What's up Wednesday

Trying something new!  I have mostly used this blog as a platform to get my short stories out there, but I know there is more to writing than just pushing my work.  So I am participating in What's up Wednesday (although I'm on the other side of the International Date Line so it is Thursday for me!)

What I'm reading: NOS4A2 by Joe Hill.  I enjoyed Joe Hill's first two novels and saw great strides from Heart-Shaped Box to Horns.  HSB felt like the best effort of a very gifted high school writer.  The writing was not lacking, but the story was very linear with few surprises.  Horns was a logical progression, a layered story also well written.  NOS4A2 is another evolution.  The scale is larger and the writing more dangerous.  NOS4A2 is about creating worlds with the mind.  Some do this innocently while others have nefarious goals.  The heroine is a single mother named Vic who used her ability to create a bridge to lost things as a child, but has forgotten that part of herself.  Charles Manx is her foe, an ageless vampire-type who takes children to "Christmasland."  

What I'm Writing: I hit the 45K word mark on my WIP.  I had the idea for this story years ago and tucked it away to work on other things.  Something keeps calling me back to this tale and I am curious to find out what happens to these characters.  I know the beginning and the end of course, but it's the little pit stops along the way that interest me.  My working title is "The Last March of Elephants."  

What Inspires me right now:  Writing is my passion, but the military and school are my life.  I am nearly finished with my Business Administration degree and am very much looking forward to spending more time with my wife and daughter.  

What else I've been up to:  I am on my second week of Insanity.  I can't do it every day as the program is intended.  Having work, school, a one year old who can sort of walk, and other obligations throughout the day make it impossible to do some days, but I have seen results.  I'm down a couple of pounds in two weeks and the workouts, though not easy, no longer make me feel like weeping.  I would say to anyone who is interested you should have a decent level of fitness from the onset or you will find yourself heavily modifying the workout.  And you will also find yourself weeping.  Lots of weeping.