Nick Bolock's Blog: Nick's Insight to Madness, page 8

Regolith Part 1: The Beginning

Beginning Regolith has been easier than anything I've started before, and that's odd because it's one of the two novels that I'm going into nearly blind. Writing it has been easy, yet staggered. I'm easily distracted and I'll admit to it.

So far, the past/present style plot is working nicely and all. I had my doubts, but it really is working for me. I haven't swapped back and forth too much yet, but it will be used again for the last book in the series arc.

Look forward to more updates as I go along!
Have fun and don't lick door handles!

Dead Phoenix Editing Part 3: Final Verdict!

Well, I finished Persona 4 Golden and came to my conclusion.

I will not scrap Dead Phoenix, nor will I release it at this time. Instead, I'm going to save it and move on to Regolith.
The details of Dead Phoenix will be mentioned later on by a new character. I think this is best to keep up a good pace and a healthy conscious. I didn't want to publish something sub par and just 'deal with it'.

Stay tuned about new things like Regolith and my website (if i get my act together!)
Thanks for reading!

Dead Phoenix Editing Part 2: Scrap it or Shop it?

Well... I find myself writing this blog post with a heavy mind. Dead Phoenix as a whole doesn't seem to work as a story and, despite my best efforts to beef it up, I can't seem to make it fit together like glue and paper.
You see, I had three major plot points that I built the story around. Rising Seas had many more than two. It had about seven specific things I wanted to cover and I did.
With my inability to beef it up, and the lack of content I can write into the story; I am considering scrapping Dead Phoenix and moving onto the next novel. At some point, I'll briefly mention the most important details in a later novel if that were the case. I'm really thinking on it deeply.

Well, I only have a few more days to decide as I plan to start editing once I'm done playing Persona 4 Golden.
Well, catch you around. Thanks for reading!

Dead Phoenix Editing Part 1: The Tonality?

So I find my self reflecting on Dead Phoenix often now that I am on my break from writing and before really editing. It comes to mind during work, sleep, when I walk my dog, and even during rounds of Persona 4 Golden.
My current reflection on Dead Phoenix is that it is far from the tone I originally intended. There is a lack of 'urgency' or 'threat' in the heroes' path and Sinclair actions.
Therefore, my editing starts there I suppose and not with the grammar. In the end, I added more substance about the actions of the outside world in the wake of Sinclair's... Actions. No spoilers here!
My original tone was darker, MUCH darker. Vladimir was originally going to come out of the rubble to see a Phoenixia during an apocalypse. There was more war, more pain, more despair, and etc...
He was going to partner with two young twins who were magical progeny. Fight many Vanguard, fight Sinclair, etc etc.

Maybe I should really reel it back to fit more with that idea? Let's see what happens.

As always, thanks for reading my blog and stay tuned!

Ideas that go unused PT2: Rising Seas Characters

Now that more people have read, and are reading, Rising Seas, I feel like I have a good opportunity to share more thoughts on some characters in the novel.
I want to focus on just four characters today. They are: Magal and Lyle Tulliver, and Roland and Ismae Winters.
Lyle and Magal did have extended roles within Rising Seas at one point. Ideally, they were going to join Vladimir up until the boat ride and then die protecting him. Then he'd swear vengeance against Sinclair for their deaths. I had even penned a scene where they had visited their ailing father before falling victim to Sinclair's hypnosis.
In the end, I am satisfied with their passage into hypnotized death. Yeah, I know it's a little sad that they die like that. My original plan was to have an enemy nation attack the boat and THEN the Devil-Lord summons a kraken to attack the boat.
There was also more to do with Manticora, the enemy nation, but I avoided that too in the end. That's for another "Ideas that go unused".
My second set of characters that I wanted to mention, Roland and Ismae, changed a lot more than the Tullivers.
Originally, Roland and ISHMAEL were a court wizard in hiding and a meek boy having bully trouble. Ishmael would find Vladimir on the beach and Vladimir would enter his mind. From there, he could pilot Ishmael when he needed and even dispatched some bullies. Roland, however, would be dragged from his humble life when Ajatar called upon his services once again to combat Levi. He'd take Ishmael with him, and eventually they'd meet a mirror wizard who removed Vladimir from Ishmael's mind.
Crazy ideas. Yeah...
They'd help in the battle against Levi, when Levi was still evil. (Let me tell you, he DESERVES an ITGU for all the nonsense I change with him! Another time sadly.) Roland would even teach Locke and Ishmael to use magic while he and Vladimir argued about magic. (When Vladimir could use it).
Eventually, I decided that there were too many boys in the party and changed Ishmael to Ismae, the young girl who wanted to be a pirate.
In the final stages of Rising Seas, I decided that I had enough of Roland and Ismae and <spoiler>ended up killing them off to streamline everything. They fed the Devil in the end. Sorry, Rol-Mae fans! :(</spoiler>
This all reminds me of how much in Rising Seas changed over the years.
Here's a little bonus tidbit, Rising Seas' original title was Fallen Angel-Child. I changed it was the plot changed and it didn't quite roll off the tongue well...
Thanks for reading, and see you around!

The completion of Dead Phoenix

So here I sit tonight, staring down a completed page that has words, sentences, dialogue, all that good stuff.

Then I realize. It's done. The last words of my initial draft of Dead Phoenix is etched into the pages of my laptop and ready for me to proofread the heck out of them!

How do I feel? Pretty awesome. It's like I've created (and destroyed, hint hint) a whole world over the past few months once again. I really do enjoy writing fantasy novels.
Otherwise, I'm taking a break and then will proofread in a few days or so.
I'll keep all my sources posted about the status and formats, etc in the coming weeks.
Thanks and see you!!

Rising Seas: the (insert media here)

I've often wondered what would happen if Rising Seas (or any work of mine) made it to TV, the movies, or video games. I had specific ideas on how that should go, and I am rigid on it.

Recently, I've been pondering attempting to make an RPG version of Rising Seas for the computer. It's an interesting idea to say the least. Whether or not I'll do it is another question entirely. There's a lot up in the air about it.

Meanwhile, I'm nearing the end of my alpha build for Dead Phoenix. The cover has been done, but I still need to find a way to get it in to my computer at a good resolution.
Too little and it'll not look good. Too much and it could end up being all pixel-y or something.
I'll get to it, along with the RPG and my ongoing search for a job!

Thanks for reading, and see you around!

All Over the Ding Dong Dang Place

Have I been writing? Off and on.
Have I been working on the book? Off and on.

I've been blowing my time around like leaves in the fall winds. Goofing off, thinking, avoiding my writing, and sitting there staring at the page.
Well, my cover is done for Dead Phoenix and it looks amazing! So that's good...
Otherwise, I keep thinking on where the story will go in the end.

Maybe I'm procrastinating? Honestly, the novel after DP is going to be hard. Regolith may just be the bane of me! I hope not, but still, Crow will give me a run for my money!

I don't write many meaningful posts, but I will one day. I'm sure of it!

Writing a sequel: pt2 For the series!

So as I round up Dead Phoenix's ending, work with my best friend on a cover (which is beautiful, I might add), and get ready to proof the heck out of Dead Phoenix I've found myself wondering...
Where do I go from there?
I'm not only talking about sequels here and there to add to the over arching narrative, but also... What happens after the "...And they lived happily ever after for all time!" at the end of the final book?
Do I just stop the series and restart something new?
And that's where the many story ideas I had as a kid come in and tell me "Yes and no. You'll start something kind of new, but use these concepts again."
It's a fun thought, yes, and even so, with two more novels in the works after the ending...
Wait, make that three. I just got an idea from a song.

Anyway, my ideal title progression is pretty much finalized in my head and on paper. It doesn't really work in any other order.
I'm pretty sure that Dead Phoenix will be ready by the end of the year, but I don't want to push it. That would just be insane!

Character building: Nightingale Style pt1: Tyrannus Brand

I've seen other authors talk about how they create characters, so I guess I should offer an insight to the maelstrom.

My characters are either facets of myself, people I've met, are seeded by other characters I've seen in games and movies, or strangely original. For example, the four heroes I use in the series all all facets of me. Several characters, like Trevor and Selene, are based on people I knew. Alistair Sinclair was inspired slightly by Yamato Hotsuin from Devil Survivor 2 for the Nintendo DS. Lastly, some characters, like Levi and Tyrannus Brand, are completely original.

Elaborating on the original characters would be a little more difficult that one would think. Levi has a great history just like Vladimir does. So I'll give a little insight into Tyrannus Brand.

Brand never existed before Rising Seas. I'm talking about when Rising Seas was Fallen Angel/Fallen Angel-Child. He came somewhat late into writing Rising Seas and I had to push a couple things around to squeeze him into the story.
I felt like Sinclair needed an accomplice that was strong, but wouldn't steal the spotlight. He needed a man on the inside, someone close to the king, that could get him deep in the castle with no hindrance. Hence, Alistair has a deal with the top man of the royal guard. Easy access in and out of the castle from the man who knows the layout of the castle. A man on the inside who could do damage to the king if needed.

His design is what I would assume is typical of a "guard captain" in fantasy settings. A large, hulk of a man who is cold, cunning, and can train others easily. Brand is unusually patient too, not just with Sinclair, but with everyone. I feared adding too much detail to Brand character so he wouldn't steal the spotlight. Brand pretty much lacks tangible ability. He has a sword, and some magic, but relies on strength more.
Unfortunately, Brand and Sinclair's relations sour prior to the start of the sequel, Dead Phoenix. Brand is passed over as the new Head of the Vanguard by a young man named Veil who curled up to Sinclair's side like a bratty kitten.

That's a little more insight to Brand's origin and personality. I wish I had more to say about a minor character.
This is my last post before vacation, have fun everybody! See you Monday!