Nick Davis's Blog, page 74

Altworld is all about changing your reality and we’ve only just begun

Over the last three years here at Altworld we have battled shadowy creatures on the dark streets of Baltimore in the Tether Saga, rode the magic of Once Upon a Time in the Ninth Kingdom in The Wonder Tales, delved into grimness of Steampunk with Flight of the Phoenix, glimpsed moments of altered reality with Flash Fiction shorts,  jumped the madness of writers block with the unique mashup of comic book and narrative prose in Exposition, witnessed the horror of war with Sigmartyr and followed a brave Teddy Bear who defends his child from the Monsters under the Bed in A Teddy Bear Tale. It has been quite a ride into my imaginings and we’ve only just begun… Mount up my friends, here in 2013 I start changing your reality as I bring you even more wonders I have seen… You ready for this?

Onwards!

Looking into 2013 with a few Resolutions of what I would like to do…

All things equal on a personal and professional perspective I got a lot of things done during 2012, I’ve advanced the Teddy Bear Tales and giving Tristan more exposure. I’ve also started to figure out what to do with the all ages original fantasy fairy stories the Wonder Tales and looking back at some of my long form stories and thinking about sequels. On a personally level I’ve turned things around from where I was a year ago and have a greater hope for the future for my family here in the USA. I will never stop doing all that I can to be better than I am to be that what those I love see in me. Always stuff to do… But here is a quick to do list for 2013.

1. Launch Monsters in your Pocket Miniatures for the Teddy Bear Tales.

2. Complete the publishing of the illustrated Wonder Tales The Daughter of Frost.

3. Get a the Princess Archer illustrated and published.

4. Publish the Teddy Bear Tales comic book.

5. Finish writing Legends of an Englishman.

6. Advance my career to the next professional level.

7. Write new Wonder Tales.

8. Draw my first comic book.

9. Bring my family together.

10. Get published professionally.

As you can see a bit of a task list, lets see how much of this I can get done before the end of 2013, eh? Remember everyday do at least one thing that will advance your life goals and anything, everything is possible. These few resolutions are in addition to my ongoing attempts to be excellent to each other, get fitter and to love those with the love they show me unconditionally…

Now get out there and enjoy the New Year… See y’all there

Happy New Year and a look back at one more journey around the Sun

Let’s start this blog with a huge positive, Happy New Year one and all and thank you for sticking with me as we journeyed around the Sun one more time. It has as I like to say been a bit of year hasn’t it? However, lets not dwell on that yet… Because we have a new year ahead of us one full of potential for adventures, love, life, and memories abound. Try to seize everyday and make each one your own, find the joy in the day and do one thing every day that will advance you towards your goal in life… Live, love and forever push onwards for only we can make meaningful changes in our life. Now go get em If you’ve been following my blog as we traveled through space on Starship Earth you will know I started 2012 in a very bleak place, I had lost my immigration status, lost my Work Status, lost my job with Maryland Ports and my ability to provide for my family. I had nothing, only a slender chain of hope that things would get better in 2012 and for a while it got darker before any light shined on us. I was in clear and present danger of being deported and losing contact with my children. Something that was tearing me up inside and only through luck, UCIS Prosecution desecration I managed to find a loophole to win back my immigration status. The only problem it would take a considerable sum of money to refile all my paperwork… Something I no longer had access too… So I blogged about my woes and resigned myself to being deported and losing my family. Then a miracle happened… The blog I wrote must have touched People because it started to be shared, and I started receiving donations to help me. I was convinced it would never hit $50… But in the end over $1400 was raised and my path to return to full immigration status was restored. Although we are still waiting the result of my petition and the hope we were successful in gaining a Green Card I have hope that everyone’s well wishes will push this through. So we still have fingers crossed there… I am though still amazed by the kindness of strangers and I hope to repay you all that faith you have in me to help me remain here with my children.

Sadly though none of this was in time to save my position at Maryland Ports and I still had to wait out the processing time of my new Employment Authorization Document. With out the EAD I couldn’t claim unemployment so the first five months of 2012 was spent scrabbling for every dime to pay bills, to pay rent, pay for food and keep clothes on my children. We almost didn’t make it and I got my EAD and found a job.

I don’t wish this on anyone and unless you experience the madness of the Immigration services you have no right to ever comment on it. Think of it as Motor Vehicle Administration, but worse.

With this being the worse the year gave me, we had some highlights as well. I finally took my Teddy Bear books out onto the convention circuit and was met with some interesting results, I got the second Teddy Bear Tale printed, picked up a pencil and started to draw for myself, discovered the real joy in life, got Tristan sculpted for a new idea I am exploring. I saw my Daughter graduate and sing a wonderful song in chorus, learned new coding, wrote a new story, fought an ongoing battle with the lawn, learned how to draw Teddy Bear Superheroes, did my first ever convention commission sketch, got rejected from numerous Literary Agents and pushed my own publishing agenda. Saw my son become a teenager and see no matter what he is accepting responsibility and starting to form his goals in life.

I think we even had a brush with a couple of apocalyptic prophecies which turned out to be Mayans having a huge practical joke and a Conman taking people for a ride. I learned new things about myself and just how important it is to have adventure in your life even when you’re not expecting it. I’ve reconnected with old friends from unexpected sources and found new friends from equally places unseen.

This year has been tough, tougher than it should have been, but I’ve learned so much from it and now with 2013 just hours away I can move into knowing I have the love of My Girls, of my Children and no matter what they will always be there. I can draw strength from this and show them that I can be everything they all see in me and to show you can follow your dreams.

I don’t know what the next year will hold endless possibilities perhaps?

Happy New Year one and all

 

 

500 Word Flash Fiction – You can Fly if you believe from Dream a little Dream of Me Synopsis

“Trust me you can do this…”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes… I would not say it if isn’t true all you need to do is believe… Now open your eyes…”

Jill looked back at Kirin, his long silver hair fluttering in the breeze and infectious grin all over his face as he swiped the hair away from his face. He had to be kidding right? She looked into his silver eyes, no he wasn’t he was as serious as ever. She took a breathe and looked down, the cliff face she stood upon was a sheer fall away, vertigo swam through her head and she could felt her knees go weak. There was no way she could do this, could she?

“Look I will go with you, said Kirin stepping next to her holding his hand out towards her, “Here hold my hand.”

“But… I barely see the bottom,” she stammered hardly daring to look down and then deciding to just squeeze her eyes tight which actually did make her feel much better.

“You don’t have to it isn’t important, only the first step is… The first step is everything…” she felt Kirin hold her hand and she found herself biting her lip, his warmth spread through her and her skin tingled. He had been right so far, right? Ever since she woke up in the blue grass he had been her guide to this crazy world she had found herself in. Now though he was asking her to step off a cliff and trust in his faith in her that she would not fall.

“Trust me you can do this Jill,” said Kirin grinning unseen at her. “You already did this to get here you just don’t remember the journey.”

“Okay,” Jill took another breathe stepped closer to the cliff edge feeling her heart in her chest battering against her rib cage and forcing its way into her throat. She found herself gripping Kirin’s hand harder as he willed her feet to step over the edge. Anticipating, both excited and dreading that her next step would be into thin air. “I can do this… Here we go!”

She squeezed her eyes tighter and let herself fall forward into the nothingness feeling Kirin fall with her, for one stomach sickening moment she didn’t stop and she felt she was going to tumble, that he was wrong and she would fall smashing herself against the rocks far far below her. There was a rush of air and then a gentle jolt almost like she was falling into a bed of feathers, everything stopped and she felt herself hang in the air feeling the breeze play over her skin. She risked a look forcing open on eye, then the other and to her amazement Kirin really was right she could fly, slowly hand in hand she let herself float up into the sky listening and then joining in with Kirin’s golden joyful laugh. He was right here she was truly free…

500 Word Flash Fiction taken from Dream a little Dream of Me Synopsis

Geek Girl Gallery – Portraits of my Nerd Girl Jean for MyNerdGirl.com

A couple of years ago Jean was approached by MyNerdGirl.com to become a featured Nerd Girl and Comicbook reviewer. At the time they requested a number of pictures of her as a Nerd Fantasy, as the concept of the website was sexy girls that really were nerds. As far as I can tell the website is no longer online, so I present to you Portraits of my Nerd Girl Jean after the jump of course…

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Happy Birthday Mr Stan Lee 90 years old and still a comic book force… Excelsior!

Stan ‘Da Man’ Lee is 90 years old today, one of the architects that helped change the face of comics, say what you like about some of his failings Mr Lee is a Legend and worthy of your respect. Happy Birthday Mr Lee and here is to many more! Excelsior!!!

RIP Gerry Anderson a Pioneer Puppeteer Fantastical Adventurer!!! Thank you for the Dreams Sir!

Today another part of my childhood died, RIP Gerry Anderson 1929 – 2012 aged 89, creator of the Thunderbirds, Stingray, Joe90, Captain Scarlet, UFO, Fireball XL5, Space 1999 and other amazing TV shows died today age 83. Thank you Sir for the fantastic adventures. His Supermarionnation stories brought my Sunday to life with the Thunderbirds and International Rescue, the show came on ITV at 12.30pm and I played my live action drama record to death. My Saturdays were full of Stingray and Joe90 with a double featuring billing of Captain Scarlet; and during one long summer every morning it was Fireball XL5 at 7am.

While I feel his live action stuff was wanting, he brought children’s imaginations to TV screen in the most amazing ways… Thank you Gerry Anderson for the joy filled memories, of playing in the Park as Thunderbird One, defeating the Mysterons as Captain Blue bringing worlds alive, may you rest in peace Sir you touched millions of Children hearts and imaginations

After the jump please enjoy the Opening and Ending Sequence to Gerry Anderson’s most famous creation – Thunderbirds

A Marvel natural crossover between Brave and the Avengers – Hawkeyes & Black Widows secret love child?

Meet Hawkeye Merida by Brianna Garcia, I stumbled upon this fun piece of Disney amalgamation art when I found the Batgirl/Supergirl strip for today. It is interesting if you think about it that technically Natasha Romanoff is now a Disney Princess. To enjoy more of Brianna’s artwork check out her Deviant art page here – http://briannacherrygarcia.deviantart...

Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday to one and all

Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday and I wish you all the best for this day however you spend and celebrate it. Be safe, have fun and enjoy family and friends Art Source Mike Maihack – http://mikemaihack.deviantart.com/

12.21.2012 the Mayan long count has run out and it is the End of the World… Are we still here?

Today is the final day in the 13th 144,000-day cycle of the ancient Mayan Long Count Calendar it is now the End of the World as we know it. Okay take a breathe… The Apocalypse has not happened… I am sure this will be just one of many End of the World blog posts and comments that I am sure will be all over the internet today. So… As the Mayan Long Count officially finishes approximately 6.11am (CMT) on 12.21.12 I’ve set this post to automatically publish right on the Official End of the World because… let’s be honest it is the End of the World as we know it because a Calender has ended and a new era is really beginning. I do have to ask a question… Are we still here?

The planets have all lined up and we can see right to the center of the Milky Way and I am sure we’ve not fell into a great huge cosmic tear, the world hasn’t flipped, we’ve blown up or been invaded by aliens, or the second coming hasn’t happened and the world is still turning.

Are you still reading this?

There of course big losers today, the entire Doomsday Industry that has been selling merchandise hand over fist and prodding the whole you are doomed fear. Sales will fall off and the hysteria will end… We are still alive it is a new day just like any other full of hope, adventure and opportunity. I urge you all to seize the day…

Now to end this blog post with what will be the most played song today… REM – The End of the World as we know it… Be gentle with the Earth my friends…