Yes, my new actual novel is coming along nicely, slowly, but nicely. My characters are developing and taking on lives of their own branching out into something I never intended at the start. For example, my Detective has a guilt which manifests itself into a presence that he communicates with as if talking to another human being. My "hero" is also developing into someone who uses technology (it is set around the year 2030) to escape the horrors and revenge he is inflicting. I based his escape world on the farmlands and surroundings of where we now live...good excuse to write outside and use what I see as words on the laptop screen. I am only on Chapter five but I am getting there. I am still writing reviews for Roobla - latest one was the new Iron Maiden album 'The Book Of Souls' which is an epic slab of music from the heavy metal legends. Currently in the process of writing some new naughty erotica as well so lots on the go.
I have also managed to reach my weight goal of the last few months of 13.7 stone after lots of hard work at the gym and watching what I eat. Believe it or not, I started this year at 16.7 stone so losing 3 stone in 10 months is a hell of an achievement and I do feel (and look) better for it. It does get harder and harder though and my actual ultimate goal of around 12 stone will be tough. The Walking Dead restarted last week and continues to be the absolute best thing on television although 4 episodes into the new season of Doctor Who has seen it grow in confidence and quality. An already brilliant year for music with top releases from Faith No More, Fear Factory, Cradle Of Filth and Muse has been made better by the new double album epicness that is the new Iron Maiden album...up the irons indeed!! Start Wars and indeed Christmas loom ever closer...exciting times.
Work is work...I go in, do what I have to do and then come home. I have no passion or commitment outside of the hours I am contracted to do. But, it pays the bills and I have to feel lucky that nearly 16 years of service means I know what I am doing and am left to do it. Tomorrow, I do have an interview at Martin Mere for some volunteer work so lets hope that goes well. Looking forward to a night of horror films on Halloween and having the neighbour and her kids round on Bonfire night and then it will be some serious Christmas shopping. Anyway, that's that for this month...I will leave you with some snippets from the new novel though...enjoy:
And unto silence we came…
The birds are singing, the sky is clear blue and the grass
is deep green. A gentle, almost shy
breeze wisps through the air bending the tall sunflowers with a slight push;
their bright yellow faces sway from side to side as if dancing in the
night. Insects dart about avoiding the
spider’s webs that span in between the haggled and rotten fence posts, their
buzzing adding chorus to the surroundings. The sun casts shadows across the
freshly cut lawn highlighting the various dips and colours, so alive yet so dead. A lone football sits in the garden. White with black hexagon shapes dotted about
its face, it demands to be kicked, wants to be saved, and craves to be played
with. But no one is there. No one is anywhere.
This
garden and its converted barn house are away; away from other houses, away from
other gardens and away from other people. In the distance there is nothing but
trees and fields. Potatoes grow to the
right and carrots grow to the left, the leaves rising from the ground signify
their readiness for picking, cooking and eating; if only this could be
done? If only that ball could be
kicked? If only that sunflower could be
smelt? If only that grass could be
felt? Silence sits perfectly still
observing these surroundings, his eyes straining through tears and pain. This perfect world he has created is the only
thing that keeps him sane, the only thing that keeps him going. It is his distraction from the real world,
the one which demands so much of him, the one which eats away at his soul and burns
his mind; destructive yet necessary.
Other
people create families and friends.
Mainly building on those they have lost or those they remember before
the change. Some will re-create their
old house and try and live out their old life.
Some have even been known to draw from their childhood memories and have
mummy and daddy pamper them again. Not
Silence. His childhood memories are full
of shit and abuse. Mummy was ill and
Daddy was alcoholic for most of his childhood.
The rest were just a bunch of horrible lies and deceptions; something
which came to the fore after Daddy ran off with another woman. Silence did once re-create this life, even
managing to have the glazed eyes of his Father glare at him. The detail was incredible, right down to the
hole in the door punched in an alcoholic rage by good old Daddy. Silence then destroyed it. With all his might, pain and anger, he
completely raged through the programme and broke down the code with terror,
fear and blind loss. It didn’t help of
course, he couldn’t actually feel his destruction or taste his victory; it was
basically hitting the backspace or delete on a keyboard. In fact, if anything it made him worse so he
decided on creating his perfect place.
