Lessons Learned

I haven’t given up on this blog. More to the point, I haven’t given up on writing. But I have learned a few things. Least of which is that this profession isn’t a kind one. Worse than the blank stares from people who don’t understand my wish to write for a living are the compliments and encouragement from friends and family that have led me here. Not to say that they were wrong to do so, their kindness simply left me so wildly unprepared for the scathing criticism that awaited me that I can’t help but be weary of it.

But it’s okay. I’m stronger for it. And as a result, I’m going to be switching gears a bit. Mixing things up. Novels are high risk investments. Between raising a family and working, time is more precious than ever. Because of this, I’ve decided to redirect my focus on smaller projects first, namely, children’s books. My brain needs the equivalent of a breath mint to wash the taste that writing—for all intents and purposes—a failed novel has left me with. I’ve also decided to make these books, and the new website dedicated to them, free. All of it. Buying my ebooks is a risk on the part of the consumer, and I’d like to reduce that risk in favor of gaining some fans.

So begins a new experiment. Visit Jaloma Books.com to watch it unfold, and stay tuned to Cafe Lopez to hear how it’s going!

And as always, keep writing!

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Lunar Eclipse: Blink, and It’s Over.

Blink.

Last night the winter solstice coincided with a lunar eclipse. The first response to come out of my mouth when asked if I would stay up to see it was, why bother? A million pictures better than anything I could ever see on my own were sure to pop up the next day, so losing sleep just to say I saw it live seemed, well, pointless. Even so, I set my alarm, and at 2:31 am my cheek was pressed up against a window as I watched history unfold. Of all the emotions to experience, I felt something I haven’t felt for sometime now…

Fear.

The moon, an absolute that I take for granted, was cast in shadow by forces I couldn’t begin to understand. My problems, my neighborhood’s problems, my city’s, the state’s, the world’s, they all disappeared with the sunlight, their insignificance brighter to me in their absence than they ever were out in the open. Moment’s like these, when nature puts me firmly back in my place, remind me of my one and only fear: nonexistence. In the same time that it takes me to write this blog, I will cease to exist. Don’t believe me? Okay. Blink. If that seems familiar, it’s because it’s the first thing I asked you to do in this post. Yet even now, both blinks are a part of your past, no more so than the third time I’ll ask the same of you, even if you haven’t done it yet. The future is the past, we’ve all already slipped into nonexistence.

Us, those who loved us, the very memory of us, gone.

Still, I cling to the now that slips from my grasp, I claw at the present as though I might catch hold of it. If all I have are memories until I become one myself, I’ll be damned if I don’t fill them with as much love, friends, family, cooking, and writing as I can, while I can. So for those of you who missed the eclipse:

Blink.

See? It’s already a memory.

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Triple Chocolate…fiction?

Well, it’s been a heck of a week. My daughter, Lucy Marie Lopez, was born Nov. 23, 2010, and it’s been a roller coaster ride from beginning to end. I’ve been changing diapers, entertaining, cooking, changing diapers, and yes, even writing (but not much, to be sure)! Unfortunately, in that same passage of time we lost some notable celebrities, in particular, Irvin Kershner, director of, among others, The Empire Strikes Back. That’s right, for those of you who aren’t die hard fans of the Star Wars films (myself included), George Lucas only directed the first of the original trilogy, which probably has something to do with why they’re held in such higher regard than  the latest installments of the toy obsessed franchise. This seldom mentioned fact got me to thinking: here was a man who avoided the limelight for the sake of his craft, whose passion for his work overrode is desire for recognition, admirable qualities, no doubt, but should they be emulated by aspiring writers?

So often on blogs and Twitter I see writers tooting their own horns, speaking with such confidence that one can’t help but listen/read. I know that I should be doing the same thing, but knowing and executing are two very different things. I don’t care if I don’t have hundreds of followers or blog subscriptions, but I don’t want to shoot myself in the foot either. So the question is, can I effectively market myself and remain as humble and passionate about my work as Mr. Kershner, or should I jump on a podium and announce my presence from every outlet I can get my paws on? Probably the second, but I think I’ve come up with a viable alternative: the candy aisle.

Let me explain.

People are reluctant to invest in new writers. Lack of reviews, preponderance of alternatives, and general mistrust of so called “self-published authors” prevent consumers of digital media from shelling out money on little known authors. I don’t blame them. When I go the supermarket (which I try to avoid at all costs, as I much prefer farmers markets), I rarely, if ever, go with the intention of buying candy. But every so often, as I stand in line politely avoiding my bad habit of trying to figure out the lifestyle of the person standing in front of me based on what they’re buying, I’ll reach for whatever new twist on a classic candy has just come out. It’s cheap, and for all I know, I’ll discover a new favorite treat. The latest? Triple chocolate Kit Kats. Yum.

My writing needs a candy aisle. People should have access to a cheap taste of what I have to offer, and at $7.99, The Dead Don’t Cry isn’t going to cut it. So I’ve decided on running a series of short stories called Tales from Two Earths. Each one will feature different people, places, and events from the world of TDDC, and in so doing introduce readers to my writing for the bargain price of $.99 each. The first one is underway, and I couldn’t be more excited. At the very least, it’s better than beating my chest every chance I get. Unless I’m pretending to be Tarzan with the kids, in which case it isn’t nearly as exciting.

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Believe in Yourself, Bub.

So our bathroom is being remodeled, and the time has finally come to paint. Being the obsessive compulsive that I can be (it once took me eight hours to mow a lawn, let alone four years to write a book), I’ve promptly taken over for our contractor, not trusting him to those perfectly symmetrical lines of color that I’ve come to love. As soon as I gave him the good news, the first thing he asked (after hugging me) was what color we were going to use. I told him brown (coffee bean), to which he promptly replied, in his thick Brooklyn accent:

“Brown? You kiddin me? Really? Brown? It’s going to make the room feel tiny, mo. Really? Brown?”

It gets better. Our (usually) supportive landlord’s response:

“No, I don’t mind. You going to paint it white before you leave?”

Where’s the trust? The vision? The support? No where! And you know what? I can’t blame them. Were they recently inspired by a trip to IKEA like Jen and I were? No. Where they (and are they ever) able to see outside of whites and creams? Nope. And could I have given the contractor advice on how to have done his job better? Hell no. But wait…what does that have to do with anything?

Some most people have opinions on things they really aren’t qualified to judge. A Northern New Jersey police officer and an unlicensed contractor should defer to a designer (best bud), retailer (wifey), and, well, me, but that didn’t stop them from speaking their mind, or from being wrong (it looks great!). Not convinced? Consider this anecdote:

When I was eight years old, I was actively drawing and writing stories. Dubious of my parents’ opinions regarding my work, I cooked up an experiment. After tracing an image of the comic book hero, Wolverine, I showed them the finished product, and after claiming to have made him up all on my own, asked if they thought he’d make for a cool superhero…

They didn’t like him.

So whether you’re writing a book, or pursuing a dream that no one seems to understand, do yourself a favor and learn to filter the constructive criticism from the bad. Just imagine where we’d be today if Marvel had consulted with my parents…

That’s right. Summers without Superhero movies!

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Block the Hate!

If you ask my kids what sunglasses are they’ll tell you they’re called ‘hater-blockers.’ And if you ask them what hater-blockers are for?

To block the hate.

When I was a child, all I remember people telling me was to follow my dreams. Want to be an artist? Great! Draw and follow your dreams! Want to be a world record shattering runner? Fantastic! Keep running and challenge yourself to be great! Reach for the stars, the sky’s the limit, never give up, be all you can be (ok, the last one may have come from my Army recruiter, but you get the idea). And then I became an adult, and curiously enough, the rhetoric changed. Suddenly it’s get a real job, you need security, but what about your future?

What happened?

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“In the Biz” with blogger Rebecca Hargreaves

Two weeks ago, we had the privilege of hosting artist Jake Murray for our “In the Biz” column. This week, we return to writers with blogger Rebecca Hargreaves from Diary of a Virgin Novelist. Whether you’re looking to write your first e-book, or determined to go the traditional route, Rebecca’s fearlessly candid responses are as refreshing as they are inspiring. But don’t take my word for it…

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Rejection and Time Management

I haven’t been devoting much time to the blog lately due to the final developmental stages on the book. But this I had to share:

Dear Mark,

Thank you for your query, and I apologize for the delay in response.  I have reviewed the work, and decided to pass at this time.  I wish you the best of luck, and success in the publishing world.

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No (Wo)man is an Island

Manoj Shyamalan‘s latest film, The Last Airbender, is being shredded by negative reviews. Roger Ebert emphatically calls it an “agonizing experience in every category I can think of and others still waiting to be invented. Mel Valentin, from Cinematical.com takes his criticism one step further, arguing that “The Last Airbender” fails without reservation or qualification in every conceivable category: story, characters, dialogue, and performances.” So imagine my surprise when my friend and colleague, Jonathan McGough, decided to go watch it anyway. When I asked him why, he gave me the following response:

Sometimes rather than learning how to do things from great examples, you can truly learn how not to do something.

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4 Risks to Building Your Platform

I’m new to the internet game, at least insofar as it comes to writing. Several months ago, I read that an author needs to build a platform if he wants to be taken seriously – so I set about doing just that. It’s been a great ride, and I’ve met some wonderful people along the way, but there are some things about this game that concern me. Participating in blogs, Twitter, Facebook, forums, NaNoWriMo, or any of the gamut of writing outlets, despite the benefits, comes with some serious risks. Here are four of them:

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Plotting: Part II: Addicted to Plot

What do slot machines, video games, and smart plotting have in common?

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In the Mood for Guacamole

I love guacamole. Love it. I can eat it plain, on chips, in tacos, burritos, or over rice. Doesn’t matter. It’s that authentic Mexican flavor that I crave. No matter where I’m at, or what time of year it is, good guacamole is one of those rare dishes that can transform a glum, rainy day into a warm, sunny afternoon. This is the power of harmony. It isn’t the avocado that I love, nor is it the onions, tomatoes, cilantro, or lime. It’s the flavor that’s produced when each of these ingredients are combined that makes the dish the culinary treasure that it is. The same holds true for mood. A combination of smaller elements, mood is the product of carefully placed ingredients peppered throughout a scene/chapter/book. With just the right proportions, it can be used to wonderful effect.

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Plotting: Part I

It’s been three years since I started writing The Dead Don’t Cry, three years since I’ve really had to think about my elusive friend, the plot. The last time I wrote about him, I talked about delving into the minds of your characters, letting them do all the legwork. Useful as that can be, the actual art tends to be a bit more gritty, considerably more hands on. We’ve all heard the saying: there’s a story in each and every one of us. What no one told us was just how piecemeal that story actually is.

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Publishing: A Raw Deal

[My Best Friend] : What do you mean they want you to market your own book?

[Me] : They’re cutting costs across the board. Since we now have the ability to market ourselves, they don’t feel it’s necessary.

[My Best Friend] : I feel it’s necessary that you find an alternative.

He isn’t the only one. After another polite/generic rejection letter, I have to ask myself: what the hell am I doing? I’ve spent my adult life going against the norm, yet when it comes to my single biggest investment in time and money, I’m relying on a dinosaur to pluck me out of obscurity. Stupid. Don’t believe me? Let’s do some homework.

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Bacon, Eggs, and Prose

My girlfriend makes the absolute best bacon and eggs. Crusty, amazingly soft Tuscan bread slathered in butter, moist yet crisp, hickory smoked bacon, and slowly scrambled eggs infused with complimentary notes of garlic, pepper, the wonderful creaminess of my dear friend, milk, and extra bits of  bacon thrown in for good measure. Top it all off with tea (milk and sugar), and you have the kind of morning that I could happily wake up to for the rest of my life. So, I have to ask – will anyone ever find my writing nearly as satisfying?

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A Small Token of Appreciation

I won’t be adding a ‘real’ post until tomorrow, but for right now I would like to steal a moment to say thank you. Thank you for visiting my site, checking out my posts, and sharing your thoughts. Although I’ve only just started blogging, the sense of community here has truly become an unanticipated highlight in my daily routine. I tend to criticize social networking sites (such as facebook/myspace) for replacing genuine friendship with stripped down attention deficit correspondence – and while I still think that to be the case, I didn’t expect to find this level of support anywhere else on the web. Simply put, after a long, stressful day, coming home to engaging comments and a satisfying ‘hit count’ puts a smile on this writer’s face. So again, thank you – and keep on writing!

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Pass the Gravy

I have a deep, dark secret that I’m going to share with you: I’ve watched many, many more movies than I’ve read books. The sacred rule is that writers must read – voraciously – and in so doing I’ve broken that rule. Often. More often than not, in fact. Which raises the obvious question: am I qualified to write?

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Writing without Windows

Overlooking the excitement of being a father-to-be, sitting in the OBGYM can be fairly boring. The absence of a laptop (left it at home) and the fact that my game of brick breaker was abruptly interrupted (thanks, Jen) certainly didn’t help either. But one thing did. The windows. Permanently bolted shut, they were about as authentic as Twinkies, but I was nevertheless drawn to them (also true for Twinkies ). I watched sunlight trickle through, clouds roll past, the occasional bird collide violently into the pane (I’m kidding, of course…it was more of a gentle thud). Trapped within concrete and steel barriers, two sheets of glass saved me from an uncomfortable fit of claustrophobia.

This same phenomenon applies to writing.

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The Elusive Plot

Objectivity doesn’t exist. Something happens, and the moment it’s over the only thing we are left with is our interpretation of what took place. “Facts,” an equally slippery term, are as a result hardly as important as the impact.

The impact.

Few resources are as rich with storytelling potential as our reaction to something that’s happened. Are we offended, pleased, indifferent? Outraged, pacified, left wanting? The gamut of emotions knows no bounds, and herein is the key to creating a great story. Visualize the scenes that come to us before our book is written, images that we replay over and over in our imagination without a clear concept of where they belong, and then populate them with people. People we’re interested in, personalities we want to explore in our writing, individuals who linger over our shoulder, demanding that we tell their story…and then watch and see how they react.

From their reactions, and the inevitable counter reactions, emerges our plot.

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Writing without Rules

“It doesn’t matter how good your writing is, if it isn’t formatted properly, no one will give it the time of day.”

I’ll never forget the day those words were spoken to me. They were my introduction into what ultimately became a frightening foreshadowing of the future of fiction. “Learn the art of writing,” my creative writing professor insisted, “and success will surely follow.” The art, as it turned out, was a model painstakingly deconstructed into universal archetypes, familiar themes, conventional plots, etc., by a handful of books on writing.

I was never more offended.

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