So.. yeah... I did promise a bit more about my mad collection of hobbies... so here's the first of a couple of posts on these subjects: Reading. It has always been something of a hobby and interest, so much so that I have read the gauntlet of genres imaginable and have a number of favorites and pet hates in most of these categories. Just to give you an idea of what I mean:

Sun Tzu's "The Art of War"(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Art_of_War) was a fascinating read, especially since much of what it says can still be applied today. At the other end of the spectrum, "The State and Revolution" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_State_and_Revolution) by Vladimir Lenin was an enlightening look in to the Communist Party Policy as it should have been in Soviet Russia, just as "Mien Kampf" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mein_Kampf)  was a frightening look in to the mad genius of Adolf Hitler.

If you want references to combat, and warfare then you have to go read the works of those who have been in combat: "Sniper One" by Sergeant Dan Mills (http://us.macmillan.com/sniperone/DanMills)  gives an excellent account of modern urban combat and siege warfare against the backdrop of modern Iraq, where as "Apache" and "Hellfire" by Ed Macy (can't find a decent non Amazon link. Sorry guys and gals!) give an awesome in the cockpit view of flying and fighting from the cockpit of the Apache AH Mk1.

In sharp contrast to modern combat: Try Dan Abnett's "Gaunt's Ghost" (http://www.blacklibrary.com/warhammer-40000/Gaunts-Ghosts) collection set in the dark gothic future of Warhammer 40,000 or any of Black Library's publications to explore  truly dark, gothic and in many ways terrifying universe where humanity is beset on all sides by enemies without and within that encompass the heretic, the mutant and the alien. The same writer's "Eisenhorn" and "Ravenor" Collection (http://www.blacklibrary.com/warhammer-40000/2012-eisenhorn-and-ravenor-ebundle.html) are an in depth exploration of characters now (in)famous - depending on which side of the Emperor's Holy Inquisition you're on.

In terms of romance - yeah you'd be surprised how much GOOD writing you can find in this genre - Twilight I simply could not stomach. But the works of Christina Dodd - The Sons of Darkness series - and Jean Johnson's "Sons of Destiny" series are both excellent sets for those who love a good story of adventure, action and romance.

Needless to say, J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series is also on my favorites list followed by the works of Christopher Paulini and many others that could fill a couple of pages. So I'll stop with the authors here...

Obviously (at least to me), if you enjoy reading enough, you will read  and find yourself saying to yourself, "WHAT THE HELL IS THE AUTHOR THINKING?!?!" at some point or another.  So that's how I veered from reading in to actually trying my hand at the whole writing thing. I found myself arrogant enough to think that "That is SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! I can write better than that!" Don't get me started on how much agony fanfiction writing is... So in terms of fanfiction work, well, I won't take up too much more space but suffice to say that you can find everything you need to know right here: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/465790/Eristarisis. Read my profile there and you'll get a rant loaded expanation of the process. To date I've written a total of 15 stories for Diablo II, Command & Conquer, Matrix, Left 4 Dead, Neverwinter Nights, Harry Potter, Warhammer, StarCraft, and Dungeon Keeper.

So when you've written enough fanfiction, there's only one other place you can go: Original fiction. Yes I have a novel written - three of them in fact - but the problem with all three is that I feel only one is ready for publication. The second needs a massive edit/proof read/overhaul. The third probably belongs in a trashcan somewhere. The other problem is trying to find publishers to tackle the zombie apocalypse genre of fiction these days is pretty difficult - I'd say most of them went out of business because its January, 2013 and we are still here... And just in case anyone asks: NO. I am NOT sharing the manuscript!