IWSG: July, 2014

And here I was.....all set to start my new blogging schedule. What? You didn't know about my new blogging schedule? Oh, well that's probably because I didn't mention it. I really didn't want to make a big hoopla about it because I want to make sure it sticks first. I have to give credit to the A to Z Writing Challenge for a great blog post that gave me a nice framework to start with.I'm going to try tailor it into something that's going to really work for me.

As with anything else, we'll see how it goes.

Anyway, my new "schedule"  has me posting only on Monday and Fridays, with the rest of the week dedicated to prep, commenting, and replies. Easy enough, right?

While I'm ashamed to admit it, I had totally forgotten about IWSG.  (Whatever you do, don't tell Alex!!!)

At first, I figured I'd just skip it, but then got to thinking. It's only one day a month and wouldn't really throw my "schedule" (do you like how I keep putting quotes around the word? Again, gotta make it stick!) off.....so, why not?

I think it's important that writers have an avenue to express concerns as well as encourage others in their journey and the IWSG is an amazing outlet to do both.

This is why I IWSG in the first place and will continue to do so as long as I can.

Yes, I realize this wasn't a very IWSG'y post, but it's sort of relevant.....right?

IWSG: March, 2014-- Back In The Saddle

Look here, greenhorn, it’s only a horse.

That’s easy for you to say plus, look at the thing.....that’s one big horse. That saddle looks a little....strange, too.

Yeah, sure it’s big but ya rode it before….all ya gotta do is hop back up in the saddle, doesn't matter what it looks like. Once ya do that, the rest will come to ya.

Sure…if you say so…

Trust me, pardner.

Uh huh...

And, with that, I hop back onto my monthly foray into the area of the writing journey that could, possibly, bring some mental discomfort.

It’s time, once again, for an Insecure Writer’s Support Group post! The brainchild of Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh, the IWSG is a safe haven for those of us wanting to let loose our literary insecurities to an unsuspecting (o.k, that part isn't true...they know it's coming) blogosphere.

So, anyone who’s still following this blog knows it’s been no secret that I’ve been quite lax, lately, in my writing and blogging.  For a guy who had over one hundred posts last year, it’s a bit discouraging to look at my sidebar and only be logging two entries in as many months. Not that it's strictly a 'numbers game', I definitely think quality trumps quantity, any day. Like I've said before, it's just going to be a matter of me buckling down and writing. That's it.

Besides that, though, I really don't have much in the way of "insecurities" to speak of this month. I'm getting excited to be writing/blogging again and even editing isn't seeming like a trip to the dentist's office anymore.

With me, as always, it's just a matter of staying on course and getting/keeping organized. I'm looking forward to the day, though, when I can write about my insecurities revolving around whether or not people like the book I've just published.

Some day....some day.

Running on Empty....

It's more than just the title to a Jackson Brown song, it's also how I've been feeling of late.

I was a bit saddened to check the sidebar and notice that almost two months have gone by and I don't have one post to show for it.

Truth to tell, though, I've just felt.....drained. I guess that's the best word to describe everything. Like I'm, literally, running on empty. Not just in writing, but in everything. Not that my life is bad, or anything, it's just that I feel like I'm being pulled in a million directions at once.

It's not that I don't have the time to write/blog. Even though my new working dynamic doesn't afford me all the free time I used to have, I still have plenty of it. I guess I've just been opting for things that don't really force me to think.

I have been writing, though, but in short bursts, and have gone back to revising my original NaNo project, The T.E.M.P Agency. I've also been making it a priority to read more. Right now I'm in the middle of a book about Walt Disney (The Revised Vault of Walt) and have also started Gaiman's American Gods.

It's, sort of, like trying to climb out of quicksand or thick mud. You have to take things slow and easy or else you get sucked back down into the muck and mire.

If nothing else, this post is just a reaffirmation of my intentions to get back on the writing/blogging horse in some way, shape, or form. I know I've been a terrible blogging buddy as well. But, in time, I plan on making more effort to read/comment on all the great blogs I follow. I just need to get my boots out of the mud.

I hope everyone's having a great week and, depending on where you live, staying warm.

J: Jack T. .Chance!

J 

is for Jack T. Chance.

(Before I get into this post, proper, I just want to give myself a little 'high five' for making this my 100th post to the blog, since starting back in August of 2011. Woo hoo! :) Also, in the past four months I've posted around 55 entries which is more than I did in 2010 and 2011...combined.)

Now...on to letter "J".

Jack T. Chance was created by John Ostrander and, as the story goes, loosely based off another Ostrander character....GrimJack.

For the uninitiated, the Green Lantern corps was founded by an ancient race of beings called The Guardians as a, sort of, intergalactic peace keeping force. Choosing a champion from each planet and giving them one of the most powerful weapons in the galaxies (the amazing power ring), the Green Lanterns are to keep peace in their respective sectors while still adhering to the Guardians strict code of non-lethality.

Jack T. Chance was the exception to that rule.

From the planet Garnet, also known as "Hellhole" due to it being one of the worst criminal planets in existence, Chance was chosen basically as a last resort. A loose cannon...and one of the Guardian's secret weapons on the war against evil.

Chance was given something that no other member of the core had been given before that time.

He was allowed to use more "questionable methods to get the job done...,but there was a catch. While most Green Lanterns had jurisdiction over an entire sector of space, Chance was to be confined just to his planet. The ring wouldn't work offworld and he was to be subjected to periodic checks by the Guardians to make sure he wasn't getting too out of hand. As if there was such a thing on Hellhole.

Even though he was a very minor character in the Green Lantern lore, I always liked Jack. He could 'stick it to the man' and get away with it, because they needed him to keep a lid on his planet. 

Chance billed himself as a "good, bad man", chain smoked, and carried a big gun as backup to his power ring. He refused to wear the typical Green Lantern uniform and, instead, just put a pin on his lapel to designate his membership in the Corp. Plus...he wore a bolo tie and I was big into bolo ties in the 90s. Don't judge. :P

Like another rebel Green Lantern, Guy Gardner, Jack T. Chance was a nice change from the usual 'boy scout' type member of the Corp...even reciting his own oath while recharging his power ring.

The typical oath goes like this:

In brightest day, in blackest night

No evil shall escape my sight.

Let those who worship evil's might

Beware my power, Green Lantern's light.

Jack's oath was:

You who are wicked, evil and mean

I'm the nastiest creep you've ever seen!

Come one, come all, put up a fight

I'll pound your butts with Green Lantern's light!

Chance was killed when the entire Green Lantern Corp tried to stop the galaxy wide threat known as Parallax and his ring crushed.

And before you ask, no, I don't know what the "T" stood for. :)

Tomorrow we'll speed along with one of the big gun's sidekicks....

Back Already??

Weren't we just here a day ago? :)

No, I haven't quit my hiatus before it's even begun, but I just wanted to pop back in and remind you that the lovely and talented Sydney Aaliyah is celebrating her blogging anniversary and is asking people "Why do you blog?"

A big 'congrats' to Sydney on her blogoversary and I was honored that she thought of me.

You can catch all of my semi-coherent ramblings here.


Now...once again....see you in April!

Gone Fishin'

O.k, not literally....I haven't been fishing in decades.....not that I have anything against fishing, mind you.

Especially in a case like this.....

What? I'm talking about the fish.... ahem

Or, in a case like this, I'm not too thrilled....

Anyway....

I've just been seeing this on a few other blogs and, with the A to Z Blogging Challenge coming up Monday, thought it was a good idea.

I'm going to be taking a small blogging break until April 1st to gear up and get ready for A to Z. I'll still be visiting/commenting on others blogs, I just won't be posting anything else until Monday.

In that time, I'll have to decide whether I'll split my posts between this blog and my other blog (with directions there on the 'off days' here) or just keep all my entries here and put my other site on a month long hiatus. I already blog six days a week, so A to Z shouldn't be that much of a departure for me, blog-wise, except on where I'll be posting.

Getting ready for A to Z?

Should I keep all my posts here or split them up, keeping my other blog on 'schedule' and, possibly, directing some traffic there as well?

Hmmmm.....decisions, decisions...

See you on April 1st!

Introductions

I happened across this cool blog hop a few weeks ago and it seemed like a great opportunity to get to know some of my fellow bloggers a bit better. Hosted by Stephen Tremp, Mark Koopmans, Elise Fallson, and C.M. Brown, it's a quick hop to get acquainted (or re-acquainted) with others in the vast blogosphere and a big 'thank you' to them for hosting this shindig.

Anyway, I've never really considered myself an "interesting" person. I've always been one to play things 'safe' and have never been a risk taker. I enjoy writing because it lets me do, with words, things I probably wouldn't do in real life.

Growing up, my dad was in the Navy and that meant travel. A lot of travel...at least in the eyes of a young boy. We moved about every two years until I was around twelve years old. The most exotic place we lived was Sigonella Sicily. Anyone familiar with the area knows it's near the active volcano Mt. Aetna. Aetna puts on a pretty impressive light show, from time to time, and I used to have a pretty neat collection of volcano rocks (which got lost in subsequent moves). A neat place to visit, but I don't think I'd want to live there on a permanent basis.

Mt. Aetna

All that traveling, though, early in my life set me up for something positive in that I found I made friends easily. It was, pretty much, a necessity going from school to school every couple of years.

I've covered, in another post, about my beginnings as a writer....but, not as a blogger. Though, I really don't consider myself a "blogger" (or really a "writer", for that matter) as much as I do "someone who blogs occasionally", it's something I'm enjoying more an more and, especially, as I start to interact with other bloggers in the community.

When I checked my blogger profile it says I've been using blogger since 2006. Really? Wow...that must have been when I signed up, because I clearly haven't been using it since then. It's only been within the past few years that I started blogging on an even semi-regular basis.

Emphasis on 'semi'.

Anyway....long post longer....my name is Mark. I like to write and create and I look forward to interacting and encouraging my fellow bloggers and writers.

Nice to meet you =)

The "Non Blog Post"....Post

O.k, just a quick "non post" here to do some light "house cleaning".

To try to get more into the 'swing' of writing (at least, something) on a daily basis, I'm going to try to stick to the following blog schedule.

Posted here for accountability...

Monday, Wednesday, Friday: I'll be posting something here. I'll try to keep the focus on writing, my process, my projects, etc.....'cause it's all about me, ya know :P

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday: I'll be putting some sort of randomness up on my 'general purpose' blog, found here.

Hopefully, it won't be too much but will be enough to get me putting words to (virtual) paper on a regular basis.

Now...back to the blogoshpere!