The Journal, Wednesday, December 27

Hey Folks,

On Christmas Eve I created a test site I can use to try out new things before making them live here or on HarveyStanbrough.com. I was able to use a cloning engine, so I basically just moved HarveyStanbrough.com over there. Took about an hour to create a whole website. The technology amazes me.

Anyway, while I was messing around on that test site, I noticed a few “drafts” of posts. I don’t use the Draft feature on WordPress, at least not intentionally, so I clicked one to have a look.

Turns out it was an early draft of a Journal entry I posted back on April 18 of this year.

In it, I talked about a short story I’d finished: “Beats All.” It worked as a short story, but it also wanted to keep going. So that’s one possibility for my next novel.

Another possibility is an extened version of an SF short story titled “Going Back.” Even as I finished that one it began haunting me. The idea of it grabbed me, and a year and a half later it’s never let go.

It might also be one of the very few purely original ideas I’ve ever had. I’ve never seen it written or filmed anywhere else. Not even close.

If I turn that one into a novel I won’t even need to read over it first. I’ll write an opening, then just keep writing until the story ends. The concept is just that strong.

So that’s kind’a what I’m doing as my current copyedit winds down. Mentally clearing the decks, getting ready for my return to the writing ‘puter. It feels like it’s been years. It’s definitely been too long.

Anyway, for now, back to the copyedit. Should finish in today.

***

Five days left on the Smashwords End of the Year sale. All of my books — nonfiction, novels, short fiction and collections — are on sale for 50% off. To take advantage of it, visit https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/HEStanbrough, make your selections, and enter promotion code SEY50. Enjoy!

Back soon.

Of Interest

From Robert A. Heinlein via The Passive Voice, see “A human being” at http://www.thepassivevoice.com/2017/12/a-human-being/. I love this quote.

From The Digital Reader, see “Tech Tools for Authors #2” at https://the-digital-reader.com/2017/12/26/tech-tools-authors-2/.

Dean’s doing it again. See “Want to Be Challenged Into the New Year?” at https://www.deanwesleysmith.com/want-to-be-challenged-into-the-new-year/. This is an extremely good offer for anyone who’s considering taking a couple of his online workshops. What could be better than buying two of his workshops and getting all the benefit of those, and as a bonus getting Dean Wesley Smith free as your first reader?

Fiction Words: XXXX
Nonfiction Words: 440 (Journal)
So total words for the day: 440

Writing of “”

Day 1…… XXXX words. Total words to date…… XXXX

Total fiction words for the month……… XXXX
Total fiction words for the year………… 453762
Total nonfiction words for the month… 5390
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 180943
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 634705

Calendar Year 2017 Novels to Date………………………… 9
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)………………………………………… 27
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)……………………………………… 4
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)……………………………… 182