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August 28, 2015 + fantasy, Fiction, literature, Reading, Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Writing

Another Abandoned Work… Taryn, The Legacy (Chapter 3)

III

“Today is going by so slowly… too slowly…”

Tired of conversing with Sentinel, Taryn shut him down and lay back on her bed for a few hours. Finally, she decided that she needed to get off campus and try to sort out these feelings. She needed to piece everything together, and staring at four walls wasn’t going to do it.

She stood and grabbed her thin leather jacket off of the hanger behind the door. She was going to take a ride and clear her head. Cruising through the city always worked in the past, she’d hoped it would be the same way now.

Taryn was about to leave when she saw the old framed photo on the table next to her bed. The glass was cracked, but the picture inside was still in nearly perfect shape. She picked it up and studied the familiar faces.

It was a beautiful picture of a human boy with an elf girl on his back at Revere Beach. They appeared to be her age. The blond elf looked extremely happy. The boy had a smile on his face, but he also gave off a feeling of worry.

Taryn was familiar with her family history and could have thought of any number of reasons why he would be worried. She smiled, “I know what you two went through to be together. No government cover-up will ever convince me otherwise. You two were heroes.”

As she slipped her jacket on, she thought back to her childhood. She had met Lia’na a few times when she was young. Elves lived much longer than humans, so she had the opportunity to meet her ancestor, albeit briefly.

Even in her advanced age, Lia’na was very beautiful, but she seemed lonely. Even at her happiest moments, there was always a hit of longing on her face, as though a piece of her was missing that could not be recovered. Her face hid a deep void that had been missing for many years before Taryn was born.

After so many years, Taryn understood why. She missed Toby more than anything. Her heart had been severed from her chest for the rest of her days when he died. For reasons that were still a mystery, her death came well before its time, but it held no fear over her. Death was simply her final passage to be with the one she loved again and she welcomed it. Taryn remembered seeing her in the hospital. She had a smile on her face as the light faded from her eyes.

Taryn put the picture back on the table, “Toby must have absolutely worshipped you… we should all be so lucky.”

She closed the door behind her and exhaled deeply. She lowered looked down at her armband and wiped a warm tear from her eye. What am I doing?

Without another thought, she headed down to the main level and out the front door. She was determined to get off campus. The air around her had become so heavily that it was barely breathable.

Leslie House had a small shed next to the building. Taryn had befriended the groundskeeper, so he let her park her bike in there for protection against the elements. She opened the door and quickly looked around to make sure that no one was nearby.

Confident that the coast was clear, she stepped inside the shed where she was greated with a low rumbling noise. She smiled, “Hello Glide, ready for some fun?”

The 1960 Harley Davidson duo Glide that waited for her, revved its engine in response. Taryn chuckled, “Good, glad to hear it.”

Vroom…

“I know… I’m sorry, exams have me on edge, but hey we’ll have the summer to have fun.”

Rooroom!

“Yup, let’s hit downtown.”

At that moment, Sentinel appeared out of her armband, “Do you actually understand this antiquated contraption?”

The bike roared, indicating that it didn’t appreciate being called a contraption. Taryn ran her hand over the seat, like she would a dog’s back. She had spent years upgrading her family’s old bike.

Fossil fuel reserves were slowly drying up and becoming too expensive, so she upgraded the engine to be able to process a synthetic fuel that was used to power older cars and bikes. The internal combustion engine was now almost completely a thing of the past and all modern cars were built with a new hydromolecular engine. Though more efficient, Taryn knew the secret of her bike and wasn’t going to risk destroying its life force, so she only updated what she needed to.

Taryn chuckled, “Ignore him, I’m thinking of tweaking his personality engrams anyway.”

“Fine.” Sentinel replied. “Excuse me for asking a question.”

Taryn sat down on the bike and looked at Sentinel, “Well to answer your question, I don’t really know. I hear the engine and am able to determine emotions from the bike. I can’t really explain how I understand it.”

“Perhaps it’s something to do with you lineage?”

Taryn shrugged, “Maybe…”

Vroom!

“I agree,” Taryn replied, “thoughts for another day, let’s go!”

She threw on a pair of goggles and a helment and rode out of the shed. She turned the bike behind the building and then turned onto Main Street. The bike roared as she hit the accelerator.

“You want to take over?” She yelled.

Vroom!

Taryn released the accelerator and lightened her grip on the handlebars, “All right, show me the sights!”

The bike, Glide, picked up speed as it hit the I-93 South ramp and headed for Boston. Taryn sat back slightly as she viewed everything going on around her. There was thankfully no traffic on the way into Boston. Everyone who needed to be in the city was mostly already there.

Taryn’s eyes lit up as she reached the Zakim Bridge. She looked over the side to see the Paul Revere Park Memorial to the soldiers who had lost their lives defending the city. Now even the government wouldn’t acknowledge what truly happened.

Glide neared the guard rail as it passed under the old suspension cables. To her left, an old ’08 Ford Hovercharge passed her by. The car was white with a silver trim and wheels folded up underneith for emergencies. The driver eyed the old bike suspiciously as it passed through his window.

Taryn didn’t care for hovercars. Too much could go wrong with the magnetic system. Tires were more expensive, harder to get, and not enviornmentally friendly, but they were tried and true.

The moment that the car was out of sight, Taryn noticed that the weight of the bike was being distributed to the back and the front tire was no longer touching the pavement, “Glide, what are you doing?”

Glide didn’t respond.

“Glide? Glide!”

Still nothing.

Taryn was about to panic when suddenly the tires began to glow white and the bike lifted off the road completely. She watched in awe as Glide continued to climb higher and higher, “Okay, next time give me some warning. I don’t like surprises!”

Vroom!

The chill of thin air passed over her skin as she flew high enough into the air to see the tops of most of the buildings. As Glide circled the Hancock tower a few times, Taryn could see the work being done on the building. Its old glass windows were being replaced with transparent foil solar-energy conducting ones.

Taryn flew even higher until she could see the atmospheric purifier that was installed atop several Boston skyscrapers to cut down on emissions and repair past damage. Though cold, when Taryn breathed in, she felt as though the cool air was cleaning out her lungs.

She hugged Glide’s chasis with her hips and spread her arms, “Keep me steady, Glide.”

She closed her eyes as the wind passed over her face and began mouthing the lyrics of one of her favorite songs as the tune passed through her mind,

“And so they danced with their hands clasped,

Around the room of Ancients past,

And so the tales of old repeat again.

When all the time has come and gone,

Another way will we bring you,

On great wings of hope,

A seed soon to sprout,

Will conquer all darkness.”

Taryn released the air from her lungs and looked down on the city. It was at that moment that she realized how much she wanted to share all of this with Bobby. She had told him some of her family’s history when she had downed a few drinks, but she doubted that he believed her.

Despite her desires, Taryn knew that it was too soon. She decided to give Bobby a chance, and if she got close enough to him, she’d start letting him in on a few of these secrets. It was only fair.

A chill down her spine told Taryn that it was time to stop, “Glide, let’s head down, I’m getting cold.”

Glide turned around and headed back to the bridge. Within a matter of minutes, the bike touched down on the highway, heading north this time. As the wheels hit the pavement, the bike roared.

Taryn looked down at it with worry, “You overdid it again, didn’t you?”

Glide made a timid clicking noise in response. Taryn sighed, “Look, you can’t do that. This isn’t like how it was when you were with your previous owners. You know you don’t have unlimited power. Don’t push youself.”

Vroom!

“I know you were just having fun and I appreciate you showing me the city from up there, but I don’t want you overdoing it. You’ve survived 4 generations of my family. You’re not dying on my watch.”

Vroom!

“Yes, I love you too.” Taryn replied. “Why don’t you let me take the reigns again while you rest?”

Vroom…

Taryn placed her hands on the handlebars again and held on as Glide gave her control. The wind blowing in her face was heavier now. It also came with the odor of industry from the city around her.

Taryn was used to the city, she’d grown up there, but part of her always yearned for the trees of the forest. She chalked that up to her elven heritage. Her great great grandmother had always experienced difficulties in dealing with the city, but she managed to get by without any issues.

She turned off the nearest exit and got back on I-93 going south. Vroom vroom?

“I know this isn’t the way back. I just need to go… somewhere first.”

Vroom!

“Don’t worry, I know where I’m going.”

The bike roared onto Exit 20A/B and headed for the Pike. The sensors scanned her as she passed and charged her account for the fare as she pressed on by. She eventually arrived at Exit 17 and pulled off, heading south towards Chestnut Hill.

After a few minutes of passing by various shops, she arrived at the intersection of Hammond St. and Heath St. She turned right and within moments, a small cemetary came into view. The old iron gate way still open, granting her entry to the Holyhood Cemetary.

Taryn slowed down to quiet her bike in the hopes of not disturbing anyone else that might be there. The association had worked hard to keep the cemetary as welcoming as possible and she didn’t want to ruin that.

The grave she was looking for was unmistakable. It was a black marble stone with gold lettering. In large print, the name ‘Arrigan’ was easy to identify. The bike stopped in front of the grave and revved its engine in excitement.

Taryn hopped off and placed her hand on the seat, “Shh! Easy, I know you’re excited, but you have to keep it down.”

A softer sound came from the engine as the bike slowly powered down.

“Thanks.”

Taryn stepped away from the bike and looked at the grave. She didn’t usually visit, given that she’d never known Toby and Lia’na was considered a distant relative, but she still admired them. She smiled as she looked at the beautifully cared for grave, “Um… hi.”

She paused for a moment, feeling silly for talking to a stone tablet. Could they even hear her or were they off doing their own thing in some celestial realm? She had no way of knowing, so she continued, “Toby, I wish I’d gotten to know you too, but I’m actually here to talk to Lia’na.”

Taryn closed her eyes, “I know you’d probably tell me I’m being a prissy little princess, and you’re probably right. I’ve been very picky about the guys I date… very picky. I don’t know, Mom and Dad have always hammered it into my head that I deserve nothing but the best. That… and I look at my family history and I know… you guys saved the world. That’s a huge legacy. I guess that’s why I’ve been so picky. Dating can turn into something more, especially since I’m getting close to finishing college and… well…”

Taryn rubbed her brow, trying hard not to sound like a snob, “I don’t want to be with someone who won’t appreciate that. I guess I want what you guys had and I’ve been afraid to let anyone in who doesn’t look like they’re going to measure up.”

Her eyes open and she looked down at the stone, “Help me… give me some sign that he’s at least okay. Please.”

Silence.

This is crazy. Taryn told herself. You’re talking to a grave stone. What do you think is going to happen? Is it going to talk back? Is Lia’na going to jump dig her way out to offer you sage advice as a zombie?

At that moment, Taryn paused, remembering the story. Given what had happened so long ago, her suspension of disbelief shouldn’t be so forbidding. Still, she wasn’t recieving a response and there was a slight chill in the air. She turned and headed for the bike when a sudden breeze picked up.

Taryn suddenly felt like there were hands on her shoulders. She breathed in deeply and closed her eyes. The wind swirled gently around her. To a normal human, this would have been nothing more than a random gust of wind that had just suddenly picked up. However, Taryn was more attuned to the life force of nature, thanks to her elven heritage. She smiled and nodded as the wind whispered in her ears.

After a few moments, she opened her eyes and smiled, “Thank you.”

She walked over to the bike and tapped on the seat, “Ready to go?”

Vroom?

“Yeah, I got the answers I needed.”

Rrrrroooom…

“Yeah I miss her too.”

Vroom!

“Sorry, I should have said both, but I never met Toby. I know he was your owner first and all, but he died long before I was even born.”

Vroom, vroom?

“Yeah I’m ready to go. Let’s head back to Arcanus.”

It wasn’t long before she began to see trees ahead of her as the bike carried her back to college.

Readers,

Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.

I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.

Also, feel free to check out my works of Fantasy and Historical Fiction, Available on Amazon and where ever books are sold. See the link below:

http://www.amazon.com/James-Harrington/e/B00P7FBXTU

Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

August 27, 2015 + fantasy, Fiction, literature, Reading, Science Fiction, Writing

Another Abandoned Work… Taryn, The Legacy (Chapter 2)

by Jim

Class started the moment their professor appeared at the front of the room. She was a middle-aged woman with graying hair and a kind smile. Though her eyes showed years of endless study and nights without sleep, she never complained.

Taryn admired her for her ability to mix historical fact with both human and Elven legend to fill in the missing gaps. She quieted down and poked Merrin, “Shh, you’re going to get us in trouble again. Professor Pacewitz is here.”

The professor looked up at Taryn and smiled, “Thank you, Ms. Arrigan. I trust you managed to complete the paper I assigned?”

Taryn nodded, “I emailed it to you last night.”

“Very good.” She replied. “I look forward to reading it.”

Professor Pacewitz sighed as she spoke, “Now class, who can tell me where we left off on Wenesday?”

Merrin raised his hand while giving Taryn a smug look as though he were saying, “Yeah, see? I pay attention too!”

The professor looked up and nodded to Merrin, “Go ahead.”

“Ma’am, ye was talkin’ bout the Boston restorating effort in 2014, followin’ them unexplained attacks on our city.”

The professor nodded, “Very good, Mr. Telog, you are correct. Now the initial attack was a combination of dragons, centaurs, griffons, and other creatures that, up until then, we had long dismissed as fantasy and folklore. Their inexplicable departure was cause for concern and kept the National Guard on its toes. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the city was already on alert when the corpse army began to form. Can anyone tell us who was responsible?”

Taryn raised her hand, “Ma’am, it was the result of a domestic terrorist organization that had acquired a piece of the Lux Mundi.”

The professor nodded, “And the name of their group was…?”

“The Filis de Lux, ma’am, which translates to Children of Light.”

“Excellent Taryn,” Professor Pacewitz replied, “you have been doing your reading.”

Taryn sat back and listened to the professor talk about events that she was all too familiar with. She’d heard these stories over the years, passed down by her family, but they differed from the official accounts in a few key places.

As the professor began to wrap up her lecture, she looked out at the class, “Now, can anyone tell me how the corpse army was defeated?”

Taryn raised her hand with a devious look on her face, “Professor, a lone group of college students, led by an enchanter infiltrated their base and defeated their leader.”

Giggles and low laughing came from around the room as Professor Pacewitz rolled her eyes, “Ms. Arrigan, I am well aware of your family’s history, as well as their involvement in fighting the Filis de Lux, but the stories of your great grandfather having supernatural powers has long since been discredited. Now can anyone tell me the historically accurate ending?”

Another student spoke up, “Ma’am, it was a surgical strike by our combined naval and air power.”

Professor Pacewitz nodded, “Very good, that is the officially released version of what happened.”

Taryn sat back with a smile and shook her head. She knew that this was nothing more than the government attempting to slowly rewrite history so that what happened would soon disappear into myth. She knew the truth and it was passed down by her family. In the end, that’s all that mattered.

Merrin looked over at her suspiciously and whispered, “Ye enjoyed that.”

Taryn nodded, but said nothing as the professor finished up, “Okay, so does anyone have any questions before we adjorn for the weekend?”

The class sat silently for a few moments. Taryn didn’t see a single hand go up. The professor nodded, “Very well see you all on Monday. Have a good weekend.”

Merrin got up and turned to Taryn as he packed his bags, “Ye really love tryin’ ta git under people’s skin, don’t ye?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

Merrin’s eyes narrowed into an accusing stare, “Yeah ye do! Ye knew exactly what de professor would say bout that. Ye just wanted your story to be heard.”

Taryn shrugged, “Maybe…”

“Ye as sneaky as a sharpy,” Merrin said through a smirk, “I swear.”

A spark of anger entered Taryn’s eyes, “Hey, not cool!”

She turned her head slightly to the side, giving Merrin a clear view of the points on her ears. Merrin’s eyes widened as he realized his error, “Shit… sorry. I keep forgettin that you be part elf. You nuttin like any of em!”

Taryn nodded, “Its fine, just ease off, okay?”

“No problem.”

Merrin had never met an elf before in his life. With the increase of interspecies breeding and the lack of viable offspring coming from the few purebloods still breeding, elves had become extinct. Half elves were about as close as anyone could get, “By the way, how much elf are ye?”

Taryn shrugged, “Who knows anymore. Something around 30%, I think? My great great grandmother was an elf who married a human, and my great grandmother married an elf… then my grandmother married another half elf, so she was more than half, but my father was human… So now here I am.”

Merrin nodded as Taryn stood up, “Yeah here ye are, a pain in de ass. Do ye really believe those stories bout yer family?”

“Yes I do.” Taryn replied. “I don’t know why, I can’t explain it, but I feel like they’re real.”

Taryn followed Merrin out of the room, “By the way, are ye seein’ Bobby again tonight?”

The very mention of his name caused her cheeks to flare up. She wasn’t sure if they were blushing bright enough for Merrin to see, but she could feel them, “I… well I assume so. He’s a nice guy after all.”

“Ye like ‘im.”

Taryn rolled her eyes, “Oh shut up…”

Merrin laughed as they walked outside, “Well for what it’s worth, I think ye should give ‘im a shot.”

“Why?”

“Well ye very particular bout who ye spend time with.” Merrin replied. “Heck, yer fucking picky as shit. The fact that ye spend time wit ‘im at all says something. Think bout it.”

Taryn shrugged, “Maybe…”

“Ye getting’ some food?”

“At some point, I’m not hungry at the moment.”

“Aight, well I’m off to de café then. Call me later if ye want to hang.”

Taryn nodded and headed in the other direction. She tapped on her small wristband, “Sentinel, can you locate Bobby Nielson?”

The wristband emitted a holographic image of a human figure. It had no gender and was almost featureless. It processed for a moment before responding. The image’s voice was mechanical and barely had any emotion in it, “Checking his key code… I’ll need the pin he gave you to access that information.”

Bobby had given her that code a while back. She was at a party when she met Bobby. The two of them talked for hours on end. When he brought her home, she began to suffer from odd visions like the one she’d seen that morning. The next thing she remembered was waking up in her room.

Bobby met up with her on campus later and gave her the pin just in case she needed help. Since then, the two had become very close, though emotionally, she still kept him at arms length. As far as she was concerned, she was heiress to a proud family name. She had no brothers or sisters, so it was up to her to choose a suitable mate and she wasn’t sure if he met her standards or not yet. Some might view her as a bit of a princess if she’d ever revealed her feelings, but she didn’t care.

“Pin number Alpha whiskey nine, five, five.”

The human figure nodded, “Thanks, I’m processing that info now… let’s see… it would appear he’s in Arcanus’s main classroom hall… room 206.”

“Cross reference that time and location with Arcanus’s course catalogue, what time will he be out of class?”

The figure looked at Taryn suspiciously, “Taryn, some might consider this stalking.”

“Just do it!” Taryn said in an annoyed tone.

Sentinel shrugged, “Okay fine. What do I care, it’s not like anyone will think I’m creepy for this.”

“He gave me the pin for a reason, you know?” Taryn sighed.

Sentinel brought its legs up so that the figure was in a sitting position on Tayrn’s arm, “Cross referencing… processing time now…”

It took Sentinel a moment, but he was able to come up with the information she needed, “Got it, he’ll be in class until 2pm. Course catalogue lists him in Course 421 ‘European Socialism of the 20^th Century.’ Quite the specific course.”

Taryn nodded as she started back to her room, “He’s always been into politics. That sounds about right for him.”

“Query,” Sentinel asked, “if you’re so interested in this boy, why haven’t you persued a romantic relationship with him?”

“Must every relationship between a guy and a girl be anything more than plutonic? What if I’m not interested in him like that?” Taryn asked.

“You are.” Sentinel replied as they reached the door to Leslie house.

Taryn glared at the human figure, “How the hell do you know?”

“Your pulse increases whenever you see him, your pupils dialate and you begin to persperate. Also, your pheromone level…”

“Okay, enough.” Taryn replied in almost a yell, certain that her face was bright red. “Of all the AI personal assistants I could have bought, why’d I go for you?”

“Because you have impecable taste and wisdom that transcends your age.”

Taryn rolled her eyes, “Yeah right.”

“You still haven’t answered my question.” Sentinel said.

Taryn climbed the staircase and headed down the hall, “I… I don’t know why I haven’t. There’s just… something about him… It seems like my dreams and visions only happen when he’s nearby. It may be coincidence, but it gives me pause.”

Sentinel processed that information as Taryn opened the door to room 204 and entered the room, “The Elven brain is designed with an extra sense. Perhaps it’s trying to warn you about some danger surrounding him?”

“But I’m not even a half-elf.”

Sentinel nodded, “True… which may be why your impressions aren’t easier to decipher. That part of your brain may not be as well developed as a pure blood elf. I could access some articles on the subject if you wish?”

Taryn shook her head, “No, that’s okay… So what are your interpretations here? Do you think my sixth sense is trying to warn me that he’s dangerous in some way?”

“I’m not programmed to be able to interpret feelings or dreams. They could be a warning about him, but they also could be a warning that something could happen to him.”

Taryn collapsed on her bed, “So you’re basically telling me nothing.”

“Your dreams are your own.” Sentinel replied. “You’ll have to figure that out on your own.”

Readers,

Also, feel free to check out my works of Fantasy and Historical Fiction, Available on Amazon and where ever books are sold. See the link below:

http://www.amazon.com/James-Harrington/e/B00P7FBXTU

Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

August 26, 2015 + Author, fantasy, Fiction, literature, Reading, Science Fiction, Writing

Another Abandoned Work… Taryn, The Legacy

by Jim

So this is another one… sort of a sequel to Magnifica. I’m currently working on a whole new series and am sort of cleaning house with old ideas that frankly, I haven’t been able to go anywhere with. This is the most recent one, which actually came close to being a complete story before I just ran out of steam with it. These chapters are in extremely raw form due to the incomplete nature of the story. They are not edited. Enjoy, but remember, it’s incomplete, so don’t get your hopes too high…

Darkness surrounded Taryn as her breathing became more rapid. Her head darted back and forth as she looked for any sign of life, “Hello? Is anyone there?”

No response.

“Hello, hello?”

An odd sound appeared in the distance, it was little more than a whisper, but nothing that she could make out.

“Is someone there?”

The voice grew louder and the darkness began to fade. At that moment, a pair of red eyes appeared in front of her. The darkness was fading fast now as a man with pointed ears and long black hair appeared in front of her. Goose bumps appeared on her skin as she took a fearful step back. Her heart raced as though she had run a great distance, “Who are you?”

The creature’s mouth open as it continued its menacing gaze. Its eyes burned as bright as the campfires she’d sat around in the woods of New Hampshire when her high school friends had gone camping. The creatures dark hair made them appear even brighter.

A high pitched scream was the only response she received as the creature suddenly moved forward and passed right through her. She covered her ears, trying to block it out, “Who are you, what do you want?”

As the creature passed through her, the pain of the scream became intolerable. She squeezed her eyes closed and cried out, hoping she’d be heard over the screaming, “Stop it!”

“Whoa, Taryn, are you okay?”

Taryn gasped as she opened her eyes, “Bobby…”

“Easy, sounds like you had a rough ride.” Bobby replied as Taryn slowly sat up. “What happened?”

She rubbed her eyes before turning to him, “It was the same as before.”

“The dreams again, huh?”

Taryn nodded, “Now I’m glad I left my door unlocked. I keep seeing this man with pointed ears. I don’t know who he is, but I feel like he’s important somehow. It’s strange.”

Bobby’s lips twisted thoughtfully, “Pointed ears?”

“Yeah, like the pictures we saw in biology…” She replied. “I think he might have been some kind of elf.”

“You mean a half elf?”

“No, his ears were very pronounced.”

Bobby frowned, “Taryn, the last elf died a few years ago. Other than half-breed and such, they’re completely extinct now. You of all people should know that.”

Taryn nodded and ran her hand over the point of her own ear, “Yeah… don’t remind me. Even so, that’s what I saw. I can’t explain how, but I’m certain he’s an elf, and not a half-breed, a full elf.”

“Maybe your own Elven senses are playing tricks on you?”

“Maybe.”

Bobby smirked as he got to his feet, “You should probably get up. Your hair’s a mess!”

Taryn ran a hand through her dirty blond hair and brushed it back behind her ears, “All right, all right… I’m up, now leave me alone!”

She looked over at her clock as her feet touched the floor, “7am… well at least I have time for a shower.”

Bobby nodded, “I leave you to it then.”

“Thanks.”

The moment Bobby was gone from the room, Taryn stripped out of the sweat-soaked pjs she was wearing, grabbed the towel hanging off of her bedpost, and headed for the bathroom. Gross…

The hot water pouring over her skin helped wake her up. Her hazel eyes widened as her newfound energy flowed through her. A cloud of steam surrounded her as she washed herself down. She took a few minutes to savor the serenity. College had always been something of a rollercoaster ride for her so she appreciated any moment of peace she received.

Thankfully, classes were wrapping up for the summer. At which point, she would need to go find a job if she wanted any spending money for the summer. It wasn’t something she enjoyed, but she knew that she needed to. Her parents had provided everything for her up until this point and had even taken out a mortgage on the family home to make sure that she would make it through college debt-free.

Knowing that did not make life any easier for Taryn and she refused to take another penny from her parents as a result. Her goal was to graduate, get a good job, and eventually pay the mortgage to make sure that the house would always remain theirs.

She grabbed the towel and dried herself off before moving to the bedroom to get dressed. She pulled open her top drawer to the usual assortment of underwear and grabbed a pair of hip huggers. Normally on a Friday, she’d go for the bikini briefs, but she didn’t have a date or any plans for the evening, so she wasn’t looking to impress anyone. She quickly slid the underwear over her legs before reaching for a bra.

Once she was dressed in her normal black capris and white blouse, she went about fixing her hair. The shower had worked wonders. Her hair was very thin, so combing out the knots wasn’t difficult. Her ears were slightly longer and more pointed than that of a full human. It was something she relished as keeping her hair tucked behind them was much easier.

Finally, she turned to her small make up case. I don’t think so. She thought to herself, not today. Taryn wasn’t a huge fan of makeup and often just went without it. Lipstick and maybe some cheek blush were about all she’d tolerate if she was going on a date, but even then, she’d often just wipe it off later.

At that moment her eye caught the digital clock on her desk. 7:45

“Fuck!” She blurted out. “I’m going to be late!”

Without a thought to her book back, she dashed out the door, down the steps, and out the front entry way. With a clear path, she dashed across campus to the main building. She was determined to minimize her tardiness.

The warm breeze that passed over Taryn’s skin was no comfort to her as she ran. The grass around her was slowly returning to green as spring was quickly giving away to summer. Typical Boston, she thought to herself. The seasons here change so quickly.

Taryn arrived at the main classroom hall with barely a few minutes to spare. The building was a large brick structure with gold lettering on the side that read ‘Arcanus University.’ She immediately proceeded inside.

She quickly made her way down the hall to room 103 and took her seat. The room was a large auditorium that seated about a hundred people, but only thirty seats were occupied. Either the class wasn’t very popular or they were just using a large room due to lack of space.

Taryn favored the back of the room for reasons she could never quick figure out. She sat down and pulled out her books as a portly dwarf sat down next to her, “Hey Taryn.”

“How are you, Merrin?”

The dwarf shrugged, “Can’t complain… much.”

“Did you break into that rock salt vodka again?”

“No…”

“Merrin?”

“Maybe…”

Taryn shook her head, “You know you can’t handle that stuff. It blows right through you!”

“Hey dat shit be dwarven-made!” Merrin replied. “I can handle anythin’ my people make. Rememba that!”

Taryn chuckled, “Okay Merrin…”

Readers,

Also, feel free to check out my works of Fantasy and Historical Fiction, Available on Amazon and where ever books are sold. See the link below:

http://www.amazon.com/James-Harrington/e/B00P7FBXTU

Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

August 18, 2015 + fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fantasy, literature, Reading, Writing

Damnation Release: Postponed…

by Jim

Hi All,

Unfortunately today I come as the bearer of bad news. Due to unforeseen issues with getting the final proof to me on time… We’ve decided to postpone the release of Damnation. The new release date is 9/4/15. I am truly sorry, I know there was a lot of emails from people asking about it and I do appreciate your support and patience, but better it get postponed now rather than release a substandard product.

Don’t worry, I’ve got a good book coming your way, that much I promise!

Thank you all very very much for your support!

-Jim

Readers,

Also, feel free to check out my works of Fantasy and Historical Fiction, Available on Amazon and where ever books are sold. See the link below:

http://www.amazon.com/James-Harrington/e/B00P7FBXTU

Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

August 11, 2015 + advice, fantasy, Fiction, literature, Reading, Science Fiction, Writing

When to start?

by Jim

“Hi Jim,

I’ve had a lot of ideas flying around lately, but not all of them are that great. Often times I find myself writing out some of my ideas only to almost immediately hit a road block. Then when I look over it again, I don’t know what I was thinking when I started writing. I don’t know how those thoughts could have ever made a good story. How do you know what to write and what will work? Do you have any tricks for figuring out which ideas would work in your head and then translate well to paper or is it just trial and error?

Much appreciated,

Mark.”

Oh Mark, you’ve just touched on the very folly that had felled many a good writer. Everyone has ideas, but not everyone can adequately translate them into writing. Other people can write really well, but there ideas are few and far in between. I think the key here is not to necessarily write out every idea that pops into your head, or if you do, just jot down the idea as a side note. Don’t try to turn everything single idea you have into one story. Trust me, it won’t work.

I personally can’t tell you how many scraps of paper I have at home with character descriptions, plot devices, and descriptions of fictional lands written on them. The trick is to keep a library of them tucked aside for later. I can honestly tell you that I only have one book written that was 100% an on the spot creation. Everything else I’ve written was a mix and mash of plot devices and characters that I had tucked away.

Think of it like this… when each of us were younger, for the most part, our parents bought us puzzles to help us build our cognitive skills. Early on, those puzzles usually had a back board that we could slip those pieces into so that the puzzle could be done on a carpet and was easy to put away. I want you to consider that back board your plot. When you come up with an idea for a story, that’s the back board without any of the puzzle pieces on it.

The next part of the project would be to take those plot devices you thought up previously, say a magic sword, a crystal, or something like that, select the ones that you think would work, and incorporate them. Do the same thing with the characters, pick a few characters out of the library you created and see how well they’d mesh together, compliment each other, or feed off each other. Then you can incorporate them and create a relationship, be it love, friendship, love/hate, hate, etc.

In summation, don’t try to turn all of your ideas into a story. Write them down, but keep them aside until you get one really good idea that you’re enthusiastic about, then add in the other ideas you came up with as other details. You’ll have your story written before you know it.

Thanks friend, and good luck.

Readers,

Also, feel free to check out my works of Fantasy and Historical Fiction, Available on Amazon and where ever books are sold. See the link below:

http://www.amazon.com/James-Harrington/e/B00P7FBXTU

Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

August 8, 2015 + fantasy, Film, Movie, Science Fiction, Space, Star Trek

Star Trek Axanar…

by Jim

Okay, FOR THE RECORD, I don’t usually do this, however the geek in me took over.

This is one of the first fan-made professional movies out there and it promises to be really something to behold. I’d like to encourage ALL of my readers to check it out, and if it whets your interest as it did mine, please consider donating to the production! They need as much help as they can to make a movie about one of the best story arcs in Star Trek History!

STAR TREK AXANAR!

And in case you are wondering, yes I myself have donated to it as well. Please see the videos below. The first one is the prelude while the second one is their pitch video. Both are expertly done!

Thanks for checking it out friends, ENJOY!!!

Readers,

Also, feel free to check out my works of Fantasy and Historical Fiction, Available on Amazon and where ever books are sold. See the link below:

http://www.amazon.com/James-Harrington/e/B00P7FBXTU

Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

August 7, 2015 + advice, fantasy, Fiction, literature, non-fiction, Reading, Writing

Let’s talk about Hate

by Jim

“Hi Jim,

You mentioned in a previous post that you explored the topic of prejudice and racism. I’m trying to write a book exploring the topic, but I’ve never really dealt with it in my own life. That is to say, I’ve never been the victim of racism. Do you think someone can write about the topic if they themselves have never experienced it?

Thanks,
Alissa”

Hi Alissa,

Great question. I would refer you to the ‘creative’ work of Neill Blomkamp he seems to tell the story about it over and over again. 🙂

Okay, on a more serious note, let’s face it, we’ve all faced discrimination at some point. Like it or not, it’s true, we all have. Not necessarily racism, but prejudice of some kind. Somewhere out there, someone doesn’t like us because of who we are, where we come from, our religion, the color of our skin, etc. etc. Granted, some people face it a lot more than others. So your best bet would be to go back to a time that you were unfairly treated for reasons beyond your control. Think about a time someone made you stand out for something you couldn’t help or because of who you are. Think about how it made you feel and how it changed your view of the world around you, then write.

For me personally, when I wrote about Lia’na’s experiences, I partially took from my historical studies of the civil rights movement, but then was also able to give a more in-depth view into the emotional aspects when I went back and thought about a time in my life when I had experienced prejudice.

Allow me to provide a little background… I’m Irish Catholic. In certain areas, there has always been and always will be some people who have an extreme bias against people who share that background. Most of them originate from areas known as the ‘Old World,’ more specifically, areas of Europe, perhaps in greater amounts from the UK. Granted these resentments have decreased greatly they still exist. In my particular case, it happened in college. I was dating a girl of Welsh/Scottish descent and she was a first generation American.

I’m not going to go into great detail, but let’s just say her mother took issue with her dating someone of my… background and made no secret of it. Long story short, the whole experience didn’t end well. When I wrote Lia’na’s backstory, I brought out those memories and feelings of resentment and confusion, and was able to use them in my writing.

I know there are a lot of people out there who would say that you can’t write about racism if you haven’t faced it, white people shouldn’t write about it, reverse racism doesn’t exist, etc. To those people I would say that racism and hate doesn’t know a skin color. Look back over history, every group of people from every walk of life has been enslaved, massacred, discriminated against, or mistreated because of who they are and/or where they come from. It is a fact.

Homophobia, bigotry, racism, religious persecution, and gender bias are not owned by any one group or groups of people. I agree that reverse racism doesn’t exist though. Racism is racism regardless of skin color. Unfortunately, in recent months, there has been a lot of examples of racism, not only in things like the shootings of those poor souls in South Carolina, but also the reactions of some simple-minded individuals who have been raised to hate, play the victim, or intellectuals who use race for self promotion.

Like it or not, THIS is just as racist:

As this:

I’m sorry, but it is. You can try to explain it away, you can try to say that one was making a point while the other was showing his true colors, but all partisan beliefs aside, prejudice knows no color and until everyone recognizes that and works towards a better future for all, any thoughts of unity, equality, or harmony are as much a fantasy as the book I write.

Personally, I have a feeling that the likes of Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King would be dismayed and ashamed by the state of both sides of isle on this one. Those who cling to traditions that are no longer appropriate in the modern world are not helping their cause anymore than those who continue to promote stereotypes.

Anyway, I hope this helps Alissa. You don’t always have to have experienced something first hand to write about it. You can always do a third person account based on the experiences of someone else, or just look to an above example like I listed. Please feel free to email me if you have any further questions, I’m also going to open this one up to my readers and ask them to offer their two cents.

Thanks Friend and good luck!

Readers,

Also, feel free to check out my works of Fantasy and Historical Fiction, Available on Amazon and where ever books are sold. See the link below:

http://www.amazon.com/James-Harrington/e/B00P7FBXTU

Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

August 6, 2015 + fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fantasy, literature, Reading, Update, Writing

Damnation Update!!!

by Jim

Status: On Schedule
Editions: Hardcover, Trade Paperback, Kindle

Damnation’s legal documents are all set. The editing is complete and just need to be added to the final document.

Cover is proceeding on schedule though not yet complete.

With any luck we should meet our deadline!

Synopsis:

A soldier facing insurmountable odds, a dark angel presented with an impossible choice, and the fate of a nation hanging in the balance…

As if revolutionaries rampaging through the streets and a looming war with the Empire of Charles V weren’t enough, Ensign Piero Lorenzi, a loyal soldier in the army of Florence discovers a mysterious woman in a burning building who has no idea who she is or where she came from. He takes her in and cares for her, only to discover that she is not at all who she seems to be.

This woman, whom he has cared for and fallen in love with, is none other than the angel Xaphan, Lucifer’s right hand and the general of his armies.

Piero hesitantly puts his duty to Florence aside to discover the truth behind Xaphan’s presence in his homeland and foil whatever plot Lucifer has in the making.

Thank you to all my readers for your patience and support!

Readers,

Also, feel free to check out my works of Fantasy and Historical Fiction, Available on Amazon and where ever books are sold. See the link below:

http://www.amazon.com/James-Harrington/e/B00P7FBXTU

Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

August 3, 2015 + art, Artist, Comic Con, Comics, fantasy, Reading

My Thoughts On Boston Comic Con…

by Jim

What can I say, I went last year for all three days and loved it. This year, I wasn’t planning on going. With a pregnant wife at home, I had enough going on…

Then we had to hear the news that Stan “Comic God” Lee was going to be there. Upon learning of this, my wife basically said, “Jim… go! It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you most likely will never get again.”

So I bought a ticket, but promised that I would just go to see Mr. Lee, and get a couple of cover sketches done. I’ve all but sworn off collecting old and rare comics, opting instead to collect one-of-a-kind art pieces done by the people who draw the comics. So after six months of putting money aside for this, I had enough to fund the day.

Aside from seeing Mr. Lee, I had two other goals; Get a cover done by Norman Lee, and have a sketch cover that had already been done by one of my favorite artists, Chrissie Zullo, inked in. The sketch, while unbelievably incredible, was hard to see from a distance and somewhat faint being just a pencil sketch.

Well… that’s when the trouble started. The worst type of tragedy struck the comic community. Norman Lee went missing and was presumed dead. This hit me hard as I was always a fan of his work and left me kicking myself for not having a cover done by him the previous year when I met him.

I spent some time reflecting on this one. Yet another role model of mine lost in 2015. So I started looking for another known artist who would be at the con. After looking through everyone, Frank Cho seemed to be the best fit. I liked his style and thought he’d do a good Spider Gwen cover… and boy did he… so well it pissed off Robbi Rodriguez, the creator or Spider Gwen, but I still liked his work.

So the day finally came, I had purchased my ticket to Saturday, and purchased my Stan Lee autograph. I had the whole thing planned out. My wife would stay home with my son for a few hours while I went and got everything done. I promptly arrived at 6am and was the second person in line… the first being a very friendly collector who helped make the next 4 hours fly by while we chatted about everything Comic Con.

So after standing out in the sun getting crispy, we finally got inside. At this point, I parted ways with my new friend to get everything I needed to do, done as fast as possible. Yeah… then reality hit. Frank Cho was nowhere to be seen. I remembered last year how some artists tended to arrive at 11 instead of 10, so I decided to come back. I then proceeded over to Chrissie Zullo’s table. As usual, it was adorned with her colorful prints. Chrissie’s artwork has always been impressive and I’ll admit she’s quickly climbed the ranks of my favorite artists. Her style is one that… seems very traditionalist, you don’t see it much anymore, which is a real shame.

Chrissie was in the middle of a sketch and I felt bad about interrupting her, but as usual she was very polite and easy-going. I asked her about the sketch and the possibility of inking it in. Unfortunately, she already had a full list of sketches to do from the previous day and could not take on another unless I was planning on being there tomorrow as well… and I wasn’t.

So that stunk for me, but oh well. It wasn’t her fault, part of me had a feeling something like that would happen. So then I proceeded back over to Frank Cho who had finally arrived. I inquired with him about doing a cover, at which point he also said that he had filled up yesterday and couldn’t take on any more (damn it!). So this was not looking good for me at all. Were all the artists booked?

At this point, I started wandering around artist alley, looking at some of the other works when I began to entertain the idea of having the Zullo sketch colored instead of just inked. I had entertained the idea before, but dismissed it because I didn’t want to risk ruining the sketch by choosing the wrong artist. Then I stumbled on the small table occupied by Brandon Gorski.

He had several different sketches and color works that were beautiful and his style looked like it would mesh really well with Zullo’s. He was very approachable and was happy to do the work. I hesitantly handed the cover over and set off to go see Stan Lee.

At this point I stumbled on another table… Joe Prado. I’d seen, and been impressed by his work before. He was, however a DC artist whereas I am a Marvel Comics fan with only a few exceptions. He looked like he was still taking commissions and my hope was to get at least one this year from a well-known artist. So I handed over my Spider Gwen cover to see what he could do.

Then I ran to the third floor to go see Stan Lee. I got in line and opened my ticket… and my heart sank! I don’t know how it happened, I really don’t, but somehow I had purchased a Sunday autograph instead of a Saturday one… well great, first I wasn’t getting the cover art I wanted… now I might not get the very thing I came for. I immediately spoke to one of the officials. After explaining how much of an idiot I was, he told me to get in line and as long as it scanned, they’d be fine with it. (PHEW!)

So with relief, I finally got to within a row of getting Stan’s Autograph on my X-Men #16, The Supreme Sacrifice.I met up with my friend from outside who revealed that there was a stand where some of Norman Lee’s art was being sold that I would need to check out later. At that moment, the line stopped. Why? Because Mayor Walsh was there to do a photo OP. (UUUUUURRRRRRGGGGGHHH!!!!)

Okay, normally I wouldn’t care, but let’s just say that I am no fan of Marty Walsh. The man pretty much tried to sell Boston to a bunch of billionaires to bring the Olympics to our city. I was part of the opposition and can honestly say that at no time did he ever show any respect to the opposition and was completely dismissive of their concerns. So less than a week after the Olympic bid mercifully collapsed, he’s now holding up the line. Joy…

But I digress…

So finally Mayor Walsh left after his token declaration of August 1st as Stan Lee day in the City, and the line finally began moving again. I got up to the front and stood at the table with the God of comics himself. Stan didn’t say much more than ‘Hi how are you?’ and ‘Thanks’ as was expected given how many people they needed to get through. Mr. Lee appeared to need a break as he mentioned that his hand was starting to ache.
Honestly, being in his presence was a thrill. This was something high on my bucket list that I never thought was possible, but it was one that I was finally able to cross off. So let me take a moment to say Thank You to Stan Lee for gracing Boston with his presence and for giving us decades of adventure and excitement!

So I had my autograph, which I then sent out to the CGC to be graded and preserved. I got to enjoy it for about 20 minutes, but hey it’s only 4 months…

So now it was time to go back down stairs and see what had become of my covers. I met up with another one of my friends and we proceeded over to Brandon’s table. Brandon had finished my cover and had it waiting for me. My hands shook as I waited to see what had become of sketch… Much to my relief and excitement…. IT CAME OUT INCREDIBLE!!!

Okay, so maybe not being able to have Chrissie do the cover wasn’t as bad as I thought. I still had one cover to go though.

It was at this point that my friend and I proceeded over to the Norman Lee table. There were books, prints, and some of his remaining original work up for sale. Knowing that this would probably be my last chance at getting some of his original work… I had to see what was available. As I poked through the panels, a woman came up to me and asked if I was familiar with Norman’s work. I replied that I was a fan of his work. It was at this point she revealed that she was Norman’s wife. I immediately apologized for her loss and told her how highly I thought of Norman. As I continued looking through the art work, I she told me that all of the proceeds were going to his foundation to support the arts for humanity. I didn’t normally collect panels, but in this case, given that this was likely my last chance, I made an exception and purchased a panel from his work on the Exiles.

After wishing Norman’s family the best, I moved on to get the last cover. My feet were killing me and I knew that I really needed to get home. I approached Joe Prado’s table where another fan was getting posters signed… a lot of posters… no, I’m not kidding, it was like 12 posters by the same guy! Oh well, I waited for him to finish, at which point Joe turned to me, “Yes, I have a cover for you. I need to put the final touches on it, do you want to watch?”

I usually left the artists alone to do their work, lord knows I don’t like people looking over my shoulder, but since he offered, heck yes! He pulled out the cover and… well for starters it took up both the back and the front cover, which I hadn’t seen any of the artists do up until then. He quickly added the details and looked up at me for approval…

What can I say, the man did NOT disappoint. This was also apparently his first time doing this character, so needless to say I was absolutely ecstatic! I took my comic, shook his hand and made my way to the exit, NOT forgetting to pick up a little action figure for my son before leaving.

My final thoughts…

Some people will tell you that you can get everything done you want to in one day… LIES!! Especially if you want specific things done and have a laundry list of people you want to meet. Plan things out all you want, but do not be surprised if LITERALLY everything you plan goes to hell. Comic Con is a seat of the pants operation. I should have learned this long ago. Always have backup plans… and always try to attend two days. Preferably Friday and Saturday. Sunday is usually a clean up day with very little going on.
Boston Comic Con is the perfect con for casual and intermediate collectors. It has much of the grandeur of NY or San Diego, but without the day-long lines that lead into other lines. Whether you collect comics, art work, games, or you just like fantasy adventure stories or seeing a bunch of nerds act nerdy, then BCC is the place for you. There is a lot to see, enjoy and yes… buy. Just make sure you save for this in advance… otherwise, if you’re a rabid collector like me, you’ll blow through your checking in seconds. Thankfully that didn’t happen this year as I saved up enough to cover me.
Anyway, even though I didn’t get the artists I wanted, and my own idiocy caused me undue stress in getting to meet Mr. Lee, I actually had an incredible time and, as always, was very happy with the outcome.

Anyway, I hope this gives those of you who have considered going a little more insight. Thanks for listening to me ramble!

Readers,

Also, feel free to check out my works of Fantasy and Historical Fiction, Available on Amazon and where ever books are sold. See the link below:

http://www.amazon.com/James-Harrington/e/B00P7FBXTU

Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

August 2, 2015 + advice, awful, Fiction, literature, Movies, Reading, Writing

Writing Kids and Teens… The Epic Fail!

by Jim

Okay I see this in both movie and book form, but I’m going to cover some of the more egregious examples.

Why is it so difficult to write kids and teens? In many of the movies or stories we see, kids are well behaved, tiny adults… or even worse. You see this a lot in bad comedies or really weird stories. Perhaps the most standout example would be from (yes I just sat through this recently) Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Setting aside the novel-length list of everything that is wrong with this movie, think about the child. The kid could literally be the next coming of Christ. I’m not even kidding. I mean sure in the book he was a tad unbelievable as well, but at least there, he still had some aspects of childhood that were believable.

You see it in other stories as well… these aren’t kids and certainly not how kids really behave, this is how adults WANT their kids to be, It’s really an interesting character study. Honestly, if you want to see more of what I’m talking about, don’t waste the time watching this movie, watch about 10 minutes of a 7th Heaven Episode, you’ll see what I mean…

On to the teen crowd… and I admit things have gotten better on their end recently, but it’s still not where it should be. Teens have always gotten the bum’s rap when it came to movie and book portrayal, but I’ve never seen it worse than it was in the late 90’s and early 2000s. Allow me to provide two examples from movie form as novel form was somewhat lacking at this point in terms of anything that great…

(NSFW)

WHAT TEENAGER ACTED LIKE THAT!?
I mean it. I was a teen at the time these movies were big and I’ll tell you something, no one was anything like this. These aren’t even bad parodies of teenagers. American Pie, while a comedy was sold as a comedic drama about teenagers coming into their own. However these characters while (at the time) people found funny, were nothing like what actual teens behaved and thus were not relatable at all. Which probably explains why these movies have all but faded from memory.

The Faculty is even worse. That’s sold as a serious horror flick and… well look at it. If that’s the case and this was supposed to be a serious representation of what teenagers were like… then as someone who was a teenager at this point in time, I find that extremely offense. A film professor of mine once commented that the kids in the faculty all seemed like they had serious mental issues, but honestly, my first job out of college was working at a residence program for kids with mental illnesses ranging from ADD, ADHD all the way to Bipolar disorder and PTSD, and THEY were better behaved than this
But I digress…

Why is writing kids and teens so far off the mark? Why is it even tolerated?

Well…. many reasons could be attributed to that. For one the director and/or writers could be horribly out of touch, in the case of kids, they could be hoping that kids will see and emulate the behavior, whereas in teens… I don’t know, their angry old people with an ax to grind?

As for why it’s even tolerated… well…it’s not really as the most notorious cases of behavior like this usually bombs at the box office and book sales. As for the American Pie series… all I can say is that perhaps we were too busy laughing at the ridiculousness of it to realize that we were being made fun of? Maybe we just didn’t care and wanted to be entertained? Who knows….

So why then do I bring this up? Well I think it’s a good example of what NOT to do when writing characters. Seriously. be respectful of your audience. Write to them, not at them. If you’re going to insult them (and not in the friendly roast way), be prepared to have your work scorned.

Readers,

Also, feel free to check out my works of Fantasy and Historical Fiction, Available on Amazon and where ever books are sold. See the link below:

http://www.amazon.com/James-Harrington/e/B00P7FBXTU

Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

July 30, 2015 + angels, fantasy, ficiton, Historical Fantasy, Historical Fiction, History, literature, Reading, Writing

Damnation Update

by Jim

Hi All,

Just wanted to give a quick update.

Things are progressing smoothly.

Cover is on schedule, the ISBN and all the legal documentation is going through, and the editing is almost complete.

At this point 8/20 looks like it is still going to happen (fingers crossed on this one).

The book will be available in three formats:
Hardcover
Paperback
Kindle

Readers,

Also, feel free to check out my works of Fantasy and Historical Fiction, Available on Amazon and where ever books are sold. See the link below:

http://www.amazon.com/James-Harrington/e/B00P7FBXTU

Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

July 28, 2015 + Award, Liebster, Nomination

The Liebster Award

by Jim

Well this was a nice surprise… especially because I hadn’t heard about this before.

First off, I would like to thank THE GATHERING FIRE girl for nominating me. Keep your eyes on that one folks, she’s a talented writer who is not afraid of voicing her opinions. Be sure to check out her series Adventures in Harmonia.

Now, for the rules:

– Answer the 11 interview questions
– In your post, link back to the person who awarded you.
– Choose 3 other bloggers to award, focusing on those with 200 followers or below.
– Link to those bloggers in your post, then go and leave them comments to share the good news!
– Be sure to ask them 11 original questions.

Here are my answers to the 11 questions:

1. How long have you been writing?

Since I was in grade school. I was writing stories that were 8 or 9 pages long when the requirement was for 2. My high school teachers hated me for my ability to put off term papers literally to the last second, but still writing an A paper which they saw me write ten minutes before class. My first novella was in my senior high school year… The Esalin Conflict… and God was it terrible. A ripoff of every single Sci-Fi world I’d ever seen. From Star Wars to Wing Commander.
Thankfully my writing got better.

2. What is your favorite genre to read?

High Fantasy

3. What genre do you primarily write?

Urban Fantasy/Historical Fiction/Fantasy

4. What is your favorite place you’ve traveled to and/or your dream destination?

Rome

5. Who is your favorite author?

Eesh… um… If I have to choose… JRR Tolkien, Dean Koontz, amongst others. Admittedly, I don’t read much so I can’t really say.

6. What is your favorite movie?

Star Wars

7. What hobbies/pastimes do you enjoy?

Writing, video games, antique collecting, shooting.

8. Rain or sunshine?

Rain

9. Where is your favorite writing spot?

Bed

10. Describe your favorite childhood memory.

… Camping with friends.

11. And finally, the most important of all…cake or pie?

Pie.

Now here are my nominees for the award! If you have already been nominated for this award, or you don’t generally participate in this kind of thing, feel free to ignore me. I won’t hold it against you, promise. 😉

kdavisfanclub

Charles Dada

Send Sunshine

Finally, here are my 11 questions for you to answer. I’m terrible at coming up with original and interesting questions, so I apologize in advance.