The plot thickens. I can translate something humorous (e.g., "idiot emperor") to Romaji, then have Apollo incorrectly translate it to mangled testicles. Only actual Japanese speakers or someone willing to try translating it will know. My Romaji translator doesn't seem to reliably generate a word that Google recognizes as emperor, though.
2,626 2017-06-14 03:35:11
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
2,627 2017-06-14 03:25:25
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
I like foe, but broken foe is too straight. Mangled foe, on the other hand, may be too demented. I found a Romaji translator. It translates broken foe to koware ta teki and mangled foe to hason shi ta teki. I use the name several times in one chapter, so shorter may be better.
On a whim, I entered crushed testicles and got oshitsubusa kougan. That gave me the idea to make up a reasonable-sounding Japanese word that Apollo's research suggests "might" mean mangled testicles. That leaves the actual translation unspecified.
2,628 2017-06-14 02:16:02
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Naming contest. I need a name for the nasty martial arts invented by the demented Samurai. It's actually based on real Israeli military fighting techniques, meant to inflict maximum damage as quickly as possible. I originally called it Glorious Death (something after Worf's heart), then changed it to Banzai, but I find that name too silly (K says I told you so). Whatever the name, it still needs an element of tongue in cheek. A real Japanese word might be good. Maybe one of these days Google will implement English-to-Romaji translations to play with. Anyone know what the Romaji word for bitch slap is? :-)
2,629 2017-06-13 23:26:20
Re: The Sorcerer's Progress (1,528 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
How about a new chapter from you, K...
2,630 2017-06-12 01:09:55
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Based on Don Chambers's feedback, I've renamed my short story to Connor to make the ending more of a surprise. It's posted under Mysteries & Thrillers. It's also on my profile page. I'm definitely turning it into my next book, albeit with a different setting and ending. Now if I can just finish my current tome.
2,631 2017-06-10 05:07:11
Re: Acts/ Dictates/ Mandates/ Mantle - Amy's Thread (1,905 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
How are you doing, Amy?
2,632 2017-06-09 04:38:33
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
My next chapter, Defending a Fair Maiden's Honor, is up. This used to be called The Imperial Heir Strikes. Most of it is unchanged. Just did some world building and cleanup, gave it a new epigraph, and made Gaia (aka Aphrodite) into a bit of a slut for her first major appearance. She'll be pursuing Apollo aggressively.
Quick, go read!
Thanks
Dirk
2,633 2017-06-07 23:19:11
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
She wore a cream-colored dress and matching shoes. The dress, wrapped loosely around her thighs, was pinned at her collar by an ornate red stone that glittered under the harsh rays of Bethelem's sun. Her shoes were suede, and everyone knows yellow suede signififies only the hardiest of souls.
You scare me sometimes. You had me until the yellow suede shoes.
2,634 2017-06-07 21:59:48
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
I used "with matching shoes" a lot when describing Aphrodite's outfits in v2. I copied that style from someone else, but I can't seem to get used to it. Is it common?
She wore a cream-colored, wraparound dress made of lightweight silk, with matching shoes.
2,635 2017-06-07 05:11:37
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Just read that Star Wars 8 will be introducing an Elite Praetorian Guard for Snoke. Seriously? Why not introduce iPhones as well if they want Earth terms in a galaxy far, far away. The Praetorian Guard plays a substantial role in my book, but at least my story is based on the real Roman Empire. I wonder how long it will take before they have Legionarii, Classiarii, and Candidatii. I better get my butt in gear before they trademark the damn thing.
2,636 2017-06-06 03:53:55
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
For those who dislike my Galactipedia articles, you'll be happy to know the one about New Bethlehem is gone. After I dropped the Trump-inspired preacher, it served no useful purpose. The key content from that article is now two paragraphs in the chapter that follows it. That leaves just The Great Collapse of Civilization and The Rise of the Julii. There will be one more soon in Act I about Prof. Hinkley and his discovery of FTL travel and the coconut-powered time machine. Those may be the only ones in the book, actually, since there's plenty of nonsense in the epigraphs from here on.
2,637 2017-06-04 21:44:43
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
I think it depends on the dose. I tried coming off of it, but then I couldn't sleep at all, and my pain rebounded, worse than before.
2,638 2017-06-04 01:32:29
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
The hidden injector is necessary for the story. He hits it more and more as his stress builds, and he's addicted, although I haven't written that in yet.
When he can't wear it, like during the Samurai's mud wrestling, he risks exposure. Ditto for when he didn't have enough narcotics in his hidden patch at the Colosseum.
I've been on fentanyl in the past and that stuff packs quite a wallop for such little patches. In Apollo's case, he adjusts the dosage as needed. He even surreptitiously hit the injector several times while standing in front of the Imperator.
2,639 2017-06-03 07:17:52
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
She is sympathetic to his cause, since she secretly provides narcotics for his Aggressi-tic disease, which can only be controlled by those drugs. She risks death to her and her family for hiding his mental illness, which is a huge deal among the Julii, who live by the motto "Only the mentally fit shall rule!" Technically, though, narcotics can be explained away as being for some sort of pain condition. However, for her to further defy the Imperator, especially when there are other medical personnel involved as witnesses, is not something she would do.
2,640 2017-06-03 04:57:37
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Thanks. Interesting coincidence. I'm on gabapentin for chronic pain.
2,641 2017-06-02 02:40:40
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Got it. I think. Caps because of this:
It was your destiny to be Queen (the British Queen, rule of one).
It is your destiny to be Queen.
You will be Queen.
You'll have to do the same when you're Queen.
So, ditto for King.
2,642 2017-06-02 01:47:26
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Can anyone tell me if king should be capitalized in the following sentence:
You’ll have to do the same when you’re king.
I'm trying to follow K's "rule of one", so I normally capitalize references to king (e.g., the King is here), except when it's plural, non-specific, etc. In this case, it's the Regent talking to the Crown Prince, so he's not king yet. Caps?
Thanks
2,643 2017-06-01 12:06:58
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Yes. And does it matter if it's: "a remove frontier world, Wild West" vs. "the remote front world, Wild West".
2,644 2017-06-01 11:51:36
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Can someone please tell me if I need a comma before Wild West in the following sentence: Realm agents executed a raid on a suspected Aussie hideout on the remote frontier world Wild West.
I think I do.
Thanks
Dirk
2,645 2017-05-31 23:22:47
Re: NorthernSkies or NS - Janet (213 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Any word back from Aussie?
2,646 2017-05-31 23:21:43
Re: The Sorcerer's Progress (1,528 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
I think you're referring to K's recent post to my thread. He has a rape scene that he didn't "show", but his reviewers were asking him to do so.
2,647 2017-05-31 06:07:23
Re: Acts/ Dictates/ Mandates/ Mantle - Amy's Thread (1,905 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Thanks, Amy. This is getting tricky. Crispers have an impact, like a body blow, which makes them great for blowing things up (e.g., heads, chests, transmitters, headlights, etc.). They're also great for burning things (bodies or parts thereof). The latter makes them ill-suited for bleeding. I'll have to go back and check, but the only instance I recall where I need profuse bleeding is the colonel in the prologue when his arm is blown off.
Lightsabers are supposed to burn tissue, yet I recall the scene in Star Wars, where Obi-Wan slices of the arm off the guy in the Cantina, and when they showed the arm on the ground it was covered in blood. Ditto when Luke cut off the arm of the snow creature on Hoth.
I could just say "it's space opera, stupid; roll with it." I'm leaning that way.
2,648 2017-05-31 04:48:32
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
It's almost done. No body parts, circling birds, or clouds of buzzing flies. Over one hundred dead and injured cadets, though. This will be my most adult chapter. Others like where I destroy the planet are more like Star Wars violence, not really shown. I finally decided to keep your scene in the prologue where Ensign Ecks blows open the chests of two invaders. After a whole chapter of desperate losses, I figured the reader would root for that moment. After which I pull a K and kill off everyone who's left. The student has become the master.
2,649 2017-05-31 00:56:48
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Nuts. I was counting on you tell me my solution was crap, so I could justify slaughtering them all. Having written the battle scene, it comes off as silly, especially because the violence is identical (over a hundred cadets are down, the attackers pick off the ones who are left, etc.), until the reader learns "surprise", just kidding. On the plus side, I found yet another item made my Warheads Et Cetera. :-)
2,650 2017-05-30 17:27:31
Re: Beware random quickees (18 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
Nice work, Sol.