HUMP DAY UPDATE

If I'm silent, I'm doing something worth my focus. Trust. It's a #amwriting thing.
— Author R. T. II (@RT2Presents) February 18, 2015

That's pretty much it when it comes to me. I have a tendency to get really silent, but I will continue to keep this blog updated periodically, so fret not.

I was really expecting Elsa to 'Let It Go' with the winter storm... but all we got was a bunch of rain and ice. Oh well.

I was approached a few days back by some who purchased my first novel, and wanted it signed. Felt nice, it made me think about my future if I keep on the path.
 
I have been working on several manuscripts (one being in the Shadow Genesis series) and a few others from Slumgarde, The Multiverse, Wingless, and Slicka. Shadow Genesis: Inception is looking to get proofread, and I'm currently waiting on that trial edit batch to be emailed. So while that is being looked at, I keep busy elsewhere.

Enjoy your Hump Day.

SUNDAY - SUNDAY - SUNDAY

Mini Update

Since I'm gunning for getting my manuscript proofread and all that good stuff, I've been setting up the rest of Shadow Genesis after Inception. Also toying around in Illustrator and Photoshop. I'll reveal what I've been meddling with soon.

PROOFREADING ROUTE & POSSIBLE PUBSLUSH

#ShadowGenesis Inception's #wordcount has dropped to 103,818, and dropping. I do recall saying I wanted to decrease to 100,000 didn't I?
— Author R. T. II (@RT2Presents) February 8, 2015

I aim to drop it to 100,000 or less while retaining the story's meat and potatoes. Recently I sent in a sample to this one online proofreading and editing service called Proofreading Services.Com

Given the size of my manuscript, the editing prices are greater than a paycheck. In fact, last I ever seen an amount like that (in the $1,000+ range) was when I self-published my first novel (my gift and my curse). I pulled two jobs to pull that off, paying in large monthly installments while also paying bills and stuff.


Luckily, I was making decent bank every Friday back in those days... good times.

A friend mentioned Pubslush, a platform for authors looking to crowdfund their projects (promote before you publish). The cash of course can go to settling an editor and other things too, and reading the FAQ plus reviews, I am still on the fence, for various reasons. I am still trimming and making little edits of my own before making the next move, and there are other situations popping off life wise, but in due time my second book will be ready.

UPDATE: STEADY GOING - PATIENCE

Steady with the tweaking. I figured this would be a short comb over on manuscript (killing overused words, sentence changes, etc.), but it’s taking longer than predicted. No problem there, however I cannot hammer this manuscript forever and ever. That will just throw me in another stall out, which will keep my reboot from ever getting out (Worse Case Scenario).

There shall be no worse case scenarios.

SG 3RD DRAFTED & PURPLE KNOWLEDGE

At last I am done with Shadow Genesis: Inception's 3rd draft.

Wait, wait I feel I need to do a little comb over of changes to the first half. Nothing major, just tiny adjustments here and there.

I notice when I was revising into the endings of my story, I feel like the beginnings are not up to snuff compared to the second half of the manuscript. When I mean second half, I mean half of the story towards its end. What's previously done seems old and I get the urge to go back and refresh the starting portion. Call it a hammer down after a hammer down.

After this, off to next phase.

Earlier I also updated the cover. The last versions were just the start of this result, and the previous two before this one did not look as great compared to this. The text is readable and the colors match Shadara realm's atmosphere in which the story takes place. Plus the colors also represent a bit Shadaran sovereignty, the black, purples, and silver are actual royal colors.

Something not many know - and despite me being teased about loving purple - purple is the most compelling color of the rainbow (taste it, love it), and has its origins and symbolism that I've looked up for a long while. Enough to actually deem the color purple perfect for my original character, Shadow Khan himself. As for purple, it use to be a color of royals (look it up) and was a rare color back in the long-long days. It was also pulled from shellfish back then (look that up too, if you like). It may not be as it use to be nowadays with the color, but it still symbolizes nobility and so forth. This is still effective today across the globe.

Combine all there is about purple from its origins to now, you will notice how prominent of a color it is. You can find it in magic, spirituality, creative aspects and then some. Aside from just royalty and virtue (looking it up yet?), there are chalk full of meanings to look into. It's all about the wisdom of it, different customs, ages, cultures, you name it. Purple has both a positive and negative meaning, which I aim to incorporate in a few things within the Shadow Khan Project (or universe as I also put it).

So much for purple being a 'Lame Color', eh?

NEAR COMPLETE

Shadow Genesis: Inception – 3^rd Draft 98.5%

 

Yeah, a 98 and a half, because I'm goofy like that.

 

I am near complete with the 3rd draft of SG:I but I want to triple check a few things. A few events need a tiny redo, small edits,  and some ideas that call for said tiny remakes.

 

 

Meanwhile, worked up another map of Shadara. This clipped portion is the eastern lands of Shadara, Darkgear, which most of the reboot takes place in. South is Murkshroud (located beneath the Jendhe region), which is also Darkgearian controlled. Those who have read Shadow Genesis Volume I: Preludes of War should be familiar with a few names shown on this map, but this map is also a revision and part of Shadow Genesis: Inception.

As for map size, will put it this way: Traveling from Jendhe to Gameka is no hop skip. It takes around 796 miles walking. That's up to 260 hours. There are of course alternate methods of transportation, given that the world of Shadara is going through an era of Magitek. You heard me correctly. Magic and Machines are one in Shadara. Trust I got a lot of back lore for that one.

And that is it for today's update.

 

 

TUESDAY UPDATE: Wingless & The Instagram Life

I've been working on a butt load of projects. I still remember those I've written in old notebooks (some salvaged and used for major projects) and now I juggle five by the weeks with one above all.

Some posts back I revealed Project # 4 now titled Slumgarde. At the moment it is on first draft just like the others and now a fifth project has taken its place.

Project Wingless (Title Pending)

In the world of the winged, bedlam approaches.

Leona Snowsong, a wingless Dovekin of the Ave race, is wanted by the Ave Angelics of Avios Plane. Once a hunter now protector, Hawker Rynnick Ironsquall turns against the demands of the Angelics to defend Leona and the truth behind her rare existence. Now they roam the realm of Terra below in effort to keep ahead of the hunt.

For the Angelics must not claim the wingless.

This project has been in limbo for awhile until now, for there was another contending against it. I try to keep everything controlled in project numbers (for I can birth a bunch in a minute...literally) managed in my creative writing world while staying committed to the long awaited revival of Shadow Genesis. So far so good. It is an amusing wonder as to how I do it all.

Sometimes I wonder...about a few things in terms of my talents.



 Meanwhile in the social networking world:


There are uncountable numbers in the Instagram Likes World. I have one, and I usually just post photos of random stuff if not just me (nothing conceited compared to those who are) and it is mainly a mobile media-sharing service that enables people to snap photos and videos and share over a social networking platform. One can connect to Facebook, Tumblr (which I hardly use now), and Twitter to name a few. I can say this app is a photographer's toy, especially one who also graphic designs (artists and such like me and the rest), and one can do some neat little enhancements with the filters Instagram has.

Everybody loves taking pictures. Same goes for getting 'Likes'.

Which comes to this neat little video by a good friend of mine, Das Johnson, called
Instagram LiKES in REAL LiFE. A soft-comedic spin that takes the whole Instagram trend to a more...real life spectrum so to say. Give this video your time and have a little chuckle. Leave a comment or so and share it around with your buddies!

LITTLE MONDAY UPATE

Little Update on my works:

Shadow Genesis: Inception – 3^rd Draft 98%

MULTIVERSE – 1^st Draft 15%

Slicka – Graphic Novel Script 15%

Slumgarde – 1^st Draft 5%

Project Wingless (Title Pending) – 1^st Draft Work In Progress

Keeping myself busy.