The XJ7 Experiment: Hostile Grey AliensA New Audiobook I Narrated and Produced is Live!

I had the pleasure to narrate and produce The XJ7 Experiment for Drac Von Stoller. It was an absolute blast. This audiobook was a very different animal. While it was very short, there was a lot of production involved because the author requires that his stories have sound effects to enhance his audio books. I love producing these kinds of stories in audio! Although this is another Science Fiction story for me, it's also my first horror book. It gets pretty gruesome and the sound effects only add to the intense scenes. Have a listen to the sample, and hey why not support a couple indie guys and buy it to hear the rest. It's only $3.95 and although it's short - it really packs a punch. The two of us have partnered up again on another one of his stories called Airpocalypse that I'm really excited about. It really shines in audio and I can't wait for you to hear it. It's another one with sound effects and will be one of those audiobooks you'll want to listen to in a quiet place with really nice headphones on so you can hear all of the intricacies and texture of the sound. That one should be out in just a couple weeks and I'll be sure to post about it when it goes live. Thanks for stopping by!

LOTR Haiku | The Fellowship of the Rings, Chapter 20

My friend Laith Preston, who has guest blogged here a couple times, asked if I'd like to participate in a really cool project he has going on his website. He previously posted a haiku for each chapter of The Hobbit, written by himself and others, and called it Hobbit Haiku. This time around he's doing The Fellowship of the Ring and has again invited other writers to pick a chapter and write their own haiku for it. I've done others and the final chapter I chose was twenty, Farewell to Lórien. Here is my haiku: 

Farewell to Lórien

Cloaks given from elves.
In boats down the Great River.
Gifts; elf bread and more.

Now go to Laith's post and check out the rest of them! Thanks for stopping by.

Music, Writing, and Inspiration

Music used to be a big part of my life. It was THE creative passion of my life much like writing and audiobooks seem to be now. I listen to audiobooks so much now that it doesn't leave much time for music, but every once in a while I'll just spend my entire hour commute to work with some music cranked, belting it out along with the band. I used to play in rock bands, punk rock in high school and heavy metal after college. I gave that all up once I got married so I could spend all my time with my wife and now family. I figured I'd shift my creative output from hours of band practice and playing shows to quiet hours I could snatch here and there typing away at a keyboard. A transition from the loud and assaulting sounds of cranked electric guitars screaming from half stacks to the calm clacking of keys under soft fingertips. I really miss playing music, but I'm having a blast writing and narrating audiobooks now and there will always be music. Someday, especially now that I have a great microphone for it, I want to record an acoustic album of songs I've written. You can hear a few crappy recordings of them on my Myspace page.

Anyways, all that said I originally just wanted to post a video of my favorite band Thrice playing a live show because they are so good. I got an iTunes gift card and used it to buy their last album Major/Minor, recently they ended their career as a band but the singer Dustin Kensrue is still making music. Check out his latest single:



Pretty amazing music if you ask me. It inspires me to make my own music the way reading a great book or listening to an amazing audiobook inspires me to want to write and record. So be inspired! Thanks for stopping by.

LOTR Haiku | The Fellowship of the Rings, Chapter 13

My friend Laith Preston, who has guest blogged here a couple times, asked if I'd like to participate in a really cool project he has going on his website. He previously posted a haiku for each chapter of The Hobbit, written by himself and others, and called it Hobbit Haiku. This time around he's doing The Fellowship of the Ring and has again invited other writers to pick a chapter and write their own haiku for it. I chose chapter thirteen, Many Meetings. Here is my haiku: 

Many Meetings

A needed long rest.
Old friends met, new ones are made.
Elves and dwarves from old.

Now go to Laith's post and check out the rest of them! Thanks for stopping by.

LOTR Haiku | The Fellowship of the Rings, Chapter 8

My friend Laith Preston, who has guest blogged here a couple times, asked if I'd like to participate in a really cool project he has going on his website. He previously posted a haiku for each chapter of The Hobbit, written by himself and others, and called it Hobbit Haiku. This time around he's doing The Fellowship of the Ring and has again invited other writers to pick a chapter and write their own haiku for it. I chose chapter eight, Fog on the Barrow-downs. Here is my haiku: 

Fog on the Barrow-downs

Through the barrow downs.
Imprisoned by Barrow-wights.
Tom saves, new daggers.

Now go to Laith's post and check out the rest of them! Thanks for stopping by.

LOTR Haiku | The Fellowship of the Rings, Chapter 6

My friend Laith Preston, who has guest blogged here a couple times, asked if I'd like to participate in a really cool project he has going on his website. He previously posted a haiku for each chapter of The Hobbit, written by himself and others, and called it Hobbit Haiku. This time around he's doing The Fellowship of the Ring and has again invited other writers to pick a chapter and write their own haiku for it. I chose chapter six, The Old Forest. Here is my haiku: 

The Old Forest

The Old Forest, lost.
Old Man Willow traps hobbits.
Tom Bombadil saves.

Now go to Laith's post and check out the rest of them! Thanks for stopping by.