#it brings out the writer nerd in me its made me push myself in my own writing

[dennistakesamentalhealthday]

the nancy boy thing is just so fucking insane because like. they broke from the spelling of this name to do it but also incorporated it into the spelling of his name with n for nancy (possibly showing how he associates it with himself). but the license plate could have been any letter and that letter could have been any word and they chose b for boy. they could have cut to the license plate from any letter in dennis and they chose n for nancy. and we already know the way dennis spells out his name/words in this scene is very important metaphorically they showed us with that alternate D.E.N.N.I.S. system he gives us so.....they did that on purpose and drew attention to it

[miggydiaz]

For the salty ask 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 14, 16, 20, 22, 23 and 26 for cobra kai pretty please

My answers are so long, so I am putting this under the cut @wonderwolfballoon! Also I just noticed your Daniel icon I SWEAR I’M NOT DRAGGING HIM TO BE MEAN!!!

1. What OTPs in your fandom(s) do you just not get?* My biggest IDGI ships for CK are probably Elimetri or Kiaz. I’m not here to yuck other people’s yums or anything, but I do think there is something to the idea that Migueli isn’t popular because it’s a ship predicated on mutual respect for one another. Kiaz has the obvious enemies to lovers vibe and I just generally don’t sail those ships. Elimetri has... its problems, IMO, most especially around the idea that Demetri has to like... save Hawk from himself? Idk. I just like romances that I feel are based on love and mutual respect and not ...tropes.

 I am also not a Lawrusso shipper although I have a lot of those on my dash and you all are great! Again, not yucking yums! Daniel just makes me want to head butt him too much to pair him romantically with anyone 😂 I don’t even want his wife with him. He needs to self reflect~ 

4. Do you have a NoTP in your fandom? Are they a popular OTP?* 

I once saw someone ship Amanda and Anoush and I noped out of that so fucking fast I almost tripped over myself. I’m not sure if they’re popular. I just think some people feel the need to get Amanda out of the way to sail their ship and stuck her with Anoush which... no. Just no. Let Amanda be a messy single queen with a martini hobby, thanks! 

5. Has fandom ever ruined a pairing for you?* 

Not in CK. I’m lucky because I pretty much stick to my little Migueli bubble and I’m okay with that? Lmao lord knows the Squad on my dash is all about the DISCOURSE™️ so idk if I just don’t feel the need to get sucked into the wider ship wars because we have good healthy debates, but so far, so good. 

6. Has fandom ever made you enjoy a pairing you previously hated?* 

I never hated it... I just didn’t have many feelings on shipping with this show in general at first. Then I was in the CK tag one day and I saw Migueli fan art. Then I discovered @afurioushawk‘s falconry series and it was all over for me after that! So fandom DID make me love a ship, just not one I hated.

9. Most disliked character(s)? Why? Oh boy. How much time do you have? In some instances, it’s a good thing season 3 happened because otherwise, this would be a multi-page essay on the problems with race and class privilege as it pertains to Sam LaRusso and just some... generally not nice comments about Demetri that I’m conflicted about because I’m not sure if the writers are intentionally trying to write him a specific way and it’s just not translating to me or what. But season 3 revamped both of their images with me a lot. I’m way more flexible in terms of Demetri, but lmao I was the number one Sam LaRusso hater for a minute there (or maybe number 2, I can think of at least 1 other person who was in that boat with me back in like... August/September, but I won’t call them out because I don’t want them to get hate...) However, I have grown a bit in my opinions of Sam, and even though I still think she’s responsible  for a lot of shit she NEVER gets held accountable for, I also think that’s a reflection of the adults around her too, and this includes my otherwise unproblematic queen, Amanda.

But honestly, my most hated character (other than the obvious villain that is Kreese) is Daniel. No matter how handsome Ralph Macchio looks in cable-knits, because Daniel has always been a sanctimonious, shit starting drama king and I say that about KK Daniel too. I’m not saying Daniel was the ~true villain~ or anything, or that Johnny was innocent -- I can only drink so much Red and Yellow Kool-Aid -- but Daniel’s always been annoying to me as a protagonist, and turning him into a smarmy wealthy car salesman who is also a class traitor did not do him any favors in my book. I will say, I also like Daniel more in season 3 than I have in previous season, but since he is the adult, I will be mad at him longer than I will be at the kids, ya feel?

10. Most disliked arc? Why?

 Johnny’s entire season 3 storyline. The sheer level of REGRESSION at every turn drives me bonkers. It’s like watching him go through all of the stumbling blocks of season 1 all over again, but without the “he’s learning! He’s going to make mistakes!” free pass that I was willing to give him the first time around. He regularly jeopardizes Miguel’s recovery and it’s played for laughs. He fucks up on every level with Robby. He spends most of his time running away when things get hard or too real. He drops the ball completely with Hawk, and like, not to put too fine a point on it, but a lot of Hawk’s issues are because Johnny put Hawk on this ‘flip the script and be a badass’ path and then offered him no guidance for how to walk that path and instead left him in the hands of Kreese. And then he has the nerve to go to Hawk and basically be like “I made you what you are!” lmao yeah Johnny, you sure did, that’s why he’s breaking peoples arms, hoss. And then all of the nonsense with Ali and Carmen, like... if you were planning on teasing KK fans with Ali and him getting back together, why write her as married in the first place? Why even tease the idea of Carmen and Johnny until after you were sure what you were going to do with Ali as a character? Instead, they do what they did in season 3 and it makes him look like a colossal jerk. So yeah. Literally every choice they made with Johnny this season, I hated.

14. Unpopular opinion about your fandom? People who hate Tory are not valid, sorry not sorry.

16. If you could change anything in the show, what would you change? I would have kept Miguel entirely out of Tory and Sam’s beef. Or at least not directly inserted him into it like he was with the kiss. I know the writers thought it was necessary to push Tory to the point of inciting a fight at school, but I am just so exhausted over girls being unable to fight about anything but boys. Also I would bring Aisha back.

20. What is the purest ship in the fandom? 

I am probably biased, but I still maintain it’s Migueli. Look, Miguel stood up to Kyler for Eli and Demetri both. Hawk joined CK because he saw what it could do for some skinny nerd who was getting his ass kicked. And he took to CK, really took to it! Even flourished before he started getting mixed messages. And he and Miguel were pretty much inseparable after that. They coordinated their wardrobes ffs. Hawk dubbed him El Serpiente and no one else calls him that — it’s Hawk’s nickname for him. Miguel confides in Hawk only secondary to Johnny, who is like a father to him. The entire Coyote Creek exchange shows they can fight and disagree but... well, to use the cliche, they don’t go to bed angry, you know? They’re square the very next day. Hawk is the first person at Miguel’s side when he gets kicked over the balcony and the LOOK he gives the second floor where Robby is? That boy is out for blood immediately to avenge Miguel. So much of his s3 behavior is fueled by that need for vengeance because MD is wholly responsible for what happened to Miguel. And Miguel is so confused and betrayed by Hawk’s shift in behavior, and yet still holds out hope that Hawk will see through Kreese’s BS and come with him to The Dojo I Refuse to Name. And when Hawk does make that deflection finally, he shows up at MD with Miguel. There’s so much more that I know I’m missing but whether someone ships them or not, that is a tried and true love and respect for one another, a willingness to fight for and defend one another that you don’t often see in TV friendships... or even in most tv relationships. And I just think that’s the best ❤️

22. Popular character you hate?

 Daniel, hands down. I mean... I don’t even necessarily hate Daniel, you know? I just think it’s really, pardon the pun, rich that a guy of immense wealth and privilege can’t get a therapist or turn to his far too patient wife for help with his existential crisis over his high school bully opening up a karate dojo to make some money and help a kid who is getting the crap kicked out of him. I get that Daniel’s narrative is necessary for the rivalry, but it does nothing to make him sympathetic as a character.

23. Unpopular character you love?

 Tory, definitely! Everyone hates her and then there’s me and the Squad over here banging away on our Coors Banquet cans yelling TORY RIGHTS! Seriously she catches so much flack for a teenage girl who is... the sole income provider for her family? At 17? While caring for a sick mom and a little brother? And fending off a creepy landlord? Tory has it so rough and then she meets a cool girl at her dojo who asks her to hang out at some fancy ass country club which is probably the nicest place Tory has ever been in, and then she gets talked down to and accused of being a thief and has another girl lay hands on her, only to find out that same girl is her new boyfriend’s ex and... ugh. I HATE that Tory gets shit all over when Tory and Sam wouldn’t even have beef if Sam had apologized to Tory as she SHOULD have. Tory isn’t innocent, but damn, I’d be pressed too.

 My other unpopular character I love? Nathaniel. Seriously that kid is THE best. He’s a literal child but is out there like I WILL FUCK YOU UP, even though he’s MD. Honestly, his Cobra Kai energy is so ferocious I won’t be surprised if he moves back to CK eventually. Anyway, I love him.


26. Most shippable character?

 Miguel, hands down. It’s because he’s so affable and sweet overall. And because his hair is so fluffy and pettable that no one can resist touching it. I like to imagine that one day he and Hawk are talking about their hair and Hawk makes a joke about how Miguel’s mane is getting so long that it’s going to be bigger than his own, and then he reaches out to ruffle it and internally has a bisexual meltdown because oh no IT’S SO SOFT AND NICE. But uh... anyway, yes. Definitely Miguel.

[cargopantsman]

Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here

Trigger warnings: All of them, because I am lazy. Also none of this is sensical.

Utter, hyper-caffeinated brain noise.

The problem with the concept of a "sense of self" is it already tries to concretize an amorphous abstract. It makes us want to point at some thing and say "Well... that's me." Whether it is a set of ideals that we try to live by, a set of activities that brings us a sense of joy or fulfillment, or, gods forbid, and entirely different and other person that "completes us."

I've always had an affinity for trickster figures and shapeshifters. The wearers of masks, the truthful liars, the artisans of duality, yada, yada. Since I was a child my first instinct has always been to blend in. If into the background, great, but if need be, if I needed to blend into the social fabric around me, I could do that too. To throw this into the high school backdrop; I wasn't a social butterfly, I was shy as could be, but I got along with the jocks, the goths, the nerds, the art freaks, the band kids, the preps, the whatever. Where ever I was I could fake that I belonged there. I was comfortable drifting in between worlds. (Looking back, I could have caused a lot more chaos with the information I was privy to at the time...[Oh, there's a constant point. I'm good at keeping secrets, keeping confidence. I'll lie my ass off to keep a secret.]) Does any of that really help drive a sense of self though? When your natural instinct is to mirror, to blend, to fade? When your point of pride is walking into a room unnoticed and, even better, leaving a party unseen? Does being a ghost count as an identity?

"Expression of Will" comes to mind... what does that mean? Ok, so some abstract thing is inside of you and you manifest it objectly outwardly. I was an artist. I made images in my head and "kind of" manifest them on paper. Some times people see that paper...  I was a writer... images in my head "became" words and some people saw that. I combined them into comics. Some people Saw that. Is that a lasting affect? Maybe the fights I've been into?! That time in 2nd grade someone was picking on a friend and I laid them out... the time in 8th grade someone was picking on me and clocked them down. Or in high school when someone decided to start some rumors and I held them up by their throat in the air until they turned blue? That was an inward thing that manifested outwardly. Nevermind good or bad, but was any of that... me?

Hmm. The beast. The primal... come back to that later.

"Expression of Will," "Expression of Will," "Expression of Will" ... What the fuck even is "Will"? Is this why philosophers get their heads so far up their ass? Is it a desire? The will to live.... living requires eating and the amount of times I forget to even do that... Maybe been looking at the phrase all wrong...

Will to Live (noun) It isn't a thing.

Will (verb) to (preposition) Live (verb)

Why does that sound better?

Desire to Live (noun)

Desire (verb) to (preposition) Live (verb)

Okay, that feels better even, but still... Sense of self, will, desire, expressions thereof. Are these just the aimless desires and wills? The fleeting flights of frivolous fancies festering forlornly in frontal cortices?

The self with the will can direct the desires towards living. "Get in the fucking robot Shinji!" "I don't wanna"

The (ghost) with the (strength) can direct the (impulses) towards (being). Getting too close to a concept of a soul on that one huh?

Forget self. It's a useless moniker right now. There is no self. It's just this mind alone for the first time in its entire life. (Not alone alone, there are friends, but they've learned more about me in the past two weeks than the past 6 years so...) "What did they learn?" asked the projection of self that defines itself by interactions with other.

I thought we were forgetting self.... not an option really. Sentience is a bitch like that. But they've learned I'll put up with a lot of bullshit under the guise of strength and integrity when I should've callously called this whole thing ages ago. That I can shut myself down completely in the interest of bodily-self preservation. (Not Self-self preservation, fuck the English language). What did I sacrifice? What did I shut down?

Everything.

That is less than helpful.

The Beast. Vince. Your Shadow.

My Shadow...

What do you desire?

Blood in the cut, tears in their eyes, power over someone that wants that power over them...

Do you want that? I don't want it, I just need it. No... I want it.

Is that all you are? A sadist? An animal?

Maybe... probably not though. A caretaker, and a sparring partner. A trickster and a shapeshifter. A crafter whose tools are destruction.

Next problem, grandeur. Mythologizing everything. But how to see a thing if you don't blow it up/magnify it?

You lack a sense of self because no one ever tested your sense of self. No one actually fought you for who you are. To find out who you are. The ex didn't. An old friend did until she got scared by what she found there.

You don't want to be yourself because it's not nice is it? You were raised to be nice.

College. I controlled the group. Never hit anyone after high school aside from set matches in classes or sparring for funsies. They all saw my eyes and stopped if they were getting out of hand.

The Dom-Friend.

Don't use the d-word on me.

Destroyer? Yeah, that one's fine. That one fits. He says as he carelessly tosses lit matches around his entire life. Can we bring up the phoenix or is that too grandiose? Why shouldn't it be grandiose? We spend every day of our lives going through the same kind of tedious bullshit all the time why not make our inner lives a bit bigger, a bit richer?

A bit darker.

Why do you want them to bleed? Hurt and comfort. That's a big theme, a trope if you will. Why not have both at the same? Why not let her think that I'm about to kill her but let her rest in the trust that I won't? Why not let me think that I'm about to break her while believing she is the most precious thing in the world?

Caretaker. A caretaker kills all the time. Tearing out weeds, uprooting the prized plant to move it to a better place for its growth.

Growth.

The self isn't going to be found just in ones self... not in another either. No, the self has to be found in everything. The things one wants to run to and run from. The soul (oops) is formed by what it crashes into right? The mind recoils from traumas races towards panaceas, why not, if one can, flip the polarity on the two. Bring the darkness screaming into the light so you can see it, bring the light quivering into the darkness so it can loose its terrifying brillance. Balance in all things right?

You're not a very positive person, they say. No... I'm not. It lashes out in bad ways sometimes, sure. Control, control, you must learn control. But being negative isn't bad. Not if you can grow from it. No plant can survive the sun for 24 hours. Trees sleep in the winter. We sleep, we heal, we grow.

Self-Destruction!! That's a fun one... seven fucking months downing a bottle of whisky a night. Whooo boy. Do Not Recommend.

Got a nice stay in the underworld though and trudged up a lot of shit. Now I'm sitting here with my ears ringing because I finally hit the personal limit on Monsters and my brain is overclocked enough I can finally see shit at 4 angles at the same time. I am a god damned quantum supercomputer of emotions right now.

Faith and faithlessness are the same thing. Have faith, trust the future, don't expect anything, don't plan your now for your future. Sounds sadly like live in the moment type bullshit, but life is weird and people are complex. Shifting drifting clueless animals that want to be safe but don't want to get stuck in anothers arms even when there is one whose arms are so safe.

The damage runs deep... and two people with damage running that deep. Hmm. How much healing can falling do? The other just puts a bandage over a puncture wound and both try to ignore it, but then the blood gets pumping, the heart pounds and poisons surge to the surface. It's neither one's fault really. Life is a trial of knives and we don't always have time or concern to tend the wounds properly. There's always something else that needs to be taken care of first.

Divorce is a helluva drug. It is maddening, the freedom to finally to be yourself is line having the lineart stripped off, there is a terrifying infinity in front of you and the only thing to do for awhile is melt. Let the slings and arrows just pierce and sink in. Anyone else tries to push the sludge of you into a shape might get hurt when they find the arrows. I want to go absolutely feral in a way. In a way the whole COVID mess is keeping me under lock and key so I'm just prowling around the empty house like I always have been, but now there's some sense... of purpose.

I'm raging against any depression, the executive dysfunction is going to have a talking to. The sense of self is going to be found in stripping this house down to bare walls and making a blank canvas. Bring everything down, ruin it all, start again.

My self is emptiness, it always has been. I can be anything, but I should be wary of ever wanting to be something. (My career options are AWESOME). But this is a different emptiness than before. Before I pulled the trigger and splattered the brains of the marriage across the floor I was just a void, and inky black pit of nothingness. Somehow, having the Shadow rise up and finally start getting along with the rest of me, the emptiness isn't.... void. It's just nascent possibility and that shouldn't scare me.

It does, of course, terrify me. First time in 40 years being legitimately alone is terrifying, should have done this kinda thing when I was 20, but... I was an idiot back then (60 year old me laughs from the future). But I think I can get a grip on the concept that "I" don't exist, but I'm real... ever changing ever dynamic, not who I was while I was married, but a mix of the me before, a angry beast now, and something yet unseen in the future.

[djmunden]

Thousand Scars Author Interview

Hey guys, back with a new isolation interview! I’ll have an SPFBO author interview ready for the weekend, but I’d like to bring back an old survivor of the Scar den in Deston Munden. Hope you guys enjoy! 

First of all, tell me about yourself! What do you write?

Hello again! I’m Deston J. Munden, former SPFBO writer and now resident stuck in the house author. I’m a science fiction and fantasy author who is surviving all this craziness by stuffing his head full on Dungeons and Dragons characters and learning how to cook neat food. I’m the author of two series, Dargath Chronicles and Dusk Orbit Blues, both which are getting an audiobook real soon. It’s a pleasure to be back.

How do you develop your plots and characters?

I’ve been asked this quite a few times and I never feel like my answers are satisfactory, but nevertheless true. They just kinda come to me. There are small inciting events that makes me want to develop a character or a plot. It could just be me sitting and reading. It could just me be playing a game or roleplaying a completely unrelated character.  From there, I put them on what I called the simmer mode. I slowly develop them in my head until they are ready for the drafting phase.

Tell the world about your current project!

Dargath is a fun, high fantasy world that I created a while back. It’s a world where everyone has magic and no one is truly human. I wanted to create a world where magic was a common stance and everyone has a degree of it that is unique to them. Also, I wanted a world where the reader doesn’t go in with the natural biasness of starting with a human. Yes, there are human-like races, but I wanted to have this mystical feeling to everything. The world is split into two continents, eight races, and plenty of subraces. It’s rich in history, politics, and turmoil while also having that classic dungeons and dragons type of feeling to the world. If that seems like your type of thing, try me out!

Who would you say is the main character of your latest novel? And tell me a little bit about them!

Ser Torlyek is the main character of the novel that is coming out later this year. I’ve been marketing him as Neville Longbottom meets Thor from the MCU and Steven Universe. He’s my first autistic main character who adores knights and honor beyond anything else. He’s also a complex character who has a deep backstory with his family. Duke’s Brand follows him as he comes to terms with who he is now as well as him making friends along the way. I hope that you guys enjoy him as much as I enjoyed writing him.

Have you been to any conventions? If so, tell me a little about them!

I’ve been to so many conventions! They are some of my favorite places to go for vacations. They are so lively and powerful, and you get to meet so many fellow nerds. My goal this year was to finally sell my books at a convention. Sadly, that didn’t happen. Now, I’m going through convention withdrawal. If you never gone to a convention before, I’ll honestly suggest that you try it out. There are so many cool things that you can find and you’ll meet so many cool people.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I realized that I wanted to be a writer when I was young. Luckily, none of my teachers tried to squash that love. Instead, they tried their hardest to cultivate the talent that they saw. I always wrote fan fictions and loved the creative writing assignments given to me. But, it wasn’t until after college where I realized this was a career I could do. Self-publishing opened an entirely new opportunity for me and ever since I’ve been pushing myself more and more to expand my dream into a reality.

If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a year while writing a book that took place in that same setting, where would you choose?

Rome, hands down. There’s so much history there that I would love to explore and set a story within. I think it would be fun to explore the mythology and the people of rome and wrapping that up in a story that I would write.

What advice would you give new writers?

Finish. That. First. Draft. I’ve seen so many new writers get into what I call the world building loop or worse the first chapter loop. Its when a new writer keeps world building or writing the first chapter endlessly until the end of time. That is not how you’re going to improve. You’re going to have to finish that first draft at one point or another. Not to say pre-writing is not important, however, if you’re stuck on it you need to start on the first draft. As a new writer, learning how to finish a project is key.

What real-life inspirations did you draw from for the worldbuilding?

Too many. I usually get inspiration from history, cultures, food, architecture, generally whatever that I think would make my world feel richer and livelier. Each of the races are inspired somewhat after certain regions of our world albeit blended in such a way to better fit the region I’m going for. I’ve used things from Africa, the Middle East, Medieval Europe, Egypt, etc to make my world feel stronger and cohesive. It’s a fun experience as a history and culture nerd.

What inspires you to write?

I enjoy it. That’s the long and short of it all. Writing is a passion of mine. I love sitting down at the computer and letting my imagination go wild. There’s a magic to it all. I used to write after I finished my schoolwork in class just for fun. I didn’t realize that was weird until my teacher saw me doing it while everyone else was playing games on the computer. Writing is my creative outlet and without it I might burst.

What is the hardest part of writing for you?

The hardest part for me is keeping the pace with everything. There’s a lot that goes into be an author. Some days I just want to sit down and write, but I know I can’t do that all the time. There are days where I’m going to have to research, do my social media, and market the books I already have released. Managing my time has become quite difficult.

What is your routine when writing, if any? If you don’t follow a routine, why not?

My routine is usually 8-4 every weekday. If I don’t follow this schedule, I will and can work myself to death.

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write in any of your books, and why?

This is spoiler territory. There’s a certain scene in Tavern that I really enjoy that has made people lose their marbles and I always laugh manically about when I get a message about it. Recently though, I’ve been getting a lot of “OMG” about a certain scene in the middle of Dusk Mountain Blues. It makes me giggle. I might be evil.

What these two scenes have in common is that I throw the reader for a loop. I love doing that.  

Did you learn anything from writing your latest book? If so, what was it?

Writing Duke’s Brand and Dusk Ocean Blues taught me a lot how to condense my writing style a bit. Lately, I’ve been trying to hone my writing style a bit. I feel like writing these two books has helped that a lot going forward.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? A gardener or an architect?

I am definitely a pantser. I’m all about writing it and winging it until I get to the second draft.

If you had to give up either snacks and drinks during writing sessions, or music, which would you find more difficult to say goodbye to?

Definitely snacks. I can give up music if I had to, but snacks I need to survive. I can’t imagine how I’ll get through certain parts of my novel without snacking on some chips or some other ungodly unhealthy food or beverage.

Which is your favorite season to write in, and why?

Spring. There is something about the temperature and the outside environment that brings out the power in me.

It’s sometimes difficult to get into understanding the characters we write. How do you go about it?

It’s all about learning how that character ticks. The big thing I’ve realized about getting in the mindset of a character is knowing their motivation. A person drive and ambition tell a lot about the character as a whole and getting into the mindset of them. You gotta realize what they want to realize who they are. From there, I think, their personalities, dreams, relationships, etc becomes more apparent the more you write it.

What are your future project(s)?

Dusk Ocean Blues (Book 2 of Dusk Orbit Blues)

Undergrove (Book 3 of Dargath Chronicles)

Dusk Country Blues (Book 3 of Dusk Orbit Blues)

What is your favorite book ever written?

I’m pleading the fifth here. I enjoy all the books that I’ve written so far. There are parts where I feel like I’ve done better in this book while others in that one. So at the end the day, I can’t choose.

Who are your favorite authors?

Traditionally Published: Brandon Sanderson, Patrick Rothfuss, Michael J. Sullivan, Robert Jordan, Scott Lynch, Jonathan French, Brent Weeks, Sean Grisby, and Gareth L. Powell, Renee April.

Self Published: James Jakins, Emmet Moss, Deck Matthews, Andy Peloquin, Bernard Bertram, Garrett B. Robinson.

There’s probably a million more.

What makes a good villain?

A good motivation and a strong personality. I’m the type of person that enjoys a big personality in my villain over sheer fear and power they may possess. The villains that have a good time while also having depth speak out to me. Yes, I do enjoy the looming dark lord type villain as well, but if I can somehow get both I’m a happy camper.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Cooking! It’s my favorite past time other than video games and tabletop RPGs. I’m not as good as it as other people, but I’m trying my best and I’m learning every day!

If you couldn’t be an author, what ideal job would you like to do?

A chef! Like I said before, cooking is a fun hobby and being a chef/cook would be a fun job for me. I also like to bake, so a baker would be not too far behind. I just like working with food.

Coffee or Tea? Or (exult deep breath) what other drink do you prefer, if you like neither?

Tea! There are so many different types of teas and most which I can drink (because I can’t have a lot of caffeinated beverages). I prefer fruity teas, but I’m willing to try any of it.

You can travel to anywhere in the universe. Where would you go, and why?

Whew. I don’t know. I’ll probably want to try to find new planets to explore, specifically with new life.

Do you have any writing blogs you recommend?

No. I don’t have any writer blogs that I’ll recommend but check out the #writerblr tag on tumblr if you need any inspiration!

Do you have any writer friends you’d like to give a shoutout to?

Nicky Ball, Kathryn York, Hallie Fleischmann, Chris Barber, Dave Deickman, Emmet Moss, Bernard Bertram, and Deck Matthews to name a few!

Pick any three fiction characters. These are now your roadtrip crew. Where do you go and what do you do?

Clay Cooper from Kings of the Wyld, Matrim Couthon from Wheel of Time, and Wayne from The Alloy of Law.  

We’re gonna go on a rock-star tour and we’re gonna cause some trouble.

What superpower would you most like?

Super Strength. I know that’s a simple power to want to have but it would just make my life a whole lot easier. Being able to pick up a lot of things would be amazing.

What are two of your favorite covers of all time? (Not your own.)

Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames

Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

It’s a very difficult time right now for the world. When quarantine and pandemic comes to an end, what is the first thing you would like to do?

Travel more and meet some of my online friends. My goal this year was to travel more, get out there, and meet some of the people that I’ve been talking to for ages. The quarantine and pandemic put that to a screeching halt. I want to go to more conventions, I want to see more places, and I want just enjoy life more. This whole situation made me realize that I haven’t been out nearly as much as I want to be.

Finally, what is your preferred method to have readers get in touch with or follow you (i.e., website, personal blog, Facebook page, here on Goodreads, etc.) and link(s)?

Remember to follow me everywhere below and it was great coming back!

Website: www.djmunden.com

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Deston-J-Munden/e/B07Q2D6948/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SrBuffaloKnight

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authordjmunden/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/D.J.Munden/

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18874896.Deston_J_Munden If you have Kindle Unlimited, both of my books are available there too!

[veridium]

dragon age day

I know today might be a bit overwhelming for the fandom since it is, of course, the day (the day of all days). When I thought about what I wanted to contribute, if anything, I could only think of saying thanks. As I am in the midst of finals and grading assignments, I don’t have many spoons to spare, except to reiterate what I have said so many times before: dragon age has provided me with so many blessings. 

CW: discussion of toxic relationship, emotional abuse.

Some of you know that around the time I joined the fandom in 2018 (after having only played Inquisition for several months beforehand), I was in the midst of an incredibly toxic, emotionally abusive, and failing relationship. I had just graduated college and was at a crossroads. Because the relationship was the longest and most serious I had ever known I was incredibly attached to it, even as it became detrimental to my happiness. We were planning on getting engaged this past summer. Our entire lives were planned and I was in it for the long haul. 

Earlier that year my ex had gifted me Inquisition after I kept seeing it in GameStop and saying I had always wanted to try it. I played it once, got infuriated by the Hinterlands, and put it down for a long time. Around the time I finished undergrad I decided to give it another try, and quickly became hooked. I would spend hours and hours in front of the TV learning by trial and error how to play. My ex was the more prolific gamer but that quickly started to change. 

That wasn’t the only shift that was happening. 

One of the symptoms of my ex’s and her family’s toxicity and its impact on me was that I had become incredibly detached from art. I have been artistic since I was strong enough to hold a crayon in my hand. My family swore for years I’d be an artist, or an actress. But I have learned that, what all-too-often happens when you choose to love something that doesn’t love you the way you deserve in return, you lose touch with all the things that remind you of why you’re so worthy of a great love. You don’t invest in it, you don’t nourish it, because it becomes all about preserving this person in your life and what you believe they bring to it. When things turn dark the natural inclination is to sacrifice more in order to save it: to prove that you can be as loyal as your promised. 

A year later and I am still unpacking the trauma that was inflicted upon me during that time of my life, trauma I didn’t know by name as it was happening because I had given my all to someone I loved and the future we wanted. But not everything was rosey and blissful, and I am reflecting upon that. I think back to what finally woke me up, and it’s quite literally this: I turned into a huge, enthusiastic, and clumsy nerd. 

Playing a game with such a vivid world took what was perhaps one of the last surviving matchsticks there was, lighting it, and dropping it on me. My imagination consumed Thedas like water after a 40-year drought. I began theorizing characters, researching the prior games, and scrolling through the wiki site hunting for lore. I realized the universe was so much bigger than what Inquisition represented. 

Then, I bought the first sketchbook I had in over a year. 

My characters became my muse, and over time, their portraits grew into stories. I looked up Tumblr and rejoined specifically to engage with the fandom and see what sharing my love with other people could do for my creativity. Even though art and writing were lifelong passions of mine, I had no intention whatsoever of writing fanfiction until I read other people’s work, saw the fun they were having with it and what it was doing for their healing, and I decided to go out on a limb.

The more stories I wrote the more I remembered my marrow: I was so much more than what my relationship, and my partner’s family, warped me into seeing. My original characters started out as projections of the qualities and traits I loved and missed about myself, as well as love letters to the women and queer people in my life. And in the canon characters I grew attached to I saw hope and inspiration for surviving adversities. Tests of faith, conviction, and courage under pressure. In their stories I found refuge and reliability for a terrible era of my life where I felt so completely alone.

As I gave more and more time to my passions, my relationship strained even further than it had. I was no longer hopelessly devoted to its endurance, I had something that was purely mine again, and my partner’s encouragement waned. It turned into jealousy -- for this and many other parts of my life I used as an escape from the sadness -- and rather than bend as I had done before, I pushed back. I protected what was my own and I did not sacrifice it. To be fair it wasn’t always healthy: I would log hours and hours into the game to escape the stress of the relationship, to distract myself from the fact that my mental health was the lowest and frailest it had been in years, and the cold, hard truth: it was over, or else I was going to commit my life to something terrible. 

Months later, I said enough. I ended the relationship once and for all. I was moving my life out of an apartment I had lived in for years, saying goodbye to everything I had fought so hard to build. In your early 20s everything feels like a vast unknown and you have a manual with no writing on its pages. Every serious decision feels like invoking a storm you have to hunker down in. I still deal with that, and am learning from it with every new season. I have also learned that sometimes destruction, and creative recklessness, is about so much more than loss. I had given up security I was paying for with my emotional well-being. 

But I kept me, and my sketchbooks, and my art supplies, and my stories. I had my cat, too, but you know, technicalities (haha).

So, for as imperfect as my fandom experience has been, and for as grumpy as I have become with society’s bullshit (which is quite the high level), I will always be grateful to these games for existing. For giving me something to hold onto when my life was falling apart, a world I could slip away to when I wasn’t ready to face the evils in my own. Because when I was finally ready, and willing to be my own warrior, my imagination was ready to make something out of nothing. These games and this universe helped me save myself.

Thank you to Dragon Age, to the fandom community I have made in its name, and to everyone who makes it worthwhile. But it wouldn’t be me without saying: fuck off to every single bullshit game writer who used its medium to perpetuate harmful tropes and norms, fuck off to fandom racists and racist apologists, to queerphobes who hated my meta on account of it using the word queer even though it was my explicit voice as a queer creative on queer issues (did I forget to say queer? queer!), to Vivienne haters, sexist gamer bros, fetishists; but explicitly to romanticizers of unhealthy power dynamics between couples and friends alike. These horror stories (yes, horror stories) exist enough in real life, take it from me. We don’t need them made into romanticized, co-opted, and misused fictions here. 

The reason why I and so many others write for this universe, and participate creatively, is to combat these influences. With our own blood, sweat, and tears as artists, might I add. I am so, so proud to be included in that community. 

So, happy Dragon Age Day, ya’ll. Let us keep warm on this, our trash can fire. 

[artyrogue]

Blind Date Gaming: Pac In Time

Tonight's date was an interesting one to say the least. It was with Pac-Man, the iconic game character from Namco that helped build video games as a mainstream activity! The only issue was that it wasn't...JUST Pac-Man. No, it was a pun and a spinoff all in one. It was... Pac In Time!

Soak in the colors, 'cos from here out we're mostly back to 4-color palettes.

I've seen some of the other Pac-Man spinoffs before and they just never felt right. There was some dumb point-and-click game on the SNES where Pac-Man clearly had a lobotomy, some pinball game, and that one where he was fighting a bunch of nerds on some floating platform called 'final destination' or whatever. So yeah, they're typically lame attempts to make a buck based on the identity of one of gaming's most well-known IPs. I didn't expect much, then, going in. It was a bit bias of me, sure, but I was still willing to give it a chance. The first thing I was presented with was a super-long, slow-scrolling wall of text with absolutely no music or sound throughout the whole thing. Brilliant first impression, that.

'Crazy events' here means 'binge eating countless unmarked medications within the confines of a series of neon-infused tubes with occasional spontaneous manifestations of fruit and/or keys'.

Okay, okay, sure. Some ghost witch sends Pac-Man back in time and now he has to travel through different zones to find a way back to the present. That could have been summed up much more succinctly; in fact, I basically relayed all the information you need to know right there. It also really doesn't matter at all in the long run, so my heart reaches out to the poor writer whose hopes were squandered when Pac in Time didn't end up being their gateway to better writing gigs. What matters isn't the story here, it's the gameplay! So what do we have?

It's a platformer. A pretty floaty one at that. You always slide all over, with momentum that takes a bunch of effort to dissipate. Jumping follows the Mario 64 school of gaining height in each successive jump, but it really doesn't seem necessary. It's quite bad and takes some getting used to. There's an additional aspect to the game that helps bring puzzle aspects to it: powerups. You're given a few in each level that give you different abilities and can sometime pick up (or lose!) them along the way as well. They don't really seem to fit into the typical Pac-Man lore, though. Unless there's some fanfic where Pac-Man can shoot fireballs and swing around like Spiderman?

Yes, that is a screenshot of Pac-Man shooting a Kamehameha at a shark. This is fine.

Some levels are pretty interesting, but a lot of them are short and kind of dull. Most of the time you don't even end up using half of the powerups they give you. I will say, though, that the grappling hook was well-programmed and a lot of fun to mess around with. Sometimes there are issues canceling grappling momentum when an enemy is right in front of you, but otherwise it's liberating to swing like a monkey through a level in mere seconds.

Wheeeeee!

Somewhere around world 3, though, things start to take a turn for the worse. For the most part, enemies are tame and take a major backseat to the puzzles and powerup adventuring. In the jungle world, you start to see some annoying and poorly-programmed enemies marring your fun. Some foes relentlessly track you down, some change their velocity in unpredictable ways, some blast into the center of the screen as soon as you approach, and more. It starts feeling more like I Wanna Be the Guy, a game I loathe not for its toughness, but for it's cheap death tricks and poor design. Games like that aren't about skill as much as they are about rote memorization. That's...not fun to me. Make the obstacles visible, not surprises. I'd rather spend time memorizing something useful.  Although apparently my brain seems to define 'useful' as being able to list the first 386 pokemon and recalling room layouts for a mall that has been dead and destroyed for like 15 years?

I suddenly have flashbacks to Super Meat Boy, although that game was fair and up front with its obstacles. This buzzsaw popped outta nowhere, which I guess is standard in an ancient Egyptian tomb.

I had to look up a walkthrough on a certain level, too, where the only way to progress was apparently to walk off a cliff into a pool of lava. Then, an invisible air stream carries you across the lava to safety. Jumping the gap kills you and does not reveal an air stream, there are no indicators that walking off is a good idea, nothing. Just know the trick or be stuck. Great. The walkthrough on GameFAQs even says that the walkthrough's writer was stuck on this level until someone gave them a tip. That's...not exactly a good sign of game design. There were other annoyances, like teleporters teleporting stones higher than you: if you walk into one too quickly after pushing a stone into it, the stone appears above you and crushes you to death. Also, many levels host a plethora of arrow signs that don't make lick of sense.

Right, right...I get it now. It's all so clear where I have to go!

I got through world 4, and looking up a gameplay video reveals there are 4 more worlds to go, but I had my fill. This date isn't going anywhere I want to be. So yeah! No second date here. I've also found via the comments of that video that the game is actually a reskin of another game on DOS called 'Fury of the Furries'. They basically just turned the main character into Pac-Man and made some lame music tracks that sound like the one ditty from the arcade game. Even the enemies and final boss are the same. Boo! Get some originality or keep the Furries! I mean I know the internet in general has some hangups with them, but I've never had a bad experience with a Furry myself, let alone felt their Fury! Although if the world followed this game's lead, all furry conventions would turn into massive Pac-Man cosplay events, and I would definitely pay to go see that.

I found a furry! Except it kind of beat me to a pulp, but I guess I deserve it since I stole his game.

Before I end this, am I crazy or does part of the Beach world theme sound vaguely like some Mega Man track? Listen here and skip the first 50 horrid seconds to get to the part I mean. I swear, it sounds like something I've heard before, but I can't tell which track it was. Mega Man has too many Men to keep their themes straight. Maybe I should invest my useless memorization into Mega Man theme recall instead.

And so ends another date. I'll be looking around for something else, thank you! I will say, though, that today's Sprite of Passage is a keeper. Put this as a war decoration on your uniform and go speak of the fierce battles you went through to earn it! Don't be surprised if no one gives you any sympathy or anything though. They might instead give you the number of a psychiatrist. Maybe that shrink will give you pills and you can lay them out in a maze to eat them or something? Pac it all in!

They finally, really did it...YOU MANIACS!! YOU BLEW IT UP!! DAMN YOUUUU!!

[wardencommanderrodimiss]

In honor of the end of Lost Light today, I’m posting an essay that I wrote for one of my writing courses last fall, where the assignment was to write a persuasive review about something we feel passionately about. I’m always trying to sell these giant robot comics to everyone, so if nothing else, I made all my peer reviewers read about Transformers - but if you’re at all ever wondering what More than Meets the Eye and Lost Light are about, more than just “canon gays”, like “what’s the plot even?” or “how much do I need to know about Transformers if I wanted to read this”, take a gander.

(This review contains spoilers for several plot arcs throughout these comic series.)

Mentioning the Transformers franchise usually elicits one of a few common reactions: an eye roll, a sardonic remark about children’s action figures, or an admittedly-deserved rip on the Michael Bay films (“Have you seen the Rotten Tomatoes score?”). And while nerd culture and mainstream culture overlap more and more, to announce interest in reading comic books is still a mark of fringe-level geekery, never mind the big-budget blockbusters that much of the general public flock to at each new release. So to say that one of the most engaging pieces of media I have engaged with in the past several years is the currently-ongoing comic book series Transformers: Lost Light, I find myself bracing for any of the expected reactions with qualifiers: “It’s good, for Transformers!” or “It’s a good comic book!”

But really, it’s just good.

The publishing company, IDW Publishing, is not the big two of Marvel or DC Comics, but it is sizeable, with several current Transformers series and many more past, creating the labyrinthine continuity that plagues most comics besides small independent creators and publishers or brand new properties. Transformers and IDW Publishing are neither of these; the Transformers comics continuity of today began in 2005, and I have not read a majority of the comics published since then. Lost Light provides just enough backstory and context to understand the necessary, major points (sometimes assisted by footnotes “*See Issue #X of Series: Y”), and from its beginning spins a new plot that stands firmly on its own.

Transformers: Lost Light’s tenth issue just released in October [2017] but it exists as a direct continuation of Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye, which contains 55 [correction: 58? it’s complicated, and even in his end note for the final issue, the author acknowledges officially 55, but several more un-sequenced] issues from 2012 to the end of 2016, and it was rebranded as part of a publication company-pushed effort to provide new readers with a good starting point. (While I understand that seeing “Issue 55” may scare some readers away, I admit to being disappointed with the rebranding, having wanted to see how high of a number the series could reach. Most of the “Big Two” (Marvel and DC) series that I have followed only reach around 20 before being cancelled, wrapped up, and the characters passed off two new writers.)

This kind of executive meddling in the course of the books is common in comics and IDW is no different. They have pushed “crossover events” where all of the ongoing Transformers books come together for the same story, using all of the characters, with writing alternating between the writers of each series from one issue to the next, and they have insisted on inclusion or seeing more of a certain character; Transformers is, at its heart, a toy line, and if the parent companies want to see more of Megatron in this particular comic to push a new toy that is being released, then Megatron will be placed in a main role in that comic.

In spite of the whims of IDW and Hasbro (the toy company which ultimately owns the Transformers license), the writer of More Than Meets the Eye (MtMtE) and Lost Light, James Roberts, who maintained his position across the rebranding, has plots which have a remarkable coherency and cohesion. Mysteries from the first issue of MtMtE come into play in a big way in the mid-30s, the 50s, or even finally culminate in Lost Light. If my memory serves me correctly, all but one of the questions posed in the first issue have finally been answered, but if experience serves me correctly, I will again find myself flipping back through the very first pages to follow a new trail that Roberts will next reveal in the narrative. The one question not answered is the driving force behind the plot, a simple enough question: “Where are the Knights of Cybertron?”, the mythical founders of the Transformers’ home planet who the crew of the ship the Lost Light hope to find and gain their assistance in rebuilding Cybertron after its destructive civil war. Along the way, the crew find themselves waylaid and misdirected by wartime tensions that have followed them on their quest away from the ruins of Cybertron into space, interpersonal relationships of the friends, rivals, and nemeses who are all part of the crew, and by the individual histories, goals, and machinations of characters with their own agendas.

While Roberts’ attention to detail is remarkable, and his plots and mysteries compelling, his greatest strength lies in his character writing. The crew of the Lost Light is large, and while he does have a core group that the narrative most often focuses on, that group consists of around a dozen characters, all of whom he juggles smoothly enough to give compelling personalities and motivations to each, and minor characters as well are distinctive and memorable. The relationships between characters can be touching, funny, intense, and sometimes all of the above.

There are moments throughout the series that feel “comic book”-y: cliffhangers that are more misleading than not at the end of issues to carry the reader’s attention to next month, deaths that are debatably shock value, fake-out deaths, and characters brought back from the dead. Most of the time, though, even the back-to-back plots about stumbling across the dead bodies of apparent clones of most of the crew, the ship and almost all of the crew disappearing into thin air, and time travel, feel remarkably grounded. It is the characters and their reactions that sell these most outrageous plots, because in each of them there lies a heart that is deeply human. The mad scientist Brainstorm carries a briefcase everywhere, even to the funeral of his best friend’s husband (the Transformers-equivalent term for spouse is “conjux endura,” a term Roberts introduced to the franchise), and refuses to open it or tell anyone what it contains. It happens to be the key to his time machine, which he spent centuries inventing, intending to return to the past and stop the war from ever happening. Because he was created after the war began, as a disposable foot soldier, he would undo himself from existence, and this is a price he means to pay to save the life of a fellow Transformer that he loved. Ultimately, Brainstorm cannot bring himself to pull the trigger to kill the Transformer who started the war, because for all of his time spent building weapons, he has never personally taken a life.

The war is over at the onset of MtMtE, but its reverberations echo through the story as the characters try to understand for what, exactly, they destroyed their planet and nearly their entire species. In flashback, Roberts returns to the origins of the war – and not just during the crew’s time travel misadventure – and its onset because of deeply stratified social classes. An oppressive government enforced the belief that the alternate mode (vehicle, microscope, gun, USB stick) a Transformer was constructed with at their time of creation determined their life trajectory. A microscope would be part of the intellectual class; a truck, a miner; and a USB stick was what was known as one of the “Disposables,” who were built to die after the fuel they were supplied with at creation ran out. This classism and discrimination by circumstance of “birth” is made more concrete by the mechanical nature of the Transformers, but it is not an issue unfamiliar in our own lives. The Functionists are portrayed as unequivocally bad, and their religious extremism lingers in villains who the Lost Light encounter, but at what point did the revolution against them step too far into the destructive war that ruined Cybertron, and then Earth when the Transformers met humanity?

As one can follow the political thread of Roberts’ writing, the social issues highlighted are just as, perhaps even more, timely. Roberts is given freedom to build off of the continuity created by other writers before him, one aspect of which is the concept that Transformers are all only male. A prior writer of Transformers books have said this limits the kind of emotion that the Transformers can have, lacking love because they lack women, but Roberts invented the term “conjux endura” mentioned above. He first applies it to the quiet, committed romance between the characters Chromedome and Rewind, two Transformers who use male pronouns, say “I love you,” and hold hands, both as the main focus of a panel and unremarked upon in the background of other action. (Neither of them have mouths, so kissing is out of the question.) Brainstorm creates time travel in an attempt to save his crush, Quark, who is also a male robot.

Roberts is not the only current writer who has found the inability to write female characters without breaking established canon limiting. Another Transformers series, Windblade, named after its titular (female) character, published during MtMtE’s run,, introduced a number of lost colonies of Transformers who all have robots who use female pronouns. Suddenly their main planet of Cybertron and its male-only robots is no longer the norm – it is in fact an anomaly in Transformers culture – and its sole female character who has a convoluted backstory to justify her gender now has company who do not need their gender explained. Since the Windblade series, MtMtE has added several female Transformers to its core group, and many more on the sides. In one issue, at a dance party, the robot Skids is remarked to have been “flirting” with “that hothead,” a female Transformer named Firestar whose head looks as though it is on fire. Later Nautica mentions Firestar to Skids and Skids refers to her using the pronoun “he”; Nautica corrects him, telling him that Firestar is a “she.” Skids apologizes, calling his use of “he” a “force of habit,” and the fact that he assumed himself to be flirting with a male robot is not remarked upon as a big deal in the narrative; neither are Chromedome and Rewind, nor is the gender of Brainstorm’s crush (the real matter there being, of course, his nearly erasing four million years of history). Later, in the first issue of Lost Light, the characters Lug and Anode are introduced, a pair of female conjux endurae who encounter an old acquaintance who refers to them both as “he.” Anode corrects him to tell him that both she and Anode now refer to themselves as “she,” saying that after the two of them had explored the galaxy, and encountered other species with more genders than Cybertron had, that “It’s just a better fit.” [They two do have mouths, and do kiss on-panel.]

For a story about giant alien robots who can transform into planes and cars (though they rarely do transform within the pages of this comic, and a reader could be forgiven for forgetting that this is what “Transformers” refers to) and are so long-lived that they fought a war for four million years, their politics and social issues feel timely to humanity today. Interwoven with memorable characters, and plots that leave wide room for the reader to theorize where it will go next and enough clues to predict it, Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye and Lost Light always leave me eagerly awaiting the next issue.

[I would be remiss, as this is a comic book, not to acknowledge the artists who work on the book and truly bring the series and the characters to life. Comic books are not always known for having the best art, but the creative team deliver time and time again. Know that there are far more than Roberts whose presence in making the series should not be understated - Alex Milne and Jack Lawrence as the main artists; Josh Burcham, Joana Lafuente, and Josh Perez as the main colorists; and numerous guest artists. Their work is a far cry from the difficult-to-parse designs and muted colors of the Bay films, and while I’ve focused on the writing, the art cannot be taken for granted.]

Addendum: November 2018.

Today, Lost Light came to a close at issue 25, after a nearly seven-year-long run between it and More Than Meets the Eye. Earlier I spoke of the troubles of executive meddling, and this ending is no different; Roberts has spoken on Twitter, his primary platform for communicating with fans, about how he had hoped for a longer run and still had stories that he wished to tell and indeed had planned for. In the world of comics, though, MtMtE and Lost Light have had a remarkable run, and the IDW Publishing’s Transformers universe an even longer one. I can understand wanting a fresh start and a new jumping-on point for readers, but I will mourn the stories that weren’t told and hope that JRo (the fans’ affectionate nickname for Roberts) will dole out some more tidbits about what was to come.

Given this truncated length, the pacing of the plot of Lost Light overall does suffer in some places, especially towards its close. Knowing the broader context as I do, I find it hard to fully blame Roberts - he does his best with what he has, and his best is very good. At its close, Lost Light turns its focus to what made it great: even with the final mysteries solved, the heart and payoff of the series is in its characters. After so long following the crew and watching them grow and change -- sometimes for worse, often for the better -- I feel almost proud to see the end of their personal and relationship development. The real culmination of the series lies in issue 24, in a speech that Rodimus, captain of the Lost Light, makes to his crew; heartwarming and heartwrenching both, it is genuine and heartfelt and unprepared, a far cry from other speeches he has made. It shows Rodimus’ growth as much as it showcases that of the crew he has led, and it speaks to the reader as much as it does to the characters. Issue 25 is more an epilogue than anything. I cried. Of course I did. It’s hard to end the journey. It’s hard to say goodbye.

I hope that this won’t be the end of the Lost Light and its crew. I hope that the story will find itself new readers in its complete, finished form, in full collections that I hope will be compiled so that I can own about half of the run in double. And I hope that some of the final words of issue 24 rings true for the entire series as well: Don’t forget me.

[avoutput]

Forced Perspective || The Last Jedi

The Last Jedi had a profound effect on me by the time the curtain closed. Rian Johnson had forced me to reach deep inside and ask a question I had never really thought about when it came to Star Wars. And once that first question had passed through my mind, it turned out to be merely a cork holding back more. Star Wars has always been something I have taken for granted. I was born shortly after Return of the Jedi, and since then I have always known it to be a safe space for all who dare to learn of science fiction. It’s shallow waters, the wading pool, calm, warm, and relaxing. Anyone can enjoy it and did. You can safely discuss it at a mixed party because even if no one has seen it, they are aware of it. Almost like using the force, as it connects and binds us together, you can find a friend just by mentioning its name. But now, out of the shallow waters, I come ashore, bothered by the question that weighs heavy on my mind. I sit on my own Nerd Island, alone but for the internet that connects us all, and I am forced to ponder still, “Do I like Star Wars?”

I am older now, but I grew up with the Skywalkers. It was the kind of series that was almost like a baby blanket; you carry it around with you everywhere, pacifying your insecurities and passing the endless afternoons lost in its embrace. In my tweens, episodes 1 through 3 had arrived, but I was still a bit too young to tear them down or pull them apart or really do anything but watch. I knew it felt off, but so too did the Special Editions. At the time, I thought maybe I just didn’t like change or that I was jaded. When The Force Awakens landed, I was impressed. Mostly because I had come to terms with the prequels in some way and Episode VII returned Star Wars to its roots with a modern visual twist. Now, The Last Jedi, has come to basically tell fans everything they wanted to hear. “You were right. Practical effects don’t need to replaced. All your favorite characters are the legends you have always built them up to be. You deserve to be rewarded for your faith. Star Wars is everything YOU want it to be.” We can look at this film as the Star Wars cannon that exploits everything about its universe for the good of the viewer. But that line of thought all derives from the fan in me. The fan I am now questioning. Because now, this fan is not only an adult, but an amateur film critic.

I had trouble digesting this film. The Last Jedi pushes Star Wars in directions I don’t think anyone thought the cinematic cannon would allow. It is a daring film in its own universe, far more so then its mirror film The Empire Strikes Back. But the more I thought about it, the more I recognized how many choices were made for the sake progressing the story. To be clear, without giving anything away, there are many unexplained transitions. People returning to or ending up in places inexplicably. Though at points glaringly obvious, they deftly move past this, showing us cannon defining consequences for the characters, possibly as a way to divert your attention from their laziness. You can’t help feel that it's all too convenient. The narrative is tenuously held together. Were the audience given much of a chance, they might start asking questions, and the more questions you ask, the more you realize you have been rationalizing the plot for the writers. “How did Rey get there? Oh, she must have…” This seemed to me to have been the bane of science fiction/fantasy stories, especially those that are advanced completely by the characters like Star Wars. Unlike most films in this category, the characters are the focus point and the world revolves around them. Unexplained transition is by far the largest flaw in the film. The original trilogy by comparison had a solid narrative, possibly due to the technology at the time or the sentiments of film and storytelling. A New Hope explained each coincidence or choice along the way, and not always verbally, but visually as well.

Recognizing The Last Jedi’s narrative issues, it was still able to do something films aren’t always able to do. It connects with you emotionally. I had goosebumps, my palms were sweaty, I felt sad, happy, and excited. At this point, I realize I am having trouble viewing this as an outsider. Star Wars is too close to me. Objectively, I would argue that the value of an emotional connection in a story is higher than any flaw found with its execution. It also has the added benefit of being a serialized story, building with each entry. But, if you are able to connect with your audience, through visuals, music, acting, and direction, than you have effectively made a “good” film, even if much of the emotional connection relies on previous entries. Still, this can be a hard torch to pass, it isn’t without its difficulty. Visually, you couldn’t ask for a more satisfying Star Wars. It is ripe with an amazing color palette, physical props, some of the best CGI in the game, and more than enough background fun for fans. The music is a bit more bombastic than in previous outings and at times feels a bit out of place, but it still ranks as some of the most iconic in cinema. The softer songs are so inspired, I can see myself listening to them often in the future. And finally, Mark Hamill gets to be the man we always wanted him to be. Cool. Mark Hamill is finally cool. A brooding old Jedi Master, Hamill brings to life a version of Luke that Hayden Christensen should have been able to manifest in Anakin. It has become my favorite performance by Hamill to date. Oscar worthy? Not by Earth standards, but Star Wars fans might never find better. The late Carrie Fisher was much more comfortable playing Leia than her stilted performance in The Force Awakens. She was commanding, nurturing, funny, and natural. The rest of the cast, Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), Daisy Ridley (Rey), John Boyega (Finn), Oscar Isaac (Poe), and Domhnall Gleeson (Gen. Hux) all play up their characters for bigger laughs and deeper emotional connections this time. Newcomer Kelly Marie Tran (Rose) instantly fell into the ranks without any trouble at all.

This brings me back to director Rian Johnson. I own all of his major releases, Brick (2005), The Brothers Bloom (2008), and Looper (2012). (I only realized this having just looked at his IMDB page.) He has a special eye for detail, the kind of quality that breathes life into anything he points a camera at. The backdrops and surroundings are just as important as the people standing in them, and he has his own spin on this, using clean lines and hyper detail. He also seemed to have a hard on for Anime, like Cowboy Bebop or Macross. All of his talents are at their peak in The Last Jedi. However, there are moments of in this film that seem a bit compromised. Mostly, it’s the forced, unnatural comedy. The film opens a bit like Thor, with a dull, moronic, misplaced joke that might satiate the masses, but it felt so out of place for Star Wars. It’s not that it disturbed the natural order of a sci-fi/fantasy, but it definitely reminds you that you are in a theater, on planet earth, in the year 2017, which is something I am trying to escape from. And these jokes are found throughout the film, quite possibly meant to balance correct the mood of a “Disney” film, but they could have found more natural ways to go about it. In The Force Awakens, the comedy comes from a natural shtick, bumping into things, miscommunication, and dramatic character interactions. Still, Johnson always drew me back in with his love of the characters at the heart of the Skywalker saga. He took care to make sure that every moment on screen advances who they are and conflicts with who they want to be. He drew out an originality in Star Wars I haven’t seen since The Empire Strikes Back.

Having spent the better part of the day thinking about my initial question, I have come to a conclusion. Star Wars means more to me symbolically than any flaw you can find in it as a film. And while my ability to look at the film objectively has caused me to philosophically question my devotion to both film and Star Wars, I have come out the other side able to recognize that some projects, over time, become a part of you. They transcend your ability to be critical of their flaws, because like family, they can be forgiven. I forgave the prequels of all their misgivings because they still gave me more than they took away. I still had hope for them. I still had hope for Star Wars. That being said, The Last Jedi may have problems gluing together its parts, but the parts it is trying to stick together are still powerful and impressive cinema, whether that be the actors, script, set, effects, music, or story. It still sits on the pillars of everything Star Wars was built upon and stands for. It still brings people together both on screen and in the theater. So, do I like Star Wars? Yes. Do I like The Last Jedi? Absolutely. Is it a good film? It depends on who you ask, it has its problems, but from where I’m sitting, it seems the force is strong with this one.

May the force be with you, always.

~* 8/10 *~

(Secret Star Wars Score: 9/10)

[oh-i-got-dibs]

ClexaCon 2017 - Let’s Try This Recap Thing

It’s Friday morning, and I’m tired. But it’s the first day of the convention, and I haven’t even looked at the schedule yet but I’m mentally preparing myself for everything and anything. I had bought my badge for the three days the day they went on sale, but as for the plane and hotel bookings, those came within a month prior to the convention. I wasn’t sure if I was going to go, and now I can’t imagine anything else.

Let’s get this introduction out of the way. I’d consider myself a rather experienced convention goer. I’ve been to WonderCon and have been one of those fortunate few who has managed to get into San Diego Comic Con for the last 6 years. So I know cons. I know to bring comfy shoes, and I know you never get to go to all the panels you want to. I also know that I would quit a job to go to SDCC because to me, it’s a similar experience to this past weekend. A world away from our own, surrounded by like minded people, nerding out, meeting new friends, and just being a different sort of free.

Now this past weekend in Las Vegas, I can’t. I know everyone has been saying that they are coming up speechless in trying to break down exactly what the weekend meant to them, but it’s hard. Because the geek community is massive, but the geek and queer community is still finding its footing, its voice. This past weekend proves that we’re gaining ground, we’re having a voice, we’re fighting and learning and moving forward. Baby steps. But, yes, moving. Forward. And it was so relaxing to just be able to be me. To be queer, in an lgbt environment, and to be accepted was so gratifying.

As a writer, I can’t honestly say how everything and everyone impacted me internally. Just standing in the hall, looking around at the talented artists and the tables offering safe havens and just feeling at peace in the middle of all these people. People of all backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender, sexualites… It was special, powerful, and it was so hard to turn my back Sunday evening and walk away from it all.

Then again, I am just getting started. Everyone I met was incredible, beautiful, and there for a similar and different reason. Lots flew from thousands of miles away, stayed in a hotel room by themselves, had to walk through the cloud of smoke in the casino to wind up in a tiny corner of the world offering an open hand and a lot of love.

For me, I sat Sunday night in my room by myself holding back a lot. If you ended up running into me on the floor anytime throughout the convention in my sleep deprived state, please know that yes I am that weird and awkward but that I was so happy to meet you (I was one of the Alex Danvers cosplayers on Saturday). To hear your story, your fandom love, seeing your face when you talked about the panels and meeting your favorite celebrities, and just feeling the same way; home. Comfortable. Able to be yourself, nerding out at your shows and ships and meeting your favorite artists and Tumblr users and just loving every moment of it all.

To me, you all made the convention. The press, the panelists, the artists, the people behind the scenes, all you are also incredible humans who put together such a wonderful event. I don’t think anyone really knew what to expect, or how it would grow, but look at us all crying and cherishing these moments we had. So few moments we get in the “real world”, but in what seems like an alternate reality, to good to be true, we happened to congregate and feel loved and important and like we mattered, our gender and sexuality mattered, our presence mattered, and our stories, our fights, our losses and wins and who we are and who we will be, it all mattered. And it still does, and honestly, I learned a lot from the panels. I want to be more inclusive, I want to push myself, I want to see everyone have a story and character they can relate to on tv, I want to be able to try and do my share to bring that to life, because you matter. Your story, being told correctly and properly and not being stereotypical, it means the world to be included. I get that, and so please if I ask questions, it’s because I want to be true to you and your struggles in the community, in the world, and I want the world to see how brilliant and beautiful everyone is, no matter if it will change their opinion, because as we know some people just are who they are. But we have to start somewhere. It’s unfortunate, but it’s true. But this, it’s about you; it’s about us. And we are real, and we deserve better representation.

To me, I know this post is already too long. It’s rambling and goes everywhere. But to me, I fell back in love with my fandoms. And ClexaCon was so much of everything. A movement that started from a low part in our lives, and that sparked media attention, that brought about a convention that became about us and more. We aren’t just fans, we are artists, creators, fighters, living in an oppressive world that doesn’t want or know our struggles. Well ignorance will no longer be bliss. Life should be about more than just surviving, and if that doesn’t encapsulate this entire convention experience, I don’t know what does. Our community has many voices, and we should listen to all of them. Because we need to remember that in order to move forward, we can’t leave anyone behind.

Life can suck, and I went to the convention only being able to tell a handful of people where I was going. We all left and went back to environments that, overall, aren’t places we feel safe in. And to be teased, in a way, of what we could have is both the most wonderful and terrible thing.  Tomorrow I’ll be turning 25, and I feel a fire in me, sparked from everything I learned and all the inspirational people I met. I want to thank @hedaswarrior, because Erin is so kind and lovely. Like, I don’t know how I got the chance to hang with her, but dammit she’s amazing and Erin, I’m so glad you decided to go because you inspire me and so meeting you in person, I died a little because you’re beautiful and such a thoughtful and generous person. And hanging with you and @critter-of-habit was super fun. You both are awesome ladies. Thanks for making my Saturday night (or technically Sunday morning I guess...haha). Also a special shootout to @foleypdx because, well you know. You, and your wife, literally just are the greatest. My heart is like, but why do I live so far away. You two, thanks for being you. To @shootmaybesomeday, when I thought I was going to be stuck in the airport, I found you and so thanks for talking and kind of helping the transition into the world. Don’t freeze up there. Hope you get your jacket back.

I know I’m forgetting people, and I’m so sorry. To my new friends, to people I reconnected with, again I’m speechless. To the ladies I ran into at H&M Saturday night looking for a bowtie for the Sinful party huddled around the Power to the Girls shirt, and we all had our wristbands and we all just started talking and reminiscing about the weekend, you’re amazing, and I am sorry I didn’t wear my suspenders but I think I pulled off the bowtie pretty damn well. You all are just wonderful and I’m sending everyone hugs and I swear, I am here. I’m not perfect by any means, but I want to keep this community and safe haven in contact, and so if people need to talk, please, I’ll listen. I’ll try to help as best as I can, even if you just need someone to remind you that you’re important, and that I promise it will get better.

Whether you were able to go or not, remember this: we exist. A growing community, a loving and supportive community, not-perfect, but we are learning. If you want to see different panels, email them. Organize a table, use your voice for positive and educational purposes. I want to see everyone represented next year. So, voice your thoughts and your constructive criticism. It was great this year, but it can only get better next year.

Together, we are going to make a better future. We will live our lives, being who we are, proud and without fear and we will love as we do and we will be who we are. Together.

[robbyrise]

RANGERS REBORN.

So good it makes me wanna type away like i used to. 

Just got back from my first viewing of the Power Rangers and i’m glad to announce I am very satisfied with what was put on the big screen. Like most movies i didn’t have any crazy expectations for the film, just minor details here and there like the story going its own route to make it different and unique from the original show but still keeping true to its essence.

My only worry for this reincarnation of a great past time from my childhood would be the fact that the old shows (and even first 2 movies) were just so corny, so bad yet so good. Trust me, there are times when i come across clips and what have you, from the old shows that make me cringe when i realized how lame and corny it was. How could they possibly make this movie NOT corny? 

Why and how was i so drawn to this kind of entertainment? The power rangers taught me a sense of unity and it was probably what opened my eyes to being a part of and trusting your team (besides the Knicks). My favorite color back then was blue, so naturally Billy was my favorite ranger despite being the total opposite of his personality. 

If you’re a true fan, if you were there from the beginning till maybe the 3rd-4th generation of Rangers, and you don’t have high expectations of the new movie, you will probably find yourself feeling so much nostalgia from your childhood and it will open your eyes to how much the first group really made you appreciate the essence of wanting to become a power ranger. 

This is as far as I’ll go in regards to not spoiling anything. So if you haven’t seen it yet and plan on seeing it and don’t want me to ruin anything, stop reading here and come back later after you see it. If you don’t care and just want to keep reading because you’re bored, by all means go for it, just don’t say i didn’t warn you.

*SPOILERS*

The fact that they changed the story a little bit was already an indicator that i did the right thing in not wanting to expect anything from the movie that would impress me or even predict. Don't ask me how i remember this, but if i recall, the very first episode of the power rangers season 1 has something to do with a dumpster. Dumpster day or something. I don’t know, i just remember reading it, yes i could (somewhat) read at 5-6 years old. I remember Alpha and Zordon were already established in their ‘Command Center” and sensed Rita Repulsa’s escape from captivity. Want to know how she escaped? Go watch the original ORIGINAL intro of the series and you’ll see astronauts pushing over the lid of a genie stove top releasing the alien witch. The movie has her as a FORMER RANGER, the GREEN RANGER to be exact. Some will think it’s lame, i thought it was cool and acceptable. 

Recruiting. 

How the movie’s story pits the potential rangers together is a testament to the original series and how Zordon ordered Alpha to recruit “individuals with attitude.” The new teenagers portraying our beloved Jason, Zack, Billy, Trini, and Kimberly were all somewhat trouble makers/rebels. All of them rebels in their own right. All of them having something deep inside that could only brought out about themselves through each other, something we could really appreciate with the original rangers. 

Morphers? 

Remember it’s morphin time? And BOOM, out comes the morphers that EVERYBODY HAD AS A KID, well, almost everybody, and the rangers TRIBEAMED their transformation into rangers and the awesome theme came on and you know shit’s about to go down. I appreciate the fact that they really displayed these ‘rebels’ having a dark side to their personality and using the good inside them to be their source and spark to their armor.  Five strangers becoming friends and willing to do whatever they had to do for the greater good of their town. 

The Zeo crystals. 

I didn’t realize the importance of the crystals on the show until the Zeo rangers came about (potentially setting up a new franchise). It was referenced on the show numerous times as well. But what granted our rangers their powers were their crystals, or on the show the gold coins with their Zord animals on them.

OH, don’t worry, i’ll get to the Zords. The movie gives us a better perspective of how these teenagers with attitude came about and ‘trained’ as Rangers to defeat Rita. The show pretty much put them in suits and rangers like billy and Kim magically learned martial arts whereas Jason, Trini and Zack were already established martial artists. The new rangers were forced into training by Zordon and even Alpha. 

Backstories. 

The writers and producers did just enough to cover each character’s lives leading up to their discovery of the power coins crystal things. All well enough for them to be unique and appreciated in their own right. Billy the nerd with some loner/awkward issues who’s father disappeared (passed away perhaps?), Zack being a wild rebel with a sick mother, Jason the star jock athlete with a desire for trouble and a disappointed father, Trini (pronounced Trin-E in the move, not Treen-e like the original show) who jumped schools every year because of you guessed it, being a rebel and then Kimberly, who had personal issues ‘not being a good friend’ i guess? She was a cheerleader also vs. the Kimberly from the 90′s that was a gymnast. 

ZORDS.

Again, i’ll reiterate, there were times when I realized the old show was corny as fuck. And yes, the old Zords, while being badass in their own right, were still corny... as fuck. They were literally just remote control toys that were zoomed in on by the camera to make it seem like they were huge robots on TV. HOWEVER. If you were to fuse a real life Gundam wing with a Beast Wars transformer, you’d probably get a Zord from the new movie. The massive robot reference to crushing Bumblebee was very poetic. I’m glad i had a good crowd because they laughed and applauded that. But these new Zords? I’d say they were pretty fuckin awesome. I just personally feel like they made those corny robots toys that were on screen, cool and transformer like. Just again, in their own unique power ranger way. 

TRUE ESSENCE.

I mentioned ‘essence’ earlier in this write up and that essence is something that could only be felt if you were part of the beginning. When the original rangers, despite being so cheesy and corny, made you want to be a ranger SO BAD. The concept of the power rangers teaches us the power of unity and what the team could accomplish if they worked together. They struggled to reach the full potential of their powers, almost 2 weeks even (11 days to be exact b/c thats when Alpha calculated Rita could strike). But they did to the expense of Billy who later on was revived by Zordon as Zordon realized it wasn’t his team to lead. Remember when Zordon was about to die in the 1st Mighty Morphin Power Rangers movie? the adorably HOT Kimberly at the time said, “You’re like a father to us all.” Zordon guiding the Rangers towards the right direction to reach their potential, and giving Billy the 2nd chance to live showed qualities of just that in being a father like figure to the rangers, something he’s very accustomed to in the show and previous movies. In the old show, there were PLENTY OF TIMES when the rangers “were at their doom” at the hands of Rita and Lord Zed, but they somehow ALWAYS found a way to win. 

I’ll give you a perfect example of true essence. When the rangers and their Zords were pushed to the edge and they had to ‘hold the line’? Their struggle vs Goldar. Man... seeing the commercials I KNEW that the Mega Zord was going to be formed and it was going to kick serious ass, but the moments leading up to that they were all ready to die TOGETHER? I’m not gunna lie, i had the same feeling form up in my feels when Woody and Buzz held onto their friends at the end of Toy Story 3 before the claw saved them (shouts to swag surfer). As the cinema Gods as my witness, NO MOVIE has made me feel that way since Toy Story 3, LEGIT, until the new power rangers because I KNEW WHAT THE OUTCOME WAS and yet there i was, sitting on my seat reminding myself, “wow... i haven’t felt this urgent sorrow for ANY GROUP OF CHARACTERS since toy story 3.” And then they fall into the pit and you hear the Zords forming and i get this huge relief and burden lifted off my shoulders and i applaud with the crowd thanking God the tears forming in my eyes didn’t stream out b/c that would've been really embarrassing. But yeah, i’m applauding, the crowd is applauding and Billy has that comic relief line of Mama Zord-Mega Zord and as they try to advance the entire Zord falls over. Well fcuking done. No really, they didn’t just magically download the program to operate a “65 million year old alien robot” in a few seconds to their brains, they actually taught themselves how to operate their respective body part that was formed by their Zord. Again, unity, team work, Power Rangers... WOOOOO!!!!!!

I’m still kind of in shock at how much i actually enjoyed this movie. And i think that’s due to the fact that the crowd i watched the movie with was probably one of the better crowds i had watched a movie with since i got to Washington. Really. The movie culture here isn’t as passionate as what we have in New York but anyway back to the movie.

Alpha 5 said his signature line 2x,the black guy is actually the blue ranger and the asian is the BLACK ranger, both the pink and yellow rangers are cute & hot AF, Rita made her monster grow and said her token line as well. There weren’t any communicators, there wasn’t a bulk or skull even though i think the bully in the movie was supposed to be one of them i’m not too sure. Mid credit scene = Thomas Oliver = Power Rangers 2. Speaking of Tommy, the actor and actress who played they original Tommy and original Kimberly cameos probably had the biggest applause of the movie. Boom. Might be a little too early to bring in Lord Zedd in the 2nd movie, MAYBE hint or reference him like Rita did in regards to the Zeo crystals.

Future?

The Power Rangers have a generation of fans that first started watching and admiring them at such young age that are now PROFESSIONALS, MARRIED AND WITH KIDS. Granted, the series has gone onto bumblefuck abyss because i obviously lost track of where the TV series has gone, that old generation could show their kids what they used to watch, and be like, “That movie that’s out? That’s a remake of the ORIGINAL rangers, the founding fore fathers of what you young maggots are watching now” kind of deal. 

I AM PRAYING that this generates enough revenue and popularity that they make a nice, LONG MOVIE SERIES because THERES SO MUCH potential. Maybe something Disney could look into working a deal with Saban b/c there’s just too much to let slip away. You got franchises like Fast and the Furious that’s gone off track from how great it was before the 4th/5th movies, but could somewhat catch up to and pass GI Joe (unless they actually cross over with, wait for it...), and maybe be half as good as the Transformer series (yes, GI Joe and Transformers could crossover, because they have in the comics). I look at transformers and think thats a good goal to strive for, because movie series like James Bond, LOTR, the Matrix, and Star Wars are just at an elite level. Then I see franchises like the Underworld, Resident Evil movies (sorry, i’m just not a fan of them) and Sharknado (IDK how and why people find those movies entertaining), and it gives me hope that the Power Rangers movie reboot could just be the thing we need in the movie industry to keep it interesting unless Japan and Hollywood could work something out to bring Gundam Wing to life. 

*CUE BLOG SOUNDTRACK ENDING CREDIT AND MOVIE RATING THEME = VAN HALEN - DREAMS*

ANYWAY. 9/10 Power Rangers. I’m going to see it again. WITHOUT A DOUBT.

Off topic final thought:

Where are my movie junkies at? This is off topic but i know you’d appreciate this. I had a dream... you ready? I had a dream, that Christopher Nolan, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas all worked together to make an American interpretation of Spirited Away with a movie score composed by Hanz Zimmer. Call me crazy, but i woke up and had mixed emotions about it.

[alverlanche]

                                BABES. I. AM. IN. SHOCK. 

honestly, when I revamped Lance I NEVER thought I would hit such a large milestone - or that I would find so many new friends by bringing him back!!! It warms my heart that so many people have given this hot headed dork so much love from a tv show from YEARS ago - so I thought I’d give some love back

So - before I get into the mushy gushy stuff. The giveaway. It’s not exactly your...usual type of giveaway? Pretty much if our characters have interacted/have a friendship/relationship you can send a lil  ❤ and I’ll made a small fanvideo of Lance and your muse! Obviously your character will need to have a live action or cartoon faceclaim (or be from the show) for me to do so - but I thought it would be kind of fun to try and do! So you can just send me a  ❤ in case you’re too shy to ask ooc and I’ll find a lil song (or you can send one in you think fits them!) and I’ll try my best to make a little video celebrating their relationship! Hence the Valentine themed giveaway which I bet totally flops lol :3

                   AND NOW THE MUSHY STUFF UNDER THE CUT!

@darcybby - ha. ok. you’ll pretty much be on every follow forever?? on any blog??? you’re gonna have to deal with that. you’ve been through four blogs with me now (I’m terrible) but even if we can’t interact on some of them I still adore chatting to you ooc! Did you know you’re the only person I actually talk to on skype??? the rest I just chat with. I’m sorry we’ve not called recently (damn anxiety) but I still know you’re there if I need you and I hope you feel the same way <3 

@prydefully - I have started shipping Lancitty in a way I never even thought I could tbh. AND ITS ALL YOUR FAULT! somehow a ship from a tv show which was very forced if we’re honest pushed by the writers for a romance between both sides of the teams has developed into one of the most damn. angsty. thing. I love it, I love it so much and I love talking to you ooc, you never fail to make me laugh over one thing or another <3 

@windsweptsilver​ - *drags hands across my face* can I just???? jesus, you’ve written Pietro for years, and it shows. each response  and reaction from Pietro is just spot on to what I think would be  from x-men evolutions version of Pietro. and as for headcanons - all of the ones you chat to me about make my heart hurt for him, and fit in around the shows screentime for him so well that I constantly find myself expecting some episodes to mention some of your ideas just because they fit so well. Lance and Pietro are such an interesting and fucked up relationship, I’m so happy we chat ooc about the dynamics of their relationship, as emotional as it makes me <3

@vestiica​ - how do I even?? shipping these two grumpy hot headed nerds wasn’t something I ever thought would happen - and yet here we are! well over a year later and after a blog revamp these two are still as weird and awkward as ever, and I wouldn’t have it any other way! (well....maybe I’d like them to get together properly soon - I mean, they need to sort their shit out XD) every thread we have I adore, and I only wish they had more interactions within the actual show! then again....maybe then I wouldn’t imagine them sharing pizza and learning how to swim in the way we’ve chatted about, which would be a tragedy in itself <3

@wildtsukai​ - THESE TWO I SWEAR. Lance and Toad are hilarious, and I’m so so so happy that you’re on tumblr to write with! You’re such a talented writer, you’ve gotten both sides of Todd down, the sad and the funny, Some of your backstory and headcanons make me pause and re-watch episodes with Todd’s lines, seeing them, in a completely different light, which honestly, is amazing. All of our threads have made me laugh multiple times if I’m honest, and I hope we can write them getting into more hijinks together <3  

@phcenixgirl​ - gah, another friendship that I adore Lance having! I mean...who’d of guessed Scott Summers spawn would be actually kind of cool? Lance certainly didn’t. But it’s brilliant, and I love our little threads ^^ but I also love our talks out of character,  even if recently its been me whining about my baby bro crying all the time <3 

@maximoffgirl / @multiplejamies / @idreamofjean - I still can’t believe I didn’t link your personal to your deviantart work to be honest, I’m almost ashamed of myself XD I love writing with you, on whichcever blog you have muse for really, and even if we haven’t started the thread on Jamie properly yet I’m sure I’ll love that too! ^^ Talking about evoltuion with you is so fun (and funny), especially when it’s about some of the reactions in the show, it’s always priceless! <3 

@bitebxck​ - *breaths heavily I don’t even know how to...gahhh, I adore your style of writing. Honestly, it’s so detailed and in depth, I’m always excited to see your replies when you’re done, even if I take FOREVER to respond back! I’m already super excited about writing on your other blog with you, so hopefully I’ll get round to that part of my drafts soon!! <3 

@welookoutforourown / @creepingnightmares - wellllll, lets just see how much I can gush about your art and your writing, shall we? seriously, I’m such a fan I’ve even showed a couple of friends your artwork because I think it’s so incredible (and they agree XD) and talked probably a little too much to them about how cute Maddy is! Her character is such a wonderful one, and you have an incredible way of writing her sweet character, while still being able to write Isaak as a very aggravating and cruel muse too - something that is honestly so impressive. I love seeing you on my dash, and I just wanna recommend you to all my followers <3  

@quiet-loudmouth - you followed me during a period where I was in a little bit of a rough patch...but every time I posted anything negative you came and chatted to me, and I honestly can’t thank you enough for that. you’re such a sweet person ooc, and your muse is also a total cutie, I knew I just had to write about you on my follow forever <3 

@runawaymutants​ - I’m gonna write about Elle because she’s the one I interact the most with ^^ I know you’re thinking about making me exclusive on skype, and even though I’m not too sure about roleplaying via skype I 100% would if it meant we could keep writing these two. They’re such cuties, I love every thread that we have together, and even if we swap it over to skype I still recommend that people follow you for your other oc Alec, who I don’t write with but I enjoy reading your threads with him all the time <3

@notaseasonsummers - ahhhh another person in the group categorized ‘muses I didn’t realize I would hardcore ship with Lance’! Seriously, Lance’s enemy's brother is just....wow. XD These two are such dorks with each other, and all of your christmas presents were so much fun every day that I think I love your muse even more now because of your blog! seriously, these bro’s are a top ship of mine involving Lance now <3

@vampirestakecareofourown​ - *flails awkwardly* I don’t want to keep repeating myself with the same compliments, but honestly, all of you are such incredible writers, so I have to say it for you too. Honestly, I love Gory and your portrayal, and I love how quickly our two muse are bonding and connecting. Add in the fun little comments and chats ooc and I'm just really grateful that you’re a mutual follower I consider a friend! <3 

@mypralaya - I know we don’t talk THAT much ooc, but I still just want to say that you’re another writer whose threads I enjoy immensely :) Though I’m painfully slow with replies at the moment, know that each thread and each muse you have are super interesting to me, especially since they’re less known than other xmen characters around ^^ I have to admit I’m especially fond of our thread on this account, and can’t wait to see what happens next! <3

@blindedleadingtheblind - well lets be honest, with Lance and Scott? You’re always going to make my list bahaha. Seriously, these two idiots and their ‘macho’ contests just make out already make me laugh so much. In fact, a lot of your asks and interactions are really fun and I ADORE seeing you on my dash! I hope we do more threads in the future <3

@sneakymystique - and last, but SO not least! the way you write Mystique is just....scary. scary GOOD, but still....poor Lance XD our threads have gotten him into a lot of shit so far, but really I wouldn’t have it any other way. Your Mystique is so manipulative and brutal, and such a perfect version of Evolution’s Mystique. Add in your little comments about Evolution tv show as a whole and you’re just a wonderful addition to my ever moving dash! <3

and now I just want to apologize to anyone who I haven’t written about here. there were honestly at least twenty more people I wanted to write about - but as you can probably see this post got waaaayyy too long, and these are people I chat with ooc and feel comfortable writing about. Just know that if I follow you, I adore your writing, your character and whatever threads we have going on. Happy Valentines Day! Mwah <3

[richardmperry88]

Corporate Gigs to Freelancer Freedom: How msloydwrites Made the Switch

Ever since she can remember, Michelle S. Loyd has loved writing — in all its forms.

“Writing has always come naturally to me and is one of my favorite ways to pass the time,” she says. “I find myself taking notes and writing things down in the weirdest situations in preparation for a new article, post, or social media update.”

It makes perfect sense that Loyd is now a freelance writer, social media influencer, and digital gamechanger. As the owner and founder of msloydwrites — a freelance writing, blogging, and marketing agency — she provides services for local and international brands.

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Finding a Path

But it wasn’t always that way. Before launching her own business, she worked for some of America’s biggest brands, including AAA, Verizon Wireless, and Apple Inc.

“While it wasn’t my destiny to stay with any of these companies, my time at each company taught me a lot about the business world and customer experience,” Loyd says. “I also made a few lifelong friends along the way.”

Ultimately, her heart wasn’t in her work, and she wanted to change that. “Since I love writing so much and I kept hearing from strong business leaders that you should love what you do, it finally dawned on me that I wasn’t doing what I loved,” Loyd says. “So, I changed my career and began freelance writing in 2016. Apple was the last company that I officially worked for before opening msloydwrites.”

Her experience prepared her for launching her own business.

The most important things she learned were how to operate a business in a virtual environment and use metrics to make business decisions. Loyd’s degrees also helped; she holds an undergraduate degree in psychology from Southern Illinois University and a graduate degree in human resource management with a concentration in information systems management.

Related: How to Create a Freelance Writer Website That Actually Gets You Writing Gigs

The self-described “digital nomad” is currently based in the Golden Isles of south Georgia, located just south of Savannah, and considered one of the state’s best-kept secrets. “I’ve had the pleasure of learning more about the history of the area and discovering more about my roots and myself in the process,” Loyd says. “As an African-American woman, I have a deep interest in the history of South Georgia.”

Many cities there have strong ties and date back to the original roots of American slavery. She was amazed to learn that in this part of the country, there are still direct descendants of the original West African Slaves brought over during the Atlantic Slave Trade called “Geeches” or “Gullah.” But her favorite part of the Golden Isles is the breathtaking ocean views from the barrier islands.

At Your Service

Through msloydwrites, Loyd provides freelance writing and marketing-related services online. Clients use her services for everything from ghostwriting to blogging, Twitter marketing, and consulting. “My clients are small businesses, startups, and individual entrepreneurs who need help creating or enhancing their content marketing strategy,” Loyd says.

“I create engaging content based on research and fact-checking that is targeted for each industry. I specialize in providing quality web content for blogs and social media sites that are focused on mental health awareness, psychology research and innovation, online therapy and telemedicine effectiveness, customer relations/customer experience, and small business consulting.”

Lately, the bulk of her work has been on writing mental health and psychology-related content for leading online therapy providers and developing new affiliate relationships. “The topic of psychology and mental health has always been important to me,” Loyd says.

“I’ve always wanted to be able to contribute to the healing of others as it relates to mental health. Even when I was young, I could see that not enough emphasis was placed on education, research, and developing realistic treatment options. As an anxiety sufferer myself, I know that living with mental health challenges can be difficult — even debilitating in some cases. As a result, I do my best to make sure I’m doing my part by sharing fact-checked education and resources for people suffering with chronic mental health symptoms. I try to create clear and factual content that helps people get connected with the resources and support they need to improve the quality of their mental health. I figure that helping on at least a small scale can make a difference.”

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Social Studies

Like many other small business owners, Loyd uses her social media and marketing skills to promote her own business. She regularly engages with her followers on Twitter via updates, polls, and inspirational quotes, to name a few.

“I’m an active presence on Twitter where I share, learn and network with experts, influencers, and other like-minded professionals,” Loyd says. “Talking to people who share similar interests and ideas makes it easy for me to organically find new leads and partners to work with. I use my social media platform and website to share relevant, engaging, and useful information with my followers and other like-minded professionals.”

Pushing herself to grow and evolve her own business has had both professional and personal payoff for Loyd. “I’m a huge nerd,” she says. “So, outside of exceeding the expectations of my clients and inspiring others, the most rewarding part of my business has been getting to learn and experiment with so much new technology! It’s weird to go from being a customer to learning how a business works from the inside. I love all the apps, tools, gadgets, and widgets I get to play with at work now.”

Related: The 7 Best Web Management Tools for Small Businesses

She’s learned many lessons along the way with msloydwrites. “One thing I think that every business owner should know is a tip that I took from working at Apple, and that is: Even in business, you don’t have to know it all,” Loyd says.

“It may seem strange to say, but we try to seem knowledgeable and keep so much information in our heads on so many topics, that we forget to leave room for learning new ways of doing things. This includes innovation and improvements. As long as the internet and Google are available and you know how to use your resources, everything you ever needed to know is available at the click of a button. Take it easy on yourself.”

Host with the Most

Having the right tech and tools at her fingertips has been crucial to Loyd’s business expansion.  “Speaking of apps and tools, DreamHost is actually one of the latest additions to my toolbox,” she says. “I initially started my blog on the WordPress.com platform and DreamHost was featured there. I always kept it in the back of my mind for when I was ready to host my own domain as my business began to scale. Once I learned the ins and outs of WordPress, I tried hosting with another provider.”

While their hosting services were OK, the pricing was confusing, and they didn’t have nearly enough options to meet her needs. She became frustrated and remembered that years ago, she had told herself she would give DreamHost a try. She switched her hosting over to DreamHost and has been very happy with the service ever since.

“I’m also my own webmaster, so simplicity in a hosting provider is mandatory,” Loyd says. “I’m satisfied with the price, integrations, and features, and I’ve had zero issues with uptime on my website.

One of Loyd’s favorite things about DreamHost is the user interface because it’s clean and provides clear instructions on completing everyday tasks related to managing her website. Even transferring her domain and selecting a hosting package was a cinch.

“The one-click WordPress install made it easy for me to deploy and access my self-hosted WordPress website in just a matter of minutes after setup,” Loyd says. “Easy-to-follow support guides help me navigate and manage hosting features of my DreamHost account as a self-service option. I’ve never had a major issue with my hosting-related services. DreamHost offers a solid hosting package at an affordable price. As long as things continue to progress with DreamHost as smoothly as they have so far, I plan to be a lifelong customer.”

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Tech Talk

Loyd’s website is, of course, an integral part of her business. “My website makes it easy for me to showcase my work, my personality, and to describe my business in a nutshell for new clients, customers, and people who just want to know more about what I do,” Loyd says.

She also created her site to share updates, news, and business tips with writers, marketers, and other small business professionals to make it easier for them to succeed. “I’ve been working on the ‘community’ feature of the site that includes forums and chat rooms for writers, marketers, and small business professionals to meet and chat about some common business questions, issues, and tips,” Loyd says. “When it’s complete I hope to have a ‘virtual water cooler’ environment. As a self-proclaimed introvert, I do as much networking and shopping as I can online.”

To keep her website fresh, she uses quite a few technologies and products. “I’m looking for a simple solution to integrate everything,” Loyd says. “I recently started using Salesforce essentials, which seems to be doing a really awesome job of bringing things together!”

Other tools she uses are WordPress for blogging, Crowdfire, and Zoho Social for social media management, as well as Google Docs and Sheets for word processing, writing blog posts, creating documents, and easy file sharing. “I have a comprehensive list of resources on my website that talks more about the products and services that I use to power it.”

Related: How This Writer Set up a DreamHost Site in Under an Hour

Back to the Future

Loyd aims to continue expanding both her business and her website. “I plan to keep learning, growing, sharing great content, and keeping up with the pace of technology as things change,” she says.

“I hope that one day msloydwrites will be a source of information and inspiration for people who are looking for writing and content marketing services to increase their brand presence online. I also hope to become a central hub for other writers, marketing professionals, and small business owners to communicate and share information and best practices. It makes me feel great to be able to share relevant information and tips that can help another writer or a small business have an easier time. As long as I am inspiring people in one way or another through my work, I feel like I’m making a difference.”

The post Corporate Gigs to Freelancer Freedom: How msloydwrites Made the Switch appeared first on Website Guides, Tips and Knowledge.

from Website Guides, Tips and Knowledge https://www.dreamhost.com/blog/customer-spotlight-msloydwrites/

[gabrielcollignon]

A Year Full of ‘No Way!?’ Moments for CCO Magazine

A Year Full of ‘No Way!?’ Moments for CCO Magazine

2017 will go down as the year contributors to the magazine repeatedly blew my mind.

Most editors like to think they have at least a modest (if not better) grasp of the industry they cover. After all, to be a good editor you must be able to tease out the ideas that will educate or delight your readers most – and identifying those requires a baseline of subject matter expertise.

This year was different. At least a half dozen CCO articles in 2017 inspired an exclamation I can only describe as “No sh*t?!,” but for the purposes of this article, I’ll refer to as “No way?!”

Read on to learn about all the amazing contributors and ideas of the past year that blew my mind or delighted me.

Virtual reality and a sit-down with author of The Martian (February 2017)

We started the year interviewing virtual-reality expert Sarah Hill, CEO and chief storyteller for StoryUP, the article titled Immersive Content. No longer the domain of ultra-early adopters and video gamers, virtual reality and augmented reality took off in 2017 … and Sarah was the perfect guide, helping us understand the possibilities and limitations of VR and AR. She also offered case studies from brands using VR, a welcome moment for those of us unable to visualize applications for VR outside of the gaming and consumer entertainment realm.

The world is no longer flat. The internet is fast becoming a place you step inside. @sarahmidmo #virtualreality Click To Tweet

Also in February, I was delighted to interview Andy Weir, author of The Martian. We talked in Las Vegas just before his touching keynote talk at the ICC conference. Andy spoke poignantly about the deep challenges of being a full-time creative, and the lessons marketers may learn from his own journey. Among other nuggets of wisdom, he explained that marketers focus too much on the sale and, in doing so, lose sight of the power of a well-told story.

Marketers focus too much on sale. They lose sight of power of well-told story, says @andyweirauthor. Click To Tweet

He explained, “Audiences are extremely aware of preachiness, especially in the modern era. Hollywood has decided that everything has to have some freaking political message, which drives me crazy. The Martian, by the way, had no political message. Dude didn’t want to die … that’s it. People quickly, even if they don’t do it consciously, identify the message, get mildly annoyed at it, and then start ignoring the parts of the movie that push that. That’s why I try to avoid it. Instead, find the interesting part of your story and then work towards the message, rather than desperately starting with the message and trying to work towards the interesting part.”

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: How Virtual Reality Could Change Content Marketing

Making sense of AI, plus ideas about hiring (April 2017)

Paul Roetzer’s article about the rise of AI-powered content marketing (Cognitive Content Marketing) lit up my brain with possibilities.

.@PaulRoetzer’s plain-English tour of AI in marketing lit up my brain, says @soloportfolio. Click To Tweet

Paul’s plain-English tour of the categories of AI in marketing, and possible on-ramps for timid marketers to consider, was one of my key “no way?!” moments of 2017. If it’s a topic that interests you, I also recommend watching his session from Content Marketing Word (Machine-Assisted Narrative: How to Transform and Scale Your B2B Content With Artificial Intelligence), which is available on demand. Paul did a fantastic job explaining AI in terms even non-technophiles can understand. He also gave us a tour of the most promising technologies in the field, and how marketers are using each.

Also in April, we heard from Sara Noble, a Boston-based search consultant who helps iconic brands hire elite content marketing executives (Are You Ready to Hire Quality?). She said among her first tasks when she speaks to a potential hiring company is to figure out if they are serious about content – and thus worth consideration by top-flight talent. If you’re ready to a hire a high-value content marketing leader, look through her list of questions to ensure that your team and company are truly in a position to benefit from a big investment in top talent.

Excellent #content creators do not come cheap, says Sara Noble via @soloportfolio. Click To Tweet

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: How to Speed Up the Process to Find and Hire Top Content Marketing Talent

How data influences story (June 2017)

Some people have been amazing resources to the magazine over the years – people who keep coming back with great ideas, stories, and people. (Cameron Conaway, Andy Vale, and Kirk Cheyfitz … I’m looking at you.)

In that spirit, Andy brought us a “no way?!” story (Data-Driven Creative). Andy interviewed Fred Graver, a four-time Emmy-winning television producer and former head of Twitter TV, who uses social data to influence his screenwriting. Yes, it sounds kind of dystopian, but using analytics to influence creative is an interesting premise and process. And it’s an idea that is here to stay, given our inevitable future of AI-enhanced human creativity.

TV audiences are vocal on @Twitter, allowing for substantial research & building creative, via @AndyVale. Click To Tweet

Also fun to read in the June issue – the interview with Jennifer Watson from The Weather Channel (How The Weather Channel Does Social Media). Most social media managers are hyper-aware of publishing accurate, appropriate social content online, but in Jennifer’s work accuracy can be a life-or-death situation. For a weather nerd like myself, it was a dream come true to speak to Jennifer and peer into her daily life.

.@weatherchannel has meteorologists on #socialmedia team to ensure accuracy, says @JWatson_Wx. Click To Tweet

Inspiration from the content maven at GE (August 2017)

GE’s social media personality has long been a favorite of mine. And my all-time favorite campaign from GE: its play on the Hey Girl meme for Valentine’s Day, but instead of Ryan Gosling, Thomas Edison is the flirt.

The company makes it look easy, but bringing that voice and personality to a brand as big and iconic as GE is a huge challenge (How GE Gives Recruiting Content a Personality Lift). Chief Marketing Officer Linda Boff said the key is in knowing what human values the brand stands for. She explained, “Our DNA is innovation, technology, research and manufacturing. It’s something we have all fallen in love with at GE. That’s our guiding light. We never try to pretend something we’re not.”

A lot of companies could name the same values as GE does, but what makes GE’s execution of those values special is the way it transforms them into a human personality. Boff said, “We often talk about showing up as a person would versus how a corporation would. How do you do that? With humor. A wink. A twist.”

Establish a brand voice that’s inherently human & relatable to your audience. @lindaboff #recruiting Click To Tweet

Also in August, an article from one of my favorite CCO contributors, Kirk Cheyfitz (How Advertising is Killing the WWW). Kirk has long railed against the overreaches of advertising and how poor behavior by advertisers will ruin online marketing for the rest of us. Kirk is such an elegant writer that the article is worth reading if only to see how a masterful creative unpacks a complex topic. Also keep an eye out for his Guide to Digital Decency and Success in the same piece.

Digital advertising’s many deadly sins have generated a plague of problems for everybody, says @KirkCheyfitz. Click To Tweet

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: 10 Tips to Pack More Personality into Your Content

A Voice Revolution Caps the Year (November 2017)

Finally, in November we published one of my all-time favorite articles of all time. (That sentence just triggered our blog editor.) (Note from editor: Yes, the sentence made me clutch my pearls, but I kept it just this once for writer authenticity.)

Britney Muller from Moz explained the “no way?!” effect of voice assistants on SEO. Of course, I heard rumblings of how voice search would transform SEO, but Britney patiently explained it in a way that all marketers could understand. It’s possibly my favorite article of the year simply because of how much I learned.

And, for giggles, read Andrew Davis’ column, in which he uttered the words, How to Manscape Your Butt  (though to be fair, he was quoting someone else). Andrew and his guest columnist, Becky Montchal, call out Dollar Shave Club for excluding half of the world’s population in its shave-related content marketing.

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: Are You Ready for Content Marketing in 2018? 60+ Predictions

Make sure you don’t miss any of the no-way moments in 2018. Subscribe to the free print edition (yes, it will arrive in your mailbox) today.

Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute

The post A Year Full of ‘No Way!?’ Moments for CCO Magazine appeared first on Content Marketing Institute.

[lucyariablog]

A Year Full of ‘No Way!?’ Moments for CCO Magazine

2017 will go down as the year contributors to the magazine repeatedly blew my mind.

Most editors like to think they have at least a modest (if not better) grasp of the industry they cover. After all, to be a good editor you must be able to tease out the ideas that will educate or delight your readers most – and identifying those requires a baseline of subject matter expertise.

This year was different. At least a half dozen CCO articles in 2017 inspired an exclamation I can only describe as “No sh*t?!,” but for the purposes of this article, I’ll refer to as “No way?!”

Read on to learn about all the amazing contributors and ideas of the past year that blew my mind or delighted me.

Virtual reality and a sit-down with author of The Martian (February 2017)

We started the year interviewing virtual-reality expert Sarah Hill, CEO and chief storyteller for StoryUP, the article titled Immersive Content. No longer the domain of ultra-early adopters and video gamers, virtual reality and augmented reality took off in 2017 … and Sarah was the perfect guide, helping us understand the possibilities and limitations of VR and AR. She also offered case studies from brands using VR, a welcome moment for those of us unable to visualize applications for VR outside of the gaming and consumer entertainment realm.

The world is no longer flat. The internet is fast becoming a place you step inside. @sarahmidmo #virtualreality Click To Tweet

Also in February, I was delighted to interview Andy Weir, author of The Martian. We talked in Las Vegas just before his touching keynote talk at the ICC conference. Andy spoke poignantly about the deep challenges of being a full-time creative, and the lessons marketers may learn from his own journey. Among other nuggets of wisdom, he explained that marketers focus too much on the sale and, in doing so, lose sight of the power of a well-told story.

Marketers focus too much on sale. They lose sight of power of well-told story, says @andyweirauthor. Click To Tweet

He explained, “Audiences are extremely aware of preachiness, especially in the modern era. Hollywood has decided that everything has to have some freaking political message, which drives me crazy. The Martian, by the way, had no political message. Dude didn’t want to die … that’s it. People quickly, even if they don’t do it consciously, identify the message, get mildly annoyed at it, and then start ignoring the parts of the movie that push that. That’s why I try to avoid it. Instead, find the interesting part of your story and then work towards the message, rather than desperately starting with the message and trying to work towards the interesting part.”

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: How Virtual Reality Could Change Content Marketing

Making sense of AI, plus ideas about hiring (April 2017)

Paul Roetzer’s article about the rise of AI-powered content marketing (Cognitive Content Marketing) lit up my brain with possibilities.

.@PaulRoetzer’s plain-English tour of AI in marketing lit up my brain, says @soloportfolio. Click To Tweet

Paul’s plain-English tour of the categories of AI in marketing, and possible on-ramps for timid marketers to consider, was one of my key “no way?!” moments of 2017. If it’s a topic that interests you, I also recommend watching his session from Content Marketing Word (Machine-Assisted Narrative: How to Transform and Scale Your B2B Content With Artificial Intelligence), which is available on demand. Paul did a fantastic job explaining AI in terms even non-technophiles can understand. He also gave us a tour of the most promising technologies in the field, and how marketers are using each.

Also in April, we heard from Sara Noble, a Boston-based search consultant who helps iconic brands hire elite content marketing executives (Are You Ready to Hire Quality?). She said among her first tasks when she speaks to a potential hiring company is to figure out if they are serious about content – and thus worth consideration by top-flight talent. If you’re ready to a hire a high-value content marketing leader, look through her list of questions to ensure that your team and company are truly in a position to benefit from a big investment in top talent.

Excellent #content creators do not come cheap, says Sara Noble via @soloportfolio. Click To Tweet

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: How to Speed Up the Process to Find and Hire Top Content Marketing Talent

How data influences story (June 2017)

Some people have been amazing resources to the magazine over the years – people who keep coming back with great ideas, stories, and people. (Cameron Conaway, Andy Vale, and Kirk Cheyfitz … I’m looking at you.)

In that spirit, Andy brought us a “no way?!” story (Data-Driven Creative). Andy interviewed Fred Graver, a four-time Emmy-winning television producer and former head of Twitter TV, who uses social data to influence his screenwriting. Yes, it sounds kind of dystopian, but using analytics to influence creative is an interesting premise and process. And it’s an idea that is here to stay, given our inevitable future of AI-enhanced human creativity.

TV audiences are vocal on @Twitter, allowing for substantial research & building creative, via @AndyVale. Click To Tweet

Also fun to read in the June issue – the interview with Jennifer Watson from The Weather Channel (How The Weather Channel Does Social Media). Most social media managers are hyper-aware of publishing accurate, appropriate social content online, but in Jennifer’s work accuracy can be a life-or-death situation. For a weather nerd like myself, it was a dream come true to speak to Jennifer and peer into her daily life.

.@weatherchannel has meteorologists on #socialmedia team to ensure accuracy, says @JWatson_Wx. Click To Tweet

Inspiration from the content maven at GE (August 2017)

GE’s social media personality has long been a favorite of mine. And my all-time favorite campaign from GE: its play on the Hey Girl meme for Valentine’s Day, but instead of Ryan Gosling, Thomas Edison is the flirt.

The company makes it look easy, but bringing that voice and personality to a brand as big and iconic as GE is a huge challenge (How GE Gives Recruiting Content a Personality Lift). Chief Marketing Officer Linda Boff said the key is in knowing what human values the brand stands for. She explained, “Our DNA is innovation, technology, research and manufacturing. It’s something we have all fallen in love with at GE. That’s our guiding light. We never try to pretend something we’re not.”

A lot of companies could name the same values as GE does, but what makes GE’s execution of those values special is the way it transforms them into a human personality. Boff said, “We often talk about showing up as a person would versus how a corporation would. How do you do that? With humor. A wink. A twist.”

Establish a brand voice that’s inherently human & relatable to your audience. @lindaboff #recruiting Click To Tweet

Also in August, an article from one of my favorite CCO contributors, Kirk Cheyfitz (How Advertising is Killing the WWW). Kirk has long railed against the overreaches of advertising and how poor behavior by advertisers will ruin online marketing for the rest of us. Kirk is such an elegant writer that the article is worth reading if only to see how a masterful creative unpacks a complex topic. Also keep an eye out for his Guide to Digital Decency and Success in the same piece.

Digital advertising’s many deadly sins have generated a plague of problems for everybody, says @KirkCheyfitz. Click To Tweet

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: 10 Tips to Pack More Personality into Your Content

A Voice Revolution Caps the Year (November 2017)

Finally, in November we published one of my all-time favorite articles of all time. (That sentence just triggered our blog editor.) (Note from editor: Yes, the sentence made me clutch my pearls, but I kept it just this once for writer authenticity.)

Britney Muller from Moz explained the “no way?!” effect of voice assistants on SEO. Of course, I heard rumblings of how voice search would transform SEO, but Britney patiently explained it in a way that all marketers could understand. It’s possibly my favorite article of the year simply because of how much I learned.

And, for giggles, read Andrew Davis’ column, in which he uttered the words, How to Manscape Your Butt  (though to be fair, he was quoting someone else). Andrew and his guest columnist, Becky Montchal, call out Dollar Shave Club for excluding half of the world’s population in its shave-related content marketing.

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: Are You Ready for Content Marketing in 2018? 60+ Predictions

Make sure you don’t miss any of the no-way moments in 2018. Subscribe to the free print edition (yes, it will arrive in your mailbox) today.

Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute

The post A Year Full of ‘No Way!?’ Moments for CCO Magazine appeared first on Content Marketing Institute.

from http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2017/12/cco-magazine-year/

[njawaidofficial]

'Spider-Man: Homecoming' Is a Relief From the Marvel Universe's Movie Baggage

http://styleveryday.com/2017/07/11/spider-man-homecoming-is-a-relief-from-the-marvel-universes-movie-baggage/

'Spider-Man: Homecoming' Is a Relief From the Marvel Universe's Movie Baggage

Tom Holland’s first solo outing succeeds by not getting bogged down 10 year’s worth of drama.

Marvel Studios has been building their cinematic universe framework for many years now and it’s expected to hit a fever pitch when Avengers: Infinity War hits in 2018. What officially started in 2008 with a mechanical man has grown to include gods, space adventures, and magic, as well as more down-to-Earth (literally and figuratively) television tales. As much as I love canon and long-form storytelling, Spider-Man: Homecoming made it feel like I was playing hooky from school. And I loved it.

Most of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films have (even if it’s only their mid or after credit scenes) pushed forward the larger story of superheroes existing in the fictional world Marvel created, which is not unlike our own. In comics, and in other mediums, I appreciate “canon” stories. World building can be very exciting, not to mention lucrative. It’s why Universal is attempting a Dark Universe filled with monsters. But a well told, one-off tale can be just as enjoyable. Homecoming sort of falls in the middle and reaps the benefits of both worlds.

We pick up post-The Avengers (2012) as Michael Keaton’s Adrian Toomes is working with his crew on cleaning up the massive wreckage in New York City. Through the film we see the decommissioning of Stark’s Avengers tower and move to their post-Age of Ultron facility as well as an alternate view of Tom Holland’s Peter Parker cameo in Captain America: Civil War. And of course, just like every other iteration, there’s tons of Easter Eggs not just for the MCU, but Marvel Comics. Marvel has an official timeline so they don’t get confused about what’s happening when but the timeframe of Homecoming has made many of us scratch our heads by stating it picks up eight years after Avengers. It’s not a make or break issue for me in the grand scheme of things, but it did make me think back to all that’s happened in the MCU so far and what’s still to come. It’s a giant story.

I’ve never been a big Spider-Man lover, but one thing that always stuck out to me was the character’s fun-loving nature, despite the usual superhero struggles. Homecoming captured that fun and it made me feel like a kid again. I attached myself to superhero stories at a young age so when a film can bring me back to that time and those specific feelings, it gets bonus points in my book. This isn’t to say I didn’t have fun watching The Avengers, Guardians, or Thor but, when I watched those, I was viewing adults as an adult. Homecoming has an obvious youthful energy to it, and that’s credit to the screenwriters of course but also due to the film being populated by a much younger cast than Marvel is used to for its epics. Holland, Laura Harrier, Jacob Batalon, Zendaya, and Tony Revolori all hit the right notes as high schoolers, even though the roles are filled with actors in their 20s (Harrier is their “senior” at 27). From the Academic Decathlon to the homecoming dance and being underestimated by adults, Spider-Man: Homecoming created its own well developed mini-universe around Peter Parker’s “nerd school” and made me feel like I was part of it, even though I’m far removed in my age bracket.

The film has been compared to John Hughes’ classic works many times over (it even has some great 80s songs on the soundtrack) and has two actors who came up in the 80s, Robert Downey Jr. and Marisa Tomei, as stand-in dad Tony Stark and mother figure Aunt May. Having that authority figure or mentor voice is another reason this film feels so different from other MCU films. Tony had Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) in a similar role in Iron Man but with a different dynamic. And yes, there’s been a lot of talk over “young” Aunt May. Age, as they say, is but a number and truly subjective. (Calvin Stowell pointed out on Twitter Tomei is a year older than Rue McClanahan was when Golden Girls began.) There’s obviously a larger issue of age and gender in Hollywood I won’t get into here, but this latest incarnation of Aunt May comes off very heartfelt and genuine. She’s someone we’d all want in our lives and someone most of the Avengers don’t have. They have complicated, adult relationships, something Peter hasn’t really had to deal with yet.

Homecoming left me feeling energized in an otherwise adult-skewing superhero film world and for that I’m thankful. I loved Deadpool and Logan, but sometimes it’s nice to watch something that’s truly for everyone. The Guardians of the Galaxy films feel the furthest away from the MCU continuity at this point and another “fun” spot in the MCU to be sure, but things will evolve once Infinity War rolls around. After almost ten years, the franchise is understandably bogged down in drama. Interesting drama, sure, but it’s heavy too and while some of the films are more easily digestible for kids, they’ve gone to some pretty dark places. And as an adult living in our current political landscape, I would actually prefer for everything to not be so serious all the time. I need an escape from that. As much as I’ve grown to love the characters over the years, I’ll admit to having grown a bit weary over Tony and Steve arguing about what’s right every five minutes. And sure, Spidey will have baggage of his own if Marvel continues their deal with Sony (we technically don’t know what happened to Uncle Ben, we haven’t explored all of Peter’s powers, MJ was only barely introduced) but for now I’m content with this vivacious interlude.

Jill Pantozzi is a pop culture writer, critic and host focused on geek-friendly topics.

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#Baggage #Homecoming #Marvel #Movie #Relief #SpiderMan #Universes

[symbianosgames]

So You've Made a Game. Now What?

The following blog post, unless otherwise noted, was written by a member of Gamasutra’s community. The thoughts and opinions expressed are those of the writer and not Gamasutra or its parent company.

So You've Made a Game. Now What?

You're game is almost Alpha. You've slogged through months of making and building, and now you're in the home stretch with the finish line in sight. You plan on spending the next few months polishing and tweaking and balancing your latest masterpiece, before pushing it out to the world and making your fortune. Well, not quite. There's quite a bit more to be done. In fact, a whole new world is just being revealed to you, as you Google about marketing, PR, community building, and publishing. You've read the post mortems, heard the horror stories, and watched the GDC videos, of games collapsing in the last few months of dev, or disappearing into the abyss on release, through lack of exposure or apathy. And now you're sitting there, worried about your extraordinary creation, something you've poured months of creativity and energy into. A slow dread is spreading in your belly. A fear that your game will just, well, fizzle.

There's so much to do! And if you're like me, you have your limitations. A certain level of honesty is needed, particularly around the realities of the situation, and the ever looming end of the project. We all have our various skills, and we're all good at what we do, but no one is an expert in all things. For example, I'm a programmer first and foremost, and I can turn my hand to a range of other things in a push (apart from art, I'm crap at art), but biz dev, marketing, PR, and community building? Nah, those have always been a bit of a mystery, and something I've historically ignored till the last minute, and then done a half-assed job with, once I actually force myself to do it. It's just not a very interesting part of the game dev process to me, and I'm sure most of you will agree. The Marketing nerds won't of course.

Looking wider to the rest of the team, my guess is that you're running lean and mean and have only the skills you need to build the game, represented in your motley crew. Small, scrappy, indie dev teams are typically made up of the bare talent/skills needed to get the game made. A programmer, an artist, a designer, a musician (if you're lucky), and a producer(if you're unlucky (I kid, I kid, I love Producers)), and even those roles are usually covered by a single person. Fact is, if you're running your project on a shoestring, which is typical, you're probably all in and already relying on the kindness of others to get the work done.  Finding money for professional help with the nitty gritty part of actually bringing the game to a ready audience, can be challenging. The temptation is to bumble through and do it yourself. This can be a tough proposition if marketing isn't your bag or what you do. And it's not just the marketing. There's PR which entails leaving your dark cave-of-an-office and talking to other Humans (shudder). There are contracts and NDAs, and other legal paperwork to wrangle and navigate. There are events and interviews to schedule. Money to be raised. A million little and big things to do once your done building the game. You cannot discount the value of experts and professionals.

Marketing and business dev are not high on the list of requirements at the start of a project, and only really gets any attention towards the end. Finding a publisher can help with a whole range of problems that a small indie dev can face and struggle with. Marketing / PR, advertising, events, distribution, funding, production support, etc. etc. That's great, but all that comes at a cost. Publishers will take their cut, and depending on your track record, that cut can be the lions share. Then you factor in the piece that Steam or other distribution platforms take, and you could end up with not a lot for your years of toil. Of course, a good publisher can take your game to the next level, and a smaller slice of a bigger pie, is still better than a big slice of a tiny pie. Mmmm, I like pie. Anyway, a good publisher can bring a lot of value to the table, so it's definitely a route that should be considered, provided the math works.

Alternatively, you can self publish. You can cobble a plan together, run a Kickstarter, tap you network of friends to spread the word, pester sites and Youtuber's to give you some coverage, and cross your fingers. Maybe you can throw a bit of money at it. Maybe you'll get lucky. The problem with this approach, is failure. Basically.  Effective marketing of your finished game is potentially one of the most critical parts of making it.

To be clear this article doesn't favor self publishing over a traditional publisher, or vice versa. Get a publisher or self publish. It just has to make sense for your situation and needs. There are lots of pros and cons for both routes. The rest of this article is really just a bunch of notes and thoughts about what I've found out the past few months looking into this whole subject. You know, being as my game is just about Alpha.. Gulp.

So, to self publish or find a publisher?

This is a big question ..

Is it worth giving up a piece of your game to get “professional” help with this stuff? Everyone making a game for profit, needs to sit down and talk about this stuff honestly. Weigh up the benefits versus the costs. Is it better to own 70% of something that does kind of crappy, or 20% of something that does a lot better? Of course, you don't necessarily need to give up a piece of your game to get professional help. You just need money. Because professionals like to get paid.

Publisher vs Partner

There is a distinction. A Partnership, rather than just a straight publishing deal, will have additional intangibles, such as;  Enthusiasm, creativity and investment (beyond financial) for the game, across all aspects of the game, including marketing, distribution, and production.  A partnership usually comes from trust and credibility, built over multiple projects and consistent, mutual success. Having a publisher who actually cares and works with you to make the best game you can, is something we can all hope for.

Desirable Publisher Traits

"Stage and Spotlight". Ideally, the publisher should put the developer and game front and center. The publisher should take a back seat and promote the developer and game, and not take credit or push themselves ahead of the game and developer. The game and developer is the star here. The publisher should be an ambassador for the game and developer.

"Personal Relationship".  It's about accessibility. How responsive and available is the publisher? Do you have a dedicated "handler" or account manager or contact to work with? Is there a lot of "churn"? Do you speak with a different person every time you interact with them? Understand who does what and what the structure is at the publisher. Know who can make things happen and get stuff done. It really helps if you like the people doing the work, and the "culture" of the publisher. Do they have your interests at heart and will they have your back in a knife fight?

"Honesty and Realism". Everyone involved must be able to talk frankly and not pull punches about money, deadlines and anything that could impact any aspect of the game. Both sides have to be able to ask and answer questions with transparency. Money is important. It's the thing that makes the relationship work. Where is the money coming from and where is it going? How is it distributed and paid out?

Wooing a publisher is a serious business. It's no joke. There's money and reputation at stake, so take it seriously, and be scrupulous in the detail.  As a developer approaching a possible publisher, it is your responsibility to research the publisher's body of work and reputation. Educate yourself before talking to anyone. Check out their website, Youtube channel, Metacritic scores, buzz and feedback. How have they been successful, and how can that be applied to your game.

Once you are talking seriously to a publisher, ask for references (yes you can do that). Talk to developers that are already in the publisher's portfolio. Not just the successful ones. How did the publisher deal with a developer/game that wasn't performing well? This will tell you a lot about how a publisher treats a developer or behaves when things aren’t quite so rosy.

Questions to Ask a Publisher

Simple question.. How will you make us more money than if we did this ourselves?

Not everything a publisher can offer will be of interest to you or relevant to your situation. You may be fully funded already. You may just need access to a specific platform. You may desperately need money to keep the lights on, or help with paperwork.

These are things to consider, and questions you should ask a potential publisher before committing ink to paper.

Marketing / PR - Advertising, Events and Community.

What can the publisher offer? What are their capabilities? What resources do they have? Do they have a team? Where are they based? Do they specialize in a particular country? Where will the game be marketed (countries/regions)? Can they speak the language in that market? Do they understand the nuances of the country/region? How will they market the game? Ask for examples of previous campaigns for other games. Do they include streamers and Youtubers? How about Social Media? How about community building and management?  What is a typical budget or spend on a marketing campaign? How will it be spent? How will the cost be recouped? Do they go to events? Worldwide? Look at their track record and how they have supported other games.

Distribution - Channels, Digital, Retail, Merchandising and Events.

This is mostly about access. Steam, PSN, XBox. Placement on storefronts, inclusion in promos, merchandising.  What access and relationship does the publisher have with the various distribution channels? Do your own research. Look at the publisher's catalog. Where does your game fit? Is there opportunity for cross-promotion or "synergy" with their other products?

Funding - Money for Development

How much do you need and when do you need it? Be specific and clear, as contracts don't get a "redo".  How much will the money actually cost you, both short and long term. Going back to your publisher for more money after the fact will only weaken your position and will probably mean you have to give something else up in return. Modifying an agreement can be difficult and expensive.

Production - Testing, Audio, Localization,Voiceover, Video Production, etc.

Are the production services part of the deal? These are real costs to the publisher, so what are they, and how are the costs recouped? What level of expertise does the publisher have in the services they offer? Who do they contract out to? Do you have direct contact with them or are they a walled garden?

Additional Notes / Thoughts

When negotiating an agreement, do not settle for wishy-washy answers, or assume anything. If there's something that isn't clear or understood, ask for clarity and for it to be explained in excruciating detail. Ask for examples. Understand how the money works. How it flows in and out. How the accounting works and pay schedules are structured. Understand any caveats and clauses that affect the money. How are publisher costs recouped? What are considered "costs"? When will they be recouped (schedule)? There are no stupid questions, only sad and broken developers.

Sustainability. Know the health of your publisher. Who funds the publisher? Who pays them? Pay attention and anticipate potential problems. Understand risks and have a "Plan B". Plan for the future and position yourself for the future. Understand your requirements on the money side. Payments take time to filter through the system. Plan for your next project.

Communication with a publisher/partner is super important. Communicate regularly and early. Try to avoid surprises, and don't ignore important stuff. If something isn't clear, make it clear. Know who makes the decisions.

IP and ownership should be really important to you as a developer.. The game is your baby and the IP is its soul. IP is your most valuable asset, long term. Do not sell the IP. Do not make it part of any agreement. Think about the future and sequels and additional games based on the IP. Does the publisher have any interest longer term? Are there any exclusivity clauses written in that would prevent you developing your IP elsewhere? How is the IP positioned, promoted and messaged by the publisher to the world? The IP isn't just the game. It's ANY other opportunity that comes out of the idea, be it books, t-shirts, comic books, "plushies", trading cards, movies, anything. Ownership is control.

There are lots of publishers and lots of promises. Understand your publisher (know everything). Stay in charge. Drive the deal and keep control of the game and IP. They need you more than you need them, because you can always self-publish if the deal is bad.

Make sure your personal agreements with your team and partners are squared away and very clear. What is your company structure and ownership? How is money distributed? Understand disbursement schedules, accounting, and the legal stuff. How are contractors managed and paid? How are the accounts kept and expenses tracked? Contracts are important. No handshakes and vagaries.

General Marketing / PR Notes

If you self publish, consider hiring a PR person or marketing firm to help. Marketing and PR is hard and is a full time job. That is a hard truth and reality. There are people out there who will work for a reasonable fee, and give you a "leg up". Even a simple, but professionally thought-out plan and timeline would be a huge help and guide for most people.

Social Media - Facebook is useless. Twitter is better. Reddit is perilous and you must play by their rules or be punished. Generally, it is better to use Social Media as a funnel to your company or game website. Build your community around your own site if possible. You will also keep ownership of your content that way.

Website / Blog - Most people build a site for the game and promote that. The game is, after all, the point here. Once you have a few games, it makes sense to gather them under a company site. Making websites and promoting community around them is a fairly big job, so spend your time wisely.  Have a "Press Kit" available. It should contain everything a would-be game journalist would need to put a pieces about your game together. Write an "Elevator Pitch", a couple of sentences that says exactly what the game is about. Make some short pieces of copy that can be copy/pasted into a blog or review. Have various quality and sizes of promotional screenshots, renders and videos available.

Have a mailing list sign up, Stay in touch and engage your followers/community regularly. Cross post to social media, providing links to get people back to your site. Get on Indie game dev and player community forums and get involved with their communities. Get involved with communities interested in your genre of game. Once you have the beginnings of a community around the game, consider hiring a fulltime community manager, because running it is a lot of work.

Game Press - Reach out with email etc. Follow on Twitter and interact. Email announcements and press releases. A Marketing / PR person can be super helpful here, particularly if they are well connected.

Mainstream Press - Consider other angles for the game that may be interesting to other, non-game media. Radio, TV, print.  Does the game feature a place or a time that has interest outside the game? Is it socially/environmentally conscious? Does it make a political or topical statement?

Youtube - Youtube is an important part of marketing your game. "Big List of Youtubers" . http://ift.tt/1fXbOy9 - Find influencers interested in your genre and communicate. Early access to game etc.

Twitch - Twitch is all about games (and cam girls), but mostly games. Twitch recently announced plans to add a sales platform as part of Twitch streamer's channel. This has great possibilities for developers, and opportunities for streamers, so know your Twitch streamers and identify the ones who may be interested in your genre of game.

Expos and Shows - Consider a demo level that shows the game off in isolation. Controller is a must. People just want to pick up and play. If the game is too involved or not right for an expo, don't waste your money. Unless you just want to hang out and party with super cool people.

Kickstarter - Use as part of a marketing strategy. Build a mailing list. Build an audience. Build a special demo level for backers to play. Offer the same demo for general download on the game website, later on.  Add manageable and affordable rewards and stretch goals. Keep away from physical good, like t-shirts and books and figurines. While these things are super cool, they are expensive and time consuming to package and mail to backers. Try and keep your rewards digital, like soundtrack download and bonus music track, digital art portfolio, backers credit roll and “Hall of Heroes” in the game.

And Finally

For multiplatform launch, have a distinct "story" tailored to each audience. Know what the PC audience expects, and know what the PS4/XBox audience expects, and pander to them directly. There are different expectations on each platform. This extends to UI/UX for each platform.

Ads don't really work. Not an effective form of communication. People block/ignore ads. Exception is to announce something "important" like a sale, or a major update.

Stay engaged with community. Reviews and ratings are important. Consider "trading cards" and achievements for Steam.

Localize the game to support other languages. French, German and Spanish.. Watch your metrics and see where your game is being played.

Good luck!

PS. You can check out my new game (I'm almost at Alpha), right here..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JuHqzt4lBY