Ark of the Convenient: A new novel inspired by Douglas Adams, Red Dwarf and Doctor Who

Progress Update 7/27/2012

34180 / 80000 (42.73%)

I reached page 90 today. It's take stock time and, although I can see myself making progress, I am simultaneously discouraged. My writing will never be brilliantly scientific and philosophical in the way that Douglas Adams' novels are.

Instead of getting blocked, I spent a few hours on Mars research, which helped the flow of ideas. Reading Princess of Mars at the same time as researching Martian Rover missions and theories of terraforming yields strange combinations of ideas...

Progress Update 7/26/2012

32000 / 80000 (40.00%)

Progress today brings me to page 83 of my manuscript-in-progress "Ark of the Convenient."

Progress Update 7/24/2012

29000 / 80000 (36.25%)

This progress bar represents 75 pages of my new manuscript-in-progress "Ark of the Convenient."


Yesterday I also took the current draft of "Marmalade Cat Detective," and created a new outline for rewriting it using cards. I'm taking it in a slightly different direction, closer to my original vision for this piece which was always intended to be satirical and written for adults. It's an experiment...

Progress Update 7/18/2012

18408 / 80000 (23.01%)

Progress Update 7/16/2012

I took some time to put my outline onto cards and I've written a little more.

15162 / 80000 (18.95%)

Progress Update 7/12/2012

11229 / 80000 (14.04%)

Are you a compulsive writer? I'm one of those people who always believe their newest project is their best. On summer mornings, whether or not I have guests, I like to get up early and do some free writing. The result this July is the first chapter and outline for a brand new novel called "Ark of the Convenient." You could accuse me of procrastination. I already have Marmalade Cat Detective to edit for submissions and I did write the 50 000 word draft of a novel tentatively called "Wild Caving," which got positive feedback at an agent pitch session at the Ontario Writers' Conference. Both are worthy projects, but they can't compete with writing something new and funny over the summer.

One reason I'm dropping everything else to write "Ark of the Convenient" is I miss Douglas Adams. I miss reading new things from the author of Last Chance to See, The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul and, of course, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books. It's such a shame that Douglas Adams is no longer with us. I yearn for the zany fun of his humour, as well as his satirical views on environmental issues.

Inspired by my love of Douglas Adams, Monty Python, Red Dwarf and Doctor Who, my story is about a failed grant writer, embroiled in civil war between humans, cyborgs and Martian Rovers 'gone wild.'

Rob Nohap is shanghaied aboard a colony ship where he is expected to promote Mars via social marketing campaigns. This Science Fiction romp involves a pet psychologist with fossil Martian DNA, a ship's computer who thinks she is Pipi Longstocking and the Wyms, an ancient dragon-like race who control wormholes through space. Can Rob can save an Ark of kidnapped humans and survive to impress the woman who was his high school obsession? I'm writing to find out...

Follow me for updates on my newest project. I still intend to podcast "Marmalade Cat Detective," but not until I have this hot new idea down as a first draft.