Hot Ace Comics and Storms!

A huge thank you to Hot Ace Comics for hosting Patti Hultstrand, Todd VanHooser and I, on Saturday, July 14^th. It was definitely eventful!

I had a great time chatting with Patti and Todd, and with store proprietors, Anna and Joe, but I must say the best was hanging with Spiderman! Thank you to everyone who braved the storm to come out to say hi. I am really sorry to those who missed us and I hope to see you next week at the Book Rack also in Mesa.

I cannot talk about this day without mentioning the amazing storm! Good gods of air and water that was crazy! I love wild weather though! I almost hope next Saturday’s signing is just as stormy. It will be like living it up on the ocean! 

In with mentioning upcoming events, rumor has it The DREAD Fleet and the dancers of bint Hazine will be dropping in to Hot Ace Comics for a full day of pirate shenanigans, No date yet, but keep a weather eye on The DREAD Fleet page and Facebook for more information!

See you Saturday at the Book Rack! 

Hot Ace Comics

10839 East Apache Trail #131

Mesa 85120

(480) 582-6642

www.hotacecomics.com

Patti Hultstrand

www.pjhultstrand.com

Todd Van Hooser

www.toddvanhooser.com

Pirates, Hot Ace, and Mermaid Birthdays

The story of Captain Blackstrap Gennie is full of strong female characters and men, real, hardcore men, willing to accept them. Complete fiction, right? Of course not! Historically as well as presently, there are power females gallivanting about, and they pal around with some pretty tough guys.

Her part in His-story

Some of the most prominent pirates throughout history were of the fairer sex. When I use fair in this case, I mean to say firm, level-headed and enforcers of the pirate code.

Most fans of pirates know the name Jack Rackham, better known as Calico Jack. If you have not heard of him, look him up, he is one of my favorites! By default that makes him one of Blackstrap’s heroes. Calico Jack is in some ways similar to Marrick, Blackstrap’s loyal first mate and best friend. And, if Marrick is anything like Calico Jack, then one must be lead to compare Anne Bonny and Mary Reed’s relationship to that of Maggie Pye and Blackstrap Gennie. The historical trio, as well as the fictional, wrought havoc in the golden age of piracy and did so by breaking the cardinal rule of Western sailors – no women allowed.

Captain Hook…err

Exiling women from ships was not a hard and fast rule in all traditions though, thank goodness (badness) for Ching Shih. Think the idea of Gennie becoming the Korsana of the sultana and training the harem girls to take up the banner of piracy is a bit far-fetched? Well, then do a bit of research on the prostitute turned pirate queen. The men surrounding her learned right quick that Shih had dropped her former profession in pursuit of greater gains. Bedding any woman while on duty was grounds for execution.

Enforcing the rules in the ranks of her 400 ships was not this little “lady’s” only claim to fame. Ching Shih was also a top notch strategist and general. Maybe Shih and Gennie should set down to a game of chess?

Today

Still think that having a broad aboard, if not leading the battle, is beyond reality? How about this one? Most of the stories and characters in Blackstrap’s Ecstasy are based on actual events and people. Czep has a fair number of smart, strong, stunning female cohorts at her side and, while these women can hold their own in a confrontation they do have a few good men willing to come to their aid.

Visit the crew of The DREAD Fleet to see the inspiration in action! This Saturday, July 14^th, they make port at Hot Ace Comics (Mesa) from 11:00AM – 3:00PM and then the Phoenix Zoo for Moon Mermaid’s Birthday from 6:00PM – 9:00PM.

Captain’s orders, mate!

Rio Vista and Foothills Week Three: Scenes

Set the Stage

This is the part of writing I liken most to working on stage or interior design. It is also the place where a writer can really get a God complex. It is time to build the world characters play in.

In terms of the interior design aspect, I like to think of my scenes as the studio set the actors need to interact with. I fully admit, my scenes are much better since script writing a few times. Making a list of required props and realizing how much space actors have to move helps add plausibility to a story.

What would you tell a set designer if he were to build your props? Be specific. It is not so much that all of this needs to be written into your descriptions but your final product will be much better received if you have considered all the props your actor/ character could interact with.

Lighting and sound is important too. To set the mood in movies or stage the light and sound technicians adjust volume, add effects, brighten or dim the lights, and sometimes change the filter color to be even more dramatic. Think of your Scene Outline as directions for the technicians at your disposal.

Be as wild as you want to be! Movies, television and stage are still more limited than the written word. A scene written on paper is limitless in financial budget, it is only a deficit of imagination that can slow production. While makeup, CGI programs, set construction, costumes, and fire codes create hurdles for the visual arts, writers put the imagination machine into motion and the possibilities are boundless.

Exercise for class or group:

Use Scene Outline worksheets to pick apart descriptions.  Do this to your own work or trade with others. 

Exercise for Lone Writers: 

Use worksheets to build a scene for your story or recall important moments in your life.  Decide if it is easier to use the sheet to create a scene or as follow up to writing one out.

*Worksheets can be helpful, but over analyzing, can cause hang-ups in creativity.  It’s all about balance.* 

Rio Vista and Foothills Week Two: Dialogue

Week Two: All the Things They Say

If your characters are human they likely enjoy dialogue. We are a social species, we humans, and we are a little bit narcissistic too. Humans love to hear ourselves talk. We will run our mouths dry on a topic we are impassioned with. We have entire systems of education, and communities based on chattering at one another. So, what makes our characters any different? Purpose.

The dialogue in a story has intention. Whether the words we offer our characters to speak offer insight into plot or personality, they do have purpose. If characters are discussing the weather it should probably have some greater point than making small talk.

Exercise for Class or Group:

Trade Week One Dialogue assignments with another writer.  Write the dialogue for one another’s observed actions.

Was the description in the Week One Exercise enough to guess the mood of the characters?  If so, did you feel the dialogue added or reduced the flow of the ‘story’.  If not, how would you improve upon the description, what is missing?

Exercise for Lone Writers: 

Talk to yourself!  Walk around the house or sit very still, but always be looking in a mirror.  Let the dialogue flow.  Just be a chatterbox.  Soliloquy your heart out, or tell someone how they have made you feel and play the part of the other too, listen to the responses. 

Or

Maybe mom was wrong, eavesdropping could be good for the writer’s soul.  Play super spy at a public location.  Listen in and try to write down the conversations of those around you.  Note little nuances of speech and if there is a gesture or facial affect that goes with certain moods.

Rio Vista and Foothills Week One: Action Only Exercise

 I Promised to post this. Like I mentioned in class at Foothills, it is not what one might think is going on, but it was fun either way.

Week One: Action Only

 

Mike sighed and took the first step toward the diner door.  He scanned the dining area for the reason for his visit. 

He was seated at the counter, concentrating intensely on the cup of steaming coffee in front of him, a man in unassuming suit.

Mike slid onto the stool beside the man, and turned the clean cup in front of him over to accept hot coffee offered by the passing waitress.  He waved the girl on before she could ask the typical, managerially programmed questions.

Mike leaned to mumble to the quiet man. 

The man did not so much as tip his gaze from his coffee to respond.   

Mike tapped anxiety around the coffee cup.

The man in the suit offered nothing in his demeanor to betray his emotions. The man looked from his coffee to direct his attention on Mike.  Mike leaned away impulsively as the man’s eyes caught him.

Mike focused on his own coffee cup.  He wished he had not made contact,

The man continued to stare at Mike, the coffee cup forgotten.

Mike glared in the man’s direction a flash, but avoided extended eye contact.  The man smiled, showing teeth glowing white.

Mike looked away. Mike swallowed his trepidation.

The man sipped his coffee.  He made no exhibition of the heat though the cup was steaming.  The man tried to lock with Mike again. His smile wolfishly displayed.

Mike sipped his coffee.  His face contorted as the liquid scorched his tongue. He set the cup down.

The man raised an eyebrow; Mike watched it instead of the glinting blue eye below it.

 The man sipped his coffee.  His focus floated around the emptying restaurant. He drained his cup and tossed an assortment of change onto the counter.

Mike covered the coins from the passing waitress, she scowled but continued by.  He did not want to give the waitress grounds to send them away.

 The man nodded.

Mike noticed the attempt at eye contact.  Mike looked away then back again.

The man leaned away slightly.  He smiled and straightened in his seat.

Mike’s eyes darted around the diner. 

The man put a hand on Mike’s arm.

Mike drew away, slow enough, he hoped, not to draw attention to his alarm. 

The man settled his hand back around his coffee cup.

Mike worked to regain a more offensive pose.

The man seemed finally to reconsider the situation Mike put him in.  He looked Mike over; he nodded.

The man’s hand indicated an empty booth near the door.

Mike’s suspicion held him in his seat for only a moment.  His curiosity wanted to take the chance.