Thursday, December 31, 2009

2 Chapters Behind

Going into the new year I am 2 chapters behind. In the middle of one of the 2 chapters that I'm behind on. But the book is coming. Holidays slowed some things down. Had mad fun, though. The look on my baby's face when she saw that I got her a new iPod Touch was priceless (even though she said not 2 get it for her. Oh, no. Not fallin' in2 that trap. 2 cool 4 that). Anyway, not worried about ACoM. A Feb release is still projected. Editing will begin early next year. The last third of the book is made up of chess moves, as protagonists and antagonists both use the same pawn to strike at one another. Much like the middle part of the book, the third and final act is made up of small plot points, quick strikes from the protagonists and antagonists, and much like Revenge of the Sith, we will see the mastermind behind the chaos and disorder reveal himself. It will be easy to write. One small detail has been changed about the main villain's involvement in an incident.

2009 was an amazing year. Though my goal of two books was not reached, I have come far in a book that I have been itching to write for the last three years, doing intense research in that time to make this North African epic believable, even though I have set it in a fictional North African landmass, changed the map of Africa (getting rid of some of the Atlas Mountains) and creating a setting that reflects and is symbolic of all that Africa has gone through, and that reflects and makes commentary on the status of the world and Black people today.

I also moved back home to New York, living in Brooklyn. Couldn't be better. My fiancee and I are still ingesting everything that is our home state. We got to see a beautiful Spring, Summer, Fall, and a great Winter and Holiday season. Snow, y'all. I mean, there was snow in Atlanta. But we got REAL SNOW!!!! Hung out in Rockefeller Center at the tree while the snow came tumbling down. Had a snowball fight. (my baby got me good to start off). Went Upstate to home to have a real snowy Christmas. We had a great Thanksgiving. Surrounded by our home friends and family again.

And what a gift given to me personally, the Yankees WON THE BIG SHOW FOR THE 27th TIME!!!!!!!!!!! My baby became a Yankees fan, after declaring that she would NEVER watch a baseball game. By mid-April she was screaming at the t.v. like she'd been a fan for as long as I have (15 years, btw...a closer fan than just taking the Yankees for granted cuz I was from New York). I was glad she got to not only become a fan (early in the Season when they were doing so-so), but she got to experience the magic of a Yankees win. They blessed their new stadium. And I got to go to the victory parade!!!!!!!!!!! I saw all the greats that they've just traded away. Ooooooh, next season is gonna be interestin'. But the core 4 is there. Jeter. Posoda. Pettitte. Mariano (God, they need to clone this guy).

2010 is gearing up 2 b a big year. I should reach my goal of 2 books in one year. A revision of 12 Stories High is coming. The Ronin Poetz special edition should see daylight. I will be putting together a lecture or 2. Also, early next year (January), I will be giving tidbits of info and revealing the cover for ACoM. And I will be working on the 3rd epic poem. It's gonna b trippy and psychedelic, jazzy, blues, funky. Soul, sun. Black.

And then there's that little detail of having a wedding come October 10th.

"hold on 2 your soul. we got a long way 2 go"

I think this is post 100. Cooooooooool.

b write black, y'all.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

It's a Trap!!!!!!!

So, Obama is being set up to attack/bomb/kill his own people. Now, continental Africans who are already on terrorist lists, have dads calling the U.N. saying "don't let my dumb-ass kid on any planes," and have the the intellectual and financial backing to fly carrying liquid explosives (in syringes no less) are supposedly attacking America. And we're all supposed to just drink this red kool-aid? Negative.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

A Company of Moors is AVAILABLE NOW!!!!!

At least it was supposed to be. December 19th, 2009. That was the plan back in September.

Those plans are now all snug, cozy, and cuddled up with the skeletal remains of the Titanic.

Sorry, I know. That was mean. But, hey, I am writing hard. I'm kickin' at it. B write black and all.

In happier news,

To my brother, Jason Thomas, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY OF THE DAY YOU WERE BORN, bruh!!!.

Whew! They really gotta come up with a better way of saying that. Like happy birthday, or something. Real short. Simple.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Not A Damn Things

You know what I did today? Not a damn thing. I decided to rest, just a bit. I'm feeling a bit under the weather anyway. I will jump back on ACoM in two days. I did look back at the book, skimming the early chapters. I was taken aback by the amount of 'history' that flows through the book. The first 150 pages is far different in terms of timeline than the second 150 pages. Not in a bad way. There just appears to be a history within the 'world' of ACoM that is only experienced in long series such as Harry Potter or the Star Wars saga. There is a lot that goes down in (what is so far) 294 pages.

It's time to move on to the final chapter of the story.

b write black.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

All in Budget

The second 150 pages is finished. It is exactly 150 pages, minus, as the last page is not a full page. It did not end with the wedding between two characters, but a chapter before. This is far more appropriate. I would like to begin the final (hopefully) 150 pages on a festive note. It will be a fun chapter to write.

All the politics have been laid out for the final act. I went back-and-forth between revealing the antagonist's plans, or hinting at them -- I wanted to show, early (by way of two of the antagonist's co-conspirators) how the main villain plans to manipulate the growing politics. But I've decided to save that for an early chapter of the third act. I don't want it to be this big reveal. The best spun tales of intrigue can be demeaned by the reveal. So, it will be simple. Nonchalant.

I'm hoping the next two chapters, part of the third act, will be simple to write. Also, I hope they are short. There is a lot ahead, and I cannot even think of resting. Hopefully, by January, the first two chapters will be complete. The editing has not yet begun. That will happen around Christmas.

The book is 305 pages, 8 x 11. As the proper 5.5 x 8.5, the book clocks in at 294 pages. That is awesome. I'm 6 pages below 'budget'. I jotted down the events for the final act. There are ten major plot points. We shall see if this can be done within 150 pages. This time last years I was getting all three people that read this blog caught up with my writing career. There were 4 entries. 365 days later, we're in the midst of it poppin' out another book.

How many people didn't think I'd be here?

Be honest...

b write black.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

365 Days Later

Saturday morning, 10:34 AM
December 13th, 2008.

Shermer, High School. Shermer, Illinois. 60062.

No. No. That's wrong. Let's try this again.

Saturday morning, 10:34 AM
December 13th, 2008.

Professor (Doc) Emmett L. Brown's lab.

No. Wrong again. One, mo' 'gain.

Saturday morning, 10:34 AM
December 13th, 2008.

This blog started.

It is now 365 days later. Where did we start? Where are we now?

The first entry was written just several months after Code-47: Memoirs of a Hip Hop Heist was published. I was relieved that Code-47 was released, but I was anxious about the next and current project A Company of Moors. The first entry was entitled Over 35 Pages of Notes, explaining the piles of notes I was buried under to put together this massive, historical-fiction, epic.

Those notes (with more added to them as I continued research even as I write the book) have added up to almost 300 pages of actual manuscript (and counting). We are winding down as the plot is about to reach its height. 365 days later and something has come from ... almost nothing. I mean, notes are something.

Every piece of progress has been logged. The goals were not met, but the first entry does speak about the trials and tribulations of writing. But, next year has been set up for a two-book release. ACoM and the third epic poem.

You heard correct. Not the the 2nd epic, but the third. Trust me its all part of a grand plan. The reason has already been discussed. 2 Enlighten the G.O.D.Z. has another year to collect dust. It will have its moment to shine. It will still be known as Epic Number 2.

ACoM was supposed to be released late November, 2009. Now I'll be happy with just releasing the book by February of 2010, no later than March.

Made a move back home, leaving Atlanta behind for Brooklyn, New York. And a specific date for our wedding has been set. That will be another fun event. I have been more relaxed back in New York. This is home, even if I was born upstate in Schenectady. Brooklyn has provided a great deal of inspiration for future writings, and the home I grew up in has provided inspiration for the current book I'm writing.

Next year may also see the special edition of The Ronin Poetz.

Just as cool, Ancient-Art-of-Facts has seen a cool update. Looks far more sleek and mystical-magical.

365 days later has seen a great setup for 2010. New books for the new year. New site. Revamps of old projects (yeah, I'm gonna jump on 12 Stories re-edit and cover re-make).

Happy birthday, thoughts.

You friend in time,
The Breakfast Club

b write black.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

The Lone Gunman

Being special can sometimes really suck.

Makeup to Breakups

Okay. I went back and stretched out chapter-twenty five. I just ended it. It was going to go too long had I continued with telling the story into the introduction of a group of people. Before I had the chapter end in a sort of cliffhanger fashion. But, I didn't want to start chapter twenty-six with just a sum up of what happened between the chapters, so I wrote out the aftermath scenes. Those scenes were lengthy, so my idea of having all of these events take place in one chapter was scrapped, and I do have to turn these events into two separate chapters. The flow is not disrupted.

Chapter Twenty-six (which should bring us to the complete 2nd 150 pgs) will be massive to the plot. A nomadic nation (that has only been spoken about as of this moment) will be introduced and given a voice. At the moment they are considered beligrent, warlike, and hateful. We willl see their side of the story. Their backstory is grand. It was originally a short story that was going to be in a second book of short stories that I was set to write for a future date.

I'll explain the story of The Nine Black Bastards in a later blog, after the book hits stores. The story is my response to an inacurracy of history portrayed in a video game. I'm happy to finally be arriving at another moment that brings together the original elements of ACoM. This all started three years ago from ideas that had nothing to do with one another, then sprinkled in a li'l research.

I still haven't hit my favorite quote. That won't be for several chapters. A lot of people have to die for that quote to be spoken.

b write black.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

A Company of Trailers

It's more than a 30 second commercial. The entire run-time clocks in at 2 minutes and 6 seconds. It looks epic. Just pics, quotes, and grand, operatic music.

But that's all you need.

b write black.

Monday, December 7, 2009

2010 Becomes 1640

The commercial for ACoM has been finished. I'll probably tweak it here and there until final. It looks and sounds cool. It will be showcased, most likely, next month. Can't wait. Everything is coming together as I have foreseen.

b write black.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

I am Ashamed. I Have Lied.

Okay, ignore the last post. I did split up one chapter into two. I was planning to do it twice. But now, just as I was explaining the details to my fiancee, I realized I didn't have to repeat the process, and I could also keep the intense pacing. Even more important is the fact that I can also keep the pacing of the pages. I'm on track,e specially if I pull this little trick off. So, chapters 25 and 26 can now just simply be chapter 25. Easy. Simple. Retain excitement.

b write black.

Splitting Up Is Easy To Do

I have been taking events that were suppose to be set in one chapter and started to split them up into several, small chapters. This doesn't exhaust the reader with long, drawn out chapters, and plus with war having been declared, murders abound, and our protagonists surrounded by enemies that make great suspects, it keeps the pace exciting to the extent of having the reader feel as if he or she is trapped within the events surrounding the protagonists.

Danger, Will Robinson. Danger.

b write black.