tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19976085855362016202024-03-13T15:56:07.347-07:00Escape from NetherworldDavid Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-29273934377172989452016-09-10T14:29:00.002-07:002016-09-10T14:29:44.342-07:00<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Readers' Favorite Book Contest announced the Award Winners on September 1st, 2016 and my book, <i>Escape from Netherworld, </i>won a Bronze Medal in the Fiction - Adventure Category.</span></b><br />
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<b>I am sorry that I have not posted to my blog for so many months, I had some problems at my home. My living room ceiling collapsed due to a roof leak that I did not know about and my retaining wall holding up part of my front yard came down as well. It has been a long 8 months of replacing my roof, gutters, the living room ceiling, plastering, painting and rebuilding the retaining wall outside. With work, it has not left much time for anything else. </b></div>
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<b>I hope that going forward that I will have more time for my blog, connecting with friends and fans on social media sites as well as getting my second book in the series finished so I can get it published when ready.</b></div>
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<b>I also am looking forward to having some extra time to catch up on new books from my favorite authors as well as some lesser known but just as exciting and brilliant independent authors.</b></div>
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<b>I will have a new update on my second book in the Netherworld Trilogy soon and hope that everyone will continue to check back, as I am looking forward to updating my book much more often again.</b></div>
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<b>I hope everyone had a great summer and I am looking forward to Football Season being back!</b></div>
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<b>Thanks,</b></div>
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<b>David Kuklis </b></div>
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<b>Escape from Netherworld</b></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-52141033821477012192015-11-05T21:57:00.000-08:002015-11-05T21:57:11.792-08:00If my book ever became a movie, I would love Anna Kendrick to play Piper!<b>As I continue to work on the second book in the Netherworld Trilogy, I had a dream that I received a call from Hollywood about making my first book into a movie. They asked me to decide who I would want to try and get to play Piper. The name that came to me over and over was Anna Kendrick!</b><br />
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After watching Anna over the years in her movies, she has show her ability to have a massive range and makes you believe she was born to play that part. Piper is a major character in the book and goes through a large change when they ultimately end up in the alternate realm. She goes from being just a human female to a female elf fighter/magic user. Her mindset has completely changed based on becoming and thinking like an elf. Ms. Kendrick has the amazing ability to flip the switch and make both identities of the character believable to the audience. </div>
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As I continue to work on the series, Piper will quickly become an even stronger character now that she has adapted to becoming and living the life of a female elf. Piper was already one of the most dangerous people to the group's enemies and as she hones her craft as a magic user, she will only become more powerful in the realm that they now live in. </div>
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Anna Kendrick is an exceptional actor and would fit the role of Piper perfectly. I know I was only dreaming when the idea came to me, but stranger things have happened. <i>Escape from Netherworld </i>is the type of story that would work well as a movie, at least that is what I believe and have been told by many people who have read the book. It has tons of action, humor, some romance and a wide audience that could go from young adults all the way up the scale to people who would be nostalgic about playing Dungeons and Dragons with their friends when they were younger. There are large battle scenes, wizards, ogres, orcs, druids and much more. </div>
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<b>The basic premise of a group of friends going from dressing up and playing their characters on a set of caves near their home to falling into an alternate realm and actually becoming the characters that they played would be a new idea for Hollywood. If this dream would ever come true, the first person I would ask to be involved is the beautiful and talented Anna Kendrick! </b></div>
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David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-51179063166877052892015-10-09T00:03:00.000-07:002015-10-09T00:03:15.213-07:00Wil Wheaton is an Inspiration to ManyThinking back to my childhood, one of my favorite movies that my family watched over and over was <b><i>Stand by Me</i></b>. We also watched all the Star Trek series through the years. One of my favorite collectibles I still have from when I was young is a set of walkie-talkies from the original Star Trek series. They are in amazing condition and actually still work. Now, over the last number of years, my favorite series on TV is <b><i>The Big Bang Theory</i></b>. The one thing that all of these have in common is that <b>Wil Wheaton</b> was a part of all of them.<br />
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<b>Wil Wheaton</b> has been a big inspiration to me over the years. Not only is he an actor, but he is also a gamer, and as everyone knows, likes to blog and tweet. We are close to the same age and grew up with the same shows, movies and video games. Two of the biggest things that I admire is that he is a writer and his motivation in life. There are a lot of actors that just do their job and go home. The reason I was inspired by <b>Mr. Wheaton</b> is that he was not satisfied doing one job and calling it a day.<br />
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I strive to have just a portion of the motivation that he has demonstrated. I have an everyday 9-5 job, run a sportscards and collectibles store online and I had my first book published this past year.<br />
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I am in the process of writing the second book in the series (working title for the series as of now is The Netherworld Trilogy). I entered three book contests and won an Honorable Mention at the 2015 Hollywood Book Festival and Two Bronze Medals in the Epic Fantasy Category at the 2015 IPPY Awards and the 2015 Readers' Favorite Awards.</div>
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Using the Motivation and Dedication that I saw <b>Wil Wheaton</b> have in everything he does inspired me to continue with everything I was trying to accomplish even when times were tough with family health issues and financial shortfalls. I have continued to have a positive attitude over the last several years and I will not stop until I reach my goals that I put forth for myself.</div>
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One idea that I am excited about is looking into possibly investigating to see if my book and the continued series would fit the mold that Hollywood would deem worthy of making into a movie someday. I know those are big dreams but if you don't set your goals high, you will never get to where you want to be. This is why <b>Wil Wheaton</b> has been a big inspiration to me. He did not stop at being an actor, he continued to branch out and accomplish many more things in different fields.</div>
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I just hope to one day be able to look back on this journey and say to myself, I was able to accomplish my dreams because I never gave up on them even when times were tough, and someone like <b>Wil Wheaton </b> inspired me to give it my all.</div>
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David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-11929946102417184882015-09-16T20:21:00.000-07:002015-09-16T20:21:18.017-07:002015 Readers' Favorite Awards<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Readers' Favorite Book Contest announced the Award Winners on September 1st and my book, <i>Escape from Netherworld, </i>won a Bronze Medal in the Fiction - Epic Fantasy Category.</span></b><br />
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I was excited because past winners for a Readers' Favorite Award include James Patterson and Jim Carrey won a gold medal for a children's book that he wrote. The Award ceremony is going to be held in Miami, Florida and here is a link to the 2015 contest winners:<br />
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https://readersfavorite.com/2015-award-contest-winners.htm<br />
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I also received 5 reviews from their professional reviewers, who believe me, really go over every detail and have a point system for critiquing the book. I actually had one reviewer point out that I did not use contractions enough throughout the book. My point is out of my 5 reviews, I received three 5-Star Reviews and two 4-Star Reviews on a scale of 1-5. Here is a link to my review page and further information about my book:<br />
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https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/escape-from-netherworld<br />
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One of my favorite things is that they will be displaying my book at the upcoming Miami Book Fair. Ten of thousands of people will be there in Miami. I am excited for the ceremony and the fair.<br />
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I am in the process of writing the second book in the series, not sure of the book title yet but the series will be called the Netherworld Trilogy. It is thrilling to receive the Readers' Favorite Bronze Medal to go along with the bronze medal in Fantasy that i won at the 2015 Ippy Awards. It gives me confirmation that it is the right thing to do and continue the next book in the series.<br />
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Thank you to everyone who has read the book and supported me this past year and for those who are interested in possibly reading the book, you can go to my website and it gives you options on where to buy or download it, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble.<br />
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http://www.escapefromnetherworld.com/David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-73191178534864355772015-07-30T21:37:00.004-07:002015-07-31T10:34:12.294-07:00Steel City Con in Piitsburgh only a week away!!!<b>I apologize for the length of time since my last post to the blog. It has been a long month for my family, medically and emotionally.</b><br />
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Since my last post about winning a Bronze Medal in the National Category for Best Fantasy Novel at the 2015 IPPY Awards,<br />
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I was able to receive an honorable mention for <i><b>Escape from Netherworld </b></i>in the Young Adult Category in the 2015 Hollywood Book Festival as well. I was thrilled about the mention, but disappointed that I was not able to make it to Hollywood for the awards. They were held at the same hotel where the first Oscars were presented.</div>
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I have also been working on the second book in the series. During a second printing of the first book, I am going to add the embossed medal from the IPPY Awards as well as, at the bottom of the first book's cover, I am adding the words <i><b>First Book in the Netherworld Trilogy</b></i>.<br />
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I just wanted everyone to know that I am hard at work deciding on what is next for the group of friends that were thrust into this alternate realm. I always catch myself overwriting, I want to explain so much that is in my mind, but I know that I need to let the readers imagine a good bit of what is happening for themselves.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">I am also going to be selling my book and signing autographs at the Steel City Con in Pittsburgh (The Monroeville Convention Center) August 7th-9th. I will be located in the Artist's Alley with some amazing Authors, Artists and Illustrators. Some of the Unbelievable Celebrities in attendance will be Adam West, Burt Ward, Julie Newmar, Nichelle Nichols, Tricia Helfer, Ralph Macchio and a bunch more. You can check out more details at www.steelcitycon.com and I hope to see some of you there.</span></b><br />
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I hope to be able to post more often again since everything has started to get back to normal in my usually chaotic life. I also would like to hear from some readers and get their opinions on what they thought of the first book in the Netherworld Trilogy. I wanted to share some artwork that I have been putting together with some of my characters or the book's cover. I will include one below and hope to have more posted in the future. <br />
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Thanks again for following along on this amazing and sometimes bumpy adventure as an author!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-34244100632351695102015-05-25T22:16:00.002-07:002015-06-10T11:01:49.534-07:002015 IPPY Awards<h2 style="font-family: 'Crimson Text', 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif; line-height: 28.7999992370605px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 8px;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The Independent Publisher Book Awards Ceremony is May 27th in New York. I am proud to announce that <i>Escape from Netherworld</i>, my first published book, has won the bronze medal for best fantasy novel by an indie author in the national category. I am very excited and want to thank everyone that helped make this book possible. </span></h2>
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<b>I am working on the second book in the series now and hope to be considered again when it is published. This award will motivate me further to make the 2nd book in the series even better than the first.</b><br />
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2015 Independent Publisher Book Awards Results</h2>
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Here is the links to the results: http://www.independentpublisher.com/article.php?page=1936<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">11. FANTASY - Bronze<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Escape from Netherworld</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, a <b>thrilling tale</b> of a group of friends
whose<b>simulated war games go awry</b> one weekend, sending them into an
alternate realm from which there appears to be no escape. The friends go
from <b>playing the game to living the game</b>, as they become the
characters that they created.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Travel along with these friends as
they embark upon <b>one harrowing adventure after another</b>, befriending
druids along the way and battling ogres and orcs with the help of an array of
magic weapons. Watch them try to outwit the evil wizard who seems determined to
keep them in this alternate world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The battle scenes are vividly drawn
and <b>charged with suspense</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Will the group ever escape from this
alternate world? </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You will find yourself rooting for
them until the final outcome!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For David Kuklis the love of science
fiction and fantasy began at an early age, when he and his brother, inspired by
the game <b>Dungeons and Dragons</b>TM, staged similar games in their
backyard and nearby woods. His uncle, a marine paralyzed from the neck down in
Vietnam, usually ran the indoor games around the table, and his father was the
inspiration for Twiggy, a major character in this book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-68185981688799510282015-04-27T09:35:00.000-07:002015-04-27T09:35:00.081-07:00Draft Day is coming!!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
NFL Draft day is closing in, which is basically my Christmas!! I get everything ready in advance, make sure all the food is in the house for the weekend and prepare to enjoy four days of nothing but football and analysis of the draft. </div>
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Along with my brother Joe, we have worked on the AFC North draft analysis for the OurLads draft magazine for a number of years now. The cool part, which is included in the picture below, is the Steelers organization at the draft actually uses the draft magazine which is in his hands. </div>
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We have actually been correct with a number of draft choices, including Jarvis Jones and David Decastro, among others picks throughout the seven rounds. My choice last year was Mosley but the Steelers took Shazier, which we will need time to see him play healthy before really rating him as a player.<br />
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On to this year's draft. The Steelers have a number of needs with legends retiring and players leaving via free agency. The main needs are Cornerback(several actually), Linebacker(preferably outside), Safety with future Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu retiring and Depth at Tight end as Heath Miller adds another year to his stellar career.<br />
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I wanted to throw some names out there as possible 1st round picks for the Steelers, who have multiple needs and filling anyone of them will help tremendously.<br />
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The Steelers could take a cornerback first, someone like Trae Waynes or Marcus Peters if one drops to them, but with a deep corner draft, they may choose to fill the linebacker or safety need in round one. The only safety worth drafting in round one is Landon Collins. He may fall, but it is a long shot. The Steelers did trade up with the Chiefs years ago to secure Polamalu in the first round and we all see how that turned out.<br />
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The Steelers could go for the outside linebacker, as they are thin at the position and James Harrison is finishing up his huge career soon. Shane Ray out of Missouri would be big, but i don't think he will fall that far. A solid option and a good chance of being there is Bud Dupree out of Kentucky. He would add instant pressure on the quarterback, helping the Steelers secondary in the process.<br />
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Well, the countdown is running and Christmas Day is almost here for me. I hope you all enjoy Draft time and Go Steelers!!!!David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-72789402000697139372015-04-23T21:47:00.001-07:002015-04-24T13:09:29.632-07:00Escape from Netherworld E-book promotion!!!<b>I am running an E-book promotion for a limited time for my book, <i>Escape from Netherworld, </i>on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The ebook is discounted to 0.99 cents on both sites. Download a copy for yourself and gift it to family and friends while the promotion lasts. Thanks and I hope you get in on the sale. </b><br />
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<b>Here are the links to the sale on both sites:</b><br />
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<b>http://www.amazon.com/Escape-Netherworld-David-Kuklis-ebook/dp/B00MYNNF0S/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1408938805</b><br />
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<b>http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/escape-from-netherworld-david-kuklis/1120189018?ean=2940150591097</b><br />
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<b>You can also go to my website, www.escapefromnetherworld.com, and the Amazon and Barnes & Noble websites are options to go to directly from there. The e-book promotion at 0.99 cents for the kindle and nook are for a limited time. Thanks,</b></div>
<b><br /></b>David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-21328411049780165652015-04-20T20:38:00.000-07:002015-04-20T20:38:47.321-07:00Dealing with Writer's Block<b>Every author is asked at some point how they deal with writer's block. I have two different approaches I use where most of the time at least one of them work. </b><br />
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My first process is to go out into my garage. I will open the door to get in the fresh air. In my garage I have a large collection of weights with a bench. Before I start to lift weights, I will put on a CD to listen to while I work out. My two favorites groups to lift to are Metallica and Korn. Korn normally worked the best. You can basically bench the bar to the rhythm of the music.<br />
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I will do as many sets of different exercises that I can to wear myself out physically, which in turn seems to help me start to concentrate mentally. Something about these two groups get my mind thinking about the next chapter or character that will be presented in the book. If this does not work, I have my favorite way of getting through the block.</div>
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As a science fiction fantasy writer, I pride myself on the details of a battle scene and try to draw the reader into the book as if they are watching the scene live in person. I try to get the reader to fantasize that they are in an arena watching the battle as it happens. This is where my next process comes into play to overcome writer's block. My favorite movie to watch and the battle scene I enjoy the most is from the beginning of <i><b>Gladiator</b></i>. </div>
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Ridley Scott does such an amazing job with the first fight scene in this movie, it starts getting my blood flowing and my mind churning. Usually by the time Russell Crowe comes from behind the barbarians and enters the battlefield, I have already started planning how my next battle scene in the book will play out. </div>
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I know every author has their own method of trying to get through writer's block. Some use quiet time, going for a walk or getting out for awhile. For some reason, those ideas never worked for me. I don't know if it is because I enjoy writing my fight scenes or not, but the process I go through involves other battles or heavy metal music. This works for me almost every time I try it, besides Gladiator is a great movie and Korn is amazing music to lift to anyway. </div>
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<br />David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-44477412450922705962015-04-15T20:34:00.003-07:002015-04-15T20:34:48.907-07:00Sad times in Pittsburgh as a Steelers Fan!As I was born and raised in Pittsburgh my whole life, the last two weeks have been tough for me as a Huge Steelers Fan. Basically it all started earlier when Dick Lebeau, legendary hall of fame player and coach, was not returning as our defensive coordinator. I know Keith Butler will step in and do a tremendous job, but it will just be weird not seeing Coach Lebeau on the sidelines.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_wOt5KDQZMV-VElXCtDuvX1S-4NY5A_VxczCC2zwrKrQKRFLg8ToGbZBad3t0WumV8UrKtAwEidssthZKzj3wzqtvXVxYz8R4DEmsN1SjXVoICehhjatPZ2xFpQyHhj1IJzaZ5Ksp_6bz/s1600/67763518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_wOt5KDQZMV-VElXCtDuvX1S-4NY5A_VxczCC2zwrKrQKRFLg8ToGbZBad3t0WumV8UrKtAwEidssthZKzj3wzqtvXVxYz8R4DEmsN1SjXVoICehhjatPZ2xFpQyHhj1IJzaZ5Ksp_6bz/s1600/67763518.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
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Then over the last couple of weeks, the news started pouring in about the retirement of Brett Keisel, Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor. These three defensive stars for the Steelers for the last 12 or more years deciding to retire is a big blow to the leadership on the defensive side of the ball.<br />
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Troy Polamalu will be in the Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible, but it will be tough not seeing his flowing locks and his unique style that changed the way safeties play in the NFL. Every football fan knows and talks about Troy jumping over the line of scrimmage as the ball is hiked as if he knew the snap count.<br />
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Not seeing Brett Keisel and his signature beard every weekend will also be tough. He brought leadership to the Steelers Defense and was a consummate professional on and off the field.<br />
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Ike Taylor was a solid shutdown corner in the NFL for a number of years and the Steelers loss of his experience will be a hit to their secondary. Ike always covered the top receiver on the other team, allowing the other defensive backs to enjoy more success because of that.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIWniQmMsStQEA9jWhJq1Ni3MFNhdT7H1ccND9pAJR44wUYpiBeQzXlQVi98t7r9g_SVYFtpJJ9EgKWu5YXdA_9-YUJ3UDJLhdddv-gK0w7J4xQ2URpDaDrgoMwB4SmLjwAm8tDD-5SBN/s1600/steelers_wallpapers_power_defensive_backs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIWniQmMsStQEA9jWhJq1Ni3MFNhdT7H1ccND9pAJR44wUYpiBeQzXlQVi98t7r9g_SVYFtpJJ9EgKWu5YXdA_9-YUJ3UDJLhdddv-gK0w7J4xQ2URpDaDrgoMwB4SmLjwAm8tDD-5SBN/s1600/steelers_wallpapers_power_defensive_backs.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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It is going to be tough to replace the combined experience of these three men and they will be sorely missed on the football field. </div>
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I grew up watching players like Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, Joe Greene, Mel Blount and many other legends. That team will never be matched in performance and intensity but the three Steelers players and the defensive coach that will not be on the field this year deserve a lot of credit as well for helping to rebuild the Steelers into SuperBowl Champions again. </div>
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These were great players on and off the field and they will be missed but never forgotten here in Pittsburgh for everything that they accomplished as Pittsburgh Steelers and what they have done for the city.</div>
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Thank you for helping the Steelers become Champions again. Go Steelers!!!!!</div>
<br />David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-3605289520464801892015-04-07T20:58:00.002-07:002015-04-07T20:58:23.664-07:00Becoming Twiggy was the Biggest change of them all.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Creating the transformation of Vince to Twiggy was the biggest undertaking for the characters that are on the cover. I wanted to start out with how Twiggy, the dwarf fighter was going to look when the friends ended up in the alternate realm. My dad, who Vince and Twiggy are based off of, would have been so proud of how the character turned out on the cover of the book. He passed away 11 years ago and I miss him more every day. I just wish that he could have seen what I was able to accomplish with getting the book published. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-pInsuaZQajWQFLax27RO7rzrxvryf5EYgSqHSJ7fw5iNTY136xEkJwEso46QC5OydCLDldGm8uY02edx9ZpGgoFhkxYVuNpPjJ_Y_coi8U8cSlKo_Xpu7PCdAiIq3ETwZ8Qkd55QSUx/s1600/twiggy5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-pInsuaZQajWQFLax27RO7rzrxvryf5EYgSqHSJ7fw5iNTY136xEkJwEso46QC5OydCLDldGm8uY02edx9ZpGgoFhkxYVuNpPjJ_Y_coi8U8cSlKo_Xpu7PCdAiIq3ETwZ8Qkd55QSUx/s1600/twiggy5.jpg" height="640" width="440" /></a></div>
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But, I also wanted to show Vince as a human transforming into the dwarf Twiggy as they enter the alternate realm as there is a huge size difference between a human male and a dwarf from medieval times. I wanted to make sure the change created a strong statement on the cover and I hope I accomplished that.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14UBOV_C8zbkxY-a_II0-c9n6ByGPM8U10cbFRWWmxu8FpjdV6X5IYUJjgXrcTYNOhQD0Jj5_yTZ3BrAYnWavUF22IE8gHObFpa-nmHdWMWqg93rm4BV3F5yrbQge2wzLQs1CkWIrMvIK/s1600/twiggy6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14UBOV_C8zbkxY-a_II0-c9n6ByGPM8U10cbFRWWmxu8FpjdV6X5IYUJjgXrcTYNOhQD0Jj5_yTZ3BrAYnWavUF22IE8gHObFpa-nmHdWMWqg93rm4BV3F5yrbQge2wzLQs1CkWIrMvIK/s1600/twiggy6.jpg" height="400" width="351" /></a></div>
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The illustrator working with water color allowed for us to work with multiple ideas, which in the end, we decided to have the human man Vince in pencil sketch form and the dwarf Twiggy in full color after the transformation.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJYdJoXgyLoTKW9yBy5yw5v4QPbDpV1BT5vYvOErwhWLTYb5M8HOkMxa-WeaB2KBRwvpSfCMAI1sqtgqEHMjb1rY7KpBwklMMgCPoN5hOlXJyhMqNnuQSr6XlJ3avJVw1gJgSm8OjIZ0UT/s1600/twiggy7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJYdJoXgyLoTKW9yBy5yw5v4QPbDpV1BT5vYvOErwhWLTYb5M8HOkMxa-WeaB2KBRwvpSfCMAI1sqtgqEHMjb1rY7KpBwklMMgCPoN5hOlXJyhMqNnuQSr6XlJ3avJVw1gJgSm8OjIZ0UT/s1600/twiggy7.jpg" height="400" width="370" /></a></div>
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I believe the end product turned out amazing. I could not have asked for more on how the character changes from a human man to a dwarf once they fall into the new realm. Massive detail went into the creation of Twiggy, even in the weapon he carries as well as the beard that the dwarves are so well known for. I hope you like the transformation as much as I did.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRZUZkCtdiTTZC9jbOHAMLp_0afHxWZeLfiWJNxI6DCWgt_84FZHSO3EBh5C6PSc8-ENzKgQF3wTi3fcaKiLzFezqcX75EP7ZUJdxjeo_FcBZW3kV9qCVQq3xSUiH3sOkXqFSUetnVhsD2/s1600/twiggy8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRZUZkCtdiTTZC9jbOHAMLp_0afHxWZeLfiWJNxI6DCWgt_84FZHSO3EBh5C6PSc8-ENzKgQF3wTi3fcaKiLzFezqcX75EP7ZUJdxjeo_FcBZW3kV9qCVQq3xSUiH3sOkXqFSUetnVhsD2/s1600/twiggy8.jpg" height="400" width="359" /></a></div>
<br />David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-71473436335878269642015-03-31T21:14:00.000-07:002015-03-31T21:14:07.031-07:00Making Borhai's character come to Life!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Borhai, the protagonist of <i><b>Escape from Netherworld</b></i>, was the hardest of the characters to create on the cover in the alternate realm. The two other characters on the cover transformed into an elf and a dwarf. Dave, who becomes Borhai in the new realm, goes from being a human dressed as a fighter with makeshift homemade armor to a human fighter with real battle armor. I went back and forth on how to show him become his character since he was not changing much. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioiKydZYmhGy9kK0KHaA2L28FvPFPM-JA4VsUbJoMVsXB3p75LKR5bFiB1eGtBE3TvNntbmLrBOb5rolWB1qkXmQzPozNB9TfTMQzuRvDkY_P4moPFeXhtG8S_YCKXqAJ7LLGz071Hfm2Y/s1600/borhai5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioiKydZYmhGy9kK0KHaA2L28FvPFPM-JA4VsUbJoMVsXB3p75LKR5bFiB1eGtBE3TvNntbmLrBOb5rolWB1qkXmQzPozNB9TfTMQzuRvDkY_P4moPFeXhtG8S_YCKXqAJ7LLGz071Hfm2Y/s1600/borhai5.jpg" height="370" width="400" /></a></div>
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We used the swirling motion around the character to show Dave becoming Borhai, mainly with his armor becoming real plate mail. I loved how he is looking at himself, not being able to believe that his homemade armor just became at least 5 times heavier than what he was wearing.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWPDASN9ehnwVeZAzOyMxPxMiPzdvxVSsDJaDPTNuCfHLYOABEw8dujg_qDsPeEIRBY4bWCm7btj7iLHsAaJOBvRzOqhUM0gJsckH3Wa1Vmud2fPntlCmsjV4_vQNIF6deazDdRmjdVVJ/s1600/borhai6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWPDASN9ehnwVeZAzOyMxPxMiPzdvxVSsDJaDPTNuCfHLYOABEw8dujg_qDsPeEIRBY4bWCm7btj7iLHsAaJOBvRzOqhUM0gJsckH3Wa1Vmud2fPntlCmsjV4_vQNIF6deazDdRmjdVVJ/s1600/borhai6.jpg" height="348" width="400" /></a></div>
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I have never been able to decide which drawing I liked the most of Borhai. I know that the final painting for the cover looks great, but I have always been a fan of pencil sketching and the work that goes into bringing the character to life.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnk7pFm0ISj0glbE5fu7k2ZFP5HN2Ac_4unpU8aShsLQq6KISF87iSW69WmjzJ5wAKEr56s89QrCP2jJw09vEQIHXsCSlxpbw2_Zsdmv_yT9XxGNAio9F3y_v_m3xueMtGgxkI4ftY1w9H/s1600/borhai7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnk7pFm0ISj0glbE5fu7k2ZFP5HN2Ac_4unpU8aShsLQq6KISF87iSW69WmjzJ5wAKEr56s89QrCP2jJw09vEQIHXsCSlxpbw2_Zsdmv_yT9XxGNAio9F3y_v_m3xueMtGgxkI4ftY1w9H/s1600/borhai7.jpg" height="337" width="400" /></a></div>
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The finished product for the cover turned out amazing, with a ton of detail involved for his armor. Dave (Borhai) was already a large man and I wanted to show that with the size of his character as well. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcRfydc1Ct3mNI9fNQSLUdzxmOSpXSeJWLY9hTRktzKNg-tBAyxyDgafInD_X723NFTfakXg0SFPVBFpohoYm-F6QXiCcw5Kig_XB8T62hmGZHuR0p0q6fxLdlZBxvrJnKZoxQOPVVkWIi/s1600/borhai8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcRfydc1Ct3mNI9fNQSLUdzxmOSpXSeJWLY9hTRktzKNg-tBAyxyDgafInD_X723NFTfakXg0SFPVBFpohoYm-F6QXiCcw5Kig_XB8T62hmGZHuR0p0q6fxLdlZBxvrJnKZoxQOPVVkWIi/s1600/borhai8.jpg" height="333" width="400" /></a></div>
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As my blog gets into more detail, I will explain more about Borhai, his relationship with Piper the elf fighter.magic-user and what his thoughts are of being thrown into an alternate realm with his best friends. Borhai will also probably be making a guest appearance on the blog, explaining some of his thoughts and feelings about their adventure together. I hope you are enjoying the artwork, as a lot went into createing the cover for my book, as I did not want to just go with a stock photo, I wanted to make the cover unique.</div>
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David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-54268593117734506902015-03-26T21:28:00.000-07:002015-03-26T21:28:27.781-07:00Process of turning Kerri into her character: Piper, the elf fighter/magic-user<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7SuVh4ecSOvqhRt_8-7EFkj9cnw8SCLBvI5ldgOvSTwEi9AOyccJCiWQlbTptmO6KgKUqSPMaLl8a6D7fBJxQxcg1kRodbeYDYcgQgw4ZF6GnM3n6tvAeOr3AEbvKJlrJcX8LBkQW6sF/s1600/piper5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7SuVh4ecSOvqhRt_8-7EFkj9cnw8SCLBvI5ldgOvSTwEi9AOyccJCiWQlbTptmO6KgKUqSPMaLl8a6D7fBJxQxcg1kRodbeYDYcgQgw4ZF6GnM3n6tvAeOr3AEbvKJlrJcX8LBkQW6sF/s1600/piper5.jpg" height="400" width="217" /></a></div>
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It was a fun process transforming Kerri into her character Piper. I wanted to include some initial sketches as well as the final product that was used on the book cover. My illustrator, John Manders, liked the concept of having Piper's hair flow around her, using this as the transformation from Kerri to the elf Piper. I think he did an amazing job with Piper for the cover. <br />
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Kerri, normally a blond human female in the normal world, becomes Piper, a dark-haired elf fighter/magic-user. When they played the game, Kerri made the ears for the elf character and wore a black wig, as elves normally have dark hair. When her and her friends fell into the alternate realm, Kerri became Piper. She was no longer playing her character, she had become her character(this was also one of the reasons I included a main character list at the beginning of the book, as I wanted to make it easier for people to catch the name changes and know who each person became). <br />
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As I continue to write this blog, I will actually explain more about Piper, her on/off relationship with Borhai, and I may even have her make an appearance and write a post herself. I just wanted to start to get some of the characters into my blog and include some of the artwork involved in created them.David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-45359622131902625022015-03-22T19:29:00.000-07:002015-03-22T19:29:34.040-07:00Decision on Book Cover Photo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
When I was trying to make a decision on the photo(s) for the cover of the book, my illustrator John Manders, made it an extremely tough decision. We narrowed it down to two concepts, the first one being the one that made it to the cover, the three characters spread out, which you can see throughout my blog or just by checking out the cover of my book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, my website or my publisher's site at Word Association. </div>
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My main objective was to not just use a stock photo for the cover of the book. I wanted it to be unique and my illustrator accomplished this marvelously. He actually made paintings of the characters, in watercolor, that became the cover. </div>
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The 2nd concept was having the three characters together as a group, which I am including a drawing below of how we did that. I loved this idea but it did not fit right on the cover with everything else going on. My problem was that I did not want to give up on this photo of the friends turning into their characters in the alternate realm. So in the end, I decided to put this photo in the book. It is in the book, after Chapter 3 and before Chapter 4 begins, as this is where the transformation takes place.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfIF2risnplylfIdPn9Yv8gOGgt6kGyXfewm5q8wdlrWoeqitPlLUOviecqLvYYmhmb3L9gvM2IBwIJQw3fQC6ADfDuTycUpxP4l252xCBBXHhWB5Y_g8003Vb5LLENx2ndQ5uC1UEzSs6/s1600/group2.sk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfIF2risnplylfIdPn9Yv8gOGgt6kGyXfewm5q8wdlrWoeqitPlLUOviecqLvYYmhmb3L9gvM2IBwIJQw3fQC6ADfDuTycUpxP4l252xCBBXHhWB5Y_g8003Vb5LLENx2ndQ5uC1UEzSs6/s1600/group2.sk.jpg" height="640" width="490" /></a></div>
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So I feel I got the best of both worlds. the three characters in color on the cover of the book and the group concept inside the book. Multiple people have written to me and told me they liked the idea of having a picture in the book which they were surprised at when they finished Chapter 3. It was amazing to have the chance to use both the water color paintings and the great sketch, just in different ways.</div>
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<br />David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-66565592357804971952015-03-14T22:52:00.002-07:002015-03-14T22:54:40.782-07:00Book vs. E-book, which way do you lean in this battle?One of the Biggest questions for a reader today is, if I want to buy a book, do I want the e-book on my tablet or do I want the physical copy in my hand. <br />
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I know people that only like the physical copy in their hands and some who only download the books they read. Then you have the ones who will go both ways. <br />
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I am one of the people who likes to have the book in my hands to read, especially if it is from an author that I already have the physical copy of another book in the series. I am a collector and I always want the book itself for the authors I already know and enjoy. But, I will download books to my tablet for books that look interesting but I have not read anything from the author as of yet.<br />
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I hate to admit this, but I have several different versions of the same books. If I don't want to wait for the paperback and have bought the hardback, I still end up buying the paperback especially if it is one of my favorite authors. Problem is that I also will buy the trilogy copy if there ends up being one and in some cases I end up buying a Collector's Edition if one is made. <br />
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So for example, my favorite author is R. A. Salvatore. I basically have everything that he has ever published and he was my inspiration for becoming an author as his fight scenes are legendary in the science fiction and fantasy genres. So for the Dark Elf Trilogy, i have the hardbacks, the paperbacks, the trilogy edition, the Collector's hardback edition and even went out and bought the Anniversary editions of the books. I always wondered if there were other people like me that do this with their favorite authors or books.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Dtcrizf2JqQ5NInrMTGtbZLLxU4U6km0aqxbVxp-s4ngK-pIIPNvbTHD7WcNvXMSVZO2CRO8P1HJ_lAefW-FApY4cNuMgNVtWhzWbu3J_Tqlxd9q72o5x8QpbY7jRNbER_dcan3iMH39/s1600/thumbnail+(12).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Dtcrizf2JqQ5NInrMTGtbZLLxU4U6km0aqxbVxp-s4ngK-pIIPNvbTHD7WcNvXMSVZO2CRO8P1HJ_lAefW-FApY4cNuMgNVtWhzWbu3J_Tqlxd9q72o5x8QpbY7jRNbER_dcan3iMH39/s1600/thumbnail+(12).png" height="640" width="411" /></a></div>
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I get the concept of only downloading the books, as you can basically carry around 5000 books with you and it takes up no room in your home to do so. I have just not convinced myself as of now that I don't need the multiple book shelves in my study with all the books from my favorite authors. Maybe one day I will get there.<br />
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Or, maybe one day, someone will come up to me at a book signing or in a store and tell me that they have multiple versions of my books and I can look back and think of a time that I did the same thing.<br />
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Tell me what you think, which way you lean in this battle and why you think that way. I would love to hear opinions from both sides and enjoy knowing that whichever way you lean, you are still reading today.David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-55862572201400860022015-03-09T19:52:00.000-07:002015-03-09T19:52:11.018-07:00Artwork, YouTube, Wattpad, oh my.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I have added some more artwork that I had done for Escape from Netherworld. I have really enjoyed the artwork for this book. Everything from John Manders doing the illustrations for the cover to having a fun book trailer made that is up on Youtube right now at http://youtu.be/vHNJ_paidbY.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSGVYcYLiFxVVj9tCv1jqbpdaxiLuCG5fe1hZW9OtdpBY-0yyb33z9OgJ2_ee2s3I7qyejEOvpYQzw9Y4Q1TDWDsWEDjRzYEUGUzDIeDkiH9ClUcTg_RiBdUNJ3Rj51RSJbfwj-mwmc-AL/s1600/thumbnail5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSGVYcYLiFxVVj9tCv1jqbpdaxiLuCG5fe1hZW9OtdpBY-0yyb33z9OgJ2_ee2s3I7qyejEOvpYQzw9Y4Q1TDWDsWEDjRzYEUGUzDIeDkiH9ClUcTg_RiBdUNJ3Rj51RSJbfwj-mwmc-AL/s1600/thumbnail5.png" height="640" width="425" /></a></div>
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I have also started posting some of the chapters from my book onto Wattpad. The first 14 chapters</div>
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are available to read on Wattpad with more to come. There are a ton of excellent authors on that website to check out. Please follow me at http://www.wattpad.com/user/davekuklis</div>
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I am trying to post on my blog more often, I am starting to get more available time now and would like to start talking about the characters from the book. I hope to receive some feedback on here about what readers would like to see or how I can improve my blog as I go along on this journey. </div>
David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-60326069867191508242015-02-21T23:18:00.000-08:002015-02-21T23:19:16.797-08:00Hazel, One Strong Woman!Hazel, a human female magic user in the book, may just be the strongest character overall. She is married to Miles, a human cleric, but she is the outspoken one between the two. She will get her point across and you will listen. <br />
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Hazel also has to be the mediator between several of the friends. She has to be the listening ear for Piper but also needs to keep things in perspective so the group mechanics stay strong. Without the other friends realizing it, she is controlling who knows what and she also does most of the travelling back and forth when the group is separated. She decides what the rest of the group knows is happening in multiple places. <br />
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Hazel also feels in her heart that she may belong in this realm and has come here for a higher purpose, a reason that this all has happened to her and her friends.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_oflgW5bjiYnZNwEJ34Vb3eJzZM7y2uLPuqZ-lFDhOXHiX3MWcGKhoGZA3Lhdp288O7JMeFo_WA6UlsbYjBL7EGz8R2xG4H-ehuer0tQl75_meadvK5BL14JruAW1aoKwRLZJ9pWs8lsn/s1600/thumbnail3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_oflgW5bjiYnZNwEJ34Vb3eJzZM7y2uLPuqZ-lFDhOXHiX3MWcGKhoGZA3Lhdp288O7JMeFo_WA6UlsbYjBL7EGz8R2xG4H-ehuer0tQl75_meadvK5BL14JruAW1aoKwRLZJ9pWs8lsn/s1600/thumbnail3.png" height="640" width="425" /></a></div>
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Hazel may not be the fighter with a sword that Borhai or Flerick is, but she has the capability to do the most damage to their enemies with the spells, wands and rings that she carries. </div>
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I have gotten a good bit of feedback from readers and fans and many of them have said that Hazel is their favorite character in the book. Powerful magic user, intelligent and knowledgeable, while still being the peace maker a good amount of time with her friends. </div>
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If you have a favorite character, let me know who it is and why you like them the most out of the friends in the book. Or, it can even be one of the groups enemies that intrigues you.</div>
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<br />David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-61039140298661251752015-01-26T20:29:00.001-08:002015-01-26T20:32:57.329-08:00Trying to remain Sane!!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here is some more artwork I was working on with a quote from the book. The group of friends know that they have been transported somehow to an alternate realm and feel that there must be a way out since there was a way in. What they don't know, at first, is there are forces that are working against them to never let them leave. Armies that know that people have been brought to this realm before and have not made it out. They do not want to let the group of friends be the first to succeed. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZte_LCaB8R9R6hMWPyYWa9FBG71Uo5gEL7AIzmwxx9UEcfwc3VR5nNquz9R4d7mTxOniEk8d7U9flefygvzNkPvdruCCwMYuTnSGIC24iNUr4JOCEb7xnz90MODb8u05WtmjEjMVXu7e/s1600/thumbnail4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZte_LCaB8R9R6hMWPyYWa9FBG71Uo5gEL7AIzmwxx9UEcfwc3VR5nNquz9R4d7mTxOniEk8d7U9flefygvzNkPvdruCCwMYuTnSGIC24iNUr4JOCEb7xnz90MODb8u05WtmjEjMVXu7e/s1600/thumbnail4.png" height="335" width="400" /></a></div>
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One of my favorite parts of the story while writing it was how some of the friends want to get home as soon as possible, while others mostly secretly, believe that they fit in better in this realm. This is why I love the game of Dungeons and Dragons, it allows you to <b>escape reality</b> while you are playing it. I am sure a good bit of people out there who play role playing games, or even some of the latest video games, use this to help get away from everyday life and real problems that they just need to forget about for awhile. <br />
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My everyday life consists of a job where I answer questions for investment managers about their client's portfolios. Science Fiction and Fantasy is a great escape for me as it is basically the complete opposite of what I am normally doing and it allows me to escape from reality, even if it is just for a short period of time. I am sure a lot of people agree with me, which is why some of these games are so widely popular. <b>In some sense, I feel like writing this book has helped me to remain sane. </b>David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-28998069321043492272015-01-13T20:18:00.005-08:002015-01-13T20:18:43.265-08:00Goodreads Giveaway January 14th - 21st : a book to 5 different winners!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I have just started putting artwork together with some of the quotes from my book. I wanted to share the first quote and the artwork here on my blog. There will be more artwork coming, as this is actually a pretty cool process. The quote involves the two brothers, Borhai and Flerick, talking about how they have always thought that they were born in the wrong time period and were discussing what it might have been like if they were alive during the medieval times. </div>
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This is actually close to life, as my brother and I discussed long ago what we would have been doing if we were born in a different time period. Ideas like working for or against the king, being lawful or evil and what would be our weapon of choice. Dungeons and Dragons allowed our imaginations to run wild with different ideas.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6FOCFyiOBiaibW_Y70kPLE0KSTj5pPsYp0MebTm52roLh3YxTzhqdZJJwQRisH62hwKtWCeUTRmZtnbl1NKbvsQTJUqP9vWKdFdNlqGbdzfC3X-Gr660uMKRMwjobnh_16rw6O0XtUQZ7/s1600/David+Kuklis+5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6FOCFyiOBiaibW_Y70kPLE0KSTj5pPsYp0MebTm52roLh3YxTzhqdZJJwQRisH62hwKtWCeUTRmZtnbl1NKbvsQTJUqP9vWKdFdNlqGbdzfC3X-Gr660uMKRMwjobnh_16rw6O0XtUQZ7/s1600/David+Kuklis+5.png" height="335" width="400" /></a></div>
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I am having a Giveaway on Goodreads for 5 of my books, <b style="font-style: italic;">Escape from Netherworld, </b>which will start tonight at midnight and run through January 21st. I have run several of these and they are always a success. I enjoy giving away copies of my book and like to watch the countdown as the giveaway closes, waiting for the list of winners to be sent to me, I get the books out right away and it gives an opportunity to several people to get the large paperback copy of the book for free. If you are interested, put your name in for a chance to win. </div>
<br />David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-20189001443477820902014-12-29T20:00:00.000-08:002014-12-29T20:01:01.479-08:00Escape from Netherworld now in Stores!!!During the Holidays, I stopped at my local Barnes and Noble store, looking for some gifts for family and friends. I had been waiting on a response from their corporate offices about my book, <b style="font-style: italic;">Escape from Netherworld, </b>to see if and when they would be putting my book on the shelf in the stores. Since this was my first book as an author, I was told it may only be online until sales figures and reviews would help decide what they do. So to my surprise when I walked in.....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1kgQQF2er2zARKoblfSxvIKqYOs94s1U5F6krG1YKEXEDJMf5tdmYpqlYNuksFJV5tP8bxyfiWFOSGDXWxDv8FaQNm8JveKd5RGS7sh5GgCPL5OqyHyA0whnufNVimvGoFhLFp4xEuRZa/s1600/IMG_20141220_142633_rewind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1kgQQF2er2zARKoblfSxvIKqYOs94s1U5F6krG1YKEXEDJMf5tdmYpqlYNuksFJV5tP8bxyfiWFOSGDXWxDv8FaQNm8JveKd5RGS7sh5GgCPL5OqyHyA0whnufNVimvGoFhLFp4xEuRZa/s1600/IMG_20141220_142633_rewind.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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....it was already on their shelf in the science fiction/fantasy section. It truly felt good to see my hard work start to pay off and a really good feeling seeing it on the shelf for the first time. I ended up speaking to the manager and found out that Barnes and Noble had agreed to start putting my book in the local stores in my area, which is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. <br />
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He asked if I would autograph the copies in the store and I spoke to another employee who wants to set up book signings at several locations when things start to settle down after the holidays. I was still kind of shocked that I saw the book on the shelf, hoping that i was not just dreaming. I won't lie, I felt proud to accomplish this stage in the process. The next step is for me to get Barnes and Noble to agree to put the book on their shelves nationally. Hopefully, I will be blogging another post soon with more good news from Barnes and Noble. David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-65912976695919445512014-12-19T09:05:00.002-08:002014-12-19T09:05:45.850-08:00R.A. Salvatore inspired me to become a Writer!I have been reading sci-fi/fantasy novels since I was a kid. I have basically read everything written about Star Wars and almost every novel that has come from TSR/Wizards of the Coast involving multiple realms. I am a huge fan of some of the authors involved and a few have written for both series, but the one that has stood out for me has to be R.A. Salvatore.<br />
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I have read everything R.A. Salvatore has written that I could find, including a novel that involved Tarzan. What fascinated me about his writing is his incredibly detailed fight scenes and how you feel that you have a seat in the stands watching the battle as it takes place. He brings you into his world and sometimes makes you want to become part of it. <br />
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His main character, Drizzt Do'Urden, has been a favorite fighter of mine through a number of trilogies and series, and has continued to grow into a legend in the world of fantasy as has R.A. Salvatore himself.<br />
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As I continued to read trilogy after trilogy, I realized that the fighting scenes that were in my head, needed to be put down on paper. This is how I became a writer. I had wanted to write a series of my own for a good while and decided that, at the age of 40, this was something I was missing and needed to accomplish in my life. So my first book, <strong><em>Escape from Netherworld</em></strong>, was created and i am busy at work on the 2nd and 3rd book in the series. Writing has become a huge part of my life and I need to thank R.A. Salvatore for inspiring me to make my dream into a reality. <br />
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David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-9084553231146559532014-12-10T06:47:00.001-08:002014-12-10T06:47:23.421-08:00Cheating DeathThis is completely off topic, but I wanted to see if anyone else had a similar experience. This past weekend, i had a near death event that involved me, my home, heavy rain and a downed live wire that came off of my house.<br />
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To set it up a little bit, i live on a dead end near the woods, my driveway is actually behind the home which you have to drive down a dirt road to come around into the driveway. With hunting season, the road is loaded with trucks and a ton of hunters. On this day, it was raining heavy and the road was packed with hunter's trucks.<br />
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I was sitting in my living room, putting batteries into Christmas animals that play music for the holiday. Suddenly i hear a massive bang that sounded just like a shotgun right outside near my porch. I know that the hunters go in the woods but i thought possibly one decided to not follow the written rule of being so far in before shooting their weapon. So I get up, throw on a jacket and head out onto my porch. I do not see anything on my porch that is out of the ordinary, like a stray bullet in my wall. Looking over the porch, I see all the trucks but no one around. <br />
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I decided to go around the side of my house and check the side wall and in the back yard to figure out where the bang came from. Coming off the porch is 4 12"x12" stepping stones that lead into the yard. They are not fully secured in the mulch, so i always look down to make sure I stand on each one. i made all four stones and my next step was going into the yard. I was lucky to be looking down because my step would have brought me down onto a wire laying in the yard. I almost lost my balance when i saw it but caught myself and stayed on the stone. I backed up and when inside.<br />
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I called my electric company and 911 because my house at this point at lost power to half of it. I ended up having a firetruck, ambulance, police cruiser and an emergency dispatch vehicle at my home before the electric company even got there since it was a weekend. The firemen told me I needed to stay in my home, along with the three houses on the dead end street. They checked the wire and it was completely live. <br />
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Sorry for rambling, but the point of the story is that the electric company and the fire department told me that if i took that last step, I would not be here right now telling my story. The guy from the electric company said that the load bang was the wires touching as the one came off of the house. He also said the wire could have electrified the yard or started a fire based on the rain and the explosion.<br />
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I guess it has not hit me completely yet. I was basically a half step away from death and looking on it now, would not have anything in order for my family if something did occur. I was just lucky I happened to be looking down or I would have stepped right onto the wire and would not have had a chance to survive. I need to get things in order and be prepared because anything can happen, including something that is right outside of your home and out of your control.<br />
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Please comment on the story or let me know if you had a similar experience that you would like to share. Like I said, maybe it has not sunk in completely yet but talking about it releases some of the pressure on my mind. Thanks for listening.David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-41325610321798558202014-12-05T07:26:00.002-08:002014-12-05T07:26:52.059-08:00I am running a free E-Book promotion on Amazon today Friday Dec 5th through Sunday Dec 7th. From Dec 8th through Dec 10th, the ebook will be only .99 cents for those who miss out on the free promotion. I will incrementally increase the price to 3.99, 6.99 and then back to 9.99 every 3 days, allowing people who were away on vacation or missed the blog post to still get the ebook on Amazon at a discounted price for Christmas or to read yourself. You can also gift the ebook to family and friends for the holidays. I am looking forward to read comments or reviews over time after everyone had a chance to take a look or read the book. The link below will take you to the ebook promotion on Amazon. Thanks, Dave<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Escape-Netherworld-David-Kuklis-ebook/dp/B00MYNNF0S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417792688&sr=8-1&keywords=kuklis">http://www.amazon.com/Escape-Netherworld-David-Kuklis-ebook/dp/B00MYNNF0S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417792688&sr=8-1&keywords=kuklis</a><br />
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<img alt="Escape From Netherworld jacket " src="https://johnmanders.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/netherworld-jacket.jpg?w=500&h=777" /><br />
<br />David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-1721604689581138502014-11-29T20:21:00.001-08:002014-11-29T20:21:53.640-08:00My Book Trailer for Escape from Netherworld is up on YouTube nowMy book trailer is up on YouTube now. A lot of hard work went into making this trailer, along with some amazing editors, including the great music and sound effects. At first I was not even sure what exactly a book trailer was, so I went out and researched the subject. Everyone knows about movie trailers, but there are some unbelievable book trailers available to view on YouTube. Just doing the research, I ended up purchasing a few books as the trailers intrigued me and made me want to learn more about the books. Here is the link on YouTube http://youtu.be/8YU33s_o1uk or you can watch the trailer below as I am including it in the blog post. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8YU33s_o1uk" width="480"></iframe><br />
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I would really love to get some feedback from anyone who watches the trailer. All the music and sound effects are original. It was so much fun putting this together, of course after multiple drafts.<br />
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A funny story, I always wanted to somehow use the theme music from Omen II in something that I created, but I realize you can not use someone else's intellectual property without consent. The two things that always got to me when I was a kid was <i><b>Damien in the Omen movies</b></i> when the suspenseful music played (you knew something bad was going to happen) and the twin girls at the end of the hallway in <b style="font-style: italic;">The Shining. </b>The first time I saw that movie as a kid, I had a dream about the twins<b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>wanting me to come play with them. To this day, I am not a fan of Twins!!! (I am just kidding about that).<br />
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I hope you enjoy the book trailer as much as I did making it for the book <i style="font-weight: bold;">Escape from Netherworld </i>and any and all feedback is welcome.David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1997608585536201620.post-73372533914557935732014-11-27T14:27:00.000-08:002014-11-27T14:29:44.871-08:00Escape from Netherworld Illustrator John MandersMy book, <i>Escape from Netherworld, </i>was illustrated by an amazing artist by the name of John Manders. John's work has been featured in over 30 children's books and a ton of children's magazines. I can't thank him enough for the dynamic job he did on the cover and a special drawing we included on the inside of the book at Chapter 4.<br />
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John's incredible work has been exhibited at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh gallery, the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum, and he was honored in the 25-year retrospective of Cricket magazine covers, held at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1999. That year, he was also a participant at the Children’s Book Fair in Bologna, Italy. In May, 2006 he was named Outstanding Illustrator/Author by the Pennsylvania School Librarian’s Association. </div>
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John Manders' helped bring this book cover to life by using his special art technique, that you can read about on his website, http://www.johnmanders.com/index.html</div>
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Check out his website and he also has a blog that you can take a look at and follow as well. He is a great artist, illustrator and man. Thanks again John.</div>
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<img alt="Escape From Netherworld jacket " src="https://johnmanders.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/netherworld-jacket.jpg?w=500&h=777" /><br />
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David Kuklishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059137125860287063noreply@blogger.com0