Relationships are Hard

My apologies for not getting the blog out last night - life gets exciting and for that I cannot apologize. I am stuck here unable to talk with my family because I had all four wisdom teeth out today - what better opportunity to write! Today's subject I will hopefully not upset anyone with - it is something that is fascinating to me so I felt it was pertinent to mention.

I was asked recently about the presence of gay and lesbian relationships in my stories. Sex and I have a very complicated relationship, much more than is needed really, so I must admit I did not have an answer.

It is not that I don't think about them - I just don't pay them much heed. Except when their rights are concerned. Then I will pitch a fight and kick ass every which way from Sunday. Yes I am a full supporter of LGBTQ rights.

I have made some obvious heterosexual relationships - its what I know. Its what many people know. But if I missed out on possibly having a meaningful love between two men or two women would the story be less engaging because of it? While there are sections of my book that things are laid out pretty clearly and we all know where all the pieces are going to fall - I want the intricate relationships these characters develop with other to leave everyone with someone to latch on to, to understand.

As luck would have it - inspiration struck me a couple weeks later. I was beginning to write the scene of a reunion between two characters separated by centuries of time, decisions that drove them apart, and a act of evil they both had a different part in - one redeeming and the other sinister. As I stated to write these two characters reactions to each other - I felt it would be a much more powerful scene to make that relationship more than even I originally thought.

After writing the first few paragraphs and laying some hints for a love that had once been there - I realized I needed more information. I did not want to assume that all relationship mannerisms were the same. That I could be missing out on some additional things I could put in this scene to make it so much more powerful.

I have never had to hide who I was, I have always been a slightly feminine dude who likes women. While most of my family falsely believed I was gay my entire teenage life - I have always been straight. I don't know how you show love to someone when you may not be able to touch them, when others may seek to harm you just because you give in to the crushing urge to reach out and feel their skin and hold their hand while you walk along the street.

So I have a few friends on either side of the spectrum I will be talking to. I am not uncomfortable acknowledging my ignorance - and while I understand our emotions and attractions may be very similar - how they struggled to show affection when they were not allowed to is something I have no clue on. It is something I will remedy and I hope my books will be better because of it. 

Where the hell have I been?

I have been a wee-bit absent the past few months.

Okay fine, COMPLETELY absent. However that is not without reason, and not entirely because of laziness. Life gets busy. I have a child - no longer a toddler. I have a better half who I like to be involved with - that is part of why you have one. Lastly - my book is being published - and that takes time.

Yes, my book is finally getting an official publication and I am now faced with figuring out how to promote a book. I need to find locations that I can take a small number of books to and get people to buy them. That is a weird feeling - let me tell you. I have some ideas but if any of my readers have some ideas - I will take them.

However, the book has now been edited and has a professional cover - that you can't beat. I think it is pretty awesome. I mean look at that tower! The font struck me as well - I am going to have to figure out titles that look awesome in that font style.

Titles you say? Well I don't think it is really a secret but this is book one of six. Yes, six.

When I started this tale of epic proportions I was not in full comprehension of how many words it would take to create the world of Theron and to complete the story. One book became three (in outlines). After finishing the first book and the outline for the next two I came upon an incredibly horrible/awesome realization - I missed half the planet.

I decide that I would need an entirely separate story line to deal with more villains and stories that this first book cannot logically handle. Part of my writing is that I did not want to invent reasons for my characters to go places. Looking at the story as outlined - there is no logical reason for my characters to go to the other side of the planet to deal with the other parts of the story that I didn't get to. I don't want to artificially put a character somewhere they do not belong.

So how did I solve this problem? I planned a second trilogy. That is why at the very bottom of my cover you see "Saga of the East". This story deals with the events of the Eastern half of a planet and another trilogy will need to be written to handle the events of the other half.

The outline for the "Saga of the West" is very fluid at this point. I have a few characters in mind, but only one major story arc (three are probably what I need) so it is still under development. The characters in the this book however - they all have plans and things I will need them to do. Their fate is sealed *insert maniacal laughter here*. Excuse me.

At the behest of my publisher, they suggested I get back into blogging - and I figure I will use this one as it already is in place and I can use it as a place to expand the universe I have created. Using that as a base I should be able to provide some more blog topics and I can start reporting on my successes and failures as this process moves forward.

On that note I will leave you all until next time - hopefully within the next week. If you message me questions I will deal with those more quickly. 

Fear of Cuddling

One of the things I hate about fearing zombies is that it makes me also fear being close to loved ones. I mean physically close to them. There are many different things to fear, but some can be feared more than most on a paranoid day.

By far one of the worst side-effects of a more paranoid day, is the fear of cuddling. Whoa, hold on - a fear of cuddling you ask? Yes, because it basically puts you into the most indefensible position you can possibly ever be in. What better to become infected than to be cuddling with someone infected with a zombifying disease when they "turn" zombie.

Never before has the gentle nuzzling of a loved one into your neck evoked more delusion panic than when you have to wonder - will they bite me sometime in the night? Will this fun movie night turn into a nightmare?

Stop looking at me with that face, it is an irrational fear for a reason - because it is bothersome and strange in all its quirkiness.But once the zombies come, don't expect me to be handing out hugs - arms length saves lives.