For those who can help a bit with money (or who already pledged support on Kickstarter) I'm in the process of setting up a similar project on Indiegogo.com. I expect it to be in flight by this weekend (fingers crossed) and am going to let it run a little longer than I did on Kickstarter. More details to come.
It's time to move on to a different method for trying to raise money for this project. I posted last night about the need for help with reading stories as they are completed and that help will continue to be needed throughout the duration of this project. If you are in no position to give a few bucks and you still want to help in some way, that would be an excellent way to help out.
For those who can help a bit with money (or who already pledged support on Kickstarter) I'm in the process of setting up a similar project on Indiegogo.com. I expect it to be in flight by this weekend (fingers crossed) and am going to let it run a little longer than I did on Kickstarter. More details to come.
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Photo Credit: cozgrl05 via sxc.hu Tick tock, tick tock...it's amazing how much time can fly when you are trying to accomplish something and have very few hours to fit it into a busy life. I had grand designs when I first started this website and writing project, that I would be able to pump out my 5 "sense" stories in a matter of a few months and be ready to deliver a finished book by Christmas time. But then life starts to get in the way. With two kids at home, 99.9% of my "free" time is devoted to them (OK, maybe it's closer to 99.8%). Then of course there is work. That of course comes first since until I make it as a world famous author, I need to pay the bills somehow. Figure in grocery shopping, lawn mowing, leaf raking, eating, sleeping...the list goes on and on...but they all take time away from writing which is where I really want to be. Don't get me wrong, I love my time with my family more than anything. No amount of time spent writing is worth giving up time with them. And I really do love my job despite the stress that comes with it. I just sometimes wish that there were 2 more hours in the day that I could use just for writing these stories. Let me finish by clarifying something else. Some may think that I'm writing these stories to make money or become famous. (I did say that I wanted to be a world famous author just a few paragraphs ago) While that would be nice, I truly do just want to share my point of view. Especially in the line of storytelling that I'm working on right now, I think there are important questions raised that people need to think about. If fame and fortune come, I won't turn them away, but my main focus is to make people think and to hopefully be entertained by the stories that I am trying to tell. Photo Credit: loleia via sxc.hu I realized today that I haven't given any short story pieces in a while. and wanted to make sure that I fixed that trend. I posted a smaller piece of this about two months ago but have since expanded on it. As I'm sure you will be able to figure out by the end, this is from my "Touch" story which currently does not have an official title. Please let me know what you think of it. I highly encourage and appreciate feedback either via email or through comments on the blog posts. Your input can help to make these stories even better when they are in a published format in the book. Without further ado, please enjoy some of "Touch." “Alex honey, can you please go get my reading glasses from my bedroom?” “Yes grandma.” Alex trudged down the hall from the living room to the bedroom that occupied most of the back of the small apartment. The bedroom was full of knickknacks that Grandma had collected over the course of her eighty two years. No, knickknacks didn’t really begin to describe it. Every inch of the room was covered in junk. Grandma insisted that the stuff “was really worth something” and that the “damn kids would be grateful to have it someday.” Picking her way over the empty cardboard boxes on the floor inside the door, Alex nearly tripped three times before reaching the relative safety of the nightstand. There were no glasses. “They’re not here Grandma.” “What?” “THEY’RE NOT HERE!!” There was a pause which indicated that Grandma had heard her the second time. The news that the glasses were potentially missing would infuriate her and likely ruin the rest of the day. Not a good sign since it was only just after nine in the morning. The shuffling sound was unmistakable as Grandma made her way to the bedroom mumbling something under her breath about “kids these days” and “do it yourself.”
The sound echoed in the still apartment and left a little ringing in Alex’s ears. For someone in her eighties, Grandma was still awfully fast and Alex hadn’t even seen the hand coming before it broadsided her face. Alex’s eyes watered a bit from the impact and a tear glided silently down her left cheek.
“Oh don’t cry you little baby. You can’t feel it anyway.” “I wasn’t crying!” Alex stormed through the path that Grandma had cleared and out of the room. She wanted to go in her room and slam the door shut, but it wouldn’t do to be stuck in the apartment with Grandma. She had to get out so she went to the kitchen and picked up a handful of granola bars from the pantry before heading out the front door and slamming it shut behind her. It's time. I officially launched my Kickstarter project tonight and it is open for pledges. I have put up several levels of rewards most of which include some variation of a free copy of the book once it is published (estimated publishing date is early December 2012). While I know times are tough, I would ask that you stop over to the project site and be so kind as to pledge just a single dollar to the cause of helping me publish this book. It has been a long dream for me to publish my own writing and with your help, I can fulfill that dream. Thank you in advance for your support and I assure you that you will not be disappointed by this and other projects that I have envisioned for the future of Outermountain Writing. Photo Credit: Michael Zimmermann via sxc.hu So I have been thinking about what my longer term vision for Outermountain Writing is and I have a few projects that I can see being released in the next year. The first is the initial project that led me to start this website and blog which is the book of short stories about the five senses. Right now I am looking at a release date of December 2012 for this book. Project number two is a book of poetry. I have posted a few of my older poems here on the website as well as some new selections that I have written over the past few months. When I was in college and high school and had to read poetry to English class, I never thought I might someday publish a book of poetry myself, but with some of the work that I've done, I think it may happen. Assuming I can get the first book done by my December deadline, I hope a poetry volume ready by March at the latest. The last project in my head is a bigger one that is going to be a bit more involved, but I think will be the best of the bunch so far. I don't want to give away too much, but the "experts" always say to "write what you know" and there is one thing in the world that I know very well. My next short story project will be set in that world.
Music Credit: It's Friday and time to post another excerpt. I decided to give a little more about my friend who lost his hearing in the freak seesaw accident. Check out the previous portion that I posted here. The first night that I was home, I sat on my bed staring at the stereo system and stacks of CDs on top of my dresser across the room. Something that I had always taken completely for granted now functioned as little more than a paperweight for me. I pulled out the copy of Michael Jackson’s Thriller that I got from my dad for my 11th birthday and put it in the CD player anyway. It was already late so I plugged in my headphones and uncoiled the cord so that I could still sit on my bed and listen. Nothing. I checked the volume to make sure that it was on. The last time I used the stereo, I had left the volume about half way up. I cranked it all the way up and pressed the headphones hard over my ears trying to block out any other sounds from the world and willing my ears to pick up some little hint of sound. Nothing. I twisted the volume knob one more time in a vain attempt to get more volume but it was already maxed out. Nothing. I sat with the headphones over my ears for a few moments, playing Michael Jackson’s famous voice in my head and mentally reciting Vincent Price’s creepy voice over. Nothing. I finally gave in and screamed at the top of my lungs, or what I thought to be the top of my lungs. I didn’t care what time it was and if I woke up my mom and my sister. Or everyone in the neighborhood for that matter. All I wanted to do was listen to my music and that was never going to happen. Ever. I am one step closer to getting this book that I'm working on into published format. I found an online publisher (The Book Patch)that I think I'm going to use to print the books. I will be setting up the Kickstarter campaign in the next week or so as well so look for updates on that very soon! I will be posting the link to the exact campaign page. The last thing I need is some ideas for giveaways on the Kickstarter campaign. I am definitely going to be offering "roles" in the stories to three lucky donors. Three out of the five stories will be available to feature your name as the lead character or give you the opportunity to name the lead character if you don't want to use your name. I also want to offer up some free copies of the finished book, probably to be sent out no earlier than Christmas. Anyone that donates will get their name on the website as a supporter and depending on how many folks help out, I will probably put names in the book as well. Now back to the writing since I really have to finish these stories now!! Another excerpt.
Let me just say to everyone that has been visiting the site, THANK YOU! Every time I see that there are new people visiting, it continues to inspire me to keep writing and posting to keep you coming back. Please share with your friends and keep coming back for more as I am trying to stay on top of updating the site at least once a day, especially here on the blog. That being said, on to the excerpt from a story. Please post your comments with guesses on which of the five senses this story centers around. The shuffling sound was unmistakable as Grandma made her way to the bedroom mumbling something under her breath about “kids these days” and “do it yourself.” When she reached the door, Grandma started carving a path through the boxes on the floor like a jungle guide wielding a machete. Boxes went flying over the bed and through the open closet door revealing the worn down carpet beneath. Alex was still standing by the nightstand, not daring to move a muscle, when Grandma arrived. Grandma yanked open the drawer of the nightstand with enough force to rattle the junk on top. The items tottered back and forth for a moment and then settled back into their spots on the nightstand. Grandma looked down at the open drawer and then up to stare at Alex. Alex had already seen the glasses in the bottom of the drawer and she slowly brought her eyes to meet Grandma’s. I'm not sure if I like this opening yet. Thoughts?
Joe screamed the moment he opened his eyes. He had no idea where he was and that was terrifying enough, but the worst part was that he knew his eyes were wide open and all he could see was darkness. More accurately, he couldn’t see anything at all. After the initial shock set in, he sat up and started taking stock of where he was. He was alone. At least he couldn’t hear anyone nearby. Joe began to feel around with his hands and found grass under him, wet with dew. Early morning or late night. What had he been doing that landed him here? Where was here? |
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