WWIV Book 1

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Wednesday, July 29, 2015

The Walking Dead - Part Two

Last week son #2 (T.W.) and I discussed the history of this zombie apocalypse AMC hit. Graphic comics, characters, Atlanta (a terrible spot to be in this dystopian world). Quite a bit was spoken of actually. If you missed it: Click here to catch up.

This week we will cover additional topics about the show. The show's title, Whom do we trust, The main character (Rick Grimes), and so much more.





Cheat sheet if you would like to skip ahead to your favorite topic:

Problem 1 - Title: Who Is the Walking Dead? (1:00)

Problem 2 - Who do we trust? (2:45)

Problem 3 - Which Rick Grimes will we see next? (5:45)

Problem 3.1 - That Dang Carl! (9:00)

People (that we loved) we've lost (10:45)

Haunting Questions (13:35)



Until next week, consider picking up a graphic novel at your local bookstore and checking it out!


e a lake




                       

Thursday, July 23, 2015

The Walking Dead - Part One

So, you're a fan of AMC's The Walking Dead. Bully for you (and me...I love the show). Let's get right to it with this week's video.

This week, son #2 and I discuss the basics of the show, some of our favorite characters, the trouble with Atlanta, and even the graphic novel on which the show is based. Yes, we talk about zombies for a bit, the end of the world, the post-apocalyptic setting...all that happy stuff.





Next week we will explore the show even deeper. More specifically, we'll look into some of what I call "The Problems" with the show. At least issues that I have questions about. Perhaps son #2 will have some answers.

So look for the second part then; hope to have that up on Wednesday (7/29). Schedules and video feeds will determine that for us though...as it did this week.


Until then, have a great week. And start a good book!


e a lake




                       

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Big News - X2

Last night, at approximately 8:00 p.m. (central time zone) I finished my tenth complete manuscript.

Now, if you have ever written a novel - a manuscript is just an unpublished novel - you know how good it feels to wrap one up. No, good is a terrible word here. Let's try - great! Nah, that's still short of the true feeling. How about this:

I have been released from the shackles of creation, allowed to step beyond the page and breathe - as if for the first time bringing air into my tired lungs.

Yeah, over the top. But when you're in my spot, it's really how you feel.

This one was tough

To finish, that is. I don't know what went wrong. A month ago I was within 20,000 words of the end. Wrapping things up, your daily word output can easily be 2,000 a day. But I languished over finishing it. The ending was firm in my mind; I had memorized every scene, every word of dialog.

Yet, I drug my feet.

Then this past weekend I put the petal firmly on the floorboard and finished the beast. The last two full days of writing produced 7,000 and 6,000 words respectively.

And now it's done.

And I'm Happy, Yet Sad

Happy because I have a decent rough draft of a pretty darn good story. The ending has a few twists that worked out perfectly when placed on paper. The final scene is short, yet poignant.

Sad because I'm done creating this particular stand alone novel. And now it's time to let the tale stew and fester, alone on my hard drive for a month or so. And then starts the editing and rewriting process.

Most writers despise the second part of the writing process: create, edit, publish - edit is in the middle of that list. But here your creation, my creation, becomes more than just a rough draft. Here, in this long process, it truly becomes a novel. And by the end of this stage - six months perhaps, maybe longer - you will have a publishable piece of literature.

What's it about, lake?

This novel is a stand alone. There will be no sequels or prequels. It is a dystopian creation, somewhere along the lines of Orwell's 1984. Along those lines. Be sure to note that phrase carefully. I did not rewrite a modern version of Orwell's classic. I wrote my own tale.


This manuscript came in at a little over 100,000 words. Most likely the final version will be somewhere in the low 90s. Remember what Stephen King tells us: 

2nd Draft = 1st Draft minus 10%

Big News - Part II

This past week, visits to my blog passed the 10,000 mark!

I have been blogging since February 13th, 2014. Seventeen months or so. For the first little bit (six months) I posted something twice a week. Fort the last year or so it's been once a week. But still, I couldn't be more thrilled.

Thank You to each and every person who has read my blog. 


Until next week, join me in reading the Games of Thrones (Book One - that's the actual title). It's only 850 some pages long, shouldn't take but a few late nights, right?


e a lake




                       

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Clean Drinking Water: Part 2

A few weeks ago I created a post on LinkedIn about drinking water. You can reference that post by clicking here.

The essence of the post focused on two things: 1) We already have a clean drinking water problem throughout this great world of ours, and, 2) In some type of post-apocalyptic future, lack of clean drinking water will kill more of our population than anything else. While I believe both of these tenants to be gospel truth, others will no doubt argue with my assumptions. And that's alright.

Bad Water Can and Will Kill You


As stated in my LinkedIn post, it is widely believed that a human being can exist three days without water. After that time, serious troubles begin. Three days people, THREE SHORT DAYS! 

Now you don't need a world changing event to find yourself in a position where three days passes. Your car could run off the road and down a small embankment on your upcoming 4th of July trip (for those of us in the US - In Britain I believe they refer to this holiday as America's Big Mistake).

Lying in a ditch, after crawling from your wrecked vehicle, you survey your surroundings. No food, no communication, and only a stagnant pool of water within reach. Worse, there's no chance of rain. The clock starts now; you have three days to get some clean water.

Ignore That Stagnant Pool - It's a Trick


You know what's going to happen if your thirst gets the best of you and you take a sip for relief? Dysentery. You know what dysentery does to the human body? It's not very pretty: Click here for details. Your last thought of your life may include, "Did I just fill my drawers, again?" YUCK!


It's a Worldwide Problem


Some sources claim that more than 750 million people around the world lack access to clean water. Lets's see; the US has about 330 million people. So that's more than twice the population of the US alone. To be more precise, more people lack clean drinking water than live in the US and The Euro Zone - COMBINED

It's 2015 people - that number should floor you. Yet, I know from personal experience, most - especially where I live - never give it a second thought. It, of course, being clean water.

Enter the Apocalypse


In my WWIV series the same fate of the 750 million will extend to all Nine (plus) Billion inhabitants of the earth. Well, it will be nine billion at first, but not for long.
  
We will have no power, no communications, almost no form of mass transportation. No pumping stations for your city water; no power to run the well for your private water source. What's at the store is all that's left - forever. 

Riots will ensue - hey, once your family members become ill - or die - all hell really will be unleashed in our world. There are solutions. Not for nine million people mind you, but some of us will make it.

All that's left to ponder is this: Are you one of the lucky ones who survives the first round of trouble? Or are you one of the lucky ones that leave this earthly plain as World War 4 unleashes its fury upon the world?


Now that I've left you with fun questions to ponder -- have a great three day weekend you American citizens. Pray the apocalypse gives you fair warning.



e a lake