tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76480971064784007342024-03-20T18:34:29.470-06:00Beyond Dragons and WizardsThe Official Blog of J.A. TrevorTrevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-63730936419492722472015-06-03T10:29:00.000-06:002015-06-03T11:06:08.988-06:00Star Wars for my generation of women.<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ZsGEHa0MsupWgdfECvvzVjSWDukjAllDWP9RxbiAIXU1PconREXdvU5GiMHq8qEaG8XWmY3u0EOTKutCzAY8VRpmCDicxaYQZmW4eWbOJsk8gBL291Ft4NweMJ1kJAhFc3bJxxL0ikVX/s1600/star-wars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ZsGEHa0MsupWgdfECvvzVjSWDukjAllDWP9RxbiAIXU1PconREXdvU5GiMHq8qEaG8XWmY3u0EOTKutCzAY8VRpmCDicxaYQZmW4eWbOJsk8gBL291Ft4NweMJ1kJAhFc3bJxxL0ikVX/s320/star-wars.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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One of the biggest shames I can think of is how many women
and girls have never seen Star Wars. I personally believe that movies are
culturally significant, if not outright works of art. Movies, in their own way,
can inform people as much as the very best books. Because of this, I feel like women and girls are missing out on something extraordinary and important if they never see Star Wars.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I've heard girls complain about the popularity of Star Wars,
I've heard them scoff at it, I've seen them roll their eyes. They treat it like
it's the most juvenile and ridiculous thing ever. Like it's an embarrassing thing their man-child husband likes. Now, when their dislike for Star Wars is a matter of
taste, that's fine. People are, of course, entitled to their likes and dislikes.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of the time, these women and girls have never
seen the movies at all (or it was so long ago they don't even remember them).<o:p></o:p></div>
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But you know, I don't really blame them. Star Wars was relegated to a movie for
boys and men who grew up watching it as boys. The Star Wars "Dark
Ages" of the late 80's and 90's pretty much removed Star Wars from the
collective consciousness. There were no toys in stores, no movies had been made
for years and years, no video games had been released for a very long time,
etc. Even boys weren't allowed by their peers to be open Star Wars fans. It
just wasn't cool, and it wasn't accepted. I myself was bullied throughout elementary and middle school for being a fan of Star Wars.<o:p></o:p></div>
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With the Prequel Trilogy's release starting in 1999, the public suddenly remembered, "Oh yeah, Star Wars was awesome, and it changed everything
about movies, and it kind of helped shape me into who I am today."
Everyone smacked their heads at having forgotten such an important piece of
their childhoods and culture at large. Star Wars started to be cool again (I recently spent two solid hours playing with my nephews and their Star Wars figures). It's been a Star Wars Renaissance since
then, with the new Trilogy and Anthology movies being worked on, LEGOs and videogames releasing, toys and collectibles everywhere, and I'm
thrilled beyond belief.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But we still have those women and girls who haven't seen it,
and don't want to. Now, I will make it clear right now that I'm not putting
them down, I am not saying it's their fault. Star Wars wasn't allowed to be a
part of a normal girl's life. It wasn't given the respect it deserved by the
people who raised these girls. And that's a shame.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Still, that was in the past, and these women and girls
continue to show disdain for Star Wars. Trying to get them to watch it is tantamount to shoving rotten pears down their throats. But something
they might not realize is that Star Wars was a phenomenon for boys AND girls,
men AND women. When it came out, it didn't matter what your gender was,
everyone loved it! Look up old photos of fans from 1977 and on, you'll see a
crap ton of grown women and girls wearing Star Wars shirts, lining up to see
the movie, etc. It was a gender-spanning movie! It's only since the 90's that
we've made it a movie for boys. Hell, look up Comic Con cosplay and you'll see more women in Star Wars costumes than you can count.</div>
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There’s been a lot of talk about the lack of female roles in Star Wars. And for
good reason. We should always have those kinds of discussions. Star Wars IS a mythology for everyone, and everyone should feel a
part of it. There are definitely things that could be done better. That being said, Star Wars did some incredible things for feminism.
It featured a tough female protagonist who didn’t take shit from anyone: Leia had
her own blaster and shot dozens of Stormtroopers with it, she figured things
out and saved everyone’s butts multiple times, and she was one of the head
honchoes of the entire Rebellion throughout. By the end of the third film in
the Original Trilogy, we find that Leia even has the Force, putting her right
in line with Darth Vader and Luke! Girls, these movies are for you! They could
have done better with gender equality, but man, for their time, they were
revolutionary. Girls, whether you like it or not, Star Wars is a part of your history! Give it a chance!<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m just gonna end on this: the feminist movement is about
women bringing change, it’s about men bringing change. It’s about people ensuring equality for each other. I’m asking women and girls everywhere to give
Star Wars a chance. Take back the fandom of these movies females used to have. Don’t
let marketers sell it to boys and leave you out. Watch the movies, give them a
chance. Look deeper into the themes and significance of the stories these
movies weave. I promise, if you give them a serious chance, you’ll find you’ve
been missing out on something meaningful. Better late than never. Let’s show
everyone that women and girls love good stories and characters, love action and
romance, love drama and humor. Don’t let people define what you should or shouldn’t
like.</div>
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As the new movies are made and come out, let’s tell the brass of Disney and
Lucasfilm we want more awesome female characters! We want more toys and
merchandise to fit the desires of both boys AND girls! This is our chance to
make a difference, to carry Star Wars into the rest of our lives, the lives of
our children, and help give them the awe and wonder we all felt ourselves.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-30918353777067485112013-10-03T10:24:00.000-06:002014-05-21T10:22:33.133-06:00Today I officially hit 50 lbs lost since mid-May.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I was fat as a kid, really skinny as a teen and young adult, slightly overweight (though quite strong) while working several years ago as a furniture mover, then fat once again at my current job sitting at a computer all day. </div>
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Gaining weight creeps up on you, you shut your eyes to it, tell yourself you're fine. Your internal image of yourself tricks your brain into thinking the damage isn't that bad, that you don't look horribly different than you did a year ago. You don't step on the scale because you don't want to think about what you've been doing to yourself when you eat two plates of spaghetti and two cups of milk for dinner.</div>
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Somehow it doesn't matter that you're sleeping terribly, can't jog for more than ten steps, your self-confidence is crap, or that your father has had multiple heart attacks and bypass surgeries from a very early age. All that matters is that donut, that cheeseburger, or all the bacon. (Truly, we're a screwed-up species.)</div>
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I've tried in the past to lose weight. Done little things like eliminate dessert, go to the gym every once in a while, or cut out any added sugar in my foods, but nothing has ever done more than make me unhappy. I honestly can't tell you how, but one day I was suddenly ready to actually make a difference, and it's all been downhill from there. I downloaded an app to my phone called My Fitness Pal, basically a calorie tracker that hosts a database with millions of food items and their nutrition information. It also includes a barcode scanner so you can scan anything from the real world and immediately find the details.</div>
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I haven't exercised much, though my activity has naturally increased as I grow healthier, and bike rides are not uncommon. My dog Darwin requires walks every day, so I suppose that has helped. But the big thing, really the <i>only</i> thing, has been counting calories. When I started, I could have eaten a whopping 3,000 calories a day to maintain my weight (the fact that I was previously <i>gaining</i> weight speaks to just how much I was actually eating). To start losing weight, I dropped that daily goal down to 1,960 a day (this was My Fitness Pal's suggested amount to lose 2 lbs a week). I've since adjusted that to 1,500 calories a day (2.7 lbs loss a week) to remain compatible with my lowering weight. I've been eating at that new daily goal for about two months now.</div>
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I have not limited <i>what </i>I eat, just how <i>much</i> I eat. I have not counted fat or sugar (though in the interest of full disclosure, seeking lower-calorie foods naturally leads to lower fat and sugar content). I still eat desserts and bread, etc. But everything has to fit in that 1,500 calories a day. It's really changed where I place my priorities. For instance, I'd rather eat a large plate of paprika spiced rice and pan-seared chicken with zucchini than one little burger from Arctic Circle. In fact, I can count how many burgers I've eaten in the last four months on one hand.</div>
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As of four and a half months ago, I weighed three hundred (300) pounds.<br />
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As of today, I weigh two hundred forty-nine point eight (249.8) pounds.<br />
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That's a total of fifty point two (50.2) pounds lost in just about four point five (4.5) months.<br />
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I went from a size forty-four (44) pant and XXL shirts (the extra <i>big </i>kind you get at Walmart) to a size thirty-eight (38) pant and XL shirts.<br />
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(I don't know why I'm writing the numbers like that, just go with it.)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9o8BtseoxgqyH_C3yMQCQv5WwY16JLwKAcX1JFcrp3eM1mP1h1QCXx5wJZms3dFcgBmHCyfRjy-omIjZERK9dtUJ6mEBk1PWh-ES9QofaJMYucjMLBLvFxrAIRo54hoPQjRKXdkBQpu2/s1600/1455173_10153533733795366_759174443_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9o8BtseoxgqyH_C3yMQCQv5WwY16JLwKAcX1JFcrp3eM1mP1h1QCXx5wJZms3dFcgBmHCyfRjy-omIjZERK9dtUJ6mEBk1PWh-ES9QofaJMYucjMLBLvFxrAIRo54hoPQjRKXdkBQpu2/s1600/1455173_10153533733795366_759174443_n.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bottom is most recent, B&W is the oldest.</td></tr>
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I've had to buy new sets of clothes, which is exciting and sucks at the same time. I'm still wearing several shirts that hang on me like a tent due to budget restrictions.<br />
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I can wear my wedding ring again. (Side note, the veins and tendons in my hands are visible once more.)<br />
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My Madrigal hoodie (from my high school choir) fits for the first time in many, many years.<br />
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I can ride my bike for longer than five minutes without getting winded. I can walk up stairs easily, even jog up them if I'm feeling crazy.<br />
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I feel slightly less embarrassed during sex.<br />
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BUT.<br />
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I have a long way to go. 50.2 pounds is only halfway to my ideal weight of 195-200 lbs. But I'm barreling ahead, and I'm not slowing down for anything (except maybe Thanksgiving and Christmas).<br />
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The truth is, I'm still fat. 249.8 pounds is unhealthy, even at 6 ft 2 in tall. I still carry the shape of a fat person, though my bulk has mostly disappeared. My genes unfortunately gave me moobs and love-handles in addition to my gut, and they insist on sticking around, in shape at least, if not in size. I will most likely carry them right to the very end of my goal.<br />
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I've learned that nothing anyone can say or do will change you. Only <i>you </i>can make something happen, and only when you're <i>really</i> ready. Here's to avoiding heart attacks in my mid-30s.Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-51309742736628875732013-09-11T09:38:00.003-06:002013-09-11T09:38:48.254-06:00Another death in the family.A couple of weeks ago, my twenty-nine year-old sister-in-law died in her sleep. My brother-in-law and their nine year-old son were home at the time, playing video games and napping in the living room. After checking on her for the third time since going to bed the night before, my brother-in-law found her not breathing and attempted to perform life-saving measures with emergency responders on the phone, but were ultimately unsuccessful. When the paramedics arrived she had been gone much too long, and the only thing they could do was take her body to the medical examiner. An official of some sort took my brother-in-law outside, away from her body, and questioned him for two hours to eliminate the possibility of foul play.<br />
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A crisis worker arrived and encouraged my brother-in-law to call her family. After many attempts to different members he left a voicemail for her grandmother and received a call back a short while later. The news quickly spread through her family after that with the grandmother doing the calling. After repeated encouragement from the crisis worker, my brother-in-law finally called his own sister, my wife Becky. At this point, I believe just three hours had passed since she was found.<br />
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We were sitting at home; me finishing up a raid in World of Warcraft, Becky watching TV. As soon as she got the call, we dropped everything and rushed over to my brother-in-law's house. When we got there, my sister-in-law's mother and grandmother were there, along with an aunt and a few other people I wasn't sure about. Someone had taken their son out to Taco Bell for lunch, away from all the crying and distraught people.<br />
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To say I didn't know what to do or say would be an understatement (I imagine my brother-in-law felt this multiplied by many thousands). I was at a complete loss for words and actions so I just stood there while Becky hugged and cried with various people. I've never seen my brother-in-law cry (no one has, really) and I've never been at ground zero immediately after someone died. We tried to broach the subject of how events had played out as delicately as possible, eventually putting the whole picture together as we stood around and talked. No one felt like sitting down for hours.<br />
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Eventually their son returned from Taco Bell, where his aunt had told him his mother died. He's always been really young for his age, and it obviously hadn't hit him at all. He was really happy to see us when he came in and laughed at everyone crying. He continually asked why everyone was sad, and pointed out how puffy and red their faces was. I don't blame him in the slightest, but it was really hard and awkward, bordering on offensive at points. I mostly felt terribly bad for him, especially considering how many people told him his mom was a spirit now, or an angel, or asked him if he knew how to pray to god for comfort. His mother was an atheist, and he was not raised being familiar or comfortable with these ideas. The poor kid was so confused by so many people and their religious beliefs that just sounded like fantasy to his mind. I just wished people didn't press their beliefs on him, and I mean no offense by that.<br />
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We ended up staying extremely late that night with more of my in-laws coming over. Both Becky and I called in and got work off the next day. We took my brother-in-law's son home with us for the next two nights to give him a chance to wrestle with everything he was dealing with. I can't comprehend or even imagine what he is still going through. We returned the next three days and I spent many many hours at his house, talking, sitting in silence, or playing video games to pass the time. We've never been close, but in that environment, under those circumstances it didn't matter. I was surprised and gratified that he trusted me enough to tell me some of the very difficult and personal things he was feeling.<br />
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We attended an initial planning meeting the very next day regarding the funeral so my brother-in-law wouldn't have to be there alone, and while not much was completed at that particular time, it was important. Becky volunteered to create a slideshow for the viewing and wake, paired with some music my sister-in-law liked. It was interesting and desperately sad to watch her family try to figure out what their daughter/niece would have wanted out of a funeral, seeing as she'd never planned for it.<br />
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Through those first couple of days, I never felt the urge to cry, though I definitely empathized and shared the feelings of sadness and shock. I might have returned to work too soon, but on the Wednesday after, alone in the office, I inexplicably found myself crying. I had to tell my boss's wife I needed a break and fled to my car outside. I suppose it was the stress of being away from home for so many days coupled with being surrounded by grieving people and feeling some financial strain, but my body physically demanded that I cry at least once. I went back inside after 15 minutes and felt a little better.<br />
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The funeral itself was small, but nice, just a viewing prior to cremation. People talked and laughed when they weren't crying, and there weren't any hymns or prayers, which I appreciated (though a few songs were played on a cheap boombox that I might have vetoed had I been in the position). The wake was the next day and we ate food and people drank. It was a nice send-off, in my opinion.<br />
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Though she wasn't in my immediate family/social circle, my sister-in-law is the closest death I've yet experienced, even more so than my grandparents and various uncles, who I consider partially estranged. I've chatted with her socially many times over the years, been to family dinners with her, and she even came to multiple shows when I was in my band (something my own immediate family never even did with the exception of one brother). She bought merch afterward for goodness sake. I can't overemphasize how important that was to me.<br />
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Needless to say, my brain case has been full the last couple of weeks. Thoughts about death and life, unexpected accidents or tragedies, that sort of thing. I've felt scared by the suddenness and how it could happen to me or Becky, but grateful it hasn't. Focus on work or writing has been hard, and World of Warcraft has provided something I can fall into and forget everything for a time. Things are still uncertain with their son, and my brother-in-law probably feels like it barely happened no matter how much time passes. It's hard having someone young die so suddenly, cliche as it sounds to say it.<br />
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I have no grand thoughts about it, just a lot of questions and stupid feels that won't go away.Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-87378097922686645192013-07-25T18:21:00.000-06:002013-07-25T18:22:18.370-06:001998 Princess Leia in Hoth gear.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHiQ-8dde8plAaIZAk2378qxtDFnezvGB3Rcgso0qkuWkKwECttbLtLnNfA-64V75gbRsoH-V2J2DjPPO-xWnuc7eyn9FfT2Zfv4jJ6aysW0Krs0gdqFdbHUsPIFQ9-skVJpwXTw3q5T31/s1600/IMG_9448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHiQ-8dde8plAaIZAk2378qxtDFnezvGB3Rcgso0qkuWkKwECttbLtLnNfA-64V75gbRsoH-V2J2DjPPO-xWnuc7eyn9FfT2Zfv4jJ6aysW0Krs0gdqFdbHUsPIFQ9-skVJpwXTw3q5T31/s640/IMG_9448.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All photos by <a href="http://beckygreenphotos.com/" target="_blank">Becky Green Photography</a>, effects by me.</td></tr>
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<b>Accesories:</b></div>
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<li>Blaster Rifle (A slightly incorrect model, as she didn't procure an Imperial blaster rifle as pictured below until her escape from Cloud City with Lando, Chewie, and the droids, and was wearing another outfit by that point.)</li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfC6aRzOD9E84HagcDlhNk4oD-ulNY2WKnavjSG6Jq-3JkXZdebg2WiGKSN_Kaa_D_ouuLguxhlKvsUumJGU0HL7Q-_ImYwFUotLkUlyulzk-QC7MLh84QreuTloRuzmXRL_xV4SpNhf_k/s1600/IMG_9438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfC6aRzOD9E84HagcDlhNk4oD-ulNY2WKnavjSG6Jq-3JkXZdebg2WiGKSN_Kaa_D_ouuLguxhlKvsUumJGU0HL7Q-_ImYwFUotLkUlyulzk-QC7MLh84QreuTloRuzmXRL_xV4SpNhf_k/s200/IMG_9438.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I'd rather kiss a Wookie!"</td></tr>
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This 12" figure of Princess Leia Organa is taken from The Empire Strikes back, arguably the best of the original Star Wars movies (certainly the darkest). In the movie, Leia is part of the Rebel command structure working to secure the newest base on the ice planet of Hoth. While she doesn't do much fighting in this part of the movie, she does have a lot of responsibility on her shoulders, and can be seen giving orders for the evacuation of the base long after the Imperials discover and attack it.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You stuck up, scruffy-<br />
looking... <i>nerd herder!"</i></td></tr>
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I just barely purchased this 15 year-old figure from an antique store. Not only was this figure cheap, but I didn't have to pay shipping either! I was pretty excited to find it, as I had been hoping to get a Princess Leia figure for a while, but didn't like the version dressed in the costume from A New Hope. As an extra plus, she matches the Hoth Luke Skywalker I already have, and the Hoth Han Solo I hope to get. All the Hoth figures are high quality, and I'm glad to add them to my collection. Her clothing is authentic and stitched well, and though her skin color is much too yellow and the paint simplistic, her face is a surprisingly good likeness. In general, Kenner makes slightly horrendous female figures, but this is one of the better ones. One thing that bugs me: though her hair is well made, the hairline around her ears is too high, and makes her look weirdly shaved, even though she had those 1980s pronounced female side-burns in the movie.<br />
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While I've always appreciated how beautiful Princess Leia is, I've never had the typical male-geek obsession with her (though the gold bikini in Return of the Jedi was, and always will be, hot). I enjoyed watching her on screen because of her confidence and ability to blast stormtroopers when needed, as well as her caustic wit when it comes to Han. I feel like they're the perfect couple: drawn to each other even though they hate the idea of the other, and never mushy. Reading the Star Wars EU books has given me an extra appreciation for Leia, though I must admit they have never really explored her potential, and have perhaps written her with less finesse than the other characters. Still, I think she's an awesome character and I hope any girls I have in the future will look to <i>her</i> as the princess they emulate, rather than the many pink-ified Disney ones.</div>
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<br />Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-59564340249852103222013-07-23T09:56:00.001-06:002013-07-23T09:56:24.880-06:00A death in the family.<div style="text-align: left;">
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Watching your family dwindle is a desperate and lonely thing. Though I still have my mother, brothers, sisters-in law, many cousins, aunts, and uncles left, their numbers were reduced by one last night.<br />
<br />
My Uncle Steve passed away in his sleep after years fighting cancer.<br />
<br />
I didn't know him well. When I was less than two-years old, my father, Uncle Steve's brother, divorced my mother and left us, taking his side of the family with him, grandparents and all. My mother's side of the family has been absent and silent my whole life, and were never a factor. As I grew up I didn't particularly miss my father's side, as many families of a single parent learn to make do and don't know any better. But as I grew into a teenager and later entered my early twenties, I started to feel bitter about my father's side of the family that hadn't--in my mind--done anything to reach out to us like they should have.<br />
<br />
Then my own brother got divorced and left <i>his </i>family. None of us were prepared, and none of us could have imagined the rift that immediately opened between his ex-wife and us, and by extension, his four young boys. Things spiraled into madness and my brother's children ended up halfway across the country with their mother, leaving the rest of us with spinning heads. The damage is done, and I don't know what to do.<br />
<br />
I understand now how hard it is to reach out to a family torn apart by divorce. Misinformation, discomfort, animosity, and reluctance, both sides experience all these things to some level, and the walls they erect are powerful, even when it comes to children who don't deserve the effects of divorce. I no longer carry any bitterness toward my uncles and aunts for the lonely life my mother and brothers lived growing up, I'm simply saddened by the circumstances. I would apologize for the anger they probably never knew I felt.<br />
<br />
Last year I had the chance to attend a family reunion for the first time in over ten years, and re-acquainted myself with a family of good people I wish I knew better. I spent some time with my dad, shook lots of hands, and relearned names, including Uncle Steve's. Though my grandmother--the person I had known best of all of them--had died years before, I thought of her as I hugged my grandpa.<br />
<br />
Now, with another death in the family, thoughts of her are also echoing in my mind.<br />
<br />
Uncle Steve's death marks another lost opportunity for me, just as my grandmother's had years before. Death is so very final, and marks the ending of a life that will never return, no matter how we rationalize as the years go that we will make the wrongs of divorce right eventually and someday make the ties of family strong once more. For Uncle Steve and I, that time passed, and I will never know the man his wife and children describe as so strong and wonderful.<br />
<br />
I wish I had known him. I don't know when he was born, I don't know what he did in life, or much about his legacy. I wish I could cry for a beloved uncle, but tears won't come for a stranger, sad as that sounds, though a pain in my chest and ache in my head swells when I think about his death. I know others are crying, those that were closest to him, and my heart goes out to them.<br />
<br />
Life is too short for a decades-old divorce to keep family apart, plain and simple. My own father won't live forever, and despite his wronging of my immediate family those decades ago, I can't stand the thought of his passing in the same manner as Uncle Steve's. I'm grateful for all the attempts that <i>have</i> been made over the years by my aunts, uncles, and cousins, and hope to do more on my part to accept them. It would be tragic if my eventual children were ever separated from their own cousins, so why should I be separated from mine?<br />
<br />
The time is always now, whether it be family strengthened, dreams pursued, or goals set.<br />
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<br />Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-30428630846630261242013-07-06T20:25:00.000-06:002016-04-07T15:05:28.751-06:001998 Emperor Palpatine from Return of the Jedi by Kenner.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSOWWsbGllk8bK5MEkDpLrMLCIgDujP5Rtq4MWGHYCbPNgLyLKl9tw4_UVS3T7jXWBkqPLWuC7kI3-4FGSAClY6J9Kw6fg__tyvg5DCsZdr8fgFcdeIH8mgiXbTGgyan3cwutH2AOIyWd9/s1600/Emperor+Lightning+final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSOWWsbGllk8bK5MEkDpLrMLCIgDujP5Rtq4MWGHYCbPNgLyLKl9tw4_UVS3T7jXWBkqPLWuC7kI3-4FGSAClY6J9Kw6fg__tyvg5DCsZdr8fgFcdeIH8mgiXbTGgyan3cwutH2AOIyWd9/s400/Emperor+Lightning+final.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All photos by <a href="http://beckygreenphotos.com/" target="_blank">Becky Green Photography</a>. Lightning and effects by me.</td></tr>
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<b>Accesories:</b></div>
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<ul style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<li>Knobbly Cane</li>
<li>Pure Evil</li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYs3uMcrhtSoOJJAC9NyZrLG2GTv2Uu537kKD7Jmo8aWW64btMV4BAkemKWacHbaOhX35f5ubhrEuQMUxqbUTDUDukr_MMxZn9lyMoVur5gVoHELvV8EwlVTv-kGNouLVIdWWeKD2E2TZS/s1600/IMG_9358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYs3uMcrhtSoOJJAC9NyZrLG2GTv2Uu537kKD7Jmo8aWW64btMV4BAkemKWacHbaOhX35f5ubhrEuQMUxqbUTDUDukr_MMxZn9lyMoVur5gVoHELvV8EwlVTv-kGNouLVIdWWeKD2E2TZS/s200/IMG_9358.jpg" width="122" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love that he has<br />
a cane.</td></tr>
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This 12" Emperor Palpatine figure comes straight from Return of the Jedi, the last of the Star Wars movies (so far). In the movies, he's the ruler of the Galactic Empire, a dictator with a hatred for all non-humans, the dark center of the galaxy, and the acting force behind Darth Vader's many atrocities. Luke Skywalker's character arc peaks during his confrontation with Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, where the Emperor's cruel order to join the Dark Side or watch his friends die brings an emotional and powerful climax to the trilogy. (I'm not sure <i>anyone</i> was expecting freaking <i>lightning</i> to shoot from his fingers!) Vader kind of messes the Emperor's plan up by betraying his master and helping his son defeat the darkness whirling within him, but it was a good plan for a while. Paplatine dies screaming, thrown down an air shaft, where his Dark Side energy explodes and nearly drags a wounded Vader down with him.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7skeMWRZWeRaJn4yzfp65BP3zAqzjT6DlsYCEwsaa8aoK-rOQC4RWpZl6wW3U7KVvuii-XeSu8CzP9s4V2yKrcjsAxhOj69ZIpvHq0opnepyXdwMSA31fDIn8Bb-mafID7jcetTzy836S/s1600/IMG_9387+final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7skeMWRZWeRaJn4yzfp65BP3zAqzjT6DlsYCEwsaa8aoK-rOQC4RWpZl6wW3U7KVvuii-XeSu8CzP9s4V2yKrcjsAxhOj69ZIpvHq0opnepyXdwMSA31fDIn8Bb-mafID7jcetTzy836S/s200/IMG_9387+final.jpg" width="132" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"If you will not be turned,<br />
you will be destroyed!"</td></tr>
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This is one of the new figures I've purchased in the last month. And by "new," I mean new to <i>me</i>. He's actually fifteen years old, but came to me sealed and pristine in his original packaging. I originally purchased him in tandem with a new figure of Luke (more on him to come), but fell in love with him as soon as I opened the box. The detail on his face and hands is <i>exquisite</i>, by far the best sculpt job of any of the 12" figures I own so far. Everyone I've shown him to gives me the same reaction: "Oh, he's creepy!" I love it. His robes are well made and the falls of fabric actually look like the costume from the movie. The only downsides I can see are his resistance to standing up straight (which the figure stands I purchased will rectify as soon as they get here) and a strange decision by the manufacturer to sew his hood to the top of his head. It makes his head seem kind of flat and smashed on top, so I stuffed some tissues under the hood to give it some extra volume. I'm pretty sure I'm going to keep collecting more Palpatine stuff, he's just that cool.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM4w0G9fG37hnzLktfnBd15DSD2NqY1fZkyxxQPfArDpumTcZ-GLSOUsyuCksaDXiLBmmv1Qeug81MDXXtscP-QqlcG_GliLe5k18qU-JQBc-RPNPwRWGOwWd-YO5VMuZdZehty6Ltf23z/s1600/IMG_9361bw+noir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM4w0G9fG37hnzLktfnBd15DSD2NqY1fZkyxxQPfArDpumTcZ-GLSOUsyuCksaDXiLBmmv1Qeug81MDXXtscP-QqlcG_GliLe5k18qU-JQBc-RPNPwRWGOwWd-YO5VMuZdZehty6Ltf23z/s200/IMG_9361bw+noir.jpg" width="132" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"It is inevitable. You–like <br />
your father–are now... mine."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I don't know if I've ever come across a character that does the "evil overlord" archetype better (Sauron from Lord of the Rings certainly comes to mind, but I'm not sure who wins out). Palpatine is evil as all get out, unseen in the original trilogy until the final movie, which was an excellent move: letting the obvious intimidation of Vader run the show for so long, until–BAM!–someone even more evil shows up. I'll never forget the first time I saw his shuttle fly into the Deathstar, surrounded by ranks of white stormtroopers and greeted by a nervous–nervous!–Darth Vader: the low male's chorus in the background (love his theme), the bleak atmosphere, the slow reveal of the character from the hem of his plain black robes up, not to mention that damn creepy cackle he weirds Vader out with a minute later as they talk. Oh man, such a great character. I actually used his general appearance and creep factor to inspire one of the characters from one of my novels.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3GfNWl6BnFgGwqTjukkIqo2vxHoVD2SVpvGJuSH6iaoQRccIVC_bbdM4ci6vVmHCO19qDOamZGYf0stSOB8DDj1DOYh67vI1CInSu1EKeqdBFJWvkY9VfuPQa-Yw48g-c6Nb_fKgz6UiQ/s1600/IMG_9362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3GfNWl6BnFgGwqTjukkIqo2vxHoVD2SVpvGJuSH6iaoQRccIVC_bbdM4ci6vVmHCO19qDOamZGYf0stSOB8DDj1DOYh67vI1CInSu1EKeqdBFJWvkY9VfuPQa-Yw48g-c6Nb_fKgz6UiQ/s320/IMG_9362.jpg" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7kATJXAstljY2jYXOYxGr-zGFlZ63x2jHTf1moCmu_YfiOw6aCMk3SUgPwPVLzeeKOEBxG5QUORNSg4E6Vm_l8Mz8ySJnCOOr7DCaaItpX31gpiIew9gM97YQrfWdd6PdD2H-9Ap8piLS/s1600/IMG_9410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7kATJXAstljY2jYXOYxGr-zGFlZ63x2jHTf1moCmu_YfiOw6aCMk3SUgPwPVLzeeKOEBxG5QUORNSg4E6Vm_l8Mz8ySJnCOOr7DCaaItpX31gpiIew9gM97YQrfWdd6PdD2H-9Ap8piLS/s320/IMG_9410.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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If the video below doesn't show up on your smartphone, use a desktop. Not sure why that is.<br />
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Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-45879113933635196332013-06-30T08:00:00.000-06:002013-06-30T15:31:49.036-06:00~1997/1998 12" Han Solo in Smuggler Outfit by Kenner.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_OSGa_vuBefzAKg736AU9_LXId3fGNqw2zvzrOrQCme4ZOMpV3fgpt_q0kwzY7ASnVmpOL5VJ2FUt9BqQSxaCnziydGjgHlBu8JXAxo-D2XRjF6OSwPnRTASjYzKmNUppCX8DkhzIyB3i/s1600/Han+Shooting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_OSGa_vuBefzAKg736AU9_LXId3fGNqw2zvzrOrQCme4ZOMpV3fgpt_q0kwzY7ASnVmpOL5VJ2FUt9BqQSxaCnziydGjgHlBu8JXAxo-D2XRjF6OSwPnRTASjYzKmNUppCX8DkhzIyB3i/s400/Han+Shooting.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All photos by <a href="http://beckygreenphotos.com/" target="_blank">Becky Green Photography</a>. Blaster bolts and effects by me.</td></tr>
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<b>Accesories:</b></div>
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<ul style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<li>DL-44 Blaster Pistol</li>
<li>Hip Holster and Gunslinger's Belt</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZQJ3AM9wSEIXKsvTD8I-F-jRpDjPuZMKZEG0YhVkkH8poSyzj7gj0mUDGUuJaPHZ4DbFVIYyZT47L6BhCFsLsvxWFMEF4Ip7R003SZwrXZXQzwskIB7U9UowYQwvzdOKOENtWkoKbsw9H/s1600/Han+Full+body.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZQJ3AM9wSEIXKsvTD8I-F-jRpDjPuZMKZEG0YhVkkH8poSyzj7gj0mUDGUuJaPHZ4DbFVIYyZT47L6BhCFsLsvxWFMEF4Ip7R003SZwrXZXQzwskIB7U9UowYQwvzdOKOENtWkoKbsw9H/s200/Han+Full+body.jpg" width="133" /></a>This 12" Han Solo figure is the quintessential smuggler as we know him from Episode 4: A New Hope. It's the clothing every kid wanted to dress up in, and every girl swooned over. (Those tight pants and low-slung belt? Yeah, sexy). Something about the outfit fits perfectly with Han's swagger when he boasts that the Millennium Falcon was the one "who made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs" to a skeptical Obi-wan and confused Luke. (Most likely because parsecs are a unit of distance, not speed. However, this isn't actually a mistake on Han's or the scriptwriters' part, seeing as the Kessel Run is a well-traveled smuggler's path that runs through an asteroid field edged by a cluster of black holes. The closer one pilots their ship to the black holes to avoid losing time dodging among the asteroids, the more <i>space</i> and time are warped, thereby shaving <i>distance</i> from the route. This makes Han's boast not only correct, but an impressively dangerous accomplishment.)</div>
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<a href="http://latino-review.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Episode_4_Han_Solo_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="http://latino-review.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Episode_4_Han_Solo_2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This Han figure technically belongs to my oldest brother, though it resides at my house for now. (I'll be getting my own duplicate as soon as I can.) I love the detail of his jacket and the way his belt sits with the grip of his blaster right next to his hand. Notice the Corellian Bloodstripe running down those trousers, an award for bravery, I believe. He's the only dude who can actually pull off a popped collar. While his face isn't the truest representation of Harrison Ford's (even the 6" Kenner figures from 1995 do a better portrayal), I consider it a fun interpretation of the character, rather than an attempt at a real-life face.</div>
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Han runs a close second to Luke as far as favorite characters go, and I've always liked the Star Wars novels featuring Han prominently best. His cocky attitude and dangerous scowl are the perfect foil to Luke's earnestness in A New Hope. His relationship with Chewie has always fired my imagination; just two buddies out adventuring in the galaxy and running from those up-tight Imps. While Harrison Ford has long held that he didn't think the character had enough depth, I've always disagreed; Han may not be a true anti-hero, but he has that same spirit, the guy who sometimes does the right thing, but is never far from trouble. After all, Han <i>did</i> shoot first.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRgrg9KYaUv2UovqJayOgmxv0fPj0T0Jar_qZZzEIQTRnjXUMbsk0hgsgO_9cVxJVe-YzkqzuIZOab4JP6dtG6hA34H2JWbe0hwH0I49QRGKT9rJx8wp2KOUaiChLQ7YZL8uv5qtVGKTx/s1600/Han+Holster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRgrg9KYaUv2UovqJayOgmxv0fPj0T0Jar_qZZzEIQTRnjXUMbsk0hgsgO_9cVxJVe-YzkqzuIZOab4JP6dtG6hA34H2JWbe0hwH0I49QRGKT9rJx8wp2KOUaiChLQ7YZL8uv5qtVGKTx/s320/Han+Holster.jpg" width="212" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hLBjLPJ3AtxjxWhspGMLuXXWMB4ysy07dUXt9XuA8SoevsNYUmS0BZ4tJ3rsVygfU4wsL9lngH62y27J135wBydmzQaIYiWaIBuoOWgH3uDRM9PaJRIY45qrpwKOK1W4gjVNIEM5NV0p/s1600/Han+Noir-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hLBjLPJ3AtxjxWhspGMLuXXWMB4ysy07dUXt9XuA8SoevsNYUmS0BZ4tJ3rsVygfU4wsL9lngH62y27J135wBydmzQaIYiWaIBuoOWgH3uDRM9PaJRIY45qrpwKOK1W4gjVNIEM5NV0p/s320/Han+Noir-2.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<br />Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-2275805674335296452013-06-19T08:00:00.000-06:002013-06-19T08:25:40.781-06:00~1997/1998 12" Luke Skywalker in Hoth Gear by Kenner.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqDo2l2YZJz3mT3UN70j9GSN1Vat2utT2FpQ-KE3wy1xMqlCXKXl-Pv_l62U21N9znEKC_RlM5F-moggPFi02rUEvlqDYH0-wfzNwADmKT8dfYoMKFsD7GDncMQjSGbkRdlUenKmx7o_l/s1600/Luke+Hoth+Blue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqDo2l2YZJz3mT3UN70j9GSN1Vat2utT2FpQ-KE3wy1xMqlCXKXl-Pv_l62U21N9znEKC_RlM5F-moggPFi02rUEvlqDYH0-wfzNwADmKT8dfYoMKFsD7GDncMQjSGbkRdlUenKmx7o_l/s640/Luke+Hoth+Blue.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All photos by <a href="http://beckygreenphotos.com/" target="_blank">Becky Green Photography</a>, lightsabers and effects by me.</td></tr>
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<b>Accesories:</b></div>
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<ul>
<li>Blue Lightsaber</li>
<li>DL-44 Blaster Pistol</li>
<li>Standard Issue Rebel Blaster Rifle with working missile</li>
<li>Removeable Helmet, Goggles, and Scarf</li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICs8SjBFFyVmvCqQiVCS9-ro8MXyfvox1XqE_qsEZj2acVw1uQq35h7wVp6mAmaQIj3n5gLbd4Gbsj38jlLEclRNdCsgCcWWiFWVNKicAYfnKK5quFDW_RnK7zwdZm26TTeFlhodgFo4X/s1600/Luke+Hoth+Noir+Closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICs8SjBFFyVmvCqQiVCS9-ro8MXyfvox1XqE_qsEZj2acVw1uQq35h7wVp6mAmaQIj3n5gLbd4Gbsj38jlLEclRNdCsgCcWWiFWVNKicAYfnKK5quFDW_RnK7zwdZm26TTeFlhodgFo4X/s200/Luke+Hoth+Noir+Closeup.jpg" width="132" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toy</td></tr>
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This 12" figure of Luke Skywalker takes its outfit from The Empire Strikes Back, Episode 4 of the original Star Wars Trilogy. In the movie, Luke begins on the ice planet of Hoth, helping to install a new rebel base after the Empire destroyed the previous base on the jungle moon of Yavin IV. Due to the extreme cold, all the characters are dressed in thick coats as they explore the snow-covered surface on the furred-lizard tauntauns. I've always liked the design behind all the cold weather costumes in this part of the movie, and was super excited to get this figure many, many years ago. I'm pretty sure it was for my birthday.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzC-CuI65KX5BwUubNoUm6MpbzKLBGUUrw1-bXbatwapDCuyr18BYXkMAz5-dv7rtn3T3OmPYTpKtvadV0cdgeVxb66C833wHyNPj0R1xQYnucnu_CHGt72nn_wHuuRuQ-lkTRXTSSEt_U/s1600/Luke+Hoth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzC-CuI65KX5BwUubNoUm6MpbzKLBGUUrw1-bXbatwapDCuyr18BYXkMAz5-dv7rtn3T3OmPYTpKtvadV0cdgeVxb66C833wHyNPj0R1xQYnucnu_CHGt72nn_wHuuRuQ-lkTRXTSSEt_U/s200/Luke+Hoth.jpg" width="163" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Real Life</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Hoth version of Luke is one of my favorites of all the 12" Kenner figures I own. The detail and stitching on his jacket and pants is of incredible quality and each piece of his outfit comes off separately. His cuffs even unfold and his scarf can be tied any way you want. Notice the communicator on his wrist, just like in the movie. While his face isn't incredibly true to Mark Hamill's, it's a mite better than the monkey-visage present on the 6" figures Kenner introduced in 1995.<br />
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I've always been a big fan of Luke despite pop culture's portrayal of how whiny he is in A New Hope. It's probably because he has such a defined character arc and I prefer to look at his whole journey through the trilogy as opposed to one movie at a time. I think his "farm boy" archetype has to be one of my favorites, as evidenced by my love for Taran from The Prydain Chronicles, Sam from The Lord of the Rings, and the characters in my own novels.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8wRn-Gib1h_A70WiehRkBgt_uu4yfmOGJvphlG7bQkPDTlYqwtpX9zoU82Jfmd3BsE_yXnlsYBpMgukXoE2RCGgNvqWamjl5aIcIRVR5nKrlcOXUOu1EBlNdrjxpWkdKHmw4SIVnpGEO/s1600/Luke+Hoth+Full+Body-edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8wRn-Gib1h_A70WiehRkBgt_uu4yfmOGJvphlG7bQkPDTlYqwtpX9zoU82Jfmd3BsE_yXnlsYBpMgukXoE2RCGgNvqWamjl5aIcIRVR5nKrlcOXUOu1EBlNdrjxpWkdKHmw4SIVnpGEO/s200/Luke+Hoth+Full+Body-edited.jpg" width="116" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click to Expand</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4BUuJC5CIr2dloORKYSMe5-uKciRF3Nx0jXO4adwph6Shq_bo-M5m9wBb_5dowGkyMXf_v8bPd7K0iP8nmXeOYmZ5YsCfPCUdwpfNmZ-L_hlDoS-hQK9Sy2ydHi2yPdvkvMMq_ie7OpJ/s1600/Luke+Hoth+Lightsaber+2-edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4BUuJC5CIr2dloORKYSMe5-uKciRF3Nx0jXO4adwph6Shq_bo-M5m9wBb_5dowGkyMXf_v8bPd7K0iP8nmXeOYmZ5YsCfPCUdwpfNmZ-L_hlDoS-hQK9Sy2ydHi2yPdvkvMMq_ie7OpJ/s200/Luke+Hoth+Lightsaber+2-edited.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwd51KCm4Mw_Z5rFFVpVi6aBiS0DSIXu310QumKhg0n9243qZz7kq_2CCkd11AqTMnJ9f_DPqRrjuSktXhaCTlYw67GF6rTNyj7-AlOvtTQvFEVVA69nY_d_1wGq_4NrTco373GUZzUwh/s1600/Luke+Hoth+Lightsaber-edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwd51KCm4Mw_Z5rFFVpVi6aBiS0DSIXu310QumKhg0n9243qZz7kq_2CCkd11AqTMnJ9f_DPqRrjuSktXhaCTlYw67GF6rTNyj7-AlOvtTQvFEVVA69nY_d_1wGq_4NrTco373GUZzUwh/s200/Luke+Hoth+Lightsaber-edited.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-7281036746456579092013-06-18T17:00:00.000-06:002013-06-19T08:58:03.420-06:00I've been interviewed again!A twitter buddy of mine and soon to be published author Kristin McFarland deemed me worthy of an interview on her blog recently, where I promptly grew long-winded. <a href="http://kristinmcfarland.com/2013/06/06/why-write-ya-fantasy-with-trevor-green/" target="_blank">Check </a>it out if you're interested and see what I have to say about writing YA fantasy!Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-57142822674213629362013-06-18T11:33:00.000-06:002013-06-18T11:33:38.842-06:00Introducing a new feature of my blog: Weekly Star Wars Toy Highlights!Before you take a single breath further, know I am aware how nerdy this is and realize how little I care.<div>
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<div>
I posted about my resurrected Star Wars collection already on this blog, which was fun, but left me wanting to talk about it more. So I've decided to highlight each piece in the collection once a week, complete with quality photos and description of their place in the movie universe. I'm hoping to include a breakdown of their accessories, a brief history, along with the year they were manufactured, if I can swing it. For the more interesting or rare pieces, I'll include the details that make them such. I'm excited by the idea because it will give me an excuse to play with everything once more, and of course, talk about Star Wars toys.</div>
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I'll begin with my favorites, then move on to the smaller and less consequential pieces, all the while mixing in the new pieces I acquire going forward. The first post should come some time this week!</div>
Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-73264387730129774902013-06-17T11:24:00.001-06:002013-06-17T11:30:41.757-06:00Join me, and together, we can build our collection as father and son!The Star Wars movies, books, comics, and radio dramas were some of the most wonderful things to me in my childhood to mid teen years, and I feel no shame in how much of a role they played in my life. I count the EU novels to be one of the big reasons I developed a love for reading--and by extension--writing.<br />
<br />
Anyway, when I was a kid, my brothers and I had a ton of Star Wars toys. I mean a TON of them, from different manufacturing runs and decades from before I was even born. We never had a lot of random toys lying around everywhere like you might imagine a <i>spoiled </i>kid might have had, but we scrimped and saved allowances for each action figure and begged Santa for the more expensive vehicle sets (my poor, poor mother). Because of this, each acquisition was precious and well played with. (Unfortunately, that also means we no longer have any boxes for the collector items, more about that later.)<br />
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When my three brothers and I grew up, other things took priority over continuing our Star Wars collection: a sofa to sit on, a $50 TV from the D.I., a kitchen table, those sorts of things. We got married, got jobs, went to college, etc. Unfortunately none of us really had room for our old Star Wars collection in our little apartments, and my mom eventually boxed everything up and stuck them in the garage.<br />
<br />
Until now.<br />
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I've always been a geek (the kind that gets bullied at school because they can't bring themselves to hide it) and as I grew up, I never lost my love for fantasy and scifi. I've recently begun to embrace that aspect of my life once more and my new collection of superhero action figures and comics has slowly been growing as I rewatch the old Star Trek TNG/Voyager/DS9 episodes and write fantasy novels.<br />
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My mind has naturally turned once more to the boxes of Star Wars toys at my mother's house.<br />
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So, a couple weeks ago, I stopped by and broke open the boxes for the first time in years (while screaming like a girl at the spiderwebs).<br />
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It was like Christmas times twenty. I didn't even <i>remember </i>some of the stuff I found before I actually pulled them out! My HUGE X-wing fighter, the MASSIVE Millennium Falcon, our SWEET AT-AT walker, not to mention the <i>hundreds </i>of action figures. We have playsets, SW micro-machines, full-size lightsabers, puzzles, and half a dozen smaller vehicles like the A-wing, Luke's landspeeder, a special edition snowspeeder based off a Ralph McQuarrie painting, and much more.<br />
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Perhaps most valuable are the dozen or so <i>original</i> Kenner toys from the '80s, including such figures as telescoping lightsaber Darth Vader (x2), RoTJ Obi-wan, Imperial Star Destroyer Controller, AT-AT Pilot, Walrus Face, Weequay (x2), and a many more I can't recall at the moment. We even have a super rare RoTJ Anakin Skywalker that would be worth BIG (and I mean MEGA) bucks if we only had the box he came in. This is super painful, because he'd be worth more than a lot of used cars if we had never opened him up (not that I'd ever sell him anyway, nostalgia and all that).<br />
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But I wasn't prepared for the wave of comfy nostalgia brought on by my pride and joy: a set of 1998 12" fully-poseable dolls with real cloth costumes and armor. There's Luke, Han, Darth Vader, Obi-wan, and Luke with Hoth gear. Man, we had so much fun with those (I used to swap Darth Vader's clothes to Luke and pretend he'd turned to the Dark Side like in the graphic novels). They just don't make toys like that any more.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwAFFj-n8Ns2u4sLpjkdyRdzH7nby09Xi3zEIN_m77ZPjRpULpyp9rLqIw23uhtOK2aS7wwlu4pvgnAfcJcXJJeKv8g6N3NYBXjGNlILXzdPVMgHt4OpsJJHESGgnClKNtc9_O1aKxQVY/s1600/977106_10152860307830366_1076519525_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwAFFj-n8Ns2u4sLpjkdyRdzH7nby09Xi3zEIN_m77ZPjRpULpyp9rLqIw23uhtOK2aS7wwlu4pvgnAfcJcXJJeKv8g6N3NYBXjGNlILXzdPVMgHt4OpsJJHESGgnClKNtc9_O1aKxQVY/s200/977106_10152860307830366_1076519525_o.jpg" width="89" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'll add some better<br />
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Each one belongs to a different brother, with the two Lukes belonging to me, but for now, they're all residing at my house with the rest of the Star Wars stuff (minus the toys from the Prequels, they went back in the boxes and are now sleeping with the spiders, as is fitting. Seriously, screw them). My dearest wish is to continue adding more of the 1998 12" dolls to that collection, since Amazon has a ton of characters I never knew belonged to that particular toy line. There's even a Boba Fett, which I think I might faint when I can finally afford to buy (peeps love that bounty hunter, so he's kind of expensive).<br />
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I dedicated a whole corner of my writing office to the display shelves that reach almost to the ceiling and stare at the collection for perhaps longer than is strictly necessary. I don't know why it took me so long to reclaim everything from my mom's house, but I'm really glad I finally did. I'm sure at some point my brothers will also come to their senses and start stripping their personally-owned toys from the collection (as is their right), but until then, I just gotta work on building my own collection to fill in the eventual gaps.<br />
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So yeah, I have a geeky collection once again, and life is good.<br />
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UPDATE: I have just purchased two new 12" figures: Luke Skywalker in black Jedi gear, and Emperor Palpatine from RoTJ.Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-26456226509383386102013-04-12T08:00:00.000-06:002013-04-12T08:43:22.179-06:00Meet the characters of THE WITCKE IN THE RUINS.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i>DISCLAIMER: Many writers take inspiration from already existing characters or real people like actors or celebrities. It's an easy way to reference and check yourself as you write them. That doesn't mean that the writer copied someone else, or hasn't put thought and effort into making their own characters with good story arcs. Trust me, paying homage to the following characters in no way means I haven't created my own world, with my own characters, and their own struggles and motivations. Despite the general trend toward inspiration from cartoon and MG characters, </i>The Witcke in the Ruins<i> is a YA fantasy with dark elements.</i></div>
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Fifteen-year old Astrid Kindle has never heard of the magical witckas, though her parents have spent the last two decades fighting one. She only knows her mother disappeared, leaving behind a silver necklace that's the key to crossing into other worlds.<br />
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After accidentally stumbling into a world that uses spellbinds instead of technology, Astrid is shocked to find her long-lost mother part of a stalwart group working to protect her world from Black Annis, an black witcke with world-dominating designs.<br />
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Unfortunately, Astrid's arrival in the forest village of Grundwell alerts the black witcke to the presence of the last piece of her plot--the silver necklace--and she attacks. Astrid narrowly escapes with the help of an awkward kitchen boy named Chale, but not before her mother is captured by the enemy.<br />
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Armed only with a temperamental spellbound sword and Astrid's unforeseen aptitude for magic, the two teenagers vow to rescue her mother. Pointed along a path by Chale's estranged grandmother, they trek across a rocky expanse of hazardous lowland inhabited by the ghoulish wights. Pursued by thirteen ancient Druids in Black Annis's thrall, they desperately seek for the source of the black witcke's power: a totem that--if destroyed--will give them a fighting chance. But time is running out for Astrid's mother as Astrid and Chale discover their quest may be exactly what Black Annis intended.<br />
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<b>ASTRID</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIHnSBw3wvmcdGZ933NW1tZYyJ9K1d9XrI5Ne-H4N3ZBinPB7qxmB6NlgtkHkvxoXgtsFeM9O98G1xJtATe0vwN1_AreosfZbCUSCZ2YTSFKIS8Mtyttixj3-LVvUwaMJcmrOpyjGnvOVY/s1600/blue-eyes-brown-hair-girl-green-nature-Favim_com-460268-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIHnSBw3wvmcdGZ933NW1tZYyJ9K1d9XrI5Ne-H4N3ZBinPB7qxmB6NlgtkHkvxoXgtsFeM9O98G1xJtATe0vwN1_AreosfZbCUSCZ2YTSFKIS8Mtyttixj3-LVvUwaMJcmrOpyjGnvOVY/s200/blue-eyes-brown-hair-girl-green-nature-Favim_com-460268-1.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcl6vdtpQOCr7bTitxR6GPMFMJrD08Wq7P5gkT1s3GW1_Xir4tYXoszupZH3GrjHcetOrGzdeNkz6qOya0YibKsmMTxQMJPsejXFhq_gaYJIDlbDbGnI0QFu6BySCb4pLAfhb9hRaAqMd5/s1600/Eilonwy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcl6vdtpQOCr7bTitxR6GPMFMJrD08Wq7P5gkT1s3GW1_Xir4tYXoszupZH3GrjHcetOrGzdeNkz6qOya0YibKsmMTxQMJPsejXFhq_gaYJIDlbDbGnI0QFu6BySCb4pLAfhb9hRaAqMd5/s1600/Eilonwy.jpg" width="160" /></a></div>
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As the main character, Astrid was the most difficult to pin down from the get-go. I had a vague idea of who she would be, but it wasn't until the second rewrite of the book that I finally began to draw some defined personality and voice from her. Her inspiration came from many different characters including Elonwy from the Lloyd Alexander's <i>The Prydain Chronicles</i>, Mariel from Brain Jacques's Redwall books, and a <i>small </i>bit of Hermione from the Harry Potter books. I mixed them all together and added a little attitude and a lot of self-awareness from the girls I met while involved with the Hardcore music scene.<br />
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<b>CHALE</b></div>
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I always knew who Chale would be: a mix between my brother Travis and myself, especially when it came to interacting with girls. (We were both unbelievably painful nerds.) Chale needed to be awkward, stutter, look at his feet, all that good stuff. He can't read, can't write, and sees himself as only a mere kitchen boy. But I also wanted him to have courage that could be coaxed from him as the book unfolded. A few rewrites in, his stuttering lessened, and his courage came sooner. I also added in a little longing for adventure, a desire to make a difference, along with a need to help protect Astrid (who almost doesn't need protecting). I took inspiration from Wart (Arthur) in Disney's <i>The Sword in the Stone</i> and Taran from Lloyd Alexander's <i>The Prydain Chronicles.</i><br />
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<b>SPIGWORTH</b></div>
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I'm going to admit something: Spigworth is a blatant love-note to all the talking owls that have appeared in cartoons and books through my childhood. Archimedes from Disney's <i>The Sword in the Stone</i>, Brian Jacques's half dozen owl characters, Owl from <i>Winnie the Pooh</i>, and many more. I just love the idea of stuffy British owls in books! Can't help myself. The spirit of the character also took some bits of Fflewddur Fflam from Lloyd Alexander's <i>The Prydain Chronicles</i>. Spigworth fills the role of guardian over Astrid and Chale, keeping them in line and adding a little worldly knowledge to temper their decisions.<br />
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<b>KENNETH</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrD6WcSNKRvUb1ZfqRxucAKzRqLSH5TrvSjjyeAyETFnjVUhJ6-6Bd1A6KRdAAB_83VZxDUvCiLMRM83HVlK9LEAArVcrIPmtBxE2TX34YR__XdFZt5VwCxLWrmfrwUj_2Do3gceGdAaQf/s1600/MV5BMTgzNjk1NDMwNF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNTg5OTAxNA@@._V1._SX640_SY429_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrD6WcSNKRvUb1ZfqRxucAKzRqLSH5TrvSjjyeAyETFnjVUhJ6-6Bd1A6KRdAAB_83VZxDUvCiLMRM83HVlK9LEAArVcrIPmtBxE2TX34YR__XdFZt5VwCxLWrmfrwUj_2Do3gceGdAaQf/s200/MV5BMTgzNjk1NDMwNF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNTg5OTAxNA@@._V1._SX640_SY429_.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2F-gjxLLKIlS1WUdCnJLCuhMCZeDACQZAiQsPIemP1vwOxjaoI1HS9r_e70lhYGDGtCDvBdfDFRSZWQ-jPD9gSYKx0eaSo_BQDNb4BnLRDynL0mjfYiIE-jYbuXKFZrtEi08ZC5yIh4z7/s1600/001100_000010_CharlottesWebFair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2F-gjxLLKIlS1WUdCnJLCuhMCZeDACQZAiQsPIemP1vwOxjaoI1HS9r_e70lhYGDGtCDvBdfDFRSZWQ-jPD9gSYKx0eaSo_BQDNb4BnLRDynL0mjfYiIE-jYbuXKFZrtEi08ZC5yIh4z7/s200/001100_000010_CharlottesWebFair.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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I've owned rats as pets, and love to look at them at pet stores. I think they're cute and funny; sue me. But a rat (or <i>rats</i> as was originally intended until I combined two characters--RIP Git) was also the perfect character to pair with Spigworth; polar opposites in form, the food chain, and personality. While Spigworth thinks highly of himself and puts great emphasis on duty, Kenneth is mostly concerned with turning a profit at the expense of his reputation, legally or otherwise. As the book progressed, Kenneth became more complex, moving into the role of a cynical pessimist who didn't really want to be helping Chale and Astrid. His story arc, ending with a pivotal role in the climax, is a little more defined than I had initially intended, which I'm quite satisfied with. Some of his inspiration came once again from Brian Jacques's many sea-rat scallywags, but mostly Templeton from <i>Charlotte's Web</i>.<br />
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<b>BLACK ANNIS</b></div>
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I have a thing for witches. And I mean a particular kind of witch: old, robed, filthy, seriously nasty--nothing funny about them. (Possibly a little female Emperor Palpatine in there.) She's the bad guy and does some not-cool stuff. Some of you might recognize the name of Black Annis (or Agnes) as that of an old rural legend from the UK. With Black Annis, I play homage to that legend as it fascinates me: an old crone living in the woods/moors, sometimes in a house, sometimes in a hill, always with an oak tree growing by the door and tanned human hides in the branches or tied around her belt. Super creepy, and oh-so-fun. I actually had the character developed before I researched the legend, and she fit pretty well with a few tweaks and name change.<br />
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<b>BLOSSOM THE WITCKE</b></div>
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There's an old Still Remains song titled "Blossom: The Witch." I don't know if I've ever had three small words spark such an explosion of imagination as these. I'm not sure what the song is about beyond a few lyrics ("Beware of her eyes, beware of Blossom"), but that didn't matter. I knew I had to write a book that had a witch named Blossom in it. She's Chale's creepy estranged grandmother, a small bit part that I hope is a lot of fun to read.<br />
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<b>OLD DONETTE</b></div>
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Chale's grandfather and innkeeper of the Wandering Wanderer. Going back to the boy with a sword archetype, there's gotta be the wise old man in there, just like Obi-wan Kenobi in <i>Star Wars</i>, Dalben in <i>The Prydain Chronicles</i>, or the inimitable Gandalf in <i>The Lord of the Rings</i>. A little Merlin from <i>The Sword in the Stone.</i> I did pull back on Donette however, limiting his role in the story, making him more of an armchair magician that doesn't affect the plot much. He's not a bad guy, but he's done wrong with Chale, never teaching him to read, relegating him to the kitchen of the inn, etc. I <i>do </i>have exciting plans for him in possible sequels. :)<br />
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<b>MOTHER AMBRIDGE</b></div>
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As a smaller character, I still found Mother Ambridge fun to write. She's old, cranky, and quietly powerful. I took inspiration (strangely enough) from Madam Mim in <i>The Sword in the Stone</i>, and Mrs. Patmore from <i>Downton Abbey</i>.<br />
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<b>ABBEY</b></div>
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As Astrid's mother, Abbey is important to the story, but strangely didn't need a lot of characterization. I eventually wrote her as the sort of blank-faced character that you'd see in the background of an older Disney cartoon or something. She makes a bad decision before the book begins and comes to regret it in the course of the story, so there is a small arc there and character development.<br />
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I should add, the idea for this post came from Vicki Weavil, a good friend who posted a similar thing to her own <a href="http://vickilempweavil.com/" target="_blank">blog</a> yesterday. Go check it out, as she just signed with an agent and you may be seeing her novel in print soon!<br />
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<i>All images are borrowed from the internet for entertainment purposes only. I do not claim the rights to them, and they do not represent the characters I have detailed--only provide a visual hint.</i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdeufSO9hco6_DdhT_CXUxsMwnit5aliQjId9Oe6bXC95DL0tA3XfDSZn1IfmoADogfyosNI0ZaTrUUF7BWOqzWlOLVF5iJkZGrmH9Fen-bf9qn54SomDB0A2raVNr62FTaOS5m9FRLWEC/s1600/the+sometimes+sword.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdeufSO9hco6_DdhT_CXUxsMwnit5aliQjId9Oe6bXC95DL0tA3XfDSZn1IfmoADogfyosNI0ZaTrUUF7BWOqzWlOLVF5iJkZGrmH9Fen-bf9qn54SomDB0A2raVNr62FTaOS5m9FRLWEC/s200/the+sometimes+sword.jpg" width="156" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This graphic is very suddenly<br />out of date.</td></tr>
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Hello everyone! It's been a while since I last posted, so I thought I'd pop in and let you all know what's been going on. The last couple of months have been a strange mix of waiting impatiently on other people, then furiously working for hours and hours to finish editing my latest book. Looking back, I can't decide if I should classify the months as productive or a general waste of time. Let's go with productive, since the book <i>is </i>finally being queried.<br />
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So, yay! After more than a year since the first word was typed, THE SOMETIMES SWORD is finally on submissions to agents. Kind of. See, it's now called THE WITCKE IN THE RUINS. Let me explain: when the book first started, the main idea was that of a young boy with a magical sword saving the day. Yeah, that's the archetype I chose to go with. The sword in question liked to disappear at the worst possible times due to an unfortunate mix of spellbinds that had been placed upon it not playing well together. However, the book has been rewritten 3 times now, altering not only the main character (adding in a female protagonist as the main POV), but also changing the nature and importance of the sword.<br />
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The sword is now a very small aspect of the book, serving only as yet another plot device to frustrate the characters by disappearing at inopportune times, hardly pivotal to the plot. Because the title was THE SOMETIMES SWORD, the current version of the book was a little confusing, as I didn't really explain much about the sword, or why it disappeared (it's now simply an experimental sword that wasn't ready for real world use yet). My beta readers kept repeating that they couldn't understand why the sword was even in the story to begin with (this was very frustrating for me, as I didn't want the sword to be important anymore, and hated the thought of making it once more a large part of the story).<br />
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After a bit of thinking, I decided that rather than expanding the sword's importance, I would simply change the title of the book, thereby changing the <i>reader's</i> expectations, and voila! The sword now fit in its current role, no changes needed.<br />
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But that brought a new challenge. What should I title the book after a year of calling it something else? I won't go through the whole process (I had five or six options and talked to a lot of people about them), but I eventually landed on THE WITCHER IN THE RUINS, seeing as my magic users are called witchers, and one of them happens to be in some ruins at one point. It worked, and I liked the tone the new title gave.<br />
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BUT. *record scratch*<br />
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The term "witcher" is apparently associated quite strongly with a series of books/videogames by the same name. I'd never heard of it before, but it just goes to show that the best laid plans of mice and men, and all that. After talking with a few people in the industry, I decided I'd need to change the name of my magic users <i>and</i> my title. Now, I already have made-up names for other familiar creatures <i>specific </i>to the world (such as canavar, bloedrech, etc), so it wasn't a stretch to simply alter the idea of a witch-like person into a new word. I came up with "witcke" (pronounced wit-key) with the plural of "witckas" (similar to Wicca, which works on a lot of levels). It was close enough to evoke some of the same associations as "witch", but different enough to catch the eye a little bit. Hence the new title of THE WITCKE IN THE RUINS was born.<br />
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I'll post again about the querying process here soon.<br />
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<br />Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-32576820321165119312013-02-26T14:31:00.002-07:002018-01-02T11:26:54.696-07:00MY NAME IS STEVE: A short Minecraft story for the curious.<!--?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?-->
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><b>MY NAME IS STEVE</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Don't ask me what I'm doing here, because I don't know. One day, I woke up in the middle of a forest, covered in snow, devoid of all memory and sense of identity. Why? I have no clue. It almost doesn't matter.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">I spent the first couple of hours calling for help, wandering around, hoping I'd find someone nearby. After a while, I came to the reluctant conclusion that I was well and truly isolated: no sound of human voices, no hum of tires on distant roadways; nothing but the trill of far off birds and rustling branches in the wind. There might have been a cow nearby from all the mooing, but I couldn't find it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">I might not have known who I am, or why I woke up in this snowy forest, but that didn't mean I was going to sit down and let depression take me along with the wolves. I needed a plan of action, needed to find a way to survive! But first, a man needs to know himself before he can trust himself, and because my old name was lost to my departed memory, I have decided to call myself Steve.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">It's a good name.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14px;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">I spent some time searching the area, looking for anything that might be useful to me. Tools and weapons would be my first priority--don't ask me how I knew, but I could tell the forest would be dangerous at night, something in my blood maybe. There wasn't much, not even a single fallen branch on the ground, just smooth snow and straight pine trees. I tried to grab hold of a few rocks peeking up from the soil, but they were firmly stuck. I'd need something to pry them free, or maybe break them away. </span><span style="line-height: 20px;">I spotted a tree nearby and went to it, running my hands over the dark brown bark. It was a good tree, strong and healthy.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Pulp and bark flew as my hard fists broke chunk after chunk away from the tree. I gritted my teeth against the jarring in my arms and kept going until the whole thing broke through and crashed to the ground. Chest heaving from the exertion, I gathered the wood and sat down, examining the pieces. I broke some of the longer chunks into thick sticks, then stabbed one of them into a flat piece of wood shaped like a blade.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">I grinned as I hefted the wooden axe I'd made, then swung it around experimentally. It felt good. I used the axe to fell several more trees until I had enough wood to make all the tools I needed: a shovel, sword, and pickax--the latter of which I used to break those stubborn stones from the ground. I stowed the rocks away for later use and strapped the tools to my back. I kept the sword out though, the feeling of danger in the woods tickling the back of my mind. Thus armed, I set off in search of food and shelter.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">I won't bore you with the details of my struggle against starvation and wolves. Suffice it to say, it <i>was</i> a struggle. I fought, bled, and conquered. I stumbled over hills and down into water-filled valleys, climbing trees to see the path ahead. I slew cows and ate their flesh to stay alive. I fell off cliffs and broke bones, spending days waiting for them to heal. I briefly marveled at how quickly the wounds mended, but wasted no time in pressing on once they did. At night times, I was attacked by monsters, proving my intuition about the forest to be correct. I hid from the darkness, lighting the small mud huts I'd built along the way with torches until the sun rose once again.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">I never knew why the world I'd woken up in was filled with skeletons and zombies, but it didn't really matter, I bashed their heads in with stone swords nonetheless. There were more questions to be had than answers, and I knew I would never know the half of them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">I had to survive!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Weeks later, exhausted, clothes ripped and torn, blood from numerous cuts on my legs trailing into my socks, I finally found mountains. Majestic. I climbed them each, looking for the ideal spot to build a home, far away from the oppressive trees and monster-filled shadows of the forest.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I avoided the caves beneath those mountains, fearful of skeletons and massive spiders. I knew I would have to venture inside them eventually, but not then. I finally found a flat-topped peak that overlooked the forests to the east, and ocean to the west. From its heights, I would be able to see the whole land, and defend my homestead from intruders. It was good.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">That was a few months ago. I've since become used to this way of life, in this strange land. The name of Steve fits me like a glove, and I am the master of my modest stone home. I've raised cattle, planted wheat, and baked bread. I've explored those mysterious caves and returned the victor, bringing home coal for fires, iron for tools and armor, precious gold and even a priceless diamond. I am king of all I see, master of this forsaken land.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">And then yesterday, my house blew up. Not all of it, but a good chunk of the western corner. You see, I was up on the roof, placing some wooden shingles that had blown loose in a rain storm, when a creeper appeared from of nowhere. I tried to pull back out of sight, but he spotted me and exploded in a fit of suicidal rage.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Now, I might not have mentioned creepers before, but not because they don't bear describing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">I call them creepers, because that's what they do. I first discovered them while exploring my first cave, and let me tell you: damn. Those things are scary as all hell. On that first instance, I'd run out of torches, and was blindly trying to feel my way forward, stone sword at the ready, when a movement caught my eye. I backed away, stumbling into the light of my torches, my head filled with thoughts of spiders and zombies, but instead... something <i>else</i> emerged, creeping along the stone with four stubby legs attached to a long torso. Its face stared at me with a strange sadness, mouth gaping in a profound grimace, arm stumps wiggling uselessly at its shoulders.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I stared, horrified by this hideous beast, lulled into apathy with misplaced pity.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">But when the creeper neared, I caught a whiff of gunpowder, and the cave filled with an ominous hissing. I came to my senses and tried to flee as the hissing reached a crescendo. The creeper writhed and pulsed, its mouth opening in agony only a split second before it exploded in a roar of fire and flying rock. I threw myself down, covering my head with my arms as flames billowed over me.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I almost died that day, and learned to fear the creeper above all others.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">And so, my house in smoking splinters after the latest creeper attack, I knew I had to repair it quickly before night fell and I became easy meat for monsters. I stowed all my valuables in a chest and armed myself with seven stone axes and iron armor, prepared to gather as much wood as possible before nightfall. I headed down to the edges of the forest and spent all day felling trees, breaking their wood into rough chunks I could carry back.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">But somehow during the hours spent sweating and breaking axes, I got lost.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14px;">As the sun turned orange and dipped toward the horizon, I knew I had to get to shelter--fast. These lands bred monsters, and the sun's rapid progress worried me. With nothing but my axes and the wooden boards I'd hewn, I dug a hole in the ground and prepared to wait out the night.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14px;">But before I finished plugging up the entrance, I was spotted.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">I put the last board in place and listened with dread in the dark as a dozen clacking mandibles drooled at the thought of my sweet blood just overhead. Their filthy mouths squealed and their clawed legs thumped all around as they did a frenzied, pre-meal dance, waiting for me to emerge. I slept uneasily in the dirt, listening to the terrible sounds above. When the morning came, they were still there. I cleared my bleary eyes and fashioned a crude sword from some stone beneath my feet and wood from my pockets, vowing to at least go down with a fight.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">With a deep breath, I broke through the wooden barrier and leapt to the offense!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">"My name is STEEEEEVE!" I screamed in defiance, but there were too many!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">I ducked and dodged, keeping my lightly armored limbs from the six spiders' poisoned fangs as I hacked at their hairy bodies. But they pressed in.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">I tried to retreat, but my foot fell into the very hole I'd hidden in overnight, and I tripped. I landed heavily in the dirt, gazing at the patch of sunlight above through my pain. Somehow, I knew this was the sky I would die under. I thought about the cows in their pens, the sheep grazing peacefully by the golden wheat ready to be harvested. They would all wait forever for me to return. My house would remain on my mountain top, an empty monument to Steve, the only human to ever walk this world. Was it all for nothing? No. I'd survived, if only for a while.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">I blinked and brought myself back to the present. I smiled grimly as the spiders tried to swarm into the small hole, but their disgusting bodies were too big. I hacked at them from below, killing several. Perhaps there was a chance--</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">My hope was short lived, and my stomach dropped as a creeper suddenly appeared, blindly following the spiders, hoping for an easy victim. How could my luck have been so horrible? I knew what was going to happen next. Adrenaline flashed through my veins and I threw myself back as the creeper toppled into the hole, coming to land in a heap not two feet from me. I was trapped! The cold dirt and unyielding stone pressed against my back as I turned away, squeezing my eyes shut as the dreaded sound filled the small hole....</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">sssssssSSSSSSSS....</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">One day, I woke up in the middle of a forest, covered in snow....</span></span><br />
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THE END</div>
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Hey, thanks for reading my story! Did you know I have a novel published, Only Gingers Can Be Witches? It's available in paperback and ebook now! You can find the Goodreads page <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20852653-only-gingers-can-be-witches" target="_blank">here</a>, and the Amazon page <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Only-Gingers-Can-Be-Witches/dp/0615971962/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1400686908&sr=1-1&keywords=9780615971964" target="_blank">here</a>. Thanks again, and I hope you enjoyed My Name Is Steve!</div>
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Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-43735608303563457472012-12-26T12:05:00.000-07:002012-12-26T12:05:01.110-07:00What I'll be doing in 2013.I feel like 2013 will be the year everything changes for me. It has to be, right? This last year has been stressful, full of little disappointments, but also some modest accomplishments. There's been tragedies, confusion, and too many bills. Looking forward is the only thing that will change all that.<br />
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I've been writing novels for over 2 years now, with several books completed and one actively being queried. A second book will be ready for the same by the end of February. I've sent out dozens of query letters, received many rejections and two full requests (one of which was just the other day, and I have yet to hear back on it). I keep getting told that if I keep at it, and don't give up, I'll make it, if only by default. I'd like to believe that.<br />
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So here's what 2013 has in store for me:<br />
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First off, I committed to my writing group that I would complete 2 books this year. As I mentioned, one is already set to be done by the end of February, and the second is almost a third of the way written so far. I may even be able to exceed my goal by a whole novel by the end of the year.<br />
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Secondly--and I know I have little control over this--I aim to sign a contract with an agent, hopefully even be on submissions to publishers this year. If I keep at it and don't give up, I think this is extremely possible.<br />
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Third, this coming year will mark a new level of commitment and time management for me. Earlier in 2012 I made the decision to work part time and quit school, instead focusing on writing as my Plan A. 2013 will be the first full year where I implement that plan. Wish me luck.<br />
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Fourth, watch the heck out of a ton of awesome movies coming out this summer.<br />
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What do you look forward to in 2013?Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-84610325735303379882012-12-20T11:43:00.000-07:002012-12-21T09:29:09.161-07:00My thoughts on The Hobbit.<br />
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I had the opportunity to see The Hobbit at 7pm, Thursday. Becky's employer was having a client appreciation event and rented a whole theater for the night. As an employee's husband, I got in free and early. We also returned to see it in 48fps 3D the following Saturday. Each viewing was extremely different from each other. First, I'll talk about the traditional viewing in 24fps 2D.<br />
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I loved returning to Middle-Earth. I loved seeing Hobbiton and--a smoking--Gandalf the Grey again. Gollum was amazing. The visuals were beautiful, the colors vibrant. I especially enjoyed the bits of the movie taken from Tolkien's appendices: the Witch King of Angmar, the Necromancer, and the council with Elrond and Saruman. They made the movie feel like a real prequel to The Lord of the Rings, and helped bring back the feeling of the first trilogy.<br />
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I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed the movie as a whole the first time around. I had no problem with the myriad dwarves, since we'll be get the opportunity to know them better in the coming installments, and Martin Freeman as Bilbo was excellent.<br />
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However. I did have some hang ups. Despite the lengths I go to describe them, they didn't ruin the movie for me. Not quite.<br />
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First off, and most importantly, I believe the music was terrible. Now, let me preface that: I absolutely love the music from The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I think Howard Shore is a genius and I listen to all three soundtracks at least once a week without fail.<br />
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But he must have tossed in the towel for The Hobbit. The music has all the subtlety of a hammer to the head, it's spotty and inconsistent, seemingly lazily written. The first half of the movie consists of badly remixed themes from the original trilogy crossed with longs phrases of single, drawn out notes that fill the background with no melody, only sound that doesn't have anything to do with the images on the screen. When any action ramps up, the dwarves' theme song suddenly blares to life and blasts you with "epic", even when it doesn't fit the mood. In contrast, the music in The Lord of the Rings maintains a coherent structure throughout, providing consistent backing when needed, and emotional heft when demanded. At no point is there a melody or harmony in the original trilogy that makes me wince. There are plenty in The Hobbit.<br />
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To sum up, I am severely disappointed in the music. In my honest opinion, it was the worst part of the movie. In fact, it almost comes close to ruining it for me.<br />
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To a lesser extent, I also disliked Radagast the Brown. I was excited to see him finally, having missed him in The Lord of the Rings. For some reason, meeting another of the wizards always sparked my imagination. The version of Radagast in the movie however, was <i>nothing</i> like I expected him to be. Now, I can't fault Peter Jackson and company for having a different vision than me. But, I would have hoped that <i>someone</i> would have nixed the dried bird poop dribbling down his face, toned down the pot jokes, and generally made Radagast a little less of a high-pitched moron.<br />
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Thorin Oakenshield? Way too overdone. He was acted well, but he wasn't given the proper buildup for some of the emotions we were supposed to feel for him. Felt a bit melodramatic.<br />
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The one other thing--aside from the music--that nearly ruined the movie for me was the voice acting. I was so used to the voice acting in The Lord of the Rings--full of believably gruff dwarves, barbaric Uruk-hai, and disgusting-sounding orcs--that The Hobbit's cast of high-pitched and nasally-silly goblins made me shudder. That's not to say that there <i>wasn't</i> good voice acting, because there was. The Pale Orc was particularly good. But the Goblin King? Come on. Not to mention the three cave trolls that try to eat the dwarves, which were terrible. The snotty idiot of the three was actually <i>painful</i> to listen to, and by the time I saw it a second time, I hated that entire scene.<br />
<br />
Too much silly in general, not enough badass. In The Lord of the Rings, the orcs felt super dangerous, and you actually felt afraid that they would kill the good guys. Not so in this movie. Aside from the Pale Orc, I didn't much feel any fear. The Goblins were just too silly.<br />
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Side note: the movie needed more black orc blood. There was next to none. All cuts and scrapes were completely clean, almost like slicing through rubber.<br />
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Moving on to the 48fps 3D version, I want to start with a warning: see the traditional showing first. You'll thank me later. Like I mentioned, we went to the 48fps version a few days after seeing it the first time, and I'm very glad we waited. The high frame rate sucks the magic right out of the movie while making everything look like the props they were. It's <i>too clear</i>. You see too much and it yanks you out of the illusion. If you've ever watched a BBC television show, you'll know the feeling. It was distracting and actually made me feel like the movie was too long, and *gasp* I eventually got tired of watching The Hobbit.<br />
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The 3D was excellent. I do recommend that part.<br />
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Once again, I enjoyed the movie, it was more than I ever hoped to get after Return of the King came out, so there's no overall complaints, just nitpicking.<br />
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I will say this though, and you can decide: what does it mean when The Hobbit simply leaves me <i>dying </i>to watch The Lord of the Rings again?Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-5883292836748631282012-10-31T09:52:00.001-06:002012-10-31T09:52:14.566-06:00What the Lucasfilm/Disney merger could mean for Star Wars.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20060808032204/starwars/images/4/4a/Outboundthrawn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20060808032204/starwars/images/4/4a/Outboundthrawn.jpg" width="230" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Admiral Thrawn</td></tr>
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Oh man. Oh boy. Did you hear? They're making a new Star Wars! I think the entire world was under the impression there would be no more, mostly because of George's statement about not wanting to make things that would only get him yelled at. But that's kind of changed now. I can completely understand and sympathize with his statements, despite having done a little of that yelling myself. I mean, the poor guy just wants to make movies. He had an awesome run of three, a perfect storm if you will, born of funding issues, budget problems, not to mention distribution and production bottle-necking. Despite all this, or maybe because of it, the original Star Wars trilogy was, simply put, amazing. Then George ran into a hitch. A hitch called "success". See, the problem is, without adversity there can be no growth. When you hold the power of making movies in your palm, with no one to say yea or nay, some bad decisions never get changed or fixed. There also isn't the passion involved that fighting a system can impart. George definitely had that passion when he made the original trilogy, but not so much with the prequels. I won't go into the problems episodes 1-3 had, because let's admit it, we all know what they are.<br />
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So this news yesterday of Disney buying out Lucasfilm for $4 billion (the same as Marvel's acquisition) came as a surprise to many, and a shock to some (like me). When I heard of the merger, my first thought was "why?" Why would Disney invest in Lucasfilm, a company that had basically run its creative course and retired with the ending of the last Star Wars film? Immediately following this question was a small spark something you may have heard of: hope. Wait a minute, would they, could they, possibly be thinking of making more Star Wars movies? Eeeep!<br />
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Of course, I immediately headed out to Google and read all about it on several different sites. I'm not gonna cover all the info, because there are better outlets than me that number in the thousands. Let's just say that George is retiring for real and will only be involved with future projects as a consultant. But I do want to say what I feel this could mean for me, the viewer and former Star Wars fanatic.<br />
<br />
Oh, and yes, this does mean there will be more Star Wars movies, starting in 2015. Since George is calling it Episode 7 in interviews for now, we have to assume that these would be sequels, not prequels, to the original trilogy. As in, Luke, Leia, and Han post-Battle of Endor. Now, before you get your panties in a bunch, I realize that there is no concrete evidence to support that assumption. Even if there was, the logistical nightmare of getting the original cast back together, all these decades later would be monumental. Possibly impossible. Harrison Ford, for one, has always said he was glad when his role in Star Wars was over. Plus, they're all old. Have you seen Mark Hamill lately? The point is, we don't know.<br />
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But I can hope. Here are some things I think and wish they would do.<br />
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First (and what I think is most likely), they could easily take one or two actors from the original trilogy (the least ancient) and bring them along as cameos. Think Mark Hamill in a beard and robes, teaching a new generation of Jedi at the Jedi Temple on Yavin 4. Or Carrie Fisher back in her simple white dress trying to wrangle the New Republic into some semblance of order, long after the Empire fell. If those don't work, they could go lower and bring in some of the people with even smaller roles, just to help bridge the gap between the two casts. Of course, the cameo idea would dictate new characters and most likely a completely new story idea other than simply The Empire vs. Alliance Take 2. The Extended Universe (books and comics) has a multitude of story lines they could draw on.<br />
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Second, they could go a whole different direction and introduce a completely new set of actors and a timeline well outside of Luke, Leia, and Han's lifetimes. This would mean an entirely new cast, and no real on-screen ties to the original trilogy (please leave C3-PO and R2-D2 out of it). I'm thinking a focus on Luke and Mara Jade's/Han and Leia's kids would work. It would definitely feature an antagonist other than the remnants of The Empire. Once again, the Extended Universe has already gone here. This option wouldn't be bad, but I don't prefer it.<br />
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Third, they might choose to simply throw the whole original trilogy away and go with a spin-off, such as a Boba Fett movie (which they ruined already with the Clone Wars origin they gave him), or some other new Jedi doing stuff in space. Maybe even the Old Republic, a la Star Wars: The Old Republic game (I hate this idea). I really hope they don't continue to move backward in time, only forward. These are better than nothing, but not ideal at all.<br />
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Fourth, and least likely, they could actually manage to get the original cast together and make the movies I've been waiting for since I was 12 years old. Granted, instead of 10 years after the Battle of Endor, the story would have to take place quite a ways after to match the original casts' current ages, but it would be worth it. This option fills me with glee, even though I know I'll be disappointed.<br />
<br />
And fifth, they could simply recast the roles from the original trilogy and move onward directly after the Battle of Endor with a new cast. This one would be risky, and would upset a LOT of people. I might be okay with it, just to see the characters again, but it would be really hard to pull off. I don't think this is likely, because Star Wars is a continuing story, not prone to (semi)reboots like Star Trek or some others out there. If this were the case, I'd love to see the Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn come into play. Those were great books and introduced some of the best Extended Universe characters hands down. A complex Admiral Thrawn would really fit into what we like as villains nowadays, and a conflicted Captain Pallaeon would add intellectual depth the prequels were lacking. Like I said, this is really unlikely, and I'd be really cautious about it, but the storyline options it would open up are exciting.<br />
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Aside from all that, I also wanted to briefly discuss what they could do (and are already planning to do in some cases) to kind of "fix" the problems the prequels brought into play. First off, George Lucas will not be directing or writing the scripts. This is huge, and as much as I hate to say, the best thing for Star Wars. The original trilogy was directed by 3 separate directors, only one of which was George. By far the best 2 of all 6, are Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. They were directed and written by people who knew how to accomplish what the story called for. If I had my way, each of the new movies would follow that model and switch out directors, so the talent would match the need of each movie's story. I dream still of a Spielberg directed Star Wars. We'll see. Heck, even JJ Abrams or someone else like that.<br />
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Second, the prequels suffered from "earnest syndrome". Everything and everyone was so damn earnest all the time. Romance, drama, the fighting, even "comedic" lines were delivered with complete seriousness. Everything was supposed to be dire and important. It all comes down to this: where the heck was the Han Solo character? Why are all the actors staring at me through the screen like I killed their dog? The new movies desperately need a rogue, a pirate, or a thief. Someone to bring real sarcasm and biting humor back to the universe. The movies can be serious as all get out, but they can't take <i>themselves </i>too seriously. Bring back the Han Solo!<br />
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Third, get rid of the politics. The prequels were a huge mess of dry and thoroughly uncomplicated maneuvering by people wearing latex and makeup. We don't watch Star Wars for the politics. Sure, those can be running behind the scenes, maybe even poke their heads out every once in a while. But don't make the whole story line revolve around it. Bring back some action and adventure. Let's get some opera back in the Space Opera.<br />
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Fourth, no more puns. Enough said.<br />
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Fifth, focus on things we haven't seen before. Let's get some space walks, Jedi Special Ops, kids training in jungles where they get beat up by the wildlife and sweat to death like Luke on Dagobah. Let's see some space plagues or Hutt gangster action. Stop bringing back characters just for the sake of it, stop making everything tie in. Let some things expand the universe, not just make it into a huge loop. Let's see some prominent female characters that kick butt (hint, hint, Mara Jade). One thing I <i>would</i> like to revisit is the grunge. Star Wars used to be a grungy future, but the prequels kind of glossed that over a bit. Let's get gritty.<br />
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Sixth, the Force needs to be magic again. Star Wars is not sci-fi, it's fantasy set in space. Trying to make the Force fit into science just doesn't work. Mystify it once more, make it MAGIC. Also, take a note from the Star Wars Unleashed video game, and really <i>go for it</i> as far as Force powers go. Explore it.<br />
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Seventh, focus a bit more on practical effects and make sure the CGI looks and feels real. The prequels were a little too close to video game for my tastes. I think the new Star Trek did a great job hitting the spot when it comes to effects.<br />
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Eighth, try to forget the stuff from the prequels, please. Don't rely on the aliens you made in those movies, come up with new ones. Don't keep referring back to the Trade Federation or Naboo. Don't retconn stuff in the original trilogy to fit the prequels when you make the sequels (sorry for that).<br />
<br />
And finally, try to keep in mind your ENTIRE audience, not just the kids. There are adults who want an awesome, complex movie to enjoy. The prequels were way too closed off when it came to adult viewership.<br />
<br />
Anyway, those are my thoughts, and I hope to see some awesome things happening in the next few years. What do you think will happen? Disagree with me anywhere?Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-39019568895315277802012-10-28T18:59:00.001-06:002012-10-29T14:44:31.372-06:00Plugging away!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDOszo2B5IwdXS1cdNcm-Z-nTqQboLHCB-5Rcoi-fpFp4sc3jrc3LWC_b6crwpJkXJnDJ2eHa1R2NPJEeNs0Ren55iXXkaweRZO2Di53m0RFA7c3dyVCCAPzCDQtjmTEAje7XRyZUpBVCA/s640/blogger-image--840844468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDOszo2B5IwdXS1cdNcm-Z-nTqQboLHCB-5Rcoi-fpFp4sc3jrc3LWC_b6crwpJkXJnDJ2eHa1R2NPJEeNs0Ren55iXXkaweRZO2Di53m0RFA7c3dyVCCAPzCDQtjmTEAje7XRyZUpBVCA/s200/blogger-image--840844468.jpg" width="200" /></a>I've been sending out a bunch of queries over the last month, in addition to working on my new novel. I've gotten several rejections--which is to be expected--but still haven't heard back from the vast majority of them. In general, I'm keeping pretty positive about the whole thing, with little spikes of excitement and dips of depression. It's funny how incredibly normal the process has been, or maybe I should say it's been standard. Writing and querying don't have much about them that's normal. <br />
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I'm looking forward to becoming a little more active on Twitter and the blog once more, so make sure to stop by. Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-43225094833235022492012-09-06T11:09:00.000-06:002012-09-18T10:54:21.227-06:00The epic (and late) conclusion to my Nerf steampunk pistol project.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It's time for the finishing touches to my first endeavors into the world of cosplay accessories. You can read the beginning of the project <a href="http://beyonddragonsandwizards.blogspot.com/2012/08/turning-nerf-maverick-nev-6-hand-gun.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </div>
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So we left off after I had sprayed the gun pieces with the bronze paint. It took a while for them to dry, and they remained pretty tacky to the touch for a while. Truth be told, it's still kinda sticky. I'll mention how I solved that problem further down. Anyway, screw the pieces back together, making sure to place all the components in the way they originally went if you want it to still function and shoot darts.</div>
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Next comes the weathering stage. This is where you will be using the acrylic paints you bought at the craft store. I chose to go with a metallic gold and a metallic bronze.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTF_V3WWJl8g1sc8vQEN_7f-2JB3rDlH0riPOiyp_FkfFug5bl97MnEwzjJ-eQZLwcfpWkw_15BTplDUPbtrap6KKzkqTsYai7PUXKPXvrk-ijzPZFKbqTIBv8nACfYUvfEDx6eKp4B8A-/s1600/photo+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTF_V3WWJl8g1sc8vQEN_7f-2JB3rDlH0riPOiyp_FkfFug5bl97MnEwzjJ-eQZLwcfpWkw_15BTplDUPbtrap6KKzkqTsYai7PUXKPXvrk-ijzPZFKbqTIBv8nACfYUvfEDx6eKp4B8A-/s320/photo+(2).JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just so you know, the brown color on the right was <br />
too close to the spray paint's color to really see. You can easily <br />
pass on it. Just go for the gold.</td></tr>
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As luck would have it, there was a third color in our closet already, so the fiasco with the bronze paint turned out okay.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85cILQSkfdQcPgEgk5f6O19vtlAm3T9VRUNgdQePDY_3_07t5eMfjqNYmpNMM2gDUoORDIgEHqDtqaUkJgmO65shBGBf_nIGPCPSOZpWszevJaLmlRAyM-j9MFqxpe3zLD1A_YFOuG-Da/s1600/photo+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85cILQSkfdQcPgEgk5f6O19vtlAm3T9VRUNgdQePDY_3_07t5eMfjqNYmpNMM2gDUoORDIgEHqDtqaUkJgmO65shBGBf_nIGPCPSOZpWszevJaLmlRAyM-j9MFqxpe3zLD1A_YFOuG-Da/s320/photo+(3).JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wish I could tell you exactly what color this is, because it <br />
turned out to be perfect. It's a red brick/burnt umber type deal.</td></tr>
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I chose to go with a dry brush technique, which is to say, there was no water used. DO NOT USE WATER. Put a little paint on a piece of cardboard or in a paper bowl and lightly dab a dry sponge brush on it. Then, make sure you tap off the excess on the sides, as you can see below. This will leave just enough paint to work with.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8LJcGDIWqHxnQ5LfR67Rt3c-ofKbTx1CUiz0JCC8qSV3OQHlI-pGM7j8weVFhATxxinsftNoaEQdnATMq_8B5e5tIKxn0onGzkPciYtuplRcAmr8JM7Sx-H1yAP1zuHJYsr8hPY2Iafy/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8LJcGDIWqHxnQ5LfR67Rt3c-ofKbTx1CUiz0JCC8qSV3OQHlI-pGM7j8weVFhATxxinsftNoaEQdnATMq_8B5e5tIKxn0onGzkPciYtuplRcAmr8JM7Sx-H1yAP1zuHJYsr8hPY2Iafy/s320/photo+(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As you can see, I lightly mixed the gold and<br />
bronze acrylics to make a less vibrant color.</td></tr>
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Just run the brush over all the surfaces, especially the detail bits. The brush will catch the edges and make a pretty cool weathering effect. Repeat this with different mixtures of colors until you get the desired effect. To speed up the process, bust out a hair dryer and set it to medium heat. That should make the paint dry enough to allow you to handle the gun on both sides. Remember, there should be very little paint at this point.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9l8tnRWe840Sg9D09D9RPqRVbywcHcB_kWLPMwA2T_ixEiBif5_RbkFMg_ChgqCI7NsCjoBoo90GrNpzLmsM3V1He-fp-vtSzgs8znDV-utETH2RJh4s5mb9vnDj_4mfAfNvQK6np-uHM/s1600/photo+(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9l8tnRWe840Sg9D09D9RPqRVbywcHcB_kWLPMwA2T_ixEiBif5_RbkFMg_ChgqCI7NsCjoBoo90GrNpzLmsM3V1He-fp-vtSzgs8znDV-utETH2RJh4s5mb9vnDj_4mfAfNvQK6np-uHM/s320/photo+(4).JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see here the red and gold sheen over the bronze base.<br />
That's not light playing on the surface folks, that's paint.</td></tr>
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I'm actually really pleased on how this turned out. It's a perfectly weathered copper tone, a color that only came about after I spent time painting with the gold and red.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cMDQKiRi-kReZlas-0mIR_Bxct8U2x_JPJhgLadw2pkl0RC_Hc5OZhTwuEXdN5ZxV96R9q9ZmK8V8wn6NfeyHNngiX8vfgajfRbf9vWpcxrboTlYmu99_8OcQqNF2bZPwjRKc6TQcwWH/s1600/photo+(6).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cMDQKiRi-kReZlas-0mIR_Bxct8U2x_JPJhgLadw2pkl0RC_Hc5OZhTwuEXdN5ZxV96R9q9ZmK8V8wn6NfeyHNngiX8vfgajfRbf9vWpcxrboTlYmu99_8OcQqNF2bZPwjRKc6TQcwWH/s320/photo+(6).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I focused on the cogs with a purer mixture of gold, to help them stand out.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5gDs7z1_GrUmrWE3X_kKFM8pleiK-DZK9DxQIxW1_AsMBKiN-tgwqZovI6ZPlAW85LiAOj59WYLu0n1zcj2vtnoSvhq9E0AUPluS6tJs952vyyKNZUl4scxedE71ZQixTPiQzkqdLOkte/s1600/photo+(7).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5gDs7z1_GrUmrWE3X_kKFM8pleiK-DZK9DxQIxW1_AsMBKiN-tgwqZovI6ZPlAW85LiAOj59WYLu0n1zcj2vtnoSvhq9E0AUPluS6tJs952vyyKNZUl4scxedE71ZQixTPiQzkqdLOkte/s320/photo+(7).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see here that I took some pliers to the gun cartridge. After painting, <br />
it looks like the copper exploded at some point, possibly<br />
due to steam pressure. Just a little detail to enhance the look.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6mccB7RRhJrle4RAC-UVGPKYYYUTVKNDCZAzWFGIh9Y3pUftNy2Af5a5Q3P4pPuRmSKjtA8tfHWji_mSo6WRTYKOebVZHHY9o0BSKZqJiLYmnljwvghdQ7mjxtAumYmIfv550D9K-G_P/s1600/photo+(9).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6mccB7RRhJrle4RAC-UVGPKYYYUTVKNDCZAzWFGIh9Y3pUftNy2Af5a5Q3P4pPuRmSKjtA8tfHWji_mSo6WRTYKOebVZHHY9o0BSKZqJiLYmnljwvghdQ7mjxtAumYmIfv550D9K-G_P/s320/photo+(9).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of the barrels. You can see some of the paint on the tubing<br />
I added got a little mottled. That wasn't intended, but it ended up looking<br />
kind of nice, like the copper had corroded or something. Don't <br />
be too worried if things don't turn out perfectly.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzp9sZRR1qaconnUS44-YPp83v-Uh9mBupe6ClbgzCVdyxSWAMIibu9wpAGPtO_nKg4pIDRrThJZuw5lII7w4B51ggPdJKGIGdwt-6uegK8wISXVHKS8GXcdeim1cyYhV06tv-wyFhpKWZ/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzp9sZRR1qaconnUS44-YPp83v-Uh9mBupe6ClbgzCVdyxSWAMIibu9wpAGPtO_nKg4pIDRrThJZuw5lII7w4B51ggPdJKGIGdwt-6uegK8wISXVHKS8GXcdeim1cyYhV06tv-wyFhpKWZ/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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After the paint was dry, the handle remained pretty sticky, so I just slapped some Mod Podge on it and let it dry. Worked like a charm.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUs86xhPl-nQl_4NXfmqW_GN9QNVPuVJMT1XEJon6vYOpm5oo49zDwalvL_iOqrKtPi8usKQUosP1ChS69DmNSvr1giEB5yrlfI6rdUGo5OzhOS1YtIW76tjtSqU576Cna9NZza562qfjc/s1600/photo+(10).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUs86xhPl-nQl_4NXfmqW_GN9QNVPuVJMT1XEJon6vYOpm5oo49zDwalvL_iOqrKtPi8usKQUosP1ChS69DmNSvr1giEB5yrlfI6rdUGo5OzhOS1YtIW76tjtSqU576Cna9NZza562qfjc/s320/photo+(10).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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There you have it. The gun is finished and looks pretty good, considering it was my first attempt.Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-89888705485103109352012-08-31T09:29:00.002-06:002012-08-31T09:29:54.687-06:00Falling behind on the steampunk gun.Hey all. I know some of you expressed interest in the steampunk gun I was building. It's been a couple of days since I said I would finish up and post the rest of the process. I'm sorry! I haven't been able to do much with it since then, besides pressing the two sides together. I haven't even screwed it back up. Rest assured I will finish it and get the post up. Make sure to check back in for the results!Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-88949419225815532972012-08-29T10:05:00.000-06:002012-08-29T10:05:04.066-06:00Trying to manage time.I think I may be overestimating how much time I have in a day. That, or I'm foolishly hoping I'll gain some hither-to-undiscovered sense of self control. Right now, I'm engaged in the following: a part time job, part time novel writing, playing Minecraft with my buddy, and now I've also re-subscribed to World of Warcraft (eep). Plus, I've just started watching Downton Abbey season 2, started working on puzzles with Becky, begun reading <i>Double Dead: Bad Blood</i> by Chuck Wendig, and tried out the whole steampunk cosplay accessory thing (which you can read about <a href="http://beyonddragonsandwizards.blogspot.com/2012/08/turning-nerf-maverick-nev-6-hand-gun.html" target="_blank">here</a>).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQXTR4w6mekSleAoG3gkXRKATfCYsVoebH6nyf5Le-Aj1nHyln3UuPBFa4DwV4-B8WGQyXdzhNpnEUfkMrdrRA7EIWtCjwPlvY_wU2EgifWne6IO68bABMEfaR24VqJHiyrv7H56swBI9/s1600/Minecraft+Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQXTR4w6mekSleAoG3gkXRKATfCYsVoebH6nyf5Le-Aj1nHyln3UuPBFa4DwV4-B8WGQyXdzhNpnEUfkMrdrRA7EIWtCjwPlvY_wU2EgifWne6IO68bABMEfaR24VqJHiyrv7H56swBI9/s320/Minecraft+Blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ah, Minecraft, you are the Legos for my adult heart.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I've never been very good at managing my time and prioritizing. I usually end up playing World of Warcraft for hours because it's easy on the brain, which makes me depressed because I'm ignoring my writing, which then leads to more World of Warcraft (it's sort of like chocolate cake).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHcxIh1bHUr6UwdApDqt7Bx_JrQ6JM_trMfjf9nwJvjeTdjuaWmQKx9YXjecRFx24CtB-PgPcWVjMFBo2S7hXOukbrLtBkTVvjmHgdFyL64lvgMwLfdyAmdvpJGq_wfoBOIMPbQqHniav/s1600/WoWLogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHcxIh1bHUr6UwdApDqt7Bx_JrQ6JM_trMfjf9nwJvjeTdjuaWmQKx9YXjecRFx24CtB-PgPcWVjMFBo2S7hXOukbrLtBkTVvjmHgdFyL64lvgMwLfdyAmdvpJGq_wfoBOIMPbQqHniav/s320/WoWLogo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curse you World of Warcraft!</td></tr>
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But not this time! I've set up parental controls (yes, you read that right) on World of Warcraft, essentially banning myself from playing during my writing hours. Becky has the secret password, which I hope she keeps, well... secret. If I can just keep each activity within its normal hours I should be fine, though it feels like trying to police the border between North and South Korea. Sometimes I just gotta say, "Look Minecraft, you had your 45 minutes, now its Downton Abbey's turn. No, stop crying! Ack! World of Warcraft, put that down before you break it!"<br />
<br />
Anyway, I realize that having so many enjoyable hobbies (and an enjoyable future career in writing *crosses fingers*) is probably one of the best problems a person can have, so I won't complain except to say I wish I was born with a bigger and more responsible brain.<br />
<br />
So that's what I'm up to right now. What are your vices?Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-55335695289238795882012-08-27T11:34:00.000-06:002012-09-28T08:59:31.499-06:00Turning a Nerf Maverick NEV-6 hand gun into a proper steampunk weapon.Let me just preface this post with a statement of fact: I am a geek, but I never, ever dress up. Sure, I just bought a scale model of the Enterprise D from Star Trek, I have multiple Iron Man figurines on my desk, not to mention rows and rows of fantasy books lining the shelves. But my geekiness simply does not extend to the donning of costumes, fantasy, steampunk, or otherwise. Not that there's anything wrong with doing so, I simply don't choose to participate.<br />
<br />
That being said, I have officially entered the world of costume <i>accessories</i>. What exactly are costume accessories? I'll explain. When your average geek wants to dress up as their favorite character or style, second-hand clothes from the local thrift outlet and some pins will only go so far. There needs to be an extra <i>pop</i>, something that really sells the costume. Most of the time this comes in the form of accessories, or doodads. For instance, a gangly teenager in a brown robe is just a sad, sad person, <i>but</i>, as soon as you add that homemade lightsaber hilt at his utility belt, he becomes something more, a Jedi Knight, guardian of the galaxy. A girl in a corset and top hat is just a goth, until you add the brass and leather goggles. Then she transforms into a swashbuckling steampunk princess.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
Sometimes the process goes the opposite direction (the accessory comes first), and this is where the purpose of this post comes in. For years and years I've looked at the Nerf brand Maverick NEV-6 hand gun, a surprisingly well-designed toy, despite a horrid color palette. It's like some corporate stuffed shirt dropped the ball and accidentally let a <i>good </i>design go to production, despite their best efforts to keep the good life from 10 year-olds everywhere. (Seriously, what's up with some of the crap toys they make now?) Anyway, I've always wanted to buy one of the Mavericks, if for no other reason than my inner 10 year-old would have loved it back in the day. They just didn't have such things back then. (On a side note, have you ever seen the Nerf battle axes and maces they carry now? I would have killed for one.)<br />
<br />
Even though the Maverick goes for only $9.99, I've somehow never been able to justify the money spent on it, so I sigh, then put it back on the shelf. Until this last week, that is. I am proud to announce, I am the new owner of a pink and rosy, bouncing baby Maverick NEV-6. We're so happy.<br />
<br />
Okay, I realize that this post has meandered quite a lot, and you have yet to find out what my obsession over a child's toy has to do with anything. I hear that. So here we go, this is what it's all about:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jeremyclough.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/steam1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://www.jeremyclough.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/steam1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bam. Nerf. Steampunk. Accessories. Geek. It all ties in.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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That there is a heavily modified Nerf Maverick SEV-6, bought for $9.99. It's been sanded, painted, and given an overall ridiculous amount of love. I don't usually indulge in--erm--harsh language on my blog, but there's only one word for that: badass. I dare you, think of another word that better describes the above. Now, before I go any further, I need to say that the photo is not mine, the gun is not mine, and the skill is definitely not mine. This was borrowed from Google, and all credit goes to the maker, not me.<br />
<br />
So how does one make such an amazing steampunk accessory? I'll show you. First, you start with a healthy dose of self confidence. Yeah. You gotta be okay that you're taking your first steps into the murky waters of geekdom. Then, you go buy a Nerf Maverick NEV-6. Hunt through your couch cushions for change, go ahead, I'll wait.<br />
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Good, now you have your pistols, lay them out on the table and gaze upon your precious diamonds in the rough.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0J-PqktZzeSHmRKWQ-Pxsm-DLA3-EygdrnvllkKQsvdYTkWoq1R8a7MV4mgbHWbLgMtiuLtPBLqVNh3V5Wf5LJNADTKWTJTx8rQpvOEpYKRjfVYzHjqf0inxZK3TI516-EpBDu_NIsfgl/s1600/Photo+Aug+25%252C+10+42+35+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0J-PqktZzeSHmRKWQ-Pxsm-DLA3-EygdrnvllkKQsvdYTkWoq1R8a7MV4mgbHWbLgMtiuLtPBLqVNh3V5Wf5LJNADTKWTJTx8rQpvOEpYKRjfVYzHjqf0inxZK3TI516-EpBDu_NIsfgl/s400/Photo+Aug+25%252C+10+42+35+PM.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are mine. Fresh from the box.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Then put them aside and head out to your local hardware store. This is where you need more money, so go to work or something. Go to the hardware aisle and start browsing. You want to find bits and bobs, doodads and oddments. Nuts, bolts, cogs, plastic/copper tubing, buttons, dials, anything else of the like. Put them in your cart and pretend you're doing some kind of <i>real </i>home improvement project so no one bothers you. Grab some sandpaper (80 coarseness worked well for me), and a bottle of spray paint. Make sure it's paint that can bond to plastic. Preferably something cool like metallic bronze, copper, or silver. You'll also need a utility knife. A sharp one. I mean, <i>really</i> sharp. Don't use the rusty one that's been in your toolbox forever. Get some new blades. You will be using this to cut some plastic nibs later on.<br />
<br />
Then head out to your local hobby or craft store. Get some super glue and a small bottle of acrylic paint, probably something a little darker and less metallic than the can you bought at the hardware store. This will be used for detail and weathering work. Buy all the things with the money you earned doing whatever it is you do for a job.<br />
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When you get home, contain your excitement. Really, calm down before you drop something. Lay everything out on the table again.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xcckMIpzvnZezjJugIFAmoIgKslaJ4IU4AkTZ7iXPJIpYnlJ0YjggR42kQ3XGInCFENhNrxZYYU1qQ5UbLEgXF54ehts_LMljnjEV6jBG2ulph80sN0qMuB9BsMOyGjdAQ4Fg81Kge1z/s1600/Photo+Aug+26,+3+50+23+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xcckMIpzvnZezjJugIFAmoIgKslaJ4IU4AkTZ7iXPJIpYnlJ0YjggR42kQ3XGInCFENhNrxZYYU1qQ5UbLEgXF54ehts_LMljnjEV6jBG2ulph80sN0qMuB9BsMOyGjdAQ4Fg81Kge1z/s320/Photo+Aug+26,+3+50+23+PM.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, I got too excited, and stuff flew everywhere.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
You can see here that I've sanded down the Nerf and N-Strike logos that came on the gun. Just fold your sandpaper in half and rub them off. Rub off all the words, no matter how tiny they are. Your steampunk pistol wasn't made by Nerf, it was made by you. In other words, the branding has got to go. (Caution, the sandpaper can and will get hot while you use it.) Make sure you do this over a cloth or garbage, with a vacuum ready. Don't breath in the dust; I don't know if its toxic, but it sure is unpleasant.<br />
<br />
This next step is kind of hard. You have to visualize what you want your gun to look like. It's called creativity. Take all the doodads and begin setting them out on the gun. Change them around; scoot them, slide them, place them. Find a configuration of tubing and cogs, nuts and bolts, then remember it.<br />
<br />
Now, take the baby--er--gun apart. It's okay, really, just do it. However, make sure you keep track of all the screws. You will need a pretty small screwdriver. If you're smart, you'll take a picture of the innards before you dismantle them. That way you can put them back together easily.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAsDX11GOldSk0PCtIFBYvS4mRPANNdRjt4JfpwGp9QbqAUQhu-aQIB451rkjgHQhC3dQKXUCQ957yJrEShkVFQK_ycMK6vU8knqy2Kfq_gvTsS3gO-GwuKRq0LBsPivQHLG3bSFbbYFu7/s1600/Photo+Aug+26,+3+57+16+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAsDX11GOldSk0PCtIFBYvS4mRPANNdRjt4JfpwGp9QbqAUQhu-aQIB451rkjgHQhC3dQKXUCQ957yJrEShkVFQK_ycMK6vU8knqy2Kfq_gvTsS3gO-GwuKRq0LBsPivQHLG3bSFbbYFu7/s400/Photo+Aug+26,+3+57+16+PM.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only the cover has been removed in this picture.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
You want to lay both sides out flat and begin gluing the details you bought at the hardware store onto the gun. Make sure you are <i>very </i>careful with the super glue. Seriously, it's strong stuff. Read the warnings on the tube. Once that's done, let the pieces dry; it should only take a minute or so.<br />
<br />
Next up is painting. There are a lot of considerations involved in this step, so I won't go over them all. Just be smart and make sure you're following the instructions on the can of paint you purchased. Consider ventilation, the wind, surrounding objects, your clothing, etc. I used a garbage bag under the gun and just painted the crap outta it. Keep in mind there are moving parts inside. If you spray the inside of the pieces, or just get too enthusiastic, you risk gumming things up. Spray the dart cartridge separately, as well as the trigger. Once again, follow the instructions for letting the paint dry.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLq2G5hVey8FB7TMQqSqs6SZ2_73i3dk5HIKkFgYUA16M6D_7sLp90Rdav-loq3xd5fhzLnwW7_o-Qv9-gnAjE6sPXVBr-PTfIRXGs2xHMF5EUMB2V7HaBbcQZ8AiUGBAtubLJwLnn8akQ/s1600/Photo+Aug+26,+5+38+36+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLq2G5hVey8FB7TMQqSqs6SZ2_73i3dk5HIKkFgYUA16M6D_7sLp90Rdav-loq3xd5fhzLnwW7_o-Qv9-gnAjE6sPXVBr-PTfIRXGs2xHMF5EUMB2V7HaBbcQZ8AiUGBAtubLJwLnn8akQ/s400/Photo+Aug+26,+5+38+36+PM.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get every nook and cranny.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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That's as far as I've gotten so far. Tonight I'll continue with the rest of the steps, and post the results. Stay tuned!<br />
<br />Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-10620365979290968822012-07-20T09:53:00.002-06:002012-07-20T11:07:21.278-06:00The Dark Knight Rises TragedyI don't even know what to say. I don't know what to feel. My thoughts and emotions over this are so confused and strange. How can such a thing happen? How can we even find the proper reaction? I'm not sure why this particular shooting has affected me so so much. Previous shootings have been horrible, and of course I've been saddened. But there's something about this particular instance that digs at me.<br />
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I didn't hear about it until this morning while browsing Facebook over a bowl of cereal. The first thing I saw was a story from Superherohype.com reporting that Warner Bros. and President Obama had issued statements regarding a shooting that had taken the lives of 12 people during a nighttime screening of <i>The Dark Knight Rises</i>. I followed the link, and felt my stomach drop out.<br />
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I won't pretend that I have some connection to these people. I have none. Yet, for the first time in my life, I found myself genuinely heartbroken over a news story. Even 9/11 didn't give me such a visceral reaction. (To clarify, I was very young when the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center took place, and it took some time for the enormity of that event to sink in. I am not downplaying the events of 9/11 one bit.)<br />
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I wonder now, a few hours later, if my sudden feelings perhaps have something to do with the venue the shootings took place in. It's strange and terrible that a man would choose such a setting to commit such atrocities. Batman has always been a symbol of unappreciated justice, a dark figure unflaggingly fighting the masked and shadowed evil that lurks in humanity. I have not seen the film as of yet, but I know some of the characters involved are playing the part of terrorists, violent and guilt-free men who destroy lives with abandon. What was it that pulled the man responsible for the shootings to such a place? Was it the convenience of the people massed in one place? Or was it somehow connected to the film that was playing behind him?<br />
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I don't mean to suggest that the film inspired or informed the attacker in anyway. This is not my intention in the slightest. A man is responsible for his actions, and passing blame onto the film in any way would be an insult to the victims of his attack.<br />
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I suppose the feeling I'm trying to express is the sudden humanization of Batman and everything he stands for. It was an attack on me and what I believe. It was an attack on all the people of the world who care for a character who promotes such good in the face of adversity. For just a few moments while reading that first news story, I felt like I had fallen into the world Batman inhabits, a character reading the Gotham City Newspaper. My heart wanted to cry out for something to be done, for Batman to save these people. Why hadn't he been there? Why couldn't they have been protected?<span style="background-color: white;"> Unfortunately, a fictional character, no matter how beloved or symbolic, is powerless against the very real abomination that reared its head last night.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Batman remained trapped behind the screen, and I felt his desperation. I don't mean this is a literal sense. I know reality from fiction, but fiction is also what defines us. Batman and other superheroes alike reveal us, our flaws, our triumphs, our struggles, and our desires. We tell the stories of Batman because they give shape to our need for justice in a world we can't control. We need to see something good amid all the darkness.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Batman lost a fight last night. <i>We </i>lost a fight last night. For a short time, we were defeated, not by a character in makeup or with a silly name, but by a person, a human being with motivations most of us will never, ever fathom. There were no fists, no capes, and no grand symbols of the human struggle. This was not a Superman comic, this was a Batman story. And by that, I mean it was <i>our </i>story.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">My heart goes out to the victims and their families. My thoughts are on the many men and women and children who witnessed this horror. Please, know that the world loves you.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-89312103242480593052012-06-26T09:24:00.000-06:002012-06-26T09:24:29.522-06:00The end of yet another book.It seems almost... mundane news to be finishing another book. I've been at this whole writing thing for years now, and it seems like just another day. Almost. Don't get me wrong, I'm not some writing veteran, but when you do something for so long, it starts to become the norm.<br />
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On the other hand, five years ago I never thought I'd write <i>one</i> novel, let alone multiple books. All things being equal, I'm pretty excited.<br />
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<i>Only Gingers Can Be Witches</i> was completed last week, and is ready to take its long nap while I begin editing <i>The Sometimes Sword.</i><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">It's been a weird ride, </span><span style="background-color: white;">I can tell you that. I've experienced some of the highest highs and the lowest lows while writing this book, and I'm glad to see it's finally paid off. </span><span style="background-color: white;">I've dropped it off to multiple beta readers, and I hope they enjoy, and don't rip me to shreds. *Chuckles nervously* </span><span style="background-color: white;">Hopefully I'll be able to make it back to the book by this Fall, and then querying by Winter.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">So now I embark on the strange and frustrating journey of editing, a journey I don't yet have much experience in. Wish me luck!</span>Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648097106478400734.post-13666874579602279522012-06-13T09:28:00.002-06:002012-06-20T10:29:52.521-06:00Diversity, show-don't-tell, and a query tip.Oh wow, okay. It's been a very long time since I posted anything, but that doesn't mean I haven't been up to a lot. I've just passed the 50k mark on my current book titled <i>Only Gingers Can Be Witches</i>. I'm coming up on the official start of editing <i>The Sometimes Sword</i> version 2.0 (which some of you will remember I finished about two months ago). I'm now sitting on 4 novel-length works in my (admittedly short) writing career, which is a little mind-boggling to me. Hopefully I will be ready to begin querying <i>The Sometimes Sword </i>by the end of this Fall.<br />
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Okay, enough on the updates. I just wanted to really quickly mention some of the interesting tidbits I've discovered while attending some conventions, talking to authors, and following agents on Twitter. First off: some agents are actually <i>turned off</i> by a writer including the phrase "writing is my passion" in their query letter. I kid you not. They feel that it states the obvious, and gives the impression that you think you're better than other writers because you have "passion". I didn't really expect that, but hey, the more you know....<br />
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Second: When writing about race, don't be afraid to come right out and say "she was black", or "I could tell from his accent that he was from South America". There's nothing wrong with people belonging to a different culture or ethnicity than the writer or reader. You shouldn't shy from coming right out and acknowledging that your character is from China or Korea (obviously, make sure you are being accurate). Cultural diversity is a cool thing, not something to tip toe around. No more of this "eyes shaped like almonds" or "skin the color of dark coffee" nonsense. (Unless of course, your book needs flowery prose, in which case, include any descriptions you like. Just, you know, don't pussy foot around the subject of ethnicity or cultural background. Embrace it.) Now that being said, be sure to do your research first. Uber political correctness is <i>not</i> what I'm suggesting, as I find the whole thing annoying, simply be aware of what different groups prefer to be addressed as. Don't take words from your 80 year-old grandma's vocabulary.<br />
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Third: try your best to show, not tell. I know every one of you have heard this one before, but it's becoming something of a worry to me. I'm currently reading a book (by an author I respect, so I won't say which) that breaks this rule. Over and over. And over. Then again. It's gotten <i>so </i>bad, it's getting hard for me to finish the book. The constant info dumping in the character's dialogue is awkward and clumsy, and I find myself rolling my eyes every page or so. I want to "see" things happen, experience them. I don't want to be told.<br />
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On a related note: please, please, please be aware that many readers don't want to sit for five pages while you describe someone pouring tea, or playing cards with themselves. Especially if it's a difficult to learn card game. If you want to explain the intricacies of a game, you should write an instruction manual for Parker Brothers and get paid for it. Don't make the reader suffer through chunks of book where they learn nothing and the story doesn't go anywhere.<br />
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Anyway, there's my thoughts for today, I hope you find them interesting/not-too-stupid. What sorts of things have you been thinking about with your own writing lately?Trevor Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15100636410469953480noreply@blogger.com3