Dead Beat Characters – Katherine Takayama

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Character review number two is finally here. This week I am introducing Katherine Takayama, an officer in the Cyber Security Division of the New Salt Lake PD. Every Sci-Fi needs a computer genius right? Let’s meet her:

Officer Katherine Takayama

Kate Takayama is the youngest member of the NSLPD Cyber Security Division. Don’t let her age fool you though. Takayama (Kat to her friends) is one of the most skilled members of the CSD. Two years after graduating from the academy she had already made a name for herself by stopping some of the more sophisticated attempts at hacking into the Global Online Directory core system. Despite Kat’s obvious geekness, she displays very little of the associated social difficulties. In fact this 5’9″ Asian/American genius has a reputation as being a bit of a party animal. Kat prides herself on being not only able to drink most of her male colleagues under the table; But to then get on the table and moonwalk.

In many ways she is the polar opposite of John Ellis (more on him next week by the way). Both however have a reluctance to work with anybody else. When the pair first get partnered up there is an obvious tension between them. Ellis’s reasons for not wanted a partner are well known. Takayama’s are not so clear and she becomes very defensive/offensive if you try to get an explanation. What secrets is Kat hiding and what is the cause of her single minded obsession with taking down The Clan of The Chosen?

Next week we get too meet the unwitting hero of Dead Beat; Detective John Ellis.

Book Review – The Guernsey Literary and potato Peel Pie Society

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Today I have something a bit different from the norm; A book review of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Ann Shaffer and Annie Narrows. Why, I hear you shout, is he doing a book review? the answer to which is simple. I was born and raised on the little island of Guernsey where this book is set. Before this novel came along, people here in the US would ask which part of England I was from when they heard my accent. In the past when I said “Guernsey” I would get a blank stare and have to explain where it was (yeah, that was fun for about the first four weeks). Now when I mention the island I get asked if I have read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and how accurate is it.

After being asked for the umpteenth (anyone know where the umpteen key is?) time I decided it would probably be a good idea to actually read the thing. Here are my thoughts.

Disclaimer: I have tried to keep out any spoilers but there may be a few things in the following that could spoil the surprise.


The story begins in January of 1946, one year after the liberation of Guernsey from the occupying Nazi forces. Writer Juliet Ashton receives a letter from a stranger, a founding member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. This letter is to be the beginning of a remarkable tale which finds Juliet being drawn to the little island and it’s quirky inhabitants.

One of the interesting and unique things about this book is the style in which is is written. The whole story is told through letters and correspondence between Juliet and the other main protagonists. This makes for an interesting format which at certain times can get a little confusing. The book however is very easy reading and draws the reader in. I have heard some fellow Guerns complain about the characters not be an accurate representation. I would argue that they are only saying that because at certain points it comes a little too close to the truth. I can say from having been born and raised on guernsey that I have met every single one of those people. We’ve all known an Isola Pribby at some point in our lives (she was my favorite character).

Too answer the question I always get asked about accuracy I will say this. The book is not a historical document and there has been a good amount of artistic license used. It is, after all, a fictional work. Having said that I can say that the authors have painted a wonderful picture of Guernsey post war. A lot of the island may have changed since then but you can still find some of the pristine untouched parts. I am also man enough to admit that at one point I was reduced to a blubbering mess. My wife kept asking which character had been killed off. My tears were not for a person but rather an image,which even while I write this gives me a lump in my throat. It was Juliet’s approach to St Peter Port harbour at sunset that had made my stiff British upper lip quiver like a schoolgirl. That for me is where The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society has it’s true appeal.

Is the book an accurate depiction of life after Nazi occupation? To be honest that would be stretching it a bit. Is Guernsey really as beautiful as the book makes out? Without a doubt!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a great weekend read for just about anyone so give it a go. You may even find yourself wanting to take a trip in Juliet’s footsteps.

http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=thewr08-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=0385341008

Dead Beat Characters – Rev. Jacob Green

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Welcome to the first Character review for my Dead beat series. Today I’m going to focus on our key villain; Reverend Jacob Green (Booo, HISSSS). This guy is going to replace Kane from the “Poltergeist” series as the scariest fictional preacher of all time. But enough talk, let’s meet him:

Reverend Jacob Green

Rev. Jacob green, founder of The Clan of the Chosen, is a man with no history. His sudden appearance as the churches leader occurred around three months after the Global Online Database (the replacement for the now archaic Internet) was brought online in 2048. Not long after the Green’s sudden emergence, the first sighting of a Ghost was reported and he began recruiting members for his new and apocalyptic church. Jacob Green soon made a name for himself across the country as the preeminent Evangelical preacher as well as a cutthroat business man. He had soon amassed wealth as fast as he did followers, enabling him to take his new religion global. His sudden rise to notoriety has a lot of people questioning his motives. The speculated involvement of his church and followers in certain high profile geoglobal problems, although not proven, have caught the attention of certain authorities.

Through all this, no one has come close to the truth to learning who and what Jacob green really is. Nor have they any idea of how he is linked to the Global Online Directory project. Greens plans go beyond the sermons he performs and all but those in his closest circle have any idea what his true goal is.

So this is a pretty vague character overview (don’t want to give too much away 😉 ). Basically Green is a generally unpleasant person who uses peoples fears to control and use them for his own ends. Now that we have our villain we need a hero. Stay tuned for the character profile Detective John Ellis, coming to this blog soon.

Why Do We Do It?

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That’s something I get asked a lot by my none writing friends. Why do write? Aren’t you little old to be making up stories?

Okay, number one: Too old? Care to ask Stephen King that same question!

As to the more serious point of why…well you will get a different answer from any writer you ask. You may even get the old stand by: “Because it isn’t there” (I love clichĂ©s don’t you?). The truth is that some of us just love to write. We have all of these wonderful worlds that we want to share with the world. Are we just hopeless dreamers? some of us are. yes. Are we wasting time that could be spent doing more “productive things”? Depends on how you define productive.

Too say that we don’t provide some of value to society is so wrong that it’s far beyond the scope of this particular rambling. Plus it’s really bad for my blood pressure.

To be honest my reasons for writing are a little more than just wanted to tell my stories.

A major part of why I write is due to my stammer. When you can take a 30 seconds to utter a 10 second sentence you quickly learn to find other ways of communicating. Even though I came to terms with my stutter a long time ago I still get self conscious on occasion. Meeting new people is generally less than pleasant (that’s why I keep all my friends in my computer ;-D ). To be honest I think it’s more uncomfortable for my listeners these days than it has me. Something that my more sadistic side has taken some pleasure from MWAHAHAHAHA!

But when I write it’s a different story. I can become the person that I hear when I speak, except now every one else can hear me as well. The pleasure you get from that feeling is greater than any high, legal or other, that will ever experience. This isn’t restricted to writing of course. Anyone who does the job that they love will know what this feeling is like. When they can truly be who they are and share that with the world.

Why do I write?

Simply put, it makes me happy. But more importantly; It’s who I am 🙂

What is #MentionMonday?

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Everyone and their dog has a blog these days (Mental note: create blog for the hounds) and it can get pretty hard to find what you are looking for. #MentionMonday is here to help you promote your own blog and get yourself heard over the crowd. Here’s how to get involved:

Step 1: To start with you will need a Twitter account. If you don’t have one yet, you can create one for free at Twitter.com. Go ahead..we can wait.

(Taps shoe and checks watch)

Okay now that you have your account and made some new friends you can get down to business:

Step 2: Now you just need to create a tweet with a link to your blog AND the #MentionMonday tag. For example:

#MentionMonday What is Dead Beat? Find out on my blog @ http://is.gd/aves2. Pls RT 🙂

I like to leave enough characters for people to be able retweet without facing the dreaded (foreboding, echoing voice) “MINUS NUMBERS OF DOOM”

That’s basically it.

Now you need to give some of that #MentionMonday love back. Do a search for #MentionMonday in the twitter search bar (or search bar of of any client you may be using) and retweet the mentions of anyone who has mentioned you. In fact retweet any of the mentions that you like.

Remember the more you retweet other #MondayMentions, the more people will retweet yours.

Good luck fellow blogger and if you have any questions DM me @writingstorm or @craftycmc

Introducing – Dead Beat

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My all new Sci-Fi series, Dead Beat, has begun to take shape. The first story, Messages From Beyond, introduces us to the embittered but highly skilled Det. John Ellis. Rookie officer Kate Lee; Young inexperienced, but every bit as tough and determined as Ellis. The pair of them will end up embroiled in a saga that will have far reaching implications for the future of all humankind.

Dead Beat?

The year is 2052. It has been 10 years since the signing of the All Nations treaty and the world exists in relative peace. That is until the first confirmedGhost is filmed and broadcast across the globe. At first the world is skeptical, that is until more reports of Ghosts from around the world. Always appearing as the spirits of long lost friends and loved ones. Their sudden appearance begins a resurgence in spiritual beliefs and a sudden rise in new religious groups. The most powerful of these new religions is The Clan of the Chosen, lead by the mysterious Rev. Jacob Green.

Detective John Ellis has never been a superstitious man. He has never had need of religion and he certainly does not believe in ghosts. With the murder of Ella Norris, Ellis finds himself thrust into a strange new world, a world that will challenge every thing he thought he knew about the world. As the deaths become more common it becomes clear that there is a more going on. What are the true plans of the Rev. Green and his followers? what are the Ghosts true nature and how are they linked to The Clan of the Chosen?

Over the next few days I will put up character profiles and if you’re lucky I might even put up a short teaser.

Everything I know I Learned from Cartoons

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As a writer of both Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Magical Realism, I am no stranger to the concepts of heroes and villains. But often do we really think about that dynamic? Without villains there would be no need for heroes, whereas villains could get by quite happily without the existence of heroes. Does this make the traditional hero co-dependent?

I think one of the best explanations of this can be found in an old episode of the Transformers: Beast Wars cartoon (yeah I know; NERD!). This is an excerpt from one of the many long speeches given by the Evil Megatron:

“That’s the problem with heroes, really. Their only purpose in life is to thwart others. They make no plans, develop no strategies. They react instead of act. Without villains, heroes would stagnate. Without heroes, villains would be running the world. Heroes have morals. Villains have work ethic.”

That speech put a new perspective on the evil mastermind thing for me. It might also explain why I seem to enjoy writing the villain parts more than the heroes. There are many lessons to be learned from the stories of our childhood.

Tuesday Teaser Special

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To celebrate the beginning of a new month, I thought it would be fun to share an excerpt from Maidens Song. This the raw unedited version, a fearful world of grammatical errors and typos. Enjoy :

Mordrid was more than a little apprehensive about the ritual he was about to perform. Nothing like this had ever been attempted before. It had been spoken about many eons ago but no one had ever had the courage or the audacity to allow the taking of a regular mortal and make them into a Guardian; Or so the other Guardians had thought.

He thought back to that time so long ago. The Guardians numbers were falling and the council was getting desperate. One member, Felicia, had suggested that they try to bolster their numbers by “recruiting” mortals. She claimed to have discovered a way to give a mortal powers similar to those that the guardians themselves possessed. What would be created would not be as they were, nor would it still be human; More it would be like a pseudo guardian.

The idea had been vehemently opposed by both himself and Merlin. It was one of the few times the two had agreed on anything albeit for very different reasons. Merlin objected, as he often did, on moral grounds. Mordrid had objected because it would have interfered with his own plans. He also believed that to allow such creature was an affront to what it was to be a guardian. Ironic that he would now be using the very process to further his goals

Still this was not something he had decided on lightly. Not long after her demise Mordrid had stolen Felicia’s journal, her book of shadows. In it’s pages he had discovered that despite the councils decision she had gone ahead with her experiments. There had been many failures, many horrific mistakes made until finally she claimed to have succeeded in creating a hybrid. A creature made from the souls of both human and demon. The trick had been to reinforce the mortals mind enough to be able to take control of the demons power with in the same body. A kind of reverse possession. She had named her creation Chimera.

Unfortunately the process dramatically reduced the Chimera’s lifespan to a matter of weeks. Felicia had intended on extending the creatures lifespan using her own energies. Sadly for her she never got the chance to test out her idea. She, like other guardians before, had fallen into a trap set by Mordrid. It had been Mordrid himself that had dealt the final death blow. He had made her watch as he destroyed her bastard creation. Laughed as she wept for her ‘child’. It had almost been a shame to extinguish her light. Her genius was almost unparalleled amongst the other guardians. Felicia would have made a powerful ally, but as he had told her just before striking the final blow; “Felicia, you have sullied the purity of the guardian name. You must pay the price”

Now things had come full circle. He was to use this very process to defeat the last of the guardians. He didn’t expect his creation to be able to destroy Merlin, just to drain him enough and keep him distracted while he moved ahead with the final phase. Clearing his mind of all doubts and concerns, Mordrid turned to the stone alter and Edward Coles naked form laid out on top. The candles placed around Cole made the normally intimidating man seem small and vulnerable.

Mordrid walked over carrying a small vile of dark red liquid. This concoction would allow Cole’s mind to control the demon spirit that would cohabit his body. So the journal had claimed. Despite her genius, Felicia had been known to mix up important information. The risk was worth it. Once he had his own Chimera, Mordrid would finally be able to claim total victory.

“Edward” he spoke with a commanding tone “For this to work you must have total willingness. There must be no doubts in your mind. Do you give yourself freely?”

“I am yours to command my lord” replied Cole. The eagerness in his voice along with the obviously arousal he was feeling at being given such power was evidence enough.

“Then drink the elixir my friend, drink and prepare to receive the power. The power to rule, the power to dominate, the power to control”

Let me know what you think. I promise I’ll take all criticism with grace and dignity (unless your just insulting me…then it’s on 😉 )