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Blog-Hop Sunday Has Arrived! Four Questions for the Writer

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Well, as promised, it’s time for me to answer the Four Questions for the Writer Blog-hop, as I was tagged by both Katherine Eliska Kimbriel and Dina von Lowenkraft in this particular blog-hop.

Before I get into that, though, you might be asking yourself, “What’s a blog-hop?”

The quick answer to that is, “A post where one writer starts it, tags a bunch of other writers, and it continues around the Internet for a while.” It’s a great way to meet other writers, if you follow the blog-hop from beginning to end, and as all of us tend to put “Four Questions for the Writer” somewhere in our title, the hope is that people will find our answers down the line.

Anyway, let’s get started!

Question One: What are you working on?

Oh, this one’s easy. But it’s also complex, because I have more than one thing going at the same time.

First is the sequel to AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE (or as I call it, the second half of ELFY, because originally the “Elfy duology” was just ELFY, the book). I am currently working on the final edit of that; once it’s done, it’ll be turned into my publisher, the copy-edits will start and we’ll be on our merry way toward another book. (Yay!)

Second is CHANGING FACES, which is a transgender fantasy romance with aliens that may as well be angels (perhaps they are; I’m not entirely sure myself!). It’s about two musicians, Allen and Elaine, and what happens to them when a heartfelt prayer is answered . . . but not the way anyone could possibly expect.

Third is a military science fiction action-adventure for Joey Maverick, set on the world of Bubastis. This story is set in my late husband Michael’s universe, and as this is a place he never went — but is a place the story “On Westmount Station” sets up nicely — I’ve been having to create Bubastis before I can set my adventure there.

Anyway, I am nearly done with all the setup work this new adventure requires, but I don’t yet have a title. I’ll keep you posted.

Fourth is the prequel to the Elfy duology, KEISHA’S VOW, with many of the same characters but set in 1954. (Obviously, Bruno and Sarah have not yet been born.) This deals with the birth of Sarah’s mother, and was started because I wanted to figure out just what went wrong with her to cause her do to and say many of the things that went on during the Elfy duology. (Most especially when I figured out that Jelena was still around, and had been a very good woman during her lifetime.) I still have this going in the back of my mind, but haven’t had time to work on it . . . it’s a similar story for AN ELFY ABROAD, which is the sequel to ELFY (now the Elfy duology).

And that doesn’t even mention the military science fiction adventure I’m writing called IN THE LINE OF DUTY . . . but it’s enough for all practical purposes.

Question Two: How does your work differ from others in its genre?

Some of the answer to this lies in originality. My mind doesn’t seem to think the same way as everyone else, which may make for more interesting stories.

But the real answer, again, is far more complex.

First, the writing I set out to do is humorous fantasy — thus, the Elfyverse. Which, if nothing else, is not boring — ’cause what’s the point of that?

But I took up my late husband Michael’s military science fiction because I didn’t want his work to die out. So in that sense, you could say my work is different because I am doing something I never set out to do in the first place.

Or you could say it’s different because I’m doing something only a handful of other writers and editors before me have done — to keep a deceased spouse’s work alive, or in the case of Deborah J. Ross, keep a beloved friend’s work alive (as Ms. Ross is completing Marion Zimmer Bradley’s work, and doing so with great flair).

The difference between me and Ms. Ross or the estimable Harriet McDougal (widow of Robert Jordan, and editor of the entire Wheel of Time series), among others, is that my spouse, Michael, was not generally known to most readers of science fiction, military SF or otherwise. And I couldn’t bear that. He’d worked so hard, and I knew what his talent was, and we were convinced he’d make it.

Then he died.

I couldn’t bear that. At all.

That’s why at least a part of Michael’s work is alive, even now. And it’s why I continue to work on it.

Question Three: Why do you write what you do?

I write the Elfyverse because it’s funny and it makes me laugh. So I hope it’ll make someone else laugh, too.

I write the Joey Maverick universe because it was Michael’s, and I know many stories can be set there. I really like Joey Maverick and many other characters Michael created, and I don’t want these stories and settings to die out.

Plus, I’ve found I enjoy writing military SF. It’s a challenge. I enjoy those. So let’s hope I can create some good stories there, and keep Michael’s work and legacy alive in the process.

And I have continued onward with CHANGING FACES because I believe it’s a story that offers hope amidst absolute despair. I think that’s something we need a lot more of in this world . . . and, again, there are some funny moments. (I have to write in some funny things here and there, nine times out of ten. Otherwise the story doesn’t feel right.)

Question Four: How does your writing process work?

It’s hard to explain. I start off with an idea for a story, same as any other writer in the history of the universe. But I usually have to ponder it awhile before something in my brain says, “OK, you can write this now.”

Then I sit down and hash it out.

I do write prose notes — this is what I do instead of outlines — and have been known to write pages and pages of those before I start a new project. There’s something about writing down all of these various things that helps me get involved in the story at the level I need to be, even if I’m not entirely sure how it works.

So it’s a combination of “think about it a lot,” then “write down whatever you have in whatever form you have it,” and then, finally, when the story is right, “put butt in chair and type.”

Then revise, tweak, revise, send to the first reader(s), etc.

That concludes my portion of the blog-hop, but I now need to tag a couple of other writers . . . so here goes.

Chris Nuttall is a prolific writer of military science fiction, alternate history and a number of interesting fantasy works. He’s constantly thinking up stories and writing them down, and is one of the most successful authors working today. His newest novel is THE TROJAN HORSE.

Jason Cordova has written in nearly every genre you could care to name. Right now, he has a new novella out with co-writer Eric Brown called KAIJU APOCALYPSE that combines science fiction, fantasy, manga, horror, and even a bit of military fiction that has delighted readers and reviewers.

So, will Chris or Jason take up the gauntlet and run with it? With their busy schedules, who knows?

But they are the two writers who came to mind . . . though if anyone else wants to be tagged, let me know in the comments and I’ll add you forthwith.

Written by Barb Caffrey

April 27, 2014 at 5:25 pm

Posted in Elfy, Elfyverse, Joey Maverick, Michael B. Caffrey, Writing

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Comparing Joey Maverick to Miles Naismith Vorkosigan, and Vice Versa

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Folks, a good friend recently asked me this question: “How would Joey Maverick compare to Lois McMaster Bujold’s hero Miles Naismith Vorkosigan?”

And it got me thinking.

You see, my late husband Michael wrote about space Navy Lieutenant Joey Maverick — something I’m doing my best to carry on — and my friend felt there were a number of similarities between Joey and Miles. And since the two stories haven’t found a wide audience as of yet (stories are available here and here), perhaps a comparison might prove useful . . . and at least it’s something new and different to write about, always a plus.

So here are some of the similarities and differences I saw with regards to Joey and Miles, with a side order of my own hero Bruno the Elfy from AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE thrown in for good measure:

Similarities:

Miles is a very smart young man who out-thinks others and has any number of adventures, most of which he can’t talk about on Barrayar itself due to security concerns. He’s steadfast, resolute, has morals and ethics and principles, and will stand by them to the death, if need be — though thank goodness for cryosuspension. He has an unusual sense of humor.

Joey is a very smart young man who thinks faster than others and has several adventures, most of which he can’t talk about on the planet of his birth due to security concerns. He, too, is steadfast, resolute, has morals and ethics and principles, and like Miles, has an unusual sense of humor.

And just for kicks, Bruno the Elfy is a very smart young being who is used to out-thinking others, but gives himself no credit for doing so because he’s been told he’s stupid his entire life. He figures talking about any adventures he has is pointless, because at the start of AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE, he has no friends worth mentioning . . . and afterward, well, his new friend Sarah has been with him the whole way through, so why bother talking about anything? (She already knows it.)

Bruno’s sense of humor is so odd, it’s downright bizarre . . . and while he has morals, ethics and principles, he comes at things from a sideways angle that may or may not always be fully understood by those around him.

Differences:

Miles is handicapped with brittle bones. He’s actually died and been revived, which left him with a seizure disorder. He’s retired from his main career as a commander of a mercenary unit (that did a great deal of spying for Barrayar on the side) due to his injuries, suffered in the line of duty. He’s a man who’s maximized the totality of his existence, and knows it, and is satisfied by it.

Joey, as yet, is still a healthy young man, though eventually he’s going to lose an eye (Michael’s story “A Dark and Stormy Night” references Joey’s cybernetic eye in the prequel section, where Joey’s an old man). Only one life for Joey . . . his military career is ongoing. He’s still in the process of coming to his full adult capabilities, and many adventures await as he comes to terms with the totality of himself. Eventually Joey will bond with an empathic, sentient creature . . . but that, too, is in his future.

Bruno the Elfy is a very young being — an adolescent, in our parlance. While Bruno has enormous magical gifts, he’s not fully aware of what to do with them, and because he was intentionally mistrained at the behest of the Elfy High Council, he’s having to throw off a whole lot of nonsense in addition to becoming the Elfy he was meant to be.

Mind, it’s not that easy to compare a fantasy world — even if it’s an urban fantasy like my own AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE — with either Bujold’s own Vorkoverse or my husband’s Joey Maverick universe. But it is fun, talking about three of my favorite heroes . . .  especially as I never once thought Joey Maverick had anything whatsoever in common with Miles Naismith Vorkosigan before my friend pointed it out as a possibility.

At any rate, what do you think of this comparison? Does it make any sense? Or is it just odd? Please let me know in the comments.

Written by Barb Caffrey

April 19, 2014 at 1:47 am

Posted in Elfy, Elfyverse, Joey Maverick, Michael B. Caffrey, Writing

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Two More Guest Blogs Up Promoting My Writing and “An Elfy on the Loose”

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Folks, I’m pleased to report that two more new guest blogs are up and available for reading.**

First, Aaron Lazar over at Murder By Four accepted a guest blog from me called “Changing Voices and Heroes,” which is about the differences between writing military science fiction and comic fantasy on the one hand, and the differences between two very good heroes — space Navy Lieutenant Joey Maverick, who was my late husband Michael B. Caffrey’s character, and my hero Bruno the magically talented Elfy.

Here’s a bit from that:

Now, how did I tailor my own writing to fit these two wildly disparate genres?

When I’m writing milSF, I try to get right to the point. And I write a more action-oriented story, too – because the action often makes or breaks the story.

But when I’m writing comic fantasy, I allow my stories to spin out any way that works. There’s more time to fine-tune characterization; there’s more time to do some nifty things with word choices and puns . . . even limericks, if the story calls for it. And fully setting up my characters also allows me to better get at the humor of whatever is going on.

Clear as mud, no?

Anyway, today’s second guest blog is up over at Stephanie Osborn’s blog site Comet Tales. This discusses exactly how I came to write my novel AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE . . . and exactly what my late husband Michael did to help me along the way.

Here’s a bit from that guest blog:

When a character appears, fully formed, it’s best to listen to what he has to say. But all I knew, when I started writing, were three things: Bruno liked to wear black – when his race, the Elfys, mostly loved bright colors. He was the equivalent of a teenager. And he did not like to rhyme, even if all the other Elfys did.

Even so, that was enough for me to start writing what I then called “The Elfy Story.” I wrote the first six parts or so – less than chapters, about a thousand words per part – alone. Michael took a hand when I got to the seventh part because I had some sort of problem I couldn’t immediately solve, and he got intrigued. Then he figured this story had legs, and he wanted to help me figure out where it went.

. . .

With this huge, complex plot, I could’ve easily gotten lost. Fortunately for me, Michael was there every step of the way. He told me when I’d get frustrated, “Don’t worry. The story will come.” Or he’d tell me jokes in a similar way Bruno tries to do with Sarah from time to time in AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE (where do you think I got that from, hm?). Or he’d help me draw diagrams when I tried to figure out why the Elfy High Council did anything at all…plus, he edited what I wrote, gave me excellent advice, and heavily edited nearly all of Dennis the Dark Elf’s dialogue to make it even nastier and more hissable.

What more could anyone ever ask from her spouse than that?

Granted, if you’ve read my blog from its inception — or even in the past year or two — you’ve probably gathered that my husband Michael was the biggest influence on my writing. I’d simply not be the same writer without his help and guidance; there’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

And really, with AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE finally available for purchase, I want people to know how much he did.

I’m very pleased that Stephanie Osborn was willing to share my story of how the Elfyverse came to be on her blog.

Anyway, I hope you will enjoy these guest blogs. Please let me know what you think in the comments . . . and do, please, let people know about AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE as well as the Joey Maverick stories.

Because I need all the help I can get right now in order to let people know these stories exist — much less are fun stories that people should actually enjoy if they just give ’em a chance to work their magic.

———-

**

Mind, you might be wondering why I have three, count ’em, three guest blogs up in two days. This is because my fellow writer-friends are trying to help me raise my visibility, so perhaps I might be able to sell a few more books.

Besides, writing three different blogs — one about the virtues of quiet heroism, the next about the differences between the quiet Joey Maverick and the exuberant Bruno the Elfy, and the third about how I came to write AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE at all — was an intellectual challenge.

So how could I refuse?

Written by Barb Caffrey

April 15, 2014 at 6:51 am

Posted in Books, Elfy, Elfyverse, Michael B. Caffrey, Stephanie Osborn

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Guest Blog about the Virtues of Quiet Heroism is Up at Chris Nuttall’s “Chrishanger”

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Folks, when writer Chris Nuttall agreed to allow me to write a guest blog for him on the virtues of quiet heroism, I was extremely happy.

You see, my late husband Michael’s character Joey Maverick is a quiet hero. He’s a military man who sees what needs to be done, and does it. (As I put it in the blog, “No muss, no fuss.”) And it seems to me that people don’t get to read nearly enough about characters like Joey, which is why I have done my best to keep Michael’s writing alive.

The third story about Joey Maverick (currently in progress, and as yet untitled) is set on the planet Bubastis. There’s a famine going on, caused by a terrible drought, and the people of that planet — which are both human and Kiral, a feline-derived race — are suffering. The rural Kiral, in particular, are in desperate shape because they will not use food synthesizers under any circumstances, and yet most of the relief supplies aren’t getting to them. People will die unless Joey and his team can put an end to it . . . but there’s a lot going on underneath the surface. I still have to rough out some characters among the rural Kiral, and have I mentioned the complexity of the black market that’s cropped up on Bubastis yet?

But I’m getting there. Truly. And it’s wonderful to know that Chris enjoyed Joey’s first two adventures (available here and here), because sometimes it just seems like I’m shouting into a wind tunnel for all the good my writing’s doing. (Maybe all writers feel this way?)

At any rate, I hope you’ll enjoy my take on “The Virtues of Quiet Heroism,” which includes more of the story about Michael’s premise behind the Joey Maverick stories and why I cannot let Michael’s work or universe die out.

And do, please, stop by Chris’s blog “The Chrishanger” often. He talks about his writing, world events, politics, has contests . . . it’s a fun site, and he always does his best to keep it lively. And goodness knows, with all of his books (the most recent being SCHOOLED IN MAGIC from Twilight Times Books and THE NELSON TOUCH, book two of the Ark Royal series, which was put out independently), there’s always something new for Chris to discuss.

Written by Barb Caffrey

April 14, 2014 at 5:47 pm

Posted in Atlantean Union, Books, Joey Maverick, Michael B. Caffrey

Odds and Ends, April 2014 Version

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Well, folks, as usual, I’ve been so busy the past week that I have barely had enough time to turn around.

Whenever I get this busy, I don’t blog much, I don’t do much other than what must be done first — editing, in this case, and glad to have the work — and everything else basically takes a backseat.

This is why I didn’t review anything last week at Shiny Book Review (SBR).

This is why I didn’t write a follow-up blog regarding the two elections that the Koch Brothers-backed Americans for Prosperity group threw a lot of money into . . . and it’s also why, despite the Milwaukee Brewers’ impressive sweep of the Boston Red Sox, I didn’t get back here to write about that, either.

That being said, here’s a few quick hits regarding the odds and ends I left open last week:

  1. The elections in Iron County, WI, and in Kenosha County for the Kenosha Unified School Board seemed to be largely unaffected by the huge amount of money Americans for Prosperity threw into the races. The folks in Iron County basically said in a number of televised interviews that they disliked interference from people who didn’t live in Iron County — so the money that AFP threw into the election seems to have gone by the boards. And the people in Kenosha County didn’t change their minds regarding their candidates, either . . . so it does appear, as my late friend Jeff Wilson once put it, that there is a monetary ceiling to an election where a group (or groups) can spend whatever they like, but after a certain point, people just tune out.
  2. The Brewers going into Boston and sweeping the Red Sox was completely unanticipated, at least by me. After only scoring four runs in three games and losing two out of three at home in the Brewers’ own opening series, it was particularly impressive that the Brewers could go into Boston, win all three games (including an 11th inning thriller), and actually have some clutch hits in games that mattered.
  3. What a shame that Wisconsin lost to Kentucky in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. I’m glad the Badgers did so well and got to the Final Four — that’s the one thing I got right in my NCAA bracket — but I wish they’d have had just one more game in them. (C’est la vie.)
  4. Normally after turning in a really big edit — as I did on  Saturday morning — I’d take a few days off. Right now, I can’t, because I’m looking over my master file for AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE. There is a reason for that: The e-book will be up on Amazon and most other major dealers on April 15 — so if you’ve ever wanted to find out what the deal is with regards to my Elfyverse or my character Bruno the Elfy, now’s your chance to set your clocks.

Later in the week, I should have at least a bit of time to get a review or two in over at SBR, and I hope to be able to talk more about baseball, or politics, or maybe even the recent decision by the NLRB arbitrator in Chicago who ruled that Northwestern University’s football players should be able to form a union, as they are employees like any other (as that last really intrigues me, but I haven’t had enough time to do justice to the subject as of yet).

But for now, all I can do is please ask you to let people know that AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE is coming soon . . . and if you think anyone will be interested (or even if they aren’t), tell them that my late husband Michael B. Caffrey’s two stories of military science fiction about his excellent character Joey Maverick, a quiet and responsible man who is nonetheless every bit a hero, are available now at Amazon (here and here).

Even with my own novel coming out, it still matters a great deal to me that Michael’s stories find their audience, especially as, years ago, Michael had hundreds of people who said they wanted to buy them as soon as he was willing to put them out. (I don’t know where these people went, mind you. But maybe at least a few of them are still alive, and if so, perhaps they’ll discover the stories one of these years. Hope springs eternal, and all that.)

Written by Barb Caffrey

April 7, 2014 at 8:46 pm

Posted in baseball, Editing, Elfy, Elfyverse, Michael B. Caffrey, Writing

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Story Complete, Sent to Lightspeed’s Special Women Destroy SF Issue

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I’m pleased to report that I was able to finish my military science fiction story to my satisfaction, and sent it off earlier this evening to Lightspeed magazine for their “Women Destroy SF” special issue.

The main reason I’m discussing this, other than the fact I mentioned I was writing the story in the first place and wanting to give y’all an update, is because it’s Valentine’s Day.

I know that sounds like a non sequitur, but it isn’t. (Hear me out, OK?)

This particular story is set in my husband’s universe, the same one used in both Joey Maverick stories (available right now at Amazon, here and here). It does not feature Joey Maverick. Instead, it features a doctor, Amanda Hirschbeck, and the choices she must make during a brutal firefight.

I don’t want to give too much away about the plot, partly because I’m hoping that somehow, some way, this story is going to come out and you’ll all be able to read it. But I will say that it deals with loss, redemption, sacrifice, and personal integrity . . . I’m proud to have written it, and I’m even more proud to say this is the first story I’ve written in Michael’s universe that’s entirely mine.

When I started working on Michael’s stories, years ago, I wasn’t sure I could do this. I really didn’t think I’d ever get to the point I could write a decent-to-better story set in a milSF milieu, as that’s not my normal genre — I usually write fantasy, and humorous fantasy at that.

But I’ve had some very good people cheering me on, including the inestimable Katharine Eliska Kimbriel, the incomparable Rosemary Edghill, my first writing mentor (she told me years ago that I needed to make these stories my own, and I wasn’t ready to listen; now, though, I finally am, and I owe it all to her for planting the seed in my mind that I could, indeed, do this), and everyone involved in my writer’s group Barfly_Slush.

Note that the reason I mentioned both Ms. Kimbriel and Ms. Edghill is because they are both outstanding writers and editors. They have many good books out. And as I can’t possibly ever repay either one of them, much less both, for all of their advice and guidance, it seems wise to let you all know about them in the hopes that maybe you’ll go to their respective Amazon Author Pages (Ms. Edghill’s is here, Ms. Kimbriel’s is here) and find a book you like — then buy it.

At any rate, I’m proud that I was able to write a story in my husband’s universe. It’s a good story. I hope it’ll find a home.

But I hope you can excuse me if I think of it as my own, personal Valentine’s Day gift to Michael . . . because without him, and leaving his universe behind for me to play in it as much as I like, this story would not exist.

Written by Barb Caffrey

February 14, 2014 at 9:10 pm

Posted in Michael B. Caffrey, Persistence, Remembrance, Writing

Heard from the WotF Contest . . .

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Folks, I didn’t expect that I’d still be able to send off my story — the one I told you about a few days ago that I carefully did not identify — to the Writers of the Future contest (WotF for short).  (Please see my last post for further details; just hit the “back” button.)  But I heard from the Contest Administrator, Joni, who said that under the circumstances, she’d accept my entry.

(Perhaps I wasn’t the only person who had this problem?)

At any rate, the story is away.  We’ll see what happens . . . it’s possible that sending it today (as I just received the e-mail today) is too late to be entered into the WotF contest for last quarter.

If so, I’ll send it to Fantasy and Science Fiction (F&SF), as previously planned.

But if they do accept it, I hope this will be the entry that finally gets noticed.  It truly was my final attempt after eleven long years of trying.  And as it’s based off an unfinished story of my late husband Michael’s — though I did much rearranging to suit myself, and wrote over two-thirds of it in the process — it has even more meaning.

Speaking of stories of my late husband’s, I’d appreciate it if you’d go to Amazon and check out Michael’s Adventures of Joey Maverick series.  (Please go here and here for further details.)  They’re both tales of military science fiction, one set on a low-tech sailing vessel, the other at a space station.  I edited these stories and completed them to the best of my ability . . . if you want to support my and Michael’s writing, this is the best way to do so.

But there are two other ways if you would rather read something else . . . my story “On the Making of Veffen” is included in HOW BEER SAVED THE WORLD, while my co-written story with Michael, “Bright as Diamonds,” is included in BEDLAM’S EDGE.  (Even though I have been led to believe that the latter anthology never earned out, it’s possible it may someday, and if so, I’d perhaps get some more money out of it.  But  even if it never does, I’m proud of our story and I want people to read it.)

If you’re waiting for ELFY, though, I guess I can understand that . . . though really, I’d prefer it if you’d buy everything I ever wrote, just because it makes it a little easier to keep going in this crazy business.

Anyway, the story is off and I’ve done what I can . . . now to figure out what else I can send to F&SF.

Written by Barb Caffrey

January 3, 2014 at 9:14 am

Posted in Michael B. Caffrey, milsf, Persistence, Writing

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Guest Blog at Murder X 4 Is Up . . .

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Folks, when writer Aaron Paul Lazar asked me if I was willing to write a guest blog for his shared blog site Murder x 4, I leaped, yelled, and said yes . . . though of course only the last part was verbalized as I didn’t want to scare the dogs.

Aaron asked me if I had anything Christmas-themed that might be interesting, and as my relationship with my late husband Michael started around Christmas of 2001 — and as I have two of his stories up at Amazon right now that are desperately in need of new readers, “A Dark and Stormy Night” and “Joey Maverick: On Westmount Station” — I decided to talk about that.  And because Murder X 4 is a writer’s blog site where they often talk about the process of writing, I asked if it was OK to talk about everything I’ve done to keep Michael’s words and work alive.

Fortunately for me, Aaron said yes.

Those of you who’ve known me a while, or who’ve faithfully read my blog posts since I was coerced — er, convinced to start blogging will most likely know why I’ve done my best to keep Michael’s work alive.  Even though it’s now at least partly mine, and at least some of the choices I’ve made might not be the choices he would’ve made, I had to try.

Michael meant everything to me, and in many ways, he still does.  So I just couldn’t bear the thought of his work not getting any chance to find a readership . . . bad enough he was dead, but did his work have to die out, too?

Not everyone is going to like what I’ve done.  I know that.

I also know that some people have told me along the way that Michael is dead, I’m not, and that it doesn’t really matter if his work stays alive.  Michael, had he lived, would’ve undoubtedly written more things, and he might not even have wanted these particular works to stand.

But I knew Michael very well, and the people who’ve told me this other stuff did not.  Michael did not give up, not on himself, not on other people.  He was trying to figure out how to get action into his novel about Joey Maverick (MAVERICK, LIEUTENANT) at the time of his passing; he and I were both wracking our brains to figure out what he could add that wouldn’t blow his premise completely out of the water.  (That premise being “quiet heroism,” which I discussed in today’s guest blog.)

Michael definitely would’ve kept trying to figure it out, and I can’t believe he’d have let these adventures rot.

But he almost certainly would’ve found other ways toward the same ends . . . and I truly wish he were alive so he would’ve found them, rather than me doing my poor best toward getting whatever I possibly can done.

Still, as a good friend of mine told me a few nights ago, the important thing is to write something Michael would’ve liked and enjoyed reading.  Michael would like what I’ve done, by that logic, and even if he quibbled with me as to how I got things done, he’d still like it that I did it.

That’s why I’ve kept trying, both on his behalf and my own.

Anyway, please do go read my guest blog, and see what you think of my efforts.  Then come back here, if you would, and tell you if it makes any sense . . . I just know it’s what I have to do, or else I’ve failed.

And I refuse to fail.

Written by Barb Caffrey

December 13, 2013 at 6:41 am

Posted in Michael B. Caffrey, Remembrance, Widowhood, Writing

Michael’s Two “Joey Maverick” Stories Available at Amazon

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Folks, it’s official — both of my late husband Michael’s two “Joey Maverick” stories — “A Dark and Stormy Night” and “On Westmount Station” — are available at Amazon as of 9:07 CST Sunday December 1, 2013.  These stories both previously appeared at e-Quill Publishing (one in 2010, the other in 2011), and in addition “A Dark and Stormy Night” appeared at the Written Word Online Magazine in May of 2005 (but was not archived).

This means “A Dark and Stormy Night” has been published three times, and “On Westmount Station” has now been published twice.  (I know, I know; it’s boring and mundane to count it up this way.  But these are the only stories I’ve worked on thus far that have actually been republished, and I like to think that my husband would be happy with my efforts on his behalf.)

If you’re wondering what I actually did with these stories (as in: Did I edit them?  Did I write anything into them?), here’s a brief rundown:

For “A Dark and Stormy Night,” I added about 1400 words, mostly dealing with internal monologue (what Joey’s thinking about as he acts) or beefing up a few (romantic) scenes to make it a little clearer as to Joey’s motivations.  I also edited the final version, proofread it, did my best to format it, actually sent it out to two different people to format it for me, and after all of that ended up posting the file I’d started with anyway . . . just a little work, all told.

For “On Westmount Station,” I did a lot more writing, as I added at least 5000 words to the story, doubling its original size.  This included writing subplots, adding additional interior monologue for several characters (as “On Westmount Station,” unlike the first Joey Maverick adventure, has multiple POV so multiple characters are sharing the storytelling load), came up with several all-new characters and gave a completely different spin on what Joey is doing while he waits to ship out at Westmount Station than what Michael had to begin with.  I also edited it, again tried to format it, again sent it out to two different people and again ended up using the file I started with as I just liked it better.  (I still intend to do something nice for the people who tried hard to help me.  Just haven’t figured it out yet, that’s all.)

Now, for those of you who read any of Michael’s work years ago — this means the Baen’s Bar crowd, as Michael showcased his novel MAVERICK, LIEUTENANT there many moons ago — you’re obviously going to know what I did.  But you might not know why.

The main reason I added subplots and action and characters to “On Westmount Station” is because of something Jim Baen said to Michael on Baen’s Bar.  What Baen said was very succinct: “Where is your plot, sir?”

And, of course, Michael took grave exception to this.  (Had Jim Baen said instead, “Where is your action, sir?” Michael would’ve understood.  Sometimes communication hinges on these tiny things.)  Because Michael’s novel had plenty of plot — but after the opening novella (“A Dark and Stormy Night”), there wasn’t a whole lot of verifiable action to be had.

Even though Michael was quite distressed by Baen’s comments — I remember this clearly — he took them to heart once he understood (via another friend of ours, a professional writer and editor) that what Baen actually meant was action.  And that while our friend felt Michael could still sell his novel as it stood, perhaps it might be a good idea to look for places action could be added.

As Michael had a very strong belief that many military men and women often had careers consisting of “quiet heroism” — that is, they did important things, but most of the time the public either didn’t know or care what they’d done — this action had to take place in such a way that it wouldn’t call attention to Joey Maverick.  Because Michael’s further conceit was that Joey Maverick’s one known piece of heroism was going to be during “A Dark and Stormy Night” (where Joey takes command of the low-tech sailing ship he’s been crewing on during an emergency, and rescues a whole lot of people and not-so-incidentally meets the love of his life in the process), that made it tough to figure out where to add some action in.

Michael and I were still brainstorming and trying to figure this out at the time he passed away, very suddenly, in September of 2004.

So here I was, a newly-made widow, desperately and deeply grieving the loss of my husband, and I had what I knew to be an excellent novella.  I added 1400 words to it mostly to make it a legal collaboration so I could more easily sell it — but “A Dark and Stormy Night” probably would’ve been just fine as it was.  (I’ll be honest.  I like the version I’ve worked on better, but the original is quite good.)

But figuring out what to do with Chapter 1 of Michael’s novel was much harder (yes, this is my roundabout way of saying this is where I got much of the backbone of “On Westmount Station”).  All Michael had Joey doing was picking up his ship assignment and forming up his temporary troops, admittedly with great flair and elan.  But it would be hard to make a stand-alone story out of that, which is why I thought long and hard about what to do next.

Over the course of a year, I added material, came up with new characters, and figured out just what could threaten a space station (at least in part) but be kept quiet enough that no one would hear about it but a few of the higher-ups in Joey Maverick’s command . . . and, of course, the men and women who helped Joey stop whatever the problem was in its tracks.  Once I had all that, I wrote the scenes, integrated them into what Michael had, sent it to my first readers (my long-time writer’s group, Barfly Slush) and then tried to sell it.

But I couldn’t find any buyers.

I even tried the Writers of the Future contest with “On Westmount Station,” as I felt it was the best work I’d ever done.  (I made sure, of course, that it was OK to submit it despite it being a collaborative work with my deceased husband.)  But it sank like a stone there, just as everything else I’ve ever sent to Writers of the Future has always done.

Soon after “On Westmount Station” was rejected, I offered it to Lawrence at e-Quill Publishing and it was accepted.  And there it stayed until I dissolved my relationship with e-Quill in 2012.

Now, as to why I brought them back out?  It’s simple.  They’re really good stories.  Michael worked hard on “A Dark and Stormy Night,” and it consists of some of his finest work.  And I’m extremely proud of what I did with “On Westmount Station,” as I feel it’s exactly what Michael would’ve done . . . if he’d have only had time to do just that.

Some people have told me over the last few years that I shouldn’t waste my time on keeping Michael’s stories alive.  He’s dead, I’m not, and if Michael were still alive he probably wouldn’t be still trying to get these stories published — whether it be independently (as I have now) or through a publisher.

I disagree — and disagree very strongly — with that assessment, mostly because I know how persistent Michael was.  I also know that Michael, like myself, would never give up on his stories.  And finally, I know that Michael wrote very well and deserved to get a chance for his stories to find their audience.

All of that is why I kept trying to get the stories back out and available for sale.

And now, they are.

Please, do go take a gander at ’em.  Let me know if you enjoy them.  And spread the word . . . ’cause if you can do all that, I plan to bring out more  of Michael’s other stories in the years to come.  (Promise.)

Written by Barb Caffrey

December 1, 2013 at 10:48 pm

Posted in Advertising, Editing, Michael B. Caffrey, Persistence, Writing

Hanging on to a Dream

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Folks, this last several weeks has been incredibly difficult.  The difficulties haven’t been anything new — my health has not been the world’s best all year long, though I continue to fight for better health as best I can — but sometimes, life can be frustrating.

To put it mildly.

When your body doesn’t work right, when you’ve been ill for five weeks straight with no end in sight, when many of the people who’ve mattered the most are already on the Other Side doing whatever it is people who’ve outlived their mortal bodies do, it can be hard to get up in the morning.

What gets me up and moving?  Some days, I’m not sure, other than an unshakeable belief that I must keep trying.

I look at it this way.  I have talent for more than one thing — actually, like many human beings, I have talents for several things, but the major things I’m good at are music, writing and editing — and I want to keep using my talents.  Further, I want to develop them all I possibly can, and keep going as long as I can.

None of these things are earth shattering revelations, of course.  If you’ve read even one of my blogs (at least, any of the personal updates, or when I’ve talked writing, publishing, editing, or most especially about my wonderful late husband, Michael), you almost certainly already know this.

But I say all this because it’s rare that I see something on television that actually gives me hope.  Most of the TV programs I watch lately are downbeat (yes, even including Once Upon a Time, which has been focusing lately on rescuing Henry, who seems to be related to every other character through blood, marriage or adoption), and while the acting on some of these shows is phenomenal (James Spader has to be the frontrunner for an Emmy based off his work on The Blacklist, and Toni Collette would be my frontrunner for an Emmy for her work on Hostages), they are not exactly life-affirming in the traditional sense.

So it’s surprising when, while watching one of my favorite TV shows, Dancing with the Stars — something I’ve blogged about before, but not terribly often — I actually see something that is life-affirming.  More to the point, something that’s actually inspirational.

And the person who’s actually inspired me enough to write this blog is none other than former “wild child” turned respectable husband and father Jack Osbourne.  Osbourne’s dancing on DWTS has been very good to excellent all season long, but continuing to do his best despite his struggles with Multiple Sclerosis (by his own admission on DWTS last week, Osbourne had a nasty MS flare-up) and persevering to get to the finals is what got me to write this blog.

Of course, Osbourne is not the type of guy who thinks of himself as an inspiration.  He seems to be the sort of guy who gets up every day, goes to work (right now, that’s DWTS), puts in all the hours he needs to be good, then puts in the extra hours to be great, and then goes home to his wife and child without any undue fuss.

I think that’s why I like him, or at any rate, have liked what I’ve seen of him.  (Granted, I really enjoyed his sister Kelly, too, when she was on DWTS several seasons ago.)  I can relate to his work ethic and his refusal to give in to his illness, even though I can’t relate to his famous family, all the paparazzi he’s undoubtedly dealt with in his life, reality TV show fame, or anything of that nature whatsoever.

Still.  There’s something in what Jack Osbourne is doing with his pro partner Cheryl Burke that’s truly worth watching.  Jack’s become a very strong dancer, which came as a surprise to him and his partner, and because he’s fighting a long-term illness along with learning a new skill that’s way out of his comfort zone, he’s actually kind of endearing to watch.

In many ways, watching reality TV can be cathartic, especially if you see aspects of someone’s best self playing out on TV.  It can also be uncomfortable, as even the most admirable person doing the most admirable things can do and say things we, ourselves, would not say or do — but then again, if we were meant to be alone in our skulls, unable to learn anything new from observation or life experiences, what would be the point of living?

Anyway, we all have our own journey to make in this life.  Some of my journey hasn’t at all been what I’ve expected.  I lost my husband way too early, and every day, it’s a struggle to keep going — I’m not going to lie.

But on the other hand, because I keep going, keep fighting, keep writing as best I can, keep editing, keep playing my music whenever my health allows — well, folks, that’s a victory.

I take my victories where I see ’em, and I’ve had a few this year despite the illnesses and the arthritis and the carpal tunnel syndrome and all the other crapola I deal with on a daily basis.  I sold two stories (granted, still can’t talk much about the second sale, but just as soon as I’m cleared, I will).  The first half of my novel, ELFY, will appear during 2014 through Twilight Times Books — if all goes well, it’ll finally be out in April — which will complete a nearly eleven year odyssey (yes, ELFY has been in existence, more or less in its current form, since the end of 2003).  And it will vindicate my husband’s belief in me, which is no bad thing . . . though my husband would tell me, if he could, that I vindicated his belief in me long ago just by being myself.

I’ve hung on to my dream, and I’m still hanging on.  I think my dream of being a highly competent writer, editor and musician is achievable, and I continue to work at it in some way, shape or form every day.  And the reason I’ve hung on to my dream is because I believe in the power of persistence — and I believe in taking victories where I find them.

So let this all be a lesson to you, folks — keep hanging on to your dreams, whatever they are.  And do take your victories, whatever they are, however they manifest, as you find them.

If so, you’ve already won — whether you know it or not.

Written by Barb Caffrey

November 26, 2013 at 8:23 am

Posted in friendship, Heartwarming stories, Inspirational stuff, Michael B. Caffrey, Persistence, Pop Culture/TV criticism, Remembrance, Writing

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