Toronto Launch

I kept it below the radar, but a couple weekends ago I went to Toronto to do a soft launch of my debut novel Evermore: Call of the Nocturne. The idea behind the soft launch is not really to promote the book but use it as an excuse to meet with all of the people who bring the book to fruition. Well, that and watching Blue Jays games.

After coming in on Friday and drinking some beers with an old Friday. I spend Saturday afternoon watching a Blue Jays game. I hadn't seen a game in Skydome Rogers Centre since about 2008 and I was impressed by how much the baseball experience had improved. The Blue Jays lost (again) but I had a great time, got a massive sunburn and watched the dome close following the game (cool). Following the game, I got lost walking around Toronto and saw some of its amazing neighbourhoods including Queen's Park, the University of Toronto, Little Italy and Koreatown.I met Erin Stropes (my editor) and Jordan Knoll (my cover designer) at a neat little pub called "No One Writes to the Colonel" in Koreatown. We had a great time. It was amazing to finally meet to people with whom I had been working with for years to make my dream a reality. My only regret is that I didn't have more time and that I didn't take any pictures (d'oh).On Sunday, I visited with Kevin Bae, the illustrator for both the back and front covers. We met for lunch and talked for a couple of hours before I grabbed my train. We had a great time and it was cool to find out what he had been up to over the last couple of years, including getting married. Anyway, we had a great time. I wish I had more time to spend in Toronto so I could see these guys more often. It also gives me more motivation to get moving on my next project so I can work with these guys again.

National Novel Writing Month

Sorry for going dark for a month. Things have been quite busy. The paperback version of Evermore: Call of the Nocturne has hit a little bit of a snag. Apparently, creating pdf manuscripts using Apple's Pages software is terribly bad idea. Apparently, it creates errors in the pdf document that don't show up until the paperback is printed! Sigh. Thankfully, the nice folks at Lulu support have graciously converted my manuscript and allowed me to upload it again. Once I get an updated cover from Jordan (there was a slight spacing issue that caused the title to get almost cut off on the original print run), we'll be good to go to finally publish the paperback. Once that's done, I'll be free to organize my book launch party.In the meantime, I'm taking advantage of National Novel Writing Month to get a quick start to my next project. Entitled Other than I, my goal is to get the first 50,000 words of it down by the end of November. That's about 1600 words a day. Typically, my goal has been to write 1000 words a day and I've always found that excruciating. Thus far, it's been going well. After the first 10 days, I have written 16,750 words, making me ahead of schedule. It's a wonderful challenge and a great excuse to get off your butt and finally start that project you've always been thinking about.Well, wish me luck. This novel is going to write itself.

Ottawa Independent Writers' Meet and Greet

Today, I attended a meet and greet with the Ottawa Independent Writers Associated at the Collected Works Bookstore in the Ottawa neighbourhood of Hintonburg. In short, I had a wonderful time. It was great to talk to a bunch of authors who were passionate about their craft and excited to hear what everyone else was up to. I also got some great advice on how to host my book launch. Since it will be my first, I'm looking for as much advice as possible and the Ottawa Independent Writers certainly accommodated me.There were some very interesting stories and non-fiction works on offer at the reading including a book about Welsh Zombies (Alice ♥ Welsh Zombies by Victoria Dunn), project management (Realities of Project Management by Allen Price), fantasy novels, mystery novels. There was literally something for everyone.I was also impressed by the bookstore, Collected Works. The minute I entered the store, I was met by a large display of local authors. Their commitment to local authors is quite commendable. The store was well-decorated, well-light and staffed by some very friendly staff. I'll have to inquire into the details of holding a book launch there. I would prefer a location closer to Centretown and where we could serve alcohol :), but I was still impressed by the location. Stay tuned.

It's a Wrap! Evermore: Call of the Nocturne is Finally Complete!

After eight years, more than eight drafts, thousands of hours of my life, and three computers later, I have finally finished the manuscript for Evermore: Call of the Nocturne. My god, that took far longer than I ever expected it to. When I started back in 2004 (and this is not considering pre-production planning), I thought that it might take me three or four years. When I finished the first draft by 2007 or 2008, I thought I was nearly done. When I started this blog in 2010, my goal was to publish it that year. Obviously, that was not to be.

That said, the time was not wasted. During that four-year period, I had two professional edits done on my text. A developmental edit by Erin Stropes and a line edit by Amelia Bennett. The suggestions made by those two led to immense improvements in the manuscript. I owe them both a debt of gratitude for their contributions. E:COTN is a much better novel now then it was before their help. Still, it was four years!

Having reached the end of the road, I admit that my feelings are a little bittersweet. On one hand, I feel relief for having finally completed it. One the other hand, I feel a little bit lost. Completing this novel has been one of the driving forces of my life and now that it's over, I feel like I've lost a little bit of the purpose of my life. I have been thinking about this novel constantly for the last eight years, thinking up new plot elements, developing characters, and filling holes and inconsistencies. Now that's it's done, I no longer have to obsess about it. I'm also somewhat overwhelmed but the length of time I've been working on it. I've been working on E:COTN for about a quarter of my life. With its completion, a significant chapter of my life has closed. It will be a time in my life that I will always miss.

In an ironic twist, I started to watch Martin Scorcese's The Aviator to relax after completing the novel. At the beginning, the protagonist Howard Hughes four years and almost every cent who had on a movie called "Hell's Angels". His level of obsession with the project was absurd. He bought or loaned every plan he could find, used no fewer than 26 cameras, and then reshot the film twice: once because he wanted to get clouds into the shots and a second time because he wanted to add sound! It was insane and yet, while I watched, I understood completely. When you commit so much of your life to a project, it can be really difficult to let go. You want to make it perfect, but perfect is impossible. At some point you have to let it go, warts and all.Howard Hughes couldn't let it go and I've difficulty letting go of Evermore. As I came closer and closer to the end, I became more reluctant to finish. I was always finding something that needed to be improved or worked on. But at some point, I came to the conclusion that the novel was about as good as I could ever make. It was time to let it go. I had fixed all the plot holes I could find, I addressed every concern raised by my editors, it was done.There's still more work to do, of course. I still have to get the cover art drawn and arranged, I have to register the copyright and buy an ISBN. I'll need to prepare the epub file, test it and upload it to iBookstore and the Kindle store. I'll probably give the manuscript one more read to be sure but the bulk of the work is done.I'll also have more time to write on my blog. I've been so busy trying to finish E:COTN that I've neglected my blog at a very exciting time for self-publishing. We have new services arising, more direct access to iBookstore and an exciting new tool called iBooks Author that I'm dying to play with. I'll keep all of you posted on all of these developments and keep you appraised of E:COTN's release date as we approach.Thank you again for your patience. I hope that when it is finally published, you will enjoy reading Evermore: Call of the Nocturne as I did writing it. 

Awesome Authors looking for Ottawa's top young writers

The Ottawa Public Library is holding its annual Awesome Authors Youth Writing Contest. Deadline is January 30. See more details below:

Awesome Authors youth writing contestYoung poets and authors - On your mark! Get set! Write!The Ottawa Public Library invites you to participate in the 17th annual Awesome Authors Youth Writing Contest, a contest for aspiring young poets and short story authors. Participants can win lots of Awesome prizes!Contest open to youth between the ages of 9 and 17Participants must have an Ottawa Public Library card.There is a limit of 2 entries per person, per category.Poems and short stories must:o be 1000 words or lesso be submitted electronically or computer-generatedo be one side of an 8½ x 11" page, if submitted at a brancho include the title of the piece on each page of the entryo be entrant's own NEW work (no previously published works)o be in French and/or EnglishEntries that do not follow guidelines will be disqualified.Do not put your name on your work.Include one entry form per poem or story submitted.Entries will not be returned.Submit your work online (form below) or in person at your local branch. Print off this form if you choose to drop off your work in person.DeadlineJanuary 30, 2012

For more information, please consult the website at: http://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/main/about/comm/contest/all/awesome

Cover Art - Suicide is a Tax Write-Off

Wow, my apologies. It has been almost too months since my last post. Between editing the final version of E:CotN, going home for a family reunion, taking a camping trip, and the tribulations of life, I have had great difficulty in finding the time to post on this website. With the end of a busy summer, I should be able to write with more frequency from here on in.The big news is that I'm planning to release a short story that I wrote way, way, way back in 1997 for free on Kindle. This will give people a chance to get to know my writing and for me to get some experience with the steps of digital self-publishing before I release E:CotN.One of these steps is to commission cover art for the story. When publishing for Amazon, cover art is essential. It is your firs to opportunity to grab the attention of the reader and get him interested in your story.Since I have no artistic talents whatsoever, my editor Erin Stropes suggested that I work with Jordan Knoll, a graphic designer based out of Toronto. Working with him was great. We were able to pass ideas back and forth until we came up with the concept that you see above. By using a discarded receipt, Jordan was able able to create an interesting image that tells the reader a great deal about the story without revealing the plot. I'm really happy with it. Jordan did some great work on it.Next, I'll have to purchase an ISBN for it and upload it to the Amazon Digital Text Platform. I had also wanted to upload it to iBooks, but to do so I have to charge a minimum price of 99 cents. As I wish to give away the short story for free to promote my upcoming novel, I don't really feel it is appropriate to charge for one platform and not another. So for now, it will be Kindle-exclusive.Anyway, I hope that all of you like it. I'll be spending the next week plowing through Amelia's edits on E:CotN. I look forward to the day when this project is finally completed.

Michael Arndt’s Eight Steps for “Setting the Story in Motion”

One of the hidden gems on the 4-disc Toy Story 3 Blu-Ray package from Disney is a ten-minute short film by screenwriter Michael Arndt. In it, Arndt reveals the eight step process that he found in films like Toy Story, Finding Nemo and The Incredibles that helped him in writing Toy Story 3. Despite its short length, Arndt’s theory is an excellent contribution that deserves a closer look.1) Show Your Main CharacterIntroduce the audience to your main character. As most of the story follows their perspective, you need to establish him in the mind of the audience. In the case of Toy Story, this is Woody. He is a toy that comes alive when humans aren’t watching.2) Introduce the Universe that They Live In.Give your audience a chance to see the world that the protagonist lives in. In the case of Toy Story, we see that Woody lives in Andy’s room with the other toys.3) Show Your Character’s Grand PassionShow your character doing the thing that they love the most. What is their Grand Passion? In Woody’s case, his grand passion is his place as Andy’s favourite toy. He has the favoured position Andy’s bed and the introductory playtime sequences always show him as the star of Andy’s imagination.4) Show Your Character’s Hidden Flaw.Only boring protagonists are perfect. Show the audience your main character’s flaw. Give them a flaw that comes out of their grand passion, that comes out of the thing they love doing the most. In Woody’s case, it’s pride. As Andy’s favourite toy, he has a lot of pride about his place in Andy’s bedroom. It is only natural that he gets his comeuppance.5) Hint at Storm Clouds on the HorizonVery subtly, hint to your audience that there is trouble out on the horizon. In the case of Toy Story, those storms clouds are Andy’s birthday party. All of the other toys are afraid of being replaced. Only Woody, proud of his status as Andy’s favourite tool, is unworried.6) Turn Your Character’s World Upside DownSomething comes into your hero’s life and turns it upside down. It takes away their grand passion. In the case of Woody, the introduction of Buzz Lightyear changes everything. Because Buzz is such a cool tool, Andy and all of the other toys prefer him. Woody finds himself relegated to the Toy Chest while Buzz gets the preferred spot on Andy’s bed. Woody has lost his greatest possession: his status as Andy’s favourite toy.7) Add Insult to InjuryIf that is not enough, you have to add insult to injury. It is not enough to take away your protagonist's grand passion, you always have to humiliate him in the process. In the case of Toy Story, not only does he lose his place as favourite toy to Buzz, Buzz has no idea that he’s a toy! As Woody loses favour, you can see his frustration at Buzz’s cluelessness. He’s being replaced by an imbecile! This step is important to show your character’s frustration at a world that is completely unfair.8) Have Your Character Make the Wrong ChoiceThis is the big one. Bring your main character to a fork in the road. At this fork, they have two choices: a right choice and a wrong choice. Of course the character makes a wrong choice. Having seen what he has gone through, we understand perfectly why he makes the wrong choice. We even WANT him to make the wrong choice. This wrong choice comes out of his grand passion and provokes a crisis that sets us on our way to Act 2. Let’s take Toy Story again. In Toy Story, Woody, having been displaced and insulted by the deluded Buzz Lightyear, decides to try to knock Buzz behind the dresser so that Andy will have to take him to Pizza Planet. The plan goes awry, Buzz is knocked out the window, and the other toys blame Woody, leaving him no choice but to find and return Buzz to Andy’s room. That leads us right into Act 2.Arndt shows us the same structure at play in Finding Nemo and The Incredibles. The structure works well because the plot develops from the hero’s internal character, making it more personal. It also gives us something that character, alongside the main plot, must resolve inside himself. In the case of Toy Story, Woody not only brings back Buzz safely, but he also learns how to overcome his flaws and earn the friendship of Buzz. The hero’s journey becomes as much metaphysical as physical.But how can we apply these lessons to our own stories. In my case, Arndt’s theory forced a number of changes in the opening Act of Evermore: Call of the Nocturne. While  I found that I had followed several of his steps already, thinking his theory allowed me to make some changes that greatly improved the opening act. Please let me go through it one step at a time.1) Show Your Main CharacterIn Evermore: Call of the Nocturne, the reader is introduced to Mmorpg, a geekish computer nerd who has difficulty dealing with people directly. He prefers the virtual world to the real world as he has far more control over it.2) Introduce the Universe that They Live In.Mmorpg lives in Vancouver, BC. But his real home is at his laboratory at the University of British Columbia where he administrates a virtual online world known as Evermore.3) Show Your Character’s Grand PassionMmorpg’s greatest passion is Evermore itself. Having created the most popular Massively-Multiplayer Online (MMO) game in the world, Mmorpg is understandably proud of his accomplishment. He believes that Evermore will change the world for the better and thus he is very protective of it, allowing only himself access to the computer code that sustains it.4) Show Your Character’s Hidden Flaw.Mmorpg’s hidden flaw is his pride towards his creation. Enamoured by its possibilities, Mmorpg is unable or unwilling to see its possible consequences, both to himself and others.5) Hint at Storm Clouds on the HorizonDuring the opening chapters, Evermore’s Initial Public Offering (IPO) is mentioned nervously. In a few days, stock will be sold in the online world, making all of its founders, especially Mmorpg, incredibly rich.6) Turn Your Character’s World Upside DownMmorpg’s world is shattered when a little girl dies inside Evermore. Having written the security protocols that are meant to protect people inside the virtual world, Mmorpg is dumbfounded by failure. He continually insists that they are perfect despite the obvious evidence to the contrary.7) Add Insult to InjuryWith the death of the little girl, it is obvious that the government will move in to shut down Evermore. All of Mmorpg’s hard work, all of his sacrifices will have been for nothing. While he watches helplessly, his life’s work is falling to pieces.8) Have Your Character Make the Wrong ChoiceRather than choose to go straight to the authorities, as he should, Mmorpg chooses instead to perpetrate a massive coverup. He seals off the crime scene and disables the logout function, trapping everyone including the killer inside Evermore. To ensure that nobody gets wise, he tricks anyone who attempts to log out by trapping them inside another virtual reality where they log out, feel tired, and go to bed for a nap. Given that he can’t keep people locked up in the virtual world forever, Mmorpg is forced to find the killer. To that end, his organization hires a dangerous mercenary called Blue and we are into the 2nd Act.It was here that Arndt’s advice really paid dividends. Originally, Mmorpg simply makes the choice because, well because the plot demanded it. I hadn’t made the case in the character of Mmorpg why he would do such a thing. With Arndt’s theory, I made his connection to his creation far stronger in the early going, introduced the storm crowds (the government) that threatens to take away his dream, and confront him directly with the moral choice that leads us into the 2nd Act. Now we know why Mmorpg makes that decision and more importantly, we want him to make that decision. Furthermore, this moral choice makes Mmorpg’s eventual comeuppance (no spoilers) and reconciliation far more effective.Michael Arndt himself states that these steps are not for every story, but they are a useful tool to help you develop the opening to your story. In my case, they helped to make a good opening even better. I hope that they’ll help you too.