Scott David Brown's Blog, page 7

It’s Earth Day!

I hope everyone does at least one thing today that is beneficial to the environment. Recently I’ve become more conscious about my water usage. I live in the desert, and California is experiencing a 4 year-long drought. This is not shocking, we’ve had droughts before, but this one is really pushing it. There are a lot of things you can do to save water, like taking shorter showers or replacing your lawn with water-friendly themes. Hey, who doesn’t love a rock garden? You can stick with the desert theme and use cactus and other desert plants. Doesn’t seem to be a popular idea in my neighborhood though. ;)

There’s two things I’m doing today. Well, one is already done! First, I’ll be driving my electric car to the research lab I volunteer at. Haha, well I do that all the time! I guess that doesn’t really count! Second, The Lost ELf, Liberation is officially released today! Yay! It’s an e-book, so no trees were harmed in the making of that book. The elf character is very respectful of nature!

Protecting the environment is important, it’s not a liberal or conservative issue. In fact, it’s something we should be able to work together on. In the past, it’s been conservatives who have started things like the national park system and air and water pollution laws. You don’t have to be a “scientist” to understand what’s happening to the planet. Yet, even if we can’t agree on climate change, we don’t really need to. Doing things like moving to green energy production, limiting waste, becoming more energy efficient, or driving electric cars, is very beneficial. Not only is this good for the planet, it’s going for business. There is a worldwide demand for green products, heck solar is booming right now. I think there is a decent conservative argument for supporting green jobs and businesses.

With that in mind, I’m calling on liberals and conservative, democrats and republicans, to work towards finding ways to work together when it comes to the environment. Hey, we all need to live here!

Liberation Pre-Order

The next book in The Lost Elf series is now available to pre-order at amazon.com. Click here!

This is the first time I have used the pre-order option through Kindle Direct Publishing, so exciting! I’m happy to be publishing this book now. It’s been over a year since Reptilian Encounter was released. Too long, something I hope not to repeat. I’m close to the middle of the series now!

Princess Tom is coming along pretty well. Actually, it’s longer than I anticipated, not a bad thing at all. It’s just kind of surprised me. I’m really enjoying it, especially the narrator ;) Originally it was to be a short story, but I’ve surpassed the that point. It’s now at the novella length! I could see this story becoming a novel, but I’ll follow the story for as long as necessary.

Book 4 of The Lost Elf could be my favorite of the series so far. I’ve got a lot of ideas that I may add to the original plot concept. I’m sure I’ve mentioned it before, but I have mapped out the whole series. I’m also planning on making book 4 longer than the first 3. The Snowlands are huge compared to the swamp, and that allows me to have all kinds of civilizations and creatures to boot. Expect a cold, inhospitable world, with only those who adapted to their environment surviving. I’m not going to reveal too much about the story, but there aren’t going to be demons this time. Some other enemy will find its way into the story. ;)

Anyway, The Lost Elf: Liberation will be available for purchase on Wednesday 22, just in time for Earth Day. If you don’t have the first two books, you can download them for free on kindle starting today through the 22nd. Liberation will be .99 cents, so  you can pick up the first three books of The Lost Elf for under a buck! Or would you prefer me to say, almost a buck?

WoW Token: How I love Thee

A few years ago, Diablo 3 introduced real world auctions. This feature allowed players to use real money to buy in-game items like: weapons, armor, and even in-game currency. Things were going great at first, I even made like $50 in total off it, but that was over several months! The main problem with the real world auction system was that very little people actually bought in-game items with real money. I can’t say I blamed them. Diablo 3, while a fun game, just doesn’t have enough content for spending real money on items. While in some ways it’s starting to become more like Warcraft, it’s still very limited in terms of content. That’s not a criticism, the game is good for what it does, it’s just that spending real money to buy stuff that will be replaced quickly doesn’t make much sense.

Real world auctions were eventually scrapped (even the regular auction house that was in-game currency only) and honestly I don’t think anyone really misses it. The only sad thing is my dream of making a living off selling Diablo 3 stuff died. :( Haha! It seemed like the grand experiment Blizzard set up had failed, but some wondered, including me, if World of Warcraft would get a similar system set up in the future. After all, there have always been people buying and selling Diablo 2 items illegally, and I’m sure it happens in Warcraft. At least, it does with gold sellers!

Several weeks ago, Blizzard announced the WoW Token. Essentially, it’s a way to buy WoW gold legally, and without the risk of buying from 3rd party sellers. It’s great for casual gamers who do not have the time or patience to earn gold in the game. It’s also great for gamers like me, who don’t have a job, and can’t pay for a subscription! Like the image shows, one person buys the token from the battle.net shop and puts the token on sale in the in-game auction. Players can then buy the token with in-game gold, and use the token to extend their subscription. For some, this means you can now play WoW for free! The catch is that you have to be able to make enough gold to buy the token. Right now on my server the price is sticking around 32,000 gold. Not too hard to make in a month, so if it sticks around that price, I’ll be fine. Also, people with inactive accounts can buy the token and get back into the game, provided that they have enough gold.

I think most WoW gamers so far are fine with this new addition, either they don’t think it will  have a negative effect on the economy in their server, or they are happy to be able to get more gold or free play time. Once you buy to token in-game, it’s locked to that character. You can’t resell it, and you have to use it. That helps prevent gouging. Finally, the WoW tokens are sever-wide, which means the tokens are sold from one place and are not server specific. You are competing with people from all the servers to get a token!

I was able to buy a token with in-game currency yesterday and I’m already selling game items I find or make, so that I can by another token. I think I’ll be able to buy one at least once a month, but you can buy multiples of tokens. I think the limit is 10 at once. That means that I can buy several if possible and activate them if I wish. I may never have to play-to-play again! As of now, the token is almost 10,000 gold cheaper than when I bought one! Looks like the supply is going up!

The Greatest Story Ever Told

I love writing! So much so that I feel like I haven’t spent enough time writing! But what should I work on now? I need a break from The Lost Elf, and I am working on Princess Tom. However, I feel like there is something even bigger that I could be working on. Something that people would really, really want to read about. Then it hit me, Scott David Brown.com!

Thus, I am officially announcing my new project, The World of SDB. Yes you heard it right folks! Everything you ever wanted to know about me in one large volume, 1,000 pages, every little detail you never knew you needed. I’ll start with my early years as a baby. Several chapters of what I imagine my life was like before I was able to store events in my mind. Did I roll over too much? Maybe! Did I gargle or make cute baby sounds? Probably! What was my first word? Who knows! But, I’ll make something up.

The 100% non-fiction work, The World of SDB, will be an epic story about all the things I went through as a kid up until this very moment. Actually, I’ll probably have to keep adding to it until publishing day. It will cost a million trees, but I don’t care, I make it up by driving an electric car. Or, if you really want to be a jerk about it, you can buy the e-book. Want to find out why I am the way I am? This is the perfect book for you! Want to learn about all my dark fantasies and my sexual fetishes? Read this book! Are you a sexy lady? Or any kind of lady? Or a woman? Or wish you were a woman? By this book!

The writing process will take me some time, probably several years, and I’m sure the anticipation will be epic. That is why I am doing a 50 part video blog series centered on this project. I will document all of my thoughts about this book as I write it. Think of it like a public video journal. Except that it will cost $14.99 a month to watch it. I anticipate one video a month, based on my schedule, and the time I spend on World of Warcraft.

Finally, once the video series is finished, and I have the book published, I’ll be hosting my own TED talks at a local university campus near you! Dates and times will be released once the book is finished. Come hear me talk about the process of writing this book, and how you can write your very own copy of The World of SDB. That’s right! Why buy a copy in print or an ebook when YOU can write your very own copy, on paper, in your own handwriting, based on a copy of my book! Just imagine having the opportunity to write 1,000 pages of my own work. Think of how much more you will appreciate The World of SDB when it is written in your own voice (exact, word-for-word, copying required, no ad-libbing allowed).

Terry Mary says, “I can’t wait to spend the several months and years it will take me to read this book!”

Kitty Kitty Meow-meows says, “Meow meow!”

Jake Smith says, “Just like reading a bill written by congress!”

Mark Mushakian says, “Ah, don’t quote me on your blog, ok?”

In only a few short years, you can own your very own copy of, The World of SDB. Visit scottdavidbrown.com everyday, hour, and minute, looking for new updates on the project. I’m sure there will be new news soon. That’s right, new news. Don’t forget to visit this site on February 30th, when a major unrelated announcement will be made! OMG! Scott David Brown!

The Lost Elf: Liberation Cover Art

The next book of The Lost Elf series is nearing completion! Liberation! I’m happy to say that all I need to do now is format it for Amazon. The Lost Elf: Liberation continues the story about an elf with amnesia and his goal of remembering who he is. It moves into a dark turn, and yes there is a lot of violence in this one. However, we see the beginning of the end to his amnesia and in book 4, he should be back to normal! The demons once again make an appearance, playing a larger role in the story. With book one, the elf makes his introduction and we begin to learn a little bit about his character. Book 2 reveals more about the elf and the political climate of his world. Book 3 brings us much closer to the elf’s true identity, and we see a major struggle with evil. Thankfully there are still new friends to be made! Book 4 is going to be my favorite, I think, because I get to introduce a new evil threat. So, no demons, but something just as sinister is on the horizon!

I’ve had a lot of help with The Lost Elf series so far. I would be amiss if I didn’t mention Mark Mushakian, who has been very helpful during the editing process! His suggestions have played an important part in refining the story. I welcome his comments, even when I sometimes disagree with him. And of course I can’t forget Eleanor Leonne Bennett, the photographer I’m using for my cover art! I’ve been really impressed with her work and I feel her photos lend a realism and natural feel. This series uses nature as an important element to the story. Her photos bring that out, I think.

 

It’s Easy Being Green

Tonight is the night many of you out there are probably getting drunk. Not me though, I prefer to spend this holiday sober. Now I’m not saying there’s something wrong with a little drink now and then, but as a partially Irish American (with several other European roots) I feel like this holiday brings up the stereotype of the drunk Irishman. I’m sure you have heard of it ;) Let’s remind ourselves how wrong stereotypes can be!

Looking at this photo, makes me lolz totes! It screams green! It is my favorite color, so why not celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a photo of Scott David Brown? I know you are so excited to see it! Haha, no, but if you wanted a photo that encompasses the color of green, you got it. Hey! Is that a Luigi photo bomb? Seriously!

Heck, does this photo look like a drunk Irishman? Umm…well, crazy maybe, but not drunk! Haha, no I’m not really crazy either. What is the point of this post? Ah, green! Yeah, green. Boy, this post is very informal, not professional at all. Yikes! I wonder what Mr. Mushakian will think when he reads this? You don’t know who that is? Well, just mosey on over to a certain website…www.MarkMushakian.com

P.S. I’m not drunk, really!

Dr. King

Every time Martin Luther King Jr. Day comes around, I usually make a post about it. Sometimes I write something elaborate. As I think about what Dr. King stood for, I am sure that he’d rather us focus on what problems need to be addressed instead of celebrating him. Always a humble man, I think. Still, it’s difficult for us not to celebrate his legacy. We forever strive to make progress, towards a more equal and tolerant society. May the dream come true.

Princess Tom

Website News: 12/21/2014

NOT a picture of Princess Tom

 

It’s been a REALLY long time since I wrote a website news update, mostly because I don’t update my blog much. It still looks the same as it has for a couple of years now. However, since my blog is SUPPOSED to be about my writing career (haha) I guess now is a good time to announces some news (I probably have been spending most of my time talking about non-writing related subjects).

First off, as I write this, I have five more pages until I finish my third draft of The Lost Elf: Liberation. It’s proven to be the most difficult one to write so far, probably taking me the longest. Awakening and Reptilian Encounter were easier for different reasons. Awakening was book 1 one and it was easy to get inspired. I was still discovering the character of the elf and building the foundation of the character. Reptilian Encounter was fun and a bit light-hearted. I was able to put some humor in there, which helped a lot.

When I began to write Liberation, I was off to a good start, but I ended up feeling that it was getting boring. Battle and fight scenes can be exciting, but when you have a lot of them to write, the latest battle starts to feel like a rehash of an old one. That is why I used book 2 as a way to relax a bit from the hectic events from book 1. Sure, I did have a fight scene in Reptilian Encounter, but that was it. For Liberation, my original vision included a lot of fighting. There were small villages to be freed, towns, and finally the capital. How many ways could I describe battles without getting repetitive?

I kind of got stuck and so I took a break from the story. I also felt like there would be too much action going on. When I came back to it, re-reading my original outline, I decided I needed to diverge from it. I have the whole series of The Lost Elf mapped out, but it was clear that Liberation needed a change. After adding a surprising twist from the point I had stopped, I had my solution. Lead the elf into a new and difficult situation, something unexpected. I also added a big reveal about the character. I think that avoids the necessity of describing lots of battles and keeps things interesting. While I am revealing more about the elf character, he won’t be totally back to normal until probably book 5 as I do want to stretch out his amnesia a bit longer, but I can start to morph the elf into a more normal and less child-like character. He’s no longer in a state of confusion so constantly.

I’m looking forward to getting a start on book 4. It will take place in a wintry land with a new race for the elf to interact with. I’m also going to add a new enemy to the story. The elf will get a break from fighting demons again. I’m thinking of a spooky feel for this one. And, for a teaser, he just might learn his name this time. Or at least something just as important about his identity. ;)

While that is certainly good news for those of you who follow and read The Lost Elf, that’s not really the big news for this post! I’m officially announcing a new writing project! I’m writing a new short story, in the comedy genre, called: Princess Tom. I was having dinner with my friend Mark, of the Mushakian variety, and he mentioned how well I seem to write romantic comedies. I do love humor and I fancy myself a comedian, though I don’t do stand-up or tell jokes. My two short story romantic comedies were a lot of fun to write. So, I thought maybe I ought to write another one, since it has been a while. All I seem to write now are science-fiction, fantasy, and serious stuff.

I’m thinking of not having a romance in this one. If you are dying to read a romantic comedy, may I suggest Little White Lie or My Imperfect Life? ;) Haha, I wrote those! Anyway, Princess Tom is a story about a video game designer named Tom who is asked to help save a software company from going into bankruptcy. The company has a child friendly image and Tom is tasked with making a more “adult” game for their adult fans. Tom is the master of making popular and violent video games. The tittle probably seems strange, but it is actually linked to the serious part of the story. Tom was bullied as a kid and Princess Tom was an unwanted nickname. As they say, comedy is tragedy plus time. Tom hasn’t dealt with his childhood trauma and hopefully he will be able to do so.

As with all of my main characters, they share a part of me and my experiences. However, Tom deals with his experiences differently than I did. He has an obsessive need to be masculine and seeks to fit an extreme stereotype of what it means to be a man. While this can be traced back to the bullying he experienced, this is a problem that has moved beyond that.

I’ve been having a lot of fun writing this story and I already have six pages finished. At the rate I’m going, I’m almost thinking about making it into a novel. That’s assuming I have enough material to make it long enough! I chose to use third-person, past tense for this story. I imagine the narrator as Malcolm McDowell. It makes it fun to imagine him telling my story. I decided to let the narrator own the story and he is very much an important character in the story. I remember reading some great classics when I was a kid and some of the authors did something similar. I’m trying to recreate that in my own style.

The level of inspiration I have for this story seems different from what I am used to. Usually when I begin a project, I’m dedicated to it for a little while, but then I may lose interest or get distracted. When I do lose interest, it’s not that I don’t like the story anymore, it’s just that my motivation drops. I may feel like doing something else in stead. I sometimes have the temptation to start a new project and I could end up having several unfinished projects if I let myself. Haha, well I do have two unpublished novels that I haven’t worked on in a while ;) Rest assured, The Lost Elf will not suffer such a fate!  What I can say about Princess Tom so far is that I am loving writing it and I don’t feel like taking a break from it. I’m writing every day so far and I may not stop until I’m done! I hope so!

My Amazon Wish List

Yes it’s that time of year again. I hope you survived Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I did most of my shopping online this  year, as I tend to do, stepping out once Friday morning to visit Target. I was amazed and glad that it wasn’t too busy. I picked up a copy of Dead Rising 3 for Xbox One (The Apocalypse edition) for just $25! The last copy too! Haha, my Xbox is filling up thanks to all the games that came out recently, Halo, Sunset Overdrive, and then Forza Motorsport 5 was at a nice discount.

Hopefully you all will get what you want this holiday season. I’m not expecting a big haul this year, but since I bought myself a lot of Xbox games, I’m pretty satisfied. ;) However, if you are in the giving spirit, why not buy me a gift from my Amazon Wish List? No? You don’t want to? Ok, no biggie. You don’t know me, so you probably aren’t sure if I’m worth it or not. No, I’m not really disadvantaged or anything. I’m not homeless or in need of charity. In fact, you probably should forget about buying me something and use that money to feed the homeless or donate it to a good cause.

Still, maybe you are some wealthy person with money to burn or you just like giving strangers free stuff. If so, check out my wish list: My Amazon Wish List. It might even help you decide what you want this holiday season! My favorite thing about this time of year is buying gifts for people and if I had a lot of money I’d be spending a lot this year on stuff for my family. :) Happy holidays everyone!

Oh, and yeah, a feel a new video blog entry around the corner…

Morality and Atheism

After watching some old YouTube videos about atheism, the question of morality comes up a lot. Where do atheists get morality from? It’s a common question that Christians ask atheists. For some, this is coming from the assumption that morality can only come from God. Others are just curious, so let’s not put every Christian in the same box. And let’s not forget that other religious people might have the same question, since most people who are religious probably would say they get their morality from a holy texts.

Obviously, morality does not only come from paper. Morality is a natural part of the human condition. It also is influenced by people and belief systems. We are predisposed to be moral from an evolutionary perspective. Morality helped built societies and allowed humans to live together. Most children understand morality through empathy, being able to relate to other kids. Yet, morality is also taught. It should be generally understood that morality does not require a “god” or some spiritual being or phenomena. One can argue that his deity bestowed morality upon man without the need of a holy book, but since I don’t accept any spiritual being, I don’t see that as a valuable argument.

I’m pretty sure I have discussed morality in the past, so this post really is just about the assumption that you need God to be moral. Making that assertion to an atheist is kind of useless. Actually, making any religious argument to someone who doesn’t accept your belief is kind a of waste of time, if your aim is to convince him or her that you are right. There is nothing wrong with talking about you beliefs and questioning someone else’s, as long as it’s respectful. However, trying to “convert” someone to your way of thinking is unlikely to be successful.

Trying to convince an atheist that morality comes from God is like trying to convince us that 1 + 1 = 4. We simply do not believe it. I think of atheism and God like the number 0 is to 1. Atheism is not a religion, it’s the lack of it. Zero is technically not a number!

I cannot convince a religious person or a person of faith that there is no God. It would be a waste of time. Instead I can simply state what I know and what I believe. That is all anyone can really do. I would add that criticism is acceptable. People are allowed to find fault with religion. You can also criticizes atheism. What isn’t needed is the heated arguments that aims to tear down or insult people.

At the end of the day, it’s important to be respectful of one’s beliefs. It’s natural to assume that your own perspective is the correct one. However, assuming that most people agree with your perspective is folly. Remember, we all have different experiences and expectations. Stating your belief is fine, just don’t insult me by saying I’m wrong about my own personal beliefs. I try to be respectful of others and I hope you would do the same!

The bottom line: morality comes from within. It doesn’t require a set of religious or spiritual beliefs. It’s influenced by our experiences and the people around us, but it’s our ability to feel empathy and to relate to others that defines morality. We can see another person’s experience and feel what they feel. That’s mighty powerful.