tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65112868932398918422024-03-12T18:46:12.499-07:00Patrick's StoriesMy blog about writing, running, and mostly importantly, stories. hurlepathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11633601615837759698noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-47760367327279143792016-10-17T21:04:00.001-07:002016-10-18T15:10:37.083-07:00Writing Career: Check, One, Two, Three, CheckHello? Is this thing on?<br />
<br />
<searing feedback screech><br />
<br />
Ah. There we go.<br />
<br />
So, it's been awhile for this blog. A whole year in fact, until a few weeks ago when I made a post about how the little story that could (<a href="http://www.flametreepublishing.com/Murder-Mayhem-Short-Stories.html">"The Two Out of Three Rule"</a>) finally, in fact, did. (Get published, that is.)<br />
<br />
And I followed that up with another post about another publication, <a href="http://www.abyssapexzine.com/2016/09/the-farmgirl-and-the-kitsune/">"The Farmgirl and the Kitsune," </a>which was released shortly after that.<br />
<br />
So I thought I'd take a little time to check in and update just how things are going overall with my writing hobby/slowly-morphing-into-a-career (or-at-least-side-income).<br />
<br />
Because there has been movement on that front. A nice amount of movement, at least when I think of the doldrums that occurred during my decade in Chicago.<br />
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A large part of that, I think, is due to my move to Seattle.<br />
<br />
Shortly after relocating here, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Seattle is... well if not the Mecca for science fiction writers, then a thriving epicenter, a community of speculative fiction writers I could only have dreamed about while living in Chicago. Don't get me wrong; I like the Windy City, but Seattle mops the floor with Chicago when it comes to sf/f writing opportunities. (Not that Chicago is totally bereft, however! I still remember being briefly introduced to Audrey Niffennegger at a GBF party.)<br />
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In quantifiable terms, since my move to Seattle in the last three years, I've:<br />
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-joined two writing critique groups<br />
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-made two pro short story sales<br />
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-made two semi-pro short story sales<br />
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-finished the first draft of a book<br />
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-also finished the second, third, fourth, and fifth drafts of that same book<br />
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-submitted my book to agents for the first time<br />
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-joined <a href="https://www.codexwriters.com/">Codex</a><br />
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-become an affiliate member of <a href="http://www.sfwa.org/">SFWA</a> (the Science Fiction Writers of America)<br />
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The funny thing is, Chicago-me would have been ecstatic with these accomplishments; wouldn't have believed they were possible, in fact. Yet one of the side effects of having numerous Seattle acquaintances with successful writing careers is realizing just how far I still have to go. I'm not at all disheartened by this, but it helps to keep things in perspective.<br />
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As professional writers go, I'm still in the pupal stage of development: almost, but not quite ready to break out of my cocoon.<br />
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(Which, when I emerge, will make me either a beautiful butterfly or some sort of hybrid monster from a Japanese film? I'm not quite sure how the metaphor works at that point.)<br />
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In truth, I sort of <i>like</i> that I know there's still a long ways to go. Now that I'm moving forward, I'm actually excited to see what's waiting around the next bend in the road. <br />
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And, so far, the journey has been incredibly fulfilling.<br />
<br />hurlepathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11633601615837759698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-73066767079929904272016-10-06T10:25:00.001-07:002016-10-06T10:25:45.900-07:00"The Farmgirl and the Kitsune" now available at Abyss & Apex<span style="font-family: inherit;">Happy to announce that my story <a href="http://www.abyssapexzine.com/2016/09/the-farmgirl-and-the-kitsune/">"The Farmgirl and the Kitsune"</a> is now live at the Hugo-nominated <a href="http://www.abyssapexzine.com/"><i>Abyss & Apex</i></a> magazine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Having just missed getting published there with a previous submission, <i>Abyss & Apex</i> was the first place I sent "The Farmgirl and the Kitsune" after I finished edits on the story--and thus it's the only story I have that's batting a perfect 100.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I did a fair amount research for the piece, including rereading my old manga and some collections of Japanese folklore. Other influences include "The Magic Listening Cap," "Ooka and the Honest Thief," (both of which can be found in the Junior Great Books program) and Neil Gaiman's <i>The Sandman: The Dream Hunters</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I think I did a decent job with tone. <span style="font-family: inherit;">According to the magazine's </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Japanese culture consultant, my piece was "either a very, very good translation or a very authentic Japanese-style folktale." Nice to see my effort paid off! </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">As mentioned in the author section after the story, "The Farmgirl and the Kitsune" is actually a subplot taken from my first novel </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Granters, </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">which I'm currently in the process of shopping around to agents. The story is a slightly longer in the book, with a small interstitial cut to show how the titular kitsune obtained some advice in solving her ward's problematic wish. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">I sincerely hope that people will be able to read </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Granters </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">in its full capacity some day and have high hopes that this will be the case. In the meantime, check out "The Farmgirl and the Kitsune" on </span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Abyss & Apex</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">. Check out the other stories and poems in </span><a href="http://www.abyssapexzine.com/" style="font-family: inherit;">this issue</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"> as well! They're all fantastic, and it's a fine publication.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">And thanks for reading!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>hurlepathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11633601615837759698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-81316653946040956462016-09-22T09:14:00.001-07:002016-09-23T15:10:49.030-07:00A story in perseverance AND some disclaimers!I wrote the first draft of "The Two Out of Three Rule" back in 2007. Back then, it was titled "Poison," which may be have been because I wrote the whole thing while listening to Alice Cooper's excellent rock ballad "Poison" on a continuous loop.<br />
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For the past nine years, I submitted the story to fifty different markets before it was finally accepted for publication. (I know this, because I just looked up the story's submission record on <a href="https://duotrope.com/">Duotrope</a>.) One of the magazines kept the story for a whole damn year before rejecting it. (That magazine no longer exist--which allows me a slight sense of schadenfreude.)<br />
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Many would say it was a little foolhardy to keep submitting a story after it's been rejected a dozen or so times from the current pro markets. At the time, back in 2007, my excuse was that I didn't know what I was doing. I had no idea of the difference between a pro, semi-pro, and token payment market. I just wanted <i>to get published</i>.<br />
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Also, I received numerous encouraging, personal rejections for "The Two Out of Three Rule." The story made it out the slush pile several times, only to get rejected in the final cut. So I kept submitting. And submitting. And submitting. And I got more personal rejections. And impersonal rejections. Even a few mean rejections. <br />
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Finally, I sent the story to my friend and fellow STEW critique-mate Yang-yang Wang, who gave me some helpful advice on changing some of the minor casting.<br />
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Right after I implemented those changes, I submitted "The Two Out of Three Rule" to <a href="http://www.flametreepublishing.com/">Flame Tree Publishing</a>'s <i>Murder Mayhem </i>anthology.<br />
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A few months later, it got accepted.<br />
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It was my second pro-rate sale. It was my first sale to a SFWA (Science Fiction Writers of America) "qualifying" market.<br />
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My reaction upon having the story get accepted was... hmmm, is ecstatic is too weak of a word? I may have run around my friend Matt's condo screaming with my hands in the air. (I know, I'm supposed to affect the attitude of a cool, seasoned pro and not admit to feeling giddy--but there you go; it felt awesome.)<br />
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Part of the reason I kept submitting the story was that even with mean rejections, I was getting personal responses... I had a male submission editor tell me that my story was anti-women. I had a female submission editor tell me that this story painted men in too negative of a light.<br />
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So, along the idea that I apparently hated everyone equally, I knew there was <i>something</i> there. The story had some power in it to provoke an emotional response.<br />
<br />
I think all of the stories in the <i><a href="http://www.flametreepublishing.com/Murder-Mayhem-Short-Stories.html">Murder Mayhem </a></i>anthology may provoke an emotional response. There's some tremendously written dark stuff in there. Some by classic authors such as Conan Doyle, Poe, and Kipling, and some by up-and-comers like myself. (I plan on posting a full review sometime in the next week.)<br />
<br />
But for now, I'd like to give my first ever disclaimers for my published fiction. Briefly, the story is about a relationship that is too good to be true. It's also in an anthology titled <i>Murder Mayhem</i>. The book is NOT for the faint of heart.<br />
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Also, when I found out that "The Two Out of Three Rule" was accepted for publication, I realized some folks infer some sort of, err, <i>biographical</i> element to the story.<br />
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So let me be clear. My story, "The Two Out of Three Rule" is <u>absolutely not</u> based on anyone I have ever dated. There's no winking to that statement, no subtle, "but you can read between the lines and know who I'm talking about, hey?"<nudge, nudge> I'm a pretty happy guy and holding grudges is the opposite of happiness. I've had relationships fail, but I regard all of them, even the hilariously mismatched ones, with fondness, especially as I've gotten older. Anyway, as I said, I wrote the story back in 2007, and at that point I'd been single for about two years.<br />
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The central premise (which I won't spoil here) came to me out of the blue. My reaction at the time was, "This is a really interesting metaphor for a toxic relationship. I need to write the story and find out what happens!"<br />
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So hopefully, you'll want to read the story and find out what happens as well. Because sometimes love goes bad, doesn't it? Even in a healthy relationship, both people absorb something of the other--even if it's habits, hobbies, or turns of phrase. And in unhealthy relationships, well, sometimes that becomes much worse...hurlepathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11633601615837759698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-55750941377256490202015-05-17T18:39:00.003-07:002015-05-19T18:57:37.937-07:00A Story About Stories (Part 2)So when last we left off, I had decided to table a book I'd spent seven years of my life working on.<br />
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Though artistically, I made the right decision, at the time I couldn't help but feeling a bit of despair as well. See, a few years earlier, I promised myself that by the time I was 33, (the infamous Jesus/apotheosis year) I would have a working draft of at least one book written. I had planned on that book being <i>The Constable of Bridge. </i><br />
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Now, I'm 33, soon to turn 34 in June, and I effectively hit reset on this goal.<br />
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Only, there was this other story I'd started working on right after I'd moved to Seattle...<br />
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It was a story about the danger of wishes and the difference between getting what you want and what you need. It also was about work, heists, and, of course, magic. (I don't want to give to much of the premise away, because hey! I may get this thing published.)<br />
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When I'd ride the bus in to work every morning, I found myself writing the story by hand in the leather journal I take everywhere. It was great fun; it helped me get through some rough days. Most importantly, it made me remember why I loved telling stories.<br />
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Right now, I'm calling it <i>Granters</i>.<br />
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Every morning, I wrote in that leather journal, packed in with people on either side of me on the bus, until one day I actually finished. Then I typed it up on my computer, and it clocked in at around 17,000 words. Too long for a short story, and not long enough for a book. And there were precious few places that bought 17K novellas.<br />
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Yet the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if I could turn it into book. I knew there were other parts of the story, bits I'd cut or ignored, waiting in my subconscious, ready to be uncovered and typed out on to the screen.<br />
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But before I could commit, I submitted the first 5,000 words of <i>Granters</i> to my critique group, and for the first time ever, got near-unanimous praise. Thus encouraged, I began to try and turn <i>Granters </i>into a book.<br />
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This was back in January. I made the effort to get up early in the morning and write at least 500 words, if not 1,000, or write the equivalent amount in the evening before bed. If I got stuck, I would brainstorm and outline ideas. If I started to procrastinate, I would throw out whatever was distracting me. Miraculously, or maybe it's because I don't have as many friends out here in Seattle, I stuck with my writing schedule. For me, the results were dramatic. New ideas and character developments came to me all the time. The story, already fun, began to crackle with life. The words flowed, and for the first time in years, I felt content.<br />
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Now, in the middle of May, I'm happy to say that I've finished the first draft of an 85K book that I think has some real potential. And though I've run several marathons, I've never been so happy in my life to have a finished a race. It's honestly been one of the most rewarding ones of my life.<br />
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Right now, I've been starting my first read-thru and beginning some continuity edit, and after that I'm sending it to a few first readers, but once that's done, I'm going to submit it to a few agents.<br />
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More than ever, I really do believe creating art--whether it be telling stories, painting pictures, or playing music, has much more in common with sports than we think. Practice is of the utmost importance. Only when you're regularly making time to flex those muscles (literal or figurative), do you see improvement.<br />
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So take that, apotheosis year. I finished. And I can't wait to start on the next one. I already have a few ideas about that, in fact...<br />
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<br />hurlepathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11633601615837759698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-6788802691519865572015-05-05T10:35:00.000-07:002015-05-05T10:35:01.454-07:00A Story About Stories (Part 1)I meant to write this weeks ago, but I have the misfortune to be an amazing procrastinator and somewhat terrible at online self-promotion--a combination guaranteed to bring me fame and fortune in the publishing business, I'm sure.<br />
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Back at the end of March, my story <a href="http://freesciencefiction.com/tale/jack-twice-caught-and-the-pusherman/">"Jack Twice-Caught and the Pusherman"</a> was published on the excellent T. Gene Davis's Speculative Blog <a href="http://freesciencefiction.com/">Free Science Fiction</a>. It will be included in his annual book anthology later this year. I'm beyond excited for this, because I never believed this odd little story would ever find a home.<br />
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Some friends have asked what kind of story "Jack Twice Caught and the Pusherman" is. If I don't feel like explaining, I just say "fantasy." If I have a little more time, I say "fantasy/mystery" or maybe even "fantasy/mystery/folktale."<br />
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If I feel like being talkative, or maybe have had a few beers, I'll blurt out, "It's a fantasy/mystery/folktale-set-in-a-Purgatory-like-town-that-is-the-interdimensional-nexus-to-all-planes-of-existence-in-the-multiverse."<br />
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For those who are genre savvy, I say it's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Weird">New Weird</a>.<br />
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The story was original part of a part of a chapter I wrote in my book <i>The Constable of Bridge</i>. In it, the protagonist Ben Culhane, newly caught in the strange city of Bridge, wanders into a pub called The Angler's Rest and listens to a bard tell the story of the Pusherman--which is one of the Bridge's oldest folk legends. After I finished that chapter (this is, oh, perhaps four years ago), I thought the folktale might make a solid little short story on its own.<br />
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And here's the reason I was reluctant to write this entry for my blog. I quit working on <i>The Constable of Bridge</i> last December 2014. This was not a decision made lightly, but it was the right one. I'd been working on that damn thing since 2007. I've written and re-written over 200,000 words of that book. It was time to take a break.<br />
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The funny thing is, even if I never get it published, I don't have any regrets. <i>Bridge </i>(which is a very appropriate name, now that I think about it) was my learning novel. And I learned so much from it. I learned that it's OK to outline (despite what Stephen King recommends in <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Writing">On Writing</a></i>). I learned that you need know what your story is about before you start. I learned that you need to pace yourself, that a novel can't be just high notes, nor can it only contain action and snappy dialog. That there is such a thing as tone and pacing and characters. That the cast of characters should probably <i>not</i> all be white dudes.<br />
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Each time I learned a new lesson, I would go back and re-write the whole bloody thing. I justified this to myself by saying that's what Tolkien did. Hell, more recently that's what Patrick Rothfuss did. And that became a problem, because as I was working on <i>Bridge</i>, I kept reading and watching other things, and slowly began to put all those new things I loved into the book as well, causing it to become over-bloated. Let me give you some examples that may or may not have happened:<br />
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"Ohh, the magic in <i>Avatar: The Last Airbender</i> is so cool! I should devise a system of magic for the people in Bridge like that!"<br />
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"Ohh, this cyberpunk novel <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altered_Carbon">Altered Carbon</a></i> is amazeballs! What if all of Ben's flashback chapters have him as a police detective of Chicago 500 years in the future instead of contemporary Chicago?!"<br />
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(Yes, I almost wrote a book that is 50% flashback chapters--flashbacks that actually occur 500 years in our future. Try to wrap your head around that one.)<br />
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"Ooooohh, werewolves are badass! I should throw that in there! And a Wolverine-type character!"<br />
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"And an endless Library! Like in Borges! But with living books like in Discworld!"<br />
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"What about with the Cuchulain myth? That's gotta go in."<br />
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"And angels and demons! And a plot to poison <i>God himself</i>!"<br />
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"I am a GENIUS! THIS WILL BE THE GREATEST FANTASY/SCI-FI/CYBERPUNK/MYSTERY/ONTOLOGICAL BOOK OF ALL TIME!! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"<br />
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Ahem. So, perhaps you can see why I decided to shelve it for a bit?<br />
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<i>The Constable of Bridge </i>became my excuse to stay in writer limbo. It was so easy to say, "Oh, yes, I've been working on a novel for so-and-so years, but it takes time, you see. It's <i>art</i>. It's <i>craft</i>. <i>That's </i>why you haven't seen it yet."<br />
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All of that was true: <i>when I was actually working on it</i>. Of course, during the last seven years, I was writing pathetically little for months at a time. For you see, not only had this book become my dumping ground for every cool little tidbit, trick, and neat bit of story I stumbled across, it also became my crutch, a huge, hollering goblin of insecurity, bloated with little darlings I refused to let go off.<br />
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It was no longer fun. It was no longer working.<br />
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It all came to a head last December. I was writing a scene that I'd long planned for, this great revelatory moment where the hero finally shows some of his powers and really lets loose. Think of when Bruce Banner finally Hulks out or Neo is able to beat Agent Smith.<br />
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I wrote it, and I just didn't care.<br />
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At this point, I should probably let you know that a voice in my head is screaming, <i>Pat, you MORON! Why are you telling folks your published story is taken from a book you gave up on? Give them some happy crappy fluff about creative joy and move one.</i> It's urging me to be cautious and not talk about these things in public. That part of me is a bit of a coward. I've decided it's better to be open about these things than to pretend that everything in the creative life is "no worries, man, <i>pura vida" </i>all the time. Because it isn't. Some days, it can be magical, but some days are damn hard.<br />
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And to be honest, this story about a story within a story doesn't necessarily have a bad ending. I'm not giving up on Bridge forever. There <i>is</i> some really<i> </i>good stuff in there. Scenes I absolutely love. A plot that, with some cuts and changes, might really rock. The town that sits between all worlds is still waiting for me, and it has a lots of tales to tell. That is one of the glorious things about computers. When we shelve a project, its still there waiting for us when we want to pick it back up. And one day, I will pick it back up...<br />
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Meanwhile, even the elements that need to be cut, well, they're not going away, either. They'll just show up in stories of their own.<br />
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Kind of like "Jack Twice-Caught and the Pusherman," in fact.<br />
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(To Be Continued...)<br />
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<br />hurlepathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11633601615837759698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-44487244504841272072014-12-07T20:11:00.001-08:002014-12-08T07:37:03.894-08:00Running<i>Waaayyy</i> back in 2010, when I was close to turning 30, I decided I should go in for a physical. This would be the first physical I'd gotten since I was in college and on my parents' healthcare insurance. The results were fine. In fact, the nurse told me that my bloodwork was so healthy it was "sickening."<br />
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What wasn't fine was my weight.<br />
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I'm 5'9" and on the stocky side. During my senior year in high school, when I ran 40-50 miles a week in the spring/summer/fall and starved myself for wrestling in the winter, I weighed roughly 150 pounds. </div>
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By the time I graduated college, at age 23, I weighed about 170 pounds, which I thought was fine, basically about what I should weigh given my age and frame. </div>
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On May 10th, 2010, at age 29, I weighed 220 pounds.</div>
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As the nurse read my weight out loud on the scale, I shook my head and smiled. I believe she thought my smile meant, <i>My, how that weight certainly does creep up!</i> when in reality, I was thinking to myself, <i>HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOW THE HELL DID I GET SO GODDAM HEAVY?!</i></div>
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Immediate action was needed. I decided to do what I had done back in 2005: run a marathon. It wouldn't be easy, but it shouldn't be too bad. After all, I ran throughout high school, kept it up a bit in college, and was able to train pretty well for a marathon back in 2005. The extra 50 pounds I was now carrying shouldn't be that much of a factor. </div>
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I believed this, because I was a moron. </div>
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Training for a marathon in 2010 was one of the toughest summers of my life. It didn't help that the summer of 2010 in Chicago was disgustingly hot. The marathon itself, though in October, also reached about 85 degrees Fahrenheit. My finishing time was 5 hours and 55 minutes. Five years earlier, at age 24, my finishing time for the Chicago Marathon was 4 hours and 15 minutes. </div>
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Apparently the extra 50 pounds made a slight difference.<br />
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There were some other factors for such a shitty time: getting excited and starting out too fast, relying on a faulty Nike iPod odometer, which slighted over-calculated my distance over 3 months of training. </div>
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The reason I ran, losing weight, did not produce the stunning results I'd been hoping for either. Oh, I'd lost some weight, down to about 210 lbs, but I'd been hoping to get to 180.<br />
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However, I did go from this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4QEzDgl_rlTj3sSKuC4mFqHIdIvVRGG1UerMLV4Q_M_QVYfi42Bgj0yiJMFNUcDGJyo077sFKbgU1dfKulMXg-n5F7us97gNeNXXT11tAnfaGmOYvQPuBGwkCXhZnz7u4YvPGqMxcHtN/s1600/fatty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4QEzDgl_rlTj3sSKuC4mFqHIdIvVRGG1UerMLV4Q_M_QVYfi42Bgj0yiJMFNUcDGJyo077sFKbgU1dfKulMXg-n5F7us97gNeNXXT11tAnfaGmOYvQPuBGwkCXhZnz7u4YvPGqMxcHtN/s1600/fatty.jpg" height="320" width="155" /></a></div>
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To this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyR41IE9co8c2B1MK42XFSwCLstR17EDklfIqph4el4NIYX0Qh-hX24I96W0sweKjNpRxh2QOoHxtYKZ7FAGTMVT45BQk7n2oWg7HA_Vuzp-wxaiF9BO8VPM4mMoNuEu74EJcaHAoKSzbs/s1600/thinny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyR41IE9co8c2B1MK42XFSwCLstR17EDklfIqph4el4NIYX0Qh-hX24I96W0sweKjNpRxh2QOoHxtYKZ7FAGTMVT45BQk7n2oWg7HA_Vuzp-wxaiF9BO8VPM4mMoNuEu74EJcaHAoKSzbs/s1600/thinny.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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within a year, so some success. (Both these pictures were taken at friends' weddings about a year apart).<br />
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I decided to run the Chicago Marathon again in 2011. Which I finished in 5:15. My weight was down to about 200 lbs. Not bad, but not where I wanted to be. So then I decided to run the Chicago marathon <i>again, </i>only this time, I was also going to watch what I ate as well as meticulously plan my runs using MapMyRun.</div>
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In the 2012 Chicago Marathon, I finished in 4:35 minutes. I am absurdly proud of this, though really, for a runner my age, it's barely in the middle of the pack, and also twenty minutes slower than when I ran it in 2005.<br />
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I also weighed about 185 pounds at that point, which I was unbelievably ecstatic about, as I was able to fit into all of my old clothes again. </div>
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Over the next year, I did OK with running and my weight, keeping it around 185-190 and managing to get about 5-15 miles in per week. Not perfect, but not bad either. Maintainable. </div>
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Flash forward to today... since moving out to Seattle, and discovering its wonderful food (I'm pretty certain they lace their sushi with crack), I was disappointed, though unsurprised, to see my weight has crept up to 205 lbs. </div>
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And that's why, on June 14th, 2015, five days after my 34th birthday, I'll be running the <a href="http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/seattle/register">Seattle Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon.</a> Half-marathon, instead of a full, because Seattle is A LOT hillier than Chicago and I'm still getting used to running up and down the mountainous roads of the Pacific Northwest. Also, I've come to believe that a half-marathon is sort of an optimal healthy distance for running. I've felt great running a half-marathon, but in a full 26.2, there's I always hit a point where I think to myself, "OK, this is no longer beneficial to my body."<br />
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I'm not saying running is the healthiest or the best way to go about losing weight. I can only say that it works for me <i>consistently</i>. I burn more calories than I consume when I'm running regularly. That's just math, bitches. It also helps to eat right, get enough sleep, and not overindulge in anything worth overindulging in. There are some <a href="http://www.halhigdon.com/training/">great</a> <a href="http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/">training</a> <a href="http://www.nike.com/runningfeatures/facebook/facebook_web/eventprogram/detail.html?locale=en_US&event=half">programs</a> out there, and a lot of them are free.<br />
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So I would encourage any one of my friends who doesn't run to give it a try. It's a great time to think about things. (I frequently brainstorm story and book ideas.) You can listen to some fantastic music to get you motivated. (I think I'll post my running playlist soon.) And, though you may not believe it, you get the benefits of a runners' high, which is like Mother Nature's own anti-depressant/sedative.<br />
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Take a step out onto the road. You won't regret it. :)<br />
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hurlepathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11633601615837759698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-25957190946714548822014-11-13T09:49:00.000-08:002014-11-13T09:49:03.824-08:00Getting ColderFall is coming! I've had to scrape off my vanpool window (long story--another update), and finally turn on the heater in my apartment. Oh well, I guess it's snowing in Chicago and Michigan, so it could be worse.<br />
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Here's the view of the trail I take when I bus/walk to work. You won't find this in Chicago!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2VuHySWn_8i9gc_eWIFM2cSAGsPgnuycuqODQDrWV-gdXyB9kuPWzzHuetflryLuY0WQqTf0-fuQ4AnMmX5y_n-DvfGE2ve_gdmQ0OFKcTyZphb8KGmGcFmVegbRAzcJYpRH7IT7h4i3/s1600/2014-10-09+17.19.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2VuHySWn_8i9gc_eWIFM2cSAGsPgnuycuqODQDrWV-gdXyB9kuPWzzHuetflryLuY0WQqTf0-fuQ4AnMmX5y_n-DvfGE2ve_gdmQ0OFKcTyZphb8KGmGcFmVegbRAzcJYpRH7IT7h4i3/s320/2014-10-09+17.19.58.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Sadly, I have a feeling the leaves are going to get browner and the days a bit shorter. I'm told those in the PNW (Pacific North West) actually grow to prefer the dark and the gloom. I haven't reached that point yet, and I'm kind of hoping I never do. :)hurlepathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11633601615837759698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-8514617895625202272014-11-02T17:56:00.000-08:002014-11-02T17:58:53.727-08:00A Quick Story of Tricks and TreatsIt has been ages since I last wrote anything on here, and for that I apologize. I will try and post more regular in the near future. A lots happened since last I wrote, and I will post updates on that soon. In the meantime, I thought I'd share a short little story of what happened to me this Halloween.<br />
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I didn't go out for Halloween this year. One reason was that I'm still in the midst of meeting friends and creating something resembling a social circle here in Seattle. Another reason was that I'd had friends visit from out of town earlier in the week, and had hung out quite late with them on both Sunday and Tuesday. Third, my office has a pretty fun and kickass Halloween party every year:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsW8akPIJ9pYqdGS606SQRDMn-X3xuNXVA6NCtf4ixRbdduQU7row9s-SZTbXnoneunOEJrWW_EKoYdfJZAH1rp_foKVUhyphenhyphenZFYLwFaqgi_F_hzIDlYspHhcT86bHfFX9AvubxBgwJKAbY5/s1600/bm_Halloween+2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsW8akPIJ9pYqdGS606SQRDMn-X3xuNXVA6NCtf4ixRbdduQU7row9s-SZTbXnoneunOEJrWW_EKoYdfJZAH1rp_foKVUhyphenhyphenZFYLwFaqgi_F_hzIDlYspHhcT86bHfFX9AvubxBgwJKAbY5/s1600/bm_Halloween+2014.jpg" height="175" width="320" /></a></div>
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So I thought was good enough. Also, I was just exhausted. So I stayed in on Halloween Friday, but not before leaving out a little offering for any potential trick-or-treaters in my apartment complex:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxqMDiWOXzO3o9qQWXzgEs8lU34sFfE19v9Do6drJuEUoKLUaKO_Bpv9qsdlA81M1StINfHcb4NqD3p8q_bUnTGeaeKbMUVj8G2SWvJ77NpbqFDuTfeK-Z7N-v5OclUbMr8ugq2rI-iKS/s1600/2014-10-31+20.33.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxqMDiWOXzO3o9qQWXzgEs8lU34sFfE19v9Do6drJuEUoKLUaKO_Bpv9qsdlA81M1StINfHcb4NqD3p8q_bUnTGeaeKbMUVj8G2SWvJ77NpbqFDuTfeK-Z7N-v5OclUbMr8ugq2rI-iKS/s1600/2014-10-31+20.33.29.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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A few weeks ago, I had posted a picture of the Halloween decorations on my neighbors' door, because I thought they were hilarious and I liked their style:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2g61632-XNY0crBKIBtfhxdmZ9A0pNKM96HywrUeOMokYirL9PdpgKCU3eqYsc-wuLXnB-Ubosr6NeWZ9kZUKg7458tAfAmtL4d8b5h3KX3JKe6GYXk_CY01X-0_6uvj4xiT1b3fQjCGN/s1600/2014-10-08+08.10.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2g61632-XNY0crBKIBtfhxdmZ9A0pNKM96HywrUeOMokYirL9PdpgKCU3eqYsc-wuLXnB-Ubosr6NeWZ9kZUKg7458tAfAmtL4d8b5h3KX3JKe6GYXk_CY01X-0_6uvj4xiT1b3fQjCGN/s1600/2014-10-08+08.10.10.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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So I stayed in Friday, watched a <a href="http://io9.com/while-children-sleep-their-stuffed-animals-battle-anim-1653469028">few short</a>, <a href="http://io9.com/a-girls-teddy-bear-fights-a-monster-in-this-trio-of-sho-1651484348">scary films</a> online, had my traditional viewing of <i>Ghostbusters</i>, and then went to take the trash out before bed.<br />
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And this is what I found:<br />
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AHHHH! The mummy moved! It wanted candy! A trick, a fine trick indeed. I checked my watch. It was just ten minutes to midnight. Enough time to respond with a trick myself.<br />
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So this is what I placed outside <i>their</i> door:<br />
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And how would his dancing partner, the skeleton react?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglbEZ85aqzpRit5LbIYhFL4x2x3eUCc2l_vOkh44oYn-pEUHx5BiMjUg7kPtPJHj3ygpuGeU9qkueaHfglyORkk_9ss9chtLKYaaOpjH5kA-dZ5KYkgNYf4chTKjYQV618YXn7xeuIEPNT/s1600/2014-11-01+15.15.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglbEZ85aqzpRit5LbIYhFL4x2x3eUCc2l_vOkh44oYn-pEUHx5BiMjUg7kPtPJHj3ygpuGeU9qkueaHfglyORkk_9ss9chtLKYaaOpjH5kA-dZ5KYkgNYf4chTKjYQV618YXn7xeuIEPNT/s1600/2014-11-01+15.15.39.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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I think I made my point. Anyway, Happy Halloween everyone! :)hurlepathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11633601615837759698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-74351191140092884612014-05-10T16:16:00.000-07:002014-05-10T16:16:30.371-07:00Photo of the day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hmmm, I think they might be related, somehow. </span></div>
hurlepathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11633601615837759698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-42507672645537340272014-05-07T09:39:00.000-07:002014-05-07T10:40:29.289-07:00SeattleSo, a little over two years ago I met a lovely girl named Amanda on an OKCupid date. After about three months and an interesting series of events, Amanda moved out to Seattle to attend graduate school. As a final date, I drove across the country with her and her dog, and helped her move into her new house in Seattle. Then we bid each other a heartfelt, tearful farewell at the SeaTac airport and I flew back to Chicago.<br />
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Except it didn't end there. </div>
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Those who know me, know that I'm not a huge fan of long-distance relationships, to the point where a few years ago, I angrily vowed never to date anyone outside of the Chicago area code. </div>
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You can probably see where this is going. Amanda and I began to spend every night talking for hours. My roommate at the time, Matt, smiled when I told him about this. When I asked him why he was smiling, he said, "Dude, you guys are totally dating."</div>
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I was surprised. Not at his pronouncement; on some level I knew that Amanda and I had been continuing our relationship long-distance. What surprised me was that I was delighted, even giddy at the thought. A few nights later, I laid it out there for Amanda, saying (with my typical tact), "Can we just call this what it is? We're clearly dating."</div>
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Several months later, after numerous flights across the country, I decided to see what life in Seattle might be like. This wasn't a decision I made lightly. I really liked my life in Chicago, as evidenced by the fact that I lived there for nine years. Chicago is close to family, friends, and right next to one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. There is literally somewhere new to try for dinner every night if I'd wanted to. I've run this city's marathon four times. I had a great job I enjoyed at <a href="http://www.greatbooks.org/">a pretty awesome non-profit publishing company</a>. </div>
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And yet, the more I thought about it, the more I knew I needed to go to Seattle. </div>
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I suppose at this point I should go for the 'ooh's' and 'aah's' by saying that I was moving for love and that's why I needed to go. </div>
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That's part of the truth. I was moving because I loved an amazing woman. </div>
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But that isn't the whole truth. The whole truth was that I didn't want fear or comfort being the reason I stayed in Chicago. I didn't want to look back on my life and wonder what it would have been like if I followed Amanda out to Seattle. </div>
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In the deepest part of my heart, I knew I needed an adventure. </div>
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Not a 2-3 week jaunt to another country. I've had plenty of those over the years. I'm talking about an extreme life change, the kind I used to make every other year when I was in college, when I lived in Ireland, then Peru, then Chicago, then Costa Rica, ultimately leading me back to my job and life in Chicago. </div>
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Whether Amanda and I work out or not (and I very much hope we do), I knew that I had to at least try to move out to the Northwest. </div>
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First, I asked the Great Books Foundation if they'd be willing to let me do my current job remotely. They weren't, but to their credit, they did offer me an different position in the Seattle area. Unfortunately, the position they offered (and I can't stress enough that I was grateful for the offer) wasn't something I could see myself doing. Also, I knew if I moved to do a I job I hated, it would only hurt my relationship.</div>
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So I started applying for publishing jobs, guessing it would probably be months and months before I got a bite, and thinking that if someone was interested in hiring me, I'd take that as a sign that I should move. </div>
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Within a week, I got an interview with the second place I applied, as a Production Editor at an <i>amazing</i> company called <a href="http://beckermayer.com/">becker&mayer book producers</a>. Please take a second to check out their website. Note the <a href="http://beckermayer.com/titles/star-wars-lightsaber-thumb-wrestling/">Star Wars</a>, <a href="http://beckermayer.com/titles/star-trek-stellar-cartography-the-starfleet-reference-library/">Star Trek</a>, and <a href="http://beckermayer.com/titles/the-lands-of-ice-and-fire/">Game of Thrones</a> products they've worked on. </div>
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I took the job and, as you can guess, I'm kind of in heaven at this office. :)</div>
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In fact, I'm loving Seattle. There's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fremont_Troll">a troll under a bridge</a> here. There's a <a href="http://www.empmuseum.org/">science fiction museum</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdjjTyJKI-oQdmxtzCu00pyicyvzZelokUip24xZw7tbLOs7cCCRZErIuPeDSJgzQJR7a3l81iqsrE5bgpTpSm_PLw47jxjRK7F7zU3dtMWXrow4oaZTV3jzqHGR0kBAWsdEvKyK25QUG/s1600/IMG_20130619_162203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdjjTyJKI-oQdmxtzCu00pyicyvzZelokUip24xZw7tbLOs7cCCRZErIuPeDSJgzQJR7a3l81iqsrE5bgpTpSm_PLw47jxjRK7F7zU3dtMWXrow4oaZTV3jzqHGR0kBAWsdEvKyK25QUG/s1600/IMG_20130619_162203.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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There's <a href="http://www.nps.gov/mora/index.htm">mountains</a>. Lakes and forests everywhere!<br />
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All built around an amazing city.<br />
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So far, life is good! Amanda and I live in a pretty nice little apartment right by <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.seattle.gov/parks/magnuson/images/magnuson_aerial_1200px.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.seattle.gov/parks/magnuson/&h=184&w=274&tbnid=gqN5AUlz0zBg4M:&zoom=1&tbnh=160&tbnw=238&usg=__m9F1g17_tYWAGljAQp1L8WBcvk0=&docid=EJAr8y8uBHARPM&itg=1&sa=X&ei=RrJpU-OjO8eEogSjuoLwBg&ved=0CKABEPwdMA0">Magnuson Park</a> along Lake Washington. I've done a lot of writing. I've sold a few stories. I've joined a pretty fun writing group, and I've started training for a half-marathon in June. All of which will get their own future blog posts over the next few months.<br />
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And that's where my life is up until this point. I expect to be updating this blog a bit more frequently in the near future. Feel free to drop me a line and say hello!</div>
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hurlepathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11633601615837759698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-22764236686957201572014-05-01T10:17:00.001-07:002014-05-01T10:20:27.588-07:00Penumbra eMag: Where Do They Come From?<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Hey folks! I wrote a blog entry for <a href="http://penumbra.musapublishing.com/">Penumbra magazine</a> about stories and how I came up with idea for the story "Little Green Soldiers" (which was published in their <a href="http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=16&products_id=696">December 2013 issue</a>). </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Check it out when you get a chance:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://penumbraezine.blogspot.com/2014/05/where-do-they-come-from.html?spref=bl">Penumbra eMag: Where Do They Come From?</a>: by Patrick Hurley Ideas for stories are funny things. They come from the most random combination of thoughts and at completely unexpected ...</span>hurlepathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11633601615837759698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-31562465901542733942014-02-11T14:41:00.003-08:002014-02-11T14:41:49.235-08:00Changes Are Coming<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hello, you old blog! How are things? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh. Oh, really?</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I'm so very sorry. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No, I had no idea I let you fall into disrepair and ruin.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, yes, I've been busy with other things. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What are those other things? Well... I have been, um writing. Short stories and working on a book. Yes! That's it! And running! Marathons and such. Also, I moved across the country and--</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You're right. Yes. I have still managed to find time to play video games, watch Netflix, and dink around the internet during this period of great change. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No, it's not that you're not important, I just haven't--</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fine. You're right. I will pay more attention to you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How about we take you to the blog spa and get you a blog makeover? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ohhh, you like that, don't you? All right! Deal! We're going to spruce you up a bit, you quirky old, blog you. </span>hurlepathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11633601615837759698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-16356388104845051542012-05-29T10:08:00.001-07:002012-05-29T10:08:09.204-07:00The Great Books Foundation Blog: Discovering the Brave New World of e-BooksI wrote an article for another blog! No, I'm not betraying my own blog. Patrick's Stories and I are in an open blog relationship. Anyway, check it out when you get a chance. It's about my trip to the annual Publishing Business Conference in NYC back in March and about e-books...<br />
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<a href="http://blog.greatbooks.org/2012/05/discovering-brave-new-world-of-e-books.html?spref=bl">The Great Books Foundation Blog: Discovering the Brave New World of e-Books</a>: by Patrick Hurley On March 19th I flew from Chicago to New York City to attend the 2012 Publishing Business Conference and Expo. My primar...hurlepathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11633601615837759698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-43954571085266733622012-05-07T14:03:00.002-07:002012-05-08T11:44:20.044-07:00Half Marathon in Pittsburgh (amongst other things)I'm sitting in the living room of one of my closest friends, the possibly super-human Dr. Eric Johnson, with two beautiful dogs, Guinness and Roulette, while he is at the gym training for yet another Iron Man triathlon and his wife, (also possibly super-human) Dr. Natali Edmonds, is at work. It's a lazy Monday afternoon and I'm on vacation. I think I've earned the lazy day, having just run a half-marathon in Pittburgh 24 hours earlier.<br />
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I decided to run the half in January, after a reunion with Eric and our other good friend, the astounding head coach of Mizzou's track and field, Joseph Lynn this past NYE. It was a fun time, but I had a family tragedy strike right in the middle of their visit and felt like I wasn't able to enjoy my time quite properly. Eric suggested coming out in early May to run the Pittsburgh Marathon (which offers a 5k, 10k, half-, and full marathon) and I thought that running the half-marathon would an awesome idea. For one thing, it'd be great motivation for me to stay in shape throughout the winter. For another, it'd be a great spring-board for training for my full marathon in Chicago this fall. <br />
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A lot had happened since I last blogged. I had my story "A Parliament of Me" (previously released as a podcast on <a href="http://archive.org/details/WellToldTales-PulpFictionPodcast">Well Told Tales</a> a few years back) <a href="http://www.darkeronline.com/hurley.html">re-published in the e-zine Darker</a>. My uncle and godfather <a href="http://obits.mlive.com/obituaries/flint/obituary.aspx?n=john-leo-laforge&pid=155316078&fhid=4727">John Laforge</a> passed away. I read several amazing books and wrote a few passable short stories. I applied to and got rejected from both <a href="http://literature.ucsd.edu/affiliated-programs/clarion/index.html">Clarion Writer's Workshops</a>. (next year, my friends, next year) <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150591563401198&set=t.507432612&type=3&theater">All my siblings partied together for the first time ever on St. Patrick's Day weekend in Chicago.</a> I went to the national <a href="http://www.publishingbusiness.com/">Publishing Business Conference Exp</a>o in New York City. Its been an interesting time. Probably each one of those things could merit its own blog entry and there's more I won't mention.<br />
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I avoided my annual winter weight gain (which is usually like 15-20 lbs) and keep in relatively decent shape through the spring. That said, while I was SUPPOSED to be logging in a fair amount of miles prepping for this race, I was instead otherwise occupied. Oh, I still worked out, but until about a week ago, my farthest run had been 5 miles. Not exactly where you want to be before a half-marathon, not if you don't want to die.<br />
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Last Saturday, just to make sure I <i>wouldn't</i> die, I jogged 11 miles at 10:15 minutes per mile and came in feeling pretty good. Though I knew I wouldn't PR (set a personal record for you running novices out there), I also knew I could finish the half if I took it easy. Of course, what I didn't take into account was that instead of running on a cool 55 degree day in uber-flat Chicago along the Lakeshore path, I'd be running in the hilly-as-hell city of Pittsburgh on a 75 degree day.<br />
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Eric wasn't going to be running this one, but Natalie was with their friend Dustin. They planned on running about 7:30-7:45 per mile and since I planned on running about a 10:15 pace, I knew I would only be seeing them at the beginning and end of the race. We even had different starting corrals. Eric planned on driving us there with his dog Guinness and driving us home after for lunch and beer.<br />
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After a delicious pasta dinner Saturday evening, we all woke up at 6am Sunday and made our way to downtown Pittsburgh. After wading through masses of people, I managed to secure an nice spot in corral D. There was a pleasant breeze and a little morning sun as our wave slowly moved to the start line.<br />
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Then it happened. I just happened to look down and notice amidst the crumple packets of runner's goo and water cups a dollar bill. I picked it up and unfolded it to reveal $20! I looked around to see if anyone was looking for their dropped money but no one appeared to be. The couple standing next to me advised, "You need to keep that shit." Another guy smiled and said, "You might as well jump out, you've already won." That's when I knew it was going to be a good day.<br />
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As I crossed the start line I pressed the play button on the iPod nano strapped to my arm. I've had the nano for four years. Its been with me through 10 races, including two marathons, and more than a few thunderstorms and still works like a dream. Today was no different. The first song on my runner's playlist was created by my friends, the brothers Lukas and Josh Pederson, called "The Beat Box Kids," after which smoothly transitioned to the "Chariots of Fire" soundtrack. <br />
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Most of the run felt pretty good. The uphills weren't too steep and for every uphill there was a downhill that followed so I was able to catch my breath. I had to keep telling myself to relax and take it easy, not to get tensed up or to run too fast. There were a lot of Pittsburgh folks along the course and some pretty funky bands playing every other mile.<br />
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Finally we split off from the full marathoners at mile 11 and us halfer's made our way downtown for our finish. At this point in the morning it was starting to get pretty warm but I was confident in getting it done before the heat got too bad. <br />
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Then we hit mile 12. Which was almost completely an uphill. Now, I was pretty much squarely in the middle of the pack of runners. 10:00 per mile isn't fast but isn't super slow either. All along this hill I saw tons of people walking and I thought to myself, "I'm going to pass ALL THESE BITCHES!" and decided to run the whole uphill stretch.<br />
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Probably not the best decision. When I hit the top of the hill and I was gasping and seeing spots. Though I only had a mile left, it felt like it might as well have been 1000 miles. I walked through the Gatorade/water station and tried jogging again. What I didn't realize was that nearly the entire last mile of the race was a long downhill. <br />
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Some runners hate running downhill. I am not one of them. To me, it feels like a roller coaster. I can just relax and let gravity handle my pace for me. Which I did, cruising in with a nice light feeling for the last mile and finishing in about two hours and fifteen minutes.<br />
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After that, I wandered around to find Natalie, Eric, and Dustin at the <a href="http://animalrescue.org/node/272">Pittsburgh Animal Rescue League</a> tent (Natalie and Dustin ran and raised money for them). We swapped stories about the crazy signs we saw, the annoying powerwalkers who lied about their times to get into the fast corrals. Dustin crushed his race and Natalie ran awesome as well! Here's a picture of them:<br />
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Of course, we had a take a picture of me with own prize winnings, which we called the "money shot":<br />
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The reason my forehead look's a bit like the Joker's is that I just had swabbed on a ton of suntan lotion. Here's another pic with my boy Guinness. I was apparently confused about something:<br />
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After that, it was time for a shower, a well-earned shower beer, then an awesome lunch. Later that evening, we went to this great restaurant called Burgatory, where Eric and I posed with the most delicious alcoholic milkshake I've ever had:<br />
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All in all, it was a great adventure and I'm pumped to start my marathon training next month!<br />
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<br />hurlepathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11633601615837759698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-8842574991267922162011-11-22T19:25:00.000-08:002011-11-22T20:05:47.190-08:00Finishing a First DraftOn August 20th, 2011 I finished the first draft a book I started writing back in the winter of 2008. Here's a <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/hurlepat/media/slideshow?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwitpic.com%2F6976ub">picture</a> of a 12 year Glenfiddich Scotch I drank to celebrate.<br /><br />The book is titled <span style="font-style: italic;">The Constable of Bridge</span>. The first draft clocked in at 142,765 words (which is around 400 pages). I wrote it on <a href="http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php">Scrivener</a>. Its divided into two parts. 28 chapters and a prologue and epilogue.<br /><br />It's fantasy. But it's also a mystery. And there's a bit of science fiction thrown in. (What can I say? I like to mix and match genres!) It takes place in a town called Bridge--a place that I had oh-so-much fun discovering.<br /><br />On the advice of Stephen King's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Writing">On Writing</a> (a fantastic book--one of my favorites) I waited a few months after finishing the first draft and am just now starting to print out its pages and begin my first read-through. <br /><br />I'm vaguely terrified of doing this. <br /><br />One, because its a lot of work and I'm inherently lazy and a famous procrastinator. <br /><br />Two, because I know that I'm going to have to re-write and cut a lot, especially in the 1st half of the book. A whole <span style="font-weight: bold;">hell</span> of a lot has changed since I first began figuring out what kind of town Bridge is and what kind of people live there. Like, A LOT.<br /><br />If there is one thing that I've learned while writing TCoB, its that it's an incredibly BAD idea to start a novel with only an idea and hope you just figure out what is going to happen as you write (this is very contrary to King's <span style="font-style: italic;">On Writing</span>--which makes sense because King's one weakness in his novels is that he's very uneven at bringing them to conclusion).<br /><br />Sometimes the next step in the journey does not just appear. Sometimes you're walking in fog without any clue that there's a ledge right next to you and your book could just plunge off the fucking side without any hope of recovery if you're not careful. Then you will have wasted months writing 30,000 words that you just have to trash with almost nothing to show for it. I had to restart Bridge three goddam times because I just thought I could make it up as I went. I only finished because I forced myself to produce a basic outline.<br /><br />You see, I was afraid an outline would restrict me too much. I was terrified of that, in fact. But I found that as long as I had a vague notion of where I was going, I actually had the freedom to deviate significantly from it wherever I felt cause. Basically it helped me finish, and whatever helps you finish can't be all bad. You have to plan. You just have to. Well, sometimes. Perhaps its just that for THIS book, I had to create an outline and the next one I won't. I'll let you know when I finish the next book.<br /><br />Anyway, I've just started reading the prologue and first chapter. I like them. They make me smile. There's some good stuff there. There's also some stuff I need to change, but nothing serious. I'll refrain from making editor marks until I read through the rest. Only after I've done a complete read-through will I go back and start taking notes and making changes. <br /><br />Once I've fixed all the serious continuity errors, rewritten or axed or added scenes as necessary, then I'll edit for language. Cut the crap. Trim it down to make it lean and mean.<br /><br />During that time, I'll also start sending the thing out to agents and publishers. I will probably start going to Cons (science fiction and fantasy conventions for you non-geeks) and see if I can make any contacts there as well. <br /><br />And during all this, I'll still be working on other short stories.<br /><br />I just had a great idea for one today. Its about how certain creatures can only get you if you invite them in. Its about chat rooms on the internet. It is going to be really fun.hurlepathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11633601615837759698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-5099699727805437852011-11-19T16:34:00.000-08:002011-11-19T16:57:18.780-08:00Well, I'm backI think anyone who has ever had a blog that they haven't written in for awhile should be allowed to crib Sam's last line from <span style="font-style: italic;">Lord of the Rings</span> (just once, mind you) as a blog post title when writing their obligatory-sorry-I-haven't-updated-this-in-awhile-but-I'm-starting-up-again-and-will try-to-post-more-faithfully post.<br /><br />So, yes. I finally figured out how to switch my blog <span style="font-style: italic;">Patrick's Stories</span> from my old hotmail address to my current gmail. I know my Google-employed flatmate Matt is pleased that I've done away with the last of my old obsolete emails. Anyway, now that I can post in the blog under my current gmail address, I think I'll be posting a bit more.<br /><br />So, now that I've quoted Samwise and promised faithfully to try and update regularly, etc., etc., lets talk about what's happening in my life. <br /><br />What are the latest stories? Well it turns out quite a lot has gone on since I posted last. <br /><br />I ran another marathon.<br /><br />I went to France and Scotland for two weeks.<br /><br />I finished the first draft of my fantasy/mystery/science-fiction <span style="font-style: italic;">The Constable of Bridge</span>. I'm just now starting the dreadful task of editing it. Its going to be a lot of work. <br /><br />I also wrote two new short stories "Quotable Magic" and "Frozen" and am in the midst of trying to decide which of all these works to begin editing/polishing. I plan on polishing at least one story and submitting it for my dream school <a href="http://clarion.ucsd.edu/">Clarion Writer's Workshop</a> which George RR Martin will be teaching at this year.<br /><br />Work at <a href="http://www.greatbooks.org/">Great Books Foundation</a> is actually going pretty well. <br /><br />I've been really enjoying guitar lessons at <a href="http://www.oldtownschool.org/">The Old Town School of Folk Music</a>, an organization I cannot recommend highly enough to anyone interested in learning any kind of music. I can now play all the 12 major chords pretty well, play and sing with confidence about 4-5 songs, finger-pick one song really well. Right now I'm in the middle of barre chords--which are really fucking hard, by the way. I can play them, if I'm given about a minute to position my fingers. When I get really frustrated by it, I tell myself that I used to feel the same way about forming a C or G chord and now those things are easy, so hopefully barre chords will go the same way.<br /><br />I'm surprised to find myself really enjoying my 30's so far. I felt like I was in a bit of a funk these past few years. Maybe that happens at the end of every decade and once the new decade starts, each of us is infused with a fresh dose of energy and perspective to enjoy all the advantages that this new decade brings. Or it could be that a combination of music classes, lots of running, and working on stories with some regularity has made me into a happier person.<br /><br />Anyway, I plan on doing a more detailed post devoted to each of the things I've mentioned above, plus of course, any new and exciting stories that come my way.hurlepathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11633601615837759698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-6867680580820462442011-07-22T11:18:00.000-07:002014-05-07T17:38:15.938-07:00Luna Springs now available on Big Pulp!Exciting news! My science fiction story "Luna Springs" is available in the latest issue of <a href="http://www.bigpulp.com/">Big Pulp magazine</a>!<br />
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You can check out the magazine's web page here: <a href="http://www.bigpulp.com/">http://www.bigpulp.com/</a><br />
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The Fall 2011 issue of Big Pulp (which has some really great stories in it) can be either purchased in print form or downloaded here:<br />
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<a href="http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/big-pulp-summer-2011/16209457">http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/big-pulp-summer-2011/16209457</a><br />
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I'm pretty excited. Big Pulp is a pretty sweet magazine and e-zine.<br />
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To some of you, the title "Luna Springs" may sound familiar. You might be thinking, "Wait a minute, Pat, didn't that story already get published?"<br />
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Well, astute reader, that's sort of true. Luna Springs made its first public appearance a few years back as <a href="http://www.gardenstreet.org/drabblecastarchive/archive/150_files/72a0789861048a506efd905e679d3304-33.php">an AUDIO story</a> on the award-winning podcast <a href="http://web.me.com/normsherman/Site/Podcast/Podcast.html">Drabblecast</a>, hosted by Norm Sherman. (feel free to take a listen, links in this post and at top of the blog) "Luna Springs" has never seen the light of day in print or text format online.<br />
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Until now!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-61682225203165006042011-04-27T21:39:00.000-07:002011-04-28T21:48:01.205-07:00the last two weeks--Part TwoSo, where was I?<br /><br />Oh yeah. Following the weekend where I went across the state of MI twice, watched the Red Wings lose, ran a 8k race, and listened to my published story, I crashed pretty hard on Sunday. I needed to, because there was a lot going on the following week.<br /><br />See, Neil Gaiman's book <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neverwhere_%28novel%29"><span style="font-style: italic;">Neverwhere</span></a> was chosen as this year's <a href="http://www.chipublib.org/eventsprog/programs/onebook_onechgo.php">One Book One Chicago</a>. Those of you that know me know that <a href="http://journal.neilgaiman.com/">Neil Gaiman</a> is one of my favorite authors and sort of one of my hero's. If we were in the Middle Ages, I would beg to be his apprentice, do all his chores, and sleep outside his house, learning all that I could from this master-storyteller. Nowadays that's apparently "illegal" and author's apparently will call the fascist police who will "arrest" you for "stalking." Whatever, I guess I know <span style="font-style: italic;">some</span> people who hate freedom.<br /><br />Gaiman's wrote all the Sandman comics (which are amongst my favorite comics ever), the book <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Gods"><span style="font-style: italic;">American Gods</span></a> (which inspired "The Sparrow"), the Newberry Awarding-winning <a href="http://www.mousecircus.com/videotour.aspx">The Graveyard Book</a>, the book <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stardust_%28novel%29"><span style="font-style: italic;">Stardust</span></a> (which <a href="http://www.stardustmovie.com/">the movie is based on</a>), and whole slew of excellent short stories, comic books, and poems. He is who I want to be when I grow up. Sans British accent.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Neverwhere</span> initially started out <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neverwhere">as a TV show</a> for the BBC which Gaiman created, but wasn't happy with (due to budget restrictions) and subsequently wrote as a book. Its one of the best urban fantasy's out there. There is London Above, which normal folks like you and me walk around going about our daily lives... and there is London Below. London Below is populated by the forgotten people, people who've slipped through the cracks. It is where the myths dwell, where succubi and rat folk go to war, where souls can be kept in blue eggs for safe-keeping. In London Below, Knight's Bridge, and all the other tube stations are named quite literally. I enjoyed the book immensely when I read it years ago and quite enjoyed <a href="http://www.theatreinchicago.com/playdetail.php?playID=3172">Lifeline Theater's adaption of it last summer</a>. So when I found out that Neil was coming to give several talks for One Book One Chicago, I was like, "Oh hell yes I'm going to these events, no matter what the restraining orders say."<br /><br />The first event was to be a conversation with Audrey Niffenegger, author of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Traveler%27s_Wife"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Time Traveler's Wife</span></a> and Neil, held in Harold Washington Library. I've met Audrey very briefly through a friend at work. Very interesting lady. Talented writer, fantastic artist, and an eclectic conversationalist. The problem was that this was scheduled the very same evening as my guitar class at Old Town School of Folk Music. This was a bit of dilemma. I loved the class and I wasn't going to miss it (especially after paying $160 for the 8 lessons). However... NEIL GAIMAN IN CHICAGO!!! I couldn't miss that either. However, I knew he was scheduled to go to another event the following night, so I figured I'd be responsible, skip this first event and go to class. That is until I walked by Harold Washington library, saw the <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bleedingcool.com/wp-content/uploads//2011/03/neverwhere-chicago-570x880.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.bleedingcool.com/2011/03/04/neverwhere-returns-to-chicago-by-greg-baldino/&usg=__SS9zG_xiPQylsxt4mXXog5s6LXo=&h=880&w=570&sz=99&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=ApmdxxPU_jxztM:&tbnh=179&tbnw=112&ei=ufW4TdfEKKrn0QG13_yBBg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Done%2Bbook%2Bone%2Bchicago%2Bneverwhere%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26biw%3D1440%26bih%3D665%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=637&vpy=68&dur=633&hovh=279&hovw=181&tx=78&ty=138&page=1&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0">really cool Neverwhere poster in the library</a> and figured, "What the hell? I can make it work."<br /><br />So I waited in line, reading some newly-checked out books, and got in. Not in the room that Neil and Audrey were in. That seats only a few hundred I'm afraid. I did get into the overflow room, where I had a front seat to a giant movie screen to watch the interview live. I enjoyed the hell out of it. Many interesting things were said. I did have to leave early, sprinting across Chicago, riding trains, leaping onto buses, packing guitars and flagging down cabs, but I also made it to guitar class--only 10 minutes late. And I also had time to buy a signed copy of <span style="font-style: italic;">American Gods</span> along the way.<br /><br />One event down, one more to go. The second Gaiman talk the next day promised to be more fun than the first. The Cathedral at U of C is beautiful, though the seats in the pews aren't comfortable. (Favorite comment from the event was a college student telling her friend, "Well he's British, so of course he's <span style="font-style: italic;">ADORABLE</span>.) " Gaiman gave a half hour reading from the pulpit (hilarious) and then a short talk followed by Q&A from the audience. No, I did not ask him anything, but we did learn, amongst other things, that HBO is talks with him to produce a show based on <span style="font-style: italic;">American Gods</span>.<br /><br />Part of the reason I think HBO initiated these talks with Gaiman is because of next item on my list of interesting things I was very excited about. See, two weekends ago, <a href="http://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones/index.html">HBO PREMIERED GAME OF THRONES!!!</a><br /><br />I've been waiting years to watch this adaptation. <span style="font-style: italic;">Game of Thrones</span> is the first book in the Song of Ice and Fire series by George Martin. I've posted about it before--it might be the best fantasy currently being written. That HBO has decided to adapt it makes me happy beyond belief. The first episode was amazing--as both a viewer and a fan. The reactions were so positive that HBO already decided to renew for a second season! Some say its fantasy for people who don't like fantasy. Others say its <span style="font-style: italic;">Lord of the Rings</span> meets <span style="font-style: italic;">Sopranos</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">The Wire</span>. I think its simply a beautifully written story containing some of the most fully realized human characters I've ever read. The first two episodes have been simply amazing--from acting, to setting, to special effects--they're knocking it out of the frickin' park. The geek in me is very pleased.<br /><br />Not only that, but GRRM (the acronym for George R.R. Martin) just announced today that he's finished with book #5 in the series! <a href="http://www.georgerrmartin.com/if-update.html">A DANCE WITH DRAGONS IS DONE! </a>I've been waiting for that book for five years! It comes out on July 12th and I can promise you I will have taken that day off.<br /><br />Finally, a bit of an update on my story "The Sparrow" up on <a href="http://www.castmacabre.org/">Cast Macabre</a>. The editor of the site asked me to either write or record an explanation of how I came up with the story and my writing process in general. Using the free software Audacity, and my Mac's built-in mike, I recorded a two-minute on it. Its going to be posted soon. And apparently, the editor enjoyed it enough that he's interested in having me read a few of their stories!<br /><br />OK, that's all for now. There's a few other things I could mention (some interesting writing and reading lately), guitar performances, running schedules, <a href="http://www.greatbooks.org/programs-for-all-ages/gb/gbgroups/great-books-chicago/great-books-chicago-2011.html">Great Books Chicago</a>, <a href="http://trailers.apple.com//705/us/media/galleries/paramount/transformersdarkofthemoon/TF3_reveal_image_3-L_720.jpg">Decepticons attacking the building where I work</a>, interesting encounters with homeless people and bike messengers--but I'll hold off. Have to save something for the next entry!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-52308049827334034032011-04-24T20:01:00.000-07:002011-04-24T20:40:43.939-07:00the last two weeks--Part OneHappy Easter folks!<br /><br />So I just finished watching HBO's <span style="font-style: italic;">Game of Thrones</span> and, at the moment, I'm sipping some mead (brought to the apartment courtesy of the lovely Jen Vanderplaats) and reflecting: I have to say it's been an pretty interesting, pretty awesome last few weeks.<br /><br />I'll start the recap on Friday, April 8th. Technically two weeks and two days, but close enough, says I. Anyway, I took that day off and took the Amtrak Wolverine train back to Portage, MI to visit the family. The reason for the visit is that I bought my dad and my brother Sean tickets to the Red Wings vs. Blackhawks game at Joe Louis Arena as a Christmas gift. I try to do something like this every year, either for my mom or sisters, or my dad and my brother. Event gifts are fun, and its a good way to keep in touch with my family, since almost all of them are in Michigan.<br /><br />So after spending a few pleasant hours at home, Dad, Sean, and I drove 2.5 hours to Joe Louis in Detroit to watch the game. I had a nice time talking with my dad and little brother during the drive. The game, unfortunately was a bit of a blowout. The frickin' Blackhawks scored in literally the first minute and added two more goals before the end of the first period. Halfway through the game, it was pretty clear we were in for a blowout. The three of us still had fun. Can't wait until Sean is 21 (he's 10 years younger than me--so just turned 20) and we can all have some beers. Of course, two days later the Wings had an awesome game and destroyed the Blackhawks in Chicago. Would have been nice of you to play that well for me and my family, fellas!<br /><br />We drove the long 2.5 hours back and I spent the night in Portage and took a train back next afternoon to Chicago. Had to leave that afternoon, because I was running the Shamrock Shuffle in Chicago Sunday morning. I have a bit of an interesting history with that race. The first time I ran it in 2005 with my very good friend and former roommate Nick Vanderkwaak and my family came to watch. Nick and I did pretty good, clocking in at around 38 minutes, just under 8 minutes per mile. I think we even qualified for a competitive start the next year. The second time next I ran it in 2006 I wasn't as fast, about 42 minutes, but it was still fun. After that race, I ran into my good friend Jackie Hurley's mom, who happens to actually be in charge of the event--which is the 2nd largest race in Chicago. She hooked me up with tickets to the Champion Tent. It was hilarious. Suffice to say, the tent was a little nicer than what the average finisher gets. There's mimosas. Chef's making omelettes. Bacon. Pastries. Fresh fruit. And here's stocky me, amongst all these stick thin elite runners. I proceeded to smuggle food out to all my non-champion friends outside the tent. The fifth time I was in line, the chef looked at me with raised eyebrows, to which I responded, "Hey, I run like a champion, I eat like a champion." The third time I signed up for the race in 2007, I... didn't run. I skipped. We had a really wild party the night before. Shame. There's probably a metaphor in there somewhere.<br /><br />Fast forward a few years later, and I decided to make the Shamrock my first race of 2011 but it happened to be on the same weekend that I was going to the Red Wings game with Dad and Sean. No worries, I could make that work. Saturday night, after getting back from MI, I stopped off at my friend James Brock's place to get my race packet he'd picked up for me while I was watching the Wings get slaughtered. Brock and I both did the Chicago Marathon last year. The one that was hot as hell. (though not as bad as the one in 2006) This time, we told ourselves, at least we didn't have to worry about the weather. I mean, what were the chances it would be 80 degrees on April 10th?<br /><br />Of course, it was 82 degrees that morning during the race. Brock and I must have pissed off God or something. Despite the shitty hot weather, I was pretty happy with my run. I've gotten a bit slower in my old age (and fatter) and I was in this case just hoping to break 50 minutes, which I did. 48 minutes. 10 minutes slower than I was 5 years ago. Running 9:44 per mile as opposed to 7:44. Hmmm. I told myself I'd have to see what I could do about that. But I'd worry about that later. After the race, Brock, Cheryl (his wife), and I met up with another friend Jamie and others, had some beers and a late brunch and called it a morning.<br /><br />It was a good weekend. Not just because I got to see family, watch the Red Wings lose, or run a race with friends. That weekend I also received word that my short story "The Sparrow" was released on Cast Macabre, a podcast website (see previous post for details). It was fucking awesome to listen to a voice actor (with a British accent--to give it a touch of class) read my story. I was really happy with it. (more on that to come)<br /><br />Just realized how long this entry is becoming and I've decided to split it here. Will work on Part Two tomorrow. There's still lots of interesting stuff to come!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-8492734626646182462011-04-09T16:53:00.000-07:002011-04-09T17:29:49.027-07:00The Sparrow out on Cast Macabre!I'm proud to be able to say that one of my stories "The Sparrow" can now be listened to on the excellent podcast site <a href="http://www.castmacabre.org/">Cast Macabre</a>.<br /><br />You can go to the website linked above where it is episode #37*, download (or subscribe) via iTunes, or listen directly <a href="http://ia700607.us.archive.org/34/items/Cm37-TheSparrowByPatrickHurley/Cm37TheSparrowByPatrickHurley.mp3">here</a>.<br /><br />SPOILERS: "The Sparrow" takes place in what is called the Middle Passage, a rather non-descript term used to refer to the appallingly brutal voyage slave traders took between the African continent and the United States in the 18th century. It may also feature zombies. All this to basically say that it might not be for the squeamish: there's explicit violence, gore, and language. /END SPOILERS <br /><br />"The Sparrow" is now officially my most re-published story. It was first released a few years back on the now defunct Horror Library's website where it won a monthly contest. Then it was republished in the excellent e-zine <span style="font-style: italic;">Allegory</span>. (which you can download and read from their website for $2--links on the side of my blog page)<br /><br />Now its available to LISTEN to as an audio play. I have to confess I like Cast Macabre's version best! Reader Graeme Dunlop does an <span style="font-style: italic;">excellent</span> job with the voices of the characters and the music and sound effects are superb.<br /><br />Its a half hour long, but if you get a chance, please listen to it and let me know what you think.<br /><br />*Odd coincidence enough, this is the second story that is an Episode #37 on a podcast (another of my stories, "Luna Springs" is <a href="http://gardenstreet.org/drabblecastarchive/archivemp3/150mp3_files/fe7e95f4f4a90d7c3baf800a49cf64ec-33.php">Episode #37 </a>on <a href="http://web.me.com/normsherman/Site/Podcast/Podcast.html">The Drabblecast</a> podcast)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-73049383780647495312010-11-21T19:28:00.000-08:002010-11-21T19:48:52.226-08:00Wisdom of Our Mothers<span style="font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;"><b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</b></span> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="JUSTIFY"><span style="font-size:100%;">Familia Books announces the release of a new anthology, <i>Wisdom of Our Mothers.</i> It includes the work of local writer</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" > Patrick Hurley</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><b> </b>and is edited by Eric Bowen.<b><br /></b></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="JUSTIFY"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>Patrick Hurley is Production Coordinator for The Great Books Foundation and has been published in several books, magazines, e-zines, and fiction podcasts, including Allegory, Niteblade, Big Pulp, The Drabblecast, Well Told Tales, and Ghostlight.<br /></b></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0.19in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="JUSTIFY"><span style="font-family:Times,Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,serif;">Comprised of stories and poetry by eighty-eight accomplished contemporary authors from around the world, the collection explores </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,serif;">the theme of lessons learned from the authors’ mothers. It is the brain-child of part-time philanthropist Eric Bowen. Guided by his own mother’s teaching that “one does well by doing good,” Bowen has pledged half his profits from the book to raise funds for shelters for abused mothers and children.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0.19in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="JUSTIFY"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;">Everyone has a mother, and readers will doubtlessly find stories in this anthology that relate to their own experiences. Yet Bowen’s presentation isn’t sentimental. The mothers profiled in the stories are human. Their virtues are balanced by their flaws, and in some cases, the lessons learned from those flaws form the basis of the story.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0.19in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="JUSTIFY"><span style="font-family:Times,Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,serif;">The anthology explores maternal wisdom in various categories:</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,serif;"> emotional, relationship, and practical skills; virtues, humor, and heritage</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,serif;">. One chapter delves into “the dark side,” profiling some truly dysfunctional mothers. “From other lands” describes motherhood in cultures outside the American mainstream.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="JUSTIFY"><span style="font-size:100%;">This book now available on the Familia Books website, www.familiabooks.com, and from CreateSpace.com, will soon be available at your local bookstore and through major internet booksellers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. </span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i>WISDOM OF OUR MOTHERS</i></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" lang="en-US"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:M4dS53 P50ゴ3fシ3fッ3fク3f,Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size:6px;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">ISBN </span></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">978-145-363101-0</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">296 pps.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">List Price: $14.95</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" lang="en-US"><span style="color: rgb(10, 40, 10);"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Familia Books</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Eric Bowen, Editor</p> <p style="margin-left: 0.38in; text-indent: -0.36in; margin-bottom: 0in;" lang="en-US"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">PMB 326</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left: 0.38in; text-indent: -0.36in; margin-bottom: 0in;" lang="en-US"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">1225 East Sunset Drive Suite 145</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left: 0.38in; text-indent: -0.36in; margin-bottom: 0in;" lang="en-US"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Bellingham, WA 98226</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left: 0.38in; text-indent: -0.36in; margin-bottom: 0in;" lang="en-US"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size:85%;">www.familiabooks.com</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size:85%;">ericjbowen@comcast.net</span></span></p> <p style="margin-left: 0.38in; text-indent: -0.36in; margin-bottom: 0in;" lang="en-US"></p><div><embed src="http://widget-f1.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=lt&il=1&channel=432345564278341105&site=widget-f1.slide.com" style="width: 200px; height: 160px;" name="flashticker" align="middle"></embed><div style="width: 200px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=lt&at=un&id=432345564278341105&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-f1.slide.com/p1/432345564278341105/lt_t021_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide1.gif" border="0" /></a></div></div><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-30447358210848958812010-10-03T20:21:00.000-07:002010-10-06T20:47:49.357-07:00Quarterly Update<style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Every three months or so, the president of the Great Books Foundation informs me that its time to send him a quarterly update, which basically means: summarize all the shit your department has been working on the past three months so that board members and have an inkling what it is you're doing. (The Production Department, which I run, is a department of one, by the way.)</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I thought it was time for my own quarterly update. OK, that's not entirely accurate. I thought it was time to write one several weeks ago when I began to write this blog entry, while on the Amtrak train from Chicago to Kalamazoo for Cheryl and Brock's wedding.<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I love train rides. Much nicer than planes. You're sitting in a comfortable seat, with all the room you need. You can watch the world fly by without a worry in the world. You can read if you like, or, since there's an outlet in every seat, you can also watch a DVD on your laptop.<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">And if you're like me, you can write. Which is what I did. After typing out a 1,000 good words for my book that morning, I thought I'd type out a bit of a entry for my blog.<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">... </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Unfortunately, I was unable to finish the entry that day, and so, here we are, several weeks later represented rather sadly by ellipses above. Summer has said her farewells and we're in the midst of a brisk Chicago autumn. I feel as though there are so many things to talk about. Work. Marathon training. Paying off debts. Writing a book. Where to begin, where to begin? </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I had a lot of fun this summer. Many good adventures. But as fun as they were, I cannot escape the fact that I'm getting older. I see it in my face, feel it in my body, and know it in my heart. Hangovers hurt more. Weight seems to be harder to shed. Work actually stresses me out. I can't read as fast as I used to. And for the first time that I can recall, I'm a little scared of this. Its been six years since I moved to Chicago. Six years. I don't want to to look back in another six and wonder why it is that I haven't grown up yet. </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I don't feel older. I just feel more tired. In the past, when summer turned to fall I used to wonder what the next season's adventures would bring. Who I'd meet, what I'd do. Now everything just seems stagnant and the same. I used to think I still had time to learn to play guitar or maybe go out to Maine for a fall and live in a cabin. At 25, you still have the luxury of unrealistic dreams. Of inner fantasies that pass the time and make the mundane bearable. At 29, they seem to weigh heavier, to become burdens rather than escapes. </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In fact, my three resolutions: 1. finish book 2. run marathon 3. pay off credit cards were created in large part to fight this growing fear.<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Of course, the summer where I decide to run a marathon has to be the one where Chicago gets the worst heat wave its had in five years. God running in hot weather sucks! I'm naturally warm-blooded anyway, and the air was so humid this summer it felt like I was swimming instead of running. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">And here's the thing, when my running mileage gets up there, its bloody HARD to find the energy to write. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I remember this happened round the same time when I trained for the marathon five years ago. Once I started running into the double digits on the weekends, all my creative writing basically went out the window. It was not until the marathon was over that I was able to get back in the saddle. I thought I was prepared this time to face that. And I was wrong.<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Writing stories comes in such odd spurts for me. Everyone always spouts bullshit about waiting for the muse, and while that has some truth, (there definitely is a muse (who's awesome, btw)), the thing that no one likes to talk about and no one likes to hear is that it takes a lot of discipline, A fucking ton of discipline, actually, along with hard work, a bit of talent, and a smidgen of luck. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I'm usually lucky with stuff like that. Mostly. I think I have talent. A bit, anyway. The big problem is my creative discipline, which is about as dependable as a bipolar leprechaun on crack. Sometimes its there, in full force, jumping on my shoulder, shouting “GET 'ER DONE!” and other times its just gone. Probably in a back alley doing crack somewhere with the other leprechauns. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">So I'll go for a week or two, writing most days, some decent, some amazing, some shitty. And then, I just... stop. Its as if it becomes terrifying and impossible to sit down and write. And this lasts for weeks. And that is sort of where I'm at right now.<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The marathon is a few days away. I'm prepared for it. It actually should be almost fun. But I haven't written anything substantial in weeks.<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">So, I'm writing this to say that once I've ran it (and I will post about it) its time to shift back into writing mode. If you've seen a leprechaun running around with bloodshot eyes and powder around his mouth, please let me know.<br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-17904004231788264902010-07-26T18:59:00.000-07:002010-07-27T06:24:26.090-07:00InceptionI have lots of other updates I could post about, including how marathon training is going (decent), how my book is coming along (so-so), and how my debt-paying quest has gone (excellent, but problematic). And I will write posts about all of those things soon. Really, I will. I promise.<br /><br />In the meantime, this past weekend after visiting Michigan to see both my family and Dave Williams' family (with a side of Egglestons), on Sunday my brother Sean, sister Nora, and I went to see the film <span style="font-style: italic;">Inception</span>.<br /><br />I think the mark of a great movie is one that stays with you, that you turn over in your head before going to sleep. <span style="font-style: italic;">Inception</span> was certainly one of those for me. Nolan is a talented filmmaker with an excellent vision. Almost everything about the film is sleek and well-crafted.<br /><br />After watching it, I've been sifting through various theories on the web about the film, seeing if there's anything I might have missed. (that is what the Internet is for, is it not?)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">[Major Spoilers Ahead]</span><br /><br />There are those who've watched the film and come away with the theory that the whole thing was a dream. I can see why. Because we are shown that the end may or may not be Cobb's dream, (which is a great ambiguous clincher), it's tempting to think, "Ooo, we don't see the top fall over. We don't know if Cobb's dreaming or not... Maybe, MAYBE the whole fucking film is a dream!"<br /><br />In some ways, this is true. After all, it's a work of fiction and so <em class="bbc">it is</em> a dream: on a meta-fictional level. By Nolan having his characters explain to each other (and the audience) the narrative tools that all fiction (film or otherwise) use, such as scene shifts and or lucky narrative events, etc., as simply the mechanics of how a shared dream works, he not only allows us to suspend our disbelief, but actually pulls the viewer in deeper by forcing them to wonder if the whole thing is a dream.<br /><br />I mean, I thought it unlikely that Cillian Murphy's character would have so easily believed Cobb in the "hotel", but then I thought, "Well, the guy's in a dream of a dream. He's had several dozen projections of his subconscious security team killed, so he's probably not operating with a full deck at the moment." It's a narrative ploy that is both devious and effective. (in contrast, Nolan's Joker pulled off quite a few nigh-impossible feats, but our disbelief was just as suspended there because we could say "Its a comic book movie")<br /><br />One can say, "but wait, who names their child Ariadne? That's obvious symbolism. She must be an aspect of his Jungian psyche! Same with Arthur. And what if Eames was a doctor? Then his name would be Dr. Eames!"<br /><br />That's a little too obvious. Stories use archetypes. (that's why they're archetypes) Because of the exceptionally complex meta-juggling that Nolan is doing throughout the film, especially with his finale, it's difficult to sift through what in the film is a dream and what is simply a narrative device. I should add that I think that was done deliberately. That's what makes it fun. Nolan <span style="font-style: italic;">deliberately</span> leaves it ambiguous enough so that you <em class="bbc">could</em> debate the whole thing. Mal's attempt to seduce Cobb to stay in limbo by questioning his reality <em class="bbc">is</em> another lie, but like all powerful lies, contains a grain of truth (since this is a fictional story). Her attempt to persuade him to stay serves a double-purposed of getting Cobb, as well as us, the audience, to question his reality.<br /><br />However, the theory that the whole film is Cobb's dream fails to take into account the narrative moments in which Cobb has absolutely no part in: Saito waking up an a train in front of the Asian kid. Arthur training Ariadne on the Penrose staircase. Ariadne watching Cobb sleep. Arthur kissing Ariadne. Saito and Eame's interaction on the elevator. Arthur fighting a Spider-man-esque/Matrixy battle in the hotel. Eames going all James Bond on the skis. (Eames was awesome by the way)<br /><br />So, I think that up until the end, it was all real (in that fictional world).<br /><br />Now, after Cobb wakes up on the plane after rescuing Saito... I'm not so sure.<br /><br />The remainder of the film did seem to have an ethereal quality to it, and seemed almost <span style="font-style: italic;">too</span> perfect. But the maddening thing is: THAT'S HOW ALL FILMS END.<br /><br />Think about the end of <span style="font-style: italic;">Ocean's 11</span>. Or <span style="font-style: italic;">The Italian Job</span>. Or any movie when a parent reunites with their children.<br /><br />I could go either way, but I like to think that in the end, it was real, that Cobb succeeded and did reunite with his kids, after finally putting his guilt over his ex-wife to rest.<br /><br />The fact that I felt moved enough to think about the film this much (I definitely plan on seeing it again) makes me enjoy it all the more. I'm glad that there are artists like Chris Nolan around, who aren't afraid to be unique, who aren't afraid to test the audience. <span style="font-style: italic;">Inception</span> was a treat. One that I plan on experiencing again soon.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-9045080329021807452010-05-15T07:54:00.000-07:002010-05-15T08:24:59.129-07:00after the vacations, a sign of maturitySo Costa Rica, my sister's graduation, and Las Vegas are all done. Thank God. I think its a sign of growing up that I still have some money in the bank after all that. Not a lot of money, mind you, and my plan to pay off the last of my credit cards has been set back by at least a month or two, but a few years ago I would have come back from a series of trips like that <span style="font-style: italic;">completely</span> broke.<br /><br />So yay for growing up. After working this weekend, I'll have the last part of the Vegas paid off, and its just smooth sailing of paying down CC debt from there.<br /><br />You see, I gave myself three goals (you could call them resolutions--but I decided on them in March, not January 1st) for this year. 1. Finish writing the first draft of my book <span style="font-style: italic;">The Constable of Bridge</span> 2. PAY OFF CREDIT CARDS 3. Run a marathon.<br /><br />So far, each of these goals is actually proceeding along fairly smoothly. My writing has been fairly consistent and fun this past month or so, I've been prepping for my marathon training, which starts in June, and I've made some good strides forward to pay down debt.<br /><br />Growing up is weird. Sometimes I'm half convinced that the key to being a successful grownup is to fool yourself into thinking that you enjoy hard work. Other times, I have this sneaking suspicion that everyone is faking it, no really has any idea what the hell they're doing, and adulthood has been this fabled myth that few actually achieve before they're 80.<br /><br />I think I myself may have grown up a <span style="font-style: italic;">leetle</span> bit these past few years. Certainly I don't blow all my money at bars the way I used to. I have more patience at work, more self-control at meetings. I have a much better ability to say no to my friends when they want to go out. I can focus on the task at hand a little better. Five years ago, when I did the Chicago marathon, that was all I had time for. I trained for that and worked at GBF and that was it. I couldn't find the energy or wherewithal to write. Now, I'm managing to juggle two jobs, writing, and marathon training. So yeah, hence my theory that growing up = fooling yourself into liking hard work.<br /><br />Speaking of which, at the moment the blog entry is rapidly devolving an excuse not to work on my book, so I must end this entry before the demons of procrastination take too firm a hold...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6511286893239891842.post-60066295111469784702010-05-05T08:54:00.000-07:002010-05-05T09:03:54.341-07:00"The Nature of My Game" story availableSo I was informed last week by A. W. Gifford, editor of <a href="http://www.greatlakeshorror.com/ghostlightmagazine.html">Ghostlight Magazine</a>, the fiction magazine put out by <a href="http://www.greatlakeshorror.com/home.html">Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers</a>, that my short story "The Nature of My Game" was published this past fall in the premiere issue, Volume 1 Issue 1. <br /><br />You can order a PDF version of the entire magazine ($4) or perfect-bound soft-cover print edition ($8.95 plus shipping) of the issue, which, along with my 1,000-word story, contains some great fiction and poetry. Here's the <a href="http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/ghostlight-vol-1-issue-1/5965762">link</a>. And here's a <a href="http://stores.lulu.com/glahw">link</a> to the page of other publications put out by GLAHW.<br /><br />I'll also be adding the links to my publishing list on the right side of the blog. "The Nature of My Game" is quite a short story, one which I really enjoyed writing and now have a sort of amusing view on. Check it out, when you get a chance.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0