narrate - Demon's Souls - Playstation 3

Let me begin by saying this; Demon's Souls is not a game for everyone. It might not even be a game for you. However, if you can look past the game's punishing strangeness and sprawling scale, you'll find one of the best Rpgs of this generation.

Demon's Souls is an action Rpg born of an unholy union in the middle of Armored Core developers From Software and Sony Computer EntertainMent Japan. Best known for their Armored Core mecha action franchise, From Software was also responsible for the King's Field games, a series of first someone action Rpgs on the Playstation, Playstation 2 and Psp. The King's Field series is noted for several things; its complex, sprawling dungeons, creepy monster designs, wide range of Npcs and pieces of equipMent, and its dark, dreary atmosphere. It's also quite familiar for its difficulty. Demon's Souls, planned by Sony and From as a contemporary re-invention of the King's Field franchise, shares many of these features, as well as several new innovations of its own.

This is the End of the World

Demon's Souls is not a happy game. The story opens with a narrator bitterly telling a tale of a power-hungry king taking operate of the flow of souls, using them for his own personal gain; by slaughtering humans and monsters alike, King Allant was able to build up vast reserves of power for his kingdom of Boletari. However, as Boletaria grew more powerful, a thick fog spread over the successful country, face the city in an impenetrable wall of darkness. By taking operate of the power of souls, Allant awakened an Old God, and with it came an unstoppable horde of demons. From that point forward, adventurers, mercenaries, and psychopaths alike ventured into the fog surrounding Boletaria. Some went in crusade of lost loved ones, some in attempts to free the city from whatever evil controlled it; and others still sought to plumb the cursed city's vast reserves of Demon Souls to growth their strength...or worse. This is where your hero comes in.

In a lot of ways, the story of Demon's Souls is anti-typical of other Japanese Rpgs; the game is clearly set in an European-influenced setting, from the environments to the accents of the characters, Demon's Souls reeks of Western influence. Meanwhile, the story itself seems influenced heavily by the works of H.P. Lovecraft and Stephen King, dark and gothic with nary a doe-eyed small girl spewing "power of friendship" speeches in sight. That being said, the story in Demon's Souls isn't exactly the deepest or most in-your-face article you're going to find in an Rpg; it serves in general as a means of setting the mood and explaining the setting. However, for fans of lore and subtlety, there is depth to be found here; item descriptions, Npc dialogue, and the bosses and level designs themselves reek of atmosphere, and the story explains itself well sufficient provided you're willing to pay attention and forgive a few translation issues. The climate in the game is surely breathtaking; the silent emptiness of Boletaria Castle is enhanced by the lack of dungeon music, while the possible creepiness of the abandoned prison Tower of Latria is altered into abject nightmare by the muffled screams of its lost prisoners, and the ominous bells being rung by its otherworldly guards as they stalk you through its darkened halls.

East Meets West: Boletaria Style

In Demon's Souls, much like a Western Rpg, you play a created character; you pick a gender and a name, edit yourself a face, and then pick a character class. These classes range from fantasy staples like the Knight and Wizard, to more unusual classes like the Royal or the Wanderer. Your character class is surely important, as it influences your character's starting stats, default character level, and what tool you begin with. On one hand, you could pick a Soldier and you might be gifted with heavy plate armor and a large broadsword, but your character will be unable to use magic for a principal amount of time. On the other hand, you could pick a Thief and be able to sprint and dodge considerably more effectively than an additional one class, but if you take more than a few hits, you're a goner. There are also several more "hybridized" classes like the Royal and the Wanderer that allow for more neutral stat builds, but they are commonly not recommended for a first playthrough.

As I mentioned in my first impressions article, you begin Demon's Souls by dying. After creating your character, you're put through a easy tutorial dungeon to familiarize you with the game's mechanics and controls, then thrust into a boss fight with the creature pictured above. This monster, referred to as Vanguard, destroyed me in a singular hit. After you die, your character will awaken as a spirit in the Nexus, the game's hub world. The Nexus is a constantly evolving tower full of Npcs to interact with; some appear when you level up, others can be found in the dungeons, and some are there from the start. In the Nexus, you can accomplish all principal pre-adventure actions like shopping, item storage, repAiring/upgrading weapons and learning new spells. Much like a Western Rpg, Demon's Souls is an very non-linear game. After you've cleared the game's first "real" dungeon, the game officially lets go of any semblance of inescapable structure; your only objective is to rid the world of the Old One, and however you get there is enTirely up to you.

A Field of Corpses

The combat in Demon's Souls is commonly pretty thorough dungeon crawler fare; you have two hands, and you can equip two items to each hand, one main weapon and one backup weapon, surely swapped in the middle of by a tap of the D-Pad. My usual setup was to equip my main melee weapon and my bow in my character's right hand, and a shield and a spell catalyst in his left; allowing close-range and long-range combat, as well as defense and spellcasting. Other players may pick other ways of handling things, though; there's surely no wrong way to do it...that is, unless you conclude to try and run through a dungeon dual-wielding shields. Each weapon class has its own unique combos and animations, with rare weapons receiving their own specials. You can also opt to wield any weapon with two hands, prominent to more powerful, wider-ranged attacks at the charge of being able to defend as effectively. Equipping a light shield also allows you to parry incoming enemy attacks, if timed right, allowing you to unleash a devastating riposte, while meticulous blocking or stealthy maneuvers can allow you to accomplish a excellent backstab. Easy to learn, hard to expert is the name of the game when it comes to combat in Demon's Souls.

Now, there's no point in mentioning the combat in Demon's Souls if I don't at least talk a bit about the bosses; it was the compose for the boss pictured above that initially sold me on the game, and thankfully, the boss fights do not disappoint. With weaker fare like Phalanx the Shield Slime out of the way early on, Demon's Souls evolves speedily into conflicts with truly splendid creatures like the Storm King, as well as head to head challenges with brutal humanoid opponents. Demon's Souls also introduces what I believe might be a first in the Rpg community; a PvP boss fight against an additional one player summoned from over the Playstation Network. Truly, the wide range of boss battles is one of the greatest strengths of Demon's Souls, capping off each dungeon crawl with a satisfying, pulse-pounding conclusion. What's also impressive is the range of ways a player can tackle each boss; while inescapable strategies surely work good than others, practically any way you want to take a boss down, you probably can if you're skilled enough. Well, provided you're not trying to fistfight the Old God, that is.

Wait...I'm Dead Again!?

Now, reading as far as you have, you're probably mental "well, that doesn't sound so bad," right? Wrong. Like King's Field before it, Demon's Souls is a difficult game; punishingly so, even. This is a game that, without question, wants you dead and makes no attempts to hide its murderous nature. From hazards ranging from a fire-breathing dragon strafing over your intended path to a massive, pitch-black lake of poison, Demon's Souls will kill you more times than you can count. And frustratingly enough, there is a penalty for dying! As you kill monsters, you are awarded Souls. These Souls act both as currency and palpate points; you can "spend" them in the Nexus, as well as at vendors throughout the game's five sprawling worlds, to buy new items and equipment, fix and upgrade your weapons, and also to level yourself up and gain new spells. This is all well and good until you perceive that whenever you die, you lose all unspent Souls in your inventory. Like in Diablo, you can re-enter the dungeon and find your corpse, recovering any lost Souls from your last death, but also like Diablo, if you die again on the way back to your corpse, you lose what you lost, forever. As such, the game encourages very defensive, structured play while the early sTAGes, until you learn the Evacuate spell. There is truly nothing more frustrating, after all, than amassing 50,000 Souls while a dungeon run, only to accidentally dodge off a cliff and lose them all.

As Dave mentioned in his challenge article some time back, Demon's Souls is not a game you "get" instantly. Its sprawling dungeons are a throwback to the Roguelikes and dungeon crawlers of old, with numerous branches, ruthless deathtraps, and perilous enemy ambushes around every corner. The enemies are, to put it simplest, bloodthirsty; there's no particularly complicated Ai at work here, these enemies want you dead, and if they get hit in the process of hurting you, they just don't care. In fact, in the case of some of the bigger monsters, like the dragon pictured above, they will gladly roast other enemies alive if it means killing you. The level design, especially in some of the later sTAGes, is also professionally engineered to lull you into a false sense of security, then drop a barely-visible cliff or deathtrap in your way at the exact second you're too relaxed to react in time. The game's numerous bosses also range in strangeness from pathetically easy to "Holycrapimpossible", and it seems that From Software doesn't mind mixing things up a bit, as long as it leads to the player dying. In the first dungeon alone, I likely died a good three or four times before reaching the boss; you don't want to know how many times I died while my first run-through of the third dungeon.

However, the strangeness of Demon's Souls is a blessing in disguise. Interestingly, the more you play and the more you die, the more you learn; enemy strike patterns become more obvious, allowing you to dodge or parry more easily, while the map compose grows more familiar, and several of the "surprise" elements designed to kill an unwary newbie are no longer a threat. You'll learn which weapon types are most sufficient against inescapable enemies...and as your knowledge grows, the game will eventually click. No longer will you fear that skeleton wielding a huge zweihander; you've got a mace that shatters bone in two hits. That giant slime? He hates fire. Get a fire spell or enchantment for your sword and Watch him die in under a minute. As you learn the game's subtle nuances, and find ways to exploit them, the true depth of Demon's Souls reveals itself to you. This is not a game designed to be blazed through in a weekend. In fact, a player's quality to experience repeated deaths and learn from their own mistakes is possibly the simplest way to gauge their possible enjoyment of the game; outpatient players with a drive to conquer any obstacle in front of them will be rewarded with an intensely enjoyable experience, while gamers more grounded in the "instant gratification" school of thought may not find what they're seeing for in Demon's Souls.

It's Fun To Slay Together

It's no big secret that Japanese developers haven't surely jumped onto the whole "online" bandwagon this generation; hell, it's been three years now and we still don't have an online co-op Dynasty Warriors game. Despite this, From Software did at least try to bring something new to the table in Demon's Souls; the Phantom system. As I previously explained in my impressions post, the game mixes singular player, co-op, and Mmo elements to allow a cohesive game world without any pesky online lobbies. Demon's Souls supports online co-op play for up to three players over the Playstation Network, allowing three friends (or strangers) of similar levels to join together and take down bosses. The downside to this is that to join an additional one player's game, the host has to be alive (easier said than done most of the time), and the habitancy joining his game have to be within ten levels of him; there's no request your level 255 buddy to come in and oneshot a boss for you in this game. The game expects you to work together to take down bosses, and they grow considerably more aggressive to reflect this.

demonssoulscoop

As mentioned before, interaction in the middle of players is handled practically enTirely through glowing runes inscribed on the floor of the dungeons, allowing players to warn each other of upcoming traps, or let other players know they're seeing for a co-op partner. This is definitely not the simplest online integration in the world; there's no inquire of that. It's very Silly to have a co-op mode that boots everyone out of the Party if the leader dies, for example. The PvP, on the other hand, is handled quite well. All in all, From Software should at least be commended for trying to innovate in terms of online/offline play for the Rpg genre, as well as trying to make it fit the game's story and universe. It's definitely fun to take on a boss with friends, though, provided the game decides it wants to let you play together at all.

Game Over +

As I said before, Demon's Souls is not a game for everybody. First of all, it's not even ready on Us store shelves, only currently found on import gaming websites like Play-Asia and Ncsx despite being completely in English. Completing the game requires copious amounts of time, patience, and ambition; you have to want to win in order to stop the game, From and Sony aren't retention your hand along the way. While the brutal strangeness and lack of direction might put off some fans of more traditional Jrpgs, outpatient gamers who're willing to try something new (and get eaten by a few dragons along the way) will find abundance of things to love about the game; the brutal boss fights, the sprawling choice of weapons and armor, using the souls of previously-defeated bosses to forge new, more excellent weapons and armor; the list goes on and on. The story may not be the deepest or most elegantly told out there, but compared to the seemingly endless onslaught of asinine anime cliches being spewed out of games like Star Ocean: The Last Hope, Eternal Sonata, and Blue Dragon, the minimalist arrival in Demon's Souls is a welcome change of pace. And believe it or not, there are gameplay elements I haven't even touched on in this review; it's just that deep! My first playthrough of the game clocked in at practically 58 hours; the only single-player games this generation that even arrival the amount of time I've put into Demon's Souls are the Xbox 360's Lost Odyssey and the Psp's Dissidia: Final Fantasy.

In the end, while it might not have the yield values or graphical "Wow" factor of a mainline Final Fantasy title, Demon's Souls has surely usurped the Ps3's "best Rpg" throne...but with Ffxiii gently approaching, we'll see how long it holds onto the crown. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a New Game + to finish.

Pluses
+ Dark, gothic climate with solid graphics and exquisite level design
+ Surprisingly competent localization, with few glaring translation errors
+ Breathtaking, captivating boss battles
+ Numerous online options for multiplayer fans
+ Vast array of items and tool pieces to find, mix and match
+ New Game + highlight allows for infinite replayability with expanding challenges

Minuses
- Punishing strangeness may take players by surprise
- Online functions are not particularly well-explained
- Frame rate can chug in inescapable isolated areas
- Not officially released in Us/Europe

Available now on Playstation 3 in Japan;

Asian version features full English translation

Cero Rating: D (17+)

Players: 1 (offline) 3 (online co-op)

Completed game as a Thief; began New Game + and defeated several bosses, experimented with online modes and PvP

Final Verdict: For players who love a good challenge, Demon's Souls is an absolute must-buy, and one of the best Rpgs of this generation.

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Sanyo Barbeque Grill Sanyo Indoor Barbeque Grill

Pure Poetry

Introduction to Pure Poetry: Pure Poetry: pure but mysterious poetry is or has been looked upon as whether too highbrow, or too lowbrow, depending what generation you were born in, raised in, or happened to slip into. I can only define such things in my own terms. Some folks, who have jumped into this genre of poetry, have become too soft, or too morbid. There never seems to be a balance. Robert Howard did a good Job in this area, Clark A. Smith, was slanted to the more morbid side, and H.P.

Lovecraft was a tinge in the middle someplace. George Sterling was maybe the more flexible of the group, but could he be considered pure poetry then, since he did put restrictions onto himself; Robinson Jeffers on the other hand did his best, but wasn't the equal to the others I've Mentioned so far, so I feel, but close. Lin Carter made his point in this genus style of poetry and to me was not the equal of the others I've Mentioned thus far; but Richard L. Tierney was good, and overlooked--there are more to Mention but not enough space to Mention them.

Pure poetry has a flare for the fantastic. The imaginative poetry of this type comes out to its limits of expression; maybe a forgotten art nowadays. My friend Phillip Ellis is maybe one of the last, of the new generation to pick up on this dying style. Myself, I am a incompatibility of it: I use and like the style, the symbolism, images and metaphors it demands to have. Yet I am myself am in violation of this like Sterling--both of us guilty of not using its full force, as Clark A. Smith did; not saying he was better than Sterling or Tierney or Howard. Some might say I scratched its surface compared to others, if for real this is the case, then I am happy I did that much, and left the morbidity out; it is not in my veins to go beyond the limits of my values, not out of sainthood, maybe out of knighthood moreso. With this I quit with these last words: in this type of poetry, the swine doesn't commonly pick out the pearls, nor can find them, so don't expect for them to notice them.

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Char Broil Patio Grill heavy duty can crusher

Interview With Cheryl Anne Gardner, Author Of "The Thin Wall"

Interview With Cheryl Anne Gardner, Author Of "The Thin Wall"

Cheryl is the author of four novellas. Her love affAir with literature began at a young age with such iconic authors as Poe, Kafka, Lovecraft, and de Sade. Those deep, dark, penitent stories of suffering and enlightenMent moved her to pursue her passion for writing.

Tyler: Thank you for joining me today, Cheryl. "The Thin Wall" is quite an engaging book and even controversial. To begin, will you tell us the basic setting and plot that the book opens with?

Cheryl: Thank you for having me Tyler. The book opens with five friends enjoying a typical Friday night at the local pub. I chose this singular setting as it is a customary and relatable relieve setting for most people. I can remember many a night enjoying the business of my own friends in the local pub. I wanted the reader to feel relaxed, as if they were part of the group, sharing a drink and feeling included in the intimate conversation. In this opportunity scene, I can pull the reader into the dialog, introduce all of the characters, showcase some of their singular idiosyncrasies, and lay the foundation for the group dynamic. And it is this group dynamic which is extremely foremost to the story. All five have very distinct careers, aspirations, and struggles, but they are bonded to each other in a tasteless perspective: They firmly believe "to each his own-between consenting adults of course." And all of the characters struggle against what community deems normal. Population their age should be settled down, married with children, allowable Jobs, allowable homes, and all the other standards of normal society. But they believe that normal is a matter of opinion, especially when it comes to self-expression, as we have three artists among the group: A writer, a musician, and a painter.

Tyler: Before we discuss the book further, I understand you don't think the book as "erotica" although our reviewer here at Reader Views described it as such. Why would you argue "The Thin Wall" isn't erotica?

Cheryl: While there is a great deal of sexual imagery within the story, the story is an intense character study, and the sex acts themselves are not described in descriptive detail, as it is in mainstream erotica. I have read a great deal of erotica to know the difference. I prefer written sex to be portrayed as a fluid more emotional experience, leaving much of the body language, positions, and descriptions to the imagination. We all know the anatomy of a sex act, so I don't feel the need to narrate it ad infinitum. However, erotica fans want the descriptive narrative and would be extremely disappointed if I were to categorize the book as mainstream erotica. So, I would say that this is a sensual, erotic tale, but not erotica as defined by the genre.

Tyler: The sexual operation in the book includes bondage and submission and even physically wounding people. Why?

Cheryl: When it comes to romantic and intimate relationships, we all have a puny sado-masochist within us. We hurt the ones we love and allow ourselves to be hurt by them. In every romantic association there is blood shed on both sides-metaphorically speaking, of course. How often do you hear: I would bleed myself dry for you...or I would give my life for you? Bold stateMents-offering ourselves wholly to those we love is in essence an contribution to cut ourselves. "Thin Wall" is a metaphor, portraying in a very real way how much we are willing to endure, to sacrifice, and to submit to the ones we love. This is also a story about the depth of trust. How much do we as a matter of fact trust the ones we love? In this story, the level of trust goes beyond average reasoning; it's a trust most Population will never experience, will never allow themselves to experience.

Tyler: I find your Mention of trust to be engaging in relation to sexual activity. How have the characters built up that trust with each other, and have any of the characters known trust to be betrayed and how have they dealt with it?

Cheryl: as a matter of fact the trust in the middle of them has as a matter of fact nothing to do with their sexual activity. This story is much deeper than a deviant romp in the sheets. Tom, Ioan, and Julian have issues with trust, which stem from childhood discontentMent with their respective parents. Tom's parents had obvious expectations, which turned to bitterness when he couldn't fulfill them in the way they wanted. Julian's parents are of the wealthy aristocracy, living a life of excess splendor, which disgusts and repulses him. Julian was their genius progeny, and they continuously put him on display. And then there is Ioan, whose parents couldn't understand the moodiness of his artwork; it frightened them, and so believing that he was mentally ill, they settled him on medication. If you cannot trust your parents to accept you, then whom can you trust? For most, the trust you seek lies with your friends. Julian and Ioan meet in secondary school; they compliment each other and bond over their macabre musings. Ioan later meets Tom, and finding him as only someone else tragic artist could, he saves Tom from a life of drug addiction. Laleana and Julian meet in college and are drawn to each other over the philosophies of the Marquis deSade-the philosophies, not the sex, although the sex is a part of it, but only a small part. Not to mention that Ioan is celibate. Julian brings Cecile into the mix for reasons unknown, which becomes apparent much later in the story. So, as children, they are all outcasts to a degree; betrayed by their parents, they seek refuge with each other. Misery loves company, and misery loves business who understands it.

Tyler: You have yourself described "The Thin Wall" as a coming of age story, yet the characters are in their late thirties. What is primary about the characters' ages in relation to their sexual awakenings? Do you see sexual operation as a learning sense no matter what age a someone is?

Cheryl: The coming of age part has nothing to do with sexual awakening; these characters took to their singular sexual proclivities in their late teens and twenties, as most young adults do. The teens and twenties are often classified as the coming of age years; I disagree...I believe the real coming of age happens as we arrival mid-life. At mid-life we have acquired, through struggle, the wisdom, experience, and more importantly, the perspective to step back and rate our lives: where we have been, where we want to go, what we want to accomplish, our real strengths and weaknesses, and what our needs truly are. Laleana has reached that occasion of self-awareness, and she has discovered that her real needs are not being complete yet she struggles with her fear of letting go of the comfortable and predictable life she has. But she must let go in order to move forward into the unknown. This is an innate human quality-fear of the unknown. Why do we fear the unknown? Well, we fear failure.

Tyler: Would you say that teenagers and twenty-somethings tend to see sex as fun, while thirty-somethings take it more seriously-they start to find meaning in it-can the coming of age idea work in that manner?

Cheryl: Of course, although I as a matter of fact don't think teenagers see sex as fun. It might seem that way from the outside, but what is as a matter of fact happening with youthful sex is much more complex, and it carries well into the twenty-something years. This is the age of self-discovery, where the young adult is attempting to understand their own sexual desires, as well as breaking the sexual barriers that have been set by their parents and society. I have always said: How a someone feels about their sexuality is how they feel about themselves as a whole person. Sexual repression and on the opposite end sexual aggression are tendencies formed very early in childhood. Is it naughty or natural, damning or enlightening...these themes will be adDressed with a vengeance in early adulthood. Hopefully, a mature healthy attitude forms by the time we are in our thirties, and then for some, we can look more deeply at the emotional meanings intertwined with the coupling of two people. We leave the base need behind, or as I say in "Thin Wall": We see beyond the flesh.

Tyler: Well said, Cheryl. In the book narrative you sent Reader Views, you mentioned that the book also includes codependency. Many Population don't seem to know what the difference is in the middle of love and codependency. Can you separate the two for us and tell us how codependency versus love is treated in "The Thin Wall"?

Cheryl: The easiest way to narrate codependency is: Codependent Population have a greater tendency to enter into relationships with Population who are emotionally unavailable or needy. The codependent tries to operate a association without directly identifying and adDressing his or her own needs and desires. This invariably means that codependents set themselves up for continued lack of fulfillment. Codependents always feel that they are acting in someone else person's best interest, production it difficult for them to see the controlling nature of their own behavior. When you look intimately at Laleana and Julian's association you can see the manifestation of codependency. The feeling of sexual abnormality is their tasteless link. But Laleana's emotional romantic needs are beyond her reach, so she thinks. With Julian, who is emotionally unavailable, she reinforces her trust that the love she desires is not real, thus alleviating the shame she feels for settling for less than she wants and deserves. Laleana is not submissive, although it may appear that she submits to Julian's whims, it as a matter of fact is a subtle form of control-the masochist is always in control, and she continually makes justifications for Julian's outbursts and his rude and erratic behavior. She loves him because she needs him, that is codependence versus her needing him because she loves him. And as a group, they all reinforce each other's motivations, producing feelings of acceptance and love. Even in Tom and Cecile's association it is not difficult to see why they would be drawn to one another. Tom is a classic free spirit and Cecile is a depressive obsessive-compulsive. And this is what characterizes true love versus codependent love. With true love, we not only seek to mirror ourselves-our light and our darkness-but we seek to understand ourselves through the differences in others.

Tyler: Do you think codependency is displaying itself in the characters by their accepting sex when they as a matter of fact are finding for love? Are they using sex as a change or fooling themselves that sex is love?

Cheryl: Not at all, like I mentioned previously, this story isn't about the sex. For instance, the main character Ioan is celibate. It's not sex he seeks but acceptance and someone to love him for who he is. Julian and Laleana pAired off as young adults, but they are not emotionally compatible, yet they stay together because it's comfortable, safe, and there is a certainty to their relationship; the way they act towards each other has come to be instinct, they don't have to think about the relationship, it's easy. Tom and Cecile are unblemished opposites, yet they compliment and temper each other's severe personalities. And none of them confuses sex with love. I took the sex to the ultimate in this story to show the depth of their friendship and trust.

Tyler: We should also make it clear that the characters in the book are close friends and they feel safe with each other in their sexual activities, which is quite a departure from your inspiration, the Marquis de Sade, whose characters torture and even generate fear in their sexual victims. Why did you select to have the sexual activities occur among friends rather than strangers? Do you feel that makes the book more suitable to readers?

Cheryl: Not at all a departure. The Marquis deSade is best known for his pornographic works of torture and depravity: "Justine" and "Philosophy in the Bedroom." He used sex as a weapon against the hypocrisy of governmental, religious, and societal dogmas. Those two books aside, deSade also brought into creation some of the most engaging and beautiful love stories ever written-no sex, and very puny violence, except for the occasional robber baron. These are true stories of triumph, spirit over will and love over all. The think why I chose friends, well, simply because no one can torture a someone to the extent a loved one can. We cast a blind eye to the faults of our loved ones; it is the ultimate in acceptance-the ultimate submission.

Tyler: Cheryl, the Marquis de Sade is notorious for his sexual deviance. Yet earlier, you said Laleana and Julian are drawn to each other over the philosophies of the Marquis de Sade. Will you tell us a puny bit about his philosophies, which readers may be less customary with. Are those philosophies foremost to "Thin Wall"?

Cheryl: Notorious? Yes, but how much of it is as a matter of fact true. To the powers of the time, de Sade was a dangerous man, for he shocked Population into thinking, and he blatantly exposed the hypocrisy of French community at that time. He spent half his life in prison for blasphemy, not for debauchery. He never did most of the things he wrote about. Now, "Philosophy in the Bedroom" is probably the most concise collection of his beliefs on nature, religion, and government in respect to controlling human behavior. He didn't believe in control; he was a philosopher of ultimate freedom, unrestrained by morality, religion or law, with the race of personal pleasure being the top principle-Freedom and the race of Happiness, especially for women as well as men. This is this doctrine that Julian and Laleana are attracted to, though I do not mention it directly. I am not talking anarchy here, but simply to live a life free from societal and religious dogmas, that is what all the characters in this story seek. They seek to live by their own personal law abiding trust systems, not the systems imposed by others.

Tyler: At the end of "The Thin Wall" the main character, Laleana, becomes a writer. What is primary about her writing?

Cheryl: during the story, Laleana expresses her deepest feelings on literature and art. She loves the word with a passion, yet her fear of inadequacy prevents her from taking up her own pen. Her fear is mirrored in Ioan who burns his paintings for fear Population might think he is disturbed. I wanted to show her awakening, her releasing of that fear. The other think for including the story was that "Thin Wall" is written in the first someone narrative, Laleana being the point of view. Not much is told of her story, so I wanted to tell her tale from her point of view under the guise of a third-person narrative. I can only hope that Population realize that she was writing about herself.

Tyler: Cheryl, why did you select the title "The Thin Wall"?

Cheryl: Those who feel differently, express themselves differently, and advocate breaking free of societal norms are often viewed as outcasts-eccentrics, mentally disturbed, weird, a bit off-oddities. That makes one feel as if they are always with their back against a wall, presenting the upstanding Population face to the public, while feeling forced to hide their true selves. It's a thin wall because these barriers can be broken. Tolerance is a dirty word because we should be teaching acceptance. Everybody has puny idiosyncratic fetishes: What is the difference in the middle of a Food we crave and a sexual fetish-not much, only one is more socially suitable than the other. Why? Because in this age of enlightenment, sex is still taboo.

This is the think why I chose to have Laleana on the cover with her back to the reader, as a matter of fact exposing her shadow: the knife in her hand symbolizes that she is in control, and the noose around her neck symbolizes submission, but it is loose around her neck also symbolizing that submission is her choice.

Tyler: Cheryl, why did you write this book?

Cheryl: This book is a case study in human self-awareness. I believe Everybody has the capacity for that. It's also a book about acceptance, love, and true unconditional friendship. Humans will always seek the relieve of others-others likeminded. We don't want to feel alone; we simply can't survive alone. And in many cases, when our families have betrayed us, our friendships are the ones we cling to for dear life.

Tyler: Without giving away the ending, what is the message you want to gift in "The Thin Wall"? What benefit or knowledge will the reader have gained after reading the book?

Cheryl: Everybody should be true to themselves. And true friendship lies with those who accept you, no matter what your career, your marital status, your finances, your religious beliefs, or your sexual preferences (providing it's in the middle of consenting adults). Society's view of normal is nothing more than conception and conjecture...your own conception is the only one that matters, how you feel about yourself. Like Tom says: "If it feels true then do it. Take the risk." He was speaking of his vocation in that statement, but it means so much more in the context of the story. But in the end, "Thin" Wall is a tried and true hopelessly romantic love story...Laleana does find the love she has always believed in, the love that is right for her. I have been accused of being a hopeless romantic.

Tyler: Will you tell us where you came up with idea for "The Thin Wall"?

Cheryl: The idea for Thin Wall was a fusion of my own beliefs on normality, issues I faced as an oddball child, and idle imaginings on the truly great friendships I have formed in my own lifetime. Friendships I still have to this day. Friendships I would cut my lifeblood for. I conception very long and hard on what core values a friendship might possess to make me feel that way. I can only hope it translated well on paper.

Tyler: Do you feel concern about the reception of the book because of the subject matter, and why did you decree to publish the book despite what reaction you might receive because of the subject matter?

Cheryl: I don't worry about such things. Authors should exertion to write truth, and they should write it the way they feel it. Some readers will see the greater depth of the work, and some will find it a engaging dark love story with lots of sex. Either way, each reader will get what they want out of the story. As long as they get something, an author can't complain.

Tyler: I assume some Population will be repulsed by the book's subject matter, and you may even meet Population who think the book is immoral and should be censored. How would you answer to such people?

Cheryl: I wouldn't, for a response to such a lack of acceptance would contradict the whole purpose of the book. A response would as a matter of fact serve no purpose; the book is statement enough.

Tyler: Cheryl, you've written a few books previously. Would you tell us a puny bit about them and how they are distinct from "The Thin Wall"?

Cheryl: "Kissing Room" is my first, my shortest piece, and yet, it's my best selling. It packs a punch. Merle is a young woman, a barmaid, who has suffered the death of her father and the suicide of her husband. Her guilt over the suicide propels her to self-destructive behaviors in an inadvertent exertion to take her own life. She meets a stranger, Lain, a drifter, who also suffers from guilt-guilt over his own cowardice at not taking steps to save his mum from abusive men. Again the self-awareness theme is apparent as the two struggle to publish themselves from the bonds of guilt. This book contains a great deal of violence. I would classify it as a thriller-romance, and the writing style was compared to Poe's "Pit and the Pendulum."

"Logos" is a mythical tale set in antique Rome and modern day London. It's the story of death, and how sometimes, death is not such a bad thing. I combined many cultural myths and legends: the fourth horseman, the grim reaper, and other harbingers of death. I then blended them with a puny antique Egyptian mythology, a succubus, and a vampire of sorts thus creating Caline. But this story is more than just the story of a wandering death-dealer. It is in fact a love story. Caline is doomed to meander the earth taking lives until she can publish her fear, love, and allow herself to be loved. This story contains a great deal of descriptive and disturbing imagery and violence, but I felt it primary in order to expose human nature's deeper darker emotions: hatred, self-loathing, and fear. I also make some bold statements on the nature of violence and war in that after thousands of years of evolution, we remain savages. A great deal of historical explore went into this book; although it has been classified as Horror.

"Splendor of Antiquity" is a romantic yet very real love story. Joliette, an archeologist, suffers as the man she loves leaves her without a word. She throws herself into her work in order to fill the void, and through no fault of her own, she becomes enchanted with the corpse of a long-deceased god-king-so enchanted she basically falls in love with him, at the cost of the egomaniacal man who as a matter of fact loves her. This is a story of love lost, hope, and love found...and this is the story of the consequence of falling in love with an ideal-believing to much in a fAirytale. Although the theme of this story revolves around death, in how parts of our life come and go, it is a tried and true romance-narrated by the voice of the dead god. I explored my love of science and archeology in this piece as well as my trust that God and Science can co-exist.

I am currently working on my fifth: "Sin-eater," which is a psychological bad dream story, no romance in this one-a departure from my norm. It is a story highlighting the succeed gruesome violence has on the Population close to it: the police detectives, the families of the victims, and how the media's unabashed depictions of such violence can and does desensitize people.

But, I guess you could say that all of my stories revolve around tasteless internal human struggles. I think that is why Population associate with them in the way they do. No one is above the struggle, not even my immortal characters; they are all so beautifully flawed. I also do an broad number of explore for my stories; "Thin Wall" is no exception, as I spent a good deal of time with Freud, Jung, and other researchers as well as novelists like deSade and Battille, delving into the mechanics of sexual fetishism and fantasy. I have always been fascinated with the mind's subconscious motivations. There is always a logical think for every human behavior, no matter how odd we might think it is, and sometimes, those logical reasons aren't always obvious.

Tyler: I understand you think yourself primarily as a writer of novellas rather than short stories or novels. What about the novella attracts you, and why do you prefer it over longer or shorter fiction forms?

Cheryl: The novella is a dying art form. However, I do feel that today's societal time constraints gives a unique opportunity for the short forms to come back with a vengeance. Now we just have to get publishers concerned in them.

I love the novella for its very definite demands. It was the Germans who defined the definition of a novella and settled it in a genre all its own: A novella is a fictional narrative of indeterminate length-a few pages to hundreds-restricted to a single, suspenseful event, situation, or disagreement foremost to an unexpected turning point, provoking a logical, but surprising end. Novellas tend to comprise a concrete symbol, which is the narration's steady point. For me, its short length means that every word must be chosen with care and precision, the pacing must be Fast, and its message pointed. I like to say, "Stories that cut quickly, bleeding you out long before you even realize how much they as a matter of fact affected you."

Tyler: Thank you for joining me today, Cheryl. Before we go, will you tell our readers where they can go to find out more data or to buy a copy of "The Thin Wall"?

Cheryl: Thank you again Tyler; it has been splendid sense for me. "Thin Wall" will be available for buy through all major online book retailers the week of January 14, 2008.

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