C.H.Lei

Three books (from left to right) 1. Hardcover copy of Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo 2. Leatherbound copy of Anatomy of a Murder by Robert Travers 3. Leatherbound copy of Which Lie Did I Tell?: More Adventures in the Screen Trade by William Goldman, signed by the author, first edition. Wrapped in plastic. Yes, I bought a leatherbound memoir about how to screenwrite etc.

#bookhaul

Got some fun stuff that just came in. Two leatherbounds that was extra stock from the defunct Franklin Library (one of which I did not know was shrinkwrapped, and idk if I wanna open it).

And the other … well, I heard this Bardugo’s got demon dong? Let’s goooooo.

#books #booksky

The Collected Short Stories of Louis L’Amour: Volume 1, the Frontier Stories. Magic: The Gathering card as bookmark.

Doing something a bit different, and for some reason in a Western mood.

So might as well go with the cowboy GOAT.

Look, I watch a lot of slasher movies. I will totally write 6 short stories that are 70% the same thing, built around the same conceit, if I have a character I wanna be like “Look what my brain juices printed out! I love them and you better love them too!”

In fact, I do have one.

#writing #booksky

My small-ass had town had a legit arcade. We’re talking everything, the classics, a shooter on an imported Lupin III cabinet, VR gaming, AND about 50 something pinball machines. COVID killed it dead.

I shoulda bought the Tempest machine.

All my long-form projects always seem to have problems with the first chapters. A lot of it is rushing into the new status quo that a character is introduced to. Any recommendations on smoother first acts?

Honestly, that’s a fire rejection message.

#WeeknightWriters Q5:

My one-sentence is TOO LONG lol. So trope-wise, I’ll just say I’m a big fan of arrogant piece-of-shit girl failures, surreal and psychedelic horror moments (ala Mononoke), and the thriller staple of nobody believing anything an MC says because the powers that be are too big.

#WeeknightWriters Q4:

Honestly, the going rate is gonna be when I feel: “I’ve done enough for today.”

For me, I feel like having some sort of numerical goalpost that’s set daily or weekly makes me more adverse to being creative.

I’ll worry about deadlines when I actually have an agent etc lol.

In my opinion it actually meshes really well if there aren’t that many supernatural creatures! All the posession and shapeshifting and illusions etc—a twist heavy sub-subgenre like the Hitchcockian thriller meshes really well with just about any East Asian folkloric influence.

#WeeknightWriters Q3:

This is where I’m happy the Hitchcockian thriller exists. we got a thriller but more on the mystery side, but not exactly a whodunnit. And the Chinese influence, well, fantasy obviously, but could also count as folk horror.

Chinese fantasy/Hitchcock thriller is easier to say.

It’s always been my plan! I have two books I completed in college for practice, and it’s been my goal to rewrite them, just cus of personal reasons connected with writingthwm atm.

#WeeknightWriters, I am C.H.Lei, and I am uh, cheating for my #FirstDraftFall in that I’m rewriting the first book I ever completed back in college X years ago. Same plot beats, but just adding chapters and polishing dynamics etc.

But it’s a Chinese fantasy Hitchcockian thriller, so yeah fun times.

So I guess I mean, 3 out when taking account only the original run and the Rob Zombie remakes.

Man, franchises can be so confusing sometimes lol

So I am learning now! I’m glad to know I am not alone in my wacky opinions!

And 1000%. 2018 was so good.

That’s my hot take lol

Honestly, I think 3 is probably the only other good ones in the franchise besides the OG …

Look, I get it that there’s baked-in non-speculative fantasy in the romance genre. To escape etc. But I’d kill for a romcom where like, one of half of our intrepid couple works at, like, a Jack in the Box or a DQ.

#writing #booksky

Me and my many unrealized long-form projects because my cast is literally just a bunch of kids that swear too much.

Seriously, the most I ever swore in my life was when I was 13.

#writing

Yeah. Loved the premise and themes it tackles, but hated the way that I had to wait for the end reveal for the MC to figure everything out. Like I’m pretty well-read, bit they did it so blatently bad. Really put a damper on it. It’s on HBO Max, if you got it.

Movie was fine—idk if it’s the book, but there’s a reveal that basically spoils the entire premise in like the end of the first Act 1, which means 90 minutes of waiting for the characters to figure out the conceit of their conundrum.

Most I’ve*

More if seen, excepting the Vanishing and Duel. I guess if anything, I’m just looking more on the book side. Can’t really think any that aren’t King.

Enjoying a writing challenge of trying to write some atmospheric horror in full daytime. No lakes/ocean, no shadows, no cosmic horror or zombies. All daytime—Definitely the hardest thing to do because you don’t see it much. Or at least I don’t.

If you know any, throw them my way.

#writing #booksky

Oh, huh. I only have it in French lol. But do love me some wonky english.

Did it come with the defunct-VRV English dub? I’m been trying to find that for a while.

Honestly, my mind never even fathomed going to dolphins for comparisons. It’s definitely widened my options!

Hah, yeah, there’s just that too. I’m probably just gonna go “whatever feels right”, but at least I know a lot more about fish muscular structure and physiology.

Trying to think of up a weight for a mermaid for fight reasons. And the fact that a mahi-mahi can get to like 5-something feet but only 80 poinds but a blue-fin tuna can be almost a ton at 15ft is REALLY throwing me off.

#writing #booksky

I think half of my ideas are better suited for the graphic novel/comic format, but my art style is what I’ll call “surreal computer chip design doodles” so I guess I’ll stick with the written word lol.

#writing

Not exactly comfort watching (though I do have Wednesday S2 saved for tonight also), as I’m currently comfort listening. Got a couple dates with some Miles Davis albums.