However, it takes time and money to create a full-length novel. Both are resources that aren't exactly overflowing in my direction. So I've taken the more accessible road for now, which is to write these pieces as short stories. That's not to say I've taken the core narrative and piecemealed it into chunks - it rather means I'm writing what I feel comfortable calling an "expanded universe". Not only is this approach good for the people who find an interest in my works, providing a much higher frequency of releases, but it is an excellent practice for me as a writer to flesh out my own works. I often feel like I find all the missing bits and pieces when I go through these short stories. They help me get more in touch with the characters I create and realize narrative potentials otherwise stowed away in my messy notes. Here's a bit that makes no god damn sense out of context:
“Sunken void between the realms, an ancient evil hides,
and if you look too closely friend, it twists around and bites.
It sings to you, seduces you, talk whispers to your ear,
its jaws will wretch you from this world, to drown your soul in fear.
It has no name, it has no face, it has no solid form,
but you can hear it deep inside, the chanting of the storm.”
~ Excerpt from Interdiction
Still, it'll be a little while yet before I publish anything here. I have a bunch of friends who are helping me through thorough scrutiny of every syllable coming out of my head, which is awesome. But I feel like I need to have some time going through that process, before I really dare putting it forward anywhere public. Of course not everyone is going to like a piece of literature, we all feel differently in one way or another about the texts we consume. Yet even with that knowledge, I feel like I have a personal standard I must uphold or I will have failed the readers, providing a sub-par experience in relation to my own expertise. I can only do my best, and "my best" is defined by my personal efforts to strive for the better - you get the point.
Here's my new favorite track:
The whole concept is - at its heart - purebred science fiction. There are elements of horror, comedy and plenty of exploration. Every single one of the stories feed into the same universe, forging the path for the eventual grand finale that is to become the proper novel(s).
I'm really looking forward to showing off some of the settings and characters from the boiler, so stay tuned. If everything goes according to plan, I can start churning out bits before you can say "Simultinuum."
Now I wish all of you a good night's sleep!
