Writing Contest

Writtenwyrdd has an October contest in honor of Halloween. Write a horror story in 1,000-words or less. The details are here. And here is a picture of the grand prize. I wouldn't mind winning that. So, even though I am not a horror writer, I wrote a horror story and submitted it.

Things to Do for Fun

I like maps. I use them to help me in world building.

World building is fun. It is personally satisfying. It is also a lot of work, if one wishes to do it well.

Often, for me, the beginning of a new world begins with a new map. Like the one below. The map below only shows a portion of a world. There is a vast mountain range stretching from west to east. South of it is an even greater forest area, and a huge lake with seven rivers flooding it, and one draining.


What I might add next would be something to the north. Perhaps a coastal area? Rivers would flow from the melting glacial ice caps to the sea. There would be others which cut into the forest. After establishing the geography I would begin to add settlements. Coastal towns, and villages along river routes. Perhaps roads would be cut, connecting major villages.Having done all of that, the easy part is over. Now it is time to figure out just who lives in this place. Are they woodsmen? Fishermen? Whalers? Are they warlike? How far have they progressed technologically. Are they one kind of people, or are various races represented?

Eventually what must be determined is the main character. Who is the specific woman (man/creature/being) to develop a story? And importantly, what is their conflict?

But that's what happens when the world begins with a map. Just as often I begin with a character, a conflict, and a need to find a place in which this character can resolve their conflict. When this happens, the actual map is drawn later, if at all.

I like maps. But I don't always use them. Many of my stories have no world map. Some have no map at all. And many of my maps have no story. But I like maps.

From the Quiet of a Forest

So I've not posted here in two months. Sometimes I think about deleting my blogs and just starting over. But it's not that simple.

I think about this blog a lot. I feel bad because it never got the visitors I hoped it would. People just aren't interested in Swords of Fire. Certainly not agents. What a pity. Swords of Fire means so much to me.

Swords of Fire remains on my mind a lot, despite my lately working on stories which have nothing to do with it. That Swords of Fire should not invoke enthusiasm from others is disappointing to the extreme. I suppose I could take the time out and rewrite it yet again. I've lost track of the number of rewrites the story has been subjected to. It's changed over the years. As have I.

It began in 1973 or 1974. I'm never quite sure now. Those were just ideas. In 1976 I wrote the true beginnings of what was to become a life's work. That was called, White King of Ladondo. I don't think that copy exists anymore. The map certainly doesn't. That was drawn on the paper wrapping for a queen-sized mattress. Greatest map I've ever drawn.

I screwed up my life. From the beginning I got everything wrong. And it's cost me. Cost me dearly. The amazing thing about that is, I'm supposed to be a genius or something. Got the I.Q. for it anyway.

But I let others dictate my decisions. I believed them when they told me I should 'want this', 'do that', 'go there'. And I was afraid. That more than anything has just made my life hell. Afraid to say "I love you" to the people I loved. Afraid to really try and be what I wanted to be. Afraid to go where I wanted to go.

And now I'm old.

Too old to do so many things I wanted to do. They are youth dependent. And now I'm also out of money. Too broke to go where I want to go and do what I want to do.

So what about Swords of Fire? If it's ever going to be published I expect it is going to have to be rewritten. Am I too old to get it done? It's getting harder and harder to believe. You know?