Gone Fishin!

Hey Everybody!
I’ve moved the blog (again!) and this time I think it’s final.

You can now find me at
http://davenportwrites.com
where I’ll continue to do more of the same. Reading, Writing, and Reviewing! Please follow and enjoy!

Trials of Obed Marsh, coming soon!

The Trials of Obed Marsh (for purchase before Christmas!)

Synopsis

In H. P. Lovecraft’s tale The Shadows Over Innsmouth, we learn of how the town of Innsmouth fell from grace and took to worshipping Dagon. Ten years later, the friend and colleague of that poor narrator has done his own digging into history of that fated town and put together his own narrative depicting the events leading up that final fall and following the man who ushered it in: Obed Marsh. This is the tale of the Fall of Innsmouth and the Trials of Obed Marsh.

Excerpt

The inherent tragedy of a tale can be found in many of its aspects. When speaking of my friend and his detailed notes concerning his delving into his genealogical past, the tragedy stemmed not only in the depth of the horrors transcended on the small port town of Innsmouth, but also in the discovery of his bloodline’s polluted nature.
Sometimes the tragedy can be found in how far a person or group can fall from grace. My friend’s notes fell into my hands upon his disappearance almost four years ago. Once I had finished reading his account of Innsmouth as well as his revelation and subsequent notes and clippings that he’d brought back from his own research, my own curiosity took me on a dark and sordid chase for the truth. Now, almost four years later, I’ve completed my research and can recount for you, to the best of my knowledge, the tragic descent of the town of Innsmouth as brought about by the bright eyed hopefulness of a young Obed Marsh in the wake of that cursed book compiled by the mad Arab, Abdul Alhazered.
Over the years, I have compiled a factual account of specific historical details as well as a large portion of personal tales from nearby families and legend. Needless to say, this tale I prepare to relay to you can only be factual to an extent, as I, nor any living person, was there that can share first-hand accounts. In moments in which the historical or inherited tales fail to fill all of the gaps, I’ve taken it upon myself to apply educated guesses. The gaps, while unverifiable, are the most likely accounts that an educated mind can apply given the evidence.
It is my hopes to show the world how susceptible the strongest of wills is to the vile depth of the unnamed terrors that move to sweep our ownership of this planet from us. Yog-Sothoth, the dark man Nyarlathotep, Cthulhu, and yes, even deep and dark Dagon surrendered this world to the stars. They delved deep, allowing for species of floral and fauna to grow and take their place. These ancient, galactic travelers wish to take away all that we’ve built in some ancient claim of property ownership. The horrors that they wish to inflict upon humanity and our world are unnamed for they are unimaginable by the tiny scope that our mortal brains can contain. This account of the corruption and fall of the formerly beautiful town of Innsmouth will hopefully serve as an example to all who read it as to humanity’s lack of preparedness.
They will rise. If Obed couldn’t beat back the darkness, how can we?

#NaNoWriMo Day 22

Wow, I’ve been a busy boy, and I apologize for the lack of updates. In this, my first full 30+ days of wedded bliss, I’ve been writing so much that I just don’t have anything left (usually) to attack the blog. This month has been so amazingly rewarding and I’m loving the novel that I’m writing.

At the time of my writing this, I have 37,214 words in my novel “The Trials of Obed Marsh.” I’ve got a beta reader already taking a look at what I have already, and I’m enjoying a lovely Thanksgiving Day with my wife.

It’s easy writing (I even got behind and managed to catch up very quickly) and the story is leaving me impressed with myself. I can’t wait to publish this novel. I also have more faith in my ability to produce good works in a decent time frame. I feel as though I should be able to pump out more writings now, and this makes me very happy.

I hope all you are experiencing a great NaNoWriMo and a just as great Thanksgiving!

Happy Holidays,

–Matty McCool

#NaNoWriMO Day 1

Here’s to day one of NaNoWriMo!

The last couple of days have been intense preparation for the month of novel writing frenzy. I’ve cleaned off the desk in the guest bedroom, reread all of my notes and outline, and hammered a nail into the wall above the previously mentioned desk. The nail is to hang a clipboard with my outline on it. I’m surprised with how well this has been working. I’m slowly making my way through the notes (Slowly through the outline is actually good. For example, if the note reads “Introduce Obed Marsh” then I’ve got about a page and a half of actual text to type just to get that note done.)

As far as my progress is concerned, I’ve cheated a little this year. I came into this with a story I started earlier in the year: “The Trials of Obed Marsh.” For this reason, it does already have 3590 words to it. To be fair to all involved and mostly fair to myself, I’m only counting words typed during the month of November for my NaNo word count. I’d like to have at least 50,000 on top of the 3,590 that I already have typed. For your convenience, all word counts mentioned from here on out do not include that 3,590 previously written unless otherwise said so.

With that being said, my word count for day one is 2,498. This also doesn’t include the blog or the 30 to 40 emails I sent today as part of my job.

The story for this year is meant to be a prequel to H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Shadow Over Innsmouth.” It follows the city’s benefactor as he leads them down the dark an convoluted path towards their own corruption and inevitable downfall. Its  fun ole write, and hopefully just as fun to read.

I’m hoping to keep this pace up, as I feel empowered by it. The outline has been my biggest weapon. Its so easy to just give up because you don’t know where a story will go or what a character will say, but having fleshed out the meat and direction of the story previously I can just write and write and write without having to worry too much about what will happen next. In essence, I’ve gotten rid of my excuses. Its very liberating. Of course, the naysayers will point out that plotting and outlining are the devil’s work, but to be fair, I’m playing with someone else’s sandbox, and the rules and general history have already been established. On top of that, the naysayers seem to think that just because its been plotted that I can’t make adjustments. If I feel that something plotted doesn’t fit a character’s personality, or wouldn’t work as well given a better situation that just came to me, you can be damned sure that I’m going to adjust it to fit and love every second of it. My plot is flexible, and mostly a guideline for those times when I have no idea what to do next. Those times when I am looking for excuses to quit for the day. Well not this time. No excuses.

Hell, if this month goes well, maybe I’ll try pumping out a novel a month all of the time. As a matter of fact, having written my 1667+ for today, I think I’ll go outline the next episode of my adventure serial I’m working on. “The Statement of Andrew Doran.” Yeah, its another Lovecraft thing, but don’t worry. I write a ton of original stuff as well. As a matter of fact, after Obed, we’ll see about maybe pumping out a few more of those Originals…

–Matty McWriter

Say it Ain’t So, Luke.

Disney has purchased Lucasfilm and promised to deliver a Episode VII in 2015. It took me all day to decide how I felt about this, as I’m a die hard fan, and torn, but this was my response as it came to me in solid reinforcement: As a die hard fan who has seen every movie, read every book and comic, and watched every TV special and cartoon, I stand firm in my stance that Enough is Enough! If you get the original actors back for episode VII, then it won’t be Lucas’ original script for episode VII, as it originally took place not long after 6. If you stick with the script, the actors are too old and will need to be replaced or done with CGI. (Which I’m OK with as long as it is realistic. I don’t want an ‘Up’ or ‘Monsters Inc. Version of my fandom), but after The Clone Wars, I doubt it. And then there will be the massive crater that it makes in the Expanded Universe. Disney wants to milk the property and die hard fans who feared Vader instead of understood him will be the ones who are forced to suffer. I hope the novels continue unheeded or my last 20 years of literary travels with Han and Luke will have been for naught. Did Luke not fight Luuke? Did Chewie not give the ultimate sacrifice at Sernpidal? Did Leia not watch Han tortured by witches just to say he loves her? My worlds are in torture, and I am helpless to save them. Is this how Leia felt at the destruction of Alderaan?

I mean, I’ve read everything. I’ve played every game, I’ve watched all of the Clone Wars and the old Christmas special with Chewie. Don’t do it man….just don’t do it.

You can have Indiana Jones, Mr. Disney…He’s your kind of character…but don’t touch the Jedi.

Wedded Bliss!

Ren and I are married! Its been a week since our ceremony, and we are so happy, as we knew we would be. The ceremony was beautiful, as was Ren, and the gathering of our two families couldn’t have been more beautifully done. The reception was exceptional, with great food and drink on top of a rocking party. I don’t think I’ve ever danced so hard in my life.

The following gifts and brunch were also very amazing and we’re so very ready to class up our dishware with the new selections that we’ve received.

After the wedding ceremony (Which everyone agrees was amazing) and then the reception (Which everyone agrees was beyond amazing), Ren and I trucked it to Mexico. Specifically, Catalonia Royal Tulum. It was amazingly beautiful.

We woke every morning to a little bit of rain that always ended before we got out the door. Then we went to breakfast, which consisted of an international buffet and Bloody Mary bar.  After I was fed and boozed up, Ren and I made our way to the ocean and swam our hours (By the way, that was my first trip to the ocean since I was a baby) before propping up in the sand and sun to read until lunch. Lunch was at a nice buffet off of the beach. The afternoons were all up for new experiences, and each one was great fun with birds, coatis, and music.

On Thursday, Ren and I hopped onto a bus and traveled almost two hours to Chichen Itza, where we both explored the gorgeous Mayan ruins in sweltering heat.

We came home Friday.

My wife and I had an amazing week. Our marriage was beautiful, the reception was spectacular, and the honeymoon was beyond our wildest dreams.

–Matty McLovesRen

I’m Married!

I’m on my honeymoon in Mexico, and am so relaxed I can’t even bring myself to write much. But, I love you all, so here is an “I’m Married” post. Expect a more detailed report of Marriage and Honeymoon when I get home.

Here’s  video:

UPDATE:
Nevermind, I can’t get the video to post…expect pictures later. Goodnight!