The Ghost Part 16

The Ghost Part 16 - The Ghost finally escapes.

Ideas for Stories

As I am winding down on my current project, I am starting to think about what I am going to write next.  I just finished editing chapter 6, and working on chapter 7 for the novel that I am working on.  My next project that I plan on putting up on Amazon is going to be using the world of Wool via Kindle Worlds.  After that I will be working on the second book of the Virtual Wars series.  Below is a list of the ideas I have for stories I want to write.  Which one do you think I should write next?  Should I publish the first draft on Wattpad like I have been doing with The Ghost short story? What do you think?

The Curse

This is a tale of a boy who is cursed while still in the womb.  His mother dies during childbirth.  His skin is red and everything he touches catches fire or melts.  He grows up and goes on an adventure trying to have the curse lifted.  I  have written the beginning of this tale several times, and it has some imagery that I like.

The Last Vampire

This is a tale written by the last true vampire about his life.  With several lifetimes of information, this could easily turn into a series of novels.  I originally have planned this out as a trilogy that starts with the tale of the last vampire.

Grimm

This would be the tale of a Grim Reaper that gets pulled into the politics of Heaven and Hell.  He is manipulated by angels and demons alike.  I also planned this out to be trilogy.  I actually started writing this out as a movie script, but it turned into a story of teenagers getting killed.  I scrapped it because it turned into a slasher kind of flick, and that's not what I originally intended for it. 

Abduction 

The story of a man that is abducted by aliens for some unknown reason.  This would be perfect for Wattpad.  It's the story of the man trying to escape from his alien wardens, and finding out some horrifying truths. 

The Time Traveller

My idea for this story makes me think about the movie About Time.  The story is completely different, but it has the same kind of feel to it.  Most of my thought process that has gone into this has to do with how time travel would be accomplished.  I had a basic kind of love story in mind, but that will probably changed.  I haven't really thought the story idea out fully as of yet.  I abandoned my original idea for this one because it was boring to write.  This is more of a concept idea rather than a story at this point. 

 

 

 

The Wolf of Wall Street

Rated R / 3 hr / Biography - Comedy - Crime

What is it about?

This is the true life story of Jordan Belfort who is played by Leonardo DiCaprio.  He begins as a new associate in an investment firm making calls to help others make money with the hopes of building his own fortune soon.  The day he gets his certification and is able to make trades, the market crashes.  The firm he is working for goes under putting him out of a job.  No one is hiring stock brokers except for a small firm dealing in penny stocks.  He starts making sales that amaze everyone there.  Soon after, he starts his own firm.  That's when the real fun begins.  Hookers, drugs, and midget tossing all make an appearance with the FBI trying to dismantle it all.

You will like it if...

If you like Martin Scorsese movies.  He is truly a master of the craft.  This movie is a mix of Wall Street and The Hangover.  DiCaprio has become one of the better actors in the business as well.  He has a gift for picking the right movies to praticipate in.   There are a few funny parts, but I wouldn't label it as a comedy.  The chaos that ensues when large amounts of drugs are consumed can be mildly amusing, but it isn't taken as far as The Hangover.  What makes the movie interesting is the main character's life.  His rags to riches tale, and the crimes he commits to build his empire.  At three hours this is a long movie to sit through.  I didn't notice until the end when my bladder protested vehemently!

47 Ronin

Rated PG-13 / 1 hr 59 min / Action - Adventure - Fantasy

What is it about?

Keanu Reeves plays a man who was raised by demons, and escaped as a young boy.  He is taken in by people of Ako who treat him like he is an animal.  The lord of the region protects him, and gives him a place to stay.  The lord's daughter befriends Keanu's character as well.  The shogun of Japan comes to visit Ako, and a rival clan decides to show up.  A witch is there to wreck the party.  The result being that the lord of Ako is dead, and all of his samurai are declared to be ronin.  The shogun forbids that they seek revenge, but who's going to let that stop them?

You will like it if...

You like traditional Japanese style stories.  There are many anime series that take place in a similar world of demons, ghosts, witchcraft, and so on.  This is the 7th adaptation of this story, but the first Hollywood adaptation.  Like most Hollywood adaptations of Japanese stories they make the white man the hero.  Keanu definitely lends some star power, but I doubt that will help their ticket sales in Japan.  Keanu's acting is similar to some of his most recent movies where he has the emotional range of a block of wood.  For this type of story that is not necessarily a bad thing.  The special effects are fantastic for the most part.  There are two or three scenes where the CGI animation is noticably cartoonish.  As much as they use it, I'm surprised there aren't more.  Overall the movie has the Hollywood polish, but it's not the typical Hollywood movie.  I enjoyed it, but it's not for everyone.

The Ghost Part 15

The Ghost Part 15 - The Ghost is trying to escape when she gets some unexpected visitors.

A New Direction

I have decided to take a new direction with my blog.  Yes I will still post updates on what I am posting on wattpad, and yes I will continue to do movie reviews.  This new path I speak of has to do with my blog posts that come sporadically.  I want to post them with more regularity.  Also writing advice posts are like opinions and buttholes.  Everyone has one on their blog, and most of them don't smell good.

The problem is that writing, like many things, is highly subjective.  There is no one way to do it.  There are tools out there to help, and many resource websites that can provide all the advice you could possibly want.  I will continue to post what works for me, but I don't expect anyone to use my methods.  If they work for you as well then I am happy I could help! 

From now on I am going to try to post a weekly blog post on my journey and writing.  I am also looking for more interaction from the people who take the time to read what I post here.  I want to hear what you all think.  I will post a discussion topic along with my updates. I hope you will all join me in my journey and participate in the discussion.

This week has been a busy week with the holidays coming up soon.  I haven't gotten a lot of writing done so far, but I am planning on doing a lot today.  I have all of my Christmas presents wrapped, and the company's potluck is done along with the Secret Santa gift exchange.  I made some fantastic no bake cookies.  Today's schedule has been cleared for writing.  I am editing the last paragraph of Chapter 6, and hopefully making some good progress towards Chapter 7.

Today I want to discuss your favorite genre of writing.  What do you like to read?  I prefer to read thrillers, sci-fi, or fantasy.  I like other genres of books and movies, but those are the ones I seem to enjoy the most.  I was thinking about the ideas I have for stories that I am most likely going to be writing in the future, and I was surprised that the majority of them seem to fit more in the Horror genre than any other.  Just like "The Ghost" story I have been updating on wattpad.  I originally started it out thinking it would be a fantasy/adventure, but the more I wrote the more it seemed like a horror story.  My current "Virtual Wars" project is firmly planted in the YA dystopian scifi category.  I try to incorporate the twists and turns that are indicative of the thriller genre in all of my projects.  Please post a comment here, or reach out to me on any of my social media outlets, and let me know what some of your favorite kinds of stories you like to read. 

American Hustle

Rated R / 2 hr 18 min / Crime - Drama

What is it about?

A con artist played by Christian Bale has met his match in Amy Adams.  He is the mastermind who sells fake art and gets five thousand from desperate people who need loans that he implies he can provide.  She makes all the cons work better with her womanly charms.  They also become romantically involved.  The problem is that Christian Bale is married to Jennifer Lawrence.  They are making good progress with their fake bank loan business when they get caught in the act by Bradley Cooper.  Now they have to help the FBI, or go to jail. 

You will like it if...

You like clever crime dramas.  The acting in this movie is superb.  Bale is excellent in nearly everything he does.  Amy Adams is underrated and I really enjoy watching her especially when she's looking like she does in this movie.  Let me fan myself off a second.  Jennifer Lawrence gives the best performance of all in this movie.  Her character is so true to life that it reminds me of several women I know.  She really hit the nail on the head and it's a treat to watch.  The story itself drags in spots.  They could have edited this down to be under two hours.  There are a few scenes that make the movie worse, and weren't necessay to move the story along.  I really have mixed feelings about this movie because the good parts are really good, and the boring parts are very boring.  If you are really excited by the trailer then I would suggest seeing it in theaters, but otherwise I would wait for it on Redbox. 

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

Rated PG-13 / 1 hr 59 min / Comedy

What is it about?

There was a man who was made to have salon quality hair, and read the news.  He assembled a news team that was unlike any other.  Champ Kind knows how to say "Whammy!" really loud.  Brian Fontana is the investigative journalist with the exotic cologne collection that may frighten small children.  Brick Tamland loves lamp and is not ashamed to say it.  Together they follow this man to the ends of the earth in search of the best news stories and adorable animal tricks.  The man, the myth, the legend is Ron Burgundy, and this is the continuation of his story.

You will like it if...

What the crap are you reading this for?  Go see it!  OK OK so Will Ferrell's humor is not for everyone, but if you are the least bit interested then you will probably enjoy it.  This sequel isn't as good as the original, but not many comedies are.  There is more physical humor which makes it less quotable than the first, but there are still some nice gems spread throughout.  From the reviews I have read, that seems to be a major complaint which doesn't make any sense to me.  You can quote the original almost from start to finish.  It would be a massive accomplishment to be able to repeat that.  This is still one of Ferrell's better movies.  Just remember that no matter how dark things may seem, in the end Baxter always saves the day.

The Ghost Part 14

The Ghost Part 14 - The Ghost tries to find a way to escape her icy prison.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Rated PG-13 / 2 hr 41 min / Adventure - Drama - Fantasy

What is it about? 

When we last left our heroes, they had just escaped the orcs that had them cornered at the top of a cliff.  Several falcons picked them up, and dropped them off what seemed like several miles away.  They are still on foot, and the orcs chasing them are riding the fast wargs of wherever they are supposed to be from.  Their quest is still to reach the lonely mountain.  Underneath is the dwarven homeland and an unimaginable treasure.  If they can get the Arkenstone then they can get the other dwarf clans to join them in the quest of killing Smaug and reclaiming the mountain.

You will like it if...

You liked the first Hobbit movie or the Lord of the Rings movies done by Peter Jackson.  It really is more of the same.  I would suggest seeing it in IMAX 3D if you are really into it.  The visuals are just amazing, and the CGI Smaug is one of the best looking dragons I've seen on screen.  Like the other movies that take place in Middle Earth, this one has a lot of the same shortcomings and strengths.  It is overly long, and at times the movie drags.  By splitting The Hobbit into three movies that are all pushing close to three hours they have been able to follow the book pretty closely.  The Hobbit movies thus far have quite a bit more humor in them.  The main gripe I have in this one are the chase scenes.  They seem to get more fantastical and rediculous as these movies continue.  The chase scene with the barrels in this movie is an example.  The escape from the goblin lair in the previous one is another.  In the end you aren't going to see these movies for realism.  What you end up with is a faithful translation of the book with beautiful visuals.

The Ghost Part 13

The Ghost Part 13 - The Ghost escapes the box she was in to find a possible ally.

Out Of The Furnace

Rated R / 1 hr 56 min / Crime - Drama - Thriller

What is it about?

Christian Bale and Casey Affleck play brothers in rural America. Bale works at the local steel mill, and Affleck is in the military who is about to go to Iraq.  The movie follows the struggles of both brothers.  Both have tragedies that befall them, and their lives are never the same.  The tone of the movie changes half way through as Bale tries to find out what happened to his brother.  He doesn't trust the police to resolve the matter as the inbred hicks in the Appalachian mountains refuse to cooperate. 

You will like it if...

You like gritty dramas or revenge movies.  It moves at a deliberate pace.  There are several scenes that could have been edited out.  If you are prone to snoozing in the theater then you should bring someone with you to give you a nudge in case you start snoring. There are glimpses of social commentary, but there aren't any profound statements made about the issues displayed.  It ends up being an average drama that relies on it's stars to keep you interested.  It mostly succeeds thanks to a stellar cast.  Woody Harrelson is easily the most interesting character in the movie, but he's also sparingly used.  Affleck is also very good with the exception of one scene.  That one scene was so bad that half the theater laughed when I saw the movie.  Bale isn't given a chance to shine by the bland script, which is disappointing considering how great he has been in other movies.  I enjoyed the movie, but I would recommend waiting for it to come out on Redbox if you are interested in seeing it.

The Ghost Part 12

The Ghost Part 12 - The Ghost is falling without end.  Where will she end up?

Dust Review

Dust by Hugh Howey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dust is the finale of the Wool series. It has truly been a fantastic ride. If you haven't read anything by Hugh Howey, I would highly recommend starting with Wool.

Wool begins with the story of a Silo where people have been living underground for several years. The outside air has become toxic. Wanting to go outside along with other major crimes are punished by sending the criminal outside to "clean". They are put in a suit with wool cleaning pads to wipe off the cameras.

Shift is the next iteration of the story, and it follows the story of Solo and Donald. Solo is a survivor of a Silo that has been shut down. Donald is a senator who helps to design the silos. This is part prequel, and part of it takes place along side of stories in Wool.

Dust brings it all together, and ties up the loose ends nicely. While Shift dragged in spots, Dust recaptured the magic of Wool. Finding out the why and how of things has been the most facinating parts of the series. Howey spreads each bit of information out, and every time you are rewarded with something unexpected. The ending is the only obvious outcome, but you don't know who is or isn't going to survive.

View all my reviews

Currently Reading: Allegiant by Veronica Roth