"Nesborne" fell through like the 2011 Halloween story. Thought I'd open up with that. But don't worry because...well, I'll get to that!
So here I am! Back again for another full blog post! Recently, I've been posting updates on the official Many Worlds of EzloSpirit Google+ Page (link up top), but if you are repulsed by such a site, then I will bring you up to speed now as best as I can!
Anyway, so "Nesborne" fell through, but there is hope! I wrote something different instead! It was a bit late (by almost three weeks), but I actually think it better fits Halloween than "Nesborne" would have. I am talking about "The Mirrors are Plotting," a 2760-word story almost guaranteed to make you paranoid about looking into mirrors! I can't really describe it too much without giving the whole thing away and ruining most of the suspense, but just know that it stars Kat, a snarky businesswoman who is haunted by nightmares of a monster with knives instead of hands. Kat is my second female narrator ever, and she is much better than Maddy Morain, narrator of "Trust Fall." Trust me on this! Reader discretion is advised for this M-rated hybrid of snark and terror---"Mirrors" is my first written work to contain the so-called "F-word"---which was released on the Zelda Universe Forums on November 20 and on Figment just yesterday.
In August, former ZU Forums member and staffer Jehanne did me the great favor of drawing some beautiful cover art for "Duck Season." However, I apparently never downloaded the image, and she left ZU in October, also apparently removing the artwork from her Photobucket account. Which means I can't make a cover for the story. Which, in turn, means I can't release it to Figment or deviantART at this time. I emailed Jehanne a couple weeks ago using an email address I found in a years-old version of the ZU Staff Page using the Wayback Machine, but she hasn't responded. So if you know how to get a hold of her (or you are her!), please let me know!
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Sunday, July 29, 2012
NEW PAGE: Bitcoin Emporium
UPDATE (8/29/2012): The Bitcoin Emporium is now simply The Emporium, as Bitcoins are no longer the only currency accepted. Through PayPal, one can also pay using standard currencies such as USD or GBP. In addition, the short story anthology (US$15.00) originally exclusive to Google+ users is now available in The Emporium. The sale is over, however. (Don't worry, though, because the 50% discount for the I&L:U scans will remain available until October!)
This blog now has an official store! However, there is a catch: the only currency accepted is Bitcoin, a digital peer-to-peer currency! (Head to the Bitcoin website to download a Bitcoin wallet if you do not already have one.)
Currently, I havethree two offers available. Two of them can only be found on the Zelda Universe Forums and Google+. The blog-exclusive offer is the best one, in my opinion! Here's what it is:
This blog now has an official store!
Currently, I have
- "Illusions & Lies: Undercover" (in-progress scans) - 0.6 BTC
(approx. US$5)US$5.00 or 0.45 BTC - Ever wonder where Leonard Rickson's adventure would take him next? Well, wait no longer! Incomplete since 2010, "Illusions & Lies: Undercover" is the on-hold fourth installment in the Illusions & Lies short story series. And for the first time ever, you can have access to scans of the existing story, handwritten by the author! And it's only five dollars' worth for a limited time only (regular price:
1 BTC, almost nine dollars$10.00 or 1 BTC)!
That's right! You get a preview of what will probably be finished within the next couple years (wow)! Email me at ezlospirit[at]gmail[dot]com if you are interested! (I will send you some information regarding the transaction, and after the transaction is completed, you will receive a PDF containing the I&L:U scans!)
Don't forget to check out the new Bitcoin Emporium Emporium page for more offers coming in the future!
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
NEW STORY: "Duck Season"
For the past five months, I have been making most of my news updates and announcements on my official Google+ Page, but do not worry because here is another blog post!
Here's what's been happening: not much. Work on Chapter VI of Armed with Wings has been at a standstill for these five months, but I do plan on returning to it after I complete "Nesborne." Then, there is that: "Nesborne" is the title of my Halloween short story for this year, my first one since 2010 ("The First Hour"). The story is a lengthy sci-fi thriller about the fictitious town of Nesborne, Illinois, and how a group of high-schoolers discover that an alien invasion is not on its way; instead, they discover that an alien invasion is already there....
Finally, today marked the official release of my newest short story, "Duck Season," written last week in two days (July 1-2) for the first-ever official Zelda Universe Forums Art Collab, which is essentially the same thing as ZU's Writing Contests, except that all art forms are accepted and there is no competition. Basically, it's an art show! The theme for this month was "Seasons."
"Duck Season" is what I consider to be my greatest masterpiece thus far. In 2,360 words, it tells a story so deep and so powerful that it has reportedly made most of the people who have read it thus far at least shed a tear. Personally? As soon as I finished typing the last word, I broke into sobs. Simultaneously, I was grinning from ear to ear, so it was pretty weird. But pretty amazing. "Duck Season" is written like a children's story, so the language structure is pretty simplistic (although some more advanced vocabulary is used occasionally throughout). However, the story itself, and its young characters and its conflicts, are as deep and complex as almost any piece of short adult fiction. It also marks the first time that I have used a plot device symbolically, meaning that "Duck Season" has the most intentionally-placed symbolism out of any of my stories thus far, which only adds to the emotion.
The story follows a young boy named Martin as he meets and gets to know a young girl named Angie by the bank of a duck pond in the local park. They quickly become best friends, and they spend their weekends playing in the park by the side of the pond. How could they ever drift apart?
It is my deepest wish that you enjoy "Duck Season" and that it has as much of an effect on you as it did on me and some of those readers whom I sent the story to before release.
By the way, I will be recording audiobook versions of both "Star Crash" and "Duck Season" after I return from Vermont, where I am currently participating in a program for high school students at a college (to help prepare us for college). Stay tuned!
P.S. If you are interested, you should check out the July Art Collab exhibit on ZU! All of the work submitted is top-notch!
P.P.S. "Duck Season" will also be coming to Figment soon! Not yet sure about a deviantART release.
Here's what's been happening: not much. Work on Chapter VI of Armed with Wings has been at a standstill for these five months, but I do plan on returning to it after I complete "Nesborne." Then, there is that: "Nesborne" is the title of my Halloween short story for this year, my first one since 2010 ("The First Hour"). The story is a lengthy sci-fi thriller about the fictitious town of Nesborne, Illinois, and how a group of high-schoolers discover that an alien invasion is not on its way; instead, they discover that an alien invasion is already there....
Finally, today marked the official release of my newest short story, "Duck Season," written last week in two days (July 1-2) for the first-ever official Zelda Universe Forums Art Collab, which is essentially the same thing as ZU's Writing Contests, except that all art forms are accepted and there is no competition. Basically, it's an art show! The theme for this month was "Seasons."
"Duck Season" is what I consider to be my greatest masterpiece thus far. In 2,360 words, it tells a story so deep and so powerful that it has reportedly made most of the people who have read it thus far at least shed a tear. Personally? As soon as I finished typing the last word, I broke into sobs. Simultaneously, I was grinning from ear to ear, so it was pretty weird. But pretty amazing. "Duck Season" is written like a children's story, so the language structure is pretty simplistic (although some more advanced vocabulary is used occasionally throughout). However, the story itself, and its young characters and its conflicts, are as deep and complex as almost any piece of short adult fiction. It also marks the first time that I have used a plot device symbolically, meaning that "Duck Season" has the most intentionally-placed symbolism out of any of my stories thus far, which only adds to the emotion.
The story follows a young boy named Martin as he meets and gets to know a young girl named Angie by the bank of a duck pond in the local park. They quickly become best friends, and they spend their weekends playing in the park by the side of the pond. How could they ever drift apart?
It is my deepest wish that you enjoy "Duck Season" and that it has as much of an effect on you as it did on me and some of those readers whom I sent the story to before release.
By the way, I will be recording audiobook versions of both "Star Crash" and "Duck Season" after I return from Vermont, where I am currently participating in a program for high school students at a college (to help prepare us for college). Stay tuned!
P.S. If you are interested, you should check out the July Art Collab exhibit on ZU! All of the work submitted is top-notch!
P.P.S. "Duck Season" will also be coming to Figment soon! Not yet sure about a deviantART release.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
AwW Chapters IV & V Launch + Now on Google+! + Other Little Things
It's been a while since I posted here. Granted, I've gone at least twice as long without posting before, but considering how often I'd been posting up to now, this is pretty unusual. I've been really busy. Thanks, school. (More on something writing-related at school later on!)
Since my last post, both the fourth and fifth chapters of Armed with Wings have been completed and published to the ZU Forums. "Chapter IV: This Power" is the first chapter to focus entirely on Vandheer Lorde, shedding (semi-unofficial) light on how he became so powerful and power-hungry. Poor kid. Anyway, "Chapter V: Blackmist Beast," which was released today, switches back to Armed with Wings's perspective and journey as he comes face to face with a deadly creature made of the purest blackmist. It is a very painful battle. For both involved. Check them out, and if you aren't caught up, you can read the prologue and Chapters I through III using the same link! Enjoy!
On January 26, 2012, Google finally opened up its lightspeed-growing social network Google+ (Google Plus) to users aged 13 to 17, having been open only to users aged 18 and up since it first opened in June of last year. Having held a legitimate grudge against Facebook since it was first revealed how horrible its advertising policies and privacy policies are, I have never experienced social networking beyond Internet discussion forums (hey, ZU!) until joining Google+. And let me tell you: it's awesome! I've already almost reconnected with a good friend from camp the first year I went (2004), and I've been playing social games with my friends (Dragons of Atlantis, Millionare City, Edgeworld, and Bejeweled Blitz), which are more fun than they should be! If you are a fan of my written works, my podcasting, voice work, etc., feel free to add me to your Circles! +Eric Biskin. I will be creating a Google+ Page for the Many Worlds of EzloSpirit in the coming weeks, so look out for that, too!
I have removed the Current page from the blog. As you may know if you read my previous post, The Current, my recent fully original project, is currently on-hold until further notice. As such, I have deemed it unnecessary to have a whole page dedicated to it at this point. Whether or not I will create a page dedicated solely to Armed with Wings and the Blackmist Chronicles series remains to be seen. It is likely, however, especially after I start writing Episode I.
On Google Sites (more Google!), I started a site dedicated to an entirely fake television network fittingly (and pathetically) called "The TV Channel," a little thing I made up when I was about four years old (before the 21st century?!) for the purpose of entertaining myself. It includes tons of references to stories I have written, partially written, and will eventually write. Check it out if you're into that kind of thing...?
At school a few weeks ago, I worked with my adviser/English teacher and one of my friends (both are writers) to come up with a proposal for a creative writing after-school activity that could begin next year. At my school, after-school activities are required, and I'm sick of working on the school newspaper (which I also think has gone down the drain as a newspaper, mind you), so this would allow me to have some fun during the fall (and winter?) trimesters for once AND to get some good old writing done! Thought I'd mention this. Nothing has been finalized, though. Apparently, the Head of School loved the idea. The Head of Athletics, who organizes the after-school activities, is apparently much more resistant to the idea. Funnily enough, he apparently used to be an English teacher. Strange response.
Finally, I have proposed the idea of a biannual Writing forum-exclusive awards "ceremony" on the ZU Forums. These would be voted upon twice a year by ZU members who both read and write works in the Writing board. Awards may include ones for best writers and poets, best overall original fiction, best overall fan fiction, best poem, most improved writer, most established writer, etc. Maybe even a veteran's achievement award. It's still in the planning stages, but if you are a member of the Zelda Universe Forums, head over to The Writers' Pad to give your input! Thanks to Writing forum "head moderator" Holden and Writing moderator Vynrah for your support!
That's about it for now! I look forward to lots of progress (completion?) on Armed with Wings over the course of 2012 (and maybe two or three new short stories?)! Until next time! (Look forward to it: I wrote a new song last month inspired by Armed with Wings! I'll post the lyrics and maybe a recording here in my next post!)
P.S. My birthday is in 12 days. No, I wasn't born in a dag nab leap year; whenever I say my birthday is February 28, the first thing people always say or ask is related to being close to a Leap Day.
Since my last post, both the fourth and fifth chapters of Armed with Wings have been completed and published to the ZU Forums. "Chapter IV: This Power" is the first chapter to focus entirely on Vandheer Lorde, shedding (semi-unofficial) light on how he became so powerful and power-hungry. Poor kid. Anyway, "Chapter V: Blackmist Beast," which was released today, switches back to Armed with Wings's perspective and journey as he comes face to face with a deadly creature made of the purest blackmist. It is a very painful battle. For both involved. Check them out, and if you aren't caught up, you can read the prologue and Chapters I through III using the same link! Enjoy!
On January 26, 2012, Google finally opened up its lightspeed-growing social network Google+ (Google Plus) to users aged 13 to 17, having been open only to users aged 18 and up since it first opened in June of last year. Having held a legitimate grudge against Facebook since it was first revealed how horrible its advertising policies and privacy policies are, I have never experienced social networking beyond Internet discussion forums (hey, ZU!) until joining Google+. And let me tell you: it's awesome! I've already almost reconnected with a good friend from camp the first year I went (2004), and I've been playing social games with my friends (Dragons of Atlantis, Millionare City, Edgeworld, and Bejeweled Blitz), which are more fun than they should be! If you are a fan of my written works, my podcasting, voice work, etc., feel free to add me to your Circles! +Eric Biskin. I will be creating a Google+ Page for the Many Worlds of EzloSpirit in the coming weeks, so look out for that, too!
I have removed the Current page from the blog. As you may know if you read my previous post, The Current, my recent fully original project, is currently on-hold until further notice. As such, I have deemed it unnecessary to have a whole page dedicated to it at this point. Whether or not I will create a page dedicated solely to Armed with Wings and the Blackmist Chronicles series remains to be seen. It is likely, however, especially after I start writing Episode I.
On Google Sites (more Google!), I started a site dedicated to an entirely fake television network fittingly (and pathetically) called "The TV Channel," a little thing I made up when I was about four years old (before the 21st century?!) for the purpose of entertaining myself. It includes tons of references to stories I have written, partially written, and will eventually write. Check it out if you're into that kind of thing...?
At school a few weeks ago, I worked with my adviser/English teacher and one of my friends (both are writers) to come up with a proposal for a creative writing after-school activity that could begin next year. At my school, after-school activities are required, and I'm sick of working on the school newspaper (which I also think has gone down the drain as a newspaper, mind you), so this would allow me to have some fun during the fall (and winter?) trimesters for once AND to get some good old writing done! Thought I'd mention this. Nothing has been finalized, though. Apparently, the Head of School loved the idea. The Head of Athletics, who organizes the after-school activities, is apparently much more resistant to the idea. Funnily enough, he apparently used to be an English teacher. Strange response.
Finally, I have proposed the idea of a biannual Writing forum-exclusive awards "ceremony" on the ZU Forums. These would be voted upon twice a year by ZU members who both read and write works in the Writing board. Awards may include ones for best writers and poets, best overall original fiction, best overall fan fiction, best poem, most improved writer, most established writer, etc. Maybe even a veteran's achievement award. It's still in the planning stages, but if you are a member of the Zelda Universe Forums, head over to The Writers' Pad to give your input! Thanks to Writing forum "head moderator" Holden and Writing moderator Vynrah for your support!
That's about it for now! I look forward to lots of progress (completion?) on Armed with Wings over the course of 2012 (and maybe two or three new short stories?)! Until next time! (Look forward to it: I wrote a new song last month inspired by Armed with Wings! I'll post the lyrics and maybe a recording here in my next post!)
P.S. My birthday is in 12 days. No, I wasn't born in a dag nab leap year; whenever I say my birthday is February 28, the first thing people always say or ask is related to being close to a Leap Day.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
ARMED WITH WINGS LAUNCHED! + Fate of The Current + Winter 2011 ZU Awards
Bubs says, "I shoulda made this post like exactly a month ago!"
So, November 1 saw the launch of the prologue and first chapter (with November 2 and 15 seeing the launches of Chapters II and III, respectively) of my newest and most active project, Armed with Wings. Armed with Wings is a fan fiction novel project whose source is…a Flash game?! Yes, it is. You may not have believed it so, but it is possible to write a full-length fan fiction piece based on an online game. Because, yes, some Flash games and series actually have stories to them. Those are my favorite kind of Flash series, by the way!
Armed with Wings is based on the game of the same name, the first out of five games to be released (but the second in order of occurrence according to series canon) in Sun-Studios' Armed with Wings series (informally known as the Blackmist series). It follows the resurrected commander of a rebel force that had tried to dethrone the tyrant king but had failed; now, the former commander is back for revenge. He will have to scale a mountain and make his way through hundreds of guards and traps before he can reach the king in his castle.
As stated earlier, the first three chapters are already available for your reading pleasure! Armed with Wings is currently only available on the Zelda Universe Forums, but have no fear; there is a table of contents for easy navigation. In addition, a rough audio version of the fan fiction piece that goes up to the end of Chapter II is also available exclusively (for now) through the project's thread on ZU. However, this is a rough version, meaning that I deem it below standard for my audiobooks, so I will be redoing it at some point in the near future.
Armed with Wings can be found here! Enjoy! (It is rated M for violence and language. Please be aware of this.)
Now, I want to take a moment to discuss The Current. Part of the title of this post is "Fate of The Current," which has likely led you to believe that I'm scrapping it. This is not the case. I am, however, officially putting The Current on-hold. I want to focus on Armed with Wings, which I am well into the fourth chapter of. I will likely return to The Current in 2012.
Lastly, the ZU Awards are back! They are currently in the nomination period, with zero nominations for me for any award. The nomination period ends tomorrow. Thought I'd mention that.
That's it! A short update, since I explained Armed with Wings a lot in my last post. Until next time! (My next post will explain what happened with that "Live Q&A Event" thing. In case you were curious.)
So, November 1 saw the launch of the prologue and first chapter (with November 2 and 15 seeing the launches of Chapters II and III, respectively) of my newest and most active project, Armed with Wings. Armed with Wings is a fan fiction novel project whose source is…a Flash game?! Yes, it is. You may not have believed it so, but it is possible to write a full-length fan fiction piece based on an online game. Because, yes, some Flash games and series actually have stories to them. Those are my favorite kind of Flash series, by the way!
Armed with Wings is based on the game of the same name, the first out of five games to be released (but the second in order of occurrence according to series canon) in Sun-Studios' Armed with Wings series (informally known as the Blackmist series). It follows the resurrected commander of a rebel force that had tried to dethrone the tyrant king but had failed; now, the former commander is back for revenge. He will have to scale a mountain and make his way through hundreds of guards and traps before he can reach the king in his castle.
As stated earlier, the first three chapters are already available for your reading pleasure! Armed with Wings is currently only available on the Zelda Universe Forums, but have no fear; there is a table of contents for easy navigation. In addition, a rough audio version of the fan fiction piece that goes up to the end of Chapter II is also available exclusively (for now) through the project's thread on ZU. However, this is a rough version, meaning that I deem it below standard for my audiobooks, so I will be redoing it at some point in the near future.
Armed with Wings can be found here! Enjoy! (It is rated M for violence and language. Please be aware of this.)
Now, I want to take a moment to discuss The Current. Part of the title of this post is "Fate of The Current," which has likely led you to believe that I'm scrapping it. This is not the case. I am, however, officially putting The Current on-hold. I want to focus on Armed with Wings, which I am well into the fourth chapter of. I will likely return to The Current in 2012.
Lastly, the ZU Awards are back! They are currently in the nomination period, with zero nominations for me for any award. The nomination period ends tomorrow. Thought I'd mention that.
That's it! A short update, since I explained Armed with Wings a lot in my last post. Until next time! (My next post will explain what happened with that "Live Q&A Event" thing. In case you were curious.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)