Author: Warren Dalton

Author of Death Wish and the Aftermath Collection

Reunion

Posted on by Warren Dalton

This week some of my old friends from high school and I got together to have dinner and just talk. I hadn’t seen some in as much as three years and some I saw three months ago but, I think it was good for me. Just to get an update,While I didn’t get to talk to all of them the way I wanted or as long as I wanted I had the best time. I laughed better than I had in months and it was all thanks to them.

Some of them were in great places in their lives, getting a great job or meeting people that would be or could be spouses. One moved pretty far. Some of them had significant others who just seem to really get them. One of them was getting over his first big heartbreak. It was sad to see but, we got him to look back and laugh for the first time.  I was there by myself but, I saw the changes in them and found a way to connect to that with my own. It was electric.

For me the highlight of the night was when some one I guess I had looked up to a bit from the old days said “So your published… Your like one of the only one of us to do something.” I can’t really put into words the way that made me feel but I hope it will be in my memory for a long time to come. Helping me get over writer’s block and persevere when I want to procrastinate. For me this was one of the best nights of my adult life.

My Brother

Posted on by Warren Dalton

I had a dream a couple of nights ago about my brother. He died three years ago. That’s all I usually say about it. He died. I mean people ask all the time about it. How he died and I tell them and there’s a pity in their eyes.

It’s not that I like talking about him, it’s not that I like there sympathy. I guess it helps keep me grounded. Centered on the fact that it happened and that I’m okay. Maybe that’s wrong, using him like that… I mean it probably is… It’s just I need to have it be there in my life. I need to know it was a fact and that it happened. That he’s gone now and I loved him.

So back to my dream. He was dying again, this time longer this time we knew. This time I wasn’t angry. This time he was older. As old as he would have been today. He was just sitting in the car. I guess for privacy to get away from everyone. This time I had a chance to say good bye.

I told him just how much he meant to me. How sad I was going to be to see him go. I guess my mind hadn’t quite gotten their yet. I held him tighter than I’ve ever held anyone. I cried so much and when my mind had finally caught up. I told him we’d be okay. That we’d be fine. We already had been. That we’d be torn apart and forever changed, but we’d be okay. And he cried for the first time. We cried together.

I think in then end this dream was good for me I needed to get it out. It was cathartic. I don’t know if dream me got to be with him in his final moments but, I finally got to say good bye.

Balance

Posted on by Warren Dalton

I have a huge problem finding balance. I seem to only be able to focus on one thing at a time. It literally stalls my relationships out. I am not good at keeping things in balanced. To me if I am not giving my all to writing or at work… I get anxious. I need to get better at this supposedly, it takes practice but it seems like all my friends are way closer to their goals than I am. I need to keep going. I need to cut out everything but, this.

It’s a terrible way to live and I am not sure exactly how to get any better. I mean it’s hard for me to just maintain the relationships I have or to even go out at night. I am not sad or anything writing is my life. It’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do and to be really getting somewhere with it I am at a loss for words. I am laying the groundwork now so that I may get to play in the future. I’d like this to be something bigger than me and I’ll do anything to make that happen.

Research

Posted on by Warren Dalton

I have to say I do a ton of research for my writing. I enjoy learning and it kinda gives me more of an idea about not only the world we live in but the world I’m trying to create. That said how much is too much?

Most of the time when we are talking about some rare herb in China we could just make it up. The secret connection between King Tut and Shang Dynasty? Make it up. But I think that certainly does a disservice to the reader and to our past.

What I mean is that readers are smart people and they will pick apart the things in the story that don’t make sense. And how can you blame them. They buy things on good faith that they are good or at least as good as the last product you made. A character in an Anime I was watch “Everything thing a creator creates is like our business card”- Segawa-san, Shiro Bako. Now to me that means a lot everything I do on the internet or in my life, within this alias, has to be done so that anyone who is looking at one thing can discern who I am as an artist, a writer, or as an author. That’s a big burden to put on any piece but, it’s the burden you have to put on it.

And that’s why I research. That’s why I study things I had no interest in school or college so that I can become a better writer. So my work can have a bit more grounding, a bit more weight. Plus it gives me a little understanding in a conversation if someone wants to talk to me about herbology.

Hey Readers!

Posted on by Warren Dalton

These last couple of months have been amazing. I have really put my nose to the grindstone to bring you Death Wish. It just came out and I’m more excited than ever to keep writing. This is the only thing I’ve ever wanted and I’m extremely interested in where it will take me. So I hope that’s a good enough introduction for now. I will try and keep up with this but you can always find me on:

Twitter: bit.ly/1MzZX83

Facebook: on.fb.me/1MwdBIh