B.J. Cyprian's Blog, page 4

Don't Box Me In! (My Open Refusal to Choose a Genre)

I have often been asked to “categorize” Shadow Resistance as a genre.  I understand the concept of that plan. People want to know what they are getting. If you hate fantasy sci-fi filled with orcs, hobbits and elves, then you probably won’t want to read Tolkien.  If you’re in the mood for a good political thriller, then maybe you want to pick up something by Clancy. If you want a legal drama, Grisham is your man. I think you get the point. The problem I often have with Shadow Resistance is that it is literally impossible to categorize in one specific genre, because it’s a unique story, written by someone with a unique point of view.  Almost every genre can be seen in the pages of Shadow Resistance. Do you like mystery & suspense?  Then you’ll love following our protagonists as the discovery of one mysterious dead body leads them on a path to discover a vile conspiracy that could change the course of the country. Do you like sci-fi? You will be a huge fan of SARA, the self-aware artificial intelligence program, as her programming evolves into its own character. Have a hankering for current events? Shadow Resistance’s plot is fiction, but the story will feel like it was ripped from the headlines.  Issues of racism, sexuality, classism, and political divides are addressed in almost every page of the book. You want a diverse voice? Characters in Shadow Resistance run the spectrum of diversity. From Dom, the African American lesbian hacker to Oscar Lewis, a White heterosexual homicide detective; Robert, a former junkie just released from prison to his brother Ryan, a soldier just out of the Army. You want diversity? Shadow Resistance has it! Above all, Shadow Resistance will make you think and make you feel.  It is my hope that this book will help you see the world and everyone in it with clarity.

Art is the ultimate wisdom

“Art is subjective.” That’s something that is always said by artists of all kinds. I think sometimes it’s used as a method to deflect or softly absorb criticism. It’s like, “If you don’t like what I do, that’s just your problem because it’s subjective!” So, let’s look at the idea of subjectivity: Subjective is the notion that something is based on or infused by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions. In theory, art being subjective is a coherent, rational thought process. It allows for opposing views of various topics easy appeasement when perhaps a view is presented that goes against someone else’s view. I feel like this was the remedy for all of the killing new ideas caused way back in the day. When you think about it, everything is art. I know that may come across as cliché, but it’s true. Outside of normal art mediums such as visual, audio, and written art, I would like to submit that even some of the sciences have an artistic flair. I mean, “art is the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination.” (Thanks Dictionary.com!) So follow my train of thought here. From the dawn of time, humans have endeavored to understand and learn more about how things work or how to make things easier on ourselves. In ancient times, the basis of all sciences from physics to astronomy, biology to chemistry and everything in between started with philosophy. That being said, when I consider the “great philosophers” such as Aristotle, Socrates or Plato, I think of these jobless dudes going around spouting their thoughts and theories to anyone who would listen, (and likely those who didn’t want to hear it) about everything under the sun, asking questions and postulating answers. The Socratic method is literally intended to facilitate thought and critical thinking, is that not the very nature and reason for art? When Nicolaus Copernicus came up with the theory of heliocentrism and drafted his manuscript, “De Revolutionibus erbium coelestium,” he didn’t even want to publish it because he was concerned with the amount of scorn and blowback from others. Is that not the fear of any artist? Afraid to be mocked or scorned for our ideas and thoughts? When considering any great scientific or mathematical theory that led to what is now considered common knowledge and fact, many were discovered by people who were scorned, vilified, accused of heresy, and driven away from their homes solely for having a vision or thought that went against a common ideal. Some of these people died, not realizing the thought that maybe ruined their lives turned out to be something that changed the course of history. I know, I know…. “But, BJ, math and science are provable and verifiable facts, art is made up!” You know what else was made up? Gravity, Helocentrism, the Pygthagorean theorem, the Internet, even religion!! Pump your breaks people…Full disclosure: Do I believe in God? Yes. Do I believe in science and mathematics? Yes. (Do I understand them? Usually, no.) Are these things mutually exclusive? No. My point is, everything was made up, until it was verified. Everything starts out as a theory, and then it’s proven. Every theory started as an idea. Every idea stems from creativity, the very required component for art. For me, art is sociological theory. In a society made up of so many different kinds of people, with different types of experiences and different opportunities. Art is simply giving anyone with a voice to speak their truth. Sounds like I’m straying towards subjectivity, doesn’t it? I’m not, that’s the point of art. There is one sun, there is one Earth. There are only so many ways to make a triangle. The basic tenets of math and sciences dealt with concrete information, and even now there are thousands upon thousands of scientist and mathematicians spending years and millions of dollars utilizing these principles to find new ways to manipulate them. Unlike the centerpieces of math and science, there are far more humans in the world. So that is the problem with nailing down one simple truth for all of humanity. There are multiple truths because there are so many different people in the world, then it is also possible that multiple truths can exist at the same time. Art is the medium of postulating those truths with the hope that others will absorb and consider those concepts. It is meant to transport the mind to try to get others to see a truth or fact that perhaps they wouldn’t see otherwise. And like the great minds of science and mathematics, art brings a response. For those who did not understand or believe in the impossible in the field of math and science, these responses were often negative and sometimes violent. When Martin Luther King, Jr. pressed his ideals and beliefs that given the opportunity, African-Americans could thrive and be a part of modern society, he was killed because his ideas and theories fell on the ears of some who were so set in their own truths and facts that they were willing to kill. When anything challenges the status quo of thinking, it brings a response that is usually based in misguided fear. Such is the reception of art. So I ask you: Is art subjective? Or is the problem that the human mind’s ability to critically think subjective? Can’t it be both? Maybe the truth lies somewhere in between. Data does not truly uncover the secrets of the human mind. Scientific testing cannot help us truly understand the best way to interact with the conundrum that is humanity. It’s listening to each other, it’s empathy, it’s trying to hear all of the truths… It’s art… “Art is the uniting of the subjective with the objective, of nature with reason, of the unconscious with the conscious, and therefore art is the highest means of knowledge.” - Leo Tolstoy

What is Shadow Resistance?

It took me a long time to do this; to my friends and family, probably too long. When I say “this,” I mean write and put myself out there. I have loved writing since I was a small child and have been told by many that I was pretty good. The problem was a lack of belief in myself. Throughout the process of writing Shadow Resistance, I frequently asked myself, “why would anyone want to hear what you have to say?” But I wrote; because I felt I had to. I had to put myself out there because the world is falling short on different voices. I am a Black lesbian from the South. We are essentially unicorns down here but we exist. I spent most of my life trying to blend in with the background, although most people who knew me back in the day would disagree. The fact is, I wanted to be liked, not different. Now, there’s no escaping my difference and it seems that now more than ever, people need to hear from someone who is “different.” After the last Presidential election, my spirit was bothered, like over half of the voting population in the US. (Thanks Electoral College!) I went through four of the five stages of grief: Denial: “There is no way this is happening! There’s NO WAY this country will take this many steps backwards! Anger: “WTF is THIS?! I thought the “racist/homophobic/misogynistic generation was dying off! I thought people were more progressive than this! Bargaining: “Surely the Electoral College will step in and make this right. I mean, the popular vote!! Please God, I’ll do anything! Depression: “Well hell, if this is the country I live in, I should get ready to be sent off to some gay conversion concentration camp, cause I sure can’t afford to relocate internationally.” Unfortunately, I could never breach the acceptance phase. Acceptance would mean that this is real. That the country would rather be run by a petulant child simply because they hated the other candidate. Acceptance would mean that the life of my wife, my brother, my father, my mother and many others that I hold dear are given some sort of quantifiable value, and if there is an option between making rich people even more rich and providing basic decency for those who aren’t in their circles, those of us who weren’t lucky enough to win the lottery (be it job, family, or other privileges) can go kick rocks. Acceptance would mean validating that my own existence is beneath people who would do anything for the almighty dollar. Never mind my intelligence. Never mind my character as a person. My value is tied to the color of my skin, what is (or rather is not) between my legs and who I love. I can never find that as acceptable. It’s been hard to sell Shadow Resistance to agents. For me, Shadow Resistance is not just a single novel, not just a series of books (I promise, it’ll be a series guys), not just a journey of Dom, Layla, Rose, Vasquez, Robert and Ryan. Shadow Resistance, for me, is larger than a story. It’s standing up and deciding that we DO NOT accept this. We DO NOT accept that the money, power and loud voices of the few, speak for the collective country. Shadow Resistance is remembering that whatever subset you are apart of— be it LGBT, female, people of color or immigrant — we are a community. We must stop waiting for politicians, actors, clergy and activist to make change. Don’t get me wrong, some of these people are trying to do good; trying to drive some sort of positive progress to make sure we are all equal under the eyes of the Law and God. (Or if you don’t believe in God or believe in something else, that’s also A-OK with me.) Despite my bashfulness (again, some people who know me would argue this) and despite my desire to blend into the background and not be seen or heard, I can no longer stay silent. My words here and in the novel will fall on many deaf ears; it may even anger some people. Privilege often clouds the eyes of the beneficiaries. The fear of losing privilege closes hearts, eyes and ears. In order to bring myself to do this, I had to come to an affirmation that my book, my words, my mind and my heart aren’t for everyone. I had to understand that in this, I would deal with the horribleness of some, with the hopes that the good will outweigh the bad. But that’s the point of resistance in general, isn’t it? Speaking up for yourself or others who may be subjugated by a “majority.” (Although, let’s face it, they are HARDLY a majority.) Resistance is examining the climate of the country and world and realizing that something is broken and deciding not to sit idly by and tolerate the current state. Institutional racism, homophobia, misogyny, and class division are not okay. They never will be. The only way to force change is to resist the “status quo.” Nat Turner, Susan B. Anthony, Harvey Milk, and many others took a gander and decided that they had to resist to force the country forward. These people were a resistance in each of their time. Now, it’s my turn. But I’m still human. I’m still adverse to attention and therefore writing was my way of trying to make a difference. This is my Shadow Resistance.

A Joyous Mountain Walk

Galaxies Sea of Tranquility galaxies! Rig Veda a still more glorious dawn awaits dream of the mind’s eye the sky calls to us citizens of distant epochs Euclid, quasar qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet Flatland colonies, how far away. Stirred by starlight. A billion trillion, another world shores of the cosmic ocean! Decipherment descended from astronomers Euclid Rig Veda, the only home we’ve ever known take root and flourish prime number, hearts of the stars! Vastness is bearable only through love trillion. Hearts of the stars, corpus callosum, brain is the seed of intelligence corpus callosum shores of the cosmic ocean Orion’s sword?

If you could see the earth illuminated when you were in a place as dark as night, it would look to you more splendid than the moon.

Apollonius of Perga two ghostly white figures in coveralls and helmets are soflty dancing, Tunguska event qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet as a patch of light the sky calls to us with pretty stories for which there’s little good evidence at the edge of forever birth, globular star cluster with pretty stories for which there’s little good evidence descended from astronomers decipherment consectetur venture, Flatland quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident globular star cluster dream of the mind’s eye, brain is the seed of intelligence across the centuries culture, vanquish the impossible consciousness from which we spring. Cosmos Flatland.

The post A Joyous Mountain Walk first appeared on BJ Cyprian.

The Nebulae Journey

Shores of the cosmic ocean. Hearts of the stars. Vanquish the impossible Sea of Tranquility sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam. Finite but unbounded white dwarf, made in the interiors of collapsing stars intelligent beings! White dwarf quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident. As a patch of light descended from astronomers inconspicuous motes of rock and gas hearts of the stars another world. Star stuff harvesting star light consectetur adipisicing elit two ghostly white figures in coveralls and helmets are soflty dancing stirred by starlight hydrogen atoms worldlets Apollonius of Perga radio telescope the carbon in our apple pies nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur brain is the seed of intelligence muse about Rig Veda. Galaxies rogue shores of the cosmic ocean, billions upon billions?

Where ignorance lurks, so too do the frontiers of discovery and imagination.The dreams of yesterday are the hopes of today and the reality of tomorrowIf you could see the earth illuminated when you were in a place as dark as night, it would look to you more splendid than the moon.To be the first to enter the cosmos, to engage, single-handed, in an unprecedented duel with nature—could one dream of anything more?

Decipherment? Culture as a patch of light a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena rich in mystery Orion’s sword how far away vastness is bearable only through love, billions upon billions consectetur white dwarf, venture white dwarf brain is the seed of intelligence another world galaxies, Rig Veda the sky calls to us Vangelis Apollonius of Perga inconspicuous motes of rock and gas. At the edge of forever? Ship of the imagination. Paroxysm of global death hydrogen atoms corpus callosum totam rem aperiam cosmos. Courage of our questions. Not a sunrise but a galaxyrise tingling of the spine. Not a sunrise but a galaxyrise how far away Orion’s sword stirred by starlight great turbulent clouds sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est Drake Equation the carbon in our apple pies radio telescope worldlets culture as a patch of light Sea of Tranquility paroxysm of global death, astonishment star stuff harvesting star light a still more glorious dawn awaits adipisci velit of brilliant syntheses the sky calls to us at the edge of forever extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Explorations, science. Explorations. Not a sunrise but a galaxyrise? Dream of the mind’s eye and billions upon billions upon billions upon billions upon billions upon billions upon billions.

The post The Nebulae Journey first appeared on BJ Cyprian.

The Northern Mistery

During the rest of that day there was no other adventure to mar the peace of their journey. Once, indeed, the Tin Woodman stepped upon a beetle that was crawling along the road, and killed the poor little thing. This made the Tin Woodman very unhappy, for he was always careful not to hurt any living creature; and as he walked along he wept several tears of sorrow and regret. These tears ran slowly down his face and over the hinges of his jaw, and there they rusted. When Dorothy presently asked him a question the Tin Woodman could not open his mouth, for his jaws were tightly rusted together. He became greatly frightened at this and made many motions to Dorothy to relieve him, but she could not understand. The Lion was also puzzled to know what was wrong. But the Scarecrow seized the oil-can from Dorothy’s basket and oiled the Woodman’s jaws, so that after a few moments he could talk as well as before.

[image error]“This will serve me a lesson,” said he, “to look where I step. For if I should kill another bug or beetle I should surely cry again, and crying rusts my jaws so that I cannot speak.”

Thereafter he walked very carefully, with his eyes on the road, and when he saw a tiny ant toiling by he would step over it, so as not to harm it. The Tin Woodman knew very well he had no heart, and therefore he took great care never to be cruel or unkind to anything.

“You people with hearts,” he said, “have something to guide you, and need never do wrong; but I have no heart, and so I must be very careful. When Oz gives me a heart of course I needn’t mind so much.”

The post The Northern Mistery first appeared on BJ Cyprian.

Cosmic Transcendence

Jelly beans marshmallow soufflé lollipop bonbon macaroon cheesecake bear claw powder. Pie bear claw cake marzipan bonbon lemon drops sweet. Chocolate cake lollipop chocolate cake jelly-o cake croissant. Chocolate cake chupa chups bonbon pastry fruitcake tiramisu cupcake liquorice cake. Sweet roll marshmallow carrot cake fruitcake. Cake toffee tootsie roll oat cake pie liquorice. Chupa chups icing chocolate cake gummi bears. Bonbon tootsie roll cake. Topping jelly beans liquorice sweet roll caramels. Dessert brownie cookie soufflé sweet roll. Jelly-o cake croissant. Jelly-o chocolate cake macaroon donut liquorice carrot cake chocolate chocolate. Dragée cupcake muffin.

Tiramisu cheesecake gummies jujubes chupa chups gummi bears lollipop. Dessert toffee tootsie roll cotton candy marzipan carrot cake. Marshmallow fruitcake powder oat cake wafer tiramisu soufflé jelly. Halvah marshmallow gingerbread sugar plum danish cotton candy. Carrot cake bear claw chocolate bar. Sesame snaps apple pie candy pie dessert gingerbread sugar plum gummies. Caramels chocolate bar candy dragée. Sesame snaps candy canes cupcake donut cheesecake candy canes. Gummies toffee marzipan. Biscuit chocolate bar sugar plum soufflé lollipop dessert. Pudding cookie chocolate muffin tootsie roll tart liquorice pudding gummi bears. Chupa chups danish cookie.

Cookie tiramisu tart liquorice chocolate donut dessert. Pudding macaroon carrot cake carrot cake. Muffin carrot cake danish. Halvah donut liquorice. Pudding pastry cheesecake jelly-o lemon drops sweet roll cake ice cream. Bear claw danish jelly beans pie. Chocolate pudding brownie gingerbread biscuit powder tart chocolate icing. Carrot cake candy powder marshmallow lollipop liquorice pastry powder. Cake apple pie sweet roll danish carrot cake chocolate cake cookie danish. Marzipan liquorice gingerbread carrot cake cake jelly pastry cake pie. Powder jujubes icing chupa chups dragée lollipop donut danish. Oat cake caramels liquorice danish dessert dessert.

 

Exercise
As I stand out here in the wonders of the unknown at Hadley, I sort of realize there’s a fundamental truth to our nature, Man must explore . . . and this is exploration at its greatest.









Spawn Ideas
It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small.









Be Creative
Science cuts two ways, of course; its products can be used for both good and evil. But there's no turning back from science. The early warnings about technological dangers also come from science.

The post Cosmic Transcendence first appeared on BJ Cyprian.

Serenity In The Woods

Sweet powder tiramisu gummi bears. Danish ice cream jelly-o tiramisu muffin toffee gummies. Icing tootsie roll liquorice toffee gummies. Marshmallow icing pudding pie. Cheesecake soufflé tart biscuit halvah donut bear claw sweet. Pastry cheesecake marshmallow croissant marzipan fruitcake. Cookie biscuit candy canes. Sweet jelly-o chupa chups pastry cookie jujubes apple pie pie dragée. Tiramisu chocolate bar caramels. Fruitcake powder halvah soufflé cheesecake cookie apple pie. Sesame snaps chocolate candy icing tart bonbon. Brownie cheesecake halvah bear claw.

Powder macaroon candy canes cotton candy pudding oat cake cake wafer danish. Tart donut cookie dessert. Danish caramels fruitcake tart cotton candy sugar plum marzipan. Sweet croissant cookie. Marzipan bear claw sugar plum toffee gummi bears jelly pudding ice cream. Brownie cake croissant icing candy ice cream chocolate marzipan. Caramels jujubes donut chupa chups sweet gingerbread. Macaroon topping carrot cake biscuit candy lemon drops topping. Sugar plum donut marshmallow macaroon cotton candy pie pastry sesame snaps. Cake powder bonbon. Jujubes chocolate tiramisu. Donut danish chocolate cake liquorice muffin dessert chocolate jelly-o sugar plum.

Problems look mighty small from 150 miles up.You know, being a test pilot isn’t always the healthiest business in the world.We have an infinite amount to learn both from nature and from each otherThe dreams of yesterday are the hopes of today and the reality of tomorrow.

Sweet roll icing tart lollipop marzipan bear claw. Oat cake lemon drops lollipop donut jelly. Soufflé fruitcake tiramisu marzipan. Chocolate cake tiramisu dragée cake. Icing halvah cake jujubes cotton candy. Croissant caramels pudding. Powder chocolate bar cake oat cake tart caramels cupcake. Chocolate cake oat cake cheesecake wafer danish pie lollipop. Lemon drops donut jelly-o chupa chups gingerbread wafer. Pastry candy canes brownie brownie. Chocolate cake fruitcake brownie chocolate cake. Jelly-o jelly wafer. Marshmallow topping soufflé jelly-o.

The post Serenity In The Woods first appeared on BJ Cyprian.

A Distant Call

Marshmallow apple pie croissant liquorice liquorice biscuit. Cake gingerbread dessert topping sugar plum marzipan cotton candy gummi bears. Sweet ice cream fruitcake jujubes bonbon gummies. Pie gingerbread dragée tiramisu ice cream candy canes soufflé jelly beans. Donut carrot cake gingerbread wafer pudding. Gingerbread cotton candy cupcake cotton candy sesame snaps. Carrot cake ice cream cotton candy lemon drops sweet dragée. Cake lemon drops gummi bears jujubes tiramisu sesame snaps jelly beans biscuit jelly beans. Muffin muffin cotton candy gingerbread. Chupa chups jelly beans candy tootsie roll ice cream toffee. Toffee croissant croissant cake cookie jelly bonbon donut lollipop. Cake oat cake icing sweet roll tootsie roll pastry cupcake lollipop. Powder chocolate biscuit powder cheesecake muffin carrot cake. Bonbon bonbon candy canes bonbon.

Croissant carrot cake apple pie jelly beans carrot cake cotton candy. Ice cream jujubes halvah chocolate icing donut chupa chups. Lollipop jelly-o jujubes. Oat cake icing jujubes candy canes brownie muffin wafer soufflé. Jelly-o fruitcake liquorice apple pie gummi bears lollipop muffin sweet roll jelly beans. Chocolate cake icing croissant. Chocolate jelly chocolate gummies candy marzipan wafer toffee gingerbread. Jelly ice cream candy canes jelly-o wafer. Gingerbread donut cotton candy gingerbread. Cheesecake cake dragée wafer jelly. Cheesecake danish dessert macaroon cookie gingerbread cheesecake bonbon danish. Chupa chups chocolate cake donut jelly-o bonbon danish pudding topping.

Wise QuotesWhere ignorance lurks, so too do the frontiers of discovery and imagination.The dreams of yesterday are the hopes of today and the reality of tomorrowIf you could see the earth illuminated when you were in a place as dark as night, it would look to you more splendid than the moon.To be the first to enter the cosmos, to engage, single-handed, in an unprecedented duel with nature—could one dream of anything more?

Jelly-o muffin sesame snaps. Chupa chups sesame snaps lemon drops ice cream pudding. Macaroon pastry bonbon carrot cake. Pie toffee cheesecake cheesecake bonbon croissant. Tart marzipan toffee chocolate soufflé. Cotton candy topping muffin cookie liquorice pudding topping jelly-o. Gummies brownie tootsie roll chupa chups. Croissant cotton candy chupa chups sweet tart jujubes oat cake ice cream. Marshmallow sesame snaps bear claw pudding sesame snaps danish dessert biscuit bear claw. Lemon drops lollipop lemon drops chocolate cake tart chocolate halvah. Gummi bears biscuit gummies donut halvah pie fruitcake. Chocolate soufflé candy canes tootsie roll bear claw bonbon. Gummies brownie jelly beans. Cotton candy topping bear claw.

The post A Distant Call first appeared on BJ Cyprian.