rlfj: Blog

This couldn’t have been done without help from svtln, a truly gifted graphic artist. When I look back on the pictures in Wedding the difference is amazing. These new pics are more realistic and more sophisticated; very important, they match throughout the story. Along the way, we experimented with different programs, some of which aren’t all that user-friendly. One even disappeared from the web, and there were comments on social media that the developer headed for the hills with lots of subscription fees.

I’ve had several people ask about a sequel to The War of the Crystals. I started one, but the original story was written over the 2018-2019 winter and published in the spring of 2019. It has been seven years since then. At the end of the first story Construct tells Jack he needs to set up an office in Washington and begin to control things behind the scenes. If anything, the system has gotten far worse than what he was facing. Nothing I write based on that would make sense. What's he going to do? Go on a killing spree in DC, wiping out the Supremes and the administration? I don't think so. It’s better to just leave it be.

This is the biggest project svtln and I have attempted. What started with illustrating an existing story, Wedding, with 31 pics, has grown. Our last story was Lessons To Be Passed Along – Illustrated, which had over 70 pics. With The War Of The Crystals – Illustrated, we have over 170! This was a major undertaking and took us the better part of three months.

The basic story is unchanged. As I mentioned in the original story, The War Of The Crystals was developed from a story called The Atlantis Crystal by Robber Baron. He left it as ‘Incomplete and Inactive’ but I extended it and finished it off. To be fair, I failed to ask his permission, and he sent me a note:

“I'm not dead yet. I quit writing when I discovered I had cancer and began treatments. Now, the cancer appears to be in remission, but I have lost the will to write, though I think about it every now and then. You should have inquired of me or Lazeez before rewriting and continuing my story. However, I am interested in finding out where you take this story. I demand that you recognize me as coauthor. Once that is done, I will be happy to allow you to continue it. Please state that I have no further part in the story and that all the changes and additions are your work alone.”

I admit, I screwed that up. I contacted Lazeez and he changed the credit on that story.

Secondly, there has been some editing done on the story but not in any significant sense. This is because the process of creating the illustrations led to some modifications. For instance, maybe a woman is supposed to be wearing a skirt made from a stretchy crepe material, but the drawing program can’t do crepe. Do I ask svtln to do a dozen different pics trying to make it work? Or maybe I just change the skirt to a sexy little flirt skirt, which only took two pics to create in the first place? There aren’t many instances like that, but a word-by-word comparison will find a few.

Just consider this a new story. I think you’ll like it. Enjoy!

We’re getting near the end. Again, life is imitating art. The section on Judy breaking her leg and having issues with sex comes from real life. My wife managed to do exactly what is described while working at our local supermarket, and she was in a cast and a walker for two months. The sex involved was exactly as described.

The quote about the dangers of some cruise excursions comes straight from the Royal Caribbean website. My wife and I have been on eleven cruises and have another planned. Yeah, I’ve heard all the comments about floating Petrie dishes, but so what. Happy wife, happy life!

Enjoy!

My wife and I have similar shirts as the ones Hersch and Judy wore on their cruise, though ours specify, “Annoying Each Other Since 1974 And Still Haven’t Killed Each Other!” Our children are so embarrassed, but we don’t care. Like our fictional protagonist, I gave my wife hers on a cruise, and we got a lot of smiles and congratulations. We had a nephew help us with Photoshop. Art imitating life, or something like that.

Enjoy!

The reference to The Newlywed Game is legitimate. You can find it on YouTube and other spots on the Internet. It occurred in 1977.

Otherwise, the chapter includes a few important elements, which you should appreciate.

Enjoy!