Regatta

Today I want to show you the picture I gave to my fiancé as a present for our engagement. It is called 'Regatta' and I used acrylic on a 30 x 30 cm² canvas.
Here ist is:

Writing Exercise 033

This week's writing exercise is special. Since I participated in a contest for the game Spellstone, I didn't want to withhold the 1st prize winning Haiku (Japanese poem consisting of 5-7-5 syllables) I wrote. :D
Here it is:

2016/07/26 – Haiku for Spellstone (Contest)

Ascend Aria,

lead my dragon deck to war!

Ad victoriam!

Aria is one of the heroes you can play in Spellstone, and 'ad victoriam!' is the motto of my guild VictoriousSecret.

I know not if there is a reason...

The past weekend has been very eventful for me.
My fiancé and I went to St. Goarshausen, which is situated at the river Rhine.

As I do Tai Chi the "Tai Chi Forum International" led by Volker Jung was the place to be and learn about the five elements (water, earth, wood/wind, fire and metal) and their influence in the hand form.


On Saturday we went to St. Goar, which is situated on the other bank of the Rhine, and visited the castle ruins of Burg Rheinfels, where there was a medieval fair this particular weekend.

At Burg Rheinfels there were a castle museum, lots of booths, knights' games, bards playing minnelieds and really splendid views over the Rhine.

Isn't it beautiful? This really was a fun day (although I sprained my ankle). :D

On Sunday, before heading home, we also visited the Loreley rocks. Which is a MUST SEE when you are there!
The rocks create a seven times echo which caused lots of ships to crash. According to legend the Loreley was a maiden who sang like a siren to lure sailors against the rocks.

Maybe you have heard about the poem by Heinrich Heine about the Loreley, which was turned into a beautifully melancholic song? Here it is, as translated by A.Z. Foreman:

I know not if there is a reason
Why I am so sad at heart.
A legend of bygone ages
Haunts me and will not depart.

The air is cool under nightfall.
The calm Rhine courses its way.
The peak of the mountain is sparkling
With evening's final ray.

The fairest of maidens is sitting
So marvelous up there,
Her golden jewels are shining,
She's combing her golden hair.

She combs with a comb also golden,
And sings a song as well
Whose melody binds a wondrous
And overpowering spell.

In his little boat, the boatman
Is seized with a savage woe,
He'd rather look up at the mountain
Than down at the rocks below.

I think that the waves will devour
The boatman and boat as one;
And this by her song's sheer power
Fair Lorelei has done.

As you can see, my fiancé and I had a great trip. I wish I could have shared more impressions with you because the landscape is really breathtaking and beautiful. If you ever get the chance to go there, do so! I can highly recommend it. :D

Just a little walk...

Two days ago I hopped on the bandwagon of playing 'Pokémon Go!'. :o
As I used to play Pokémon Red, Yellow and Silver when I was younger I feel a little nostalgic catching Pokémon again. But my main reason for playing 'Pokémon Go!' is that I wanted to go outside more since my Zumba course is on summer break and I lack activity.

So this game seemed the ideal incentive -- and it is! Just yesterday I walked five times the distance I would normally have when I went for a little walk. Wow. :o

Even the hot temperature (34°C!) didn't phaze me. Instead I put on some hotpants, a shirt and my hat and off I went on Pokémon hunt. :D

Surprisingly there are a bunch of Poké Stops in my home village, and a total of two Gyms where to challenge others! As I only reached level 8 today, I'm no match for the gym leaders yet. But it's fun to try. As I caught, hatched and evolved quite a few Pokémon I certainly got to see the landscape and some sights.
Here is my catch of the day:

And no, I didn't run into a lamppost or fall into the lake...yet. :P

Writing Exercise 032

It's time for another writing exercise. :D
As I went for a little walk recently this week's task was quite fitting. And maybe it encites you to go outside and experience it yourselves? So here goes my double-drabble:

2016/07/18 – a walk in the woods (double-drabble)

As you enter the woods a whole new world engulfs you. The noise of the town is replaced by the soft rustling of leaves and the chirping of birds; they are soothing sounds. In a million shades of green, the lush underbush and foliage whisper in the winds.

You breathe deeply and the fresh smells of flowers and wood make you feel so much alive.

As you continue further into the forest the world becomes quiet and calm. Just the light and continuous swooshing of the treetops, just a cry of a jay or the peck of a woodpecker then and there… A butterfly flutters by.

As you tread the path deeper into the forest your senses adjust to the quietness and become keener. You hear bugs buzzing around and a small bubbling brook; you smell the fragrance of firs, beeches and oaks; you see traces of deer and boars.

You realize this is how Earth was supposed to be like: so peaceful, so sublime, so mysterious. The woods feel like a living, breathing entity. And you are part of it. Just for a while.

The sun comes out and leads you out of the forest. You return to civilisation.

Have an Ace up Your Sleeve

I've just realized you haven't seen all of my cards for the character CCG yet. :o
There's still one pair missing. So this time you get to see Toki. I coloured these cards with Chinese ink and Copic markers.

 These are all I have for now. In September I'm going to visit my dear friend, and maybe we get to make more cards. So stay tuned to what else I have up my sleeve! ;)

Writing Exercise 031

Another week, another writing exercise. :D
This time you are going to witness something mysterious, something that could have happened somewhere sometime. As an homage to the Dead Pete Society I named one of the characters the way I did and sealed his fate. Also I challenged myself to write exactly 1k words.
Have fun reading.

2016/07/11 – mystery

It all started a few days ago. The deluge and the hot weather created the ideal breeding ground for the toads. When biologist Lauri Anderson went to check up on the animals and their spawn, however, she found them gone. She waded through the swamped area around the lake and searched for quite some time, but the toads where nowhere to be found.

“This is strange,” Lauri told her colleague Pete Simons on the phone, “they should be hopping around everywhere.”

“Don't worry,” Pete tried to calm her, “they have to be somewhere. Let's come back in a few days and have another look.”

Hesitantly Lauri agreed and returned home. But she worried nonetheless; all evening her thoughts were with the missing toads. Something was wrong, she was certain. Therefore the next day she returned to the lake. For hours she waded through the muddy waters until her trousers were soaking wet and she was exhausted. The toads were still missing; not a croak to be heard. Lauri decided to take samples of the water then flew back to the lab at the mountain top and examined them.

The findings were surprising. The water seemed to have reacted to something and turned into hydrogen peroxide. Shocked, Lauri instantly washed her legs and arms so the acid came off. Luckily she wore Wellingtons, but her skin started to bleach and sting already where the hydrogen peroxide had touched her. “So that's why the toads are gone,” she murmured as she treated her fingers. “But why did the water react? What's happening here?”

She decided to stay at the lab and research some more. Maybe the samples would reveal something.

It was almost sunrise when Lauri heard the noise. A light vibration, the clincking of glass which soon grew louder into an earth-shattering sound as the cupboards and machines began to tremble. Books and vials fell over, crashed to the ground. Lauri almost fell to her knees as everything shook and violently rocked back and forth. She fled the room and hurried outside as cupboards fell and almost buried her under them. As the earth continued to shake she clung to the rocks as if her dear life depended on it. Trees deracinated around her and crashed to the ground, the lab collapsed like a house of cards. Lauri realised, she was not safe here either. Then her glance fell on the helicopter. It was parked at the cliff and it was slowly sliding towards the edge. Lauri didn't hesitate long and started towards it, ripped the door open and got inside. “Come on, come on!” she repeated like a mantra as she flicked the switches. The helicopter shook, neared the edge and was about to fall. Lauri held her breath as panic seeped in. She didn't want to die.

But then the engine roared to life and the rotor blades accelerated. At last it lifted off and ascended into the air. Lauri sighed, relieved and steered around the falling trees.

From a distance the lake seemed to boil and the village houses shook and collapsed. Here and there she could see fires. She could imagine the people scream in fright and anguish. Never had Lauri witnessed such a devastating earthquake.

Steering the helicopter with one hand, she fumbled for her smartphone and dialled Pete's number. She worried for her colleague, knowing he lived at the village. For a long while the phone rang and rang and rang. “Come on, pick up your damn phone!” Finally it clicked, as Pete answered. But before he could say anything, she gushed: “Oh my god, Pete! Are you alright?”

“Lauri!” he exclaimed. She could hear the rumbling of the earthquake and the screaming people through the phone. “I'm ok, I'm ok. Barely made it out of the house. Oh god, what's happening? Where are you?”

“In the chopper. Suddenly the ground started shaking and the lab collapsed,” Lauri cried, relieved that Pete was alive. “I-I'll get you out of there, Pete – what's that?”

She suddenly saw a veil of mist spread from the lake and roll towards the village like a wave. Unstoppable, it crawled over the already ruined village. Lauri could only watch. There was a gasp from the other end, which alerted her to Pete's situation. “Pete? What happened?”

Again she heard a sharp intake of breath. “Can't...breathe...” he rasped and gurgled. Then there was a low thud and a clattering noise.

“Pete? Pete!” she exclaimed, panicked and with tears streaming down her face. No answer. “Pete!” she cried again. Lauri's instinct told her to steer the helicopter towards the village and make sure he was alright. But she remembered the mist from the lake and the hydrogen peroxide in the water. It wasn't safe to go down there. So she circled and circled above the village, calling for Pete. But he wouldn't answer.

Finally it sunk in, that he had to be dead. Lauri wept quietly. But only hours later – when the earth had ceased to tremble and the mist had evaporated – she dared land the helicopter and assess the damage. The houses were in ruins and as she climbed through the rubble she found all the villagers and animals lay dead on the ground. Some might have escaped the falling houses, but the mist had killed those who survived the earthquake. When Lauri found Pete's body just outside his ruined house she broke down. She cried long and hard; ugly tears swept down her cheeks as she sobbed and hiccuped beside his corpse. Finally she let out a shuddering sigh and stood then trudged back to her helicopter.

She flew to the next city, where there was a university, determined, knowing she would soon return with new equipment and people to help. As the only survivor of this disaster she vowed to solve the mystery of the earthquake and the mist. For Pete's sake, for the villagers' sake, but also for her own sake – to find a closure and start anew.

Say Cheese! XD

I found a new recipe in a cooking magazine, and I just had to try it. :o
As I love both cherries and cheese cake, it is the perfect combination. The recipe was pretty easy to follow, almost as easy as pie. ;)
I think I did pretty well. But see for yourself:

 Doesn't it look like a piece of art? ;)

Celebrations :D

My dear writing buddy from the Dead Pete Society -- Jori -- had birthday yesterday. :D
As a present she wished for a picture of the two main characters from her book in the making, and so I did. I'm so glad she loved it. Hopefully you do, too. :o
Say hello to Bella and Roz (left to right) and their lovely pets:

Welcome on board!

Today I have another drawing for you which I drew during my holidays. It shows a cutter at the harbour entrance of Bensersiel.

I used Chinese ink for this one, and today I coloured it with Copic markers. Here is the coloured version:

Writing Exercise 030

This is my thirtieth writing exercise already. Time sure flies by. :D
As you might have noticed, I have uploaded six holiday drabbles to my new German Corner. From now on I will occasionally add content there also -- works in my mother tongue -- and you are very welcome to browse. ;)
But let's get to the point. This week's writing exercise is about a day in July. The very day I picked has a special name in German. Maybe you can find out what day it is?
Oh, and I also challenged myself to write a drabble.

2016/07/04 – a day in July (Drabble)

The weather has been changeable for these past few weeks. You can tell it's summer by the way the rain becomes warmer. Plants grow and thrive, of course, and the splendour of colourfully blooming flowers and alluring scents is just fantastic. Still… you long for the smell of sun on your skin and the holiday feeling; you long for the thunderclouds to disperse and the blue sky to touch the horizon. Instead the temperature plunges. Freshly shorn sheep shudder with cold on the meadows, bleating miserably in the rain. It is the 11^th of July, but tomorrow summer truly begins.

Head to the Sea!

I'm back from holiday, and it was so great. I just regret that it's already over.
We went to Bensersiel, which is locaded at the Wadden Sea. The weather was changeable, but we were quite lucky when we did day trips.
Instead of souvenirs I have a little something for you I drew at the shore of Langeoog:

For this picture I used Chinese ink. Today -- after the trip -- I coloured it with Copic markers. Big difference as you can see here:

Writing Exercise 029

As I'm on holiday this week my weekly writing exercise has to be published today, before my departure.
To me, this week's topic has great timing because last week my djembe (African drum) group performed at a summer party. I was super nervous but everything went well and we had a lot of fun. So this is what came to mind when tasked to write a drabble about music:

2016/06/27 – Drabble: Music

Knees touching, we sit and wait. My heart beats like a drum as I glimpse at the others of our ensemble. It is time.

Together we chant like a choir so the people may gather: “Odja hee, odja – hee odja...“ I suck in a breath as our leader gives the signal. My hands fly over the African drum, hitting the drumhead in a quick staccato: open, open, bass – bass, bass. The beat is fast, the rhythm invites to dance. The crowd cheers as I play a solo. In the end we throw our hands in the air, laughing: “Fanga!” – Welcome.

Oh, and don't forget: on Wednesday I guest vlog on Frankie's and Sam's blog 'Kalopsiad'.
Let me know what you think of it.
See you next week! :D 

Cards....And Announcement

So I will say it right from the start: next week I am on holidays. Yay. :D

But does that mean I will neglect my blog?
The answer is simple: no, of course not.

I intend to continue my weekly writing exercises; you'll problably get to read the next one on Monday, right before my leaving.
AND, my dear writing buddies Sam and Frankie invited me to guest vlog on their blog 'Kalopsiad' on Wordpress on Wednesday. Isn't that awesome?  :D
I'll talk a bit about my works, so I hope you drop by then.

Last but not least, here are some of the remaining cards. Again I used Chinese ink and Copic markers to colour them.

Writing Exercise 028

This week's writing exercise is very interesting. I guess the topic implies a specific genre, but we'll see. :D
I additionally challenged myself to write a drabble. Therefore this exercise is pretty short. But it might get you thinking... ;)
Here it is:

2016/06/21 – be a visionary (Drabble)

Imgaine I could see into the future. Imagine I could take a glimpse at what life would be like then. Imagine I could know the fate of you and me and everyone else. What would I do with that knowledge? Would you believe me if I told you? Yes, that's what I thought. But what if I wrote down everything instead? What if I guised my visions in the cloak of the fantastic stories you are able to read now? Perhaps you might find them entertaining, perhaps you might buy my books. But you will remember when it actually happens.

Vast as Worlds

Today I want to talk about an important aspect of writing -- the world your characters are inhabiting.
It is not only part of the setting, but where your story takes place can also influence the characters' behaviour and -- utlimately -- the plot itself.

source: pixabay.com

Worldbuilding is way more than mere mapping. It includes many aspects such as culture, lore and languages. Especially for fantasy/scifi stories worldbuilding is essential. Still, if you decide to use the 'real world' as setting, you have to keep all of these things in mind.
Imagine your story takes place in, let's say, Italy. It would be very strange if your characters  -- Italians -- had Finnish names or German traditions or lived in cities which reminded you of ancient Chinese architecture. Think about this beforehand, and be dedicated to whatever you decide.

This is even more important when you make up your own world like I did with my 'Neverbeen Universe'. Surely, the readers won't know exactly how it is supposed to be in this world. But they will catch on to things that make no sense or are confusing. So it is important to be stringent with yourself and with your world. Think about the different people who live there.
How are they governed? Do they remind you of real people in their mannerisms? What are their traditions and values? What do they believe in? What about sports, art or food?
These are just a few questions you should be able to answer.

In Neverbeen Universe there are a lot of different people and creatures. For example, there are the Waterfairies. They are a deeply religious and traditionally rooted people who live in Waterfairy Kingdom. Their capital Yponerotis is a megacity larger than Tokyo and it is both ashore and under the sea. While they are very traditional a people, Waterfairies are very advanced in medicine and healing magic. Their motto is 'panta rhei' -- everything flows. And like the waters, they believe they can always find a way to solve issues. Altough they have ongoing feuds with other fairy people, they are very helpful towards any creature in need. Their religion is centered around a waterdeity, who occasionaly helps heal people at the Healing Academy of Yponerotis. The Academy building is a masterpiece of architectural art. As the Waterfairy country is a kingdom, they have an absolutistically ruling dynasty -- the di Kuningas -- and the Waterfairies would always follow their lead, even if it led away from their traditional paths. They usually have more than one first name and the naming pattern is something between Icelandic and Japanese. Their life expectancy is a few thousand years...

Now this is only one people living in Neverbeen Universe. And -- like the name suggests -- Neverbeen Universe is more than just one world. There is Earth -- a lot of my short stories take place in the fictional city of Thuddington -- and there are other planets connected to it via magical portals; they belong to Thisside, but there are also Heaven and Hell, which are vast and complex realms of their own, belonging to the Otherside.

source: gizmodo.com

You see, I spent more than a decade building this universe and it still grows and thrives. Of course you don't have to wait for ten years until your world is finished and you can start writing.
But you should take time to get to know your world, to explore the places your characters inhabit and to build this world until it fits. You'll soon experience that writing becomes a lot easier if you not only know your characters by heart but also take like a fish to the sea in the world you created for them.

Celebration...and Cards

Today is a day to celebrate. :D
I ordered some copies of my books, and today they were in the mail. I'm so excited and they look fabulous. Awesome! I'm totally over the moon.

Also this blog has crossed the 1k hits margin. So thanks, guys! :D
This makes me think of the future of this blog; and I wonder, what do you think of the things I do? Do you enjoy my writing exercises and my art? 
Do you have suggestions how to improve?
Do you want me to cover different topics?
Please, leave a comment and tell me. :)

Last but now least, I have some more coloured cards to show you. Here they are:

Writing Exercise 027

It's time for my weekly writing exercise again. :D
This week's task was rather funny. I had to describe one of my stories as if it was a recipe. I chose my WIP 'Ravenous Adventures - A Tale from Neverbeen Universe', which is currently in beta stage (thanks for the great help, Frankie!).
But let's start cooking, shall we? ;)

2016/06/13 – describe one of your stories as if it was a recipe

Recipe for Ravenous Adventures:

1 reckless Daemon, who is worried for his human lover

1 oblivious human, who becomes the 'damsel in distress'

6 Reapers, at least one of them a gentlemanly coffee junkie

1 mad sadistic demon and his shy shadow devil companion

1 time-jumping Daemon, who is up to mischief

a choleric seal technician and a witch, to get you out of trouble

a pinch of a soul thief to spice up the plot

1 lost mighty time travelling artifact

Bring the reckless Daemon and the human together and place them in a dangerous world. Have them look for the time travelling artifact. Add seal technician and witch for good measure.

In the meantime combine the six Reapers and add a pinch of a soul thief, so they blend for a time and try to catch the thief. Remove the gentlemanly Reaper and add him to the search party until the human gets kidnapped by the time-jumping Daemon.

As a side dish have the mad sadistic demon and his companion investigate and infiltrate enemy territory. They will cause trouble.

The Reapers continue to hunt for the soul thief while you wait for the search party to find the time travelling artifact. When they do, remove seal technician and witch from the mix. The human will be in need of help by now, so stir the tension until the reckless Daemon is ready to do anything to get the human back. Activate the time travelling artifact and watch everything spin out of control. Prepare for a surprise end.

The World Is Not Just Black and White

Last time I showed you the first of the coloured cards.
As I continue to colour them they become so very different. Again I used Chinese ink and Copic markers, and I really like the outcome.
They weren't bad when they were still b/w, but they look so much better now. See for yourself how the next two cards turned out! :D

Writing Exercise 026

Another week, another exercise. :D
This time the task was to write about pets. I additionally challenged myself to make it a double-drabble. Here it is:

2016/06/07 – write about your pets (double-drabble)

Some people have dogs, others have cats or birds or fish. Me? I have neither.

My 'pets' are of the quiet, less demanding kind. I don't cuddle; but I enjoy their silent company. I call them my 'little family' and whenever I watch them I smile to myself. They are very different; tall and fat, small and slender, in the bloom of their life, growing and thriving. Just for fun I gave them names that are considered chavvy like Schantalle, Cedric and Disco-Dieter.

Yes, they are cactuses, but to me they are my beloved pets, my little chav family, and they have been with me for many years. Some bear edible fruits, others grow beautiful blossoms or look woolly like sheep.

Everything began with one cactus as tiny as my thumbnail. I remembered I read a story where a boy gave a cactus to his crush. It was then revealed that in flower language cactus stands for passion. Thinking one can never have enough passion, I started collecting cactuses. By now I have fifteen of them and the very first one has grown exponentially. If my passion has likewise multiplied I can't say. But I'm passionate about what I do.