Beware the Ides of August (aka Challenge Time)

Right I need to start kicking my own ass if I am ever to be a successful writer.  I'm finding it difficult to get anything done and very easy to get distracted at the moment.  True, the move to the new cottage hasn't really been conducive to a creative environment but that's not really a good enough excuse.  I have to admit that I miss my weekly writing get together with my dear friend and muse Cherie.  The challenges we would set each other was a fantastic motivator.

That is why I am going to set myself a challenge.  Over the month of August I am going to write at least one short story a week.  If at the end of the week I have succeeded, I shall reward myself with something delicious.  Probably a trip to the chippy (my favourite thing).

I know it's still July but as there are only a couple of days left I'm going to start today.  By the end of the week you should see a post on here with a link to the completed version of At Sleeps Twilight Gate.

All ahead Mr Sulu, warp factor six.

At Sleeps Twilight Gate

Okay I promised you a treat this week and here it is; A sneak preview from my latest short: At Sleeps Twilight gate

This is my first attempt at something Lovecraftian in style.  As always let me know what you think.

I fear when it is time to sleep.  I fear, for I know that must once again pass that twilight between the conscious and unconscious world.  That terrible place which has come to be both my purgatory, and my ecstasy.

I am uncertain how long it has been since that first time.  Days, months even years may have passed since I first journeyed away from myself and entered that world of strange and lost beings.  Time has lost much of its meaning for me now.

I still remember that night as I lay in my bed.  The recent nights had been muggy and warm, so I kept the window of my bedroom open.  I wonder now if things would have been different had I of decided, instead, to shut the outside world away.  The sounds of the night drifted in on the cool, gentle breeze, slowly lulling me to sleep.  I could feel the heavy, relaxed euphoria that one experiences as the waking world drifts away and I surrendered to it.  The sounds from outside became became more and more distant, fading to nothing.

That is when it happened, when I first heard that damnable noise that would signal my transition.  It was like the terrible neighing of a suddenly startled horse, yet it carried with it a malice that goes beyond description.  My mind became suddenly sharpened at this new, alien noise.  Without knowing exactly how and when I got there, I found myself at my window, looing down onto the street below my modest apartment.

That Is Not Dead..And I Mean Me

To quote the great Mark Twain:

"The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated"


It's been a long time since I've written anything.  Not just on here but in general.  All of that, however, is about to change.

This past year has been wild for me.  The move back to Guernsey, my engagement to my school sweetheart (well crush...well object of my stalking).  All of this has lead to the neglect of my writing.  And to be honest I think it did me good.  I feel I can return to my WIPS with a fresh perspective and some new ideas.

I will, of course still be working on Maidens Song (another rewrite) as well as keeping up with my short stories.  In fact I'm currently working on something which is a little Lovecraftian in nature.

Stay tuned for more info (and maybe a little teaser) on that one.

I feel the call of the narrative once again.

Happy New Year

A very happy new year to everyone. All the best for 2012

- Jim

Reflections and Resolutions

Greetings all,

I hope you all had a wonderful Chranukwanzadan.

This one was very special for me as it was the first one I have been able to spend with my family since 2004. As I sit and contemplate this, I find myself looking at the coming new year with a new perspective. In recent years, around this time, I've faced the new year with trepidation and dread. As you all know, 2010 was not exactly a good year for me and coming into 2011 was daunting to say the least. If you had told me a year ago that I would be not only back home engaged to my school crush, I would have laughed in your face. Yet here I am, happy as can be.

So this year instead of the normal resolutions I've decided to give something back. Recently I became aware of the charity ICAN. This is a charity that helps children with communication problems. They say it better than I could so:

We are the children’s communication charity. I CAN’s mission is to ensure that no child who struggles to communicate is left out or left behind. Our vision is a world where all children and young people who struggle to communicate receive the help they need so that they can have a happy childhood, make progress at school and thrive as adults.

I grew up with (and still have) speech problems. It would have been fantastic to have had the support of a group like this. So this new years resolution is to support these guys. My first pledge is to donate to the Adopt A Word program.

Now I know this might look like a token effort so I have something larger up my sleeve to raise money. I can't go into too much detail just yet as it's all in the initial stages. Let's just say it will involve facing quite a few of my fears at one time. Not spiders though...that's just not going to happen...EVER!!

So what have you wonderful people decided to do this year?

Happy Primary Gift Giving Festival Day

A very merry Christmas to all of you out there in meat land.

J B

Let Us Never Forget

At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, I looked over my homeland, once occupied and enslaved and I gave a silent thank you.