*sspull is such a great name. I think the wisewatches in Galaxy Tales qualify. They do everything I want whenever the need arises. Made by Acme Corporation, of course, which was founded by Professor Hinkley. For some reason, Acme technology has a high failure rate.
2,176 2018-04-19 13:38:24
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
2,177 2018-04-19 05:43:53
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
This evening's episode of Gilligan's island included an ape throwing grenades and firing off machine guns (surplus WWII munitions) as a form of play. The castaways, not knowing who the enemy was at first organized into a quasi military structure, with General Howell in command. He had a general's hat, Ginger (as a spy) wore a raincoat, and Mary Ann and Mrs. Howell wore nurses uniforms. It's no wonder the damn ship almost sunk. It was overloaded with ridiculous crap.
2,178 2018-04-19 00:49:58
Re: Writing courses (22 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
If you're considering The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need by Susan Thurman, I felt that it doesn't have enough examples of grammar rules. I would have liked a lot more correct and incorrect examples of grammar rules. I ended up returning it.
I ended up getting the Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation, which has the basic rules and more examples, but is not nearly as in depth as the above book.
Both books are highly recommended on Amazon. For any books you want to buy, click on the Amazon cover and peruse the table of contents to see if it suits you.
2,179 2018-04-18 14:17:09
Re: Savior of the Damned (the Connor series) by Dirk B. (1,492 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Note that Peter says He was put to death in the flesh. That means He should have shed his body at the time of death, which my quote from Jesus says is not the case.
2,180 2018-04-18 14:12:37
Re: Savior of the Damned (the Connor series) by Dirk B. (1,492 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
No, the Catholic forum states that Christ was taken up body and soul, which is how will return. Ditto for the prophet Elijah. If Christ had been taken up in spirit only, there would have been a dead body to bury, which wasn't the case.
2,181 2018-04-18 10:38:52
Re: Savior of the Damned (the Connor series) by Dirk B. (1,492 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Yes. Thomas wanted physical proof, although one supposes Jesus could be physical without still being flesh, but that's splitting hairs. There are other verses that I found recently that suggest he is spirit. In 1 Peter 3:18 it says that Jesus was put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit. 1 Corinthians 15:45 says the first man, Adam, became a living being and the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. The folks on my Catholic forum say he is both body and soul. I think the quote from Jesus in my previous post is the most reliable since it is very literal and comes directly from Him. The other statements can be dismissed as figurative/poetic.
2,182 2018-04-18 02:49:50
Re: Savior of the Damned (the Connor series) by Dirk B. (1,492 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
I'm far from an expert in Catholicism, but I do believe they teach in rapture like we do (we all have different names for it) which implies "...Christ in the flesh..." is technically implausible.
You had me looking for an alternative to "in the flesh". Turns out, he's still flesh and bones, in spite of being transfigured and resurrected:
"Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” (Luke 24:39)
2,183 2018-04-18 02:41:00
Re: A little turbulence (17 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
Internet Explorer shows the same problem. I'm running on Windows 10.
2,184 2018-04-18 02:36:51
Re: A little turbulence (17 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
The first I saw it was April 11, a day after you put up this thread. K also saw it, since he supplied the image above. Now Linda.
2,185 2018-04-18 00:36:27
Re: A little turbulence (17 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
Sol, the above pictured display problem is now visible to Linda Ulleseit on all of the inline reviews she's received for her book. I checked them, and I can see them too, so there's more than just my account involved.
2,186 2018-04-18 00:29:53
Re: Formatting (5 replies, posted in This is US!!)
I had that too, but it disappeared after I contacted Sol. He didn't see it from his account, but I sent him a screenshot, and now it's gone (so far).
2,187 2018-04-17 16:22:46
Re: How to Breathe Underwater (trilogy: Lessons in Skills for Life) (197 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Nice details. Should make for interesting storytelling.
2,188 2018-04-17 04:36:09
Re: Group settings (23 replies, posted in This is US!!)
Welcome back, Bonnie. Congratulations on Home World.
I've seen people use the site for early drafts as well as for those that are quite polished. For stories I like, I keep reading each new draft, as have my reviewers with my story.
2,189 2018-04-17 00:26:30
Re: How to Breathe Underwater (trilogy: Lessons in Skills for Life) (197 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Picking your brains. Wondering how to up the otherworldliness of the story, that feels too pedestrian still.
Any thoughts? I wondered as a first-off whether to have tattoos appear on the arms of the girls, indicating the various Skills as they learn them?
The whole thing still feels too ... lame...
I've been writing space opera, which is a lower tier of sci-fi. I don't take much time to explain things. They just exist as part of my worlds. My planet New Bethlehem is smaller than Earth, with a different color sky (can't remember the color offhand), rings around the planet, and three moons. Vehicles can fly. Critical buildings have shields to prevent most types of attacks from space. My characters wear wisewatches that can do anything I need them to for a given scene. Next draft they'll include a holographic projector, since a 2x2 smartwatch screen is nearly useless.
How advanced technically is your story's society? Are we talking like Lord of the Rings (e.g., knifes, axes, bows and arrows, etc.)?
2,190 2018-04-17 00:13:54
Re: New Contest Next Week (8 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
Sol, are there any rules as to how new the material has to be? I've been working on my book part-time for six years but have never entered it. The current (third) draft is over a year old. Much to my dismay, it will need a fourth draft as well.
Thanks
Dirk
2,191 2018-04-16 23:44:12
Re: Group settings (23 replies, posted in This is US!!)
I would eventually like to get to where I only post in this group.
If we all take that approach, there will be fewer experienced eyes reviewing the material of new authors (i.e., the stuff in Premium), and they will have less material from experienced authors (i.e., the stuff hidden here) to learn from. Could cause a slow death for the site.
2,192 2018-04-16 23:32:47
Re: The Galaxy Tales - Dirk B. (1,217 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
My 16 is even punier thank you think. It was 8, not 16, in the mock battle. I plan to rewrite it in a zone containing space junk (e.g., the kind of stuff that Star Wars destroyers dump before going to light speed). I can put in one big derelict vessel (the same one they board for the "Storming a Battleship" chapter), and a bunch of smaller ones. The AI will take care not to let them hit anything, but I can use the junk to divvy up the scene.
My final battle was better, I think. The Ark of the Covenant vs. the Actium. Paul led his fighters (group 1) against the Actium to provide cover for the raiders (group 2). Paul's fighters were attacked by two enemy fighters (group 3). Much easier to picture, even though there were at least as many ships. The biggest problem with that battle is that there were two Imperial flagships: the Praetorian flagship, the Actium, and Governor Decianus's flagship (its original name escapes me)). Apollo renames the latter in honor of Decianus mid-battle, making it Apollo's new flagship. I gave the ship name every time I switched scenes (e.g., Aboard the Ark of the Covenant, Aboard the Actium, Aboard the Decianus, etc.). I can tweak that: Aboard Lupus's Flagship - the Actium and Aboard Apollo's Flagship - the Decianus).
2,193 2018-04-16 17:27:09
Re: Group settings (23 replies, posted in This is US!!)
Does that mean having to pay double points if we post here and in Premium?
2,194 2018-04-16 12:45:04
Re: Acts/ Dictates/ Mandates/ Mantle - Amy's Thread (1,905 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Be sure to give njc lots of dangling modifiers.
2,195 2018-04-16 11:45:31
Re: Acts/ Dictates/ Mandates/ Mantle - Amy's Thread (1,905 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
I second Lynne's comments. I'm glad the new treatment is helping. You are, of course, missed by all.
2,196 2018-04-13 23:26:38
Re: Savior of the Damned (the Connor series) by Dirk B. (1,492 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
You created a character for me who survives 30 chapters? You're getting soft. I'm looking forward to my demise.
2,197 2018-04-13 20:05:08
Re: Savior of the Damned (the Connor series) by Dirk B. (1,492 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
You're killing me.
2,198 2018-04-13 12:56:39
Re: Savior of the Damned (the Connor series) by Dirk B. (1,492 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
I am such a flake. Can't get used to Requiem for Heaven and Earth. The Lord of the Earth already exists on Amazon, but for a very different book. My title refers to the duel between Satan and Christ, who will fight for dominion over Earth. Also, in the Gospels, Jesus refers to Satan as the 'ruler of this world'. I may add Unholy back into the title as some point, although I like this simple title better. Reminds me of Tolkien.
2,199 2018-04-12 17:33:23
Re: Germ Line: Revolution - Stephen A. Carter (12 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Stephen, as Kdot mentioned to another new member recently, the number of reviews may drop off after two or three chapters as people decide if they want to keep reading. A big part of that is the whether you read their work in return. Not everyone is a good match. I had about eight reviewers for v2 of my old book. I've allowed that to drop down to two for v3 since I'm only doing minor edits to wrap it up. It needs a big rewrite, so there will be a v4 someday, at which point I'll strive to get more reviewers again.
2,200 2018-04-12 17:24:39
Re: Germ Line: Revolution - Stephen A. Carter (12 replies, posted in Fantasy/Magic & Sci-Fi)
Thanks, Lynne. I did a trial of that a few weeks ago but didn't like it as much as grammarly. I'm still running Office 2007 (in 2018, eek), so the integration may not be as good as with newer versions of Office. I'll try them again when I get closer to a final draft. Meanwhile, I have to set aside some time to work through a good grammar and punctuation book.