As promised, here are the crazy cloud images I took during the freak storm the other day. I plan on using them for the back ground of the painting that will be shown in the next post.

It's 12:50 right now...I doubt that the post clock says that time...anyway, I just finished reading "I am Spock" by Nimoy. Great autobiography...I took a break from Herbert's Dune series to read it and now I'm going to read one of DENISE'S works. I'm also going to post the paintings and cloud images tomorrow...I borrowed a cord from my folks so I could post the images...another storm is rolling through and I'm about ready to crash...later...

ps...I'm redesigneing the Entropy Gate site on Wed.

And what of the fifth book?

Someone asked me again about a fifth book and I repeated myself. The only way I'd have a fifth book would be to include several short stories in a compiled sort of way...but then the idea for a fifth book that wasn't a compilation of short stories hit me. If book one is Journey, then book five should be destination.

So the titles go as follows.

ENTROPY GATE -
Journey
Beyond
Repercussions
Return
Destination

I wrote about five pages of Destination last night.

ALSO!!! Anyone interested in giving book one a read, (new, improved and shorter than before) give me a buzz...I'll hook you up.

Here is a drawing from Icons, one of the short stories I wrote.

I brought in my digital camera to wok today to dwon load some images of the current painting. The computer didn't have the right port for reading the card so I sat at my station and sulked...until, that is, I looked out the window and saw the funkiest clouds I've ever seen. I started snapping pictures and stood outside with some of the other profs and students. The clouds were going in at least four different directions. It looked looked like something out of the most recent version of War of the Worlds.

Once I get the right cord, I'll post the images. Hopefully this afternoon.

JSYK...

My wife is the coolest woman a man could ever hope to marry!

Just puttin' that out there. Kristi ROCKS. I mean...who else plays "Star Wars Legos" for PC2 with their kids? Really...the woman is amazing! And she's beautiful!

It's 2:06 pm...that means I have about six hours to sleep tonight...and it's raining so that's cool...I'll sleep well tonight...I finshed the script for tomorrow's rehearsal...is that spelled right? don't know...don't care...anyway...this weekend I should have some more artwork done and some more of EG 2 done and posted...


This year the Jesters have grown by at least ten new kids...one girl. Lizzy, has a fantastic voice...just amazing...I find it rather pleasing that God would endow children (who have special needs and have been picked on by 'normals' at their schools) with voices of angels...this new kid (lizzy) rocks! I wrote a solo for her and can't wait to hear her go at it.

Also, my two boys want to be in the play this year...they don't see any of the 'special needs' that these kids have...a dad couldn't be more proud...

I'm toast...good night...

rain...cool...thunder...nice...

Oy...long day...after this evening's class (audio/video @ Itt 6:00-10:20 pm) I arrived at home to find that Zack was still up...it was Mom and the Boys night and they were munching on cheese sticks and pizza pockets and egg rolls and watching a few scenes from Phantom of the Opera. Zack is really into musicals, but unfortunately most of the musicals have adult themes so we have to edit them...

well, after I got everyone to bed, I went downstairs and worked on the 8x4 foot painting...I have been taking pictures as I am painting it, but we don't have the right cable to download the images onto the net...it will happen though and I'd welcome feedback on the painting...it is for a show that will take place in December...I'm loving it. Lots of texture and very monotone on color...

Now, at 1:10 pm I have to complete the play for the JESTERS...it is a theater and art troupe that I have for children (and adults) with special needs...this year we are doing a comedy send up of film noir style...films...I have to right in four new characters and create two more songs before tomorrow...

Thank God for caffine...bye for now...

This is a drawing I'm working on for a large painting of Silla...

some more stuff...

Not one to complain much...however...

Years ago I was into Fencing...not the act of selling stolen goods, but the French Foil sort of fencing. It was the best sport ever (still is)...but...I developed a style of sword play that played havoc on my knees...now at (near) 40 I sometimes reap the wrath of those fine years of fencing...tonight is one of those nights (actually, last Sunday, I wacked my left knee on a desk at a friend's school and tore up a bunch of stuff...had I not possessed a knee of destruction from years of fencing abuse, I would have easily walked off the injury). My left leg is in a tremendous amount of pain and I am thankful for the vicodin from a previous surgery "botch up" that I can now take to ease the pain. I'm not sure when the next post will be. I'm having a bit of a 'time' focusing on editing...later...

Book four...hmmm...what about book four...I've had three different starts to the 4th book in the series and none have felt right. However...this evening I finished a drawing for the USF Faculty show and it inspired me to create another Entropy Gate painting like the one I did a few years ago...I'll post those images later. As I listened to Pink Floyd's Pulse and then the Deep Space Nine soundtrack followed by the Blade Runner Soundtrack, I came up with a painting that sums up all of Book Four...can't wait to paint...can't wait to write...

ps. I'm currently rereading "I Am Spock" by Leonard Nemoy...what a great read!

plus...it's raining outside...nice!

More artwork...

Well...I'm working on book two while book one is out there trying to get published. It sits at 132,203 word and I'm on page 151 out of 529. It originally was about the same length as book one 155,540 words.

Also, I'm in a bit of pain because I have a half inch splinter lodged in my foot near the heal. Ouch. So it's a bit hard to concentrate. I'm going to be updating the web page on friday. Hopefully we'll get everything worked out and it'll load quicker.

Just so ya know...tomorrow is National TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY! ARRR

What a great day...we had a great time at church with one of the best communion services I've heard...then lunch with Denise and her family at Casa, a short nap and then four straight hours of editing book two. I'm pumped!

I've started another blog. HERE. It is where I will ocoassionally post chapters from book two of the series. Check it out. Talk amoungst yourselves.

Crazy stuff that turns out to be true...sort of...

So I'm editing book two right now and I've come across a character who chastises Michael for 'not knowing the true face of God'. Now Michael does know the true face if you will. That of love, forgiveness, charity, hope, goodness, joy...I mean, come on, you get the picture. But the bad guy is involved in a religious order that has twisted the truth and he sees no sin in killing if it furthers the goals of his god. And he believes it is the true God because he quotes from a 'holy scripture'. And then it hit me...it's sort of what is going on with the radical Muslim movement. I know, I know, it's not politically correct to say that some Muslims are violent. However, the terrorists who are flying planes into building, destroying the holy relics and temples of all religions (including their own), killing innocent Muslims (that would be women, children, old people...etc), screaming for the death of all Americans and Jews, demanding the Pope apologize for, I don't know, wearing a funny hat, and going absolutely ape poo over cartoons are, well, Muslim. And they claim to be doing this in the name of God...my villain seems rather tame next to these vile creatures who believe themselves to be human.

Now I don't hate Muslims. I've worked with and known many. I helped a young woman cope with the fasting of Ramadon (I think that was the one…and I think I spelled it correctly). She had been Catholic and had married a muslim and and she REALLY liked food. We both taught at the same school and she was worried she wouldn't be able to go through with the day long fasting. So I sat and talked with her during lunch (not eating my own lunch) and helped her keep her mind focused on other things. I'm not sure if she was doing this out of a love for God or a love for her husband, but she was doing it out of love and was a beautiful woman for it. I saw none of the hatred for the 'infidel' in her or her family. What a contrast to the screaming mobs we see on TV and the papers demanding that people be killed for thinking differently.

Entropy Gate

It's raining...and I mean RAINING! Anyone who knows me knows of my 'condition'...and I've blogged about it before. When there are long periods without rain, I get REALLY depressed. Fall is my favorite time of year and nothing makes me happier than to hear rain pouring down outside while the leaves are turning...okay, the sound of my son laughing or my other son playing the trombone (hang on...another story re: that soon to follow) or my wife's voice...those moments are totally cool...but the rain...I need it too...last summer we had a NO RAIN...okay...we had some, but not much. It depressed me so much (I'm serious, too much sunshine makes me really depressed) that my lovely wife (I'd honestly die with out her) bought me a CD of thunderstorms and told me to listen to the sounds with the blinds closed in my studio...it helped. This year she bought me a fountain that sounds like rain...So...where was I going with this? Um...Oh, yeah...the drawing I'm working on for the University of Saint Francis Faculty/Alumni show is almost done. I'll post it here when it's ready to be framed. The rain was a real inpiration this evening as I was finishing it up. Okay...time to head on down stairs and watch my wife master LEGO STAR WARS for PLAY STATION.

Why the sandwich?

Many, many months ago I posted an image of a sandwich I made that almost killed me. It's the closest thing I have to a decent photo of me right now...plus, like the sandwhich, I am big and full of cheese...sort of.

How much violence is too much violence in a Christian novel?

I am currently reading Ted Dekker’s novel blink. In the third chapter, he dedicates more than a page to describe a muslim father drowning his teenage daughter because she would not have relations with her husband. It was shocking and painful to read. But was it over the top? I’m not sure. Book two of the Entropy Gate series has its fair share of violence. However, the more intense scenes (nothing so horrifying as a father drowning his daughter in the family pool…I mean, come on, the people who ‘bite the bullet’ in BEYOND are THE BAD GUYS FOR CRYIN’ OUT LOUD!!!) are all carried out off camera as it were. When Silla ‘relieves’ some of the baddies who were tortured by even worse baddies (and she does it with a knife) I wrote it as, “Michael watched in horror as Silla ended their pain”…or some such thing. So, why am I moaning? Because some of the same people (some even related to me) who carped about the violence in my story have praised Dekker’s work.

Tonight I finished watching CRIMSON RIVERS for the third time. This time I was watching it because I am teaching an editing class at ITT. I have twenty different styles of editing that we will go over during the first night of the class...that means that we'll watch about 4 hours of movies...suddenly my master's degree seems worth it. Saturday is the start of the Jesters...the theater troupe of special needs people...and we'll also have the USF GALA ART OPENING...must attend...anyhoo...my wife has gone to two different dentists and finally figured out the problem of her teeth...me...i'm working three jobs...i'm tired...nite, nite! Must prepare for tomorrow's Egyptian art lecture...

Last night I finished cleaning most of the studio. I spent about a half hour then working on a drawing called "Learning to Fly". Not sure if I like it yet...but it was nice to get back in there. My studio had turned into a storage area and was filled with cob and spider webs. I've spent too much time on photoshop and not enough time in the studio.

Also, I'm getting a lot of editing done on Entropy Gate Beyond. Now that book one, Journey, is 50,000 words shorter, I'd like to throw it out there to anyone who'd like to read it and give me some feedback.

I found this in the archives...it was a design for First Gates (I mentioned this in a previous post)...

They're pulling a Lucas...

Fans of the original Star Trek series need to read an article posted here...

Someone asked about a fifth book in the series. It's actually a collections of short stories that I have been periodically working on. They are important stories for the series, but they don't really have to be included with the four books.

HOPE - the story of the doomed ship that first travelled secretly to Venus to explore the Entropy Gate.

GIFTED - originally written for the nanowrimo contest I participated in. Originally titled First Gate. Perhaps some of the very worst writing I have ever done. I liked the initial story but it went oh so horribly wrong. It tells the story of how the pine cone winds up on the planet that lies beyond the Entropy Gate. (that last comment makes sense only if you've read BEYOND.

ICONS - the story of the origins of the pinecone...takes place in Italy during the Italian Renaisance. Michaelangelo has a cameo.

part 3

Q: This just as a side note, you said that Jean Reno would be David. How about Michael or Chen?

A: Michael has always been a bit vague in my mind as far as actors go. As far as Chen? Perhaps Lucy Lu. She can be commanding and venerable.

Q: When you start writing, do you know the whole story?

A: I know the beginning and the ending. The middle is always a bit fuzzy. It’s fun to take the characters to strange or emotional or dangers areas and then see how they’re going to get to the end of the story.

Q: It was suggested that you need to trim down the story.

A: By a third.

Q: Yes. How is that going?

A: (not the original answer since I have done that already) It was hard at first because it’s A THIRD OF THE BOOK! But I managed, as I posted here. I’m so much happier with the new version.

Q: What comes after Entropy Gate? More Science Fiction?

A: I have several ideas…but the EG series is quite intense at times and I’d like to write something that my wife might read. I’ve worked a bit, in my mind, on a Romantic Comedy called ARTIST’S KNIGHT.

Q: Romantic…Comedy?

A: So shoot me.

Q: Last Question. New last question, actually. Is Entropy Gate just a guy thing?

A: I’ve actually had a lot of positive feed back from women. In fact, one of the neatest compliments I received was from a lady who accused me of having my wife write the conversations between Abigail and Michael. That was cool.

Interview part two...

Q: Where did the idea for Entropy Gate come from.

A: I had an idea about a vortex of some sort that was destroying Jupiter and a group of Russian and American scientists explore it.

Q: Didn’t that happen in 2010?

A: Yeah…it sort of did. I was going to scrap the idea, but then I turned it around and went with Venus. Once I did that, any similarity to the movie (and book) dissolved.

Q: And Father Michael?

A: Yes?

Q: I mean, where did he come from?

A: I think he comes from the same place that all of my characters come from. He’s a combination of people I know and, I suppose, a little bit of me.

Q: And the others?

A: David Frank, possibly the most controversial character, isn’t anyone I know, but I always pictured Jean Reno as the actor to play him (if a movie was ever made) and some of the dialog is actually written to match his vocal cadence and vocabulary.



Q: Why do you say controversial?

A: Because I’m writing stories with strong, positive Christian themes and he’s a likable atheist.

Q: And his likeability is an issue?

A: For some it might be. But I have met nice atheists and agnostics who haven’t said I was an idiot for believing in God. I have met, one in particular, who was just a total jerk and threw his atheism around like a hammer challenging everyone who believed that there could possibly be a higher being to argue with him. He was at grad school. We kicked him out of a party.

Q: For being a jerk.

A: Yes. But sometimes the whole notion of having an atheist as a likeable character is odd for me.

Q: Because…

A: A friend I grew up with went from being a Christian to an agnostic to an atheist and I have a hard time with that sort of evolution.

Q: Has that changed your character at all?

A: Oh, no. David Franke is locked in. He’s a real person now.

Q: Real-

A: As real as the others. Michael, Chen, Artimus, their all like real people in my mind.

Q: Have you ever had to kill off one of these real characters?

A: Yes…it’s a rather funny story actually. In Return (book two) one of the main characters dies. I had always planned on having him not make it through the story, but my original plan saw him dying a completely different way. I wrote myself into a corner where he was the only one to be able save the rest and so he got killed. I went home from work, where I had written the chapter, and my wife asked why I was depressed. I told her that one of the characters died and she just rolled her eyes.

Q: Who dies?

A: Someone. I’m not telling.

It is...it isn't...it is...now it's not!

Pluto is no longer a planet, it's a sub planet. So now there are only 8 planets in the solar system when only three days ago the newspaper made some mention about possibly adding a few more...

So???

Well, if you've read book one, you'll know that the 'bad guys' based part of their cult on less than nine planets and that throws off Michael's initial analysis on the writings he finds...so now I have to change the story AGAIN.

Kablooie times 4

1. Computer died. (brother fixed it-but I've been going nuts not able to write)

2. Back went out and I was put on medication that made me into Mr. Hyde...been off of the drugs for a couple of days and I still feel weird, short tempered, edgy.

3. Kristi lost her job (unjustly - legal action is an option)

4. I'm back to three jobs instead of the normal two.

I made a transcript of an interview from a short while ago...it sort of explains some of (what my wife calls) the weirdness that is my brain.

PART ONE

Q: Why do you write and when did it all star?

A: I write because film costs too much.

Q: Film-

A: As a kid I had a super 8mm camera and I used to make short films. I’ve always liked film and love movies. I like any medium that can tell a story. I used to get mad when people said my paintings and drawings looked like illustrations, but then I realized that that isn’t a bad thing. I’m a story teller.

Q: Would you rather be making movies, if the cost wasn’t so high?

A: I will one day. I had a project for this summer, but it fell through. Next summer, maybe.

Q: Was it part of the Entropy Gate trilogy?

A: Not really. Quadrillogy, actually, though there is a possible fifth story. Quintilogy? Quintology, I don’t know. What was the first question?

Q: I guess, why do you write, or more accurately, tell stories?

A: My brother.

Q: How so?

A: It’s totally his fault. He was an insomniac so I used to make up stories to try to get him to fall asleep.

Q: Did it work?

A: Yes.

Q: So your stories are boaring? Sleep inducing?

A: Then maybe. Not now, I hope. But what was interesting was I would continue the story in my head after he fell asleep.

Q: Your current series is Science Fiction. Were the bed time stories sci-fi?

A: No. I did not like Science fiction as a kid. I saw an episode of Star Trek (Is There in Truth no Beauty) where Spock’s brain sort of wigs out after looking into a box that contains some sort of glowing alien light and they used a fish eye lens on the camera and it creeped me out. Besides, Davy Crockett or Daniel Boone (the series) which ever it was, was on at the same time. We had foster kids living with us so we had two TVs. Imagine that two, in one house hold. I had to watch on the small black and white in my parents’ room while Dad and the others watched on the big black and white in the family room.

Q: So what turned you on to Science fiction?

A: My dad. Star Wars and 2001. But my dad was the main thing. He took me to see Star Wars at age 10 and it blew me away. Then (a few years later) I saw 2001 (on video) and was stunned again, though as a kid I preferred the action.

Q: And that did it?

A: Oh, yeah. After Star Wars I started watching Star Trek, Space 1999, anything with space ships and lasers and robots.

Q: And did your bed time stories change too?

A: By that time I wasn’t really telling stories anymore because my brother had beat insomnia and passed it on to me.

Q: Do you still have a hard time sleeping?

A: I have a love/hate relationship with sleep. I hate to go to sleep, but once I’m out, usually after 1:00 am, I hate to get up.

Q: What was the first Science Fiction story you wrote?

A: Well, the first one wasn’t ever really written down. I came up with these two characters, based loosely on me and my best friend Mark (RIP). We would have all of these adventures and I would play these stories out in my head like a self contained movie-

Q: Like day dreaming?

A: -like, yes, like day dreaming. Except that my brother and I had three paper routes that we ran and I’d play out the stories in my head while delivering the papers. Sometimes I’d play back the ones, the episodes if you will, that I really liked.

Q: That’s odd.

A: Isn’t it?

Things sort of went Ka-Blooie with the Church I have been attending for the last ten years...that's a whole 'nother story in itsself...but needless to say my wife and I have visited other churches in the surrounding area. We went to one last week and it was nice (though the music was way to loud for my parents and son (who has hearing problems)). The drummer was a young woman who I found out has already published a trilogy and just signed a four book deal. She writes stories that are more toward the "romance" genre...maybe I've found something my wife will read since she hasn't read my book yet.

I've been chugging through the pages and a lot is changing with book two...for those of you who have read bok two, here are some of the changes...

1. There is no distant feelings between Chen and her father...she's too tough for that and I feel that it weakened her character.

2. The 'stealing of the Aquila and the Orca' is much more action packed...they don't just walk in...and Will Kensel and Scrap are armed with large Power Welders - dangerous.

3. The 'cult of Silla' has a much larger roll at the beginning...

more later

started slashing and burning book two - BEYOND. Rather fun now realizing how much all of the editing helped book one.

Thought I was ready...again...

I rearanged some of the first fifty pages of the manuscript.

Instead of it all being about Michael in the desert, I now have...

Chapter One - A scout class vessel sent by Dr. Dolson orbiting Venus and the murder of Dolson.

Chapter Two - Michael meeting Artimus and leaving with the Deep Prophets.

Chapter Three - Chen boarding the Corona and learning aout her mission.

Chapter Four - Michael agreeing to the mission.

NOW I'm ready.

Half of the new web site is up...click here
...More coming soon.

This just in from HARVARD!

Hey all of you Star Wars traditionalists...get a load of THIS

the AOL poll...

Was the publisher right to end Viswanathan's contract?
Yes 92%
No 8%
Total Votes: 11,673

I want to know who those 8% are?

The plot sickens...

At first I thought, wow, I feel kind of bad for this kid...but then when it was revealed that she had lifted lines from an author she 'greatly admired' or some such thing, I kind of thought, what a little thief...but then I thought, well, she was 17-19 when she wrote the story so cut her some slack...now, after reading THIS I have no sympathy for her...at all...period...or even three periods in a row!

third in the series...click on the image to get a larger version. These are actually a lot smaller than the originals.

second image in the series...

this is for a series of images that will appear on the new web site when it's done...

This girl is either extremely naive or not too bright...read more about the plagiarism here.

NEW IMAGE FOR THE SITE...

the controversy continues...what makes me scratch my head is the fact that this girl didn't think she'd get caught...

click here for more info...

I was reading about a young woman who had her first book published at 19. I was thinking, 'how does that happen?'...then I read further and it turns out that one of her profs was a published author and he showed the manuscript to his agent. The young author made a six figure deal and sold the rights to Dreamworks...click HERE to read about the trouble that has caught up with her. Makes me wonder if anyone can think of anything original anymore...

Now that Entropy Gate Journey is done, I'm really looking forward to editing the follow up, Beyond. In the mean time...I'm finishing teaching my four classes at IPFW, about half way through writing next year's musical production "Come in out of the Rain" (a musical comedy that takes place in a club in the 1940s...all of the characters are named after characters in Humphrey Bogart films), halfway through two classes at ITT, and currently reading Edmond Rostand's "Cyrano de Bergerac".

VENUS INFO

Click here for some cool information on Venus.

Made one last run through Entropy Gate - Journey...

final word count...104,384


we start sending out packages this weekend!

I'm re-re-redesigning the web page...this is what it should look like soon...

My son, Zack (7), entered the YOUNG AUTHOR'S contest at his school and won! He wrote and illustrated a story about a Lion named Jack who escapes to Scottland to build bagpipes.

Haven't done much this week on the book due to the big show coming up on Sunday at the Scottish Rite. As some of you know, I am director of the Jesters, a theater and art orginization for people with special needs. This year's show is HELLO NOON. It's a western. Last year was THE PIRATES OF CHARITY ISLAND. For some cool images of last year's show, check out BRAD's site by clicking here. Then go to galleries then commision work and the then go to JESTERS.

(smi) final count...finished editing...Mom asked to review it for any mistakes and that gives me the chance to read it on paper as well...I didn't hit the 100,000 mark...

here's the final count before my last read.

words - 107,306
pages - 446

ROCKIN'!

word count - 109,621
page count 395 out of 454

word count - 111,512
page 375 - 461

word count - 112,665
page 352 of 464

it's my birthday...so I'm going slow today...more speed tomorrow

word count - 113, 566

page 341 - 466

I didn't have much time for editing as of late due to family illness...back on track today. First time since 2-05.

word count - 113, 949
Pages - 331 of 467

136 pages to go...I don't know if I'll get the book down to 100,000...but I do know that it is far better than it was.

I should be able to get a lot done today... currently the word count is 114,608

page 318 of 469

count - 114,984

page - 318 of 470

I'm hosed...good night...

Just pluggin' away!

word count - 115,313

page count - 307 of 471

Word count - 115,715

Page 294 out of 472

Yesterday as I sat in the hospital waiting room, I came to the conclusion that the part of the story involving the asteroid did not need to be in the story...that's at least 5 more pages gone. Those of you who have read the book will know what I mean.

Word count - 119, 339

page - 287 of 486

Mike asked about book two...it is available...but not yet in book form. Email me at asetter304@aol.com and I can hook you up with one.

Frustration...sometimes it's difficult to be a writer/artist...sometimes the idea of having a real job seems so tempting and you wonder why you spent 6.5 years at colleges that gave you a degree to teach at colleges...I'm teaching art, but is that enough? I should have been a history teacher...or, at 6 ft 7 in and 285lbs a construction worker (or body guard/bouncer)...hmmm...well, editing is going okay...I picked up my own copy of Entropy Gate - Journey and it feels good to know that there are 200 copies out there (some across the ocean). But it needs to be a primary source of income...it has to become the bread winner. I know it can become that...but it's just going to take time...I wish I wasn't so impatient...sigh (cue sad music)...enough (cue triumphant music) of this pity party crap!!!! Time to get back at it!!! YEAH!

Slowin' down a bit, but still chuggin' away...word count: 127,172 page 193 of 513

Really getting back into it...128,714 words...page 182 of 519.

I'm on page 177 out of 523 pages...I'm down to 129,708 words...it's really a much better story now. It moves a lot quicker. Looks like I'll hit my 100,000 word goal before Christmas.

130,700 words down from over 155,000...editing has been slow, but it's making for a tighter, much more readable story. I'm very excited about resubmitting to some of the agencies!

Jake's graphic novel is on line now...click HERE.

My muse...Kristi.

Here's the new den...

Finally getting back to work on the book. I’ve been busy with back-to-school stuff, but it looks like I’m going to get back into an editing routine.

Here was another meal that almost killed me...this time it's my wife's fault...past shells with spinache, beef, sauce and cheese!

You should have gone to the other blog...thy clocking HERE.

I know that it's only August...but the November write-a-thon is just around the corner...

There is some really cool art at this guy's blog...

I have some stuff going on at the Darkness Aftermath Report blog...link to it here.

editing has been slow going this weekend...had to replace an 80 year old toilet in the house before it could come crashingthrough the floor into the dining room...thanks for the help, bro...

We site? I've got to read my posts better before posting them...in the previous one I refered to my we site...meant web site...

Also...I've been thinking about posting bits of the HOPE manuscript on a blog...

Editing is an interesting process…what I hate is the time consumption…time I could spend telling new stories instead of rehashing old ones…however, as I was editing today, I recalled a frequent comment…most people said (regarding my book) "once you get into it, it really moves and is hard to put down…" (or some such thing.) I always focused on the latter part…but I’m realizing that there is a lot of excess in the first part of the book that really DOES slow the reader down…I’m cutting out anything that seems to slow down the story…the manuscript was 154,500 words…I’m a little over half way through part one and it’s down to 135, 655…I actually can’t wait to go back and read it once it’s done…

A little web page update…the guy who is helping me with the we page has had a series of family problems and I don’t want to bug him to help me get it finished…hopefully we’ll be able to tackle it this weekend.
Also, occasionally I’ll post something here or at the other blog and it won’t have a picture along side…but then, viola, a few days later there is a picture…this is due to the fact that my home computer is dial up and my ITT (work) computer is not. I can’t seem to get blogger to accept my images from the home computer no matter how long I wait.
And one final thing…this post is also on the other blog…the only time I’ll "double post" is in situations like this…

Someone asked what HOPE was about...I thought I'd give a brief description (without spoilers) of each story. JOURNEY, BEYOND, REPERCUSSIONS and RETURN are all stories about Michael Connelly and his "Journey". A more descriptive...Description, will soon be posted at the site...ICONS is actually the first in the entire EG saga...right now it is merely five pages long and most likely destined to be a graphic novel...it sets up events that take place in BEYOND...but it actually takes place during the Italian renaissance...I have a drawing of the characters and will post it soon...FIRST GATES was written during a one month period of coffee induce speed writing two years ago. There is a site that encourages one month of writing (November) and there is a challenge to bang out a novel with a certain, insane word count. I was ahead of schedule most of the way, but then, with only five days left, I awoke one morning with a cold that trashed me until Christmas break...the story (horribly written) involves a young girl in High School who discovers that there is a portal in her closet...early Entropy gate stuff...the book actually takes place in the 80's and 90's as it tracks her from New Haven High School to the University of Saint Francis to Bowling Green...I went to all of those places and even make a cameo...man was I drinking WAAAAAYY too much coffee...I don't know if it will ever get edited...it's that bad...I might just rewrite the entire thing from scratch...DARKNESS AFTERMATH is best described here...and finally, the HOPE...It's hard to explain really because what it does is answer all of the questions that are raised and hinted at in the entire series...it's sort of the background, subtext, hints and allegations, secrets, truths and yadda, yadda of the series...if you have had the opportunity to read JOURNEY or BEYOND, then you know that the HOPE is the name of the doomed ship that...well...is responsible for many of the problems that Michael encounters...there...vague enough for you?
P.S. The sandwich...has nothing to do with Entropy Gate...I just made it for lunch the other day, ate the whole thing and was unable to do any writing or editing because I was about to explode...

I've been editing Journey and I've actually got about ten pages of The HOPE written...

Anyone interested in reading Entropy Gate - Beyond (the sequal to the Journey) can email me and I'll gladly send them a text file...provided you reply with comments and suggestions afterward.

The daily grind...I hate editing...it's so unlike writing for me...I decided that while I'm editing Journey, I'd also work on HOPE. Problem is, HOPE is kind of dark...so I've been tempted to work outside of the Entropy Gate universe on a romantic comedy that I promised my wife I would eventually do for her...it's called Artist Knight...but, like I said, it's not EG so I'll probably not have any updates here...might need to have yet another blog for that...

Someone asked about the four books in the trilogy...er, quadrilogy...Why four...why not three or why not go the route of the left behind series and have a 147 books, or how ever many they have now...

Well, to be honest, when the book sells and if it really takes off (giving me time to write more) I do have other stories to tell. Here is the full list in chronological order of events...

(asterix implies the original 4)

ICONS
HOPE
Entropy Gate - First Gates (I wrote this two years ago during the Nov. write-athon)
Entropy Gate - Journey*
Entropy Gate - Beyond*
Entropy Gate - Repercussions*
Darkness Aftermath
Entropy Gate - Return*

Just got another rejection slip for the Entropy Gate manuscript. It was humorous in the fact that the first line of the letter was "I am sorry that this is a form letter...I hate getting them and hate sending them..." They all ready had their maximum manuscripts for the year and were no longer accepting any.

No sweat...there,s more out there...

I just realized that this site states that the entropy Gate web site is down...I'll need to change that...it's up and running now...I just submitted to 4 more publishers today. Feels good to get the book out there.

I have another blog going...if you've been to the web site, you might be aware of DARKNESS AFTERMATH...this is the Darkness Aftermath Report.

hello? (there is a long, drawn out echo...)

Finally Entropy Gate is back on track...the web site is up and running, thanks to JOHN LYONS!!! Kudo to my brother as well for all he has done...the book has been going through a severe editing thanks in part to the Scribe, Mary Lou and Anne, and thanks to Steve Laub...more on him later...

There are several new additions to the EG web site...the second half of Vow of the Sword is going to be available early next week...FINALLY! It's been done for over a year, I've just not been able to get the site going to show all of the really fantastic artwork that went into it!

Also new is the expanded page on the web site...there are still some pages that need to be worked on, but the DARKNESS AFTERMATH page is worth the look...

And speaking of D.A., there will be a blog for that as well...hopefully as soon as Saturday...

sorry it's been so long...

So where have I been?

Busy, for one, but everyone is busy. I've just been trying to prioritize my life...three jobs, two kids, a wife, two cats a dog, book covers, writing, fixing up the house, (all of the DVDs I got at Christmas), reading (two books right now, William F. Buckley's the Right Word and David Gallertner's Drawing Life - a D.G. was one of the Unibomber's victims), digging cars out of the snow, chipping away at ice...well, you get the picture...blogging hasn't been at the top of the list. Neither has the revamped web site, but that, unfortunately, is due to finances. Who knows when it'll be ready...it was supposed to be done many moons ago. When the money is there, it'll be up and running.

more later...

Happy New Year!

THIS SHOULD BE GOOD

Many months ago I had posted info about BATTLE ANGEL ALITA and said that she seemed to be like Silla from Entropy Gate. Now I read this from Darworlds.com

NEXT CAMERON PROJECT: The DARK HORIZONS website reports that James Cameron’s next project is entitled BATTLE ANGEL ALITA. “He's been scripting it for several years, the lead character will be a total CGI-character and that he's implementing some new 3D cameras that he's used on his ALIENS OF THE DEEP (documentary). It's estimated to take a year and a half to complete but no time-tables or casting has yet happened.”

BOOK COVER IS DONE

The first comissioned book cover is done and sent off to the publisher. Every time I design a new cover for someone else it gives me ideas for my own cover. Obviously when my book gets published there will be a new design. The chances that I would be asked to design my own cover is slim...it would be really interesting to see what some other artist would do with my book cover.

BOOK COVER

The first book cover is almost finished. I sent it off to the publisher and she sent it to the author. Both loved it and it was only about 80% finished. The title of the book is MINDLING - Encounters within Inner Space. Hopefully I'll have permission to post these various book covers on the web site...

Special thanks to my brother (ken) for redoing my blog! You can finally leave comments again. Its been a while since last I blogged so lets get caught up.

BOOK INFO
The book is edited, the querry letter written, the outline finished and the synopsis is almost ready to be sent out. Kristi has been finding literary agents that will accept first time authors. She has found quite a few and we are psyched.

WEB SITE INFO
The Entropy Gate Web Site redux will go up next week because we will be including it in the packet that we'll be sending out. Look for it next friday!

ART INFO
I have been commissioned to create some book covers for a publishing company and a few weeks ago I was at a party where I did about 50 caricatures in a little over four hours. Other than that I've just been sketching a lot.

MOVIES
Saw the teaser for STAR WARS. PSYCHED!!! Saw The Incredibles...a 10 if there ever was one. What a fantastic ride. It was nice taking the boys to a 'family' film that was truely a FAMILY film. The sly little winks and inuendo of the Shrek films has always bothered me. The Incredibles was clean and entertaining!

STAR WARS revisited part 2

I have talked to so many people that say the "new" Star Wars movies don't live up to the classics. Usually these are 'kids' who weren't even born during the release of "A New Hope". When you look at the first SW film it seems amazing because it had never really been done before. I remember thinking that it was the fastest moving movie I had ever seen. But then Raiders of the Lost Ark came out and that seemed even faster. But if you look at either film now, they both move rather slowly compared to any current fast paced movie. So George is now competing with current movies as well as the classic Star Wars movies and the preconceived notion of how wonderful the originals were...(and they were wonderful). Sure the dialog in the current films might seem a bit cheesy at times, but remember, a certain future Jedi once whined, "But I was going to go into Toshi Station to pick up some power converters."

What George has managed to do is create a series of fun movies (and he even admits himself that some of the fans try to make these films deeper than they are) that I can watch with my kids. Little, if no cursing. Comic book-like action/violence (come on the Road Runner and Tom and Jerry were far more violent than any Star Wars movie). And no sex...though every so often George likes to flash skin...ST 2 had a deleted scene with Amadalia showing more torso than she did in the 'gladiator' fight. ST 6 (redo) had more skin (blue green and white) showing in Jabba's entertainment hall than Princess Leah showed in her slave garb...

My only concern about episode 3 is that it could be quite dark and violent...not that I mind, but my boys might have to wait a few years.

STAR WARS...revisited part 1

When I was ten, my father took me to see Star Wars at the local theater. It had been playing for some time and the hype was explosive! I recall waiting in line (something I had not done, ever, while waiting to see a movie) outside of the theater. The opening scene fulfilled my excitement...

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

STAR WARS

then the opening crawl...the rebel blockade runner, the star destroyer, all of it...it all changed my life...

I decided right then and there that I would make something creative and cool with my life!

Star Wars changed me...

flash forward to present...

I bought the box set...or I should say, my fantastic wife, KRISTI, bought it for me, and I felt a youthful excitement all over again.


all of those dreams and ideas have come back in a flood of creative excitement! It is unlike anything I have ever experienced...
I am ready to plunge into my childhood dreams!


Thank you George...

part 2 coming soon...