Ramansa is a Sphinx who starts off wary of Ashe Stelfire, but ultimately becomes a close friend. She expects excellence from all those with whom she works, especially her daughter. Very few can match her mastery of ethereal arts. Those who try soon learn that it’s most unwise to vex a Sphinx.
| Hey hey! Several months ago I listened to a Hello Internet podcast where one of the hosts, Grey, spoke of something called “brain crack”, a phenomenon where you imagine how you would handle a personal/public/national/world problem with such competence and imagination that you get addicted to the daydream, rather than taking action toward solving the actual problems, or anything else in your life that needs doing. This trait is not always useful for dealing with day-to-day life, but it is absolutely critical when I’m outlining out a novel. That brain-crack journey is how I feel out a story before I write it. How I figure out the plot beats and character interactions. I used to write it down in a spiral note book, but I’ve since started using a free program called yWriter that has a fantastic chapter-by-chapter outlining function. It also allows for writing the actual novel using its application, but I can’t break away from Word, nor do I really want to. More than that, yWriter is the place where I feel more comfortable letting the daydreams of the plot flow through my mind. Sometimes, I’ll go minutes on end with out typing anything, yet feeling very productive with the mental exercise. And that productivity is bearing out an outline of Players of the Game Book 5. Right now, I think it’s going to be called The Game War, though that may change. The story will likely change substantially from the outline, and that’s totally fine. Having a map makes for a better journey, especially if you try out a few detours. |
| Recommendation Corner |
| Dune I recently caught the new movie on HBO Max, and might even venture into the theater to watch it on the big screen. I enjoyed it a great deal. The more I thought about it, the more I liked it, which is my favorite outcome of any media I consume. The effects, the cinematography, direction, writing, and acting are all top notch. It is a bit dense, so it’s not for everyone. I will also say that it is truly odd to see Jason Momoa without a beard. I finally pulled out the book and am working my way through the it as well. The movie is pretty faithful to the book, but I think the dialogue in the movie is a bit better. Sacrilege! Give it a watch if you are wanting something that’s a little bit House of Cards and a little bit Fellowship of the Ring. Recursion by Blake Crouch This novel is trippy in the best way. It starts with a cop investigating a suicide of someone who was suffering from false memories from a life she did not live. She is not the only one. There are many others suffering from the same false memory syndrome. Imagine the end of Back to the Future, but instead of everyone being fine with the new timeline, everyone also remembers how things were in the original timeline as well as the new timeline. Things spiral out of control from there. Both audio book readers, Jon Lindstrom and Abby Craden, do a great job of handling the duties between the two main characters. Good stuff. |
| That’s all for this time. Stay smart. Stay safe. Jim |
ViRauni is a major character in the Players of the Game series. She has been featured before on a bonus content book cover. She is a former queen who fell into a dark place. Her past choices haunt her. She is constantly reminded of them with the cursed armor that she wears, and the cursed sword she wields. The magic affliction renders her skin unable to touch anything living, passing through it like a phantom. Corsis took much from her. She strives to take it all back.
| “You know, Paul. I don’t know a man, woman, or child alive… who doesn’t enjoy… a lovely beverage.” These are the words David Letterman would occasionally say to Paul Shaffer toward the end of his Late Night run, which would then be followed by the beverage drinking piano jingle as Dave drank water, coffee, and/or booze from a mug. Lovely beverages do indeed make the day better, especially warm ones. I do enjoy cocoa, apple cider, or coffee from time to time, but the one I drink on a daily basis each morning is black tea. It’s got a little caffeine, but is more mellow than coffee, which will make me feel too wired if I partake in it too often. I’ve tried the green and white teas, and they’re not my bag. Earl and Lady Grey are the one’s I usually enjoy on weekdays. However, there is another. One that creeps up to the level of a coffee kick, but maintaining the smooth feel of a tea. It’s one that I discovered on a tea of the month club that my wife set up for me several years ago. Roasted Mate (pronounced mah-tay), a caffeine-infused drink from South America. I loved a blend called My Morning Mate that tasted absolutely fantastic, a bit coffee, a bit cocoa. Then the fiends stopped making it. I found others that were quite good, like South of the Border black tea with chocolate and chili pepper. It’s not too spicy, but there’s some zing for sure. But I was always pining for that lost flavor. And I have at last found a suitable replacement from Fusion Teas called Good Morning Yerba Mate. Oh, my. I had it the other morning, and the feeling and taste of it was pure liquid love. Just like the lost flavor of old. The taste sensation has returned. In a way, I’m glad I was bereft for a few years. I found new flavors I enjoyed. And I’ll cherish my reunited flavor all the more now. The lesson here is to take pleasure in the little things, like a lovely beverage. And be more diligent with your Google searches. |
| Recommendation Corner |
| Dug Days on Disney+ This is not the first Pixar recommendation I’ve given, nor will it be the last. The series of ten minute shorts focuses on Carl and Dug the dog from Up. They have moved into a new house where Carl reestablishes his peaceful environment following his balloon-based adventures from the feature film. Dug, of course, sows chaos by being a lovable id. Plus, he actually has a squirrel frenemy to chase or get bonked by tossed nuts. “Squirrel!” I think has become a universal shorthand for distraction by something interesting. The show is really sweet and might be the last work of Ed Asner before his passing. Give it a watch. Out of Body by Peter Milligan and Inaki Miranda This comic book from Aftershock focuses on a psychologist who gets attacked and left in a coma. A psychic freelancer encounters him on the astral plane as another group of psychics try to harvest his soul for their own dark appetites. The psychologist can’t remember how or why he ended up in the coma, and as he and the psychic delve into the surrounding events of the other people in his life, they learn that his relationships were less ideal than he supposed. It’s a cool concept mixing fantasy with a thriller. |
| That’s all for this time. Stay smart. Stay safe. Jim |
Tin Skin is an enigmatic member of the Brigands. He remembers little of his past, save that he was an enslaved member of Dread Corps, the private army of Corsis. His neutral demeanor hides a resolute and earnest personality who always stands with Ashe and Avril. In many ways, Tinny is the heart of the Brigands.
| Greetings! It will likely be no surprise that role playing games both of the video game variety and pen-and-paper variety are big influences on my writing style. In high school and college, I primarily played Dungeons and Dragons as a player character and I ran a couple campaigns of a lesser known RPG from Palladium Books called Rifts, which was more prolific in the 90’s. As I devoted more time to writing, something had to give, and regrettably pen-and-paper RPGs needed to be set aside. Video games RPGs have ebbed and flowed for me over this time, depending on my mood and time constraints with writing time and other activities. The Super NES version of Ogre Battle, the Mass Effect Trilogy, Final Fantasy Tactics, Dragon Age: Origins, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic are classics in my all-time top ten. I have two more recent faves that I’ll discuss more in recommendation corner below. If you have any current or classic pen-and-paper or video game RPGs that trip your wire, I’d love to hear what they are. |
| Recommendation Corner |
| Darkest Dungeon This RPG leans heavily into the Lovecraftian grim-dark setting. The game has an initial disclaimer indicating that playing it is about making the best of a bad situation. You play an inheritor of a haunted estate that is overrun with bandits, mutated horrors, and demonic fiends. The characters you recruit must not only contend with difficult combat as they trudge through dungeons shown from a side-scrolling perspective, but they also must face disease and insanity. The stylized artwork reminds me of Mike Mignola of Hellboy fame, and the music is dark, moody, and superb. The ancestor who bequeathed the estate narrates the battles and the down time in the base at the nearby town. It’s difficult, but so very fun. Give it a try if such types of things are up your alley. Path of Exile This game is for fans of Diablo and Gauntlet. It’s presented from an overhead isometric perspective. You start of as one of various character classes who are all banished to an island by a corrupt regime. You slowly pull yourself together and go on quests to make things better and save the world from a multitude of demons and dark gods. It is more action oriented and the skills and powers encourage experimentation. It’s free-to-play, but not the pay-to-win variety. The game makes its money through skin customization, but you can choose to use the intentionally boring looking equipment appearances. It’s very bloody and incredibly violent. And it is more fun played with a party than alone. To channel Jim Carrey: I like it a lot. |
| New End Banner |
| This new end banner is just plain awesome. The characters from left to right are: Xax, Avril Enzali, Ed Burnhelt, Ashe Stelfire, Tamona of Mune, Harry Mang (in different armor), and Candice Quentra. All of them will appear in their own spotlights as time goes on. |
| That’s all for this time. Stay smart. Stay safe. Jim |
Harry Mang is one of the main characters in The New Players. He is a gruff, but ethical officer serving the Holy Alliance, an empire that is neither holy nor an alliance. Harry has been shunted to the command of a remote frontier city fort, as he is too talented, too popular to kill. He also has a particular talent, he never misses a shot, never fails to complete a slice or strike. He is first introduced in a face off against Ed Burnhelt. All of which is great interest to the Master of the Game. Corsis.
| Hi there. So much of our lives involves stories. Not just the fictional ones we consume in various media, but the non-fictional ones that we’ve each lived. The ones that we recount when we gather with friends and family at happy occasions, and also sad ones. I recently attended the funeral of my grandfather. While he had been in decline over the last few years, he passed away somewhat quickly and it was thankfully non-Covid related. One thing that really heartened me was all the stories that recounted his wry and stoic personality. A quintessential cowboy who lived 93 years, who could recite poetry he learned in school, and still had a hankerin’ to ride a horse, though he wisely stopped a few years back. He also had a sweet tooth for off-brand lemon Oreo’s, which grand kids and great grand kids also greatly enjoyed. He’ll certainly be missed. And I’m glad the good stories of his life will be told for years to come. Next time,you wander down memory lane with those you care about, take a moment to appreciate everyone who’s telling the tales and listening to them. They won’t be there forever. |
| Recommendation Corner |
| The Suicide Squad (2021 Movie) I’m part of the problem with this movie’s box office under performance. I watched it on HBO Max without guilt, and I loved it. This movie lived up to it’s name much better than the 2016 version. It involves a large team of conscripted villains who must carry out a mission in a fictional Latin American country in exchange for reduced sentences, or get their heads exploded. Despite the ridiculous characters, you actually come to care for them. King Shark is sure to be many people’s favorite with his line: “Num num?” My favorite was Polka Dot Man and his mom. Hilarious and awesome. Check it out. Empire in Black and Gold by Adrian Tcalkovsky This book has a cool twist on the typical fantasy race fare. They are all human with insect “kinden” sub groups. Flies are short and can conjure wings, Beetles are stocky and persistant, Wasps are flying, stinging @ssholes just like their insect counterparts, and so on. The story revolves around an over-the-hill Beetle spymaster/professor who must recruit some of his brightest students for a secret mission against the encroaching Wasp empire. It also has an interesting debuff for a lot of the characters where some cannot figure out how to use any form of technology, while others cannot acknowledge magic even when its effects are used in plain view. There are many more books in this series, so I’ll likely be recommending other parts of the series in future installments. |
| That’s all for this time. Stay smart. Stay safe. Jim |
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Matt Burnhelt is Ed’s older brother. He also possesses hyper powers. Unlike Ed, his are more subtle. He can convert the Flames of Tumult into any other form of electromagnetic or magical energy. He is a master planner with a keen mind that notices details missed by others. Nightmares that he can never remember plague him nightly. Nightmares that might just creep into the waking world.
| Hey hey! I have been enjoying a bit more fun in the sun with friends and family. I’ve also been returning to get some take out from some favorite restaurants. The Central Great Plains and Colorado have a regional outfit called Old Chicago. They make deep dish pizzas that are fantastic. The Thai Chicken pizza is my favorite. It has sweet Thai sauce instead of pizza sauce, so it’s more specialty than traditional, but oh my do I love it. So good. Backyard barbecues have also been something I’ve sorely missed this past year. My wife and I hung out with some friends recently on their patio where they made us some A+ burgers and Polish sausages. I announced that I would eat the h*** out that grilled foodage. And eat the h*** out of it I most certainly did. I’m also marinating some steaks with a mixture of Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce and brown sugar. I’ll be searing them and then using the trusty sous vide. It shall be epic. These are all summer treats for me. I usually skew more on the herbivore end of my omnivore diet. I enjoy making black bean rice bowls and a soup concoction that I call chili veggie soupy. Do you have any fave foods that you recommend either from restaurants or that you make? |
| Recommendation Corner |
| Reckless by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips I’m a a big fan of this creative team’s crime comics. This hardcover trade focuses on a man named Ethan Reckless in the early 1980’s. He’s sort of a low-grade, sloppy, one-man A-Team. He was once an FBI undercover agent that infiltrated a violent anti-war group in the late years of the Vietnam War. It ended badly, leaving him with a scar. He now makes ends meet by working out of a closed movie theater and hiring himself out to people who need help with a non-advertised 800 number. People who are often shady with conflicting agendas. Things start going sideways when a woman from his undercover past reaches out to him. Great dialogue, gritty art, and realistic violence. Check it out. The Trouble With Peace by Joe Abercrombie The First Law series is always fun for a grim-dark fantasy world. It’s a mix of steampunk colliding with a more savage land of Norse vikings. The wry humor in the narrative and dialogue is my favorite part. The POV characters all think they’re in the right, but almost always do the wrong thing that achieves the exact opposite result of their intentions. This is most true for Leo, a heroic idiot who is easy to manipulate, especially by the ambitious Savine. The foppish Prince Orso emerges as the most likable character as civil war creeps closer and closer. Steven Pacey does a great job with the audio book reading with many distinct voices. Give it a read or listen. |
| That’s all for this time. Stay smart. Stay safe. Jim |
