Mid Year

Almost to mid year. Time to evaluate those 2012 goals and see how we are doing. How are you going with yours?
In taking a look at mine, I got GGE Publishing launched..sort of. First story still to be published. We started "Stitch", saw "The Battle of Caerlon" published and made progress on "Return To Glory". In the personal life I have kept up my fitness goals and had lots of good family time (there is a lot more detail on those goals in my personal "goals" file).
Here is what I would like to do for the remainder of 2012.

• ·         Finish Lisanor - The second in The Pendragon Chronicles
• ·         Finish Rodentia - GGE's rated G story. about 75% complete.
• ·         Publish Seeds of Vyldur - The first GGE published novel.
• ·         Edit/rewrite RTG - About 50% complete
• ·         Edit Warchitect - Underway
• ·         Begin Stitch (finish first draft) - Underway
• ·         Possibly publish RTG - The second GGE published work
• ·         Begin planning more for Pantheon - A superhero style project for development next year (2013).
• 
  

 So let's see how we do on those by December!

What are your goals? How are you going?

Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day! Today we are honoring all of those who have given their lives in service to the American armed forces, establishing and maintaining our freedom.
For most of us, it is a combination patriotic celebration and glorious day off from the 9 to 5. When I was a kid, it was just another day off. There seemed to be plenty of them.
Now, it seems like there is never enough of them and each one is almost sacred.
What to do? How to spend this gift of a few hours where I get to be myself for a change?
Well, for me, I will figure something out. My perfect day would have a good deal of writing and editing, maybe some gaming with my friends and my sons. A nice meal out of the house with my lovely wife. Maybe some work in the yard or a trip to the beach. I like to be a little productive and a lot relaxed.
Here's my advice today - whatever you do, don't be too hard on yourself if you just waste the day away and a relaxed haze. On the other hand, don't be too easy on yourself either. Find something that you will be happy to tell the coworkers about tomorrow when they ask "How was your holiday?"

Writing Magic

I am reading "Writing Magic: Creating Stories That Fly" by Gail Carson Levine. I will post a longer review soon. It's a short read so it should not take me long. It includes a lot of writing exercises that I should probably take the time to do. It seems fun. I am like everyone else though, more ideas than time, so we'll see what happens with the exercises. I know it would be good practice.

The Pendragon Chronicles

I promise not to devote this entire blog to shameless self promotion, but there will be a little. In the event that there are a few folks out there who do enjoy a new look at Arthur Pendragon's world, then it might be fun to have a facebook page devoted to the discussion of all things Arthurian.

So, here's the FB Page for "The Pendragon Chronicles", so stop by and give us a "like" and join the conversation!

And enjoy this concept image of Bedivere, drawn and colored by the highly-skilled Danny Kelly

The Battle of Caerlon - release date (it's today)

Green Gates has officially released it's first title! How excited am I? Numb with excitement!

It's an ebook from Double Dragon Press.

"The Battle of Caerlon" is the first in the Pendragon Chronicles. (the second is 90% complete already).

This all stemmed from my idea that the Pendragon Legend needed serious updating, and not the updating that has been going on lately where writers try and tell what it was "really" like. King Arthur may have existed, who knows, but the story is a fantasy story. Magic, Dwarves, Monsters and all that jazz. It needs to be written for the modern fantasy readers. That story, the one where Arthur is a young warrior, destined for greatness as he tries to stem off an invasion and put down eleven rebel kings all while magic is crashing down onto Britannia and mucking with the world around him...that story begins here...

Check it out here!

Here's the synopsis;

Britannia is shattered by war. Rome has withdrawn, leaving the island kingdom in ruins. Eleven Rebel Kings have elected King Lot as High King in direct opposition to The Council of Kings. The Council has elected Arthur, the son of Uther Pendragon- the former High King- as their Dux Bellorum, or War Duke. Arthur has assembled a force of the land’s mightiest heroes into The Pendragon Legion and has taken the field against the rebel kings. Meanwhile, King Lot, his own forces comprised of Uther’s greatest generals, has allied himself with the darkest of magic in his bid to defeat The Pendragon Legion and become Britannia’s High King. The ensuing war pits fathers against sons and brothers against brothers as the battle between good and evil threatens to engulf all of the land.

So go check it out at Double Dragon Press. If you aren't crazy about it...I apologize, but it's the legend as I see it. Full of war, blood, magic, sex, betrayal and all that makes drama interesting. 

Cinco De Mayo

I will be doing some editing today for a story written by a good friend and a great writer, Walter Rhein. The soundtrack will be the new album "Dry" by my good friend Johnny Blackthorn (just released - pick it up!). And the drink? The perfect Margarita, of course. Today I will eschew the cheapo margaritas I normally make and go for a more traditional recipe. Here's one I snagged off of Yahoo (the source of all information)

The Recipe: The Perfect Agave Margarita

Ingredients

·         Kosher salt

·         2 lime slices or wedges

·         1/4 cup tequila blanco

·         2 tablespoons agave syrup (nectar)

·         2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Preparation

·         Pour some kosher salt into a small dish. Rub 1 lime slice over half the rim of an Old Fashioned glass (if you prefer your Margarita on the rocks) or a coupe glass (if you prefer it up). Dip rim of glass into salt.

·         Combine tequila, agave syrup, and juice in a cocktail shaker; fill with ice and shake well. Strain into prepared glass. Garnish with second lime slice.