How I Did On "My Top Six 2015 Creative Goals and Resolutions"

I listed my creative goals for 2015 and promised to report back on how I did. To view the complete 2015 post, click HERE.

Posed "author action shot."

Here goes...

6) Complete outline for the third book in my 'Dragonfriend' series.

This falls in the "Almost" column. I added quite a bit to the outline and was pleased with the assorted plot twists, structural fixes, etc. I came up with. I would say the outline is around 4/5ths complete. Not too bad, but falling short nonetheless. My bonus goal of writing "a first draft of the novel before the end of the year, possibly during NaNoWriMo" obviously didn't happen (I like to start a new writing project when I have a complete outline--rough or otherwise) so I'll be moving this entire "goal bundle" into 2016.

5) Complete edit of the space opera YA novel I wrote.

Another "Almost" item. I think I've devoted the most time to completing this goal, going through numerous revisions with help from my writer friends Jeff, Keith, and Brian. I'm almost done with it and hope to have things completely worked out before this spring.

4) Start and complete first draft of short story anthology based in Norse mythology.

Fail. No movement here. Why? See #5. Another goal pushed forward into 2016.

3) Finish editing my kid's novel.

My kid wisely put this project on hold while she works out a few issues. When she's ready for me to look at the next draft, it goes back on the list.

2) Complete the pitch bible for a cool animated show I'm creating.

Good movement on this one. I completed the pitch bible and the bonus goal of a first draft of the pilot script.  Editing of said draft will commence shortly.

BONUS, BONUS GOALS: In addition, I completed the pilot script of Fenderheads, an adult live-action sitcom, and retooled the pitch bible for Boneyard, a dark and silly animated series with outstanding art by Tim Maltby.

1) Get a full-time writing/acting/anything gig.

I got some freelance gigs on a couple of great shows (one, soon to be announced, for Cartoon Network, the other Hogie the Globe Hopper for ? - I really don't know as it's being produced internationally out of Malaysia). I also booked a hotel.com commercial, which is cool. Very grateful to have this work, but since it's not full-time, another push forward into 2016.

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There you have it. With the exception of the fail on #1, I'm pleased. On balance, most of my goals were mostly achieved. The 2015 post was a good motivator so I'll be posting "My 2016 Creative Goals and Resolutions" shortly. Here's hoping you'll meet all of your creative goals for the coming year!

Littlest Pet Shop: King Kong Parody

Here's a fun "King Kong" fantasy sequence from my Littlest Pet Shop episode, "Spendthrifty." Blythe asks the pets to take care of a baby doll and they quickly discover the annoying toy WON'T SHUT UP!

Special thanks to LPS super-fans ICanSnake and Alec Greer for the heads up!

8-Bit Cinema: PAN'S LABYRINTH

Ah, the story of Pan's Labyrinth finally makes sense to me. Thank you, 8-Bit Cinema!

Pokemon Theme Song As Jazz

Yes, it's good. Really good. You should listen to it. A lot.

Littlest Pet Shop: The Final Season Begins Nov. 7

Discovery Family just released promos for the Season 4 kick-off of Littlest Pet Shop (h/t to LPS superfan +Chevistian MadamePomNews for the heads up).

Unfortunately, Season 4 will be the last one since, despite strong ratings for DF, Netflix, and overseas, Hasbro has decided not to pick up the show--something to do with not selling enough toys, I'm told. <shrugs> Anyhoo, I had a blast writing for this awesome show and will miss working with a great bunch of people.

As mentioned, the final season will premiere Nov.7 and will be full of fun stuff so don't despair.  ;)

Check out the promo and let me know what you think!

iAi Bloggers' Book of the Month: THE PUPPETEER KING by Chris Ward

Once-human monsters, giant robot spiders, human statues and a madman with a thirst for destruction … Professor Kurou is back and more dangerous than ever.

After five years of incarceration, Jun Matsumoto is released from a mental hospital. With his hatred for Professor Kurou still consuming him, he enlists the help of some old friends and tracks his nemesis to Barcelona, where he hopes to rescue Ken Okamoto’s missing daughter, Nozomi.

Kurou, however, has a master plan that will not only destroy one of the greatest landmarks in mankind’s history, but bring war to an entire nation. Jun must battle not only ghosts from his past and his own failing mind, but a man who is now the undisputed Puppeteer King…

From the author of the acclaimed Tube Riders trilogy, The Puppeteer King is the third volume in Chris Ward's Tales of Crow series, a blend of science fiction, fantasy and horror set in the near future.

The Tales of Crow Series:

#1: They Came Out After Dark
#2: The Castle of All Nightmares
#3: The Puppeteer King
#4: The Circus of Machinations (coming soon)

Chris Ward is a native of Cornwall, England, but currently lives and works in Nagano, Japan. He is the author of The Tube Riders Trilogy, The Man Who Built the World and Head of Words, as well as numerous short stories and collections. He spends his time snowboarding, writing, playing guitar in his rock band, Steampunk Unicorn (www.reverbnation/steampunkunicorn), and generally having too much to say about just about everything.

Like Chris Ward (Fiction Writer) on Facebook for regular updates, or visit Chris's website at www.amillionmilesfromanywhere.net.

Book of Kells: Famed Illustrated Manuscript Enters the Digital Age

I recently discovered that, thanks to the fine folk at Trinity College in Dublin, the renowned illustrated manuscript known as The Book of Kells is available, free of charge and in its entirety, for online viewing.

Gospel of John

According to Wikipedia:

The Book of Kells (Irish: Leabhar Cheanannais) (Dublin, Trinity College Library, MS A. I. (58), sometimes known as the Book of Columba) is an illuminated manuscript Gospel book in Latin, containing the four Gospels of the New Testament together with various prefatory texts and tables. It was created in a Columban monastery in either Britain or Ireland or may have had contributions from various Columban institutions from both Britain and Ireland. It is believed to have been created ca. AD 800.

I was surprised at how long the manuscript is, weighing in at 680 pages. The vellum pages have been digitally scanned at a high resolution and are a delight to view. In case you can't tell, I'm really into this kind of stuff -- a big fan of Celtic culture in general and illustrated manuscripts in particular. If you are too, you should find this resource to be fascinating.

Check out Ireland's great cultural treasure HERE.

What's Up, Wabbit?

One of the better Bugs reinventions, I wrote a couple of episodes of Wabbit a while back. At that time, they were still accepting scripts from outside writers and I was quite pleased to be writing for animation royalty.

Wabbit just premiered September 21, 2015 on Cartoon Network, and will later premiere October 5, 2015 on Boomerang. Check it out and let me know what you think!

iAi Bloggers' Book of the Month: AFTER THE WAR by Autumn Birt

Peace is not what it seems…

How do you remove a war hero from power?
Known as the Lady Grey, her leadership won the apocalyptic war that ravaged Europe. But now in 2068 and three years into the official peace, the alliance she’s maintained with the seven ministers who rule Europe falters under the lack of an external threat. They want back the power she claimed in a bid to protect the continent; an authority they never authorized. With no war, she is no longer needed, even if she safeguards the borders from a threat that is hiding more than is dead.

But how do you plot the downfall of a popular wartime heroine – a woman who controls the armed forces? One dent at a time…

Continue the military dystopian series Friends of my Enemy with book 2, After the War. After the War can be read without reading book 1, Stories from the War, so join the near future thriller now!

Set in Europe, this series unfolds through the intersecting lives of a small handful of people. Though a fiction novel, real events such as terrorism, climate change, and manipulated politics play a role in this riveting story of romance, love, betrayal, and sacrifice made for the good of a continent.

Purchase AFTER THE WAR.

Autumn Birt (also known as Weifarer) is an indie author, conservationist, & world traveler with plans for many more adventures both real and fantastical! She is currently based in Maine where she lives in a small cottage lost in the woods, which she built with her husband along with the supervision (and approval) of two Cairn terriers.

FRIENDS Opening Recreated in Grand Theft Auto V

I know which version I like better...