Fictional Derivations

I’m scrapping and restarting Crime and Violins. As I’ve been writing the serial, I have learned a few things, one of which is that the serial works best when presented in whole chapters—not one scene at a time. How fast I can do this is questionable, because I do want it to be [...]

Update: I got off EntreCard, so this isn’t an issue anymore.
It’s not that I don’t like you all. I just want fiction- and writing- and serial-related ads. May be a tough sell, but I already have Spontaneous Derivation for all your general ad needs.
Now, if y’all could actually read the site [...]

Photography: Chris Gin
This will be the first time in a very long time that I’ve had a blog I can (probably) post fiction thoughts in. (And reviews of fiction thingies.)
Ever since I turned over Spontaneous Derivation to writing and blogging, I’ve not really had a space for fiction, and the entries I do write [...]

Photo: John Althouse Coken
I’ve been in the doldrums of late.
Then I ran into a quote from a guy whose storytelling prowess I respect, Ryan Pequin:

… I realized that actually creating art and having some semblance of a work ethic tends to cause more people to notice you, as opposed to generally doing [...]

I’m working on the next installment of The Well-Tempered Clavier, but in the meantime I thought I would share the little stories I thought up for John Scalzi’s Zoe’s Tale advanced reading copy contest, as a sort of sorry-that-I-missed-this-Sunday apology. The idea was to “explain the events of August 19, 1994″.

Photography: comiquero
For Outpost Mâvarin’s Weekend Assignment #215: Everyone’s a Critic.
WARNING - SPOILERS
Although if you’ve waited this long, you probably no longer care about spoilers. We hope.

INT. AGENT 910’s QUARTERS - ESTABLISHING
A futuristic spartan room, about 10′ x 10′, spacious for military quarters. No windows. The bed is currently folded into the wall. [...]

Art: FreakAngels Promo #3 - Paul Duffield
Have you heard of the new FreakAngels? It’s a project between Warren Ellis (writer) and Paul Duffield (artist).
Ah, Warren Ellis. After a long day, reading him is like sipping a margarita done right.
It’s not that other writers are too sweet. It’s because the world is too [...]

Ah, casting, thy name is delirious fun.
This is Sebastian Arcady: a young Jeremy Brett in a secondary role in My Fair Lady.
Jeremy Brett has also played Sherlock Holmes in the Granada series adaptations of the Canon stories. His neurotic, energetic interpretation of the character set the definition for Holmes ever since the 90’s.
It’s [...]

Sebastian Arcady and Phineas Zene (Crime & Violins) review Patry Francis’ The Liar’s Diary.
Arcady: Welcome, Internet, to Spontaneous Derivation’s review of a truly sublime and richly woven novel, The Liar’s Diary.
I’m Sebastian Arcady, violinist, composer, and criminal investigator; and this is Phineas Zene, cellist, devoted friend, and assistant.
Zene: … And hello out there.