Daijah: Welcome to Nirvana! We’re joining you here in the Rebel Writer’s Studio today for January’s Featured Author interview!
Qui: Looking out the windows here, you can see the SimCity Llamas Stadium, which will be our first stop today…
Karima: And looking down, you can see my fantabulous new shoes!
Jazen: Those ARE fantabulous, but we have something else we’ll be focusing on today…
Jilly: That’s right! Our FA has many interests, so we won’t be spending much time in the studio today. You know, I have a purse that would look wonderful with these shoes…
Daijah: They're loaners Jill, we expect they'll be returned before you leave for the day!
Jazen: Gross! That's like when you go bowling and have to stick your feet in the same shoes as 100 other people before you!
Qui: You shouldn't be so quick to speak Mica, how many times you think the ones on your feet have been worn?
Daijah: This month’s FA is a basketball player, but we couldn’t get access to the court today. Some kind of stupid championship game or something. Anyway, since he enjoys all sports, we got the Llamas to donate some time on the field.
Qui: We’ll be starting there, but we have a few other locales in mind, too! So, try and follow along!
Jazen: Hope you ladies brought some comfy shoes; we’ve got a lot of ground to cover today.
Karima: These shoes are Enzo Similinis! They look fabulous; and we all know it’s better to look good than to feel good!
Jilly: SO true, Karima! Without further ado, we’d like to introduce this month’s Featured Rebel! The one, the only….
All: Aeon!
Daijah: Welcome Aeon! Hope you don’t mind us tagging along with you today!
Aeon: Not at all! I’m really looking forward to this! I have a little job to do while we’re out - I hope you ladies can keep a secret – we’ll be seeing some things that’ll need to be kept under your hats, if you know what I mean.
Jilly: Awesome! I LOVE hats!
Daijah: We've had to hide a few *ahem* bodies I'm sure we know how to keep a secret right Ladies?
Jazen: Uh...yeah so anyway we have an entire day of events planned for you and hope you enjoy them.
Jilly: Yes! Since you are our first male Featured Rebel we had a bit of thinking to do to figure out what would be fun with you.
Qui: I suggested a strip club, but the idea was denied.
Karima: Probably because you also handed us a flyer for your birthday party and it isn't until March.
Aeon: I can’t believe you guys actually reserved the soccer field for this! Would you ladies care to kick the ball around a bit?
Karima: Sure! I love sports! Jilly, do you want to join us?
Jilly: I’m more of a watcher, not a player…but sure, I’ll give it a shot! Anyone else?
**Crickets**
Phil the Cameraman: I’ll play!
Qui: Looks like we have ourselves a match!
Jilly: OK, here we are with Aeon on the SimCity Llamas soccer pitch, kicking the ball around and getting to know him a little better. I’m heading to the goal, and Karima is going to ask him some questions while we play!
Karima: Tell us a little about yourself, Aeon. What kinds of things do you like when you’re away from the keyboard? *dribbles ball down the field.
Aeon: I mainly read and play video games, and play basketball, of course. Pretty much sports in general, as you can tell. *steals ball
Karima: Hey! Not so fast! *chases Aeon…Do you have a favorite book?
Aeon: It’s difficult for me to ever say what’s my favorite anything when it comes to books, music, or anything like that. I guess I’ll just have to say the classic “The Great Gatsby” is up there for me.
Karima: I hear they’d making a Gatsby movie with Leonardo DiCaprio! **trips trying to steal ball** How about a favorite author?
Aeon: I usually don’t stick to one author and then go read everything they have written. I’d have to say either R.A. Salvatore or George R.R. Martin. *dodges block
Karima: What stories are you currently reading?
Aeon: I’ve been reading “Dance with Dragons” by George R.R. Martin, but I probably should’ve finished that long ago – heh!
Karima: One more thing I’ve been dying to learn before we move on; if 42 is the answer, what’s the question?
Aeon: No one knows what the question is, but the answer to Life, Universe, and Everything is 42. **lines up shot**
Daijah: Oh, take the shot! Take the shot! GOOOOOOOAL!
Aeon: WOOOOOOOOO!!
Qui: YES!!! Nothing but net, baby! I’m starting a wave. Just do what I do! **stands up, throws hands in the air, sits back down…hears crickets.**
Karima: Oh yeah? **Karima takes the ball down center field**
Karima: And that's how it's done!
Aeon: HEY!
Karima: You should have left the celebrations for AFTER the game!
Jazen: Um, yeah. Let’s hit the concession stand and grab a bite before we hit the road. Then we’ll meet the players at our next venue, The Stagger Inn, after a quick commercial break.
Karima: After a day on the soccer pitch, there’s only one thing on anyone’s mind… Schweddy Balls!
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Jilly: Welcome to the Stagger Inn, for the next round of questions, some drinks, and maybe a game of darts!
Qui: Hey! That girl just about knocked me down and kept going without even saying a word!
Jazen: Look! She jammed this note in my nachos! **opens note** It says “Aeon, you have to find the mascot and ask him if his ...'something’…hangs low!
Daijah: “Something”? Hey, this is a family show! That sounds kind of…
Jazen: No, not like that; I can’t read the word – it’s covered in nacho cheese!
Aeon: Ladies, looks like we have a case!
Karima: A case of what? *please say beer, please say beer…
Daijah: I think he means a case like a detective would work.
Karima: While we look for a mascot, Jilly will find out more about Aeon!
Jilly: So Aeon, how much does reader feedback influence the path your stories take?
Aeon: It used to quite a lot on my first sims 3 story, Dire Fates! I’d read a comment about a character and think, “Man, I hope they won’t be too sad to learn that…” and then I’d think “Well maybe I can change things up…” I finally realized that I had to be confident in where I plan to take the story and just accept the feedback as is. I can’t really worry about changing the story for anyone else, or it really wouldn’t be my story anymore.
Jilly: That’s very true. Did you always intend to continue Carolyn's story in the sequel Bloody Fates, or was it public demand that made that happen?
Aeon: I think what encouraged me was moreso that I wasn't happy with how Dire Fates went, and so I opened up the ending a bit. I didn't really know if I wanted to continue the story or maybe even just create a new vampire story based in the same world.
Jilly: Well I think you made the right choices. Your story ideas are amazing! Where do you come up with them; do you use books you’ve read, or TV shows to give you ideas? Is it just from playing or creating your Sims that they have their own back story?
Aeon: Yes I'd say it is more about books I read or movie/shows I watch that inspire the idea. The character is created in text before ever being created in game. Sometimes though an idea will just hit me out of the blue and I'll run with it in my mind a bit before doing anything further. The ideas sort of just hit me really. It starts out really basic and grows in my mind until it has to escape the boundaries of my brain.
Jilly: Another of my favorite things about your stories are the unique names. How do you find your story names?
Aeon: The names are always the last thing I come up with...well actually with Larry Stunning, the name was the first thing.
Jilly: Looks like the girls found something! Let’s go see!
Qui: The Mascot from the SimCity Llamas was in the corner having a beer, and we asked him about the clue!
Daijah: After he realized we weren’t hitting on him, he sang the Llama’s fight song. “Do your ears hang low, do they wobble to and fro, can you tie them in a knot? Can you tie them in a bow?...”
Karima: So anyway, we looked around the bar and found this ear of corn hanging on the wall…
Jazen: And behind the “ear”, we found another clue! It says, “Find the ship that knows no sea.”
Aeon: Great! Our next clue!
Qui: And it might have something to do with that bright light coming from behind the building…while we go check that out, we’ll leave you with a word from our sponsor.
Jilly: I can’t believe I let them score that goal! I totally wasn’t ready for that!
Karima: Pssst. Jilly! The script!
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Aeon: Um, Jilly…that goal didn’t really count. You totally weren’t looking. So, that Bomb-Bomb thing…you wouldn’t really use that, right?
Jilly: That’s right! I wasn’t ready! I’m glad you realize that. **puts Bomb-Bomb away.**
Daijah: Welcome back to…well, I’m not actually sure where we are now.
Qui: We stepped into their bright green light, and we found ourselves…
Karima: Here. Wherever that is!
Jilly: It looks like some of the locals are headed our way, so we’re going to lead them away, while Jazen finds out more about Aeon, and figures out how to get us back home!
Jazen: The Mothership! A ship with no Sea! The next clue has to be here! Let’s look for it while we talk, Aeon.
Aeon: Sounds like a plan!
Jazen: Do you do your research on the genre first or do you base it on what you know?
Aeon: If I need to do research on something I will. Usually though I write about what I know about or at least try to.
Jazen: What is your preferred genre?
Aeon: Science Fiction first, then fantasy, then anything after that if it sounds interesting to me. Hey, it looks like there’s something on the ground there…
Jazen: It’s a footprint, but that doesn’t look like any foot I’ve ever seen! How do you do all of the amazing special effects in your stories?
Aeon: Photoshop! It's a bit complicated but I have been around it for a while now. I had to shake off the rust a bit when I first started using it in Sim stories and I find now that I can do a lot just with it. Check this out! There’s a note on this screen! It says, “Slow and Steady wins the race…”
Jazen: That’s a weird message. But it looks like we can program our old coordinates into this machine, although this weird green light makes my skintone look sickly. Speaking of skintones, I love your Sims - they look so real! Do you use a special skin & make-up to make them look so real?
Aeon: I dunno if it is always the skin, since I have a ton on the game that I use. I'm not so good with the makeup either. I do touch them up in photoshop though, to make the pictures look smoother. I think we should wave the others over – I programmed this thing to send us all home, and those things chasing them look kind of hungry…
Jazen: What if there are others inside?
Jazen: What do you suppose is under these sheets?
Aeon: As far as researching what’s under these, I think there’s some things men were not meant to know…moving on.
Jazen: We should get back to the capsule in that case. And while we round up the others we’ll break for a commercial!
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Qui: Thanks for getting us back in one piece, Aeon!
Karima: Yeah, those things almost had us!
Jilly: Did you guys find the next clue?
Jazen: We sure did, and from the looks of things, where we landed has something to do with finding the next one!
Daijah: *reads “Slow and Steady wins the race”? I don’t know about slow, but I’m seeing plenty of FAST!
Aeon: Go-Karts! Did you ladies plan this?
Daijah: Um….yeeeesssss. Yes we did. Let’s go grab some Karts and take a spin!
Karima: I want that Green one!
Jilly: I don’t think that one’s working. My dh is a mechanic, let’s see if we can’t get you on the road!
Jazen: Qui and I will be sitting in the stands!
Qui: I just don’t trust anything that fast unless it buys me dinner! *fist bump with Jazen
Daijah: One, two, three, GO! Hey, Aeon, Larry Stunning is an excellent Super Hero story. What Super Heroes do you like especially?
Aeon: I'd say first of all, Spider-Man. He's kinda corny - that is the main thing that sticks out. Also though, the idea is very original! Usually a hero has super strength or super speed or something. Spiderman shoots strings from his wrists, and it works quite well, heh.
Daijah: Anyone else?
Aeon: Also Batman. He's a guy with no real powers except ingenuity, and his vulnerability makes him cool.
Daijah: He IS pretty cool.
Aeon: There are two others I really enjoy who are less popular (and I guess aren't really heroes. First is Spawn - he just has a cool factor about him, and second is Deadpool because not many people can read a Deadpool comic and claim they disliked it!
Daijah: I saw him at the end of the Wolverine movie. Very creepy!
Aeon: The best bad guys are, plus the fact that he used to be a good guy really gives him more character.
Daijah: As you know, one of my favorite stories that you write is The Phenomenal Larry Stunning. The sim story is actually creatively made into a comic like section. What gave you the idea for the comic book layout, and do you have any favorite comics that you actually read?
Aeon: When I was little I used to read a lot of Xmen comics that my dad bought me, and Spiderman ones as well. Now I only really read them if there is a cool storyline or event going on like the Civil-war Marvel event or the Black lanterns in DC. Also though I do read Manga which is basically comics as well just in a different name...and boy do those have some quite original plots, lol. But I think I just thought it would be fun to try and I saw some outfits, and it went from there.
Jilly: Hey! Under the hood of Karima’s broken Kart, we found the next clue!
Qui: “You’re almost at the end…ready player one?”
Jazen: That sounds like a video game reference!
Karima: And there’s a video game arcade right next to the track!
Daijah: Well, while we head on over, let’s take a commercial break!
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Jilly: Let’s see if we can find the next clue, while Qui and Aeon finish up the next round of questions?
Jazen: There’s a Ms. Pac-Man game with my name on it!
Karima: I’ll check by the ski-ball machines.
Daijah: And I’ll take the pinball area.
Qui: Looks like that leaves us foosball to start with!
Aeon: Let’s go!
Qui: So Aeon, do you ever get the time in RL to just play the Sims or do you only play to pose & shoot the pictures?
Aeon: I used to play the Sims, but I never really do any more. Now I just use the game for the stories. It is all pose and shoot pictures for them. I just open up the Sims and try to set up the pictures I need to take.
Qui: Don’t you ever get the urge to play?
Aeon: I don't think any of the sims in my stories have actually ever had a sim life!
Maybe if I do go with the legacy idea I have, I'll actually be able to play the game again!
Qui: I know that’s something we’d all love to see! How often do you open your game?
Aeon: Not often at all! Since it’s only for pictures, maybe every other day I guess.
Qui: What prompted you to illustrate with Sims?
Aeon: I guess all the mods and the ease of taking pictures and such. I think it would be cool if for the next Sims 4 they add more things for movie/story creators. Like an in-game posing program! I mean Spore lets you move the skeletons around - I'm sure they could do it for the Sims! It would really mean a lot for the story/movie creators!
Qui: Boy, that’s the truth! What was your first Sim game?
Aeon: The first Sims. I always enjoyed simulation games like Civilization and Sim City, so that’s what lured me to try Sims.
Qui: And you’ve been hooked ever since! Lol! What is your favorite expansion?
Aeon: For all Sims games, it has to be Seasons! I really loved the weather effects and what it added of the game. The simplicity of Sims wants changing due to the season always kept the game fresh, plus plantsims were my favorite supernatural sim because they were so different! After every Sims 3 expansion I am crossing my fingers that they do this all again!
Qui: I think a lot of Sims 3 players are hoping for some of their favorite Sims expansions and features from the past to come back in some form.
Aeon: Hey, this rocket game is one of my favorites. Want to play?
Qui: Sure.
Aeon: Look! When I put my quarters in, the screen said “Ready Player One”, and this paper came out of the slot!
Qui: “The treasure you seek is within the castle. Your journey ends there.”
Jazen: Well, let’s ponder that while we pack up and head for the beach. We’ll be right back after these messages from our spomsor. Then we'll grab a peek at the Rebel Writers Nirvana banner created for aeon!.
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Daijah: Here we are at the beach, where we’re setting up for a nice picnic while we finish up all the member submitted questions our viewers sent in for Aeon. Hey, where IS Aeon?
Aeon: Look what I found on the beach! There was a sandcastle, and when I knocked it down, I found this – should I open it?
Qui: YES! We’ve been looking for that thing all day!
Karima: Well? What is it?
Aeon: Thanks, girls! You mean you planned this whole treasure hunt?
Daijah: Hey, we like to make your FA experience something to remember!
Jazen: So let’s settle in and have some dinner!
Jilly: And some questions!
Daijah: Do you have your stories written already, or do you write as you go along?
Aeon: There is an outline to follow, everything else is just filled in. Usually that's the case, but every story is written a bit differently for me. How I started off writing "Alive" is different than how I write "The Phenomenal Larry Stunning".
Jazen: Do you always follow the outline, or do you sometimes just go with the flow?
Aeon: Usually there are major events in the story that I write up to, so for that I stick to the outline. There is a path from point A to B and I'm not really sure what might happen from those two points. The Major events are the only exception. But say for Larry Stunning it is different. It is more like a comic so it really doesn't have a planned ending, each little arc has a ending.
Qui: When did you start writing?
Aeon: At 7. That is the first time I wrote something on my own will and not part of a homework assignment or anything.
Karima: When writing, do you ever find it hard or confusing to focus on which character you are writing about?
Aeon: No, actually though I do often forget the names of the character. I don't think I ever forget the character though.
Jilly: Are you planning on turning one of your stories into a novel one day?
Aeon: Not any of the sim stories I have written. I still think I could improve a lot on writing before thinking about writing a novel.
All the questions have been great though and I appreciate all of them. Also I appreciate being the featured writer for the month! Thanks to everyone who asked a question and everyone who reads one of my stories!
Daijah: Thank YOU for writing them! And that brings us to the end of January’s Featured Author Interview!
Qui: Join us next month, where the spotlight might be on YOU!
