The kickstarter for The Art and Craft of Writing Romance has reached both its initial and first stretch goal, so at least four videos will be made. There is still some time left to join in with a pledge, safe in the knowledge that you are guaranteed to get what you pay for.
As Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, the team that brought you The Art and Craft of Writing (which includes myself) is raising funds to extend the course with a new series, entitled the Art and Craft of Writing Romance.
Whether you want to improve the quality of your Romance writing, or add an additional romantic dimension to your stories in other genres, it will be sure to help you develop this aspect of your creative writing. Check out the options for supporting this venture at the link above.
My second longest epic poem, about a battle for a time portal, can now be read over at High Tower Magazine. It was originally composed for the Saturn collection of Planetary Fiction, but unfortunately didn’t make the cut, and I also considered publishing it as a stand-alone work before the opportunit arose to submit it to High Tower. Here is a cover art concept I was working on before making the switch:
The magazine is currently free to read, but please consider a paid subscription, as each contributing author will receive a share of that year’s subscription income.
I am pleased to announce that Kronos’ Cradle, the second longest epic poem I have ever written, has been accepted for publication in High Tower Magazine, a new superversive venture that is worthy of your support. Its first story, “The Last Oasis of Mars” was released last Friday, can be read here. The magazine is currently free to read, but please consider supporting with a paid subscription, as all contributing authors receive an equal share of subscription fees. Kronos’ Cradle will be published on Friday the 28th of June.
For anyone sent to this page on your wedding anniversary, congratulations!
As promised, here is the song I wrote for my last year’s wedding anniversary, complete with music video. May it bless you and encourage you to fondly remember that most wonderful of decisions to embark on a great adventure together, be grateful for the life together that you have and bond that you share, and look forward to the future with hope in our loving Lord.
The lyrics are:
It’s that time of the year again
To look back and remember when
We wore our smart shoes,
Said our “I do”s,
And our new life began.
Much more than a friend to me,
I’m with you to the end, you see;
That ring on your hand,
We both understand
Foreshadows eternity:
Enveloped by love,
In heaven above,
Our spirits set free
In pure harmony,
There with the Living God.
Oh wife of my youth,
I’m declaring this truth:
We share the same dream
To be more than we seem,
Bound strong with our Loving Lord.
So today I still promise to
Always love, honour, cherish you
All the days of our lives,
Despite the world’s lies,
We’ll hold on to what is true.
Now put your sweet hand in mine,
Let me see your eyes’ full shine
As I look at your face,
I’m in the right place,
Our hearts fully intertwined.
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Lyrics, melody, arrangement, vocals, audio mixing, and VST instrument programming by Ben Zwycky in Reaper using virtual instruments from Orchestral Tools, Spitfire Audio and the Virtual Playing Orchestra, and video editing in Hit Film Pro 13 using stock footage and images from Pixabay, and stock footage provided by Freepik, downloaded from videvo.net.
The third track of the Virtual Orchestra: Heavenly Light Album
is about the beauty of creation displaying God’s handiwork and giving a foretaste of eternity in His presence, His knowledge of our struggles and awesome love and care for us despite our flaws and failures, His unique character, and the wonderful future He has in store for His children. English and Czech subtitles are available.
The lyrics are:
You paint the sunrise and pour down the rain,
Sculpt towering mountains and wide open plains;
Grant comforting friendships and welcoming smiles,
Warm invitations to rest here a while.
Glittering waterfalls, flowers and trees,
Delicate butterflies, hardworking bees;
Breathtaking beauty is nothing compared
To the radiant glory we’ll see from you there
You’re the Holy one,
Uncontainable God’s own Son,
Flanked by angels, enthroned on high
Your love will never die
You went to find me when my soul was lost,
Were willing to suffer, you’d counted the cost.
You see my cowardice, selfishness, wrath,
Sigh as once more I go down the wrong path;
You witness my failure again and again,
Know all my sorrows and share all my pain.
When I’m broken-hearted, you bleed with me there,
Ensuring that I bring my head up for air.
You’re the Holy One,
Unmistakable God’s own Son,
Irreplaceable Prince of Peace,
You give my heart release.
Uncontainable,
Unrestrainable,
Unrepeatable,
Undefeatable.
Unmistakable,
Irreplaceable,
Holy, powerful,
Truly wonderful.
You’re full of tenderness, justice and mercy;
I long for that great day when finally we’ll see
You face to face,
There in that wondrous place,
For You are the Holy One,
Mighty, powerful God’s own Son;
Truly wonderful Counsellor,
We couldn’t ask for more.
————————————
Lyrics, melody, arrangement, vocals, audio mixing, and VST instrument programming in Reaper using virtual instruments from Orchestral Tools and Spitfire Audio, 3d rendering in Daz Studio, and video editing in Hit Film Pro 13 by Ben Zwycky using stock footage and images from Pixabay, and stock footage provided by Freepik, downloaded from videvo.net
I am pleased to present the music video for track 4 of Virtual Orchestra – Heavenly Light
which is about how Christ understands the isolation, pain, and suffering that is endemic in our world and especially among young men, and the rich, meaningful life that He offers that the world cannot compete with. English and Czech subtitles are available.
The lyrics are:
You deeply understand my loneliness,
Abandoned by your closest friends;
And when you prayed alone in deep distress,
You clearly saw how that day would end.
Subjected to all of man’s cruelty,
You died so that others might live;
And as they all mocked you with vicious glee,
You cried out, “O Father, forgive!”
You’re more than worthy of all my praise
With all my strength, for all my days;
You’ve taken away all my guilt and shame,
And shown me the way I should live.
Help me to become a better man,
With love to give and strength to serve.
I know my life is safe within Your hand;
I won’t receive what my sins deserve.
Give me wisdom to see through the world’s great lies
And courage to go against the crowd;
Fixing my eyes on the eternal prize,
With my whole life declaring out loud:
You’re more than worthy of all my praise
With all my strength, for all my days;
You’ve taken away all my guilt and shame,
And shown me the way I should live.
——————————————————————–
Melody, lyrics, vocals, instrument programming, arrangement, audio mixing and video editing by Ben Zwycky using Reaper and Hit film pro with virtual instruments from Orchestral Tools. Guitar accompaniment by Petr Mares.
As promised, here is the second music video from my first album, this time for the titular track, Heavenly Light. May it encourage you and help to keep things in perspective in all your daily struggles. It seems especially appropriate at this time of year, traditionally a time when we look back and seek to learn from our mistakes as well as looking forward to a new year and all the promises of new beginnings that it holds. (Both English and Czech subtitles are available)
The lyrics are:
The world loves the shadows,
And living in fear;
Corrupting its fellows,
More brazen each year.
Devouring its seed corn
to put on a show;
Regarding with deep scorn
All those who don’t know.
But I choose to follow
Your heavenly light;
Despite all my sorrows,
I’ll stand up and fight
For things that are beautiful,
The Good and the true;
Since everything wonderful
Points right back to You.
Grant these frail bones strength enough
To persevere when the road gets rough,
So there’s purpose in my current pain;
I won’t live in vain.
When my time here’s done and I see Your face,
I’ll be welcomed by Your warm embrace,
I’ll have kept the faith and run the race,
And at last I’ll be home.
————————————————-
Lyrics, melody, arrangement, vocals, audio mixing, and VST instrument programming by Ben Zwycky in Reaper using virtual instruments from Orchestral Tools and Spitfire Audio, and video editing in Hit Film Pro 13 using stock footage and images from Pixabay and videvo.
My long silence on this blog has not been entirely due to laziness, I am happy to announce that my first album, Virtual Orchestra: Heavenly Light, is now released in time for Christmas, including one Christmas-themed song as track 8, an African-style take on the classic Christmas carol blended with my previous song on the nature of love.
May it entertain, uplift and inspire you to grow closer to the source of all love.
Both English and Czech subtitles are available.
The album (both as a whole and as individual tracks) is available for streaming and download at most major online music outlets:
Come see what happens when I try to recreate the music that runs through my head late at night and there are no wiser heads to tell me to tone it down a bit, observe my composition and vocal skills as well as my audio mixing deficiencies.
Of course, now that it’s released and too late to change anything, I realise that not all the tracks are as polished as the one above, so don’t feel pressured to buy the whole collection, but if people could purchase at least one track that they particularly enjoy (for only 99 cents, I might add), that would help to cover the cost of production. (I have yet to cover the costs of any of my releases, so it would make a nice change and encourage me to continue with these sorts of efforts). Over time, I will attempt to fix the issues in the less polished tracks and upload them to youtube.
For those of you who haven’t heard about it, my old client and friend Yakov Merkin has been very busy over the past couple of years, and is running a successful fundraiser for the continuation of his Light Unto Another World series, whose promotional video includes some high-quality animation. I haven’t been involved at all in this work of his, but knowing him it’s a good bet to be entertaining. Click on the image below to take a look and see whether this is something you’d be interested in backing
The Zwyckyverse 