Aubrea Summer's Blog, page 2
June 17, 2014
June 11, 2014
According To…… Wait A Minute?
There is so much negativity in the publishing industry. Every day I read another article that basically tells writers to expect nothing of their work, to resign themselves to their day jobs and keep their cute little hobby as just that.
I’m sorry. I call bullshit.
The world has grown exponentially since the dawn of art. I get that. There are hundreds of thousands of us trying to do the same thing, and competition is rampant. Why is this a bad thing? We are not enemies, but allies. We should support and respect one another as artists, not waste time telling everyone they will never make it. In doing that, we’re robbing future generations. We’re confiscating their ability to pursue art before they’re even around to produce it. We’re frowning on an industry that perpetuates hope and happiness. We’re telling our children that they cannot dream, because no one will buy it.
Let me ask you something, as an artist. Were you ever trying to sell your dream, or was the intention simply to share it, to realize it? Can a dream come from the folds of a wallet? Can it be made real by the faces of dead presidents on paper notes? Do your dreams dwindle with your savings account?
Maybe the problem is perception. Maybe we’ve forgotten why we dream.
These articles, these negative opinions plaguing the internet, are beyond detrimental to the confidence necessary to create. They inspire nothing more than fear of failure, and self-doubt. We’re all afraid to fail, but isn’t that what drives us to be better? Isn’t competition a catalyst for self-evaluation and self-improvement? Isn’t art designed to scream in the face of what we’re told we can’t do?
So why then, are so many people adamantly attempting to negate the positive aspect of self-expression?
Why is art subjective to profit? The answer: It isn’t. It’s community. It’s advancement. It’s beauty. It’s freedom. It’s love. It’s what we leave behind for the world to remember us by.
Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Don’t let anyone tell you that what you’re doing doesn’t matter. Do not allow someone else’s fear to hold you back. Let them stay behind. Keep your head up and keep moving.
Don’t believe everything you read, but don’t stop writing what you believe.
People will love you or hate you. They may not even ever know your name. None of that matters.
You are not alone.
The world is waiting to hear from you, no matter what those naysayers might want you to believe.
To quote another’s art ,
“Never Give Up. Never Surrender.”
June 8, 2014
May 23, 2014
A Relatively Humane Way To Kill Ants
I was outside, enjoying my barefoot freedom, when I realized the entire area beneath my naked feet was crawling with red ants.
No good. I don’t want to wear, as a dear friend puts it “foot prisons” just to play with my flowers.
So…
I looked up ways to kill ants without pesticides because I don’t want the chemicals were I plant things.
The internet tells me:
“A relatively humane way of killing ants is to”…
First off, wait a minute. Relatively humane way of killing… ?
I’m feeling good about this one…
Next:
“Take a sharp spike…”
…
Humane… So far?
Then:
“Stir the sharp stick into the ground where the hill is and make a crater.
Get some apple cider vinegar and baking soda….”
Oh man. I’m about to make a relatively humane ant volcano.
May 19, 2014
Sixteen Seconds, Photo Blurb
Sixteen Seconds is available on Amazon at the following link. If you’re looking for an action packed thrill ride that takes you through the darkness that ended mankind, this story is for you.
Sixteen Seconds, An Epilogue To Humanity Novel
May 14, 2014
Free Read, Creepy Short Stories
Free today only, a collection of short creepy stories.
Four The Twist is a collection of short stories, all sharing one common trait. The end is a twist, and you won’t see it coming. This hair raising collection of edgy tales ranges from practical jokes to werewolves, to ghosts, with a little something for all. Each short story confronts the reader with a new evil, or an unlikely perpetrator of unseen events. Prepare to submerse yourself in a world where nothing is what it seems, and if it is, you may want to look again.
April 29, 2014
Four The Twist, Free All Day
Short Stories With An Edge
I’m spreading the word so you don’t miss out. Today and today only, my collection of short stories entitles Four The Twist, is free on Amazon. These stories vary in genre, from ghosts to werewolves, but they have one thing in common. The end is a twist. Prepare yourself to expect the unexpected, and find comfort in the strange. The link is included in the post, along with the cover. Go pick yours up now!
April 28, 2014
Book Review, Jason Brant, The Hunger Series
I recently finished reading the first two books in Jason Brant’s “The Hunger Series”. As I myself know all too well, it is word of mouth that sells indie work.
I am posting my reviews here for book one and two of the series. If you’re looking for a good indie writer, Brant will set you straight.
The Hunger, Book 1
Devoured
Jason Brant is definitely an Indie Author worth checking out. In The Hunger, Devoured, the world is ending. A terrible disease has turned what’s left of mankind into monsters. Now these aren’t your typical zombie/vampire/monster/creatures. Brant brings to life a new breed of fear. His Vladdies are fierce, disgusting, and down right spine chilling. Join Lance, and Cass as they make their way out of the city and into the mountains, running from the monsters in the night and the men who are just as evil. With a fast moving plot and good action scenes, this book is a quick read. For all you monster and apocalypse enthusiasts, you should read this novel. It’s the first in the series, so be prepared to keep going. Thank you, Jason Brant, for this fun ride.
https://www.goodreads.com/aubreasummer
The Hunger, Part 2 Consumed
Coming into Consumed, The Hunger 2, I was already excited as I’ve read the first in the series. The plot thickens as the characters face nightly reins of evil and daily doses of the rotten core in man. Lance and Cass struggle to save their friends and get far enough away to avoid the monsters in the dark. They can’t hide out forever though, and the cities are running out of food. The creatures will be moving their way, if they don’t stop them. They have a plan, but it’s dangerous. They are going to destroy the nest, or die trying. I highly suggest reading the first novel, as it leads you in to these characters and situations. The action never stops, and Brant has a way of convincing you that just one more chapter won’t hurt. Pick up this book. It’s fun, fast, and frightening.
Check them out. I think they’re definitely good reads.
April 24, 2014
The Fantasy Cast For Sixteen Seconds
In my bout of taking a day off from the keyboard, I find myself here again. Why, you ask? I simply cannot make my brain quiet down and sit patiently beside me on the couch. It will not. It refuses. So, today I’ve decided to give it something completely brainless to do, or so I thought. This took me far longer than expected. This was work, and the brain tricked me again.
What’s this?
Well, I’ve assembled a cast for the movie production of Sixteen Seconds (which hasn’t yet happened, nor would they likely let me decide, but it’s fun). I’ve got three out of my, um, shit. How many characters are in this series? Anyway, here are the three main characters, along with the celebrity I feel most adequately represents and resembles them.
Also, I think all three of these actors/actresses would do a fine job. Did you hear me out there Hollywood? This cast would rock… I promise.
In no particular order of favoritism, here are the shining stars by role.
Oh, also, there may be a few minor spoilers here, but nothing much. I wouldn’t be caught not warning you.
Kenneth Ridley
Ridley was a doctor, a psychiatrist to be more specific. That wasn’t a life long dream. He’s been searching for someone, anyone, who might be like him and understand how to control this power. Ridley can move things with his thoughts, but it wasn’t until he met young Sera Rais, barely ten years old, that he realized how powerful this could truly be. As the world crumbled around them, Ridley focused on educating and training others, lost souls with the same power he found in Sera and himself. By the time the government took every weapon, job, and future from the population, Ridley was ready. His teams attacked. They were successful, using only thought as a weapon. It backfired. Those in power searched out the means to extinguish this new force. The NID was developed, and citizenship was now dependent on compliance. The other option was death. The device allowed no more than eight seconds of thought at a time, taking away the only power left. With only Sera remaining as an ally, they do the last thing they can. They find the heart of the institution, and they destroy it. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the answer. Now Ridley blames himself for the depletion of the country and the state of being in the children, The Ferals. There must be a way he can make it right, and he won’t give up until he finds it.
I chose Scott Speedman for Kenneth Ridley because of his voice. I don’t know what it is, but when I heard it I thought “that’s Ridley.” Also, he’s perfect for the role. His hair, his jawline, his eyes, his height, his build, his age, his talent. Everything. Also, I really haven’t seem him in an action role for a while, and he kicked ass in Underworld. So, here you are. Scott Speedman as my pick for Kenneth Ridley.
Scott Speedman ( Fantasy Cast: Kenneth Ridley, Sixteen Seconds )
Roland Mason
Roland has been on his own for years, living on the scraps the city has to offer and the pieces of thoughts he isn’t allowed to entertain. Anything over eight seconds will get you fried, and Roland knows this all too well. He spends days and nights moving from one place to the next, avoiding another accidental run in with a gang of cannibalistic lunatics and scouring for food and water. Today isn’t his day. After setting off the device twice, he topped that with a nose dive off the side of a wall. Coming to his senses in the dirt, he awakes surrounded by the Ferals that roam in wild packs through the decrepit streets. Now, they were considering him to be lunch. With the aid of an unexpected stranger, Roland quickly discovers how much more is really going on outside of his world, and how to get back what he’s been missing for so long.
I chose Garrett Hedlund for Roland because of the description, but also the roles he takes. I find that on screen, his presence is valid even without words. I wanted someone for the role who could express with just their eyes what they felt, even if they weren’t allowed to think it through. Also, he is handsome. I won’t try and deny that there is a draw, but why not? The hair fits, the eyes fit, and look at this picture. That’s a Roland face if I’ve ever pictured one. If you don’t know what I mean, I know where you can get the book. Just saying. Without further ado, here is Garrett Hedlund, my casting choice for Roland Mason.
Garrett Hedlund ( Fantasy Cast: Roland Mason, Sixteen Seconds )
“C”
C is one of the survivors of the man made apocalypse, along with her faithful companion Lyrique, the 140lb Rottweiler she found in a shed who guards her every breath. Losing her family in the beginning of the war, C is left to learn how to cope alone. Falling victim alongside the population to the NID, her thoughts are stripped away with the rest of the country. In a botched suicide attempt, C becomes a key to unlocking the future of the human race.
I chose Rachel Bilson for a few reasons. One of the deciding factors was her sweetness, her innocence if you will. She shines through her roles with such a light, and C is the same sort of person in the story, independent and tough, but with quiet compassion. Also, the freckles, the eye color, and the face almost perfectly fit the description. She is the sort of pretty I find almost old fashioned in a girl, with an inner strength that resonates in the eyes. Those, along with her talent as an actress, led me to Rachel Bilson as Casey Wright.
Rachel Bilson ( Fantasy Cast: Casey Wright, Sixteen Seconds )
I hope you had as much fun as I did, and if you’re interested, the novel is available on Amazon for the low price of 2.99.
Let me know what you think, if you’ve read it. I’m still looking for Sera, so if you have any suggestions, I’m open.
Until next time,
Peace
If You Ever Feel Lost
I am a firm believer that happiness can be found on the road less traveled, and far more bumpy. Roll down the windows. Turn up the music. Let the Zen In.
