C James

I've just downloaded the first batch of pics from my camera to my pc, and thought I'd start off with some that are relavant to Shadowgod. Yes, the 2008 King of Cliffhangers awards are coming at the end of the year. So, with that in mind, I thought I'd share a few photos of things I encountered on my trip. For example, Shadowgods' home town: Cliff Dwellers, Arizona. It's just north of the Navaho suspension bridge, which spans the eastern Grand Canyon. The roadbed is nearly a thousand feet over the river. That's vertigo-inducing, so a ver appropriate thing to have next to the soaring, malevolent blood-red pricipices that surround Shadowgod's hometown, Cliff Dwellers, Arizona. First, a shot of the lodge, showing the sign then one taken looking a bit to the left (with some overlap) showing some of the looming cliffs. Now a few of the ajoining boulders. These rolled down off the cliff, and are right next to the lodge. Every so often a new one rolls down, and the small ones are the size of a tank. Talk about a malevolent precipice! And boulders... CLIFFHANGING boulders... Is it any wonder that Shadowgod hails from this place? Yes indeed, just look at those cliffs! And now, for Yellowstone... Yellowstone is famous for it's thermal features. Most of the world's geysers are in Yellowstone, and areas of it look very much like hell, complete with the overpowering smell of sulphur. It is a wonderful place, and I plan to go back. Oh, and in case anyone wonders how I know what hell looks like, it's because Shadowgod told me. (it's his realm, after all). I'll share more pics later, but foir now, here's one of a small geyser. Imagine my surprise when i saw that it was named in honor of Shadowgod! It erupts to about 30 feet, but only for a single burst. I tried several times, but my camera has about a 3/4 second lag between hitting the button and taking the pic. So, the geyser, true to it's namesake, left me hanging; I never could get a good pic of a full burst. Ok, that's most of the Shadowgod-related stuff. More later. All I've done is reduce the image size and do a little cropping on two. No digital trickery. (that really is the name of that geyser). I'll have other pics to post very soon. Here's a sample of the Yellowstone group: A Bison, set against the steam rising from Grand Prismatic Spring.

I haven't had time to read the thread yet, but will now.

I hope this posted ok, I'm exhausted and half asleep. See y'all tomorrow, and have fun.

OMG! Just found this, WOW! I'll get to reading as soon as I've had some sleep!! CJ (I'm back!) :-)

Yep, I'm back... Exhausted, but back. Rolled in about an hour ago, after 12 hours behind the wheel. So tired I can hardly see stright. But, I did do one thing... Uploaded Ch 08. :-) Oh, and there will be pictures. Lots of 'em! The reason his Shadowyness mentioned the town of Cliff Dwellers ( small town in Arizona) is I mentioned to him that I'd stopped in his hometown. Yep, that's where he hails from. Pictures to follow. (no digital trickery: Cliff Dwellers is real, and is located just north of the vertigo-inducing Navaho suspension bridge, where the roadbed is a thousand feet over the water of the Colorado river.) Cliffs EVERWHERE. So, is it an surprise that it's Shadowgod's home town? CJ (glad to be back!).

Just wanted to give ya'll a few things to think about.. Nice, restful things. Telluride is the title of chapter 8, and Train Wreck the title of Ch 9. Any guesses what "train Wreck" might mean? Surely nothing... tense, as I'd never do such a thing, but let's just say it's a train wreck or seven, but not a literal one. (no train involved).

Only got a few miniutes and on an awfull connection, can't even get into my Pm box... I miss y'all! Having a GREAT time... Alaska is fantastic, on my way back now... Greetings from Montana! Should be back a lettle ahead of schedule... so, hopefully will be able to post a chapter Tuesday or Wednesday. I want to thank all who have posted while I've been gone. I haven't had chance to more than browse the threads, but I will when I get back. I'll also try and get the forum moving again. Take care, see y'all soon! CJ

ROFL!! Yes, I think His Shadowyness may have stolen the check.

That's a good point!! I'll have to settle for just pinning his photo up on every post office bullitin board between heare and Alaska.. Just trying to make him feel wanted.

ROFL! I drank a fair amount of it writing the few chapters I've done. LoL! I can, and have, written parts of this story sober, but it just seems so much easier with a tequila buzz.

But I was planning on mailing them to His Shadowyness.

Thanks everyone!! Yep, there are Mosquitoes in Alaska... They are the official state bird, or should be. I'm leaving in a few hours. I should be able to check in a few times on the trip, and I should be back around oct 4th. CJ

My novel JAKE, based on my short story "Three for Jake", was due to come out this month. My trip put that on hold. Some chapters are written, but, if I posted now you'd end up with one chapter and then a 5 week wait. So, my apologies, but Jake won't roll until early October. CJ

Huh!!?!! Ummm, did somebody Tequila you, Eric? You know I'm not evil... And bewares... Tiger is right.. Don't tempt Shadowyness.. Remember LiS 26? <shudder> I can only address one point of this without giving spoilers. That point is the timeline. You are 100% correct on that; the Changing Lanes Timeline is months ahead of DnCW. However, this does not preclude future interaction; the timelines should sync up again around chapter 50 of Dreams and Cliffed wings. Also, there might be other interaction, of a limited nature, that can occur much sooner without being a spoiler. You'll see. Good catch on the timeline!! CJ

Hi!! Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of my team, including a late-night editing session by Emoe (thanks EMOE!!) and an incredibly fast turnaround by Graeme, we have a couple of chapter for posting while I'm gone. Shadowgod and Joe will be handling the posting. To space things out evenly, Chapter 6, Travel Plans, will post on Sept 9th, Ch 7 Laying the Groundowrk, will post Sep 23rd, Ch 8, Telluride, will post about Oct 3rd if not before, and Ch 9, Train Wreck, will post a week later as we return to a weekly posting schedule. If I can get Ch 10 done soon and mailed in, the above will change and there will be a week's less gap somewhere. I'm leaving in a few hours for my trip, so take care everyone! I'll miss you, and I'll try and check in a few times. CJ

Chapter 8 has been posted I loved Migratory Patterns! I'm posting this before I leave, and His Shadowyness will make it visable when the chapter comes out. So, I get the first post! So, spoiler spaces. Don't read if you haven't read the chapter: huge spoilers here! This is a superb chapter.

Hrmmm? Announcing chapter names in advance? I would say that this means you are evil, but somehow, I have this sneaky feeling that it might backfire... At the risk of suffering the Echidna's wrath, I'll give a small spoiler for Dreams and Cliffed Wings 8, Migratory Patterns. (Being a beta reader for his Shadowyness has it's perks..): It is a really good chapter. Superb. Well worth the wait.

Nope, you read it right.

Very true! They are a good mix, IMHO. BTW, anyone care to speculate on what this might mean,

Shadowyness! Now, now, you can't blame me for this! (see how he always tries to pin stuff on me?) Because it's all your fault that Eric is now a motorcycle rider. You're a bad influence on Eric... Besides, you've almost killed Cody once already... Remember his encounter on the loading bays, and the garroting wire being made ready? Your universe is just too perilous a place for Eric... CJ

ACK!!! See? They're picking on poor little me!!! Evil, I tell ya, EVIL!!! And Eric, come now, Shadowgod's cliffhangers are the most evil around! Need I mention LiS 26? And, ummm, what's this I hear abotu a goat emoticon?

But Shadowyness... This is all for your own good. Though, if you prefer, I could move it to my forum, pin it, and point an announcement at it for good measure... And maybe link to it in inconspicious places, such as my siggy, and from every chapter posted on my site... (ahh, the joys of PHP includes...)

I have a favor to ask.... I'm going away on vacation for five weeks, starting in 72 hours. I won't be able to post on GA hardly at all, so, I need to ask y'all to fill in for me here in Shadowgod's forum. Please, please, keep him on his toes. Decry his most EEEvil cliffhangers, and his everlasting cruelty to Cody. Comment on his chapter postings... and keep his forum active, and keep him harassed. Also, never lose sight of the goal. Keep your eyes on the prize: We're trying hard to get Shadowgod restored to his rightful place on the cliffhanging throne. If you love his writing (as do we all) and want to see more, bear this in mind; his writing pace has declined since he lost his title. I've also seen it said that he'd post at a higher rate if he had his title back. So, what do we have to lose? Let's give him back his title! All hail Shadowgod, the once and future King of Evil Cliffhangers! So, keep him on his toes, and also, keep an eye on him, and beware his EEEvil ways. See y'all in 5 weeks.

Well... anytime shadowgod is involved, there is bound to be danger... He has this heartfelt, maniacal love of imperiling (or worse!) his characters.....

But, your Shadowyness, I can't mention what might happen... See the Echidna? See his spines? I fear the spines! And notice how the Shady One didn't mention his own culpability in putting Eric in peril!??! ECHIDNA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But, but, but, that's Shadowgod's title, and he wants it back!! I must, as a loyal fan of Shadowgod, endeavor to see that he gets it! Also, I might point out that Shadowgod has had several cliffhangers in DnCW so far! Granted, non have risen to the dizzying, unequaled heights of LiS 26, but it's probably too early in the story for that. Also, I have it on good advice that one reason for Shadowgod's lower than normal posting rate lately is he's still pining over the loss of his title. So, just in case I'm right, why don't we try giving it back to him? CJ