Category: Existentialism

“Running Up That Hill” – The Matriarch Soundtrack (Music to Write By)

On By Kevin A. RansonIn Creativity, Existentialism, LiterarianLeave a comment

SkyTreeFangMoon10I use music – often an entire playlist – to create a mindset and mood when I construct a scene. It helps me get into the heads of the characters and focus on what is happening.

“Running up That Hill” is a cover by Placebo of a song by Kate Bush. I love both versions, but the Placebo version inexplicably sounds more haunting to me; the echo of a female singer over the male vocals is a key reason. There is a critical scene in my book where the dialogue stops and the action takes over. The song feels intimate yet forbidden, pleasurable but dangerous.

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Do you stop or drive on?

On By Kevin A. RansonIn Conspiracies, Creativity, Existentialism, Literarian, Roleplaying2 Comments

Traveling along a lonely West Virginia highway by yourself at night, something steps in front of your vehicle. The impact is jarring, but you manage to stop without further incident. You can make out the mangled body of whatever you just hit in the road ahead as you look out over the hood, but it’s hard to see from inside. Do you drive on and hope for the best, or do you dare get out, check to see what it was, and/or ensure the vehicle has no significant damage just in case? Why or why not?

There’s no grade here, just the rest of your life to live with your decision (however long or short that might be).

What does your “writing space” look like?

On By Kevin A. RansonIn Creativity, Existentialism, LiterarianLeave a comment

Workstation2013MarAuthors! What does your writing space look like? Tall desk or wide? Is it secluded? Accessible? Do you keep things around to give you idea or remind you to work?

Here’s mine; it sets a mood. Yeah, I’m kinda hyper-organized about my work area. My desk also has TWO cup holders; made ’em myself. And that door to the right? That’s an evil effing closet.

What does your writing space look like?

Share!

What to do, what to do…?

On By Kevin A. RansonIn Creativity, Existentialism, LiterarianLeave a comment

On November 1st, 2012, I suspended work on my current Spooky Chronicles book and spent the month cracking out a brandy-new, completely from scratch version of an old book I tried to write in college. It was an itch I had to scratch, you know? I found the original notes and two full drafts of the story, neither one I was happy with. Two and a half months later, The Matriarch is nearly complete and a publishing date is just around the corner. Now I find myself with something of a dilemma… what to work on next.

I may do a sequel to this book and have outlined a strategy and a few chapters. I could also finish the Spooky book I have half done, or I could finally start working on my other long-shelved project, a first draft of my Kindling Moon fantasy story. Zombie kids, West Virginia vampires, or world-shattering sorcerers?

I’m leaning toward the magic-users, just to let you know.

You can keep a secret, right? I trust you completely.

Hopeful Not Mournful

On By Kevin A. RansonIn Acquaintances, ExistentialismLeave a comment

Found out a cool young lady I started my training class at my current job with died this past weekend in a car wreck. She was young, full of life, and always happy to see everyone… and now she’s gone. Damn. Kinda depressed about it.

Some people know I dress up as the Grim Reaper for conventions, videos, and other stuff. I’ve always portrayed the Angel of Death as a being resolved to his fate and taking pride in his work. He isn’t evil, just the embodiment of a fear all mortals have of a natural, normal process. Like myself, he celebrates life in spite of it coming to an end, and I prefer to think of that as hopeful rather than mournful.

My friend, to me, was the kind of person everyone talks about being but rarely ever is, genuinely happy to see you and genuinely interested in your well being, happy for no reason and every reason. I’m keeping that as a way to remember her for when she was here, not only for myself but for anyone I happen upon; it’s the least I can do.

Goodbye, April.

Come Out to the 2012 Ancient City Con, July 20-22!

On By Kevin A. RansonIn Cosplaying, Existentialism, Literarian, Roleplaying1 Comment

Ancient City Con in Jacksonville, Florida is three days long this year, and I’m a guest! I’ll be on and/or running a few panels, have lots of Spooky Chronicles books for sale (and how you can get some for free), and Grim D. Reaper of MovieCrypt.com will be making a few appearances throughout the weekend (don’t mention his face lift, though; he’s kind of sensitive about getting work done). Come say hello and get your picture taken with Death…!