Epic Apocalypse - Surviving The Epicenter [The Edge of Time Series]

Epic Apocalypse - Book 2

Lovers of apocalyptic fiction, feast your eyes on Book 2 from The Edge of Time Series, Epic Apocalypse.

As usual, I had a blast laying down these words and banged out this second installment of the series in no time.

In full disclosure, I wrote the three books in about a month (about 300 pages).

Most of the time after that, several weeks, I spent editing and proofreading, tweaking the covers, etc.

All that work for me was minimal because I keep 95% of what I write and how I write it. It so happens that this series for me is easy to put down as is since it just flows effortlessly. Although, most of my writing goes that way, these days.

Including this blog. I rarely change a word of it and bang it out in about 20 minutes. I hope that doesn't show too much, but I am extremely busy otherwise and I have very little time for anything else. In a way, writing on this blog and others I tinker with, for the past 10 years has been a good discipline for me. And, truth be told, Grammerly helps a bit. Not that I'm promoting it but it is quite helpful, especially if you're in a hurry.

Good Lord, Ernest Hemingway had it made in the shade back when he was writing his first novel, The Sun Also Rises in Paris and Spain. Yes, it's no secret that EH is one of my favorite authors and I'm in no way comparing myself to a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, but Hemingway had the luxury of banging out raw chapters early in the morning before he started his day of fishing and debauchery.

He'd then wire that text to his long-time editor and friend, Maxwell Perkins, circa 1925 and his writing chores were done for the day, usually before daylight. Perkins took care of everything else.

Most of us don't have that lifestyle these days even if we're published by one of the big agencies because we're still expected or required to help promote our books. And if we're self-published, we are most certainly in deep publishing shit.

"Life is full of Boo-Hoo Moments, So take it in, Tamp it down, And Suck it Up, Buttercup!"

I relish the day when I can bang out raw pages and send those bitches off to my editor and go fishing for the rest of my 20 hour day of leisure. What a racket that would be. I might just be the next Hemingway if that were indeed the case. Or maybe a better version of myself.

No, I did not just slight Hemingway. His head and brain were twice the sizes of mine so I know my place in the world. I'm a mutt of a writer by comparison but obsessed with all things related to Ernest Hemingway and his way of life. A man's man and a man's writer for sure (no disrespect, ladies). Toni Morrison was an outright genius and another of my favorite writers. And in many ways, I think women are by and large better writers than men. (Right, I'm not sexist at all.)

Edge of the Apocalypse - Book 1

But enough of that. I'm just rifting along while I have a bit of time.

I also want to mention that starting February 1, the first book of the series, Edge of the Apocalypse is available for free until the 5th. If you haven't had the chance to check it out, now is a good time because I made several important edits to expand (improve) the opening a bit. I'll include the link here when it's available for free download on Amazon.

I must say, that's one advantage we have these days, especially as self-published authors. We have total control of our content and I love that aspect of it the most. We can update our digital content at will and that's a Godsend.

Listen nobody cares how much we sweat. All the blood, sweat and tears mean nothing to the end-user. They just want to read a damn good story. That's it. Suffer all you want, and suffer you will just don't let it show.

In other words:

Life is full of Boo-Hoo Moments,
So take it in,
Tamp it down,
And Suck it Up, Buttercup!

Yes, there's a t-shirt in there somewhere. 
First one to feature on Merch, takes all!

Star Trek vs. Space Force - Which Came First?

Star Trek USS Enterprise

NASA just wants to have some fun. And why not? Life is just too short to take everything so seriously.

Here's the DJT tweet that set this off:
After consultation with our Great Military Leaders, designers, and others, I am pleased to present the new logo for the United States Space Force, the Sixth Branch of our Magnificent Military!

Okay, if you ask me, I prefer the fake Starfleet Command logo. But each image has its own merits. Yes, they are almost identical but the real USSF logo sticks with a rigid look and feel with typical government serif fonts and flat color tones.

So the real question is, who is copying whom?

Here are the cold, hard facts:

NASA'S Mission Statement: "An Act to provide for research into the problems of flight within and outside the Earth's atmosphere, and for other purposes."

With this simple preamble, the Congress and the President of the United States (The Eisenhower Administration) created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on October 1, 1958.

Star Trek Series:
The Star Trek series was actually first seen on September 6, 1966. It was produced from September 1966 to December 1967 by Norway Productions and Desilu Productions, and then by Paramount Television from January 1968 to June 1969. (Aw, I was just 10 years old)

Star Trek aired on NBC from September 8, 1966, to June 3, 1969. I think I remember the first episode ( The Man Trap) and like most Trekkies, I was hooked from episode one. And of course, I love all the excellent movies that the popular series inspired.

So there you have it. That's the low-down about which came first. Although, I think it's safe to say that it was a mutual exchange throughout the years and decades between both agencies, real and not so real.

You gotta love it, folks. For more about this interesting era in American history:
Learn more about it here:

AUTOMATA -A Post-Apocalyptic Movie starring Antonio Banderas [ A Short Review ]

AUTOMATA - Antonio Banderas

Here's one of my favorite post-apocalyptic movies of all time, AUTOMATA (2014).
Blade Runner 2049 is a strong first, budgets not withstanding. I know both these movies have been playing for some time, but in my opinion, they are both classics and demand to be seen on a large theater screen.

I love the stark, desolate landscape and the Automata robots, who try to get along with their human counterparts but to no avail can they co-exist, as survival hangs in the balance.

This is Ibáñez first feature film and I must say that he's on to something with the look and feel of this low budget thriller that does not disappoint. Great performances throughout, starring, Antonio Banderas, Dylan Mcdermott, and Melanie Griffith. A strong story-line carries the sparse narrative to a satisfying conclusion.

Banderas rarely gets the credit he deserves but from here, he's always on top of his game. Check him out in HBO's Genius Picasso, one of his best performances. (Hey, he's always amazing.)

I think this film is still playing on Netflix.

See the trailer and details about this awesome film and its director, Gabe Ibáñez for much more.
See the full article on Icon vs Icon

New Apocalyptic Board Games and Books 2020

Millennium Board Game

Happy New Year, folks!

Here we are, the year 2020 and I for one am grateful to have made it this far. (For those who have cheated death before, you know the feeling.)

And as you can see, Millennium is still on board, beaming down and standing tall like a monolith from another time, waiting to be discovered.

Actual landing time is 9/11, 2020 so it's coming, and before you know it, it's here for the world to see and play.

Sounds dramatic, I know and only time will tell how this game and the books that precede it will be received. I'm working on a shoestring budget so promotions are limited. I'm still testing the waters and so far, I'm happy with the results but in a perfect world I'd market these products in a more traditional way.

ebook, Edge of The Apocalypse

I'm hoping to get a bump from The Game Crafter website, once I release the game for sale. That's the only venue that will offer the game for now until I can get it distributed in stores. And TGC, these are the folks who produce the working prototypes.

Right now, this game and several others in development are a family affair and mostly designed and promoted entirely by myself, and that's difficult enough because unlike most gaming endeavors, I don't have a team of pros to help me get this out there.

Luckily, I'm well-versed in many areas, but that doesn't mean I have it locked down by any means. When all is said and done, there are going to be plenty of loose ends in play.

There's so much to do and so little time to get anything done so it's a challenge in more ways than one, but no excuses. You do your best, make adjustments, and let it go.

And along the way, if you're stubborn like me, you break most conventional rules and try to set different standards in the industry. Probably not the wisest choice to start with, but that's my style. I'm basically going for broke, all in, do or die. (If I can think of any other cliches, I'll let you know.)

Meanwhile, I encourage you to live your dreams and start with what you have. Don't wait on anyone else. Take control and get going. You can learn along the way and if you fail, you've gained valuable experience for your next endeavor.

My reasoning behind these games and books is that I've set out to design and develop Sci-Fi games that I'd like to play and to write books that I'd like to read. Hopefully, many people will join me and connect on some level with these games and stories.

If not, I'm having the time of my life trying, and right now, that's keeping me motivated and driven to succeed. If you'd like me to feature your Sci-Fi game or book, let me know in the comments or drop me an email, I'd love to write it up here.

Please leave me your comments and questions below. Also, consider joining my private email list (above, right column) so we can stay in touch if you're interested in any of these games or books.

Until next time,

Play on!

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I almost forgot to mention that I'm finalizing editing on all three books. If you'd like a free PDF file of Book One, let me know, or check out the Amazon Preview.