For Those Of You Playing The Home Version

It seems to me that if you're not a writer, you don't understand what work actually goes into constructing a novel; My present exhibit being Doing research. I haven't written a single word, because I'm currently in the research stages. Which, for me, is a LONG process - particularly as I was recently promoted at Ye Ole day job, and have even more work to do there. Continuously I am shaping and re-shaping the treatment for the story, but I won't feel ready to attack it until I have knowledge of specific things. I've made a list of everything I need to look into, and am making notable progress through it.

So far, I've:
- Done a terse reading on the island of Faial.
- Read on variations of established Government, with a focus on Geniocracy,
Cybersynacy, Kleptocracy, and Monarchy. *Kleptocracy isn't precisely a form of
government; more like slanderous/libeling characteristic. A cynical person might
claim "America is not a Democracy, it's a Kleptocracy."
- Looked into sensory deprivation, how it works and effects There is a place in
Chicago, fairly close, that I'm going to visit. I'll start with a Light/sound
machine, and work my way onto the tanks.

Not ready to discuss the details, but if you want to make your own assumptions, those are the bread crumbs you'd need to follow. I still don't have a working title. Although, I had a dream where a man was climbing down a ladder headfirst to reach the stars of space. Upon waking I immediately understood that was the title of the book. So, if you can keep that image in your head, there you go.

October will not be a productive month, I fear. This is directly because of the presence of the Chicago International Film Festival. Allied Marketing finally confirmed my press credentials (I pick them up Tuesday), and that will become my life for two weeks or so. Cloud Atlas is this year's centerpiece, and there is a chance I'll be able to interview the Wachowski siblings. That part isn't certain, but let's all hope for the best.

Alright: I'm tired and there is a bowel of Booberry cereal calling my name.

Until we meet again.