Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated May 2, 2014 - 10:32pm

So I've decided we need a new thread for months.  Some of you might be able to ignore the underlined ones.

What are you reading?

What writing are you working on and how is it going?

Well, why aren't you writing?

Is that just an excuse?

Really?

How are things all that, you know in the other parts of your life?

Anything you feel we should know about?

Renae Gee's picture
Renae Gee from Australia is reading All the words! May 2, 2014 - 11:12pm

What are you reading?  The Secret History by Donna Tartt

What writing are you working on and how is it going?  I keep attempting my second draft of 2 poems.  I keep picking them up, looking at the words on the page and putting them back down again.

Well, why aren't you writing?     Fear

Is that just an excuse?  No, I really feel fear.

Really?  Yes

How are things all that, you know in the other parts of your life?  Pretty great.

Anything you feel we should know about?  I'm in love with Charles Bukowski.

Adam Jenkins's picture
Adam Jenkins from Bracknell, England is reading RCX Magazine (Issue 1 coming soon) May 3, 2014 - 5:19am

What are you reading? The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

What writing are you working on and how is it going? Nothing, and it is going brilliantly

Well, why aren't you writing? Lack of inspiration / inclination. Going through one of 'those' patches.

Is that just an excuse? Isn't everything?

Really? Sure.

How are things all that, you know in the other parts of your life? Lots of death, though I did get a nice watch out of it, so you know... silver linings.

Anything you feel we should know about? I haven't worn a watch in well over a decade.

Grigori Black's picture
Grigori Black from US is reading Radium Girls by Amanda Gowin May 3, 2014 - 6:56am

What are you reading? Pashtun for infidels (Revised).

What writing are you working on and how is it going? Current project is a sci-fi novel with some dystopian elements. First draft is finished (Ha!), now it's a matter of delving into revisions.

How are things all that, you know in the other parts of your life? Pretty good. Except that my significant other is on the other side of the world.

Anything you feel we should know about? Nope. That's pretty much it for the moment.

Matt L.'s picture
Matt L. from Texas is reading Tenth of December: Stories May 3, 2014 - 1:58pm

What are you reading? East of Eden, The Tenth of December, Deuteronomy

What writing are you working on and how is it going? Working on my second novel. It's turning out to be quite a departure from the first one. New adult story of a young man caught up in an ancient war between good and evil [2] vs. violent, expletive-laden story of a used car salesman who's forced to kill or be killed [1]. It's going well. Nearly 6,000 words in and I've got the next chapter or two outlined along with broad strokes for the rest of the story.

Well, why aren't you writing? I'm procrastinating on Litreactor instead of course! I like to put off writing until I feel so guilty I can't stand it any longer and I must sit down and scratch out some words before I lose myself in a spiral of depression induced binge eating. OK, well, I don't like it... but I seem to do it far too often.

How are things all that, you know in the other parts of your life? Pretty good. Facing the struggles that are typical for most of us - trying to eke out enough money to pay the bills, break out of my introverted writer-shell to interact with people I care about every now and again, etc. Things are going well though, I certainly cannot complain.

Anything you feel we should know about? I may get to do some work on an indie film later this year. It's in the very early stages and I don't want to have to pull my foot out of my mouth later so that's all I'll say for now.

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated May 4, 2014 - 2:13am

I've decided since I always end up a bit poorer than I intended my next goal is to become insanely rich. Poorer than that should be fairly comfortable.

CheffoJeffo's picture
CheffoJeffo from Toronto May 4, 2014 - 8:20am

What are you reading? 10 Billion Days & 100 Billion Nights and Greed

What writing are you working on and how is it going? Have been reworking a deeply flawed draft of a first novel, but am putting that away for a week whilst I take Richard's Short Story Mechanics course.

Well, why aren't you writing? When I'm not, I chalk it up to a lack of time and energy.

Is that just an excuse? Of course it is. I need to get my ass kicked, get past my fear and practice.

How are things all that, you know in the other parts of your life? Not too bad, thanks for asking. 

Anything you feel we should know about? Not really, although I have been writing some erotic short stories for Mrs. Cheffo and it's been both humbling and humiliating.

Chacron's picture
Chacron from England, South Coast is reading Fool's Assassin by Robin Hobb May 4, 2014 - 9:01am

What are you reading?

Pandora's Star by Peter F Hamilton

What writing are you working on and how is it going?

Two novels: Welcome to Sentago and Shadow's Contract (which is book 2 in my Talent Show series) Mostly working on the latter during the last two weeks, although the former keeps nagging at me for attention as I actually had a good thing going with it until I was fool enough to get back to Shadow who steals all my time.

Well, why aren't you writing?

Because Sunday is for reading, going running and video games. Oops, did I forget church there?

Is that just an excuse?

Yes. I'll probably write something later.

Really?

Ya rly.

How are things all that, you know in the other parts of your life?

Well I'm still single but I can't be bothered doing anything to change that right now. Too busy with work for one thing, and trying to get a new job before my current contract runs out in August.

Anything you feel we should know about?

I started listening to epic metal again recently. Symphony X are a good band to write to, so are Stratovarius. Must check Iced Earth out sometime, as I always promised my friend I would and then never did.

Thuggish's picture
Thuggish from Vegas is reading Day of the Jackal May 4, 2014 - 1:19pm

Well, you forgot to ask if we're alive first.  But I'll play anyway.

What are you reading?  Couple betas and Damned by Chuck P.

What writing are you working on and how is it going?  It doesn't have a title, same as always, and it's going kinda slow, but a friend is helping with the outlining whenever I ask, so that's nice.

Well, why aren't you writing?  When this applies, I am severely demotivated, as well as coming up dry for ideas.

Is that just an excuse?  What isn't?  Maybe I'm just not that good yet that I can be consistent.

Really?  Like I said.

How are things all that, you know in the other parts of your life?  I have alot of f-bombs to answer that fully...

Anything you feel we should know about?  No!  Stop asking and get off my lawn!

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated May 4, 2014 - 1:38pm

I didn't forget.  I am Dwayne from Lexington, Kentucky.  You are thinking of Jessica from Madisonville, Kentucky.  Different people, different threads.

...I've decided we need a new thread for months.

See new?  As in not the same?  There you go.

Renae Gee's picture
Renae Gee from Australia is reading All the words! May 4, 2014 - 3:22pm

How about you Dwayne- are you going to answer the questions?

ReneeAPickup's picture
Class Facilitator
ReneeAPickup from Southern California is reading Wanderers by Chuck Wendig May 4, 2014 - 5:19pm

What are you reading? Finishing up Rob Hart's New Yorked (we got it early for B&B and it's REALLY EFFING GOOD YOU GUYS).

What writing are you working on and how is it going? Same WIP novel as I have been for just over a year. Getting those final rewrites done before sending it out into the big, bad world.

Well, why aren't you writing? Just finished some brutal rewrites.

Is that just an excuse? Nope. With the headache I've had all day I am REALLY proud of how much I've accomplished.

Really? Really!

How are things all that, you know in the other parts of your life? Mostly good. This allergy season can kiss my ass though.

Anything you feel we should know about? Uhm... not really. Not for this month anyway.

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated May 4, 2014 - 6:19pm

Nope.

Shannon Barber's picture
Shannon Barber from Seattle is reading Paradoxia: A Predators Diary by Lydia Lunch May 4, 2014 - 7:10pm

What are you reading?

I just finished Legs Get Led Astray by Chloe Caldwell. I started reading Bad Sex on Speed by Jerry Stahl and I'm reading Sword of Shannara.

What writing are you working on and how is it going?

I'm working on V2.0 of my self care guide. I'm almost done. I've also got some more what I have deemed hood noir going and a spec fic thing I just finished the line edits on.

Well, why aren't you writing?

I am on a shitload of dayquil and can't quite concentrate. So I'm toying with a weird thing I wrote a while back. 

Is that just an excuse?

Nope.

Really?

Yep. Working+dayquil=I'm stupid.

How are things all that, you know in the other parts of your life?

Um things. They are going okay. I just signed a new lease so my rent wouldn't go up and I bought new shoes. I'm feeling like I'm nailing this adulthood thing.

Anything you feel we should know about?

Yes actually. Acherontia atropos or the Death's-Head Hawk Moth are pretty much the cutest things ever. They squeak while they steal honey. They are pretty cool and I really want to keep some for pets but don't have the time to right now. However I will have one tattooed on my chest by Christmas.

Renae Gee's picture
Renae Gee from Australia is reading All the words! May 4, 2014 - 7:26pm

@Dwayne OK.

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated May 4, 2014 - 7:56pm

I'll concede it was totally fair question.

jyh's picture
jyh from VA is reading whatever he feels like May 4, 2014 - 8:56pm

Reading Eco's The Prague Cemetery. It's based on actual racism, so people on goodreads say it's racist and shouldn't be read.

Writing: Finished a closely-inspected first draft of a ~9K-word first part of a possible serial; and some small stuff. (Smaller.)

Things are not "all that".

You should know about the crisis in Ukraine.

Gordon Highland's picture
Gordon Highland from Kansas City is reading Secondhand Souls by Christopher Moore May 4, 2014 - 9:05pm

"Hood noir," I like that. Also, DayQuil and NyQuil have governed my own weekend in a most unwelcome and ineffective manner. Still on an indefinite writing hiatus, but finally getting back to reading.

Linda's picture
Linda from Sweden is reading Fearful Symmetries May 5, 2014 - 6:06am

What are you reading? Bank's The Crow Road (the rocking chair book), Ballard's Cocaine Nights (the sofa book), Blackwood short story collection (the bed book, shitty idea) and Alice Munro collection (the audio book).

What writing are you working on and how is it going? I have two short stories underway, going nowhere fast, and one novella in Swedish, also going nowhere fast. I've written quite a bit of poetry recently, all terrible.

Well, why aren't you writing? I need to be working on my thesis, and this feels less like cheating. Somehow.

 

Is that just an excuse? If I didn't have to work on the thesis I'd probably take a nap, so yes.

Really? Quite sure.
 

How are things all that, you know in the other parts of your life? Nowhere fast. Could be worse though.

Anything you feel we should know about? Citizens of our dirty union should be getting psyched about the democratic farce that is the EU elections. Yay! And then actually leave the house to vote at some point.

big_old_dave's picture
big_old_dave from Watford, about 20 miles outside London, Uk May 5, 2014 - 8:02am

What are you reading? Well after being blown away by True true detective I'm reading Nic Pizzolatto's Galveston. It's good.

What writing are you working on and how is it going? Well I'm currently working on my next short story "Mule" about a drugs mule and thinking about adding some sections into the last story I posted into the workshop "Blow one down."

Well, why aren't you writing? First draft was a breeze, the ones after that are turning into a slog.

 

Is that just an excuse? Isn't everything? Yep.

 

How are things all that, you know in the other parts of your life? I need a holiday, works getting stressful,  other than same same.

Anything you feel we should know about? The new afghan whigs album is all killer no filler.

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated May 5, 2014 - 1:11pm

@JYH - Are you over there?

jyh's picture
jyh from VA is reading whatever he feels like May 5, 2014 - 4:15pm

@Dwayne --- Where, Ukraine? No. I am not in Ukraine. I must trust the British Broadcasting Corporation (or some other) in order to feel as though I've gained any knowledge whatsoever of the goings-on.

justwords's picture
justwords from suburb of Birmingham, AL is reading The Tomb, F. Paul Wilson; A Long Way Down, Nick Hornby May 6, 2014 - 12:01am

@Dave: yes! that album is great!

@Dwayne: will get back to you on your queries.

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated May 6, 2014 - 5:06am

@JYH - The way you wrote that I didn't think you were, but I wasn't sure you weren't trying to answer a few questions with one response.

I must trust the British Broadcasting Corporation (or some other) in order to feel as though I've gained any knowledge whatsoever of the goings-on.

Well, that has to be somewhat less of a disgusting experience when you're British or at least in Britain. I Because BBC America is the only new source aimed at Americans I half way sorta trust sometimes, and that bugs me.

@Adam J. - 

Isn't everything?

Well, not everything.  If someone posted, "I had a heart attack Sunday," or "Mom died, I'm at the funeral," I'd say that isn't an excuse that is a reason.  But almost everything, like 99% +.

jyh's picture
jyh from VA is reading whatever he feels like May 6, 2014 - 8:16am

I usually hear the World Service / Newsday, which is (I think) a sort of confederated production with announcers and reporters chiming in from various global offices.

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated May 6, 2014 - 1:34pm

I listen to that at work sometimes.  Much better than American news.  And I'm not one to assume that Europe = better than USA.

voodoo_em's picture
voodoo_em from England is reading All the books by Ira Levin May 7, 2014 - 1:35am

What are you reading? Only just getting around to finally reading Doomed, despite having it since it's release.

What writing are you working on and how is it going? My WIP, a few different short stories, a few revisions. It's going okay.

Well, why aren't you writing? I totally am, I just stopped for a second and...

Is that just an excuse? Nu-uh, I got word open and everything.

Really? No that was a lie, but I am about to write a story, so *shrugs*

How are all things, you know in other parts of your life? Hectic and broke

Anything you feel we should know about? I can't think of anything. How very, very dull of me.