Ubiquitous Bubba's Blog, page 9

Next Book News: Progress Report

Chapter Five has been finished.  It’s very exciting!  I wish I could tell you what’s going on, but I don’t want to spoil the surprises.  Let me just say that if Psychann and her friends don’t resolve some of these issues, you may have already read the book before I finish it.  If so, don’t tell me how it ends.

In addition, there’s another problem with having a large unruly crowd of displaced trans-universal travelers jump into more and more universes.  Sooner or later, they may meet themselves.  Things may get ugly.

Speaking of ugly, there’s a problem with some Hair.  It’s got a mind of its own.  Literally.

There are arguments with deranged computers, abductions in space, new enemies, Them, telepathic puppy spies, and problems with Time.  Worst of all, however, is a new threat to the multiverse.  There’s a new evil genius who may destroy the whole thing in an attempt to seize power.

Psychann will need all the help she can get.  I can’t wait for Chapter Six…

Filed under: News Tagged: multiple universes, multiverse, time, time travel

Telepathic Fish

Fishing is boring.  In this universe, one of the most boring pastimes available to humanity is sitting and waiting for a suicidal fish to so despair of life that it hurls itself upon your hook.  In considering this, I began to wonder how bored fish might be.  It’s not like they have a lot to occupy their minds.  Unless they are telepathic, of course.

If fish were telepathic, what would they think about all day?  What would they have to say to one another?  Would their conversations be limited to the mundane affairs of life?  (Hey!  Let’s swim over here!  Now, swim over there!  Avoid the shark!)  Long ago, humanity faced this problem of having too much time on our hands and decided to invent Philosophy.  Well, it was either that or go fishing.

Would telepathic fish make the same choice?  If so, what would their philosophical discussions sound like?  I’m sure they would have differing views.  Being fish, they would probably divide into different schools of thought.  (Yes, I know that’s a bad pun.)

In a philosophical debate, would the winners eat the losers?  Would sharks be Nihilists, Fatalists, or Existentialists?  Would minnows be Pluralists or Pragmatists?  Would salmon struggle with the concept of Freewill?  Would those individuals who excelled in their philosophical pursuits ever succeed in finding a real job?

On the other hand, watching telepathic fish outwit fishermen might be slightly more entertaining.

Filed under: Ponderings Tagged: philosophy, pondering, Telepathy

Character Bio: Numnel Worthington

You’re probably a mammal.  Most humans are.  Until recently, humanity was 100% mammalian.  Numnel messed up that statistic.

It wasn’t his fault.  The National Association of People who Form Associations for No Apparent Purpose, Office of Mammalian Classification (NAPFANAP/OMC) revoked his status as a mammal.  They sent a form letter and everything.

He should be used to it.  This sort of thing happens to him all the time.  Anyone else in his situation might find this upsetting.  In Numnel’s experience, this twist of Normality is rather normal.  Every so often, Reality has a tendency to yank the rug out from under him and toss a pie in his face.  After all this time, he’s become somewhat accustomed to it.  The wolves who raised him taught him to accept life as it comes.  Granted, they also taught him that running triggers their hunting instinct.

Numnel doesn’t know why these things keep happening to him.  The question doesn’t really concern him.  It probably should, though.  They  probably have something to do with it.  I mean, the “They” people refer to when referring to an unknown group.  Them.  One or more of Them appears to have it in for Numnel.  From Their position in the Prime Universe, They can manipulate his universe.  That’s not a good thing.  His universe is in danger as long as he’s in it.  Fortunately, that peril will be short lived.  They’ll see to that.

Filed under: Character Bio's

Character Bio: Detestica

Don’t let anyone tell you differently.  Taking your band on tour is hard work.  Finding the next gig can be a challenge when your universe vanishes.  That’s just another day on the road for Detestica.

Detestica is a hard rock band.  Don’t worry if you haven’t heard of them before.  They may not be from this universe.  In spite of that fact, they’re recognized more often than you might think.  Leon is the band’s vocalist.  He always delivers a killer performance, with or without an audience.  Scurvy is the surprisingly laid back guitarist.  On stage, he’s a shredding maniac.  Offstage, he’s always looking for a good nap.  The bassist, Vic, has never had any directional sense whatsoever.  He gets lost at every opportunity, even on stage.  Bud is the long suffering drummer who takes on the job of corralling these personalities to get to the next gig.

When they’re on stage, they’re a sight to behold.  Their shows are big, loud, and explosive.  Anytime they play Banshee’s Lullaby, it could be their last (in this universe).  If they play it just right, they might vanish suddenly during the bridge.  That sort of thing can really ruin a good gig.  The only thing harder than touring with Detestica may be finding them again.

 

Filed under: Character Bio's Tagged: comedy, Humor, multiverse, rock band, sci-fi, universe

Non-Virtual Reality

While some people are happy with virtual realities, others may prefer a more tangible sort. For those people, I am very pleased to announce that Reality Challenged is now available in a paperback format. Recent technological innovations have made it possible to hold a physical copy of the book without the use of an eBook reader. The paperback copy consumes less power, can be displayed on a coffee table, and may be used to swat the occasional spider.

The paperback edition is available from Amazon and from CreateSpace.

Spiders not included.

Filed under: News Tagged: News, Paperback, publishing

Character Bio: AAAAGGHHHH!

She appears to be a quiet, reserved, and harmless young girl with brown hair and insanely big eyes.  Why is she deep inside a dark tunnel all alone?  What is that loud, sucking, slurping and swooshing noise?

SHLURP!

No one is really sure exactly how many heads suddenly sprout from her skin.  There are too many.  On that point, everyone agrees.  The fact that each head looks off in a different direction with those huge eyes is somewhat disconcerting.  Somehow, the term, “Creepy”, seems to be an understatement.  The most common reaction upon seeing this phenomenon, is for characters to scream, “AAAAGGHHHH!”  She wonders how they know her name.

SHLURP!

Just like that, the heads slip back under her skin.  She seems to know something about the immediate future.  She talks about choosing the Best Possible Universe.  It’s not exactly clear what she means by that.

What is known, is that AAAAGGHHHH! knows too much to ignore, but may be selective with the information she will share.  It would probably be Best to keep her in plain site at all times, just in case.

Filed under: Character Bio's Tagged: Character Bio, Future

A Different Look

I’ve done it now. I waxed Artistic and created a new book cover for Reality Challenged. I just may start wearing a beret.

Filed under: Uncategorized

Time Travel

Time Travel is complicated.  Some say going into the future takes you into one of many possible universes rather than forward along one specific timeline.  Others speculate that travel may be possible, but your actions may be predetermined or unalterable.  There are some who think going into the future will render your previous present as fixed since it is now in your future’s past.  There are many others who think that verb tenses get very confusing.

Some think that if Time Travel were possible, our future selves would have already told us about it.  A few think they might have tried, but we couldn’t hear them.  Some think that they just came back  for our bacon, which raises serious concerns about future bacon supplies.

If a timeline is altered by someone from a different time, how would we know?  Would the travelers remember the “original” timeline, or would it be replaced by a new history?  In that case, how would they know they had ever changed time at all?

What if everyone else was able to manipulate time and you just couldn’t remember the old timelines?  Look closely at the next person you see.  Are they acting as if they are innocent?  Will they deny it if you confront them?  What other secrets are they hiding?  If you say too much about it, will they go back and alter your timeline again?  Perhaps, they already have…

 

Filed under: Ponderings

Next Book News

Book 2 of The Other Universes is underway.  The title has not been decided yet, but there are some possibilities floating around.  The first chapter  has been completed.

Storylines from Book 1 continue, weaving in and out of each other.  New perils, obstacles and enemies are emerging from the shadows.  New characters join in the madness.  There are many strange universes out there and it’s easy to lose your way.

Filed under: News

Character Bio: Thelonius

At first glance, he may appear cowardly.  That might have something to do with his tendency to hide behind others and scream, “Protect me!” whenever encountering the unknown.  Young wizards don’t grow up to be old wizards without taking a few precautions, you understand.  Thelonius is motivated to continue his own aging process, preferably with all of his original limbs.  The problem is that at some point, he acquired a Gem of Trans-Universal Traveler Location Finding.  (These magical items can be ridiculously specific.)  This artifact is leading him on a blind trek through the multiverse, leaping from one dangerous universe to the next.

 He assembled a party of adventurers to protect him on his quest.  There’s Slug, a fierce dwarf warrior with an overdeveloped sense of sarcasm.  Weasel is a Ninja who has an unfortunate habit of announcing his next moves.  There’s Skippy the Ranger, who insists that his oufit (including the shorts) is authentic because his vest says, “Ranger”.  (It actually says, “Park Ranger”, but that’s another story.)  Boil is an Ogre Barbarian (for those times where a regular barbarian just won’t do).  Finally, Percival the Paladin forced his way into the group.  They’re a dysfunctional bunch to be sure.  It’s quite difficult to find well adjusted, mature, emotionally stable individuals to join a dungeon raiding, multiverse travelling, and monster hacking party.  Go figure.

 When you think about it, setting out to leap into another universe with this crew is either brave or stupendously idiotic.  At times, it’s hard to tell the two apart.  Thelonius will need every bit of whatever bravery he can dredge up when he encounters AAAAGGHHHH.  (Yes, that’s her name.)