Welcome, Newcomers!

There’s been a massive influx of new traffic recently. So let me take this opportunity to say ‘welcome’, and to show you around a little.

First and foremost, I’m a science fiction author. You can check out my new book, Secret Thoughts.

Secret Thoughts - Painfully and uncomfortably honest

The book is available in paperback or digital format. Check out the publisher’s page.

Most of my work gets translated into other languages. Secret Thoughts is slated to appear in Israel, in a Hebrew translation, in a couple of months. So far my stories have appeared in six languages.

A Five Continent Reading

On May 5th, there’s going to be a reading event, the first of its kind (as far as I know). You know how sometimes authors have readings at this or that cafe? Well, this reading event is going to take place in a cafe in Second Life. It’s going to have five SF authors from five different continents reading from their stories and/or books. If you have an internet connection and a computer, you can attend, regardless of where you physically are. Here’s the poster.

The future is here.

The Indestructibles

I also write and direct film. Currently, I’m working on a low-budget SF epic for the internet called The Indestructibles. Apex Books is hosting my monthly film journal about its progress. You can read the first blog entry here: The Indestructibles are born. And, of course, you can get updated once a month, about the adventure I’ve begun. This production certainly is an adventure into the unknown.

Story Design Tips

Lastly, I have a weekly blog at Gamasutra, called Story Design Tips. These contain writing advice and storytelling tips aimed at the gaming world, in an attempt to raise the quality of storytelling and to raise the awareness of the importance of the writers. I’ve recently begun a monthly Story Design Challenge, which is also hosted by Gamasutra’s sister sight, GameCareerGuide.

 

Lastly, you can also follow me on Twitter, where I’m known as @VisionEtc.

 

There’s a lot of other stuff on the website. As the King of Siam would say: Browse, browse, browse.

Introducing: The Indestructibles

The Indestructibles is a 45-min science fiction film currently in production. It’s low-budget, intended for the internet, and is an epic film about superheroes… with a twist never seen before in a superhero flick or comic book. I wrote it and am now in the process of directing it.

The Apex Blog is kind enough to host the monthly Indestructibles film journal monthly blog. The first entry was just posted, regarding the background of the project. Over the next few months, once a month, we’re going to go over the auditions process, the rehearsals, the shooting, the post, and everything that might happen in the middle. (I don’t know what will happen – most of the process hasn’t happened yet).

Here are the first few lines:

A couple of months ago I decided enough’s enough. It’s time to embark on a new adventure.

It’s time to create a science fiction epic film.

I just needed to find a way to do it with no budget. Why? Well, allow me to show you my reasoning through a series of flashbacks.

Flashback: It’s seven years ago. I’m sitting in a café in front one of the country’s most influential producers, trying to convince him to produce a horror mini-series for TV I wrote and wanted to direct. At the same time, he’s spending more than an hour trying to convince me to change aspects of the script to something he can produce. Why couldn’t he produce it? His bottom line was (I’m paraphrasing): “I can’t put your show on TV because the audience doesn’t like horror. How do I know that the audience doesn’t like horror? Because there are no horror shows on TV.”

To read the entire article, click here.

 

If you want to be kept updated regarding The Indestructibles production, including film journal entries and the online release, join the mailing list by sending an empty email to this address with the subject heading ‘The Indestructibles’.

Reading Event in the Virtual World: 5 SF Authors from 5 Continents

There’s going to be a special SF reading in the virtual world: five SF authors (including myself) from five continents will meet in Second Life on May 5th to read from their works.

I’m going to read from my new novel, Tickling Butterflies.

Here is the news item from Michael Iwoleit’s blog:

“As we say in Germany: Great events throw their shadows ahead. On May 5th an event will take place in Thorsten Küper’s and Kirsten Riehl’s steampunk location Kafé Kruemelkram that may be unique in the history of Second Life: Five science fiction writers from five continents, all writing in English, will read from their works live. I’ll be honoured to take the part of Europe and read one of my English stories. The other invited writers are:

For Asia: Guy Hasson (Israel)

For Africa: Jonathan Elorm Dotse (Ghana)

For South America: Gustavo Bondoni (Argentina)

For North America: Ahmed A. Khan (Canada)

Please refer to my hompage or to Thorsten Küper’s blog for further information which will follow soon.”

Join us in the virtual world!

The future is here.

Seven New Story Design Articles

Continuing my weekly Story Design Tips articles, featuring tips about story structure, story timing, identifying with characters, and more, here are links to the last eight articles:

Identifying with Characters, Part I: 3 ways to get the players/readers to identify with your character.

Identifying with Characters, Part II: Being able to make your players identify with a character is a tool that cuts two ways.

Character Orchestration: Your story is music. Your characters are the musical instruments.

Depth through Surprise: Use surprise to help you create depth of character.

Stories have timing. Here are the rules:

The First Law of Timing

The Second Law of Timing

The Third Law of Timing