nickschuyler

Notes: Hearts of Hummingbirds

2012-01-03T15:08:00.000-08:00

All except for the quickness with which I finished the last two chapters, there is very little I would change with this work. In fact, I'm so happy with some of the unintended offramps I took along the way that I may create a sequel, following Phoebe's transformation from addict to survivor, through the good works of her sister and brother-in-law as well as the church community that supports her.

I would suppose I'd detail Portia's transformation, too. Especially as multi-tasking mother and evolving lover to Darren - and his evolution through former Narcotic abuse.

It could easily be a compare and contrast between Phoebe and Darren, not unlike the separate path choices of Phoebe and Portia.

In the re-writes, I am likely to detail more of little Alex's struggles as well as deepening the character studies of Darren, Phoebe, and possibly even Ramona or Marcus.

Then again, maybe not. Ramona and Marcus got what was coming to them and the reader probably does not care about where their path ends.

On a separate note, I had always planned to have Alex die in the place and manner in which he did. It was one of the first visuals that sat in my head regarding "Hearts". It wasn't anything more than that - the unfortunate circumstances of living in the ghetto: mistaken identities and mistaken motives, and just mistakes themselves. They all intertwine and not together, sometimes impossible to untangle.

I also kept the racial identities of these characters anonymous, too. I'd originally picutre Portia as a light-skinned black, possibly a mulatto. When I talked to a black friend of mine, she thought it would be hard for me to empathize with a black person's point of view. This was odd, since she had spent her entire life in Reynoldsburg and never really experienced ghetto life or drug sub-cultures.

These are the places I knew better than her, but in reverence to the true issue of the story: the plight of the poor, I kept race out of it. I picked names that may or not may sound black - but I specifically know white people with each of these names, while I dont know any black people personally with ANY of these names.

Still, I'm happy with the basic first draft, and that's really good enough for me.

Notes: Aztec Shadows

2011-06-05T22:59:00.000-07:00

I spent a very long time doing nothing on this work. I think part of it was waiting for my Philippines trip in February 2011 - maybe that was just an excuse. I had most of the ideas pre-written in my head.

Finally, when I returned, I started working hard on Mexico. I wrote 1-2 completed stories each week until I completed the entire project in May. Still, I started in November and finished in May - 12 short stories in under 7 months. Not great, but definitely not too shabby.

I avoided / skipped talking about both the music and dance cultures. I don't know why, but I did. I concentrated more on the Aztec and Mayan influences, as well as the importance of corn / maiz to both their culture as well as the world culture. I also spent a moderate time talking about the religious culture of Mexico - and the Spanish influence on the Mesoamericans that predated the age of the Spanish conquistadors.

One thing I was unhappy with was my overall approach to the Mexican food scene. In many other stories, I had the characters making food with their adult counterparts. For some reason, I drifted away from this. Maybe I'll fix tht in re-writes.

I also did not devote enough time to the Spanish language - and its use of additional letters and accents beyond the tilde. I do think I'll fix the one story quite a bit that deals with tilde - including the double-l (ll), accents, and maybe even the different lingual sounds.

Overall, I liked what I produced - enough to make me want to go there - then again, I've always thought of living in either Oaxaca or on the Mayan Riviera or Guadalajara.

Notes: Where Cows Go Meaux

2010-12-09T22:20:00.000-08:00

All in all, I think "Where Cows Go Meaux" was a good write. I spoke mostly of the French Wars and ancestral clans (like the Gauls and Franks). Still, I managed to conclude it with Bastille Day and a trip through the Louvre.

Things I didn't particularly dwell on (other than cheese and wines) was the cuisine. I am okay with this, though. I think the American viewpoint on French cuisine is probably skewed anyway - most French probably live closer to the Pot au Feu, cheese, breads, and wine fare as opposed to escargot, baguettes (although they DO get their mention), and other French staples.

It was an easy write. The only thing I think I need to go back and mend is the story about siege warfare, which I was pleasantly surprised with how well that unfolded anyway - I think a re-hash will help it gel even more and be memorable for the juvenile reader.

Other than that, I hope children will enjoy it, although there's LOTS of history lessons in there...I think it's palatable enough for a reader/listener of any age.

Notes: Farthest West Kingdom

2010-11-15T18:20:00.000-08:00

This series of stories really came together quite easily. I even decided to experiment with my style. Except for one story, the main character never spoke a single word. Instead, she used physical gestures and inner thoughts to convey her point of view.

It was also good re-emphasizing an Islamic culture, both by the antiquated and modern points of view. While Ameena's mother held to tradition, her father embraced the new cultural patterns facing Morocco today. I did this for two reasons: First off, the standard expectation of male oppressors needed a jolt. Secondly, her father came from Islamic Spain, while Ameena's mother grew up in rural Morocco, where traditions are firmly ensconced even in the 21st century.

It was refreshing to also explore the Ottoman Empire's contribution to culture, which is so often overlooked in American History teaching. It is unfortunate that these biased Histories (which all cultures seem to suffer greatly from) rewrite and redact the true story of man. This is also problematic in another way: Kings, Presidents, and Dictators attempt to remove history for the sake of their own egos. Napoleon blasted cannonfire at the negroid nose of the Sphinx, Ottomans erased Malay and Indonesian cultures until the Dutch rectified the Pacific Island warlords. However, the Dutch uprooted both North and South Africans for their infamous slave trade.

With all that said, I do dream of going to Essaouira or Marrakesh one day, just to see how close I was to portraying the real Morocco.

Notes: In the Land of Fire and Ice

2010-04-06T21:30:00.000-07:00

There was only clear choice in the name for the Iceland story. Unfortunately, it's probably the cliche every adventure story-teller uses when their readers/viewers arrive in Iceland.

Oh well, such is life. Like Corey Frey, Jon Whitney, and I had theorized, everything in the world is a variation on the half-hitch. (which originally meant that all knots were variations on the half-hitch [a single turn of the rope over itself]. One of us proposed, "Aren't all things essentially a variation on the half-hitch?"

With that said, I detoured off the beaten path immediately. I wrote about everything I wanted, but not at the length with which I wanted to reside in each story. I found myself hacking pieces of story off just to try to keep them within a reasonable word count/length.

In fact, I'm not even happy with "Elves in the Eaves", because it dealt with the twelve nights of the Icelandic Christmas/Yuletide. Still, I think I handled it relatively well. On the other hand, I've gotten into a real habit of talking about transportation in all of my stories. Autobahns, fishing boats, passenger ferries, motorcycles, tandem bikes, arctic trucks, and seaplanes.

I don't know if that's a good or bad thing. I guess it just is. Except for one story, I think I'll keep away from the transportation issue when I venture to Morocco. I will also cut down on subplots for each story so I can fully develop each kernel/idea.

Otherwise, I really liked Iceland. It was a very quick write and I hope it's a quick read, too. I'm sure the Muse will give praise. I'm hoping mom is a little less forgiving. Who knows? Maybe it'll surpass the Germany story. I am very happy with the entire project, especially for a first draft.

Although I like the smaller family unit, I'm going to try an extended family for Morocco. Each child will be observed through my main character's eyes. I originally thought it would be a boy story, but maybe it's a girl story and how she 'views" her brothers...which will help describe traditional Muslim wear in the more conservative parts of Morocco.

Notes: Many Yet One

2010-01-17T18:13:00.000-08:00

This project was really easier than I made it out to be, from beginning to end. I had all the characters, settings, and plot sketched in my head within a week of picking up the research at the library and talking to my favorite Indonesian muse - Elizabeth Gandawidjaja.
.
Thanks Betty, for everything.

The only thing I really didn't delve into was the importance of badminton to the Indonesian sports culture. I don't even think I went fare enough into Sepak Takraw. It's a super interesting sport to watch - I've watched several matches on YouTube and wonder why these Southeast Asian nations can kick a softball-sized ball over a 5 foot high net and juggle the ball like volleyball players, yet cannot score goals in world cup play.

Something must be lost in the translation.

I was glad I also got to elaborate on the diverse multi-cultural mix that Indonesia exhibits. There are strong representations of Hindus, Christians, Catholics, and Muslims. There are still indigenous Javanese and Balinese peoples, as well as Chinese, Turish, Japanese, Dutch, French, and Australian immigrants. For those reason alone, they not only rival, but surpass America's 'Melting Pot'.

I also felt lucky to describe plate tectonics and the contributions of Sir Wallace to biodiversity in this regeion without bogging down either storypoint.

After writing this, I couldn't see any reason why I wouldn't love to visit any part of Indonesia. Unfortunately, 7000 islands have different cultures, and no amount of time would be enough to absorb it all.

Boos for the OAC

2010-01-17T17:59:00.001-08:00

Received an email from the Ohio Arts Council regarding my submission. I was declined for the Individual Arts Grant. Not a big surprise. I suppose that since it's children's material, there is almost no quality that will make it "awardable". Maybe if my characters were gay, crippled, or minorities...or all three combined.

But I'm not bitter...

Anyway, I'm moving on. It was worth a try, right? Now I have to start sending queries to publishers and hoping they're not as obtuse or close-minded that I feel the OAC is.

I really feel sorry for the OAC, because they miss the larger picture. I see TV shows like "Curious George" or read books like "Charlotte's Web" and know they have literary merit well beyond the scope of agenda-driven stories that OAC endorses.

Onward and upward.

Ohio Arts Council Individual Artists Grant!

2009-06-02T09:26:00.000-07:00

So, I'm trying to get my hand on some Obama money! Well, it's been there since the days of JFK, but it's always fun to say "Obama Money".

The guidelines for writers state that my manuscript must be between 20-30 typewritten pages, double-spaced, 1 inch margins. That means 3 stories from ANY of my selections... The First three stories are numbered: 01, 02, 03...

Here are the nominees:

http://beyondelmisti.blogspot.com/
http://dimsumyumcha.blogspot.com/
http://greaterthangold.blogspot.com/
http://maximoandmummelsee.blogspot.com/
http://purestthread.blogspot.com/
http://sugarbreadinthetuliphouse.blogspot.com/
http://underthesantoltree.blogspot.com/

Read the FIRST THREE STORIES of each and let me know by email (NickSchuyler@yahoo.com) which are your 3 favorites, in order. Please include a brief paragraph of why you picked them. This insures you aren't cheating to get your way in for an iPod!

Otherwise, feel free to leave your comments onthe individual pages. If they're relavant, that ALSO gets your number on a poker chip to be placed in the hat! (Max 1 per collection, Max 8 entries).

The winner will be picked on July 3rd at noon (pre-red-white-boom); ! I'll update the winner on facebook on July 4th! Winner's got a 7 full calendar days to respond with mailing address for me to send it out!

THANKS SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO HELPS!

Notes: Puffins of Saint Piet Island

2009-05-30T07:11:00.000-07:00

I churned Saint Piet in the manner of about 30 hours. I collected Puffin photos online and then formatted all to square. Afterwards, I assembled a quick story in my head. I had originally decided to make this a story for little children, and it quickly evolved into a collection of limericks and then into several poetry forms.

I don't know if I'm happy with it or not, but it is what it is. I don't think I'll go back and give it any major overhaul - just continual minor tweaks until I find the words and meter that fits best.

I also think this is a good spring-board for another of my ideas. I have been looking for an illustrator for some time now, to no good end. I might just have someone take photos, not unlike these, and then use photo-to-cartoon software to render my desired end product.

We will see.

Notes: Maximo and Mummelsee

2009-02-15T04:23:00.001-08:00

Maximo and Mummelsee was a very quick write (and a surprisingly easy one at that). I was hoping for more input from my editor/reader on this project (Kurt Dieckmann), but if you don't ask, you don't receive, right?

Anyway, I felt it was a good project. My mom, however, thinks it was my best effort thus far. I don't know why. Maybe it was that the story wasn't a disjointed collection of "side trips", like most of my other works.

Maybe it was because the main characters often had "sit-com" situations to get them to new places. Ying's family moved from Beijing to Shanghai to get from one chapter to the next. Gemma's father took her to Cebu, which included stories about passenger boat trips and pier markets on different islands.

Still, Max and his father took three road trips: one to Mummelsee, one to Munich, and one to St. Goarshausen. I don't know why she liked it best. I hope I get more readers to give input on good, better, best. Hopefully, there will not a be a consensus.

I am glad I could explore the history of Germany fully while avoiding the stereotypical "Hitler and the Jews" setting that seems to haunt both cultures. I wonder how my Israel stories will play out...

Notes: Sugarbread in the Tulip House

2008-12-17T21:57:00.000-08:00

There were things I loved and things I hated about writing Sugarbread in the Tulip House. First off, I found that the doughnut culture of Holland was rampant. There are several sites devoted to the Netherlands way of making pastries, doughnuts, and sugarbreads. Netherlanders have a particular fondness for all things sugar, whether its taffy, doughnuts, strussel, or even sugared breads that they eat on savory sandwiches, like pastrami, pepperoni, or even plain pork.

Kind of odd, since the Hollandaise farm is nearly non-existent. The land is very fertile, but its also underwater so much that farming is impossible, except for a crop like rice, which demands a hotter climate.

So, I got to write about that.

I also got to explore a truly dutch game called "Sjoelbak", a tabletop variation of shuffleboard. That was interesting and fun.

On the sour side, however, was that I didn't want to dwell on Windmills and dikes - for two major reasons. First off, the WIndmill is a pervasive stereotype of Dutch culture. I really wanted to go another direction. Secondly, the word "dike" has such a negative connotation that I wanted to avoid that almost entirely. Children 9-10 years old are are the sophomoric giggle stage - where every mention of sexuality, overt or otherwise, is met with nervous laughter.

I did get to mention the beginings of Santa Claus/Sinterklaas, and even delved a little bit into "Black Pieter", the black elf that worked as Santa Claus' sidekick. I had to deal with the origins of the Dutch Slave Traders and what "Black Pieter" really was in a historical context. I artfully avoided that as best I could, without disgracing the racial implications it holds even today.

Notes: Purest Thread

2008-05-24T20:26:00.000-07:00

Whew!

No...I mean it...

Whew!

That was one bear of a story collection to write. The main problem was a girl named Yasmeen, and Yasmeen was my MAIN CHARACTER.

Well, it wasn't her fault at all, really.

The problem with writing about a culture centered around Muslim beliefs is that there are certain restraints placed upon women by the whole of the society of Islam. Depending on the conservatism of the Islamic sect, some women are not to show anything other than their eyes. They are not allowed to venture into public places and they certainly cannot express themself physically, such as through sports.

So, I found myself wrestling with God again...or Allah... What do you want, Allah? Do you want me to adhere to the strictest tenets of the high mullahs and disallow female liberties? How do I speak of a culture that is half-missing, in the eyes of an American child, and even more so, the American writer who is writing for a second-generation Muslim-American audience?

So, it was a balancing act. I let the family be somewhat reformed, but still had the spirit of Allah and Mohammad resonating throughout the stories. It was even hard to speak of musical culture, because of the mixed feelings of the Muslim community as a whole.

In the end, I don't think I strayed too far from the ways of a typical urban Muslim family in Pakistan during the early part of the 21st century, balancing the struggle between old and new, sacred and not.

I am even considering writing my Indian story using Yasmeen as a recurring character, visiting her cousin Noor, who lives across the border in India, a world away from the strict upbringing of her cousin from the west.

Only time will tell...

Between the Lines

2007-12-05T02:09:00.000-08:00

Through a mutual acquaintance on YouTube (happyslip!), I met a prospective illustrator. He does cartoons, mostly, which means he can probably churn out drawings of all qualities, good to sketchy.

Ever since I began writing seriously in 1989, I had a vision of an atypical set of illustations for my work. I belive strongly in using mixed media for my illustrations, whether it be watercolor, line drawings, pencil sketches, or acrylics/oils. I think the use of mixed media will help to set the work apart from the others, much in the same way "The Rainbow Fish" and "South Park" did the same in their corresponding ways.

I am pretty sure that finding my own illustrator is not the normal way graphic artists and children's book authors are connected. Usually, the illustrator and author are one and the same, related, or they're married through the publisher itself, whether they do the work in-house or freelance.

However it goes, I'm just excited to keep moving forward. Right now, I'm pretty excited about all aspects of my "Culture Kids" project.

Notes: Under the Santol Tree

2007-12-05T01:53:00.000-08:00

Without the help of Mai Licayan, this story, as well as all the others, probably would not have flourished like they did. I travelled halfway around the globe to meet her in Cebu. Unfortunately, we only got to spend four days together. Fortunately, that was plenty of fuel for my writing fire.

And...she's one heckuva muse.

She was a constant reader (and a voracious one at that), reading each story within 24 hours and urging me on to the next story, curious as to what would happen to Gemma next.

A lot of the visuals are taken directly from experiences during my short time with Mai. Still, the stories from inside the Jeepney were taken from my time in Makati, near Metro Manila. I begged my host Eiselle to ride the Jeepney, and she reluctantly agreed. She preferred taking the taxi and having me pay the fare.

The stories from the Cruz house come directly from my time with Mai's family at their house. The pagav (gazebo) is where Mai and I enjoyed a fishy lunch together - bone in and all. Her parent's house was quite a bit farther from the beach than my story, but Gemma's brother Pidro was stolen directly from Mai's brother Ralj, who I only got to meet for a short while.

I had a friend from Cebu named Gemma and I really liked the name, too. Mai and I had a brainstorming session for the family surname. Finally, we decided on Cruz. Ironically, the first Miss Universe is named Gemma Cruz. One day, hopefully, I'll get to send her a finished copy of this work, including illustrations, binding, and publication.

Notes: Beyond El Misti

2007-11-03T06:33:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if I touched upon the Inca Empire in the way I wanted. I really didn't know what to write. I was unsure of calling them "great warriors" in a children's book. All in all, the stories have worked themselves into a pretty interesting tapestry that didn't become too stereotypical.

At first, I was reluctant to write about Machu Pichu, but I saw how much the Incan Emprie influenced the entire coastal culture and felt I had to deal with it in the best manner possible. I wrote two stories, "Marinera" and "Mountain to Mountain" with an emphasis on the ancient areas of Cusco, including the fortress at Sacsayhuaman, thermal springs of Aguas Calientes, and finally, Machu Picchu itself.

Unlike the traditional culture, I put the brothers/parents in a more affluent position than the masses in all areas outside of Lima. I had chosen not to place the stories in Lima, because the grand majority of Peruvians still live in the rural areas, regardless of the financial center in the capital.

I will probably have to refine the character of the cities in later editions, but that's still open for debate among myself and my editor. In the meantime, I'm glad I concentrated my focus on the aspect of Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins. I think it's an accurate depiction of rural Peruvian life.

Additionally, I'm thinking of changing the name to "Beyond El Misti", since that touches the main topic of the entire book. It will steer away from my typical naming of each collection, eponymous to the first story in each collection.

Notes: Dim Sum Yum Cha

2007-07-19T11:22:00.000-07:00

Finnally finished DSYC - well, not really. I still need to write "Paradise Flycatcher", but I'm waiting on my researcher to give me the fact checking report so I can churn it out.

Dim Sum Yum Cha was a natural extension of "Under the Santol Tree", a story based in greater Asia, this time in Beijing China, instead of in the southern provinces of Leyte in the Philippines. I also moved onto a boy-as-main-character instead of girl. I think I'll switch back and forth, girl-boy-girl-boy.

DSYC started to go into a rut, spelling out a stereotypical life from an American point of view. I reconciled that somewhat with the last story in that series, where Ying and his family prepare to move out of the Hutong into a loft-style house in downtown Shanghai, thus illuminating a greater view of China as a whole. I had this in mind, too, when I noted Ying's bicycle trip with his Grandpa out to rural China and the natural scenery.

This story compilation ended up being about 4000 words shorter, and will probably go through a re-write or two. With the upcoming 2008 Beijing Olympics, I may find myself re-hashing these stories. Will wait and see.

Next up: Copper Skies and Suri Nights - A story tentatively set in Lima, Peru.

Everyday I Write the Book

2007-06-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

Here I am, retracing old steps - working on several projects at once instead of concentrating on a single effort.

When I lost the old Computer, I lost a single story in "Dim Sum Yum Cha", yet I couldn't rewrite that story (A Cricket Named Song). About a week ago, I wrote a bit of it, and re-outlined the plot, but am stuck on some of the exposition.

In the meantime, I started an idea for my next "Culture Kids" stories - Peruvian Delights (now titled "Copper Skies and Suri Nights"). I really have lots of ideas for this story collection and am a little unsettled with Ying's "introspection" and lack of total livelihood that Gemma embodied on a constant basis.

So, Carolina Vasquez is a mix between the two - a child who loves to cook with her Auntie Paola and also fish with her uncle Artor and father Rico.

And, on top of that, I'm suffering from romantic breakdowns and that makes me want to delve into "Pair-o-Fishes" a collection of moral narratives written for younger children. It's more about a possible loss of Mai than it is wanting to write Pair-o-Fishes.

So, I'm a little strung out. Tonight, I hope to finish "A Cricket Named Song" and move onward from there.

One Step Forward

2007-04-29T14:25:00.000-07:00

It's been less than a month since I updated, but it's been a hectic one. Around 5am one Sunday morning, I turned off my PC and went to bed. About a half-hour later, it made a POOF! and sulfur-smelling smoke drifted through the room. At first I just thought it was the flourescent bulb in my lamp that exploded.

Unfortunately, The next afternoon when I tried to turn on my PC, it wouldn't start. I took my PC to a friend and he worked on it, but to no avail; I lost at least 400 pages of text and LOTS of draft-work.

So, I bought a new PC and just hooked it up today. I'll start backing up my text with hardcopy PLUS CD backups at the first of every month.

Oh well, this is life, I still have the old HD, just trying to rescue the data from the motherboard.

Wish me luck.

Days of Spencer

2007-04-06T21:36:00.000-07:00

Days of Spencer was really my first attempt at anything not only resembling a book, but resembling a finished book. I had a few unfinished books written, but never finished them.

"Spencer" started in a composition book - a collection of thoughts about spiders, roommates, and pizza hut. It slowly grew into a complete analysis of a lot of different things. I was talking to and about the Jehovah's Witnesses. I was talking about the rules of romance (while reading the "Rules of Attraction" and in a state not unlike now: working and making money, but not necessarily going forward.

I went forward for five years, to no avail. I found myself in middle management at a hotel with no hopes of becomning an AGM or GM because of a) my disability b) my growing frustration over that disability affecting others' perception of my true abilities on the job.

So, I wrote Spencer from 1994-1996, before and after my father's death. It was after his death that I used the inheritance to buy a PC and write. I did more writing during that period than any other, saving the possible current attempt. I'm more driven now. Before, it was just a time-consumer.

In the end, Spencer became an homage to all those things I began writing about, mostly about growing up and having a roommate - namely Hair and Aly. It was the best time of my life, I think, up to this point. I am glad I went through all of it.

I will eventually finish posting and polishing Spencer on blogspot, but for now, I have some more pressing (and more positive) works, including the "Culture Kids" series.

Faces of the Forest

2007-03-31T09:27:00.000-07:00

Faces of the Forest (alternatively titled "Fox & Friends", or "Fox & Co.", and "The Advenutres of Nathaniel Fox") was my first attempt at book writing. It began in the summer of 1989, with a kernel of thought thrown back and forth between Jon Whitney and me - a children's book based on creatures in a typical midwestern forest. We hadn't decided how anthropomorphic they were going to be, we didn't really decide on the cast list either, we just started writing "On Beginnings" on one afternoon in the air-conditioning of the computer room at Boy Scout Camp.

Jon worked at Brownsea Island - boyscout campcraft: knots and ropes, camping and cooking, and things necessary to be a Boy Scout. I worked in Steon Grove - the Nature/Ecology preserve. We started with a trio of friend: Nate Fox, Gus Gator, and Jeremy Squirrel.

Eventually, Jeremy Squirrel was changed to Nash Skunk. Naturally, using "Nate" and "Nash" was also confusing for children. Nate was changed to Booey...because I just couldn't reconcile with "how close in personality" Nate and Jeremy/Nash/Booey were.

I picked up and put down the script for a long, long time. I polished it once and then submitted it to "Ohio Arts Council." That was a dreadful experience. I realized that since none of my characters were gay, crippled, or minorities, the story lacked the luster that the Arts Community wanted. Also, it was a kid's book - what good could that be to the Arts Council?

That's my rant, anyway.

It's in the current form, with about 10 additional incomplete stories oon the computer. Eventually, they might come out of the woodwork, too.