Dusk Of Innocence

It lives...barely....

2010-02-20T15:47:00.003-05:00

So, for a while there, I had given up on writing. And that meant I had given up on DoI. I had a lot of real life stuff to deal with. Things have calmed down now and I'm trying to get back into writing again. I can't promise anything but I did start to update the wiki with some new info. I'm not sure I'm back to writing the novel yet but I am going to work on the wiki and see if that gets me going.

That was quick!

2008-11-16T16:51:00.001-05:00

Chapter 10 is now up at Elfwood as well!

Chapter 10, a Wiki, and an Apology!

2008-11-14T12:30:00.003-05:00

Chapter 10 is now up at deviantArt. I've submitted it to Elfwood, so look for it show up there in the next couple of weeks. It also now available in Microsoft Word .doc format at the Dusk of Innocence Wiki hosted at Wetpaint.

That's right--I've created a DoI Wiki. My notes for the novel and its universe are getting a bit unwieldy. So, I've been meaning to create a wiki to help sort everything. At first I was just going to create a personal wiki for me, but as I looked into it I found Wetpaint. Well, part of my goal with publishing DoI as I wrote it was to include the reader in the writing process. So, the wiki will be available as cannon source material to everyone. I won't put in any info that could be considered spoilers (such as Ian's last name) until such information is revealed in the story itself. Right now, its just sort of an outline of what I want to include, but look for me to start putting more up over the next few months.

Finally, an apology on how long it took me to finish Chapter 10. I'm not sure why it took so long. It really has been "nearly" finished for a month now. I finished it up in a hour this morning, did some quick proofreading, and posted it. I'm also sorry because there will be a delay on Chapter 11 because I want to work on the Wiki and get myself more organized before I go any further with the novel. So bear with me (if there's anyone left reading this that is), I promise it will help make Dusk of Innocence a fuller reading experience.

Sir Markas Tau

2008-10-14T10:14:00.002-04:00

Sir Markas Tau by smoonsilver

So, yes I've been playing at Polyvore again. But I also have been working on Chapter 10. I've decided to end it a bit sooner than I originally intended, but I think dramatically it will work better. Also, it means I should finish it sooner.

As for the above Polyvore, its probably not the best representation of Markas or Kirin. But it was the best I could find. Markas, of course, wields a great axe not a great sword. And I'm sure this would bother the Markas' inspiration greatly. But it portrays the general feel of Markas so I went with it. I really do wish I was better artist so I could draw all the characters. For now, my pathetic polyvore attempts and my pathetic art on Elfwood/dA will have to do. Sorry.

Not DoI related...

2008-09-25T06:26:00.003-04:00

...but I put up some of my old poetry at deviantArt. WARNING:A lot of it deals with mature topics and uses some language that people may find offensive. In other words, my poetry is nothing like DoI. A lot of it deals with eroticism or gender issue. You have been warned.

Emily Polyvore set

2008-09-20T18:44:00.001-04:00

Chapter 9 at Elfwood....and some bad news

2008-09-11T18:49:00.003-04:00

The title pretty much says it all. Chapter 9 is now available at Elfwood.

The bad news is that there will probably be another delay with Chapter 10. Not writer's block this time either, I recently started a new job and its consuming all my time. Still, I'll hopefully be back to the novel by the end of October.

In the mean time, enjoy Chapter 9 (if you already haven't).

Gadgets and Dollies!

2008-08-27T10:45:00.005-04:00

You have noticed, I added a new section on the right. For those of you who like to subscribe to blog feeds, its supposed to make it easy to subscribe to DoI. Its one of the new gadgets blogger is offering so I thought I'd try it out.

Also, while going through my files, I found a bunch of DoI digital dolls that I made a long time ago, when I was still considering doing DoI as a webcomic. At the time, I was very into dolls. The idea was you would take a base doll graphic and then add your own hair, clothes, etc. Mine aren't very good. I did them in MS Paint for one. Two, I was never good at making bases, so I used other peoples. I can't find the website where I got these bases. It may not even exist anymore, its been that long. But if you know where these bases come from, please let me know as I'd love to post a link to give credit.

Anyway, for your amusement and enjoyment:

I love this base, just thought it was too cute. Yes, that's Emily hugging both an Ian doll and a Markas doll.

A portrait doll of Emily.

Chapter 10

2008-08-24T22:52:00.003-04:00

I hope you're enjoying Chapter 9. I'm not sure who you is...I may just be talking to myself. I do that sometimes. Well, I guess if someone has read the novel so far and liked it enough to come here, then someone might be reading this blog. I think I'm turning into Frances Burney who addressed her journal to "Nobody". That's all right, Evelina is one of my favorite novels, so if I turn into her I guess I wouldn't be too bad off.

Anyways, if you've gotten this far past my babbling, you are probably still wondering why the title of this post is Chapter 10. Well, that's because I've started on Chapter 10. Hopefully, there won't be as long of wait between 9 and 10 as there was between 8 and 9.

Chapter 9...

2008-08-21T23:22:00.004-04:00

...is done!!!! And is now posted here at dA. Please enjoy.

I'm in the process of submitting it to Elfwood, so just give it a few weeks and hopefully it will be there too.

Oh, and in case anyone is worried about things like cannon, I've changed the incantation for Emily's entangling spell. I used Impedementia before, but I recently re-read the Harry Potter series and realized that its one of the spells in there too. So, since I respect Ms. Rowling's work and don't want to be seen as trying to copy her, I've changed it. I hadn't realized it while writing it, but its weird the odd little bits that get stuck in your head sometimes. However, I haven't yet gone and changed it in the chapters already published. Unless I make any major changes, I won't go back and redo those chapters yet. When Book 1 is finished, I plan to go back and redo all the chapters to reflect those minor changes.

A Polyvore set...

2008-07-25T11:05:00.002-04:00

Yes, I know. I should be diligently toiling away at Chapter 9. But I just discovered Polyvore and I may be a tad addicted. But I haven't totally abandoned the novel, don't worry. In fact I made this on Polyvore:

I promise, once this subsides I'll finish Chapter 9.

New Art Up at Elfwood

2008-07-21T09:47:00.002-04:00

While I was on my hiatus, my ticket went up at Elfwood. It mostly had art that was rejected the first time around for being non-genre. It was all up at dA already, but if you prefer Elfwood its up there too now.

And I'm sorry...I didn't even look at DoI while I was on vacation. I promise, I'll try to work on Chapter 9 in the upcoming weeks.

A Short Hiatus

2008-07-08T10:25:00.003-04:00

I've been spending a lot of time trying to get things going here and at The Enchanted Cottage. Despite my best efforts, I'm not getting a lot of traffic. I'm not really sure what to do. My purpose with putting the novel online was to get people to read it. When it debuted on Elfwood, I got some great positive feedback. But this site and the dA site are virtually unknown. And its not like I haven't been trying.

I hate spamming, but I've basically spammed every message board I belong to. The problem is that I'm so busy trying to promote DoI and the Enchanted Cottage I haven't been able to actually work on them.

So, I'm taking a two week hiatus from the blogs. Hopefully, this will give me time to clear my head and work on actual content for them (say like Chapter 9 which I'm still about half-way through).

And if there is actually someone reading this and you have thoughts about how to get people to check out DoI or the Enchanted Cottage, please let me know.

New Art up at Elfwood and dA

2008-06-24T12:08:00.003-04:00

My ticket went through at Elfwood, so there is a whole bunch of new art up in the gallery. Unfortunately, some of it got rejected for being non-genre. I'm not surprised. It's happened to a lot of other artists at Elfwood. So I posted it and some other new art at dA too. My favorite picture (and spoiler) is called Emily in Repose. Its at both sites, so check it out!

Chapter 9 should be along soon.

Chapter 6-8 now up at dA

2008-06-23T15:26:00.002-04:00

Chapters 6-8 are now up at deviantArt. They are PDF's as well. I got a copy of PDF Create 5, which is basically a program that can convert other documents into PDFs. It seems to work pretty well.

I'm sorry I've been really busy lately. I haven't worked on Chapter 9 in the past week. I'll try and correct that this week.

DoI, now at dA!!!!!

2008-06-20T10:18:00.003-04:00

I've posted the first five chapters of DoI up at deviantArt. They are in PDF, which means you can now download them to your computer and print them out to read at your leisure if you wish.

I'm not sure when Chapters 6-8 will join them. I used a trial of Adobe's online PDF convertor to make them. It allows up to 5 free conversions. After that, I have to pay ~$10 a month to do anymore. I'm thinking about it.

Honestly, I know I don't have a whole lot of readership (just some over at Elfwood really). I'm not sure its worth the money at this point. I'll keep writing and posting them. If I manage to generate some interest, I'll shell out the money for it I guess.

Deviant Art

2008-06-15T11:12:00.002-04:00

I'm going to post stuff at Deviant Art as well. Right now there are some random pictures that were in my gallery @ Elfwood. I'll still post to Elfwood too, but I can get stuff up faster at Deviant Art. I'm looking into ways to turn the novel chapters into PDF's so I can post them too.

Recently, I did post a big ticket at Elfwood with lots of art I've done in past few years. When it gets up I'll post here and hopefully I can see about getting it onto Deviant Art too.

And yes, I'm still working on Chapter 9. I promise, I'll try to have it out before the end of summer.

Honestly...

2008-06-11T11:34:00.003-04:00

I really am working on Chapter 9. It's just that its a really long chapter. I thought I'd post a snippet here just to prove I am working on it:

The four of them were crouched on top of a hill, looking down into the Argenault
Valley. In the far distance, they could see a small dot which was the capital
city. But that wasn’t what had there attention at the moment. Directly below
them at the base of the hill was the orc encampment.

“This is madness!” Jonathan hissed.

“I know,” Ian said, lowering his spyglass, “Handing over the land of a well respected noble to a bunch of greedy orcs.”

“No, I mean us being here,” Jonathan said, “We should be doing everything to avoid them.”

“It’s easier to go around them if we know where they are,” Ian smirked.

Emily giggled softly, “Why Jonathan I do believe you got Ian to smile.”

“Really, Emily, this is not the time the time for humor,” Jonathan said, tersely.

“Actually, humor is an appropriate way to break the tension in some situations,” Markas said.

Its Official

2008-06-03T13:05:00.003-04:00

I've decided I like Blogger better than any of the other blogs I've used so far. So I' consolidating them all here. So, welcome to the new official, Dusk of Innocence blog!

Placeholder time

2008-06-02T15:13:00.000-04:00

I'm thinking of moving the blog for my novel from LJ to here. I just wanted to claim Dusk of Innocence as a title. If you are interested in either, the LJ can be found here. The novel itself is currently being published serially at Elfwood here.