|
Post by Christian Soldier on Jul 27, 2007 16:53:33 GMT -5
Okay, Jeff. I give in. I've started the prep work for my novel. It's going to be a while though. I hate prep work . But it will not get written if I don't do it. So...there we are. This won't be easy either. I've already had to make drastic changes due to character considerations( Gee, we haven't even started yet!), plausibility, and asking the question "Have I seen this before?" That last one was embarrassing. Picture this! In order for the heroes(There are now several, btw) to succeed, they must destroy a super-weapon. Ermm...Let's see...Starwars for one. Well...copying Starwars isn't a good idea. Period. Too visible. So...had to come up with something else. I'll probably stick to ambushes and POW camps. I've got some other surprises up my sleeve, too but there you have it. Once I have more prep done, I'll post it in the Genre Homeworld, but there just isn't enough right now. Thanks for the kick in the butt! --CS
|
|
|
Post by Kristen on Jul 30, 2007 19:25:36 GMT -5
Write your synopsis first! www.wherethemapends.com/writerstools/writers_tools_pages/publishing_biz_pages/synopses.htmI wrote 160,000 words first (OK, actually 182k and then cut a lot), and THEN wrote a synopsis, and Jeff will tell you, it was a bit of a mess. Draft 2 of the synopsis is much better (I think--Jeff hasn't seen it yet), only now I have to go revise Chapter One to get my CIRCULARITY! (Argh! How could I forget circularity?! I knew about circularity!) Good luck with the book, and everything else. I pray for you and everyone else Over There continually.
|
|
|
Post by Christian Soldier on Jul 31, 2007 1:33:16 GMT -5
Actually, I'm using the snowflake method, and, btw, I completely agree with you. I helped an author critique her book a year and a half ago. The only reason I even kept going was that she had managed to write 100,000+ words on a single topic. Was it good? no. I could spend hours detailing why, but her biggest mistake was not having some kind of outline/synopsis. Oh, and my ADD won't let me just write, I've tried that and ended up with drivel. . .Okay, I'm done Be safe and take ...wait. I have a prayer request and almost forgot it. (BAD SPECIALIST!) Everyone read the news about Iraq winning a soccer game? Yeah, they like to take their AKs, AKM,s, Pistols, and other fire arms and shoot them in the air whenever they get excited...like when Iraq wins a soccer game. Now, when an entire area does this, even one as sparsely populated as this one, there are always injuries. They're almost always kids. Please pray for them and me, because I have to work extra hard every time they go nuts like that. Okay, now I'm done. HUA -- CS
|
|
|
Post by Jeff Gerke on Jul 31, 2007 9:54:23 GMT -5
Yikes.
It's like living in the old west.
Can you tell us why you, an artillery man, needs to work extra hard when kids get hurt by stray Iraqi bullets? Are you a medic, too?
Jeff
|
|
|
Post by Christian Soldier on Jul 31, 2007 17:10:19 GMT -5
Erm...no. Sorry, man. I can't actually discuss my work. Well...I could, but then I'd get to meet Bubba down at the federal prison. Being severely allergic to prison, I think I'll just wait till I see it on CNN or TLC here in a few years. Till then...
Be at ease though, I am what's called a fobbit. I do not leave the fob. really, I haven't left, yet. Which is amazing. Last time I was here I spent as much, if not more, time outside than inside. Back on track: I wrk in a thick concrete building with decent A/C and television(even if the sound has to be turned off).
So yeah, I'm pretty safe. Actually, safer here than in the states. Just take a lookat the death rate of deployed soldiers compared to at home and you'll see what I mean. So far we've had less than a 1% casualty rate. In WWII, it was more like25%-50% depending on the battle. Vietnam was even worse.
Frag, there I go again. Back on the original track, even though virtually all soldiers are trained in life-saving skills that come close to, but no where equal, that of a medic. I haven't had to use those skills here, thank God(Literally). --CS
|
|
|
Post by pixydust on Jul 31, 2007 22:26:34 GMT -5
Wow, CS, I'll be praying for you, man! You're work is much appreciated! If not by the news, by me and my kids, and my husband--who's a cop, and is always bemoaning the fact that he spent his 20s surfing instead of joining the Marines.
|
|
|
Post by Christian Soldier on Aug 1, 2007 15:51:58 GMT -5
Thanks, Pixy. I think I speak for everyone here, this applies to all of you, when I say that your support is appreciated and needed.
|
|
|
Post by Christian Soldier on Aug 6, 2007 16:05:59 GMT -5
Here's an update! My writing continues on it's slow course. The prep work is getting close to completion. AH! I can't wait. I hate prep work. Anyway, I did some math and figured out that if I can manage 5k words a day, I can have it done in 40 days. Will that happen? No. But even if I cut it by 2/3s I can have it done before I get home. That means that I can a take a break till after my wedding, and honeymoon, in February and start writing once we're settled in our new home. Then I'll have several months till I start college when I can write in ernest.
|
|
|
Post by Jeff Gerke on Aug 8, 2007 8:17:20 GMT -5
You can do it, CS!
I'm telling you, on one level at least I would love some kind of enforced solitude where I had the opportunity (both in terms of time and finances) to crank out a book that fast.
Don't whip yourself for not hitting 5,000 words in a day. But I do believe, everything else being equal, that you can get at least your rough draft completed before you come home.
Do it! You may never have this kind of opportunity again.
Jeff
|
|
|
Post by Christian Soldier on Aug 8, 2007 17:12:25 GMT -5
In a different post, I mentioned my up and coming wedding. I have an urgent prayer request concerning that and, more importantly, my Fiancé.
Last night, she was taken to the ER due to extreme abdominal pain. She was treated for an infected gall-stone. Unfortunately, all they can do is enable her to move around a little. Here's the problem: she's uninsured. It's odd because Texas requires all small businesses to carry health insurance for their employees. Jamie, my Fiancé, is smart, funny, beautiful, and, more importantly, an upright woman in God's eyes. I met her where I was stationed in Ft Hood, TX at church. I love her very very much, and I sincerely pray to never lose her, but this business is scary.
Oh, and did I mention that her white blood cell count was elevated? Yeah. Very much so. Personally, I wonder if it maybe have been the infection, but I'm no doctor. Not in any way.
So now my options seem to be to re-enlist or find some other way, that she'll agree to, to fund the surgery.
*Sigh* There's more, but I think this is enough for you to understand the baseline issues here. I worry for her so much, and for us as a couple, too.
Thank you all, in advance for your prayers. I sincerely don't want to stay in, but if I must, I will.
--CS
|
|
|
Post by Christian Soldier on Aug 10, 2007 18:47:48 GMT -5
Well, the previous issues are mute now. She's got to get the surgery done. In a way, I'm glad to get it over with so that it won't be hanging over our heads when we get married. Please pray for her as she endures this.
--CS
*update* Right now she's in the hospital. Last night she was taken into the ER and rushed into surgery. I haven't heard anything as yet. Thankyou, all, for your prayers.
|
|
|
Post by Jeff Gerke on Aug 12, 2007 18:46:32 GMT -5
Are you still facing reenlistment to pay for this?
|
|
|
Post by Christian Soldier on Aug 13, 2007 1:41:11 GMT -5
Okay, another update! God has lovingly and firmly moved me away from Re-enlistment(Thanks, God). Further proof of the kind of God we serve. Anyway, I may have to go straight for the Shreveport PD, maybe as a dispatcher, or some other job. Nice thing about the PD is that they honor my years of service already,so no starting over. Anyway, that's out of the way.
As for Jamie, her surgery was put off due to the level of infection. It had spread from her Gallbladder to her Pancreas and possibly even beyond that. As of today, there is no choice but to operate anyway. There simply aren't' any options left. At 0930 central time, she'll go under the knife(or scope as the case may be). God has answered my prayer on this one. I have peace about this operation and our life afterwords. We are, as always, in His genormous hands, and we are safe there.
As I know more, I'll post more.
Also, I keep alluding to my wedding without actually giving info. This isn't intentional and I will fix it now. We are due to be married on the 23rd of February 2007 in Killeen, TX. If you can't find Killeen, just look for the tiny dot butted up against Ft. Hood. That's it. My family is mainly littered around TX and hers is there in Killeen. My parents seem to be the furthest traveling from Shreveport, LA(I was born and raised there, btw). That's about 5 hours away with low traffic(And yes, doing the speed limit if you know the routes.).
That said, your prayers are still appreciated. Oh, and if anyone here would like to attend the wedding just drop me a line and we'll add you in. I haven't paid for the catering, yet(Assuming of course that we even still do cater), so I can add a few more plates in. We are, btw, having Mexican. Oddly enough...that was her idea, and I enthusiastically supported it.
God bless--CS
|
|
|
Post by Jeff Gerke on Aug 13, 2007 7:38:57 GMT -5
Tex-Mex, I hope!
Yes, I know where Killeen is. My family used to own some property there. I spent one grueling week one hot summer in my youth putting up a barbed wire fence in Killeen.
Jeff
|
|
|
Post by Christian Soldier on Aug 14, 2007 1:55:35 GMT -5
Absolutely, Jeff. It's supposed to be Fajitas...lots...of...fajitas.
Anyway, here's an update: Much as I thought it would(Worried anyway), the surgery went fine. Not without some complications though. Some of the stones in Jamie's Gallbladder slipped into her bile duct, which is how her pancreas got infected to begin with. they're going in after it tonight. The plan is to use a scope to enter through the nose and find the sucker in her digestive tract.
Sounds painful? Nah, my Dad does something similar and he assures me that there's no pain...that the patient will remember anyway. The difference between what my Dad does and this particular procedure is that Dad takes a left, or right, at the lungs and rummages around there.
This whole incident also answered several prayers of mine. I've been pestering God about what I am supposed to do when I get out. I'd like to go to college, but I an go part time or full time, whichever is possible. I've pretty much got to get a job when I get out. What will I do? Easy, Shreveport PD is always looking for experienced personnel. Especially dispatchers, which I have some small experience at as well as normal police work. I know, Artillery and police work don't seem similar...that's because they're not, but i's rare for an artilleryman to actually DO his job over here.
That said, I'll take my leave...and no, I'm not giving it back.
God bless--CS
PS Write! I'm going to start typing up all my prep work to date starting tomorrow. I've gotten as far as the character synopsis and need to go back and fix everything prior. Ten I can start on my five page outline. Up till now, I've hand written everything at work. BTW, is it bad when your co-workers ask how your characters are doing?
|
|