NaNo Novel Concept

Less than a week and counting!

I am looking forward to this year’s NaNoWriMo.  It’ll be the first one since I started college two years ago.  With nothing filling my spare time outside of work, I’ll be committing to torturing my characters as they try to find their way through mountain passes and dragon lairs.  Loads of fun for me!  *evil laughter*

At the moment, I don’t have names for my adventuring party.  There’s no real title either, so I am going with what this one will be: a dungeon crawl.  Following AD&D rules to an extent but definitely rolling the dice to see what happens next and how badly they screw up.  *evil grin*  This will, fortunately, be taking place in the world of Have, my own world where most of my fantasy writing takes place.  So, yes, this will have anthropomorphic creatures rather than humans and demi-humans.  Anyone who knows me will understand the reasoning behind it.

The only names I have are for the monarchy; King Yoseph and Queen Katrina.  The names for the adventuring party are eluding me, for now.  But, they will come about sooner or later.  I hope sooner so I can do more with their set up before NaNo starts.  At least I know what species each will be, so that part is out of the way.

I do have an idea of what is going to happen and in what order.  There will be two primary points which will get them to the artifact they need.  I also do not know what that artifact will be.  But, that can give a bit of mystery to the story while the characters discuss what it is they are seeking.

The best thing is the first seven chapters have already given me the set up for the adventure.  Chapter one will be problem which will require the artifact.  Chapters two through seven will each character coming into the story.  From then on, it’ll be a mystery even to me as to what goes on before the reach way point number one.

Good luck to anyone who is taking on this crazy challenge!  Better stock up on your writing munchies.  Oh, would someone please send me about 50 bags of Jelly Bellies?  Those are my favorite writing snack.

A Little About My Fantasy World

After such a long hiatus from this blog and other writing pursuits, it has come to my attention that not many know much, if anything, about the world I create in; the world which centers around the short stories of my compilation Trysts of the Hearts; the series which is supposed to be erotic based.  So, without further ado, I’ll give some insight into the paranormal aspects of my fantasy world of Haven.

Hauntings in my world aren’t uncommon.  There are the deep, dark forests where few animals live because of spirits, either from the dead or nature, dwell.  In these places even the most dulled senses can pick up the creepy vibe when they enter, but only those with a shamanistic background in magic or their talent is connected with communicating with ethereal beings can see and either banish them or work with these spirits.

Animated skeletons in these places are always planted by necromancers and other pranksters to scare people away their secret places.  Bogs, forests, ancient cemeteries forgotten by time are usually filled with hidden places filled with treasure and all of them are guarded by any number of undead such as skeletons, ghouls, and mummies.  Any powerful mage is capable of animating or ensnaring these to protect their labs and libraries.

Goblins, vampires, licht, nightmares, and the like are very real entities who prey on the living.  Zombies, in their own right, are also just as real within this world and in some places, are a problems for adventurers to handle for a bit of gold and treasure.  Regardless, they are dangerous without someone strong enough to defeat them or at the very least keep them at bay.  Magical weapons are a good resource when delving into old towers and dungeons.

Just don’t forget the special charms at the apothecary shoppes or the person who sends you on that quest because they just have to have that particular item and are too scared to get it themselves.  Better yet, hire a good mage and shaman to accompany you on that adventure because even the kitsune can be more than a handful for the best adventurers.

Monster Week Prompt 3

You knew it was coming.  Enjoy!

Twilight hung over the raw battle field, covering the dead bodies in a shroud of darkness as the sun set. A tick haze rolled across the shadowy field, covering the fallen and setting fire to what was left of the trampled grass adding smoke to the ethereal haze. A strange howl rose up, making the ground shudder and the smoke and haze swirl as if it were boiling.

High above the battle ground a lane figure stood watching as the light waned and a new menace entered the field. Bright yellow eyes missed nothing as she gazed at the unfolding scene below. A hot wind flew up, tossing her cloak behind her in billowing waves .

She was not pleased with what she saw below. Nor was she pleased with what was coming out of the deepest depths of Hell. This was just the beginning of a war she tried to prevent between the gods. The price of blood for this battle was already paid and now, those souls would not be able to see the rest they deserved.

“What do you see, mother?” A soft male voice came from behind her as a large hand reached for her shoulder. He stood tall and burly, dressed in armor and carrying a helmet beneath one arm. Only his feet were bare, letting him feel the earth beneath his toes and let his claws dig in deep while he fought.

Another howl broke the silence, shuddering the ground once again as mother and son observed. Looking up at him, she smiled, whiskers twitching at the acrid scent of metal and leather. That smile faded quickly with her reply. “I see a large menace coming to us, my son. We will have to fight again.”

“The men are tired. I don't think they could go another step right now.” His voice sounded concerned for the men under his command.

“I know, Yaneh, I know, but we are left with no choice.” She heaved a heavy sigh and turned to walk back to the encampment. “I have healed all that can. The rest… will have to make do with a potion. Prepare them, son.”

Her words were just as good as any command from a king or emperor to him. Yaneh nodded then followed his mother back to where his men set up their camp. Though his mother was smaller than her, she had about her a strength he could never describe and learned quickly never to question her motives.

He jogged ahead and called out the orders to have all the men assemble before night was fully upon them. It wasn't much time, but he knew they needed to be ready. As soon as his orders were passed along through the ranks, he left to help his mother prepare her potion.

“The men are gathering.” He stated as he came to a stop by her fire pit. “Do you want me to help you?” He grinned slightly at her and tilted his head.

Blue eyes met yellow briefly before the smaller feline nodded. “If you want. You know what to do as much as I.” From a pouch hanging from her belt, she dumped out several musty smelling bags. Together, she and her son picked through them and poured the contents into boiling pot of water over the fire.

The flames danced high, changing colors with each new addition to the pot. As the last ingredient was added, a fox came running up, panting hard from his exhaustion. “Lady Sab'Eth! Lady Sab'Eth! We need you. The enemy is coming up the cliff toward us.” He no sooner got the last words out and he fell into a heap, dead with an arrow through his back.

“Quickly son! Drink the potion then get it to our men as fast as you can.” She flung her arm back to whisk her cloak away from her body then glared into the night. Behind her, she heard the heavy thud of her son's feet hit the ground as he ran back to take care of his contingents.

From out of the darkness, two sets of reflected the fire light. As they moved closer, the faint sound of chains clinked and the vague outline of the huge apes appeared in the flickering light.

A whoosh of wind rushed through, tugging at her cloak s Sab'Eth stood there, glaring at the intruder with her hands down at her sides and the tip of her tail flicking slowly with her contained anger. “So,” she growled, “you decided to surrender? Good. We don't need any more bloodshed on this land.” She sounded as bold as she felt and knew the demon wasn't there to end the war but to end her.

A loud, booming, laughed rumbled through the earth toward her before the baleful glare of a demon entered the ring of light cast by her fire. “What ever gave you that idea? You know as well as I that I'm here for you.” He laughed again.

The giant apes rattled their chains and strained against them to get to her. Sab'Eth smirked then barked a laugh of her own. “You can't have me, Grax. You don't have the balls to try and take me.” She flexed her fingers, showing off the claws she kept sharp and hidden.

Grax smirked then released the chains. “Get her,” he commanded the giant apes.

The beasts howled as they leaped at her, digging hand-like paws into the ground and throwing up dirt with each step. Their headlong rush to the smaller feline lady skidded to a stop when their bodies felt nothing except for the slash of searing pain along their hind legs.
They turned quickly and rushed her again only to receive the same treatment.

She wasn't aware of the attack on the camp, only the demon at her own and the pets which were coming after her. Round and round she lead them, slashing at exposed flanks and legs. Many times she tried for the head and missed. They could see her coming.

As she wiped her forehead, she smirked. “Looks like you finally found a pet worthy of taking me on, Grax. Let's see If they can handle another demon.”

The spell she recited jerked her body as the demon's laughed at her attempt. He watched as the apes continued to attack, barely breaking through the spell's field to touch her contorting body. The feline humanoid body reshaped through flashes of brilliant light, turning her from a morph to a panther-like demon with pupiless glowing eyes and a dark aura surrounding her body. Knotted muscles twitched beneath a short pelt of ebony fur as she roared her anger at the attacking apes.

Almost as large as the demonic apes, Sab'Eth rushed at them and slashed with claws sharp enough to slice through metal as if it were butter. She gave as good as she got in the fight with the monstrous apes. She could smell their determination to kill her as commanded. They were her equal in strength, but she had a slight edge; she still had her intellect and could out think both beasts with ease.

Grax kept watch, his eyes narrowing when the cat-woman changed shape. He snarled with how easy she could avoid the worst of the apes' strikes. But they were two against one. He had the advantage. Just to make sure, he tossed in a spell of his own, adding to the speed and strength of his minions. Then, just to add to his own amusement, tossed fireballs into the fray.

She was without backup and now, the advantage shifted over to the demon's side. Dodging fireballs and trying to avoid being tackled by the apes, she twitched and turned, letting her own instincts guide her movements while she considered her targets.

For what seemed like hours, she battled the apes. Her energy was beginning to ebb and her three opponents were limitless. She was starting to show the effects of being out numbered, but she kept fighting on, getting slower and slower, but her strikes more devastating. She'd sooner die than lose a fight to these beasts and Grax.

Over the howls of the apes, a loud roar echoed, startling the demon enough his throw was off, hitting his own minion rather than the panther. The chance gave her an opening. While the ape burned, she went for the throat, swiping with her paw to main it and get out of the way of the acid coursing through its veins.

Again, a roar startled the apes, giving her another opportunity to strike. She was getting too tired to fight, but she took every chance she could. Rest would come later.

“Mother!” The shout sounded more like another roar and the acrid scent of transformation reached her nose in time for her to see the tendrils of dark aether wrap around her son. When he emerged, he looked much like her only larger, stronger, and better protected by the very spirit he held within him. As he leapt into the fray, he roared to her, “Run! I have this.”

Sab'Eth shook her head then dropped to the ground to let him tackle the apes before they could crush her. “No! Tale care of them. I'll get Grax, their leader.”

No sooner said than an army of the demon apes arrived, howling their hunger. Some were dragging their victims. Others were licking their lips and drooling at the prospect of more than just dinner.

Just as the demons arrived, so did the army her son led. They shouted and banged their weapons against their shields then charged. A clash of metal and stone like flesh rang through the mountains as the two armies merged into one battle under the pale moon light.

Over it all, the maddening howl of the beastly apes shook the ground and the roars of the clans answered them back. Only the rising sun, hours from that point, would tell who the victor would be.

Monster Week Writing Prompt 2

Today's prompt features a djinn.  The picture, I swear, comes out of a AD&D monster manual.  That is how familiar it looks to me, but it serves as a very good prompt.  This one isn't as long as the others.  Maybe a page or so in length, so you don't have to skim through as much.  Oh, and before I forget, it is a silly ending.  It wasn't intended to be scary at all.

Arms crossed, the green genie frowned at the quivering man before him. 10,000 years and he gets the same reaction every time. They all get scared of the big, muscle-bound, man made of smoke without bothering to introduce themselves or give him an excuse to scare them. It was all the same and he could guess what the next thing would be, a “request” for wishes.

“Oh great and powerful genie, I have searched far and wide...” The man's voice faded from his mind as the djinn looked down on him.

Genie. He was not a genie. No one could get it right. Genies are weak compared the djinn. All the magical demigods considered them fledglings of the magical world and the djinn thought no less. Seriously, he could be doing something else besides listening to the same old litany for the millionth time in as many years. It wasn't the life he wanted, but he was stuck with it.

Realizing he needed to give a reply to his “master” he looked down at the man, lifted a brow ever so slowly, then moved in close enough to touch his nose to man's. His intense stare made the man cower and back away from him before the djinn decided to straighten up and return to scowling at this pitiful insect of a master.

“Out with your demands, human.” His voice boomed and thunder rolled to emphasize his displeasure. Just then, as the silence filled the area only to be broken by the squeak of a very frightened human, he got an idea.

“I... I... I wish to be rich.” The man's voice quivered uncontrollably. “Yeah, I wanna be rich. And famous!” He raised his hand to point out the addition to the first wish.

“That's two wishes, human,” he snarled through his growing smile. The evil just glimmered in his eyes. “Make this last one count.”

The human blinked up at the djinn before protesting. “N-no, that's one wish. Just one. I get two more.”

Arching a brow high, he leaned in close to the human and smelled something foul. He must have scared this human into filling his shorts. Lovely. “There are no exceptions, /human/,” he said, growling under his breath at him. “Rich and famous are two different requests. Should have rephrased that.”

“But! But!” The stammered before relenting with a heavy sigh.

“What is your last request.” He just knew what the last wish would be and he was going to give it a different interpretation.

Puffing out his chest, the human grinned, thinking he'd have this genie right where he wanted him. “I want to be what every woman needs, genie.”

A snap of his fingers and the djinn made the wishes come true, but the first two, he canceled. They were no longer needed now that the human was laying on the ground as a long, thin pad.

Monster Week Writing Prompt 1

Elements of Genre Writing decided this is monster week.  Okay, I can work with this.  When it comes to monsters, I’m not the best, but someone may give some good critique on how tom improve it.  So, without further ado, this week’s flash fiction response to day 1 prompt.

“Don’t got into the forest.” The order was clear, the danger unknown, but it was felt in the words and seen in the expression of the sergeant issuing the order. “Until we further notice, no one is to go into the forest. Guard the gates until Melencamp returns.”

The sergeant turned on his heel and left the group of guardsmen waiting for their leader to dismiss them. Among the mangy crowd of men a murmur started as what caused the order to come down so quickly after the disappearance of a few farmers on their way to the next town. A bark as sharp as the squinted eyes of the head guard brought the men back, straightening them up in a rough caricature of a trained contingent.

“You heard the sergeant, no one is to go into the forest until the wizard arrives. That means citizens, too.” As short as what the man looked, no one dared to snicker as his display of strength. Not one of them wanted to have the dwarf bringing them down in front of their peers for the man was fast and very strong and they could see the souvenirs of fights in the past on his armor and helmet. Another barked command the guards went to their assigned positions along the high rocky wall.

No one in and no one out until further notice. That worked well for the guards and the other citizens of the mountain town, but for Gherig, those orders didn’t include him. He had a charmed existence and considered himself the best thief in the realm able to escape any danger.

Slinking through the shadows toward the sluice gate where the river filled the moat, he crept silently. No one noticed him there except for the dogs that roamed the walls in search of scraps. Their barking came moments too late and didn’t bring anyone to investigate. Why would anyone bother with stray dogs fighting over a scrap of meat.

That is what Gherig counted on. No one knew he left. All he had to do was get across the open land between the walls and the forest. Until the sun went down, he’d have to wait. The late day sun gave too much light. As soon as night fell, he’d be on his way to see what was keeping the guards in this night.

Being patient wasn’t a strong point with him. Try as he might, he found himself startled into wakefulness. The sky was dark with ominous clouds blocking the moon and stars from view. Even though it was summer, a cold wind swept from the forest toward town sending shivers down his spine. A long and lonely howl echoed from the nearby valley adding to the general feel of unease the night had brought with it.

With a shrug, the thief ran across the bared land to the forest, keeping away from the road itself lest he seen by the guards on their rounds. Out of breath, he looked back at the stone walls and saw the torches move but no one coming after him. He made it across successfully.

“Good.” The single word was spoken aloud and it felt out of place among the shadow draped trees. He could barely see a few feet ahead of him. Something felt odd about the old wood. Something not natural and the feeling tickled the back of his mind as a warning of things to come.

Not one to give in to his own instincts, he continued deeper in until he felt sure his own torch wouldn’t get any attention from across the field. As he set about priming his torch and looked for his flint, he got the feeling that he was being watched.

The feeling grew and grew, building while he worked and made him nervous. Trying to ignore the sensation, he kept working on making some light. When at last the flames burst into being and lapped at the pitch coated wood greedily, the light it gave seemed feeble as if scared of the forest itself.

Then, on the night breeze, he heard his name whispered. Over and over, he heard his name whispered but nobody was there. It was just him and the trees and the trees don’t talk.

He crept along the game trail, looking all around to find the source of the voice. The further into the forest went, the stronger the feeling he was being watched. The trees pressed close, grabbing at his clothes as if to pluck them away. Roots lifted to trap his feet and make him stumble.

No where was there the buzz of a bug or the hoot of an owl. Nothing, nothing at all moved except for him and the night wind through the tree limbs.

The trail he followed twisted and turned, ridding him of any hope of being able to find his way back to the field by the city gates. When he wasn’t stumbling over invisible roots, he was brushing away tendrils of moss hanging from the limbs while they grabbed at him.

Without warning, he fell with a thump on the hard earth. The torch fell from his hand and sputtered out, leaving him in darkness again. As his eye adjusted to the dark, the moon found a sliver between the clouds to shed pale light down into the thicket he had fallen into. Brambles twisted into strange shapes with long thorns prepared to strike any who dared step too close. From amid the thorny briars, the whispered voice emanated; daring him to come closer.

A shadowy figure moved within the branches; small child-like, in size but with waves of death and fear flowing around it like a cloud. It moved closer with the brambles giving way before it. The face remained enshrouded with shadow, but the slight body became defined and moved stiffly though with purpose toward his grounded body.

His mind screamed at him to get up and leave. Danger was there in front of him, but he ignored those thoughts. There could be no danger from a child of any kind. He was bigger and stronger than this kid.

Or so he thought.

Behind the child, other shadow cloaked beings appeared, each moving slow and stiff, reaching out with waves of death toward him. Gherig’s eyes went wide as they appeared before him. His strength left him, leaving him shuddering before the child as he lay on the ground watching it and the other.

The clouds began to part, offering more of the moon’s light to the clearing, showing him the white dress of a merchant’s daughter he knew fluttering around he legs. He knew her to be dead, he had done that deed. Others behind her entered the light, their faces blank, eyes nothing more than dark holes where evil lay in wait beside his death.

Her face loomed closer. She whispered his name as a vile grin parted his lips to expose crooked teeth. Her eyes were like the others, holes that held evil desires to drink his soul for the evil he had done.

Gherig’s eye widened, showing the whites as he tried to back away from the girl. She was coming for him. All he could feel was a fear like no other grow when he saw her skeletal hand lift to reach for his throat.

All was quiet at the castle. The cold wind had calmed, leaving the guards to their duty of patrolling the wall. When the moon stated to beak through the clouds, the old wizard Melencamp appeared with grave news. He and the others paused in the market square when a human scream broke through the silence of the night. Moments after, the old clock struck the midnight hour. Few looked up at the sound of the scream. Only the old wizard paused before he was ushered to the lord’s manor to go over his findings.

Tragedy Writing Prompt 2

It seems this is tragedy week in Elements of Genre Writing on Facebook.  Yeah, I know, I am slow on the uptake, but it wasn’t really mentioned until today.  We had another picture for today’s prompt.  Another prompt had a song and video for the prompt but it was a tag game for the whole group to work with.  I may give it a try another week.  For now, I am getting accustomed to people there.

There was nothing left to say. She didn’t want him any longer and that was abundantly clear. Seeing her anger flashing in her eyes like a forest fire out of control only added emphasis to the shrill words and the sudden slam of the door in his face. Behind the thick oak, he could hear her sobs and the slam of another door somewhere inside the house.

Shawn heaved a heavy sigh, turned around, then headed to his beat up old truck. Sitting on the passenger’s seat was a small, slender, box; a gift for the woman who shattered his heart without giving him a chance to explain. The bracelet inside may never get to feel the soft flesh of her wrist or the charms dance along her sleeves. He couldn’t bear to keep it, so he slipped it into the mailbox with the hope that she would find it before the postman made his rounds that afternoon.

Rather than head back to his quiet apartment, he decided to keep on driving. Far passed the city limits he went until his tank ran empty. The battered and broken fence of the old quarry lay just down the slope from him, hidden behind overgrown vines and trees. Everyone knew it was there and many have trespassed for the privacy the barren rock walls gave on full moon nights.

The keys were left behind on the driver’s seat and the gas can placed by them to let whoever found it know, it needed fuel and it was abandoned. Shawn didn’t want it. He didn’t want the ache in his heart. The angry words thrown at him ran races through his mind giving him little peace. If only she would have let him speak.

Rumor took his girl away from him and misinformation cemented the idea he cheated into her heart and mind. Sarah would have none of it. She believed everything her friends told her and believed the pictures they showed her on their phones.

If only… if only… It all ran through his head trying to sweep away those angry words and give him peace. Peace would not be his friend. It eluded him as easily as the shadows in the night. With his truck down, he had only his two feet and the dirt road ahead of him with the trees reaching toward each other from both sides.

With hands in his pockets and his head bowed, he walked, following the old road. The animals watching reflected his mood and stayed quiet out of deference for his emotional loss. They watched and moved on, leaving him to his circling thoughts and softly mumbled words.

A week later, Sarah found herself driving down the same road. The old truck was still there, untouched by human hands. No signs of Shawn were there. Seeing how empty and alone that truck was, she shivered and gasped as if something cold ran up her spine to tickle the base of her skull. Her fingers traced the little charms of her bracelet while she looked for any sign of him.

Only the quiet of the woods greeted her and the sense that she was no longer welcome filled the air. Unsure of what it was, Sara turned her car around and left. Nothing was waiting for her down the road, only more loneliness and the idea that the past cannot be changed. If only she knew what her words had done to the lonely man. Only the woods know and they won’t give up their secret.

Writing Prompt

This was a writing prompt in a Facebook group I recently joined called Elements of Genre Writing.  Today’s prompt was for tragedy and we were given a picture for the prompt.

It was supposed to be a quiet evening. Nothing exciting, just dinner, maybe a movie, and some alone with her special guy. He had promised her that there would a surprise for her after dinner. Just thinking about what it could be had her on pins and needles waiting for six o’clock when he’d arrive in his beat up old Jeep to pick her up for their date.

That was all it was supposed to be. No more, no less. Katie didn’t expect the limo to take her and Joe to the restaurant, nor did she expect to be taken to one of the most lavish places in town that had a waiting list almost a year long. It was more than she ever dreamed.

Joe gave her bouquet of red and white roses at the door and treated her like a queen. Nothing could have been more perfect. Nothing, until he knelt beside her at the table when their desserts were delivered then opened a small box to reveal a glittering ring. Her answer was only a tearful nod as she covered her face with her hands.

Just as the ring was slipped onto her finger, the nightmare began with the rapid fire of automatic weapons and the shattering of glass. Those closest to the windows didn’t stand a chance. But they were the lucky ones. The rest of the diners were rounded up and forced into a truck to endure a one way trip someplace outside of town.

Why they were kidnapped, Katie didn’t know, nor did she understand why. No one else knew why they were taken away from their normal lives, either. All they knew was they were being taken somewhere far from their homes.

When the doors finally opened, gun fire filled the small compartment making an escape futile at best. No one escaped unscathed. Joe took several bullets trying to protect her and died in her arms. Katie cried, in pain from the hits she took when Joe’s body slipped from her arms to the floor of the truck.

The last thing she saw before the last bullet ripped the life from her body was the sneer of her captor after he took off the black ski mask and aimed the gun at her and the rest of the living.

It was supposed to be a quiet evening.

I hope you enjoy the free write for this prompt.  Critique all you want, I enjoy what others think of my rough work.

SCORE!

Don't get too nervous about me making more than one post in a given month or year.  This is supposed to be the normal thing in this quiet corner.  With this being the end of my first week of externship for my degree, I thought I'd summarize what I have been doing.  This isn't just for me, but this is also part of my assignment for the week at Brown Mackie and for the woman I am working with at SCORE.

What is SCORE you ask?

SCORE used to be an acronym for Service Corps of Retired Executives, but, this has changed in the last several years to be just SCORE.  The name change is because there are more than just retired execs volunteering.  They have people from all types of businesses both retired and working giving their advice to potential business owners and current business owners looking to expand their business.  Across the nation there are almost 400 chapters; ensuring there is one close to even the smallest of towns for business advice.

The chapter I am working is here in Tulsa, just at the edge of downtown.  The people in this chapter are great and so knowledgeable about their work.  There are people who have worked in the oil and gas business, international business, human resource, retail, hospitality, banks, medical, lawyers, CPAs... the list can go on and on.  They work with the Small Business Administration and other non-profits.

What have I been doing?

I've been sitting in on several workshops, seeing what it is they do as well as taking notes on making the business legal, creating business plans, and getting to know some of the tax forms business owners need to have, and the most important, things you need to know before writing your business plan.  That kind of research is key if you are to be successful.

Not only do they give vital information, they also offer up their services as mentors and give resources for more information such as the american community survey to find out about demographics for the area you want to set up shop.  They even help with ideas to gather funding.  Their knowledge will also help to figure out some very important considerations.

Tuesday was essentially the same workshop but with different speakers at the Sun Building where SCORE is located.  Both sessions went over things like who your customers are, the business idea, the feasibility of your business idea, and the different hats you will wear as the entrepreneur.  They cannot stress enough that you be decisive and learn how to delegate so you don't put yourself into an early grave from the stress.  You are going to work hard, but you should be able to enjoy the benefits of your hard work.

The afternoon session had one of the mentors speaking who is a lawyer.  His started off entertaining enough to grab your attention then he went over some of the legal issues such as the different types of business and what was required for them.  After him, a woman who is a CPA took his part and expanded further explaining more about sole proprietors, partnerships, limited liability and c-corp and s-corp.

All was very informative and I have plenty of notes and handouts to go over.  Far too much to bring up here.

Thursday's session took basically the same thing but in a more orderly fashion going over Start-up Basics as well as what SCORE has to offer.  This session was the first of five and the only free one of the five.  The others are $25 a session of $75 for the four.  (No, this is not an advertisement)

They covered the different options you have for your business with advantages and disadvantages.  They touched in briefly on pricing and how each business type does this and how you are to be competitive.  They even went over things to consider with your competition.

Above all, the speakers said you have to keep it simple.  Yes, the K.I.S.S. method was mentioned and is followed by many.  This same method goes for writing your business plan, figuring financials if this is a new business and what is needed if you are purchasing an existing business.

There is a long list of things all business owners need and need to know.  The biggest comes from insurance.  Find an experienced commercial insurance agent to help figure what it is you need.  The same goes for finding a good banker and lawyer, and, naturally, a CPA.  All of these will help keep you on the right path and make sure you don't miss a license of fee that is required

There will be a lot more coming in the future.  Soon, though, this blog will return to being about my writing.

A Quiet Return

It has been far too long since I last posted anything that was not a reblog.  We are talking months, if not a year at the very least for original content from me on this little corner of the internet.  For that, I am very sorry for so much silence.

There is a good reason for so much silence.  For the last two years, I have given my time to earning my degree.  It has been rough and very little of it has been easy, but it has definitely been well worth it.  So many papers and projects filled my head driving out most of my writing desire that didn't pertain to that subject of the month.

I will be returning to writing, especially my novels in waiting and the resubmit of Black Friday for relaunch.  First things first, though, I have to see how my work schedule will be once my externship is done at the end of the month.

For those in the know, my Wal-Mart was one of the six that was closed in April of this year.  In my store, there really were massive plumbing issues which required the store to be closed so they could fix them.  What few did know was how badly it really was.

Here is what I know about that subject.  My store (located at Admiral and Memorial in Tulsa, OK) was built on the side of a hill.  Not a very intelligent idea in my opinion and, more than likely, contributed to the issues.  Inspections showed completely clogged pipes, pipes that were too small, and in places caved in or crushed.  Actual digging found worse and as they did repairs, more breakage occurred.  At this time, it is a hot mess inside that building while they work hard on getting everything back to code and ready for us to come back and open the store.

Speaking of opening the store, the earliest projection is around Halloween.  I cannot wait.  That store is where I belong for now and I miss it.  Where I am now (21st and Yale) is nice and is busy even for a Neighborhood Market, but it isn't the same.  The busiest days are slow compared to what I've seen since 2008.  Also, there isn't room for advancement.  But, returning to my old store will give that opportunity.  Maybe not immediately, but it will be there.  I am ready to step up and put all I have learned and experienced since 1992 to use so it can be fine tuned and ready for my own business when more important issues are properly handled and put away.

Sometime, just after I am back at Admiral, I'll have probably one of the biggest accomplishments of my life happening.  November 20th, at 6:30 PM, I will be receiving my Associate degree in Business Administration.  I am ready for this moment.

For now, I am going to work my way through this month with the Tulsa chapter of SCORE.  There are a lot of workshops to attend and learn from as well as some work around the office they'll have me do.  Not a lot of room for writing or even drawing this month alone, but I am sure I'll figure something out on the days when I won't have quite so much to do.

In with the old, out with the new!  Err… wait a minute… In with the new, out with the old!  Yeah.  Yeah!  That’s it.

Anyway, I haven’t posted much of anything during 2014.  It has been a year of trials and tests and all of them college related.  But, as of midnight, I have 10 months left until I graduate.  This is the biggest accomplishment I’ve done this year.

All those goals I set last year never came to be.  Any attempt at writing just went sour and I fell deeper and deeper into a funk which still hangs over me.  The good part is I am back on my normal medication with proper doctor care.  Still stressed and overwhelmed with everything but I push through on those things I can.  This means my drawing and writing are suffering, but the 3.8 GPA is well worth it.

The re-release of Black Friday book 1 is on hold as is writing Black Friday 2.  Test of Ascension is beginning to creep into my mind as well as a revision on a naughty Christmas tale I did for NaNo 2013 which would smooth out the story and make it more fun and, well, naughty.  Way of the Comet is starting to smolder in my brain once again, so who knows how much will get done before it dies out again.  One section, I am sure for now, will be completely removed before I resume writing.  As for the short story compilation, ideas are whirling around in my head which makes it hard to decide what to write let alone continue one of the stories which had to be set aside a while back.

There is where I get overwhelmed.  So much that is starting to come back and I am at a loss of what to do first.  Yeah.

As for school, I am doing well.  January will be Marketing and Advertising.  This is a subject I want to learn more about and put some to use for my writing and art until I can get my restaurant open.  I just finished Word Processing 1.  (yawn)  Sleeper course to me because there was little I didn’t know about MS Word.  Future classes of Word Processing may be more challenging, but that one was barely worth crawling out of bed for at best.  It was the easiest A I ever made.

That was my year.  The studying made the lack of writing and drawing worth it so it evened out.  Just think, soon, I will have a degree in business and my own business to manage and see flourish.

Will 2015 see more posts and and writing?  I don’t know, but, I do intend on trying.

Happy New Year Everyone!