​Henry's endeavors to collect exotic artwork seemed all but lost to his aging memory. His life and the fate of his art collection take a dramatic turn when the eccentric artist Paulo arrives with a portrait painted with a deadly toxin. On the eve of the exhibit's grand debut, Henry is attacked and the painting is stolen. Although an increasing occurrence of his collection, the venomous portrait vexes his curiosity. Due to Paulo's incoherent behavior and the local police's lack of empathy, Henry finds himself solving the mystery of the stolen paintings alone.
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Yet he discovers something unearthly while he investigates further into the enigma of Paulo's painting. The poison is not what it seems. Will this art lover remain safe on the other side of the velvet ropes, or is his wildest adventure about to begin? Find out in this story you will find difficult putting down. If a picture is worth a thousand words then there are a thousand reasons to discover the truth.

This short story was originally birthed during a random idea of an artist painting with poison. The work was then part of a collaborative work of short stories by other authors. Due to timing and other projects, I pulled the story from the collection to focus on other endeavors.
Meanwhile, my skills in writing improved. With the success of XR-404 and feedback from my incredible critique group, I had to enter this into the contest at Constellation NE. While there, I spoke to the incredible artist guest of honor, ​Arden Ellen Nixon, who went beyond my imagination for the spectacular cover art.
This work was inspired by my love of the classic Twilight Zone and Outer Limits shows. I hope you enjoy Paint Me a Picture of Poison and write a review of it on Amazon.
​

I recently purchased a mandolin and have been able to pluck out a few songs. Some of the two-finger C, D, and G chords I can play with some skill. And though I am learning and having fun with it, there is one song that both my wife and I have enjoyed learning (you can only play "Constant Sorrow" for so long).

This is an ongoing work. I have pieced together some of the basic tabs for the melody. I will eventually get more of a completed tune as my skill progresses. You may even be able to hear me play it in the future... soon.
Here is my mandolin tablature that sounds a bit like the "Concerning Hobbits" song combined with a little of the "Misty Mountains" song from The Hobbit:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~|~~~0~2~5~4~0~~~~~
~0~2~4~~~4~2~0~|~4~~~~~~~~~~~4~2~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~|~~~~~0~2~2~2~0~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~0~2~4~~~4~2~0~|~0~4~~~~~~~~~~~4~4~2~0~2~0~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~0~2~2~2~5~0~0~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~0~2~4~4~0~~~0~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~4~~~4~2~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~|~~~~~0~2~2~0~~~~~~~~~
~0~2~4~~~4~2~0~|~0~4~~~~~~~~~4~4~2~0~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~0~2~5~2~0~~~|~2~5~7~10~9~5~2~3~2~0~~~
~5~~~~~~~~~~~5~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~5~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~0~3~5~7~5~3~2~0~|~~~0~2~2~3~5~3~2~0~
~2~5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~0~0~3~5~3~2~0~~~0~|~~~0~2~2~2~3~5~3~2~~~0~2~
~2~2~5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~5~~~|~2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~5~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~2~3~3~2~~~0~
~~~0~~~2~~~0~~~~~|~2~5~~~~~~~~~5~~~
~5~~~4~~~5~~~2~4~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~0~2~5~2~0~~~|~2~5~7~10~9~5~2~3~2~0~~~
~5~~~~~~~~~~~5~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~5~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~
~0~2~4~~~0~2~4~|~0~2~4~~~0~2~4~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~2~3~2~0~~~0~
~0~0~0~~~~~~~0~|~5~~~~~~~~~5~~~
~~~~~~~5~5~5~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~0~2~0~2~3~
~5~4~2~2~2~0~0~0~2~|~5~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~0~2~5~2~0~~~|~2~5~7~7~5~2~2~3~2~0~~2~
~5~~~~~~~~~~~5~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~5~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~0~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a very basic song to pick out. It is for all of us who are learning. More little tunes from the movies may be added. Let me know what songs from the movies should be added to this.

(p.s. I will hopefully have a YouTube video of this soon...)

​During my time at Grace University, poetry became one of my passions. Many of the poems found in Musings of the Northern Poet came from my experience there. As such, one poem that I performed during a talent show became one of my favorite parody pieces. And so I give you my rendition of The "Grace" Raven, a parody of Edgar Allen Poe's classic.

Research has shown that it takes at least 2 months to develop a habit. So while the event tries to push you to write every day, it only does so for half of the time needed to make it a habit. Try as you may, the companionship and inspiration you acquired while doing NaNoWriMo will fizzle out. Even before month’s end, if you are like me, the green/purple bar blues can hit and kill your drive to keep writing. It may even hit you during the dreaded week 2, which claims the lives of many wrimo novels who fail to slug their way through it. But through the fire of those trials, the steel of a writer is resolved.

​There are as many ways to keep a daily writing routine as there are writers. If you enjoy adding to your word count, tweeting, snapping, checking a box, or any other means to give yourself a reward for the daily achievement; have at it. While you are giving yourself your daily rewards, let me suggest 3 things to motivate you to become a habitual writer.


1. Write Down Your Progress
One of the greatest motivators for NaNoWriMo is a progress bar that shows how many words you have finished (or need to write to catch up). In my hunt for a similar program, I discovered some great apps and websites that allow you to track your writing goals. You can use a similar spreadsheet or journal to create your own progress on each book you are working on. I use our publications page to update my progress. Tweeting your daily goals is another easy tool I like to use.


2. Embrace Inspiration
You’ve sat at the proverbial typewriter and it stares back at you, mocking your futile attempts to write. This is good. In fact, the more fights you overcome in your commitment, the more likely you are to keep the habit going. If you lose motivation in one story, start another. Do it in a different style (poetry, prose, screenplay, etc). Some have suggested working on another skill or craft that enhances creativity. For me, it is sewing and acting. I participate in many Renaissance Festivals and conventions in the Midwest. It is my inspiration hive.


3. Give Away Your Passion
Become an author groupie. Every new author would love the opportunity to share their journey with you. They can help support you as you battle through the first few months. You can help them by reviewing their books on Amazon and spreading the word of their stories. Word of mouth is the best way for new books to bloom. Not only will it help other authors, it will help you grow as they catch your passion for writing. I’ve yet to meet another author who doesn’t love new stories. A great place to find other authors is from those you may have connected with during NaNoWriMo. If not, look for local authors in your area or even a Facebook group.


I’m always excited to find my new favorite story and write a review for it. Let me know in the comments if it is yours. I only ask you to return the favor.

​Making a good story is a lot like making a good soup. You have to have the right ingredients to get things started. However, when it comes to mixing it together, everyone has a different approach. You may be the type to measure every pinch of salt or throw it all in the mix until it tastes right. Some can even do it on instinct, the magical grandma’s recipe. Whatever the approach, the food must get in the bowl.


This is first drafting—the process of mixing the words together in your story pot. Get your spoons and bowls ready, it’s going to be tasty. After all, it is your masterpiece*… Once it cools down a bit.

Aromatics are the bold flavors that set the basis of the entire soup. The need time to release their nuances to the mix. For writing, this is where we define our genre or setting. What is the atmosphere of the piece? Where are they? What are some of the natural or supernatural laws of the world?
I must admit, this section I harbor in my mind and not write out on paper. A lot of writers prefer to have these listed before they begin. It helps create the scenes in our plot and flavors the entire piece.
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If you’re a pantser, you may not take too much time here and just add water. However, I would suggest getting a basic 3-point story broth—beginning, middle, and end. This will give your characters a good goal in their world. Yet taking that path may depend on the flow of the story.
For plotters, this is where you spend time perfecting a unique broth. After all, it is what holds everything together. Some may go into great detail of each scene in their story. K.M. Weiland has a great guide to creating scenes on her site: Helping Writers Become Authors.
I tend to fall somewhere between a pantser and a plotter. I like to use my canned “Save the Cat” Beat Sheet and let my main character sit in that journey.

​

​So in a normal recipe for soup, you would sprinkle on the herbs to top it off. My initial remark in linking this to writing was something about celebrating with herbs... but I digress.
You can use this time to add in any extra character arcs you want to explore further in your story. Plot holes can also be listed. I typically write these as I’m cooking through the words so it doesn’t look as fancy in the end.
Be sure to let your first draft cool down before you dig in. That’s some mighty fine story soup you got there.

I’ve included the recipe to one of my favorite soups—an easy and comforting chicken noodle soup by my aunt. What are some of your favorite soups?

2 qts. water
8 chicken bouillon cubes
6-1/2 C. wide egg noodles
2 cans (10-3/4 oz.) cream of chicken soup
3 C. cubed cooked chicken
1 C. sour cream
1 grated carrot
In a large pan, bring water and bouillon to a boil. Add noodles and carrot. Cook till noodles are tender. Heat through. Remove from heat and add sour cream. Enjoy.
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​Everyone likes free gifts, especially if it’s something you can use. And lucky for you, I know exactly the best gift you could ever want. See how cute and furry it is? Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot you were allergic. What’s happening to your face?

Giving a gift in improv is exactly like the scene I painted in your mind. I gave you something cute and fluffy, like a kitten. I then gave something to help you react to the gift… literally. You became allergic to the pet I tossed in your arms and responded in your mind to the gesture. Sorry about the rash. It will clear up soon.


The three questions to ask when giving a gift are:

1. Is it meaningful to the scene?
2. Does it help build character or setting?
3. Can it be used later in the scene?

When doing an improv scene, specifically in the character build-up, it is important to establish certain quirks in each actor. I could have said, “oh, look at that kitten,” which would also add a small gift to the scene. However, with adding and not giving to the scene or your character, the weight falls on you to give it purpose to the scene. A good improviser could pick it up and run with it (and you’re smart so you would probably run out of the scene), yet it becomes more of a burden for you to continue.


As an improv actor, I must improve my partner and help them through the scene. By adding extra character development, and adding a gesture, I helped carry the scene to you. The dialogue becomes meaningful and fun in its own way.


Tossing kittens around may not work all the time (and you’ll get a call from the ethics committee), so that is why we Rolodex the best idea before we give the gift. Once I gave the gift, or threw it in this case, you must choose to accept it and give another. This is the basic concept behind the “Yes, and” rule of improv acting. By the way, here’s some ointment for that rash… ignore the poison logo.

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So what was one of your best gifts, or scene moments you shared with someone on or off stage?

I met Arden Ellen Nixon at a few conventions in the past. Her artwork always drew my eye toward the darker colors and details. She truly has a gift for paintings. In fact, she even did the cover art for my short story, Paint Me a Picture of Poison. This gift bled onto her typewriter as she crafted an incredible story. Here is my review of her book, Make-Shift Angel, available now on Kindle from Amazon.

​"It’s the simple pleasures in life that can bring us to our vice. But what happens when familiar passions are stripped from you? What happens when it’s stripped from an angel? Rand finds solace in those simple vices as he searches to answer the question of why such things were taken from him. Through his friendship with a medicated comic shop owner and another celestial, Rand searches for his purpose again. However, this is not so easy to come by for an immortal with insomnia.


Arden does an incredible job of bringing us inside one of her paintings. I found myself reading in awe at the masterpiece created by this author and artist. I hope you also enjoy the journey through the dark strokes of a celestial life created in this story. They say a picture paints a thousand words; yet through this story, a thousand images are formed."



I hope you get the opportunity to read it as well and vote up my review here:
https://www.amazon.com/review/R12X64QTTBV22/ref=cm_cr_dp_title?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B01N5HS1B6&channel=detail-glance&nodeID=133140011&store=digital-text

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​Influenced by his love of God, his wife, and the Renaissance festivals; this collection of syllabic poetry will lighten the reader through its couplets and verse. From his best poems written while attending a Biblical college, to his lighter works from his involvement at local Renaissance Faires, these poems seek to inspire and reach the limits of the mind's emotions. Split into three sections, it is Matthew's desire to have others experience his life's passions: faith, hope, and love.

These lines are a brief glimpse into the soul written throughout this collection of poetry. For over a decade, these poems have helped the author through some of the darkest times to remind him of the Light. Of course, it must include a section for those who would seek to find the more traditional love poem. And for those who like to skip to the end, you will find more of the quirky and specific works for those who share his love for Renaissance festivals and poetry.
For a taste of what you can find in the Musings of over 80 poems, here is one that was written after the compiling of poetry:

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Culicidae Plague
The cloud descends over all exposed skin
Causing even the saintly ones to sin
Poison burrows in the fleshly recess
As the assailants thrive in the darkness
They squeeze in our locked houses and safe cars
Taking nothing yet leaving pain and scars
One resorts to a primitive reply
Grabbing whatever object is nearby
But the effects leave a sticky layer
Leaving with a numb taste to the sprayer
As we yell for this summer plague to end
Furiously beating abhorrent wind
While lighting our fires to protect and fight
The tiny deviled spirits of the night
Satisfied in their annihilation
When the faithful Deet brings our salvation

What are Role Playing Games?​

Role Playing Game (RPG) is a genre of gaming in which the player takes on a role and plays through the game's story. Digital game examples of RPG games are Fable, World of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls, Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and many others. Typically, in an RPG you create a character and enter the world. Some games have a narrow story line (the Final Fantasy series for example) you follow through to the end. The Elder Scrolls, Skyrim, and World of Warcraft games have different story lines you can interact with, but the order in which you interact with them are up to you. This is what makes an RPG attractive. Yet RPGs on the computer are restricted to the limitations of the developers and their abilities.

In a tabletop RPG adventure, you are only limited by your imagination and the imagination of the storyteller. In many cases, the system rules will limit your abilities to do certain things. If your rules system or setting doesn’t have guns, then having a character who is proficient in guns won’t happen. Your character design will play a key element in the adventure. Also, how you play your character can also influence the grand scale of a story.

For example, if you develop your character with a low intelligence but a high strength, he may be able to do a lot of damage when attacking. But when it comes to making skill checks, he may not be as good as other characters. Playing off the character traits like this while in an RPG adventure is an enjoyable time.



What is it like writing Tabletop RPGs?

I started writing adventures back with telling stories the players could go through. Some started off as small one shot adventures; others grew into massive campaign story arcs. It’s an adventure of its own coming up with creative stories and trying to focus on one adventure before another one pops into my head.

One shot adventures are those that can be done with a strict time restraint. An hour time slot that you would have at a convention, is an example of a one shot adventure. In most cases, one shot adventures are limited to one story. The key difference between a one shot and a campaign is that in a one shot, the story is over at the end of a session.However, sometimes it may be a small part of a campaign or story arc.  

Campaigns are created with several sessions in mind. Some campaigns I’ve been on lasted over a year, with us meeting once a week before we finished the overall story.  A larger campaign allows the player to be able to flesh out his character by how they interact with the world. Growth of character in a campaign is a fantastic way to explore one’s creative mind.

Finding inspiration for adventures can also be found everywhere you go. I have found inspiration everywhere from the zoo to watching my son play. One game settings I am currently working on was inspired after going to renaissance faires and science fiction conventions.

My projects have me writing an entire game world. Taking a framework built by the original writers, and providing narrative content to it. I have written many beasts with adventure in mind. What makes our dragons different and makes our RPG setting unique? How these creatures interact with the players? Yet, how the players will interact with these creatures is up to the players. While some of that comes through the written story and how the GM chooses to present the material, a player also needs the framework of the world.

A Role Playing Game story can consist of many different themes and elements to the adventure. Similar to how a novel can have different themes throughout the development of the story, and in some cases from book to book.



Suggestions for Writing Role Playing Games

Writing a Role Playing Game (RPG) has a lot in common with writing in other media. Both start with a common idea or theme and are fleshed out as the story develops. One of the major differences is in the presentation of the material. In a novel, the writer writes from the point of view of the story presented to the readers. The story is revealed to the reader to guide the imagination forward. In RPGs, the writer has fleshed out a story and provided a framework for players to explore the world. He has given the Game Master (GM) resources to help tell the story. Being a GM is a difficult task with a lot of rules to remember, a story plot to follow, and characters to present. But ultimately the story can take many different turns; even some that the writer, or the GM, never planned on.

• Outline
  Develop an adventure outline to follow when coming up with a story. My own mixes combat encounters, story encounters, and fluff events. I have developed this through experiencing different world adventures and through writing my own.
  
  
  
• Practice
  Practice your craft. As a writer should read and a game developer should play games, so too should an RPG writer play the games that he wishes to write. If you have an inclination to write for a cyberpunk setting, you should find a cyberpunk adventure to experience that world. Same for fantasy, steampunk, sci fi, super heroes, etc.
  
  
  
• Familiars
  Write what you know and you don't have to change things up. If you are already familiar with a game system like Sixcess Core, Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, Star Wars, or any other rule system; I suggest writing for that system first.
  Caution is warned if you try to publish using the game mechanics already established. There are methods of getting published that you can explore through these companies. When in doubt, do some research into publishing first.
  
  
  
• Compatibility
  Make the game easy to follow and let the GM add the rules set to it. If you have a general idea of an adventure that you’d like to write but don’t have a rule system in mind, this is okay. Make the game system agnostic by adding any system to the story so the game can be played.

Caution should be stressed if you choose to play an adventure you wrote. This is a fun element to writing tabletop RPG adventures but you should be respectful of the GM if it is not you. They may put their own spin on the story, which may be different than what you had planned out. Don't worry. It is a natural occurrence as a GM. They want to make it just as much part of their own world and have fun with it as you do.
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Writing for tabletop Role Playing Games can be an exciting and challenging endeavor. Don’t try to plan for everything, but make sure to have enough information down so that the GM can run with what you have written.

"What are five new titles for this post?"​
How to Rolodex; Improvodex; 5 Things Connected; All the Ideas; Flippy Paper in My Mind.

​Professional improvists have been using this simple technique to boost their wit for years. In fact, you can watch some of them using it in any outtake on your favorite comedy. Some shows even use Rolodexing as their main form of comedy. Yet, they will flip through some of the fluff that gets weeded out in their mind (don't worry, I will explain how to find the best answer in a moment). But now is the time for a no hesitation game!
 
"Speak before you think" is the idea behind this trick.  It gets rid of those silly inhibitions you may have as you are acting out an improvised scene or if you want to spark some life into your dialogue.

How to play the Rolodex warm-up: 

• Have any number of participants stand together in a circle.
• The leader, Asker, will start by asking a question of five things
  • (i.e. 5 new plants grown in space, 5 terrible pet names, 5 ways to fall down the stairs, etc)
• The next person, Answerer, must then come up with the five answers as fast as possible.
• The Answerer immediately becomes the Asker and must give a new question of five for the next participant.
• Continue this around the circle until everyone has a chance to answer at least once.

​Variations:

• Have the Asker chose a random Answerer
• Change the number of items
• Do it while clapping or using instruments to keep a rapid pace
• If done between two people, take turns going back and forth

"So this is a great way to kill some time on a car ride, but what is the benefit?" 
​
I'm glad you asked for now is the moment we turn five bars of lead into gold.
While answering questions with the Rolodex warm-up, your mind is being conditioned for a plethora of answers to any question or scenario. While performing, this technique is often done in your mind. All you have to do is pick the right answer that offers the most to the scene. Something that will help the others spring the scene forward.
In improvisational acting, you must always give a gift to your partners.
 
So be sure to try the increasingly popular Improvodex: a brand new invention from the minds who brought you Void Violets, Stew the Lamb, and the Bowling Dive. Available now at comedy shows everywhere.
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