#464. The Continuing Mission Continues

I know I haven't done a lot of this recently, but how about we check in with what I've been doing in some of my other blogs?

The spotlight falls squarely on the Fan Companion, which a few days ago finished its survey of the fourth (and final) season of Star Trek: Enterprise, which brought an end to one particular era of the franchise in 2005.  At that point it seemed that most fans had decided both the series and Star Trek in general were no longer worth following.  Enterprise made a concerted effort to win back interest that season, with a series of arcs that linked the events of this prequel to existing lore from other incarnations, notably the original series.  The season began by wrapping up its Temporal Cold War arc, which had been running since the first episode, somewhat hastily (it's still a matter up for debate), and then soon plunged into new, shorter arcs with the Augments Trilogy, which harked back to the famous Khan as well as Data's creator, who happened to be played by Brent Spiner (you know who else he played, right?).  The Vulcan Trilogy followed, which attempted to reconcile the Vulcans as portrayed in Enterprise to their later brethren.  The Federation Trilogy was the last big Andorian story of the series, but it also involved Tellarites and Romulans, and contains recurring characters Shran and Soval in their best scene of the series as one interrogates the other (I'll let you guess which is which).  The Klingon Duology finally answers how these guys went from smooth-headed to ridged (and it has nothing to do with potato chips).  The two-part "In a Mirror, Darkly" brilliantly revisits the alternate Mirror Universe first seen in "Mirror, Mirror" and half a dozen Deep Space Nine episodes.  The Terra Prime Duology represents what many consider to be the true series finale.  And of course the actual finale episode, "These Are the Voyages," which many still consider to be controversial.

My ongoing efforts to chronicle the franchise from a user-friendly perspective, episode by episode, are collected on this page.  My slightly more ambitious attempt to define the new classics of Star Trek can be found here.

With the conclusion of the Enterprise fourth season survey, I've now concluded episodes recaps for five seasons of Star Trek (also including Voyager and Deep Space Nine).  There are only twenty-four seasons left!  So I will be at this for some time.

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You can read about a lot of what I'm trying to accomplish as a writer at my eponymous blog, but there's also my writing blog Sigild V, where I've recently concluded the twelve-part "City of Tomorrow," a Dean Motter-inspired look at some of the social history of Metropolis (as in Superman).  Yes, some people might combine their writer's and writing blogs.  I'm insane.  I'm also thinking of hosting a writing exercise entitled Project Mayhem, in which all you would have to do is write a 250 word story and leave comments on other entries.  If you are interested in this, please leave a comment.  I will probably write about it again, so don't feel bad if you overlook it here (although you can't feel bad because you'll have overlooked it).

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I'm still writing about funny books over at Comics Reader, including the "Brother's Blitz" series in the Quarter Bin column where I tax reader interest by droning on about a lot of comics.

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I've technically signed on to write about movies for another website, but I haven't gotten around to writing something yet.  My first material will be on Colin Farrell, however.

***

I'm still reading books.  You can see evidence of that at Hub City.  I'm currently reading author David Maine, who has a penchant of writing literary novels based on biblical tales.  I'm thinking of CreateSpacing my own Adam/Eve/Cain/Abel book, previously known as Ecce Homo, but retitled Minor Contracts.  That's an exclusive Scouring Monk scoop!

#291. Finnegan, Ecce Homo

#291.

A couple weeks back, I sent Finnegan off to another publisher. Today, I sent Ecce Homo to its first potential home. I say, wouldn't it be nice if potential writers had a tad more secure network on which to support themselves...?

#279. Fan Companion, Comics Reader, Sigild V, Hall Bros, Ecce Homo

#279.

Figured I should also mention a little of what I've been doing in my family of blogs. Every Thursday I update the Fan Companion (where I've been counting down my 500 hundred film favorites since last fall) and Comics Reader (where I've gotten [forty-five] creator Andi Ewington to sign up as my first official Blogger follower thanks to my hearty recommendation of his graphic novel in the 2010 QB50). I've been steadily working at Sigild V, writing and posting new stories about as regularly as I did with the poetry cycles I've done from 2007-2010. I've been hard at work at a sequence called Lost Convoy for the past few weeks now, posting new installments as the story has blossomed, and it continues to do exactly that. I've got a second act planned that will expand the story, and still not even get us to the point where our lost survivors are reunited with the rest of the fleet, not to mention barely mentioning much of the apocalyptic context!

But beyond that I've just posted a handful of short stories ("Bound by Blood," "The Insomniac's Dream," and "Monkey Palm") I wrote last year, several of which were rejected by my pal A.C. Hall for one of his Hall Bros. anthologies, though not too many sour grapes, since I got a story called "Last Ride Out of Liberation" included in the upcoming Villainy anthology, and even selected as Ace's editor's pick, which I'm terrifically proud of.

Have I even mentioned that I finished writing Ecce Homo in the final hours of last Friday? I'm also really happy about that. And so begins the long process of getting the darned thing published. Hey, Ecce Homo, have you met Finnegan, your brother in that struggle? But seriously, I worked on that sucker from October to last month, and while I spent long periods of time not actually writing, it was another revealing experience at what it takes for me to write a novel, and I'm probably more proud of this one than either of the other two (but I like those, too). Hopefully the world really will get a chance to judge for itself.

#275. Borders, The Rock, Mr. Anderson, Ecce Homo, Seven Thunders

#275.

Gotta mention the Borders news from this week. While the store I work at is perfectly safe at the moment, the one I opened in Burlington, MA back in 2006 has closed, so that is what I am sad about. Also, there's one in Erie, PA that closed, too, and I went to college in that town.

Other big news from the week: The Rock! Finally...The Rock has come back...! This is such huge news in wrestling that it's beyond obvious. Very excited. I would cynically say he came back because he finally realized he would never be fully embraced by movie audiences as much as he has by the movies themselves. He's by far the msot successful wrestler to ever appear on the big screen, but...c'mon, The Rock is first and foremost the most entertaining (electrifying) wrestler there has ever been, not just a gimmick but one of the most complete presences ever possible. I secretly hope he fights Undertaker at WrestleMania XXVII (it's too obvious a shot at the one person truly capable of selling the Deadman's first defeat at the event), even though I know there are three other opponents currently lined up for Taker (Wade Barrett, Sting, or Triple H, and out of those I'd ideally like Sting, and can only imagine the promos). Anyway, he's back!

Also, Mr. Anderson did lose the TNA world title at Against All Odds, but that speaks more to Jeff Hardy's legitimacy as champion than Anderson's. Ken has plenty more chances to win it back, now that he's finally done it the first time.

...Also, still working on Ecce Homo. When I actually write, it works really, really well! Very close to finishing, and have so much mapped out, it's really just a matter of writing. This has been a very interesting process. On a side note, I swapped the order of the next two books I'll be writing, since the War of 1812 book I finished recently helped me map out a little more of Seven Thunders, which has technically been my passion project since 1998...

#273. 2011 Royal Rumble, Sigild V, Ecce Homo

#273.

I gotta say, last Sunday's Royal Rumble, and I'm talking the rumble itself, was probably among the best overall rumbles WWE has ever done. I would say it was technically brilliant, not only playing to all of the major storylines and strengths of the current roster, but even pulling a few tricks out of the bag. I mean, even Chris Masters had a spot! And speaking of spots, I know I'm a John Morrison partisan, but if it hadn't been designed otherwise, 2011 would have been a perfect year for him to win, at least with that guardrail spot of his! But the Nexus/Corre was used to perfection, John Cena, even the Great Khali. I mean, seriously, pound for pound, so much thought was put into this one, you might call it, already, a serious match of the year candidate.

And of course, Alberto Del Rio won it. I know this may seem a tad premature for a guy who has skirted more rivalries than he's had real matches in his WWE tenure, but the guy is the find of the new millennium for the company. He's the new Ric Flair. I'm talking 1970s Ric Flair, when the Nature Boy was originally making his name, establishing his legacy. I'm sure he wasn't beloved by everyone back then, but he was the best of the game, and he only got better, and more beloved, the more he stuck around. Ric Flair was supposed to be the consummate heel. He wasn't supposed to be liked. But he became one of the most beloved performers wrestling ever saw. Every major comeback he made, and there were quite a few of them, was thanks to the fact that the fans loved him so much.

Alberto Del Rio is not the Ric Flair you know. But Alberto Del Rio has all the tools to become that man. To become the man...Winning the Royal Rumble in 2011 is a step in that direction. Hell, winning at WrestleMania practically guarantees that he's there.

Anyway...that's some recent wrestling thoughts.

Now, somewhat obviously, I've got a new blog project, Sigild, my new short fiction forum, which I hope to expand, when I've properly established it, and make it the hub of a whole community. That's the dream.

I'm one section away from completing Ecce Homo. It's been a long haul, but the ride will have been worth it. I've been holding off putting Finnegan into the hands of other publishers, but I think I'm just about ready. It sounds a little weird, but I wanted total confidence in my third book before I could fully regain it for my second, which I've been trying to get published for the past year.

...Somewhere, talking about pro wrestling and literary fiction in the same blog post really does make sense...

#268. Film Fan, Comics Reader, John Morrison, Galatea, Ecce Homo

#268.

I've finally updated the Film Fan, for the first time in about a month, all that slacking owing to computer woes. I believe I've talked computer woes here at Scouring Monk before, so Theoretical Reader will not be surprised.

I've also posted the 2010 QB50 at the new Comics Reader, my new so-and-so blog. I will hopefully have new stuff posted there on a weekly basis, both on new comics and older material.

Likewise, I will be updating the Film Fan list weekly until I reach the complete 500, and then I'll include a comprehensive listing for my favorite films from 2010, because hopefully by then I'll have seen pretty much all there was worth seeing from last year. I'm particularly anticipating I Love You Phillip Morris and The Way Back, plus finally seeing The Social Network, among others. Otherwise, Lower Decks denizens have already seen preliminary lists, both as a main article on the front page (listing my genre faves) and at the OL forums.

I'm particularly thrilled, in wrestling news, that John Morrison's push really has been advancing. The Sheamus rematch at TLC seemed like a showstopper, while his recent championship match on Raw against The Miz, by some reports, did the same thing. I expect him to be a world champion well before the end of the year, either by winning the Royal Rumble and headlining WrestleMania (dare I suggest?) or by winning Money in the Bank at said WrestleMania and cashing another contract, this time with a win.

Mr. Anderson, meanwhile, is hopefully at least as close, over in TNA, with the same objective.

Ain't it fun to have favorites?

In writing news, because I've always got a million projects, I'm working on a comic called Galatea. That's all I'm going to say about that. Also, I hope to break back into and finish Ecce Homo, but I don't want to rush it, even though it has now taken longer to write this book than Finnegan, the quest for publication on whose behalf continues. Dalkey Archive Press passed recently, and I want to thank them for their prompt and succinct notice. The dream marches on!

Oh, and this blog has moxie!

#264. Hall Bros. Entertainment, Ecce Homo, Moxie, John Morrison

#264.

It's been more than a month since I last posted here! I've completed several books since 10/14, but I'll get back to that later in the week. Today I'm just gonna shoot the breeze a little. I don't know if I mentioned this already, but I got accepted into a Hall Bros. Entertainment anthology, which was pretty awesome. Work on Ecce Homo has been a little spotty of late, partly because of a trip to Maine two weeks ago. I was able to belt out five chapters in one day immediately before that, however, and have done a lot of story development for the remaining half (at least), which to me is just as good as writing (though writing is pretty good, too), given that I'm still trying to get Finnegan published. I don't know if I had done so already last month, but I might as well mention that I've sent it off to a couple of publishers, continuing a year-long effort to find a home for it.

I'm also interested in writing about Moxie! I'm in the preliminary stages of a book proposal that'll cover people's opinions about the oldest and most obnoxious more-or-less original taste soft drink in the country, which happens to be featured in my home town of Lisbon Falls, ME, both at the Moxie Store and the annual Moxie Festival. The working title is This Book Has Moxie!, while I hope to set up This Website Has Moxie! and other tie-ins as they become appropriate and/or relevant.

Really excited for the apparent push John Morrison is getting. Dare I hope for a WrestleMania main event? Also really happy that Mr. Anderson is getting recuperative time off for his concussion, glad that it's being taken very seriously, very publically. And you can't possibly blame the man for this injury.

...But, as I said, I'll be back with more later in the week.

#263. Bound for Glory 2010, John Morrison, EcceHomo

#263.

Given the result of the main event of TNA's Bound for Glory, and who I've been talking about in this blog, you might assume that I'd be a tad upset. But it couldn't have been more brilliant. In fact, the heel turn and championship turn by Jeff Hardy may be exactly what the company needs to reach the next level. This is a purely storyline piece of work that seems to have connected with the target audience. It isn't merely making someone champion who'll please that audience, but rather, and unlike the Main Event Mafia or Jeff Jarrett's runs, not a contrived attempt to elicit heat. This is exactly like Hulk Hogan's NWO moment. Hardy has a legitimate claim to be TNA's Sting, actually (A.J. Styles being, as the company finally realized, its Ric Flair). While he hasn't been an original company man, a lot of his biggest moments as a solo competitor are going to be remembered as a part of the TNA roster. Anyway, this is good, good news, even for Mr. Anderson, who stands poised at least to stick around the main event, because a lot of the work he's done with the company to date has been with Jeff Hardy. So I'm pleased on a number of levels.

John Morrison, meanwhile, finally seems to be capitalizing on his unique parkour technique, much as Daniel Bryan has been benefiting from all the goodwill he generated as the underrated "rookie" in the first NXT season (but see how well that first season has turned out for pretty much everyone involved?). I think, barring unforeseen circumstances, this will finally push him to the next level. Same with former partner The Miz, who seems to be building some legitimate momentum of his own, most notably on this past Raw, when he actually stood toe-to-toe with John Cena, who himself is reaching another platform by actively working with a new generation of competitors. It's the exact opposite of what Randy Orton is doing right now (and ironically, how he got back to the championship in the first place, because of his apparent willingness to do this; his lack of actual commitment to any one new star has hindered his own efforts), and why Orton's title reign is completely meaningless.

***

As I mentioned recently, I've started writing my third book, Ecce Homo, and once again, it's turning into a revelatory experience. Everything I learned the first two times, it's helping to craft something unique and special. I can't speak highly enough about NaNoWriMo, the challenge that provided the impetus of the three acts that comprise my first book. last year I challenged myself to do it over the course of two months, and it worked out really well. And so I'm doing that again, and finding new ways to represent my style of writing. I'll know just how successful it is if I complete the book by the end of the year, which is my goal, and should be easily attainable. I'm giving myself more time this time. I like the pressure keeping a small timetable provides, but I'm realizing, more and more, I can be a little lax, and it's not the end of the world, or the book. I'm a writer who likes to think. Sometimes that means I get very little writing done. But more importantly, it helps bring on new depths and innovation to my writing, which are traits I value almost to anything else.

I'm also working on a story called The Two Caballeros, in conjunction with a comic called Liberation, TX. I'm always ambitious. I figure at some point, all this hard work is bound to pay off...

#261. Ecce Homo

#261.

Would you believe that I started writing another book? Crazy, I know, because I have written two already, and neither have in the technical sense been published. But when the idea of Ecce Homo occurred to me, I couldn't resist. It combines a recurring element of Finnegan with my inability to write typical descriptive fiction. In other words, it's another stream of consciousness kind of story. It's fun to get back into what amounts to my routine of writing long fiction, which was honed pretty well over the course of the time it took to write Finnegan and Cloak of Shrouded Men, the first drafts of which took a combined five months. Not that I'm bragging...

...Or, shooting myself in the foot. Where's all the wood in the internet?