White Skies at Night

It's full of stars...

Snows is akin to a teacher's pay raise, here in Mississippi, in that snows are few, far between, and tend to leave much to be desired in terms of actual measure. But when we left the Malco Theater late Friday night after seeing a block of films at the Oxford Film Festival, the sky was full of the stuff. The above is a photo I took, because yes, to Mississippi natives taking a picture of snow is deemed not only reasonable but mandatory.

The ground got a light covering too. I am pleased to report that the town didn't shut down, mainly because it happened at night and it would take a full-scale invasion by a foreign superpower to impede the Oxford Square bar traffic on a weekend. No, we Oxonians soldiered on, with nary a panicked run to the grocery store for milk and eggs. Although I suppose drink orders for White Russians may have seen a sudden uptick.

Markhat News

That's the new cover. Yeah, I know I did a reveal for it last weekend, but I like it, so here it is again.

I am pleased to report that the latest round of edits for the book above is complete. This round is known as the FLE, or First Line Edit. In this round, a sharp-eyed editor who has thus far not been involved in the back-and-forth edits between myself and the wise and all-seeing Editrix H reads the edited manuscript, looking for issues we may have missed. 

First Line Editors are chosen for their supernatural ability to spot continuity errors which may be separated by hundreds of pages, or even by books in a series. For instance, in the Markhat series, the phrase 'Angels and Devils' is a mild curse, usually spoken in anger or disgust. 

But did we use 'Angels and Devils' in Book 2, or did we drop the capitalization on Devils and use 'Angels and devils?'

The FLE knows, or knows to raise the question. That slipped right past me (the answer, by the way, is 'Angels and Devils.')

The good news is that the June publication date is firm now. The bulk (if not all) of the editing is done, the cover is set, and the book is ready to be converted into the various formats and distributed to booksellers around the world. Samhain handles all that. I just sit back and...I mean, I start immediately to work on the next book.

The Darker Carnival 

I am pleased to announce that the new Markhat adventure, The Darker Carnival, is done. First draft, that is. I'm pleased with it. So pleased that I've sent the book to my fearless beta reader for a round of first impressions.

Since you're a reader of my blog, I'll reveal a few things about the new book to you. As the title indicates, this entry is set in a carnival. 

What kind of carnival, you ask?

Well, on the surface, Markhat describes it thusly:

"Oh, it's wholesome, harmless diversion," I said. "A place where simple pleasures can be safely pursued by apple-cheeked children and their plain, homespun parents. Why, I wouldn't be surprised to learn the midway is manned by cherubs."

But of course that's Markhat being sarcastic, and while there might be winged things hiding along the midway of Dark's Diverse Delights they certainly aren't cherubs.

I really enjoyed writing The Darker Carnival. I will let it slip that this book brings major changes to the series, for all the characters, and while nothing will ever be quite the same again I hope the experience for you, the reader, will be improved.

But we'll have to wait and see. As usual, there's no guarantee The Darker Carnival will be picked up. Of course, if enough readers (wink wink) buy Markhat books, or drop the publisher quick little notes telling them how much you enjoy the series, that would certainly improve the odds.

Meralda and Mug news

Now that the The Five Faces is nearly ready for release and The Darker Carnival is a finished first draft, I'm turning my sights back to the sequel to All the Paths of Shadow. 

I have nearly fifteen thousand words of the new Mug and Meralda book down. It will be called All the Turns of Light, and I hope to have the first draft done before The Five Faces hits the stands in June. 

Phantoms or Foolery?

The Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles has a long history of macabre goings-on. It's linked to the Black Dahlia murder and just last year a missing tourist was found drowned in one of its rooftop water tanks. 

So if you took a shower or had a nice cool glass of refreshing water at the Cecil Hotel around that time, um, yeah. I wouldn't want to talk about it either.

On the plus side, it's slightly cheaper than the Bates Motel, and the snacks in the vending machines are usually fresh, or at least fresher than the corpses filling the water tanks. You can also probably drag a suspiciously lumpy roll of stained carpet out of the place without raising any eyebrows. That's just a tip from me to you.

A new photo has surfaced which shows what some call a ghostly image outside a fourth story window of the Cecil. Click below to read the story for yourself.

Window Ghost at the Cecil Hotel

I'm going to call this one a reflection phenomena, because it looks to me as if the photo was taken from inside a vehicle, and the 'ghost' is nothing more than a reflection of something on the dashboard. But that's just a guess.

Time for me to get back to work! Take care, all, and if you own a hotel please check your rooftop water tanks for corpses every now and then.

Still here? Quick, go read this!

Middle Earth as Seen From Space

Cover Reveal: The Five Faces

No more taunts, tricks, teases, or tortoises. The time has come to reveal the cover for The Five Faces, which will hit the shelves on June 16.

Here it is, Markhat revealed at last!

Artist Kanaxa gave us a masterpiece.

First, because it's beautiful. Beyond that, though, the cover is actually about the book. Once you've read it, you'll see what I mean. There are clues everywhere, but I'm not spilling any beans!

Of course any and all conjecture will be entertained, and I might divulge a few hints...

Hope you love the cover as much as I do. Thanks, Kanaxa!

I Ate What?

Today's post will be a smorgasbord, which is a polite way of saying 'a dog's breakfast.' Because I'm not feeling well. If my brain were a car engine, it would almost impossible to start, it would only run for a few minutes at a time, and it would quickly expire with a puff of exhaust and the shriek of wrenching metal.

My gastroenterologist rarely ever smiles.

But I haven't missed posting a Sunday blog since the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and I'm not about to let a minor flare-up of rigor mortis stop me now. So, if the gentleman in the hooded robe will lower his scythe for a moment and take a seat, we will proceed.

We'll wait. 

Fantastic Reads blog hop 

First of all, my writer pal Elsye Salpeter is part of a week-long blog hop, along with a number of other talented fantasy authors. Elyse's book The Hunt for Xanadu is featured, and it's a book I've read and recommend. 

Please click here to check out all the books. Which, by the way, are each priced at $3.99 or less this week!

Markhat update

This has not been the best writing weekend ever. I didn't reach my goal to finish the new Markhat book. On the bright side, I'm two or three solid writing sessions away from a finish, which means this week, barring disaster, will see the end to the first draft of The Darker Carnival.

One of the joys (there are only four, so it's a big deal) of being a writer is finding a box full of sleek print books on your porch. Such was the case Thursday, when the complementary print copies of Brown River Queen arrived from Samhain Publishing.

The print edition of Brown River Queen goes on sale everywhere on March 4. You could pre-order a copy now, if you wanted, wink wink nudge nudge.

Each hardcopy book comes complete with consonants, vowels, punctuation, pages, and sturdy covers. Batteries not required. Occupies three-dimensional space. Can be read in a vacuum, or during hyperspatial transport. Enjoy!

Things That Blow Up Real Good

Kids, don't try this at home. 

My new camera will record video at 480 frames per second. That's creeping into high-speed slow-motion territory, so naturally I had to try it out.

And what better phenomena to record than a small explosion?

The setup is simple. I took my butane torch, which is handy for removing fingerprints from corpses -- er, crafts, I mean crafts -- and lit it using the standard scratch-lighter. The process takes a fraction of a second, and is unremarkable to the naked eye.

Here's what it looks like in amateur slo-mo. Yes, the image is a little dark, because I wanted the sparks and flames to show up.

For all you Apple device folks, here's a link just for you!

Apple video link

Holding Hands documentary

I don't make movies, and if you watched the clip above you know why.

But my wife Karen does, and her latest project Holding Hands is marvelous. 

You've probably heard the admonition "“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." The quote is usually attributed to Plato, although it appears a Scottish author named Ian Maclaren is probably the true author.

Who first wrote the words isn't important. The author captured a universal truth, in that all the strangers we pass by every day bear a burden of one sort or another. No one is immune to tragedy or heartache, at least not for very long. 

Most of us muddle along as best we can. Karen's film is about a woman who faced adversity with rare courage and unyielding resolve. The film is less than 9 minutes long; please give it a look, and maybe remember the old adage. A kind word or even a smile to a stranger could be more important than you'll ever realize.

Holding Hands on Vimeo

My Super Bowl Prediction

Sorry this is posting so late. I'm sure quite a few people have placed wagers on the outcome of the Super Bowl, and I'm about to announce the winner and the final score. To anyone who loses money because they weren't able to follow my advice, I'm really sorry.

And the winner is: The Atlanta Braves, by a final score of 24-love. The game was close, early on, but toward the bottom of the 4th inning, the Braves shot 4 under par on the tenth and 11th holes, and the Celtics couldn't catch up. Great game, though! Lots of, er, ball-running, dribbling, skating, and so forth.

At Last, A Book Cover For The Five Faces

I've had my fun, dragging out the cover reveal. But now it's Friday, which means it's time to get serious, and stop posting nonsense.

An actual book cover is posted below. No more Rick Astley videos, no more hands, no more close-ups of suspenders.

So here he is, Markhat, in the flesh....

No, wait, that's not it. But, note to self -- need more hand lotion.

I don't often pose with book covers, but when I do, I pose with this one.

Don't even ask.

Okay, enough procrastination. Drumroll, please!

Wait for it....

Wait for it...

ta-DAA!!

It's a masterpiece, is it not? Although frankly Markhat seems to have let himself go a bit...

I said *a* book cover, not *the* book cover...

Cover Mea Culpa.

Yesterday, I did a bad thing.

I described a beautiful the new book cover and taunted you with the news that Markhat's face would be revealed at last.

Then, where the full cover image should have gone, I posted a cropped version, which only showed Markhat's hand.

Exhibit A.

That wasn't very nice of me, and I apologize.

So now I come before you, humble and filled with a spirit of contrite repentance. Making people wait until Sunday to see Markhat's manly mug is mean.

My plan was to post a portion of the cover each day, right up until Sunday. Today, for instance, I planned on posting the image below:

The suspender of Markhat! Hey, even finders need to keep their pants up around their waist.

But I've seen the error of my ways. I admit I was wrong, and I hope this means we're friends again.

Click here for full image

Revealed at Last: The Face of Markhat

Back in the primordial mists of pre-history (June of 2008), a finder named Markhat made his debut on Amazon with the release of Dead Man's Rain.

I wasn't sure what readers would make of Markhat. I took the heart and soul of a 1940s private eye and plopped him down in Rannit, a bustling city of humans and Ogres by day and a hunting ground for thirsty halfdead by night. Magic works in Markhat's world. Banshees walk the empty streets.The dead don't always rest. As Markhat's friend Mama Hog observes, sometimes even good and dead isn't good enough.

The response to the first Markhat book was good, so along came two more Markhat adventures.

The Cadaver Client finds Markhat working for a guilt-ridden shade. As Markhat soon learns, the dead can be just as treacherous as the living.

In The Mister Trophy, Markhat is hired by a trio of Trolls. The Trolls want the head of their dead cousin back -- but a mad vampire keeps the stuffed Troll head as a trophy, and he'd rather die than part with his possessions.

All three of these titles were then combined in the print anthology The Markhat Files, shown below.

If you've kept an eye on the book covers, you noticed a running theme. We see Markhat, but his fedora always covers his eyes.

This theme continues for the next four books.

Hold the Dark

The Banshee's Walk

The Broken Bell

Still no face! We see Darla on the cover of Brown River Queen, and we almost see Markhat, but the clever devil maintains his air of mystery by stepping in front of a light source at the last moment, hiding his face once again in shadow.

A new Markhat book will be released in June of this year. Entitled The Five Faces, the latest Markhat book cover is done, and I've seen it, and it is gorgeous. Artist KaNaXa, who also created the stunning cover for Brown River Queen, has done two things -- first, she's made what I believe to be the best cover yet for the series. That's high praise, because all the Markhat covers have been amazing.

Second, KaNaXa shows us Markhat's face for the very first time.

No hiding behind the hat. No lurking inside convenient shadows. No peeking around a corner. You get Markhat, standing tall and plain, right there looking back at you.

Every detail is perfect, right down to his clothes. He's wearing the good coat Darla got him for Yule and the black hat he favors when he knows he's heading for trouble. And heading for trouble he is. The Five Faces is no lighthearted romp. 

This new book will mark the eighth title in the series. I've spent a lot of time in Markhat's head, a lot of time seeing out of his eyes. So I have a pretty good idea what the guy should look like.

KaNaXa nailed it. I'm so in love with this new cover it should probably file a restraining order. I believe you're going to love it too!

I'm looking at the new cover right this very moment. All I have to do is upload the image into Blogger so it will appear below. But gosh, all this technical stuff is so confusing! What does 'crop' mean? 'Select?' I hope I don't accidentally post mere portions of the new cover until I finally get it right in Sunday's blog post. That would be terrible.

Maybe it will work. So, without further adieu, I give you this -- Markhat, revealed at last!

Isn't this image supposed to be bigger?

Bwahahaha....

More later!

All of Frank's books, with links to booksellers

Words With: Raechel Henderson of Eggplant Literary Productions

I've got a special treat for you today! There's a real live publisher in the house, and she's going to pull back the curtain and talk about writing, submissions, and the publishing industry from her point of view. 

I'm speaking of Raechel Henderson, owner and operator of Eggplant Literary Productions. Raechel, via Eggplant, publishes Spellbound, a quarterly fantasy magazine aimed at your inner 12-year-old. Raechel has also published a dozen novella length ebooks, in genres ranging from SF to fantasy to horror. And if that wasn't enough to keep her busy, you can also see Miscellanea at the Eggplant site. Miscellanea contains old-school card catalog entries for books which exist in libraries in other dimensions. Click on a card, and read an excerpt from a book that does not (and could not) exist in the here and now.

The image above is from my favorite Spellbound cover. The stories are just as good as the art. We talk about how she selects stories for Spellbound in the interview, but I'll give you a hint here -- twee won't cut it. 

Another beautiful Spellbound cover. As you can see, each issue is themed -- the first cover was from the Dragons issue, and  the one above is for Creatures of the Deep, Dark Woods. 

You don't have to be 12 years old to enjoy Spellbound. If there's still a kid inside you, there's a lot of fun to be had with each issue.

Excerpt from Spiritual Growths

Spellbound isn't Eggplant's only offering. Raechel offers a number of novella and longer length books aimed at, as Raechel joked, 'your outer 37-year old.' 

I only wish I had an outer 37 year old. But the point is valid -- these are for grown-ups. 

Excerpt from The Illusion of Steel 

I've known Raechel since the mid 1990s. She was the first publisher to see something worthwhile in my Wistril the Wizard stories, which she published in the infancy of the ebook. Grab something solid, because in those days, there were no Kindles, no Nooks, no iPads. No tablets at all. The technology was so primitive we had to etch code onto plastic discs with sharp sticks and read them around campfires while the shank of mastodon cooked. Heck, we didn't even have the whole alphabet, just the letters A through G. We had to walk uphill through the snow for nine miles just to boot our DOS-based operating systems. 

My, how far we've come. Raechel has seen all these changes, and has seen them from the other side of the desk. I hope you'll listen to the whole interview, because there's a lot of information there for writers and fans alike.

By the way, any Markhat fans out there will also enjoy Raechel's resident detective, who has two titles among her ebook offerings. Check out this excerpt from My Gun Sleeps Alone, by Martin Clark.

Excerpt from My Gun Sleeps Alone

Humor? You bet! As an admitted sucker for a ghost story, Crystal Lynn Hilbert had me at 'death-by-shaving accident.'

Excerpt from Dead on Arrival

There's a lot to see and read on the Eggplant website. Take a moment and visit, and then you can hear Raechel talk about what makes Eggplant tick in the audio interview linked below.

Click here for the Audio Interview: Words With: Raechel Henderson

I'd like to thank Raechel for taking time out of her busy schedule to grant the interview. And I hope some of you check out Eggplant and consider it as a market! Raechel is good people, and she's deadly serious about professionalism and impeccably high standards. 

Now I'm off to finish the new Markhat book. Take care, people!

Expedition Unknown Live Interview Sing-Along!

Welcome, boys and ghouls, to my appearance as a guest on the Expedition Unknown internet radio show!

I'm Frank Tuttle, large mammal, sometimes author, sometimes amateur paranormal investigator. Tonight we'll be emphasizing the paranormal side of things.

Expedition Unknown is a professional paranormal investigation group based in the Mid-South, an area which covers Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee. Here's a link to their webpage, and here is a link to their YouTube channel, which features a number of fascinating EVP recordings caught during their investigations.

I've prepared this blog entry to showcase my own 3 best pieces of EVP evidence, as well as a few images I found interesting.

I hope you'll pull up this page in one browser tab and listen to the live radio show on TMV Cafe in another. I promise it will be fun -- the shows airs at 8:00 PM CST on Monday January 20. Please join us!

Now, on to my EVPs.

The best one is first. I recorded this in 2012 in Oxford, Mississippi, after a visit to author William Faulkner's grave. It was early evening, just dark. I noted the presence of so many liquor bottles left at Faulkner's grave (a local tradition), and commented 'maybe I should have brought a case.' A female voice I didn't hear during recording said this:

hiphop.mp3

Sounds like 'hiphop' to me. Which is completely out of context, but there it is.

Next up is another EVP, from the same place and time -- Oxford, 2012.

goahead.mp3

If you're interested, the full blog entry associated with these EVP recording is here:

Things That Go Bump, Famous Author Edition

Next up is a laugh, apparently aimed at me, which I recorded in a tiny cemetery in Tula, Mississippi in 2012. I was alone, in broad daylight. I invited any entities to speak, adding that their voices could be recorded by the instrument I held. Listen to what follows.

instrument.mp3

Of all the EVPs I've captured, those are probably the best.

Here is a full set of links to my paranormal-themed blog entries:

The Wild Man of Yocona Bottom.
This contains a full, high-quality 20 *minute* recording of something howling while being pursued by a pack of hounds along the Yocona River, about a mile from my patio. Recorded with a darned good Zoom H1 mic, purely by accident. Very strange.
http://frank-tuttle.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-wild-man-of-yocona-bottom.html

Things That Go Bump, 2013:
http://frank-tuttle.blogspot.com/2013/09/things-that-go-bump-2013-issue-1.html
http://frank-tuttle.blogspot.com/2013/10/things-that-go-bump-1013-issue-2.html
http://frank-tuttle.blogspot.com/2013/10/things-that-go-bump-2013-issue-3.html

Instrumental Trans Communications (pictures!)
http://frank-tuttle.blogspot.com/2013/08/things-that-go-bump-mad-science-edition.html
http://frank-tuttle.blogspot.com/2013/07/thing-that-go-bump-mad-science-edition.html

Below, an image I captured and immediately dubbed 'Mr. Spooky Face.'

A typical mirror-box ITC image, as captured by my mirror box rig.

ITC image captured by the Scole Group. 

Link to the Scole Experiment webpage (1995 called, wants its code back):
The Scole Experiment

Just for fun:
Dead in the Deep South: A Field Guide to Southern Ghosts
http://frank-tuttle.blogspot.com/2013/03/ghost-hunters-guide-dead-in-deep-south.html

Things That Go Bump, 2012:
http://frank-tuttle.blogspot.com/2012/10/things-that-go-bump-chapter-1.html
http://frank-tuttle.blogspot.com/2012/10/things-that-go-bump-chapter-2.html
http://frank-tuttle.blogspot.com/2012/10/things-that-go-bump-chapter-3-graveyard.html
http://frank-tuttle.blogspot.com/2012/10/things-that-go-bump-chapter-4-and-now.html

My webpage:
http://franktuttle.com/

Expedition Unknown

Are you intrigued by all things spooky and mysterious? Do you have Internet access, and a couple of ears?

Great! Let me invite you to join myself and the amazing folks of Expedition Unknown, a TAPS family member organization that conducts paranormal research right here in the Mid-South. Expedition Unknown hosts a paranormal talk show every Monday evening at 8:00 PM CST, and I'm their guest tomorrow night.

We'll be talking about EVP phenomena. Ghost hunting. Cryptids. Local legends. We will each share at least one hair-raising, heart-stopping three-fisted tale of terrifying encounters with That Which Man Should Not Disturb! Or I might play the harmonica while drinking a glass of straight Absinthe. You just never know.

To listen online, just click here. The show is hosted on TMV Cafe's website, so if you go in via the website, just click the radio link to get to the show.

I met Stephen and Tanya at MidSouthCon last year. Expedition Unknown has some fascinating EVP clips on their YouTube channel -- the clips are well worth a listen. Especially if you're all alone, on a dark and stormy night...

Remember, the show is live, and it starts at 8:00 PM CST Monday January 20! There's also a chat room you can join, so you can post questions or mock my accent. Hope to see you there!

Bugs Invade the Moon

When it comes to shiny new gadgets, I'm just a big flightless crow. A big flightless crow lacking wings, feathers, hollow bones, or a beak. True, my crow analogy was fatally flawed and ill-advised, but I hope you got my meaning, which is that I have an unseemly and irrational love for things that make beep noises and have at least one USB port.

So I have a new camera. It's not a fancy digital SLR, because we crows are chronically short on pocket cash. Instead, I picked up a Fuji Finepix SL1000, which is turning out to be every bit as much fun as a $1500 Canon.

For instance, the following image of the Moon. I took this from my backyard at around 6:00 AM this morning. I was in my underwear. I realize that detail isn't truly relevant to the quality of the photograph, but I'm told that sex sells.

Anyway, I snapped off this picture without the aid of a tripod. I didn't even steady the camera against a tree.

Not too bad for an off-the-cuff shot! Below are another couple of lunar images. They were taken Friday evening, from my porch, and yes I was wearing pants.

I've seen views of the Moon similar to these before, but only through my telescope. Which suggests a new project for the blog -- I'll build a camera mount for the telescope, and we can probably read the serial numbers on the chassis of the Chinese moon rover. More on that later!

Wait, I promised you a bug. So. Here's a dried cicada skin, shot by the same camera in SuperMacro mode. Cute little devil, isn't he?

Coming Soon

My January 30th blog will feature an audio interview with publisher Raechel Hendersen, owner and prime mover behind Eggplant Literary Productions and Spellbound children's fantasy magazine. You won't want to miss this one, especially if you're a writer. I'll be sure to keep my fat yap shut and let Raechel do most of the talking!

Writing Update

Markhat admonishes me to write faster.

It appears I may finish the new Markhat right on schedule. After I post this blog, work on the second round of edits for The Five Faces, and join my crow brethren in the tree for a bit of squawking and random pecking at a scrap of aluminum foil, I'll start on the new book's final big scene. When it's done, there's the denouement, but those practically write themselves since that's usually the bit that I see first when the idea for the book pops into my head. I see the first draft of The Darker Carnival being done by month's end.

Once the first draft of the new Markhat is done, I'll put it aside for a week while I reboot the Meralda and Mug series. Then I'll devote half of each writing session to beating the first draft of the The Darker Carnival  with a stick. When I'm sure reading The Darker Carnival won't induce nausea, vomiting, or the urge to find a tall overpass, I'll send it off to the Cambrit Street Irregulars, who will beta read the thing.

Meanwhile, the sequel to All the Paths of Shadow will forge ahead. 

The new Mug and Meralda book presents a unique challenge. Will I pitch this one to an agent, submit directly to a publisher, or go it alone and self-publish it?

I love having a publisher. Working with Samhain has been a joy. They provide cover artists, free professional editing, proofreading, marketing, file conversions, a hundred other services without any cost to me whatsoever. Samhain gets me into bookstores around the world and down the block. They're unfailingly professional, and they they get things done. 

If Samhain handled young adult fantasy, I'd send them the Mug and Meralda book in a heartbeat. But they don't, so that's not an option.

On the flip side of the publishing coin, I know enough about ferbling the gizwoks to put out my own Kindle ebook. Let's say I manage to find a great cover artist and enlist the aid of a competent editor -- what's to stop me from putting out the new Mug and Meralda YA book all by myself? Sure, I don't get the marketing engine of a publisher, but the first book has already created a market for the second. 

Oh. The dread phrase 'lots of work, assuming the role of publisher' just rampaged howling through my mind. 

Hmm. Lots to think about. But right now, it's time to squawk at the neighbor's cat. Take care, folks! 

Wild Things

WILD TURKEY

No, not the bourbon. I mean the actual wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo, or as I call him, Mr. Gobbles.

Mr. Gobbles wandered in front of my trail camera yesterday, and had his portrait made. He's a striking bird, and yes that is an almost metallic green you see on his plumage. That means he's a male. If his lady friend was around she was clever enough to avoid having her picture snapped.

We see big flocks of wild turkey in the distance all the time. Seeing this guy up close is a treat. Most of the time they're long gone before you can approach them.

That derelict structure in the background is an old deer stand, long abandoned. 

The image above is Mr. Gobbles. He appears to be inspecting the camera. He's probably wondering if he can use it as a Wifi hotspot.

As long as I'm posting critter pics, here's one of Lou Ann, posing triumphantly at the peak of Two Thousand Millimeter Mountain:

And here's another Lou pic, as she enjoys her obligatory dip in the pond.

I've heard no repeats of the call I recorded (The Wild Man of Yocona Bottom), so either Bigfoot has rented a condo closer to town or he's learned to do his yelling in a bucket so the neighbors don't raise a fuss.

BOOK GIVEAWAY

I'm giving away a free signed copy of All the Paths of Shadow this week! To win it, all you have to do is email me (franktuttle at franktuttle dot com) with the CORRECT COUNT of the gargoyles in the picture above. The first person to offer a correct summation of the gargoyles contained in the image wins. 

I'll sign the book however you want and mail it out free of charge. Just get the number right.

Good luck!

RANDOM WRITING ROOM: THE EVILS OF HEAD-HOPPING

Look in any writing how-to book and you'll find pages and pages of advice on how to best handle point of view. 

Point of view takes many forms. First person. Second person. Third person omniscient.  The Unreliable Narrator.  Third Person Objective. 

Your choices are many. 

I'm not going to list each and every possible POV and the advantages and disadvantages thereof.  I tend to stick with first person in my Markhat stories, and third person omniscient in most of my other titles. But here's one thing I will tell you about point of view -- pick one, and stick with it. 

One of the dangers in shifting a POV is called 'head-hopping.' It's jarring and distracting. 

Here's an example, to show you what I mean. Assume that Mary is our heroine, and this passage takes place somewhere in the middle of the story: 

Mary frowned. "I don't know if I can get all this done before Saturday, Mr. Smith." Mary fought to keep her voice from shaking. Of course I can't get all this work done before Saturday, she thought.  No one could, and he knows it, and he's just being cruel. 

"I have perfect faith in you," said Mr. Smith. He allowed himself a triumphant smile. You'll work all night every night because you have no choice, he mused, watching Mary fight back tears. You'll do what I say, because I'm the boss. 

  

That's an example of head-hopping. It's perfectly fine to show the reader what Mary is thinking, because she's the heroine, and we get to see what's going on inside her. 

But her boss, Mr. Smith, is off limits. Jumping into his head reveals things Mary simply cannot know. And since Mary's character is our point of view character, we need to stay in her head and her head alone, especially if this is a short story. 

Let's amend that exchange above to avoid head-hopping. 

Mary frowned. "I don't know if I can get all this done before Saturday, Mr. Smith." Mary fought to keep her voice from shaking. Of course I can't get all this work done before Saturday, she thought.  No one could, and he knows it, and he's just being cruel. 

"I have perfect faith in you," said Mr. Smith.  He smiled a thin little smile and leaned forward, putting his face close to Mary's.  His eyes met hers. "You won't disappoint me, will you, Mary? Because you like this job, don't you? You need this job, isn't that right?" 

Mary blinked and looked away. "Yes sir," she said. "Yes sir." 

We see Mary's thoughts. But what goes on in Mr. Smith's head is as much a mystery to us as it is to Mary, although he makes it clear from his words and his actions that he's a bully, and he enjoys being a bully. 

You'll be pleased to learn that Mr. Smith is later set upon by raging giant weasels, and Mary inherits his job and gives herself a raise. Hopefully you also learned the basics of avoiding head-hopping. It's a bad practice. Avoid it with as much vigor as you would avoid raging weasels of giant stature.   

 

WRITING UPDATE

First round edits on The Five Faces are back with the publisher. I am more than 70% done with the new Markhat book, The Darker Carnival, assuming I wind up with a manuscript fairly close to the projected word count. 

Since I'm meeting or exceeding my 1500 word per day target, I could finish the first draft this month. My very first Word file entitled The Darker Carnival is dated mid-October, so if I make my January deadline that will mean I started and finished a rough draft in around three months.

If you look at the math, writing a book in 90 days isn't impossible. At 1500 words per day that's 135,000 words, after cutting a quarter of those away you're left with around 100K. 

It's not necessary to be a verb-slingin' superman to write a book quickly -- A steady pace and commitment to daily goals is all you really need. 

I've never managed to pull it off before. I hope I can do it again!

Oh, and not that I'm plugging a book, but here's a book I'm plugging:

And here's the link to the book I'm not plugging:

Brown River Queen

If you've read the book already and liked it and haven't had a chance to leave a review, there's a link, wink wink nudge nudge...

Okay, back to work for me! Take care, and see you next week!