Creative Writing Beginnings - News

Tanner's Plan. The Jade Snake Part 2 is underway!

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 12:20:00 +0000

Snippet: (Content may change in the finished book)

Tanner's Plan. The Jade Snake: Part Two.

Chapter 1

Rescue.

Sean Tanner and Tamzine Dubois squinted into the bright spotlight that was shining on them. A silhouette of a man was above them. They slowly climbed up the rope ladder that had been tossed down to them. The spies were both dressed in their yellow and white high tech suits with their helmets still on and visors pushed up.

‘You two are a strange pair, dressed like yellow birds. Mind you, I haven't seen a yellow bird in years; I probably won’t ever again.’

Tanner helped Tamzine onto the platform the man was standing on. Then Tanner followed, hauling himself on board. He and Tamzine were now standing on the back of a narrow flying vehicle. The two spies looked down at the body of water below, which was illuminated by the lights of the strange craft they were on. ‘I can't see any land,’ said Tamzine.

The man came closer as the spotlight switched off and muted lights began to turn on. ‘I’m Roy Jamie Tyler – captain and one of the many overseers of the great pond that is Wetland.’

‘Wetland. How original,’ said Tamzine.

The captain gave her a quizzical look. ‘Are you smirking me?’

‘We mean no offence,’ Tanner broke in.

‘What were you two doing in the sea?’ The captain spoke with a slightly strange accent.

‘I’m not sure you would believe us,’ said Tamzine.

‘Try me,’ he said.

‘We came through a portal. We’re from Earth.’ Tamzine waited for a response.

‘Never heard of it.’ The man opened a tall locker and showed the two spies some clothes hanging on rails. ‘Take what you need; you can’t stay in those wet yellow bird suits.’

‘Thank you,’ said Tamzine, who was now shivering badly.

The man headed into the front of the strange craft. ‘I’m going to take you up to my star tarke; I can’t leave you here. And I still haven't reckoned how you two came to be here bobbing about in the pond.’

Tanner walked into the body of the craft. ‘Like we said, we entered a portal – a doorway that led us here.’

Captain Tyler turned a set of brass coloured metal knobs and the craft began to slowly rise. ‘Well, you have no choice but to come with me to my home world. You won’t like it there, but we’ve only just started the sizing up of Wetland. There won’t be any living here any time soon; it will take years to landform it.’

Tamzine, now changed into dry clothing, joined Tanner and the captain. ‘We appreciate your help. And until we can find a way back home, we would be happy to visit your home world. You didn't say what it's called.’

‘Tarshien, after the sky god,’ the captain said.

‘Tarshien, it sounds romantic,’ said Tamzine.

‘I don’t know that word, but if that means nice, it certainly isn’t.’ The captain flipped a switch and a bank of monitors lit up with different scenes of Tarshien filling the screens.

It looked like Hell; large chimneys belched brown smoke into an equally brown sky which housed a small pale sun barely making itself known. Tamzine and Tanner looked on, in horror. They could see people struggling to walk on the streets; they looked wretched, the place was awful. Scenes cut to hospitals with sick people coughing up blood.

‘Those are the poor ones who can’t afford the right protection; they sit on the streets asking for credits. Not many people are able to help them out. As the saying goes, no one comes to Tarshien to get rich.’

‘Why do people come to Tarshien?’ Tamzine was frowning.

‘That’s the joke of it, no one ever comes to Tarshien. We’re trying to leave! You two will be the first off-world visitors we’ve ever had come to Tarshien. You’ll be quite the sensation!’

Stars were beginning to populate the sky and the barge-type craft they were aboard started sealing itself ready for a leap into space. Tanner and Tamzine marvelled as clear panels slowly emerged to cover the spaces that were open to the elements. Once the synchronised performance was over, the two spies were taken aback by the powerful jolt they felt as the craft launched itself into space. Luckily, they had been looking at the captain, who was holding on tightly to a metal bar near the monitors. The two visitors copied him and managed to stay on their feet.

‘Enjoying it?’ the captain laughed.

‘Exhilarating!’ Tamzine shouted above the din.

‘Rather bracing, old boy!’ Tanner managed to say.

Eventually the small craft punched its way into space and slowed. In front of them was a spacecraft that must have been the size of two football pitches, it was absolutely huge.

After entering the giant spacecraft via a slit in its hull, the hanger they landed in was sealed and the trio exited the narrow craft.

Captain Tyler led the way. ‘Come this way, let me show you around before we set off; you’ll have to enter a stasis pod soon, so I won’t have time once we arrive at Tarshien.’

The captain introduced Sean and Tamzine to the crew, who were an assortment of races similar to Earth; in fact, Tamzine noted that most things she saw reminded her of home. However, their technology did seem to be about fifty or sixty years in advance of Earth’s.

Finally, after their whirlwind tour of the giant space vessel, Captain Roy Jamie Tyler saluted the two guests and beckoned them to both step into upright pods that were obviously going to put them into a deep sleep state.

Tamzine looked worried. ‘How far is Tarshien. Will we be asleep long?’

‘It takes six months to reach Tarshien from here.’ The captain could clearly see that both Tamzine and Sean were concerned. ‘You have nothing to fear; our technology has never failed. We have revived every person that has been in a stasis pod.’

With slight reluctance, both Tanner and Tamzine stepped into available pods.

‘Breathe normally, it takes a few minutes for the stasis process to work.’ The Captain turned dials on the outside of each pod, then pressed a button to activate the units.

Both Sean Tanner and his newly appointed colleague Tamzin Dubois stared out from the glass front of their life support capsules; these units would suspend their ageing process and keep them alive without the need for food or water on the six month trip to Tarshien.

Tanner thought about the fact that months or even years would pass by before they could find their way back home. He’d been in this situation before on the parallel Earth he’d ended up on after he was cast adrift in space by Misha Bardoe. Thirty years of his life were somehow magically returned to him that time, but now he and Tamzine might not be so fortunate.

Look out for the finished book soon!

FREE Comic Making Project Book!

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 11:49:00 +0000

Making Comic Books for absolute beginners: Book 1

At last! I have completed my first project book related to making comic books without any prior skill or knowledge. The controversy around AI art production has hampered my progress, as initially I was hoping to sell this book. I decided it would be better to give this book and the project books that will follow it (if they contain AI art) away for free.

I can see a time in the near future where AI will become invaluable to creative artists and if AI learning models are taught ethically, then doubts about the use of AI because of copyright infringements will be a thing of the past. As it stands, a lot of people are very wary about using AI created artwork commercially.

So really, I can only see a hobby use for AI created material. However, would-be comic book artists can still receive a deep sense of satisfaction seeing a finished comic project to completion.

Comic Making Book Now Well Under Way!

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 22:38:00 +0000

I'm ramping up the creative forces to get this book finished as soon as possible. I'm currently working on some example comic book pages that I may well finish as a complete comic! The title of the example comic is

"The Fourth Sentinel: The Keeper's Watch. Issue One - The City Guide".

Comic pages are a work in progress.

Newsletter: June 2023

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 21:09:00 +0000

Project Progress for April 2023.

Tue, 09 May 2023 23:41:00 +0000

Project Progress NEWSLETTER - April 2023

"Low poly Truck Free" (https://skfb.ly/oGGrX) by arun1232 is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Background behind truck from ibisPaint.

Advanced look at my newest project.

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 23:27:00 +0000

I've started a new novelette set in a small coastal town. It could be anywhere - I'm not being specific, although as I live in England, it may well conjure up images of Blighty! I haven't got a title yet, and I've written more than the small taster below. I'm excited about it as it's straying away from my normal wild babblings!

Here it is:

The wind tearing at the cemetery's corrugated iron hut roof made pastor Greendale hesitate before continuing towards the small, brightly-painted chapel. He steadied himself before turning the elaborate door knob. The attacks were more frequent now. He found it harder to shake them off and compose himself. The chapel would probably only be half filled with parishioners; times had changed, but he still needed to stay strong and put on a show. He stepped across the threshold and hoped he had the strength to deliver the sermon; he could see his assistants handing out the hymn sheets, and they acknowledged him. He smiled back: Ellen and Sheenie had been with him since he first moved to Breakwater when he started his vocation as their religious leader.

Breakwater was a small coastal town set high on a ragged hill. Fearsome storms regularly attacked the small town, and the cliff face frequently transformed. Luckily, the small chapel was set far enough away from the cliff edge to quieten any misgivings. The townsfolk were set in their ways and shied away from most of what modern life had to offer; that suited pastor Joel Greendale just fine.
A voice whispered to Joel, "You hypocrite, how can you preach to these people when you have sinned yourself? God does not love you - he hates you!"
Joel ignored the voice. He had heard it too many times to flinch in surprise; he knew the voice was right. Joel did not need telling, having chastised himself enough over the years. He stepped up into the pulpit and looked across the people of the town who regularly came to worship at the small chapel. These were fine people. Joel knew every one of them. They were loyal and had attended his sermons, mostly without fail, over the years. Granted, the congregation was shrinking now as older folk passed away, but, in general, for these times, it was a good turn-out week after week.
Ellen and Sheenie took their seats, and Joel began his sermon: He ignored the presence at his side; it was there, breathing down his neck - if it breathed. The numerous demons that plagued Joel over the years first appeared when he became a pastor. In the beginning, Joel thought he must have been suffering from a psychological condition by hearing voices; but it soon became apparent that the voices belonged to entities that could manifest themselves and harm him physically; they were leaving bruises on his body from the blows they rained down upon him.
As Joel spoke, he pictured Carly in his mind; she was lying on her sofa and beckoning him over; he had liked her ever since junior school, always admired her from afar and never had let his feelings be known. His vision lingered on her creamy-white legs then he suddenly jolted himself back to the sermon. His face was flushed. Had the congregation noticed? They might have thought their pastor was putting extra enthusiasm into his speech and becoming flushed with passion.
When his sermon was over, Joel helped Ellen and Sheenie collect the hymn sheets. They both seemed very excited about something and itched to tell him. It would have to wait; Joel had to mingle with the stragglers first.

Comic-making guide well under way.

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 22:42:00 +0000

I've been working on an Old School look for my comic-making guide book and using Daz Studio, Gimp, Krita and Dream by WOMBO I think I may have pulled it off!

Previously, I produced a few decent images for the book that are quite impressive, even if I do say so myself! Again, I used 3D models from Daz Studio, various image editors, and AI backgrounds produced using Dream by WOMBO and Nightcafe to enhance the images.

Lone Strike: A Refracted Man - Audio Sample Chapters 1-12.

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 21:28:00 +0000

LONE STRIKE: A REFRACTED MAN - SAMPLE CHAPTERS 1-12 MP3

200 Prompts finished and ready for the holidays.

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 12:48:00 +0000

Go to my Blogger site to grab 200 copyright free creative writing prompts. Just cut and paste into a word processor and enjoy!

200 Copyright Free Prompts.

A Dramatic Development!

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 23:13:00 +0000

Could it really be true? Have HQ lost their top spy?

Alex Farrington heard what Susan Milligan was saying but he was finding it hard to take it in. Sean Tanner was dead.

“He passed away last night,” she said

“What happened?” Alex asked.

“It was an avalanche. His airbag failed to inflate. His support team found him but there wasn’t anything they could do. They couldn’t revive him.

Alex sat down on the nearest bench. Susan sat beside him. “I’m so sorry Alex, I know you were close.”

“As you know, we trained together before we went our separate ways. I just wish I’d seen more of him recently.”

Susan took Alex’s hand. “I’ll let you know about the funeral arrangements.”

“Yes, of course. You know, I really must get back to The Hub, they’ll be expecting me.”

Susan got up and hugged Alex. “Keep in touch, drop into HQ sometime.”

Alex cleared his throat. “Yes, I will.”

Susan watched as Alex made his way through the crowds.

When Alex got back to The Hub there was a letter on his desk. He opened it and realised it was from Sean Tanner’s commander, Sarah Serking. He quickly read it and realised she was offering him a job. Alex knew the letter couldn’t have arrived through the post. She must have sent it via a dispatch rider. Was she trying to replace her top operative? If so, it was pretty insensitive to contact him so soon……….

Visit my blog to see more.