The State of the Writer: 6/13/21

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<–The State of the Writer: 5/30/21         The State of the Writer: 6/27/21–>

A post updated every other Sunday discussing my current writing projects and any completed the prior two weeks.

Finished Projects: 1

Project: Story
Working Title: The High Archon
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Original
Length: Novel
Current Word Count: 613
Status: Drafting
Progress: Chapter 1

Ughhhhhhhh *but forever*  So first off, I was wrong about the word count.  What I thought was word count was actually character count, so damn my myopic eyes.  I haven’t broken the thousand word threshold yet with this, and I’m not sure how many more words I’ve written in the past few weeks.  Not that many because I’ve really been struggling…like really.  I’ve never had this much trouble starting a story once I have an idea of where I’m going.  Direction isn’t the issue, nor is vision.  I can 100% visualize the scene, but translating that into words humans can understand is where the pipe is clogged.  I know it’s a “I don’t have enough energy to concentrate” type of thing.  I also have this thing where if I don’t feel like I’m doing well, it’ll really put a damper on my ability to work.  I’m not giving up on this project though.  I…can’t really do that.  I’ll just start obsessing over it if I don’t work on it.  If you think this update is all over the place THIS IS EXACTLY MY FUCKING PROBLEM.  I’ve started what I call “micro” outlining where I break down my outline even more so it’s sort of between an outline and a draft.  I just sort of stream-of-consciousness what I want to happen in my notes and then later will go back and smooth it out.  I did that last night with a scene, and I’m hoping to work on it today.  I’ve also been talking to another author friend about it and I’m about to message my other about it.  Sometimes I don’t even need a response; I just need to hear it aloud.

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The State of the Gamer: 6/3/21

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<–The State of the Gamer: 5/20/21           The State of the Gamer: 6/17/21–>

A weekly post updated every other Thursday detailing my current gaming projects.  I have an account at Grouvee, which is a site you can use to keep track of your backlog, so please feel free to friend me there!

What I Purchased

  • Detective Grimoire: The Secret of the Swamp – $2.99 @ iTunes Store

What I Finished

Title: Tangle Tower
System: Nintendo Switch

Cover of Tangle TowerDate Started: May 17, 2021
Date Finished: May 21, 2021

I did the same thing with this that I did with GRIS: stopped playing less than a half hour before I’d be done.  With TT I wound up having to sit through some of the ending exposition again because it didn’t save it, but it’s okay.  The game manages to have both a definitive and cliffhanger ending, and there is a sequel in the works.  It’s weird there’s no name for the franchise yet (or at least there isn’t one on Grouvee).  I’m assuming it’s “Detective Grimoire” or something like that, since he’s featured in both.  I just followed the indie devs on Twitter since I want to know as soon as the next game comes out.

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Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent

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Title: Unraveling Oliver
Author: Liz Nugent
Date Added: August 26, 2017
Date Started: January 21, 2021
Date Finished: February 26, 2021
Reading Duration: 16 days
Genre: Fiction, Adult Contemporary, Drama, Mystery, Psychological Thriller

Cover of Unraveling Oliver by Liz NugentPages: 260
Publication Date: March 6, 2014
Publisher: Scout Press
Media: Hardback (Library)

Oliver Ryan, handsome, charismatic, and successful, has long been married to his devoted wife, Alice. Together they write and illustrate award-winning children’s books; their life together one of enviable privilege and ease—until, one evening after a delightful dinner, Oliver delivers a blow to Alice that renders her unconscious, and subsequently beats her into a coma.

In the aftermath of such an unthinkable event, as Alice hovers between life and death, the couple’s friends, neighbours, and acquaintances try to understand what could have driven Oliver to commit such a horrific act. As his story unfolds, layers are peeled away to reveal a life of shame, envy, deception, and masterful manipulation.

A child that is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.

-African Proverb

If ever there was a story that exemplified the false dichotomy of “martyrs and monsters,” it would be Liz Nugent’s Unraveling Oliver.  Though I find it far easier to slide Oliver to the “monster” end of the spectrum, I would be disingenuous to deny him the same courtesy I so readily extend to (arguably) more malevolent actors, because another false dichotomy of “nature vs. nurture” still tells us monsters are not really born; they are made.

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The State of the Reader: 6/2/21

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<–The State of the Reader: 5/19/21         The State of the Reader: 6/16/21–>

A biweekly post updated every other Wednesday detailing my current reading projects and what new titles I’ve added to my to-read list.  Title links go to Goodreads, and if you have an account there feel free to friend me!  I’d love to see what you’re reading and/or planning to read.

Purchased: 7

Total: $29.49

Books Finished: 2

Title: They don’t make plus size space suits
Author: Ali Thompson
Date Added: May 16, 2019
Date Started: May 19, 2021
Date Finished: May 21, 2021

Cover of They don't make plus size space suits by Ali ThompsonMedia: eBook/Kindle

I think I wanted a little bit more from this as in more stories.  It was very short, but a very exemplary first effort.  I follow the author on Twitter.  She’s not shy with her opinions, and I hope she writes more.

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The State of the Writer: 5/30/21

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<–The State of the Writer: 5/16/21         The State of the Writer: 6/13/21–>

A post updated every other Sunday discussing my current writing projects and any completed the prior two weeks.

Finished Projects: 0

Project: Story
Working Title: The High Archon
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Original
Length: Novel
Current Word Count: 1673
Status: Drafting
Progress: Chapter 1

I actually started drafting the first chapter last week.  Well…it’s more of a reworking of the draft of the first chapter, but I still consider it progress.  I’m doing something new and using Scrivener as my writing platform, going back and forth from the Word doc I already have.  I’m a bit paranoid about it though and will probably make a Word backup.  Scrivener hasn’t given me any problems and it saves automatically, but you know there’s always that one time.

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The State of the Gamer: 5/20/21

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<–The State of the Gamer: 5/6/21           The State of the Gamer: 6/3/21–>

A weekly post updated every other Thursday detailing my current gaming projects.  I have an account at Grouvee, which is a site you can use to keep track of your backlog, so please feel free to friend me there!

What I Purchased

  • Knowledge Trainer: Trivia – $2.99 @ Nintendo eShop

What I Finished

Title: Bravely Default II
Series: Bravely Default
System: Nintendo Switch

Cover of Bravely Default IIDate Started: February 28, 2021
Date Finished: May 13, 2021

This was worth the $60 I spent on it and then some.  I have over 200 hours put into the game (similar to WOFF), and while I could do a dollars to hours ratio (it’s $0.30 per hour), that obviously doesn’t encompass my enjoyment, though the fact I spent that long playing should say something.  All of the main characters are so likable, and I love how the side quests help expand their stories and relationships.  The voice acting is also stellar with lots of British VAs getting more play.  Like any Squeenix game, it has its regular motifs and archetypes, and it’s pretty much a rehashing of the very first Final Fantasy.  There are some weird pacing issues with some of the aspects like you can’t open up the A or S levels of the card game until much later in the game, and some of the easier side quests don’t open up until later either.  There are also things you know are going to be plot points way before they become plot points.  It doesn’t take away any enjoyment I don’t think.

I’m now curious about the original Bravely Default and Bravely Second.  I’m hoping there will be a fourth game at some point.

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The State of the Reader: 5/19/21

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<–The State of the Reader: 5/5/21         The State of the Reader: 6/2/21–>

A biweekly post updated every other Wednesday detailing my current reading projects and what new titles I’ve added to my to-read list.  Title links go to Goodreads, and if you have an account there feel free to friend me!  I’d love to see what you’re reading and/or planning to read.

Purchased: 1

Books Finished: 1

Title: The Library at Mount Char
Author: Scott Hawkins
Date Added: August 10, 2016
Date Started: March 31, 2021

Cover of The Library at Mount Char by Scott HawkinsMedia: eBook/Kindle

I do not know how to talk about this book.  I have literally never read anything like this before, and you need to understand…I’ve read thousands of books, seen hundreds of movies, and played/watched a myriad games.  Yes, it has aspects of many other stories, but unlike my other comparisons, nothing is really one to one.  It’s an apotheosis and revenge story.  There are sentences that contain hilarity and horror all in one.  I cannot talk to you about this book.  It may be the best one I’ve read all year.

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The State of the Writer: 5/16/21

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<–The State of the Writer: 5/2/21         The State of the Writer: 5/30/21–>

A post updated every other Sunday discussing my current writing projects and any completed the prior two weeks.

Finished Projects: 1

Project: Story
Working Title: The High Archon
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Original
Length: Novel
Status: Preparation
Progress: Setting up notes in Scrivener/Working on Chapter 1 Outline

I’m pretty much ready to start writing; I just need the energy and the time.  I know what I want the first chapter to be about, and I’ve even started looking at my other beginnings.  It’s really just finding the space to write.

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The Broken Rose: Chapter 1 – Desecration (Audio Recording & Video Slideshow)

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Author’s Note: You’d think I didn’t have that much to do (an author website to build, a WIP to draft, another audio/video project), considering I’m now doing an audio recording for The Broken Rose, but I can’t seem to stay away from this particular fanfiction AU.  I’m even back to expanding on the hurt/comfort aspect of one of the earlier chapters, but that’s a song for another day.

The one saving grace about this project is it took drastically less time than the first chapter of Northern Lights.  I think I recorded and edited the audio in a month or less and the visual aspect took maybe two weeks.  A combination of experience and not doing a full static image slideshow really helped that along.  Because I used so few pictures, I was able to send notes to all of the artists asking permission…and it would be great if I’d gotten any responses lol.  It’s possible they’re no longer active or as active on Deviant Art.  I might just take my chances and post the link to the full video here.  I’ve credited them all, though that doesn’t necessarily mean anything.  I’m…honestly not sure.  We’ll see.

Even more so with this one I have to apologize for my “accent.”  I kind of switch between two of them, and I know I’m going to burn the ears of some of my across the pond peeps, and I’m just so, so sorry.  I did watch a few video tutorials on accents, but that’s not substitute for the real thing.  I do like my typical recording voice, though, for what that’s worth.  Mimicry is one of the highest forms of flattery or so I’ve heard.

Oh shit!  I almost forgot about all the warnings o.O  For this they’re even more necessary, because it is much, much worse to hear it spoken than it even is to read it, at least to me.  Doing edits on this was difficult because I had to literally hear myself saying some of the most awful, dehumanizing shit imaginable.

*******MAJOR CONTENT WARNING*******

I cannot express enough the magnitude and myriads of warnings this story has for content.  It is almost safe to say it has all of them.  Please read at your own discretion and feel free to stop at any time if it becomes overwhelming.  Even while I was writing and editing it, I had to take numerous breaks and/or switch gears for the evening because it became too much for me to bear.

Consistent and sustained graphic descriptions and mentions of rape/ sexual assault, sexual slavery/bondage, slavery, human trafficking, physical abuse, graphic descriptions of violence, mental abuse, emotional abuse, psychological abuse, body shaming, starvation, torture, forced pregnancy, forced childbirth, miscarriage, forced miscarriage, abortion, and other potential disturbing and triggering topics.

Video

Author’s Note: As soon as I can, I’m going to add subtitles.  I apologize they’re not there already.  I don’t feel comfortable posting this on YouTube where you can make them, nor do I think YT has good options for posting privately and giving a link.  I either need to figure out how to do it on Windows Movie Maker or finally learn Filmora or Da Vinci Resolve.  I’ve been looking to teaching myself Filmora, though, and have already downloaded it, especially since WMM doesn’t like videos.  I had so many issues using the one seen throughout.  Since I’m going to using more of them going forward, I think I need to upgrade my program.  I’m certain the more modern ones have subtitle capabilities along with other improvements.  I’m just so used to WMM.

The Broken Rose: Chapter 1 – Desecration (Video Slideshow)

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The State of the Gamer: 5/6/21

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<–The State of the Gamer: 4/22/21           The State of the Gamer: 5/20/21–>

A weekly post updated every other Thursday detailing my current gaming projects.  I have an account at Grouvee, which is a site you can use to keep track of your backlog, so please feel free to friend me there!

What I Purchased

  • Tangle Tower – $11.99 @ Nintendo eShop
  • Picross S6 (Picross/Picross S) – $9.99 @ Nintendo eShop
  • The Missing: J. J. Macfield and the Island of Memories – $7.50 @ Nintendo eShop
Total: $29.48

What I Finished

Nothing these past two weeks.

What I’m Playing

Title: Bravely Default II
Series: Bravely Default
System: Nintendo Switch

Cover of Bravely Default IIDate Started: February 28, 2021

I was able to defeat the final Hall of Tribulations, or at least the final one I can do right now.  There’s one more near Musa that can’t be done until Chapter 7, and you fight the final boss in Chapter 6.  I’m at that point; I just need to prepare for it.  I’m guessing there’s a robust after game, or the second fight with the final boss is the true ending.  I finally found a good grind tactic.  There’s a stronger enemy between the city of Holograd and the volcano where I fought the devil optional boss.  To reset him, you just have to run into and out of that cave, and he gives you like 500 JP per battle.  With JP enhancing equipment and abilities, you can gain like two job levels each time.

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