And I come through with the threat .... :)

Well, as much as I hate to do this, I'm posting one of my sketches of Ren. I have a couple more I am working on, but they are nowhere near ready to be on public display. It would be cruel.

So without further ado, Ren Winter:

She's honestly not supposed to be this tan, but the scanner was being poopy.

There's Danger Everywhere (TBA)

I think I've said this before, but I have been very stingy when it comes to presenting my work, mainly out of fear of rejection. But, in order to get "discovered" or whatever, I can't really hide under a rock and hope that someone is just going to find me. 

So, in my first ever foray, I'm going to be posting an entire story, the introduction to my series, "The Legion." You guys have seen and read (hopefully) the excerpt I posted a little while ago in a few days. I have to rework some things this weekend, and on Wednesday, you'll get to read part one (it's separated into two parts).

In other news, I am going to be finishing up some of my artwork tonight, so tomorrow, you'll get to see two of my characters, the main protagonist, Ren, and one of her compatriots, Anais Pajot, who you will be meeting shortly. I'm horrible at drawing men, so it might be a while before you get a glimpse of Mason, so if any of you have any talents in that area, please contact me. It won't be paid work, of course, because I am poor. :)

Oh, and the podcast. I'm very irritated with YouTube right now. I may just have to record another podcast, but I'm working with their helper people to figure out why it won't post my video/podcast thingy. I'll keep you posted on that, or else I may just do a write up and do a podcast about something else. 

So, be sure to check in later on! 

Many thanks to all my readers!

"The Fall of the House of Oscar"

Alrighty, this excerpt needs a little bit of explaining because you'll probably be a little lost. The setup: after kicking some major demon ass, Ren (with Mason in tow) is sent to Boston to meet up with a Catholic priest named Father Darren Hoslett. He has summoned her to monitor the situation as he exorcises a house that has been possessed. The slight issue is that the demon has also started to take over the owner of the house, a self-proclaimed hermit that doesn't believe in the supernatural. We pick up right as Ren and he are about to collide. Enjoy!

Standing in the doorway, the man held his position stolidly, blocking their entrance.

"I've told you more times than I can count, Father," he said, barely stifling his anger. "There is nothing here. And I'm not coming back to Mass."

Ren had waited long enough.

"Look, what's your name?" she asked, elbowing in front of Father Darren and Mason.

He looked at her suspiciously. He couldn't have been over 35 years old, physically, but his eyes seemed ancient, like he'd already grown accustomed to old age. Even his clothes looked as if he'd inherited them directly from his 85 year old grandfather, complete with the moth ball smell.

"Oscar." He smiled wryly. "As in Oscar the Grouch."

"Alright, Oscar, just let the Father do his thing and we'll be out of your hair for good, okay?"

"And who are you?"

Ren sighed and crossed her arms across her chest. "Does it really matter?"

Oscar imitated her gesture and nodded his head.

"I'm the hired muscle. That's all you need to know." She pushed him aside with as little power as she could. Ever since she had accidentally broken a man's arm in three places, Ren had to remind herself to conserve her strength for the mystical, and it didn't look like Oscar could handle even a slight exertion of her strength. As he chased after her in protest, both Father Darren and Mason followed, each with an amused grin on their faces.

"Nothing is wrong with this house!" Oscar shouted, growing more irritated by the minute.

The entire house seemed to be decaying. The mauve striped wallpaper was starting to peel at the edges, and the wood on the floors and baseboards was rotting a slow death. It even smelled like an old-fashioned funeral home, minus the formaldehyde. A thick coat of dust covered everything, from the Victorian furniture to the vintage chandelier to the pictures hanging on the walls, as if nothing had been moved or cleaned in years, maybe decades. How long had this man lived like this?

Ren could sense the demon more strongly now than she had outside. She stared up the grand staircase leading to the second floor, trying to pinpoint the locus before heading upstairs. She ignored the annoyed complaints from Oscar, instead letting the two men of the cloth try to explain things to him. As she started to ascend the stairway, she could hear the demon telling her to leave, but the Legion just smirked. Right. With her first step, the house began to shake and moan, but only for a moment.

She turned her head towards the three men who had just a few seconds before been arguing violently and raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing's wrong?" She nodded her head towards the second story, and Father Darren quickly stooped to the duffle bag of supplies he had laid on the hardwood floor. "You can set up anywhere on up there, but I'm thinking you should probably try to find a place right there." She pointed to a place on the ceiling, and the priest nodded his head in agreement, then sprinting up the stairs with Mason close behind. Oscar glared helplessly at the two men but did not follow, apparently preferring the company of a Legion. Ren surveyed her surroundings a little more, locating exits and pointy objects that could be both helpful and deadly, basically paying no attention to the man.

"Where were you born?" he asked, his tone less harsh, if only slightly.

Without actually looking at him, Ren replied, "Biloxi. About as far south you can go on land in Mississippi, unless you count swamp as land."

He chuckled. "So that's why." She didn't bother to ask what he meant and continued casing the scene, feeling along the walls and entering into the main living room. Despite its lack of care, the house was still quite extraordinarily well preserved. The sconces looked original, and the Oriental rug in the center of the room seemed just as old. 

"See, demons - or whatever you call them - don't actually exist up here."

She stopped abruptly in front of the little-used fireplace and turned, blinking incredulously. "What, you think they can't handle the cold?"

Oscar laughed and sat in one of the chaise lounges. "You Southerners are just so superstitious. If it can't be explained in rational means, it must be the work of the devil. I don't believe in that. Northerners don't believe in that."

"Well, I don't particularly believe in making quick judgments based on faulty and prejudiced information, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen every day," Ren snapped back, almost regretting that she was trying to keep this man safe from harm. 

A nearby cricket chirped as the two squared off, their eyes locked. Suddenly, a roar blasted from upstairs, and Ren bolted towards the staircase, praying that she wasn't too late if anything had really happened and calling for Mason.

As she was just out of earshot, Oscar whispered, "Touche." 

Okie dokie, there it is. And I'm still working on the podcast that YouTube will just not upload. Sometimes I hate technology.

Oh, little forgetful me ......

Okay, so minor issue. The notebook in which I wrote my story is sitting pretty at my desk at work. Which is not here. It's actually about 25 minutes away, and I'm not exactly someone with enough clout to have a key, even though one of the security guards has kind of a crush on me.

So, this leaves me in quite a pickle. I could wing it and bring you crap writing, OR I could have the story posted tomorrow. And since this really isn't an open dialogue, I'm going with tomorrow. But I will be posting the podcast that was supposed to go hand in hand with the story after I finish mixing it and then loading it onto YouTube. Oh, and after I take a shower.

So check back in a couple of hours! Meh, it's technically tomorrow in about 1 hour and 45 minutes, but I like to think that the day doesn't end/start until you have slept at least four hours. But that may be the crazy in my head.

This week is going to be killer.

Now, this is just a quickie, because it's late and I have got to go to bed, but I wanted to get a couple of things out there before today suddenly becomes tomorrow.

First things first, I wanted to give a huge shout out to Anton (of http://ufexp.blogspot.com), who not only gave Stef Howerton (http://52weeksofwordage.blogspot.com/) a Foxy Redhead award, but he also did a great write up of my little blog. I feel so honored. I just started reading his companion writing blog, The Black Dogs of Despair Reading Room so if I haven't commented yet, sir, never fear; you eventually will not be able to get rid of me.

Secondly, I'm really excited about what's coming up this week. Tomorrow, not only do you get a podcast, but you also get to read another excerpt!!! I'm normally very controlling about who I let read my shit, but the anonymity of the interwebs has given me the courage to do this.

Third, I'm now getting involved with the Flash Friday on Twitter, so there's going to be a complete 1,000 word story that will grace your screens if you choose to read it. I have a little over a day to get this done, so I'm probably not going to be paying much attention at work tomorrow.

Fourth (I was not kidding in my title for this entry), I should have at least one or two drawings ready sometime before the weekend is out, and I'll be posting those on my DeviantArt.com page. They might just be pencil drawings, but oh, well. They'll be up and maybe you'll be able to actually start seeing Ren.

I think there's more, but my brain isn't functioning because the stupidity I'm surrounded by at work has kind of affected me by osmosis. I may just have to read the dictionary tonight to get some information back in.

Alrighty roo, I smell horrible, since I just ran 3 miles, and I am dead tired. So, tune in tomorrow! Looking forward to it, kids.

Podcast ... Part Deux

I am honestly loving this medium. I spend a lot less time writing this info out, and it just kind of flows naturally. Well, when I'm not using "um" or losing my train of thought, but nobody's perfect.

And here's the second "The Legion" podcast! (Today, you get kitties. The first one was Asshole, the second picture is of Fitzi and I think Favorite/Lily, the third is Fitzi, the fourth is a grown-up Lily, the fifth is Fathead, the sixth is Dyna - the mother of all those kittens - and the final picture is of Zola, again, and Maggie. I will eventually get some original stuff to put on these, but nothing's better than cute animals, right?? Wait, this is a scifi blog, right?)



www.roosterteeth.com - Red vs. Blue - If you have not had a chance to laugh your ass off, just watch this machinima. You may want to start at the beginning, though, because you'll probably be very confused if you haven't.

Also, for those who would like to email me, here's the address, if you didn't catch it: juniper.trela@gmail.com.

"The Legion" Podcast #1 ... woo!!!

Okay, so yesterday was my lazy day. I trained all day and then came home, walked my dog and sat watching Investigation Discovery for I have no idea how long.

Anyway, here's a transcript (plus some extra fun facts) from Saturday's podcast!!

Hey, guys, this is Juniper Trela for "A Million More to Go," the blog/podcast/whatever for all things "The Legion."

As promised, I'm going to be giving a little info on the world of "The Legion," but as kind of a surprise, it's in audio form! Now, don't worry, I'll be transcribing this on the actual blog if I talk to fast, which I can do from time to time. Plus, I'll be adding more details to the bare bones stuff on here.

Anyway, as I wrote last time, the Guardians essentially protect our world from beings and spirits from other realms, because it's exceptionally susceptible to even minor disturbances. UFO sightings are just an example. The Guardians are split into 3 major branches: the Legion, the Visions and the Scholars.

To start off, the Legion is made up of about five to six thousand people who patrol and banish demons back to their respective dimensions. The term Legion is interchangeable, for both the group as a whole and the individual. They have pretty badass capabilities, like incredible resilience, quick reflexes and fast healing. They're basically an army of Wolverines or Buffys. A Legion also can sense demons, although it usually takes many years of practice to locate them by sight. While magic is kind of monopolized by the Visions, a Legion also has access to some of the arcane. With a simple prayer, they can summon a portal to return a demon to its original realm.

Now, it might seem kind of awesome to have these powers, but the rub is that you have to die first. God chooses people that are on the outskirts of society, like exterminated criminals, runaways, outcasts, that sort of thing. This way, it's easier for them to operate since they don't have many ties to society and no one's really looking for them. Many of the people selected to serve as Legions want that second chance at life but don't really receive too much information on what they will actually be doing. There have been talk among several Legions that have managed to survive that they might actually want to establish a training regimen for new Legions, but as of yet, nothing has been created.

As a general rule, most Legions work alone. On occasion, they'll team up with each other if a demon gives them enough trouble. There have only been a few instances of unification as an army, the most recent one occurring back during the 1960s in Africa.

Occasionally, Legions can act as guards for emissaries from other realms that have chosen and requested to use ours as a neutral ground, but this is a highly unusual occurrence. It is a very hush-hush situation in most instances, and a select few actually know about such things.

Next, we have the Visions. They are usually shamans or psychics that operate out of a geographic area, typically dependent on population density or even something as simple availability. A Vision is the means by which the Legions learn of their assignments. They have an incredible command of magic, but they don't always have to use it, as it's not really their primary function. They communicate telepathically with each other and with Legions and have connections to the other realms outside this physical one. They tend to be very sensitive to fluctuations within our world, and as such, they are the ones who locate new Legions and nurture them after their resurrections.

Like the Legions, the Visions don't really have much choice in the matter of their status, as they are given their powers at birth. They also tend to be on the outside because of their deep spiritual beliefs and affinity for magic and the occult. But unlike a Legion, they have a certain amount of stability in their lives. Many have families and strong ties to communities and are usually considered holy men or women.

Visions are highly networked, mainly because of their telepathy, but only a loose government of sorts rules them. A board of advisers is infrequently called to decide matters that affect the entire group, but even then, it's up to a vote and isn't always followed by all members. Even the advisers consider their "laws" to be guidelines, and exist to mentor other Visions.

And finally, onto the Scholars. The Scholars have no special powers, per se. They don't use magic and they don't have super strength, but they do have the power of information. They are stationed throughout the world and are usually men or women serving as ministers, priests or monks, so they are able to have moderately normal lives and don't have to bite the dust in order to do so.

There are three types of Scholars. One is jokingly called the Office Scholar, even though they don't really have any special title. They live close to a major base of operation - sometimes even in once since one is located in a secret Buddhist temple deep in the Himalayas - and spend their time cataloging and storing information on the other realms and their denizens. But they are also able to be active in their churches, synagogues or temples, lead worship and take on charity work.

The second type is the Field Scholar. He or she actually travels, usually with a Legion, to learn about the various types of demons. The Scholar then records the information and sends it back to a base close by, either via a local Vision or something as ancient as writing a letter. They are often treated as outsiders by the Legions they follow, as it most often means that the Legion will have to spend a great deal of his or her time protecting the Scholar from harm. But they are considered vital to the other Scholars. Most often Field Scholars are the younger and newer members, and some view the position as a training or a weeding out process.

The third type is called the Elder Scholar. They are the ruling class and many consider themselves to be the government of the Guardians, although this has been proven false many times in the past. The Legions typically despise the Elder Scholars, as they tend to make decisions for them without consent, and the Visions keep them at bay, usually due to the fact that most Elder Scholars are highly suspicious of anyone who can use magic without consequence. Despite this, they still carry a tremendous amount of weight with the other Scholars, as they tend to be the eldest and most experienced.

Alrighty, so that's pretty much a quick run-down of the different aspects of the Guardians, and like I said, once I've gotten this little podcast typed up, I will definitely post it on the blog, "A Million More to Go" with a few extra bits thrown in there for good measure.

So please, stay tuned for the second ever podcast of "A Million More to Go" on Tuesday, August 25, for me talking a little bit about the site and what plans I have for it over the next couple of months. Stay frosty, peeps!!

Be sure to check back later tonight for the second podcast!

Podcasting can be a bitch.

Okay, seriously, there should be an easier way to do this, but unfortunately, Blogger doesn't yet have a way for me just to upload an mp3 file. So instead, you get a pitifully created video. And I'm going to go ahead and apologize in advance for all of the pictures of me and of my dog.

Next podcast will be much, much more professional ... hopefully.

But without further ado, I present to you the first podcast for The Legion.

Excited = Me

Okay, so I've wanted to really get into what the internet has to offer, and honestly, I am a little behind. I've always sort of had a sense of pride about my tech savvy nature, but apparently, I am stuck in the dark age of yesteryear.

But luckily, I have been doing all sorts of research on blogging, networking, etc., and I have just recently ventured into the realm of the podcast.

I got my equipment, and sooner than you know, I'll be podcasting like a maniac.

Anyway, I have a lot of fun stuff for you guys tonight, so check back later! :)

Much love!

J

Updates, woot woot.

So I've been able to get a few things done today, but unfortunately, they're not ready to post.

I'll be presenting a link sometime tomorrow to my DeviantArt page (maybe even some thumbnails), featuring some artwork I've done for my series. Plus, as promised, a pretty long post about the different branches of the Guardians.

So stay tuned, friends!!

(PS Go see "Inglourious Basterds." Totally worth it.)

This Week = Blech

Hey, kids.

It has been a craptastic week for me, so I don't have anything ready for my planned post today.

Never fear, gentle reader! You will have a full-length entry tomorrow morning, complete with what Legions, Scholars and Visions are. And who knows, maybe even a character sketch ...

Anyway, check in tomorrow! Look forward to it! :)

Loves,

J

Questions, Questions, Questions ...

As I read over the last entry, I was actually pretty appalled by it. I never write that poorly. Blech.

But, other than the shoddy writing, I'm sure you probably have lots of questions, like what the hell is a Legion, Scholar or Vision? Well, my friends, you are in luck, because I have all those answers for you.

But in order to start all of that, I need to go back and explain the Guardians, the real origin of all three of the above mentioned titles.

The Guardians have been around since the beginning of mankind. As many have suspected, there are millions of dimensions. Our dimension is very susceptible to any type of disturbance, including inter-dimensional travel and just the sheer presence of something that doesn't belong here. The common terms for these creatures are demon and monster, but even angels are not allowed to enter into our realm without explicit instruction. Many phenomena and myths come from these beings coming into our dimension, such as vampires, ghosts and UFOs.

The Guardians, in a sense, are kind of like immigration control. They identify, locate and return these creatures and spirits to their own dimension, sometimes by force. The Guardians are split into three branches: Legion, Scholar and Vision, all three of which work together to maintain order and balance.

So in other words, I have a lot more explaining to do. Stay tuned for a brief intro to the Legion side of things.

Presenting Ren ...

(Yeah, I know I didn't post this when I said I would, but here it is, in all its unedited glory.)

Abigail Ren Winter was born to Marshall and Layla Winter on December 9, named after her paternal grandmother and her mother's favorite bird, although "wren" was misspelled by a tired hospital employee. Luckily, neither parent was particularly upset, and the usually excitable Layla found the alternative spelling interesting. Seven years after Abby (as she was then called), the Winter family welcomed Evan Marshall, and the young girl immediately became very protective of her baby brother. She had a fairly normal childhood, despite the fact the family was forced to move around due to her father being a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force. They never stayed on one base for more than two years, so Abby developed a very outgoing, yet detached personality, often well-liked by her peers yet never delving much deeper than superficial relationships. However, she and Evan remained very close, as the younger boy had a more difficult time with adaptation.

When Abby reached the age of 12, Major Winter was stationed on Spangdahlem in Germany, and the girl decided to reinvent herself. She changed her name to Ren and would not respond to Abigail or Abby. This was the beginning of the souring of her relationship with her parents. She began to resent the lack of stability and the emotional distance that was required to survive military life. For two years, the Winter family had to deal with a very angry teenager, who lashed out at her mother and would sneak out to go to clubs with much older children. At fourteen, she met a young man named Deidrich, or Didi for short, who was involved in the underground music scene. Although he was nearly 19 years old, Didi found Ren to be surprisingly mature for her age, and so they began seeing each other, albeit in a non-sexual way, which irked Ren more than she cared to admit. She only told Evan about Didi, as the siblings were still exceptionally close.

Ren's parents discovered her relationship with Didi after Ren got into a fight with a bully at school who was mercilessly tormenting Evan. They began more ferociously investigating their daughter's life, claiming they didn't know the girl she had become. Her father forbade her to see Didi again, and Ren cut herself off from her family, even Evan, partially blaming him for all of this. Against her parents' wishes, she continued to communicate with Didi via the internet, and he emailed her his band's gig schedule, just to let her know where he would be playing. Instead, Ren stole $2000 from her parents' checking account and hitched a ride out of Germany to meet him in Romania. Instead of welcoming her, Didi rebuffed her, saying he thought she was wiser than that.

After he threw her belongings into a cab, he told her to go home, but Ren was hesitant to do such a thing, as she was sure they were realizing what had happened. She told the cab to drop her off at the nearest big city, which happened to be Constanta on the far eastern coast of Romania. She owned the clothes on her back, a few notebooks and pens, and approximately $1600. She stowed away on a ship that crossed the Black Sea and made her way across Russia, through Pakistan, living in India for a few years before moving on to Thailand, where she settled in Bangkok.

Initially, she was involved in petty crime, mainly for survival, but then she met a local Christian missionary there named Ben Forester who offered her a place to stay. Ben never asked her from where she came and why she appeared to be a runaway, but she eventually did come to view him as a second father, since she had abandoned her real one. He often told her that he could tell great things would come from her, but Ren dismissed his claims, getting jobs at bars and nightclubs as a well-known bartender.

One evening, in a drunken haze, a server friend of hers dared her to steal the car of a businessman who was patronizing her bar. She jokingly accepted his dare, fully intending to bring the vehicle back in one piece, but instead, she ended up in a fatal car crash, dead at 24 years old.

After what seemed like a second, Ren awoke in a Buddhist temple with a nun standing over her pensively. The nun explained that she had been dead for two days and asked if she remembered what she had experienced during that time. The young woman, skeptical of the nun's assertions, shook her head. The nun then said ominously, "They - the memories - will come." After the nun had worked on Ren's muscles for a few minutes, an older man who appeared to be a Catholic priest burst into the room with an air of perceived authority. He announced that she had been chosen by a higher being, his God, to be a member of the Legion, a branch of the organization known as the Guardians. Before she could refute anything he said, he presented her with her medical record and the news story describing the wreck, sending a gag reflex through Ren's stomach.

The priest, who called himself a Scholar, gave her an ultimatum. She could choose to fight in the Legion or she could refuse the offer and die. Again.

Without even asking what the Legion was, Ren agreed, eager to be alive. The priest then elaborated: the Legion is a small army of people, around 5,000 individuals who have previously died and who now banish demons. He left the temple and Ren, to be trained by the nun before her, who was actually a Vision, another aspect of the Guardians. For the brief span of five weeks, Ren became aware of her powers: extraordinary strength and resilience, an ability to sense demons, and an affinity for melee combat, although this trait is not something that is universal. The nun, named Somsri, also revealed that she would discover other things about herself as time went on.

Ren was also introduced to the Guardian doctrine, which has very strict rules regarding demons (or extradimensionals) entering into this realm. Even angels are not permitted, except on very specific business, and even then, they must be discreet. Somsri informed Ren of another rule: no one from her past could know she was alive, as it would alert them to things beyond their control.

At the end of her five week training, Somsri sent Ren to Italy on assignment, and it wasn't until after her first demon banishment that Ren found out that Somsri was attacked and killed by a demon named Thrasher. She returned to Bangkok, looking for the demon, but as of yet, it still remains at large.

Two years later, Ren is a seasoned Legion, for one is not expected to live much past the first week. And it is at this time that a field Scholar known as Mason Alderick imposes on her life. Thus begins "The Legion."

There's Danger Everywhere

It had only been dark in San Juan for thirty minutes, but downtown was already pulsating. The air was charged with carnal drumbeats and sweat, engulfing both locals and tourists in the trance-like ebb and flow of Puerto Rican night life.

Ren Winter fought to remain detached from the virile scene as she scanned the crowd from the roof of the building, which vibrated with the deep bass of hip-hop-infused salsa, yet even she sensed the life of Old Town, feeding off of the warm, already imbibed bodies below. However, she was snapped back into the reality of her mission by the unwelcome sound of Mason Alderick's voice from beside her.

"Do you see them?" he asked, his eyes locked on the clubhoppers, flowing up and down Forteleza Street as if blood through a vein.

With an annoyed side glance, Ren responded with a curt, "No," quickly returning her attention to the festive throng.

This was proving more time consuming than she had initially predicted. Then again, the pair for which they were searching had at least a two-day head start, thanks to Mason. Had he not shown up in the Keys, she might have been enjoying an evening of debauchery amongst the denizens instead of perching above them like a gargoyle. Despite her irritation at the current situation, Ren reminded herself that Mason was a newly instated Scholar, with his only experience in demon hunting was a small collection of prayer sessions in his Southern Baptist church, shortly after completing seminary. Still, they could have at least trained him to be subtle, she thought, peeking over at the young man, who was still staring intently at the street as if he knew what he was looking for.

She shook her head and rolled her eyes, but suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw them. The woman was glowing and alive, but the man seemed dim, even under the neon lights of the sign at the entrance of Milk, the nightclub for which they were paying admission.

"Cheeky bastards," she whispered. She had to hurry. They would be feasting soon.

Here's a Little Quickie

It has been a crazy past few weeks. After not working for over half a year, it's really difficult to get back into the swing of things, like, oh, you know, getting up before 10 am, so I've been kind of lax on the updates. And by lax, I mean completely not doing them. For that, I apologize.

But there is good news! I have a sneak peek that I'm going to post at lunch today of the first story in the collection. It's only a few paragraphs, but I promise you'll get a bigger excerpt later on this week.

So stay tuned!