Saturday, December 31, 2011

Part Three on New Year

Some people have stated how many words they wrote

I'm not sure how many words I wrote. At least what is now a 53,000 word novel. And at least half a dozen stories.... make that twelve.  One was over 10,000 words, three were less than 500, another less than 2,000, a couple around 1,000.  Oh and a couple that came in around 25 words- for a contest. So make it at least 15 stories. Plus two chapters for one novel and three in another- it might be five in that one not sure when I started it. Plus a few other chapters and stories I think.


Not to mention a couple of letters to the editor. And gobs of posts here, on Google+, hatrack and a couple of other blogs. And an odd E-mail or ten. But that was all non fiction. 

My Goals for the New Year

After reading a post on a writer's forum I realized I hadn't set forth any goals for this next year. I made a couple last year but can't recall them exactly, one or two had to do with getting my novels ready to send out which I haven't done. But back to this year

 So:

Besides the ones that are continuous such as; growing spiritually(this place http://vccfresno.org/welcome.html  as well as reading the Bible-praying-worshipping will help with that) and in my relationship with my wife (learningp changing and growing spiritually will help with that), there are some other goals:

Get three novels ready to send out or E-publish.
Finish Angel Kin.
Write a bunch more stories-How many would depend on how long they are.
Send a story to WotF each quarter.
Send out more stories
Do another novel- have to decide on which one.

Not sure of any other non writing goals that wouldn't be included in the above paragraph.

Friday, December 30, 2011

Good wishes for New Year with some left over Christmas message






   This is a New Year wish but let me say a thing or two about Christmas first. I didn’t get to making this comment before Christmas... it will relate to the New year.



   Christmas is a time to celebrate the Love of God. He sent Jesus to be born and to live as a man for us because we needed it. His love transforms us. Like the song says No matter who we are, what we have done, we are someone special in the arms of Jesus. 

I believe the main reason Jesus went through living as a man, dying as a man, and raising from the dead, was so we can be right with God and go to heaven. We can’t be good enough we have to do it His Way. But there are good things that come along with His Forgiveness. Like His love and acceptance of us no matter what, that I referenced a moment ago. There’s also Peace that passes all understanding and Joy so great you can’t explain it. 

Even if you one of the ones who really have it all together with very little if any emotional baggage and everything you do succeeds, you still need his forgiveness and some time or another you will need his Peace even if it’s only when you die. 

For the rest of us His Love, acceptance, Mercy-Grace, is worth knowing Him now. 


That is how this relates to the New Year. His love will be there throughout the New Year by His grace and mercy we can have good success we will still be someone special in His arms. Even if we blow it,  His Mercy-Grace is new every morning. All Year Long. 

So starting the New Year with a Relationship with Jesus whether we have a ton of emotional baggage, a few bags or none at all. 

So have a Happy New Year with Good Success.      

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Slight update and a surprise

Revised one mini story well, actually a flash.  What I mean by mini is less then 500 words. This one is 955.

I had forgotten I had one western almost written. I finished it, revised it a bit, spell checked it and sent it to Pedestal. I thought they took various genre and flash. I was right on both counts. But they change what the want every month or so. I just happened to hit them at the right time.

I had to check on my other western to see what my pen name is for that genre. Which I will reveal if the story gets picked up by any one or I e-publish it.

Probably should have spent more time on the revision- nitpicks. Probably left some in the way I go. But I hope the idea that I hit them at the right moment means something but we shall see.

I have another western but it's probably closer to 2,000 words if I recall correctly. I might send it to ZOETROPE next week. Their reading period opens on the first.

Oh, I am also slightly surprised that none of the online markets I sent a story to have sent a rejection yet. Some are pretty fast with one.

Yet More Music

Got NewsBoys "God's Not Dead" album. Great, I like every song. Of course three or four are praise songs that have been around for a while but still they do them good... :)


A bit different from their last album but that's okay.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/gods-not-dead/id471679867

And yet another goal

Okay, finished rewriting the last two chapters for my Nano novel Breaking out.   

Of course now I have to revise the whole blasted thing but for the second time it's officially done. I don't think I will add that other chapter I thought about doing. I might do something with the idea as I revise but we shall see. Or save it for the next book with this MC.  Yeah I want at least one more.


It's now somewhere around 54,000 words. I imagine it will be under 60,000 by the time I'm done. So either try to sell it as a YA the traditional way or E-publish it. 

Oh Cat Rambo had a special offer for Wrimbos: a special price for an editing . 

Just sent off the last batch of feedback to someone on their NanoWriMo novel. I'll remind folks that this is the last week to do so if you want to take advantage of my editing offer for NaNoWriMo novels mentioned here: http://www.kittywumpus.net/blog/2011/12/06/nanowrimo-what-now/


Too bad I probably won't have mine ready to send it to her in time. But I might be able to use her usual editing. I will need it for E-publishing. 

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Another book I'm reading

Started  "Gods & Monsters" by Lyn Benedict.


Third in a Dark UF series... are there any other types? I think some aren't quite as dark as others. This is a Darker one.   A bit different. This is not one of my favorite series but still worth the reading.  Lyn is a great story teller and I want to be like her in that respect.

Lyn has her MC get "irritated to the bones" too much. Seems like almost anything gets under her skin, of course she is an angry person-- partly because of her emotional baggage and partly because she is that type of person. And I'm not that crazy about what is going on with her little sister--in this book it takes up very little space so far, or that must magic workers don't like the MC.

But as I said it's worth a read- I'm reading it very quickly-- when not writing like crazy during this vacation I'm reading.

 And I add that this series is one of the main reasons I came up with my angel kin novel. Haven't said much about that one but I'm writing it at work so it will take a while and might be shorter than 50,000 words... we shall see how much I come up with.

More by Dean on goals '12

This just happens to coincide with me having goals for this week. Kinda fitting though.

This is part two of a three parter evidently

http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=6111#comments

Two more goals reached

Okay, fulfilled two more goals.

Revised and sent out the WotF story for Q1-'12

And I submitted 12 stories-which includes the WotF one-instead of ten. Thought I would do 13 but can't decided whether to send in one to Pseudopod Of course all they can say is no which they probably would do anyway. But that story would be tired up for a month or more.. a lot more if they are as bade as Escapepod used to be.

And that includes stories to two new markets for me. Wish I had one to send to Lightspeed but JJA is very hard to get by and the one SF I haven't sent to them is the one I sent to WotF. Not counting some that I wrote years ago that need work.

So two more goals to go.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

First goal

Yea, I finally finished New Mage. Not sure how many words but I think it's less than the usual amount but that's okay. Personally I think it's my best novel. I still need to redo chapters two and three and revise it all but I wrote the end today. :)


Funny thing is that the world was inspired by Laura Anne Gilman but I think the character was inspired more by C. E. Murphy and one or two other writers of UF. In both cases I so mean inspired, I made the world and character my own with their own way of doing things and their own hurts etc.  I will count the words but I need to finish my next goal: getting my WotF story ready and sending it out.


As a certain writer I know would say, where's my Macho to celebrate?   :)

Sunday, December 25, 2011

public goals

Okay, have a set of goals I am making public.

I have this week off so I want to: Finish the revision of my WotF story and send it in, finish the New Mage novel, finished the rewrite of the half of the last chapter of Breaking Out, do five revisions of my mini stories, send out ten stories-three vial snail mail.


I will have some errands to run, and maybe a movie with my wife-if there is anything we both want to watch-, but it's something doable. One week starting tomorrow- Monday the 26.

A link and Greetings

To all my seven followers and those who read this now and then.

Merry Christmas.

Or Happy Hanukkah for those of that religion, even though it's half way or so done.


May all have a good success in '12.


And speaking of '12 here's a link to a post, by Dean Wesley Smith on setting goals for next year.  Good stuff n various types of goals and what type we know we can do.

http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=6062#comments

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Music News

  Been listening to a variety of Christmas music.

Just wanted to mention one group. The David Crowder Band. Their Carol of the Bells/Christmas Eve song is out of sight. It shows how good the band was. Wow, I wonder if he had a big band for that one.

Look it over at http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/oh-for-joy/id464497960
 Hope this works its the first time I've tried to doing the iTunes store this way.

I say was because evidently they are breaking up if they haven't already.

More later.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Star Trek's Enterprise

http://tinyurl.com/72f7ug3

check out the second picture that starts the video.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Rant, update and Thanks

First the thanks:

Hey, I have seven followers now. Thanks Mary Ann.  I've known a couple of Popes in my life. :)



I may know at least one reason I have been procrastinating so much with the ending of New Mage. I don’t know how the end battle goes. In my mind I have two scenes ready to. One my MC is shooting super hot plasma out of her hands to get through the bad guy’s shields. And second a Griffin drops through the house’s roof to help my MC. He eat some other supernatural creatures and/or distracts the bad guy enough for my MC to do something sneaky. I will probably have to bring that out to a cover patio since the house has four floors but I can do that. But I don’t know what else happens. My MC needs to use a plant she brought along but I have no idea how. Maybe I just need to write and see what comes out of my mind. That sometimes works out okay.



And I should have sent out some stories today. I started to print out two stories last night but couldn’t  First the printer says it’s low on ink. I figure there probably is still enough for two shorter stories, I just need to keep an eye on the printing to make sure. But then a third of the way through I see that somehow the The End got placed on a page by itself and that other pages are misaligned. There are extra spaces between some sentences. I stop the printing and fix that. Start over. I somehow noticed that one page has a stain on it Ekkk, So Reprint that page but I discover that other pages have printing on them. So my story was printed over what was there already.  UGH so no stories out today. 

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

A different Christmas Story

Or  A reflection on PC Christmases
 I will add that there could be grammar and comma problems even though I tried to fix those last year.


 A Different Christmas story

Enjoy:

Bill activated his cabin’s door allowing Dora to come in. She had just interrupted him by asking though the door’s intercom if she could come in for a moment. He should have turned it off signifying that he didn’t want any company.

He rolled his chair back to his desk and started working on his computer again. She came in and the door closed. She started speaking about a certain project him, her and few others were working on together. It was an after hours project that the Freighter-liner company they worked for encouraged its employees to do. It would provide them with overtime and if it worked as it should it would be a good mark on their files.

He was listening with one ear however since he was trying to finish a private project. He suddenly raised his head knowing she had just said something different in a different tone of voice. He had not caught what she had said.

She repeated herself in a louder voice, “I said, What is that?”

He somewhat confused said, “It is a special computer game I am working on.”

She said, “Not that! I mean that in your corner?”

He turned to look at what she was pointing at. She was pointing an accusing finger at an object in the opposite corner from the entertaining-work desk. The object was four feet three inches tall and was two and a half feet wide at its widest. That widest part was about one fourth of the way up from the bottom. The wide part looked like a skirt and was made up of branches that came out from the center pole. All of the branches, from the skirt to the top were green, while the center pole was brown. Below the bottom of the skirt one could see the skinny pole that made up the center. The skirt narrowed as it went up until very near the top it was one and a half feet wide. From that point it sloped inward finally forming a thick needle three inches long. He had decorated it with two multicolored light cables and various round globe looking items as well as what looked like upside down Js painted alternately red and white.

He turned back to his work and off handily said, “That is my Christmas tree. I had Jorge in engineering, fix it up for me. Its not as nice looking as a real one, but its not that bad. You must have seen some before.”

She said, “Yes I have seen Christmas trees, but I never expected to see one here. If someone who is of another religion pr an atheist sees that they might be offended. This is a public place with people from diverse backgrounds.”

He turned to her and said, “Huh? What are talking about?”

She said, “This is a place of diversity. You know people from many diverse back grounds work here and are passengers on this ship. They could very well be offended that you are displaying items from for a religious observance from one religion.”

He blinked and looked confused and said, “Christmas is still the largest event on the earth and most colonies, and even a couple of space habitats celebrate it to some degree or another. People would know what holiday that tree represents.”

She said, "Yes, but some people will be offended so you should take it down. This is a public place as I said. If you don’t I will place a complaint. Then they will force you to take it down.”

He somewhat angrily replied, “Hey. This is not a public hallway. People have to be allowed though that door to come in here. Now if this was out in the passageway, that would be different. Even though this would still be about Christmas a harmless celebration that even many non-Christians celebrate. You can place a complaint if you want to, but they will most probably not be able to do any thing about even if they wanted to.  Time after time, the courts have declared that these living cabins are not public ground. They are the same as a private house, or even an apartment. So that means that I can do most anything in here in the way of decorations and celebrations. If someone is that offended they do not have to come in here. They are the ones that should be put out not me. Besides if they are that offended they should go to a sensitivity training seminar so they can learn not to be offended by the expression of someone’s private beliefs”

She said, “That may be so, but you should still not offend someone of a minority religion. If you do not take that down I will boycott this cabin until you do.”

He again said, “Huh?”

She answered by saying, “I’ll leave and not enter this room as long as you have that thing up”

He looked at her for a while then suddenly turned and started typing again.

He said, “If that is what you feel, you must do what you feel like is right,” 

After a moment he reached over and pressed the door button then continued, “The door is activated. You can leave and we can discuss our project though the door, or at your room. Christmas is a diverse celebration, it is made up of traditions from various cultures and people of many backgrounds celebrate it. Perhaps you should go a sensitivity training seminar. I can get you in one over the intergalactic net. And any stores that reject the term Merry Christmas is biting the hand that feeds them. More money is spent at Christmas time for Christmas presents and decorations then any other time of the year. People buy Christmas presents not Holiday presents.

“One last statement, only a small handful or people do not celebrate some form of Christmas, of those it’s only a small share that would be offended...more people are offended by you not doing it for that reason.”

She said something that sounded like hmmfff and started toward the door.

He said as she did, “Or we could go too your cabin and look at the rainbow symbols you have on display but don’t forget they are a Christian symbol also.”

She went out the door and he went back to work on the new computer game he was fine tuning.

He said to himself, “And that tree isn’t even a real one. Maybe I should have called it a Holiday tree but it isn’t, there’s no such thing as a holiday tree...with a shake of his head he continued that thought,  boy what some people will choose to be offended over. ” 

A quick post

I get a Newsletter or three from Writer's Digest. A few years ago my wife gave me a subscription to the magazine. I read over each edition but didn't really find much to help me however their Newsletters are full of good stuff. I don't take the time to read every section but I keep an eye out for headlines that look interesting. I've saved links to articles and such to reread.


And second:

I now have six followers  Good and thanks S.R.Dantzler .


Now if I could get a couple of comments.  :)



Sunday, December 4, 2011

General update

Okay finish with NaNoWriMo as I referenced a couple of posts ago. So I am catching up with business I let go as I was working on the NaNo novel.

I crited two chapters for one guy is who is writing a novel. The Dread Naughts. An interesting and I think somewhat different tale. Whenever it comes out, if you like intrigue and action plus the MC always in danger, a race against the bad guy that could result in various deaths, you will like this story. So keep it mind. I'll be back with the writer's name.

I have to choose a story for a onthepremises.com contest. A smaller contest but still interesting. This time the premise is home.

I need to work on my final version of a story for WotF this quarter ending the thirty -first. I should do that first.

Finally worked some on my New Mage novel that should have been finished at least six months ago. I keep sidetracking it for some reason. Of the three novels I worked last year, that is my best... I think. I am eager to do more on and finally finish it, then I have to rewrite second and third chapters. Noticed I said rewrite not revise.

Need to send out stories, to IGMS, Fantasy and Science Fiction, if he is still taking stories to Lupine at Fantastic Stories. I know which one to send to him.

Him and F&SF and one other are the only paper stories I send out now. Everyone else takes it through the internet. Well, there might be one more I would snail mail out.

And the number five follower seems to have settled down. It has been on Five for the last three times I came here, even when I go back to the blog after adding a post. That's good.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

"Unsympathetic Magic" By Laura Resnick

Third in a lighthearted UF series.

Yet still a wild ride as one person quoted on the cover says. Very well done, great descriptions of events. With romance mixed in also. You can also learn something reading this book. I didn't know there were watchtowers in New York city. Built during a bygone era but evidently still somewhat kept up. Somewhat not totally.

And she discussed the religion of Vodou(Rats can't recall the exact spelling and the book isn't handy). For personal spiritual reasons I'm not sure if I really wanted that much in-depth teaching on it but still interesting and well done. The teaching fit into they story rather well.

Her first sentence is one of the longest I've seen in quite a while. Almost throws my theory that First sentences should be short, out the window... almost. Personally I think she pulled it off but one writer who can do it well doesn't destroy my idea. I don't think any do-s and don'ts of writing are ever one hundred percent. And of course the type of book may have something to do with it too.

And Laura has a way with titles in this series. I don't have time right now to list them all but I think they're great.

So buy the book and read it. Don't forget books make great Christmas presents OH speaking of that Don't Forget My Story in Strange New Worlds Ten. Another great present anytime. A link is one the side of my blog. :)

I used a link to B&N because I use them more, they give me discounts-some as much as thirty percent off.
The Book

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Finished NaNoWriMo

50,900 and some words.

The last chapter needs a whole lot of fixing, the writing is a mess and the ending was rushed but I can fix it later. Actually, probably the whole thing needs a lot of fixing but my "burst writing" as one NaNo writer of the weekly encouragement E-mail called it, got a good work out. :) 


That final battle scene may look a bit like a couple of earlier ones too--I kinda cheated a little bit.   And that last couple of paragraphs are full of Tell.  But I can add a some show later.


Just not sure of when I will get to it. I want to redo it now but I still have that other novel to finish. And last year's NaNo Novel to get cleaned up so I can send it out or e-publish it.   Still going back and forth on that. I think I will E-publish (with POD) this year's especially if it stays under 70,000 words which it might. Maybe under 65,000. I have two chapters to add and to revise some- maybe rewrite the last half of the last chapter- but that won't as a huge amount of words. 


I want to add one or both of those chapters before my MC receives a hint and when he figures out where the bad guys are. 

Friday, November 25, 2011

Merry Christmas to everyone

Okay, it's after Thanksgiving. I can start wishing people a Merry Christmas.  And It's Alright To Say Merry Christmas. Most people celebrate some form of Christmas in the US and many other countries so there's a very good chance I will say it to some one that celebrates Christmas. If they don't... may they have a good day on the 25th anyway. It's Christmas Day whether they celebrate it or not.


And time to start breaking out my Christmas music. Most are Mannheim Steamroller, but I have Third Day, and Chris Tomlin and Casting Crowns.  Need to get Mercy Me. Actually, I thought I had it but its not with the rest of me Christmas music if I do.


I may be putting up my yearly anti-PC Christmas story. It's a SF setting but it's what I would say.

Kinda of update

Okay, got a rejection finally from Fantastic Stories. An anthology by Warren Lapine. I forget if I have mentioned sending in the story to him but I got the rejection today.

He- or more likely his secretary- spelled my first name wrong. And even though he has a check list like  Dean Wesley Smith with the SNW contest the only thing marked was "not for us" It has seventeen boxes, the very last item on the list would have been a good thing to know if you're going to get a rejection. "Close, very close"  but the second to the last would not be good to see check; "What were you thinking?"


I've have been working on only one short story this month and today since I have it off, I thought I might type out a couple of the stories that I hand wrote out but even though I gathered all my pieces of paper, I don't have time to do any. I'm too far behind on NaNo novel. Some of the stories are only a few hundred words long but still too far behind even for that.

But I need to print out three stories and mail them Saturday.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

NaNo update

Haven't been here a while because of Nano but thought I would give an update.


Over thirty thousand words now and I get tomorrow off and may have more time on Saturday to write then usual. Or we may put up more Christmas decorations. 

It's flowing pretty good. I just finished chapter three, and almost done with Four. 

I know what to do after four but not sure where to take it after three. Probably five would be back at the palace.

Yeah, I seem to be in the same trap as last year. Not sure if it really is a trap but I have Looong chapters even though one is only 5,700 words. And so far none over 10 thousand. 

Monday, November 14, 2011

Another follower maybe

I say it that way because the number keeps changing. It goes from four to five and back to four, I even checked his name but now it's back to four.  I wonder if that is because he just become a follower a few minutes ago and  therefore it will straighten out in a day.

If it's true Thanks I appreciate it.


Even though I've been here three times since this post and it's been a month or so since he joined that number is still jumping from four to five.  Maybe Indeed two more followers.  :)

Better yet five more.

Friday, November 11, 2011

NaNo update and...

Okay, I've broken the 10,000 word level. Still behind.


Almost done with my story I was writing when Nov began.  One problem I'm not sure how to end it. I might go with the MC starting a new business with what he was able to do, just leave him as is, keep going and have him learn another lesson, let people know what he did but not really start a business. There could be more.


Still need to spend time to send out stories, ralan.com has a new market, and there is a deadline next week at another. It's hard to remember when I have a moment.

Been playing too much lately... not good.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

WotF update

Nothing.

As in total rejection. They changed the E-mail and I think its colder sounding. Joni said that they are trying to speed things up so that we will feel like entering the next quarter sooner.  Not working and most probably won't.


This one hit me a bit harder, probably partly because I was just starting to feel like they were taking longer and I might get another HM but of course not. It's my writing even with the help I received.

I know better than to feel that way but I can't help it when a market takes a while and especially when it looks like they are taking longer.  Like Fantastic Stories Anthology by Warren Lapine. He is taking his time but it's probably because he is busy or waiting for enough manuscripts to come in to have a reading party.


I haven't said it for a while but I've forgotten how to write. One short surge a few years ago and nothing since. And obviously I'm not relearning whatever I forgot.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

NaNo update already

I started my novel. I don't know the exact word count but I believe it's over a thousand. 500 + to 800+ at work, some earlier tonight and later 180 some.  Thought I could do more but my wife needed some help and ended up using the kitchen table to do her crafts at the same time I wanted to use my laptop. So I started Chapter two on my desk top.  




So I started my first palace adventure in chapt two.




Wanted to put the number up on the Nano site but don't have time. 

Sunday, October 30, 2011

PS One More time

Oh yes. One other reason I have done more work lately is that I haven't played around for almost two weeks. Niice. Thanks be to God. That almost always takes up my writing time and gets me no where.



Gotten in some good writing on New Mage today. Now I'm moving toward the end.... finally. I'm going to have to rewrite chapters two and three though. I have said the first three chapters but I have already redone One.  Revisions on it all of course but that's not the same.

I finished two of my small short westerns including that one I want to send to those three-four markets but I still have to revise them. Right now I won't do that sequel to the western I wrote a couple of years ago so I can do that one I mentioned last note. The one that is different for me.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

One more time... Update

Okay been working on my novel New Mage On The Block. An aside here but I need a new name for it. It's not what I envisioned for that title. Still a great story I believe... in fact out of the three novels I did last year I think it's the better storytelling and plot but that's my opinion.

So I barely worked on it in the last couple of months, partly because I was stuck. I finally wrote a scene I had in my mind for a year but part of it didn't come out quite right. My MC invaded the bad guys lair and he sees her but does something and leaves her. The something and the leaving wasn't coming out right. But I think I finally worked it out. Not quite one hundred percent of what I wanted for that scene but it's a whole lot closer than what I had written. I can live with it. So now I want to get going with it again. Let's see if I can keep it up.

But than again there's NaNo. All next month I need to work on another novel... a space opera this time.

Last year's NaNo novel is stuck. I need to go revise it and fix the chapters after number seven but haven't worked on it for months. And I need a beta reader for the rest. I may have one. Thought I had three but two haven't responded to chapt one. If I can get to sending him chapt two.

Storm Born is stuck too. I keep forgetting to revise and send out chapt two. My wife wants to take a week off to catch up on her crafts and I need a couple of days to catch up on my novels.

Started a different type of SF story-for me- for Quarter two-'12 of WotF. peaking of which they are sending out rejections for Q4-'11. It's been a week or so and nothing. Every time I see I have mail on the LDW web page my heart clenches but so far nothing. I need some good news in regard to my writing.

Been spending too much time on Google + Because hatrack has been down for three.. four? days, which is one reason I did as much as I did on New Mage.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Spaceport America

Some of you may know this already but I thought it was worthy of pointing out.


Not quite what we write about but still something.

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/spaceport-america-1318958229-slideshow/

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Speaking of the Color Nook

As you know I bought one a while back- I still like it a lot- and I finally bought a cover for it. And I got it for free. I got a gift card for B&N a few months ago from my bank. I had planned on using it and what cash I had to buy the Nook but I ended up not using it. They have a lot of nice covers, some quiet expensive some not so much. I got one of the not so much ones. But I figured it was a good writing cover.
Took me three trips to B&N to remember the card but I finally did today.
 
You can look at it here:  http://tinyurl.com/mynookcover


And from my reading I still think my Nook as good as the Fire by Kindle except maybe the colors are brighter on the Fire.  

And now Nook has out a writing app for kids. Nice.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Letter to the editor

Here:
http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/10/21/2584581/tea-party-is-democracy.html

There's one they didn't print I'll be posting on the blog soon with some more addition.  It's down right hard to say what I want in only 200 words.

And here is an addition I will be adding to the online discussion if I get my password. Can't recall for sure which one it is.

Anyway:


Without responding on any of the comments here I would like to add a couple items I didn’t have room for in the letter.  
    There is one thing both TEA Partiers and Occupiers have in common, you may have heard it already. The bail outs given to the finance companies. I believe TEA Party are against them for two reasons at least. One is that it’s an example of big government sticking its nose into businesses. Second its an example of government overspending. Some partiers may believe some CEOs should be in prison for reacting wrongly to a bad situation. 
     Of course people are hurting, duh. We are in a major recession and the government is doing the opposite of what should be done. People were in pain during the Great depression and later in the Jimmy Carter economy. But that doesn’t mean we should throw a fit for more taxes and more free stuff or that someone going to jail will help.  
     I will add that those of the middle class that are joining the Occupiers, should work with the TEA party movement instead. They have better, proven ideas of how to actually get out of the Recession. 
   And I would add that while because there are so many Partiers in a wide variety of places, there are bound to be real bigots and other kooks there are very small in number and the regular people police them. However after one poll in one city and various comments by Occupiers in variety of places there are a whole lot more kooks-including other types of bigots in the Occupier movement. 


One last comment by more family friendly I mean no women running around topless, far fewer obcenties and such. 

Thursday, October 20, 2011

steampunk and me

An online friend had a guest blogger on her blog. A writer of steampunk who explained what steampunk involves.  The link has the author's name not the name of the online friend.

http://tinyurl.com/Sarahsteampunk





Anyway, I have more understanding what makes up steampunk so I think I am ready to do a SP story. Of course I'm still working on those shortee westerns and maybe one longer western so I don't know when I will do it but I think the idea needs to gel some more anyway. I'm not quite sure what the story will be yet. Maybe something on the moon... yeah steam powered rockets. :)   We shall see though.

I could try for a steam punk western that is possible, or combine my idea for an Alt western world with other modified cultures(Like India and Roman) but again we shall see.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Yet another mini update but different

Decided to do a mini or a bit larger, westerns. Today at work I was thinking this over and decided to make a western e-book anthology. Maybe. I say for two reasons. One is that if I do all the stories I thought of it will take me at least six months. Who knows what will change by then. Second: I decided to do a non-violent story about a family on a farm. If it turns out to be half as good as I think it could be I will be sending it to three possibly four markets. Glimmer Train contest and Pedestal for two. So we shall see how it comes out.


And since I have three of what I call Specwest -- sci Fi Fantasy westerns-- I would put them in their own e-book. And so I will end up writing maybe three more of those. That could at least six months too.

So by the time I do them, if I don't get side tracked, we shall see about the e-books

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Another mini update

Didn't have a story to work on at work so I started mini western. I wanted to do a couple so that is okay. But like most of the others it might be a bit long for a mini. The last two stories I did were 700 and 800 words long.

Not sure where the story I'm doing is going even though I have an idea or two but be kind a fun seeing. I may come up with an idea for a second.  Maybe I'll see how I do and end up writing a bunch of shorter westerns. But we shall see.

I do have one western story and so maybe a few shortees will work well with it in a E-book. As I said we shall see.

NANoWriMo again

Think I've mentioned I am thinking of doing the novel in a month thing again.

But suddenly:


I have half a dozen ideas to choose from.

I mentioned the space opera but I recalled there's an epic fantasy that has been floating around in my head for almost as long. I know the beginning and I've thought about doing from the POV of a character who isn't the big hero... like Frodo was the main hero. My MC will be one of four to seven people on a journey to reach a location where they will be able to save the day. Each person will do something to save the day but there's usually one main guy/gal who has something very important to do. So my MC won't be him/her. But since he can talk to dragons he will still be important.
And I may have one of those four to seven get killed and/or be permanently injured.


There's also the Angel novel sort of, kinda of, maybe along the same lines of Thomas E. Sniegoski 's Remy books. I originally came up with the idea during Buffy but have slightly modified the idea since reading the Remy books. I have a great opening scene for it but I'm kinda of not sure if I should make him forget he's an angel or not. At first.

I got a new idea for a half angel character tonight who has to learn who and what he really is. Sounds like a YA book to me.
and There was one or two other ideas.
But I have three fourths of a month to decide.

Other ideas:
A space opera but deals with a militia type of force. Even though a certain planet is in a larger star nation it's on the outskirts so rarely sees any of the space navy. They have their own small space force.


Or a fantasy where the group goes on a epic journey like Lord of the Rings but set in contemporary times. Don't think I've seen a lot of those.

Or a SO with a newly minted captain of a small warship who has a family tradition to uphold even though he's not the best student, hence the small warship.


It would probably by good for me to do it this year. I seem to be in a writing slump. I do some at work but at home I tend to play around too much and end up with ten to twenty minutes for writing. Not enough time to finish a novel and revise a story for WotF. For some strange, unknown reason it's hard to get back into the habit of writing instead of playing. Actually, I think I know part of the reason.


Saturday, October 8, 2011

Update on mini stories

Thought I had finished the last one today at work, but I remembered there might be one more I haven't done. I say might be because I remember starting it on my computer but can't recall finishing it. I'm going to have to search for it. I might be remembering writing it out by hand.

There are also two to four of those stories still on paper I still need to type out. Since they are super short it won't take long. Then I'm going to have to revise them all. Of course the ones that are really minis won't need much revising. I may see if I can get a couple of people to crit them. Maybe a butch of them-- probably all of them are less than 6,000 words.


It's been fun and who knows I may not be done. Twice now I said I'm done but then remembered another story I had in mind to write. Some of these are a lot longer than I expected. One is a bit over 1,800 words, another a few over 1,700, a couple of others are over 600 but some are under two hundred. Not sure about the one I did today.

So far I have SF, fantasy and UF and two or three general fiction. I would like a couple of westerns and romances but that last could be hard to do even though I went over one romance idea today.

I may send the gen fic to ZZYZZA(whatever those letters are) and to Pedestal if they are not too short. If I haven't I will send two other general stories to those two markets too.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Hard to think up names at times

http://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2011/10/02


Pretty much says it all.  :)

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Music

I have a chance to see three music groups.  One in Oct. One Nov. and one in Dec.

Third Day will be at our local fair in a week or so. It's a work day but I decided I am missing too many shows waiting for Friday and Saturday concerts. And I now really like Third Day.


Second does happen to fall on a Saturday night and it's only ten dollars. Newsboys, Kutless, and a couple of others I would love to see. I mean usually it's way more than ten to see one of those groups. And as I said it's on a Saturday night. Love the new Newsboys even though I wished I could have seen them with their last lead singer. His last record with them is something else. Love it... most it that is. And I wonder how the new guy does those songs and if he does.

Mannheim Streamroller  in Dec. That one is a touch expensive especially with ten dollar fees added one but still a great concert. I saw them once and I want to again!!  Surprised they are here this year since they were here last year but I missed last years.  I have the money but it's on a weeknight and my wife doesn't like me out there that late. But I can park in the parking lot instead of the street.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Back to politics for a moment... a mistake

  Oops, there are nine republicans running not seven.

Johnson I keep forgetting about since I hardly ever hear about him. In fact I forgot what little I knew of him when he joined the band wagon. My bad as they say.

And Newt is forgettable I guess also, at least for some strange reason for me. Maybe because I think he has no chance. Evidently he has done good and not bad in the debates, which I haven't watched, but he still seems to be left out.  Oh well.  

Hey, new follower

Thanks Redux,  I appreciate you joining the small group.


My posts usually appear willy nilly. Sometimes I skip a week or three and sometimes I do three days in a row or up to four posts in one day. I have a bad habit of waiting 'till the last to do a post and I end up forgetting or running out of time.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Music

Nothing to do with writing or politics but I wanted to discuss my love for certain groups also.



Third Day will be at the Big Fresno Fair this year, and one another night the Imperials.  Third Day will be on a week night and I don't like to go out on week nights but I miss too many concerts waiting for the weekend.  So I want to go.


Newsboys will be here in a weekend night along with three other groups. I would like to go,


And Mannhiem(?) Steamroller will be here again this year... on a week night. I didn't expect them so soon from last year. I want--I want--I want to go.

More updates

Been working on my mini stories. Some are hand written and I need to type them out but those along with the ones I have typed and those I have written over the years might be around 20.

But there are two problems, one is that for a book- even a flipbook- I want at least 22 if not 30 mini stories. Second is that some of them I want to send in to some flash mags. By the time I send all I want to all the markets that take flash I might end up waiting another year or two. But once I get them organized- which is a third problem finding the time to do that- I will see how it works out and exactly how many I want to send it.

One of those stories is a bit long at 1,800 words, no longer a mini story.


I may go with NaNoWriMo again this year haven't quite decided. I have half a dozen book ideas even though right now it could a certain space opera idea I've had for a couple of years.


I may have two people to finish going over Bright Lights, from the Strange New Worlds Yahoo group. That surprised me. But that's good.

And one correction. This last person who was in my group and
made the comment about the writing. I forgot English is his second language, he
does a good job of writing in it usually, and so when he made the comment he
made, he was talking about my writing in English not my writing which is the way
I think it sounded.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Kinda update on something different

Sorry to say kinda jealous of my wife, her crafts are starting to sell more than usual. Mine aren’t.  Still could use some good news for my writing but still not getting any it’s my writing after all.

Novel group I was in has faded away,  So I need someone new to check over my Bright Lights Novel. The last person who was in the group thought my writing had to many problems for him. 

An early Christmas scene and new ideas

A little early but I know what Santa Claus drives when he's giving the sleigh and/or reindeer a rest. An older small pickup. I wasn't able to see what make. But I wonder how much reindeer power it has. 

I was stopped for a red light and turned to see if there was anything to see. There he was pudgy, about the right height, with a full, long, white beard. He wore a red baseball cap. And you probably can guess what color pick up.
What I don't know is if he lives around here or just traveling the countryside; checking on his list, slumming or just mellowing out.

But it gave me an idea for story and a certain character. Not a new one since I believe there's a movie with this character but mine would be different and maybe for the younger set. Oh, it's not anything to do with Death. A little early but I know what Santa Claus drives when he's giving the sleigh and/or reindeer a rest. An older small pickup. I wasn't able to see what make. But I wonder how much reindeer power it has. 

I was stopped for a red light and turned to see if there was anything to see. There he was pudgy, about the right height, with a full, long, white beard. He wore a red baseball cap. And you probably can guess what color pick up.
What I don't know is if he lives around here or just traveling the countryside; checking on his list, slumming or just mellowing out.

But it gave me an idea for story and a certain character. Not a new one since I believe there's a movie with this character but mine would be different and maybe for the younger set. 


Second idea: going along with some of the books about Death's daughter and other such tales. Not sure if this idea would be a story or novel. The problem is that it would more than likely be light hearted and I'm not sure if I can do a whole light hearted book. Oh, it's not about any of Death's children even though I had an idea about boy and girl twins. 



A third idea:  A guy walks out of his house and finds a Gargoyle on the edge of his roof.  He thought he heard something the night before and felt the house groan.  No idea who put it there but awhile later he eams it and finds scratch marks on it. They look kinda fresh but since its there he decides to clean the whole thing and fill in the small chunks that are missing, only thing is what do you use to fill in very hard stone. 

A bit politicial vent

I won't go into too much detail which is why I say a bit. But it's somewhat frustrating. Of all the seven Republican candidates for the primary I have four in a group, All of whom I would love to vote for President. I have listed them in order of who I like most, which is where the frustration comes. More than likely two on the list, including my top person, will be gone by the time the primary is held in Calif.  There could be three gone even though most probably not all four even though one is doing good right now. If a certain two others join in, that group will expand to six.

There are also two of the seven now running, on the bottom. I would have problems voting for the for President. That leaves one in the middle. Not in that group of four but not as bad as the other two either.

We shall see who is running when it reaches Calif. it might be better than I think but we shall see.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Writing update of sorts

Working on mini-stories, of 500 words or less. One I did today takes place on a baseball field and starts with a guy running the bases nude. It has a lesson in it. Then there's a UF started a while back and just came up with an ending. And a space opera one I started and need to finish.

The baseball one is 502 but I should be able to cut a few words when I revise it.

AND:


I want to write a Noir(new meaning for that word I learned today) - hard boiled- UF that takes place in the thirties. Usually the hard boiled guy is a gumshoe but he or she doesn't have to be. I also want to write about a wizard in the wild west. Actually there already is one. Written about many years ago. I forget who write about him but he's a mountain man who rides a unicorn and does a bit of magic. He carries an odd assortment of stuff in his saddlebags including an very old earthen cup that can heal any injury if you drink from it.

Anyway, I might write a series that takes place throughout history, starting with the West, with the same family or same person. I already have a hero who has lived for a few hundred years. So it could be him in each time period. Depends if it's a book or a series of short stories. We shall see when I have time to do it.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

9/11 venting and grief

  Too much has been in the various media about 9/11 even though we need some of it, probably most of what is said but here is a story I wrote one and half to two years after it happened. I updated it once and just now added a couple of sentences. I also spellchecked it and checked for some words I have a habit of getting wrong, however there are probably still grammar issues and other problems but I don't feel like going over it that well.


No one seems to be sure why bin laden hated the US but he let that hated corrupt other People who believe in Islam. Anything said about the US can be said for as lot of other countries- some have killed more Muslims than we would even if everything they said about us was true- even though he picked us for "the great satan".



 THE REACTION

                        BY L. E. Doggett


     A group of gaily dressed people were standing around talking. They were discussing the weather changes, if they could do anything about the weather changes, fiancees, the fighting some of the neighbors had been involved with, and other issues. Many were buying items other neighbors had made, while a few were huddled together in conferences dealing with conflicts between those who lived next each other. They were all neighbors, even though some lived a good distance from others that were present. Those present were of various sizes, and ages. Some were short, while others had been tall once, but were now stooped over with age. Some were very short while a couple were very tall, and unstopped. Each person, male and female, were dressed differently. Some wore bright colors, others dull colors. Some of the women wore floor length dresses, while others wore a tighter type of dress from shoulders to ankles, with a robe type wrap spiraling around the outside of the dress. Some men, and women were wearing pants, and shirts of various types. A few of these were bright colors, some were plain 

solid colors. Some of the men were wearing various styles of head gear. From turbans, to fur hats, with a few skull caps mixed in. 
     One particular tall, skinny man was dressed in a fancy, bright, tri-colored suit with tails. He wore a narrow top hat with the same colors. This man while not as old as many present, still sprouted a white goatee on his chin. He was by no means the youngest, but he was the tallest person present. He was twice the height of some, and almost three times as tall as others. This still youngish looking man was neither stooped over, nor weak looking, even though he was gaining what some referred to as spare tire around his middle. This follow was a contradiction at times, for he had done things to harm some of those present, while at the same time he had done more to help. He had fed the children of many in this group, he had come to their aid when they were attacked, he had helped out when natural disasters had struck. He had also been involved in trying to make piece with some that were immediate neighbors. Those were just a few ways he had helped over the years. Now he seemed rather laid back, and to some lazy. Lately he had not always responded completely to personal attacks, but even though he had put on a bit of weight, he still stood as tall as always, and had not lost any muscle strength.  
     One mourning, soon after he awoke, dressed for work, and had gone out to meet with the others, one of the shorter ones, a skinny guy with long arms, and a full beard, snuck up to him. Suddenly, this newcomer kicked the fancy dressed man where it would hurt the most. Taken by surprise, the man looked shocked, a second later his eyes glazed over. He fell to his knees and a few minutes later he fell to the ground. A dust cloud formed from all the debris kicked up by his landing. He gathered himself into a 

fetal position, and groaned. The kicker who was less than one third the man’s height, and who looked like a small monkey, looked at him. He smiled big, put his hands over his head as he danced 
around in victory. Most of the others looked on in shock. Some smiled for they enjoyed the man’s pain, but others went over to do what they could to help. One was a portly gentleman, who was many years older. He was dressed almost as fancy in bright colors. On the back of his jacket was a design with stripes and crosses though it. Many years ago these two had fought, but now they were friends, and the chubby individual had had his problems with these short small men. As he did what he could this man hummed one of the injured man’s favorite songs. 
     Some of the man’s friends were hurt as the man fell, for he fell on their children as well as many of his own. As they were mourning, a couple of the other smaller men, and women joined in with the victory dance. As the dancing went on the tall man recovered, obviously far faster than expected by those who didn’t like him. He got up and looked down at the ruin created by his fall. He saw the bodies of rescue workers who had gone under him as he had been on his knees, to pull out those still trapped. Tears streamed down his face as he unashamedly cried for those who had died. For all who died but also for all the heroes who gave themselves to help others.
    Suddenly two of the dancers stopped as they noticed the man, with a very angry expression on his face, start to move in their direction. The one who had kicked him didn’t noticed, however, so he kept going. He put his hands above his head in a boxer’s victory stance. The tall man walked up to him from behind, and for a moment just stood there. The short man happened to look down, 

and saw the man’s rather large shadow. He next noticed that those who had joined him had stopped, and were staring at something behind him. He swallowed hard, and tried to run, and hide. He was 
caught before he could take more than a few steps. The man grabbed his arms, and pulled him up. He kept lifting the man up, until he could look at him in the face. The small bearded one’s legs just dangled as he hung by his arms. As the short bearded man stared at the calm anger showing on the man’s face he swallowed again, and realized that he had made a big mistake in kicking him like that.
     He wasn’t going to apologize though. He put a defiant look on his face, and announced that the tall man could not hold him like 
that. The tall one let him go by just opening his hands. The bearded small man landed hard, got up immediately, and ran away. The tall man followed him to the edge of worked surface everyone was standing on. There was a slope on that edge of the man worked area. The slope was desert, and sand, but it soon turned to grass, and trees. The green area was an over grown section with trees, bushes, thorns and ugly dying flowers. As it went on the terrain turned into a jungle. One of the worst jungles, with poisoned plants, long sharp thorns, and more ugly flowers. The majority of the plants were dead, or stunted because of the bad soil, and bad water.
     The tall man caught up with the shorter man before he could 
hide in the sun whacked terrain. 
     The man turned around and said, “you can’t do anything to me, after all I didn’t kick you.” 
     The tall man didn’t respond he just kicked out with one foot, catching the shorter man in the stomach. The blow was hard enough to push the small man backwards. As he scooted backwards he went 

"urf", and doubled over. The attacker clapped his hands over his foe’s ears. It was a hard double blow that sent the little creature reeling. 
     He couldn’t hear it with his ears still ringing from the blow but the big man said, “And don’t worry about your children, once they are no longer under your control we will help them to a better life.” 
     He then proceeded to pick up the little guy, and tossed him out into the desert ground. Some of the men, and women standing around watching exclaimed that it was unfair of the taller man to treat the smaller one like that, even if he was a small. The 
towering individual responded by explaining that the little man would have just kicked him again, killing even more of the man’s children, if he was not stopped.
      By then other small men had gone to the one who had been thrown, and were helping him. Some of these short skinny people had bona fide complaints that had turned them into hateful mean people while others had became such because of cultic religious teachings and others had been whipped into a frenzy by hateful individuals with certain political leanings. The larger man turned to ask for help in stopping all of the small men. In the middle of that discussion, the original little man mostly recovered, silently ran up, and punched his foe in the bottom. The tri- colored clothed man turned suddenly, and kneed the little, crazy, guy in the chin. The large foe tried to grab the shorter one again, but he managed to back out of reach. 
     The big guy turned back to his neighbors, and asked if anyone would help. This time a couple came to help, but others still wanted to discuss it. This started an on going brawl between the 

short, breaded, small man, some of his friends, and the few larger individuals. At this point the fight included another small man who looked older and had just a mustache. He had tried to take control of his immediate neighbors but had been beaten off and was treating his own children very badly. He had been one to help the breaded small man and had vowed that he to would hurt the large man. Sometimes one, or two of the other small men would punch, or bite one of the group, but most of them stayed out of it. The portly man who had sung to the tall skinny guy while he was recovery, joined as did a couple other women and men, helping to defeat the small one with the mustache. Some did not understand why this group attacked the mustached person, a few got angry but the tall man continued to lead his friends in the attack. For it was done to defend his children from that enemy and to stop that little man from using his money to help other small people attack the children of the larger citizens. 
     The large fighter took a moment to stop and to mourn all those who had died in that first attack and to honor those who had died heroes, as his children finished cleaning up the mess. He next waded back into the battle. Kicking, chopping, punching, even at times dropping objects on the smalls to try to get them to stop kicking, and biting him. Some neighbors said if he would feed their children they would stop, but the bigger guy had been doing that already. At one point the tall slender one chopped the original small in the throat, spun around, and kicked another one that was in the process of jumping on his back. The second one went flying sideways, landing hard. He scrambled up, and while holding one of his arms he ran off to hide. Finally a couple of more neighbors, one of whom had been a sworn enemy of the tall guy 

not that long ago, joined in. They were able to corner the original small man. One of the others, the one that had gone into hiding, snuck up, and bit the ankle of one of the new helpers. The tall man quickly grabbed him, pulled him away from his ally, and threw him far into the desert. 
     The breaded small saw he was trapped, and suddenly let out a loud scream, and with spittle spraying out of his mouth he leaped further than anyone thought he could. He landed on the bigger, colorful dressed man’s face, trying to claw him. The man expecting something like this, quickly grabbed him, held him at arms’ length, and punched him hard in the face. Next he swung the little blighter around twice in complete circle, much like a hammer thrower would, than let go of him. The insane guy flew far, 
beyond one corner of the worked area. He finally landed hard on a 
grassy field. He bounced hard three times, then tumbled down a grassy slope toward a cliff. He stopped before he fell off the cliff. He laid there for quite awhile before he picked himself up, 
and crawled away. His face was bloody, and everyone could tell that even though he was still alive, he had been permanently crippled. During the melee two even smaller small faced individuals had been crippled as well, one worst than the other two. Another small one came up, and kicked the taller one. 
The small one screamed his hate, saying the large man couldn’t do that to a neighbor.
     The one dressed in the fancy clothes, pushed him over, picked him up, and asked if the new attacker would like to join his buddy. When he said that he already had, the tall skinny man swung him hard into the wilderness. He landed with a hard uff, with the wind knocked out of him. When he recovered he saw that his way 

back to the group was blocked, so he ran off to live in the jungle. 
     After the melee everything quieted down again, the group of neighbors started discussing the weather, jobs and such again. The tall man with the multicolored clothing finished rebuilding what 
had been destroyed in the original attack. Many of his children still mourned and honored those who had died during that attack, follow up attacks and those who had been killed during the battle with the simian men. Most of the small men stayed in the back ground, only biting someone now, and again. A few months later one of the neighbors, a larger heavy set man with a fur hat, who looked almost like a bear, hit one small in the head as the small guy was kicking his ankle. He had been one of those who had joined in just before the melee. It was a hard hit pushing the guy down 
with much force. The taller man hit him again, and went on to punch out two others who had been giving a couple of neighbors trouble. They finally gave up.
    After this there was a long period of quiet, and the tall man in the blues, reds, and white trim continued as he had been. He built a monument to all the heroes who had died, not only while helping those trapped in the original attack but also the warriors  who died in the following battles. He went back to doing what he had been doing, mostly helping his neighbors as before as well as buying raw materials, selling things he had built, and buying what others had made.
    Some years later the head monkey man was found hiding in another land. A team of black clad men snuck in, and ended his life. They buried him at sea. His follow monkey men didn't quit their hatred based on lies but they were hunted down even as they hurt other "men".
    THE END 

Monday, September 5, 2011

A bit of venting here

I've said it before and I will probably say it again.

I want some Star Trek type of SF movies. Most are horror tales not really SF. There was "Serenity"  Based on the TV series Firefly  and I might include Star Wars in that even though it's more space fantasy. But that's all.

They can make a good SF movie with top stars. There are good writers and directors out there.


On a second level how about some Urban Fantasy movies and TV. There was one movie even though I have no idea how it did, well one not including Harry Potter, even though technically UF, it seems to be a horse of a different color though.

There was one TV show which wasn't bad if you didn't compare it to the Books it was supposedly based on.  There are some paranormal TV shows most of which are on cable and might be good but still not what I want.

Pardon something political but Government messed up

You may or may not have heard by now what has been done to the Gibson guitar company by our government. There are thousands of links talking about it. But just in case


You can listen to an interview with the founder of Gibson here  http://www.kmjnow.com/common/global_audio/174/34124.mp3

Or go to this site http://www.kmjnow.com/pages/chrisdaniel   to find out more and about a one of a kind protest.   Of course the way musicians are it may not be one of a kind for long.


Or google Gibson guitar "Chris Daniel"

WotF anthology # 27

I'm reading Writer's Of The Future Number 27. Since I had to order it anyway I decided to download it to my Nook.  Cheaper that way too.  Started the first story not bad at all even though melancholy so far. And the illustration that goes with it shows melancholy also.

But the opening line of the first story blows my usual comment for Firsts out of the water. The thing is long and a bit on the complicated side. I need to see how the others begin but usually short stories open with short and to the point sentences. And that was a long author's blurb.

The descriptions of the stories make some of them sound very interesting. I think I will enjoy most of them.

I know, online that is, one to three writers who got in this one. So it will be interesting to see how they do. I forget if I helped crit any of these but we shall see.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Next WotF quarter

Yep, still trying.  Partly for the illustration:  one reason-besides it being neat, for the prestige, the accomplishment of a goal, and what it would mean about my writing, I would love to win because it would be very cool to have an illustration with my story. That alone would make it worth entering.


For the next quarter I'm thinking of doing a SF story again. I have a couple of ideas plus a couple of new stories that I could use some help.

Since my muse seems to be stuck on Urban Fantasy these days I would love to do one of those but I'm not sure how WotF feel about it. The one or two I sent in didn't get very far but that could be because of my writing. There's a dark UF(that's almost redundant but not for how I usually write UF) I've written that I think is one of my better tales. I suspect they don't mind dark stories.

I know I have a better than average, unique UF story inside of me. The one's I've written seem to mostly pretty much normal for that genre.

Hmm, come to think of it, the one I sent in for this quarter could be considered UF even though not quite the usual fare for UF.

But I have time to think.

Update on two story ideas


I believe I have mention these two ideas. Both inspired by a cover pic on a Dean Wesley Smith story. I've written one already, actually two different stories based on the same pic but the second one I'm having problems with. Dean's story is about a Vampire and you should read it. It came close to winning a nice award. But mine is about a werewolf. My problem is that I want to put in a twist but I've come up with one yet. I came up with three plots, all of which would make good stories, but they are just normal... if you get what I mean. One has a vamp who doesn't want to kill and she is a 'wolf who doesn't want to kill so they work something out. In another one, he helps 'wolves escape from a pack and it ends in a fight.  So more thinking.

The pic can be found here  http://tinyurl.com/3q8p9a2 it's part of smashwords.com so go and buy Dean's story.   


The other story can be found here  http://tinyurl.com/3wt8lz4   I know a different name but it's Dean. It's more a romance story so he used that name. Oops, I just realized I haven't finished the second story yet. It's on my laptop and its been too hot to take it to work. But I need to add a bit to the description of the scene.