5/30/2014

Numbers ....

As May comes to a close, I'm thinking about numbers ....



I'm working on my 6th book, planning my 3rd full-length novel, getting ready to release a 3rd printed book, approaching my 100th rating on GoodReads (a number no more valuable/valid than the 97th or 102nd, but personally meaningful nonetheless), and coming up on 3,000 copies of my books sold to date.


I'm also thinking about numbers because my protagonist, Tyler Cunningham is keenly interested in numbers, using them to distract himself from uncomfortable situations/realities. Tyler's reflections on numbers crop up during my writing, and it keeps me thinking/aware of numbers all of the time these days. I've had a number of interesting discussions about this quirk of Tyler's with readers in the past week or so, and love exploring the world of numbers with Tyler.


I'm planning out my summer of writing, and it involves some serious numbers ... by the time I go back to school in the fall, I will have written close to 400,000 words about Tyler Cunningham and the Adirondacks. I've loved being able to share stories with people who enjoy my particular brand of odd.


I'm excited to write another novel NaNoWriMo-style this July ... I'll be aiming for 2,000 words per day, on average, for every day of the month. The pre-planning and frenetic/frantic pace of the month make for a perfect (for me) writing environment of deliberate carelessness that allows me to write within a framework, while allowing my subconscious and unconscious to tell a story beyond the story that I will be planning and outlining during the month of June.


This next novel (no working title yet) will be taking place in the Tri-Lakes, with Tyler Cunningham pulled into a murder investigation by his 'friend' Meg. Starting with a bloody/messy/nasty murder, and a (hopefully) wrongfully accused former student of Meg's seemingly the only suspect, Tyler will challenge himself in ways that he couldn't have imagined when he drove into beautiful Saranac Lake more than a decade ago. 

Following his unusual approach to problem-solving, Tyler will attempt to find out more about the murder, the victim, the accused, and hopefully an actual killer (not the accused). As is in his nature, brilliant Tyler will paint himself into a corner by failing to correctly understand more functional humans' patterns of behavior and motivations, which will lead to a murderous game of hide and seek in the remote woods and waters of the Saint Regis Canoe Area.


In other news:
I'm attending the Adirondack Center for Writing's Annual Adirondack Literary Awards event this weekend, down in Blue Mountain Lake; "Here Be Monsters" is entered in the fiction category.
I've applied for the Anne LaBastille Memorial Wrter Residency Program, which would result in a week's writing in an idyllic wilderness setting this coming October.
SmartPig minions have been mailing out lots of signed copies of my books to stores/shops all over the Adirondacks; if you know of one that doesn't carry my books, tell them to get in touch with me.

As always, feel free to send in your questions, thoughts, pics of you reading my books in cool places, and ideas for the continuing adventures of Tyler Cunningham.

Thanks,

Jamie

5/08/2014

The Shape (and name) of (some of the) Things to Come

The SmartPig Illuminati had another retreat and dinner meeting last night, to celebrate the completion of the first draft of the next Tyler Cunningham novella, work out some kinks in the draft, and talk about the next few writing projects.

In between spectacular food and drink, served up by Liquids & Solids, a longtime SmartPig favorite (although I think Tyler wouldn't like it much), we got through an impressive amount of work.

We came up with a name for the next novella. It had a working title of "Dogfight", but is now tentatively titled, "Promises to Keep".


We identified eight areas of concern in the novella, and worked to address improving each one ... satisfactorily I think.


Finally we talked a bit about the next novella, which will be the fourth (and final) story to be included in the printed collection that we plan to release sometime in June. This one takes a look at the early days of the relationship between Frank and Tyler, as examined through the lens of a crisis involving a potential act of terrorism in the Adirondacks.


We're still in the exploratory stages of plot and setting, but I have a good feeling about this story, and like the way stuff is sticking to the wall so far.

I'm in the middle of applying for a newly established writing residency, up here in the Adirondacks; please keep all of your cross-able parts crossed, and/or send positive vibes my way.

I've continued to get some great reviews, which are better than any of the checks that Amazon sends me (although I'm pretty sure I don't have to choose ... do I?).

Thanks,

Jamie