Secrecy flipped into show business.

You just have to love the prophetic vision of McLuhan - here he is in 1977 talking about how, ‎"Another strange effect of this electric environment is the total absence of secrecy."

And of course he talking about Nixon and Watergate. There secrecy was flipped into show business.

"The backroom boys finally found themselves on the stage".

Watch this and wonder if old Marshall didn't have crystal balls. (Thanks to Sean Cranbury).

Marshall McLuhan 1977 from bob stein on Vimeo.

And oh yeah, I am so fascinated by this era, and the event that never dies (Watergate) that I wrote a book about it.

Need sleep, reading instead

Seemed to be going through a bit of insomnia these days  - possibly a case of working too much, and too long of hours. Hard time winding my brain down.

So I am digging into some big fat books, not boring ones, just big fat ones. They will either help me sleep, or give me something to do while I am awake.

Now where did I put that James Joyce collection?

And just to note, yes, I did just post an adorable kitty pic.

Land of In-Between

In the land of in-between - isn't that some sort of YA book? Or if not, why not?

Yes, I finished the re-write of the novel, and yes there are more irons in the fire, gird in the loins and possibly some bats in the belfry.

What I mean is, I need to gather up the various half-novels (and novel ideas) and decide which one to dig into next. It is an odd in-between time. I have heard of those writers, who finish the last word of a novel, pull the paper from the typewriter cartridge and roll in another page, and start typing the next.

Okay, dating myself, and especially since all I've ever done on an actual typewriter is bang out random letters as hard as I could when I was a kid.

But you get the point.

Sifting through the pile of ideas can be rewarding, you find something that you've forgot about, and wondered why it was abandoned. Though, other times you know exactly why it was abandoned. But for now, I will sift. And plant some new seeds as well. I want to commit to a new project, having written two now, I know what that commitment looks like. If you're going to spend a couple year with some characters you better damn well like them.

Onward.

Well now what?

After a weekend of celebration - well, cool beverages and hot temps anyhow - I am restless to begin again. Now, I do know that if the current manuscript sells, that it is only the beginning of rewrites. Still, I am left wondering which of my projects to pursue next.

I think I am growing more patient as a writer. When first met with the idea of starting another novel (after I finished Correction Line), it seemed like too huge a climb. I am guy who likes things off his desk in a few weeks. But I think I am starting to get it, and even like it. By "it", I mean the long narrative. I plan to knock around a bit with some short fiction things I have burbling - but I know already that I will be starting another novel soon. Fall in One Day (my current novel) took between 2 and 3 years, depending on how I look at it. That was a lot less time than the first one (almost 10 years - though, I was learning how to write, and re-write, and re-write some more).

If the trend continues I should be able to knock one off in 6 months, or better, 6 weeks (yeah right).

As always: stay tuned.

Done

Novel.

Done.

Wine awaits.