Haus of Rhi

I'll admit it here for the world to see and read. I am a nerd. A geek. One of my all-time favorite books on my bookshelf is Edward Tufte's volume titled "Visual Explanations." Between its hardback covers is a brilliantly executed argument for the method one uses to process data into information so that it impacts its audience with the desired effect, conveys the proper sense of urgency. It was given to me by my engineer of a father about seven years ago, and hands-down the best tangible gift I've received from that source. It triggered a realization that it is not enough to have a legitimate grievance, a valid argument, or stand in the right. If you are going to challenge the perspectives or perceptions of others, you as a human being have a responsibility to your fellow human being to present an alternative, and to do so in a coherent, rational manner that conveys your information effectively and succinctly.

No, I promise those are not the protagonists in my current WIP. I did, however, stumble across an Earnest Hemingway quote earlier this afternoon: Write drunk, edit sober.

I really was beginning to focus on the writing again. Within the past week or two, I'd begun fiddling with characters, secondary cast members, and potential entanglements, plot threads. I've hit on the idea of writing the synopsis before I start writing this. Highly unusual, but I'm going to see if I can make it work. Now that I have the characters in place. It's very much like setting out the ingredients for a baking recipe: once you determine what's going into it, there's usually only one possible end result for what you'll take out of the oven when it's done. Back in December (I think) I sold a short story. Did a heavy rewrite-expansion, and returned it in late January. Though it was contracted, I knew it was waiting its turn. Yesterday, I got an email from the art director requesting completion of a Cover Art Request for the story. The timing was really bad--I almost face-planted in the middle of the road in the parking lot at work, reading that ...