First Full Week of 2022 is Done . . . Thankfully

Posted on January 8, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

I made it to the weekend, but my nerves are shot.  Long Island has either a 25% or 37% infection rate from what I’m reading.  Looks like the holiday season gave Covid a local boost.  So, I was really nervous about leaving the house and interacting with people even though I’m boosted.  Some people I know ended up being positive and they didn’t have symptoms.  Maybe the sniffles.  Feels like now the damn thing just pounces on you without warning.  I’ve made it this far never having to be tested or catching it, so I’d like to keep it that way.  Still, I was drained from listening to all of the stories and struggling to stay safe until I got back home.

Covid aside . . . Not much else happened.  Coming back from a break meant work was slow and I didn’t want to get into any big projects.  Next week, I start the online course that will go to the middle of February.  So, I can’t have anything distract me unless I find that it’s easier to do than I imagined.  Hoping nothing goes wrong too.  An obstacle with some of these courses is that they have a requirement where you use what you’ve learned with your students to finish the curriculum.  I don’t have specific students, so I’ve had to drop out of those.  There are signs that this might be the same, but I’ll have to find out the details on Monday.  Really hoping I can do this because it’s interesting and I’m getting tired of finding cool stuff that I’m not able to join.

With writing and editing on the backburner, I’m aiming more for ‘Phi Beta Files’ when I have time.  That’s the plan for tomorrow when it’s supposed to rain.  I’ll be happy with all of the villains done, so I can work on supporting heroes or just dive into the outlines.  I still keep bouncing around with how this will work.  Some ideas really would work as short stories while others a named chapter with 3-5 sections.  I’ll have to fine tune the whole concept and change the plot for Book 4 entirely.  It doesn’t work with how the characters are now or the fantasy setting.

I did finish scheduling everything through April 1st, so I might take some time to push the blog further to clean my head.  I’ll need some fun writing while I’m working harder than before.  Gives me time to figure out what I’ll dive into later.  It’s looking more and more like I’ll be busy through June, which hurts.  No real writing until halfway through 2022?  I feel like that’s a cosmic punishment, which I’m getting tired of.  You’d think there would be a limit or I’d catch some kind of break.

There was a snow day yesterday, but I didn’t do much.  Homework with my son, laundry, and we played a few video games.  I’m glad I got the extra day to rest since I was getting stressed, but it wasn’t that relaxing.  Didn’t get to really lie down until 9:30 PM and that wasn’t for very long since laundry is still going.  Guess Sunday will be the day that I get to somewhat relax.  I just need to forget my stress, but there are too many unknown things going on.  So much for a new year being different.  Who in the world came up with that idea?

I don’t have much to say about next week.  There isn’t much of a plan since I start that course.  I can’t print out Do I Need to Use a Dragon? (Fantasy Writing Tips) until I know I can work on it.  Unsure if I should even bother there too.  I already had a few people read it over, so I don’t know if it’s a bad idea to edit again.  They gave me great advice and there weren’t any problems understanding what I was trying to say.  It could be that the book is done and I should jump to Darwin & the Fate Bracelet as far as editing go.  Anybody ever deal with this before?

Speaking of Darwin, I don’t know how to work the title.  The whole thing is The Slumberlord Chronicles: Darwin & the Fate Bracelet.  It’s a mouthful and nightmare for the cover and Amazon page.  I think.  What do people think about having a series title and a long book title?  Then again, I once had Legends of Windemere: The Merchant of Nevra Coil.  Maybe I’m paranoid for no reason.  That should be a sign that I should stop for now.

Oh, I really only watched an anime called ‘Log Horizon’.  Thinking of binging ‘Cobra Kai’ season 4 tomorrow.  Best to watch that one before I get distracted with other things.

Goals of the week:

  1. Help son study for two tests.
  2. Buy Legos for son to work on next weekend.
  3. Start online class.
  4. Work on ‘Phi Beta Files’.
  5. Maybe print out a book to edit later.
  6. Get a haircut
  7. Maybe start the April posts.
  8. Sleep
  9. Try to destress
  10. Hydrate . . . So much harder to pull off than one would think.
Posted in Goal Posts | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Questions 3: Being Critical

Posted on January 7, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Yahoo Image Search

Maybe I’m wrong or I just wander to the wrong sites.  Still, it feels like people are much more critical of art than they were even a few years ago.  Things are torn apart and insulted before they’re fully released.  People go hunting for reasons to hate something instead of giving stuff a chance.  I know there are things a person won’t touch at all without a second thought, but it feels like most people have a longer list of ‘no’ than ‘yes’ or ‘maybe’.  I get the feeling that this is an effect of social media where you get more attention for hating stuff.  Makes it a lot harder to create things too because new ideas and risky attempts are what this mentality destroys rather easily.  Well, you can get my opinion on this, so let’s open the floor.

Actually, I want to add that this is about constructive criticism, which can help an artist.  I rarely see that.  Usually, I see plain insults and vitriol.

  1. Do you think people are becoming more critical today?
  2. How can an unknown artist survive this?
  3. Do you think this is having a negative effect on the artistic world and how?
Posted in Questions 3 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

Story Development and Execution Part 1: Ideation

Posted on January 7, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Ciao, SEers. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. I intended to spend my time off entirely work-free, and while I didn’t open my laptop, I …

Story Development and Execution Part 1: Ideation
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Poetry Day: 1 A Day to Keep Me Sane

Posted on January 6, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Maka Albaran from Soul Eater

(This was the first poem I did with an old project.  I wanted to post 1 per day to keep myself creative.  Looks like I’ll be putting this 263 poems up in alphabetical order, which will be odd.)

My goal is 1 a day

For an entire year

Some would be long

Most would be short

Because my time is clogged

*

This challenge made to me

By the voices in my head

Daring me to try

Before my mind grows up

And loses all its wonder

*

I started with a rush

Believing I would succeed

A creative project

That I could achieve

Though only I would care

*

I wrote them fast

As minutes passed

My goal was to be raw

Relying on my rhythm

To carry me to the end

*

I am coming to a wall

Filled with gaping maws

Where topics swallowed whole

Before I sneak a peek

And get my muse in gear

*

I will push to carry on

Grabbing topics as I go

From news and air and friends

I strive until the finish line

Then a day I might just rest

Posted in Poems | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Does Windemere Have Angels?

Posted on January 5, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Elisabeth from ‘Seven Deadly Sins’

Long ago, I began to wonder something about Windemere.  I know that’s strange since I created the place, so I should have an answer.  Still, this was a headscratcher due to other fantasy series where demons, dragons, deities, and a variety of mortals existed.  I saw that there was a missing species.

Why don’t I have an Angels in Windemere?

This lead to a few experiments:

  1. The first being to simply include an angel species to counter the demons.  This didn’t work out very well.  I realized that having them at war would consume all of their usage, so all demons would be stuck in this.  The Hellfire Elf in Beginning of a Hero?  Trapped in a war, so not much assassin work for him there.  I couldn’t explain why the angels would turn up either beyond them reacting to any demon coming out of the Chaos Void.  Why would mortals bother if it was nothing more than a whistle for angels to arrive?  So, I junked that.
  2. The second was to ignore them completely and forget the question.  Probably the best way to do it, but my mind wasn’t letting this happen.
  3. Angels are nothing more than lower gods and . . . I have the Law of Influence.  That means they can’t get involved in mortal affairs, so there’s no point in them being anything other than gods.
  4. A special type of chosen champion for the gods!  Then they’re not a species, but a title, which still leaves the gap in my world.
  5. Extinct?  That could work!

So, #5 was what I kind of went with and left an opening for the possibility of angels appearing at some point.

The overall story is that Windemere began with 3 species created by Solar the First God before mortals were made by his children.  They were the demons, dragons, and angels with them being evil, neutral, and good in that order.  Seeing that he never had mortals to observe, he didn’t realize that working with extremes would lead to a mess.  The neutral dragons stayed completely out of events unless provoked.  They would later develop emotions thanks to alterations and evolution.  Solar was fine with that, but his problem came from the other two.

Obviously, demons and angels didn’t get along.  They fought all the time, but it was clear that the demons had the advantage.  Being evil, they used all manner of tactics to win and kill, including sacrificing their own.  Angels being pure good had limits and failed to develop an aggressive nature until it was too late.  They were wiped out in one big surprise attack by the demons with there only being rumors of a few survivors.  Nobody has ever seen one, which is why they fell into such an obscure legend that your average Windemere denizen never heard of them.  For them, ‘angel’ is an old term for a loved one and a common first name that means pure and kind.  The origin of it has been lost since mortals were created right after the massacre.

By the way, this is also why the demons aren’t allowed to live in Windemere.  Solar banished them to the Chaos Void before going into his eternal slumber.  Mortals find ways to bring them over through magic, but they are always tethered to their prison.  Funny thing is that it’s among the demons and within the Chaos Void where someone would find evidence of the angels existing.  Yet, who would even be driven to that since the species isn’t thought of that often?

I do have plans to include this in a series or two.  One of which I’m not sure how to pull off since the mechanics don’t make sense any more.  Maybe I’ll make a post about that on a Sunday in the future.  I really should try to make some kind of story that involves the angels to reveal that side of Windemere.  Will it be a revival of the species?  I doubt I’d go that far, especially since I have it in my head that they would be really angry upon their return.  Not sure if a being of pure good could be corrupted, but I can’t see them being nice and happy.  Guess we’ll see what the future holds.

Posted in Legends of Windemere | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Teaser Tuesday: Magrus the Purifier

Posted on January 4, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Cover Art by Alison Hunt

War of Nytefall: Eulogy introduces a few new characters.  One of them is Magrus the Purifier, who is trying to uncover the truth behind the imposter Clyde.  I liked how his introduction went in the prologue.  Enjoy.

Continue reading →

Posted in Teaser Tuesday, War of Nytefall | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

#5 Post of 2021: 7 Tips to Writing Vampire Hunters

Posted on January 3, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

(Post originally published on March 31, 2021.)

Vampire Hunters Aplenty

Vampire hunters heavily come into play in War of Nytefall: Savagery, which is a slight change from previous books.  Until now, they’ve really been pawns and random encounters for other characters.  Due to that role, I didn’t have to put a lot of thought into them.  Even now, details weren’t necessary because you’re going to see the start of the monster hunting guild.  Vampire hunters are in a gray area too.  Still, I needed to consider a few things to make them work.  Let’s consider a few of them.

  1. Vampire hunters tend to be underdogs even if they’re superpowered.  The big reason is because they are mortals going up against immortals.  Having it be an immortal hunter vs an immortal vampire takes away the risk.  At least, that’s if the hero is the hunter, so the scenario can change if you’re watching the vampire.  The point is that part of the fun of this type of story is that one party has a considerable disadvantage even if the other has clear weaknesses.  For example, a super strong hunter still needs to stake the vampire, but that involves getting close.  Wrestling with something that will drink your blood isn’t a great idea.
  2. Removing superpowers from the equation, the hunter needs to have some way to fight back.  This means that they need to have weaponry knowledge of some kind.  Punching and kicking aren’t useful with the addition of magic or powers.  So, create an arsenal or one really strong weapon that will give them a chance of victory.  Personally, I prefer giving them multiple weapons since the threat of disarming is always high.  Even if they have the big one, it’s best to have a backup for emergencies.
  3. Brains.  There has to be some level of cunning and smarts involved here.  A hunter usually can’t go toe-to-toe with a vampire.  Those with equal strength can still be overpowered because of the primal savagery that mortals can’t really match.  This is where traps and precision strikes can help.  Readers will take the hunter more seriously if they are attempting to weaken the vampire or eliminate it without a direct confrontation.  Otherwise, it’s a brute going up against monsters and people may wonder why there aren’t more mortals beating up the undead.
  4. Holy magic and symbols aren’t always necessary.  It’s not a bad addition, but it doesn’t make as much sense if you remove the religious aspect from your vampires.  Many times, authors seem to take this aspect as essential.  Well, it’s really not.  In fact, more vampire stories are being down without the holy addition because their origins aren’t in angering god.
  5. Give your hunters a reason to go after vampires.  Given that these tend to be secretive and mysterious creatures, there has to be a reason for the hunter to know that they really exist.  They can’t just go out hunting because they thought vampires exist and happen to be right.  They’re more likely to kill a bunch of depressed teenagers under the bleachers, which is plain old-fashioned murder.  This reason doesn’t only reveal why the hunter knows that they exist, but explains their anger and desire to wipe them out.
  6. No whips!  That’s been taken.
  7. Hunters might be as interested in keeping vampires secret as their prey.  Part of this could be due to their identity as a hunter.  If everyone is doing it then they won’t be as special.  There’s a slight level of ego in some of these characters because it’s their unique calling.  Also, making them public could cause people to either sympathize with vampires or push to get changed.  If vampires have to remain a secret then they will keep their numbers relatively low.  There are many other reasons that you can come up with, but consider if your hunter will want them exposed or not.  This will determine how bold and big their actions are too.
Posted in War of Nytefall | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Top 5 Posts of 2021 Is Starting Tomorrow!

Posted on January 2, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

The picture has nothing to do with this.  I just find it funny.

Anyway, tomorrow will begin the tradition of showing the Top 5 posts of the previous year.  It’ll be every Monday in January because that was the only day of the week that there were 5 of and I didn’t want to use Sunday.  You can tell how excited I am about doing this from the sass.

Seriously though, 2021 was rather odd as far as the Top 5 went.  Last year, the mental health posts seemed to win out.  That I understood.  This year, posts 2-5 are all ‘7 Tips’ lists and #1 is out of left field.  I was kind of hoping to see more variety, especially since I swear I had other posts with more comments.  It is funny that ‘Ye Olde Shoppes’ are popular, but never seem to get on this list.  Honestly, some of the winners here don’t make any sense, but they received most of the attention.  You’ll see with #5 tomorrow.

As usual, the requirements were:

  1. Had to be posted in 2021.  A lot of older posts still get more traffic like the one about writing immortal characters.  Still, it’s the Top 5 of 2021 and the kids need a chance to shine.
  2. No promo posts.
  3. No reblogs.

Hope everyone enjoys.  Thanks to those who continue to visit.

Posted in Uncategorized | 7 Comments

New Years Hopes

Posted on January 2, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Yahoo Image Search

I know it’s a day late, but I wanted to do a goal post yesterday.  That and I had my son, so I didn’t want worry about anything big here.  So, what are my hopes for 2022?

  1. Everyone I care about remains healthy and happy.
  2. I can continue getting a handle on my anxiety.
  3. My son does great in school and has a blast over the summer.
  4. We get further in ‘One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3’.
  5. Certain stressors finally get bored and leave me alone.
  6. Write more Tales of the Slumberlord
  7. Publish Do I Need to Use a Dragon? (Fantasy Writing Tips)
  8. Maybe publish Tales of the Slumberlord: Darwin & the Fate Bracelet. (That is a really long title.)
  9. Complete more puzzles
  10. Find a way to do a more consistent exercise regime.  Not sure if only on the weekends is helping.
  11. Try to shrink the portions of food that I eat.
  12. Stand up for myself more often.
  13. Relax when I’m stressed instead of pushing myself.
  14. Drink more water or seltzer.
  15. People stop hating each other . . . I know.  It’s more likely that I’ll getting a publishing contract and become a millionaire than this happening.
  16. Good luck and fortune finally come the way of those who deserve it instead of those who don’t.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

First Goal Post of 2022: Think I Already Covered This

Posted on January 1, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

I’m tired.

Yup, that’s how 2022 is starting for me, but I think most people do that.  Stay up late and then get woken up early.  Either an alarm we forgot to turn off, a child who is still on a sane schedule, a phone call about car warranties, or a bodily function that couldn’t wait for another few hours.  Maybe I’ll start 2023 off with better sleep.

Then again, I need to make it that far first.  The years seem to be getting worse and worse as I get older.  More blows to the psyche from various corners and very few victories beyond having to buy a new calendar.  This is why I don’t hit this time of year with smiles and hopes.  I mean, it would be nice if entering the new year caused all sources of stress to vanish.  Doesn’t happen when you’re pummeled by outside forces, who don’t have anything better to do.  Anyway, I’m just here doing what I always do.  I think . . . That’s where things get shaky.

I ended 2021 thinking about how I barely did any real writing when compared to previous years.  By the time Septemeber hit, I was struggling to design characters much less write a book.  Now, writing time has become so rare that I don’t know what to do when it stares me in the face.  Usually, I’m exhausted.  I’m worried that I won’t be able to do even the smallest bit of writing now because life simply won’t get its jaws off my fucking throat.  It gets worse since I deal with so many people who are happy about the things that are dragging me away from what I love to do.  Everyone thinks I have these other paths, which I’m on for survival and push for them to replace writing.  I feel suffocated and the end of 2021 enhanced that sensation tenfold.

Here is why:  In the 4 days I had free, I only designed 2 characters.  No editing or writing of any kind.  Most of my time was spent stressing over personal life things, which were triggered by a surprise cameo.  I couldn’t focus.  At best, I managed to get about half of the March posts scheduled.  By the time my son came home, I wasn’t relaxed and realized I wasted my time.

You might wonder why I didn’t try to write after my son came home.  We today 2 days to watch ‘Fellowship of the Ring’, went to the zoo, watched cartoons, did some reading, and spent time together.  I might be able to do a little tomorrow if he gets in touch with a friend to play video games with.  Keep in mind that this was all planned, so I don’t regret any of it.  The issues are with how I let the previous 5 days go to waste because I was in a constant state of worry and anger.

I know I said that I wouldn’t do any real writing until mid/late February.  Yet, I’m fearing that waiting that long will erase what little drive and mojo I have left.  Maybe it’s mostly the exhaustion driving my mind wild too.  10 day break and I’m going to end it being just as tired, if not more, than when I started.  Personal life drama and crap sucks, especially when you can’t do anything about it.

Positive news is that . . . My stomach issues finally settled?  These are a chronic issue that comes up when I’m stressed for too long or not getting enough water.  The real test will be next week since I’m back to waking at 5:30 AM and spending most of my day wearing a mask.  Not sure why that second part is wearing on me so much lately.  Though, I was the type to think this mess couldn’t possibly last longer than one school year.  Now it’s just a reminder that I’ve lived through too many once-in-a-lifetime moments.  Give my generation a fucking break or at least toss us a good one.

Don’t have much TV stuff to report.  I watched a few short anime to get them off the list and started ‘Black Clover’ with my son.  Tried a few others and just gave up either after the first episode or when I learned the next season wasn’t available.  Slowly working my way through ‘Log Horizon’ right now.  Another anime where people playing a fantasy video game are transported to the world, but it’s interesting.  I like the characters and how they’re trying to build a society instead of going on adventures.  Sometime next week, I’ll watch ‘Cobra Kai’ Season 4, so I might take a break from this one.

Goals of the week?

  1. Back to work.
  2. Son back to school.
  3. Get info on the 4 week course I’m taking.
  4. Maybe design characters for ‘Phi Beta Files’.
  5. March post scheduling.
  6. Print out Do I Need to Use a Dragon? (Fantasy Writing Tips) 
  7. Sleep
Posted in Goal Posts | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments