Category: books

Tuesday Tinkering…

WiwohkaLeave a comment

Sometimes, trying to create an idea or image that fits with a story can be tricky. You can have all the right tools, resources, and materials, but still feel clueless. At times, I find myself feeling sort of like the little girl in the above image. She has everything needed for that letter, except the pen to write it!

Now that I’m preparing to work on Volume II of my book series, it’s important that I have a good working image or two, of the main characters within the story. It was rather easy to create our dragon, as I’ve always had a clear picture in my head of what he should look like. Maybe it’s because he was a baby when all this began. Who knows.

All I know is that it’s not been that easy to come up with visuals for our heroin, as I’m always focusing on the dragon in the story. Now that we’re entering the second leg of our characters’ journey, the heroin needs to find herself, in a manner of speaking. For this, I’ll need an image in my head that captures exactly who she is.

First, I set about asking Norbert, my ai assistant, for some images of a cloaked woman with a satchel over her shoulder, walking along a path…

While I like her face, I don’t like the suitcase. Not only is it the wrong style, but it’s also a completely inaccurate depiction of what I consider a satchel. It’s far too modern. Not only was the bag wrong, but since she’s walking in the wrong direction, I can’t really get a working image for creating the avatar.

I corrected the wordage on my prompt to reflect a frontal image, as well as, changing the style and positioning of her satchel…

Much better, but a bit too sultry. We aren’t doing a Victoria Secret photo shoot, here. Plus, she needs to have more of a hooded cloak to reflect a mysterious traveler. I don’t want that image of her face, but I will be able to use it for a pose image when I make the actual character.

I changed a few key words in the prompt, and asked again…

Much better, I thought. Her face is softer, and a bit more moody.

I took this image, along with three others that offered differing angles of our subject, and plugged them into the Character Creation machine…

I like her, though the clothing will need to be altered to fit the story. I was able to add another character to her image, which was helpful. There are two main characters in the story, so I needed some images of them together…

Now that we’ve a real heroin to work with, I just need to get this handsome fellow into his own avatar. But that’s for another day. For now, I will be satisfied with our somewhat successful creation of our first main character. She may change a bit, as time goes on, but I am connecting with both of these two adventurers… hopefully, you are, as well.

Live Novel Friday…

Wiwohka1 Comment

The Wharf

Episode III

Maiyah woke with a start! She’d been awakened by the sound of a very grumpy Ogre, angrily cursing at one of the kitchen staff. There would be trouble if she wasn’t where she should be, so late in the morning.

She’d overslept!

Oh well, she’d heard Ollie yelling at the staff nearly every morning. If it wasn’t one thing, it was another. The grumpy Ogre often yelled at everyone, as that’s usually what he did when he wasn’t eating, drinking, and/or carousing with the pirates that visited the tavern. Mornings were the worst, so Maiyah hurried to get to her assigned tasks before her tardiness was noticed. It never made for a pleasant day if the boss was cross with you… and the young barmaid made it a point to avoid trouble, at all costs.

Hurriedly, she set about finishing all of her morning duty’s about the tavern. As she worked, Maiyah couldn’t help but wonder if her gifts had been accepted by whatever had installed itself behind the fish barrels. She’d tried desperately to stay awake long enough to see it emerge the night before, but fell asleep soon after sitting down beside the bedside window. One was rarely afforded a short work day, nor an early night to bed around the wharf.

One of Maiyah’s morning duties was to bring in the day’s first catch. Ollie prided himself on the fish he offered his guests. Many of the taverns morning customers were the owners of the other businesses along the Wharf, as well as travelers passing through. The drinkers were all still passed out in any one of the many alleyways along the wharf.

This particular morning, she hurriedly finished collecting the fish from the dock, and made her way back along the wharf. She knew that she shouldn’t, but she made a point to pass beside the fish shed. Maiyah’s curiosity was driving her to go against every rule she’d written for her own preservation.

Some part of her was calling out to offer aid to whatever might be hiding behind the fish shed. Maybe she felt compassion, or perhaps it was pity. Perhaps it was the memory of her own lonely beginnings, driving the young barmaid to break one of her own life preserving rules. Most probably, she was simply curious.

You know, many a brave sailor had fallen into Piracy, or worse, out of simple innocent curiosity. The barmaid had learned this while sailing with many of them.

But those days were long behind her, thanks to Ollie. The grumpy old ogre had purchased her from a band of pirates, for only two barrels of ale. Maiyah made every effort not to give the ogre any reason to regret his decision.

This morning was no exception. Carefully emptying part of the fish basket on the kitchen counter, she turned to leave. Without drawing attention to her actions, Maiyah casually slipped a few food items into the pocket of her apron. She then returned to the fish basket on the counter, carrying the rest of the unused fish out the doorway, and toward the fish shed.

Looking one way, and then another, Maiyah quietly slipped behind the fish shed. Kneeling down between several barrels, she placed the food gifts she’d pilfered from the kitchen. Sitting back on her heels, she wrapped her arms around her knees, resting her chin on her arms. And then she waited…

After several long moments, there came a soft shuffling sound from behind one of the barrels. Slowly, and timidly, a small head emerged from hiding.

Maiyah sat quietly watching, as the tiniest of tiny little creatures peeked out from behind the fish barrel. Why, it was a baby orc! But, how on earth did it get behind the shed?

Softly, Maiyah whispered, “Hello there, little one. What on earth are you doing back here?”

The small creature said not a thing, but slowly reached out and picked up a piece of the bread, nibbling at it’s corners, nervously. Tucked into the folds of it’s tiny coat was what looked like a scroll of paper. Reaching forward slowly, Maiyah retrieved the scroll while the little orc was preoccupied with eating the fish.

She didn’t want to linger behind the fish shed, as it would begin to look rather suspicious why she was climbing around back there on her hands and knees. Somehow she must hide this little one, but the only safe place was her own room. She wasn’t even sure the little thing would come with her, let alone allow her to stuff him inside the fish basket she carried…

What was in the note?

Where did the baby come from?

How will Maiyah get the orc into her room without being seen?

Be sure to leave your answers in the comments.

See you next Friday…

Hugs

Tuesday Tinkering…

Wiwohka5 Comments

While I’m nowhere near finished tweaking things, I’ve come up with what I hope will be a fitting addition to Live Novel Friday’s tale.

While I can’t tell you the story yet, it is coming along rather nicely. I won’t say anything on names, as of yet, but I wanted to give you a chance before Friday to offer up some names and more ideas for this weeks episode of The Wharf.

Let me know what you think so far…

He still needs to become more animated, so as to match up with the visuals I’m using for our story.

Oddly, Norbert offered up a rather realistic looking baby, though he’s a bit too real to work with if I want him to blend into the story properly…

I’m nowhere near done, but once we’ve gotten a good number of images for him, I’ll create his permanent Avatar. I like the second image better than the first, but I want to fix his teeth to match up with the first image. Those teeth should be on the second of the two images, as well as the first. This way, the final Avatar will always have baby orc teeth in his mouth. We want continuity.

Isn’t he just adorable, though…

Hugs

Live Novel Friday…

Wiwohka2 Comments

The Wharf…

Episode II

**As per our conversation last week, I’ve settled on Ollie for our portly Ogre innkeeper. He has a rough and intimidating presence, but for those who know him, there is also a kind heart hidden beneath all that muscle and aggressive demeanor. Our young barmaid has learned to avoid Ollie’s grumpier side, using her quiet and unassuming nature to sooth his rough mannerisms. Though his frightening appearance and frequent angry outbursts keep the customers in line, our young lass has grown to love the grumpy old innkeeper. We’ll call the tavern The Ogre’s Rest, and I think that Maiyah is a fitting name for our young barmaid. Be sure and answer the questions at the end of each episode, so I’ve a story to work up. Enjoy Episode II…

This night, like any other night here on the wharf, Maiyah has been busily serving customers and helping in and around the kitchen. The cook asked that she bring in another fish from the barrel out on the dock in front of the tavern, so she retrieves a container and heads outside for the barrel.

As the young barmaid is pulling a sizeable fish out of the barrel, she spies movement from behind the container. Briefly glancing down, toward the disturbance, she spies what looks like a tiny shoe sticking out from behind the barrel. Rule number three kicks in, warning her not to bring attention to herself, so she continues on about her business, carrying the fish inside to the cook.

As she cleans and serves food to the customers, several pieces of dried meat and fruit cake left on guests’ plates, happens to fall into her apron pocket.

Her sleight of hand skills rewarded her a small water flask, from the pocket of an old tinker, snoring blissfully in the corner.

Since her shift is coming to an end, Maiyah carries her cleaning supplies out to the shed, next to the barrel on the dock. Inside the shed she takes a strip of cloth hanging on the wall, folds the food and water inside, and casually walks back toward the tavern, discreetly dropping the small package behind the barrel as she walks past.

Once inside The Ogres Rest, Maiyah retreats to her room above the bar. Her room is small, but offers a window that looks out over the wharf, to the sea beyond. From here, she can see directly down upon the front of the tavern, where the shed and barrel both sit beside the water’s edge. She dresses in her nightgown and settles in at the window ledge to watch…

There is just enough light cast, from the tavern’s doorway lantern, for the young barmaid to have a clear view of the barrel. She spies movement from behind the container, but only enough to confirm that there is indeed someone there, but whomever it is, hides themselves very well. She falls asleep with her head resting upon the window sill of her tiny room above the bar.

Who or what do you think might be hiding behind the barrel?

With the clues given and remembering the three survival rules, what do you think Maiyah will do?

Be sure to leave your answers in the comments…

Hugs

Live Novel Friday…

Wiwohka10 Comments

***So, here’s how this works. I want to try for a graphic novel style, but with a twist. Each week, I’ll release a new episode accompanied by several questions for you to answer. These answers will determine the next weeks episode. Some weeks I may give you two alternative outcomes, while at other times, there will be questions that will direct the path of each character involved in the story. Sounds easy, right? I’ll do all the heavy lifting. Each episode will be flagged, so if you come in to the story midway, all you need do is scroll back on the feed to catch up. Let’s do this!***

The Wharf…

Episode I –

Life here can be very tough, for any soul not already hardened by life’s cruel realities!

The taverns and store fronts along the wharf are owned by varying disreputable men and women, both of which would sell you to the sea for the right amount of coin.

If one wants to eat, they must live and work in the midst of pirates, slave traders, treasure seekers, and drunkards. There was no room for anyone with weakness, nor naivety, of any kind. Letting your guard slip, even for a moment, might very well bring about your doom…

Within the Wharf lay a tavern, filled with all manner of vile men, most living and working on the filthy trade ships, arriving here daily. Few of the locals in the nearby farming communities ever come to the Wharf, let alone frequent such a dangerous establishment.

If you were a woman, either you came into the tavern to work, or you were dangerous enough to hold your own in a fight.

The Wharf was no place for kind folk, nor was the tavern safe for anyone carrying a coin purse without a gun or a dagger for company.

Inside the tavern you see a young barmaid, busily sweeping the floor near the doorway. She belongs to the owner of the tavern, purchased off one of the slave ships some years prior, when she was rather young.  

She is quiet, very obedient to the one who feeds her, and always works busily, both in and around the tavern. No one bothers her, nor do they pay her any mind at all! Everyone here knows that she is not to be touched, as the owner of the tavern would kill you for even considering it!

Don’t let her meekness fool you, as she is not what she seems. If you did look into her eyes, you would see danger floating within those dark pools of green, staring right back at you! In her short life, she has seen too much, felt too much and lost too much!

This has molded her into a very hardened and wise soul, for one so young. She is also very smart, both in book knowledge and being street savvy. Her three rules for survival are,

Don’t make the tavern owner mad…

Stay out of folk’s business…

Do not bring attention to yourself…

These three rules were born of painful lessons learned over the years of service to the owner of the tavern… most assuredly, the only reason she was still breathing air, even if it did smell of stale rum and dirty pirates!

*****************************************************************************

Question #1 – Our heroin needs a name. I’ve already a name in mind, but this is for you to choose, not me… not this time. What shall we call our young lass?

Question #2 – What should we call the tavern?

Question #3 – Will the tavern owner be a burly old one-eyed ogre, or should he have a hidden softer side to him?

I went easy on you this week, since this is a whole new thing, and all. Each episode will have harder questions, but you’ll know more about the story as time goes on. My hope is that you’ll become invested in this tale, which will only gain strength with each weeks answers. This should allow the story to expand and gain traction, as time goes on. Who knows where this will lead.

til next Friday…

Hugs

Hang on! I’m on the homophone…

Wiwohka2 Comments

Guess what I get to do this morning?

While Wiwohka has to go to one of her appointments, she’s given me my first actual job to complete in her absence. I’m doin WordPress this morning… ALL by myself!

The Daily Prompt wasn’t so bad, since I was able to pull from the archives, but I discovered something in the process of digging up an old answer. Wiwohka wrote something odd in her answer that sent me searching for some wordsy explanations. This ant has questions!

Did you notice the part where she used whether and weather in the same sentence?

While Wiwohka made it seem funny when she wrote it down, I didn’t get the joke. What was so funny about how she wrote that sentence? I needed some answers, because I have begun seeing this strange phenomenon quite often, while reading. What gives?

There are a great many words in the English language that have gathered a nefarious shadow word, which follows the regular word around but isn’t the same, at all! I find this very unfair to us young readers, wouldn’t you agree?

Out of necessity, and a good deal of curiosity, I posed my question to Mr. McGoogle…

“What are words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings?”

The response was a rather wordy one… Literally!

AI Overview

Words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings are called

homophones (or heterographs). Common examples include to/too/two, there/their/they’re, pair/pear, see/sea, and hour/our. These words sound identical in speech but have distinct meanings, which can create confusion in writing. 

Here are common homophones categorized for clarity:

Commonly Confused Homophones

  • There (place), Their (possession), They’re (contraction of “they are”).
  • To (preposition), Too (also/excessively), Two (number).
  • Your (possession), You’re (contraction of “you are”).
  • Its (possession), It’s (contraction of “it is”).
  • Whose (possession), Who’s (contraction of “who is”). 

Everyday Object/Action Homophones

Action/Concept Homophones

I don’t really have any problem understanding the difference in the words that are similar in sound but not in spelling. These, I can easily understand to be different from each other by their unique spellings. But what about the words that remain almost identical in spelling, but only one or two letters change? Why did they have to make things so difficult?

It’s a good thing that our brains are capable of detecting even the most minute differences in how a word is pronounced, or spelled, for that matter!

Before you start thinking that I was done… I’m not, just so you know.

They didn’t stop at Homophones, no no. They went a step further into the art of confusion by adding another additional type/category for these words. Yes indeed, they did!

Mr. McGoogle calls them Homographs and Homonyms. Oh yay! Really?!

Check out these little rabbit holes in the English language…

Homographs: Spelled the same, but different meanings/sounds (e.g., bark of a tree vs. bark of a dog).

Homonyms: Words that are both homophones and homographs (e.g., *bat

These are dark days in the kingdom of words, my friends. Dark days, indeed…

Live Novel Friday returns…

Wiwohka3 Comments

I know it’s been three years since you last saw an episode of Live Novel Friday, but I think it’s time to bring it back… but with a but of a fun twist!

We tried The Tuesday Tattler, but it didn’t really go anywhere. That’s not to say that I won’t return to it (or maybe it’s already in the works), but I’ve other irons in the fire at the moment.

Namely, the publishing of my book. I’m going for it! As soon as I find the resources for its release, it’s boxed up, sealed and ready to go. With volume I being released, that means I’ve no excuse but to move on with staging volume II. The story move forward.

With that project, and several others I’m trying to get finished, AND the added responsibility of my grandbaby, here in another month… my time is limited. Because of this, I’ve opted for a really fun adventure that I think you’ll enjoy. I actually started it back in 2024, I think, but it didn’t really go anywhere. That’s not to say that it wasn’t good, nor was it your lack of reading. It just didn’t feel ready, if that makes any sense.

It feels ready now!

Here’s how it works. I release a fresh chapter, and then you guess the answers at the end. Those answers will determine the direction of the following chapter. See how that works? You are going to be able to choose how the story progresses.

I don’t know if you recall when I wrote this first episode, but it was called The Wharf. It’s going to be written as if you are right in the midst of the story. That’s why you’ll notice how it stays narrated but you feel as if you are walking alongside the character into the scene. If we can do this, I intend to dedicate the book to all of you.

So, next Friday, you should have your preferred breakfast drink in hand, a soft comfortable blanket, and your thinking caps on. Meet me here next Friday at 9 a.m., Pacific Standard Time, for some all new live Novel Friday…

The Wharf!

See you next Friday… hugs

Confidence is as confidence does…

Wiwohka2 Comments
Daily writing prompt
Who is the most confident person you know?
View all responses

I’m going with Forest Gump on this one!

Just look at all the valuable lessons he’s taught, thus far. Why the title of today’s prompt response, in and of itself, was great wisdom.

Look how fast they roll off the tongue…

A confident person is like a box of chocolates… you never know what you’re gonna get!

I might not be confident, Jenny, but I know what love is.

… from that point on, whenever I was going anywhere, I was confident!

… and I met the confident president… aaaagiiinnn!

Me and confidence, we go together like peas and carrots!

See what I mean? What a guy! Oh, wait! I just realized that the person has to be someone I know, and I never actually met the man.

This is hard because I only know about a half dozen people, up close enough to gage their confidence level.

I’m going with my husband, as the man keeps movin whether it rains or shines. No has never stopped him, but only rerouted his path! Yes, I know I’m being partial. But, as this prompt fully intends us to answer with partiality, I’ve full license to proceed!

My husband! My best friend! My partner in crime! My lover! The other half of myself!

Wait! If all that is to be true, then what did I just say? Don’t think I walked you into me being the confident one, because that would be entirely self-gratifying and I’m in no way calling myself the most confident person in the room.

Doggone it! I went and did it again. I AM the only one in the room!

Well, whatever you choose to believe, here, I simply meant that my husband is truly the most confident person I know. We’re in this car together… til the wheels fall off!

Cookies for your time?

(2024) The Lost and Found…

Wiwohka1 Comment
Daily writing prompt
What activities do you lose yourself in?
View all responses

There was a time that I could lose myself in my children, my crafts, my pets, camping, church… and friends.

Times changed, however, bringing circumstances and life interruptus’ that, in one way or another, robbed me of the entire lot!

I will always cherish the memories, treasuring each and every moment of love given and time spent… but life goes on, and as they say, time waits for no man, or woman for that matter!

Admittedly, at no point in all those years did I fully walk with God!

That has changed… thanks be to the grace offered by my heavenly father.

Currently, my days are filled with walks along the river, as I listen to music and fellowship with Him. I lose myself for hours in study of His written word, seeking the lifegiving wisdom within its pages. When I work on any of my literary work, I can easily forget to stop and eat, or even drink a full cup of coffee before it gets cold. It is normal for me to re-heat my coffee or tea repeatedly, before drinking the whole cup. My hubby actually has begun tapping me on the shoulder when I’ve gone too long without eating or drinking.

I believe that though we live day to day with very little, in terms of material things, I feel rather blessed with all the time God spends in molding this vessel. Thankfully, I’m so very lost in HIM, that there is nowhere else that I would rather be found…

Here, have a cookie…

Tuesday Tinkering…

WiwohkaLeave a comment

Well, I think last weeks tinkering session was a total success!

Not that I’ll be winning any academy awards, or anything. I just mean that I challenged myself to do a thing (creating a new character on Tuesday, and then writing a story about it by Friday), and it worked out.

So, it got me to thinking (I know, dangerous pastime)… what if I sought to write a whole series of children’s character books, only employing my tinkering sessions and a two day rest before kicking out a little story, song, or poem to accompany the images. I don’t see why I couldn’t, what with todays insta book mentality flooding across the web.

While I get my jabs in at all the ai created mumbo jumbo being printed out there, currently, I’m not being snarky when I say that I believe it’s possible to actually write imaginative content without my computer telling me how… or worse, doing the writing for me. Not on my watch!

Anyway, getting back to the tinkering plans I’ve set for us, I plan on making a habit of mixing up writing styles, as well as, continuing to expand my illustration skills. My hands on learning is all that can be afforded, at this present moment, so if I wish to become a better writer, more brain stretching work is involved.

I know your probably saying, “Great, now she’s gonna start wearing even bigger hats on her noggin.” Maybe I will, maybe I won’t, but if I do then that means my cookies will need to be bigger, as well.

Go big or go home, right?!

For today’s next challenge, I went with another water baby, but on an entirely different patch of sand…

This isn’t the finished character, by the way, but it was the first image offered by the ai. All I typed in was “a photorealistic image of an adorable baby walrus”.

While the little guy seems awful cute and chubby, we’re nowhere near satisfied. He’s got no nostrils, for one thing. So, I used the auto-enhance on the prompt…

“a photorealistic image of an adorable baby walrus, trying to learn to swim along the shore of a beautiful sandy beach”

Getting a better shot of his nose, but now his eyebrows look like they were individually stuck into his little forehead. It made him look too much like a plushie toy.

Again, I returned to the auto-enhance feature, asking it to expand the prompt even more…

“Imagine a photorealistic scene at a picturesque sandy beach where gentle waves lap against the shore. The sun casts a warm, golden glow across the landscape, illuminating the fine grains of sand and sparkling blue waters. In the foreground, an adorable baby walrus, with soft, wrinkled gray skin and big, curious eyes, awkwardly paddles in the shallow surf. Its flippers splash playfully, sending droplets gleaming in the sunlight, while a few sea gulls circle overhead, drawn by the joyous scene. The sandy beach is dotted with tufts of sea grass swaying in the light breeze, enhancing the serene atmosphere of this tender moment.”

At least he has more expression with his eyes, even if he lost his eyebrows. His facial expression seems far more realistic, though his fat rolls look rather like sweatshirt material than skin. I kept at it for nearly a half hour before, coming up with numerous images that were similar to this one, but with differing poses and expressions.

Now that we’ve come this far, let’s give the ai our best 10 images. From there, we’ll generate some possibilities for a solid Avatar.

I’ll be right back! Give me about 10 minutes, or so….

Everyone, meet our newest character…

I’ve decided to name him Booker, though I’ve ne earthly idea why! The ai decided to give him tusks, even with him only being a baby, but I think it makes him super cute.

Norbert gave me several differing shots, but I think he looks most realistic in this one…

… minus the grown up tusks, mind you.

I don’t think Booker took nearly as long to create, as it took me last week, during pumpkin’s creation.

Now that he’s here, I’ve only til Friday to create his story, so I best get moving!

See you Friday… hugs