William's Ramblings

Who killed the RPG Star?

2010-08-08T18:14:00.000-04:00

With another GenCon over, I find myself how it has changed over the years - and I've ha quite a few years to follow the changes. In the previous century, finding a warrior, wizard, elf, or orc was easy stuff. Stand in one place for a minute or so, and soon a costumed person would pass by. I think for years elves and wizards dominated.

Of course, there has always been a fair number on pop culture icons - Klingons, Darth Vaders, stormtroopers, and "redshirts." After all, GenCon was and still is the largest gaming convention, and the above characters were all part of a role-playing game at some time or another.

But this year something changed. Finding one of the classic RPG classes was difficult. Instead, there was an abundance of anime characters, film costumes (most from dead RPGs), and a plethora of video game characters. Is venture to say "Solid Snake" was one if the most popular ones. At one point, I saw a group of guys asking two bikini-like clad girls to step out of frame with Solid Snake. And Snake seemed to have his own entourage of anime females.

Other video game characters included John Marston (Red Dead), and several Big Daddies and Big Sisters (BioShock).

Sadly, most of my photos are blurry, but you get the point. Where are the traditional RPG characters, and what is the present RPG icon. Or is the RPG hero dead?

Writing a Novel: Step 2

2010-05-03T10:21:00.001-04:00

There are many ways to learn the art/craft of writing. One common approach is formal education - studying literature, writing, communications, etc. Another, and perhaps more common approach, is reading. But when I say reading, I'm going to add a caveat. I don't mean reading books on how to write. While these books are certainly useful, and offer plenty of insights, they can be overdone. I'm not saying is to avoid such books. No. Read them. Find the ones you like and read them over and again. But don't make a career out of reading books on the topic of writing (unless that is your career). My reasoning here is simple: I do not believe writing can be taught; rather, it can only be learned.

Honestly, I'm not playing with semantics with that last statement. I've taught writing to countless students at various levels; I've worked in seminars and workshops; I've written about writing - as I'm doing now. What has become clear to me from all of this is that the fundamental elements of writing can be passed along to those wanting to learn. But only those with a desire to learn will actually gain anything useful from the process. In other words, writing is self-taught, and along the way there are things to be learned at every level. Teachers and books on writing can offer information, but in the end it all rests upon the person wanting to learn. There comes a point when a writer must write to improve his or her craft.

What I'm saying is that the best approach to learning how to write is through reading and writing. The "writing" part I suppose is self-evident, although there are many writers to dislike writing. They either overcome this, or spend much time reading books on writing, looking for that one secret to suddenly make them a writer.

In the realm of writing, there are many aspects to be learned: grammar, style, tone, mood, theme, vocabulary among others. These are the terms that can be found through formal study. They can also be leaned simply by reading. Admittedly, the labels might not readily jump to mind, but the seeds are planted. This makes learning the "technical" side of writing easier. And with that said, there is no best approach. It varies with each writer. But know that reading is a fantastic means of learning how to write. In fact, I'd suggest reading books you dislike. Readers tend to be less engaged in such works, and highly critical from the start. This prevents you from getting lost in an engrossing text, allowing you to analyze the writing - usually identifying what it is you dislike about the book. And like everything else in life, avoid going to an extreme. It is equally important to read what you enjoy (as mentioned in the last post about writing). In the end, this method trains the reader in form, approach, style, grammar, and countless other aspects because he or she is repeatedly exposed to these things.

Of course, if it where that simple everyone would be a talented and wonderfully skilled writer. This obviously isn't the case if all of us have books we dislike. In part, that's because there is no "secret," no "formula," no "right" way to write. Creating a novel is both an art and a craft. This means aesthetics are involved, and through-out history there has never been one aesthetic that rules them all (although the topic has been written about plenty, starting with Plato).

Lastly, it is important to love words if you're a writer. Know them, friend them on Facebook, learn their nuances. And if you're reading a book, don't take them for granted. Pull out a dictionary and consider the definitions. Writers often use particular words with specific meanings, or multiple meanings. This is a part of the art. The words used are not random, although admittedly they are not always purposeful. As a reader and writer, you need to learn when there is more to a word than the word itself. This can open an entirely new world in a novel for a reader. And sometimes it is the difference between a good book and a great book. But for this to happen, you have to trust the writer. Start with the assumption that the writer knows what he or she is doing. In the end, even if the assumption was incorrect, you'll likely have learned something useful about writing.

*Note: I love adding notes to my blog posts. It seems quite silly and pointless. Nonetheless, here is one: In the above post, I've used to rhetorical tropes in the form of repetition. I confess, "rhetorical tropes" sounds stuffy. Even so, they are useful to writers, and come naturally to those who are avid readers. But sometimes it is useful to understand there names (yes, both repetitions have names). Why this is important is because once you learn many or all of the tropes, you can apply them in your writing with purpose - rather than simply "feeling" that the trope works. Also, knowing some or all of these tropes will allow you to expand your writing style. Now these tropes are rhetorical, not literary tropes/cliches such as "it was a dark and stormy night." I mention these for those who are interested in finding them in the above text and prowling the Internet for there formal names. I promise, they are not very difficult to find, and are worth the time it takes. I'll also be post a little bit more about tropes the next time.

Penguicon Happenings

2010-05-01T11:01:00.003-04:00

Here are a few photos from Penguicon. The crowds are gathering in the dealers' hall, and the gaming room. Next will come a few panel photos.

Upcoming Blade and Twilight film?

2010-05-01T10:14:00.001-04:00

I found this on the Internet and thought I'd pass it along.

Writing a Novel: Step 1

2010-04-12T11:49:00.003-04:00

Usually when someone asks me about my approach to writing a novel, I offer the answer: Everyone writes differently. This is very much true, and it is what often makes "How to write a novel" books frustrating. Some writers outline a novel, some don't. Some layout the plot chapter by chapter, others just start typing. There really is no right way, except maybe the way that works best for the writer. That would be the "right" way.

Now that I've given a few reasons on why a post like this shouldn't be helpful, let me see if I can turn it around. There are some common elements in all writing approaches. While their priority might vary from person to person, these elements tend to be the foundation to all novel writing - and short fiction writing. So to start with I'll try to offer up a few things that will cover the early groundwork:

1: Write about something you enjoy.
This seems obvious, but often writers get frustrated and start writing whatever they think will get published. There is nothing wrong with writing what publishers are publishing, but try to match that with something you enjoy. In the end, if the writer has no passion for the subject, it will come through in the writing.

2: Write about what you know.
We've all heard this one before. But I'm not sure everyone interrupts it the same way. It is important to have knowledge of your subject, but it doesn't have to be limited to the knowledge you already have. Research can help. And, it is possible that you might have a passion for a topic you know nothing about. Does that mean you shouldn't write a novel on the subject? No. It means you'll want to spend some time researching it, getting a strong grasp on the matter, and then venture into it. Once again, passion for the subject will likely carry you through the research, making it all the easier.

3: Read.
This one is pretty easy. Before you start your novel, read a few books in the genre. Learn what the readers expect and how the genre is usually approached. You don't have to read every book out there. In fact, I'd suggest you avoid even thinking about that. All you want to do is read enough to comprehend the form of the genre. In other words, if you're writing a mystery novel, know that usually someone is murdered in these genre novels, and quite often the reader expects someone to be murdered. Again, passion for the subject should help here, and if you have passion for it, you've most likely read a number of books already.

Along with this suggestion comes a warning. Some writers are "mimics." That is to say, they write in the style of the author they most commonly read, or enjoyed. This sometimes leads to a writer appropriating the style of another author. To avoid this, put some time between the genre reading and the writing. In fact, it might be a great time to do research. I usually put a few months between my writing and any reading in the genre - even though I love the genres I write. This also helps me find new approaches and create characters and plots that are hopefully unique. Mind you "unique" in genre is difficult as there are certain things which are expected. Monsters must appear in a novel about monsters - well, at least they should. And typically someone is killed in a murder mystery. With that said, feel free to play with the "form." It is important to understand and use the form of a genre without becoming "formulaic."

Blood and Devotion Anthology

2010-04-02T09:46:00.008-04:00

Here's a new anthology to try.

Quoting from the copy:

The clash of steel. The scent of blood. The heat of fire from heaven. The cries of the dying and of the dead.

Brave warriors and devotees to the gods follow the paths their faiths have put before them, and when religious fervor meets skill of arms and magic, kings will fall, armies will collide, and men and women will perish for their beliefs.

I'm pleased to post that this anthology is now available. I have a tale of war, magic, and treachery in the anthology (the fire from the Heavens tale). The anthology has several wonderful interior illustrations, and the editor William H. Horner (W. H. Horner) did a fantastic job in putting this project together. He even tolerated my dry humor!

I urge anyone interested, or slightly interested in the book, to read all of the stories. They work together quite nicely. Below is a TOC:

Editor, W. H. Horner
Cover Art. Nicole Cardiff

Introduction by David B. Coe

“The Daughters of Desire” by Jay Lake
“In the Light of Dying Fires” by Gerard Houarner
“Hammer Song” by K. L. Van der Veer
“The Treachery of Stone” by William Jones
“The Perils of Twilight” by Peter Andrew Smith
“The Gifts of the Avalea” by I. M. McHugh
“Eye of the Destroyer” by Aliette de Bodard
“Greatshadow” by James Maxey
“Magic’s Choice” by R. W. Day

Zombie Literature banned by U.S. Supreme Court

2010-04-01T12:58:00.005-04:00

Below are some snippets from the L.A. Daily (Lapeer Area Daily Newspaper). The article from the newspaper deals with the surprising Supreme Court decision to ban zombie literature:

...In an unexpected pronouncement, a unanimous decision by the highest court in the land called for the immediate banning of all fiction "associated or related to the walking dead, undead, or commonly termed 'zombies'."

No one in Washington is commenting on this startling ruling. All members of the U.S. Supreme Court have refused to discuss the issue. This silence extends to Congress and all the way to the President himself. One inside source revealed, "there is a growing concern about zombies in politics. Not to say that all politicians are zombies, but quite often they share some of the traits of the undead, and don't want to be mistaken for one by overly zealous fans of the genre." The insider went on to explain that there is a general fear among politicians and the corporate elite of being attacked, mistakenly, for being a zombie. The insider also revealed that vampires are next on the Supreme Court's targeted list.

Locally, the decision drew attention by several university professors. While none were willing to have their names printed, at least one agreed to offer some insight:

"Washington's fear of being mistaken for zombies is decades old. Mostly it was due to unfortunate timing. George Romero released the cult classic, 'Dawn of the Dead,' and soon the Reagan administration was under fire with charges of being zombies. Naturally, the glassy-eye gaze of President Reagan, and what some termed 'voodoo economics' didn't help the image.

The fear has continued ever since then, culminating with several Congresses that seem to be unable to make decisions, or find their way back to D.C. But this problem isn't limited to the U.S. political system. Every day in the halls of my university, I come face to face with zombies. Blank-faced students, seemingly asleep, yet able to walk, and text one another. They moan and grunt and groan when asked questions, and randomly lift their hands in the air when no question is asked. On several occasions, I have covertly taken their temperatures, only to find they were no higher than room temperature - which can be in the hundreds at a Michigan university in June or September.

Personally, I see this as a growing threat, but one that doesn't need to have all literature on the subject be banned. Clearly, the Supreme Court is trying to hide something, if not themselves, from the public eye. It is important that everyone be aware of how to identify a zombie, and how to avoid contact or stop an attack. Banning the literature is moving in the wrong direction. In these desperate times, the public needs more of such literature. This growing threat is moving from every direction. Fast food restaurants, schools and colleges, hospitals, local and nation-wide politics. It is obvious there is an overthrow in progress, and the U.S. is shambling into that revolution with the walking dead leading the charge.

Metaphor: What is it good for?

2010-03-22T23:34:00.006-04:00

Recently, I've read several educational surveys that indicate that art and tools of literature are passing way. Primarily, metaphor, simile, and personification. For those who enjoy writing and reading, this is certainly sad news. For those who enjoy language as logic, it is also sad news. Orators, prose writers, poets, lyricists, all can be affected by the seemingly decreasing understanding of the purpose, function, and meaning of these tropes.

A few lines of Shakespeare will reveal the power of these figures of speech. He was a master of their use - particularly personification. However, it seems modern readers are having more difficulty catching-on to lines such as "...Up from my cabin / My sea-gown scarf'd about me, in the dark..." (Hamlet). Okay, I admit, that one is a bit of a challenge. Given we don't think of the fog on the sea that often, to be "scarf'd" in fog and darkness requires some work to figure out. But what a wondeful imae.

Mmost writers today don't work at the level of Shakespeare, and the metaphors are a touch more modern in meaning. "The clouds padded across the night sky" (A. A. Attanasio) is wonderful example of modern usage. Of course, clouds don't "pad" about. It is the image that works; the underlying meaning, the poetry of the line add to its "feeling." It transforms the clouds into something more than vapor - more than the literal.

Naturally, the weaker forms of metaphor are falling by the wayside as well. What this adds up to is a loss in the depth and pleasure of reading. While film can compensate for written metaphor by imagery, it is very different - and something that also appears lost to more and more film viewers.

At the root of all of this is the sub-textual meaning of a fiction work. Yes, fiction sometimes has such a thing, and quite often the aforementioned literary tropes build the foundation of that meaning or theme.

Recently in my novel Pallid Light: The Waking Dead, I opted to move away from the common theme of "zombies as consumers." It's a good one, but I was interested in personal and group identity. And it so happens that "zombies" are a natural fit for dealing with identity. Throughout the novel I used character reversals (for the living characters) and semi-intelligent and mindless zombies as well. I suppose, to be cliche, I was saying, "you can't judge a book by it's cover" (hopefully that still has meaning today). Convicts, tough guys, nerds, the poor and the wealthy all get a chance to appear as their stereotypes, and then attempt to reverse those stereotypes as the reader engages with the characters. Even the zombies join in the fun.

Personally, I think the novel can be read without any attention given to the sub-text, but part of the fun of reading and writing for me is exploring the sub-text, the themes. And while we do live in a consumer nation, the traditional zombie fiction theme, we also live in a world of lost identities. In fact, it seems people might even consume to find personal identity - you are what you eat and what you buy, after all.

For me the locus of the issue rests with the individual. What defines us? Work, clothing, actions, public opinion, vocabulary, education, social status? It's an endless list, and one, to me, worth investigating.

In a culture driven to achieve, to succeed, to "win," I can think of no greater disaster than the fall of the structure of society. All that remains are people without their belongings, without the former social order, without the things they strove so long to acquire to "identify" themselves. And while people can be taken at face value, in order to trust them, we as individuals must look deeper. To maker matters worse, if we all experience an identity crisis, how can we know ourselves, much less anyone else.

In the end, words, simile, metaphor, and various other approaches attempt to tell two stories in Pallid Light. One story is obvious: the end of the world. But at every turn, fast on the heels of the apocalypse are character questioning who they are and what they are.

I mention all of this not because I want people to read the sub-text of Pallid Light. Rather, I can speak on the novel with some authority as I wrote the book. My real goal is to convince some readers to give more thought to any author's selection or words, phrases, comparisons. It is a part of what makes written fiction so wonderful. Sometimes a word is just a word. But other times, we catch ourselves asking, "What did you mean by that?" To return to Hamlet, his utterance of "Get thee to a nunnery" has been the topic of countless debates over the centuries. Most of us today know what a nunnery is - but in Shakespeare's day, it also could mean a "whore house." He said this to Ophelia, shortly after uttering, "I did love you ... but I don't love you." The meaning of his words depends upon whether Ophelia thought Hamlet was speaking in metaphor or literary... or maybe both. Either way, there's something rotten in the State of Denmark.

Publishers, Authors, and Readers - Will They Be One?

2010-03-01T12:11:00.006-05:00

E-Books. Yes, I typed it. For those who have read my various blogs and articles about e-books in the past, you're probably thinking: here he goes again. But I'm not. Well, I am, but only long enough to link to another important article in The New York Review of Books. If you're a fan of books, and have ever wondered why books vanish from the shelves so quickly, and never return, then this is an article for you.

Actually, if you're a reader, writer, or publisher, this article is for you. Or, if you're alive, the article is a pretty good match for you. The fact that you're already on the Internet means it's a good fit. All in all, I'm saying follow this link and give, "Publishing: The Revolutionary Future," by Jason Epstein.

What's in Genre

2010-02-24T08:13:00.004-05:00

The easy answer to the title of this post is: many things. But I suppose that's a bit vague. Of course, those of you who are writers of literature, and not genre, will immediately know that genre is Classically defined as the traditional major types of writing: Satire, Epic, Tragedy, Comedy, and Lyric. After a few centuries of debate, short fiction and novels were added to the definition of genre.

For those of you who are genre fans today, you might be thinking genre is: Science Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Horror, Westerns, and countless other variations. Well, that's true as well. Basically, genre has been and is still defined as "types" of writing. This means the modern fans of genre can delight in knowing that classic literature was genre. And even the Great Bard Shakespeare wrote genre.

This might lead you to ask: Then what is "literary fiction"? The fast answer is: genre. However, most literary fiction today borrows from the forms of the above mentioned genres. And if you're a writer or reader of literary fiction, you've probably, and most dutifully, read all of the essential philosophical texts of aesthetics starting from Plato and at least going to Eagleton. If not, then it would make enjoying and understanding literature a bit of a gamble.

Now to be more specific about modern genre, it is really a subclass of "Romance" (one of the major literary types of writing). For example, SF was dubbed "Science Romance," and contemporary Horror is pretty much Gothic Romance. Mind you, the word Romance here means "imagination." It comes from the great Romantic literary movement where writers believed imagination transcended life. The popular novel Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley was one of these works.

And today's "literary" writing is basically a mode of fiction that attempts to avoid form and structure, such as the forms found in Westerns, Horror, SF, etc. This means a skilled work of "literature" uses the elements of genre - supernatural, murders, madness - but does its best not to look like a "novel" (see above, it is one of the types of genre). But I'll not venture farther in that direction for there be monsters there.

Back to the topic: What's in Genre. Again, a simple answer is "many things." A more confusing answer is "theme." Many readers and writers will argue that most genre books have no theme. I suppose this isn't far off the mark. However, as the forms of genre we have today are structured and usually tightly defined, it is very difficult for a work of SF not to come with a ready-made theme. If you think about it, the common two are "Science will save humanity" and "Science will destroy humanity." Whether or not the author plans it, writing a story about a "fail" in science or a "win" in science, one of those themes is most likely embedded. And then the reader brings his or her own themes, plus culture adds a few to the mix as do contemporary world events.

Yes, this means that even "Zombie" novels have themes. Naturally, I'm using that example because of my recent novel. Since it's release, I've had a number of generous letters/emails asking about the themes readers found in the novel. And without revealing too much, the novel is really SF/Horror - so I could say it comes packed with a few "auto-themes." For most readers of Horror fiction, the mixture of SF is often a surprise (see Pamela K. Kinney's review at Innsmouth Press). And for fans of SF, many things were telegraphed to them as they expected the SF "form" to follow a given path. In my case, I did intend various themes, and many others came from the aforementioned areas.

Obviously, I can't list every theme of every genre - they do vary and can be altered by the writer. The reader also reshapes them as well based on personal experiences. But if you stop to think about it, I'd bet you can come up with a consistent number of themes from your favorite genres (including Classical literary genres). Quite often, it is the theme of a genre that attracts a reader to return to it - be the themes hidden or not. And after all of this, if you're wondering what function a theme has, then I'd offer up: Themes repeat in a work of fiction in order to transmit a message to the reader; these messages are often insightful, meaningful, and emotional. While a theme should be under the surface of a text, it is often the factor can make a book bring about new perspectives, and on occasion, with some novels, themes have changed cultural views. They are very powerful aspects of fiction, be they reader or writer created.

Battlestar, Caprica, SF and Gender

2010-02-15T17:57:00.013-05:00

First, to all of those college students who are in a mad quest to write a paper about "The Cask of Amontillado," the ending Italian phrase means "Rest in Peace." Do note that it is not something the protagonist with a vendetta would normally say. It is, however, something a priest is likely to say. Hmm, there's a poser.

And on to the topic the post is really about. I've had a chance to catch-up with the latest episodes of the SyFy Channel's new series Caprica. For those who don't know, the show takes place prior to the events of Battlestar Galactica (BSG), and does include some sequel information (after some pushing from those involved with the money).

If you're a fan of BSG, then you've already been through the "Starbuck is a girl" issues. No offense to the original Starbuck, but I thought the change was quite clever. Also, if you're a fan of BSG, you already know that many of the strongest and powerful characters in the series were female. Villains and Goodgals alike.

This might not seem unusual to new fans of the SF genre, but for those who date back to the stone tablet days, having strong female characters is a bit unusual. In the old days, they were mostly restricted to falling in love with Captain Kirk, screaming, falling, and wearing short skirts. Often, all of these occurred in a single Star Trek episode. It seemed females just couldn't be a part of SF.

Then Ripley appeared, and things changed (Aliens). Okay, even today the short skirts remain. But most everything else has changed.

I won't go into gender and SF. Many words have been written on the topic, and if you've not read them (this includes those students looking for something to cut and paste in your essay due at the end of this week), take the time to read the books and articles about the new role of females in SF.

Instead of venturing there, and listing articles and books, I'll jump to Caprica. At first glance, like BSG, the show seems hard and manly, full of murder and swearing ("frak"). But after an episode or two, the male anger fades into the background, replaced by teenage, female angst. The real focus of the show is on teenage girls, one of which who is a robot, and another who has no body, and a third who seems to be torn about how to interact with her robot/cyberghost friend. A quick glance at the promo photos and cast photos in this post highlights the real demographic of the series: young females. Yes, it is still aimed at males as the "Apple" photo reveals, but it is also focused at the female viewership.

For an SF series, this is unusual - at least it is historically, the last five years have seen many changes. For fans of SF, this is great news as it means there are new fans of the genre, and what appears to be a growing number of fans. And really, it is a direction the genre should be heading.

All of the above is nothing new nor surprising. As I said, it has been happening consistently over the last few years. What is interesting is how many males have not noticed. Why? I suspect because the genre is reflecting society, and is at last catching up from the Dark Ages of the genre. With any luck, as in the past, real life will imitate art and the gender barrier will continue to decline culturally based upon the acceptances of new females roles in the genre.

Surrogate - Film

2010-02-05T13:17:00.003-05:00

Yes, I'm behind in my film watching. In fact, last night was the first chance I had to watch Zombieland and Surrogate. It seems that Zombieland has had plenty of commentaries - not surprisingly. I certainly enjoyed the film, but I didn't think it was as clever as Shaun of the Dead. And luckily for me, there are some common themes in Zombieland, Shaun of the Dead and Surrogate. Lucky because it gives me an easy segue from zombie films to "almost" zombie films.

Let me explain that last remark. Or maybe the entire paragraph. Quite often, zombie fiction/films deal with the alienation of humanity. Shaun, in Shaun of the Dead was so alienated that he didn't notice the difference between a living and undead world - until it was close enough to bite him. Similarly, Zombieland followed the "journey" plot, taking the narrator from the living world (isolated from humanity) to the zombie world, where he finally completes his journey of growth, and finds the family for which he's been searching (no longer alienated). In Surrogate, most of humanity use avatars (robots) to live their daily lives. They go to work in them, entertain in them, vacation in them, and pretty much do everything else you can imagine in them. Hidden in those "control beds" where humans dwell while operating their surrogates is something of a "zombie." But mostly, they are alienated from each other - just as in the two zombie films mentioned above.

Those of you who are familiar with Marxist literary analysis have already picked up on the keyword "alienated." Those who are just familiar with Marx are probably thinking: Is this guy a Communist? I'm a writer, therefore, I'm a Capitalist - is it possible to be anything else in the current world? What I'm saying is I'm not speaking about Communism. I'm speaking about alienation - the removal ourselves from the daily human existence. Yes, Karl Marx feared Capitalism caused this, and well it does. As a result, the theme appears in our fiction (intentionally or not). For example, to be alienated from labor is to work for a corporation, but being nothing more than a cog in a greater mechanism. To borrow from Marx's example: If I make shoes for a company, the company name goes on the shoe. That is very different from being the owner of a shoe shop, where people know me for making shoes. When I own the shop and make the shoes, I'm not alienated from what I do for a living.

So back to the film Surrogate. It is set in a world where most everyone uses robots to travel about the world, and to work. They view and sense through the robots, but their real bodies are in "VR" beds. Needless to say, the robots are physically attractive, creating a world of supermodels. Meanwhile, the humans look shabby and sickly - they don't get out much. Or, in other terms, they exist in near complete alienation.

This was something I didn't expect from the film. And I'm not sure it was the intention of the film. Isolation and vanity are clearly themes it deals with, but as a side effect alienation comes into play as it produces an artificial superstructure - a false world in which humans have their surrogate machines do the living for them. The end result is that there is no "real " living going on in the film. Husbands and wives remain locked behind doors, while their surrogates interact with each other. This makes for a clever analogy for the Internet, texting, VR, and most trends in our modern world where personal interaction can be "phoned in" from a device.

With all of that said, this is not a new idea. It has been told in many different tales many times. However, without revealing the end of the film, I will say it was strikingly similar to a short story by John Shirley titled, "Techotriptych." In fact, it was so similar in concept and execution that I briefly wondered if John wrote the screenplay for Surrogate (he is a screenplay writer). It turns out not to be wasn't the case. And if you're wondering, John Shirley's tale deals with similar themes. He'd have to comment about the alienation aspect. Although, intended or not, it is embedded in his story as it is in Surrogate and Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland because alienation is a part of Western Culture. And I think, for me, that is part of the appeal of these films and short story. They touch upon a common theme, an aspect of the viewer's (and reader's) life.

Hopefully, I've not revealed too much about the film to spoil anything, but offered enough incentive to watch Surrogate. And if you haven't seen the other films mentioned, give them a shot. The same goes for John Shirley's tale. It is powerful and makes no apologies, but that is what rattles the reader into reconsidering the world in which he or she lives.

The Anthology of Dark Wisdom and Stoker

2010-02-02T15:32:00.005-05:00

After receiving the always welcome email from Eric Christ, the Horror Writers Association (HWA) Stoker Awards verifier, it appears that The Anthology of Dark Wisdom: The Best of Dark Fiction has been recommended for a Bram Stoker Award.

Do note that there is quite a bit of difference between a "recommendation" and "nomination." The "nomination" part comes after enough recommendations have been made. Typically, there are only five final nominations. Nonetheless, the anthology is on the path to a potential nomination. Sadly, I cannot remember my HWA account, so I'm unable to read the Stoker list (that is being corrected presently).

In either case, it is worth mentioning all of the authors and thanking them for their work - which I can do again if the anthology reaches the nomination stage. My guess is this will particularly please Christian Klaver (as he has a tale in the anthology connected to Bram Stoker).

Authors:

Peter Straub, Alan Dean Foster, Tom Piccirilli, John Pelan, Richard A. Lupoff, John Shirley, Shane Jiraiya Cummings, Wendy Leeds, Lee Clark Zumpe, Gerard Houarner, Christopher Welch, Sam W. Anderson, C.J. Henderson, Paul Melnickzek, Richard Wright, Deanna Hoak, Christopher T. Leland, Bruce Boston, Lee Ballentine, Sherry Decker, Gene O’Neill, James Argendeli, Patricial Lee Macomber, David Niall Wilson, Christian Klaver, Tim Curran, Neddal Ayad, and Rachel Gray.

What's Up With Indie Presses

2010-01-27T05:04:00.002-05:00

During my recent visit to ConFusion, I had a number of new authors ask the same question - although always in different terms. However, the central theme was about Indie and large presses. Basically, they wanted to know "what" Indie presses were and why would authors go with them.

Of course, the question is a tough one to answer quickly. So my fast-response was: Indie presses are moderate to small sized publishers, usually with far less overhead than the "big" publishing houses. Unlike some of the larger houses, most Indie presses do not purchase shelf space in stores (though some do), which means a new title may have less representation in bookstores. The mega-size of larger publishing houses provides them with the clout and the ability to secure shelf space for all of the titles they publish. Indies tend to rely upon book appeal, author appeal, and proven sales.

Now with this said, you might expect indie presses to sell less than the larger houses. And quite often this would be correct. However, on many occasions indie presses compete or out sell their larger counterparts. It seems there is an advantage to basing published books on "appeal" rather than a "shotgun" approach. In fact, in the the last few years, indie presses have made giant leaps in sales, although mainly in trade paperback books (those are the larger books). Mass Market books (the smaller ones printed on pulp paper) tend to be the domain of large publishing houses - there are exceptions, though many large houses start new authors with low print-run trades, or reward strong selling authors with higher royalty trades. However, even mass market books are no longer the sole domain of large houses as several indie presses are venturing into this area. It is a bit more risky as quite often a larger number of mass markets books are not sold (selling 50% of a print run common with MMs). In this case, quantity or "mass" sales is the key to success. Print 20,000 books and hope to sell 10,000 (the actual numbers vary). And the author is paid on final sales, not total number printed. those MMs that are not sold have the cover removed and the book is destroyed. Meanwhile, trade paperbacks (TPs) are physically returned to the distributor or publisher, and either destroyed or re-sold.

As a result of the success of indie presses, many notable authors have started working with these moderate sized publishing houses. There is money to be made in this market, and authors of all backgrounds are usually interested in increasing their income. Likewise, there tends to be a bit more creative control for the author, and more personal interaction.

Now back to the question I was commonly asked at ConFusion. Although it was unsaid, I believe the main interest was in how to select or whether to go with an indie publishing house. With any size publisher it is important to find the right one. And with large houses, it is a given they have distribution. If you're a writer shopping indie presses, make sure the house has strong distribution either through a commercial distributor, or direct distribution. It is these connections with distributors or through distribution that allows indie presses to compete in the marketplace and provide writers with strong sales. That is how the books get out to stores.

All in all, there are many more options for writers today (and artists). Selling several thousand books through an indie house or a larger house is pretty much the same. In all cases, the sales numbers usually come down to the amount of promotion the author does. Yes, publishers promote titles, but for the vast majority of writers, the bulk of promotional work is left to the them- Indie or large press. Sadly, this dispels the myth that writers sit at home, never venturing out into the world. Large or moderate, the publisher still calls upon the writer for assistance in selling her or his book.

A few Photos from the Pallid Light Release Party

2010-01-24T12:11:00.005-05:00

I'd like to thank everyone who attended the Pallid Light release party. While the book will probably not appear in stores until Feb., those who attended the party did get advanced copies. There are too many people to thank, but every one of them needs to be thanks. For the moment, the best I can do is general show of gratitude, with a special thanks to the zombie waitresses who were dead on their feet by the end of the day.

Now here are a few photos:

Strrange Happenings

2010-01-23T00:30:00.010-05:00

Another update from ConFusion - where we miss Steve.

Things are getting busy. The crowd is growing, and the undead are walking the earth.

First a group of Zombie Waitresses appear at ConFusion - seeming rather hungry. A handful of party flyers appeased them and they scattered to the four corners of the hotel.

Next, a young lad (Bill) dressed in convention ribbons appears. He has quite a collection.

For those attending the convention, and wanting ribbons, I do have a few specialty ribbons. So catch me and get them while they are still around. As for the zombies, approach at your own risk. I understand they are trapping people in elevators, yelling: "Dinner Time!" when the doors close. I use the stairs.

Funapocalypse!

2010-01-22T16:19:00.006-05:00

If you're near Troy, MI this Saturday, join in the fun at the Pallid Light release party!

Food!
Free books and magazines!
More fun!
Contests and Prizes!

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Well, the poster below describes everything at the party. Most importantly, there will be zombie waitresses (special thanks to Vicki, Arica, Jackie, and Deborah).

I'll also be on a few panels (listed below):

Saturday 9:00 AM Rate Fail: Does it Matter How Much Writers Get Paid for Short Fiction?

A new market offers genre writers one-fifth of a cent per word, but considers it okay because it's the exposure that counts. Yet this is less than the pulps paid eighty years ago, even unadjusted for inflation. Minimum SFWA pro rates are 5 cents a word, and even that isn't a lot of money. Exposure versus payment? For The Luv versus Business? Does money equal quality? Authors discuss differing views on these questions.

Saturday 10:00 PM

Writers Contests for New Writers

Having deadlines is a great way for the new writer to be motivated to get short stories completed and sent out.

Interview

2010-01-10T13:21:00.003-05:00

For those interested in reading more of my ramblings, drop by Innsmouth Free Press for a recent interview I did with them. At the very least, drop by the site to have a peek. You can ignore my ramblings. The press is also on Twittter, and has one of everything related to Cthulhu, and other genres as well. Plenty of reviews, interviews, news, and fiction.

And of the off chance that you missed it, there is also past audio interview with Blog Talk Radio. Just follow this link to listen (click here), or once again, drop by the Internet radio station. There are plenty of wonderful podcasts there.

Release Party at ConFusion for Pallid Light: The Waking Dead

2010-01-04T11:17:00.002-05:00

I'm quite delighted to announce I'll be both attending ConFusion convention this year, and at a release party for Pallid Light: The Waking Dead.

If you enjoy fiction, regardless of the genre, you should give Confusion a chance (follow this link). There are plenty of panels, events, parties, and guests to keep a person entertained for the weekend.

As for the Pallid Light release party, it takes place on Saturday, at 3:00 PM, (Jan. 23, 2010) in Troy, Michigan. There will be free drinks and food. I understand there will be some "zombie girls" roaming about. There will also be free books, and other giveaways.

Also, a few authors from several anthologies I've edited will be present (don't have a final list of names yet), so it is a good opportunity to grab their autographs, or chat with them. Of course, everyone is welcome to attend - including all authors.

Adding to the entertainment will be several readings, along with music and general fun.

If you get a chance to drop by, please do. Also, I'll be attending a few panels over the weekend, and doing a few signings.If you're there, please drop by and say "Hello!" (or another greeting of your choice).

Pallid Light: The Waking Dead - Book Contest

2009-12-30T13:10:00.003-05:00

Win a Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) of Pallid Light: The Waking Dead

I have a number of ARCs of my new novel, Pallid Light - to be released in Feb. 2010. So, I thought I'd give away a couple of copies. To make some sport of it, those interested can offer the location of any city named "Temperance." Example, Temperance, CA. (Just made that up, so it doesn't count).

The novel takes place in Temperance, Illinois (fictive location). If you'd like to enter for a random drawing, then either post or email send me a message with a location of another Temperance.

The contest will run until the end of 2009 (Dec. 31st).

That... That... That Thing

2009-12-28T18:04:00.000-05:00

Presently, the American written word is plagued with "That-itis." Well, it is plagued with many things, but the overuse of the indefinite pronoun "that" is overwhelming. With THAT said, I confess, in my casual writing, I abuse and use "that" quite often. But such a confession does not forgive me of my crimes. :) To atone for the abuses, I attempt to remove or avoid using "that" in my fiction writing. Okay, I'm not atoning, I'm simply trying to avoid over usage.

Having taught at a university, I was always dealing with students plopping down "this and that" here and there in their papers. I'm certain most any teacher who has encountered writing has seen this as well. What's alarming is how rapidly the guard has been dropped in the fiction world. Over the last few years, I've read several books by various publishers, all of which were overstocked with "that."

So what's the big deal about that? Probably nothing. Most likely, I'm a curmudgeon who is overreacting. Although, if you're a writer, try re-writing a sentence without "that." I bet you'll find your style varies, and the sentences flourish with other words. Yes, sometimes "that" can be a prose killer. It's easy to use, easy to spell, and it comes naturallyto us. All of those are warning signs. Take the difficult path with your sentence. Or start counting "that" in writing - just to see how often it is used or overused. And of course, sometimes we simply need to use "that." After all, that is why "that" was invented. :)

SFF Insider Site, Guest Blog, and Contest

2009-12-21T23:46:00.000-05:00

If you get a chance, drop by SFF Insider. I did a guest blog about the e-book industry, and speculate a bit about the future. Even if you don't care to read my ramblings, there is also a contest. Get a chance to win a free copy of Pallid Light: The Waking Dead.

Or, prowl around the site and read a few book reviews, other blogs, and catch up on publishing/book news. There is a website for nearly every genre, so there is something for everyone.

Pallid Light: The Waking Dead

2009-12-17T12:38:00.005-05:00

Coming to bookstores next February, 2010, is my new novel Pallid Light: The waking dead. I'm going to offer up that it's fast-paced, and a bit of an action tale. For a preview, visit my website. The first 3 chapters are online. (Click Here)

I'm already working on other projects, and have been for a while. In the queue are a few anthologies and two more novels. If all goes according to plan, they should appear next year and the following year. By then I'm certain I'll have more projects, and the process will repeat.

For those who know about my sleeping disorder (now you do if you didn't), I find the subtitle to Pallid Light rather ironic. It didn't occur to me until after I'd finished the novel. Oh, how many times I've felt like the waking dead.

Now comes the confusion: Why does the book on Amazon have two authors listed? Pretend you didn't see that. I write under a pen name, and through a variety of channels of confusion, the title was listed with my pen name and my real name. This will soon be corrected. As it turns out, my pen name doesn't have the same Nielsen ratings I do - see the previous post for details on that. And, given myriad other things, one confusion lead to another, which resulted in me co-authoring with myself. Even though I found myself difficult to work with, in the end, I won all of the arguments. A good sign, I hope.

I do want to thank Malcolm McClinton for his cover art, and everyone who read the book and offered insights.

Below is some copy text for the novel. It takes place in Temperance, Illinois. The town will never be the same.

Pallid Light: The Waking Dead

The world ends with the flip of a switch. The thundering storms strike across the world, searing the earth, leaving destruction in their wake. Few will survive. For the folks living in Temperance, Illinois the nightmare is just beginning. When the sky roils in luminous colors, the people of the small town begin to die, and Randall Clay decides to escape. What he didn’t expect was the dead to come back to life or the nightmare that came after.

Holidaze and Gifts and Review

2009-12-15T17:00:00.005-05:00

No essay this time. No rambling about some arcane topic. Just rambling about common topics.

Once again, I return to e-books. In particular, the Kindle. I spotted a commercial for the Kindle on television last night. Very stylish, and creative. Very little mention of reading. But after you see the ad, you feel like you need to own a Kindle. As luck would have it, I do own a Kindle 2. It came to mean through a promotional means related to the publishing industry. The ad didn't sell me - mainly because I hadn't seen it at that time. (That is the shadow of my paws over the Kindle)

I confess, I was torn between the Nook and the Kindle, and any Sony device. I went with the discount. And then I started running into people who had purchased Kindles for gifts, or were receiving them as gifts for the holidays. Everyone was excited - you can read books anywhere (I could before). You can bring all of your books with you (couldn't do that, and still can't with the Kindle, but I see the point, although I'm not sure of the need). The Kindle is small (so is a book). It is light-weight (most books are). It looks just like a book (so does a book).

And yes, I own a Kindle. It is a delightful gadget. I can read books anywhere, even though I can with my iPhone and a Kindle application. It is light...looks like a book. Okay, enough said.

What I've been wondering about with all of this excitement is this: How many people are purchasing e-readers because they are nifty technology? The Kindle commercial certainly pushes heavy on "coolness" and "style." At a metaphoric level it hints at reading by becoming different characters. But at no point does it show someone sitting in a chair, gazing at a Kindle. That approach probably wouldn't work. But my guess is that is how it is used most often. I've not tried dancing with my Kindle yet.

In the end, if you're interested in a Kindle, I'd say you'd probably enjoy it (particularly if you like to read). You can make notes on it. Look up words. Listen to Audible.com books or MP3 anythings. You can store your own documents on it, and it has free Internet access. Yes, you can browse the web, read blogs, use web-based email. None of those things work as well as a computer. But they do work. Of course, you can get books very quickly, and there are many free books to be had (out of copyright). And I'd suggest quizzing Jeff Edwards about e-readers. He puts them to very good use, and is quite knowledgeable on the subject.

The drawback in all cases is the price of these things. Sometimes they range the price of a netbook (which can do all of the above). But you don't get a free screensaver with one of your favorite authors. All in all, they make great gifts because the person being gifted does not have to pay the high price. So maybe gift yourself.

So what am I reading on my Kindle? Everything I was reading on my Kindle application for my iPhone/iTouch. But I did go back in time and read Tobias S. Buckell's novel Ragamuffin (2008).

Yes, I know this isn't his most recent book. I've read the recent ones, but for some reason I didn't read Ragamuffin. So, it seemed like a good test of the Kindle. And a way to catch-up on books.

For those who don't know, this novel is a SF novel, set in the future, with a rough and tough protagonist. A female protagonist. And the novel has strong social undercurrents as humanity is far below being second-class citizens. Oh, before anyone says, you're reading too much into it, I'll respond: I'm not. :) Even if Tobias says otherwise, I will disagree. Why? Because it's there to be found, regardless of the author's intent. Although, I suspect there was intent.

In many ways, the novel reproduces the themes of the Harlem Renaissance literature (don't moan; I'm not going into a history lesson).Social stratification, species-ism, and biological discrimination are a part of this work. So is action, combat, witty dialogue, and an interesting universe. Certainly, there is science in this work of fiction, but it is not hard science fiction, which means those of you who dislike long explanations of how technology works or why there is gravity on a spaceship don't have to worry.

The novel starts with a bang and ends with a boom. You'd have to read it to get the joke. I'd certainly recommend reading it, either in print or on an e-reader. And as for the e-book edition on the Kindle, the format was smooth, with the exception of what I suspect are "drop caps" for the first letter of every chapter. The first character of each chapter stood above the body of the text - it was clearly not intentional.

Ah, but someone is bound to say: It is too late to get any of these gifts. It's not! If you go with a Kindle, you can get it delivered before Xmas. And if you include a gift certificate, the books can be downloaded in minutes. This means that every following year you can do last minute gift buying as the gifts can be downloaded.

Getting Published

2009-12-08T14:03:00.003-05:00

I'm a professional member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association and the Horror Writers Association. I'll be the first to admit, I'm not sure I understand what really qualifies a "professional," making that person different from an "Affiliate" member. Yes, I know the rules stipulating qualifications, but in an Affiliate member writers, and publishes, and quite often does as well financially as a Professional member, then isn't the Affiliate a Professional?

But I'm not here to talk about that. Recently, the famous publishing house Harlequin purchased a "pay for print" business. These are quite common today. Amazon has one, Ingram (the book wholesaler) has one, and there are myriad others. These businesses basically charge writers to print their books. I'm not using "publish books" because that is a little bit different.

Originally, Harlequin had their name associated with this business, which mislead some new writers into believing their manuscripts had been accepted by Harlequin. Not true. First, Harlequin doesn't charge writers, and next one is more or less printing while the other is publishing.

In turn, the HWA (Horror Writers), SFWA (not defining the rest of them), RWA, MWA, and most every other organization for writers which included "WA" in their initials protested and removed Harlequin from their list of "approved" publishers (notice that last word).

In turn, Harlequin changed the name of the business to Dellarte Press. This satisfied no one, so the protests continue.

If you're not keeping-up with these things, you might wonder what why this is important. It is important because there is a difference between being published and being printed. At first, most people think it has to do with the pay - the author being paid. Well, that is part of it. Although most authors don't get much pay to begin with. And others would argue it has to do with the writer paying to have the book printed. Partly the issue as well. Publishers don't charge - at least not yet.

But in the end, if a writer pays to have a book printed and it sells a million copies, does it matter? Probably not - except that million selling author isn't a Professional according to most places with WA in its initials.

What is important is the spectacularly poor odds of that book selling more than 200 copies. The cause isn't a lack of editor, or because the writer paid to have it printed. The most overwhelming issue is the lack of distribution. Or to put it another way, a book in a box in someone's basement isn't selling to anyone. Neither is a book in a box in someone's warehouse.

Let me offer an example. Think of a book title you've never heard of. I'll wait. :)

Of course, coming up with the name of a book that you don't know and no one else knows is very difficult. Now imagine a reader saying spontaneously, "Hey, I want ..." and she blurts out the name of a book of which she's never heard.

Probably isn't going to happen.

This is the problem with most of this "pay for print" houses. They offer you "distribution," for an extra fee, and then they list the book with wholesalers. This means, if someone knows the name, and wants the book, he or she can contact the wholesaler and purchase it. That isn't really distribution. The book is basically available for those who know and want it.

Of course, Amazon will stock one or two, on consignment. Even so, finding the title on Amazon requires someone to type in the name - Amazon won't promote it unless the writer pays for that as well. And most likely, the promotion will go unseen by the vast majority.

So, how do bookstores get books if not from wholesalers? Bookstores do use wholesalers. But they have to know the name of the book as well. And they need a reason to buy it. Stores have budgets. If one has $100.00 to spend on books, is the best investment in a title no one has heard of, or a very popular title? Shelf space and cost often prevent books from appearing in bookstores. Of course, never having heard of them hinders it as well.

This begs the question, how does the industry know what is popular? Simple answer: Nielsen Bookscan. Yes, the same people who bring you television ratings does it for writers as well. With the tapping of a few keys, a book buyer for a large chain can look-up you name and the history of every book you've sold - including publisher, and demographics. Of course, this system is only as accurate as the numbers received. Any writer who sells a book directly to someone at a convention doesn't have this number added into Nielsen.

Nonetheless, Nielsen does determine the fate of many writers. Publishers use it as well - except those that charge to print a writer's book. They have nothing to lose. But book buyers for large chains do have something to lose - their jobs. Or at least the stores money. As a result, there is little incentive for a large chain to risk money on writers with small or no sales records.

Here is where the distributor enters. Before you cry-out about how unfair the Nielsen system is, know that distributors use it as well. And it leaves one wondering: How does a writer get a Nielsen rating if the books are never sold in stores that provide numbers to Nielsen. The answer is, they don't.

The good news is most publishers are willing to take risks on new authors. And most publishers use distributors or own their own distribution system. This means someone is going to bookstores, chain stores, wholesalers, and all manner of places, asking buyers to purchase titles. Yes, the Nielsen debate rages in these negotiations, but having a person sitting face to face with a book buyer or store owner or wholesale buyer helps in creating awareness of the title. It is no longer a game of "guess the name." Now the name is there, with a sheet describing the book, with a cover image, along with how the author is going to work herself to death going from city to city to promote the title if only the store buys it. (Oh, and use the Internet to promote it as well).

While the book might be turned down, at least it has a fighting chance.

All of this boils down to getting the book in front of the people who need to know about it. While places like Dellarte Press promise the above, mostly what the writer gets is a list of wholesaler names - and how many writers, new or experienced, know the name of wholesalers and distributors, or know the difference in their function? When the writer is told the book "will be available to all bookstores, and online shops, through Ingram or Baker & Taylor," how can a new author know this means the book, at best, will sit in a box on a shelf in a warehouse. At worst, it will only be a name on a list of a few million other titles.

For this reason, and others, the -WA organizations listed above are protesting.

Alas, there is another side to this tale. The "pay for print" industry is a multi-million dollar profit boom. With technology creating more writers by the day (probably more writers than readers if that makes sense), and the ease of "printing on demand," why would Harlequin or any other such business stop? Will all of the writer associations cause them to close or sell a growing business? Doubtful.

Lastly, while I am warning writers about places that charge to print a book, and for editing, and for cover art, and for making the title available for wholesale, I'm not saying that such places are foul. In some instances, they can take advantage of a person who doesn't understand the industry. But in other cases, a small number, they have produced popular titles, or at least titles that "pay the author" publishers have purchased and re-printed. Like any other business, and while writing is a craft and an art, it is a business when it involves money, be aware of the industry and how it operates.

Cthuhlu Month

2009-12-07T18:00:00.004-05:00

It has been a while since I've posted. I believe things will return to normal now that I've finished work on a pending project. Of course, there are other pending projects, but they are nearly complete - just on hold, or were on hold.

It appears I returned in time to catch Tor books declaration that December, Cthulhu month. I would have thought a summer month was a better fit, but who am I to grumble.

In the spirit of Cthulhu month, Tor is offering a number of Lovecraftian books at a 30% discount - a very good deal. Or to quote Tor's website:

For our H.P. Lovecraft-themed month, we've gotten Ellen Datlow to put together a list of Lovecraft-related books she thinks are seminal.

Follow this link.

When the email from Tor arrived in my box, I was quite curious as to what titles they were recommending. As it turns out, one of the titles is mine: The Strange Cases of Rudolph Pearson.

Above and beyond my book, I do say read the others on the list. The titles do provide a strong understanding of the Lovecraftian mythos and what it has produced. And of course, there are many other titles out there for new and established Lovecraftian fans. Typing "CTHULHU" on Amazon will produced a plethora of titles to choose from

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Shaping the Brain

2009-11-17T14:09:00.005-05:00

Not too long along researchers identified a crucial gene that influenced cell shape and growth. That is to say, researchers discovered that neuron growth and connections are altered by the expression of the srGAP2 gene. What this may lead to are breakthroughs in brain science, and greater understanding of brain development and disorders.

It appears that "neuron networking" is influenced by the expression of srGAP2 - it can interfere or influence connections. This in turn shapes how the brain communicates and operates and a multiplicity of levels.

Below is a link to one of many articles on the related research, and following that is a link to an informative article about neurons that might help put things in perspective.

Science Daily

The Nervous System

Words, Words, Words

2009-11-13T05:08:00.005-05:00

So many ways to quote Shakespeare, and so many ways to read his works.

Alas, dear friend, I promise not to rant and rave about the works of William Shakespeare - in particular about the play I quoted: Hamlet (short version of the title).

What I will do is speak about muse, as it is still that month dealing with novel writing. I've not had time for many posts, mostly because I've been writing, editing, reading, and playing with words. However, I will offer up some words about inspiration and ideas.

I am often asked from whence my ideas come. (Sorry) I don't know, is the honest answer. They come from many places. I'm certain you're expecting me to say "Shakespeare," given my prattle about the Bard. And I'll confess, Shakespeare's plays are certainly one of many sources. For those who've read The Strange Cases of Rudolph Pearson, you'll note that there is a bounty of Shakespearean quotes. Certainly, I played with the character Prince Hamlet when developing Pearson throughout the novel. Not only did Professor Pearson quote the play often, but the character also suffered from some of the "conditions" of which Prince Hamlet suffered. The most obvious being the question of sanity.

With that said, my inspiration for the character was not Hamlet. Nope, I wanted an unlikely character in an interesting situation. Although, I confess, given the Lovecraftian themes a professor is also a likely character.

But let me not wander too far from my topic. For me, reading and re-reading (and teaching) the works of Shakespeare is a wonderful source of ideas and inspiration. I've had solitary sentences (in context) give me myriad story ideas. His works are replete with wonder and amusement. If you take the time to worry yourself with the text and subtext, your fancy will certainly be struck.

I do know that reading Shakespeare is not cup of tea everyone can drink. And I don't sit around reading Shakespeare looking for ideas. Honestly, inspiration comes from every direction - when I'm looking. Music is a great source. Film, the news (oh, what dreadful stories are to be found there), the shopping mall, video game (yes, I have an archaic Xbox, and a contemporary PS3).

In the end, I don't know that my muse comes from any group of things or any single thing. When I choose to consider something, I find myself inventing a history, surrounding ideas, themes, and characters. Most often, the character comes first, then the plot and theme follow. Perhaps that is called daydreaming. I like to call it "my job." :)

Allow me to throw out a line from a Beatles song:

"When I was younger, so much younger than today, I never needed anybodies help in any way."

The song is Help, and besides having a catchy melody, it has instant character. I wonder how many tales could be written from this line?

Mind you, for me it is more than the lyrics. It is the melody as well. I've found my muse in symphonies ranging from Mozart to Wagner. One is often quite cheerful and the other brooding. Sometimes, it's the reverse. A dark Mozart is great motivation for me, and a frolicking Wagner puts me on edge.

Ah, but here's the rub. I don't think anyone can be told where to find inspiration. So my answering the question is not likely to do much other than inspire you to find your own muse. And don't overlook your own experiences. Writers are the sum of their experiences. I don't know that one must suffer to produce art, or commercial entertainment, but it does help if one is exposed to a wide variety of experiences. Perhaps a little suffering is good for the soul, but so is a great deal of joy. Mayhaps is all boils down to: writing. Writing and something is bound to turn up. Words, words, words...

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)

2009-11-02T16:55:00.003-05:00

In case you haven't heard, this month is National Novel Writing Month, also called NaNoWriMo. If you have questions or need help of any sort, visit the link above to the nanowrimo website.

For a number years, I've been under the opinion that the volume of writers has been on the increase, although it appears the number of readers has been on the decrease. Thanks to computers, it is easy to become a writers. Of course, there is more than the declaration. Writing is a very important aspect of being a writer. I suppose that's why nanowrimo is a wonderful way of jumping in head first. Writing a novel is daunting. Writing one in a month is... well even more daunting.

This is also the time of year that the emails arrive, asking me if I'm joining in the fun. I confess, I never have. Oddly, I've always been to busy with writing projects to attempt a novel in a month. Such irony. But that doesn't mean I don't share in the spirit, and even try to write a bit more to share the "pain"? And, as I am writing, editing, and revising presently, I'm in the game, so to speak.

Yes, I did say "game,' because it is a bit of a game. Countless writers spend this month moderately competing against each other for high word counts, each attempting to reach a goal of a novel length manuscript. It is possible. I know a few people who have done it several times. And I know many, many people who have almost accomplished it and ended up well on their way to finishing a novel. So why not give it a shot? Grab a web word counter, and even if you don't write a novel, see how many words you can write this month. Oh, and don't forget to read! Those who write, do read. And those who read, often write. It's a great way to learn, and it is one of the oldest methods of building writing skills: reading and writing.

Even though it probably isn't needed, I'm going to offer my favorite starting point. Of course, it varies for every person. There is no uniform system of "how to write" (even if there are published books explaining the process). In the end, only the writer and determine the best method and approach. As for me, I like to start with three things:

Narrator: The person actually writing the story - that's not the writer, it is an invented voice/person.
Character(s): Grab a handful and place them in a conflicting situation. Conflict leads to story. It can even be characters in conflict with each other.
Plot: The general purpose or movement of the story. Chase? Mystery? Exploration? Adventure? Murder?

There it is. Take one of those broad plot concepts (or one you think up), stir in conflict and characters, add a narrator, and a novel starts to cook. Let your imagination and fingers do the rest of the work. And remember, plenty of people are writing alongside you.

What's Your Favorite Zombie?

2009-10-29T15:09:00.010-04:00

If this year isn't the year of the zombie, then certainly next year will be... or maybe the year after that. It has arrive sometime.

The last few years have seen a plethora of zombie films, both "serious" and comedic. At the moment, Zombieland is booming at the theaters, and "mash" books such as Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (zombie version) are filling bookshelves. As for books, there are quite a few others out there. They vary from traditional zombies (we don't know why they exist, they just do) to SF/thriller blends - usually associated with a viral infection.

And yes, I have two similar projects in the works or soon to be released. The one that is perhaps the greatest surprise is the novel Pallid Light. Yes, this one is with the ever pleasant co-author Alexander Griffin. Wonderful to work with. Always agreeable. And ever so witty.

But this post is really about the different types of zombies out there. If you haven't been keeping up with the walking dead, then you should know there are shambling zombies, ambling zombies, intelligent zombies, and brain dead zombies. There are also those that crave flesh, and others that desire brains, and some they just bite and chew.

While zombie lore existed long before George Romero's film Night of the Living Dead, it was that film that planted them in the horror genre - though it took a few years for them to sprout.

In Romero's classic film, the zombies were slow, brain dead beings, that walked the Earth for no known reason, and they liked to eat living flesh. Oh, they were groaners as well, as opposed to the more recent screamers.

Following Romero's film were a number of others, including follow-ups by Romero (I remember watching Dawn of the Dead at the midnight show at the mall theater). The zombies in that film were a bit smarter, although they did tend to hang out waiting for good prices of consumer goods.

Now throw into this the cornucopia of zombie novels and short stories, and we have a new sub-genre. To underscore this, many entertainment companies and websites are having zombie contests, protests, and of course games. Ah, did I mention The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead by Max Brooks (Mel Brook's son)? This book is neither novel nor story. It is a guide on surviving the zombie apocalypse, and wildly successful.

And back to films. Dawn of the Dead saw a re-make with faster zombies, and they were a bit smarter. In many ways they were similar to the critters in 28 Days Later (although some would argue they are not zombies).

Needless to say, I could continue this all day - but I won't. However, if you haven't read or seen any of these books or films, take the time. If the sub-genre is this popular, it seems like it is related to popular culture, which begs the question why is popular culture embracing zombies?

H.P. Lovecraft in Pop Culture Take and Eugenics

2009-10-19T18:40:00.005-04:00

As Halloween approaches, I thought I'd try (emphasis try) to make a few posts related to horror and fiction. Some of the posts will be my typical dry commentaries, hopefully others will be my less dry commentaries.

To start it off, given the short amount of time before Oct. 31st, I thought I'd post an essay (dry) about the author H.P. Lovecraft and how the fear of eugenics, or what scholars term "popular culture" interpretations of eugenics found its way into his work. It is a work I presented at a conference several years ago.

As a bit of background, do understand that Lovecraft lived during the middle of the great American debate about eugenics. Many states had passed laws, and many were passing laws requiring the sterilization of "defective humans." The standards and conditions in each state varied. However, they often focused upon I.Q. tests, income level, education level, and sometimes physical appearance. Mind you, there were no standardized I.Q. tests, so all of these forms of measurement were farcical at best.

In any case, the concept of eugenics - of improving the human race - moved from the scientific realm, which was dubious enough, to the general public. There were protesters on both sides, for and against, and it was transformed into a bit like a Jerry Springer show. The end result was a generally misinformed public on a already misinformed science.

My point behind this lengthy prologue is to point out that several academic and fiction books had been published about eugenics before the 1800s. With the advent of motion pictures, it had moved into theaters, and was already frolicking in fiction - both literary and genre. The overall tone of the following essay is to point out the reoccuring eugenics theme in H.P Lovecraft's works, and how it was represented in popular culture.

And, if anyone is interested in referenced works, please feel free to contact me for a list.

The Reading and Misreading of American Eugenics:
“The Lurking Fear” in Popular Culture

In 1923, the pulp author H. P. Lovecraft published his short fiction work “The Lurking Fear” in four installments in Home Brew magazine. Since its publication, neither the story, nor the magazine, has had much critical attention. However, the story has proven to have great longevity in the domain of popular culture. Lovecraft, while starting his career as an author of scientific articles, has become known today for his writing in genre fiction. “The Lurking Fear” is not one of his most notable works, yet it is a tale that sets a theme he follows throughout his career, and one that mirrors the mass culture reading of American eugenics in the early twentieth century.

Perhaps distinguishing between the theoretical, scientific concepts of eugenics in the United States as opposed to the common cultural interpretation seems to be of little benefit – at least at first glance. But it is the public’s reception and re-interpretation of these scientific and pseudo-scientific notions that produces, mutates, and evolves into a broad eugenics movement in commercial fiction. As argued by Martin S. Pernick in his text, The Black Stork: Eugenics and the Death of “Defective” Babies in American Medicine and Motion Pictures Since 1915, the dismissal by Mark Haller and Daniel Kelves of “environmentally-caused conditions that are not really eugenic, but the result of the mass culture’s misunderstanding of heredity” is to over simplify the eugenics argument. Pernick argues that the eugenics debate is evident in motion pictures, demonstrating how the misunderstanding has become the tool of propaganda. However, the same germs of misconception and misinformation infected commercial writing as well. This is perhaps the most evident in the works of H. P. Lovecraft.

Because of the overwhelming lack of scholarly interest in Lovecraft’s writings, biographical information is vague, debated, and often generalized. Nonetheless, he is recognized as one of the influential writers “weird fiction” during the early part of the twentieth century. Although he died in 1937, his literary progeny have given life to a vast sub-genre in the contemporary commercial market, bringing with it the embedded notions of degeneration and eugenics, though usually disguised in the metaphor or symbols of “monsters.”

In Lovecraft’s “The Lurking Fear,” the language of degeneration and the concern with heredity are readily evident. Through a first person narrative, the decline of a Dutch family, the Martenses, is traced. The short story follows them from an early, pre-colonial Dutch settlement in New York State’s Catskill region, to 1921. In the story’s opening, Lovecraft creates a setting that is one of the causes for the devolution of the Martense family:

It was not a wholesome landscape after dark, and I believe I would have noticed its morbidity even had I been ignorant of the terror that stalked there… The ancient lightning-scarred trees seemed unnaturally large and twisted, and the other vegetation unnaturally thick and feverish, while curious mounds and hummocks in the weedy, fulgurite-pitted earth reminded me of snakes and dead men’s skulls swelled to gigantic proportions.

This description of the land surrounding the ruined Martense mansion produces a primordial environment. Embedded in this language is the Lombrosoian idea of atavism, although Lovecraft has applied it to plants, weather, and earth. It is Nature stagnated, if not regressing.
The conversation of eugenics expands when the focus shifts to a nearby “squatter population inhabiting pitiful hamlets on isolated slopes”. The narrator goes on to state that “Normal beings seldom visited” the squatters – clearly drawing a distinction between the poverty-stricken people populating the remote areas and the other inhabitants, such as local townsfolk and farmers. In fact, throughout the work, Lovecraft refuses to describe the squatters in any positive manner. Being an author known for his abundant use of adjectives, he always prefaces “squatters” with “degenerate,” “simple,” “pitiful,” or other labels indicating their inferiority. Occasionally, he forgoes the use of “squatters”; instead, the terms “animals” or “witless shanty-dwellers” or at best “mountaineers” are applied. The overall effect is to produce a sense of defective humans, clearly of degenerate stock. And it is through the squatters that the work’s theme of heredity surfaces in the ancestry of the squatters; they are the offspring of the Martense family.

This is the moment where mass culture’s reading of eugenics as heredity intersects with Lombroso’s stigmata of the criminal man. Through the discourse of history, Lovecraft produces a narrative that explores the hidden aspects of the human animal. While on the surface the work is interested in locating a fiend, a monster stalking the remote regions of New York, beneath the narrative is the exploration of heredity and ancestry, the figuration of the criminal man:
Their life [the Martenses] was exceedingly secluded, and people declared that their isolation had made them heavy of speech and comprehension. In appearance all were marked by a peculiar inherited dissimilarity of eyes; one generally being blue and the other brown. Their social contacts grew fewer and fewer, till at last they took to intermarrying with the numerous menial class about the estate. Many of the crowded family degenerated, moved across the valley, and merged with the mongrel population which was later to produce the pitiful squatters [my emphasis].

The lack of symmetry (the eyes) and the intermingling with the “menial class” are elements that Martin S. Pernick describe as being examples of “defective” humans portrayed in the 1915 commercial film The Black Stork. This mass culture conception of eugenics is the device at work in Lovecraft’s story. It is the concern with the mixing of “stock” or “race” combined with an inferior heritage of the Martenses which results in the creation of atavistic humans. But, in order to bring about the rapid devolution of the Martense line, Lovecraft has their “menial” class progeny mingle with a local “mongrel” population. The result produces a narrative of superstitious, feebleminded people, capable of living in nothing more than shanties and “dug-outs” in the mountainside. Lovecraft has effectively reduced the squatters to the common notion of “cavemen.”

Of course, the hereditary trait of different eye color is a stigmata for the Martnese family. This allows the reader to mark them as defective, as a Lombrosoian criminal. In the story, it also serves as a portent of a darker fate for them. The narrator continues to delve into the mysteries surrounding the Martense family, eventually returning to the ruined mansion, which is located on Tempest Mountain. This spot is given to spectacular thunderstorms – and is in itself a commonly used literary trope of pulp fiction. When the weather is combined with the primordial landscape, the stage is set for what appears to be Lovecraft’s project: The representation of heredity as a lurking fear in human society. It is revealed to the reader that the Martense family was physically and mentally influenced by the prehistoric, atavistic location of their mansion. This is the cause for the rapid devolution of the family line. Lovecraft portrays this in his typical style. The narrator returns to the Martense mansion during a thunderstorm and attempts to put into words a horror that is beyond description – even doing so weakens the narrator’s sanity:
…then from that opening beneath the chimney a burst of multitudinous and leprous life – a loathsome night-spawned flood of organic corruption more devastatingly hideous than the blackest conjurations of mortal madness and morbidity.

The language used to describe the devolved family does its best to avoid the use of “human.” Similarly, the adjectives flood the prose just as the Martenses flood the surrounding forest, exposing the horror that not only slumbers in tunnels beneath the earth, but the threat that sleeps in human ancestry and society. Undaunted, Lovecraft continues in an attempt to convey the scope of the peril:

Seething, stewing, surging, bubbling like serpents’ slime it rolled up and out of the yawning hole, spreading like a septic contagion and streaming from the cellar at every point of egress – streaming out to scatter through the accursed midnight forest and strew fear, madness, and death.

Eventually the suppuration of adjectives ends with the narrator describing the Martenses as “dwarfed, deformed hairy devils or apes – monstrous and diabolic caricatures of the monkey tribe.” And like chimpanzees, the Martenses are agitated and aggressive during thunderstorms. In the last few paragraphs of the work, Lovecraft again describes the Martense family because they are the horror, the monsters of the tale. This time he uses the label “white ape,” and explains that they were “…the ultimate product of mammalian degeneration; the frightful outcome of isolated spawning, multiplication, and cannibal nutrition above and below the ground… .”

Even for the most imaginative of scientists studying eugenics, such a result is (hopefully) beyond their ken. Certainly this is an exaggeration of an already exaggerated theory. But as with most popular literature, the subject touches upon cultural fears, misguided or not. In Lovecraft’s tale of human degeneration, he is not experimenting like Zola in Nana, he is not writing a social critique, he is revealing a social fear, a “grinning fear that lurk[s] behind life.” The ancestral ghost that haunts this narrative is the unseen stigmata of the defective human. It is the symptom produced by years of debate over the “fit” and “unfit,” the superior and inferior, the great and the lowly. While those engaged in the debate about eugenics were secure in their status, insecurity seeped into mass culture. This caused a debate, already from dubious stock, to degenerate into a fear that was overlooked. Mass culture’s misreading of eugenics as science, transformed into a nightmare that continues to reoccur to this day.

Zombies Can't Read

2009-10-11T03:10:00.007-04:00

As promised, a few more (near) real time updates from the ConClave convention. I did a wonderful panel on Dark Fiction -which connected nicely to The Anthology of Dark Wisdom: The Best of Dark Fiction anthology I recently edited (www.williamjoneswriter.com/?p=217).

The anthology will appear in bookstores in the next few weeks. Although there are some advanced copies here at the convention. I believe the first batch sold out today.

Later in the evening I had a reading with the writer Stewart Sternberg. Both of read sections from our "zombie" novels (in my case, Pallid Light), as the reading was titled "Zombies Can't Read, but We Can."

The audience was delightful. There was a bit of overflowing music from next door - Wild Cherry's "Funky Music," and Cheap Trick's "Surrender." Attempting to read over the blaring music and karaoke was quite a challenge, but I believe it went well. Naturally I was in a hurry to get here, so I left my hard copy of the novel at hone. This left me reading from a Netbook screen - from an older version of the anthology.

Again my thanks goes to the audience who were spirited, and enjoyed zombie fiction, which made the entire thing worth the effort. Below is a photo of the audience (unable to get everyone into the photo -the room was too wide), and below that is a zombie I encountered in the hallway.

Movies, Writing. and the Beast within

2009-10-10T16:29:00.001-04:00

Still at ConClave. Did a panel on the film The Matrix, attended a panel on writing workshops, and a panel on werewolves - or is that Werewolfs?

Of course, The Matrix is a film I endlessly talk about, so there is no need for me to mention that.

Great panel on writing groups. Finding them can be difficult, so it was good to see a group of writers interested in writing (sounds odd).

For those interested in the Werewolf panel should visit Daniel Hogan's website for a podcast. Daniel is listed here on my blog under writers.

Below is a photo of the panel group.

Good question: What is the best werewolf novel or film out there?

Things to do on the Weekend

2009-10-08T17:19:00.002-04:00

If you're a writer, then writing is a good thing to do on the weekend. :) The next best thing to do is visit ConClave and join in on the literary panels.

Starting Friday, Oct. 8th, I'll be at the convention. If you get a chance, drop by and say hello.

I'll be on a number of panels and attending several this weekend. It is my hope to post some updates, photos, and maybe more from the convention - for those who can't attend.

Starting Friday, 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm, I'll be on the Writing 101 panel Darwin Garrison, Merrie Haskell, Charles P. Zaglanis, Stewart Sternberg, M. Keaton.

My guess is this will be a great panel for new and experienced authors. A wide variety topics will be covered, and of course the more voices in the audience with additional knowledge makes the panel all the better.

On later that night, at 6:30-8:00, I'll be on the Zombiegeddon panel - an exploration of why the undead keep coming back in fiction. And a bit of fun with the apocalyptic/zombie genre of fiction.

I'll be joining Daniel J. Hogan, Charles P. Zaglanis, Stewart Sternberg.

Even if you're not a fan of this sub-genre, this panel is worth attending. I did a similar panel last year and it was a blast...riot...killer....

What I'd like to do is list all of the panels I'm on, but after looking at the list, it is around 14, and maybe 15 if you count one double booking. :) That would be too long of a list to go through. And, as there are many other important and fun panels, I'll point to the program book: PROGRAM BOOK

What I will try to do is attempt to take Twitter questions and comments, and post a bit of the panels (maybe some audio with permission) on Facebook and my blog.

Lastly, but equally as important, I'll have advance copies of The Anthology of Dark Wisdom: Best of Dark Fiction with me, and they will be available for sale at the con. A list of authors can be fond on this blog (here).

Hope to see a few of you there!

ConClave 34 Convention

2009-09-16T17:27:00.007-04:00

As October 9th quickly approaches, I thought it best to mention the upcoming Conclave convention. I will be attending the convention, both for entertainment and as a panelist. Although the final panel list has not yet been released, I do know that there will be a number of enjoyable ones - for writers and fans of SF/Fantasy.

So why go to a convention? If you're a fan of genre fiction, it is a great place to meet people and discuss your favorite topics. You can also attend panels and join in on the discussions. Also, there is always something going on and something to do. Overall they can be great fun.

Now, if you're a writer, conventions are handy for meeting other writers, or editors. Usually there are a few panels dedicated to writing and publishing. Sit in on these and get information the easy way: by asking questions or jotting down notes.

This year at Conclave there will be the Writers Workshop - a three day workshop where a number of moderators, including me, comment upon submitted works. This is a great chance to meet with writers and editors one-on-one and ask a few questions.

There will also be panels covering the basics of freelance writing. Everything from manuscript formatting, to query letters, to submitting, finding markets, promoting, etc. will be discussed. Because the panels will be longer this year, much more can be covered.

Of course, there will be panels for experienced writers dealing with a variety of topics. I'll stop describing the panels and wait for this list appear on the website: ConClave 34

At the very least, drop by for a day and say hello to a few people. Hear some "inside buzz" and have a great time!

Oh, I nearly forgot - so I'm updating this post. There may be copies of the Dark Wisdom anthologies there (at least one). And a few of the authors appearing in the anthology will also be present.

Not speaking of computers. My drive recently crashed, and I lost a number of emails. So, if you've not heard from me, please re-send your email. Most everything else was restored. This technological hindrance did slow my writing pace, but for those who've been asking, here is another word count update. (I'm not really sure what that graphic means. Is the computer sticking it's tongue out at the potato? That is a potato, isn't it? Well, if I'm correct, my computer did just that - except I'm not a tuber. Hmmm. Some might disagree).

Books, Books, Books

2009-09-06T11:32:00.023-04:00

I wanted to post this Friday, but I never managed to find the time. So I'm playing catch-up.

I have a few books of which I wanted to make mention. One the upcoming anthology Dark Wisdom: The Best of Dark Fiction. But the others are two titles that are great reads.

If you haven't had a chance to read John Shirley's novel Black Glass (the lost cyberpunk novel), give it a shot. It is available in bookstores, with a recent re-stock arriving at Barnes and Noble either very shortly or within the next week. Like all of John's works, it's clever, contemporary, and sharp. John never pulls any punches.

Also heading to bookstores, including Barnes and Noble as well, is Tim Curran's classic novel Hive. It's not too late to enjoy a chilling summer read. This novel has been in print for a while. Still, if you haven't read it, add it to your reading list. Tim captures the mood and feel of a cold, unforgiving antarctic research station that uncovers eternal horrors. And he'll be following this novel up with a sequel. So even if you've read Hive, it might be time to re-read it

As for Dark Wisdom: The Best of Dark Fiction, it isn't in bookstores yet. But I've had a few emails asking about what authors are in the anthology. The anthology is named after the internationally distributed, full color magazine Dark Wisdom. You might say it's the next stage of the magazine's evolution. For those who read Dark Wisdom, (originally named "Book of Dark Wisdom Magazine"), you'll know it went from digest size to full size, from B&W to color, and soon it will be reborn online.

As a "real" book, the anthology includes some of the classic tales printed in the magazine, some that were in the queue for future publication, and some collected tales of dark fiction. This makes it an amalgamation of things. But mainly, a "best of dark fiction" anthology. A complete table of contents will be revealed when the book ships to stores. Until then, I can reveal the author names. The following list is in order of appearancee in the anthology. For those familiar with the anthologies I edit, I tend to place tales in thematic progression, or in an order that highlights a story's theme. And it's always delightful to read the emails from readers who have divined the method to my madness. Of course, my hope is to make the anthology read like a larger work, not simply a collection of stories (something I did as the editor of the magazine as well).
Onward! Here is the present ordered list of authors:

Tom Piccirilli
Tim Curran
C.J. Henderson
John Pelan & Paul Melniczek
Wendy Leeds
Sherry Decker
John Shirley
Neddal Ayad
Rachel Gray
Alan Dean Foster
Shane Jiraiya Cummings
Peter Straub
Patricia Lee Macomber & David Niall Wilson
Christopher T. Leland
Richard A. Lupoff
Christopher Welch
Gene O'Neill
Bruce Boston & Lee Ballentine
Deanna Hoak
Christian Klaver
Lee Clarke Zumpe
Gerard Houarner
Sam W. Anderson
Richard Wright
James Argendeli

On Writing

2009-09-03T10:12:00.006-04:00

Based on the title, I suppose I should attempt to write something profound about writing. That wasn't my intention. "Write." If you want to be a writer, then writing is the most difficult aspect of the job, and the most fundamental. I know it sounds silly. However, the most common barrier people encounter in writing is the writing aspect. It is tough work.

Okay, it's not profound or original. But maybe it is a little bit insightful.

I've spent the last few months wrestling with various projects, trying to complete each. I've finally reached a point to where it seems I've returned to where I've started - which means, some projects are complete. I'll start announcing a few of those next week. Or maybe even tomorrow.

For the moment, I've reset my writing counter, and embarked on another project. I typically divide my time between projects, so word count trackers are not accurate. Still, I'm going to use one. And I'm isolating it to a single project. This keeps it a bit more honest.

On the off chance someone is curious, the project I'm tracking now is a novel. I have a few to write in the next year, so I thought it'd be fun to track them.

I'll not venture into "my process" of writing. Although I'd love to hear how others approach a work such as a novel or short story. And if you have something you'd like to mention, please do. For those who are shy, emailing me is fine.

Traditional Instruments meet the Future

2009-09-01T16:37:00.010-04:00

I wonder how many people in the world play what I'd call a traditional instrument? - violin, trumpet, drums, guitar, flute, etc. What I mean by traditional instruments is pretty much any musical instrument that requires time and training to master or even not master, but to learn to play at some level, and it is an instrument that has an original sound that can be identified with it. I know this places keyboard synthesizers in a gray area, so maybe we include them under "keyboards."

I bring this up because having spent years learning to play a variety of "traditional" instruments, I've now encountered modern, ergonomic, synthetic musical devices that can reproduce most any existing, or even non-existing, instrument. They have a short learning curve, require no calluses, and can even play by themselves, or accompany you. Actually, these machines can even play other electronic instruments.

Two examples of these devices are the MPC1000 and MASCHINE. In a few minutes, a person with some musical skills, and quite a bit of technological savvy, "play" one of these new instruments. I've included some YouTube links for samples.

This brings me to the argument I've heard. Some people state that traditional instruments are better because they do require mastery, and "just anyone" can't play them. The other side of this argument is that new-tech instruments are more democratic, and take the emphasis away from fine-tuning the body to play an instrument, allowing more time for the mind to create music. And of course, a single person can replace an orchestra.

Naturally, being a person who straddled the age of classical instruments into electronic instruments, I enjoy the originality and flexibility of both. But I wonder if "traditional instruments" have seen their day come and pass? Yes, for the present, they are required for most electronic devices to use as sample sources. But can they can they compete with the new age of musical instruments?

MASCHINE DEMO (YouTube)

MPC 1000 DEMO (YouTube)

Both videos have lengthy introductions, but it is worthy watching them for the actual demonstrations.

Product Intergration: There is an Ad in my Entertainment

2009-08-25T21:34:00.002-04:00

I've been planning on this post for a while. So, I ventured across the Internet - thinking my use f "integration" fit the topic better - and just as I'm about to link articles, there the word is. Seems everyone is using it and I knew nothing about it.

Now what am I going on about? Overdone product placement in programs, films, and written fiction. The easiest way to see this in action is to watch any recent episode of the show Eureka. It's hard to overlook lines such as: "I really like your new Subaru [model name here]."

Pretty much everything appearing in the show is a product. Basically, they use real products - not cans labeled "BEER," but commercially produced beer. They speak about it, place it in clear view, and then speak about it again.

Having a bit of experience in the advertising world from working with a magazine, I can tell you that there will probably only be 1 product of a given brand per show. This means if Subaru is advertising, then all other cars become generic. If Coke is advertising, then there are no other soft drinks with real names. And their mentioning must be placed within appropriate editorial - meaning, the have to write the "integration" into the show as content.

The NBC show 30 Rock does this as well, although they make fun of themselves for doing it as though to make it appear they are not really doing it. Sounds more confusing than it is.

It does seem that the FCC has responded. This quote comes from a Washington Post article:

FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin said product placements and integration into
story lines have increased as television viewers increasingly use recording
devices like TiVo and DVRs to fast forward through commercials. Currently,
agency's rules require television programmers to disclose sponsors who have
embedded products into shows. Those disclosures typically are done during the
credits at the end of the show, which fly by viewers in small script.

"We want to make sure consumers understand and are aware that they are
being advertised to," said Martin, who first pushed to clarify disclosure rules
last fall. "We ask how we should update our rules to reflect current trends in
the industry."

I'm not sure listing anything in the speed-of-light, crunched into a small box credits will help anyone realize a product is being promoted. But I suppose it is a start.

And yes, it is happening in fiction as well, but I won't list books titles - they are easy to find. What once was thought to be verisimilitude is now actual product placement.

What is more striking is that Nielsen is already tracking the product integration. Yes, these are the folks who track TV ratings, ringtone sales, book sales, and pretty much anything that needs tracking. I wonder if this means shows with low reception to product integration will be cancelled? Too many people watching and not enough buying.

Depths of the Ocean: More High Seas Cthulhu

2009-08-21T13:24:00.005-04:00

It was my intention to post about product placement in television and fiction books - oh, and films, etc. But as other matters press upon me, I'll save that one for later in the week. Right now, I'd like to talk about stories set on the high seas.

For those who don't know, after my reading of a few million words for a previous anthology, I started to avoid sending open anthology calls around the Internet. In fact, some of my calls are still lurking in the pages of Writers Digest, which means I get submissions for books printed years ago.

To help slow the flow of submissions, I now make a cunning mention on my blog. Usually word gets around, but not quite as much as "major announcements."

And, as some people were not completely sure of what I was hinting at in the last three anthologies request, I'll be blunt this time. :) I'm looking for stories for a 2010 anthology.

What type of stories? They must be set on or darn close to the ocean or large body of water. The book is a sequel to High Seas Cthulhu.

Setting: Still an ocean or big body of water. Mostly modern, some historical is welcome.

Word Count: 5K (longer must be negotiated)

Payment: 5 cents/word first publication, 3 cents/word reprint.

Deadline: June 2010 - Although it could move up (never sure about these things)

Reference: If in doubt, read the existing book: High Seas Cthulhu. You might also consider visiting the link on my blog, where the authors of the last book wrote about how their stories came to be: High Seas Cthulhu: Below Decks

As for High Seas Cthulhu, it can be found in most books stores and online, ebay, game stores. Pretty much anywhere. I urge reviewing a copy to save yourself time by avoiding the repetition of tales from the first book.

How to submit? (Umm. I get plenty of email, and much of it is blocked by spam software. But let's try it this way. Submit to:

william@williamjoneswriter.com (Subject: High Seas 2 YOUR NAME).

The subject is very important because I'll use software to sort the submissions, and without High Seas 2, it'll likely get dumped into spam).

Suggestions:

Deep Ones are easy to write about in this anthology, so only use them if you have a unique slant. Most everyone will submit Deep One tales and you want yours to stand out. Or better yet, avoid Deep One tales.

Edgy is good. Please avoid this opening: "Dear reader, you might think me insane for what I'm about to put to paper..." (I've read that story. :> ) Put a modern spin on the story/creature/character, and make it yours.

Dark is good. Mood, tone, and a feel of darkness works in this anthology, but know that many people will be going the same way, so play with the approach.

Lastly, Cthulhu: Nope, no Cthulhu unless requested. Next to Deep Ones, this big fellow is the most popular critter people write about for this type of anthology. We can only have so many Cthulhu awakens and destroys the world tales in the anthology. So to improve your chances, avoid using him. Or at least query me about it before you do.

Feel free to post questions here, as that way I can answer them and create a FAQ at the same time.

MU Twitter Contest Over

2009-08-12T15:18:00.004-04:00

First, let me apologize, I'm typing this from a moving car - and my display screen is very small. I'm on my way to the GenCon convention. Oh, and I'm not driving. :) Although I haven't mentioned it much, I just had a surgery last week, and as a result I must be a passenger (among other limitations). Still, I'll be at GenCon, and I'll be posting updates from the convention on my Twitter (@RudolphPearson) and from the account I use for Chaosium (@Ab_Chaosium).

But right now, I'm here to speak about the Miskatonic University Twitter contest. It ihas end, and it did very well. A little over 650 submissions in three days. Obviously, I can't include all of them, but I'll do my best to include as many as I can.

What I learned about Miskatonic University from the Twitter feeds is that there is an overwhelming worry about Deep Ones on the campus. Yes, the bulk of Tweets references Deep Ones in one fashion or the other - only 1 Tweet was used as an excuse for not finishing a homework assignment.

I also learned that while the bulk of the MU faculty are "normal," there are a handful that worry the students (usually strange nocturnal activities). And there are some professors who are concerned about the students, although not in an academic sense. More of a "don't want to be consumed by them" fashion.

Good rule of thumb: Stay out of the library and basement.

Perhaps the best news is that no economic crisis has reached MU. At least there were no complaints about tuition, salary, or funding for insane experiments. This latter part is great news for the "crazy theory" department.

Excluding an abundance of Deep Ones, the university campus - based on Twitter response - is one of the safest in the world. It seems many students have eldritch spells or artifacts to defend against prowling creatures and janitors.

All and all, the staff, faculty, and students appeared overworked - usually engaged in occult endeavors rather than academic. But perhaps the most over worked person, and risky occupation, belongs to the librarian. This is a university where avoiding the library is a good thing.

When I started the contest, I had no idea I'd learn so much from the statistics of the Twitter messages. It was great fun, and my thanks to all who participated.

On Vampires

2009-08-06T05:45:00.002-04:00

Have vampires in literature changed since Stoker's popular novel? That is to say, have vampires as symbols and/or metaphors changed over those centuries? My guess is that most would either answer "yes," or "metaphors?"

It has been argued by a few that Stoker created a creature of his time. A metaphor representing aristocracy ( The Count), and that metaphor was seen to also be a parasite - the landed/gentry living off the life energy (labor) of the common folk. Certainly the political and social atmosphere of the time viewed the aristocracy as a dying or dead social class. And that is part of the basis for such a reading.

Now, if we were to read the Stoker vampire in that fashion, it begs the question: How has it changed? Is it still tied to classism? Or has it become something different?

To assuage those who'd worry over Stoker's intent - meaning did or didn't he really see The Count as a metaphor for class - I'd say it doesn't matter what his intent was because so many people read it that way culturally that the vampire in many cases became such a metaphor. And, If he did intend it, then he's all the more insightful. But overall, the intent is no longer a part of the reading.

Today, and over a short few decades, we have seen the vampire re-emerge and change several times. The novels of vampires have become a sub-genre, which means they are a part of popular literature, and perhaps that popularity is tuned to or is the locus of some cultural element.

Certainly there are many types of vampires today, so there are many answers. I'd love to explore those. Maybe it would reveal something to us culturally and as a society.

Dark Wisdom

2009-07-30T15:22:00.003-04:00

The Anthology of Dark Wisdom: the best of dark fiction

Featuring horrifying and fantastical tales from the eponymous magazine, previously unpublished works, and award-winning short stories, this anthology of macabre fiction explores the unseen folds of urban life. From the monstrous to the psychological, these tales fearlessly venture into the hidden world of the supernatural, where strange creatures stalk the night and eldritch investigators search for the unknown.

After a few probing emails, I thought it best to come clear about this anthology. :) Here is the cover of the upcoming Dark Wisdom: Best of Dark Fiction anthology. It's one of the projects I'm finishing up - along with two other anthologies (umm, and two novels, and two RPG books).

For me what happens is when contracts start arriving on author's doorsteps, emails arrive on mine asked about information on the book. While I'm not quite ready to release the table of contents, it's probably easy to find quite a few of them by searching the Internet (and yes, more contracts are either en route or have yet to be discovered). Still, I can offer some information such as it is releasing the Fall, and it is delightfully dark and adventurous.

The cover is by Malcolm McClinton, and I think it captures the theme of the anthology quite well.

Of course, the above has led to many questions about the magazine. Mostly, where is it?

The magazine did quite well, but with my aforementioned list of activities, and the extra work required by the magazine, it seemed best to alter the format (did I mention I'm an editor, staff writer, and assistant RPG line developer for Chaosium, Inc.?) So, now magazine is a print anthology, and it will be an online magazine (featuring different tales than the book). No need to rush to the website yet. I understand alterations are in progress, and it will be up soon.

American Exports

2009-07-22T19:52:00.006-04:00

Although my mentioning of Les Secrets de Marrakech has nothing to do with my post, I thought it would be a good segue. So let me explain it first. This is the French translation, hardcover edition of my book Secrets of Morocco (published by Chaosium).

Also, for those interested, the back story to the "tablets of Ur-Nansha," which is referenced in Morocco, can be found in the soon to be released anthology Blood and Devotion anthology (edited by William H. Horner).

Now onward! The topic of what is American art has been endlessly debated, so I thought I'd add to that debate. Well, at least I'll bring it up again. Is there any original American art? (read "American" as United Station, and "art" being literature, sculpture, painting, music, etc.). And, assuming there is, what has been exported outside of the United States and how has it influenced what is a long established tradition in Western or even Eastern art(s)?

Or, is there no such thing as "original" American art?

If you haven't been following this debate since 1776, then you'll need to know that most of what exists in the U.S. has been transplanted here - like its original residents. Many folks speculate that American art is not original; rather, it is based upon and a variation of European or Western traditions in art. This has lead the U.S., particularly after the mid-1800s, to produce art that is truly American made. Yet, there are many who still say it hasn't been accomplished.

On the other hand, quite a few people believe that American culture is its greatest export - which seemingly includes "art," although it isn't clearly defined. At the same time, there are many countries attempting to prevent the infiltration of American culture (and language). In turn, this fear of culture has been the foundation for a few arguments that there is original American art and the fear of the transmission of culture is proof (as art is often viewed as "dangerous").

I confess, I've conflated quite a bit in the above paragraphs. But honestly, it isn't possible to thoroughly explain the topic in a few words. But hopefully there is enough to provide some food for thought.

Writing and Editing Several Projects

2009-07-20T16:24:00.003-04:00

I often get emails asking about what book I'm working on, whether it be writing or editing. One would think answer these emails to be easy. However, I often have a few pans in the fire, so I'm shifting about from one thing to another. This means there is no short answer (unless you ask about a specific project). Okay, even in that case, because my time is interlaced with other projects, it is still tough to answer.

In an attempt to clarify and probably confuse, I've added a word counter meter to the sidebar of my blog (I'll put one on my website sometime in the near future). Now the meter is following a "project," which is unnamed. :) But it will keep with the project as I go along. And in the near future it will be named. (Many will be able to guess the project).

Alas, that is the most I can do for now, except reply in complicated emails. Well, maybe not all. I've found another word count meter that indicates my state and writing status. I'll try to make a post including it now and then.

So, for the moment: Yes, I am working on all of those projects I've been emailed about. There are a few, so movement varies from day to day. And, for those who have sent me manuscripts to read, I appreciate your patience. Oh, and if you send one via post, please include your email address or return postage...please.

Video Games as Literature

2009-07-14T19:54:00.008-04:00

I suspect most of you have encountered a video game in one form or another in your lifetime - whether it be on an Odyssey (remember those?) or on the latest game station, cell phone, or computer. Oh, and they even had them in arcades for a while.

To my chagrin, I must confess that back in the ----'s I authored two video games that were distributed. No, they were not very popular, and I've only encountered a handful of people in my lifetime who'd seen them or played them. I've no idea what happened to the publishers, and because they were quite primitive adventure games, I'll not mention titles. To give you a feel for the period, however, I'll list the platforms: Commodore 64, Apple IIe, IBM XT, Sinclair 2000. Yeah, it was some time ago. :-\

I bring this up because the above is really my only qualification for posting about video games. And as you can see, it isn't much to mention. Yes, I've played a few over the years. I'm always behind on the latest platform, and yes, I still use the word "platform." But what I've noticed with the latest generation of video games is how cinematic they've become. True, they have arcade moments. There's still some jumping and falling and swinging to be done. Still, from my early day, they have come a very long way.

Today camera angels with the ability to change the POV is possible - creating a strong cinematic feel. Original soundtracks, amazing graphics, and tactical responses make present games far more engaging and perhaps give them a medium of their own.

After having watched a friend play a game recently, I was impressed by the storyline. I prowled through a few of the games available, asking about them and trying them out. Each one was novel material (or film as we've seen in the last decade or so). Yes, these games have been translated to books and films for a while, but usually they required a little extra help from authors outside the game industry. This isn't to slight the original game. Repeat play, difficulty/ease, originality, portability, and lifetime are elements that game designers have to deal with. So it isn't easy to sit down and create a seamless, flowing plot for a video game that must challenge and interact with the user.

Nonetheless, they are doing this now. Admittedly, if you lack the skills (such as I do) there is quite a bit of repetition. But, I imagine for those with the talent, many recent games flow like interactive films. What I've noticed is character development (something gold old Mario never had), sub-plots, and twists. Two of the games I'll briefly touch upon are Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and Dead Space. One is modern adventure set in remote Pacific Islands (looking for a giant statue in a sunken city - never a good idea), and the other is set in the far future, with a mining ship that has suffered some serious problems.

So what makes these literature? Well, really, I'm asking everyone else that. I'd propose they have characters, plots, and themes. They are acted, accompanied by music. Those reasons seem good enough to get them into the category. And judging from recent surveys and sales data, they are not giving both movie theaters and DVD sales a run for their money. Of course, it goes without saying that they've beaten out the printed word quite some time ago. All of this adds up to commercial as well, proves reception (by an audience).

What I wonder about is how far can video games go? Will they become the new direction of film? I don't mean game-to-film adaptations, but games as film. For instances, the recent Resident Evil game has its own film prequel. The game follows a different path from the filmic versions, as does the CG film: Resident Evil: Degeneration. It also has a whopping 3 disc sound track available.

We already know that video games are a booming industry. And I know that many people in the arts look at them as "pulp" or simply mindless entertainment - things that keep us locked in the house. Okay, for the most part they do. With that said, they do have portable video games now - just like portable books. In short, it seems that we are running out of arguments against video games. Now, I can't resist pointing out that they are simulations and if you've read my blog, you'll know where that can take me. So I won't go there. :) Besides, I have certainly read written works, both historical and modern that were nothing but commercial opportunities - true pulp, and embarrassingly concocted versions of complicated realities.

For me at least, it seems this form of entertainment is becoming a form of literature. Like film, we are watching the industry grow, changes, expand, and mature - in all aspects (technology, audience, story-telling). It's certainly worth keeping a close eye on.

Ancient Shadows Anthology

2009-07-09T14:43:00.006-04:00

As this anthology appeared in distribution catalogs yesterday, I figured I might post a bit about it. True, Amazon seemed to have a listing for a while, but that was do to another distributor's mistake. In either case, here is a sneak peek.

The cover is by Steven Gilberts - and it has been done for quite a while. (not quite sure were this copy text came from, although I suspect it will be replaced). And a list of authors will soon follow. This is a late 2009 release, available in all fine bookstores.

Ancient Shadowws: Dark Tales of Eldritch Fantasy

This anthology of dark tales touches upon a dark mythos unseen beneath the surface of the real world. Conducting a journey into a timeless universe of what might have been, this collection of stories contains narratives composed by today’s most popular authors of eldritch fiction. Ideal for sword and sorcery aficionados and written in the authentic style of traditional dark fantasy, this compilation is a must-have for fans of Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, and H. P. Lovecraft.

Out of the Blue and into the Unreal

2009-07-07T04:25:00.002-04:00

How much of society today has become a "simulated society"? Was society always simulated? Where has the "real"gone? (Still awake? Have a headache yet? :-> ) These questions surround us: we hear them when we listen to music; we see them when we look out the window, when we watch the television... (starting to quote a film there). Instead of that, let me quote a few others on the same questions:

"To dissimulate is to pretend not to have what ones has. To simulate is to feign to have what ones doesn't have. One implies a presences, the other an absence. But it is more complicated than that because simulating is not pretending: "Whoever fakes an illness can simply stay in bed and make everyone believe he is ill. Whoever simulates an illness produces in himself some of the symptoms" (Littre). Therefore, pretending, or dissimulating, leaves the principle of reality intact: the difference is always clear, it is simply masked, whereas simulation threatens the difference between the "true" and the "false," the "real" and the "imaginary." --(Baudrillard)

All simple monkeys with alien babies
Amphetamines for boys
Crucifixes for ladies
Sampled and soulless
Worldwide and real webbed
You sell all the living
For more safer dead

Anything to belong

Rock is deader than dead
Shock is all in your head
Your sex and your dope is all that were fed
So ****all your protests and
Put them to bed

God is in the TV

1,000 mothers are praying for it
Were so full of hope
And so full of ****
Build a new god
To medicate and to ape
Sell us ersatz
Dressed up and real fake
Anything to belong
Rock is deader than dead
Shock is all in your head
Your sex and your dope is all that were fed
So ****all your protests and
Put them to bed
(Rock is Dead - Marilyn Manson)

I confess, those quotes make for an unusual juxtaposition. But, to me, they seem to be dealing with the same topic. In the first, we have an explanation of how "the real" vanishes. In the second, we have an example of "the real" VANISHING.

Maybe simulation has become a part of Western culture, thereby encompassing society and all that falls under the culture. We tend to build simulations within simulations (games that mimic reality with ever increasing realism). Part of Baudrillard's point in his book Simulacra and Simulation is that the "real" is eventually replaced with the simulated (often claimed to be the new and improved "real"). This act destroys the original, leaving only a simulation - which is eventually accepted as the original.

So what does this have to do with anything? Ha - maybe it's too late to ask that question. I'll jump to another person who seems to be dealing with the simulated structure of life:

As soon as you're born they make you feel small
By giving you no time instead of it all
Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all

A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

They hurt you at home and they hit you at school
They hate you if you're clever and they despise a fool
Till you're so ****ing crazy you cant follow their rules

A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

When they've tortured and scared you for twenty odd years
Then they expect you to pick a career
When you cant really function you're so full of fear

A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

Keep you doped with religion and sex and tv
And you think you're so clever and classless and free
But you're still ****ing peasants as far as I can see

A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

There's room at the top they are telling you still
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
If you want to be like the folks on the hill

A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be
If you want to be a hero well just follow me
If you want to be a hero well just follow me
(Working Class Hero - John Lennon)

And while I'm quoting songs to find an angle at this point, let me through one that is still connected to the topic, and joined to the prior song (maybe we can read "dreams" as "simulation"):

My generation is zero.
I never made it as a working class hero.
21st century breakdown.
I once was lost but never was found.
I think I'm losing what's left of my mind
To the 20th century deadline.
I was made of poison and blood.
Condemnation is what I understood.
From Mexico to the Berlin wall.
Homeland security could kill us all.

My name is Samuel, the long lost son.
Born on the 4th of July.
Raising the bygones of heroes and cons.
Left me for dead or alive.
There is the war that's inside my head
That questions the results and lies.
While breaking my back til I'm damn near well dead.
When enough ain't enough to survive.
I am a nation, a worker, a pawn.
My debt to the status quo.
The scars on my hands are a means to an end.
It's all that I have to show.
I'm taking a loan on my sanity.
For the redemption of my soul.
Well I am exempt from this tragedy and the 21st century fall.

Praise, Liberty The freedom to obey
It's a song that strangles me
Well, don't cross the line
Oh dream, American dream.
I can't leave and see from rainstorms 'til dawn.
Oh bleed, America bleed.
Believe what you read from heroes and cons.
(21st Century Breakdown - Green Day)

In the end, with all of this protesting about simulation, it seems unlikely that it could remain invisible to us. That is, unless, the protests are simulated protests, devoid of their message. If so, then "rock," once a protest music, is certainly dead.

Tales Out of Miskatonic University

2009-07-03T11:57:00.007-04:00

This anthology is ready to be handed to the publisher, Mythos Books, LLC. I don't have a publication date yet, but when I do, I'll be certain to announce it.

Many thanks to all of the authors, the artist, and everyone involved in the project. It was a great pleasure, and I'm looking forward to it being published.

For those curious, the book will be divided into university departments: Science, Arts, Philosophy, etc. (Those are not the actually departments). And stories related to the departments will be included in the appropriate sections. The tales range from the past to the present, and include some student blogs, and a few "Tweets."

Here's a list of stories and authors included in the book -the contest winners don't appear yet for covert reasons. The names are in no particular order, although from some of the titles you can probably guess the department the story will appear in:

Richard A. Lupoff - "Admissions Committee"
Lois H. Gresh - "There's No Place Like Void"
Robert M. Price - "The Third Oath of Dagon"
Lee Clark Zumpe - "If Skin were Parchment"
MR Keaton -"Strings"
Charles A. Gramlich - "The Vivarium"
Jeff W. Edwards -"Admission and Expulsion"
Lon Prater - "Symphony for the Aligning Stars"
Ferrel D. Moore - "A Horrified Mind"
John Goodrich - "Dreams of Raw Flesh"
Tim Curran - "He Who Calls the Pets"
Cody Goodfellow - "The Anatomy Lesson"
Stewart Sternberg - "The Idols of Canaan"
Stephen Mark Rainey -"To Be As They"
Sarah Newton - "The Apprentice"
C. J. Henderson - "Cruelty"
William Jones - Editor/Introduction

Quarantine - The Film

2009-07-02T10:10:00.005-04:00

I confess, when Quarantine was released to the theaters, I did not rush out to see it. I didn't speed to the rental store to grab it when it was released on DVD. I didn't rent it on "Pay-per-View," or iTunes, or NetFlix when it arrived in these locations. I skipped it at the Red Box video vending machine in the local grocery story. In fact, when I finally rented it, I didn't watch it, and had to return it to avoid late fees. In general, there was little that inspired me to watch the film in the promotional material, the cover, or the copy.

At long last I've seen it, and it was quite different from what I had expected. Not that it was better than I had anticipated, but it certainly wasn't as "bad" as I had thought. While the film didn't inspire me much, it was compact, mostly well organized, and focused. It is a 1st person film (Blair Witch, Cloverfield, etc). This allows for a lower budget as filmic perfection isn't always expected, and in theory creates a different mood for the viewer - although it clearly reminds the viewer that he or she is a viewer, something many films attempt remove.

Still, I'd not say the film was bad. If you like suspense/thriller/horror/action films, it is worth your time. The camera isn't overly shaky, which is good. The premise is common to film, but a favorite (being a group of people trapped in a single location with no means of escape).

Fans of the Showtime series Dexter will recognize Jennifer Carpenter in the lead role (Dexter's sister). I believe she does a good job in the role - even if a bit of her character from Dexter bleeds through.

Gore? Yes. Not as much as a typical zombie film. But this isn't a zombie film. Toward the end it works very hard to pull the premise together, which is almost another film in itself. My guess is most viewers will figure out some of the surprises early on. This isn't a problem because it adds to the suspense, as it should. This is akin to everyone knowing a character shouldn't open a particularly door. Regardless of our shouts, and cries of tropes, the door gets opened. While there is such a door in the film, there are other elements that work for the film if the viewer is aware of them in advance, and likely surprise those viewers who do not expect them. Overall, this keeps the film working, and worth watching.

I suppose I have no fabulous words for Quarantine because it didn't work with anything original. Nonetheless, it took established conventions and maintained suspense and thrill throughout most of the film. And it does a good job of pulling it all together at the end. It is a great study in suspense - for film makers and writers. And from what I understand, it is somewhat based on a popular Spanish film [REC] (which I've not seen).

With all of the above, I'd still suggest watching this film - if you fall into any of the aforementioned categories. And keep an eye on the background elements of the story. What might be the most frightening aspect of the film is the Civil response (related to the title of the film). Always good to know there is someone out there to help. :)

Some fun with Writing and Editing

2009-07-01T09:41:00.010-04:00

Here are a few comics from Comics.com on the topics of writing and editing. I was sent one by writer and editor Charles P. Zaglanis, and it inspired me to post a few:

Dialog - Those other Voices

2009-06-29T17:55:00.002-04:00

I won't be writing a treatise on short story writing. Rather, I'm simply doing a few posts on common questions or things I've encountered. This post is about dialog. One of the things that often appears in fiction is "realistic dialog." This is a tricky phrase. To be honest, if dialog is too realistic then it becomes a series of grunts, grumbles, repeated words and phrases. "Real" dialog doesn't always work in fiction. Yet, sometimes new writers will defend perfectly reproduced dialog as "being real."

There is the catch. In fiction, "real" isn't as important as moving the story and keeping the reader's attention. So "based on a true story" doesn't mean that the dialog is verbatim. Rather, in short fiction, dialog needs to move the story forward, develop the character, and maintain tension. This usually means the characters speaking are at odds, having opposing ideas, or have some conflict that is being discussed.

"Is that a UFO?"
"Yes."
"Oh. Okay. Wow, that's really cool."
"Yes, it is. I see them all of the time."
"Really?"
"Yes. Not that big of a deal."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes."
"Oh."

----
Other than the obvious and mundane voice traits I've added to the above two characters ("Yes" and "Oh"), there is nothing thrilling in the above dialog. Well, maybe if it were REAL then it would be quite exciting to the reader. Although with the lackluster exchange, it seems to under-deliver. And in part, this is due to lack of hard conflict. If you're a fan of The X-Files, then you can probably re-imagine the above exchange between Scully and Mulder. Most likely it would involve disagreement (conflict).

Also, the above dialogue does little to move the story forward. Clearly the characters have spotted a UFO - or so one says. And one character is new to the experience while the other finds it rather commonplace. That work is mainly done in the first 4 lines. The remainder of the dialogue is pretty much useless, short of using for comedic affect by expounding upon its mundane nature.

Once again, every writer has his or her own approach to this, and I'd be interested in learning some of those. I wonder how the above dialogue could be made more interesting and move a story along within 9-10 lines. That would be a 10 line flash fiction work. :)

Narrators - Voices in Your Head

2009-06-24T11:46:00.007-04:00

A common misconception about narrators is that the are always the protagonists in a story. Sometimes they are, but most of the time the narrator is someone else.

Obviously, 1st person tales typically use the character as the narrator. Many folks find this the easiest form of narrator. Perhaps it's because writers often let their own voice become the narrator. This means the writer knows the narrator very well and so the narration becomes easier.

This leads to a point I'd like to make. After the protagonist, the narrator is the most commonly overlooked aspect of a story. And yet, these two elements are perhaps the most important.

Of course, there are various ways of developing a narrative voice. It is easy to rely on your own voice, but this can be repetitive in short stories, and make all of your characters feel the same. So give some thought to narrative voice. Find one that fits the story.

For me, I must have a narrator before I can put down much text. Yes, I have written stories and changed the narrative voice after disliking the original. In the Pearson tales, I use a 1st person, Edwardian-lite narrator, who is fond of alliteration and hyperbole. This is not my own voice, honest. ;p Yet, readers often email me and write: when you were casting that spell...

They know I'm not Rudolph Pearson, yet the 1st person narrative links the author with the character. My point being that I did much work on that narrator, and now to find his voice I must sit down and re-read a bit of Pearson. Certainly, there is a bit of me in the narrator, character, and other characters.

No matter how hard we try, "we," the writer appear in our narrators and characters. But that doesn't mean we should throw ourselves into them. The challenge and fun is developing new creations.

Again, the approaches to this are multitudinous. I wonder what methods others use.

Short Fiction on the Fly

2009-06-23T01:20:00.001-04:00

Here's something I'm asked about often: Writing short stories.

The most common question put to me is "Where do I start?"

Of course, the flippant answer is "at the beginning." This response helps no one, and provides nothing useful. Yet, it is perhaps the most cited answer to the question.

Instead of that response, I tend to say you start with character and a narrator. This confuses some people. Some feel that the protagonist is the narrator, while others feel the narrator is the writer.

For me, fiction is about the protagonist. And how we learn about the protagonist is through the narrator - at least that is one means.

So, of you start to tell someone about your short story and you start with: There's this guy who...

Stop there.

"This guy" is not a character; he is a place holder for the missing protagonist. First, find the protagonist. Do this by creating a life around him - a past, family, likes, dislikes, parents, siblings, habits, traits, everything you can think of to make this character interesting in the adventure he's about to undertake. You may even find that he starts to write his own story.

Next, you need a strong narrator. But that will be another post.

I wonder what other ways writers stumble into stories? Regardless of what books on writing state, there I'd no one method to writing. Everyone develops an approach with practice. The one I cited works for me, and has helped many others.

Anyone have a different approach?

The Shape of Fiction

2009-06-21T18:25:00.011-04:00

It has been a while since I've posted. Many thanks for the emails during that period and the warm wishes. I regret that I had to take some time to recover from an illness - and I suppose I'm still in process. But I certainly feel much better.

But enough of that. There is plenty to catch up on. Emails to be answered, posts to be made, and lots and lots of editing.

This post, however, is about none of the above. It is about how the genre publishing industry has changed over the last few years. Mostly, over the last 16 months. Genre fiction has always been popular in alternate formats - ebooks, audio, websites. And it seems to be growing in popularity.

There is far too much to cover, so I'll stick to audio and ebooks. Within those broad categories, I'll focus on downloadable (my word) audio and Amazon's Kindle (maybe I'll touch on some other e-readers).

On the off chance no one noticed, audio books that can be downloaded direct from retailers have become popular. Amazon has been busy buying most of the industry (Brilliant Audio - located here in Michigan - and Audible.com).

Perhaps you ask: Amazon.com? The online bookstore? The bookstore that discounts hardcover and paperback books by as much as 40%? Why, yes, that Amazon (and I know they now sell everything under the sun). But let's pretend their primary business is printed books. Then what's up with the Kindle? (e-book reader) And these audiobook publishers? Too many questions here.

Well, if you've not heard of the Kindle, it's worth taking the time to do so. Most likely something like it will be what books are "printed" on in the future. If not that medium, then some audio format. By the way, the new Kindle can play audiobooks as well as allow one to purchase books electronically and have them delivered right to your reader - zero waiting, zero shipping, bad news for UPS.

With this nearly paper-thin device, you can hit Amazon.com, purchase a Kindle compatible ebook for $6.99, and be reading it in minutes - unless you have my Internet connection, then waiting for it to be printed on paper and shipped is a bit faster.

Amazon claims there are over 300,000 books available, and the Kindle can hold up to 1500 of them. So it is a virtual library shelf as well.

Certainly ebooks have been around for a while. The difference here is the device. It uses WI-FI and the 3G wireless network. This means books can be had in route to a convention. Now a means of producing an electronic autograph is required. Why else rush to get a copy of a book while heading to a convention?

I can hear the Apple users screaming: Been doing it for years with iTunes! Yes, yes. :) Apple devices, like many other electronic devices have been capable of downloading ebooks. My guess is there are as many ebook formats and readers as there are devices Well, maybe more formats and readers. The iPod, iTouch, and iPhone have been organizing forces in this industry for some time. They are also the source of SCS (Secondary Capitalization Syndrome).

In a clever move, Amazon released an applet for the iTouch and iPhone allowing users of those devices to read kIndle books. This brings together a very lArge market for Amazon, and helps promote the Kindle (priced at $359.00 on Amazon.com). Oh, it is about the same price as a loaded iPhone, except you can't make phone calls with it. But you can listen to audiobooks, surf the web, read newspapers (seems like surfing again), subscribe to podcasts, RSS feeds, or even have the Kindle read to you. I don't mean listen to an audio book, nope. It will read the text to you, albeit in a rather dull, unanimated (not a real one either), electronic voice.

All of this in 16 color grayscale! (from the promotional photo, you can see how thin the device is; how colorful it's surroundings; and how happy it makes the reader). 16 color grayscale? Oh my. Then really, printed genre books tend to be equally as colorful. We must rely upon the language for our color.

And it will read to you!

But why let the Kindle read a book when you can simply download an audiobook to the Kindle, or iThing? This books are not the 10 cassette tape monsters with special headset adapters or the past (Amazon bought that company). They are no CDs filled with MP3s. These are books with proprietary formats that can be downloaded to the Kindle (Audible.com format - remember who bought them?) Oh, and Apple iThings can use aUdible.com books as well. So can a few other devices that seem to change with the seasons.

Alas, the post is getting lengthy. Suffice it to say that genre fiction, and every other form of fiction and non-fiction, is becoming electronic. I've not tried the KIndle, but I would be tempted - if not for the price. I have tried iThings, and even the kIndle reader for the iTouch. Even on the small display, reading isn't difficult. The functions are limited. Unlike the Kindle, you cannot highlight or word search (at least not the last time I checked). Still, it allows you to carry around a vast array of books (Amazon has free Kindle books as well). This makes reading in a doctor's office a bit easier, as you can turn off the book when your name is called. And while on the road, you can listen to the audio edition.

Miskatonic University Twitter Contest

2009-06-08T01:39:00.001-04:00

3 day contest, starting August 8th, 2009. #MUcontest

Send Twitter posts as though they were from students, staff, or faculty of H.P. Lovecraft's famous university.

Selected winners appear in the anthology TALES OUT OF MISKATONIC UNIVERSITY, and get 1 free copy if the book.

HOW TO SUBMIT:

Either send a Twitter message directly to me, or to my Facebook account, or to my email: William@williamjoneswriter.com (with the topic MU Twitter Contest).

You can submit as many times as you like, and use L33T Speak if you like.

What's in a Book?

2008-10-24T05:18:00.002-04:00

Tales Out of Miskatonic University

What's in a book? Paper, glue, binding, ink, sentences, words, numbers, ideas, secrets. All manner of things can be found in a book - including authors (a tough squeeze).

In this case, I'm really asking who is in the book? The book being Tales Out of Miskatonic University, to be published by Mythos Books, Inc. Trying to guess who is included seems to have become a popular feature on the blog, so I thought I'd continue it with this anthology. But first, let me make a statement about the MU Blog Contest. It will come to an end in 3 weeks. So if you have additional posts (or emails), send them promptly. Remember, you can enter as many times as you like. For more details, click on the Miskatonic University Contest link.

Now it wouldn't be fair not to give everyone a starting point. And I suppose there should be some sort of prize involved. The top three folks who supply the most information will win prizes. I'll offer up - a choice of a copy of the book, or a cover print from the artist (Steven Gilberts). I'm offering the prizes, so these poor folks don't know about it yet. :) Not to worry.

Rules:

*Help each other, and everyone wins
*Post in the comments to prove you're helping, or go it alone and email
*(if emailing) Include the subject "INSIDE MU CONTEST"
*Be nice

What to find? (Trick or Treat)

As it the nearby holiday is Halloween, I thought we might try a twist. You can trick others by offering false information. How sinister. I'll not hold that against anyone. But, please, be kind and polite with such information.

I'm looking for author and artist names, websites, and story titles. The more the better. Finding all of them might be difficult. But who knows?

The more detail, the better. And don't overlook the obvious. That's part of the trick.

Starters:

Here are some authors who are included in the anthology, but I'm not mentioning story titles:

Richard A. Lupoff
Robert M. Price
C. J. Henderson
Stephen Mark Rainey

-- That's all you get.

Enders:

The challenge ends Novemeber 15th, 11:59 p.m., EST (that's -5/4 hours GMT depending upon the time of the year).

Halloween Horror - Books and Films

2008-10-23T11:11:00.017-04:00

Sure, everyone is posting about spooky books, tales, and films this time of the year. So one more post isn't going to hurt. And, to add to the mix, I'll make a few more posts before Oct. 31st.

If for some reason you're out of things to read and watch for the season, and don't feel like reading Something Wicked This Ways Comes again, then let me suggest a novel from a few years back: Midnight, by Dean Koontz. Or, if you're in the mood for a film, then The Descent. These are not my only suggestions, they are just a starting place. More will cover over the next week or so.

Midnight - Dean Koontz

This is a classic horror/thriller novel from the days when Mr. Koontz did not have an "R" in his name. :) For those who have read Koontz, you'll know that he is skilled at blending genres, and can produce some tantalizing prose. This novel isn't filled with gore. Instead, Koontz works on producing chills. The opening is a grabber - a classical approach to horror fiction. And the pacing and mystery follows along with the best of any action thriller. The characters are likable, and while there is some use of technology that perhaps is an attempt to forewarn the reader about the promises of science, it still works. To prevent spoiling what is going on in the novel, I'll not reveal any more details (other than part of the copy below). This is a novel for readers and writers alike. It is even better if shared with someone else, or at least read when the night approaches the witching hour. As a bonus, fans of Koontz will recognize the setting of Moonlight Cove. Lastly, when reading, do a "Poe count." That is keep track of how many allusions Koontz makes to Edgar Allan Poe.

(Synopsis):

In picturesque Moonlight Cove, California, inexplicable deaths occur and spine-tingling terror descends to this "edge of paradise." Growing numbers of residents harbor a secret so dark it is sure to cost even more lives.

The Descent

In the mood for a film, then try this one. I confess, I didn't see this film at the theaters. The commercials portrayed it as something of a "gore festival." Then a number of people told me how great it was. I waited for it to appear on DVD, rented it, and then didn't watch it (because the cover yelled, "Gore!"). Okay, I have no problem with slasher films or splatter punk, but I must be in the mood for it. Those moods are rare, and seem to be more uncommon with each passing year.

Eventually, I re-rented the film and watched it. What a delightful surprise. Yes, there is some gore, and blood. But it isn't over the top. This film is well directed, and the acting works wonderfully. The basic premise is a group of gals decide to go spelunking. Okay, that sounds a bit hokey - something out of a typical horror novel: A band of females go into the woods and undress. Well, in the film, they go into the woods, and then into a cave, but there is no undressing. (The undressing is usually a prelude to death in horror novels and films).

As for the "gore" factor, you can see from the original cover (above) that this film use blood as a selling element. I don't believe it did well at the box office. This might be due to the fact that they attracted the wrong audience, and kept away the correct audience.

Instead, we have a cast of strong female characters who find themselves in a dire situation. In fact, it is a bit of a Lovecraftian tale - but not overtly so. This film is suspenseful, thrilling, and surprising. The cinematography captures the claustrophobic elements of exploring caverns, and the characters interact well - perhaps too well.

So what does that last remark mean? Ignore it the first time you watch the film. Just enjoy it and the surprises. But, once you're done, return to it, and examine the characters. Each person in the group can be connected to an aspect of the mind (Ego, Id, Emotion, Reason, Wisdom, Logic, etc.). So when you re-watch it, take that into account, and see if the film has the same ending. I'll say to no more for fear of spoiling things.

I've also included a shot from the film - one that captured the close quarters. This aspect is important to the tension, and it works upon the viewer quite cleverly. Even though I'm not claustrophobic, there are some scenes where I felt like I was in the tunnels, struggling to get out. Also, when watching the film, keep an eye on the background. The directors like to hide things here and there. It works well as they will pan across an area twice, once with something in the background, and then once without. This isn't pointed out to the viewer. It looks like a typical pan shot.

Lastly, I included what appears to be the new cover for the DVD. For me, this only confirms my thoughts about the secondary story in the film (and how the characters work together). Of course, you'll notice that the gore is missing, and in its place are a group of females (another target audience here?) However, I believe that an argument could be made about the cover. The poses resembles the shape of the human brain - and clearly a skull. At the least, we can say it's a head. :) But to avoid going deeper into that aspect, I'll just say the film is "THE Descent." Hmm, descent into what? Into a cave? Into madness? What could the caverns represent. Oh, Freud would have so much fun with this.

Revolution is Dead

2008-10-13T14:14:00.002-04:00

I'm travelling out of state, and I think that makes my posts larger. :) Yet, I continue to ramble.

I wonder in today's world, and conglomeration of societies, how does one protest? Okay, not protest, rebel – or revolt. At one time, the world was filled with revolutionaries. I say this because of a long world history replete with rebellions. Today, I ask, and most people say, "What's the point? If you complain you might lose your job – or might not get one." Not much verve there for defiance.

The other reply I often get is, "What's there to rebel against?" To me, but I'll get to that in a moment. First let me cover what I mean by "rebel."

In recent years, the concept of "rebellion" has become one of buying limited edition clothes and commodities that mainstream culture ignores. That is to say, things that seem to say "individual." Sneakers are a good and commonly example. Sometimes a bloated global corporation releases a limited run of sneakers, driving the price into the hundreds (if not thousands), and rebels line up to buy them. These rebels want to have their own, not mass marketed identities. They are making a statement. Add to this other clothing, cars, telephones, pretty much anything that is not "popular," and there is a rebel ready to buy it – the cost is just the side effect of being "original." That's not quite the type of rebellion I'm talking about.

I'm driving at something a bit different. Presently, the entire world is in the grip of an economic crisis. Many people are suffering. And compared to other times in history, there is very little outcry. The issue isn't limited to any one nation; rather, it includes most people on the planet – the vast majority. So how long do those who are governed tolerate the inaction of those who govern? Do the math, one side out numbers the other. Oh, but I'm not suggesting violence. Rather simply grumbling, protests, becoming aware of the situation. The outnumbering part helps with all of those.

Of course, rebellion is a risky business. And business is the game. We live in a world that is fueled by economics – money. Somehow humanity has worked itself into a form of slavery. We need money for pretty much everything we do (at other levels it becomes "capital"). In theory, money buys us happiness (ignore the songs that say otherwise for the moment). At the same time, money is a chain that binds us. I'd love to say a metaphorical chain, but it is not a metaphor. It is a conceptual chain, but one that is as real as any physical restraint. We are bound to it, and exchange our lives for a bit more length. We are born to labor. Attempting to escape this labor usually results in punishment, legally or publically. Nations have constructed vast legal establishments to strengthen the chains that hold us. Try to escape, and problems follow.

About now, I probably sound like I dislike capitalism. Well, actually, I think I do at the fundamental level. However, if it's working for me, then I'm quite content. I am a capitalist. I'm not sure there are many other viable options today. Also, when it isn't working for other people – say most of the world – then I'm discontent. I'm a part of this system as is most everyone else. And I do believe it is a flawed system. I have nothing better to offer. But when it breaks, it causes great despair.

This is where the rebellion part comes in. If we're all slaves to money, and must labor to reach a point where our lives become our own, then we do have a say in how things work (I the "freedom" is supposed to be retirement – live life after decades of labor, buy your freedom and retire). Or, if you don't like the slave metaphor, then try, "we're all prisoners." To borrow from a popular film, and paraphrase a bit, "We are all born into a world that is a prison for our minds." We have the freedom to follow the rules – the narrative of life: go to school, get a job, work, work, retire, die. It is a formulaic tale, but one where most everyone joins in. And it seems we never get to write the narrative ourselves. Someone else is in charge of that.

So here we are, in an age where we can communicate around the world in an instant – although not everyone shares that capability (an economic issue). It seems we have the tools to protest. No more pitchforks and swords and torches. Words can do the work. Throughout history they have done the job several times. But now, when they should be their strongest, those who utter words seem to be missing. A Shakespearean irony if there ever was one. Words abound, but the rebels are silent. Or maybe they aren't missing. Maybe there are too many words. I don't know. However, what I do know is that when the prisoners or slaves revolt, people listen – particularly those in charge. At the least, we can make a little noise. Perhaps startle a few people. It seems the powers that be, be they corporate or government, have turned a blind eye to those they indenture. Maybe it's because they believe all of the rebels are chained up and complacent.

Change in the Weather

2008-10-10T09:54:00.006-04:00

It seems Autumn is upon us in Michigan, despite some very nice weather this week. If it weren't for the calendar, the flora and fauna usually hint that change is in the air. The first visitor, from last week, was a well adapted insect that has a leaf shape to it. Well adapted to hide in a place with leaves, not on windows. The creates a bit of a poser. How long before creatures that have adapted to one environment find themselves extinct because they are attracted to another environment (in this case a warm window).

From the photograph, it is difficult to tell this fellow has a leaf shape to him, but take my word for it. Of course, I can't resist putting words in his mandibles. I'm just not sure what he'd be saying, hanging on the window, while I snap photos of him. If anyone has any ideas, feel free to anthropomorphize him or her or it.

The following week, I moved from the front window to the backyard, and found a column of turkeys trotted across the grass (actually, they seem to be in a skirmish line). In my area, it is not very safe to be a turkey with the upcoming holiday in November. Mind you, the skittish, and now plump birds are safe from me, but there are plenty of open forests for hunters stalking this foul foul (that's not a typo, just a pun).

Unlike the insect, it is difficult to get the turkeys to pose. There were quite a few more, but I needed to charge from the house, snapping images on the run - which is alarming in itself. Yet, they always come back for the bird feed I put out. Turkeys are pushovers. They too are well adapted for life OUTSIDE of the yard. I wonder what strange mutations might occur to help them survive? Perhaps becoming nocturnal.

Book Signing - Squirreled Away Books

2008-10-06T11:25:00.003-04:00

This is turning out to be a busy week for me, and it's only Monday.

This Wednesday, at 6:00 p.m., I'll be at Squirreled Away Books in Armada, Michigan, signing books (www.squirreledawaybooks.com/Map.html). And the author of Calamity's Child, M. Keaton, will be signing at the same time. If you're in the area, please visit this wonderful bookstore and say hello.

I'll be offered limited edition bookcards for my upcoming novel Voodoo Virus, and bookmarks for The Strange Cases of Rudolph Pearson. I may have some posters left over from the convention, if so, I'll bring those along. I understand that Squirreled Away Books also carries RPG books, so copies of the recently released Secrets of Morocco might be available.

Convention Wrap-up

2008-10-06T10:08:00.002-04:00

It seems that I didn't have as much free time to post about ConClave 33 this weekend. I'm certain that most of the other folks attending have covered the the convention on the Internet quite well, so I'll offer my thanks to everyone - attendees and panelists.

As usual, it is always nice to meet new people, and trap people in a room, forcing them to listen to my ramblings. I attended a number of enjoyable panels - not as many as I'd like. And I was on several (even a few I didn't know about) panels, all of which were great fun for me. So, in a seemingly cryptic order, I'll thank everyone on the panels who endured me:

Jody Harrow, Anne Zanoni, M. Keaton, Wanda DeAngelo, Freon, Merrie Haskell, Dave Kecha, Jim Hines, Steve Bucheit, Ferrel "Rick" Moore, Richard Tucholka, Charles, P. Zaglanis, Stewart Sternberg, Michelle Sagara West, Tiffany Aaron, and Daniel J. Hogan.

Hopefully, I've not overlooked anyone.

Additionally, and as always, it was great to meet all the people I've previously only known over the Internet, and thanks to those people who willingly returned to speak to me after encountering me at other conventions. I do think that Steve Bucheit needs special thanks for his heroic endurance at what had to be one of the strangest "dinners" he's ever had.

I'll confuse, the hours and lack of sleep from a convention can weigh heavy over the length of a weekend. Nonetheless, ConClave 33 was a thrill - as are all conventions. Sometimes there is a price to pay the next day or two for having too much fun. :)

ConClave 33 Convention

2008-10-03T09:27:00.011-04:00

I've been a bit busy, so I haven't posted in a while. Now I'm off to a convention. I'll try to post to update those who cannot attend.

I'll be at ConClave 33 Convention in Romulus, Michigan, this weekend (Oct. 3rd - 5th). Weekend passes are available, and so are daily passes. So if you get a chance, drop by one day or several. There are plenty of panels, events, and much October happiness to be hand.

Here is a quite glimpse of my schedule (I don't have the overall convention schedule). If you're there, drop by and say hello.

Friday
7:00 - Writers Workshop (Writers are welcome to walk in with material)

Saturday

11:00 AM - Book signing for William Jones. William Jones will be autographing fans copies of his books. And talking about his new book Voodoo Virus. (I'll also have some giveaways such are cover sheets, bookmarks, bookcards, ribbons, and quite a few other things).

4:00 PM - Writer's Workshop Critiques (This is were a number of writers and editor comment upon submitted work - walk-ins are still welcome.

6:00 PM - H.P. Lovecraft Today: How Lovecraft's ideas and fiction have become larger than Lovecraft.

9:00 PM - The New Frontiers in Space: Fringe colonies, frontier planets, civil wars, and battling space ships - is this the new face of science fiction? Or is it science fantasy?

10:00 PM - Zombies and Survival Fiction: It seems like the undead are becoming more popular with every passing decade. Discover the thrill behind zombies and apocalyptic fiction.

Sunday

11:00 AM - "What?! You don't pick your own cover art?" (Yes, authors seldom get a chance to select their cover art - okay, authors almost never get a chance. This panel discusses the process.

1:00 PM -Writer's Workshop Wrap-Up (Questions & Answers, with some discussion on how to get published.)

The Future of Books

2008-09-12T09:11:00.014-04:00

And so the story continues, but this time with another electronic reader. Over the last decade (or more), a variety of handheld devices have appeared, each a portent of the things to come. The things to come is the disappearance of the "paper book." What will replace the paperless book? Just as computers have reduced paperwork throughout the world (ahem), the paperless book will vanquish the ancient practice of tree death for the entertainment and education of humans. It is also a environmentally friendly choice - a Green book.

Nothing wrong with a little mild drama now and then. :) Besides, it's Friday (here), and I've been told countless times that Fridays are great days - no more work. I'll save that for another post.

Anyway, a company named Plastic Logic announced, and released photos, of their new electronic reader. In some circles this is called an "ebook," but I ask: Is it an ebook if there is nothing on it to read? And that's how they come, empty. So, I'm going with e-reader, and calling the content dropped into it ebooks.

Like Amazon's bid for the market, this device uses the same display technology (which was already flexible). Instead of placing the viewer in a cumbersome case, Plastic Logic is making their device "bendable." (For the pun, look up the definition of the word "plastic").

Other than being rather cool looking, I'm not sure of the purpose or function behind the flexibility. Plastic Logic states that the device can be "bent" but not folded. Maybe bending makes it easier to store in a backpack.

The e-reader is 8.5 by 11 inches, and is very thin. The display is larger than any other e-reader on the market, and it also comes with a wireless connection. This does sound like a great device. However, we are left with the question of whether people prefer plastic or paper (I wasn't working for that pun, it set itself up - honest). Those of you who have been following me blog, or who have read my previous editorials in Dark Wisdom magazine, know that I sometimes rant about this topic. Here, take a peek at my previous rant/editorial (editorial), or my post about the loss of tools for reading (focus). What's clear, is I post all too much about the topic. From all of these posts comes the fundamental question: Will we be reading in the future? If not, then it makes no difference what type of e-reader we have. Yet, the race to make the SF version we've all read about (hmmm) continues.

I for one prefer paper. That might be because I grew up reading paper books. I do want there to be a good e-reader, because I can keep many of my books with me. Certainly Plastic Logic offers a tempting promise (not to be released until 2009, with a color version coming - maybe - in 2010).

Enough of my ramblings! It appears that soon, we'll be able to read newspapers on the go. Okay, well, we could do that before. But, we'll be able to bend them. Oops. You can fold those paper ones. Still, the news will be updated by the minute (ha! the paper version can't top that). Then again, in the last 40 years, there has been a dramatic decline in the number of people who read newspapers. Maybe that's because they weren't plastic - environmentally friendly, plastic.

This was added afterward due to a clever suggestion by Jeff Edwards in his post:

Already Dead - Charlie Huston

2008-09-10T10:06:00.006-04:00

Joe Pitt is dead, and a P.I. in New York City. At least comes close to describing the urban fantasy/mystery/horror novel Already Dead. Really, Joe Pitt isn't Joe's real name, and Joe isn't a human, and Joe isn't what you'd call a private investigator.

Although this novel is a few years old (2005, Del Rey), it is not dated in the least. The setting is New York City, mainly midtown and lower Manhattan. The protagonist is a vampire, who is a freelancer, working between the political lines of several clans of vampires who share the turf of Manhattan. And he's looking for a murderer - someone who is spreading a flesh eating bacteria that turns humans into zombies.

Needless to say, I always enjoy a novel set in NYC - I've come to know it so well from my own writings. But Already Dead brings with it the hardboiled feel of a Raymond Chandler novel. Admittedly, it is unorthodox in its approach to dialogue. There are no "quotation marks" around the dialogue in this novel. It uses emdashes "-" (a bit longer then that one). Adding to this, Huston doesn't use tag lines such as "he said." What this means to the reader is that you need to pay close attention to who is speaking. In most cases, Huston pulls off the dialogue through context. But for some, this style might be a bit startling at first. Here is an example:

The phone wakes me in the morning. Why the hell someone is calling me in the
morning I don't know, so I let the machine get it.

-This is Joe Pitt. Leave a message.

-Joe, it's Philip.I don't pick up the phone, not for Philip Sax.

I close my eyes and try to find my way back to sleep.
-Joe, I think maybe i got something if ya can pick up the phone.

Other than the unique approach to the character's speaking, the novel is a straight forward work. Well, the protagonist who is dead (a vampire) and is "living" in NYC. As you might expect, Joe follows a trail of death and clues, using his fists a bit more than his head, all the while having to deal with his own past, and the different clans of vampires who dominant the city - unbeknownst to the living in the city.

What I don't want to convey is a setting filled with vampires manipulating the world. That is an undercurrent in the work, but Huston is careful not to overdo it. Things do get rough - Joe is a brute of a vampire - and the crimes are brutal, but not dancing with gore. Also, Huston has provides an excellent tour through the streets of Manhattan - leaving the outer boroughs to "who knows what."

Fans of urban fantasy, hardboiled supernatural tales, and vampires (even zombies) should give this book a read. There are more in the Joe Pitt series, but this is the place to start.

How to Win A Book - Contest

2008-09-09T14:06:00.005-04:00

I'd like the thank Christian, Shauna, and Eric at Geekerati radio for a grand time. And thanks to the wonderful emails from people who listened to the Geekerati interview. In fact, thanks to everyone who listened (the interview is playing all week on the station).

Geekerati is having a contest. It is still possible to be a part of if, if you email the answer to the trivia question. Yes, some folks did kindly email me asking for the answer. :) Sorry, can't offer that. But I can say there are plenty of clues out there - including in the book Secrets of New York, the magazine Queitus, the magazine Horror Carousel. Also there are some hints on this blog - particularly in the Miskatonic University Blog comments. And quite a few scattered around the Internet. Oh, and several in The Strange Cases of Rudolph Pearson - those won't help if you haven't read the book.

What was the trivia question? It wasn't posted on the Geekerati site, so my guess is they want you to listen to the interview - which you still can do; however, I don't know if the books have been given away yet. So liseten quickly. For those who wish, feel free to post hints to this message - or keep them to yourself.

Geekerati Book Give Away Contest (Summary)

Geekerati is giving away copies of The Strange cases of Rudolph Pearson. How do you win? Answer the trivia question asked during the Interview.

Questions and Answers

2008-09-04T19:24:00.011-04:00

I've been away a few days, and remiss in my postings. Does it seem like we always have too much to do and too little time? For some reason, I keep remembering the promise of decades past, and how technology will free up our time, and advancements will make us a world of leisure. Maybe I'm just in the wrong world. :)

Jeff Edwards, a writer and reviewer who occasionally posts here, took the time to interview me for Shroud: A Journal of Dark Fiction (#3). If you haven't read Shroud in the past, give it a shot. Not just because there is an interview with me in it, but because it is a slick magazine of dark fiction and art. It has 100+ pages of fiction, interviews, reviews - and a puzzle! For those of you who know me, I have some experience in the magazine business, and if you enjoy this venue, then support it.

So how did the interview go, you might wonder? Well, Jeff asked me questions, and I answered them. He thwarted my attempt to ask him questions, and let him provide the answers. He's too clever for that.

Also, I'll be interviewed live on BlogTalkRadio's Geekerati channel this September 8th, at 7:00pm Pacific time. The show will also be available as a podcast on iTunes at a later date (in case you miss it). Christian Lindke will be quizzing me about a few things, and I do know that "Cthulhu" be on the slate, as well as Pulp Cthulhu. Christian is a BTR critic and reviewer for several other sites (visit Cinerati). As for Geekerati, it is an Internet radio show dealing with popular culture, including films, novels, comic books, television, conventions, RPGs, pretty much everything "geek." :)

And, although I just put it in my convention link, I will be attending ConClave 33, October 3rd - 5th (Romulus, Michigan). This is a weekend convention, with panels and a dealer's room. However, it is possible to attend on single days as well. Simply show up at the hotel and get a one day pass. I'll be on several panels, and once the programming is finalized, I'll post it online - hope to see you there!

There are a few other interviews in progress. Once I'm given the approval, I'll post about them. Maybe it's best I don't saturate everyone with too much news. :)

Underwater Microbe Invasion

2008-08-27T10:30:00.000-04:00

Perhaps it is not an invasion, but it is surprising. A while back I posted about a huge biomass living 1.6 kilometers beneath the sea floor. Well, these are not the same critters. But they are just as interesting. While scientists have not ruled out whether they prove the existence of a shoggoth or Ubbo-Sathla, researchers have decided that these sturdy micro-organisms do account for nearly one-tenth of the biomass on Earth. That is one HUGE biomass. And while these critters are living on a geologic timescale - meaning they live for several centuries - it seems they do interact with the environment. Quoting one of the scientists involved in the investigation:

These microbes influence the Earth's long-term carbon cycle and also these microbes may be quite ancient.

So what's the big deal about such small things? Other than the vast quantity, researchers are now suggesting that similar creatures could live in other locations in our solar system - citing Jupiter's moon Europa as one of the many potential locations (these worlds belong to you, except Europa - quote from the novel 2010).

For those following this sort of news, predicting life on Europa isn't new. Really, it is probably a "safe bet." It is an icy body in space with what is believed to be a sub-surface ocean. So beneath that ocean surface could be lurking the elusive shoggoth.

The Big Lebowski - 10th Anniversary Limited Edition

2008-08-22T10:45:00.001-04:00

If you're a fan of the film "The Big Lebowski," then there is a chance you know the 10th anniversary is arriving, and so is a special re-release of the film. I'm spoke with many people who have not seen them film - thinking it was about bowling - only to learn that they enjoyed the film after watching it. In the past, my argument is that the film isn't about bowling. Yet, the new re-release has the DVDs in a bowling ball case. Okay, I still hold my ground. It isn't about bowling. In fact, it is pretty much about everything but bowling. It just so happens that the Dude (Jeff Bridges) enjoys bowling - it is his Zen.

The new release is a limited edition (at least in the bowling ball case), and includes a 2nd special edition DVD. If you're into the brevity thing, then the DVD can be purchased at 1/2 price without the special case.

If you haven't seen this film, and don't intend to purchase the DVD, then at the very least, rent it. Watch it with an open mind. And then re-watch it to find all of the clever aspects. Even figure placement (the characters and how they are staged) is playful. Of the three key characters in the film, one is always on the "right" one is always on the "left" and one in the "middle." Oddly, there seems to be some political banter that goes with these characters. Of course, all of them are caricatures - hyperbolic. But that is what makes the film entertaining. Among the various aspects of the film are two characters named Lebowski. One seems to be a left-0ver hippy, and the other a successful businessman. There is more to both of these characters than the fact they share the same last name. Naturally, this mirror-reflection trick speaks volumes in the film.

Yes, there is bowling in the film. This seems the be the route that the film company has taken to promote the film. But The Big Lebowski is much more than that. I won't say he's a hero, because what's a hero? But sometimes there's a man. And I'm talking about the Dude here. Sometimes there's a man who . . . he's the man for his time and place, he fits right in there - and that's the Dude.

Opening voice over from the script:

A way out west there was a fella,
fella I want to tell you about, fella
by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At
least, that was the handle his lovin'
parents gave him, but he never had
much use for it himself. This
Lebowski, he called himself the Dude.
Now, Dude, that's a name no one would
self-apply where I come from. But
then, there was a lot about the Dude
that didn't make a whole lot of sense
to me. And a lot about where he
lived, like- wise. But then again,
maybe that's why I found the place
s'durned innarestin'.

Unusual Characters in Pulp Cthulhu

2008-08-20T10:03:00.004-04:00

It has been a while since I posted about Pulp Cthulhu, so I thought I'd throw another item out there. The artists are working furiously, and hopefully things will all meet at one point soon.

While at Gen Con, the editor of Game Trade Magazine, Andrew Smith, handed me the August issue (#102). I happen to have a column in this issue about Pulp Cthulhu. In fact, the article includes a rare look at one of the unique character options available in the game - a Human Hybrid.

I cannot show the entire article, so I'm including a snippet. The complete stats are including in the article, with some interior art from Pulp Cthulhu by the artist Gwabryel. What is depicted in the article is a feral Deep One hybrid. These are fierce creatures/investigators, who have difficulty controlling their transformation. Yes, players can be hybrid humans, but you wouldn't like them when they are mad . . . or insane . . . or having a bad night.

Eugenics - A Recovered History

2008-08-19T16:45:00.003-04:00

While I was at Gen Con, I passed by the Indiana State Library and Historical building. In front of the building was an interesting sign (both sides displayed here). For those who drop by my blog with some frequency, you'll know that I often discuss the American Eugenics program. This was a series of state laws passed in the early 1900s that forced sterilization of the "unfit," and also (in some states) required tests to prove adequacy for marriage.

So what does that mean? The interpretation varied, but basically, the various state laws were designed to improve the overall "stock" of humans by sterilizing those who appeared inferior. Naturally, the amount of money earned was a clear choice as a genetic trait that needed to be culled from the human species. So "pauperism" was deemed genetically inherited, and the poor were typically sterilized to prevent from adding to the gene pool (although genetics where not yet understood). Over the years, many methods for determining the "unfit" were found. One of the cornerstone books published in the late 1800s was often cited. Lombroso's The Criminal Man - although the book dealt with both genders. Lombroso did a study of "criminals," looking for physical attributes. And he believed he'd discovered quite a few. He published his findings in a book - sometimes making the eyes darker in photographs to enhance the effect - and the world had a photographic catalog of criminals. If you're interested in some of the traits Lombroso found, read most any H. P. Lovecraft story that has a character "degenerating" into a monster. I also have a post on Lovecraft and eugenics: American Eugenics and H. P. Lovecraft

There are many reasons why these laws passed in the United States, and it is surprising that it lasted until the 1970s before they were repealed. This was a case where tens of thousands of Americans suffered forced sterilization because it was believed they would reproduce "unfit" offspring. Another popular book that influenced this movement was The Passing of the Great Race, by Madison Grant. This book would later be described by Adolf Hilter as "his bible." Of course, fans of Lovecraft might also notice a common name "The Great Race of Yith" (an advanced race, threatened by a flying cancer of sorts -Lovecraft termed them "polyps"). Of course, Lovecraft wasn't the only author influenced by the eugenics craze. Many authors dabbled in similar writings. If you get a chance, Read Dashiell Hammett's The Degenerate. It uses Lombroso's theories to speak to the issues of criminality.

This is a large topic, so I'll leave space for later.

Getting Into Anthologies

2008-08-14T10:23:00.003-04:00

Because I edit a number of fiction anthologies, I'm often asked about how one gets into the anthologies. There is a bit of a trick - not really a secret, though. At one time, I used to do open calls (and I still do for some anthologies). However, open calls produce millions of words of reading. Yes, that many people submit to anthologies. I enjoy the variety, but sometimes responses bounce, email addresses change, or submissions are overlooked. When you consider the volume of stories coming in electronically and by post, there is room for all many of mishaps.

To help manage this, as of late (last couple of years), I've taken to posting queries on my blog. The last time I did this was about a dark fantasy anthology. These posts are not open calls. Why? Because, if I made an obvious post, someone would submit it to many of the wonderful market services, and I'd have countless submissions. And beyond having numerous "subs," many of such submissions are off topic. Many writers have ready made tales that border the requirements of an anthology. This results in increased submissions that are not really focused on the theme of the book I'm editing.

The result of all of this is that I post seemingly rhetorical questions about topics, and the writers who are interested in the topic typically email me with a story, or ask about writing for the anthology.

Oh, I also mention anthologies in my newsletter. Writers often get a head start by reading that.

Perhaps you're wondering why am I mentioning this? Won't it defeat the purpose of this strange system I'm using? Or, if you're one of the writers who knows, you're saying, "Shhh...don't tell everyone." :) Well, the truth is, I do tell most everyone. And mentioning it here won't undermine the tactic because I still don't post all of the information about the anthology - which keeps it from appearing elsewhere. My main motivation for mentioning this now is the number of emails I've had over the last week or so, asking about getting into anthologies. I figured I'd simply make a post to let everyone know.

Other methods of getting into one of these mysterious anthologies is by my contacting you. Sometimes I read a story by a writer, enjoy the story, and find a match with the style with what I'm working on. I also try to bring in a few new writers whenever I can.

This probably leans to the question: Are you about to mention a new anthology. :) No, not right now. I do have a few in the works, but they are mainly full. If a determined writer is interested, that shouldn't keep the writer from emailing me a query at the least (for existing anthologies). Most importantly, keep an eye out for any cryptic messages. Or, the less cryptic version of, I'm editing anthology X (that one is easy to figure out).

Time to stop typing. I'm at Gen Con, and I need to be somewhere else. If you're at the convention, and you run into me, ask me about my latest anthology. :) Or just say "Hello!"

Fun Friday

2008-08-08T16:09:00.005-04:00

Sure, the title is hokey, but I just made it up, and I thought I'd post something to have fun with.

I pulled some song lyrics from the Internet, and I thought I'd post them. The purpose is to interpret what they mean - or not mean. The song is "Nowhere Man," by the Beatles (really a John Lennon song). So, I do think there is something to be gleaned from these seemingly strange lyrics. If it was what Lennon intended, I don't know. But that doesn't make the interpretation any less valid - so long as it is anchored in some coherent reasoning. I'll hold off on my comments and let the lyrics brew for a bit. I will say that I think it might have something to do with identity and who we are.

Nowhere Man

He's a real nowhere Man,
Sitting in his Nowhere Land,
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.

Doesn't have a point of view,
Knows not where he's going to,
Isn't he a bit like you and me?
Nowhere Man, please listen,
You don't know what you're missin',
Nowhere Man, the world is at your command.

(lead guitar)

He's as blind as he can be,
Just sees what he wants to see,
Nowhere Man can you see me at all?

Nowhere Man, don't worry,
Take your time, don't hurry,
Leave it all 'till somebody else lends you a hand.

Doesn't have a point of view,
Knows not where he's going to,
Isn't he a bit like you and me?

Nowhere man please listen,
you don't know what your missin'
Nowhere Man, the world is at your command

He's a real Nowhere Man,
Sitting in his Nowhere Land,
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.

Books in the Mail

2008-08-06T13:09:00.007-04:00

One of my favorite surprises is an unexpected book in the mail. This week I was lucky enough to get two such surprises. One was Queen of K'n-yan, by Asamatsu Ken; the other book was Degrees of Fear and Others, by C. J. Henderson.

I must admit, the books were anticipated, just not expected (there is some fun with semantics). I had the pleasure of reading Queen of K'n-yan before it was published. In fact, I've been waiting for it's publication to post a review. For now, let me state that it is a delightful and horrifyingly Lovecraftian novel. After my previous post, I confess that I did endorse the book, as did Brian Lumley, so I'll just quote the words from the back cover:

"Asamatsu Ken's Queen of K'n-yan is a fascinating story, and as Darrell Schweitzer states in his Introduction, it is indeed a fine Cthulhu Mythos novel..." -- Brian Lumley

"Original, dark, graceful and chilling. Asamatsu Ken understands the genre, and delivers a compelling novel." -- William Jones

If you read the "blurb's," then you'll also know that there is a great Introduction by Darrell. If you enjoy Mythos fiction, this is a novel to read.

As for Degrees of Fear and Others, this is a collection of C. J., and story commentaries (short paragraphs before the story). The stories are fun to read without the commentaries. Certainly read the book. It has Lovecraftian tales, and other tales of horror.

The surprise with this book was the cover change. My website has one of the early versions, and as it turns out, it was swapped. I like this cover very much. I had to scan it, as I couldn't find an image online. Well, if I had more time, I'm certain I could have found one.

Both of these books are delights and elegant. Take a peek at them.

What About Blog Reviews?

2008-08-03T12:00:00.000-04:00

I've seen a number of posts along these lines over the last few weeks, so I thought I'd pose a question about the topic - particularly since I just sent my column to Game Trade Magazine about Ken Hite's and Andy Hopp's new book Where the Deep Ones Are.

Many folks as of late have been wondering if blogs are challenging traditional review sources. With the abundance of blogs on the Internet, reviews in newspapers and magazines could become less significant. Or have they already? This includes reviews of films, books, music, and most anything that can be reviewed.

Think of how easy it is to find a review of anything on a blog. Are these reviews competing with the traditional sources? Reviews are abundant on the Internet from many "official" review sites. But it could be argued that the difference between a blog review and a review from traditional source is that the traditional source has a reviewer with credentials of some sort, while the blog is a fan/reader/blogger. Well, that's how the discussion goes: fans reviewing VS established reviewers.

A word that usually creeps into this conversation is "democracy." My only concern with the use of this word in this topic is that "democracy" is a charged word. If I were to call blog reviews the "democracy of reviews," fewer people are going to say "Hey, democracy is bad in reviews." :) I'm not entirely sure that label fits here, so I'm going to avoid it now that I brought it up.

I think the crux of the issue comes down to fans reviewing as opposed to traditional reviewers. Is there more trust in one or the other? Certainly the traditional outlets are feeling the pressure as newspapers and magazines drop review staff.

Hmm, I think I just wrote a review of reviews.

What Do We Do With Our Dreams?

2008-07-30T17:59:00.003-04:00

My apologies for the format of the following text - I'm certain it won't reproduce properly. Rather than following up with my own words, I'm going to use the poet Langston Hughes' words from "A Dream Deferred" (also named "Harlem"):

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore—
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over—
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

Tales Out of Miskatonic University

2008-07-29T15:30:00.004-04:00

Things are going smoothly with the Tales Out of Miskatonic University anthology. So, I thought I'd take the time to remind anyone interested that the Miskatonic University blog contest is still open. You do not have to email me your blog entry, you are welcome to post it on the post link below. Or, you can email it. I'll select at least five winners and include them in the anthology. There is no payment for winning, but the prize is a free copy of the anthology, with your name credited to the blog entry.

For all of the details, follow the like below!

Miskatonic University Blogger Contest

Watching Movies is a Lonely Business

2008-07-27T11:29:00.009-04:00

Movies, or "films," have been around since the late 1800s. In the early days of the Lumiere brothers, films was in its infancy. This famous team of film makers produced hits about "quitting time at work," and train arrivals. The technology was new to the public - and difficult to get to the public. There were no film theaters, so the films can to go to the viewers. Or, folks could visit a Kinetoscopes - a machine that the viewer peered into and watched the film. This was a lonely form of film watching, and usually required standing to look into the viewer.

It didn't take long for the inventive Thomas Edison to find a means of delivering the entertainment. Not only did he improve camera technology (putting those tiny track feeds on the side to keep the film steady), but he also created the Vitascope. The Vitascope projected the film onto a large screen so many people could view at once. This increased profit per showing, and increased the market for films.

Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the film industry grew (moving from New York City to Hollywood Land). And the theater grew as well. Vast movie palaces were built, with multi-screen theaters, restaurants, entertainment, and quite a few other things (such as roller rinks and child care facilities). All seemed well. By the 1940s, film had peaked with box office sales. In fact, even with the large numbers produced by blockbuster films today, theaters have never seen the level of viewers in a theater since the 1940s. Yes, the price has gone up, and the money earned has increased, but the total number of people visiting the theater has continued to drop.

Some blame television. Why go to the theater when you can stay at home, watch a film and eat a "television dinner" on a tray in front of the 12 inch screen?

Well, to skip ahead, around the 1980s the film industry seemed like it was on a comeback. After countless inventions such as 3-d, sense-o-vision (which included odors, fragrant scents, vibrating chairs, and other oddities that went with the film), people returned to the theaters. The industry flourished. And new movie palaces were built - this time called "multiplexes." I wondered at the time if that was a wise choice. Had the golden age of film viewership returned, or was it simply a wish?

Then something changed again. The VCR gave theaters a run for their money. The theaters won for the most part. But that didn't last, as the DVD came into existence. In the 1990s, theaters started to see declines in attendance. Multiplexes were still being built, and were starting to go out of business. People were renting DVDs and watching them on 27 inch screens, or even larger projection screens.

This time the film industry embraced the change, and lowered the price of DVDs. The joke of a "straight to DVD" release started to lose its meaning as many studios bypassed theaters, cable, and television, taking a straight to DVD path for a larger profit. The DVD industry boomed, and theaters fell behind. Attempting to compete with this market, cable companies start providing On Demand films. Then a decline in DVD sales, renting, and profits occurred.

Now we add in the Internet and home theaters into the fray. Film studios have been looking for a means of cutting out the added material costs of films. Digital sounded like the answer, but digital theaters are costly, and still compete with the vast array of film available directly to consumers. Mailing DVDs is helpful for those in rural areas, and organized people who return them :), but it still didn't pep up the industry. As with Edison's Vitascope, several companies have come to the rescue. Except, rather than producing a technology that allows people to gather together and watch a film, now they can stay at home. TiVo is capable of downloading movies from Amazon.com and other sites, allowing "on demand" watching, without having to drive to the video store, or to wait a day or more for a DVD to be mailed. Apple has also jumped into the arena. Well, they already were with the new generation iPods. However, Apple TV promises consumers much more than the hand-held devices. The list of similar devices are countless. I'm just referencing the two that seem to be dominating the market. And of course, a personal computer can do the very same thing.

I wonder if this will be the "hook" that studios have been looking for. And are viewers happier with it? Sure, there is no large audience to share in the enjoyment, but then "blockbuster" films and classics are readily available (if you have a good Internet connection). In a way, we've come full circle, returning to the Kinetoscopes.

Mysteries to Secrets

2008-07-24T09:44:00.004-04:00

I always enjoy finishing a book. There is no ritual I perform when this happens - maybe because even when a book is finished it isn't finished. There are still potential delays. Proofs to be reviewed, mishaps at the printer, and various other events that can "open" the project again. Even with all of those potential calamities, there is a sense of completion when looking at the final galley. Or even more so when the book is shipped off to the printer.

It so happens that Secrets of Morocco (formerly Mysteries of Morocco) is at the printer. In a previous post I mentioned the difference between the two "editions" of the book. Nothing much has changed since then. The book is still set in Morocco (this is a relief otherwise the title would make no sense), and it has plenty of information about the history of the nation from its early days as a Roman outpost through the 1930s. There is one thing that I didn't elaborate on previously, and that is the inclusion of some Pulp Cthulhu content. This material can be used by Call of Cthulhu players, or by Pulp Cthulhu players. At the very least, the Pulp Cthulhu content should offer a sneak peek into the upcoming Pulp Cthulhu book.

All that is left to do now is wait...

It's in the Air

2008-07-23T19:07:00.008-04:00

Sometimes it is good to relax. I often say this, have it told to me, and I've read about it. And sometimes, I spot people simply having fun. A good example is the group of people laughing and having fun over my house. It appears that they've opted for an archaic mode of transportation. Those of you who have heard hot-air balloons, know that you can often hear the "heater" (is that the correct term?) long before you hear the screams of delight from the travelers. That was the case here. I was busy answering emails when suddenly a "whoosh" sounded from outside. Okay, I admit, I already knew what it was. In my town, quite a few people take air-tours. It was the sound of the balloon approaching.

I wonder how many people have tried this. I live in an area where I can be in a balloon in 15 minutes, but I've never went up in one. Instead, I wait for them to pass over and write blog posts. :) In lieu of taking the time to ride over the trees in a lighter than air creation, I thought I'd make a light post. Basically just having fun and sharing some pictures.

If anyone is in doubt, the folks hanging in the air were having a grand time. Waving to everyone, posing for photos, and even dipping a bit. This is a bit risky near my house as there are a few tall trees in the area. But I suspect in that slight risk is some fun. And it's always nice when fun is in the air.

The Grin of the Dark - Ramsey Campbell

2008-07-10T20:24:00.003-04:00

Ramsey Campbell is a master of horror literature. And fans of Campbell will delight in his latest novel. In his typical style, he creates a dark narrative that draws the reader into the story. While I'm not particularly a fan of "clown horror," Campbell manages to win me over with unsettling, spooky scenes containing these notorious circus performers. But he does much more than this.

The story is centered around Simon Lester and his quest to write a book about the silent film star Tubby Thackeray. The task takes him to a variety of locations, all wonderfully filled with intriguing characters. As the novel progresses, the surreal narrative grows strong - as though there is something from the past awakening. The style works well with novel's subject.

As Lester continues to research Tubby Thackeray, things become more mysterious. There is little material to be found about a silent film star who rivaled Charlie Chaplin in fame. It is as though someone is intentionally trying to erase him from history.

With each passing page the novel grows darker, and yet maintains lighter moments - humorous elements that lift the gloom long enough for the reader to dive in again. At first glance, a novel about a character who is researching a silent film star, perhaps doesn't "sound" like horror. But when handled this well, the mystery and the horror unravel into a brilliant tale.

I would suggest that readers who are new to Ramsey Campbell start with one of his other books. The Grin of the Dark is stylish and well done, but it is perhaps not the starting point for acolytes. In this novel, he works with the prose, making the the writing as much a part of the story as the characters and plot. It is an excellent example of why he is a modern horror master.

Seeding the Universe - or at Least Earth

2008-07-08T18:33:00.000-04:00

I intended to post this some time ago, but I've been too busy. Maybe most everyone has heard about it, but for those who haven't, it is interesting. A couple of months ago, several scientists reported that they found proto-DNA in a meteorite that collided with the Earth back in the 1960s. What this does is lend some support to the panspermia theory - that life on Earth came from someplace other than Earth.

Most scientists are not willing to go as far as stating "life came from outer space," but a few are suggesting that meteorites such as this one might have provided life on Earth with an evolutionary advantage.

The researchers did indeed check the meteorite to see if it was contaminated by material from Earth, and according to their findings, it was not. This rock came with its own proto-DNA. Members of the research time are quoted everywhere, and now here:

Lead author Dr Zita Martins, of the Department of Earth Science and Engineering at Imperial College London, says that the research may provide another piece of evidence explaining the evolution of early life. She says:

“We believe early life may have adopted nucleobases from meteoritic fragments for use in genetic coding which enabled them to pass on their successful features to subsequent generations.”

Between 3.8 to 4.5 billion years ago large numbers of rocks similar to the Murchison meteorite rained down on Earth at the time when primitive life was forming. The heavy bombardment would have dropped large amounts of meteorite material to the surface on planets like Earth and Mars.

Of course the panspermia theory isn't new either. Speculation that life on Earth might have come from Mars, Europa, Titan, or other remote regions have existed for years. Fans of science fiction are likely thinking this is old news, and in that genre it is. In any case, it is certainly exciting to think about.

Podcast Available

2008-07-08T18:29:00.000-04:00

For those who have not dropped by my website, there is a new link with a month podcast available. The first tale is "The Tiger," and it is in two parts. You can subscribe to it, download it, or listen online. The tale is unabridged. I must put a warning in there. The story has some explicit content.

Here is a link to follow: William's Podcasts

Deep Focus and the Coming Dark Age (Part II)

2008-06-19T06:01:00.001-04:00

This is the point where the topic delves into what might at first seem unrelated - that is commodity culture. However, from the various comments made on the previous post, it seems that we almost naturally connect the lack of deep focus, attention span, and consumerism.

As Voland indicated, there seems to be a link between the Information Age, nifty technology, and the need to own the latest bits of technology. Additionally, it seems that in the era where information is king, it is also at the top of commodities. Yes, we've always paid for our information, but the argument might be made that in the past, we expected much more information when we paid for it. An example of paying for information is education, books, encyclopedias, dictionaries, and myriad other sources. But somewhere along the way, information became shallow, and varied quantity became more important. I like to term this as "bullet point data." Basically, the best information today is deemed to be that which can be summarized by bullet point sentences:

Information is good
Conveying the information must be quick
Information comes at a price
The "price" of information should not be our time

I wonder how many literary classics have been summarized in a similar fashion. This is sometimes termed, "Writing to the Top," or pyramid writing - meaning that those in higher positions need less information (the folks at the "top" or at the pinnacle of the pyramid just need short bullet points).

This has also spread across every form of entertainment, and what is traditionally considered "news." While most of you might not consider this entertaining, try reading the novel 1984 while listening to any cable news network. It is surprising how many times the Ministry of Truth sounds like any given news channel. The problem is, in 1984, the Ministry of Truth was just the opposite - it was a ministry of untruths. And this is perhaps necessary today because we have very little time for long news stories. I expect most people have the span of time that it takes to drive to work to listen to news, or maybe that is done during breakfast. Or maybe not done at all, as "news" is always in the background. Snippets seem to be enough.

The argument put forth previously was that all of this is affecting us, causing people to long for surface information. It seems that deep focus, the long term, intense understanding of a topic, is not a part of our culture - particularly a culture where time and money are synonymous. The problem with this is that it leads to fabrication of data, or the filling in of the blanks. And that seems to be just fine. Meanwhile, for this reduced information, we must pay money.

Overall, it seems the Information Age is not only producing vast archives of data, but also quick methods of skimming, reducing, and condensing the data to small bits of easy to remember blurbs. It is probably drastic to predict that in the future we'll speak a reduced language, as vocabularies, sentences, and modes of communication will become brief - IMHO.

Meanwhile, as cited by many writers and philosophers for over 100 years, our culture is becoming more and more consumer based. Producing physical goods is a costly and time consuming task. And all the more so in a world where fuel prices add to the cost of shipping physical material. This leaves us with something torn out of the pages of a cyberpunk novel, where data, something almost ethereal in nature, becomes the world's greatest commodity. Transporting it and producing it is easier with a means of mining the Internet for it (opposed to mining the Earth for it). The costs of manufacture are greatly reduced because it can be digitally reproduced. This makes the Information Age and the Electronic Age a great match. Anything that exists in the "cyber world" can be produced and sold and transported at little cost, while a culture of consumers are programmed to by more and more. To store vast amounts of data on small devices, even though most of that data (music, audio, photos, contacts, games) are seldom accessed. It is a wonderful solution, a product that takes up no real physical space, and has no real physical cost to reproduce. And if the "space" it requires is filled, then another product can be sold to provide greater storage for the data that is seldom used.

It is perhaps unfair to say that we are obsessed with consuming. Instead, I'd say that we are driven by our world to consume - consuming is entertainment. After all, it is better to own DVDs, books, CDs than not to own them, even if we don't have the time to watch, read, or listen to them. In some strange way, all of this seems to be connected to a decreasing attention span, or a lack of deep focus.

Deep Focus and the New Dark Age (Part I)

2008-06-12T10:11:00.004-04:00

Over the past few days, I've had quite a bit of time to focus on living without electricity. It is a wondrous thing we've mastered: energy. And in so many ways we've built our lives around it. So when storms cause power outages, daily life is changed. Lucky for me I have plenty of books, and the entire world was not without electricity (meaning Starbucks is the bright light in the darkness - as they never run out of power).

The events of the storm, and a recent WAMU radio show I heard on my car radio started me thinking about the direction of culture. That's not completely true. I started thinking about it a week earlier (known as "the golden age of electricity"), when I noticed that a television show was "frozen" to allow someone to be overlaid and make a commercial pitch. Yes, the show was in progress; the screen froze, and then a fellow appears with the show in the background, and the commercial begins. Why? Because those folks with DVRs are skipping commercials. The DVR is also responsible for the bottom of the screen always beubg filled with ads and commercial, and now the shows are stopping in the middle to prevent DVR drivers from skipping past the commercials (I love my DVR.

In any case, that's when I started thinking about this topic. Then synchronicity brings about a power failure and a show on a related topic. It's a must I post about it.

So what am I going on about? Two topics really, which is why I have a PART I on this post. One topic is culture and commodities, and the other topic is deep focus - our attention span (I wonder how many people have stopped reading by this point? :> )

Recently, on the Diane Rehm show, the subject of "Distraction and Democracy" was the focus. The guests spoke quite a bit about the decreasing attention span of our culture, while making a few predictions about the future. One guest, Maggie Jackson, has even written a book on the subject: Distraction: The Erosion of Attention and the Coming Dark Age. I've yet to read it, but from what I've garnered, she compares historical moments, focusing on "ages of darkness," and concludes that our present culture is on a historical precipice for a new dark age (that's surface information in action). That is to say, it seems there are quite a few similarities to the present historical moment and previous historical moments prior to the onset of a dark age.

What I'm going to ramble about is something similar - but maybe I'll hold off on the dark age aspect as I've yet to read her book. Instead, I'll touch upon the fact that we do live in society with a reducing attention span. And our culture is growing around the need to reduce the attention span all the more. Television is always the first suspect when hunting for the cause of reduced attention spans. The Internet is a popular second. As television has been covered quite a bit, I'll stick to the Internet. Seldom are books and dictionaries (printed versions) blamed.

A technological marvel, and the world's thinest layer of information is the Internet. Almost any topic can be found on the Internet, but seldom is more than a "page" or two of information pulled up. The Internet is a great glosser (my word) of data. Want to learn about an event in history? Wikipedia will have a page that sums it up. If not there, then a blog (uh oh). But usually the blog post will be brief (ha-ha), sometimes a two part post, and then a few comments. There is no "deep focus," such as found in a book on the topic. And it's easy! This means we spend less time reading a web-page on Aristotle's book on ethics then we do reading Nicodemian Ethics. This is termed surface information - Cliff's Notes, or Spark's Notes, etc. In fact, in today's culture, who has time to read Nicodemian Ethics, except for those in the academic world? This is how our culture reinforces the need for surface information. What was once a convenience is now becoming a necessity. That is to say, in the Information Age, we have a need for less information.

Of course, there are many causes for our need of surface information. But regardless of the causes, our culture is pushing us into a condition of being vaguely informed rather than deeply informed. All of this begs a question. Are we losing our ability to retain a deep focus on a subject? Many say "yes," and fault television with its quick commercials, sound bites, and news channels with talking head and tickers at the bottom (which is how most television shows look today). Others cite video games and the Internet for the aforementioned reasons, and too overall much variety of entertainment. Perhaps these things are all sources of the problem, but they are no longer independent issues. Each one has mingled with our culture and with our drive-through lifestyles. It seems they can no longer be singled out. It is how we live, and we live a life of distraction. Such a culture pushes for the need of surface knowledge, and reduced time investment in gathering knowledge. It seems ironic that the Information Age can bring about the Uninformed Age.

Naturally, this puts books on the endangered species list because books do require deep focus. Then again, maybe not. Books can be written to be fluffy and fast, and if we don't look beneath the surface of the words (as our culture teaches us to do), then even books becomes collections of surface information.

Hopefully my electricity will be restored by the time this post hits the Internet, and I can find other distractions. :) I'll follow with Part II, and our commodity culture, which is a part of this topic.

Is Indiana Jones too Late?

2008-06-03T16:33:00.004-04:00

I must admit, I've yet to see Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. For some of you, this may appear shocking. Of course I'm a Indiana Jones fan - can't beat that last name. I love the genre, and I think the first film was quite spectacular, while the others were very entertaining. Nonetheless, I can watch all of them over and again.

What I find interesting about the series of films is that the second was a prequel to the first, and the third was a mandatory quest for the Holy Grail with Indy aging all the way, and the love interests getting younger. Still, some folks like all of them, while others favor only the one or two. Occasionally, I hear the word "campy" tossed about. And so time passes, while fans wait for the rumored (rumored for many years) 4th film. Now that it has arrived, the best reason people are offering me as a cause to see it that it has my last name, and it is in the genre in which I sometimes write. A few people have offered "the music" ias another reason - all rather weak appeals. In fact, the merits of the film are seldom mentioned, and seem to vary more than the previous "questionable" films.

Indiana Jones has become a cultural myth for many people, and that first memory grows over time rather than fades. This makes it all the more difficult for a new film to succeed - it must compete against a long history of fond memories, and the initial excitement. Oh, and Indy is starting to look his age.

I also learned, to my surprise, which it shouldn't have been, that the film occurs in the 1950s - a Cold War era pulp. Not only did this disappoint many people in Russia who feel the former Soviet Union is portrayed unfairly (I won't venture into that area), but it also disappointed many people who wanted Indiana Jones to confront the Nazis a final time. Naturally, I see the reason why the film was moved into the '50s. It would be difficult to explain the protagonist's aging (did I mention the aging again?). But maybe this was always the scheme - to venture into the 1950s, and have a sidekick named Mutt (Mut?) to play off the family dog's name. Having not seen the film, I can't offer much of an opinion there.

All of this leaves me wondering if the film added to the cultural myth, or if it will be ignored in the long run, raising the status of those other two films that many people disliked. Likewise, does this say something about the audience? Has culture and circumstances changed too much for a hero such as Indiana Jones?

Rudolph's Galley Give Away

2008-05-30T07:35:00.001-04:00

The Rudolph Pearson "What's My Line" Contest

Chaosium is running a contest for The Strange Cases of Rudolph Pearson. Follow this link to visit the Chaosium site for more details: Click here.

Enter the contest and maybe you'll win a free Chaosium T-Shirt of your choice, and a signed galley of the The Strange Cases of Rudolph Pearson book.

So what's a galley? In this case it isn't a ship. It is an advance copy of the book, bound but without cover. It is one of the things the author gets to read before the book goes to press, and in this case there are only a few of them still in existence - as the author is tough on the galleys (yes, the plural for this type of "galley" is "galleys").

Huge Biomass Discovered - Shoggoth, Ubbo-Sathla

2008-05-29T08:25:00.007-04:00

This post somewhat references my previous post War of the Worlds, where I ventured into the microscopic world of micro-organisms. In that post, I played H.G. Wells novel War of the Worlds against macro-organisms and micro-organisms. And several very clever readers pointed out that the connection between the topic and content of Wells' novel and microscopic organisms is a specious. That is true, and it was my intention - and it'll be repeated here again. :)

True, there is no "war" between bacteria, fungi, viruses (viri)and humans. But I'm casting in that light because it seems, for the most part, we ignore the things unseen. Think of how many times people come in contact with bacteria, and rather than wash their hands, they simply ignore the unseen germs, maybe rub their palms against their pants, or just go on. For the most part, micro-organisms seem too small to be a real threat. So, I'm trying to cast them in a new paradigm, although they are not thinking or have no intent (unless you're seen the recent remain of the Andromeda Strain - it's War of the Worlds against bacteria).

With my intent out of the way, let me get to the point. Recently a large biomass of bacteria was discovered off the coast of Newfoundland. It is described as "huge," and it was found 1.6 kilometers beneath the sea floor. Adding to the excitement, this huge biomass survives temperatures reaching 100 °C. But before anyone cries "Cthulhu," note that is it an amorphous mass. This makes it a better fit with an escaped shoggoth or Ubbo-Sathla (if you don't know what those things are, just ask).

As reported by the New Scientist:

The discovery marks the deepest living cells ever to be found beneath the sea floor. Bacteria have been found deeper underneath the continents, but there they are rare. In comparison, the rocks beneath the sea appear to be teeming with life.

Here is an exciting image using fluorescent staining to reveal a living cell in green.

It seems this biomass has survived under sea floor sediment for possibly 111 million years. The article explains that at such depths and pressure, cell division is slowed greatly, and some of the single cell bacteria might be over 100 million years old. Of course, samples are being pulled to the surface for further investigation (oh what fun writers can have with that).

Some of the researchers have speculated that this bacteria might even be extra terrestrial. Most everyone knows of the theories about bacteria traveling on comets or meteors, and in some cases hitting the earth, and maybe even spawning life (this theory is sometimes termed Panasperma). And if this were the case, then bacteria have been space travelers long before humanity existed.

Also, Steve pointed out in a comment on the previous "War of the Worlds" post, that humans live in a symbiotic state with a host of bacteria. Many people have a horde of viruses residing in their bodies, causing no harm - either because of immunity, or because the virus is harmless. However, what I'm attempting to foster in our imaginations is that these micro-organisms are struggling to survive, and often the macro-organisms (humans for example) are struggling to survive, and therein rests the conflict. Richard Dawkins wrote a illuminating text titled The Selfish Gene which investigates the innate desire to live in most every organism, which he postulates is probably why so many survive. Without the drive, without the selfish desire to exist, life probably wouldn't exist (and that doesn't mean that bacteria and such actually have desires; rather, Dawkins is referring to something like a genetic program for survival). And yes, he uses "selfish" to shed a different light on something we tend to overlook.

Lastly, a number of scientists propose that there might be more biomasses in the depths of the ocean than there are on the surfaces of the Earth's landmasses. That's quite a bit of selfish micro-organisms sitting around, just waiting to be discovered and exploited by humans and human technology. Sure, it might not be a war; rather, it could simply result in the thoughtless, uncaring genocide of macro-organisms. After all, humans are the only ones who wage war with purpose, and war always requires a purpose - history has taught us that much (read sarcasm there).

Earth Abides without Multi-Colored Paper

2008-05-22T18:54:00.005-04:00

In 1949, the author George R. Stewart wrote Earth Abides, a novel about the death of humanity on the planet. For those who've not read this apocalyptic book, it is worth the time. Although it does give into some of the Modernist style writing of the period, it is, at heart, a genre novel. I mention it because I've always thought the title was clever. With or without life on the planet, the Earth abides.

Of course, there is a plethora of reason why this theme resonates in today's world, most of which I'll not venture upon. Instead, I'll keep to the locus of Earth Abides, and other works of this genre. And what is at the center of these books is the collapse of social structures combined with the return to a "natural" or something that is assumed to be natural state of living. So what in the blue blazes am I writing about here. Let a quote from Earth Abides sum it up:

Now, apparently, he was happier than he had been before, because there was no one to interfere with him and he could merely withdraw and store up around himself all these material goods. He had canned food, sometimes in neat boxes, sometimes in mere piles and heaps of can. But he also had a dozen crates of oranges, more than he could possibly eat before they spoiled He had beans in cellophane bags...

In addition to food he had boxes and boxes of electric light bulbs and radio tubes, a cello (though he could not play), a high pile of one issue of the same magazine, a dozen alarm clocks, and a host of other miscellaneous materials which he had collected, not with any definite idea of use, bu merely for the comfortable feeling of security which came to him from surrounding himself with all kinds of possessions... he was insane.

This really hits at the core of the subject - the world we've created opposing what is "natural." It does this through "owning things," and that many of the things "owned" are human abstractions. But, what I'm aiming at here is somewhat related to the last post. Progress often involves the creation of abstractions that we learn to view as being quite natural. Working 40 hours a week is natural in our society, but there is nothing inherently natural about 40 hours of work. Laboring for money is quite natural to us, but money is an abstraction - an economic system . . . multi-colored paper.

Alas, we arrive at my point. I recently watched a group of senators interviewing folks from the oil industry, asking why the price of oil is so high. As I'm sure most everyone knows, the price of oil has lengthy tentacles, and when the price of crude goes up, the price of many things goes up. That is to say, when more multi-colored paper is required for the oil, more multi-colored paper is required for food. This means people ask for more multi-colored paper from employers, and sometimes even driving to work requires more multi-colored paper than is garnered by the labor. Essentially, multi-colored paper is one of humanity's greatest marvels. We live for it; we die for it; we toil for it; we kill for it. And sometimes, as with a few of the oil executives testifying, we forget how much multi-colored paper we collect from our labor.

And while dreams are inspired by the spiraling shades of paper, and happiness and suffering are brought about by an abundance or a lack of a material of many hues, the world progresses as does human creations - this strange paper being one of the most powerful. Yet, should anything ever occur that halts the existence of humanity, the value, the purpose, the power of mutli-colored paper dies as well. And the Earth abides, and continues on as though money were not natural or even a necessary.

Reading on a Lazy Afternoon

2008-05-20T09:22:00.007-04:00

I was strolling in my backyard this morning, when I remembered something I'd read. So I pulled out my digital camera, snapped a few shots, and came up with this post.

Years ago, I read Carl Sagan's book Cosmos - which was also a popular television series. In one of the chapters, when he was discussing the possible dire fate of humanity, he presented a sentence about "reading a book on a lazy Sunday afternoon." This sentence was a contrast against the potential doom that intelligent life perhaps inevitably encounters. Sagan poses that maybe intelligent species advance to a point where they always destroys themselves - which is one theory as to why Earth has not detected or encountered other inhabitants in the universe.

Of course, that is not the topic on hand, at least directly. In remembering that sentence about reading on lazy afternoons, I was struck by how seldom I have such an opportunity. Every passing year, technology advances, and it seems my schedule has less time for sitting outdoors in the afternoon and reading (that's something I do at night). I know I'm not alone in this. But why I'm returning to the notion is because several decades ago the promises of technology predicted a future with more luxury time - more time for those lazy afternoons. However, each advancement seems to find a new way to keep us in contact or on an electronic leash, and able to do our work from anywhere, providing the batteries last or there is a power outlet. Over all, it is a strange sort of advancement. One that seems ever-consuming, gnawing away at our free time - or did we ever have free time?

Blackmoore Global, Pulp Cthulhu & Voodoo Virus

2008-05-14T08:52:00.009-04:00

Blackmoore Global Laboratories

The last few weeks have seen quite a bit of news releases flying about - distributors updating catalogs, retailers listing products. These are the things that get rumors started. And normally they are the fun type of rumors. In a recent post, Rob, had asked me about an upcoming Chaosium RPG setting titled Blackmoore Global Laboratories. While this project was announced by Chaosium yesterday, it still has a SECLEV 10 clearance (meaning super secret) - sorta). But there is information on the Internet about it. Probably more than most people realize. So I'll probably turn it into a contest. See below for the Blackmoore Global Corporation (BGC) rules.

Pulp Cthulhu

Is it coming out? Will it not come out? I've had many emails quoting the Indiana Jones films regarding Pulp Cthulhu ("You make hurry fast...," etc.). I'm presently doing the art direction, and I'm working with several fantastic artists. It would be nice to see the book at GenCon, and I think every effort will be made to make this happen. The project has changed hands several times. It moved from a d20 system to a BRP system, to the system I developed for Pulp - a Pulp BRP system. Those who have played it at GenCon will certainly know the differences from the Call of Cthulhu system (CoC) and Pulp Cthulhu. Still, all CoC books can work with Pulp Cthulhu - so there is a vast amount of resources out there already.

Voodoo Virus

Here is one that has popped up a few times. This is a "zombie" novel (or survival novel) that I'm writing for Chaosium. In Chaosium's history, they have published several non-cthulhu related books. This is another one of those. It is not under the "Call of Cthulhu" fiction line; rather, it is under a new series line, "Voodoo Virus Chronicles." And Jeff recently made remarks in a post comment about this book as well. The common email I've received on this is: Will there be an RPG setting. Let's hope so. :) But right now, it is a novel.

BGC Contest Rules

There are no rules. So, like the former Frontier Cthulhu, people are free to post what information they can, and any thing they decode. The three people who post or email me the most information about Blackmoore Global Laboratories (or corporation) will win a free copy of the book when it is published. It must be valid information.

This contest will run until July 1st (the book is slated to appear later this year - maybe August). Please share information with each other. Once your name is identified with the data, you will get credit for it - and remember the folks at Blackmoore Global Corporation are watching you as well. :) And that information you provide might help others. Of course, the point is to have fun.

The Somnambulist - Jonathan Barnes

2008-05-13T08:23:00.003-04:00

A milk drinking giant and a stage magician named Edward Moon find themselves investigating murder in historic London. But Moon is more than a prestidigitator - he is the real thing. He uses real magic in his stage act. Even so, as the 1900s arrives, his career as a performer passes away.

By all accounts, this is a urban fantasy (although some would say steampunk). It is set in a gritty historical London. Moon has solved several murders in the past with his uncanny abilities, but when a zealous religious cult threatens the city itself, Edward Moon and his milk-drinking companion (the somnambulist) work to uncover the plans of the cult.

If you're a fan of supernatural detectives, this novel is a good bet. There are a number of clever twists in it, along with an unreliable narrator (not uncommon for such period works). The mood and tone of the prose work wonderfully. The book is filled with unusual characters, with even more unusual names. But it captures the spirit of the genre. And it maintains pacing, which keep the pages turning. Johnathan Barnes produces a nice balance between humor, dark mood, and several eerie moments. This is a fun novel, but it isn't always light hearted. It deals with social issues through an historic lens, and the somnambulist, who is a riddle in himself, is a clever character that acts as a moral guide through a dark world. Yet, the novel does not burden the reader with a n over-determined, historical writing style.

All of the weird elements work together to form a strong narrative, with a surprise narrator. Really, there are too many secrets to be revealed. So try reading the novel before reading too many reviews.

War of the Worlds

2008-05-12T06:38:00.001-04:00

It seems that H.G. Wells was on the mark when he had Earth germs destroy the Martian invaders in his classic novel, War of the Worlds. However, it might be that the part he got wrong was "who" the invaders were.

We live on a planet of many worlds. For the ease of discussion, I'll divide them into two: Macrocosom and Microcosom. The world of humans and animals and plants is large - macro. Our senses readily perceive the large objects around us. But anyone who has seen one of those shows on microscopic insects, bacteria, and viruses, knows there is a world - a universe - all around us, unseen by the unaided eye. There are many more inhabitants of that microcosom than there are in the macrocosom (if we don't include the microscopic lifeforms in the macroscopic world). We're outnumbered by all counts. And it seems that we weren't the first to lay claim to the Earth. By most accounts, macroscopic life developed after microscopic life. That makes us the usurpers, the invaders - although the war isn't over.

H.G. Wells argued that humans had earned their place on Earth through countless deaths (building immunity to germs), where the Martians had not. That statement assumes that the battle between humans and germs has ended. I think we know better than that. If we apply the popular Nietzsche quote to micro-organisms, "That which does not kill us makes us stronger," then the bacteria and viruses are growing stronger. Perhaps a war is brewing.

In Laurie Garrett's book titled, The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance, she makes an argument that the microcosom is growing stronger, readying for another attack (though not consciously doing so). Admittedly, this book was published a number of years ago (1994), but she wasn't speaking in terms of one decade. Rather, she takes account of the entire span of life on the planet, and the endless conflict between macro- and microscopic organisms. One point she does make is that the variations on a micro-organism theme are increasing; new diseases are being found or are evolving out of prior diseases. Certainly popular news plays into this awareness, but with each passing day, more and more antibiotic immune bacteria are created. Think of all the antibiotic soaps and washes. Each use (maybe) kills bacteria, but it also runs the risk of making one stronger - one that reproduces and evolves at a rate far beyond the ability of humans. In evolutionary terms, it seems the microcosom has an advantage. In technology, the macrocomosm has the advantage. But what if the technologies being created are helping the "enemy" to adapt and subvert our immune systems? That's not my keen insight, it belongs to many experts in the field.

I'm not proposing a solution here. Not suggesting drug treatments stop (I'm an avid user of medication :> ); I'm simply speaking about a several billion year war that we've been fighting, and only now are we beginning to understand the enemy. All the while, the enemy (if it is an enemy) has been using DNA and gene splicing mindlessly. What a clever foe.

Super Hereos in Culture: Why We Need Superman

2008-05-06T06:46:00.004-04:00

As most everyone knows, the new Iron Man film has been released. And it seems to be doing well from the reviews I've read and those people who have made mention of it. Honestly, I'm not surprised. I have seen the film, and I must say that the first thing that captured my attention was the Stark corporate logo. Many years ago, I worked for Lockheed Martin (once simply known as Lockheed), and their logo was pretty much one-half of the Stark logo (visit the www.lockheedmartin.com site to compare). That has nothing to do with this post, unless we can make something of it. I bring this up because of a real world connection between Stark Enterprises and defense contractors. Someone is being mirrored.

Regardless of that sidebar, what has captured my fancy for the past few years - maybe nearly a decade - is the resurgence of super hero films. They've certainly appeared on television, but it seems they've done far better at the box office and perhaps DVDs. Why I'm interested is because I wonder about the attraction. Something attracts people to super hero films. I could say nostalgia from comic book days is the cause, but many of the audience members know little of the comic books or even the history of some characters (such as the X-Men or Iron Man). Perhaps there is something appealing in these films, or in their formula, that keeps people returning to the theater - and keeps the studios trying their best to make a pleasing version of The Hulk (why hasn't this one worked yet?).

There are many commonalities in super hero films, but perhaps the most striking one is that super heroes usually work outside the "system" or the law. Quite often, they are mistaken for villains before recognized as heroes (this means they act like villains in some fashion). Or at least F22 fighter pilots attempt to shoot them down believing their are threats before being told otherwise.

It would seem this quality places such films in opposition of what holds society together, making the films a touch rebellious in nature. In fact, sometimes these films must go beyond all institutional means available to society. When the police and military fail, when politics crumble, something must be done: super villains need super heroes to defeat them. Is it an overstatement to say that buried in this concept is a fear or feeling of inadequacy in government (on any level) to protect? Mind you, the return of this genre has spanned at least two presidencies, so I don't think it is purely political.

Other elements of super heroes and their tales are the aspects of being outsiders. They always stand out from the crowd, whether it be Clark Kent with his clever glasses disguise, or Superman with his bright outfit (did anyone notice in the last Superman film, he said that he defended "Truth, justice..." - what happened to the "American way" part of that line - seems like politics did jump in there). Yet, while these grand figures are usually outcasts, lonely, prowling on the edge of society, brooding and misunderstood, they are the only ones who can save the day. They seem to be counter-culture. Most importantly, when they do, the audience cheers. Is this a symptom of everyone wanting to be a super hero, or everyone wanting a super hero - or just a hero?

From outside the entertainment business there is often a confusion about cause and effect. That is to say, it is argued that people watch super hero films because film companies make them. In most business models, manufacturers produce what the market wants. I would think that if people did not attend such films, the number produced would decrease or vanish. This means that argument is inverted: film companies are making films the public wants to see. The question it begs is why does the public want to see them?

Iron Man and Great Expectations

2008-05-01T07:15:00.004-04:00

In publishing, sometimes too much advance notice can be a problem. This is true in fiction and the hobby game industry. What often happens when several months pass between the announcement of a book/product and its arrival is that the potential customers and fans often speculate, in fact re-writing and redesigning that which hasn't been released. Then, when the big day arrives, expectations are never met because too much speculation has surrounded the project, or too much time passed before the release. Imaginations have had time to run wild, everyone's hopes, dreams, desires are placed upon the anticipated book/product, and it isn't possible to live up to the ideal version that has formed in the public mind.

It seems The Onion has taken advantage of this by turning the table on the film Ironman. Rather than speculating about the film, they tackle the shocking news that the trailer is going to be transformed into a full feature film. Of course, this mock news report is funny from both sides of the issue.

Wildly Popular 'Iron Man' Trailer To Be Adapted Into Full-Length Film

Do watch it a second time simply to read the ticker.

Origins Award Nomination

2008-04-30T09:21:00.007-04:00

I'm quite pleased to announce that Frontier Cthulhu: Ancient Horrors in the New World. has been nominated for an Origins Award. Yes, it was in the semi-finals, but now it has made it to the nomination stage.

The anthology is a collection of Lovecraftian tales that move from the east to the west, exploring early North America to the days of the Wild West. Below is a table of contents, and related information:

The Long Road Home by Paul Melniczek
In Waters Black the Lost Ones Sleep by Angeline Hawkes
Where Men Had Seldom Trod by Lee Clark Zumpe
Something to Hold the Door Closed by Lon Prater
Terror from Middle Island by Stephen Mark Rainey & Durant Haire
Children of the Mountain by Stewart Sternberg
They Who Dwell Below by William Jones
Wagon Train for the Star by Scott Lette
Incident at Dagon Wells by Ron Shiflet
Ahiga and the Machine by Robert J. Santa
The Dead Man’s Hand by Jason Andrew
Jedediah Smith and the Undying Chinaman by Charles P. Zaglanis
Snake Oil by Matthew Baugh
Cemetery, Nevada by Tim Curran
The Rider of the Dark by Darrell Schweitzer

William Jones ed., cover art by Steven Gilberts. 272 pages. Trade Paperback.

ISBN 1-56882-219-7

For those interested in reading about how the authors devised their devious stories, click on the colorful words Frontier Cthulhu and read the comments.

Here is a list of the final 5 nominees:

Astounding Hero Tales
Published by Hero Games
Edited by James Lowder

Dragons of the Highlord Skies
Published by Wizards of the Coast
Written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

Frontier Cthulhu
Published by Chaosium
Edited by William Jones

The Orc King
Published by Wizards of the Coast
Written by R.A. Salvatore

The Time Curse
Published by Margaret Weis Productions
Written by James M. Ward