Sunday, July 30, 2006

ZOMBIE NOVEL: 4th Draft Continues

Deathbreed: A Zombie Novel
Chapters 1-11 completed! That's 142,000 words (roughly 370 pages). Who knew I was writing an epic, LOL? Doubtless the word/page count will continue to climb, as there are still 19 chapters left to revise... It seems like I'm adding at least a couple pages to every chapter between drafts!

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

ZOMBIE NOVEL: 4th Draft Update

The 4th Draft of my zombie novel, Deathbreed, continues...

Chapters 1-8 out of 30 (plus prologue and epilogue) revised after pulling an all-nighter. Lot of little details to tidy up, plus added about 10 pages worth of new content to existing scenes between the 2nd and 4th draft so far, including the prologue and a new epilogue (ending). The novel is currently over "350 pages" (approx. 135,000 words) and getting better everyday!

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, the 4th Draft incorporates advance reader feedback.

Monday, July 24, 2006

ZOMBIE NOVEL: 4th Draft Underway

Got the first batch of notes back from those who read the 2nd draft; they loved it and had no major changes, just a lot of little things, some nitpicky, some not. Going through Deathbreed's 3rd Draft now with a fine-tooth comb based on their feedback. That means the 4th Draft has begun...

I'll do a 5th Draft, just to be safe, and incorporate 3rd and 4th draft reader feedback. Hopefully, I won't need to do a 6th Draft, as I'd like to get moving on other issues, like the book's release, lol, and starting another novel. Hang in there--the end is in sight!

Sunday, July 23, 2006

SEXY ZOMBIE CAR WASH

Zombieduck Films did a kick-ass music video for Naked Ape's Fashion Freak song, featuring the band getting a car wash by sexy female zombies, including an undead "Paris Hilton" type!

Check it out. Catchy song, sexy zombies!

Saturday, July 22, 2006

Arrh, Mateys! Here be Pirates to shiver yer timbers!

The Black Swan was just released on DVD last week in a beautiful restored version. It stars Laird Cregar (the creepy cop from I Wake Up Screaming) as Captain Henry Morgan (yes, he's got a little captain in him!). Great TECHNICOLOR film about the last days of the pirates. Also stars Tyrone Power and Maureen O'Hara in a sizzling romance with crackling dialogue.

The Master of Ballantrae is another of my faves and one you don't hear about very much. A Scottish lord stands accused of betraying the English crown and takes to the high seas...

I think my favorite pirate movie is still The Sea Hawk, though. Or was it Captain Blood?

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

ZOMBIE NOVEL: Third Draft Complete!

After pulling an all day and all-nighter (and part of the day before), I'm pleased to say the Third Draft of DEATHBREED is now complete, and the novel is finally ready to test-read by unsuspecting victims... I anticipate one more polish (an unheard of for me Fourth Draft) based on reader feedback, then I can call the text done and start pestering the graphic artist for the cover and promo art...

ZOMBIE NOVEL: Third Draft Underway

Third Draft of DEATHBREED underway... A quick polish, adding in a few extra bits here and there, punching up chapter endings, spellchecking, etc. Should be done very shortly...

Monday, July 17, 2006

ZOMBIE NOVEL: Second Draft Complete!

Just finished the Second Draft of DEATHBREED! Woohoo! Rock on! It's 336 pages, laid out in 11 pt. Garamond as a 9x6 perfect bound (trade paperback/softcover). Or, if you prefer, 128,288 words.

Friday, July 14, 2006

ZOMBIE NOVEL: Promo Art Photoshoot

Went to a photoshoot for the DEATHBREED promotional art tonight. Did the zombie make-up myself and played one of several undead present.

Here's a sample (untouched) pic of me as a zombie... Scary, huh? Now I just turn them over to the graphic artist and he makes the magic happen in Photoshop...

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

ZOMBIE NOVEL: Second Draft Update

Still kicking ass on the DEATHBREED Second Draft...

I've reworked the ending a bit while essentially keeping it intact. But it's much more powerful now and manages to wrap up a few loose ends. Maybe I'll offer multiple endings online or something, LOL.

Spent some time laying it out--just to see what it would look like in a possible final, published form. 316 pages (125,188 words at the moment); that's as a 9x6 Perfect Bound Softcover, in 11 pt. Garamond type (and growing, as the Second Draft continues).

I expect the Second Draft to be finalized over the weekend...

Thursday, July 06, 2006

ZOMBIE NOVEL: Second Draft Underway

Now begins the long and painful editing process of DEATHBREED... The dreaded Second Draft! The good news is, going back and rereading the early chapters was not the nail-biting "is it any good?" experience I was worried about. There's definitely a novel here, and a damn good one, IMO. Not that it doesn't need polishing... A little trim here, a little added there, but overall, it is kicking ass. I love it and believe in it, and that's what's most important. Hopefully, my fans and the public will embrace it as well--though the book is so delightfully, unrelentingly vicious I don't expect much mainstream appeal. Which is fine. I create my art first and foremost for myself; if others dig it, even better. If not, well--screw 'em. You can't please everyone!

THE MATADOR (2005): Movie review

Wow! The Matador is Pierce Brosnan's best performance ever and one of the finest black comedies in years! If you like quirky, sleazy, dark comedies where the humor arises naturally from the characters and their situations, this film is for you.

Pierce Brosnan plays burned-out international assassin Julian Noble, a complete sociopath with no friends, who kills the pain inside with liquor and sex. One night in between jobs, he runs into salesman Greg Kinnear, and the two strike up an unlikely friendship...

It's hilarious watching the lonely, friendless assassin struggle to actually engage a normal person in friendly conversation, because he has to overcome years of training to avoid relationships as well as his own personal demons and sociopathic tendencies. He's not a nice guy by any stretch of the imagination (although he might be as far as cold, ruthless assassins go). Pierce plays this character perfectly; we get a two-dimensional, flawed but charming person who just happens to kill people for a living. It was superbly realistic; exactly how I imagine one of these people might be in real life. Charming, yes; likable, sure; but not particularly sympathetic. He is a manipulative, lying murderer, but that doesn't mean you can't hang out and have fun with him. Certainly, it's a pleasure to watch!

The film starts with a bang (literally) and plays well for the first hour but bogs down [i]just a little bit[/i] after that (I don't want to hand out any spoilers), before picking up again for the climax. I was laughing out loud, cringing in delight, and trying to second-guess what was going to happen next the whole time. This is definitely worth a rental or even owning--and I hardly ever buy any DVDs anymore.

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

ZOMBIE NOVEL: DONE!

Rock on! I just finished the first draft of DEATHBREED: A Zombie Novel at 8 o' clock PST tonight. Clocking in at 124,694 words, it's just under the 125,000 max I was shooting for! YAY!!! I did it!

ZOMBIE NOVEL: 120,000 Words - Nearly Done!

Okay, I stayed up all night and am almost done with my novel Deathbreed; the current word count is a whopping 120,000 words and there's just a little ways left to go... 5-10,000 words or so with a quickie epilogue.

Then begins the merry game of going in and editing the damn thing... the infamous Second Draft! Aw, fudge it. I'm not even gonna think about that right now. I got a reason to celebrate!

Sunday, July 02, 2006

ZOMBIE NOVEL: 110,000 Words And Counting!

I had a major brainstorming session tonight and fleshed out what I think is going to be the ending of my novel (thanks to everyone who voted in the poll on my messageboard!), as well as several other major issues between the characters that needed to be resolved before I could continue. Then I spent the past couple hours pushing forward, resulting in another major scene getting done. I'm at 110,000 words now... Every word gets me one step closer to done!