N.B. Austin

Author of the Civilands Series

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Star Wars: The Rise of Emperor Devil Mouse

I did not see Star Wars: the Rise of Skywalker and I never will.

That said, if you feel the need to say any of the following (and/or if you’re Rian Johnson), please leave this website and never return:

“ThEn HoW cAn YoU sAy It’S bAd?!”

“WeLl ThEn YoU’rE jUsT a ToXiC fAn!”

“YoU jUsT hAtE rEy CuZ yOu DrInK hAtErAdE, yOu HaTeR! i HaTe YoU!”

“StAr WaRs Is FoR kIdS, mAn BaBy!”

Great. Now that the shills are gone, let’s get to discussing what used to be one of the most iconic stories ever put to film.

Warning: *SPOILERS* coming, though they’d only be depressing to see play out in theaters anyway…

The Death of All Skywalkers and the Victory of the Palpatines

For anyone surprised by the twist in Star Wars: the Rise of Skywalker that Rey is Palpatine’s granddaughter, welcome to Disney!

Here at Disney we have one simple mission: to drain the life force out of every property we acquire until nothing remains but a lifeless shell of anything good that once existed within it. So, of course, it was in our company’s DNA to subvert the entire series-defining prophecy of Star Wars. In our view, Emperor Palpatine and his bloodline surviving Anakin Skywalker’s redemption was destiny.

Now some of you might be wondering: “Well wait a second… what’s the value of that? Wouldn’t that devalue your company if you don’t focus on telling good, coherent stories? Why would people pay to watch the villains win?”

While these are logical questions, profit is only the most surface level of our aims as a corporation. We who don the iconic mouse ears think much bigger.

The Rise and Eternal Reign of Satan

Starting to see the connection yet? No? That’s okay! You’ll get there over the course your career here at Disney Corp. With guidance from tens of thousands of soul-sucked colleagues (zombies), you’ll lose track of everything true and good before you know it.

While the First Order might have been worse than sub-par at monitoring their Storm Troopers, we ensure full indoctrination, and our track record proves it. On your first day, head over to Kathleen Kennedy’s office, where the walls are simply covered with “the force is female” posters, t-shirts, and stickers. The head of Lucasfilm, whose internal-only title is “Reich Minister of Propaganda,” is at the very forefront of pushing worldwide gender resentment.

We also know that the gender war we’re stirring up can be a heavy topic for some. But to lighten the mood, look no further than our CEO Bob Iger, who recently published a nice book in which he admitted to subverting the expectations of actual creator and visionary, George Lucas. George went on to call Disney, “white slavers,” but we resent that remark. At Disney we go above and beyond to ensure we never discriminate those we enslave based on race or any other category of people!

Welcome to Disney (Hell)

Star Wars: The Rise of SkywalkerTruth. Creativity. Originality. Morality. These are words we have no use for here at the wonderful world of Disney.

Subversion is the only way. Without it, we would have never been able to create the character Rey Palpatine. And without Rey, Emperor Palpatine would have never been struck down so he could live on forever. Mission accomplished. High fives all around.

And if to this you say, “but he died from his own lightning so she didn’t kill him,” great job and we’re glad to have you aboard! Now go out into the world, bite ankles, and get us the rights to the Lord of the Rings franchise. We really want to bring Sauron back so he can win and we can kill off a much more bitter, hopeless old Frodo Baggins.

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Thanks for reading!

This post was obviously tongue in cheek, but one thing I don’t want to do is push despair. Disney’s “Star Wars” sucks and always will. That’s okay though. Instead of letting this get us down and complaining, let’s create new, better stories. That’s how my writing journey began and I hope you join me.

Whether you’re a story consumer or a fellow story teller, tune in to the Tuesday Night Fiction podcast for similar content and/or check out the Civilands series for an epic fantasy western!

The Civilands Series Map

The Civilands Series map is here!

Save it and use it as a guide as you read through the adventure. From East Duresia to the Murrieta Territory, the whole world and all relevant locations are outlined in detail.

The Civilands Series Map

The Civilands Epic Fantasy-Fiction Adventure Series

On a dreary morning in the Murrieta Territory’s Riverlands, smoke fills the sky at the home of prominent businessman Adonis Morrell. Escaping out back and into the forest is daughter Jeannie Morrell. We follow Jeannie who is on the run from those who started the fire: the Keagan gang. But what lies ahead beyond the trees is anything but expected.

The novels tie together the stories of a variety of characters and feature plenty of twists and turns along their paths through this mysterious, intriguing world. Themes of family, justice, religion, grief, and morality make this fiction series what it is. Its story is an intriguing blend of Manifest Destiny meets Game of Thrones meets Gangs of New York.

The Civilands novels are serialized and would be most enjoyed in order:

#1 Crimson River

#2 Crystal Eyes

#3 Crescent Heart

#4 Cryptic Kingdom

#5 Crevasse Colossus (Series finale: expected 2020)

The following is a preview of chapter 1 of the series:

Chapter 1 – The River White (Pt. 1 of 4)

Jeannie Morrell stumbled through the thicket that morning more than she ever had previously. Though her thirteenth birthday had only come and gone about a month before, she was far more familiar with the forests of the Riverlands than most. Still, whether out of fear or fatigue, her short, lean legs continued to fail her. With each misstep, she felt the men drawing closer in their pursuit.

Weaving meticulously left and right through the towering, snow-covered trees, she pressed on. She could hear the hounds just behind her; they crashed through the forest, chasing her as the men at their backs cheered them on, yelling obscenities with a drunken furor. The group was so loud and vile that it was nearly impossible for her to tell the men apart from the barking dogs. With each wide trunk she passed, she considered stopping to try and hide, but she knew there would be no hiding.

Her pale, frostbitten cheeks stung with the same fiery bite of the flames that had engulfed her home earlier that morning. The scent of the smoke remained with her. As painful as those reminders were, she promised herself that they would stay with her and fuel her revenge.

As the voices began to grow clearer, she suddenly burst through the tree line and emerged upon the banks of the River White. Though she had never crossed the river at this time of year, she plunged ahead, willing to do anything to escape the men behind her. Her first step into the freezing water was slow and excruciating, but she knew the consequences would be far worse otherwise. With the white caps of the current crashing upon her, Jeannie furiously swam her way across the river.

Once she exited the water, the winter air produced a chill she could no longer ignore. She swiped at her short, brown hair, which was plastered to her wet face, and gathered the skirt of her soaked, baggy dress, ready to launch into another sprint.

“There’s only one way this ends child,” a man shouted across the river.

They were upon her.

Jeannie whipped around, her dress throwing droplets of water around her in the process. She quickly counted eight men and four hounds staring at her across the bank. The group was standing behind a tall, thin man who was clearly the leader. The men continued to holler at her, the dogs echoing them by barking viciously in her direction. While those behind the leader appeared to be nothing more than filthy farmers, the leader was dressed quite elegantly. There was, however, no disguising that underneath that thin veneer of wealth he was one of them—the ugliness of his face and his lack of hygiene matched that of his men.

Jeannie stood frozen as her mind gathered all these details, ready to continue running but too horrified to make the first move. The leader silenced his eleven beasts, a dark grin on his face.

“You don’t have to meet the same fate as the rest of your Morrell horde, my dear,” he continued through tobacco-stained teeth. “You see, my family shows graciousness to those who surrender without too much trouble; crossing this here stream though? Now that’s something I’d consider to be far too much trouble. Why don’t you come back on over here and we can discuss said graciousness?”

Smoke rose in the distance above the trees from where the Morrell home once stood. Shivering, teeth chattering, Jeannie tried to ignore the tears that began to fill her eyes.

“There was no graciousness shown to my family, and I know there will be none shown to me,” she cried. “Why should I trust any member of the Keagan Gang after what you monsters have done?”

The leader took a step forward and looked down at the bloodstained double barrel that he cradled like a child in his arms.

“My dear, sweet, little bird!” he shouted back. “I’m not entirely sure you know who you’re speaking to. I’m not just a member of the Keagan Gang. I’m Keagan blood. My name is Walter Keagan, first cousin of the William Keagan, and if there is any fish big enough in our humble little pond that might keep his word it is I. That mess back there at your home, it was just a misunderstanding. But you better believe that I would not intentionally harm a precious little lady like yourself.”

“Well, Mr. Walter Keagan, my name is Jeannie Morrell, daughter of Adonis Morrell, and you’ll have to carry me kicking and screaming back across this river if William Keagan ever wants to see me!” she declared, surprising herself.

She never knew she had such courage in her until that moment, but she didn’t have time to think on it as she turned and ran.

As she darted into the trees on the other side, she heard Walter Keagan’s parting shot: “Can’t say I’m completely upset with that response, little bird! Now, boys, let’s hunt!”

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If you love an exciting fiction series with strong characters, start Civilands now!

Game of Thrones Review: “The Bells” Could Have Been Great If…

Game of Thrones Review, "The Bells"

Another day, another Game of Thrones review. Episode 5 of the series eighth and final season, “The Bells,” was the culmination of the series as the battle for the Iron Throne comes to a head.

Now, so far in season 8 there have been plenty of mixed reactions from viewers. The theme of the show opposing that of the books is one major point of contention. Others include clunky battle scenes and a lack of character resolution.

But I don’t want to focus on anything other than episode 5 and what led to it here. If these very simple tweaks were made, I think “The Bells” could have been one of the best moments of the entire Game of Thrones series.

And be sure to read through to the end, as I saved the most important issue for last!

***WARNING: GAME OF THRONES REVIEW WITH SPOILERS AHEAD***

1. Euron and Jamie: “That’s a Kill!”

Bill the Butcher, Gangs of New York

Where do I begin with this horrible fan-service nonsense? The skirmish between Euron and Jamie should have never happened for too many reasons to count.

First off, how fortunate for us fans for Euron and Euron alone to wash up on shore right at Jamie’s exact place and time after he had to trek through all of King’s Landing to get there. Good Lord of Light, how stupid must the writers think the audience is to suspend so much disbelief? Especially considering how all the other main characters also washed up on shore when their ships were destroyed in the previous episode, I’d say naval warfare seems pretty pointless in this show.

Next, and I might have missed this or something so if I did please tell me in the comments, but how the hell did Jamie even get here? I thought there was some kind of conflict emerging with him appearing to not get into the city when the others were flooding in, but then he somehow did get in? Or did he not and take a back way? I don’t know, whatever.

The most nauseating thing though was subversion for the sake of subversion. Not only does this fight have to happen somehow, but our expectations have to be subverted by Jamie losing at first. And not only does he have to lose, Euron has to land TWO kill shots. Because if we learned anything from Bill the Butcher in Gangs of New York, “that’s a kill! Not a wound!”

. . . Oh yeah, and then Jamie lives, finds Cersei, and never succumbs to his pointless “wounds.” Again, I don’t know, whatever.

My Solution:

Remove this fight. Euron dies in the ocean because who cares about him anyway? We haven’t been built up to hate him to anywhere near the same extent we had been with a Ramsey Bolton type of character. Fire would do just fine, especially since he took down a dragon.

2. Cleganebowl: The Hound (And Arya) Deserved Better

I don’t dislike that the battle between the Hound and the Mountain happened, but the way it unfolded could have been way better.

To start, the Hound and Arya make what would have been a harrowing entry into King’s Landing. They continued from there on an improbable (at best) march all the way through a battle and to the Red Keep. Then, when they arrive and all hell breaks loose with Daenerys, the Hound convinces Arya to leave.

No problems with any of this so far. Arya being scared is not the least bit surprising and the goodbye between the two characters was a good moment.

However, the goodbye between the two characters implied the Hound will fulfill Arya’s wishes in her absence. This makes Cersei walking right past him without any issue absurd to me. Why not just set it up where she gets away or something? Also, what is Arya thanking him for if not for his trying to handle what she’d have otherwise come all this way to handle?

So Cersei walks off and the other minions are dead and we get the fight we’ve been waiting for. But the end of said fight wasn’t as satisfying as it could have been, with the Hound tackling the Mountain through a wall and landing in a fire.

Now the fire is meant to be significant, right? Because the Hound is supposed to be afraid of fire, right? Well sure, it would be: if the Hound knew the fire was there.

My Solution:

Make Cersei get away literally any other way than just walking right past the Hound. Maybe have the Mountain attack first and allow her the opportunity to escape? Anything really. I don’t care if you feel the need to have a phantom piece of debris disorient the Hound for a second, or maybe a distracting albino squirrel singing the blues runs past him to catch his eye while she runs off. Anything.

Also, make the Hound see the fire below BEFORE he tackles the Mountain into it. Make it a meaningful choice to face both his fears of his brother and fire at the same time. Overcoming it in his most crucial moment while earning Arya’s appreciation would complete his entire story to the fullest.

3. Jamie Cheats on Brienne With Cersei

Again, I don’t dislike that the reunion and demise of Jamie and Cersei occurred, but how they got there felt off.

It starts in the previous episode with a far too sudden separation of Jamie and Brienne. All prior indications pointed to them staying together and his arc to righteousness being completed. There were no hints whatsoever of second thoughts on his part and if there were they were way too subtle. Nonetheless, Jamie runs off and leaves Brienne behind.

Now, praise where praise is due: the best part of Jamie’s return to his sister comes when he finds Tyrion. The goodbye between Tyrion and Jamie was one of the best moments in this episode and series. Everything about Tyrion in this episode was great, given the direction taken to this point of his plans failing as much as they have.

My Solution:

There should have been clear signs of Jamie’s feelings in one of two directions:

  1. He was bored of Brienne. Maybe the sex isn’t what it was with Cersei? Maybe he resented the prospect of living life in the north? Whatever it is, let us see it. His abandonment of her shouldn’t be a surprise to us, even if it is to her.
  2. He still has love for Brienne and is upfront with her that he just can’t let his pregnant sister die alone. She could still resent him for making this decision now, but at least it would be consistent with both the bond they’ve developed and the way we’ve seen him grow. There’s no reason to hurt her if his heart is still good and we’d still understand his leaving for Cersei.

While I like the impact his decision to leave her has on Brienne as a character (it makes sense she’d break down since she’s a virgin and her feelings for him are unfamiliar), it needs to not be so sudden. Either solution above would work.

Beyond that I think everything else is good (obviously besides Euron). I just felt like by the time he got to Cersei I lost track of who Jamie Lannister really was.

4. Nice Horse, Where’d You Find It?

Game of Thrones Review
“Hey”

This wasn’t a huge deal and I really don’t mean to nitpick little things in this post. At the same time though, there was just something off about that fancy white horse being there. It didn’t feel right in a city of dust and ashes. I know I’m not the only person to think this too. Maybe it was because it didn’t look like it was as disheveled as everything else in the scene. Not totally sure.

Because I need to point out greatness though, the makeup and costume design for Arya here was beyond brilliant. Not only is the blood and dirt on point, but her hair and attire is so Ned Stark it’s mind boggling. Being that she’s in King’s Landing and struggling through the streets the way he had here, the connection couldn’t be more on point.

My solution:

Remove the horse and focus more on her walk back out of the city. It would be way more grueling to see Arya limping and shell shocked. We aren’t used to seeing her intimidated this way so it would have a way bigger impact to drag that out. Also because, let’s be real, she’s the only likable character left at this point.

5. The Easiest Battle in the History of the Seven Kingdoms

One dragon is all it took in the end. The unsullied weren’t really necessary. The fleets weren’t necessary. The Dothraki weren’t . . . wait . . . the Dothraki didn’t die in the charge during the Long Night? And even if there were more, there are still this many? Oh, okay.

Even with those big bolts Cersei had for dragon killing on her ships and walls, even after Dany and the dragon stood right in front of Cersei ripe for the killing in the episode before, even though we were told the armies were apparently even in size, it was all just way too easy.

Also, what was with the explosion when Drogon flanks the troops at the gates of the castle? Were explosives set up for if the walls were breached? If so, shouldn’t they have been green, which is the color I associated with Cersei’s explosives throughout the episode? Because I’m not buying that was just dragon flames. Something exploded but we don’t know why other than it totally looked so cool and stuff.

My Solution:

As bad as these guys have proven to be at constructing sensible battle sequences, this should have been way more of a struggle at first.

I’ll go into this more in the following and final point, but it would have also justified Dany’s final turn more if the actual conflict was more difficult. Perhaps the last of the Dothraki do fall? This would symbolize the end of a powerful alliance she formed during her ascent. Perhaps Drogon, her final dragon, gets injured once or twice? This could lead to Drogon acting more erratic, which would in turn further spurn Dany into the rage we come to see from her.

And so we reach the biggest missed opportunity of the episode . . .

6. MOST IMPORTANT: Dany’s Unearned Madness

Let me start by saying I love the idea of Daenerys burning King’s Landing to the ground. It fits her character’s trajectory and it makes sense under the right circumstances.

Dany has lost several friends, survived assassination attempts, and overcome those who doubted her on her long journey to rule the Seven Kingdoms. For her to successfully take the city of King’s Landing, only to be rejected by the very people she sought for so long to liberate, it would be a logical breaking point.

And while this seemed like it might have been the intent of the writers, it was not what played out on screen.

Instead, Daenerys is simply told about the opinions of “the people” by Varys, who is promptly executed. The problem with this is that Dany never trusted noblemen and we don’t even get a clear message she’s unwanted. Her heart, in contrast to all other characters in the show, was always with “the people.” For her to now flip without evidence other than the words of this person she deems disposable is totally out of character.

This is why when the bells ring and we see her light up everyone in between her dragon’s perch and the Red Keep, all of whom are begging for mercy in the lead up, we don’t understand her decision.

My solution:

I was on the edge of my seat when Daenerys Stormborn Of House Targaryen, First of Her Name, The Unburnt, Queen of the Andals and The First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons stared down the Red Keep. It was going to be the epic end of a show’s worth of Lannister rule. Cersei’s decision to sacrifice her people was going to come back to bite her because there would be no surrender granted to her.

So we’re just going to pretend the Game of Thrones writer’s made that happen. Dany flies Drogon straight at the Red Keep and burns it all to the ground.

“The people” in this case are liberated and Dany takes the city. Only now, word of Varys’s letter about Jon has gotten out and with her army weakened, the people of King’s Landing demand the rightful king take his place. The survivors of Cersei’s Golden Company, numerous still due to the surrender, take their side as well. The more vocal the cries get for her to leave the more an injured, erratic Drogon starts to react, and before the first person is burned, Dany’s hatred for them is solidified. Because if “the people” are against her, then everyone is against her, and power is the only thing this “rightful ruler” has left to seek.

Conclusion

This could have really been one of the best episodes in the entire Game of Thrones series, especially given the trajectory the writers decided to take with the White Walkers. It was set up to have major character resolutions for most of the main characters we’ve been following for eight seasons. It is my sincere hope that the payoffs in next week’s finale feel more satisfying because this has certainly been one of the best shows I’ve ever followed to this point.

The above have been my opinions on how this episode could have been significantly strengthened, which I hope you enjoyed. If so, or if not, or if somewhat, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Thank you for reading my Game of Thrones review!

If you enjoyed this content, you might also enjoy the Civilands series and the Tuesday Night Fiction audio book podcast. The series is best described as Game of Thrones meets Gangs of New York meets Manifest Destiny. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and feel free to subscribe for more blog updates.

Today I Started Writing Another Book

And here’s the thing… I haven’t written a single word of it since I woke up.

No, stories don’t begin when you start typing them. Stories begin when pieces of the plot fall from the sky one-by-one like meteorites with trajectories all directed at a single target. But they are imperfectly directed. And in that imperfection there is beauty. Because they will mold the subject of their strike into something new.

Three books in, they’ve beaten me to a bloody pulp before. And to be honest with you, I love the pain. It’s an addiction I have no desire to kick. What it’s shown me is that when you change in a positive way, you influence everyone around you in a positive way.

Which brings me to today.

The difference between the start of the book 4 writing process and any of the other three is that my own heart is whole today.

When I started writing two years ago I was in search of myself. I am elated to the point of nirvana to say that somewhere along the way I found what I was looking for. It’s taken me until now though to see my writing and dedication to it for the impact it has had on people other than myself.

So I want to thank you.

If you’re reading this now and/or have read anything I’ve written in the past. Thank you. If you’ve never read anything I’ve written and are just one of the people who have told me that what I’ve been doing has inspired you. Thank you. If you’re doing what you love and I don’t even know you. Thank you.

It is my sincere hope that you will share with me how your own journey develops. If you do I swear I will be your biggest fan (or second biggest behind your mom). Either way though, I’m going to keep writing both for me and for you and I’m not ever going to stop.
Image result for here we go gif

And. Here. We. Go!

This is going to be the best book I’ve written so far, and certainly the best I can imagine myself writing at this moment. So buckle the fuck up, my friends. The next leg of this road has bigger twists, turns, vengeance, violence, family, love, pain, and happiness than ever before, all delivered as fast and furious as you can handle.

And I’ll keep you posted along the way but if you want to know how it feels to be at the beginning of this amazing process, here it is… My blood is warm. My insides are boiling. There is a raging fire there and a ferocious tenacity rattling my bones. I’ve said it before: I will write a story that’s adapted into a TV series. You will see my show on Netflix or HBO. I’m going to keep saying it until it comes true. This is just the next rung in the ladder. I’ll see you when we reach the top. 🙂

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QOTD: Won’t you join me?

Thank you for reading and for everyone’s continued support for the Civilands series. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, feel free to subscribe for more blog updates, and click here for free book giveaways, including best-sellers!

How I Learned to Avoid Procrastination

I recently had a discussion with a buddy of mine about how to avoid procrastination. The conversation allowed me to reflect on some habits I didn’t consciously think about, but had become a part of my every day life.

Before I tell you about those habits, I need to make something clear: there are a variety of reasons we put things off for later. I can’t possibly know yours and won’t pretend my solutions will cure you. However, this isn’t the first time I had been asked about the things I’ve been able to get done in a relatively short period of time. Another friend actually messaged me to ask if I sleep.

Yes, friends, I do sleep.

And you should sleep too. Once you wake up though, here is a process that might help you if you feel like you aren’t getting enough done.

Step 1: Acknowledge the Problem

This is by far the hardest and most important step. It isn’t always clear to see what’s missing in our lives. Sometimes we just get stuck with the feeling of missing something, without having any idea what it is.

I was certainly in that boat. Whether I thought I wasn’t enough or my situation wasn’t what it could be, the feeling hovered over me. A breaking point is reached soon after and this stimulus tends to trigger the realization that a change needs to happen. No matter how hard this period is at the time though, it is necessary and ultimately makes the rest possible.

We generally don’t want to–or know how to–admit we’re going about things the wrong way. Once we know a problem exists though, it becomes as easy as solving it.

Some examples of what you might be missing: work time, overtime, creative time, family and/or friends time, health/workout time, other recreational time, “me” time

Step 2: Look at Your Schedule

Now you know what it is you want more of in your life. So what are the reasons they aren’t already there? For most it’s because we get tied up in so many other things.

For me, I would be wiped out after a day of working and commuting. When I got home I would spend time with family/friends but there was so much else missing on a personal level it was hard to stay positive. From not having time for a creative outlet, to not having time for almost any of my favorite recreational activities, I just wasn’t living on my own terms and it showed.

To fix it you should first identify what you have too much of and what is causing you to stress.

Some examples of what consumes our lives (same as before!): work time, overtime, creative time, family and/or friends time, health/workout time, other recreational time, “me” time

Step 3: Trim the Fat

Seek balance. Don’t quit your job, but ask yourself how much the amount of time you’re putting into that job is contributing to or taking away from your happiness. Do this for each of the examples of your time allocation above. Which areas can you cut time away from to make way for alternatives that provide you a better balance?

My job and the city I was living in stressed me out. At the same time, I knew of friends in my industry at companies with better work-life balance and in cities I enjoyed more. The change I needed to make was available and clear in this case so I made it, taking a slight pay cut in the process. I can’t find the words to tell you how worth it that was.

For some, the time available to cut may be less clear than for others. However, if you aren’t satisfied with your current lot, change of some kind is the only way forward, no?

Step 4: Just Keep Trimming

Maintain the activities that make you happiest, continuously chip away the ones that don’t, and fill the extra space with the things you were missing. Let progressively finding ways to free up more and more available time become a lifestyle.

When I reduced time with others to have more “me” time I was able to focus more on working out and my health consistently. As a result I started to feel better and had more energy at work. This allowed me to focus and find a new job in a city I love. The new job provided me even more free time as I cut my commute by more than half, which in turn led to tons of time for the creative endeavors I’d put off for so long. All of this combined to provide happiness that improved my relationships in a big way.

So find a pair of scissors and a glue stick and get to work.

Step 5: Don’t Force It

While discussing this concept with another friend, I was asked “how much free time do you have per day?” Now the answer depends on the day, but it probably varies from around 3-8 hours. Let me be clear about those hours: I do not spend every bit of those hours being productive.

Nor should you have to. On occasion I will get lost in recreational hobbies. Others I’ll get in a bunch of physical or social activity. I love to write and be creative in general, so inevitably the inspiration hits and I get something done every single day. The reason though is because I’ve made that time available.

Now, don’t get me wrong, you should make deadlines and stick to them. Your deadlines should be both achievable and challenging to reach. However, you are far more likely to reach them when giving yourself as much extra time as possible. When your mind is clear and heart is aligned the rest falls in place, I promise.

Step 6: Mix It Up

Everything becomes routine in excess. Try new things.

For me, I don’t necessarily want to restrict myself to the definition of “writer.” I love the title, but I love so many other things too. Additionally, exploring those other things tends to allow my passion for writing to grow… including video games, as other posts have shown. 😉

In Conclusion

Ok, for reals though, I just texted the following to a fourth friend. I’d like to give a big thanks to all those who I mentioned not-by-name in this post, for the always thought-provoking conversations.

But yea dude little by little we gotta just always be trying to make the time we spend in our lives more of what we love and less of what we don’t.

As you can tell, the above is verbatim… dude.

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QOTD: Do you procrastinate? What’s influences in your life are limiting your time? Tell me about it below!

Thank you for reading and for everyone’s continued support for the Civilands series. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, feel free to subscribe for more blog updates, and click here for free book giveaways, including best-sellers!

Book 3 is Here! And What This One Means to Me

Today I am proud to unleash Crescent Heart, book 3 in my first series, upon the world! The Murrieta Territory in which it takes place is unraveling, as the various groups continue their fight for control. I’ve provided links below so you can find out who wins that fight. But in the meantime I wanted to talk a little about what it means to be publishing this particular book today.

The Dedication

This book is dedicated to my grandparents. Though two of the four are no longer with us, all their teachings live on and inspire so many of the themes in my writing. The most interesting thing they seem to have inspired though is the genre itself.

When my grandpa found out about the dedication, he sent me a beautiful poem he had written for his late father, Nicholas. I happen to be named after Nicholas, which made it that much more special to see this tribute. However, what really struck me was how aligned his path in life was to my own, and how much that has translated to the page.

Nicholas was a Greek man who came to America to achieve his dreams, the way so many others did. Despite the obstacles along the way, he worked hard to get to where he wanted to be. Though the specific destination changed over time, his compass always led him in the same direction: west.

There is an aura about the west. A mystique that promises us something better. What we find through the trials and tribulations though is much more significant than any wealth we seek. What we find is ourselves. Our true selves. We figure out who we are and why we’re making the choices we make. For Nicholas, the importance of family became clear in that time.

For obvious reasons, I’m grateful for that. But now more than ever I’m also grateful for my namesake. Though I never met the man, his story is like a mirror and there is a comfort in that. Without Crescent Heart I might have never discovered this.

The Milestone

It remains strange to say out loud I’ve written any books, yet now there are three I can hold in my hand. From the third I’ve learned three major things.

  1. Improvement – novel writing isn’t something I’ve done my entire life. This means when I first started there was certainly ground to be gained. Now in my third installment, I can see some of those gains being made. Crescent Heart is a more tightly written story and the first draft was probably the most telling in how my writing itself has developed.
  2. Inspiration – I have received a consistent message of being inspired from others who have observed my progress. Whether they read the books or not, whether they are writers or have some other hobby, several people have said it makes them want to do more. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to hear. The lesson I’ve gleaned from it is clear: more doing, less planning. Balance of the two is important, but I plan on maintaining something like 80/20.
  3. Balance – this has become the new most important word in my entire life. Maybe it stemmed from creating two contrasting, yet complementary, religions. Maybe it was because I was working on this book and a trailer during the same time period. Whatever it was, I realized how important the balance of passion and practicality is. In all things though, it seems ideal to never be too far to any extreme.

The Story

Much like books 1 and 2, there continues to be familial themes. The struggle to find and protect home remains as well. What I most wanted to further expand upon in this one though are the dynamics of brotherhood, the religious/fantasy elements, and the politics of developing societies.

The Keagan brothers have each had their own distinct revelations to this point in the series. Will what they find clash or bring them closer together at a time when they most need to be aligned? With their vast control, the stability of the trinity has a huge impact on the Murrieta. But stability is hard to come by in this world.

There is also depth to be discovered in that we don’t yet know all there is to know about the natives. What is the true scope of their abilities and of their deity, the Mother? Also, how does religion influence the decisions of the Easterners they clash with? Something I wanted to look at there was the rivalry-type nature different religions end up taking on. There is an innate conflict in believing. You are not only choosing to believe in your god, you are choosing to not believe in another. This book explores that struggle both internally and externally.

The final theme is the politics of developing societies. While the Murrieta is still a very raw place, the city of New Berkeley back east is in a state of constant industrial expansion. How will political ideologies seek to either speed or tame its growth?

What’s Next

Book 4, more screenwriting, and back to regular posting.

My main focus is going to be book 4 though. With the working title, Cryptic Kingdom, this installment is all the twists and turns coming to a head. All the secrets and the meaning in this world will be revealed in this book, before the fifth brings it all to a roller coaster of an end. And believe me, some of what is to come should make for gasps and forehead slaps… In fact, they already have when I described what’s next to my editor!

It’s bitter-sweet being this close to finished with my first series. The emotions I’m feeling around that reality really came to a head over the course of writing/plotting Crescent Heart. What I’m finding is that I don’t want it to end. I don’t want the twists and turns to stop. The experiences of creating them has been one of the single most fulfilling things in my life. It is everything I dreamed it would be and more.

But despite the sadness, I know this is not the end because there will be no end. There will always be another story to tell. I can’t wait for the next surprises to reveal themselves and hope you’re with me when they do!

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A Still Winter in the Mountains (Novel Excerpt Short)

Image source: Pixabay.

Passage from Crescent Heart (Civilands #3), Chapter 9: Painted

Looking down at the empty glass in his hand, he decided this time to place it down on the ground beside him as it was. “I can’t let her go. I’m sorry. I won’t.”

“I understand.”

“She was . . . a still winter in the mountains. On a morning when the air is flavored with pine so crisp you can relish the taste as much as the smell. Its breeze goes far beyond filling your lungs though. It enriches your entire soul.”

A smile crept across his face as his heart increased its pace and intensity. “But somehow — somehow she’s more than that, too. Right at the moment you were starting to think there couldn’t possibly be more, there is. Because she’s also a storm. A hurricane others might try to steer clear of, but not you. No. You truly know her — her path and every bit of her form. So you run straight for the eye, straight through the bolts of lightning and crackling thunder, to her center and watch as she tears through the plains without a care in the world of what’s left behind. And you love every minute of it because as much as that winter air is a part of her, so too is the storm. And you wouldn’t have her any other way. Because all of it exists within you, and it feels like it always has until you become one. But then . . . then you lose it all.”

Staring ahead with the back of his head against the door, his breathing slowed before he started to break down, as he had so many times before.

“I . . . I need her back, Nova. I can’t go on without her. This is the only way.”

Not a reply or sound came.

“Nova? Are you still there?”

The silence only stretched.

William stood and tore open the door to find an empty bar. Gently closing it again, he returned to his seat and wept.

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QOTD: Ever feel this for someone? Tell me about it below!

Thank you for reading and for everyone’s continued support for the Civilands series. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, feel free to subscribe for more blog updates, and click here for free book giveaways, including best-sellers!