Making Some Progress
Making progress on my new book Dark, talking about enjoying coffee shop sounds while I write, some awesome books I read this last week, and a relaxing Saturday morning
So I've been kicking ass and making great progress on my book Dark. I sat down on Monday and everything just kind of clicked in my brain, and I just started writing. Throughout the week I've managed most days to get more than one chapter done, but at least one chapter a day written. Feels great Making some real progress on this book. I also am having a great time stepping into that world and navigating my character through it. It's dark, creepy, and a hell of a lot of fun to see where things take him. The fun part is that I don't even know what's going to happen next. I sit down with an idea and just start writing and see where things go. It's interesting finding out what terrifying or horrible situation my character will be facing next. I am having a great time Writing this book and experiencing everything that my character goes through. Can't wait to get this one done and in your hands. That's down the road a bit though. For now, I'm going to dive back in and see what other scary shit my character and I can face together.
Tried something this week while I was writing. I brought up Spotify on my phone and turned on a playlist called Coffee Shop Sounds. It literally is what it sounds like, just the sounds of a coffee shop. That ambience was kind of cool to sit and have playing while I wrote. Usually I select a playlist I built called Writing. It's a lot of classical music, or at least instrumental. Some of it's dark and for boating, and it certainly helps pull me deeper into some of the scenes I'm writing. But I wanted to try something different this week.
I wish I could experience the real thing and take my laptop to a local coffee shop and sit and write for hours. Unfortunately, that doesn't work for me. I dictate everything when I'm writing. So I do not think that people at a coffee shop are going to want to listen to me dictating creepy ass horror out loud. Might scare them a bit. Also, I feel sitting in a coffee shop and trying to do that would be extremely distracting for me. I wish I typed better and that was a possibility, but unfortunately I really suck at typing. Hence the dictation part of everything. Oh well, I found that I can turn on that playlist and let those coffee shop sounds float around the room as I work. It's actually kind of cool and makes me feel like I'm sitting there enjoying a hot cup of coffee and working. I guess it wouldn't matter anyways because we don't have any real cool coffee shops around here anymore. The one I really enjoyed going to sadly did not survive the Covid shut down, and close their doors permanently. That sucks too because it was exactly what you think of when you think of that whole coffee shop vibe. It was warm and comfortable inside, offered all kinds of different seating, and was just a really cool place to go hang out and enjoy some coffee. It was called Brewed Awakenings. On several occasions while sitting there enjoying a cup of coffee I heard college kids tapping out beats on a table to a song they were creating, people typing away on their computers, and others just sitting and chatting with friends or family. It was That coffee shop experience I'd always been looking for. I wish that place wouldn't have closed, and truly sad that it had to. So, in the absence of having an awesome place like that to go, I'll sit here and drink my coffee and let those coffee shop sounds play from my phone. Imagining myself furiously tapping away on my keyboard while others around sip hot cups of coffee and have great conversations.
Since I mentioned writing, I've also noticed something else this last week. I haven't been sitting in my office that I share with my wife. I have a comfortable leather recliner in there that I usually enjoy sitting in while creating. Lately though, I've been just curling up on one of the couches in the family room at the back of the house, or on a really comfortable loveseat in the living room at the front of our house. Wherever I've been sitting, I've just felt really comfortable and diving right into working. Usually I find comfort in the solitude that our office space offers me. It's quiet, peaceful, the dogs aren't allowed in there, and it gives me the solitude I need to work. But I don't know, lately I've just been really enjoying sitting on one of the couches, the dogs curled up all around me, my coffee perched on a table next to me, and my MacBook in my lap. Whatever the reason is, it's been working and I've been feverishly getting chapter after chapter done on my book. I'm sure I'll find myself back in my office again at some point. Like I said, that space is perfect for having a quiet place to sit and work. It's interesting sometimes how the location you use when being creative changes. Maybe it has something to do with the darkness of this book I'm creating and wanting to be in the light more. Either family room or living room offers many windows and a bright space. So maybe that's it. This new book is dark, and maybe subconsciously I want to spend more time in the light myself. I don't know. I'm not going to question it too much though because I'm making great progress on my book. So it is what it is.
Finished reading Nestlings by Nat Cassidy. Holy shit, that was an awesome book! If you haven't read that one yet, I highly recommend you go grab a copy. Like now! Damn I really enjoyed that book. Nat is one hell of an awesome author. His first book, Mary; An Awakening of Terror, was just awesome. So when I heard about this book, immediately I was like hell yeah I'm reading that. And, it did not disappoint! Can't say enough great things about this book. I loved it from start to finish. Definitely get yourself a copy and read it as soon as possible!
I also finished reading A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay. Wow, this book is amazing! To tell you how into this book I got, I started reading it Thursday evening, and finished it Saturday evening. Yeah, it was so damn good I listened to it any second that I wasn't doing something else. Such an amazing book! And the narrator did an awesome job really getting into the characters and doing their voices. Especially when the 14-year-old girls character drops into a low guttural voice, the narrator did such an amazing job it gave me goosebumps. Can't say enough great things about this book. I absolutely loved it, was creeped out by it, and highly recommend you get yourself a copy immediately! This will be going on my best of the year books list, along with books I want to purchase an own a physical copy of list. So glad I read this one.
I was thinking about it the other day and I think in between burning through book after book like I've been doing, I'm going to re-listen to another awesome podcast I love. I'm not much of a TV person, unless it's sitting and enjoying a show with my wife and kids. Otherwise, I don't really care much for Finding TV shows to watch. Instead, I'd rather listen to things that dedicate themselves to full audio. So, I'm going to re-listen to all 24 episodes of season one and two of the show Impact Winter. This is an awesome podcast which I absolutely love. It's dark, creepy at times, and just freaking awesome. Although, you will need headphones if you listen to it, it's full immersive audio and so sounds can sound like they're coming from all around you. Headphones are definitely needed to get the full experience of this show. So yeah, I think I'm going to dive back in and enjoy that world and those characters again for a bit. Not sure if they'll ever release a season three, but I certainly hope so.
Currently reading: White Horse: A Novel by Erika T. Wurth. This one is pretty interesting so far. Really excited to see where the author takes this book as I continue enjoying it.
Currently listening: when I didn't have those coffee shop sounds playing, or my writing playlist going, I actually turned on a Dave Matthews Band playlist I built on Spotify and rocked out to that. I don't care who says what about that band, I've been a fan of theirs for many years, and think they're a great band. Their album Under the Table and Dreaming is probably my favorite album of theirs. So, while I made a big batch of chili, along with other various household chores I took care of, I had that playlist cranked up on my phone and sang along to many of their songs.
Currently watching: we were able to catch up on a new episode of that show Under The Bridge, which is available on Hulu. Really awesome and intriguing show, check it out if you haven't watched it yet. Otherwise, we're still waiting on a new episode of The Rookie to come out yet.
I am feeling much better after that week of being sick as hell. Although I do still find myself winded at times after doing physical housework stuff, and have to take a minute to sit down and rest a little. But otherwise, I'm feeling much better. Unfortunately though, I did have our youngest home sick from school one day last week. She just can't seem to kick that damn cold we all had. My wife and I still cough from time to time, but my daughter seems like she's coughing almost constantly. We've given her all different kinds of over-the-counter meds, but it still seems like that cold just won't let go and leave her alone. Hopefully that day at home to just take more meds and sleep will help her body recover and finally get over it. I hope so, when you're a parent it's hard to hear your kids sick and miserable and not be able to just fix it.
Something I debated talking about, but ultimately decided to say screw it, I'll just talk about it. I'm no longer writing stories for the Blood-Soaked Pages anthology books. Basically it boils down to creative differences. I didn't like the direction those books and the entire project was going, and after spending time sitting and thinking about it, I decided to leave the project. It just wasn't a good fit anymore for me. I want to focus my time and energy on writing my stuff, and didn't have as much time as I needed to dedicate to that project. So I respectfully informed the group that I would be leaving the project and focusing on writing my own stuff. I had fun working with those people, really met a lot of cool authors in that group, but ultimately it just wasn't a great fit for me. But I wish them nothing but the best of luck with any future books they put out.
Saturday morning was awesome. It's been a while since the wife and I have had just a lazy Saturday morning to lounge around on the couches. Usually we get up and get going on house stuff, or are running to get groceries, or something like that. But this last Saturday, when we both finally got up, we found ourselves curled back up on one of the couches together, old DuckTales episodes playing on the TV as we snuggled up in each other's arms and dozed for a bit. It was freaking awesome! Love those lazy Saturday mornings sometimes. Such a great way to really start the weekend.
Sunday was a bit busier with getting house stuff done while the wife hung out in the kitchen making three different dips for dinner. We had decided weeks back that a dip dinner sounded awesome. My wife made up a taco style dip, cream cheese jalapeño style dip, and Italian sub style dip. They were all really damn good. We'd also gotten some different pitas and breads to enjoy with the dips. Along with various crackers and chips. My son his wife and our granddaughter joined us and we all hung out around the table enjoying those awesome dips. Unfortunately our oldest son couldn't make it over, which sucked because I miss hanging out with him too. But, we enjoyed an awesome dip dinner, and love that we have leftovers still in the fridge to eat throughout the week.
I will say, with the dip dinner and other various things I ate over the weekend, I felt bloated and stuffed Sunday evening. So this morning is a protein smoothie kind of morning. Still feel a bit full from that awesome dinner though. Going to finish up my smoothie here and then go make up a big cup of coffee. I think once I get that stuff done I will grab my MacBook and try to dive back into my book Dark this morning. Been thinking a lot of where I could go with it next. I have some ideas, so I think I'll just dive in and see where it takes me. Hopefully you had a great weekend as well. Hope this newsletter finds you happy and healthy. Take it easy, enjoy a great cup of coffee, and I'll talk to you soon.
Thank you for reading this weeks newsletter. I hope to see you back here next week. Be yourself, be original, and be bloody.
- Matthew R. Taylor