Help get the Sparta Green Ranger to LA for filming!

 My cousin has an amazing opportunity to get his character, the Green Dragon Knight into a Power Rangers fan film. Check out his Gofund me, and his linktree! https://linktr.ee/Spartagreenranger

Book Review: Earth 7 by Summer Whitton and Emily Walker

The first thing to know when getting this is that you are signing up for a series. That might be a deal breaker for some people. It is definitely worth reading and looking for the following books of the overarching story.

El is our leading lady and our first protagonist, stuck on Earth 7 and wanting to get home to Earth 1. Quaid is our second protagonist, a living father, and a retired archeologist. These two meet via a mysterious artifact, a map leading to a tech El desperately needs. A villain of course is needed, and thus we meet Vadik and learn the sad story that drove him insane.

The array of characters is fairly wide and well detailed. When I got the time to read in more than fits and spurts I was easily pulled back in and able to keep up without having to reread. I found the pacing to be a nice middle ground. It was not too fast and leaving out too much detail, nor was it too slow nor overly detailed. The adventure kept me guessing while everything made sense.

I definitely look forward to the next part of the story.

Look it up on Goodreads to find out where to buy!

101 Famous Alice In Wonderland Quotes

How well do you know the classic "Alice in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll? How often do you find a situation that fits a quote from the book? Maybe you would just like to impress a teacher you have. Or, perhaps you are just a big Jabberwocky fan or would like a little more knowledge of one of the "Skin Deep" comic's influences.

101 Famous Quotes from Alice in Wonderland, now only $9.95! Buy now!

Note: This is an affiliate sale.

Interview With Oscar Wager II And Introducing "The Institute"

Today's interview is with author Oscar Wager II. I was lucky enough to be one of the beta readers when he was ready to have others read it for feedback during his development progress. After publishing, he agreed to an interview regarding his newest book, "The Institute," which is just recently available on Amazon. Don't forget to request your local bookstore to order you a copy, which helps them know that it exists and what sorts of books to order for their stock!

 

The Interview

Q: Are you an author, poet, illustrator, editor, game writer, game creator, publisher, or fill multiple roles? If you have multiple roles in the publishing community then which ones are they? If you have multiple roles feel free to answer each question with sections for each role. The more complete this is the more we learn about you.

A: I am an author, a poet (although I haven’t written any poetry in a while), and I create my own book covers.

Q: What project of yours do you most want us to know about?

A: My latest novel, "The Institute," released 10/12/2021.

It's about a 12-year-old boy who is put in a mental hospital because of an unfortunate incident that he suffered. While he is there, they thought he could use a lesson in how actions have consequences. Something his parents couldn't seem to teach him.

Q: Do you have a website or websites you are associated with or where your work can be found? If so please post it here.

A: Oscar's newest book can be found on both Amazon and Barnes & Nobels.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Institute-Oscar-Wager-II-ebook/dp/B09J46TSTY

Amazon Author Page (please note that it often takes a few days and an author claim request to link new books to the correct author pages, so it may be a few days before it syncs): https://www.amazon.com/Oscar-Wager-II/e/B005K9AIEY

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-institute-oscar-wager-ii/1140366509

He can be followed on Facebook to stay abreast of his future projects. https://www.facebook.com/oscarwageriiauthor/

Q: What got you interested in writing, illustrating, editing, layout, creating games or whatever other aspect of the publishing industry (either book or gaming publishing)? If you have multiple roles please feel free to tell us about each.

A: I started writing short stories in the third grade. One was actually “published" in the school’s anthology. I heard from a friend that they still used that anthology to show third-graders short stories from past students, ten years later.

I didn't write for a long time after school. I went into the tech field, as a computer programmer. I started to write a little poetry, here and there, and my friends and family loved it. I started writing serial poems for Halloween, in 13 night installments. From there I went to prose and published my first novel in February 2020.

Q: What company or companies are you doing work for or with? Do you freelance? Are you able to support yourself only with your writing or do you have to work other jobs?

A: I am an independent author. I don’t support myself with my writing. My day job is as a caregiver for my wife.

Q: What projects are you currently working on, if you are allowed to speak of them and promote them?

A: My next novel is about alien government conspiracies and cover-ups that may have many believers, skeptics, and a few government agencies up in arms shall we say. It will definitely be a new twist to the old stories.

Q: Do you have any future projects already in mind to take on?

A: I have a few ideas rattling around in my head. Including a couple of follow-up books to my first novel, With Darkness Comes Trouble.

Q: What is or was your favorite project?

A: I think it's my current project, tentatively titled Abducted: The Lies Behind The Truth

Q: Is this career something that you always wanted to do? If not then what did you originally want to do?

A: I wanted to be a computer programmer for as long as I can remember. When I was laid off after almost 20 years, I think it was a blessing for me. It opened my eyes and made me see I could use my creative side.

I don’t think people outside of the tech industry realize how much creativity goes into programming. It can be very cut and dry at times, but some you need to use your imagination to build code.

Q: Do you find it difficult, or find some aspects more difficult than others?

A: When I am writing dialog for a child, I find that difficult. Here is a 53-year-old man trying to think and speak like a 12-year-old. The same thing with my women characters.

Other than that, once the creative juices start flowing, I can sit down and write for a couple of hours no problem, unless my wife needs me.

Q: What is a normal day like for you? Is this your side job or main job?

A: I usually work on my writing at night, after my wife is asleep. That's when I get the most uninterrupted time to myself.

Q: How do you manage to balance this with family and any other work you may have?

A: Since my main job is taking care of my wife, she gets top priority, always. I have taken her down time to allow myself the chance to work on my writing.

Q: If you could be anything in the world besides this, what would it be?

A: Retired football player.

Q: Do you feel that school helped set you up toward following this path in the publishing industry?

A: Yes and no. While it gave me the basics of writing it never encouraged my creativity past elementary school.

Q: If you could go back to school is there anything you wish you had paid more attention to?

A: I was awkward and shy in high school. I might go back and try to be more outgoing. As far as paying more attention to anything, that's a tough one for me.

Q: What advice do you have for your age peers that may also want to take part in the publishing industry and specifically with your area within it?

A: Try. It can’t hurt you. So what's the worst that can happen? You find out you're not good enough. Okay, at least you know. If you don't try you will always wonder what if.

Who knows, you may even succeed.

Q: Did you do your cover by yourself? If it was a cooperative piece who did the art and who did the rest?

A: I did it myself, using free-to-use images.

Q: What is your favorite genre to write? What is your least favorite to write?

A: When I first started, I thought, because I love horror so much, that would be it. Turns out, I like thrillers. Supernatural, psychological, and now government conspiracies. Who knew?

I don’t think I could ever write romance.

Signal Boost: Fundraiser for McCloud (California) Fire Department

The McCloud Volunteer Fire Department is something very close to my heart. A very large portion of my family all serve in the department to respond to the needs of the town. The department needs additional equipment to be able to send out on outside calls, which will help generate revenue that can then be used to provide better and more expanded services within town.

Currently there are two MVFD vehicles and crews on the Antelope fire in Northern California, as it is so close to our town. 

From the McCloud Fire Department Facebook Page:

Additional Fire Department Website: http://www.mccloudfirefighters.org/

Good Morning McCloud. Sarah Kidd and Shannon Reyna have started a fundraising campaign to assist the McCloud FD. During the August 26, 2021 community meeting Fire Chief Charlie Miller explained to the CSD board and the community that the department should be expanding the fire department's ability to respond to emergencies both in McCloud and to our neighbors. Chief Miller spoke of purchasing additional administrative vehicles to utilize on calls in McCloud and to send out our personnel on overhead assignments to major fires and other disasters. These outside-of-town responses generate revenue that the department needs to be able to expand services to the town. Please help Sarah and Shannon by donating to the MCFA. Checks can be mailed to P.O. Box 551 McCloud, CA 96057. Donations are completely tax-deductible. 

Sarah and Shannon have already raised $3,2500.00 of the $7,500.00 needed to purchase a 2008 Chevy Tahoe that is ready to serve McCloud. 

If sending a check please reply with the amount so that we can keep track and not overshoot our goal. You can also call Chief Miller at 530-713-9072 if you have questions prior to donating. 

Thank you in advance.

Selktember 2021 Prompt List

 Selktember 2021

Please use one or more of these tags when sharing your work!

#selktember #selktember2021

30 days of selkie related prompts.
Always in September.
Draw, paint, write, make music, any sort of art.

Some of us need a little time to prepare for something like Selktember, especially if someone ever decides that they want to do cosplay photography or something similar for their Selktember pieces. I started this thinking first about art and writing, remembered songs and music were a thing, so I have the hashtags open for any sort of creative Selktember offering.

Prompts

Below is the official prompt list I have created for this year.

1. Seastacks

2. Island

3. Seal Skin

4. Beaching

5. Whale

6. Secret

7. Crystal

8. Cave

9. Carving

10. Stone

11. Seaweed

12. Food

13. Fishing

14. Culture

15. Dock

16. Sailor

17. Kraken

18. Liminal

19. Magic

20. Seawitch

21. Exploration

22. Arctic

23. Penguin

24. Temperate

25. Inland

26. Descendant

27. Return

28. Stolen

29. Tears

30. Reunion

Official Rules

1. Please use one or more of these tags when posting and sharing your work!

#selktember #selktember2021

2. Any art of any kind you wish is welcome as long as it touches on selkies.

3. Do them all or focus on a few, there is no pressure. I myself might not be able to do one for each day within the month of September, depending on what my workload will be that month. No pressure.

4. If you are on DeviantArt submit your selkie work to @SelktemberGroup gallery in the Selktember 2021 folder.

5. Prompt suggestions to future years are welcome. Send them to THGStarDragonPublishing@gmail.com

Deviantart Group Official Deviant Art group: https://www.deviantart.com/selktembergroup

Twitter @amehanaarashi

Instagram@ amehanaarashi

Deviantart @amehanarainstardrago

Seal photos used for the background overlay layers are sourced from Pixabay. For those unaware of what a selkie is, a selkie is a shapeshifter of Celtic origin. When wearing their sealskin or seal coat they are seals. They become human when they remove it. Other cultures also have their own sealfolk, and they are just as welcome to be represented in Selktember.

Lumberjack Fiesta was a success

The annual Lumberjack Fiesta in McCloud California was able to happen this year. My daughter and I had a booth where we took the books we had from both THG StarDragon Publishing and Pen It Publications, as well as the posters. Hopefully, we will catch up soon on restocking. She also was selling her epoxy jewelry, and we both were available for on-the-spot commission work. She was making custom necklaces and keychains for fiesta goers, and I was open for portraits.

I have not yet totaled up the ledgers or rechecked the inventory, but it was a good turnout both for booths and people coming for the competitions and shopping. With luck, if my health does not nose dive again, she and I will be able to have a booth elsewhere fall or winter-ish time.