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Good news, I can still write about Star Wars!

In my previous post, I talked about whether or not I would be able to continue writing about Star Wars on this blog. To be honest, I was quite concerned about this because writing about how I feel about a galaxy far, far away is really what this site was made for. Next, to writing about being a writer and the writing process, Star Wars is a massive part of my life. It has given me purpose when I felt lost during darker times in my life, and I know how dramatic that sounds, but it’s true. Being a fan of Star Wars has given me a way to accept who I am, nerdiness and all.

So I’m feeling good right now. I’ve started writing again, really writing and soon, I’ll have my first byline on a site dedicated to Star Wars that gets a lot more attention than this one, and that’s a big deal for me. Once my byline is up, I’ll officially announce the site I’m writing for, you know, just in case anyone is interested in dropping by 🙂

I’ve also had one other opportunity present itself but I don’t know how that’ll pan out just yet. It’s not exactly a writing position, but it’s closer to the kind of job I’d like to be doing with the added bonus of working from home. So we’ll see how that turns out and whether or not I qualify to go through to the next recruitment stage.

The NZIFF (New Zealand International Film Festival) has started here and as an avid (really really avid) film buff, I am trying to get through a movie marathon of 11 movies in two weeks. So I’m a really busy bee. It honestly feels really good.

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Writing Update

After the news that I got accepted to write as a contributor for the site which I mentioned in an earlier post, I haven’t really had time to blog much here. I’ve also been sick for the past couple days as it’s winter here and everyone is coming down with really bad colds or the flu.

I’ve been planning what to write and getting used to writing for someone else again I think is going to take some time. I’ve completed all the formalities so now I just need to meet the other writers and I guess go from there.

One thing I am still not 100 percent sure of though is whether I can continue to blog about Star Wars here. There is a clause in the agreement that states that you can’t blog about your chosen topic for anyone else (which makes sense) but it’s not very clear as to whether that means personal blogs as well. I guess I’ll find out.

I do want to continue doing the other stuff on my blog though like Photoshop tuts and writing about writing, even if I can’t blog about Star Wars so I guess we’ll have to see how that goes as well.

I also signed up to become a software tester and I think they’re going to take me on as well so that’s something that will feed the “techie” side of me quite well. Between these two things and the other job I blogged about, I’m going to be really busy and I think I’m going to have to actually have a routine so I can get all of these things done.

More updates to come, and I should be posting again tonight hopefully. Til then, friends…

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New Isotonic Art – Keanu Reeves as Darth Revan

Going through my social media this morning, I came upon this beauty by digital artist @isotonic_lab on Twitter and decided this needed to be animated:

My Animation:

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And the original image:

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Star Wars is Poetry – A New Hope The Life of Luke Skywalker

 

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Cover Art by Hugh Fleming, Animation by me

 

The Life of Luke Skywalker (Star Wars: A New Hope) Hardcover – September 1, 2009

by Ryder Windham (Author)
Luke sensed there was something missing in his life, as if part of him were somehow incomplete. The Empire had destroyed nearly all the records of the Jedi Order, including any information about Anakin Skywalker, leaving Luke with many questions about his place in the universe.
Can I avoid my father’s mistakes? Are all the other Jedi Knights truly gone?
How can I be a good Jedi when I know so little about them?
Despite Leia’s apparent lack of interest, Luke believed it was important for him
to find out more about the life of Anakin Skywalker. How can I know myself if I never really knew my father?
He had no idea whether gaining such knowledge would make him feel wiser or
more fulfilled. All he knew was that he still felt alone and out of place, just as
he’d felt when he was a little boy, growing up on a desolate moisture farm in the
desert wastes of Tatooine…
This book is actually amazing. Did you know that there was a Dreadnought freighter called “A New Hope?” – Nope, neither did I and this is where Luke and Leia find themselves after the events of Return of the Jedi. If you’re like me, you love discovering these little gems of information and beautiful story-telling. I am quickly becoming a fan of Ryder Windham’s writing. He seems to capture Luke Skywalker so well in these books. I imagine what Luke would be like without having seen the films and I can see an apparent picture of who Luke was and who he wanted to become, and everyone can relate to this, I know I can. This is one of my favourite Star Wars books to read this week.
As Leia gazed into space, she said, “It seems everywhere we go, we find more of
Vader’s victims, more evidence of his horrific service to the Empire.”
She shook her head. “Why would I even want to think about that monster?”
“Because our father wasn’t just Darth Vader,” Luke said.
“He was also Anakin Skywalker, a Jedi. I’ve tried to tell you what happened on the Death Star at Endor, how he saved me from the Emperor and—”
“Saved you?” Leia said. “Luke, as I recall, Vader delivered you to the Emperor.”
She sighed. “I know you believe that Anakin Skywalker returned in the end, and
if that’s how you prefer to remember him, as the Jedi hero who destroyed the
Emperor, that’s your decision. But you can’t expect me to do the same, because
my father, Bail Organa, the man who raised me, he died on Alderaan.”
Luke and Leia may have been twins but it was very apparent that they did not share the same feelings towards their (dead) father, Anakin Skywalker. To Leia, he was Darth Vader, the man behind the destruction of her home planet and the death of her family. But to Luke, he was the father that knew him for who he truly was, he was the bridge across the divide that separated him from the farm boy he was on Tatooine and the man he was becoming – a galactic hero and a masterful Jedi.
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The Sith Trooper/Stormtrooper has ARRIVED!!

So today the Star Wars fandom was simply beside themselves with all the speculation about the new Sith Stormtrooper (or trooper depending on what site you visit) toys that were released via the SDCC. These toys are exclusive SDCC releases so we’re not sure if they’ll get a general public release. But that’s not the most important thing about them.

The reason why so many people were speculating about the plot for The Rise of Skywalker is because these toys are made for the movie meaning that the Sith Stormtroopers will be IN THE RISE OF SKYWALKER!!!

I don’t know if you understand what this could mean for the storyline. We all know that the first trailer had the fantastic reveal at the end with Darth Sidious’ evil cackle and Ian Mcdiarmid being on-stage only helped to fuel the rumours that he may be returning in TRoS. Nobody knows for sure how or why but it’s a pretty good hint that Darth Sidious will somehow be involved in the film.

With the Sith Stormtroopers also being involved, the whole idea of the “Sith” returning to the storyline after being away for such a long time is HUGE people, it’s JUST HUGE! Darth Sidious was the last the Sith in the films to impact the fate of the Skywalker family and it seems he isn’t done with them yet. And of course, whatever happens with Darth Sidious, having Sith Troopers around all decked out in Sith colours could only mean that they are there in some capacity to protect someone, and it’s most likely that that person would be Darth Sidious.

In celebration of this fantastic (possible) story line spoiler for TRoS (it could mean nothing at all, but I doubt that), I made more edits, I was just so excited for this!

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And my animation of course:

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Have some gorgeous Luke Skywalker to start (or end) your day!

To celebrate my recent news, I made a few edits, nothing huge, I just found some beautiful black and white images of Luke Skywalker and edited them a teeny bit.

Enjoy my friends

All image credit to Topps Trading Cards on Google

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I’ve got some (writing related) news!

Some time ago, I approached a website which was looking for writers to see if they’d take me on writing for the Star Wars segment of their (much bigger) fan portal. They were keen to have me, but the timing just didn’t work out, and unexpected events put that opportunity on the back burner. I was also in a place where I wasn’t really as focused as I should have been on getting back into writing and being creative again the way I am now.

I recently sent my new application back to them, and their editors are keen to have me (for the second time!) I’ve just confirmed that I’ll be happy to take on the contributor’s role which is also a paid writing opportunity. It’s not at all something that I can walk away from my day job for, but it’s a step in the right direction to getting back on track and where I want to be creatively.

I’ve realised through all the creativity I’ve been experiencing lately that what’s in my heart is what matters and I have to do what I can to follow that path and be as true to myself as I can.

I’ve also signed up for another part-time freelancing role doing transcripts and hopefully (fingers crossed) data analysis for social media, which I think I’ll be really good at. I’m waiting to hear back from them, but that’s also going to be a paid gig and another step in the right direction.

I may be going in little steps, but I feel excellent about it all. And the best part of all of this is that I’m writing my short story, fan-fic or whatever it is and really enjoying myself which is why I haven’t had any updates here. I’m writing, and that’s the main thing, that’s all that’s important right now.

As for my foray into graphic design, I think I can go further, and I still have the dream of combining my love for art and skill in photoshop with writing, but for now, writing has to be the priority with the plan to eventually freelance again.

One step at a time, one step at a time 😁