Inspirational Track for the Princess and the Dragon, Chapter 1

Yay! This blog is not completely dead after all, is it?  And that's because as promised, tomorrow Chapter 1 of the Princess and the Dragon comes out on +Wattpad -- weeeeeeeeeeeee!

And of course I've got a sneak peek of the chapter and a preview track for you!

This song is very harpsichord, very baroque, very slow, and very stilted. I want you to keep that feeling in mind as we entered our Princess' world.

Doesn't sound like it makes for an exciting chapter 1? I beg to differ, personally. The conflict of the plot comes from the very stiltedness that this track implies. Are you so, so excited?! I sure am. But in the meantime if you haven't already, catch up on the Mage's Apprentice. You'll be glad you did!

See you on Wattpad tomorrow!

Inspirational Track for the Mage's Apprentice, Chapter 48 | The Final Chapter

So tomorrow the last chapter of The Mage's Apprentice comes out! Are you excited? I am! Especially since it means that we'll be a week closer to the first chapter of the Princess and the Dragon (The Tales of Omorbia Book II) being released on Wattpad!

In the final chapter of The Mage's Apprentice, however, we'll discover the fates (at least the temporary fates) of Yafoya, Val, and Fav. And although it's the last we'll see of Fav and Yafoya for a book... or three... Val and Vadier will return in the Princess and the Dragon. Ahhhhhhhh! So much excitement!!!

Here's the track that helped inspire Chapter 48 for you:

Inspirational Track for The Mage's Apprentice, Chapter 47

Here it is, kids! The inspirational track for what very well may be the penultimate chapter of The Mage's Apprentice! I know the updates have been spotty over the summer, but as this story draws to a close, I'm thinking of releasing chapter from the Princess and the Dragon (Tales of Omorbia Book II) starting the first week in September. How does that sound to you?

Also, how would you feel if I release The Mage's Apprentice as a pitch on Reupp?? I'm pretty into the site now that it's launched. It's pretty fun to play around with story board and imagine what things might be like if my stories (and others) were TV shows. And with all the Omorbia material I have in my back pocket, I think the Mage's Apprentice could make an amazingly epic fantasy TV saga.

Not to brag, or anything. :P

Okay, here's my inspirational track this week. It's a chapter of goodbyes, and the song reflects that I think:

Inspirational Track for The Mage's Apprentice, Chapter 46

Hey, kids! The Mage's Apprentice Chapter 46 is coming out on Wattpad tomorrow!

This is a pretty emotionally intense chapter! We will finally get to find out what happens between Yafoya and Valoru and other...fun...things!

So definitely check out the chapter tomorrow to find out what happens!

And in the meantime, check out this track that I was listening to as I wrote the chapter. It doesn't have much to do with what happens. It's not thematic in any way. I just find it strangely soothing, inspirational, and generally awesome:

Inspirational Track for the Mage's Apprentice, Chapter 45

Hey, kids! It's that time of the week again! The time when you and I get excited for the upcoming release of the latest chapter of the Mage's Apprentice! Weeee!

Tomorrow, another exciting chapter in the Tales of Omorbia saga comes out on Wattpad. We're one step closer to the end, which means we're one week closer to the release of The Princess and The Dragon, which I am HUGELY excited to reveal to you. I may even create a book trailer for it.

But in the meantime, Val is blundering his way through pre-pubescence while slowly becoming a powerful mage. In Chapter 45, you'll finally get a peek at what his power unleashed looks like.

But in the meantime, I had to actually write it. And while writing, I was listening to a bunch of (unsurprisingly) instrumental tracks. Like this one:



Oh, also: The Mage's Apprentice climbed up the fantasy charts again to #513! Only halfway between getting on the charts and #1, I know, but it's so weird for me to actually see it on there! AND RoboNomics Books I and II are both back on the charts after falling off, and are both in the top 200 again. Weird! Happy, but weird! :)

Inspirational Track for the Mage's Apprentice, Chapter 44

Hey! Man, has July been busy! Sorry excuse for abandoning this blog? Ah, well. I tried.

Anyways, The Mage's Apprentice is still rolling along and is actually getting closer to the end. Tomorrow, I'll release Chapter 44 on +Wattpad. Oh, and here's some news on that front: for the first time in its publication history, The Mage's Apprentice has made it to the top 1000 in fantasy list! I know, crazy, right? It's spend all this time on Wattpad without much attention, and now it's suddenly #773 in fantasy (why, yes...that is very far down the list). Once The Princess and the Dragon starts coming out (which will probably begin some time in August or September), I wouldn't be surprised if I had a sleeper hit on my hands!

In the meantime, if you're a die hard fan who's been reading religiously since the beginning (there are a handful of you, and to you -- my thanks!), you might want to go back and re-read Chapter 43. I've made some edits to it that will make it difficult to understand Chapter 44 if you have only read the old, cruddy version of Chapter 43.

And until tomorrow, here is the track that helped inspire Chapter 44:

Just for Fun Friday

It's so late today! But hey, at least you can groove to this awesome tune on the way home from work.



Have a great weekend everyone! :)

Inspirational Track for The Mage's Apprentice, Chapter 42

Hey, everyone! Tomorrow I've got another juicy chapter of the Mage's Apprentice for you, which means today I have another inspirational track. This track is perfect, with its sounds of the jungle and it's changing beat that inspired me to write some crazy stuff into Chapter 42.

Don't forget to check it out tomorrow on +Wattpad

Just for Fun Friday

Feeling inspired to post this track for my Just for Fun Friday. There are no other words...

Inspirational Track for The Mage's Apprentice, Chapter 41

Hey kids! I've finally returned with another Inspirational Track for the Mage's Apprentice. I've been such a derelict author towards you lately, I know, neglecting you for other projects.

And to be completely and bluntly honest, I'm not sure when this neglect will stop. Mainly because the second round of Camp Nanowrimo is coming up starting July 1, and during July I have another 50,000 word draft to write!

But for now I've got another chapter coming up for you tomorrow, and another track that I've found inspiring lately!

It's summer, which means that I've had time lately to walk in the woods. And while the woods around my house are a far cry from the monsoon jungle of the Mage's Apprentice, I've been feeling inspired by those walks. And I think this track, and Chapter 41, reflect that fact.

Just for Fun Friday

It's a terrible song with a terrible message, isn't it? But since this is Just for Fun Friday, here it is. The song that will not get out of my head lately. But I can't post the video. It's just too terrible. And I just can't expose you to that disaster!

Inspirational Track for the Mage's Apprentice, Chapter 39

This week, I've been working on Chapter 39 of the Mage's Apprentice, which comes out tomorrow. Since RoboNomics is now a completed story on +Wattpad, I thought I'd switch the publishing schedule of the Mage's Apprentice to every Friday. Fridays are the best days for Wattpad: everyone is pumped and ready for a new chapter, it seems, after a long work week. It's probably the same reason that movies come out on Fridays: everyone's looking for some weekend entertainment!

Anyways, this week we'll find Val, Fav and Yafoya being chased by a monster! I won't say more than that, other than you'll have to read it tomorrow! In the meantime, enjoy the track that helped inspire the chapter:

The RoboNomics Soundtrack and Inspirational Tracks

RoboNomics is all up on Wattpad, and so today I don't have a chapter and inspirational track for you. Usually Tuesday I would have one for the Mage's Apprentice, but I'm moving my posting schedule for that story to every Friday, since it's just an all-around better day for you and me.

Until then, I've complied all of the inspirational tracks from each and every chapter of the RoboNomics story: both Books I and II are featured here:



And, as a special added bonus, I've also got all of the songs that inspired me during the writing process, but that didn't get to be featured on a chapter or a blog post. Here they are:



Enjoy!

Ambient for Editing

Today, I've got a playlist of ambient tunes for concentration. These tracks are for times when you really need to concentrate. I especially love listening to Ambient tracks while I'm editing a draft. Not only do the spare soundscapes allow you to sink into the task of reading what you've wrote: there's something about them that just melds into the background and makes the task feel quick and easy.

Although, I have to admit that I am partial to tracks that have some thumping bass behind them, as some of the tracks on this playlist do. They're just that more hypnotic but don't put me right to sleep.

Check out the playlist:

Just for Fun Friday

Since today's the day that the last bit of RoboNomics comes out, I'd thought I'd share a track with you that should have made it on the "inspirational track for chapter...." but never quite did.

Sam Sparro. He's one of my favs. He combines two things that I just love: pounding, addictive dance beats, and philosophical speculation:


I swear, I hear it once and it's in my head for a week afterwards. Happy weekend, peeps!

Inspirational Track for RoboNomics Book II, the Epilogue

CC0

Well, kids. This is it. Tomorrow, the last chapter of RoboNomics comes out.

It's been quite a journey, and this first completed novel of mine has taken a lot out of me. Four years from the first spark of inspiration, through drafting, research, working with a professional writer in a studio course, and then posting on Wattpad for the past year and a half.

But is the RoboNomics saga over? For me, the story will evolve no more. I will shop it around to agents, and if all else fails I'll publish it as an ebook and make it available to a wider audience. And then, to annals of time it goes. And I'll have to let go of it.

However, it was suggested to me last weekend that the world of RoboNomics is so rich that it could become an expanded universe.

It's a curious suggestion. There are so many characters in the RoboNomics story who's lives I would love to explore, from whose perspective I would like to see things. So it's possible that further short stories may evolve out of this one idea. But for now, I am going to take a step back from RoboNomics and work instead on other projects. Bye-bye, first novel. You've taught me so much!

In the meantime, I've been waiting a long time to share with you this, my final inspirational track for RoboNomics. It's a track called 'Moonlight' by Rameses, and it's quiet nature helps to wrap-up the RoboNomics story. It also has some dude musing about things philosophical, which Andrea also will in this final chapter.

Enjoy, and don't forget to check out +Wattpad tomorrow to read the Epilogue!

OmmWriter & its Music

I've raved about OmmWriter before. It is an amazing writing applications and experience, which you can customize and use to block out all the world except your writing. You can choose different background and keystroke sounds, but did you know you can also pick the music?

Music is Key

Atmosphere is key while working on that first draft, and the atmospheric music of OmmWriter is just perfect. It ranges from the most ambient of tracks, to ones with just a little more pace, to tracks that sound like they have a mild rain behind them, or are nothing more than ominous crunching sounds. More soundscapes than songs, more wind-over-the-plain and record scratches than melody, the music and sounds of OmmWriter will guarantee concentration and will not pop the bubble of your inspiration.

In short, you gotta try it!

Inspirational Track for The Mage's Apprentice, Chapter 38

Tomorrow, Chapter 38 of the Mage's Apprentice comes out on +Wattpad. And in that chapter, we get to see the Drewala again!

If you're a regular reader of The Mage's Apprentice, you'll remember that the Drewala are tiny, winged creature with mouse-like faces and tuffs of brown fur. They also emit multicoloured lights. The las time Fav and Val encountered them, it didn't exactly go well. With any luck, this time will go better, now that Yafoya's around.

Writing this chapter (because this one is all new material!), I was inspired by a new song: "Csay Csay" by Little People. There's something about the high pitch of the vocals that just reminds me of tiny creatures. And you know I love a good electro beat. Especially when it's attached to someone's random vacay video??

Sound Effects for Inspiration

When it comes to setting, music can be a powerfully inspiring vehicle for writing. Certain songs or genres can call up specific times and places. But sometimes, I find that while I'm writing I need sometime more. I need to be able to call up the smells, sounds and sights of a setting so that I can create an immersive world. And that's when I turn to ambient recordings.

As opposed to Ambient music, which is a sub-genre of Electronic music, ambient recordings are tracks that include just the sounds of certain environments. I used to go to YouTube for these tracks, but since then I've discovered that apps such as Spotify and Songza have whole categories of playlists that fit the bill: sounds from a Quiet Park, a Busy Coffee, or sounds from the ocean.

The great thing about these tracks, I find, is that even in the middle of winter, I can call up what it's like to be in those settings. And the closer you can be to the setting you're attempting to describe, the better it will make your writing.

Just for Fun Friday

It's the long weekend, so let's have a happy song. With a weird video:



Have a great weekend, everyone! :)

Inspirational Track for RoboNomics Book II, Chapter 42

Well, kids. This is it. I know I've been talking about it for a long time, but other than an Epilogue, Chapter 42 is the last chapter of the RoboNomics saga.

Isn't it strange to say? I having been living with this story for four years, and although with this final bit it will at last be out there in the world, I'm far from being down with it. +Wattpad was only the beginning.

But in the meantime, I felt a roller coaster of emotions in writing Chapter 42. Man, was it hard. And there's plenty of action and excitement to the chapter, if the preview pic is any indication, but there's also quiet, important moments too. Which is why I was inspired by this track:



Although to own truth, my inspiration came from somewhere else as well. Maybe because of the things I've been writing about on this blog.

Music Apps for Inspiration

Today, I'm highlighting some of the apps that I use when looking for inspiration in my writing. Some of these may be obvious, or they may not be. But all of them are helpful.

Songza

My go-to music app is Songza. Perhaps because Spotify wasn't launched here in Canada until long after it was launched elsewhere in the world, I have some wicked, unshakeable brand loyalty towards Songza. I do enjoy the concierge feature, although sometimes it does get it really, really wrong. But that's when I turn to genres, activities, or my favourites.

It's a great discoverability app, and many times I turn to it when I'm drafting a story, editing a piece of writing, or needing some inspiration. Although I have to say that they use to have "Being Creative" listed as an activity you might want music for, and since the last update they got rid of it. Poop!

Spotify

Songza and Spotify are very similar beasts. Like Songza, Spotify has free and a premium membership levels. And like Songza, it relies on playlists created by either the staff or the users.

However, unlike Songza, it doesn't have a concierge that's based on the time of day or day of the week. This can be good for writers who need what they need when they need it, but I find that Songza can sometimes be spot on about what you're doing at that particular time of day or day of the week. Sometimes it's spooky.

Soundcloud

Soundcloud has some really great features that make it excellent for inspiring your next story. Anyone can upload sounds to the site and share them with the world, making it a sort of YouTube for sounds and music. However, the really awesome feature for those of us seeking inspiration in musical form is the cloud itself: when you pick your genre and then start listening to a track, if you get caught up in your work, it's no problem! The site or app will continuously play tracks related to the one you started with. It's perfect for when the spirit moves you and you are lost in thought.

Shazam

If you haven't yet heard of Shazam, you should look into it now! This little app helps you to identify tracks that you hear playing while out and about. It's invaluable for those times that you hear an especially inspirational track and want to keep its info for the next time you're writing out a scene, setting, or character.

So those are my picks. What about you? Do you have any other music apps that you find especially helpful to your writing?

Inspirational Track for The Mage's Apprentice, Chapter 37

Tomorrow, Chapter 37 of The Mage's Apprentice goes up on +Wattpad. I'm excited for you to find out what happens once Val been punished by Vadier.

But in the meantime, I've been working on the chapter and feeling inspired by some beautiful new tracks. Including this one, which I think captures some of the youth of the characters and the events of the chapter.

What do you think will happen next? As usual, the preview pic contains a clue, and so does the song:

Musicals, Story, and Inspiration

Image in the public domain

I love musicals. I have this theory, mainly because of Gilbert and Sullivan, that musical theatre is a direct descendant of opera and therefore of classical music. Sure, it's been filtered through the lens of vaudeville, but it's roots in opera means that it's no wonder I find it inspirational.

But while classical music and other instruments or ambient jams are best to listen to when focusing on drafting or editing one's own work, I love musical numbers when I need a little inspirational for a scene, a character, or a story.

The disadvantage to musical music is that all the numbers are about something specific happening in a very specific show. The advantage of listening to the same music is that if you haven't seen the show, or even if you have, the numbers can be great for studying plot and character development. In short numbers surrounded by dances and overtures, musical numbers are great examples of using the fewest words to get the point across. Which is an invaluable skill when writing fiction.

They're also moving, sparkly, grand, and just plain fun. They recall us to certain eras and places, and I personally never try of having musical theatre numbers, from Gilbert and Sullivan to Avenue Q, sprinkle my inspirational playlists. You should try it!

Just for Fun Friday

Cruising around my small town, I heard this ditty on the radio and immediately feel in love with it. It is everything!!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

 

Posted with Blogsy

Inspirational Track for RoboNomics Book II, Chapter 41

Tomorrow Chapter 41 of RoboNomics Book II comes out. And it's another exciting chapter! After Chris leaves the iTronics tower with his father and Andrea follows after him, she runs into a character that we haven't seen for a very long time.
I guess the pic at the left kinda gives away who it is. What do you think will happen when they see each other again?
While writing Chapter 41, which leaves you with a cliffhanger that will lead into the story's climax, I was inspired by some epic movie music. But I was also inspired, from way back in my drafting phase, by a track that is hard driving and maybe a little on the corny side, but I don't care:

 

Posted with Blogsy

Canadiana

I was inspired to create this playlist by a story my sister told me when she came back from Europe last autumn. She said that there were a lot of Australians on her tour, with a handful of Americans, Canadians, and other nationalities. And since her tour guide was also Australian, there was a lot of Australian pop music playing.

So one day the guide thought she'd oblige the Canadians by playing music from our native land. But boy, did she ever get it wrong! Apparently she starting playing songs by Celine Dion, Alanis Morrisette, Justin Bieber and Nickelback.

Ugh. Is that seriously what the rest of the world thinks is our music? Knowing which musical artists hail from Canada is, I guess, a uniquely Canadian trait. And there's so much to choose from. I don't know a single self-respecting Canadian who would listen to any of those artists. Instead, oh world, let me educate you as to the music that is ours, starting with some older tracks and some covers of songs by Canadian artists:



Surprised? You should be! It's the soundtrack to my Canadian life, friends.

Inspirational Track for the Mage's Apprentice, Chapter 36

Why yes, that is the same pic as last week.
Many coloured fires lately!

Tomorrow, Chapter 36 of the Mage's Apprentice comes out on +Wattpad. After having learned the secret of Fav and of his village, in Chapter 36 you'll read all about the fallout between the three friends. Is it any surprised that the news doesn't sit well with Val?

While working on my chapter for this week, I was again inspired by an electro dance remix of an indie standard. What is it about my brain that associates pulsing dance remixes and tentpole DJ tracks (like those by Tiesto, Calvin Harris, and David Guetta) with my epic fantasy story? Sure, there's a smattering of classical tracks in there, but every time I try to listen to the medieval tracks that would seem more apropos for this type of story, it just doesn't work for me. It's all wrong.

And it's the same story for this week. I'm feeling inspired by this amazing track. Foster the People + RAC = amazingness!

The Music of Ennio Morricone

I don't know what it is about Ennio Morricone's music, but I have a weakness for it. Along with Philip Glass, Morricone has been my favourite movie music composer for a very long time now. And although movie music can be fraught with tainted associations that can lead to unoriginal fiction, sometimes it can be very very helpful in all its dramatic peaks and valleys. And that's why with the exception of one score that I just can't ever listen to, I find myself draw to his movie scores in the process of drafting my stories.


Yes, he scored some of the world's most famous Spaghetti Westerns. But he also composed the score to The Mission. I've never seen The Mission. For all I know, it could be a bunch of imperialist apologist crap with a healthy handful of exoticism thrown in for good measure. Or perhaps I'm pre-judging it. I have no idea. All I know is that it's Jeremy Irons, Robert DeNiro, South America, and one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard:



Doesn't your soul just ache with the beauty of it? Doesn't it just soar? There needs to be an English word for that feeling (maybe there's already a German word for it?). That same feeling of mixed pain and pleasure that you get on looking at a vista of natural beauty, or when you've got your face smooshed into the tiny window of a commercial airliner, watching the ground sink away (oh, gee, am I really the only person who does that?)

What I'm saying is that Morricone's music goes beyond inspiration for me. To be out and out corny, it makes my spirit soar. And in listening to his music while writing, maybe I'm hoping that some of that magic will rub off on my work, and it makes my readers' spirits soar. Here's hoping! :)

Just for Fun Friday

Hey! I'm back with another Just for Fun Friday track. I picked this track because this is the way I'm feeling lately. Too much work, too much interwebs. Yay! A little break coming soon for me, in which I'll visit my best sistafriend +A.M. Wilson in TO (Toronto).

In the meantime, I think it's hilarious that everyone in the video reacts to nature by stripping off their clothes. Also it's reminding me of my latest chapter of RoboNomics Book II. Specifically, how would you react if you never had to work again? Run through nature and strip off your clothes? It's an interesting question.

What would I do? Honestly, I'd probably still need to write stories.

Inspirational Track for RoboNomics Book II, Chapter 40

Photo by Creative Tools. Used under CC 2.0 Attribution Generic License.
Filters, text, overlay added.

Hey! I'm back with another inspirational track for RoboNomics Book II! Had a little hiatus while my computer took a little hiatus, but I was still posting chapters, so check them out if you haven't already!

What do you think is going to happen in Chapter 40? Have you guessed yet? Maybe the promotional photo will help you along.

Whatever you guessed, I'm sure you're in for a surprise! But to help you out a little, in divining who is the villain in this story and who are the heros, here's one of the tracks I was inspired by in writing this week's chapter:


Or maybe that just made you more confused! Did it?

Inspirational Track for The Mage's Apprentice, Chapter 35

Tomorrow, the Mage's Apprentice Chapter 35 comes out, and I'm back with another track that's been making me commune with my Muse.

In Chapter 35, a big secret is revealed that will affect the friendship between Yafoya, Valoru and Favola. And so I was inspired by some epic tracks that also have a sense of quietude to them.

Check it out:



I really have to get around to seeing that movie already. Why did they take off of Netflix Canada? WHHHHHHHHHYYYYY??????

(yeah, yeah. Contracts. blah. I know. But why?????)

Inspirational Track for RoboNomics Book II, Chapter 38

This is it, kids. The story is unraveling, there not much left of my plot to reveal. There are still some shocking surprises left, I promise, but we're almost there!

This week, I've been working on RoboNomics Book II Chapter 38, and getting back into my RoboNomics Book II YouTube playlist. I created the list last summer, when I was gearing up for the release of RoboNomics Book II, Chapter 1. And although the feel of that list perhaps can't capture what the story has become as I've been editing it, I still go back to it every once in awhile to remind myself where this is all heading.

And so I felt inspired this week by this track, from the playlist. It really clues you in to the excitement that's coming your way, and soon! In fact, just like every week you can browse on over to +Wattpad tomorrow to read Chapter 38. Are you so excited, or what? :P

Inspirational Track for The Mage's Apprentice, Chapter 33

Hey, kids! I'm back with another inspirational track, this one for the Mage's Apprentice!! YUP! It's back and so is my teen fiction epic fantasy adventure MOJO! Yay! I knew I'd get back to it eventually.

So what this means is that tomorrow, Chapter 33 of the Mage's Apprentice comes out on +Wattpad. Yay! And it means that you can look forward to another chapter every Wednesday until the story ends. It was just too much for me, posting two chapters on two stories every week. It meant that I had to work weekends (much to my love's chagrin) and it was taking its toll on me. It was all in an effort to boost my Wattpad numbers, but I've since decided that my sanity, as well as the quality of the stories, are both more important.

But! Enough about that. In Chapter 33 Val has to deal with his newfound envy of Yafoya's powers. But before he can really process all of it, the three friends meet up again and head out on another adventure. Only this time, they'll be going somewhere that none of us have seen before this coming chapter. Hehe! Can't wait for you to read it.

I was inspired, during my work on this chapter, by a very cheesy track. But it's just so appropriate to the setting and the action that I couldn't resist sharing it with you. Everything is awesome, except for many the futuristic-style lyrics:



Okay, don't forget to check out the Mage's Apprentice on Wattpad tomorrow! BYEEEEEE!

Just for Fun Friday: Aloe Blacc

Hey! I'm finally back with another Just for Fun Friday! So this week, I'm really feeling this song by Aloe Blacc. Not only does he have an amazing voice and it's an amazing tune, but it's injecting my Friday with a much needed confidence boost.

No, really. Not works on your self-esteem like lip syncing, "I'm the man, I'm the man, I'm the man." Also, plenty of lyrics to remind you about the important things in life. At least, that's what it's doing for me. Definitely going on my master Motivation playlist!

Inspirational Track for RoboNomics Book II, Chapter 37

Oh, man. Have I been neglectful of this blog or what? Don't worry, my friends. It's not shutting down and it's not about to become only a dumping ground for inspirational tracks for current chapters and Just for Fun Friday tracks. Although no doubt those will continue. February and March were busy for me, but April has been and will be contemplative.

And what I've been contemplating for this blog as well as my author blog, S.A. Wilson, is that they both need some editorial calendars.

So by May I'll be back on track with both endeavours.

But for now, let me tell you about RoboNomics Book II Chapter 37! It's coming out tomorrow on +Wattpad and I have to admit, I'm going to cop out. While working on the chapter -- writing new material, editing old material, I was listening to a lot of movie soundtracks. Epic Movie Soundtracks on Songza, that is.

And so my inspirational track this week is "Governments Should be Afraid of Their People", from the V for Vendetta soundtrack. There's always a fine line between listening to movie music for inspiration, and being influenced too much by your memory of the movie from which the music comes. Thankfully, I've only seen this particular movie twice (although it's awesome) and so the score is fairly safe for me to listen to.

However, the name of the track is apropos. So is the music itself: sinister, with a building momentum throughout that sort of flattens out at the end. Expect the same for Chapter 37, which you'll be able to read tomorrow! :)

Inspirational Track for RoboNomics Book II, Chapter 36

Author. Use under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0
license. Filters, text and overlay added.

Hey there. I know that in some parts of the world, tomorrow is a holiday. Nevertheless, RoboNomics Book II Chapter 36 comes out on +Wattpad! Just a little holiday from me to you.

When last we left our hero Andrea Anderson, she had been released from her attempts to hack into RoboNomics or iTronics. However, that release had come at the price of a city-wide black out. But is it really just a black out?

Well, you'll have to just read Chapter 36 tomorrow to find out!

In the meantime, I was listening to a lot of super hero soundtracks while working on this chapter. But when it really came down to it, there was only one song that helped me through the creative stickiness that I felt in writing the new material for Chapter 36. And that was a track by an old friend. Fever Ray!



Another artist that never lets me down -- this time in remix!!

Can't wait for you to read Chapter 36 tomorrow! Until then, friends! :)

Inspirational Track for RoboNomics Book II, Chapter 35

Hey, you. So Chapter 35 of RoboNomics Book II comes out on +Wattpad tomorrow! Are you as excited as I am? Well, perhaps you should be!

I keep saying that the story of RoboNomics is coming to an end, but I keep writing it, don't I? Well, every time I look at the material I have left, it seems as though the story should be coming to its stunning conclusion any day now, but then the material goes into edits and the plot requires quite a bit of adding in order to make sense.

Either way, I'm sure you're going to enjoy this next bit of story with its own little bit of cliff hanger. While I was editing Chapter 35 I was inspired by the track 'Handlebars' by Flobots. Not to be too heavy handed about it, but this is it, kids. This is what it's all about. In this you will hear the major theme that is woven throughout RoboNomics. But more on that when the story is complete, and I revise my Author's Note. In the meantime, enjoy:

Inspirational Track for RoboNomics Book II, Chapter 34

So I promised that I'd begin posting at least a chapter a week on RoboNomics Book II, and here I am being true to my promise. Upshot is, you get to look forward to a new Chapter every Friday! (at least until the story is over)

In Chapter 34, you'll be able to find out more about this merger that the last chapter hinted at. You'll also find out more about why Chris believes that hacking into either RoboNomics or iTronics is so important. Can you guess why? And then of course, this being a serial novel, the Chapter will end with a mystery, and a question.

This week, I was inspired by Milky Chance's Stolen Dance. Man I love this song! I love it every more when working on writing and editing Chapter 34 when the track is a remix. But whose thoughts do the lyrics reflect? Which of my characters can you heard in them? Chris? Andrea? Austin? Matt? I couldn't say. All I can say is that I can't wait for you to read Chapter 34!! Check it out on +Wattpad tomorrow! :)

Inspirational Track for RoboNomics Book II, Chapter 33

Hey, kids. I'm baaaaaaaaaaacck!! I know that I haven't been posting any blogs nor stories (especially stories) online for some time. Nearly a month, it seems! What can I say? Sometimes you need to escape in order to get your mojo back.

But I sure did get it back and I'm ready to tackle the end of the RoboNomics saga!! Starting with Chapter 33, which comes out tomorrow.

In this chapter, things get heavy. Andrea is forced to help Chris with his plans for New Rome, and in the process she has to come to terms with her past in the form of her old flame, Matt.

A confession and a shocking revelation are in store for you tomorrow! Can't wait for you to read this chapter! In the meantime, I was inspired while writing by this track. The lyrics are just perfect. And the remix....well...you know how much I love those!

Just for Fun Friday

A band from my hometown, Hollerado, are back with new and amazing music. Digging it!

Inspirational Track for RoboNomics Book II, Chapter 32

Yes, I went on a little hiatus as I focused on one of my other blogs. But I'm back with some fresh fiction!

Tomorrow, Chapter 32 of RoboNomics Book II comes out. As I get closer to the end of the story, I have more and more rough draft that needs lots of babying. Pretty much all of Chapter 32 is new material, except for maybe a paragraph. Call it the kernel: an idea that I had for what happens in the story that was never quite developed. Until now.

In the meantime, I'm feeling inspired as I work on Chapter 32 by the group The Angry Kids. I wish they had more music. They rock my world and Andrea's as well!



Be sure to check out +Wattpad tomorrow for Chapter 32 of RoboNomics Book II!! :)

Just for Fun Friday

Yeah, it's been a busy week. And this blog has suffered. But that doesn't mean that I've stopped listening to music or that I don't have many, many ideas for posts. Coming soon!

In the meantime, a band that rocks my world with a relatively new track. Mother Mother for your Friday!!



Will they ever make a song that I don't like? Probably not.

Just for Fun Friday

Hey! Since it's Galentine's/Valentine's weekend, I thought I'd feature a love song today. I recently heard this song for the first time, and I immediately pegged it as a love song. Possibly because it reminds me of my love:

Inspirational Track for RoboNomics Book II, Chapter 31

Tomorrow, Chapter 31 of RoboNomics Book II comes out. I've been a little remiss this week, and obviously will be only posting one chapter. I've been extremely busy with other very exciting projects which, with any luck, I'll be able to tell you about soon.

In the meantime, I'll have Chapter 31 for you.

I did this once for RoboNomics Book I, and I thought it was about time to do it for Book II. It should be no secret to you that one of my major inspirations behind RoboNomics the story is Les Miserables. The book, the story, the musical. Except my civil unrest takes place in the near future.

And so I'm finally posting one of the two songs from the musical that really, really inspired me. This song, I believe, fits with Chapter 31.



Check out +Wattpad  tomorrow to find out what happens to Andrea and the Anti-Robotists!

Inspirational Track for The Mage's Apprentice, Chapter 32

Tomorrow is the release date for The Mage's Apprentice, Chapter 32 on +Wattpad.

In Chapter 31, the three mains kids in the story had conquered, after a fashion, another monster. But in Chapter 32, the monsoon rains have begun again and Valoru is back to his studies.

While working on Chapter 32, I listened to a lot of classical tracks. And since in this chapter we get into the nitty gritty of the way magic works on Omorbia, I was really inspired by one particular track. And if the YouTube artwork is any indication, apparently I wasn't the only one who thought this track = magic!



So charming. Can't wait for you to read Chapter 32 tomorrow! :)

Just for Fun Friday

Just some good clean awesome fun for my Friday. And yours.



Have a great weekend, everyone! :)

Inspirational Track for RoboNomics Book II, Chapter 30

Photo by DWave. CC 3.0 Attribution. Text, filters added.

Tomorrow, Chapter 30 of RoboNomics Book II comes out. And it's a big chapter. Perhaps not in terms of action or adventure or plot points, but in terms of exploring one of the overarching themes of RoboNomics Books I and II in a straightforward way.

And that's what this chapter's preview quotation came from.

As for the track that inspired Chapter 30, that also goes to the heart of all science fiction that has to do with human fears about AI, automation, robotics.

I've been listening to this track on and off for months now, finding it particularly inspirational. But up until now, I haven't shared it with you. And that's because I never felt like it's experimental nature fit with any of the action that was happening in the story. But now, as we prepare to take a small step back before the shit really hits the fan, and we think about what it all means (!!), I am definitely digging this tune:



Be sure to read Chapter 30 on +Wattpad tomorrow to find out what the heck I'm talking about! :)

Inspirational Track for the Mage's Apprentice, Chapter 31

This week I thought I'd try something a little different for my promo material. Instead of using a stock photo and an intriguing quotation from Chapter 31 of The Mage's Apprentice, I thought I'd delve into some of my own private inspirational materials.

This image was never meant to be seen by anyone but me. It's terrible art, representing the best I can do (I'm no visual artist). But the terrible pencil crayon colouring job is at least made a bit more palatable via electronic image manipulation.

Here we have the monster that will show up in Chapter 31. Are you ready for it??

As for the inspirational track for this particular chapter, well, that comes from an epic film score. Since Chapter 31 is all new material, I've been writing it over the past two days. And while writing, I've been listening to very familiar, iconic tracks. And yet, I've been finding them extremely inspirational. In particular, do you remember this one?



Maybe a little cheesy, or perhaps exactly what was needed?? Guess you'll find out tomorrow when you read Chapter 31 on +Wattpad :P

Inspirational Track for RoboNomics Book II, Chapter 29

Hey, kids! RoboNomics Book II keeps rolling, with Chapter 29 coming out tomorrow!

In this coming chapter, I'll finally reveal Andrea's sordid past as she reminiscences with that mysterious figure from Chapter 28, Matt. Are you ready for all the reveals?

I was inspired by Grimes' track off of her new album. The song is called Go, featuring Blood Diamonds and it definitely has a bit of that wallowing in memory flavour that the chapter (as you'll find out when you read it tomorrow!!!!)

Just for Fun Friday

Yay! Just for Fun Fridays are back! I've been far too lax about them since the holidays ended. But every writer -- every person, for that matter, needs a little fun in their life. Or a whole lotta fun. Maybe you've heard this track before. File it under 'makes me deliriously happy just to hear it'. Oh, and have a great weekend!

Inspirational Track for RoboNomics Book II, Chapter 29

Chapter 28 of RoboNomics Book II comes out tomorrow on +Wattpad and I'm excited!

You'll have some answers to whatever the heck happened to Andrea at the end of Chapter 27, but I also leave it on another delicious cliff hanger relating to the quotation in the preview pic. Can you even stand it?

As for the inspirational track for this chapter, it's another one that I've been dying to share with you for oh so long. Okay, so this song has not actually been out in the world on your radios and in your Spotifies for very long, relative to some of the other tracks I find inspirational (a number of which were created centuries ago), but it feels like since the first moment I heard it, the track just fit with what I'm trying to go for in writing RoboNomics.

Don't know what I mean? Oh, you will. Tomorrow, my friend. It all becomes clear tomorrow.

Inspirational Track for RoboNomics Book II, Chapter 27

Robot image and texture in the Public Domain

So, tomorrow is the day that I drop Chapter 27 of RoboNomics Book II on +Wattpad and the excitement begins!

In this chapter, we'll find Andrea out and about, exploring a corner of New Rome with Rupert and the bodyguard android that she now insists that she needs. Not a bad idea in theory. However, in practice...

The song that inspired me is a track that has been at the foundation of my inspiration to write RoboNomics since the very beginning. And maybe that explains why my main character, Andrea Anderson, has been described by more than one reader as 'Naive'. Maybe it has something to do with having this song in my head since the story's inception.

And of course, for some reason, in my mind futuristic = remix. So it gets the remix treatment!

Inspirational Track, RoboNomics Book II Chapter 26

Original image by DARPA. In the
Public Domain

OMG I've been waiting so long to tell you about this inspirational track. This song has been inspiring the story of RoboNomics since pretty much its inception. It's just...it so good.

In this Chapter, Andrea tried to catch up with the events of Chapter 24 and 25. Big reveal in that last chapter, right? Well, in this chapter she'll try to unravel the mystery of why a certain person has suddenly appeared back in her life.

Hopefully you'll think that Chapter 26 is as good as this song. Until tomorrow, friends! Tomorrow on +Wattpad

Inspirational Track, The Mage's Apprentice Chapter 28

It occurs to me that maybe I should name my chapters. But titles for me are such a drag. It is always the last thing I think of, and I go through so many working titles along the way. Also, when I publish my stories on +Wattpad I cut them into such small chunks, there are many many many of them. Oh well. Numbered chapters it is, then.

In the meantime, I've been editing Chapter 28 of the Mage's Apprentice, and during that process I've been inspired by a specific track. One that hints at the childish optimism of the chapter as oppose to the creepy, ominous music of chapters past.

Be sure to check out the chapter on Wattpad tomorrow!

Inspirational Track, RoboNomics Book II Chapter 25

It's that time of the week again, friends. RoboNomics Book II Chapter 25 comes out tomorrow on +Wattpad and it's an exciting one! Yay!

And it's the part of the story that I've been personally waiting for! Won't be long now until the whole thing wraps up! But for now, get ready for a surprise.

A surprise that may or may not be spoiled by the inspirational track and the corresponding promo pic. Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah. Can you guess what it is?


As usual, can't wait for you to read it! :)

Inspirational Track for RoboNomics Book II, Chapter 24

Tomorrow I'm going to post Chapter 24 of RoboNomics Book II, and things are starting to get exciting again!

However, so that I don't give anything away, I've decided to highlight a quote about something rather different than an exciting plot point: just a little detail of setting/character (i.e. clothing) that, depending on your personality, you might find delicious.

As for the track that inspired Chapter 24, this one made me feel as if I were at an art opening as I worked on the chapter. I also thought it was just creepy enough to hint at the event that are to come in chapters 25 and 26 (next week)!!!

Inspirational Track for the Mage's Apprentice, Chapter 26

Chapter 26 of the Mage's Apprentice comes out tomorrow! Yay!

In the meantime, you may have noticed that I've changed the cover of the Mage's Apprentice (again). And yet again, I'm still not 100% happy with it. However, this particular cover represents me screwing around with Wattpad's iOS 'Covers' App. It's a really great app if you want a quick cover, are new to Wattpad, and would rather spend time writing than learning the basics of Photoshop. But the cover is basic.

I still don't think that I've captured the essence of the Tales of Omorbia series, but the cover I want is going to take either time to design, or a professional. Got to get on that Patreon campaign so that I can hire a professional from 99designs!

In the meantime, the inspirational track.

Chapter 26 is another Yafoya chapter, as you may have noticed from the promo pic on the left. And as you may have gathered, this is the chapter that she crosses from the Plains where the unicorns live to the Jungle, where there are humans. I was inspired, in writing this chapter, by a track that I think portrays the ample dark, tangle web of plants that is the Jungle. Hello, Sabres of Paradise!


This one's got another cliff hanger on the end! Can't wait for you to read it tomorrow! :)

Inspirational Track for RoboNomics Book II, Chapter 23

Photo by the European Space Agency. Text added. CC Attribution 3.0,

So tomorrow I'll release Chapter 23 of RoboNomics Book II. I first intended it to be a long chapter, since I'm excited about the events that are coming up in the story. However, a 2,000 word chapter is a bit of a stretch in terms of what I'm going for, so I've split it in two. The end of the week is going to end on a cliff hanger, but for tomorrow you're going to read about the fall out from Andrea's disaster of a budget meeting.

And so appropriately I've been inspired by a song called "This Too Shall Pass" by OK GO. You know, the treadmill dudes. But there's a catch: it's a chiptune-like mix that is appropriate for New Rome, where robot-made art and music is commonplace. Hope you enjoy the tune and hope you enjoy the chapter when it comes out on +Wattpad tomorrow!

Inspirational Track for The Mage's Apprentice, Chapter 25

Tomorrow, Chapter 25 of the Mage's Apprentice comes out. It's a short chapter, in which Yafoya has to deal with the fall of being chased by the red lions.

A little disappointed, a little bit frustrated, Yafoya will make a decision that will change the course of her life for good.

For this chapter, I was inspired by a track that I've been listening to for Omorbia-related inspiration for something like 15 years. 'Sweet Lullaby' by Deep Forest. And since the deep forest's call is evident in this chapter, it was inspiring once again for me.

However, I have been sad to learn, since first discovering Deep Forest, that their art is not exactly over board. Apparently a lot of the vocal tracks that they sampled were not exactly paid for: the vocalists having never received proper compensation for their work. Yeesh! What does one do, when favourite songs are found to be unethical? An issue to think about, and perhaps write about, on a different blog at a different time.



In the meantime, I'm excited to share Chapter 25 with you tomorrow, and I hope you enjoy it! Check out Wattpad tomorrow to read on!

Just for Fun Friday

Heard this song on the radio the other. Amazing! More soulful than fun, but you get the picture:



Friday!!!!

Inspirational Track for RoboNomics Book II Chapter 22

So tomorrow I'm back at it with Chapter 22 of RoboNomics Book II. I also wanted to share the news that I'm planning on increasing my tempo of release dates from now on. I'm thinking Tuesdays and Fridays for Book II updates. So guess what? You can look for Chapter 23 coming on Tuesday, January 13! Hooray!

In the meantime, I've got a cringeworthy chapter coming for you tomorrow, in which heinous and humiliating things happen for Andrea. It's also a bit of a turning point chapter, so to speak. It opens the door (hehe) onto a whole new part (and the last part) of the story.

And as you may have guessed from the track that inspired Chapter 22, the events take place in Andrea's newfound corporate milieu.


Creepy, spare, suggesting that the banality of the characters' intentions hint at something far more sinister. Can't wait to share this chapter with you! Look for it on +Wattpad tomorrow! :)