T.M. Shannon

Well, it’s the start of a new month (pinch, punch), and here in Australia it’s Fathers’ Day.

And yes, I’m a father, and perhaps my best Fathers’ Day present was a coffee mug with a picture of me and my son for each of the 15 months he had been in the world.

There was the one where I had locked him inside from the balcony with the baby gate. The one from his first trip overseas to my ex’s family. And my personal favourite, him asleep on my chest after burping him, and me with my controller on Need for Speed – the first time we played Xbox together.

I still have the mug, unfortunately a jar of Vegemite cracked it so sadly no more coffee in it, but that, and coming home to, “Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!” are the best memories ever.

As for the last week? Well, the side effects of my diabetes medicine have settled, but still a few more things to knock over for it. Just with a book in the balance, and my general anxiety, they’re kinda put off.

Soon, I tell you. Soon!

But I digress, so I’ll point your attention to the link just below this (say hi to AI Jane), and when you’re done enjoying that, pop by for another seat-of-my-pants blog post!

A Long Time to Spend on a Book

I have mentioned this also on the Three Ways page, my book is a ten-year labour of love. And torment. And tears when I wrote a pivotal chapter, the most outlined and mechanical scene I’ve written so far.

And this year has seen completion to 600 pages (yikes), and the last two months an epic re-write of the second and third acts when pointed criticism made me realise I’d made a horrible, out of character mistake.

Moreover, I’d drossed through a series of 12-page chapters, crutched with supporting characters, committed the grievous sin of introducing new characters in the third act.

An entire sub-plot removed and gladly stored away in a New Book Idea (TM), such is the creative endeavour, the third act fixed, I’m currently on 473 pages with about 12, 13 pages left before that final full stop.

Yay? Nay.

And, as with my From the Author at the end, which I’m tossing up excluding just to keep the page count down, and before the next step, I’m reflecting on how much has changed since I started.

A Long Time on One Project

Other creativity has jumped into the mix during the writing/re-writing.

One idea is a family drama, which you’d think would be the most ambitious project yet, there will be a number of characters. But I have what my partner calls my “side quest,” an epic fantasy with a very detailed kingdom.

Another idea is a queer drama, it and the family drama vying for attention in my brain, and I have scenes from both already thought out (things will change between now and putting to paper). This will be my next project.

But I can’t spend ten years on these things, it’s crazy. Even one year seems too much, though a reasonable timeframe. At least I’m now 4 days a week at work, 3 days off a week doing wonders for the creativity and bipolar.

I can’t completely pants it, though I know I can have a two-line brief on a chapter and the words come racing onto the page, that bipolar energy of benefit, plus how quickly I can form narrative in that brain of mine.

But I’ve tried outlining, and I felt a book was “written” before I’d sat down to it at all, so planning is going to be a challenge for me. Not to say it doesn’t work for me, that was one experience, but I can jot down dialogue as I go.

How will it feel churning books out? Well, it won’t be churning, writing is only half the journey, then things will depend on editor availability. Maybe its 10 months writing before the line edit then a professional?

Then there’s room for the next project, the one after that, et cetera. Okay, I’ll call it churning, I’m a lot more comfortable in my style, and dialogue always tends to flow for me, so maybe minimal re-writes, who knows?

Sure, it might mean less gaming time, I’ll squeeze some Starfield in between, I want to have a go at Baldurs Gate 3 for some D&D action, and when the 4-week campaign comes back to Fortress I’m so there.

Well, Biff, What’s Next?

Well, would you look at that, I’ve got nothing else to write in this post.

Sorry, but I put it all into posting Chapter One, and the Three Ways page, no need to repeat any of that. So, here’s what I’ve got planned for the rest of the month.

08/09/24 – On Matters Queer

Well, last month I went with the story of my sexuality, so this month, I’m going to go into the phobia I faced.

Sure, Three Ways has a ramped-up phobic moment so I could fully experience the worst of the worst and write the result (hint, throw up).

And no, it wasn’t all just getting called a f****t in high school, and the worst of it is, two incidents came from other queer people.

It’ll ache to write, but phobia is a reality even in the community, especially towards bisexuals.

15/09/24 – Mind and Addiction

I’m not sure what I’ve got to write for this just yet, maybe the health/ societal response to mental illness? I’ll figure it out.

22/09/24 – Faith and Religion

I’m also not sure what I’ve got to write on this topic.

Maybe I’m up to my favourite Gospel moments, maybe it’s more approaching God (or my lack thereof at times), who knows?

Again, I’ll figure it out.

29/09/24 – Topic du Jour

Now this one I’m looking forward to.

I was tempted to run a poll on what to go with: a video game; my favourite historical figure; his understanding on the Kunst des Fechten (Art or Method of Fighting); or the evolution of gnats.

Sorry, but executive decision is my favourite historical figure, Hans Talhoffer, who was a 15th century German fight-master, and had a few fechtbuchs authored during his time – I have the 1459 and 1467.

He might not be the reason the fight scenes in my fantasy were so good – I always wanted them to be epic. But he is the reason for all the authentic moves and footwork I changed it into. Onya, mate!

Hasta Domingo

There you go, a 7-minute read, not bad, like the chapters I cut my book into.

Once again, have a happy Fathers’ Day from Oz (the one with the spiders, not the witch), and again whoever or wherever you are, have a good one.

Bye for now.

T. M.