My creative portion of my mind works wonders at providing me an escape from reality. Unfortunately, some days that escape is easier than others, and ever June 30th ticked away, my escapes haven’t been as effective. While I’m eventually able to fall into my creative headspace, once I’m there I’m too exhausted for some of my more typical sessions. As a result, the vast majority of my writing has been placed aside for the month, specifically all five of my Wattpad publications. Hopefully, when August rolls around, I’ll be past this funk and able to resume detailing all those storylines...

As the limousine drew to a stop, Kyle stepped in front of the vehicle, slapping the hood with a file folder.

The driver’s window lowered, and he popped his head through the opening. “Are you aware of who I’m driving?”

Kyle tapped the packet against his forehead as his lips curled into a grin. “I trust Chase Heath is nestled in there.” He thrust the dossier toward the backside of the limousine. “I have important questions for him.”

“Get out of the way.”

The rear door opened, and a stocky individual leaned against the vehicle. “You heard our driver, step aside.”..

The last I explored the people in the Academy’s past, my attention lingered on a duel between a pair of students. When I finished penning that tale, I didn’t plan on returning to these particular characters. However, as I sat down to plan my Micro Fiction for July, I used Google to generate some random genres, and one of them was a Romantic Comedy. As I looked through my writing journals to match up a storyline to the selected prompts, I stumbled upon Dueling Students...

Sometimes you don’t notice when you fall into a rut. While ruts aren’t exactly a bad, they’re not great. The biggest drawback is they rapidly become monotonous, either for you or for the people who follow you. When I started liquifying lines, my goal was to craft interesting shapes with those initial scratches of my stylus. Unfortunately, instead of pushing past my comfort level I grew complacent, and it took me a while to realize it. Thankfully, once I accepted the reality of my situation, I started searching for complete images hidden in the lines...

How often do you think about your reputation? I’d be willing to bet that it’s not something you think about daily. However, as an author, I’m constantly thinking about my characters’ reputations. Thankfully, my main characters are well rounded, and possess explicit ones. However, when it comes to my villains and supporting characters, it’s a little more difficult to create a well-defined reputation...

As a software developer, I’m constantly turning to the internet in search of answers. In fact, my ability to delve into the depths of those rough seas is integral to my success in crafting sound code. But with all the time honing my Google-fu, I’m able to flex those muscles for my other interests. And a while back I stumbled onto a YouTube video that introduced me to a Photoshop tutorial that produces some rather pleasing visual effects. While I’ve shared three of my Twisted Fibers pieces already, today I’m announcing my fourth...

With Open House and Finding Camp published for my patrons, I eagerly set out to craft my first Spy Story. While this genre isn’t one I normally explore, I couldn’t think about this genre without my mind reaching back to Spy Game. Despite not seeing the movie in about a decade, a couple of scenes seared themselves in my mind. The first was when Nathan Muir (Robert Redford) was in a helicopter searching for Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt)...

After the tribunal removed Olyver, Quinn instructed his spies to continue monitoring anything that might harm the fledgling Federation. While most of Quinn’s men kept their focus on the leaders of the Federation, Quinn reserved his most skilled operatives for another task. Olyver’s antics proved that a force was acting against the best interest of the Federation. So Quinn tasked his elite agents to uncover the truth behind the rogue triumvirs. A few days later, Dorian, Quinn’s top agent, walked into Quinn’s office with an update on the recent corruption...

When I sat down to flesh out this piece of Micro Fiction, my mind rushed to a camp out back when I was a young boy scout. While most of the details from that expedition are fuzzy, the bit I vividly remember is how one of the older scouts gave me a lesson in how the imagination worked. Our campsite was running along a creek, and he pulled out a night vision scope and encouraged all the younger scouts to examine a patch of shadows. As we all took turns exploring the area, he pointed out the motion...

My artistic journey is wondrous. And like any journey, there are highs and lows. While the disappointments never make their way out of my digital notebook, they influence me far more than my triumphs. I pour over those flops, searching for every imperfection and cringing when I uncover them. Now, before we go further, I’m not someone who enjoys wallowing in my failures. Ultimately, I use those blunders to further my skills. And last week I published two images that benefited from that kind of scrutiny, Touching Water and Blocked Sun...

The moment I finished publishing Finding Camp, my mind started processing my second Patreon exclusive. While my mind toiled to find its footing for my horror tale, I started thinking about my past work. Before I could delve into Vengeful Shadow or The Pursuit, a stray thought crystalized in my mind. During Peter Capaldi’s run as the Doctor, there was an episode that explored the concept of a creature that perfected the ability to hide. With the initial seed in place, I scurried to find a prompt so my version of the concept could grow...

After reminding Dolman of his proper place, Darren returned to his life at the Academy. Upon his arrival, he continued with his regular courses and his private sessions with Arlen and Imryl. Despite the mounting coursework and his trips into the city to placate Randall, Darren also continues his tutoring of Lia. At least twice a week, the two meet to delve into their studies. With all the strange trips into the city, Lia is uncertain about Darren’s dedication...

In writing, be it for a book or the silver screen, I cannot explain the importance of juxtaposition. To highlight its importance, I’ll select a masterful example. In the season two finale of The Mandalorian, Mando is forced to fight a single Dark Trooper. (Continue if you don’t mind reading spoilers.) That battle takes everything the soldier offers, and he barely defeated one. When the rest of the platoon returned to the ship, my mind started churning through the possibilities for their survival...

When I woke up this morning, I fired up my local copy of my website, browsing through the draft for this page, ensuring each placeholder had been replaced with the correct image. Thankfully, the images were ready to go, and while I love all my work (even the bad ones, they help me grow as an artist) I’m especially proud of three of them, Forest Sunset 001, Reaching Out, and Creeping Plant...

While I love reading, being an adult is a giant time sink. Everyday something new sneaks up on me, demanding my attention. As a result, whenever I look up, vast swaths of free time have been gobbled up, and I’m rarely able to curl up somewhere with my kindle and read. To combat this disheartening reality, I turn to the wonderful world of audio books. And the best place to get that variant is Audible. I’ve been a member of that service for a long time now, and it’s allowed me to read while doing things like mowing the lawn or dealing with any commute. So, I’m always looking to add quality books to my collection. Thankfully, the Montague & Strong Case Files fit the bill...