Monday, April 8, 2013

Edits Edits Everywhere! Dark Whispers. & Peace of Mind…(Revisited)…


So here we are; really close to finally getting the first book in the ‘Bloodline’ series
‘Bloodline - The Birth of the Vampir’
polished off and sent back to the publisher once and for all. 

(Yep, believe it or not, there were actually a few requested edits)

This is getting to be positively nerve-racking!

What was it Owen Wilson’s character said in the movie 'Armageddon'?.. 
Something to the effect of: "I'm not sure if I'm 49% scared and 51% excited, or 49% excited and 51% scared... I'm so confused!"
Yep... that pretty much sums it up for me.
But I feel safe in saying that the excitement is seriously outweighing the fear at this juncture.

Speaking of excitement; we’ve poured several months’ worth of research into the history and mythology behind these stories, and... hmmmmm…
Okay... I have to deviate here for a moment and provide a little backstory –

A few years ago, I had this crazy idea for a little vampire story called ‘Nights of The Round Table’... yeah I know, a corny play on words, but it sounded good at the time… and it revolved around the legend of the first and only vampire to be knighted by King Arthur.  Who knows, maybe one day I’ll still do something with that story…  I know, I’m a dork, but anyway…   
That evening I called Shaun McGinnis, my business partner, and now writing partner as well, and shared my thoughts.
Three hours later, the ‘Bloodline’ series had been born… fleshed out from beginning to end.

As I said earlier, since that fateful evening, hours upon hours of research have been conducted, and countless spirited conversations have taken place that have ultimately shaped our characters destinies, and dictated the impending course of the story…

And of course, all of that was said to simply say this:

I am sometimes still amazed when Shaun and I break new ground in the story, and build upon an already rock-solid foundation… sharing another one of those serendipitous conversations which we both realize is a new and necessary turning point in an already richly twisting tale. 

We are boldly, and confidently forging forward, deep into the mythology of one of the fictional world’s most beloved and equally feared inhabitants, and retelling it as it has never been told before. 
Consider it the ultimate reboot. 
More to come on that subject as I’m able to share…



Since my last entry, a  very talented group of authors and I have founded "Dark Whispers - The Dark Hall Writers Fan Group".   
Please take a moment (if you have not already done so) to join us there, and show these authors some love!  There are some great books being represented there that you've probably not yet heard of... particularly if you love the Horror Genre.



**I made a statement in my last blog which I wish to revisit, and perhaps re-state:
I said:  "…while I do understand that money doesn't buy happiness (yes, so sorry, it’s true), it can buy peace-of-mind… and that’s what I dream of… peace of mind…"
I received more than a few comments with regards to that phrase, and it’s surprising how many unique definitions of happiness there are floating around… J  But one comment made particular sense:
"If Peace of Mind is what you truly seek, and Money can provide that Peace of Mind, then isn't Money, in effect buying Happiness"?
So if:
Money = Peace of Mind
And:
Peace of Mind = Happiness
Then:
Money = Happiness!

Well I’ll be darned… 
I was wrong…

Or of course you can just go with my seven-year-old daughter's philosophy:



Until next time!

~R.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Peace of Mind...




Greetings and Salutations!

It's been a long while since I've posted anything, but I'm at a stage in my career where that's going to change now, so my ‘Dragonherding’ blog is about to be re-born!!

As many of you know, my writing partner (Shaun McGinnis) and I are getting published later this year, and as excited as we are, the concept of our respective careers finally taking off in a big way, is positively surreal.

We're at a crossroads in our lives & careers, but must wait patiently for things to unfold, before it's revealed just how much things will change and/or how quickly, but of course, patience is a relative term, considering the fact that we’re both living in today's horrific economy and surviving by the skin of our teeth.

When one moves into a room at a friend's home, simply to avoid the harrowing choice of paying rent or eating, then something is wrong. When one receives more phone calls from creditors than loved-ones, something is amiss. And when one finds himself missing work because he can't afford gas or car insurance, something is definitely rotten in Denmark.

Now don't get me wrong...I'm not actually complaining...I swear! I am truly one of the most blessed people that I know. I'm just attempting to illustrate my current situation, so that as my life changes, I (we) can look back, and fully appreciate the differences for what they are.

I've seen things from the bottom of the food-chain my entire life, and if I am ever fortunate enough to make that all-coveted climb to the top 1%, I'll always appreciate whatever opportunities and adventures life presents me and be grateful, because I wasn't born with a silver-spoon.

I’m also not one of those shallow, callous, socialites, who actually believes success is based upon how many zeroes are in his bank-book…but rather…I'd say I'm a realist, and a humanitarian, who bases his success and his worth upon his measure as a father, a friend, an employee, etc. So, given the fact that I’ve endured days (um…years) with one big goose egg in my bank book, I’m ready to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and believe that it is no longer an oncoming train.

I would like to finally take my children on vacation without having to use my car-title as collateral, or agree to wash dishes at a restaurant, just to enjoy a decent meal.

Yes - as grateful as I am for my amazing-life, and the blessings that so abundantly surround me, I am tired of living paycheck to paycheck, robbing Peter to pay Paul (so sorry Peter, but you always get the short end of the stick)…

All of that said, I am well-aware of the fact that being a writer is not necessarily a practical remedy for one’s financial woes, it would be nice in helping to alleviate them a tad, however small, what I can hope for most with the Bloodline series, is to know that we've created something that people enjoy and believe in, and that we've put something out there that we're proud of.

You see, while I do understand that money doesn’t buy happiness (yes, so sorry, it’s true), it can buy peace-of-mind…and that’s what I dream of…peace of mind. Oh, and True Love too…but that’s a blog for a different time…

So there you have it…the first little sliver of my soul.

My heart’s desire in a nutshell…

I’ll share more of course…a lot more…probably more than I should, because that’s what writers do - bare their souls to the world.

Ironic, but one of my last posts was on 11311.

Well, today is 31313 – and what better day than today to get back into the swing of things?

Cheers!
Rod R. Garcia