Brian Beam's Blog, page 6
May 11, 2014
Happy Mother's Day!
Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mothers out there! Here's a special tribute to the amazing mother of my own children :)
Click here to view this photo book largerShutterfly photo books are the new way to preserve your memories. Create your own today.
Click here to view this photo book largerShutterfly photo books are the new way to preserve your memories. Create your own today.
May 1, 2014
Throwback Thursday - 5/1/2014
With my newfound motivation to get back into running and getting a little healthier, in addition to Saturday being my first of 3 consecutive Saturdays of obstacle/mud 5K races, I thought I'd post a few running pictures from the past few years.
Yep, that's me and my wife with Jared.-Brian
Yep, that's me and my wife with Jared.-BrianApril 28, 2014
Alinor's Shard Review
Be sure to check out the great review for Alinor's Shard from the kind people at Long and Short Reviews!
http://www.longandshortreviews.com/book-reviews/alinors-shard-by-brian-beam/
http://www.longandshortreviews.com/book-reviews/alinors-shard-by-brian-beam/
April 20, 2014
Sunday Scoop - 4/20/2014 Easter Edition
It's been a month since my last real update. Oops.
In my defense, I've got a new baby, had to adjust to being back at work after a month off with said baby, and, well, my free time's been stretched a little thinner.
Let's start with Book 3 of Korin's Journal:
That progress bar over there ----> hasn't been moved in a while, huh? Now, if you see my Facebook updates, I made a mention about rewriting a chapter about a month ago. That was true, but in rewriting it, I realized the prior two chapters needed work. This is one problem with not outlining - sometimes what's in my head does not pan out the way I thought, and I don't realize its not working until, well, later than I should. (Side note: given that formal outlines present me - that's ME, not everybody - even more problems, I still have no plans for doing it now, or ever) Anyway, it turned into a much longer process than anticipated, one that I just finished yesterday. Basically, after a long month of working with the problems, I can finally move on to new material! Hooray!
But that's what editing, revisions, and rewrites are for once the rough draft is done, right? Not for someone with mild OCD who couldn't look beyond the problems, even if they only affected those chapters, not the whole book. To keep it simple, I felt like I was forcing information that I wanted the reader to know into the chapters with no regard for how unrealistically the information was being presented. Kind of like "oh, let me tell you all about these certain important people who will play a major role in the coming chapters even though I don't even know you." For example, have you ever played an old-school JRPG(Japanese Role Playing Game for all you lesser nerds, or games like Final Fantasy for all you lesser lesser nerds, or nerd games for those who still remain)? I always found it humorous you could just walk into random people's houses that would have no idea who you were and they would tell you an important plot point - you know, as opposed to being like "Who the f*@& are you, and what the f#@* are you doing in my f&*#ing house?"
In the end, I decided that I will add a short chapter or two's worth of additional material in the coming chapters to address this. The upside to this is that the two new characters this material will be focused on, characters who will be crucial to the plot, will be more fleshed out and there are now two scenes between each of them and Korin that I am really looking forward to writing. Later this week, I'll update the progress bar, though there won't be much of a difference yet. Still, some progress has been made, and once I move a few pages I left tacked on to the end of my book file in case I wanted to reuse some of them to another file, I'll have a proper word count to base it of off(yes, I know I could just delete it, get the word count, and then undo the delete, but that would make far too much sense).
The only other update I have is that I have come up with some awesome(in my opinion, anyway) plot changes and some exciting(and in one case, incredibly emotional) scenes to go along with them. If you've read any of my earlier blogs, you may have heard me mention that most of my plotting happens when jogging. While a small portion of these ideas did originate during my recent runs, the majority came to me one day last week when mowing the lawn. I know this seems silly to tell you, especially since I won't explain what these ideas are, but I just want to express that there are some epic moments to look forward to that did not exist in my head before yesterday, and they have me more excited and inspired than my original vision going into this.
Now, since I haven't had a Warrior Wednesday blog in a while, some updates on my St. Jude fundraiser and training for the North Carolina Warrior Dash next month:
First of all, I have finally become inspired to really get back into running and to get to the gym more. In the past week, I have even *gasp* started watching my diet! Not going to shove too much fitness crap down your throat, but I'm proud to say that I ran every morning before work this past week, have run 10 consecutive days(as of today), and ran 19.5 miles over the course of this week!
(The 5 miles for 4/12 were actually from 2 runs, one being from 4/11 and posted late, thus 10 consecutive days of running)
Overall, I'm proud that I'm finally putting in the effort to get back into a hobby I love so much. Documenting my improvement here is very self-serving in that it kind of holds me more accountable, or at least it feels like it does. Before my protruding disk last June, my pace and endurance were much better, but after allowing myself to fall into a slump, I'm happy to see some improvement and to regain some of my motivation. I still don't sleep enough, but I already feel a higher level of natural energy from the past couple weeks alone. I'll definitely be more than ready for May's Warrior Dash, and the similar-ish Down and Dirty Adventure Run the week before it.
Which brings me to my last update - raising money for St. Jude:
As you may know, I signed up to raise money for St. Jude Children's Hospital through the Warrior Dash race, and thanks to several kind donations, I quickly reached my initial goal of $300. Accordingly, I raised my goal to $500. As of now, $315 has been donated, and I am very thankful to all of you who have donated to this amazing cause. Remember, there's some incentives for donations, such as signed copies of my book and getting your name or a name of your choice(within reason) as a major character in Book 3 of Korin's Journal. Every $5 gets you a chance for one of these incentives. Be sure to check out http://warrior.stjude.org/brianbeam for more information and to make a donation. I don't get anything beyond having access to the St. Jude Warriors VIP tent(with showers and bag check), which I already have raised enough for. This is solely because I love this organization and all that they do. Every dollar you donate can do so much for the care of sick children, allowing them to get the care they need without ever seeing a bill, not to mention all the research St. Jude does to advance the treatment of illnesses in children. So, come on, let's do this! $500 isn't far away!
Either click the link in the prior paragraph, or the image below to make a donation today! You'll have my eternal gratitude.
All right, so that was a really long blog. Sorry about that. I'll try to be a little better about blogging in the coming weeks. Now, in an attempt to slow your browser, here's some pictures of our Easter fun over the past couple of weekends.
Happy Easter to you all!
- Brian
In my defense, I've got a new baby, had to adjust to being back at work after a month off with said baby, and, well, my free time's been stretched a little thinner.
Let's start with Book 3 of Korin's Journal:
That progress bar over there ----> hasn't been moved in a while, huh? Now, if you see my Facebook updates, I made a mention about rewriting a chapter about a month ago. That was true, but in rewriting it, I realized the prior two chapters needed work. This is one problem with not outlining - sometimes what's in my head does not pan out the way I thought, and I don't realize its not working until, well, later than I should. (Side note: given that formal outlines present me - that's ME, not everybody - even more problems, I still have no plans for doing it now, or ever) Anyway, it turned into a much longer process than anticipated, one that I just finished yesterday. Basically, after a long month of working with the problems, I can finally move on to new material! Hooray!
But that's what editing, revisions, and rewrites are for once the rough draft is done, right? Not for someone with mild OCD who couldn't look beyond the problems, even if they only affected those chapters, not the whole book. To keep it simple, I felt like I was forcing information that I wanted the reader to know into the chapters with no regard for how unrealistically the information was being presented. Kind of like "oh, let me tell you all about these certain important people who will play a major role in the coming chapters even though I don't even know you." For example, have you ever played an old-school JRPG(Japanese Role Playing Game for all you lesser nerds, or games like Final Fantasy for all you lesser lesser nerds, or nerd games for those who still remain)? I always found it humorous you could just walk into random people's houses that would have no idea who you were and they would tell you an important plot point - you know, as opposed to being like "Who the f*@& are you, and what the f#@* are you doing in my f&*#ing house?"
In the end, I decided that I will add a short chapter or two's worth of additional material in the coming chapters to address this. The upside to this is that the two new characters this material will be focused on, characters who will be crucial to the plot, will be more fleshed out and there are now two scenes between each of them and Korin that I am really looking forward to writing. Later this week, I'll update the progress bar, though there won't be much of a difference yet. Still, some progress has been made, and once I move a few pages I left tacked on to the end of my book file in case I wanted to reuse some of them to another file, I'll have a proper word count to base it of off(yes, I know I could just delete it, get the word count, and then undo the delete, but that would make far too much sense).
The only other update I have is that I have come up with some awesome(in my opinion, anyway) plot changes and some exciting(and in one case, incredibly emotional) scenes to go along with them. If you've read any of my earlier blogs, you may have heard me mention that most of my plotting happens when jogging. While a small portion of these ideas did originate during my recent runs, the majority came to me one day last week when mowing the lawn. I know this seems silly to tell you, especially since I won't explain what these ideas are, but I just want to express that there are some epic moments to look forward to that did not exist in my head before yesterday, and they have me more excited and inspired than my original vision going into this.
Now, since I haven't had a Warrior Wednesday blog in a while, some updates on my St. Jude fundraiser and training for the North Carolina Warrior Dash next month:
First of all, I have finally become inspired to really get back into running and to get to the gym more. In the past week, I have even *gasp* started watching my diet! Not going to shove too much fitness crap down your throat, but I'm proud to say that I ran every morning before work this past week, have run 10 consecutive days(as of today), and ran 19.5 miles over the course of this week!
(The 5 miles for 4/12 were actually from 2 runs, one being from 4/11 and posted late, thus 10 consecutive days of running)Overall, I'm proud that I'm finally putting in the effort to get back into a hobby I love so much. Documenting my improvement here is very self-serving in that it kind of holds me more accountable, or at least it feels like it does. Before my protruding disk last June, my pace and endurance were much better, but after allowing myself to fall into a slump, I'm happy to see some improvement and to regain some of my motivation. I still don't sleep enough, but I already feel a higher level of natural energy from the past couple weeks alone. I'll definitely be more than ready for May's Warrior Dash, and the similar-ish Down and Dirty Adventure Run the week before it.
Which brings me to my last update - raising money for St. Jude:
As you may know, I signed up to raise money for St. Jude Children's Hospital through the Warrior Dash race, and thanks to several kind donations, I quickly reached my initial goal of $300. Accordingly, I raised my goal to $500. As of now, $315 has been donated, and I am very thankful to all of you who have donated to this amazing cause. Remember, there's some incentives for donations, such as signed copies of my book and getting your name or a name of your choice(within reason) as a major character in Book 3 of Korin's Journal. Every $5 gets you a chance for one of these incentives. Be sure to check out http://warrior.stjude.org/brianbeam for more information and to make a donation. I don't get anything beyond having access to the St. Jude Warriors VIP tent(with showers and bag check), which I already have raised enough for. This is solely because I love this organization and all that they do. Every dollar you donate can do so much for the care of sick children, allowing them to get the care they need without ever seeing a bill, not to mention all the research St. Jude does to advance the treatment of illnesses in children. So, come on, let's do this! $500 isn't far away!
Either click the link in the prior paragraph, or the image below to make a donation today! You'll have my eternal gratitude.
All right, so that was a really long blog. Sorry about that. I'll try to be a little better about blogging in the coming weeks. Now, in an attempt to slow your browser, here's some pictures of our Easter fun over the past couple of weekends.
Happy Easter to you all!
- Brian
April 3, 2014
Friday Review - Words of Radiance
Friday Review
Words of RadianceBook 2 of the Stormlight ArchiveBrandon Sanderson
Wow. I don't know where to even start with this one. Admittedly, though Brandon Sanderson is my favorite author, I wasn't the biggest fan of The Way of Kings, the first book of the Stormlight Archives. I mean, the story was good and the world was interesting, but for some reason it did not hook me the way his other books had.
Now, with Words of Radiance, I may have a new favorite fantasy novel(and optimistically, new fantasy series).
Words of Radiance mainly continues the storylines of the major characters from Way of Kings - Kaladin, Shallan, Jasnah, Dalinar, Adolin, and Szeth, the assassin in white. The way that these characters eventually come together is nothing short of genius, culminating in an ending that the word "epic" doesn't seem to begin to cover. Basically, what Way of Kings made me think this series was ultimately building towards served only as the climax of book two. Out of a planned ten. Yeah.
The world in the Stormlight Archives is rich, unique, and awe inspiring. Sanderson has crafted a world which has been shaped by violent storms called highstorms. All facets of life and the evolution of plants, animals, and humans are tied to the deadly power of these forces of nature. It may be cliche to speak of the world within a fantasy book being a character in itself, but that truly applies here. I cannot imagine the amount of work Sanderson put into crafting the adaptation of life to live in this storm-torn existence. The magic in this world, powered by stormlight(basically an energy that originates in the highstorms) is complex and creative, a Sanderson staple.
There are enough interweaving plots to potentially tie your brain into knots, yet Sanderson pulls them off deftly, throwing twists and surprising revelations at the reader left and right. Even predictable plot points are given an injection of Sanderson ingenuity. And never do these twists feel as if they exist to further the story or to simply throw off the reader. Each is crucial to the story, and completely believable in the context of the story. I know I'm a little biased in this regard(as I've mentioned, Sanderson is my favorite author), but he has really outdone himself with the story this time.
The characters all possess an amazing amount of depth(Sanderson seems to have evolved past the criticism of having two-dimensional characters in his prior works . . . maybe an effect from finishing Roobert Jordan's Wheel of Time series). Every main character is wholly believable(in a swords and sorcery fantasy sense), each with their own personal demons and motivations. Not one of the dozens of main and side characters blend in with another. Each is unique and interesting.
The action in this book, as with any Sanderson book, is exciting, fast-paced, and brilliant in its creativity.
Now, I know I haven't said much about the plot, and I don't feel I can without giving more than I'd like away. Instead, I'd like to express that this is an AMAZING epic fantasy novel. The hardback version is over a thousand pages(I read that it's the biggest book published by TOR page wise . . . not 100% sure if that's true)and 300K+ words, yet it reads like a book a quarter of its size, keeping you glued to the pages from the first to the last with little to no filler. Some of the biggest names in epic fantasy(Tolkien, Jordan, Martin) are/were unable to pull off such a feat. When I finished the last page, I wasn't ready to put down the book. I wanted more, so much so that I found myself actually hating the thought of the series coming to an end 8 books from now. Yeah, I enjoyed it that much. I can't remember the last time I was this satisfied with a book in a series. The end is still stuck in my head as I write this, and probably will be until book 3 is released a year or more from now.
Again, I know I have a bit of a Sanderson bias, but I still feel that this is a book that needs to be read by any fan of epic fantasy. Heck, just fantasy. I do not recommend going into it without reading Way of Kings, but know that if you even sort of enjoy Way of Kings, I guarantee you'll LOVE Words of Radiance.
5/5
Words of RadianceBook 2 of the Stormlight ArchiveBrandon Sanderson
Wow. I don't know where to even start with this one. Admittedly, though Brandon Sanderson is my favorite author, I wasn't the biggest fan of The Way of Kings, the first book of the Stormlight Archives. I mean, the story was good and the world was interesting, but for some reason it did not hook me the way his other books had.
Now, with Words of Radiance, I may have a new favorite fantasy novel(and optimistically, new fantasy series).
Words of Radiance mainly continues the storylines of the major characters from Way of Kings - Kaladin, Shallan, Jasnah, Dalinar, Adolin, and Szeth, the assassin in white. The way that these characters eventually come together is nothing short of genius, culminating in an ending that the word "epic" doesn't seem to begin to cover. Basically, what Way of Kings made me think this series was ultimately building towards served only as the climax of book two. Out of a planned ten. Yeah.
The world in the Stormlight Archives is rich, unique, and awe inspiring. Sanderson has crafted a world which has been shaped by violent storms called highstorms. All facets of life and the evolution of plants, animals, and humans are tied to the deadly power of these forces of nature. It may be cliche to speak of the world within a fantasy book being a character in itself, but that truly applies here. I cannot imagine the amount of work Sanderson put into crafting the adaptation of life to live in this storm-torn existence. The magic in this world, powered by stormlight(basically an energy that originates in the highstorms) is complex and creative, a Sanderson staple.
There are enough interweaving plots to potentially tie your brain into knots, yet Sanderson pulls them off deftly, throwing twists and surprising revelations at the reader left and right. Even predictable plot points are given an injection of Sanderson ingenuity. And never do these twists feel as if they exist to further the story or to simply throw off the reader. Each is crucial to the story, and completely believable in the context of the story. I know I'm a little biased in this regard(as I've mentioned, Sanderson is my favorite author), but he has really outdone himself with the story this time.
The characters all possess an amazing amount of depth(Sanderson seems to have evolved past the criticism of having two-dimensional characters in his prior works . . . maybe an effect from finishing Roobert Jordan's Wheel of Time series). Every main character is wholly believable(in a swords and sorcery fantasy sense), each with their own personal demons and motivations. Not one of the dozens of main and side characters blend in with another. Each is unique and interesting.
The action in this book, as with any Sanderson book, is exciting, fast-paced, and brilliant in its creativity.
Now, I know I haven't said much about the plot, and I don't feel I can without giving more than I'd like away. Instead, I'd like to express that this is an AMAZING epic fantasy novel. The hardback version is over a thousand pages(I read that it's the biggest book published by TOR page wise . . . not 100% sure if that's true)and 300K+ words, yet it reads like a book a quarter of its size, keeping you glued to the pages from the first to the last with little to no filler. Some of the biggest names in epic fantasy(Tolkien, Jordan, Martin) are/were unable to pull off such a feat. When I finished the last page, I wasn't ready to put down the book. I wanted more, so much so that I found myself actually hating the thought of the series coming to an end 8 books from now. Yeah, I enjoyed it that much. I can't remember the last time I was this satisfied with a book in a series. The end is still stuck in my head as I write this, and probably will be until book 3 is released a year or more from now.
Again, I know I have a bit of a Sanderson bias, but I still feel that this is a book that needs to be read by any fan of epic fantasy. Heck, just fantasy. I do not recommend going into it without reading Way of Kings, but know that if you even sort of enjoy Way of Kings, I guarantee you'll LOVE Words of Radiance.
5/5
March 27, 2014
Throwback Thursday - 03/27/2014
Why? Because my wife once fed a baby tiger. That's why.
Brian
March 16, 2014
Sunday Scoop - 3/16/2014
Okay, going to be honest here. I haven't really written at all over the past couple of weeks. However, it's for a darn good reason:
I'm not using a computer with my book files on it at the moment, but I do have a thousand-ish words more than my last update. 22K or so, maybe? For now, though, back to baby Gavin!
Brian
I'm not using a computer with my book files on it at the moment, but I do have a thousand-ish words more than my last update. 22K or so, maybe? For now, though, back to baby Gavin!
Brian
March 13, 2014
Friday Review - Forging of a Knight: Rise of the Slavekeepers
As an added bonus to this week's Friday Review of Hugo Negron's new fantasy epic, Rise of the Slavekeepers, Hugo himself has graciously allowed me to interview him. So, check out the review, and then learn a little more about this talented fantasy author.
Forging of a Knight: Rise of the Slavekeepers is Hugo Negron’s action-packed, epic sequel to his fantasy debut, Forging of a Knight. With this new entry to the series, Negron has crafted a complex tale full of enough action, excitement, and plot twists to keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page.
And then you’ll be left wanting more. (Read on for the full review and interview)The story starts off simply enough with Qualton, fresh from attaining his place among the Turinthian knights, trudging through a swamp with a band of his new comrades on a mission to slay a beast that has been wreaking havoc on nearby villages. We are introduced to several new characters in this opening scene, the majority of which are prominently featured throughout the story, including wizened Bartholomew, fierce Jesepha, and chivalrous Euric, a knight hopelessly smitten by Jesepha.
Not long after this mission, Qualton discovers that the order of Turinthian knights is not what he had believed them to be, lacking in the honor he’d always envisioned. This leads to an agreement between him and a handful of his fellow knights to uphold the honor of the Turinthian knights that had been lost since the days of Qualtan’s father.
From here, the story takes off into a complex weaving of plots involving mysterious disappearances possibly involving Those That Stand in Shadow, a sinister threat from another world, and a malicious plot that could drag Qualtan’s world into darkness.
Once the story picks up, Rise of the Slavekeepers rarely slows down enough to let you catch your breath. Hugo Negron has truly proven his mastery at crafting huge action sequences that literally set your heart racing. I liken the action to a summer blockbuster action movie, epic in scope and wholly entertaining. However, there is plenty of substance to the story to complement the action. The plot is enjoyable throughout, and full of clever and unexpected twists. To go too far into the story would give away things I feel should be experienced first-hand when reading Rise of the Slavekeepers, but I will say that if you’ve read the first entry in this series, this sequel is bigger in every aspect. The multitude of creatures in this book are a testament to the author’s seemingly boundless imagination, and are vividly brought to life through his amazing attention to detail.
I will admit that I’d like to see more interaction between Qualtan and Glaive—the once orcne thief who is now Qualtan’s page to the chagrin of the king and Qualtan’s wizard uncle—since the way their differing personalities clashed was one of my favorite aspects of the first book. Also, though entertaining page-turners, the action scenes occasionally detracted from the story for a little longer than I would’ve liked. Of course, considering that they still kept me glued to the pages to the point that I didn’t dare skim just to get back to the story, this is a minor complaint.
I recommend starting with the first book to truly get to know Qualtan and his world, but Rise of the Slavekeepers does stand strong on its own, and I feel it could be enjoyed without reading the first book in the series. With its ending clearly setting the story up at least one more book—if not more—I’m already anticipating the next volume in the series. Considering what the final pages hint at, it seems we’ll be treated to an even more exciting and epic tale, and I’m eager to see what Hugo Negron has in store for Qualtan and his friends.
5/5
****
And now, read on to learn more about Hugo Negron, such as why his 7th grade teacher was so awesome and what the future hold for Qualtan and his friends in the Forging of a Knight series.
Forging of a Knight: Rise of the Slavekeepers is your newest release. Why should readers pick up a copy?
For anyone following the series, and even those that haven’t – a far-reaching quest, a bevy of villains, and great characters framed within a backdrop of fantasy and action! Beyond the inter-dimensional creatures, the threat of Those That Stand in Shadow, and all the intrigue and mystery in-between, you have down to earth friendships, relationships, romance, maturation, and growth.
Rise of the Slavekeepers is absolutely packed with fast-paced, epic action scenes. Where do you draw your inspiration for these?
The one thing I would sometimes be disappointed with when reading some fantasy tales was the action. When these scenes would arise, they were on occasion generic, bland, or glossed over so quickly you were left scratching your head trying to figure out what actually occurred. For example, you may have some sort of story buildup to an epic confrontation, and then once it happens, in one page the protagonists are meeting for a classic battle, and then in the next the bad guy is knocked on his arse, with no explanation in-between. I think that was the one thing I didn’t like about Lord of the Rings –and I’m a big fan, especially of The Hobbit - all this buildup to Sauron being this great evil, this final confrontation with the ultimate enemy…and then he just happens to topple over like a drunken sailor and that’s the end. That’s it???
Especially without having illustrations to fall back on, I think its even more imperative to give that mental image to the reader of what is happening. It’s almost like watching a movie and then breaking down the fight/action sequences in written form. The challenge was making sure the action didn’t supplant the story or the characters.
This book is a lot different from the first in terms of general story. Where the first told a simpler tale of Qualtan’s struggles to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a Turinthian knight, Rise of the Slavekeepers dives head first into an elaborate, epic fantasy storyline. Could you talk a little about making the jump to such an epic tale? Did you enjoy working with the larger cast of characters?
As Qualtan broadened his experiences/world view, I wanted to broaden the world around him. When I first wrote Slavekeepers, I had Qualtan saving every character/scene in sight, and I realized, ok, he’s a newbie knight, and even with his special powers, it doesn’t makes sense if he’s a rookie to be doing everything right the first time out and hogging the show - the end result was a pretty boring read. So I took the supporting knights I had originally written as pretty much cannon fodder (think Star Trek Red Shirts) and fleshed them out. I especially enjoyed how Jesepha and Bartholomew turned out. At first there was no “female” knight to the group, and the knights all tended to come off as being the same. I wanted to add some different players/voices to the story. Once I made a he into a she, Jesepha took a life of her own, and took me down some paths I hadn’t considered. She basically wrote herself along with Bartholomew and Visandus. It’s pretty cool when you see a character you invent do that to a story.
What challenges did you face when writing Rise of the Slavekeepers?
My original concept was really complex – I had some additional characters, adventures within adventures, and additional sub-plots – it became way too unmanageable, and the story just got lost in the mess it was becoming. When I think of it now, I could have made this into two volumes - a part one and part two, but felt in the end it was best to keep it down to one book. The big challenge was to dissect the scenes, keep what I thought was important, and reframe or remove the rest.
Some reviews of your first book, Forging of a Knight, mention the book as a young adult novel. Would you agree with this classification? If so, do you think the same applies to Rise of the Slavekeepers?
I think the books can be (and have been, judging by the comments readers have made to me) equally enjoyed by both younger and older readers. Forging of a Knight starts off rather simply and there’s a little bit of innocence to it at first, but as Qualtan starts going through these situations of betrayals, manipulations, and lies, he starts to mature, and to a degree, so does the premise. Once he becomes a knight, things get a bit more serious in a way. I tried not to make the stories and background myths too complex because that can put a reader off from following the story – at least it does so for me, especially when its fantasy based and you have all of these strange sounding names for characters, cities, places, histories, etc. I don’t think that makes it necessarily “only” a young adult novel, just more of an easier one to follow.
One of my favorite aspects of the first book was how Qualtan and Glaive, two extremely different personality types, played off of one other. In Rise of the Slavekeepers, there are far less opportunities for the two characters to interact, thus far less instances of their entertaining banter. Can we expect to see more interaction between the two in the future? (this question’s mainly just for my own benefit J)
lol – in Slavekeepers, as far as Glaive was concerned, it was more about his additional acceptance and acknowledgement by others beyond Qualtan, and developing a sense of trust and friendship outside of his knightly pal. For this to take place, I felt I had to separate the two, otherwise it wouldn’t have really given him a chance to grow outside of his sidekick role.
There is a lot more coming between Glaive and Qualtan, however. Glaive makes a very minor appearance in book three (sad to say), but that’s because of a certain secret mission he is given by King Prelance, and the end result of THAT, and what happens to him, will be the premise for book four…
There’s obviously much more to Qualtan’s story. What can readers expect for the future of the Forging of a Knight series?
Its funny, I think of your character Max, and it brings to mind the fact that when I first wrote Qualtan, he had a talking owl companion given to him by his uncle to keep him out of trouble! Then I just couldn’t figure out how to insert the owl in the stories to do more than just fly around looking for danger, so I dropped him.
Each of the stories to date, and those coming up next, have dealt with certain aspects of Qualtan’s emotional growth, which correlates I think to what a lot of people go through in everyday life - hoping to live up to parents’ expectations, fearing failure in a chosen career, and then once you’ve achieved that comfort level in that career, hoping to excel/advance, to become the top of your profession, and wondering what to do next. The first book was mainly Qualtan’s attempt to prove worthy of his dad’s legacy and hoping he could prove worthy enough to become a knight. The second book was more about now that he WAS a knight, would he be a good enough one, able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other knights? The third book will see him testing himself as to whether or not he has finally excelled as a knight, to become a true hero.
Now, ongoing throughout all this has been this fear (curse?) that he would end up losing everything: his sword, respect, his position, all of it. A few books down the road, he’ll finally find out for sure…
According to your author bio, you have an extensive background in psychology. How has this helped in crafting your characters and stories?
Hmmm – well, I think it helps you to visualize underlying needs in a character – that people usually can and do put on a different mask of themselves based upon the situation or the need – home, work, family, friends, etc. So in trying to keep the majority of the characters three-dimensional, I’ve put in some additional layers to their behavior. Sir Richard seems to be a grouchy drunken PITA, but then you learn he drinks to keep himself sane from all the horrors and bloodshed he has seen. Sir Rutt seems to want to avoid any teamwork or responsibility with the other knights, mostly b/c he just wants to make it out alive to retirement. Glaive is a cynical rogue, but that’s to protect himself emotionally after all the stuff he’s been through. Even with Darksiege, you discover its not just about being evil, it’s about being evil with style…
What made you want to become a writer, and what prompted you to write fantasy?
I always loved fantasy. I blame my 7th grade teacher for getting me into fantasy. She actually taught her class to play a role playing fantasy game to encourage teamwork, leadership, and creative thinking – wonder if that would be allowed nowadays – after that, I read The Hobbit, books on King Arthur, Greek mythology, went to a couple of Medieval Fairs and never looked back.
Reading got me into writing. Reading the stuff I mentioned above, I started tinkering with writing my own stories, and gradually, from grade school up to my teens, developed what would eventually become Forging of a Knight. At one point I got so busy with college, work, life, etc., as we all do, that I thought, eh, what’s the point, and I dumped all my writing and notes into the trash! Then I thought twice about it, and went back to retrieve it all. Glad I did…
What authors influence your writing?
I would say HP Lovecraft and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – two of my favorite authors, and mostly because of the “classical” style in their writing – and how VERY detailed they were in describing characters, situations, surroundings, etc. I know that can be stifling for some, but that attention to the small stuff really brought their stories to life for me.
When you sit down to write, what items/factors/settings are essential to the process?
Solitude and music (usually classical, tribal, Celtic, or from movies like Iron Man and Krull – the opening theme song and Flight of the Firemares from Krull really put me in the mindset to write fantasy!). Having a 21 month old has rather forced me to modify the solitude part, though…
What are you currently working on (in terms of writing)? Any future projects in mind?
I’m just about ready to send book three in the Forging of a Knight series: Prison Planet of the Mah-Lahkt to my editor. If you think book two had a bunch of characters, wait until you read this one: all the Arch-Mages (along with a couple of apprentices), all the heroes that have the same enchantments as Qualtan (meaning a return by Prince Termenon from the first book in addition to a few others), Jesepha, some rather unique allies, like a lizard-like champion of the lina folk, and a mysterious knight that’s been cursed by Death, along with Darksiege, Shaz, and a bunch of others. Add to that snippets of Glaive, Bartholomew, Euric, and some surprise others, and it’s going to be quite the party.
After book three, I’ll be at the “halfway point.” I had originally mapped out six tales of Qualtan’s adventures (I actually had a lot more, but I came up with six that in my mind made sense enough to be coherent, readable stories), although I’ve been playing with a concept for a seventh. We’ll see if I can hopefully get to all of them.
When you’re not writing, what do you do for fun?
Biking, hiking, reading, watching British comedies with my wife, re-watching old sci-fi shows and movies (Tom Baker era Dr. Who, anyone?), and devouring every stuffed pizza I can find…
Favorite book?
I would have to go with series – all the original tales of Sherlock Holmes; and from H.P. Lovecraft - The Dunwich Horror, At the Mountains of Madness, The Shadow Over Innsmouth, The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath, and the Strange Case of Charles Dexter Ward are all amazing tales. I’ve enjoyed T.E.D. Klein’s work, and Gregory Maguire’s Wicked series.
Favorite movie?
Anything that has ninjas, Godzilla, super-heroes, monsters, space ships, and souped-up dystopian cars in them…preferably all in the same movie…
Favorite musical artist?
Too many to mention – I grew up in the 80’s so you can take your pick from the artists back then... 8 )
What is one thing that your readers probably don’t know about you?
Old musicals – Singing in the Rain, An American in Paris, Gene Kelly, Syd Charisse, Donald O’Connor, Fred Astaire…love em all!!
Hugo Negron is an avid fan of myths, legends, and folktales. He grew up in Illinois where he still resides with his wife and son. His background includes an M.A. in clinical psychology from Roosevelt University as well as an M.A. in industrial/organizational psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
He enjoys reading, biking, and walking winding trails through darksome forests, searching out the mystical beasts that reside therein.
http://www.facebook.com/Forging.of.a.Knight
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5778111.Hugo_Negron
****
Thanks, Hugo, for participating in this interview and providing such great answers!
Be sure to check out Hugo Negron's books here, and like his Facebook page here to get up to date information about the next book in his Forging of a Knight series.
Brian
Forging of a Knight: Rise of the Slavekeepers is Hugo Negron’s action-packed, epic sequel to his fantasy debut, Forging of a Knight. With this new entry to the series, Negron has crafted a complex tale full of enough action, excitement, and plot twists to keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page.
And then you’ll be left wanting more. (Read on for the full review and interview)The story starts off simply enough with Qualton, fresh from attaining his place among the Turinthian knights, trudging through a swamp with a band of his new comrades on a mission to slay a beast that has been wreaking havoc on nearby villages. We are introduced to several new characters in this opening scene, the majority of which are prominently featured throughout the story, including wizened Bartholomew, fierce Jesepha, and chivalrous Euric, a knight hopelessly smitten by Jesepha.
Not long after this mission, Qualton discovers that the order of Turinthian knights is not what he had believed them to be, lacking in the honor he’d always envisioned. This leads to an agreement between him and a handful of his fellow knights to uphold the honor of the Turinthian knights that had been lost since the days of Qualtan’s father.
From here, the story takes off into a complex weaving of plots involving mysterious disappearances possibly involving Those That Stand in Shadow, a sinister threat from another world, and a malicious plot that could drag Qualtan’s world into darkness.
Once the story picks up, Rise of the Slavekeepers rarely slows down enough to let you catch your breath. Hugo Negron has truly proven his mastery at crafting huge action sequences that literally set your heart racing. I liken the action to a summer blockbuster action movie, epic in scope and wholly entertaining. However, there is plenty of substance to the story to complement the action. The plot is enjoyable throughout, and full of clever and unexpected twists. To go too far into the story would give away things I feel should be experienced first-hand when reading Rise of the Slavekeepers, but I will say that if you’ve read the first entry in this series, this sequel is bigger in every aspect. The multitude of creatures in this book are a testament to the author’s seemingly boundless imagination, and are vividly brought to life through his amazing attention to detail.
I will admit that I’d like to see more interaction between Qualtan and Glaive—the once orcne thief who is now Qualtan’s page to the chagrin of the king and Qualtan’s wizard uncle—since the way their differing personalities clashed was one of my favorite aspects of the first book. Also, though entertaining page-turners, the action scenes occasionally detracted from the story for a little longer than I would’ve liked. Of course, considering that they still kept me glued to the pages to the point that I didn’t dare skim just to get back to the story, this is a minor complaint.
I recommend starting with the first book to truly get to know Qualtan and his world, but Rise of the Slavekeepers does stand strong on its own, and I feel it could be enjoyed without reading the first book in the series. With its ending clearly setting the story up at least one more book—if not more—I’m already anticipating the next volume in the series. Considering what the final pages hint at, it seems we’ll be treated to an even more exciting and epic tale, and I’m eager to see what Hugo Negron has in store for Qualtan and his friends.
5/5
****
And now, read on to learn more about Hugo Negron, such as why his 7th grade teacher was so awesome and what the future hold for Qualtan and his friends in the Forging of a Knight series.
Forging of a Knight: Rise of the Slavekeepers is your newest release. Why should readers pick up a copy?
For anyone following the series, and even those that haven’t – a far-reaching quest, a bevy of villains, and great characters framed within a backdrop of fantasy and action! Beyond the inter-dimensional creatures, the threat of Those That Stand in Shadow, and all the intrigue and mystery in-between, you have down to earth friendships, relationships, romance, maturation, and growth.
Rise of the Slavekeepers is absolutely packed with fast-paced, epic action scenes. Where do you draw your inspiration for these?
The one thing I would sometimes be disappointed with when reading some fantasy tales was the action. When these scenes would arise, they were on occasion generic, bland, or glossed over so quickly you were left scratching your head trying to figure out what actually occurred. For example, you may have some sort of story buildup to an epic confrontation, and then once it happens, in one page the protagonists are meeting for a classic battle, and then in the next the bad guy is knocked on his arse, with no explanation in-between. I think that was the one thing I didn’t like about Lord of the Rings –and I’m a big fan, especially of The Hobbit - all this buildup to Sauron being this great evil, this final confrontation with the ultimate enemy…and then he just happens to topple over like a drunken sailor and that’s the end. That’s it???
Especially without having illustrations to fall back on, I think its even more imperative to give that mental image to the reader of what is happening. It’s almost like watching a movie and then breaking down the fight/action sequences in written form. The challenge was making sure the action didn’t supplant the story or the characters.
This book is a lot different from the first in terms of general story. Where the first told a simpler tale of Qualtan’s struggles to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a Turinthian knight, Rise of the Slavekeepers dives head first into an elaborate, epic fantasy storyline. Could you talk a little about making the jump to such an epic tale? Did you enjoy working with the larger cast of characters?
As Qualtan broadened his experiences/world view, I wanted to broaden the world around him. When I first wrote Slavekeepers, I had Qualtan saving every character/scene in sight, and I realized, ok, he’s a newbie knight, and even with his special powers, it doesn’t makes sense if he’s a rookie to be doing everything right the first time out and hogging the show - the end result was a pretty boring read. So I took the supporting knights I had originally written as pretty much cannon fodder (think Star Trek Red Shirts) and fleshed them out. I especially enjoyed how Jesepha and Bartholomew turned out. At first there was no “female” knight to the group, and the knights all tended to come off as being the same. I wanted to add some different players/voices to the story. Once I made a he into a she, Jesepha took a life of her own, and took me down some paths I hadn’t considered. She basically wrote herself along with Bartholomew and Visandus. It’s pretty cool when you see a character you invent do that to a story.
What challenges did you face when writing Rise of the Slavekeepers?
My original concept was really complex – I had some additional characters, adventures within adventures, and additional sub-plots – it became way too unmanageable, and the story just got lost in the mess it was becoming. When I think of it now, I could have made this into two volumes - a part one and part two, but felt in the end it was best to keep it down to one book. The big challenge was to dissect the scenes, keep what I thought was important, and reframe or remove the rest.
Some reviews of your first book, Forging of a Knight, mention the book as a young adult novel. Would you agree with this classification? If so, do you think the same applies to Rise of the Slavekeepers?
I think the books can be (and have been, judging by the comments readers have made to me) equally enjoyed by both younger and older readers. Forging of a Knight starts off rather simply and there’s a little bit of innocence to it at first, but as Qualtan starts going through these situations of betrayals, manipulations, and lies, he starts to mature, and to a degree, so does the premise. Once he becomes a knight, things get a bit more serious in a way. I tried not to make the stories and background myths too complex because that can put a reader off from following the story – at least it does so for me, especially when its fantasy based and you have all of these strange sounding names for characters, cities, places, histories, etc. I don’t think that makes it necessarily “only” a young adult novel, just more of an easier one to follow.
One of my favorite aspects of the first book was how Qualtan and Glaive, two extremely different personality types, played off of one other. In Rise of the Slavekeepers, there are far less opportunities for the two characters to interact, thus far less instances of their entertaining banter. Can we expect to see more interaction between the two in the future? (this question’s mainly just for my own benefit J)
lol – in Slavekeepers, as far as Glaive was concerned, it was more about his additional acceptance and acknowledgement by others beyond Qualtan, and developing a sense of trust and friendship outside of his knightly pal. For this to take place, I felt I had to separate the two, otherwise it wouldn’t have really given him a chance to grow outside of his sidekick role.
There is a lot more coming between Glaive and Qualtan, however. Glaive makes a very minor appearance in book three (sad to say), but that’s because of a certain secret mission he is given by King Prelance, and the end result of THAT, and what happens to him, will be the premise for book four…
There’s obviously much more to Qualtan’s story. What can readers expect for the future of the Forging of a Knight series?
Its funny, I think of your character Max, and it brings to mind the fact that when I first wrote Qualtan, he had a talking owl companion given to him by his uncle to keep him out of trouble! Then I just couldn’t figure out how to insert the owl in the stories to do more than just fly around looking for danger, so I dropped him.
Each of the stories to date, and those coming up next, have dealt with certain aspects of Qualtan’s emotional growth, which correlates I think to what a lot of people go through in everyday life - hoping to live up to parents’ expectations, fearing failure in a chosen career, and then once you’ve achieved that comfort level in that career, hoping to excel/advance, to become the top of your profession, and wondering what to do next. The first book was mainly Qualtan’s attempt to prove worthy of his dad’s legacy and hoping he could prove worthy enough to become a knight. The second book was more about now that he WAS a knight, would he be a good enough one, able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other knights? The third book will see him testing himself as to whether or not he has finally excelled as a knight, to become a true hero.
Now, ongoing throughout all this has been this fear (curse?) that he would end up losing everything: his sword, respect, his position, all of it. A few books down the road, he’ll finally find out for sure…
According to your author bio, you have an extensive background in psychology. How has this helped in crafting your characters and stories?
Hmmm – well, I think it helps you to visualize underlying needs in a character – that people usually can and do put on a different mask of themselves based upon the situation or the need – home, work, family, friends, etc. So in trying to keep the majority of the characters three-dimensional, I’ve put in some additional layers to their behavior. Sir Richard seems to be a grouchy drunken PITA, but then you learn he drinks to keep himself sane from all the horrors and bloodshed he has seen. Sir Rutt seems to want to avoid any teamwork or responsibility with the other knights, mostly b/c he just wants to make it out alive to retirement. Glaive is a cynical rogue, but that’s to protect himself emotionally after all the stuff he’s been through. Even with Darksiege, you discover its not just about being evil, it’s about being evil with style…
What made you want to become a writer, and what prompted you to write fantasy?
I always loved fantasy. I blame my 7th grade teacher for getting me into fantasy. She actually taught her class to play a role playing fantasy game to encourage teamwork, leadership, and creative thinking – wonder if that would be allowed nowadays – after that, I read The Hobbit, books on King Arthur, Greek mythology, went to a couple of Medieval Fairs and never looked back.
Reading got me into writing. Reading the stuff I mentioned above, I started tinkering with writing my own stories, and gradually, from grade school up to my teens, developed what would eventually become Forging of a Knight. At one point I got so busy with college, work, life, etc., as we all do, that I thought, eh, what’s the point, and I dumped all my writing and notes into the trash! Then I thought twice about it, and went back to retrieve it all. Glad I did…
What authors influence your writing?
I would say HP Lovecraft and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – two of my favorite authors, and mostly because of the “classical” style in their writing – and how VERY detailed they were in describing characters, situations, surroundings, etc. I know that can be stifling for some, but that attention to the small stuff really brought their stories to life for me.
When you sit down to write, what items/factors/settings are essential to the process?
Solitude and music (usually classical, tribal, Celtic, or from movies like Iron Man and Krull – the opening theme song and Flight of the Firemares from Krull really put me in the mindset to write fantasy!). Having a 21 month old has rather forced me to modify the solitude part, though…
What are you currently working on (in terms of writing)? Any future projects in mind?
I’m just about ready to send book three in the Forging of a Knight series: Prison Planet of the Mah-Lahkt to my editor. If you think book two had a bunch of characters, wait until you read this one: all the Arch-Mages (along with a couple of apprentices), all the heroes that have the same enchantments as Qualtan (meaning a return by Prince Termenon from the first book in addition to a few others), Jesepha, some rather unique allies, like a lizard-like champion of the lina folk, and a mysterious knight that’s been cursed by Death, along with Darksiege, Shaz, and a bunch of others. Add to that snippets of Glaive, Bartholomew, Euric, and some surprise others, and it’s going to be quite the party.
After book three, I’ll be at the “halfway point.” I had originally mapped out six tales of Qualtan’s adventures (I actually had a lot more, but I came up with six that in my mind made sense enough to be coherent, readable stories), although I’ve been playing with a concept for a seventh. We’ll see if I can hopefully get to all of them.
When you’re not writing, what do you do for fun?
Biking, hiking, reading, watching British comedies with my wife, re-watching old sci-fi shows and movies (Tom Baker era Dr. Who, anyone?), and devouring every stuffed pizza I can find…
Favorite book?
I would have to go with series – all the original tales of Sherlock Holmes; and from H.P. Lovecraft - The Dunwich Horror, At the Mountains of Madness, The Shadow Over Innsmouth, The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath, and the Strange Case of Charles Dexter Ward are all amazing tales. I’ve enjoyed T.E.D. Klein’s work, and Gregory Maguire’s Wicked series.
Favorite movie?
Anything that has ninjas, Godzilla, super-heroes, monsters, space ships, and souped-up dystopian cars in them…preferably all in the same movie…
Favorite musical artist?
Too many to mention – I grew up in the 80’s so you can take your pick from the artists back then... 8 )
What is one thing that your readers probably don’t know about you?
Old musicals – Singing in the Rain, An American in Paris, Gene Kelly, Syd Charisse, Donald O’Connor, Fred Astaire…love em all!!
Hugo Negron is an avid fan of myths, legends, and folktales. He grew up in Illinois where he still resides with his wife and son. His background includes an M.A. in clinical psychology from Roosevelt University as well as an M.A. in industrial/organizational psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
He enjoys reading, biking, and walking winding trails through darksome forests, searching out the mystical beasts that reside therein.
http://www.facebook.com/Forging.of.a.Knight
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5778111.Hugo_Negron
****
Thanks, Hugo, for participating in this interview and providing such great answers!
Be sure to check out Hugo Negron's books here, and like his Facebook page here to get up to date information about the next book in his Forging of a Knight series.
Brian
March 12, 2014
Throwback Thursday - 3/13/2014
Throwback Thursday - 3/13/2014
In honor of becoming a father for the second time this week, here's a look back at the first time a little over 3 years ago.
And here's a side by side of newborn Jonas(left) and his new baby brother, Gavin(right).
In honor of becoming a father for the second time this week, here's a look back at the first time a little over 3 years ago.
And here's a side by side of newborn Jonas(left) and his new baby brother, Gavin(right).
March 11, 2014
Warrior Wednesday - 3/12/2014 - Are You Up for the Challenge?
This week's Warrior Wednesday comes with a challenge.
But to start with, here's the few runs I've been able to fit in since the last Warrior Wednesday post two weeks ago. I'm still working on whittling my pace down to something closer to what it used to be, but I'll get there.
3.5 mi - 32:36 (3/01/2014)1.48 mi - 12:59 (3/02/2014)3.22 mi - 29:41 (3/08/2014)2.0 mi - 16:39 (3/09/2014)1.09 mi - 9:22 (3/10/2014) (stroller run with Jonas)
Second, thanks to everyone's kind donations, I have officially met my $300 goal for St. Jude. Not only that, but the goal was met more than 2 months early! Since the race is not until May 17, I have decided to up the goal to $500. Be sure to check out www.warrior.stjude.org/brianbeam to learn more about the wonderful things St. Jude does for sick children, and please consider donating to their wonderful organization while you are there. Remember, every $5 you donate enters you to win a signed copy of one of my books, a free Kindle downloads of one of my books, or even have a major character named after you in Book 3 of Korin's Journal. Also, if you donate $10 or more, your will automatically be named in the acknowledgements of Book 3 of Korin's Journal, in addition to being entered to win the previously mentioned prizes. You can find more details about it at www.warrior.stjude.org/brianbeam, or by clicking the image below.
And lastly, since I may be further preoccupied from blogging much(read: will be preoccupied) with the new baby (I'm writing this before the baby is born, but we're getting induced on what will be yesterday when this post goes live), I want to end with something that will stick with you until the next post.
For anyone reading this, whether you typically exercise or not, I'd like to issue a small challenge for this week. First, if you are able, I would like you to do something active, something you would not have done otherwise. If you are a runner or walker, for example, add 5 minutes to your run/walk, or an extra half mile or more. If you go to the gym, add a few more reps or weight to your exercises, or add a few minutes to the treadmill/elliptical/bike. If you don't typically allow yourself structured exercise time(which doesn't necessarily mean you're not active), take 5-10 minutes one day this week to do so, whether by taking a walk, run, swim, or whatever. Feel free to keep it simple; say, make a walking loop around your neighborhood.
Once you have completed this, I then challenge you to do the same activity again within the week, only this time adding on another 5-10 minutes/more weight/more reps/more distance . . . whatever you did for the first part of this challenge. If you made that loop around your neighborhood, make two, for example.
All this challenge is intended to do is to have you start pushing yourself beyond your comfort level in exercise, or to help you be a little more active over the week.
Now, I don't expect all two people who may still be reading by this point (and assuming there are two of you may be wishful thinking) to post in the comments below, but if you do choose to do this, I'd recommend doing so. Whether stating that you plan to try this challenge, or posting what you did to meet it, I would love to be able to offer you my support, congratulations, and/or encouragement. Who knows, maybe others who happen by this blog post will throw in some of their own.
Well, future me probably wants to tell the current me to go to sleep now while I still can (since the baby will be here by the time you read this, sleep will be an oh so precious commodity). Hope everyone is well!
Brian
But to start with, here's the few runs I've been able to fit in since the last Warrior Wednesday post two weeks ago. I'm still working on whittling my pace down to something closer to what it used to be, but I'll get there.
3.5 mi - 32:36 (3/01/2014)1.48 mi - 12:59 (3/02/2014)3.22 mi - 29:41 (3/08/2014)2.0 mi - 16:39 (3/09/2014)1.09 mi - 9:22 (3/10/2014) (stroller run with Jonas)
Second, thanks to everyone's kind donations, I have officially met my $300 goal for St. Jude. Not only that, but the goal was met more than 2 months early! Since the race is not until May 17, I have decided to up the goal to $500. Be sure to check out www.warrior.stjude.org/brianbeam to learn more about the wonderful things St. Jude does for sick children, and please consider donating to their wonderful organization while you are there. Remember, every $5 you donate enters you to win a signed copy of one of my books, a free Kindle downloads of one of my books, or even have a major character named after you in Book 3 of Korin's Journal. Also, if you donate $10 or more, your will automatically be named in the acknowledgements of Book 3 of Korin's Journal, in addition to being entered to win the previously mentioned prizes. You can find more details about it at www.warrior.stjude.org/brianbeam, or by clicking the image below.
And lastly, since I may be further preoccupied from blogging much(read: will be preoccupied) with the new baby (I'm writing this before the baby is born, but we're getting induced on what will be yesterday when this post goes live), I want to end with something that will stick with you until the next post.
For anyone reading this, whether you typically exercise or not, I'd like to issue a small challenge for this week. First, if you are able, I would like you to do something active, something you would not have done otherwise. If you are a runner or walker, for example, add 5 minutes to your run/walk, or an extra half mile or more. If you go to the gym, add a few more reps or weight to your exercises, or add a few minutes to the treadmill/elliptical/bike. If you don't typically allow yourself structured exercise time(which doesn't necessarily mean you're not active), take 5-10 minutes one day this week to do so, whether by taking a walk, run, swim, or whatever. Feel free to keep it simple; say, make a walking loop around your neighborhood.
Once you have completed this, I then challenge you to do the same activity again within the week, only this time adding on another 5-10 minutes/more weight/more reps/more distance . . . whatever you did for the first part of this challenge. If you made that loop around your neighborhood, make two, for example.
All this challenge is intended to do is to have you start pushing yourself beyond your comfort level in exercise, or to help you be a little more active over the week.
Now, I don't expect all two people who may still be reading by this point (and assuming there are two of you may be wishful thinking) to post in the comments below, but if you do choose to do this, I'd recommend doing so. Whether stating that you plan to try this challenge, or posting what you did to meet it, I would love to be able to offer you my support, congratulations, and/or encouragement. Who knows, maybe others who happen by this blog post will throw in some of their own.
Well, future me probably wants to tell the current me to go to sleep now while I still can (since the baby will be here by the time you read this, sleep will be an oh so precious commodity). Hope everyone is well!
Brian
