Aaron Blaylock's Blog, page 8

To err is human

In high school I was on the varsity football team. I don’t say I was a football player because that would imply something other than my unremarkably average athletic prowess. Matter of fact, my most memorable contribution to my teammate’s memories was from a hotly contested game about midway through my junior year. We were down by a touchdown and had the ball on our own twenty-seven yard line. It was third and three and we gave the ball to our tailback on a dive up the middle. He plowed ahead for a five yard gain as we converted the third down. The only problem was the yellow handkerchief that lay back on the white chalk just beyond left hash mark. The call was holding. Coach went ballistic and demanded to know who the perpetrator was. He yelled and waved his arms at the referees until at long last he got the attention he desired. In an effort to calm my coach and maintain some control of the game the ref stated with all certainty that the infraction had been committed by number 53. My coach’s adamant and passionate reply was, “53?! We don’t even have a 53!” I stood two feet behind my coach wearing a white and pristine jersey with the large green numbers five and three on it. Although I had yet to appear in the game, and most certainly did not hold anything other than a Gatorade bottle, I was not about to correct him at that moment and remind him that we did indeed have a 53. Instead I quietly faded back among my teammates and embraced the obscurity.

 

Now that I’ve written a book I hesitate to call myself an author for similar reasons. I am comfortable saying I’m on the team but an author implies a skill set that I have yet to fully realize. ‘Work in progress’ comes to mind when assessing my own writing prowess. Case in point, my wife is the first line editor on everything that I write. She has spent the better part of the past two years trying to teach me the difference between past and passed (did I get that right?). I’ll take a first pass on a chapter, post or short story and read over it two and even three times, cleaning it up and fixing mistakes and still she will find errors that I’ve missed. It’s maddening. I mean I have spell check, I have a college degree and have written professionally for nearly a decade and still I not only make grammatical and spelling errors but fail to spot them upon closer inspection. I recognize that editing is a different talent and skill set than writing and accept that it’s not something I can put on my resume but that doesn’t stop me from trying to improve my typographical horror shows.

 

As a blogger I took great comfort in leaning on my wife’s talent as an editor but also found it nearly unbearable each and every time she found a mistake. Working with the wonderful and talented editors employed by my publisher was the same. I was grateful they were there and happy for several other sets of eyes but each time they found an error I wanted to scream. After months and months of edits, sub-edits and rewrites the day arrived when The Land of Look Behind needed to go to the printers. I made one last frantic pass through the manuscript where I made forty one changes/additions/corrections and handed it off with a stamp of approval. Weeks passed (was that the correct passed? I still don’t know) and the advanced copies went out for review. In concert with that I posted the first chapter online to give readers a sample and the feedback was all good. Then a received an email from a concerned reviewer asking if she’d received a final copy because she had found multiple errors in the first chapter. I poured over my copy while I waited for her response on what errors she found. I finished the first ten pages and could not find anything amiss. She replied with what she found and sure enough there it was. I had used “waste” when I should have used “waist” and “of” when I meant to say “a”. I was mortified. I even went back and looked at my first (wife approved) draft and neither mistake was there. The err came in one of my attempts at cleaning up my story and none of us caught it. I couldn’t even find in on my own when give the targeted area. I felt like I was wearing that gleaming white jersey all over again and wished I could simply fade back into a throng of teammates and wait for time to expire. However, there is no hiding your shame in the world of publishing. So I had to come to terms with the fact that, despite my best efforts and the best efforts of several talented eyes, a less than perfect version of my story now exists. In the sleepless nights that followed I have researched this topic and tried to find ways to ease my mind. I’ve been told repeatedly by many friends and avid readers that these things happen and even found that I am in the company of many all-time great writers who were terrible spellers with atrocious grammar (Austen, Fitzgerald, Christie, and Hemingway to name a few). None of that dulled the pain or the reality of the tarnish that was now upon a story that I am immensely proud of. I considered just owning it and making it a game for the readers. “Hey kids, find all the errors in my book and you win a prize!” But that would take the focus off what I believe to be a truly entertaining and worthwhile story and I don’t want that. Instead I wrote this post.

 

To those of you who’ll read my book, I ask for your forgiveness for the flaws of a first time writer and echo the words of the great philosopher Joss Whedon, “Humans are odd. They think order and chaos are somehow opposites and try to control what won’t be. But there is grace in their failings. I think [we] miss that.”

Launch Party

Come and celebrate the release of The Land of Look Behind!

When: February 12, 2016  6pm-10pm

Where: OneOhOne Gallery

101 W. Main Street

Mesa, AZ 85201

RSVP on Facebook

Dispatched

The following is an excerpt from the journal of Lieutenant Benjamin Jarvis, a British soldier in the mid-seventeenth century. These events, and those that will follow, lead directly to The Land of Look Behind; available everywhere February 9, 2016.

I am met with deep disappointment as my desire to leave has, for the meantime, been extinguished. The ship carrying the prisoners left this morning. I have instead been assigned under the command of Colonel West. Our objection is to round up the remaining outliers, farmers mostly, and see that they leave the island at once.

As soon as we have completed this mission and when this tour is over I intend to put in for a transfer to the colonies in the north and be done with the sea and this treacherous island combat for good. We have lost many of our numbers to fever, disease and consumption. Places like these are not fit for civilized man. In my humble opinion they ought to be left to wild ferocious animals who infest the hills and valleys. To those with the desire to inhabit this unwelcoming wilderness I say more power to them.

Entry I – Enter the Caribbean

Entry II – Caguay Bay Landing

Entry III – Spanish Town Prison

Entry IV – Night Raiders

Sneak Peak – The Land of Look Behind

Sneak Peak: The Land of Look Behind

Three hundred years ago, a soldier named Jarvis journeyed deep into Jamaica and discovered a land of myth, treasure, and danger. Now Gideon, who served in Jamaica as a missionary, returns armed with Jarvis’s journal to follow the enigmatic clues with his best friend. But they quickly discover there are forces who would kill to keep the treasure secret. Travel into Jamaica’s treacherous cockpit country in this spine-tingling thriller.

Enjoy a sneak peak at The Land of Look Behind available for pre-order today at Amazon and Barnes & Noble and in stores February 9, 2016.

Fake Book Spoilers

1. President Snow is Katniss’s father.

2. Ebenezer Scrooge was dead the whole time.

3. Meg, Beth, Jo and Amy are all hobbits.

4. Jay Gatsby is really only average.

5. The ham was spoiled and the eggs rotten.

6. Moby dick had a pet cat named Ishmael.

7. Tumnus is Lucy’s monster.

8. The Picture of Dorian Gray is just a blurry selfie.

9. Percy is the sixth Jackson.

10. Old Dan and Little Ann suffer from coonophobia.

11. Charlotte bites Peter Parker in the end.

Review: More Than The Tattooed Mormon

First things first, did I like More Than The Tattooed Mormon? Abso-freaking-lutely! I tried not to approach it with any preconceptions. Still, I figured that the story would be about who Al Carraway is, and for the most part that is true, but this book is much more than that.

Within the story of her life and on the pages of this book I was surprised to find myself. I do not mean that I am mentioned in the book, what I mean is that I found reflections of myself within her story. This was surprising because you would be hard pressed to find two more different people than Al and I. She is an outgoing, bubbly, East-coast young woman and I, well, I have aspirations of becoming a grumpy old man who wears orthopedic shoes with his socks pulled up to high. And yet as she bares her soul to her readers I found myself connecting to her words as if it was written for me. From the opening chapter you feel drawn to learn more about this extraordinarily optimistic person. I smiled through the tales of her early life and particularly how a pair of resourceful missionaries actually got her to listen to the message of the gospel. My heart ached for her when her happy life became quickly complicated and difficult as she chose to trust her feelings and follow after the light she received.

Then it happened.

Gently, she began to teach. Subtly, she began to inspire. Profoundly, she began to encourage. In a matter of a hundred and some odd pages you go from reading about the sproutlings of a tiny seed to standing beneath the shade of a mighty tree. Her expression of faith and testimony and her undeniable enthusiasm is infectious. Quickly you go from rooting for her and mourning through her struggles to applying her experience and wisdom to struggles of your own.

For me the highlight was the chapter entitled “Change”. She shares a quote from a bishop about “The most important principle of this gospel” that lies perfectly overtop her own story and weaves through the fabric of the hope for all followers of Christ.

Prior to reading her book my only exposure to Al was Twitter and a few of her blog posts. I had never heard her speak and yet I could hear her voice as I read her writing, which is the mark of a good writer. My wife and I went to her book signing at Deseret Book in Gilbert, Arizona. As we waited in line I was struck by how genuine and generous she was with each and every person who came to see her. I was struck but not surprised as I had already come to know who she from her writing. She greeted my wife as if she had been waiting for her arrival. That same warmth and personal impact is felt on the pages of her book.

Through this inspirational book you will come to better understand Al Carraway and through this remarkable author you will come to better understand the gospel of Jesus Christ and your intrinsic worth and your divine potential.

I do not have a complex rating system but I do have two thumbs and they are most emphatically pointing up.

Here is a link to Al’s website with more information of how and where you can get a copy of More Than The Tattooed Mormon for yourself.

But wait there’s more. Enjoy a delightful interview, by yours truly, with the author herself.

Writer’s Block

Anyone who has ever tried to create something new has at some time ran into a brick wall. You begin with the best of intentions and the highest hopes. You select the necessary tool in your preferred medium dedicate an indefinite amount of time to your project. Then it happens (or rather doesn’t happen). Nothing. No ideas. No inspiration. Just the taunting silence of a stalled mind. At that point you have a choice, you can retreat (Twitter, Netflix, YouTube, Facebook. Pick your distraction.) or start desperately chucking stuff against the wall until something sticks. This is my salute to all those who seek to create. Stay with it…or go get a snack.

Home For The Holidays

For your consideration; a low stress high reward Christmas shopping experience. There is an easy way to complete all you Christmas shopping for your friends and family in just three simple steps.

Step 1: Visit Amazon or Barnes & Noble and order The Land of Look Behind.

Step 2: Print this delightful card/invitation.

Step 3: Place the card/invitation in their stocking.

Done and done. You’ve just given the gift of reading. Plus, one of the best parts of opening a gift is the anticipation. You’ve just gifted them several more weeks of anticipation, as they can now look forward to all the mystery and majesty of a brand new story. What could be better than that, you say? Well as an added bonus they have an invitation to a party. Whaaaaaaaat?!  That’s right, who doesn’t like a party? Not only do they get a book but they get to go to a celebration about the book and meet the guy who wrote it. As a double bonus when they present their invitation at the party and bring their book to get signed they will be entered into the grand prize drawing for a door prize. I know what you are thinking, this keeps getting better and better. But wait there’s more, for every copy you by an angel gets their wings. You’re welcome.

***Disclaimer*** Purchasing this book is it’s own reward. No angels will be granted wings bases on your purchase. Angel wings are granted based on merit and bell ringing. We apologize for this shameless self promotion. You are free to resume your holiday jubilation now.

The Theory Awakens

Like most of you voluntarily reading this, I love Star Wars. One of my most vivid childhood memories is going to see Return of the Jedi in theaters when I was six (I wanted an Ewok so bad). I watched Empire Strikes Back on HBO repeatedly one summer, seriously every time it was on (Obsessed I was). When I was eighteen and hungry for more Star Wars I read a series of books that were set several decades after Episode VI and was able to catch up with Han, Luke and Leia as generals, parents and Jedi masters. I dreamed that one day I would see those stories on the big screen and on December 18th that dream will become a reality. I still cannot believe it.

I have followed the news and consumed the promotional materials and trailers like a wampa at a free tauntaun buffet. As JJ Abrams is famously secretive, there is still much we do not yet know about the story for the new film but I thought I would take a stab at guessing the identity of some of the characters and the plot. This is strictly my theory based solely on the trailers and the interviews I have read from the cast and crew, so these cannot be considered spoilers (The odds of me correctly guessing the plot are approximately 3,720 to 1). And yes, I put way too much thought into this.

First, I believe that Rey, played by Daisy Ridley, is without a doubt Luke Skywalker’s daughter. They have purposefully withheld her last name and from the international trailer we hear her say she is waiting for her family. Furthermore in an interview Ridley said her character was abandoned on Jakku when she was five years old. Combine that with the knowledge that the First Order is the re-incarnation of The Empire and has been hunting Luke Skywalker as the despot who murdered the noble Emperor Palpotine and spread chaos through the galaxy (which I believe will be the propaganda The First Order uses to recruit people to their cause). Giving further credence is the fact that we have not yet seen Luke and much focus in the marketing has been on Rey.

We know from Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy that Episodes VII, VIII and IX are a continuation of the Skywalker saga so we are going to be introduced to the next generation in this film. Could she be Han and Leia’s daughter? Sure, and she would still technically be a Skywalker, but why would Han and Leia, who are still clearly around and capable, abandoned their daughter on a desert planet? It doesn’t make sense.

What does make sense is that Luke had a child and for her protection left her on an isolated desert planet just as was done for him. Luke separated himself from her so she would not be hunted and nobody would know of her relationship to him. Meanwhile, Luke goes off and lives in seclusion to hone his connection with the Force like his mentors Yoda and Obi Wan. And this is where the action picks up in The Force Awakens.

Finn, played by John Boyega, is a Stormtrooper with The First Order. He sees some things that make him question the propaganda he has been fed his whole life. Possibly the torturing of Poe Dameron, played by Oscar Isaac, or the burning of the settlement by Captain Phasma, played by Gwendoline Christie. Finn helps Dameron escape from a star destroyer and he himself is shot down in the process, crash landing on Jakku. He meets Rey, who has returned from a successful scavenging run inside a fallen star destroyer, just as TIE Fighters show up and start blasting the Hoth out of everything. They escape in the Millennium Falcon where they meet Han and Chewbacca. “Chewie, we’re home.”

Uncle Han has been searching for Rey since they learned of her existence and needs her to help find Luke and bring him back out of hiding because there is a emerging threat to the galaxy. The new quartette travel to a distance planet to speak with the pirate Maz Kanata, played by Lupita Nyong’o, as they believe she has knowledge of Luke’s whereabouts, or possibly because she has his lightsaber. Or both? Kanata, who lives in the temple with all the flags, fills Rey in (and also the audience) as to some of the events of the last thirty years and a bit of her family history and why Luke left her. (I’ll hedge my bet slightly here and say that since Kanata is described as a pirate the temple might not be her base of operation, it could very well be the headquarters of The Resistance and Han is taking her to Aunt Leia.)

In the meantime, Captain Phasma and The First Order shows up and starts wrecking shop outside the temple. Troopers capture Han, Chewie and Finn but just in the nick of time they are rescued when Poe Dameron and the rest of The Resistance show up and an epic X-wing/TIE Fighter battle ensues. General Leia, who orchestrated their rescue, arrives and is reunited with Han. Rey meets Aunt Leia and Finn officially joins The Resistance.

The First Order is forced to retreat and Captain Phasma must report their failure to General Hux, played by Domhnall Gleeson. From interviews by Gleeson and Abrams, Hux is an ambitious General who has his sights set on running The First Order. His rival is the Vader fanatic Kylo Ren, played by Adam Driver, who is the disciple of Supreme Leader Snoke, played by motion capture wizard Andy Serkis. Kylo Ren, if that is his real name, is obsessed with Vader and the dark side and collects Syth relics. He wants to finish the work of his grandfather to bring order to the galaxy and turn Luke to the dark side. “Nothing will stand in our way. I will finish what you started.” That’s right I said it, his grandfather. Kylo Ren is none other than Han and Leia’s prodigal son. Boom! (Whaaaaaaat??)

Snoke is the master behind the scenes and while General Hux is focused on completing and activating their terrifying weapon (a new Death Star) from the Star Killer base on the ice planet, Kylo Ren is tasked with hunting down Luke and any potentially Force-sensitive life forms, a.k.a. his cousin.

While General Leia, Admiral Ackbar (that’s right, he’s back), Poe Dameron and the rest of The Resistance address the impending threat posed by the new Death Star; Han, Rey, Chewie and Finn continue on the search for Luke.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Ph: Film Frame
© 2014 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Right Reserved..

I have no idea what happens from here but this is how I would love to see Episode VII end. Kylo Ren catches up with his father, his cousin and Finn on a remote forest planet where both parties believe Luke to be hiding. Ren attacks them and cuts off Han’s hand (it’s Star Wars, you know it’s gonna happen) and is bearing down on Finn. Finn produces Luke’s lightsaber (which he’s only wielded a couple of times) and prepares to defend himself. Ren soundly defeats Finn and is about to end him when out of nowhere a cloaked figure appears and Force pushes Ren through about a dozen trees with power and intensity we have never seen. The figure turns to Rey and Finn and removes his hood to reveal a grizzled and bearded Luke Skywalker. [Cut to black] Bring on Episode VIII!

Things I hope “I’m Luke Skywalker. I’m here to rescue you.”

-Han and Leia are indeed together in this movie.

-Leia will have honed the Force and will have senses and abilities of a Jedi

-Rey has Darth Plagueis’s staff.

-Supreme Leader Snoke turns out to be Darth Plagueis.

-We see the bones and skull of a certain Gungan Senator in the background of a shot.

-Any character who says “midi-chlorians” is immediately dismembered and thrown down a long shaft.

Things I fear “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

-Finn is Lando Calrissian’s son. That’s just stupid.

-Rey built BB-8. It was idiotic to have Anakin be the creator of C3-PO, don’t do that again.

-Han dies in this movie.

-Chewie dies in this movie.

-Luke has turned to the dark side.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. What do you think is going to happen? Comment below or on my Facebook page or tweet at me. #EpisodeVIITheory

Night Raiders

The following is an excerpt from the journal of Lieutenant Benjamin Jarvis, a British soldier in the mid-seventeenth century. These events, and those that will follow, lead directly to The Land of Look Behind; available everywhere February 9, 2016.

Andrew is dead. He never got off the ships, never set foot on this island, never drew a breath of the fresh ocean breeze. He died in his bed. Words cannot express the unspeakable sadness I feel. I would not have come this far without his companionship. He was a boon to my soul and I looked to him for strength beyond my own.


I have not even had the time to properly grieve his passing as we were set upon by the cowardice mountain rebels the eve I received word of Andrew’s death. Like thieves in the night they descended on the town while we slept. So swift was their attack that the night watchmen failed to raise a proper alarm. They burned the officer’s quarters and the estate where many of the soldiers slept. The commotion roused me from my sleep and through the window I could see the town ablaze. We labored through the night to extinguish the flames and with our forces occupied those bandits made off with much of our supplies and animals.


I curse the very winds that carried us to this wretched place and would give anything to be free of it. Many of the prisoners will be put on a ship for the nearest Spanish port tomorrow, I pray that I be sent to oversee their deportation and put these nightmarish days behind me.

Entry I – Enter the Caribbean

Entry II – Caguay Bay Landing

Entry III – Spanish Town Prison

Pre-order today at Amazon and Barnes & Noble