New Project, New Playlist/Soundtrack

I've mentioned this to some of my peers before so it may be a rehash, but if not, consider yourself privy to an inside look at the workings of a deranged writer's mind.  When I'm working on a project, I like to compile what I think of as a soundtrack for that tale.  Whenever I'm working on that material, I put on my headphones and rock out to the playlist I have prepared.  I feel like this helps me get in the groove and arrive at the same mindset whenever I work on that piece, so the vibe and the voice that I'm looking for are easier to summon.  That may seem perfectly rational to some of you, and it may seem like utter nonsense to others.  That's just how I work, and it does seem to help me get to where I need to be to sling some ink. 

Anyhow, I rarely share much about any project I'm dealing with while it is in progress, but I occasionally dish out the working title and the playlist.  I do this because I love my peeps and I like to share.  Such a reveal may pique your curiosity so far as the current story is concerned, and it may also inspire you to check out some groovy tunes.  With all this in mind, let's get right to it.  I'm currently throwing down a novel about the most nightmarish camping trip ever, and I'm thinking of calling it "Southern Fried Hell."

This is the soundtrack I've put together to keep me on track while I put five lovely souls through the ringer:

Cattle Car – Clutch

Don't Step On The Grass Sam - Steppenwolf

Green Valley -Puscifer

One Horse Town - Hank Williams III         

Some Days – Sturgill Simpson        

Maggie M'Gill - The Doors   

Head Down – Soundgarden

Beercan - Beck

Shake Your Foundations - AC/DC  

Maybe I Am Amused - Melvins

Blue Monkey Disco - Syrup

Down To This – Soul Coughing

Spill the Blood - Slayer

I'm Shakin' – The Blasters

I Ain't Living Long Like This – Waylon Jennings

Vulture – Iggy Pop

Small Bones, Small Bodies – Future of the Left

Killing Floor – Body Count

Throw It On Me – The Hives featuring Timbaland

This Is Violence – Soulfly

Collapse - Motograter

D7 - Nirvana

Short Attention Span Review: Milius (2013)

As documentaries about filmmakers go, it is hard to imagine any subject being more prolific or intriguing than writer and director John Milius.  It should come as no surprise then that Milius is such a spectacle.  Even as a fan of this gifted filmmaker and his larger-than-life personality, I was surprised to see just how broad his impact on the film industry has been.  Those who aren't as familiar with John's body of work will likely be flabbergasted to learn that one man played such a pivotal role in so many iconic pictures and performances over the years.  His contributions to movies like Jaws and Dirty Harry are discussed along with movies he scripted (Apocalypse Now and Jeremiah Johnson, among others) and directed (films like Dillinger, The Wind and the Lion, and Conan the Barbarian).  Professional accomplishments aside, the stories about his larger-than-life antics and his brazen disregard for going with the flow are wildly compelling.  This documentary also benefits from more than just a wealth of intriguing material; the number of famed participants who share their thoughts on John's work and persona throughout the picture is positively mind-boggling.  It is entirely possible that it would be easier to list the major actors, directors, and producers who weren't in this documentary than it would be to name everyone who appeared in the picture.  Milius offers far more than reflection on the cinema and funny stories about a brazen individual, touching on politics and delving into some truly emotional territory in the closing reel.  As a fan, I was totally captivated, but I imagine that those who aren't as familiar with the subject--and perhaps even those who don't like John's filmography--will be entertained by this documentary.  It is bold, colorful, and surprisingly nuanced, much like John Milius himself.

Final Grade: A

My Sleeping Brain Writes Good Lines for Sam Elliott

There are three things that stand out about a recent dream that I had:

1) The dream was pretty damn weird.

2) While dreaming, my mind is apparently capable of writing killer lines for Sam Elliott.

3) The way my brain works, when my mind writes a killer line for Sam Elliott while I'm dreaming, this experience is potent enough to wake me up.  Whereas some people might wake in the midst of a nightmare, scared out of their minds, dreaming up good material for Sam has the same effect on me.  I was literally jolted awake.  I sat there in the darkness thinking, "Wow, that was a really good line."

So, the dream involved a woman I do not know and Sam Elliott.  These two had partnered in an attempt to operate a video rental business.  Given that my dreams tend to be rather absurd, this venture was located in a canyon and their inventory consisted of VHS tapes from the 80s.  The fact that this operation utilized VHS tapes from the 80s makes a bit more sense when you take into account that the Sam Elliot present in my dreams was also from the 80s--think The Quick and the Dead.  The canyon location is a bit more puzzling, particularly since I should probably specify that there was no structure situated within the canyon.  The VHS tapes were displayed on natural formations of rock that were roughly akin to shelves. 

Anyway, some marauding band of raiders vandalized this burgeoning enterprise one night, shooting up all the tapes.  Naturally, upon discovering this carnage the following morning, the woman and Sam Elliott were both greatly upset.  The woman was crying, lamenting the fact that they had not built a structure to house and protect their merchandise as well as her inability to find those responsible and make them pay for the damage.  Sam was equally distraught, but he was too pissed off to show it.  As he climbed atop a horse and prepared to go out looking for revenge, he said the line that I'm still stuck on.

"You're wishing you had done one thing and you're wishing you would do something else," Sam growled, yanking his six-shooter from its holster and proudly displaying it with a grin.  "Well, I'm fixing to do something--and it ain't wishing."  Then he promptly holstered his weapon and rode off, blazing a path toward a violent revenge, all while I sat up with a start, pondering my brain's ability to generate quality Sam Elliott material while I'm snoring.

If you somehow wind up in one of my dreams,
I strongly advise you NOT to fuck with Sam Elliott's VHS tapes.

Fishing (a poem)

It's been a while since I have been fishing this year, so I've had time to think about all the joy one of my favorite hobbies has brought me in 2013.  With that in mind, I decided to write a poem.  Here goes:

Fishing
by James Wayland

Fuck fishing.




Author's Note: I don't know about you, but I'm very happy with how that turned out.  As far as I'm concerned, a good poem should be truthful and direct.  Mission accomplished.

Why I Don't Like Discussing Current Projects

So, I want to try and explain something today.  There are a few questions that writers are accustomed to, and one of the most common questions is a polite inquiry about whatever it is that we're working on at present.  Now, I always appreciate anyone taking interest in my work, but this is a question I always try to avoid, and I'm sure my answers are seldom rewarding.  My hope is that in explaining my thought process here, those of you who may have been miffed (or may one day be miffed) by my generic responses to this all-too-common query will understand.

First off, I have no problems discussing anything that has been completed.  Typically, I'm more than willing to spill the beans once my first draft is finished, so you don't even have to wait for revisions and rewrites and such.  Yet I'm reluctant to discuss anything I'm currently working on, or any brilliant ideas I have yet to launch.  Many assume I'm not willing to talk about these projects because I'm afraid my ideas will be stolen, and I can see why they might perceive that as an insult.  Relax, I trust you, and I'm not worried that you're going to take my next big idea and run with it.  There are no new stories to tell anyway, it's all about the storytelling in this day and age, and I happen to like my flavor.

No, the truth is that I believe that any storyteller, whether they're a writer, a filmmaker, or even a musician, has a certain amount of juice to devote to their craft.  I guess I think we're sort of like batteries.  I also think that far too many storytellers use up too much juice talking about projects they should be working on and never produce the artwork they should.  Think about it: how many people do you know who have told you about a book they were going to write over and over again without writing a single sentence?  How many aspiring filmmakers constantly explain their big idea to people without ever buckling down and working to make it a reality?  How many musicians are constantly talking about the type of band they would like to be in and the material they would like to produce without bringing any other musicians into the fold or playing any chords?

I think a lot of aspiring storytellers fall into the trap of talking about what they intend to do, and either they use up all the enthusiasm and energy they have for the material in question describing it, or perhaps talking about it somehow becomes an acceptable substitute for production.

Now, maybe it's just me, maybe I'm the only artist wired like this, but that's why I'm so reluctant to open up and really lay out whatever I'm currently working on.  Hell, if you get a working title out of me, you should be impressed.  I like to devote myself to the work, and when I'm done I'm very eager to share the final product.  I just don't like talking about something I'm working on until I'm done.

So, I hope that helps.  For the record, I'm currently working on a sequel to Trailer Park Trash & Vampires.  The working title for that project is "Raining Blood" and I hope to use that title upon publication.  Since so many have asked, I have gone as far as to explain that the primary threat the survivors of TPT&V face in the sequel is NOT a vampire, but that's all you get.  I'm also working on an unnamed thriller that may or may not benefit from a small dose of the supernatural.  I'm not trying to be cryptic about the supernatural element either, I'm still undecided on that front.

Anyway, sharing is caring, and that's what I like to do here in the Land of Way.  I am looking to publish another novel this summer (it's called Dirty Southside Jam, it's finished, and you can ask me anything you like about it) and I'll keep you informed about that book and those that follow here.  I'll also continue to tell you all about the movies and shows I'm watching, the sports I treasure, the music I'm listening to, and the real good stuff, the various books and comics I'm scoping out.

Baby Moll by John Farris

I just finished Baby Moll by John Farris, an old novel that has been reprinted as part of the Hard Case Crime imprint.  This wasn't the first offering from Hard Case that I read, and thus far I would give the line mixed reviews.  Having said that, Baby Moll was another fine novel courtesy of one of the most gifted writers of all.  Obviously I'm a huge fan of Farris, and I don't think anyone is able to get my blood pumping quite the way he does.  I could go on and on about his ability to craft a compelling yarn ripe with twists and turns that take the reader by surprise.  Farris is a true master and the fact that there isn't more awareness of his work is puzzling. 

Baby Moll was a bit tame compared to most of his books, but that didn't prevent it from being incredibly suspenseful and increasingly grim.  I saw the big twist coming from a mile away, and that's unusual for Farris, but the book didn't depend on the big twist and it still managed to dish out a few surprises here and there.

Peter Mallory is the main character in Baby Moll, and our story begins six years after he made a fast break from the Florida mob.  Seems his old boss is losing his grip as a vicious killer stalks him, and the old man thinks Peter's the only one who can save him.  Peter doesn't want to return to the life, but the boss doesn't really give him much of a choice.  Later, the old man gives him an easy out, but by then things have reached a point where there's no turning back for Peter Mallory.  Throughout the novel, Peter is surrounded by bloodthirsty thugs and beautiful women, and he's constantly giving chase or being chased.  Everyone wants a piece of this guy, and he can't trust anyone.

This was typical thriller fare, a nice piece of writing that hit all the necessary beats and delivered a tense  climax on the heels of a riveting ride that seldom lingered.  It was certainly one of John's lesser novels, but it was still a worthy book and I would place it at the top of the list so far as Hard Case Crime is concerned.  I would recommend one of his masterpieces like Son of the Endless Night or Fiends for anyone new to Farris, but Baby Moll is a neat find that will work wonders for those of us who are in the know when it comes to one of this country's finest authors.