JC De La Torre's Speculative Thoughts

Death of SG1 Is An Awful Mistake for Sci-Fi Channel

2006-08-28T15:26:00.000-07:00

This was originally printed at fi-sci.com

One thing is for sure, Sci-Fi Channel sure knows how to throw a party. Shortly after the crew of Stargate:SG-1 filmed their 200th episode, a first for an American Science Fiction program, the mecca for all of us Sci-Fi geeks made a shocking announcement – SG-1’s run would end at 10 seasons. We got plenty of corporate mumbo jumbo saying that the ratings weren’t what they used to be and that the show’s popularity was dwindling, but don’t buy it folks. The truth is that Sci-Fi Channel has its own programming, like Battlestar Galactica and Eureka that cost a lot less to make than Stargate does. The numbers say that Galactica and Eureka are more successful shows and since Sci-Fi channel owns their property (as opposed to Stargate, whose rights still belong to MGM), they can make tons more money off those shows.

Its big business, my fellow Gaters. Sci-Fi not only makes advertising dollars off of BSG and Eureka, but it also profits off of merchandising. T-shirts, Mugs, action figures – Sci-Fi gets the check for that while that piece of the pie for Stargate goes straight into MGM’s pocket. I believe the suits thought they have enough of Stargate in Stargate:Atlantis and really don’t need two Stargate programs. It’s just business. Unfortunately, for a company that caters to a specific genre group, it’s a terrible public relations decision.

SG-1 may not be pulling the kind of numbers it used to but perhaps its more due to terrible time placing than it is the quality of the program. SG-1 is facing off against the USA Network’s cable powerhouse, Monk. It also is challenged by Kyle KY on ABC, Showtime’s Weeds, and SpikeTv’s reruns of CSI. They also made the very questionable decision to breakup Sci-Fi Friday, with SG1 and Atlantis leading into BSG. One would typically be more inclined to watch the 3 hour block than TIVO it, but two hours of similar programming? I think that’s where many of our Stargate fans have gone. The invention of the DVR may have led to the downfall of SG1. I know I’ve been guilty of it myself.

One has to question the direction of Sci-Fi Channel’s quality. While BSG is definitely great and Eureka is an interesting little show – what else will Sci-Fi have to offer fans once they have buried SG1 and eventually Atlantis? Their god awful creature-feature-movies-of-the-week schlock fests? Sorry, if Bruce Campbell isn’t in it, I’m not watchin’ it. Is WWE wrestling really Sci-Fi related? Sure, the characters appear to be from another world but Triple H is not a true alien – at least to our knowledge. This is the company that passed on giving Firefly a home, despite the rabid base of fans that actually convinced Fox to create a feature film based off a series that was cancelled after three episodes.

Truth be told, other than BSG, Science Fiction fans are beginning to turn to other channels to fulfill their Sci-Fi jones. It’s pretty sad when the USA network is bringing better Sci-Fi programming (The 4400) than the Sci-Fi Network itself…and who knows, maybe, just maybe, USA will take the Stargate ball and run with it. Let’s face it - I don’t think that network has a show that has been going on for 10 glorious years.

Wake up, Sci-Fi Channel. You are throwing away ten years of a loyal fanbase and the fans are not happy about it. Some speak of boycott (with the exception of Atlantis). These are the people you WANT watching your network. It’s understandable that Sci-Fi Channel wants to broaden its audience and that’s why its bringing programming that has nothing to do with Science Fiction, but they do it at the risk of alienating their core audience.

Stargate SG-1 placed Sci-Fi Channel on the map. We all know this. For them to just throw the series away after such a momentous milestone is just plain stupidity. I look forward to seeing what program they decide to replace SG-1 with – as I can’t imagine it being half as good or garner the ratings that Stargate has over the past five years its been on the network.

I mean, does anyone truly want a return of Sliders?

JC De La Torre is the author of Ancient Rising and the Vice President of the Speculative Fiction publisher, Luna Brillante Publishing

Merry Maddenoliday!

2006-08-22T13:43:00.000-07:00

Merry Maddenoliday, everyone....I'm afraid I'm going to be unavailable for the next few days as I embrace the wonder that is Madden 2007 for the Xbox360.

Please forgive me! I will return soon!

Clerks 2 Classic Kevin Smith....

2006-08-17T14:32:00.000-07:00

Taking a little departure from Spec Fic today to discuss Clerks 2. I had a chance to see the movie the other day and let me just say, it was classic Kevin Smith Comedy. There are some who likely believe it to simply be vulgarity but for folks who do not take themselves too seriously and enjoy good fun - its definitely a worthy follow up to the original.

Now, don't get me wrong, the original Clerks was much better than this full color version. Still, it was pretty good. The sequel picks up 10 yrs after the original. Procrastinator Dante shows up at the QwikStop store only to see it engulfed in flames. His buddy Randall, the slacker, had let the pot on (again) overnight and caused the inferno. Fast forward to the dynamic duo's new roles - burger flippers at Mooby's.

Dante is planning on leaving with his new fiance to Florida to manage a Car Wash owned by her Father but faces a crisis that makes him decide between moving to Florida with his new wife or staying in Jersey with Randall, Jay and Silent Bob, and the rest of the View Askew Crew.

Its fun seeing Dante still trying to make something out of his life while Randall continues his who gives a flying fluke attitude and contrast between the two characters it begets.

Speaking of Jay (Jayson Mewes), its good to see him sobered up and doing comedy again (Mewes had to be the subject of an intervention by Kevin Smith and other friends and placed into a rehab clinic).

One last thought - two shocking scenes that when you will know exactly what I'm referring to...The Donkey Show and Jay's Buffalo Bill imitation...

Awesomely hilarious stuff that I think only Kevin Smith could dementedly come up with.

If you like this type of humor, check it out!

The latest Final Destination is 3 times gorier!

2006-08-14T17:28:00.000-07:00

Ah, Death. Our old friend. He is always over your shoulder, threatening to come up and bite you in the arse at the most inopportune times. No one knows when its their time to go. You could live until you're 110. You can get hit by a bus tomorrow. Ah...but if you somehow cheat Death, Death gets pretty pissed off. That, in essense is the story behind Final Destination 3. Like the first two installments of this horror franchise, a beautiful heroine, the doe-eyed Wendy Christensen (played by Mary Elizabeth Winsted - who was last seen in Sky High) has a vision that her and others from her high school class who are boarding a deadly roller coaster on Grad Night are about to experience every amusment park goer's worst fears - a faulty roller coaster that results in a horrific accident, killing everyone on the ride. She wakes to find herself seeing tha it was not real....at least not quite yet...of course, freaks out that she wants off. Her removal gets her, her companion and 7 others from her school kicked off the coaster. Unfortunately, her boyfriend was not one of them. Poor Wendy watches in horror as her vision becomes reality. Of course...she cheated death...and death is none to happy about it.

If you watched previous installments you know what's next. One by one, the survivors begin dropping like flies but in the most grotesque fashions you can imagine. FD3 definitely decided to kick it up a notch for this particular telling of the tale.

If you have a squemish stomach, this rental is likely not for you. For Gore freaks, there are plenty of brain smashing, severed limbs, and gruesome fatalities to feed your sick blood craze.

As a horror fan, I enjoyed the flick and I believe you should definitely pick it up to rent if you like this sort of thing!

The Crow: Wicked Prayer a Wicked Joke

2006-08-10T20:18:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm going to take a slight departure from the Luna Brillante Publishing stuff to talk about The Crow: Wicked Prayer.

I am a fan of the Crow, mainly because I enjoyed James O'Barr's comic books and I thought Brandon Lee did a superb job as Eric Draven in the first movie. Vincent Vega was a joke in the second one. Eric Mabius was not horrible but not great in the third and Marc Dacascos was a decent Eric Draven in the Crow: Stairway to Heaven - the series that no one ever heard about.

When it came to Wicked Prayer, I had little hope it would be good, but I thought I'd give it a shot any way when it showed on Sci Fi Channel. Two words folks: Edward Furlong. Don't get me wrong, Ed Furlong is a decent actor. I have nothing against him. But he's a wimp and totally ridiculously unbelievable as an avenging angel.

Then you toss in Dennis Hopper, who is a bad movie magnet, Tara Reid, who couldn't do any role that didn't involve her propositioning sex to another character, and David Boreanz, in his worst role since Valentine. Plus Danny Trejo, who seems to be in every single movie that requires a Big Tough Mexican dude.

If you must know what this tomato is about basically, Luc Crash (Boreanz), the leader of a satanic gang of bikers murder a young man named Jimmy Cuervo and his girlfriend Lily for the purpose of a ritual to make Crash an immortal demon. Cuervo rises from the dead with the power of the crow to avenge his girlfriend's death, and to stop the completion of the ritual.

At some point after Crash marries his ho, Lola (Reid, of course), Crash becomes the Devil...or a demon....Both? It wasn't really clear. Furlong mopes around getting his ass handed to him repeatedly before suddenly musting some intesticle (mispelling intended) fortitude and kicks Satan's backside true Crow style.

Notice, I didn't mention Hopper...probably because his forgettable performance as "El Nino" was so brutally bad it doesn't even deserve to be mentioned.

Is it just me or is Hopper getting worse with every flick he does?

Anyway - even if you are an ardent Crow fan, stay away from this pile of dog manure. This will effectly kill whatever franchise they had. Then again, I have always believed it died with Brandon Lee.

Two Brilliant Graphic Artists Join the LBP Team!

2006-08-08T14:17:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

First off, I appreciate the patience you all have been exhibiting while I deal with this Luna Brillante stuff. Its not easy getting a POD off the ground, there's a lot of work involved. Luckily we are closer to getting everything the way it should be and I can return this blog to what its supposed to be....my Speculative Thoughts. I'm getting a lot of stuff bottled up too, including my thoughts on NBC's Heroes, of course Stargate, Ultraviolet being better than I thought it would be and the travesty that was The Crow:Wicked Prayer...Edward Furlong? Are you guys purposely destroying the Crow series for some reason? WTF?

But that kind of stuff will need to wait just a few more days as I continue to build LBP. I truly believe its going to be something special in the POD world. I'm more than confident that it will attract people to it simply because its created by authors for authors. We're not out to steal your money, we're up front with you. We're in it together - and that separates us from the IUniverses, Llumina's and even Lulu.

With that in mind, I was very excited when multi-award winning cover artitst Trace Edward Zaber agreed to be part of our Graphic Artist team. Trace has one multiple awards for his book cover designs (see the cover to the right). While he is part owner and Senior Book Designer of Amber Quill Press, he still does freelance work and we were able to nab him to do LBP Covers.

We were also able to come to an agreement with another artist who is well known for her fantastic abilities in fantasy art. Laura Diehl is a tremendously talented artist and she is easily our primary artist for all fantasy works. LBP will staff backups for her if she is unavailable but we are going to try and keep her as busy as possible. I mean, why wouldn't we? When you see talent like this (see the pic in the left), how is there any doubt who we should go with? We were just thrilled that our offer was acceptable to her.

This is only the beginning, LBP plans on having two artists for each genre of Speculative Fiction, so we should hopefully be able to provide some of the most vivid, award winning covers out there.

Its not all about covers, though, we will be giving our authors the top editing and reviews out there, too.

That's why if you're looking to do a Speculative Fiction book - you have to think LBP. If you're looking to read LBP - you need to think LBP.

JC Returns From the Cave Bringing Good Tidings!

2006-08-02T13:56:00.000-07:00

Greetings my Blogger readers!

First, I want to profusely apologize for not updating the blog in such a ridiculously long time. I have a good excuse, though. I’ve been working on a new business model for Luna Brillante Publishing. We desperately wanted to be able to work with other authors in helping them reach their dreams in publishing great speculative fiction works. Unfortunately, due to financial difficulties, we simply did not have the financial wherewithal to be able to publishing and produce books solely on our own. I’ve spent the last several days studying the subsidy and vanity models of other book publishers (thanks to BooksandTales’ An Incomplete Guide to POD Publishers http://booksandtales.com/pod/index.php)

I wrestled with what to do. I wanted to keep the legitimacy of being a true small publisher that used POD technology while at the same time be able to provide the services that our authors and our readers deserved. There were many, many things about the subsidies that I thought were very shady. They charged hundreds of dollars for LCCN’s which cost nothing more than the cost of printing two books and sending it to the Library. They charged for Bowker’s Books In Print…which come automatically when you assign an ISBN to a book. Some charged an outrageous sum of $500 to allow for returns – basically making the author subsidize their inability to sell their author’s books. Some didn’t even offer returns, which gave their author’s no chance of ever seeing books in brick-and-mortar stores, still the best place to have books purchased. I was stunned at the overcharging of services or the lack of services. It bothered me. I decided my company was not going to fleece authors like that. We didn’t want to take advantage of those who have their dreams of being published – so we designed a different way.

I felt strongly that the subsidy model and the vanity model did not fit what I wanted to do. As I researched, I discovered that there is such a thing as Collaborative Publishers. The publishers enter what is kind of a partnership with the author (or magazine/journal producer) and make an agreement to publish and distribute the book, magazine, journal or what have you. Each assumes risk, each benefit with a reward if the publications do well. A synergetic partnership. That’s what I wanted for LBP. In this model, I could continue to have the bar raised high when it came to Speculative Fiction, which our company specializes in, and I wouldn’t just take any manuscript that waved money in my face. I could institute standards and still provide the services I would had we had the financial backing we needed to continue to be an independent small press. It was the best of both worlds.

So, on August 1st, we announced our partnership packages – Moondrop, Moonbeam, and Moonglade which ran from $399-$899, significantly less than you’d see with some of the other well known subsidy presses. The packages were all inclusive, too.

Moondrop is for the author who is a "go-getter" and wants some control over the presentation of his work. This package will include many advantages but a custom cover and professionally editing will need to be taken care of by the author. LBP reserves the right to review the editing and quality of the cover for professionalism and marketability.

Moonbeam is for the author who has his own cover, but doesn't want to pay for his editing and wants it done by LBP. It has all that Moondrop offers, plus some additional perks, a larger royalty share and professional editing provided by LBP's editing staff.
Moonglade

Moonglade is for the author who just wants to focus on marketing and wants his publisher to handle everything else. It has everything that Moondrop and Moonbeam offers, but in addition offers an even larger royalty share, a custom cover by an LBP certified graphic artist, professional editing, an author website hosted on our servers, and a listing in Ingram Advance's catalog.

I think they’re good, well priced packages and I feel that with these packages, authors who joined Luna Brillante would not only be proud of their association with us, but also be excited about their futures and the company’s future. I know I am.

It will take some time, but I truly believe that our company goal is reachable. What is that goal? I want anyone who is interested in Speculative Fiction to think of Luna Brillante first before they go anywhere else. I know, it’s a lofty goal – especially with the Del Rey and Baens of the world. But I feel with great books and good prices, we can position ourselves to not only build a buying base – but a fanbase. I want you – the spec fic fan to say – “Man! I can’t wait for the next LBP book to come out.” I want you to go to your fellow spec fic fans and say – “Hey, have you heard of Luna Brillante? Their books are AWESOME! You should check them out!”

I want you to go to stores and demand they carry Luna Brillante books. Its about good authors and entertained readers folks and I truly believe with this publishing model – we can accomplish this at LBP.

If you are interested in finding out more or submitting your work to LBP, visit our website at http://www.lunabrillantepublishing.com

Our new slogan is Step into the Light with Luna Brillante Publishing. I know, as Vice President of the company, we will do everything we can to make that the truth.

Feel free to comment here or email me directly at editor@lunabrillantepublishing.com

Thanks,
JC De La Torre

I normally don’t do this but –

Tag: POD, POD Publishing, Self Publishing, Publishing, Books, Authors, Getting Published, Subsidy Publisher, Vanity Publisher, Collobrative Publisher, novels, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, Horror, Alternate History, Alternate Reality

Early Daughtry is a Good indicator of the Future

2006-07-24T15:12:00.000-07:00

Greetings all! Well, today I'm going to take a little break from Spec Fic and talk about what I've been listening to on my IPOD of late. It is Chris Daughtry's early band, Absent Element. You may remember Daughtry as the bald-headed rocker from American Idol. Being a metal-head, I rooted for Daughtry on AI and was shocked like the rest of America when he was voted off for the likes of Elliot Yamin, Taylor Hicks, and Kat McPhee. BTW, as bland, formulamatic and poppy as they are - I am addicted to American Idol. I don't know why, I just am. I think it's Simon. I just love that dude's attitude. If a person is crap, he says their crap, even if the other people don't want to hear it.

I think I've only agreed with two idols, Kelly Clarkeson and Carrie Underwood were legit...but Fantasia, Rueben and Taylor did nothing for me and have appropriately off into the Justin Guilarini realm of obvilious hell. Well...Taylor hasn't yet - he was just crowned...but he will. No, I think out of all the Season 5 contestants, Daughtry may be the only one with a decent shot at a long career.

Daughtry's got the pipes, no doubt. Does he have the band behind him? Well, he's in the process of building the band. Let me be one to vote for his old buddies, Absent Element. Sure, they were totally garage. Their EP was not well produced nor did they have the benefit of thousands of dollars and multiple takes to tweak it just right...but that doesn't matter if the songs are good - and these are really, really good.

I totally believe that if any of the singles on the EP were released today - they would shoot up the rock charts...and its not just Daughtry. There's plenty of good music surrounding him and supporting him.

Daughtry says he will audition his former bandmates for his own new band. I find that a little egotisitical but in the end, he's doing what's best for him and who can fault him for that. If his new band is half as good as his work with Absent Element - than we are in for a treat.

If you want to check out the Absent Element stuff, click this link here - If you're going to get it - you need to get it soon - as according to their website, the Absent Element CD and other stuff will no longer be sold.

http://www.absentelement.com/merch.php?ite_id=1&cat_id=0&show_featured=1

Atlantis - still interesting or played out?

2006-07-20T10:27:00.000-07:00

There have been hundreds of books that have had at least something to do with the mythical land (both fiction and alleged non-fiction). There's a TV show, a few movies, and other pop culture that has been devoted to it.

So my question is - Does Atlantis still grab your interest or curiosity?

Since I was a young lad, I was always taken by stories of Atlantis. I loved it. From the old B movies to the Leonard Nimoy documentaries (remember the old “In Search Of” shows?) I ate it all up. As I got older and got interested in other things (like Voltron and Transformers – hey, I was a bambino!) the interest of course waned. It remained that way until I read a novel by Herbie Brennan back in the late 90’s called “Atlantis Enigma”. Typically, I don’t subscribe to crackpot theories. I am not a believer in Nostradamus or Edgar Cayce. I don’t know if I believe in Loch Ness or Bigfoot or the Abominable Snowman.

However, with Atlantis in the title, I had to grab the book and see what it was about. It was a very entertaining read. Brennan built his case for Ancient Astronauts and how Atlantis did exist. It surmised that at the destruction of Atlantis that Atlantean culture ferreted out to the rest of the lands of the world, which created large leaps in the advancement of those cultures.

Stargate seems to have brought Atlantis back into the pop culture with the spin off series.

In Ancient Rising, my first novel, Atlantis is the ultimate goal for my heroes and will play an intergral part in the final two volumes of the story.

So, I’m just curious. When the name Atlantis is uttered, does it grab your attention or do you just have “Great…another one?” kind of reaction to it?

Have the stories with Atlantis as a centerpiece been oversaturated or is there room for more?

NCAA Video Game Means Football Is Upon Us!

2006-07-19T13:00:00.000-07:00

For about the last decade or so, I’ve had an annual summer ritual - it is a right of summer passage. The end of the long sports void that is known as being without American Football. From February until the end of April, I can entertain myself with the closest thing to American Football – and that would be hockey. Then there’s the NFL Draft at the end of April…after that…back to hockey until the Finals end in the first week of June. From there…it’s the dead zone until days like yesterday when my copy of EA Sports NCAA FOOTBALL 2007 came in.

Its even more special now, as with the XBOX360 the graphics are simply remarkable. Each player is realistically rendered, the game still is one of the most entertaining in EA’s sports lineup (second, in my opinion, only to the NHL series), and with rosters supplied by those dedicated individuals who will spend hours and hours typing in names so that schmucks like me can see Florida QB Chris Leak’s name instead of #7, I am in my first football Nirvana since the final seconds ticked away from Super Bowl XL (come on, you don’t think I’m desperate enough to watch the PRO BOWL do you?)

You see for me football is not a spectator sport. It’s a religion. Once football season begins, I immerse myself in sensory overload of every single source of the game I can get.

Hell, I’ll watch a Pac-10 or MAC game in the middle of the night on some weekends. Now, there’s not even a reason to stop living football, thanks to Sirius NFL Radio and Directv’s NFL Network, I can get my football fix 24hrs, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Unfortunately, there’s only so many times you can listen to how multi-million dollar athletes are spending their summer vacation. After awhile you need sustenance…and I don’t get that until NCAA hits the shelves. With the arrival of NCAA, I know NFL training camps will be opening soon. The college football season will kick off in a week or two. In August Pre-season for the NFL (and EA’s Madden 2007) will arrive …and for the next seven months I will be swimming in the wonder that is football.

It’s a beautiful thing.

BTW, the game is great.

SG-1 and Atlantis did not disappoint!

2006-07-17T15:06:00.000-07:00

Hey all, I just wanted to review the two season premieres in the Stargate universe, SG-1 and Atlantis.

SPOILER ALERT NOW…if you have not seen them yet, DO NOT READ ON!

I thought both episodes were very solid openers to the new season. As expected, in both series, our heroes survived the cliffhangers from last season and were able to sustain some traction against their enemies.

Unfortunately for the SG-1 crew, the Ori are a hell of a lot more formidable than the Wraith are at this point. The Ori are a bunch of asskickers, man! They come in, give you the opportunity to accept them as Gods and their religion and if you don’t – they kill you as heretics. Its funny, they sound like terrible monsters yes? But how is it different than what humans did themselves during the Spanish Inquisition? The Spaniards killed hundreds of non-believers in Christ’s name the same way the Ori are spreading Origin around the Galaxy. The Ori now even have their own savior from a non-sexual related birth (although Vala is the farthest thing from a virgin one can imagine). With the Ori reaping destruction on Teal’c’s home world, it should be interesting to see how this plays out throughout the season.

Then in Atlantis, of course McKay and Ronin got away. They weren’t going to get “lifesucked” – we all knew this…and Shepard hitching a ride on the Wraith ship Millennium Falcon style was too predictable. The one shocking scene was them losing the Orion. I mean, they went through all that drama to get the Orion only to get it trashed by the Wraith? WTF? My question is why didn’t they drop the Wraith-to-Human bomb on the Hive ship before the Orion went all kablewy? Do they really need Rodney to think of everything for them?

In any event, a great opening to the seasons. This is the freshest Stargate has been in awhile. I look forward to seeing how they handle the Ori threat and whether or not the Wraith ship was able to pass knowledge of the Earth’s location to their other Wraith ships.

SG-1 and Atlantis make their Return tonight!

2006-07-14T13:19:00.001-07:00

One of the greatest Sci-Fi series in history, Stargate SG-1, makes its 10th premiere tonight at 9pm Eastern time. It will be followed by its spin-off series, Stargate:Atlantis, which moves on to its third season.

Stargate is the 2nd longest running Sci-Fi program in history (Doctor Who is #1). As most fans know, the premiere will pick up where last season's cliffhanger left off. The evil Ori and their Priors are invading the Earth's galaxy via the SuperGate and the Earth and Jaffa vessels along the way, including those that house Teal'c , Daniel Jackson, and Col. Mitchell while Sam watches by the Supergate stranded in a space suit.

Am I talking German to you? Stargate is based on the film of the same name that came out in 94, starring Kurt Russell and James Spader. Stargate was a story about misfit archaeologist joins a military team in travelling through an ancient doorway to a far-away planet, where they must liberate an enslaved people from a powerful false god based on the Egyptian sun-god Ra. SG1 picks up a year after the film. In the movie, it is assumed you can only go to one other world, but Daniel Jackson (the misfit archaeologist) living on the world, Abydos, discovers that not only can the gate go to one world, but thousands of others acrossed the galaxy. They also learn that Ra was a high member of a group of tyrannical aliens called the Gou'ld.

Anyway, SG1 follows the adventures of the team as it visits different worlds and battle the Gou'ld across the galaxy. They also discover that an ancient human race were the original gate builders.

In 10 years, you can imagine that their has been a ton of mythology built up over the series. Their are your typical dolls, videogames, and conventions. At the Sci Fic Cons, you'll see just as many people dressed up as a member of the SGC as you would a Klingon.

If you have yet to experience Stargate and you enjoy Sci-Fi, you do not know what you've been missing.

Cell may be Horror Master Stephen King's Best Work in Years!

2006-07-12T13:34:00.000-07:00

I recently read Stephen King's latest blockbuster, Cell. A fantastic tale of a strange phenomenon that affects all users of Cell Phones. Those who get a call and answer it at a certain time get their brains scrambled and are turned into human eating zombies. From the first few pages, King beats you over the head with the reason why he is without question the master of horror. Clayton Riddle is King's hero in this one, a guy who's just trying to get back to his family after witnesses the death and carnage that "THE PULSE" causes on the unsuspecting folks that use cells. Along the way he joins with other "Normies" as they battle to make sense of what happend and find a way to survive.

Its a fabulous wild ride that will chill you to the bone and make you think twice about answering that call from your motorola.

Great work, Mr. King!

Summer in Florida SUCKS!

2006-07-11T14:47:00.000-07:00

You would think after 32 years of this I'd get used to it...but as typical, as massive thunderstorm blew through the Tampa Bay area today, spawning tornados, hail, and lots of Lightning. I can't stand the Lightning...I think I have what is clinically termed as Astraphobia (An irrational fear of Lightning). Of course, its silly to think that someone with Astraphobia would live in the lightning capital of the continental United States. Its a little stupid right? Riiiiiight.

I can only hope all my stuff isn't fried when I get home. Luckily I keep all of my book outlines and manuscripts on a thumbdrive around my neck. Only the backups are on the pcs (and I backup on three different secured PCs). So worry not, my readers, the second installment of Rise of the Ancients is not in danger of the hated lightning.

BTW, speaking of Ancient Rising, got a nice email today from a Mr. Snyder. He said he couldn't put the book down and is eagerly awaiting the next one. That's always a nice sentiment. If you're reading this, Mr. Snyder, THANKS!

It cheers one up on a crappolicious day like today.

JC De La Torre is the author of Ancient Rising a sci-fi fantasy novel that has been described by some critics as a Da Vinci Code or National Treasure with a fantasy twist. JC is also Vice President of Luna Brillante Publishing, a Speculative Fiction publisher. Visit JC's website at http://www.delatorrewriting.com for the latest news about his works

Pirates of the Carribean 2 a Mixed Chest

2006-07-10T17:47:00.000-07:00

The wife and I got an opportunity to watch Pirates of the Carribean:Dead Man's Chest over the weekend. Let me first start by saying I'm a huge fan of Johnny Depp. I believe he is an absolutely fantastic actor with range like no one in Hellywood. I think Depp's interpretation of the character Captain Jack Sparrow is not only unique but brillant. I truly believe that PotC: Curse of the Black Pearl would have never made it big without Johnny.

With that said, I eagerly anticipated the sequel and was excited from the trailers. I had read a few reviews that the movie was not that good, but I didn't let it phase me in the least. The critics panned the first Pirates but then came crawling back to it once it was a shocking hit.

So there I was, watching the new Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest, laughing with Jack Sparrow and his motley crew. I somewhat liked the character of the new villain, Davy Jones. I didn't care for Jone's crew. I thought they were totally goofy looking (considering this is a Disney piece, no pun intended).

Will continued to be the boy scout, wanting to save his love Elizabeth from the gallows, Jack from his debt to Davy Jones, and his pappy from an eternity of servitude to Jones on the Flying Dutchmen.

There was Jack...his Piratey self, conniving, tricking folks into doing his bidding, while being a goofball the entire trip.

There's Davy, the lovesick big bad with squiddy face, who has a softy side to him and hokily plays an organ like the Phantom of the Opera. What the hell was that about?

Then there's our beloved Elizabeth....gone was the shy belle we knew in PotC 1 and in her place is a grade A, certifiable, BRIDEZILLA, MEGA-WITCHWITHAB. Not only does she seduce Jack (not all the way, this is a Disney movie for crying out loud), her old pal Norrington and the evil Brittish dude who is trying to get Davy Jones' heart so the East Indian Trading Company can control the seas. She also pulls a gun on said baddie, locks swords with the weirdo crew of Davy (when in the heck did she learn to sword fight?) and pretty much broods around like a spoiled little beyotch. I couldn't stand her...and of course it would be her that does something terrible mean at the end of the movie (I won't go into details to avoid spoilers). Speaking of the end of the movie....for lack of a better term. IT SUCKED! If you've watched Lord of the Rings 1 and 2...get ready fans, as it was that kind of ending. A cliffhanger...a certain major character is killed of....or are they? Yes, I know there will be a P3....but the ending left you totally unfulfilled and kinda pissed off. Usually, there's some kind of positive resolution to what you've been watching for the last 2 hours. Hell, even Matrix Reloaded had a decent stopping point...but Dead Man's Chest left you wanting more.

Maybe that was the point....still, it was a crappy ending and it ruined the movie for me. Perhaps the next time I watch it, knowing how it will end, I will enjoy the movie a little more...but for the first time around, I'll say the movie was pretty good..but not great...and definitely not as good as the original.

I want YOUR feedback

2006-07-07T18:40:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

I've been blogging for a few weeks now. I know there's plenty of you out there reading this, I can see from my site stats that the blog is very active. I thank you for taking the time to visit my little slice of the blogoverse - but I'm a bit troubled. I enjoy reading others blogs and from time to time, I'll place a comment on the blog's subject. I feel its good to let the author know that you're out there and you actually have an opinion on what you have to say.

I think what's bothering me is I don't have hardly any comments for any of my posts. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't need validation. I don't need someone to tell me how smart I am or that I'm a dumbass. I'm married. I have a wife to do that for me. :-)

But I've tackled some pretty big subjects so far on this blog.

1) Andy Garcia's Lost City and the plight of the Cuban people under the tyranny of Fidel Castro.
2) Superman Returns....which is a hot topic in Entertainment
3) Portion's of Rita De La Torre's Dark Dragon...did you like it? Hate it? What?

One of the amazing things about blogging versus just reading the news is you get to comment on what these people are talking about. The writer gets to hear your views.

I'd like to see that. I want to know your opinions on things and I'd love for you to share them with your fellow readers here on the ST.

BTW, Planning on seeing my favorite actor, Johnny Depp, reprise his role as the unforgettable Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Carribean this weekend. I'll have a full review on Monday.

Superman Returns and so do I!

2006-07-06T19:18:00.000-07:00

First off, faithful readers, I apologize for my tardiness in updating the blog. I'm afraid I've been extremely busy during the holiday and I honestly have not had a moment to spare to post online.

With that said, I was able to break away long enough to see Superman Returns this weekend.

Before I get started on Supe, I have to say, as a self described Spider-geek it was seven levels of awesomeness to see a trailer for Spidey3 before SR. Venom is going to probably be the greatest (and most expensive) movie villain in history. I cannot wait to see how this turns out. For those of you non-nerds who do not know who Venom is...just wait...you're going to get your doors blown off by this one.

Now, enough about a movie coming out a year from now and on to the movie I just had a chance to view.

There was a few things for a self-described geek not to like. For instance, Routh's Supe was a bit of a downer. Pining after Lois Lane, depressed because she's found someone else and had a kid. Bumming because Lex Luthor is causing trouble thanks to finding an item in Supe's Fortress of Solitude. Routh was not the "happy-go-lucky" Supe of Christopher Reeve.

With that said, of all the Superman movies, this one, BY FAR, had the best plot/storyline. It was a great, believable story. The action was welltimed and not overdone, but there was enough of it to keep one interested. As Supe makes one miraculous save after another, and Luthor's dastardly plot is methodically revealed to us, it builds to such a crecendo that when it all unfolds, you are just in awe of what had just occured.

One cool thing for the "old movies" fans is the fact that former X-men Helmer Brian Singer decided to continue the saga from Superman II (of course, forgetting, as we all have in vain tried to do Superman III: The Continuation of a Cash Cow and Superman IV:The Quest for AnotherPiece of Your Wallet On A ShoeString Budget). The opening credits are the same as the credits from SI and SII...a cool eighties retro feel. John Williams unforgettable Planet Krypton and Superman Main Theme scores are used well, as well as some memorable voiceovers from the late great Marlon Brando. Singer also improved on the weak 70's destruction of Planet Kryton with a full CGI'd FANTASTIC destruction of Kryton. FANTASTIC. Again Supe geek will get a big O out of that.

Let's face it folks, there's only one Chris Reeve, may he rest in peace. Routh did a credible job manning the cape, the movie was wildly entertaining and utterly fantastic. I just hope that with the ensuing sequels (if the studio isn't too dissapointed with the open of $84 mill) Routh brings a little more positivity to the Superman and Clark Kent role.

Droppin' Knowledge

2006-07-01T16:24:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to provide a heads up to my fellow bloggers concerning Dropping Knowledge. A project that resides at yourquestion.org. Apparently there's going to be a huge consortium with entertainment folks, authors, scientists, scholars, and all other sorts of important people to discuss some of the most important questions facing our kind.

Let's face it folks, there's a lot of tough questions that need to asked and presented to our World Leaders to answer. I've even posed a few here. I just added the question, "If freedom and liberty for the Iraqi people from a dictator was the driving force behind Desert Storm II, then why have we not done the same for the opposed people of Cuba and topple the dictator Castro? If Oil was found in Cuba, would our view on a country 90 miles from our borders be different?"

Maybe they'll contemplate that question....maybe they won't. But perhaps if you have a burning question on your mind, they may consider yours. Check them out!

JC De La Torre is the author of Ancient Rising a sci-fi fantasy novel that has been described by some critics as a Da Vinci Code or National Treasure with a fantasy twist. JC is also Vice President of Luna Brillante Publishing, a Speculative Fiction publisher. Visit JC's website at http://www.delatorrewriting.com for the latest news about his works

Dark Dragon, Sample Pt. 3

2006-07-01T16:12:00.000-07:00

And as promised...the final sample (for now) of Dark Dragon
Be sure to remember, the book can be purchased at most stores (although you may need to order it) and is available at the usual online retail sites (Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Albiris.com, plus the usual others and of course the LunaBrillantePublishing.com Bookstore) .

This is called...The Escape

She stepped over the threshold. She tried to sense him at the bottom of the stairs but the spells that were still in place around the room were preventing her from doing that. She tried to call out to him instead.

“Ronin?” she called.

No answer. She began to walk down the narrow steps, which were walled on both sides making the staircase confining. The shadow wasn’t moving - maybe they were too late and he was already dead. She became even more fearful with each step she took.

Ronin not knowing who could be coming down the stairs grabbed a nearby candelabrum to use as a weapon. He did not remember giving his real name to anyone - not even Demshire. Who could this female demon be? It mattered not, as the final opportunity for escape had presented itself.

He put his back against the wall beside the staircase and waited for the girl to pass by. He hated having to harm a female but he had no other choice. He had to get out of here and the door was left open and if he incapacitated her he was good as gone.

Ryauna got to the bottom of the steps and entered the room. It was empty. Off to the side was a mat that was recently slept in. On the other side were shelves with alcoves that would have been filled with numerous wine bottles but now sat empty. The Demshire crest was on the opposite wall. She heard movement behind her and quickly turned as the candelabra came down towards her. He halted it just as it was going to hit her. He stared at her.

By the Gods, could it be her?

She stared at him. He was even more magnificent in person even though his face was just a little shallow from his maltreatment in this place.

“Ryauna?”

“It’s me, we came to get you out of here.” he dropped the candelabra he was grasping and she could not help but run into his open arms. They embraced each other fiercely as if they had known each other all of their lives and have been apart for even longer.

They stayed as they were for what seemed like forever but not long enough, never long enough. They hated to let go of each other. He still held her arms and could not pull his gaze away from her eyes.

A sound above reminded her that all was not yet safe.

“Arkevius! He’s up there fighting some demon. I almost forgot. We have to go.”

----
And that's the end of the final excerpt. I sincerely hope you enjoyed the examples I've provided this week. While this book is intended for younger readers, I do believe the true Fantasy fans can get some enjoyment out of this book, too. I hope you will give it a chance. Don't forget, you can purchase the book at most stores and is available at the usual online retail sites (Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Albiris.com, plus the usual others and of course the LunaBrillantePublishing.com Bookstore)

JC De La Torre is the author of Ancient Rising a sci-fi fantasy novel that has been described by some critics as a Da Vinci Code or National Treasure with a fantasy twist. JC is also Vice President of Luna Brillante Publishing, a Speculative Fiction publisher. Visit JC's website at http://www.delatorrewriting.com for the latest news about his works

Stargate SG1: Truth in Fiction?

2006-06-30T14:38:00.000-07:00

Okay guys, I'm going to take a break from the previews to talk a little bit about Stargate and my favorite subject - the lost continent of Atlantis. However, don't forget! Dark Dragon can be purchased at most stores (although you may need to order it) and is available at the usual online retail sites (Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Albiris.com, plus the usual others and of course the LunaBrillantePublishing.com Bookstore) . I will make a rare Saturday post with the third excerpt from the book. If you like fantasy or you know someone that does, let them know about this book!

Anyway, As the new season of Stargate SG-1 approaches, I began to wonder - how likely is it that the world was actually seeded from aliens from another planet?

In Stargate, human life originated on Earth and humans were slaves of an alien race known as the Gou’ld. The Gou’ld posed as Gods and used their superior technology to enslave the then primitive humans. After the humans rebelled, the Gods took some humans to other worlds in the populated the cosmos with humans (bad for the cosmos, says some Green Peace members).

Interestingly enough, back in 2001 in his novel the Atlantis Enigma, Herbie Brennan mention a similar theory – without the wormholes to different planets, of course.

Brennan penned a trilogy of books beginning with Martian Genesis that stated that life began on Mars citing archaeological anomalies that support his beliefs, including the infamous “Face on Mars”. In his second novel, the Atlantis Enigma, he took Plato's description of the lost civilization of Atlantis as a starting point and used orthodox anthropological theories and the latest theory regarding the construction of the Pyramids and Sphinx, combining world mythologies, tectonic disruption, and evidence of Meteor strikes to support his theory of ancient astronauts coming to Earth and “seeding the planet”, only to see their work destroyed. Brennan believed that the Ice Age was preceded by a technologically sophisticated global civilization that was obliterated by a fragment from a supernova. The other planets of the solar system, including a tenth planet between Jupiter and Mars, were destroyed in the process, creating the asteroid belt. Finally, in his third book, the Secret History of Ancient Egypt, Brennan continues his own theory of evolution with support from the unusual Egyptian history.

Could it be possible that Brennan’s version of life on Earth is true? Perhaps. In the very least, Mr. Brennan brings forth a lot of intriguing questions. He supports his theory without the new age psychobabble and b.s., trying to be a scientific as possible (to my knowledge, the author is NOT a true archeologist or scientist). Brennan very carefully builds his hypothesis for not only Atlantis, but what brought about its end.

While the plausibility of his final solution - a fragment of a supernova affected all the planets of the Milky Way to one extent or another, in the process, bringing about ruin to the lost continent – is definitely in question, however, he carefully and entertainingly build his case to support the claim. He uncovers evidence of massive ditch-building and other large scale building works done in the Americas on the scale reputed by Atlantis. He also cites geological evidence that the massive Atlantic Ridge was above sea level in the not too distant past. He provides a detailed breakdown on the theory of the Ice Age (which some scholars still do not believe actually took place), then obliterates their theories with the implausibility of it all, while skillfully placing little nuggets that support his overall theory.

His argument his strong, persuasive and the book itself is a page turner. Unfortunately, I’ve heard that it is now out-of-print. The good news is you can still get a pre-viewed copy at Amazon and also EBay’s Half.com.

Those interested in Atlantis and Ancient History should definitely try to find a copy of this very entertaining read!

JC De La Torre is the author of Ancient Rising a sci-fi fantasy novel that has been described by some critics as a Da Vinci Code or National Treasure with a fantasy twist. JC is also Vice President of Luna Brillante Publishing, a Speculative Fiction publisher. Visit JC's website at http://www.delatorrewriting.com for the latest news about his works

Dark Dragon Sample....PT2

2006-06-29T10:54:00.000-07:00

And now...the second sample of Dark Dragon
Be sure to remember, the book can be purchased at most stores (although you may need to order it) and is available at the usual online retail sites (Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Albiris.com, plus the usual others and of course the LunaBrillantePublishing.com Bookstore) .

This section is called...Darkness Has A New Name

The room was still pitch black. Arkevius saw on the wall beside the door a recessed part of the wall that seemed to go along for who knows how long. The back of the room was filled with darkness and its size could not be determined. He examined the recess further and found that it was filled with an oily substance that was different from the sludge that they continued to encounter. He lifted the torch he was carrying to it and watched as the oil ignited and began to speed across the recess. The room was even larger then they had imagined. The fire continued to ignite around the room until it reached the other end.

At this time Aidan who was waiting for them in the darkness let out a deafening roar. He had sneaked in as mist when the others were too preoccupied with the treasure around them and returned to his true state as he hid in the darkness.

“Now it is my time to bring the darkness down upon you!” His mouth did not open the voice came into all of their minds. The sound was so abrasive that and Ryauna found that it made her head hurt.

His scales were black. His long snout ended with his nostrils blowing out smoke. Dark wings spread out in the hopes of intimidating them further. His eyes were the worst; they were pure obsidian as they looked back at her. The dark eyes seem to burrow into your soul and consume it with darkness. There was no doubt that he was the Dark Dragon that had been plaguing their quest from the start, attacking them at every turn.

“The stone will be mine and I will blanket the world in chaos and destruction, your little army has failed!”

----
And that's the end of the second excerpt. I sincerely hope you enjoyed the second example. Expect another installement from another section of the book Friday. Don't forget, you can purchase the book at most stores and is available at the usual online retail sites (Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Albiris.com, plus the usual others and of course the LunaBrillantePublishing.com Bookstore)

JC De La Torre is the author of Ancient Rising a sci-fi fantasy novel that has been described by some critics as a Da Vinci Code or National Treasure with a fantasy twist. JC is also Vice President of Luna Brillante Publishing, a Speculative Fiction publisher. Visit JC's website at http://www.delatorrewriting.com for the latest news about his works

Dark Dragon Sample....PT1

2006-06-28T12:38:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone...

I thought I'd provide you a little treat. Over the next couple of days I am going to post a portion of Rita De La Torre's new novel, Dark Dragon. Of course, I'm thoroughly biased, but I believe she did a great job. Some early reviews have been very positive at well.

The book can be purchased at most stores (although you may need to order it) and is available at the usual online retail sites (Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Albiris.com, plus the usual others and of course the LunaBrillantePublishing.com Bookstore)

Here's the novel's synopsis: Ryauna was a high born lady, with a family legacy she never thought she'd be a part of. Ronin was an elf of legend, forced into imprisonment by the very force that seeks out to destroy her - the Dark Dragon - the only remaining Wizard clan survivor of the great war. The Dragon is bent on destruction, seeking revenge on human and elf kind for the killing of his master. Together Ryauna and Ronin will find friends and travel the world of Astania as they search for clues for the only object that has the power to slay the dragon but potentially themselves as well.

This first excerpt is the entire six page prologue of the novel.

It is called...THE ONE.

He alone survived.

His master, Orwell the Wizard, had long since succumbed to dust. The Great War had raged on for what seemed like centuries (although only a few decades had passed) and it was devastating for their side. Many times victory seemed to be in their grasp but the illusory time never came. Pushed underground by their enemies, their ranks diminished until there the Great Wizards were down to only one – the most powerful of them all - Orwell.

Orwell had kept him hidden in a castle nestled high in the mountains, where no one but his creator knew of his existence. He saw through his master’s eyes the war as it happened. Each campaign delivered another casualty and with it things seemed to grow dire for the Order of the Pentacle. The One tried to help him as much as his limited abilities would allow but since he was only an infant there was not much he could do. Orwell was ruthless, killing mortal women, children, anyone who crossed his path. The wizard had no mercy for the weak – he despised them. The One knew his master was evil – but loved him anyway. He embraced the being that brought him into this existence with fervor that a son had for a father. Though they were not of the same species, Orwell lavished on him the type of affection he had not given to any other creature. The One was his son, his heir and he declared that all of his power would go to him when it was the necromancer’s time for forever sleep.

The One soaked up the knowledge Orwell provided and when his master was out battling the uhman infestation, he would spend his time studying from the vast library in the castle. He quickly had begun to share his father’s beliefs - the need for power and the necessity of greed. He grew to hate those who would try to destroy his creator – those pitiful uhmans – who like locusts seemed to devour everything they came in contact with. Their elf allies were no better. They were the wood-folk who idly stood by as the uhmans ravaged the land.

As it were, the moment came when his father, the last of the Order of the Pentacle, was delivered the death blow. In the midst of the battle field and surrounded by elvan invaders, the blow struck Orwell with a sudden ferocity. The One’s vision grew dark – he could no longer see through Orwell’s eyes. An elvan blade, golden and elongated, pierced the dark wizard’s chest, striking its mark with precision - none of Orwell’s magic could save him this time. The One felt the pain as if it was his own chest the blade punctured. A scream erupted from his mouth, trembling through the mountain fortress and into the winds that would carry it throughout Astania. His maker was dead, murdered by the elves and their uhman counterparts. The last of the great wizards had ceased to exist.

Instead of enjoying the spoils of their final victory, the elves did something he could not understand. Instead of occupying the land they had so bloodily fought to conquer – they gave it to the uhmans and returned to their hidden vales, isolating themselves as they always had. He thirsted for revenge against them. The fury raged in his soul like an inferno that could never be doused. He longed to take to the skies, unleash the magic that his master had taught him and make them pay for their transgressions. Logic, however, prevailed. His master had taught him this. He would continue to learn, strengthen his power to a point where he even surpassed his master, and prepared for the time he would exact his vengeance in a powerful and wrathful display.

Following Orwell’s death, he spent his days and nights in his master’s study – learning every spell and incantation. Each day that passed revealed new powers for him to harness. He soon gained the ability to walk unnoticed among the uhmans and used this power to learn their ways and culture. He retraced the steps that led to the defeat of the other wizards, the weaknesses the uhmans had exploited so he would not present the opportunity to them when his time came. To that end he began to collect the magic objects the elves and uhmans had used against their enemy. Many of the artifacts increased his power, but still he wanted more.

As the sands of time slipped beyond the eons, he continued to hear of one particular item. Simply referred to by the uhmans as the Stone, it was said to be the one object that swung the tide of the war. The myths told of the Stone’s immense power and its ability to enhance its owner’s magical prowess. The elves had harnessed the power of the Stone and with their heightened abilities, overpowered the great wizards, ultimately destroying the order forever.

As time began to obscure the memory of the Great War, the One applied his persuasive powers to convince some weak minded uhmans to follow him. In his guise as one of their own and using some rudimentary tricks an infant could do, he had impressed his new followers into believing he was the second coming of Orwell the Great. It was strange how the years had perverted history. Centuries had past and in that time the uhmans had revised their view of events. Gone from the story of the ultimate victory were the elves – who had been forgotten by the ages – and in their place a fictional hero – Serephon – an uhman. As the story now went, it was Serephon, not the elves, who wielded the Stone and finished Orwell with the blade of his golden sword. There were uhmans who were fascinated by the story and the tales of the great wizards. The One used this to his advantage, mixing truths with fiction and embellishing the greatness of Orwell. He used the power of his words to change around the myths – painting Serephon as a heartless coward who killed Orwell in his sleep rather then face him in battle. The uhmans took in the fables like a large warrior at his victory banquet. There was no end to their thirst for it. And so as it were, The One had his first disciples in the Order of the Serpent.

Using his new converts, he gleaned every morsel of information on the possible whereabouts of the Stone. Some said it was thrown in the bottom of the Ayson Gulf. Others believed it had been buried somewhere in the sands of the Desert of Aliqui, while still others believed it was taken to the farthest reaches of Astania, to island of Damhnait and tossed into the fires of Mount Towart. The years would pass by quickly and his new followers would soon become the old wise men who communed with the reincarnation of Orwell the Great. The wise men would attract followers of their own, spreading the lies that the One had imbedded. The truth of the Great War, Orwell, the Elves, and the final resting place of the stone became more and more obscured.

As the only being remaining (other then the elves themselves) that knew the count of what had really occurred, the One deduced that a race as wise as the elves would never bestow an artifact of such great power to the uhmans. Their penchant for greed, power, and self destruction would be too dangerous to allow such a bauble to go on unchecked. He figured the only logical possibility was they must have taken it back to one of the Elvan vales – Aegruss, Somhairle or Jamesina.

The uhmans dared not venture into those parts of Astania – as legends of devils, ghosts, and goblins paralyzed them into fear. The elves were left in peace and guarded it vigilantly. They would suffer no trespassing near their lands – as they would conjure up the worst fears of the unsuspecting traveler that had wandered off the beaten trail. They would never harm the unfortunates, only scared them enough for them to vacate and again restore tranquility. The One knew his subjects would be no match for the Elvan mischief. He had to find another way to get access to his enemies without them catching scent of his intentions.

He returned to his hidden castle lair at the top of Mount Breandan where he poured over the same books he had read a countless number of times and searched for the answer. For a time it eluded him until he discovered one spell – a special spell. The one his father had used to create him. As he chanted the spell, he felt the dynamism surge from his inner-core, through his outstretched hands and like bolts of lightning, strike the floor before him. Before his eyes a creature took shape. Long, orange colored talons reached from the lightning to the floor, it was soon followed by large, purple-feathered legs, a torso, and eventually the entire giant fowl materialized, filling the majority of the space from the floor to the vaulted ceiling of the castle. He would repeat the process two more times, giving him three mindless beasts at his control. The Crownians, as he called them, lacked the ability to procreate and their small brains allowed them to only comprehend simple commands. The One knew their use would be very limited.

He poured over the historical documents his father had chronicled before his final defeat. In them, he discovered that one elf in particular, Alasdair, seemed to have been the keeper of the Stone. He would need to be found and if so – made to reveal the whereabouts of the Stone. It would be this task that the One would realize his failure with the beasts. As they each took flight to a different vale, the one Crownian brute he called Kree found Alasdair in the Elvan stronghold of Jamesina. A great battle ensued as the elves tried to stave off Kree’s attack and protect their kinsman. Eventually the Crownian would succeed, squeezing Alasdair in her powerful talons as she took flight back to Orwell’s Castle. The other Crownians, Sema and Deli intercepted Kree on her return. The two other birds, eager to please their new master attacked Kree, knocking her from the sky. As the animals fought, Alasdair took the brunt of the blows. With each assault, Kree increased her grip upon him and eventually crushed the elf under the pressure. The One seethed with rage at their failure. It was obvious he had overestimated his ability to create servant beings. He was not Orwell’s equal just yet. In one wrathful gesture the birds exploded in a fiery burst, cooking from the inside out before a hail of feathers replaced the complete form that had once stood before him. Their squawking echoed through the halls of the castle as the One lamented the loss of the only true source he had. The elf was gone and with him the last possible knowledge of the Stone’s location.

Finding Alasdair was hard enough, but following the Crownian attack, the elves cast spells over their vales making them even more imperceptible. Their ability for stealth made them the hardest of adversaries for the great wizards and with the power of the Stone – they were virtually invisible and thus invincible. Truth be told, Orwell never saw the elf who struck the final blow. As far as the One knew – Alasdair could have been that elf. In addition to their ability to conceal, the elves used thoroughly planned out strategies to execute their war plans. They would never make a move unless they were positive it would be successful. It would make perfect sense that the keeper of the Stone would be the one to deal the final blow.

While the wizards were powerful – they never seemed to have the organization of the elves. Vain to the last, none wanted the help of the others. Each felt they could squash the Elvan/uhman insurrection with not so much as a bat of an eyelid. They would each pay for their vanity – as one by one they fell until Orwell had been the last. Near the end, Orwell had tried to get the few remaining wizards to join together into a final battle with the rebels. But as they met, none could agree on which strategy to employ, how to attack the separatists and eventually they ceased communications with each other – sealing their doom. If there was one thing certain about the Order of the Pentacle, it was that they could never agree on anything. When the wizards were not fighting the elves and uhmans for supremacy in Astania, they were battling each other for place in the Order. Each wanted to be the Grand Master – the premiere wizard of the order – but each wizard that had challenged Orwell suffered an egregious fate. The hate, jealousy, and mistrust clouded their deductive reasoning – preventing them from joining together and becoming an indestructible force.

The One knew there had to be others among the Elvan contingent that knew the secrets of the Stone. He would need to be patient, as he was all the centuries before. Once time had erased the memory of his failed attack, the elves would ease their protection spells and would open the passage ever so slightly so he could take hold and infiltrate them once again. He just needed to find the right opportunity - the right pawn to help him take hold of the most omnipotent jewel in Astania.

He would bide his time, use the artifacts he acquired, strengthen himself by practicing his spells, scheming, watching, waiting…

----
And that's the end of the first excerpt. I sincerely hope you enjoyed the first example. Expect another installement from another section of the book Thursday and Friday. Don't forget, you can purchase the book at most stores and is available at the usual online retail sites (Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Albiris.com, plus the usual others and of course the LunaBrillantePublishing.com Bookstore)

JC De La Torre is the author of Ancient Rising a sci-fi fantasy novel that has been described by some critics as a Da Vinci Code or National Treasure with a fantasy twist. JC is also Vice President of Luna Brillante Publishing, a Speculative Fiction publisher. Visit JC's website at http://www.delatorrewriting.com for the latest news about his works

Andy Garcia's Lost City is stunningly sad.

2006-06-26T16:10:00.000-07:00

This weekend I had the opportunity to see Andy Garcia's new film The Lost City. It's in limited release throughout the U.S.. If you haven't had a chance to see it, you ought to. Basically, its about a Cuban nightclub owner, Fico (Andy Garcia), in Havana in the 1950's. How his family is divided in regards to the revolution and Fidel Castro's mercenaries. The movie progresses through Fico's life as one brother goes in one direction in trying to overthrow the dictator, Bautista, the other brother aligns himself with Fidel and Che Gueverra. His Father is a pacifist and a mother a typical Cuban housewife.

Basically, the story moves on through the revolution and Castro's rise to power and how it tears apart this proud Cuban Family. It also sheds an ugly light on Castro's government, how they stole everything away from the people (taking businesses that some folks worked their whole lives to build) and persecuted all those who rose up against him. It also showed how they continued to persecute them, even as they left the country (taking any personal belongings of value). It also exposes Che Gueverra for what his was, and its a far cry from the young romantic Che in the Motorcycle Diaries. Perhaps those kids wearing Che T-shirts will think twice about whom they are representing.

The story itself may be fictional, but I can tell you the truth is that is exactly the way it happend. Castro came in promising democracy and instead brought misery, pain, and death to my relatives, my Cuban people. Having never lived in Havana, I cannot imagine the horror that my mother-in-law and my grandparents went through.

Castro has taken, taken, and taken, breaking down a once proud people to become mere slaves of his dictatorship. All the Cubans have ever asked for is support in their dream of a free Cuba. But because there's no oil in Cuba, America turns a blind eye toward Castro. Because of an agreement made by JFK in 1961, Castro has reigned in power, crushing any small rebellions the Cuban people have been able to manage.

While the Brittish, Russians and others tour beautiful Cuban beaches, the inhabitants are mercilessly killed, starving in the streets. 14 year olds selling their bodies so they can buy a loaf of bread for a family of ten. Food rations of 2 eggs, 1 loaf of bread, and a carton of milk per family for a WEEK, are distributed to the people, while you gorge yourself of steak with all the fixings.

We go halfway across the world to grant freedom to a people who necessarily don't want our idea of it...yet ignore those who desperately desire it. Why? Because there's no money in Cuba...at least no money for the oil companies who run America.

I can guarantee you this...if a large oil deposit was found in Cuban waters, I can guarantee the US would be liberating Cuba the next day.

Who will be the politician that finally ends all the complete bullshit about freedom and patriotism and actually does something that truly exhibits this.

FREE CUBA.

JC De La Torre is the author of Ancient Rising a sci-fi fantasy novel that has been described by some critics as a Da Vinci Code or National Treasure with a fantasy twist. JC is also Vice President of Luna Brillante Publishing, a Speculative Fiction publisher. Visit JC's website at http://www.delatorrewriting.com for the latest news about his works

Cupboard pretty bare for Sci-Fi/Horror Summer Movie fun

2006-06-23T19:53:00.000-07:00

I was just looking over the release schedule for this year's summer movies and it came to mind that the cupboard was pretty bare when it came to good Sci-Fi or horror flicks this summer. It seems that if stuff doesn't get blown up, is a sequel, has a major star, or wears tights, then its not going to be released in the summer time. Not that I have a problem with that, per se.

I've watched MI:3, X-men 3, and I am looking forward to Superman and Pirates of the Carribean.

But when the best summer offering for horror is a remake of the Omen and the best Sci-Fi offering is a brutally animated A Scanner Darkly things are not looking too promising for those of us who love them some aliens.

With that said, every once in awhile, there can be one that surprises you. I remember back in 1999 when I was feeling very similar. Then a little movie that no one knew about called The Matrix came onto the seen and changed action/scifi moviemaking forever.

Perhaps we have a Matrix in The Pulse or Lady in the Water. Or perhaps not. But I know of at least one move that can save my Speculative Fiction summer....and its name is Snakes on a Plane, baby. Get these muthaf***** snakes off this muthaf***** plane, beyotch!

JC De La Torre is the author of Ancient Rising a sci-fi fantasy novel that has been described by some critics as a Da Vinci Code or National Treasure with a fantasy twist. JC is also Vice President of Luna Brillante Publishing, a Speculative Fiction publisher. Visit JC's website at http://www.delatorrewriting.com for the latest news about his works.

Invasion of the POD People!

2006-06-22T15:54:00.000-07:00

Everywhere you go there are POD people. You may not know they are there...they could be your neighbor, your friend, maybe even your brother or your wife. They are slowly entering our literary consciousness...taking us over little by little until....we are ALL POD PEOPLE!

Mindless ramblings of a paranoid freak, say you? No, friend, for I've seen them. I know them. In fact...for all you know, I could very well be one of them.

When I speak of POD People, I am referring to authors who have printer their books via some sort of Print-On-Demand service. IUniverse, Llumina, Trafford, and Lulu come to mind. There are a lot of great undiscovered talents out there in the world, folks. The big boys are too afraid to take a chance on unknowns. We all know this. So if your book doesn't fit just the right niche or is part of the hot thang right now, you probably will find it hard not only to get published, but even get yourself a literary agent (which sometimes is even harder than finding a publisher). Now, don't get me wrong, there are those who succeed their first try. There are those who succeed their three-hundredth try. Sometimes, its all about getting past "the reader" and into an editor's hands. There's plenty of books out there on how to write query letters and write great samples that just blows the socks off an editor and keeps you from the slush pile. I'm not going to discuss that today.

I'm going to discuss Jeremy Robinson's book, POD People. Jeremy's book (which can be found at http://www.breakneckbooks.com/pod.htm ) is a brutally honest look at the Print-On-Demand phenomenon. Jeremy's novel, the Didymus Contigency, has gone above and beyond the typical POD release. Most POD releases struggle to reach over 250 books sold...Jeremy is in the thousands and closing in on his goal of 10,000. How did he get there? He shares some of his secrets but he also lets you know something you may not want to know and please forgive my crassness - you can't put perfume on crap and expect it to smell good. In other words, if you're not a very good writer, you're not going to sell many books. Period. Even if you ARE a good writer, you still might not sell many books but Jeremy's ode to PODs may help you along a little further down the road.

If you are thinking about self-publishing, before you do - visit my site at http://www.lunabrillantepublishing.com - I'm looking for good authors in Speculative Fiction (Sci Fi, Horror, Fantasy, Alternate Realities) to publish with my company. If you're writing something other than Speculative Fiction, visit Jeremy's site at http://www.breakneckbooks.com - he is also looking to publish authors.

But if you don't do either of the two, definitely pick up POD People. There are plenty of authors out there who wished they had this on their mantle before they got started down this slippery slope that is the publishing business. You will be glad you did...and you will be assimilated shortly there after. Muhahahaahhahaha.

JC

JC De La Torre is the author of Ancient Rising a sci-fi fantasy novel that has been described by some critics as a Da Vinci Code or National Treasure with a fantasy twist. JC is also Vice President of Luna Brillante Publishing, a Speculative Fiction publisher. Visit JC's website at http://www.delatorrewriting.com for the latest news about his works.