It’s easy to imagine Mark and Trina walking the gardens or chill’n in that pavilion. “Emergence Collective”
Garden Pavilion at the temple
Category: science fiction
Karma, attachments, and attraction
I have mentioned in previous posts that when I am writing (or drawing), I create rule sets to maintain continuity in the world I am building (or the picture I am drawing, a style is a rule set for me). In Emergence collective and its sequel Emergence Ascended, there are rules to the world that may not be spelled out in the story. It’s mostly for me to keep the story’s vibe the same throughout. I tend to be scattered, and ADD doesn’t help, so the rules are a coping mechanism to keep things straight in my scrambled egg brain.
In the Emergence world, I have several seemingly unrelated philosophies that guide the story. Remember that I am not a shaman, Guru, or theoretical physicist, so the crap I come up with may or may not coincide with actual science, religious or spiritual facts, beliefs, or practices. It’s pure fiction. The framework for these stories is based on String theory and my imaginary connection to spiritualism, where vibrational energies are the heart of reality. In string theory, everything that exists comes from infinitesimal vibrating strings. When the strings vibrate at different wavelengths or frequencies, that defines the particular matter or energy and makes things like quarks, protons, atoms, molecules, etc. In some spiritual philosophies, the world(or reality) is also vibrational energy that governs things like love (positive vibrational energy) or hate (negative vibrational energy), whether you are healing or decaying in your spiritual self. Consciously or intentionally, maintaining a positive vibrational frequency (spiritually) will shine out and radiate love, light, and positivity that others will be attracted to. Conversely, suppose you are radiating a negative vibrational frequency. In that case, you will attract negative entities that thrive on those frequencies and encourage negativity in your life to reinforce the negative energy they are consuming.
Karma (in my world, though I don’t point it out expressly) is that convergence of positive and negative energy. To me, Karma isn’t a spiritual point system where if you do something good, you get points that you can cash in, in life or the afterlife. Or if you do something terrible, you will lose points, and maybe something bad will happen to you. In my rule set for my story, Karma is the balance of positive or negative vibrational frequencies. Like attracts like. If I keep vibrating in lower frequencies, those things that also reside there are attracted to me and vice versa. Doing “Bad things” (although a cultural distinction can be made for what is considered good or bad ) is merely a matter of vibrational patterns. Altruism is regarded as one of the higher frequencies, but your choice in how altruism is displayed can be a negative frequency, depending on your intention. If you help an old lady cross the road, for example, that is a good thing. But if you did it to be noticed doing it, so that whoever saw you doing the “Nice thing” will see you as a good or nice person; that act of altruism is corrupted by your selfish, negative need to be seen as being nice (Bad karma dude). It’s a slippery slope, and the balance of your spiritual frequencies is constantly wavering back and forth.
Ok I think I am rambling and none of this probably doesn’t make sense, but when I am writing the Emergence series, this stuff all plays its part in the back of my mind.
Thanks for reading! Leave me a comment or ask a question, there is extra Karma if you give me this a “Like”
Phantom Black (2)
Added a few more paragraphs.
Phantom Black
The scientists fiddled with the device with excited banter, enthusiastic about their apparent success. The device looked like an over-engineered paint spray gun. One of the scientists adjusted a setting on the machine, causing a pleasant harmonic tone to emanate from it. The other scientist poured a black viscous liquid into a small vat attached to the instrument with tubes, hoses, and electrical connections. The first scientist starts speaking into a recorder, taking verbal notes with a shaky, excited voice. “Four-thirty two hertz to four forty hertz seems to be the correct resonant frequencies to properly align the filaments. We have achieved approximately….” He looks up at the other scientist and nods slightly, prompting the missing information.
“Ninety-nine point nine, nine percent.” The other scientist reads off of a computer monitor in a matter-of-fact tone.
“Yes, right. Ninety-nine point nine, nine percent of photon absorption.” He continued, “We have found with the increased amplitude and voltage, the harmonic frequencies will correctly align the carbon nanotubes vertically, giving us an additional twenty percent efficiency.” He said, his voice still quivering with obvious exhilaration.
The scientist that poured the fluid into the contraption turned to a wall with a stark white square painted across its surface, then began to spray. A five-foot blob of black paint appeared on the wall. The scientist had to stop at that point as vertigo overcame him, and he swayed on unstable feet. To look into the blackness was to see a complete void that lied to his brain and made him dizzy as if falling into a never-ending hole.
He set the sprayer down and stumbled to the other scientist, that was busy monitoring the equipment. He laughed as he walked drunkenly back to the monitors. “I can’t believe it! I felt like I was going to fall into it for a minute!” he said, finally reaching the desk where he could grab hold and steady his feat.
The beam of light pierced the veil. Like an ugly knife wound tearing a rough, misshapen hole in the darkness. The light touched the creature’s tentacle, a warm tingle drawing its attention. Confused and curious, it extended its tentacles, reaching, feeling the jagged edges of the opening. It wrapped its tentacles around it with more confusion about the nature of this new thing in its world, then examined the edges, feeling its solidity. Reaching in and gaining purchase on the inside surface, it began to pull itself through, marveling at the warm tingly, yet slightly stinging sensation on its skin.
Tentacles wavered through the opening, touching the air and feeling the strange tingle of the light. As it pushed deeper into the new expanse, it could feel a vibration of sound emanating from inside this new space. It waved a tentacle sniffing the air, searching for the source of the vibrations. With so many new sensations, the creature grew eager and more curious. It pulled itself through the hole, sniffing and feeling.
With their backs turned away from the black painted surface, the scientists quickly prepared their device for the new round of testing; the creature probed a tentacle towards them. The probing tentacle extended toward the sound vibrations and detected a unique sensation that triggered a biological response; Hunger.
The tentacle wrapped around one of the scientists and pulled closer to the creature. Strange and delightful sensations came from it. It was warm and squishy and made sound vibrations that pleasantly tickled its senses. A warm gush of liquid poured out when it was pulled apart, metallic and salty. The creature pulled the pieces into its beak-like maw, enjoying the warm salty and chewy sensations. It was intoxicating. Its first taste of this new food unleashed an unapologetic yearning for more as it felt the nutrients provided a near-explosive growth.
The sounds the other scientist made while the creature devoured his comrade intensified. The creature hesitated despite its sudden craving for the new sensations of the food source, but the sounds of it were so compelling it wasn’t sure it wanted it to stop. The creature decided to split the difference by plucking the other scientist up but only pulling off and eating one appendage at a time. This seemed to work as the appendage tore away; the sound reached a pitch that sent shivers of ecstasy through the creature’s body. To the creature’s disappointment, the sounds abruptly stopped after the warm salty liquid stopped draining from the stump end of the appendage.
It finished consuming the still delicious treat when the door burst open. Several people rushed into the room to investigate the screams that echoed through the facility’s hallways. They skidded to a halt just inside the laboratory as the carnage stunned them into indecision. The creature didn’t hesitate and snatched up the first one that entered the room and sucked it into its maw. They screamed.
The creature stretched out into the hallway with fluid, almost vapor-like movements exploring the hallway. It could feel the vibrations of the footfalls of these new treats all around it, behind doors or around corners. It was glad for the new space to explore as its size continued to increase with explosive growth. Every morsel it consumed is added to its now immense bulk.
Whittling away at things
I am getting to the end of “Emergence Ascended” (my current WIP), the sequel to “Emergence Collective,” which is very exciting. I am probably the slowest writer in the world since I should have finished this book 6 months ago, but I am chipping away at it. It’s funny that while I am writing, I have to stop myself from daydreaming about the other stories in my head. I added a few more paragraphs to my short story Phantom Black (I’ll post that next), but also I am working out some details for my next book (no title yet). In the next book, I go back to my favorite Genre, Horror. It’s a ghost story, but there is a direction I am taking that requires a lot of moving pieces to work together all at once for the idea to make sense. I am also going to take a completely different approach to my writing. The dreaded outline. With some bonus pain, being character development prior to even starting. I had read somewhere about an approach to fleshing out characters by making a grid, in which each box in the grid describes a character trait or behavior and how those characters interact with each other. There is more to it, but that is the gist of it. I have some other character generation ideas that I am going to integrate into the new writing process too. Anyway, I have been having fun playing with the plot and character decisions with the ghost story instead of finishing my WIP. Oh, and some short story ideas.
Audible Update: Moving along
Do you remember the Twilight Zone episode “Time enough at last”? Where the bookworm survives the end of the world and can finally read as much as he wants with no interruptions? Yeah I feel for him. but my case is for writing. If you can know me I am consistently inconsistent with my personal projects. So I missed a week or so blogging, (And writing in general). I did managed to get chapter 13 recorded, but not the re-record of 14 (because of the weird interference sound in the recording), I published it anyway. I got 15 through 17 finished yesterday so there is progress.
I have been thinking about Spotify and the role it is taking in my blog and writing. So far, I have not been very vocal, aside from the narrating and a quick intro. I have been wondering if I should lean farther into it more as a podcast and less of a platform to read my book.
I have also been speaking with a music artist that I like about using her music in the podcast (intro and outro music). I have received permission. Now I just have to learn how to do it. Of course everything I want to do falls into the category of ” Now I have to learn that thing.” Of course a will let you know the progress of that new project.
“Emergence Ascended” my WIP is going slow, I admit that I am stalling just a bit, I am still trying to decide the direction of a couple very important characters and of course that changes the end of the story a bit. I am a discovery writer,make this shit up as I go so even I do not really know how it is going to end. I have and idea where I want it to go, but as the story takes a life of its own it could go very different that what I had planned. Thats is fun for me too, as I am also and eager audience waiting to find out what happens next. (makes for good introversion, as I am constantly entertained by myself). Thanks for taking the time to check out my blog! If you like it, feel free to comment or like it!
Audible update: A few more chapters
Ok, today I recorded 3 chapters of Emergence Collective. My chapters are short enough that I had the time get more than one recorded. Be sure to check it out on Spotify! Hope you enjoy!
I have a rant; please, just hear me out.
I have strong feelings about things that most people would ignore or do not care about. More than likely, most of the world wouldn’t even think about it. I have been thinking about this from a character’s point of view (that will be one of the main characters in a future story). It didn’t start there, but it reignited my own passion, and today I feel the need to put in my two cents worth (or your equivalent nations denomination)
Ready? Here it is. (and this really drives me bonkers) It is the careless and flippant misuse of the term ‘Dimension.” The problem is that people tend to mistake it for the many-worlds theory. The Many-Worlds theory and dimensions are two concepts that are often confused with each other. While both concepts deal with the idea of parallel universes or alternate realities, they are fundamentally different.
The Many-Worlds theory is a theory in quantum mechanics that proposes the existence of an infinite number of parallel universes (or worlds) that exist simultaneously. In this theory, each time a quantum event occurs, the universe splits into multiple universes, each with its own version of reality. For example, if you were to flip a coin, in one universe, it would land heads up, and in another universe, it would land tails up. This theory is often used in science fiction as a way to explore the consequences of different choices and actions. The many-worlds theory is a great tool to avoid paradox in time travel science fiction (if they get the nomenclature right!)
On the other hand, dimensions refer to the physical and mathematical properties of space and time. (And this is the important part people!) The three dimensions of space are length, width, and height, while time is considered the fourth dimension. However, some theories propose the existence of additional dimensions beyond these four, such as the string theory’s ten dimensions. In science fiction, dimensions are often used to explain the existence of alternate realities or parallel universes. I think that the confusion between these two ideas arises from the misuse of the term “dimension” in science fiction. In popular culture, the term dimension is often used interchangeably with parallel universe or alternate reality. For example, in the TV show “The Twilight Zone,” characters would often travel to a “fifth dimension,” which was portrayed as an alternate reality. However, this usage is not scientifically accurate, and it can be misleading to those unfamiliar with the actual meaning of dimension, and that really bothers me. Even hard-core science fiction novelists get it wrong.
I know that it might seem like a petty argument, and to be honest, it doesn’t change anything. It is just my own pet peeve, but anytime someone says something like “from another dimension,” I cringe.
Go with the flow…
Another quick Saturday note(In the US, a quick nod to my “down under” audience}note. (I have noticed that when I post on weekends that there is less traffic overall, but eventually, someone will read it, right?) After having a bit of mild to moderate writer’s block, I managed to get back on track, and I am happy with the progress I am making. Chapter 28 and most of 29 of “Emergence Ascended” are down with a meager 38000 words. I estimate it’s just under half complete, but I am a discovery writer, so I don’t know where it will end, somewhere between Doctor Suese and Tolkien in length.
If you are one of those that are listening through my narration of “Emergence Collective” on Spotify, I expect to have chapters 10 and maybe 11 recorded tomorrow, so stay tuned for that! As always, thanks for stopping by. Give it a like or comment (I love comments!)
Audible Update: Chapters 8 and 9!
I just recorded Chapters 8 and 9. they were short, so I decided to combine them into one episode. I fixed the technical difficulties that prevented last week’s recording and fiddled with some settings that have improved my overall sound quality. As far as the story goes, things really start picking up speed, and gets pretty crazy from here on out. If you haven’t started listening, you’re missing out. Of course you can read it for yourself (Link embedded on the cover art). Feel free to comment or just say hi! Id love to hear what you think so far!
Character snapshot,Visual edition: Barney Derrick
I really enjoyed writing Barney’s Character. I wanted to make a character that you love to hate. I am sure everyone has met a person like Barney.
The sound of Barney’s boots echoed down the quiet hall with a hypnotic cadence. The overhead fluorescent lights seemed to flicker in time with his footfalls. He arrived at the lab and pushed through the door, causing it to bounce off the wall. Drab faces looked up from computer screens at the abrupt entrance. A soldier rushed over with a handful of disheveled paperwork, trying to organize it into a manila folder before handing it off to his superior. Barney grabbed the folder out of his and studied the file briefly. The soldier watched as he scrutinized the file, flipping pages, eyes scanning. Barney’s nose crinkled against his mustache, causing the soldier to wince. He held the folder out for the soldier to take it, allowing the pages to slip out with a whoosh onto the floor.
“What is this? Is this how I am going to get all of your reports? Is this how you show your respect to your country, to me?”
“Sir! No Sir!”
“This report is not even in order! Do you expect me to finish your work for you?”
“I understand, Sir, no Sir, I apologize, Sir.”
“Well–What are you waiting for?”
“Umm …yes, sir,” the soldier said as he scrambled to collect all of the paperwork and organize it all at once.
“Umm, yes, Sir? That’s how you address a superior officer? An umm? You Sure this is the right career for you, boy? How did you manage to crawl your sorry ass out of basic training?” he scolded, then turned away so that he could smile without being seen. Ah that felt good, better than coffee, and I’ll never get a bad report from that kid again. He took a few steps before turning around to see the soldier standing at attention, holding the folder in his shaky hands.
“Sir, your report is ready for your review Sir.” The Airman forced his words out.
Barney snatched it out of the soldier’s hands. Again, the soldier watched his eyes and fingers do their work. “That’s better, Airman. You’re dismissed.” The young Airman made his way to his desk and sat down, all the while avoiding eye contact.
Hand-prints of Darkness 