Category: The Legend of Chip Journal

An excerpt from my next novel, The Perilous Journey:

Taking his first step onto the cabin stoop, Chip bit back a curse as the wooden plank beneath his boot creaked. Gripping the pistol beneath his coat, he waited for Stymie to come racing out the door. To his surprise, the moment passed without any sounds or sudden movements. Instead, an eerie voice from within the cabin reached his ears, singing the same lyrical tune over and over again.
“We should not be here,
Though we must be somewhere.
So here we be,
Doing the deeds of the one,
That shall set ye free.
Be not burdened by yer fate,
Yer blood shall be used to clean the slate.
For I shall always bring to slaughter,
The sheep me Master bids me offer.”
The sing-song rhythm made his skin crawl. Worse though, came a sound that pierced his heart. A woman’s voice, weak and pleading, interrupted the demonic song.
“Please … please doth not do this!”
“Ah, but alas I must. Me Master would not reward me if I did not obey. Ye can stop this though. Ye can end yer suffering. Beg for me to end yer life. It be all that me Master requires of thee.”

The Perilous Journey – Coming Soon

I could write 1,001 stories where my Antagonist (aka the villain) wins. However, the truly amazing stories are the ones where he LOSES.

Problems exist everywhere you go. You cannot run from them. You cannot hide. You must face the problems of life and encourage others to do the same. Believe and have faith. Together, we are stronger.

#SaturdayMotivation

When I think back about what inspired me to write, I realize that initially I had zero inspiration. I wrote to escape. I wrote to express my feelings. I wrote to relieve stress.

I began writing to get away from adversity. To leave reality behind. Now, I find myself understanding life in a way I never thought possible.

Not once, when I began this journey, did I suppose that I would become a writer. To one day be the author of a published book was laughable. Today, as I write my second book, I find the whole idea maddening. Yet for some reason, I cannot stop. I cannot turn whatever this is off, and I don’t want to. I have found a purpose to write.

Writing Historical Fiction requires a deeper understanding of the past. You have to step into the shoes of those that have gone before you. While doing this, I realized that the inspiration for every modern accomplishment comes from someone that has gone before us.

Something that was said. Something that was done. Something. Something inspired someone to take the next step … to write the next passage … to invent the next modern marvel.

As a writer, we have the opportunity. Strike that. We have the privilege to do something that might change the world. And even if we only inspire one reader, we’ve accomplished something.

We’re always looking for inspiration, but we tend to forget that our writing can be inspiring to others. The biggest obstacle between a writer and inspiration is their own self-consciousness.

We rarely see ourselves the way that others see us. Yet writers have a tendency to write personality traits into their characters subconsciously. Traits that they often don’t even associate with themselves.

Does this mean that people subconsciously act without conscious thought? Do we truly know ourselves, but our conscious mind shields us from certain traits to prevent us from reacting in a negative fashion?

For example, an individual is a “hero” at heart, but lacks the common sense to prevent them from getting themselves killed. Does the conscious mind recognize this and suppress it, leaving only the subconscious mind to know of its existence? Does it lay dormant inside that person until it’s absolutely needed?

Another example, an individual has a “dark side” that is kept hidden away. They’re not aware it exists but it manifests itself in moments of extreme pressure. Does the conscious mind suppress the darkness, knowing that their moral code just isn’t strong enough to stay the course?

Can someone train themselves to spot the qualities that lay hidden beneath the surface? Does it require divine intervention or simply a special talent to assess a person’s soul? If you had such a gift or talent, how would you use it? What would you see inside yourself?

We blame human nature for the things we do that are wrong, but we never praise it for our good decisions. Is human nature all bad or can it be redeemed?

Who are we down deep inside?

“I’m a writer. Anything you say or do may be used in a story.”

This is one of my favorite sayings. My modified version is, “I’m a writer. Anything you say or do can and will be used in my next book!” This tends to scare some people into living statues. Others take it as a challenge manifesto and act so crazy that words could never hope to capture the moment.

My words of wisdom: Be careful what you say or do, because a writer might be watching you.

There’s no such thing as wasted writing. Why do I say this? Simple. The writing that you’ve done in the past has prepared you for today. The lessons you’ve learned have made you better.

Your hobby has become your craft. Your personality has become your writing style. All future success will be because of those mounds of unpublished stories and poems you wrote from the heart.

“Hoy es el día para elevar su escritura a nuevas alturas. Mañana debes superarlo.”

“Today is the day to raise your writing to new heights. Tomorrow you must surpass it.” – Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra