You didn't spoil anything for me, Rachel. I don't have HBO, so the details will be long forgotten before I ever see it. HBO is only available through an expensive cable package in Canada. I don't watch TV, just the occasional Netflix show or movie. I spend most of my free time trying to finish the research for the trilogy. My latest research book has some useful elements, but it's incredibly long. I've been reading for two weeks off and on and am only 60% done. I've begun skipping passages looking for modern descriptions of New Testament sites in the Holy Land, which is why I bought it in the first place. For example, I learned tonight that the short route from Old Jerusalem to Bethany (where Lazarus was raised) is blocked by a wall built to separate Israelis from Palestinians, requiring a major detour. There's no mention of the wall in Google Maps. It looks like a short hop. Bethany and Bethlehem are in Palestinian-controlled territory, although they remain open for tourists. And the site where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist is in Jordan. The Jordan River no longer runs by there, so someone built a modern baptism site on the Israeli side of the Jordan. For a few shekels, they'll rent you a bath robe and duck your head underwater. :-)
1,851 2018-08-25 03:17:59
Re: Savior of the Damned (the Connor series) by Dirk B. (1,461 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
1,852 2018-08-24 02:08:31
Re: Savior of the Damned (the Connor series) by Dirk B. (1,461 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
I haven't seen WW. I'll try Netflix. In my case, it's tricky, because he "may" be Jesus, hence the pilgrimage to jog his memory. He also goes to the Holy Land to get away from the Antichrist in Rome, who has begun to hunt him while simultaneously killing off cardinals and bishops at the Vatican. There is a possibility that he is not Jesus at all, but someone else entirely. His true identity is revealed at the end of book one. If he's not Jesus, I wonder how much of the original Christ he should see and hear. I'm leaning toward letting him experience all of it, aura and sound. Sound would include not just words, but also moments like the storms on the Sea of Galilee.
1,853 2018-08-23 18:26:56
Re: Savior of the Damned (the Connor series) by Dirk B. (1,461 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
It's actually an "imprint" that Jesus left in the places he visited during his ministry. Connor can see them and (possibly) experience what Jesus did 2000 years ago. I haven't decided yet if Connor can hear Jesus from back then (e.g. The Sermon on the Mount). It becomes somewhat unwieldy when you think about Nazareth since he grew up there and his aura should be all over that place at different ages. Still thinking about how this will work.
1,854 2018-08-22 20:22:16
Re: Can poverty take a life? (14 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
My parents lived in poverty. Poor diet and disease eventually claimed them.
1,855 2018-08-22 18:29:08
Re: strongest start (4 replies, posted in This is US!!)
Jeanne, if you look at the upper right of your home page, there's an area dedicated to the contest. Click on 'learn more' to go to the contest page. There you can click on 'Entries' to see everything that's been entered so far.
1,856 2018-08-21 19:35:49
Re: Savior of the Damned (the Connor series) by Dirk B. (1,461 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Following is from the dictionary: An invisible emanation or field of energy believed to radiate from a person or object. On second thought, that seems right. Yes?
1,857 2018-08-21 19:30:59
Re: Savior of the Damned (the Connor series) by Dirk B. (1,461 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
My main character, Connor, reports seeing the "aura" of Christ as they travel to places He visited in the Holy Land. After looking up the word, I'm not sure it's the correct term. What Connor sees is the residual energy of Christ's passing. Is that His aura or is there a better term? I suppose I could go with residual energy, although that's a long term.
Thanks
Dirk
1,858 2018-08-20 05:18:39
Re: Savior of the Damned (the Connor series) by Dirk B. (1,461 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Hmm. More books, although they're for reference. Pocket guides for Christians touring the Holy Land. Got the paper (non-Kindle) versions. I'm starting to pull together good descriptions of Christian sites. I'm halfway through my second of two Kindle pilgrimage books. I then have to convert both of those into table notes. Then...the first outline. Yay! I realized I don't need to outline books two and three to write book one, although I'm making lots of notes for all of them. Besides, it's highly unlikely I'll publish the first book without being close to finished with the third. There'll still be time for changes to book one.
Now if I could just get my sleeping pill regimen sorted out, I might have some energy during the day. Kdot, aren't you wiped out on three hours a night?
1,859 2018-08-17 03:30:33
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
The first one looks like you falling asleep (or being pious) and the second one looks like you after too much coffee. It also looks like me with my Harry Potter glasses on (gold frame/black was too geeky). I look like a country doctor with old-fashioned spectacles. My mother can't stop laughing when she sees them. I guess that was the reason there was only pair of those frames among the entire store selection.
1,860 2018-08-17 03:03:20
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
I finally looked up what x.x means. You use it so much I figured I should learn what it means. My favorite, though, is -.- Couldn't find it online.
1,861 2018-08-17 02:49:32
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Nuts. I just changed Lo Bidda to Low Bidder in my Strongest Start entry. Back to the edit screen.
1,862 2018-08-17 00:11:13
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
And your suspect opinion is?
1,863 2018-08-17 00:08:20
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Is Lo Bidda Corporation an obvious variant of Low Bidder Corporation, or should I make it more obvious for the spoof-impaired?
1,864 2018-08-16 23:36:18
Topic: Hail the Almighty Amazon! (0 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
1,865 2018-08-16 10:47:38
Re: Savior of the Damned (the Connor series) by Dirk B. (1,461 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
I plan to have a cab driver named Leonardo.
1,866 2018-08-13 19:14:36
Re: Savior of the Damned (the Connor series) by Dirk B. (1,461 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Why Apollo? I like Asteroid/Comet Omega.
1,867 2018-08-13 16:55:14
Re: Welcome (260 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
Welcome, G. You've done step one. :-) Now please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about the story you've written.
1,868 2018-08-13 06:24:42
Re: Savior of the Damned (the Connor series) by Dirk B. (1,461 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Okay two books. In the meantime, I need a good name for a doomsday asteroid or comet rapidly approaching Earth. It should be a name that combines a scientific designation with an obvious doomsday connection.
1,869 2018-08-13 03:04:26
Re: POV changes in a short stories (18 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
Dune, the best-selling sci-fi novel of all time used omniscient/headhopping. The author and his son have written well over a dozen books in the Dune universe. Movie, two miniseries, another planned movie, etc.
Just saying...
1,870 2018-08-08 22:35:58
Re: Seeking Professional Editing (8 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
Also check out Fiverr. They have some highly rated editors. If you're sure your manuscript is written the way you want it, then you probably need just a copy edit, which is cheaper. Personally, I plan to start with a line edit. The more reputable ones will do a sample edit, although you'll probably have to pay for it (e.g. $50 or $100 for 10,000 words).
1,871 2018-08-08 05:41:48
Re: Savior of the Damned (the Connor series) by Dirk B. (1,461 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Outlining to be begin before the end of this month. I have only one important book to reread before I start.
1,872 2018-08-08 01:26:21
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Lo Bidda Corporation. Done.
1,873 2018-08-07 03:13:35
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Turns out the Supreme Court ruled in 1983 that Parker Brothers no longer has a valid trademark on Monopoly. So LowBid Corporation or Monopoly Corporation? They are a technology monopoly.
1,874 2018-08-07 02:57:45
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Nuts. Just when I thought ACME was the Bugs Bunny cartoon name, it turns out they are also referred to Acme. I had just changed all instances of Lowest Bidder to Acme. I guess LowBid Corporation wins by default.
1,875 2018-08-06 20:31:09
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
I'm waffling between Lowest Bidder Corporation and Acme, Inc. The latter is less wordy, even if I drop Corporation and Inc. Anyone want to stop me before I change it back to Acme? Either way, it's intended to be silly. The former is my own creation whereas the latter is instantly recognizable as a variant of ACME Corporation. The name ACME dates back a century, so Bugs Bunny has no right to the name Acme, Inc. Also, although my Acme technology is always breaking down, ACME products always worked exactly according to specs. since ACME turned out to be a subsidiary of the Road Runner Corporation. I could consider LowBid Corporation, but it's not as funny as Acme. Or Lowbid?
Thoughts?