The Nightscape.net

Let's see how far down it goes

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 02:25:00 +0000

The thesis is behind schedule, and it's annoying the living hell out of me. Apparently the moment anyone brings reporters into fiction, they slow everything down. Jargony bastards. And you'd think I'd have it down, since I'm in journalism. Of course, assumptions have been getting me nowhere thus far. And I need character motivations done for my thesis advisior by Monday. So hopefully I'll get some of the stuff on Nocturnal Melee updated so that it's not information from the first draft 10 years ago. Ha.

Anyway, I'm back to the Alice-esque rabbit hole. And this could prove to be fun. We get to meet the faeries, and the Fey get to be Switzerland. It should be grand.

My plan is to have that done by the weekend. Here's to hoping, right?

And there's another crank thrown in: I'll be away this weekend. AGAIN. First it was Forks, then Ashland, and now Seattle. I've been all over the damn place this semester, it's surreal.

But I get to go see Neil Gaiman, and I'm stoked, and NOTHING (and when I say it, I mean it) could dampen the exhilaration at the moment. Friday cannot come soon enough, oh Gods. The fangirl in me could die a rather happy death come Friday evening (save its anger at no San Diego Con yet...). Haha.

So, writing. And then the dinner party for Shawn. And then more writing. Dilligence?

the lamenting of their women...

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 23:11:00 +0000

I hit 40,000 words on the thesis last week, and I have my second real critique on Friday morning.

If I keep going, I may be able to get this finished, at least draft-wise, by Christmas. Which is when the whole project, as the first draft, is due. MEEP. It's made so that I supposedly have 4 months to edit it and have it "finished" as it'll be by presentation time.

And then hopefully I can start getting letters out, and then start working on Nocturnal Melee again, which, after being read by a friend, wasn't as finished as it should have been to warrant sending out to agents. SO. The book has been reoutlined again, keeping 80% of the integrity of the product finished in February, and expanding on it so much that the ending of the manuscript is now about half of the book instead.

Things will work out. I have to keep telling myself that. NM may not end up being the debut novel I had intended it to be, but it'll get done. And The Suits will get its ass in gear.

At least the process actually calls for and instigates the growth I'd always found so hokey when writers talked about it. Yay for maturity, or something of the like.

Also: Stephenie Meyer Day in Forks? Full of hilarity.

Hello, Ladies and GentLEmen

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:37:00 +0000

As I'm working on getting Part II started on this thing I call the new book, I found that a little introduction to my methods would be in order. Since this is my writing blog. Imagine that!

1. Do you write fiction or non-fiction? Or both?
I only write non-fiction in the form of research papers, though my original senior thesis was going to be a look at Anime and Japanese Post-War culture. Normally, I write fiction, and most of it is fantasy at that. I like finding real life in an escape. Otherwise, I'm still living my life as I write--I'm not writing.

2. Do you keep a journal or a writing notebook?
For the most part, yes. But it's all over in bits and pieces.

3. If you write fiction, do you know your characters’ goals, motivations, and conflicts before you start writing or is that something else you discover only after you start writing? Do you find books on plotting useful or harmful?
Generally, I will try and start with an outline. I like to know my characters well enough to know what I'm doing with them. Sometimes they'll surprise me, but for the most part it's like having a best friend--you know them almost in and out.

4. Are you a procrastinator or does the itch to write keep at you until you sit down and work?
I procrastinate a bit, but I don't always have to have a BURST of inspiration to write. I can sit myself down and make myself do it, unless it's a particularly bad case of writer's block.

5. Do you write in short bursts of creative energy, or can you sit down and write for hours at a time?
It depends on the day. I can sometimes be a burst of energy person, but I can do it the other way around too.

6. Are you a morning or afternoon writer?
Afternoon. I can't do anything productive in the morning, unless we count the 4 am bedtime. Then perhaps something will get done before bed.

7. Do you write with music/the noise of children/in a cafe or other public setting, or do you need complete silence to concentrate?
Silence is almost too distracting for me. My mind wanders, and I find myself not able to concentrate. Which is weird. I do a lot of my best stuff in coffee shops, but a well made iTunes mix helps too.

8. Computer or longhand? (or typewriter?)
I used to do everything in long-hand before I got a laptop. I still do a bit in long-hand, especially if I have no computer on me.

9. Do you know the ending before you type Chapter One? Or do you let the story evolve as you write?
I know a basic outline of the ending, sure. A vague place where I want things to tie up. And basic places that I want to go before I get there. But the rest of it is rather fluid and open.

10. Does what’s selling in the market influence how and what you write?
No. I write what I'd want to read, and what I love doing. I'm already resolved to the fact that not everyone becomes a best-seller, so even if only one person takes faith in what I do, so be it. It's about the art, not the fame. Money would be nice, but...I don't like compromising myself for the sake of that.

11. Editing/Revision - love it or hate it?
It has its pros and cons, really. I can add and take away, like the creation of my own Earth. One where Eve wouldn't automatically be labeled a sinner, either. But really, sometimes it's just tedious, monotonus, and makes me bleary-eyed. I like general content revision, but I hate technical revision.

You see these shackles, baby?

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 19:28:00 +0000

Wow, July and August sort of melded into one giant super-month of epic Metatron proportions. My apologies to the actual readers here, expecting a real update. The closer school gets, the more chaotic everything else seems to be.

I'm half a chapter away from the end of Part I, which excites me. Hopefully I can get my room all...finished, and then begin the backstory that is an entirely new mythology.

And let's all pray that THAT small task doesn't cause my brain to start oozing out of my ears in a viscous form that only a psycho-scientist could identify. Mmm, brain matter. It just must be time for lunch. Ha.

And TDK on IMAX may be the big event of tomorrow. Holy crow, this causes some ridiculous excitement, I can barely contain it. Leah knows. She witnessed it first-hand when she first suggested it.

For now, I'm off to put on my Utena fanmix and finish setting up my room. Perhaps then you'll all get a real update AND some writing? OOOH. It'd be like Christmas, only on the internet. XD

The Great Outdoors of Withdrawl

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 05:01:00 +0000

I leave in 12 hours for a 3-day camping trip. Wish me luck in not having internet withdrawl. Oh, how lovely the techno generation is...

But I've packed The Vampire Lestat and all 3 Twilight books, PLUS I still have this thesis to work on.

Speaking of, I just finished the anxiety chapter. It needs more auxillary detail, but I don't even want to look at it right now. However, it does mean that I only have one chapter until this monster that is Part I is FINISHED. *rejoices* (And hopefully at 150 pages too. XD)

And the redone query letter is almost finished. I apparently just needed to tweak it and add a bit more plot detail as I'd left it a bit too ambiguous. Hopefully I'll get those sent off before the Breaking Dawn release party on Friday.

Additionally, I still need to email the eBay seller about the still MIA holsters for my costume. Also, I was told by the manager of the campus bookstore that the new books would FINALLY be listed "next week"--hopefully while I'm gone so that I can come home to some good news.

We Are Tonight's Entertainment

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:00:00 +0000

I just had a panic attack, ladies and gents.

From something I wrote. Not even something I read. Words I dictated. How in the hell is that possible? My brain's the one moderating what I say, and yet the event almost gives me asthma?

WEIRD.

I don't think that's ever happened before.

No clever titles here!

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:43:00 +0000

0_0

That's right. I started the post off with a stare. What now? :P

Let me just suffice it to say that I got something done other than costume work today. Astounding, I know. You'd know my pain, especially if you follow my livejournal, as it's turning into a single-man cosplay central. Hrm. I'm rapidly trying to finish a Thurman-esque accident-era Poison Ivy for The Dark Knight on Thursday, I was finishing up a volume 3, pre-Rio Alucard for the Twilight vampire prom, and I'm still finishing the jacket for Utena for Kumoricon.

And my holsters need to arrive in the post. Please?

Anyway, even though it sounds like I've been quite busy, it almost doesn't feel like it. I haven't gotten any writing done for at least the last two weeks (unless, of course, we count today, as I'm having fun writing a character with a bit of dimentia). I've barely gotten any reading done (though it doesn't help that I'm reading Dracula, The Vampire Lestat, and Twilight all at the same time--and I totally don't have a vampire fixation right now, I have no idea what you're talking about).

Additionally, mom had surgery, and I've been trying to help her out. AND Tony's birthday is on Friday and I had to mull over what to get him. Mrg.

So, instead of my summer goal being all the way done with The Suits, I think that having Part I, at the very least, finished is about all I can strive for, now that it's the 15th. But hey, that's 125 (and counting) pages of work in one summer--that can't be anything to sneeze at, can it? Can someone other than my brain set a deadline for me? I seem to work better with deadlines.

I need to get to work on finishing this costume for Thursday. Perhaps I'll put on some more Doctor Who (Number Nine style, biatch) and get cracking. XD

Making plans

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:03:00 +0000

I have one goal for tomorrow. Break out the envelopes and stamps. I'm going to go through, edit my query letter, and send out another batch of them. I believe there's quite a few people left on my list.

And I wonder if there's protocol for resubmitting a query? I should look that up.

Plans for Kumoricon '08 have changed a bit. I'm doing only two cosplays instead of 3, but the second is actually shaping into something. Especially now that I have a new sewing machine. Hopefully it'll turn out. *crosses fingers*

Additionally, I now have plans to save money and take a trip down to Dallas next May for A-Kon, which will be rather spectacular. My goal is to save a minimum of $500 for the trip, as I've figured out basic cost (Likely $150 for the plane, another $150 for the two nights in the hotel, and $30 for the pre-registration). EXCITEMENT!

And the book is going MUCH slower, which is not pleasing. I don't know if my drive is running out, if the characters aren't working for me anymore, or if the thing has been flawed from the beginning. I need to kick my ass into gear though. I wanted to have 90% of it done by the time I moved back to Portland, and I'm almost to something like 33%. Not anywhere close. Grr. But at least I can send it to my prof. once Part I is finished. Three more chapters, Kaitlyn. You can do this!

Punishment, too, is a form of beauty

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:16:00 +0000

I've been beating myself up over this chapter since yesterday. I know that this is what I want to do with it, but I'm not sure the product came out right. It seems too blocky and glazed, and I'm not sure what to do with it...

Anyone want to Critique it for me? You'd have my eternal gratitude.

I know this is shameless pimping, but damnit, sometimes it just must be resorted to.

Ode to Wikipedia

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 10:02:00 +0000

This next chapter is going to be EPIC. At least if it turns out the way I envision it. Thank you, Wikipedia, for providing me dirt on what kids in English classes call "dead white guys." The 19th century was seriously one literary orgy. Every author seemed to know each other, whether or not they were involved romantically.

What happened to that kind of literary community? It's never talked about if it DOES indeed still exist. Can we go back to this? It sounds like it was pretty awesome (aside from the fact that everyone's lives were rather unfortunate).

And HIS life is perfect for the story I want to emphasize.

Oh, BTW: The Sammus Theory is the best live show you'll ever treat yourself to. I'm not kidding. If they're in your area, even if you haven't heard their music, it's well worth the admission. Do yourselves a favor.

Sam's such a sweet kid too. XD

Le ick.

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 01:36:00 +0000

I finished American Gods on Tuesday, before getting terribly sick with a 24 hour flu yesterday.

The first was actually rather good in terms of my project, though it makes me feel vastly inferior. But, I suppose, I can only learn from this instead of dwelling on it. And "The Suits" is only in the first drafting stage, so I've got some time to let it develop.

The second is absolutely horrid. I hate being sick with every fiber of my being (and every one of those fibers ACHED yesterday). I had to resort to Powerade, as the carbination in Sprite was giving me a headache. OH JOY. And I've had one for the majority of the day today too. Lame. And, it's also made me reconsider being cheap in accordance with the university's offer for health insurance. If I don't sign up for it during the year, I MUST do it when I get the "after college job"--whatever it may be. I'm not a pleasant sick person. I'm relatively helpless, and can get really whiney. Urg. So being able to see a doctor when I need to is a definite on my to-do list.

Though you'd think I'd be immune to influenza as often as I get it--at least twice a year. Oh, and the chicken pox that I had three times? I should be dead, really. So a doctor could be a really good thing, yeah?

I think I'm off to see if I can pound out some words today, as being sick yesterday put me even further behind. <3 for all of you.

Try, try again.

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 22:33:00 +0000

I'm actually getting internet in Barnes and Noble today, so I'm going to make the most of it, before it disappears.

I finished the rough version of Chapter 8 in The Suits today. Hurrah. But I'm still behind on my 750/day goal. I'm not terribly concerned, as long as I keep up with the writing. I'll likely be fine tuning chapters 7 and 8 tonight and updating those on Writers' Cafe so that I can get a little bit of feedback. I like knowing that I'm still headed in a good direction.

Though some of the things about Christian Dogma that have been coming out recently may very well inspire my college to burn me at the stake. Hopefully I can meld it into something less harsh (as the idea is a new myth, not the total obliteration of Christianity) by the end, or that the ending attitude is a bit different than the beginning's animosity. It probably will, since I think it's the first person immersion into character that's producing the harshness, rather than an outright bad attitude on my part.

We'll see how it turns out. And there's always the editing process to consider.

I also got rejection letter #8 this last week. But it was a nice one, in which the agents told me they were positive that someone else would want the book. That could just be a form letter (and it likely is), but coupled with Kelsey finally finishing it and telling me that she loved it, made me feel a little bit better about Nocturnal Melee as a finished product the way it stands. So, I may send out letters to the rest of my list (which, I believe, consists of about 5 or 6 more agents), and I'll wait out letters #10-16. If those are all rejections THEN I will likely seriously move on with the rewrite of the project.

And Janet Evanovich's confession about having several first books that were never published made me feel a bit better about the process of getting an agent--it isn't the end of the world. Though I really do enjoy Nocturnal Melee, especially as a reader--it doesn't feel like I wrote it. Especially when I compare it to The Suits. The tone is so different, it astounds me at times. But whatever. The break will come sometime. It HAS to. I just have to keep at it. Perserverance is a virtue, isn't it?

Also, They Might Be Giants is likely one of the best musical artists to write to. This is a new discovery as of today. And it produced a whole chapter. I just hope the random music that is the background for this book doesn't effect the tone too deeply. Hah.

Over and under-whelmed

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 04:55:00 +0000

First note: I have kicked the crappy-layout funk in the ass. Huzzah! Everything should theoretically be up and working, but let me know if something's still off?

Second note: Yard sales wear me out. Or, perhaps, less the yard sale, and more the cleaning that leads up to it. A large majority of my Star Wars stuff is gone, and most of the other "collectible" crap that wasn't really collecting anything bust dust is too. I still have quite a bit of storage in the living room closet, but once I get a curio cabinet for the after-graduation apartment, I should be fine, and even have a place for everything. And having a place for everything is half the battle.

Stuff, by definition, is evil. Idol worship, I say! Hehe. But at least the collector in me is being a bit more frugal about things.

Also, this soundtrack is amusing to me at the moment. I haven't seen the movie in forever, but the soundtrack makes me giggle. And Code Geass rules me right now. Can I have the DVD? PLEASE? Serious Crispin Freeman love.

And anime girls are very eye-roll inducing sometimes. It shouldn't surprise me that I gravitate to characters like Integra and Cardinal Sforza. LOL. The high voices and obsessions over OMG so-and-so is dating so-and-so drives me nuts. Give me action over sappy romance ANY DAY.

Writing has been rather slow in the last week and a half, but I've finally finished reading Twilight (and subsequent sequels), and I've started on American Gods which is rather similar to the idea of "The Suits," which amuses me, since I started it before I started seriously reading Gaiman's novels.

Your friendly neighborhood PSA

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Fri, 30 May 2008 09:04:00 +0000

I have just a couple of quick notes this morning:

I'm working on a new layout. I haven't liked anything so far, though, so it may take a bit. But I promise I'm working on it.

Pandora's name is now (tentatively) Cassandra/Cassie--which still fits my Greek dorkiness. But now we don't know if we're going to keep it, as the kitty is a hellion and attacks Athena. D:

The Suits is still coming along. I wrote about half of chapter 7 today, and a bit of what's to come in 8.

Letter #7 was not only a rejection, but a total waste: The agency is no longer accepting new writers. I don't think I'll count this as a rejection, but a mistake. But either way, I'm still at 7 letters and no good news.

BUT I was thinking while watching Underworld. I may be restarting the book, again. And totally dropping the "tapes" idea. Perhaps the macabre funeral thing will work with something else?

I wanted to dislike Twilight on the pretence of it basically being yet more paranormal romance. But, in wanting to prove everyone wrong on how good it is, I borrowed it from my sister, and was 80 pages deep 45 minutes later. All 495 were finished in about 4 total hours in the last two days. Needless to say, I didn't dislike it afterall.

I'm already 2 chapters into New Moon. The bandwagon kidnapped me. Help?

Money in 4 days. Tony comes over in 2/3. Hurrah, human interaction! And I get to be computer saavy!

Feist is amazing, kthx.

My physical writing portfolio is edging on being as thick as my skull, just FYI. :D

This blog post was almost pointless. XD

Summer plans...I sound like a musical

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Sat, 24 May 2008 20:43:00 +0000

First off: Ni90 has been kicking my ass into shape. Which is good, because otherwise the project will never get done. Even if some days getting the words out is like having a root canal. But something's getting done, yeah?

Also, people need to stop trying to ruin Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls for me. No, I have not seen it yet. I plan on seeing it next week when I can fit into a theatre without feeling like a sardine. Also, I missed the after-credit stuff for Iron Man, and I'm slightly miffed.

I need to remember that I need to get my pass for Kumoricon this summer, I need to renew my Livejournal, I need to pay for the next six months here, and I might be hitting Warped Tour and The Sammus Theory. Let's hope I can do all of that on no job this summer. *crosses fingers* Likely, I'll end up dropping Warped, paying for 2 months on my LJ, and then going from there.

Oh, and we got a new cat. Athena is angry at the usurpation of space, but has generally been ignoring the fact that there's a new cat in the other room. At least thus far. When the door opens, she does rush to get in, but otherwise she ignores it. Oh, and the kitty's name? Pandora. Gods, I'm a Greek nerd.

And the Loki thing figured itself out--and no one has pointed it out as a weak point in the new chapter so far, so I suppose I tweaked the legend enough to fit without decimating it like Troy's adaptation of the Iliad. Bully for me.

Lunch calls. Feed me, Seymore. Rawr.

The mistake of a gaping chest wound

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Sun, 18 May 2008 10:19:00 +0000

I've been updating a bit around here this morning, if you hadn't noticed. The header is different again, but I'm MUCH happier with it now. Also, I've spent the last two hours on fanlistings (so those finally work again)!

I knew that joining Ni90 again was going to be a good idea. In the last two days, it's gotten me to write almost 1900 words (not a ton, granted, but with a goal of 750/day, it puts me 400 words ahead of schedule). And I'm hoping this scene ends soon, because two people talking about the anthopomorphic identity of Death is getting really old. And I need to create tension, and it's just not coming.

ARG. Loki, do something...exciting. Jeezy Creezy. There's potential. AND I did get the thing with the scar/heart/venom face worked out okay. I was afraid the recount of folklore versus the myth itself was going to screw me up (as I had it from a friend that Loki suffered venom to a gaping chest wound, not the face). If manga can take Ragnarok (2, 3) and use it for 9 billion projects, I think I'm allowed to tweak the myth a little to fit my purposes.

Now: bed, so that I can get up at some kind of decent hour tomorrow and get some more written (and hopefully this chapter FINISHED).

Yet more queries...

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:35:00 +0000

I reviewed my query letters, and realized the count is at 5 flat rejections or "this isn't for me" responses (1 online query), and one letter I never got a response for.

I'll be sending out #'s 7, 8, and 9 tomorrow.

I just hope "urban fantasy" is a real genre. I don't know what else I can concieve to call this project. I've tried gothic, and fantasy, but someone told me that Jim Butcher was considered "urban fantasy," and since it's a bit of a similar environment...

Wish them luck?

Deadlines not approaching...

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Mon, 12 May 2008 04:56:00 +0000

My new goal is to have The Norse Myths finished by tomorrow. Then I can write a bit about The Vagrant as death and throw my Loki quips in there like I wanted to. And then, perhaps, I'll move onto Grimm or Le Morte D'Arthur.

Oh, and I finally took a photo of the King of Nothingness painting. Hurrah.
My professor didn't quite know what to think and then got mad at me when I wouldn't explain the character--don't ask me an open-ended question like "What is it?" and expect a pretentious five-minute answer. If you want one of those, ask a better question.

Ooh, and if I get some writing done and the reading that had better be done, I will probably reward myself with some Prince Caspian. That is, if I can even get into the movie this weekend.

So, I must go finish reading up on Odin and Loki, and I'll HOPEFULLY do some writing before bed. Perhaps I'll join Novel in 90 again this summer--it helped fantastically for the first part of last year...

The Marvel Complex

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Fri, 09 May 2008 22:58:00 +0000

I have figured it out. Someone in Marvel *cough*STAN LEE*cough* totally has a jones for REDHEADS. I'd thought this ever since I saw Spiderman after X-Men, with the female leads both being redheads, but Iron Man has capped it for me. Pepper? Jean Grey? Mary Jane?

Needless to say, I thought Iron Man was spectacular. Seriously amazing. I haven't seen a superhero movie that funny, fast-paced, and hard-hitting in YEARS. Well worth the $6.50 to see it. I didn't expect it to be good at all, but Robert Downy Jr.'s acting was spot-on, and for once I could stand Gwyneth Paltrow in a film. WIN.

And I got trailers for everything else I wanted to see this summer--well almost. Indy, Caspian, and Batman. (Best Batman trailer so far, BTW.) Perhaps this summer's films won't be so bad after all.

It's a damn good thing that I like books...

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Wed, 07 May 2008 03:26:00 +0000

I've finally settled down a bit from the chaos that is May Move-out. I've even visited the old crew at work--and without the "when are you coming back?" pressure, which was really nice.

This summer may shape out well.

I picked up some books that mnay help shape my thesis, and now have a HUGE summer reading list. However, if this is all I'm doing this summer, it shouldn't be too bad. So far, I've got:

The Norse Myths translated/retold by Kevin Crossley-Holland

Sandman Volumes I-X by Neil Gaiman

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

The Nibelunglied

Le Morte D'Arthur by Sir Thomas Mallory

Celtic Myths and Legends translated/retold by T.W. Rolleston

The Annotated Grimms' Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm (duh).
I also need to pick up any volumes of Fables that I can get my hands on. I have an itchy writing hand, but at the same time, I want the story to come together instead of wandering aimlessly, and I need to do the research before I can do that. Therefore reading comes first.

Commentary to come?

-----
On another note, the Stumptown Comics Fest this year was pretty damn rad. Brian Michel Bendis was awesome, and told me that I got the first good photo of him in 20 years (EPIC WIN!)

Additionally, Tara McPherson was really nice, and I've fallen in love with her art. I'm really surprised that she and Bendis were able to go to this con, especially since it was so small/indie. Pretty damn cool.

Comic book month in Portland was a major success. It makes me happy to see that I'm not the only weird person I know trying to hail this as literature--a whole city has done it now too.

Surprise! Life just arrived at the party!

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:57:00 +0000

Ok. I want to do something new to the site, but I'm not sure what. I don't know what a website for a writer/artist should look like. Though I do know that I need to put things up. So, after finals, I think the next step will be to upload some art and put it on the site, versus being just on Deviantart, which I hardly ever update. AND new writing--especially some of this stuff that's been coming out of my Creative Writing class, which has actually helped a lot more than I thought it would.

And my friend Rivka has agreed to do some art for The Suits, which makes me REALLY excited. She enjoys the idea of a new Pantheon, and I'm sitting here wondering where the old ones went. Anyway, I've done some sketches for the project, but I'm way more excited for her art. Maybe Riv will become the McKean to my Gaiman...or something. Anyway, it's a great next step, and everyone is excited.

I think I'm going to send out another batch of query letters once I get home too. And I wish that the one still floating around would come home. Whatever. It'll be #7, but until I hit #10 or #15, I'm still going to remain optimistic. I just don't know what I can do to seel the book better. But I'll figure it out.

Finals make me want to cry. This Shakespeare fanfic makes me really want to cry. I don't know what to do. Maybe a conversation over beer with spurrned lovers Richard III (because Anne hated his guts), Macbeth (because his wife was nuts), Malvolio (because he needs to LOOSEN UP), Bertram (because he wants nothing to do with Helena), and Romeo as a late comer--and he gets to be the one everyone hates. Ha. Maybe that is what I shall do. But I need to keep it relatively within Shakespearean language, and I have to use some quotes from the characters where they'll fit in. Whatever. It'll be okay.

Environmental Science may kill me, and I need to finish the final for Middle East so that I can move furniture to storage on Friday.

Iron Man also happens on Friday. And, actually, I expect it to suck. Marvel hasn't done well with films. X-Men 1 & 2 and Spiderman (which is still kinda meh) are just about the only good films they've done. And the Punisher. The Punisher wasn't bad.

Hulk? Sucked. Elektra? UGH. Daredevil? SNORE. Blade? Pretty boring, actually--I'll watch Underworld instead. Fantastic Four? An excuse to get Alba into spandex. X-Men 3? ATROCITY. Ghost Rider? It has Cage in it...it can't be fantastic. Not a good history at any rate. But they may surprise me.

----
I hate rap. Why in the hell do I love Punk Goes Crunk so damn much? THIS IS NOT OKAY.

Meep?

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:36:00 +0000

I got a seventh rejection letter today. However, this one wasn't even a ltter so much as a note written on my letter. I don't know if I have the right to be annoyed about that or not.

I think the next step is to either start selling Nocturnal Melee as a different genre when I send the letters out (urban fantasy) or go straight to the publishers instead. There's always the option of independent press too, but...I'd just rather not.

I went to a thesis defense today, and was floored by the depth and articulateness in the writing. And the girl already has two agents on the top of it. Amazing. It ALMOST makes me want to write a full-blown memoir. ALMOST. But my life isn't nearly as remarkable. "Confessions of a game-junkie"? No thanks.

The Suits as an official project is off to a damn good start. I'm not sure how I want to style it though, so I don't think it flows as nicely as it could. But I'm up to the part where I think I want to introduce "The Vagrant" who is the God fo Death, and I think he's actually going to end up as comic relief. Weird. He's also very popular among women, and I may play on this...and I may end up adding new gods in the form of ALL of the aces (and potentially all of the face cards, if need be). He's still the Ace of Spades. Death. But a happy, drunkard, partying Death.

I think he's going to be rather fun to write.

Crazy people lead hectic lives.

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:15:00 +0000

It's been pretty hectic lately. I dropped my Japanese Media thesis, as it just flopped on every end. I think I'll still write it, but perhaps more as an independent study project than my thesis. Instead, I'm now working on a project called The Suits, which takes "The King of Nothingness" mythos, and turns it into a gradiose, full-fledged mythology. And the gods are based on face cards.

I don't know how it works either, but I'm jumping on the ride anyway.

Let's see. I've finished a painting since the last post, which is based upon some stationary I remember seeing in Powells once.
The poem on it reads:
Can you fit my soul
Into a sheet of paper?
Caged in thin white fury,
and bleeding
Inky whispers of sincerity.

Also, I went to a Gerard Way comic-book signing this week, as the Portland Mayor has deemed April "Comic Book Month," which is pretty much rad. I live in a city that dedicates a month to nerddom. WIN AT LIFE.
For those of you who don't know, Gerard Way wrote a comic called the Umbrella Academy. Oh, and he sings for a little band called My Chemical Romance. Y'know, just to put this in context. BTW: Those roses were for his birthday (which was the next day/yesterday), and were being given to him by the first 24 people in line (I feel special for sitting in line all day).

And the school dance was pretty rad, unless, of course, the music and the VJ are taken into context. Some days, I swear I should drop my English major, and go into deejaying. I'd be much better at it than some of these people. I don't care if he has music videos to accompany the song--I cannot dance to rap for 3 hours straight. *sigh* But watching a group of 50 people flailing around, trying to dance to "Thriller" was fantastic.

Does this mean we're just too young, and wish we weren't? How sad it that?

Rejection and Excitement

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 07:30:00 +0000

So far, 3/6 of my agent responses have been direct declines. It's been all "The work isn't my type," which means that it's definitely a lack of research/miscommmunication on my part. I think I'm marketing the book as horror when I should go with supernatural/dark fantasy. In the last letter I sent off, I changed the genre, so we'll see if that makes a difference.

I thought I'd be taking the rejection harder though.

I suppose it's a good thing that I'm not though, eh?

I need to get writing done tonight too, as tomorrow CRISIS CORE comes out, and I just don't think that I'll have much time left in my day. Hahaha.

Fangirlish excitement, oh gods.

By the way: Neon Genesis Evangelion is funny stuff. Especially easy to make fun of, and the stagnant moments of pseudo art...oh man. It's enjoyable just for its quirks alone. I'm almost happy that I need to use it for my thesis.

We March in the Rain, Sun, and Hail?

noreply@blogger.com (Katenator) — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 07:14:00 +0000

The peace rally on the 15th went rather well--except for the hail storm. There was 20 minutes of sun, to which Zach said, "This is a sign that God wants us to march." Either he was spited, or he didn't beware the Ides of March, for the sun didn't last. But it went well, and we giggled at the onlookers, like the Scientologists. The marchers didn't respond well to the well-wishes of the Scientologists, actually. I didn't mind, as the more people who agree with us the better--who cares what their religion is?

Me, Maria, and Christina do the "Hippie." This was taken right before the march, and the rain.

It was a pretty awesome day. Afterward, we got Zach plastered, as it was his 21st birthday, and we went to see Funny Games which was just...special. Zach called it "torture porn" at first, but then decided against it, as he overanalyzed, and stated then that it was "postmodernism." *Eyeroll*

I finished a new painting too. I think I've been favoring abstract, but despite that, I think this one turned out pretty damn well. It's edging a little on Hellsing fanart, but really, any other color of eye would have clashed badly with the maroon "Rising Sun." I think I'll do a typewriter for the next project. XD

I got to do my FIRST PUBLIC READING on Thursday too. And it went rather well. Reception was pretty damn good for such a dark piece (and on a "conservative Christian campus" to boot. I must seem like the Antichrist sometimes...). I read "King of Nothingness." Woot. People laughed at the gag, so at least I did something right. WOOHOO!