inatheblue

Last months were hellish, but at least I can say - my 2nd year of PhD is officially done. Two more left. I start to believe I can actually finish my thesis (yay!). I don't have any further plans so far - my life plan, carefully crafted in high school, a bit messed up in process, but still working, did not reach THAT far. I'd like to work as a fully-fledged scientist, of course; but that demands leadership qualities and other skills that aren't my natural talents and I don't know if I have "it". Well, we'll see.
I'd like to make my place in literature as well, at least in the popculture.
So, leaving starry-eyed dreams, I've written that story. Both of them. The first one is definitely going to be published as soon as I correct it (Dang!). It carries some resemblance to Tortilla Flat and Amber, and it is a standalone, loosely bound with City of Mages.
The second one is a short mainstream story, and these are hard to publish and even harder to get written well (and I mean it, there's a lot of crappy mainstream published in serious magazines) . So in case nobody wants it, or I get bored sending it, I'll just post it somewhere. It's too small for me to evoke any serious attachment; that means, like with my poems, I'm okay with spamming the net, lackadaisy-style.
Now - I have good and bad news. The bad news is that the 3rd tome won't be finished this year. The good is that before I start writing it, I'm going to write more City of Mages stories. So there will be, hopefully, at least two more. One of them probably involves a very young Timothy Hawkins.

Slowly getting back to writing. When I finished Mandala, I did it by putting a lot of pressure on myself. It worked, though it left me a bit tired. Now moving to the next level, I mean - I wonder if I can write fast without applying that much pressure?
The brain is trainable, like muscles, so I think I can.
So first, I’m going to start with a short story, which is a loose spin-off and an interlude, and then move right to the third tome (oookay, so there is another mini story idea not connected to the novel which should take me about three days… must…not do it… twitch…twitch…)
I can’t say anything official about publishing “Mandala” and the other stuff, because nothing official has been settled yet. I suppose the purpose is to flood people with my texts so they can’t even open a tuna can without City of Mages peering from the inside. Big authors do that just by putting billboards all over the city, but this tactics is expensive and therefore reserved for JK Rowling and suchlike.
Still, it takes a lot of patience. If I succeed, I’ll throw a big wild party and buy a drink for everyone invited. And there will be a cover band playing.
Yay!

Ah, another nice meme. From

I’ve intended to do it for my characters from The City of Mages, but I realized there’d be so many spoilers. So I’ll do it for my two charas from Exalted campaign, engineer-medic  Sephira Yushoto , Solar of the Twilight caste and barbarian princess Bloody Pearl Grieving War, Abyssal of the Dawn caste.  I’ll cut out a few questions, for example birthdate, as I am crappy with Creation’s calendar, or favourite movie, as there’s no such thing in the world of Exalted (though there are, of course, equivalents).  Otherwise,  have fun

1. What gender are you?
Sephira: Female. At least my current incarnation, I guess… Or the incarnation of my exaltation, which is not the same … ugh, head hurts.
Pearl:  <smirks> Can’t you see? <takes a deeeep breath>
2. What is your age?
Sephira: Late twenties.
Pearl: Nineteen.
3. Do you want a hug?
Sephira: Wheeeee!
Pearl: Wanna go to bed?
4. Do you have any bad habits?
Sephira: Like, panicking? Or boasting and not listening to anyone but my own ideas…
Pearl: Shadow says you shouldn’t cut meat just before your lips when you eat, but he’s just one of those merchants from the South, see.
5. What is your favorite food?
Sephira: At the Academy, they had such fine riceballs in our cantina. Mmm.
Pearl: Seal meat. Or whale fat. All yummy.
6. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Sephira: Green tea. Or seaweed. Yum!
Pearl: They make cream out of ice?! Phew. Better choose one that’s not yellow.
7. Are you a virgin?
Sephira: <blushes> Noooo… not anymore…
Pearl: Nope, why ask? <grin>
8. Have you killed anyone?
Sephira: About ten thousand innocent people? Not proud of it, though… and I’d appreciate you don’t remind me.
Pearl: BLOOD! CARNAGE! Mwahahahaha.
9. Do you hate anyone?
Sephira: Sower of False Memories, but he’s technically something else now, so… Oh, those Green Sun bastards should get such a kick in the butt! I’ll show them! Oh!
Peal: Merchants from the South, obviously. You’re not one of them, no?
10. Do you have any secrets?
Sephira: Now that everybody in Creation probably knows I’m a Solar… sigh. I guess my pet projects don’t count?
Pearl: Nope. Do I look like a merchant from the South?
11. What is your favorite season?
Sephira: Summer, when the Unconquered Sun shines strong over Creation.
Pearl: Spring, when you can hunt baby seals. And make shoes of their fur.
12. Who is your best friend(s)?
Sephira: I hope Lily and Flame are. I’m not sure about Tepet, he still might want to kill me. Lytek likes my exaltation, but that’s not the same. Do boyfriends count?
Pearl: A true friend of a warrior stands beside her in the times of peril. So do my teammates. Howgh.
13. What are your hobbies?
Sephira: I like to construct… things. That’s my work, you say? Yes, but also a hobby. I’m kind of obsessed, you know…
Pearl: A true warrior kills, loves and uses life to the fullest! Heh, I can say that now, when there is no Resonance  <grin>.
14. What is your favorite drink?
Sephira: Green tea.
Pearl: Any alcohol, let it be strong.
15. When is your birthday?
-
16. What age did you die?
Sephira: You mean my exaltation last time? Dunno, but I have the impression he was age-old…
Pearl: Last year I’ve died twice. Now I have practice.
17. Are you nice or mean?
Sephira: Generally nice, sometimes bitchy or bossy.
Pearl: I am your worst nightmare <bursts out with laughter>
18. Are you social or shy?
Sephira: <sticks out a finger from her ear> Generally social, yes?
Pearl: Shy? Do you accuse me of cowardice?
19. What do you think of your parents?
Sephira: They are permanently occupied with politics, as all Dragonblooded are. They don’t think much of me and vice versa.
Pearl: They were noble clan chiefs and I honour their memory.
20. What's your weakness?
Sephira: I’m not the courageous kind of a Solar. And when I flee, it can be quite epic.
Pearl: I’m not very keen, you know, in the clans and lands outside the Far North. Learning fast though. Hope to learn before we destroy the world.
21. How long can you stay under water?
Sephira: In the bathyscaphe, quite long. Outside, a bit longer than a regular human. Have some charms… Though now I think of it, I could devise a pendant that contains an air elemental, that…
Pearl: I have that fancy medallion thingie, so probably all the time I want.
22. What do you do on a regular day basis?
Sephira: Crafting stuff. Healing people. Hanging out trying to save the world. Barfing rainbows.
Pearl: Killing stuff. Eating, sleeping, making gross comments about sex. Scaring shit out of people.  
23. Do you love someone?
Sephira: <blushes> Yeeees?
Pearl: Not in that moment, but yeah, with those guys in the Lover’s palace it was fun, thanks.
24. When was the last time you wet yourself?
Sephira: Like, in the pants? What a kind of question is that?
Pearl: When I died, probably.  Everybody knows death loosens bowels, so no shame in that.
25. What's your favorite band?
-
26. Ever worn a dress?
Sephira: All the time. It’s a robe, actually. Suits me well.
Pearl: You mean those fancy unpractical stuff merchants from the South wear? Me, not. Ask Butterfly.
27. How about eye-liner?
Sephira: When I HAVE to… Make up is such a bother and waste of time.
Pearl: Eye what? You mean if I was ever hit in the face? Shit happens, that.
28. What do you consider fun in the daytime?
Sephira: Crafting stuff. Learning.
Pearl: Sleeeeeep.
29. At night?
Sephira: Crafting stuff. Learning.
Pearl: Killing merchants when the sun sets. Mwahahahaha.
30. Ever kissed anyone?
Sephira: Well, yeah.
Pearl: Om nom nom. And why you ask, sweetie?
31. ...Of the same gender?
Sephira: Im not one of THOSE Dragonblooded.
Pearl: One of those dudes in Lover’s palace could be a girl. But maybe that was a guy with a funny painted face anyway. Dunno.
32. It's clear you're gay.
Sephira: …but I washed myself today and even shaved legs! Really!
Pearl: You mean happy? <scratches head> That Southern dialect…
33. Whats you're favorite thing to touch?
Sephira: BOOKS.
Pearl: The hilt of my sword in battle.
34. Anyone loves you?
Sephira: <blushes> Sviro says so.
Pearl: The world loves me or abhors me. There is no in between.
35. Whats your favorite color?
Sephira: Green and orange.
Pearl: Pitch black.
36. When was the last time you cried?
Sephira: I’d like not to mention it, thanks.
Pearl: Warriors don’t cry.
37. Do you have a pet?
Sephira: Does a mechawarrior golem count?
Pearl: What is a pet? / MOUNT OF DOOM, ARISE!
38. What did you name your pet?
-
39. Are you crazy?
Sephira: Everybody says that Solars are crazy. I have that theory about the general instability in Exaltations and even Lytek confirms…
Pearl: Are you insulting me? ME?
40. What are you?
Sephira: Sephira Yushoto, former medic of the Seventh Legion, Lookshy. Now Solar of the Twilight Caste. Nice to meet you. I don’t bite.
Pearl: Your worst nightmare.
41. What's the end of your own story?
Sephira: I’m not done yet, thanks.
Pearl: I hope to die in battle, not in the bed.
42. What's your nickname?
Sephira: Except “Anathema”?
Pearl: Some call me Princess. Hehe.
43. Do you consider yourself a happy or a down person?
Sephira: Generally happy, but I’m prone to depressive bouts. Very depressive.
Pearl: The world’s my oyster!

44. If you were a superhero, you'd be...?
Sephira: (OOC) Mac Gyver. Though not a superhero technically.
Pearl: (OOC) Xena the Warrior Princess.
45. Favorite movie?
-
46. What was your saddest moment?
Sephira: Just… don’t ask. Seriously. Don’t.
Pearl: When my clan died and I died with them.
47. What is your strongest point?
Sephira: My general intelligence and technical prowess. Except for that, I am a Solar. Does that tell you anything?
Pearl: I am a warrior and bow to no one. Well except my Dark Masters. But they are Creators of the World, you see. That’s something.
48. You had to face your biggest fear?
Sephira: Not yet… Though I have a feeling that moment is very, very close…
Pearl: When I do that, I’ll bake that big green pig. Not sure if it’s edible though.
49. You had to kill the person most precious to you?
Sephira: My dear, it hopefully never happens!
Pearl: I had to destroy half of Creation. Kind of regret it, but shhh. The Dark Masters are listening.
50. Found out everything you knew was a lie?
Sephira: Parts of it, parts not. Exploring the world is a wonderful experience, but sometimes it creeps me out.
Pearl: I never thought there is so much South, I mean south of Far North.

As you maybe know from another blog of mine, the book, version 1.0, is finished.
I just thought I'll tell. It's still in beta-reading, no editor has seen it yet. I think it turned out pretty ok.
So I'm resting now. Getting back to labwork...

Life lessons. I am happy it wasn’t me who had to live through them. Somehow in my life’s turmoil, I avoided critical mistakes, even if I made a mess of certain stuff.

1) Never spend more money than you have. (If you absolutely don’t have to buy a flat and therefore get indebted to a bank, don’t do that, too) With the exception of really hard situations, that one can be avoided with planning.
2) Never take money for something you haven’t done yet. Things happen. Life gets in the way.
3) Be kind. Even when you fail, kindness saves you at the end.
4) Except for marriage, never give lifelong commitments. Especially in business. Things happen. Companies have tough times, or they get broken. A writer writes until he dies, and that might be at ninety. Will the company be still working by then? And what happens if another company buys that one and the good boss is changed to a bad one?
5) Don’t get tempted. You’re not a five year old and surely you can resist eating a candy, if that means you’d get another. Fame and money are, after all, only dust in the wind. Cliché, but true.
6) Forget your ego. It is really not the most important thing in the world. Better follow your conscience.
7) Every writer needs a day job, if not for money, just to stay sane and well grounded. Who knows, maybe a day passion even fuels your evening one.

Now enough preaching. I killed what I had to kill, and the novel is very close to the finish. It just got several pages bigger than I thought.  I’ll remember that for the future books.
You know, people learn from mistakes. Better if they are another’s.