Daily archives: October 4, 2006


Heavens End

Yes, today’s instalment of Heavensent was the final one. I decided to leave it quite open. As they cast off and head up river you don’t really know what the future has in store for them. Also, the main mystery of the whole thing was just how they got to be there, what the Silver Tower really was and where the two groups of travellers came from.

Plus, I no longer wanted to do the whole Heart of Darkness trip upriver I’d originally envisioned for the third part of the story because the revelation of the Seeds made it more or less redundant.

I’m working on a new story at the moment, at work. It’s great. Because it’s my job to answer the phones there are periods when I have nothing to do, and they don’t seem bothered that I scribble loads of notes into a notepad during those periods. Yesterday’s simplicity post was a result of downtime scribbling and there has to be a few thousand words of novel waiting to be transcribed as well. I’m working slightly differently to normal in that I’m composing scenes and sequences that I think will be important but not in the order they will appear. Everything gets to be stitched together later. It seems to be working better than charging in and trying to get it all down in the order I want it to appear, continually stopping for inspiration.

When this fortnight’s work is over I’m going to have to head out during the day to find quiet places to scribble where there is no distraction from always-on internet.

Technorati tag: , ,


Songs to get buried to

Following on from Monday’s post about the top ten funeral songs, I thought it would be worth drawing up a list of alternative funeral songs. Leave your own suggestions in the comments and I’ll add them to the list.

I Can’t Imagine The World Without Me – Echobelly
The already mentioned brisk two fingers to death and a call to enjoy life.

Life is Grand – Camper Van Beethoven
After an album of songs about death and drugs the Beethovens turn around and say, “The hell with you miserable bastards, we quite enjoy life.”

The Only Living Boy in New Cross – Carter USM
You can never be sure with Carter, they hide some dark subjects under their pop-punk. This song seems to be about the pressures of touring and I adopted it as the theme tune to a hellish period on the road in 2001. In keeping with the memorial theme it does have a dedication-

Goodbye Rudy, David and Rosie
Abraham and Julianne
and everyone that knows me

The gypsies, the travellers and the thieves
The good, the bad, the average and unique
The grebos the crusties and you and I

Wonderstuff – Give, Give, Give, Me More, More, More

Well I hope I make more money than this in the next world.
I hope there’s a lot more in it there for me.
I’d like my trousers pressed and my shoes
shined up by a rich girl,
who’s only care in the world is me.

What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong or Joey Ramone
Because it is a wonderful world, and perhaps people need reminding.

Previous musical lists-
Songs
Music to get laid to

Additions

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life – Monty Python
So obvious I’m surprised more people don’t choose it. Best if you can be sure a choir of friends and family will get up to perform it.

Technorati tag: ,


Heavensent 11.11

“There is claim of a holy man in the city of Reff, and a rebellion on the Plains that should draw attention away from the river.” Aylo passed on the latest intelligence from the quayside.

“We will try to contact him.” Bobb was at the top of the gang plank. “Thank you for the vessel.” A sweep of his hand took in the medium sized river trader. “And the crew.”

“You could have had a full river battleship, and enough crew to man it twice over.”

“This will be enough. We do not want to draw attention to ourselves.”

A horn blew on the bridge. “It is time to go.” Bobb raised the gangplank. Crew members threw off the lines that held the boat against the quayside.

There were few people in the crowd that saw the six strangers and their twenty five volunteer crew off. All made the sign of the Silver Tower.

Technorati tag: ,