Friday, November 14, 2014

The House of Cosbys....

Given all the shit going on with Bill Cosby, I figured I would post this, why the hell not.  Years ago, there was on YouTube a series of videos, that were stopped by legal action, called the House of Cosbys.  There are 4 episodes in total, and the basis is that some guy builds a machine to clone Bill Cosby, as he has found a hair from the real Bill Cosby.  I won't ruin the rest of the plot, but man were they hilarious.

Episode 1


Episode 2



 Episode 3



Episode 4



Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Remembrance Day



So, there seems to be a lot of controversy over Remembrance day this year, with the fact that many people feel we should have this as a stat holiday here in Ontario.  Many of my readers are probably not old enough to remember when it was this way.  When I was in school, we always had the day off, and well shit, we only knew it was a day to remember the wars as it was put and that was pretty much it.  Then somewhere around grade 3 or 4, it was removed as a holiday because it was deemed that none of us actually appreciated it.  I can remember being in school as over the PA things were told about the wars, the sacrifices, the playing of The Last Post, the reading of In Flanders Fields by John McCrae, born in Guelph Ontario where I reside.

Most people honestly do not really understand the sacrifices these soldiers have made for us.  I am here able to write a blog about almost anything because soldiers at some point have died in the past.  I had two uncles who fought in World War II, one who saw the atrocities of the concentration camps and another who was a tail gunner on a bomber.  Both never really talked about the war and it was only recently that the surviving uncle even started to write down what he experienced.  He didn’t want to think about it all those years.

In today’s society, hell let’s say it, going back to the Viet Nam war, no one has welcomed home soldiers like they did in World War II.  These heroes all deserved this.  It doesn’t matter that you disagree with a war, these men are out there for your country, putting their lives on the line, while you sit there playing your video games, screwing your significant others, getting high, or just having the freedoms we have here.

I don’t think anyone really appreciates how close we came to having North America invaded in World War 2.  German POWs were kept in a concentration camp in Bowmanville, Ontario, next to Oshawa, where I grew up.  There was a rebellion there as they tried to escape.  We had Camp X in Whitby, training the spies they sent into occupied Europe, and hell, let’s put it right here, the electron microscope that was used to create the firing grid for the atomic bombs, was Canadian, and taken by the Manhattan Project from the University of Toronto (this story was from one of my profs).  The war was close to home for everyone at that point.  But at the end of the day, everyone chipped in to deal with the evil that was in Europe.  It is a shame that these bits of history are not taught to high school kids, rather war is something that rarely affects them. 

On other notes, no one also understands what our veterans go through.  Even as an author who writes war epics, I don’t know what it is really like.  Many of my scenes are based upon things that push the limits of evil.  But that is all.  I have never talked with veterans, something I would like to do, but you know what, being in school for Remembrance Day, I learned to think about what my uncles went through, and the others and how our veterans are not treated properly, even by their own families.  All this in the minute of silence.

Until we get back to the point where society returns to walking up to a veteran, either welcoming them home or thanking them for their service, and with a hand shake to boot, then dammit we need the students to be educated.  Leave them in school and don’t make this a holiday.  I know the powers that be feel this would honor the veterans, but honestly, we will only forget what the day is all about.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Lt.-Col. John McCrae (1872 - 1918)



Sunday, November 9, 2014

Sneak Peak - Saba'tah of the Endless Winds - co-written by Trevor Patrick

Well, sitting here as I am, going through change in my life, I figured what the hell, why not post a sneak peak of a novel that was co-written by my co-author, editor and good friend, Mr. Trevor Patrick.  I can't help but think in some way that the character of Louis St. Croix in a way mirrors Trevor in many aspects.

The story itself is set on Earth in the very late 1600s, starting in Florida.  It very quickly changes scenes and moves to different locations in the world, including Tibet, but it also introduces, and I am not sure if we should call this a dimension, or a higher plane of existence, but it introduces the Totality or Quintessential State as it is referred to in the Triumvirate Chronicles.  In a way, this book, like in the Big Lebowski, is the rug that pulls the entire room together, with respect to concepts in my writing.  It is in this book that some concepts that are left as a bit of a mystery are revealed.

But overriding this is the story of Louis, a young immortal from Earth who is literally shit upon by his Master, an old immortal introduced in Genesis, known simply as Remi.  I won't say much more about the plot, other than it is a coming of age story, but with a twist.  So here are two scenes from Saba'tah of the Endless Winds.

Excerpt 1



            “Louis, I’m talking to you!” Remi insisted.
Louis returned Remi’s request in silence.
Remi sighed again.
“Fine, Louis,” He said. “Why don’t you tell me how you’ve been doing, then?  Tell me what you’ve been doing with yourself.  I doubt your life is as mundane as it looks.”
Louis laughed at Remi and shook his head.
“Are you serious? I’ve got a better idea,” Louis replied. “Why don’t you just save yourself the trouble of pretending that you actually care about my life or my feelings?  It’s probably for the best.  Why don’t you just drop the façade and all your usual bullshit and just get right to the main event?  Just what is it that you plan to force me to do, Remi?  Just spit it out man, don’t hold me in suspense.”
“Fine,” Remi said, with a sour expression on his face, as if Louis had ruined a surprise party for him.  “As you wish, Louis.  I want you to go to India with me.”
“And let me guess, you need me to leave right now, because time is of the essence, right?.” Louis finished for him.
“Pretty much.  There is a lot at stake here.”  Remi replied, his expression even stormier that usual.  For just a moment, Louis may have begun to think that Remi’s cause was legitimate, but then memories of past adventures flooded his mind; and in each one of those, time had also been of the essence.
“I see.”  Louis said finally, “and I can leave under my own power, or I can leave stuffed into a sack by you?  Is that how it’s going to be?”
“That’s about the size of it, Louis.  I can’t do this without you.”
“Thank you for being honest for once, Remi, at least in the first part of that statement. I really appreciate it.  Doesn’t that make things easier all the way around?”
“Unfortunately, the second part of that statement isn’t quite as honest,” Louis continued. “I doubt very much that I’m the only one you could rely on for what you need. I know you have others.”
“You know what, Louis?” Remi spat, “I wanted this to be much more pleasant than you’re making it.”
“And there you go again, Remi.” Louis sighed, his frustration showing through.  “Please, for once, spare me your lies, and your blame!  Just tell me the fucking truth.”
“Well it’s your birthday in a few days, Louis, don’t you remember?” Remi said, trying to change the subject, “I was planning on getting you something, something very special. What would you like?”
“I don’t think you want me to answer that, Remi,” Louis said slowly.  “You won’t like the answer.”
“Oh for God’s sake,” Remi sighed once again. “All right[TP1] [SK2] , I’ll tell you the truth. I actually already got you something.  Something that you will require for what I need you to do next.  I thought it would be a pleasant surprise to give it to you on the journey, as I was going to take you there in my shuttlecraft.  And maybe give you a quick little space flight as a treat, as it’s been a few years since I’ve gotten you off this planet.  Wouldn’t that be nice?”
Remi reached into his pack, and pulled out a small ray pistol, handing it to Louis.
“This one is of Emvarian make, and it is one of the few things that can harm a fellow immortal[SK3] .  Quite nasty to be sure.”
“Really?” Louis said, examining the compact weapon, which really didn’t look all that threatening to him, but memories of small weapons that Remi used on past adventures reminded Louis that the size of the weapon could be quite deceiving. “Thank you, Remi. Now I can show you how much I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.  I just don’t know how I can repay you, so it is up to you how you interpret what I am about to do.”
“What’s that supposed to mean, Louis?” Remi said. “Are you threatening to shoot me?  I am still more powerful than you, and you know I can control you.  Don’t think you can get away with it.”
“No.” Louis replied, still examining the pistol, turning it over in his hands.  “If I thought merely shooting you would have actually accomplished anything, I would have found a way to do it a long time ago, or just killed you outright.   Don’t be silly.  I’ll show you what I mean.”
And quick as a flash, before Remi could try and stop him, Louis p[SK4] ut the ray pistol against [TP5] his own belly, targeting the source of Guardian powers in all immortals:  the nexus disk.  Louis smiled as he pulled the trigger.  With the smallest of sounds from the pistol, a red flash  erupted from its muzzle, briefly lighting Louis’s belly in hell’s flames.
Louis had perhaps a second to register that he had not only blown a smoking, bloody tunnel through the center[TP6]  of his torso, but most of the back of his chair was now gone as well.  He turned his head a little, and saw that he had also created an impressive, jagged hole in the outside wall of his house. Seeing the destruction, Louis smiled.  For the first time in forever, he felt free.
That brief moment[SK7]  of lucid thought, when Louis took all of this in, was all that he had, because just as quickly as he had those thoughts, a blinding wave of agony washed over him and he screamed in pain.  It was so intense that his vision wavered and greyed around the edges. He couldn’t even stifle the second shriek that ripped its way out of his mouth.
Louis felt a sharp, burning sensation layered within the intense waves of pain, and which spread outwards from the edges of the hole that the pistol had made.  It was clear to Louis that there was some sort of evil sorcery in that weapon:  likely the thing that Remi had told him was called Thadon[SK8]   radiation.
“Louis!” Remi shouted, reaching towards him a little bit too late to have tried to stop him.  “What the Hell?!? Are you stupid?  What the hell [SK9] were you thinking?!”
In the midst of his agony, Louis managed to smile, although it was strained, and ultimately rather ghastly.  “Just… showing you… how much I appreciate… everything you’ve done… for me, Remi…but it… ends here… it has to.”
“Goddammit, Louis! You complete idiot!!!  You know how hard those radioactive wounds are to heal?  Are you trying to kill yourself?  I’m not even sure I can help you.”
“What… gave you… the idea I … even want help?”  Louis coughed and rasped, blood trickling out the corners of his mouth, “I wasn’t trying… was hoping… I’d succeed in ending…this miserable life.”  And with that, Louis’ vision faded to darkness, much to his relief.  I hope this is it. He thought to himself, I’d rather be de
Louis never completed that thought as he faded into something, or somewhere else.
Louis also didn’t die.  Instead, he drifted in what felt like an abyss, with no sensation of the amount of time that passed.  To him, it felt like wherever he was, it was a place beyond thought, speech, or even self.  
  
Excerpt 2 


Louis wasn’t sure where he was.  His awareness told him that he was in some sort of  formless void—at least at first. There was no color, no light, or any other physical sensation that he could have named.  In fact, he couldn’t feel any sort of physical self at all.  All he seemed to have were his thoughts, and nothing more.
Louis found himself thinking about a recent treatise by a French philosopher named Déscartes that he had read while he was still in Paris. Déscartes, whose flesh had already been dying when Louis had met him, had simply stated: “Cogito, ergo sum”.
It was those words, which Louis clung to. He was obviously thinking, and he obviously had memories.  Therefore, Louis felt he still existed, somewhere.  Just where that somewhere was, who the hell knew.  As for what that existence currently was, he could not have guessed at all.  Perhaps he had somehow become nothing but thought and memory.  The only things that immediately came to mind were the Catholic notions of Purgatory, or perhaps even Limbo.  Had it been Paradise or the Inferno, surely there would be sensation of some sort!
A voice spoke then, interrupting his thoughts.  Whether it was in his ears or only in Louis’ thoughts, again, Louis had no idea, and at this point it really didn’t matter to him.    It meant that he was somewhere, and he was not alone.  The voice was strange:  low-pitched with a gurgling undertone to it, but Louis didn’t find it unpleasant, just strange.
“St. Croix,” The voice said in its low gurgle, “I’ve been waiting to speak with you for a long time now, to put it in your perspective.  Yes, I’ve been waiting a very long time.  Would you speak with me?”
Louis thought about his response, wishing he had his battle axe with him, just in case.  “Who are you and where am I?” Louis demanded.  Whether the words were sound or merely thought, he couldn’t have guessed.  “I’ll speak with you if you can answer what I just asked you,” Louis continued, “am I dead? Are you the Pope’s God?  Or are you Lucifer?”
“I’ll answer your questions, but not in the order you asked them,” the voice replied, a hint of a chuckle evident.  “First, your body is not dead, despite your clumsy effort to make it so.  It’s being healed by my student, Horyn, who is one of the daughters of Remi, who was also once known as Cort Joran, brother of Jace Joran, the mighty Preacher.  Ahh those were the days, Louis, watching the revival of the immortals, or Guardians as they would be known for the short time they were united..  The Joran brothers were feared across the galaxy, and I doubt that Cort ever told you the story of how he made away with Excalibur and Pratha, which made him become one of but a handful to ever wield two blades.  Those cursed blades.  But I digress.    As for your awareness, obviously it’s not dead either, as you’ve already been able to determine for yourself.  Your flesh container is in a safe place, out of the reach of Cort, where he can no longer harm you.  Your awareness is currently in this place, which is known as the Quintessential State, or ‘The Totality’, as newer immortals call it.”
“With regards to who I am: If I define myself by flesh existence, my first life ended over ten million Terran years ago.  My species of flesh birth were known as the Irathans.  They’re long extinct, lost well into the legends of time, much like your Atlantis.  You would have seen only vague resemblance between my original appearance and anything you would  recognize as human.”
“I’ve had two further flesh lives since then, as the life of a grid burner can be quite rough on the flesh containers.  It’s probably best if I only show you my most recent appearance, as you would find it the easiest to relate to, and understand I think. The physical body of that life has been dust for over forty thousand years, but I still remember it well.  For what it’s worth, this was my appearance.”
Louis was suddenly faced with the strangest-looking man he had ever seen. The image shocked Louis, for no matter how much Remi had told tales of other species in the galaxy, to be faced by the reality of it, was different.  To start with, its arms were replaced by tentacles; four of them no less, which no doubt served the purpose of hands.   The rest of it looked vaguely like a toad somehow twisted into near-human form.
“As you can tell, my most recent flesh species was amphibious,” the voice said. “My name that I most recently used was Creh’mysan, and it will suffice for the chat we’re going to have.  That particular flesh was destroyed and my awareness sent into the Quintessential State during battle with beings, whose names best translate to ‘the Jealous Ones’. They invaded my ancient homeworld and turned it into a base for their vile experiments.”
Creh’mysan paused, and Louis swore he heard him breathe, or was it a sigh?  “To answer your final question:  no, I’m not your God, or anyone else’s,” the voice concluded.  “Many immortals have played the role of gods over time, and some, indeed, still do. However, I myself have never had time for such foolishness.  What I am, at least at the present time, is exactly what you are while you’re in this place:  awareness and thought.  Nothing more, and nothing less, for it is all that is needed in here.  Now, would you speak with me, young Terran Guardian?”
“What do you want to speak of?” Louis asked, once again not knowing if his words were thought or sound or both.
‘I would speak of many things,” Creh’mysan replied. “Of what you want from your mortal life, what you would wish to achieve within the limitations of your flesh existence, and of your destiny. All of these are questions, which, if what Horyn has told me is correct, and I know it is, Cort has never honestly asked you, and perhaps never will.  His soul is poisoned, by Pratha, the blade of Fire.  I know you hate him Louis, but if you are to achieve your destiny, you need to help Cort.”
“Yes, Pratha,” Louis replied, remembering back to the age of the Khans.  He had touched Pratha once and it had spoken to him, leaving him feeling less than complete.
“But for now, it is I, who needs to ask questions of you.  I too have many I would ask, but for now I will satisfy my curiosity by asking you only the two most important.  Your answer to both of them will dictate everything else I could tell you, and the ways in which I could help you.”
“Help me?” Louis asked, suddenly feeling irritated, as if he were dealing with Remi’s manipulation all over again.  “I’ve heard that before.  What is it you want from me?  Everybody wants something from me it seems.  Does it never end?  You want to use me just like Remi, don’t you?”
“Being as I really don’t know Cort personally, I can’t answer that.  I only know what I have seen, and he is too powerful for me to directly enter his mind and find the answers, at least from here in the Quintessential State,” Creh’mysan replied.  “However, I can assure you that I have no intention of forcing you into something against your will.  In fact, to force you into anything against your will is not allowed.  Nevertheless, you will figure out for yourself sooner or later that everybody uses everyone else, in one way or another.  To try and claim otherwise is a brutal and clumsy lie, or so I have discovered.” 
“Horyn has told me that Cort has a tendency to force his students to do things against their will, using the justification that it is in their supposed ‘best interest’.  From that standpoint, I can say that I have no interest in using you in the way your current master would, it will defeat all that must be done, for it has to be of your own free will.  All choices are your own, St. Croix, including whether or not you wish for your flesh to retain its mortal life.  If you have no interest in hearing what I have to say, I can perhaps contact another.  I only ask that you hear me before you decide.”
“Can I leave this place?” Louis asked.
“Yes,” Creh’mysan replied, “you can leave it in two ways. Your thoughts and awareness could go back to your mortal flesh, should you choose for it to continue living, or they can dissipate to nothingness should you choose for your mortal life to cease.  You do not yet have the power to hold on to your awareness and sense of self in this place without the tether of living flesh.” 
“Perhaps with the proper training, that will change, but for now, you do not have that power.  Few of the current Guardians do, and not that many through the ages have ever achieved it.  It is I, who currently holds you here, and it is I, who will release your awareness to whatever fate you choose for it.  Hence, the first question I wish to ask you: St. Croix, do you wish for your mortal life to continue, or do you wish for it to end?”
“What will it cost me for it to continue?”  Louis asked, not even trying to hide his bitter cynicism, “what will I owe you and Horyn?”
“Not as much as you seem to think,” Creh’mysan said with what Louis guessed approximated a laugh in the ancient immortal’s most recent flesh species.  “Only two things, really.  The first is to find yourself, and the second is to reach your full potential as a Guardian.  I’m sad to say that, from what Horyn has told me, I judge that neither of those things was likely to happen any time soon under the tutelage of your current master.”
“I have no idea what that means,” Louis said.
“That’s because you’ll have to find out the answer for yourself,” the ancient immortal replied.  “No one else can answer it for you. I certainly can’t. The answer is different for every person and lies within you.”
“All right,” Louis said. “What’s your second question?”
“Haven’t you already guessed?” the toad-like figure in front of Louis asked.  “I want to know if you would like to be my student; if you are interested in the ancient knowledge I could share with you?  However, I will need the answer to my first question before I can consider your answer to the second one, young St. Croix.”
“I suppose I’d like to go back to my body.” Louis finally said. “That is if I really am out of Remi’s reach for now, I’ll go.”
“Although I can’t directly enter Cort’s mind from here in the Totality, as I had already mentioned, I have been able to manipulate his ability to sense the presence of other immortals just enough, so that you will be invisible to his senses until he is specifically made aware of your presence, whether by yourself, or by someone else. In short, [SK1] Louis, he won’t be able to find you unless and until you wish to be found, or choose to face him.”  The ancient guardian replied.  “I’m pleased with your decision. We’ll speak again when you’re ready to truly understand and appreciate what I would tell you, and when you are capable of giving me a truly considered and informed answer to my second question.”
“How will I know when I’m ready?”

And I will leave you with this, as often it is best to leave it as a mystery.