Lloyd Baron's Blog: Blogs of Prophecy
September 26, 2015
Charactrs of Prophecy Part Two
A while ago I wrote a blog about the main characters of the Prophecy of Ages Saga. Well, I thought I would do the same again, expanding into some of the secondary characters and some new main characters since book two.
Lade Hope Ocosly: This noblewoman is a bit of a mystery. She comes from the continent of Valgeas, far to the north of Sive, where our story takes place. Her past is unknown, however she is linked somehow to the Heroes from books one and two. She first makes her appearance in book three, where she acts as lead character for the first third of the book. She is a strong willed woman who is determined to rescue her friend who has been captured by the evil Slavers, a band of hunters who seek human prey for sport or money. Hope suffers from phantom wounds whenever Canace Al'drea has an accident and unfortunately for the noblewoman, Canace is accident prone.
Gallowen Ero: Son of Jun and Trice Ero from the ice plains of Valgeas, he has lived a very simple life. Mostly in the employ of the Ocosly family. He has become one of Hope's closets friends, even though their backgrounds are very different. He first appears in book three as a captive of the Slavers. He is in need of rescue and believes that befriending a scrawny fox could help him out. He has the ability to speak to animals, however, he is reluctant to use this gift and tends to fear what he sees within their minds. His relationship with Hope is one of friendship but he acts as her protector when he isn't in need of rescuing himself.
Queen Narmada Aft's till Abenbeth: The Queen of Atlant and mother of Princes Narinda. She is a kind woman, who acts less like a queen and more like a protective aunt. Her childhood was set out in such a way that she resented her parents and hated her teachers. She did not wish to be the Queen but when she met Narinda's father everything changed. They married young and after her first child was taken from her only three days after his birth she almost gave up on life. However, three suns after the tragedy she gave birth to Narinda and solidified herself as Queen. Her husband died soon after and Narmada became somewhat of a recluse. She hardly ever leaves the royal palace but she does not mind, she has her child with her and treats her staff as if they are friends. An odd Queen indeed.
Lee Blanca Cuff: Lee is a soldier from Common. He has been working hard his entire life to master the skilled combat of the dance and is known as the only male fighter of this style. He is a slender, well muscled man who can twirl and pivot at a deadly speed, making him a graceful one man army. He is not the type to hold back from a fight and sees his life as belonging to the royal family. He has no family and no friends, but he doesn't care, he is a tool to be aimed and let go.
Zy'ren Drevally: Second daughter of Gai Drevally (High Clan King of Shalmist) she is a hybrid Goblin/Human. She looks almost human apart from her hair colour and slightly green skin. She is searching for a way to help her peoples regain there country. She believes that all Goblins are equal, regardless of how much true blood they have. This is the opposite view than her brother Fi'q'ive's who wishes the hybrid blood bleed out of their kind. She is a master swordsman, using curved twin blades to hack her opponents to death.
Bard Merk Ena: This bard is not like others. Firstly he hides a knife inside his flute, secondly he has a strange accent that nobody can place and thirdly, his music houses a thread of prophecy which can awaken spirits of the long dead. Apart from that, he is seemingly a regular man who enjoys tormenting Riochald. He does not wish to be part of the Prophecy of Ages but agrees to travel with them as if could lead to a grand story to tell. Even though this is the true reason he is travelling with them there is also something he is hiding. He has a secret linked to his home and a purpose beyond that of the Prophecy of the land of Sive.
Lady Jeszlain Farrington: This intelligent noblewoman from Common is the niece of King Garnock and widow to a farmer. She gave up, or at least tried, to give up her noble life. However, her family had other plans for her and one night, not long after her husbands death, her grandfather almost murdered her in a fire which claimed his life. At first she appears weak and irritates Riochald. However, after the truth about her past comes out and the woman saves the Summoners life, the two women become close friends. Jeszlain is pregnant with her husbands child and is due to give birth very soon.
Clayton Cri'ag: Clayton is a Woodland Elemental. He loves the world and is one of the few of his kind that has secretly visited the mortal world over the suns. He has grown to love the free-spirited Elemental, Moonwell and wishes that they could live upon the world forever, even though it is forbidden. All the Elementals have been awoken by the Prophecy and they must decide if they will fight to save the world, leave it to it's own destruction or return it to it's origins. Clayton is chosen to become a spy and must turn his bark into flesh, something he is reluctant to do. He is moody and cold towards mortals but he has a kind heart when dealing with plants, animals and Moonwell.
Saeed Malekshahi: Saeed is the High Lord Mayeen Commander of the Flambourn Empire Army. His past is unknown. He was adopted by Emperor Filimer and trained all his life to become head of the army. He is a kind hearted man but if anything stands in the way of the Empire he will stop at nothing to push it aside. That is until he finds Hope Ocosly and Gallowen. He finds that his mind s torn between duty and his growing love for the Lady.
Lord Gresham Yok: A young lord from a small town in the grassy border nation of the Empire. He is second in command of the desert army, behind Saeed Malekshahi and is the man's closets friend. His life was a hard one, his father hated him and drove him to try committing suicide. However, Saeed saved him and the two of them have become like brothers. Gresham has never been linked to any woman that society knows about and harsh rumours spread about him fancying other men. He has never openly said that he doesn't like the company of women but he does spend a lot of time staring at Gallowen.
Lade Hope Ocosly: This noblewoman is a bit of a mystery. She comes from the continent of Valgeas, far to the north of Sive, where our story takes place. Her past is unknown, however she is linked somehow to the Heroes from books one and two. She first makes her appearance in book three, where she acts as lead character for the first third of the book. She is a strong willed woman who is determined to rescue her friend who has been captured by the evil Slavers, a band of hunters who seek human prey for sport or money. Hope suffers from phantom wounds whenever Canace Al'drea has an accident and unfortunately for the noblewoman, Canace is accident prone.
Gallowen Ero: Son of Jun and Trice Ero from the ice plains of Valgeas, he has lived a very simple life. Mostly in the employ of the Ocosly family. He has become one of Hope's closets friends, even though their backgrounds are very different. He first appears in book three as a captive of the Slavers. He is in need of rescue and believes that befriending a scrawny fox could help him out. He has the ability to speak to animals, however, he is reluctant to use this gift and tends to fear what he sees within their minds. His relationship with Hope is one of friendship but he acts as her protector when he isn't in need of rescuing himself.
Queen Narmada Aft's till Abenbeth: The Queen of Atlant and mother of Princes Narinda. She is a kind woman, who acts less like a queen and more like a protective aunt. Her childhood was set out in such a way that she resented her parents and hated her teachers. She did not wish to be the Queen but when she met Narinda's father everything changed. They married young and after her first child was taken from her only three days after his birth she almost gave up on life. However, three suns after the tragedy she gave birth to Narinda and solidified herself as Queen. Her husband died soon after and Narmada became somewhat of a recluse. She hardly ever leaves the royal palace but she does not mind, she has her child with her and treats her staff as if they are friends. An odd Queen indeed.
Lee Blanca Cuff: Lee is a soldier from Common. He has been working hard his entire life to master the skilled combat of the dance and is known as the only male fighter of this style. He is a slender, well muscled man who can twirl and pivot at a deadly speed, making him a graceful one man army. He is not the type to hold back from a fight and sees his life as belonging to the royal family. He has no family and no friends, but he doesn't care, he is a tool to be aimed and let go.
Zy'ren Drevally: Second daughter of Gai Drevally (High Clan King of Shalmist) she is a hybrid Goblin/Human. She looks almost human apart from her hair colour and slightly green skin. She is searching for a way to help her peoples regain there country. She believes that all Goblins are equal, regardless of how much true blood they have. This is the opposite view than her brother Fi'q'ive's who wishes the hybrid blood bleed out of their kind. She is a master swordsman, using curved twin blades to hack her opponents to death.
Bard Merk Ena: This bard is not like others. Firstly he hides a knife inside his flute, secondly he has a strange accent that nobody can place and thirdly, his music houses a thread of prophecy which can awaken spirits of the long dead. Apart from that, he is seemingly a regular man who enjoys tormenting Riochald. He does not wish to be part of the Prophecy of Ages but agrees to travel with them as if could lead to a grand story to tell. Even though this is the true reason he is travelling with them there is also something he is hiding. He has a secret linked to his home and a purpose beyond that of the Prophecy of the land of Sive.
Lady Jeszlain Farrington: This intelligent noblewoman from Common is the niece of King Garnock and widow to a farmer. She gave up, or at least tried, to give up her noble life. However, her family had other plans for her and one night, not long after her husbands death, her grandfather almost murdered her in a fire which claimed his life. At first she appears weak and irritates Riochald. However, after the truth about her past comes out and the woman saves the Summoners life, the two women become close friends. Jeszlain is pregnant with her husbands child and is due to give birth very soon.
Clayton Cri'ag: Clayton is a Woodland Elemental. He loves the world and is one of the few of his kind that has secretly visited the mortal world over the suns. He has grown to love the free-spirited Elemental, Moonwell and wishes that they could live upon the world forever, even though it is forbidden. All the Elementals have been awoken by the Prophecy and they must decide if they will fight to save the world, leave it to it's own destruction or return it to it's origins. Clayton is chosen to become a spy and must turn his bark into flesh, something he is reluctant to do. He is moody and cold towards mortals but he has a kind heart when dealing with plants, animals and Moonwell.
Saeed Malekshahi: Saeed is the High Lord Mayeen Commander of the Flambourn Empire Army. His past is unknown. He was adopted by Emperor Filimer and trained all his life to become head of the army. He is a kind hearted man but if anything stands in the way of the Empire he will stop at nothing to push it aside. That is until he finds Hope Ocosly and Gallowen. He finds that his mind s torn between duty and his growing love for the Lady.
Lord Gresham Yok: A young lord from a small town in the grassy border nation of the Empire. He is second in command of the desert army, behind Saeed Malekshahi and is the man's closets friend. His life was a hard one, his father hated him and drove him to try committing suicide. However, Saeed saved him and the two of them have become like brothers. Gresham has never been linked to any woman that society knows about and harsh rumours spread about him fancying other men. He has never openly said that he doesn't like the company of women but he does spend a lot of time staring at Gallowen.
March 21, 2014
My Writing Process Blog Tour
A couple of weeks ago I was asked to take part in this blog tour. I agreed (after finding out what a ‘blog tour’ was) because it seemed like a fun way to tell people a little about myself and the work I do. The process is very simple as it turns out. I was tagged by Author D.M. Cain in her blog (I’ll link her answers at the end) to answer a series of questions on my writing process and my current work, then I tag new authors to answer the same questions, and the chain carries on, getting bigger and better as it goes along. Simple.
The Questions
1) What am I working on?
Currently I am working on Lords of Chaos; book four of the Epic Fantasy Saga, Prophecy of Ages. The series is light-hearted, humorous, heart-breaking and disturbingly bleak. For every smile and tender touch, I throw in a howl of pain and severing of limbs. Set in the world of Atlantia, a world which has been waiting for thousands of years for a Prophecy to begin, a world which has already been subjected to cataclysmic destruction and bedlam, a world which for the first time in its history is looking towards peace.
The Prophecy of Ages is followed like religion, being educated to the entire world above all else. The focal point of the Prophecy is a lazy apprentice weaver who just wants to be left alone to his ale and sleep.
Book four sees the events leading up to book threes “Something has Happened” finale before picking up where we left our heroes in the grassy plains of Common. I am hopeful that this part will be ready by October if all goes to plan as I am already reaching the halfway mark. That is however, when the fun job of editing begins. I am also working on the release of Blood of Innocents, the third book in the series which hit the e-shelves this weekend.
2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?
This is not an easy question. I firmly believe that in whatever category or subject you search for uniqueness you will also find similarities. I run ideas through my friends and sometimes, the ideas which I thought were really inventive have been done on a TV show that I don’t watch. However, I do believe that my books are original in the sense that they overlap. Book one leads directly onto book two, however book three begins three years earlier and follows a different set of characters until it catches up and then overtakes the second. The same is happening with book four and I plan to use this technique in books five and six.
Some of the events seen in book one are repeated from a new angle, shedding light upon what may have seemed coincidence and revealing it as a plot and certain characters who are only briefly glimpsed at are given their moment in the sun. I also believe that my style is somewhat unique, as I switch between characters multiple times within chapters. This process is slow to build as I wanted to give the main character his development before jumping into the mind of his companions. However, once you have been introduced to each member of his group you get to live inside their heads, experiencing what each of them thinks and feels. Some characters are used rarely to keep their true feelings hidden while others (who I call my Six) are delved into deeply.
3) Why do I write what I do?
Passion for being weird and imaginative. If I didn’t have a way for ridding my brain of all the bizarre things that flood through it on a daily basis I would get locked up. Seriously though, I love to write, to create things, people, places, events. I get a buzz when I am making my characters happy, I grin foolishly when I am trying to be funny and become saddened when I know it is time for one of them to leave. I have written in different styles and genres, enjoying the odd and horrific best. I also love character work, so I tend to build a large cast.
I am from a drama background, so love the visual and grace of a performance. It is the same within my writing. I like a detailed description when it needs one but opt for a swifter pace.
I also love to write relationships, although they tend to be a little awkward in my work, reflecting my own experiences as a constantly single gay man in his early thirties. I know the pain of being in love with someone who will never love you back and I (in a therapeutic sort of way) put it down on the page. Friendships are easy for me as I am “that guy” who is always the friend. True story.
I also love magic and dragons!
4) How does my writing process work?
I am a planner. The story I am working on is so complex with hundreds of characters that if I didn’t have folders and folders of plans I would burn myself out. About six years ago I began to make a list of characters, places and events. I wanted the reluctant hero and his playful best friend. I wanted the tough healer with a bleak past. I wanted the sweet love interest who has to become iron. I wanted the powerful but quiet beast of a man who is the deep thinker when he isn’t beheading his foes. I made plans for each of these people, knowing how they would fit together.
Then I worked out a timeline, beginning with what would become book three and working my way through all six. At that time I didn’t know where the books would be divided, I just needed to get the events down in a way that they would work. Now I have a list of things tied together by lines which indicate the journey. These lines are the blood and soul of the work. I know when certain things need to happen for the story to progress but I never know how it will reach them. I prefer that part to be fluid and a surprise.
Sometimes my fingers type something and I look at it with a frown on my face wondering where it came from. Then I have to decide to keep it or not. I call this the Dead or Not Dead route. Anyone who has read any of my work will understand.
I wrote the last three chapters of book six two years ago. Now I just need to get there.
A Huge thanks to the wonderful D.M. Cain for tagging me.
The Tour Continues...
Autumn M. Birt
I have tagged the following Author to carry on the tour. I look forward to reading her blog next week. Sadly my other author was unable to join us for this tour.
Autumn is a travel and fiction writer currently based in Maine where she lives in a yurt with her husband and lovable Cairn Terriers. Her work is featured on the adventure travel website No Map Nomads. where she is the co-editor and writer (and also known as Weifarer). She is also a member of Guild of Dreams. , which features her blog posts as well as those of eleven other fantasy writers.
She is also the Author of the Rise of the Fifth Order series.
Would you protect a girl whose forbidden abilities condemn her to death?
Welcome to the world of Myrrah, ruled by the Church of Four Orders - Fire, Earth, Water, and Air. But there exists another gift, dubbed magic, which is considered an aberration by the Church. To be born with the powers of magic is to be condemned to death. To be born with the ability to control an element is to be born to a life serving the Church... and obeying its rules. One Priestess will stand against the Church to protect sixteen year old Ria, beginning an epic fantasy adventure that leads four unlikely friends across the breadth of their world to seek answers hidden in the buried archives of the Temple of Dust. Secrets from an ancient war and discoveries of hidden power lead to fight for survival that threaten to tear apart their world. What is magic and why does the Church want those who harbor its power
The Questions
1) What am I working on?
Currently I am working on Lords of Chaos; book four of the Epic Fantasy Saga, Prophecy of Ages. The series is light-hearted, humorous, heart-breaking and disturbingly bleak. For every smile and tender touch, I throw in a howl of pain and severing of limbs. Set in the world of Atlantia, a world which has been waiting for thousands of years for a Prophecy to begin, a world which has already been subjected to cataclysmic destruction and bedlam, a world which for the first time in its history is looking towards peace.
The Prophecy of Ages is followed like religion, being educated to the entire world above all else. The focal point of the Prophecy is a lazy apprentice weaver who just wants to be left alone to his ale and sleep.
Book four sees the events leading up to book threes “Something has Happened” finale before picking up where we left our heroes in the grassy plains of Common. I am hopeful that this part will be ready by October if all goes to plan as I am already reaching the halfway mark. That is however, when the fun job of editing begins. I am also working on the release of Blood of Innocents, the third book in the series which hit the e-shelves this weekend.
2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?
This is not an easy question. I firmly believe that in whatever category or subject you search for uniqueness you will also find similarities. I run ideas through my friends and sometimes, the ideas which I thought were really inventive have been done on a TV show that I don’t watch. However, I do believe that my books are original in the sense that they overlap. Book one leads directly onto book two, however book three begins three years earlier and follows a different set of characters until it catches up and then overtakes the second. The same is happening with book four and I plan to use this technique in books five and six.
Some of the events seen in book one are repeated from a new angle, shedding light upon what may have seemed coincidence and revealing it as a plot and certain characters who are only briefly glimpsed at are given their moment in the sun. I also believe that my style is somewhat unique, as I switch between characters multiple times within chapters. This process is slow to build as I wanted to give the main character his development before jumping into the mind of his companions. However, once you have been introduced to each member of his group you get to live inside their heads, experiencing what each of them thinks and feels. Some characters are used rarely to keep their true feelings hidden while others (who I call my Six) are delved into deeply.
3) Why do I write what I do?
Passion for being weird and imaginative. If I didn’t have a way for ridding my brain of all the bizarre things that flood through it on a daily basis I would get locked up. Seriously though, I love to write, to create things, people, places, events. I get a buzz when I am making my characters happy, I grin foolishly when I am trying to be funny and become saddened when I know it is time for one of them to leave. I have written in different styles and genres, enjoying the odd and horrific best. I also love character work, so I tend to build a large cast.
I am from a drama background, so love the visual and grace of a performance. It is the same within my writing. I like a detailed description when it needs one but opt for a swifter pace.
I also love to write relationships, although they tend to be a little awkward in my work, reflecting my own experiences as a constantly single gay man in his early thirties. I know the pain of being in love with someone who will never love you back and I (in a therapeutic sort of way) put it down on the page. Friendships are easy for me as I am “that guy” who is always the friend. True story.
I also love magic and dragons!
4) How does my writing process work?
I am a planner. The story I am working on is so complex with hundreds of characters that if I didn’t have folders and folders of plans I would burn myself out. About six years ago I began to make a list of characters, places and events. I wanted the reluctant hero and his playful best friend. I wanted the tough healer with a bleak past. I wanted the sweet love interest who has to become iron. I wanted the powerful but quiet beast of a man who is the deep thinker when he isn’t beheading his foes. I made plans for each of these people, knowing how they would fit together.
Then I worked out a timeline, beginning with what would become book three and working my way through all six. At that time I didn’t know where the books would be divided, I just needed to get the events down in a way that they would work. Now I have a list of things tied together by lines which indicate the journey. These lines are the blood and soul of the work. I know when certain things need to happen for the story to progress but I never know how it will reach them. I prefer that part to be fluid and a surprise.
Sometimes my fingers type something and I look at it with a frown on my face wondering where it came from. Then I have to decide to keep it or not. I call this the Dead or Not Dead route. Anyone who has read any of my work will understand.
I wrote the last three chapters of book six two years ago. Now I just need to get there.
A Huge thanks to the wonderful D.M. Cain for tagging me.
The Tour Continues...
Autumn M. Birt
I have tagged the following Author to carry on the tour. I look forward to reading her blog next week. Sadly my other author was unable to join us for this tour.
Autumn is a travel and fiction writer currently based in Maine where she lives in a yurt with her husband and lovable Cairn Terriers. Her work is featured on the adventure travel website No Map Nomads. where she is the co-editor and writer (and also known as Weifarer). She is also a member of Guild of Dreams. , which features her blog posts as well as those of eleven other fantasy writers.
She is also the Author of the Rise of the Fifth Order series.
Would you protect a girl whose forbidden abilities condemn her to death?
Welcome to the world of Myrrah, ruled by the Church of Four Orders - Fire, Earth, Water, and Air. But there exists another gift, dubbed magic, which is considered an aberration by the Church. To be born with the powers of magic is to be condemned to death. To be born with the ability to control an element is to be born to a life serving the Church... and obeying its rules. One Priestess will stand against the Church to protect sixteen year old Ria, beginning an epic fantasy adventure that leads four unlikely friends across the breadth of their world to seek answers hidden in the buried archives of the Temple of Dust. Secrets from an ancient war and discoveries of hidden power lead to fight for survival that threaten to tear apart their world. What is magic and why does the Church want those who harbor its power
February 28, 2014
What is better, the book or the film?
Books Into Films: The Argument of Which is Better and more popular
People Want to Watch… Not Read… Right?
Recently I had an argument about books and films and TV programs. I basically mentioned that I wanted to get ahead of A Game of Thrones in the books so that the TV show didn't spoil them for me. A few of my friends went a little nuts about this. They claimed that by reading the books I was going to ruin the TV show and that is the preferred media for most of the world. I was shocked at first but then, as I talked it over with, realized that they may be correct. Not for me personally but for the majority of the world.
BIG Movies… small BOOKS
Everyone has seen a film based on a book, haven’t they? You may not even realize that you have. This lends itself to the argument that visual media has more power over the written word. We all know the big ones, Harry Potter, LOTR, Twishite, The Hunger Games. But what about the smaller ones; Perks of Being a Wallflower, Howls Moving Castle and The Neverending Story. They are known for the film, but did you know they were books first? There may be hundreds of thousands of avid readers who will roll their eyes or shout at the screen but I think this is true (sadly). I myself have only recently realized that a few of the films I have viewed were in fact based on books I had not heard of. Some shockingly so. The Silver Linings Playbook, Stardust, Fight Club, Warm Bodies, World War Z and let us not forget The Princess Diary’s.
I will use Warm Bodies as an example. I first became aware of this story as a trailer for the movie. I was not interested in the least and never bothered watching it, mostly due to the cast. I thought it was going to be an awfully strange romantic comedy with a zombie twist, so I scoffed and put it out of my mind. This movie grossed $66,359,959 in the three months of its release. The book certainly didn't make that much. It was only recently when I asked on Twitter for books that have been turned into movies that someone told me it was a book first. I was shocked that I didn't know that and then gasped as some of my favorite movies were revealed as starting their life as a book. But isn't that just down to marketing?
Marketing
Movies are much fewer in number than novels, certainly these days with Authors self-publishing on the Kindle. Each day there are hundreds of new books filling the shelves of the e-stores across the globe. How many movies are released into the cinema? On average it’s probably between 3-10 (this is a guess). Of course there are smaller films being released in limited cinemas or going straight to DVD. These almost fall into the same category of self-published novels. If it wasn't for the viral nature of the internet, such classic tales of Sharknadoes and Mega Sharks eating planes from the sky wouldn't ever get watched. I mean… Sand Sharks!
So, marketing aside, is it that more people want to watch the movie or that for most people, finding the right book is much harder?
I recently took a chance on a little book called Tethers, by Jack Croxall. The only reason for this was it was free and I saw a link on Twitter. I was bored and thought, why not. Within less than a minute I was reading away. I almost didn’t bother once I had purchased it, but as I flicked through a few open pages on my browser I sighed and picked it up. I am glad I did, for I really enjoyed it. I liked it so much that I Tweeted the Author and told him so. He even replied with some kind thanks.
Drowning in Virtual Rubbish
The problem facing Authors like Jack and myself is that there are so many others doing it. How many people claim to have a book in them or say it must be easy to be an author. All you have to do is write… right? Well no! It is not easy. Sadly, there are many unskilled people who knock out some frightful and shamefully edited pieces of rubbish, thinking they can “make it big.” All this does is clutter up the stores and hide the real gems. Like I said, if it wasn't for a random Tweet I read from Jack himself I would never have even heard of his book and that would have been sad.
So what is BETTER?
So to go back to my earlier point of what is better… well they are different. I love reading, others don’t. I also love watching movies, others don’t. You cannot simply say one form of media is better than the other, they both have merits that make them stand out and give us the enjoyment we need from them.
In a book I lose myself and become involved fully in the story. I have shed many tears while reading. In those moments when you begin to read the shocking outcome and your heart begins to race. You are in control of what is about to happen and it is within your own mind that you kill off your favorite character. It is a hard thing to do, because you feel a sense of loss.
While watching a film I feel a little disconnected. I enjoy the ride and laugh, smile and cringe along with everyone else. My heart pounds when I’m frightened and hurts when I watch something upsetting. However, I have never taken that with me. I don’t watch a film and then hours later think about it and get upset. I do when I read.
Again, this is a personal experience because I have been told many times by friends that they hate reading and find it boring and pointless. These same friends love the movies.
To sum up, I think it is personal to everyone. Movies seem to be more popular but that is mainly down to them being fewer in number and having much more marketing behind them. I mean, how often do you see an advert for a book these days?
That being said, if someone offered to make Prophecy of Ages into a movie I would probably do anything for them… I mean anything… whatever they wanted... no joke… ANYTHING! I would want it to be true to the book though and I think this is important. In my opinion, there isn’t anything worse (movie wise, there are thousands of real life things that are worse) than watching a movie based on a book and it has been altered to become unrecognizable.
Sometimes sounding like a Hipster is cool. “The book is always better than the film.”
People Want to Watch… Not Read… Right?
Recently I had an argument about books and films and TV programs. I basically mentioned that I wanted to get ahead of A Game of Thrones in the books so that the TV show didn't spoil them for me. A few of my friends went a little nuts about this. They claimed that by reading the books I was going to ruin the TV show and that is the preferred media for most of the world. I was shocked at first but then, as I talked it over with, realized that they may be correct. Not for me personally but for the majority of the world.
BIG Movies… small BOOKS
Everyone has seen a film based on a book, haven’t they? You may not even realize that you have. This lends itself to the argument that visual media has more power over the written word. We all know the big ones, Harry Potter, LOTR, Twishite, The Hunger Games. But what about the smaller ones; Perks of Being a Wallflower, Howls Moving Castle and The Neverending Story. They are known for the film, but did you know they were books first? There may be hundreds of thousands of avid readers who will roll their eyes or shout at the screen but I think this is true (sadly). I myself have only recently realized that a few of the films I have viewed were in fact based on books I had not heard of. Some shockingly so. The Silver Linings Playbook, Stardust, Fight Club, Warm Bodies, World War Z and let us not forget The Princess Diary’s.
I will use Warm Bodies as an example. I first became aware of this story as a trailer for the movie. I was not interested in the least and never bothered watching it, mostly due to the cast. I thought it was going to be an awfully strange romantic comedy with a zombie twist, so I scoffed and put it out of my mind. This movie grossed $66,359,959 in the three months of its release. The book certainly didn't make that much. It was only recently when I asked on Twitter for books that have been turned into movies that someone told me it was a book first. I was shocked that I didn't know that and then gasped as some of my favorite movies were revealed as starting their life as a book. But isn't that just down to marketing?
Marketing
Movies are much fewer in number than novels, certainly these days with Authors self-publishing on the Kindle. Each day there are hundreds of new books filling the shelves of the e-stores across the globe. How many movies are released into the cinema? On average it’s probably between 3-10 (this is a guess). Of course there are smaller films being released in limited cinemas or going straight to DVD. These almost fall into the same category of self-published novels. If it wasn't for the viral nature of the internet, such classic tales of Sharknadoes and Mega Sharks eating planes from the sky wouldn't ever get watched. I mean… Sand Sharks!
So, marketing aside, is it that more people want to watch the movie or that for most people, finding the right book is much harder?
I recently took a chance on a little book called Tethers, by Jack Croxall. The only reason for this was it was free and I saw a link on Twitter. I was bored and thought, why not. Within less than a minute I was reading away. I almost didn’t bother once I had purchased it, but as I flicked through a few open pages on my browser I sighed and picked it up. I am glad I did, for I really enjoyed it. I liked it so much that I Tweeted the Author and told him so. He even replied with some kind thanks.
Drowning in Virtual Rubbish
The problem facing Authors like Jack and myself is that there are so many others doing it. How many people claim to have a book in them or say it must be easy to be an author. All you have to do is write… right? Well no! It is not easy. Sadly, there are many unskilled people who knock out some frightful and shamefully edited pieces of rubbish, thinking they can “make it big.” All this does is clutter up the stores and hide the real gems. Like I said, if it wasn't for a random Tweet I read from Jack himself I would never have even heard of his book and that would have been sad.
So what is BETTER?
So to go back to my earlier point of what is better… well they are different. I love reading, others don’t. I also love watching movies, others don’t. You cannot simply say one form of media is better than the other, they both have merits that make them stand out and give us the enjoyment we need from them.
In a book I lose myself and become involved fully in the story. I have shed many tears while reading. In those moments when you begin to read the shocking outcome and your heart begins to race. You are in control of what is about to happen and it is within your own mind that you kill off your favorite character. It is a hard thing to do, because you feel a sense of loss.
While watching a film I feel a little disconnected. I enjoy the ride and laugh, smile and cringe along with everyone else. My heart pounds when I’m frightened and hurts when I watch something upsetting. However, I have never taken that with me. I don’t watch a film and then hours later think about it and get upset. I do when I read.
Again, this is a personal experience because I have been told many times by friends that they hate reading and find it boring and pointless. These same friends love the movies.
To sum up, I think it is personal to everyone. Movies seem to be more popular but that is mainly down to them being fewer in number and having much more marketing behind them. I mean, how often do you see an advert for a book these days?
That being said, if someone offered to make Prophecy of Ages into a movie I would probably do anything for them… I mean anything… whatever they wanted... no joke… ANYTHING! I would want it to be true to the book though and I think this is important. In my opinion, there isn’t anything worse (movie wise, there are thousands of real life things that are worse) than watching a movie based on a book and it has been altered to become unrecognizable.
Sometimes sounding like a Hipster is cool. “The book is always better than the film.”
February 23, 2014
How Being Told I Wasn't Good Enough Made Me More Determined To Succeed
Most people thrive off positive encouragement; they take it under their wings like an updraft which helps them sore. So, what happens when someone in a position of influence and authority tells you that you are not good enough? Does it work in the opposite way, dragging you down to earth with a crash, breaking your wings so that you can never take flight again? Well, I suppose that all depends on the person. For me it made me even more determined to succeed.
I was fourteen and at High school in the UK. My favorite lesson was English and I loved to learn as much as I could. Sadly, I have a mild learning difficulty when it comes to letters. I know what word I am trying to write but my brain decides to throw random information my way. I can type the same word forty-nine times and on the fiftieth it will be completely wrong and I have to really study it to understand why. As I have grown I have managed to overcome this problem almost completely. I still struggle with spelling at times, and to a lesser degree speaking the correct pronunciation. It sounds funny but sometimes when I say a word it comes out like I’m trying to put on an accent and I twist the sound. This is not a lame attempt to be humorous but the same problem accruing with letters and sounds being jumbled up.
So, let’s go back to fourteen year old me and a piece of work I was really proud of. It was a story for a creative writing module and I had taken great care with the details. I handed it in with confidence (something I greatly lack) and packed my bag up for the end of day. With other subjects giving me good grades, I was positive for once in my teenage life that all was good. I was on the cross country team and “reluctantly” the rugby squad, doing well in both. I was becoming popular for my personality and not just because of my position and was no longer one of those invisible children. I enjoyed school, I loved learning (I still do) and I was in my element.
Until I was handed back my story with almost every line scribbled through with red pen. I asked what was wrong with it and was bluntly told to take more care with spelling. Unknown to me, I had written the wrong words all the way through, letting the computer change my spelling mistakes. I was saddened and so approached the teacher to ask for help. She asked me what I wanted to be when I was an adult and I told her that my dream was to be a writer. With a frown and pursed lips she calmly said. “Aim lower. It’s an unrealistic fancy. Focus on something you can achieve.” In that moment I felt the first ever flicker of hatred touch my heart. It is a powerful feeling and one that I would advise against. I can hold my hand up and say that I have only ever truly hated three people, all of them because they have badly hurt me or someone I love in some way. As a happy, placid and caring youth it was a shock to be filled with turmoil and ill feeling. Teachers have a duty to their pupils. They are there to do more than just teach, they are a guide for the world that faces us. I am not saying they should lie, that would be wrong, but to out rightly destroy a child’s dream is one of the worst things that can be done.
Out of anger, more than anything else, I decided to prove her wrong. I rewrote the story, checking the spellings over and over. I changed some of the material and tried to make it appear more grown up. I gave it to her and she told me that I could not resubmit work that had already been marked and returned. I replied “This isn’t for my grade, this is to show you that I can be better.” A week later she gave it back to me, a few marks had been made here and there, but written at the top was a scrolled message. “You are never too old to learn you are wrong. Well done.”
The kind words didn’t make me like her, but they did put out the fire which was raging in my heart. All I have to do now was convince the rest of the world.
1 down 7,215,230,815 to go.
I was fourteen and at High school in the UK. My favorite lesson was English and I loved to learn as much as I could. Sadly, I have a mild learning difficulty when it comes to letters. I know what word I am trying to write but my brain decides to throw random information my way. I can type the same word forty-nine times and on the fiftieth it will be completely wrong and I have to really study it to understand why. As I have grown I have managed to overcome this problem almost completely. I still struggle with spelling at times, and to a lesser degree speaking the correct pronunciation. It sounds funny but sometimes when I say a word it comes out like I’m trying to put on an accent and I twist the sound. This is not a lame attempt to be humorous but the same problem accruing with letters and sounds being jumbled up.
So, let’s go back to fourteen year old me and a piece of work I was really proud of. It was a story for a creative writing module and I had taken great care with the details. I handed it in with confidence (something I greatly lack) and packed my bag up for the end of day. With other subjects giving me good grades, I was positive for once in my teenage life that all was good. I was on the cross country team and “reluctantly” the rugby squad, doing well in both. I was becoming popular for my personality and not just because of my position and was no longer one of those invisible children. I enjoyed school, I loved learning (I still do) and I was in my element.
Until I was handed back my story with almost every line scribbled through with red pen. I asked what was wrong with it and was bluntly told to take more care with spelling. Unknown to me, I had written the wrong words all the way through, letting the computer change my spelling mistakes. I was saddened and so approached the teacher to ask for help. She asked me what I wanted to be when I was an adult and I told her that my dream was to be a writer. With a frown and pursed lips she calmly said. “Aim lower. It’s an unrealistic fancy. Focus on something you can achieve.” In that moment I felt the first ever flicker of hatred touch my heart. It is a powerful feeling and one that I would advise against. I can hold my hand up and say that I have only ever truly hated three people, all of them because they have badly hurt me or someone I love in some way. As a happy, placid and caring youth it was a shock to be filled with turmoil and ill feeling. Teachers have a duty to their pupils. They are there to do more than just teach, they are a guide for the world that faces us. I am not saying they should lie, that would be wrong, but to out rightly destroy a child’s dream is one of the worst things that can be done.
Out of anger, more than anything else, I decided to prove her wrong. I rewrote the story, checking the spellings over and over. I changed some of the material and tried to make it appear more grown up. I gave it to her and she told me that I could not resubmit work that had already been marked and returned. I replied “This isn’t for my grade, this is to show you that I can be better.” A week later she gave it back to me, a few marks had been made here and there, but written at the top was a scrolled message. “You are never too old to learn you are wrong. Well done.”
The kind words didn’t make me like her, but they did put out the fire which was raging in my heart. All I have to do now was convince the rest of the world.
1 down 7,215,230,815 to go.
February 20, 2014
The Reason for Two Wings of Lights
Hello everyone. I’d like to start by saying thanks to everyone who commented on the last blog post, huh what? Oh, no one commented. Okay, awkward.
Anyway… I think I should explain what has happened in terms of the book titles and how the new editions work. I think some people may be confused and hopefully this will sort things out.
“Why are there TWO versions of
Wings of Light?”
A few years ago, I wrote a book and titled it “Wings of Light.” This book was my first ever published work. I was so excited that it was going to be published that I rushed it and failed to do it justice. When I decided to make the move over to Amazon I had the opportunity to rework the book and make it what I wanted. So began the massive edit of Wings of Light. In the process it became clear that the book was getting a little too big and so an idea popped into my brain. Why not slice it in half and make two books out of the original one. I found a good place where the story could be split and worked to round both parts into complete works in their own right.
So now we have Book One: Wings of Light and Book Two: Decimation of Hope. Technically, these two books placed together do make up the original version, with just a few alterations and added content (lots of added content).
“What has changed within the Two NEW Versions?”
Wings of Light: A new dream has been added at the beginning, replacing the old one and a completely new Epilogue has been written. A few other changes have been made throughout the book cleaning up the text or setting the stage for later books.
Decimation of Hope: This is where most of the changes have taken place. A completely new Prologue has been added, called “The Prophecy is Written” and features three new characters from Atlantia’s history. In the original version, the chapter “Guests of the Queen” has been replaced with four extended chapters, revealing more about the characters and adding a few new ones. A new and touching chapter called “Children of the Dark” has been added and a completely new ending to the chapter “Holy Gift” about Tye, Maida, Baron Lokkie and Razzork has been worked into the book. The chapter “A Week in Galvalou” has been replaced by two more in-depth chapters and the end has been completely reworked to make it even more painstakingly dark. Again a new Epilogue has been added and the rest has been touched up.
“If you have read the old edit, do you need to read the new versions?”
Basically no. But, then again it would help to read the new versions. But it isn't necessary to do so. The changes are more to forge the characters, to bring them to life. No new plots have been added, and no plots have been altered.
The only things which have changed greatly are the additions of the new prologue and epilogues. These do house some interesting and needed plot points for future books. However, in writing Books three and four, I have kept this in mind and worked in a couple of scenes, somewhat retelling these chapters. They may not be the complete things but the recaps do give the needed information that may have been missed.
The only thing which may cause a tad of confusion is the newly added dream in Wings of Light. This dream, where very similar to the original, is glanced back upon in a later book and without having read the new version may be puzzling, but not unenjoyable.
“If we have yet to read the books which versions should we read?”
The new ones. It is from these that the following four books will be written. Even with the recaps, the new versions are more complete and fully rounded.
I hope this clears up any confusion about the two versions. If you do decide to begin the Prophecy of Ages, please purchase the new editions as the old one is soon to be out of print, where it belongs.
Keep those comments coming and have a nice time.
Lloyd
Anyway… I think I should explain what has happened in terms of the book titles and how the new editions work. I think some people may be confused and hopefully this will sort things out.
“Why are there TWO versions of
Wings of Light?”
A few years ago, I wrote a book and titled it “Wings of Light.” This book was my first ever published work. I was so excited that it was going to be published that I rushed it and failed to do it justice. When I decided to make the move over to Amazon I had the opportunity to rework the book and make it what I wanted. So began the massive edit of Wings of Light. In the process it became clear that the book was getting a little too big and so an idea popped into my brain. Why not slice it in half and make two books out of the original one. I found a good place where the story could be split and worked to round both parts into complete works in their own right.
So now we have Book One: Wings of Light and Book Two: Decimation of Hope. Technically, these two books placed together do make up the original version, with just a few alterations and added content (lots of added content).
“What has changed within the Two NEW Versions?”
Wings of Light: A new dream has been added at the beginning, replacing the old one and a completely new Epilogue has been written. A few other changes have been made throughout the book cleaning up the text or setting the stage for later books.
Decimation of Hope: This is where most of the changes have taken place. A completely new Prologue has been added, called “The Prophecy is Written” and features three new characters from Atlantia’s history. In the original version, the chapter “Guests of the Queen” has been replaced with four extended chapters, revealing more about the characters and adding a few new ones. A new and touching chapter called “Children of the Dark” has been added and a completely new ending to the chapter “Holy Gift” about Tye, Maida, Baron Lokkie and Razzork has been worked into the book. The chapter “A Week in Galvalou” has been replaced by two more in-depth chapters and the end has been completely reworked to make it even more painstakingly dark. Again a new Epilogue has been added and the rest has been touched up.
“If you have read the old edit, do you need to read the new versions?”
Basically no. But, then again it would help to read the new versions. But it isn't necessary to do so. The changes are more to forge the characters, to bring them to life. No new plots have been added, and no plots have been altered.
The only things which have changed greatly are the additions of the new prologue and epilogues. These do house some interesting and needed plot points for future books. However, in writing Books three and four, I have kept this in mind and worked in a couple of scenes, somewhat retelling these chapters. They may not be the complete things but the recaps do give the needed information that may have been missed.
The only thing which may cause a tad of confusion is the newly added dream in Wings of Light. This dream, where very similar to the original, is glanced back upon in a later book and without having read the new version may be puzzling, but not unenjoyable.
“If we have yet to read the books which versions should we read?”
The new ones. It is from these that the following four books will be written. Even with the recaps, the new versions are more complete and fully rounded.
I hope this clears up any confusion about the two versions. If you do decide to begin the Prophecy of Ages, please purchase the new editions as the old one is soon to be out of print, where it belongs.
Keep those comments coming and have a nice time.
Lloyd
February 11, 2014
Characters of Prophecy
Characters of Prophecy
Darwin't Utsa is a weaver. He is lazy and can be easily led. He has little love for his role in life and wishes for nothing more than to sleep the days away, leaving all the hard work for his elderly aunt. He is also the Dreamer. The one who can see the ties of prophecy and can lead the heroes of light into the final battle. Atlantia is doomed!
Danlynn Lucius is a joker and trouble maker around his small village. He likes the company of woman and lazing the days away alone or with his best friend Darwin’t.
"I keep dreaming about the end of the world"-Darwin't
"I keep dreaming about that bar wench"-Danlynn
Derry'n Pyrena is a blacksmith with no family, friends and believes he has nothing to live for. He finds a cat called Kloek, who he seems to be able to understand but what does it mean? And why does the cat not do anything it is told?
“I have no idea who I am”- Derry’n
“I know who you are. You’re the guy buying the milk”- Kloek
Riochald Haldana is alone. Is it her temper? Is it her mood swings? Is it the enjoyment she gets from slapping men about the face? Is it the darkness that swims in her aura poisoning everyone around her?
Canace Al’drea is sweet. She is loving and loyal. She is passionate about her beliefs and has great wisdom for one so young. She's accident prone. She is also destined to marry the saviour of the world. She sighs
“I’m ready to become a woman”- Canace
“You have been a woman for Suns. I’ve just been waiting for you to realise it”- Riochald
Tarfleam Midigon has always hated himself, been a bully and ruined lives. He is bitter about everyone around him and secretly wishes ill on those who should be his friends. Now he has been told to protect a child from the coming darkness.
Molly is a child. She lives with the Angels. She dreams about having Wings of Light on her back. She's also 2000 years older than she looks.
"If you could save one person. Who would you save?"- Molly.
"Only one? I would save myself"-Tarfleam
Tak'arshi Bur’est was born without emotions. Logic has guided him in the world; it has been his teacher and companion. Now he has been given a gift. He can feel. And it’s destroying him!
Chazrina Hammerwhack is cold hearted, harsh and bossy. She grew up within the tribes of Dray and thinks highly of her skills as a swordsman and dancer, combining the two. She is also a distant relative of Fia and enjoys making his life a misery.
“I do not understand. What is the point of feeling bad just because I knocked over a pot?”- Tak’arshi
“You feel bad because it was the pot containing my breakfast”- Chaz
Fia Sharphorn is a mountain prince. He is a mighty warrior with a heart of stone. He is also stuck babysitting the spoiled princess of Atlant.
Tye Slocot has always been a follower. His father, his best friend, the village bully. Things don't change, however now he follows the dead
“We must help the others!”-Fia
“We already have, before you even thought to speak the words to us”- Tye
Darwin't Utsa is a weaver. He is lazy and can be easily led. He has little love for his role in life and wishes for nothing more than to sleep the days away, leaving all the hard work for his elderly aunt. He is also the Dreamer. The one who can see the ties of prophecy and can lead the heroes of light into the final battle. Atlantia is doomed!
Danlynn Lucius is a joker and trouble maker around his small village. He likes the company of woman and lazing the days away alone or with his best friend Darwin’t.
"I keep dreaming about the end of the world"-Darwin't
"I keep dreaming about that bar wench"-Danlynn
Derry'n Pyrena is a blacksmith with no family, friends and believes he has nothing to live for. He finds a cat called Kloek, who he seems to be able to understand but what does it mean? And why does the cat not do anything it is told?
“I have no idea who I am”- Derry’n
“I know who you are. You’re the guy buying the milk”- Kloek
Riochald Haldana is alone. Is it her temper? Is it her mood swings? Is it the enjoyment she gets from slapping men about the face? Is it the darkness that swims in her aura poisoning everyone around her?
Canace Al’drea is sweet. She is loving and loyal. She is passionate about her beliefs and has great wisdom for one so young. She's accident prone. She is also destined to marry the saviour of the world. She sighs
“I’m ready to become a woman”- Canace
“You have been a woman for Suns. I’ve just been waiting for you to realise it”- Riochald
Tarfleam Midigon has always hated himself, been a bully and ruined lives. He is bitter about everyone around him and secretly wishes ill on those who should be his friends. Now he has been told to protect a child from the coming darkness.
Molly is a child. She lives with the Angels. She dreams about having Wings of Light on her back. She's also 2000 years older than she looks.
"If you could save one person. Who would you save?"- Molly.
"Only one? I would save myself"-Tarfleam
Tak'arshi Bur’est was born without emotions. Logic has guided him in the world; it has been his teacher and companion. Now he has been given a gift. He can feel. And it’s destroying him!
Chazrina Hammerwhack is cold hearted, harsh and bossy. She grew up within the tribes of Dray and thinks highly of her skills as a swordsman and dancer, combining the two. She is also a distant relative of Fia and enjoys making his life a misery.
“I do not understand. What is the point of feeling bad just because I knocked over a pot?”- Tak’arshi
“You feel bad because it was the pot containing my breakfast”- Chaz
Fia Sharphorn is a mountain prince. He is a mighty warrior with a heart of stone. He is also stuck babysitting the spoiled princess of Atlant.
Tye Slocot has always been a follower. His father, his best friend, the village bully. Things don't change, however now he follows the dead
“We must help the others!”-Fia
“We already have, before you even thought to speak the words to us”- Tye
June 30, 2013
The prophecy begins with a dislike of Sports
The prophecy begins with a dislike of Sports
I will begin with a sentence that has the word hello within it. Now that I have greeted you all I can get on with things.
I am Lloyd Andrew Baron and I am trying to be an author. I have a full time job which makes crafting great works of art difficult but not impossible. On my days off I can often be found dragging my notebook and laptop around my home city of Portsmouth from Coffee shop to coffee shop; to the park, sea front or wherever else I can find to set down and create. But I feel like I'm jumping ahead of myself.
Let us go back to the beginning.
My dad was the coach of my little village football team (that is soccer to all you none British folk). As a child I would get dragged all over the county to various league matches or whatever they were. I hated it. I longed for childhood adventures, you know, climbing trees or digging holes in the garden. However, it was not to be, for I was the son of the coach and as such I would don the pale blue, massively overlarge football kit and dance about like I knew what I was doing. It didn't help that my two older brothers loved the game and that one of them was pretty good at it. The only part of the whole affair which I enjoyed was the halftime orange slice.
Luckily, my mother also wasn't a fan and soon we would find our freedom over a cheese and pickle crusty roll and a small bowl of chips. However, that came at a cost... shopping trips.
For much of my young life I had to share a bedroom with Louis, my brother who is a year or so older than me. Our beds were close and we would tell silly ghost stories to each other. Wait... I have hopped ahead again.
Before those stories there was the Football Skulls.
A story my loving Dad made up one night and NEVER finished. Still to this day I can remember the feeling in my chest when the protagonist of the bedtime tale ventured into a hollow tree to find what he thought were skulls falling upon him but turned out to be footballs carved into skulls. It was a mystery that would never get solved and the first spark of desire for creative knowledge. I wanted to answer the questions of how and why they were there. I never finished the story myself; I have always felt it was better to be left open, hanging over me like the sword of Damocles.
Okay, so now I am telling ghost stories with my brother. His were the normal gore fests you can imagine most children thinking up. Mine were inventive and sometimes confusing to the point where I would not even know what on earth I was talking about. But within those nightly giggle inducing moments I grew a passion. I loved telling stories.
This went on and on. I am not saying my parents are bad or anything but I did watch all of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies as a young boy and recounted them to my friends (who were not allowed to view them) in the playground, fuelling my passion. Even though I was only repeating what I had seen, I would embellish the tales with splashes of my own and add my feelings as well. "My heart began to race, my stomach twisted and I had to squeeze the cushion to quench the desire to vomit." Okay, perhaps as a ten year old I didn't put it like that. "My heart was pumping well fast and I thought I was going to be sick," you get the idea.
However, I always felt like I was disappointing my old man. Not to the point where it bothered me like a ghostly shadow over the shoulder but as a niggle I couldn't shake. He was close with my older brothers through sport and we didn't share that connection. However, what we did share was creativity. My dad has always talked about writing and has thrown ideas around for as long as I can remember. With passion for writing burning deep within, I decided to forgo my dreams of dramatic arts (I was the lead in Charley and the Chocolate Factory... So Charley) and opted for creative writing.
I embarked on a small twenty week course to hone my skills. I have to say that I learned nothing from it. After that, I went to college to study English Lit, Political Culture, Sociology, Art History and Historiography. I studied very hard and did very well. I grew to love old painted stuff but it sort of ruined poetry for me. All I see now when I look at a poem is the breakdown of structure and I am always trying to find hidden meanings behind everything I read.
My Mum was great. She encouraged me to do what I wanted and even let me off paying the rent for a while so I could concentrate on writing and not on getting a job. I had an old typewriter back then and I tapped out a horror story about a group of kids who use a Ouija board. It was about three-hundred pages and wasn't great.
After that I decided to be a grown up and went to work. I never stopped writing though.
Following on from The Board, I wrote a drama/horror about a group of twenty something’s living in San Francisco. It was full of sex (who says you need to write what you know), drugs, affairs, murder, suicides and graphic gory scenes which would give me nightmares. I loved this story and one day I will sit down and complete it. That day is not today for I have my true love waiting for me. He is a complex little thing called Prophecy of Ages which I have been crafting for over ten years.
Wings of Light: Book One of the Prophecy of Ages Saga was first published in 2011. I was super excited for it and in my haste to get it finished I let it down. I have spent the last year re-writing book one, in tandem with writing books two and three. I now feel that I have the finished book in front of me and can go ahead and release it into the wild.
I gifted a copy of my book to my dad, the only copy that I did give out as a gift. It is a little strange to have lengthy discussions with my dad about my writing. Strange, because for the first time I could see passion in his eyes and pride filling his chest. It's a funny thing.
What would have happened if I had liked football?
I will begin with a sentence that has the word hello within it. Now that I have greeted you all I can get on with things.
I am Lloyd Andrew Baron and I am trying to be an author. I have a full time job which makes crafting great works of art difficult but not impossible. On my days off I can often be found dragging my notebook and laptop around my home city of Portsmouth from Coffee shop to coffee shop; to the park, sea front or wherever else I can find to set down and create. But I feel like I'm jumping ahead of myself.
Let us go back to the beginning.
My dad was the coach of my little village football team (that is soccer to all you none British folk). As a child I would get dragged all over the county to various league matches or whatever they were. I hated it. I longed for childhood adventures, you know, climbing trees or digging holes in the garden. However, it was not to be, for I was the son of the coach and as such I would don the pale blue, massively overlarge football kit and dance about like I knew what I was doing. It didn't help that my two older brothers loved the game and that one of them was pretty good at it. The only part of the whole affair which I enjoyed was the halftime orange slice.
Luckily, my mother also wasn't a fan and soon we would find our freedom over a cheese and pickle crusty roll and a small bowl of chips. However, that came at a cost... shopping trips.
For much of my young life I had to share a bedroom with Louis, my brother who is a year or so older than me. Our beds were close and we would tell silly ghost stories to each other. Wait... I have hopped ahead again.
Before those stories there was the Football Skulls.
A story my loving Dad made up one night and NEVER finished. Still to this day I can remember the feeling in my chest when the protagonist of the bedtime tale ventured into a hollow tree to find what he thought were skulls falling upon him but turned out to be footballs carved into skulls. It was a mystery that would never get solved and the first spark of desire for creative knowledge. I wanted to answer the questions of how and why they were there. I never finished the story myself; I have always felt it was better to be left open, hanging over me like the sword of Damocles.
Okay, so now I am telling ghost stories with my brother. His were the normal gore fests you can imagine most children thinking up. Mine were inventive and sometimes confusing to the point where I would not even know what on earth I was talking about. But within those nightly giggle inducing moments I grew a passion. I loved telling stories.
This went on and on. I am not saying my parents are bad or anything but I did watch all of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies as a young boy and recounted them to my friends (who were not allowed to view them) in the playground, fuelling my passion. Even though I was only repeating what I had seen, I would embellish the tales with splashes of my own and add my feelings as well. "My heart began to race, my stomach twisted and I had to squeeze the cushion to quench the desire to vomit." Okay, perhaps as a ten year old I didn't put it like that. "My heart was pumping well fast and I thought I was going to be sick," you get the idea.
However, I always felt like I was disappointing my old man. Not to the point where it bothered me like a ghostly shadow over the shoulder but as a niggle I couldn't shake. He was close with my older brothers through sport and we didn't share that connection. However, what we did share was creativity. My dad has always talked about writing and has thrown ideas around for as long as I can remember. With passion for writing burning deep within, I decided to forgo my dreams of dramatic arts (I was the lead in Charley and the Chocolate Factory... So Charley) and opted for creative writing.
I embarked on a small twenty week course to hone my skills. I have to say that I learned nothing from it. After that, I went to college to study English Lit, Political Culture, Sociology, Art History and Historiography. I studied very hard and did very well. I grew to love old painted stuff but it sort of ruined poetry for me. All I see now when I look at a poem is the breakdown of structure and I am always trying to find hidden meanings behind everything I read.
My Mum was great. She encouraged me to do what I wanted and even let me off paying the rent for a while so I could concentrate on writing and not on getting a job. I had an old typewriter back then and I tapped out a horror story about a group of kids who use a Ouija board. It was about three-hundred pages and wasn't great.
After that I decided to be a grown up and went to work. I never stopped writing though.
Following on from The Board, I wrote a drama/horror about a group of twenty something’s living in San Francisco. It was full of sex (who says you need to write what you know), drugs, affairs, murder, suicides and graphic gory scenes which would give me nightmares. I loved this story and one day I will sit down and complete it. That day is not today for I have my true love waiting for me. He is a complex little thing called Prophecy of Ages which I have been crafting for over ten years.
Wings of Light: Book One of the Prophecy of Ages Saga was first published in 2011. I was super excited for it and in my haste to get it finished I let it down. I have spent the last year re-writing book one, in tandem with writing books two and three. I now feel that I have the finished book in front of me and can go ahead and release it into the wild.
I gifted a copy of my book to my dad, the only copy that I did give out as a gift. It is a little strange to have lengthy discussions with my dad about my writing. Strange, because for the first time I could see passion in his eyes and pride filling his chest. It's a funny thing.
What would have happened if I had liked football?
