I'm currently rewriting one of my more recent finished manuscripts, Young Nostradamus. This one's about a teenager who discovers he's a clone of Nostradamus, created by the US government to help them predict terrorist attacks. I thought it was pretty darned good, but when I sent it to Flux, they rejected it. Too much like the last book, they told me. Plus, do I always have to write about the kid who gets picked on by school bullies?
I do that a lot, I've noticed. I like writing about the picked-on people who become heroes. You could say it's a theme of mine. However, Flux didn't want another one of those stories, and felt it didn't suit the character or the story, anyway. I looked back over the book, and discovered they are right. Some things you just don't see unless someone else points it out to you.
Flux is willing to take another look, provided I make a few changes. My agent has already sent them the first three rewritten chapters, and I'm hard at work revising the rest of it.
Writing is a continuing learning experience, and I'm very lucky to be working with people who are willing to give me the feedback I need to hear.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Epoch
I figured it's a good time to discuss my next book, Epoch, due this summer from Flux (an imprint of Llewellyn, who did my first novel, Attack of the Intergalactic Soul Hunters). The website is up, and you can find it at www.ourepochisover.com. Sorry, I don't know how to do links in posts yet. There's not much on the site yet - some art, and a countdown to publication - but I'll be adding some more stuff to it soon.
Epoch is a YA fantasy comedy about the end of the world. A 14-year-old boy named Vincent has a run-in with some fantasy creatures, and they tell him the world is about to be invaded by demons, who will wipe out the current dominant species to make way for the next species' epoch. Usually, large portals appear worldwide to allow the soon-to-be-extinct species to leave the planet, but this time around the portals are all hidden. Vincent must team with pixies, elves, a troll, a really hot new-age girl, his best friend, his brother and even the school bully in order to find those portals and get everyone through before the epoch comes to an end.
I love end-of-the-world stuff. My adult sci-fi novel, Section K, is also about an end-times plot. Epoch is different, however, in that the world will most definitely end. I even make a point of saying that in the book's introduction - Vincent and his friends will not prevent the end, but maybe they can escape it. I first got the idea reading the booklet for the Monty Python and the Holy Grail computer game. In the troubleshooting section, the authors posed the question "What if the computer is covered in insects?" to which the answer was "It is the dawning of the next great Age of Planet Earth. There is nothing you can do. Our epoch has come to an end." At least, it was words to that effect. I definitely remember the phrase, our epoch has come to an end, though. It stuck with me, and I just liked the word, epoch. And to write a book whose idea was sparked by Monty Python? Nothing like being inspired by the best.
Please check out the site (often, as I'll be updating it and adding more stuff just as soon as I learn how). The book launches on July 7, 2007.
Epoch is a YA fantasy comedy about the end of the world. A 14-year-old boy named Vincent has a run-in with some fantasy creatures, and they tell him the world is about to be invaded by demons, who will wipe out the current dominant species to make way for the next species' epoch. Usually, large portals appear worldwide to allow the soon-to-be-extinct species to leave the planet, but this time around the portals are all hidden. Vincent must team with pixies, elves, a troll, a really hot new-age girl, his best friend, his brother and even the school bully in order to find those portals and get everyone through before the epoch comes to an end.
I love end-of-the-world stuff. My adult sci-fi novel, Section K, is also about an end-times plot. Epoch is different, however, in that the world will most definitely end. I even make a point of saying that in the book's introduction - Vincent and his friends will not prevent the end, but maybe they can escape it. I first got the idea reading the booklet for the Monty Python and the Holy Grail computer game. In the troubleshooting section, the authors posed the question "What if the computer is covered in insects?" to which the answer was "It is the dawning of the next great Age of Planet Earth. There is nothing you can do. Our epoch has come to an end." At least, it was words to that effect. I definitely remember the phrase, our epoch has come to an end, though. It stuck with me, and I just liked the word, epoch. And to write a book whose idea was sparked by Monty Python? Nothing like being inspired by the best.
Please check out the site (often, as I'll be updating it and adding more stuff just as soon as I learn how). The book launches on July 7, 2007.
Friday, March 23, 2007
First Drafts
I've just finished the first draft of a new novel, tentatively titled The Right Hand of Evil. It's all typed up and saved on my ibook, and I am now in the limbo that exists for me between projects. I am happy to have another one in the can, but at the same time I miss it. Especially near the end of a book, I really get into it and love being in that particular story. Now, I have to start from scratch. And, I have to decide what that next project is going to be.
At the same time, I am excited. I can start any story I want to! I have complete freedom! It's a nice feeling, but I am happiest when I am deep in the middle of a book. The solution? Pick a project and get to work!
At the same time, I am excited. I can start any story I want to! I have complete freedom! It's a nice feeling, but I am happiest when I am deep in the middle of a book. The solution? Pick a project and get to work!
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Security Device Enclosed
This is one of the short stories I submitted for Ad Astra's Sci/Fi Idol contest. Entries had to be 500 words or less, so here's one of the ones I came up with. The idea came from looking at the sticker on the side of every DVD package, and wondering what the Security Device might be.
Security Device Enclosed
By: Timothy Carter
rodimusreigns@yahoo.ca
Joey snickered when he saw the warning label on his stolen DVDs: Security Device Enclosed. Woo, scary! What would it be, a note telling him he’d been naughty?
Joey sat down on his couch, picked up his switchblade and cut into the DVD’s plastic wrap. Suddenly, a scrawny teenage boy in a pink V-Mall uniform appeared out of nowhere before him.
“You are in possession of stolen electronic goods,” said the teen, whose nametag identified him as Linus. “Please return them to V-Mall immediately.”
“Where’d you come from?” Joey wanted to know.
“I’m the security device,” Linus said. “They digitized and hid me inside the plastic seal. It’s my job to stay with this unit until the time of purchase, or when the seal is broken by a thief like yourself.”
“That’s kinda freaky,” Joey said. “You get hazard pay for that?”
“I’m a V-Mall employee,” Linus said. “So no.”
“That sucks,” Joey said. “But it’s not my problem. Get lost, kid.”
“I won’t leave without the merchandise,” Linus said, extending an expectant hand. “Please hand them over immediately.”
“And what if I don’t?” Joey said.
“I will take it,” Linus said.
“Hah!” said Joey, planting his foot on Linus’ chest and then shoving him across the room.
“Ow,” Linus said as he rebounded off the wall and landed in a pile of DVDs. “That’s it! You are in for it now, sir.”
“What’re you gonna do?” Joey said. “Ask me nicely again?”
“I am armed,” Linus said, and he produced a small box cutter. Joey laughed, then brandished his switchblade.
“Mine’s bigger’n yours,” Joey said. “Your move, geek.”
Linus smiled. Then he snatched up five DVDs.
Five brand new, stolen DVDs.
“Put those down!” Joey said as realization set in. He was too late; Linus cut through the plastic wraps, and then there were five more pimply teens in pink uniforms in the apartment.
And Linus had another fistful of DVDs in his hands.
“Oh, crap,” Joey cried as the teens charged, box-cutters slashing.
Two hours later, Joey found himself before V-Mall’s head of security. The uniformed teens stood around Joey, looking smug.
“For your crimes,” the security chief said, “you will have to work off the cost of your stolen goods.”
“I gotta work for V-Mall?” said Joey, his face and clothing sporting hundreds of tiny cuts.
“It’s worse than that,” said Linus. “You have to become one of us.”
The security chief pointed a gun-like device at Joey and fired.
“Nooooo!!!” Joey screamed as his entire body was reduced to ones and zeroes.
The next thing he knew he was trapped behind a layer of plastic. Three words were emblazoned on the wrap before him. They read, “Security Device Enclosed.”
Security Device Enclosed
By: Timothy Carter
rodimusreigns@yahoo.ca
Joey snickered when he saw the warning label on his stolen DVDs: Security Device Enclosed. Woo, scary! What would it be, a note telling him he’d been naughty?
Joey sat down on his couch, picked up his switchblade and cut into the DVD’s plastic wrap. Suddenly, a scrawny teenage boy in a pink V-Mall uniform appeared out of nowhere before him.
“You are in possession of stolen electronic goods,” said the teen, whose nametag identified him as Linus. “Please return them to V-Mall immediately.”
“Where’d you come from?” Joey wanted to know.
“I’m the security device,” Linus said. “They digitized and hid me inside the plastic seal. It’s my job to stay with this unit until the time of purchase, or when the seal is broken by a thief like yourself.”
“That’s kinda freaky,” Joey said. “You get hazard pay for that?”
“I’m a V-Mall employee,” Linus said. “So no.”
“That sucks,” Joey said. “But it’s not my problem. Get lost, kid.”
“I won’t leave without the merchandise,” Linus said, extending an expectant hand. “Please hand them over immediately.”
“And what if I don’t?” Joey said.
“I will take it,” Linus said.
“Hah!” said Joey, planting his foot on Linus’ chest and then shoving him across the room.
“Ow,” Linus said as he rebounded off the wall and landed in a pile of DVDs. “That’s it! You are in for it now, sir.”
“What’re you gonna do?” Joey said. “Ask me nicely again?”
“I am armed,” Linus said, and he produced a small box cutter. Joey laughed, then brandished his switchblade.
“Mine’s bigger’n yours,” Joey said. “Your move, geek.”
Linus smiled. Then he snatched up five DVDs.
Five brand new, stolen DVDs.
“Put those down!” Joey said as realization set in. He was too late; Linus cut through the plastic wraps, and then there were five more pimply teens in pink uniforms in the apartment.
And Linus had another fistful of DVDs in his hands.
“Oh, crap,” Joey cried as the teens charged, box-cutters slashing.
Two hours later, Joey found himself before V-Mall’s head of security. The uniformed teens stood around Joey, looking smug.
“For your crimes,” the security chief said, “you will have to work off the cost of your stolen goods.”
“I gotta work for V-Mall?” said Joey, his face and clothing sporting hundreds of tiny cuts.
“It’s worse than that,” said Linus. “You have to become one of us.”
The security chief pointed a gun-like device at Joey and fired.
“Nooooo!!!” Joey screamed as his entire body was reduced to ones and zeroes.
The next thing he knew he was trapped behind a layer of plastic. Three words were emblazoned on the wrap before him. They read, “Security Device Enclosed.”
Time To Write
As of this Tuesday coming up, I will have been unemployed for a full three weeks. This situation has obvious disadvantages, namely a lack of income. The benefit, however, is that I have all the time I want to write.
Some of that time I've used badly. I spent the first off-week playing Destroy All Humans! 2 on my Playstation. Since then I've managed to discipline myself a bit more, and I've done some good work on my various projects. I quickly edited a final draft of Epoch for Llewellyn, and completed the first draft for my next book, The Right Hand Of Evil. However, I still find I waste far too much time when my days are completely free. When I have a job, I have structure, and I work my writing time in around the job. Usually, I'll get to the job site at least a half-hour early, grab a cup of tea and write. Then I'll use my lunch break to write some more.
On my last job, I found myself getting so depressed that I couldn't get more than a few sentences onto the page. In that instance, so getting canned was a real blessing. Now my writing output has gone back to the level it was at when I had a good job, but I know I could do better. I have all this time, but I'm really starting to understand something about my writing habits and abilities now - I write in spurts, but not long stretches. I can happily write for half an hour, or an hour if I'm really into it, but any longer and my writing hand gets tired and I feel the nagging need to move on to something else.
I delude myself that I could write a book in a month if I really wanted to. I tell myself that, if I got a work-for-hire contract, I'd be motivated to do what it takes to meet the deadline. Now I'm not so sure. I was really disappointed when I learned I would not be the one to write the official novelization for the upcoming Transformers movie, but could I really have pulled it off? No. Not at my current output level. I'm simply not ready.
Now, though, I know what my limitations are. And I know what I have to work on to get better. This time off has been an eye-opener for me, and I intend to learn every lesson from it that I can.
And when the Transformers sequel goes into production, I'll be ready.
- Timothy Carter
Some of that time I've used badly. I spent the first off-week playing Destroy All Humans! 2 on my Playstation. Since then I've managed to discipline myself a bit more, and I've done some good work on my various projects. I quickly edited a final draft of Epoch for Llewellyn, and completed the first draft for my next book, The Right Hand Of Evil. However, I still find I waste far too much time when my days are completely free. When I have a job, I have structure, and I work my writing time in around the job. Usually, I'll get to the job site at least a half-hour early, grab a cup of tea and write. Then I'll use my lunch break to write some more.
On my last job, I found myself getting so depressed that I couldn't get more than a few sentences onto the page. In that instance, so getting canned was a real blessing. Now my writing output has gone back to the level it was at when I had a good job, but I know I could do better. I have all this time, but I'm really starting to understand something about my writing habits and abilities now - I write in spurts, but not long stretches. I can happily write for half an hour, or an hour if I'm really into it, but any longer and my writing hand gets tired and I feel the nagging need to move on to something else.
I delude myself that I could write a book in a month if I really wanted to. I tell myself that, if I got a work-for-hire contract, I'd be motivated to do what it takes to meet the deadline. Now I'm not so sure. I was really disappointed when I learned I would not be the one to write the official novelization for the upcoming Transformers movie, but could I really have pulled it off? No. Not at my current output level. I'm simply not ready.
Now, though, I know what my limitations are. And I know what I have to work on to get better. This time off has been an eye-opener for me, and I intend to learn every lesson from it that I can.
And when the Transformers sequel goes into production, I'll be ready.
- Timothy Carter
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