Monday, March 29, 2010

It's a Plot!!!!!

The site is up with the new cover.

The plot synopsis can be viewed here.

b write black.

ACoM's New Cover


Same but different.  Here is the new cover for ACoM.  As you can see, it's retains the same elements, it's just much more sleek, as compared to the older version of the cover.  To me, it looks more authentic and less like a graphic.  Plus, when the older cover was blown up, the edges looked pixelated.

It was redone because the dimensions of the book changed from a 450 page spine, to a 580 pg count spine (that includes intro and after pages).  So, on a larger scale, the older cover just didn't look as rockin'.  The newer cover is also run through photoshop, so the images blend together better.  The 'A' in the title is no longer offset, either.

Well, let me go update some social networking sites, and the website, which will have the synopsis.

b write black.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

In Summary...

I just finished the synopsis of the book to apply on the back of the cover.  I have been rolling over this since jump.  Then it hit me.  Why make up news words when I can re-write some already used ones.  Took some phrases from the commercial and the book's opening, and BOOM!  I got it.

The synopsis will be presented within the next few days.

b write black, y'all.

Cover Copy

In an attempt to copyright A Company of Moors, I ended up redoing the cover art.  This morning, however, I finished the copyright (online registry).  So, I will be presenting information about the book come next week, starting (as I said) with the setting.

The cover art is different, but the same.  But, it is more sleek (or is that sleeker)...anyway...a lot of pushing by my fiancee had us working the photoshop hardcore to make the elements blend with one another more smooth.  It does look a lot better.  Thank you, baby (again). I will post it on the website and this blog come tomorrow morning.  I'll also showcase it on my facebook site.

b write black.

Friday, March 26, 2010

The End Is Nigh!!!!!!!!!!!!

All edits have been applied.  There will be a run through before sending off to the printer's for a proof.  There were some scenes added that have to be looked at.  Come early April, I will begin dropping plot details, main character names.  I'll speak about the setting first, the African city and region the book takes place in.

The final page count comes in at 569 pgs.  That's just the story, not the intro or after pages.  So, I went 119 pgs over budget.  Not too bad.  I'm glad it wasn't another 150 pgs.  Don't care, really.  I listened to my fiancee and just told the story.

Thanks for the advice, baby.

b write black.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

This is the end of the road...

3 of 4 parts have been edited.  I'm finally getting to editing the last chapter to print it out.

Butterflies are in the belly.  The two largest hurdles in my writing career are over, now it's time for some deep commentary.  I'm going to be writing some hardcore articles for a friend.  I'll probably post the whole thing or excerpts on this blog.

I'm also goin' in heavy with putting together some lectures.  One is geared toward the book.  The second is based on a wide range philosophy on the imagination and its use.  'bout to get deep, y'all.  Can y'all hang?  Can 'yall dig it.

Cool.  Let's go.

b write black.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Season 2

Corrected.  Moving on to the third 150 tomorrow.  There's not as many corrections as I thought.  Editors are amazing.

'specially one of 'em.

love her.  maybe I'll marry her.

b write black.

Body Final

Edits have been applied to the 1st 150 pgs (Season One).  A BodyFinal document has been prepared, and as each section has its edits applied, it will grow into the body of the book (the story).  The Intro pages and After pages are prepared separately.  I will get through the next 150 pages today.

b write black.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

The Menu

Added some foodstuffs to politics within A Company of Moors.  Looks good.  Will make you hungry.  So, had to dive into research for imported and exported foods.  Make shtuff authenta-macated.  Tomorrow we got editing.  I'd like to get through the first 150 pgs.  Try and kick out a 'season' a day.  Didn't print the last chapter for the editor(s) this weekend.  I'll get to that sometime over the week.

b write black.

Application, Synopsis, Cover

Applying edits will begin tomorrow.  Hopefully wrapped up by week's end.  The page count in actual book form (so far, and just for the pages of the story) is 559 pages.  Might gain, might lose.  We'll see.  Also, it actually took me 1 year, 2 months, and 3 days to write.  That's 1,2,3.  But it wasn't as simple as 1,2,3.  The preparation alone was 3 years, of course, Code-47 got released in that time.

I did have a choice as to whether or not to write A Company of Moors or Code-47 first.  I chose Code-47 cuz I knew ACoM would be a heavy piece.  But these pieces have been the heavy stuff.  Now, it;s time for fun.  The minute ACoM was finished my mind went straight to the next written project, and it hasn't stopped.  One cool thing I like about the next project is that a female will be the villain.  Already hammering out her personality.

But, that's for later this year to start writing (will be making notes).

Until then, I got a lecture series to write, books to digitally re-master, and books to release.  I will start the promotion of ACoM come April 6th.

The one thing I'm having a time with is the synopsis.  This is 500+ pages for a reason.  If I could summarize this shit it wouldn't be a book.  Anyway, comin' close.

The book cover (not the art, but the dimensions/size) have to be recalibrated after the final page count is determined.  I'm so glad I have a program to do that.  Figuring out the dimensions, especially the fricken spine width...that shit ain't cool.  That's a hassle.

Okay, that's the flight path.  Gettin' to it.

b write black (but u know that)

Friday, March 19, 2010

I would've waited an eternity for this...

So concludes the writing.

On Friday, March 19th 2010 at 1:47 pm, A Company of Moors was finished.  The editing is in its last stages.  So that's like a year and two months and three days, or something like that.  Not bad, considering this is a 500pg (plus) book.  Most people don't get that far in ten years.

So, now comes the fun part.  Post production, gettin' this thing wrapped up.  It will be easy.  The editors have all but the last chapter, which I finished at lunch.  Again, the last chapter is a cool down, so all plot elements and the final "who gets killed", and "what happens to whom" is all played out.  I'll give the last chapter on the weekend.  All good.  After that, the edits must be discussed and applied.  I'll speak more about this later.

The last chapter was kind of hard to write.  It's had its versions.  With so much happening between page first and page last, I desperately wanted to get the final words correct.  And I found them.  There's still much to be done.  And, of course, there's other projects on the horizon.  I got a free pass for the rest of the year.  12 Stories High is getting revamped.  And I'm throwing out 2 Enlighten the G.O.D.Z.


For now, like Maa Kheru after his battle with Tag ... I can rest.

(yeah, I'm a whore for self promotion.  Go get The Ronin Poetz).

b write black

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Chapter the Last

I have arrived.  Late last night I put an end to the greater story and arrived at the final chapter, which is pretty much an epilogue, but a necessary extension of the story.  Today I have been going through the first and second run throughs of editing.  The last chapter can wait, until tomorrow.  I want to edit, print, get to editors, finish, then start applying the edits by Sunday.

We almost there, peoples.  Been a journey.  Just as we travel into spring.  That's cool.

b write black.

Friday, March 12, 2010

3-2-Go!

The second of three major fights has wrapped up.  The book is heading into its last three chapters.  Ink and paper are running.  All editors have their manuscripts, they're putting their noses together and we're coming to a consensus.  The 3rd 150 pages (which, we refer to as different seasons, like it's a television drama) ... so, Season 3 is halfway through editing.  I'm finishing the extension of Season 3, since there ain't gonna be another 150 pages.  So far, I'm at 73 pages.  This book will definitely be in the 500 page count.

Really, there is one more MAIN chapter to go.  I don't know if that battle will be 'major', or rather like a police chase to hunt down the head honcho behind all the hoopla and shenanigans.  Either way, this book is at its end, and more active promotion will begin to take place as editing is wrapped up and the book is available.

b write black.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Editing A Go

3rd part is being printed up.  The 2nd 150 pages is finished.  Still blazing through the writing.  The greater story should be finished by this week's end.  The last two chapters of the book are bit of a cool down, epilogue.  The reader's gonna need it.

UPDATE:  This post was made Sunday, but saved.  Finishing it up Monday in the morning while I got time.  Ran out of ink.  Ordered more.  Need more paper too.  So all that's coming through.  The third 150 pgs is stalled.

Still writing.

b write black.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

The Swap

There's been some things agwan in the land of the Moors.  Chaos.  With a capital WTF.  Chapter's 49 and 50 were swapped around.  I wrote what is now chapter 50 as 49, continuing the repercussions of the first of two dramatic twists in the plot, presented in chapter 48.  49 ended with hints of the chaos that has taken place while several Moorish officials have left the city to deal with an allied African kingdom.  But as I neared the end of chapter 50 I thought it was so much of a punch in the face, that the hints in what was once chapter 49, softened the impact.  I shortened chapter 50, opting to continue a character's rogue behavior for later, and swapped it with chapter 49.  I have some re-writing to the end of the new chapter 50, and then I will continue.  This also allows the book to come to its conclusion.

On an editing note, going smooth.

I'm gettin' a little giddy over here.

b write black.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

The Big 5-0

I have come to chapter fifty.  Ain't much of the otha people's newz for me to concentrate on, so I sneaked some time to finish the last few pages of chapter forty-nine.  I can tell you now that the book will end within the next five or six chapters.  Give or take.  Not going to take that deep breath of relief yet.  Editing has been going well.  My part has not taken place.  Though, edits have been discussed and finalized on paper, the edits need to be applied.  My concentration at the moment is wrapping up ACoM.

So what happens after?  Not after the writing, leading to editing, leading to post-production proof, then shelving.  What happens after this particular project?  What's up next?

Well, despite saying I'm going to re-arrange the releases of epic poem 2 and 3, I've decided to push forward with the second epic poem: 2 Enlighten the G.O.D.Z.  It's only fair, to myself and the project that's been collecting dusts since late 2001.  This will allow me to cool down from the massive feat that is writing ACoM.  It will also allow me to plot the third epic poem more carefully.  It will be a very psychedelic trip.  Gonna b listen' 2 a lot of P-Funk, Jimi Hendrix, psychedelic Prince, Sly and the Family Stone, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Sun Ra, and Blues.

The imaginative 12 Stories will see renovation from the cover to the pages in between.  Some stories will get a bit of an update.  Others will just get touched up from editing issues plaguing it.  Then, re-issue.  All good.  That's 2010.  It'll end with 2 Enlighten the G.O.D.Z. publication, probably 'round December.  It only needs a cover.  Ray Cosico...(ring, ring).  I will start putting together the third epic poem for a 2011 release.

That's the rundown.  But, it all depends on ACoM being finished.  Will there be a March of the Moors, or will there be an April Fool?  Because of the scheduling, I won't mind either.  There will also be new commercials for ACoM promoting its release.

b write black.

Monday, March 1, 2010

507

Okay.  That's 507 with a 8 x 11 page setup.  That probably translates to 495 through a 5.5 x 8.5.  That's cool.  Story?  Wrapping up, let's say that.  Come Wednesday I'm gonna breakdown 2010.  I'm comfortable with ACoM even being released in April.  It happens when it happens.  We could still see a March of the Moors.  Editing is on track.  Edits are being applied.  Editors running through the manuscript.  It's all about me finishing it.

I never thought this thing would go the distance.

In other news, this time last year I had an entry about snow in ATL.  Having moved back home to New York, I've seen a real winter.  We've been pounded with snow.  Whole country has, actually.  Seen real, good snow.

I'm ready for May right now.  Can't say April, cuz, Sometimes It Snows In April...and last year it did just that.  Truthfully, I've seen it snow in May.  Seen snow in June.  Early, first week of June.  Back in the day when it snowed much more than it does now.

b write black.