VC Writes Blogger

  PESTILENT Chapter 15   The Precious Coin  1  On his deathbed, the old man, with a frail voice, looked at Frank and finally revealed the reason he needed the precious coin. He wanted to sell it to buy a plane ticket. He spoke of his longing to see his childhood home in Greece one last time before his battle with thyroid cancer would claim his life. His eyes were filled with the pain of unfulfilled dreams, and he shared the story of his cherished memories, hoping that Frank would understand the significance of the coin he had. However, Frank, fearful of the consequences and his own past misdeeds, maintained his lie, not disclosing the true whereabouts of the coin, as the thought of the old man involving the police haunted him, knowing he had taken more from him. Tragically, the old man passed away before getting a chance to retrieve his precious coin and fulfill his dream.       Eleven years later, in a tent provided by Norman, Frank, currently so...

In 2022, Jordan Peele delivered another cinematic gem with Nope, a sci-fi horror that kept audiences glued to their seats. Peele, the mastermind behind thought-provoking films like Get Out and Us, wore multiple hats for Nope, serving as writer, director, and co-producer. The Haywood siblings, OJ and Emerald, grapple with running their California horse ranch while facing financial hurdles. Their lives take a sharp turn when they witness an otherworldly phenomenon hovering above their property. Driven by ambition and a glimmer of hope for fame and fortune, the siblings, along with tech salesman Ricky "Jupe" Park, embark on a mission to capture the mysterious object on film. Little do they know, their pursuit unlocks a horrifying reality, proving the being they're dealing with is far more sinister than they imagined. Critics lauded Nope for its stunning visuals, Peele's masterful direction, and the electrifying performances by the cast. Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palme...

  Pinakbet : It's a local dish from Ilocos Norte, Philippines. My hometown is Paoay, Ilocos Norte. You can also add any Fish and Shrimp or none. The traditional way to cook this is to place every ingredient in a clay pot, place the lid, shake it with Bagoong (Anchovy Paste), and let it cook on a clay burner. No meat, mostly. Calabaza will balance the sweetness with the bitterness of the Biter Mellon. I like adding a lot of tomatoes to my Pinakbet. It gives a bit of sourness with a tint of sweetness. The pork sides or pork belly for Lechon Kawali. It doesn't have to be Lechon Kawali. Make sure to boil the pork separately first hand. I went to Indian Bazar Market for the onion and other ingredients. Good price too... obviously, too organic, lol. Just take out the skin, and it's cleaned. Some of this eggplant will do. I sometimes take the once on the right. Some Indian Bitter Mellon. I was looking for the smaller kinds. I found a few half the size of the ones you see here.  Us...

Inabraw : What I love about this dish is that it is so simple to make, tastes great, and is healthy for you. I can use any fish with this dish. As for now, I'm adding two of these striped bass. It'll be fried. It's a good thing the Asian market frying service is free. What makes the Inabraw stew. Jute leaves . Two frozen pacts of these are all I need today. Any safe edible mushrooms work for the Inabraw. This oyster mushroom works well with the stew. I love this gourd. I don't know about you, but I can eat this in any soup or stew, and I won't crave any carnivore diet.  They don't carry the half once. This calabaza squash is dangerous to cut in half.  You also be needing ginger for the Inabraw Ingredients. Fish sauce for sodium or to balance the taste. Also add water before cooking the Inabraw. Dinner time. I couldn't finish the appetizers but I did on the Inabraw. If you haven't got a copy of SWARM: The Pentalogy yet, please I best recommend to do so....

Mission accomplished! The manuscript turned out to be so long that I decided to split it into a five-novella series. While the length was a factor in this decision, it wasn't the only one. Self-publishing such a lengthy manuscript on a tight budget proved challenging. Additionally, breaking the story into novellas allowed me to explore the narrative one novella at a time, providing an opportunity to grow as a storyteller and enhance my writing skills. I'm excited to announce that SWARM: The Pentalogy  is now available on Amazon .  SWARM: The Pentalogy is a single book that contains all five novellas. You can read them separately or collect the entire series in one volume. Nathan and David, two college friends from Berkeley, embark on a duck hunting trip in Michigan with Raymond. However, their adventure takes a surreal turn when they stumble upon a mysterious portal that thrusts them into the distant future. In this future, Earth is a humid, waterlogged world with only a few s...