Whims from Valadae

5 Reasons Why I Write

Posted on July 3, 2015 by WhimsicalWerecat

Oh, to be a writer!

But not just a writer. To be the conduit between memory, imagination, emotion, and the written word. To have writing as an extension of yourself; pieces of your soul strung between letters and threaded through words, and woven painstakingly in the structures of sentences and paragraphs.

It is as beautiful as it sounds. And as dreadful.

There are so many reasons why I am a writer. Today, I will share 5 of them.

For me, writing is indeed an escape, but it is also a bridge and a path that links back to life. The characters and worlds in stories are powerful expressions of life in all its cruel failings and glorious possibilities.

Writing is my calling. It’s as simple as that. And as daunting. It’s an honour to know what I am, and work at being better at it day by day, for the rest of my life.

“One can never consent to creep, when one feels the impulse to soar.”
– Helen Keller

Helen Keller has summed it up beautifully. I have wings, therefore I was born to fly. The impulse to create stories is within me. To be a writer, is to be me at my fullest.

The hopes and dreams we have are different colours and textures gifted to us to paint uniquely on the canvas of our lives. For me, a greater part of the blueprint within is the art and expression of creating stories. And the form best suited to me, is books.

Writing is magic in its own right. It holds so much power, influence and potential, and gives humankind a unique and wonderful avenue of expression. I write because it is my own magic and gift to the world.

AND A BONUS REASON!

Exactly!

What are some of the reasons you pursue your passions/ hobbies/ creative outlets? If there are dreams you are hesitant to chase, what are some of the things holding you back? Are you wanting to try something new? Or perhaps pick up an old love (of horse-riding/ cooking/ music/ singing/ craft) that fell to the wayside over the years?

There’s no time like the present, to re-inspire yourself and your dreams.

Posted in General | Tagged anne stokes dragon, following your dreams, helen keller quote, pursuing dreams, quotes on writing, reasons why I write, stories, writer quotes, writing | Leave a comment

Prowling the Prose – Pronunciations

Posted on June 1, 2015 by WhimsicalWerecat

“Remember that lettuce doesn’t grow on a spruce; and it also doesn’t rhyme with it.” – Jakub Marian

Hello again, World Wide Web Wanderers. I am glad to have you visit my perfectly visitable blog post. Whimsical Werecat here, in case you’ve yet to gather your senses enough to realise <—(yes it is an “s” in my corner of the world) it. I am once again ~~hacking~~ hosting a topic on Whims From Valadae, to ensure you curious creatures have the opportunity to learn (or re-learn) some proper linguistics.

Today’s topic is one we encounter all the time (unfortunately), and even fall victim to ourselves (even more unfortunate). But the only way to know which way is right, is to learn which way is wrong. And side-by-side, right and wrong, you can choose with that whimsical free will of yours, which one you’d prefer to take.

Preferably the right one, right?

Right.

Well here we go. Today’s topic is PRONUNCIATIONS. Enjoy!

Posted in Werecat Whims | Tagged correct english, correct pronunciations, list of words pronounced wrong, pronunciations, prowling the prose, werecat, whimsical werecat, wrong pronunciations | Leave a comment

Fa’Luffy Review Spectacular!

Posted on May 8, 2015 by WhimsicalWerecat

Oh boy, you would not BELIEVE the amount of fiery cushions I’ve had to extinguish over the last few months. I’ve had to postpone Fa’Luffy’s reviews due to various work-related ventures, and he has not been happy.

But he’s happy now. Oh yes! He’s so chuffed, he’s rolled out the carpet and pitched up the circus tents for this new review extravaganza! This time round, Fa’Luffy will be reviewing THREE adventures from the chosen mediums (games, books & movies), all in one plush go!

I’m sure he’ll forgive me after this. Especially since I’ve allowed his next review to also be a three-strike event, too. 😉 So, without further ado, let’s begin!

For this round’s game, Fa’Luffy has chosen one of the most underrated yet totally worth playing gems of the last gen consoles:

Today Fa’Luffy will review: Enslaved: Odyssey to the West

Publisher: Namco & Bandai Games
Developer: Ninja Theory
Platform: PlayStation 3, X Box 360, PC
Rated: M for Mature/ T for Teen (for violence, mild language, & mild suggestive themes)
Genre: Action/ adventure

Q: What’s it all about?

Fa’Luffy: A clever re-imagining of the Chinese story, Journey into the West, Enslaved takes place 150 years in a future post-apocalyptic world following a global war, with only remnants of humanity left, along with the still active war machines left over from the conflict. Trip (second protagonist) enlists the help (and by ‘enlist’ I mean ‘force by control of a slavers headband and pain of death should anything happen to her’) of Monkey (gamer’s character) in order to trek the 300 miles of mech-infested post-apoc ruins to her home.

Q: Who would enjoy this?

Fa’Luffy: Gamers who enjoy a tightly-paced combat adventure, with an epic story-line, nice shiny graphics, and characters who are not only memorable, but so well-developed and cleverly interactive, you won’t mind one bit that there are no fluffy, cushiony things to be found. Also, those who like SMASHING up mechanical nasties with an anti-mech staff of awesomeness!

Q: What are some of your favourite aspects?

Fa’Luffy: Graphics are cushalisha-sharp and clean! Character motion capture and facial expression are really, really good! Voice acting is superb in all characters, especially Monkey (voiced by ANDY SERKIS! Roooaaarrr of amazement). Story is really cool, too, as are the various upgrades available to Monkey’s weapon. And can I add, the CLOUD! Super cool method of transportation (play the game to find out!)

Q: What are some of your less favourite aspects?

Fa’Luffy: Apparently the PS3 version has some tech issues, including jagged visuals and character glitches. Luckily, I viewed the X Box 360 version, which had none of that and was sharp and clean the whole way through. The platform and combat is not revolutionary, and some might consider overly simplified. Some of the combat mechanics are a little … er … loose? But for the most part they work well. The laser point on Monkey’s projectile weapon is SO ANNOYINGLY small and precise, a mech can literally be standing in front of you, and you can still miss (that freaky little red dot MUST be on the mech, or your missile will MISS). There’s a larger cross-hair that appears on targets at a distance, but that too, MUST appear, or your missile won’t hit. Other than those little issues, the game is a gold cushion!

Q: How would you sum up your opinion?

Fa’Luffy: A game that surprised me with it’s exceptional characters, story and pacing. It’s a clever and worthy gem to add to any collection, but has sadly been underrated and underplayed due to … well due to no fault of it’s own. These things do happen. Seriously, though, worth the time and effort for you action/ adventure gamers to hunt down and play. Enslaved is not a long game by any stretch, but every hour invested is well spent!

Q: What is the final Fa’Luffy Verdict?

Fa’Luffy: Out of a total of 5 Fa’Luffy Stars:

Now, for this round’s book, Fa’Luffy has chosen a “break-neck, jam-packed, roller coaster of an adventure”, which has left him with a cricked neck and a bucket full of cushion puke.

Today Fa’Luffy will review: House of Secrets

Publisher: Harper Collins
Target Audience: MG (ages 8+)
Genre: Fantasy
Medium: Available in Hardcover, Paperback, and eBook

Q: What’s it all about?

Fa’Luffy: Siblings Brendan, Eleanor, and Cordelia Walker had everything they could ever want … until Dr. Walker lost his job, forcing the family to relocate to a creepy old Victorian house, formerly the home of occult novelist Denver Kristoff. By the time the kids realize that one of their neighbors has sinister plans for them, they’re banished into the realms of Kristoff’s frightening stories! To survive, the siblings will have to be braver than they ever thought possible—and to fight against their darkest impulses.
Sounds awesome right? … egh …

Q: Who would enjoy this?

Fa’Luffy: Kids who enjoy reading any sort of crazy realm-jumping adventure. Although kids who enjoy any real depth in characters, and a plot that makes sense, will not enjoy this book. Adults may or may not get a kick out of this story. Depends on what you like.

Q: What are some of your favourite aspects?

Fa’Luffy: The cover looks cool! And I really liked the idea of this story. A cursed house that has books that can suck people to different literary worlds! Really cool premise, see? But …

Q: What are some of your less favourite aspects?

Fa’Luffy: Agh, so many places to start. The story is just a mess, especially once the kids get trapped in the Kristoff novels. The plot is chaotic and lacks any solid framework. There’s little in-world building. It’s just a jumble of action, which would be fine, if it was going somewhere purposeful. The pop and musical references in the book are unnecessary and rather ridiculous … like “no child of this recent generation will get these references at all” kind of ridiculous. I mean, how many 10-year-olds would know who Mick Jagger is?
In addition to the wandering plot and haphazard action scenes, there were no characters that I liked enough to root for. I didn’t even ‘like’ the villains. And the main villain’s ambition is beyond cliche “obtain book of unfathomable power and rule the world”.
I did not like the two older siblings at all (the 12-year-old plays violent games and lets his 8-year-old sister watch Game of Thrones … jerk), and their personalities didn’t really improve by the end of the book. I would spit fiery cushions of disgust, but have thrown up soggy cushions of NOPE instead.

A ‘Mick Jagger’ colossal … really? Eesh. At least Greg Call is an awesome artist.

Q: How would you sum up your opinion?

Fa’Luffy: A frantic tumble of action scenes and shallow character interactions that are, in this fluffy red dragon’s opinion, an insult to intelligent young readers. I’m not sure if things improve in the second book, and frankly, I’m not inclined to find out. But any of you fellow readers out there are welcome to try.

Q: What is the final Fa’Luffy Verdict?

Fa’Luffy: Out of a total of 5 Fa’Luffy Stars:

SHOCK! FA’LUFFY’S FIRST DISAPPROVAL STAMP! Yikes for the poor book facing such flufficious wrath.

And finally, Fa’Luffy’s choice for a movie is one I’m sure you’ve all heard of.

Today Fa’Luffy will review: Big Hero 6

Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Medium: DVD, Blue-ray, & Digital HD
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance recommended)
Genre: Sci-fi/ Superhero Fantasy

Q: What’s it all about?

Fa’Luffy: 14-year-old robotics genius, Hiro Hamada forms a special bond with his deceased brother’s (spoiler!) plus-sized inflatable robot Baymax, who then team up with a group of friends to form a band of high-tech heroes.

Q: Who would enjoy this?

Fa’Luffy: Anyone who loves witty humour, a story full of heart, characters you will wish were your friends, and lovable PLUSHIE robots (oh my goodness, even more plushable than cushions)! Fans of superhero movies will jump right on board, as well a fans of clever, heart-warming animations like Wreck-it Ralph, Tangled, Brave, and How To Train Your Dragon.

Q: What are some of your favourite aspects?

Fa’Luffy: How about … all of it! Okay, okay, I’ll break it down some. The humour is my type of humour. The story is wonderful and heart-warming. The characters are so colourful! And Baymax … oh cushions of glory, he is the MOST HUGGABLE of anything. Ever. Even me. And that’s admitting a lot. I never thought a robot could beat Wall.E in terms of being adorable. But Baymax? Baymax and Wall.E are now on par.
Oh, the animation is exceptional, as what you’d expect from Disney, but the soundtrack is also really good. This was one of my favourite movies of 2014, and is now one of my all-time fav movies!

Q: What are some of your less favourite aspects?

Fa’Luffy: While some might consider the plot predictable, I personally don’t find that detracting. It’s a superhero story, after all (and I suck frayed cushions at predicting things anyway). Predictability is a killer negative for stories in the thriller and mystery genres. But for Big Hero 6? Not an issue for me at all. Villain was surprisingly more psychotic than I would have expected (doesn’t even blink during the numerous murder attempts on our brave, young heroes). Hide your wives and kids and husbands, people!

Q: How would you sum up your opinion?

Fa’Luffy: A brisk-paced, action-packed animation of awesomeness. But the real appeal isn’t even in the visuals or action … it’s in the up-lifting themes and the bigness of heart in the central characters.

Super-awesome 6!

Q: What is the final Fa’Luffy Verdict?

Fa’Luffy: Out of a total of 5 Fa’Luffy Stars:

And there you have it people! Fa’Luffy’s first REVIEW SPECTACULAR! Feel free to agree or disagree or agree in disagreeing with Fa’Luffy’s opinions, because we’re all entitled to our own. Yay for free thought! 😉

Have you played a game, watched a movie, or read a book that you think Fa’Luffy would enjoy reviewing? If so, feel free to send through your suggestions. If the Fa’Luffy finds it interesting, the Fa’Luffy will put up a review!

Posted in Fa'Luffy Reviews | Tagged adventure game, baymax, best animated movies, big hero 6, enslaved, fa'luffy dragon, fa'luffy reviews, fantasy, greg call art, house of secrets, lovable robots, monkey and trip, negative review, post-apocolyptic, ps3, reviews, sci-fi, shallow characters, superheroes, x box 360 | 1 Comment

Kin Seeker Companion Guide, NOW AVAILABLE!

Posted on May 6, 2015 by WhimsicalWerecat

BIG NEWS FOR ALL YOU DRAGON CALLING FANS!

The first of the fantastic Dragon Calling Companion Guides has been released and is now available for purchase!

My vision behind the CGs is to capture and expand on the world-building within the Dragon Calling universe, in the form of illustrations, maps, comics, profiles, and historic tales. Creatures and places discovered in each of the novels are given additional spotlight, giving readers better understanding of the world of Valadae without all those extra details and information being dumped into the story itself (and turning it into a bog).

Naturally, not everything glimpsed or hinted at in Kin Seeker can appear in the Companion Guide, either due to potential spoilers, or creatures/ characters being assigned a place in the next CG instead. But rest assured, there is plenty to learn and discover in these Guides, and heaps of illustrations for your visual enjoyment.

Want to learn more about Valadilian satyrs? The Companion Guide has the answers!

PLUS, the Prologue Comics have been added to the Guide, too! Plans for the next set of comics are underway, but that’s still quite a while off yet, so let’s not jump the gun.

Even Cab and Taijorn have a profile page!

Obviously, this being an actual Companion Guide for the first book in the series, I must recommend that you read the first book, Kin Seeker, first, in order to get the most out of this Guide. Trust me, things will make a lot more sense if you do it in that order. 😉

All right, so question time!

How Big is the Guide?
Dimensions are 7×10 inches. There are 108 pages of awesome, and over 50 illustrations (and that’s not including the Prologue Comics)!

How much is it?
ApproximatelyUS $20, and at the moment it’s only available in paperback.

Where can I purchase it?
You can find it in many online bookstores, including:
AMAZON
AMAZON UK
BARNES AND NOBLE
BOOKWORLD (AVAILABLE SOON)
BOOK DEPOSITORY (AVAILABLE SOON)
ABEBOOKS (AVAILABLE SOON)
And I’m pretty sure dozens of others, but their stock/ new book updates are slower than the ‘Big Guys’ Amazon and B&N, so I’ll be adding links over the next few weeks as the book appears on different sites.

ALSO: For local Aussies, I’ve recently ordered in 10 copies of the Companion Guide as my first ‘mini’ launch batch. If you’d like to purchase one of those copies (which I’ll sign, of course), you can order it via HERE!

ALSO, ALSO: If you’re an avid supporter of brick and mortar stores, you are more than welcome to order a copy of the guide direct through your local bookstore. In fact, I highly encourage it! They may not stock the book when you go in and ask for it, but they can order it in for you. And they have no excuse not to, for you the customer, and for me, the author. The books are distributed by Ingram, which distributes all over the world. So ask away at your local bookstore! It will help your local community, plus help get my books onto more shelves. 😉

And there you have it, fellow dragon-seekers. If you’ve read Kin Seeker, there’s no better time to delve further into the adventure and grab a copy of the Companion Guide! It’ll be worth adding to your fantasy collection. 🙂

Posted in General | Tagged centaurs, companion guide, dragon calling, dragon calling series, dragons, fantasy books, fantasy creatures, fantasy maps, folk lore, hobgoblins, illustrated guide, kin seeker, prologue comics, satyrs, unicorns | Leave a comment

‘The Drowner’ places Highly Commended in InkTears Competition!

Posted on April 7, 2015 by WhimsicalWerecat

AWESOME NEWS FELLOW STORY-LOVERS!

My short story, THE DROWNER (a folklore horror), has won Highly Commended in Inktears 2014 International Short Story Competition! I entered my story in August last year, believing it stood a pretty good chance of getting somewhere. I was excited when I was notified that it made the Long-list, and ecstatic when it made the Short-list. I would have been perfectly happy if that’s as far as it got. A short story short-listed in an international competition. Sounds like good credentials to me! Especially with another of my short stories having won a Queensland award back in 2012.

But it got even better. To my absolute delight, my story pushed through and made the top seven! Earning the place of Highly Commended (another way of saying I share Third Place with four other awesome stories).

I was told by the competition organizer that genre fiction (stories with plots tailored to a specific genre) often struggles in competitions because it’s not to everyone’s tastes. And since the stories were being judged by a panel, the chances of genre fiction making the cut were not too great. But my story made it, so I was obviously able to make a big enough impression.

I am very happy.

If you want to read my story, click on the picture! Warning: You may end up being disturbed by the end of it (especially if you know me by my children’s novels and would not think me capable of writing horror 😉 ).

Posted in General | Tagged each uisge, folklore, highly commended, horror, inktears, scottish folklore, short story, short story competition, waterhorse, writing competition | 1 Comment

Top 10 Nightmare Fuels from Children’s Movies

Posted on March 18, 2015 by WhimsicalWerecat

Let’s have a little fun, shall we?

As the title suggests, this is a Top Ten list of nightmare-inducing things from movies that sit with a rather deceptive charm in the category for ‘children-friendly’. Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatized … or is it? Truth be told, most of the things in this list never actually gave me nightmares (some did though, when I was a child). But as you scroll down and take in the views of unnatural things created to disturb the souls of viewers, you can’t argue that nightmares have most certainly been born after encounters with these frighting creations.

NOTE: This is my own personal list, and is restricted to films I have personally watched, and are rated PG and under.

NUMBER 10: HELPING HANDS (The Labyrinth)

Cleverly designed? Yes. Imaginative? Sure! Chances of inducing nightmares in young children? Undoubtedly. The idea of a bunch of bodiless hands growing from walls and speaking to you is not something I’d associate with the nice and the cheerful. Especially if they’re infesting a traumatic place like the Goblin King’s Labyrinth. If this was real, I doubt many people would be as brave as Sarah.

NUMBER 9: CLOWN WITH THE TEAR-AWAY FACE (A Nightmare Before Christmas)

I missed seeing this movie as a child, which was probably a good thing because the clown would have haunted my dreams. Because he’s a Halloween clown, with sharp teeth, and a face that he can just tear right off … *shudders*

NUMBER 8: THE GMORK (The Neverending Story)

LOVED this movie as a child. My siblings and I watched it over and over again (driving our parents nuts, undoubtedly). But The Gmork was definitely scary for me as a kid. Even as an adult (and fantasy writer), I can appreciate the quality of the monster’s power of terror and viciousness. The Gmork has a classic frightfulness about him.

NUMBER 7: KOH THE FACE STEALER (AVATAR: The Last Airbender)

Okay, so AVATAR: The Last Airbender is actually a series and not a feature film, but I had to slip it in because there was one creature that made every one of my Nightmare Fuel senses tingle. Koh is a giant sadistic centipede-like spirit … who steals people’s faces the instant they express any visible emotion. So, you’re safe as long as you remain completely expressionless. As easy as being told not to blink and then having a cloud of dust blown in your face. I applaud you, Aang. You showed up Koh brilliantly.

NUMBER 6: NO FACE (Spirited Away)

No Face is a fascinating character. Entirely creepy, but somehow endearing, especially in the latter part of the film. But creepy comes first. And then repulsive and full-blown nightmare-inducing when he transforms under the corruptive influences of the Bath House. Sweet mercies, I’d be leaving scorch-marks on the floor trying to run away from THAT!

NUMBER 5: TROLLS (Willow)

I watched this movie many times as a child and I don’t remember ever having nightmares from it. But I was definitely freaked out by more than a few things, the trolls being the worst. It’s because they look like deranged chimps, and can climb vertical walls like spiders … and they sound like ground nightmares sprinkled with the herbs of repulsion. I echo Willow’s sentiment: “I hate trolls.”

NUMBER 4: GARTHIM (The Dark Crystal)

The Dark Crystal is rife with the incredible and the frightening. The story has an unmistakably dark feel about it, and is not for young viewers who prefer rainbows and sunshine. In fact, there is little doubt that half the creatures in the movie have been the cause of a multitude of nightmares over the years. For me, when I was a child, the Garthim were the most frightening. It’s the way they moved … oh gosh, they still give me the creeps (their appearance doesn’t help the matter either).

NUMBER 3: PRINCESS MOMBI (Return to Oz)

The head-swapping witch from the not-so-happy-and-even-less-cheerful sequel to The Wizard of Oz. I kid you not, this woman scared the life out of me when I was a child. I had many nightmares about this horrid woman running after me without her head, demanding that I give her mine. Horror is what I felt … sheer horror. And she disturbs me even to this day.

NUMBER 2: THE WHEELERS (Return to Oz)

If you’re wanting to have an evening in full of eerie atmosphere and creeptastic characters, then Return to Oz is the film of choice. Once again it produces more Nightmare Fuel than any normal person would care to indulge in. Seriously, they call this a kid’s movie? It’s full of disturbing creatures and frightening encounters; one of the most memorable being Dorothy’s run-in with the Wheelers. Definitely one of the all-time creepiest things you’ll ever see in a kid’s movie!

NUMBER 1: MADAME HECUBA (Jack and the Beanstalk, 1974)

By far the most creepiest, nightmare-inducing character I have ever seen in a children’s movie, is the cannibalistic witch, Madame Hecuba. Oh my gosh, as a child I was terrified of her, and even as an adult, she gives me the chills like no other character has done. The age and the style of the movie play a big role in Hecuba’s essence, as does the music. She is cunning, cruel, and creepy beyond measure. Hence, why she is my number 1 Nightmare Fuel.

So there you have it, my Top 10 Nightmare Fuels found in children’s movies (of all places). So how many of mine would be in your list? What other movie characters/ creatures would you add?

Posted in General | Tagged a nightmare before christmas, clown with tear-away face, creepy kid's movies, fantasy creatures, garthim, gmork, headless princess, helping hands, jack and the beanstalk, koh the face stealer, labyrinth, legend of aang, madame hecuba, mombi, monsters, neverending story, nightmare fuel, no face, return to oz, scary children's movies, spirited away, the dark crystal, top ten scary characters, trolls, wheelers, willow, witch | Leave a comment

Prowling the Prose – Homophones

Posted on March 5, 2015 by WhimsicalWerecat

“A wizard is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.” – Gandalf the Grey

The above can be said of werecats, as well, I will have you know. Which is why I am back, and more refined in my prowlings and purposes than ever! For those in the dark, I am the Whimsical Werecat, and I am here to introduce my latest flight of fancy (as werecats can fancy whatever they want, whenever it suits them).

Welcome to my first PROWLING THE PROSE post. If the title confuses you, allow me to elaborate. Prowling (the verb) implies moving about stealthily with specific intent, while Prose (the noun) encompasses the general form of written language. Allot the two words together and you come to an understanding of the purposes of my new and future posts: I seek out beneficial information on linguistics and share them with you.

I know, it is most generous of me. You can thank me in silver trinkets and red wine.

Truth be told, you can find this sort of information anywhere. And most of it should be ingrained into your mental learning vault by now. But as with all mortals, reminders are often necessary.

So, here is the first: a reminder of your odd assortment of words known as Homophones.

What is a Homophone? It is a word that is pronounced the same as another word, but is different in meaning. There are also homonyms: words both pronounced and spelled the same, but with different meanings (what nonsense the English language is!). But we shall look at homonyms another day. For now, I wish only to highlight a few well-known homophones.

Enjoy.

Posted in Werecat Whims | Tagged affect vs effect, bear or bare, foul or fowl, hear or here, homonyms, homophones, its vs it's, linguistics, passed vs past, prowling the prose, reign or rein, werecat, whimsical werecat, your vs you're | Leave a comment

Dragon Calling Print and Booth Campaign!

Posted on February 2, 2015 by WhimsicalWerecat

Calling all dragon-seekers and supporters of high-flying dreams and creative indie entrepreneurs!

My Indiegogo campaign to see myself and my books soundly set up at Australia’s largest pop-culture expo (SUPANOVA), is now LIVE!

It’s my first time delving into the world of crowd-funding, and I am believing it to be a positive and fun experience. And to make it all the more positive and fun, I’ll be needing the help of all my wonderful fans and supporters! Is that you? I hope so! Every little bit of support makes a difference. 🙂

What is this campaign about, you might ask? Well, to learn all the details and perks, just click on the picture below!

I love the idea of crowd-funding. I’ve seen how successful it can be, and how many wonderful creative projects have taken flight because of the support and generosity of fans, friends, and supportive strangers around the world.

I, myself, have supported other people’s campaigns in the past, and the feeling of knowing I’ve helped someone else’s dream to the next stage, is in itself a really cool reward.

Places like Kickstater and Indiegogo are incredible! My own campaign aside, if you have creative friends who put themselves and their dreams out on show, humbly asking for support, get on board and help out! There’s not better way to enrich and grow the world of indies, than people pitching together to see dreams and projects become a reality. The big guys (the major recording/ filming studios and publishing houses) have their own fire-power, but when it comes to the little creative souls (Indies), their power lies in the people.

So, step in and become a part of the indie community. It’s really quite awesome down here, because down here is where the seeds are planted, and the stones are placed. And you, the contributors, supporters, fans and enthusiasts, are the water, earth and air; the many parts of a greater force, which empower dreams to launch and take flight, to the stars and beyond.

So, here we go. Wish me luck! And a huge THANK YOU in advance for any support (financial or word-of-mouth) you can give.

Posted in General | Tagged book print drive, crowd funding, dragon calling series, fantasy book campaign, indiegogo campaign, pop-culture conventions, supanova expo | Leave a comment

Kin Seeker’s Prologue Comics

Posted on January 22, 2015 by WhimsicalWerecat

For those who have been checking out each of the Prologue Comics as I’ve added them to the site, I am happy to announce that the NEXT comic is now available!

For those not yet in the know, the Prologue Comics have been a side project of mine which I have been working on over the past ten or so months. The comics are a fun addition to the world-building of my Dragon Calling series, and they give bonus insight into some of the characters our protagonist, Laeka’Draeon, encounters on his journey.

As you might expect, the comics are intended to be viewed after one has read KIN SEEKER (the first book in the series), as the comics reveal minor spoilers to character encounters and elements of certain events.

This last comic in particular holds some major spoilers, so I would strongly recommend reading/ viewing only to those who’ve read the novel. But of course, if you really don’t mind things being given away, you are more than welcome to read all the comics (this last one included). I make the comics available for free because free stuff is awesome! But if you’re enjoying my work, I would appreciate your support when it comes to the books, nonetheless. 😉

So, with the last Prologue Comic up and done, what’s next, you might ask?

Plenty, that’s for sure! The current set of four may complete the comics for KIN SEEKER, but there are still four more books in the series, which means many more Prologue Comics to enjoy! I do, however, have other important projects to work on, so you will likely not see the first comic for Book Two until May/ June.

The next obstacle to tackle is the KIN SEEKER COMPANION GUIDE (which will include the four Prologue Comics). The guide is pretty much what it sounds like: a visual and informational guide to creatures, places, and legends hinted at or briefly touched on in KIN SEEKER. There will be plenty of pictures and interesting facts, so it’ll definitely be worth adding to your collection, once it’s released!

I will also be working on the next set of poster and bookmark designs (themed around Book Two of the series, THE BEACON THRONES).

And, of course, I will be working on the next installment of the series. It’s too early to put out an estimated release date for Book Three, but I will work hard to see it released by the end of the year. If that doesn’t come about, it will likely be early 2016.

I feel to remind you how paramount your support is, and how much I appreciate my readers. You wonderful, adventurous people are the reason I do what I do, and I am so happy to share my worlds and creations with you.

Thank you for coming along on this journey with me. It’s been pretty fantastic so far, and we’re only getting started! Continue being awesome, fellow Dragon-seekers! 2015 looks set for some amazing adventures!

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Don’t Forget the Pauses

Posted on January 15, 2015 by WhimsicalWerecat

Well hello 2015! You’ve come through, charging full-steam ahead already, I see.

I hope everyone’s New Year celebrations went well, and that 2015 has rolled in with new (or to-be-continued-from-2014) and exciting plans and inspirations.

As is our cultural inclination, the start of the year holds the sensation of renewed possibilities and the plan (or hope) to work towards making our todays and tomorrows better than our yesterdays. But I’ve also noticed another cultural inclination of ours … the inclination to rush.

Hurry here, hurry there. Rush, rush, rush. Have to do this, have to be there, have to call that person, have to make that deadline, have to, have to, have to, hurry, hurry, hurry. We all have a tendency to tackle our schedules at high speeds, flustered by our own flurrying, succeeding in this, failing in that, stressing over this, floundering over that.

I think you get the picture.

And, of course, for most of us, the things we pour our time and energy into are necessary in maintaining the lifestyles we want. Our thoughts and actions are what we use to live, to feel, to express, to enjoy: friends and families, clubs and hobbies, shopping, bills, day jobs, side jobs, school, study, housework, projects and plans. The things we mould into our daily lives are all part of the musical score that is us. Our life is our own unique song.

And so the notes continue to play, day-after-day, and we, as the conductors and songwriters, direct the melody to our wants and needs. There is a strange sort of harmony in the chaos of living; a chaos we usually augment beyond its natural pacing, by our own sense of ‘must haves’ and ‘need tos’, and yet still manage to extract and preserve something beautiful.

But I feel the one thing we should seriously try to remember, even as we rush along into this New Year with all our hopes and dreams and purposes and plans, is that a song (our life’s song) does not merely consist of all the notes we put in place, but of pauses as well.

“The pauses are just as important as the notes, for without them, there is only a cascade of noise, void of pacing and breath, and thus, void of life.” –

In music, it is the sound of the instruments and the voices which draw our attention. But what truly makes a song so wonderful to our senses, is the marriage of the notes and pauses throughout. Without the pauses along the way, music would be overwhelmed by its own power.

It’s the same with our lives. What we create each day will become the notes to add to the song of our life. But in all the hustle and bustle of getting from point to point, task to task, requirement to requirement, we mustn’t forget to put in some pauses.

Find what things work as pauses for you, and make sure to add them to your days.

Spends some time alone with nature (and maybe a four-legged friend).

Listen to your favourite music.

Sit back, relax, and do nothing.

Maybe roll out a blanket and watch the clouds go by for a while.

Heck, why not find a park bench and sit yourself down and just allow the world to go by and leave you behind for a few minutes.

artwork by DeviantArt artist, Sideburn004

Whatever fits into your Pause Category, take the time to add them into your song. If you say you’re too busy, it’s because you are, and you need to adjust a few things. Shoving all your notes one after the other will not give you the music you want. Take the time to admire each note as it is strung, otherwise you’ll miss out on its true value, and you’ll go through life giving of your time and energy while failing to receive the fullness of what is given back to you.