I'm Still Alive!

Hey everyone. Yes! I AM still alive. Been super busy with the holidays almost here. Plus a trip down to Florida, a performance of a Christmas song medley, and the planning of a short Christmas story are contributing to my full schedule. Thankfully though, I have time for a few fun things (hanging out with friends and family, video games, and drawing) as well as time to update my blog.

I would have loved to post about my first YouTube video, showcasing a cover, but unfortunately, I am not gifted with technical understanding (oh, you lucky Techies) and have not figured out why it's taking YouTube so long to upload a 4 minute video. But oh well, it'll come eventually.

And my book... Well, let's just say it's a long slow process and I apologize to my very patient friends for putting up with the wait. I am planning still on a Fall 2014 release of it though. Here's to hoping that it's well worth the amount of work and time put into it!

So, with so many of my projects being delayed, I wish I had something cool to show everyone, but... Wait! Maybe I do!

                                                                            Boom!

There it is, an epic picture to promote the book series Shadowmakers! This is, roughly, a sketch of a very mysterious assassin who appears in Book One: The Assassin's Trail.

So, a lot of exciting things to look forward to in 2014. (For me, at least)

Hope everyone has a great Christmas and New Year's (and New Year's Eve Game Party!). I know I'll be enjoying one of my favorite times of year! Now to continue listening to Sara Groves' excellent Christmas album: O Holy Night! :)

Writers Need People--Specifically People Like This

Hey everyone! This is a recent Facebook post from my brother, just in case you needed further proof that my family is awesome.

Story Time! Before I start I need to tell you about the awesomeness that is Quik Trip. Quik Trip is like the shopping mall of gas stations. It's huge, extravagantly designed, and has an array of food choices inside. Among them are the most amazing taquitos and the best frozen coffee I have found anywhere. The best part is, the food is cheap. It's like finding Hollister clothing at a Goodwill. It's that good!

It was 10:30 in the pm and I wanted donuts. Only problem is, nothing is open that late. I tried looking for something to good I could get around the area but found nothing. I suddenly remembered that a Quik Trip opened a little closer to where I lived. The last one was an hour away and this one was 45 minutes away. But I didn't care, I love Quik Trip and the last time I was there was a year ago. 

I left at 10:45pm and got there, bought my frozen coffee and two taquitos and proceeded to head back home. My night had been made! But, on the way back Mr. Deputy of Butts County stopped me because apparently I had a headlight out. And as every officer does, he asks where I was going and what I was doing out so late. After telling I was going home after driving 48 miles just to go to Quik Trip, he got suspicious. Mr. Deputy of Butts County couldn't believe I would drive 45 minutes just to go to a gas station. What I couldn't get him to understand was that I did not go to just any gas station. I went to THE Quik Trip. The place where the best taquitos, the best coffee, and the fastest customer service could be found.

Mr. Deputy of Butts County made it sound like I had driven 45 minutes just to get a pack of gum. You can't find the kind of frozen coffee or taquitos Quik Trip has anywhere else! He then proceeded to assume I was carrying drugs! I was offended! My appreciation for a certain kind of coffee and Mexican food was found suspicious and I was accused of carrying drugs! He didn't search my car, but he did ask if I had anything that he should know about and that if he did search the car and find anything I would be in trouble.

People can ride a unicycle through the city dressed as Gandalf playing the bagpipes, but my particular affinity for good frozen coffee and taquitos that you can ONLY find at Quik Trip is suspicious and therefore I must be carrying drugs. Thanks Mr. Deputy of Butts County.

Yep! :) This is why I'm a writer.

Why I No Longer Say I'm Writing A Book

Long long long long long ago (at least, that's what it feels like), I used to proudly inform people that I was writing a book. Now?... I tell people I'm working on a book, and let's just say the proud tone has changed to one of weariness that seems to say, "Man, I can't believe I'm not finished with it yet..."

You see, I used to think it was easy to write a book. You think up a story, write it down, send it off to a publisher, and BOOM! You're an official author. But now that I've actually been at it for a while, I realize that first and foremost, it's work to tell a story on page. In fact, it's probably more work than it would be to forge all the swords and armor, sew the costumes, buy the props, act out the story with your friends for three days straight, and tell it that way. Anyone who's undertaken writing a book will know that this is no exaggeration. (If, by any miraculous chance, you do happen to be an author who finds writing easy, good for you, just please don't tell me so, lest I be provoked to jealousy.)

Yesterday, I was looking over what I thought to be the final draft of my book, and I knew almost at once that I'd need to write up a fourth draft. Needless to say, it was not a good day for me and I felt very discouraged. This brings me to say that not only is writing work, but it is emotionally, mentally, and sometimes physically taxing. If you've been able to write something particularly good on a certain day, it becomes one of the best days ever. But sometimes, ideas won't come, or you'll find an idea hard to put down on paper, and that's when the discouragement comes and maybe nothing else will seem right that day.

So what does a writer need to actually finish a book? Well, from my own experiences, you definitely need a strong sense of perseverance. Despite how excited you may be about an idea or story, there WILL be those spots that are tricky or just plain boring to write. (And then your editor comes back and tells you the boring, tricky part needs to be LONGER!) So perseverance is a must! You also need an understanding family who will sit and listen while you whine about how difficult chapter one was to write, who don't ask questions about something strange you say when your brain is 80 percent fried, and who will even keep you up to date on what Andrew Peterson says about writing a book. (thanks dad!) And, most important to me, a group of friends who are everything you need from test readers, editors, idea sources, characters, encouragers, listeners, fans, and an angry mob who will kill you if you don't finish the book.

So, all that being said, why would anyone want to undertake writing a book?

Because we are all need of stories. Stories have been an important part of humanity since before creation, when God so beautifully planned the most epic story of all time. And being made in the image of God, it's in our nature to want to create stories of our own. Even fictional stories, tales of things that never have or could happen in the real world hold a significance. Jesus Himself gave us some of the greatest truths in the forms of parables, or fiction. In the same way, our stories can reveal God and His truth in a different light, from the point of view of imagined characters and worlds. And if we can somehow show God in our fictional tales, then it's well worth whatever work we put into telling them.

Pokemon Y!

     

OK, I'm a nerdy Pokemon fan who can still remember seeing episode 1 of the TV show and collects the cards, games, toys, and comics. So I was excited to finally get my hands on one of the latest games on release day. (I didn't have a portable game system until I was 16 and bought a Gameboy Advance on ebay. It was like Christmas morning for me when my used copy of Pokemon Ruby Version arrived in the mail. So when I say "excited", we're talking nerdy-fan-dream-come-true here.) The version I reserved at Target was the Y version. I know Pokemon X sounds cooler, but when I saw the legendary pokemon for each game, I thought a predator bird was more appealing than a magical caribou thing, thus my choice. And so, my older bro came over and we spent the day playing X and Y. To celebrate the occasion, we made Pokeball sugar cookies (see below) and fortified ourselves in the family room to eat and play--and, yes, when my brother and I are involved with video games, to scream and laugh on occasion too.

A friend had recently asked me when the Pokemon Company was going to finally change their junky sprite graphics they've been using for years. Well, the answer is here, and I can say I'm highly impressed with the new 3D look of Pokemon. Many details have been added, such as animations for picking up the pokeball items and putting them into your bag, throwing a pokeball out in battle, and even bending down in a patronizing way to talk to the little kids. Pikachu has just become cuter too as his 16-bit static cry is replaced with a talking voice very much like the cartoon. The game's location, based on France, is a charming new region called Kalos. Sadly though, the 3D slider option is only available in certain instances such as cutscenes or battles. I don't think I would have minded if the Pokemon Company waited a little longer to release the games so that the entire game had the 3D option. The game is excellent enough as it is, and it's a shame they couldn't have gone all the way to blow fans' minds.

The new generation also has quite a few new awesome features including customization with your character! Not only can you choose the face your character has, (besides the whole creepy question from the prof. on whether you're a boy or a girl) but later in the game you can change your appearance even more with various clothing articles and even a salon to change hair style/color and eye color. Along with those features, there's the new Pokemon-Amie feature, an interactive tool that helps you bond with your Pokemon more. Players of Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance will find it very similar to the Dream Eater interaction. New ways of transportation have finally been added! Roller Skates are just one new way of getting around, and they are a blast to use! But they come with a price. The circle pad from the time you receive them can no longer be used for just walking, and if you want to take it slow, you'll be forced to use the directional pad for the rest of the game.

Did Bianca and Cheren annoy you in Black and White versions? Well, this game will make you miss them both now that you've acquired not one or two, but four new weird friends. One of your friends apparently depends on your version or gender choice--not sure which, but the other three are the same for everyone. There's Shauna--an annoying overly cheerful girl who you will NOT be able to get rid of. Seriously, it seems like every time you enter a new area--THERE'S SHAUNA! Then there's Tierno, a balding kid who loves to dance--and you'll find yourself crying for him to stop when he does. Then there's...Trevor, whose hairstyle is frankly too pretty for a boy... And I won't even mention the professor, who my brother commented, could be a model for Banana Republic with his flashy hair.

And now about the new Pokemon. The best thing of any new generation is discovering new Pokemon. Well, after the hideous additions introduced in Black and White versions...the hideousness continues! I literally screamed in horror when one of my once cute pokemon evolved into an ugly cocoon thing. Fortunately, some pokemon are somewhat cute and/or cool, and I love the fact that you no longer receive just one starter pokemon. A little into the game you also get your choice of Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle! (Charmander is unhealthily pale though... Just saying.) And the new Fairy type is introduced! This makes me very happy, not because I like fairies, but because it means the previously impenetrable Dragon-type has a weakness!

The battles were very impressive this time around! They play out more like the first Pokemon Stadium game. Better animations for attacks, more animated pokemon, and some neat camera movements. This is the first game where I haven't had the urge to turn off the battle animations.

All in all, I'm impressed and find the game a blast! I'm still excited about discovering some more new features of the games, but that about covers my thoughts on what I've seen so far. Well done, Nintendo and Pokemon Company!