First order of business is mentioning that I have a new laptop. It arrived Thursday and I spent the day getting it set up. Always strange getting one computer up and running while using another to play music, check email, and do a little writing during the rebooting and downloading stages. Maybe that’s just me. Anyway, it’s going smoothly with me learning Windows 10. The keyboard has a backlight too and the hard drive doesn’t try to escape like the last one. Only problem is this precision touchpad, which is incredibly sensitive and not that precise. Still messing with the settings there. It’s just one pad with two spots for the buttons, so I tend to hit in the middle and right click instead of left click. Or I press too hard and set something off. Let’s just say this is going to take a little time.
Now, the new laptop, a parent/teacher meeting, and Tuesday’s ‘snow’ storm has caused a blip in my schedule. I was hoping to get 15 sections of Raven’s Dawn done since it’s a 31 section story. Only got 11 and I’ve got 2 weeks before a big family event. One problem is that the story isn’t as carnage-filled as the second book. It’s closer to the first where there are weird events happening while the main characters interact. I can get it done before that, but it means I won’t be editing Legends of Windemere: Path of the Traitors beforehand. That might be afterwards, but who knows because the family event goes into a week and a half of Spring Break for the kid. Here’s my 2017 project list:
- Raven’s Dawn
- Edit/Publish Path of the Traitors and Warlord of the Forgotten Age.
- Quick character creation and write Controlling Bedlam.
- Write Derailing Bedlam.
- Figure out if I should touch on another series since 2018 prospects aren’t looking good.
- Write Legends of Windemere stand alone spinoff
- Publish Life & Times of Ichabod Brooks
Bedlam is giving me a slight headache. I’m still nervous about the blog only one for various reasons. Probably going to change up some things by removing some characters and altering others. My source material is rather repetitive in look and aspirations, which is a slight pain. The other issue is I’ve never done a full book on this blog. Short story and novella, but never novel. I hope people read and enjoy it as well as drawing attention to the series. One tough thing is that a few have told me that I shouldn’t give anything of mine out for free. Not like this, but Bedlam isn’t doing very well. My main audience is fantasy and they don’t always crossover, but this might help out.
Another Bedlam issue is that I would now have: Crossing Bedlam, Chasing Bedlam, Controlling Bedlam, and Derailing Bedlam. Which one of these is not like the others? Yeah, I need to think of a c-ing word to replace derailing. I know it’s a train adventure, but maybe I should focus on them protecting it. Chugging Bedlam sounds terrible. Careening Bedlam doesn’t seem to work either. Ugh.
Running around a bit this weekend, but I hope to get some writing done. The next few weeks and weekends are going to be a bit messy. Is it wrong that I’m already trying to drag my butt to May? How does anybody expect me to maintain a writing career when there always seems to be something going on? I don’t mind the events, but it gets rough when I’m planning around these things, taking care of my son, cooking dinners, and then being asked why I don’t have a publishing deal. The frustration is rather . . . frustrating? Might be another reason I’m not getting very far.
Plans for the week:
- Keep writing Raven’s Dawn.
- Stop cursing at laptop’s touchpad.
- Gradually develop a dislike of Paul Simon because one of his songs will be played every day in this house for two weeks.
- Request the next 5 volumes of Soul Eater.
- Figure out a post for Tuesday and Thursday.
- Cooking, biking, resist banding, and the usual motley crew of things.
- Consider the lifespan of a fruit fly.
- Maybe write up a character or two for Controlling Bedlam. Would Conquering Bedlam be any better? Maybe Continuing Bedlam since Lloyd and Cassidy are out to make sure the Shattered States don’t get pulled under the control of a power-hungry villain.
Legends of Windemere 
Glad you got a new laptop. Thant should help your overall productivity after the initial start up. I would recommend a “C” word for bedlam but know in advance you won’t like it. So best of luck on that search. Hope you have a good weekend
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It’s a bigger screen, which I seem to work faster on. Not sure why. Cancelling Bedlam?
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Too final. I was going for Cascading but doesn’t exactly fit the railroad theme. (except for cascades along the tracks)
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I like it, but I agree it doesn’t work with the railroad. Now I want to think of a story that can use it. This country needs more waterfalls. Conducting Bedlam is the only other train one I could think of, but people keep thinking music there.
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I agree.
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Crashing Bedlam? Cruising Bedlam? Commuting Bedlam?
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Crashing is one I keep considering. Was wondering about Cruising. Commuting Bedlam makes me think of a prison sentence. Might have a story with that later.
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LOL Good Luck with it all Charles 😃
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Thanks. I’ll need it. Far too much on the plate right now. Need to get my butt moving for Ichabod and Windemere once the upcoming event is done.
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Fruitfly?
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They don’t live long, so time might feel different to them.
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Interesting thought!
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I wouldn’t worry about a C word for the title at all. Bedlam is what tells me what the book is. That’s all up to you though.
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That’s the thing. It does feel rather jarring to go with a c-ing word for 2-3 and then switch. Remembering how the cover for Windemere changed even slightly at #4, it caused confusion. Only among those who don’t follow my blog and know of the posts.
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Limiting to one letter would get limiting pretty fast. Guess it’s fine for a trilogy, but after that it could get dicey.
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I’ve heard of other series doing it for a while, but they tend to be mysteries or romances. I’ve noticed there are a lot of ‘c’ verbs, but the train seems to be the thing that will do me in. Might as well call the blog only one ‘Battling Bedlam’ since it’s the two versus a new regime.
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You’ll come up with something. I have faith. The Bedlam Choo Choo?
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That’ll be for the kids. Maybe a coloring book that comes with two extra red crayons.
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Ha ha.
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Although I’m really not finding anything better than Derailing. Might have to break the trend and have Lloyd make a joke.
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Depends upon how long you want to go, but if it’s got to be done, I’d do it as soon as possible.
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I can only think of 4 other stories off the top of my head with this world. I’m keeping it loose since I could get through the initial ideas and then come up with another one. Since there isn’t an overarching plot aside from Lloyd and Cassidy staying alive, I don’t have to worry too much.
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Chugging Bedlam… it takes place in a bar I guess, maybe set later after they retire?
The only train related word beginning with ‘C’ I can think of is Caboose.
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There are plenty of bars that show up in the series. I wonder if retirement is a thing in a dystopian world. At least with these two, I can only imagine it has to start with faking their own death.
Caboosing Bedlam . . . I keep thinking of butts with that one.
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The only C word I can think of is CUTTING. This is the definition of cut according to train lingo: “CUT—Several cars attached to an engine or coupled together by themselves. Also that part of the right-of-way which is excavated out of a hill or mountain instead of running up over it or being tunneled through it.”
What a schedule! I’m glad you have a new laptop to help you with that. 🙂
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Interesting info. Sadly, I think people won’t get that. Might be sticking to Derailing. Not if there’s a better verb for the blog one to cut the trend sooner. Conquering or Continuing both work so well.
Really hoping I can maintain the schedule. Might hit up 99designs for Ichabod after my son’s break. Just feels like my head is spinning now.
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Derailing works! 🙂
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Wondering if Protecting Bedlam would work for the blog one.
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