Vegas!

27 NOV 2018

Took a trip to Las Vegas recently, saw families and friends. Grand Canyon and some other great sights too. No story ideas, though I did get in some good people watching which will make it into character development in some future stories. 

Below are some pictures. Some from the hotel, some from the Helicopter trip to the Grand Canyon, and some from the Vegas Strip itself. I love abstract stuff so my favorite so far is the colorful tile picture. 

 

 

 Elvis has definitely seen better days!
 Hippocampus to finish it out.

Master Class & Old Classics

19 NOV 2018

One of my stories is featured over at Stephanie Ayers' Master Class! 

The Legacy, my short tale of murder among witches, is being used for the writing prompt this week. "She killed me first."

She killed me first? How does that phrase work? Well, with witches you don't always know when they're dead for sure. Magic works in mysterious ways. 

Here's the link to the prompt: Master Class: She Killed Me First

See what you can come up with! Good luck. Oh, I guess I should include the link to my short story: 

The Legacy

Go buy it and see what I did with "She killed me first." 

In other news, the Internet Archive has the Classics Illustrated comic books available to read online! The Archive is a wonderful place on the internet, lots to discover over there. If you've never dropped by there, go check it out. One of their latest additions are the Classics Illustrated comic books. I probably read only a few when I was young, but there are some good tales there in a format for struggling readers. The Illiad is there, Beowulf, and others as well that are not so 'classic'. 

Here's the link: Classics Illustrated comic books

And the picture for today is the Cover for Classics Illustrated version of the Arabian Nights

Harriet Jacobs - Excerpts from “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl”

18 NOV 2018

I was working on some assignments from school and thought I'd share one piece, an excerpt from Harriet Jacobs
"Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl"

"Women are considered of no value unless they continually increase their owner's stock. They are put on a par with animals. This same master shot a woman through the head, who had run away and been brought back to him. No one called him to account for it. If a slave resisted being whipped, the bloodhounds were unpacked, and set upon him, to tear his flesh from his bones. The master who did these things was highly educated, and styled a perfect gentleman. He also boasted the name and standing of a Christian, though Satan never had a truer follower. . . ."

That last line: He also boasted the name and standing of a Christian, though Satan never had a truer follower." 

Very strong writing. What way to describe someone. It also really makes you wonder why we let slavery go on for so long. 

In other news, doing some edits and some original stuff as well. Woke up this morning with a story titled, "Urine, Texas" running through my head which, if you've ever head a Texan accent, could have a totally different meaning. 

Picture for today: 

Nothing to do with slavery, and everything to do with my love for fantasy and science fiction. Frank Frazetta's work is amazing. This is one he did for a Tarzan story. Love the raw feeling and emotion.

Happy Veteran's Day!

11 NOV 2018

Happy Veteran's Day to all the vets out there. I've heard from some old mates of mine today, which is always nice. Want to send a special shoutout to any other disabled veterans out there. Make sure you use your state-based benefits that you get for any service-related disabilities. 

In writing news, writing is going okay, still waiting for some potential good news to blossom into actual good news. Not one to dawdle, I've been working on some older pieces and some background pieces in the meantime. One piece in particular, about two different mercenary groups, grew quite a bit, ideas blossomed into details. One group utilizes lightning in their fighting techniques and the other group uses fire and flames. I haven't used them in any writings yet, but it was good to work out their intricacies, so I'm not pantsing when I do eventually use them as adversaries or heroes. In honor of Veteran's Day, I detailed what may have happen to older mercenaries of these two groups.

Pictures for today: Some love for the US Navy, my branch. 24 years I served. Would still be serving if I could. Best and worst times of my life. Wouldn't trade it for the world.

Tale of the Second Sun

05 November 2018

This is in response to a prompt over at Stephanie Ayers' Master Class. If you're looking for something to get you going writing-wise, check back with her once a week for something new.

This is a rewrite of a terrible piece I did a long time ago. It's still terrible, but it has improved over the original. Thanks Stephanie for giving me the inspiration to do some more work on this piece. It's supposed to be written in the vein of a fable. 

The Tale of the Second Sun

A chill breeze blew from the ocean as the chief spoke loud and true.

“Gather round the bonfires. Warriors and hunters, drag the boats high upon the shore, for there will be no voyages tonight and they must survive the highest tide. Tonight is the longest night of the year. It is time for all to hear of the darkest time in our history. As the weak and weary Sun dives into the western waters, each island will light the bonfires and lift voices to the heavens to remind the divine Brothers of how they saved the world from Darkness. If we do not, the Sun may never return. This is a high secret and a sacred duty of our people.”

Every islander was there to hear the tale and partake in the ritual, from the newborn babes to the elders waiting for sweet death to take them.

The high priest spoke.

“The Brothers Jamahi and Jaustus are known by all. But back in the Early Times they were known by a different name. They were called the Sons of the Sun, because their father, Houri the Sun, was in charge of making the days. During this time the Brothers had a mutual friend named Bachshi. He was the peacemaker between the brothers.

“One day the brothers were fighting, as usual, and Bachshi was trying to intercede, as usual.

“The brothers were fighting over who owned the moons. You see, in those days, there were two moons in the sky. One was a warm yellow and one was a luminous silvery white. And the two moons chased each other across the night sky, just as the brothers chased each other over the waters and the earth.

“It was set long ago by their father that the yellow moon was Jaustus’s and the white one was Jamahi’s. The brothers fought about many things, but as far as the moons went, everything was well.

“But then their father passed away, and Great Houri the Sun, who was a glorious and rich green then, went away to the Dry Lands.

“The world grew cold as the brothers mourned the death of their father, each in their own way. Jaustus cried angrily and Jahami grew silent and distant. They tried to mourn for the traditional forty days and forty nights but of course there were no more days and this made them mourn all the more.

“The people of the world appeared before the brothers. 'One of you must take your Father’s place in the sky, or many things in the world would die and Darkness will rule. There must be balance,' the people said."

“There was no question of which brother would take their father’s place. Jahami was the eldest. But he was cold and aloof, nothing like their beloved father. Jaustus, on the other hand, was full of rage, and he took his anger out on his elder brother. Jaustus accused Jahami of not missing their father. Jaustus had always been closer to their father than Jahami, who often took long trips away from home. And thus the brothers fought. Neither one was in a compromising mood. Jahami, as the eldest son, asserted his right to replace their father. Jaustus demanded that he was the better successor and set about to prove it by strength of arms and emotion. Their battle raged fierce and bloody.

“Bachshi tried to intervene. He showed them that while they fought, everything around them was dying. But that did not deter the brothers from fighting. Bachshi told Jahami that he should let Jaustus replace his father. Jaustus had a fiery heat in his heart, like their father. But the Jahami would not listen. He lost his composure and slew Bachshi in a rare show of anger. As Bachshi's lifeblood spilled onto the ground, the brothers stopped their fighting, adding their grief over losing their best friend with that of losing their father. Their lights dimmed and the world grew even darker.

“Many creatures died during that time of Greater Darkness. They are lost to us forever. For the sake of all living things and in memory of their father and Bachshi, the Brothers swore never to fight again. Jahami was still cold and distant, but he agreed. He gave up his position as eldest son and let his younger brother take their father’s place in the sky. So that the world would keep on growing, Jahami stayed in the night sky and let his brother become the Sun.

“So today the Sun is yellow and hot and there is one moon in the sky at night, cold and distant. Plants around the world are green, to honor the memory of Houri, the First Sun. Much time has passed since the great compromise was reached. The Brothers are forgetful sometimes and feel anger toward each other. When one is in the sky, the other is away. Seldom do they ever share the sky together. But they agreed long enough, thanks to Bachshi, to save the world.

“And this is the tale of the Second Sun, always told on the longest night of the year. It is also know as the Tale of the Second Son. And this is a high and mighty secret indeed.

“It is our sacred duty to remember and remind Jaustus to come back, to warm our days with his light. He is hot-tempered, but he wearies quickly. So we will tend the bonfires all night long, and pray that Jahami in the night sky sees that the yellow light is good for all. He must remind his brother not to tire, to honor the memory of their father and come back to us and keep the world from darkness.”

Picture for today: Sun and Moon chasing each other...

TSR's Multiverse, a Famous Explorer and a Sunflower

03 November 2018

I have some new news to report. I have branched into another side gig. I have officially joined the bullpen writing reviews over at the Multiverse, a blog by TSR Inc. Yeah, that TSR! I used to love all their games. They have some new products and a blog that covers all sorts of stuff. The review online now is about a comic book called the Rough Riders, featuring Teddy Roosevelt, Harry Houdini and others. 

Rough Riders review by Frank Montellano

Looking forward to earning some non-fiction chops writing reviews for all sorts of different stuff. I'm so glad to be a part of a company that I loved as a kid.

I love teaching, even my own children. My youngest had a social studies project to do and we collaborated on Rene-Robert Cavalier, Lord of La Salle. He's the Frenchman who sailed down the Mississippi River and 'discovered it' with his assistant Henry de Tonti (also know as 'Iron Hand '). Indians, soldiers and priests went with them too. Was very nice to share my passion for knowledge and help her on her project. Something all dads love to do! She is one smart cookie. Love her to bits. 

Picture for today: 
Not sure if I shared this before on this blog or not. This a picture of a Sunflower plant that my wife grew in the back yard. I love the curls and abstract nature of the photo. 

Dia De Los Muertos and Vague-booking

02 NOV 2018

It's today! Dia de los Muertos! I love this part of my culture. Ofrendas, remembering the dead. All of it. It's great. 

National Geographic has a great article about the Day of the Dead:
Top Ten Things to Know about The Day of Dead. Gives you all the basics. 

I try and spend a few moments to remember my Dada (not a misspelling. I called my grandparents on my father's side Nana and Dada) and other relatives on my Dad's side, including my Uncle Joey. On my mother's side this year I remember my grandmother. What's odd though is I usually focus on male family members, not so much the female members.  

In other news, I don't like to vague-book, but I am really excited about an upcoming partnership opportunity. I hope it turns into something wonderful. Thanks mom! She's the one who made the initial connection. That's all the news for now, but once something solid happens I'll be sure to share the news! 



Picture for today is Catrina, the original calavera that started it all, part of the Classic Skeleton Art of José Guadalupe Posada.