Well, it’s been awhile since I discussed progress on Sooley Base, the second novel of the Tessera Trilogy. I’ve been converting my many scribbled notes, with new character names, scenes, dialogue ideas, and action into several Word documents. Have also taken a separate set of notes and imposed a tentative sequence of action, so the notes will be in rough order of appearance in the novel. Now I need to merge these two sets, and insert them into the very rough chapterization I came up with months ago. This should, over a week or two, give me a rough draft to work with. I’ve no idea of word count at this time, but anticipate the full novel will max out at about 100 to 125,000 words. Wish me luck, and a minimum of distractions.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Blog entry 71
Another “Hints for the Holidays” follows. These will sequence through the entire novel, not telling the entire story, but providing glimpses that will tantalize.
Padrick Marcus Michael O’Toole, AKA Tooley, was frequently the first suspect of the police. His acknowledged pranks included lighting a bonfire across a road on Halloween and hanging rotten pumpkins at windshield level above those same roads weeks later. He was suspected of chaining the rear axle of Lieutenant Libby’s car to a tree one night. Nothing was proven; the case remained humorously open.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Blog entry 70
Another “Hints for the Holidays” follows. These will sequence through the entire novel, not telling the entire story, but providing glimpses that will tantalize.
They met at the town jail to update the HUA files. These files were tales of the most recent incidences of concern in the town and were at once sad, joyous, or evil to their core. Shared with smirks and laughter by the towns’ police, each file included some tale of assault, juvenile prank, robbery, suspicious fire, even the occasional instance of citizen bravery and courage. The files were the usual sort of shit only shitbirds could bring to such a small town. The suspects or perpetrators were all documented in excruciating detail. Barely one drawer at the jail held the HUA files, about and by people who evidently had their Heads Up their Ass because of what they did, or the excuses they blurted out for whatever event had transpired.
If you decide to purchase Golden Gate I’d be very interested in your suggestions. You can provide them to dptolan@gmail.com or post them to the blog http://tesseratrilogy.blogspot.com . OR, you can post them on the Barnes and Noble, or Amazon book sales websites. THANKS!
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Blog entry 69
Well its real, its for sale … What you say! What is for sale?
Golden Gate, the first of the thrilling novels of The Tessera Trilogy by author DP Tolan.
Check it out – on amazon.com, on Sony’s ebookstore, on Barnes and Noble. Just Google DP Tolan or Golden Gate at any of these websites and you’ll be on the edge of your seats.
He woke frantically - Why were Arabia 's worst terrorists
working at a gold mine, and were America
really buried beneath its sands?
Weblinks to purchase Golden Gate by DP Tolan –
Another bit of the novel’s web unfolds – Hint for the Holidays -
Some stories endured, others forgotten, whispered only among the select few, as the books were condemned or burned.
Which were true? Were any true, or was each a will of the wisp? If they told of shame did they diminish; from ego did they embellish? The teller told, but the listener edited all, the small, the great … the tragic, the fabled … the comic and the sad. The tales were told, and re-told - they endured. They were shared, passed down, from generation to generation, treasured by both the teller and the listener. The fabric remained, but the threads were torn, rewoven, dyed a different shade, ‘til the design seemed worn and inscrutable, difficult to discern.
ENJOY!!!!!!!!
Friday, December 16, 2011
Blog entry 68
Another Hint for the Holidays
Beyond the piers Gilgash walked, shopped, buying foods and sampling the spices of this pleasant place. He bartered for local coins and cinnamon of his own. Hearing music nearby he walked to listen. The sounds of wooden drums and stringed instruments entered his body, making him move to its rthym. Dancers jumped over swords to the rhythm, accompanied by the high pitched chant of a woman. Around the performers banners of saffron, red and gold billowed in the breeze.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Blog entry 67
I’ve been devoting time, probably too much, to recycling some computers. The majority, after removing personal data, removing old or unusable software, and updating as best possible given the hardware constraints – will be distributed to several friends for donation.
Another “Hints for the Holidays” follows. These will sequence through the entire novel, not telling the entire story, but providing glimpses that will tantalize.
Each crewmember in turn and always when awake or on deck, watched for birds of any shape, size or color. They prayed to see one swoop over the ship, squawking in an unknowable language, no doubt telling the gods of these people from the sands.
Each day started with morning, like the one before, and before, and before that. Most days he detected no visible change, nothing to distinguish this day from another but a storm. Nothing interrupted the numbing monotony that lingered week on week.
Today that changed.
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Golden Gate approaches its introduction – HUZZAH!!!
Received 12/13/2011 - It takes about 10 business days for us to turn the file into an eBook, so if all goes well we should have that ready and complete later this week so that we can start delivery for you late this week and early next week. Amazon and iBooks take about 2-4 days to go live, so it should be starting to show up around mid to late week next week at some of the stores!
If you decide to purchase Golden Gate I’d be very interested in your suggestions. You can provide them to dptola@gmail.com or post them to the blog http://tesseratrilogy.blogspot.com . THANKS!
Monday, December 12, 2011
Blog Entry 66
More characters, the plotline and sequencing for Sooley Base are being worked, for this second novel in The Tessera Trilogy. As the ideas for character names come to me I add them to my character list. One character has to be a Chinese merchant sailor whose revelations tie to another character. To make him more interesting I’ve decided he is really of Mongolian blood from a rural farming community. To fit in and remain undiscovered he must assume the identity of a Han Chinese. Thought you’d be interested in that. Most of these ideas spring forth and get scribbled on notes, then are transcribed into a Word document for revision and insertion into the appropriate place in Sooley Base. I’ll continue to put notes about the writing process on this blog.
A friend provided a number of used monitors and the rest of the gadgets comprising what will become recycled computer systems. Am working my way through them, cannibalizing parts and deleting personal data so these beasts can have a new life. Just another shiny object on the path interrupting progress on Sooley Base.
This morning it was 22 friggin degrees out …. YUKKEE!!
Another “Hints for the Holidays” follows. These will sequence through the entire novel, not telling the entire story, but providing glimpses that will tantalize.
On rising Marcus snuggled next to Amrah, then gave her a large gold Roman coin; she gave him an ancient gold coin engraved with gods dancing to a flute. He quickly learned to treasure the incense she used to perfume their hair … frankincense and myrrh, burned in a vase with coals. At night she ground grains and nuts to extract their oils, mixed this with myrrh and frankincense to make a body ointment – sensual and lingering on the evening wind. She also burned sandalwood to scent their room. The fragrance smelled as if they lived with the very gods.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Blog entry 65
Another “Hints for the Holidays” follows. These will sequence through the entire novel, not telling the entire story, but providing glimpses that will tantalize.
The officers gathered, sat in front of Marcus and glanced from side to side, studying what would be their battlefield in the coming days. Ever cocky, they now wondered if they would see another dawn. Before them stretched the endless red sands, intolerable heat, and the tan colors of a horizon marking a slowly approaching battle. Death and dying could stretch out on every hand; would they be called to the gods? These veterans, tired from the previous day’s efforts gathered to consider the battle that lay ahead. They loosened their leggings, resting weary calves and feet … and sat as though transfixed. What tales would these sands tell, if they could but speak?
Below posted on Facebook
TAGLINES –
Per Wikipedia - A tagline is a variant of a branding slogan typically used in marketing materials and advertising. The idea behind the concept is to create a memorable phrase that will sum up the tone and premise of a brand or product (like a film), or to reinforce the audience's memory of a product. Some taglines are successful enough to warrant inclusion in popular culture.
A friend selected one from a list of possible taglines for Golden Gate – what do you think? Here it is! It will be used on Amazon.com and other e-book marketers.
He woke frantically - Why were Arabia ’s worst terrorists working at a gold mine, and were America
28 frickin degress out this morning, Saturday, December 3, 2011
Blog entry 64
The Tessera Trilogy begins …
The officers walked across the dark red sands of the camp, suppressing fears of the coming battles. They walked with confidence, adjusting their weapons and chatting idly among themselves, confident their battle experience – with no defeats – would mean an easy, quick defeat of this “rabble.” Their certainty of victory spread to their men, confident the coming battle would be a rout of their barbarian foes. They were wrong in their certainty.
Here the novel and the trilogy start. I leave it to your imagination as to the setting and time frame. Does it build interest and suspense?
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Blog entry 63
BIG NEWS!!!!
About my writing process, I’ve been doing Word searches for selected words that can weaken a novel. I’ve been searching for and eliminating, revising the wording around or leaving such words as “it”, “some”, “soon”, “had” (too passive), and “just.” The final revisions are incorporated; the final word count is only 92,768! Apparently I miscounted, along the way. Golden Gate is ready for Prime Time and stands at 190 pages including the glossary.
Other big news – I sent a few questions to the Amazon associates program, planning to grease the skids for marketing. The response took the wind out of my sails briefly. It turns out the Amazon associates program isn’t for marketing a book, and appears to be a cash source based on links with Amazon widgets for visit fees; I’ve decided to drop that affiliation.
Good news - A fellow RWG member suggested www.bookbaby.com as a way to e- market my novels. Actually several RWG members mentioned it. That site/ business provides distribution packages, including editing, marketing and the full range of commercially focused efforts to sell intellectual products. Am investigating it, and will query RWG members as to their feelings of its legitimacy.
Have found out from a rep at BookBaby.com that they require a novel have an ISBN for them to sell it. Am investigating whether a UPC Bare Code is required; it is typically placed on outside back cover of the book. Bar Codes are sold through www.bowker.com, as are ISBNs in the USA
I’ve decided on an initial price of $3.99 for Golden Gate . At that price point I would receive a 70 percent royalty on copies sold. Have gone with BookBaby.com, as they can provide an ISBN for $19.00 as part of e-publishing package. The GREEN bolded insert below from BookBaby.com rep verifies receipt of my novel and payment today, 01 December 2011 .
I can indeed confirm that a payment came though, so this is now officially booked into my team as BK00004838! Our team will begin to review everything for you now just to make sure it is in great shape! I am showing that a payment of $118 was received on our side well.
I intend to include bits of Golden Gate , I am calling them “Hints for the Holidays” as part of regular blog posts. They will sequence through the entire novel, not telling the entire story, but providing glimpses that will tantalize.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Blog entry 62
Revised GG word count 11/13/2011 – (chpt 21 count to 2118) = 95,446
Revised GG word count 11/14/2011 – (chpt 22 count to 2913) = 95,322
Revised GG word count 11/15/2011 – (chpt 22 count to 2965) = 95,374
Revised GG word count 11/15/2011 – (chpt 27/28 count to 1540) = 95,615
Revised GG word count 11/16/2011 – (chpt 21 count to 2421) = 95,918
Revised GG word count 11/18/2011 – (chpt 27/28 count to 1619) = 96,238
Revised GG word count 11/21/2011 – (chpt 35 count to 6228) = 97,930
Revised GG word count 11/21/2011 – (chpt 36 count to 3861) = 98,877
I have been remiss, my better half tells me, by being too technical in blogging about the progress of Golden Gate . I included the chapter by chapter updates and resultant word counts (see above), but failed to mention the actual writing processes at play. Let me correct that error.
I’ve been rewriting those chapters, initially hoping for completion by Black Friday. That date is unreachable, so I’ve slipped to the end of 2011. This assumes, and we all recognize the dangers of an assumption, that submitting a PDF format novel to Amazon.com electronically would open the gates for vast numbers of my literary fans to stampede to Amazon.com and buy Golden Gate for the paltry sum of $.99. See the Amazon.com Associate at the bottom of this blog.
Along the way I saw the movie Julie and Julia again. It was viewed from my favorite place and position, on the couch with my right foot elevated. Am still struggling with crutches and having to hobble around as my right heel fracture mends. There have been benefits, and bright shiny objects.
The most fascinating object has been a squirrel. He (or she, as I can’t see identifying parts to be convinced of either case) has been regularly grabbing my interest on the railing of our deck. Last week he/she was sunbathing. I kid you not. Stretched out flat on the railing with his tail wiggling in the sunlight he sat for five or more minutes, daring me to find a good camera. I did take pictures with my cell phone, but through the glass windows it was imperfect at capturing him/her. And just the other day he/she sat on the railing, chewing on an acorn – and I swear – was belching. I could actually see his stomach move after he finished an acorn. Could it be that squirrels belch? Was he teasing me? Did he/she know I was watching?
“DP Tolan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.”
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Blog entry 61
Chapter 21, revision I was read at the November 2011 RWG meeting. Critique comments and author response is noted below.
Very supportive comments were received. Samples are noted below:
RWG member 1 – keeps my attention; best work yet. Action can be visualized
RWG member 3 - Vivid; could picture hooks going up. Well done!
Written like for a movie
Inputs on revision I, are in the process of being considered for incorporation.
RWG member 2 –
Paragraph 1 – in last sentence check usage of “as” – done
Page 2 – reduce of repetitive “hook” – done
RWG member 3 –
RWG member 1 –
Suggested use other than “mischief in their minds” as cliché– done
(Will use suggested “minds set on mayhem”)
Asked usage of RPG – reject
Second paragraph, 3rd line – “imagined” and “pictured” too close – done
RWG member 4 –
Takeaways –
Ensure review for and reduction in use of “just” in wording –
Try to get and keep energy of action higher, consistently
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Blog entry 60
Revised GG word count 11/10/2011 – (chpts. 32/33 count to 3674) = 95,124
Revised GG word count 11/12/2011 – (chpt 20 count to 870) = 95,189
Revised GG word count 11/12/2011 – (chpt 21 count to 2015) = 95,342
Revised GG word count 11/12/2011 – (chpt 23 count to 830) = 95,333
Revised GG word count 11/12/2011 – (chpt 24/25 count to 1350) = 95,343
Chapter 21, revision I will be read at the November 2011 RWG meeting today. Critique comments and author response will be in the next blog entry.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Blog Post 59
Revised GG word count 11/09/2011 – (chpt 29/30 count to 4804) = 94884
Revised GG word count 11/09/2011 – (chpt 31 count to 2766) =94,906
Well here is part of the rest of the story. On the first of November I fell off a ladder while doing maintenance in my garage attic. The ladder slipped out from beneath me as I started to descend. My right heel suffered a minor fracture as it hit one of the ladder rungs and the side rail. The rung and side rail are severely distorted, and I will need to eventually cut off the top to make the ladder reusable.
The event has dramatically altered my life. I hobble around on crutches and sleep on the couch so I can keep my feet elevated – to reduce swelling. My right foot is in a removable cast. My writing has become more concentrated as I can’t do much else. This is both a blessing and a curse as Monk would say on his TV show. I may now finish before Christmas so hope is there. Getting around is quite another thing. Wish me luck. I’ll keep you informed as I hobble along.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Blog Post 58
Monday, October 24, 2011
Blog Post 57
The bathroom mirror is now installed, and chapters 16/17 are finalized. The revisions upped their word counts by 4567 words, so the total Golden Gate word count now stands at 89,734.
Latest update - Working on chapters 18/19, and that chore is complete. Total word count now at 91,029.
Dunno if I have mentioned it before but it bears repeating. I type with just one finger, so only one is shortened by the process. Another part of the writing process is that recycling is emphasized. Each word has been used before (probably in another context) and thus recycling is stressed.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Blog post 56
This blog is all about the process of completing the project, writing and marketing Golden Gate , the first novel of the Tessera Trilogy. Along the way, as fellow blogger Hildred of http://hildredbillings.blogspot.com/ , author of the Musings of a Procrastinating Author blog would say, there are numerous bright shiny objects that present themselves, and distract us from our objective. I need to bring you up to date on several shiny objects in our yard. Well truth be known, they’re not shiny, or bright, but definitely cute. I speak of raspberries and rodents.
Months ago two raspberry plants were given a home in our garden, in the hopes they’d yield berries for Offspring. In the past few weeks I’ve walked by, and savored a few delicious tart berries straight off the bush. Exceeding my joy at that, I noticed that their roots had spread and some sprouts had come up. I diligently dug those up and replanted them under the grape vine, in hopes that next year there would be lots of berries. Keep your fingers crossed.
The rodents, well they’re another delightful tale. The first is a baby chipmunk, whose visage has appeared on our Facebook page, resting atop a small cement pagoda style ornament by the backyard pond. I noted that he appeared to be worshiping. Six days ago I was in the back and heard a scratching sound from our gutter downspout water collection barrels. I walked over and was startled by the sight. The chipmunk’s heads was peaking out of the downspout. As I moved closer, he turned around and tried to climb up, inside the gutter downspout. It was quite a scratching tune his feet made, but I knew he’d never make it. I withdrew, letting him achieve a slower heart rate and escape to his borough.
The second rodent event was just five nights ago, as Nancy and I sat down to eat dinner. Outside the bay window, through the screen, I spotted him. We both moved to the window, as the baby squirrel started chewing on hibiscus branches and leaves. I was able to get a photo of him, through the window and screen, and it amazed us both. We were amazed that the squirrel, despite being less than three feet from us and clearly able to see us, continued having dinner on the deck railing. Perhaps he’ll grow more cautious with age. So there you have it, all you needed to know about raspberries and rodents.
More now on the process; finished chapter 15 – hooray for the home team. Progress doesn’t, however, support putting Golden Gate on Amazon.com by Black Friday. The overall GG word count has inched upwards again, to 85,167, marked by completion of final revisions to chapter 15. Final revisions to Chapter 35 are now afoot, as much of it had been reviewed, critiqued, and revised after a RWG reading some weeks ago.
Saturday another shiny bright object injected itself in the process, the RWH monthly meeting, including The Parade of Prose. A fellow RWG member and I chatted at length, finding similar mental processes in our respective creative projects. Four pen names depending on particular product, prose, lyrics, musical CDs, poetry. I joined four other RWG members on a panel at The Parade of Prose, discussing Writing and Publishing in the New Millennium. It was a rewarding occasion, with valuable insights provided by other panelists; three of the five are published.
Per Operating Agreement with Amazon.com. You must, however, clearly state the following on your site: “DP Tolan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to [insert the applicable site name (amazon.com, endless.com, smallparts.com or myhabit.com)].”
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Blog 55 posting
Word count for finalized chapters 12 and 13 went from 1855 to 3154.
Writing a novel is like camping in the Scouts, it’s in tents!
I’m so happy Amazon is trying to “Fire” up interest in its Kindle.
Progress – Chapter 14 has been revised.
The current word count for Golden Gate is 82,867, with chapters 15 through 36 left to revise. Expect expansion.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Blog 54 posting
Editorial critiques chapters 12,13 23 Sep
Liven it up! – in process
Add better scene descriptions - as the plane landed …blah, blah, blah (something
Happened, i.e. looked out windows, spotted friend in aisle seat, etc, etc, etc) – in process
Use longer descriptions of scenes – in process
(To or with above) – add a question about life, death, friends, wounds …
Don’t narrate, let characters splain the scene and action - – in process
Page 1 -
Put a section in about (Tooley) looking out the window –– in process
Change second sentence – in process
Change sentence about “sliced bread” compared to war –– in process
Describe who the “others” were going to Vung Tau – in process
Describe the advisors, how they looked at each other, their reactions –– in process
Add accent for the YN3 –– in process
Describe the base at Vung Tau –– in process
Spell out USO –– in process
Change to 0800 –– in process
Standardize italics with Vung Tau – in process
Readers like military slang, not jargon – in process
Explain “hooch” – in process
Reduce use of “hooch” – in process
The hot water and shower wasn’t a surprise (only to him) – in process
Accents add interest to characters – in process
Page 2 –
Identify change of characters (speakers) – in process
“Local lore” implies campy chat – in process
Good use of “Naw” – in process
Limit use of “RAG” – in process
Delete use of “military’s ubiquitous Kool Aid” – in process
Suggest stating that (the ferryman’s wire) is thicker than he is – in process
Delete/change “I’ll bet all the answers” – in process
Good use of “Yup, shore is.” – in process
Suggested not labeling sub-chapters – reject
Page 3 -
Only use Tooley’s full name on introduction in process
Try to maintain, expand LT Flaherty’s character – in process
Use FNG, vice spelled out wording – in process
What does “knows his ass” mean – in process
Revise paragraph about his comm. And crypto skills – in process
Why didn’t Tooley respond to the LT - in process
Go more in depth about Ho Chi Minh advancements – in process
Narrator should not use slang – in process
Describe in depth the poster of “toughest mutha in the valley” – in process
Don’t understand us of Daa – Irish term
Page 4 -
Identify who Evan is – reject; done previously
Don’t use communications officer in dialogue – in process
Thought description of rain on roof was Excellent – in process
First paragraph on PUFFs seemed out of place – in process
Change “This is my first Op in country” – in process
Suggest having the VN boatmen looking at the RAG units – in process
Page 5-
Write last sentence about boatmen with more poetry – in process
Change reference to 60’s music as Tooley listening to, thinking about it – in process
Change “You’re truly strange” – in process
Explain why Tooley has the flashback’ and its function in story – in process
Identify the “another ragger” and “the other JO” to identify and play it up more –
in process
Create and define more characters to tell the narrative info and explain Tooley’s
character –– in process
General comments –
Use slang with enlisted, (military) jargon for officers – in process
Use more emotion in high intensity (shooting) scenes - – in process
Add more description, less jargon, more caution – – in process
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Blog 53 posting
Trim piece for side of double vanity – stained and with a bit of carpentry will be in today.
Turns out Mein Frau remains upset about granite firm work. Give me a break, just because half of the sinks are the wrong color…
Purchased a plain, ten pane interior glass door and have routed out the areas for hinges. First coat of cherry stain is complete and drying. Two or three coats of a chocolate color stain remain to be applied.
Am still avoiding revisions to Chapters 12 through 15 of Golden Gate . That is my task today (or this weekend). I need to purge extraneous characters and action, concentrate on the main characters. One of the main characters is introduced in this segment of the novel.
Well, chapters 12, 13 are revised, while 14 and 15 have been restructured. I had Offspring review chapters 12 and 13 and he has extensive markups, very helpful ones – indeed.
The second coat of stain goes on the bathroom door today, and another section of porch railing gets painted. The granite firm returns today to change out one of the two master bath sinks.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Blog 52 posting
Editorial critiques from RWG reading 10 Sep 2011 – on Golden Gate REV I
Critiques are from members of RWG.
I was really surprised that so few RWG members knew of this historical attack on USS Liberty.
Mixed comments were received. However, one RWG member interrupted my reading even before I’d finished the first page. I paused and then continued.
Inputs on ninth revision, see below, are being considered for incorporation.
RWG member (female) –
Don’t use Lieutenant Junior Grade or ranks so often Reject, has to do with Naval
Officer promotion timing and story flow
Eliminate the technical jargon – Reject
Identify whether characters, and force are US
Use of BAR distracting - Reject
RWG member (female) –
On page 2, do we need to read Tooley’s introspection about what the CO knows –
reject – building suspense
Do we definition of BAR - in process
Questioned SN Poole saying what he did – corrected
Questioned what CO said on entering bridge – corrected
Questioned Tooley’s thoughts about calculating equation – corrected
Suggested add what Moshe sees from parachute - in process
Questioned whether term “wuss” used in 1960s – corrected
Questioned Tooley’s questions about why attacked – reject, speaks to the fog of
war and uncertainty
RWG member (male) –
RWG member (female) –
Said this was potentially a fascinating story -
Noted that the sailors like to swear - no change (she suggested adding examples)
– in process
She suggested more transition between Marseilles
Questioned use of Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) – corrected
Questioned what CO said on entering bridge – corrected
Questioned rapid change of viewpoints and why Israel
Reject
Questioned why crew burning in napalm would struggle – reject
Suggested adding what the Doc did – corrected
Suggested adding the “blue streak” – corrected
Suggested adding details of the extraordinary repair efforts – in process
Suggested changing “or (who understood) killed …” to say “what” - reject
RWG member (female) –
Set the scene, describe all the ship’s surroundings – reject
Add more description, less jargon, more caution – reject
Minor editorial corrections – corrected
Suggested changing Navalese – reject
Suggested adding details of what Moshe saw from parachute – in process
Suggested adding details of Liberty
Process
Spell out freq(uency) – corrected
Take aways –
1) Female RWG members have lower tolerance for technical terms
Friday, September 9, 2011
Post number 51
Word count for Chapter 11 increased by about 420 as dialogue was improved. Trying to prepare for another critique at RWG meeting this Saturday, finish restoration of old PC, and complete master bath renovation tasks. Two other bathroom vanities are being repaired/fixed as well. It’s a busy week at Blackrock!
Well, the week is about done. Mirrors are being hung, paint is being touched up. The end of the tunnel is in sight. But, wait …
One of the newly installed vanities, far from being eggshell or off-white, is white. And several of the backsplashes don’t appear to have been sealed (they lack the sheen of the flat counter tops).
Be that as it may, the County inspector came over and performed the Final Inspection. He checked for hot water and for proper functioning of the GFCI function in the bathroom outlets. We PASSED!!!
The RWG meets this Saturday and I’ll be taking Chapter 11 of Golden Gate for the critique session. I expect I’ll get more critical, insightful comments, as the product itself is getting better.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Blog 50 posting
We are at this very moment resolving issues with our granite vanity tops. Several were left very sloppily caulked, one with a mixture of white and clear caulk. One had a secondary drain plug missing. It is clear, even after having to re-cut the tops so there was no overhang, which meant quality was not in the mind of the installers.
I did manage yesterday to get the sinks in the master bath hooked up and functional - with no leaks. Hooray!!!
I finished reworking Chapter Ten, and a word count reflects I added just over 880 words. So much for dialogue.
My old PC died, slowly and painfully, over the past month. It kept freezing up. I still am unsure whether it is the hard drive, the motherboard, or the video card. I plan to replace the video card today, as well as keep transferring the data (by USB drives).
I bought a new, low end Dell Inspiron 570 computer, which has plenty of capability to do what I need, WORD documents and photo manipulation.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Blog posting number 50
Here is the Master Bath renovation status update –
Today the granite vanity top installers came. It turns out that, somehow, the fact that we wanted no lip overhang of the granite over the under mount sink had slipped their minds. I told them to stop, and they removed the three granite tops back to their shop. I understand they will be either re-cut or ground down so there’s no lip. This is important because a lip will allow mold to grow unseen. So I now wait to see if the tops will come back today or some other day, and as requested.
The shower tile was completed yesterday, with the exception of a minor repair of the grout on one side of the shower pan.
The glass folks are enroute even as I write this post, so within an hour hopefully we’ll have shower doors and actually be able to use our shower. The demo started back in May, so it has been a while.
Offspring is now back at the campus, and we plan to drive to see him and eat together this weekend.
The old vanity tops have been recycled through a Yahoo Group titled Freecycle. Check it out; it offers a way to give away serviceable items.
Hardly any work on Golden Gate has taken place this past week, other than putting some notes together on ideas as to how to rewrite Chapter Ten (again). Maybe manana!!!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Chapter Ten of Golden Gate, REV I - from 22 Aug reading critique
10 – Enroute Boat School
The usual suspects
They met at the town jail to update the HUA files. The files, shared tales of the most recent incidences of concern in the town, were at once sad, joyous, or evil to their core. They were shared, with smirks and laughter, by the towns’ police force. The shared tales of assaults, juvenile pranks, robberies, suspicious fires, even the occasional instance of citizen bravery and courage, were the usual sort of shit only shitbirds could bring to life in such a small town. The suspects or perpetrators were all, of course, documented in excruciating detail. Just one file drawer at the jail held their HUA files, about and by people who evidently had their Heads Up their Ass because of the things they did, or the excuses they blurted out for whatever event had transpired.
The HUA files were often shared with State Troopers cooperating on special cases; both groups always had a good laugh! None of the tales were of course normal, but became so in their small world, the town of Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The police force had but a Lieutenant, a Sergeant and two corporals, hardly the necessary force to deal with all these miscreants and these incidents, or so they regularly told themselves.
The shared tales recounted at their meetings led to better law enforcement, better utilization of limited resources, and a shared awareness of what and whom they had to deal with. It also let them share a good laugh every so often. The “usual suspects” as Bogey had said in that movie, recurred across the varied tales in the HUA files.
Among the usual suspects the name Tooley occurred most often.
The first suspect
Padrick Marcus Michael O’Toole, Tooley, was almost always the first suspect of the police force. His pranks ranged from lighting a bonfire across a road on Halloween to hanging rotten pumpkins at windshield level along those same roads weeks later. He was even suspected of chaining the Lieutenant’s rear axle to a tree one night. Nothing was proven; the case remained humorously open.
The Lieutenant mused, “Funny that Mischief never stuck as his nickname! Mischief and Mayhem should be his middle names, not Marcus or Michael. Though I must admit I think that O’Toole saved two children from a house fire, but eluded getting his name in the paper for that; the description of the mysterious savior matches him to a tee.”
Tooley was what he’d been called since first getting in trouble, and this faculty to find trouble and jump in the middle of it seemed to be in the air at the oddest of times. His Maa, prim and proper and all too Catholic, was at a loss to explain why Tooley behaved so, and frequently chastised him. “God will get you and punish you if you don’t stop these shenanigans. One more time and I’ll get your Daa to tan your hide with his belt.”
His grades in school were often very good, especially in math. Yet he was as often rebellious, a trait his Daa attributed to his Irish roots. Tooley was ever distrustful of authority and regimentation. Hadn’t his very own grandfather’s funeral been interrupted in County Kerry by the Black and Tans, they being a very symbol of the crown’s authority on the loose in Ireland? Daa had few good words about Brits and beamed when telling him how he was descended from a Celtic warrior of great bravery who fought legions of men, who had naturally married the most beautiful of women.
Tooley nevertheless got to know his Daa’s stern words about behavior, and Daa’s belt, especially if it meant damages to be paid. Tooley’s transgressions occasioned several jobs to work off damages, or Daa’s charges. “Padrick, you’re a natural in sports. Why do you wander from sport to sport by season and never became a star in any one sport? And why do you disrupt them all?”
Padrick confessed ignorance of the Why. He knew his Daa approved, at least in part, so apparent were his talents that coaches competed for his participation. Now that has to be pleasing to Himself!
Tooley’s youth was influenced heavily by the assistant pastor of his church, who was more concerned with the average working man than was their pompous pastor. The pastor wanted to build a mosaic tile tower in the front of the church, a monument to him rather than God. It was to be taller than any mosaic in New England, all this in a working class parish. The assistant pastor’s calm and logical resistance led to his “banishment” to an Indian reservation in the backwoods of Maine. The pastor did get his monument. It was a sad lesson to see.
Tooley later attended the parish school, Holy Cross, suffering numerous encounters with its principal, Sr. Mary “Marble Ass,” who regularly applied her thick yard stick across the knuckles of mischievous students. Tooley was a regular recipient, but learned fast, and often – Behave, or don’t get caught.
Ice cubes for an Eskimo
Tooley’s grades and charm … it was said he could sell ice cubes to an Eskimo … were his saving grace. On a dare, and with the princely sum of five dollars on the line, Tooley had applied to compete for an appointment to the Naval Academy, figuring his chances to twelve decimal places, and quite improbable. He was wrong.
Tooley had been mighty impressed with his feat of somehow managing to get a Congressman’s appointment to Annapolis, the Boat School as his older Army vet brother Evan called it.
“Tooley, I’ll bust your head if you disappoint Daa. You need to straighten up and do something right for once – and no troubles!”
A little off the top
Tooley would not become one of the usual suspects at Navy, but got in more than his share of troubles, more than most of his classmates – right from the get go.
He sat in the barbershop chair, waiting to get his first haircut in months. It was his first day at Navy; he looked out over the tennis courts and the seawall and thought, what have I gotten myself into?
The patterns of the tennis courts outside the windows struck him, like some mathematical equation he’d heard of in some class, or maybe it was the chicks playing with the Firsties out there. Plebes, the name for freshmen at Navy, were not allowed to see or talk to girls – or risked the certain, unforgiving wrath of upper class. Plebes were, as they were often told … “the only thing lower than whale shit in the ocean.” Firsties were seniors, next to God himself in this part of naval heaven.
“Take just a little off the top please”, he politely told the barber, the first colored person he’d seen besides those on television at home. It was the Sixties and he was from Maine. The barber nodded an acknowledgement and promptly removed all but a scant quarter inch of hair all around. Tooley lost his locks and swore at the man, “What the hell did you do that for?
“Just part of the benefits here. We cut you folks all the same; it keeps your head cooler in the heat.”
Tooley ended up running two hours Extra Duty (ED) for his outburst, learning once again that he was a Plebe and, indeed, lower than whale shit in the ocean. “Pull another stunt like that and I’ll have you out on Hospital Point for ED every day of the week” warned his Second Class Plebe Summer squad leader. Tooley made it through Plebe Summer, with ED each week regular as you please.
There were few light moments during the academic year, one at Sunday night dinner in the mess hall each weekend. The Plebes had to provide entertainment for the upper class at their assigned company table in King Hall. Tooley excelled at performing each Sunday evening, often making the Firsties (seniors) squirm. Across from the Plebes at each table sat the Youngsters, the Third Class or sophomores, just out of their own year of misery. They always chuckled at seeing Firsties squirm.
Late night endeavors
The paint dripped, but it was the message that was important! He painted the laundry smoke stack with BEAT ARMY in foot high letters once, twice if you counted an assist. The assist was a chore to pull off; Tooley and Stan, Bob and Mike had to find a ladder that would reach the roofs’ edge, and yet be light enough to then pull it up on the gravel roof … then reach up to the metal rungs on the smoke stack itself. Their intell had to be absolute that no other class would be there on that particular night, as each vied for showing off its spirit visually. The intell was good. Stan blurted out, looking to see if anyone listened –“Tooley hold the ladder while Bob and Mike climb and do the painting.”
“I hope they don’t spill any on me from way up there,” Tooley said looking skyward. It had only been his class that were there as painters that night.
Tooley played rugby, a tough sport for guys with leather balls, and had great math and science grades, but consistently failed in behavior, earning demerits for being, well … Tooley. He was the proverbial loose cannon; he got fried or put on report for infractions a lot … quite a lot.
Hundredth Night
100 nights before the First Class (Firsties) graduated tradition let the Plebes take charge of them, and run their ass for an hour before the Hundredth Night evening meal. It was payback time, but one had to be cautious. You had to Order them to Come Around for their hour long in advance. With that kind of warning Firsties could make your life truly lower than whale shit for as long as that advance notice was. Tooley didn’t care.
Tooley planned it out; it was memorable, the gist of stories for years to come. He bought a large flounder out in town, ground it up, and smeared it on the Firsties room’s cast iron radiator. Then he turned the heat on full. The stench drove mids away within days, laughing uncontrollably when they heard the story.
“His ass is mine,” Tony screamed. “I’m going to have him running beer runs for weeks.” Tooley never had more thorough workouts, yet he smiled, knew he’d get his turn, and hazing didn’t bother him in the least. Tooley and Tony lived through the experience, and smiled knowingly at that meal.
Anchor Yanker
Tooley managed to graduate, but only just; he was near the bottom. He actually made a run for Anchorman, last in class by Grade Point Average to graduate. This notoriety had its own tradition which required each classmate to give “their” Anchorman $1.00. I might just leave with a wad of money.
Tooley purposely got fried to bring his behavior grades down, hoping his average would edge him closer to Anchorman status. He missed by just .005 grade points. He swore - Damn, I put more into that than all of my classes this semester. One would think the gods would at least recognize my talents!
At graduation he chose Cryptography as his career path and went to a flock of crypto schools. He graduated at the top of each class, even beating out a Harvard Phi Beta Kappa for first in class. That done he was given his choice of duty stations.
He chose USS Liberty, AGTR 5, stationed in the Med. Liberty was officially a “technical research ship” but every crypie knew it was a spy ship. Its communications or comm gear was the most advanced, sophisticated in the world, and its crew included the most brilliant linguists in the world. Tooley pondered his assignment though … I get to work with the coolest stuff.
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