The novel that I’m currently writing doesn’t appear like it’ll be some 500+ page brick, and while it’s taking me a little longer than I anticipated to finish, the six months or so I’ve spent on it is nowhere near as long as what you hear from a lot of first-time authors, who sometimes require years to finish a piece of work.

But when you still put as much time into one project as I have so far, it’s easy to get distracted, or even lose some interest after a while. I’m definitely the kind of person who has a tendency to be swayed by the new, fresher idea that I haven’t been slaving over for months. The fact that I’ve come this far with my planned trilogy impresses me as it is.

A good part of that is because I’ve mixed up my work here and there. Just last night I covered the game between the Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers from the press box inside First Niagara Center. I got to cover two other games in February, so it was three press box trips in about three weeks for me.

This year has been especially fun for me to cover Sabres games because it’s the first season where the website I write for, SabresHockeyCentral.com, has been allowed into the locker room following the games. Regardless of whether the team wins or not, it’s an awesome experience, especially for an aspiring writer who’s 22 years old and still in college. It’s a neat feeling to stand there before star athletes who you’ve watched and admired for years, and somehow manage to stay stoic and professional the whole time.

I’m also allowed to sit in for the head coach’s post-game press conference, which, depending on if the team wins or loses, can either be uplifting, or incredibly tense. Nothing more intimidating than a furious hockey coach.

For a little over a week in February, I also took some time out of my schedule to complete a short story that will be published by Pulp Empire later this year. I originally wrote the story as a screenplay for a short film almost a year ago for one of my college courses. It’s about a young, highly-touted mixed martial arts fighter who loses his first professional fight and has to regain his composure in the aftermath. I’ll be sure to post an excerpt on here as we get closer to the release date.

Working on different projects like that keeps things fresh for me; it makes sure that things don’t grow monotonous as I spend months writing the same story. What I write beyond my novel/s certainly plays a role in that, because it’s so different from a fantasy trilogy smacking with swords, knights, magic and monsters.

With the mixed martial arts fiction, I delve into a completely different kind of world—ours. Writing a realistic story set during a modern time is a whole other effort from writing some nerdy fantasy adventure. I can’t dream up my own lands, powers and creatures, I have to adhere to reality, but that’s not a bad thing.

There’s an appeal in the challenge to writing realistic fiction. It’s satisfying when you feel as if you’ve captured the feel of a real-world scenario, but still were able to inject your own creative flair to the words. I’m especially proud that I’m able to blend my vivid description of scenes and locations (as I thoroughly use in my fantasy writing) alongside developing characters who could very well be the guy next door.

Dialogue is very fun for me to work with for a realistic story. While I don’t use Ye Olde speech like something out of the Lord of the Rings for my fantasy stories, the characters definitely speak with some added class that is uncommon in today’s society (I’m not criticizing society here). On the other hand, when it came to my mixed martial arts story, I got to let loose with vulgarity, slang and unquestionably improper grammar—just like all of us speak with today.

The coverage that I do for the Buffalo Sabres NHL team needs little explanation why it’s a big change up from my fiction writing; isn’t even fiction!

It’s been a long month. And by “long month”, I mean a lazy, do-nothing month.

I haven’t written anything in roughly four weeks; not for the blog here, not for SabresHockeyCentral.com (even with the NHL’s return from the lockout), not for any short stories, and not a darn thing for my novel.

Without getting into the little details, I fell face-first into a bit of a funk. I’m occasionally over-dramatic—that might be the author in me—and when personal problems hit, I often lose interest in everything around me, including my writing.

So, it’s a new month. How do I reignite that creative fire and get back to work? I do what I’ve always done, because this is far from the first time that I’ve needed to rejuvenate my enthusiasm for writing after some down time.

I think a lot of writers would relate to me in that my drive to write a good story is always at its highest after I’ve been emotionally impacted by another, which is why I’ve got a laundry list of novels, comics, movies and video games to dive into.

That means the $50+ I’ve spent on Amazon in the last week on such books like the Elf Queen of Shannara, Shockrockets, Kong: King of Skull Island will soon go to good use; I’ll dive into another writer’s worlds to get ideas on how I want to continue building mine. I’ll probably use my days off from work to watch a few movies that I’ve downloaded on my Kindle, and yes, I’ll spend great stretches of time with my eyes glued to my Nintendo 3DS or WiiU; Fire Emblem: Awakening, Castlevania: Mirror of Fate, Rayman Legend and Monster Hunter Tri Ultimate will do that.

I’m a video game nerd, and proud of it.

The other way I get back into the groove is something I’ve been doing since I got into my rut, and it’s the best piece of advice I can give to fellow writers—just wait it out.

Forcing yourself to write will only drive you to that level of insanity that’s a cliché for authors. That’s why, sometimes, you just need to turn away from the keyboard, and forget all about your project. Clear your head, and place your focus elsewhere until that passion returns. If you truly love the craft of writing, it always does return eventually, so don’t fear.

I knew that I would eventually figure out where I was going with my work. I’m certainly upset that it took me almost all of January, but in the end, I feel like I have regained that enthusiasm. Now I just have to sit down and drum up some diligence on my part.

I’ve got a feature article in the works about the Buffalo Sabres, a couple of games lined up where I’ll cover the team from the press box inside of First Niagara Center, a short story about an MMA fighter that I only have a couple of scenes left to complete, and of course, I have a better idea of what direction I’m taking with my novel/s.

With that said, I should probably get to work.

After a long few weeks of school finals, holiday retail work and the holidays themselves, I’ve got something special to post here. I’m nearly halfway done with my first novel, the opening book in a fantasy trilogy, so I thought it was about time to provide just a sneak peek for anyone who might be interested.

Below is just a brief excerpt from what has turned out to be one of my favorite scenes that I’ve written so far. Hopefully it’ll spark some intrigue for anyone who reads.

The book is tentatively entitled Echoes of Light, the first book in the Radiant Legend Trilogy. The excerpt here comes from an action scene about midway through the story, where the main hero must face off against a monstrous adversary to protect his close friend, the princess of the kingdom.

Read on-

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Alamor did not even look back at the princess as she fled; his fiery eyes were locked solely onto the winged-beast in front of him. He stood unflinching before the creature as unprecedented vigor stoked his skin. He was the one thing standing between the beast and the princess. He was the only person who could protect her now.

He would not fail his beloved friend.

No. Never again.

The winged-monster drove towards Alamor with another horrible cry. It beat its wings and lifted itself off the ground, slashing at Alamor with its long talons. He leapt out of the way just in time as the claws ripped through the purple carpet down to the stone floor beneath. The creature quickly lashed out again, swinging one talon in a furious swipe. Alamor ducked underneath, and the monster’s nails passed just inches over the back of his neck.

When he straightened, he saw another talon coming toward him. He lifted his shield and deflected it off the steel surface. He somehow kept his footing despite the impact of the blow, and immediately replied with a hard cut of his sword.

Alamor felt the blade score over the creature’s talon and dig into its skin. The winged-horror drew back with a shriek, stepping gingerly on the leg that Alamor struck once it landed.

Alamor charged ahead, but he only took three steps. The monster aimed its wings at him as a salvo of feathers shot from its plumage. Alamor lifted his shield purely out of instinct, and he soon realized that it likely saved his life.

The feathers that raced from the monster’s wings were stiff and sharp, like a storm of flying daggers. Most either bounced off Alamor’s shield or lodged into the floor around him, but at least two managed to sneak around his defenses. Even though they only nicked him, the barbed feathers cut clear through his armor and cleaved his skin beneath.

Alamor painfully dropped to one knee as his teeth grated together. His beastly adversary seized the opportunity and swung one of its wings. Alamor was lifted clear off of his feet as he was batted aside, and skidded across the floor once he landed.

The princess’s terrified scream brought his focus back to the battle even as one side of his body nearly went numb. He rolled out of the way just as the winged-monster tried to pounce onto him.

Alamor hastily ambled away. When he turned back to face his monstrous adversary, it had already sent its spine-covered tail whipping towards him. Twice he let it scrape across his shield, staggering him both times. Then the beast aimed low and swung at his legs.

The tail raked beneath his knees, and Alamor was sent crashing to the temple floor as a sharp holler flew out of his throat. Were it not for his crimson armor, Alamor knew that his legs would have been shattered or torn to shreds—maybe both.

The monster lifted its tail high into the air and brought it down, swinging at what it thought was a defenseless Alamor.

But just before the tail reached him, Alamor met it with his blade and seared through it in one fluid motion. Alamor heard both a thud from the severed stump landing on the ground and an agonized screech from the beast as he hurried back to his feet.

To his surprise, the damage he had just inflicted upon the monster did not stun it for long. It shambled towards him in a maddened rage, lashing out once more with its talons…
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If all goes to plan, I’ll have the book completed by the end of March, and after a few months of editing and publishing preparations, it’ll be available by August or September-ish. During that time I’ll be sure to post a couple more excerpts, so keep checking back if you’re interested!

Nothing too extensive this week. If you look at the site’s header, you’ll see a new tab entitled “Articles”, where you’ll now find some of my favorite journalistic pieces that I’ve written over the years. If you’re not interested in hockey or video games they probably won’t interest you too much, but hey, that’s what I’ve loved writing about all these years.

I’ll be sure to update that any time I get another piece published somewhere. I have a couple pieces about the Buffalo Science Museum and Buffalo Zoo that I wrote a class this semester that I’d like to showcase somewhere. And at some point I’ll shorten the hyperlinks listed there now that I’ve finally learned how to code them here on WordPress.

I also have one or two additions to the Short Fiction page. I finally listed the first mixed martial arts story I ever wrote, and I added some brief details behind an upcoming short story which will be made into an audio story sometime this winter.

In the meantime, I’m busy beyond words. Working retail during the holidays is one thing, but college has absolutely kicked my butt this semester. Thank God I’m two class days and 1 exam away from being done for a month and a half’s worth of winter break.

I’m also making great progress with my novel, the first in a high fantasy trilogy I’m working on. I’m about 40-45% of the way done, and should hit the halfway point before the end of the year. I’ve written some excellent scenes in the last few weeks, especially the ones with all of the action and fighting–those have turned out to be really high energy. I’m excited to proceed onward with the story and I’m positive that it’s going to turn out great.

I’ll have something more interesting to post next week, promise. ‘Til then, it’s back to writing, for me.

I’m not sure why I enjoy winter as much as I do. Driving on icy roads can be a royal pain, and with the way that I drive, life-threatening. I hate walking across my college campus when it’s below-freezing temperatures, and the wind cuts through me like a knife.

But every year when the snow starts falling, I can’t help getting excited.

Maybe it’s because I’ve grown up in Buffalo, New York, where frigid, snowy winters are a mainstay not just in the region’s climate, but our own culture. Up here, we take pride in our Viking approach to winter.

Or maybe it all has to do with Christmas. For me, it isn’t a true Christmas unless there’s snow on the ground and wearing a jacket is necessary to go outside. Seeing evergreen trees, poinsettias and festive lights without any of that fluffy white stuff is just plain weird to me.

But that wouldn’t explain why I still enjoy winter after December 25^th. Because whether it’s December, January or even February, I love a good, raucous snowball fight with my friends. I love going out to the pond to play some ice hockey or simply to skate around for an afternoon; and no, heading to an indoor ice rink doesn’t cut it like going to the frozen pond does.

Heck, I went to the Buffalo Zoo the other day—when it was 38 degrees outside and we hada good four inches of snow—and I had as just as much fun I the time I visited over the summer. In fact, many of the animals seemed to prefer the chilly temperature as opposed to Buffalo’s infamous summer humidity. The River Otters and Sea Lions all went for a swim like it was no big deal, while guys like the Snow Leopard and Spectacled Bear were far more enjoyable to watch stalk through the snow than it was to see them lay around and pant back in July.

Even though it chills me to the bone no matter how much I bundle up, I feel a sense of calm when I’m outside during the winter. The early nights are one of my least favorite parts of the autumn season, but once we get snow falling here in Buffalo, the pitch-black nights become gorgeous. The snow definitely brightens the night, and sky often takes on a lavender or indigo shade that looks like it’s been painted by some artist. I often stand outside on winter nights just to take in the glistening white scenery; it helps me relax when I want to meditate or pray for a while.

Especially if there’s a light snowfall going on. Sure, blizzards are never fun to be stuck in the middle of, but when there’s a gentle dusting of snow coming down, there’s nothing more serene.

What I’m kinda getting at is that snow is just plain pretty, if I haven’t already given the hint.

Maybe one day I’ll take up skiing or snowboarding, and then the snow and cold will actually benefit me. Until then, I still have my own reasons why I enjoy winter, even if those reasons don’t make complete sense.

I won’t plan any of this out or rearrange things once I’m done; I’m just going to write exactly what comes to mind as I’m going through. All of this right here is why I’m so thankful for the life that I live.

I’m thankful for an incredibly loving family that supports me with everything I do in my life. My mom and dad are the best parents I could ever ask for, I have a wonderful older sister, older brother and one particular older cousin (that’s you, Al) who have always looked out for me as I’ve grown up. I have too many amazing aunts, uncles, and other older cousins to count. I love my brother-in-law, my two beautiful nieces, my grandma who’s still on this earth, and my other grandma and my two grandpas who wait for me after this life.

I’m thankful for all of the close friends I have in my life, people who mean more to me than I could ever explain; Tony, Kenny, Josh, Josiah, Lauren, Adam, Marissa, Tyshawn, Charles, Amanda, Jordan, Brianna, Lauren H., Ali, Josh M., Tony F., John, Alex, Jonathan, Corey, Kyle, Eric, Jarrett, Andy, Brian and Dave. I love them all from the bottom of my heart.

I’m thankful for so many of my friends’ family members–moms, dads, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles cousins, grandparents–who I’ve grown so close with other the years that they’re just like family of my own by now.

I’m thankful for my health; that I’m able to live each and every day without pain or the fear that today may be the last. I’m thankful that I have no obstructions in living my life to the fullest and doing whatever it is that makes me happy.

I’m thankful that I have a job which allows me to pay all of the finances that I need to take care of in order to get by in life. I’m also thankful that I have a job that I enjoy as much as I do and have met so many great people at.

I’m thankful that I’ve been lucky enough to have such great education over the years, which has provided me great lessons on how to be successful in life, has allowed me to meet many of my best friends, and has allowed me the privilege of knowing so many great teachers who have passed on their wisdom to me in and out of the classroom.

I’m thankful that I have access to the many luxuries that I enjoy in life; all of the books, comics, video games, movies, tv shows, websites and sports that I use to either pass along a few fun hours, or inspire me.

I’m thankful that I have the means to express myself in my writing, my greatest passion in my life, and that I have the opportunity to make a career out of it and show who I am as a person to the rest of the world.

I’m thankful that, a little over a year ago, I didn’t make the biggest mistake of my life while I questioned just how good my life was. I’m thankful that I pulled myself out of a very miserable period, and that I eventually managed to rediscover my pride in myself, and my love for all that my life includes. I’m thankful that I’ve grown up as much as I have, have grown wiser, and learned to cherish every person and every blessing in my life.

Last and absolutely not least, I’m thankful that I have my faith in Jesus Christ, who guides me and inspires me every day to be the most loving person I can possibly be.

Happy Thanksgiving, all!

 

Maybe someday this intro post where I tell you who I am and what I do will be necessary, but for the time being it won’t surprise me if only my friends and family who already know me way too well read this blog. Hey, at least they love me enough to.

My name’s Jeffrey Pawlak (call me Jeff). I’m 22 years old, proudly residing in my hometown of Buffalo, New York, and working my way through college as a Journalism major.

That said, it’s not Journalism where I dream of making it big. Since I was 7 years old I’ve wanted to be an author. In the last few years I’ve dabbled in plenty of short stories, some of which have even been published by small print outlets. You can find those in the Short Fiction section of the blog.

At the moment I’m working on the first book in a fantasy trilogy that I’ve had in my head for years. If all goes right, I’ll have the first book completed by April or May of next year. Unfortunately, those pesky school, work and social lives take up a lot of time that could be used for writing.

If you keep coming by my blog, you’ll learn a lot more about that trilogy, as well as myself.