Gay in the Bay | Vol. 2023, Issue 7

Queer Intro

Welcome to the Gay in the Bay Blog! I am Josie, a queer writer and videographer that loves to document what I see around me. This started out as a writing blog but has grown to include events that more people should know about.

This post is for the week of February 12 - 18.

Do you have a live event that needs filming? I’m a videographer! Please check out the Sweeney Media on your way to the About > Contact page. I look forward to working with you.

Writing

Broke Ass Stuart

Most of the writing done this week has been in preparation for a potential job. If you’ve lived in the Bay Area for any amount of time (which is about as long as I’ve lived here now), you have definitely heard of the sassy Broke Ass Stuart (BAS for short).

BAS made a call for a writer, part time. I made the most humorous cover letter I could write and sent it to the Editor In Cheap. The Almighty Editors (my name for whomever responded) answered me and gave me a deadline for this week. I’ve answered it.

I have become a Game Master!

Chaos ensued and I stepped up to the plate! This past Wednesday I became a GM (Dungeon Master if that’s more familiar to you) at the New Parkway Theater. The usual GM was unable to attend tonight’s session, and there were about 15 people joining. The backup GM asked me if I could be in charge of the other game. I was more than happy to oblige.

Queer Superhero Novel

While writing for my book has been sparse this week, I’ve still written something. Outlining has been necessary in order to make this superhero story feel like an introductory novel; not just focusing on the main character. Because of that, I’m learning what tropes are expected in order to make something feel like a “superhero" story. Some are obvious (like costumes, the need/want to save people, insane ideas for world domination, et al), while others less so.

I’m introducing other characters. It just makes sense to me to include more heroes while more villains appear in front of the main character. But it still requires more planning to make everything feel coherent.

The End of the Internet?

I just watched a video by Legal Eagle on YouTube that talks briefly (20 minutes is honestly brief for this particular lawyer) about a Supreme Court Case. One that can spell out disastrous things for normal social media things like sharing your next drag show event on Facebook.

He was as brief as he could be, and I have a link to his video. This case is pretty complicated, but I’ll attempt to summarize it here.

A case was brought to the United States Supreme Court. This case dealt with a question that has massive ramifications: is Google responsible for its content on YouTube? This is certainly something that will affect everyone to varying degrees. I will follow this and see where it leads.

Oakland City Hall in State of Emergency

The city of Oakland was hit by a malware attack on February 8th a couple of weeks ago. The police department and other public officials are being somewhat transparent about the issue. They are acknowledging that it happened, but not indicating in what way. This could be a tactic to minimize damage being caused, or to minimize public panic, another reason entirely, or some combination of both.

This story is progressing, as they are still fighting the malware. As much as I’m not a fan of any police force, the police department appears to be the most forthcoming on information.

Oakland Police Dept. on the malware attack.

Mind Ghirardelli Square’s Dust

Ghirardelli Square is a fixture of San Francisco. I finally got to visit on February 14th, where I discovered a lot of the shops are currently closed. There are signs stating they will open up in the Summer of 2023. In just a few months, we’ll get even more chocolate options and see what they’ve been working on!

Berkley Throws in their chef’s hat for Best Pizza

Berkeley claims to have the best pizza in the Bay Area. Is the SF Eater article correct? Please let me know, in the comments or on Instagram! I take this as a personal challenge to venture in the wilds of Berkeley and scavenge their pizza selections.

National News

USA Today continues coverage of the officers charged with the death of Tyre Nichols from January 2023. The most frustrating part right now is that the court system will not start proceedings until May 2023. Paul Hagerman is the lead prosecutor, and is urging the courts to do what is right. Whether the officers are allowed back to work until then remains unclear. They go on to include the defense attorney claiming there should be justice for Tadarrius Bean (one of the officers charged for Nichols’ murder).

This whole situation calls for a complete overhaul of the police department. It has been clear for years that the entire system is questionable at best, and corrupt in every level at worst. But Memphis and the rest of Tennessee would rather kick the can down the road and focus on budget cuts or a new stadium instead of focusing on human rights. Did Martin Luther King, JR die for nothing in Memphis? My former hometown can and should do better.

The New York Times tripped this week

Major backlash has started following a New York Times Op Ed by Pamela Paul called In Defense of JK Rowling. If you decide to read the opinion, go for it. But this is most professional gaslighting I have yet to read.

To quote Bo Burnham: “The backlash to the backlash to the thing that’s just begun/ There it is again/ That funny feeling/ That funny feeling.”

Table Top Ideas

And now for more positive news…

I recently hosted my own game of D&D and loved it! I’m now looking for resources to help make things even more fun. There’s a lot of discourse on what’s better: analog vs. digital content. In the wake of the OGL debacle, the flames of chaos have been fanned as more lovers of lore and character sheets debate on the best way to play a table top game.

Personally, I love digital content. That’s not to say that screens dominate the table during the game. It just keeps things less cluttered. The biggest bonus is that a map (among character sheets and other small details) can be printed out and drawn over a million times over!

The coolest find this week is a fantasy map maker. Inkarnate is a website that allows any Game Creator to create a map to their own specifications. The range is tremendous; from world maps to furniture decorating a building, it has it all. My first impression: this caters to the medieval setting that most are used to seeing in D&D. My hope is that they accommodate other map aesthetics as well.

Color Coded Calendar

Each week I keep track of events so you don’t have to! This is amazing since I’m neurodivergent. But below are events that I really think you’ll enjoy…

Each week The New Parkway Theater in Oakland has a variety of events. The two that I love the most are Drinks & Dragons (Wednesdays) and Trivia (Thursdays) respectively. Check out The New Parkway website for further information on these and other events. You cannot go wrong no matter what day you show up.

Monthly Stuff

OmNomNom Burlesque will perform at Amado’s in the Mission District. This month’s theme is Afro Futurism.

998 Valencia St.

February 25th at 8.30pm

Pop Culture

Each week I include media that I’ve enjoyed. If you’re a creator of any kind, please email me to be included in this list. I love discovering new artists; from singer-songwriters to upcoming directors, and beyond.

This week a special mention must be made to the video below. Tennessee has done a lot of questionable things lately. But something UNquestionable was Clyde Stubblefield and his contribution to Hip Hop, among other genres of music.

A short documentary about Clyde Stubblefield.

  • I love dogs. NYC banned dogs on subways. This beautiful mess happened.

  • I was hanging out with friends after Poetry Slime, and we started talking about bands we listen to. I’ve always enjoyed the more mainstream stuff, but I took notes. I’m in love with these new-to-me bands:

    • Plumander

    • Destroy Boys

    • Illuminati Hotties

    • Japanther

    • Amyl and the Sniffers

Gay in the Bay | Vol. 2023, Issue 5

Queer Intro

Welcome to the Gay in the Bay Blog! I am Josie, a queer writer and videographer that loves to document what I see around me. This started out as a writing blog but has grown to include events that more people should know about.

This post is for the week of January 29 - February 4.

Do you have a live event that needs filming? I’m a videographer! Please check out the Sweeney Media on your way to the About > Contact page. I look forward to working with you.

Writing My Fiction

Since getting back from Las Vegas, writing has been slow. Even worse, I’ve had to dramatically cut down on the amount of coffee. Which is a real tragedy, since I’m one of those writers that drinks gallons of coffee while writing. Talk about extra…

All this to say: writing is slow this week. While I’ve been applying to jobs and recovering from jet lag, my story has been growing in my head. And I’m realizing that I’ve spoken about writing without saying what these projects actually are. I will rectify that in due time.

As if I needed more projects, there’s a new one announced below.

Goings On

I visited Chinatown SF yesterday. There’s a new Light Rail line that opened up in January 2023. The north end of the line brings you to Chinatown, and I was excited to explore more.

There is a tunnel that reaches underneath Stockton in Chinatown that can be seen all the way from Market St. I ended up on top of this tunnel, and explored the area taking photos. The best are featured here.

Live Performance

Live performance means many things to many people. This week’s post focuses on burlesque. Empowerment comes to my mind, but it may be different to you. Let’s explore that with these events. Special note: I am still new to the Bay Area; if you know of a show, let me know! I’m always up for attending a new show.

OmNomNom Burlesque has me feeling fomo, because I keep missing their shows. I hope to rectify this soon. Until then, their next show is February 25th at Amado’s in the SF Mission District. INSTAGRAM.

Beta Test Burlesque is new to the scene. If you have a performance that you’re working on, test it out here! Right now the best way to find this show is to look up #betatestburlesque. The next show is April 15th, with more details to follow.

History

KQED is spending 2023 covering the history of the Bay Area. You can find the initial article HERE. I found out about it through the Broke Ass Stuart website, whomst gives an oft-times humorous view on events in the Bay Area.

I’m very excited to learn more about this region-specific genre. I grew up in Memphis, the home of Blues and Rock’n’Roll, but moved to the Bay Area about a year ago. This has me wanting to write about historical Oakland figures of yore. For instance, the hiphop artist Too Short (stylized to Too $short) became notorious in his own rite in the 1980’s, and even has a film in post-production called Freaky Tales. You can follow the production of that collection of four stories HERE.

For now, I will figure out the structure of how I want to tell these stories. I am not the first to tell them, and I want to have fun while staying true to everyone’s voices. One particular story I want to look into is the migration of Blues to the Bay Area…

Color Coded Calendar

Each week I keep track of events so you don’t have to! This is amazing since I’m neurodivergent. But below are events that I really think you’ll enjoy…

Each week The New Parkway Theater in Oakland has a variety of events. The two that I love the most are Drinks & Dragons (Wednesdays) and Trivia (Thursdays) respectively. Check out The New Parkway website for further information on these and other events. You cannot go wrong no matter what day you show up.

Monthly Stuff

Sticking with The New Parkway, there is an event called Queer Classics; a monthly event that celebrates older movies that are either explicitly LGBT or produced/directed by folx in the Community. February is the Oscars Edition, with a February 19th showing of The Merry Widow (1934). Check out the Facebook Group here for updates. Samir the Curator has become a welcome guest to my podcast Queer Film Theory, which you can listen to here on the site or on Spotify.

At Milk SF there are two events that are near and dear to my heart.

Queer Bedtime Stories convenes every third Thursday of the month at 8pm. This is a safe event at a safe space where one can read LGBT poetry, memoir, literature, or even original works! If you don’t like standing in front of crowds, that’s perfect; you may simply enjoy the works read aloud. Each month is many things, but amazing tends to be the through line. INSTAGRAM.

Poetry Slime waxes poetic every third Saturday at 2pm. To quote their Instagram: “Like a slam, but also not at all like a slam in any way.” This event brings a delightfully queer chaos as each person reads either an original work, a work by another author, or an unhinged celebrity Instagram post. Wondering which celebrity I’m talking about? Show up and find out. INSTAGRAM.

Las Vegas Pictures

I mentioned Las Vegas last week and didn’t provide any proof. “Pics or it didn’t happen” is a phrase thrown around a lot, and I needed time to recover from traveling. So, without further ado…

A video of the Las Vegas Strip. By Josie Sweeney

A walkthrough of the Fremont Experience in Downtown Las Vegas. By Josie Sweeney

Pop Culture

Each week I include media that I’ve enjoyed. If you’re a creator of any kind, please email me to be included in this list. I love discovering new artists; from singer-songwriters to upcoming directors.

  • An amazing article on M3GAN (2023), by Jake Warren.

  • Scream 1-5; I was never interested in these movies as they came out. Besides, I was too young to see (or appreciate) the first one in 1997. But I heard about #6 and became interested. I’ve now watched all five movies and can’t wait for the 6th installment!

  • Books and comic books; I want to read more and yesterday on the way to Chinatown I read a couple of comic books. I’m catching up on issues, volumes, and novels that have been upset and waiting on me to read them. I’m trying to make my relationship with this To Read pile better.

Gay in the Bay | Vol. 2023, Issue 3

Queer Intro

Welcome to the Gay in the Bay Blog! I am Josie, a queer writer and videographer that loves to document what I see around me. This started out as a writing blog but has grown to include events that more people should know about.

This post is for the week of January 15 - 21.

Do you have a live event that needs filming? I’m a videographer! Please check out the Sweeney Media on your way to the About > Contact page. I look forward to working with you.

Writing

Revisions began on the queer superhero novel last week. I’ve made progress on the beginning and veering into the middle. There is still much to figure out with this story, but it’s a good start.

One thing I’ve changed is the structure of chapters. I have renamed all chapters to “issues,” because I want this to be similar in structure to comic books. There is only a couple of big changes going on, but these categorical changes are resulting in many words at a time.

What happened this week…

This week has been eventful!

D&D OGL Updates

Each week I attend a D&D session at The New Parkway. But that was somewhat overshadowed by the continuing saga of the Open Gaming License (OGL), and the reaction against the Wizards of the Coast (WotC). As of today (January 22), the dust has settled for a few days. There are still videos published on YouTube that discuss and, in many cases, rightfully complain about the decisions made. There are several videos that do a good job explaining all of this, but the most recent one can be found HERE. The link goes to a DnD Shorts video. There is a lot of historical facts and contractual verbiage that he and other YouTubers are making understandable. This is not a simple matter.

Things To Do in the Bay Area

There are so many things going on in San Francisco. Milk SF on Valencia St. is a wonderful queer-friendly hub that supports two such events. And they are both on the third week of each month.

One of them is Queer Bedtime Stories. This is an event where everyone reads poetry, short stories, or snippets from provided books. This gives a spiritual air, though there is no emphasis on religion. Host Scott gives each attendant a chance to breathe and celebrate the queer culture around us. This is an event that I love attending each month.

On the third Saturday of each month, a very different type of event occurs at Milk SF. A pun on the idea of poetry slams, Poetry Slime is a two hour rush of poetry, prompts, and in-the-moment jokes. After moving to Oakland, this was one of the first events I attended. This is a wonderfully chaotic time and cannot say enough good things about Poetry Slime.

If you are interested in attending either of these events, please check out their Instagram accounts for up-to-date information. Queer Bedtime, Poetry Slime.

And the Rest

A friend had a house warming party. I got the chance to hang out and get to know some recent friends better. It was a great time. Folks in the Bay really know how to throw a party!

I closed the week out by recording an episode of Queer Film Theory covering the movie The Hunger (1983). As always, there was plenty to talk about. The next movie has already been announced at the New Parkway Theater. You can find more information HERE.

Weekly Pop Culture…

  • Early this week a newly published book arrived. I’m very excited to have begun The Tidings of Misfits by Jordan Dugdale.

  • I’ve largely listened to the same music while writing a big chapter. The Villain Mode playlist has been good, but I’ve also listened to my Hyperfixation list.

Thank you for reading this issue of Gay in the Bay. Just like my works of fiction, this is a work in progress. May your upcoming week be fabulous.

Gay in the Bay | Vol. 2023, Issue 2

Queer Intro

Welcome to the Gay in the Bay Blog! I am Josie, a queer writer and videographer that loves to document what I see around me. This started out as a writing blog but has grown to include events that more people should know about.

This post is for the week of January 8 - 14.

Do you have a live event that needs filming? I’m a videographer! Please check out the Sweeney Media on your way to the About > Contact page. I look forward to working with you.

News from the Gay in the Bay! This week has been sparse on actual events, but full in experience.

On the writing front, I’ve completed the first five chapters of my revisions. Since last week, so many changes have been made that it feels like a completely different novel. That is a great thing. And I’m about a third of the way done with it all.

This past Saturday (the 14th), I was hired on as a videographer for a burlesque group called Beta Test Burlesque. It was a lot of work and communication with the folx in charge, which resulted in a lot of fun during the performances.

Much like book revisions, there are things that need to change for the next show. For instance: I recorded in 4K, and gained 181GB of information. My computer (including external hard drive) did not have enough space to contain the clips I recorded. This ended up being a non-issue, as I knew what I could do in this case. But things did arise.

This week was one of learning, troubleshooting, and revision. I am very happy with how things have turned out. I’m exhausted Saturday’s workout, so I’m taking Sunday off from everything to rest.

On another note, I’ve conducted a non-scientific experiment. I refused to look at Stories or Like any post for the past week. The only exception was one account that was related to a videography gig. I feel like my relationship with Instagram has somewhat changed since beginning this experiment. I’m still on the site quite a bit, that much hasn’t changed. But my patience for the app seems to run out sooner that it did before. I like to think that my attention span may be lengthening again, and that feeling that makes me check just one more time isn’t really there for the most part. I like that something is changing and I’ll continue to write my thoughts on it in other issues (blog posts).

Pop Culture Consumed:

  • Began reading Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

  • Found a Spotify playlist called Villain Mode

Gay in the Bay | Vol. 2023, Issue 1

Queer Intro

Welcome to the Gay in the Bay Blog! I am Josie, a queer writer and videographer that loves to document what I see around me. This started out as a writing blog but has grown to include events that more people should know about.

This post is for the week of January 1 - 7.

Do you have a live event that needs filming? I’m a videographer! Please check out the Sweeney Media on your way to the About > Contact page. I look forward to working with you.

Celebrating New Year's

Happy New Year! I hope your year started off well. Mine has been interesting.

On the very first day of the year, I helped save a comic shop. Silver Sprocket experienced some flooding in their basement and potentially lost a lot of their product. it was exhausting to move boxes for over an hour (maybe 2?), but I was happy to help them out.

The weather has been pretty crazy this week! There was some sort of atmospheric river or something going on, which means its basically monsoon season for the Bay Area. There have been a lot of warnings going on to be safe, and videos popping up about flooding. So I’ve locked myself in and began revising my Superhero book.

This week I began my revisions. This has been eye-opening. In the recent past, I’ve admittedly been scared to begin this process. I think it is the fear that what I wrote is no good, or that I may have to kill my darling, even multiple darlings.

And I have. All of that has begun happening.

After a few chapters, I found out that I meandered way too much and explained rather than showing. Shifting events to a fictional city that I’d already created in another book was a great decision. There may still be elements that I’m holding on to for dear life, but I am much more willing to make those changes now.

The book has a much better structure now. I wanted each chapter to feel like an issue of a comic series. This iteration is in three parts, with five chapters each. I’m already on chapter four and really having fun.

On Sunday I got to see David Bowie’s The Hunger (1983). That movie is a wild ride from beginning to end. This will be a wonderful addition to my podcast. There’s too much to say in a single blog entry, but I can mention: gay vampires.

I decided to try a social media experiment. I visit Instagram quite a bit, but I wanted to see what I could limit. Today I tried holding back on watching stories at the top of my feed and hitting the like button. There was one exception for very particular reasons, but otherwise I cannot see or Like anything. I will write down how that goes. Until then, I already like how different it feels, even if it’s only been a day.

Thank you for reading the updates from the Gay in the Bay! Please stay safe and warm out there. 2023 has started off on an odd note.

Photo taken just after midnight, January 1, 2023.

Awesome things:

  • Finding Total Party Chill — I want to work for them now

  • Crossplay Love — An Japanese LGBT romance

  • Listening to Spotify while revising my book

  • Seeing The Hunger (1983) at The New Parkway Theater

Week 50 | Sunny but cold Writing Blog

Week 50

A warm story for a cold week.

A Scatter of Light is the cozy sapphic romance in the Bay Area that I needed this week.

2022 is coming to a close. There’s less than two weeks left of the year. And I could not be busier. I’m really happy to be in this current situation. I’ve finished a first draft, need to complete a second, working on a nebulous third fictional piece (and performing it in front of people!), started hosting my podcast again, and even helping start a business! Among other things.

But most importantly, I’m learning when to finish something and take time for myself. That felt difficult when I was back in Memphis but seems more manageable in Oakland. I think with a big move comes big clarity. I still miss the friends I left in my hometown, and I love living in California. It’s a weird dual feeling, and I miss each and every one of them.

Fabulosa Books in the Castro district of San Francisco sells postcards. And I love postcards! I’m sending a few out to friends and chosen family. I’m actually using my two Instagram accounts to showcase them, bit by bit.

Poetry Slime at Milk SF

Poetry Slime is hosted by Milk SF on the third Saturday of every month.

There was a goth video that someone mentioned in an Instagram video. I don’t recall exactly when I found the original video, but this definitely brought me back a ways. This is hilarious because I’ve been listening to a lot of emo , punk, and even some clips on social sites. I’m living the emo days that I never got to experience in my teens and twenties.

An image from Poetry Slime from this past Saturday (18 December 2022).

I had the opportunity to read the first chapter of a story called Life After Trans at an LGBT community event called Queer Bedtime Stories. I got some positive feedback, so I’m excited to continue the revisions. I know it’s not perfect, and I’m actively revising it along with my book. I hope to continue receiving feedback and make it stronger.

Over the weekend I participated in another queer event called Poetry Slime (like a slam, but gay and non-competitive). I created a small series of haiku that discuss moments on BART (the Bay Area Rapid Transit system), and it got a good laugh. We also create prompts for each other and write based off of that. I got the prompt “the last time you were watching city lights in the distance.” I wrote about my last night living in Memphis and the various places I recalled before my big move.

I tend to write drama more than anything else. I’m not as great at comedy like others are. At the same time, I do create jokes in the scenarios in a sci-fi series. But I’m not witty enough to think of jokes on the spot. Still, I love adding my dramatic and pensive works into the mix of all this queer words.

Texis (2021) by Sleigh Bells

Sleigh Bells is a Brooklyn band that I listen to primarily in December. I’m not a fan of Christmas music, as it hasn’t changed at all since the ‘50s. In other words, it’s all trash. Except for this band. They are a strange duo, mixing various genres including but not limited to pop, hip hop, metal, and punk.

I never thought I was interested in romance novels. It turns out that I’m into queer romance novels, Sapphic to be specific. A Scatter of Light is a light sequel to the amazing Last Night at the Telegraph Club. I plunged into the first book on a whim, as I’m usually hesitant to read historical fiction. The cause of such hesitation is currently unknown and has been left by the wayside. I’d like to expand on this sequel in future posts since it covers places I’ve visited in the past few months. But I will say: it’s pretty awesome to read about events taking place less than 15 miles from where you live!

Here’s some cool things from this week:

  • Instagram post that took me back in time.

  • YouTube video that the Instagram post is about.

  • A Scatter of Light

  • Poetry Slime

Week 49 | Rainy Writing Blog

This week has been filled with rain. So I wanted to get out of the office and explore. I visited downtown Oakland and learned a little bit about Jack London, though there were other things that interested me.

Two things did occur. The first: I found a review on Yelp connected to a closed restaurant. One that has been closed since 2017 or earlier. I went to the location: where a former Rainforest Cafe used to be. There is a Madame Tussauds with an entrance that’s practically boarded up with a McDonald’s next to it. I determined this space is where the Rainforest Cafe used to be. If you want to be really specific, it’s where “Fisherman’s Wharf” is stamped on Apple Maps.

Gifts from the past from my chosen family, Alexis, Ally, and Terri.

So clearly this reviewer got the wrong location. And I found this hilarious. I spent the afternoon figuring out where this mysterious restaurant might be. So I went to Applebee’s at the other end of the block, where I paid $16 for mozzarella sticks. I did not find this hilarious, although the views were nice. I decided to come back and try the sourdough bread at Boudin’s at a later time.

The waitress and I determined this had to be the Hard Rock Cafe. The sun was starting to go down, and I don’t like being outside after dark (whoa is me).

The second: I want to help more queer art be made. I don’t exactly know how I’m going to make this happen, but I have the equipment and drive to help make that happen. But I’m working with my business partner to make that happen. Because that’s how I want to express myself. By helping queer art (especially if it’s film) come to life.

The writing done this week has been two fold. One is the outlining of my next next novel. But there’s also a short pice that I’m working on called Life After Trans. It deals with the issues faced after transitioning and the people and hobbies picked up along the way. This is a story about the journey, about becoming comfortable with the space around you. And I’m having fun expanding upon this three year old short story.

Check them out on Spotify!

There were a couple of birthdays of my chosen family this week. I created a couple of videos specific to them and I couldn’t have had more fun.

On a slightly different note, I’ve been dealing with religious trauma lately. It’s not something I can put into words yet exactly (beyond this sentence). But I’m looking at paganism in a new light. I’m not looking into crystals or spells, though that would be amazing to learn about. What I am doing is looking up Norse gods and seeing embodiments of nature that fit my personality. The research is fun and speaks to the Scandinavian and Irish part of me.

I started watching Wednesday this week. I am enjoying the show. It’s a great progression of character and lore around the family. The show itself seems to embrace the absurdity and weirdness and runs with it, and adds to the family’s history. That much I really enjoy.

Who knew that a writer would watch for the story!

A clip from Bell, Book and Candle.

Things I enjoyed this week:

  • Sovereign, sequel to Dreadnaught

  • Chloie P. and The Scouts

  • Queer Classics presenting the next movie (December 11).

Sovereign, by April Daniels.

Hurricane Holiday Season 2022 | Writing Blog

I do my best to organize my thoughts, but I’m always afraid that I come across as rambly. For what it’s worth, I want to start a discussion about first drafts for any manuscript, not just my own. On here or Instagram.

Writing Blog

The holidays can feel like a hurricane. Many of us have already been through the whirlwind known as Thanksgiving Day (or Turkey Day, as I like to call it). Like it or not, you’ve got to admit there’s an awful lot of logistics involved. And now there’s December, which gives way into the new year. Even then, there are birthdays and other cultural holidays that begin that just keep on rolling. The point is: you think it’s over after Thanksgiving, but then there’s more to go. Then there’s a deceptive lull. And before you know it, it’s over.

This hurricane metaphor has been true of my first draft. For five months there have been plenty of writing, planning, talking with friends and acquaintances, reading comics (relavent I swear!), and other sorts of craziness. Early on it felt like my brain had turned to mush, and that scared me. I wondered if I was already burnt out. Or it could have been another issue (see my autism posts, which need to be updated honestly). Whatever the issue, it became apparent that I needed different environs in order to write through parts of the book that I was stuck on. And thus my YouTube channel idea was born (after other ideas, of course).

After all of that, I considered joining National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo) in October. But in the last week of spooky month The End occurred. The end of the book, that is. I primarily focused on the whirlwind that was the characters, their needs, and the abrupt conclusion with a strange Doctor Who-inspired ending.

I found myself writing more than usual. Generally I write in short bursts and need to take a break but not that week! And it was a damn rollercoaster, the interactions, espionage, trying to bring all the various threads to the final fight. Ending one chapter and setting things up for the next. It was the most exciting thing since moving out to California.

After I wrote that final twist at the end, I realized that Hurricane Holiday Season had only just begun.

There are a lot of things that come to mind after completing this draft that I had to take a break from.

  • How much closer to being published am I?

  • How do I find an agent again?

  • Oh shit, what do I do about revisions?

  • How long do I need to wait before revising?

There were more, but I focused (and still am focusing) on revisions first. And that’s another deep conversation for another post. But the first part of this writing journey is done. For book one, since this is a series. I must be a glutton for punishment because I know this book is only going to expand from here.

I hope you survived NaNoWriMo unscathed. And I hope the rest of the Hurricane Holiday Season treats you well.

Here’s what I’ve been up to this week…

I rely on music now more than ever. For rest and relaxation, for writing, road tripping, you get the idea. According to Spotify, I seem to listen to Pop the most. But I’ve been following more Punk, Ska, and Jazz lately. Anyway, here are links to music and other content that I’m consuming. This helps while I’m writing.

Speaking of writing, I started the first chapter of my next book while filming at Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park. I decided to do this while waiting to revise the first book and outline the second one. I have most of the broad strokes down, but for the second novel I need to get more specific details down.

Alexander Lasarenko, and I found out him through this documentary by Defunctland on YouTube.

Chloie and the Scouts

Books! I read a ton of books at once, so it’s worth my time to only mention one at a time. If I’m honest, I think it would be overwhelming to list them all off at once.

A Scatter of Light

Reading the Classics

This might seem funny to some, but I’m finally getting into the classics. And I’m diving into a couple of big ones. But first, I want to make a connection then focus entirely on these two British and American classic tomes. I’ve begun a YouTube channel that involves me traveling to cafes and parks. Both places are great places to write my own novels, and wonderful places to read. A chance to slow down from the busy world we all find ourselves in.

A Tale of Two Cities is the first. It’s full of vast details and descriptions that make me slow down and think in a way I don’t think I’ve ever done before now. I’ve always needed to read a textbook fast or been in some sort of hurry to finish. And I read slowly. But this time I have no reason to pick up this classic book. Despite only reading the first couple of chapters, I can already tell this will be a cozy read. I feel no reason to keep tabs on too many characters, especially since there are CliffsNotes and Sparknotes out there in case I miss a detail. What makes this an easier time to read is that it’s a digital copy. So I’m able to change the format to suit my needs.

Leaves of Grass has always been heralded as the first American Classic. And it’s poetry; a genre that was made fun of by quite a few adults growing up. But I’ve always felt that anybody could write poetry. Especially a gay man in the 1800’s. Like the Dickens novel, I haven’t read that far into it but I already love what I’m reading. Unlike Two Cities, this is a physical copy, and a beautiful one at that. I don’t have every thought yet about these poems, but I will try. They will spill out in future posts.

I won’t make too many comparisons to these two books. There are obvious differences in things like word count, genre, and subject matter. But both breathe life into their scenes and poems in vastly different ways. Both men are vivid in details that I have never considered. Both speak in a much older way; but considering I haven’t read that many classics this is refreshing. As refreshing as a breathe of fresh air. These books are giving me ideas that I might steal for one of my future books (but who knows).

Sorry to be scarce on more details. I feel like I could write more on them both. But Charles Dickens started out serializing his stories before they were published. So I hope you, dear reader, can permit me to gather my thoughts. Until next time, happy reading and writing!

Welcome to Views & Brews Blog!

I’m a queer writer with ADHD. I have a desk, but my brain doesn’t always like sitting there. I like to travel to various places; cafes and parks being my favorites. As I say in my YouTube videos: Let’s explore!

Having ADHD is often times synonymous with having a short attention span. While that is definitely true for me, it may not be true for everyone. All that to say, I speak for myself and my self alone when it comes to short attention spans; and honestly neurodivergence in general.

Muir Woods Walkway

Muir Woods Walkway.

I’m starting this blog as a supplement to my videos. I’m just starting out in that vlog-o-sphere and will make mistakes or gloss over things. This here is where I can cover the rest. This is where I feel like I can cover anything that wasn’t mentioned or forgotten in the videos. And this blog will grow alongside the videos.

It’s also important to note that if there’s anything I say that’s incorrect or needs a correction in a particular video, or needs expanding upon, I can do that here and have that reflect in the video description.

What’s been great about this YouTube channel is that I can focus on something besides my writing. My brain seems to melt whenever my books are the sole focus of my day. I have experience in videography, so I figured out what else I could do pretty quickly.

That being said, I went a couple of months making videos before disaster struck. I was the lucky winner, not once but twice, of food poisoning in October. So I had to slow down and focus on writing when I felt better. And that had me rethinking ways I could improve on filming and editing. Some way that wouldn’t be so laborious and tedious. And I’m actually still figuring that out right now.

Fancy statue at Milk SF.

Ok, so here’s the plan at the moment: I’m going to blog about what I wanted to make happen at the start of this channel, versus what’s actually happening. Because the plan was to find as many places as possible where I feel comfortable writing. That hasn’t really happened yet, to be honest. My mind seems to tunnel vision very quickly and I forget to do one thing or another. Like I said, I’m easily distracted.

Until next time, happy writing!