Blog Post 99

The Tessera Trilogy  Blog entry 99

Sooley Base word count as of 22 February 2013 – 92,000 (down from 96K), and page count 200 (down from 209). The latest version is a Summary draft with all segments in chronological order, ready for more clear cutting.

A final segment from Golden Gate follows, giving you a glimpse of the first novel of the Tessera Trilogy.

“I’ll do that; I understand the Israeli interest is keen. We need to worry about that and what they might do.  O’Toole wants to know what the Israelis are up to. Can you find out and let me know?” No answer came from the other end.

The Israelis had not yet discovered any Intel on the medical clinic or the waste.

Tooley convinced Stefano to squash any story, after they agreed to suitable compensation. “Listen Stefano, I need you to do something, subito! We need this Tunnel Eight story to die down to a dull roar, die a natural death. Get out of Arabia for awhile. Go blow up a missile silo somewhere, or start a war between Iraq and Iran … they like wars. Write a story about that and I’ll even pay you for it.”

He was partially correct; they all would pay!

Some tips to help you keep hackers and identity thieves away from your computer files.

1)      Keep your Operating System (OS) program up-to-date. You’ll use the Microsoft

website to get updates to ensure optimum operation and protection for Windows XP,

Vista, or Windows 7.

2)      Install a Firewall to block hackers entering your PC, and prevent any software on the

PC from sending data from it (unless you authorize it to). A FREE firewall called

Zone Alarm is available from http://download.cnet.com/ZoneAlarm-Free-Firewall/3000-10435_4-10039884.html .

            3.  Install an Anti-Virus program to identify and neutralize any virus bugs that get to your

     PC. A FREE Anti-Virus program called AVG FREE 2013 is available from the above

     Site, just search for AVG FREE.

Both of the programs above require periodic manual updates. Remember I said updates, rather than upgrades. If you click on a link to get an upgrade, it will ask you to pay for the upgrade … which is a more comprehensive program, but will cost you. Check for and click on the link for updates.  The cost programs will likely automatically do the updates, but you have to manually do FREE updates yourself. You’ll also have to use both of these free programs occasionally to scan your PC software for viruses and other types of harmful bugs.

I use both of these programs, plus another … Malwarebytes, to keep my PC safe.  And I occasionally use a Free service called Shields Up to check my PC’s security by trying to break into it. If your protections are up-to-date it should not get in.

Malwarebytes is available from the CNET site above.  For Shields Up check, go to https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2  and proceed as screen instructions suggest.

Another tip … never open emails from unknown sites, give personal identifying information to unknown sites, and don’t open emails that have no Subject line or come from an unknown source. Don’t open photos from unknown sources.

Good luck!

Blog Post 98

Sooley Base word count as of 27 January 2013 – 96,000. Sooley Base page count 209 as of 27 January 2013.

It has snowed twice in the past week, and the weather included five days below freezing. Now we have weather in the seventies ... Go figure!!!

Work continues on Sooley Base. Gathering notes, shuffling segments and bits and pieces – these are all part of my eclectic process. The characters are set, and the timeline is written out of a long scroll, down to ten minute segments in some sections. A technique recently showing promise is printing up  chapters, then redlining them and shuffling segments to better fit the needed chronology.

Configuration  Management or CM has a central place in engineering and in software development … and in writing. An author needs to ensure notes, updates, and revisions don’t become confused or misplaced.  I’ve taken to putting together summary copies of all the chapters from start to finish. It helps by helping to remove duplicated segments, allowing word and page counts. Still a long way to go.

Another segment from Golden Gate follows:

“Perhaps Stefano, that’s his name, right … can dig out where that helo crashed. I really doubt it, as the Saudis are surprisingly silent on that point … with reason. I wouldn’t want other terrorists going there and setting an anniversary bonfire. I wonder if our comrades by the Wailing Wall know about this.”

The Force Ten team rappelled fifty feet down from the helo to what appeared as the largest crash remnant, part of the Huey’s main fuselage. Captain Hourani and Sergeant Achmed went first, their AK-47s slung across their backs, charged but safed while they descended. They conducted a fast initial survey, ensuring no one was alive from the crash to offer resistance; there were no survivors and they safed their weapons.

Blog Post 97

Another segment from Golden Gate follows:

“About two minutes more or less, Colonel, then they’ll fly level for about 10 to 15 seconds, begin their descent … and that’s when we’ll lose them!”

He opened his briefcase and removed the remote control system, plugging in its power cord and input to the helo’s UHF radio. After a second the diagnostics routine was complete and the Ready light on the display turned from Red to Green. He raised the protective cover of the Arming switch, pressed the switch to Fire, and prayed. Allah u Akbar - God is great!

Death surrounded him. Ali gasped as his eyes closed this last time … he sensed himself in a new place.

Why was it so Very, Very Hot!

Work continues on Sooley Base. Gathering notes, shuffling segments and bits and pieces – these are all part of my eclectic process. The characters are set, a better timeline of the action is being refined, to get this action in the best sequence.

                        Missile attack

                        Battle in the sands

                        Helo counter attack

                        Blood transfusion

                        Medical protocols

The glossary is also being updated, and a revised summary of all chapters is being groomed. This last provides a newer page and word count.

Happy New Year!

Blog Post 96

The Tessera Trilogy  Blog entry 96

Sooley Base word count as of 18 October 2012 – 82,092.

Working to turn lemons to lemonade. An upgrade to prime PC involved uninstalling Office XP Small Business, which lacked Power Point program. The second phase was installing Office 2007 Student and Home Edition, which has Power Point. The problem was that the newer version lacked the desktop shortcut bar, so to open a Word document one has to activate Word, then “OPEN” each document, then re-save as a Word document. It was a lengthy and time consuming effort. But it is mostly done for the many Word documents.

This effort caused re-examination of the many fragments, chapters of Sooley Base. The effort showed lots of work to insert meaningful dialogue, re-sequence the fragments into appropriate segment of the novel. The work goes on. Work does continue despite all distractions on Sooley Base, the second novel of The Tessera Trilogy.  

The day at volunteer job allowed me to spend time working on Sooley Base, although completing it before Black Friday or even the end of the year remains a moot question – probably March of 2013 looks achievable.

Fredericksburg is about to celebrate the 150^th Anniversary of the Battle which contested the city, and filled cemeteries with Union and Confederate dead. It occurred during what it sometimes referred to as the The War of Yankee Aggression, or That Late Unpleasantness … one can get the feeling that some which the South had won. SAD!!!

Have been scanning lots of old family photos, burning them and files to CDs to share, in an effort to downsize genealogical efforts to just my paternal roots. Parts of the efforts are in the HICUZ Blog at http://hicuz.blogspot.com/ .

Blog Post 95

The Tessera Trilogy  

Three weekends ago we were out walking at a local National Park. We chanced upon a small kitten, struggling out of brush by the side of a wood. Its golden color attracted my eye as it dragged itself from the brush. After resisting the urge to pick it up we noticed from its movements that its rear legs (or hips) were severely injured. The location of the local SPCA was determined with the assistance of a biker. I gingerly picked up the kitty and put it in a plastic container to keep it from being stepped on and we headed off to the SPCA.

They welcomed us, but said there was no room at the Inn, and checked the kitty, which purred in supplication for shelter. The SPCA folks determined that Kitty needed shots and probably surgery on her hind quarters. We were told to check the County Animal Shelter, and anxiously headed there. A sign o0n its door stated bluntly: No Cats accepted. Apprehension became my major sensation.

A very pleasant women at the door asked about Kitty, who purred as she examined its darkened right leg. Despite increased anxiety occasioned by her Love Pit Bull tee shirt, my fears disappeared as she said she would take Kitty if the shelter didn’t, even suggesting she’d have its rear leg amputated and proper care given at an older age. It was a welcome end to a period of anxiety over our newly found friend.

My efforts at writing have been few and far between, but recently I’ve consolidated several segments into draft chapters, and renamed those chapters. Lots of work ahead.

An author (Richard Ford) was recently interviewed on BBC America and was asked how easy it was to become an internationally known author. He said it all, paraphrasing here  – “You have to marry the perfect partner, one who loves your writing or supports you … or totally ignores your efforts. Then you have to be sober, not poor, never get sick, an d have lots of time. Lastly you must have a consummate command of words.”  Wish me luck with these!

Blog post 94

The one page, double spaced segment below was reviewed at RWG meeting 10/13/2012.

Two men strode toward the building ahead and the journey beyond. Aware of the power of a dragon, they moved with purpose, their mission a closely held secret. Like Aladdin, these travelers from the desert sands knew the duality of such power. Storytellers recorded that if a dragon escaped its bonds, it could turn on its masters and devour them. One could use them, but only at great risk and after considering the power so constrained.  The journey to acquire such influence held dangers of its own, as ancients knew from the tale of Pandora’s Box.

The expedition began, with these desert princes journeying to distant lands. The brothers were uncertain what would emerge, but prayed they could bargain for what suited their needs. When ones’ neighbor bought a dragon, one need acquire one in self defense, or steal theirs.

Over the terminal’s structure the sun rose, the glint from the sun’s rays offering God’s splendor and blessings. The Call to Prayer resounded from the Muzzeine in his minaret – “God is great.” The reminder to pray echoed from the speakers in each corner of the terminal. All heard but few prayed openly; the brothers were consumed with a more worldly concern.

                “I worry about those bastards across the water” Hamid, the eldest, told his sibling. “They keep killing each other off, buying new weapons, threatening us with their new toys.” He frowned, concern on his face. “We go to do what we must. There is no other avenue, no alternative. Our journey will complete our plans.”

Of eleven entries reviewed by Guest Speaker Joanne Liggan, above received a B minus grade. Three entries were graded lower at C (two) or C minus (one). A comment offered was that a poet of note in RWG has a garage filled with printed copies of his poems, awaiting buyers.

The following comments were offered:

1.        Concern with use of dragon as metaphor, or real life weapon system

2.       Not enough of story in first page

3.       RWG member  – What is coming in story?

4.       RWG member  – pompously written

5.       JRWG member  – I was interested when heard of “bastards across the water.”

6.       RWG member  liked use of metaphor

7.       RWG member  – put “those bastards” as first sentence

8.       RWG member  – turned off  by use of fantasy metaphor (dragons)

9.       RWG member  – dragon metaphor too strong (dominant)

Joanne Liggan, author of a Romantic Saga Family Trilogy, offered these insights into successful writing. Selling a book, interesting buyers, is like Opening a store. She called it the Grand Opening. The author needs a location, store – the setting.

Locate the store – Set the story in a setting

Set up the store – Introduce the plot and characters

Stock the shelves – complete a first draft, to conclusion

Go back (restock) – create best opening and ending lines –these should have same theme. This

 not an absolute, as many successful authors evolve their characters and story.

First sentence must be a hook, grabbers – develop interest, draw the reader in

First line should describe what will follow, make it inevitable

First line – declarative (not hard and fast) – but must pose a question in reader’s mind

An author may set up the story with an echo of the content of book

Insights gained and ideas

Open Mike timing – a three page, double spaced paper corresponds roughly to five minutes

Watch for repetitive use of words – that, he, they, etc..

Incorporate description of brothers at start

Posturing, gesturing, putting on the dog

Tessera Trilogy blog 93

Progress on the second novel of the Tessera Trilogy, Sooley Base, continues with characters being developed, dialogues flushed out, and the author’s frenetic mind scrambling to make progress on the novel. Keep your fingers crossed and become a follower of this blog, and read Golden Gate.

Working to turn lemons to lemonade. An upgrade to prime PC involved uninstalling Office XP Small Business, which lacked Power Point program. The second phase was installing Office 2007 Student and Home Edition, which has Power Point. The problem was that the newer version lacked the desktop shortcut bar, so to open a Word document one has to activate Word, then “OPEN” each document, then re-save as a Word document. It was a lengthy and time consuming effort. But it is mostly done for the many Word documents.

This effort caused re-examination of the many fragments, and draft chapters of Sooley Base. The effort showed lots of work to insert meaningful dialogue, re-sequence the fragments into appropriate segment of the novel. The work goes on.

The day at volunteer job allowed me to spend time working on Sooley Base, although completing it before Black Friday or even the end of the year remains a moot question.

Here, to the thrill of family, friends, and fans, is another segment from Golden Gate, the first novel of The Tessera Trilogy.

They ended up saying good night hours later, Tooley giving Chaywallah his business card. The card read Roger Stansfield, and gave an office number in Riyadh and several phone numbers.  “I’d be glad to help you if I can. I fly back to Riyadh in the morning, how about you?”

“I have to leave in the morning. I’m flying back to Dammam and then driving on to Ad Dawaidimi.” They had shared sad stories, built a bond of their sorrows. Tooley’s were from years before, Chaywallah’s from the present. Tooley worried … what if I give him bad advice? I could get him burned … even blow my cover.

Tooley felt a warm glow … I have this guy by the balls. He wanted more.  “I know someone who might be interested, for a price, to buy those negatives. They might be interested in other investigative work you do.”

Stefano looked at him …”Like what?”

Then Stefano’s ears heard Roger say, turned slowly and asked - “What is Tunnel Eight?”

Stefano suddenly stopped and looked cautiously at Roger; he knew he’d said too much. I’m hanging over the edge of a cliff, dangling from a rope, and Roger controls that rope. Does he have a knife?

Our writers group annual Parade of Prose occurs today. I will advertise Golden Gate, and may inject several five minute readings of either Golden Gate, or that and a draft segment from Sooley Base. Wish me luck … and sales.

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