Kyle Belote's Blog, page 17

2020: Seeing Doubles

Good news for readers out there, I’ve got two works in the pipe for this year. I know it’s hard to believe, but I still have this blog. Blogging hasn’t been my strong suit, as it takes time from writing. I’d rather be visiting a world far, far away or distant planets in the shared universe I’m creating. Which brings me to my first piece of news.

Volume II: The next installment in The Dark Legacy Series is coming this year, but not in the first few months. For the first Volume, The Bearer of Secrets, you can find that here. There is still some work to be done in Volume II, little tweaks, and some chapters need to be edited further or cut altogether. The original count tallied around 329,000 words, and I’ve whittled it down to about 290,000. I still need to find ways to trim, so I’ll be going back over it again.

Another issue is coming up with the title. It’s had a long-standing one since the first draft, but subsequent rewrites have brought up a plethora of other viable designations. When I get closer to finalizing it, I throw up a vote and see how audiences react.

That said, I’ve been diligently working on Volume III, and in 2021, I’ll have another tome to share. I’m in the last third of the book on the rewrite/pre-edit, and I’m finalizing the nitty details before launching into Volume IV. And yes, that’s written, too. For any huge book fanatics out there, this monster is 400K upon the first cut. We’ll definitely be shaving that down.

The Second Release: I will also be serving up a horror novella for your reading enjoyment. For those of you who don’t know what a novella is, think of it as a book about one-third the usual size. It’s a quick, gripping read that’ll leave you panting. Like everything else I write, this will have a direct tie-in to the shared universe, specifically Volume I.

Other News From the Shared Universe: I’ve been kicking around ideas for two different novels. One might be a standalone, philosophical space opera. We’ll see how that evolves over time. The second is the beginning stages of brainstorming, a sequel to The Demon’s Fate. The first installment, which can be found here, launched a high-octane story at a pulse-pounding pace. The follow up will take a drastic shift in tone, but still deliver something epic and worthy of the first.

Other News From the World of Ermaeyth: I have been fiddling around with some characters I love, or at the very least, am intrigued by, and working on off-shoots, prequels, and sequels to the main series. Don’t expect these anytime soon, as the main series must be completed first. Don’t want spoilers out there, do we? Still, even when the curtain closes, a new story will arise.

Second Book of Poems: For Heathens of Heaven is out now, and you can find it here. I have some poems and songs that were cut from the first release, and I have fiddled with some new poetry for a second book. This is on the back burner as I’ve got a lot on my plate right now, and I’m trying to bring you more quality content quicker.

That’s all for now. I would promise to be better at blogging, but we all know that probably won’t happen. Still, I will make an effort to post more material. I’d always be open to a Q&A session on writing or anything else that you might want to know. Drop a comment below, and let’s talk about the craft.

 

If you enjoyed this content and you’re an avid, epic fantasy reader or a sci-fi junkie, check out my works, The Bearer of Secrets and The Demon’s Fate on Amazon. All works are available on Kindle Unlimited, eBook, and print.

 

Luke Skywalker: The Inhuman Hero

“Long have I waited for this moment,” said Emperor Palpatine in Revenge of the Sith. At one point, I am sure Mark Hamill and Star Wars fans alike conveyed this exact sentiment. Since The Last Jedi hit theaters, the rupture in the IP’s fandom sent echoes throughout the world, and it’s authentic. It isn’t a small, very vocal minority. Solo’s box office disaster is proof of this. Whether you like or dislike Disney SW is irrelevant to the topic discussed here. If you want my in-depth take on TLJ–and I mean, in-depth!–you can find it here. Moving forward, I’ll be discussing Luke and the main argument I hear about why the portrayal of the character in TLJ is superb.

Premise: Luke Skywalker has been humanized. This is the general argument I hear. Yes, there is the whole bit about subverting expectations and what-not, but the main thing most defenders say is that he’s been ‘humanized.’ In this post, I’ll only be covering this talking point. One thing that must be remembered: I’ll be dissecting this from a writer’s perspective, and I’ll try to be brief. This won’t be a deep dive. 

This first statement will piss a lot of people off. He’s already been humanized. The hero’s journey is a humanizing story, taking the average person and turning them into a hero. That’s what the hero’s journey does, a fantasy with a fictional character. They are meant to be larger than life, otherwise what purpose is their story? Throughout time and storytelling, this is the centermost thread. We already got this in the OT with Luke. He transformed from whiny farm boy into a Jedi Knight, confronting his fear and anger, and turning away from it. Luke in the OT is a very fallible character. What did he have going for him? He could fly a T-16 Skyhopper down Beggar’s Canyon and bull’s eye whomp-rats that were no bigger than two meters. Other than that, he was impulsive, brash, and headstrong. Yoda even said, “I cannot teach him. The boy has no patience.” “Much anger in him, like his father.” When Luke found his friends were in trouble, he rushed off to save them, going against the direction of those wiser than he. 

Flashforward to TLJ, and he’s a disillusioned, crotchety old man who abandoned his friends. This is one trait that is his backbone in the OT. He wanted to save “the princess” when he learned she was aboard the Death Star. He went to help his friends at Cloud City. He rescued Han from Jabba. He saw the good in his father and turned him from the dark side. This trait is central to the character and cannot be expunged by one bad moment. I say this because one bad experience in our lives doesn’t turn us away from everything. Take fast-food or dining out. Yes, you can have a bad experience with one company, but that doesn’t deter you from going to other establishments. You may ‘boycott’ that particular brand, but you still frequent others. Just because you have one bad experience with a person doesn’t mean you cut all of them out. 

I digress.

Taking into account that Luke abandoned everyone, the moral code ingrained in him wouldn’t have kept him away. Even Mark Hamill–the embodiment of Luke–said the same thing to Rian Johnson. Who would know better? The actor who portrayed him or a new director? In one movie, they’ve wholly invalidated the character and his arc in the OT. What better way to make you distance yourself from the OT and like the ST even more? Destroy what came before. And one last thing, he saw good in his father, a mass murderer, and henchman of a tyrannical galactic empire, but wanted to kill his nephew in his sleep cause … bad dreams. 

“Well, this humanized him, and you clearly don’t understand SW.” Okay, let’s take another IP as an example: Iron Man. In the second movie, there were nods to the comic book Demon in a Bottle, where Tony battles being an alcoholic. Now, at the end of Infinity War, he watches Peter Parker vanish, a boy he felt responsible for. What if in End Game, they threw all of that out, and Tony returned to his alcoholic ways? In fact, in the final confrontation with Thanos, he phoned it in? He sent an Iron Man suit to battle in his place while he stayed at home and pounded some screwdrivers? Does this make sense? Did that ‘humanize’ him for you? No, that completely destroys his character and doesn’t make sense. At the end of the Infinity War saga, you’ve thrown out a character that many came to love, and probably angered a lot of fans, you know, the customers.

There is another IP that many fans take issue with is Superman in the Man of Steel. He killed Zod at the end. Many people vehemently protest this act, saying that Superman doesn’t kill, and turned off a lot of fans to the budding franchise. I see it in a different light. Henry Cavill was not Superman in that movie, he was ‘becoming’ Superman, an origin story. “Superman doesn’t kill!” Okay, but what if because of this act, he no longer kills? What if this one defining moment makes him step back and say, “No more.”

“No more.” I think this is a sentiment going through many fandoms at the moment, SW included. We’ve seen a backlash in Doctor Who, Star Trek, Star Wars, DC, and there are grumblings within the juggernaut Marvel. Only time will tell on the latter. 

Clearly, this is a quick glimpse at the problem(s) within SW and the character Luke. You can dissect it for days and scream until you are blue in the face and still disagree. And that is okay. You don’t have to agree. Diverging opinions is what keeps the conversation interesting, but attacking those who have a “different point of view” isn’t constructive. If anything, it invalidates the other person’s perspective. Within this post, I have only outlined the character and what we know from past actions. But what do you think? Leave a comment, share, and keep the conversation going. 

A List of Where I Went Wrong…

As the tide of the ocean flows, so does the creativity bug. The ebb leaves me feeling abandoned and has abstained from returning for a long while. Why is this happening? To find out, I had to do a little soul-searching, and I have come up with a list of culprits. At first, it was akin to taking a crowbar to the gut and digging around, but as I gave it more thought, the pieces came together and revealed an illuminating image. Granted, this is my list, and if it fits you, excellent, and if not, well, it should be entertaining.

1: I don’t have a writing group anymore–A writing group isn’t necessary to be a writer, but critical feedback and insightful critiques help mold and shape a story and writer alike. I wrote for about twelve years before joining one. At that time, I just focused on writing the story, continuing said story, and going through revisions. I wouldn’t call it editing because I didn’t really know what editing entails at that time. I do keep in contact with a few online after all of us moved away, but a general lack of participation has left my soul a little melancholy. I find I miss them tremendously, and I wouldn’t be where I was today without them. Life brings change, and so must I, but I always keep that door cracked open.

2: Social Media–I used to avoid YouTube like the plague. Now, the rabbit hole seems to devour me every chance it gets. There are a lot of great resources on the platform and more than triple of the bad. Good intentions aside, the espousing of well-constructed opinions changes a person over time, especially those who listen. I’ve had to learn to shut them off. Most, with no ill intent, steer a person or budding novelist in the direction of “this is in vogue now” movement instead of letting a writer blossom into their own. I have found that if you write for the trends, you’ll always be behind. Moreover, those novels feel cookie-cut.

Facebook was just as terrible for me, if not more so. How many hours a week did I waste scrolling through news articles, gifs, memes, status updates, and pictures of everyone else’s life? It seemed like everyone else was living while I was sitting idle. I had to turn it off. I intended to delete it, but days before the 30-day wait period was over, I just deactivated it instead. On the messenger, members of my former writing group still talk in a group chat. So, I wanted to keep in touch.

Instagram is a little different. I get to see other artist’s work, so I kept it. Still, I spend too much time there as it is, but not near the same as the others.

Twitter. Don’t get me started. I keep it solely to tweet about book releases and RTs of poignant memes of how to kill a franchise.

3: Painting–For over a year, writing took a backseat to my painting. Now, because of a recent move, I packed those things away and have been reluctant to pick up a fan brush again. In truth, I am breathing a sigh of relief. I love painting, the instantaneous gratification of creating something, whereas writing takes a long time to see the end result. I was stretching the creativity muscles, just not in a way I truly wanted.

4: Life–2018 & 2019 haven’t been kind to me in this regard, as I was dealt a series of blows in my personal life. With so many deaths coming on the heels of the last, it really kept me down emotionally and depleted my creativity tank.

5: Lack of Music–I haven’t played the guitar in almost two years. Every once in a while, I will stumble across one that someone owns, and I pluck the strings for about fifteen minutes. Not nearly enough to help swell the melody inside. I find myself yearning to own one again.

6: Location–I am currently in a pit stop on my way to my final destination. Wanting to get where I am going has cranked up the stress and the desire to move on.

7: Family and Isolation–I live far away from those closest in blood. In either direction, it’s at a minimum of an eight-hour flight. I’d love to be able to drive over and visit if so inclined, but now, I have to travel seven thousand miles in either direction. Instead of living half a world away from one side, I live a quarter from both.

8: Naysayers and negative people–Everyone has this problem, no matter what’s at stake. Some people just want to tear down others, so they are equally miserable. I’ve never understood this concept. Perhaps it is my abhorrent and intense dislike for the churlish. Lack of civility, or at the very least, polite respect for another, turns me away. I avoid those people like the plague, but they tend to crop up everywhere.

Some folks in your life may not realize they are caustic for you. In fact, you might otherwise have a healthy relationship with them. Best friends and family can be this way and not even know it. To keep the relationship steady, you say nothing and move on, but this can be disparaging to your art and morale. I find this analogy to work well: If you were a rockstar in a band and none of those closest to you ever bothered to attend your concert. How terrible would that make you feel? What if you were a movie star, yet none bought/rented/watched your movies? While the first few times may not be that big of a deal, over time, those slights do add up.

In the end, I’ve had to learn the hard way to cut that portion of me out. I must partition part of my life away from the rest. That means never sharing with those closest, and in the end, they haven’t even noticed or inquired. Like the athlete who must always strive to better themselves for competition, they will either lose or be victorious on their own. So, I’ll either be a great or terrible writer without them, but they won’t be there to share the joy.

9: Lack of Writing–This is pretty self-explanatory. I just haven’t been writing, mainly due to the list above. Now that I have cleaned out some clutter, this should return. And it has to an extent. I still have to use a crowbar, but it’s getting easier. Just because you don’t forget how to ride a bike doesn’t mean you’re ready for the Tour de France.

Well, I hope this has been insightful. It might be a touch cathartic for me. Acknowledging where I went wrong is the first corrective step on the path. Hopefully, I am on the road to recovery. Only time will tell.

For Heathens of Heaven–Presale–Nov. 5th Release Date

I am proud to announce that my third book is now on presale and will be available on November 5th. For Heathens of Heaven is dedicated to my mother and coincides with the one-year anniversary of laying her to rest. For all you poetry lovers out there, I cordially invite you to explore this new volume with me. I hope you find comfort in the words and passages that speak to your heart. Pick up your copy on Amazon. For my other works, you can find them here.

For Heathens of Heaven

For Heathens of Heaven is the third book I will be publishing on November 5th, 2019. It’s unique in the line up of novels and something close to the heart. Some of the poetry within was written in the months that followed my mother’s death. Other entries are songs I had written in the years prior, some dating back to the early 2000s. Either way, it is a collection I either had the most fun writing, impacted me the most, or had an underlying or multiple messages embedded.

As with my fictional writing, I never want anyone to say, “What you see is what you get.” I would like to think of it as layered. If you were to read a passage one time, you might get one message. The next time you read it, another. I like my prose to be subtle and open to the reader’s interpretation. Sometimes they may be right, and other times, wrong. The point is, may it be enjoyed again and again…

The Demon’s Fate is LIVE!

The Demon’s Fate is live on Amazon! Thank you to everyone who reserved a copy during the pre-sale or who ordered today! The book is available on Kindle Unlimited, ebook, and soon paperback.

If you want to wait for the paperback, it’ll be either later today or up to 48 hours from now. There is a delay when you click the publish button, and I did it yesterday. Also, with the paperback, you have the option to also buy the ebook for $0.99.

Happy Reading…

The Demon’s Fate

[image error]

Sayonara Okinawa!

K.J. White Reads

For the last three years, I have been lucky enough to live in Okinawa, Japan, but that chapter of my life is coming to an end. As I was preparing to move, I started reminiscing on all the wonderful memories I have made, and thought about the lessons I have learned.

I have met some of the most wonderful people in the world.

I have seen some of the most beautiful sights in the world.

I have adopted two wonderful Oki Mixes.

I have learned about a culture other than my own, and I have to say I loved it!

I have learned to embrace myself for who I am.

So, now it is time to say goodbye to this place I have called my home. I am just thankful that I took advantage of this opportunity and let myself enjoy the time I had here. Living in Okinawa was…

View original post 29 more words

The Demon’s Fate–Going Live in 10 Days!

It’s taken 16 months, but the day has finally arrived! The Demon’s Fate is going live on March 31st, and I am ecstatic to share it with you! The book will be available in paperback and ebook, appeasing both traditional and e-reader lovers. Sign up for the pre-sale on Amazon! Unfortunately, the paperback does not have a pre-sale, a function lacking on the site, but it will be available around the same time. For those who want both, if you purchase a paperback, you can pick up an e-book for $0.99.

Back Blurb for The Demon’s Fate:

A crew wakes up to find an alien artifact on their spaceship. They don’t remember how it got there or what happened to their missing member. Piecing together the mystery leads to a moral dilemma that might tear them apart. Will they risk life and safety for someone they don’t remember, or will the trappings of comfort keep them on their course home? 

The Demon’s Fate:

Andrea Hessner leads a group of five with dynamic and clashing personalities. They are thousands of lightyears from home, a voyage intended to take years, but their trip was cut short when they fled an unidentified planet. What chased them away? Was it a technologically superior alien race or something far more sinister? Why can’t they remember what happened, and how did all the recordings of their excursion become inaccessible? With everyone looking to place blame, Andrea must act to save her crew and the ship before all is lost. 

The Bearer of Secrets

For those unfamiliar with my work, my first publishing was an epic, grimdark fantasy set in the world of Ermaeyth. With the customary setting of the genre, the story takes a wicked twist, and you find that not all heroes are honorable, and not all villains are without principles. Good is a point of view, and every individual is the hero of their own story, but what happens when the protagonist is neither? Bloodlusters, monsters, and loose cannons await you in this gripping tale of war, clashing ideologies, and the anti-heroine caught between.  

The Demon’s Fate Pre-sale

I am excited to announce my next book, The Demon’s Fate, is now available for ebook pre-sale on Amazon! Click here to reserve your copy today!

[image error]