New release: Spider-Girl, Issue #11

Spider-Girl defeated! Dr Octopus on the loose! And Betty's brother, Bennett, appearing in her life... but why?

Issue #11: My Brother, Myself!

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The second half of this four-issue arc... things get very interesting for Betty this time out. As you can probably guess from the title....

This issue has some of my all-time favourite scenes in it, which I've written about previously... even though it was tough to write. It's a big one (11k words) and there's a lot of plot to swallow, but it's all important, I promise you. When everything comes together in the next issue, you'll need to know where you stand... and trust me, what happens in this issue and next will have repercussions in the series for a loooong time to come.

Love to hear what you think of the issue; if you comment using the anonymous option, do me a favour and leave an initial or a pseudonym or something so I know who's talking! Email always welcome as well. After last week's issue the mailbox has been bare, so I'd like reassuring you're all out there...!

Projects update

So, according to my stats, one of the more popular pages here is the one where I first introduced my various 'Alphabet Projects'.

Quite possibly that's just because it's linked from the right hand side as the only place to get more info on Project T, and if you're not a fan of Spider-Girl, then I guess I could see why you might want to know more on what else I'm working on.

This post's for you, then.

Project T is in fact making a bit more progress. I've basically just completed another big scene in it, so another large chunk is done. Weirdly enough that scene has proved that my previous concern - that the main action would be "boring to describe" - doesn't have to be such a concern. (Although I sort of cheated in said scene to make it work.) Anyway, the story moves along organically, this one. I know where the final destination is - in fact, the plot's quite tight - but there will probably be some... interesting side-roads along the way.

Just to satisfy those of you into 'certain things' by the way, I'll classify some of these projects so you know what you'll be getting (others I won't, because I don't want to spoil the surprise). In this case, Project T is a 'M2F' masking story (male to female... crossdressing... transgender... whatever) involving bodysuits. Those are your keywords.

Let's see... Project AC is pretty much back-burnered for now. The initial idea was pretty huge, and while I've fleshed it out some, I haven't gotten too heavily into it. I have some hand-scribbled plot notes (in fact, I worked on those today) but not much else. I'm not giving too much away by saying it's kind of similar in tone to Spider-Girl, so honestly I can't see me getting to it any time soon. Unless inspiration strikes.

The other thing I've revived is a really, really old story from 2001 or thereabouts, which I did quite a lot of work on way back then. I mentioned this before - it's called Love Hotel. I can see myself getting to this at some point and just blitzing through it. We'll see.

That's it. I'll update the sidebar, I think, too.

New release: Spider-Girl, Issue #10

Betty Brant re-employed by the Daily Bugle... as Gwen Stacy. Perhaps her life is getting back to normal... but life has other plans!

Issue #10: The Octopus Awakens

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This four-issue arc continues... as always, love to hear from ya in any way you like. Tell me what you think of the issue, tell me where you want the series to go next... whatever you want.

While you're here, click a couple of more times for me... one on the poll on the right, which is asking what you think of the last arc (featuring the Green Goblin!) and perhaps on an ad - boy's gotta eat!!

Well, I guess I'm full of it.

I'm over 2,000 words into Spider-Girl issue #13. So much for that break of mine, eh?

Well, it helps that it's a 'bridging' issue, as I thought it was going to be; I'm tying up fairly essential plot elements that were left over from previous issues, and introducing things for the next big arc... codenamed 'Crossover' as I've said before.

I remembered what I meant to say the other night. I will be writing a 'cast of characters' post at some point, hopefully this week. If you're struggling to tell folks apart in 'Project SG' then hopefully this'll set you right; and if you're a Marvel fan wondering just what the hell kind of changes I've made since I started, well, this should sort you out as well.

Alright, that's it for now.

Couple of little things

First of all... ads have been moved down to the bottom of the sidebar on the right. Please don't forget they're there! I've expanded the ad box too so there's a few more choices to click on. Go on, go do it now; new fiction's out today, after all. Hold down 'Ctrl' (or... what's the Apple equivalent? Ah, you'll know) and you won't even leave this page.

Second... new poll. I'm not going to ask you guys for a vote every single time I post something. Instead, I thought I'd wait until a whole arc is through. So - here's the poll for the Green Goblin arc, which ran from issue #5 through to issue #8. Liked it? Hated it? Here's your chance to make me feel all warm and tingly inside. Or all empty and hollow. Either way, I can take it... so vote for me, would you? Remember - you're voting on the whole arc, overall. Hope that's okay.

Third and final. I know there was something but I'm too tired to recall what it is. Must... sleep. Night everybody.

New release: Spider-Girl, Issue #9

The Green Goblin has been defeated. Now Betty has to deal with the mess he made in her two lives....

Issue #9: Double Life

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The beginning of a new, four issue arc - I hope you enjoy. Let me know what you think in a comment or an email, and while you're here... click on an ad to show me your appreciation.

Back to the grindstone!

At long bloody last

Just wrote the last few words for issue #12 of BBTSSG, as you might want to call it. FI-NA-LLY.

I tell you, this issue has been an absolute bitch to finish. Even though from the looks of things it 'just' took me a month or so to write, it felt waaaay longer to me. The whole thing seemed to move along in fits and starts, and I mean literally - some nights I'd sit for two hours and write two paragraphs. First I didn't feel like the issue had enough, well, eroticism in it. Then, after I figured that out, I realised I had to go back and rewrite something in issue #11 that changed quite a few things in issue #12. Gaaawwwwwdddd! With all that crap in my head it's a miracle I can come up with new ideas.

Oy. So where does this leave me?

Well first of all, my early plans to keep at least a 'clear arc' between whatever I'm currently writing, and whatever I'm currently releasing, are shot to hell.

That's because right now, there's no bloody way I can dive into issue #13 and beyond - which starts the next big arc, codenamed 'Crossover'. (The way I was previously planning, I'd finish 'Crossover' before I'd even release the arc I just finished, which covers issues #9-12.) I can't do that though. For one thing, I have no idea where 'Crossover' is going, precisely. It's like I can see the target but I need to hit the bullseye. I need to re-plot the whole thing, figure out what the high points are, and hopefully get a handle on how many issues it might end up being. (Because one thing I am going to keep doing is completing arcs before I release them. If - God forbid - I give up on the series entirely, I don't want to do it in the middle of a half-released arc. I'm not that cruel....)

More importantly, right now, I'm just plain tired of writing this series. Issue #12 took a lot out of me - this arc as a whole, in fact. I still love the characters, love where they're going, but it's starting to feel a little same-y. The plot of 'Crossover' should freshen things up a bit, but I need a break, to let me recharge the batteries, get enthused for it again... so that it feels fresh when I write it.

So what about that break. Well, I have a couple of other things on the go. I have an old, half-completed story (called 'Love Hotel') which I dusted off recently and might well try and complete; it's maybe a third, perhaps half-finished, and after some intensive plotting sessions with a fellow author recently I know what I need to do to finish it off. It's a 'straight' (ie, no superheroes!), one-off story too... and pretty damn hardcore. So it'd be a real change of pace for me right now.

Second, I do have that Susan Storm mini-series idea... but I'd need to knuckle down and plot that a bit more carefully. I also now know, having finished issue #12, that I'd probably have to write issue #13 before I can get to it. That's because...

... issue #12 ended up being looooong. For the record, it's the biggest issue to date; over 12,000 words in total. Partially that's because I added all that 'extra sauce' to it (Yeah, 'slight twist', my ass), and partially it's because there was a lot of plot to get in. And there was actually even more to fit into it in the original synopsis. So that stuff, which is an essential bridge to the Susan Storm mini, will now have to go in issue #13. Which as I write this, I'm starting to think might have to be a standalone issue. Followed by the mini. Oh God, I'm rambling like a maniac.

Alright, one more thing and out. The nice coda to all this is my word count. Issue #12 takes me to over 100,000 words written for the series so far; that's the size of a decent novel. Pretty cool.

Now click an ad and get outta here. Issue #9 will be out before the week's over. Promise.

The final arc...?

I think I just got down, in extremely rough, stream-of-consciousness form, the details of what will probably be the very final arc of Spider-Girl. The idea just popped into my head, and before I knew it, I had the whole thing down.

It has the word 'death' in the (provisional) title....

Don't worry, it's a really long time away - I'd guess, maybe something beyond issue #40 (50 would be a nice round number to finish on, wouldn't it? I can dream!).

By the way, I've always had a post-series future planned, too. So even the 'end' wouldn't be the end. But if I can do it right... boy, it'll be one hell of a finale.

Going commercial. Kinda.

So first of all: don't panic. I'm not about to start charging you for anything. (Although, if anyone wants to pay me, my rates would be reasonable.)

However. Long-time readers and friends will know I've thought for many, many years about just how I might make a bit of money (however small) from the effort and time I put into writing fiction that's primarily, let's be honest, there to help you get off. I mean, even the lowliest of working girls and boys get paid, so why shouldn't I when the results are the same, right?

Okay, I don't want to put anyone off their food here, so I'll get right to the point. I've slapped some Google Ads here on the blog. So from now on, here's the simple request I'll add to any fiction I post:

If you liked what you just read, go to my blog and click on a Google Ad.

That's it. If enough of you click, I'll get a bit of cash. I think this is pretty much a win-win situation for you and I, because:

• It costs you nothing but the click, and the time to load another page. (And if you're smart, and running a modern browser, you've probably got tabs going on. You can open stuff and not even look at it.)
• Did I mention it costs you nothing?
• The ads are targetted by keyword search, so hey - you might even find something useful via one of them.
• And being Google Ads, they're completely unobtrusive. I've moved the ads up to the top right for a while just so you can see they're here; but before too long I'll slide 'em back down the sidebar. They're just links.

I absolutely cannot see any reason not to do this. So basically, if you've ever read one of my stories and liked it, click on an ad or two. Heck, click an ad each time you visit this blog. Costs you nothing. Gets me cash (eventually, it takes a lot of clicks). We all benefit. Click one now!! Heh.

Just for clarification: I will always be writing and releasing fiction for free. I will not hold you folks to 'ransom' before releasing fiction ("If I don't get 5,000 clicks no-one gets any more Spider-Girl!!!" or similar). I will not install any kind of intrusive ads at all (no pop-ups, pop-unders, or similar). If Google Ads changes to do that kind of thing, I'll drop them.

Finally, for those of you concerned about your privacy... I don't think you should be. Google Ads don't look at you or your browsing, they look at the page they're on. Considering the sort of sites I've seen appearing so far on the ads (mostly, about writing) I am pretty damn certain you'll be okay. But frankly, if you're really concerned about what some anonymous corporation might know about you by checking your web browsing habits... well, I can direct you to some good conspiracy sites.

I would very much like to hear your opinions on this, good or bad. I've always listened and reacted to people's opinions and comments, and I'm not about to stop. So feel free to comment below or email me - the address is my name at g mail dot com.

Annnnnd finally... one day I may well produce actual printed material of mine that you can buy (reprinting stuff you can already get on the web for free, natch). If anyone would be interested in buying a 'Collected Ghostly Writer' I'd love to hear from you too. Right now I think I might be the sole person in the world interested, but you never know...!

Rewriting ripples

Issues #11 and #12 of Spider-Girl dive into her family history in a big way, so I did some research early on... although that mostly consisted of reading early Amazing Spider-Man issues.

Turns out though, thanks to the industrious Kurt Busiek, I had some more history to read about. See, Busiek wrote a series called Untold Tales of Spider-Man, which basically 'filled in the gaps' in the really early issues of Amazing, adding extra detail. Detail's great, don't get me wrong, but recently I found some details that basically meant something I'd already written... really needed to get re-written.

I put it off for a while but this morning decided I wouldn't be able to keep writing issue #12 until I'd re-written the portion of issue #11 that was affected by this history change. Y'see, this is a fairly crucial part of the plot, and I knew when I made these changes it'd affect a lot of other stuff; like chucking a rock into a pond and watching the ripples. Sure enough, as I rewrote the one scene and started skimming through the rest of the issue, I began tinkering with lines, changing reactions and so on.

That process is going to have to continue with issue #12, which I'm motoring along on now. The good news is that this change gives me a potential plotline which might be interesting - and might lead to Betty doing something constructive with that Peter Parker mask she found....