Pen Name: MJLCoyoteStarrk

A combination of my initials and my favorite Espada

Main Mantra: "Characters Shape the Story, and Story Shapes the Characters"

Date of Birth: February 2, 1985

Sign: Aquarius

Gender: Male

Interests: Anime/Manga, Fantasy, Horror, writing, movies, books, art, theater

Favorite Music: Classical (most notably Wagner), J-Pop, Rock, Gothic, Anime, the score for shows like The Tudors and Game of Thrones

Favorite Films: anything by Akira Kurosawa, The Lord of the Rings, Apocalypse Now, Inception, The Dark Knight, The Wizard of Oz, Metropolis (Fritz Lang), The Good the Bad and the Ugly, anything by Alfred Hitchcock, The Godfather, Some Like It Hot, Airplane!, Monty Python Quest for the Holy Grail, The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca, Double Indemnity, Dark City, The Matrix, Nosferatu (both the silent and the remake), Blade Runner, To Kill a Mockingbird, 12 Angry Men, Solaris

Favortite TV Shows: Lost, Fringe, The Event, Survivor, The Amazing Race, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, The Twilight Zone, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Hell on Wheels, Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire

Favorite Authors: H.P. Lovecraft, Stephen King, Robert Jordan, Edgar Allan Poe, John Milton, Dante Alighieri, Peter Straub, J.R.R. Tolkien, Oscar Wilde, Clive Barker, Arthur Machen, Jorge Luis Borges, Frank Herbert, William Shakespeare, Flannery O'Connor, Alexander Dumas, Thomas Wolfe, William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury, Aeschylus, Homer, Dante Alighieri, Cormac McCarthy, George R. R. Martin, Richard Adams, George Orwell, John Fowles, Philip K. Dick, Shirley Jackson

Favorite Novels: And Then There Were None, The Canterbury Tales, Lord of the Flies, Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, The Dark Tower Series, The Stand, The Dead Zone, Ghost Story, Battle Royale, The Wheel of Time Series, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Heart of Darkness, The Odyssey, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Look Homeward Angel, A Song of Ice and Fire Series, The Abarat Series, Dune Series, 1984, The Magus, VALIS, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, The Accursed Kings Series

Favorite Plays: All of Shakespeare, No Exit, Death of a Salesman, The Glass Minagerie, Faust, Doctor Faustus, The Oresteia (Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, and The Eumenides), Oedipus Rex, Angels in America, Tartuffe

Favorite Manga/Anime: Berserk, Bleach, Battle Royale, Higurashi: When They Cry, anything by Naoki Urasawa, Doomed Megalopolis, Akira, Ghost in the Shell, High School of the Dead, Death Note, Spirited Away, Baccano!, Spice and Wolf, The Count of Monte Cristo, X (the series), Basilisk, Ergo Proxy, Dance at the Vampire Bund, Vampire Knight, Black Lagoon, Black Butler, Attack on Titan, Assassination Classroom, Death Parade

Favorite Manga/Anime Characters: Coyote Starrk (Bleach), Ulquiorra Schiffer (Bleach), L (Death Note), Johan Liebert (Naoki Urasawa's Monster), Rukia Kuchiki (Bleach), Kohta Hirano (High School of the Dead), Saya Takagi (High School of the Dead), Saeko Busijima (High School of the Dead), Near (Death Note), Light Yagami (Death Note), Akira Takano (School Rumble), Ichigo Kurosaki (Bleach), Tia Harribel (Bleach), Inspector Heinrich Runge (Naoki Urasawa's Monster), Shogo Kawada (Battle Royale), Kazuo Kiriyama (Battle Royale), Isaac & Miria (Baccano!), Byakuya Kuchiki (Bleach), Shunsui Kyoraku (Bleach), Jushiro Ukitake (Bleach), Uryu Ishida (Bleach), Gin Ichimaru (Bleach), Retsu Unohana (Bleach), Tsukishima (Bleach), all of Xcution (Bleach), Holo (Spice & Wolf), Pino (Ergo Proxy), Re-l (Ergo Proxy), Vincent Law (Ergo Proxy), Tatsuki Arisawa (Bleach), Juhabach (Bleach), Herschwald (Bleach), As Nodt (Bleach), Quilge Opie (Bleach), Armin Arlert (Attack on Titan), Mikasa Ackerman (Attack on Titan), Sasha Braus (Attack on Titan), Levi (Attack on Titan), Hanji Zoe (Attack on Titan), Commander Erwin (Attack on Titan), Annie Leonheart (Attack on Titan), Guts (Berserk), Farnese (Berserk), The Godhand (Slan, Ubik, Conrad, Void, Femto) (Berserk), Irvine (Berserk), Pretty much anyone in Berserk, Koro Sensei (Assassination Classroom), Decim (Death Parade)

Favorite Pairings: Starribel (Starrk & Harribel from Bleach), Ulquihime (Ulquiorra Schiffer & Orihime Inoue from Bleach), Ichigo & Rukia, Kohta Hirano & Saya Takagi (from HighSchool of the Dead), Isaac & Miria (from Baccano!), Lawrence & Holo (from Spice and Wolf), Re-l & Vincent (from Ergo Proxy)

Favorite Types of Stories: anything that broadens your horizon and gets you thinking, horror, fantasy, some science fiction (mostly the Dune novels), mythology, fairy tales, folk tales, dark fantasy

Dislikes: Twilight Saga (they had potential, but unfortunately it suffered from a case of flat characters, poor writing, and a bad case of over-use of obvious symbolism), Left Behind Series (started out good, but by Book 3 it developed a case of cardboard characters, preachiness that distracted from the story, and overall entered the realm of ridiculous and not in a good way like with Lewis Carroll's works)

Influences: anime, manga, Fantasy epics, Literature, poetry, music, film, television, mythology

Fascinations: fashion from various countries and through various periods of time, armor and weaponry from around the world, architecture, art, European History from the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire to the Modern Era, Asian cultures, and art

Favorite Types of Weather: fog, rain, warm

Favorite Poets: Dante Alighieri, John Milton, Lord Byron, T. S. Eliot, Emily Dickinson, William Blake, Ovid, Homer, Virgil, William Shakespeare

Bleach Characters Who I Would Like to Meet: Coyote Starrk, Tia Harribel, Jackie Tristan, Tsukishima, Ulquiorra, Shunsui Kyoraku, Ukitake, Yamamoto, Unohana, Ichigo Kurosaki, Gin Ichimaru. Tatsuki Arisawa

Favorite Espada (in order of favorite: 1-most favorite; 10-least favorite):

1. Coyote Starrk

2. Ulquiorra Schiffer

3. Tia Harribel

4. Szayel Aporro Granz

5. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez

6. Nnoitora Gilga

7. Baraggan Luisenbarn

8. Aaroniero Arruruerie

9. Zommari Rureaux

10. Yammy Riyalgo

Top 10 Favorite Characters from "The Wheel of Time"

1. Ishamael/Moridin

2. Maturim Cauthin

3. Thom Merrilin

4. Tuon

5. Rand al'Thor

6. Moghidien

7. Padan Fain

8. Perrin Aybara

9. Loial

10. Linny

Top 10 Favorite Characters from "A Song of Ice and Fire"

1. Arya Stark (and her Direwolf, Lymeria)

2. Tyrion Lannister

3. Jon Snow (and his Direwolf, Ghost)

4. Samwell Tarly

5. Davos Seaworth (The Onion Knight)

6. Ser Barristan Selmy

7. Brienne "The Fair Maiden" of Tarth

8. Jamie Lannister

9. Bran Stark (and his Direwolf, Summer)

10. Jorah Mormont

Honorable Mentions: Asha Greyjoy, Robb Stark, Danaerys Targaryen, Stannis Baratheon, Cersei Lannister, Varys, Petyr Baelish, Robert Baratheon, Gendry, Ramsay "Bolton" Snow (I love hating him and I hate loving him), Greatjon Umber, Ygritte (You know nothing, Jon Snow), Ser Brynden "The Blackfish" Tully, Melisandre the Red Priestess, Oberyn "The Red Viper" Martell, Sandor "The Hound" Clegane, and Syrio Florel

Top 10 Favorite "Dark Tower" Characters:

1. Roland Deschain

2. Randal Flagg/Marten Broadcloak/Walter o'Dim (among many other names)

3. John "Jake" Chambers

4. Oy

5. Susannah Dean/Odetta Holmes/Detta Walker

6. Eddie Dean

7. Mordred

8. Cort

9. Aaron Deepneau

10. Blaine the Mono

Top 10 Favorite Stephen King Characters:

1. Pennywise ("IT")

2. Roland Deschain ("The Dark Tower" series)

3. Randal Flagg ("The Stand", "The Dark Tower" series, "Eyes of the Dragon"...)

4. Johnny Smith ("The Dead Zone")

5. George Stark ("The Dark Half")

6. Mother Abigail ("The Stand")

7. Leland Gaunt ("Needful Things")

8. Roland's Ka-Tet (Jake Chambers, Susan Dean, Eddie Dean, Oy: "The Dark Tower" series)

9. Father Donald Callahan ("Salem's Lot", "The Dark Tower" series)

10. Jack Sawyer ("The Talisman", "Black House")

Top 10 Most Influential Books/Series/Authors

1. J.R.R. Tolkien

2. A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin

3. The Stand by Stephen King

4. Lord of the Flies by William Golding

5. Ray Bradbury

6. The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri

7. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

8. Thomas Wolfe

9. Peter Straub

10. Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Top 10 Films

1. Ran

2. The Seven Samurai

3. The Seventh Seal

4. The Lord of the Rings trilogy

5. Ikiru

6. To Kill a Mockingbird

7. Apocalypse Now

8. Metropolis (Fritz Lang)

9. 12 Angry Men

10. Blade Runner

Top 10 Favorite Tolkien Characters

1. Turin Turambar (The Silmarillion and The Children of Hurin)

2. Bilbo Baggins (The Hobbit)

3. Beren and Luthien (The Silmarillion)

4. Melkor, a.k.a. Morgoth (The Silmarillion and The Children of Hurin)

5. Samwise Gamgee (The Lord of the Rings)

6. Frodo Baggins (The Lord of the Rings)

7. Earendil (The Silmarillion)

8. Fingolfin (The Silmarillion)

9. Feanor (The Silmarillion)

10. Beleg (The Silmarillion and The Children of Hurin)

Top 10 Favorite Berserk Characters

1. Guts

2. Casca

3. Serpico

4. Griffith/The Godhand

5. Farnese

6. Puck

7. Schierke

8. Isidro

9. Judeau

10. Rickert

If I could be in "The Wheel of Time" I would be: either one of the Seanchan (they get the cool-looking armor) or one of the Chosen or a Dark Friend (It's more fun being a villain)

If I could be in "The Dark Tower" series I would be: a background character, preferably a member of the Court of the Crimson King (Taheen or Vampire) or an inhabitant of the Callas, although I wouldn't mind playing Calvin Tower or Aaron Deepneau if I was much older

Brief Biography: I've been a fan of anime and manga for quite a few years. My first exposure to anime was with an exhibit that came to the Indianapolis Children's Museum while I was living in Indiana. When I was in high school, I rediscovered my love for anime and I've been watching anime and reading manga ever since. Recently, I got into the mood to write some fan fiction, purely for fun and practice. I currently live in Colorado Springs, CO, USA.

Some of my OCs:

1. Name: Dr. Samantha Beatrice Fleur (First Introduced in Tamashi no Kiri)

Occupation: Researcher in the Alchemical Division at the International Soul Reaper Research Center

Appearance: female in her mid-twenties, unkempt short blond hair with a strand dyed purple that hangs out in front of her face, likes wearing anything that flatters her figure and her white lab coat, small-rimmed purple-framed glasses, smoky blue eyes

Attitude: acts like an airhead but is actually quite intelligent, unfortunately she's very clumsy, mischievous, can also be quite flirtatious, likes playing mind-games

Affiliation: International Soul Reaper Research Center, Democratic Soul Society of America

Zanpakuto: Tigre

Release Command: Pounce

2. Name: Akemi Amaterasu (First Introduced in Tamashi no Kiri)

Occupation: Soul Reaper for Gotei 13, Squad 13

Appearance: female in her late teens to early twenties, shoulder length black hair hung back with a red ribbon, traditional soul reaper uniform, keeps a small pouch hung by her side, lavender eyes, softly curved in the hips and bust

Attitude: takes her job seriously, impatient yet able to keep her cool, if she loses her cool then she's likely to go on a destructive rampage, intelligent, observant, loves her sister and will do anything to protect her

Affiliation: Gotei 13, Squad 13

Zanpakuto: Moeru Hana (Burning Flower)

Release Command: Burn with Radiance

3. Name: Sachiko Amaterasu (Akemi's younger sister) (First Introduced in Tamashi no Kiri)

Occupation: Soul Reaper for Gotei 13, Squad 13

Appearance: female in her mid-teens, shoulder-length unkempt blackish blue hair, green eyes, softly curved like her sister in the hips and bust

Attitude: out-going, very hyper, friendly, loyal to her friends and loves her sister, can be somewhat of an airhead at times

Affiliation: Gotei 13, Squad 13

Zanpakuto: Naichingeru (Nightingale)

Rlease Command: Sing Sweetly

I am a proud supporter of Starribel (Starrk x Harribel)

I am a proud member of the Tsukishima Fan Club (face it, he's much more bad-ass than Aizen since he gets in your face and attacks you head-on and gets much more personal about it)

I am a proud fan of The Wheel of Time

I am a proud nerd

I have so many ideas for stories running through my mind that I just don't know what to do with them all

Currently Reading: NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

Next on Reading List: Joyland by Stephen King

Books I'm Looking Forward To: "Doctor Sleep" by Stephen King, "Abarat 4: The Price of Dreams" by Clive Barker

Writing Philosophy: Story and characters are vital for me since I believe that they are interdependant, which leads to my main mantra when writing: "Characters shape the story and story shapes the characters."

I have a guilty habit of going into description, especially with character wardrobe and location, because I imagine things in a more visual manner (i.e. as an anime or a film or a manga) and I find that what a character wears also helps to shape them. Likewise, I have a tendency of including various films or books or TV shows that I love into stories as well. I'm trying to get out of that habit, but don't be surprised if someone pops up and mentions the works of Arthur Machen or old German Expressionist films (like "Nosferatu" and "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligieri").

TOP 10 LESSONS THAT TITE KUBO COULD LEARN FROM "GAME OF THRONES"

10. Have Ramin Djawadi write the score for "Bleach"

9. Have a really cool, kick-ass, intelligent, and witty imp (sorry, but Yachiru only fills 3 of those requirements)

8. Have someone pour a vat of molten gold on Aizen's head and say, "A Crown for a King"

7. Have Momo play Sansa Stark and see how long she lasts when the shit hits the fan

6. Tell Ichigo that he can't fall in love with anyone, because if he does then there will be a "Red Wedding"; then have him fall in love and suffer said "Red Wedding"

5. Have a creepy old woman perform "blood magic" whenever Ichigo dies

4. Have Baraggan or Yamamoto killed by forementioned imp while he's sitting on the "throne"

3. Everything gets creepy when someone says "Winter Is Coming" or "The White Walkers"

2. KILL! KILL! KILL OFF SOME OF THE "GOOD GUYS"

1. Everything's cooler with...DIREWOLVES!

How many Aes Sedai does it take to change a light bulb?
Fifty-eight!
...a Blue to try to manipulate an innocent bystander into changing it.
...a second Blue to try to manipulate the first Blue to do it.
...a Gray to settle the conflict between the two Blues.
...a White to try to prove logically that the bulb shouldn't be changed because darkness is a natural state indoors at night.
...a second White to try to prove logically that the first White is an idiot.
...a second and a third Gray to calm the two Whites as they dispassionately, non-emotionally, logically, and coolly try to scratch each other's eyes out.
...a Brown to go away to try to find ancient instructions in the library. This Brown is not seen again for at least a month.
...a Red to complain that this would never have happened if the light bulb had been invented by a woman.
...another Red to agree.
...a third Red (secrety a Black sister) to try to convince the others that the easiest way to stop all men that can channel is to kill all men in the world.
...a second Brown to look suspiciously on the third Red.
...a third White to nod to the second Brown.
...a dozen sisters of mixed colors to shield, haul away, interrogate, still, and execute the third Red.
...thirteen other Blacks to flee the Tower.
...thirteen more Reds to locate and gentle the man who channeled to cause the light bulb to break.
...a Green to try to "privately convince" a handsome young man to change it.
...a second Green to try to "privately convince" another handsome young man to change it.
...three more Greens trying to "convince" one handsome young man each. (just in case)
...one Yellow to revive the lamp.
...and a fifteenth Black to kill it again as soon as the coast is clear.

Synopsis of the Works in "Song of Hollows and Reapers":

Under the Lonely Moon: Starrk and Harribel were two lonely souls who were looking for someone to belong to. When they found each other, they learned the meaning of friendship, sacrifice, and love. This is the first story I wrote on Fan Fiction and is the first in a series of interrelated stories. Followed by "Tamashi no Kiri" and "Blood on the Sand". Main themes: "Our Farewell" by Within Temptation and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" by Green Day Status: Complete

Tamashi no Kiri: Soul of Fog: The Winter War is over and five of the former Espada are in the Soul Society. Meanwhile, Ichigo is losing his Soul Reaper abilities and control to his Inner Hollow. In the midst of this, a threat to the Balance arises in the form of "Spiritual Evolution". Now, former enemies must work together and Ichigo must face his inner demons if there's to be any hope of maintaining the Balance. Main themes: "Kiri" by Monoral, "I'll Be Your Home" by Oikawa Rin, and "Utsusemi no Kage" by Kukui Status: Ongoing

Blood on the Sand: Baraggan is dead and Aizen has been captured by the Soul Society. Now, the Throne of Las Noches is empty and the Crown of Hueco Mundo has been shattered. In the midst of this, various factions lay claim to the Throne and Crown and Civil War breaks out throughout Hueco Mundo. Rise or Fall, blood will flow on the lands throughout Hueco Mundo for the Crown and Throne. Main themes: "Fire and Blood" and "Game of Thrones Finale" by Ramin Djawadi Status: Ongoing

Espada of Envy: Tie-in story to Blood on the Sand that focuses on Mordrath Luisenbarn. Status: Complete

Shadow, Ice, and Fire: Forthcoming

Current Projects:(Updates will occur sporadically)

Die Flügel der Freiheit

Shattered Realms (Co-Authored with Eduard Kassel)

Kick About, Destroy, Bind

Tamashi no Kiri

Tales From the Cherry Orchard

Bleach Summer Camp

Lazarus Rising

Life at Las Noches High

Blood on the Sand

Upcoming Projects:

Shadow, Ice, and Fire (Currently in re-Development stage)

Projects on Hiatus:

Bleach Summer Camp

Empty Eyes

Finished Projects:

Under the Lonely Moon

Book of the End

September Wind (A story written for the 10th anniversary of 9/11)

Espada of Envy

Book Recommendations:

09/14/12:

This is a new section for my Profile. I decided that instead of just listing some of my favorite novels or novels that have influenced me as a writer, I would do sort of like a book club thing and make recommendations for reading. Anyways, since this is my first installment of this section I would like to start off with two books, one I have only recently read and the other is one of my all-time favorite novels. Anyways, my first recommendation is:

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell: This is the novel that I have only recently read thanks to the five minute trailer for the film. This novel is one of the types of novels that I love to read: epic and complex. It is essentially six somewhat intersecting stories that cover a spand of space and time. The way this book is set-up resembles the Russian nesting dolls in that one half of the story is told before going into the next and being allowed to finish on the other side of the center story. Each story is essentially a different genre and is written in a different voice, which makes the book as a whole remarkable. I was amazed that David Mitchell put together a wide-variety of stories, ranging from a Melville-like sailing story to an Orwellian Sci-Fi story to a Post-Apocalyptic story, together in a manner where each bleeds into the other. This book is not for everyone, but if you like books that are complex in style and where the author is able to put together different narrators together and give each their own voice to tell their own story then this book is for you.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding: This is one of my all-time favorite novels. The story is essentially a group of school boys are trapped on an island in the middle of the Pacific after the plane they are on crashes. At first, the boys have their acts together: they establish some kind of system of rules, they build a fire, and they get shelter and food. However, as the novel progresses the more chinks in the armor of civilization begin to show until the boys descend into barbarism. What I love most about this novel is that it's not just a great story, but it's also one of the deepest novels I have read aside from Dune by Frank Herbert, which will be featured on the next installment. This is the type of novel that I highly recommend to be read more than once. Each time that I have read this novel I have discovered something new about it. This novel is one that has had such an impact on me that many of my stories include some kind of nod to this novel, most notably "Shattered Realms".

Well, that's it for my first installment of Book Recommendations. The next one will be another two recommendations with one being my all-time favorite Sci-Fi novel.

11/04/12

Here are my next two recommendations:

Dune by Frank Herbert: This is my all-time favorite Sci-Fi novel and the first novel in one of my favorite sagas. The story is extremely complex with layers dealing with Ecology, Economics, Politics, Religion, etc. The essential story focuses on Paul Atreides as he goes from being the son of a Duke to an outcast after his family is betrayed and ultimately his rise as the hero and messiah of the Fremen. One of the unique characteristics of the Dune Saga is that Frank Herbert deals with the negative aspects of the messiah myth, which I find fascinating. As the novel progresses, Paul Atreides becomes entangled in the web that the Bene Gesserit sisterhood weaves among the Fremen to where he is forced into the role of messiah and must maintain the facade of an all-powerful and all-knowing entity. The next two novels (Dune Messiah and Children of Dune) deal with the negative consequences of being a messiah in that the myth devours the person. One of the great things about the Dune Saga as a whole is that one of the main ideas is that heroes are actually more monstrous than villains because they come to believe in their own myth and believe they are invincible. It is when one believes they are invincible that they are most likely to fall and when heroes fall they tend to do more damage than the villains they fought against.

The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien: While many Tolkien fans prefer either The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings, I prefer Tolkien's tales of the First and Second Ages of Middle Earth. Based mostly on Nordic and Greek myths, Tolkien's tale of Feanor and his sons' quest to retrieve the Silmarils, three gems filled with the light from the Trees of Valinor, from Morgoth (the True Dark Lord) shows a dark side to the beloved elves of Middle Earth. Feanor's oath becomes a curse in that it causes the Noldor (of whom Galadriel of The Lord of the Rings is a part) to slay their kin three times and it leads six of Feanor's seven sons to their deaths. Tolkien's tale of the Silmarils is among the darkest tales that he ever told and yet there is beauty found within the tragedy. One of the best known tales to come from this collection is the tale of Beren and Luthien, which was partially inspired by Tolkien's own marriage. Another is the tale of Turin Turambar, which was expanded into the novel The Children of Hurin, which reads much like a Greek Tragedy (i.e. Oedipus Rex and The Oresteia). It may surprise some new Tolkien fans that Sauron (the Eye on top of Barad-Dur) is not the true villain of Tolkien's universe because Sauron was merely a servant to the True Villain, Morgoth, and Sauron's nothing compared to Morgoth (who corrupted elves and men and created the Balrogs, Dragons, and Orcs). Quite a few people find The Silmarillion to be the most difficult of Tolkien's books to get through, but that is what I love about it. This book reads more like a collection of Nordic and Greek myths than an actual novel and yet there is a common theme throughout: the lust for power and wealth always leads to destruction and often times the hero becomes the monster.

12/06/12

My December Recommendation:

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens: This short novella by Charles Dickens is a staple of the Christmas season and with good reason. The story focuses on one man, Ebenezer Scrooge, an old miser and money-lender, who is visited by four main spirits (Jacob Marley, Christmas Past, Present, and Future) during Christmas Eve and early Christmas morning. The three Christmas spirits show him various scenes from his past, Christmas being celebrated in the present (in regards of that year), and a potential future if Scrooge doesn't ammend his ways. Even though this novel was first published in 1843, its themes about joy in the face of death (via Tiny Tim), the consequence of valuing wealth over others (as personified by Scrooge and the ghastly children Want and Ignorance who cling to the Ghost of Christmas Present), and the power of love for our fellow man still resonate today.

07/02/13

My July Recommendation:

The Iron King by Maurice Druon: The first novel in a seven-part series deals with Philippe le Bel (King Phillip IV of France) and the curse put upon him by Jacques de Molay (the Grand Master of the Knights Templar). The novel introduces several figures who played vital roles in the shaping of French and British History (especially Isabella "the She-Wolf of France" and the three sons of Philippe le Bel who all become kings of France: Louis X, Philip V, and Charles IV) as well as some of the events and intrigue that will ultimately result in the Hundred Year Wars between France and Britain. It is a very fast read and makes history come alive. This novel has much of the same intrigue as the "Song of Ice and Fire" series by George R. R. Martin, but pre-dates that excellent series by about forty years but is only now being made available in English to a wider audience. If you enjoy "Game of Thrones" or History then you will love this first book in what is setting up to be one of the greatest Historical Fiction series put on the page.

04/12/15

Berserk by Kentaro Miura: This is my favorite manga of all time. A dark fantasy series that is set in a fantasy version of late Medieval to early Reneissance Europe with one of the best male characters in manga and anime. The story itself is much like a Shakespearean tragedy turned up to 11. The art is some of the best I've ever seen and you can actually feel the emotions coming off the page and each image tells a story. I especially love the usage of a variety of myths and historical references that Kentaro uses throughout the series that he's completed. So far there are 37 volumes with another four chapters that haven't been collected. Be forewarned, though, this series is not for minors or the squeamish (The Eclipse).

News:

05/25/11: Since I'm currently working on four stories at once, AND becoming addicted to "Game of Thrones" on HBO, I had to set some of my release dates back a little bit. Not by much though, and so I should have a large number of updates ready for you on June 4. After that, I'll probably take a few days off to recharge my batteries and then I'll be back at it. I haven't decided whether or not to put some things on Hiatus yet because I'm nearing the halfway point for "Kick About, Destroy, Bind" and I want to get "Tamashi no Kiri" done by my November/December deadline (but I won't rush it though since I don't want it to become like the Bount arc and I may end up extending that deadline a bit). Since "Bleach Summer Camp" is one of my more popular stories, I will not put that one on Hiatus, so don't worry. Note: I'm currently thinking of a title for two of my upcoming projects and those will be announced in early June. I am still developing the OCs for "The Potestas" and as I progress with "Tamashi no Kiri" I will be making announcements about various characters who are yet to come in the Potestas along with a potential release date.

05/28/11: Changed the announced upload date from May 30 to June 4. This will give me more time to work out some of the blocks that I'm having. I've also decided to put "Noapte de Domeniu" on a slightly longer hiatus (2-4 weeks) after I get Chapter 3 up. Everything else will not go on hiatus and by putting some projects on hold for a while, I might be able to get them up a lot faster as well as get future chapters done a lot quicker.

06/20/11: The Prologue for my new story "Blood on the Sand" is up. That means that the number of stories that I have going on at the same time have gone up to 9. I hope I can keep the updates regular and keep the chapters a really good quality. I encourage all of my readers to please review when they read since reviews are helpful in order to make sure that I give out high quality story-telling.

6/28/11: Alright, I just want to give you all the heads-up. I'll be taking a hiatus from July 12-July 17 to take time to read the latest "A Song of Ice and Fire" (Wow, I got the order right this time) novel. However, as soon as I get done and take a couple of days off so that way it doesn't influence the stories too much; then I'll get back to work.

7/01/11: Heads up, after I finish my "A Dance With Dragons" read'a'thon, I'll be working on the next three chapters of "Kick About, Destroy, Bind" right away. As a result, I'm hoping to get them out to you back-to-back-to-back. This will cause some delays with all other projects, but since I'm approaching a really major point I want to get it to that point. I already have those 3 chapters outlined in my chapter notes.

7/03/11: Just wanted you all to know that I'm gonna put "Life at Las Noches High" on Hiatus for a little bit. Not to worry it's nothing serious, I just need to take a little break from it before I start on Chapter 4.

7/11/11: I had to delay the next tale for "Tales from the Cherry Orchard" because RL has gotten really busy lately. Since I won't have it finished in time before I go on break, I'm going to put it on hold for a while, but it will be up in August.

7/12/11: ON HIATUS TO READ "A DANCE WITH DRAGONS" WILL UPDATE BY JULY 20. SEE YOU THEN

7/20/11: Okay, so I'm going to be running a bit behind on some projects since my computer decided to be a very, very bad computer and I had to restore the entire system. Fortunately, I have my files backed-up on a couple of exterior hard drives and so I can re-download it. I only lost one chapter completely: the next chapter in "Lazarus Rising" which might actually be a good thing since the original was not coming out the way I wanted it to. So...pretty much delays, but not too long and not for too many stories. Thank the gods it didn't happen while I was writing Chapter 11 of "Kick About, Destroy, Bind".

9/11/11: It's hard to believe that it's already been 10 years since 9/11/01. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of those who lost their lives on that day and in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that followed. We must never forget.

9/12/11: I just found out that on September 27, Penguin Classics is going to release "The White People and other Macabre Tales" by Arthur Machen. If you're a fan of Stephen King, or Guillermo Del Toro, or Edgar Allan Poe, or H. P. Lovecraft, or any other author of Dark Fantasy and Horror, then I highly recommend that you check out Arthur Machen. Also on September 27, the next novel in Clive Barker's "Abarat" series will be released. If you're a fan of "Harry Potter" then I highly recommend Clive Barker's "Abarat" series so check those out as well along with "The Thief of Always".

10/13/11: Tonight, the Prologue for my first-ever collaboration story, "Shattered Realms" is up. It is not related with my own "Song of Hollows and Reapers" saga. I want to thank Eduard Kassel for sharing the idea with me and for establishing the Hueco Mundo cultures that will be seen in later chapters. Since this is a collaboration, I will not set a scheduled release date for upcoming chapters like I do with the rest of my stories.

11/04/11: Viz Media is reprinting CLAMP's apocalyptic saga X in a series of 3-in-1 volumes with the first technically being released on November 8. Ever since I watched the anime series adaptation, I've been wanting to get my hands on it. Anyways, when I went into my local comic book store, I saw that the first 3-in-1 volume was on the shelf and I had to get it and I'm glad I did. The illustrations are wonderful and the story is excellent. If you are a fan of the anime series of X or into more dark story-telling, get X when it comes out. (Warning: there is violence and destruction, but it is about the end of the world)

12/23/11:I'll be away from the internet until the beginning of January. I want to thank all of the readers and subscribers for making 2011 a great year and I'll see you in 2012. When I return I will have updates for you as a belated Holiday gift. In the meantime I want to wish you all Happy Holidays.

01/04/12: I'm back. Welcome to 2012 everybody.

1/19/12: HAPPY BIRTHDAY STARRK & LILYNETTE!

1/28/12: Due to Technical Problems beyond my control, there will be no updates this weekend. All files that I was working on have been lost before I had a chance to back them up and I have to start from scratch on the chapters.

02/02/12: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

04/01/12: WOOHOO! "GAME OF THRONES" SEASON 2 PREMIERS TONIGHT ON HBO!

06/05/12: This is indeed a sad time for all of us. That ugly creature known as Censorship is rearing its ugly head and is threatening our desire to read what we want to read and write what we want to write. I know that some people find many of the stories on this site "offensive", but that does not give them the right to delete it. These stories are someone else's. They put in time and effort and passion into writing them and they posted them on this site so that way they can be read and get feedback. Many post their stories for fun and others do it so that way they can journey further down the path of becoming a professional writer.

But where is the fun in writing something only to see it deleted by someone else?

How can taking a story down help a person become a better writer?

And then there's the ever-important question of: who's to say that a story has gone too far and then remove it? Who has that right?

The thing is that Fan Fiction does not say what is "graphic". They don't tell us what going too far looks like. And yet they would take down our stories without informing the writer first. That is not right.

I urge all of you who are reading this and who yearn to keep our stories safe from this mindless censorship to go to /petitions/fanfiction-net-stop-the-destruction-of-fanfiction-net# and send Fan Fiction a message.

We will not stay silent and see the fruits of our labors be destroyed. We will not allow the Beast of Censorship to devour our works and force us to write something that isn't true to who we are and true to what we love. We will not yield. We will not bend the knee.

WE WILL STAND!

WE WILL FIGHT!

WE WILL WIN!

06/06/12: Today is a sad day. A literary legend has died, but his works shall live on. Rest in Peace, Ray Bradbury.

06/24/12: I don't know how long it's going to be before I make another update since we have a large wild fire going on here in Colorado Springs. There's a concern that it could head towards Colorado Springs and all of Manitou Springs has been put under mandatory evacuation. If you want more information then you can look up "Waldo Canyon fire" online. So far it looks like Colorado Springs will be spared since winds are coming out of the south-east and so it may not head in my direction. However, I would like you to keep us who are living in Colorado Springs and the surrounding area in your thoughts and prayers.

07/20/12: My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of the shooting that took place in Aurora, Colorado at a midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises" and to their families. My thoughts and prayers also go out to the family of the shooter because they are also suffering in that someone they knew and loved was responsible for this crime.

01/03/13: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, J. R. R. TOLKIEN!

02/26/13: Today, my Grandmother passed away peacefully at the age of 90. She lived a full life and she will be missed by those who knew and loved her. I am glad to have many happy memories of her. As a result of this family loss I will extend my hiatus until mid-March so that way my parents and I can focus on handling my Grandmother's affairs.

03/09/13: I am announcing today that I am going to be on an indefinate hiatus. My Step-Dad was admitted into Intensive Care late last night and he may pass at any moment. These past few weeks have been very rough for me and my family with my Grandmother's passing only a couple of weeks ago. The potential loss of two family members whom I've been very close to is greatly affecting me and my Mother. If it turns that my Step-Dad's health improves then I'll be able to get back to writing soon. However, if he passes then I will need as much time as it takes to get things in order.

03/10/13: My Step-Dad passed away at 1:33 AM. It's difficult for me to process that in only 12 days I have lost two close family members.

03/24/13: I have decided to come off my haitus and will be getting back to work on my stories tomorrow. I'm hoping to have at least one chapter done by this weekend. It has been a rough few months and I thank you for your well-wishes and support.

04/29/13: I officially feel that these past few months have become some kind of morbid jest. My Grandmother passed away in February, my Step-Dad passed away in March, and now my mom and I are going to put down our pet cat of 20 years tonight. DAMN IT 2013, GIVE ME A BREAK FROM ALL OF THIS HEART-BREAK!

08/13/13: Last month I joined the growing ranks of fans of Attack on Titan and have decided to write a fan fiction for this wonderful series. However, I'm going to hold off on starting it until I've finished at least one of my longer works. This will give me a better opportunity to get the feel for the characters and the world before starting. If you haven't read the manga Attack on Titan or watched the anime, I highly recommend that you do.

05/23/15: I just have to say it: MICHAEL BAY AIN'T GOT SHIT ON GEORGE MILLER! Mad Max: Fury Road is the best action film since The Dark Knight and is the best apocalyptic film since The Road Warrior. Forget Transformers, forget the Marvel films, forget the reboots and remakes and sequels. Mad Max: Fury Road outshines them all. GO SEE IT ASAP!