Back to business

 

Hi, guys!

It's been a really long time since I last posted here, but a lot of things have happened in the meantime. CRUX came out on January 18th and it's available on Amazon, Nook, Kobo and on many other websites, in e-book and paperback formats. Also, on February 9th, Deea and I organized a little event we called a "book launch", though it was more like a book presentation for the Romanian readers. We chose a pub (and not a local book store as it's usually done), and I thought it would be awesome to do  a screening of the book trailer.

 

Deea & I

As you might have noticed, there are other people who worked on this and whom, I am proud and happy, to call family and to have had at the book event: Oly Saldinger and Vladimir Belciug. Oly has handled the video and music editing, while Vlad is the voice of Maar in the trailer. I am also thankful and definitely owe George Calin (Deep Central) for lending his help and studio, and provided us with a professional voice recording - an awesome man! Sadly, our distant family, Andrei Marc - the book cover designer and trailer drawing artist - could not be with us, but I'll make sure he will be there for the sequel.

 

With Vlad (center) & Oly (right)

Last but not least, I want to thank WheelMan Press for turning this project into reality and for their constant support and good advice. Currently, the guys at WheelMan are working on formatting the first CRUX intro story and adding it to the retailers pages. This first episode is called Magic & Madness and it is part of the trilogy that I hope will ease the reader's way into the novel; the stories will be available for FREE and, while the first one will soon be up on the internet, I am half-way through the second and really pleased with the outcome.

At the moment, I am back on my "day job", on the same ship in the same ports of the Caribbean, but taking care of other tasks than last time. I hope I can balance my writing and my duties, and finish HELLBENT before I come back home. Sadly, I realize now that I should have worked more when I was there, but... no point crying over it now. Will try to keep you up to date on the progress and hope this little presentation convinced you to give CRUX a try. It's only 2$ for the e-book version and, if you consider the opinions on Goodreads (and not just take my word on it), it's definitely worth reading!

That's it for me, for now. Oh! Almost forgot: if you're curious about what else I can write, there's a feature of me on Catherine Garnell's blog. I should start working on the rest of that story, shouldn't I? Alright, people! Talk to you soon!

Win!

Ladies and gentlemen, we offer our sincere apologies for the delay regarding the important news update we mentioned in our previous entry, but considering Deea and I share a lot of personal space, it is no wonder we also shared a beautiful flu or cold or whatever demonic virus we manage to attract. And being that we are nurturing people, we hung on to this evil baby for 2 weeks (I am still not ful

ly recovered), but we ARE now able to type and focus somewhat, thus... we are proudly sharing our joy and excitement:

CRUX IS GETTING PUBLISHED!

On the 20th of October 2012, yours truly has signed the first publishing contract with our friends at WheelMan Press <<http://www.wheelmanpress.com/ >>, who promise to release the first book of The Angellove Society series at the beginning of January 2013! We are currently working on our promo campaign and, starting tomorrow, we will discuss our book trailer with the wonderful people from Raizing Hell <<http://www.facebook.com/Raizing.Hell >> and give the coolest graphic artist alive, Cookie Thief, a harder new assignment.

So stay tuned and wish us luck! We promised quality stuff and we aim to deliver. Thank you all for the 1000+ likes and sharing our page, helping us both physically and (even more so) morally, supplying us with the necessary confidence and fortitude to get this far! (And boooooo!!! to the two people who took back their likes!)

Sincerely, joyful and optimistic,
Andrei

Rockstar

I'm not done. Just really tired and busy. Plus, if Windows crashed on you 3 times in one week, you'd be reluctant about press releases too. I'll be back soon, but until then, let's mix it up - here's an old poem I wrote (2 months before Nickelback's song came out):

I’m a rockstar.
I’ve got the looks, the moves,
The clothes and the words.
I am as real as you can feel
And when I’m not… well, my dear…
You can cut that part out.
I’ve got sincere pain, though I only play insane.
It’s not my own game, but the gain…
Big bucks for Friday Rocks…
And, from time to time, a dime… in the jukebox.
Yeah… that sucks!
Girls who know how to curl,
Who know how to purr…!
…Girls with fake pearls who make me hurl.
And the publicity…
Toxicity! Addictive, subjective…
You end up sumissive! Because your sadness, your madnes,
Your flaws and booty calls,
Your money and Playboy bunny,
Your weak-spots and the fuckin’ bikini with polka dots
Are on TV. And then… you become me!
…See? I really do have the face, the pace...
The attitude and necessary altitude
To crash, bash and smash, dude!

I fancy myself better than you.
I’m not 2-in-1, I’m 2002. I don’t act, I do.
The rules I set are like laws.

All respect, protect and the ones who object…
Well, it seems only fair to declare that they lack the passion
The spark, the mark… They’re out of fashion. They’re into the dark.
Rabble… who babble.
I am a belief. I am relief.
Even in grief, brief, you’ll admit…
That I talk the talk and walk the walk. I’m a perfect fit.
I’m a god. I’m pure as a rose-bud though I bathe in mud.
I set the trend, I twist and I bend what you are, my friend…
You pay, you say “somehow, someday…”. You’re as soft as clay!
But hey, I don’t mind. I find it quite nice…
Just another vice:
…I’m the only man among spineless mice!
I’m disgusted, I’m tired! You’re fuckin’ fired!
You slave! You dreamt…?! You aspired?!
Rat! Fat asshole, devouring routine, burning gasoline,
Useless drama queen! You lack free will, you can’t feel!
What’s real is just the hate for your job where you sob about the bitchin’ of your boss called Bob.
Hate for your bills, drills and aching pills! For your wife, your kids and your rented car!
Oh, sorry… Did I go to far?

Fuck you! ...I’m a rockstar.

A time to write

This may sound funny, but I'm very happy I wrote five more pages for Book 2: Hellbent tonight. It took me over an hour and it may seem petty, but you can rest assured it DOES take this long to write something decent and be satisfied with it. If you think creative writing is easy, you're wrong! There are times when I have to delete the phrase I just wrote five times and finally settle for the first version - really frustrating moments!

Still, if you think that's petty, THIS will really make you think I'm lame; there's no way to explain the joy an author feels when he sees his creation growing. Even if it is just five more A4's. Even if the total is 33 tortured pages, every bit builds my confidence in this second novel and, just like you would upgrade your computer, my perspective on the story just gets better and clearer. 

It's going to be dark, violent and morbidly funny! While Crux was more fantasy than horror, Hellbent will freak you out! To be honest, writing about a demon attempting to possess Drew in his sleep, even made me shiver and chilled my blood all the way through! So if I got your attention yet, don't forget to Like (if you haven't done it yet) my Facebook page and Share it with your friends. You will love Hellbent with Crux as its prequel already in your virtual or actual library!

Thanks a lot, guys! Have a great weekend!

Oh, Happy Day!

I can't say much about this. I'm delighted, I think. I guess the idea hasn't sinked in yet and I can't react properly, but I'm sure I will. One more big final step left!

Read it and cheer! REVIEW

Just A Little Creative

"I happen to be informed from various reliable sources that this weather sucks! How can you stand this awful constant rain?" Marie growled over the cup of Earl Grey.

"It's not rain," Drew replied dryly, crossing his legs and looking at the ancient scroll over the pair of old-fashioned reading glasses. "It's liquid sunshine."

"It's liquid alright... Sunshine," she grinned.

Words, drugs & beautiful people!

...Got your attention now, right?

In case you've been wondering (and I hope that you have!) what I've been doing in the past few days and why the regular 24/48 hours posts haven't popped up like usually, then I have a pretty good excuse: I've been correcting, writing and rearranging Crux! 

After three weeks of waiting for a miracle to happen -dirty look to Deea - I finally realized that there's nobody in the world who can actually do this job for me. Even if I had left the book with my agent / manager for one more year, the results would have still been less than satisfying. And I'm not saying this with reproach (though she could have tugged on my collar about it), but as an objective statement; It as silly of me to think that she, or anyone else for that matter, could see exactly what I was going for and implement it perfectly. It was absurd!

So I rolled up my sleeves and started working. Must say: it was no easy feat going through over 165 A4 pages and it took me more than 12 hours, 4 cups of coffee and 2 packs of cigarettes, to read it thoroughly and correct to oh-so-many mistakes. Even now, after reading the whole novel word by word, rephrasing, adjusting the grammar discrepancies, even adding a couple more pages (remember the Adam / Athos issue I had earlier on? it seems there WERE a few pieces of text missing after all), I'm not convinced it's good enough to be published in this form. What I do know is that THIS is my final draft and there is nothing more I feel I need to add or modify before a professional looks it over. 

The sad part about it is that I haven't yet had the pleasure of reading my own story as if it wasn't mine and discovering it through the eyes of a new reader. I did enjoy writing it and, I have to admit, I didn't mind correcting it as much as I had originally thought... But if I have to read again "Kara fell..." (which are the first 2 words in the book), I'm going to scream!

Honestly, at this point, I can't say anything about Crux that would impress you. Deea still loves it for some reason (probably because she hasn't really read the book more than a dozen times like yours truly), but for me it's just a nice story, a bit funny, a bit scary, ending with in happy note. Ironically, the thing that attracts more, the many action-packed moments, seem... not so captivating to me anymore. But don't mistake my little apathy crisis for anything else: this is just a case of an author being saturated with reading his own book. No matter how less enthusiastic I may be about the events that transpire in this novel, I am still very much in love with the storyline, the concept and, most of all, the characters! I know Deea has a favorite, but for me, it's hard to choose between my 'children'.

Bottom line: the manuscript is corrected and, furthermore, REGISTERED (finally!) for copyrights!

It has just dawned upon me, right this instant, that I haven't thanked here a very talented writer, and an old writing partner and friend, for her awesome contribution to the book and to my own development as an author. So, officially, from the bottom of my heart, thank you my dear Swan Klenke!

 (Alexis Huntington-Gates - alternative version)

Swan and I have been writing together for years in the R.P. story section on the Darkness forums and we originally created the characters of Thomas Gates and Alexis Huntington. I've always loved pairing up with her because her artistic style is completing my rough & tough way of twisting a story; Lexi is her 'baby' and I've tried to stay within the borders and shape Swan had originally designed when I introduced her in Crux, coloring the character from my own perspective and making her interact the way I thought my friend would want her to. I'm deeply thankful to Swan for letting me use her character because the story of Thomas and Lexi is really awesome! There is drama, romance and a certain degree of macabre in the way they met and fell in love, and none of that Twilight fake teenage angst crap that's been poisoning the literary world in the last few years! If we are ever going to write a book together, like we discussed three years ago, I believe that this is the story we would focus on. If you are interested about how Thomas and Lexi came to be, you can read about it in Nocturnal Shine, a story started by Kaddam, featuring Straife (also an awesome storytelling partner!) that hasn't been finished, but which we might pick back up at some point in our busy lives.

That's it for today! Cheers, Angellovers!

Dun dun duuuuunnn!

Good morning, friends! It seems we have another slow weekend ahead of us, but Deea made up for the lost time by almost killing herself with exhaustion, advertising, reaching out and doing whatever she does for the project (because I just don't want to know). 

I bashed her pretty hard this morning, not for taking a break, but for being too bloody hyperactive! If you haven't figured it out yet, this journey we both embarked on is not only about publishing a fantastic book (not flaunting, merely stating a truth); it's also about evolving, learning, honing our skills, and also have some fun with it. From my point of view, Deea's the best person to handle my P.R. campaign. She's invulnerable to pessimism, she's unflinching and she goes for the throat, no matter whose throat it is! ...She also shares another characteristic of mine: the A.D.H.D. that makes us unable to focus on one thing for a longer period of time, and we end up bored. It's because of this that I sometimes have to pick up the slack. Don't get me wrong: I enjoy working side by side with her very much! But while I keep interfering, cleaning up or just adjusting the finer details, she doesn't learn. So, from this point on, if you see something that doesn't seem right or thought through, let us know! While I'll try to keep my nose out of my agent's activities, I would appreciate your input very much.

We had a hell of a time with our Facebook page and it felt like the old IRC days (for those of you who might remember them), when we spammed the main channels like fanatics with all sorts of crazy ads about some new chat room. So much so that I've received a messaged from the admins telling me to stop. Or else. Still, we received 65 Likes in 24 hours and we are very happy about it! It would be truly great if we could keep the rate constant, though I am aware there is a certain cap and people are lazy or just suspicious about such a (seemingly) minor project. I just want you all to know how thankful we are for your continuous support and be assured that this will be mentioned in Crux after it's published!

What else did I do...? Ah, yes. Except advertising on all the English publisher pages I could find, I tried to contact the Romanian ones as well. Surprise, surprise! As it goes, our local publishers do NOT own pages, but regular user profiles that don't even allow posting. For a moment, I felt frustrated: 14/15 English pages let me advertise The Angellove Society, while 14/15 Romanian profiles made me turn tail and go home. But then I amused myself by realizing that our F.B. page makes the local publishers look like a Mini next to a Ferrari! 

I also e-mailed Total Biscuit, whose shows I've followed for years! He's one of the most annoyingly smart and funny people I had the luck to stumble upon, and he's the one responsible for my discovery and growing admiration of Sir Terry Pratchett. But as I know T.B., he's probably very busy with his many projects (or too cynical to mind me). So I pushed it even further and messaged one of the owners of his Facebook page who, as it turns out, he's -ta daaa!- Romanian! Hopefully my explanations had been interesting enough for either of them to call back. Fingers crossed!

And now for the fun part! Yes, I will explain the picture above. "Hobbit With A Shotgun" is the title I chose some weeks back for a short story meant to introduce a future Angellove Society novel (possibly Book 3). It has nothing to do with the terrible subject of the film "Hobo With A Shotgun" which is a horrible waste of money and time; I do not endorse gratuitous violence nor scenarios written by untalented people, and that movie is the pinnacle of both concepts. This story however is funny and explosive and, I hope, a typical Steampunk fantasy! It's still 'under construction', so I ask you to be patient for a few more days until I manage to sort out the newly developed matters here, on my ship. It appears that we must sail for Tampa, Florida, very soon, and considering I am the one responsible with planning the trip (a process that is quite complicated), these matters will require my full attention.

I will however check in with you guys as often as possible and, seeing how my poor agent is forced to teach a class about teaching methods (yes, you read it correctly!) on her birthday, messing up her entire weekend, I'll try to update you on whatever news we receive or new tasks we might get involved with. But it's summer so most of you will most likely run outside to enjoy the sun and lovely weather, so no biggie, eh?

Be back soon! Have an awesome weekend!

Back in business!

I'll make this one short because I haven't been 100% optimistic and operational in the last 24 hours, but I'm trying to find my way back.

First, and most importantly, we have one determined, hyperactive and annoyingly positive agent back in the team. Deea's made up for the time lost and pulled a 12-hour marathon of... whatever agents do. Long story short, she promised to deliver the fabled website (I'm waiting to be stunned with awe myself about that one, but I'm 99% sure she can get it done); also she's hunting graphic artists for Crux concepts, flaming the publishing / literary forum and lots more, including...

Our brand new Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/TheAngelloveSociety! I had to adjust some details - spent the last 2 hours trying to find some fitting pictures and editing them (no, it's not that easy!), but the layout's pretty decent. Hope we don't get sued by the designers for borrowing them. They will be replaced as soon as we find someone to draw the right stuff. So visit and LIKE us, please! The more likes, the better our chances to impress the publishers.

This is it for now. And since this post is shorter than usual, I leave you with one of the songs that inspired Akaba's personality. Enjoy!

Writer's Lament

There's really no plan. My week is pretty decent so far- another 2 days at anchor, giving me time to relax and prepare for the trip to Tampa, are more than welcomed. Yet I feel generally bored and I'm in no mood for writing. Since Deea took some time to solve her personal issues, the best way to picture me is staring dumbly at the screen with neither the ideas nor the mood to do anything. She did manage to find us the good-hearted Vlad Muresan, who's willing to lend his talents and help out with the website, but now I have to explain to him the crazy ideas I had for its layout and functions by e-mail. I don't know what's more scary: telling him that my vision involves separate coding or actually seeing this site up and running...

What got me down in the gutters wasn't Deea's need for a break though. Not entirely anyway. It was mostly the stats - I masochistically check the blog's views every day. At least two times. And falling from 81 views (Friday) to 25 (yesterday) can get a person to lose faith. Furthermore, I got beaten by my old blog with 52 and 51 views in the last couple of days... A blog that hasn't been updated since Christmas. Ain't that something?

I realized people hate reading. Post a picture of a dog on Facebook and you get 2 shares and 10 likes, but link a text and they are gone, running faster than a vampire at sunrise. God forbid you use English! As a decent and frequent user of the English language, I noticed that more than once people avoid me or just scold me, labeling me a snob. I'm sorry, but do any of you know how hard it is to write about a car chase in Romanian and make it sound exciting? I believe Eddie Izzard had a bit about writing about a car chase; he thought it can't be as thrilling as a movie scene. True, though it depends on how good the director is. Same with books: if you know what details to focus on, you can make everything exciting!

What I'm getting at is that people shouldn't be so quick to write off writings. Pun intended. I'm a huge movie lover and I did my fair share of objective and argumentative criticism regarding a few of Hollywood's productions. But, at the same time, I can honestly say that there is no form of art that allows such freedoms as those granted by writing. A film has a limited time line in which it must capture the important details, whereas a book can go on for as long as it's necessary. Of course, I don't encourage the Proustian style of never-ending descriptions, I'm just saying you have that option!

Oftentimes I've heard the words "I don't like reading". Or, in the past few years, the trendy "I'm not a professor to speak perfect Romanian / English". Since when exactly do you need a teaching diploma to speak and write correctly in your native tongue? I believe it's every man's duty to do that! My Romanian article was about patriotism and the pride one should express about one's nationality. Aside the fact that the concept is idiotic, as you can't be proud of a coincidence, shouldn't we express said patriotism FIRSTLY by showing respect towards our own language? Shouldn't we honor our heritage with this minimal effort?

I speak Romanian, English, Italian. I understand and can speak common French phrases, basic Spanish and a little German. Never have I claimed that everybody should share my talent and love for linguistics, but I can't comprehend this common aversion towards reading, writing and most importantly SPEAKING correctly. Books are not your enemy, folks! Open one - it won't bite!

My 2-hour weekend

For the first time in a very long time I managed to do everything I had planned. And more! Sunday started pretty grim, but as the saying goes, things aren’t always as bad as they seem.

First, I had a chat with Deea as soon as she jumped on Facebook, still sleepy and not entirely coherent, but enough to make me feel like a dumbass. What looked like a novel missing a chunk of text turned out to be a mistake on the behalf of yours truly: the text was there, but while I searched for one of the characters using a certain name (and found nothing), it didn’t occur to me that the name might not be the right one to begin with. In fact, it wasn’t the wrong one either; when I introduced this character I was thinking about naming him Adam, but I went with Athos and forgot about it. The moment when I had to use him again, I could clearly remember that his name was Adam. Of course, before this point, Crux had no reference of the name Adam to throw at me… So I guess that’s good news! No extra stories to be added and I can still claim that the novel is finished!

More good news came a couple of hours later, when my inbox suddenly received a new message from Webs.com. And then another. And another...

The first made me laugh because, after submitting a message to their help center, I got back this little gem of a reply, telling me to try all the idiotically simple and logical steps I had already tried! Such as re-typing my password or making sure the spelling of my username / e-mail address is correct. …I know there are a lot of cretins with internet access, but seriously? That’s your advice? Oh, such valuable tips! And, on top of it all, the message ended in “and if you still can’t access your account, reply to this e-mail with the details!”. I spent 10 minutes writing in detail that I had already tried all the steps and your solution ends with “Give us the information AGAIN“?! Who is managing this company anyway? Monkeys?

The second and third messages came at the same time. And they were the same: Welcome to Webs.com! Please click the link to verify your account! …Now, I may be exhausted but I’m not a complete imbecile. Wasn’t I supposed to receive that e-mail… hmmm… let’s say… 4 days ago!? When I actually signed up for this stupid free server and hosting? And furthermore, why in the hell would you send me 2 identical messages out of which only one confirmed my authenticity while the other just told me “ERROR! Check your account settings!”. Oh, you mean the account I can’t access. Sure, I’m on it!

Overall, however, I did manage to validate asociety.webs.com and log in. Which means that tomorrow I will be correcting the awful mistakes in those texts. I do speed writing when I’m inspired and, as it seems, my hands / brain coordination isn’t so great…

But let me get back to my initial thought which was: BEACH DAY! Yes, I went out on deck; changed into some raggedy clothes and flip-flops, with Pratchett’s book, my camera and a can of beer I found in the cabin when I moved in. I was inspired enough to grab my backpack which served me well as a pillow and some ice cubes from the fridge in a bag (because the beer was warm), I went forward and just enjoyed 2 hours before the sun set. The air and weather are fantastic here, and I was actually happy I couldn’t smoke (‘cause we’re still fully loaded with 8000 m3 of gasoline and the next thing you’d probably have read about me would have been my obituary).

I went through 50 pages only because I was enjoying myself too much. Nothing but the waves and the breeze and quality literature. I’m only a tad frustrated that I couldn’t find Reaper Man in English because the Romanian version is hilarious! I can only imagine that the original is hysterical; I own a copy in electronic format but it’s just not the same as a paperback.

To conclude, I’m really glad I actually forced myself out of my room. Normally I wouldn’t step outside unless we are entering or leaving a port, but it was about time that I felt the sun on my skin again. Thought of the day? Must do this again!

Setback

It's Sunday which means people are taking a break from... everything really. I know I certainly would be asleep until 1-2 PM and probably recover from a night of dancing and drinking, if I were home. So I'm not expecting many of you to read this until Monday morning when you're sitting at your desk and procrastinating big time... Which is actually good news!

I just finished crosschecking Crux, after Deea so excitedly announced the correcting was done. Far from me to undermine her skills, but she did rush to finish the process and I found enough omissions to know she's going to have to go over the text again. Worst of all, I noticed there's a missing chunk; I wrote the novel in more than three separate documents (which were supposed to be just three) and somehow I mixed up the two versions of Part II. It means I'll have to re-write the missing chunk because, without it, two secondary characters, that mainly interact in Part III, would just pop up out of the blue. Not a dull moment...

And there's more bad news... It seems my free server at Webs.com refuses to cooperate since yesterday. I tried to add a Guest Book page for all of you loyal readers to use, but I couldn't connect; I remember (almost) clearly that I used my regular e-mail address and password when I signed up, but their log in system apparently disagrees. I even tried reseting my pass, but so far none of my e-mail addresses contain any message confirming this. I can only hope it's just a bug that will be fixed - I'm really not thrilled about the idea of re-designing another web page.

The last bastion of hope for Sunday not to be a complete and utter disappointment is Mana. We spoke earlier and she mentioned she'll try to make time today to read the synopsis Deea wrote. Maybe we're lucky and she likes it enough to advertise us on her blog...

In other news, I'm still not fully recovered after the past week's marathon, but there's a silver lining. Leaving aside the very few hours of sleep (most of them interrupted by workmates or caffeine + nicotine induced nightmares), I pretty much split my time between my job and this process. What pleases me is the fact that neither of them influenced the other and I proved to myself that I can handle both like a professional. It may not seem like a true accomplishment to you, but trust me: keeping a clear and focused mind when handling a eight thousand cubic meters of gasoline products is pretty damn important! One slip and you can end up polluting the beautiful waters of the Caribbean.

As for today, I'm rewarding myself with a break. My agent better have some good news for me, otherwise Crux will have to survive without my attention for the next 20 hours or so. I think I may pull out the Terry Pratchett novel Deea lent me and give it a try. So far, Sir Pratchett didn't disappoint and, after rocketing over the first few pages when I bought Reaper Man for her, it seems like the funniest one from the Discworld series. 

I wanted to write another background story for Thomas and Lexi, but locked out of Webs and rest remaining a foreign notion, I cannot push myself to do it right now. Boredom is a writer's worse enemy. Hope you all have / are having a better Sunday. See you Monday! (unless a miracle happens)

From sunrise to... bed

Good morning, guys!

It's almost 6 AM and I am dead tired, but as I've learned over the years, there's nothing like sleep deprivation to make one believe that the ideas in his head are pure genius. Or, as a crazy vampire once put it, ""Personally, I think prolonged periods of sleep deprivation along with gallons of caffeine gives you a buzz like you wouldn't believe, and later you remember everything, but not exactly why you did those things to that cat or why it was so damn funny." But seriously, don't do things to the cat just to test the theory!

...What was I saying? Ah, yes. Ideas. This one didn't just appear through a magical epiphany, but it's more of an upgrade to what my clever and lovely agent has asked me to do a few weeks back. Naturally, I postponed it until I actually forgot about it, so thank Shakespeare's ghost for inspiration! Or just be grateful for instant coffee.

Deea has asked me then to write 2-3 short stories, preferably involving, revolving or evolving around some characters from Crux. The point was to launch them as teasers for the general public, hoping we would get the online community to talk about my upcoming masterpiece. Fate has it that I managed to remember this about an hour ago and I decided to improve it; I won't post 2 or 3 stories but enough to cover all the main characters, that are quite a few, I might add! So, as soon as we find a way to add some tabs or menus to Deea's blog, I will add said stories, written in a manner that will allow you to get to know them better and connect! 

I know many of you don't really know what Crux is all about, while a handful have already read more than what is posted here. And I think this will be a real treat to both groups, as some will get intimate with the heroes and others will just enjoy the details they were hoping for. Now don't be disappointed if you haven't had the chance to read more than others - I assure you nobody will savor the full flavor of this novel until it'll end up where it belongs: on your shelf!

Reaching Out

Yesterday, as in until 20 minutes ago, was a total maelstrom. Deea and I rushed to write a synopsis of sorts about Crux. It was supposed to be a 1-2 page text, meant to explain what the book's about. I couldn't do better than FOUR pages so I had to pass the task to my eager agent who managed... THREE. Yes, we had a laugh about it. Hopefully, the man who's going to read it won't think we're complete idiots...

In other news, the P.R. campaign is still going strong. I'm waiting for some content for Deea's blog, negotiations are underway for a pro website and the novel is 1/4 corrected and revised. I'm told that it will look nice and shiny by Friday. It better!

I'm still biting my nails, waiting for a reply from Felicia Day. No answer from the Creative Monkeyz or Mr. Bendeac, but as you can see, neither Deea or I have the time to worry too much about it. We have Determination in our corner and our spirits are soaring most of the time. So much so that I summoned all my courage and wrote a short message to Mr. Ryan Sohmer whose work for L.F.G. Comics I've admired and loved for years!

I take this opportunity to leak a spoiler:

When Crux is going to leave the printing press, it will be with the highest blessings of a talented graphic artist, whom will sign and design the covers and the drawings inserted between the novel's sub-chapters. If the L.F.G. team will be the one honoring me and the book with their awesome artwork, it remains to be seen. As a long time fan of comics, and theirs in particular, nothing would make me happier than having them say YES!

The First No

I got a reply back today, after mailing a few famous local people about reading my book. My choices may seem random, but in truth, they all have one thing in common, aside being some of the people I admire; Cabral Ibacka, Mihai Bendeac and the Creative Monkeyz team are all well aware of todays trend (let's say) geek-wise.

Cabral answered me almost instantly and, even though he said no, I am quite happy I got a reply back. With today's often seen facade of celebrities, appearing to be close to the audience and willing to speak (and understand, more importantly!) to the fans, his response gives me hope that I can at least reach out to them. And maybe, at some point, someone would say "yes!".

Still waiting on the others. Hopefully, I'll get some answers by tonight. I'll keep you guys posted! Fingers crossed.

Ladies & Gentlemen, I give you:

Yes, it's finally complete! I wrote a whole novel and I couldn't be more excited. Well, for now anyway. I'll probably bounce like a hyperactive bunny when I'll hold it in my hands, on paper and with a better cover than what I managed in Paint.

The point is: it's done and looks really good! My agent is working out the kinks, crossing the T's and dotting the I's, and I'm told I'll soon be the proud owner of a professional website. But untill that website is online, you will be able to check out the news about the changes and development of Step 2 of my master plan on a sister blog: http://deeaswritersgallery.blogspot.com/ and, of course, here.

I'm extra excited about the Felicia Day initiative; I sent an e-mail today to this lovely and talented young lady, after exchanging a few words with her website admin, and I'm hoping she will be interested in reading a few pages of Crux. Hoping even more that those pages will prove interesting enough for her to read the whole book. So fingers crossed, guys!

I also left a comment on Terry Pratchett's official website, being as I couldn't find an e-mail address. Even so, the chances of the God of Discworld noticing a literary ant like myself are... [insert giant number here] to one. Still, had to try and I'll keep on trying. I've spent two years writing this and I won't stop until it beats the crap out of Twilight in sales! :))

End Days

As it turns out we weren’t so bad after all…

“Command, we need back-up now! Command! …Command, come in!” the man yelled in the microphone of the radio console, eyes widened in panic. 

“Sarge, we can’t hold out much longer! Where is that air support?!” screamed one of the four soldiers raining fire beyond the darkness. 

“Running low on ammo here, Sarge! We need to move out!” added the other one, switching magazines.

The massive man exhaled deeply, closing his eyes in desperation. 

They came from the north; we suspected Russia after all the sighting reports… But before we could intervene, the entire world was overwhelmed. Humanity was becoming extinct…

“Harry, search for another frequency,” the sergeant said with little hope in his voice. “Satellite’s still up so… We can just hope someone hears us.”

“Yes, sir!” the radio operator said, scanning for a lock on any random transmission.

“Just our luck, eh, Sarge?” a small yet focused soldier asked, smirking ironically and cutting down three small creatures that were dashing towards their position from the pitch black emptiness. In the red flare light, the narrow Parisian alley looked like it was fading into the vastness of space. Only the bloody horizon could be seen beyond that… and the demonic forms, horned or winged or spiked, emerging from the darkness. “The sky is clear for once and we can’t evac”, the young man added and yelled “Suck it, bitches!” standing up and firing a grenade from the rifle’s launcher mod. 

The alley lit up from the explosion, revealing smaller, more agile devils, clinging to the walls of the buildings left and right.

“God help us,” the sergeant muttered at the hellish sight.

Seems, until then, we DID co-exist in some sort of harmony. Monsters of the night we were, but we were their monsters, and they our fearing humans…

“Sarge, I got something!” Harry yelled, raising the radio microphone in the air in a victorious gesture.

The large commander grabbed it immediately and the words rushed out of his mouth like a mantra that he repeated over and over before:

“This is sergeant Ezekiel Chase of the Delta Tango team! We are under attack – all other the teams have failed to hold position and we are about to lose ours! Paris is lost! I repeat: Paris is LOST! We require IMMEDIATE evac! Please, whoever receives this, help-“

“Tell your team to take cover, sergeant. We are locking onto your position in… 6, 5, 4, 3, 2-“

“Everyone hit the ground!” Zeke yelled and they all hit the ground, in the middle of the reinforced nest, as a bright light and a quake shook the entire street. A split second after, the boom of the explosion shattered all the windows of the houses nearby and concrete debris fell from the rooftops. 

Zeke shook his head and through the blurry distorted vision he could make out Harry’s face calling his name.

“Sarge! Sarge get up!” he cried out, looking excited and terrified at the same time. Adrenaline was pumping through his veins at an alarming rate. “Sarge, I hear a chopper! Get up!”

The sergeant stood up with effort. The propeller of the helicopter sounded like it moved in slow motion and it didn’t seem like it was coming for them – it was just hovering 50 meters away from them, above the alley.

“What are they waiting for?!” he screamed, shaking involuntarily one of his soldiers. “Hey! We’re here!” Zeke added, waving his arms frantically. 

The two side panels of the large chopper opened and four small objects fell down. For a moment it was just dark, but then they ignited into bright white beacons. The sergeant grabbed the radio:

“What are you waiting for, damn it? It’s clea-“ his words stuck in his neck, he tried to swallow the dust he had inhaled from the explosion. Beyond the white lights, at least half a dozen Behemoths were advancing towards their position and their M16 rifles seemed useless against the tusked beasts.

“Keep calm, sergeant,” the voice beyond the transmission said reassuringly. “Take your team and fall back 100 meters-“

“Sir, that is a terrible choice for the L.Z. The plaza is in the open. There’s no-“ Zeke tried to protest.

“The plaza is clear! Move your team now, soldier!” 

“How can he-?” Harry asked puzzled, looking at the pitch black darkness. 

“It doesn’t matter! We don’t have any choice!” the commander said and gestured his team to fall back. “Move!”

No, our humans, our planet, our rules… There were forces there, beyond the fabric of reality, that no man could match. But they made one mistake: they forgot we’re here too!

The chopper turned for a moment and six silhouettes leapt out. In mid air, Zeke saw as he was covering his team’s retreat, they changed, growing into huge monsters, landing on all fours. He watched, frozen in awe, the heavily armored werewolves. The white one, who seemed to lead them, howled and they dashed into the darkness. A hand shook his shoulder, pulling him back; it was Harry: “Come on, Sarge! We have to get out of here!”

They both dashed for the plaza where the chopper hovered a meter above the ground. Through the door, a man in a dark military uniform leaned and extended an arm. He recognized the voice: “Come on, soldier! We’re late!” He smiled and his small sharp fangs gave him away, if not his unnatural blue eyes screamed monster.

“Wh-who are you people? What are you?!” Zeke yelled, hesitating.

The man leaned a bit more, holding out the arm: “A.D.! Now get in! We need to go!”

The sergeant pondered the offer for a moment, but he saw his entire team strapping in behind the man in black. He grabbed the arm and felt like a feather when he was pulled in with surprising ease. The door slammed behind him and the helicopter rose quickly.

“What about those guys out there?!” he screamed at the man through the noise of the propeller. “Your team!”

“They’ll be fine!” the man shouted back, still smirking.

“Not to seem ungrateful, sir!... But who are you?! What’s A.D.?! Did command send you?!”

The man patted his shoulder and shook his head: “No, soldier! We’re Armageddon Division! We’re here to save your sorry butts!” 

Zeke watched in shock as the man chuckled, fixating on his fangs. His terrified glance turned to his team who also seemed nervous. 

“Look!” the vampire shouted and pointed out the window at the white lit alley. 

As he looked down, he couldn’t help but burst into laughter; the werewolf squad was ripping through flesh like it was paper. The armored white werewolf was standing on a pile of dead demon corpses, holding one’s head up at the chopper. 

“Have to say” Zeke told the vampire “you’re about the last creatures we’d have expected to rescue us!”

The bloodsucker nodded back at him: “We’ll take it back, don’t worry! We’ll take it ALL back!”

Creative today

I wanna rip you to shreds
And kiss all the pieces
Spread on the bed
Of vices and excess,
And I'll make ammends,
My violet princess.
But first... I'll rip you to shreds.


Would make some pretty cool lyrics, don't you think?

Crux: Absolution - Part 7

Arlo ran ahead by herself, leading the throng of armed creatures back to their boats. Behind her, the lycanthropes and the other shape shifters followed in their beast forms, some carrying the ones who couldn’t keep up the pace. Andrew rode on Nom’s back and Thomas tried to hang on to Ash, but had a hard time doing it. He barely knew how to ride a horse, let alone a giant wolf that mostly leapt than actually ran. The vampires followed closely but didn’t overtake the beasts mostly out of respect for this type of group organization; in reality, some of them could easily outmatch their speed.

“Oh, no…” she muttered while realizing that the mountain pass was closed, but then also pondered about how Nom and his people reached Genesis.

“Go right!” Andrew shouted. “Nom knows an another way through!”

She nodded at him and went in the indicated direction, running along the mountain wall. For a second she thought she is imagining things, but when the stone vibrated a second time, she looked behind. The rocks came out of the mountain and slid back in just like a wave, with something advancing inside the giant peak. It passed her at an incredible speed and some yards away it sprung out like a baby from a womb, without leaving any trace of its passing. She expected the stone to explode and massive clouds of dust and pulverized snow to rise, but the creature delicately parted the wall and walked out elegantly on four giant hooves.

The entire Bastion army stopped in its tracks as Esseriss strode out carrying a Fallen with eyes like sapphires glowing in the azure light. The air smelled like fresh soil as a breeze blew Maar’s long hair to the side and reached the group, and Arlo was the only one to step forward and speak.

“You’re blocking the way. Shouldn’t you be somewhere else right now?” she asked with a hint of irony in her voice.

“She tends to do that,” Maar replied, dismounting and walking towards the half-angel.

“I was addressing you, my dark cousin. Isn’t there a Nilithar you’re supposed to protect?”

“The girl is safe, don’t worry. She…” he said jerking his head towards the horse-elemental “wanted me to come here. Why that is, I’m not sure I understand.”

Arlo turned her crimson gaze towards Esseriss and bowed her head and flexed a knee in something that resembled a curtsey.

“Greetings, ancient earth-spirit! Arlo Bloodfire is honoured by your presence.”

And well-met to you, young half-angel. I came with this Fallen one to warn you of great danger! Esseriss said melodically, while her crystal eyes reflected light arrows in all directions. Although it is a terrible thing to ask, I must request that you do not join the battle of Enoch…

“What?!” Thomas exclaimed. “But they will be overrun!” he added extending his hands in Arlo’s direction. “There’ll be a massacre!”

That is indeed a strong possibility, human. But not joining the conflict would mean less victims, less death for the demons to feed on. The dark ones are led by a one who feeds on destruction. The more die, the more powerful he will become.

“I cannot stand idly while innocents are slaughtered!” Arlo shouted, her eyes burning red.

What of the mechanical ones? Aren’t they innocent, half-angel? Esseriss asked.

“She does have a point,” Maar said miserably.

“And you?” Arlo questioned him. “Were you brought here to convince us to keep away?”

He was brought here to make a choice.

“Yes, you keep saying that,” Maar growled. “But you never told me what are my choices.”

Andrew fell to the ground, looking as white as the snow.

“Drew! Drew!” Thomas shouted, shaking him wildly.

“I’m okay…” the mage whispered as a circle formed around him.

“No,” said Ash. “No, you’re not, lad.”

Arlo looked at them then back at the elemental guardian and Maar with anger in her eyes.

“I have no more time to waste here! I don’t care for your prophecies and foreshadowing - we need to leave NOW! So do yourselves a favor and get out of the way!”

Arlo! - the telepathic voice made her jump.

“Tesla?” she asked out loud.

Yes, it’s me. Just listen: do not engage my people. I know how we can solve this. Keep the army away from the Meka!

“But they will be the ones leading the siege on Enoch. I can’t allow that to happen!”

Please, trust me with this. Flank the Fallen army and I will deal with the siege! Go now!

She just stood there, completely blank. The faith of the entire world depended on her choice. Her crimson gaze locked with Maar’s, pleading for an answer. She was feeling the full weight of the burden he carried with him for time immemorial.

“What was the message?” the blue-haired warrior asked calmly.

“…He said we must not attack the Meka, but the Fallen instead. This is horrible!”

“These are my choices, Esseriss? To tell her to attack one or the other?”

You’re fighting skills are not more impressive than your wisdom, young one. But there’s also a third choice: not to enter the battle at all. Whatever you decide, you must act quickly. I will support you all the way, as I am bound by my oath of loyalty.

Maar watched the broken half-angel, then his electric gaze scanned the entire contingent of ragged souls. They looked discouraged and already broken. And then there was those two humans… What were they doing on this plane?

“Hold,” he replied to Esseriss and joined the group tending the mage. He appeared truly ill, pale as one could get with his veins surfacing and turning purple and thin. “What’s wrong with him?” he asked Thomas.

“Drew somehow got us here to help your cause, but he has no anchor to his earhly body. It’s dying and destroying his projected spirit in the process.”

“So… he’s some sort of magician?”

“A wizard, yes. “

“Then he feeds on magic. Just like a vampire would feed on human essence.”

“I think so. I don’t fully understand his spiritual metabolism…”

“I do!” he growled and crouched next to the ill mage, taking his hand and putting it against his own chest. “Feed then, friend.”

Without even realizing he could do it, or even wanting to, flashes of blue light shot forth from the Nephalem and became absorbed by Drew, in the rhythm of his increasing heartbeats. The light rushed through his veins, making them shine like a complicated iridescent exoskeleton. In but moments, the wizard felt like a pure adrenaline had been shot directly into his bloodstream. With great effort, Maar removed his hand and stumbled back, looking quite dizzy, under the surprised eyes of everyone present.

“Wow!” said Drew. “That was amazing! Thank you so much!”

“Don’t mention it,” the Nephalem replied and turned to Esseriss. “Now everyone’s ready. Let’s do this before there’s no need for me to act.”

Have you decided?

“I did. And I choose neither. We will do this right. Listen up!” he ordered the mass of troops. “I am Maar of the Fallen Nephalem! And I’ve been fighting for so long to fulfill the prophecy of the Nilithar, I forgot what this was all about. It’s about freedom! It’s about casting aside all those who wish to control us! …I refuse to be controlled any longer! And I refuse to pick an option the Universe throws at me! That’s why, right now, we will march to Enoch and hit the ones that who really deserve it!”

“Wait a damn second!” Nom interceded. “I lead Bastion and none of these men and women will follow you just like that. What makes you believe I would even consider following a Fallen Nephalem?”

 “Because,” Maar replied smiling. “When I said ‘we’ I didn’t mean your people, nobble one. I plan to go avoid all unnecessary combat - I need a few volunteers with me to help the Nilithar. If Innanna is freed, there will be no need for bloodshed. Arlo! You come with me! I’ll need you to hold off your brethren. They must not attack the Fallen.”

“Yes,” she said confused but happy with his plan. “Sounds good.”

“Good! Whoever else wishes to join us, is welcome to do so!”

“We’re with you,” Drew said and acknowledged the nod Thomas shared with him.

“We’re coming too,” Ash grumbled, poked by Mona.

“Then I will join as well,” Nom said silently. “I can’t have any of Bastion’s people fight our battle while I just watch.”

A loud rumble came from the army behind. Shouts of disapproval and concern overwhelmed the group. Maar stepped and and rose his hands in the air.

“Stop! Hear me out! This is the best plan we have!”

“No way we’re standing idle while Nom fights!” came a shout.

“Yes! We will not let him battle alone! I want to come too!” shouted another one.

“Looks like another puzzle,” Drew told Maar, joining him. “But consider this: why don’t you split the troops?”

“He’s right, Thomas confirmed. We can go in, secret agent style, while Nom leads the bulk of troops on a diferent front. Or at least stand by as back-up.”

“You are wise, warrior. Are you a strategist on Earth?” Maar asked.

“No,” Drew responded for Thomas with a smile on his lips. “But he’s the best damn chess player I’ve seen. You should consider his advice.”

“Very well then!” the Fallen said decisively. “Nom, you will lead your men to Enoch and observe the outcome of our effort. If needed be, attack the demon. We will go straight in.”

“No offense, lad,” Ash interrupted. “But how are we going through the blockade? There be your people, the Meka and the High who I’m sure won’t just open up their gates just to let us run in.”

“We’re not going through,” Maar said with a playful smile on his lips and jerked his chin at Esseriss: “We’re going under!”

Crux: Absolution - Part 4

Tesla observed how his ragged and colourful army was being armed and prepared for the upcoming conflict. In a short period of time, the Genesis weapon depot managed to fulfil the needs of over five hundred mixed vampires, were kin and a few other creatures he did not know how to call, but the irony of providing the means to fight his own people did not slip past the green-eyed Meka. If he had a mouth and fully functioning lungs, he would sigh deeply in sorrow.

Arlo presented herself to him and reported that everyone was ready for the journey back to Enoch, but that wasn’t an accurate statement. He knew he needed to guarantee the safety of the Meka and their legacy before everything else.

“I need to… do something first” he told her.

“I mean no offence, dear friend, but we’re running out of time. The battle will surely start before we arrive, so we need to hurry as it is…”

“Go on ahead then,” Tesla said confidently. “There’s no need to wait for me – I will catch up with you, don’t worry.”

“How will you do that?”

“I’ll find a way. Go now! Lead them back to Enoch! I will meet you there.”

Arlo took a knee and looked the small metallic creature in those giant eyes of his. Hers would show concern, but she put on a brave face and hugged him tightly.

“Don’t worry” she whispered. “We will win this. I promise I will do my best not to harm your brethren.”

He bobbed his head in agreement and returned in the belly of the mountain. The shadows and silence felt discouraging but he pushed on, going through the mazes and tunnels and circular passageways that led deeper and deeper inside Genesis. As he descended, the blue stripe of light illuminating the way and leading him to the heart of the city became thinner and thinner, until nothing but a string remained that slid under a vault door. Tesla triggered the mechanism and four iridescent crystals came out of the walls on both sides. He thought for a moment and then ran his three-fingered hand over them in a chaotic pattern. Something clicked, then the motors behind the locks activated and the door slid up into the ceiling, revealing a dark room. The thin light was not enough to show anything that may have been hiding in the darkness.

“State your name” a metallic voice demanded when Tesla entered the room.

“Tesla the Seeker” he answered.

“State your position” another voice asked, in a melodic way.

“Tolgarim of Enoch” the answer came again.

There was a pause and then four massive diamond-shaped crystals started glowing powerfully enough to reveal every detail of the steel chamber. Between crystals was a large metal egg with cables and pipes leading upwards into a convex ceiling. The room was oval and the walls were polished to perfection, reflecting everything like mirrors.

“You should not be here” hummed a third crystal in a deep voice.

“I am aware of that, great Ohm. Yet I had no choice. Our race faces extinction and I had to come.”

“Extinction you say?” the first crystal asked. “Explain this to us, Tesla the Seeker.”

“There is no time. Scan the city yourself and you will find no trace of Meka. Something has happened in my absence; the Galileo Council is no more and someone is manipulating our people into war against the High Nephalem.”

“He is right” the second crystal sang. “There is no Meka in Genesis.”

“How can this come to pass?” the third asked. “Can you tell us?”

“There is no time!” Tesla repeated. “I came to activate… the Epsylon function.”

“Preposterous!” Ohm boomed. “You do not possess even half the wisdom a Galileo Councilman would require for such a thing!”

“True. Which is why I am suggesting an alternative approach.”

“And what is that, youngling?” the first crystal asked.

“I would require access and control over a single project of my own. One that would ensure the safety of Genesis and our race from now on. I seek no other influence over your area of activity, noble Amper.”

“Even if we were to consider such a proposition, who is to say that you are correct? Our people may overcome these complications. Assuming your analysis is right, our purpose is to learn and evolve. Considering that the Meka will perish, our conscience will go on and-“ the second crystal said.

“You are wrong!” Tesla finally snapped, not able to contain his feelings any longer. “This city has been breached, our brethren have been slain! And you continue this futile argument with no reason whatsoever! We NEED the Epsylon activated now, Morse!”

“Your time among the Nephalem has altered you, Tesla the Seeker” Ohm replied. “You are no longer capable of cold logical thought. You are not being rational, but emotional… This was not your purpose in the city of Light.”

“To hell with your rational thinking! Do you think the ones seeking to destroy us care if we’re logical or not? The issue is a simple one: accept my request or wait for the inevitable outcome!”

“We will ignore this outburst” Amper said and paused for a second then continued as all three crystals seemed to glow at the same time much brighter. “…And your request. This is a matter that needs to be analysed in depth. Probabilities must be calculated before we could consider such a bold suggestion.”

“Then analyse yourselves to death!” Tesla replied bitterly. “I’ll go and try to save what’s left of our people!” he added and turned to walk away, but a fourth voice spoke in a female tone.

“Stop! Tesla the Seeker will be permitted to take a place among us!”

“Gamma, we can’t grant such an honour to one so young. Be him a Tolgarim…” Morse said.

“Young or not, he is right. We will deal with eventual functionality issues along the way if we must. For now, we must ensure that the Meka survive. That is and always was our priority, or have you forgotten, brothers?”

“No, you are right, Gamma” Amper agreed. “Very well, we shall honour your demand, Tesla. What is the name of your project?”

The mechanical creature turned and looked at the crystal and stared in awe as the metal-shaped egg opened in half, releasing a cloud of steam. He bowed his head towards the fourth crystal and answered to Amper:

“My project is called Defender. And I am ready to submit it.”

“Then step inside and be welcome among us” Gamma said.

“Thank you, wise one” Tesla answered as he walked inside the machine.

All light in Genesis died that instant. And a new one was born, more powerful than any of the physical creations of the Meka.