Another Night of the Living Dead
http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/25533
First Walking Dead Game Screenshot
First Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance Images
Melissa George joins Bag of Bones Miniseries
The Crow Creator James O'Barr Calls Remake "Kind of Ridiculous"
Official Word on Raimi's Oz
Harrison Ford's First Reaction to Cowboys Script? "I Don't Get It."
Image of the Day: Batman Goes Zombie
Little Known Sci-Fi Fact: What Inspired Alien Chestburster Scene
Horror, fantasy, and science fiction author
Friday, August 5, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Comic Relief & Weird News, Aug 3rd
Well, wouldn't you? I'd break the land-speed record running out of there.
Morgue Workers Scatter After Man Wakes Up and Yells
A butter knife!?! Really?
California Man Attempts Self-Surgery with Butter Knife
Great idea, but I wouldn't want to be the guy in charge of "deposit collection."
Taiwan City Offers to Turn Dog Poo Into Gold
I wasn't sure what I was going to see when I clicked on this one. Art inspired by:
a) Pee-wee from Pee-wee's Playhouse;
or
b) the Pee-wee caught exposing himself in the adult theater.
Luckily, it's art inspired by "the good Pee-wee."
Art Inspired by Pee-wee Herman
And #10 is, of course, my favorite.
Winners of This Year's Bad Fiction Award
Love, love, LOVE the poster for Hansel & Gretel!
Minimalists Posters for Your Favorite Children's Stories
Lol. Might just have to try this one.
From @funnyoneliners
When vacationing at a public campground, a tuba placed on a picnic table will keep adjacent campsites empty.
From @funnyoneliners
My family's Coat of Arms ties at the back.
From @Georg_Grey
Whoever coined the phrase "Quiet as a mouse" has never stepped on one.
Morgue Workers Scatter After Man Wakes Up and Yells
A butter knife!?! Really?
California Man Attempts Self-Surgery with Butter Knife
Great idea, but I wouldn't want to be the guy in charge of "deposit collection."
Taiwan City Offers to Turn Dog Poo Into Gold
I wasn't sure what I was going to see when I clicked on this one. Art inspired by:
a) Pee-wee from Pee-wee's Playhouse;
or
b) the Pee-wee caught exposing himself in the adult theater.
Luckily, it's art inspired by "the good Pee-wee."
Art Inspired by Pee-wee Herman
And #10 is, of course, my favorite.
Winners of This Year's Bad Fiction Award
Love, love, LOVE the poster for Hansel & Gretel!
Minimalists Posters for Your Favorite Children's Stories
Lol. Might just have to try this one.
From @funnyoneliners
When vacationing at a public campground, a tuba placed on a picnic table will keep adjacent campsites empty.
From @funnyoneliners
My family's Coat of Arms ties at the back.
From @Georg_Grey
Whoever coined the phrase "Quiet as a mouse" has never stepped on one.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Alternate History
I just finished reading The Best Alternate History Stories of the 20th Century, edited by Harry Turtledove with Martin H. Greenberg. It's a great collection, and I highly recommend it.
For those unfamiliar with the genre, alternate history stories are the ultimate "what if" stories:
What if Hitler hadn't been defeated?
What if the South had won the Civil War?
What if we hadn't landed on the moon?
According to writer Steven H Silver, alternate history requires three things: 1) the story must have a point of divergence from the history of our world prior, 2) a change that would alter history as it is known, and 3) an examination of the ramifications of that change.
While I've never written an alternate history, the fourteen stories in this anthology have sparked my imagination. Maybe once I'm done with the next revision on my novel I'll try my hand at an alternate history short.
A few links for more info on alternate history:
A list of alternate history books for your reading pleasure:
Uchronia
AlternateHistory.com
John J. Reilly's Alternate History site
For those unfamiliar with the genre, alternate history stories are the ultimate "what if" stories:
What if Hitler hadn't been defeated?
What if the South had won the Civil War?
What if we hadn't landed on the moon?
According to writer Steven H Silver, alternate history requires three things: 1) the story must have a point of divergence from the history of our world prior, 2) a change that would alter history as it is known, and 3) an examination of the ramifications of that change.
While I've never written an alternate history, the fourteen stories in this anthology have sparked my imagination. Maybe once I'm done with the next revision on my novel I'll try my hand at an alternate history short.
A few links for more info on alternate history:
A list of alternate history books for your reading pleasure:
Uchronia
AlternateHistory.com
John J. Reilly's Alternate History site
Friday, July 29, 2011
Horror, Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Spec-Fic Friday, July 29th
John Cusack as Edgar Allen Poe. Interesting.
New Photos from The Raven
I'm going to go broke buying all this cool stuff that's been coming out lately.
Freddy Krueger Plush
At first, I thought "NO WAY!" But after I thought about it a little more (and remembered his deliciously creepy Willy Wonka and cold, calculating Sweeney Todd), I can maybe see it . . . he might make a good Night Stalker.
Johnny Depp to Star in The Night Stalker
The Thing (prequel) Trailer
I just don't know if I can picture anyone but Bruce Campbell as Ash.
Evil Dead Remake is Official
The Man, The Legend, The Interview: William Shatner
The world's first monster fan magazine.
Famous Monsters of Filmland
Wait . . . what?
More on the Death of Science Fiction
Bah. Science Fiction will only die when men stop dreaming.
Have a good weekend!
New Photos from The Raven
I'm going to go broke buying all this cool stuff that's been coming out lately.
Freddy Krueger Plush
At first, I thought "NO WAY!" But after I thought about it a little more (and remembered his deliciously creepy Willy Wonka and cold, calculating Sweeney Todd), I can maybe see it . . . he might make a good Night Stalker.
Johnny Depp to Star in The Night Stalker
The Thing (prequel) Trailer
I just don't know if I can picture anyone but Bruce Campbell as Ash.
Evil Dead Remake is Official
The Man, The Legend, The Interview: William Shatner
The world's first monster fan magazine.
Famous Monsters of Filmland
Wait . . . what?
More on the Death of Science Fiction
Bah. Science Fiction will only die when men stop dreaming.
Have a good weekend!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Comic Relief & Weird News, Jul 27th
Great. Now that song is going to be stuck in my head all day. And I can't even get my husband to walk the garbage to the curb . . .
Chinese Man Walks 1000 Miles to Win Bride
I'd pay more to be in a quiet zone. When we stay in a hotel, one of two scenarios is guaranteed:
if we aren't on the top floor, we'll be right below a 300 pound man who falls down drunk several times over the course of the night;
if we are on the top floor, then an out-of-town junior gymnastics team will spend all night doing their exercises in the hall (seriously though: kids running up and down the hall all night).
I have to assume that this always happens because of where we stay: if we're in a hotel, it's probably because we are at a casino. Drunk people are to be expected and since the parents are on the casino floor all night, their kids are running amok up and down the halls.
Hotel Chain Drafts Snore Patrols
They should have painted flames down the side of his shell (in non-toxic paint, of course). His wheel looks less like a racecar wheel and more like an ottoman caster, though.
Tortoise Gets Artificial Wheel
This is why I don't like boats. And I'm always afraid a bee is going to get on the boat with me. This is much worse.
Great White Shark Leaps Aboard Boat
Perhaps the two phenomenon go hand in hand.
Fatter and Fewer German Nudists
Unbelievably cool!
Life-Sized Lego Animals Invade Bronx Zoo
ROFL! Mine supposedly says, "Cute Little Princess." This one's going down in the books right beside the time the dentist told me I have a small mouth (seriously considered having him sign a sworn statement attesting to it) and the time one of my co-workers told me I'd be a manager in no time because I was such a "people person" (still can't keep a straight face when I retell that story)!
What Your Tattoo Locations Says About You
7 Best Quotes from Suri's Burn Book
Flavorpill Street-Art Guide
From @funnyoneliners
When I say "word to the wise", what I really mean is "word to the stupid."
Chinese Man Walks 1000 Miles to Win Bride
I'd pay more to be in a quiet zone. When we stay in a hotel, one of two scenarios is guaranteed:
if we aren't on the top floor, we'll be right below a 300 pound man who falls down drunk several times over the course of the night;
if we are on the top floor, then an out-of-town junior gymnastics team will spend all night doing their exercises in the hall (seriously though: kids running up and down the hall all night).
I have to assume that this always happens because of where we stay: if we're in a hotel, it's probably because we are at a casino. Drunk people are to be expected and since the parents are on the casino floor all night, their kids are running amok up and down the halls.
Hotel Chain Drafts Snore Patrols
They should have painted flames down the side of his shell (in non-toxic paint, of course). His wheel looks less like a racecar wheel and more like an ottoman caster, though.
Tortoise Gets Artificial Wheel
This is why I don't like boats. And I'm always afraid a bee is going to get on the boat with me. This is much worse.
Great White Shark Leaps Aboard Boat
Perhaps the two phenomenon go hand in hand.
Fatter and Fewer German Nudists
Unbelievably cool!
Life-Sized Lego Animals Invade Bronx Zoo
ROFL! Mine supposedly says, "Cute Little Princess." This one's going down in the books right beside the time the dentist told me I have a small mouth (seriously considered having him sign a sworn statement attesting to it) and the time one of my co-workers told me I'd be a manager in no time because I was such a "people person" (still can't keep a straight face when I retell that story)!
What Your Tattoo Locations Says About You
7 Best Quotes from Suri's Burn Book
Flavorpill Street-Art Guide
From @funnyoneliners
When I say "word to the wise", what I really mean is "word to the stupid."
Monday, July 25, 2011
A Few Observations on Short Story Markets
Some observations from the search for markets last week:
1) There aren't many (paying) magazine markets for short stories. There have been quite a few that have closed over the last few years and the new ones that have opened to replace them generally don't pay. I've had more luck finding paying anthologies than paying magazines.
2) Professional-rate short story markets are in short supply.
3) There are a lot of flash fiction markets popping up, paying and otherwise (sadly, I don't write flash).
4) Very, very few paying markets accept reprints.
I'm saddened by the lack of short story markets, not just from a writer's perspective, but as a reader. I've always preferred a nice anthology of short stories. Each story is small enough to enjoy in a few stolen minutes (or stolen hour) of reading. You get a variety of writing voices, a variety of settings, a variety of characters . . . it's like enjoying a good buffet.
And you'd think with all the proclamations of "society has a shorter attention span these days," the short story market would be booming. But I guess that's why the flash fiction market is growing. Sadly, flash just isn't my thing. My average short story length is around 2500 words, with the minimum usually being 1500. I've written a few 1000 word pieces, but those are rare.
I'm not even a fan of reading flash. I'll admit I've only read a few, but those few left me feeling unsatisfied--like a sample of a meal with no meal to follow, or a "healthy-eating-lite" portion, lol. Not that flash is bad, of course, I just don't think I'll ever be a fan. Some people like light meals, some people like feasts, and some people like buffets. I'm a buffet person who enjoys the occasional feast.
These observations all came about because I was looking for a market for a reprint. Now it looks like I'm down to three choices:
1) Self-publish it;
2) Put it up as a freebie on my website;
3) Try and find a home for it at a non-paying market and break my rule of submitting to paying publishers only (though, technically, it was originally published in a paying market.)
I'm just not sure what I'm going to do with it yet.
And last week's depressing "too few markets" realization was counterbalanced by the happy realization that I have more time on my hands than I thought: I had to update my Goodreads 2011 Challenge. I originally set a goal of reading 18 books this year because I didn't think I was reading very much--or at least, not as much as I'd like. When you think about it, it's a book-and-a-half per month, and it sounds like a lot. Or at least it feels like a lot to my over-packed schedule. I feel like I never have enough time to read. But I guess those stolen moments really add up, because I hit my goal of 18 books last week. So now I've upgraded the challenge to reading 24 books this year.
So if I can read two to three novels a months on stolen moments, how many short stories/novel scenes could you write in your stolen moments? Food for thought.
1) There aren't many (paying) magazine markets for short stories. There have been quite a few that have closed over the last few years and the new ones that have opened to replace them generally don't pay. I've had more luck finding paying anthologies than paying magazines.
2) Professional-rate short story markets are in short supply.
3) There are a lot of flash fiction markets popping up, paying and otherwise (sadly, I don't write flash).
4) Very, very few paying markets accept reprints.
I'm saddened by the lack of short story markets, not just from a writer's perspective, but as a reader. I've always preferred a nice anthology of short stories. Each story is small enough to enjoy in a few stolen minutes (or stolen hour) of reading. You get a variety of writing voices, a variety of settings, a variety of characters . . . it's like enjoying a good buffet.
And you'd think with all the proclamations of "society has a shorter attention span these days," the short story market would be booming. But I guess that's why the flash fiction market is growing. Sadly, flash just isn't my thing. My average short story length is around 2500 words, with the minimum usually being 1500. I've written a few 1000 word pieces, but those are rare.
I'm not even a fan of reading flash. I'll admit I've only read a few, but those few left me feeling unsatisfied--like a sample of a meal with no meal to follow, or a "healthy-eating-lite" portion, lol. Not that flash is bad, of course, I just don't think I'll ever be a fan. Some people like light meals, some people like feasts, and some people like buffets. I'm a buffet person who enjoys the occasional feast.
These observations all came about because I was looking for a market for a reprint. Now it looks like I'm down to three choices:
1) Self-publish it;
2) Put it up as a freebie on my website;
3) Try and find a home for it at a non-paying market and break my rule of submitting to paying publishers only (though, technically, it was originally published in a paying market.)
I'm just not sure what I'm going to do with it yet.
And last week's depressing "too few markets" realization was counterbalanced by the happy realization that I have more time on my hands than I thought: I had to update my Goodreads 2011 Challenge. I originally set a goal of reading 18 books this year because I didn't think I was reading very much--or at least, not as much as I'd like. When you think about it, it's a book-and-a-half per month, and it sounds like a lot. Or at least it feels like a lot to my over-packed schedule. I feel like I never have enough time to read. But I guess those stolen moments really add up, because I hit my goal of 18 books last week. So now I've upgraded the challenge to reading 24 books this year.
So if I can read two to three novels a months on stolen moments, how many short stories/novel scenes could you write in your stolen moments? Food for thought.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Horror, Fantasy, Sci-Fi: Spec-Fic Friday, July 22nd
The first couple of Hellraiser movies were awesome. I've only seen two, maybe three, of the nine. And, of course, there's a remake coming out soon.
Review of original Hellraiser
Summer Escapes into Sci-Fi and Fantasy
Great list, complete with infographic.
The Best Horror Movies of All Time, from Cracked.com
And not to be outdone,
The 25 Worst Horror Movies of All Time
I tried to watch Leprechaun once, but couldn't stand it enough to finish it. The only one I watched all the way through was Dreamcatcher (and I wish I hadn't).
Free Reads!
Free fiction list from SF Signal
Oh my God! I know who I want doing the cover art for my books, lol! These are fan-freaking-tastic!
12 Mystical Fantasy Art Works by Po-Wen
'Prometheus' Non-News From Creature Designer
Have a good weekend!
Review of original Hellraiser
Summer Escapes into Sci-Fi and Fantasy
Great list, complete with infographic.
The Best Horror Movies of All Time, from Cracked.com
And not to be outdone,
The 25 Worst Horror Movies of All Time
I tried to watch Leprechaun once, but couldn't stand it enough to finish it. The only one I watched all the way through was Dreamcatcher (and I wish I hadn't).
Free Reads!
Free fiction list from SF Signal
Oh my God! I know who I want doing the cover art for my books, lol! These are fan-freaking-tastic!
12 Mystical Fantasy Art Works by Po-Wen
'Prometheus' Non-News From Creature Designer
Have a good weekend!
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