David M. Brown's Blog, page 93
August 16, 2012
#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #16 – A Different World
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This month Mr B and I are taking part in #BlogFlash2012, run by Terri Giuliano Long, and – every Friday – #FlashFiveFriday at The Indie Exchange.
The idea behind #BlogFlash2012 is simple: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts. Every day there’s a new visual prompt and you have to produce 50-100 words on the theme. The beauty of it is, you can produce anything from a simple anecdote to a piece of flash fiction.
There’s also a Facebook page so you can follow along and swap links.
I am also taking part in NaBloPoMo August.
#BlogFlash2012: #16 A Different World
Dave
My fantasy world, Elenchera, is the first one that comes to mind though I could easily go for Middle Earth, Discworld, Narnia, Wonderland etc. Although these fantasy worlds are places you can escape to they are not the sort of places you would say are necessarily safe. Even in comical Discworld you can end up on the wrong side of the Assassins Guild!
A fantasy world that is a utopia would leave a reader weary. There has to be some darkness to counterbalance the good for worlds such as in John Lennon’s Imagine will sadly never be.
Donna
Some days I long for a different world. A world where people don’t fight or go hungry, murder or rape. A world where my neighbours don’t start screaming at one another at noon and continue until the early hours, while I keep my local police station’s number on standby. A world where we have time for one another and don’t feel suspicious if someone tries to start a conversation at a bus stop.
We have this world. It is a gift. We have life. It is a gift. We have free will. It is a gift. We have intelligence. It is a gift. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Create a different world.
NaBloPoMoDo you prefer things sweet or salty?
Sweet! I can enjoy salty things but I have a definite sweet tooth. Buttery sweet popcorn over salted any day!
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#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #16 – A Different World | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
August 15, 2012
Game News: PlanetSide 2 Trailer
Sony have released a new trailer for upcoming title PlanetSide 2, due for release later this year.
Trailer: PlanetSide 2 (PC)About PlanetSide 2
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PlanetSide 2 takes all the groundbreaking features from the original game – massive multiplayer battles, distinct empires to rally around, and enormous continents where intense ground and air combat unfolds – and adds features that modern gamers have come to expect out of the FPS and MMO genres. With advanced technology, years of gamer feedback, and a new SOE proprietary MMO game engine called Forgelight™, PlanetSide 2 offers a truly competitive and visceral FPS experience with massive warfare, massive customization and massive community.
Across the continents of Auraxis, thousands of players will come together in enormous battles to win control of critical territories and key resources for their empire. With a an extensive skill tree and free-form class-based system, players will be able to customize their soldier, weapons and vehicles to match their play-style, as well as the needs of their squad, outfit or empire. Battles can last for days or weeks, so players will need to build alliances and specialized combat outfits to take on long-term strategic and tactical initiatives. With air, ground and seaborne combat, the battles will be larger and more intense than ever.
Format: PC
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Game News: PlanetSide 2 Trailer | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Music News: Somebody That I Used To Know – Acapella & Mashup
Thanks to Pavarti K. Tyler over at Fighting Monkey Press for the heads up about this amazing video. Having seen it, we just had to share it on. This amazingly talented chap takes planning, timing and effort to a whole new level in order to produce this stunning version of Gotye’s ’Somebody That I Used To Know’. You can find Matthias Harris on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.
Mashup: Gotye
Elsewhere on YouTube, Gotye has released a mashup version of all the parodies of ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ and writes:
Reluctant as I am to add to the mountain of interpretations of Somebody That I Used To Know seemingly taking over their own area of the internet, I couldn’t resist the massive remixability that such a large, varied yet connected bundle of source material offered.
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Gotye Creates Ultimate ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ YouTube Cover Mashup (VIDEO)
Somebodies, Gotye Takes Fan-Made Covers & Makes a Mashup Video
Music News: Somebody That I Used To Know – Acapella & Mashup | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #15 – Books
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This month Mr B and I are taking part in #BlogFlash2012, run by Terri Giuliano Long, and – every Friday – #FlashFiveFriday at The Indie Exchange.
The idea behind #BlogFlash2012 is simple: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts. Every day there’s a new visual prompt and you have to produce 50-100 words on the theme. The beauty of it is, you can produce anything from a simple anecdote to a piece of flash fiction.
There’s also a Facebook page so you can follow along and swap links.
I am also taking part in NaBloPoMo August.
#BlogFlash2012: #15 Books
Dave
Books continue to survive amidst the relentless advances in technology. Helped in large part by the ebook, our beloved works of literature continue to find an audience even though some of the popular titles raise eyebrows amongst some of us as they sell in their millions.
The important thing is there are books out there for all of us. As the great Freddie Mercury once sang of the radio, “You have the time, you have the power, you’ve yet to have your finest hour.” I still think this is true of books.
Donna
As a teenager I encountered John Wilson’s poem, which begins:
“Oh for a book or and a shady nook,
Either indoors or out”
Now, whenever I think of books as a topic, these lines immediately spring to mind. To me, books offer relaxation, excitement, escape. They are a sanctuary from relief – or a guide to dealing with real life better. Someone once told that whenever I approach anything new, the first thing I do is find a book about it. True. The second is find my shady nook…
All sorts of things! A kind word, delivering a cup of tea just when you need one, saving the last piece of chocolate cake, a well-timed cuddle. Above all, thinking of other people each and every day.
Related articles (external)
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Children #BlogFlash2012 DAy 14
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#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #15 – Books | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
August 14, 2012
The Friends You Make in Blogging…
I was actually asked to write this post about Kriss Morton, who runs Cabin Goddess, but as I started thinking about it, I realised it’s impossible to pinpoint one blogger alone. As soon as you start thinking about the way in which one blogger has helped you or influenced you, you begin to think of the others that have helped you along the way.
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I’m in several blogging groups on Facebook but one small but very important one was formed following a promotional event. The event ended but the bloggers stuck around – and something great developed. These bloggers include Kriss, Coral (Alchemy of Scrawl), Suzie (The Bunny’s Review), Jessica (Frellathon), A.B. Shepherd (A.B. Shepherd’s Reinvented Reader), Jeannette (Walking on Bookshelves), Donna (Girl Who Reads), Ali (Ali’s Bookshelf), Amanda (Living, Learning, and Loving Life), Angela (Library Girl Reads and Reviews). Add to that the wonderful authors within the group who also blog – Alison DeLuca (A Fresh Pot of Tea), Karen Pokras Toz (Karen Pokras Toz), Jonathan Gould (Dag-lit Central), JC Andrijeski (Fighting the Good Fight). The list goes on and on (it’s a small group but pretty big for this kind of list) so I’ll leave it there with great apologies in case I missed anyone.
It’s fantastic to have a place to go and to share your thoughts, ask an opinion, mull over an idea, share a joke. Help is always offered in abundance, whether a post needs sharing or you need help gathering your thoughts before a review. We have great fun with events such as the BlogTalkRadio show that Coral hosts, or the read-a-long that we did earlier in the year. Moreover, at a time when I was – frankly – exhausted after almost a year of working on Adopt an Indie/The Indie Exchange alone, I suddenly find new support in the form of these amazing people. Coral has become co-owner of TIE and is full of good ideas but everyone pitches in and is helping us move the group more towards a book community, rather than just an author hang out.
And then, of course, there’s Mr B, who encouraged me to merge blogs and form Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave, a move that totally reignited my passion for blogging.
So, thank you to all of these people. Blogging can be a lonely business but this past few months has proved it doesn’t have to be. Let’s call this group my ‘Cheers’ hangout. And I want to be where everybody knows my blog…
The Friends You Make in Blogging… | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #14 – Children
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This month Mr B and I are taking part in #BlogFlash2012, run by Terri Giuliano Long, and – every Friday – #FlashFiveFriday at The Indie Exchange.
The idea behind #BlogFlash2012 is simple: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts. Every day there’s a new visual prompt and you have to produce 50-100 words on the theme. The beauty of it is, you can produce anything from a simple anecdote to a piece of flash fiction.
There’s also a Facebook page so you can follow along and swap links.
I am also taking part in NaBloPoMo August.
#BlogFlash2012: #14 Children
Dave
This is a tricky subject. My wife and I are both adamant that we do not want children. We’ve never had any desire for a family of our own. We’re happy to be around children when we see family and friends but always on the understanding they won’t be coming home with us at the end of the day.
You could say we have children already in the form of six boys – Kain, Razz, Buggles, Charlie, Bilbo and Frodo. Our dirty half dozen felines are the closest we will ever come to having children and they’re certainly a handful.
Donna
When I hear my friends talk about the children, it’s clear that their lives are enriched by having kids. Good for them! Somehow I have always known that it wouldn’t enrich my life in the same way. People tell me I am good with children and perhaps that’s true. But I’ve never felt a hole, a gap, a sense of loss for not having my own. People tell me I will be lonely when I’m old. Or that I will regret it. Or that I will change my mind. Perhaps they will be right – but I will not bring a child into this world for any of those reasons. It could only ever be for love.
My husband and I used to work together (before we were married) and when our relationship was still in its infancy, we didn’t want everyone to be in the know. We were very well behaved! However, it’s hard to be around someone you love all day without something giving way. Knowing I’d seen The Princess Bride, Mr B once passed me a file in a response to information you’d asked for with a note signed off “The files, as you wish”. If you haven’t seen The Princess Bride, now’s the time to watch it…
Related articles (external)
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#BlogFlash2012: Day Fourteen – Children
Children #BlogFlash2012 DAy 14
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#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #14 – Children | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Book News: Celebrate the Baby-Palooza with Anderson O’Donnell and Kingdom
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To celebrate the birth of his second child (congratulations!) Anderson O’Donell is offering his debut novel Kingdom for free for your Kindle and Kindle reader apps today and tomorrow.
In a secret laboratory hidden under the desert, a covert bioengineering project—codename “Exodus”—has discovered the gene responsible for the human soul. Somewhere in the neon sprawl outside the nation’s collapsing economic core, a group of renegade monks are on the verge of uncovering a secret that has eluded mankind for centuries.
In a glittering tower high above the urban decay, an ascendant U.S. Senator is found dead—an apparent, yet inexplicable, suicide.
And in the streets below, a young man races through an ultra modern metropolis on the verge of a violent revolution….closing in on the terrible truth behind Exodus—and one man’s dark vision for the future of mankind.
Amazon USAmazon UKGoodreadsAbout Kingdom (2012)
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Anderson lives in Connecticut with his wife and son. Anderson himself deems Kingdom as “a thrill-a-minute, bio-punk myth that manages to wrestle with the most pressing issues of the new millennium. O’Donnell has crafted a kickass novel of tomorrow night, when the big party gets raided by the monsters we’ve been building for the last half-century.”
His debut novel, Kingdom, a dystopian, biopunk thriller, is now available in paperback and ebook format. Kingdom is the first part of the Tiber City Trilogy. Look for part two, Exile,in the summer of 2013.
WebsiteFacebookTwitterGoodreadsGiveawayPlease note that this giveaway is being run by Anderson O’Donnell and the Baby-Palooza team and not Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
“It is a 50/50 chance at this point. The parents do not even know, they want it to be a surprise. So chose one, not both please (entries will be checked and if you enter both you will be disqualified) and ENTER! One signed copy of Kingdom from the proud papa himself will be given to a random entrant from the winning team.
Guessing at a boy?
Guessing at a girl?
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Book News: Celebrate the Baby-Palooza with Anderson O’Donnell and Kingdom | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
August 13, 2012
Game News: Darksiders II Trailer and Screenshots
THQ have now released their ‘Crucible’ trailer for upcoming sequel, Darksiders II, due for release August 2012.
Trailer: Darksiders II (PC)
About Darksiders II (2012)
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Darksiders II follows the exploits of DEATH, one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, in a weaving tale that runs parallel to the events in the original Darksiders game. This epic journey propels DEATH through various light and dark realms as he tries to redeem his brother WAR, the horseman who was blamed for prematurely starting the Apocalypse in Darksiders. Featuring a dramatically larger world, full weapon and armour upgrade systems as well as bigger and more challenging dungeons and vast array of new enemies and bosses, Darksiders II strives to improve on every aspect of the original hit.
Formats: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
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Game News: Darksiders II Trailer and Screenshots | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #13 – Forest
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This month Mr B and I are taking part in #BlogFlash2012, run by Terri Giuliano Long, and – every Friday – #FlashFiveFriday at The Indie Exchange.
The idea behind #BlogFlash2012 is simple: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts. Every day there’s a new visual prompt and you have to produce 50-100 words on the theme. The beauty of it is, you can produce anything from a simple anecdote to a piece of flash fiction.
There’s also a Facebook page so you can follow along and swap links.
I am also taking part in NaBloPoMo August.
#BlogFlash2012: #13 Forest
Dave
I prefer a rural setting to the expanse of the large towns and cities. To be truly away from the urban areas I think you need to be surrounded by seemingly endless fields, in the highest mountains or deep in a forest.
There’s an enviable serenity to be found in forests. There may be the occasional birdsong, the sun’s rays finding gaps in the overhanging foliage but very often there is a welcome tranquillity, a wonderful contrast to the hustle and bustle of our cities and the crazy lives so many of us lead.
Donna
Foliage, dense and thick,
Overhangs and overwhelms.
Running leads you nowhere,
Except ever in circles,
Seemingly endless.
Too late the dream fades for dawn.
For me this is the easiest question so far: David. David makes me smile, laugh, come out of the grumps, want to dance, sing and be forever silly. He is the sweetest person I ever encountered.
Related articles (external)
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#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #13 – Forest | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Game News: Sleeping Dogs Trailer and Screenshots
Square Enix have released the PC Trailer for their upcoming title, Sleeping Dogs, along with several screenshots.
Trailer: Sleeping Dogs (PC)
About Sleeping Dogs (2012)
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Sleeping Dogs catapults players into the role of undercover cop Wei Shen, tasked with taking down one of the world?s most fearsome criminal organisations from the inside… the Hong Kong Triads. As players explore the bustling and crowded Hong Kong island, through its neon-lit side streets and sprawling street markets, an incredible story unfolds of loyalty and betrayal where Wei begins to question his own motives as he is sucked in deeper than he could ever imagine.
Offering players an island packed with action, every street corner, market stall, harbor dock or city skyscraper can become an opportunity for intense shoot-outs, adrenaline-fuelled street races and intense, brutal martial arts combat. Featuring one of the most intuitive and imaginative combat systems, Sleeping Dogs empowers players to perform an extensive set of martial arts moves, singlehandedly taking on numerous opponents. Players perform bone-crunching kicks and combos, vicious counters and a cinematic set of environmental takedowns making use of countless real-world items from circular saws to phone booths, incinerators to refrigerator doors.
Formats: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
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Game News: Sleeping Dogs Trailer and Screenshots | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
