Ye Olde Doll Shoppe: Possession Only Upon Request

FAO Schwarz

Welcome to our little corner of the marketplace!  I assure you that we carry only the highest quality supplies when it comes to making the perfect doll.  Yes, we have that joke about possession, but only because we know somebody would have made it if we didn’t do it first.  We’re all about getting ahead here, which is why we have you sign this waiver. It means we are not responsible for what you do with your doll and that we can turn you into the police if you say anything here to make us think you’re up to no good.  Our business is one of nobility, so let’s get to the basics and ignore the mini-missiles over there. Just had a shipment and we’re doing inventory.

Here is our computer to pick the unclothed appearance, which sounds creepier than it really is. You want a girl?  Easy to do and we have a long range of hair. I’m not talking about colors or styles alone. We have donated human hair, various animal furs, a flexible metal that is bullet proof, tiny cables that can charge a smart phone with only an hour of contact, and the list keeps going. Razor hair is only available on models that are kept in a case and there’s another waiver.  You don’t want little kids petting the toy and losing their fingers.  We’ll get to eyes later since that’s where the stun lasers, sensors, and holographic projectors come in.  I’m sure would could put in one projector and one laser.  You want a boy doll to make a sent?  Now, I’m getting curious.

I see, you have a son and daughter, so these are supposed to look like them.  Well, we have a scanner to make copies of their faces, which should cover the appearance side.  Let’s get into the clothing though.  Is there any specific outfit here?  Keep in mind that all of our clothes are fire proof, stain resistant, and absorbs static electricity to power any electronics within the doll.  So, your son wants his to be dressed up as a firefighter and your daughter wants to be a super-powered cowgirl.  For the first one, we have a standard outfit that you can add various stickers to.  The helmet is removable and you can get a hose and hydrant attachment, which you can fill with water. For your daughter, we have a wide variety of cowgirl outfits and I guess you could put a cape on the doll to get the superhero part.  Did you have an idea for the powers?

Well, now is a good time to get into the technological additions. The firefighter is simple because he only needs the water hook up, a blunt axe, and maybe an engine.  You can choose from models of trucks that span every age and country.  With the superpowers, it really depends on what you need. Flying is possible if we put a mini-booster in the back and have it controlled by remote. We used to have an app for that, but people were taking over dolls that they didn’t own. Total liability mess and then the explosion in Fort Lauderdale that ended spring break two years ago. With the remote, you can add other powers that are all non-lethal.  Check off what you want, but there is a four power limit because we took the controller design from an old video game system.  Finger tendrils, gusting breath, flight, and retractable horns . . . that’s all possible. You might have trouble with the hat thanks to those horns, but we can put holes in the brim or have the horns curve outward.

That should just about cover it.  We can have these ready for you by the end of the week since everything is in stock.  Thank you for shopping with us.  Some wacky ending to this skit?  This has been a serious conversation, so let’s not cheapen it.

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The Pet Character – Guest Post by, Craig Boyack…

A great post on pet characters, which don’t get nearly as much attention as they deserve.

Chris The Story Reading Ape's avatarChris The Story Reading Ape's Blog

Hello, jungle dwellers. Craig here again, and today I want to talk about the pet character. I’m using this term, but it applies to any animals and even things like SIRI or other artificial intelligence characters. For you paranormal fans, maybe it’s Grandpa’s haunted tiki mug.

Firstly, the pet is a side character. They exist in the story for a reason that relates to another character, usually the main character.

I find them useful when you have a loner. Your character is going to spend a lot of time alone, and if they talk to the animal you don’t have to write out pages of internal thought. Without even acting, the pet can serve a purpose.

The pet should act in some way, even if it’s just comic relief. I have a trunk novel where a dog threw a horse turd in the air like a ball as the enemy…

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Teaser Tuesday: Dark Master and Loyal Inventor

So, we’re going to do a few teasers throughout the month.  All of these will be coming from Legends of Windemere: Warlord of the Forgotten Age.  I will do my best to avoid spoilers, but know that some might slip out since this is the finale.  Enjoy.

Nyder Fortune by Kayla Matt

Continue reading →

Posted in Legends of Windemere, Teaser Tuesday, Warlord of the Forgotten Age | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

A Perfect 10 (Bonus Edition) with Andrew Joyce

Unknown's avatarDon Massenzio

In this bonus edition of A Perfect 10, I have the pleasure of featuring Author Andrew Joyce.

Please enjoy this special installment of A Perfect 10

If you want to check out past interviews, you can find them in the following links:

A.C. Flory, Steve Boseley, Kayla Matt, Mae Clair, Jill Sammut, Deanna Kahler, Dawn Reno Langley, John Howell, Elaine Cougler, Jan Sikes, Nancy Bell, Nick Davis, Kathleen Lopez, Susan Thatcher, Charles Yallowitz, Armand Rosamilia, Tracey Pagana, Anna Dobritt, Karen Oberlaender, Deby Fredericks, Teri Polen, Darlene Foster, Robert Rayner, C.C. Naughton, Sherry Rentshler, Linda Bradley, Luna St. Clair, Joan Hall, Staci Troilo, Allan Hudson, Robert Eggleton, Paul Scott Bates, P.C. Zick, Joy Lennick, Patrick Roland, 

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Questions for Dariana Needed!

Cover Art by Jason Pedersen

This is for a post that will be done on November 17th.  All that’s needed is for people to post questions for Dariana in the comments.  With her adventures coming to an end, I’m sure there are plenty of things to talk about.  Please try to avoid breaking the 4th wall, but mostly I don’t want people asking what she thinks of me.  Every question will be answered as if she is being asked it in her own world with no knowledge of Earth.

Dariana has been a mystery to some extent, but mostly because she has spent most of her centuries of existence wiping her own memory.  Made a champion soon after the Great Cataclysm, she has repeatedly survived the failures and been put back to sleep only to be woken again.  This is the time when she has finally made friends, but is still socially awkward and quick to apology.  Being the daughter of Zaria the Purity Goddess and Baron Arthuru Kernaghan, Dariana is immortal to most extents and possesses the power of a demi-God.  These are psychic in nature as well as being able to extend her physical abilities beyond mortal standards, which tires her out.  Considering what she is, one has to wonder what her plans for the future are.  That and what she thinks about living in a world that has changed so much without her.

Some other topics:

  1. Thoughts on other characters
  2. Favorites
  3. Advice to other heroes
  4. Lessons learned
  5. Regrets

We’ll be starting the interviews on Sunday.  Thank you for your patience.

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Judging a book by its cover

Harmony Kent's avatarStory Empire

Hello SErs! Harmony here 🙂 I hope this finds you all well.

Today, I wanted to move away from my usual focus on words and look at, instead, book covers.

I have taken a liberty and used something I wrote for a magazine a while ago. I hope you’ll bear with me both on the recycling and the wordiness on this one. However, I thought that it might be a useful topic.

Even if we are not particularly artistic, everyday vision affects our decisions more than we might credit. The well-known adage, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’, is one we all routinely ignore. At least in the initial purchasing stage. Once we have read the book, the saying becomes so very true, as the cover no longer has the same bearing on how we feel about the book.

However, if we get the cover wrong, it can drastically…

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A Perfect 10 with Rebekkah Ford

Unknown's avatarDon Massenzio

This week, I have the pleasure of featuring Author Rebekkah Ford  for this edition of A Perfect 10.

Please enjoy this week’s installment of A Perfect 10

If you want to check out past interviews, you can find them in the following links:

A.C. Flory, Steve Boseley, Kayla Matt, Mae Clair, Jill Sammut, Deanna Kahler, Dawn Reno Langley, John Howell, Elaine Cougler, Jan Sikes, Nancy Bell, Nick Davis, Kathleen Lopez, Susan Thatcher, Charles Yallowitz, Armand Rosamilia, Tracey Pagana, Anna Dobritt, Karen Oberlaender, Deby Fredericks, Teri Polen, Darlene Foster, Robert Rayner, C.C. Naughton, Sherry Rentshler, Linda Bradley, Luna St. Clair, Joan Hall, Staci Troilo, Allan Hudson, Robert Eggleton, Paul Scott Bates, P.C. Zick, Joy Lennick, Patrick Roland

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3rd Annual Holiday Gift Guide from N.N. Light

CHECK IT OUT!

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8 Myths about Being a Travel Writer

Nicholas C. Rossis's avatarNicholas C. Rossis

Zake Alfie | From the blog of Nicholas C. Rossis, author of science fiction, the Pearseus epic fantasy series and children's bookExcept for writing novels, there are many other ways of making a living through your writing. This is the first of a 3-part series that deals with such ways. It is a guest post by Zake Alfie, a travel blogger and search engine optimization expert in Bestessays.com.au. He is in charge of several online projects and provides consultations on optimization and website promotion. He loves experimenting and finding new SEO tactics.

I’ve always been fascinated by travel writers and even know one (hi, Alexis!) As a professional travel writer, Zake is in a unique position to peel away the hype surrounding the profession and share what being a travel writer is really like!

8 Myths about Being a Travel Writer

Hammock | From the blog of Nicholas C. Rossis, author of science fiction, the Pearseus epic fantasy series and children's book Image: freeimages.com

Travel and write. Doesn’t that sound like the best idea, ever? The traveling inspires you to write more. The writing gets you enough money to keep traveling…

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Life With the One-Armed Wife (Permission to tell this one)

I didn’t get much editing done for a few reasons.  I’ll be going into those in the sectioned areas, which are going to go from bad to fun distraction to the one victory of the week.  Next week is going to be rough because my son has Tuesday off for Election Day and Friday off for Veteran’s Day.  On the other hand, I might still get some work done because:

Wife Vs Gravity & Stairs: She Didn’t Win

So, Wednesday saw a little . . . modest . . . Holy fucking shit!  My wife was going up the stairs to work and slipped.  She broke her fall with her hands like you normally do, but the fall wasn’t the only thing she broke.  Distal radius and ulna of her dominant arm, so she’s in a splint and sling until the appointment for the cast.  She can’t drive, get herself dressed, open Starbusts, braid her hair (I can’t either and that’s the one fight we’ve had), or sleep in the bed.  I’m nursemaid while trying to edit and get work done, which has run the gamut of good and bad.  Even with the cast, I’ll have to get her to and from work, which means I’ll be exhausted by the time December hits.  Plus side is that I got all, but 2 interviews for Warlord of the Forgotten Age done for the guest posts.  Cover art and final edits remain, which means I can take a hit to some extent.

Still, this means I’m driving my son to the upcoming birthdays instead of being given the time for work.  I have to take my wife food shopping too.  Probably have to go to Target for clothes that are easier to get her in and out of.  Thankfully, I was already the one doing the cooking, laundry, homework with kid, and showers for kid.  Seriously, the hardest part is her hair, which she’s incredibly defensive of.  To the point where I’m still in trouble for cutting Nyx’s hair in one of the books.  For the newcomers, my wife played Nyx in the D&D game and that was her first RPG character ever.  I’ve voted that she just leave it alone, but I was denied.  All that good will I got from surprising her with a smoothie went right out the window.

Halloween Hijinks

Halloween was supposed to be the only delay since I expected that.  Took my son to a Safe Trick-Or-Treat on Monday at the high school, which he had fun at.  Didn’t beat the big day that included a parade at school.  Trick-or-Treating went very well and lasted for a little over 3 hours.  For those who missed the post, he went as Green Lantern.  We made a snafu here that went in his favor.  My wife carried his pumpkin for the candy, which people put stuff into.  They also saw the lantern and didn’t realize it was only a prop.  So, about half of the people tried to put more candy in the lantern only to find that it wasn’t possible.  They had already dedicated themselves to the move, so he got extra.  He’s trying really hard to make it last, but he doesn’t have to worry.

The New One

Want to know a secret?  I’m writing this post on Thursday with my new laptop.  It’s an Acer with an Intel chip that came out in October.  Snazzy and fun and a smaller screen, which I’m okay with.  Hardest part is getting used to the new keyboard setup and putting all the programs back on.  The power button is right next to the ‘End’ key, which is just asking for chaos.  The volume ones are all Fn functions too.  Still, it does what I need it to do and I have a 2-year warranty that goes through the store.  Means it’s only a drive if something goes wrong instead of mailing it in.

The hardest part has been putting the programs back on.  A few of them had product keys that wouldn’t let me install since I had already used them on the lemon.  Had to make some calls to get them to work again because it really wasn’t fair that I lose these programs to the situation.  One of them was Office, which caught me by surprise since it notified me in the middle of editing a bit.  Needless to say, I almost cried.  Everything else is working as of this writing and I’ll be giving it a better workout tomorrow.  Hoping that I didn’t lose any bookmarks, but all the marketing spots seem to be there.  This definitely works as a victory since the debacle is over.

Goals for the week:

  1. Tend to wife and fight urge to use garden hose on her.
  2. Edit Warlord of the Forgotten Age
  3. Apparently make popcorn for hungry wife when done with post.
  4. Vote on Election Day
  5. Drive around when needed
  6. Ask wife if she could read War of Nytefall: Loyalty.
  7. Maybe do biking
  8. Hope I can get more than 2 hours of sleep, which is a trend that started Monday.
  9. Retain some level of sanity.
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