Grump Grump Grump

I have been consumed with righteous anger!

Anger_Inside_Out_1Ok maybe not righteous more indignant.

Fine not really anger more annoyance.

Well I suppose it’s more plagued than consumed.

I have been plagued by indignant annoyance!

It’s been a short feeling summer and I’ve been extremely irritable. For anyone who’s had to deal with me the past few months; I am sincerely sorry for being a grump.

I’m not sure why I’ve been like this, maybe it’s allergies, maybe it’s the weather, maybe it’s the fishbowl I call my new office, maybe it’s my lack of writing? It’s probably none of those.

Most likely it’s the number one stress in everybody’s lives, Money. I (and every other writer ever) would love to live off of my writing. Someday hopefully I will… (I suddenly have the urge to buy a lottery ticket.)

New Resolution

I updated my Resolutions in June. Check them out here.

Those resolutions are all professional / career goals. I’m going to add one now since I need reminding. “Be less angry and annoyed.” It’s not going to be easy but I need to Let It Go!

Opinions

Talking about resolutions, one of mine was to put up some stories on Wattpad.

I’m starting to get an okay backlog of stories, particularly the serial stories. (Start at part 1 of Only Human, or The Ridiculous Adventures of Felix Felicis!)

For you smart, sexy, and special imaginary friends out there, do you think publishing them on Wattpad and then selling them as ebooks with an exclusive epilogue is worth the time, editing, and money for covers? They range from 6,000 to 10,000 words so I’d only charge .99 and call them novellas.

 

Thanks for reading!

What do you think, would you buy one of the serial stories, with an exclusive epilogue, for $0.99?

Éric

Only Human (Serial Story) Part 5

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

“I know what you are and why you’re here,” read Ginny. It said the same thing as it had when Rachel had read it the first six times, but hearing the words from her friend’s mouth made them real. The words were on the top half of a postcard-sized piece of paper in a cheesy horror movie font.

“What do you think they mean?” asked Rachel.

“What does it matter? I mean, yeah, you’re human, but you’re here for the same reason as everyone else.” Seeing Rachel squirm, the tall blonde vampiric beauty asked, “Aren’t you?”

“Well. I’ve been meaning to tell you…” Rachel didn’t know how to tell Ginny that she’d lied to her for the past two months. She wasn’t at Monster’s University only to study Cryptozoology, she was also there to avenge the deaths of her sister. Instead of telling her, she walked over to her closet that was locked with a combination lock. She unlocked the lock and opened the cabinet to show her arsenal.

“Wow,” whispered Ginny. She gave a whistle and her perfect face showed fear. “You’re a Huntress? Oh shit!” Ginny looked all the more frail and innocent when they were standing, Rachel was taller than most of the men in the school. It made pretending to be a demigod much easier, but Rachel sometimes wished she was as small and delicate looking as Ginny.

“I am not a Huntress,” Rachel rolled her eyes. Every time she’d gone out to hunt the nastier creatures she’d been called a Huntress. One of her other best friends, Tim, thought she was a Huntress when she’d saved him from a crazy confused monster that thought Tim was child. A Huntress was a supernatural assassin that killed all supernatural creatures until someone killed them. They were without mercy and without conscience.

Living and going to school with monsters had made Rachel more understanding of what a real monster could be. When she’d signed up for classes, she’d hoped to kill everyone, but after meeting them, she realized most were just like her; scared, confused, and lonely. On her dorm floor there were over eighty monsters of various types and, other than Rachel, they’d never killed anything bigger than a spider. Some couldn’t even handle that.

“We’ve been her together for almost three months, if I wanted to kill you I easily could have,” Rachel said trying to make it friendly.

“That’s comforting,” Ginny’s fangs were out and she looked nervous. Rachel wasn’t worried, seeing as Ginny was one of the few monsters that couldn’t manage to kill a spider.

“Ginny!” Rachel exclaimed throwing her arms in the air. Her dull tan skin, barely beige, looked extra boring next to the bright purple nail polish she’d just finished applying. “You knew I carried knives and that I was good with them. I’m not here to kill everyone, I just want to find out what happened to my sister.”

In an instant Ginny’s face went from fear to scorn. “You should have told me.”

“I’m sorry.” Rachel pouted, making her thin lips look a little bigger, and said, “I’m a terrible person and should be flogged.”

Laughing, Ginny gave Rachel a tight hug and replied, “I think that’s more along what my brother and Dowan want to do to you.”

Feeling her face get warm, Rachel put her hands on her cheeks. Her face had been covered in pimples when she’d arrived, but now after just two months, her skin had started to clear up, maybe it was the cafeteria food? She doubted it.

“Those two will just have to flog each other. I don’t have time for immature idiots fighting over me.” The two girl sat back down on the bed.

“Yuck, that’s my brother.” Ginny made a gagging noise. “Don’t you get coffee with Dowan twice a week?”

“He’s the TA for one of my classes. We just happen to get coffee at the same place and walk in the same direction… while talking.” Rachel smiled. Dowan hadn’t brought up what happened in the cafeteria since, but he’d been extra polite and charming.

“’Just happen’ isn’t a phrase that should be used about a trickster. He’s totally into you and for more than just for your freaky divinatory potential. And my brother…” Ginny trailed off gesturing at the large bouquet of wild flowers on Rachel’s dresser.

“Do you think it’s from one of them?” asked Rachel. When Ginny looked confused, she had to point at the note that was still on the bed.

“Oh… um… why would they?” asked Ginny making a face.

“I have no idea. I’d just rather it be weird way to woo me rather than…” she drifted off not wanting to give life to her fears.

“Kill you in a horribly gruesome way?” suggested Ginny in her most perky voice possible.

“Right thanks.”

“Why would they only write on the top half of the paper?”

“Maybe they didn’t.” Ginny stood up quickly, grabbed the postcard and walked over to the closet filled with weapons. She picked out a small ceremonial dagger, and before Rachel could stop her, the vampire had cut her palm.

Taking the bloody blade and wiping it on the paper, Ginny said, “It’s something my Dad mentioned once. Huntresses send messages like this.”

In the weapons closet there were also first aid supplies and after disinfecting the wound Rachel bound it with a bandage. It wasn’t deep enough to need stitches and after her next meal Ginny would heal.

As they both stared, the blood started to move and formed words on the bottom half of the paper. “2 am at the Karloff. Come Alone.”

Read Next

Television Show Draft US/Canada Network shows 2015-2016

Hello My Imaginary Friends,

Are you a non-sports geek/nerd/dork? Do you feel like you’re missing out when you hear about people playing Hockey/Football/Baseball/Soccer drafts?

(Cue infomercial voice.)I sure did! And that’s why I developed the Television Show Draft.

This draft only includes the Big Four American Networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX), The CW, and the Big Four Canadian Networks, (CBC, CTV, Global, and City)

But how does it work?

Simple:

  1. Get a bunch of friends over to your house and watch all the trailers for this year’s new network television shows. (List below)
  2. Everyone Pays $5. (You can use pretend money)
  3. Divide the amount of shows by the amount of people. (There are 55 this year)
  4. Put everyone’s name in a hat, chip bowl, or other semi-spherical receptor.
  5. Pick a name from the receptor and that person gets first pick. Record what that person choses and have them pick the next name. Continue until everyone has an even number of shows picked.
  6. Give updates weekly or monthly for how well shows are doing. I recommend TV Line, TV By The Numbers, and Is My Show Cancelled for checking what is and what isn’t cancelled.
  7. At next year’s Draft give this year’s first place 50% of the money collected, Second place 30%, and Third place 20%.

And that’s it it’s just that simple. Below you’ll find the listings with links to the trailers or descriptions and the Grading scheme.

Shows

Title Premier Day Network Type Trailer Link
Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris 09-15-2015 Tuesday NBC Variety Series Trailer
Blindspot 09-21-2015 Monday NBC Drama Trailer
Life in Pieces 09-21-2015 Monday CBS Family Sitcom Trailer
Minority Report 09-21-2015 Monday Fox Science fiction crime drama Trailer
Limitless 09-22-2015 Tuesday CBS Drama Trailer
Scream Queens 09-22-2015 Tuesday Fox Horror-Comedy Anthology Trailer
The Muppets 09-22-2015 Tuesday ABC Comedy Trailer
Rosewood 09-23-2015 Wednesday Fox Procedural Trailer
Heroes Reborn 09-24-2015 Thursday NBC Superhero Trailer
The Player 09-24-2015 Thursday NBC Drama Trailer
Blood and Oil 09-27-2015 Sunday ABC Soap Opera Trailer
Quantico 09-27-2015 Sunday ABC Thriller Trailer
Grandfathered 09-29-2015 Tuesday Fox Comedy Trailer
The Grinder 09-29-2015 Tuesday Fox Legal Comedy Trailer
Code Black 09-30-2015 Wednesday CBS Medical drama Trailer
Dr. Ken 10-02-2015 Friday ABC Multi-camera comedy Trailer
This Life 10-05-2015 Monday CBC Drama Trailer
Young Drunk Punk 10-06-2015 Tuesday CBC Comedy Trailer
The Romeo Section 10-14-2015 Wednesday CBC Espionage Trailer
Truth be Told 10-16-2015 Friday NBC Comedy Trailer
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend 10-19-2015 Monday CW Musical Comedy-Drama Trailer
Supergirl 10-26-2015 Monday CBS Superhero Trailer
Wicked City 10-27-2015 Tuesday ABC True crime procedural drama Trailer
Angel from Hell 11-05-2015 Thursday CBS Single-camera comedy Trailer
Chicago Med 11-10-2015 Tuesday NBC Medical Drama Trailer
Bordertown Mid-Season Fox Adult Animated Sitcom Trailer
Containment Mid-Season CW Drama Trailer
Crowded Mid-Season NBC Sitcom Trailer
Heartbreaker Mid-Season NBC Medical Drama Trailer
Hot & Bothered Mid-Season NBC Drama Telenovela Description
Legends of Tomorrow Mid-Season CW Superhero Time Travel Anthology Trailer
Lucifer Mid-Season Fox Comic Book Drama Trailer
Of Kings and Prophets Mid-Season ABC Drama Trailer
Shades of Blue Mid-Season NBC Police Procedural Trailer
The Catch Mid-Season ABC Thriller Trailer
The Frankenstein Code Mid-Season Fox Science Fiction Drama Trailer
You, Me, and the End of the World Mid-Season NBC / Sky1 Science Fiction Comedy-Drama Description
Braindead Unknown CBS Alien Zombie Political Drama Description
Baroness Von Sketch Show Unknown CBC Sketch Comedy Description
Better Late Than Never Unknown NBC Celebrity Travel Description
Coach Unknown NBC Sitcom Revival Description
Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders Unknown CBS Procedural Description
Emerald City Unknown NBC Drama Description
Game of Silence Unknown NBC Drama Description
Houdini and Doyle Unknown Fox / Global / BBC Drama Description
Kim’s Convenience Unknown CBC Comedy Description
Little Big Shots Unknown NBC Variety Children Description
Rush Hour Unknown CBS Comedy Drama Description
Shoot the Messenger Unknown CBC Drama Description
Superstore Unknown NBC Single Camera Workplace Comedy Description
The Code (working title) Unknown Global Hockey / PI Description
The Family Unknown ABC Political drama Trailer
The Guide to Surviving Life Unknown Fox College Comedy Trailer
The Real O’Neals Unknown ABC / TV2 Single-camera comedy Trailer
Uncle Buck Unknown ABC Single-camera comedy Description

Scoring

Points Fall Winter / Spring Unknown
Pilot Airs 0 5 10
Survives Past Sweeps (End of November) 5 N/A N/A
Full Season Order 10 10 15
Full Season airs 15 15 20
Second Season Renewal 20 20 25

The Code (working title) starring Jason Priestley – who also serves as an Executive Producer – as an ex-pro hockey player who uses his celebrity status and reputation as an enforcer on the ice in his new gig as a crime-solving PI.

Who’s interested in a TV Draft?

Éric

Throwback Thursday – TARDIS Collage

Hello Everyone,

The last few weeks I’ve been on a mad dash to create promotional material for JenEric Designs and all its facets. This will eventually lead into an awesome new website redesign.

One of the things I did was create a Collage for the Travelling TARDIS. At the end of August the TARDIS will have been travelling for four years. It and it’s stunt doubles have been to three continents, met two Doctors, four Companions, two Supermans and countless others.

traveling tardis

It’s been a great four years and that’s just the beginning. If you’d like to order your very own travelling TARDIS you can can commision one in our store. The Large one is a foot and the small one is three-quarters of a foot.

Let’s hope the TARDIS flies on for many years to come.
Éric

Recommendation Thursday – Decked Out, Disaster Decks, and Custom Built

I am not really a handy person. I can hang pictures, do some basic plumbing but I can’t install a water softener. I can patch a hole in drywall; beyond that I’m completely useless without help.

My skills are mostly book related but I love watching HGTV. I was amazed to find out how many of the HGTV stars are Canadian.

Over the past year, my wife and I have fallen for a team on the network that has multiple shows. Each show is awesome and they’re both instructional and funny. The team consists of Paul Lafrance, Joey Fletcher, David Kenney, and Kate Campbell. With others.

Decked Out

Has the team building insanely beautiful and elaborate decks.

Disaster Decks

Has the team teaching a poor home owner how to build strong and legal decks. (My only gripe with this one is that the homeowner that helps them is almost always the guy.)

Custom Built

The newest by this team but by far my favourite; each episode they build a new piece of furniture for one customer and renovate a room for another. That even inspired me to check the leather furniture gallery – too many new ideas I’ve got! Their ideas are always creative and fun.

If you like watching building shows where they make amazing stuff go check out all of these shows.

Éric

Morality Without God

I came across an argument on the internet the other day that stated that Morals could not exist without a God.

The idea being that Morality is intrinsically tied to Religion because of the authority of God.

I’m not going to argue the benefits of religion, atheism, or anything in between. Let’s stick to morals.

Merriam-Webster defines Morality as, “beliefs about what is right behavior and what is wrong behavior” and defines ethics as, “rules of behavior based on ideas about what is morally good and bad”

There is also the philosophical discipline of Ethics witch, “deals with ideas about what is good and bad behavior: a branch of philosophy dealing with what is morally right or wrong”

It’s extremely easy to get lost in a doctorate level of research into Ethics and Moral Reasoning. Let’s stick to a derivative definition that says Morality is the beliefs about what is right and wrong and Ethics are the rules around right and wrong.

Where do morals come from?

  • If morality is the purview of God than it should be unchanging and perfect.
  • If it’s the purview of man, morality is in constant flux.

One of the statements above is false.

Yep. Good job, it’s the first one. I don’t care what your stance on God is, humanity is flawed and it’s humanity that interprets God’s theoretical Morality.

It could even be argued that the changes in what we see as Right and Wrong are due to our own faults and not God’s.

If we take God out of the equation we have to assume that either Morals have a evolutionary survival benefit, or a societal benefit.

So that means that Morals come from one of two places:

  • Humanities interpretation of God’s morals, or
  • Humanities ideals on what is best for ourselves and each other

Either way Morality is the domain of humanity. Either we decide for ourselves or interpret God, the end is the same; Humanity chooses.

Aren’t Morals set in Stone?

No, and consider yourself lucky. The morals of the past included all kinds of crazy things. At several points in history it was considered Right to own people. It was proper to cut off genitals to protect royalty. In the days of the Witch Hunts you could be killed for being single and attractive.

Morals vary from society to society. What is considered Right for some is considered disgusting by others. We don’t eat Cats, Dogs, or Horses but in some societies that is considered ok. Stop to think logically and figure out why a Cat or Dog is morally superior to a chicken, pig, or cow.

But everyone in my society has the same morals

Nope! Ask a friend who’s a proud vegetarian and then go talk to someone who’s a proud carnivore and tell me everyone in your society has the same morals.

Conclusion

Morals can exist without God. It’s up to us to think about what is Right and Wrong and not just accept what someone else says.

Doubt and critical thinking are the best friends of Morals. Always think how your actions affect others and how they affect the world.

If we all do this we’ll live on a much better planet.

What are your thoughts of Morality?

Éric

 

The Simplest Role Playing System – Part 2

Hello Friends,

Last weekend I ran the fourth playtest for The Simplest Role Playing System. It went great. I noticed a tiny issue with balance between defence and attack which I fixed. Other than that it’s a perfect rules light system for quick games.

I’ve also developed a Character sheet for the Advanced rules.

The Simplest Role Playing System-CharacterSheet

Here’s the PDF for download: The Simplest Role Playing System-CharacterSheet (111kb)

Have you tried the system? What did you think of it?

Éric

Basic Update – July 14

The morning heat rushed to embrace me as I left the house. Its touch was warm and soothing to start but quickly it started to suffocate me. As I walked the short walk to the bus the heat threw a blanket of humidity over everything and made the world feel and look like it was under water, without the soothing liquid.

That’s not the start of a story, it’s just my morning commute… blarg. I hate heat. Fall is my favourite season. Give me 5-15 degrees Celsius and I’m happy. I realize it’s only been a few days of 30 degree weather but I’m not a fan.

Other than the heat my weeks are busy with multiple big projects at work, tweaking FADDS from player feedback, and trying to get some writing done. With the constant urgencies at work I’m starting to feel like I’m falling behind on my writing. I think it may be time to start writing at night again. (Yeah I know I was spoiled.)

FADDS is coming around really well. My two major blocks were Magical items and Villains. Last week in the shower I figured out magic items cost and creation.

Villains, Monsters, Fiends, Challenges, opponents, adversaries, bad guys, etc. whatever you want to call them they’re essential to role playing games. My biggest issue with most games is their lack of instructions for making a villain that isn’t a player class. Sometimes I like to have an insanely awesome rat fight my high level characters. Without making it really big or giving it class levels.
On the flip side as a game master I really don’t want to spend 1 hour or more making a monster that my players will ignore or kill in under 30 seconds.

So the challenge I have is creating a two tiered system, one for genuine big-bads and one for the challenging but quick monsters. All without players knowing the difference.

Building a game system is difficult but really exciting. I’ve spent so many hours in front of a screen that I can say with authority, get yourself computer glasses. I love the feeling I get when everyone is having fun and the game is moving forward. It’s great.

Éric

Recommendation Thursday – Scary Bear Soundtrack Indiegogo Campaign

Hello Imaginary Friends,

There’s an awesome band from Cambridge Bay, Nunavut called Scary Bear Soundtrack. They have a great mix of synth, guitar, and awesome vocals. They reached CBC’s top 4 for its Music’s Searchlight Contest. That’s 4rth out of over 3000 other indie bands.
Scary-Bear-Soundtrack-600x334

They’re crowdfunding their next album on Indiegogo (which seems appropriate for an indie band). They’ve already been funded and you can get a signed CD for $12 or a digital download of the album for $6.

Check out their Indiegogo Campaign!

Go support a great band and encourage a couple of great Canadian artists!

Éric