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Post by scintor on Mar 20, 2008 21:40:51 GMT -5
Hello all,
My name is Mark McDonald. I go online by the name of Scintor.
I am a good friend of Rob Mullin (devidsthewaters) and he and I were good friends in college and he is the one who directed me to this group.
I am currently working on a Science-Fiction story (possibly series) and am looking for ideas and feedback.
I am a strange choice for a writer for several reasons. Although I love to read, English and Literature were always my weakest and most hated subjects. I am a trained scientist and love science and history. I am also a amature philosopher and theologin as well. The strangest part is that I am internally blind. I can see perfectly well, but I cannot make pictures in my head while conscious. (when I close my eyes and try to imagine the beauty of the pine forests and the nature all around me while the breezes rush through the trees with the sound of the crashing surf ... it just gets really dark!)
Despite all of that , I have always loved telling myself stories. When I started playing D&D and using that to share my stories with other people, they started telling me that I should start writing them down as they would make great books. I have started a few stories in the past and everyone who has read them seems to really like them so now that I am permanently disabled, I decided to give it a try.
Anyway I look forward to reading more of what this community has to offer and makeing a contribution to it.
Scincerely,
Scintor@aol.com AKA Mark McDonald
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Post by Christian Soldier on Mar 21, 2008 8:26:16 GMT -5
Greetings Scintor aka Mark!
Welcome to this place where all realities co-exist and all thoughts are completely random. This place, findable only by those who have left the map behind, is perfect for you. Every author has some sort of handicap and must learn to write around it. Some are major, some are minor. That's part of what we do here: help each other get through our problems so that we can be efficient effective writers.
Once again, I say welcome, and I look forward to the discussions to come.
God Bless -- CS
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Post by rwley on Mar 21, 2008 8:52:01 GMT -5
Welcome, Scintor (Mark); I'll add mine bit to CS; we do all have some sort of weakness. I love science fiction; I'm writing a science fiction trilogy. My weakness? I hated science and was really bad at it in school. But that was a hundred years ago, and now I'm much more open to learning things I need to make my science work.
It's always great to meet another story teller.
Welcome to the best place off the map.
Robi
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Post by Divides the Waters on Mar 21, 2008 10:39:11 GMT -5
MARK!!!!! Yahoo!
Well, the gang's all here, now. I'm going to have fun with this....
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Post by Teskas on May 6, 2008 16:19:51 GMT -5
Welcome, Scintor.
I'm catching up with the threads. Alas, alack! This salutation didst not find thee sooner. Welcome. Nice to meet a scientist who likes to write sci-fi. Are you the hardcore sci-fi type, or into fantasy fiction, as well?
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Post by scintor on May 7, 2008 23:35:44 GMT -5
Welcome, Scintor. I'm catching up with the threads. Alas, alack! This salutation didst not find thee sooner. Welcome. Nice to meet a scientist who likes to write sci-fi. Are you the hardcore sci-fi type, or into fantasy fiction, as well? I love to explore new worlds no matter what the setting (sci-fi or fantasy.) I have stories in both forms and I always try to make my worlds self consistant and logical as possible. This tends to lead me toward hard sci-fi to keep things consistant. Strangely enough, I am just as rigerous with my fantasy, but I can accept a non-scientific basis as long as it follows rules consistantly (would you call this hard fantasy?) Scincerely, Scintor@aol.com
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Post by Spokane Flyboy on May 17, 2008 15:35:48 GMT -5
I tend to be the same way. It doesn't need to make sense in our reality, but it better at least make sense in the story's reality. Suspension of disbelief is something that sometimes is lacking in stories. Nothing's worse than getting turned off to a book because you're too busy trying to sort out how two opposite things can be happening simultaneously without canceling one another out. Though quantum physics often has a hard time suspending my disbelief too. Hehe.
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Post by scintor on May 20, 2008 22:55:04 GMT -5
Strangely enough, I have studied enough physics that I believe that the theory of quantum physics is just plain wrong. It then becomes double difficult for me to enjoy a Sci-Fi story that takes a innacurate view of of quantum phisics to make some strange philosophical point.
Oh well.
Scincerely,
Scintor@aol.com
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Post by Divides the Waters on May 21, 2008 1:25:29 GMT -5
I don't have the head for quantum physics. I have a learning disability in math. But I have talked to enough people who do have a head for numbers crunching to realize that beyond some of the basic concrete mathematics, it is just as theoretical and hypothetical as any other philosophy of science. So I tend to take quite a bit with a grain of salt, because in the words of one of my left-brained friends, "You can prove anything with math."
I prefer Logic.
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Post by Spokane Flyboy on May 21, 2008 14:09:39 GMT -5
About all I got from quantum physics was reading about String Theory and finding myself asking: Why do most believers in quantum physics call my faith in God to be blind and contradictory? Hehe.
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Post by scintor on Nov 5, 2008 23:18:25 GMT -5
Hey everyone!
I am finally getting near the end of my first complete manuscript. I have just passed the 75,000 word mark and am building everything toward the climactic battle at the end of the first story. I'm getting really excited and decided to share this with you all.
Anyone from this board who would like to read a section is welcomed. Just drop me an e-mail. Anyone who gives me feedback would have my gratitude. Feedback from current and former military personel (especially those with combat experience) would be especially helpful to me.
My story is (or at least tries to be) a hard Sci-Fi tale of Alien contact and invasion. It's is currently titled: Taurian Invasion: Prometheus Unleashed.
Taurian Invasion is the series name in the event that I sell this story and anyone is interested in hearing more.
I am planning to post updates here as I make my way throught the dangerous world of becomming a published author.
Scincerely,
Scintor@aol.com
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Post by scintor on Nov 7, 2008 20:27:01 GMT -5
76,000 and counting!
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Post by scintor on Nov 8, 2008 17:19:19 GMT -5
77,000 an their on their way to Japan!
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Post by scintor on Nov 9, 2008 0:46:05 GMT -5
78,000 and in Japan.
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Post by scintor on Nov 19, 2008 2:31:26 GMT -5
Let's try this again! (my computer crashed the first time.)
My progress on the story has slowed down for two reasons. First, my physical problems ( see arm problems in prayer requests.) Second, I have a better idea for the prologue. My prologue has always been a weakness. It establishes a lot of essential concepts for the setting, but it doesn't even introduce any charactors until the end. I've been trying to change that for a while, but have met with little success.
I was brainstorming with Rob (dividsthewaters) about my latest attempt to rework it, when he took a new scene I had added to it, and suggested that I use it to reframe the whole prologue. His insight has allowed me to restructure the prologue in a way that gives the necessary background while revolving around the central cast. Now all I have to do is get it out of my head and onto paper.
I am still hoping to keep my goal of getting to the end of the story before the end of November and having a coherent draft by year's end. Wish me luck and keep me in your prayers.
Scincerely,
Scintor@aol.com
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