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Topic: [ANN] Fledgeling Personal E-book Publishing (Read 691 times)

newbie
Activity: 11
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June 24, 2012, 09:45:25 PM
#7
“I’m no one,” he screamed once again, “But I’m going to a legend! I’ll… I’ll be the man to conquer the skies themselves!”
Small typo:
... Of the Boy Who Swallowed A Fallen Star.
Excellent hook to the opening.

And it qualifies as the first of the (minimum of) three challenges a "hero" must pass to accomplish the quest.

I refer to Joseph Campbell's "Hero's Journey".

-Jesse



Hey, Jesse

Thanks for the feedback! I love Campbell and I'm definitely trying to model the story after his theory. As for the three part tests of the hero, I'm still working on the others haha

I can't say for certain where I want the story to go, but I'm thinking it will involve stealing the sun or something mythic of that sort. I'm sure I could justify it through our favorite fire monster's backstory. Play Pelsefer as an exile and let the journey unravel from there. But, that still leaves the grand purpose of the journey in the dark. Cambellian hero's gotta be working selflessly to count as a true fulfilled hero. So, I'll have to give the boy something to save. What that'll be I don't know.
newbie
Activity: 14
Merit: 0
“I’m no one,” he screamed once again, “But I’m going to a legend! I’ll… I’ll be the man to conquer the skies themselves!”
Small typo:
... Of the Boy Who Swallowed A Fallen Star.
Excellent hook to the opening.

And it qualifies as the first of the (minimum of) three challenges a "hero" must pass to accomplish the quest.

I refer to Joseph Campbell's "Hero's Journey".

-Jesse
newbie
Activity: 14
Merit: 0
I'm a big fan of epic poetry so the opening followed the Aeneid's invocation.
I read somewhere that an "epic adventure" was always in three volumes. Wink

-Jesse

PS: The "somewhere" was the last page of "The River of Dancing Gods" by Jack Chalker.
The publisher (of the first edition) was most careful to avoid mentioning on the outside of the book that it was volume one of a series.  I usually wait until I have all of a series (that I expect to be good enough I'll want to just plough through and read it all in one sitting) before I start reading the first volume.

Chalker got me, as he intended. Smiley
newbie
Activity: 11
Merit: 0
If anyone wants the pdf, I can send that as well. Also, donate if ya like :p

O Muse of highest heaven, sing us his song: The song of one accursed man's journey, blessed tenfold by the fates, but so detested by the gods for theft of their fire. But, does such a crime warrant such anguish? To be cast out from his home, forced to be thrown by foreign winds, tossed along ancient seas, alone. What crime deserves this? Please, Muse, sing, for us, his tale. Sing of his crime.

   It was the peak of darkness when a great fire illuminated the sky as if the night had hiccupped and, for a moment, became day. The fire fell, but its light still shone brightly in the darkness. “A beacon. It must be a sign,” thought the young man who had just been praying for a little excitement. “It’s time to go, I won’t miss this chance!” he yelled, and in one fell swoop he rolled out of bed, snatched his hat off the night table, grabbed his satchel, and swung it over his shoulder. He made towards the door, but stopped part way, deciding to take up his small dagger, “Well, you never know.” 

   The night air was brisk, but unlike every other night, tonight it had the hint of adventure. “This is it,” he thought. He began walking towards the beacon, still lighting a portion of the night sky from the perch where it had landed. Many in the village had awoken. Some were crying while others prayed in the ancient tongue: Areh Areh eot, eert ju kos! None among them dared move closer to the Mountain; they were all afraid. “Tsk, that’s all... Always praying, never doing. I’m done just praying.” The Mountain of Zalamur had always struck great fear and suspicion into the residents of the boy’s village, but never he. They said the Mountain was shaped by gods, a dungeon for some great evil, some said. Others believed it was where the gods hid their treasure. But tonight, to the boy, it was where his adventure was to begin. He started to walk faster. He ignored the shouts of neighbors to return. No, this was his night. Something was calling him forward. He would not stop. He began to run.
 
   His body ached, his arms went limp, his legs gave out, but he had made it. In three hours he’d done what would have taken any man six. He was exhausted, but he was here. The light that had guided him subsided, leaving only a small fire remaining. “I am Pelsefer” it spoke slowly, each word perfectly formed with a kind of cool assurance that betrayed its appearance, “Now, child, I have introduced myself. Who are you?”
 “I… I’m…” His voice choked in his chest, his mouth grew dry. Was he really seeing this before him?
 
“Speak now, child, for I am not patient.”

  “I’m…” tears began to well in his eyes. Why was he crying? This fire was speaking, this fire was asking him who he was, but he’s not asking Who I am, but rather who am I?

“I’m… I’m…” his voice began to screech, as if some gate within him was trying desperately to open. “I’m no one… I’m no one! I’m no one! I’m no one! I’m no one!” Whatever had been held back all the years of stagnation in his village had poured out all at once. “I’m no one,” he screamed once again, “But I’m going to a legend! I’ll… I’ll be the man to conquer the skies themselves!”
  Eyes appeared upon the fire, gazing not menacingly, though not with kindness, upon the boy. It was pity; the eyes looked upon the boy with pity.  “And what, dear child, gives you the arrogance to believe you will attain what the sun itself has yet to conquer, when, through your own confession, you are No One? Have you some secret knowledge beyond that of mortal man? Power greater the beasts that roam the vast fields? Are you a monster slayer, a mage, perhaps a knight, a scholar? A king?”
 
   The boy shook his head. No. He was no one, and he was nothing. Pelsefer spoke sharply, “Then you are nothing more than an arrogant child of Daedalus, wishing to fly but having no means! Be gone. I have no more time for your kind. The light of Pelsefer began again to shine, blinding the boy, illuminating the skies, forcing the sun itself to rise. The heat scorched the rocks and grass around the boy. He was terrified, but he could not move. This was his doing, not only would Pelsefer punish him, but so would his neighbors and friends. The boy could hear their screams. The villagers were wailing. Their voices could be heard regions away, the boy was sure, but he dared not turn around to witness their anguish. He couldn’t bear it. The boy had disturbed the nest of the gods and now they would be punished for it. The women ripped at their clothes and told their children to gather their best meats and wines to offer the gods. The men fell to their knees to bury their faces into the earth, praying, their mouths full of dirt. In their anguish only one thing emerged: a hatred for the boy that brought this rapture upon them. They screamed his name. They blamed him.
 
“Damn it damn it damn it damn damn! Damn it, Pelsefer!” Then the unspeakable happened. The boy mustered whatever source of power was left in his limbs. He didn’t know what propelled him, fear, courage, or plain stupidity. Whatever it was, it compelled him to move forward. The boy began to run; instead of running away, down the mountain, through the neighboring hill, to farthest villages of the region, he ran towards Pelsefer, eyes closed, right hand stretched out. “Pelsefer!” he groaned. Every step closer the heat intensified, fires erupted around him, whipping at his legs, scorching his body. Balls of flames were hurled at his chest, but he did not stop. He couldn’t stop. This was it. This was the end. With his body bloodied, his voice hoarse, his will shattered, he grabbed Pelsefer. Pelsefer let out a bloodcurdling screech but the boy did not back down. With one final push the boy swallowed the flame whole. Pelsefer’s voice was heard once more.
 Now bear the curse of courage, my friend… It may be your downfall, but now and until your ambition consumes you whole, I will accompany you…
 
The boy lay on the scorched earth, wounded, but not defeated. And so the story began,
  Of the Boy Who Swallowed A Fallen Star




newbie
Activity: 11
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I'm a big fan of epic poetry so the opening followed the Aeneid's invocation.

In terms of themes, so far I've got following the call to adventure, destiny vs. guts (the "I'm gonna do it no matter what giant gorgon monster thing says" attitude), and dreams. I haven't thought it out fully, but that's what I'd like to do.

P.S. Haha I never thought about that. I don't think the setting will be much cold. While i can tell stories moderately well, I always leave out alot of details in regards to setting. I've been trying to fix that.

P.S.S I'll post the rest of it in the next post.
newbie
Activity: 14
Merit: 0
I haven't got to read more than the excerpt you post here, but I can see you have modeled it after poems written Homer, Virgil, Catullus, Dante, Chaucer, Shakespeare and Milton.  (: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muse#In_literature Smiley

Sad The style seems a little purple to me, but tastes differ. ):

What is the general theme for this young man?

-Jesse

PS: Jumping from beside his bed where he was praying, he put on his hat, grabbed a satchel, grabbed a knife.  Perhaps he should grab a coat as well?  It gets cold out there.

newbie
Activity: 11
Merit: 0
Hey fellow Bitcoin Enthusiasts!

This is the first thread that I'm beginning so let's all hope that it goes off without a hitch.  Wink

I'm starting this to promote a few fledgeling ideas I have to contribute to the bitcoin community. First, a small e-book (At this point it's almost a crime to call it an e-book because it's barely 3 pages) that I've put together. I'll let you guys set the price point for the mini e-book. Anything's welcome. From 0 BTC to 1,000,000 BTC will be humbly accepted.  Excerpt below:

O Muse of highest heaven, sing us his song: The song of one accursed man's journey, blessed tenfold by the fates, but so detested by the gods for theft of their fire. But, does such a crime warrant such anguish? To be cast out from his home, forced to be thrown by foreign winds, tossed along ancient seas, alone. What crime deserves this? Please, Muse, sing, for us, his tale. Sing of his crime.
It was the peak of darkness when a great fire illuminated the sky as if the night had hiccupped and, for a moment, became day. The fire fell, but its light still shone brightly in the darkness. “A beacon. It must be a sign,” thought the young man who had just been praying for a little excitement. “It’s time to go, I won’t miss this chance!” he yelled, and in one fell swoop he rolled out of bed, snatched his hat off the night table, grabbed his satchel, and swung it over his shoulder. He made towards the door, but stopped part way, deciding to take up his small dagger, “Well, you never know.”

If you'd like to read the rest of the story shoot me a PM or post here and I'll email it to you. Or you can find the story on my blog www.legionofsuperfunk.blogspot.com

And two, my BTClothing venture. It's small now, but it's a bitcoin branded t-shirt and merch site http://btclothing.spreadshirt.com/
I tried to keep the prices as low as i could.

If you guys like (or hate) the story, lemme know. I may refine it and keep it going. I can't program or create websites so these two will have to be my contribution to the community for now.

Hope you enjoy.

If nothing else, let's talk about stories we enjoy. Smiley

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