This is what I love about the writing life. I'm sitting in a narghila lounge (hookah bar) in Montreal with coffee, orange shisha...and I'm working.
I have two hours free before I have to prep for the class tonight. It will be easy. ConCom isn't sweaty or equipment intensive. Make sure I have a couple of different options for the PowerPoint in case there is a compatibility issue. Have my laptop and a thumb drive and a disk. All easy.
For the free time, it's just good times with friends. Mauricio, like a hero, came through despite plane delays (didn't get in until well after midnight). Andrew was waiting up and went on my morning wander with me. Haven't seen Teo yet. He'll be at the class tonight.
Wandering time, writing time, thinking time.
Projects in the works right now (and one I want help with):
YMAA wants to do a print version of the Drills Manual, and I want to expand it by about 50% from the e-version. Deadline is end of the month.
The anthology. Kami did a beautiful cover (you can see it here) but I'm still not happy with the title. This book covers an amazingly broad range. A lot of it is about survival and violence, but it's too narrow to call it a martial arts or self-defense book. It is kind of what you would get if a bunch of experienced people were just talking around a campfire. I know that without reading it, the possibility of coming up with a good title is hard, and I don't want to turn the title search into a committee thing. The cool thing with e-books is how fast you can do them well. This could have gone from idea to publication in less than a month, but people kept offering to add good stuff.
As it stands now, I'm waiting for one more piece (Dr. Anderson on everything that we know works for PTSD). Then a final format pass, then a proofread by someone else, then let each of the authors sign off on any changes. Then it is done. Upload to SmashWords and Kindle. This is a gift for a friend to help pay medical bills. Everyone contributed their work and time.
Alone, it would be less than two days of work. Other people are involved, so I'm thinking two weeks. Maybe more.
Here's the Table of Contents:
Editor’s Note
All Fighting is on Drugs by “MG, FAM”
Historical European Martial Arts by Bert Bruijnen
Stage Fighting is not Real Fighting
by Michael Johnson
Let’s Talk Trauma by Eric Gaden
How to Read Your Opponent by Terry Trahan
The Independent, A Variation of the
Alpha by Michael Johnson
Talking to Cops by Marc MacYoung
Everything We Know About PTSD by Dr. Drew Anderson
Do You Want to Win? Learn How to
Lose by Dan Gilardi
Louis the Legionnaire by Wim Demeere
Teaching, Training and Conditioning
by Rory Miller
There Are No Secrets by Kevin Menard
Breaking: Why We Fail, How We Can
Succeed by Jesse J. Alcorta
Marc MacYoung Meets John Rain by Barry Eisler and Marc MacYoung
Guards and Rails by Lawrence Kane
The O Menace by Bert Bruijnen
Zero to Sixty by Alain Burrese
Sensei and the Hockey Dad by Lawrence Kane
A Little Social Violence Over Who
Gets in the Last Word by DJ Dasko
Even in Small Town Louisiana by
Michael Johnson
Bouncer Advice: What Your Sensei
Didn’t Tell You by Clint Overland
How to Stay Out of Trouble as a
Psych Ward Patient by “D. Osborne”
Martial Arts Cults by “Chop Ki”
Antarctic Martial Traditions by Jesse J. Alcorta
Kamioooka Prison by “Douglas Hill”
Checklist for Leaving an Abusive
Relationship by “Jael”
Death, the Teacher by E. Rushton Gilbert
Hope Your Fantasy Stays One by “D. Weeks
Things I Know Now That I Wish I
Knew Then by Kasey Keckeisen
Be Nice by Alain Burrese
Choosing to Leave a Cult by “Chop Ki”
Gambling With Your Life by Marc MacYoung
There is No Magic by Fred Ross
Learn the Old to Understand the New
by Don Roley
Where The Journey Ends by Rory Miller
Any title title ideas jump out at you?
Otherwise, Montreal this weekend; London, Ontario next; Brampton the weekend after that. Then Scotland, England, Israel, Slovenia and Greece. Coolness
26 comments:
Does "Martial Delusions" cover it?
"Cake with Trouble" ... From the Russian proverb - "Better bread with water, than cake with trouble". :-)
Tales and Wisdom from those who've walked the Path
"Conflicting Thoughts" or "Thoughts From the Violent Path"
Mark H
Trying To See With Blood In Your Eyes.
The title doesn't hit me as being "right", but what the heck do I know I just read them not write them.
"Things you wanted to know about violence but were afraid to ask". Probably too wordy, maybe too cliche.
No suggestions about a title. It certainly sounds good though. I agree about the writing lifestyle. I only do it casually but love the process.
All the best with your projects Rory.
Adam
Got something bouncing around about campfires, chats, and a twist on thoughts/meditations...
Kasey - just noticed "If You Knew then What You Know Now..." Kinda stepped on your toes with that one.
My bad.
PS. "Hmmm... That was Interesting..."
Is/was going to be the name of my Memoir if I ever got around to doing anything interesting.
But feel free to use.
Keeping up with your theme, short and simple:
Tales of Violence
- Musings on Martial Arts, Survival, Bouncing and Other Thug Stuff
Jyri H
Maybe "Around the Campfire?"
I love the "Campfire Tales from Hell," except that you will attract people looking for Stephen King style shorts.
Martian Priesthood Tales
How about something that picks up on your Through the looking glass idea. Maybe 'Tales from the Other Side of the Looking Glass'; or 'Campfire Tales from the Other Side of the Looking Glass' so you can keep the cover!
THUG LORE.
-Louie
I would take the most intriguing title out of the Table of Contents, Lawrence Kane's "Sensei and the Hockey Dad", simply because it is so unusual it makes you want to read it out of curiosity. How about "Sensei and the Hockey Dad: an anthology?"
Professional Anthology by the Fire
Anthological Musings by the Fire
How about "Conversations from the sharp edge"?
How about "I Have Experience That"
eitHmmmm? How to sell this book with the title?
Solutions to violence:
Guaranteed easy answers to manage your fear.
That should sell
Campfire Chronicles
It's strategically good. I like your method and system.
"Around the Campfire" sounds really good to my ears. For a long time I was pushed away from Marc MacYoung's books because of their macho-sounding titles. Even though the text itself is solid gold, titles like "Cheap Shots, Ambushes, And Other Lessons: A Down And Dirty Book On Streetfighting & Survival" or "Fists, Wits, And A Wicked Right: Surviving On The Wild Side Of The Street" seem to pack a lot of testosterone.
When the title simply is "Around the Campfire" and the subtitle specifies the true context of the book, it maintains a sense of professionalism and seriousness, it even has an air of melancholy around it. Somehow I think it would be appropriate, considering it is a written by people who have experienced some heavy things in their lives.
"Campfire Tales from HELL" sounds like cheap "Amityville Horror" clone which was shot with a shaky cam and it is rated PG 13 for the sole reason that it has a pair of tits in it.
My suggestion is "War Stories".
I like "Trying To See With Blood In Your Eyes" since I have read you writing that on many occasions but I think it could be saved for something more personal from you, i.e. where you are the sole author.
John.
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