I suppose I should update this blog with all the changes going on in my life. First and most importantly, I am engaged! The wedding is already planned for June 13th, 2010. On another note, I'm also in the process of applying to UNC Asheville so hopefully I'll get in. I can't imagine why I wouldn't as I'm a transfer student with a decent GPA. Either way, my goal is to major in history and get teacher licensure along with that. I still plan to get a masters in psychology after this but it will be a part-time affair as I already am working full-time as teacher.

Wish me luck!
 

Well, I don't have a lot of time at the moment, but I've been back from Europe nearly a month now and still haven't gotten around to writing anything about it here on WDC. I've also begun a new novel. I won't go into great detail here, but I'm already nearly a quarter of the way done writing it. Maybe halfway, I don't know.

Anyway, it's been nice not having work or classes or anything all week long so I've had more time to write.
 

I haven't been as active on WDC as I was prior to my week long absence a couple weeks ago. I've been busy job hunting, doing projects around the house, and a lot of studying. It's amazing how these things happen, but God works in mysterious ways.

And that's what this entry is mostly about: God.

Most who know me know I am a Christian, but beyond that I haven't shared much. To get specific I am a member of the Seventh-day Adventist church. Most people either have never heard of it or they think it is a cult. lol I promise it isn't a cult though. For some reason most of the people who say that are ex-church members or people who don't even know anything about it to begin with.

Anyway, for those who don't know, the biggest difference is that SDAs (Seventh-day Adventists) worship, go to church, on Saturday instead of Sunday. The reason being that is the biblical Sabbath, the 7th day, thus the name.

There are a few other differences but the day of worship is the biggest and most noticeable of them.

Anyway, it was just recently that I began to study the Bible more along with other books. I also have a friend who never ceases to remind me that the KJV Bible is better than the NIV because it has less mistakes. So now I've even bought myself a Greek New Testament along with a Greek/English dictionary and Bible concordance lol. Maybe I took it overboard on that one...

But in less than 2 weeks I honestly feel closer to God than I ever have in my entire life before. I've learned so much and have been convicted of so many things in my own life! I may not be writing too much these days...at least as far as poetry and novels are concerned. I may be posting some things about my beliefs and such but who knows.

I usually don't post too much on WDC about this sort of thing, but I just felt that I needed to. I feel that I've gained this blessing from God so that I might share it with friends, family, and anyone who will bother to read it and not think I'm an idiot!

In fact, I will start a separate blog/journal where I will write about these things...

Well, there you have it. Check back soon!
 

Well, it's been about 8-10 months since I've seriously worked on a novel. In fact, it's been over a year since I really was making progress on a writing project. Well, I'm gearing up to go at it again !

It will still be a fantasy, but with all the Tolkienisque fantasies floating around out there I decided I wanted to create a world based on an entirely different framework of ideals. One that the reader can still relate to, isn't entirely alien, but is still vastly different from the traditional fantasy elements...elves, goblins, dwarves, wizards, and knights. Yes, I wanted something new.

So I decided to take my inspiration from a region on the far side of the world from medieval Europe. Feudal Japan.

The problem is...other than basic words like samurai, bushido, katana, and shinto, I am entirely clueless about the culture, values, and way of life of those people of that time period. But it is absolutely intriging nevertheless.

So I've begun to research it. It's actually pretty fun reading all of this stuff. Medieval Japan has such a rich culture and history, full of battles, superstitions, honor codes, folklore, poetry, and inner reflection. Definitely there are numerous parts comparable to feudal Europe, but it is so different too! The very foundation of Japan's culture is so different than that of Europe.

As for the novel itself, I haven't even begun to think about writing anything quite yet. Though the world I write will be fictional, it will be based on old Japanese beliefs, ideologies, and values, much like Tolkienisque fantasy is based on medieval European culture. So as a westerner, I feel like I can't do enough research before writing. It's intimidating to take this on, but after reading just a few pages about the history of Japan, I can already tell it will be a rewarding journey.

When I do begin to write, I'll probably be posting bits and pieces on WDC for review. I also wouldn't mind finding a novel writing group to help keep me clipping along since motivation and procrastination are two of my biggest flaws! If anyone knows off one, let me know please!

Well, that's my news for tonight.

One more thing: I will be out of town starting tomorrow afternoon and all next week. I won't be back until the 1st of June. I hope everyone has a great week!
 

What's becoming of the fantasy genre?

On one hand, it seems to be the fastest growing and the perhaps the most profitable market of all genre markets. But on the other hand everything seems to be a carbon copy of prior works, copy and pasted together in some random assortment that vainly strives for originality but only manages to leave the reader feeling nauseated.

I feel as though I can predict what a book will say before I even read it. It will almost always, in some way, copy one of these 3 forms:

1) Tolkien, Tolkien, Tolkien

This one is pretty easy to see. Practically everything that makes up the modern fantasy genre is somehow derived from Tolkien. Elves, dwarves, orcs...that's all Tolkien. In fact, if you go by the real mythological definitions of these things, elves and orcs are hardly different, but when was the last time you read a fantasy novel with elves that weren't in some way the "superior race?"


2) Harry Potter

This one has become more common with the popularity of Harry Potter, although Rowling really wasn't the first to use the idea of a magic school. But for whatever reason, she was the first to make millions with it. Go figure!
Definitely a breath of fresh air for a fantasy market drowning in Tolkien rip-offs, but years later? Well, it's not so original now...so evevryone can hop off that bandwagon now . It's old news...

3) Dungeons & Dragons (Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms, etc.)

Why these continue to be published and why people continue to read them is beyond me. Inevitably, there will be a quest performed by an assortment of heroes, like Tolkien but here is where it differs. The heroes aren't pretty, perfect people. Usually they're what you'd call swashbuckling heroes, which is all fine and good because in true life no one's a saint...but at the same time, if every character in Star Wars was Han Solo and had his attitude...you get the point.

Other than that it's just the good old quest...saving the world, killing the evil king, retrieving the One Ring, saving the Golden Elves from the Evil Ogres for no apparent reason other than it would disrupt the balance of the universe but then upon saving the Golden Elves, our heroes discover the Golden Elves have secrets of their own and are actually far, far more powerful than previously thought and it turns out a good thing our brave little heroes "did the right thing because it was the right thing to do" and we can all ge them a pat on the back and feel good, but then go away with the gnawing question of why the hell didn't the Golden Elves just save themselves if they were so powerful to begin with?

Ah, the trivialities of Dungeons & Dragons. My answer: probably because the Golden Elves had mithral weapons and the Evil Ogres possessed the only armor in the world that mysteriously could not be penetrated by mithral...and why couldn't it? Who knows. Ask Gandalf/Brom/Allanon/Elminster...just don't expect a real answer.

I'm sure you can tell how much I love Dungeons & Dragons now. But that is what bothers me today. I'll probably be over it in the morning.
 

Well, it's late...1:43 AM to be precise, and I need to go to bed, but since I have nothing to do tomorrow, I probably won't for another hour or so. Anyway, I've been doing a lot of research today about different programs and universities and everything and I've changed my mind a little about what I want to study in school.

I'm not going to study for a Bachelor's in Psychology. Instead I'll just minor in psychology. My ultimate goal is to be a counselor, but I can still get into the graduate program with only a minor and be fine.

So for my bachelors I'm either going to study Computer Science with an emphasis on information systems or I'll go for a BSN, bachelors of science in nursing. Either one makes a decent starting salary and has a high demand most anywhere you go. Whatever I do, I'll minor in psych and then go on to get a master's in psychology. I just need to make sure it's in a program that can qualify me for state licensure. It's retarded but there are some masters programs, and even some doctoral programs, that don't license you. Why someone would get Ph.D in psychology without the possibility of counseling is beyond me.

So I'm excited now. With Computer Science I have to take a lot more math, which I despise, but I'm sure I'll manage. Most likely that will be my choice. With trying to maintain a full-time job, I don't have time for going away to college so whatever I do needs to be local...UNC Asheville. But it's a good school so no big deal. The only deal is the BSN program transfers to WCU (Western Carolina University) after the 1st year then returns to UNCA for the last yr. Retarded. WCU is about an hour from me...a little farther than I'd like to commute each day with $4.00 gas...

So that's exciting news for tonight!
 

I don't mean to brag or gloat or anything...okay, maybe I do a little ... but I am going to be in Europe for 2 weeks this summer. In fact, it will be the end of June beginning of July so awards may be a week or 2 delayed for the Unofficial Fantasy Contest.

So about the trip...for those who care!

First we're flying from Atlanta to Toronto for a 2-3 hour layover and then a 6-7 night flight from Toronto to London! We'll spend a couple days there then take the ferry over the Channel to France, drive east through Belgium and stay in Amsterdam. From there we go to Germany to such locations as the Rhineland and eventually Munich. Then we pass through Austria and end up in Venice, Italy. Then we'll go to Florence and spend a few days there. Then it's back north to Switzerland and Lake Lucerne, then Paris! We'll be in Paris a couple days before flying back to Toronto, then Atlanta. So I'm looking forward to it. It will be busy, but a great experience.

I'll actually be in a total of 10 countries in just 2 weeks, if I include the US lol.

1. United States
2. Canada
3. Great Britain
4. Belgium
5. Netherlands
6. Germany
7. Austria
8. Italy
9. Switzerland
10. France

I'm not gloating yet am I?
 

What do you do when you have a friend who dies? Or maybe even worse is killed? Terminal illnesses you expect death...but what about when it comes out of nowhere? You come home from classes one afternoon, it's sunny, it's the weekend, you don't have anything to do and life is great. Then you get a phone call. "Will was in a car wreck last night...." And it feels like hours drag on after that when there is a pause. Is he okay? what happened?

"...and he he didn't make it. He was killed."

And then all weekend you feel numb. Too numb to cry, too numb to laugh, too numb to even give a damn about life. Until the funeral. And then wouldn't it figure that the funeral is on a beautiful day...I guess it's nice but it just feels like nature is just spiting you, like God is laughing or something when you're at someone's funeral and the weather is so perfect...maybe it's just me.

And then the funeral is over...now what?

Nothing.

Life goes on...

How is life supposed to ever go on? I don't know, but it always does. Weeks and months pass and you count them by...counting up the days since this person left your life. Then suddenly you realize the month anniversary of their death has come and gone and you didn't remember it and you feel terrible, like remembering every day that they're dead is somehow going to make you feel any better...or bring them back.

But as time goes on you forget. It's not until the quiet hours of the morning, in the suffocating blackness of your room that you remember...you remember everything. You remember all the times you spent with them...you think of where and what you'd be doing right now...a Saturday night...if they were still here. But they're not. They left you 3 months ago. That's why you're in bed before 2am on a saturday.

As time goes on, their death begins to lose its edge, its sting, but it's always there, lurking. Waiting for you to take your guard down. Waiting for you to mention their name in passing as if they were there then remember...they're dead.

I think the reason this is hard is because it wasn't just Will, or your friend that died. A part of you died. All of the memories and love that were directly connected and associated with this person died with them. A part of you was killed that night as well. That would explain the empty feeling. You continue your life always wondering what would be different with them still in it. I guess those things we'll never know.

Does it ever get easier?

I don't know.

Ask me again in 10 years...
 

Okay, before I say all of this, I'm going to apologize in advance as I'll probably later regret most of it!

I have two frustrations. First, when you review one of my poems and say how wonderful it is, how there's nothing you would change, and good it sounds, why do you rate it 4.5? I don't need 5 star ratings...I can take 1.5 if it is merited. But if you don't rate it 5, that inevitably means there is something, that could be improved. So what is it?? Tell me! Otherwise why not rate it 5, like your gushing review should imply?

The second complaint makes me the most angry perhaps. Yes, I admit, I get angry over this sometimes lol. But recently I've been writing formed poetry and a lot of it, such as villanelles, terzanelles, and various forms of sonnets. With that said, why must people who don't understand the particular form, then decide to lecture me on it?

I was informed that I had accidentally repeated lines in a terzanelle I wrote and thus recieved a lower rating. Again, I don't mind low ratings, but only if there is reason. Recieving a low rating as the result of the reader's ignorance will make a writer mad pretty fast...at least this writer.

I've been getting this more recently and it's aggravating. If you don't understand the form, that's fine, just don't lecture me on how my poem's structure is flawed when it's actually dead-on!

And I can guarantee that I'm not wrong (not to sound arrogant or anything). My sources include the English department of Arizona State and Purdue Universities as well as an in-depth poetry website sponsored by a national writers' group. It's not geocities people.

So I guess what I am asking is this: please, please, please make sure you understand the form before you try to critique it! Otherwise...DON'T!

Thank you!
 

I've recently begun writing poetry...quite a lot in fact. I began with a Shakespearean sonnet and now I've written a little of everything. After taking on the likes os sestinas, terzanells, and villanells, sonnets are a breeze! But now I've also begun to seriously consider putting together a compilation of my poems and try to publish a chapbook. I have no idea where are good markets for this, but I hope to find a few. Naturally, poets make no money so this is entirely for fun. But it is something I would really like to do.

If anyone has any information about this, please let me know!