Weblog

2004-03-23T17:45:00.000-05:00

It's with a heavy heart that I inform you that I won't be attending WHC this year. I will write more details later, but just know that Chunks of Ayden will be released as planned.

David

2004-02-04T21:37:00.000-05:00

My GOD it's been forever! I haven't posted for a year because the website was down for quite some time. I was "getting around" to revamping it for a while, and it's finally done. With writing deadlines and anthology proposals flying around all over the place, I haven't have a good solid night to do anything with the website.

Well, it has finally arrived.

I finished Chunks of Ayden about two weeks ago, and it usually takes me a few weeks to get back into the mood to tackle any major writing project again... an answer to the reason I decided to finally re-do the website. I'm working with Clair on the audio book this coming weekend. She'll be reading a special story of mine called Helpless. It's a story revolving around the concept of learned helplessness. That theory goes like this: If you are continually abused, you will eventually learn to accept and perhaps even like the abuse. That is the reason so many battered wives go back to their deadbeat husbands, and why battered women usually go from one abusive relationship to another. My story doesn't have anything to do with battered wives (well, at least not in the way you are thinking). In fact, I'm going to shut up about that for now. Just buy the damn thing April 9th!

As you probably already read on the main page, Chunks of Ayden comes out during WHC this year in Phoenix. Chesya Burke and I are having a book release party. She has a chapbook coming out from Undaunted Press, and we're rooming together (with Simon Wood) in the hotel. For the first 100 books sold at the con, I'm GIVING away FREE audio books (read by the amazing Clair Hummel).

Personal news? I'll be moving in about a month. My destination is really unknown right now. I have to be in New York by the summer, so my first instinct is just to move there now... but then there's the offer to move to Pittsburgh for the season. Rent there will be SO much cheaper, and I can probably find a job easier there. I would be able to bring my car along and spend the last few months with it. :) I'll let you know.

Until next time...

2003-06-13T17:23:00.000-04:00

It's been a long time, hasn't it? Since my last post I've done a lot of things. I went to WHC in Kansas City and had a blast. You can read a con report somewhere else. I wouldn't be able to do it justice. I met up with some of my old friends (who I haven't seen since Seattle two years ago), sold a shit-load of Reckless Abandon books at the mass autograph signing, rubbed elbows, partied like it was my birthday, et cetera.

As I type this, I'm about twenty minutes from Pittsburgh visiting family. I'll be here until July 21. After that I'll be making another trip to New York City (for a week), then I'll be on my way home again. Undaunted Press is interested in seeing a revised version of Too Late Now. I'm hoping they like it and do a second edition of the book. I'm going to publish a new edition of SHORTshorts for WHC in Pheonix. That was the very limited edition chapbook that was printed for my Twilight Tales Tour ending at the Red Lion Pub in Chicago. Other than that, I've got nothing new coming out... just pounding away at the keyboard.

Hmm... nothing much more to say. Toodles pip.

2003-03-28T00:45:00.000-05:00

I'm broke and I can't get the pictures developed until I get home, and I don't have a scanner, so it may be a little while on those pictures.

I'll be on my way home on Saturday... more posts later.

2003-03-26T13:01:00.000-05:00

Went to New York yesterday, and Pittsburgh on Monday. I'll post some pictures up soon.

Peace.

2003-03-23T17:21:00.000-05:00

I updated my website, and I had a long post to add, but this blogger program won't let me add anything new, for some reason. I put cover images up on the main page, and I'm working on getting some regular pictures of me (not the eyes) on the main page too. Those eyes are just getting old. I'm also going to put Too Late Now up for free because those bastards at IndyPublish won't send me a sales report, and I'm getting sick of getting the run around from them. I'm still under contract, but maybe this will discourage people from buying the print version.

Ho hum... let's see if it'll work now.

2003-03-23T14:30:00.000-05:00

Okay, now I'm [edited for content]. I tried to fix the template for the weblog (because the background wasn't coming up) and somehow it put me back in the origional background (this frilly, happy one) instead of the background I manipulated... grr. I'll fix it somehow.

2003-03-23T14:21:00.000-05:00

I'm currently in Pittsburgh with my family. I'll be in New York on Tuesday and Wednesday. I plan on revamping my website (much needed) very soon, I just have to figure out how to do it on my Mac. I've been using Windows so long, it's hard to find the right program that I'm comfortable using. I'd hate to have to hire someone (again).

Anyway, look for changes on this page at least. I can do that from the blogger site.

Tootles.

2003-03-20T18:48:00.000-05:00

It's official... I will be at the World Horror Convention April 17-20 in Kansas City. Catch me there! I'll be doing some pitch meetings for the novel, and of course signing books and meeting with fans, et cetera.

Also, good news for Reckless Abandon. Garrett Peck (a heck of a nice guy, BTW) did a review for it for Cemetery Dance. CEMETERY DANCE! It'll appear in issue 43. I got an advance copy of the review, and I'm very pleased with it. Make sure you pick up a copy at your local bookstore... CD is carried by Imgram now, so ask the manager about picking it up.

I'll be in Pittsburgh tomorrow visiting family, and in New York to talk with my publisher next Tuesday. Sorry I haven't updated lately... Spring is a busy time for me.

David

2003-02-01T16:56:00.000-05:00

I look so damned sexy today. I went to the mall and bought about $200 in clothes, determined to buy things that I wouldn't normally wear. It turned out pretty good.

I don't really know what to write... just wanted to update this damned thing.

Peace.

2002-12-31T21:55:00.000-05:00

The Ring, I must say, was an awesome movie. I saw it with a few of my friends a few weeks ago, then again at the Historic Indiana Theater (with the largest screen in the state, aside from IMAX). What a place that is. I'll tell you, if you ever get a chance to see a movie there, I highly encourage it. 7th and Ohio, in Terre Haute.

I went to the Coffee Grounds today to write. I've developed a new strategy to get this novel finished. I'm only going to write in coffee shops from now on. That way, I'll get my unconscious in gear for writing every time I enter a coffee place. The Grounds is such a hole in the wall. So much atmosphere, but they're closed all morning tomorrow (New Years Day and all... no college student will be caught awake before noon, I'm sure)... I wouldn't be caught dead in Java Haute (yuppy poesur kingdom there), Coffee Cup isn't in a choice neighborhood (you're likely to get mugged on Lafayette), and Joe Muggs is a little too sterile and Starbucks-esk for my tastes. I like my coffee places a little dingy. ANYWAY, I'm going to Indianapolis to the Abbey on the East Side. I've never been there, but I hear it's the best place in Indy. Only an hour away... ho hum.

Tonight is New Years Eve, and I'm stuck here at work... better get to work then, huh?

2002-12-08T18:32:00.000-05:00

Ho hum. It's December and everyone is going crazy. Charles got fired from work (yay). As if that didn't make my week happy enough, Reckless Abandon was reviewed in the Avon Grove Sun. Yep. You can read it online at www.avongrovesun.com, then click on Community News, then click on Oh, The Horror - December 5, 2002. Also, I just found out that that it has been rec'ed for a Stoker. Cool beans. I know we probably won't even make it for the final ballot, let alone win the damn thing, but it makes me happy that people are reading it and responding well. Put that on top of the fact that Cemetery Dance is going to review it... wow. I never thought I'd see the day.

I've been working on my novel proposal. I'm about 4 chapters in, but I figure I can at least get a publisher's interest... besides, it took Forge about a year to respond to my last idea. I know I can finish it before they respond. I know it.

Just wanted to keep you updated. I'm going to see The Ring tonight. I'll let you know how it goes.

2002-11-28T11:59:00.000-05:00

Wow... it's been about a month now, hasn't it. My tattoo has healed, but I got the chicken pox two weeks ago (for the second damn time... now I'm going to get shingles too... scary) and I was asleep most of the time, so I didn't have the energy to get off my ass and check my mail or blog. Scott has actually been the nicest person the last couple of weeks. I don't know what's gotten into him. Maybe it's because I've been sick, or maybe it's because he's getting the clue that I won't be here next year.

Haven't I told you? Looking back on my past blogs, I can see that I haven't. I'll be moving to New York next November. Actually, I'll be moving to Pensylvania for a couple of months, and to New York before the New Year (next year... not this year). I drove all 14 hours to the city last week to check out my prospects. I had an interview with an admissions councelor at CCNY. Well... I've got another year, so I'm sure you'll hear more about that as the time nears closer.

Ho hum. It's Thanksgiving and I have to work... but that's okay with me. Time and 1/2 is great. I'm trying to save some money so I won't have to work for a while when I move. I have a year, so I think I can save at least a couple grand. Let's see 400 bucks a month (200 out of every paycheck) and I'll have $4,800. That should get me there and settled, at least.

HOLY FUCKING SHIT! My connection was just severed, after waiting an hour to download a game! FUCK! Now I have to start over. Well... I'm off to do that.

2002-10-19T18:43:00.000-04:00

I got a tattoo yesterday at the tattoo parlor on 7th and Hulman. Now there's a panther on my back. It's black with green eyes, with blood (real, and ink) coming from its claws. Roar.

Working on the novel. Chapter three will be about Mike. Missy is still in pain, and Presley almost killed himself yesterday. With a steak knife in the kitchen. I am so hungry but those skag housekeepers ate my TV dinners. I really am in the mood for salsbury (sp) steak.

I'm going to New York on November 14-17. I'll be making a few trips to the bookstores and visiting my publisher, but nothing major. I'm also going to look for a few residence halls to live in when I move there next (not this coming, but next) Janurary. I have my pick from Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Staten Island. Who knows which one I'll pick!

Well, that's all for now. I'm really hungry and am going to see if there's anything left from my stash in the break room.

2002-09-29T12:04:00.000-04:00

I just came into town... I told Scott I was going to church, and I had every intention of going, but I came to work first to call my mom. I thought I heard her say she was going to some yard sales this morning, so I called her cell phone and told her that I was here. She started yelling at me. She told me to be home by 5:00 tonight, but I told her I'd be home around 7 or 8, after Scott went to bed. She told me that I'd better be home, because she hasn't seen me. MAYBE THERE'S A REASON I'M NOT HOME!!! Have you thought of THAT?!? My dad told me that I could always come and live with him. I'm seriously considering it. We're all going to argue tonight, I can feel it. He's going to be an asshole, she's going to be a bitch, and I'm going to tell them both what I've been wanting to for 15 years -- that I can's stand to be around him, that it's a rejoyce to leave, and that the two months of summer when I'm at my dad's house are the best two months of the year, that christmas and thanksgiving and my birthday are miserable when he's around, and that I either want emancipated or I want to move in with my dad. I'm really getting sick of this situation.

2002-09-28T14:24:00.000-04:00

Do you ever feel like curling up in a cave to die? Shooting yourself in the head? Driving your car off a bridge? Jumping off the roof of your house? I have those tendencies all the time, but only when Scott provokes them. God, I fucking hate him. I hate him with a passion. I don't care if he becomes a saint tomorrow, because unless you can erase my memory, I will ALWAYS HATE HIM! I wish he would go on with it and go blind already. This isn't just whiney-assed complaining, either. He hit me today. Actually hit me. With his fists. In the chest. I couldn't breathe for an hour after that, and once I started crying, it was hopeless even trying to breathe. I went over to Klinton's house to talk about it, but he was asleep and I didn't want to wake him up. I'm really getting sick of taking Scott's shit. I'm not his son, and he's not anything to ME. He may be my mother's husband, but that's where I draw the line. He called me spoiled, after hitting me, and I yelled "SPOILED?! I work 5 fucking days a week, remember?!" Sometimes I just wish he'd get on with it and hit me in the face. At least then, I'd have something to show for all the shit I take from him. One more year. I really hope he doesn't still think I'm going on that retarded trip with him. I can barely stand to be with him for 5 minutes, let alone 5 weeks. I DO NOT have the tollerance for it anymore. I realize that there are a lot of people in worse situations than me, but at least I can do something about it. Why should I sit idely by and let him do this to me? He's making me miserable. I can't take it anymore. I was seriously considering running away. I could just pack my things and drive away from this. Just drive away, and never come back. But then I have to face reality. Where would I go to school? Where would I work? Where would I live? How would I eat? It's not an option right now. Maybe next year, but not now. I wish my mother would emancipate me. I could find someone to move in with, and I already pay for my own food, car, gas, insurance, school books clothes, GODDAMNIT! I PAY FOR EVERYTHING! HOW CAN I BE FUCKING SPOILED?!?!?

Scott will burn in hell.

2002-09-22T12:30:00.000-04:00

"A stern, a sad, a darkly meditative, a distrustful, if not a desperate man, did he become, from the night of that fearful dream."

That's Hawthorne, if you didn't know. What a sentence that is! I think I'm going to mimic it in my third chapter. Did you see the article on Stephen King in Entertainment Weekly? What bullshit is that? He's going to stop publishing? Yeah, right. How many times in the past have we heard that? Not that it would be a bad thing, we need to make room for someone else, but he's been saying this for the past 10 years, for christssake, and I'm getting tired of hearing about it. No one ever stops writing! How many trees is he going to kill trying to convince us that he's calling it quits. He still has three dark tower books to finish, about three new movies coming out, and that musical thing with John Mellencamp (and we ask ourselves, why in the hell is he doing THAT?). In the article, he complains about having to go to Detroit to sign books at Wal-Mart. Let me tell you something, there are about a million other writers that would trade their skin to trade places with Stephen King... and he's bitching because he has to do a signing at Wal-Mart?! Come the fuck on! I realize he doesn't need the money, but no one ever stops writing. If you can say that, then you're not really a writer... and I'm pretty sure Mr. King IS a writer. "America's Most Popular Author Tells Us Why He's Written His Last Book! EXCLUSIVE!" Exclusive? My ass. Everyone in America knows that King has been threatening us with quitting for the past 10 years. Sometimes I wish he would just choke it up and go through with it already.

I'm done. Poke me with a fork.

2002-09-17T22:24:00.000-04:00

2 chapters into the novel now. I started the third, but it's not coming the way I want it to. I'll have to start that chapter over again. I wrote a pretty kick-ass essay for my English class today. I wrote on the importance of setting, using The Scarlet Letter as an example. What a shitty book that was! Shitty, shitty shitty...

Tiffany and I broke up. She's not my type at all. Too shy... too good... too Christian... totally against sex before marriage, which I could deal with if she wasn't so damn GOOD. I find myself watching my mouth when she's in the car... which is a hard thing to do for me. We were watching SwinFan (it's no Fatal Attraction, but it was pretty good), which has more than a few hot sex scenes in it. During one of the hottest, I look over at her to see her face all crunched up. Like I said, not my type.

I've been working out at the YMCA lately. I've been getting up at 5 in the morning every other day. My thighs are sore, but I'll live. I've got homework to do.

2002-09-07T00:48:00.000-04:00

I FINALLY started the novel! Yay for me! I've got the first two chapters done, and it doesn't look as if they're going to need too much editing... I've got two over-due library books. They were really nice about informing me. The note says "We know it's easy to forget when items are due." Do they? I wonder. Actually, I have the books in the backseat of my car. I'm going to have to bring them back tomorrow.

I'm adding a character to my blog. Tiffany, my new girlfriend, will now be added to the bunch. She comes up to my chin in height and has blonde hair. She's really thin, but not so thin that it's sickoning. Anyway, more about her later. We just started dating a few days ago. Who knows how long it will last... long, I hope.

Hmmmmph, what else have I missed. Oh OF COURSE, Baltimore! The HorrorFind Convention went pretty good. Reckless Abandon didn't sell as well as I had hoped, but it was a fun time by all. The movie people took the spotlight for most of the convention, so the authors were a little undercast. Oh well. I doubt I will go back to HorrorFind, though. Baltimore is a pretty dirty city. Nothing like Seattle or even Chicago. I will probably go to World Horror next year. It's in Kansas City, so it's in driving distance. It's in London in 2004. You bet your balls I'm going. I'll be 18 by then, and I'll go even if I have to swim the whole way.

The Real World Las Vegas is coming up... I LOVE The Real World. New Orleans was the best, by far... Chicago was a pretty good season too. I was in Chicago when they were wrapping, and there was an auction for all the stuff in the house. Pretty nice stuff, with a price tag, I'm sure. Anyway, I can see Las Vegas being a flop. You know there's going to be a guy who is never there... there will be an alcoholic... a gay person... a religious person... a slut.... a thug... and a pretty-boy jock. That makes 7. That formula works for every season, within reason. It especially worked for New Orleans, which makes it the best season of all.

Moving on... I work tomorrow from 3 to 11 with Thera. Emily is pregnant... thank God it's not my fault. I'm not suprised one bit. I'm not saying she's a slut or anything, but I know that Emily would like to grow up before her time. I have a feeling she wants to have a baby. If she thinks she can do it, then more power to her. I know I wouldn't be able to. Especially at 17.

Well... I've been blogging enough. Off to see what everyone else has been up to.

2002-08-18T12:02:00.000-04:00

I need to work on my novel, damnit. Instead, I'm blogging. Damn damn damn. I'm at work, a wonderful place to write on my downtime, except I can never get in the mood at work. Everything I write here turns out to be crap. I've got a good synopsis, but no first chapter. Maybe I should start in the middle. I read somewhere that it's not all too uncommon. I can see how it would be better. You could jump right into the action.

HorrorFind is in a week. I'm not nervous as all. I bought some new clothes the other day. Partly for the convention and partly for school. I start my dual-credit courses at South on Tuesday. I've got Theater/Drama, Research Psychology, Planetary Science, and AP English 3. You've seen my schedule, right? I'm thrilled, except my locker is too small, I have to walk too far between classes, and my text book prices are through the roof, but I'll manage. Brian volunteered me to pick his girlfriend up on the first day, and I don't want to at all. I've had two very bad experiences with picking people up for school, and I don't even want to start at South. She wants me to pick her up at 7:50, when school starts at 8:10. Yeah, right. I have no clue where I'm going, and she thinks I'm going to waltz in there and get right to class 10 minutes before the bell? No. I'll get to her house at 7:30, and we'll get to school at 10 till, not 10 after. If she's not ready, tough. I refuse to be late.

I can here "housekeepin" in the distance.

I'll write more later.

2002-08-09T15:42:00.000-04:00

I'm at work. I got these new shoes, which I'm wearing right now. They're killing my feet something awful. I think I'll take them back tomorrow. It feels like there's cardboard on the bottom of them. I miss my Docs. A lot. I think I'll just spend the extra money for a new pair. Fuck it. I'm worth it, right? I work 40+ hours a week, plus writing and editing, and school. Plus school, damnit! Stressful day, I guess. And not only that, I have to work tonight too. At least my check will be good. Baltimore isn't going to be cheap, I'm guessing, and I'll prolly blow my whole check there. I shouldn't. I buy some clothes with it, considering the fact that I don't have any. I feel like Don Delillo today. Real short and choppy. I feel like I'm writing The Body Artist. He's a real book artist, don't you think? I was actually pretty spooky. I should write a column called Horror in Unlikely Places. I'm sure Blood Moon Rising would take it on. They're nationally distributed, too. You can actually go anywhere in America and buy a copy. That would be cool, don't you think. They don't pay, though. I don't think so anyway.

Well, go things to do. Until later.

2002-08-08T22:36:00.000-04:00

Klinton and I went to Indianapolis today to shop for shoes. We went to the Indianapolis Museum of Art also. The first two floors weren't as interesting as I thought they would be, but the third floor was awesome. The whole floor was contempo art. There was a room full of pics of execution rooms (electric chairs, lethal injection tables, gallows). Very cool. Then we went to Circle Centre, looking for shoes, but we couldn't find any. For such a big mall, they don't have many shoe stores. We ended up coming back to Terre Haute to get them. They're GBX... with these lines on them. I can't explain it. They're peanut colored.

I'm going to Baltimore for the HorrorFind Convention on August 23. We're flying out Friday afternoon after lunch. I need to go to school, because it'll be the third day. Then I'll be home Sunday afternoon just in time to go to bed and get up for school. Reckless Abandon will debut on the 23rd from Catalyst Books. www.catalystpress.net. Go there.

2002-08-05T08:53:00.000-04:00

I guess you could say I'm haing a weird day. It's 7:44, and I'm at work. I have my laptop set up on the front desk. I'm just going to fool around on the Internet all day on my downtime. Maybe blog a few times. Well... don't know what else to say.

2002-08-03T19:25:00.000-04:00

I'm at work and Thera is sitting next to me. I'm really hot because these pants they gave me are made of mule or something. I don't like them. Scott came home today. yay. Can you tell I'm not excited? He's going to bitch about my laptop. He thinks that I should never get a loan or anything because I'll become a slave to the system. Okay. Thera has these jelly filled booby things. They give her more cleavage and stuff. The kids are running a muck in the pool. Thera and I are going to go to Super 8 to see what their rooms look like. Ashli is going to cut my hair after I get off of work. Hmm... Gonna get back to work I guess... maybe I should call me dad.

2002-08-02T21:13:00.000-04:00

Hey there. I’m blogging this from the Coffee Grounds on Friday at 4:36. I have to be in at work by 5:00, but I think I’m going to be a little late on purpose. I’ve worked 8 hours today already, I’m sure they won’t get upset over one lost hour tonight. The music in here is a little slow, and I felt like some fast stuff, so I’m using iTunes to listen to old school Destiny’s Child. I HATE their new stuff, but Writings on the Wall was a good fucking CD, you can’t deny. So Good, Confessions, Say My Name, Bills Bills Bills, Jumpin Jumpin, Temptations, c’mon PEOPLE! Great songs, there. I agree that Survivor sucked balls... ever since they started changing members, they suck... but oh well. I can’t wait until I get famous so I can quote a Destiny’s Child song:

“This is for the haters
that said we wouldn’t make it.
Now we’re doing platinum
and now you can’t take it.”

Okay, off the DC subject. For some reason I can’t connect to the Internet here... the phone line they gave me isn’t working. They have a new worker, and I don’t want to bother him with something he’d know nothing about. I’ll post this sometime at work. I get a perfect connection from there.

I actually started the novel! Yay for David. I don’t want to ruin it for you, but the basic plot is this: Missy gets kidnapped by her neighbor and is tortured in the attic of her own duplex, while her boyfriend Presley works with the police to find her. That’s the basics of it. Of course, there’s a whole lot more than that. Missy helped me plot it out, so I thought I’d base the main character after her. I started the outline, and I’ve got the first few chapters done. Hopefully my writing mood continues until it’s over.

Well, this is getting longer than I wanted it to be, but I’m prettybored in this coffee shop. It’s a cool place to be, but some of the people are kinda snooty... besides the workers. They’re all pretty cool. No one likes noise, though. I’m prolly getting evil looks from people for wearing headphones... the music is traveling farther than my ears, I’m sure.

Can you pay my bills? Can you pay my telephone bills? Can you pay my automo-bills? If you did then maybe we could chill. I don’t think you do. So you and me are through.

2002-07-31T18:20:00.000-04:00

My new iBook came today! I'm typing on it right now from work. I love this thing. I LOVE it. The apple logo on the top lights up when you start it up. It's white with white keys and matte silver everything else. My only complaint is that it's a little hard to type on. It gets hot really easy too. I guess there isn't a fan in it or anything, so I can understand that. It smells so good and new. Anyway, you don't care.

I talked to Laura today. She just got back from Haiti. She totaled her car while I was at my dad's... what a pity. I liked her car... Daewoo Lanos.

Missy has to do the bar tonight, and she's bitching. We just went to Sam's Club and the Box Store. But we're back now, and I'm blogging. My dad called me this morning to tell me that he was very upset about what I put on this blog early on. I don't even remember what I said. He told me to take it off, and I went to do it, but I can only edit posts made within the last week. Everything past a week is archived, and the only way to get it off is to close the blog and start over. I'm not going to close my blog because of one post nobody will ever read. I couldn't even get to it in the archives to read it, let alone try to edit it. I'm sorry if I said something to make him upset, but I must have felt that way at the time, or I wouldn't have said it. Right? Okay.

I still haven't actually started the novel. I kept putting it off... telling myself I would start when I went to the computer lab... I would start on my day off ... I would start when I got my laptop ... but the fact is that I really haven't been in the mood to write. I've actually had much more fun editing than writing lately. Reckless Abandon comes out next month, I've been editing for The Harrow for less than a month, but I'm really hyped about it, and I'm sending out a resume with the objective of an editorial position to some small presses. Even if I don't get paid, it will just add to my resume more. Now that I have an Apple, I can add Macintosh OS 9 and Macintosh OS X to my list of Computer Experiences... not to mention all the new software I'm going to have to learn. AppleWorks 6.0 is one of them.

Well, Missy wants to check her e-mail, so I'm going to write more later.

2002-07-30T17:16:00.000-04:00

Just got off of work. Damn, how I hate our district manager. He has to be there to train Missy (because Chris got fired), and he's so fucking fake. Corina and I counted the drawer, and the balance was $393, so Tom (the DM) gave us $7 out of his pocket. That was nice of him...

Then the B&B Foods order comes in, and everyone except Tom and Missy go over (including Kay) to unpack it. It was a very big order, and there were a lot of parishable food items. Well, then Corina goes to lunch. I have nothing to do, so I decide to count my drawer again. Tom and Missy went to the bank while we were unpacking food, BTW, to get change for the drawer. Anyway, I have nothing to do, and there are no guests... Corina and Kay are out to lunch... so I count the drawer again. I get $380.75. So I go and tell Tom. he says to count it again... even though I ALWAYS count my drawer twice, I went and counted it a third and a fourth time. Each time I get $380.75. I hadn't even touched the drawer since when Corina and I had counted it. I figured Tom took it out, so I go and tell him again that the drawer is off by almost $20.

HE ALMOST BITES MY HEAD OFF! What a dick! He says "THE DRAWER CAN'T BE WRONG, DAVID!" I told him that I know how to count, and that I hadn't even touched the drawer since Corina and I had counted it. He gets mad (and so was I, let me tell you!) and yells at Missy to count the drawer. I FUCKING KNOW HOW TO COUNT! Missy got $380.75, just like I did. What a dick! He either thinks I can't count or that I stole the money. Why would I steal $20, then make it so odvious (sp) by telling them it's gone?

Anyway, he left, so everything's okay now. There's a woman behind me that smells just like my old girlfriend. Every time I smell that smell, I get this really funny feeling. It drives me crazy.

Haven't written much lately... I'm concentrating more on editing for the moment. HorrorFind is coming up next month, and my laptop comes tomorrow (!), and I've been working more than 40 hours a week. Been really busy, but I'm keeping to my promise of coming to the computer lab daily... until I get my laptop, that is.

2002-07-28T18:22:00.000-04:00

He didn't update... guess I'll just have to find something else to do.

2002-07-28T18:21:00.000-04:00

I'm at the computer lab again. I keep using this computer with a red back (or is it pink? I'm color blind). It's way over in the corner and no one can see it. I hope they don't find out that I'm not a student here. That would blow. I've been coming here every day for the past three days... I like it. I like these computers a lot better than my one at home. I can't wait to throw it out when my laptop comes. 3-5 days now. Hopefully in 3. I don't really know what to say. I'd like to start my novel, but I don't really know where I want it to go. I don't want to write 50 pages, and then realize that I have no story. I always get scared of writing a novel... even a short story sometimes. What if it sucks, and I wasted all that creative energy on a pile of shit? My first novel, Sweet Misery was a pile of shit. You can read it somewhere online. I posted it a few years back, just for reaction, but I lost it over the years. I need to do a google search and delete it. Too Late Now was a pile of shit too, I just had to balls to self-publish that puppy. I never even sent it to a publisher, for fear that it would get rejected. I'll never go that route again, unless it's something so off the wall and stylish that it just HAS to be published. Too Late Now shouldn't have been published. In fact, I should pull it from publication. I haven't gotten a fucking dime from it. I wonder why? Maybe because Indypublish is a pile of shit too. Now see, I started off fine, and now I'm bitching.

I was SO tired this morning. Have you ever forgot a whole portion of your day? I don't remember any of the morning AT ALL. I think I fell asleep with my eyes open sometime between printing reg. cards and lunch. Weird. I don't remember if I ordered the donuts for breakfast. Hopefully Bev did, because the order has to be in by 3:00. Thera about slapped me when she realized I didn't pull the dead reg. cards. I had to stay over, but hey... overtime is time and 1/2.

Do any of you remember seeing a book called HOW TO WRITE A MYSTERY NOVEL IN 27 DAYS OR LESS? 27 days isn't that long, and it would be awesome to write a novel in 27 days. Of course, I could take the basic premis and apply it to a horror novel. I couldn't find it on Amazon, so maybe I'm losing my mind.

Gonna go check out Seth Lindberg's blog. He said he was going to update, and I hope he did.

2002-07-27T17:14:00.000-04:00

It's tomorrow already. I'm at the 24-hour computer lab again, messing around on the Macs. I might have to steal a mouse from here when I get my laptop. I think that finger pad will get old after a while... Anyway, it's 4:07 and I have to be at work by 5. But I might be a little late on purpose, since I haven't had a day off since LAST Monday, and I worked double shifts today. Thera was nice enough to come in at 1:00 for me, so I wouldn't have to stay till 3, the leave and come back at 5. But, I stayed until like 2:30 anyway, so it was pointless. Oh well, just more money in our pockets. Thera wants me to go with her to GNC, because she's returned so many things back to them, and she wants me to use my ID to return some stuff. She's so crazy. We'll do it when Erica comes in and Kay is gone. Erica could care less what we do on the company's time. Shh... don't tell. Thera will prolly clock out, though, and I think I will too. I'm already getting a shit load of overtime (and I had BETTER get it, because it's cutting into my writing and editing time).

I just read this AWESOME story for The Harrow. I don't know who it was by, because Dru doesn't disclose the name of the author to her Editorial Reviewers, but it was really good and well written. I'm going to send my recomendation to accept (my first ever for them, yay!).

It's my new goal to come here at least 5 times per week (and I will always have time, since it's open 24-7) and start writing again. This will be my writing time. I want to write a horrific mystery novel, like Portrait of a Psychopath as a Young Woman (Ed Lee and someone else). That book kicks. More on that soon. I think I'm gonna call it "The Bash" (and no, it's not a 'beach party murders' play-off. C'mon, I'm not THAT cheesy!).

2002-07-26T16:58:00.000-04:00

Wow! It's been a little while, hasn't it? I'm at the ISU 24 hour computer lab. You have to have a student ID and password to access the computers, but Missy (at work) gave me hers. I'm using one of their Mac computers, because I just ordered an iBook, and I need to get use to the operating system. Hopefully it won't be too hard, Terre Haute's school district uses them almost exclusively (sp?) so I know my way around them okay, I guess. C'mon, it can't be that hard. The only thing I don't like about it is the small keyboard. Everything is bunched up on it, so it can be hard to type well.

Scott and I are getting along now. He asked me if I wanted to go to a Giants game with him... I dunno if I want to go. Every time we do something together, he makes it more like hell than fun. He'll prolly want me to drive a little, then he'll yell at me for every thing I do "wrong." It won't be fun, but I think I should go anyway. If I don't go, he'll just start being a dick again. He doesn't know about the iBook I bought (I'm getting it in 6-8 days), and I don't want to be around when he finds out. He always tells me that I need to manage my money better. Manage it for what? I'm working 40+ hours a week. I have enough money for the things I want, so why not just buy them? I'll never understand him.

Just checking in.

2002-07-18T14:42:00.000-04:00

I'm at the library... this time they didn't ask my my age... I got the Reckless Abandon proof back from Monica, and it looks sweet. That all in the news of my books and stuff... in other news:

I haven't talked to or even seen Scott, my mother's husband (I refuse to call him my step-dad after what he's put me through recently), since Sunday! Yay! Tonight he has a kiss-ass meeting on the E-board (don't ask me what the hell it is, he just has a meeting), so I won't see him tonight either. Friday, I work at night, so I won't see him then either... he's a patsy and goes to bed a 7. I'm glad he doesn't get on the internet. This is the only place I can vent my frustrations out. My friends could care less about my problems with him, and my mother WON'T talk about it. She likes to think there isn't a problem with her husband calling me a mooch. How the hell can I be a mooch in my own mother's house?! And furthermore, I'm NEVER home... Home is a pit stop between destinations. We live in bum-fucked Eqypt, podock, the fucking MIDDLE OF NOWHERE (for christssake, I have to drive 20 miles to school in Terre Haute, and 20 miles to school in Marshall).

I woke up Sunday morning and started getting ready for work. I got out of the shower and walked through the kitchen to throw my dirty clothes in the laundry room. I say "Hey" to Scott, and he doesn't respond (like I expected him to?). Then I get dressed and comb my hair and put on my uniform... I should have just left the house at that, but I thought I'd be nice and sit down at the table with him for a second... I hadn't seen him in a fucking month, I figured he'd a nice. He wasn't. He gets up and goes to the laundry room and starts screaming that I put my dirty clothes in the washer with clean clothes. I remember putting them in the hamper, but I could be wrong about that. Still, it's not a good reason to raise Hell. The only thing I said to him all morning was "Hey," and he has to start his shit? I figured he'd at least wait a week before making me insane again.

I know exactly why my face breaks out the way it does... I went to my DAD's for a month, and my face starts clearing up. I had a whole month of nice, stress-free life. Then I come back and two days later I'm getting hammered for putting my clothes in the washing machine?! FUCK YOU! I'll be ugly again in a month. FUCK YOU! If I could make it any bigger, I would. This pissed me off SO FUCKING bad! It's not that he yelled at me (I'm not one of those people who get upset over that... he's hated me for 14 years, nothing to get upset over now), it's just that I'm sick of him. Why should I put myself in that kind of situation. OHH! The more I think about it, the more I hate him. He is the only bad thing in my life right now. I DO NOT want his help. I'm working 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, double shifts sometimes, to pay off my car loan, because it's in his name. That's the only thing he has to hold on to me. I have less than 2,000 dollars left, and I am determined to get it paid off. I do not want his help anymore.

I'm all pissed off now. I think I'll walk outside and scream.

2002-07-15T14:35:00.000-04:00

Damn, fucking Blogger wouldn't let me publish anything for some reason... so sorry for the delay in all that stuff. I just made up a Reckless Abandon press release which says:

[Catalyst Books Logo]
4 BRAM STOKER AWARD WINNING AUTHORS!
available August 23 from Catalyst Books
RECKLESS ABANDON
unconcentional horror from the genre's hottest and bravest authors
EDITED BY DAVID SPARKS AND BOB STRAUSS

Get ready for the anthology of the year...
Just as the bestselling Borderlands series intrigued a generation of horror fans a decade ago, so to will Reckless Abandon, the unconventional horror anthology that is sure to turn the horror industry on its ear. Reckless Abandon will include stories from some of the newest, hottest, and bravest horror authors to hit the scene. Compiled by up and coming editors David Sparks and Bob Strauss, with outstanding cover art by award-winning artist Mike Bohatch, one of the most anticipated anthologies of 2002 will be released on August 23 by Catalyst Books, in conjunction with the HorrorFind Convention in Baltimore, MD.

Featuring fiction by ... (too much to type... check www.catalystpress.net for complete list of authors).

Then I go on to tell about me and Bob Strauss. I'm sure Monica will make a press release also, but I want to make sure EVERYONE knows about this damn book... especially local newspapers like the Tribune-Star and the Statesman.

I just came from the public library, because I'm staying the week with my uncle and didn't feel like going home to use the computer, and they have a new policy that says you can't use e-mail if you're under 18. What a bunch of shit. So, any 17 year old people going out to the library to check their e-mail had better just turn around now and head to the Cunningham Library at ISU. That's where I am now.

I'll write more later.

2002-07-12T15:00:00.000-04:00

2002-07-12T14:23:00.000-04:00

I'm home, and it feels SO good. I actually found myself liking the smell of Terre Haute, you know, that putrid shit-smell that you get after crossing the Dreshier bridge by Fairbanks Park, and on the Wabash River bridge on I-70? I must have been demented.

I'm not doing the drag-queen book anymore. I don't want it to be inaccurate, and I'd rather not be looked upon as a drag queen. But I did start a new novel. So far I've got Presley who goes to college in Chicago, with much objection from his parents and family. He's getting no help from home, living in an apartment with a room mate (hey, maybe his room mate could be a drag queen... that's a good twist), missing his ex-girlfriend, and seriously considering suicide... he couldn't possibly go back home, because that'd be admitting he is a failure. His father would hold that against him for the rest of his life. Paralell to that story is the story of Sabrina, Presley's ex-girlfriend. I don't know when their stories will merge, but maybe Presley's parents will die or something, and he will be forced to come home for the funeral, and he'll see her there. I don't know yet. I'm thinking of doing a TOO LATE NOW type of twist at the end, but I don't want to be seen as a hack. Anyway...

I got an e-mail from Dru at The Harrow! I've got two stories to review. If it goes well, I'm on the staff, baby! I sent an article to Rod at Rue Morge earlier this summer about the Internet's impact on the horror genre as a whole, et al. He sounded like he liked the idea and I was told by him to write the article. I hope he likes it. That would be a MAJOR credit to have...

Got a review copy for Scott Nicholson's THE RED CHURCH. The cover kicks ass. I can't wait to have a mass market paperback out. I'm not sure if I'm going to review it for The Harrow, or 1000 Delights. I really haven't sent 1000 Delights any new reviews lately. They just keep running old columns over and over again. The Harrow doesn't pay for reviewers, but I think they are a little more respected than an adult-oriented website like 1000 Delights. Whatever I decide, I'll let you know.

For some reason, publishing is temporarily unavailable because the server is overloaded... I wrote this at 1:22, July 12. I don't know when it'll be posted.

2002-07-08T03:42:00.000-04:00

nevermind that last post... I've re-decided that I want to go to sleep. I'm kinda tired already.

2002-07-08T03:40:00.000-04:00

I've decided that I'm going to stay up all night... that way, it'll feel like less time until I go home, and it'll make me go to bed early tonight... that way, I will get up early enough to hit the road outa town! (more later, def)

2002-07-08T01:21:00.000-04:00

I just got back from a drive-in movie with David and Mark. Those fuckers came back from the concession stand with a cup full of ketchup and chucked it at my car. Assholes. Then when we got home, they just walked into the house, leaving me with a car splattered with ketchup on the outside, and chip crumbs, airhead wrappers, and sour patch kids sugar all over the car. They didn't even bring in the cooler or the lawn chairs. How lazy can you be. They're probably upstairs now playing playstation and being idiots. I would vent about it to Paige, but she's at home. I can't wait until Tuesday, when I take the 8 hour trip home. Tammy wants me to bring her up to Harrisburgh first so she can be with my dad, because he has to be there for his prision classes. At first I told her yes, but then I realized that I'd have to drive home 12 and a half hours. Nothing doing. I'd be dead before I got home... fall asleep at the wheel or something. You can't get any radio stations in the fucking mountains... creepy, isn't it? And on top of that, you have to get on this stupid turnpike... where you have to PAY to use the road. If I leave from their house, I can get on I-70 and have a straight shot home. I told her to get a ride from Uncle Tina or something.

I can't wait to get home and see my Junior (my cat). His full name is Garfield Junior, because I had a cat just like him before named Garfield... but we just call him Junior for short. I hope he still remembers me. He's just a kitty, you know.

Well, it's getting late and I want to go to bed. Adios.

2002-07-07T14:30:00.000-04:00

Microwavable Ragu Express kicks ass. You put noodles in a bowel with water and mic them for 3.5 minutes. Then you put in the sauce. It's really good... except I've had it up to here with pasta. I can't wait to get home and have some meat, goddamnit!

I'M COMING HOME WEDNESDAY! Isn't that exciting? So anyone from the big T.H. that's reading this, prepare to be taken over again with my return. I woke up this morning, not giving a fuck about anything, and just told Tammy to tell my dad that I was going home on Wednesday... she's like "why don't you stay until your dad's party?" "Because I want to go home." Case closed.

It's 2:06 here in PA, and 1:06 in Terre Haute... hold on while I pour me a glass of O.J.

Does a body good, huh? Thos bastards at HorrorSeek.com e-mailed me about my site (don't EVER use them... they are the suckiest web space provider I've ever dealt with. I need to access my files so I can finally finish this site. We'll see how it goes.

I haven't been writing much lately... partly because I have been too down to write anything good, and partly because I don't have any of my files or research material. For the drag queen novella (I really think it'll be funny and scary), I need to go to my library in Terre Haute. I don't know why (maybe there's an abundance of drag queens in T.H.) but the main branch of the library has a whole section about how to become a drag queen and such. RuPaul's book "Letting it All Hang Out" is the most helpful, because she explains, in detail, what he does to transform himself from a man to a woman. He even tells what scent the candle is that he burns, and what kind of music, what type of razors, et al.

I did get SOMETHING done, though, a few weeks back. I wrote a story called "Forever" and sent it to Gothic.Net. I hope Seth likes it. I think it is one of my better stories... style-wise, anyway. I guess the plot could be fleshed out a little more, but the style is perfect. It's about a man who can live forever. It's the year 2076 and he's been 25 years old forever. In 2006, a nuclear attack forces them to go into hiding. They survive the the attack, but no one else in America does. A few decades later, all the people of Europe are dead, followed by Asia and the rest of the world. Anyway, this man and woman are constantly bickering about little things... even though he is older, the woman takes on a motherly position in her husbands life... he's an old man trapped in a young man's body, forever... I can't tell the end. But it's a good one... ("Oh, oh oh!")

Still haven't signed the contract for Reckless Abandon... the book comes out in August, and Monica is already laying it out... the cover art's done, all the author contracts are signed, except that I haven't actually signed anything for Monica. I know she isn't going to back down on her word... the book is already listed as a HorrorFind debut... I trust her, but it'd be nice to have something in my hands, in writing, that says RA has been sold to Catalyst Books. I plan on touring with it when it's published. Baltimore will be the first stop, since it's going to debut there anyways... I'll save Indianapolis, Terre Haute, Evansville, Champaign-Urbaba, and Bloomington for weekdays... they're all within an hour. Chicago, St. Louis, and Louisville will be weekend trips. Anywhere else I go will be considered vacation time, which I don't get much of. (more later)

2002-07-06T19:25:00.000-04:00

7:23. This will be my last post for the night. Hopefully you've enjoyed my day thus far. I think Tammy wants me to go to Wal-Mart with her, and it's the least I can do (g).

I'm toying with a novella idea for Telos with a drag queen as the main character. I'm not a drag-queen, I know, but Stephen King isn't a crazed psycho fan, and he wrote about one in Misery... TTFN.

2002-07-06T18:50:00.000-04:00

6:38 now, and I am a little more sane than I was earlier in the day. I told my dad that I probably wouldn't stay until the end of the week. I'm sure he's expecting me to stay a little longer, but how shocked he will be when I sneak away in the middle of the night (g).

The Harrow has offered me a slot in their Editorial Board... that'd be cool, huh? Then I'd not only have a cool editor-type job, but also a cool @theharrow.com e-mail addy, and a kick-ass business card. Have you seen these things? Monica O'Rourke (who is the contest director at The Harrow) gave me one last year at WHC. They're textured black with silver writing and a silver foil Harrow logo. It's not offical yet, but Dru (editor-in-chief) is sending me a few stories to review. If I do good, then she'll do all that official stuff, put me on the Editorial Board list, et al. Bam, I'm on. Let's all pray that I have a good practice run.

Hmm... what else should I say? Seth Lindberg has an amazing blog called Confessions of a Cynic on his website, which is also amazing. Whoever designed that one should get a pat on the back. Hmm... Joe Wilson (my uncle in Ft. Wayne is also named that, BTW) has a truly amazing blog at Grandpappy Joe's Online Journal. He lives in Terre Haute and knows a girl who I know... that's how I know of him... I don't actually know him personally, but I read his blog, so it's close enough.

I wrote a lot today, didn't I? Prolly more later too.

2002-07-06T15:15:00.000-04:00

It's 3:13 now, and I haven't moved from the computer, except to answer a call from my mom, then a call from Ed. Ed has a girlfriend who looks like a total drag queen. I call her Uncle Tina (behind her back, of course... hopefully she doesn't read this). Anyway, just wanted to let you all know that I updated the design of the weblog. It doesn't really have the same design as the rest of the site, but it does have the same colors and fonts. (more later, I'm sure)

2002-07-06T14:00:00.000-04:00

MORNING COMES...

It's not really morning... it's 1:52 here in PA, and 12:52 in wonderful Terre Haute (you can tell I miss it, can't you?). I woke up about an hour or so ago. It's summer, so what the fuck. Chris lost his cell phone last night and Tammy was bitching at him for like ever. I told them just to call it, but they wouldn't listen. Mark (Chris's friend) was trying to stand up for him, since Chris is kinda meek and timid. But Mark just made himself look like an asshole... Chris DID lost his damn cell phone... and his mom DID pay for it. I'd be fuming too. She's over it now, though. She's only mad for short periods of time. I think she stuffs all her anger away. I don't want to be around when she explodes.

Anyways, Mike stayed over here with David last night, and Chris and Mark stayed out in the woods behind the house. When I woke up, Tammy was bitching about how she's sure there's beer in their cooler... so David, Mike, and I decide to go sneak out there and check it out. We're always looking for ways to get Chris in trouble, so... Tammy objects, so we don't do it. She said Mark would kick our asses, but I have a feeling I can run faster than Mark (g)...

Mike ate all my Honey Bunches of Oates with Strawberries, so I haven't eaten yet. My dad's birthday party is coming up on Saturday, but I'd really rather come home... except I already promissed Tammy that I'd stay and help set it up. Shit. Now what am I going to do? I guess I could just tell her that I'd rather go home, that I really want to go home, that I AM GOING HOME, but I haven't found the right moment yet. Currently, I have plans to drive home next Sunday morning, but I'd rather drive home this coming Monday or Tuesday... like in 2 or 3 days.

(more later... the day has just begun)

2002-07-06T00:12:00.000-04:00

MY FIRST POST! YAY!

Hello everyone. I'm talking to myself this time, because no one knows that I'm revamping my website, and no on looks at it otherwise... This is the section of the site where I can speak freely about what's going on in my life and what I've been doing. It's also the place to get news about upcoming events, book deals, and so on and so fourth. This will be the most updated part of the site, and I'm really new at this "blogging," so bear with me as I sort things out.

So onward with the post, shall we?...

I am typing this at my dad's house near Pittsburgh, because I've been here since June 3. Visiting him is nice, but I get really home sick when I'm away from Terre Haute for too long (pitiful, isn't it?). I'll be transferring to Terre Haute South Vigo in August, so I guess I can start calling T.H. my home now... I did live there until the 7th grade, anyway. Marshall sucks. I'm glad to get out. Let's take a look at my schedule, huh? I'll group my classes by terms, then list them by period. If you're going to South next year and we have one of the same classes, drop me a line. That'd be cool.

TERM 1
Theater Art 1
Dramatic Literature
Earth/Space Science 1
Personal Psychology
English Lit. & Composition AP 1

TERM 2
Communication Processes 2 (it's a television class)
Research Psychology
Speech & Communication
Modern World History
English Lit. & Composition AP 2

TERM 3
Creative Writing
Communication Processes 1 (it's a radio class)
English Lit & Comp. AP 3
AP Psychology
Earth/Space Science 2

That's great, isn't it? I know it sounds really dumb, but I keep a copy of it in my wallet so I can look at it when the urge strikes. Compared to my Marshall classes, South is going to rock (as much as a school can, I guess).

Enough about school, though. GOOD NEWS: Reckless Abandon (the anthology I co-edited with Bob Strauss) will debut at HorrorFind (August 23) from Catalyst Books. I'll be in Baltimore for the event, and you should come too. Last year's HorrorFind was a blast, I heard, so I'm really looking forward to it this year. The cover art is amazing! Mike Bohatch is a very talented graphic designer. I was very impressed with the work he did for the cover. A major leap from TOO LATE NOW (eek, I hate to even think about THAT one).

This also will sound mental, but I miss my job. I hate having to take money from Tammy (my step-mom) for gas. I'd much rather just work and pay for my own gas. I had a job at a super market for a while, but it sucked big balls, so I quit. I have a job at the Hampton Inn in Terre Haute waiting for me, so I wasn't freating about it. I just can't wait to get back so I can start working again.

I had to find a replacement for my at Hampton Inn for the time I was going, so I got Klinton (my friend) to do it. He was happy to do it, too, since he's a lazy bum and doesn't have a job. Thera (my co-worker and friend) keeps telling me that he's lazy as fuck, and I believe her. Kay (my manager) even told me he's lazy... which is kind of a good thing, I think... Klinton's lazyness makes me look good. I actually do a lot of work when I work... I mean, I do have my share of sitting on the job, but at least my work gets done. It's not hard work at all. You come in, change the trash out, hoover the floors, mop the loby, check the pool towels, check the pool water, check the fitness towels, run things, chat with Thera, clean the windows... et, al. Easy stuff.

This is running a bit more than I wanted it to, so I'm going to finish the rest of the website before hitting the sack and dreaming about coming home.