Working on new projects, or even finishing them, should have been a slogan of some kind for 2020.
Yet I've seen to come across more projects than finishing the previous one. It's been a fun journey though. Beginning new tales, working on old writings. Getting canvas and paints from various locals, setting to making a personal masterpiece.
While finishing projects is the bane of my existence, or rather, it causes too much remorse to leave a project in which I've been immersed, beginning them is a sport I've mastered.
Here is a paragraph from something I began working on while re-watching "The Mandalorian". It sort of started out as one thing, then morphed into another, before realizing it wanted to be science fiction.
The theatre was relatively small. It was a front for other businesses that rented out the various rooms and boxes. It had been transformed into a market place. A boost for the local economy and smaller businesses.
She lived in the confines of the massive structure.
Hiding.
She operated a small business of her own from one of the enclosed boxes. It was easy to lock her wares up for the night, rather than bringing them back and forth each day. She kept a small bunk for easy use at the end of the day, making her "shop" into her home. She hid it as a pallet she sat on while selling her wares. Hiding it in plain sight from the overbearing managers.
Share what you've been up to, and I'll see you next week!
With the past year being what it was I finally got around to some decent reading. Meaning I got the chance to start and finish some work.
I like to change up the genres I read so as not to keep things stale. Though I would be lying if I said I didn't have a type.
Cozy Mysteries
Fantasy
Science Fiction
Mixtures of them all.
I am always on the lookout for a new book, a new genre, something different.
Today I'm just going to list some of the novels I finished last year, most of which were fun. The final one will not be listed as it is residing in the corner where it belongs. It knows what it did.
Fudge Cupcake Murder - Joanne Fluke
The Woman in Black - Susan Hill
Undercover in High Heels - Gemma Halliday
Caraval - Stephanie Garber
The World Above - Cameron Dokey
Dead Beat - Jim Butcher
One Taste Too Many - Debrah Goldstein
Hiddensee - Gregory McGuire
Beauty and the Clockwork Beast - Nancy Campbell
As Old As Time - Liz Braswell
Tales From the Haunted Mansion - ??
Take a gander at any of these and they won't disappoint. Just check to see if they're part of a series first.
No one likes a spoiler
What are some books you love reading? Let me know and I'll see you next week!
This year for National Novel Writing Month I've gone back to my roots. I've been fleshing out some of the scenes of a story that's been long in the making.
Here is a little excerpt for you. Always: comments and critiques are welcome.
“I feel a connection to this story
Keef. This story intrigues me; I need to know how it will end.”
Keef sat back, disbelief and concern
fighting for his attention.
“Ya think this story yer after is gonna
end well?”
32 spread his fingers wide, “I can’t
say a thing.”
They both leaned back in their wicker
chairs. The soft hum of a fan overhead keeping time with their thoughts. The
wind blew through the trees, bringing the smells of gardenia and coconut. From
off the water the salt air stirred these together. It could have made a decent
perfume. Birds called out to each other. A few critters ran amok among the
foliage and branches of mangroves.
Keef sighed, then took a drink. He
cleared his throat once, twice. A few more minutes slipped by.
“32,” Keef cleared his throat again,
“what happens next?”
32 sighed, a soft release of breath
that barely stirred the air. He’d been thinking the same thing since finding
that first clue in the islands public library. A sort of note pressed into an
old book of laws and regulations. A book no one thought to look at twice, or
even once. His only reasoning for picking the book up was to prove a point to
his neighbor. The note had been written almost a century before. The neat,
precise hand could belong to anyone, there was no sign of a rushed hand.
The day I randomly talk about a book I've recently read or have previously read before.
Lucky for you I just finished a book the other day. Literally.
Heh, Lit-erally. (I'm bad at bad puns.)
Book: Ready Player One
Author: Ernest Cline
Genre: Fantasy/Sci-Fy/Tech
With the release of this book-turned-movie, aptly released Easter Weekend, I decided to delve into the covers and read the book before going to see the movie. It's something that I always do when there's a movie that interests me that's based on a book. I've done it before with various other book to movies - Divergent, Lord of the Rings. You get the picture.
With that in mind, here is my little tid-bit review of the novel that has been remade into a film by Steven Spielberg (who honestly was the only director for this film. Stay with me on this, but he was the ONLY choice once you understand the novel).
If you've been under a rock and heard about the novel/move, here in the 5 minute recap.
*ahem*
Future world.
Poverty/war/devastation = dystopia setting.
OASIS = virtual world where everything is shiny.
Founder of the world dies, leaving a quest to find 3 keys and 3 gates to win his money/fortune estimated at xxx,xxx,xxx,xxx dollars.
Random kid lucks out and finds the first key
Cocky friend along for ride
3 other Gunters (self-proclaimed awesome fans)
Sixers = corporate sell outs and scum of the earth want to win so they can make more money = money whores = will cheat and connive (thus making all self respecting pirates look like your dear old granny)
HUNT FOR THE EASTER EGG!
The '80's were the BEST YEARS EVER!!!!
Goonies planet, because Goonies never say die
Second key is found!!
Random free quarter for a perfect Pac-Man game?
Robot figurine is your prize
THE CASTLE IS UNDER SIEGE BY THE CLAN OF MINDLESS DRONES!!
My bad, just the Sixers being scum
(And not the cool scum like Han Solo)
THIRD KEY!!
Keyblade....oh wait, Blade Runner, ooops.....
Unicorns' have the insight
Can't reach your castle? Call Mario the Plumber....wait, wrong person
MASSIVE CALL TO ARMS TO FIGHT THE MAN!
ROBOT BATTLES!!!
So many pop cultural reference, can the movie even get the rights to them all?!?!
Third Gate open!
....and they all die....
SPOILER!
Parzival, "Just kidding!"
Much Egg Hunting!
"Are those coconuts? Where'd you get them?"
What is your quest?
What is your favorite game?
What is the name of my former lover, not really because I was too afraid to talk to her, so instead I referred to her by the nickname, or rather the name of her D&D character?
Much win and gold is yours. Use it wisely.
Also - step away from technology and see the world. It's better than the virtual reality I created.
Character including:
The High Five Group - the only kids on the planet capable of finding the clues and keys for themselves. Also who sorta drop hints to each other even though they're competitors for millions of dollars. Featuring: Parzival, the main character who knows the '80's backwards, until he doesn't; Art3mis, the spunky chick who takes crap from no one and will help you cheat on the final test; Aech, the best friend who kicks your butt at games until you become better, then twists around at the end and slams you with the untilmate "AH-HA!" in real life; Shoto and Daito, the untilmate samuri's who work as a team to make the world better, they will also give you a beat down.
The Sixers - Corportae drove hive-minded bees that function for the sole purpose of finding the Egg for the collective. Spawned by the IOI corporation, which will claim the prize at the end no matter which of their hive finds it. Their skills incluce: manupliation, cheating, breaking into private records, death, and making you remeber why being a Gunter is so much better.
The Gunter Clans - Groups of actual Gunters set to find the egg and keep the balance stable in the universe. Knight who are set to keep the OASIS free from the tyranny of the Sixers and IOI.
Og - The only other dude who created the OASIS. Much nerdy, much awesome. The only one with an avatar who can kill you without moving. Also - the uncle everyone wished they had.
Halliday - The main dude in charge with the other dude respoinsible for the OASIS. He created the Hunt for all his wealthy and income right before he died. The man, the myth, the legend. Can anyone find that darn egg?
*whew*
I didn't include half the spoilers I should have, nor even all the ones that I liked. If I could spoil the entire book for you I would.
Go out and read the book. If you're as nerdy as I am, you'll love it.
Now I can finally go see the movie!
Question of the week:
What is your favorite '80's movie?
(GOONIES!)
Welcome to Obscure Movie Day!
(OMD for all title's going forward.)
As promised in my post last week (or the week before, whichever) - here is the topic for the week. The movie I decided to review is one of my favorites that came out of the 1980's. It super obscure (took me months to find a DVD copy!), but it is a lovable sci-fy fantasy movie from back when the genre was still relatively unliked. I give you:
KRULL
To start off with, I was going to add some clips from YouTube, when I found THE ENTIRE MOVIE! So - there you go.
Wow - the bounds of the internet still rather amaze me.
Okay - here is the brief synopsis of the movie:
The planet Krull has been invaded by a ruthless entity known only as the Beast. Each planet his mysterious castle has come to has been overtaken by he and his knights known as Slayers. The Beast has come to break an old prophecy telling of a Queen whose son shall rule the galaxy.
The Princess Lyssa and Prince Colwyn, who are from different kingdoms, decided to marry in order to form a union to defeat the Beast. On the eve of their wedding the Beast and his Slayers attack the party, kidnapping the princess and killing all but Colwny and Ynyr, the Old One.
Together they set out to find a mystical weapon known only as the Glaive, the only weapon that can defeat the Beast. On their quest they encounter a band of mercenaries, thieves, and bandits. With their small band they seek out how to find the castle of the Beast, which relocates every day to a different part of the world.
There are two mystics who can divine where the castle will be the following day. The Emerald Seer and the Widow of the Web. Ynyr goes to the Widow of the Web, the only other one who knows where the location of the Beast's castle will be. She grants him safe passage past the Crystal Spider on his way out to tell the others.
The group sets out soon after and find the castle. And then...
I'm afraid you'll have to go and watch the film.
Since it is on YouTube, you can easily watch it now. The music is lovely, and the cinematography is absolutely stunning! The costumes are of excellent condition and set you in the period of the piece.
With music by James Horner (the man responsible for the soundtrack to Titanic), you'll be pulled into the world of Krull and all its splendor!
If you have a film you think is obscure that I should review, leave a comment below. I love watching old movies - though try and keep it under PG-13 (there's some flicks I won't touch with a 30-ft pole!).
What are some obscure movies you love that most people don't know about?
Come back next month for another exciting round of Obscure Movie Day!
