Ketchup
I think my little Facebook utterances have quelled what used to queue up to merit a blog update, which is unfortunate as I’d rather keep my thoughts contained here than there. I’ll work on that.
Lots going on since the last update. Most importantly, I finished reading my book and still liked it. I followed the dubious upbeat tropical paradise read with a gritty urban post-dental work read in the city and, somehow, still enjoyed the book. So that’s good.
After that I printed up a dozen copies of the book on lulu.com, and currently have 10 people reading it. No word back yet, so we’ll see how it goes.
On one hand, I don’t think of this as a test screening, because the goal is really to see if the book conveys my intentions moreso than to entertain other notions. So, that will be the important bit, did people take away from the book what I’d hoped. I do think the book is readable, much faster-paced than earlier drafts, and all makes sense to me. But is enough information available to keep everyone on that journey. We’ll see.
It’s an interesting challenge, since I’m already working on a series of essays, as well as researching my second novel, which I’ll begin writing in early 2010. So, while I keep moving forward, it’s interesting waiting to hear back on the first effort. Not that the feedback on the first book would affect the essays or the second novel, really.
Plus, I suppose that will become a standard thing, that there will always be a current work, a next work, and a past work marching toward publication, if this is done properly.
The essay collection is one of those obvious, inevitable things, and my reticence in writing it is evidence, to me, that it is the right path. There’s no need to look for autobiographical insight in the first novel, it’s rarely there. But the essays? Yikes.
I started a new contract gig in September. A somewhat incestuous flip-flop from one company to another. At my old job, I managed the relationship with this company. At my new job, I help work with my old company as one of our main clients. It really didn’t change much for me, being on either side. Slightly less pay, but slightly less commute, too.
I still suck at full time work, at least from the perspective of getting everything else done. I think people with full time jobs are so used to getting little else done that it seems commonplace, but that three years off ruined me in that regard. I lost weight when unemployed. I was healthier unemployed. I was happier unemployed. But I was careening into massive debt.
If this job continues into 2010 (my current contract goes through 12/31), the emphasis will be on launching oasisjournals.com and vegocentric.com as social networks. And, of course, I fear launching them as a potential impediment to finishing off the essays and starting the next novel.
Facebook has been interesting, in that I communicate with a lot more people on a traditional path. So when I mention things I’m doing, comments will often be from former high school classmates or old co-workers, who mention I should try doing my schedule with kids. But it’s sort of a moot point. You couldn’t really do much of my life with kids.
That’s not to say kids are off the radar. Right now, I want to launch the sites, get in shape, really start focusing on writing more and more, so that in a few years time, I’ll be in a better place to have kids. I want kids by the time I’m 45, and I’m 41 now, so… tick tock.
Not much else to report, I’m currently planning my holiday trip home. Lining up what Broadway shows to see. My current preferences are Next to Normal, Rock of Ages, Billy Elliot, and Hair. Not sure what else I can fit in or see beyond that. Also, not looking as good this year for press seats. N2N has no gay content, Billy isn’t offering press seats, Rock of Ages is dark on Wednesdays (my normal double feature day, as you usually can’t get weekend press seats). So, will be curious to see what I can come up with… Don’t be surprised if it’s the above four shows, though, heh.
