Ed Davis's Blog
November 25, 2016
A Matter of Time
Fourteen years ago today, at 5 AM, I sat down at my computer with the intention of writing a fifty thousand word novel in twenty-four hours. Partially inspired by National Novel Writing Month, NaNoWriMo, when asked why I was doing it, the only answer I had was “to see if I can.”
Looking back now, it is clear that this was something I needed to do, rather than wanted to do . . . so much of writing seems to work that way, doesn’t it? In May of the previous year my good friend Bruce Kuschner had died unexpectedly, then in September came 9/11. Writing this round-the-clock novel was, in some way, my response to those tragedies, and what followed. I recorded my effort in a short time lapse video you can see here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gpafj...
Dave Reber, who appears as a central character in the novel, wrote the following jacket copy. It seems remarkably prescient given recent events.
A MATTER OF TIME is part autobiography, part political polemic, and part suspense thriller. In the very near future, a proud progressive struggles against a newly elected totalitarian regime in America --- at tremendous personal cost.
While the country moves to the far right and sacrifices freedom for security, a small cadre of “slow old guys” in a bucolic Northern California town peacefully, almost passively, take over their own local government and see their visions of peace, tolerance and harmony become the law of their small land. But even as their libertarian principles blossom in the village, dark clouds of oppression gather over their beloved nation, and soon their leader finds himself sentenced to die for the accidental, and televised, demise of a friend.
Told in the first person, this gripping tale of the last 24 hours of the condemned hero’s life is rich with reflection, incisive wit and lush narrative. As the hours pass, the reader is introduced to players, both real and fictional, woven into a seamless tapestry of character and story. Beliefs are tested, honor challenged, while the minutes inexorably tick away to the final decision, and ultimate statement of belief, as one man’s life is reduced simply to A MATTER OF TIME.
As a writer who rarely outlines, this project was a complete departure for me. My goal was to finish each chapter in no more than hour, in real time, as those same hours tick off within the story . . . Chapter One starting at 5 AM. Each chapter was mapped out on chart paper, with a target word count, main plot points, and character actions. I even had “Help” flip cards with suggestions to get me “un-stuck” if I came up against a block. For the first three hours I was able to produce the required 2,083 words per hour – 35 words per minute – but while my fingers could hold that pace, my brain could not, and I had to slow down.
I ended up with 28,000 words, finishing in just over twenty hours.
At some point I intend to publish the book, but on this day, fourteen years after its creation, I choose to remember Bruce Kuschner, who helped to inspire it, and Dave Reber, gone almost two years now, who recognized something in it. To absent friends, and to a future that, while it may not be as bright as we hope, will only be as dark as we allow.
Ed
Looking back now, it is clear that this was something I needed to do, rather than wanted to do . . . so much of writing seems to work that way, doesn’t it? In May of the previous year my good friend Bruce Kuschner had died unexpectedly, then in September came 9/11. Writing this round-the-clock novel was, in some way, my response to those tragedies, and what followed. I recorded my effort in a short time lapse video you can see here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gpafj...
Dave Reber, who appears as a central character in the novel, wrote the following jacket copy. It seems remarkably prescient given recent events.
A MATTER OF TIME is part autobiography, part political polemic, and part suspense thriller. In the very near future, a proud progressive struggles against a newly elected totalitarian regime in America --- at tremendous personal cost.
While the country moves to the far right and sacrifices freedom for security, a small cadre of “slow old guys” in a bucolic Northern California town peacefully, almost passively, take over their own local government and see their visions of peace, tolerance and harmony become the law of their small land. But even as their libertarian principles blossom in the village, dark clouds of oppression gather over their beloved nation, and soon their leader finds himself sentenced to die for the accidental, and televised, demise of a friend.
Told in the first person, this gripping tale of the last 24 hours of the condemned hero’s life is rich with reflection, incisive wit and lush narrative. As the hours pass, the reader is introduced to players, both real and fictional, woven into a seamless tapestry of character and story. Beliefs are tested, honor challenged, while the minutes inexorably tick away to the final decision, and ultimate statement of belief, as one man’s life is reduced simply to A MATTER OF TIME.
As a writer who rarely outlines, this project was a complete departure for me. My goal was to finish each chapter in no more than hour, in real time, as those same hours tick off within the story . . . Chapter One starting at 5 AM. Each chapter was mapped out on chart paper, with a target word count, main plot points, and character actions. I even had “Help” flip cards with suggestions to get me “un-stuck” if I came up against a block. For the first three hours I was able to produce the required 2,083 words per hour – 35 words per minute – but while my fingers could hold that pace, my brain could not, and I had to slow down.
I ended up with 28,000 words, finishing in just over twenty hours.
At some point I intend to publish the book, but on this day, fourteen years after its creation, I choose to remember Bruce Kuschner, who helped to inspire it, and Dave Reber, gone almost two years now, who recognized something in it. To absent friends, and to a future that, while it may not be as bright as we hope, will only be as dark as we allow.
Ed
November 18, 2016
Interview on Speakeasy
My latest novel, River of Steel, is about the "Knights of the Road", and Catherine Clemens Sevenau's uncle Arden was the real deal, a classic professional hobo, or "Profesh", as they called themselves. She has included an excerpt from River of Steel in her latest blog posting.
http://sevenau.com/2016/11/17/i-sir-a...
These men of the road are now all but forgotten, but Catherine's clippings, photos, and remembrances of Arden bring them very much to life. You can hear our full radio interview, from her show "Speakeasy" at the following link. Enjoy!
https://soundcloud.com/user-268092191...?
http://sevenau.com/2016/11/17/i-sir-a...
These men of the road are now all but forgotten, but Catherine's clippings, photos, and remembrances of Arden bring them very much to life. You can hear our full radio interview, from her show "Speakeasy" at the following link. Enjoy!
https://soundcloud.com/user-268092191...?
March 22, 2015
Jack London & Ed Davis on The Drooling Ward
Jim Shere has just written a beautiful piece for The Kenwood Press called Two Tales of the Drooling Ward. In it, he draws comparisons between Jack London's Told In The Drooling Ward", and my own, In All Things, A Return To The Drooling Ward. Here is how it begins:
There are two quick reads that will stay with you for a long, long time, and they will take you quickly and deeply into an apparently surreal - yet so acutely real - world that many avoid, and few understand. Written in broad strokes and with great compassion, they are certain to change your mind about those severely disabled people that are conveniently tucked into a corner of the community.
And here is a link to the full story:
http://www.kenwoodpress.com/pub/a/824...
There are two quick reads that will stay with you for a long, long time, and they will take you quickly and deeply into an apparently surreal - yet so acutely real - world that many avoid, and few understand. Written in broad strokes and with great compassion, they are certain to change your mind about those severely disabled people that are conveniently tucked into a corner of the community.
And here is a link to the full story:
http://www.kenwoodpress.com/pub/a/824...
November 23, 2014
Welcome to The Wedgewood Press
Hi Folks!
I’ll be using this blog to let you know what’s going on at The Wedgewood Press in the coming months and years. Here is an example of what you can expect to see:
Why The Wedgewood Press?
Independent publishing is wonderful because it gives authors like me an outlet for our work. That’s why, in December of 2014, I launched my own publishing imprint. It currently has two titles available; In All Things, and Road Stories, with a third coming out early next year. Yet independent publishing is also terrible because what authors want most is to connect with readers, and without huge marketing campaigns behind our books that can be very hard to do. To get the word out we need to rely on the Internet, Facebook, Email, and most importantly word of mouth. That's where you and the extraordinary Goodreads community come in.
In The News
On September 15th The Kenwood Press did a very nice piece on In All Things , my book, set in 1970, about The Sonoma Development Center (which was then called Sonoma State Hospital). - see it here.
Reviews
Kirkus Review, the country's oldest independent book review journal, also had some very good things to say about In All Things in their November 1st issue - see it here.
And just last week I achieved a lifetime goal when Road Stories was reviewed by Publishers Weekly. Any review that contains the words "His writing shines . . ." counts as a win. - see it here.
Speaking of reviews, one of the best ways you can help any author build an audience for his or her books is by reviewing them---reader reviews are the single most powerful incentive for potential readers to give a new book a try. If you've read my books, or intend to (and I sure hope you do), please take a minute to review them here on Goodreads, and thanks in advance for doing it!
Upcoming Events
On Saturday November 29th, I'll be at Readers' Books in Sonoma at noon, manning an author's table with several other local writers and helping the bookstore celebrate their birthday! As local bookstores go, they don't get any better than Readers'. I'm very grateful that they are carrying my books in their Local Author's section, and honored that they have invited me to do a reading on Thursday night, January 22nd at 7PM. That's another first for me, and if you’re in the neighborhood please come by!
Last Words
I'm hoping that you will join me as I indulge my passion for writing, learn the ropes about publishing, and share some good stories along the way. If you like what I'm writing (and I sure hope you will), please help me spread the word; tell a friend, mention it to your local bookstore, write a review, post a link on Facebook---everything helps. Maybe, between us, we can strike a blow for the independents!
I’ll be using this blog to let you know what’s going on at The Wedgewood Press in the coming months and years. Here is an example of what you can expect to see:
Why The Wedgewood Press?
Independent publishing is wonderful because it gives authors like me an outlet for our work. That’s why, in December of 2014, I launched my own publishing imprint. It currently has two titles available; In All Things, and Road Stories, with a third coming out early next year. Yet independent publishing is also terrible because what authors want most is to connect with readers, and without huge marketing campaigns behind our books that can be very hard to do. To get the word out we need to rely on the Internet, Facebook, Email, and most importantly word of mouth. That's where you and the extraordinary Goodreads community come in.
In The News
On September 15th The Kenwood Press did a very nice piece on In All Things , my book, set in 1970, about The Sonoma Development Center (which was then called Sonoma State Hospital). - see it here.
Reviews
Kirkus Review, the country's oldest independent book review journal, also had some very good things to say about In All Things in their November 1st issue - see it here.
And just last week I achieved a lifetime goal when Road Stories was reviewed by Publishers Weekly. Any review that contains the words "His writing shines . . ." counts as a win. - see it here.
Speaking of reviews, one of the best ways you can help any author build an audience for his or her books is by reviewing them---reader reviews are the single most powerful incentive for potential readers to give a new book a try. If you've read my books, or intend to (and I sure hope you do), please take a minute to review them here on Goodreads, and thanks in advance for doing it!
Upcoming Events
On Saturday November 29th, I'll be at Readers' Books in Sonoma at noon, manning an author's table with several other local writers and helping the bookstore celebrate their birthday! As local bookstores go, they don't get any better than Readers'. I'm very grateful that they are carrying my books in their Local Author's section, and honored that they have invited me to do a reading on Thursday night, January 22nd at 7PM. That's another first for me, and if you’re in the neighborhood please come by!
Last Words
I'm hoping that you will join me as I indulge my passion for writing, learn the ropes about publishing, and share some good stories along the way. If you like what I'm writing (and I sure hope you will), please help me spread the word; tell a friend, mention it to your local bookstore, write a review, post a link on Facebook---everything helps. Maybe, between us, we can strike a blow for the independents!
