As I sat writing a response to a very nice and encouraging note I'd received from a reader in Texas, it occurred to me that maybe I should actually write something here as well... yeah, maybe it was just my need to pontificate asserting itself, but here I am nonetheless.
Anyway, I was making a comment about how various wrenches keep getting thrown into the works by evil flying monkeys, now that summertime is here, which continue to slow my already sporadic writing pace. I keep creating these new little threads in my stories without thinking about them... well, without thinking about them AT LENGTH, until after they've been posted and read by a couple thousand readers. Then, when I go back and look at them, only then do I wonder, "Well, shit... how the hell do I unravel THAT mess?!?" This in turn has the tendency to turn what started out as an outlet and/or hobby into something much more akin to actual WORK... ohwell, c'est la vie.
So, as I keep mulling (read: grinding) over the potential details to come in my ongoing storylines, and always seem to come out feeling almost burned out on them, I usually start thinking about just putting them away for a while and letting THEM rest while I do. That said, I always appreciate CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, which, for the most part, is what I've received by and large, and fully intend to wrap up my stories (eventually) as neatly and as completely as possible. As I said in the aforementioned email, call it my need for closure, I guess. With luck, I'll find the time, motivation, and inspiration to get back to my warped little tales before Halloween arrives... although, considering that was about the time I started them, it would be kinda fitting for them to wrap up around the same time... nah, it'd drive me crazy to haveta wait that long.
Thanks to everybody who's followed my perversions this far, and especially to those of you who actually took the time to write and give feedback. Please bear with me while I figure out how and when to get my characters on firm enough footing that I feel comfortable letting them go.
RP
Sometimes the problem with being an artist, whether you're a visual artist, a writer, or whatever, is that whenever you're attempting to work on several projects at the same time, it's not uncommon for all of them to get put on hold for long periods of time. Well, with the combination of cold and flu season together with the holiday season, I've found that those pauses in writing can end up being a lot longer than we'd like. Between odd work schedules, holiday shopping, everyone in the house being sick, and the standard distractions that a 2yr-old can provide, my writing time has been more than just slightly compromised. Now that we're all healthy once again, that at least makes things a little easier, so I'm working on getting back to my ongoing stories, both here and on the finestories site as well. To those of you who've followed my tales, thank you all for your interest and your patience. I promise, there's more to come for all of them, even if it may require longer spells between postings of new chapters.
Oh, and to those who have taken offense to the "thefting" of the occasional name, place or inspiration from the classic masters, such as Tolkien or R.E. Howard, I say GET A LIFE! It's not as though I'm attempting to publish these works for financial gain. Besides, in all honesty, damn near EVERY fantasy/sci-fi writer today owes the fan base of their genre to the creations of Tolkien and writers like him. In most cases, artists and authors alike feel a sense of pride to know their creations are iconic and memorable enough that new authors and artists are inspired to draw on them in creating their own masterpieces. Hence the quietly popular saying among the artistic community: "If you're going to steal, only steal from the best!" Just make sure you give proper credit where credit is due, especially when it comes time to make a profit from your not-entirely-original work. Happy reading, folks!