Day one

So I actually worked on the novel yesterday, despite a pile of homework that needed to be done for class.

Got 1463 words done. A little shy of the 1667 that I should have finished with.

I created a lot of quotes. It is something I like in the stories that I read. There are quotes in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Agent of Chaos, Myth-Adventures, and a few other of my favorite books.

I find that quotes can give another viewpoint to the reader without having to switch viewpoints, or do flashbacks. In my case, I am using them as hints and hooks.

When I did my attempt in July, I resisted putting these types of quotes in. Mistake on my part. I was trying to write what I have been told is a good novel, rather than the type of novel that I would actually read left to my own devices. Live and learn.

Well, I am off to work on the novel; see you all tomorrow with my results.

The sad state of book stores today

Yesterday, I was in a bookstore looking for a book. An occult book that I know exists. And it being big name chain store, naturally they did not have it.

Now those who know my tastes in occult books and the state of the book business will not be surprised by this. The occult section of big bookstores has descended into new age, sun sign astrology, and the fluffier wiccan books.

This very bookstore chain has actually canceled book signings that might offend people.

I won't name the bookstore chain; you can guess who they are. The odds of me having to do a signing for them is nil next to none; but there is still a slim chance, so I prefer not to burn any bridges.

But it reminded me of the sad state of the book market for writers of my irk. I write books on ceremonial magic--books that only a few online publishers will touch nowdays. The big pimp of occult books, again no names mentioned, a few years ago cut loose everyone who was writing the heavier, and therefore less read material. If you can't or are unwilling to write new age material, they don't want to waste their time with you.

And for me, that is a problem. Because I am an expert in the deep end of the pool, and the shallow end does not interest me that much. I would sooner consider writing a college textbook (that day may come) than writing fluff bunny material.

I am an initiated wiccan (witch) of the old school, besides being a card-carrying member of a Golden Dawn based lodge.

A lot of the stuff that I would find interesting is not being written becasue it is not economically feasible to do so. For instance, one of my favorite series was Mercedes Lackey's Diana Tregarde series. But because of poor sales, this series will never have another addition to it.

How many good books will never be born because of the state of the current book market? I fear a lot.

But it is not all gloom and doom for the niche books. Thanks to the internet, webpages and POD (print on demand) publishers are cropping up. The internet could save niche publishing. And with companies like Lulu and Google Adsense, one can get paid something for one's niche writing--provided of course anyone can find it or cares to read it.

I, myself, have resorted to putting something up on Lulu. My revision of the Golden Dawn Neophyte Ritual for Three Officers is such a niche of a niche type of work that I felt that it was unlikely that a publisher would ever include it in their catalog. And considering that I feel that it high time for more Golden Dawn lodges to arise, I chose to get the information out there, even if only a dozen people ever saw it.

My visit to the bookstore yesterday was a sad reminder that I am pushing a large boulder uphill. I wonder how many other writers are struggling with the same burden.

This post also appears on my unofficial Golden Dawn blog.

Another Fine Myth

One of my favorite books is Robert Asprin's Another Fine Myth. Today, I was leafing through it and saw one of my favorite sections of it. Let me share.

"Ah! What a shining example of civilization!" chortled Aahz exuberantly as he peered about him, delighted as a child on his first outing.

We were sauntering casually down one of the lesser used streets of Twixt. Garbage and beggars were strewn causually about while beady rodent eyes, human and inhuman, studied us from the darkened doors and windows. It was a cluster of buildings crouched around an army outpost which was manned more from habit than necessity. The soldiers we occasionally encountered had degenerated enough from the crisp recruiting poster model that it was frequently difficult to tell which seemed more menacing and unsavory, the guards or the obviously criminal types they were watching.

"If you ask me, it looks more like mankind at its worst!" I mumbled darkly.

"That's what I said, a shining example of civilization!"

Now, one of the hazards of being a writer is that you start to notice how other writers have put together the material of their craft (words). While this section is not E-Prime, it is still a masterful use of words.

Aahz chortled, not laughed, as he was acting like an excited kid. His companion, Skeeve, does not see what there is to get excited about. The author tosses trash around all over, bums and litter being the same (some politicians in my town feel that they are), while rodent eyes (criminals and rats) watch the main characters. He tops this all off with a description of the town and its original purpose, and the subsquent decline of its soldiers. Skeeve says what he thinks, and Aahz agrees (Aahz is not the type of being that you would take to the opera, or any place nice--it is nothing personal; I just suspect that he would consider stealing silverware and snores when he is bored).

In the space of 138 words, Asprin has established a new setting, showed us some conflict (different idealogies) between the two main characters, and made some social commentary. It is a brilliant piece of writing which illustrates why Another Fine Myth is one of my all-time favorite books.

Someday, I hope to be able to write that well.

Book Review of Another Fine Myth on Helium (by me, of course)