The Twitter Story: "The Halloween Job"

I am reviving my old blog for one story especially for those in the know and my Patreon backers. So enjoy this collected version of the Twitter tale "The Halloween Job".

It was supposed to be an easy gig. The kind everyone walked away rich from. Jules had it all figured.

— Nicholas Ahlhelm (@ahlhelm) October 31, 2014

...1st National had 10 million in bonds coming out on a Brinks truck. We were just going to withdraw it on the way out. Smash, grab, run...

— Nicholas Ahlhelm (@ahlhelm) October 31, 2014

...And it wasn’t like I was one of the guys inside. I was the wheels, man. I just had to drive us away. I’m no killer...

— Nicholas Ahlhelm (@ahlhelm) October 31, 2014

...It was an evening job. Just after dark. Only a few folks would be at the bank. It was supposed to be easy...

— Nicholas Ahlhelm (@ahlhelm) October 31, 2014

...Jules, Marie and Terrence went inside. They didn’t play either. Jules got AKs off some Russian & they were ready to shoot...

— Nicholas Ahlhelm (@ahlhelm) October 31, 2014

...I waited in the car. When they came out, it was clear something went really wrong. Terrence wasn’t with Jules & Marie...

— Nicholas Ahlhelm (@ahlhelm) October 31, 2014

...Jules & Marie were both covered in blood. They looked like they took a bath in it. It didn’t make sense at all...

— Nicholas Ahlhelm (@ahlhelm) October 31, 2014

...They threw themselves in the back of the car. They both yelled, “Drive! Drive!” So I drove. I was up to ninety in seconds...

— Nicholas Ahlhelm (@ahlhelm) October 31, 2014

...But that wasn’t the end of it. One look out the rearview and I saw it. Or should I say her...

— Nicholas Ahlhelm (@ahlhelm) October 31, 2014

...It was a dark haired girl. She didn’t look like more than a teenager. But she seemed to be floating on some kind of bat wings...

— Nicholas Ahlhelm (@ahlhelm) October 31, 2014

...I yelled a dozen curses, but Jules and Marie just kept telling me to drive. The flying woman gained on us though...

— Nicholas Ahlhelm (@ahlhelm) October 31, 2014

...A second later, I heard a slam on the hood of the car. I saw her face in the back window just before the glass shattered...

— Nicholas Ahlhelm (@ahlhelm) October 31, 2014

...Jules disappeared out the back. I didn’t see him hit the ground. I was already swerving around the road, but she held fast...

— Nicholas Ahlhelm (@ahlhelm) October 31, 2014

...Marie jumped from out her window, trying to escape. I heard her body hit the ground. It wasn’t pretty...

— Nicholas Ahlhelm (@ahlhelm) October 31, 2014

...The woman was in the car with me. “You shouldn’t have done that,” she said. Then she opened her mouth...

— Nicholas Ahlhelm (@ahlhelm) October 31, 2014

...I saw her fangs. Terrible gigantic teeth. I saw her mouth open like a snake’s—too wide. And that was the last thing I saw...

— Nicholas Ahlhelm (@ahlhelm) October 31, 2014

...That’s how I got here. What is this place anyway? What’s with all the fire? What are you doing with that pitchfork? Noooo!

— Nicholas Ahlhelm (@ahlhelm) October 31, 2014

Good news and bad news

I am going to start blogging more regularly in the near future. Unfortunate, it is not going to be here. Starting on the first of January, my former superhero group blog site SuperPoweredFiction.com becomes my personal site for here until eternity (or at least the next few years.) It will be the home on updates on my projects, discussions on general topics of today and yesterday, commentary on things I enjoy (or sometimes hate) and the like. Long time SPF readers will also see some of their favorite posts remain with my continued focus on Kickstart the Week, SuperPowerCast (which should start a biweekly schedule in January), Great Art, Wrestling Wednesday and an expanded Cosplay Friday. I hope to see everyone there. Thanks again and see you in 2013, folks!

Music to write by: Bucky Covington & Shooter Jennings

Currently making its way through the queue of country that really doesn't fit what I am writing at all:

Nanowrimo is on!

It's November again and if you are like me that only means one thing: Nanowrimo! (Okay, it also means Thanksgiving and shopping and such, but you know what I mean, right?)

This year I am battling just about everything to get my new Nano-project off the ground. The story I develop will play a major role in the next year of Metahuman Press publications, but right now my Nano-writing has been slow going. With a new more intensive day job, more responsibilities as an editor of a full line of  books and a nasty bout of bronchitis, week one of Nano has not been pretty.

As I type this, it is Day 8 and I am only 3,766 words into my story. That puts me about 10,000 words behind the eight ball.

However, I have gained a renewed speed when I do get the time to lay word to page, so hopefully that will translate into a very fruitful weekend of writing for me.

Wish me luck and let me know what you are Nano-writing!

Time and the frustrations of the writer's life

At times, the creative energy needed for writing can feel like more of a drain than anything else, especially when the time to actually sit down and put your ideas to paper gets eaten up by things like jobs, family and whatnot.

These problems only multiply against a deadline. One of the hardest thing for any creative writer to do is not only find the time to put pen to paper, but also to make sure they complete something of quality within the time frame needed.

I find myself fighting deadlines more now than I ever have in my life and strangely most of them are for projects I am writing for my own Metahuman Press. I have three stories that must be completed before the end of October and almost no time to do so past a 40 hour a week job, hours spent at home with my three year old, the need to edit four other titles all sitting in the MHP pipeline and the occasional need to get some sleep.

I don’t really have any good solutions for the problems of time management other than find the time where you can find it.

At times, it seems easier just to say “STOP” and just do something else. But anyone with the itch to create knows that path only leads to more frustration.

So how do you make time to write and create? Share your thoughts in the comments below.