While I wasn't surprised that there would be changes to the new Blu-ray version of the Star Wars movies, I didn't think they'd be so egregious. Some of the early changes were things like a prop Wampa arm from The Empire Strikes Back and some overlapping with the lightsabers in Return of the Jedi. Nothing egregious in the grand scheme of things. No movie, after all, is made with 100% accuracy.
Then came the word about some added dialogue to a key scene in Return of the Jedi at the climax involving Vader. Fans absolutely hit the roof. And if you see the scene online here it's easy to see why. For one thing, it's completely unnecessary and it sounds so wrong and so fake it ruins the scene. For fans who thought Greedo shooting first was bad, this is infinitely worse. It ruins one of the best scenes in the film and isn't needed. The old saying of actions speaking louder than words is generally true and this would be Exhibit A.
Of course, there was some general hubbub back in 1997 when changes were made. Some were quite noticeable, even to casual fans. The original movie got quite a cleaning and some additional scenes were added, but they're unnecessary. Then there was the Greedo incident where some shitty CGI made it look like he shot first instead of Han. To say it didn't go very well was an understatement, and this was back when the internet was still in its infancy (remember AOL?). Empire, by far the best of the trilogy, got off the easiest, but there are some nice backshots here and there and an additional scene or two that don't hurt or help the movie. Return of the Jedi got a better ending musically (still too many goddamn Ewoks) but the added musical number at Jabba's palace is a joke and a waste.
The DVD trilogy in 2004 had even more changes. The most notable is in Return of the Jedi with Hayden Christensen at the end. For the sake of continuity, I suppose, but it irked some fans. There was also some new dialogue between the Emperor and Darth Vader in Empire. Not really necessary. They also added Temuera Morrison's (Jango Fett in the prequel) voice over the original voice. Another unnecessary choice, especially when the new dialogue doesn't sync with the action very well and the original voice was so good. I know, I know. Continuity, but off-key is still off-key.
And now this latest round of changes.
George Lucas may well have the right to do whatever he damn well pleases since they are his movies, but come on, man... let the work stand as a representation of what you could do at the time. Continuity glitches are one thing, but seriously, when you start ruining individual scenes then we have a problem. Authors rarely, if ever, do this. Many wish they could change material fifteen, twenty years, but they understand that doing so would be redundant. The work that they did is a representation of who they were at the time and what they thought, what they felt, and what their abilities. To change that work would be a travesty as an artist.
But any ranting I do pales to the dead-on assault Trey Parker and Matt Stone did in their "Free Hat" episode, which makes the same points ten years ago. It's also a hell of a lot funnier. Go to SouthParkStudios for some comedic gold and then, when it's all said and done, don't buy the fucking Blu-ray, please. Save your money for someone with a dose of artistic integrity left.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
More craziness and insanity in August
Well, after moving from one house to another in nine days, a lack of internet for two weeks and dealing with bitchy, unappreciative people... things have finally settled in after a fashion. Can't say I'm thrilled with the end result, but there's not a lot I can do right now.
On the writing front, Avarice has ground to a halt. The book is not dead, but it does appear to be in stasis right now. I feel like I'm repeating myself and the time has come to take a deep breath and push myself away from the project for a little while. There are some good elements in the book, but it feels like everything is about to crash in a very nasty collision. Might not be a bad thing for some books, but it doesn't feel right. I'm still going over the text every now and again, looking for clues that might help. Will it be done? Yes. Will it have a 2011 release date still? I'm hoping, though early 2012 might be more realistic. Avarice will be released, though. I still like the book, but the dense cast number and the overlapping storylines has made it a more challenging book than Coercion.
While all of that is going on, I am working on a shorter novel. More of a straight-up mystery set in Oak Villa. I suppose there is some inspiration to be found from Ed McBain's 87th Precinct series, but it isn't a pastiche or anything. This book is going in its own direction and pieces of the story have been floating in my mind for a while now. The book is about eighty pages right now and is moving at a solid clip (knock on wood). I suppose it helps that the story will be told entirely from the perspectives of two of my minor characters from Coercion, Jason Redman and Amy Hollins. I imagine the book will be around 250 pages or so and in terms of setting it will be set between Coercion and Avarice, with events of the former playing a role on some level (more emotionally than plot-wise) on the characters to give the universe some connectivity and the impression that actions from prior stories will turn up again and again. The book's working title is Contract.
As for artwork on Coercion, I should have word on that soon. If it goes well, I imagine I will use the same artist for Contract and Avarice for the sake of continuity. Make them like those mass-market paperbacks where there is a unifying theme.
All of this, as always, is in a state of constant flux. I do hope to get a review from the two bloggers I sent Coercion to. That would be nice. With any luck I'll have a new cover by then.
On the writing front, Avarice has ground to a halt. The book is not dead, but it does appear to be in stasis right now. I feel like I'm repeating myself and the time has come to take a deep breath and push myself away from the project for a little while. There are some good elements in the book, but it feels like everything is about to crash in a very nasty collision. Might not be a bad thing for some books, but it doesn't feel right. I'm still going over the text every now and again, looking for clues that might help. Will it be done? Yes. Will it have a 2011 release date still? I'm hoping, though early 2012 might be more realistic. Avarice will be released, though. I still like the book, but the dense cast number and the overlapping storylines has made it a more challenging book than Coercion.
While all of that is going on, I am working on a shorter novel. More of a straight-up mystery set in Oak Villa. I suppose there is some inspiration to be found from Ed McBain's 87th Precinct series, but it isn't a pastiche or anything. This book is going in its own direction and pieces of the story have been floating in my mind for a while now. The book is about eighty pages right now and is moving at a solid clip (knock on wood). I suppose it helps that the story will be told entirely from the perspectives of two of my minor characters from Coercion, Jason Redman and Amy Hollins. I imagine the book will be around 250 pages or so and in terms of setting it will be set between Coercion and Avarice, with events of the former playing a role on some level (more emotionally than plot-wise) on the characters to give the universe some connectivity and the impression that actions from prior stories will turn up again and again. The book's working title is Contract.
As for artwork on Coercion, I should have word on that soon. If it goes well, I imagine I will use the same artist for Contract and Avarice for the sake of continuity. Make them like those mass-market paperbacks where there is a unifying theme.
All of this, as always, is in a state of constant flux. I do hope to get a review from the two bloggers I sent Coercion to. That would be nice. With any luck I'll have a new cover by then.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Insanity in August...
Well, it wouldn't be an August if things weren't going batshit crazy, now would they? Moving for the third time in two years, trying to finish a book, working a full-time job, starting up my second job again around August 22, working with a new artist... yeah, that's a full plate. Hard to believe there'll be any time for fun and games, but at least I've got that going for me. Going to a Steely Dan concert in a week and a White Sox game the following week. So there is that amidst the craziness.
Craziness and insanity, I would say, can be a good thing, albeit in controlled doses, and as long as it doesn't overwhelm you. Coercion was born in a time of great insanity and calamity and though I had to start over twice because various approaches weren't working, it did end up working and I suppose having something to focus on during a very difficult period of my life helped me enormously. Among other things, I got fired from one job for bullshit reasons, was basically homeless for ten days, and also had other minor problems that seemed to come up.
There is a purpose for everything, I suppose, and by the end of the production I came out of the situation scarred and hardened by the experience, but I also wound up going on the current direction that I am in my life right now.
I like to think this next month will be another transitory period for me. A chance to build off a stronger foundation for the future. With any luck, I will have a new cover for Coercion by the end of next week, which is when I am supposed to move. I should *knock on wood* have Avarice completed by the end of the month and in the final editing process. I'm not sure what the cover will look like yet, but I imagine it will be similar to the final design for Coercion, but with key stylistic changes that make it work well within the context of the story and its themes.
So, we'll see what happens. Sales have been on and off, more than anything. Like mood, some days just happen to be better than others. A new cover and a new book in the pipeline, I hope, will be the necessary ingredients to really get things moving.
But, like anything else, it just depends. I'm not religious in any strict sense, but I do believe that everything has a purpose. Hard to imagine a world where things happen purely by accident. Some things do, and some have a specific purpose.
The trick, if there is one, is to recognize when both happen and to take advantage of them.
Coercion's Amazon Page:
Craziness and insanity, I would say, can be a good thing, albeit in controlled doses, and as long as it doesn't overwhelm you. Coercion was born in a time of great insanity and calamity and though I had to start over twice because various approaches weren't working, it did end up working and I suppose having something to focus on during a very difficult period of my life helped me enormously. Among other things, I got fired from one job for bullshit reasons, was basically homeless for ten days, and also had other minor problems that seemed to come up.
There is a purpose for everything, I suppose, and by the end of the production I came out of the situation scarred and hardened by the experience, but I also wound up going on the current direction that I am in my life right now.
I like to think this next month will be another transitory period for me. A chance to build off a stronger foundation for the future. With any luck, I will have a new cover for Coercion by the end of next week, which is when I am supposed to move. I should *knock on wood* have Avarice completed by the end of the month and in the final editing process. I'm not sure what the cover will look like yet, but I imagine it will be similar to the final design for Coercion, but with key stylistic changes that make it work well within the context of the story and its themes.
So, we'll see what happens. Sales have been on and off, more than anything. Like mood, some days just happen to be better than others. A new cover and a new book in the pipeline, I hope, will be the necessary ingredients to really get things moving.
But, like anything else, it just depends. I'm not religious in any strict sense, but I do believe that everything has a purpose. Hard to imagine a world where things happen purely by accident. Some things do, and some have a specific purpose.
The trick, if there is one, is to recognize when both happen and to take advantage of them.
Coercion's Amazon Page:
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Setback with Book #2
For obvious reasons, I won't get into serious details about the problems with Avarice, which will be my second novel and the second book in the Oak Villa Series. Long story short, a great deal of the story after the halfway point of the novel wasn't working and felt like I was repeating a lot from my first book, Coercion. I tried fixing the problem for a week and realized that the only way to fix the book altogether was to return to the cipher--the point of origin where things started to slowly fall off the rails--and begin again. So, in other words, I lost over a hundred pages--about a month's worth of work.
While the book needs some major adjustments, I will be able to keep a fair amount of scenes in some form or another. It wasn't the scenes themselves that were the problem--there were actually a few very good ones, if I may be so bold--but the overall arc stopped working. Didn't help that I thought the book would be three parts of 13 chapters, then two parts of 20, and finally two parts of 17 chapters each (don't ask for any symbolic meaning because there isn't any. Take that shit you learned in English class and shove it down your throat). Structure and balance are vital, in my mind, to a story, and this book was losing both along with the story's coherence. This was the only way out even though it kills me inside to excise so much material because of my foolishness and arrogance.
So, with that, Avarice will likely be released in late September/early October, provided my artist (TBD) finishes on time. I'm hoping to have the book done by September 1 so I can handle the final story and formatting edits and maybe work on a novella or something. Been kicking a few ideas around. Though if my personal life gets extremely hectic (which it almost certainly will) , September 1 might be optimistic.
While the book needs some major adjustments, I will be able to keep a fair amount of scenes in some form or another. It wasn't the scenes themselves that were the problem--there were actually a few very good ones, if I may be so bold--but the overall arc stopped working. Didn't help that I thought the book would be three parts of 13 chapters, then two parts of 20, and finally two parts of 17 chapters each (don't ask for any symbolic meaning because there isn't any. Take that shit you learned in English class and shove it down your throat). Structure and balance are vital, in my mind, to a story, and this book was losing both along with the story's coherence. This was the only way out even though it kills me inside to excise so much material because of my foolishness and arrogance.
So, with that, Avarice will likely be released in late September/early October, provided my artist (TBD) finishes on time. I'm hoping to have the book done by September 1 so I can handle the final story and formatting edits and maybe work on a novella or something. Been kicking a few ideas around. Though if my personal life gets extremely hectic (which it almost certainly will) , September 1 might be optimistic.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Lessons I've Learned From My First Book Publishing (So Far)
For many, it's just the idea of making that first step and actually getting published. That was part of the goal for me, I suppose, but it is more of a way to help realize my eventual dream of being able to write for a living, which is only really possible for a select few. Stacked odds, I suppose, but it beats the shit out of working retail for living (which I have done in the past, and it is the pits). Publishing my first book, Coercion, has been a real trial by fire and I've learned plenty of lessons that I will certainly apply when it comes to my second novel Avarice and future projects.
1. Have artwork ready in advance. This is what kept my book from being published sooner than it was. I'd hoped for an April 30 release, but delays and excuses from my original artist kept me shackled so I had to look elsewhere. Then again, part of this is also due to the fact that I wrote the book in summer and fall of 2010 and had been hoping a literary agent would take me in. 20 rejections later and after reading about the advent of e-publishing as a viable (though challenging) tool, I decided to give it a shot. I hope to have an artist ready to roll soon and have the project done around the same time I'm done with my book, which should be around September 1. That's the hope. It will also be a different artist this time, mainly because my artist for Coercion lacks experience with color and I want some color this time because it goes well with the preliminary image I have in mind.
2. Cast the net wide from the start. I initially published through just Smashwords, figuring it would be out to all the major ebook publishers within a few weeks. How naive. This time I'm likely going to use a few different publishers all at the same time and go for a more simultaneous release. That means not just smashwords but others, too. Try and hit the ground with a little momentum on my side (I hope).
3. Be ready for more disappointment. This seems a bit cruel, but it's the only way to function. The idea that I'm going to hit the jackpot overnight is ludicrous. Just gotta keep doing what I've been doing. Networking, promoting, and doing whatever it is I can to get the word out there. Means more disappointment, but maybe it'll eventually turn into something great.
All I can do is hope.
1. Have artwork ready in advance. This is what kept my book from being published sooner than it was. I'd hoped for an April 30 release, but delays and excuses from my original artist kept me shackled so I had to look elsewhere. Then again, part of this is also due to the fact that I wrote the book in summer and fall of 2010 and had been hoping a literary agent would take me in. 20 rejections later and after reading about the advent of e-publishing as a viable (though challenging) tool, I decided to give it a shot. I hope to have an artist ready to roll soon and have the project done around the same time I'm done with my book, which should be around September 1. That's the hope. It will also be a different artist this time, mainly because my artist for Coercion lacks experience with color and I want some color this time because it goes well with the preliminary image I have in mind.
2. Cast the net wide from the start. I initially published through just Smashwords, figuring it would be out to all the major ebook publishers within a few weeks. How naive. This time I'm likely going to use a few different publishers all at the same time and go for a more simultaneous release. That means not just smashwords but others, too. Try and hit the ground with a little momentum on my side (I hope).
3. Be ready for more disappointment. This seems a bit cruel, but it's the only way to function. The idea that I'm going to hit the jackpot overnight is ludicrous. Just gotta keep doing what I've been doing. Networking, promoting, and doing whatever it is I can to get the word out there. Means more disappointment, but maybe it'll eventually turn into something great.
All I can do is hope.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
The Harry Potter Coda
Let's get one thing out of the way: I have never read a single Harry Potter novel. Not because I dislike them or have a passionate anti-Christian fervor or whatever it is that gets people to dislike them (all my vitriol is saved for Twilight), but because I don't care much for fantasy novels. They're not my thing. Sci-fi isn't, either. That's not to say I've never read a fantasy book and wound up being entertained. For example, I did enjoy Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. I recognize good writing and good prose and good storytelling when I see it and that is universal, regardless of the genre.
I read fifty or so pages of the first book, Sorcerer's Stone, a while back. It didn't wow me or impress me and I more or less let it go. That said, it is easy to see why readers gravitated to the novels. J.K. Rowling does a very good job of playing to the universal themes of someone discovering their destiny, learning who they are as a person, and everything that was more or less present in Star Wars. Like the aforementioned, Rowling brings an element of the supernatural and has a vivid fervor in her to write the stories, which is something you can't deny.
The books and movies have been enormously successful because of the continuing quality of both products. Will they last the test of time? Maybe. Certainly our lifetimes. After that? Hard to say. Like anything else in history, only the rare few survive to be remembered.
After more than a decade, it is all over. It seems strange, but there it is. There's been talk of Rowling writing an eighth book. I say that is a colossal mistake. As I understand it, she said everything she needed to say. Only reason she would write an eighth is for money. Fans might want it now, but then you have to listen to them bitch. Remember the prequel trilogy for Star Wars and the fourth Indiana Jones movie?
Thought so.
Let Harry rest. For the millions and millions of fans out there, it was one hell of a ride.
I read fifty or so pages of the first book, Sorcerer's Stone, a while back. It didn't wow me or impress me and I more or less let it go. That said, it is easy to see why readers gravitated to the novels. J.K. Rowling does a very good job of playing to the universal themes of someone discovering their destiny, learning who they are as a person, and everything that was more or less present in Star Wars. Like the aforementioned, Rowling brings an element of the supernatural and has a vivid fervor in her to write the stories, which is something you can't deny.
The books and movies have been enormously successful because of the continuing quality of both products. Will they last the test of time? Maybe. Certainly our lifetimes. After that? Hard to say. Like anything else in history, only the rare few survive to be remembered.
After more than a decade, it is all over. It seems strange, but there it is. There's been talk of Rowling writing an eighth book. I say that is a colossal mistake. As I understand it, she said everything she needed to say. Only reason she would write an eighth is for money. Fans might want it now, but then you have to listen to them bitch. Remember the prequel trilogy for Star Wars and the fourth Indiana Jones movie?
Thought so.
Let Harry rest. For the millions and millions of fans out there, it was one hell of a ride.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
July Update/Details on Second Book
First and foremost, Coercion is slowly reaching the mass market. Smashwords, after more than two weeks, finally gave it premium status and just this week the book is now starting to enter the market. It will be available for Apple products and apps next week sometime and for Nook users not long after. Not sure about the Kindle or Sony. For the next book I might publish it separately on Amazon for logistical reasons.
As for the rest, well, the current book is going well enough, but is definitely slower. Coercion took a total of 65 days to reach the end. The current book is well past the book and will be at three months on July 21. The main reason for this, I suppose, is because it has a much larger cast than Coercion and it's a little harder to maintain all that information sometimes, leading to continuity errors, re-writes, and do-overs. I'm working on editing the second chunk of the book right now, but I'm already considering doing some major changes to the general structure of the story. Hopefully for the better.
The book, I hope, is going to be done by September 1 and maybe published by mid-October. I'd say it with more certainty but I've never been good at predicting these things in the first place. When I saw two weeks it usually means one. Maybe I'll be done by August 15 and I can have more time to work in the particulars. I wouldn't bet on it, though.
The current title for my second book is Avarice and it is a continuation of sorts of my little Oak Villa universe. It is not a sequel (for obvious reasons if you bothered to read Coercion), but several characters who appeared in Coercion turn up again in Avarice, but mainly in peripheral roles.
The general story of Avarice involves an Irish mobster just out of prison looking to get back into the game and finds his whole world has been turned inside out. His "family" has been decimated by arrests and the new street boss is impotent. A friend he made in prison, a former gang-banger and thief, is also struggling. There's also a young kid informing on the Irish mob who has a shit-ton of problems himself and there's a cop in the Gang Unit who wants to work major cases and is unhappy with his political, venal boss.
More intricately layered, but it has been satisfying. I'm trying hard not to repeat myself in Avarice, but that's not always easy. Most books by authors tend to follow the same themes. The trick is to make it seem different or go from another angle.
I also intend to work on the blog more and try to be more consistent. I say that all the time, but I really want to now, if for no other reason than to keep my name out there. So expect blogs once or twice a week from here on out (hope I don't break it like every other New Year's resolution I've tried).
As for the rest, well, the current book is going well enough, but is definitely slower. Coercion took a total of 65 days to reach the end. The current book is well past the book and will be at three months on July 21. The main reason for this, I suppose, is because it has a much larger cast than Coercion and it's a little harder to maintain all that information sometimes, leading to continuity errors, re-writes, and do-overs. I'm working on editing the second chunk of the book right now, but I'm already considering doing some major changes to the general structure of the story. Hopefully for the better.
The book, I hope, is going to be done by September 1 and maybe published by mid-October. I'd say it with more certainty but I've never been good at predicting these things in the first place. When I saw two weeks it usually means one. Maybe I'll be done by August 15 and I can have more time to work in the particulars. I wouldn't bet on it, though.
The current title for my second book is Avarice and it is a continuation of sorts of my little Oak Villa universe. It is not a sequel (for obvious reasons if you bothered to read Coercion), but several characters who appeared in Coercion turn up again in Avarice, but mainly in peripheral roles.
The general story of Avarice involves an Irish mobster just out of prison looking to get back into the game and finds his whole world has been turned inside out. His "family" has been decimated by arrests and the new street boss is impotent. A friend he made in prison, a former gang-banger and thief, is also struggling. There's also a young kid informing on the Irish mob who has a shit-ton of problems himself and there's a cop in the Gang Unit who wants to work major cases and is unhappy with his political, venal boss.
More intricately layered, but it has been satisfying. I'm trying hard not to repeat myself in Avarice, but that's not always easy. Most books by authors tend to follow the same themes. The trick is to make it seem different or go from another angle.
I also intend to work on the blog more and try to be more consistent. I say that all the time, but I really want to now, if for no other reason than to keep my name out there. So expect blogs once or twice a week from here on out (hope I don't break it like every other New Year's resolution I've tried).
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