Being a projectionist, everything is always there, haunted by stories, 13 Gears minor recap, and becoming an octopus.
- I think often about being a projectionist at a movie theater, before digital projectors sort of took everything over. It was pretty nuts sometimes. You had to constantly thread machines, and if something went wrong during these processes you would run around like a kid who couldn’t decide on a cheap toy in the glass case at Chuck E Cheese. I think about how much machinery it took to keep those things going, but once digital came along and was affordable, well, they never had to worry about them again. It is funny to have an attachment to such antiquated technology. I can still hear the rattle of those machines. The sprockets churning, the platters spinning, the film clicking about in stretched loops.
- This week’s massive pop culture examination would have to be choice of visual narrative. There is so much of it out there. I can’t even keep it all straight most of the time. Before, or growing up, there was just broadcast television and films released in the theater. This meant you had to wait borderline forever for sequels and continuations. There were also comics, books, this and that. Now, visual media is pretty much everywhere you look. There are huge databases beneath the heat of your finger. It is great. Do I think the modern audience takes it for granted? Of course, but that is just the evolution of our species when it comes to accessibility. Streaming was invented because the audience wanted it.
- One thing you didn’t know about my books is that I was haunted by these stories for most of my life. I would constantly think about them over and over again. They intrude on reality constantly, especially when surrounded by things that really get my muse going, like music and poetry. It wasn’t until I actually started writing and publishing them that I really started to feel free of them. They no longer bullied me around or anything. It was like taking a weight off my shoulders. I highly recommend it.
- 13 Gears was pretty great. My table mate Catherine Lundoff was excellent. I love our conversations. The event keeps growing and growing. I have been doing it for I think five years now. I love the Steampunk style for storytelling. Being a big Final Fantasy fan implanted that love of airships in me from a very young age. I could see this event becoming one of the premier Steampunk happenings in the Midwest. Good times. I highly recommend attending. It is very affordable as well.
- This week on craft corner I wanted to talk about not investing in just one story. Every successful author I have talked to has had this one characteristic in common, they don’t just bet on one project, but multiple ones at a time. They write comics, they edit anthologies, or they produce plays. They basically morph into octopuses and balance multiple narrative objects in their varied tentacles. My mind immediately goes to a cephalopod in the kitchen trying to bake a cake or something. Anyways, all the writers/frogs jumping from lily pad to lily pad looking for a meal don’t just focus on flies, but other insects as well. Ugh, that is a shaky metaphor, but I’m tired and I don’t want to work tomorrow.
Jottings:
- I ordered Super Mario 64 for the DS/3DS. Still amazing. When is this one going to get remake?
- Schitt’s Creek is so good. Can’t stop watching it.
- One week away from Calamity’s Keep returning. I’m all tangled-up writing podcast episodes I’m co-writing/producing. It is a good problem to have.
- I’m writing these musings late at night. It is scary because I’ve fallen asleep while doing this and one of my fingers literally sat on the letter Z for who knows how long. When I woke-up I had created a 200 page document.
- Do other people collect Street Fighter comics? I don’t know. They’re kind of hard to find.
- Everyone have a safe and healthy week. Thanks for reading. Free Kindle books on Thursday. Next week Calamity’s Keep will return. Why did I write all the posts by hand? Terrible idea. Utilize technology. Ugh.
