What a day (or night) for a dream

Recently, I have been writing entries in a notebook that was lying around in my home. This notebook is my dream diary, that is, a log of my various dreams.

This not only helps me back into writing as a side hobby, but also taps into my psyche and desires. As of this blog post, I have written twenty dream diary entries, and the number is growing by the day.

I will not disclose any entries in my blog, due to certain individuals being in the diaries. While the content of each dream is all ages to PG-13, they contain individuals very close to me. I will also not upload individual entries, either, nor will I sell my dream diary en masse.

That said, I will base my future writing on some of my dreams. Don't be surprised if a future novel contains an event based on a dream I had...

Animator's Dream is complete

I've done it. I've finally done it.

I can happily declare that Animator's Dream Episode I - Animator's Dream has been finished.

I am now in the process of proofreading the novel and, if necessary, removing redundant content. After that, I will find a publisher or have the novel self-published on amazon.com. I will also make a cover for my novel myself; I will hand draw the cover and color it using Photoshop and Illustrator.

This has been a novel six years in the making. Years of concept making and putting it off to take breaks has finally paid off. All I have to do now is get my work submitted and published, spread the word, and hopefully I'll have a hit on my hands. Granted, I may have better odds of winning the lottery, but you never know. Some novels become big overnight, others are sleepers, and a few even become cult classics. Hopefully my work will be big to the point I can make it onto the big or even small screens. Who knows? Maybe I'll put my work on Toonami...

Animator's Dream: Meet the adorable geek fighter Noel

Noel, in her schoolgirl uniform

"I'm a lover, and a fighter!" -Noel's motto

Among a group of characters, there may be the character that's a sweetheart but also quite the fighter. That character may also be the resident nerdy type that's got a laundry list of hobbies and interests. This would help to bond with the other characters and, eventually, earn the love of another character.

Noel, as Vambrace

In this case, we have none other than Noel. Noel is the nerdy girl of the five-man team in Animator's Dream, though she is introduced a third of the way as a character. Noel is unique in that she has the ability to shape shift her outfits into whatever she pleases. Oftentimes, she alters her outfits based on various characters; this reflects her personality. That said, just because of this trait she is not to be trifled with. Noel is a capable fighter, similar to Kirk; Tigercat and Julia, but she stands out as having psionic powers. Noel can take control of minds; use telepathy to secretly communicate; and even scan the minds of others.

When the time really comes, Noel morphs into her Vambrace form. In addition to a super heroine-inspired costume, her psionic powers are increased greatly, and she gains access to a katana that can freeze foes and use powers exclusive to that form. She later gets upgrades to her costume and powers by an unknown group. Noel herself is also an unknown. Who is she, exactly? Read my novel, and find out.

If there were an adaptation of my work, animated or otherwise, I would choose Cristina Valenzuela to voice Noel. She's based off of Cristina in more ways than one, and Noel's sweet yet brave personality would suit her voice perfectly.

Trivia:
-Noel is named after Noel Vermillion from the BlazBlue series
-Noel's regular schoolgirl uniform is based off of Haruhi Suzimiya's, while her Vambrace form is based after Psylocke from X-Men
-Noel's costumes were originally colored after the characters they were based off of, but they were changed to the red costumes seen above due to being to similar to the originals and to explain why she wears red or red-related colors in the story

Animator's Dream: Meet singer warrior Julia Kusanagi

Julia Kusanagi

Julia in a costume

In every work of fiction, there's always a diverse set of characters. They all come in different shapes and sizes; genders and alignments. Some are chosen to be the hero, while others choose their desiny. Some are action oriented, while others think before they act. Some are completely normal in appearance, while others take cues from supermodels.

In the case of Julia Kusanagi, it's a mix of everything. Julia Kusanagi is a singer and entertainer for
the entertainment hotspot Club Section Nine. She provides soothing and memorable vocals for her audience, as well as a display of her musical instrument aptitude. Sometimes she plays dress up in her shows, as an extra means of eye candy.

In addition to her musical talents, Julia is also a capable fighter. Her ability to handle a variety of weapons and melee fighting makes her a force to be reckoned with. Because of her feline appearance, she's granted faster than normal reflexes and focus. This is on top of the normal animal based animation abilities.

She's also rumored to have unusual powers and extra strengths. What could they be? When it's released, read the novel Animator's Dream to find out.

If there were an adaptation of my Animator's Dream novels, Mary McGlynn would be my choice for voicing Julia. Her smooth and beautiful voice fits Julia perfectly, and she also works out for being a tough woman ready for a fight.

Trivia:
-Julia Kusanagi is based off of Mary McGlynn, though the character references Julia from Cowboy Bebop and Motoko Kusanagi from Ghost in the Shell.
-Julia is designed after Miyu Lynx from Star Fox 2.
-Julia was originally named Miyu, but she resembled her a little too much, hence the name change. It doesn't help that one of my professors had a hard time pronouncing the name, too.

Animator's Dream: Meet the sidekick Tigercat

"This is Tigercat. Where's my prey?" -Tigercat

Continuing the blog posts of discussing my characters, we now move on to the sidekick of the hero. A staple in any literary or work of fiction, every hero needs a companion to guide them along their journey; to keep safe and simply keep company. While the hero earns the friendship of others along the way, it's the sidekick that stays with a character from beginning to end.

Tigercat, Kirk's sidekick

Thus we are introduced to Tigercat. The creation of animator Kirk, Tigercat is basically a female variant of Fire Leo the Fox but with feminine features and only having one tail. Compared to the rest of the characters in 'Animator's Dream', she is the most normal of the cast. That said, she has some unique characteristics of her own; she's an animal based animation, which means she has enhanced senses and immununity to most mind control methods. She also inherits the memories and skills of Kirk, making her proficient in combat. Even when she's lacking super powers or the ability to craft things in real time, Tigercat is a force to be reckoned with.

Something else is that she knows of the mission to protect the Animated World and defeat an evil organization. Tigercat is also aware of a secret organization tasked with defeating this evil group, and who created the magic pencil. How does she know of this? Read my 'Animator's Dream' novel when it's released on the market.

Now then, if there were an adaptation of my novel that required voicework, Wendee Lee would be my pick for this and plenty other characters. To begin with, Wendee Lee is very versatile with her talents. Her Haruhi Suzumiya voice would be perfect for Tigercat, as the character in this novel is young but also a go-getter, too.

Trivia:
-Tigercat is designed after Fiona Fox, an original character from Archie's Sonic the Hedgehog comics.
-The main inspiration for this character comes from a friend of mine

Animator's Dream: Meet the hero Kirk

Kirk, the hero, in his human form

"It's perfect, my first picture drawn with a magical pencil."

Well then, since I have the audience and premise out of the way it's time for me to introduce the characters. After all, what story would be complete without characters making it possible?

First, the hero of Animator's Dream. His name is Kirk, just Kirk. He's a graphic designer and art director as a means of earning a living. For fun, however, he's a writer and artist, and is into animated works; games; and other works of fiction. His age is around his mid-to-late twenties, so he's a young character. He's also somewhat of a nice guy, though beware his wrath should you want to hurt his friends and loved ones.

He's the staple young hero, though he's a bit of an unwitting one at first. His journey begins at the convention Otakon, where he wins a large sum of money and a fabled pencil. It is through the pencil that his story begins.

In the animated world, he uses the character drawing that won him the contest to blend in with its denizens. Named Fire Leo the Fox, the character serves as the animation form of Kirk. In this form, Kirk has greater strength; enhanced sight and hearing. He can also detected stealthed foes with limited ability. These attributes alone give Kirk's animation form a greater edge against other people in the animated world. He's also quite the brawler when he needs to fight in melee. Despite his animation form's karate outfit, he uses boxing and Krav Maga (Israeli fighting style that uses dirty tactics and simple strikes to down foes). Usage of martial arts is limited due to impracticality.

Fire Leo the Fox, Kirk's animation form

Speaking of edges, he doesn't have any fancy powers or magic to help him fight whatever adversaries stand in his way. Because of his pop culture knowledge, he can craft any weapons and tech he can think of with the magic pencil. From high powered pistols that can down even light vehicles and helicopters, to man portable railgun cannons that shoot bowling balls, and armored suits and mecha with unmatched firepower. Whatever dreams Kirk has, he can now make into reality.

He also gains a mysterious katana along his journey, also with great powers. Who crafted the blade and the pencil? For what purpose? The only way to find out is to read Animator's Dream.

Now then, if there were to be an adaptation of my work whether a game or animated work, I'd pick Johnny Yong Bosch to voice Kirk. Johnny's known for playing heroic and, to a degree, dark themed characters. He'd also be an allusion to Kirk's animation form, given that his Adam Park character was the Black Ranger in the early Power Rangers series.

Trivia:
-Kirk is based off of me, mostly due to my age and mannerisms
-Fire Leo the Fox was originally going to be called Kung Fu Black Armor Tails, but the name was changed due to risks of copyright infringement. The two-tailed fox and martial arts outfit design still remains, however, and I think a name like Fire Leo would be more memorable.
-The name Fire Leo is a reference to two works; TechnoSoft's Thunder Force series with the main Fire Leo star fighters, and Viewtiful Joe's Inferno Lord Fire Leo. I primarily got the name from the former, though.

What is the genre and audience of Animator's Dream?

I've been writing my novel, Animator's Dream, since 2010. It hasn't been published yet, but I'm hoping to do that at least next year, if not before the end of this year. It's been a long haul, but I'm hoping that these years of planning and writing will pay off somehow. Now then, I'd also like to discuss what the genre of my book, the kinds of characters involved, and who the intended
audience is.

I admit my novel is mixed in terms of genre. Primarily the novel belongs to the fantasy genre because of certain magical elements, but there's other genres mixed in as well. Some elements give off a science fiction vibe, others that of action, and in a few instances there's horror and drama in the mix. There's even a small element of romance because of interaction between two characters later on.

Again, the novel is a fantasy novel due to the presence of angels and devils. While overused, this novel provides my take on these beings as being a part of organizations residing in the novel's world. While I won't give away details, these angels and devils in the novel were influenced by pop culture in our world. Based on analyzing and adapting our pop culture, the beings develop their own personalities and tastes from what they observe. While still being a product of my doing, it explains how and why these characters act and even dress the way they do.

The story is aimed at a young adult audience as well as those versed in pop culture, especially anime and manga. The young adult part comes from the fantastical elements, and how the story is about a normal person like you or me taking responsibility and learning to survive in a different world. He's got friends he makes along the way to make his journey easy, but he also must watch himself at every turn, for there are those who want him dead. Also, he's tasked with playing the hero like rescuing hostages or fighting on behalf of a resistance; a futuristic special forces group; and even great beings. He even develops a relationship with a character, and their relationship and how the two bond become a part of the narrative. The pop culture fan base also gets to enjoy the references made in the book, ranging from characters resembling other popular characters, to tools; tech and weapons based off of works of fiction or even real life. I wanted to make sure there was something for everyone to enjoy, since while there's the jokey one liners and action scenes, there's also the serious elements like taking responsibility; learning to help others in need; standing up against those who do harm; and learning to meet and befriend others that are new to people.

One more thing I wanted to point out is that the book has violent moments, and there's bits of profanity and pretty ladies wearing certain dresses. That kind of content, however, is mild compared to other works aimed at young adults or even children. While characters are killed through weapons, it's not an all-out gore fest. The outfits worn by certain characters don't push the limits
of what's acceptable too much, either.

Overall, this is the audience and content I hope to aim for with my first written novel. Young adult and fantasy novels are very popular, but so is pop culture. Those elements right there are how I will aim high with this novel as well as my future work. After all, finding the right market and the right publisher and agent helps greatly in getting my work to take off.

Drawing Manga: A Tutorial Book Well Written and Drawn

Art has been around since the dawn of man, as a means of recreation or telling a message. It has been done many ways, but the most common one being on paper or canvas. Manga is, in a way, an extension of that art combined with the printed book. It's become a popular medium starting with the turn of the millennium, but fans want to learn to draw in that style because of it. In a way, it's become a passion to those fans.

In response, publishing companies have been hiring writers and artists to craft how-to books for those interested. One of those companies, Penguin Group, stepped up to the plate with their Idiot's Guides line-up of books (and no, I'm not making that name up). Published in 2008, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Drawing Manga teaches newbies and aspiring artists the ropes of the Manga style of art. The book was written by John Layman, while David Hutchinson provided the illustrations.

The book in question is pretty straightforward. It starts out with the basic shape making techniques, then evolves to piecing them together to make a figure, and goes on to making the faces of each character. Speaking of characters, the book explains how to make characters young and old; male and female; and even human or animal. Eventually, the book even teaches how to make Manga of their own via panels; props and speech bubbles.

The book is well illustrated and thought out, and is listed in a step-by-step fashion making it easy for those that want to follow along. It also details everything readers need to know about the Manga style without over complicating the process. This book even helped me with the creation of character art for my upcoming novel, Animator's Dream.

Overall, if you want to be a Manga artist yourself and are seeking a quality book then this is the one for you. With quality illustrations and simple instructions, this book will help those seeking to do art in the Manga style and craft works of their own.

Buy the book on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Drawing-Illustrated-Edition/dp/1592578233/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

There's also an updated variant of the book on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Idiots-Guides-Drawing-Manga-DK/dp/1615644156/ref=pd_sim_14_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1HR0BZ8RYJGMTZDHCTMT

I know I'm learning Japanese: A review of Berlitz's Japanese Dictionary

Learning a foreign language, though difficult, has many perks. Not only is it easier to visit and live
in foreign countries, it's also handy to show off your friends and family. For an added bonus, if you
know of any family; friends or celebrities that know a foreign language they can have a bilingual
conversation with you. Again, foreign languages are no cakewalk but it's well worth the effort.

Companies specializing in translation have stepped up to the plate to make this possible for those that
are in need. Berlitz, the publisher of many a guide, is one of them. The one that I got in particular
was the Japanese compact dictionary. This guide provides people wanting to learn or write Japanese in a small book loaded with words from A to Z. It also discusses how to pronounce syllables and use the dictionary overall.

The dictionary I have, despite being from 2006, is still pretty accurate and helped me in writing
sentences. This is a big deal because I write a small portion of Japanese for some of the characters in
my novel. The words provided also detail exactly how to write them if need be. Another plus is how the book is small in comparison to other dictionaries, which could easily be used as doorstops if not fortheir importance.

In conclusion, this is a good dictionary to have when you want to learn Japanese in your free time.
That said, unless you want to translate anime or manga this book is just there for fun. There are other
languages that are more relevant in the international workplace, like French or Spanish, but as a means of passing the time and learning for fun it's a good little dictionary.

The newest edition of the book can be purchased here: http://www.amazon.com/Berlitz-Japanese-Phrase-Book-Dictionary/dp/1780042671/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1444334421&sr=1-1&keywords=berlitz+japanese

The Rise of Audiobooks

I google searched 'audiobook article' one day to find extra information regarding audiobooks to revise my writing report with. Two articles in particular that caught my eye came from both the Wall Street Journal and the Independent, both being high reputation websites.

The articles interested me because it shows how far audiobooks have come in terms of accessibility. In my writing report, I mentioned how it was a luxury for school libraries and public libraries had entire sections for audiobook access. I also stated, however, that the evolution of technology has made it possible for audiobooks to be available to anyone with a computer and/or a smartphone. Previously, audiobooks had to be carried around via CD player or tape cassette, both cumbersome devices. Nowadays, MP3 files; iPods and mobile media players almost replace such devices and make it easier to enjoy and carry around audiobooks.

In addition, audiobooks in the marketplace are now worth unbelievable profits. Sales of audiobooks are on the rise and it's changing the way books are read in a positive way. Amazon's audible service has over twenty thousand audiobooks with narrations and they add more a month. Billions of dollars in revenue are raked in, and prices are on par with that of e-books. This is a far cry from the past where audiobooks cost $50 tops.

This is a big deal for me because I want to hire voice actors for audiobook adaptations of my work. Voice actors also benefit because it's considered a lucrative side job for them. Hollywood talent tends to take the reign of some audiobook titles, but my works won't have such talent. I wanted to get voice actors from anime; cartoons and games involved in my audiobook projects. Ditto that remark for any animated or game based adaptations of my work.

I was actually inspired by such voice actors reading books that I got from the library. That's what motivated me to write my novels, so the same would happen with my work. That's why I want to write novels: to introduce new stories and to get my role models involved.

The articles that this post pertains to can be found here:
The New Explosion in Audio Books - Wall Street Journal
Sound and the story: The rise of the audiobook - The Independent