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The work before the work
How much research do you do when writing Fantasy?
  •   3 comments
When I started to write fantasy, I did a heap of research - how fast horses are and how far they can travel; ditto for people; construction techniques pre-industrial; how churches and temples worked pre-Christianisation; how weapons were made; how heavy they are; where food came from; how it was transported... so much.

Because I have that, now I research specifics, or make sure when I create a magic system, it makes sense and isn't OTT or OP (like too many out there). But when I started, I wanted it to be as realistic as possible, even if fantasy.

Now, I'm not saying everything needs an explanation - in my fantasy world there is a flying city, for example, and it is just accepted it "is" - but the basics of life, the fundamentals should be taken care of.

I must say that I don´t do research for fantasy stories. Although I try to invent worlds that make sense. So, I mostly interprete magical energy as a circulation inside the body similar to the blood circulation. I like to invent myths how the fantasy worlds were created also. In these myths I try to explain how gods built the world in a way that makes logic sense even if it is supernatural. But after a few worlds it is hard now to invent new myths that make sense and aren´t to close to the other ones I already invented.


         Enought to get assurance my written words are correct/factual.
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What are you reading this weekend?

*Reading*


  •   15 comments
rereading "The Foundation Trilogy"
Catching up with more James Michener works. This one was his final novel, Recessional.
J.A. Jance...Remains Of Innocence
Fifth Sunday *BurstBL* Random Prompt!

It's the 5th Sunday of the month... and that really messes with the normal sequence of weekly Sunday prompts! *Laugh* So for simplicity, here's a pretty random writing prompt!


A giant ball of rubber bands.


Happy 5th Sunday!
*Smile*




  •   5 comments
Damian, an overworked man, well "overworked" wouldn't be accurate, it was the norm for people who weren't smart to invest in the markets of A.I before it took over most of the jobs.

One day on his road back home, he remembered one memory that was nearly lost in him, a memory about rubber bands.
Damian was never one to be called social; in fact, Damian has been a pretty lonely man for most of his life, but he had probably the best years of his life back in middle school.

Although he did find it quite weird himself, rubber bands fascinated him as well as two guys that ended up becoming his best friends, Clay and Seth.

They created a club where they used to hangout and watch on Clay’s pc the videos of a youtube channel called The Rubber Boys as they held competitions to see if someone could end up beating their records which was regarded to be the biggest ball of rubber band ever, although not official.

By summer time of their last year, the holidays started when the Rubber Boys announced they were coming to Cincinatti in two weeks, Damian, Clay and Seth applied and got the approval the next day, although they weren't suppsrised since the website told only two team applied for the contest The two weeks that followed, they spend all of their free time practicing the art of making giant rubber bands.

The day before, as Damian went home, he found his parents in the living room waiting for him. As he asked his parents what was going on, his father told him he used a good chunk of his savings to be able to pay for one week of holiday. Damian was happy, it's not like he had never gone out of town before, other than to visit his family with his parents and come back. He knew he couldn’t refuse.

When he came back, he didn’t dare go to his friends’ house to explain why he wasn’t there, especially after seeing the video and watching them make fools of themselves., That video even ended up becoming viral and led to the Guinness Book of Records, making it an official record.

Back to 2035, their record is still unbeaten. The Guinness also became a money printing machine when they turned record attempts into a luxurious activity where rich people will partake in trying to beat some records that caught their eyes, although they knew deep down they never would be able to. The attempt cost was 2000 dollars, a month’s salary but he still decided to pay to try and achieve the dream he once had to break the record for the biggest ball of rubber bands.

Yes, doctor, that is what I said. I was struck by a giant ball of rubber bands when I rounded the turn.
I liked both Christa and her daughter. Her daughter Ebony had this thing with making rubber band balls so I took some out the junk drawer and made sure I had at at least one for her each time I saw them. Christa liked that.

Ebony was truly adept at wrapping a them, sometimes golf ball size, sometimes softball size. One day after Christa let me in the door Ebony ran up, excited to show the rubber band ball she wrapped from all my little gifts. I said, "Wow!" and gave it good bounce. It came back fast and banged me hard in the eye which of course was endlessly funny to Ebony. I was explaining my black eye for a week.

Dating is painful.
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Famous Friday



Tell us something
about someone famous!


  •   19 comments
Danger Mouse Author Icon - TRUE (I heard it)
Princess Megan Rose Author Icon - OMG! That is so awesome! I absolutely love that show and the Skipper is my second favorite character (after Gilligan of course)!
Tannus Author Icon - I don't get it... Can you explain the joke?
Is the national or international news causing you stress?
How do overcome stress caused by news broadcast?
  •   16 comments
Loaded language, headlines loosely based on the facts of the article, biased reporting, predictions that are even more biased... Sunday morning 'news' that's designed to guide opinions and/or get votes.

Like others here, nature and exercise helps me get centered - the ocean and bike riding lately - not to mention a good story.

The news can also make me think how lucky I've been. My life certainly hasn't been all kittens and puppies but nothing like what others in the world are born into - famine, war, etc. The reality is that road construction and weather have usually been more relevant than any other news.
Bob  Author Icon
Stress is the by product of anxiety. Anxiety and worry are brothers who trouble us because of world conditions we cannot control. The way to see through all this is to recognize that God is in control and he is always there to handle the big picture. Allowing God to handle the big stuff is the exercise of faith. If you are going to worry don't pray, if you are praying then don't worry.
Dad  Author Icon
I don't know how I do jt, but my wife makes me turn it off.
Endings matter as much as beginnings!
What’s a last line you’ve never forgotten? What made it stick with you?
  •   9 comments
DRSmith Author Icon - I liked the last one best. The literal and literary finality.
As others have said, it may not be the last line, but it was a line that felt like a last proclamation. From Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five: "Everything was beautiful, and nothing hurt."

It has stuck with me and has become a saying I use when I feel forced to accept a situation or circumstance that causes stress or anxiety for me.
And they lived happily ever after... (that's literally the only line I can remember)
Don't spell everything out—let your readers muse about your message.
What’s one image or line that stuck with you—even if you weren’t sure what it meant?
  •   8 comments
The smiles didn’t reach their eyes,
And their mouths didn’t spell their cries.
I ain't got time to bleed!
In one of my strategy games, you control an army in a post apocalyptic world. A certain Captain Brenner is very fond of saying "Where there's life, there's hope." I am unsure why but it made a deep impression on me.


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Motivate yourself to conquer your goals this week! Post on Monday; update us on Friday!
by The StoryMistress Author Icon

Post your small weekly oriented goals on Monday...
          then come back on Friday, letting us all know how you did!


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    Comments on this post don't count for our GP awards.
  •   2 comments
It is the ideal platform to set your weekly goal.
It is a perfect platform to set your weekly goal.

Details: "Poetry and Short Story Contest, July 2025"

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Contribute to the discourse of Peace. July 2025, now open for sign-ups
by WakeUpAndLive Author Icon


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  •   1 comment
An interesting contest.
Wait, come back!!! I know you've heard this before, but it's something we have to stay aware of.
Rewrite this to show: She was excited to receive the gifts.
  •   9 comments
Her eyes widened in delight as she turned to see the table full of wrapped packages just waiting for her to tear into. She kept stealing glances, bouncing in her seat with anticipation at the mere thought of all that the trove of festive boxes and bags might contain, but there was an expected order to things. Even though it was her party, she had to wait.
Her face lit up, she could hardly speak the word as she reached across the table and pulled the jewelry box from him.
A huge smile complemented the light in her eyes as she danced around her pile of gifts.
Words can harm, even when they're sent by a stranger from across the globe.
Have you ever received a negative online message? How did you handle it?
  •   26 comments



         Ignored it.
If they make relevant point, I'll respond to that even if mixed with some vitriol. If it is 100% personal negative, "You must be f***...", then I ignore. I usually only post on news sites and get both the reasonable and the nonsense.

As the internet was ramping up there was a lot of talk, articles and predictions how it would bring people together. Unfettered communication between people of different ideologies, countries, economic situation, etc. would bridge the gap and give us all new understanding. You know, "Peace, Love and understanding.". I was solidly in that camp. Oh well.


jackson Author Icon - same
What views are in you?
Optimistic versus Pessimistic
  •   18 comments
Silvern Author Icon - hating pessimism! I see what you did there *Laugh*
I tend to see things and think, Well, we're screwed. But then go about my business and make good things happen anyway. Despite knowing the inevitable uselessness of any endeavor.
Three Word Thursday

In just three words, give us your best caption for this picture...




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  •   34 comments
Very nasty food!
Protect your peeps
You forgot one.
The four elements to a satisfying ending.
What's a story ending that you find particularly memorable? Does it have all four elements?
  •   8 comments
The four books of the Strands of Starlight series. Particularly, Strands of Sunlight, the fourth book particularly had a good ending. (which was proper to stop there) The author did a great job closing all the loose ends, so she didn't have to continue in a fifth book.
"decisive, set up, inevitable ... and also unexpected." Kind of like your Newsletter. *Laugh*
would the end of this count?
.

CASABLANCA

a cracked and yellowing copy of Casablanca
runs, sometimes, in a little theater
just behind my heart (around the corner
from the moment we met); Rick sits
embedded in quicksand, elbows holding
the table down, pouring endless whiskey in
to douse the smoldering pile of memories'
ashes on the floor of his stomach.

piano keys are tinkling, constantly
just out of earshot; Sam, slumped
over the keyboard, elbows-to-keys,
palm-to-cheek, unshackled, supporting
the weight of Rick's slack jaw
and faraway stare, for
(never really) obvious, yet quite
inescapable, reasons

the palest light radiates
from her face; her fairytale faith
in impossibly happy endings is cut
into the lines of her suit; romance (surviving
in the face of life's beatings and war's
grand follies) paints her lips; belief
in the magic
of a song, is an apology
in her eyes

poor Sam (stretched tight between two
poles, he caresses their memories, fingers
the keys, takes his silver,
and never wavers, he)
picks out the piece he was born to play,
the sword only Rick can pull
from the stone of broken hearts; and slowly turns,
eyes woken with disbelief
and joy....as time's stage
door creaks
open, and the curtain goes up

a cracked and yellowing copy of
love's tragedy chatters in my ear, occasionally
demanding that i prove i'll still
take the risks, knowing the finale
is not a fairytale, but a foggy play
about passion and pain
and silent, wet departures.
.
.
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