Tag: Wheelchair Wars

Festive Updates: My Creative Projects in Progress

Hi everyone, I hope you are all enjoying the festive spirit. Personally, I love this time of year and having some time off. It’s great to catch up with people, also.

I like giving these updates every six months or so on all my projects. Occasionally, these posts prove really popular. Other times, I’d be lucky if anyone apart from myself reads it at all. Such is life, I guess. First, an update on my longer-term projects.

Wheelchair Wars

This has now been fully critiqued. I am about to employ a successful author to read through it to see how it could be improved. I’m aiming for the stars.

Romance Short Stories

Critiqued, but I need to work through the suggestions and rewrite as appropriate. Hopefully, this will be significantly improved over the holidays

Pegasus

The first draft is complete; the next needs to go through the critique process.

Distant Love

First draft being written.

The blog itself is going quite well. Last year, it received 1,746 views. It’s looking like this year will be more like 2,746. Still, quite a way to go to become profitable, but moving in the right direction.

I have 2,700 followers on Bluesky. Hoping to get that up to the 5k range by next year.

Plenty of things planned for next year, and hopefully, see you there!

September writing update

My dear readers, I do hope life is good. These are exciting times for my writing and this website. Shortly, the website will pass two thousand views with a quarter of the year still to go. This will be the first time it has passed this milestone in a calendar year.

For some background, the limited research I have done suggests that you would need approximately twenty-four thousand views to generate a modest income. Yes, I’m still a long way off, but not as much as I was.

I am now regularly getting visitors from Google searches. Even Bing is sending the odd person my way. This has the capacity to grow exponentially in the future. Interestingly, most of my visitors are now from the US.

Other positive news is that as of today, I now have two thousand, two hundred followers on Bluesky. Bluesky is becoming integral to my overall strategy. The fact that I can now generate AI images to go with posts is of great assistance. It makes them more appealing to click on, I reckon.

Much slower growth on Twitter – ninety-three followers now. I’m wondering if I should go premium, but I haven’t decided yet.

On the writing front, this is my update on each major project.

Wheelchair Wars – Final draft is close to completion. Hope it will be finished by Christmas. I will try to get it traditionally published, but failing that, I will self-publish in the new year.

Pegasus – Work has yet to start on the second draft.

A compilation of romantic short stories – On its second draft.

Long distance Love – I’m enjoying writing this story, and it has some way to go yet.

There will also be more book/TV/film reviews in the months ahead.

Thanks for all your support.

My Journey as a Writer: Updates and Goals

Hello, dear readers, I hope you are all doing well. A quick reminder to consider subscribing to the website to be kept fully updated. It really is the best way.

So what have I been up to? Well, not too much in the last day or two (I’m so lazy). Before then, I did make some steady progress.

Wheelchair Wars – The reworking is almost complete of my far future dystopia, where people with disabilities are forced to fight to the death for entertainment. I’m hoping to have it published (probably self-published), but I’ll try to look for an agent in the new year. I joined an online writing group, and I think I have significantly improved my writing skills. Like everything I do, I will always endeavor to improve.

Pegasus – This action-packed story set hundreds of years in the future recently came to an end. Like Wheelchair Wars, it will be reworked and published at a future date.

Distant Love – I only started this recently. It is still easy to find Part 1. This is my latest story – a sci-fi romance. I’m still working this one out in my head, not sure how long it will be.

General Overview:

I am on track to get a record number of views this year. I’m hoping to break the 2,000 mark. From research, to be a professional blogger would need an absolute minimum of 24,000 views per year. I’m a long way off, but not beyond the realms of impossibility to do it in a few years.

I now have 1,400 followers on Bluesky. My plan is to try and get over 2,000 by the end of the year. Then drive that audience towards here, along with my Twitter and Facebook followers.

Please don’t be afraid to comment. It would be great to have some feedback.

End of 2024 update

Hello my dear readers, happy new year to everyone! Hope it goes well for you all. Just a quick update on myself and my writing plans for 2025.

2024 was a relatively good year, but my blog views are down somewhat from the previous year. They have gone from 1,922 views to 1,741 views. This is the first year I’ve had a decrease. I put it down to the new job mostly, and not having as much time to put into it.

On a more positive note, I will try to publish two new works in 2025. “Wheelchair Wars” and a collection of romance short stories. Yes, I probably said this before but fingers and toes crossed that I’ll actually do it lol

I’m really enjoying writing Pegasus at the moment. It should be completed over the next year, nearly halfway there.

Changing the subject entirely, I watched the “Carry-on” movie on Netflix earlier. I reckon it could become a new “Christmas” movie. It’s a new action thriller by Netflix with Taron Egerton and Sofia Carson playing the central characters.

It’s fast and energetic and you are never quite sure what will happen next. Keep an eye out for it and don’t forget to like and post! Please also share any thoughts you may have about the above.

Wheelchair Wars Part 3 (29)

Those faces would be etched into his mind with all the others that fell with him during battle. Some tears rolled down his eyes as he continued his lonely journey. There was a deathly silence apart from the intermittent sound of gunfire.

Thankfully, the lift that would bring him to the depths of the city was still functional albeit covered in blood.

“Floor 122”, he commanded.

The lift descended for several minutes.

The lift door opened revealing a Tyranid right in front of him.

It lunged at him. The wheelchair’s automatic defences kicked in leading to immediate machine gunfire that pushed the monster back. Shaken, he nevertheless drove forward. Horrible shrieking came from it before it slumped lifeless to the floor.

Timothy could see his ship now and his wheelchair raced to its destination. The loading bay automatically opened creating a ramp and then closed once he was inside.

His care-bot automatically activated.

“Do you need a wash, sir? There’s much dust and other detritus on you?”

“Not till we’re off this world.”

He immediately went to the control panel. The care-bot strapped down his wheelchair and then itself. A few moments later they were leaving the atmosphere. Timothy looked back at a planet ablaze but there were still pockets of green and blue here and there. All that destruction but there was still hope, especially without the Emperor.

Then he had a moment of clarity about what he should do next. He would bring Wheelchair Wars and the fight against the Emperor to the Imperium. Now, to find a planet in a different quadrant so that he can start again.

Wheelchair Wars Part 3 (28)

Timothy looked down at his hands. He expected them to look different. He had just annihilated the Emperor’s representative and all of his troops that were on the ship. He expected a physical change but maybe that was just more nonsense to keep people under control.

He stayed at the helm for a few more hours. The remaining Tyranid forces were now the hunted and being cut down without difficulty. It was time to activate his escape plan. The President would never forgive his large-scale use of nuclear weapons and he expected arrest once the civil authorities were back in full control.

Hence, he had developed the escape when he had been given full control. A spaceship was waiting with his trusted care-bots in one of the lower decks of the city. Instinctively, he knew now was the time.

He commanded that the large door be opened. Then saying nothing he simply drove out. They could figure out the rest themselves.

Once outside, the smell and scenes of death were everywhere. Partial human bodies and Tranid corpses were littered everywhere. Fortunately, his wheelchair had a setting for tracks and he was easily able to drive over it all. It was tough though when he recognized some of the faces.

Wheelchair Wars Part 3 (27)

Over the next few hours, the battle moved decisively against the Tyranids. Their ships tried to land on the planet as a desperate last measure, perhaps attempting a rescue of sorts so they could still attack a different planet but the orbital defense cannon tore one ship after another to shreds.

Timothy stared at his screen astonished. The ambassador’s ship had returned to orbit and was seeking to open communications with him.

He pressed the button to accept.

Immediately, the decrepit Ambassador appeared in a holographic display – I see the Tyranids have been stopped as willed by the Emperor. It is now important that his dominion is once again established over this planet. You are to seize the planet’s civilian leadership and have them summarily executed. Long live the Emperor.

Timothy paused for a moment and then said – Long live the Emperor.

A moment a blast from the orbital defense cannon blasted through the Ambassador’s ship tearing it to pieces.

Gasps of shock went around the room.

Timothy had given in to chaos. The people had done so well without the Emperor, that he couldn’t just stab those who remained in the back after such a heroic battle against the Tyranids. The Ambassador likely hadn’t yet contacted the capital world about the outcome of the battle. He would have waited till full control was re-established. It could be a full thousand years before the Emperor truly knows what has happened.

Wheelchair Wars Part 3 (26)

Timothy sized up his options. The Tyranid would eventually get through the door. Then an important shield in the event of artillery fire or even orbital bombardment would be useless and immediately be fatal.

Therefore the monster must be confronted.

He knew that the fate of this world and many others now rested on his demur shoulders so he gave the command –

“Open the door.”

For a brief moment, they were hesitant to comply.

But that changed once I activated the wheelchair’s weapons systems.

The people crowded to the rear of the large cavernous room.

The banging stopped as the door slowly opened and then the Tyranid slithered in once it was able to, its stench engulfing the room.

The six-legged monster prepared to pounce.

Timothy bobbled back and forth as his heavy machine guns fired.

Blood splattered from the Tyranid and it darted from left to right.

Timothy turned with the creature mowing down many of the civilians and many of the computers in the process.

But the creature was spent, many of its limbs now blown off as it curled up and died.

Timothy stopped firing and ordered the door closed once more.

One of the survivors limped to do so.

“Did the Tyranid injure any of you?”

Two women hobbled forward, their legs lacerated.

“Shoot them.”

One of the officers shot them on the spot before they could even plead for their lives. No chances could be taken.

Timothy went to a control panel that was still functional. The planet’s forces were in the ascendancy.

Wheelchair Wars Part 3 (25)

They had been kept in reserve for just when the fighting was most intense. Maximus immediately saluted him and gave him a tactical update.

“Overall the city’s defense is holding up. The use of tactical nukes has helped greatly However, a sizable Tyranid force is approaching our current position. I recommend a tactical retreat.”

“That is not possible Maximus. If this position falls, we lose the war. It must be defended to the death.”

Maximus nodded in acknowledgment.

Timothy knew that this might be the last time to see them. But this was not the time for goodbyes.

He re-entered the control and ordered it sealed.

The battle ebbed and flowed throughout the planet. Some cities had already repulsed the attack and were now on the offensive.

Closer to home, his troops were fighting valiantly but suffering greatly. It pained him to watch his valued troops slain one by one. After another few hours, it became clear both sides were close to exhaustion.

Then there was a large bang on the steel door. The people in the room gasped. The enemy was at the door. Timothy looked at his monitors covering the vicinity. A large six-legged Tryand was the sole survivor. Everyone and everything else outdoor that door was dead.

Wheelchair Wars Part 3 (24)

Timothy banged his hand on the console. The hive mind had altered its tactics. The majority of the Tyranid forces now inexplicably move towards Timothy’s position. Tyranid spies must have relayed details of the defense network before they were exterminated.

For the first time, Timothy surveyed his surroundings and felt fear. Not for himself but for everybody else. This would be a very bloody and long battle. He roared out the command “Contingency 21 (a).”

All non-military personnel were to be evacuated through secret tunnels under the huge mega city. Most would not get the opportunity to use them but that is all he could do.

Wave after wave now attacked the city. Defensive artillery cut a swathe through them but some of their forces managed to enter the lower levels of the city. Timothy viewed the close-quarter fighting that ensued. Humans were being ripped apart piece by piece but occasionally taking a Tyranid with them.

Hours passed and the massive number of casualties only increased. Inch by inch, the Tyranids went forward. The ultimate war of attrition continued and they were now closing in on his position.

Timothy ordered the larger metal door to be opened and summoned his most loyal troops. The ones that he had fought with on Irideon 5.