My Geekdom 12: Disney

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I like Disney a lot, especially Walt Disney the man, that doesn’t mean I like and agree with everything Disney produces and the man did. I think the main reason why I like Disney so much is because it teaches people of all ages to think big, to look up into the sky, pick out a star, and set a course. Disney teaches the power of imagination.

There are tons of ways I could connect my adoration for Disney to my writing and my Eternal Curse Series, but I won’t. I like it. That’s it.

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My Geekdom 11: Batman

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Here is some more cool conceptual art. If there is still someone out there who didn’t know I like Batman, well, now you know. He’s my favorite comic book hero. The only other hero I’m liking as much as him right now is, Giovanni, from my Eternal Curse Series, but that of course is a little biased.

Batman is my favorite comic book hero whether he’s the caped crusader, part of the dynamic duo, the world’s greatest detective, or the dark knight. He’s my favorite for three basic reasons.

1. He’s super smart and observant.

2. He’s not afraid to admit it when he doesn’t know something; that’s why he spends so much time researching and training, so he can know as much as possible. If anything, he’s a role model for doing your homework and not wasting a good mind. (We’ll just overlook his policy on following the rules.)

3. He has no super powers, but is the first to be called when the super heroes need help.

Don’t get me wrong, I know billions of dollars have helped Batman’s cause, but that’s one more reason why I like him as a person (real or fake good qualities count). Bruce Wayne, or whatever Batman is popular at the time, is who he is because of tragedy. Batman could easily have chosen to become a villain, but he chose to be good (or at least fright crime). Speaking specifically of Bruce Wayne, despite his playboy persona, he’s a hero because, even with all his money, he knows he could never be happy knowing that there is evil unchecked in this world as he sat around and did nothing. 

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My Geekdom 10: The Big Bang Theory

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I love that geeks have come into their own. I can’t believe that it’s actually cool to be a geek now, at least on TV. It’s funny to me that there are millions of people who adore The Big Bang Theory TV show, but don’t actually follow the interests of its star characters. While there have been an increase in the number fanatic fanboys and girls, it seems to me that a lot of people just like the idea of being a geek…and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Again, there’s no rocket science (Hope Sheldon isn’t reading; Lol.) to the notion that comic books, video games, cartoons, and so much more have influenced my writing, but there’s so much more to my geekdom than fandom. If there’s no academic or intellectual processing involved to piggy back your fandom, well then, you’re just a dork and probably better off in the long run…

Now don’t get all wound up, remember "geek" and "dork" are positive terms now. Some of my best friends are dorks, even my husband; he doesn't over think his fandom. I’m no super genius, but I have a love for science and an average to above average intellect that I use to over analyze things. My husband and I share our fandom and we love each other for it. I’m his geek and he’s my dork.

The whole point of this notion of geek vs dork is that while I’m influence by my world of fandom, I’ve also done my research. Facts make fiction more believable. Without a foundation in truth, as a writer, I wouldn’t be able to effectively bend the truth to expand my stories. With the Eternal Curse Series, I have researched fact, fiction, doctrine, mythology, opinion, and more. I am geek and I do my homework.

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My Geekdom 09: The Princess Bride

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Aside from this being really cool concept art, this is such a great read and watch. I fell in love with this movie when I was a kid and can’t stop myself from quoting it. I’m no sap, and while there are about ten exceptions to this rule, I’m not a chik-lit or chick-flick kind of girl. So it’s a good thing that isn’t what this story is. It is, however, a love conquers all tale that mingles fantasy, romance, action, adventure, comedy and drama, to keep you wanting more.

I aspire someday to be able to tell my stories and mix in a mint of humor. I adore comedy, but I can’t write it. I don’t think there is anything in the Eternal Curse Series worth laughing about, but don’t let me give you the impression that the book is that dark and hard; it’s not. There are sweet moments in Eternal Curse that beckon to the triumph of Buttercup finding Wesley after he’s defeated Humperdinck; there just isn’t any witty statements about the true condition of Wesley’s body as he falls in her arms, unable to stand on his own.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Click below to share your reactions and more. Remember, I’ll be moving to the ToiBox full-time soon, so please, stop by to check it out. Until next time, Toi Thomas. #cursescanbebroken #thetoiboxofwords

My Geekdom 08: Cartoons

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It may be difficult to tell, but I was not raised by Saturday morning cartoons. That doesn’t mean I didn’t watch them religiously. Heroes of all shapes and sizes, fighting evil with: conning, violence, technology, magic, and even friendship and love, what more could a kid want?

So many of these characters have helped shape who I am and how I and what I write. The truth is I’m a big kid. I used to worry about what I was going to be when I grew up, but now I just want to stay a kid. There is so much creativity, potential, and purity in youth, but I have no need for physical adolescence. I want to remain young at heart. I want to have and believe in love, magic, and hope. Needless to say, but I will anyway, a sense of hope abounds in the Eternal Curse Series.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Click below to share your reactions and more. Remember, I’ll be moving to the ToiBox full-time soon, so please, stop by to check it out. Until next time, Toi Thomas. #cursescanbebroken #thetoiboxofwords

My Geekdom 07: The Muppets

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The Muppets are great! They are so weird, and silly, and cute. They are a ragtag group of friends who’ve been all over the world and back, and even when they split, it’s not long before they all come back together again. Fantasy gets kooky in the world of Jim Henson’s Muppets. There are no boundaries and everything that would normally be weird, is perfectly normal and acceptable. Talking food, animals with animals as pets, interspecies dating…when you write it out like this it actually sounds a little twisted and sick, but it’s the Muppets and they can get away with it.

The Muppets use all their special qualities and super oddness to entertain and even teach many subtle life lessons.  In the world of the Muppets: bullying is unacceptable, discrimination is intolerable, and hate acts and hate speech are unthinkable. In a world where so many people are alike, but different from so many others, it takes a group like the Muppets to show us how we can all get along. A pig, a frog, a bear, an alien, and so much more have figured out what the white man, the black man, the brown man, and so on are still working to understand.

The Muppets make me laugh, but more importantly, they make me think of unity. Unity, or the lack of, is a major theme developing in the world of the Eternal Curse. It’s something so new to the series; even I can’t wait to see where I go with it.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Click below to share your reactions and more. Remember, I’ll be moving to the ToiBox full-time soon, so please, stop by to check it out. Until next time, Toi Thomas. #cursescanbebroken #thetoiboxofwords

My Geekdom 06: Darth Vadar

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Even villains were kids once, though most people, by now, know that Darth Vadar was born Anakin Skywalker. I like this image because, aside from being cute, there’s a sense of hope in it. Obviously, something went wrong along the way, but there’s always a story, told or untold, that explains it all.

Anyone could be a villain; people don’t set out to be bad or do bad things, but circumstance can sometimes change faster that we are able to process and deal with them. In the Eternal Curse Series, there is always a reason why someone is either good or bad, but sometimes it is not so clear as to whether someone is good or bad. Sometimes, heroes are seen as villains and villains are seen as heroes, at least in all the really good stories, the truth eventually comes out and all is explained, even if it’s not all better. I cling to this idea as I continue to write my EC series…it truly doesn’t take a genius to see where and how I’ve been influenced by this story and others, if you just read between the lines of my book.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Click below to share your reactions and more. Remember, I’ll be moving to the ToiBox full-time soon, so please, stop by to check it out. Until next time, Toi Thomas. #cursescanbebroken #thetoiboxofwords

My Geekdom 05: Garfield

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I truly believe that there are some people who are put on the planet to make the rest of us feel good about ourselves. In the world of cartoons and comic strips, Garfield is “the one.” No one can be as lazy, sneaky, and indifferent as Garfield and still be as lovable. As self-centered as he can be, Garfield has redeeming moments and qualities. He’s not a mean or hateful cat; that would require too much effort. Though he’s not swarming with friends and invitations, he loves the ones he’s close to and they love him.

The truth is, I relate to Garfield. It’s hard to explain, but that cat gets in my head. When I write sometimes, I try to think what Garfield would do and do the opposite. When push comes to shove, Garfield would never sit idly by if his friends truly needed him, but if a plate of lasagna was in his way, it might take him a while to come to the rescue.

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My Geekdom 04: Marvel Comic Books

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The Marvel Universe is more of my style of fantasy (even though I LOVE D.C.), but it’s also scary enough that sometimes, it’s too much for me. Marvel blends fantasy and reality. These superheroes interact with real people and visit real places as well as take on fictional people and places. I do, somewhere in the back of my little geek mind, sometimes worry about will happen when Apocalypse comes to claim the earth, but I know that the mutants, the radioactively altered, the genius minds, and other world gods are just waiting to come to our rescue.

Heroes with flaws seemed silly in the heyday of comic books, but now perfect super heroes just can’t be taken seriously. Marvel was the first company to really embrace this idea and increased their popularity with it. Other companies, including D.C., have also embraced the flawed hero idea, and the world of comic books and storytelling is all the better for it.

In Eternal Curse all my characters good, bad, male, female, super, or not have flaws. In in some cases the flaws are actually a blessing, but I don’t have time to get into that now. In any case, flaws add a human factor to story-telling that makes the impossible seem believable.

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My Geekdom 03: D.C. Comics

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You’re going to see tons of superheroes in these posts, so go ahead and accept it now.

It’s no secret that I have a thing for superheroes, but why is it that I like D.C. and the JLA so much? They are not the only dynamic group of heroes, all coming from different backgrounds and experiences to unite and fight against evil, but there is something unique about them. The D.C. Universe is one of my favorite alternate realities. All the people and place are similar to reality, but there’s no real sense of true danger. I don’t have to worry about what happens if Darksied attacks Metropolis because it’s not a real place.

In my writing I like to blur fiction and reality. I include places that really exist along with places I’ve made up. That’s doesn’t mean that I won’t be creating other worlds of my own. I will, just not in the Eternal Curse Series. 

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My Geekdom 02: Charlie Brown

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Everyone likes a winner, yet people can’t seem to help from falling for losers, underdogs, or nice guys who always come up short. In rear cases like Charlie Brown, that’s a good thing. Charlie isn’t the perpetual loser because he doesn’t try. In many ways, Charlie Brown is role model. If anyone knows about not giving up, it’s Charlie…and that’s why I love him.

Deep down, though, I think there is another reason why people sometimes root for the underdog or fall in love with “losers”. They do it because sometimes it’s the right thing to do. Sometimes in the face of tremendous opposition, people will band together and do what is right even if it is the hardest thing in the world to do.

I don’t like opposition and I definitely don’t like writing about it, but I can’t seem to stop myself. Unfortunately in the world of the Eternal Curse, underdogs only win or live to face greater obstacles down the road.

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My Geekdom 01: Winnie the Pooh

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Something about the eternal sweetness and naiveté of the characters, setting, and stories of the Hundred Acre Woods always makes me smile. Why can’t life be this simple? Why can’t everyone have a friend like Pooh?

I can’t say that all my writing is a reflection of me, but a lot of it is. Sometimes, without even knowing it, I write about things as I wish they were. In the Eternal Curse Series, and even unrelated works of mine, there is always of message of friendship and family.

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About: 'Brave New Souls: Black Sci-Fi & Fantasy Writers of the 21st Century'

from indiewire.com

I don't reblog much, but I saw a discussion about this on LinkedIn and had to check it out. I understand this may not be for everyone, and that’s ok, but for those interested, please check it out.

“Brandon (a professional writer, screenwriter, and educator based in LA., with over fifteen years of experience) also wants to provide a window into the creative processes of these black artists, and expose both aspiring writers and potential fans to incredibly imaginative, witty and sophisticated storytelling that challenge our perceptions of what is possible.” ~TAMBAY A. OBENSON

Reblogged from Indiewire.com : Shadow and Act

See the full article and stimulating sneak peak at the link below.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/sneak-peek-brave-new-souls-black-sci-fi-fantasy-writers-of-the-21st-century

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Featured Guest 1/01

What I Love/Hate About Social Media: MySpace

My first declaration will be that I am a social media nut. Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, LinkedIn, Instagram, You Tube, you name it. With our society having access to just about anything with a single swipe of your cellphone you are always connected to those who important to you. Moreover you have the ability to meet and connect with people that was never before possible… and all of this fascinates me. There are many studies about the problems with social media and how it is destroying the fabric of society, and blah, blah… but I’m not here to discuss that today. These arguments have merit, but I believe in “everything in moderation”. Instead I want to talk about the one major social media outlet that I omitted in my intro. MySpace.

Who uses my space anymore? MySpace is dead isn’t it? MySpace is bloated with annoying ads, a dysfunctional user interface, and it’s users have left in droves. Facebook killed it. Wasn’t MySpace the first mainstream social media giant to connect millions upon millions of people around the world? VH1 should make a mini documentary, “When MySpace ruled the World”. I can’t tell you the last time I logged in to MySpace, but writing this post has me interested in going back to see what it looks like. Oh just finished checking – I couldn’t remember my login.

Well why exactly am I talking about MySpace? Remember when Justin Timberlake bought the company just last year for about 35 Million dollars? You probably thought to yourself that was a waste of money. Or some thought I hope he knows what he’s doing. Or some didn’t care… ? Many of you who are social media nuts like me already know about the latest announcement from MySpace. MySpace released an official relaunch video that demos the newest features and interface of MySpace and it is dazzling! 

Mr. Timberlake has effectively resurrected what was at one time the King of Social Media. The timing probably couldn’t be better either. With all the talk about Facebook faltering this may be the opportunity that MySpace has been waiting on to remerge and take it’s place as the social media elite. So what does it look like? What is it going to be? Well I have included a link to you can click to take you there to discover for yourself. You can also sign up for email correspondence for when MySpace officially launches. http://vimeo.com/50071857

Well fans, friends, humans, and half-breeds, I hope you enjoyed that. Today you got to hear from the illustrator of my book and one of my favorite tech guys. He’s a lot of fun and knows his stuff. He works in a highly technological field and he’s a bit of a geek just like me. We shall be seeing more from Eric as he has just jumped on board be a regular featured guest here at the Eternal Curse Series Universe. See you all next time.