New Projects

I'm in the process of transforming Plotgap Publishing from a hobby into an actual company. I expect a lot more concrete information to be forthcoming in the next few weeks.

Long Absence and Storied Return

As it has been over a year since I last posted, allow me to give the briefest of updates and some exciting news. I've been around and about. Writing of course, as well as occupying myself in other ways. Rock climbing, a return to school, working with kids, a night shift security gig (you'll probably get a story about that soon enough). A whole lot has been happening!
 Now that I am back in school I'll be trying to update my blog a bit more regularly.  Writing has happily become a much larger part of my life recently.
Now for a bit of exciting news...
I'll be posting a free story to the Plotgap blog on Superbowl Sunday! I'm very excited to be sharing some of my stories with you all once more. Thanks for reading.

The Rules of Write Club

I found these in an old post by reddit user danceswithronin and thought they were worth sharing.  Enjoy!

The first rule of Write Club is that no one gives a shit about your desk. Your desk has nothing to do with your writing. Hemingway wrote in cafes. Stephen King started out at a child's desk that he could barely fit his gangly knees under. Grisham wrote on the subway on steno pads. Chee writes on trains in sleeper cars. Capote wrote in bed. Thomas Clayton Wolfe wrote on the top of a refrigerator.

Try finding pictures of this. With the exception of Capote (that flamboyant bastard) you won't. That's because these people were too busy writing to have their pictures taken.

The second rule of Write Club is that you don't spend more time talking about writing than you spend writing. Of course writers are going to talk about writing, it's inevitable. It's such a lonely job, we are all just solitary creatures of expression howling for some form of validation. But every minute you spend talking about writing is a minute you are spending not writing. And some day - maybe today, maybe one day soon, maybe years from now - you are going to die. So now is the moment you ask: do you want to be remembered as someone who talked about his unfinished novel a lot, or do you want to be remembered as a writer?

The third rule of Write Club is that if you stop, go limp, tap out, and/or give up, based on criticism or laziness or the general inability to effectively manage your lifespan, the writing is over. You can call yourself a writer if you sit around talking about notes and outlines and drinking and reading and musing, but writers do one thing: write. All the time. Short stories. Screenplays. Blogs. Articles. Stageplays. Novels. Writing prompts. Novellas. Books. No matter how shitty your writing is, if you are writing, then you are a writer. If you are not writing, then you are not.

The fourth rule of Write Club is that there are only two guys to a story: you against yourself.

The fifth rule of Write Club: one story at a time. Finish it, beat it into submission or have your ass kicked by it, but do not start another story until your story is done.

Sixth rule of Write Club: Your tools don't matter. Pens, pencils, typewriters, cats, writing books, influential novels, highlighters, napkins, index cards, binders, notebooks, Macbooks, laptops, desktops, iPads, iPhones, none of it is worth a flying blue fuck if you're not actively writing on it.

Seventh rule: Submissions will go on as long as they have to. You can work on something for three hours or three years. But do not stop until you are finished with it, do not stop revising it until it is done, and do not stop sending it out (revised) until it is published. See the Fifth rule.

Eighth rule of Write Club - If this is your first night at Write Club, you have to write.

(Original Post: http://www.reddit.com/r/shutupandwrite/comments/u7n28/the_first_rule_of_write_club/)

My very first review, and I couldn't be more proud.

My first review ever has given Twisted Tales from a Wandering Mind 3/5 stars.  I couldn't be more thrilled with the things this reader had to say if it was the most glowing praise in the world.
"Some of the stories lacked that "umph" that I was hoping to get in a horror anthology. Still, I'm glad to see an indie author that took a brave step into the unknown. This collection won't keep you up at night, but Josh Kemp is definitely an author with keeping an eye on."
That, my friends, is music to my ears.  That is the sound of someone reading my stories.  To any and all of you who do, I would love to hear what you have to say!  Even if you didn't like the story, I'd be delighted to hear what didn't work for you, what sort of story you were hoping to hear.  I may not always agree with you, but I really enjoy talking with people about the things I've written.  So by all means, do not be bashful!
Please feel free to leave a review, a comment here on my blog, or even send me an e-mail at plotgap at yahoo dot com.

Josh Kemp
Plotgap Publishing

So, life has been a hectic, happy, and sometimes horrific mess these past few weeks.  As you probably already know the release of Twisted Tales from a Wandering Mind went off... with a big hitch.  Anyway, you live and learn and I'm hoping to actually meet a December 9th Release Date for my upcoming, yet to be titled fantasy novella.  Oooooh... exciting.
I'm in the throws of what is working out to be another fun NaNoWriMo.  My story "Nim and the Empty Gem" is inching its way along somewhat slower than I'd like, but I really enjoy the premise I've built so far.  There are just all these parts that are well... cruddy.  I have a tough time ignoring that part of it all.  In any case, that is what re-writing is for!  Draft one, hopefully you'll see the light of day before the end of November.

To all my fellow participants, good luck and type quick!

What I'm reading: Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman and If He Hollers Let Him Go by Chester Himes

What I'm reading locally: Just finished Beyond the Tempest Gates by Jeff Suwak.  Fun little character novella.  It's only $2, give it a try.  http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Tempest-Gate-Jeff-Suwak/dp/1938230442,

Soon I'll be diving into a much thicker novel called the Thousand Names by Django Wexler.

I got it done.  Through many lessons learned about time, how I never seem to have enough of it, delays, I've got Twisted Tales from a Wandering Mind up and ready to go!  Check it out here.

Now, as if that isn't enough, I've got the beginnings of a serialized Fantasy story.  The Tales of Keene the Dusk Knight.  Novella one is written, I simply need to go through some edits and that long hidden gem may see the light of day sometime in December.  In the mean time, some ever useful words of advise - If you get too scared when reading this book, pull the covers up over your head and hide.

Sincerely,

Josh Kemp

Plotgap Publishing

You may have noticed I blew my deadline...

So, as I'm sure anyone paying attention has noticed, August 31st came and went and with it went some soul searching.   I had half intended to write a blog at that point blaming the delay on unrealistic expectations for the cover artist.  That just wouldn't be true there.
There was something more than cover art holding me back.  This story was missing something.  It didn't have much to say, many interesting characters.  In short, it just wasn't... very... good.  Okay, thee it's out.
It feels like a relief, almost, to say that.  For a while now, ever since I decided that I wanted to write, to tell stories, I've felt this undue personal pressure to produce something that will make me money.  I'm going to cut back on that for a bit and focus on putting out the best stories I can.  Writing what I'm passionate about and trying to complete more works.
I do still hope to put out a collection of scary short stories around Halloween, but I don't think Nim and the Empty Gem will be ready as previously thought.  I've got some other things that have been on the back burner for far too long that I need to focus on.
Thank you to anyone who is reading this.  Maybe Chris Chance will see the light of day again, after some editorial attention, but for now that manuscript is going to remain safely, and in my opinion, wisely upon my hard drive.

Josh Kemp
Plotgap Publishing