A DUEL COMMENCES

Now that the biggest battle in the second fantasy book is done, I will move on to the duel scene. This is where my main protagonist has a sword fight with a vengeful character who holds a grudge against the protagonist’s family.

FANTASY BATTLE COMPLETE

I have finished writing the major battle of my second fantasy book.

NEW FANTASY BATTLE

I am in the process of writing the major battle in my second fantasy book. It will involve a human army that is outnumbered more than two to one. They have set up extensive defenses as they await a horde of monsters. They don’t know if rescue will arrive or not and they have little hope for survival or victory. Even so, they fight their inhuman enemy as the unforgiving three-year long winter intensifies.

THE BAUK HORDE

Here are the antagonists of my fantasy book series, The Dark Ice Winter. These unholy creatures are called Bauks. They made their debut in Dawn of the Dark Ice, which came out a month ago. The Bauks serve as the vanguard of a forgotten evil that has returned to the world. Everywhere these demons go, they leave in their wake villages drenched in blood. For now, only rumors about their existence are spreading. However, it is only a matter of time before these creatures of darkness truly reveal themselves to the empire at large.

ALWAYS THE QUIET ONES

“Beware the quiet man. For while others speak, he watches. And while others act, he plans. And when they finally rest… he strikes.”

I have started to become privy to the extent of Attorney General Merrick Garland’s plans regarding the FBI raid against Trump as well as countering the MAGA outcry against the raid. The man has effectively tricked the GOP into demanding the release of the search warrant for the raid. Also, he has given Trump until tomorrow to object to the release of the warrant and yet Trump remains mostly silent. Essentially, Garland has struck Trump so hard and so fast that he has left Trump stunned and frightened of him. I had my doubts about Garland for some time, but I completely underestimated him in ways I am only beginning to fathom.

NOPE UFO

I saw the new Jordan Peele film Nope for the second time tonight. Normally, I HATE the concept of alien abduction, but Nope delivered an unexpected twist to the UFO concept. Instead of the UFO being a spaceship piloted by aliens, the UFO IS the alien itself. It is not a spaceship at all, but a giant predatory organism that is essentially a large flying stomach. The way its body is built is similar to an organic parade balloon or blimp. When in its true form, the UFO looks like an angelic mixture between an octopus and jellyfish. Overall, Nope has become my new favorite Jordan Peele movie and I recommend it to anyone who is seeking a story that thinks outside the box.

UNDERWATER TUNNELS

While I was vacationing in Las Vegas last month, I visited the aquarium in Mandalay Bay. There were these underwater tunnels where you would walk through a shark tank. As the sharks swim above and around you, you get a sense of terror that you cannot get anywhere else. On water’s surface, you can only imagine what is lurking in the depths. However, when you are in the depths and see what is in the water, that sense of terror is amplified. For the next volume of The Kaligen Experiment, I am envisioning a manmade lagoon that houses the artificial marine reptiles that has a network of underwater tunnels like this. Imagine being in these tunnels and see a beast that looks like a Mosasaurus swimming above you. Such a sight would put Jaws to shame! I look forward to putting all of this on paper.

ALTERNATE MOSASAURUS SCENE

Here is more unused concept art for Jurassic World regarding the Mosasaurus Lagoon. It provides yet another example of what underwater tunnels would look like if they housed prehistoric sea monsters. Only one thing scarier than looking at a giant marine reptile through a few inches of acrylic is watching said creature while it is eating.

DEEP SEA FEAR

Now this image paints a few scenarios regarding underwater windows and giant marine reptiles. All that would separate you from a sixty foot sea monster and millions of gallons of water would be a few inches of acrylic. If I was in such a situation, my heart would stop from fright.

PREHISTORIC AQUARIUM

I looked for examples of what underwater tunnels would look like if they were part of an aquarium that houses prehistoric marine reptiles. I found early concept art for the Mosasaurus Lagoon for Jurassic World. Imagine riding a vehicle through an underwater tunnel and see shoals of fish swimming alongside primeval sea monsters. That would be awesome to experience.