Sunday, October 18, 2009

Quantum Leap

I went back to the beginning of chapter fourteen and sped up time. I pushed the time frame from several months passing between chapters thirteen and fourteen, to two years. I had to scan around for time frame references and change them. It actually makes more sense, and re-writing was done to make the expanded time realistic and fit the plot.

Now, with the upcoming dilemmas that the protagonists face, it doesn't seem like it's one event and moment in time, but a story that spans over a period of years. I do know that between the first chapter and second chapter twenty years takes place, but chapter one is a setup of a story arc that concludes in chapter three and a character inherits the 'sins' (or more appropriately, the actions) of his father.

I have also been outlining the events that must take place before story close, which sort of led to this moment of restructuring time and altering reality like a mad scientist. There has to be a series of destructive events that wrack our protagonists. I didn't feel comfortable having those events entering the protagonists' world like a cartoon serial. I want this book to (including the first chapter) span thirty-five years. It doesn't really matter. It's just what I want.

I'm a brat.

But I mostly want to believe that within this world that there was a time of rest for the protagonists before this event. There will definitely be a time of rest after the event(s), should they all make it out ... ALIVE!!! AHAHAHAHAHHA!!!

b write black.

He's no Jedi

Okay. The RotJ idea has been scrapped. Chapter twenty-one is seen exclusively through the eyes of the main villain, his thoughts and interactions contrary to them. He sizes up all the protagonists and calculates what he needs to do to overcome particular personalities. But even the main villain can't foresee other events and politics that plague the arena he steps into. But he may know how to manipulate them to his favor.

He too has to worry about getting killed from outside sources.

It is funny how scenes and chapters are shaped. Inspired by one thing and then melt completely into something else. Everything has a starting place, I guess.

b write black.

Not Too Jedi

Okay. I said there was going to be a parallel between Return of the Jedi and this current chapter. Yes and no. The chapter begins with an erotic scene. That of course is found no where in the movie Return of the Jedi (unless George Lucas has a crazy, secret digital director's cut that brings a new meaning to Greedo shooting first). But after the erotic introduction between the villain and his mistress there then flows RotJ's inspiration.

I'm also drawing inspiration for the story The Curse of Cain-an, more specifically the title character's state of mind when he walks the corridors of the underground prison. I'm also finding inspiration in the Two of Wands tarot card and the Six of Wands. Just read closely when you get the book. You'll see it all there.

b write black

Friday, October 16, 2009

Rorrim

I have come to chapter twenty one. I'm scratching my head a bit. It's basically chapter twenty with different characters introduced. I need to do some re-wiring so the book (even for a short time) doesn't look repetitive. I can't make the events of chapter twenty two happen first because the cause of those events arrives in chapter twenty one.

Okay.

So where does that leave us?

Damn. I just came up with the solution just as I typed that last line. Return of the Jedi is the inspiration. Of course. What else. Watch for the parallel of Star Wars proportion. Chapter twenty one.

b write black.

Digital

Saw the Rza last night at Barnes and Noble. He was promoting his new book, The Tao of Wu. He didn't talk long, and because my boy wasn't able to go with me, I wasn't able to meet him. I do know that the Wu have seen my lectures and loved 'em. That's cool. 2 dudes at the event recognized me as a lecturer. But Rza spoke for maybe 15 minutes, answered questions for 10, and then moved to book signing. I didn't get a book. Thumbed through it yesterday while at the store. It's cool. I like his Obama breakdown toward the end of the book; he uses supreme math to really decode the significance of Barack Obama's presidenecy. Deep.

Almost too deep.

Some of the people in the audience were just there to ogle, but the few jewels he did drop meant nothing. That was kind of sad. But he's an extremely intelligent cat. I know he's read The Ronin Poetz and loved the fact that Wu were characters (or, a reference to them as the 36 Staten Fiends). I was fortunate enough to meet Old Dirty a couple times before his passing. That guy was maaaaaaaad deep. And he helped put a lot of cats on the right track. People get caught up in the persona he displayed, but Old Dirty was a 'drunken master'. His personality aligned with that style of fighting. He looked unasuming, drunk, tipsy, but it was all a cover for how deep he was. It was a mask to disguise what he was doing behind the scenes. A real Code-47. Of course I'm gonna reference my book. One thing I like about Code-47 is that, much like The Curse of Cain'an in 12 Stories High, conscious (sometimes perceived as millitant black people) are the heroes to the story ... and are not showcased within the stereotypical fashion of a loud black person just angry at the world.

My boy is on the phone with Gza. A real Wu meeting is being scheduled.

Code-47 in effect.

b write black.

231

I have hit page 231 (8 x 11). I have not calculated the manuscript in 5.5 x 8.5 dimension and pagination. I have thought about what I have accomplished (from the point of view of the plot) in 231 pages. I'm wondering if another 229 pages would finish the story. So far, so (very, very) good. I do believe this book will come within the 450 page mark, give or take. Two more 'suspects' need introducing and then the action begins. The second of the 'suspects' comes just as the action begins, which makes them suspects number one. They appear in the wrong place at the wrong time. There is an incident, they show up (not in that order). This raises the main protagonists' eyebrows.

We're almost over the hill, then (of course) it's down hill full speed ahead. The small plot points have been run through. Now it's time to kick open the door to the final stages of this historical epic. I'm extremely excited.

b write black.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Dangerous and Disturbing

Putting together the large story arcs, introducing plot points earlier, turns the final stage of this story into a mystery. The answer is known by the audience, but we see the characters putting their detective skills together to locate the proper answers that lead to what they already suspect (and who they already expect).

The consolidating of plot lines, introducing characters, puts together a list of suspects for the main characters to raise their eyebrows to. The one thing that I like is the main characters are not stupid. They know the real perpetrator(s) of the crime (and crimes). But they have to run through suspects in order to nail the main antagonist. Because the main antagonist has an Empire behind him, the protagonists have to be careful in tracking him down. They must make the co-conspirators confess and bring evidence against the antagonist. It's a chess game.

I'm loving how this is turning out.

b write black.

Monday, October 12, 2009

4:01 pm

I have a list of lines that I want to use within the book, or scenarios that are outlined in the book. I have thirty-some-odd lines and scenarios that must be used in the book. I have crossed out most of these lines. Not all of the lines have been attributed to the characters that were designated to use them. Some times it has made sense for another character to speak the lines.

My favorite line in the whole book has yet to be used. It is an intense line--so of course it's said before a character is offed. However, today at 4:01 pm I applied the first scene and lines of dialogue that started the flow of this entire book. The book is made up of so many parts, but it was this scene and exchange of words between two characters that crawled into my head first. In the beginning, different characters spoke the lines of dialogue. The scene and lines were also introduced at different points in the story. Nothing seemed to fit. Square pegs were definitely being forced into round holes. Now the scene fits. It's appropriate for this particular character, a character that was not created at the time the scene was put together, to speak these lines.

This scene, conceived first before all others, occurs at the beginning of chapter twenty. Writing is truly funny. It was never supposed to be the very first scene. But it was suppose to come far earlier. I will celebrate hardcore when my favorite line is composed. First off, the line comes when the book is heading towards a close. But hitting all of these little plot points shows me I am getting closer and closer to the finish line, which is the secondary goal. The primary goal is to have all scenes and dialogue finished, edited, published and on the store shelves.

b write black.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Hat Trick

Three chapters. One week. Killin' it over here. Can we make a December deadline? Don't know. But what I can say is that the gun my fiancee is holding to my head is quite intimidating. She is demanding to read a finished copy of this book. Well, she gotta help edit. Keep teasing her about the content. She has already been hooked by the 1st two chapters. I keep asking her to read the first twelve, but she wants to read the complete story.

And in other news. We got 365 days to go before the wedding. 10-10-10 y'all!!!!!

b write black

Sunday, October 4, 2009

In secret

Final post for the day. I am ecstatic to report that pen is to paper scripting parts of my 3rd epic poem (and I said I'd wait until January). Four years ago I composed the first couple parts of the poem. Now I'm back. The 3rd epic has gone through some stages. The first stage of the epic poem was very existential, very personal. I started writing it as I was finishing The Ronin Poetz. Scrapped that story and started forming the foundation of the story that currently will unfold. I put that story on hold, however, to begin writing 2 Enlighten the G.O.D.Z. Picked up the 3rd epic poem four years ago, then again, it was put on hold.

However, there was also an amazing story I have been wishing to showcase since Spring 2000. I started writing it as a screenplay. I found a way to combine the two stories, and the titles of the screenplay and the 3rd epic poem's title will be combined.

I will continue to punch out ACoM, with complete respect to the story. Last night I was just hit with a beginning, I started to write. This morning I woke up to writing a great scene for ACoM. But I will finish the opening for the 3rd epic poem, pertaining to the 'screenplay' part of the story. It doesn't make sense.

Yet.

But it will.

b write black.

The Chosen Publishing

Tracey Wingfield of The Chosen Publishing contacted me on Friday after a long hiatus. We will speak on Monday to talk about where The Ronin Poetz special edition project is. Ray is on to other projects. The drawings he had done were rough drafts. I would have to bring him back to finish the drawings.

We'll see how this all plays out.

b write black.

Not quite what I thought. Good.

Okay. On 8 x 11 paper I have reached the 200 page mark for ACoM. Re-paginating everything to fit a 5.5 x 8.5 book (single space, fixing the margins of the document), it came to 191 pages. And I am excited. That gives me more room to tell the story. I'm looking to come in at 450 pgs (give or take, obviously. I can live with 475 pgs). The more I come closer to the completing the story the more information I will reveal about it. I will give small tidbits on characters and places, to get readers familiar with the backdrop.

It was back in May when I talked about the first 100 pages. Now we're coming to the next 100 pages and talking about the first 200 pages. I would be halfway through. I'm trying to think that when I actually hit the 200 mark (in final book form), will I feel as if another 200 pages will end the story. We shall see.

b write black.