Highly Recommended...

I just watched the movie Dragon Blade and it was incredible! Jackie Chan (character Huo An) and his wife the multi talented Mika Wang (character Xin Ping and Star Wars alumni animator in Star Wars: The Clone Wars Episode 1) are exactly what I was thinking when I penned the background for Weltherwithsp in the first draft of The Butterfly Dragon II: Dragon Butterfly.

I saw the movie today and was floored by the performances of some of my favorite actors including Jackie Chan of course and John Cusack. Adrien Brody turns in a great performance as the nemesis in this film baring most of the ire and treachery. Xin Ping and Peng Lin (Cold Moon) are incredible and big as life as the heroic Women in Jackie's life. The supporting cast builds a believable cohesion that really comes to fruition throughout the movie.

A highly recommended movie for historical periodic pieces though I can't vouch for the historical accuracy it is certain that the Silk Road is a major influence upon Eastern and Western trade philosophy and an important element in the history of peace through commerce. Perhaps one of the most important lessons in that regard seeing as it is a trade route that predates the Pacific and Atlantic trade routes of the Imperial economy that links East to West. It certainly forms the foundation for what would become the most important aspect of world peace that British Imperialism founded and that was Global trade and the Global economy. Global economy has been the most important aspect towards Global peaceful coexistence empowering the use of peaceful economic sanctions before military force when in Global agreement through United Nations mandate.

I enjoyed it thoroughly and it was definitely my deceased Grandfather's way of speaking to me. Us. I'm sure my family would agree upon seeing the film. Him, and my Grandmothers are reading over my shoulder with every word I pen when I write for my books just as I'm certain Yi is in some way. He was a Jackie Chan fan (perhaps one of the eldest) since Jackie's early career in Western cinema. My Grandfather is a decorated hero of World War II, having run for a large distance with an injured infanteer on his shoulders into the midst of an enemy artillery barrage. He and the man he carried survived and he received a medal for having saved his fellow soldier's life. He served his duty for the entirety of the war only sustaining one injury as a Combat Explosives Engineer. Much like Jackie's peace loving character in the movie, he loved people and children of all cultures and was a Father and Grandfather to an army of Children and Grand Children. I can still hear his heavy French accent when I think about him. He most certainly was all heart and lived that way every day of his life.

Before his retirement he attained the certification of Master Carpenter without formal training (in his late forties), a highly prestigious role in the trades. He worked on many houses post World War II in Toronto and was highly respected by many building companies still in existence today. He would have loved that movie for certain and I'm certain that it was his tears that I cried watching it as much as mine. Thanks to cast and crew for that wonderful film and if I had one wish associated with that film, it would be that my Grandfather Joe was here to see it with me.

I think that he was.

Brian Joseph Johns

Coming Soon...

Flowers are beauty and light.

They grow even in the darkest places.

Everywhere.

Even in Canada. Even in Toronto.

Tucked away. Hidden.

Some come from afar. 

Others closer by.

Some become friends.

They learn. They earn.

That beauty and light.

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Kyoshi

Teaches the butterfly to remember tradition. Respect wisdom and training. Value merit.

Tiger

Reminds the butterfly that she is not alone. Part of something that is not all about her but about civic duty.

The Nine Steps

The sun comes up, the flower opens. 

The light and beauty may now enter.

The sun goes down.

The flower closes.

She opens again when she is ready to love by the light of the moon.

But not before she has become...

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Unafraid to be...

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Herself

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The Genius

The Butterfly

The Butterfly Dragon I: Heroes Of Our Own

Art work

New Chapters...

New Characters...

New Romance...

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or if magic is more your kind of thing give these ladies and gentlemen a bit of your time...

Copyright © 2016 Brian Joseph Johns (not because I'm selfish but because I take care of it and protect it)

Want to help disaster victims from Fort MacMurray?

I'm writing this from Central Northern Ontario just outside of Wasaga, a long way from my own home in Toronto. I should have written this a little sooner, but it's better than not to have written this at all.


In case you're one of the many people looking for ways to assist (and they do need help), this great article by MACLEANS.CA tells you exactly all the great ways there are to help the victims and evacuees of the Fort McMurray. From Donation to Accommodation offers to Food and Clothing donations and everything in between. Even if you can't help, just spreading the word might enable someone else to help.


Thank you,


Brian Joseph Johns

Update...

A quick hello to the readers of this blog and A Lady's Prerogative. I've recently finished the rerelease for The Butterfly Dragon I: Heroes Of Our Own. The new release will be ready for full release in approximately two weeks. This book includes many new chapters and the background story for Ai's (Heylyn's) training and many new additions which tie it in with the upcoming The Butterfly Dragon II: Dragon Butterfly.

I've given out some early versions of the rerelease and there seems to be a lot of interest and positive feedback. I'm hoping that this will translate into enough demand to merit a printing of the book and possibly a graphic novel in the future. These possibilities are still in the planning stages but their potential is looking good so far.

I'll be taking a week long "holiday" outside of my home city of Toronto and should be back in a week or so. During that time I hope to see the work of some other talented artists in my life. So I hope to bring some more good news to the Butterfly Dragon and A Lady's Prerogative side of things soon.

Thank you and see you soon!

Brian Joseph Johns

Thoughts For Japan...

Brian Joseph Johns

I've been recoving from a bad case of the flu for about a week and I've been mostly bed ridden during that time. I just happened to be watching some movies on Netflix today as well. I started with National Treasure (a great action mystery film) and followed up with the Ken Watanabe/Elizabeth Olsen/Aaron Taylor Johnson Godzilla at around 3 O'clock not knowing about what had happened in Japan around that time on the other side of the world.

I actually found out at 9:35 PM EST what had happened and about the quake. Perhaps my choice of movie was out of an intuitive connection between myself and that part of the world. Regardless my thoughts and feelings are with Japan and the survived and the lost. During the Tsunami that hit Japan in 2011 I actually donated half of all my earning to the relief fund for three months. So Tonight and for the future my thoughts are with Japan and its people.

One of the most important symbols of my book The Butterfly Dragon originates from Eastern culture and specifically with regard to the Butterfly itself, and the Dragon. Not to mention the origins of my real life love interest are from the Far East of Asia.

The Butterfly in the Far East is symbolic of spirit, the life force essence or Chi that comprises our being without the need for a body. It is us and the body is merely the hardware that embodies the Butterfly's will.

The Dragon in the Far East has many different origins and takes on many archetypes, for instance in China most Dragons are considered to be harbingers of good fortune and wisdom where they are revered for such qualities. In Japan much of the folklore related to the Dragon is related to it being the harsh force, the ego and sense of self versus the Butterfly. In Korea the Dragon symbolizes a virtuous protector often associated with the turtle.

In any case the relationship between the Butterfly and the Dragon is about achieving balance through wisdom  and good deeds and having on foot in each side of the diametrically opposed paradigms of life (in China), about the conflict between the spirit (the Butterfly) and the body and ego (the Dragon) as found in Japan and through virtue and protection of the body, soul and the people in Korea beliefs and folklore.

I hope that the lost are found alive and well and that this turmoil is followed by a long time of peace without peril in Japan and the nations of the Far East of Asia.

Brian Joseph Johns

Something For A Lady's Prerogative, Something for Butterfly Dragon...

Brian Joseph Johns

Well I managed to get something done for both blogs for a change. In case you missed the post, there's a new chapter for A Lady's Prerogative: The Game called The World, The Sanctum And Japanese Mortgage Brokers. This hand of Feylashar's card game finds Mila and the gang trying to help a young friend and his Mother from the past.

I've been very busy working on the latest CG character for The Butterfly Dragon and it has proven a challenge as I've built the character from the ground up. I'm just about to start rigging as soon as I've got the surfaces correct. So I've posted a new header for the site featuring the first release image for the character which is the new site banner for The Butterfly Dragon. Not to mention that I've added Warai Jeong-Min Tokama to the banner as she is a very important character introduced in the second book Dragon Butterfly.

If you want some info about The Butterfly Dragon, first off it includes a great cast of characters and a folklore built on the Eastern philosophies of many countries from the east and Western philosophy and modern sensibility. Heylyn's company West Meet East International is headquartered in Toronto, Canada with small satellite offices in New York, Paris, London, Berlin, Mumbai, Singapore, Osaka, Beijing and Seoul. Tynan and Associates has an international presence with branches in a hundred countries around the world. Many of the companies that West Meet East International deal with are big name fashion giants in our world (though I refrain from bringing them up by name in the books for trademark reasons). Much of the influence for Heylyn Yates comes from a few real life love interest (she's Oriental and one of the inspirations for the character). Being 48 years of age I intend to retire one day with her or someone like her and maybe visit some of the real life locations from my books or write another series with her as co-author or editor.

So I submit for your peruse, the new site banner introducing the Weltherwithsp...

I hope you enjoy the new chapter for A Lady's Prerogative: The Game. Look forward to much new content for The Butterfly Dragon (some short stories) and a much needed update to Dragon Butterfly.

Thanks for your readership, thanks to my family and friends too and people in the community who support my efforts (without robbing me blind),

You're awesome!

Brian Joseph Johns

Another Lifetime Ago...

Thanks to the wonders of the internet I recently was able to reconnect with some people from my past. You see, another lifetime ago my friends and I were rising rock stars. That's right.
From left to right we're Peter (bassist), Chris (lead vocalist, acoustic guitar), myself (piano and keyboards with my Korg M1 in hand), Blaine (drummer) and Tom (guitar). At that time we were known as The Act, though we'd gigged together for about two years as Standing Room Only or SRO for short.
They were a great bunch to work with and we have some pretty funny stories from those times though we took our work as musicians very seriously. We'd written and produced many songs together which we'd perform live of course. We often worked under the name SRO which would often feed the band's expenses while The Act was promoted for its originals. It was very much run like any business and it was done professionally.

Most of our recordings are lost to time or possibly buried on tapes somewhere in somebody's basement. Recently, local radio personality and music supporter Al Joynes posted this video of us opening for Lee Aaron at the Purple Onion in Oshawa in 1992 alongside our billing.

Lee Aaron by the way has just released a new album and appears to be aging backwards. Time has been kind to her. All the best Lee, Judy and Sue (from the Purple Onion management).

Thank you to Peter, Al and the Purple Onion management for these preserved memories.

I've since moved on and become a Buddhist (with an edge) since 2008.

Brian Joseph Johns