Friday, February 15, 2013

Feb 15 - "The grate science-friction righter"**

Tuesday, February 15, 1972 - Page 46
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

3:24 AM
→ MEASURED OPTIMISM (1 inch) -- 2.54 centimeters, actually
Okay folks -- I've convinced myself my story (when I finish it) will sell. Such flowing prose is fit for nothing else but print. I've read the first two sessions in the correspondence course thing, and succeeded in generating enthusiasm. I think I can keep it up, and I'm CERTAIN that Moira-Quest is destined for Analog, or Galaxy, or F&SF [Fantasy & Science Fiction] in the next few months. A great writer is born, despite the turbulent gestation. Did I say turbulent? ...drab may be more apropos, methinks. Not much longer, lad, not long.

9:30 AM
THERE HE SITS, A MAGNIFICENT SITE, THE GRATE SCIENCE-FRICTION RIGHTER. HUNCHED OVER HIS ELECTRONIC TYPEWRITER, FINGER POISED DRAMATICALLY OVER THE KEY, COGITATING OVER A PARTICULARLY FORMIDABLE PLOT COMPLICATION, HIS MANLY MUSTACHE TWITCHING IMPRESSIVELY, A THREE-DAY STUBBLE MARRING HIS FIRM CHIN AS HE DEDICATES HIMSELF THOROUGHLY TO HIS ADMIRABLE ART -- ANOTHER IMMORTAL CLASSIC UNFOLDS. Now is that writing or is that writing, I askew? 'Nuff sayed. I'm goin' to sleep. zzzzzzzzzzzz

[From Star*Reach 6, here is page 2 of Out of Space  Out of Time,
which is the published version of my illustrated epic space adventure,
previously referred to here as Moira-Quest and Enter-Stellar.]
Out of Space  Out of Time
"... the Moira-Quest began the first small step of a journey that would span decades."
9:30 PM
After I wrote that I went outside to tan my hide for an hour (from 10:15 to 11:15). Slept from noon to three -- got up and typed the first page & a half of Moira-Quest. I'm re-reading Ellison's "The Region Between" to instill the mood of awesomeness, and I saw The Search for the Nile again (Part III) and then a special called "China - Lost and Found," concerning Emperor Nixon's trip to China (pardon the irreverence -- I really don't have any convictions about it). They sure are playing it up -- his trip to China is getting as much publicity as Armstrong's trip to the Moon. The reporter said, 'smatter of fact, that we know more about the moon than what we'll see in China next Monday, Feb. 21. We shall see, shan't we?

DUE TO AN UNFORESEEN DIFFICULTY, THE ANNUAL CLAIRVOYANT MEETING WILL BE CANCELLED

[For another entry about this story, go to Apr 04 - Moira-Quest submissions]

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