The weather in Derby is getting increasinlgy miserable and cold, and as such I live like a bear awaiting the summer months: constantly in my house wrapped in a blanket surrounded by teacups.
Well have you ever seen a hibernating bear?
Finally I got past chapter 6 which had been going so very slooooowly over the last couple of days. It was really the first one I hadn't completely planned, although it does contain several little vignettes which I liked the idea of. Now I can look back on with a warm feeling of achievement, and begin chapter six.
Carrying on from the last post, prospective novels/scripts I will try to write/complete over the forthcoming months are...
December: METAL & pelts
An epic sci-furry novel I started for my furry art/writing site Fushounen
January: Re-draft of Tales From Honeyskull Cottage
A fantasy novel I finished aroud and about my 21st Birthday, which I really need to get published...
February: POKEMON: The Live Action Film
Yeah, go on and laugh. You'll be laughing on the other side of your face when I make millions with this script.
I want to finish it for International Pokemon day, the 27-28th of Feb 2009 ^^
March: A Demon For My Lady
My epic erotic novel.
Hell yeah.
April: Days of the Weak
For Script Frenzy I hope to be able to finish this, my feature film script based on the works of Max Ernst.
Oh, also be sure to check out this blog: Dog Bites Back
My friend Polis knows grammarrrrrrrrrrr, y'all.
Monday 10 November 2008
Saturday 8 November 2008
Life Without Fossil Fuels
Strange as it may seem, the people in the world of Dark Rivers have never discovered fossil fuels. Instead almost all their fuel comes from Solar, Wind, Geothermal and Tidal power stations and the main non-renewable form of Energy is provided by vegetable oils and fats.
Since the 1960s, all road vehicles have run on solid fuels.
Private vehicle ownership is rare, because the price of fuel is too great for all but the rich, so usually cars, vans and trucks will be owned by a collective or company.
The finest solid fuel is sometimes called ‘Tallow’, although in reality its only resemblance to the animal-fat which it is named after is its appearance. It is a white, waxy slab a few inches square and an inch thick, which produces a minimum of smoke and runs smoothly. People usually buy the yellow-coloured fuel called ‘Butterbrick’, which is slightly less efficient but cheaper. Both, however, are much more reliable and efficacious than the ‘Superoil’ internal combustion engines which started in the 1920s, which would often stop in the middle of the road, clog up or even explode.
The majority of the vegetable oils which are refined into tallow and other fuels are produced in Europe, especially Anglo-Celtica. Thousands of sunflowers, olives and vegetables are produced every month just for their oils. The incredibly complex procedures required to industrially refine the oil into an efficient fuel requires huge factories, which provide thousands of jobs across the continent.
Because of the constant demand for vegetable oil, hydroponics and other forms of plant research are key to the economy.
The hydrocarbons and petrocarbons extracted from fossil fuels, used in many other industrial procedures, are replaced by similar polymers and chemicals created by vegetable starch, minerals etc. Certain types of plastic are rare, for example, and instead a lot of packaging is produced using spun corn starch.
Due to the lack of fossil fuel consumption, the environmental problems which exist in our world are greatly reduced, but they still exist. Extensive farming and chemical refinements still cause green house emissions, and the chlorofluorocarbons are still depleting the ozone layer.
Since the 1960s, all road vehicles have run on solid fuels.
Private vehicle ownership is rare, because the price of fuel is too great for all but the rich, so usually cars, vans and trucks will be owned by a collective or company.
The finest solid fuel is sometimes called ‘Tallow’, although in reality its only resemblance to the animal-fat which it is named after is its appearance. It is a white, waxy slab a few inches square and an inch thick, which produces a minimum of smoke and runs smoothly. People usually buy the yellow-coloured fuel called ‘Butterbrick’, which is slightly less efficient but cheaper. Both, however, are much more reliable and efficacious than the ‘Superoil’ internal combustion engines which started in the 1920s, which would often stop in the middle of the road, clog up or even explode.
The majority of the vegetable oils which are refined into tallow and other fuels are produced in Europe, especially Anglo-Celtica. Thousands of sunflowers, olives and vegetables are produced every month just for their oils. The incredibly complex procedures required to industrially refine the oil into an efficient fuel requires huge factories, which provide thousands of jobs across the continent.
Because of the constant demand for vegetable oil, hydroponics and other forms of plant research are key to the economy.
The hydrocarbons and petrocarbons extracted from fossil fuels, used in many other industrial procedures, are replaced by similar polymers and chemicals created by vegetable starch, minerals etc. Certain types of plastic are rare, for example, and instead a lot of packaging is produced using spun corn starch.
Due to the lack of fossil fuel consumption, the environmental problems which exist in our world are greatly reduced, but they still exist. Extensive farming and chemical refinements still cause green house emissions, and the chlorofluorocarbons are still depleting the ozone layer.
Day 8
I swear this novel writing is making me lazy. Not in the sense that I'm not doing writing- I am, and pretty on target too. Today we start with a word count of 11700, or there aboots, which is a hundred words or so over the 1667 I'm supposed to get every day.
But this aside, I have been getting up at 11:30am.
11:30!
I know that for some 11:30 is the dawn chorus, but for me, with the usual self-control (and self-punishing nature) of a Benedictine monk, 11:30 is the height of decadence.
It has also prevented me and my lovely lady going out an a (possibly inspirational) walk down the Derby riverside for two days running.
Well, that and her work, but the point is, getting up earlier would have meant going out sooner.
The laziness may also be due to my (almost) certain knowledge of having a job next month sorting post for the Royal Mail, so my jobseeking motivation has declined. No matter!
From now on I shall behave!
I was also thinking that if this goes well, I might well try finsihing other novels in a month. Who knows?
But this aside, I have been getting up at 11:30am.
11:30!
I know that for some 11:30 is the dawn chorus, but for me, with the usual self-control (and self-punishing nature) of a Benedictine monk, 11:30 is the height of decadence.
It has also prevented me and my lovely lady going out an a (possibly inspirational) walk down the Derby riverside for two days running.
Well, that and her work, but the point is, getting up earlier would have meant going out sooner.
The laziness may also be due to my (almost) certain knowledge of having a job next month sorting post for the Royal Mail, so my jobseeking motivation has declined. No matter!
From now on I shall behave!
I was also thinking that if this goes well, I might well try finsihing other novels in a month. Who knows?
Saturday 1 November 2008
The Countries of Dark Rivers
The world of 'Dark Rivers' is an Earth with a slightly different history, and as such the countries we know and love are slightly different as well. Here's the lowdown:
The Countries of Dark Rivers
Anglo-Celtica (equiv. Great Britain)
Capital/s: When (Anglica) and Tara (Hibernia)
Religion: Lutheran Christianity
Main Economy: Agrarian Farming, Hydroponics
A small landmass outside Europe containing the united republics of Cornwall, Scotland, Hibernia, Cymru and Anglica. It is run by the Parliaments, with the ultimate authority being the First Minister, currently a man called Peter Enoch. Anglo-Celtica belongs to the UN.
URPNH or The United Royal Principalities of New Holland (equiv. USA)
Capital: New Amsterdam
Religion: Varied (Lutheran Christianity, Catholicism, Islam, Voodoo)
Main Economy: Cattle farming, milk, confectionary
One of the largest countries on the globe and a world leader in confection due to its monopoly on the Cocoa plant and Cane Sugar. Perpetually threatening to break with the UN, despite being a founding nation.
Mercia, Florenti, ISE or Independent States of Espanola (equiv. France, Italy, Spain)
Countries of Europe. Mainly united under the Lutheran Church, despite the city state of the Vatican in Florenti maintaining its own church. They and others are members of the UN and ascribed to NADA (the North Atlantic Defence Agreement).
Prussia (equiv. Germany)
Capital: Lutherstadt
Religion: Lutheran Christianity
Main Economy: Iron, Steel, Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals
The religious centre of Europe thanks to the great German Hero Martin Luther. The Church has its main base in the Capital, a dour and imposing building called Gotthaus.
Hindiland (equiv. India)
Capital: New Delhi
Religion: Hindu, Jainism, Islam, Buddhism, Christianity (plus many smaller ones)
Main Economy: Spices, cloth and unrefined Vegetable Oils (plus many others)
A huge country, controlled and exploited by several European nations during the 18th and 19th century, it regained its independence in 1912.
Holland
Capital: Amsterdam
Religion: Lutheran Christianity
Main Economy: Logging, Farming, Cloth
Small country in Europe who (theoretically) maintain governance over the much larger United Royal Principalities of New Holland. In reality, although the Royal Family still make decrees and the Parliament make laws for New Holland, the Principalities have enough autonomy to ignore these as they see fit.
Persia (equiv. Iran and Iraq)
Capital: Cyrhan
Religion: Islam, Zoroastrianism, Ba’hai
Main Economy: Cloth, Architecture
A country steeped in history and mythology, Persia is the jewel of the middle east. Although there is widespread poverty, the country is known for its beautiful artwork and exquisite craftsmanship in wood, clay and stone.
HRKR or The Holy Republic of Kieven-Rus (equiv. Russia)
Capital: Alexigrad
Religion: Orthodox Kiev Christianity
Main Economy: Industrial machinery, scientific research
The largest country in the world, a world leader in Science and Art, although with the focus being in the west- further east the people become more disparate with their own customs and laws. The state religion, Orthodox Kiev Christianity, is separate from The Lutheran Church of Europe, although they are quite similar in practice and belief.
The Capital is named after the last Tsar of Russia, Alexie Nikolaevich Romanov, who deconstructed imperial rule of Kieven-Rus before his death in 1925 at the age of 21.
The Countries of Dark Rivers
Anglo-Celtica (equiv. Great Britain)
Capital/s: When (Anglica) and Tara (Hibernia)
Religion: Lutheran Christianity
Main Economy: Agrarian Farming, Hydroponics
A small landmass outside Europe containing the united republics of Cornwall, Scotland, Hibernia, Cymru and Anglica. It is run by the Parliaments, with the ultimate authority being the First Minister, currently a man called Peter Enoch. Anglo-Celtica belongs to the UN.
URPNH or The United Royal Principalities of New Holland (equiv. USA)
Capital: New Amsterdam
Religion: Varied (Lutheran Christianity, Catholicism, Islam, Voodoo)
Main Economy: Cattle farming, milk, confectionary
One of the largest countries on the globe and a world leader in confection due to its monopoly on the Cocoa plant and Cane Sugar. Perpetually threatening to break with the UN, despite being a founding nation.
Mercia, Florenti, ISE or Independent States of Espanola (equiv. France, Italy, Spain)
Countries of Europe. Mainly united under the Lutheran Church, despite the city state of the Vatican in Florenti maintaining its own church. They and others are members of the UN and ascribed to NADA (the North Atlantic Defence Agreement).
Prussia (equiv. Germany)
Capital: Lutherstadt
Religion: Lutheran Christianity
Main Economy: Iron, Steel, Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals
The religious centre of Europe thanks to the great German Hero Martin Luther. The Church has its main base in the Capital, a dour and imposing building called Gotthaus.
Hindiland (equiv. India)
Capital: New Delhi
Religion: Hindu, Jainism, Islam, Buddhism, Christianity (plus many smaller ones)
Main Economy: Spices, cloth and unrefined Vegetable Oils (plus many others)
A huge country, controlled and exploited by several European nations during the 18th and 19th century, it regained its independence in 1912.
Holland
Capital: Amsterdam
Religion: Lutheran Christianity
Main Economy: Logging, Farming, Cloth
Small country in Europe who (theoretically) maintain governance over the much larger United Royal Principalities of New Holland. In reality, although the Royal Family still make decrees and the Parliament make laws for New Holland, the Principalities have enough autonomy to ignore these as they see fit.
Persia (equiv. Iran and Iraq)
Capital: Cyrhan
Religion: Islam, Zoroastrianism, Ba’hai
Main Economy: Cloth, Architecture
A country steeped in history and mythology, Persia is the jewel of the middle east. Although there is widespread poverty, the country is known for its beautiful artwork and exquisite craftsmanship in wood, clay and stone.
HRKR or The Holy Republic of Kieven-Rus (equiv. Russia)
Capital: Alexigrad
Religion: Orthodox Kiev Christianity
Main Economy: Industrial machinery, scientific research
The largest country in the world, a world leader in Science and Art, although with the focus being in the west- further east the people become more disparate with their own customs and laws. The state religion, Orthodox Kiev Christianity, is separate from The Lutheran Church of Europe, although they are quite similar in practice and belief.
The Capital is named after the last Tsar of Russia, Alexie Nikolaevich Romanov, who deconstructed imperial rule of Kieven-Rus before his death in 1925 at the age of 21.
Day 1
It has been an interesting and slow start today.
I woke up late with a pounding headache thanks to over-drinking and under-eating at Halloween the other day (I dressed as a cenobite and won the costume competition!) and felt very sorry for myself. I decided to make a cup of tea, take a paracetamol and spend the day planning my novel properly.
I only came up with this idea on Thursday, despite temptations to use other pre-written bits of books, and so I haven't really got my head round it yet.
I have just returned home from the Markeaton Park Firework/Bonfire celebrations, which were quite fun except that I lost my keys. I spent ages retracing my steps and reported them lost, only to succeed in my last ditch effort: asking the people at the nearby food caravan if they'd seen any keys. Bless their hearts because they had, and I skipped off merry and bright to pick up my lovely ladyfriend from her work.
We got chips, and I am now poised to deliver to you the first part of this mythology...
I woke up late with a pounding headache thanks to over-drinking and under-eating at Halloween the other day (I dressed as a cenobite and won the costume competition!) and felt very sorry for myself. I decided to make a cup of tea, take a paracetamol and spend the day planning my novel properly.
I only came up with this idea on Thursday, despite temptations to use other pre-written bits of books, and so I haven't really got my head round it yet.
I have just returned home from the Markeaton Park Firework/Bonfire celebrations, which were quite fun except that I lost my keys. I spent ages retracing my steps and reported them lost, only to succeed in my last ditch effort: asking the people at the nearby food caravan if they'd seen any keys. Bless their hearts because they had, and I skipped off merry and bright to pick up my lovely ladyfriend from her work.
We got chips, and I am now poised to deliver to you the first part of this mythology...
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