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...

When I downloaded the results from June’s genre poll, I found it topped with a comedy. And as NYC Midnight’s 13th annual Flash Fiction Challenge approaches, I remembered the first time I entered the competition. My first ever prompt was a comedy then just as it is now. Birthday Blowout resulted from that first entry, and while I leaned into camp for the comedy, it showcased that I had a long way to go with this genre. But that is the very reason I’ve given my patrons the ability to push me out of my comfort zone...

After Darvin left, Rylan sent a message to his father-in-law to start the production of the vessles. Garvin pushed back on some of the leaner aspects of Rylan’s initial designs, and after some back and forth, Garvin arranged for the construction of the three vessles. With the production of the ships started, Rylan begins to aquire all the various bits of gear Darvin insisted that his pilots would need for their flights...

Limitations are an excellent way to focus your attention on any problem. For Flash Fiction, my stories can unfold with up to one thousand words, and I’ve gotten better with that pacing. Unfortunately, for Micro Fiction, that cap is quartered. With only 250 words, I’m constantly analyzing and considering if I’m using the correct word. With so few of them available for the story, everything has to build toward the payoff. The only wrinkle with serialized fiction (something that follows a broad story arc) is the need to connect them to the growing narrative...

As another week draws to a close, I pulled the links for all the artwork I’ve posted at DeviantArt, since the 6th. While most of the past week’s selection made liberal use of the liquify tool, it also contains a pair of that are dear to my heart. The first is Ambling Creature. This image began as a collection of lines that I swirled together. It didn’t take long for the original shape to surrender to the unyielding forces of entropy.

However, as I lifted my stylus, that intermediate picture felt empty...

Confronted with two problems, Jarvis presses his top engineer to stop trying to repair the engines and replicate the plasma cannons to aid in the ship’s defense. He originally presented her with a two-day deadline, but when he pressed her for an update, Cecile threatened to skin him if he didn’t stop bothering her. Over the next few days, Jarvis discreetly checks on her progress. After five days without an update, and the original weapon scattered about a workbench, in the engine room, Jarvis decides to confront her...

A serialized story is a wonderful thing. With every installment, I’m able to explore the depths of a character that a single novel isn’t capable of achieving. While I have charted a larger story for characters with his abilities, they won’t be the focal point of that narrative. So, with my focus on Micro Fiction, I discovered the perfect opportunity to explore this fantastic collection of characters...