message containing a very exciting, writing related opportunity that's just too good to pass up. I'm not going to go into it now, but keep your eyes peeled on this blog for more news in (hopefully) the very near future.
Finally I was inspired by a very unlikely source. Felix Baumgartner, the man who jumped from the edge of space and broke the sound barrier without the aid of any powered vehicle. Whilst watching this, quite frankly, crazy bastard make history after ten years of preparation and practice, I thought to myself 'hell if that guy can come up with a plan to do that, co-design a suit that assures he won't explode, implode or melt his face off; if he can then go up further than anyone has ever gone before, IN A BALLOON! Then I've got no excuse to not sit at my computer and fill a blank word document with enough words that are coherent enough that one person may want to read them.'
So here we are, at the beginning of what I hope is the first day of the rest of my life. What may become of all this? who knows, but I hope you'll all stick with me on this and continue to read whatever drivel I may spout.
Thanks for reading,
Tim
Thursday, 13 May 2010
Watching
He just sat there, his eyes closed, embracing the darkness and the silence. He slowly opened his eyes and checked his watch, 2.30 am, and still nothing. His joints were aching and his back had stiffened up hours ago. The file of papers on his lap felt like a dead weight, his legs going numb underneath. He sighed, rotated his neck to try and loosen up, looked back down at the file and opened it up.
He had taken the photo three days previously. She was beautiful, a petite redhead with curves in all the right places. She had the kind of smile that instantly made you feel good. The kind that comes from deep inside. A genuine smile that showed that here was somebody who really cared.
"What could've she have ever done to deserve this". He asked himself out loud. "What on earth, could a woman like that ever do to deserve someone like me, coming into her life".
He sighed again and picked up the digital camera from the passenger seat. The light from the LCD was harsh and intrusive in the dark cabin of his old car; it took a moment for his eyes to adjust. He scrolled through the other photo's he had taken of her. He was intoxicated by her. The way she walked, the way she sat, even the way that she searched the corner of her lip for stray crumbs with the tip of her tongue when she ate a sandwich. He cursed out loud and threw the camera back on the seat.
Why him? Why this way? Sure he had done this kind of job, thousands of times to thousands of different people, but it was different this time. The rest of them, they had deserved it. They were the lowest of the low, the scum of the earth. Junkies, gangbangers or pimps. People nobody would miss.
This was different though. She wasn't any of those things. She was just a nurse. She was in the business of helping people, not hurting them. But she had made one little mistake and now it was going to cost her everything.
Then there was the message. His employer was insistent that the first thing he did, when he met her, was give her that message. It was a really nasty one too. One that would make sure she knew why he was there and who had sent him. It wasn't necessary, it was just there to hurt and it was going to hurt a lot. He was going to do it though. He had to; it was just too much money to pass up. At that moment he was shook from his reverie by the sound of an approaching car. It was her. It was time.
As she got out of her car, he reached into the glove box and took out the package containing the message. He also took the revolver that was lying underneath it. He got out of the car and hurried across the street, reaching her just as she unlocked the door. He tapped her on the shoulder and said her name out loud for the first time.
"Alison" The word sounded cold and strange on his lips. It seemed to him like she turned round in slow motion. She looked up at him with a vague look of recognition in her eyes.
"This is for you" he said coldly and handed her the package.
Her hands shook as she took it from him. She already knows what it is he thought to himself and he had to stifle his heavy breath from becoming a gasp.
She opened the end of the package and shook the contents out into her other hand. As the small snowflake decoration fell into her palm she let out a gasp of her own, but it was a gasp of terror, not anticipation.
She slowly moved her head up to look at him again, as her eyes met his all she could see were the cold empty pupils staring back. And that’s when she started screaming.
He had taken the photo three days previously. She was beautiful, a petite redhead with curves in all the right places. She had the kind of smile that instantly made you feel good. The kind that comes from deep inside. A genuine smile that showed that here was somebody who really cared.
"What could've she have ever done to deserve this". He asked himself out loud. "What on earth, could a woman like that ever do to deserve someone like me, coming into her life".
He sighed again and picked up the digital camera from the passenger seat. The light from the LCD was harsh and intrusive in the dark cabin of his old car; it took a moment for his eyes to adjust. He scrolled through the other photo's he had taken of her. He was intoxicated by her. The way she walked, the way she sat, even the way that she searched the corner of her lip for stray crumbs with the tip of her tongue when she ate a sandwich. He cursed out loud and threw the camera back on the seat.
Why him? Why this way? Sure he had done this kind of job, thousands of times to thousands of different people, but it was different this time. The rest of them, they had deserved it. They were the lowest of the low, the scum of the earth. Junkies, gangbangers or pimps. People nobody would miss.
This was different though. She wasn't any of those things. She was just a nurse. She was in the business of helping people, not hurting them. But she had made one little mistake and now it was going to cost her everything.
Then there was the message. His employer was insistent that the first thing he did, when he met her, was give her that message. It was a really nasty one too. One that would make sure she knew why he was there and who had sent him. It wasn't necessary, it was just there to hurt and it was going to hurt a lot. He was going to do it though. He had to; it was just too much money to pass up. At that moment he was shook from his reverie by the sound of an approaching car. It was her. It was time.
As she got out of her car, he reached into the glove box and took out the package containing the message. He also took the revolver that was lying underneath it. He got out of the car and hurried across the street, reaching her just as she unlocked the door. He tapped her on the shoulder and said her name out loud for the first time.
"Alison" The word sounded cold and strange on his lips. It seemed to him like she turned round in slow motion. She looked up at him with a vague look of recognition in her eyes.
"This is for you" he said coldly and handed her the package.
Her hands shook as she took it from him. She already knows what it is he thought to himself and he had to stifle his heavy breath from becoming a gasp.
She opened the end of the package and shook the contents out into her other hand. As the small snowflake decoration fell into her palm she let out a gasp of her own, but it was a gasp of terror, not anticipation.
She slowly moved her head up to look at him again, as her eyes met his all she could see were the cold empty pupils staring back. And that’s when she started screaming.
The Very Fussy Cannibal
"Please sweetie just eat a little bit?"
"Nuh huh, I don't like it!"
"How do you know you don't like it until you try it?"
This kind of coaxing had been going on for an hour and Max was coming to the end of his tether. Katie's mom was due home from a fortnight business trip in an hour. Max wanted her dinner finished and the precocious ten year old in bed before Emily got back, so he could spend a little 'quality' time with her, before he went on his business trip.
"I don't even know what it is" whined Katie
"It's just roast beef, you've had it before" Max's patience was wearing thin.
"Well it doesn't look like roast beef"
"It's just a different recipe hun, it's, Mexican style"
"Well why didn't Rosalita cook it?" Rosalita had been the family’s house maid until a few days ago. When Katie asked where she gone, her dad had just mumbled something about a last minute holiday. Katie wasn't happy about it at all, as Rosalita had been like a second mother to her. A fact that Max hated.
"Look I told you" Max replied, trying his best not to shout "Rosalita's gone and she ain't coming bac-" Shit he'd said too much. He hoped that Katie hadn't caught what he said but he knew she had. She was what her teachers called "a gifted child", which Max took to mean "too smart for her own good". He looked down at the expression of horror on her face.
"YOU FIRED ROSALITA!" she yelled.
"No sweetie I didn't, well not exactly" he garbled out.
"Not exactly? then what did you do?" As she spat out that last question she looked down at the roast beef, because that was where Max was no looking with a pale, guilt ridden look on his face.
It hit her all at once, Rosalita's sudden disappearance, the strange looking beef that Max told her was a Mexican recipe; wasn't Rosalita from somewhere like that? She felt sick to her stomach as her eyes rose to meet his.
"Daddy" she muttered very nervously and very slowly "d-did you," She couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth "k-k-kill Rosalita and then COOK her?" She couldn't hide the horror in her voice anymore.
Damn thought Max I always knew she was too smart for her own good.
"No baby of course not why would you think that?" As he went towards Katie, she started squirming back in her chair. "GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!!!" She yelled moving further back, the chair started rocking backwards as well. All of a sudden the legs slipped from underneath the chair on the smooth hardwood floor. The chair slammed to the ground, smacking Katie’s head against it, she screamed and went silent. A dark crimson pool slowly emanated from the back of her skull.
"Oh Fuck!" Was all Max could manage to say, before he could react any further he heard the front door open and close, then footsteps moving up the corridor. "Hello," Called out Emily "Anyone home?"
Max's head appeared from around the kitchen door. "Hey Sugar, me and Katie are just finishing up in here and then I’ll put her to bed. Why don't you go upstairs, take a shower and get into bed yourself? I'll bring you something to eat"
"Oh that sounds good, I'm exhausted".
Emily took a long shower and climbed into bed with her favourite book. She read until she was almost asleep. At that point Max came in with a full tray for her.
"Here you go a tasty chicken sandwich"
"Hey what took you Mister?" Emily asked hungrily as she took the sandwich from the tray and tore a huge bite from it.
"Oh you know how Katie can be when she's over tired, it took a while to get her to go to sleep" Explained Max, relieved that Emily had no idea what had transgressed in the kitchen.
"Umm" Mumbled Emily "Are you sure this is chicken?"
"Of course baby" Max replied "It's just a new recipe".
"Nuh huh, I don't like it!"
"How do you know you don't like it until you try it?"
This kind of coaxing had been going on for an hour and Max was coming to the end of his tether. Katie's mom was due home from a fortnight business trip in an hour. Max wanted her dinner finished and the precocious ten year old in bed before Emily got back, so he could spend a little 'quality' time with her, before he went on his business trip.
"I don't even know what it is" whined Katie
"It's just roast beef, you've had it before" Max's patience was wearing thin.
"Well it doesn't look like roast beef"
"It's just a different recipe hun, it's, Mexican style"
"Well why didn't Rosalita cook it?" Rosalita had been the family’s house maid until a few days ago. When Katie asked where she gone, her dad had just mumbled something about a last minute holiday. Katie wasn't happy about it at all, as Rosalita had been like a second mother to her. A fact that Max hated.
"Look I told you" Max replied, trying his best not to shout "Rosalita's gone and she ain't coming bac-" Shit he'd said too much. He hoped that Katie hadn't caught what he said but he knew she had. She was what her teachers called "a gifted child", which Max took to mean "too smart for her own good". He looked down at the expression of horror on her face.
"YOU FIRED ROSALITA!" she yelled.
"No sweetie I didn't, well not exactly" he garbled out.
"Not exactly? then what did you do?" As she spat out that last question she looked down at the roast beef, because that was where Max was no looking with a pale, guilt ridden look on his face.
It hit her all at once, Rosalita's sudden disappearance, the strange looking beef that Max told her was a Mexican recipe; wasn't Rosalita from somewhere like that? She felt sick to her stomach as her eyes rose to meet his.
"Daddy" she muttered very nervously and very slowly "d-did you," She couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth "k-k-kill Rosalita and then COOK her?" She couldn't hide the horror in her voice anymore.
Damn thought Max I always knew she was too smart for her own good.
"No baby of course not why would you think that?" As he went towards Katie, she started squirming back in her chair. "GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!!!" She yelled moving further back, the chair started rocking backwards as well. All of a sudden the legs slipped from underneath the chair on the smooth hardwood floor. The chair slammed to the ground, smacking Katie’s head against it, she screamed and went silent. A dark crimson pool slowly emanated from the back of her skull.
"Oh Fuck!" Was all Max could manage to say, before he could react any further he heard the front door open and close, then footsteps moving up the corridor. "Hello," Called out Emily "Anyone home?"
Max's head appeared from around the kitchen door. "Hey Sugar, me and Katie are just finishing up in here and then I’ll put her to bed. Why don't you go upstairs, take a shower and get into bed yourself? I'll bring you something to eat"
"Oh that sounds good, I'm exhausted".
Emily took a long shower and climbed into bed with her favourite book. She read until she was almost asleep. At that point Max came in with a full tray for her.
"Here you go a tasty chicken sandwich"
"Hey what took you Mister?" Emily asked hungrily as she took the sandwich from the tray and tore a huge bite from it.
"Oh you know how Katie can be when she's over tired, it took a while to get her to go to sleep" Explained Max, relieved that Emily had no idea what had transgressed in the kitchen.
"Umm" Mumbled Emily "Are you sure this is chicken?"
"Of course baby" Max replied "It's just a new recipe".
Welcome!
Hi and welcome to The Penultimate Universe.
This is basically just my blog where I get to be completely self indulgent and a bit of a show off (but then again isn't that what most blogs are all about? ;-))
Anyway, the purpose of this blog is for me to have somewhere to post my short stories and creative writing. If I do then, hopefully, you'll want to read it.
Most of what I write is either sci-fi, fantasy or speculative fiction. Occasionally I might try my hand at something else from time to time but, for now, I'm a firm believer in sticking to what you know.
I hope that you'll enjoy reading these as much as I enjoy writing them. Please feel free to comment on them too. Tell me what you like, what you don't like and why. Constructive criticism is always welcome!
Thanks for taking the time to have a look at my blog and enjoy!!
Tim :)
This is basically just my blog where I get to be completely self indulgent and a bit of a show off (but then again isn't that what most blogs are all about? ;-))
Anyway, the purpose of this blog is for me to have somewhere to post my short stories and creative writing. If I do then, hopefully, you'll want to read it.
Most of what I write is either sci-fi, fantasy or speculative fiction. Occasionally I might try my hand at something else from time to time but, for now, I'm a firm believer in sticking to what you know.
I hope that you'll enjoy reading these as much as I enjoy writing them. Please feel free to comment on them too. Tell me what you like, what you don't like and why. Constructive criticism is always welcome!
Thanks for taking the time to have a look at my blog and enjoy!!
Tim :)
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fantasy,
sci-fi,
speculative fiction,
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