Another Day in Paradise

[Tanuki Racoon]

Oooo. I said I had deleted my tries at a final chapter of it. Well I found an undeleted fragment, and here it is.

Maxfield and Tibor walked out into the yard where the smokers went to hide from the teachers and take an illicit puff. It was as close to private as you could get. Teachers rarely came out during classes to see if people were hiding. It passed itself off as an unofficial sanctuary.

?So, Tibor, what?s the deal??

?Well, obviously I noticed you sort of checking me out earlier.?

?Yeah, well, sorry about that. At least you didn?t seem to mind.?

?No, it doesn?t really bother me. But before you get excited, I?m not like that and you?re wasting your time.?

?So you dragged me out to let me down gently??

?Naw, I got a boyfriend for you. I want to fix you up.?

Maxfield began to retort with an indignant reply but was cut off by Tibor almost immediately.

?I can see I?ve put you out by suggesting that. I was just trying to help.?

?I don?t need your help or your pity.?

Wow. That was exciting. Not.

[dude]

damn... I am still liking this story. Although I'm not sure that Bam would go for Maxfield and vice versa... and I'm not sure that Tibor really IS 100% straight, the story does already suggest up several possible directions.

Although in the first chapter -which almost became a short story in perpetua- I was not sure I was gonna like Tibor. By Chapter 3 I think I do... in fact I even like Max.... er Maxfield. Writing likeable characters or revealing characters slowly to be be likeable goes a long way in my book.

Alone By Myself was another example. Started off by thinking Alex was cold and stuck up but ended up liking him as well as the sexy and intriguing Nicky. You went 22 chapters with that one... don't you think ADIP deserves a little longer life?

[Tanuki Racoon]

damn... I am still liking this story.  Although I'm not sure that Bam would go for Maxfield and vice versa... and I'm not sure that Tibor really IS 100% straight, the story does already suggest up several possible directions.

Who's to say who ends up with who. You really never know what anyone's like. You have snippets.

Although in the first chapter -which almost became a short story in perpetua- I was not sure I was gonna like Tibor.  By Chapter 3 I think I do... in fact I even like Max.... er Maxfield.  

Odd. Max (I call him Max since he can't do a damn thing about it) is definitely not likeable. I can't say I like him though I certainly identify with him. Tibor I could give a rat's ass about. Bam? I love Bam. I could write a novel about him but I won't.

Writing likeable characters or revealing characters slowly to be be likeable goes a long way in my book.  

It's all about the characters. Once you have those you need a plot. A good plot with bad characters leaves a shit novel. A shit plot with good characters leaves a not-so-good novel but you might read it anyway.

Alone By Myself was another example.  Started off by thinking Alex was cold and stuck up but ended up liking him as well as the sexy and intriguing Nicky.  You went 22 chapters with that one... don't you think ADIP deserves a little longer life?

What? You didn't like Alex? I am crushed. AWMS was planned for 24 so 22 wasn't far off the mark. (19 was really two chapters anyway). ADIP was never meant to be more than a short story. It only made it to a four chapter story because of badgering and look what it got everyone: three chapters and the eternal cliffhanger.

I feel bad about ADIP and leaving everyone hanging but I don't even know where to go with it. I'll keep trying because I would like to put it officially in the can.

[blue]

Well, I remember reading the first chapter and being highly intrigued.

Then I got distracted by real life and my own inertia. So, I clearly need to see what I've missed.

[RPnSoCal]

WBMS - I agree with dude about the story, though I'm not faulting you for your hiatus from writing. (Note the hopeful element contained in hiatus.)

However, I shall fault you for your grammar in your above post. "Who's to say who ends up with who." GASP ! Unless you mean that only "who" gets to determine with what person "who" will associate, then I think you meant "with whom," did you not?

And is "What" still on second?

:grin:

[blue]

So where's What's His Name? Is he on third base?

I was politely ignoring the "whom" faux pas, since he knows better.

I'd like to consider the hopeful element in "hiatus" also.

[dude]

Hey...

Don't you dare attack Wibby for his Fox Paws.... everybody knows he is a cute, rabid racoon!

[Tanuki Racoon]

Don't you dare attack Wibby for his Fox Paws.... everybody knows he is a cute, rabid racoon!  

::

"For who the bell tolls" by Ernest Whomingway

I should be ashamed.

BTW, I want everyone to know I AM NAKED UNDER MY CLOTHES TODAY!

[RPnSoCal]

WBMS - You should be ashamed of that pun ! lol

Are you often not naked under your clothes? Or is it merely a matter of needing some repairs? (Your post would indicate a lack of hems.....)

Blue - I don't know.

[blue]

Awww, I thought he was on third base!

:badgrin: Anyone who has not heard Abbott and Costello's classic "Who's On First" baseball comedy sketch should google it. There are text transcripts and .mp3 and .wma audio files available. It's available on CD and DVD. You'll want to hear and see it; half the fun is in how the two buddies delivered it. If you haven't heard it, well, you've been deprived!

(It was either that, or carry on quoting from the skit. Either way, I'd have to look at a transcript.)

-----

Wait, WBMS is naked and I missed it? Aw, shucks.

Missing hems? I thought he was just hemming way too much. That, or he was hemming and hawing.

[RPnSoCal]

one way or another, Blue. :-)

Does this count as a thread hijacking?

[Tanuki Racoon]

Wait, WBMS is naked and I missed it? Aw, shucks.

Nothing to see. Move along. It's no big deal. Etc.

[Trab]

"no big deal"

I'm sure you must be right! :oops:

[Tanuki Racoon]

"no big deal"

I'm sure you must be right! :oops:

::

PS: Special thanks to our resident Graeme Cracker for restoring this thread from the new, old, and soon-to-be-dead original revised and updated obsolete forums :D

:( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :(

[Tanuki Racoon]

I wish to report I've started on chapter 7 (which may be the concluding chapter) today and hope to have it here before the world ends on New Year's Eve, whichever comes first*

I'm sure you all either really like it or really hate it. I've changed writing styles for the last chapter. One of my many mysterious reasons.

Once I post the final chapter (7 or possibly 8) then I'll make an announcement***.

I wrote today. And I didn't hate it. Progress?

* Hell, TR will probably come** first but we're discussing my writing.

** Sometimes I am far too perverted for my own good.

*** Please insert dramatic music here

[Tanuki Racoon]

Ah, well, I have an announcement.

A what?

An announcement.

Really?

Yes, really.

What is it, then?

I've completed the final chapter in Another Day In Paradise.

Great, why isn't it posted, then?

Well, first, I've just finished it yesterday. My editors really beat me up on it, and for the last two weeks I've been re-writing one scene they universally failed to follow. I am assured it's much better now.

Assured by whom?

My cat, of course. My cat is smarter than I am, so it stands to reason, doesn't it?

So, that's the announcement, then?

Well, not exactly.

So, spit it out, already! We haven't got all day, you prat.

Alright, ADIP is my final novel/novelette. I am throwing in the towel on novel/novelette writing. So this is the final chapter in my final novel.

Any chance you'd change your mind one day?

Well it depends how many zeros are in the check. And, to quote a famous spy, "Never say never again." However, I am famously stubborn and don't often change my mind, but it has happened.

If we had written more maybe you'd keep writing novels?

Maybe. Maybe not. It really doesn't matter now, anyway. The die is cast, as it were. I spend a lot of time writing a novel and nobody seems to give a rat's ass, and I like interacting with my readers. I get more replies to my short stories. That is, apparently, what people want to see, so that's what they'll see.

I don't believe you. You're just going on another hiatus and are embarrassed to tell us.

No, this is for real. But it's not as dire as it sounds. I am not giving up writing. I'll continue with short stories. I like writing. I've written lots of things I haven't posted and I'll continue to do that. I'll continue to write short stories for posting here, 'cause I like it here and I like most of the people here. Whenever I write something I think is good enough, and if it passes Dude's stringent rules, you'll see it here!

He has rules?

Yes all stories posted here must contain three things: vowels, consonants, and punctuation. Generally speaking, they prefer they're in some sort of order and not just strewn about the page.

Wait, I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed but you imply you've written things that are not posted here. Are you holding out on us?

Yes. I am. I've written at least two novels that don't appear here and innumerable short stories. I do not consider them fit for public consumption. Some of them also may contain personally identifying details and you all know how secretive I am.

So, you will deny the rumour you are Brad Pitt's attractive, older brother.

Yes. I will also deny I am Halle Berry. If I had to take a lady to the next dance, she'd be way up at the top of my list. I gladly admit she's pretty hot.

Is Halle the real reason you aren't writing novels anymore?

Yeah, you got me there.

Are you angry, bitter, disgruntled?

About this? No. About politics, yes.

So when is ADIP 7 going to appear?

Well, I'm thinking I really need to give you all a nice Holiday Gift so perhaps I'll hold out just a tad longer.

[Trab]

Hey! No fair!!! You posted this in your blog, and I came up with a wibby retard, but I can't remember it, so now I have to come up with a new one.

Aren't you being a bit hard on the old coot?

Opps. Typo. I meant 'witty retort'.

[Graeme]

Since I enjoy your short stories as much as your novels/novellas, I'm not upset. To be honest, I'm finding more time to read short stories at the moment than novels, so this falls neatly into those plans....

And, of course, if you wrote 12 or 13 short stories that just sort of flowed into each other, then you haven't gone back on your decision, right?

Best wishes,

Graeme

[Trab]

That's brilliant Graeme. They wouldn't be chapters, they'd be sequels.

[Tanuki Racoon]

Hey! No fair!!! You posted this in your blog,

You're right, I did.

And, of course, if you wrote 12 or 13 short stories that just sort of flowed into each other, then you haven't gone back on your decision, right?

No, I doubt that will happen. Just some random stuff with my usual "make the reader's head hurt" stuff at the end. ::evil grin::