Author Topic: Progress sometimes means walking backwards  (Read 85865 times)

jrderego

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Reply #25 on: March 19, 2007, 07:18:25 PM
Just completed first complete draft of "Union Dues: A Noose with Jade Accents"

5400 words.

This is the bridge story between the original 10 Union Dues stories and the five Team Shikaragaki Stories that follow it.

"Happiness consists of getting enough sleep." Robert A. Heinlein
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jrderego

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Reply #26 on: April 04, 2007, 04:30:49 PM
Rewrite of Union Dues: Send in the Clowns.

14 hours.

Fingers are like bloody stumps.

"Happiness consists of getting enough sleep." Robert A. Heinlein
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jrderego

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Reply #27 on: April 05, 2007, 07:47:01 PM
Isn't it rich?
Are we a pair?
Me here at last on the ground,
You in mid-air.
Send in the clowns.

Isn't it bliss?
Don't you approve?
One who keeps tearing around,
One who can't move.
Where are the clowns?
Send in the clowns.

Just when I'd stopped opening doors,
Finally knowing the one that I wanted was yours,
Making my entrance again with my usual flair,
Sure of my lines,
No one is there.

Don't you love farce?
My fault I fear.
I thought that you'd want what I want.
Sorry, my dear.
But where are the clowns?
Quick, send in the clowns.
Don't bother, they're here.

Isn't it rich?
Isn't it queer,
Losing my timing this late
In my career?
And where are the clowns?
There ought to be clowns.
Well, maybe next year.


Coming soon to Escape Pod :)

"Happiness consists of getting enough sleep." Robert A. Heinlein
Also, please buy my book - Escape Clause: A Union Dues Novel
http://www.encpress.com/EC.html


Jim

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Reply #28 on: April 05, 2007, 08:22:46 PM
To quote Peter Griffin, freakin' sweet.

My imaginary omnipotent friend is more real that your imaginary omnipotent friend.


jrderego

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Reply #29 on: April 26, 2007, 01:22:56 PM
Completed final draft of Union Dues: All the we Leave Behind

Completed final draft of Union Dues: The Saga of Tam Suji

Reworking present day segments and plot of Union Dues: All About the Sponsors (Who knew researching Pat Boone's 1950's TV appearances would take a day and a half?)

Reworking Burden of Bushido: Ronin on the High Seas to alter fantasy elements and bring actual closure to the story. FYI, I hate fantasy, but this story has picked up more than a couple of REALLY encouraging comments from pro mag editors so I refuse to put it on haitus.

Beginning first drafts of Union Dues: The Epic of Johnny Turoko and Union Dues: The Opus of Taizen Kiiro.

Next slate - Reworks of Burden of Bushido: The Five-Body Sword and Burden of Bushido: Emerald Treasure of the Thuggee Assassins to incorporated much-hated fantasy elements as established in Ronin on the High Seas. This will easily take me until Christmas 07 to complete.

Stories in idea stage that are refusing to stop fermentation and thus will be written probably in a coffee fueled fury over a free weekend:

The Blinkers

Stories in which development is on indefinite hiatus:

Tout Bagay Enfom

"Happiness consists of getting enough sleep." Robert A. Heinlein
Also, please buy my book - Escape Clause: A Union Dues Novel
http://www.encpress.com/EC.html


jrderego

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Reply #30 on: May 15, 2007, 07:56:14 PM
Just finished my interview with Paula B of The Writing Show podcast.

Aye carumba... I think I sounded like an escaped mental patient with a bad case of the "they're coming to get meeeeees".


"Happiness consists of getting enough sleep." Robert A. Heinlein
Also, please buy my book - Escape Clause: A Union Dues Novel
http://www.encpress.com/EC.html


jrderego

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Reply #31 on: May 23, 2007, 10:05:05 PM
If I ever even suggest that I am writing a zombie story, please send someone to break my computer and slap me around until I come to my senses.

Lady of Mercy - Second draft of first version, finished. 7000 words.
Lady of Mercy - First draft of second version, incomplete. 5000 words.

I am writing these for a specific anthology, History is Dead (Zombie stories set in pre-1900). Submission closes on Friday. Why I do this to myself I don't know, but I like historical fiction and I like zombies... what I don't like is them being combined.

And it only took me 12,000 words to figure that out.

Blech... let's hope it was worth it and the tale gets bought. Wish me luck.

"Happiness consists of getting enough sleep." Robert A. Heinlein
Also, please buy my book - Escape Clause: A Union Dues Novel
http://www.encpress.com/EC.html


jrderego

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Reply #32 on: May 29, 2007, 01:37:56 PM
Lady of Mercy, complete - submitted - rejected (form letter). 7600 words. I still like this story but I don't know if there will ever be a market for it.

Today's lesson - never write for a specific market especially if it has a really tight focus, say, pre-1900 zombie fiction set outside the United States, if you can avoid it. The stories are harder to write, they take longer to edit, and if they don't get accepted you end up with multiple thousand words of story that don't fit into other more general markets without a tremendous edit.

"Happiness consists of getting enough sleep." Robert A. Heinlein
Also, please buy my book - Escape Clause: A Union Dues Novel
http://www.encpress.com/EC.html


jrderego

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Reply #33 on: June 28, 2007, 07:10:45 PM
First draft completed -

Union Dues: The Sojourn of Taizen Kiiro

6100 words.

"Happiness consists of getting enough sleep." Robert A. Heinlein
Also, please buy my book - Escape Clause: A Union Dues Novel
http://www.encpress.com/EC.html


jrderego

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Reply #34 on: July 09, 2007, 03:16:14 AM
My first commentary written specifically for The Writing Show (www.writingshow.com) is live following this week's interview with Karen Anderson.

Enjoy.

"Happiness consists of getting enough sleep." Robert A. Heinlein
Also, please buy my book - Escape Clause: A Union Dues Novel
http://www.encpress.com/EC.html


jrderego

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Reply #35 on: July 18, 2007, 02:52:43 AM
Completed the first draft of "Lilies for Donald". 4600 words. Horror. Zombies. Sent drafts to my first readers. One already told me I made her physically ill.

I guess that's a good start.

"Happiness consists of getting enough sleep." Robert A. Heinlein
Also, please buy my book - Escape Clause: A Union Dues Novel
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Russell Nash

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Reply #36 on: July 18, 2007, 10:54:00 AM
Completed the first draft of "Lilies for Donald". 4600 words. Horror. Zombies. Sent drafts to my first readers. One already told me I made her physically ill.

I guess that's a good start.

Sounds like a sucess to me.



jrderego

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Reply #37 on: July 23, 2007, 04:49:17 AM
Had an editor request for first 5 chapters and synopsis following my query for my novel "Tears of Amaterasu".

Sent requested materials out today.

Submitted "Flowers for Donald", short zombie story.

Working on edit to Union Dues: All About the Sponsors.

"Happiness consists of getting enough sleep." Robert A. Heinlein
Also, please buy my book - Escape Clause: A Union Dues Novel
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Listener

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Reply #38 on: July 25, 2007, 12:39:47 PM
Had an editor request for first 5 chapters and synopsis following my query for my novel "Tears of Amaterasu".

Sent requested materials out today.


Congratulations!  Hope you get it published!

"Farts are a hug you can smell." -Wil Wheaton

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jrderego

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Reply #39 on: July 25, 2007, 02:21:20 PM
Coming soon to Escape Pod -

Union Dues: All That We Leave Behind

"Happiness consists of getting enough sleep." Robert A. Heinlein
Also, please buy my book - Escape Clause: A Union Dues Novel
http://www.encpress.com/EC.html


jrderego

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Reply #40 on: August 12, 2007, 01:18:39 AM
Submitted "Burden of Bushido: Emerald Treasure of the Thuggee Assassins" to Paradox magazine (who will reject it in about 3 weeks).

Resurrected "Union Dues: Tabula Rasa". Let's see if I can get this one to a satisfactory end.

Recorded 4 commentaries for The Writing Show.

"Happiness consists of getting enough sleep." Robert A. Heinlein
Also, please buy my book - Escape Clause: A Union Dues Novel
http://www.encpress.com/EC.html


Mr. Tweedy

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Reply #41 on: August 13, 2007, 09:07:39 PM
How do you find time to write so much?  Are you just really fast?

Between the job, the family, and looking for a better job, I have a hard time snatching an hour here and there, and a productive writing session usually requires at least two hours: Got to get in the groove, you know?

Hear my very very short story on The Drabblecast!


jrderego

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Reply #42 on: August 13, 2007, 09:14:52 PM
How do you find time to write so much?  Are you just really fast?

Between the job, the family, and looking for a better job, I have a hard time snatching an hour here and there, and a productive writing session usually requires at least two hours: Got to get in the groove, you know?


I am a telecommuter so I write during my lunch hours, sometimes a little longer than that (if I am in the groove). I write after Cindy and the kids go to bed, sometimes I write before they get up. I have a writer's job, I create and edit telecommunications training materials, so I am always working on the "craft" of writing even if I am not writing fiction for 45 hours a week. Plus, I have a stunningly tenacious work ethic.

I schedule writing time (usually 3 hours) on Saturday, though with Cindy working weekends it's been hard to do that and I've moved it mostly to late nights.

I spend a very long time thinking about what I am writing so that when I sit down to work on it I am already in the groove.

Plus, I type well over 60 words per minute.

"Happiness consists of getting enough sleep." Robert A. Heinlein
Also, please buy my book - Escape Clause: A Union Dues Novel
http://www.encpress.com/EC.html


Mr. Tweedy

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Reply #43 on: August 13, 2007, 09:18:40 PM
How do you find time to write so much?  Are you just really fast?

Between the job, the family, and looking for a better job, I have a hard time snatching an hour here and there, and a productive writing session usually requires at least two hours: Got to get in the groove, you know?


I am a telecommuter so I write during my lunch hours, sometimes a little longer than that (if I am in the groove). I write after Cindy and the kids go to bed, sometimes I write before they get up. I have a writer's job, I create and edit telecommunications training materials, so I am always working on the "craft" of writing even if I am not writing fiction for 45 hours a week. Plus, I have a stunningly tenacious work ethic.

I schedule writing time (usually 3 hours) on Saturday, though with Cindy working weekends it's been hard to do that and I've moved it mostly to late nights.

I spend a very long time thinking about what I am writing so that when I sit down to work on it I am already in the groove.

Plus, I type well over 60 words per minute.

I don't even think at 60 wpm, and I have a hard time pinning down my vague ideas unless I'm actually drawing or typing them out.

Sounds like superior brain power.   :-[  Anybody know of a genemod clinic I could visit?

Hear my very very short story on The Drabblecast!


jrderego

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Reply #44 on: August 30, 2007, 07:53:09 PM
Completed 4th draft rewrite of "Union Dues: All About the Sponsors"

"Happiness consists of getting enough sleep." Robert A. Heinlein
Also, please buy my book - Escape Clause: A Union Dues Novel
http://www.encpress.com/EC.html


jrderego

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Reply #45 on: September 17, 2007, 03:46:30 PM
Good couple of weeks...

Sold -

Saferty First - 2000 words at $.15 a word - paid
The 40% Solution - 2000 words at $.15 a word - paid

Can't tell you where I sold them yet, but when I can I will.

Got an agent request for the first 50 pages of Tears of Amaterasu from William Clark Agency :)

Got paid for All That We Leave Behind :)

Added another 4000 words to the ersatz Zatoichi novel this weekend. ''

Wrote a new commentary for The Writing Show.

Rejections -

"Lilies for Donald" rejected by both Pseudopod and Apex Digest. In one case too graphic, in another "we don't buy zombie stories". Meh.

"Happiness consists of getting enough sleep." Robert A. Heinlein
Also, please buy my book - Escape Clause: A Union Dues Novel
http://www.encpress.com/EC.html


Russell Nash

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Reply #46 on: September 17, 2007, 06:28:36 PM
Being laid off works for you.

Are you telling us Pseudopod turned down a zombie story, because it was too graphic??  I could really stand a little more graphic detail in my pseudopod.



jrderego

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Reply #47 on: September 17, 2007, 06:33:42 PM
Being laid off works for you.

Are you telling us Pseudopod turned down a zombie story, because it was too graphic??  I could really stand a little more graphic detail in my pseudopod.

It's working for me at the moment :)

I hope the request for partial turns into a request for the whole novel.

And yeah, that's what I'm saying... pity.

"Happiness consists of getting enough sleep." Robert A. Heinlein
Also, please buy my book - Escape Clause: A Union Dues Novel
http://www.encpress.com/EC.html


jrderego

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Reply #48 on: September 19, 2007, 04:26:07 PM
"Lilies for Donald" now available at Tales of the Zombie War -

Comments at the site welcome!

http://talesofworldwarz.com/stories/2007/09/19/lilies-for-donald-by-jeffrey-derego/

"Happiness consists of getting enough sleep." Robert A. Heinlein
Also, please buy my book - Escape Clause: A Union Dues Novel
http://www.encpress.com/EC.html


jrderego

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Reply #49 on: October 01, 2007, 07:39:50 PM
Sold "Requiem for the Fat Man" and "The Matter of Negativity", 2000 words each @ $.15 a word :)

Lilies for Donald won the bi-annual fiction contest at Tales of the Zombie War.

And I have a second job interview on Wednesday. WOOHOO!!!

"Happiness consists of getting enough sleep." Robert A. Heinlein
Also, please buy my book - Escape Clause: A Union Dues Novel
http://www.encpress.com/EC.html