tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89342740443614340252024-03-12T16:59:44.510-07:00Dan Absalonson | Author of SciFi & FantasyDan posts book reviews and shares in his fiction writing journey.Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.comBlogger491125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-2764411558110374132024-03-09T10:25:00.000-08:002024-03-09T10:25:40.184-08:00Dan's Book Reviews | Episode 75 Shadows of the Highridge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg91sxDDT0hW5ZE4dFgwh0cO-nHwUtuC4M6xJKkhPQgmaugbJ09uQCYNF3Sztv4nfpQK_C1EeMmv3YwESdm4fyCO1iqqM_R8ZfhECY04LqvGPJA5Fc_dQ5H0RBx1wqvor4zb4y4TxLyRtxvnYU0UBWpdhHqfg_nHilDLHbxYgfm6v1bbUKxEg3rfYXIDw/s1600/DDTAMBookReviews_ImageLRG.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg91sxDDT0hW5ZE4dFgwh0cO-nHwUtuC4M6xJKkhPQgmaugbJ09uQCYNF3Sztv4nfpQK_C1EeMmv3YwESdm4fyCO1iqqM_R8ZfhECY04LqvGPJA5Fc_dQ5H0RBx1wqvor4zb4y4TxLyRtxvnYU0UBWpdhHqfg_nHilDLHbxYgfm6v1bbUKxEg3rfYXIDw/s320/DDTAMBookReviews_ImageLRG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><audio controls="">
<source src="https://archive.org/download/ddtambook-reviews-75/DDTAMBookReviews_75.mp3" type="audio/mpeg"></source>
Your browser does not support the audio element.
</audio><p>Play above or download the <a href="https://archive.org/download/ddtambook-reviews-75/DDTAMBookReviews_75.mp3">.mp3</a></p><p>In this 75th episode, I review Shadows of the Highridge by Jay Swanson. This prequel novel to Jay's incredible "Into the Nanten" was amazing. It was a thrilling fantasy story, but what stood out to me the most was the authentic and superb dialog.</p><p>Buy "Shadows of the Highridge" on Amazon:</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Highridge-Jay-Swanson/dp/0983469997/">https://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Highridge-Jay-Swanson/dp/0983469997/</a></p><p>Check out the author's website:</p><p><a href="https://www.jayswanson.me/past-projects">https://www.jayswanson.me/past-projects</a></p><p>Check out my novel Haunted House Flipper:</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Haunted-House-Flipper-Dan-Absalonson-ebook/dp/B079K6MP28/">https://www.amazon.com/Haunted-House-Flipper-Dan-Absalonson-ebook/dp/B079K6MP28/</a></p><p>Visit my website: <a href="http://www.DanDanTheArtMan.com">www.DanDanTheArtMan.com</a></p><p>FOLLOW ME:</p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/dandantheartman">https://www.facebook.com/dandantheartman</a></p>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-25893643997371374672023-11-09T13:47:00.003-08:002023-11-11T10:35:34.575-08:00Dan Dan The Art Man's Book Reviews | Episode 74 Void Wraith by Chris Fox<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUtiPaunPMNUIzK9f_fpwOxLey4Jp46IZOfnvi_czR2TS4UsMpXDs30f0dpOc6sIAlxNMMclXM6URBZTPg-c__U0BlPk-A4Ika0kjOjx9pfSMaqLKlmwEHz1F7WGy0mcYVNZIRzR_cvoFl8aSFQTk6aUJzJHIwfJeKzcjjG_BuTQiwgLyhV4RM9n1Scg/s1600/DDTAMBookReviews_ImageLRG.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUtiPaunPMNUIzK9f_fpwOxLey4Jp46IZOfnvi_czR2TS4UsMpXDs30f0dpOc6sIAlxNMMclXM6URBZTPg-c__U0BlPk-A4Ika0kjOjx9pfSMaqLKlmwEHz1F7WGy0mcYVNZIRzR_cvoFl8aSFQTk6aUJzJHIwfJeKzcjjG_BuTQiwgLyhV4RM9n1Scg/s320/DDTAMBookReviews_ImageLRG.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<audio controls="">
<source src="https://archive.org/download/ddtambook-reviews-74/DDTAMBookReviews_74.mp3" type="audio/mpeg"></source>
Your browser does not support the audio element.
</audio>
<p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2c2c; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">Play above or download the </span><a href="https://archive.org/download/ddtambook-reviews-74/DDTAMBookReviews_74.mp3">.mp3</a></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2c2c;">In this 74th episode, I review Destroyer by Chris Fox, and its sequel "Void Wraith." These books are everything I was looking for in a Science Fiction novel and then some! Listen to the reviews to hear why. Also, they're the first and second in a series of six books, so when you enjoy the book, there will be more for you to read after.</span></p><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Buy the Books on Amazon:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">Destoryer: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D5NG7HS">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D5NG7HS</a></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">Void Wraith: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GBIB9QS">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GBIB9QS</a></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Check out the author's website:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #2c2c2c;"><a href="https://www.chrisfoxwrites.com/">https://www.chrisfoxwrites.com/</a></span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My books mentioned in this episode:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Night the Lights Came On</span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #2c2c2c;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Night-Lights-Came-Dan-Absalonson-ebook/dp/B0CM43VW63">https://www.amazon.com/Night-Lights-Came-Dan-Absalonson-ebook/dp/B0CM43VW63</a></span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Visit my website: <a href="http://www.DanDanTheArtMan.com">www.DanDanTheArtMan.com</a></span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">FOLLOW ME:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/dandantheartman"><span style="font-family: inherit;">https://www.facebook.com/dandantheartman</span></a></div>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-16942572989814780222023-10-30T11:12:00.006-07:002023-11-09T10:35:02.097-08:00Short Stories of DanDanTheArtMan 16 The Night the Lights Came On<p style="text-align: center;"><audio controls="">
<source src="https://archive.org/download/the-night-the-lights-came-on/TheNightTheLightsCameOn_DanDanTheArtMan.mp3" type="audio/mpeg"></source>
</audio></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Download the <a href="https://archive.org/download/the-night-the-lights-came-on/TheNightTheLightsCameOn_DanDanTheArtMan.mp3">.mp3</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Purchase the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CM43VW63">eBook at Amazon</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Listen <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H74jDzDXOo">on Youtube</a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySqQs8zDAG9zJNdZzsCRJ62NlhCwC9bGZHwQK_AlCyR5vpWX6E_lUDS_Zys5YSXydKQp7iwMRn8XZOEk25EHTs37p6hZeVZiet1MaRQtPXK6ZGWV6e1DSFFr2plmr4y3I16trBOnMWKYTEo-rrlIYbHqp4PqvLcAMOChm1sZy1KyQ47u9-qiFBOzk5A4/s2700/TNTLCO_Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySqQs8zDAG9zJNdZzsCRJ62NlhCwC9bGZHwQK_AlCyR5vpWX6E_lUDS_Zys5YSXydKQp7iwMRn8XZOEk25EHTs37p6hZeVZiet1MaRQtPXK6ZGWV6e1DSFFr2plmr4y3I16trBOnMWKYTEo-rrlIYbHqp4PqvLcAMOChm1sZy1KyQ47u9-qiFBOzk5A4/w426-h640/TNTLCO_Cover.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p>Happy Halloween! Hey guys! It's been years since I've released a short story! I am so excited to be doing this again! I have also started podcasting my book reviews. If you liked the story, please buy a copy of the eBook and leave a review on Amazon. That would really help me out!</p><p><b>Story Summary:</b></p><p>Running from his problems, Cody accidentally stumbles on the abandoned old Blackwood mansion. It's been abandoned for decades ever since its owner Jonathan Blackwood mysteriously disappeared. But tonight, the lights are on. Cody texts his friend Tom and they venture inside to solve the mystery of what is going on inside.</p><p>Thanks for stopping by!</p>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-26118884735640336342023-10-22T17:59:00.001-07:002023-10-22T17:59:28.155-07:00Dan Dan The Art Man's Book Reviews | Episode 73 Into the Nanten by Jay Swanson<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUtiPaunPMNUIzK9f_fpwOxLey4Jp46IZOfnvi_czR2TS4UsMpXDs30f0dpOc6sIAlxNMMclXM6URBZTPg-c__U0BlPk-A4Ika0kjOjx9pfSMaqLKlmwEHz1F7WGy0mcYVNZIRzR_cvoFl8aSFQTk6aUJzJHIwfJeKzcjjG_BuTQiwgLyhV4RM9n1Scg/s1600/DDTAMBookReviews_ImageLRG.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUtiPaunPMNUIzK9f_fpwOxLey4Jp46IZOfnvi_czR2TS4UsMpXDs30f0dpOc6sIAlxNMMclXM6URBZTPg-c__U0BlPk-A4Ika0kjOjx9pfSMaqLKlmwEHz1F7WGy0mcYVNZIRzR_cvoFl8aSFQTk6aUJzJHIwfJeKzcjjG_BuTQiwgLyhV4RM9n1Scg/s320/DDTAMBookReviews_ImageLRG.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<audio controls="">
<source src="https://archive.org/download/ddtambook-reviews-73/DDTAMBookReviews_73.mp3" type="audio/mpeg"></source>
Your browser does not support the audio element.
</audio>
<p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2c2c; font-family: inherit;">In this 73rd episode, I review Into The Nanten - The Record of My Exile by Jay Swanson. It was my favorite book of 2016 back when I reviewed it. It started as a real-time live blog with journal entries. There is amazing artwork that goes with it, and an outstanding audiobook!</span></p><p>Play or download the <a href="https://archive.org/download/ddtambook-reviews-73/DDTAMBookReviews_73.mp3">.mp3</a></p><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Buy the Book on Amazon:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Into-Nanten-Record-Exile-Season/dp/B013ZEDRNO/"><span style="font-family: inherit;">https://www.amazon.com/Into-Nanten-Record-Exile-Season/dp/B013ZEDRNO/</span></a></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Check out the author's website:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><a href="https://www.jayswanson.me/"><span style="font-family: inherit;">https://www.jayswanson.me/</span></a></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My books mentioned in this episode:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Haunted House Flipper:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Haunted-House-Flipper-Dan-Absalonson-ebook/dp/B079K6MP28/"><span style="font-family: inherit;">https://www.amazon.com/Haunted-House-Flipper-Dan-Absalonson-ebook/dp/B079K6MP28/</span></a></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Visit my website: <a href="http://www.DanDanTheArtMan.com">www.DanDanTheArtMan.com</a></span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">FOLLOW ME:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/dandantheartman"><span style="font-family: inherit;">https://www.facebook.com/dandantheartman</span></a></div>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-26230196998435861202023-10-22T12:37:00.004-07:002023-10-22T12:38:49.231-07:00It's Coming Back Ya'll!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjH7iFhRPdx6A6wkVI98EhXzTM_FR3tPHtxdcB4PdJqw6P92Yoxi-wfHDeIsEDFP_KlpHGigx2gNdb1k3CrJXcsm22IHGHnz3dSBYlQdUrUnyrBne7RuEVfY8jeJs9-SDDLguVkmj9A2DglzWR_ltZ1RJ2PDIRjRF8xxVpqtDnC0UcXaztx9qHMevPk2SY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjH7iFhRPdx6A6wkVI98EhXzTM_FR3tPHtxdcB4PdJqw6P92Yoxi-wfHDeIsEDFP_KlpHGigx2gNdb1k3CrJXcsm22IHGHnz3dSBYlQdUrUnyrBne7RuEVfY8jeJs9-SDDLguVkmj9A2DglzWR_ltZ1RJ2PDIRjRF8xxVpqtDnC0UcXaztx9qHMevPk2SY=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><p>I have the next episode of Dan Dan The Art Man's Book Reviews planned out and ready to record. Look for it to drop in the podcast feed soon. It's been 5 years since episode 72 came out! I have the next 11 episodes planned and soon after I finish those, or possibly for episode 100, I am starting a very exciting project. Check out episode 73 when it drops sometime this week to hear all about it. In the meantime, here is the last episode from 5 years ago: </p><p><b><a href="https://archive.org/download/DDTAMBookReviews72/DDTAMBookReviews_72.mp3"><span style="font-size: large;">Dan Dan The Art Man's Book Reviews Episode 72</span></a></b></p> <p></p>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-85275690352443202392023-04-03T21:13:00.004-07:002023-09-28T06:16:39.961-07:00I'm Finally Writing Again!<p>It's fiction, but this is a little different. I am writing and drawing a comic strip. I put the first strip below, but check out the website for updated comics: </p><p><a href="https://billyandv24.blogspot.com/" style="font-weight: bold;">BILLY & V24</a>. </p><p>It's a comic about a boy and his robot.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Click on it to make it bigger!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDphYOwBVpjhG8n-0lF63s-p3Xfxtu0ngu9oOZh9QEojZQZ_mPiiJMgjFh8hJeOuToHmhjZI3xjqKzVbQuHynoOSOxQPC4Ucrivng9hYeVkbpOhTTwxUnSiERJAAhc_w2GlRuJXB1m77dQbaVIW2BZB0ogur5Qg2QUW9pbedUizec89Sn6Kd21aU7/s900/BaV24-Web_001.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="283" data-original-width="900" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDphYOwBVpjhG8n-0lF63s-p3Xfxtu0ngu9oOZh9QEojZQZ_mPiiJMgjFh8hJeOuToHmhjZI3xjqKzVbQuHynoOSOxQPC4Ucrivng9hYeVkbpOhTTwxUnSiERJAAhc_w2GlRuJXB1m77dQbaVIW2BZB0ogur5Qg2QUW9pbedUizec89Sn6Kd21aU7/w400-h126/BaV24-Web_001.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-20656215038598542032023-04-02T21:17:00.008-07:002023-09-28T06:18:54.046-07:00Antigua | A PoemRoads that resemble the ruins all around you
Exterior walls that span entire blocks,
Hiding tiny tiendas and expansive restaurants
A market overflowing with delicious produce,
Substancial sacks of spices,
Totally authentic Nike sneakers,
And handmade treasures
All for “a special price just for you, almost free”
Cars, trucks, tuks tuks, and motos
Serving and stopping and parking anywhere they please
With a push of a button the flashers come on
And the entire lane of the street
Becomes your very own private parking spot
Buses retired from hauling kids to and from school,
Become ex-pats with fresh paint jobs,
Kings of the calle,
Brilliant colors barreling down the road,
Horn blazing with religious AND racy stickers
Slapped next to each other on the back
Get off quick because Esmeralda doesn’t stop to let you off,
She just keeps rolling ever on
So the next time you think the street is too narrow
To accommodate cars traversing in both directions,
Watch as the chicken buses choke up the road
And somehow keep continuing on
<hr />
This is a poem I wrote about the city I have lived in for 9 months now. Antigua, Guatemala. I'll explain some things in the poem because if you've never been to Antigua it won't make much sense. Antigua is a world heritage site so inside the city the roads are still cobblestone and must remain so. They look cool but make for one heck of a bumpy and slow ride. A "tienda" is a small convenience store where you can buy the same kinds of things found in a gas station mini mart in the states. A tuk tuk is like a tiny taxi that can take a few people at a time around the city. It's pretty much a motorcycle with a covered bench behind it. Everyone in Antigua parks in the road when they have a quick errand to run inside of a store because there is no-where else to park if you just need to stop in real quick. So you just put your flashers on and everyone drives around you. There is just barely enough room, and many a side mirror gets smacked. People drive American school buses from the states down here, paint them with bright colors and name them. They're everywhere and they choke up the already narrow streets. It is crazy. It's a beautiful city. I hope I've captured just a little of what it is like.Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-7873328024663796602022-06-14T08:01:00.007-07:002022-06-14T08:09:52.796-07:00 Computer Use | A Memoir Essay<div style="text-align: left;">The first time I can remember using a personal computer, was in kindergarten. I was at my friend Austin's house, and he had a Macintosh. This was 1988, so it was something like a Macintosh classic. The computer had a rectangular shape, with the monitor mounted inside the casing; and it was all in that single rectangular unit. </div><div><br /></div><div>His monitor only displayed in black and white. I recall how incredible I thought it was that he could remember all the names of the folders he had to open to get to the game we wanted to play. The program we opened was a downhill skiing game. We probably only had to click on the hard drive, applications, the game's folder, and then the game icon; but to me that was a lot to recollect just to play a game.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some years later, around fourth grade or so, my dad bought an IBM with windows 3.0. At the time this computer was top of the line; it even had a cd rom drive! I messed around on that bad boy a lot, and pretty soon I was quite good at getting around on it. I was even well acquainted with dos. My sixth grade year we picked up a computer with windows 95 on it. I dove straight into that operating system. This was also the same year that I took a typing class in school. In the class there were no letters on the keys, so you had to learn. You would follow the diagrams on the screen and go through the programs, learning where to put your hands and where all the keys were. This helped my typing skills tremendously. Now instead of using one finger to find each key, I could type quickly and easily without having to look at the keyboard. This was a big developmental step in my computing skills.</div><div><br /></div><div>I also remember for the first time using Ctrl + C to copy, and Ctrl + V to paste. We sometimes would have to type the same paragraph several times for our class work. It was funny, the Ctrl keys had been fixed so you shouldn't have been able to use them, but if you pushed very hard on them they would click. So my friends and I would only type the paragraph once and then copy and paste it as many times as were required. I remember being in awe of these shortcut keys. I had no idea you could press certain keys together on the keyboard, or even that you could copy and paste. I was excited and amazed about this on only simple computers with only a black screen and a green display of text. I liked computers at an early age. Writing this I find it funny that I can look back and remember being amazed at green letters on a black screen; and now I'm going into the 3D computer industry as a career. I now produce 3D graphics that were unthinkable back when I was in sixth grade learning to type. It is something to think about.</div><div><br /></div><div>During high school my family picked up a Compaq Presario, with Windows 98 and a Pentium I processor. I had fun with that. They now have a Sony Vio with Windows XP. It always has problems with spyware and is very difficult to use for navigating the internet even with a cable modem. It gets slowed down and constantly has pop-ups. I even have my own computer now with an amazing graphics card that helps the 3D programs I use run smoothly. As a little boy I never could have dreamed of having my own computer.</div><div><br /></div><div>For pc use, that is all of my list; but it's not where my computer career ended. The first time I was able to use a Macintosh again, since kindergarten, was my freshman year when I took a sixth period creative writing class. Many times we would use the computer lab, and after class two buddies and I would stay and teach ourselves HyperCard on the school's Macs. I thought that program was awesome, and I was finally learning how to use a Mac.</div><div><br /></div><div>My senior year I took a class called Technical Navigation. In this class we learned, with iMacs and G3s, how to use Adobe Pagemill, Photoshop, and Illustrator; along with some Power Point. I was able to learn all the shortcuts and nuances of the Macintosh operating system. Now when I wanted to close a window, open a new document, or save, I just had to press "apple" and then w, o, or s. I then learned that these same shortcut keys existed in my pc.</div><div><br /></div><div>My navigational skills at that time became much faster than before. I think that using the shortcut keys also forced me to have more of an awareness of what I was doing while navigating on the screen. Rather than looking at the menu bar and it's following pull down, thinking about it and having all my available options right in front of me, I had to know exactly what I wanted to do. I had to push the one button on the keyboard that I knew would carry out the command I wanted it to. I hope to learn exponentially, and become better and better at using computers in the future.</div><div><br /></div><div>These same shortcut key skills have carried over greatly into the programs I use for school and what I will use in the 3D industry. In every video editing or photo manipulating or 3D software I have used, I've found that learning and using as many shortcut keys as I can greatly increases my efficiency and speed. Also, I can get rid of several menus that appear above, below, and on the sides of the screen. This gives me more work area on the screen; more real estate. By using shortcuts I can work faster than someone else, and have more space to work with for my eyes. It's a win win situation.</div><div><br /></div><div>One thing that I really like about working on computers is how fast time goes by when working on them. I can sit down and 3D model for hours. 3D modeling is making or constructing objects in 3D space on the computer. It is similar to sculpting in real life, but instead of moving clay around to form shapes resembling things, you move around points in 3D space. These points connect with each other to form surfaces.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have sometimes gone without eating a meal because I simply forget or don't realize I am hungry for several hours because I will get so enthralled in what I am working on. I have even skipped both lunch and dinner a few times, which is even for me hard to believe, because of work on the computer. When I work at the labs in the North campus the security guard will poke his head in the door and tell me it will soon be time to leave. That is when I will realize that it's almost 11:30, and time to go. It is during these times that I just don't know where the time has gone. This is something I am happy about, because I will be doing it for a living someday.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the video game industry, which I hope to get into, you hear of projects nearing there deadlines and employees getting asked to work crazy hours; staying very late to get the work done. This is something I already do at times. I would much rather have a job with longer hours which went by quickly than a job with only 40 hours a week in which each hour of every day seemed to drag by.</div><div><br /></div><div>If we did not have computers today of coarse the world would be ok, as it always has been with out computers. But now that I work on them so much I find it hard to imagine a world without computers. I see them everywhere and in several different things being used for several different applications. For storing data alone, if that were their only purpose; even then they would be incredibly useful. This is because in one small computer you can store a warehouse full of information. They also make that information extremely easy to navigate through and find specifics with.</div><div><br /></div><div>To think that now some actors have a computer generated model doing their stunt scenes for them in movies is amazing. I love computers, and I also love art and storytelling. I hope to use computers for these two things. Making art and telling stories in a highly visual way. I can only imagine what the future holds for the level of realism a computer will be able to generate; considering where we are right now. But I hope that there will always be someone out there not always trying to make it look perfectly real, but instead goofy and/or artistic.</div><div><br /></div><hr /><br /><div>This was an assignment for my creative writing class at the Art Institute of Seattle. I probably wrote it around 2004. It's really interesting to read it now. I'm pretty sure I thought we were at the cutting edge of where technology could go, and now to get these words into this blog post I took a picture of them with my phone from a printed page, which I was then able to copy the text from the photo and paste it into a document. I still had to fix the formatting, but still it's crazy how technology has continued to develop.</div>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-46236125063960574652022-06-14T07:34:00.004-07:002022-06-14T07:34:52.582-07:00An Unfamiliar Room | A Poem<div style="text-align: left;">Soft voices.</div><div style="text-align: left;">At least those who know each other.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Everyone else,</div><div style="text-align: left;">Sitting, waiting.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Wondering.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Wishing for prognostication.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Sitting in a seat they weren't sure of picking</div><div style="text-align: left;">But chose in haste to get the attention off of them.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Chosen in haste to get the seating eyes of</div><div style="text-align: left;">Unfamiliar faces from scolding their comfort bubble until it bursts.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Sitting down to a small smooth desk that they can call their own.</div><div style="text-align: left;">For the next four hours</div><div style="text-align: left;">They will look at its scratches and drawings.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Their own small space of individuality</div><div style="text-align: left;">Clothing them from the rest of the class.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The rough rustling of a back pack,</div><div style="text-align: left;">The sweet sound of someone sipping coffee.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Tall decaf double shot non fat raspberry mocha latte,</div><div style="text-align: left;">Iced.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Eyes searching plain white walls while</div><div style="text-align: left;">A few coughs echo off their banal surfaces.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The calm steps of the teacher as he walks</div><div style="text-align: left;">To give his welcome to the class.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">He hides his anxiety he shares with his students well.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Eleven weeks will soon pass;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And this now familiar room, these now familiar faces,</div><div style="text-align: left;">Will surprisingly be missed.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><hr /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is a poem I wrote for a creative writing class while attending the Art Institute of Seattle earning my BFA in Animation and Media Arts. I probably wrote it around 2004 as a 21 year old. We had classes once a week for four hours, and each quarter was eleven weeks long. In that time I always was amazed at how a group of strangers had become a familiar class I would miss.</div>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-34164997164250891042022-06-14T07:24:00.001-07:002022-06-14T07:25:01.311-07:00Coffee Coffee | A Poem<div style="text-align: left;">Coffee.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Coffee.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />I like coffee. I like drinking coffee.<br />I like drinking coffee in the cool hours<br />Of the night while drawing, doing homework, or driving.<br />I like to drink coffee.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />I don't mean <i>fancy</i> coffee.<br />Just cream<br />and sugar.<br />Coffee of the kitchen countertop.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />No espresso stand or coffee carte;<br />Whipping up something special.<br />I'm talking a big, red, metal can<br />Of Folgers in your cup-board.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />The best part of waking up<br />Is Folgers in your cup.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />The best part of staying up<br />Is Folgers in your cup.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Getting coffee at a Shari's IHOP, or Denny's<br />Two in the morning with Folgers in your cup.<br />The feel of the silver spoon<br />Hitting the white sides of a porcelain cup.<br />I can hear the sound it makes. Ting ting.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Stirring in the cream and sugar.<br />I can see the cream swirling in black until<br />It fades to a creamy tan.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />I like to shake the little sugar packets and listen<br />To the small grains shift to the back of the pack<br />As the paper goes crinkle crinkle, crinkle crinkle;<br />Much faster than I can say crinkle.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Crinkle.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />To hear the sound of coffee being poured<br />Is a treasure to the ears.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Its euphony brings a sliver of energy soon to be delivered<br />On that first taste; after you<br />Set the spoon down on your napkin and<br />See it creep brown slowly.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Slowly across white fibers textured in pattern.<br />First sips travel and coat your textured stomach<br />Similarly.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Your eyes seem to open just that much more.<br />You first start to notice the haze around you as a restaurant.<br />That big bright pillow you fell onto is a<br />Booth now sturdy and stiff.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />You sit at your table and mix the cream<br />And stir the sugar.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">You forget about getting here at midnight.</div><div style="text-align: left;">The lights are on, everyone is awake</div><div style="text-align: left;">Conversing as if it were midday.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />You continue working on your midterm or your final,<br />Or maybe just your sketchbook drawing, and<br />Before you know it, almost everyone else is gone.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />No one is talking anymore, there is much less noise.<br />You look down to see that a myriad of<br />Sugar packets have been shook, poured, and stirred.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />You peer back to the door you drowsily entered and see that<br />There is light outside. A new day has started without you and<br />Here you are without memory of night passing.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />But,</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Your midterm is minutes from completion and all you<br />Have to do is make it to that one class and turn it in.<br />You can then go back home and have your night,<br />But it will cost you the day.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />However, when you wake up,<br />There is always coffee.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><hr /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />This is a poem I wrote for a creative writing class while attending the Art Institute of Seattle. I probably wrote it around 2004 as a 21 year old. As I write this, that was 18 years ago but in some ways it feels like only a few. Crazy how time flies.</div>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-62780569674153892302022-03-21T12:59:00.001-07:002022-03-21T12:59:06.889-07:00Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull | Book Review<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/784911.Rise_of_the_Evening_Star" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Rise of the Evening Star (Fablehaven, #2)" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1386633982l/784911._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/784911.Rise_of_the_Evening_Star">Rise of the Evening Star</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/25052.Brandon_Mull">Brandon Mull</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4537354381">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
This book was really fun. I thought the characters, magic, traps, and challenges faced were creative, fun, and a bit more intense than the last book. I really liked how the story didn't start right back at Fablehaven but gave us a little glimpse into the ordinary lives of the two sibling main characters. Then it was all go from there with lots of fun, adventure, and more of the story world and how it works revealed. I look forward to reading the next one. It's been fun to read this alongside my 10 year old and talk about it.<br />Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-28068251111110247462022-03-10T15:17:00.007-08:002022-03-10T15:18:50.680-08:00The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha ChristieBook Review<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52843028-the-mysterious-affair-at-styles" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Hercule Poirot, #1)" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1585632445l/52843028._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52843028-the-mysterious-affair-at-styles">The Mysterious Affair at Styles</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/123715.Agatha_Christie">Agatha Christie</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4597924463">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">While it seemed like a bit of a mix between the Great Gastby and a Sherlock Holmes novel, I wouldn't say that's a bad thing. Just as I felt the book was becoming a bit dry the murder happened, and no that's not a spoiler if you know this genre. I must say I actually don't know the mystery genre well but have always wanted to get into it, thus my reading of this book. I have read one other of her books a few years ago, "And Then There Were None," which I quite enjoyed and rated four out of five stars. It was an interesting thing to find that the narrator in this story was interested in becoming a detective, yet it was another character, Poirot, who does the investigation. I was expecting it to be the narrator character, but then it was like duh the series is named after Poirot. I’m just saying that’s the way the story led me at first. I suppose it shouldn't surprise me, as it's a lot like Sherlock Holmes, and even the Great Gatsby, where the protagonist is not really the narrator or main character. I'm sure varying definitions of those terms would lead to disagreements with how I worded that, but I'd wager you understand what I mean. I quite enjoyed Poirot's interviews with people. I liked how he differed a bit as a detective from Sherlock Holmes, he has perhaps less powers of deduction and more a talent for thourough investigation where he follows his process and finds things out in that manner. I never disliked Homles's amazing deductions, but it was cool to see Poirot go to work in action rather than puffing on a pipe to solve the case almost exclusively with his mind. EDIT upon futher reading I saw Poirot use great powers of deduction to help him solve the case, and much like Sherlock Holmes he definitely reveals all in a huge avalanche of information at the end. Here's maybe the difference though, while Poirot is sharp, he is also surprised by things and must work them out as he finds new evidence. We get the sense that Poirot is making some amazing deductions as the story progresses, and while he may have solid conclusions, he continues to work on the case. I liked that sense of movement. It is very similar to Sherlock Holmes, but also he does it in his own way with his method. It is heavily inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's writings but has a different flavor. I really like the character of Poirot too, as he is described as a small man. He seems not to be physically imposing, but his demeaner still is one of confidence and assuredness. He's a cool character. I look forward to more books with him in them. I enjoyed the narrator, Mr. Hastings's, observations about how the characters handled the death. Richard Armitage did a great job narrating this book. His variation for the different characters brought a lot of life to the dialogue, and there was a lot of dialogue so he was a great choice for this book. It cracked me up how Mr. Hastings would get annoyed with Poirot and his elusive knowledge of the crime that Mr. Hastings couldn't guess at. Overall I enjoyed it.</div>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-21712414547996341752022-03-09T14:23:00.002-08:002022-03-09T14:23:27.476-08:00double Dutch | Vocab Words<p>Ever since my A.P. English class, in which my excellent teacher gave us a new word of the day, I have grown very fond of learning new words and their meanings. I used to carry around a monstrously tall stack of index cards with words on one side and definitions on the other. Just about all of these words were ones I had never even read or heard of before, let alone knew the definitions for. My vocabulary expanded like crazy that school year. Now, whenever I'm reading a book and come across a word I don't know, I stop and look up its meaning. This is a great way to learn new words, by reading! Below what you'll find is less a word than a slang phrase. I heard it while listening to the audiobook "The Mysterious Affair at Styles," the first in the Hercule Poirot mystery series of books. I hope to start including this phrase "double Dutch" in my diction.</p><p><br /></p><section class="entry-headword" id="top-definitions-section" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><div class="css-1gvu524 e1wg9v5m7" style="-webkit-box-align: baseline; align-items: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-flow: row wrap; flex: 1 1 0%; margin-bottom: 8px;"><div class="css-jv03sw e1wg9v5m6" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; display: inline-flex; line-height: normal; margin-right: 8px;"><span class="css-japric e1wg9v5m5" data-first-headword="false" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 49px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px;">double Dutch</span></div><div class="css-cpet15 ea1n8qa0" style="-webkit-box-align: baseline; align-items: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box;"></div><div class="css-x8ezj7 e15jzgbm5" data-headword-buttons-container="true" data-slug="double-dutch" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: row;"></div></div></div></section><hr class="headword-separator css-qxeaj1 etjs7ll0" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(182, 182, 182); border-bottom-style: solid; border-top: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; overflow: visible;" /><section class="css-109x55k e1hk9ate4" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><div class="css-69s207 e1hk9ate3" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; margin: 25px 0px 0px;"><span class="css-1b1gas3 e1hk9ate2" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 18px; font-style: italic;">noun</span><span class="css-22g4h9 e1hk9ate1" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; display: inline; font-size: 18px;"> <span class="luna-label italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;">Slang</span>.</span></div><div class="css-10n3ydx e1hk9ate0" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 15px; margin-left: 20px;"><div class="css-10ul8x e1q3nk1v2" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: list-item; line-height: 1.5; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-top: 8px; padding-left: 25px; position: relative;" value="1"><span class="one-click-content css-nnyc96 e1q3nk1v1" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="garbled" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; cursor: pointer; font-size: 18px; position: relative; z-index: 1;">unintelligible or garbled speech or language:<span class="luna-example italic" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="understood" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; display: block; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">She could have been talking double Dutch for all we understood of it.</span></span></div></div></section>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-54846667484663383342022-03-03T07:59:00.007-08:002022-03-03T08:02:46.041-08:00I Can Fly | A Serial Story<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMIdaYaGs3uYP9WyvptgNR_wx7kRlFkGhOjwt6swhRUEbznsAeIT29K1YJbFJkEOPaoCvnRDKMMJoZnlba_ejTXYblfB0Cr7HpDpRc5dUUxLxO0zuPVdqKKKyaNRHWkNu7rIDBxFnlph7ICbLyN-FUnY9eZCqgMecYX6Dm_EY9wigrwBjLDsnHMc2C" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="563" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMIdaYaGs3uYP9WyvptgNR_wx7kRlFkGhOjwt6swhRUEbznsAeIT29K1YJbFJkEOPaoCvnRDKMMJoZnlba_ejTXYblfB0Cr7HpDpRc5dUUxLxO0zuPVdqKKKyaNRHWkNu7rIDBxFnlph7ICbLyN-FUnY9eZCqgMecYX6Dm_EY9wigrwBjLDsnHMc2C" width="150" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm writing an ongoing serialized story for the new platform Kindle Vella. If you haven't heard of that, it's Amazon's way to publish serialized stories. Serialized is where instead of a complete novel, it's more like episodes and seasons - like many TV shows. So the first few episodes of my story, "I Can Fly" are setting up the characters and the world. Once that's done, each episode will be it's own self contained story. I'm excited about this because my schedule has been pretty nuts lately, which has lead to me simply not having time to write fiction. I did start an unofficial Minecraft novel, but after getting a couple chapters in, I haven't worked on it more. This project is a great outlet for me to write tons of short stories, and they'll all be building on each other, but also each will be self contained so it's a project I can actually make progress on. I think this will be a great way for me to write fiction again, even though I'm super busy with becoming a pastor. When I feel like the season is coming to an end I can plan some wrap up episodes and then it might be long enough to be a book. For now though, it's a really fun new way to write in a serialized way. The first two chapters are live and I hope to be posting more soon. Check it out here:</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B097SPSPFM" style="text-align: left;">I Can Fly | Kindle Vella (amazon.com)</a></p>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-74576949091000830632022-01-11T15:33:00.001-08:002022-01-11T15:33:27.840-08:00The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien & Christopher TolkienBook Review<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIkw50dD8qJ67sz3jgfRii1uL6OvXxEh9cmUQAE-AGfQjfXfHOW-at6LMS5z5raSW73N3LsoeehmJ_FmT_lHJD9dCBBvtlhfLyZ_GpovnYsB1m4x1N6iZDAkO-eWSQN6CkFG_QBLf4mVDmw9TSkGDWO8PSNW-PV91sotvLaL6_stMiSGvC2KEOSepI=s423" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIkw50dD8qJ67sz3jgfRii1uL6OvXxEh9cmUQAE-AGfQjfXfHOW-at6LMS5z5raSW73N3LsoeehmJ_FmT_lHJD9dCBBvtlhfLyZ_GpovnYsB1m4x1N6iZDAkO-eWSQN6CkFG_QBLf4mVDmw9TSkGDWO8PSNW-PV91sotvLaL6_stMiSGvC2KEOSepI=s320" width="241" /></a></div>Wow. What a journey. A lot of it went over my head. The only way I was able to make it through this dense but beautiful tome was by reading it a chapter at a time and then listening to episodes of <a href="https://theprancingponypodcast.com/">The Prancing Pony podcast</a> where Alan Sisto and Shawn Marchese astutely and lovingly go through the chapters talking about them and helping you understand what all is going on. I can't wait to read The Hobbit with this podcast as a companion, though I've read the Hobbit half a dozen times already! I could see maybe revisiting this book again someday in the future. I feel like it will take several reads to maybe scratch the surface of understanding all of what is going on and all the names. Tolkien indeed rendered a rich world!<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Grab your copy at Amazon, the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Silmarillion-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0345325818/">mass market paperbacks are cheap</a>. I read it by listening to <a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Silmarillion-Audiobook/B016N9U1XW">the audiobook</a>. It was excellently narrated by Martin Shaw.</p>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-49832820995779286362022-01-04T09:45:00.012-08:002022-01-04T09:53:22.492-08:00My First Story<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEga8e2f9-G1ykAY1ryT3UvVj1v3lXMof5y-CU_b7wnRVfkc2rEccNihtVlmptRY0B2mXCBofJWZ22vJPMMt6gwBI5yKRtueIwtGA5qDerHsHDAlQ5t4N-lKXDWWdk3M_iF66x7OY0PmGn7zl0j9G52alU7unu3U7JFYrEC03i1HH1C_UyEL4O5o2Xlu=s556" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="556" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEga8e2f9-G1ykAY1ryT3UvVj1v3lXMof5y-CU_b7wnRVfkc2rEccNihtVlmptRY0B2mXCBofJWZ22vJPMMt6gwBI5yKRtueIwtGA5qDerHsHDAlQ5t4N-lKXDWWdk3M_iF66x7OY0PmGn7zl0j9G52alU7unu3U7JFYrEC03i1HH1C_UyEL4O5o2Xlu=w200-h144" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">659 words. That is how many words I managed to write at my parent's old IBM computer in high school. I knew I wanted to write a story about someone on a quest to find the greatest sword ever made. I couldn't have even told you at the time that I was attempting to write a fantasy story. I didn't even know that word or what "genre" meant. I just knew I liked stories and wanted to try my hand at my own. It wasn't until finished college that I started to actually pursue writing, and even that was after I got married and quit the heavy metal band I was in. I wanted to have something to continue my creative output into. Unlike being in a band, which required a lot of time practicing, I could write on my own whenever I had time to. And so, I started to write. If you click on the <a href="http://www.dandantheartman.com/p/the-library.html">BOOKS tab</a> above you can see I have written some books. A search on eBook retail websites will show you I've written a couple dozen short stories as well. I had the idea today, wouldn't it be fun to finish what I started all those years ago? Now that I've learned a thing or two about story structure and have gotten a lot of words down on the page. Maybe now I could tackle this story. It would be a Young Adult fantasy adventure. My original title was simple: "The Swordsman." I doubt I would stick to that if I ever end up publishing it but there it is. It smacks of "The Three Musketeers" which I remember getting from the Library and reading one summer. That's where I picked up the word Zounds. So here it is in all of it's terrible glory:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><hr /><div><br /></div><div>Splat! A drop of rain was sliced into several pieces by his perky aggressive hair. It welcomed grease and always reached for the sky. It was easily pleaded, for who it rode upon was constantly on the move, sweating up a fight, or escaping death once more. The clothes of which he wears, with reasons, are replete with lush forest shades, and a worn look. They are tattered from much good use, and carry little stories with each rip or tear. His eyes are resplendent, and yet wise. With his current sword grasping his left hip, he walks always briskly (that is, when he's not running of course). His forest flavored eyes are constantly mimicking the ways of his body, jumping around and dodging from place to place.</div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Zounds, there he is!” shouted a castle guard.</div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“He mustn't get away!” yelled another.</div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>He raced down the dark lonely alley, jumped off a wall, and kicked himself the other direction to just catch the top of a gate. Quickly he jumped over to the other side, set down a long plain sac, and drew his sword. </div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Take this in return you undeserving pitiful swordsmen; you have my sorrow for your great lack of skill. Tell the king this sword I have throne to you is of equal value, just not quality.” </div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>Or so I hope</i>, he thought. </div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“I guess they don't make royal guard standards as high as I remember.”</div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The guards just tried to ignore him, even though they knew he easily got the best of them. They were all trying to get the gate open faster, but with little luck. It was but a small side gate rarely used, and rather rusty no less. The long brown sac was quickly snatched, and taken away. The guards, knowing they had failed, simply gave up with the gate, and watched the stealthy figure disappear into darkness. Then they heard a strange sound, perhaps a whistle being blown, and then the trotting of a horse. Yet all of this was out of sight, for the darkness had already set in long ago; just as was planned by this mysterious crafty swordsman.</div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Was not that the man who goes any and everywhere in search of the greatest sword ever built?” said a guard breaking the silence. </div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Could be, let me have a look at that there…” </div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The guard's face turned to stone.</div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“It had to be! For look upon the sword he left behind!”</div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>He gazed upon the long missing sword of the Vanchester Castle. "This sword tis from a very far away land! Lord Byron shant be as mad at us with this, but we still have it coming to us."</div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Slowing the pace through Everglade Meadow he threw down the sac revealing a majestic sword of almost perfect weight, balance, and length.</div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>This one better be superior to the last one, not that I had to go to any trouble to get it</i>, he thought.</div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Having his sword he continued on his way towards the nearest forest his eyes met. He knew not of where he was going, or why he was going that way. He only knew that he was going somewhere, and that somewhere was a place to test out his new sword to see if it was good enough. If it wasn't an adequate sword then he would search word of an even greater sword, and then head that way as he liked.</div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>As of now, he had wandered into a cheery forest. As he roamed through he found a small trail far off from the beaten path he was presently following. He only cared for an adventure at the end of the way, therefore, he began to follow the smaller harder to ensue trail. After a matter of ten minutes he saw the trail begin to broaden, and finally the musty appearance of an old shanty came into view.</div><div><br /></div><hr /><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Copyright Dan Absalonson </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124;">© </b><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124;">2022</span></span>
</div>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-28940686344340836092021-10-25T07:01:00.005-07:002021-10-25T07:02:53.979-07:00Haunted House Flipper this Halloween<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzd_7TnUL-6arEAnDQPyVRPxMfw94EhTs5aWiRhynYGGAQ-0EjHBk5ZYwKOTMHOOjO9_bj8HfzhCkZM8EP1JJziCxTqL0lQdUaRezn-FB3Opd_LnycXYBWZz-xdBYEp25jxLJXOH0CE4U/s2048/HauntedHouseFlipper-cover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1366" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzd_7TnUL-6arEAnDQPyVRPxMfw94EhTs5aWiRhynYGGAQ-0EjHBk5ZYwKOTMHOOjO9_bj8HfzhCkZM8EP1JJziCxTqL0lQdUaRezn-FB3Opd_LnycXYBWZz-xdBYEp25jxLJXOH0CE4U/s320/HauntedHouseFlipper-cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>My novel Haunted House Flipper is a perfect read for the Halloween season. I describe it as Supernatural meets HGTV with a Christian mythology.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Here's the synopsis:</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Ray is a friendless realtor who stumbles on some supernatural tools, including a sword, that can rid a property of evil spirits. He decides to use them to change his career and finally become a house flipper, but on a grander scale. He plans to flip old haunted mansions that no one else will buy, rid them of their evil spirits, renovate them, and sell them for a hefty profit. Getting them to leave isn't as easy as he'd hoped and he has some competition from Bill Baldock, who buys up haunted mansions to destroy them and build apartment complexes in their place. Discover a new world within our own with Ray as he tries to learn how to use his new tools against demons, make new friends, and outsmart new enemies.</p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Purchase Links:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Haunted-House-Flipper-Dan-Absalonson-ebook/dp/B079K6MP28/" style="color: #336699; text-decoration-line: none;">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/haunted-house-flipper-dan-absalonson/1127922177" style="color: #336699; text-decoration-line: none;">B & N</a> | <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/787336" style="color: #336699; text-decoration-line: none;">Smashwords</a></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Click your preferred online retailer above and grab your copy today! Available in both Paperback and eBook at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and in all eBook formats at Smashwords.</div>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-80441525453371792392021-09-15T11:02:00.011-07:002021-09-15T11:12:19.124-07:00Seekers Tales by Nathan Lowell | Book Review<h3 style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWfkk7FIsiW1pBRNs9vWJ-xtA5KZ9F9_LTfwOZBNhRm66CXtn2AuZoxqESj8TTukNdD2gckt6rYITIKrqtMF57dyj2dnGt2OhwN7ZUEufmJ47RoNIh2O6gMGP6ZJLzOcYVqGJ0Av2kQnM/s1600/in-ashes-born-nlowell.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWfkk7FIsiW1pBRNs9vWJ-xtA5KZ9F9_LTfwOZBNhRm66CXtn2AuZoxqESj8TTukNdD2gckt6rYITIKrqtMF57dyj2dnGt2OhwN7ZUEufmJ47RoNIh2O6gMGP6ZJLzOcYVqGJ0Av2kQnM/s400/in-ashes-born-nlowell.jpg" /></a></h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b>Review for "In Ashes Born"</b></div><span style="text-align: left;">I don't know how he does it. These books are like no Sci-Fi I've ever read. They are more akin to classical literature where not much happens externally in these quiet beautiful stories, but a lot is going on internally in the main character. This book was written with heart. I really enjoyed the many quiet scenes and descriptions of good meals among old friends. It's certainly a treat for those of us who set off on our first voyage with Ishmael when he was but a kitchen rat who knew how to make good coffee. I really enjoyed this story and can't wait to read the next book in the series. Time to set sail once again with some of the old crew and some new friends. Nathan's done it again.</span><br style="text-align: left;" /><br style="text-align: left;" /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpvZon6rHyXCY_dacBBBfVSWF8w_FBqc_XaLa7uzuTTZulmhBc5sOscsDXSLnxeZRhEmvnEwKb7zXB6sp5J1ofWwOn8MYvwBL1vtiKVy1J6EDWBPxBN3itAOtr_nHLjs0A_dfNPm2nql0/s1600/by-darkness-forged-nlowell.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8934274044361434025" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicR_CAx6OIBw3l6jMHfqYxJ_wVOQceRJdCsFPRf1BaWnMhLwd9FDRuoDf6eu6ZTj6VoR2OMPNCFQRqS_UZNgAXspb6ikUwG9_WOroNMwGgOFyALHjkdE5Yp9YRytJMv0HZyGVP2AagdT0/s1600/HR02.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Review for "To Fire Called"</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51QCwx5ecp36PG9WLhmiCrckOuzm4V-dPjnHLHHDN__G9WLDW4voBlOaRNlCwNuiGhx50yd9EESpH6T1avfvgwvHVZRqdGeUbx0WGkv5jkYB6jI3zC2MM_oyZBZMNDZPTg205DfhED6M/s1600/to-fire-called-nlowll.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51QCwx5ecp36PG9WLhmiCrckOuzm4V-dPjnHLHHDN__G9WLDW4voBlOaRNlCwNuiGhx50yd9EESpH6T1avfvgwvHVZRqdGeUbx0WGkv5jkYB6jI3zC2MM_oyZBZMNDZPTg205DfhED6M/s400/to-fire-called-nlowll.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It is so awesome to get more stories with these characters. I loved most of this book. So many great scenes with characters I've come to love. I really enjoyed all of act 1. There were a few slow parts near the end of act 2 that left me pining for more to happen and the plot was a bit confusing, but I was happy with the book once I finished it. Of all of the Solar Clipper stories this one is a 4 and every other book has been a 5. I'm done with this review because I'm ready to start reading the next one right now!</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpvZon6rHyXCY_dacBBBfVSWF8w_FBqc_XaLa7uzuTTZulmhBc5sOscsDXSLnxeZRhEmvnEwKb7zXB6sp5J1ofWwOn8MYvwBL1vtiKVy1J6EDWBPxBN3itAOtr_nHLjs0A_dfNPm2nql0/s1600/by-darkness-forged-nlowell.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8934274044361434025" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicR_CAx6OIBw3l6jMHfqYxJ_wVOQceRJdCsFPRf1BaWnMhLwd9FDRuoDf6eu6ZTj6VoR2OMPNCFQRqS_UZNgAXspb6ikUwG9_WOroNMwGgOFyALHjkdE5Yp9YRytJMv0HZyGVP2AagdT0/s1600/HR02.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpvZon6rHyXCY_dacBBBfVSWF8w_FBqc_XaLa7uzuTTZulmhBc5sOscsDXSLnxeZRhEmvnEwKb7zXB6sp5J1ofWwOn8MYvwBL1vtiKVy1J6EDWBPxBN3itAOtr_nHLjs0A_dfNPm2nql0/s1600/by-darkness-forged-nlowell.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpvZon6rHyXCY_dacBBBfVSWF8w_FBqc_XaLa7uzuTTZulmhBc5sOscsDXSLnxeZRhEmvnEwKb7zXB6sp5J1ofWwOn8MYvwBL1vtiKVy1J6EDWBPxBN3itAOtr_nHLjs0A_dfNPm2nql0/s1600/by-darkness-forged-nlowell.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Review for "By Darkness Forged"</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
That was a really fun ride through the deep dark with some very beloved characters. It was so fun to set sail with them again after reading the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper books when they first came out a while back. It was great to see the protagonist, Ishmael, back in action in this book. He was like his old self again and seeing him emerge once more was very satisfying. I really enjoyed this last book and it was bitter sweet to read the last few chapters. I had a huge smile on my face and tears in my eyes because I loved it and it was coming to an end. So glad to have more adventures with Ishmael after the other books ended. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Head on over to Nathan's site to grab copies for yourself:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://nathanlowell.com/catalog/bookslist/">https://nathanlowell.com/catalog/bookslist/</a></div>
Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-71709812724670230802021-09-09T12:09:00.004-07:002021-09-09T12:09:53.111-07:00I'm Writing Fiction Again<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCHtN6qvb4f3iuMEoaf8mmjeOkl6pAU2ap90lRqixMhD73AdhSn-x8aIs1wO3ZfChmeNEY8BFNyPX3upVAfQc5rFT4zhrYR-Tt2-D2048LjOydrVEKHgEokawuhN7nLZIbWpxMdnFC0k/s500/AMF-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Accidental Minecraft Family Book 1" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCHtN6qvb4f3iuMEoaf8mmjeOkl6pAU2ap90lRqixMhD73AdhSn-x8aIs1wO3ZfChmeNEY8BFNyPX3upVAfQc5rFT4zhrYR-Tt2-D2048LjOydrVEKHgEokawuhN7nLZIbWpxMdnFC0k/w125-h200/AMF-1.png" width="125" /></a></div>That's right. I'm writing fiction again and you'll never guess what kind it is. It's not the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/I-Can-Fly/dp/B097SPSPFM/">Kindle Vella story "I Can Fly"</a> that I started as I wrote about <a href="https://www.dandantheartman.com/2021/04/writing-progress-and-future-plans.html">a few posts ago</a>, though I would like to keep writing episodes for that. <div><blockquote>I am writing an Unofficial Minecraft Book. </blockquote></div><div>My good buddy <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Pixel-Ate-Books-107592601083612/">Pixel Ate</a> has been making a living writing these books! It's not just the genre either, he's a great writer who puts out books consistently. Read the first book, "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Accidental-Minecraft-Family-Book-Unofficial-ebook/dp/B08MBGKF2P">Accidental Minecraft Family: Book 1</a>" and see for yourself. The coolest part is, his own son couldn't get into reading until he read books like these that take place in the world of Minecraft. Once he found them he devoured dozens of them so my friend tried his hand at it and he's doing really well at it. His books are fun and funny. If you have Kindle Unlimited you can read his book for free! It's about a family who wakes up in the game Minecraft. If you like them like I do, he's up to the 16th book available for pre-order now!<br /><p></p><p>My story is going to be about a boy from medieval times who dreams of fighting real monsters and becoming a hero. He walks through a fairy ring which acts as a portal transporting him into the world of Minecraft where he was told he could fight monsters, but he knows nothing about the world and must figure it all out the hard way. I'm on chapter 2 of 40 so I have a ways to go but the great thing about these books is that they're short. I don't have much time to write it but when I do have a small amount of time I'm able to knock out most of a chapter.</p></div>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-77823638415373085502021-06-24T10:13:00.017-07:002021-06-24T10:17:39.112-07:00My Haiku Book was Reviewed!<p>Check out <b><a href="https://indiestoday.com/explore-107-haikus-by-dan-absalonson/">a review of my book</a></b> "Explore: 107 Haikus" over at Indies Today!</p><p>Here's what R.C. Gibson had to say about my book:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEy0tYfezv1SE2ZeiHU0sj2ZEtCwUa8LqClMQeYTxtgb1njUDhqBa8TCD7LwPV1EAtRB9OmwhlbZhUSZsZj1cXiYUfERZRte_jmIq5JX3ciK0gj5jV2gSY-7F-AGh448qXsldT-CI6WUM/s600/108-haikus-web.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEy0tYfezv1SE2ZeiHU0sj2ZEtCwUa8LqClMQeYTxtgb1njUDhqBa8TCD7LwPV1EAtRB9OmwhlbZhUSZsZj1cXiYUfERZRte_jmIq5JX3ciK0gj5jV2gSY-7F-AGh448qXsldT-CI6WUM/s320/108-haikus-web.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Explore is a collection of 17 syllable poems set up in the style of a guessing game. Dan Absalonson has taken the traditional Japanese art form and transformed it into an easily digestible group of poems that fit together like a colorful puzzle of the earth. The division of topics is systematic, ranging from letters of the alphabet to the 50 states. In with the well-ordered themes are several illuminating snippets about word origins, facts about the planet, and even the birthplace of cheese dip!</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">As you peruse the pages of Explore: 107 Haikus, you get an overwhelming sense of joy and wonder. One can only assume Absalonson had a great time gathering facts for the book, including which state is the smallest, the location of the first JCPenney, and nifty details about dainty little ladybugs. Perfect for a road trip game or as a topic of conversation among family members, this collection is meant to be shared and learned from.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There is truly something for everyone, with topics covering everything from the history of our modern calendar to the scientific name for the spots on a graceful giraffe. Dan Absalonson has his sense of humor fully intact as he challenges readers to use their minds, not just their cell phones, to take a journey of the imagination and explore our world. Young and old alike will delight in wonder as they fit the pieces together in the family friendly and educational book, Explore: 107 Haikus.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Grab your copy today in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Explore-107-Haikus-Dan-Absalonson/dp/B096LYMNJP/">Paperback</a> or <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Explore-107-Haikus-Dan-Absalonson-ebook/dp/B09432C1R2/">Kindle</a>!</b></span></p>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-69899992924020767682021-06-16T14:59:00.015-07:002021-06-16T15:14:45.791-07:00On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darknessby Andrew Peterson | Book Review<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7r7QW-A42ToTIc9hTxkzrtOxriVN8cN9nfPkpMCjhYPMD7BFFynVXP_lmPth-YC_R55mR1leHGCwKI1zIIUITEeJodOEGUbLI3kt_Pj1UoZ_0TAAefby7Lxt0HIhenTJgzkgmuxAYnc/s499/s-l500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="329" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7r7QW-A42ToTIc9hTxkzrtOxriVN8cN9nfPkpMCjhYPMD7BFFynVXP_lmPth-YC_R55mR1leHGCwKI1zIIUITEeJodOEGUbLI3kt_Pj1UoZ_0TAAefby7Lxt0HIhenTJgzkgmuxAYnc/s320/s-l500.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It took a while to get going, but man did I love this book. I think the reason it may take readers a bit to get into it is it's greatest strength - it is different than most books. It has awesome secrets and cool bad guys and a fun story world, but it's also goofy. If you feel like you're not "getting" this book yet, just keep reading. I was richly rewarded for it. That said, I enjoyed this book a lot and found it humorous and quaint, but man once things started really going down I was so hooked! The other thing I LOVED about this book was the poetic prose. The silly stuff is all mixed in with beautiful epic writing you might find in a poem, but it was not purple prose that ever pulled me out of the story, just the opposite. When grand things in the story were being described or spoken of the language became higher, and when it was normal everyday stuff the humor will have you and your kids loving it. I've read in some reviews that the sense of humor didn't work for them in this book, but it worked for me and I think my kids will love it too. The way this book ended had me enjoying every word. The way the environment and how the characters felt in it and the unfolding of bigger things in the world... no spoilers here. By the end of the book I had fallen in love with it. I can't wait to read it again with the new knowledge of the story world I have. I bet I'll pick up on all kinds of fun little stuff. This is a bit strange, but I think the other reason I really connected with this book is because I have a lot in common with the author and the things he likes. I recently read his somewhat autobiographical book on being a creator called "Adorning the Dark" and it was like reading about me in many ways. So yeah, when authors write a story they would love - in this case it worked well for me. I loved this story and the things in it I could pick up on like the author's love for books and fantastical tales and diction that flows off the tongue in a way that brings beauty to the ears. Lastly, although some of the action felt a lot darker and a bit abrupt from how the book felt at first, it was great and added a lot to the story as you could feel the character's world get scarier and the stakes much higher. I really enjoyed this read.</div><p></p>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-81436281304917980162021-05-24T11:03:00.004-07:002021-05-24T11:03:47.014-07:00Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon MessengerBook Review<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__VQcPOaNneZyqSVI956HUGt1rdLkDaaKmw_OzQ2C1Iow1s8r_HLcSjBirXjV_gfIFMey2E-dh5iboX9JPlvZY6LKZ5Xn9I0XqV1K605MQHGDwB3VXDC9DB0fZ5a9EIFox9QtklOUhmQ/s475/kotlc-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__VQcPOaNneZyqSVI956HUGt1rdLkDaaKmw_OzQ2C1Iow1s8r_HLcSjBirXjV_gfIFMey2E-dh5iboX9JPlvZY6LKZ5Xn9I0XqV1K605MQHGDwB3VXDC9DB0fZ5a9EIFox9QtklOUhmQ/s320/kotlc-01.jpg" /></a></div>I really enjoyed this book. I read it because all my kids have been devouring the series. There were a few reasons I liked this book and a few reasons I didn't give it 5 stars. I thought the story world was awesome. I've always loved the idea of characters who are (slight spoiler) ancient. I also loved the whole idea behind the lost cities and I love the urban fantasy trope of our normal world but there are other worlds we normal people just don't know about. Super cool. That said, there were a few things that heavily reminded me of Harry Potter but I'd say in comparison this book has way less depth when it comes both to the individual characters and the story world. They're still great but I did get bored a few times while the character was (slight spoiler) getting through school. OK - all that to say I'm a 38 year old and not the target audience for this book so I think most readers will love those chapters because they're very relatable to you if you're still in school. I have also heard that as you keep reading the book in this series get even better so I have great hopes as I continue on to the next one. It's also really fun talking about books with my kids and this series is one they are all excited about so I'm thankful to share that with them. <br /><p></p>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-72213358479054150622021-05-04T11:31:00.002-07:002021-06-16T14:58:10.073-07:00My poetry book "Explore: 107 Haikus" is finally published!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEy0tYfezv1SE2ZeiHU0sj2ZEtCwUa8LqClMQeYTxtgb1njUDhqBa8TCD7LwPV1EAtRB9OmwhlbZhUSZsZj1cXiYUfERZRte_jmIq5JX3ciK0gj5jV2gSY-7F-AGh448qXsldT-CI6WUM/s600/108-haikus-web.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEy0tYfezv1SE2ZeiHU0sj2ZEtCwUa8LqClMQeYTxtgb1njUDhqBa8TCD7LwPV1EAtRB9OmwhlbZhUSZsZj1cXiYUfERZRte_jmIq5JX3ciK0gj5jV2gSY-7F-AGh448qXsldT-CI6WUM/s320/108-haikus-web.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm still waiting on the proof copy of the paperback to come so I can review it before I publish the paperback version, but you can go and pick up the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Explore-107-Haikus-Dan-Absalonson-ebook/dp/B09432C1R2/" target="_blank"><b>eBook version</b></a> now! If you have Kindle Unlimited you can read it for FREE! I had a lot of fun writing this little book of haiku poems and I think readers will get a kick out of it too. I'm most excited about the paperback version as I think this kind of book lends itself more to that medium than an eBook, but I think the eBook version is still a great option. Many people prefer eBooks. For fiction I know I do. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">UPDATE:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The paperback is out now! Grab a copy for you and one for a friend!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Buy <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Explore-107-Haikus-Dan-Absalonson/dp/B096LYMNJP/">my new book at Amazon in paperback</a></b>.</div><p></p>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-57605302536867074352021-04-21T11:16:00.000-07:002021-04-21T11:16:25.981-07:00Writing Progress and Future Plans<p style="text-align: justify;">Ever since I started down the road of training to become a pastor I mostly stopped writing. I have yet to write any new fiction, but I have been making progress lately on my book of Haikus. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Here's the introduction to the book:</p><p></p><blockquote>This is a book of 108 Haiku poems. Explore our world by guessing what each one is about. Haikus are poems made up of three lines, each with a specific number of syllables used. The pattern is five, seven, five. The first and third lines have five syllables, and the second line has seven. In this book I have divided the haikus into different topics. Each topic will have simple instructions on how to guess what the haikus are alluding to. Think of each haiku as a set of hints. This is a great book to read while traveling, either alone or out loud with a group. Everyone can join in on the guessing. Enjoy!</blockquote><p>And the cover:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEy0tYfezv1SE2ZeiHU0sj2ZEtCwUa8LqClMQeYTxtgb1njUDhqBa8TCD7LwPV1EAtRB9OmwhlbZhUSZsZj1cXiYUfERZRte_jmIq5JX3ciK0gj5jV2gSY-7F-AGh448qXsldT-CI6WUM/s600/108-haikus-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEy0tYfezv1SE2ZeiHU0sj2ZEtCwUa8LqClMQeYTxtgb1njUDhqBa8TCD7LwPV1EAtRB9OmwhlbZhUSZsZj1cXiYUfERZRte_jmIq5JX3ciK0gj5jV2gSY-7F-AGh448qXsldT-CI6WUM/s320/108-haikus-web.jpg" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"><b>IN OTHER NEWS:</b> I am toying with the idea of <b><i>writing some new fiction</i></b> for a brand new publishing avenue. Amazon is starting something called <a href="https://youtu.be/VjBoQrFgOms" target="_blank"><b>Kindle Vella</b></a>. Click that link and you'll see their video on it. It will be a new platform where readers buy tokens and then spend those tokens on <i>episodes </i>of stories. You get the first few episodes for free, and then to read more episodes you use more tokens. I think I may start fleshing out an idea I've had for years about a boy who discovers he can fly and once the government finds that out he end up working for them to find and capture ancient and/or magical artifacts that they don't want the world to know about. I also have a couple other ideas I might try instead of that one, but the idea is a fun one. It would definitely be a different animal than tackling a novel if you did it right, making each short story it's own episode with a beginning, middle, and end. Seems exciting! That's it for now! Stay tuned for the release of "Explore" and possibly some serialized fiction. Thanks for stopping by!</span></div><p></p><p></p>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934274044361434025.post-86080129089121672552021-03-29T17:03:00.002-07:002021-03-29T17:19:28.337-07:00Running Around Indian Trail | A Poem<p>For a casual day that won't make you burn and huff,</p><p>There are endless quiet neighborhoods lined with serpentine sidewalks.</p><p>If you've saved your jog for the later hours fear not,</p><p>The lights of all burn bright to illumine your sneakered steps.</p><p><br /></p><p>If you're up for a war on your calves to reach the zenith,</p><p>Barnes road will go on and on deriding you to stop and walk.</p><p>The easy breezy way back down will be worth the sweaty mess you become,</p><p>And you'll soon find yourself dragging your feet back up to catch that view again.</p><p><br /></p><p>If you can find the treasure at the end of the pristine paved lands,</p><p>There are trails to be found looping around under lines humming with power.</p><p>On rainy days they make a tickling fizz from the raindrops dying above,</p><p>And if you're lucky you just might spot a deer bouncing across your path.</p>Dan Absalonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02098793795514654455noreply@blogger.com0