A rap about...tea?

This runs the whole spectrum from oddball to hilarious to ridiculous to even a bit impressive. I really wonder how long it took to write this.

I see that smile.

Jim Hines declares war on Patrick Rothfuss

The battle line is drawn. On this side you have Jim C. Hines, author of Goblin Quest, Goblin War, and Goblin Hero. And over here is Patrick Rothfuss, author of The Name of the Wind.

Apparently Hines is a bit irate because of this comic-- http://goblinscomic.com/d/20080422.html

How can a comic devoted to goblins not stay loyal to a series of books that bring out the heroics of such grimy creatures? Hines isn't taking any more of Rothfuss' invasion into his territory, and is reaching out to us to spread the word and block any more advances with his amazingly popular book.

The goblins are gearing up to take Rothfuss by storm. Will you join the advance?

(and yes, this is all just in fun, should anyone worry.)


I see that smile.

Vogons...more than you ever wanted to know..

Can't help but chuckle at this hat-tip to Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Here we have a sneak-peek at the inside of a Vogon Captain's quarters.

If you've read the book or seen the movie, you'll remember what lovely, cuddly creatures these particular aliens are. Or not.

This bit of art was done by artist Alan Northington for an online game version of HHGTTG, done up by BBC a few years ago. Can you pick out all the various story details?

http://io9.com/383811/the-secret-interior-of-a-vogon-captains-quarters

I see that smile.

Weird News Weekend

To take a break from the curtain-buying saga (which cost more than most major car repairs)...here's this weeks string of odd and bizarre news.

Penguins are cute, sure...but do they really need another reason to amp up the Awwww... factor?

Imagine coming into the kitchen one morning to make a cup of coffee and finding one of these crawling around on your floor...

And this one just impresses me beyond all else--a blind man beat up an intruder in his home and then held him at knifepoint until police arrived. (awesome quote at the end)

Hope you all have had a great weekend, and we'll see what the writing world has in store for us this week.


I see that smile.

I never knew

That finding the right type of curtains would go easier if I'd gotten a Ph.D. in quantum physics. Way too involved...

And yes, this has nothing to do with writing, though if you find a way to connect it, I'll be rather impressed.


I see that smile.

A lovely thought

This is an art post, but I realized it might not provide the inspirational get-up-and-go feel that some people want for the morning.

What if the moon crashed into the earth?

Better than a cup of coffee for an adrenaline rush, eh?

This art was done up by Mark Goerner, whose further work has been done for various films such as X-Men and Superman, including a lot of his very cool concept art and photographs. Check him out and start goggling.


I see that smile.

Five big Sci-Fi deus ex machinas

So here they are. Five of the biggest ways to wrap-up a story in half a page or less, if you want to skip the descriptive passages.

http://io9.com/381892/the-5-types-of-scifi-deus-ex-machinas

You've got everything from "It's all a dream/virtual reality" ending to "God shows up and fixes everything." God can also take the form of omnipotent computers, or people who briefly gain godhood, fix the world with a wave of their hand, and then lose their powers so they don't have to deal with the responsibility of them in the sequel.

I do think the "one big weakness" solution gets overused a lot in stories. I mean, we've already got Superman and kryptonite, and invading aliens that are allergic to water. Why is it villains always seem to have one tiny flaw that must be exploited, while the rest of us have a dozen different ways we could be taken down? Does a fatal weakness come bundled with the bad guy package, along with the goatee and maniacal laughter?

And where can I pick it up on discount?


I see that smile.

Odd Thomas TV

I'm a big fan of Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas series (as well as much of his other work), and so I was excited to get the latest newsletter with some insider info on the new book, Odd Hours. Not only that, but they're going to be broadcasting a web-only, four-part mini movie starting on 4/29. The title is "Odd Passenger." So check back with http://www.oddthomas.tv/ to

Oh, and if you haven't checked out The Good Guy, Koontz's latest thriller, it's out in paperback now, so all the more reason to pick it up.

Anyone else a Koontz fan?


I see that smile.

Night Conversations

Jason Evans, who runs the Clarity of Night Blog and the ongoing photo-story contests, has opened up an interesting new venue for online conversation, though with more of a casual-counseling feel to it. Everyone is invited to take part, either inviting Jason to a discussion of whatever issue lays heavy on your mind or heart, or by commenting and encouraging those who go before you.

Here's his message to introduce this new spot:

Dear Blog Friends,

Thank you all for being an amazing part of my blog experience and The Clarity of Night!

I'm writing tonight to announce the grand opening of a companion blog. It’s a candlelit place called Night Conversations (http://nightconversations.blogspot.com). Here's the concept.

In important parts of our lives, many of us struggle with feelings of isolation, of being misunderstood. Night Conversations is a place where anonymous participants spend a evening with me talking and delving into those feelings. No advice. No judgment. Just a person who wants nothing more than to listen and understand.

Stop over and share the first of the Night Conversations with me. If you like what you see, I'd be grateful for any mention, or even a review, that you would be willing to do on your own blogs. I'd love to see Night Conversations spread like a more personal version of Post Secret.

The comfy chair is open for anyone out there who like to participate. Thanks!

--Jason Evans


A first session is already up, discussing the weight of expectations and how it can shift the balance in our lives in unexpected ways. Looks like an intriguing forum to touch on some serious topics. If you decide to take part, please let me know what the experience is like.


I see that smile.

The evolution of words

Do you ever stare off into the distance and wonder what our language might sound like ten, twenty, or fifty years from now? What words would we still be using? What words would be considered out-of-date or obsolete? It's strange to realize that the phrase you used just yesterday might someday have no real meaning. And we make up words all the time. Dictionary folks are constantly plucking up new terms to include in the next year's version, and as time goes on, our twists of grammar, spelling, and slang tosses so many variables into the mix, something is going to stick.

This article...

http://discovermagazine.com/2008/apr/10-you-just-readed-this-headline-correctly

...talks about a few examples of how some regular verbs, like "read" or hold," have a half-life that can be mathematically predicted as to when they will adapt to language shifts based on the amount of their use. Of course, according to this model, should the English language stick around for so long, it will still be several thousand years before "hold" becomes "holded." So I wouldn't worry about ordering a new dictionary anytime soon.

Have you ever found yourself using a word you later discovered wasn't a real word at all, or some version of it that you thought was proper until it got snagged in the spell check?


I see that smile.

Weird News Weekend

A house is offered as the grand prize for an essay contest. (Of course, there's a catch.)

A pet store owner was almost eaten alive by one of her Burmese pythons.

And...

Ladies...if you are ever romantically involved with a hardcore geek, realize this is what might happen to you.


I see that smile.

And God said...

Let there be Internet.

And it was good.


I see that smile.

Too many words spoils the novel?

After finishing this last manuscript, I wondered how bad it was that I'd gone over 130k on the word count (having since trimmed down this number during revisions). I know fantasy and science fiction tend to be a little more lenient towards the "fat" book sitting on the shelf. I bet there's even a subgenre of readers who despise the skinny books, preferring to read by the pound rather than the page count. But does it harm your chances of getting an agent to read your work, much less an editor if you send them a manuscript heavy enough to double as a murder weapon?

Yes and No. (Hooray for circumstantial answers.)The reality is, there are always exceptions to any hard rule publishing tries to impose on manuscript standards. There will always be some enormous bestseller that someone can point to as justification for their 350k novel of what they had for breakfast. And yes, if the writing is that amazing, editors and agents may give a huge book a chance.

There are some general limits, however, depending on your genre and what form of story you are writing. Obviously, 50,000 words a short story does not make. Nor is 5,000 a novel. Colleen Lindsay, literary agent at FinePrint, posted her views on wordcount here and included a nifty layout of various genres and acceptable wordcounts. Here's a cut from what she put up:

YA fiction = Can be anywhere from about 50k to 80k; sometimes - but rarely - goes above 90k

urban fantasy / paranormal romance = Usually around the 80k to 90k mark.

mysteries and crime fiction = While cozies tend to be shorter than the average (somewhere around the 60k to 70k mark), most books that fall into this category fall right around the 80k to 100k mark

mainstream fiction = Depending upon the kind of fiction, this can vary: chick lit runs anywhere from 60k word to 80k words; literary fiction can run as high as 120k but lately there's been a trend toward more spare and elegant shorter literary novels; thrillers also run in somewhere around the 90k to 100k mark; historical fiction can run as high as 140k words or more (and again, these are just rough guides - there are always exceptions). And anything under 50k is usually considered a novella, which isn't something agents or editors ever want to see unless the editor has commissioned a short story collection.

science fiction and fantasy = Here's where most writers seem to have problems: most editors I've spoken to recently at major SF/F houses want books that fall into the higher end of the adult fiction you see above; a few of them told me that 100k words is the ideal manuscript size for good space opera or fantasy; for a truly spectacular epic fantasy, they'll consider 120k /130k.


So whereabouts into the word count stratosphere have your novels been launched? Are they still soaring high, until you're losing sight of where they'll land? Or have you installed a glass ceiling for them to bump up against?


I see that smile.

We're in!

Everything we own is now moved in to the new place--including the dog and cat. A bit exhausting, I gotta admit, but thanks to those friends who helped out. That really made it go by much quicker.

Oh, and did I mention the weather we've been having in Colorado lately? Highs in the 80s earlier this week...and then yesterday we got a couple inches of snow. Yes, in the middle of April. Most Colorado residents would not be surprised by this. It did make the moving process...interesting.

Anyways, now I guess it's time to start looking for a few more pieces of furniture to replace what we got rid of back in NYC.

Revisions are almost done on the latest story, and then I'll hopefully have some folks willing to do a read-through and let me know if it's salvageable. (And if anyone out there in blogland feels up to it, feel free to drop a line. I always appreciate feedback.)


I see that smile.

Hat tip

Thanks to a tip off from Josephine Damian, who in turn discovered it through lit agent Jennifer Jackson, there's a new, snarky, gossipy agent blog making its presence known...except it's across the pond, in London.

http://missdaisyfrost.blogspot.com/

Here's how she introduces herself:

"Hello! My name is Daisy and I am Junior Literary Agent at the very sleepy Edward Cecil Agency in London's Piccadilly (yawn yawn yawn) which is very conveniently placed for the delights of The Wolseley and for Hatchards. I am delighted to have landed a column about the REAL world of London publishing in The Bookseller - frankly, what took them so long - but for some reason 'Snake Hips' Joel will only allow me to grace their hallowed pages once a month so I have had to resort to something I tell all my clients to avoid like the bloody plague - SELF PUBLISHING. I don’t know what ‘blog’ means but apparently this is one. Anyway - hope you enjoy all of this and I look forward to all your lovely messages of support. One at a time, please, form an orderly queue, let’s keep this civilized."

Sounds like fun. Oh, and as we're moving into a new place that, until Saturday at least, does not yet have ze Internet, blogging might be sporadic for the rest of the week.


I see that smile.

Nobody likes to be an idiot

And that includes your characters. Over at SFNovelists.com, James Gardner (Hugo and Nebula award finalist) gives a list of reasons why he might stop reading a book. His top reason is coming across the Idiot Move, where an otherwise smart and capable character does something inane or outright dumb, just because the author wanted to introduce some sort of crisis or disaster to move the plot along. It's like having some top-notch scientist mistake a nuclear launch board for a fancy microwave and accidentally push the big red button. It just doesn't happen, and the reader is going to catch it and hate you for thinking they're dense enough that they wouldn't notice.

Have you done this before? I'm trying to think of any instances in my own writing. I think the key is that if you have your characters do something that hurts or weakens them, it better be for a logical, darn-good reason.

Admittedly, strong emotions and impulses do exist, and are probably the biggest reason for people being idiots in our day and age. Those reasons can apply to characters. Someone might go to an extreme to prove their undying love for another, or can be pressured into a stupid dare to prove they aren't afraid and win the respect of their peers. People end up doing stupid things...but if you're trying to craft a solid story, they better have some obvious motivation for them to stick on that dunce cap and go sit in the corner.

Can you spot any instance of this in your own writing? Have you ever stopped reading a book or series because you came across an idiot move and it turned you off to the author?


I see that smile.

How do you map out science fiction?

Through Google, of course. With the new google maps quickly becoming the default method of checking directions, city layouts, and scoping out new neighborhoods through satellite feed, I guess it was only a matter of time before someone made them into an art form. This story, The 39 Steps, is told entirely through google maps, with locations being tagged by various portions of the character's thoughts and actions, tracking him across London.

So now, people are wondering if this might not become a new way of either putting the story across or at least adding extra content to it. Want to track Harry Dresden's adventures throughout Chicago, or see where Mac's might be located? Maybe with some help from Jim Butcher on pinning the locations down, it is entirely possible.

What story or character would you want to follow around the world? Have you ever read a book set in a certain city or locale and not really gained any sense of how the geography fits together as they run around trying to save the world?

This could be worth exploring.


I see that smile.

One of those days...

Where you really don't have much to say on here, while it's bright and sunny out, and there are tons of furniture listings to be checked out so the new home will actually have places to sit, sleep, and eat on when we move in.

See you all when the week starts.


I see that smile.

And the lease is signed...

We now have a home, and we no longer need to peruse craigslist 24/7 and schedule massive amounts of appointments to check out apartments. We ended up finding a great 1st floor of a Victorian home in South Denver. We get the keys as soon as they install the new locks, and then it's time to start some furniture and art hunting to make the place home.

Whew. Glad the hard part's done, at least. You always underestimate the value of having a permanent home address until it's not there anymore.


I see that smile.

Writer workshops

Been to one of these before? Maybe you attended a conference and went to a session where an agent listened to your first five pages, and then told you when to stop reading because they got bored or the writing was poor.

Workshops can be a great opportunity to get a variety of feedback on your work, both from other writers, and potentially, some professionals in the field. They can be done in big groups of folks, or in smaller, focused gatherings. They can be done online, or at a person's house, or at a huge writing conference. The point of taking part in one is to learn how to be a better writer, whether you're tackling some specific flaw you have in getting the story down, or you want some wide-ranging feedback on a chapter or scene. They can also be a good inspiration to actually make yourself sit down and write in the first place. Whatever the case, workshops can be an invaluable resource for your craft. But where do you find them? Do you have to wait for the next conference to visit your area? Not at all. There are a lot that you can choose from, ones that are flexible to your schedule and writing style.

Here are two links that quite a few of these workshops available to you. The SFWA link is nicely comprehensive, listing online, annual, and ways to search for local writing meetups.

http://www.sfwa.org/links/workshops.htm

http://sff.onlinewritingworkshop.com/

For instance, I've taken part in the Critters online workshop for a few years now, and have benefited not only from having my stories improve (and a few get sold) but also in learning how to read and critique other's work in an encouraging and constructive way. That in itself is a skill worth developing.

Do any of you guys have a favorite circle of people you bring your work to, or a workshop you always look forward to joining?


I see that smile.

Small Favor- Dresden Files book review

I love how Jim Butcher can take the simplest premise and twist it all to Hell--quite literally in most instances. Small Favors is the tenth book in the Dresden Files series, and it continues to pack the wallop of magical action, mystery and the startling character development readers have come to love.

If you're one of those people who continue to hold off reading this series, maybe because you saw the short-lived television series and didn't enjoy it all that much, let me assure you that the books make all the difference. Butcher is a master of building tension, flipping plots on their heads, and getting you so invested in what is going on during a scene that you'll often have to remind yourself to breathe.

The main story involves Harry Dresden's debt to one of the Faerie Queens, and she shows up early on to give him the task of rescuing a none-too-savory mob leader in the Chicago underworld, after the guy gets kidnapped by various dark forces. Why is the queen worried about this criminal mastermind, and who kidnapped him, and for what purpose are all the main questions that spur Harry on into a escalating confrontation with some very ancient, very evil foes, and it's going to take the help of all his friends--including a few hostile parties--to get him out of this situation alive.

A lot of familiar faces are involved in this story, including some more minor characters who barely got any face time before. Despite that, the story doesn't feel overcrowded or confusing, though I'm not sure you'd want to make this the first book in the series to read, since it does involve a lot of backstory, and you wouldn't want to spoil earlier books for yourself. If I had to point out a flaw in the book, I'd say that'd be the biggest one. It's based on a lot of former books, and if you haven't read them, you're going to have a lot of catching up to do before you understand what is going on, and who is important. There is one spot at the ending that was particularly rough to get through...not because of writing or anything, but because of what happens to a character a lot of people have come to respect. (and if you have read it, you know who I mean, otherwise I'm not spoiling it for anyone)

So rest assured, Butcher has not lost an ounce of his storytelling oomph. If anything, he's notched things up a few rpms.

I believe the long-term plan is for there to be twenty books in the series (so we're halfway there!) which will be finished off with an apocalyptic trilogy. If the stories continue to grow in depth and quality as they have, I'm planning to be along for the whole ride. Don't let the size of the series daunt you. This isn't some epic fantasy slog that'll bore you at any point.


I see that smile.

Free writing articles from Holly Lisle

These are articles Holly has made publicly available and encourages people to reproduce on their websites under a free content rule.

http://www.isnare.com/?s=author&a=Holly+Lisle

Right now this includes two parts in a series about bringing a story to life:

Does Your Novel Have A Heartbeat?
PART I of The 8-Part BRING YOUR NOVEL TO LIFE Series You've read through what you've written---your first few scenes, your first chapter, your completed novel---and you've discovered that your words don't move you.

How To Find Your Novel's Pulse
PART II of The 8-Part BRING YOUR NOVEL TO LIFE Series The best novels you've ever read---the ones that stuck in your mind and kept you going back to re-read them.

Holly has lots of writing wisdom on her website and ebooks, so take advantage of what she's giving away for free and help spread it around.

Oh, and I should have a book review for the latest Dresden Files book--Small Favors--up tomorrow, if all goes well.


I see that smile.

Sneak preview at Multireal

David Louis Edelman has provided the first five chapters of his new novel, Multireal, which is the sequel to Infoquake. His publisher, Pyr, has created a huge pdf sampler of some of their upcoming releases, and the first 45 pages of Multireal are included.

http://www.davidlouisedelman.com/book-news/multireal-in-pyr-sampler/

Check out David's blog to see what challenges he faced in writing a sequel, introducing new characters, and generally complicating the story in every possible way while still making it accessible to the readers.

And as he notes: "Also included in the sampler are excerpts from Joe Abercrombie’s Before They Are Hanged (sequel to the acclaimed The Blade Itself); Kay Kenyon’s A World Too Near (sequel to the equally acclaimed Bright of the Sky); Theodore Judson’s The Martian General’s Daughter; Robert Silverberg’s classic Son of Man; and two from Mike Resnick, Stalking the Unicorn and Stalking the Vampire."


I see that smile.

33 Worst Writing Mistakes (by topic)

If you haven't discovered her site yet (and please tell me you've discovered her amazing fantasy novels), Holly Lisle has some incredible writing resources, much of which she has developed herself.

Recently, she has supervised the writing of a series titled: 33 Worst Mistakes Writers Make. Pretty self-explanatory. But this isn't just some general list. What she's doing is getting people with expertise in various fields and having them write up ways that authors have botched scenes and plots because of their ignorance of the way things work in real life. It's the details that matter, whether you want to know how to swing a sword without lopping your ear off, or the physics of hopping onto a horse already in full gallop. Maybe you're writing a crime novel, and you want your hero to be toting a particular sidearm, but you've never chambered a bullet in your life.

This series is here to help you avoid big mistakes that could fatally flaw your story, or at least make it less of a joyous read to the in-the-know reader.

http://shop.hollylisle.com/index.php?crn=222

So far, they've only got three titles focused on horses, courtroom law, and firearms. I think she's on the lookout for folks who might want to write one of these helpful guides in areas of their specific expertise, so if you have the urge, you might want to get in touch with her. Otherwise, take advantage of this great resource.


I see that smile.

Weird News Weekend

This burger may take longer to make, but is it really better?

A robber fills out a job application (using correct contact info) at the same store he then robs. Police far from stumped on naming a suspect.

And lastly, in other crime news...a robber had the tables turned on him during a house burglary, where the couple who owned the home made him clean the place up at gun point.


I see that smile.

Out apartment hunting again today

Check in tomorrow for a Weird News Weekend update.


I see that smile.

Congratulations, Goblin!

Everyone head on over to OxyJen, where Goblin, (also known as jjdebenedictis) has announced her recent acquisition of an agent! This is great news, as she has worked long and hard on her novel, Dark Heir, which is now going to be represented by Eleanor Wood, of Spectrum Literary Agency. Quite a top-notch agency, to say the least.

Here's her official announcement, filled with much glee.

Great work, Goblin! We can't wait to see this story on the shelves.


I see that smile.

Objective feedback and a submission opportunity

This new site gives you to reasons to send your work in to it. First, they try to provide that "third reader" presence in a writer's life, giving supportive and constructive criticism on whatever short stories, flash fiction, and poems that are submitted.

http://thirdreader.com/

At the same time, they do intend to publish said submissions, should they be of high enough quality. It doesn't look like there are any limits on genre or style. Their emphasis is on a good, strong story and great writing.

However, we will not seriously consider stories and poems that focus primarily on pornography or senseless violence.

No reprints. Short stories are to be a maximum of 5,000 words, and submit only one work per category (short story, poem, flash fiction) at a time.

Having just come off a manuscript, I don't have anything quite ready to send in, but I'd like to, in order to see what their response time is. If anyone else submits, or already has, to these folks, let me know what your experience is/was like.


I see that smile.

Small Favors

No, I'm not asking for any. It's the title of Jim Butcher's latest Dresden Files book, which came out yesterday, if you didn't know. And now that you do, what's keeping you from running out and snatching it up?

http://www.amazon.com/Small-Favor-Dresden-Files-Book/dp/0451461894/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207097000&sr=8-1

"The new novel in the New York Times bestselling Dresden Files series. No one's tried to kill Harry Dresden for almost an entire year, and his life finally seems to be calming down. For once, the future looks fairly bright. But the past casts one hell of a long shadow. An old bargain has placed Harry in debt to Mab, monarch of the Winter Court of the Sidhe, the Queen of Air and Darkness-and she's calling in her marker. It's a small favor he can't refuse...one that will trap Harry Dresden between a nightmarish foe and an equally deadly ally, and one that will strain his skills- and loyalties-to their very limits. It figures. Everything was going too well to last..."

I go now to read.

Actually, considering the time, I go now to work, but you can bet I'll be reading on my lunch break. A review will be forthcoming.


I see that smile.

Beginning again

Today I start a new job here in Colorado. It's nice to have something of a schedule to hold to, even when one hopes to eventually sustain one's self entirely on the novel writing. But until then, bills must be paid. I'm going to be a web content writer for a good company in town, so wish me luck as I start my orientation. I'm glad I finished the latest manuscript over the weekend so my mind can concentrate fully on this new work.


I see that smile.