Reconciliation of Efforts

This blog doesn't get a lot of traffic. Truly, that's alright... it's expected with a new blog. You've got to build up readership.

Interestingly enough, I've never had any blog on blogspot that got a lot of traffic - although the last one is still averaging 50 hits a day for some reason. (I'm thinking it's the pictures.)

Anyway, this blog is what it is. As much for my own amusement, my own efforts towards becoming published and having a platform by which to express myself in terms of writing, speculative fiction and other geeky goodness.

I have written recently of my foray into reading "dark" fantasy. While "Catalyst" is not nearly as dark as I can get (I'd label it epic high fantasy), it's a direction that I intend to go in the series. It is the whole reason I built Zherlios, from the ground up, to facilitate my notion of the perfect fantasy world for me to play in. I read other authors' dark fantasy just to see where I fit into the literary scheme.

Meanwhile, I have still have urges to express. Dark, provocative thoughts, ideas, explorations. Ideas that float around in my mind. In the past, in other locations, when I have gone this route, those efforts have been well received.

In my mind, it does not belong here. So, I have ignored my own desires, and plugged along with this more "professional" public effort.

Do I want to soil my platform? Do I make myself unpublishable, because I am, perhaps to some, a wicked man? At first, I thought this might be the case - it is why I removed my book reviews.

Every author has their own interests. We've seen authors on their public blogs discussing medication, depression, anxiety, football, religion, rape, politics - we've seen authors on other blogs arguing over the quality of others' reviews.

They're still publishing.

I would prefer not to shock you. This is a nice, friendly place - with the exception of the occasional adult language when I quote from a book. Most of the time, I'm a nice guy. Maybe even a little boring.

I don't want to hold myself back. Writing is all about the honing and perfection of the craft, and it's an effort without end. Even when I am published, I know for a fact that I will be able to get better. I am reading authors lately who are much more skilled than I am - which just pushes this notion, that I must needs work harder, even further.

For these reasons, I have started another blog, a new playground for me to explore the more provocative aspects of my writing process. To dabble in flash, in prose, in poetry and scenes of a more adult and/or dark nature.

If such things are of interest to you, then please - stop on by. Otherwise, business as usual here.

Have a great holiday weekend!