This week I’ve picked up various social media types, what I call ‘follower fodder’. As in companies/people/ spambots that hook on to something you’ve said, referenced or inferred to somewhere within social media (blog, Twitter, Facebook, you know – that stuff) and basically follow you in the vain hope you’re gullible enough to not only follow them back but buy whatever it is they’re selling (which is usually not much to nothing at all but now they have your money they don’t care).

So I thought of doing a blog post on how sick I am of such people, who take on the belief that everyone who uses the internet is gullible, stupid and has enough money to hand out to anyone who asks for it. I wanted to point out that not everyone who uses the internet is an imbecile and how I wish people would stop approaching me as if I was… and then I spent some time on social media sights this afternoon and read over comments and posts by perfect strangers out there voicing their own opinions on things and well… decided to let that sleeping dog lie. Not only did I not want to waste my precious weekly blog on a rather boring and froth at the mouth rant, I also didn’t want it to look like a snippet of some latest piece of fiction I am dealing with. 😉

As I have mentioned in other blog posts – It is better the remain silent and be thought an idiot than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt… or something like that. In other words, I didn’t want to become another spouty all-knowing god of knowledge and come across an ever bigger idiot than I started out as by acknowledging I had been reading some of the tripe I had indeed been reading. 😀

And so instead, I thought I’d dedicate this post to letting you all know what I’ve been up to in the writing world. Yes, if you’re inwardly or outwardly groaning over how dull a topic this sounds, now’s the time to stop reading and go off and get on with your life. Byie!

For the rest of you, I’ll start by explaining the title of this blog. It came from a conversation I was having with a few friends via one of those notorious social media sites the other day. When asked what I was up to (meaning writing wise) I explained that I had had to redo my zombies, was thinking of doing something with Tasmania, was a little closer to killing my artist, hadn’t yet gotten to hell and was still uncertain whether dragons could be used to explain the true depths of mathematics. So… the usual.

They took this in their stride and wished me well and asked me questions about it, but a friend new to the conversation had to ask if this was all in the one book as it sounded complicated. To which another friend said ‘No, just in her head. She’s weird because she’s a writer, but we love her all the same.’ And yes, yes I did take that as the compliment it was meant to be. I have always relished in being weird, whether hidden in ‘normal people’ clothing (think wolf in sheep’s clothing) or just letting my weirdness show through wearing happy pants and odd (unmatched) fluro coloured socks. And the fact that friends accepted it, enjoyed it, understood it and proudly told me so was just the icing on the cake.

And no, that wasn’t all in the one book. I am a good writer and would never go that nutso crazy in the one book. 😉

In fact it was two short stories, two separate book sequels and my first attempt at a cosy crime fiction. Can you tell which was which? Do you feel I should stick my cliché of ‘being yourself’ in here somewhere?

No, I won’t put it in, but I will brag a bit about my writing projects. I just wanted to start it by mentioning my friends and their kind words when it comes to dealing with me having one foot in reality with them and the other dancing about in various worlds. Creative Hokey Pokey?

So, writing and what I am doing right now. Well, I’ve written a short story titled The last tenant of Adelaide set here in Adelaide of course, but after the all too popular zombie apocalypse everyone appears to be prepping for. I will admit here and now that short story writing isn’t my strong point, in fact the whole story is about as many words as I tend to spend on a chapter… so it was hard and I did have to do a re-write (rare for me). All the same, it has tentatively been accepted for an eBook anthology of short stories that are set in Australia. For more information on this eBook idea I strongly suggest you visit the blog of Samantha Stacey Bond where she explains it a bit better.

And, after chatting with Samantha, I got thinking about whether or not to try and do a short story set in each and every state and territory of Australia. So, that’s South Australia down and after a news article I read the other day about an exploration to Tasmania to see if they could find any more Tasmanian tigers… well, now I’m working on one for Tasmania too. Speaking to another writer, Leonie Rogers, about what it’s like growing up in the red earth of the north (her in Western Australia while I was in the Northern Territory) has had me start thinking of a story for my ‘home’ next. Just the simple comment from Leonie of ‘It’s the red dirt running in our veins’ has of course got those creative juices boiling over with ideas of where to take such a brilliant line. She knows I’m going to do it too!

Short stories aside, I think I may have mentioned I had started on a sequel to Isis, Vampires and Ghosts – Oh My!? And if I haven’t, I’m mentioning it now. The sequel is titled There’s no place like Hell. Yes, I’m sticking to the Wizard of Oz quotes and loving it. Basically my lovely and sarcastic Stephanie, who you will meet through IVG-OM! next year, has to save the soul of someone from her past… and to do so has to go to hell to do it. I won’t say too much as it won’t make sense if you’ve not read the first… but it involves the usual demons, Isis stuff, ghosts of a sort and further ‘Other World’ type fun being beaten into submission by her sarcastic but gentle touch. Well, not too gentle a touch really, but hey!

The other sequel is merely an idea for now and would follow on from Bonnie’s Story – A Blonde’s Guide to Mathematics. Basically I feel there are some loose ends to be tied up in the first story… plus a little ‘What if’ scenario I would like to play with. This ‘What if’ was shared on Bonnie’s Facebook page last week. Besides tying up the loose ends, I just want to know how far down I want to delve into maths and physics to show the true origin of magic. And the reason magic is no longer used in our world is because… well, it actually is, if you know the right sums and equations. Who knows, this one is just a backburner thought for now. 😉

And finally, the cosy crime attempt – Mount Loxley Murder Mysteries and me bumping off the Autumnal Artist to kick this alphabetical series off. I’m almost there too! Just hired the artist… now just have to get her back to her place and bump her off in that locked room I keep talking about. Yes, this one leads back to my friends loving my weirdness and I have actually been asked ‘How are you, have you killed her yet?’ by those near and dear to me. Often daily. 😉

So, are you still awake? As that’s pretty much everything I am writing right now… or not writing as the case may be. As I am currently trying to get back on top of all the Haus Frauing and gardening that needs to be done around here as well as get back to full health. Plus with the summer Solstice coming, shortly followed by Christmas (and horde holidays)… I have a lot of other things to rudely get in the road of my writing. But still, school holidays can be a bonus as it means I can sit up until 3 in the morning writing and be able to ignore the world in my own zombie state the next day as long as I remember to provide enough food and water for the kids… and remember how many kids I am meant to have in my care that day. 😉

I hope this blog post has helped inspire you to do some writing of your own. For someone who dislikes short stories so much, I’ve actually become quite addicted to the concept of them and have even entered some of my shorter stuff into competitions. As they say, you have to be in it to show you tried, even if you still fail. The fact you tried still counts!

So go out there, blog, write, enjoy being a writer and possibly in being weird. Don’t just sit and sigh and want to waffle over the imbeciles on the internet and those who prey on them. Go make your own fun instead!

Until next time,

Janis. XXOO