Nick Davis's Blog, page 130

Finding myself at a Baltimore location from The Tether

Yesterday I found myself at a Baltimore location described in the first Tether Saga book, The Tether. I was standing on the actually bridge were CT defended Sarah from the horde of Scuttlers, he did a good job because I don't see a single crab from hell, do you?

Check out the other view after the jump.

Day Four 100 Word Flash Fiction – Fly Away

An old man said to me.

I've learned how to fly.

I congratulated him and asking what he flew.

He said you don't understand I've learned how to fly.

All I do is step off the ground and away I go.

Scoffing I said how impossible that was,

we have small planes, large passenger aircraft

and nimble fighter jets that carry us to the sky.

He looked sad shook his head,

stepped off the ground and flew away.

Never again did I see him, and how jealous I became.

For he learned how to really fly, and he was free.

Nick Davis

We are now on day four of my seven day 100 word flash fiction challenge, todays tales was brought to by the words fly and free… Enjoy…

Review – Captain America The Fighting Avenger

Captain America

The Fighting Avenger

Volume One

Written by Brian Clevinger

Illustrated by Gurihiru

This is an all ages comic book by Marvel that details Captain America's early adventures during WWII, and frankly it isn't that bad. The basic gist is the Cap goes on a mission with a crack commando unit that look a little like the Howlers so he can gain combat experience, and things go wrong from there. Including Cap's first encounters with the Red Skull.

While the artwork is aimed more towards Marvel Adventures end of the market, its clean, has a nice anime style to it and looks good. It reminded me a little of the old War comics I used to read in the UK, and it doesn't flinch away from the use of guns; meaning they are a fact of life during war, and it gets across they are dangerous, as both sides do their utmost not to get shot. Absolutely no bloodshed is shown, the only prolonged violence are cartoon like fist fights.

The book has several humorous lines, such as the search of Captain America's codename, as HQ haven't decided on one yet, and that Cap keeps throwing his shield, but hasn't figured out how to do the trick shots that return it to him. It's hard not to laugh when Cap throws his shield and is dodging tank fire while saying, "Shields are not for throwing, shields are not for throwing. "

Captain America The Fighting Avenger, is an introduction to the Cap and is a tie in to the upcoming movie. It does its job wonderfully and I only wish some more mature comics were paced like this. My only compliant is the price, at $4.99 its hard to call it just an introductory book.

4 thumbs up out of 5

Playing with my writing voice to explore a new world of imagination

Over the last few weeks I've been playing with my voice, with my genre just to and see what I feel comfortable writing. Why have I been doing this?

I wanted to see if I could write something different and tell a tale in a totally different style than I normally write. By trade I'm a Graphic Designer, now working as a Web Designer, who spent ten years as feature writer for Games Workshop's White Dwarf magazine and website, and I wrote articles from exploration, how to's and advertorial. So I kind came to writing fiction in a roundabout way.

My first two full length novels have been gritty urban fantasy action adventures that have a paranormal element and pull no punches. The Tether Saga is a grim tale of the eternal fight between good and evil, and a girl called Sarah who is caught up in the middle of it. Now the first novel is almost a pure action thriller that started out very Stephen King, and ended very James Patterson with smash bang, knock down finale. The second book started to explain a little more about the world that Sarah had found herself in, it also allowed me to build the characters and add a little black humor to the story.

I'm now on a break from The Tether Saga, and don't plan to dip back into that world until August. In the meantime I tried something a little different, so I started to write Legends of an Englishman, a bawdy comedy drama about the misadventures of an Englishman. This is told in a first person perspective, and actually is harder to write than I thought. Trying to find that right mix of awkwardness and drama, while telling the story is a struggle.

Then I took a segway on JRR Tolkiens birthday and wrote a fantasy fairy tale, the aim being having a story I could give to my children that they could read. After all who doesn't want to tell a tale that starts with Once Upon A Time. This gave birth to The Wonder Tales series, and a new style of writing. Fairy Tale writing has a different structure to it, long formed sentences, a very different narrative to tackle. I like to think I pulled it off and came up with something that was the classic fairy tale style, with that sense of melodramatic and simple conclusions.

The Wonder Tales led me into April and the start of my writing groups April Anthology based on the theme of The Cruelest Month. And a chance for me to shift gears from the melodramatic and try something light, and irrelevant. I wrote a light hearted comedy, that is a little surreal, about a Writer in the throes of writers block and I unleashed a lot of humor into the tale. I frankly like the story I wrote and I look forward to sharing it with you all very soon.

Three different types of story, three different types of voice, all of them are kind of set in the Fantasy genre, ranging from contemporary to pure fantasy as I explore what I can do, and what I feel comfortable writing. Along the way I even tried a little Steampunk with the Last Flight of Phoenix tale.

To finish off my journey of writing exploration I'm working on series of 100 word flash fiction stories this week. One a day exploring different themes and using a set of four words. All of this to practice, to exercise my writing muscle, to learn what I can do, and what I cannot do, to stretch, test and push myself to not stagnate and to explore. The world of imagination is at my fingertips and want to be able to tell tales from all the worlds I discover.

So don't be afraid to explore, and test different styles yourself, it is liberating working outside your comfort zone.

Sigmartyr Vol 2 – A post apocalyptic Stikfas Action Web comic Updated

Sigmartyr the Stikfas Action Web Comic has been updated, and the epic story continues here - click here to view

Day Three 100 Word Flash Fiction – Pugilist

We dance around, trading steps,

canvas bounces under our feet.

Jab, one, two, three.

Guard up, head down,

the burn of the rope against my back.

Punches blur lost in a haze of noise.

The man in black screams at me,

asks if I can still fight.

I nod my head blood on my brow,

he comes in again we trade our blows,

Sweat… Confusion… Pain… Eyes wild,

we beg inside for the bell.

He lunges a punch goes wide,

I end it with a hook to the jaw

down and counted out.

Arm raised I am a God tonight

Nick Davis

Tonights 100 word flash fiction was brought to by the words, count, god, noise, punch. Three days down, only four to go…

Day Two 100 Word Flash Fiction – Speed

For just one moment it is perfect.

Man, machine in harmony,

watching the reflection of the light counting down off my windshield.

Red… Amber and then the lights hold…

Green! Go! Go! Go!

First gear just off the cam, snatch to second.

Barely a wheel spin.

Feel the engine ignore the counter.

Hit third together we lung forward.

Redline slam the clutch quick change to fourth.

Fifth follows both hands on the wheel.

A risked glance shows us neck and neck.

A sly grin, hit the nos and the night lights blur.

Winning or losing don't matter now.

Just speed…

Nick Davis

A new flash fiction, 100 words from the Speed, Green, Spin and Lights. Enjoy…

 

100 Word Flash Fiction – Speed

For just one moment it is perfect.

Man, machine in harmony,

watching the reflection of the light counting down off my windshield.

Red… Amber and then the lights hold…

Green! Go! Go! Go!

First gear just off the cam, snatch to second.

Barely a wheel spin.

Feel the engine ignore the counter.

Hit third together we lung forward.

Redline slam the clutch quick change to fourth.

Fifth follows both hands on the wheel.

A risked glance shows us neck and neck.

A sly grin, hit the nos and the night lights blur.

Winning or losing don't matter now.

Just speed…

Nick Davis

A new flash fiction, 100 words from the Speed, Green, Spin and Lights. Enjoy…

 

Review – Zombie Rockband Must Be Destroyed, a coffee table book that has Zombies in it…

Zombie Rockband Must Be Destroyed

Written by Wynter

Illustrated by Ken Doughtery

This is a coffee table sized book that has Zombies in it. Set in a post-apocalyptic world that has survived the Z infestation and is slowly returning to normal. The story follows Jim, a photo journalist who's twin brother was turned into a Zombie, and a Goth girl named Casey who lost her entire family to Zombies during the initial outbreak.

Both are serious disturbed individuals, who have lost everything they've known and are trying to rebuild their lives. In Jim's case its feeling the aching soulness of having a twin that has been turned, and in Casey its a sense of belonging in a world turned upside.

The primary focus of both protagonists is the Zombie Rockband; Midnight Haunt. Musicians that are now indentured undead slaves to their Music label. The book is done in a prose style with full color illustrations after every page and it tells two self-contained stories. The artwork is nicely done with a washed out pallet that sets the dark tone of the story up. The prose is a little disjointed, as it jumps between the protagonists without warning. Just as your settling into the world through Jim's eyes, you jump over to Casey's point of view. But it tells the story of two disconnected members of society and how they both see the Zombie Rockband as their salvation.

The ending has a nice twist to it, and in a way both Jim and Casey get exactly what they want. A good little Zombie yarn for your book shelves.

3 Thumbs up out of 5

To learn more about Zombie Rockband Must Be Destroyed

Go here – http://inkpenmutations.com

Day One 100 Word Flash Fiction – I Am Wolf

I guard the forest,

it is my realm.

By bow, sword, tooth and claw,

I draw the line against the dark.

I swore this to my Lady who dwells in the castle yonder.

Beyond my reach in the land of man.

That she would not feel dread why I walk here.

I don't break promises.

I protect the pack.

Man, Beast, Nosferatu or Spirit will learn new borders,

for I walk all the worlds.

The day, night and the shadow that lay between,

all belong to me.

For I am the Wolf.

And those who do evil will fear me.

Nick Davis

I Am Wolf is a 100 word flash fiction story. Flash fiction is a writing exercise that helps a writer warm up the old writing muscle. I looked up the words forest, dark, castle, lady and came up with my I Am Wolf flash. Enjoy…