Fissures Work Journal

Fissures is done!

Journal

Wednesday, June 11, 2008


Journal
Current mood: determined
Category: Writing and Poetry


Where to begin?

1. Eric Brown, Sci-Fi book reviewer for the Guardian UK and science fiction author sent me a signed and inscribed copy of his sci-fi novel, Kethani that I reviewed for Foreword Magazine. He said he liked my review and wished me the best. My editor told me that my review was the front and center showpiece review for his novel at The American book Exposition in LA.

Sweeeet!
2. I completed my play Fissures. Yay! It will probably be included in a show that my theater company, Get Off The Bus Inc will be performing at the Ridge Street Coffee Café In Glens Falls New York (The launch of my coffee house theater circuit) August 29-30, in a show called "Man and Woman", an anthology of one acts I wrote with an ongoing theme about the dynamics between men and women through all sorts of interactions. The running time is approx 1 hour and 50 minutes with a 15-20 minute intermission. I will be directing and most likely perform in some supportive roles. I will post the specifics as time goes by.

3. ForeWord Magazine has given me carte blanche to pick the Sci-Fi, Horror and Fantasy books I want to review from independent publishers of sci-fi and fantasy books. I'm already scheduled to review some books by some well known authors from Solaris Press, including, Eric Brown's new novel and Brian Lumley's works of Lovecraft fiction, as well as many others. So, all you sci-fi, fantasy and horror authors with independent pubs drop me an email and maybe we can figure something out.

4. About two years ago I reviewed a philosophy/ethics book for ForeWord Magazine/Clarion Reviews, called Instilling Values in Transcending Generations: Bringing Harmony to Cultures Through the Power of Conscience, part of Tieman H. Dippel Jr.'s Language of Conscience Series, which includes the book mentioned above and the books, The New Legacy and The Language of Conscience. 2-3 weeks ago I received a request from Mr. Dippel and his publishers relayed to me through the editors of Clarion/ForeWord Magazine to review Dippel's new introductory material to his Language of Conscience Series. (Okay, bear with me for a little bit, because I'm about to do some shameless plugging and tooting of my own horn.)
In a personal letter Mr. Dippel and his publishers said, "…it was one of the best reviews she had seen for a very complicated book aimed at a certain purpose…What simply triggered this interest (review of the new introductory material in each volume) is the quality of the last review (mine). Whoever you had write it (Me) did as good a job of grasping a very complicated set of issues as some of the most significant philosophers in the world…I do feel my editors are correct in that if we could get a review as thoughtful and as enlightened as the last it could be of great help to us in helping define what is in the four (was three) books of the series."

5. Back to the real world, as always I am behind on some reviews…My editor wanted them Monday. Once I shape these two reviews the way I want them, I will read Joe Hill's novel, Heart Shaped Box for shits and giggles, finish off my Avatar Comics proposal, a twelve page sample script of a StarGate Stargate Atlantis crossover (been working on that a long time), start rehearsals for Man and Woman (gotta write a short play that bridges two other short plays, I know the whole thing in my head, only need the time to write it. I need to work on my novel, The Uncertainty of Knowing, start writing the new 3 act play I've been planning, When the Angels Fall. APT will be approaching me soon to write and possibly direct something for the new season. Gotta graphic novel, the First Stone (based on my play of the same name) I've been tooling around with and a few other odds and ends that amuse me. I have been working diligently in my new office except for the last couple of nights because of the heat. For Father's day, the wife, my mom and the girls and I will do our normal annual picnic, squirt gun, soccer ball kicking frisbee tossing, book buying spree( and I think they will buy me a foldable Bluetooth keyboard for my AT&T 8525, which has been indispensable to me. In one corner of my office I have a giant tower of books that almost looks like a Mayan temple, books that need to be catalogued, organized and shelved. My friend J and I plan on attacking that mess soon, I have maybe ten more boxes of books I need to bring over to the office and I will be completely moved in. Whipppe! I hope to heck I can live up to Mr. Dippel's expectations. Yes, he swelled my head, but he also raised the bar. Let's see if I have the mettle to meet it.

6. And now back to work.

L

my play Zero People

ADIRONDACK PRODUCTIONS AND THEATER PRESENTS:

“We’re All In This Together”
a variety show featuring a 3 act play
Zero People
By Lee Gooden


April 19th 2008
6:30 p.m.

April 20th 2008
2:00 p.m.

Hudson Falls Senior High School
LaBarge Street
Hudson Falls, NY

Tickets available at the door:
$5.00 per person
$3.00 for children under 12 (under 3 free)

Adirondack Productions and Theater Inc. is a not-for-profit integrated theater group serving Warren, Washington and Saratoga counties

am I nuts? Journal

JOurnal Am I nuts?



MUST READ 200 PAGES AND WRITE 2 REVIEWS BY FRIDAY!
MUST WRITE PART 8 OF MY RADIO PLAY BEFORE 11:30 TONIGHT
AM i NUTS?
YUP
NOW...OFF TO THE LOONEY BIN OF MY MIND AND THE KEYS OF THE KEYBOARD. I DON’T KNOW IF I WILL RETURN, I MAY SPONTANEOULSY COMBUST.
WHEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LONG NIGHT PLANNED

Journal

Thursday, March 06, 2008


JOURNAL
Current mood: good
Category: really, I am! Writing and Poetry

I should be writing a review right now for ForeWord Magazine of a book called, Swami Kriyananda: As We Have Known Him. I'm not as you can all see. I haven't blogged in awhile and I wasn't planning on blogging, but I have a lot on my mind. If you have been following my life for the last couple of months you know that I have been sick since after Thanksgiving in one aspect or another. Everything finally came to a head about 2-3 weeks ago. I felt so sick that I went to the emergency room. After I explained to the nurse that my normal temp is around 95-96 and that 100 degrees is very high for me and that I couldn't breathe and I felt like my head was going to pop off my shoulders, she relented and actually listened to me. They placed me in a kind of waiting room, gowned me and let me sit up in a hospital bed so I could breathe easier. They gave me oxygen, an IV, some medication to help me with nausea and a battery of tests. My ailments consisted of the following: A lung infection, the flu, a sinus infection, ear infection, bronchitis and a blood sugar level of 290. Fast forward, the Doctor wrote me an excuse for bed rest for a week (I maybe stayed in bed for 3 days) The first two nights I was so feverish, that I had freaky dreams while awake and I had to sleep sitting up to freaking breathe. Funny how we take certain things like breathing for granted. Even after a week off, I still felt like crap. Fast forward again. I did a follow up with my Doc about my blood sugar and son of a bitch, I have type 2 diabetes. My mother is a diabetic, my dad is a diabetic and holy shit, so am I at the ripe old age of 40. So I started taking medication in the morning to lower my blood sugar and made a radical change in my diet and lifestyle.
Here is the good part. I am dropping weight big time. I have gone from 217 pounds at Christmas down to 190 pounds. I test my blood sugar twice a day and I have it down to a manageable level, unless I cheat and eat too many slices of pizza. I now take my meds in the evening with my meal because they were making me hungry and miserable all day long. I told my Doctor and nurse one afternoon that I was so hungry that if a cow walked by me at that moment that I would tear off a hunk with my teeth. And you should have seen me trying to poke my finger for the first time for my one-step blood sugar meter. I could not prick my finger; I have this aversion to needles, especially needles used to self-inflict pain. I could not do it. My wife volunteered to cause me some pain, but I told her, no thank you, I'll figure it out on my own. I did it by fooling myself to push the button that releases the cartridge that shoots the needle through the skin. Now, it is a piece of cake.
The irony is that I have another sinus infection with a cold right now, but, I feel great. I feel better about myself, life and everything else than I have felt in 2-3 years.
On the literary front: My short play (I believe it is the play Grounded) has been published in the debut issue of The Read Herring Literary Journal. It is available for purchase at Lulu, download or print on demand. I finally figured out how to finish my play Fissure, I have a new poem going up and I have been working on my novel and my Teppes script every day. I am going to start a blog journal for my novel very soon and I have some short stories about ready to go. My reviewing has increased and I have made more money freelancing in 2007 than 2006. I will make more this year.
My play Zero People will be performed sometime in April or May. I cannot wait. My graphic novel project, Risen looks like it might be taking off. I am working away in my new office, although I still don't have it organized the way I want it and my library is spread out all over the place. I'm annoyed by this, but only slightly. I really think that my blood sugar level has been high for a long time and that is why I have been so depressed and tired. I feel like a brand new man with more energy and drive than I have had in a long time. My keyboard isn't working right and that is annoying me as well, but again only slightly. Life is good.

L

The Teppes Machine Work Blog Journal

WORK BLOG JOURNAL: THE TEPPES MACHINE

Entry 1 Jan 12: Like the work journal I've kept for my play Fissures, I am now going to keep an ongoing work blog for my latest project. The Teppes Machine.

Entry 2 Feb 25: (Better late than never) I have finished the first five to six pages of twelve for a comic book sample script based on Star Gate SG1 and Star Gate Atlantis for Avatar Comics. I have tried to follow their submission guidelines to try to get a job writing for their specific movie and televsion show franchises that they own the comic book publishing rights. Eventually, I want to submit to them some creator owned ideas. If they like my work I hope they will allow me to finish this storyline that goes outside their current continuity. I estimate that the Teppes Machine storyline is approx a 10-15 issue arc. So assuming each issue runs around 20-25 pages, (more like 30 with room for advertisements) were talking about a 375-400 pages all together.

THE TEPPES' MACHINE

A

STAR GATE SG 1/ STAR GATE ATLANTIS CROSSOVER

WRITTEN

BY

Lee Gooden



PAGE 1. (6 panels)



PANEL 1.This panel takes up the majority of the top of the page, a square like panel that showcases the front of GENERAL JACK O'NEILL'S cabin in Minnesota. It is a beautiful day, the sun is high in a deep blue sky and the clouds are wavy that is almost an echo of the water and foam beneath it. JACK'S cabin is rustic, a wagon wheel at the end of the dirt and gravel driveway, a mailbox with a sign underneath that says, 'Gone Fishin'. Just imagine the perfect laid back get away.



PANEL 2.This panel is square and directly below PANEL1 to the left of the page. GENERAL JACK O'NEILL is out on a long dock of his pond. He is sitting in a rocking chair. He is dressed in fishing garb, including a fishing hat pulled down low with the works, hooks, lures, etc. A beer bottle is nestled between his legs. He is wearing kakis and red high top Converse canvas sneakers. A fishing vest fits neatly over a blue t-shirt with green letters that read 'Kiss Me I'm Irish.' Behind him is a long wooden wall that spans the length of the dock and the hill the cabin sits upon. Hanging on pegs is a long green pole net and miscellaneous fishing gear. To the right of his chair is large white first aid kit, emblazoned with a giant red cross is attached to the back wall (the first aid kit plays an important part in the story). A tackle box and fly tying kit sits at his feet.



PANEL 3: A square panel, we cut too

COL. SAMANTHA CARTER. Her beautiful face is upturned towards the sky. The sun plays light shadows on her countenance. Her hair is blonde and short like Madonna's from her True Blue album. Her eyes are closed and she has a slight relaxed smile; a smile that shows no teeth, only her full juicy lips. She is wearing an over-sized tee shirt with sleeves rolled up like 1980's Bruce Springsteen. Because the tee is so big on her, the neck of the tee on her right side has slid down slightly so we can see her toned neck muscles and creamy shoulder.



PANEL 4: is another square the same size as Panel 2 and directly below PANEL 2.

COL. CAMERON MITCHELL is MITCHELL is wearing cami-fatigue pants, a white wife-beater, hip waders and aviator's sun-glasses. We see the right profile of COL. MITCHELL as he is about to the line from his fishing pole. He has the body of an endurance athlete, think Lance Armstrong.



PANEL 5 is a square panel the same size and to the right of PANEL 4. We see Doctor Daniel Jackson sitting in a deck chair. He is not fishing; he is wearing Bermuda shorts and an orange live vest over a green Henley shirt. On his head he is wearing one of those beer hats with straws leading from separate cans of beer to his mouth. He is listening to an Ipod and reading a book. We can see Ipod headphones leading to his ears. He is reading Bram Stoker's Dracula, the book is in front of his face, and we can only see his glasses above the book. He has his left leg over the arm of the deck chair; his posture is slouched and relaxed.



PANEL 6 is a thin rectangular panel, along the length of the bottom of the page. In big block capital letters on the left hand side of the panel near the top is STAR GATE SG1/STAR GATE ATLANTIS

Below that in the same letters, THE TEPPES ENGINE, and below that in smaller letter capital letters, PART 1, BETRAYED. On the right of the panel is

The team credits and whatever other misc

credit info we need to include.



PAGE 2-3 (one large SPLASH PAGE PANEL that takes up PAGES 2 AND 3) We see the entire team on the dock in relation to the first page as like a movie camera is shooting in from the water and our POV is from the water. The entire background consists of a continuation of the background of PANEL 2 on PAGE 1 of the wooden wall that was behind O'NEILL, with a variety of fishing and boating paraphernalia attached through out its length. In the foreground that runs the length of the two pages in front of the dock is the pond, calm body water. On the far left of PAGE 2, we see DOCTOR DANIEL JACKSON exactly the way he was in the previous page and panel (PAGE 1, PANEL 5) he is still slouched in his deck chair, but now his legs are stretched out before him and crossed at the ankles. To the right of DOCTOR DANIEL JACKSON, we see GENERAL JACK O'NEILL sitting in a white birch rocking chair. Empty beer bottles sit upright near his feet and the rocking chair along with some burnt out cigar stubs on the dock floor on the side of the chair opposite to the dock floor on the side of the chair that contains the tackle box and fly tying kit. To the right of GENERAL JACK O'NEILL on PAGE 2 and overlaps the far left side of PAGE 3, we see COL. SAMANTHA CARTER sitting on the dock. Her jeans are rolled up to her knees and her bare feet are submerged in the pond. A fishing pole lies on the dock floor to her right, the line of the pole trails out to the pond. Her t-shirt has the logo and album cover for Type O' Negative's, Bloody Kisses. A beer bottle sits next to her in easy reach. Her body language reads of a woman who is relaxed and in love. Further along the dock to the far right of PAGE 3 we see COL. CAMERON MITCHELL standing by the railing of the dock. A few beer bottles rest on the railing. He is in mid cast, his arm muscles are corded, and his fishing pole is slightly above his head. His wife beater has risen above his navel revealing a ripped stomach. He is chewing on a blade of grass.



PAGE 4. (5 panels)



PANEL 1is a square panel on the left half of the upper part of the page. A close up of GENERAL JACK O'NEILL taking a sip of his beer. We see that his eyes are closed and that he is enjoying that beer. Because it is a close-up shot, we can see the fatigue and age lines on his face.



PANEL 2 is a square panel that consists of the right hand side of the upper part of the page. We see a close up of GENERAL JACK O'NEILL'S aging, semi-liver spotted hands attempting to tie a home made fly. His fly tying kit is balanced on his knees. His hands have a slight tremor.



PANEL 3 is rectangular and consists of the entire middle of PAGE 4 directly below PANEL 2 and PANEL 3. We see that GENERAL JACK O'NEILL has dropped his fly tying kit onto the dock floor. He is bent over in his chair and is picking up his equipment. COL. SAMANTHA CARTER has removed her feet from the pond, she is still sitting on the dock, and she has her arms wrapped around legs pulling them to her chest. She is resting her chin on her knees, water droplets are on her feet and lower legs dripping down to the dock. She is turned towards GENERAL JACK O'NEILL.



PANEL 4 is a square and consists of half of the bottom of the page on the left side. A close-up shot of DOCTOR DANIEL JACKSON, he has removed his Ipod and his beer can hat. His book is lying on the railing of his deck chair. He is holding his glasses with one hand and rubbing his face near his eyes with the other. We see that his face has a day or a day and half's growth of beard.



PANEL 5 is square and takes up the bottom right of the page. We see a close up of COL. CAMERON MITCHELL, he is in mid-cast again. His face is a grimace of concentration. We cannot make out his eyes because of the aviators sun-glasses, but we can still tell that he is intent on catching a fish. His beer bottle that rests on the railing refracts sunlight through its brown visage, casting a somber light.



PAGE 5: (7 PANELS)



PANEL1. Is rectangular, it takes up the entire top of the page. It is a reiteration of the FIFTH PANEL ON PAGE 4. We see COL CAMERON MITCHELL from another angle and a wider view. He is sipping from his beer and nonchalantly holding his pole. He has one foot resting on the lower railing of the dock railing. He has pushed his sunglasses up onto his head. He seems so relaxed.

DON'T GET MUCH BETTER THAN THIS GENERAL.



PANEL 2: is a square that is on the left hand side of the upper middle of the page below PANEL 1. We see a front view of GENERAL JACK O'NEILL. He has finished tying off his fly and has cast his line. He is sitting in his rocking chair, rocking and fishing. We need to show the rocking motion of his chair. The lines in his face are so clear. He is still handsome as hell; his face has that rugged, wind blown, almost leathery look.

OUT HERE SON, ITS JUST JACK.



PANEL 3: is a square in the upper-middle right hand side of the page, the same size as PANEL 2.We see COL. SAMANTHA CARTER lying on the dock. She is on her side, her feet towards GENERAL JACK O'NEILL, her head is propped up on her elbow. She has a shit eating grin.

SOUNDS LIKE A LINE FROM WILL AND GRACE.



PANEL 4 consists of a square in the lower middle on the far left side of PAGE

5. We see DOCTOR DANIEL JACKSON. His Ipod draped over the arm of the chair. His glasses are held between his fingers. He also has a big shit eating grin.

JUST JACK.

He exclaims like the Jack character on Will and Grace.



PANEL 5: is a squarish panel to the right of PANEL 4. It consists of a close up of GENERAL JACK ONEILL'S face. He attempts to keep his composure but cannot help but allow a wry smile. We can see that he is trying very very hard not to encourage the line of conversation, but he cannot resist temptation.

OK, THAT'S ENOUGH OF THAT...BUT, JUST OUT OF CURIOUSITY, WHICH ONE OF YOU IS WILL AND GRACE?



PANEL 6: is a small rectangle that takes up the majority of the left side bottom of page 5. We see an entire body shot of COL SAMANTHA CARTER. She has pretty much abandoned any attempt at real fishing. She is sitting up on the dock one leg folded under her butt; the other is hanging off the dock. She is laughing and in mid-stretch which makes her chest stick out.

DON'T JUST ASSUME BECAUSE I AM A WOMAN THAT MAKES ME GRACE.



PANEL 7: is a small rectangle that is on the right hand bottom of PAGE 5 and slightly overlaps PANEL 6. We see DOCTOR DANIEL JACKSON doubled up in his chair laughing. We can actually see a tiny balding spot on his head. The Dracula novel has fallen onto the dock; its pages are being blown by a slight breeze. He plays along with the whole Will and Grace Scenario.

WELL, DON'T ASSUME JUST BECAUSE I'M A MAN THAT I'M WILL.



PAGE 6 (5 PANELS)



PANEL 1: is a long rectangle that takes up the entire top of PAGE 6. GENERAL JACK ONEILL has pushed his rocker back and has it balanced against the back wall. He has his beer tipped up high and he is taking a long pull from his bottle. He is obviously enjoying the nonsense and banter. His fishing pole is locked tightly between his legs.

DON'T LOOK AT ME...I'M...JUST JACK.



PANEL 2: is squarish and consists of the left hand corner of PAGE 6 directly below the left side of PANEL 1. We see COL CAMERON MITCHELL still fishing, but he is good naturedly looking over his shoulder at SG1.

OF ALL THE STUPID THINGS TO TALK ABOUT. WHAT HAPPENED TO PEACE AND QUIET? WHAT HAPPENED TO ENJOYING THE IDYLLIC SCENERY? AND, WHILE WERE ON SOME TOUCHY SUBJECTS, WHAT HAPPENED TO FISHING? AND WHAT'S WORSE YOU GUYS ARE SCARING THE FISH.
to be cont....

Journal

Journal/ Fissures work journal: almost the end
Current mood: angsty
Category: and blah Writing and Poetry


Behind on deadlines. Behind on play Fissures. I can't get to the end...Should be a few more lines but I don't see it an ending ever...I need to finish this, NOW
The deadline for Fissures was 11-30-07. I had a family emergency and I hope my director will take that under consideration. If not, well on to the next...I've got ideas falling out of my pores. But limited time. Last night I had every intention of taking a quick nap and do some work for most of the night. I fell asleep on the couch and woke up at 5:30am with a cat's ass in my face. Yummy.
Back to work...
I'm putting the cats out for the night
Lee