Free Bible Ebook

Christmas day was also exciting because my brother Ken finally launched his free e-book, BibleRhymes' Creation, with flipping pages and everything. It tells the Biblical story of creation, but in a whole new way.

Really the thing is gorgeous. The colors are so vibrant, and the poems are a lot of fun. I highly encourage you to check it out on the BibleRhymes website: Free Bible Ebook.

The Missing Toe

Yesterday, Christmas. Lots of fun, especially with what Ana added to it.

Ana, my Brazilian wife, has English all but mastered. But now and then, something wonderful slips out because of something that's not often encountered -- like a particular song.

So yesterday she joined Burl Ives as he belted out his "Holly Jolly Christmas." She happily sang, and out it came: "Ho ho, the Missing Toe, hung where you can see."

Must be hidden in plain site -- the hardest thing to find -- if it's missing. Ah, the song will never be quite so innocent again.

Surveys Incorporated

"Surveys Incorporated" -- today's title sounds like a great name for a company. And it probably is one. But this has nothing to do with a company going by that name.

No, this has to do with the fact that -- as I've been saying all along -- I want reader input to have some sort of effect on my books. And the best way I've figured to do that is through surveys (incorporated, of course, into the books).

One thing I love about fiction is that I can deal with a lot of "what ifs" -- which is great for me, since I love philosophy and ideas. And of course it would be neat to hear what people have to say about the what-ifs that affect, or infect, my writing.

(Please notice: "effect" is a noun; "affect" is a verb; infections affect my writing, and written pages are the effect. You will be quizzed on this later.)

If you want to be kept up to date on surveys and sneak peeks at my writing and such, make sure to boogie on over to www.stevemccardell.com and join the mailing list.

Our Hero

Darwood recently sent me this picture online, and I thought at first it was just a nice gesture. Then I realized it wasn't actually talking about me, but was probably an attempt to butter up the author so he'd get a better role in the book -- or maybe so that he'd get the girl.


Well, if you've been following the news -- and probably even if you haven't tried to -- you may know this is a sign posted outside the Australia Zoo, along with practically a field of flowers, in response to Steve Irwin's death. (AKA, the Crocodile Hunter.)

If somehow you hadn't heard, the Croc Hunter died a rare death -- from the barb of a stingray. And he's been mourned the world over for his genuine nature and his hard work toward conservation efforts.

There's a great tribute to Steve on the Australia Zoo website. And you can find out there where to send donations if you're so moved (used to preserve wildlife).

It's not such a unique blog entry today, but like so many other people, I wanted to say thanks to Steve and his family for all their work, offer a final salutation to the bloke, and look forward to the work continuing.

Why Words are so Important

Ok, I can't help myself. When I see things like this, I think it's a good time to point out why being careful with words is so important. It's also why I think learning essays in school is important, if you learn them well. Because they work the ol' noggin on logic.

So, I read someone's question on Yahoo! today, and it said:

"what was the highest mountain in the world before mt everest was
discovered?"

Now really, was there a mountain that was taller than Everest before Everest was discovered?

Um, I'll let you be the judge, because I know I'm just being ornery.

Halfway There -- Regarding Movies

Today's news on Darwood and Smitty is that I'm halfway to my goal of 65,000 words.

What's incredible is how the process feels. Have you ever seen a movie where SO MUCH HAPPENS that, halfway through the movie, you figure it's GOT to be almost finished. And at the same time, you're enjoying it so much that you wish it WEREN'T almost finished?

That's what this is like for me. The plot to Darwood & Smitty has so many twists that you figure it's GOT to be almost over, now that this one critical character is dead, and then the world finds out something about him, and then that starts driving the story in a new direction, but then everyone finds out that the thing the world thought they just found out about him is actually almost EXACTLY wrong.

And then, just as Darwood and Smitty are about to FINALLY get everything in order ... the story is only halfway finished; in fact, it's almost as if everything has been a prelude to the second half, where the action and the twists and turns are just about to RAMP UP like mad.

Yeah ... I have to talk through smoke like this because I don't want to sit here and give away the plot. But it gives you a sense of what this is like.

Of course I've got the rest of the book outlined. I know what's going to happen, even if the specifics are always surprising once they emerge through the writing process. But when I look at it, it's like a mountain that I can hardly wait to start climbing while, at the same time, I can't believe that I still have to climb.

Ok ... deep breath. Now on to future chapters.

Google and MySpace -- Predicted after the Fact

Well, I have to call this very interesting. I could say that Darwood and Smitty -- looking back from the future -- told me to include this in the book. But then you wouldn't take me seriously.

I was honestly looking at referencing a merger between Google and MySpace in this first book on Darwood and Smitty. I simply hadn't crossed that bridge yet in the writing. Then low and behold, I ran into this article today, and that promptly kills that idea for the book. The merger is happening. You can read the article here.

You know, inventors often come up with the same idea at the same time, and it's been suggested that this is because that idea is floating around in the mental sphere, and anyone working along a given line can snatch it out of the air, so to speak.

Even if that's the case, my prediction after the fact is probably a little more mundane. Google and MySpace are the two Internet giants right now. In a world of mergers, seeing them join probably doesn't take much imagination. Shame on me for thinking of putting it into a book.

An Aside, Regarding Death

I'm a writer. So it's been said, at least by myself, that I happen to notice certain subtleties about the written word.

This power of observation intact, I took issue with the following news headline. I wonder if you notice anything suspicious about it too:

"Men with Low Testosterone More Likely to Die"

Somehow, that just doesn't ring true.

Harley Rockets

FROM DARWOOD:

Hot dog! Steve's finally got us to my favorite part of our story, where we get to cruise on some Harley Rockets.

See, it's a funny kind of world we (Smitty and I) live in. Everything that happened to us already happened, but only potentially. Then we tell Steve about it, he puts it onto paper (or his computer, in this case), and suddenly it becomes actual, even though it already happened for us. See? A very complex world when you live inside a book.

And of course even when it's actual, it's not quite the same as when the book's actually printed. Then I'm going to feel the roar of that Harley all through my body.

Anyway, Smitty's proved himself as ideal and impractical as always, figuring there shouldn't be any kind of marketing going on around our story. I for one am happy to live a bit in limbo if it means that the story sells better in the end, because then we can hock some t-shirts and other products with our names or images on them. And that makes our world even more real. And for us, that rocks.

By the way ... just to make the story actually interesting for readers of the blog, I'm going to work on Steve, try to get him to publish a few excerpts on his website. A lousy publisher might mind, figuring that they don't then get "first publishing rights." But a publisher who cares about selling any books will think it's a good idea. And that's the kind I want him working with, for reasons pointed out above.

Oh, last point -- Smitty and I always enjoy a good debate, and it's especially good when I win. So if you have any questions for us, post 'em on this blog and we'll try to answer them. Remember, we DO live in the future. ...

A 2-chapter Glitch: AKA Having Fun

Darwood's about the throttle me, but Smitty's just shaking his head, knowing it would come.

After my burst of work on the book, I took a hiatus last night and part of today by writing the first two chapters of a new book. It was Max Barry's fault, as I just got my hands on another one of his books and it inspired me to head in that direction for the night.

I just finished reading Barry's Jennifer Government, which is a gem of sci-fi and politics. The only problem I had with the book is that is seemed to be set a good 20 years or more from now, but technology was apparently the same as it is today. That was very strange. But I let it go, because the rest of the book was so good.

Now I'm reading his Syrup, which is even more to my liking. Set in today's world with Barry's steady prowess in writing.

Tonight, I expect, I'll be back with Darwood and Smitty. Their story is fully outlined, and it's darned good. So no point in delaying publication.

Bangarang!

Darwood and Smitty are smiling now, because their story's on the move. All thanks to this blog and the worthy people reading it, of course.

I got to enjoy a few days out of town in the mountains of Montana, and between the vacation itself and the plane trip, I wrote more than three new chapters, adding around 5000 words to the bottom line. That puts us up at around 30,000 words ... and puts Darwood and Smitty into a whole new situation as [spoiler censored] by a unique, hand-held weapon of the future.

What the world discovered [spoiler censored] was dramatic enough, and literally stopped almost all world commerce. But in the next few chapters, they'll find out something even more astounding about the president, and it's going to throw things into an even worse spot than they are in right now. Stay tuned!

Where are the Sample Chapters?

I had a good question come in from one reader: Where are the sample chapters?

I mentor a high school student in writing, and she's written a pretty darn good short story that we're sending to magazines in hopes of publication. While waiting for a positive response from a magazine, however, she also sent the story in to some websites. Luckily, she told me before it was posted on any site.

And why is that lucky? Because getting posted on a website is -- technically, if not in terms of prestige -- the same as getting published. In this case, you've given away first publishing rights already. And those are something the magazine would want.

This is the same case with Darwood and Smitty. Can't really post sample chapters without potentially flushing some publishing options down the drain. So don't expect to see actual chapters posted on my website or blog.

A Summary of Darwood and Smitty

Ok, before we get too far onto this blog, it probably makes sense to explain Darwood & Smitty, so’s you’ll see why I’m looking at certain topics (for the most part) on the blog.

Darwood & Smitty – the book, not the primary characters in the book – is essentially a tongue-in-cheek sci-fi book set in 2045. Sure, there is a global government at that point, heavily influenced by the juggernaut corporations as well as by the heavy-hitting governments of the day. But you’ve also got interplanetary trade and politics going on as well.

The setting gives me a good chance to project today’s trends into the future, as all good sci-fi writers do. And of course it gives a terrific opportunity for political commentary, which just might show up once or twice in the novel. Oh … and don’t worry – no lectures. More like, observations and open-ended arguments, so’s not to insult the dear reader.

Ok, so with that background, you can expect to see observations of corporate and political issues going on today here in my blog.