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Camy

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Blog Entries posted by Camy

  1. Camy

    'tis a pain, a pain indeed.

    By Camy,

    I'm talking about revision. You get back what you thought was a tightly polished story, and damn me it's suddenly got a plethora of 'things' that need fixing.
    I have one paragraph - a description of two people sitting on a bench overlooking a meadow - which it seems I've spent a decade on ... and it still isn't quite right. Oh, it was fine before, ;) but now, no. English is a very silly language. There are so many ways of couching the same thing, and each has something to recommend it.
    Then there is tense. I normally write in the first person, so it's a doddle (hmm), but third is so, sooooo much harder. On the one hand it's great, because you can have multiple points of view. But when you're trying to deal with different time lines, it's brain ache. And, and, and .... Pshaw!
    Anyway, if I finish my paragraph in time it will be posted this weekend. And the rest of the story as well.
    Camy: the brain addled Emu.
  2. Camy
    Yes I am, but not quite 100%, which means several thing. No kissing, other than on the neck. So necking, as such, is right on. Actually, I rather like it. M's neck is just scrummy, though his hair - which is rather long - tickled my nose. I aim for right behind the ear, which means if I'm sneaky I get a little nibble on his lobe in as well. Mmm .... Sorry, it's probably way too much information.
    We were going to to carry on recording tomorrow, but as M's getting over the same thing - he's two days behind me - we really don't want to re-infect ourselves, and certainly don't want to infect the guitarist.
    ---------
    I've been thinking about writing a lot over the last few days and have come to a rather large decision. The train of thought started as I was reading Grasshopper's 'Just One Starfish': continued as I read Cole Parker's 'When He Was Five', and I'm still pondering as I'm in the middle of Jesse Hajicek's brilliant 'The God Eaters'.
    I write short stories. I like writing short stories because as far as novels go they are pretty much instant gratification: a wank as opposed to a night of real love, if you will. And why? Because I'm bloody lazy. And perhaps ... perhaps I don't have the mind for anything longer. I don't know. But I soon will.
    My decision is not to write any more of anything (blogging and tarting on the boards aside) until I finish one of the novels I've started.
    Wish me luck!
  3. Camy

    *Chilled*

    By Camy,

    Arriving home after a long, and very hard days manual labour, is ... just peachy.
    I can go to bed - or stay up and veg out with the TV brain death machine.
    Tomorrow, I can throw the alarm clock out of the window without feeling guilty.
    In fact I'm free ... for almost two days ... FREEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!
    Until Monday. Damn Monday.
  4. Camy

    *snore*

    By Camy,

    This week I'm grape picking for a living. As I write I'm both tired, irascible, and off to bed.
    Goodnight.
    The knackered one.
  5. Camy

    12 ish hours to NaNoWriMo!

    By Camy,

    Okay, so I have just under 12 hours to get my act together.
    I have an outline of sorts, which is all well and dandy, but I wanted the whole thing nailed down. I wanted to know exactly who was going to be doing what to whom and when -- to the nth degree. Fat chance. I should know myself by now.
    I do, however, have a title: 'Worth.' A good and worthy title I'm sure you'll agree.
    Good luck to everyone who's taking part!

    Camy
  6. Camy

    16 - should be 25

    By Camy,

    Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!
    Get the idea? I do. It means buckle down and get bleedin' writin' in some obscure dialect of lesser Engrish.
    Mmmm goody, will do, then.
    C x
  7. Camy

    27 in, 3 to go

    By Camy,

    We're on day 27 and there are three days to go. Some of our group have already finished, but Bruin and I are both a little behind. That's not bottom talk by the way. My behind is splendid as it is.
    We're supposed to be in the studio editing another video, but as it's snowing here I have an excellent excuse for writing instead. W00T say I!
    I absolutely shouldn't be here waffling, but waffling seems far more pleasant than having to decide which of my characters - all of whom I like - should be offed and how nastily. I have a choice of two and ... <sniff>I want them out of danger and home eating crumpets and drinking tea. Oh well, needs must as the plot drives.
    Back to it, I guess.
    Ave, y'all.
  8. Camy
    I guess it's time to come clean and admit that no matter how hard I try I am an inveterate pantser. It's one of the reasons I mainly write short stories and not long and rambling novelesque things.
    All that seems to remain from my outline are the locations and characters, their names and their descriptions. Everything else has gone out of the window. Good or bad? I have no idea, and don't care so long as I get to the end of the first draft: then I can fix what's bust.
    I think I'm enjoying 'Worth' a lot more than I enjoyed either of the two that came in previous Novembers. Part of it is that there are a lot of us taking part this year. All of which means precisely nothing - except now I've said it I'll probably end up hating the thing and giving up - not!
    Onwards and upwards!
    ---
    I HATE days like this. It's bleak, grey, and drizzling. I came to the conclusion a while ago that I suffer from SAD (seasonal affective disorder). It's a sad, sad situation (thanks Elton) so with the aid of Amazon I bought a thing called a GoLite M2. It's the latest toy on the block for sad hypochondriac pantsers, and I've had it for a little over two weeks, now. Umm, and I think it's working!
    Yay me!

  9. Camy

    A book for all seasons.

    By Camy,

    Along with a bunch of other worthies I've had an awful lot of fun over the last couple of months. The result is a book - initially an eBook - available in .ePub and .mobi (for kindle) from www.midnightdude.com
    Why? There are a shed load of reasons, but primarily it's to raise money to keep AwesomeDude.com healthy. Times are hard for all of us, and though there's a 'donate' button on the front page, we thought that as an alternative to a donation selling a book would be good. And it's nice to give a little something back to those that help. The book's not expensive, either, and you're getting 17 short stories and a novella for your wonga.
    AND, as most of them have been especially written for the book you won't be able to read them anywhere else for quite a while.
    AND the novella - 'The Summer I Was Thirteen' is by the our much beloved Cole Parker.
    "So what," I hear you ask, "is the price of this fantabulous, must-have-or-I'll-explode eBook? It's got to be $15!"
    Well no, it's not. It wasn't created to make anyone rich. It's just a way to support the site and give a little something to those who do.
    "$10? For all those stories it has to be $10."
    No. And it's not $9.99 either. I hate the .99. Why do they do that? I know it's to fool you into thinking whatever it is is cheaper, and yes, I get suckered in by it, too. Grrrr.
    "Well ... $5?"
    Nope, it's much cheaper than that. It's $4.99 and worth every last cent.
    "WOW!!!! And where can I get hold of a copy?"
    At www.midnightdude.com. But first, here's the cover.

    I'm really proud of the cover. Bruin Fisher took a series of photographs - all of which were first rate - and we finally chose this one.
    So, to get your copy of Midnight Dude: Selected Readings click HERE.
    You'll get:
    1) a zip file with the book in both .epub and .mobi formats.
    2) Many, many hours of happy reading.
    3) You'll have helped AwesomeDude.com continue to be the excellent site it is.
    4) A scrawny emu's thanks.
    What more could you possibly want for $4.99? :)
  10. Camy

    A rawky day!

    By Camy,

    I've been feeling really meh recently. Miserable weather does me in, and so far August has been a bleedin' awful month as far as weather is concerned. I'd thought that was it: another poxy English summer crawls to its grotty end ... and then today arrived.
    Today was magical! Today was shorts and t-shirt weather, with a long, long walk on the beach. Of course I should have been sorting out the container, but no chance. The sun pulled me elsewhere.
    The tide was so far out that bones of the wreck of the Amsterdam - a Dutch East Indiaman that sank in 1749 - were visible. This is a rare event, and pulled a large audience of gawpers, including M and me. It was odd to think of the people that lost their lives all those years ago. I think I was expecting to feel something. A frisson, maybe. But no: nothing. Obviously I'm as psychic as a brick.
  11. Camy

    AaaaChoooo-oink.

    By Camy,

    If you've heard the expression 'dipping your pen in the company ink' then you're a better chap (or chapess) than me. Though now I know what it means. Thanks, Jason!
    I'm hallucinating and proud - which is, according to the doctor and over the phone, because I have flu (I opened the window and influenza). He said that the best thing for flu is to take two paracetamol every four hours and go to bed. 'Anti Virals?' murmur I, 'Not very efficacious' he says, 'though if you want ...?' I do want. I really do want, but then he's the doctor and who am I to query his judgement.
    Anyway, as I'm ill I thought you should all know in case wake planning is a hobby amongst any of our membership.
    Cheers,
    Camy
  12. Camy

    Addicted

    By Camy,

    If you have an addictive personality it's unwise - nay foolish - to start doing anything that is ... erm ... addictive. Obviously. Drugs: been there, done that. Alcohol - though I consider it a drug as much as anything else - the same. Okay, sure, I have the occasional brandy in a cup of coffee, and I've picked the wrong day to give up sniffing glue, but that's my lot. Honestly.
    Until, that is, a week ago, and I found WoW.
    World of Warcraft is ... well, it's bloody brilliant!
    Camy
  13. Camy

    Aids for storytelling

    By Camy,

    I've been thinking a lot about writing. Today I came across two bits of 'advice' that I found yonks ago and put in a box. Where I originally found them I have no idea. However, as they are worth pondering I thought I'd post them. Here's the first:
    Eight basic necessities to create a story - probably, methinks, sword and sorcery. Though they do adapt.
    1) one Hero
    2) one Villain
    3) one object they both desire
    4) one journey
    5) a couple of sidekicks (generally not more than 3)
    6) one wisened mentor (maybe a sidekick)
    7) one valuable (magical?) item that keeps getting mislaid
    8) one prophesy (or two that contradict)
    The second is a graphic that, sadly, I can't attribute. My bad.

    I hope this helps!
  14. Camy

    Albums

    By Camy,

    I cannot, CANNOT believe that Coldplay's new album, Mylo Zyloto, has been knocked off the number one spot after only a week ... and by (god help us all) Susan Boyle. FUCK! what is it coming to?

  15. Camy

    And all is well - mostly.

    By Camy,

    After a fractious and car-less weekend, all is now well. My baby's back, though now her front brake discs are beginning to rub. :(
    It's most strange that not having transport readily available - even if you aren't going to use it - is stressful. I live out in the country and although there is a bus a couple of times a day, and I could walk if needs must, I really did keep looking out of the window and pouting at her empty parking spot. Still, never mind eh, all is back to the way it was ... except for the world's economy, which seems to be rushing ever faster down the pan. Hmm. I hope the two aren't related.
    Oh, and I've discovered mechanics can be quite eye-candilicious!
    Camy
  16. Camy
    I love my car, I really do. She's a little silver-grey Renault Clio and goes for miles on very little petrol - which is a boon with petrol at nearly ?5 ($9) a gallon. Yes, she's done me proud ... until late Friday afternoon when her clutch cable snapped. I won't repeat the words we had as I drove her (double de-clutching is a doddle if you don't value your gears) in first and second all the way to M's. Sighing, he then drove me home in a borrowed 3.5 litre BMW that was built when petrol was A LOT cheaper. Comfy? Yes. Expensive? You better believe it!
    It's odd that garages don't like to work on Friday afternoons. Or saturday mornings, either. So tomorrow I have to get up at the crack of sparrows and schlep into town. Bollocks.
    ---
    My first story in an age and a half is up. It's called Dearly Beloved, and I hope you like it!
    ---
    'Fringe' Rawks! Kinda like The X Files on speed with Pacey. A good first offering - though I haven't seen J.J. Abrams signature Polar Bear, yet. 😞
    Ave,
    Camy
  18. Camy

    Back online

    By Camy,

    Having moved to a place without a phone line it took an age and a half to get that sorted, and a deal longer to get ADSL up and running. Now, I'm back online and it feels ... mmmmmmmm yummy scrumptious!
    We're a five minute walk from the beach. Sadly it isn't sand, but it does have water which is quite an important pre-requisite for a beach. The cats like it, too. A boon, 'cause having sad cats ain't where it's at, at all. AND the garden is small which make mowing the lawn a doddle. I like doddles.
    Ave.
    Camy
  19. Camy

    Back!

    By Camy,

    Lord, did I need a hit.
    I was cold turkeying - a neat zombiesque dance I've worked out - all the way to the phone socket. With trembling hands I ripped apart the packaging of my new *free* wireless router. Fumbling in haste, I managed to plug in the filters and slip the cable home with a snick!
    With antici ...
    ... pation I powered up and logged on.
    Drooling as sweet, glorious bits and bytes flooded my system.
    Sweet, sweet WWW.
    Yep, with a new ISP I'm back ... oh yes *shudder* I am.
  20. Camy

    Backup!

    By Camy,

    Recently I've been somewhat miffed.
    The reason being: we lost a hard drive with a months work on it. It was a brand new hard drive and was immediately replaced, but that doesn't replace the music.
    Still, on the bright side we've decided it was 'the mysterious finger of God' that fucked us up, and the work we do now will, obviously, be much, much better. We've decided this because otherwise I'd have to kill myself for being a total arse, and frankly, I feint at the sight of blood - especially my own.
    So, folks, backup! Do it, don't think about it, just do it. You know it makes sense.
    Camy the miffed.
  21. Camy
    I like blog categories. I've just created a new one called 'Waffley Truth' which is ... umm ... pretty much what it says. In fact as it covers such a multitude of sins, I think I'm falling in love with it. I used to use 'Claptrapish' and 'off the rails' a lot, but 'Waffley Truth is now definitely number one. Numero uno. Bilingual me.
    I'm working (jolly, jolly hard) to finish last years NaNoWriMo novel before I have to start on this years one. Actually, it's rather good, even though I do say so myself. It's good for a number of reasons, but the main one is that it's almost finished. Yay me.
    M wound me up something rotten. He told me he'd been offered a flat near London. I felt my lower lip begin to quiver, felt the prickling of tears behind the eyes - we were on the beach at the time and it wasn't the wind. Then he told me he wouldn't leave, and all was suddenly right with the world. Git.
    After reading Bruin's excellent 'Boarding School' series I felt it incumbent of me to write about what happens in the holidays to those who go to boarding school. I dug around in the old memory drive - it's more like a large and rather dented dustbin - and came up with 'Simon and the chimney stack'. As true a tale as you're ever likely to read. Hmm, yah. Anyway, it's in the Flash Fiction forum, which seems, sadly, to have gone a tad quiet. Feel free to write and submit some stories of your own.
    Ave. I'm away to my pit, perchance to dream of all sorts of rather nice things.
    Camy
    PS if anybody knows how to import a file from a canon camcorder into Final Cut and keep the audio in sync I'd love to know how.
  22. Camy

    Bickering with other half

    By Camy,

    Having nothing better to do - it's not that I don't 'cause I do, but hell, if I don't make time for some plaintive whining, where would I be?
    So, yeah. M. The one I love. The one, this afternoon, I wanted to beat about the head with a wet kipper. We were rehearsing, as you do, and .... Oh, poop. What's the point. I'll find a fish monger in the morning.
    Night.
    Camy
  23. Camy
    The tile says it all, but I suppose I should add more...
    Wales is presently wet. I don't like it, the cat doesn't like it, and the rain seems never ending. I wouldn't mind if it was hot, but oh no - winter beckons: no naked frolicking rain dances under warm skies for me. If I had any thermal underwear I'd be in them.
    ...and now the beast wants to go out again. It seems, like Pooh bear, I have a cat with very little brain... soon to be a wet cat with very little brain.
    I'll leave the ennui and existential crisis for another post.
    Ave.
  24. Camy

    Blithering idiot!

    By Camy,

    I adore Ywriter software. Or perhaps I should say I adore the concept of it, it's great, and it's getting better and better and easier to use the more I write. Anyway, to cut a potentially long and vitriolic self loathing diatribe short. YWriter has recently been updated to a beta of V5. Complete with warnings not to use it for real work! It's in beta, and beta is buggy: obviously.
    So dick head here uses it to write a short story. It was a good short story, too (I thought while I still had it).
    Grrrrr!!!!
    Wail!!!!!
    Hey ho. Back to V4, and a re-write.
  25. Camy
    So ... I said I was going to write an entry a day. Ha. Stupid me, and more fool you for reading.
    Umm ... It snowed the day before yesterday, then yesterday, as if by magic - but really because of the sun - the snow vanished. Amazing.
    And now I feel I must go and watch The Simpsons.
    WooT!
    edited to add:
    listen to this - Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds - Dig Lazarus Dig

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