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Why No Direct Sequels?

by Unknown's avatar

Hi Jim,

I was in the process of writing a sequel to my novel and was actually curious about something. Reading through your posts, you seem to have a bit of a bias against direct sequels. I was just wondering if you could explain why?

Thanks,
Rana

Hi Rana,

Sequels have their place in a limited capacity IMHO. Unfortunately, because of the nature of the market in both movies and books, sequels have sprung up to be a lot more than they should be.

Ask yourself…

Did we really need or want a sequel to The Last Unicorn? How was the story served by beating a dead horse? Did Two Hearts really add anything that we really needed to see, or was the ambiguity of The Last Unicorn’s ending all that was really necessary?

How were the characters from the Phantom of the Opera served in Love Never Dies?

When will Hollywood open its eyes and realize that they’re never going to make a Jurassic Park as good as the original and this series is just getting painfully and progressively worse?

Now granted, these are rather extreme examples from their respective mediums, but I could literally write an Epic Novel of all the horrible sequels that have absolutely ruined great stories. In most classic literature, there were no sequels, or if there were, they were very rare. A writer would put everything into one epic novel and that would be it.

So why have sequels exploded?

Well… I think there are a few reasons for this…

First and most obviously, money. Publishers really don’t want one-offs. They want continued stories that they can cash in on. As a result, writers who otherwise only wrote one book would then be forced to go beyond ‘happily ever after’. The result would be a forced, contrived, and almost always inferior product to the original. Others would take their one Epic novel and break it up into several novellas or smaller novels. There are some advantages to this, obviously. Readers have to pay for more books, which keeps the publisher happy, and it’s a quicker read for people who are just looking for a fun but brief romp.

Secondly, attention spans… A lot of people have trouble reading as it is. So a lengthy novel isn’t something a lot of people are going to be into. This is especially true with younger readers. The attention span just isn’t always there. It’s an unfortunate truth, but one we all have to live with.

Finally, extended stories. There’s always going to be many of these out there. In some cases, no matter how you swing it, one book just isn’t going to be enough. You’re going to need more space and no one wants to try to put out another Les Miserables. It just won’t do well on the shelves with a high price tag or… lack of portability.

The end result is the market being flooded by unnecessary sequels that do nothing to add to the world they were set in and are typically panned by readers and often forgotten.

So while I do believe that sequels have their place, I do not believe that they are as necessary as the market suggests.

So let’s say you’re like me and you’ve written your masterwork, but the publisher wants more. You’ve finished your story, all loose ends are tied up, and there’s nothing left to do. Happily Ever After is Happily Ever After, right? Well… not if you want in published in the traditional sense.

So now you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. A major selling point for your story has been cut off. What do you do? Well, if you’re a fool like I was, you put your foot down and say that you really don’t have any plan on writing a sequel to the story. At which point, you can kiss goodbye most chances of a publishing deal.

Thankfully, there are always ways around this. I started writing sequels to my stories by… not writing sequels. Basically what I did was write a new story in the same universe with different characters and either the same or a different enemy. Then you connect them by having characters or locations from the previous story make cameos or get honorable mentions.

So to answer your question, I don’t really mind sequels, as long as they’re used appropriately and not an obvious cash grab. They have their place, but I don’t think they are as necessary as many want to believe. They often do a lot more damage than good. Anyway, I hope this clears this up for you. Feel free to leave me your thoughts in the comments!

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

Note:
If you have read my books, PLEASE log into Amazon and post a review. I really love to hear everyone’s thoughts and constructive criticisms. Reviews help get my book attention and word of mouth is everything in this business!

Thanks friends!

Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

+

+ Book, fantasy, Fiction, News, Uncategorized, Writing

Drakin, The Orphans of Haven, Sample Chapter #Writing #Fantasy #SciFi

by Unknown's avatar

Drakin: The Orphans of Haven

Book Synopsis:

The Red War may be over, but not all wounds have healed. For Sergeant Radley Zall, the nightmares never end. After years of struggling for survival, he finds himself in a dead end job, deporting wayward dragons to the Exclusion Zone. The horrors of his past have left him a broken man, slowing killing himself in a bottle of whiskey. It’s a wearying existence that many former soldiers have been subject to since the war ended, but for Radley, that is all about to change. Throughout his life, Radley’s hatred of dragons has been unmatched until one evening when a small one shows up on his doorstep. The pathetic creature is emaciated and begging for shelter. Her appearance reminds him of his younger self, compelling him to help her. That uncharacteristic decision forces him to confront his past actions— some of which may have contributed to a sinister plot to reignite the Red War and wipe out the few remaining dragons on Earth.

Chapter 1

“Let us overcome these obstacles together, in the spirit of what our forefathers, friends, and neighbors fought and died for!”

It was a good speech… too bad that’s all it’ll ever be. I remember the cheers. I remember the savior standing off to the side before she disappeared… It was only ten years ago, but I remember it like I remember my childhood… as a distant memory.

“Radley? Sergeant Radley Zall, are you with me?”

Radley felt a gentle elbow to the midsection, “Sarge, snap out of it!”

He immediately came back to reality and nodded, “Yes, sir. I’m ready, sir!”

A gruff-looking commander eyed him suspiciously, “Are you sure, Sergeant Zall? I mean we can wait. Whatever you’ve got going on is clearly more important than doing your job. No rush, you know? It’s just a dragon after all. It’s not like the men rely on you to back them up.”

Radley felt his face heating up and was sure that it was turning red, “Sorry sir.”

“Are you feeling sick? Do we need to have Sergeant Bosell check you out?”

Radley felt the tension in the back of his neck. When Commander Miles decided to mock someone in his unit, the man would push it as far as he could. The worst part was that it worked. The officers did everything they could to stay on their toes and avoid it.

“No, I’m fine, sir!” Radley replied as he straightened himself out. He could hear a couple of snickers coming from the ten armored men standing with him.

“You sure?” The commander asked.

“Yes, Commander Miles… I’m sure.”

Commander Constantine Miles eyed Radley for a few moments. The younger officer blinked as he waited for the commander to finish. His blue eyes felt dry under his protective goggles. He could feel his brown hair matting to his head under the heavy helmet he wore.

Commander Miles had been his commanding officer since he joined the security division. The man knew him well, too well. He clearly didn’t buy that Radley was all there.

Finally, Commander Miles nodded, “Well… All right, let’s go.”

He flipped on the radio wired into his vest, “Command, this is Security Group Alpha, we’re in position and ready to move in.”

“Copy that, Commander. Proceed with caution. Good hunting.”

The group entered a massive cave that was hidden deep in the Yellowstone Canyon. The cave walls were as black as coal. The stone floor had once been molten rock, flowing outward. This gave the floor an almost organic look.

Radley carefully balanced himself on the terrain that looked like it had been frozen in time and petrified. He planted his legs between to inclines and raised his bolt rifle.

Six of the other officers followed close behind him. One, a younger man jumped up behind Radley “I thought we’d be waiting out here forever. Finally, we can get this over with.”

“You may hope you’d been able to wait even longer, Kevin,” Radley replied as he removed his goggles, revealing the burn over his left eye. “These dragons usually do not want to come willingly. Often they’re protecting a nest.”

“Is it going to attack us?”

“Hard to say. That happens from time to time.”

“Oh boy…”

“Stay close and keep your weapon ready, Rookie. You’ll do fine.”

“Cut the chatter,” Commander Miles called out from the front. “Let’s get in and out as cleanly as possible. We don’t want a repeat of your first time, Sergeant.”

“First time?” Kevin whispered.

“It’s a long story Rookie, and I’m tired of telling it. I’m sure someone will fill you in before too long.”

The group separated into two as they entered the cave. One proceeded left, while the other went right, forming a pincer. Radley led the second group, closely behind Commander Miles’s. Within moments, both groups were cloaked in almost total darkness.

A staticky sound filled his helmet as the groups kept moving. It was quickly replaced by Commander Miles’s voice, “Okay, everyone… lights on, stay sharp, and keep focus! –Command, this is Unit Commander Miles. We have confirmed the location of an illegal dragon roost. We’re moving into position now.”

The sound of the officers’ footprints was quickly replaced by the sound of throaty breathing. The sound resembled the growl of a lion, only deeper. It echoed through the cave like a shockwave rushing to the entrance.

Radley clenched his rifle as they stepped closer to Commander Miles group. He’d seen this situation play out before and it was nothing new. They’d go in, surround the dragon and take him down from either side. If he tried to fly, they’d shock his wings. If he tried to fight, they’d incapacitate him. It had all become perfectly routine.

“Member of the Dragon species, my name is Commander Miles, Western Coalition Internal Security. You are in direct violation of WestCon Provincial Edict 453, stating that no dragon shall roost outside of the designated dragon zones. This is several miles outside of the Exclusion Zone and your designated areas. You are ordered to surrender and submit to processing. Once you have been tagged, you will then be transferred to a designated holding facility for processing. Please understand, we do not wish to harm you and if you surrender peacefully, you’ll be treated with care.”

The low breathing turned into an angry growl, “The Exclusion Zones… you mean the barren wastelands that your people have set aside for us… You mean the lands with minimal food and few ideal places for us to build roosts! Lands that we have to fight cannibalistic humans for. You offer us amnesty and then force us into the worst possible living conditions!”

Miles didn’t appear to be moved, “I don’t make the rules, I just enforce them. We gave you nearly the entire western coast of this hemisphere all the way down to Mexico. Many dragons have found ways to cultivate a living. If you can’t do something with that, it isn’t my problem. Surrender now, and we promise you’ll be treated fairly!”

This isn’t going to end well… Radley thought as he raised his rifle. This dragon is going to escalate!

“Get out of my home!” The dragon roared before a plume of flame shot past the officers, out of the cave.

The cavern walls lit up orange and revealed the large green dragon that was curled up in a small nest. There were no eggs and no sign of a mate, so this was likely a rogue.

Radley’s eyes widened, “Alpha class. Watch it, everyone! This guy is going to be tough!”

Miles dove away from the flame and hit the ground hard as a second plume passed over him, “Light him up! –Command, we’ve got a code 42. Engaging hostiles!”

The orange hue was replaced by momentary white and blue blasts that spread throughout the cavern as the officers let loose with a spray of electrically charged pulses. The loud pops from the guns echoed off the walls creating a deafening cycle

The dragon’s scales glowed as the pulses electrified them. Little beams of blue and white static outlined each scale. The dragon let out an intense scream as it immediately fell to the side. Its body trembled but otherwise did not move.

The moment the dragon’s head hit the ground, the officers gather around it. The sparks slowly died down as the group moved in. Commander Miles stood in front of its snout and turned to the man closest to him, “Get the shackles.”

“Yes, sir!”

As the man went back to the tunnel to fetch the large metallic rings, Commander Miles read the dragon the required statement of rights, “Illegal dragon, you are hereby under arrest. The charges are illegal roosting, desecration of human territory, and resisting relocation efforts.”

The dragon looked menacingly at Miles as it was shackled. The stun bolts had done their job as it was unable to even lift its head. Smoke emanated from its mouth as it spoke, “May you burn for this…”

“Not today,” Commander Miles replied as he switched on his shoulder radio, “Command, mission accomplished. The dragon has been subdued. We’re looking at an Alpha class, so you’re going to want to bring in the heavy hauler.”

“Acknowledged,” replied a staticky voice. “We were starting to worry about you for a moment. Good work.”

Commander Miles nodded, “Sergeant Radley, let’s get cleaned up here.”

Radley sighed as he turned to his group, “All right men, we’re done here. Let’s head back to the entrance.”

The rookie officer’s eyes focused on the dragon. He remained still as the others moved towards the exit. He was like a statue, frozen in place as though forever contemplating the universe around him.

Radley stopped in front of him as the rest of the group continued, “Hey Rookie, you okay?”

“It’s… it’s not what I expected at all,” Kevin replied.

“What do you mean?”

Kevin beckoned to the dragon’s eyes, “Look at it… I always thought they were giant killing feral machines, acting on instinct like a shark. Now… they actually…”

“You’ve never been up close to one of them, have you?”

“No, I mean I’ve seen pictures and all, but they always flew overhead or were at a distance.”

Radley nodded that he understood, “Right, that’s how it always is. It’s easy to take them down when they just look like mindless killing machines, but when you see them and see the life and intelligence in their eyes, all that changes. Still… it’ll pass and you’ll see them for what they really are again.”

“Really are? You mean…”

At that moment, the dragon came to life and snapped at them, “Inanimate killing machines? We are living creatures, just like you! We think and we feel things. All we want now is peace!”

Radley ignored the dragon’s words. He turned calmly and gave Kevin a gentle push, “Come on Rookie, let’s get out of here so that the relocation team can get in and do their jobs.”

“All right…”

“You can’t ignore us forever!” The dragon roared. “Someday you will pay for what you’re doing here!”

“We already did,” Radley shot back, “5.5 billion times over.”

Outside, Radley closed his eyes and sucked in a breath of fresh air. For years, the air had been badly polluted from dragon flame and an extreme reduction in plant life. When the war ended, the coalitions put their combined science teams into creating massive air filters that were placed all over the world. They would clean the air until new plant life could take over. Is this what fresh air is like? It doesn’t smell like burnt wood or like something’s being cooked… it’s actually kind of nice.

“Good job in there, Sergeant Zall! For a moment, I thought we’d lost you,” Commander Miles said in a light tone.

“Sorry sir, I just… I was thinking about everything that’s happened since the dragon horde left Earth.”

“You certainly chose an interesting time to become reflective,” The commander chuckled.

“Sorry sir, it won’t happen again.”

“That’s fine. You’ve been at this longer than most, a little backward thinking is normal every now and again. Just try to save it until we’re in a little safer circumstance.”

“Yes, sir.”

Commander miles nodded, “Good. –How about you Kevin, you were all excited about getting to see some action, this everything you thought it’d be?”

Kevin frowned, “No sir…”

“No?” The commander asked, surprised.

“I joined the force to help fight canbans and raiders… I didn’t want to be assigned to the dragon core. This was kind dropped on me by command due to a lack of volunteers.”

Commander Miles nodded, “I understand, it’s not the most appealing work. Sometimes I wonder if the danger is even worth it, but it’s work that needs to be done.”

“Does it?” Kevin asked. “Do we really need to hunt down these dragons? Is it really necessary to force them to live in sectors that are cordoned off from the rest of the world? I’ve heard stories…”

Radley scoffed. His lips twisted into a menacing grimace. He’d heard people talk about dragon rights before and it always got him heated, “Have you forgotten the war that literally just ended ten years ago or how many people they wiped out?”

“No, I haven’t,” Kevin replied sternly. “But those dragons are gone. We built ships for them and they left as quickly as possible. It’s been years since then. These dragons didn’t want to fight anymore and requested amnesty, which we granted them.”

Commander Miles nodded, “Yeah and when the new government came to power, they enacted policies to protect dragons and humans. There’s still a lot of bitterness between dragons and humans, and rightly so. This is as much for the dragons’ good as it is our own.”

“You sure about that?” Kevin asked. “I mean…”

Kevin’s eyes darted between Radley and the other men. He quickly shrank back a little, “I’m sorry sir, never mind.”

“Speak your mind, Rookie,” Commander Miles said. “Tomorrow’s too late.”

“Sir, the dragons have done everything we asked them to right up until they were segregated. It was only after we pretty much banished them to the Mojave Wastelands that they began to try to find roosts elsewhere. I’ve heard of what life is like there; it’s hot, nothing grows, and finding food is difficult.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that… maybe we’re part of the problem?”

“You think humans are part of the problem…?” Radley asked in a state of disbelief. “They came here uninvited, attempted to steal our world and wipe out our entire population. After they lost the war, we did what they asked and built them a ship to get back to their own world. We should never have allowed some of them to stay here, but we put aside our differences and allowed the ones that wanted peace. Now they’re hiding outside the designated area. They should have been a lot more grateful than that!”

“But maybe if we didn’t segregate them and allowed them to interact with humans, this wouldn’t be a problem,” Kevin shot back. “We want peace, yet we continuously take rights away from others, breeding hate and resentment! How does that make us any better than them?”

Radley clenched his teeth as he ripped his helmet off and brushed back his brown hair. His cheeks felt like they were on fire as the hair on the back of his neck bristled. He had to hold himself back from striking Kevin across the face, “Watch it, Rookie! You were only old enough to experience the ass end of the war. Watch a dragon torch a shelter for children and mock them as they burned… then we’ll talk!”

Kevin fell silent and lowered his eyes. Commander Miles stepped between them and spoke with a stern voice, “That’s enough, both of you.”

Radley nodded and stepped back, “Yes, sir… Sorry, sir.”

He flashed Kevin an angry look. It was momentary so that Commander Miles wouldn’t see it, but Kevin clearly got the message. The rookie lowered his eyes and bit down on his lower lip. Neither one of them said anything else.

Commander Miles turned and began to walk back to the other group, “Radley, head back to the carrier. The relocation team should be here any minute. It’s just about time for us to go home. You look like you could use some rest. –Kevin, I want you to wait here and go with the extraction team. This will be good practice for you.”

“Yes, sir.”

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

Note:
If you have read my books, PLEASE log into Amazon and post a review. I really love to hear everyone’s thoughts and constructive criticisms. Reviews help get my book attention and word of mouth is everything in this business!

Thanks friends!

Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

+

+ Book, Characters, fantasy, Fiction, News, Uncategorized, Writing

Drakeas Dragons. Who are they?

by Unknown's avatar

So the question I received yesterday really got me thinking about the drakeas species. While I did explain a lot of their attributes in the books, I feel like a little more detail might be beneficial. We see people like J.K. Rowling and George R R Martin do it, so I’m going to throw my hat into the ring.

So, let’s start out with the background from the books. Who are the drakeas?

Well… there are actually two different groupings. Let’s start with the Prime Drakeas Dragons. These are the ones that were either born on their homeworld or are the first generation Earth-born. I should also mention that when we’re talking about generation, I’m talking about a group of dragons that were born in a decade’s timeframe.

Simply put…
Generation 1: Original dragons or the dragons born in the first 10 years on Earth.
Generation 2: Dragons born in the next ten years on Earth.
Generation 3: Born a minimum of 20 years after the dragons landed on Earth.
etc.

The drakeas are a group of extraterrestrial beings from a different solar system. Their homeworld supported two sentient species. As both species matured and evolved, competition for dominance on the planet ensued. Over time, such competition turned into bitterness and resentment which eventually became an all-out war of superiority. It is generally believed that the drakeas were the aggressors.

After countless years of bloodshed and persecution, the drakeas were conquered. By this time, their numbers had dwindled to less than a hundred. In order to preserve their species, the dragon council agreed to surrender the planet if they were allowed to survive. A deal was struck and the remaining drakeas were loaded into interstellar time capsules and launched towards worlds that were comparable to their own. One of those worlds was, regrettably, Earth.

The capsule heading here drifted for thousands of years in space with the drakeas council in stasis until they reached our planet. Upon crash landing in New York, the few dragons onboard were awakened to find that the promised world was already inhabited by a primitive race that was slowing destroying the world… aka humans.

That’s where the Red War begins. Now at this point, the drakeas number less than ten, so they disappear into the mountains in both the Western United States and Siberia to replenish their numbers. Because one female drakeas can birth roughly three litters every five months, they were able to replenish their numbers very quickly. It wasn’t long before they had sufficient numbers to begin their takeover of the planet.

Because humans referred to them as dragons, the drakeas took that to mean that this was the English translation of their species’ name and adopted it as their own.

So let’s move on to their physical attributes…

Prime Drakeas Dragons are huge and extremely long-lived. Their skin is protected by solid scales that are impenetrable by almost all weaponry. Standard bullets and missiles don’t harm them. A nuclear blast could, but most world governments viewed that as a bad idea, given the collateral damage.

They have six limbs; two wings which protrude from their shoulders, two arms or forward legs, and two back legs. Some have argued that their tail is also a limb. Their spiny main runs the length of their body from head to tail. Their snouts are elongated and their faces are rigid. Their ears are sharp and run along the side of their head. Their eyes are a bright yellowish red. Their necks are elongated, allowing them a full 360-degree view.

A hatchling prime dragon will start off the size of a Great Dane and is capable of growing incredibly large. The largest one on record was the Dread Lord, Eutherys. He was recorded as being 900 ft. (275 m.) tall, including his tail. He was roughly the size of a late-Word War 2 aircraft carrier.

They are both bipedal and quadrupedal, though they ten to favor quadrupedal motion. Often dragons only use bipedal positions for eating or addressing one another as a sign of respect.

There are also various age and size groups…

Classifications: 
(These are human classifications, not Drakeas)

Dragonling- A dragon hatchling, no more than a few years old.

Wyvern-A young dragon that has just hit adolescence. They can fly and are very fast. These are typically the front line fighters, given their aggressive tendencies.

Wyrm- An adolescent dragon nearing adulthood, though still considered a child by drakeas standards. They cannot breathe fire and make up for their soft scales by being extremely fast.

Drake- A young adult class of dragon. By this age, they have mastered flight and can breathe fire, but have a harder time controlling it.

Beta– The younger adult class of dragon. Though there is little difference between Alpha and Beta class dragons, some have noted that Beta class dragons possess softer scales that can still be penetrated by conventional munitions.

Alpha- An adult class of dragon. This is a fully matured dragon, not quite at the point of elder status. By this point, a dragon’s scales would have hardened, they can breathe fire from the air, and are extremely difficult to kill.

Elder- The last stage of growth for the dragon species. Though there is no determinant size for these creatures, most are massive in scale and are roughly the size of a three-story building. Their hardened scales are almost impervious to conventional attack. During the war, they were often seen leading the Dragon Horde into combat.

Lord- Though technically not a stage of growth, this is the title given to any dragon that reaches an abnormal size, which is typical of the dragon council.

Dragon scales come in different colors, though as of yet, no one knows what causes the color differentials. These colors include brown, black, yellow, red, green, and two-toned scales (red and black, gray and silver, etc,) In the drakeas culture, having scales with two different colors is considered a sign of importance. That dragon is destined for something great.

Dragons are exceptionally long-lived. Eutherys is believed to be roughly five thousand years old, not accounting for his time in stasis. Though the exact lifespan of the drakeas was forgotten due to decades of endless warfare, it is believed that they can live up to 10,000 years.

Like their scales, their bones are nearly unbreakable and very coarse. Their mouths secret a flammable salivatic liquid in a large gland under their tongue that is somatically activated. When used, the gland will spray the liquid with the force of a firehose. A dragon will then quickly scrape their front teeth together to create a spark and throw their flame… aka breathing fire.

Their immune system is very different from that of a human. It works very similar to most Earth-bound diseases. Their white blood cells are aggressive micro-organisms that will attack any pathogen they encounter, inject their genetic material into it, and allow the pathogen to continue as a host for new white blood cells until the young cells eat the pathogen from the inside out.

This resulted in a disease amongst humans known as ‘Dragon’s Bane’. It was a rare occurrence as most humans who had blood contact with dragons, never lived to tell about it, but those that did survive, suffered a grievous fate as the dragon cells took over their bodies. This prompted human scientists to create a vaccine that would render human cells immune to the dragon attacks.

The drakeas language is almost unspeakable by humans, due to the hissing and throaty roaring that is required to get some pronunciations right. Unlike humans, the drakeas have a central language for their entire species.

The drakeas brain is far superior to that of a human. They can learn a language simply by hearing a few conjugations. It’s not perfect right off, but they pick up more as they hear it. The drakeas also possess some forms of limited telepathy, though it is not known exactly how much they are capable of doing.

Okay, let’s move onto the Terran Drakeas.

These are Gen2/3 onward, and this is subject to change as the generations continue.

It was quickly discovered that Prime dragons had a difficult time surviving on our world, though similar, Earth’s atmosphere was far richer in Nitrogen than their’s was and our yellow sun resulted in a degree of radiation poisoning. Many eggs of Prime drakeas never hatched and it is believed that lifespans would be significantly reduced. Those that did survive turned out to be noticeably different on a biological level.

Terran Dragons have all but done away with the name ‘drakeas’. They barely speak the ancient drakeas language, if at all. Their scales are considerably softer, and they do not grow as tall. Their necks are shorter than those of their prime counterparts, and their manes are actual hair that reaches the end of their neck before becoming spikey again.  Their snouts are not as long and their features are far less rigid.

Perhaps their most noticeable feature is their eyes. While still possessing the flare of their prime ancestors, the shape and colors more closely resemble those of a human.

Unlike their prime ancestors, they are most commonly seen on their hind legs, favoring bipedal positions. The only time they drop to all four is when they go into attack mode.

Though physically inferior to Prime dragons in both size and strength, they do have some advantages. They have an easier time speaking human languages are often seen as less aggressive. Their mental abilities are far superior to the prime dragons. They can often detect feelings and emotions in other dragons and many have learned how to manipulate human and dragon senses in order to appear physically as humans.

Their lifespans at this point are unknown as none of died of old age yet, though it is believed that they will be noticeably shorter than their prime counterparts.

So I hope that this helps give everyone a better idea of what my dragons, aka Drakeas Dragons are like. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments below. I’m interested in what everyone thinks!

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

+

+ advice, fantasy, Fiction, literature, Opinion, Science Fiction, Writing

Expert Consulting on Fantasy?

by Unknown's avatar

Hi Jim,
I have a question maybe you can help with. I’m trying to write a fantasy novel dealing with biological warfare, but I don’t have a lot of scientific or medical knowledge. I don’t want it to sound like I have no idea what I’m talking about, but I want to try to explain the mechanics of how certain things work in the book.
Example: I want to explain how a biological disease could, in theory, transform a person’s cells.  I’m not sure what to do here short of getting a degree in biology.
Thanks,
Mason
Hi Mason,
Thanks for reaching out. I believe what you’re trying to practice is a little something called ‘psuedo science’. It’s not always super important that it actually makes perfect sense, as most readers won’t care.
That being said, if you’re hoping to cater to an audience that is more knowledgeable on the subject,  I would say that you may want to reach out to an outside source. When I wrote Drakin, I wanted to explain how a Raiya’s biological makeup was physically possible… or at least make it sound like it could be possible under the right set of circumstances. How could someone exist with discolored hair, horns, scales, and reptilian eyes in our world:
Drakin-Cover-Poster-Final (1)
Fortunately, my network includes people in the healthcare industry, including a couple of microbiologists. I was able to give them a couple of hypotheticals surrounding my ideas and see if it at least sounded feasible. They gave me their feedback and I worked around it.
So the best advice I can give you here is to try and locate someone with an expertise in the field. If you can’t find the answers you need through your own personal research, then reaching out to an expert in the field would be the next move.
Readers, what do you think? Do you know of any other options Mason has? Let him know in the comments!

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

Note:
If you have read my books, PLEASE log into Amazon and post a review. I really love to hear everyone’s thoughts and constructive criticisms. Reviews help get my book attention and word of mouth is everything in this business!

Thanks friends!

Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

+

+ Book, fantasy, Fiction, News, Uncategorized, Writing

Drakin, The Story of Raiya Sample Chapter #Writing #Fantasy #SciFi

by Unknown's avatar

 

Drakin: The Story of Raiya

Book Synopsis:
‘ “Abomination, freak, monster…”  You get used to names like these when you have yellow eyes, horns, and scales, but Raiya could have really cared less.

After being forced into exile because of her appearance, Raiya’s mind has been focused on one goal; hunting down the dragon lord that killed her parents. For over thirty years, humanity has been locked in a struggle for survival against a race of dragons that had fallen from the heavens. They took everything from her and consumed the planet in a fierce war. Humanity’s numbers are quickly dwindling, leaving her few options in the way of allies.

What she doesn’t know is that her journey will strike at the very heart of the Red War and uncover truths about her past that she may not want to know. Can she finish what she started while coming to terms with the truths of her origin? ‘

SAMPLE CHAPTER

Chapter I

“Unbelievable… thirty years of this shit…  wonder how we’ve been able to keep this up for so long.”

As Jagger pulled his jeep onto what was once Route 9, he reached over to the dash and turned the radio on. A tired-sounding voice appeared over the speaker, “This Matt Lowry, WPR hourly news. Today the Second Battalion, Eastern division, rendezvoused with the Third Battalion outside of New Washington beneath the third parallel in district 5. They were successful at warding off the dragon advance. Casualties were estimated at 30%. However, initial reports estimate that at least six dragons were downed in the fight…”

Jagger sighed. Why do I even bother listening to this? It’s never good news, just a constant reminder that we’re all fucked. Every time those beasts attack, we’re pushed a little closer to extinction.

“In other news, Captain Suen Luli of the Eastern Coalition Air Corps was awarded for…”

Click.

Jagger turned the radio off. He knew the typical song and dance of the news source. They’d tell the bad news first and then deliver some good news which would be played up to be more important. He understood why things were done this way. Morale was very important… especially when it was hidden from no one that humanity was losing the war quite badly.

The jeep drove under the remains of an old overpass that had long since collapsed. It maneuvered gently around the piles of debris. Jagger had spent a lot of time rebuilding and refurbishing his truck. He wasn’t about to get it banged up. Once it cleared the debris, he pressed the gas and picked up speed.

A sign on the side read ‘Now Entering Natick.’ Jagger had been told stories about how that whole area used to be lively with stores and restaurants for people to enjoy. He was too young to remember any of this.

The Red War had been going on for years before his birth, and Natick had been laid to waste while he was still a young child. Now all that remained was rubbed and maybe some salvageable equipment buried in the dirt.

The jeep rounded a large piece concrete that, at one time had been the side of a storefront. This was usually Jagger’s marker to find his way back home. As the jeep hit the open road, a loud noise cut through the air. Shreeeee!

Jagger hit the brakes, “Wyverns… shit! One of those days…”

Jagger quickly put the car in park before reaching behind the passenger seat and grabbing a large bolt rifle. A dark shadow passed overhead as he checked the cartridge battery. The indicator light jumped from red to blue, showing a full charge. Good… let’s do this!

Jagger jumped out of the jeep, brushed a few strands of his long, brown hair out of his face and aimed the rifle. The first wyvern he saw was flying low overhead. He ducked down behind the large piece of rubble that he has passed a moment ago. His gray eyes followed the target. He watched and waited… waited until he had lined up a clean shot, and pulled the trigger. Three large, positively-charged bolts flew from the barrel. Two shots hit the large beast, sending it falling from the sky. I’ve gotten too used to taking down drakes. I used to be able to hit with all three shots!

Sparks of blue electricity flashed through its body as it hit the barrel ground. The wyvern’s skin was too thick for the bolts to do any real damage. They only stunned it, but it was enough to give Jagger the advantage.

He quickly ran to the wyvern, pulled a large machete from his belt, and jabbed it into the only vulnerable part of a dragon’s body; the eyes.

The blade destroyed the creature’s left eye and plunged into its brain. The dying wyvern let out a painful cry as it tried to dislodge the blade. It was a gruesome sight that Jagger had grown used to. He’d been trained for a long time to show no mercy.

Every time he had to watch this scene, he remembered back to the first one he’d killed during his training. He remembered that it had made him sick to his stomach. Seeing a creature suffer like that seemed cruel, but every time he was about to look away his drill sergeant would stop him and force him to watch, “They’re lethal to the very end. Turning your back on one now could be the biggest mistake you ever make.”

‘The biggest mistake.’ It was something that he’d never forgotten.

The wounded beast slowly ceased movement as death overtook it. Jagger placed his foot over the beast’s snout and pulled his blade from its head. Greenish-purple blood spewed from the wound as Jagger wiped the blade off.

As Jagger finished cleaning the blade, he turned to head back to his jeep and grab a few supplies. The snout of a second wyvern was in his path. Oh shit…

Somehow the beast had used its partner’s death screams as a cover to hold Jagger’s attention long enough for it to sneak up on him. The beast smiled, “Hope you taste good!”

Jagger frowned, “This is one meal you’re going to have to work for.”

Jagger gripped the blade at his side, knowing he’d never raise it in time. He waited for the wyvern to lunge. This was likely it, “Bring it on… you ugly freak!”

As the wyvern took a step towards him, a black blur appeared in its path. It shrieked in surprise upon realizing that it had become outnumbered.

Jagger blinked as his eyes adjusted to the new player. They were completely clad in black robes from head to toe, making identification impossible. A gray backpack was strapped tightly to their back. Whoever this was, they moved with lightning speed.

The wyvern snapped at the robed figure, only to have the figure dodge out of the way and grab it by the neck. The stranger held the wyvern in a headlock as it struggled to get out. Jagger watched as it hissed and roared, “Damn… this guy is good!”

“Let go, bitch or I’ll tear your heart out!” The wyvern snarled.

Female… okay, well that’s a start. Jagger thought as he quickly moved to grab his bolt gun.

No amount of thrashing could shake this stranger lose. Her hands were locked tightly around the wyvern’s neck. She spoke in a voice that was barely more than a whisper, “No… you won’t…”

To Jagger’s utter shock, she jerked her arms, causing the wyvern’s neck to sharply turn to the side. The sound of a loud snap caused the wyvern to go limp.

The skeletal structure and bone mass of even the youngest dragons were considerably thicker than humans. Their muscle tissue was also incredibly strong. No human being should posess that strength. It was a physical impossibility.

Jagger watched in amazement as she let go of the beast, tossed its head to the side, and turned to confront him. He put on a friendly smile and nodded nervously. Careful Jagger, she looks like she’s ready to kill you. “Thanks.”

He couldn’t see most of her face under the hood, but her yellow eyes almost looked like they were glowing. Her voice was deep and very quiet when she spoke. It was almost a whisper and difficult to hear, “It was stupid of you to leave your car. A jeep can outrun those beasts and they always hunt in pairs, at least.”

Yup… definitely a woman. “It didn’t seem that dangerous. Wyverns can’t breathe fire, so its easier to fight on foot, especially if there’s only one. I didn’t see the second, and I’m usually not caught off guard like that.”

“One stupid move… all it takes.”

“Words of Wisdom.”

“Why did you fight?”

“Instinct I guess.”

“I see…”

The figure stared at him for a moment. To Jagger, it felt like he was in the middle of drill inspection back at WesCon command. Her eyes darted up and down for a moment before she abruptly turned and began walking away.

Jagger called after her, “Wait!”

The figure stopped but did not turn and did not respond. Jagger took a few cautious steps towards it, “I owe you one for helping me. Do you need anything?”

“No.”

“Really? Nothing?”

“No… not unless…”

“Yeah?”

The figure paused for a moment. Jagger waited as she slowly turned around. Her hood was down as though she were looking at her stomach, “I haven’t eaten in a few days…  I could use of some supplies. Do you have any?”

Jagger smiled, “No, but my town is nearby. Hop in, I’m heading for New Framingham. There are plenty of shops there.”

“A… town?”

“Yeah, you’ll be able to find anything you want there.”

“I… I’m not sure…” The figure replied in a nervous whisper. “I don’t typically do well around large groups of people.”

Jagger looked at her oddly, “Well… It’s the only major hub in this part of old New England after Boston and Worcester were destroyed. The survivors moved out here and established a fortified city in the only nearby area with buildings left standing.”

“Boston and Worcester… they were both destroyed?”

Really? How could she not know about this? “Yeah, for almost ten years now, where have you been?”

“Away…”

“Away?”

The robed woman climbed into the jeep and rested her hands on her lap. She turned to watch as Jagger grabbed a saw out of the back, “Yes… I’ve been wandering the country since my grandparents were killed by an elder dragon. I don’t have access to a radio so…”

Her eyes narrowed as Jagger walked over to one of the fallen wyverns, “Wait… what are you doing?”

Jagger looked down at the saw, “I’m going to get their teeth.”

“Why?”

“Dragon teeth are flame-resistant. They can be melted down and used to make armor, weapons, walls… all kinds of different things. They’re worth a fortune if you can get them.”

He placed the saw on the nearest wyvern’s mouth and began to run the blade across its gums. Blood stained his hands as he struggled to make conversation, “So… you’re a nomad?”

“There a better way to live beyond city walls?”

“Not really…” Jagger chuckled as he removed the upper jaw. “Okay… well let’s see, ten years huh?”

“Yeah.”

“All right so I can fill you in on the Red War, but what do you know so far?”

The girl shrugged, “Not much… From what my grandparents told me, the dragons first appeared in New York… After decimating Manhattan, they flew east and were seen weeks later heading towards Siberia. The five of them disappeared for about five years. When they reappeared, there were many… many more of them and they continued to multiply.”

She leaned on the roll bar of the old jeep as Jagger threw the teeth into the back. He then quickly wiped his hands and went to work on the second wyvern, “They were immune to conventional weapons and were too fast for nukes to work… not for a lack of trying… obviously.”

Jagger looked around the barren wasteland that used to be Wellesley, Massachusetts and nodded, “Obviously… is that it?”

“No.” The woman replied stoically. “I heard that countries were toppled by the onslaught of the dragons… Even the U.S. Government retreated. I heard the president’s speech, vowing to return and retake the land lost to the dragons… That was three days before he and his chiefs of staff were all killed. The remaining world leaders set aside their differences and formed into two governing bodies; the Eastern and Western Coalitions. They established regional governors, but the cities and settlements themselves are largely self-governed… That’s all I know.”

Jagger nodded as he removed the second wyvern’s jaw, “Sounds like you’ve heard most of it. The problem was that most weapons couldn’t penetrate a dragon’s scales. Missiles didn’t work, bullets didn’t… some armor piercers did, but they’re rare. Eventually we developed electrostatic shock weapons and super-focused lasers that could burn a hole through them, but by then…

Jagger let out a deep sigh as he spoke,”… by then, it was almost too late. Humanity had been reduced to nearly 2 billion people.”

“You’re losing the war…” The woman said in a whisper.

Jagger grabbed a bottle of water from behind his seat and poured some over his hands. The cool water rinsed away the dragon’s blood and soothed his skin, “Don’t you mean we’re losing?”

“Sure…”

Jagger got behind the wheel of the jeep and started it up. The engine came to life and caused the entire car to vibrate. He pulled back on the break and allowed the car to wheel forward.

The stranger eyed the dash, “Your car’s engine sounds different. They’re usually louder.”

Jagger smiled, “They’re usually falling apart. I spent years working on this one.”

“Impressive.”

Jagger kept his eyes on the road, though he occasionally looked up to make sure that the sky was clear, “By the way, I’m Lieutenant Jagger Bishop, WesCon Security.”

No response.

“What, you don’t have a name?”

“…”

“All right then…”

Jagger couldn’t be certain, but he thought he detect and annoyed sigh before she spoke, “… Raiya if you must know.”

“Raiya, that’s an unusual name.”

“I’m an unusual person.”

Jagger nodded, “Yeah I believe that, just from watching you.”

“Whatever you say.” Raiya said in a disinterested tone.

Jagger released a deep breath as he watched the debris pass, “So… those were some nice moves you pulled back there. You must be pretty jacked to snap the neck of a dragon. That was amazing.”

“It’s not that hard if you know where the joint is.”

“Maybe you could show me?”

“Doubtful, you also have to be really fast…”

“Oh… too bad.”

As the jeep picked up speed, Raiya struggled to keep her hood up. It acted like a sail, catching the wind that blew past her face. As it was pushed back, small flashes of her skin appeared. She grabbed the sides and forced them forward, holding the hood down over her face.

Jagger had his eyes on the road and could only see her out of the corner of his right, but what he saw left him with more questions than answers. Her skin was tanned, but her pigment appeared to have an almost greenish hue to it. The strands of hair he saw looked like it was a dark olive color. Maybe she dyed it somehow? Yeah right, where would she get dye out here? You’re probably just seeing things.

It was a reasonable thought. He never really had great lateral vision. However, as the hood flew back a second time, he quickly glanced over to confirm what he initially saw. His eyes caught sight of the odd complexion of her skin. There was no doubt that something was off with her. Who or what was this girl? Dragon’s Bane? There hasn’t been a confirmed case of it in a few years…

“Are you okay?” He asked.

“I’m fine… why?”

“Your skin… it’s… pale.”

“So what…? It’s just how I look.”

“All right.”

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

Note:
If you have read my books, PLEASE log into Amazon and post a review. I really love to hear everyone’s thoughts and constructive criticisms. Reviews help get my book attention and word of mouth is everything in this business!

Thanks friends!

Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

+

+ advice, fantasy, Fiction, literature, Opinion, Science Fiction, Writing

A Soul Siphon Question!?!? #Writing #Author #Advice

by Unknown's avatar

Hi Jim,

I just finished reading Soul Siphon and was wondering why you were so disappointed with the book that you never wrote a sequel. Do you ever plan on writing one? Also, why does Mary seem to be a lot more fleshed out than any of the other supporting characters?

Thanks,
Mike

Hi Mike,

I’m thrilled that someone has finally come forward after so long that they actually read that book. Now, tell me, what couch leg do you find that under?

Kidding!

Truth be told, I was disappointed in the book for a multitude of reasons. Soul Siphon was going to be my first foray into comic book style super heroes. My original intent was to have a comic illustrator do the cover, preferably someone fairly well known. I wanted the cover to actually look like a comic book cover to then reflect the internal story.

This… fell… flat… on… its… face….

One, the comic creators I reached out to wanted outlandish sums of money, so much so that I would never recoup the costs for writing the book. at least not for several years, even if the book sold really really well. Second, the artist I really wanted to hire for the book never responded to my inquiries. So unfortunately, I wasn’t able to enlist her talents. What’s worse, she’s changed her style to something that looks way too childish where the characters have large heads and even larger eyes.

I began shopping around for an artist and eventually came to Jabari Weathers. I was enamored by his work and thought it anyone could clean up that mess, it would be him. His art speaks for itself. It’s magnificent, but again, not what I was originally going for. Even so, the cover design was so amazing, I was hoping that this would draw in a reader base.

I worked hard to shape interesting characters and attempt to create a group of anti-heroes that, unbeknownst to them, would actually represent the four horsemen of the apocalypse; Death (Mary), Famine (Johnny), War (Vlad), and Conquest (Lihua), with Corban as the catalyst. Essentially, they would be ‘guided’ by an angel disillusioned by the decree of non-interference, forbidding the Choirs of Angels from meddling in the mortal realm. I even brought in a Cameo from my historical fantasy, Damnation, to take up that role later in the book.

It took a lot of writing, rewriting, and work to get this novel on the market. It’s production was a troubled one and took place during a time in my life when I had way too much else going on.

As a result, the book did not sell well at all and my dreams of creating a serial work surrounding these characters died pretty quickly. I had worked on a second novel where the devil was either a damsel in distress or a benevolent character who was simply misunderstood by religious doctrine, but I simply couldn’t figure out how to properly insert that character into the mix. I have several potential outlines ready to go, but each one falls flat on its face in practice.

After a year of writer’s block, I abandoned the story and moved on to something I thought was a bit simpler and safer… which then turned into anything but. Drakin became a pretty big hit for me, pretty much forcing me to write a sequel to that and thus placing the final nail in the coffin for Soul Siphon. I still go back to it every now and then, reread it, and start brainstorming sequels, but there are so many other books I want to write first, that it seems like any chance of ever putting a Soul Siphon sequel out is dead.

It’s my biggest disappointment because I had such high hopes for the book and had pretty grand ideas. Unfortunately, they all fell flat on their face pretty quickly. The cover design should have been a sign that this book might have been better had I simply posted it on Kindle for free.

Oh well.

Now, to answer your second question about Mary. I didn’t really intend Mary to be a supporting character. She’s supposed to be the heroine, arguably more so than Corban is the hero. She’s fleshed out more, because she actually has a historical backstory. Where almost all of my other characters are 100% made up, she is not.

Let me start from the beginning… the idea behind these characters were that they each shared one thing in common, death. They’d all been taken before their times by evil people. When the angel resurrected them, he gave them powers based on how they had been killed. It was sort of a poetic method of revenge. As such…

Johnny was starved to death by his step-mother. He was given the power of famine. Anything he touched, rotted and turned to ash.

Vlad was a former soviet soldier who was assassinated for knowing too much. He was given the ability to manipulate projectiles and his vision could act like a telescope.

Lihua was raped and left to die on a street corner in a Chinese city during the height of the communist regime. Her powers are those of seduction and dominance. She can manipulate the mind of almost any living creature to do her bidding with her pheromone.

Corban died as the result of a failed exorcism. A demon tore him apart from the inside. As a result, his powers are unstable and out of control. He possess demonic energy that he has little to no control over. The powers are incompatible to him and thus take considerable effort to harness and eventually manipulate to his liking.

That brings us to Mary. I wanted at least one of my characters to someone of historical significance as each came from a different time period. So I started going back through a history of famous murders. Who could I use? More importantly, who could I use without fear of getting sued by a living family member? This person had to be from pretty far back and relatively young.

It was at this time that I pulled out some papers from when I was in college. Back then, I had a morbid minor-obsession with the Jack the Ripper killings. I went through the victims until I came to the last one… the last of the canonical five; Mary Jane Kelly. She was widely considered beautiful, she was relatively young for the time period, and based on the testimony of the people who knew her, she was a somewhat fiery Irish lass, with a quarrelsome tenancy. This is something I could work with.

So I took the historical information we have on Mary Kelly, made a few embellishments on the rumors that surrounded her early life, and created the skeleton for my character. In my book, Mary is found by the angel and removed from her coffin before burial. She’s pieced back together revived. In exchange for her services as an angelic assassin, she’s given a chance to hunt down and kill Jack the Ripper. However, upon hunting the streets of London, she winds up spending her time protecting other girls from getting roughed up by street thugs and misses her chance.

Jack the Ripper escapes to America on a steamer just as she’s about to track him down. The steamer sinks in a storm, claiming everyone onboard. Come to find out, her killer murdered other women while she was busy protecting the London girls. She’s bitter and grief-stricken, but a deal was a deal. She became an angelic assassin. Because of the way she was killed, her powers were the ability to hide in the shadows, slip around unnoticed, and move at incredible speeds. Her abilities with bladed weapons was also greatly enhanced.

This is why Mary seems so much more fleshed out. This character pretty much wrote herself. An assassin, living with her own personal demons. An ageless woman existing outside of time, bitter, sad, and completely indifferent, or so you’re supposed to believe. When I first wrote out her character, I shook my head thinking that no one would like her. She was rude, sharp-tongued, angry, abrasive, and just downright mean. However, as Corban and the reader go to know her, understood her reasoning and finally got to meet the person below that hard surface, it was my hope the audience would warm to her.

Sadly. I doubt we’ll ever know. I’m debating taking the book off the market, but who knows? I’ll see what happens in the next few months.

If you really liked the book, please leave it some feedback, it helps me out a lot.

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

Note:
If you have read my books, PLEASE log into Amazon and post a review. I really love to hear everyone’s thoughts and constructive criticisms. Reviews help get my book attention and word of mouth is everything in this business!

Thanks friends!

Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

+

+ Heavy Metal, Inspiration, Metal, Music, Uncategorized, Writing

From My Writing Playlist

by Unknown's avatar

One of the few welcomed changes to the Star Wars classics. I was never a huge fan of Yub Nub. That being said, they ruined the scene this song was in by replacing Sebastian Shaw with Hayden Christiansen. RUINED ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL SCENES!

When to Listen: If it wasn’t already plainly obvious, this is a post-final battle song. It fits in so many different scenes. That is definitely when to listen.

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

Note:
If you have read my books, PLEASE log into Amazon and post a review. I really love to hear everyone’s thoughts and constructive criticisms. Reviews help get my book attention and word of mouth is everything in this business!

Thanks friends!

Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

+

+ Book, fantasy, Fiction, News, Uncategorized, Writing

Drakin, where to buy, and what’s next? #Writing #Fantasy #SciFi

by Unknown's avatar

Hello all!

I hope everyone has enjoyed The Drakin Series!! Please don’t forget to leave me a review on Amazon once you’re done. That really helps me out a lot.

Copies of these books, as well as my others, can be purchased on Amazon by following this link:

James Harrington’s Author Page

They’re also available at Barnes and Noble, as well as many other places where books are sold!

Please feel free to like and reblog this post. Word of mouth helps us writers out a lot!

Drakin: The Story of Raiya

Book Synopsis:
‘ “Abomination, freak, monster…”  You get used to names like these when you have yellow eyes, horns, and scales, but Raiya could have really cared less.

After being forced into exile because of her appearance, Raiya’s mind has been focused on one goal; hunting down the dragon lord that killed her parents. For over thirty years, humanity has been locked in a struggle for survival against a race of dragons that had fallen from the heavens. They took everything from her and consumed the planet in a fierce war. Humanity’s numbers are quickly dwindling, leaving her few options in the way of allies.

What she doesn’t know is that her journey will strike at the very heart of the Red War and uncover truths about her past that she may not want to know. Can she finish what she started while coming to terms with the truths of her origin? ‘

Drakin: The Orphans of Haven

Book Synopsis:

The Red War may be over, but not all wounds have healed. For Sergeant Radley Zall, the nightmares never end. After years of struggling for survival, he finds himself in a dead end job, deporting wayward dragons to the Exclusion Zone. The horrors of his past have left him a broken man, slowing killing himself in a bottle of whiskey. It’s a wearying existence that many former soldiers have been subject to since the war ended, but for Radley, that is all about to change. Throughout his life, Radley’s hatred of dragons has been unmatched until one evening when a small one shows up on his doorstep. The pathetic creature is emaciated and begging for shelter. Her appearance reminds him of his younger self, compelling him to help her. That uncharacteristic decision forces him to confront his past actions— some of which may have contributed to a sinister plot to reignite the Red War and wipe out the few remaining dragons on Earth.

DRAKIN: An Empire of Ashes

 

Synopsis:

Two hundred years have passed, and the Red War has become a distant memory for most. Dragons and humans now live together in peace… but one powerful woman who has been deranged by her own history unleashes her vengeance on a helpless population.

Now, the world’s only hope for survival rests with Kaori, a naïve and wayward princess of the Eastern Empire. Having been disillusioned with her mother’s rule, she discovers a dark secret about her family that will change the course of history forever. She soon crosses paths with Nayeli and Joaquim, a pair of rogues living within her borders.

Their fight for survival takes an unexpected turn as a shadow of from the past reveals that the situation is more dangerous than they know. The fate of billions of lives rests on these three unlikely companions putting aside their differences to stand against the world.

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

Note:
If you have read my books, PLEASE log into Amazon and post a review. I really love to hear everyone’s thoughts and constructive criticisms. Reviews help get my book attention and word of mouth is everything in this business!

Thanks friends!

Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

+

+ advice, fantasy, Fiction, literature, Science Fiction, Uncategorized, Writing

Suspending Suspension of Disbelief!

by Unknown's avatar

Hi Jim,

I have a little problem that I was hoping you could assist me with. I’ve had quite a few people read my story and the overall criticism is that one of the characters isn’t believable. They keep saying that the way the character behaves and the things she does, don’t fit in with the story. This really bothers me as this is a story that takes place in a completely made up environment that has nothing to do with reality. Like okay, you can believe an entire planet could be a live and have a consciousness, but not believe one character because of their actions and choices they make?

If only one person had said it, that would be one thing, but a few have so now I’m starting to worry. Do you think I should change the character or leave it as is? Should I take this criticism seriously?

Thanks,
Elyssa H.

Hello Elyssa,

Awesome name, by the way. I may wind up using that for one of my characters. I actually try to take most criticism seriously. The obvious exceptions are trolls who simply say that ‘this sucks’ or ‘I think you’re stupid’. Things that have no substance are basically best left ignored.

However that doesn’t seem to be the case here. I would definitely take what they say into consideration, but not let that be the be all, end all of what you do with the character. Outside criticism is vital, especially if you plan to have your work published. You want someone who’s going to rip it apart. However the final say is yours, you need to take a step back and look at the character and see if everything fits.

Now that that’s out of the way…  I want to address your other comments. “Like okay, you can believe an entire planet could be a live and have a consciousness, but not believe one character because of their actions and choices they make? ”

Actually, yes. This is what’s called a suspension of disbelief. Like it or not, readers are always going to apply some level of real-world logic, even in the most fantastical of environments. We’ve all done it, and we’re all going to do it. Like it or not, this is something that all writers have to contend with.

So what’s the best way to combat this problem? Well… I’d say the first thing to do is create a set of rules early on in your writing. If there are any real world attributes, make them known through the story, cultural differences that could explain, and by default, make your character’s behaviors more believable, explore them. Most readers are really good at following a path with little guidance, but you still need to leave some bread crumbs for them to pick up on.

This is the folly of your comparison. A reader could actually take issue with a character’s choices and development in a story where an actual planet is a character because maybe you explained the planet better. Maybe the back story you put in place actually explains better how something like that can exist. I think this is an area that you may want to really go back and re-examine, but let’s open it up.

Readers, what do you think? Is this an area that Elyssa should look at a little more closely? Is the criticisms of her readers something she should worry about, or should she simply disregard them because its her story? Let me know in the comments.

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

Note:
If you have read my books, PLEASE log into Amazon and post a review. I really love to hear everyone’s thoughts and constructive criticisms. Reviews help get my book attention and word of mouth is everything in this business!

Thanks friends!

Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

+

+ Book, fantasy, Fiction, News, Uncategorized, Writing

A Drakin Question!? (SPOILERS!)

by Unknown's avatar

Hi Jim,

I haven”t quite finished reading Drakin, but was really curious about something. First of all, congratulations on getting your book published, that’s quite an accomplishment! I really liked your character, Jagger. It really seems like you spent a lot more of time and focus on Raiya, but Jagger seems like the nice guy who would give you the shirt off his back. I can’t imagine that being common in a world where humanity is facing extinction.

I’m not sure if this is intentional or not, and I doubt you’ll give me a definitive answer, but I was kind of wondering, could Raiya and Jagger have a child, based on what we know about Raiya’s biology?

Thanks,
Laura

Hi Laura,

Well, looks like we’re getting into shipping territory. That’s always fun!

Good question, so Raiya’s biology is fairly unique as is noted in the story. I don’t want to give too much of the plot away, so I’m going to try to keep this as non-descriptive as possible. I’m likely going to disappoint you here… though I don’t mention it in the story, the pseudo-microbiology I used to create her (and turn this into a partial scifi novel), would make it highly unlikely that she’d be able to conceive a child. Though anatomically she’s compatible with a human being, her biology isn’t.

Sorry! 😦

Glad you’re enjoying it and if you still do once you’ve finished, please leave me a review! It helps me out big time!

Thanks,
Jim

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

Note:
If you have read my books, PLEASE log into Amazon and post a review. I really love to hear everyone’s thoughts and constructive criticisms. Reviews help get my book attention and word of mouth is everything in this business!

Thanks friends!

Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

+

+ advice, fantasy, Fiction, literature, Science Fiction, Uncategorized, Writing

Dimensional, One Dimensional Characters

by Unknown's avatar

I’ve heard, and said a lot of negative things about the writing of characters that are too one-dimensional. I don’t want it to seem like I’m against such a character, I’m not. There are a lot of great characters out there that are lacking in dimension.

Perhaps one of the most famous examples would be the character Javert from Les Miserables. In fact, it is his one dimensional personality that lands him the position of the villain, while a far more dynamic thief, fugitive, and fraudster becomes the hero.

He’s not so much the villain because he’s a bad person. It is more so because he comes off as indifferent. However I don’t necessarily think that this is necessarily his own fault. What little we know of his life and background has left him with a very rudimentary view of right and wrong. He has a very strict adherence to the law, giving no leeway for interpretation, leniency, or apathy…. He has an extremely unwavering faith in the morality and overall ‘correctness’ of the law.

And we’ve seen where such staunch adherence to it leads to…

(How mad must the officer have been after the judge turned the case into a comedy routine.)

Now this is an example of a one-dimensional character. He has a basic view of right and wrong which, like iron is solid, but when you apply enough pressure, it becomes brittle and breaks. That’s what happens with Javert his interpretation of right and wrong was challenge where he was put into the position of having to do wrong to do right. This is something that, in his world view, shouldn’t be possible. Unable to cope with his reality being shattered and either unable or unwilling to change with it, he kills himself.

This is an example of a one dimensional character done correctly. We not only see the dangers of having such a view of the world and/or personality, but we also what can happen when they are so rigid. It’s actually a fascinating character study to do.

So is there a place for one-dimensional characters? Absolutely there is and they can be written very well. The problem is when a character is put on screen for one purpose and isn’t really given any justification as to why they exist the way they do or how it came to be that way. There’s no issue with characters being one-dimensional, as long as there is something in them that we can understand and view as really happening.

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

Note:
If you have read my books, PLEASE log into Amazon and post a review. I really love to hear everyone’s thoughts and constructive criticisms. Reviews help get my book attention and word of mouth is everything in this business!

Thanks friends!

Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

+

+ Heavy Metal, Inspiration, Metal, Music, Uncategorized, Writing

From My Writing Playlist

by Unknown's avatar

Ah an oldie, but one from I musician I loved back in college… and still do! I don’t think you can qualify him as metal, but who cares? Beyond his music, he’s also wonderful to his fans. I had the opportunity to see him live and then waited two hours in line to meet him after the show. It took two hours because he insisted on talking to every single one of his fans. He seemed genuinely interested in everything each one had to say and answered every question asked. That’s not something you see much these days.

When to Listen: Writing your ending. This is a pretty perfect endsong, especially with the disneyesque end of the song.

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

Note:
If you have read my books, PLEASE log into Amazon and post a review. I really love to hear everyone’s thoughts and constructive criticisms. Reviews help get my book attention and word of mouth is everything in this business!

Thanks friends!

Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim

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