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Only me…
First off, I’d like to apologize for not posting much in the last month. I’ve been busy trying to get my group moving a little more than usual.
I’ve also been diving head-first into MYTH, developing the other characters further. I’ve figured out that either I’m going to write the next lord of the rings, or I’m never going to write the fucking thing. One of the two… I’m personally pulling for the first choice.
Secondly, and related to the first, I want to introduce you to a new poster I’ve created for the first book of MYTH:
Before you ask… yes, I did make it. Yes, it was from scratch (except the background which was a stock HDRI panorama image I set as an illuminated environment). And yes, I am ridiculously excited about it!
The content depicts the gear used by Andial, the leader of the Golden Guard and chaperone to the young Priestess, Claire. He’s a regal born Aelphi given the conflicting honor and punishment of leading the most heralded group of abominations in existence.
You’d want to hide your face behind a scary golden mask too, huh?
Well, that’s not why he has the mask…
I’ll leave it at that.
Aaron Shively
(p.s. this is actually a direct scene taken from the book…)
James Cameron to PRODUCE ‘MYTH’ – EDIT
So, it’s out. James Cameron and the production team that brought Avatar to the big screen are in talks to bring out a new movie, ‘MYTH’. It was pitched to Fox as a premise and is yet to be written
Holy shit! That’s great, man! You’ve been working on Myth for 16 years! I can’t believe they’re making it into a movie before you write the books!
No. No, it’s not MY myth. It’s another myth. No one has any idea about the story yet, I’ve just been following the breadcrumbs laid by the companies.
So, it’s not your story? Aren’t you worried?
About what?
First and foremost, what do they say it’s about? Is there any news on that?
Yeah, sort of. They’re calling it a science fiction epic with lots of action.
… And you’re not worried?
Why should I be worried?!
Because it’s a science fiction action epic named MYTH… for god’s sakes, man, wake up and smell the coffee. They ripped you off!
Bull. There’s no evidence that anyone involved has heard anything about my story. I keep my premises hidden. Even what’s up on this site has little or nothing to do with the bulk of the story. My Myth has depth and layers. No one’s seen anything quite like it. My Myth isn’t just sci-fi. It’s drama and fantasy and gothic and a deep psychological look at what truly makes someone evil and if evil can ever really exist.
So, they ripped off what you put up. I didn’t say they’re going to do a good job with it.
It’s ridiculous to think that someone took MY idea. Who am I right now? Why would they be trolling through other people’s stories? It’s not my story.
Ok, ok. It might not be your story. But what then? It’s going to be a major blockbuster. If it keeps the same name, it will taint your story forever.
… Why the fuck do I keep talking to you?
The Fun Part
Here’s my personal philosophy…
Measure twice, cut once.
This does work for writing. Not everyone breezes through their first draft with little regard for pacing, sentence structure, paragraph breaks, readability, grammar, punctuation, etc. It’s the same for consistency in story-telling. For sci-fi and fantasy works, the mantra has to be refined.
Create a system of measurement, measure twice, create a cutting tool, then cut once.
The concept is done, the worlds are fleshed out, the peoples and places have been described. Maps have been drawn for continuity’s sake. My system of measurement has been set in stone and the eyeballing gave way to absolute relativism long ago.
I am at the point of creating a cutting tool and this is the fun part.
Developing characters’ method of action is giddily enough like playing god. Their voice, their personalities are the best part of everything.
I’ve gotten it in my head to do a character interview for Myth:OMAM which I will post here as soon as it is finished.
– Aaron
Myth – Of Men and Monsters – Part 2 – Chapter 1 – Scene 1
Thought you guys might enjoy this. It’s an excerpt of what I’m working on right now.
Light filtered through her closed eyelids, washing the darkness in a warm ruddy pink. She held still as long as she could. A lingering sleepy thought crept through her slowly waking mind, convincing her that if she gave the others no reason to notice, she’d be left alone.
She had not slept well. Read the rest of this entry
Something New
Which will be edited as soon as I can use more than my phone…
Oh, what’s that?
With what did I make the image?
I’ll give you a hint… it sorta rhymes with bone.
Alright, stop giggling at the word ‘bone’.
This is for myth, per my usual concept desgin train of thought.
Since I can’t edit the image caption on my phone, it is © Aaron Shively, 2011.
Posted from WordPress for Android
Myth Excerpt Chapter 2,2c
Jax opened his eyes. He saw Thorin. He technically felt her first. When they fell, she had toppled on top of him.
“Thank you, Jaxial.”
That voice was there again, pulling him along, inviting him somewhere he couldn’t imagine going.
He leaned up, forgetting where she was. Their lips met. It wasn’t a kiss. There was more surprise than action. They both separated. She slid across the hall and he bumped his head on a column, hard.
He saw the Interviewer throwing Firan off of her. He’d tackled her. He gave a wink before she jabbed him with her reordiner. He convulsed back in a strange moving mass of limbs. She hadn’t given him a mouth guard so the great shock of pain caused him to bite his lip. Blood trickled out of his still smiling mouth. He managed to stand and grab her hand while she was still pressing the large blue button. He wrestled her thumb from it’s place, relieving the jolts.
The Interviewer threw him on the ground and stuck him in the side again. Firan began to laugh. He was laughing! The woman stopped, more angry now than she had been. She whispered something to him. He stopped giggling.
She stood and stuck her sharp-pointed finger at Jax.
“Go. I don’t have time for you anymore.”
Jax scurried across the floor until he could rise to his feet. Firan waved to him, tears dropping down over a renewed smile. Jax didn’t know which emotion was the mask but he could guess the drawn back lips weren’t going to be given a reward for honesty.
He walked slowly, looking down at Thorin. She averted her eyes, staring at the heaving Interviewer lifting Firan into the room.
“And take the Low-Zoner with you. You’ll both get this some other day.”
Jax didn’t wait for the last of her words. He grabbed Thorin’s hand and scuffed the floor, running.