Halloween 2014 Part 2

Last post, I talked about my Halloween plans. How did the actual day go? Pretty good. I got a lot of compliments on my Star Trek uniform. Quite a few LLAP salutes and a few "It's a good thing you didn't wear a red shirt" comments, as well. It seems quite a few people on base are Star Trek fans, or at least know of it. A few people asked me from which Star Trek it was from, and I proudly said Star Trek Into Darkness. Say what you want, I love that movie.

As for the costume itself, I love it. The tunic is more green than I expected, but I know it is dyed to the actual colors used by the film crew and actors. Studio lights and camera filters can change colors, so the uniform appears much more gold on screen. It fit almost perfectly, the arms were just a tad long but it was perfect around the chest. The Khan undershirt (a black tunic with a black-filled delta shield on it) fit perfectly out of the box and I will most likely wear it as a regular undershirt. The command badge from QMX is excellent. But I'm curious about one thing: if their TNG and DS9 badges can have magnetic backs that don't cause holes in the fabric, why can't their Into Darkness line of badges do as well? I'm glad the badges use two pins to secure it, but I hate putting holes in my tunic. Those quibbles aside, the tunic is perfect. This is my first full tunic from Anovos, a company I love and I have bought many of their side products. Their attention to detail and quality on these products is outstanding and worth the price. This is the first uniform I bought from them and I'm glad I did.

Speaking of, I have fulfilled a dream of mine. I have always wanted a screen accurate high quality Star Trek uniform. I always thought my uniform would be the Monster maroon from Star Trek II-VI. Maybe a TNG suit. But with this tunic, I have gotten what I wanted. The last thing needed is to buy the pants, but honestly, a pair of black slacks (which is what I used for Halloween) is not much different. The other uniform I would like to get is the TNG uniform used in First Contact and Nemesis.

Back to Halloween. While I was biking to work, wearing my tunic underneath my jacket, I was nervous. I thought maybe wearing costumes to work was an elaborate prank on me by the staff. Yes, I am that paranoid. But when I saw a few fellow staffers in costume, I felt better. When the first customers saw me, I got nervous again. Maybe wearing this wasn't a good idea, I thought. Besides, the majority of the staff weren't in costume and none of our customers were either, despite this being Halloween. I thought at least some of the students from school would come to the store in costume but none did. The longer I wore it, however, and the more compliments I got, the more confident I became. Who cares? It's Halloween and I'm a Trekker, I thought. My nervous returned went I had to leave my work building for lunch, but I remained confident.

That taught me a bit of a lesson. Cosplayers have to be confident. You really put yourself out there with the quality of your costume and, to a bigger part, your costume of choice. You are telling the world which characters you love, and by association, the traits and charateristics they embody. I like Kirk. I wish I had his courage and ingenuity. And his confidence. But for a few hours on Halloween, I had a little more than usual.



P.S. I completely forgot to mention that I took second place at the employee costume contest at work!

Halloween 2014

Kirk is back on! It seems I will indeed be getting my Captain Kirk Star Trek Into Darkness tunic after all. There is a bit of a story behind it, so here goes.

After learning that we can wear a Halloween costume to work on that day, I thought it might be fun. My first instinct was to go as Khan from Star Trek Into Darkness. The shirt was the cheapest thing from Anovos, plus it seemed cool for everyday wear, nothing too signifying that it was Trek. But two things made me change my mind. First off, I can't pull off Benedict Cumberbatch's British accent, and second was that most people wouldn't know who I was. Just a guy in a black shirt and black pants. So I decided to go with Chris Pine's Kirk, although I'm not dying my hair blonde. But the price of the tunic was a bit much, and I spent all day going back and forth on it. Part of me really wanted it, but another part wondered how much I would really use it. There was Halloween this year, but I'm also planning a trip to America next year to meet members of the 1701st Fleet. I'm pretty sure I can wear it there. And I'll likely wear it to the premiere of Star Trek XIII in 2016. Plus at home to geek out when I watch Trek. So, yeah, it will be more than a one-time wear. That justified me getting it. I got home, went to the website and...discovered it didn't have my size, which is small. While I had been browsing the site during lunch, I never really looked at the sizes. But now, at home, I realized the medium would be too big. After psyching myself up all day, I couldn't buy it.

But Anovos has two ways to order depending on which link you click. You can order via the individual product page, or just go to the page listing their Star Trek stuff and order via drop down menus. I discovered that the individual product page for Kirk's tunic stated that small was sold out. But the drop down menus on the Star Trek products link had small as availible. Not sure what was going on, I left a message on their Facebook page about the discrepency and went to bed.

The next morning before work, being the OCD guy I am, I checked the Kirk tunic again. No small, still the ordering discrepency. I didn't want to order via the drop down menu and risk the size being backordered and not having it arrive in time for Halloween. Spock's tunic was sold out of small as well. That left Scotty. I like him, and the Simon Pegg version of him is growing on me. I quite didn't want to order a red shirt, for fear of all the 'Red Shirt' jokes out there, but at this point the bug to get an authentic Trek costume had gotten hold. I ordered the Scotty tunic, the Khan undershirt (which was availible in small), and the engineering badge. I went through the whole process, clicked the button, and bought the items. I received my order confirmation email.

About half an hour later, I received another email from Anovos. This person said he had seen my post on their Facebook Page, and that they had just received a shipment of Kirk small tunics in that morning. That was the reason for discrepency on the website. He then stated that, although I had ordered Scotty, he would be willing to switch out the tunic and badge for Kirk's, complete with command badge, which by the way, the site said only three remained. I was very surprised by this and immediately emailed him back, saying I would appreciate it if he did. He was doing this because this is what I had originally wanted. I thought this was great of Anovos. I had already ordered and paid for my Scotty set. They could have simply said to themselves, "Tough luck, he should have waited. He already ordered." But they didn't. They went out of their way to make sure I had gotten what I had originally wanted. But the drama doesn't quite end there.

Tuesday morning my time, I asked a Marine how long it takes for packages to ship to Iwakuni base. I am shipping my Kirk tunic there because it was much cheaper than sending it to my Japanese address: $12 versus $38. He said about a month or two. What?! That is way past Halloween, the prime time to wear it. Panicked, I emailed Anovos for an estimated delivery date while I searched the FAQs on USPS about military mail. I discovered that Parcel Post Military takes 30-45 days, but Priority Mail Military takes about a week. Anovos sends via Priority. And I received an email this morning saying the estimated delivery date is around October 20. In plenty of time for Halloween.

I now have a costume to wear to work on Halloween day (I know I'm working that day) and an authentic high quality Trek costume, which I have always wanted. I really appreciate Anovos for going that extra step to ensure their customer was happy. As a sales associate, I know customers aren't always easy, but this company helped me out.

As a side note, I'm more excited about this Halloween than usual. A lot of it probably has to do with the tunic I'm getting, but working on the base, it is nice to see the Halloween culture again. It is not really celebrated here in Japan, although a few restaurant chains will run Halloween-themed foods. Yoko and I always give Halloween candy to the kids on our floor. This year, along with them, we gave bags of candy to her basketball club girls as well. They won a big game, and they and their parents had a dinner party to celebrate. Whenever we give candy, I try to find candy they don't have in Japan. Since this is Halloween, I found gummy candy in the shape of an eyeball, brain, severed fingers, ears, and feet. The taste is normal gummy candy but the look is something they don't have at all here in Japan. I hope they enjoy it.

How about my readers? What are your Halloween plans?

Book Review: From The Magical Mind Of Mindy Munson by Nikki Bennett

Official synopsis from Firedrake Books: "Every house has a history. This House has a mystery. When the orphaned Munson kids move with their aunt to The House, Mindy Munson discovers strange creatures living there already. Ghosts. Dragons. Leprechauns. And a scary Thing lurking in the basement. Mindy’s older sister Susie is determined to find out where these creatures came from and why they’re living in the Munson’s house. With the help of the next-door neighbors and an old lady named Mrs. Wemberley, Susie, Mindy and their brothers unravel The House’s amazing secrets. And along the way, they discover some incredible secrets about themselves.”

I will say, this isn’t a book I would normally read. But I’m glad I did. As I went along the largely plot-less novel, it reminded me of something I had watched, but it took a moment to remember what it was. Then it hit me: My Neighbor Totoro. Like that famous and lovable film, this book is a celebration of being a kid. These vignettes, as the kids investigate the unnatural things in their home, perfectly capture the wonder and innocence of children:from being amazed at the view from atop a tree to being scared of spiders under the bed to wondering just how old their old lady babysitter is. Bennett had a knack for kids and she perfectly captured their dialogue and nuances, I could hear kids talking like this.

While the book is almost a series of vignettes, there is a through line, the continuing problem of Susie trying to come with terms about her parents’s death. It doesn’t overshadow the story nor make it dark, but I liked that the thread was continually picked up and tied into the main narrative. I feel the book would have been lessened without having it in there, as characters in most stories need to grow, as these kids do.

This is a quick read for adults but will be quite enjoyable for younger readers, or a great bedtime story. All in all, a magical book.

Book Review: Voice Of The Mirror by John Paul Catton

Voice Of The Mirror is the second volume in the Sword, Mirror, Jewel trilogy. This time traveling adventure picks up shortly after the events of the first book. Here is the official synopsis from Excalibur Books: "Japanese-American teenager Reiko Bergman is hoping to get back to a normal life, after helping defeat the alien Kagetori in their attempt to steal one of the mysterious and unbelievably powerful Imperial Treasures of Japan.

Her hopes are dashed when the Nine Star Division, the branch of Japan’s police force that deals with otherwordly threats to the nation, inform Reiko she is involved in a Kagetori threat to sieze the second Imperial Treasure – the mystic mirror known as the Yata no Kagami. Not only that, Reiko learns of a secret two-hundred-year-old scroll relating the history of the mirror and its guardian; the half-Japanese warrior and shamaness known as … Reiko Bergman.

In a journey into the past to try to save the future, Reiko will experience mind-bending battles fighting the Kagetori alongside mythological creatures such as Tengu and Kitsune, but the strangest ally of all will be … herself.”

I really enjoyed the first volume and looked forward to this new entry. For the most part, I wasn’t disappointed. The book flips back and forth in time between Reiko Bergman in present day Tokyo and Reiko Furukawa of Edo-era Tokyo. Catton handled this quite well, making each chapter a separate point in time, and also keeping the same first-person POV in each chapter. Although both Reikos are the same person, each one has a distinct style of thinking and talking and this is reflected in the way Catton writes the chapters.

Even when the mirror characters from the two time periods meet near the end of the book, Catton deftly identifies each one and the reader is not left wondering which time-period version is talking. it could have been potentially confusing but I was able to keep track of everyone easily. Not a mean feat in a time-traveling story without strong visual cues such as those in movies.

The story is a little slow paced, mostly in Furukawa’s chapters. Things come together, however, near the end of the book and much of the earlier, slow-paced scenes make more sense. I would have liked to have seen more Ki usage from Reiko, since her and her friends basically became warriors at the end of Sword, perhaps a little more school life scenes as well. While Bergman is the main character, it feels a bit more like Furukawa’s book. I also wish Catton had described the established characters again; I had forgotten what they looked like.

The time travel and alternate worlds of the story are well done and interesting. Catton is also good at introducing bits of Japanese culture and mythology without slowing the story down or inserting too much of the author’s voice. The characters are well-crafted, especially a well-known Japanese artist (I don’t want to spoil the surprise) and the SF elements are great.

The trilogy so far feels very much like a manga or anime and is great at introducing Japanese culture to beginners. If you enjoyed the first book, this one is worth a read. It ups the stakes (and character count) and I wonder how the author will pull all these seemingly disparate elements together in the final book.

Happy Geekness Day!

July 13th is Embrace Your Geekness Day. As DaysOfTheYear.com states: "In an age of social media, mobile technology and gaming consoles, it’s impossible to avoid being just a little bit geeky. Don’t fight it; jump head first into Embrance Your Geekness Day and show the world how intelligent, technically savvy, and clever you really are!” I was invited by Sam Bowling of SingleHop.com to write a special blog post celebrating this great day.

Would I consider myself a geek? Yes I would. And I believe many people are geeks; they just don’t realize it or they refuse to call themselves that. What is a geek? What is a nerd? Are they the same? I think there is a difference, but the line between them is getting blurred. In my mind, a geek is someone who loves a thing, no matter what it is, with great passion. They are crazy about a show, or a comic, or a video game; something that catches their interest and hearts. Nerds, while also passionate, tend to be into ideas and practical or theoretical studies. Quantum mechanics, time travel. biology, computer programming, and the like. This article from the UK takes an interesting view. Again, it is my personal opinion, but I agree with the article: geeks love things and nerds love ideas. But the two terms are becoming intertwined, and maybe in a few years there will be no difference.

What makes me a geek? I’m a collector. I don’t have many interests, but what I am interested in, I’m deeply into. I love learning all about it. And if it has merchandise…my wallet better watch out. I love getting memorabilia and goods from some of my favorite TV shows and movies; which include Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Doctor Who, Castle, Sherlock, superheroes, and more. I love buying useful items that resemble things from these shows or are products from the show. I have a pen that resembles the Tenth Doctor’s sonic screwdriver, as well as replica Triad playing cards from BSG.

I believe one reason geeks love collecting things is the same reason sports fan collect sports stuff: it connects us with that reality and reminds us of the good times, even when we aren’t watching our favorite program or reading our favorite books. People love stories, and the genres of science fiction and fantasy offer fantastic other worlds to visit. And geeks want to hold on to those stories, those characters, just a little longer after the story ends. When a San Francisco 49ers fan is wearing a team jersey as he walks down the street, he is bringing a bit of the team with him. Their victories and defeats are there. It’s the same with writing with a sonic screwdriver pen or using a pizza cutter shaped like the Enterprise: we are carrying those stories of heroes, villains, love, and lost with us.

But for some reason, it is much more acceptable to wear a team jersey than it is a Starfleet uniform. Geeks and nerds are made fun of for their interests. But we shouldn’t. We have every right to proudly display our geekiness, just as every sports fan as their right to show their team spirit. But, as LeVar Burton always said on Reading Rainbow, you don’t have to take my word for it. Below are three of my favorite quotes about nerds, geeks, and our beloved but misunderstood culture.

“Being a geek is all about being honest about what you enjoy and not being afraid to demonstrate that affection. It means never having to play it cool about how much you like something. It’s basically a license to proudly emote on a somewhat childish level rather than behave like a supposed adult. Being a geek is extremely liberating.” - Simon Pegg

I believe that actor Will Wheaton described it best in a YouTube video that was filmed during one of his convention appearances. A female fan had recently had a baby and asked him to explain why it was so great to be a nerd. His answer was epic. "My name is Wil Wheaton. It’s 2013. And you’ve just recently joined us on planet Earth. So welcome. I’m an actor. I’m a writer. And I’m a dad. Your mother asked me to tell you why it’s awesome to be a nerd. That’s an easy thing for me to do because I am a nerd.

I don’t know what the world is going to be like by the time you understand this. I don’t what it’s going to mean to be a nerd when you are a young women. For me, when I was growing up, being a nerd meant that I liked things that were a little weird. That took a lot of effort to appreciate and understand. It meant that I loved science, and that I loved playing board games, and reading books, and really understanding what went on in the world instead of just riding the planet through space.

When I was a little boy, people really teased us about that, and made us feel like there was something wrong with us for loving those things. Now that I’m an adult, I’m kind of a professional nerd, and the world has changed a lot. I think a lot of us have realized that being a nerd … it’s not about what you love. It’s about how you love it.

So, there’s going to be a thing in your life that you love. I don’t know what that’s going to be … and it doesn’t matter what it is. The way you love that, and the way that you find other people who love it the way you do is what makes you a nerd. The defining characteristic of [being a nerd] is that we love things. Some of us love Firefly and some of us love Game Of Thrones, or Star Trek, or Star Wars, or anime, or games, or fantasy, or science fiction. Some of us love completely different things. But we all love those things SO much that we travel for thousands of miles … we come from all over the world, so that we can be around people who love the things the way that we love them.

That’s why being a nerd is awesome. And don’t let anyone tell you that that thing that you love is a thing that you can’t love. Don’t anyone ever tell you that you can’t love that, that’s for boys … you find the things that you love, and you love them the most that you can.

And listen: This is really important. I want you to be honest, honorable, kind. I want you to work hard. Because everything worth doing is hard. And I want you to be awesome, and I will do my very best to leave you a planet that you can still live on."

And those parts about being teased for being nerdy or that you shouldn’t like the things you do… Doctor Who actor John Barrowman has a great response to that as well. At a convention, during the Q and A session, a fan began her question with, “I’m sorry for being such a nerd...” He interrupted her and said: “Don’t ever apologize for being a nerd. Not here and not on the outside. Don’t ever apologize for being a nerd because the non-nerds never apologize for being dickheads.”

Being a nerd or a geek is about wholeheartedly embracing what you love and not having to apologize for it.

photo credit: whatmattdoes via photopin cc

Doctor Who: Fantastic Timey-Wimey Adventure

I don't have many interests. But what I do get interested in, I often get deeply into. My music tastes, for example, usually consist of Hello! Project, Jim Steinman songs, and soundtracks. I'm a Stephen King and Jeffery Deaver reader, although I occasionally read other authors. But it takes me a while to get into things. It's like my subconsconcious knows that, if it get interested in something, I'm really going to get into it, so it is picky. Because of this, I often enjoy shows and movies long after they are popular or have been around several years. I may have heard of them or been aware of them, but never really ventured into their territory.

That was the case with Doctor Who.

I first became aware of the show in my childhood, via the Intergalactic Trading Company catalogs. I used to scrounge through them, looking at the Star Trek merchandise I couldn't afford. They offered goods from all different SF shows in the early and mid 80s and I saw stuff from Doctor Who. It never caught my interest but I became aware of the name.

Fast forward to the present day. I'm a SF fan, my interests have broadened somewhat. I know enough about the Doctor to know he is a time traveling alien in a blue police call box. What? I'll pass, thank you. Give me the Enterprise any day. But after Star Trek had ended and I finished the reimagined Battlestar Galactica (I love that series) I wanted to try something different. I had heard the hoopla about Doctor Who returning to TV after a long hiatus. I knew that Stephen Moffat, the show runner and writer for another series I love, Sherlock, had worked on it. Plus, Christopher Eccelston, who I knew from the Nicolas Cage movie Gone In 60 Seconds and as Destro from G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra, starred in the first series. I like him and decided to give the show a shot.

I'm so happy I did.

It took a while to get into it. Here was the Doctor and Rose traveling billions of years in the future, witnessing the end of the Earth as the sun expanded. All that time and these spaceships have pipes billowing out steam? Where were the transporters and faster-than-light travel and stuff? Why did some aliens look like walking trees? Those first few episodes were rough, and I had to get used to the rules of this TV show, how its universe operated. And after I did, and accepted that this was how things operated on this show, I really began to enjoy it. If you want to watch the show, stick with the first series. It gets better.

I knew Eccelston left after only one series (each season is called a series and only lasts around 13-14 episodes) and I was sad to see him go. But David Tennant blew me away. He is by and large my favorite Doctor. The Doctor is a Time Lord who can regenerate after the end of his current life cycle. This is an interesting aspect that was written into the show after the First Doctor, William Hartnell, left the show but the producers wanted to keep it running. Instead of simply recasting the main character (as in Bewitched) they wrote in a narrative explanation. This regeneration process allows a completely new actor to be in the role yet they are all the same character. The writers were brilliant again in that each regeneration caused a personality change as well. The Doctor is still the Doctor, but each version allows a different side of him to come out. This give the writers freedom to explore the character and let the actors give their own spin on it. Each Doctor, by a combination of the writing and acting, is unique, and each fan has their own favorite.

The new series, which began in 2005, is split (by fans) into the Russell T. Davies era and the Stephen Moffat era. Davies was responsible for bringing the show back on the air. His tenure was focused more on Earth and Earth-based stories and a positive outlook on humanity. While there were some so-so episodes, and not many overarching plots, there were many standout episodes (Blink and Midnight being two of my favorites). After series 3, Davies left as executive producer and Moffat took over. I’d say his tenure is characterized by more SF elements and storytelling and much more interrelated overarching plots and recurring characters. But I would have to criticize that there weren’t that many standout singular episodes that I can recall. Moffat and Davies are wonderful writers, both had vivid imaginations. I like Moffat a lot, and many of his episodes will scare you.

This show is hard to describe to non-fans, but the longer you watch it, the more awesome this show becomes. Whovians (the term for Doctor Who fans) are a dedicated lot and I’m proud to count myself among them. If you have ever thought of giving this show a try, start with series one and stick with it. You’ll get hooked.

Allons-y!

Ukiyo-e

Sunday, Yoko and I went to a ukiyo-e exhibit at the Yamaguchi Museum of Art in Yamaguchi City. It was amazing to see the original works of pictures I have only seen in prints. I couldn’t believe that some of these were more than 300 years old.

Ukiyo-e means ‘pictures of the floating world’ and became popular in the 17th century. They aren’t drawings or traditional paintings, they are woodblock prints. Three people were often involved in the process: the artist who designed the print, the woodcutter who craved the wood, and the painter who inked and pressed the blocks onto paper. The most famous ukiyo-e print is Great Wave Off Kanagawa by Hokusai. I was delighted that I could see the actual original and not a reproduction.

These prints of the 17th century were aimed at the merchant class, who were experiencing great growth due to the Edo period’s rising economy. Common themes were of travel and scenery, beautiful women, plants and animals, and famous actors and sumo wrestlers. The actor and sumo wrestlers pictures were interesting, in that they are basically ancient versions of today’s pop star posters and trading cards. A ukiyo-e depicting famous actors in a play is like today’s movie posters.

There were many different styles represented. Some artists were bold and colorful, some vague and monochromatic. Some of the details were amazing, especially the depiction of kimono patterns. Looking at Hokusai’s sketchbook, I was amazed at the level of detail he did. It reminded me of comic artist George Perez, who was famous for squeezing as much detail as he could into backgrounds and such.

These works are housed at museums all around the world; I feel very fortunate I was able to see such an eclectic and historical gathering all in one place.

Ukiyo-e coffee at the museum cafe

Sequart

I’m now contributing to the site Sequart.org  It is devoted to promoting comic books (aka SEQUential ART) as a storytelling and visual art form. While the focus is on comics, many of the articles also focus on movies and geek culture. This isn’t necessarily a news site or a ‘what’s cool now’ site. Sequart tries to get below the surface and analyze comics from a multitude of angles. They also produce documentaries about comics and the people who make them. I highly recommend The Image Revolution documentary.

My article dealt with the much maligned film Green Lantern and how I felt its greatest flaw was a pair of weak villains. Check it out at the link below and leave comments.

http://sequart.org/magazine/43821/green-lantern-how-not-to-write-a-comic-book-movie-supervillain/

Book Review: Moonlight, Murder, and Machinery by John Paul Catton

This book is a alternate history/steampunk novel from the author of Voice Of The Sword. Here is the official synopsis from Goodreads: "Mary Godwin has a recurring dream of a young man and falls in love with him. She eventually meets him in real life. It sounds perfect - but the young man is one of His Majesty's Geomancers, and in the dream, she sees him shot dead in the line of duty... This is the year 1814 in the nation of Nova Albion, a land governed by Druidic law, powered by telluric energy from the national grid of standing stones, and under constant threat from the forces of the Thermidorian Convention across the Channel. Master Shelley is the youngest recruit to HMG, King James IV's counter-intelligence unit, and now the object of Mary's affections. He wants her to stay out of danger, but she wants him to stay alive - as he faces enemies of the Crown such as the highwayman Billy Barebones, the grotesque experiments of Dr. Andrew Ravenhill, and the shadowy agents of the Dodecahedron. Can Mary stop the events foretold in her nightmare from happening? Moonlight, Murder & Machinery is a Gothic re-imagining of the Frankenstein story, set in a Steampunk Regency England - where Steam has been outlawed …”

I enjoyed this book for the world building and mystery. Nova Albion and the world it inhabits was well thought out and detailed. With out getting too technical or overly descriptive, Catton was able to explain how things worked. This was somewhat surprising to me. In an old world that is married to today’s technology, I thought the explanations would be boring or silly. But they made sense and seemed plausible. The environs of London and York were vivid. As an American, I wish I had known more landmarks, it would have been interesting to see how Catton’s London compared to real London.

 The characters were unique and well-rounded (I loved that Americans were called Colonials), and the monsters were creepy, as they should be. If I had one problem, it would be the romance between Shelley and Mary. I had no problem with Mary and Shelley themselves, but it seemed their blooming romance was very platonic. This may be because the two spend very little time together on the same page. After Mary identifies Shelley from her nightmares, she becomes quite concerned for his safety. She seems to fall in love with him, but when they are together, they act very proper. Shelley seems concerned for Mary when she gets in trouble, but it feels like military concern for a citizen, not a possible romantic partner. The dual story lines: Mary trying to understand her dreams, and Shelley’s investigations of the mysterious occurrences, don’t overlap until near the end. I’d like to have seen more time with the two together.

I’d like to see a sequel to this book, as there is a continuing war with the Thermidorians in France and enough solid world building to be engaging. This was an enjoyable read for an alternate history take on Frankenstein.

Click to purchase it on Amazon.

Check out other works by John Paul Catton.

Blog Tour - Queen Of The Loch

Today’s post comes from my friend Elizabeth Delana Rosa. Her newest novel will be released soon, and I’m helping with her blog tour. Her guest post is about book covers and I hope you’ll enjoy it. If you like what you see, support Elizabeth by buying Queen Of The Loch at your favorite book vendor and leaving her a review.

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About the Book:

COMING JUNE 13, 2014

Title:  Queen of the Loch

Series:  Children of the Loch Saga

Author:   Elizabeth Delana Rosa

Published:  Expected publishing June 13th, 2014

Word Count:  Approximately 42,000

Genre:  YA Paranormal

Synopsis:

Nineteen year old, Jaelyn Adena McDonnell, known as J.J. to all, just found out she is not who she thought she was. On her twentieth birthday, a handsome man shows up on her porch with a marriage edict and news that the grandfather she has never met, has died. Her world is about to change forever. J.J. must make the perilous journey to the Loch and take her place on its throne. With no idea, what is expected of her and dark forces closing in at every turn, will J.J. be able to accept her destiny or will she be stopped her before she can? Come join this first person account of a young woman’s journey to finding herself and those she meets along the way. Previously released as a free novella named Child of the Loch, this is a completely new novel based on the same premise with new characters, renamed characters and completely revamped story-line. The novella has stayed in the top 20 of Christian Fantasy and Science fiction Free Kindle since its publishing date in November of 2013. The expected publishing date is June 13, 2014. While it maintains a great level of clean reading and it references a faith, it is in no way preachy.

Cover Art from Start to Finish…

When doing a cover, you first must identify the character. My character of choice was Jaelyn, I spent time searching through a variety of pictures from www.canstockphoto.com and found the perfect one, but she needed work.

I trolled the internet’s vast collection flames, scars and plugged them into Photoshop. It’s important that all the elements come together.

[caption id="attachment_3187" align="alignleft" width="209"] ©2010-2014 stuff-stock flame[/caption]

Finally, I touched up the Color and added the lighting and Font. I won’t go into all I did but I will share the evolution of the cover with you.

 These covers are for the Novella. I released it twice but re-covered it 3 times.

Bio:

Elizabeth Delana Rosa has always been a writer. When she first learned to write in Kindergarten, she wrote about pigs who “groo” wings and became “butterfys.” Elizabeth knew way back then that she would have a love affair with writing. It overtook her life and has been a constant companion. Now over 20 years later, that love flows over into writing blogs, reviews, poetry and fantasy novels. Lastly Elizabeth is a big nerd. She loves Fantasy, YA, Paranormal Romance, and Sci-Fi books. Her dream is to promote Authors and help them reach the highest level of Success, while writing her own YA and NA Fantasy Novels. She often says,

 I hope that my stories connect with people of all ages, genders and races. All it takes is a good story to unite people who wouldn't normally be on the same side.

Follow Elizabeth on Social Media:

The Sauce And Salad Approach

I don't like Japanese food very much. That may be a shock to my readers, considering many of you know I live in Japan. And authentic, real-life Japanese food is very different from what is labeled Japanese food in America.

Sometimes my friends ask me how Japanese food is different from American cuisine. I often answer by stating what there isn't in Japan; like turkey, cold cuts, and chili. Most people understand that every country has different ingredients. But there was more to it than that and it took me a while to figure it out. So, I came up with the Sauce vs. Salad approach.

These two are a metaphor for how American and Japanese food are different. Bear with me on this. American food is Sauce. I don't mean it uses a lot of sauce for cooking, but the American style of cooking is like a sauce. Sauces bring together many different ingredients to create a new flavor. You combine tomatoes, herbs, spices, and other foods that, when finished, don't taste like one particular thing. The sauce doesn't entirely taste like tomatoes or herbs or spices. It is something new combined from all the ingredients. I think casseroles are a good example of this: many things coming together to create a new taste.

Japanese cooking uses the Salad approach. In salads, many items are brought together but retain their individual flavors. When you get a forkful of lettuce and tomatoes, you are going to taste the lettuce and tomatoes in equal measure. They are together, but not combined. They are their own flavors. Japanese cooking is like that. Dishes are made to enhance the natural flavor of the main dish. Tempura is great example. Although it is a fried coating, like fried chicken, the coating itself is flavorless and light. It is used to compliment the shrimp or pumpkin or whatever it is covering. The main taste isn't the tempura coating, it's the food itself. Dipping sauces and coatings are used to compliment the main ingredients. Thus, it is like a salad: many ingredients together maintaining their own flavor.

Which means, at least for me, many dishes taste the same in Japanese cooking. If you have five dishes that have shrimp as the main ingredient, and the goal is to enhance, not coverup or change the flavor, then you will get five dishes that taste like shrimp. Every food has a strong presence of the main ingredient. Since I am not a big seafood and vegetable fan, that limits a lot of Japanese food I like.

Most of the foreigners I've met in Japan fall into two groups: they love Japanese food or hate it. I'm in the middle. I'll eat it, but I prefer American food.

I hope my readers have found this post informative. Leave comments if you have them. As always, thanks for reading.

A Three-Year Adventure

After almost three years, I feel Adventure Hunters: Similitude, my debut fantasy novel, is finished. While it took nearly seven years from idea to printed form, it has taken almost three years to get to the point where I have to let it go and have it live on its own.

As many of my constant readers know, this book was originally published in 2012, and only in ebook form. It did ok, I got a few sales and a couple of reviews. Quite a few sample downloads on Smashwords, but nothing spectacular sales-wise. After I signed with Mountain Springs House, the book was rewritten, edited, and given a new cover and subtitle. But after numerous delays and other difficulties with MSH, which pushed back publication by almost a year, I left the company and re-released my book.

The first edition was only available as an ebook. This time, I have gone through CreateSpace and made a paperback version. The first time I held the proof copy in my hands, I was so excited. I did my geeky happy author dance. After correcting the errors I had found, and reviewing a second proof, I hit the “approve” button and sent the paperback version out into the market.

I feel that I can finally let go of this piece and move on. Of course I have been writing other novels, like the upcoming Zero Sum Game, but Similitude has felt that it was always on the back burner, trying to get out. Now I can move forward. I will always be marketing and promoting it, but there will not be any more changes or editions. I feel it is finished and needs to stand on its own. I wish it the best of luck.

If you read it, please leave a review at your favorite site, on the Similitude Facebook Page, or on this blog. The adventures of Artorius, Regina, and Lisa aren’t over quite yet. You’ll be seeing them again.

Thanks for reading.

A Media Tie-In Author

Being an author is great. And one of the greatest aspects of it is building your own worlds. In your stories, characters can do whatever you want them to do. You set the rules.

But you have to make all those rules, and sometimes it is nice to play in someone else’s sandbox. Many authors do this, writing books set in a franchise’s universe. This is called media tie-in. All those Star Trek, Star Wars, Resident Evil, and World Of Warcraft novels? All media tie-ins.

It can be quite a lucrative career if you’re good at it. If the property is popular, it can mean steady work. Sometimes I’d like to unburden myself with having to think out every detail and play by someone else’s rules. 

Here are a few franchises I’d like to write novels in, if I ever got the chance.

Star Trek. Pretty much a no-brainer, as I am a Trekkie. Either Enterprise era, a John Harriman Enterprise-B novel, or post-Nemesis.

Sukeban Deka. A Japanese franchise about a high school girl who works undercover for the police. Her weapon is a super powered yo-yo. Sounds like fun.

Silent Mobius. A favorite anime of mine. Some great SF.

Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040. Girls in battle suits fighting monsters.

Steel Angel Kurumi. My favorite anime. Not sure if I have the humor for it, but I’d try.

Star Wars. So many possibilities.

Batman movie universe. Novels set in any of the movie universes would be fun. I’d like to see Robin John Blake’s adventures after The Dark Knight Rises. Shumacher’s version would be a fun over-the-top universe to write in. The Tim Burton series is a nice mixture of the other two.

Are there any movies or TV shows you wished continued on in print form? Please comment and thanks for reading.

Album Review: Bad For Good by Jim Steinman

You may not know songwriter Jim Steinman’s name, but you know his music. "I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)," "Paradise By The Dashboard Lights," "Total Eclipse Of The Heart." Bat Out Of Hell is the number two selling album of all time and the only top ten album written completely by one person. His most successful collaboration has been with Meat Loaf, but he has also worked with Bonnie Tyler, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and many more.

After the success of Bat Out Of Hell, Meat Loaf and Steinman were working together on a follow-up. Meat Loaf lost his voice, and Steinman himself recorded the album. Many of the tracks on this album would be rerecorded later by Meat Loaf and other artists.

I love Jim Steinman’s work. His Wagnerian rock sound is so powerful, and his lyrics spellbounding. But while he’s a great songwriter, he isn't a great singer. I don’t really fault him. He doesn’t have a bad voice. Softer songs, like "Surf’s Up,” demonstrate this. It is just that his voice doesn’t match his songs. Steinman’s powerful songs require powerful voices, like Meat Loaf and Bonnie Tyler’s. His music needs the Wagnerian operatic vocals to convey the power of his songs. Bad For Good delivers the rock, but not the Wagner. At least, not vocally.

This album has grown on me the more I listen to it. Not all songs have been rerecorded, so this is the only place to find them. "Dance In My Pants" recalls the "duet of the sexes" of "Paradise By The Dashboard Lights" and is a fun, and funny, song. The title track is my favorite. "Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through" is a testament to the power of music

I'd recommend the Meat Loaf versions of the songs on this album, but if you like Steinman’s music, check this one out.

A Blog Award!

Roar like a dragon. Be the dragon….My blog won the Dragon Loyalty Award.

I want to thank Allison Bruning for nominating me for the Dragon Loyalty Award. I feel so blessed. I had never heard of this award before. It’s a combination of the “Very Inspiring Blogger” and the “Versatile Blogger” awards. I don’t know who first started this award, but I’m pleased that someone thinks I’m versatile and inspiring.

The rules are simple.

1. Display the Award on your Blog.

2. Announce your win with a post and thank the Blogger who awarded you.

3. Present 4 deserving Bloggers with the Award

4. Link your awardees in the post and let them know of their being awarded.

5. Write seven interesting things about you

Seven Interesting Things About Me

1: My favorite drink is A&W Root Beer.

2: I was once bitten by a dolphin. 

3: I have interviewed my favorite Star Trek author.

4: I want to cosplay at San Diego Comic Con. 

5: I have seen Morning Musume in concert 9 times. 

6: Our cat’s name, Coko is from the CO in Cody and the KO in Yoko.

7: I like volleyball. 

Four Deserving Bloggers

1: Nikki Bennett

2: Lynn Rainey

3: Elizabeth Delana Rosa

4: Linda Cordes

Cosplayers And Fandom

Cosplayers are a special breed of fan. These are people who take their fandom to the next level. And I salute them for it. These are hard working people who spend a ton of time and their hard-earned money to showcase what they love.

If a man walks down the street dressed in a football jersey and matching pants and sneakers, we don’t blink twice and call him a fan. If the same man walks down the street in a Star Trek uniform, he is at best a geek and at worse crazy. Why is it socially more acceptable to be obsessed with a sports team than a TV show, movie, or book? I think it’s because they aren’t real but sports are.

Stories, however, are magical. Humans love stories and have been around as long as people have been able to communicate. Stories can change our outlook and our very lives. They can entertain, terrify, and inspire. They preserve history and culture, and transport readers to another world.

Can the same be said about sports? I’m not dissing sports or sports fans. There is something to be said for competition; not to mention the benefits that come from teamwork. Sports can also change lives, but it is usually for the person actually involved in them. Sports can give camaraderie to the people watching, bring a bar full of people together to cheer on the same team. As soon as you see someone in a jersey the same as your own or hear them root for your team, you know you have something in common.

But to me, sports don’t hold the same magic as stories do. So, I ask again, why is it socially more acceptable to be an obsessed sports fan than a TV/movie/book fan?

Cosplayers are willing to break that socially acceptable line. They are proud to show their support, and rightly so. Take a look at the photos from any of the conventions like DragonCon and San Diego Comic Con. For a moment, forget the characters. Just look, really look, at some of the costumes. Can you see the craftsmanship that went into some of these? Some of these are not well-known, common characters, so you can be pretty sure it wasn’t a $30 off-the-rack costume. Some cosplayers spend years and thousands of dollars to get their costumes just right. And cosplaying is not really a profession. The majority of these people have day jobs and do this incredible hobby in their spare time.

I’d love to cosplay. If I could afford it, I’d own a Star Trek: First Contact uniform, a Star Trek Monster Maroon, and a Battlestar Galactica commander’s uniform. I’d wear them for Halloween, and if i ever went to a convention. I’d even wear at them at home while watching the movies and TV shows. I would love to go in a full mask costume at a convention. I don’t know who as; but I think wearing a mask, not having anyone know who I am, would really give me the freedom and courage to really ‘get in character’ and enjoy myself.

Like sports fan wearing jerseys, fandom people should be proud of their particular show or book. If you can’t dress like Kirk every day, bring in a bit of your fandom when you can. Wear Starfleet insignia cufflinks. How about some TARDIS earrings? Use a sonic screwdriver ballpoint pen. Share your passions.

Thanks for reading.

Where Did All The Pictures Go?

If you are looking at the archives, perhaps re-reading a favorite post of yours (most likely you’re not :( ), you’ll notice many photos are gone. I went through both versions of Resonant Blue, Tumblr and Blogger, and removed every picture that wasn’t mine or given to me by an author for blogging/interview purposes.

Copyright infringement and fair use is one of the biggest and longest-running battles on the Net. The basic rule is: if the photo doesn’t belong to you, you can’t post it. Which means that 99% of what’s on Tumblr and Pinterest is illegal. Almost everyone is breaking the law. It is so difficult to enforce this law. Most people feel they won’t actually get sued by the original owner of the photo, so they feel free to take what they need from Google, Flickr, and other places. Having pictures in your posts make a stronger reading impact, as well as placing your blog higher in search engine results. Search algorithms give higher priority to posts with pictures than without.

Sometimes, pictures are necessary. Gardening, cooking, and almost any how-to blog practically require pictures. And what about the cool cosplayers showing off their hard work and fandom? They need to showcase their stuff. People are visual, and like looking at stuff; the whole “1000 words” thing.

What are Netizens to do? I don’t know if this topic will ever be solved. I feel that some types of photos should automatically be public domain/fair use. Logos, movie posters, book covers, CD and DVD covers, and business advertisements I think should be fair game. Any blogger should be free to use the Starbucks logo any time they want, as long it isn’t being morphed and Photoshopped to be made into a different product. Photos of celebrities and public figures should be fair also. But that is where the situation can get tricky. A picture of Obama released by Getty Images should be okay, but a Obama picture taken by someone’s camera phone while the president is in a parade shouldn’t. That picture belongs to the owner. This topic has a lot of gray area of what belongs to whom.

Maybe technology can make things easier. Maybe an app, or even a built-in feature in phones and cameras can make an automatic copyright notice for every picture taken. For example, every time you set up a new laptop or smartphone you have to enter your name and all sorts of information. Perhaps a line that says “Property of___” can be something to fill out. Then every photo taken with that digital camera or smartphone will automatically be tagged with that copyright line. When it is posted online or shared electronically, that mark will be with it. But as soon as that technology is made, I’m sure someone will invent a way to strip it. It will be a never ending battle.

As a professional author, I need to be more responsible about what I post. Instead of using photos willy-nilly like I use to, I’ll post only selected photos. I will have to learn my way around Wikipedia and Creative Commons. Until then, the blog will look a bit more bland. But don’t worry, it will have all the great content that nobody is commenting on. :)

Thanks for reading.

An Ambitious Plan

Most stories are their own self-contained little world. Sometimes authors reveal that many of their different books take place in the same shared universe. They have characters and incidents popping up in seemingly random stories but actually reveal connections to each other. Jeffery Deaver’s Kathryn Dance and Lincoln Rhyme series are connected because the title characters have appeared in the others’s books. That is something I am trying to do.

The term “shared universe” is becoming more mainstream thanks to Marvel Studios. Their Cinematic Universe is a shared universe, having the characters from various films make cameos in others. The term is well-known to geeks, but I am seeing it more mainstream press nowadays.

I have quite a few ideas for different novels, some possibly turning into series. I have a Japanese super heroine idea, a fantasy idea, a buddy cop action series, and others in mind. There is no reason all these stories can’t be in the same universe. I’m not talking intricately interwoven, but references made in one book about events in another, and characters doing crossovers. Like Stephen King did with Derry and Castle Rock, I may make my own fictitious city. The main reason to do this will be to give myself creative freedom. If I set my cop drama in Chicago, I will need to research the city because I have never been there. Think of it like Gotham City, Metropolis, or Central City. I can have whatever events, structures, and buildings I need without having to worry about if I “got it right” by setting it in a real city. I will try to keep my city consistent. Good stories and good story universes are internally consistent.

The difficulty will be laying the groundwork for my literary universe, but I’ll try to do it a little at a time. Plus, not every story will fit in this universe. I already have an idea for a stand alone story that wouldn’t fit in. I may not make a unified universe at all, but I think it would be fun to try. It’s just a preliminary plan but we’ll see how it goes.

Take care, everyone.

Household Roles

My and Yoko’s roles are well-defined in the house, I think. I do the laundry, wash the dishes, take care of Coko’s litter, vacuum, and organize the house. She cooks, does the cleaning in the shower/sink room and toilet room, and is in charge of the finances. We have our own bank accounts and one joint account. Anything technical, like internet and computers, is my area as well.

We split the chores based on what we like and are good at. Before moving in two years ago, I hadn’t had a dishwasher in over 10 years. Since Yoko has one, I have no problem doing the dishes. She hates doing dishes, so she was happy to give me the job. I hate cleaning but she likes it. So she got those duties. I read somewhere that couples shouldn’t split chores straight 50/50. Instead, try to match chores with the spouse’s strength. For example, if someone is good at the Internet and computers, have them pay the bills online. Yoko and I have basically done that. Since she woks 10-12 hours a day and about 4-6 every weekend, simple things like dishes and vacuuming are timesavers for her. They are just one less thing she has to worry about.

When I first moved in, I tried to do a lot of the cooking. But, honestly, Yoko and I just have very different tastes, and it is easier for me to eat what she cooks than vice versa. After a while, I slowly moved the cooking duties over to her. I’m not a great cook.

We are happy with our chore arrangement. Many of our Japanese friends are surprised at all of the work I do. Most Japanese husbands don’t touch chores. They work, come home, grab a beer, and plant themselves on the couch. When our friend Fujimoto-sensei learned I did the laundry, he asked if I did Yoko’s clothes as well. I said yes, of course. He was surprised. I was confused. After all, if I’m doing laundry, shouldn’t I do all of it? Yoko said that if Japanese husbands to laundry (and a that’s a big if), they will only do their own. I guess they leave the kids and wife to fend for themselves.

As always, thanks for reading. Check back tomorrow for another post.

Iwakuni Author Roundtable

Last year, I joined a writer’s group here in Iwakuni, Japan. The founder is Nikki Bennett, who runs Firedrake Books. I had thought of starting a writing group on the Marine air base here, but Nikki beat me to the punch by a week.

We meet twice a month. The first meeting is usually in the library on the base. There we talk about writing and publishing, what we are working on, and other topics. The second meeting is more informal. We meet at the coffee shop Tully’s ‘in town’ (Marine speak for not being on the base) and we critique pieces we are working on and have less formal chats.

I’ve met some great people. Nikki is a middle grade/YA author, her husband is an artist, Linda and Jessica are professional photographers and bloggers, and Jason is a fountain of book and movie knowledge. I am very happy to have this group. I always look forward to our meetings.

While Facebook groups are great (IAR has its own group), physical groups have an intimacy and immediacy you can’t match. You can bounce ideas off each other immediately and get instant feedback on stuff you’re working. I’ve made some great friends here.

Writers groups can be as loose or as formal as you want. You can set schedules for workshop activities and have organized events, or just sit around and chat. I believe the biggest hurdle is continuing membership. At first, everyone may be coming. But soon life interrupts and members drop off. As long as a few people are coming, the group can survive. Don’t get discouraged if this happens to your group. Just keep it going.

How about you, readers? Are you in any writers groups? Are you thinking about starting one? 

As always, thanks for reading.

Digital Frustrations

I don’t usually rant on this blog but I thought I’d vent a little.

As most of my readers know, I’m an expat living in Japan. My Japanese ability sucks, but even if it didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy movies and TV like a native. Also, after a while, I just get a craving for TV shows and movies from back home. The Internet has made it possible to get content from all over the world. So why oh why are companies making digital media region-restricted?

To me, it seems companies are hurting themselves by not making their products available to everyone regardless of where they live. The iTunes Store requires that your credit card address match where you live. Since I have a Japanese credit card, I can’t shop at the US iTunes Store. Not all products are available in each country’s store. The Japanese iTunes Store carries no TV shows of any kind. All subtitled American movies are hard subbed with Japanese subtitles. That means the subs are always on, there is no way to turn them off. Ok if you’re watching on a big screen TV, not so great on an iPad.

Companies are limiting the reach of their products by region locking them. In this age of globalization, shouldn’t we be encouraging cross-cultural entertainment? If someone in Germany is interested in K-Pop, shouldn’t they be allowed to get media directly from South Korea? I think they should.

Region locking has also affected my viewing habits. I’d gladly buy a subscription to Hulu or Netflix in order to watch Arrow and Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. (a show I still have never seen) instead of doing torrents or waiting almost a year later for it to hit DVD rentals in Japan. Come on, they are only up to season three of Castle here! But because I can’t get those services, they are losing a customer. Yes, there is Hulu Japan, but it doesn’t carry the same content as its American counterpart.

Do we really need region locking? I don’t think so. It doesn’t seem to help in any way and is actually denying a portion of the population who live abroad that want some of the media from back home.

How about it, readers? Your thoughts and comments? 

Thanks for reading.

Trying To Recapture The Magic

When I was a kid, movies were magical. Davy Crockett really did grin down a bear, Spock died, and Gremlins were real. After all, how could an actor be playing C-3PO when he was clearly in pieces being carried on Chewbacca’s back?

As I got older and learned more about movies, I became interested in the science behind the magic. I began watching as many behind-the-scenes clips as I could. I didn’t care about celebrity news on Entertainment Tonight, show me the CGI of the T-1000 terminator!

When DVDs began to surface, I loved the ones loaded with extras. I’d watch as many bonus featurettes as I could. I learned about how green screen made Superman fly, blue suits turned Kevin Bacon invisible, and the Enterprise was a four foot model.

Now in my thirties, I’m regressing. I don’t watch the bonus material or listen to the commentary tracks. I feel a little saddened when I spot a green screen production photo. I’m trying to lose myself in the magic again, into the story, and characters. I’m trying not to see Tom Cruise and see Ethan Hunt.

Sometimes I come across a character so brilliant, I don’t want to see the actor in anything else. Case in point: Sherlock. Many people told me how good Sherlock was but I never got around to watching it. After all, I’ve seen Basil Rathbone and Robert Downey Jr. play him. But I really wanted to see Star Trek Into Darkness. After hearing that Sherlock actor Benedict Cumberbatch was cast as Khan, I decided to give his BBC show a try. And I LOVED it! He is absolutely brilliant as Sherlock. In fact, I really don’t want to see any other work by Cumberbatch. I want to remember him as Sherlock. I want to link those two together inseparably. The same thing has happened to me with Doctor Who. I began watching it because I knew Christopher Eccleston from Gone In Sixty Seconds and G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra. But after he left the show, David Tennant’s portrayal of the tenth Doctor is my favorite. I want to remember him as the Doctor, not playing the Doctor.

So, now I try not to watch the science behind the magic. It’s hard, I often look up trivia on IMDB for movies I’ve just watched. But I’m trying to regain the magic, if even a little bit.

Thanks for reading.