Well, it's time to say farewell to 2018. I made some serious progress with my novel and I'm glad for what I accomplished this year. Most of all, I found a lot of awesome creators on YouTube this year. So let's wrap this up with the last  of the awesome ladies.

Ah, Roses. Hands down, one of my favorite YouTubers. I discovered her thanks to ProJared, specifically his Mario Paint series. I had no idea who she was, but as a fan of Jared I took his advice and checked out her channel. Instant adoration.

She reviews older games, mostly, a lot point-and-click and Sierra titles. That meant for the first time ever I found a YouTuber that talked about (and liked!) Lara Bow and the Dagger of Amon-Ra. I was sold. I kept digging and, when she's not going through old MS-DOS games, she's reviewing nostalgic television shows like Goosebumps or  Hey Dude! She does videos about specific game aesthetics, compares movies to books, and even found the Christmas special I thought no one else had ever seen, A Muppet Family Christmas. Add to this the fact that she has an awesome bird (see? I told you it was a trend) and you've got the recipe for an eclectic and all around extraordinary channel. 

Also, through her I learned the concept of a Goth Christmas look. The heck you say!

Now this creator is a fellow writer I found on Twitter. Or more accurately, she found me. How I lucked out bumping into such a talented individual is beyond me, but when I finally (and I'm ashamed it took me a while) got around to checking out her videos... well... I'm glad I did.

She's freakin' hilarious. She makes amazing points, her stuff is well shot and it's very insightful. You should really give her a shot. The video I'm including is my favorite from her. So far. If you've noticed the short story poll I'm holding, one of the options was directly inspired by her video on Science Fantasy. She made the genre feel so appealing, so fun! So... I'm going to see about giving it a try.

​

I stumbled into Buns just after the Great Purge (tm) of my YouTube subscriptions. When I found her, I was torn. I just finished clearing out the deadwood and I'm really hesitant to add anything new. But her video had me in stitches. And her next one. And her next one. I had no choice, I had to add her.

And you should, too! Her game reviews are amazing and she hits you with fast and furious critiques, praise, and jokes. She has excellent taste in games and her reviews get into the nitty gritty. More than once she's turned me on to a game I previously had no interest in. Check out the video and you'll see what I mean.

I know I said three yesterday, but I miscounted. There's no way I can do this list and not add Vivziepop.

I first mentioned her work in my Paladin Playlist series with the very video I'm linking. I stumbled into it and just loved the art and animation. And now the channel is producing a full animated series called Hazbin Hotel. It's smart. It's funny. It's irreverent. And I can't wait for it to finally come out. Make sure you check out not only this video, but her stuff for Hazbin Hotel.

Well, here's to 2018. It was great and I found out a lot about myself. I found a lot of great creators to enjoy. I hope 2019 will just as great.

To all you guys out there, Happy New Years!

Okay, so what I thought would be a quick tweet grew a little out of control. But, hey, we all like having new stuff to watch, right? So let's keep this training a'rolling and look at the next three female YouTubers who really made my year.

Ah, the cyborg herself, Jenna Moreci. I probably owe more to her than any other inspiration source (short of my wife!) I stumbled into her channel when I was looking for some general writing advice and... I was hooked.

She's a self-published author of two amazing novels (with a third on the way!) Her fans are a cyborg army. And most of all, she's not afraid to share advice that is hard to hear. She lays everything out. She's been through the entire writing, editing, publishing, and marketing process, so if you have questions about anything to do with writing a book, she's there to answer it.

But Jenna...! No "buts!" She hands out advice in an entertaining but realistic way. Whether it's top ten lists about how to write a proper romance or how to make your characters feel alive, Jenna has dealt with it and Jenna will share. 

Jenny Nicholson... how do I describe her channel? Okay... gimme a moment. Alright... she finds... stuff. Important nonsensical stuff that you never knew you needed in your life. Then she comments. And sometimes she reviews movies or shows, but often times, she just stumbles into something. 

Whether it's telling the world about the absolute work book ever printed or pointing out all the flaws with Greatest Showman, I love listening to her. Her deadpan humor and subtle costumes and props always deliver for me. Plus, to top everything off, she's a huge... huge... HUGE... Star Wars nerd, as evidenced by the giant porg she keeps on her bed.

So if you're feeling low, find your way to her channel and just put it on autoplay. The visuals are fine, but you can honestly just put in your headphones and go about your day. Her stuff is fantastic.

Technically OSP is two people, Red and Blue. And while I do love you, Blue (your most recent video on the history of China was awesome), I was drawn there by Red and her sassy recounting of literature and myth.

If you're taking a world history or literature class, OSP is indispensable. Red specifically deals with legends, myths, and literature, retelling them in a way that's easy to digest and, of course, hilarious. Her art is amazing and I love the way it compliments her style.

But what may be the best thing she does is her Trope Series. My god do I love her Trope Series. She analyzes media and goes through tropes, like the Five-Man Band or "We're Not So Different, You and I." Heck, TVTropes has referenced HER work, so it's legit. And if you can't wait for her to put out more videos, check out their Twitter feed. She puts out a regular "Tropes I Unironically Love" series there that I live for.

I swear I love you, too, Blue!

So please check these awesome ladies out. Whether to entertain or to educate (hopefully both!) they're certainly worth a view.

Come back tomorrow for the last three ladies of 2018 to jump on my YouTube subscription list. Should be a great way to end the year!

​DFTBA

Let's step away from my short stories for just a moment, and from general literature, too. I want to talk about something that's been on my mind since November. It's a chance to reflect on something and bring attention to some well-deserving individuals. Consider it a late Christmas gift if you like, as I'm sharing with you some of my favorite YouTubers. And they're all female.

​For whatever reason, the number of female YouTubers on my subscribed list has swelled this year. I don't know what happened in 2018, whether more opportunities arose, whether my tastes changed, or whether I just lucked out and stumbled into some of the best entertainers out there. So, even though none of these ladies needs my endorsement, consider this a service to you, my loving audience. If you haven't heard of these YouTubers, make sure to check them out. Links provided. Also, the list is in alphabetical order, so no favoritism here.

CellSpex is a movie and television reviewer that I recently discovered. If fact, I think she's the most recent addition to subscription list. It took only one video to decide that she needed to be on my list, and trust me, that's a rare honor these days. My list got too bloated, so I spent 2018 culling the herd a bit. I've been really, really picky about letting any new creators onto that list, but CellSpex... instant in.

Her critiques are well thought out and she does her best to be fair. She has a admitted bias against studios like Illumination, but always states that and takes it into account when going over the material. Most of all, though, she's funny. Her minimalist avatar manages to convey an abundance of emotions and, when she gives them, I look forward to her anime and television recommendations. Plus, she has good taste.

I stumbled into TheOddsOneOut and JaidenAnimation (again) this year, which led the YouTube algorithm to start suggesting more and more animation channels. Most I wasn't thrilled with and I cursed the algorithm for flooding my suggestions with them, but then I noticed a really cute art style. It was Illy. 

Let me make this apparent. Yes. What drew me to her channel was a cute art style. What kept me around was a sincere, deep style of story telling. Sure, she has light-hearted ones (like the one I'm linking,) but if you stick around, she talks about deeply personal matters.

For instance, Illy was stalked and groomed by an internet predator when she was still a minor. She bravely decided to share the story of how fell for his spiel, how he manipulated her, altered her life, controlled her. And she shared how she managed to escape. It's a moving, emotional story, and her art really highlights the trauma of what she went through.

It's not all doom and gloom, though. She has plenty of light subjects. Heck, even the dark ones have moments of joviality because her bright, strong spirit shines through darkest moments. Check it out. She's awesome.

Speaking of Jaiden... I discovered Jaiden this year! Or, more accurately, I rediscovered her. Apparently I found her when she first started, because when I went to subscribe to her... I was already subscribed!

So Jaiden, like other animators, details what might otherwise be mundane stories of her life and animates them. Her art paired with her awesome sense of humor makes these stories hilarious! On top of this, she's from Arizona, so I can identify with a lot of the personal experiences she shares about her home. Also, she has a bird. Something that seems to be a growing trend among creators I like. And that bird is almost more popular than she is.

What set her apart from others, for me, was the energy of her videos. She illustrates situations that might otherwise be a 30-second "Hey, this happened" story, turning them into epic tales. She's genuinely a good storyteller and, yes, she's hilarious. Check her out!

Okay, wow, this is long than I thought it would be. And I have like seven more to share. So... maybe a short series? Come back tomorrow for the next group, and yes, they're all female creators. 

And before you go, I'm still running a poll to figure out what short story I should write next, so if you want to help me and be a really awesome person, check out the poll below. Leave a comment if you have thoughts and I'll see you tomorrow with part two!

Be Excellent to Each Other

So while I wait to hear back both from the queries I've sent out for The Paladin as well as the possibility of putting my short stories on a few websites, I've decided I need to start on the next story. I only have one problem. I have too many.

Before I focused on The Paladin, I had a lot of story ideas that barely got off the ground. I put them all away to work on my novel and, since I don't want to start The Paladin's sequel right now, I've decided I'll work on one of them. This is where you guys come in!

Below you'll find the survey I set up. It has 10 short stories that I'd like to finish at some point. Some already have significant progress made on them, others are just concepts. Either way, I'd love for you guys to check the ones that interest you. 

Also, feel free to leave comments about what you might change. Maybe you think the protagonist would be better as a female or maybe the setting should be futuristic instead of medieval. Whatever it is, leave a comment here or on the poll. 

Thanks again. I really appreciate the help.

Don't Forget to be Awesome!

Well I'm making the first steps toward putting my short stories out there on a more accessible platform. I know this blog is insanely popular and all, but maybe if I can put the stories out there I can draw more attention here. Here's hoping.

While that application goes through, I'm going to need to start building up some back material. I've got three stories that I can release as a serial, but I need to make sure there's stuff for when the well runs dry. So, since I'm in the mood to do things, I guess I'll just jump into a new story.

Since anything I do with The Paladin will be a time sink and be quite long, I'm going to be poring through short story and flash fiction contests. It'll be good to write something that isn't directly related to my novel. Something to stretch my writing muscles and, hopefully, get my name out there a bit more. 

DFTBA​

Happy Boxing Day! So yeah, it's all over and, well... I guess it was a good Christmas. I was with people I loved and cared about... I was happy to see their faces when they opened my gifts... and I even managed to make out with a few choice presents myself. 

So was it the Christmas of my childhood? No. But it was a fine Christmas with people I care about. I'll call my experiment to lift my holiday mood a mild success. With everything going on this year, with our situation, with the things that went wrong, I could've been a lot unhappier with the day. Instead, I laughed, I enjoyed pleasant company, and I ate way, way too much.

So... what's next? My crutch of showing you guys YouTube clips of my favorite specials is gone now, so it's back to talking books and literary concepts. But as for projects... I need one. I'm still awaiting responses from three or so queries, but until those happen, I need to focus on writing something. 

So here's where I'm starting. Tomorrow I'll be applying to Curious Fictions. It's a neat site that seems like a combo between Patreon and WattPad. I put up my material and people decide if they like it or not. If they do, they can subscribe to read more for a donation.

If that doesn't work out, I'll move things over to WattPad. True, it's a bit more amateur, but I need to move forward. After all, my man Theodore Roosevelt said: "In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing."

So I guess it's time to do something.

DFTBA

You can buy a print of this lovely picture HERE.

Another Christmas season ends. I hope those of you who celebrate found time to spend with those you love. I hope you shared some special moments. I even hope you got a cool present or two. 

So what about me? Do I feel any more into the holiday spirit than years past? Well... I suppose. I don't think the experiment was worthless, but I can't say that I'm feeling super jovial. Jolly isn't quite the word that I would use, but I can say that I do feel better having shared some of my favorite holiday specials with you guys. 

Things were a little weird this year. Some things didn't show up on time. Some things went a little wrong. Still, as Christmases go, it wasn't bad. And as the year goes, I have to say that 2018 could've been a lot worse. But, I suppose I should save that for my obligatory New Years' post.

So what now? Well, I figure it's time this writer get to writing. So I'm going to jump on the next project. As soon as I figure out what that is.

Merry Christmas!

​Be Excellent to Each Other

We're drawing closer and closer to Christmas day. My little experiment to increase my Christmas spirit has met with mixed results. I certainly enjoy the songs, the food (maybe too much) and the movies, but I'm not certain if I'm in the Christmas spirit. 

Well, I've still got a day, so let's see what we can do with the time we got. Today, I'm sharing one from a series that's grown very important to me. A series that I will always sing the praises of. One that puts life into a wonderful perspective, that helps you see that things aren't always fair, that life doesn't always give you a chance, but that you can still move forward.

It's Aggretsuko. 

I absolutely love this series. First off, it's humorous to begin with for being a Sanrio production, meaning it is in the world of Hello Kitty, but there's occasional profanity. For those who haven't seen it, it's about a little Red Panda named Retsuko who works a soul crushing office job. The show acts like Sesame Street for grown ups, showing situations that we all find ourselves in, and showing how bad they can go. Often times Retsuko, who's dream is simply to leave her terrible job and find a way to be financially independent. She throws herself from bad idea to bad idea because she's often desperate. In the end, it shows us a familiar picture, a world that we can each recognize, and helps us understand the reality that we may not always want to face about it. Oh, and she deals with her stress by singing death metal in a deep, jagged voice that shakes your very soul.

As for the Christmas special... it's just as realistic. Despite the bright colors and cheerful looking characters, it's not a kid's movie. There are no Christmas miracles. It's about the stresses of being an adult who doesn't know how to adult, but this time, during Christmas. What do you do when you grow up and realize you have no one to spend Christmas with? It's charming. It's beautiful. And if you have Netflix, do yourself a favor and watch the whole series. 

Merry Christmas.

​DFTBA

So I finally got to see something I've been wanting to see for a while, and I have to credit my friends over at the Smash Fiction Podcast for giving me a good excuse.

The He-Man and She-Ra Christmas Special. Man... that was something else. Can I say it was amazing? Well, yes. Yes I can. But it's definitely not Oscar amazing. It's just... I don't know. I hesitate to say this as a writer, but I lack the words.

It's delightfully campy. It's colorful and filled with all the deus ex Christmas you'd expect from an '80s Christmas special staring He-Man and She-Ra. If you like the new She-Ra on Netflix, well, you probably won't recognize this. Still, it's worth a watch. 

From Skeletor trying to fight the urge to enjoy Christmas and be kind to He-Man and She-Ra communicating solely in puns. How does any of the plot come together? I mean, I just watched it and I'm not certain I could tell you. And that's just one more reason to experience it for yourself. Every Christmas movie watch list needs that "What the Hell?" entry, and this is it. 

So do yourself a favor and give the clip below a quick glance. You can find the full thing on YouTube and other sites.

​DFTBA

It's pretty hard to follow Johnny Bravo. I probably should've saved that one for Christmas Day, but what can I say? I love me some Johnny. Still, there's still a few more days til Christmas and I want to share more things that really get me in the holiday mood.

Now, I've already mentioned it Muppets, and you're not going to convince me that any other Christmas special short of Johnny Bravo is better, but near the top of that list is another Muppets classic: A Muppet Christmas Carol. 

Now A Christmas Carol has been done a hundred ways by a hundred groups. I think both the Flintstones and the Jetsons did it. But there's just something about this version. Something about Marley and Marley, about the perfect casting of Scrooge, about the narration of Gonzo. This wasn't part of my childhood, but I dearly wish it had been. When I discovered it, I knew I had found something that had been missing from my life. A bit thank you to my friends in high school for introducing this one to me. I'll never get the Marley and Marley song out of my head. Never.

​DFTBA

PS. Also, check out Overly Sarcastic Productions' video on the story. Their stuff is always amazing.