The Sakamota Journals: Sidetracked

The Sakamota Journals kinda reads like a tourists guide to Wenapaj, now that I think about it.  Anyway, this book picks up shortly after the first, and sees Jimmy back at the Saybaro.  More of the mansion has been restored, and he is awaiting the arrival of some of his friends (particularly Terra) when Plush One sends him on a quest to Brigsonstrat, a city to the north of the Saybaro that provides much of Wenapaj's power. 

From the get go, I wanted to put Jimmy back in the position of being alone, not because I dislike his friends in the first novel, but because it's easier to mess with him when he's by himself.  I'm not even kidding; I've mentioned to others that if I ever meet Jimmy, he'll either hug me or punch me in the face ... maybe even both. So much of the series was created by the thought process; Jimmy seems to be doing okay ... let's throw some new insanity at him. 

The Sakamota Journals: Sidetracked (originally Sidequest) is just that; in trying to finish one task, he continually finds himself interrupted.  I remember Breath of Fire II being a clear inspiration here; while playing it as a child, I remember a series of quests that branched off so many times, I finished one part and realized I had completely forgot what I was doing.

This is more than just diversions for Jimmy, though; Jimmy's past is touched on a few times, especially the loss of his parents and how he ended up in the care of Uncle Ann. Terra's presence as a regular party member gives the reader a chance to get to know her better, and King Iniagus is just as insane as ever.  Mysteries are solved, new mysteries are unearthed, and Jimmy even finds out how to sharpen Glint, giving him a weapon worthy of his skills in the final showdown.

In truth, I hope to return and write one more Sakamota Journals in the future. I really enjoyed writing this series, and would like to cap it off as a trilogy, though Jimmy and Terra's children may see their own adventures with the Elsewhere someday.

One thing I forgot to cover earlier is the nature of One; it wouldn't be an Elsewhere Universe tale if there wasn't a Dreamer in there somewhere, and One is the perfect Dreamer to assist.  However, I knew from the get go I didn't want a fully powered One who could win Jimmy's fights for him, which is where the dolls come in.  One is technically still on his honeymoon, but he decides to help out by possessing a small plush doll in his likeness.  While he still has his Dreamer abilities while in Plush One, he is ultimately a doll, something he forgets at times to his detriment.

Well, that's it for that. Again, if you want an ebook before my next dustoff, searching the name in smashwords should lead you to the right place. 

The Sakamota Journals

This series started off as a gag between me and the real Wong Fo Lee, and was even an RPG2K project for awhile.  The idea was simple; take a simple fantasy cliche (i.e. a dragon kidnapping a princess) and twist it at both ends.  We started with the hero; sure, any knight worth his or her plate armor could stand and face a dragon, but where's the fun in that?  Originally, the hero was to be a simple crossing guard; you know, the guy who stands at school crossings and lets the children pass?  Oh yeah.  The idea of him guarding a tiny bridge in the middle of nowhere was clearly inspired by the excellent Mel Brooks movie, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and the idea that the king was bonkers seemed quite reasonable.  After all, he was about to task a crossing guard to save his daughter.

The original hero was supposed to be incompetent, wholly incapable of performing the task, but as the story fell into place and revealed that the dragon and the princess were not the simple characters they were cast as, I decided to give him a little more ability.  The idea of an internet trained samurai struck me as funny; a guy who admires the samurai culture, but only the parts he finds comfortable.  He practices fighting with a katana, yet uses Streaming Arts. He wears a keikogi and a hakama, yet he sleeps on a normal bed.  As he would have access to holograms, he is actually good with the sword, yet he is still inexperiences.

Jimmy Olsen Sakamota (thus named because I figure one Jimmy Olsen should have some balls) had his stark counterpoint, however.  While Jimmy's study of samurai made him a thoughtful, skilled, and effective warriro even with a dull blade, Luminous Arc Skylad was essentially a joke on the standard JRPG hero.  Barely more than a kid, and wielding a sword far too large for him, Arc is brash, impatient, and not that skilled.  There is more to him than that, however; he is a student and junior researcher at the Wenapaj Center of Knowledge, and knowledgable about Kindred artifacts such as the blade.  Given the importance of Arc's 'sword' in the final book (as yet unwritten), his presence is not merely an annoyance.  Again, although seemingly ineffective, Arc is a friendly fellow, and a fierce fighter; he eventually develops a martial fighting style that uses the weight of his sword to fling him around.

This is largely a 'It's the journey, not the destination' story, as is its sequel, and I feel the enjoyment comes from the typical ragtag group of heroes interacting and trying to figure out what is going on with the dragon.

Also worth noting is that while A Dreamer's Knight goes all over Vinta, The Sakamota Journals takes place only in Wenapaj, the smallest sovereign nation on Vinta. I wanted to show that I could create a good adventure in both settings, and given that The Sakamota Journals is quite honestly my favorite series, I feel satisfied ... though not so satisfied that I'm not taking it out and giving it a little once over.  I was still in my over-descriptive phase when I wrote it, and would like a chance to catch some of the mistakes I've come to realize I tend to make.

One final note; I wrote the original draft for this story in a month, while working at Home Depot.  I'd go into work early, set up a small table in the back of the break room, and type away. I'd write at lunch as well, storing my little laptop in my locker in the meantime. While a lot of the story changed in editing, writing it was a blast.  I won't put the link up just yet (though a search on smashwords will still uncover the current version) as I am working on improving it, and would suggest you wait until I finish for the best version.

A Dreamer's Knight: Machinations

I'd like to write first that some faith in humanity has been restored, as today, June the 27th of the year 2015, the United States Supreme Court has decided in favor of recognizing gay marriage.  While not homosexual myself, I am nonetheless thrilled for those who are, and can now get married without fear of legal ramifications.  Happiness is what is important in life, and if two people truly find themselves perfect for each other, I fail to see how gender truly should stand in the way.

I'm sure there are some norms out there whining about how this act, an act that is clearly pro-equality (a stance the Elsewhere has always supported), is somehow violating their rights, to which I say this; it is not your right to be a hateful prick, and if you think it is, I'll personally make sure each and every one of your hate-mongering names is added to the top of the Elsewhere's 'People of Interest list'.  Perhaps a few decades as a bored Dreamer's hobby will teach you something about respect.

Enough about that, though; today, I'll be writing about A Dreamer's Knight: Machinations.  For starters, I've begun posting the chapters to my tumblr account (which can be easily accessed here), so if you want to read the story for free in a slightly inconvenient format, there you go.  It's a sequel to A Dreamer's Knight, and although I've made efforts to fill in the gaps as it were, I don't know how much you may need to have read the first book to understand what is going on.

At the end of A Dreamer's Knight, One has completed the Mikaen assignment and gone to the Dream Realm for some rest and relaxation.  Unfortunately, after some lingering concerns prompt him to stick his nose back into the trouble beginning to brew on Vinta, he inadvertently undoes the work of the first book.

The idea was to put Mikaen in a position where he wouldn't investigate further into what was going on in Ronisgald; by establishing a home in Homestead, a relationship that has led to an engagement, Mikaen was to eventually marry and settle down, leaving his troubled past as a Knight of the Star behind him.  Now, however, he's going to investigate Ronisgald, where the group behind the troubles in the first book are looking for something much larger.

The Raenqal is derived somewhat from the idea of the Kicksey Winsey (sorry if I spelled that wrong, Death Gate fans), in that it is an ancient machine whose purpose is important, but not altogether clear as of yet.  The discovery of the first part, an enormous crystallic worldstone known as 'The Amplifier', signifies great power, but with no clear clues as to what it might do.

This book also goes into more detail about One's past, namely his past with Teria Myssohn, sister of Tirinia (Mikaen's fiancee) and Daughter of Longshore.  Still recovering his lost memories, this book sees One beginning to remember chunks of his past, which will continue in the next two books and slowly show more about One prior to his time at the Elsewhere. Teria and Luck battling for One's affection is ... difficult to talk about without reaching spoiler territory, but I will say that while One seems wishy-washy about his affections for each of them, there is a good reason ... and it truly is not his fault.

This novel sees many of the other Dreamers, including the good Captain Morgan, Max the Inventor, Alex the Toymaker, and even a few showings of Alan T. Tryth.  I rather like the fact that the narrative goes to first person when he's around; after all, it's made clear from the foreword in the first book that he's writing this tale in his capacity as the Chronicler of the Elsewhere.

Ronisgald was an interesting place to write about (see my earlier blogpost for more detailed information).  I will add that idea of underground dyson sphere-like habitats was definitely Star-Trek inspired.  Where the first book was mostly magic and forest cities, I wanted to start showing the technological side of Vinta in this book, a side which is contrasted in the third book as well, as the Rimstakkens technology, while on par with that of Ronisgald, is very different.

This book also sees some cameo appearances of Rena Sakamota, the future mother of Jimmy Olsen Sakamota, protagonist of The Sakamota Journals, as well as crazy old King Iniagus.  I really enjoy writing King Iniagus segments, and must admit he's one of my favorite characters to date, based vaguely on Fizban and Zifnab (who are themselves possibly the same person).

It's a bit longer, but this book does start off the major story arch of the series.  Give it a read, though you might want to read A Dreamer's Knight first.

I should also mention that this is the first book to get a cover from my current cover artist, Julia Tuason.  I've always loved the dream-like quality of her work, and feel it perfect for the Elsewhere Universe. She also did a bang up job drawing a cover based off of the description 'a pirate ship bursts out of a public fountain'. Check out her portfolio here.

I'd also like to state for the record that I wasn't dissatisfied with Izorkin Anton, the artist who drew the cover of the first book (check him out here).  He did a great job too, but he also admitted that drawing people wasn't his thing.

Ebook versions (just smashwords at the moment), hardback (lulu)

A Dreamer's Knight - A Overview of the Elsewhere Incorporate

A Dreamer's Knight was my first completed work, and fittingly serves as an introduction to the Elsewhere Universe.  Set primarily on the world of Vinta, this book tells the story of the Dreamer known as Narrator Number One and a post-apocalyptic knight from Earth named Mikaen, nicknamed 'True Knight' by his friends as a play on his halbard-like weapon, Truth.

Tired after a chain of assignments and recognizing Mikaen as a 'Plucked Hero' assignment, One tries to pass Mikaen off to an old friend.  His conscience gets the better of him in the end, however, and he assists Mikaen in true Dreamer style; with cryptic tips and hints, and by subtly influencing his movements.

A Dreamer's Knight as a single novel is an example of how a Dreamer's assignment can go right.  One helps Mikaen find a home, helps him find love with Daughter Tirinia Myssohn, and even helps him find a purpose on Vinta. Ironically, A Dreamer's Knight as a series shows just how bad an assignment can go, which starts with A Dreamer's Knight Machinations.

While Mikaen's tale is undoubtedly important (it is, after all, what moves the story along), as the introductory book to the Elsewhere Universe, I knew I wanted to give the Dreamers and the Elsewhere Incorporate a good amount of 'screen time' as it were. Most of the big Dreamers are at least mentioned in the book, including the Elsewhere's chronicler, Alan T. Tryth, and the fundamentals of the Elsewhere are explained.  There is even a little explanation of the nature of the dream realm in the series which will grow as the series progresses.

The ending may seem a little abrupt, the reader should remember that this is largely One's story, and the story of Mikaen's assignment gone right, which has come to an end by the time the metaphorical credits roll.  While there are still unanswered questions on Vinta, they are questions for Mikaen, not One, and a Dreamer would normally not think any more on it than that.  Given that this is a series, you can guess how that turned out.

Naturally, this is a bare-bones description, eliminating many key characters and situations.  If you would like to read a Dreamer's Knight, you can check my tumblr blog (here), or buy an ebook version for easy viewing at smashwords or amazon.com.

Dusting this old thing off a bit

Wow.  I forgot I even had this blog; I've been using tumblr for ages, but have wanted something that makes it a bit easier to navigate through past posts ... and then I remembered this!  Mind you, there are no viewers as of yet (small surprise; it's been years since my last post), but hey; ya gotta start somewhere, right?

I think what I'll do is use the blog to comment on the tumblr posts; how I feel about certain chapters, extra thoughts on non-story posts, maybe even move all non-story posts here once I get more readers.

For now, however, here's the big update. At the moment, I've got four finished books (series numbers added for convenience):

A Dreamer's Knight I(ebook: Amazon, smashwords, hardback: lulu, paperback: in the works)

A Dreamer's Knight II: Machinations (ebook: smashwords, hardback: lulu, paperback: in the works)

The Sakamota Journals I: Sera and the Dragon (ebook: smashwords, hardback: lulu, paperback: in the works)

The Sakamota Journals II: Sidetracked (ebook: smashwords, hardback: lulu, paperback: in the works)

I'm considering giving the Sakamota Journals books a little dusting (basically another go through to catch any little errors I missed the other umpteen-billion times ... sigh.  I wish I could afford an editor), but for the most part, I'm focusing on newer works.  I've also finished:

A Dreamer's Knight III: Flights of Fancy (still in editing)

Mass Effect Slipstream I - The Streamer's Edge (only available on fanfiction.net, along with what I've finished of the second book)

In addition to the Mass Effect Fanfiction (hey, don't give me that look; it's the only thing I get reviews for.  Review my original work, and it'll get priority too).

For the next few days, I'll be going through these titles, giving an overall spoiler-free synopsis as well as explaining it's place in the Elsewhere Universe.  Once I've gone through the completed works, I'll go through the active projects, like Wander, Simply Encredible, Thomas Schrade and the City of Dreams, Have a Nice Day, and others.  For now, however, I need a nap.

Of Galdens and Ronisgald

In an effort to help new readers acclimate to the Elsewhere Universe, I've decided to begin a blog detailing the races of Vinta and their cultures. Much of this information will go into the Elsewhere Access of the Official Elsewhere site, but you'll hear (or rather, read) it here first. Today, I would like to write about the Galdens and Ronisgald.

The Galdens are Vinta's human race. That is to say, of all the inhabitants of Vinta, the Galdens are the most human-like of the races. While humanity is viewed as the end result of the other races of earth gradually becoming one (or leaving altogether, but that's another story), galdens are almost the exact opposite; genetic blanks, as it were. Their history ties into that of the Glyche, which I will expound upon at a later time. Galden genetics are by nature recessive; a child of a galden and a non-galden will always retain most of the non-galden parent's genes. As a result, there is a large movement within Ronisgald regarding 'pure' galdens, though it has died down a great deal by the time of 'A Dreamer's Knight'.

That's not to say that the galden parent will have no impact on the child; galden genetics may take a submissive role, but they are there. For example, a Galden/Fional pairing (such as the samurai Jimmy Olsen Sakamota and his wife, Terra) will bear children with larger ears, whereas a pure Fional would have smaller ears capable of moving much like a normal rabbit's ears. This trait will be passed down to Jimmy and Terra's grand children and great grand children, for at least five generations. The galden traits may not be visible either; a galden/tigreth pairing will produce a tigreth child who looks like any other tigreth, but with the reproductive makeup for a more balanced male/female ratio of children when said child grows up and takes a bride or groom.

People are more than their genetic makeup, however. Galdens are one of the oldest cultures on Vinta, and have lived in the region of Ronisgald for thousands of years. The galdens were an agrarian society until the arrival of the Glyche. While most of the galdens were content with farming and agriculture, galdens on the continent of Rimstak gladly accepted the Glyche assistance in turning the barren desert of Rimstak into a lush paradise. It was around this time that they began to call themselves Rimstakken; they adapted the Glyche language into their own, creating the often-confusing Rimstakken language that still defies all attempts to integrate into universal translators. I will go into their early culture another day.

After the first Corruption, many of the Glyche fled Rimstak in the wake of rioting. Many returned to Ronisgald in hopes of living a simpler life, while others joined the Cleftans in the Cleftan region. This was roughly three thousand years prior to the events of 'A Dreamer's Knight', and while Ronisgald remained agrarian for several centuries, the galdens soon began an industrial revolution of their own. Undoubtedly aided by the hand of the Glyche, Ronisgald began to grow in technological development until they were very near the level of the Rimstakkens. Mining lead to the discovery of several massive crystallic deposits across the continent, including the Amplifier of the Raenqal. The Glyche created a facility to study the massive worldstone, and eventually helped the Galdens to create the massive spheres that would later become the districts of Ronisgald. The CIC Angela was created to take care of the districts as the remaining Glyche dwindled until none remained.

Roughly a thousand years prior to the events of 'A Dreamer's Knight', Lucaius Benjamin Calliban came into power. It was a time of great need, as the construction of the districts required massive amounts of materials. Preying on the fears of a public who had not dealt with non-humans since they went underground, Calliban managed to amass an army large enough to attempt war on the neighboring nations, an event that reshaped much of Vinta. I will get into the mad emperor's war at a later time; suffice it to say, he was not victorious. Ronisgald eventually rebelled at his rule, and ousted him from his self-appointed throne. In doing so, fresh crystallic deposits were discovered; some were used to spread goodwill among the injured nations (particularly Longshore, who bore the brunt of the attack), but most was sold for materials needed to complete the cities. Once most of the districts were complete, Ronisgald fell into place as a respected member of the Vintan Council.

By the time of 'A Dreamer's Knight', Ronisgald and Rimstak are matched in terms of technological advancement. Ronisgald as viewed as being more reliable, while Rimstak is known for taking chances, such as local interstellar travel. Ronisgald is content to stay on Vinta, though they have begun their own space travel program in hopes of forming a colony on one of Vinta's inhabitable moons. The last scars of Calliban's Crusade were finally fading to the point that it wasn't strange to see shoran citizens of Ronisgald.

Overall, Ronisgald is a reliable country; they are good people, if occasionally misled by those with ulterior motives. Angela in particular is a friend of the Elsewhere, and watches over the citizens of Ronisgald as though they were her own children.

Well, that's about it for today's lesson on Vintan cultures. I hope I've been able to provide some enlightenment for anyone reading this. For a closer look at Ronisgald, be sure to check out 'A Dreamer's Knight: Machinations'.

Publishing: Traditional vs. Independant

Traditional publishing versus independent publishing: it's a debate I've had to deal with a lot as of late, yet it must be addressed.

For those not in the know, traditional publishing involved established publishers (most of whom seem to live in New York for some reason) accepting your book and taking over printing, selling, and sometimes marketing your book. On the other side is the independent publishing business, which freely accepts and publishes most submissions (though vulgarity isn't an issue for all independents), but leave marketing in the hands of the author.

Before I even get started, let me say that both sides have merit. Traditional publishing is, to put it bluntly, traditional. These publishers are established companies with years of experience in the industry. What Independent publishers lack in experience, they make up for in versatility; an independent author has complete control over his or her work; the cover, the format, the font ... every aspect of the novel can be tailored to the author's specifications.

Good; now that that's out of the way, it's time to tear these publishers a new one.

Traditional publishing gets glowing praise (from authors who were traditionally published. Gee, imagine that.), but getting a book published can be a massive undertaking.

For the sake of this comparison, let's say that I've written a book called 'Jabbernits', and spent years proofing and editing until it's as good as I can possibly get it.
I want to publish Jabbernits with a traditional publisher, as I have little or no sales experience and hate proof-reading with a passion. I look around online for fantasy publishers and discover the TWIT publishing group. After carefully researching submission guidelines and formatting, I prepare a snappy submission package, send it on its way, then wait two to six months for the response (the traditional publishing industry seems to frown on simultaneous submissions). Half a year passes, and I recieve a letter. My heart is all pitter-patter as I open the eagerly anticipated letter, only to discover a photocopied sheet that begins 'Dear Author:'. The letter thanks me for my submission, but regrets to inform me that they are choosing not to support my book at this time.

Undaunted, I find another publishing company and try again. Another half a year later, I receive another photocopied 'Dear Author' reply. After taking a few months to look over my work for any mistakes or changes that need to be made, I try again. Again, I get another photocopied response. In frustration, I sent out dozens of submissions to publishers all over the country. For each hand-crafted submission that costs me money to send, I receive a photocopied response that can't even bother to spell out my name.

I decide to try getting an agent, only to discover that in this backwards world, I can't get an agent without getting published, and I can't get published without getting an agent. More submissions are sent, more emotionless photocopied replies are received until I begin to wonder if I should give up writing.

Then I hear about independant publishing; all I have to do is format and submit my book to Createspace or Lulu, and I can sell your book myself, bypassing the stodgy traditional publishing altogether! I format the book, give it another good shine, and get it submitted. Now my book is available in hardback, paperback, and digital download, with a modest four-dollar royalty for me for every copy sold. It's like a dream come true ... that is, until a few months later when I look at my sales and realize I haven't sold a single copy. In my eagerness to get publishing, I forgot that marketing is just as important, if not more so, than the act of publishing itself.

So which is better? the traditionals who only seem to throw a great deal of good books to the trash because they are not marketable enough, or the independents who struggle to make their work known? Please, tell me your thoughts on this.