Let's Discuss: Essencers of Aelathisa and Old Gods of Appalachia.

 Hello everyone. I hope you are doing well. Things have been as busy as ever for me, but I have been able to get in a little me time. If you live a busy lifestyle, you understand how important that can be, both physically and mentally. As I have mentioned before, I work two full time jobs, one as a teacher and the other working with mentally and physically disabled adults. Outside of that, I am a father of four and keep a very busy household. Despite my never ending schedule, I try to put a little time aside to do nothing of consequence. That may be playing a video game, (I am an avid Destiny 2 player), watching some tv, or just going to the beach and taking a walk. 

As of late, my “reading” has been through audiobook, one of the best media to go mainstream. I have a membership to Audible and it has allowed me to be a much more active reader than I would be if I had to physically read. Audiobooks and podcasts fill in the gaps while I am working, as such, I have been processing a steady amount of media. My most recent audiobook was the Essencers of Aelathia trilogy by Joshua Smith. EoA is a modern blending of world mythology, which explains that all of the worlds mythological creatures, people, and gods were actually a group of individuals that are all children of, or descendants of Peter, the Patar of the Firstborn, and spark for all life on the planet. I plan on giving a full review on my GoodReads page, but I do want to say a few things about the story here. 

Overall, I enjoyed this story. It was well written and I loved the world building Smith does to pull his story together. Essencers of Aelathia was released as a trilogy, but really it was one story in three parts. Being able to go through all three at once alleviate the potential issue of an odd story break. The first book, Immortals, is an introduction to the main characters and the reveal that the world is actually filled with monsters and immortals, most hiding in plain sight. There is a lot going on in the story, but little to no answers being provided. It is not until the very end of Immortals that things begin to come together, and then boom, it's over. Smith makes up for this in book 2 Coalition. This was where I became invested in the story, and the brilliance of Smith’s world building comes into play. I enjoyed the characters and the way each immortal was tied to multiple mythologies around the world. I did feel that, for a story that attempted to explain away mythology, Smith did put a little too much effort into affirming Judeo/Christian beliefs as matter of fact history. Not to the point that I thought it should have been cut out, or that it took away from the story, just in the sense that if all of the world's religions and major events can be attributed to Peter and his descendants, it felt out of place to acknowledge biblical details as facts. Outside of that, I really enjoyed the series. I highly recommend picking it up, particularly if you are a fan of mythology. 

In the world of podcasts, I want to take a moment to bring up Old Gods of Appalachia. This show is just amazing. I can not talk highly enough about every aspect of this production. The writing is excellent, the world building goes above and beyond, and then it is tied together with an amazing cast and music that feels like it is going to drag you into the shadows of Appalachia. The show is a horror anthology series of the highest caliber. The story itself is non-linear, but it covers a series of events, taken from multiple perspectives, between the years 1756 to 1935. (1992 if you are a patron and get the extra stories) Not only do the creators, Steve Shell and Cam Collins, manage to bring the listener into what it would be like to live in the Appalachian region, interact with its people, and get a sense of what community means to those people. Then they mix in the elements of eldritch horror that speaks to me on a level I did not know was being ignored. My only complaint about the show is that there is not more. Season two recently wrapped up, and I am anxiously awaiting season three. You can find them on several different services, so pick your favorite and check them out. You will not be disappointed.

I want to thank you for giving me your time, it is invaluable and I am honored that you have shared it with me. I hope your days are fulfilling and your path is clear of trouble. All the best, and speak to you soon.

Discussions

 I have been thinking a lot on how to move forward with my page here. I love writing little stories and delving deeper into the mythology and history of my created world, but it is time consuming and really only works if I am not currently working on something else. With being neck deep in the sequel to Trinity, it is difficult for me to sit down and shoot off a side story of any quality that I would want to share publicly. 

What I want to do instead is maintain a regular posting schedule where I talk about whatever is going on, or whatever strikes my fancy for that post. I want to keep things in the literary world, but I want to discuss other books I am reading, story elements from my Dungeons and Dragons group, movies or tv shows I am watching, updates and tidbits regarding my own writing, and perhaps the writing method itself. I am preparing to go back to school for the fifth time now, to gain my cross-endorsement as a Special Education teacher, something I have been thinking about for a couple of years now. I would likely share my thoughts with you on that topic as well, and compare it to my previous experiences with my History studies, both as a student and as a writer.

I do not have any specific length in mind, nor can I predict what my topics will be week to week, but I believe this will be the best way for me to stay public and do more than simply promote my book. While I want to promote my book, my writing was never meant to be about making money. I want to share the stories in my head, and if people would like to give me money for that, I am over joyed and appreciative, but it is about the community, the interactions that come with being an author. The discussions of style and perspective. The coming together of people who understand what it is like to have a separate world that exists only in your head, one with a rich history, and an infinite number of people that are just waiting to have their story told. Even the ways that other media and sources affect and change the way we view or write our own material.

As far as an update to what I have been doing, besides working two full time jobs and being a full-time father to my amazing four children, I have, as I mentioned, been working on the sequel to Trinity, and have begun chapter 13. It will need some major reworking, but I just want to get the first draft out before I go back and try to fix the story. I have spoken to authors that will not move forward until the section they are working on is exactly what they want, but for me, I have discovered that I may deviate greatly from my planned story points as I flesh out a scene. Often, this results in me having to rework multiple earlier chapters to align with the new story progression. It is better for me to push through to the end of the story, be confident in the path that is taken to reach that moment, and then go back and shape the earlier chapters to match the ending I have decided upon.

Other news, I had my interview on the A.R.T. podcast and it went really well. It was my first real interview as an author and I have not been that nervous about something in a long time. Obviously, it was a sign of how good of a host A.R. is that I was able to just keep going with our conversation as if we had known each other for years. I have another interview lined up in December, which I will promote as it gets closer, but I am also looking to be featured on additional podcasts. It really made me feel like an author for the first time, and while I enjoy listening to various podcasts and interviews, it really is something else to be engaging and being the one who is being interviewed. I am hoping to be invited onto more podcasts going forward, and I am currently working on contacting different hosts about being featured. 

I am going to save what I am reading on my own for next time, but I want to thank you for giving me your time, it is invaluable and I am honored that you have shared it with me. I hope your days are fulfilling and your path is clear of trouble. All the best, and speak to you soon.