That Black Hole We Call Writing

Writing isn’t all that we do, is it? What’s your second favorite activity?

by Paul D. Marks

You mean there is one? Who has time for secondary activities? Writing is like a black hole, sucking in everything around it. Housecleaning, socializing, hobbies and fun, get skimped on. And even when we’re doing those things the mind is always thinking of that next plot twist. Even when I’m relaxing doing brain surgery hobby in my spare time I’m thinking about scalpel twists and plot twists.

But when I have time to do other things, you know like sleep, there are several things that I like doing, can’t just name one second fave. Like others have mentioned, reading is one of my fave activities, but lately I get so many requests to read for blurbs that I have virtually no time to read for myself. In fact, I’m so overextended in that area that I’ve had to put a moratorium on accepting new material to read. When I do read for pleasure of course I enjoy reading mystery/crime fiction of various sorts, though usually not in the cozy area (no offense cozy-ites). I like reading works from the classic era of crime fiction, Chandler, David Goodis, Jim Thompson and others, as well as current crime fiction. I also enjoy reading mainstream, the classics and non-fiction. My favorite book is Somerset Maugham’s The Razor’s Edge. But when people ask what I’m reading I’m always hesitant to mention current authors for fear of the hurt feelings of those not mentioned.

I like music, both listening and playing. My first dream was always to be a rock star, whose isn’t? But I knew I didn’t have the chops. Still, I enjoyed being in bands when I was younger. And I still have acoustic, electric and bass guitars that I noodle on, though not as often as I’d like. I like listening to (and playing) a variety of music genres. My faves are the Beatles, hands down. And I enjoy 60s music, New Wave and punk. And today’s alternative. Have been listening to Rodney (no longer on the Roq but now on Sirius) forever. I also like swing music (and got to see a bunch of swing bands and singers that were still around when I was younger when my friend Linda and I would seek them out, I feel very lucky about that), cowboy music (not to be confused with country music). I like a lot of classical, especially baroque. Peruvian and other things.

Movies, of course, both watching and working on them. I spent many years doing script doctoring, no screen credit, no glory. But it sure was fun…much of the time. Except that time that a producer threatened to send his friends in the Mossad after me… As for watching them, a lot of newer movies leave me cold. I used to have broader tastes in what I liked to watch. I’d see almost everything, big films, little films, art films, foreign films. Today I prefer thrillers, though lately again I’ve started watching a little broader range. And I love old movies from the 30s and 40s and some 50s and 60s. Though the 70s was also a true renaissance for American films—lots of good stuff there.

Speaking of Hollywood, I love researching the history of Hollywood, LA, and history in general. And when I’m working on a writing project if there’s research to do I can get lost for hours going from link to link. It’s a “legit” way to play hooky from the actual writing.

I also collect toys, you know that plastic “crap” you threw out when you grew up. Army men, cowboys and the accessories that went with them. Well, my parents threw out (actually gave to the Salvation Army I believe) my toys when I went overseas but eventually I started collecting them again. When I started going to toy shows, I felt a little funny, but when I met other guys my age, including vets, bouncers and other assorted tough guys, and there’s a whole subculture of us out there, still playing with our army men, I felt like it was okay :–) . And I like photographing the little guys, as well as other things. In fact, I love taking pix in general, so that would be another second favorite thing, along with all the other second favorite things.

In the olden days, I liked to SCUBA dive, but haven’t been able to do that in some time. Travel’s also in there. And I always wanted a boat—well maybe someday.

But my two favorite things, corny as it sounds, are walking the dogs and hanging with them and Amy—and when we had cats hanging with them too. We live in a semi-rural area and I enjoy walking the dogs almost as much as they enjoy it. Yeah, corny but true, what can I say?

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And now for the usual BSP:

My story “Blood Moon” appears in “Day of the Dark, Stories of the Eclipse” from Wildside Press, edited by Kaye George. Stories about the eclipse – just in time for the real eclipse on August 21st. Twenty-four stories in all. Available on Amazon.

www.PaulDMarks.com

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