Research and the Historical Novel
All right. So, I’m gonna channel my best Mediocre White Man™ and write on this topic as if I know what the fuck I’m talking about. Ok, I mean, I kinda sorta know what I’m talking about. I’ve done research for a historical novel, and plan to do it again (like some kind of dummy). I’ve also written more than my fair share of research papers in college, and I work in libraries, so I have a decent set of research skills. But I feel I really need to clarify that I am talking about lowercase r research here. The sort of sprawling book-learning that one does for themself in order to become more knowledgable about a given topic. Not capital R Research that involves science and math and peer review. No amount of research for a novel is going to make me an actual expert on the subject. And…
Goals Summary 2023 – Wk #9
Today is a slow day. A day spent sleeping in and watching robins hunt for worms in the front yard. We were out late last night, singing karaoke with friends until the bar closed. Like we’re still in our twenties. We are not. Trev’s had the worst of it, while I feel fine other than a slightly sensitive stomach and hoarseness I haven’t felt in a long time. I love karaoke, y’all. Like, a lot a lot. And when I go, I go hard. If I’m not a little raspier the next day, did I even have fun? Point is, we had fun, and we’re paying for it now. So while it’s quiet, let’s talk about goals, shall we? Last Week Write at least 3x Send Newsletter Keep reading Edit + Schedule Podcast Tidy up office (lol) How’d I Do? Write at least 3x Yes! It wasn’t all on the…
Goals Summary 2023 – Wk #6
As the Steve Miller Band said, “time keeps on slipping (slipping, slipping) into the future.” We are nearly halfway through February, another week bites the dust, and “the years start coming and they don’t stop coming (Smash Mouth, 1999).” Point is, there’s another week gone and goals to discuss. Last Week Write at least 3x Finish reading at least 1 book How’d I Do? Write at least 3x Nope. I wrote twice, though! Finish reading at least 1 book Yep! There was a LOT of reading this week! Weekly Word Count: 2,142 I’ll admit that it’s a little disappointing to only have two goals and not be able to say I accomplished them both. Did I have a good reason? Sure, I had a migraine on Tuesday, one of my scheduled writing days. I’m also grappling with the realization that I’ve taken on a bit too much at work, and…
You Wrote a Book… Now What?
Step 1: Celebrate that ish! You just did a thing SO. MANY. people dream about. How many times have we heard some version of, “I’d love to write a book someday”? Probably more than we can count. It takes remarkable committment and effort to work on the same project for months (maybe even years!) and actually finish it. Congratulations! Celebrate in whatever way is fulfilling for you — drinks, a special meal, a night out, or maybe just a little extra ice cream, as a treat. Now for the disclaimer: This is all merely suggestion. Try these various methods/ideas. Combine them, mix-and-match them. Experiment, until you find some variation that works for you. (This post also assumes that you’ve written a book length work with the intent to publish. If not, then just congratulate yourself and bask in the afterglow of creation, my friend.) Step 2: Put it away. No,…
Goals Summary 2022 – Wk #52
This post is late, as is the newsletter. Lemme tell you why. I just had the worst migraine I have had in almost 5 years. I know for a fact I have not had a migraine with vomiting in at least 4 years. This one had me either in bed, on the couch, or hunched around a toilet bowl. I haven’t been able to eat anything other than broth for the past 72 hours. I’ve barely kept water and gatorade down. I haven’t brushed my teeth because of the gag factor and because I couldn’t physically bend over the sink without wanting to cry/die. Today I’m doing much better. There’s still a twinge in the left side of my head as the migraine slowly makes its way out, and I am weak from all the puking and not eating. Putting a load of laundry in this morning had my heart…
Short Story Release!
LOLcraft: A Compendium of Eldritch Humor is available now! This anthology of horrific hilarity collects 36 stories, including my short story “Bell Biv Derailed”. If you like snark, grumpy old men, and/or tentacled-moose-monsters, then this is the story for you! When you’re done drying your eyes from laughing so hard, you can then move on to the next story in this Funny Fear Fest. The book is available in both Kindle eBook and Paperback. Buy it Now!
Three Lessons Learned at the Taco Bell at the Edge of the Universe
For your enjoyment, I present my Taco Bell Quarterly reject. This story is a Baja Blast-fueled, Speculative homage to that liminal quality of the Taco Bell drive-thru at 2am. Three Lessons Learned at the Taco Bell at the Edge of the Universe by B. Zelkovich Lesson #1: Fast, Friendly Service. Guaranteed. Ding! “Welcome to the Taco Bell at the Edge of Universe, where anything’s possible. What can we get for you today?” Often customers don’t realize these microphones are some of the best in galaxy — at the order box, we can hear everything. And I love it when they argue. “Ooh, ooh! I want that thing with the cheese and the crunch!” “There’s like, eighty things that say ‘cheese’ or ‘crunch’.” “It’s your planet’s food!” “That doesn’t mean I know—“ A third voice says, “I believe the rodent is referring to the… Cheesy Gordita Crunch Cravings Box.” “Yeah! That!”…
Goals Summary 2022 – Wk #27
The summer is flying by. I don’t know how to feel about that. On the one hand, I’m really happy. Keeping busy, getting a lot of quality work done, and generally getting that sneak peek at what a full-time writing life would be like. I really like it. This always happens to me. Every break, every vacation, I get a taste of this freedom and it tastes so fucking good. But it’s always temporary. Short-lived. I know that in about a month I’ll be back to the day job. And that’s hard. I genuinely like my job. I like my co-workers and my work and the kids. I do. But if I could afford to quit? If healthcare didn’t rely on my employment? I’d drop it in a heartbeat. Because nothing I’ve felt working at the high school can compare with the peace and contentment that comes with sitting at…
The Recap – June 2022
Well, being on Day 9 of quarantine wasn’t how I planned to spend the last weeks of June, but here we are. What impact did that have on the month? Let’s find out! June Goals Finish Something Sulfurous revision Polish and submit The Finest Creation of an Artful God Write two chapters of Victoria How’d I Do? Finish Something Sulfurous revision YES! YESYESYESYESYES! It is finished! Polish and submit The Finest Creation of an Artful God Yep. Yeppity-yep. This story is done and on submission. Write two chapters of Victoria Yes. Ahem, most definitely yes. Maybe more like… six chapters? Or you know., all of them? Total Word Count: 20,389 Oh, how not having to go to work every day suddenly makes way for writing endeavors. Being quarantined has also been helpful, in its own way. I haven’t been too ill, but being unable to leave the house means I’ve been in writing mode for basically two weeks…
Goals Summary 2022 – Wk 25
Yes, yes. I’m aware that it’s Sunday. I know! I know I usually post these summaries on Mondays. But my “week” starts on Sunday, so I always write these things on Sunday, I just don’t usually post them until Monday. So, psych! I gotcha! Honestly, though, I don’t know if I’m just ahead of the of the game because I’ve been stuck in the house all week (Trev tested positive for COVID on Wednesday), or if I’d be this motivated (writing-wise) even if I could run to the grocery store. Quarantining sucks, but I’m making the most of it, I guess. It’s been a doozy of a week, so let’s get into it! Last Week Revise >30 chapters of Something Sulfurous Write >500 words of Victoria Revise and submit The Finest Creation of an Artful God Keep working on fics Record Podcast Episode How’d I Do? Revise >30 chapters of Something Sulfurous No. BUT,…