jamesnealwrites

[jamesnealwrites]

Hacky Sack

Hey everyone! I wrote this short story as an assignment from Daniel Jose Older from his Skillshare video series!

It was the year 2002, and I was in my ’87 GMC pickup truck coming back from a movie that had just released: Star Wars Episode I. With me were my six best friends in the whole world: Keith, Bob, Kenny, Renee, Tina, and Bonnie. We were all stuffed into the tiny cab of my truck because Keith’s van had broken down a week before and obviously we needed to see this movie now, today. That it turned out…

[jamesnealwrites]

Minneapolis, Murder, and Why I Don't Understand

Minneapolis, Murder, and Why I Don't Understand- Tempered Wordsmith I won't stay silent on Minneapolis. #Minneapolis #GeorgeFloydMurder @TrevorNoah @theKnoxHill

On Minneapolis

George Floyd was murdered by Derek Chauvin, a policeman on the Minneapolis force, on Thursday, May 25 2020. I say murdered not because Mr. Chauvin has been proven guilty of such, but because his intent was clear and blatant on video. I have judged him guilty. Thankfully, my judgement holds no kettle to what happens to him. I’m not supposed to judge, I’m supposed to leave that to…

[jamesnealwrites]

Chasing My Personal Truths

Chasing My Personal Truths: Why I haven't been writing and what I'm doing to change the situation #amwriting #WritingCommunity #selfcare

Chasing Fog

I haven’t posted regularly as one is “supposed” to. There’s several reasons for this: the world event known as Coronavirus, starting the first job I’ve had in ten years, and also general depression.

Beyond these things, I’ve come to realize my dreams of writing novels is going nowhere. The reason is because I keep comparing my ideas, symbolism, and themes, with those…

[jamesnealwrites]

An Open Letter to Interscope

An Open Letter to Interscope Records

Earlier, I watched a YouTube video from NoLifeShaq titled EMINEM’S LABEL SAW THE FAN MADE VIDEO OF GODZILLA (INSPIRATIONAL). In the video, he detailed receiving messages from Randy Chriz Perera, another content producer on the Tube. As the title of his video made clear, he spoke about the ramifications of Mr. Perera’s fan-made, animated music video for…

[jamesnealwrites]

A Comparison of Beginnings

A Comparison of Beginnings I'd like to present the opening paragraph as it stands, and juxtapose this new beginning with the original. I'll let you decide which is better.

Writing Has Started on OBaB Remade

As of February 22, 2020 I began writing the first draft to the rewrite of my first published novel. Today, I’d like to present the opening paragraph as it stands, and juxtapose this new beginning with the original. I’ll let you decide which is better.

The New Beginning:

“Chaos magic drizzles from the leylines in the sky, spattering fear onto Grier Solemn’s…

[jamesnealwrites]

Why I'm Rewriting My First Published Novel/ Starting Over

Why I'm Rewriting My First Published Novel/ Starting Over While I haven't been able to write, I have continued to read. Learn. Think. I believe a much better writer exists today

I am James Neal. There’s a lot of descriptive words one can use to help you envision and try to capture who I am: author, father, husband, artist, computer technician, blogger, and even watcher of reaction videos.

The past three years have seen me trying hard to be most of these. Back in 2014, I released my first (and only thus far) novel: Of Blood and Blade. What followed was a whirlwind of…

[jamesnealwrites]

The Joker Movie Laughs at Forecasts of Violence

Hi! October has arrived, and I like to celebrate not only the cooling-down effect of Fall, but also the scarier things in life with Halloween being right around the corner. Each post made in October will feature either a subject tied to the month, Fall in general, or fear. Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Are you scared of clowns? Personally, I remain only slightly unsettled by…

[jamesnealwrites]

Lessons from the WFGC Hotel Blog-Hop Anthology: Part II

Lessons from the WFGC Hotel Blog-Hop Anthology: Part II

Hello! This is Part II of What I Learned from the WFGC Hotel Blog-Hop Project.

If you haven’t read Part I yet, I highly suggest you read it first.

  In April of 2019, my friends and I from the WFGC released the Hotel Blog-Hop Anthology. As a spearhead of that project, I learned several lessons about people, leading, and what goes into creating a project. This is Part II of What I Learned. Have a…

[jamesnealwrites]

Lessons from the WFGC Hotel Blog-Hop Anthology: Part I

Lessons from the WFGC Hotel Blog-Hop Anthology: Part I

In April of 2019, my friends and I from the WFGC released the Hotel Blog-Hop Anthology. As a spearhead of that project, I learned several lessons about people, leading, and what goes into creating a project. This is Part I of What I Learned. Have a laugh at my expense and, just maybe, avoid some of our mistakes.

What is the WFGC Hotel Project?

The WFGC Hotel Project is a blog-hop/ anthology of…

[jamesnealwrites]

WFGC Hotel- All the Stories Collected!

WFGC Hotel- All the Stories Collected!

via WFGC Hotel

[jamesnealwrites]

WFGC Hotel Online Anthology: The Machine

WFGC Hotel Online Anthology: The Machine

Accomplishment is a big word. Not just the number of letters required to spell it, but also the number of actions required to reach it. To accomplish something, in Martin Graine’s eyes, means putting up a supreme effort. Therefore, you do not accomplish making a cup of coffee or checking your mail. You may do these things, and succeed, but they are not items of accomplishment. It’s too strong a…

[jamesnealwrites]

I Stand With New Zealand, All of Her

I Stand With New Zealand, All of Her In an era of mass shootings, New Zealand is forced to ask the question: Why?

*Quick note from author:

This blog post is in a raw, highly unedited form. I considered editing it, then considered not posting it at all. My final decision is based on one ideal: silence is complicity. I will not comply with fear.

This post is sporadic. It’s not journalistic. It is highly opinionated. By posting it I am doing what I can to stand with ALL the people of New Zealand, and fighting…

[jamesnealwrites]

A Son of San Antonio: A True Story

A Son of San Antonio: A True Story

I’ve debated over a month whether I would write this particular blog post. Ultimately, my decision to do so feels selfish, because I want to know I am not alone in how lost I am about how to feel. To protect my family, I am withholding many details and being purposefully vague.

The Incident

It’s night time, dusk an hour gone. The kids are in bed. I am playing a videogame at my computer. Another…

[jamesnealwrites]

#PhotoStoryPrompt: Army in the Dust

#PhotoStoryPrompt: Army in the Dust

Every Thursday, Radina Valova (@RadinaValova on Twitter) posts a photograph from her amazing collection. Along with the photo, she gives one or two rules, and sets anybody to write a story based on both the photograph and said rules. It’s really fun, and helps keep the creative juices flowing. If you’re interested, just search #PhotoStoryPrompt on Thursdays to join in, or just read the stories…

[jamesnealwrites]

On Tuesday, March 27th, I’ll be hosting this flash fic challenge on Twitter: Four prompts. Two dark, two light. The challenge? Twist the dark prompts to end with joy, and the light ones to end on a dark note. You have one tweet to tell your story. Use hashtag #WCFlashFic Questions? @jamesnealwrites

[jamesnealwrites]

Writer Group Flash Fic Challenge Part II:

Outside the hellish scraps of flesh and chalked symbols making up the summoning circle, I knew safety. It had nothing to do with circles. Staring back at me, gorged, black eyeballs hung from the sockets of a goat’s horned head. I’d summoned Ghal, my hero. My lover. My damnation.

[jamesnealwrites]

My writing group on Twitter, @WriteFightGifClub, put up several writing prompts for flash fiction. I’d like to share a couple of mine with you here:

“Why would you require such a thing? I cannot harness the strength required not to love you. So I must love you. My duty as a man demands you know.” “I’m getting married in a month, Jonz!” “I know. The poetry of life demands sacrifice. Here is mine, at your feet.”