Size Matters by Michael E. Gonzales

I’m doing research for a new novel. Of course, it’s a science fiction story. I predicate part of my story on what’s called the quilted multiverse. A theory that suggests that in the endless expanse of space there is more than one universe.

Interesting theory if you read into it but great fodder for a story!

The visible Universe

One of my many questions is… “How big is our universe?” I would use its size to extrapolate the size of others.

My web searches provided me with numbers, in miles, kilometers, astronomical units, light years, and parsecs. All so large that only a cosmologist could get his head around such numbers!

So…I got on line and asked an astronomer. Here is her response:

“The cosmic background radiation, in a synchronized map of the gravitational cosmic background radiation will give a good description.

“I would describe it according to the updated Hubble Equation. We can only see as far as the quarks condensate-plasma went before going into its reversibly mathematically state.”

Well, that certainly cleared up that question.

Continued research led me to a neophyte’s understanding. Our universe is huge beyond our puny mind’s ability to comprehend.

Nevertheless, I continued to gather information and plot my story.

I have tried to use language to describe the vastness of space, but I am not up to the task. Everything I write seems small in comparison.

I’ve read what other have written. Gallant efforts, but…no.

It is not really the size of the universe that impresses, but rather how infinitesimally small we are in it.

Take three minutes of your time, and watch this video. It will leave you with a gasping impression of our place in this unbelievable universe of ours, both above our heads…and beneath our feet!

https://youtu.be/QUWlmpNHq1s

Mike

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The WIP by Michael E. Gonzales

First and foremost, let me wish everyone a happy and prosperous NEW YEAR!  This is a leap year so we each have 366 days to succeed!

___________

I am finding the research for my WIP very interesting.

I enjoy all the research I do for my stories, learning a lot with each keystroke.

Today I can discuss, intelligently, with any interested party, such topic as; faster than light travel, stellar radiation, the effects of red light on plant evolution, the history of dragons around the world, and metallurgy in medieval times.

I have always been eager to learn new things, particularly when it come to minutia that can be of little use in daily life.

The idea came over me one morning

as I drove to work to write an adventure/love story revolving around witches, covens, and a warlock.

By the time I pulled up to the office a rough concept of a plot had formed. Once home that evening I sat down and began to hammer out my idea.

You could have taken everything I knew about the subject and put it into a size 6 pointy hat. Like most I’ve seen the movies; Bell, Book and Candle, and of course the Harry Potter series. So, these were my starting points.

However, my research revealed and entirely different “magical world”, not one that fit into my adventure/love story, at all.

So, online I made contact with a young woman who is an actual practicing witch.

She was very helpful but only reaffirmed what my research had revealed.

This left me a bit despondent. What was I supposed to do with this new knowledge?

Then I looked up a laundry list of books about fictional witches. They have been depicted as comical, i.e., “Bewitched”, to very sinister, communing with Beelzebub himself.

Then an epiphany washed over me, like a beam of light through the clouds on an overcast day. I’m writing a fiction! My witches can be anything I wish! They can be from Mars if I so desire.

My story is set in contemporary times. My witches are all very young, in their early twenties,

with the exception of the “priestess” of each of the two covens who are, of course, older and wiser.

The warlock is a typical young man, who is oblivious of his “gift” with no concept how to call forth his powers nor how to control them if he could.

The two covens, a coven being a group of witches usually thirteen in number, are polar opposites of one another. They are at war for possession of the novice warlock. Their battle will take them all over the globe and eventually beyond it.

A great many emotions will be at play, jealousy, avarice, hate, but also devotion, generosity, and love.

As with all my stories, the plot never survives the first chapter, so this story will unfurl as a surprise, even to me in the first draft, and this, I feel, is how it should be. Then the draft will undergo a great many alterations, like clay on the potter’s wheel forming and reforming until it is the perfect vessel for the story I want to tell.

Research, it can make a fairie tale a believable story, one that I hope will cast a spell over my readers and bring them into the pages.

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And the beat goes on. By Michael E. Gonzales

In the last couple of years, I’ve not done much reading of other author’s work, though I have bought several books I do intend to read.

Recently, I read, and very much enjoyed, William Nash’s USA: Eliminated! (The Jupiter Factor Series) (Volume 1). Also, at my son’s insistence I read Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One.

What I find now is that I read other’s work with a different set of eyes, writer’s eyes, if you will.

I imagine many writers do the same (I’d hate to think I’m the odd man out). For me, I look for the beats. You know, from Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat”?

I’ll identify the tone of the story being set, the introduction of the theme, the background story, and when the author changes the world and thereby sets the story into motion.

Not a bad thing, all in all, but lately I’m reading with a highlighter, I make notes in the margins, it’s like collage all over again (without the beer and cold pizza).

 

The way I see it, if your reading a book that made it onto the New York Times best sellers list, you should pay attention. What is the author doing that I’m not? What’s the author’s style of writing? How has the author organized the story, and so on?

As I sit here typing I note the books on the shelf to my left: The Writer's Guide to Creating a Fictional Universe, Shaping the Story, Breaking into Fiction, Your First Novel, Novelist’s Boot Camp, Save the Cat, Science Fiction and Fantasy, and many more. I have found all useful, but I’m now learning from the within the pages of successful author’s works.

I really don’t want to change my writing style, but improve on it. I want to establish good writing habits and develop my inner sight to better see where the story needs to go and remain focused.

I’ve rewritten the beats, for no other reason than to clarify them for myself. I offer them here for your consideration:

·         Intro of main characters

·         Intro of villains

·         Description of situation – creation of conflict

·         Situation is bad, heroes see a path to resolution.

·         Heroes are pushed into action.

·         Initial success, just enough to get the attention of the bad guys.

·         Situation worsens for heroes.

·         Hero questions his actions.

·         Events strengthen hero’s resolve.

·         Hero’s actions raise the stakes. Love/loved ones are threatened.

·         Hero forces final conflict.

·         Hero is victorious, just barely, villain gets just deserts.

·         Heroes live happily ever after.

(I also have a version should the hero not succeed in his quest, another if he’s an anti-hero).

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Writer's block. By Michael E. Gonzales

What writer has not encountered this little monster lurking in the dark recesses of his mind crushing all inspiration, threatening any muse who dare approach. He is the ogre of imagination, the troll of creativity.

Whether it be the search for some new story to commit to page, or that dreaded assault that stops you dead in the middle of a story. Writer’s block is a curse that comes to us all.

Volumes have been written on how to overcome this onerous creature, detailed instructions on how to slay the dragon that bars our path and threatens our sanity.

The demon knows that the writer must write, as he must breathe, to live.  This devil will stand above you and laugh as you struggle. Delight in your suffering, and nourish himself on your anguish.

His victory is to watch as you surrender, quit, give up.

Here then, comes the moment of truth. Many writers might display the white flag. But not so the author. And what is an author? A writer who did not quit.

I am no quitter. I have published works on the market. On my hard drive, right now, I have nineteen completed novels.

I have been spending a lot of time editing and rewriting those unpublished works, which as we all know is a major part of writing. However, I long to create a new world and fill it with people and creatures. To develop new heroes, new villains and to see them clash over stakes as high as the fate of the universe, the world, or perhaps…love.

I sat and opened MS word, at the top I typed “Page 1”. That’s as far as I’ve gotten.

At night I dream of a hollow tree that swallow me and I crawl through earthen tunnels choked with roots and teaming with all manner of horrible insects, spiders, and snakes.

Ahead of me I can see a wondrous light emanating from a magnificent cave bedazzled with precious stones. Sights of such beauty abound within this magical subterranean realm as to bring the most hardened man to his knees, his eyes filling with tears as he beholds such wonders.

Somehow, I am aware of all this, and more. My desire to reach this place is unmatched by anything in my experience. Yet―I cannot reach it. I claw my way through the dirt, gnaw through entrapping roots, suffer the bites of hundreds of bugs. But as I reach that marvelous cavern unseen hands grip my ankles and drag me back into the darkness.

I awaken from this nightmare, covered in sweat, breathing heavily, staring into the softly glowing face of my alarm clock. In my delirium the face of that clock begins to slowly spin and to morph until it becomes the face of an angle, perhaps my muse herself. She whispers…“Just write…just write.”

And so, that is exactly my intent. I will face that blank page and just write. Whatever comes to mind, I will just write. In so doing I truly believe inspiration will come to me.

Doubtless many of you have been here, confronted by the monster. What have you done to slay the beast?

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* * * * * *

Dark Moon Rising, Battle of Broken Moon, Across a Sea of Star, The Vampires of Antyllus, The Blue of Antyllus, Action, Action Adventure, Alien worlds, Aliens, battle, Dark Moon Rising, FireStarPress, Michael E. Gonzales, mikegonzalesauthor.com, NewRelease, Romance,science fiction, syfy

    

Come Blow yer Horn! By Michael E. Gonzales

It’s been said that if you don’t blow yer own horn, no one will blow it for ya. 

With that said, I'm happy to report that friends who have read my latest release, The Blue of Antyllus, tell me it’s my best work so far.

The Blue of Antyllus is a blending of science-fiction and the fantastic. A story of war and heart-rending desperation.

Amidst the treachery and blood shed, or perhaps despite it, love takes root but is severely tested. Some will live, some will die. But that is the nature of war, and as always it tests which is stronger, war or love.

I hope my friends are right about Antyllus, for I have many more stories in the offing. Indeed, I shall next lay before you a tale from eons past, from a world where dragons and witches are still a worrisome thing.

A story from a kingdom where evil has vanquished good and a lone, aged knight is faced with usurpers, betrayal, conjurers, dragons, and bands of ruthless cutthroats.

The knight summons all his strength to help the people of a village where the children vanish, one by one.

Little does he know where his crusade will lead him.

The dark ages were never this dark.

Please visit my Web Site:  http://www.mikegonzalesauthor.com/home.html

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Dark Moon Rising, Battle of Broken Moon, Across a Sea of Star, The Vampires of Antyllus, Action, Action Adventure, Alien worlds, Aliens, battle, Dark Moon Rising, FireStarPress, Michael E. Gonzales, mikegonzalesauthor.com, NewRelease, Romance,science fiction, syfy

BACKLOG, by Mollie Hunt, Cat Writer

 If you don’t count a brief obsession when I was in fourth grade or the scifi novel I started when I was a hippie, my writing career began in 1994 when my husband went to work in Japan, leaving me alone in Portland, Oregon.

We were having new carpeting installed in the bedroom, so the bed had been moved into his office, directly across from his computer. Not used to being on my own, I often couldn’t sleep and would stare at that blank, black monitor screen. I loved reading mysteries and had a few thoughts of writing one; now here was my chance!

            I considered for several nights more, then during one post-midnight awake session, I got up and began. I didn’t know anything about computers, having only used one on rare occasions, but I found a writing program (WordPerfect 0.00001 or some such), inserted a floppy disk so I wouldn’t use up space on the hard drive, and began to type.

            Then, as now, I came up with the title first: The Oldest House. It was a story of a thirty-something antiques and collectible dealer who finds a framed print with a picture of an old house hidden behind it. Off she goes on adventures; there is a murder; she meets a man who is either the murderer or the prince of her dreams; she gets herself into danger and is almost killed… It was a basic plot, but I loved it and I loved writing it. Before I knew it, I had a full forty-five pages! There was no turning back.

            The page count grew into 450, and I began the process of querying agents and publishers. I got one personal response that I took to heart: the murder should happen in the first ten pages. I rewrote the beginning, sent it back, and received a rejection slip, but I didn’t care. By that time I had started my second book.

            The second mystery, Broken Roses,  was a tough one with a complex plot that spanned several decades. I found myself incorporating details from my own life, including the basis for the book, a letter by a young jilted girl that we found in the walls of our house. In my story, the woman goes a little crazy. There is a rape scene, which I wrote with tears streaming down my face as I recalled my own abuse. It was cathartic though, and I didn’t regret the scene.

            This book was not picked up by publishers or agents either.

            Next, I tried something lighter, first of a would-be series called Catts and the Seven of Swords. L.E. (Elly) Catts is a West Coast photographer, who along with her assistant Ryan and his cat Medusa, finds the usual, and some unusual, trouble concerning the witches, the Tarot, and a body on a slab. This was the first time I’d incorporated the cat.

            Again, no one wanted the book, and I bought an accordion folder to house my mounting collection of rejection slips. I knew I wasn’t working hard enough on the interminable chore of query letters and synopses, but I only had so much time, and I’d rather spend it writing stories.

I moved on to something completely different, the series that turned out to be what I consider my masterpiece. The idea for the Cat Seasons tetralogy began with my old cat Dirty Harry sleeping under a hosta plant in the heat of summer. Twitching in his sleep, dreaming his cat dreams, the scifi-fantasy Cat Summer was born, followed by Cat Winter, Cat Autumn, and Cat Spring. The idea was basic— cats saving the world— but the premise was fascinating, and soon I’d woven a rich tapestry of time travel, alternate universes, and a devil without a soul. Now, many edits later, I’m proud to announce the first of the tetralogy, Cat Summer, will be published sometime this year by Fire Star!

            I still think of that backlog of first books, The Oldest House, Broken Roses,  and the L.E. Catts series. Sometimes they call to me, and every once in a while, I listen.

Check out more blogs by Mollie Hunt, Cat Writer at:

Mollie Hunt: Crazy Cat Lady Mysteries and more

Happy reading!

The Fifth on the Eighth. By Michael E. Gonzales

The Fifth on the Eighth. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! My new year is starting off with a great finish. On the eighth of January, 2019, the fifth and final story from The Unborn Galaxy…will be born.

The Blue of Antyllus is the sequel to The Vampires of Antyllus, and will answer the question, “will the human settlement of New Roanoke survive on the alien world or will the humans destroy themselves?”

Peace can be defined differently and so what one person may see as peace another may perceive otherwise. This absence of homogony among the humans will likely lead to the death of them all.

In The Blue of Antyllus you’ll find action, mystery, adventure and romance. Unrequited love, love forsaken and love denied. The outcome of the conflict will determine the future of several burgeoning loves. Whose will survive the wild blue? 

  

This was a difficult story for me to write. First, most of the characters are based on people I have actually known, real human beings whose real-life stories ended far too soon.

I have, in my story, breathed life back into these people, so that they and I…and you, might share one last great adventure together. Also, I have put my characters, both good and bad, through hell, and not all of them will get the deserts they so greatly deserve. Very much like real life.

The alien world of Antyllus is moving forward under new rule now that the war has been fought and won. With the native E’meset tribe joining with the emerging rebel Earth forces against Wilmington, the nefarious commander of the corrupt IIEA army of mercenaries, a tenuous peace has been patched together—but the solution for that peace is not workable for some, and whispers of a deadly uprising are in the wind...

Captain Nash Rastaban tries to rebuild his life after being duped into fighting with Wilmington’s iniquitous forces He is recruited by Dave Mitchell to help quell the mercenaries who plan to take over Antyllus—a battle he wants no part of. But when he stands to lose all he holds dear, he realizes that peace is something he is going to have to fight for—this time, on the right side.

Will Antyllus ever be settled? Can the E’meset trust the humans and SUBs to fight alongside them against those corrupt officials who would take over Antyllus for their own gain? Power is a formidable motivator, but Antyllus—and all it stands for—is worth this fight…worth dying for. Nash and the ragtag band of soldiers he leads are determined to protect their homes, their loves, and their lives—even if it means making a last, defiant stand here in THE BLUE OF ANTYLLUS…

Travel with me under the surface of the moon and try to survive. Join me in heated combat inside Earth lunar base. Cross a Sea of Stars with me for the adventure of a lifetime. Journey several light years into space to save an entire race and then return with me to that world in The Blue of Antyllus.

o0o

My next story will move us away from science fiction and into the realm of Fantasy...

 Please visit my Web Site:  http://www.mikegonzalesauthor.com/home.html

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Dark Moon Rising, Battle of Broken Moon, Across a Sea of Star, The Vampires of Antyllus, Action, Action Adventure, Alien worlds, Aliens, battle, Dark Moon Rising, FireStarPress, Michael E. Gonzales, mikegonzalesauthor.com, NewRelease, Romance,science fiction, syfy

Experience By Michael E. Gonzales

I started writing a new story that takes place back in 1899, and not because I’m infatuated with 1899 but because it places by characters in the time I need them in to match both historical events and events as written by another, and very famous, writer of science fiction from the genre’s early beginnings.

Next, I have to get them to a very specific location. This will by necessity require me to write about travel. I’m fortunate in that in my life I have traveled a great deal. This provides me some insight. And better yet I have traveled on a ship, which if your traveling about the world in 1899 there is pretty much only horses, trains, and ships to get around on (there were a few automobiles but very, very few).

My characters will have to traverse rugged mountainous terrain as well and dense forests in rolling hills. Yup, you guessed it…I’ve been there, done that.

“Okay, Mike, nuf bragg’n what’s yer point?”

Point is, every writer must draw on what they know and what they have experienced. Does this mean if you haven’t walked twenty-five miles in a day through a forest where the temperature is twenty-two degrees that you can’t write about it? Well, of course not.

First, what I do, is remember a time when I was once bone tired but knew I had to push on. After a hard day at the office ya got one last stop at the store, drag yourself through the isles to get what you need to go home and cook dinner!

Remember when you were last out in very cold weather for a longish time, remember shivering against the cold, pulling your collar up, burying your hand deep in your pockets.

Remember strolling through a fairy tale forest (or seeing a movie set in a fairy tale forest).

Next, I roll up all those memories, extrapolate (a highfalutin word meaning to deduce or guess) and then, here’s the hard part, see yourself dead tired in a freezing wood with miles to go before you sleep.

Again, I realize I’m preaching to the choir here and I know that very likely every one of you has a different method to achieve this same goal. And I am also aware that there are some of you who when describing walking dead tired in a freezing wood with miles of path ahead―have actually done that (you poor thing, you!).

It can be even more difficult if your having to describe events on an alien world, or in the weightless environment of space (and no, I’ve not been into space―yet).

It’s been said countless time, “there is no substitute for experience,” and that is so true, particularly for writers. The big difference is that for everyone else experience is something to draw on to improve some aspect of your life, but a writer has to have the ability to describe that experience in the most vivid and emotional manner possible.

You write about the death of a beloved character in your story. As painful as it might be, recall the death of a friend, a parent, a loved one. Bring up all the pain that you spent years suppressing and pour your tears onto the page. Hold nothing back.

If it doesn’t make you cry, neither will it your reader.

One of the most difficult things I have experienced about writing is the pain of vomiting up old memories, and the struggle to put that pain on paper.

If done well, you will know the joy of having written something people, hopefully, will want to read while at the same time experiencing your own cathartic event.
                                   Just keep writing! 

Please visit my Web Site:  http://www.mikegonzalesauthor.com/home.html

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Dark Moon Rising, Battle of Broken Moon, Across a Sea of Star, The Vampires of Antyllus, Action, Action Adventure, Alien worlds, Aliens, battle, Dark Moon Rising, FireStarPress, Michael E. Gonzales, mikegonzalesauthor.com, NewRelease, Romance,science fiction, syfy