Wow!! What A Daze

So, this past month has been crazy in how little I remember. No. It's not because of any drugs. I just have been having a really hard time focusing. My days have been kind of a blur. Even on the days I'm actually productive, I still feel like I'm just floating through time. I have a little calendar that I use to keep track of my days, what I worked on and what not. This month it's empty. And not because I haven't been doing anything, I actually have been doing a lot, I just haven't been writing it down. I've been analyzing my days, trying to figure out what's throwing off my equilibrium. So far, the best answer I have is that I've been having pen problems which has effected my ability to write because I start every project (just about) on paper. Yeah, I know it's not a very good reason, but I don't have anything else.

Meanwhile, things that I've been able to work on. I published issue three of Blue Ships on the first of this month. If you haven't had a chance to read it, check it out here Blue Ships Mag. I've been writing book three of The Demon Cleaner. It's just a skeleton now, but I like where it's going. I was hoping to have it done before I left for England, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen. I'm hoping I can at least the parts that I've written typed and saved to my computer so I don't have to drag a notebook with me. One notebook is full, so I'd really like to leave it home.

Ah, yes, England. I'm going to England. You may remember me getting accepted into Kingston University. Well, everything is all set. I've got my visa, my accommodations (on-campus flat), and my plane ticket. I am ready to go. I am presently in the process of packing my room. So far, I have one checked bag. I'm hoping to keep it that way, but I'm thinking I may need to check two bags. But that kind of depends on how much it will cost to send a box to England vs taking a second bag on the plane. More on that when I know more.

Also, the Muslim holiday Ramadan started this month. It's pretty cool that it started on the same day August started to the days are synched, makes life easier. So how do we celebrate this holy month? By starving ourselves. I know. What kind of party is that, right? We fast from sun up to sun down. No eating, drinking, or sex. I've been doing this for so long that it's not even a deal anymore. However, in the hot months (like now) it's hell. I get sooo thirsty that sometimes my throat burns a little when I swallow. But that's really the worse part of it.
Another big part of Ramadan is the reading of the Qur'an. You're supposed to read a part of it everyday then by the end of the month, you've read the whole thing. In the olden days, I had to do this by hand. Meaning I had to sit down with the Quran and read it word for word. Now, thanks to invention of the internet, FB, and really smart friends, I'm able to listen to someone else read it. The website is called Tanzil. The site is awesome because, not only can you listen to the Qur'an in the traditional Arabic, you can listen to it in English and Persian too. Yipeee!!!! (At least about the English. I don't speak Persian, so you know, whatever).Anyway, it's awesome. Save a lot of time. And I can do other things while I listen to it. So, if you're Muslim and fasting, you need to get in on this.

And lastly, I plan to start doing some vlogging once I get to the UK. I will be doing this mostly so that my family can see me and know what's going on while I'm over there, a million miles away. The blog will be called Nadiyah AK (I know you're shocked; don't pretend you're not) and will be in the A B.I.T. Life channel (which I'll be creating as soon as I'm done with this). I'll be doing them there instead on my own channel because I plan to work on other video projects as well and will be using that channel for them.

So, this update went on for longer than I thought it would. But it's been a month. I have to a lot to catch you up on. Hope you enjoyed reading and I will see y'all in a few days.

Lataz

Chapters One

I just posted the first chapters of Demons Of The Guilded and Blood Of The Hunted. Check them out here!!

Blood Of the Hunted Trailer

In case you've not been to the Youtube page here in a while, check it out! I've uploaded the new trailer for Blood Of The Hunted: The Demon Cleaner Book Two. Enjoy and as always, leave feedback. Thanks.

Book 2 Marathon is Over!!!!!!

Yippeee Skippeee!!!! As of yesterday (or really, really early this morning) Blood Of The Hunted: The Demon Cleaner Book Two is complete. I have sent it in to createspace to the wonderful peeps over there can check the formatting and make sure all's well. once i have the all clear, i can order my proof and check for any other edits that may need to be done. otherwise, i'm done. i can breathe for a few seconds. the last few weeks have been nothing but trying to get it finished asap. i have been working on it for a few years now so it's good be finally done with that. now i can catch up with other projects.

Like this blog, which has been horribly neglected.

so, updates. my main internet computer is back in the shop. it never completely recovered from when it got hit with that virus the last time. so i took it back to my guy. he decided to just go ahead and reformat the drive then reinstall the os, which is what one of my big bros said should be done. (it sucks because i forgot to copy the file i had started that had google's celebatory pics it. ah well. just gotta take that in). he's having trouble installing the os. something about xp and netbooks...there were a whole lot of words in there that amounted to he's working on it diligently. but it's not complete.

you may have noticed that i have not yet updated any of the tabs on this blog even though it's been like a month since i started working on that. i'm working on it diligently...well, i will be now that book 2 is complete. between book 3 (which i've already started) and bsm issue 3 (which i've already started) i'll be catching up on all other projects that tend to get neglected when i'm working on big writing/editing projects. in fact, if i can get them done early, that would astound even me.

expect a 5-minuter from me soon. till next time.

Sometimes you just need a good ole' fashioned 5-minuter

Ex 166: Write an opening using a sofa

He threw a sofa at me. God, I do not get paid enough for this, I thought. I shot back at him with my laser gun. He grumbled and stumbled, but didn't fall. I keep telling my commaders laser guns are useless on rabid cave trolls. Their skin is just too thick and they're too stupid to know that they should be in pain.

The troll stumbled into the kitchen. This time, its weapon of choice was a stove. Even after we wiped the home owner's memory, how were we going to fix the damage done to the poor man apartment? And not to mention that neighbors...and the police report.

Ducking and dodging appliance after appliance, I finally managed to get close enough to shoot the troll's knee at point-blank range.

Pulling all projects together

This month has been full of surprises and well, lots more...surprises...  my computer caught a nasty virus a couple weeks ago. it's fixed now, i just gotta go get it from the shop. but because of this setback, there will not be a may issue of Blue Ships Mag. (i know. it hurts me too). However, this does not mean that I will not be publishing work throughout the rest of the year. so, please, don't hesitate to send those submissions.

currently, i'm editing book 2 of The Demon Cleaner series and am trying to get ideas from book 3 that were written on paper cemented digitally. so far that's going really well. I'm thinking book two should be finished around the end of may and book three around the end of July (so about comic-con time). but will keep you posted.

I haven't posted any 5-minute exercises in a while, so i will be getting back to my roots on that front. I have a whole collection that i just haven't posted yet.

Also, i would like to get into full swing with the GYE/AFS project. If you're an artists, or school, and would like to participate in any of the AFS fundraisers, hit me up. I'm currently scouting for schools to work with and programs to give people scholarships to. Suggestions are welcomed and encouraged.

WHOO HOO!!!! Its still March

And that means that I can get at least one post in before I can never get the month onto my blog list before it's too late and I can never have a March, 2011 post...EVER!!!

So, things that I have been up to this month that has kept me away. Hmmm, well, admittidly, when the exercises only take five minutes and it only takes about another 10-20 (I'm a slow typist) to upload the exercise, there really isn't that big of an excuse.  It kinda just comes down to neglect. I'm sorry people.  It doesn't mean that I don't love you.

Now, on to what I've been doing. First, here's the list: rebuilt Blue Ships Magazine dot Net, rebuilt The Demon Cleaner dot Net, editing Blue Ships Mag issue one (out April 1st), learning to write press releases, learning about SEO, learned more about copy-writing and how I'm qualified for the job, volunteered to teach a short course at school (World Lit...one of my personal favorites), looking for scholarships for international postgrad students to study in the UK, and still teaching Language Arts at aforementioned school, working on the finishing touches of The Demon Cleaner (Book Two): Blood of the Hunted, oh yeah, and looking for a job.

So, yeah, I've been a little busy.  I've been trying to put my time to good use.  I still feel bad about not adding any fiction to this post.  I've written some (as I do every week with at least one of my classes), I just haven't taken time to post it. As always, some of it's good, some of it's bad. But, it's still a joy to write in any case.

Plan for the day, clean up my damn house, and post a new flash story. Hopefully, we will be up and running in April. I could be just fooling myself...or you...we'll see.

Side NOTE: With Blue Ships Issue one 99% complete, I'm now taking submissions for the May issue, issue a la deux.  So, tell you kids, tell you wife, and tell your husband too, 'cause I'm taking everybody's work here.

Good day All