R2Game League of Angels Curiosity test

Just after the new year I took up playing my first on-line role playing game, League of Angels. I picked a server and created a male warrior, whom I named Regal D. after Regal of the House of Deoward from Revolt and Callings.

While playing there is a chat box. I noticed unless a visibly female character was on, nobody seemed to chat.

In addition characters are allowed to get married, and this increases ones Battle Rating. Anyway, my poor Regal has been in this world for two months now and has yet to find a spouse.  Oddly, enough I managed to gain a child in the homestead  So, now Regal is a single father.

I couldn't help to wonder if I would have been stuck with a single character and no one to chat with if I had created a female character.

Thus, two days ago I went on a new League of Angels server and created a female warrior. As soon as I had access to the chat box I had female and male characters chatting with me.  In addition, I have had three characters interested in pursuing Lady Evaine in matrimony.

Being a female characters is a completely a different experience. Of course, some of this could be due to who is and isn't on each server.  Since I can't have two characters on the same server, there is no ways to remove that variable.

I will keep you posted on what happens next for Regal and Lady Evaine.

John Henri Nolette's book Homuncula has been published

Though I have yet to read it, my brother-in-law has just published his first novel.  John Nolette's Book is entitled Homuncula and can be found at lulu.com at:

John Henri Nolette's Homuncula

Here is the blurb if you are interested.

"Robert Henry Pearce hasn't been himself lately. Haunted by strange cravings, indescribable sensations, and apocalyptic visions, he has somehow fallen out of step with the modern mode of existence. But nothing can prepare him for the nightmare that is unfolding all around him. And within him. 

 

As he meets others like himself, Robert begins to glimpse another reality superimposed over the one he has always known. As he unlearns all that civilization has taught him, he embarks on a journey that will take him to the end of the world."

 

Happy reading all.

John Stephen Pinto's Sci-Fi Book Apex

One of my critique partners has finally published his first book. For more than three years I have helped John edit and polish Apex into the fine book it is.

If you enjoy hard sci-fi that takes place on futuristic Earth, this book is for you.  The characters are very real, and the plot is completely plausible.

Here is the blurb on it:

"When Biotech Industries produces Apex nanochip brain implants in 2192, it revolutionizes the human experience by providing a range of extraordinary abilities. From performing a piano concerto or an intricate surgery to understanding physics and languages, someone wired has limitless capabilities. Amongst the turmoil of worldwide overpopulation and economic division, Dr. Alexander Reichman, the architect of Apex, ushers civilization into a golden era or possibly into its grave."

You can find John Stephen Pinto's book Apex at:

Amazon Books-Apex 

or  

Lulu Books-Apex 

Happy reading.

Callings: Tales of the Conrads of Karna is finally a Kindle Book!

Today I completed a writing task I have delayed doing for a while. I converted Callings: Tales of the Conrads of Karna into a Kindle Book.  For those of you who have never converted a manuscript to an e-book, the task is a bit of work and it helps if you know where the hidden codes are.

Anyway, I am done and Callings is now available in another format.

Order Kindle version of Callings

Happy New Year!

All throughout my childhood I never really envisioned any year between 2000 and 2050, let alone a random year like 2016. Yet, here we are, another Star Wars movie out, a Star Trek movie in the works, and another Christmas laid to rest.

May this year be one of health, wealth, and love for everyone. 

On a very, happy note,our new dog, Fern, has been a wonderful addition to our family.  She has proven to be the easiest going and quickest adjusting dog I have ever had the privilege of adopting.  Boomer and she are the best playmates, all that I dreamed of for two dogs to have.

Here are some more photos of them to enjoy.

Boomer and Fern with toys on Christmas morning 2015.

Boomer and Fern with Tom on Christmas morning 2015.

One happy Fern on Christmas morning 2015.

Our Christmas Dog Arrived Early

For the past couple of weeks I had been seeking a wonderful new playmate for Boomer. The task was not easy. I had applications into four dog rescues.  We meet several dogs. Two dogs tried to attack him, one was indifferent, and another was just too bossy for his liking.  At that point, I wrote my own add and placed it on Craigslist. It read as follows:

Hello, my name is Boomer. I am 2 years old and weigh 62lbs. I have a fair amount of energy and still love to puppy play.
Unfortunately, three weeks ago my best friend since I was 4 months old died. I miss her very much, but she was 14 and had cancer for the third time, so we had to say good bye to her.
My family consists of a human mom and dad, who love me dearly and take care of my own needs. Frequently I get to go run around the dog park. Yet, something is missing. I need a new dog sibling.
My mom has been looking all around, and we have applications in at 4 rescues, but we have not found the right friend for me. I have had introductions, but though I am active and playful, I am a passive dog. Two of the dogs tried to attack me, and the other tried to bully me. This made me feel scared.
My human parents are also not into paying a fortune in rehoming fees. I myself came out of a rescue and cost only $35. My sister Maggie was free, but that doesn't mean she was loved any less than me. In fact when she got sick with cancer the first time my family spent $5000 on her medical bills, and that gave her another wonderful year and half to play with me.
What I would really like would be a friend between 25 and 65 lbs. Since I don't like to be dominated, we are thinking a dog between 1 and 3 years would be best, but we aren't stuck on that limited bracket. Breed, color, sex don't matter, because we aren't a prejudice family. What matters is that you can be my best friend. You should be the kind of dog I meet at the dog park, and as soon as we greet each other, we are off and running and playing together.
My human parents would prefer that you have had your rabies shot and that you are fixed.
If you want to meet me and see if we could be best friends, please e-mail my human mom.
Thanks,
Boomer.
PS. I am the white dog with patches over my eyes in the photo. Maggie was my black lab/corgi sister. 

As a result, we met two wonderful matches.  The choice was hard, but one of the dogs was more desperate for a new home, so she arrived yesterday.  Right now she and Boomer are wrestling around and bumping into my office chair.  Since she is getting a fresh start, we have renamed her. She now goes by Fern.

Fern and Boomer, December 24, 2015

Merry Christmas all!  May your wishes come true just as Boomer's has for a new playmate.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens--limited spoilers...nothing to ruin the movie for you

Despite the heavy rains, I made it to the Force Awakens and back.  I am glad I bought my ticket earlier, as all evening shows ended up sold out. Luckily for me, I didn't have to wait outside since I arrived only 30 minutes early.  My seat was fairly decent, and when one is going solo, it is easy to squeeze in to the middle of a row.


The movie fell on par with Episode 6 (Return of the Jedi) for me. It was certainly better than 1-3, though it had the darker feeling of Episode 3 in places.  It would be hard to beat A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back, which I saw as a kid and are emblazoned in my heart forever.  That years I turned seven I saw a New Hope at least 12 times in the theatre, because after all, nobody really had a vcr back then, and if you did, there were only about 10 movies you could buy.

Most of what I could say about the movie would give it away, so I won't say much except don't expect to see a lot of Luke. Han has a large role. Part of me wants to cry, but that is because I am an original fan from 1977 and losing a hero is hard.

Anyway, I shall say no more so I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it yet.