Shameless Self-Promotion!

About a month or so ago, I reformatted my account on deviantART.com (or DA as I like to call it), and I added a lot of fan ficlets from Angelic Guardians as well as the rough draft to Angelic Guardians: The Gathering. Go, check it out!

http://theprettymachine.deviantart.com

And if you can't view some of the "Glimpses" entries, that's because you have to be a member to unlock MA-themed postings. XD

When One Door Closes, Another One Opens... Half-Way.

It's been a crazy past month for me, and for that, I profusely apologize for my absence. My editor Erica Spriggs had to let me go due to personal reasons, which left me without another editor. However, I do want to personally thank her for giving me a solid idea of doing a query and a synopsis, something that my past editors had never showed me.

But one thing that she did suggest to me as we were working on the synopsis was to join a writer's club. Now, Logansport might be strong in the arts, but writing? We're not. As far as I know, we don't have a writer's club or alliance in Cass County, and the nearest one would require me to drive out-of-town on a Saturday afternoon in which I would most likely have to be excused early due to my night job.

(Hey, someone has to make a living.)

It also doesn't help that Logansport has been without a bookstore since Borders slapped a huge "store closing" sticker on Waldenbooks in the Logansport Mall at the start of 2009. I was hoping my old day job would boost me in my endeavours and promote Angelic Guardians when the time had come.

But that has all changed.

Last week, my mom showed me a copy of the Friday morning newspaper with the headline "Greensfelder building to house bookstore" in bold on the front cover. No, it's not Books-a-Million. No, it's not Barnes & Noble. And, thank God, it isn't Borders. (I'm still holding a major grudge against them these days, but, hey, they're getting what they deserved.) No, this bookstore will be operated independently with a coffeeshop, gifts, and free Wi-Fi to boot. It's something downtown Logansport needs to attract businesses away from the east side and possibly save several mall fronts from leaving town. (If you've ever stepped into the mall these days, you'd know why... ghost town.)

Now, usually, I wouldn't brag about something like this except Kitty Keswick, author of the Freaksville series, moved all the way from California to Logansport and bought the Greensfelder building to start this bookstore. Yes, that's right, a famous young adult, supernatural, and children's writer is starting her own businnes in dinky ol' Logansport. When I heard about this, I sent her a message via Facebook to welcome her and try to set up a networking relationship so I can get my foot in the door with agents and publishing companies. Sadly, she has yet to reply to the email (which is understandable), but I'm hoping we can get things started and rolling this fall once Some Kind of Wonderful is open for business.

Guess who's gonna be camping out over there between in jobs with her Toshiba and her smoothie?

Kitty (or Marie, as I might refer to her in future posts) has a blog for you to follow, if you are interested: http://wolfychicks.blogspot.com

Also, don't forget to follow up on her progress with SKOW: http://discoversomethingwonderful.blogspot.com

Why "Angelic Guardians" Should Not Be Considered a Pro-Christianity Series, pt. 1

Now before I get all you Christians upset with me because of the title of this entry, it's due to the fact that I just got back from hearing a little bit of my preacher's views on escatology (aka the study of Christ's return) and I'm slightly enlightened by my progress. Needless to say, I have a very different view of both escatology and Hell based on what I've studied and what I've learned through the works of Dante and John Milton.

As some of you are aware, the exterior concept of Angelic Guardians is based on a combination of the books of Daniel and Revelation as well as the New World Order/Illuminati theory. Translation: a political view of the end of the world with a religious twist. This creeps up in the sixth and final book of the Angelic Guardians arc where Nikusa and the Demonic Guardians of the Seven Deadly Sins make their formal appearance while Myoujou's mortal counterpart Lucifer is chosen to become the leader of the New World Order and issues two major neo-Holocausts to eliminate the "impurities" of the world (first the followers of the kurisuchan faith, then those who still refuse to take the number regardless of any faith). The mass execution is what I've translated out of Matthew 24:9 ("Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me") and Revelation 13:15-17 ("[The beast out of the earth] was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it oculd speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name").

(Warning: Angelic Guardians: The Revelations is gonna be gruelsome and offensive when you get to the second part. This will not be suited for immature audiences.)

Now, there are very few things I believe in concerning escatology, mainly the fact that the Christ will return. However, after tonight's Q&A session, I've come terms that I am a post-tribulationist. What does that mean? I believe that we will go through the seven-year tribulation period together without experiencing the rapture, that we will face the thousand years of peace, and that we will see the return of Christ all at once after all of that has passed.

This is why I have personally omitted the rapture and the multiple resurrections of the dead from Revelation out of my belief system and the Angelic Guardians series (Revelation 7, 20:1-6, and 20:11-15, for those who wish to follow where I'm heading with this). Why raise the dead and judge them again if they've already been accepted into Heaven or perished in the Lake of Fire? The idea comes across to me a very vague way. It's like God is planning to kick you out of your mansion or give you false hope for redemption just because there's a new Earth and Heaven on the way, and it's expected of you go through the process of elimination again, only this time you're perished forever if you have to be thrown into the Lake of Fire one last time. It doesn't make sense. When you've been accepted into Heaven or Hell, you're accepted for eternity. There's no point of resurrecting the dead when you know their fate has already been sealed. It's moot.

(And if you think it's God's way of giving the damned a second chance to redeem themselves, let me ask you this: why should he if he didn't the first time? You fool God once, he won't let you fool him again.)

I would have brought up my views to the table had I not attended a church where the congregation will hold you over the fire by your feet if you say something wrong about the government. I really wanted to ask the preacher if the New World Order/Illuminati had any relation to the rise of the beast out of the earth since I believe a worldwide government would be the only way a neo-Holocaust could ever happen. How else would you get every nation to hand over the Christians to their doom if pro-Christian governments around the world refuse to do so as long as their leaders remain in office? Logically, you can't unless you've conquered the country and removed the figurehead of the government. I'm under the impression that the antichrist, or even a shadow of the antichrist, will be in the guise of the chosen leader of the New World Order.

And you wonder why I've stopped supporting the governments? Because I don't trust the politicians and the figureheads of any country. The only reason why I still pay my taxes is because I have to if I want to stay out of prison. Financial philanthropy within the community is one thing (if it means making my hometown a bigger and better community, then I'll give back), but giving money to the government against my freedom is another.

(But then again, I do like that hefty tax return check...)

Another thing that bothered me a lot tonight was this chart that was given to me concerning Heaven and Hell. Like all other Christians, I used to think of Hell as fire and brimstone. Then I read The Inferno by Dante and Paradise Lost by John Milton in my senior year of high school. Now I know such literary works should not be taken seriously because nine times out of ten, they are full of false views, but sometimes, I just can't help but wonder if there was some kind of truth behind them.

This chart ignored a lot of things that I believe are in Hell. Mind you, I don't believe in the nine rings of Purgatory, nor do I believe in the nine rings of Heaven, but I have accepted the nine rings of Hell, the city of Pandemonium, Lake Cocytus, and even the river Styx in Greek mythology, all of which are believed to be fictional places due to mainstream religion. The only thing about Hell that I agree within the Bible is the Lake of Fire, but I have a different view of it unlike how Revelation 20:7-10 describes it. I see it as more of the entrance to your eternal prison (the nine rings of Hell) with the Infernal Judge of Damnation (Lucifer, Satan, Beelzebub, etc.) sitting on his icy throne in Lake Cocytus in the ninth ring with your assigned cell waiting for you somewhere in the rings according to the greatest or average sin you've committed in your life.

To me:

• The nine rings serve like a federal prison camp starting with the least sin all the way down to the deadliest of them all (ninth ring/Lake Cocytus: traitors).
• Pandemonium is like the infernal counterpart to the streets of Heaven where the demons and fallen angels reside as a reward from Lucifer for their allegiance in the first Holy War.
• The Styx is both the realm known as limbo (which doesn't exist in Protestantism, but there are a few things the Bible fails to mention regarding to the fate of those who were faithful to God prior to Jesus' earthly birth (i.e.: King Deibiddo (King David) will make an appearance in Angelic Guardians: The Return as a soul swimming aimlessly in the Styx because he had died centuries before Jesus' time, although his adultery might have also cost him his ticket to Heaven) as well as the infernal opposite of the River of Life (Revelation 22:1-6).

Do I have a twisted view of escatology? Definitely. Do I have a twisted view of Hell? Without a doubt. Do I expect the church to support my series because of what I believe? Not at all. I won't be surprised to see my books on the list of banned books in the Catholic church either, even though I'm practically giving the same message as the other churches but in favor of the, dare I say it, Christian sinners. And I won't be surprised to see Protestant preachers, including my own, rally against my work to preserve the old-school views either.

I will eventually post the second part of this entry... probably when my preacher gives a sermon against Christian sinners and/or the coexist movement. But that's an entirely different rant.

They say it's your birthday... it's my birthday too, yeah...

This past Saturday, I went out and got my one and only tattoo as part of my 25th birthday. The design? A black wolf paw print in honor of Robu Tsuchino/Seijitsu and his wolf Seiji. This will also be great for when I do crossplay Seijitsu in future cons. I already got the dark hair (and I can make it wavy too) and the dark eyes. The only thing that will make me more of an imposter is my height. I'm 5'4" (which is where Rizu Hikarino/Tamashii stands), and he's like... 6'3". Oh well. I can always say that I'm Chibi Seijitsu! lol

Hope you like the design! :)

Character Spotlight: Gaburieru/Geiburieru (Gabriel)... the next Dumbledore?

Ah, the joys of being a writer (and a blogger) with a wireless connection... I can sit outside in my screen room and take in the cool breeze while working on my books or writing a new entry.


Got to take a quick sip of the Coke. Much better.

 
Anyway, I decided to dedicate an entry in honor of everybody's favorite archangel Gabriel. You know... God's messenger who told Mary that she would give birth to Jesus? Totally reminds me Hermes/Mercury in mythology. Damn crossovers.

 
Now if you have read a little bit of my series Angelic Guardians, you know that Gabriel plays a mentor-like role to Tamashii and her team. In this case, he is known as Gaburieru (or Geiburieru in my earlier drafts... I just recently decided to stick with the Hebrew phonetics instead of the common English error (Gah-bree-el, not Gei-bree-el)), and he is responsible for the safety of the Five (Tamashii, Medetai, Iinaka, Shi, and Inochi) as well as Tamashii's former team in Roganu (which included On'ai before Mikaeru (Michael, which will be translated accordingly to his Hebrew pronunciation Mee-ka-el) took him under his wings (literally) and trained him and Waraku prior to their transfer to Oukan University in Angelic Guardians: The Memory).
 

But being a mentor seems to be Gaburieru's favorite job. He likes to spend time on earth and assimilate into mankind, and he loves to tease Rizu and the others nonstop.

 
(excerpt from The Memory, using Gaburieru's original name Geiburieru)

“I see you’ve already had quite a reunion tonight,” [Geiburieru] continued as he led [Rizu and her friends] toward his office on the other side of the circulation desk.

“Not much of a one,” sighed Rizu. “We haven’t had much time to talk about business.”

“Oh?”

“I invited my cousin Ami for dinner, and we kept the whole demon-fighting thing out of the picture,” explained Megu.

“Wise decision, Megu. And just how is Ami doing now that’s she back in Oukan?” asked Geiburieru.

            “You know her?” asked Megu.

            “I’m an angel! I know everything about everybody on this planet! And just for the record, you really ought to stop putting words in people’s mouths where they don’t belong. You thoroughly embarrassed Ami tonight, no?”

            Megu’s face turned red with embarrassment as her friends laughed softly to themselves. “You just love to make my life miserable, don’t you?” she grumbled.

            “Angel, Megu, not a demon. I don’t make lives miserable just for fun.”

 
And let's not forget that even angels can pick up a vice or two. For Gaburieru, it's tea.

 
(another excerpt from The Memory)

 

            Rizu frowned and felt her shoulders slump from the great weight of disappointment that had fallen on her. “He’s not here,” she mumbled.

            “I wouldn’t be so sure if I were you,” called a voice near the restrooms.

            Sitting in front of the new library café by the metal detectors was Geiburieru with a plastic cup of freshly brewed tea in his hands. “Although I was starting to believe you five would wait until the last second to visit me,” he added.

            “Already becoming a patron to the café, are we?” jested Jeison.

            “It’s not as good as the tea I make in my office,” admitted Geiburieru dryly, “but it wouldn’t look good if a librarian didn’t support the newest annex. And, really, I ought to stop resorting to tea as my one and only drink here on earth. I find it as addicting as coffee is to you young ones.”

            He took a quick sip, which earned him a few chuckles from the quintet, and rose to his feet.


But even underneath his humorous personality, he knows when it's time to be serious and put Rizu and her friends back on the right track.

 
(excerpt from The Awakening)

            “Rizu, it’s not that I don’t want you to live a normal life when a demon isn’t around, but you can’t go off and show your abilities to every friend you make! You never know who is on your side or who your enemy is until you’ve seen their true colors!”

            “I had no other choice! Robu wanted Deibiddo and me to go with him just in case something happened to him while we were looking for those missing children! He was going to find out my secret sooner or later!”

Geiburieru sighed heavily and shook his head. “I’ve just been a bit concerned about your priorities as of now. I don’t know if telling Robu the truth was a good idea just because he’s your best friend.”

            “I’m fine. I’ll be okay. As Rizu Hikarino, I have a plan. I’ll graduate from Oukan University, get a job, and get away from this hellhole. That’s it.”

            “Whatever happened about getting married? Isn’t having a family of your own part of your lifelong dream?”

            “I don’t see that happening any time soon,” said Rizu sadly. “It seems like I’m destined to end my family line with just me, myself, and I.”

I seriously doubt that will ever happen, thought Geiburieru. “And what about your priorities as Tamashii?”

            “To destroy every demon that crosses my path, defeat Myoujou, and fulfill the last of the prophecies,” muttered Rizu. “You’ve pretty much drilled that one into my head from the start.”

            “That I did,” admitted Geiburieru. “Unfortunately, what you want in one life might not be the right thing for you in the other. I never told you when you accepted this destiny that there would be choices that you have to make that would be pleasing to both you and Tamashii, but I’m afraid you had to learn the hard way through your pursuits with Jeison and Deibiddo.”

            “They didn’t want me, Geiburieru.”

            “They didn’t want you when they were Shi and Inochi either. They knew better.”

            “But what about Robu? It seems like I can’t be with any Angelic Guardian as it is, but are you trying to not let me be with a mortal too?”

            “I never said you couldn’t!” argued Geiburieru. “But I do think that it would be wise not to get yourself involved with someone with such a secret like yours! Think about the stories in mythology about the kami fawning over a mortal maiden. Most of those kami hid their secrets from their lovers, but when those truths were revealed, the maidens took their lives out of fear.

“Angels, Rizu, are no exception to this rule. If an angel came down to earth, dwelled among men in disguise for quite some time, and then revealed his or her true identity, tragedy would be inevitable because the fearful man associates angels with death and Shinmei. He fears that his time would soon be over in a matter of days, perhaps minutes.”

“But isn’t Shi the one who usually scares the shit out of man?” joked Rizu lightly.

“Only when man isn’t sure of his eternal fate. No, Rizu, Shi isn’t the only angel to scare man to death. Any angel can wield the ability to create a life-changing moment for a mortal, and mankind is generally scared of change,” replied Geiburieru with a sigh. “You’re no different yourself. I’m afraid that you’re incapable to—what was that phrase again?—roll with the punches. You’re scared about so many things as if you’re worried that your world is going to come crashing around you! I don’t want you think of it like that, but there are going to be changes happening from here on out. I just hope that these changes are for the best, depending on the choices you make in either life.

            “So, let me ask you this: with your two different sets of priorities, one as Rizu and one as Tamashii, where does Robu stand in the picture?”

            Rizu could feel the blood in her veins turned cold, and she became paralyzed with fear like a child being caught with a hand in the cookie jar. “I… I don’t know,” she choked. “He means so much to me now matter who I am, Geiburieru, but I don’t know where to put him.”

            “I was afraid you’d say that,” said Geibuieru. “Rizu, I’m not telling you to give up on Robu. I know deep down he means good to you, but right now, we’ve got a war on our hands that will take years to finish. You need to focus on what’s going on around you and not too much on the matters of the heart. You also have a mission that needs to be completed before the summer is over. Seijitsu is still on the run, and time is short.”

            “What about Robu?” asked Rizu. “Where is he in Shinmei’s blueprint for me?”

            Geiburieru bit his lower lip. “I’m sorry, Rizu. You know that I can’t tell you your future. But if there is one thing I know about your situation, it’s that you have to trust your instincts. You’ll find the answers to your questions about Robu or any other man within them.”

            Wiping away the few teardrops that were falling from the corner of her eyes, Rizu asked, “How will I know, though, Geiburieru?”

            “Listen to your heart, Rizu. If you believe what you feel is right inside, then don’t stray from that path. Your faith will get stronger, and you will soon come to know it was exactly what Shinmei had planned for you."


And he also knows when it's time to take charge and fight.

 
(excerpt from The Gathering)

 

            As she turned the corner of the west wing, Tamashii looked over her shoulder and saw the she-demon flying reaching out for her. She suddenly felt herself being pushed against the wall, and she was soon trapped by the she-demon’s massive weight. “You should have never done that, you stupid Angelic Guardian!” hissed the she-demon as her nails extended out into razor-sharp claws. “Now it’s time to pay the consequences!”

            Expecting to be slit at her throat, Tamashii turned her head to the side as she silently prayed for help, but when the alleged slash did not touch her, she opened one eye to see the she-demon being assaulted by a flaming sword at her neck. “Ouch! That burns!” cried out the she-demon in pain.

            “Let her go!” growled Geiburieru from behind as he placed the sword closer to the monster’s skin and tightened his grip on her.

            The she-demon dropped Tamashii and took a step back with her fearful eyes still glued on Geiburieru’s sword. “I let the brat go! What more do you want?” she asked.

            “Give back the souls to those from whom you have stolen!” ordered Geiburieru.

            “Never!”

            “Suit yourself!” said the archangel as he raised his sword to slice off the she-demon’s head.

And, yes, even angels can love and mourn for the loss of a loved one.

 

(excerpt from The Awakening)

 

            “I think the same can be said about you,” said Geiburieru knowingly, “but we all know that it’s human nature to not act like ourselves when something as deep as love touches the heart. We do irrational things without thinking about the circumstances, and we find ourselves in over our heads.”

            “And how would you know this? You’re an angel!” cried Rizu. “You’re not supposed to fall in love!”

            “Where did you get such notion?” asked Geiburieru.

            “Well, it was never mentioned in the seisho that Shinmei had his angels go to earth to find a mate!”

            “And it was never mentioned that Shinmei had his angels search all through Heaven to find a mate either,” added Geiburieru. “How would man know a thing or two about Heaven? It’s more than just worshipping Shinmei! It’s paradise after death! It’s also a reunion with your loved ones!

            “Contrary to popular belief, angels have the capability to love. It might be a different kind of love, but it still has the same message. Now, I had in my existence a few female angels that I loved dearly, one of whom was my eternal best friend. She was what you would call a girlfriend, and I felt more connected to her than my brothers and sisters. We had both given our loyalty to Shinmei, and we were very much devoted to our King.

            “Then, the war between Shinmei and Myoujou changed everything. We had lost many on both sides despite of our victory, but Myoujou took several of our best angels down with him as prisoners of war when he was cast our of Heaven. Sadly, my love was one of those victims, and word got to me that she had been destroyed in one of the lower rings of Hell. The demons raped her and tortured her for hours until she had her wings ripped off and a dagger was driven into her body.

            “My surviving brothers and sisters heard about her death, but it was I who took it the hardest. After I received the news, I dedicated myself solely to my purpose. I could have loved another again, but with this war quickly approaching us, I don’t want to take another risk until I know that there is no more evil left in this world to destroy the goodness of Shinmei.”

Last but not least, my favorite side of Gaburieru: the gentle sympathizer.

 

(excerpt from The Memory)

“I just wish there was a way we can all work together,” said Rizu. “We’re all Angelic Guardians; we’re one of the same! There shouldn’t be a need to separate ourselves just because we think differently!”

            Geiburieru cracked a small smile and said softly, “You’re a sweet girl, Rizu. If only the others could be more like you.”

Oh, Gaburieru, you never cease to amaze me with your many personalities. If I didn't know better, I'd say he's nothing more than angelic version of a certain Muggle-candy loving wizard. You know, the more that I think about it (and the more I write this character), Gaburieru could possibly be Dumbledore's newest rival in fantasy literature.

Lemon drops... err, I mean tea, anybody?

All characters and plots from Angelic Guardians belong to L.D. Smith ©2011.

"Angelic Guardians: The Gathering" Promo video #1 (beta/annotated)

So, I redid the promo video for The Gathering and uploaded an annotated version on YouTube. I'm done making videos... for now. I will make a second promo video with Erin's artwork for the cover and any new sketches she sends my way. Until then, enjoy this clip.

All characters and plots from Angelic Guardians belong to L. D. Smith ©2011.

Teasers for "Angelic Guardians: The Awakening"

Teaser #1: "Exit Music (for a Film)" - Radiohead

Teaser #2: "My Hero" - Foo Fighters

DISCLAIMER: All characters and plots of Angelic Guardians belong to L. D. Smith ©2011.