Top 5 Things to do on a Day Off

     Everyone, who is anyone, in this day and age knows the value of time off.  Most of us spend so much time at our J.O.B.s, that we forget what free time actually is.  Well, I'm here to remind you that even the hardest working individuals need time to relax and call their own; but what do you do on these days off when you are so accustomed to the daily grind?  Here is a list of my top five suggestions.

1.  Sleep In:  Most of us go about our daily activities by way of the alarm clock. Here's a novel idea. When you actually take a day off,  turn off the alarm clock and take an opportunity to spend a little extra relaxation time in your bed.  Most of us spend thousands of dollars on a good mattress and box spring, but don't take any additional time to appreciate it.  On your next day off, just lay in bed and enjoy it.  Feel the comforter, re-fluff your pillows, or just allow yourself to fall back asleep without the dread of being late for work or school.

2. Read a Book:  Many of us don't take the time to unwind with a good book any more unless, we're poolside and on vacation for at least a week.  I'm here to change that.  On your next day off, take some time to engorge yourself in a good book.  With so many genres out there, it's hard to come up with a miss.  Mystery, fantasy, history, romance, or even a good graphic novel, allow yourself and your overactive mind to relax with a good read and take yourself somewhere outside the confines of the office.  Let yourself experience a foreign world devoid of your daily responsibilities.  There is no greater escape than the pages of a great book.

3. Spend Time with Family:  Many of us spend most of our year and our lives working, that we forget about why we work.  We work to provide for the people we love.  On your next day off, spend some time with the people you claim to be working for.  Have a romantic, sex-filled day with your spouse or partner.  Take the kids to the movies, or the mall, and spend some quality time reconnecting with your loved ones.  Stopped by your parents, or in-laws for lunch or some coffee.  You'll be glad you did.  Life flies by and everyone ages in the blink of an eye.  Find the time to spend with your loved ones while they are still here with you.

4.  Devote Time to a Hobby:  Many of us have neglected hobbies.  Whether it be fixing your car, manicuring your lawn,  learning a new recipe, or catching up on your favorite shows.  These are the habits of value that many people forget to experience on a weekly basis.  In the long run, countless Americans retire every year bored with nothing to do because they spent the last 25-40 years devoted to their jobs.  Don't let this be you.  Find time every week to do what you love.  Our jobs are important, but they're not forever.  Everyone would like to retire at some point in their life and spend some time smelling the roses.  A little extra effort now, will keep your appetite whetted with new projects and goals for the future.

5. Finish a Neglected Project:  The house needs painting, the shelves need dusting, the car needs to be washed, vacuumed and waxed  On your next day off, find some time to do the things that you keep putting off because your work week is too busy.  There is no bigger feeling of accomplishment than finishing that 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle, or tidying up the junk drawer.  There are so many things that we say we should do, that we don't.  On your next day off, try to vanquish some of these demons that have been hanging over your head for the past six months or longer.  It can also help in alleviating some unneeded stress from your life.

     Regardless of what you choose to do on your next day off, take some time to devote to things that you want or need to do, but just haven't been able to find the time for.  Don't take a day off just to go to the doctor or get the oil changed in the car.  Life goes on with or without your participation.  Be an active participant and not a passive observer.  You'll be glad you did!

Cheers!

Drakov

Possible Title Change for book two.

Hello Joes and Janes,

     So I have been working on the edits for my second G.I.Joe novel in the Armed and Dangerous series, and am starting to think the title is not befitting the material.  I originally entitled the work Cobra's Cesspool with the assumption that I would be focusing on the backstory of Cesspool and his company's involvement with Cobra.  Although the story does dive into the character of  Doctor Vincent D'Alleva, I am not yet ready for his biologically-induced transformation by this book's end.  I now envision that happening further on into book 3.  Therefore, I am considering a title change and reserving Cobra's Cesspool as the working book 3 title.  My current WIP  really focuses more on the emergence of the Headman and his band of organized drug dealers the Headhunters, and the need for the DEF.
As a result: I am contemplating renaming this book, "Enter the Headhunters."

Would love to get your thoughts on this.

Cheers!

Drakov

Update Cobra's Cesspool entering editing stages

Well Joes and Janes,

     I was a little behind schedule, but I think there is still a chance that I can get book two completed by month's end.  I typed the last words of the epilogue this afternoon.  Major "Bulletproof" Morris is quoted as saying:
"Things just got interesting."
     This is true in more ways than one!  I am now moving on to editing the 300 plus pages.  The current novel is a bit lengthier than I originally imagined, being close to a 70K word count, and is broken up into 23 chapters.  I'm thinking that something will change here and, I will end up with an even 24 chapters, but we will have to wait and see.
     If I can edit two chapters a day between now and the end of January, that will give everyone a February release date on KindleWorlds.  I am quite happy with the progression of the series and cannot wait to get it out to you ALL of you to read.  The overall tone of this book is much darker and serious. I have done a lot of background research to present you with a more rugged and realistic account.  Armed and Dangerous sets the stage and is a much more light-hearted read.  Cobra's Cesspool  tackles more serious societal problems and leaves room for further developments in Book three, currently untitled.

Thanks for reading,
Cheers!

Drakov

Cobra's Cesspool Book 2 Update

Ok Ladies and Joes.
    I am getting down to the last three chapters in my upcoming G.I.Joe novel.  I am a little behind schedule, but some things at work and my personal life have delayed me a bit.  For those of you looking for an update here goes:
     The story starts off roughly six months after "Armed and Dangerous" and is set in and around 2010 and now.  Heroin addiction and opioid abuse is at an all time high, and the U.S. government has called upon the G.I.Joe team to lend some of their talent to create the Drug Elimination Force or DEF.

     Zartan is currently under deep cover and his second in charge is leading the Dreadnok organization stationed in Sydney Australia.  Bacro Industries is run by doctor Vincent D'Alleva, who is facing strict government regulations and is in danger of being shut down until a mysteriously well-dressed man makes him an offer he can't refuse.
     Cobra is still in its infancy, but gaining power and operatives daily.  CC is in the process of infiltrating a major group of dissenters in the middle East.  Meanwhile, the Headhunter Organization is growing in leaps and bounds in the U.S. and abroad. 
     "Cobra's Cesspool" will continue many of the developing story arcs started in book 1 and follow the training and development of new operative Armed  (PFC Kordos) and Dangerous (his partner an orphaned cheetah).  Being an origins story, the reader will be treated to a lot of backstory and character development with cameos by the Headman, Hotwire, Heartwrencher, Zanzibar and several other currently untapped characters. 
     Stayed tuned for more.

Cheers!

Drakov

Voltron Legendary Defender Dreamworks Netflix

Hello All,

     Needless to say, yesterday was not that great on the home front so, I have opted to give my wife time alone and simply send her a few messages letting her know that I am not giving up on "Us" and that "We" will work our way through this.
     This situation and my not feeling well on Sunday has allowed me some time to binge watch the new series of Voltron on Netflix.  Being a child of the 80s, I had a front row seat to the original series and greatly enjoyed it back as a wide-eyed ten year old.  I later rewatched the entire original series on DVD as an adult in my early 30s.  It was a little cheesier with some plotholes, but still enjoyable due mostly to the nostalgia.and the legendary characters of Prince Lotor and the witch Haggar.

   
     Now, I am a bit older and have recently acquired Netflix.  After some browsing, I remembered that Voltron had been rebooted.  I reluctantly searched for it and began to watch the hour long introductory episode.  Although some of the character voices have changed, the animation of the main characters is easily recognizable.  Sven, has been replaced by Shiro (original character in the Japanese version) and is an older space explorer who was recently captured by Zarkon.  He escapes and makes his way back to Earth where he is rescued by four young space academy cadets.  These four are really wet behind the ears with little experience.  This is a different take than the original series, but they at least gave us a little bit of a backstory here.
     The team of four eventually discovers the Blue Lion on Earth which bonds to Lance ( movie-star want-a-be).  He's a little annoying and a bit of a womanizer, but he grows on you.  Keith is a rebel, but we are given little reason why, Hunk has severe motion sickness and likes to eat (go figure), and Pidge... well is still Pidge, the character that you were never really sure of his/her identity.  There is chemistry between the group and it is oddly reminiscent of the original team despite the differences.

      Eventually, the team ends up on a foreign planet due to the Blue lion's homing abilities and this leads to the discovery and reawakening of Princess Allura and Coran after a 10,000 year slumber in a cryogenic chamber.  The Princess in this series, is much more mature and exudes confidence and leadership.  Coran on the other hand is a bit of a buffoon and has an annoying voice.  I prefer the more fatherly and stately Coran from the original series. Without giving away too much, they have to eventually find, awaken and bond with the other four hidden robot lions in order to bring back Voltron to defeat the now Emperor Zarkon and the Galra Empire (previously the Drule).
     There are some great updates to the story, the members of the Voltron force are called Paladins (mythical good knights), they carry bayards instead of lasers that create a unique weapon for each bearer.  The Castle of Lions is a spaceship that is not on Planet Arus.  The space mice are used minimally, and Zarkon is a much darker villain with a past linked to Voltron and King Alfor.  My problem with Zarkon is he really doesn't resemble the original closely, and "how is he still alive after 10,000 years?"   Prince Lotor is true to character and appearance, although I am not a huge fan of his voice characterization, but at least he's not as emo as he was in the original series.

     All in all, I am enjoying the series and have a season and a half left to view.  i can already see how some things will play out in order to align more with the original and for that I am even more impressed. It has been a pleasant surprise and a outstanding update to the original without straying too far from its roots. A great mix of old and new, with some quirky humor, oddball characters, classic anime facial expressions, and some serious plot and character development.
     Awesome job Dreamworks at remaking a classic!!!  Now, how about a live action movie?  Please??

Welcome 2018! The penguins have left!

Happy New Year Everyone!

     I am happy to be back on the east coast once more, but do sorely miss the 80 degree weather of Hermosa Cove , St. Ann Parish, Jamaica.  I came home to find 19 degree weather, a layer of snow on my car, and a rotted shower drain pipe at my rental property.  Fun, fun, fun! but in reality-- "What can you do? It's life as usual."
    What i do feel I can complain a little bit about is showing up to work this morning to find that the school building i work in is as cold inside as the weather outside.  My classroom has been a balmy 44 degrees and NOT rising since 7:45 a.m.  we have spent the better part of the day seeking warmer areas of the school building in which to simply babysit our students. 
     We are currently in the upper tier of the auditorium, AKA the balcony.  It is fifth period and I have yet to have an actual class period of instruction much to my chagrin, but to the delight of my students who have been on Facetime and Instagram all day now. Such a waste.
     Happy New Year everyone, here's hoping your first day back is better than mine.

I left a note on my classroom door that reads as follows: (see pic)

"It's cold in here and even the penguins left."

Writing in Jamaica

Hello All!
      I hope and trust that we are all having a wonderful and blessed holiday season thus far.  With the timer steadily ticking down to both Christmas and the new year, I thought I would take this opportunity to wish you and your families a joyous, safe, healthy and happy countdown to the holidays!
     We all have so much to be thankful for, that we often take for granted.  The roof over our heads, the refrigerator and cabinets full of food, the automobile that we drive, and the income we are receiving, wherever it may be coming from.  Many of us at times focus more on what we don't have, and forget everything that we do have.  I myself, like many, have much more than many families worldwide. Much more than my parents had at my age, and much, much more than my grandparents and their parents.
     My biggest blessing truly comes in the form of family, friends and pets.  If we have these, we are truly rich in spirit and soul.  I do not know where I would be today without the love, support and encouragement that I have received and continue to get from the important people in my life.
    As the title states, I will actually be taking a vacation with my wonderful wife shortly after Christmas.  We will be spending some much needed rest and relaxation on the tropical island of Jamaica.  One of the best things about going on vacation is I will have extra time to do what I love doing which is writing.  With no other real obligations, other than deciding when to wake up and what to eat during the day, I will have plenty of extra time to let my creative juices flow.
     I am currently 262 pages into "Cobra's Cesspool," which is roughly four chapters from completion.  The sun and fun will allow me to devote extra hours to writing and editing and keep me on track to releasing  book two by the mid to end of January 2018.
     Thank you to my readers and supporters, and I hope to see many of you in Chattanooga, TN for JoeCon 2018.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Your Friend,
Drakov

Annual Christmas Viewing List

     Although I try to be as creative as possible with my spare time, I feel I would not be the writer I am today if it were not for some of my television viewing habits over the years.  As I have made note of in a previous blog entry, 80s cartoons played an enormous role in the development of my imagination and in helping to fuel my inner child.
     The holidays have always been an inspirational time for me as well in terms of classic viewing content.  Every December, my wife and I have a ritual in terms of what we watch; my wife more-so than I in terms of days and number of viewings.  I thought I would take this time to list some of the movies and animated specials that I simply must watch each holiday season.  So, here goes.  Feel free to comment on or add to this compilation.  Enjoy! as these are in no particular order.

1. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
2. Disney's A Christmas Carol 2009
3. Elf
4. A Nightmare Before Christmas
5. The Christmas Toy
6. A Muppet's Family Christmas
7. Nestor the Long-eared Donkey
8. Krampus
9. Gremlins
10. Christmas with the Kranks
11. A Glo-Friends Christmas
12. Mickey's Christmas Carol
13. Disney's Prep and Landing
14. The Santa Clause
15. The Christmas Raccoons
16. He-man and She-ra's Holiday special
17. Cobra Klaws are Coming to Town
18. Santa Claus is Coming to Town
19. The Life and Adventures of Santa Clause
20. Little Rascal's Christmas Special
21. The Polar Express
22. Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer

Let me know your thoughts.
Cheers!
Drakov

As promised an Excerpt from, "The End of Realms."

PROLOGUE

            The ground trembled as powerful shock waves of energy coursed through it. The surrounding air was suddenly filled with a most horrid, decaying stench and fog.  Nearby trees and shrubbery wilted under the onslaught, while the inhabiting creatures scurried off to find the safety of their underground abodes.  Amidst the dank and filthy cloud, two enormous glowing blues eyes could be seen, yet oddly enough, no bodily form could be discerned.  A deafening roar erupted from the dismal fog, and then… nothing.

            Mamatar Rognar was sitting in his antiquated study, amongst a pile of books and dusty ancient scrolls.  The aging dwarf had an uneasy feeling developing from deep within his gut.  The countryside had been peaceful and serene for most of his two hundred and fifty-three years of life, but now something was dreadfully wrong.

“Beware!  Beware!” A disturbing and shrieking cry emerged from the corner of the room.  Fla’ziel the raven, one of his most-beloved and ancient friends, grew tense and full of dread while sitting upon his window perch.  

The medium-sized, black, bird had seen so many winters that his feathers were now edged with silver. Mamatar attempted to calm his avian friend, but he knew this warning signified the beginning of a whole new world of turmoil, both for him and the denizens of this realm and others, some which he had heard mentioned only in whispers.  He could only hope that the signs and talismans he was viewing were still in their early stages, yet somehow, he knew, deep down in his heart, that this was untrue.

             Suddenly he felt a mental intrusion, a familiar voice he had not heard in quite some time. He peered out of his enchanted window to find the source of the telepathic message. His eyes fell upon the lone screech owl perched calmly in the high boughs of the great oak tree that had anchored itself outside his home some hundred plus years ago.  The normally nocturnal owl immediately met his gaze with extreme intensity. In fact, it seemed as if his stare could see right into his inner being.  It was then that the message shifted from merely calling his name to sharing a pertinent message.

“I will begin to make preparations and do all that is necessary. Be prepared Mamatar Rognar!  Our days may all be numbered. For soon, we may need to prepare ourselves for entry into the Halls of the Gods.”

The Owl King, Sawertez, imparted images of fierce fires, gruesome wars, and those of his own beaten and bloodied body lying broken on the once lush green countryside.  Other visions included abandoned and orphaned children crying and clinging to the lifeless forms of their parents, only to be bludgeoned themselves by the whole-hearted blow of a spiked overhead club.  The disturbing images caused him to wince. Mamatar closed his eyes and shook his head to free himself from the vivid, disturbing barrage of telepathically-imparted visions. 

His previous suspicions were now confirmed; Mamatar knew what he had to do.  He would begin to make the necessary preparations while casting his own well-knowing glance at his trusted, feathered visitor.  In response, he sent his own telepathic message.

I too will make myself ready for this challenge.  I too will prepare and await their arrival.

Fantasy/ Dungeons and dragons Tweets

Fire elementals make terrible ice cream delivery persons.

Displacer beasts cheat at hide and go seek.

Bullywugs make great pets. They will not give you warts and can help control the mosquito population.

Never enter into a staring contest with a beholder.

If you blink, you might miss these dogs.

"The End of Realms" Update

Hi all.
     As some of you may already know, I write G.I.Joe novels under the Kindleworlds banner, but some of you may not know that I was primarily a fantasy writer before writing Joe fiction.  dabbling in the world of orcs, dragons, and the undead. Speaking of this topic, I have been developing a fantasy novel over the past few years as a side project.  The story first came to me years ago and started as a thirty-seven-page handwritten short story in my late teens.  Today it has taken on a life of its own and blossomed into a full-length fantasy adventure.
     The story centers around Jeff Larson, an average teenager with a hot set of wheels, who by a series of supernatural events, ends up becoming the next Golden Lancer in a parallel world populated by magical creatures and mythical races.  His mentor a dwarf mage, named Mamatar, takes him under his tutelage and introduces him to his family's hidden heritage. With no clue how to become a weapon-wielding hero, he is in for one wild ride!
     This is just a quick introduction to whet your appetite. "Why bring it up you say?"  Well, I have taken a huge step forward with the story and submitted part of it to a professional editing service for critique.  If all goes well, I would expect this work to be ready for publishing in the new year.  I will provide a book excerpt when the editor releases it to me.  Thanks for reading.
Cheers!

Drakov

How does one successfully fight off a solitary
        bulette? What about a mating pair in a threatened
        environment? This battle and others await you in:
  "The End of Realms."

Just visited Nikki Sixx at his Book Signing

      OK so I'm a huge Motley Crue and Sixx A.M. fan as is my wife (in fact she's a bigger one). So over the past four years or so, we have had the honor and privilege to me Nikki Sixx a bunch of times.  Tonight we decided to pay him a visit at his book signing in Ridgewood, NJ at Bookends. The Heroin Diaries is celebrated its 10th anniversary and has been one of the inspirations for my current G.I.Joe novel Cobra's Cesspool.  Drug addiction, but now more than ever heroin addiction is on the uprise in the USA once again.  Thank you Nikki for seeing us tonight and thank you for providing me with some writing inspiration.  You're a rock star, a hero and a legend. 
So, one author to another.  Rock On my Brother!

Hello, and welcome to my author page.

Hello All,

     I've been looking at page views over the past several months and have been both pleased and overwhelmed!  Individual blog postings are tracked differently than overall page views.  (I know a little weird)  Anyways, I have had over 7500 page views over the past several months from individuals in the US, Ukraine, Germany, France, Poland, Russia, United Arab Emirates, Belgium, Brazil, Peru and Hungary. (who knew?)
     Each of you has had an opportunity to learn a little bit about me and my manuscripts and I hope that you have enjoyed them. I in turn would like to know a little bit about you and what you enjoy in terms of hobbies, literature, etc.  If possible, I would like to hear some of your general opinions on the chapters and excerpts I have shared or my current G.I.Joe novels previously available on KindleWorlds.
     Please don't be shy.  I would love the opportunity to get to know each of my readers better and in the process become a better author.
Cheers!

Below you will find chronological links to all 17 Chapters of "Armed and Dangerous," A G.I.Joe Origins Story.  At the bottom of the post is a link to all the chapters in "Enter the Headhunters," Book 2 in the series. These are the first two books in what will be a three-book story arc.

Cheers!
Drakov

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @drakovkinski

Armed and Dangerous Chapter 1

Armed and Dangerous Chapter 2

Armed and Dangerous Chapter 3

Armed and Dangerous Chapter 4

Armed and Dangerous Chapter 5

Armed and Dangerous Chapter 6

Armed and Dangerous Chapter 7

Armed and Dangerous Chapter 8

Armed and Dangerous Chapter 9

Armed and Dangerous Chapter 10

Armed and Dangerous Chapter 11

Armed and Dangerous Chapter 12

Armed and Dangerous Chapter 13

Armed and Dangerous Chapter 14

Armed and Dangerous Chapter 15

Armed and Dangerous Chapter 16

Armed and Dangerous Epilogue

Follow the link below to get to Book II "Enter the Headhunters"

"Enter the Headhunters" Book II Chapters

A new excerpt from Book 2 "Cobra's Cesspool." Enjoy!!

It had been many months since the failed attempt by the terrorist organization to set up a presence in the African country of Kenya.  The whole plot had been nothing more than a training exercise for the Cobra organization. A way  to make the rest of the world aware of their existence and the fact that the U.S. military had gotten soft.

The supreme Cobra Commander had done well in abandoning the outpost and making the G.I.Joe team think that his organization had retreated back to the shadows, but in reality the whole exercise had allowed them to not only expose the weaknesses of the United States military but also to infiltrate the top secret G.I.Joe team.  The commander had recalled many of his operatives and had scheduled a meeting before his ranking officers.  It was the first time they had met since their retreat to Somalia all those months ago.  The commander had reassigned most of his operatives to different missions, but now with the recent uprisings in Egypt, Turkey and North Korea, he felt he needed to get a handle on some of his assets.

“Greetingssss essteemed Cobra loyalistsss.  It is ssso good to see all of you again.”  The room erupted in loud applause as all those in attendance cheered the head snake. “It has been quite some time ssssince we have all been together under the sssame roof.  And although I have been in clossse communication with all of you over thissss time, I felt the need to arrange this homecoming.”  The room once again erupted in cheers.  Cobra Commander reveled in the admiration and respect of his compatriots.  After many seconds, he raised his hand to silence the crowd.

“It has recently been brought to my attention the many of the leadersss of the world are overstepping their boundaries and neglecting their obligations to the Cobra nation.  Thisss has been tolerated for a little too long!  And stopsss today! I have called you all back here to reassign some of you to some more…..promisssssing appointmentsss.”  

The large ballroom in front of the commander’s balcony was filled with some of the most ruthless Cobra agents the world over.  Individuals from six continents and over twenty countries had been summoned and had happily returned to heed the orders of their supreme leader.  Although the Cobra nation was still very much in its infancy, the promises of world domination, free healthcare and power had gone far to create a wide arrays of supporters.  The commander had made sure to pay them well and to provide them with all the supplies necessary to insure his ultimate ascension to worldwide power.  

Many of the room’s representatives had never even met one another before, but they all shared in a common uniting cause.  Among those in attendance were Laird Destro, or James McCullen, the president and CEO of MARS Industries and the commander’s chief  supplier of weapons and armaments.  The man stood nearly six foot four inches tall and had a physique revelling a professional wrestler in his prime.  His most notable characteristic took the form of an opulent silver, reflective full face mask that encased his entire head.  Originally designed to shame his family for dealing arms to both sides of the war, much like the man in the iron mask, Destro had turned his family’s curse into a badge of honor and a beacon of power. Few would dare to challenge the power of Castle Destro or could survive militarily without dealing with MARS Industries.

Some other noteworthy attendees were the co-CEOs of Extensive Enterprises, the Corsican twins known as Tomax and Xamot.  Their international law offices can be found on the six main continents and they have represented hundreds of thousands of corporations worldwide.  In their spare time, they are responsible for training and outfitting an elite group of Cobra operatives known as the Crimson Guard.  These specialist soldiers are all prestigious lawyers and serve as private bodyguards to the supreme Cobra leader.

As the commander looked out over the crowd he also took note of several of his trusted doctors.  Dr. Mindbender, Dr. Venom and Scalpel had served his organization well by not only providing medical care for the troops, but also by conducting valuable research in the fields of genetics, neuroscience and surgery.  

     Close to the front row stood some of his most recently deployed operatives and some of his more eccentric egomaniacs.  Big Boa and Croc Master had been pivotal in training the grunts and insuring the security of the base’s perimeter, while the bird-like Raptor, had helped to launder money through a worldwide network of trust funds and offshore accounts. One of his greatest assets at the moment took the form of the fur-collared, red-eyed Gypsy hypnotist known only as Crystal Ball.  With a PhD in psychiatry and hypnosis, this man was currently manipulating the mind of the G.I.Joe operative known as Pathfinder.  The mission in Kenya had succeeded in providing the Cobra leader with an insider on the G.I.Joe roster who didn’t even know he was acting as a Cobra informant.  The good doctor, would probe his mind while he slept and extract valuable intel about the current plans and assignments of the Joe team.

Sorry Folks Been Writing Book 2

Hello everyone,
     Sorry for the lack of posts the past few days.  I have been very busy writing and editing my upcoming G.I.Joe novel to continue the "Armed and Dangerous"series.  I am currently at the 200 page mark and roughly 41k words. As some of you may be aware, I spend quite a bit of time contributing to the G.I.Joe/Cobra mythos.  My previous novel introduced a new Joe character named Armed and Dangerous.  In reality they are two characters as Armed is a Marine recruit and Dangerous is his cheetah ally.  My first book was a fun trip into creating voices for many characters from the late 80s Joe line that were previously underdeveloped.  This included a lot of the characters that fans love to hate like: Raptor, Croc Master, Big Boa and Crystal Ball.
      My current novel is a bit more serious diving into some genuine current real world issues.  Such as what you might ask? Book two's main focus is on the opioid/heroin epidemic taking place in the U.S. today.  I have resurrected the DEF (Drug Elimination Force) from the 1990s GIJoe line and added a present day twist.  armed and dangerous are set to take the stage here as well, but you'll have to wait for the book to see how.
      The novel takes place in parts of New Jersey like Irvington and Newark. (Some great places to visit, but you wouldn't want to live there) It spills out into parts of Connecticut, Arizona and as of now is taking the reader as far west as Sydney, Australia.  I have been having a blast referencing everything from the sexual harassment allegations going on today, to the North Korean ICBM crisis.  Nothing is off limits.
     Cobra's Cesspool will introduce old and new fans to many Joe and Cobra characters on the active roster as well as some brand new characters created from the depths of my imagination.  Keep checking back here for updates and exerpts.
Hope to hear you in the comments section.
Until then, Cheers!

Drakov

The Christmas Tree

     Hello everyone, I trust you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Saturday etc.  I, like most people in the old US of A, had to work this wonderful weekend.  I spent five hours of my day Friday and ten hours of my Saturday working for the man, while others slept in, or spent time with their families, or Netflix.
     As was completely expected, I got absolutely no time to do any serious writing involving my current novel.  This is actually the first writing I have done in the past two days.  You're welcome!  (I'm kidding of course)  So back to the point of my post.  Friday, after spending my early morning and mid day at my second J.O.B., I went home to continue the Christmas festivities, or as I like to call it the "Madness."
     My wife is an absolute Christmas fanatic, who I sometimes refer to as the Christmas Nazi.  She has an extremely rigid way of doing things for the holidays and seldom wavers in her techniques.  The day after Thanksgiving is devoted to decorating the tree. Now, you might say, "How long can that really take?"  Hello, news flash! The entire process took nearly eight hours on Friday.  We started around 2:00 p.m.and finished somewhere around 9:30.  My wife is extremely meticulous about her decorating.
     How meticulous? You might ask.  Well, let's just say that everything on the tree needs to be in exactly the right place and if it's not just so, it will be removed and re-positioned until perfection is reached.  It is an almost endless process and enough to drive the average person insane. She starts with the smallest ornaments on the top and a step stool.  This is followed by the slightly larger ones and larger and larger.  She tries really hard to get all of the best ornaments in the front and sometimes neglects the back of the tree. This continues until clip on birds, balloons and icicles are finally hung. "I think it's a sickness. But enough, who am I to say?"  Eventually, after placing several layers of ornaments and checking and rechecking their positions, the tree is finally ready to be lit.  "Totally insane, I know, but it sure looks magnificent when we are done!"
    Hope you enjoyed this and the pictures.  They really don't do the entire display any justice.  
Cheers!
Drakov

Thanksgiving Eve

     It's the day before Turkey Day and a seemingly long weekend, I may actually have a little extra time for creative writing.  Well, scratch that.  Just found out that my wife is no longer going to visit her friend this afternoon so, there goes my extra writing time.  Well, maybe not entirely, but we shall see.  I utterly amazes me sometimes because no matter how many days I have off, I never seem to get the extra time to do what I would like to do.  Some people might call that marriage.  Regardless, I wouldn't want it any other way. I've been single, married, single and married again, and as much as I like to complain about it, I enjoy being married than alone.  So, with the spirit of the holidays and family in mind. 
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
Gobble gobble turkey time!

Drakov

New chapter excerpt ROUGH DRAFT

A recent color advertisement from Macy's has given me some writing inspiration.  The advertisement depicts a man dressed in a shiny, red two-piece suit.  Something that I could envision the Headman wearing on a daily basis.  Flashy, gaudy, yet still stylish, I have him dressed up in this ensemble in my latest chapter.  Below is a ROUGH DRAFT

excerpt from "Cobra's Cesspool."  Enjoy!

 Here is the picture that inspired.

“Well good day to you Ms. Alvarez.  I’m here to see my good friend Vincent.  He should be expecting me.”  He smiled widely and tipped his hat at her.  The secretary was not as easily charmed as her younger counterpart working the front desk.  She eyed him curiously, taking in his whole elaborate ensemble.  The man was dressed in a shiny red suit, something Santa would wear if he were a couple hundred pounds lighter.  Under the suit jacket, he wore a silver shirt with a black satin tie.  Atop his head was a white fedora  with a matching red hat band.  While on his feet he wore what appeared to be white snakeskin loafers.   The outfit was so ridiculously gaudy, yet it worked.

“Charles I assume?  That really is quite an outfit you got going on there.” Her voice suggested a slight bit of  sarcasm.

“Do you like it? I figured with the holidays fast approaching, I might give it a test run. I had it custom made by my tailor.  What do you think honestly. Is it too much?” He spun around in front of her once to give her a 360 degree view, then smiled while eagerly awaiting her response.  The middle aged secretary couldn’t tell if he had been offended or flattered by her question.

“No, no I think it quite suits you.  It brings out the color of your eyes.” She lied of course and managed to smile back at the outrageously dressed man. “Daniella said you knew the doctor from the university?  I know most of Vincent’s colleagues, what program were you in?” Thinking she may have tripped him up and caught him in a lie, the extravagant man smiled again seeming completely unphased by her line of questioning.

“Vincent and I had some overlapping classes in our majors. While he went for a more traditional medical program, I focused more on the whole pharmaceuticals aspect.

MLA Formatting tips

I am a writer in my spare time, but during the day like most of you, I have another career.  185 days out of the year, I teach high school students about the wonders of science and the world.  Over the past decade or so, I have had to spend more and more time going over the basics of writing and formatting a research paper as this is something that seems to get overlooked in their Grammar courses and a skill they will need in college.  So for my blog post today, I decided to share with you what I share with my students. I call this: "the Basics of MLA Formatting."

Enjoy!

Drakov

MLA Formatting Tips

Your paper should be double spaced, Times New Roman font and size 12 font.

Do NOT use second or first person in the body of your paper.  This is only allowed in the conclusion where you are giving your opinion and possibly in your introduction.

The beginning of each paragraph is indented 5 spaces (Tab)

Papers should have an Introduction, a Body, and a Conclusion.

Name, date, teacher and class info goes on the cover page only.  NOT on page 1 of your actual paper.  Page one should have a title and the number “one” as a header.  Each following page should have “last name and page number” as the header, including your Works Cited.

Citations must be used for any information that is borrowed, copied or paraphrased that you DID NOT KNOW prior to research.  This includes: specific dates, amounts, times and other relevant facts.  When in doubt, cite your source. 

Any sources listed in your Works cited MUST BE cited at least once in your paper.

Citations are typically author and page or paragraph number, or title and page or paragraph number.  See Owl Purdue for help. (MLA)

“Works Cited” page is single spaced, reverse indented for wraparound citations.  Alphabetical order by sources with authors first, then titles if no publisher or author is available (N.p.)  Do not use bullets, numbers or letters to organize it.  WEB pages must be denoted as “Web” and include an access date.  Ex:  16 November 2017

Try Easywhois.com for web pages to find authors or publishers.                        

If you are directly quoting (word for word) 3 or more sentences it must be single-spaced and indented 10 spaces within your paper.

Proof read your work run a spelling and grammar check on Word.  Wait a few days and check your work again.

Last night's dream

     So, I had a very strange dream last night, but one I have had before in a similar form.  I dreamed about finding dead pet reptiles in my house.  Apparently in my dream, I had forgotten to feed them for close to three months and they were located in several different tanks.  One tank had water in it and there were two dead lizards, but also one that was really emaciated, but still alive that I saved.  Another tank had two dead turtles in it. Which appeared dehydrated and dead for quite some time but didn't smell. Another tank had several dead lizards, but two or three that were still alive and in really bad shape.  I provided food for the surviving reptiles and managed to save a few others.  Mainly a rather withered turtle in a tank with only a small puddle of water. I removed and buried the ones that had died in the backyard.
     I have had a similar dream before that involved an enclosed tank in which I apparently had left five different lizards for over a month without care and surprisingly, most of them were still alive.  I am trying to find out what it all means, as I have had reptiles for pets in the past that have passed away.  I currently care for two bearded dragons as pets.  And coincidentally, I did a blog post on Tiamat yesterday.  So, is my subconscious simply replaying the thoughts of the day and memories of the past? Or is there some hidden subconscious meaning yet to be revealed?
     I guess only time will tell....Thoughts anyone?

Drakov