3rd-person is my bread and butter but 1st-person is tons of fun. How 1st-Person is Like Theatre I know the script, I'm aware of other characters' intentions, I can recite my lines in my sleep but when the curtain goes up I must react organically to the other players in that moment despite how I may have rehearsed. In doing so the scene flows naturally … Continue reading 1st-Person Theatre
I don't get "story inspiration." I get "character inspiration." And then those characters grow up, run off, have adventures, screw up, tell bad jokes, mature, make friends, tell more bad jokes, make enemies, figure out what they stand for, and come home to tell me all about it. And that's where stories comes from. Fluffy Bunnies … Continue reading Bunnies Can Be Heroes
The train hissed at Claude Bouchard as he stepped from the empty passenger car onto an equally vacant platform. Faded wooden signs pointed with white arrows toward ticketing, a gift shop, and an adjoining diner offering a special involving a chowder he'd never heard of. He crossed Fruit Town's train station in four minutes where he saw only one other person, … Continue reading Where Tall Grasses Wave
Projects Villainy goes in to see the editor in 1.5-ish weeks (sounds like a doctor's visit....) Villainy is looking at an October release date. The Imaginary Night Zoo is looking at a November release date. New Semester The start of a fall semester at university always ends up feeling more like a "Happy New Year!" moment … Continue reading Project Updates & Evil Comrades
When I was earning my AA, I had a history professor (PhD) who was also a fabulous storyteller (going to class felt like episodes and I had to come back next week to find out what REALLY happened; AH! She was so good!). I would absolutely take her class again, just for her. Aside from being educational … Continue reading Epic History-Inspired Story Ideas
COLIN LOUNGED on the packed dirt floor of a shaded bamboo jail cell. At least this place is a lot nicer than the last place I was arrested. Movement outside the bars drew his eye again. The cell faced the road which allowed curious villages to stop and look. Last time there were kids. The … Continue reading Jolly Jailbreak
I miss drawing fan art. This is from 2010. Anyone familiar with the anime Ronin Warriors (aka Yoroiden Samurai Troopers)? It's one of those shows that was great in middle school but is too painful to watch now (1980's animation/dialogue, anyone?) however it will always have a special place in my heart (and on my bookshelf; I … Continue reading Old School Fan Art
Villainy (the story) began in January 2014 when my best friend, Megan, sent me a writing prompt: "What does your villain do on Tuesday nights?" Immediately a nameless villain with ridiculously normal Tuesday nights was born. And he became a part of an outrageous clash of cliché vs anti-cliché forces, one of two nameless characters I referred to only as "Hero" and … Continue reading How I Embraced Villainy
"Across a stretch of meadow hurried a swordsman. The meadow wasn't a lush and green place, bursting with bright grasses and curious deer with flicking ears, nor were there happy birds' songs or the humming of insects hidden deep among a sea of wildflowers. Nearing winter, no animals visited and travelers no longer passed through on horseback or with … Continue reading Our Battles
Mr. Les Brown, an incredible motivational speaker, is a master. His theme: achieving dreams. I like to listen to him when my feet get stuck in school or projects (but it's also cool to listen when I'm already motivated, then I feel vaguely superhuman.) Here's part of one of my favorite talks: "When you want something out of life, you've got to … Continue reading Willing to be Unreasonable
Duri Rolvsson 