Run: Official Soundtrack

Okay I swear I spent a whole 5 minutes trying to figure out something witty for this blog title but I came up blank...

Anyhow, much like 'Hauntings', 'Run' has it's own soundtrack. These songs I listened to a lot whilst I wrote the story and now I am sharing them with you.

Run: Official Soundtrack. Complied by Phillip Pham for Apocryphic Visions.

1. The Time has Come (theme to Planet Earth) by Tobias Marberger and Gabriel Shadid. As stated before I love epic scores (which reminds me to write that blog why) and here is a great example why. It's starts soft and builds and builds. It's kinda funny my friend Dave introduced this song to me but as of late nearly every tv show I watch (Heroes/ Lost ) have been using it. I guess great minds think alike. This score was also used for the private 'Run' trailer. Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OXDssJFX_M
2. Like A Stone by Audioslave. I have always liked this song even through I am not a big Audioslave fan. Moody Rock, perfect for writing a moody story. Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1j823QH6cU
3. Down so Long by Jewel. Ahh Jewel. I used to love Jewel but as I grew older I feel out of love with the music she was making. 'Pieces of You' and 'Spirit' are classic lp's to me tho so and this song is one of my faves and best suited 'Run'. Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOsnB2z1yrM
4. Never Let Me Down by Kenna. Another gem from 'Make Sure They See My Face' b-sides. This is Issac's little sister song for Issac. He'll never let her down. Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lzs3n1VWMo
5. After the Hurricane by Jazmine Sullivan. This song is apart of my current music player. My reason for choosing it is included in a blog as well. Awesome song, awesome artist. Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bawqI6UqKPU
6. Fallen by Sarah McLachlan. I am incredibly obvious here. I used this song for almost every story I write. One listen to the song tho and you'll understand why it would suit an assassin. Most of these songs are on the soundtrack because I like to listen to them as I write but 'Fallen' is the song of 'Run'. Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMuEw-9t9Xs
7. Lost+ by Coldplay featuring Jay-Z. I like a couple Coldplay songs as I have mentioned before in other blogs. 'Lost+' however stuck after my first listen and the fact it has hands down my favorite emcee on it makes it even better. Jay's lines are particularly poigant. "With the same sword they knight you,they gone good night you with". Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k-o5aWO9xo
8. The Hard Way by Fort Minor featuring Kenna. A fave of mine and one of the reasons why I brought the special edition of 'The Rising Tied'. Listen to the lyrics oh and Kenna rules. 'Nuff Said. Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrGm7R6acIA
9. The Beginning is the End is the Beginning by The Smashing Pumpkins. Unlike some people I knew about this song before it was used in the Watchmen trailer. I actually brought the Batman and Robin OST it's faster 'sister' and grew to love this version more. The Watchmen trailer did remind me how much I loved it tho. Once again, moody rock FTW. Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2rC0ze6LGQ
10. Run by Leona Lewis. The other official song for 'Run'. One of my favorite videos as well. So emo, so Phil LOL. Leona is so damn pretty as well. Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcpWQC9prm0
11. Arrival to Earth by Steve Jablonsky. We started with an epic song, we shall end with an epic song. As you should know it's the song you are listening to as you enter http://www.avisionspresentrun.blogspot.com. Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H0JDomv8ac

Well that's that. Hope you enjoy the audio experience as much as the written one.

pP

Done and Dusted

Well my friend if you are reading this I hope you have also read the last chapters of 'Run'. I take no responsibility from here on in if you spoil it for yourself. None! LOL

It's a great feeling to finish a story, even if it was a short one like 'Run'. Once upon a time I could barely get my ideas out on paper and in the period of a year I have written three full novellas and now my first short story that I wish to be published. It's all thanks to my wife, the inspiration and biggest cheerleader and tons of spare time :D

'Run' came to me in the midst of writing 'The Mansion'. I saw this video called 'Iccarus'. It's the video before this post. Do check it out. It is awesome. In the circle of inspiration 'Iccarus' was created for a John Woo game contest. I have previously mentioned that John Woo movies and the Replacement Killers (produced by John Woo) were also inspirations for 'Run' as well. Funny how everything is connected eh?

With 'Run' I wanted to challenge myself and I felt I did. Whilst writing 'Run' I wrote my first real action sequence ever. I have had scenes where people fight but nothing as crazy as what happened in 'Run'. It gave me hope that I can be more then just one type of genre writer.

Also with 'Run' I wanted to tell a story with a twist. That is why I kept the identity of the target a secret as long as possible. I hoped the twist was satisfying and more important, made sense.

I did not wanted to go with the obvious, that it was a person who betrayed Baldini or a ex-lover or something like that. No, I wanted something that would be consider a twist of fate.

The doctor refused to serve the mob boss, mob boss orders a hit on him. The person he orders is willing to do it but what happens when he realized the person he was going to kill is actually helping keeping his sister alive?

Now I need to be honest, a lot like 'The Woods', 'Run' had changed a lot compared to when I first pitched the idea to myself. I wrote and re-wrote it a million times in my head and that is one of the reasons why it took forever to get over the ground. However after I wrote the first chapter, I had an idea where I wanted to go. After the second chapter, I knew where it was going and piece by piece it all fell into place. The end product is the story you just finished reading.

I hope you enjoyed it.

Now some as you know 'Side by Side' is all about going behind the scenes as well. So here are some tibits

• New Lang, the town where 'Run' takes place actually has no real world counterpart. The name just came to me and it stuck.
• Doctor Marvin Halliwax is actually an amalgamation of two names. Marvin Candle and Edgar Halliwax, both are pseudonyms used by a doctor on 'Lost'. Fans of Lost would know him as the Dhama guy. Oh and if 'Run' became a film and I was able to participate in casting I would cast him as well. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0154236/

Well we are at the end of 'Run'. However I have had so much fun with 'Side by Side' that I am going to keep this blog open and update as much as I can. I will add stuff I have forgotten and remembered later. I will also update it if stuff happens like if it actually gets published (fingers crossed!).

pP

Genesis

One of the inspirations for 'Run'

Created by Monty Oum

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Detour?

I apologize y'all. I fully intended this chapter that I just wrote to be the big reveal and the big showdown between Issac and Mr. Baldini but I then realized that after I gave Brett Saunders, the snitch for Baldini, such a role in the story I felt we needed to revisit him.

This chapter was never planned for, LOL if you look at my original outline, their was no indication that this chapter would exist but exist it does and I feel like it was necessary to the story. I felt it would have been a dis-service to write in a character, give him a background and then promptly forget him.

I also felt it would be a good scene as well. I mean Issac confronting the person that snitched on him and got him in this mess? How could I not write that? So yes this is a detour and yes, we might have to wait just a little longer before the big finale but I felt this detour made the story a lot better. I hope you, the reader, agrees. Also the favor that Issac asked will make sense in the end and make this scene even more necessary.

One of the things I liked doing this chapter was flipping perspective on it's head. It's a common movie device, you see a scene from one person's perspective then from a completely different perspective. I enjoyed using the DING of the elevator as a tying device as well. I figured that was rather smart.

Another thing that I hoped worked was changing the narrative and instead of going from Issac's point of view, we instead go from Brett. I believe it was a nice touch, putting you in the mind of the person being held at gun point and not the other way around as it has been for most of the story.

Well okay, no more false promises. The big showdown is coming up. Grab you popcorn and take a seat, it's going to be explosive.

Oh and the question for this entry.

• What is the favor that Issac asked of Brett?

Less questions, more answers as 'Run' and 'Side by Side' wind up!

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Action!

I hope you have been reading 'Run' before you start reading 'Side by Side' because here there be spoilers. Do yourself a favor and if you are interested, send me an email at apocryphicvisions@gmail.com and I will forward you a copy of 'Run'.

Now that piece of housekeeping is done, on with the show.

This section (tho it was long enough I could probably call it a chapter) is one of the most action packed scenes I have ever written for anything. I done a lot of writing over the years but this very scene I needed to write like I was writing a scene play for a John Woo or Jason Bourne movie. I hope you enjoyed it as much and I enjoyed writing it.

I was extremely nervous writing this chapter mainly because of my lack of real experience writing a scene like this. I knew how I wanted it to look and how fluid Issac needed to be as he took out the other assassins but I did not know if I could translate what I saw in my mind to paper. Hopefully after you read it, you will see what I tried to illustrate. I wanted the action to be real and in your face. I used visual references from such movies as the a fore mentioned Bourne movies, Casino Royale and some John Woo movies including the Replacement Killers (one of the inspirations for 'Run') and tried to put it down.

When I first thought about writing 'Run', this is one of the scenes I was most look forward to writing. A lot like the scene where Jacque confronts his doppelganger in 'Homecoming', this was scene that I knew would define 'Run', so I wanted to make sure it was really good.

I love the craziness in the scene, from Issac using baldy's shotgun on the poor Aussie guy to the mad dash to the end of the corridor and backwards dive. This was a chapter designed to get your blood pumping.

I also wanted to give a shout out to my Aussie origins, even through the guy was a assassin. LOL the whole toilet line is something I have experienced before. American folks always look at me funny when I say 'I need to use the toilet'. It was also necessary to the overall story because that distraction was what Issac needed to get the upper hand.

This chapter also had a couple false scares. I intentionally wanted to heighten the drama after Issac threw himself out the window and also the scene with the car bomb. I hope it worked and you were gasping as you were reading it. The scene after the car bomb was a pleasure to write as well. I love how the other assassin really thought he got one up on Issac and Issac figured a way out of it. Issac is well renown assassin for a reason, he definitely is no dummy.

Finally, the profanity. I tried to not use excessive profanity in any of my writings but I think this scene called for it. I am not trying to be Goodfellas were every second word was fuck but I felt like, when profanity was use, it was use in the right context. Once again, I want this to be realistic as possible so a person saying 'fudge' after they realize they failed to kill someone and that someone has a gun on them, that just would not cut it.

Now usually I will ask you the reader some questions and today's one is a doozy.

• Issac kills for money and has shown he had no qualms doing so (the first chapter best illustrates that). However it also seems he is not a cold blooded killer. He could have killed the two men who tried to kill him but he chose not to. Does he kill because he wants to or because he has too? Also because of this, does it make him a more sympathetic character so you the reader actually care what happens to him? Do you care?

'Run' is coming to an end and reveals are around the corner. Who is the target? Why does Baldini want him dead? What caused Issac to turn on Baldini?

Those answers and more in the new chapter of 'Run'.

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You got character

Well after the short holiday hiatus, (hope you had a Happy Easter BTW) I am back with another
edition of 'Run: Side by Side'.

This section of 'Run' I wrote in my mind going all the way to last week but as I put finger to word processor today I decided to build on what I already planned to write. Whilst this section was about Issac's change of heart it ended up being an introduction to a new character.

Like how I decided that Mr. Baldini was not your typical crime boss, I had a conscious idea to make the 'snitch' not a typical character as well. I wanted to build on an idea that good people can do bad things, depending on the situation or their situation. I wanted to make the character of Brett Saunders as three dimensional as possible.

I hope you, the reader feel a bit conflicted in regards to him. Sure he is doing a bad thing by working with the Baldini but he knows it and he wrestles with his conscience about it. I gave you the cliff notes of his situation. His father died and left with a considerable amount of debt that he needs to repay. His wife left him as well. He is a dark place and he needs a way out and Mr. Baldini has provided him with that, at the cost of his conscience and soul.

I hoped this worked and you actually feel conflicted. If so, then my job as a writer is partial completed.

In all honesty if I just made him a typical, I am doing it for the money type of person and doing it for selfish reasons I felt like I would be doing you a dis-service. I want to give you a story where the characters are believable, realistic and human.

'Side by Side' is also a behind the scenes blog as well so I am going to share with you something I had planned but decided not to run with. Originally Brett was going to pick up the call that Issac made. For me, this could have save a lot of addition exposition but to me it just felt fake. Out of all people Issac called, it had to be Brett? I did not like that, it felt too 'staged' for my taste so that is why I took it out and re-wrote the scene you just read. I want 'Run' to be as realistic as possible, from the characters and their motives to the actual story it-self.

Now the questions you should be asking yourself

• Who is the target? Why was Issac all determined to go through with it and suddenly had a change of heart? What brought this about?
• Issac only hesitated for a moment before he made his tip but did he really gave it as much thought as it deserved? Is he really ready for the consequences of not doing what Baldini wanted?

Stay tuned, you have not seen nothing yet.

pP

Seal? Really?

Welcome to the second part of an ongoing (well at least whilst 'Run' is being written) series. As explained in my previous blog, one of the purposes behind 'Run: Side by Side' is to give you a insight behind the writing of 'Run'.

Oh and you might note, we now have musical accompaniment. The song I am using I have previously uploaded in my other blog (http://apocryphicvisions.blogspot.com/). I felt the epic nature of 'Arrival to Earth' is perfect for the story I am trying to write. I love epic music but lol I should save my reasoning why for an Apocryphic Visions blog eh?

Onwards.

This chapter was important because it introduces us to one of the main characters of 'Run'. Mr. Chad Baldini. Now true story, when I first came up with the idea for 'Run'. I knew it would feature a mob boss, however as I wrote it in my head and in the outline, I envisioned that Chad was going to be a stereotypical mob boss, like a persons straight out of The Godfather or Goodfellas. That is why he has a cookie cutter name like Baldini.

However, one of the things I detest with a passion is stereotypes. Why does the Asian guy MUST know some martial art and have a name like 'Lee' or 'Chang'? Why does the Hispanic person MUST be a gardener/ house keeper with a name like Jesus or Carlos? So I asked myself, why does Baldini have to be an Italian mobster originally from Sicily? Because of that, I decided to flip it on it's head and in the end it helped me make Chad Baldini a much richer character and not a stereotypical bad guy.

I ran with the whole adoption story as fleshed out in the story, how he was a young hood and due to his hard work and loyalty to the mob boss, he became a Baldini and was not born into it. I liked how he earned his 'stripes' and his men and adopted father's respect to the point where he became the heir to the throne.

Now I mentioned it in a previous Apocryphic Visions blog that I usually cast the people I would like to see play said role, if my book became a film. It is a writing mechanism I use so I can see the person playing the role with their mannerisms as I write. It helps me a lot, I must admit.

So just like how I did not go for the stereotypical mobster, I decided not to cast the stereotypical actor for the role. I did not want no Tiny Lister from Friday to play my mobster. I wanted something from left of field. And I found it in Seal.

LOL so now we have the title of this blog. Seal? Really? Now I know Seal is not an actor but in my mind, he would play the perfect Chad Baldini. He has the 'look', I know he can bring a calm but stern authority. Plus the facial scars, come on how is that not gangster? So when I described Chad in this chapter of 'Run', I had a picture of Seal in my mind, saying the words I was writing. And now you will have the same.

Seal is not my only choice through. I must admit I am also a big fan of Delroy Lindo http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005148/ thanks to his body of work and his awesome portrayal of a mob boss in 'Romeo Must Die'. But I think the casting of Seal embodies one of my principles. Fuck Stereotypes and typecasting!

Next up... questions you are asking yourself or should be asking yourself at the conclusion of this chapter.

• Is the explanation of Baldini and his morals foreshadowing something? He rewards loyalty cause that what he was to his adopted father and hates non loyal people, betrayers.
• Who is the person that Baldini wants Issac to kill? It seems Issac did a double take after he was given the job and caused him to question Baldini against his better judgement. Is Baldini asking Issac to cross a line he thought he never would?
• Seal? Really? (joking)

Well stayed tuned, trust me, there is more surprises to come.

pP

A Running Blog

This blog is dedicated purely to 'Run' the short story I am currently writing.

When I wrote the first part of 'Run' in March I actually celebrated by writing a blog. I have decided to keep this up and keep this blog updated as I write more and more of the story. It is actually something I wished I could have done with 'Hauntings' but hey, no use crying over split milk.

One of the things this blog is, it is a lot like the appendix that I wrote for 'The Woods'. This will help you get inside my brain (lol the scary place that it is) and find out why I choose certain names/ titles and what not. It is also a place for me to gather my thoughts and help me understand where I want to go with 'Run'.

Anyway... onwards.

Today after a short break (well short compared to the other break I took between finishing 'Hauntings' and starting 'Run') I wrote the next part of Run.

One of the things I planned from the get go was that Bradley was not going to be our lead character's name. I figured in the job that he works that he would use aliases. One of the things I enjoyed about aliases was I was therefore able to do a have a 'everything is connected' moment, even through it was a minor one. Regular readers of my work would be able to spot two of the aliases our protagonist used were 'Peter' and 'Jacque'. I was going to throw 'Victor' in there as well but truth be told I did not wanted to go over the top with it.

For the people who have not read 'Hauntings: An Anthology' (I will like to add I am shocked and you need to get a copy of it), a person named Peter is the main character of 'The Mansion' and a person named Jacque is the main character of 'Homecoming'. For the people whom have read 'Hauntings' this was a inside joke from me to you.

From this scene, I wanted you the reader to think about the following things:

• The messages that are left on his work answering machine reveal that Issac is getting paid. Why is it then that his apartment is so plain and non-descript? Is this by choice or not?
• Why did Issac choose to call back Mr. Baldini (the crime boss) before his mother? Did he call his mother?
• Why is Lucy (his sister) in the hospital again?

Those answers and more are coming.

'Run' is just getting started.

Hop aboard.

pP