Looking back at what I wrote for the start of my June wrap-up I thought to myself, ‘That seemed like ages ago!’
I started July with a DNF - Read on to see what it was!
01/07/2024
Posted another essay - The Haunting Double!
The Haunting Double: Discover the Mysteries of Doppelgangers in Victorian Horror
The case of Émilie Sagée is a famous and intriguing instance related to the doppelganger or double theme. Émilie Sagée was a French woman who purportedly experienced a phenomenon where her doppelganger, or ghostly double, was seen by numerous witnesses. This case is often cited in discussions about the paranormal and the concept of the doppelganger.
I’ve made great world-building progress with my fictional city of Violshire, particularly with the politics and the characters that come to life as a result of said politics. This has helped refine the story, which was looser than a wizard’s sleeve beforehand.
I’ve still got a bit of a gravelly throat from the other month!
I was listening to Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman after I listened to Game of Thrones. I have DNF’d (did not finish) it. The author narrated the book himself and posted it on his YouTube channel. He is quite a good narrator to be fair.
Why am I not finishing it?
I enjoyed the story for about 25% of it, but after that I found myself having to go back and listen to parts again because I didn’t know where we were or what was happening. I might revisit it in the future.
08/07/2024
Honestly, I don’t remember reading anything this week.
But I have made some more progress with building my fictional world.
I managed to produce a couple of stories that will supplement the main narrative and theme.
That is all I can say for now. The stories I refer to are classified and you do not have the clearance…
15/07/2024
Posted another short story - one about a young, impoverished boy and an old pocket watch from a mysterious antique shop.
Watchdog
When I was a mere boy of twelve years, impoverished and cold, I roamed the shadowy streets of Violshire, hunger gnawing at my empty belly. My tattered rags clung to my fragile frame and the chill of the night wind pierced the threadbare garments. My days in the darkened recesses within the city were aimless, devoid of pur…
Went on GoodReads for once on Monday.
I’ve picked The Conditions of the Working Class back up and I’m thoroughly enjoying it. People used to live in literal shitholes.
I think I will listen to the second book in A Song of Ice and Fire - it’s time.
22/07/2024
I met a friend at the pub for her birthday and gave her a copy of Save the Cat (a screenwriting book). She’s a director for both the screen and theatre and the book should slot into her writing and directing library like a 200+ page glove.
That book is popular for plenty of reasons. One of them is the ‘Beat Sheet.’ The author explains the beats of a story, the page of the screenplay when each beat should kick in, and the point that divides the three acts.
I’m currently working on a longer piece of writing than I’ve written before and I find the beats quite useful for that as well.
I decided not to start the second ASOIAF book, and have decided to listen to The Balde Itself by Joe Abercrombie again.
I don’t know if I’ve told you this before, but when I tried reading this book I didn’t like it and put it down. I thought it was slow and the lack of plot annoyed me because I didn’t know what it was about.
But I listened to it about a year later and the narrator, Steven Pacey, is a voice-acting savage. Abercrombie’s superb character work was perfectly interpreted in Pacey’s performance.
Anyway, keep your eyes open for more Gaslamp Horror stories and essays.
Too bad about Between Two Fires! I've heard it's good, but I didn't particularly care for Those Across The River, so I've been holding off on reading it.
What made you decide to come up with your own setting to use in all (?) your stories? I tend to bounce around from location to location, but a lot of authors seem to prefer a more unified setting.