Blog Tour Monday (What Am I Working On) starring TooFullToWrite (David Ellis)

Hello dear friends and readers, welcome one and all.

First of all, to all my Irish buddies and lasses (and of course any non-Irish compadres and senoritas who are still celebrating it because, well…..duh – drinking! Hooray!) – Happy St Patrick’s Day!

I’m really pleased to be part of something called “Blog Tour Monday” and I’m following like a dancing maniacal monkey in the magnificent footsteps of the following people:-

Jo Nicel – Traveller and writer (these posts all started with her I believe, tip of the hat to you Jo);
Dr Steve Hollyman – Novelist & musician;
Louise Swingler – Arachne Press author and Ilkley Fringe Festival performer;
Sarah Jasmon, author of ‘The Summer of Secrets’, to be published by Transworld next year;
Graeme Shimmin, author of ‘A Kill in the Morning’;
Writers David Hartley and Emma Yates-Badley and finally most recently of all;
Peter Cooper, author of “Inspector Bucket & The Beast and other Inspector Bucket Short Stories.

It was Peter who nominated me (the fiend, the swine, the son of a motherless goat! I’m kidding, thank you for highlighting this opportunity to me Peter, I am happy to rise to the challenge!)

Feel free to click on any of the names I just mentioned to go back to their original Blog Tour Monday posts and discover what makes each of these artists tick, along with what projects they are currently working on. As for me, I guess I had better get this party started then – tally ho!

What am I working on?

I think the question is not ‘what am I working on’ currently but what am I not working on and the answer would be everything! I’ve taken on too much! I’ve flaming bitten off more than I can bloody well chew! Oh, woe is me, help me, Lord, help meeeh, help m………Ahem. Sorry about that, got a little bit carried away there.

To give you an idea, current projects that are slowly coming to fruition are:-

1. An Anthology of Short Stories (Tea Break Tales) for my Writers’ Circle – we are currently getting the front and back cover developed, so this should hopefully be launched in a couple of weeks.

2. A Sci-Fi novel series called Naked Future. I am working with an editor to bring to life my adventures of a detective set in the future, who begins searching for a missing dog but ends up in all sorts of trouble. It will be episodic and involve much humour! The first episode has been written and I will be working on the second episode in April, with a view to releasing the first episode by June this year. Each episode will be around 30,000 words and will build to an exhilarating climax. I intend each ‘season’ of six episodes to be part of a trilogy too, so you are all in for a treat.

3. Another collection of Short Stories set in the Sci-Fi and Horror genres. Themes/plots/etc to be developed in the future, hopefully before hell freezes over.

4. Poetry – that pretty much speaks for itself – I’ve always got a collaboration going on with someone, or planning the next one or writing my own individual pieces. I’m planning some collections to be self published soon with a variety of people, all new material not currently on my blog with people both inside and outside the blogging world.

5. Music – I’ve got plans to work on a Country Rock album at some point in the near future. The lyrics were written by a friend of mine, it is just a case of making the music (is that all? I should have that ready by teatime then). I made two albums nearly ten years ago and have never lost the drive or passion to make more music. My favourite type of music is heavy rock, so I hope to come up with further concepts for albums in the future.

6. Podcast episodes – I edit episodes for a podcast talk show that I co-host with Michael Robertson, an author friend of mine (www.michaelrobertson.co.uk) – we try to release episodes every couple of weeks, depending on whether one of us has had a baby or not (he just had a baby girl recently, bless him. And her. Bless them I should say. OK. Just to clarify, I don’t have any babies though. But if you leave your name and number, I’m sure we can work something out over a bottle of wine, a couple of Ferrero Rocher and an episode of “Cake Boss”).

7. A potential TV series that is a spin on an apocalypse that does not take place. I won’t tell you the twist(s) until it’s finished but it should be dark and fiendishly funny!

8. A comedy/action/horror film script (because you can never have too much to do. And because I really love films and want to give something back to the film industry that has given me so much lucid joy over the years. Plus I’ve seen an awful lot of action movies that are ruddy terrible and it’s time I tried to do something to redress the balance).

9. Comic books! I want to write a comic book story! Like Marvel or Judge Dredd or Dilbert or Garfield or Snoopy *starts jumping up and down on the bed* I wanna I wanna I wanna! *Calm down David, here, have this chocolate eclair* “Mmmmm thanks!” Only problem is that despite being the son of an artist (check out my Dad’s website here at For Art’s Sake), I cannot draw for sh*t. Even my stick men look like they’ve been hit with the ugly stick. Call it my kryptonite I suppose. Maybe one day I will learn but it’s not currently a priority and I can always collaborate with artists in the future.

10. I’d love to write the plot to a videogame one day soon too. Or six. But one thing at a time eh, David? You prolific maniac, you.

How does my work differ from others in its genre?

I try to channel humour into my writing as much as possible. This is what I feel gives my writing its own unique edge. My use of poetic licence and how I infuse it into my prose also tends to be another angle that I work hard on. If anything, I hope that my work differs because of my passion and commitment to entertain you all, 24/7.

Why do I write what I do?

Creativity is a disease and writing happens to be one part of the cure. I am driven to create art that inspires other people and entertains them in ways that are as original as I can possibly make them. You have to love what you do and I really do love writing in many different genres, shapes and forms. I want to conquer them all and I write what I do because I am driven by purpose and love of the medium in all of its glorious embodiments. Why limit yourself to one thing if you know in your heart that you have the drive and potential to do more? The only limits that you set in life are the ones that you impose on yourself and you should constantly be striving to surpass them (Bruce Lee said that last bit, the rest is all me, baby).

How does my writing process work?

A lot of the time I just jump right in and build a structure around myself. This tends to work pretty well for me when constructing Flash Fiction pieces, or poetry or Short Stories. However, I have realised that you need to be a lot more disciplined and structured when looking at longer pieces, like scripts, novellas and full length novels. I do enjoy editing and polishing things to perfection but sometimes you have to know when to walk away and publish something because you can’t make it any better than it already is. Do not be a perfectionist, simply make something to the best level that you possibly can at the time and then move on to the next project. Don’t be too precious about your work, let it stand on its own merits. Each completed piece of work will become a benchmark, a guiding light for you to admire, aspire to and improve upon for the next time. Start the process often and always see it through to the end. If I give you one piece of advice, it’s always finish what you start and why my blog says “I’ve started so I’ll finish.”

Nominations for the next Blog Tour Monday

Next week, I would like to victimise……I mean pass this Blog Tour Monday baton on to two very talented, charming ladies.

Firstly, allow me to present Mrs Hasty Words, who is a legendary poet and the whole reason that I collaborate with other poets to this very day. I owe her a huge debt of gratitude and she is once of the nicest, friendly people I have had the fortune to work with. Her blog is stuffed to the gills with amazing poetry and she has already been collating some of these wonderful pieces into exquisite collections.

Her blog is at “Hasty Words – Turning Tears & Laughter Into Words”.

Secondly, I am keen to nominate my very good friend (and editor) RJ Blain, who happens to have books she has written in the Fantasy genre. I’m working with RJ on Naked Future and I believe that the whole reason that it has a future is because of her wisdom and guidance. If you yourself are considering writing in the Fantasy/Sci-Fi genre, I would without hesitation recommend her services, she is both very friendly and gives you a terrific amount of detail to work with. She is a real professional and I cannot praise her enough.

Her website and blog can be found at “On Writing – Adventures In The Writing World”.

Thank you for reading and for indulging me here for Blog Tour Monday.

Don’t forget to check out Hasty Words and RJ Blain for next Monday 24th March and until then, as one of my heroes Neil Gaiman mentions constantly, keep making good art! Don’t let anything hold your creativity back, just go for it, you’ve got nothing to lose and much love to be gained!

If you are still reading this far and would like to get to know more clever, indie authors then check out some of the links below:-

Pouring My Art Out – A very funny blogger with some Sci-Fi books amusingly titled “The Otherwhere Chronicles”, suitable for fans of Red Dwarf and Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy.
Edward Hotspur – A stream of consciousness blogger who writes in a very fun and distinctive style – his books can be found here.
Author Chris Hill and his superbly dark comic debut novel Song Of The Sea God.
Author H.E. Ellis – (we might be cousins, hence why she is so cool) – check out the first in her novel series here.

And finally finally finally (no, really!) there is a Daily Prompt about remaining steadfast and dedicated to what you do, no mtter what gets in your way, which mirrors my own philosophies – we’ll have some of that chaps and if you want to read other blog posts on this particular theme, take a little looksy belowski:-

21 thoughts on “Blog Tour Monday (What Am I Working On) starring TooFullToWrite (David Ellis)”

chrishillauthor says:

March 17, 2014 at 9:17 pm

Thanks for the mention David – very kind 🙂

- TooFullToWrite says:
  
  March 18, 2014 at 8:55 pm
  
  It was the least I could do Chris, glad to put the spotlight on you. Nice to see you have a healthy lot of good reviews on Amazon too!
  
  - chrishillauthor says:
    
    March 18, 2014 at 9:03 pm
    
    Indeed, readers have been very kind so far in the UK and US. My book’s got a little bit of a cult following I suppose – not that many people have read it but those who have tend to be enthusiastic. That’s all you can hope for with a first literary novel on a small press I would say, so I’m pleased. 🙂
  - TooFullToWrite says:
    
    March 18, 2014 at 9:08 pm
    
    I’m sure it will get the attention it deserves in time if you crank out a couple more and people seek out your earlier works 🙂
  - chrishillauthor says:
    
    March 18, 2014 at 9:17 pm
    
    Here’s hoping – takes me two years to write a book, then I have to find a publisher – we’ll see how it goes!
  - TooFullToWrite says:
    
    March 18, 2014 at 9:22 pm
    
    It is hard work. However, you’ll always have my support 🙂
newtonhouseltd says:

March 17, 2014 at 9:31 pm

Really looking forward to No.1.
Busy boy, David.

- TooFullToWrite says:
  
  March 18, 2014 at 8:57 pm
  
  Yes indeed Caroline. I’m very excited about No.1, there is so much talent in our collection, it will be lovely to get it out at some point in April. I will have to buy several print copies just for myself!
  
ranu802 says:

March 17, 2014 at 10:02 pm

Wow I can’t wait to read all those stories you’ve listed.

- TooFullToWrite says:
  
  March 18, 2014 at 8:53 pm
  
  Great – hopefull you won’t have to wait too long for the first batch. There will be a fantastic selection from my Writers’ Circle when the collection comes out, that is first on the agenda!
  
pouringmyartout says:

March 17, 2014 at 10:58 pm

You are a busy little beaver… and this will be a tough act to follow.

- TooFullToWrite says:
  
  March 17, 2014 at 11:02 pm
  
  I’m sure if anyone is up for the challenge it will be you sir!
  
  - pouringmyartout says:
    
    March 18, 2014 at 12:09 am
    
    I will give it my best shot
H.E. ELLIS says:

March 18, 2014 at 1:07 am

Wow…who knew you were so prolific? Keep up the good work and thanks for the shout out, Cuz!

- TooFullToWrite says:
  
  March 18, 2014 at 8:54 pm
  
  Always welcome “Across The Pond” Cousin 🙂
  
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silentlyheardonce says:

March 19, 2014 at 5:09 pm

Okay I learned a lot about your writing but the thing that stands out and that I love is this quote. It’s so self explanatory. ‘Creativity is a disease and writing happens to be one part of the cure.’

- TooFullToWrite says:
  
  March 23, 2014 at 4:45 pm
  
  Hey there, thank you for the heartfelt comment 🙂 Glad to hear that someone else feels the same way – I just don’t feel happy with my life unless I’m working on something!
  
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