tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14894946801890928432024-02-18T23:54:38.996-05:00Hero ChroniclesESB 'Stringfellow'http://www.blogger.com/profile/09645842806098933307noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489494680189092843.post-45024712714136028862020-04-22T22:06:00.000-04:002020-04-22T22:06:15.378-04:00A Fiery PreviewHello everyone, this is ESB 'Stringfellow' and I love the nightlife, and this is...<br />
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<u><b>A Preview For Fiery Chaos!!!</b></u><br />
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Today, I want to share a little bit of my new book, a look inside if you will. What I'm about to show you comes from <i>Chapter Five: Chasing Fire</i>, where our heroes, having recently met, must find the Fire Medallion, the source of Ahila's connection to the Fire Stone's massive power. I hope you enjoy...<br />
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<div class="Normal tm5">
<i><span class="tm6">The journey through the forest was uneventful, though with each step Charcoal took, Ahila and Loki grew more anxious. Behind any tree or shrub could be a Helheis soldier, just waiting
for them to reveal themselves.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">Fortunately they saw nor heard anyone, perhaps all thanks to Charcoal’s choosing to take the path less traveled, having took to the trees running alongside the road. He moved with
great speed and uncanny agility, weaving around countless trees, clomping up slanted rocks and leaping through the air over various obstacles, as though this was a path he had trained himself to run numerous times. In no time
at all, Charcoal took his passengers to the very edge of the forest, with Dagonet not too far in the distance.</span></i></div>
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</i><div class="Normal tm5">
<i><span class="tm6">With the sun sinking lower and lower on the western horizon ahead of them, the grime-filled town was starting to become lit like a beacon, heralding another night of debauchery. However,
there was something different, and an eerie aura seemed to have been emitting from the place. Also, it was ominously silent, like a den of monsters.</span></i></div>
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</i><div class="Normal tm5">
<i><span class="tm6">Then they saw them, several flags flapping in the wind. Black with stylized green snakes, the banners of Helheis hung high on several buildings and on the walls of Dagonet.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">“Looks like those Helheis guys decided not to destroy the town,” Loki observed in a hushed voice.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">“Too bad,” Ahila said with a slight edge, having developed bitter feelings towards the townspeople that literally threw her at the feet of Sergeant Copper. Thinking aloud,
she said mainly to herself, “It is a wonder that King Caltaur would let such a place continue existing.”</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">“Ah, well, he hates it just as much as you do,” Loki informed her. “He’s been trying to either renovate or wipe the place completely off the map for ages, but
a sad little fact keeps preventing such a thing from happening.”</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">Turning half a glance to Loki, Ahila asked, “What sad little fact?”</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">Loki opened his mouth for a moment but then held back, appearing pensive. “Hmm, how to put this delicately...” he said. “Um, lets just say that the Deadly Sins of Gluttony
and Lust really make quite a profit here and these are the kinds of people who really don’t feel a need to leave all that behind.”</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">Suddenly sickened, Ahila replied, “Sorry that I asked.”</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">“Yeah, but don’t think too badly of Dagonet,” Loki told her as he looked out towards the town of deviants. “They’re not all bad, they just... choose to
live a carefree life,” he said at length.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">That hardly assuaged Ahila’s negative view of the place and she prayed to the Fire Stone that she would never set foot in that place ever again.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">After several moments of silence, Loki said, “We’ll wait here until it gets darker, then we’ll head for the forest on the other side of Dagonet.”</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">“Would that be safe?” Ahila inquired, fearing to be spotted by a patrolling Helheis soldier.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">“We’ll keep our distance, stick to the shadows,” Loki told her. “Also, no lights for us, that way they can’t see us in the dark. And don’t worry about
us, horses can see in the dark better than humans, and Charcoal can practically walk blindfolded all the way back to Alcar Castle,” the youth assured Ahila, who was immediately comforted by this fact. She definitely
felt a strong sense of trust towards Charcoal, who always carried the appearance of seriousness and attentiveness. If ever a problem were to arise, Ahila knew that she could always count on Charcoal so she felt less scared.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">When the time came, when the sun was barely equivalent to the light of a flickering candle and the only source of light came from Dagonet and some scattered stars across a cloudy sky,
Charcoal started his trek across the plains that surrounded the town.</span></i></div>
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</i><div class="Normal tm5">
<i><span class="tm6">The horse, keeping Dagonet to his right side, stepped with carefulness and with a speed that did not cause too much noise. He kept the town considerably far, almost to the point that
one would have to walk almost three hundred feet just to be within the field of the town’s numerous torches. Though Charcoal kept his pace calm and undisturbed, where even his breathing and beating heart seemed normal,
the horse felt a sense of foreboding from Dagonet.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">Occasionally on their long trek to the forest, Charcoal would steal a glance towards the town, feeling a mounting sense of danger from it. Charcoal was not a horse to know fear. He was
never scared of anything, as though he was literally born without fear. However, that did not mean he was careless or foolish. Every time he looked towards Dagonet, he felt something from there that would send most other creatures
running for their lives. Something unnatural was in that town, something that was not human. It was something monstrous, just waiting to be let out of its cage.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">Charcoal, for all of his courage, strength and speed, knew that whatever rested in Dagonet was something that he could not fight and win against. So instead, for the first time in his
life, he had to avoid a confrontation, especially if it meant preserving the life of his rider.</span></i></div>
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</i><div class="Normal tm5">
<i><span class="tm6">As for Ahila and Loki, the longer it took them to reach the opposite forest, the more exposed they felt, hardly daring to draw breath. Like Charcoal, they could tell that there was a
terrifying presence lurking within Dagonet, and if not for the horse’s limitless courage, they would have taken a two or three mile long detour around the town. With Charcoal, with his great speed, they felt confident
that they could elude detection or capture.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">Even then though, when the gigantic stone pillar that erupted from the earth came into their view, Ahila and Loki could not suppress a shiver from running down their spines.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">Fortunately, no one saw or heard them, and after what felt to be hours of slow and cautious trotting, Charcoal and his passengers reached the forest’s edge, almost leaping into
its concealing shadows.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">Feeling a sense of relief wash over her, though still keeping her guard, Ahila whispered as Charcoal went into a faster trot, “Should I make a light?”</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">“Not yet,” Loki whispered back as his horse moved about the trees. “Wait until we get back to the road, and only if we really need it.”</span></i></div>
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</i><div class="Normal tm5">
<i><span class="tm6">Soon they reached the road and Charcoal stopped to survey the area, even sniffing the air like a bloodhound. After a moment he turned his head completely to the side so he could stare
at Loki, giving a brief snort.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">Licking his lips, Loki said in a voice that sounded more calm than he felt, “Charcoal says there aren’t any Helheis guys about but they have been through here recently. Maybe
even closer than we’d like.”</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">Ahila found it amazing that he was able to discern all of that from just one snort. She wondered if he was simply making it up for unknown reasons but instead she asked, “So what
do we do?”</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">“Well, we need to stick to the road so we can find that tree,” Loki answered. “You know, the one where we found you,” he added.</span></i></div>
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</i><div class="Normal tm5">
<i><span class="tm6">Ahila paused, trying to remember that conversation that oddly felt like ages ago rather than just that morning. “A tree that looked like it was nearly split in two?” she
confirmed as much as asked.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">“Yeah, that one,” Loki replied. “We’ll take the road, but no fire, Charcoal can manage enough,” he said, adding, “but the first sign of danger, we
bolt right back into the woods.”</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">Ahila swallowed hard, suddenly feeling extremely thirsty, and commented, “Sounds like the best we can do.”</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">Loki nodded, and with that Charcoal began his walk onto the road and started following it, his gait quick though not too fast.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">As they progressed through the darkened forest, with visibility nearly nonexistent, Ahila, Loki and Charcoal had to rely heavily on sound and instincts. Fortunately Charcoal was the
better of the three, so whatever sense of alarm Ahila felt was usually for nothing. Loki, having spent years with his trusted horse, knew that so as long as Charcoal was calm, then there was no reason to fear... not yet at
least.</span></i></div>
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</i><div class="Normal tm5">
<i><span class="tm6">Eventually, after hearing a loud screech that nearly made Ahila jump off of Charcoal, she asked Loki in a voice that betrayed her nervousness, “Are... are there any... monsters
in this forest?”</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">Loki, even in the near-total darkness, could see the fear in Ahila’s eyes, which were pale red he noticed, which struck him as curious. Putting it aside for now though, he answered
her question. “Nothing too bad,” he told her. “Goblins, imps, maybe some trolls, who shouldn’t be a bother to you because they despise fire,” he said in a low voice, casting his eyes from side-to-side.
“However, my main concern would be the Helheis cutthroats,” he added, which did nothing to bolster Ahila’s spirits.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">Gripping unintentionally onto Loki’s hand, which was wrapped around her waist so he would not fall, the little fire mage muttered to herself just loud enough for the youth to hear,
“I swear... If we get through this night alive... I am never leaving the Fire Shrine again.”</span></i></div>
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</i><div class="Normal tm5">
<i><span class="tm6">Loki would almost have to agree... Almost only because he heard from stories that the Fire Shrine was located either inside an active volcano or a volcanic wasteland, neither of which
were places that were on his list of things to see or live in.</span></i></div>
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</i><div class="Normal tm5">
<i><span class="tm6">They rode in silence for a long time, keeping their ears alert for any forms of threat, though they never detected any. In less than an hour, Charcoal came to a sudden stop.</span></i></div>
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</i><div class="Normal tm5">
<i><span class="tm6">“We’re here,” Loki declared, indicating the faint silhouette of a large oak tree, which was long dead and appeared to have been the victim of a giant’s axe, just
as the youth had said.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">“Finally,” breathed Ahila, having felt enough tension on that night to last her a lifetime.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">Loki dismounted and helped Ahila do the same, and once both were on the ground he said, “Now’s a good time as any for a little light.”</span></i></div>
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</i><div class="Normal tm5">
<i><span class="tm6">Nodding in accordance, Ahila raised her right hand and produced a small flame, which hovered calmly over her fingertips. “Where did you find me, exactly?” she asked as she
cast her eyes about the road.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">Loki, actually impressed of Ahila’s magic, started looking around as well. “I think...” he began, walking a few feet to the side of the road, “it was right here.”
He knelt, his hands searching among the leaves, twigs and grass. Not too far ahead of him was a small incline, a knoll that led further into the woods.</span></i></div>
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</i><div class="Normal tm5">
<i><span class="tm6">Ahila slightly recalled having a fall, feeling her body rolling and tumbling downhill before losing consciousness. Without a word, she crouched down to begin searching, huddled next
to Loki so that they could see by her magic fire. It was not easy for her to search, because she had to hold up the flame and use her splinted left hand to check the ground. She thought of making the fire hover on its own
but she never learned how to accomplish it without concentrating too hard.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="tm6">It was a slow and arduous work, with Ahila and Loki squinting and rummaging through weeds and bushes. Charcoal walked close by with his nose to the ground, though he was mostly focusing
on the sounds of the forest, keeping an ear out for any signs of danger, and with Ahila’s flame giving away their presence, there was a real possibility of danger finding them.</span></i></div>
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<span class="tm6">And that, I feel, is a good enough time to stop as any (if I post any more, I fear that I'd end up posting the entire chapter). This gives, I hope, a sense of how the story feels, how the characters behave in general and it provides the taste required to get you hooked. If you like it, then how about clicking on the link to the right so you can get <i>Fiery Chaos</i> now, on Kindle or paperback.</span><i><span class="tm6"></span></i></div>
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<span class="tm6">Until next time, dear readers, stay safe.</span><i><span class="tm6"></span></i></div>
ESB 'Stringfellow'http://www.blogger.com/profile/09645842806098933307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489494680189092843.post-55192305907647138322020-04-16T02:54:00.002-04:002020-04-16T02:54:59.123-04:00Fire In The Sky (And Ground [Even The Freaking Water!])!Hello everyone, this is ESB 'Stringfellow' and I am the Man from U.N.C.L.E., and this is...<br />
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<u><b>The Post Where The Author Talks More About His Newest Book!!!</b></u><br />
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First, just as a reminder, here is the cover, again:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirCsV2NGxTHIEznm-rU8XIkl0Sl0Lt6nmIVYbfSi-6cOF6AHcKaEPI9Qytz3o84g7N8CUw9ScUr1ppgscSDEdKraHkkueNcGVInqTH65DDU1HeJ9EGhPb4P0sJJoHhQrl2YfbYGo6nJ6Y/s1600/Fiery+Chaos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1003" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirCsV2NGxTHIEznm-rU8XIkl0Sl0Lt6nmIVYbfSi-6cOF6AHcKaEPI9Qytz3o84g7N8CUw9ScUr1ppgscSDEdKraHkkueNcGVInqTH65DDU1HeJ9EGhPb4P0sJJoHhQrl2YfbYGo6nJ6Y/s320/Fiery+Chaos.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It is about Fire. And Chaos. Other Elements Also Included!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Today, I want to talk about the lead characters, our heroes and villains. But first, a bit of story background:<br />
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As mentioned in the synopsis, this world has magical relics referred to as the Elemental Stones. Each one represents the four major elements of fire, water, earth and wind. In pure it-only-makes-sense-in-a-fantasy-setting, the Stones are the source of their respective element, which basically makes them akin to gods like Zeus or Thor. Their power is truly godlike, and they require guardians to keep safe their power, so they rely on the Elemental Guardians, mortals chosen every generation to protect the Stones. Each Guardian is given a magical item that allows them to channel the Stones' element, giving them immense power.<br />
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In time, the Stones and their Guardians faded from public knowledge, becoming mere legends. Regardless of this, new Guardians are still chosen throughout the ages, who adhere to their duties in utmost secrecy. This works out pretty well for untold centuries, until one day a mad warlord decides that he's worthy of godhood...<br />
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Now, here are the main characters:<br />
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<b>Character 1: Ahila Brigandu</b><br />
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Ahila is a fourteen-year-old girl who is the daughter of Phyros and Hilda Brigandu. Her father, Phyros, starts the story off as the current Fire Guardian, but due to the aforementioned warlord, he is forced to pass the mantle of Guardian to his daughter years before her time.<br />
Ahila spends the entire story struggling with the godly power that was thrust onto her, given only one mission from her father: Keep the power of Fire from falling into the hands of the main villain. As the story goes, Ahila suffers loss, trauma and utter despair. There are times where she feels overwhelmed and desires nothing more than to break down and stay down.<br />
Fortunately for her, she has new friends that help her get through her ordeals, and eventually she gains the courage she needs to face the greatest threat to the Elements.<br />
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<b>Character 2: Loki Aeson</b><br />
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With Ahila being the one where heroism is thrust upon her, Loki is the guy who gets dragged into it by pure accident. He is another youth of fourteen, orphaned since he was just a baby and raised by his father's best friend. Loki acts as a foil to Ahila's personality. Where she is serious, he is goofy. Where she is formal and old fashioned, Loki is casual and aloof. Whereas Ahila is a daughter of an all powerful Guardian (and being a Guardian herself), Loki is a normal boy and the son of a knight who went missing and is presumed dead. He has no magic, no special weapon or anything that makes him stand out from others his own age.<br />
However, what he lacks in magical powers or weapons, he more than makes up for with pluck, charisma, a jest and several nicknames for Ahila, such as Fire Queen.<br />
Oh, and also he has this strange ability where he can easily talk to animals. It isn't like he understands them in a way that he hears them speaking his own human language. It's more like an instinctive ability to guess with incredible accuracy what animals are saying or emotions they are expressing. This comes in very handy whenever it comes time for him to translate what the next character is saying...<br />
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<b>Character 3: Charcoal</b><br />
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Charcoal is a male horse, partnered with Loki. In the country that Loki lives, horses are everything. The greatest among them are remembered just as often as their human riders, treated with respect and immortalized after great feats of courage and loyalty. It is a shared dream for Loki and Charcoal to become warriors for their king and queen, to join the ranks of the Horse Riders. However, the two have earned some unfavorable reputations. Loki, for instance, is a known prankster and has caused a headache or two over the years. Charcoal, however, is very different from other horses.<br />
How different? For one thing, he is rather wild for a horse bred in a stable. His wild attitude caused him to be too difficult to be tamed by the usual trainer. With Loki's unusual ability to calm even the most aggressive animal, Charcoal fell into his care and the two had been inseparable ever since. Granted, that isn't the only thing that sets Charcoal apart from other horses. He's also a bit short tempered. He also fights dirty, using his hooves to intentionally knock people in the heads if they threaten him.<br />
Above all else, though, Charcoal is a horse without fear. He'll charge mountain lions, armed enemies, anything, without a trace of fear. Where others would shake in their boots at the sight of a dragon, Charcoal would just give it a death glare.<br />
Honestly, I think he's my favorite character of the whole bunch.<br />
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<b>Character 4: General Drak</b><br />
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This guy is the previously mentioned warlord. He is the ruler of a kingdom called Helheis, which is a greatly militarized domain. There, the strongest, the most cunning and the most cruel rules. To live in Helheis is to live by an extremist's idea of what it means to be a warrior. They live, breathe and die in the belief that battle is everything. Because of this upbringing, paired with a dangerously large ego, General Drak believes with every fiber of his being that he is worthy of becoming a god.<br />
He always had an inquisitive mind and a thirst for knowledge, equaled only by his lust for more power, which led him to discover that the Elemental Stones are real. After years of research, experiments and planning, General Drak devises a way to steal the powers of the Elements, with his mad ambition serving as the central threat of the story.<br />
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<b>Character 5: Sergeant Copper</b><br />
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He is General Drak's second-in-command, the most loyal of the Helheis army. Sergeant Copper serves the purpose of showing how devout he is to his master's cause, easily shifting his worldview on a whim just so it can be more aligned with General Drak's. He is the epitome of a fanatic, willing to lay his life down in order to please General Drak but also fearing for his life whenever he causes his master to become angry. In the end, Sergeant Copper has no agenda or ambition of his own except to continue making General Drak proud of him.<br />
Granted, that doesn't mean that Sergeant Copper is beyond that of mere soldier/follower. He is a high ranking warrior with no sense of mercy, empathy or morals. He is a complete sociopath, having no remorse in killing anyone who comes across his path. He is the kind of guy who sees no difference in killing an enemy on a battlefield and murdering a child who simply got in his way.<br />
Sergeant Copper is sadistic, cold and vicious. General Drak should be lucky that he doesn't have any <a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheStarscream" target="_blank">Starscream</a> habits.<br />
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That is that. Those are your main characters, the heroes and villains. Before I finish this up, I think I'll address a few things about them.<br />
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First, yes it seems that I have an odd thing about creating heroes who get their start at fourteen years old. I did it with Cyan, now I'm doing it with Ahila and Loki. Please, don't ask why. Just blame it on the things that I enjoyed in my youth that influenced me at the time when I first created these characters. You know, things like Avatar: The Last Airbender or Kingdom Hearts. At least I didn't make Charcoal a <i>magical talking</i> horse. I very much wanted to make a non-magical animal a main character but make sure that he was established as very different from normal animals. He might not be, say, Superman, but he sure as hell is a Batman.<br />
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Second, to head off complaints about the villains being one-dimensional, let me just say... I don't care.<br />
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Well, I used to care, but then things got really bad in the real world and true, real-life evil has shown us all that real-world villains really are <i>that </i>one-dimensional. We see them making power grabs for no reason but for the sake of obtaining power. We see them doing every cruel trick, short of mass genocide (but only in certain countries), to keep that power. We see real villains, right the hell now, being villainous for no reason other than it pleases them.<br />
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So, please don't tell me that my villains aren't realistic (aside from the magic, of course) because gaining power just for the sake of it while crushing innocent lives on the way is happening in the real world as I type this. In fact, in retrospect, I feel that I hadn't pushed the psychopathic zealot <i>enough</i> in this story.<br />
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Honestly, if I could go back and add something, it would be a scene where General Drak accidentally kills one of his followers in a fit of rage/temper tantrum, look at said follower's broken and dying form and say, <i>"Look at what you made me do!"</i> Then, his other followers would nod sagely and agree, expressing that the one who got killed really did do something to earn that fatal blow. And then, to truly seal the death-cult portrayal, the follower would use his dying breath to utter, <i>"You're right, this </i>was <i>my fault."</i> ...And all he did was just stand there.<br />
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Well, on that dark and depressing note, I'll see you guys next time. Stay safe out there.<br />
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Sincerely, ESB 'Stringfellow'<br />
<br />ESB 'Stringfellow'http://www.blogger.com/profile/09645842806098933307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489494680189092843.post-24000485006743730252020-04-07T23:24:00.001-04:002020-04-07T23:24:58.372-04:00The Hottest UpdateHello everyone, this is ESB 'Stringfellow' and I have a <a href="https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Hun-Gurrr_(G1)" target="_blank">Hun-Gurrr,</a> and this is...<br />
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<u><b>The Newest Book Created By The Author!!!</b></u><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyCAGIInLIM_UV3znBh6ZTOMbn7ufXCHMbALmKmJwBcdHRGWM2h2mmH5q7PKcF2Hb3Uc51Es5mX0W4euX7otorL5Q9WmsdZGmZ2eQWTma5EQDpPBHtt1AHEPbHD4gkE_7PA_R8A0zJtjw/s1600/Fiery+Chaos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1003" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyCAGIInLIM_UV3znBh6ZTOMbn7ufXCHMbALmKmJwBcdHRGWM2h2mmH5q7PKcF2Hb3Uc51Es5mX0W4euX7otorL5Q9WmsdZGmZ2eQWTma5EQDpPBHtt1AHEPbHD4gkE_7PA_R8A0zJtjw/s320/Fiery+Chaos.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Does anyone else realize how many "fire" related titles have already been taken?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
People, I am incredible happy to bring this long overdue update (it's been almost two years!) to let you know that I have not been idle.<br />
<br />
I mean, for one thing, I work at retail, so any typing I get is very sparse. That means I can not, despite how very much that I want to, churn out a book every year or two. However, I truly feel that all of the work I put into this new book was totally worth it. I feel like this is my best one yet.<br />
<br />
Here is the synopsis...<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="Normal">
<i><span class="tm5">The Wind howls with the screams of the damned...</span></i></div>
<i>
</i><div class="Normal">
<br /></div>
<i>
</i><div class="Normal">
<i><span class="tm5">The Earth tears itself apart to consume the unfortunate...</span></i></div>
<i>
</i><div class="Normal">
<br /></div>
<i>
</i><div class="Normal">
<i><span class="tm5">The Water rages to violently wash away all in its path...</span></i></div>
<i>
</i><div class="Normal">
<br /></div>
<i>
</i><div class="Normal">
<i><span class="tm5">Only Fire remains to prevent the onslaught and destruction...</span></i></div>
<i>
</i><div class="Normal">
<br /></div>
<i>
</i><div class="Normal">
<br /></div>
<i>
</i><div class="Normal">
<i><span class="tm5">On the Great Continent of Colinaus, supposedly the birth place of gods and magic, a great and powerful secret remained hidden for millennia. The Elemental Stones...</span></i></div>
<i>
</i><div class="Normal">
<br /></div>
<i>
</i><div class="Normal">
<i><span class="tm5">For so long, these fabled and ancient relics had been lost to society they were regarded as nothing more than simple myths, stories told to incite awe and wonder. However, one man, a king
of wars, believed them to be real and vowed to make their power his own. His thirst for power and his arrogance knew no bounds. So great were his beliefs that he considered himself worthy of godhood. In the end, though, his
actions will create a terrible imbalance to the forces of the Elements. In his pursuit to fulfill his lofty ambitions, he will throw the world into danger, threaten to unleash untold chaos.</span></i></div>
<i>
</i><div class="Normal">
<br /></div>
<i>
</i><div class="Normal">
<i><span class="tm5">As the War of the Elements begin, all hope will fall onto the shoulders of the Fire Guardian... and she is only fourteen years old.</span></i></div>
<div class="Normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal">
...</div>
<div class="Normal">
...</div>
<div class="Normal">
...</div>
<div class="Normal">
So, what do you think? I'm going to wait a bit before I talk it up some more, but in the mean time you (yes, YOU) can take this opportunity right now to check it out on Amazon (links to both paperback and Kindle versions are in the side bar to the right). After all, given how things are going, I hear that there's no better time to settle in with a nice long book (this sucker is 571 pages!).</div>
<div class="Normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="Normal">
So, get your <i>Fiery Chaos </i>today!</div>
ESB 'Stringfellow'http://www.blogger.com/profile/09645842806098933307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489494680189092843.post-17055351014773170592018-06-21T04:34:00.001-04:002018-06-21T04:35:43.472-04:00A New StartHello everyone, this is 'ESB' Stringfellow, and I have a lovely bunch of coconuts, and this is...<br />
<br />
<strong><u>An Update Regarding The Author's Books!!!</u></strong><br />
<strong><u></u></strong><br />
I am as pleased as punch to announce that I have taken the chance to republish my books on Amazon! All of the links to the right in the "Books by the Author" section have been updated and will now take you to the new versions of my books, where none of them, I promise you, are priced at four hundred dollars (I'm still scratching my head at that one). If you find that the links don't work, or that they're taking you to the wrong place, then tell Amazon as well as myself, and we'll try to figure it out together.<br />
<br />
Now, what are the differences, you must be wondering. Basically <em>The Five Year Pilgrimage</em> series is unaltered, but there are a few things in <em>Path of a Hero </em>I'd like to mention. For one thing, I cleaned up some more writing mistakes, but I also took the opportunity to take out the word <em>okay</em> whenever it was used by someone who was not Magus. Why? Because I felt that was a slang/informal word that should be used more sparingly, thus helping to make Magus' way of speaking stand out more, and I only thought of doing that until AFTER my first time publishing <em>Path of a Hero</em>.<br />
<br />
A couple other changes I did had more to do with gaining newfound knowledge over the years, which made me want to make things more appropriate. One of them was General Demana's outfit, which originally was on the sexy side, but after learning that was an overused and even problematic trope, I decided to give Demana a new outfit that reflects her status as a warrior more. The last change I did was refer to Sa'Phi'Ro's sword, Muramasa, as an <em>odachi</em>. When I first wrote <em>Path of a Hero</em>, I never bothered to ask if a katana-like sword that was six to seven feet long was named anything else, and to my slight embarrassment, I asked rather on the late side. But that has been changed now, and hopefully for the better.<br />
<br />
If you are, by any chance, someone who has purchased and read <em>Path of a Hero</em> before, you might find that these changes are not great incentives to buy it again, and I will not blame you. All that I ask is that you tell your friends/family, if they had not read my book yet, to give this version a shot (that way, I'll actually get royalties).<br />
<br />
Oh, and also, I added a relabeled map of Trino.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWkXMup0LU9KM3wq1Holy2TNlaKXfrpU8kIRr9Fn1bRhm3Cp99wz6s4y3PHKk5gkHOKEAYsG7KwciIMljfoYId87gFCOeQpGf5NEXWXQPBPCJH6RwsUi2NLKUnAyeXklem1x2pAvdHns/s1600/Relabaled+Trino+MapJPEG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1168" data-original-width="1600" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWkXMup0LU9KM3wq1Holy2TNlaKXfrpU8kIRr9Fn1bRhm3Cp99wz6s4y3PHKk5gkHOKEAYsG7KwciIMljfoYId87gFCOeQpGf5NEXWXQPBPCJH6RwsUi2NLKUnAyeXklem1x2pAvdHns/s400/Relabaled+Trino+MapJPEG.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now you can follow Cyan and Magus' "Path" to "Heroism"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Hopefully, that does turns out good (I haven't had the pleasure of seeing it myself yet outside of digital previews) and you'll be able to read the labels well enough. My fingers are most definitely crossed!<br />
<br />
Now, there is the other difference that will stand out with all of my books that I had published with <em>America Star Books</em>, and that is the covers. I would like to share them with you now...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9zwJTI25qSwUaWoVA-IMnx951g46HWXQJYL2aeqK5iOUQl7iKcl9M_OicLSHdezgbNk9MtXtt5h6CT1S-qNyLj2f765_ySprNC2licayMivahDutcxmkaaBev4qiELj2tPi3Ea2RgL4/s1600/Path+of+a+Hero+FIXED+Canva+Cover.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1003" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9zwJTI25qSwUaWoVA-IMnx951g46HWXQJYL2aeqK5iOUQl7iKcl9M_OicLSHdezgbNk9MtXtt5h6CT1S-qNyLj2f765_ySprNC2licayMivahDutcxmkaaBev4qiELj2tPi3Ea2RgL4/s320/Path+of+a+Hero+FIXED+Canva+Cover.JPG.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where Darkness slowly engulfs the Light.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So, first up is the <em>Path of a Hero </em>cover, which I feel captures the idea of Cyan slowly losing his Light to Darkness. Not really half Darkness and half Light, but the sense that Darkness is indeed growing.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNyXfyZhSa9Y2zvorQCHZsbvCg5iY1_VFTQppDNDF5fUweXcuMSAthWi2CjiEQ9A3vngHiJuhq7Rl-Ft8c1vWh14QwKTmaLD5uYLzMO6FafvVC2Wshj4b3H5bikTOfpo8X32bpkWe07Gk/s1600/A+Hero%2527s+Path+TFYP+B1C+Canva+Cover.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1003" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNyXfyZhSa9Y2zvorQCHZsbvCg5iY1_VFTQppDNDF5fUweXcuMSAthWi2CjiEQ9A3vngHiJuhq7Rl-Ft8c1vWh14QwKTmaLD5uYLzMO6FafvVC2Wshj4b3H5bikTOfpo8X32bpkWe07Gk/s320/A+Hero%2527s+Path+TFYP+B1C+Canva+Cover.JPG.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Temple With a View!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<em>Book I: Chi</em> had to have some earthy hue to it, so I created a cover that had some various shades of brown to it. I also wanted to have a temple in it, to convey to the readers the location that this story takes place, the <em>Tu Long Academy</em>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDwuA3RoQvpC8sLwUr8xp62HWFw9-XTi1hH4uLV9MuUL9i81Wu2Pqc_Qdyc6JNT8-H_N39U0SNY00wyzcA3W2TEHL66C8EKaFakaDwvfZexE6SBZi1QGcr882WmXNIXxDFNReqTEf09M/s1600/A+Hero%2527s+Path+TFYP+B2S+Canva+Cover.JPG.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1003" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDwuA3RoQvpC8sLwUr8xp62HWFw9-XTi1hH4uLV9MuUL9i81Wu2Pqc_Qdyc6JNT8-H_N39U0SNY00wyzcA3W2TEHL66C8EKaFakaDwvfZexE6SBZi1QGcr882WmXNIXxDFNReqTEf09M/s320/A+Hero%2527s+Path+TFYP+B2S+Canva+Cover.JPG.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blinded By The Light!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In <em>Book II: Sui</em>, there are two things going for it: A water theme and magic, and definitely lots of magic. So I used this mystical looking image that I found and gave it the best watery color that I could get.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLi-oK9JcldqLZ5XE3QzzfE15EQoha7Tyk0pFJLRXM58OhlS0oqPXnewk1Sf2o7iKPYttVoB-PnFYFwX7wQwvioTbEQpUU-rREI90N1NEFAIdjdZaR2phn6CpCFasJCiSSHkYSm7SxFlE/s1600/A+Hero%2527s+Path+TFYP+B3K+Canva+Cover.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1003" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLi-oK9JcldqLZ5XE3QzzfE15EQoha7Tyk0pFJLRXM58OhlS0oqPXnewk1Sf2o7iKPYttVoB-PnFYFwX7wQwvioTbEQpUU-rREI90N1NEFAIdjdZaR2phn6CpCFasJCiSSHkYSm7SxFlE/s320/A+Hero%2527s+Path+TFYP+B3K+Canva+Cover.JPG.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enter The Dragon!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Shockingly, <em>Book III: Ka's</em> cover came out looking almost <em>exactly</em> the same as its original! I found myself wondering if <em>America Star Books</em> had used the same cover creator that I did! And I must confess, I was really worried that I wouldn't be able to find a dragon image/emblem that I could use, but I lucked out!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCSGDz822o7-gFLd9p25rCl4uVG2S5Gj8Z6RDMyeXZxQLOtGI75D3E5ry5BWKzfjd2weyVgCBfOgQ5z1zQN1IzgQrM6QDoU2iWycj55QdNdhnVeHEqH9CxW8lMlGbdGf8N06zHYpi-VB0/s1600/A+Hero%2527s+Path+TFYP+B4F+FIXED+Canva+Cover.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1003" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCSGDz822o7-gFLd9p25rCl4uVG2S5Gj8Z6RDMyeXZxQLOtGI75D3E5ry5BWKzfjd2weyVgCBfOgQ5z1zQN1IzgQrM6QDoU2iWycj55QdNdhnVeHEqH9CxW8lMlGbdGf8N06zHYpi-VB0/s320/A+Hero%2527s+Path+TFYP+B4F+FIXED+Canva+Cover.JPG.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Colors of the Wind?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Hmm, starting to wonder if I had done right with <em>Book IV: Fu's </em>cover when in comparison to the others. I still like it, but I can't help but wonder if I could've done better. Oh well, I'll be sticking with it, no doubt, even if it does seem to lack a certain <em>wind</em> factor.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipYgq71dXf4Stjiy8TuKVXf5khaeQgj9yhNNl-oXU_xAMMdXcGHy6ahBsYYYe5R9Yeos6c7QiKeVUCYrHdjBLVhFOWLk29GnHI8qD_8E9u0HXclIGvn23_V1sZ0AqKsbE6eRsBgq2cMCg/s1600/A+Hero%2527s+Path+TFYP+B5K+FIXED+Canva+Cover.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1003" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipYgq71dXf4Stjiy8TuKVXf5khaeQgj9yhNNl-oXU_xAMMdXcGHy6ahBsYYYe5R9Yeos6c7QiKeVUCYrHdjBLVhFOWLk29GnHI8qD_8E9u0HXclIGvn23_V1sZ0AqKsbE6eRsBgq2cMCg/s320/A+Hero%2527s+Path+TFYP+B5K+FIXED+Canva+Cover.JPG.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Heavenly Light.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And finally, we come back to <em>Book V: Ku</em>, where I did a little color addition at the top and bottom of the cover so as to not have pure white there whenever it gets printed into a physical book (a flaw I had discovered only after getting some copies for myself).<br />
<br />
So, what do you think? I know they don't quite have the <em>cool</em> factor of the old covers, especially when they're all missing that wonderful katana sitting beneath the words, which had become something of a regular recurring theme. But hey, I make do with I got, and the main thing is that my books are all on Amazon now and at much more reasonable rates.<br />
<br />
If you find yourself having trouble, again, contact Amazon and inform me as well so that I can also contact them. This is my first time publishing on my own, with so many books at once. Things are bound to have a bump or two along the way (trust me on this).<br />
<br />
Until next time, my dear readers.<br />
Sincerely, 'ESB' Stringfellow'ESB 'Stringfellow'http://www.blogger.com/profile/09645842806098933307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489494680189092843.post-27036639581151242302018-06-11T00:04:00.000-04:002018-06-11T00:04:11.073-04:00If "Almost Heaven" Had A Monster InfestationHello everyone, this is 'ESB' Stringfellow, and I am <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKj-bPl04ac" target="_blank">Holding Out for a Hero,</a> and this is...<br />
<br />
<strong><u>The Synopsis For Book V: Ku!!!</u></strong><br />
<strong><u></u></strong><br />
And this is it! The latest and final book in my series (but definitely not the last we'll ever see of Cyan and Magus, I assure you), and where my next post will undoubtedly be an update or maybe even a sneak peak at my next story or a tease of what I'm writing now! Or who knows, because it might be another whole year before I post something again! But for now, let us talk about <em>A Hero's Path: The Five Year Pilgrimage: Book V: Ku</em>!<br />
<br />
<span lang="EN"><em>Hearts shackled by fear… A monstrous abomination…</em><br />
<em>
</em><br />
<em>Heroes of Heavenly Light… Bring forth salvation…</em><br />
<em>
</em></span><em>
</em><br />
<em>After five long years, the pilgrimage finally reaches its end…</em><br />
<em>
</em><br />
<em>Cyankazu Omondi, samurai mage, and Magus, magical companion, have journeyed and seen much of the world, making friends and enemies alike, helping those in need and, just as often, inspiring others to follow their heroic examples. After all of their adventures, the two are ready to return home to the Continent of Trino… but a seemingly innocent walk into a quiet village known as Leto greats them with one last ordeal, one last need to offer their help to those who suffer.</em><br />
<em>
</em><br />
<em>Plagued by constant monster attacks, the villagers desperately need true heroes to save them, and the two friends rise to the occasion. But not all is as it seems… As they stumble upon secrets and monsters alike, and their lives put in more danger than ever, a new hero steps forward… However, with heart and spirit dominated by fear, can Artemis Selena truly find the courage within and the kind of heroism that is limited only by the sky?</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLGpU_LxHvDO6OdSkY20NLZ9aeEj-zxWsFLb8SHgOT81r-GyoZLPW_QHTOK29oKJQy-bm_8FwQlkTZGKKB8geo2ACGbWo83VltrAYbjEdlfuK7AaCioxQ_J8aTAu9QYi_1zKSOhR8PXU/s1600/A+Hero%2527s+Path+TFYP+B5K+FIXED+Canva+Cover.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1003" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLGpU_LxHvDO6OdSkY20NLZ9aeEj-zxWsFLb8SHgOT81r-GyoZLPW_QHTOK29oKJQy-bm_8FwQlkTZGKKB8geo2ACGbWo83VltrAYbjEdlfuK7AaCioxQ_J8aTAu9QYi_1zKSOhR8PXU/s320/A+Hero%2527s+Path+TFYP+B5K+FIXED+Canva+Cover.JPG.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In a story that takes place mostly during daytime, I give you a starry night as a cover.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Now this is it, as mentioned in the synopsis, the story that marks the ending of the <em>Five Year Pilgrimage</em> series. But that still doesn't mean you have to read this one last. It is a story that has a few references to past adventures, but none of them are a strong part of the plot. You can very much still read this without needing to know everything else that came before it. I mean, I do info dump for your convenience.<br />
<br />
But what is this story about? I'll gladly tell you.<br />
<br />
In this adventure, Cyan and Magus chance upon a very humble village that has two major problems. The first one is that it is under constant monster attacks, ranging from the small goblins to the mighty behemoths. And the people of the village do not have the means, weapons or skills and knowledge to fight such beasts. And that's just their first problem.<br />
<br />
Their second one comes in the form of their <em>"heroes."</em> That word was put into air quotes for a reason, trust me, because the ones fighting off these monsters are not heroes. They are mercenaries, thugs and bullies. Their names are Obnock, the leader, Mauthe, the brute, Hyles, the weapons master, and Lupus, archer and explosive expert. These four men take advantage of the villagers' inability to defend themselves, charging them large sums of money and demanding to be given whatever they want for free.<br />
<br />
Cyan and Magus, being the true heroes that they are, don't like what they are seeing, so they step in to take care of the monster problem, which in turn would force Obnock and his cronies to leave. However, they require help, and thus our new character steps forward, one Artemis Selena.<br />
<br />
Her story is fraught with tragedy and trauma, having lost her family save for her adopted brother, Telephus. Her grandfather, in particular, was killed by a particularly gruesome monster when he and Artemis were hunting years prior to this story, and it left her emotionally scarred. The very thought of that one monster turns her dreams into nightmares and paralyzes her with crippling fear.<br />
<br />
In this adventure, it is not just about Cyan and Magus saving this village. It is also about inspiring Artemis to find her own strength to face that which she fears most and to learn that courage is not in the absence of fear, but despite it. By the end of this story, Artemis will become a new hero, one that I hope you will become quite fond of.<br />
<br />
But wait, there's more!<br />
<br />
…<br />
<br />
…<br />
<br />
…<br />
<br />
But I'm not telling you here and now! If you want to know what else goes on this in adventure, then buy the book and see for yourself! After all, I don't want to spoil anything!<br />
<br />
I will say this, though: This is the one book where I really let Cyan use the full extent of his abilities. If you read the previous books and thought Cyan was performing at the top of his game, then you haven't seen anything yet! Because this time, after five whole books, Spirit Swords finally make their big comeback!<br />
<br />
Now, it's not that Cyan has abstain from using his Spirit Swords for the last five years (for new readers wondering what I'm talking about: spiritual power in the form of sword attacks), it's just that I never had Cyan in a situation where he really needed to use them, except for some offscreen instances. After all, his Spirit Swords are basically the equivalent of a tank, and you wouldn't use a tank to take care of someone with a knife, would you?<br />
<br />
And with that comparison in mind, you're probably thinking, "Wow, if Cyan had been holding back in all of these other adventures, where he fought dragons, a warlord, a magi master, and demons, what in the world is he facing in this one that warrants bringing out the <em>'big guns?'</em>"<br />
<br />
Well, only one way to find out...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOk9IAflD3llisWOtKKTxxmmej4gBU6wfHqkstWE2oSIztC416pMW4T_TsEkElsuwT3_QPgwJtXPcS69Xzw8zfXCS57B9pYOHBGQEinf-z6_d7-wh4ZGej1e4-P3hZz_3qUchL9xHVvdA/s1600/Image124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1432" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOk9IAflD3llisWOtKKTxxmmej4gBU6wfHqkstWE2oSIztC416pMW4T_TsEkElsuwT3_QPgwJtXPcS69Xzw8zfXCS57B9pYOHBGQEinf-z6_d7-wh4ZGej1e4-P3hZz_3qUchL9xHVvdA/s320/Image124.jpg" width="286" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry, my sister hasn't drawn a specialized picture for this story yet.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Until next time, my dear readers.<br />
Sincerely, 'ESB' Stringfellow<br />
ESB 'Stringfellow'http://www.blogger.com/profile/09645842806098933307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489494680189092843.post-22840877849674587492018-05-27T01:25:00.000-04:002018-05-27T01:25:43.034-04:00Come to Vayu-Vata for the Adventure, Stay Because You Got Captured By DemonsHello everyone, this is 'ESB' Stringfellow, and I am the one who let the dogs out, and this is...<br />
<br />
<strong><u>The Synopsis For Book IV!!!</u></strong><br />
<br />
Let us dive right into it, shall we?<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="Standard tm6">
<span class="tm7"><em>Spirits of adventure... Guided by the wind... Dreams of freedom... A love without end...</em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="Standard">
<em> <span class="tm7">Cyankazu Omondi and Magus, warriors, spell casters, heroes and adventurers, have traveled far and seen many things on their journeys. And now they have arrived to the desert kingdom
of Vayu-Vata, where their greatest story thus far was not about the destination, but the road to get there.</span></em></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"><em>The two travelers face many new adversaries... thieves of the desert, a monstrous lion, a savage draco and demons of the sands... all because they promised to help a recently freed
slave named Alee to rescue his beloved.</em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"><em>As though guided by the Winds of Fate, Cyankazu Omondi, Magus and their new allies embark on an adventure of trials worthy of the greatest heroes of legends.</em></span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipff9FNXsScBh_SWiVgiUItgPsNoyW_Ga0_pFktPIzds741eVcYlvG4PGX098p6e0UIHzuRQqq2Sn8xlCWvEyqtPFyU2JicaA-AHCmLp2W_1czB01kWNtyLDVdWV_ozsbVBLfl0Cod3l8/s1600/Hero%2527s+Path-Five+Year+Pilgrimage-Book+4+Fu_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="722" data-original-width="464" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipff9FNXsScBh_SWiVgiUItgPsNoyW_Ga0_pFktPIzds741eVcYlvG4PGX098p6e0UIHzuRQqq2Sn8xlCWvEyqtPFyU2JicaA-AHCmLp2W_1czB01kWNtyLDVdWV_ozsbVBLfl0Cod3l8/s320/Hero%2527s+Path-Five+Year+Pilgrimage-Book+4+Fu_cover.jpg" width="205" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rather shiny, ain't it?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">So, this synopsis kind of gives the best details about this book, but for the sake of making this a longer post, I'll just go into <em>more</em> detail!</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">Now, when I wanted to write this story, I was truly racking my brain trying to think of something, something undeniably awesome, but on the fun, adventurous side. Fresh from the ending of a war, I really wanted Cyan and Magus to have a nice and smooth story, one that gave them something exciting to do, but didn't require them to make bold or Fate-of-the-World type choices. And thus the premise of the story became this: They find a traveling merchant that owns slaves, and being the heroes that they are, Cyan and Magus free them. One of the slaves, named Alee, asks for their help. There is a woman, named Morgiana, also a slave, who he is desperate to return to and free as well. However, she is under the service of the country's most vile and feared ruler ever, King Zaman, a monster of a human being if there ever was one. After hearing his story, our heroes agree to help!</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">But... to save Morgiana and maybe even dethrone an evil king, Cyan, Magus and Alee must cross the great desert, the Mazan Desert. Not only do they have to cross it, they have to contend with... well, obstacles, I guess we can say.</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">First, they face a group of deadly thieves called the Desert Riders, and in the process they free a magical-infused horse named Rakhsh. He's like Magus, meaning that he is a normal horse who was just granted the gift of magic at his birth, which allows him to communicate via telepathy and cast some spells. I sure hope you all enjoy the interactions of Rakhsh and Magus as much as I enjoyed typing it.</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">After that, there is a monster lion, then getting lost in the desert after being robbed under mysterious circumstances, finding an enchanted oasis, fighting a dragon, then the dragon's master, then the dragon's master's master, who is a demon.</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">All of this is to say that getting to Alee's girlfriend is going to take some serious trials, the kind that create true heroes. At the end of this spirited adventure, Alee will find the strength that he needs to make the choice that will better the entire kingdom.</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">Now I think is the time to remind you all that I have two different covers for this book. The one above is the one used for the physical copy, which was made by my former publishers (still no idea <em>what</em> exactly happened to them), but the one below is used for the Kindle version.</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI68hwidI9TdX7qv5pXOb24cGbTA9TnCR2j3P8epnQyjlWDBoGbcXEnsbpU_EhTX5cIr74g1dF5GMR5C2M5-BkF8vg7eaqRfFB0z21tfw5nA7bzd8nVzKf0DR0LQOfYWQanLOas9dp59E/s1600/A+Hero%2527s+Path+TFYP+B4F+Canva+Cover.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1003" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI68hwidI9TdX7qv5pXOb24cGbTA9TnCR2j3P8epnQyjlWDBoGbcXEnsbpU_EhTX5cIr74g1dF5GMR5C2M5-BkF8vg7eaqRfFB0z21tfw5nA7bzd8nVzKf0DR0LQOfYWQanLOas9dp59E/s320/A+Hero%2527s+Path+TFYP+B4F+Canva+Cover.JPG.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If this invokes the thought of a desert, then its job is done.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">I was able to secure the digital rights to <em>Book IV: Fu</em> before <em>America Star Books</em> went under/disappeared/ran away, which is why I got this cover for the Kindle. The font may lack that certain... <em>Dazzle</em>... but it is truly the best that I can do on my own. Maybe one day I'll get lucky and I'll be able to get a better cover, but for now this is it. Besides, as long as the cover looks interesting enough, hopefully it'll entice people to read the synopsis or take a look inside. After all, it's what's inside the book that counts.</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLave8Kcd7PXMz0cH9701AHzK5x4jC_duQnH4oPVRfWdDtxguCz-vpWxTPIp7jcnT8SBF5pOAUcMBP3Y5PZeyAecnfxMQevlwKSXDiTGqA_Z2XB7Iiq5SvBwrR5kD1sHEAZQTr3Kc8_Po/s1600/150ppi_Oasis.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1347" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLave8Kcd7PXMz0cH9701AHzK5x4jC_duQnH4oPVRfWdDtxguCz-vpWxTPIp7jcnT8SBF5pOAUcMBP3Y5PZeyAecnfxMQevlwKSXDiTGqA_Z2XB7Iiq5SvBwrR5kD1sHEAZQTr3Kc8_Po/s320/150ppi_Oasis.png" width="269" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful, Scenic, and lots of things to eat (you)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">Now, if I could have your attention for a bit more, I would like to inform you that, out of all of my books, this is the one that would be great to have as your first. Remember, <em>The Five Year Pilgrimage</em> doesn't have to be read in order, each story is independent on its own. So, if you were to pick just one story to help give you an idea of what to expect but don't want to read the nearly 600 hundred pages of <em>Path of a Hero</em>, then this, my dear readers, is the perfect jumping on point. It's exciting, it has heart, humor and lovable characters, and chances are good that this one won't make you cry at the ending (that would be <em>Book II: Sui</em>).</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">And that is where I think I'll call it that. Until next time, my dear readers.</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">Sincerely, 'ESB' Stringfellow</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
</div>
ESB 'Stringfellow'http://www.blogger.com/profile/09645842806098933307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489494680189092843.post-18095535601527782432018-05-16T23:45:00.000-04:002018-05-16T23:45:16.096-04:00War Never Changes... Unless There Are Dragons InvolvedHello everyone, this is 'ESB' Stringfellow, and I dream of being a firebender, and this is...<br />
<br />
<strong><u>The Synopsis of Book III: Ka!!!</u></strong><br />
<strong><u></u></strong><br />
I've been meaning to get this one out, but things sure have been... distracting lately (translation: I was too lazy). I'm here now, though, and that's all that matters. Read on, and discover what awaits our heroes for their third adventure...<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="Standard tm6">
<span class="tm7"><em>Through force of will... No matter how dire... Heroes shall rise... and face the dragon fire...</em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="Standard">
<em><span class="tm7"><em>Cyankazu Omondi, a samurai mage and hero to his people, had traveled far and learned much. Magus, a magical rodent with more fiery courage than most humans, had fought as much as he
had loved. And now... the two companions face their greatest challenge yet...</em></span></em></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="Standard tm6">
<span class="tm7"><em>In the land of Eldur, where dragon riders rule both land and sky, a fierce and bloody war was coming to a close, with Cyankazu and Magus becoming embroiled in the center of it all.
After creating new friends and deadly new enemies alike, the two find themselves forced to assume command and fight a battle that seems utterly hopeless.</em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="Standard tm6">
<span class="tm7"><em>With inner fires as strong as the breath of the mightiest draco, the two heroes will fight to the bitter end... But at what terrible costs?</em></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCkfFLCjGZob20MeyK6aAAsjpkV_yn7VPDhnVJaZVwaBOSEPmzvR26wjcNIZLrXa5SAYXfMdO0k326GsYK5fDcxXdIA4Urgpe4lAc38_7s7vCUhmF1plV6XPrvSL90tqvfk1ZfPRPCMM8/s1600/Book+III+Ka-Cover+Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="324" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCkfFLCjGZob20MeyK6aAAsjpkV_yn7VPDhnVJaZVwaBOSEPmzvR26wjcNIZLrXa5SAYXfMdO0k326GsYK5fDcxXdIA4Urgpe4lAc38_7s7vCUhmF1plV6XPrvSL90tqvfk1ZfPRPCMM8/s320/Book+III+Ka-Cover+Pic.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How to Train Your Dragon (Sorta)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Now that's what I call a beautiful cover! I love how the red and black mesh together and with the black dragon emblem dominating the center. Best cover I've seen on my books, to be honest, and I'll be lucky to find something just as perfect as this ever again on my own. *Sigh* Oh, well. Lets get down to business, shall we?<br />
<br />
In this story, Cyan and Magus chance upon something that puts a little snag into their world travels: a dragon egg. The start of this story shows how Magus, quite reluctantly, becomes the <em>"mother"</em> to the hatchling, who is dubbed <em>Titania</em>.<br />
<br />
For a whole year, Cyan and Magus raise their new responsibility and teach her (yes, a girl dragon) the basics in hunting, fighting and flying. When the time comes, the two heroes are ready to take Titania out into the wide open world, and let her travel with them for the reminder of their <em>Five Year Pilgrimage</em>. However, Fate deals them a crushing blow in the form of an attack by a cruel and power-hungry warmonger by the name of Lord Calvarick, leader of the Drake Raiders.<br />
<br />
Cyan, Magus and Titania are all captured, with Cyan even being tortured and questioned, with Lord Calvarick being under the impression that Cyan works for his sworn enemies, the Draco Knights. Fortunately, an attack by those very enemies forces Lord Calvarick to leave Cyan and Magus, which gives them the opportunity to escape. During the battle, they save Titania and meet some of the Draco Knights, who prove themselves to be noble and honorable.<br />
<br />
Now, at this point, I would like to stop giving you the entire story in abridged-form and just simply explain what this adventure entails.<br />
<br />
In <em>Book III: Ka</em>, I formally establish a dynamic that I had often hinted at in earlier books. If you have been reading my other books thus far, you'll notice that dragons are both revered and feared, treated with respect at some points, and treated like monsters at others. The reason for this is because, in this world, dragons come in two different varieties: <em>Nobles</em> and <em>Savages</em>. Half of the dragons in the world are friendly and get along well with humans, and the other half is violent and a bane to all other living things. There is a kind of <em>Kain and Abel</em> type of in-universe-myth that explains why, but seeing as I don't mention this in the story, I won't get into it here, because that is a story for another time...<br />
<br />
Anyway, the goal of this story was to introduce several breeds of dragons, on both sides, and show them paired with human riders and to have them in the midst of a war. And that... is pretty much it.<br />
<br />
Cyan and Magus meet a new villain, but they also meet many new friends, and because the Draco Knights helped them escape Lord Calvarick's clutches, they stick around for a while. They also use this opportunity to introduce Titania to other dragons of her type, which could very well mean that she will choose to stay among her own kind.<br />
<br />
However, all of that is almost forgotten as soon as it begun, because the war between the Draco Knights and Drake Raiders suddenly reaches a whole new level, and the scales tip drastically to one side, pushing the heroes to the brink of total defeat.<br />
<br />
In this story, Cyan and Magus find themselves in a position that they've never been in before: that of leaders. But how can they lead when the odds are so overwhelming? How can they fight when death seems impossible to avoid?<br />
<br />
Find out, in this war of the dragons...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBR_MJGxYRthHVHWSHuh_ZXX0LEQ2DZWtlftswvOpsZkdJnU5I8z6uSX18229sAw3SFWca2cuye6W9LU3B-hqMFqggE6uzeBVyP6L7DPI-DqJqX4WHWXpbgrVDwqFsfzivJNLVp_-Xlo/s1600/150ppi_Dragon+face_front%252C+breathing+fire.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1225" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBR_MJGxYRthHVHWSHuh_ZXX0LEQ2DZWtlftswvOpsZkdJnU5I8z6uSX18229sAw3SFWca2cuye6W9LU3B-hqMFqggE6uzeBVyP6L7DPI-DqJqX4WHWXpbgrVDwqFsfzivJNLVp_-Xlo/s320/150ppi_Dragon+face_front%252C+breathing+fire.png" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I AM FIRE!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Until next time, my dear readers.<br />
Sincerely, 'ESB' StringfellowESB 'Stringfellow'http://www.blogger.com/profile/09645842806098933307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489494680189092843.post-68920517513887012072018-04-24T01:10:00.000-04:002018-04-24T01:11:58.507-04:00The Next Big ThingHello everyone, this is 'ESB' Stringfellow, and I say that Han shot first, and this is...<br />
<br />
<strong><u>A Teaser For The Author's Next Big Story!!!</u></strong><br />
<strong><u></u></strong><br />
I figured, after so much time has gone by, now is the perfect time to share with you all a little something that I have been working on for a while now. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<em>"When I first found you," said General Drak, looking down at his pupil, "I saw within you raw... untamed power!" The evil general, almost casually, raised and offered Damas' sword back to him and said, "And beyond that, something truly remarkable."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>Ahila, holding Masamune with reverence, told the old samurai, "There is something inside me... Something that I now know has always been there." Taking a deep breath, eyes now casting around the old forest, she then added, "And now it is awake... And I need help to understand it."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>His eyes shifting to the cracks that Ahila formed in the rock, remarking how easily she caused them with so little effort, Cyan felt it prudent to inform her, "I have only seen this kind of raw power once before..." His face grimaced as the fiery memory flashed in his mind. "It did not scare me then," he said, turning a wary expression toward his new student. "But it does now."</em><br />
<em>Ahila, shocked at his words, was rendered speechless as the old samurai turned and walked away.</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>Damas, voice now cold as ice, declared, "The time has come for the past to die... And in this case, it would be an act of mercy to kill it." As the battle continued to rage all around them, he looked to his mother, her expression showing the slightest bit of remorse he thought, though he no longer cared. He simply told her, "It is the only way for us to move on and to become stronger."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>Running through the red mines, dodging flaming arrows, Charcoal let out a mighty war cry. Amusingly, the little fairy holding on for her dear life gave her own.</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>As their enemies continued to pursue them, explosions and bolts of lightning coming ever closer to them, the young prince told his comrades, "We will be the spark... that will light the fires of a new age, when this tyrant is brought down for good."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>The silver knight readied her spear, prompting Loki to, in an effort to bolster his own courage, shout, "Come on!"</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>Exhausted and lying on the ground, the rain nearly blinding him, Cyan told Ahila in a strong, emotional tone, "This is not... going to turn out the way that you hope!"</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>With the elements of Water, Wind, Earth and Fire erupting and clashing all around them, General Drak tells Ahila, whose face was contorted with pained concentration, "The time... has come... to fulfill... your... Destiny!!!"</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>"I need someone," Ahila started, her voice almost timid, "to help me find my place... in all of this."</em><br />
<em>Damas, his expression set and determined, offered her his hand...</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<strong><em><u>A Hero's Path: The Last Magi</u></em></strong><br />
<strong><em><u></u></em></strong><br />
And there you have it! Pretty sweet looking, huh? I bet you're just <em>wondering</em> what is happening, right?<br />
<br />
Right?<br />
<br />
Right?<br />
<br />
Riiiiiiiiight?<br />
<br />
...<br />
...<br />
...<br />
<br />
Okay, full disclaimer: Back in the day, as in a few years ago when I had like over a hundred posts on this blog (man, when did I find the time or stuff to talk about?), I would, on occasion, do joke previews. In fact, looking into that old folder, it looks like I did about a dozen of them. Usually, I did parodies of trailers for popular movies, but with my characters swapped in and the setting retold as though this is a thing that could happen in my stories. Looking through them all again, I am definitely going have to reshare them as time moves on.<br />
<br />
But for today, you get a completely new joke preview, one that I am certain you saw through probably at the first sentence. I hope you enjoyed it!<br />
<br />
Until next time, my dear readers.<br />
Sincerely, 'ESB' StringfellowESB 'Stringfellow'http://www.blogger.com/profile/09645842806098933307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489494680189092843.post-48170389307495346322018-04-06T21:16:00.000-04:002018-04-06T21:16:04.703-04:00The Magic AwakensHello everyone, this is 'ESB' Stringfellow, and I am <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0CbN8sfihY" target="_blank">The Last Magi Master,</a> and this is...<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Story Details For Book II: Sui!!!</u></strong><br />
<strong><u></u></strong><br />
Ah, yes, time for another update, this time where I focus on the second story of Cyan and Magus' world travels, otherwise known as <em>The Five Year Pilgrimage</em>. Here is the synopsis...<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="Standard tm6">
<span class="tm7"><em>Anger and hate... The water’s rage... A wandering light... To calm the sage...</em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"><em>Cyankazu Omondi and Magus, friends, brothers, heroes... The two companions continue their travels around the world, always eager to discover new places, to make new friends and to
gain new knowledge. One late autumn day, near the cusp of winter, the two find themselves in a remote part of the world where they discover a new teacher of magic, one who offers to expand and help master their skills.</em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"><em>But first they must prove themselves by climbing a harsh and icy mountain, where many dangers lurk. Even then, after surviving the trials of ice, the two companions find themselves
in a situation that runs deeper than the mysteries of the sea.</em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="Standard tm8">
<em><span>In the end, Cyankazu and Magus will face the wrath of the great magi master, Aokigahara</span><span class="tm7">, whose might equals that of a terrifying tsunami...</span></em></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<em><span class="tm7"></span></em> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3tOwDCPtqUSa2T1nSJNg5EQubsvl1dcbES6LFCGmIJqGgP9XsXwrOSt_G8YnG9rIloGJci7_JAc66zZdjOz0eOkG8qJGPOYDh1HeLrYk-V8zbjep_QOXsYbdmvPvzj4wSy8Uhw86bjS4/s1600/Book+II-Sui+Cover-FINAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="307" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3tOwDCPtqUSa2T1nSJNg5EQubsvl1dcbES6LFCGmIJqGgP9XsXwrOSt_G8YnG9rIloGJci7_JAc66zZdjOz0eOkG8qJGPOYDh1HeLrYk-V8zbjep_QOXsYbdmvPvzj4wSy8Uhw86bjS4/s320/Book+II-Sui+Cover-FINAL.jpg" width="206" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As far as you know, no Smurfs were harmed in the making of this cover.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<em><span class="tm7"></span></em> </div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<em><span class="tm7"></span></em> </div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">Alright, alright! A synopsis that gives a little more detail to the story, rather than a brief <em>"Previously, on Path of a Hero,"</em> that was used for <em>Book I: Chi</em>.</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">In this synopsis, I give the bare bones of the story: Cyan and Magus, one late autumn day, find an old magi master, who offers to help them learn new ways to do magic. Said magi master is named Aokigahara Fuji... and he is the only new main character in this entire story.</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">You see, unlike <em>Book I: Chi</em>, I had the <em>very </em>simplest story idea: Have Cyan and Magus discover that their magic is growing stronger and get a new mentor in magic to teach them how to properly use it. However, there is most definitely a lot more to the story than that, to help <em>pan it out</em>, if you get my meaning.</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">For example, the harsh and icy mountain/trials of ice thing, that was added to give more excitement early on in the story. You get to see Cyan and Magus brave a harsh environment, feel the struggle to reach the top, and face ice themed monsters, such as the ice wasps!</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifyOCtPCigywS1sMZZtIFjoWLHSLYa4T8ME4Q9QiDPlA5ILnfQzyv39LEbuO0ntTDkru-SaDZjOzVPdsyfV_ldPVG9ScrYYeJpMfNXTiBkALPicP1nvQMovnDWSbVx09PlhkkuK1nV0VE/s1600/150ppi_Ice+Wasp+Mountain.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1352" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifyOCtPCigywS1sMZZtIFjoWLHSLYa4T8ME4Q9QiDPlA5ILnfQzyv39LEbuO0ntTDkru-SaDZjOzVPdsyfV_ldPVG9ScrYYeJpMfNXTiBkALPicP1nvQMovnDWSbVx09PlhkkuK1nV0VE/s320/150ppi_Ice+Wasp+Mountain.png" width="270" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NEVER tell an ice wasp that its wings are too small to lift its fat body!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">But, again, the real core of this story is to give Cyan and Magus slightly more magical skills and knowledge and to interact with a teacher. And I must say, I am really proud of how the chapters focusing on their training turned out. For one thing, it's not just our two heroes reading books. This is magical training, for crying out loud! The two are put into controlled situations where they have to use their new skills in magical duels, and I got to say, I make magical duels look fun.</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">So yeah, that's basically all there is to this very simple stor...</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">Wait, what's that?</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">Oh my, I nearly forgot! Aokigahara Fuji has a darkness welled up inside him, which is close to bursting like a dam, unbeknownst to our heroes. So, the questions are: What kind of powers are growing inside Cyan and Magus, and how did they get there? What kind of training will they receive, and how intense will that training be? And, above all else, will they survive the tsunami-like rage that their new mentor had been carrying around inside of himself for several decades?</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">Find out in this tale where, shockingly, learning can be fun! And maybe a little life-threatening... In <em>Book II: Sui</em>, I expect you'll be swept up, like one who stands too close to the ocean.</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">Until next time, my dear readers.</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">Sincerely, ESB 'Stringfellow'</span></div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7"></span> </div>
<div class="Standard tm8">
<span class="tm7">P.S. I know that <em>Book II: Sui</em> is not available on Amazon right now (remember how <em>America Star Books</em> disappeared?), but seeing as this is the one title whose contract had actually expired by now, I feel that I can go ahead and republish it, and yes, I do have at least an email that proves that I requested the contract to expire. I might still get into contact with some lawyer or attorney general or something before making a final decision, however, so I will let you know how it turns out. Wish me luck!</span></div>
ESB 'Stringfellow'http://www.blogger.com/profile/09645842806098933307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489494680189092843.post-14890805879318323422018-03-26T04:04:00.001-04:002018-03-26T04:04:51.218-04:00Everyone Was Performing Martial Arts!Hello everyone, this is 'ESB' Stringfellow, and I am a stone that you can not squeeze blood from, and this is...<br />
<br />
<strong><u>The Beginning Of The New Book Series!!!</u></strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVe-wP4hOVNTpwpevK7JmEQShRLhNOGorpTbC_O0QexjypGZjEUx7_PBFVqgugAIHHsKi7P66PPRcWpFwOQ48XXIj7ly5cmcioWy3xkqlp62kQqXj_yxJ6c5HW-GSn0uPIfTzDteFSgU/s1600/Book+One-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="204" data-original-width="153" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVe-wP4hOVNTpwpevK7JmEQShRLhNOGorpTbC_O0QexjypGZjEUx7_PBFVqgugAIHHsKi7P66PPRcWpFwOQ48XXIj7ly5cmcioWy3xkqlp62kQqXj_yxJ6c5HW-GSn0uPIfTzDteFSgU/s320/Book+One-cover.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A new adventure awaits...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And there it is, the cover to my first book of the new series that I wish to share with any and all fantasy fans. Looks like the picture is cut off on the edges, but you can still clearly see the title, <em>"A Hero's Path: The Five Year Pilgrimage: Book I: CHI."</em><br />
<br />
How about we take a look at that synopsis, shall we?<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="Standard tm6">
<span class="tm7"><em>Lives lost... An innocence broken... Swords drawn... A promise unspoken...</em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="Standard tm6">
<span class="tm7"><em>In deepest despair... Hearts turned black... A warrior’s redemption... To bring the light back...</em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="Standard tm6">
<span class="tm7"><em>Cyankazu Omondi, after enduring trials of body, mind and spirit, had become an honorary hero of his homeland, all at the young age of fourteen.</em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="Standard tm6">
<em><span>However, being so young, Cyankazu felt that he had to better himself so as to make his people proud and to be truly worthy of the title of A True Hero</span><span class="tm7">. Thus he embarks on a quest, accompanied by his greatest friend and animal companion, Magus.</span></em></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="Standard tm6">
<span class="tm7"><em>Together the two companions will travel far and wide, and through their heroism create a new legacy that will encourage those that they meet. They will help others to discover their
own potential, strengths and courage to do what they thought they could not.</em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="Standard tm6">
<span class="tm7"><em>The first will be the youth known as Xang Jade...</em></span></div>
<br />
<br />
Now, this being the first book after <em>Path of a Hero</em>, I wanted to give a bit of a... refresher, I guess you could say, about Cyan and Magus' first adventure. Next, I wanted to set up just what these two will be doing in this particular set of books, <em>The Five Year Pilgrimage</em> series. The idea was not just to have Cyan and Magus be all heroic and save people and the world, over and over and over, but to help and encourage those that they meet to also become heroes...<br />
<br />
Aaaaaand that last line is all you get about the whole book itself, a reference to the main character, Xang Jade.<br />
<br />
Who is she? What is her story? And how do Cyan and Magus factor in?<br />
<br />
The answer to those questions are as follows: Xang Jade is a fourteen-year-old girl who lives on the Shang Continent, a place that is highly praised and regarded as peaceful and prosperous. It is also the home of a place called <em>The Tu Long Academy</em>, the most prestigious martial arts school in the world.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7l9q_XDI-LXXQK6ULpwca-jKZM36_8tQAd6ar5YG4uxjkn9LnldoEFwl38BappmWr1UicA9X_yBrys3l4OSe52VmMOo1GGQQ7nrvi7Ft9OvoSytNaBGz0xo_ja4jx6wd5iZ9L14d2Rk/s1600/Tu+Long+Academy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1243" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7l9q_XDI-LXXQK6ULpwca-jKZM36_8tQAd6ar5YG4uxjkn9LnldoEFwl38BappmWr1UicA9X_yBrys3l4OSe52VmMOo1GGQQ7nrvi7Ft9OvoSytNaBGz0xo_ja4jx6wd5iZ9L14d2Rk/s320/Tu+Long+Academy.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the Jade Palace, I swear!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
This academy, for over a thousand years, has created the most highly skilled martial artist and served as the cornerstone of Shang Culture. Jade actually lives there, with her family, where she starts off as a temple maiden. Basically, she's just a servant, cleaning or sewing or serving meals.<br />
<br />
If that made you cringe with anticipation at what <em>exactly</em> Shang Culture is like, then you already know what I'm setting this story up as: The traditions of the Shang Continent are very gender based, where only men and boys can do things like become martial artists, and women and girls serve their country best as housekeepers.<br />
<br />
Jade calls B.S. on this notion, so her story is that she secretly trains herself in martial arts.<br />
<br />
However, with a very selective organization known as the Brotherhood of Earth teaching its members the highest forms of martial arts, including a secret style, away from prying eyes, Jade has no hopes of attaining her goal, which is proving her full potential.<br />
<br />
That, my dear audience, is where Cyan and Magus come in... Cyan, wide-eyed at the academy's reputation, decides to see if he can make the cut, he and Magus never catching onto the <em>Men Only</em> mentality until after the fact. Instead of dropping out, they decide to stay and help Jade achieve her true potential, to help her realize her dream of becoming a monk.<br />
<br />
But how do they go about it? What fury of the Brotherhood do they risk facing if found out? And what of Jade's family? Will they be supportive... or will they be an obstacle?<br />
<br />
Find out, in the down-to-earth first adventure of Cyan and Magus' world travels!ESB 'Stringfellow'http://www.blogger.com/profile/09645842806098933307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489494680189092843.post-89940663920282554852018-03-22T05:23:00.001-04:002018-03-22T05:23:55.152-04:00Bringing The Author BackHello, everyone, this is 'ESB' Stringfellow, and I have a bone to pick, and this is...<br />
<br />
<strong><u>The Long And Largely Overdue Author Update!!!</u></strong><br />
<br />
Wow, it sure has been awhile since my last post. Last thing I did was inform readers (if I even have any) was that I was going to <a href="http://www.tristatecon.net/" target="_blank">Tri-Con</a>. That was last June...<br />
<br />
SORRY! I am so, so <em>sorry</em> that I've been gone for so long (at least I wasn't gone as long as the last time I let this blog go quiet [three years, for those who are wondering]). All I can say is that it just got away from me, where <em>Life</em> just kept happening, getting in my way and making me not <em>feel</em> the need to get back to blogging. For one thing, my computer died... Took a little while to get a new one. Then my truck broke down. Then my tablet, which I was using to type my next story, stopped working, so I had to get a new one. Throw busy time at the place that I work (sadly, these books do NOT put food on the table), any down time I had was just dedicated to catching up on a whole lot of laziness. Know what I mean?<br />
<br />
Bottom line: Blogging is like exercising. If you let yourself stop for even a little bit, that little bit will eventually turn into months of putting it off.<br />
<br />
Well, now is the time. This is me getting back into my exercises. I'm going to keep blogging until detailed posts for each of my books are up, maybe some more pictures, and updates of what I've been doing/working on for the last year (remember the aforementioned tablet?).<br />
<br />
However, and this is a big one, there's something of a problem that I need to share with you all. For those who don't know or can't recall, my first five books were published through a little company called <em>Publish America</em>, which changed its name a few years ago to <em>America Star Books</em>. They took care of everything for me after I handed them the manuscripts. The conversions to book format, the covers, the printing, all of that stuff that I have no idea of doing on my own. And they were nice... for a little while.<br />
<br />
Maybe I should have seen the warning signs at the beginning, but then again, the beginning was over nine years ago, when I published my first book, <em>Path of a Hero</em>. It was a different time then. I don't think I've even heard of <em>Kindle</em> at the time, nor can I recall at the top of my head just how old <em>Kindle </em>is. Anyway, they seemed fine at first, even if their pricing of my book seemed outrageous. I did it with a gleam in my eye and a dream in my heart that I would be able to make something of myself so long as my story was in book form, ready to be bought by the masses. Heck, I even saw <em>Publish America's</em> author discounts (where sometimes they would give them up to 90% off!) was a good enough bonus for me to buy my own copies and resell them at a fairer price.<br />
<br />
But... that feel-good and <em>I'm-Now-A-Published-Author</em> drive wore out, and in more recent times, after my publishers changed their name to <em>America Star Books</em>, I had a powerful longing for something better. I thought that I would keep publishing with them until the <em>Five Year Pilgrimage</em> series was done, but shortly after publishing <em>Book IV: Fu</em>, I just couldn't shake my unease with them or get excited like I used to.<br />
<br />
By that point, I had finally caught up on my internet and found out that <em>Publish America/America Star Books</em> had a... less than stellar reputation, and their track record was actually growing worse. So, after publishing <em>Book IV: Fu</em> with them, I decided (after reading some blog that I can't remember that highly motived me) to try my hand at self-publishing through Amazon... and let me tell ya, I wish I had gone with them a long time ago.<br />
<br />
Don't get me wrong. Amazon hasn't made me able to quit my day job, but I now know that they are exactly what I really needed, a service that in honesty should have been <em>America Star Books</em> M.O.<br />
<br />
I can publish my books completely for free at Amazon, both paperback and <em>Kindle</em> (yes, it may shock you to know that <em>America Star Books </em>actually charged you to convert a book that they published for free into an ebook. I really, really wish that I had know what B.S. that was a long time ago now). Not only that, but I can set the price myself, and they don't have be to outrageously expensive. Whereas <em>America Star Books</em> would charge somewhere between $20 to $30 for an average sized book (say, about two hundred pages), I can set the price for $10 or even less (but I won't get as good as a profit margin, so that really is the best I can go without charging too high). In the end, I am incredibly happy to have gone with Amazon now, even if it is a little late to the party.<br />
<br />
And frankly, it is a damn good thing that I made the switch, because sometime in the Fall of 2017, <em>America Star Books</em> has... vanished, I think is the best way to put it. <em>"Have gone under,"</em> is another way of putting it. <em>"Have emptied their safes full of money and gold bars and fled in the dead of the night so as to avoid prosecution for fraud,"</em> is yet another, more cynical way of calling it.<br />
<br />
This is why I'm not sharing a link to their website. Not because I no longer wish to the give them the traffic... but it's <em>Gone with a capital G</em>.<br />
<br />
Like I mentioned earlier, their reputation wasn't that great to begin with (and yet I remained loyal and hopeful), and it only got worse as time went on (where I became less loyal and more dissatisfied). And in all honesty, I have no idea what the Hell happened. When I looked into it about a month ago, they just seemed to have disappeared, and this leaves a conundrum for me.<br />
<br />
Now, before they went under/fled, I exchanged some emails establishing that I wished to pursue self-publishing, with the <em>Kindle</em> version of <em>Book IV: Fu</em> being my first foray into it. Remember, <em>America Star Books</em> only published the paperback version, opting to sap me of money to do something that I could, as it turned out, do for free on my own. This is why there are two different book covers for the same book.<br />
<br />
Another thing that I made clear with them was that I wished for my contracts to expire when their time came, because terminating beforehand would cost me $99 per book, which really, really sucked.<br />
<br />
But that was <em>before</em> they disappeared. Now, I have no idea. Following the links to my older books show an unpleasant picture. Despite that <em>America Star Books </em>seem to be no more, the books they had published are still available on Amazon, but things are wonky. For example, <em>Book III: Ka </em>is being priced at $440! What the Frack?!<br />
<br />
So, here's the problem that I face: If <em>America Star Books</em> is truly gone, does that mean all of my contracts with them are null and void? Can I, with my rights as the author, take my original manuscripts and just start all over, publishing <em>Path of a Hero</em> and all the other <em>A Hero's Path</em> books through Amazon?<br />
<br />
Or will <em>America Star Books</em> decide to come back like a bad cold and sue me for breaching the contracts? The very ones that I can't even terminate now because I have no way of contacting them?<br />
<br />
If by some miracle a legal expert reads this, please, do not hesitate to send me a message. Otherwise... I'm definitely leaning in the direction of taking my chances. After all, I did tell them to let the contracts expire, meaning that we had an agreement for all rights to return to me. The way I see it, them disappearing just bumped the expiration date up to last Fall.<br />
<br />
Well, I think, I rabbled on long enough. Hopefully, I am indeed back, and I will get posts about <em>The Five Year Pilgrimage </em>book series up within the next few weeks. And, more importantly, I'll be able to get the series republished, but that will take a bit of time, seeing as I'll have to make my own book covers now.<br />
<br />
And lastly, I am happy to share that sometime between Tri-Con and now, I published the last book of <em>The Five Year Pilgrimage</em>! I give you <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Heros-Path-Five-Year-Pilgrimage-ebook/dp/B076LXBW1Q/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1521704199&sr=1-2&keywords=A+Hero%27s+Path%3A+The+Five+Year+Pilgrimage%3A+Book+V%3A+Ku" target="_blank">Book V: Ku!</a> Available in both <em>Kindle</em> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Heros-Path-Five-Year-Pilgrimage/dp/1973110296/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1521704199&sr=1-1&keywords=A+Hero%27s+Path%3A+The+Five+Year+Pilgrimage%3A+Book+V%3A+Ku" target="_blank">paperback.</a> So, if you're interested, give it a go! Remember, reading the previous books are <em>not</em> required! Like the others, this is a standalone adventure with very little references to past events, and nothing that's worth knowing in order to follow the story (I mean, it's not like I have one or two character's death haunt <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Paperback-Box-Books/dp/0545162076/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1521709453&sr=1-1&keywords=Harry+Potter+Box+Set" target="_blank">our hero,</a> right?)!<br />
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Do me a solid... because I now have truck payments to make.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWD834pcym3HH4sqlVfPzjf37NXxILoodHiy7kmVt3tzSVRB1FqpcTnwhE3danrEBGyTeCZ31RruC49L-41hoVMTGbITHTHTOxGwJspXHfokiX3Kv7e5H7kmhGNagqt2ObOsLx7yQnT0/s1600/A+Hero%2527s+Path+TFYP+B5K+JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1003" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWD834pcym3HH4sqlVfPzjf37NXxILoodHiy7kmVt3tzSVRB1FqpcTnwhE3danrEBGyTeCZ31RruC49L-41hoVMTGbITHTHTOxGwJspXHfokiX3Kv7e5H7kmhGNagqt2ObOsLx7yQnT0/s320/A+Hero%2527s+Path+TFYP+B5K+JPG.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maybe one day, I can get a paid illustrator, 'cause my sister has a day job, too!</td></tr>
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Until next time then, this the author, signing off!ESB 'Stringfellow'http://www.blogger.com/profile/09645842806098933307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489494680189092843.post-12953033274559577032017-06-02T02:38:00.001-04:002017-06-02T02:38:20.215-04:00TriCon Away!!Hello everyone, this is ESB ‘Stringfellow,’ and I am Iron-something-or-other, and this is...<br />
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<b><u>The Author Telling You That He Is Going To TriCon!!<br />
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What’s a <a href="http://www.tristatecon.net/" target="_blank">TriCon</a>, you may ask? It basically boils down to a little slice of the more popularly known <i>Comic Con (tm)</i>, right here in the <i>Wild and Wonderful</i> state of West Virginia! For one day, people from the tri-state area of <i>Huntington, WV</i> gather to celebrate their love of comics, games, costuming, toys and all things nerdy.<br />
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And yours truly has his very own booth there, where I’ll be selling copies of my books, giving away prizes and artwork done by my sister, on Saturday, June 3<sup>rd</sup>! Here’s to hoping to another excellent year, where I see many great costumes, buy posters and toys, and maybe even sell a few things myself.<br />
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Wish me luck, True Believers! (Shout-out to Stan Lee)<br />
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Sincerely, ESB ‘Stringfellow’ESB 'Stringfellow'http://www.blogger.com/profile/09645842806098933307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489494680189092843.post-14600473258664928672017-06-02T02:21:00.001-04:002018-03-22T05:36:12.596-04:00An Epic Map to an Epic TaleHello everyone, this is ESB ‘Stringfellow,’ and I will burn any talking map I come across, and this is...<br />
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<b><u>The Map of the Continent of Trino!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB6MgiZszVi1sB_BMKzm62eLH2M_L0HMKX7Mxwe0LAZQ8BWWElRjD_1xsrdBH4HsfJRP2CY8PcJnodkdyDsvJFaSB8Ho6rn4f9TiFzpK_nuW_JX86RPVQOsyYlemSrCHLPGPB8ma0v0ds/s1600/150ppi_Map+Labeled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1208" data-original-width="1600" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB6MgiZszVi1sB_BMKzm62eLH2M_L0HMKX7Mxwe0LAZQ8BWWElRjD_1xsrdBH4HsfJRP2CY8PcJnodkdyDsvJFaSB8Ho6rn4f9TiFzpK_nuW_JX86RPVQOsyYlemSrCHLPGPB8ma0v0ds/s400/150ppi_Map+Labeled.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With a map like this, how could you possibly get lost?</td></tr>
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As promised from last time, I am putting up a map of Trino, the continent that Cyan and Magus call their home.<br />
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Here’s a bit of Trino history: It was founded by a man named Morbez Fredyle from over eight hundred years in the past, where he and other world travelers settled so that they could claim a <i>Promised Land</i>. They set off to escape a cruel and evil king, hoping to find a place that had beauty, water and a Garden Eden, and upon discovering the continent that would one day become Trino, they believed that they had found such a land.<br />
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Morbez Fredyle ruled the newly found land, alongside his wife, Jana, for only a short time before he was killed by pirates, and the rulership of the lands went to his three children, divided evenly and fairly, with each one having their respective domain named after them.<br />
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First, there was Palasanctus Fredyle, the oldest of Morbez and Jana’s children. He was a warrior of virtue, honor and unwavering sense of justice, mixed with compassion and respect for all living things that were good, and a staunch enemy of all things evil and dark. The land that he called his own is known as the <i>Kingdom of Evergreen</i>, which is the land in the northeast section of the map. In this land, produce is bountiful and full of greater taste than that grown in other parts of the world, or even on other parts of the Trino Continent. Even the grass is seen as more lush, softer and more green than other places. Thus, the aspect of a Garden of Eden is fulfilled in the Palasanctus Kingdom.<br />
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Cyan and Magus hail from Palasanctus, and it should be noted that many of its knights and samurai (yes, the two cultures, as well as many others, coexist) and mages take a lot after their founder, being highly noble and taking their duties very seriously.<br />
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Next, there is the middle child, Nobilis Fredyle. He was a man who greatly admired the animals, both magical and non-magical alike, and he was the type to hunt animals for the pure thrill of the chase, though never killing whenever it was not needed. He would chase a deer for miles, catch it and allow it to flee again. He was a man of the wilderness, and the lands that came to be his own was the wildest part of the entire continent. Veiled in a constant fog and full of many rivers and lakes, his land is known as the <i>Kingdom of Water</i>, which is the whole southern part of the map. Because of its vast amounts of water, the Nobilis Kingdom easily checked off the <i>plentiful water</i> requirement of the <i>Promised Land</i> belief.<br />
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However, it is not all water-parks and beach houses (not that there are any of those). The Nobilis Kingdom is home to the most deadly monsters on the Trino Continent, meaning that the people who live there are the most hardy and ruthless of hunters, soldiers and even those descended from barbarians. You might get things like unicorns, hippocampi and seraphims, but there are also anzus, griffins and hudrodraco. Regardless of the monsters, this only helps the people of Nobilis to be the toughest Trinites, boasting great soldiers, warrior monks, kings, queens and heroes.<br />
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Finally, there was the youngest child of Morbez and Jana, and her name was Caelestis Fredyle. She had the sharpest mind and the quickest wit, which was only equaled by her skill with the bow and arrow. She had a love for the environment, from mountains to forests, from the largest beast to the smallest insect. She saw beauty in about everything, even in places where others failed. To her, the world was a canvas, and nature was the masterful artwork. She led with strength, love and courage, and the lands that would become her personal homeland is known as the <i>Kingdom of Beauty</i>. It was not because Caelestis herself was beautiful, but because her domain was beautiful, even if others did not quite grasp it when they would first see it. You see, what makes her kingdom (queendom?) so unique is that it is completely made of crystal. Every plant, from the mightiest tree to the tiniest blade of grass, was crystalized, giving the lands a form unlike anything else in the world. Hues of purple, red, blue and many others give the Caelestis Kingdom an otherworldly appearance, some would say heavenly, and this gives the final requirement that makes Trino the much sought after <i>Promised Land</i>.<br />
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Another interesting thing about the Caelestis Kingdom is that it has the most proficient and gifted magic users on the entire continent. There are mages in the other two kingdoms, but Caelestis is where all of the best magic schools and magical research is at, creating many of the best wizards and magically infused cities. In fact, because of their grand skills in magical construction, the people of Caelestis have created the biggest city on all of Trino, the Capital City Bellus, a marvelous place that many travelers come from all over the continent to see.<br />
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In a language that comes from a nearby island, Trino means <i>Three Nations</i>.<br />
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In <i>Path of a Hero</i>, Cyan and Magus do not see everything that their homeland has to offer, being far too big to cover in just one book (even if it is almost six hundred pages). But they do traverse across all three kingdoms, seeing many people, making new friends, fighting new monsters, and gaining new enemies.<br />
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If you want, you can print a version of this map, or save it and zoom in on it on whatever picture viewer you have, and trace Cyan and Magus’ journey, starting in a little place called <i>Kyutso Village</i>. Forgive my labeling... I used a kind of picture editor that allowed me to label just about everything, even in the tiniest of fonts, so some things are most likely impossible to read, and I can’t even remember what all of the things that I named. Kind of went crazy there, didn’t I? But, for the places that Cyan and Magus <i>do</i> visit, you should be able to find them, from Thrin Village to the Crescent Mountains, from Dyna Village to Grim Island...<br />
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Until next time, my dear readers.<br />
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Sincerely, ESB ‘Stringfellow’ESB 'Stringfellow'http://www.blogger.com/profile/09645842806098933307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489494680189092843.post-47268513515567175472017-05-26T23:24:00.000-04:002017-05-26T23:24:24.342-04:00Fantasy Monsters? CHECK!Hello everyone, this is ESB ‘Stringfellow,’ and I heard that the Dark Side has free cookies, and this is...<br />
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<b><u>The Villains of a Path of a Hero Post!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijaN5eMZjIh2BbxnmiHEh0EhAbdgTl3sh-_SyDdk-3p-9hpEDmAklKBPdnAbEP0MOiI_Bb0kvHVq4j3cc3E5rSWBQ-vs7zn1PsUeiMsHvoUB0lTDVhpL3J1wbUuuInNK5kBtMaYsR1ho/s1600/Image064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1535" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijaN5eMZjIh2BbxnmiHEh0EhAbdgTl3sh-_SyDdk-3p-9hpEDmAklKBPdnAbEP0MOiI_Bb0kvHVq4j3cc3E5rSWBQ-vs7zn1PsUeiMsHvoUB0lTDVhpL3J1wbUuuInNK5kBtMaYsR1ho/s320/Image064.jpg" width="306" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BEHOLD! My Legion of DEATH!!</td></tr>
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In my last two posts, you got the idea of what the story is about, as well as the characters on the side of good; Cyan and Magus are the heroes, Glenn, Rosa, and so many others, help them on their journey to find the legendary sword of light, Masamune, all so that Cyan can conquer his inner darkness, <i>the void</i>.<br />
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But what of the rest of the story? I mentioned the <i>Monster War</i>, but new readers are probably quite curious what that entails. You know that Cyan starts this story on a revenge quest, but who is he seeking revenge against? Well, this post here will fill you in on those specific details!<br />
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To start things off, this story takes place on the Continent of Trino (I’ll put up a map in the next post), which is divided by three kingdoms: Palasanctus, located in the northeast part of the continent (where Cyan and Magus hail from), Nobilis, located in the south part, and Caelestis, which takes up the remaining northwest part. These three kingdoms have a strong alliance with each other, to the point that if one is attacked, then all of them are attacked. If one kingdom fights, then they all fight.<br />
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Which is why our designated villains must attack all three kingdoms at once, all in the efforts to keep them apart and to make rendering aid to each other nigh impossible. On the night that the war starts, massive armies composed entirely of the most nightmare inducing monsters and orcs rampage across all three kingdoms, each army making a beeline for the castles. Of the monsters involved, you got your usual types such as goblins, trolls and ogres, but then are the behemoths, dragons and giant-sized griffins, plus all kinds of other nasty beasts and fowls.<br />
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Who amassed such an army? Why, it is none other than a mysterious figure known only as <i>Lord Abyss</i>. No one knows who he is, because he keeps himself away from the fighting, letting his underlings deal with that sort of thing. But no one argues that he’s the Big Bad Boss (BBB), because his followers are always shouting, <i>"Hail, Lord Abyss!"</i> or other such phrases. Abyss is called the <i>Lord of Monsters</i> because he has somehow managed to tame just about every monster imaginable, including the types that were deemed untamable. A master of war, there are those who even wonder if Abyss was even born of this world...<br />
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Now because Abyss likes to take a backseat to the actual bloody bits of war, he has arranged three generals to lead his armies, one for each kingdom. His chosen champions? More monsters, though these three have human-like intelligence and cunning, which coupled with there monstrous personas, makes them the most deadly combatants to ever invade Trino.<br />
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Starting this list of the monstrous trio, we have <i>General Fenx</i>, the one who attacks the Palasanctus Kingdom, and who is a dominus beast. A dominus beast is a ferocious and very conceited creature. Insult one’s pride, and it could very well be the last thing you ever do. They are tall, with Fenx being about nine feet, bipedal, covered in fur and with wild manes. They have clawed feet and huge fists. They have heads that resemble jackals, with the only difference is that dominus beasts have two horns coming straight out of their foreheads. Finally, they are known for their lust of battles, gigas strength and the ability to survive natural disasters, their bones designed in a such a way that it makes it very rare to see one with a broken leg or arm. Think Klingons of the <i>Path of a Hero</i> universe.<br />
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Fenx is as bloodthirsty as they come, and he relishes every moment of it. However, he has a deadly temper, and when he cross blades with Cyan, the young samurai earns the wrath of the beast (man, that sounds like a good title for a future story!). Yes, Fenx is the one who takes away Cyan’s home, his family and friends, putting our hero onto the beginnings of his dark path. And Fenx will also go down his own path of darkness in order to get his own vengeance against Cyan, destroying anything or anyone in his path to do so. The only difference is that he doesn’t care about being a monster, because he enjoys way too much.<br />
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After Fenx, we go to the one who attacks the Nobilis Kingdom, the one who is called <i>General Gormek</i>. Cyan and Magus first meet Gormek a short time after starting their quest to find Masamune, and at that time, Nobilis is declared under Abyss rule, because this monster general actually managed to seize the castle and force the king and his soldiers to run. However, Gormek finds that the King of Nobilis and his followers are not so easily beaten, who resort to small scale attacks that aim to undermine Gormek’s efforts to reign supreme. Throw in Cyan and Magus into the mix, and the rulership of Gormek will become short-lived.<br />
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Gormek is an orcma, which is basically an offshoot species of orcs, with the difference being that they are really tall, usually around ten feet, and possess the anatomy that allows them to have <i>six</i> arms. Because of these extra appendages, Gormek and his kind are extremely versatile in combat, able to wield a weapon for each arm and use said weapons fluidly in a way that no human can match. Fortunately for the people of Nobilis, Gormek is not exactly the best of the generals, being incredibly boastful, sometimes foolish and quite often more concerned with saving his own skin. The only reason he fights under Abyss’ command is because he feels that his opponents, a bunch of <i>two-armed</i> humans, are child’s play. Maybe if he had heard of some of the greatest feats of Trino’s greatest heroes, he would have thought twice about signing up for Abyss’ monster army...<br />
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The last villain to round out this cast of devils, who leads the assaults against the Caelestis Kingdom, is <i>General Demana</i>, who is the sole female villain in this story. I must say that I am very sorry that I had never thought of creating more than one female villain at the time of writing this story. I’m even more sorry that I had used tired tropes such as <i>Sexy is Evil</i> or <i>Evil is Sexy</i>. Yeeeeeaaah... (shifts eyes nervously) Look, I had a very different view of things back then, so different that I even gave Demana a costume that, today, I would never have used (think Wonder Woman’s battle bathing suit). If I ever get the chance to, I will retcon the hell out of Demana, or at least her outfit.<br />
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Okay, with that cleared up, I do want to say that I’m still very pleased with how I wrote her as a character. Yes, she is incredibly vain and flirty in a way that makes you think of unwelcome scenarios. <i>But</i> I made her a warrior, through and through, wielding twin scimitars with such expertise that she’s able to deflect fireballs thrown at her. Not only that, she’s sadistic and will go out of her way to torture anyone for her amusement. Have a loved one on the battlefield? She will take a detour to find that someone and flay him or her alive and will be sure to tell you all of the details with the utmost demonic pleasure. That, more or less, sums up Demana perfectly, so lets get down to what type of monster she is.<br />
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Demana is a lamia, the female term for the snake-people species (males are called nagas). Snake-people are very varied, almost to the point that no two snake-people are exactly alike. Some are quite humanoid with only minor reptilian features, with others being all snake with human-like limbs. Demana falls somewhat into the first category. She has a very human-like appearance, with the major difference being that she has blue skin and pointed ears, with the only snake-like factors, at first glance, being her fangs and forked tongue. However, she has this curious thing about her, even among snake-people. Demana possesses this incredibly long red hair, so long and thick that, at a distance, it looks like a giant snake’s body attached to the back of her head. Spoiler-alert: her hair is NOT a snake’s body... it’s <i>multiple</i> snake <i>bodies</i>, and these scaly strands are able to move in a way that allows Demana to pick herself off of the floor and tower twenty feet over her opponents.<br />
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Sounds pleasantly disturbing, doesn’t it?<br />
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And that, my dear readers, is all she wrote (or <i>I </i>wrote). That is the story of <i>Path of a Hero</i>, from heroes to support characters to villains. But don’t go thinking that I spoiled everything. These tidbits should be more than enough to entice you, and at this point, I strongly recommend utilizing the link to the right to find this book on Amazon and enjoy all of the stuff that I did not divulge here, such as...<br />
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<em>How </em>did Cyan and Magus meet?<i> What</i> were the circumstances? <i>How</i> do their fights with the monster generals go? And<i> do they get Masamune</i>?<br />
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If you wish to find out, there’s really only one way to do so...<br />
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Until next time, my dear readers!<br />
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Sincerely, ESB ‘Stringfellow’<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCcVoB-M7Et5dyyUAmc8TPExuJONtQra8mc_uN3we6mPOj5bgJnLovy6IvLMCel__zFcrfkDYT0riGEllJhJc-xx7JkhVnrU3DYS0kByHGTUCBm7X7FgeIiJkJiX4E10QxXGSjH09p6qI/s1600/150ppi_Path+of+a+Hero+Villains+Emblem.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1173" data-original-width="1600" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCcVoB-M7Et5dyyUAmc8TPExuJONtQra8mc_uN3we6mPOj5bgJnLovy6IvLMCel__zFcrfkDYT0riGEllJhJc-xx7JkhVnrU3DYS0kByHGTUCBm7X7FgeIiJkJiX4E10QxXGSjH09p6qI/s320/150ppi_Path+of+a+Hero+Villains+Emblem.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is their Flag... You should buy one...</td></tr>
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ESB 'Stringfellow'http://www.blogger.com/profile/09645842806098933307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489494680189092843.post-79539504539523391052017-05-16T01:09:00.000-04:002017-05-16T01:11:52.683-04:00The NPCs of Path of a HeroHello everyone, this is ESB ‘Stringfellow’ and I will show no mercy if you eat all of my beef jerky, and this is...<br />
<b><u></u></b><br />
<b><u>The Next Path of a Hero Update!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2BANPOj_avdGu6DWQDkevlTk8sdRUqFqcPoW-SRD5Ngl8i-zjAJhldv2rEmACKRTyauyeCyNT7SKa4JIAP6i_yKqxmSAyMa0wt6km_54wsazAWX3ckJ6XdK9CyBmJmhWOc1tGQV1ZLM/s1600/Image124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2BANPOj_avdGu6DWQDkevlTk8sdRUqFqcPoW-SRD5Ngl8i-zjAJhldv2rEmACKRTyauyeCyNT7SKa4JIAP6i_yKqxmSAyMa0wt6km_54wsazAWX3ckJ6XdK9CyBmJmhWOc1tGQV1ZLM/s400/Image124.jpg" width="357" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Admit it, you want a button or t-shirt of this. Available at Boosk-isms!</td></tr>
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</u></b>Okay, last time I shared the synopsis of <i>PoaH</i> and some details regarding our leading two heroes, and so now I will tell you about some more story details and some things about the supporting characters.<br />
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First up: When Cyan loses everything and everyone at the start of the <i>Monster War</i>, he is saved by a wizard named Professor Krygo Divree, who is a teacher at a school for training mages (a word for magic casters for those who don’t know). Cyan has some magical skills, not a lot, but enough to encourage him to get training at the School of Magi. Cyan’s magic, though limited they are, consist of four different elements, <i>fire</i>, <i>water</i>, <i>ice</i> and <i>lightning</i>, and he is able to shoot small projectiles of these elements out of his left hand and use the same elements to cover any weapon with a blade, such as sword or dagger. The ability to cover a sword’s blade with elemental magic means that Cyan is a sword mage, and because of this aspect, he is able to continue his training in sword fighting.<br />
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With all of that revealed to Cyan, he decides to dedicate himself to training in this field of magic, as well as keeping up his knowledge in the ways of the samurai, all so that he could become strong enough to obtain his vengeance. About a quarter of the way through the story, I do a time-skip of two years, where a fourteen-year-old Cyan had grown into his new role as a <i>samurai mage</i>. During those two years, Cyan makes a new friend in a young man named Glenn Marinus, who has aspirations to become a knight. Glenn helps Cyan through his grieving process, gives support and encouragement whenever he thinks it is needed. To Cyan, Glenn is as good as a brother. Then there is Glenn’s mother, Rosa Marinus, a healer that works in the castle of Cyan’s home kingdom, Palasanctus. Rosa is an emotional sort, which acts as a double-edged sword in her case. She is extremely passionate about the work she does, caring so much for others that she’s willing to face the ordeals that comes with the job, but she also feels immense pain for those that she can not save or comfort. When she had lost her husband, years prior to the story, she had become even more protective of Glenn and more fearful of what the future holds.<br />
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Also at the School of Magi are other students, with three particular characters that serve to give Cyan frustration and to push his rage buttons. Yvron Goldez, a shadow mage from a wealthy family, Icis Flitz, an ice mage with a sense of cold cunning, and Lavas Cole, a fire mage with a mean streak. It should be noted that Icis and Lavas don’t really talk much, because in the beginning I meant for them to be mere lackeys to Yvron, who started off as a rival for Cyan. But as time went on, I had actually grown fond of the trio, and decided that these three deserve to be shown to be best friends, even if they are obnoxious bullies. During Cyan’s time at the School of Magi, these three are used as something to test Cyan’s patience and, whenever his patience fails him, someone to take his anger out on, and believe me, over the two years, Cyan has truly nurtured his inner anger and hate to a frightening level.<br />
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Among the students is one who I came to like so much, that I actually have future plans for him, and his name is Auroro Darkes. He absolutely hates his first name, so he insists everyone just call him Darkes, but this sadly makes it easy to tease him by just simply referring to him as Auroro. He is not so much as a friend to Cyan, nor is he a rival. He is simply there to help provide a foil to Cyan. Darkes is something of a self-serving coward, but when he sees Cyan risking it all, he’s encouraged to stick with his own friends, no matter how terrifying things will get.<br />
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Rounding out the School of Magi cast is Lady Sashasee, the sword instructor, and Master Fuso, the founder and headmaster of the school. Lady Sashasee is a middle-aged, charming woman who knows how to handle a fight, either with her bare hands or with a weapon, and really favors Cyan as a student. Her primary goal is to teach sword mages how to use their weapons effectively in combat. Because her training exercises focus solely on the physical aspects, the fact that she is not a mage herself is rendered moot. She does, however, own a katana that allows her to cancel and nullify magic spells, which is useful for dealing with unruly students who decide to have magical duels outside of classes. As for Master Fuso, he is an old sage that radiates power and just seems to have a way of reading people that seems to go beyond the mere physical. Wise, powerful to the point of being intimidating even when he’s just sitting down, and good natured enough to make Cyan feel that he can trust Master Fuso on matters that are very personal to him, such as his inner darkness that threatens to consume whatever he has left of his humanity.<br />
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Halfway through the story, after a few failures and gaining an epiphany, Cyan realizes how close to darkness he has gotten, and in order to fight said darkness, he decides to go on a quest that will take him clear across the Trino Continent. At this point, Magus had joined him, and the two set off to find the legendary sword known as Masamune, a Sword of Light. Cyan got it in his head that in order to vanquish his inner darkness, or the <i>void</i> as he calls it, is to defeat the very monster that had created it. In Cyan’s mind, the two are tied together, interchangeable and linked in a way that allows them to feed each other, which in turn weakens Cyan.<br />
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...Okay, maybe that sounds psychologically impossible in the real world, but bear with me on this. Consider that the human mind is a strange place to begin with. There are people in the real world who become emotionally attached in inanimate objects and treat said objects like one would the <i>Companion Cube </i>from <i>Portal</i>. Another thing to keep in mind is that in this story, magic exists, Magus, a magically imbued rat that can talk, can be transfigured into other creatures without pain or other harmful side effects, and Cyan is looking for a magic weapon that can slice through solid rock. So, I think people’s imaginations can be stretched just <i>enough</i> to say that an actual link exists in this mystical world that causes Cyan to believe that he has to kill a monster in order to end the <i>void</i>. Just roll with it...<br />
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As Cyan and Magus search for Masamune, they come across other supporting characters, with the most prominent one being a man named Clyde Stratos, a soldier from the Nobilis Kingdom. He sees in Cyan what most people don’t... the potential to be the greatest warrior in all of Trino. But Clyde also recognizes the darkness in Cyan’s heart, and being the experienced man that he is, Clyde decides to give them his help. That is, after Cyan and Magus help him and his people reclaim their home. During the two years of the <i>Monster War</i>, the Nobilis Kingdom seemingly was taken, which forces the people of that kingdom to fight in the shadows of defeat. No spoilers, but as that threat is being handled, Cyan and Magus also meet Linka Terrace, a warrior monk (someone who specializes in hand-to-hand combat), who has quite the history with Clyde. Then there is King Kynoah Strogest, an unorthodox ruler who seemed to have neglected his lessons in formalities.<br />
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As the story progresses, Cyan and Magus, guided by Clyde, meet the last of the supporting cast in the Caelestis Kingdom, featuring two women who seem to be polar opposites, but are incredibly close friends. First is Echia Dusk, a powerful mage that gives one the impression that she is a witch. She wears mostly black, wears jewelry that has skulls, snakes, spiders and rats designed on them, and has a very alluring air about her. Playful at times, she is also known for a fiery temper, which puts her in contrast with her friend, Mi’Leeya Chi, a head priestess of the Astral Shrine. Mi’Leeya is the quiet type and is a healer like Rosa, but her magic goes deeper than others. Mi’Leeya has an affinity with the spirit world, and thus can use the powers of that realm to aid her finding out certain things or generate certain barriers or, in some rare cases, help people gain a spiritual blessing that will grant that someone a new power.<i> *wink-wink-hint-hint*</i><br />
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And I think that about covers all of the support characters. I might have left some out, but that is either because they are so minor that they don’t warrant any mentioning or I thought that it would be too spoilery.<br />
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With that said, I will leave it here for now (just so you know, there is a lot to cover, considering that <i>PoaH </i>is almost six hundred pages long). Next week, I will give you details about the villains, because what is a story about an up-and-coming hero without villains?<br />
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Until next time, this is ESB ‘Stringfellow’ signing out.<br />
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ESB 'Stringfellow'http://www.blogger.com/profile/09645842806098933307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489494680189092843.post-87182722425747753012017-05-06T02:31:00.000-04:002017-05-06T02:31:46.944-04:00Path of a Hero BasicsHello everyone, this is ESB 'Stringfellow,' and I am hooked on a feeling, and this is...<br />
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<strong><u>A Path of a Hero Synopsis And Heroes Basic Information!!</u></strong><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bit understated, but it is still a nice cover.</td></tr>
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<strong><u></u></strong><br />
<em><u>Synopsis</u></em><br />
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<b><i>Vows made... Swords drawn... The cries of battle... The rages of war...</i></b><br />
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<i>In the mystical land of Trino, an attack by an unknown enemy has taken the people by surprise and left a bloody and destructive path in its wake. Orcs, monsters, dragons and demons... an army designed for one purpose only... to destroy anything or anyone in their path.<br />
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Thousands will fight, to stand against this evil force that threatens to destroy their land. In honor of their country and rulers, they will fight and die to defend their homes and loved ones.<br />
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But only one will rise above the others... only one will endure the trials of body, mind and spirit... in the end, only one will be granted the title of a Hero.<br />
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Cyankazu Omondi... his Path begins when he is twelve years old.<br />
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<i>Every Hero has a beginning...<br />
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In<i> Path of a Hero</i>, we explore the origins of who, you might say, our my mascot characters, Cyankazu Omondi (Cyan for short) and Magus (who is just simply short).<br />
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For the uninitiated, Cyan starts this story as twelve-year-old (well, eleven in the first chapter, but I time-skip a year later in the second one), who we see is being trained by his parents to become a samurai. Things were going pretty darn good for him. A loving family, trusted friends, a humbling home and a promising future where he showed great potential to be a great and honorable warrior.<br />
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But then everything changed when the <i>Monster War</i> started... Without warning, a fierce, bloodthirsty and overwhelming army of monsters and orcs attack Cyan’s homeland, the Continent of Trino, where our hero’s village is among the very first places to be consumed and destroyed by the carnage.<br />
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Cyan becomes a victim of war... He did not die, but he does lose everything, giving him survivor’s guilt, depression and a mountainous amount of grief... but born within this darkness that has consumed his heart, the <i>void</i> as he comes to name it, is also his anger and hatred of the monsters that had destroyed his life. Shortly after the war started, Cyan vows revenge... but how far will this dark path take him? What risks or price is he willing to pay? Will his obsession with vengeance give him solace, or will it lead him further away from his heritage as a samurai?<br />
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This may start as a story of revenge, but at some point, Cyan will realize the danger he faces of losing his humanity and will thus go on a quest to regain his honor, his true inner sense of self. He will come up with a plan that will not make a lot of sense to a lot of outside observers, but it will mean the difference to Cyan, where it will either destroy the last shred of nobility he has left or lead to his ultimate redemption. In this story, Cyan does not start off looking to be a hero, but in the end, he will be remembered as one of Trino’s greatest.<br />
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Now, any story of a hero would be incomplete without a cast of characters to render support or help in the hero’s time of great need. To start off, Cyan is accompanied by his magical animal companion, Magus. For those wondering, a magical animal is a normal creature, any creature, that was infused with magic at the time of their birth. Magic, in this universe, can have strange effects on any living thing, and in some cases, it can result in turning a normal animal into one with magical abilities, with some changes being greater than others. For instance, Magus is a black rat that can cast some minor forms of spells on his own, but it is not much by human standards, but the greatest thing about him is that his magically changed body now ages at a slower rate than normal rats, putting him on the same aging process of humans. So, when he meets Cyan, Magus is in fact seventeen years old in actual <i>human</i> years, and on top of all that, he can also communicate via telepathy.<br />
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So, before I go into further detail about Magus, I would like to point out something about how the story is structured, of how the world looks and feels. I wrote <i>Path of a Hero</i> with a classical knights, wizards, etc., versus dragons, demons, etc. type of feel to it. So, everyone behaves like <i>Dungeons and Dragons</i> type characters... Everyone except Magus.<br />
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I wanted Magus to be the comic relief character, but in a definite <i>out-there</i> sort of way. How <i>out-there</i>, you might be asking? By making him act like someone from modern times, where he speaks with slang words like <i>cool</i> or <i>dude</i>. If that sounds cliched to you, then I profusely apologize. You have to forgive me for doing that, considering that I was still a teenager myself when I first wrote this. But I just loved the idea of having Magus be that one character who was in stark contrast to how everyone else behaved, where his mannerisms, where they would be normal by our standards, would be seen as odd or inane by others, which for me (at the time at least) struck as comedy gold. I do promise, that as the years went by and my writing became a bit more refined, I was able to make Magus more comical (I hope) in more nuance ways. Quirks that help further set him apart from Cyan, so that he would be a perfect foil to Cyan’s more calm and levelheaded demeanor.<br />
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And that is, more or less, the basis of Cyan and Magus, human samurai and magical rat. Cyan settles to be more thoughtful, while Magus goes to speak whatever comes to his mind. Cyan is mostly silent, and when he speaks, he tends to do it with softer tones (unless he gets angry [which happens a lot in <i>Path of a Hero</i>]), while Magus is energetic (bordering on hyperactive) and he has a tendency to hardly ever clam up. Cyan is disciplined, Magus is brash. Cyan jokes some and does a sarcastic comment every now and then, Magus is a fan of making bad puns and delivering a lot of snark. Cyan hums old folk songs, Magus does air guitar whilst singing <i>Rock-n-Roll</i>.<br />
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Those are your leading two characters, my dear readers, and I honestly hope you enjoy them just as much as I do.<br />
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And I think I will leave it here for now. Next time, I will share more story tidbits and other support characters. Until then...<br />
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Sincerely, ESB 'Stringfellow'ESB 'Stringfellow'http://www.blogger.com/profile/09645842806098933307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489494680189092843.post-82289770351419651932017-04-28T04:05:00.000-04:002017-04-28T04:05:44.889-04:00The ResurrectionHello everyone, this is ESB 'Stringfellow,' and I am back in the saddle, and this is...<br />
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<strong><u>The <em>Overdue</em> Return Of The Author!</u></strong><br />
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I can not believe that it has been three years since I last came to this place. No doubt, many of you reading this now might not have ever known that this blog site of mine had become very much dead. I lost sight of it, I became weary of it, and ultimately became just unmotivated.<br />
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Well, after a few years, I have decided that the time was NOW to get back into the swing of things. To do that, though, I have decided to do a complete <em>clean slate</em>. If you have been to this blog before, you may remember that I had posted over a hundred different posts before just up and leaving without a single word, and I am sorry to say that everything is gone.<br />
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The excerpts, the profiles, the randomness... All of it gone, never to return.<br />
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Well, except for the stuff that I will repost. I mean, I'll put things up again, just not all of it.<br />
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For those of you returning, for those who missed my randomness or Magus' postings, I am afraid to say that particular brand of humor will be downplayed, if not flat-out abandoned. You see, I think my problem with this blog before was that I tried to make it a weekly thing, where I would post at least once every week, or ever two weeks, even if that meant random things or rants. Instead, I have decided to bring this blog back from the maws of death and to give it back its original purpose: To be a hub-site for advertising and promoting my books. I will not be beholden to the idea that I have to maintain a constant update. From now on, the main goal is to just give you the basic details of the books I have published, maybe hints of what I am writing at the moment, and, naturally, excerpts from my books, and other book related updates and explanations. If I have nothing to share in regards to my books, then I will simply not post anything, even if that means going <em>months</em> or even <em>years</em> (again) without posting anything. My problem with this blog before was that I tried to treat it as a diary whenever I had nothing book related to talk about, and I will not be making that mistake again. I might still make a joke post from time to time, or celebrate a mile marker, because I really did enjoy those, but do not expect those to happen too often.<br />
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Alrighty then, let us get down to the first important update: See those links to the side? Under the <em>Books by the Author</em>? Any book that I get published will be given a link there directly to Amazon (maybe my publisher's online bookstore too, if I feel like it). You might notice that some of them have <em>(paperback)</em> in the links? That is because those links will take you directly to the paperback version of those books, and the one that has <em>(Kindle)</em> will take you to the (what else?) Kindle version. The one's that do not have anything written next to them in parentheses means that you can just find either version on that particular link. Now, I do not know what the deal is with <em>Book I: Chi</em> or <em>Book II: Sui </em>and their apparent lack of Kindle versions, but I can not seem to find them. I will make an update later, and of course update the links, if and when I find those Kindle versions.<br />
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Then there is <em>Book IV: Fu</em>, which is a totally different topic. If you follow that book's links, you'll notice something... off about the cover to either version. The paperback version looks pretty darn cool, while the Kindle one looks... well, bland. The reason behind this is because I have decided to publish the Kindle version of <em>Book IV: Fu</em> on my own, rather than have my publisher, America Star, do it for me. Why, you ask? Well, for one thing, the royalties would flow easier for me if I do the Kindle version on my own, the price would be cheaper if I do it on my own in comparison to America Star, and all I have to do is not use the cover art that America Star had made for the paperback version. So yes, the cover is super boring, but hopefully, once I get a real handle on this Kindle thing, I will be able to update the cover (they make it sound like I can) with something better. I will be sure to update you on that whenever the time comes.<br />
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Well, I guess that will do for now. I will be back as soon as possible with more updates, especially if I want to rebuild this blog's archive of book-related-posts.<br />
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Until next time,<br />
Sincerely, ESB 'Stringfellow'ESB 'Stringfellow'http://www.blogger.com/profile/09645842806098933307noreply@blogger.com0