I had been beginning to wonder if I would ever
finish any writing project ever again. I know I'm hardly writing to a
waiting world, the paraphrase something I barely remember, but I
suppose I should report that I'm just about to release another
Dancing with Darwin story. They are my very favourite stories, though
individually not much read – (Sumto is demanded, and more Sumto
there will be. Soon, for a variable value of soon). I was glad to see
the Apocalyptic
Fears anthology do well, as the first four Dancing with Darwin
stories are there, and that's still probably the best value place to
buy them if you wish to.
Why do I like them so well? Maybe because there
are endless stories to write – so many that I can't hope to write
even a fraction of them myself. Maybe because it si so easy to think
of great characters; pick a profession, pick a mental disorder, and
you have a story. It's really that easy, though the writing of each
story is time consuming.
This one runs to about 30,000 words, which make
sit the longest so far, I think. Avalanche and Angelfire, the two
people who think they are superheroes, make a return appearance and
have the starring roles. As usual, Bob Santana, the OCD reporter,
starts the story rolling with a report, and Monica, the studio
anchor. They are both a little stressed by this point, but
civilization is collapsing around them, so I guess they can be
forgiven. Bob is strangely silent at the end of the story, but I know
why and will make that clear in the next one of these I write. No
promises about when that will be.
To change the mood a little, some personal news
for those who are interested in that kind of thing. I've lived in the
same apartment for seven months, which is a record for recent years.
My charming mother has her own place, and my brother is more
responsible for making that happen than I was. Having separate the
impossible from the possible, we have made the possible happen. I
think both she and I are somewhat relieved. I still keep an eye on
her finances, still action some things for her, but have taken a big
step back from the – for me – very distressing position of 'being
in control.' I really don't like being in control of any aspect of
anyone else's life. Control is for the individual, not for others,
not for me. She seems happy enough, though I know she also chaffs
under the restrictions of having to maintain a home and stay in it.
We have different reasons for doing so, because we are different
people, and the timing is mostly coincidental, but I know we both
share the same travel-bug and blame whichever ancestor is responsible
for putting it in the genetic mix. Still, there are benefits to
putting down roots. My partner (no sense trying to figure out in what
sense I mean the word as I'm not too sure myself) just bought some
patio furniture for the patio I/we have a patio so it seemed an idea
to have somewhere to sit when it suns, (which it isn't at the moment,
it rains instead). Not a big deal for some, but for me a big
commitment. The chairs are comfortable. I guess they will still be
comfortable the next time I sit on one; and the commitment comes in
right there – that I will still be here to do that in weeks and
months to come.
Now I'm looking at other unfinished stories and
looking to see which one will move if pushed a little. Sumto would be
easiest, perhaps, but I'm not quite ready for that degree of
involvement in the psyche of a character. Sumto takes a lot of
'being him' to write honestly, and I won't short change the reader by
cheating. That would be unfair. Besides which, Sumto wouldn't put up
with it and I'd make no real progress anyway. The stories are there,
building like storm clouds, and I expect there will be a spate of
releases when the storm breaks. Just not quite yet.
