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An Alarm is Raised, Interview with Captain Maiel – Open Book Blog Hop #26

November 4, 2015 By Captain Maiel

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #26

Interview a character from your book. Why did you choose this character?

Hi, everyone and welcome to The Blue Honor Blog from whence you came.

Today on the blog I’ll be interviewing Captain Maiel, of Eden, Zion. She’s a commander of a military unit under the designation Moon Order. Her commanding presence, reaching just over seven feet in height is disarming, along with those eyes of lurid blue and brilliant red hair. This doesn’t even mention the wings! Today she is dressed in the plainclothes uniform of her order, a subtle toga-styled gown in cream with the order penannular (that’s a brooch of sorts, fitted with nano-tech that houses her active duty uniform—that uniform is very Greco-Roman in design—see the figure on the left) fixed on her left shoulder. Ever at her side is Leader Argus, a wolf who serves the legions in her unit. Despite his formidable appearance, he is laying by the Captain’s chair as sweetly as a pup.

Good afternoon, Captain. It’s a pleasure to have you with us today.

Thank you for having me. (She replies in a tone that evokes the power behind her command and absolute confidence. Her eyes seem to glow as I’m weighed and measured.)

Well, let’s get right in it then. Now that you’re back from what many are calling a crisis of conscience, how do you view your contribution to Zion’s armies and how your life has been so far?

My contributions are on record, and I have been ordered a penance for my disobedience to rank by General Mikhael himself. One must also consider that I was able to return a fallen member of my order, something that was not accomplished in the two-thousand years he roamed Earth. I’d have expected a contingent to be deployed to Samsara sooner—(she exhales, amused, if not somewhat abashed by her strong feelings on that matter). My life is getting back on track and any doubts I once harbored in my commanders or the king are all resolved.

All of them?

She nods, with a knowing smirk. I’m digging into private and military affairs that are rather wrapped up in government secrecy.

Let’s move on. Rumor has it that your husband, who is a human, entities who frequent the Samsaran realm on Earth (where I live), may be fighting a burning down? Is that true?

I would not be too hasty with a rumor mill. Dominic has paid dearly for the rumors swirling around us. It should also be noted that there is prejudice toward the mixing of races and many view humans as clever apes. Because of this, he has struggled for many years, but is achieving his rising.

Indeed, Captain. I’m glad to help you clear the air about that. Speaking of air—I see you have a new companion.

Oh, yes, this is Pallus, he was given to me by one of the cloister Powers. He’s been trained to assist my unit with reconnaissance and intelligence.

Wow, and I thought he was just a barn owl. Does he speak, too? Like your friend Argus, here?

Pallus is barely hatched, she muses, stroking his feathers. He’s still learning communications with other species, but he does all right. You may not recognize how he talks, per se. Whereas Argus has learned speech and transmits it telepathically, Pallus is still working in images.

May I touch him?

Only if you have a cookie to offer. She scoffs, playful. Relieving my tension. He’s quite sensitive to touch because of his feathers and it can be unsettling for him. Moving the owlet down her arm, the Captain presents her companion. If you scratch him lightly, just here, he will warm to you.

I gently press my fingers into the thick feathers of the bulb of his head, and give a little scratch. The bird yawns, tilting his head aside, and seems to appreciate the touch. As I pull my fingers back they tingle with the energy these Zionites give off.

Amazing. What is that feeling?

Atman. His energy or being.

I’m sorry? Can you explain that a bit more.

Atman is the true state of all life. It’s energy rather than matter, although matter is energy.

But you have form.

Yes, we all do, to the perception of others. It is our perception that forges the reality in which we live. For instance, in your realm, you must wear these bodies—skin suits, my son calls them. They’re a phenomenal bio interface machine that allows you to utilize this plane to discover the very depths of your atman and rise into greater states of being.

Rise? Do you mean grow? Are we changing into things? My body isn’t real?

Oh, your body is real, to this plane of existence, at least. However, it’s just a machine your consciousness directly or indirectly attaches to for a short time as you run exercises. We’re all changing, all the time. Just as now you’re becoming more aware of things that are, expanding your perception.

I stare for the longest time, thinking she’s mad, but I can see her wings and the size of her. She’s not of my world. That much is obvious. She’s something that gave rise to the myths of heaven and hell in our world. Our ancestors knew of them, and wrote of them and I swear if I touched her my hand would pass through her flesh, but she’s so solid looking at the same time. Then, a dark shape scurries behind the Captain’s chair. My heart races. The wolf at her side rises, a growl low in his throat. She touches his haunch and he sits, keeping a close eye on the same corner I saw that thing retreat to.

This is what the Zionites call a wraith.

What the hell was that?

That is an imp. A little bit of trouble. Nothing to worry over. I will clear him when we’re done.

An imp? (I see it again and gasp). What the hell?

They’re around you all the time. They’re formed from your energy, dark energies that bog you down. Like a poison gas it seeps through the world. At first they’re simply annoying. A lamp falls over as it bumps a table trying to hide from the Captain it has now spotted. It seems terrorized by her mere presence, something I can relate to. He’ll make you spill your coffee, or trip you in the hall to embarrass you in front of a young man you’ve grown a fancy to. But, given time, they grow, feeding off your hate and distress. They can become a haunting, moving things about the rooms, giving you nightmares, attacking you.

I’ve woken up recently with scratches on the back of my shoulder. I’ve had bruises before—are you telling me—

Yes, you probably have grown a rather large one. Have you lived here long? You could have also inherited one from a former tenant. If you don’t have a cat, that is.

Footsteps creep on the stairs. It’s too timely but I’m already startled. I don’t own a cat, no. The apartment is old. So many thoughts racing.

I will take care of it, she assures me.

So then, Zion isn’t the only world that has access to ours?

She raises her eyebrow at this, as if I have not been paying attention in class the whole time.

Read Captain Maiel’s entire harrowing tale in The Shadow Soul by K. Williams

These—these imps, you call them, are they from Jahannam?

No. They come from you, emanations of your bad energies. They can become marditavya if they grow great enough. Most just form small and make up herds as an atman regresses to the darkness. Then they become your servants.

I thought you said we were rising.

Many of you are. Many of you are falling. There are shadows here too. Darkness is always on the edge, willing you to do bad, to regress and find your destiny with Jahannam.

Is there nothing that can stop it?

You are guarded, but ultimately it is your decision if you will rise or fall.

My heightened state of panic is not eased as creeping and noises start to prick my ears from around the house. It was just me and the Captain at this interview when we started and now I have a sense that so many more are present.

I fear asking you to embellish.

Each soul, that is your kind, animal kind and so on, is guarded by a legiona who is tasked with ushering you toward your rising. Everything you do in this life is meant to direct you toward that end, but sometimes, there is a crack—a fissure—in the crystal that distracts the will and puts more focus on the darker aspirations. Some souls desire the dark, and must find their rising by first falling.

I feel like I’m finally calming down, focused on what she has said when a metal pan falls in the kitchen, clanging across the floor as though the witch had just struck the tinman down. No, Dorothy, you’re not in Kansas anymore. My heart thrums as I wait for something to emerge from the swinging kitchen door. Then I see a hulking winged brute near my chair. Leaping to my feet, I regard him with wild eyes.

Your guardian, my interviewee tells me.

I suppose I should find comfort in that he isn’t a demon.

Indeed, but now that you know the truth—the shades will seek you. Keep the secret from those who would do you harm. Your discernment will be your guide. The dark is forever at your door step, biding the time you leave your soul unlocked and it will snatch you away. But share this gift with those who must know. They must be warned.

The captain hands me what looks like a small penannular with a triangle and eye on it.

You’re one of us now.

I accept the gift and close out the interview. The winged pair clear the room of the intruders and the light seems to lift, as if a curtain had partially been drawn over the windows at their arrival. I look to see Argus staring up at me. He seems amused by my duress, but gives my leg a nuzzle before trotting off to his commanders call.

Learning the truth about our world—our worlds—nothing will ever be the same…

Click on over to Traci Wooden-Carlisle’s blog to see which character she has to share.

Born in Los Angeles, California, Mrs. Wooden-Carlisle desired to be a poet and novelist at the age of 11. Today, Mrs. Wooden Carlisle lives in San Diego with her husband, serving as a church Office Manager, teaches fitness classes, celebrates her faith through dance, and is currently writing her third book in the Christian-fiction series, Promises to Zion. Check out her other books here.

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My Favorite Cover – Open Book Blog Hop #385

July 17, 2023 By Captain Maiel 6 Comments

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #385

Post your favorite cover from your books
and explain why it’s your favorite.

Welcome back to another Open Book Blog Hop! The authors included in this ongoing series wish to thank you for your reads. Even more so, we appreciate that you share our writings with friends. If you’re new to the series, welcome aboard. The authors engage and impress weekly. Prepare to become a regular reader.

This is going to be super difficult to write up. Which of my covers is my favorite? I love each. My designer did an amazing job on each one. Each one is a window into the pages contained in the work they clothe. One utilizes my own photograph, the rest are visions from inside my dreams. How do you choose?

In order to pick, I asked my daughter to look at my covers and choose her favorite. Interestingly, she settled on the one that I leaned toward. Why did she like it? The wolf. I love him, too.

The reason that I lean toward the Trailokya covers is that I thought they would never exist. I believed the visions from my dreams would go unseen, witnessed by myself alone. It truly is difficult to display dreams to others. Whether retelling them in conversation or fiction, justice simply cannot be done. Yet, somehow, in communicating with the designer, in my honest estimation, we accomplished something quite close.

The image depicted is from later parts of the series. The tones of the covers reflect the movement from unknown to know to unknown again–or, the dawn, the day, the evening. Taken together, this cover with it’s sisters creates a triptych. They present a scene full of symbolism, as well as elements of the story as I mentioned prior.

The presence of Argus and the pieces of Maiel’s weaponry, are deeply fun to see illustrated outside of the dreams. The most fun, however, comes in the form of that door. This is the one that scared me most in my dreams. I’ve written about these in other articles, so I won’t go in depth here.

The window of the doors still draw my eye, just as they have in the dreams. Finally seeing them in this world replenishes my curiosity. Honestly, the feeling that I still know so little hangs about my mind in regard to them. The rich symbolism is proof that their meanings run deep. Unpacking all of it will take time. Perhaps a lifetime. Still, they confirm my otherworldly experiences and insist there is importance to them.

Wonder is another aspect of the cover that draws me to it time and again. Speaking of wonder, I wonder what the other authors will have to say and which covers of theirs they’ll choose? Click on their links below to find out. Drop your email in the box at the top right of the page to have this hop delivered to your email directly each Friday. See you next time!

Writing Adjacent Art – Open Book Blog Hop #377

May 22, 2023 By Captain Maiel 4 Comments

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #377

What skill do you wish you had, either as a hobby or career builder?

If I could update or gain a greater ability in any avenue adjacent to my writing it would be my ability as a visual artist. Honestly, if I just gave myself more time and took more courses, I know I could improve these skills to the point of viability. Alas, time is just not on my side. There is so much to do and so few hours in my day in which to get through the list.

Zo Duck collage with web address and author name, K. Williams, The Blue Honor Blog — *ZoDuck Cartoons post monthly on this blog. Zo is also viewable at deviantArt.com.*

I’m currently an alright kind of artist. I manage. Sometimes, I really impress myself with the work I put out. Still, there is always room for improvement and, I feel, a lot of room in that area. My drawings and other art pieces, for instance, aren’t in the style and don’t have the guaranteed quality that I need for the things that I write. This incongruence creates a rift, especially in the area of marketing. While I have an eye for design, the execution isn’t up to par.

Classes for art are very expensive. The supplies alone make taking them prohibitive at this point in my career. Perhaps, when I retire (and dear daughter is older), the money required will exist along with the time needed. No doubt, her absence will create a need to fill up my days with creative projects once again. For now, being creative at the mom job checks all the boxes.

What type or style of art do I think I might enjoy improving my skill set in?

I’d love to become a better drawing artist. I think that covers the things I think about the most in terms of need in regards to my work. This form of art, especially in the digital realm, would suit any of my books quite well. The book series stands to benefit greatly from art built up around it.

In the meantime, I have dabbled with artificial intelligence apps to see the possibilities. I do not make money off the art created, as that strikes me as a bit dishonest. After all, the AI uses other artist’s works to inform it’s own. While that is in fact what we all do through learning in classes, direct mimicry is questionable. However, the apps do help me think about what style I should be considering. That would help me narrow the search for classes and tutorials to improve the skills I already have.

I’ve painted on digital platforms as well as with physical mediums. The forgiving nature of the digital platform is my preference. The ability to correct mistakes quickly and cleanly is the greatest bonus I can imagine. Next to this, I’d say the layers function is the most useful feature. If I could treat painting a canvas more like building a collage, that would make thinking about the layers a lot easier. However, there is no such thing. My brain struggles to plan this way with physical paintings.

AI assisted renderings of Maiel and Argus

Utilizing the digital interface goes a long way to teaching about the planning of art pieces and how to unpack the stages of a work. Much like writing–there are words, sentences, paragraphs, chapters, and so on. You start with the smallest of brush strokes, choosing the tones at each touch to the paper. A paragraph builds similarly. Each words works toward creating that picture. They don’t stand alone, although, they can be examined this way.

While the medium of writing holds commonalities with the visual arts, right down to framing, the two are not executed so similarly. Switching between them is harder than it looks. In addition, I’ve flexed my visual art muscles a lot less than my writing ones. At least, I haven’t employed them to the extremes I have in writing and I haven’t studied them so extensively as I have writing.

Visual art came into practice for me at a young age. Yet, I still find it strange, when reflecting on this point, that I am not stronger at these arts. For some reason, the ability to get the image in my head to render on paper or even the screen is difficult. What I imagine is more easily put in words than a picture. There is no lack of desire to create.

If I could remove whatever block keeps me from improving my visual art, I’d certainly lean on that as my next steps–even if I know what I need is to have those influencer skills! I simply love art.

Check out the answers the other authors have given by clicking on their links below. Subscribe to my blog and this hop will come to your inbox each Friday, so you can keep up with all of us!

What’s Your Favorite Animal – Open Book Blog Hop #369

March 27, 2023 By Captain Maiel 3 Comments

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #369

What is your favorite animal and why?
Have you ever included it in one of your stories?

The answer to this may be obvious considering my book series, The Trailokya Trilogy, and the covers of two of the installments. The animal I’d answer this question with features heavily in the series. Some other clues can be found in the type of companion I keep, and the videos I love to make on TikTok. I have a lot of fun with my buddy producing some bonkers content spoofing film and television favorites like The X-Files (1993).

A favorite animal is actually kind of hard for me to pick. I love them all. In fact, I had hoped to follow my dream of getting a bio degree and working at a zoo. When that didn’t happen, my love of animals didn’t stop. Sure, I switched gears to pursue a stronger dream (writing), and earn a degree I felt was more marketable, but the love of animals is still deeply with me.

Since I was a child, as you know if you know the Trailokya series, I’ve been dreaming some pretty epic dreams. In those dreams, I met the characters for the series. That included my favorite animals. There’s a twist to this, though. You see, my family bred and showed dogs. The tie to canines is deep and meaningful. Not only are they beautiful creatures, but they make great companions. Honestly, I can’t imagine my life without one at my hip.

The cool thing about dogs is their connection to human history which extends thousands of years. They descend, in fact, from my favorite animal: Wolves. I am sure you guessed by now! And, yes, they do show up in my dreams. In fact, I still see the packs that feature in my series in my dreams to date.

When I lost my dog, Sadie Sue in 2018, my depression deepened. I felt as if part of me went with her. I remarked to a friend that I cannot define myself without dog being part of that equation. Sadie had begun Shagbottom Theater with me. How could I continue the theater with existing images of her, and all my friends and followers knowing she passed? That would be most uncool. Moreover, I feel safer with a dog in the house. They also provide a lot of affection and fun.

Did you know that dogs share 98% of their mitochondrial DNA with wolves? It’s a fact. “One study showed that dog and wolf share 98% of their mitochondrial (mt) DNA, which contrasts to the 7.5% difference between wolf and coyotes (Canis latrans), the species that is their closest wild relative.” (Science Direct.) Think about that the next time you’re cuddling up to Fido! It’s pretty mind blowing, and it also should put the lore into better perspective.

Conflict between wolves and ranchers touches issues of conservationism and Native American rights – ABC News

Sadly, humanity grew apart from their long connection to wolves and have treated them as enemies for hundreds of years. Much of what is believed about the species comes from fairy tales and other media that continue a false image. Sadly, certain industries lean hard into the lies and continue to focus violence on the species, both removing their responsibilities and reducing their labor load for better profit margins. It also arose in species resource competition (such as food). You can read about the myths here. Also, keep in mind that indigenous populations regard them as sacred, and the hunting of these animals is a violation of their rights.

Wolves are truly amazing animals that should fill us with a sense of awe as well as gratefulness. Their contribution to our history is one of cooperation for survival. We owe them much and that bond should be respected along with respecting the protection of their populations. It behooves humanity to ensure their success, as it directly leads to our own successes. Our species are deeply entwined. There is no escaping this link of cooperation but to both species detriment.

We are all well aware that they can be dangerous when encountered in the wild, or when people attempt to make them pets, or even at the zoo. Wolves are wild not domestic animals. However, the danger comes from their self-preservation drive. In other words, if you make them fearful, they will defend themselves. Not everyone can interact with them, because not everyone understands their language. Wolves read us, just like dogs do. That said, dogs have had eons to understand our weird behaviors and facial expressions.

While wolves are wild animals and not the furry friends we keep at home, and we should not attempt to domestic them, I cannot help but see the link and love them. Did you know they’re about the same size as a Great Dane? Think about that the next time you meet a Dane. Also, keep in mind the bad behavior of humans, how dogs end up in shelter, the over use and abuse of resources, and the drive to do less and get more for it. Wolves aren’t evil. They’re not out for Grandma or the little girl skipping to her house. They’re just trying to live how they were designed for a wild world.

Hopefully, your appreciation for wolves grew from reading this post, even if they’re not your favorite. I’ve linked great resources for you to share with others to help these animals continue to be a fantastic part of our ecosystems. Click on the links below to see what the other authors have answered this week. Please subscribe to my blog to get this hop delivered to your inbox each Friday.

Team Cat or Team Dog? Open Book Blog Hop #350

November 21, 2022 By Captain Maiel 5 Comments

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #350
Big internet fight: Are you team cat or team dog?
(or something else?)

A love of animals is something to praise in any human being. This quality shows a true depth of empathy and kindness that far too many do not exhibit. Whatever the reason behind a failure to empathize (often from physiological/cognitive inability), it is a major red flag of which one needs to take notice. A person bereft of empathy is often cruel or, in the very least, emotionally unavailable.

One of the major factors in identifying serial killers (psychopaths/sociopaths) is the lack of empathy. This almost always exhibits itself in cruelty to animals. While the widely accepted idea is that this type of brain physiology is rare, you’ll find that research is discovering it is far more common. Malignant personality types function within our society freely, enacting a slow burn attack on those with which they interact. A more typical example is the domestic abuser.

Domestic abusers, as any training in the fields of social work will tell you, often target the pets of the household, if not the wildlife nearby. This is part of the need for power and control. It also has roots in toxic (usually masculine) behavior.

However, please do not mistake someone who doesn’t have time to care for a pet or doesn’t wish to have the responsibility for either an abuser or a total psychopath. It’s like saying people who don’t want children aren’t working with all gears. People know their limitations and caring for a pet is a full time job. It can be an emotional roller coaster. It creates a lot of extra work that some are not willing to engage. In the end, it’s their time and they know they wouldn’t be a good fit. This doesn’t mean they hate animals.

No matter what end of the internet fight you find yourself on, whether you’re team cat or team dog (or even team nope), the fact that you love a pet is a great sign that you’re not a toxic or empathy lacking person. Cat people love cats as much as dog people love their dogs. The difference between the two is often just quirks in the personality. Those quirks are what make us each more interesting.

While I have found folks arguing for their team in toxic ways–maligning one animals over the other as filthy and unfit for indoor living–the majority simply just have a minor preference for one over the other. For instance, I grew up having dogs. When I was younger, I would have loved to have a cat. They were almost exotic in my eyes, because I did not have the privilege of owning one. That said, as I grew, as I experienced cats, I felt that taking care of a dog was easier.

Why would it be any easier? The expense wasn’t as great. There was no maintenance of a pan. That litter can be costly! Dogs were easy because I could just walk them, and use bags I collected from the store to clean up after them, or buy a pack from the $1 store. Usually their veterinary expenses are not very different. Either can also be equal in cost for their food, depending on size. I’m able to save because I supplement my dogs food with healthy table scraps, which extends those $80.00 bags of chow.

Today, I’m super lucky. I have the best of both worlds. In 2000, I had had a Siamese cat that I rescued from a shelter, and cats have been in and out of my life since. Currently, my roommate has two cats. I get all of the joy with very little downside. They do yak on the carpets from time to time making things tough in the moment (and forever because the spots don’t always clean well the first time).

Open Book Blog Hop - Sadie Sue Shagbottom

I also enjoy the company of my current rescue dog, Séamus Fionnagáin Murchadh Shagbottom. He’s so named because he was born on Saint Patrick’s Day in 2017. I call him Fionn (pronounced fin) for short. You may have seen his videos on my social media, if you follow me, which you should. He’s the current director of the Shagbottom Theater series on YouTube and TikTok. From time to time, you’ll see his cat cousins involved in the shenanigans.

So, I definitely lean team dog, right? Of course I do. I was raised with them and their qualities have always impressed me. The dog is loyal and family oriented, needing the community to thrive. Whereas, cats are far more independent. They like their affection in smaller doses. While I have some of their qualities, too. I enjoy the company of my dog, who is always ready to cuddle, go for quiet walks, or be rambunctious. He’s the first beautiful face I see in the morning, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

And–never has he ever woken me at 4 am to eat. Team dog for the win!

In the end, if its an animal, you can bet I love it. Soon, I hope, this house will have a new addition, as I am seeking out a ferret to bring into the mix, and relive what it was like to have one of those around. It’s been a long time! Anyone out there team ferret? Aren’t they wonderful fun? Such sweet and spicy fur noodles.

Let’s see where the other authors fall on the spectrum of team cat and team dog. Click on their links below to find their blog responses. Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog and get a once weekly email that delivers the link direct to your inbox. See you next time!