quick update on life

This is just a quick life update. I am now a stay at home dad for two days a week. The others are spent doing projects around the house that we haven’t had time to do in the last few years. Like: ripping down the wall between the kitchen and dining room, replacing broken window panes, stripping paint, fixing the leaky basement, etc.

I have received 3 rejections from agents about their interest in my novel so far. I’m waiting on 2 more. I may start sending it out to publishers too, but I’d rather have an agent first.

I’m starting on my last semester of classes for my A.S. in Business from OCC. I like my guitar class the best so far. I know how to play, and have for years, but it’s fun remembering all the old Metallica songs I used to know and jamming with the other advanced students.

The toddler is adapting well to his first major life transition: Mom at work, he’s in daycare or with me, I’m gone at night at class. That’s it for now

chapter 7 of my novel “Downfall”

Chapter 7.

chapter 6 of my novel “Downfall”

Chapter 6.

chapter 5 of my novel “Downfall”

Chapter 5.

chapter 4 of my novel “Downfall”

Chapter 4 . (Six and a half years later.)

Literary Coincidences

Have you ever been reading something only to have a particular word, phrase, or topic jump out at you because you have just seen or heard it elsewhere? I had two recently.

Yesterday I was blown away by a literary coincidence. I’m reading “Infoquake” by David Louis Edelman, and on page 181 is the scene where Natch meets Surina in the infinite library and she says, “You haven’t read your Borges, have you?” Guess what other book I am reading right now? Ficciones by Borges!!! Crazy! Granted I finished that particular short story last week but still. Pretty cool.

And another one:

I put down “MultiReal,” (also by David Louis Edelman) last night so my wife and I could watch a movie. We picked Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein since she teaches it in her English class and has never seen it. (plus since it’s about rising from the dead, I thought it would fit nicely with Easter) I stopped reading in the middle of the page.
After the movie, I picked up the book again. The last line of the first paragraph ended with “…cobbled together like some sort of virtual Frankenstein.” Dun Dun Duhhhhhh!

I know I’ve had others too, I just can’t remember specifically. Like I’m reading and someone says, “grilled cheese.” the same time that I read the words “grilled cheese.” What about you?

chapter 3 of my novel “Downfall”

Chapter 3. Seven years ago