In today’s Journal
* Almost There
* Of Interest
* The Numbers
Almost There
I’m actually typing this on a new (to me) computer, an 11.6″ HP x360 that converts to a tablet. Pretty cool. Now I can move my business computer out to the Hovel.
I bought this little computer from Amazon’s Renewed store for only $107, complete with a 30-day return policy and a 3-month warranty. Hard to go wrong.
I spent the afternoon yesterday setting this one up, installing my favorite browser, my Dropbox desktop app, and Microsoft Word 2010 just in case I need it now and then. But most of the time, most of my writing, fiction and otherwise, will be done in the Hovel beginning very soon.
I’ve only been gone from the Hovel for a few months, but really if I include the total disruption of my writing life, it’s been almost two straight years. August 6 it will be two years that my writing has been disrupted.
I don’t need to tell anyone that though. I’ve posted my numbers below almost every time I’ve posted a new edition of this Journal, so you can see for yourself.
Anyway, I suspect all three stories listed down there right now will be finished in short order, probably plus a couple or a few.
I still have a little preparation to do. This morning (weather was permitting, meaning a monsoon deluge didn’t fall, darn it, and the temp wasn’t above 90° already, yay) I finished building and installing a screen for the east-most window on my south wall to keep out creepy-crawlies so I can blow cooler air into the Hovel at night. Then I should be able to work comfortably in there until around noon or so.
Whatever you’ve heard, adobe ain’t all that. Yeah, the walls are dirt and thick and it looks really cool, especially to a guy who’s spent so much time in Mexico with Wes Crowley.
But here’s the thing: If you’re in a cave, with thick sides and a thick roof, it stays a comfy 70° or so. But if you’re in an adobe house with a “normal” roof, it’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter.
Frankly, I’d rather have a roof of criss-crossed ocotillo branches like the desert cantinas in the late 19th century. That would provide airy shade but allow the heat to escape. And when it rained (seldom) it would clean the floors. (grin)
Anyway, tomorrow I’ll sweep the Hovel thoroughly, then spray the floor against scorpions, etc. After that I should be all set again. So that’ll be only one more day with any luck, and two or three without. But today I’m rewarding myself with a trip to Sierra Vista to an estate sale or two. One is eerie. I’ll tell you about that later.
Oh, I still have to unpack my new webcam and learn the ins and outs of that too. If it doesn’t work as expected, then I’ll send the blasted thing back and you guys will have to put up with grainy video. (grin)
Anyway, from what I can tell, I’m not getting a lot of readers following the YouTube channel. Seems it’s mostly writers, so I’ll probably talk writing as much as anything else.
But don’t expect me to tell you the myths are fine and it’s all right if you want to go ahead and bow to the unreasoning fears. Ain’t gonna happen. Very, very few will actually go whole-hog and give writing into the dark a real authentic try, but those who do will thank me.
Talk with you again soon.
Of Interest
See “Pulp Speed Post Forward Again” at https://deanwesleysmith.com/pulp-speed-post-forward-again/. Always worth sharing.
See “AI Writing” at https://www.thepassivevoice.com/ai-writing-2/. For those who are interested.
The Numbers
The Journal…………………………………… 640
Writing of “Marvin McTavish Decides”
Day 1…… 326 words. Total words to date…… 326
Day 2…… 346 words. Total words to date…… 672
Writing of “A Midnight Sketch”
Day 1…… 1341 words. Total words to date…… 1341
Writing of Rose Padilla (WCG10SF5)
Day 1…… 4283 words. Total words to date…… 4283
Day 2…… 3963 words. Total words to date…… 8246
Day 3…… 1463 words. Total words to date…… 9709
Day 4…… 2445 words. Total words to date……12154
Total fiction words for July……… 2013
Total fiction words for 2023………… 112035
Total nonfiction words for July… 8130
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 139680
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 251715
Calendar Year 2023 Novels to Date…………………… 2
Calendar Year 2023 Novellas to Date……………… 0
Calendar Year 2023 Short Stories to Date………… 4
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)…………………………………… 73
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)………………………………… 9
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)……………………… 221
Short story collections……………………………………………… 31
Disclaimer: I am a prolific professional fiction writer. On this blog I teach Writing Into the Dark, adherence to Heinlein’s Rules, and that following the myths of fiction writing will slow your progress as a writer or stop you cold. I will never teach the myths on this blog.