Nanowrimo Spotlight: DJ Weller

Greetings, friends and followers. How’s your word count looking today? I had a 5k weekend, not bad at all. Let’s take a look at DJ in Florida, who has a triple threat of blogs to share with you: freelance, baseball, and diabetes.
Have you done Nanowrimo before, DJ?

This is my second NaNo. I completed my first one last year and I have a 50,116 word mess to show for it. I was planning on revising it and editing it by now, but I have had some health issues that prevented that. Then I was going to do the revisions during NaNo this year until the idea for my next book popped into my head. My favorite memory from last year’s NaNo is when my characters decided to add a plot twist. That twist is going to involve changing some of the earlier chapters, but it will make the book better in the long run.

What are you writing about this year?
I am writing a Science Fiction novel that is set on a planet with 4 moons, 2 of which have rebelled against the government and instituted their own government. The main character, Sparks, had just left the military and is applying for a job with the planetary police force. During the application process, he starts to see discrepancies in the way that punishment is meted out. His discoveries lead to big changes, both for himself and for the planetary system.

What is your favorite book – you have to pick just one!
My favorite book is the unabridged version of The Stand by Stephen King. I really like the way King develops characters that are so realistic that you feel that you know them. This book is over 1100 pages long, giving him plenty of room to develop many characters. Then, when the characters are introduced, disaster strikes and we see how each of the characters react. The changes that they go through are realistic and believable as well as drastic.

What advice would you give to all your fellow Wrimos?
My advice to WriMos is to keep writing. Do not delete anything. If you change your mind about a chapter, just move it somewhere else, but do not delete it. It was something that you wrote, so it should count when you validate. Also, listen to your characters. They come up with some good ideas.

Sneaky Ninja question! Tell us something that’s frightened you.
Spiders. Spiders frighten me. I was moving about 10 years ago when I picked up a box that had a spider behind it. It was a big brown one and it reared up and hissed at me. I went running out the door, then I noticed that I still had the box in my hand. I spun the box around looking for a spider, but there was none there.

Another time I walked through a web. When I was brushing it off, I noticed a big banana spider on my arm. The next thing I knew, I was standing just inside the front door with my wife staring at me with wide eyes. Apparently, I came crashing through the door and it just missed hitting her on the nose.

This year I have decided to do some artwork to go along with my novel. I used PhotoShop to come up with a first draft of a cover for my NaNo project. This was my first attempt at a book cover and I’m pretty proud of it. I also created several military and police uniforms as well as a picture of my main character using HeroMachine3.

This year’s NaNo should be interesting. In March, I developed a facial paralysis that keeps me from opening my eyes. I can use a finger to open them, but then I need to do things one handed. I have since lost my job because I have been out so long. This has caused a pretty severe financial hit, but has given me more time to write.

Wow, best of luck with your Nano, DJ!