Browsing Tag

Extra Innings

Publishing

The Writer’s Itch

With most of my creative attention devoted to either music (songwriting) or marketing my first full-length novel (Extra Innings: The Diamond Thieves), I’ve been getting the itch to write again.  Originally, my next project after the Extra Innings Trilogy was going to be a non-fiction story called “Sheldon’s Falls.”  The main character in this novel is named Sheldon Andrus who is a young, retired medevac pilot return from the Vietnam War to his home in Massachusetts and a alcoholic, pill-popping, complicated bi$%@h of a mother.  This unforgettable story that takes a surprising and dark turn gave me a great deal of excitement, however, I’ve decided to put it on hold to pursue a different writing direction in the meantime.

This new direction is to author a book based on my research in strengths based leadership.  The topic is Integrity and I’m excited to dive into what I believe this means in the professional world.  Notes for this book began last weekend and I’m excited to do some deep thinking while I’m traveling across the mountainous and grassland terrains of southern Africa.  I’m hoping that some time away in another land will give me some headroom & inspiration to discover a deeper understanding of integrity in terms of interpersonal relationships and exchanges.  The intent of this book is for my own observation and understanding of how I experience and conduct myself in the world (both professionally and personally).  I’m excited to see my own personal growth through the production of this book.   Writing has not yet begun, however, the book does have a title:  “The Integrity Pie.”

Publishing

Query Letter Contender Looks Promising

The diligent work for a compelling query letter continues.  I have created multiple drafts submitted to published friends for their feedback and I think I FINALLY have a strong contender.  I’m happy with it.  I just sent out my first query letter email to a literary agent who was referred to me by one of my friend who works for a PR company.  Fingers crossed everyone who’s rooting for me.  The Extra Innings Trilogy is about to make its mark not he world.  Thank you for all those who’ve sent me emails of how they enjoyed book 1 (The Diamond Thieves).  Hopefully I can find the right agent who believes in this trilogy and its characters as much as I do.

Publishing

The Engagement Diary

I would be remiss if I didn’t catch you all up on some of the conversations I’ve been having with fellow writers and poets.  The predominant topic of conversation has constellated around expressionism and the subjective aberration of emotions in order to spark moods and/or ideas.  I believe documenting these sparks in a journal is the key to engaging your mind with the creative writing process.  To render a subsequent cache of the current mind’s fleeting stream of thoughts, phrases and original ideas is worth its weight in gold.  There are certain excerpts from my Extra Innings books that were scribbled down in my journal long before they ever appeared on the pages of The Diamond Thieves, Race of the Gemini or A Hero Among Thieves.  Likewise, I’ll do the same with my next novel: Sheldon’s Falls.

Where I have found the most value in this practice of documenting original ideas is in my songwriting and poetry.  Thoughts, phrases and ideas may spark from conversations with friends, images seen throughout some of my travels, or perhaps while I’m on a  casual walk, etc.  In fact, I get most of my ideas while sitting on a plane or at an airport waiting for a plane – but that’s just me.

The concept of the “engagement diary” exists when you find a particular idea or emotion that truly captures your attention above the rest.  This is typically one involving a broader scope and, therefore, begs for more development.  Once documented in their journal, the writer and/or poet should then leave additional space so when they have time to revisit this particular idea they can continue writing more.  This is exactly the practice that fostered my initial developments of The Extra Innings Trilogy.  I began with concept of identical twins; including what they looked like, personality traits, hobbies, emotional struggles (considering they were facing puberty), etc and developed the story’s plot(s) from there.  In order to do so, I really needed to get engaged with concept of these characters, revisiting them day after day and, in the end, these journal notes made formulating the story much less governed and restricted by in the moment calculations and head-scratching writer’s block as many writers I’ve spoken with find to be their primary struggle.

As oxymoronic as this may sound, writing should feel like an engaged freedom.  The writer should feel comprehensively involved in the telling of the story while, at the same time, experiencing a sense of liberty with their prose.  Having this journaled inventory of thoughts, phrases and ideas has certainly helped to furnish this sense of liberty and engagement in my writing, for whenever I get stuck in a writer’s rut and don’t how how to proceed, I have a backlog of original ideas to revisit to help get things moving again.  Try it for yourself and let me know what you think.

 

Publishing

Winter Poem from Extra Innings: A Hero Among Thieves

Here’s one of the poems Billy (a main character from my “Extra Innings” trilogy) wrote while he was stationed with the USAF in South Korea (during the Korean War/Korean Conflict: February 1953).  I thought it was relevant considering the frigid winter weather we’ve been having here in Northeast Ohio (single digits).

 

“Beautiful Waste”

When twilight comes in winter

A dreamland of blue is cast by the pale moon’s light.

Across the shimmering valley of silver

Silhouetted trees are at peace in the quilted hills of white.

Like childhood’s cozy bedtime

Nothing stirs and all is quiet.

So I pray “Oh night, live long and bear no fruit that breaks the dawn

For when there’s sun this all becomes a stage for men to die.”

Publishing

“Military March” Written by B.W. Gibson

The following are song lyrics I wrote to a march-style song honoring the four main branches of our United States Military.  These are shown in Book 3 of my Extra Innings trilogy “A Hero Among Thieves.”  In the early 1950’s, character Billy McGee joins the USAF and is eventually sent over to Korea.   His initial inspiration of how each branch function inspires him to write this song he calls “Military March.”  I thought since today was Veterans Day, I would share this with everyone.

I wish everyone a blessed Veterans Day as we reflect on the brave and honorable men and women who have given their blood, sweat and tears to preserve freedom.  Thank You!

Military March

One: Hail Hail

Many: Hail Hail

One: Army march the land

Many: Army march the land

One: The enemy is on our back

Many: The enemy is on our back

One:  But strong and united we stand

Many:  Strong and united we stand

 

One:  Hail Hail

Many:  Hail Hail

One: Navy march the seas

Many:  Navy march the seas

One:  The enemy’s approaching fast

Many:  The enemy’s approaching fast

One:  But we’re tested and built to last

Many:  We are tested and built to last

 

One:  Hail Hail

Many:  Hail Hail

One:  Air Force march the skies

Many:  Air Force march the skies

One:  Though the enemy may try

Many:  Though the enemy may try

One:  Victory is on our side

Many:  Victory is on our side

 

One:  Hail Hail

Many:  Hail Hail

One:  Marines march the scene

Many:  Marines march the scene

One:  The enemy is everywhere

Many:  The enemy is everywhere

One:  But all as one we will not fail

Many:  All as one we will not fail

 

Written by B.W. Gibson (Brian Gibson)  2007

As seen in Extra Innings:  A Hero Among Thieves