Two Books for the Price of Two

Last week, I talked books with Chuck Barnitz, an editor I work with who just happens to write some hilarious sonnets about the work place (you’ll be hearing more about Chuck once I start letting on about my upcoming project). It turns out that Chuck is a book collector, even though he’d never call himself that. Whenever I hear about someone who hunts down a copy of every book a particular author has ever written and does so with an eye for copies in nice condition, well, I consider that someone a collector. Anyway, Chuck hadn’t fully turned to leave my cube before I was on abe.com hunting for books of my own to buy. I had never picked up George Pelecanos’ first few books, and I figured there was no time like the present. Once I saw the prices of those few books, however, I tucked my tail between my legs and decided that perhaps now wasn’t the time after all. By the time I got home, I had a list of other books I just had to have right now. Now, after three days of searching, I have six first edition hard covers on the way from various booksellers around the globe and a bank account balance that reminds me a whole lot of my college days. One of the books I was frantically searching for was Jonathon King’s Shadow Men. I had recently read his first two novels and was eager to read his third. But while I was searching, some barely perceptible warning was going off in the back of my mind. Why didn’t I already own this? Am I sure I don’t? So I scoured my bookshelves, looking here and there for a copy of a book I couldn’t remember if I ever picked up. I couldn’t find it, so I sent my credit card information to a particular bookseller who had the perfect copy at the perfect price. I went to bed, content in my knowledge that my Jonathon King collection would finally be complete. Last night I was on the floor of my office when I happened to glance up. Guess what I saw from this weird new vantage point? Yep, you guessed it. A pristine, unread copy of Shadow Men. I had run out of room on the shelf, so it was resting on top of some other books, hidden from view except for anyone silly enough to actually lay on the floor. Now I’ll pick which book is in better condition, and then read the other copy.

Fun with Web Strips

One of the things Bob got me fired up about was writing my own web strip. After brainstorming some ideas, I finally nailed down the theme I wanted to run with. Three days later I've learned two things. First, writing web strips is a piece of cake. Second, writing web strips is the hardest thing to do...ever! After writing my new web strip for, oh, I don't know, maybe 15 minutes, I was well into my third week of storylines. These things were coming fast and furious. Sure, these were drafts, but the jokes and characters and topics and all that good stuff werejust flowing out of me. "Why didn't I do this earlier?" I asked myself. After awhile, I decided to let my first draft rest for the night and I turned in, excited for having churned out some really good ideas. The next day I read through what I had written. What complete and utter garbage. The jokes and characters and topics and all that good stuff was total drivel. It sure flowed out of me with ease, but from the smell of what I was reading, it wasn't worth keeping. "Why the hell did I bother?" I asked. Of course, time has passed, and I've realized how fun and challenging writing these strips can be. Sure, the ideas flow fast, and it's "easy" to get out only a few panels needed for one strip, but the rewriting needed to make it actually funny and worth reading is a bear. You have to whittle it down to the bare essentials, and cut the rest. It's tough. It's time consuming. But it's also very rewarding. Now I just need to write day two...