Man, I’m getting slow. Or I’m just getting stuck into writing Far From Home 2: Commander.
In either case, I am still reading The Lincoln Lawyer. But in my defence, I did drop the book in the street and didn’t realise until I got home. So a few days later I went into town and brought another copy so that I could continue. That’s my “the dog ate my homework” style excuse, anyway.
I’ve also been picking through Story by Robert McKee. I really recommend it. The whole book isn’t for me, but there are nougats of wisdom here and there about the actual structure and workings of story itself and some of it is quite fascinating.
I’ve written the first draft of my KAS2 story, and I’m calling it AN ENGLISH DETECTIVE IN TIBET. I’ll be going through the second draft and then edits in September. If it’s accepted for the second KAS antho, then great. If not, I’ll put it up on here or something.
I’m going to be working on something a little different in-between writing instalments of Far From Home. It’s a thriller I’m putting together called FROM BRIGHTON WITH LOVE and I’m writing it under a pseudonym. This is because I don’t want to confuse people with Tony Healey who’s writing that Sci-fi thing… and another Tony Healey writing thrillers. So I’ll be writing it as Sten Moberg, a name I’ve selected for myself.
I’ll be doing this in-between FFH, so there will be no expected date until it’s at least into its edit stage. At the moment it is plotted out, and several scenes have been started. Obviously, I’m writing FFH2 right now, so I won’t get to work on it properly for a few weeks. Then I can think about how I’ll fit its release around FFH. It’s definitely happening though. Also, I’ve been using some lessons learned from Story to tweak it in places.
This week I’ve been listening to a mix I made. Some new stuff, and some old stuff.
I’ve watched Vertigo, Battleship and Inglorious Basterds. Vertigo I watch at least once a month, so no surprise there. Inglorious Basterds I picked up on blu for only £7. Battleship I watched around my parents house. I thought it was okay. A lot like Battle LA. Full of action and spectacle as much as it is full of flaws… but entertaining nonetheless. I re-watched 2012 the other week, and though I could pick a million and one holes in it, I couldn’t help but be wowed all over again by the scale of the destruction on the screen.
They’re popcorn films. They’re not Saving Private Ryan or Lawrence of Arabia. Or Vertigo for that matter. They’re to watch with a bowl of popcorn and switch your brain off for two hours.
That’s the point.
Tony Healey 