Rob Howell's Blog, page 45
August 10, 2018
Pennsic AAR
Greetings all
This year’s Pennsic is approaching the end and I should be writing more on the short story I started tomorrow, but my brain is tired. Instead, I thought I’d go ahead and write my AAR.
Ever since Gulf Wars in March I have been almost continuously on the road between conventions and our move. It has been a wonderful time, and wonderful for my future given that I have (generally) met all my writing deadlines, made new customers, plotted new plots, and ended up in my wonderful house with my wonderful sweetie.
I am so happy to be at this point. I am also beat.
Nevertheless, this has been one of the best Pennsics I’ve had in many years.
The main reason is that my sweetie joined me. Not only was it fun to have her around, she did the vast majority of the camp chores and cooking so that I could focus on work. I ate better than I have in years and yet had less work than ever. Also, my apprentice was able to come. It was, basically, the first time my SCA household was together at a major event.
I’m a lucky man. Well, until they gang up on me 
August 9, 2018
Rob’s Update: Leaf In The Wind
Greetings all
Last night was Moonlight Madness at Pennsic. What does that mean? It means that every merchant here stays open until at least 11pm or so. It’s often a lot of fun as the merchant area is lit up and filled with laughter. There are various different groups who do parades or some other pageantry. It’s a neat time, as well as good for sales.
It’s also exhausting.
My big news this past week is that I submitted a short story to an editor. I haven’t heard back whether they accepted it, but even so it’s progress. Plugging away.
I spent the early part of the week working with another short story. It’s close, but it needs more umph. I’m going to let it gel and get back to it next week. There’s a core to it that I really like, plus some fun openings for the future, but it’s not quite there yet.
So today I’m going to work on a new short story in Shijuren. I have had a couple of ideas I want to explore and I don’t really want to dig into something big until I get back and settled.
Finally, if you haven’t watched it yet, please take some time and watch my interview with Vince Conaway. This week I decided to do my weekly interview face to face and I think it came out great.
And with that, I’m off to toss words at the page.
Current Playlist Song
As mentioned in earlier updates, I’ve expanded the products I sell at conventions and events to include Celtic, Ren Faire, SCA, filk, and convention music. Most of Pennsic has been me listening to Pandora Celtica and Bedlam Bards.
Right now, I’m listening to “Leaf In the Wind” by Bedlam Bards, one of the great songs from their CD “On the Drift” of Firefly-themed songs. Great CD. I’m out of stock but will try and get more.
Quote of the Week
Today in 1854, Henry David Thoreau published Walden, so here’s something from that that seems pertinent.
“How many a man has dated a new era in his life from the reading of a book.”
– Henry David Thoreau, Walden
News and Works in Progress
CB (6,526)
AFS (2,681)
Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions
Interview – Vince Conaway: http://robhowell.org/blog/?p=1283
Upcoming Events
15-16 September, TopCon, Topeka, KS http://www.topcon.us/
Spotlight
This week’s spotlight is on Vince Conaway. I actually recorded a live interview with him here at Pennsic. You can find the interview here: http://robhowell.org/blog/?p=1283 and you can find his website at: http://www.vinceconaway.com/.
Today’s Weight: Not sure, will update after Pennsic
Updated Word Count: 171,032
Shijuren Wiki: 874 entries
Four Horsemen Wiki: 376 entries
Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.
Have a great week, everyone.
Rob Howell
Author of the Shijuren-series of novels
Website: www.robhowell.org
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rhodri2112
Blog: www.robhowell.org/blog
Shijuren Wiki: http://www.shijuren.org/World+of+Shijuren+Home
MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/rob.howell1
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/robhowell.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rhodri2112
Currently Available Works
A Lake Most Deep (Edward, Book 1)
The Eyes of a Doll (Edward, Book 2)
Where Now the Rider (Edward, Book 3)
I Am a Wondrous Thing (The Kreisens, Book 1)
Brief Is My Flame (The Kreisens, Book 2)
None Call Me Mother (The Kreisens, Book 3) Forthcoming 2018-9
“A Gift of Crimson” in Hand of Gold and Other Stories (Pussy Katnip)
“Where Enemies Sit” in For a Few Credits More (The Four Horsemen Universe)
If you think you received this email incorrectly or wish to be unsubscribed, please send an email to shijuren-owner@robhowell.org
August 7, 2018
Interview: Vince Conaway
Greetings all
Since I’m at Pennsic and there are a ton of fantastic creators here, I thought I’d do something different for this week’s interview. Vince Conaway, known in the SCA as Vincenzo, and I did this week’s interview under my shade fly. Many thanks to Richard Larmer for being our stellar camera dude.
Let’s get straight to the videos:
http://www.robhowell.org/images/Vincenzo01.mp4
http://www.robhowell.org/images/Vincenzo02.mp4
http://www.robhowell.org/images/Vincenzo03.mp4
http://www.robhowell.org/images/Vincenzo04.mp4
http://www.robhowell.org/images/Vincenzo05.mp4
Where to find Vincenzo
www.patreon.com/vinceconaway
www.vinceconaway.com
@vinceconaway (Instagram and Twitter)
facebook.com/vinceconaway
Also, Vincenzo mentioned a number of people in the interview. Here are some links to check out.
Well Met: https://www.amazon.com/Well-Met-Renaissance-American-Counterculture/dp/0814771386
Marc Gunn http://marcgunn.com/
Amanda Palmer http://amandapalmer.net/
Frank Turner http://frank-turner.com/
Thanks very much to Vincenzo and Richard for letting me try something different. I had a lot of fun, and I hope you all enjoy this as much as I did.
Finally, let me know any suggestions or comments you have about this interview format so I can keep tweaking it.
Thanks for reading. If you’re interested in any of the other interviews I’ve done, you can find them all here: http://robhowell.org/blog/?cat=326.
If you are a creator, especially an independent creator, and you want to be spotlighted in a future interview, email me at rob@robhowell.org.
Also, if you want to join my mailing list, where I’ll announce every interview, as well as what’s going on in my life, go to www.robhowell.org and fill out the form (Name and Email Address) or drop me an email and I’ll add you.
August 2, 2018
Rob’s Update: Vivat the Dream
Greetings all. I’m writing from Calontir Trim’s shop at Pennsic. It’s been, and will be, a wet Pennsic. The advantage is that it’s been very cool. My sweetie would prefer warm and clear, but I’m happy with the low temps.
I run a bardic circle every year on the first Monday of the way. That went very well this year as the rain held off until there were few enough that we could squeeze under my shade fly. Lots of great performances and it’s a chance to see some wonderful people I’ve not seen in a year.
Speaking of which, you’ll get to see one of those wonderful people on Tuesday. I have a special interview lined up so stay tuned.
It’s been an weird week in terms of getting things going. We’ve had a number of delays and we really only got operational yesterday. We still have some set up to do, but that’s mostly the lights for Midnight Madness next week.
As I’ll expand on below, I’ve been fighting the short story for the 4HU that’s already late, but I realized a few nights ago the solution. I’ve been powering through a brand new start on it today. Despite all the distractions, I’m really pleased with the new twist that fixes all the frustrations that blocked my way.
This kind of thing is fairly standard, by the way. I write and bang my head until what makes the story work comes to me and I switch everything around to fit the better story. The extra stuff that doesn’t fit goes into another story, and the stuff I’m not using will go into the next book.
Anyway, back to work for me.
Current Playlist Song
We don’t have any music playing in the shop. However, Faye from Atlantia is here and her favorite SCA song is “Vivat the Dream” by Warjna Waleska Katzjmjr (Varina Suellen Plonski) because of the lines:
“Chivalry, courtesy, honor, and love
Are ideals we cherish all others above”
So she sang them for me. I’m a lucky man.
Quote of the Week
Today is the birthday of Kevin Smith. He’s one of the reasons I write, because he keeps pushing people to follow their dreams. He took a huge plunge when he wrote and directed Clerks, which is still one of my favorite films. Side note, if you want a grim ending, watch the alternate version of Clerks.
In any case, he’s one of the people I admire the most and he’s one of my inspirations. He recently had a heart attack and barely survived. Today, on his birthday, he posted one of the taglines from Clerks:
“I’m not even supposed to be here today!”
– Kevin Smith
News and Works in Progress
CB (6,560)
LD (2,451) (Formerly TAV) I was actually up to well over 5,000 and I realized I wanted to do something different. I’ve made great progress on this new version this morning. I’ll get another bunch this morning as I decided to show, not tell, something from the previous version. This will help set up the novel better, provide more action, more explosions, and more rounds downrange.
AFS (2,681)
Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions
Interview – Ian J. Malone: http://robhowell.org/blog/?p=1272
Upcoming Events
27 July-12 August, Pennsic War, Cooper’s Lake, PA http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn47/
15-16 September, TopCon, Topeka, KS http://www.topcon.us/
Spotlight
This week’s spotlight is with Ian J. Malone. You can find our interview here: http://robhowell.org/blog/?p=1272 and his website is at: https://ianjmalone.net/.
Today’s Weight: Not sure, will update after Pennsic
Updated Word Count: 161,170
Shijuren Wiki: 874 entries
Four Horsemen Wiki: 376 entries
Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.
Have a great week, everyone.
Rob Howell
Author of the Shijuren-series of novels
Website: www.robhowell.org
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rhodri2112
Blog: www.robhowell.org/blog
Shijuren Wiki: http://www.shijuren.org/World+of+Shijuren+Home
MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/rob.howell1
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/robhowell.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rhodri2112
Currently Available Works
A Lake Most Deep (Edward, Book 1)
The Eyes of a Doll (Edward, Book 2)
Where Now the Rider (Edward, Book 3)
I Am a Wondrous Thing (The Kreisens, Book 1)
Brief Is My Flame (The Kreisens, Book 2)
None Call Me Mother (The Kreisens, Book 3) Forthcoming 2018
“A Gift of Crimson” in Hand of Gold and Other Stories (Pussy Katnip)
“Where Enemies Sit” in For a Few Credits More (The Four Horsemen Universe)
If you think you received this email incorrectly or wish to be unsubscribed, please send an email to shijuren-owner@robhowell.org
August 1, 2018
Interview: Ian J. Malone
This week’s interview is with Ian J. Malone, who I met while on the same panels at a number of conventions. He writes SF, including a short story in For A Few Credits More along with me.
He’s also a guy who works hard for all of us independent writers. At least once a week, he’s posting useful links or websites in his Facebook group the Alliance for Indie SF&F Authors. If you’re an independent writer, it’s a good group to keep track of.
Anyway, here’s the guy himself.
Interview: Ian J. Malone
Ian J. MaloneWhat is your quest?
I’m easy to peg on that one, brother. I aim to live on the beach one day, making enough money as a full-time SF author to support my family. That’s it. If I can pull that off, I’ll be over the moon.
What is your favorite color?
As the tagline goes, I write “character-charged sci-fi with a shot of country.” That’s a fancy way of saying I write stories about every day, blue collar folks who wind up in situations that aren’t so every day in nature. Most of the time that involves high flying space ships in some capacity, plus aliens, other worlds, AI, and so forth. Inevitably, though, most of my protagonists tend to be human as I’ve always found them more relatable to read/write.
As an aside, I also really enjoy wearing hats… a lot.
What is the average flying speed of an unladen paint brush?
The biggest challenge I faced, particularly in the beginning, was learning how a story is supposed to look in text, on the page. I’m legally blind, and have historically done all of my reading via audio. So, when the time came to write a novel of my own, I had A TON to learn about style and technique.
Example: I never knew when penning my first book that a character’s thoughts were presented in italics. You kinda don’t get that in an audiobook.
What are the powers of your personal Holy Hand Grenade?
I’m a chronic lister. My daily tasks at work, chores around the house, writing goals. You name it, and I’ve probably got it dictated onto a note in my phone somewhere.
As social media goes, I’m also a big fan of the list feature on Twitter. I keep lists for every topic imaginable, from craft and publishing to geek culture, news and sports. Moreover, the tweets on those lists come exclusively from sources that I’ve vetted, which helps to cut down on the whole fake news thing.
Note: I wish Facebook would give me a feature like this. It’s absurdly efficient. Alas, Father Zuckerberg hasn’t seen fit yet in his infinite wisdom to bestow upon we, the little people, such an enormously helpful tool. *sigh*
Lightning Round
Favorite Muppet? ANIMAL!
Crunchy or Creamy? Crunchy, all the way.
Favorite Sports Team? Florida State Seminoles
Cake or Pie? Gotta go with pie, especially when it’s my wife’s homemade apple.
Lime or Lemon? “He was green! Like a lime!”
Favorite Chip Dip? I make a Mexican layer dip that I’m told is legendary back home in Florida.
Wet or Dry? Wet makes me think water, so I’ll go with that.
Favorite Musical Performer We’ve Never Heard Of? Joe Bonamassa featuring Beth Hart
Whisky or Whiskey? Never was a Scotch guy, so gimme that e.
Favorite Superhero? Superman.
Steak Temperature? Medium
Favorite 1970s TV show? 70s were before my time. Best I can do is early 80s, in which case I’ll go with Miami Vice.
Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall? Fall = college football season and chili weather
Favorite Pet? The Cranes!
Best Game Ever? John Madden Football
Coffee or Tea? Coffee, black
Sci-Fi or Fantasy? Sci-Fi
What question(s) would you like to ask me?
Why in the holy name of frak are you a Cowboys fan, Rob? Come on, man. I thought you were better than that! :p
My Answer: Because I grew up in Hillsboro, TX in the early 1970s, which is near Dallas. I’ve been a Cowboys fan since 1973 or so. In other words, I come by this fandom honestly.
Every night at Pennsic I’ll spend some time checking on Twitter and my feeds for news from Cowboys training camp. I’m really excited about this year’s team. Last year was lost to Roger Goodell being a jerk, and at some point we’ll win it all again and I can’t wait to see him have to give Jerry the Lombardi Trophy.
Tell me again where we can find your stuff?
I’m for sale “wide” in all the usual places: Amazon, Kobo, B&N, iBooks, etc.
And where can we find you?
Website: https://ianjmalone.net
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B00BJ5QO50/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1?redirectedFromKindleDbs=true
Twitter (@ianjmalone): https://twitter.com/ianjmalone/
Facebook (@ianjmalone): https://www.facebook.com/ianjmalone/
Do you have a creator biography?
As a graduate of Florida State University, sci-fi author Ian J. Malone has written in a variety of arenas ranging from public health to news and sports. When it comes to his fictional work, however, he’s a firm believer that nothing shapes a person’s writing like experience. That’s why he credits his tenures in radio, law enforcement, and military contracting for much of his inspiration, plus the legion of family and friends who’ve stood with him along the way.
Beyond writing, Malone is an avid fan of audiobooks (he’s legally blind) and the outdoors. It’s also not uncommon to find him at a ballgame, a concert, or somewhere out by a grill.
Malone is an active member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America and a resident of Durham, North Carolina — but he’ll always be a “Florida boy” at heart.
Colonies LostFinal question for you: What should I have asked but did not?
You might have asked, “where can readers test drive your work before buying?”
Answer: Anybody who signs up for my email newsletter at ianjmalone.net gets not one but two free short stories! The first is titled Mako: Genesis, and serves as the official prequel to my SF adventure series, The Mako Saga. The other is titled Nightfall: A Roanoke Short Story, and serves as the prequel to my new book, Colonies Lost.
Subscribers will also get first look sneak peeks at new book materials, as well as occasional updates on release schedules, events, and discount/freebie promotions.
Malone’s latest book, Colonies Lost, tells the story of a disgraced US Marshal who takes a freelance case to feed his family, only to come face-to-face with America’s greatest unsolved mystery: What happened to the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island?
You can find Colonies Lost for sale on Amazon, or wherever ebooks are sold.
Finally, let me know any suggestions or comments you have about this interview format so I can keep tweaking it.
Thanks for reading. If you’re interested in any of the other interviews I’ve done, you can find them all here: http://robhowell.org/blog/?cat=326.
If you are a creator, especially an independent creator, and you want to be spotlighted in a future interview, email me at rob@robhowell.org.
Also, if you want to join my mailing list, where I’ll announce every interview, as well as what’s going on in my life, go to www.robhowell.org and fill out the form (Name and Email Address) or drop me an email and I’ll add you.
July 28, 2018
Rob’s Update: Comrades From Birth
I’m sitting in an Eat n’ Park in New Castle, PA about to get some supplies for Pennsic. Pay no attention to the fact that Beer 4 Less is across the parking lot.
People often say that coming to Pennsic is coming home. I get that, but to be honest, after all this time coming here, I find that New Castle is a big part of that.
It’s a rust belt town, with all that entails. Still, there’s some amazing buildings here, including a stone house I’d love to someday be wealthy enough to save.
I look forward to Pennsic for different reasons now than the first time I came. I no longer look forward to the big battles like I used to. Now what I enjoy is a couple of weeks of a great work space, writing and selling in Calontir Trim.
I greatly appreciate that Master Andrixos gives me space in his booth to write and sell. I get good traffic, plus I can sit and write in a work environment. In many ways, it’s the closest thing to an office environment I have.
I’m sure those of you who work in offices every day are looking at me like I’m crazy, but I haven’t really had a 9-5 job in fifteen years or so. I kind of like having the schedule for the time I work here.
Maybe I am crazy after all.
Anyway, speaking of work, I need to finish a short story today.
Current Playlist Song
Ah, the joys of restaurant music. This week’s song is “Lotta Love” by Nicolette Larson. There’s a lot of great music from the 1970s. This isn’t necessarily one of them.
Quote of the Week
I return to Master Andrixos and move to a much better song for this week’s quote. He is in the process of moving to be with his stepdaughter and (any moment now) grandbaby. He’s been a fixture of Calontir, and he’ll be missed. He moved away for a bit for work a while ago before coming back, and at at the time wrote a song that seems like the perfect source for this week’s quote, especially since we’ll sing it quite a few times this war.
“Farewell, my companions, my comrades from birth.
Well tested swordsmen who wander the Earth.
Many a bottle we’ve emptied in mirth
And in many a battle we have proven our worth.”
– Master Andrixos, “The Leaving Song”
News and Works in Progress
CB (6,560)
LD (3,543) (Formerly TAV)
AFS (2,681)
Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions
Blog Post
Interview – Michael J. Allen: http://robhowell.org/blog/?p=1259
Upcoming Events
27 July-12 August, Pennsic War, Cooper’s Lake, PA http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn47/
15-16 September, TopCon, Topeka, KS http://www.topcon.us/
Spotlight
This week’s spotlight is on Michael J. Allen. You can find my interview of him at: http://robhowell.org/blog/?p=1259 and you can find him on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B0096GEILG/?redirectedFromKindleDbs=true
Today’s Weight: 388.4
Updated Word Count: 158,522
Shijuren Wiki: 874 entries
Four Horsemen Wiki: 376 entries
Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.
Have a great week, everyone.
Rob Howell
Author of the Shijuren-series of novels
Website: www.robhowell.org
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rhodri2112
Blog: www.robhowell.org/blog
Shijuren Wiki: http://www.shijuren.org/World+of+Shijuren+Home
MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/rob.howell1
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/robhowell.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rhodri2112
Currently Available Works
A Lake Most Deep (Edward, Book 1)
The Eyes of a Doll (Edward, Book 2)
Where Now the Rider (Edward, Book 3)
I Am a Wondrous Thing (The Kreisens, Book 1)
Brief Is My Flame (The Kreisens, Book 2)
None Call Me Mother (The Kreisens, Book 3) Forthcoming 2018
“A Gift of Crimson” in Hand of Gold and Other Stories (Pussy Katnip)
“Where Enemies Sit” in For a Few Credits More (The Four Horsemen Universe)
If you think you received this email incorrectly or wish to be unsubscribed, please send an email to shijuren-owner@robhowell.org
July 24, 2018
Interview: Michael J. Allen
Greetings all
One of the most intimidating moments I’ve had so far as a writer came at Constellation in October last year. I was on a panel of writing military science fiction. What was intimidating was that Orson Scott Card was to my right and David Drake was too my left.
Wowza.
Anyway, there was a fourth member of that panel, Michael J. Allen. In truth, I think we both did pretty well. We each made a point or two, but we were also both smart enough to learn from the rock stars.
Interview: Michael J. Allen
Portrait of Michael J. AllenWhat is your quest?
I’m searching the Nothing looking for the Awesome. In his online classes on creative writing, Brandon Sanderson teaches there’s always room for more awesome. I strive to create stories that match what I’m looking for in the bookstore. I love old things made new, creating elements everyone knows with a twist mixed in with something new to create (I hope) the awesome.
What is your favorite color?
My favorite color would have to be silver. As before, I endeavor to make new from old in a way that is understandable. I want the logic to be consistent. In an upcoming release I created a world guarded by phoenixes, but I wanted every element represented, not just fire. That meant figuring out what a water or a life based phoenix might rise from if killed. So for something like a modern day water phoenix to rise from her essence, she might have to watch tearjerker movies in her nest to build up enough tears to be reborn.
What is the average flying speed of an unladen paint brush? (
Plaid of course. I come from a hard work equals success background, all measurable and quantitative. As a writer the equation ceases to be linear. A constant frustration in my writing career revolves around reaching the success rate my old world brain tells me I should be making in this new world as an author.
Cover of DiscardedWhat are the powers of your personal Holy Hand Grenade?
When discharged, my hand grenade creates a swirling rainbow vortex straight into fairy land, summing thousands of flesh eating sprites—talk about tasted by the rainbow. If I had to pick one technique I use well, it would be bringing dialogue to life. I admit I worry sometimes that my stories contain too much dialogue, but it comes so naturally once I’ve figured out the internal/external goals, motivations and conflicts of a given character. A story is about people, and making the people real required them to be as fully formed in my imaginary world as you or me…probably more you.
Lightning Round
Favorite Muppet? Animal came to mind first, and who doesn’t want to live without bothering to filter or apply self control., but as I started to answer I remembered Grover from Seseme Street, a kind goofy guy who happens to be a bumbling superhero reminiscent of The Greatest American Hero.
Crunchy or Creamy? That’s a rather personal question, don’t you think?
Cake or Pie? Pie, one to the face is a hell of way to win a planet from the Klingons (See “How Much for Just the Planet” by John M Ford)
Lime or Lemon? Lime, the overlooked but sweeter infiltrator from the citrus regime.
Favorite Chip Dip? It depends on who’s in the tub with me.
Wet or Dry? The night was sultry.
Favorite Musical Performer We’ve Never Heard Of? Danny Kaye, though you probably would know who he was if you saw him. (Rob’s Note: This isn’t terribly surprising given Michael’s sartorial style. He is always very well dressed. Maybe not as nice as my Rush t-shirts, but worthy of the Danny Kaye style)
Whisky or Whiskey? Rum, the only drink for a pirate.
Favorite Superhero? Greatest American Hero/ SuperGrover
Steak Temperature? Medium Rare and damn the consequences!
Favorite 1970s TV show? Battlestar Galactica
Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall? Winter, it’s damned hot in the south.
Favorite Pet? I’ve had a lot of dogs over my life, so that’s a hard choice. She’s not the best behaved of all the dogs I’ve trained, but my black lab Magesty is a dyed in the wool cuddler.
Best Game Ever? Wing Commander: Privateer (or its spiritual progeny Elite Dangerous)
Coffee or Tea? Choosing between tea and not tea, always choose the tea.
Sci-Fi or Fantasy? Science fiction, you can have all the same wonder, magic and weird races as with fantasy, plus a bunch of cool toys everyone can play with—well, okay. Some fantasy might have better toys.
What question(s) would you like to ask me?
Who was the professional author you wanted to meet most and how’d the meeting go (assuming you’re not still stalking)?
My Answer: Well, without a Tardis or something like it, I can’t meet any of the authors I really want to meet. Tolkien would be fun, especially if we could break down the Finnsburh Fragment and Episode together. I would love to talk language choices with Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. I’d really like to meet the writer of Beowulf and hear him perform it. Same for Homer.
If we’re talking people who are actually alive today, then I’ve been lucky enough to meet most of them. David Drake, I mentioned above. I’m met David Weber, Larry Correia, John Ringo, and a bunch of other Baen authors at LibertyCon. All of them have been generous with their experience to a fledgling writer such as myself.
Cover of Fey WestTell me again where we can find your stuff? (All the web presence you’d like me to link to)
www.deliriousscribbles.com
facebook.com./deliriousscribbler
amazon.com/author/deliriousscribbler
And where can we find you? (Events and cons you’re scheduled to attend)
July 26 through 29 Raleigh Supercon
August 30 through Sept 3 DragonCon
Also, I have two new releases.
Discarded (Released at DragonCon)
Fey West
Do you have a creator biography?
Michael J. Allen is a bestselling author of multi-layer science fiction and fantasy novels. Born in Oregon and an avid storm fan, he lives in far too hot & humid rural Georgia with his two black Labradors: Myth and Magesty. Warped from youth by the likes of Jerry Lewis, Robin Williams, Gene Wilder and Danny Kaye, his sense of humor leads to (in order) occasional surrender, communicable insanity, a sweet tooth and periodic launch into nonsensical song.
Fresh out of teenagers, his days are spent writing in restaurants, people watching and warring over keyboard control with the voices in his head. On those rare breaks from his highly contested 102-key self-therapy program, he can be found experimenting in the kitchen, enjoying bad Sci-Fi movies, playing D&D or the occasional video game, getting hit with sticks in the SCA or hanging out with the crew of Starfleet International’s U.S.S. DaVinci.He’s great at remembering names – if they’re fictional, and knows basically nothing about music.
To learn more about Michael, check out his website at www.deliriousscribbles.com
Final question for you: What should I have asked but did not?
The same question I asked you. Which pro did I want to meet most? For me, unfortunately, it was Terry Pratchett, and I was not fortunate enough to make his acquaintance. (Rob’s Note: He would indeed have been fun to meet, especially tossing ideas back and forth)
Finally, let me know any suggestions or comments you have about this interview format so I can keep tweaking it.
Thanks for reading. If you’re interested in any of the other interviews I’ve done, you can find them all here: http://robhowell.org/blog/?cat=326.
If you are a creator, especially an independent creator, and you want to be spotlighted in a future interview, email me at rob@robhowell.org.
Also, if you want to join my mailing list, where I’ll announce every interview, as well as what’s going on in my life, go to www.robhowell.org and fill out the form (Name and Email Address) or drop me an email and I’ll add you.
July 23, 2018
Rob’s Update: Finding My Way
Greetings all
Wow, so much to get to.
First, welcome to all the new subscribers. There’s quite a few of you from LibertyCon, InConjunction, and OComicCon. Thanks for joining in to my little corner of weekly madness.
Well, it’s usually weekly, scheduled for every Thursday. However, this is actually last week’s update. Also, this week’s update is going to be a little late. I’ll probably do it on Saturday at Pennsic since most of Thursday will involve hundreds of miles of interstates between here and there.
Why am I late this week? Well, mostly because I spent the last week nesting and organizing.
Some of that is because my Mom gave me a new desktop computer for my birthday. I’ve needed one for a while, as my old system no longer could keep up with my typing speed. Thanks, Mom!
The new system also allows for up to 4 monitors, and I’m in the process of figuring out how to use all of them. I also spent the week organizing a variety of data, including some old CDs I uncovered while unpacking. I found a bunch of pictures from my 2006 trip to England and Macedonia that I thought I had lost. I’ll post some of them one of these days. You might even get to see pictures of Achrida as I remember it.
I’ve also been nesting and organizing since the move. Thanks to Johan and Tigernan, the house is now merely a home with some clutter as opposed to a storage unit with showers.
Part of the challenge has been to replace as much of the carpet as we could before moving stuff on to it. We’ve replaced it with bamboo flooring. I can’t recommend this stuff enough, at least up to this point. It’s cheap ($1.69/sq ft), looks good, and has already shown to hold up pretty well. We got the heavy stuff, 5/8 inch, and it has a solid feel to it that thinner laminates don’t have.
Anyway, we have cool new floors in the TV rooms and office, which we are really enjoying.
Then, yesterday, Tigernan came over and moved box after box to get stuff at least to the right floor. The garage is now open and useful again. All of the furniture, with the exception of Giulia’s desk, is in the right place for now. Also, there’s a huge pile of trash that Olathe will take tomorrow and be gone. Much of this is stuff from the storage shed, which he took up front.
I am, for the first time since I moved to Olathe in 2011, truly organizing my workspace.
It’s nice, especially since I want to be more productive going forward.
Current Playlist Song
Eric Clapton and Stevie Winwood’s live version of “Can’t Find My Way Home.” One of my all time favorite songs.
Quote of the Week
Today is the birthday of John Rutsey, the original drummer of Rush. He only played on their debut album, so today’s quote comes from that album.
“I’ve been gone so long
I’ve lost count of the years
Well, I sang some sad songs
Oh yes, and cried some bad tears”
-Rush, “Finding My Way”
News and Works in Progress
CB (6,560)
TAV (2,841)
AFS (2,681)
Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions
Not a darn thing as I’ve been nesting, though I intend to do a OComicCon AAR
Upcoming Events
27 July-12 August, Pennsic War, Cooper’s Lake, PA http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn47/
15-16 September, TopCon, Topeka, KS http://www.topcon.us/
Spotlight
No spotlight this week, as I have been focused on other things. However, I have some neat ideas for Pennsic if we can make them work.
Today’s Weight: 384.4
Updated Word Count: 156551
Shijuren Wiki: 874 entries
Four Horsemen Wiki: 376 entries
Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.
Have a great week, everyone.
Rob Howell
Author of the Shijuren-series of novels
Website: www.robhowell.org
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rhodri2112
Blog: www.robhowell.org/blog
Shijuren Wiki: http://www.shijuren.org/World+of+Shijuren+Home
MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/rob.howell1
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/robhowell.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rhodri2112
Currently Available Works
A Lake Most Deep (Edward, Book 1)
The Eyes of a Doll (Edward, Book 2)
Where Now the Rider (Edward, Book 3)
I Am a Wondrous Thing (The Kreisens, Book 1)
Brief Is My Flame (The Kreisens, Book 2) Forthcoming 2018
None Call Me Mother (The Kreisens, Book 3) Forthcoming 2018
“A Gift of Crimson” in Hand of Gold and Other Stories (Pussy Katnip)
“Where Enemies Sit” in For a Few Credits More (The Four Horsemen Universe)
If you think you received this email incorrectly or wish to be unsubscribed, please send an email to shijuren-owner@robhowell.org
July 12, 2018
Rob’s Update: Too Silent To Be Real
Greetings all
InConjunction went reasonably well. I didn’t sell as much as I’d hope, but I made some new connections that could be very useful. I also really enjoyed my panels and spending time with Jon Osborne, who was next to me.
Still, I was really glad to get home. I am not as enthralled with 11 day trips as I once was. This is especially true since I knew there was work to do on unpacking.
This week has not been terribly productive in terms of writing. I’ll have to focus on that next week. However, it’s been a productive in other ways and been an enjoyable week.
My apprentice came down for a few days. She helped us unpack, organize, and joined us on a variety of errands. The best part, however, is that I had planned to visit Finola, the Fyrd Mom and founder of Calontir’s Soup Kitchen, to read a portion of Brief Is My Flame. This portion was the one where I first describe the character I based on her. Her daughter Jenna provided chicken soup and cookie dough, traditional Soup Kitchen choices, and told some stories of Calontir’s past. I had a great time as was very happy the apprentice was with me.
We also did some nesting. The floor in the main portion of my office was completed on Tuesday, so we got to move in the two big bookcases I planned to put in here. We also moved in a bunch of things, and unpacked most of the old SF/F magazines that I own. I’m putting them in here because I’ll be reading one of them a week and writing a blog post to review them starting in late August.
This week, I’m off to OComicCon. I’ll set up tonight and we’ll see how this show goes. I’ve never been here before, but I think I’ll do well.
Have a great week, everyone.
Current Playlist Song
Right now, it’s the “Canadian Railroad Trilogy” by Gordon Lightfoot. I enjoy this song for a variety of reasons, but as a writer I’m amazed at how much he packs into every word. Great song.
Quote of the Week
On 12 July, 1862, Congress authorized the establishment of the Medal of Honor for the US Army. So, today’s quote comes from Alvin York, who won the Medal of Honor for taking a machine gun nest. This quote came from his memoirs.
“I had orders to report to Brigadier General Lindsey, and he said to me, ‘Well, York, I hear you have captured the whole damned German army.’ And I told him I only had 132.”
News and Works in Progress
CB (6,560)
TAV (2,182)
AFS (2,681)
Recent Blog Posts and Wiki Additions
Interview – J.L. Gribble: http://robhowell.org/blog/?p=1237
Upcoming Events
13-15 July, O Comic Con, Omaha, NE https://www.ocomiccon.com/
27 July-12 August, Pennsic War, Cooper’s Lake, PA http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn47/
15-16 September, TopCon, Topeka, KS http://www.topcon.us/
Spotlight
This week’s spotlight is on J.L. Gribble. You can find my interview with her at http://robhowell.org/blog/?p=1237 and you can find her website at https://jlgribble.com/.
Today’s Weight: 388.0
Updated Word Count: 155,799
Shijuren Wiki: 874 entries
Four Horsemen Wiki: 376 entries
Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.
Have a great week, everyone.
Rob Howell
Author of the Shijuren-series of novels
Website: www.robhowell.org
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rhodri2112
Blog: www.robhowell.org/blog
Shijuren Wiki: http://www.shijuren.org/World+of+Shijuren+Home
MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/rob.howell1
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/robhowell.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rhodri2112
Currently Available Works
A Lake Most Deep (Edward, Book 1)
The Eyes of a Doll (Edward, Book 2)
Where Now the Rider (Edward, Book 3)
I Am a Wondrous Thing (The Kreisens, Book 1)
Brief Is My Flame (The Kreisens, Book 2) Forthcoming 2018
None Call Me Mother (The Kreisens, Book 3) Forthcoming 2018
“A Gift of Crimson” in Hand of Gold and Other Stories (Pussy Katnip)
“Where Enemies Sit” in For a Few Credits More (The Four Horsemen Universe)
If you think you received this email incorrectly or wish to be unsubscribed, please send an email to shijuren-owner@robhowell.org
July 11, 2018
Interview: JL Gribble
Interview Questions
I met J.L. Gribble on a panel at ConFluence last year and we had a very good time.
J.L. Gribble PortraitWhat is your quest?
I love writing books that I want to read. For too long, the publishing industry has determined the trends and fads, so I love that my small press lets me experiment with my fiction and tell stories that don’t fit nicely in any one genre. Romeo and Juliet with werewolves and weredragons? Time travel with a twist? I’m free to stretch the limits of my imagination, regardless of whether such things are “not done” in the urban fantasy genre.
What is your favorite color?
For a long time, my favorite color was blue. I was never a girly sort of girl, so I felt that acknowledging my love of purple would be a betrayal of things I pushed against. Now, as I take a look around my computer desk, at my purple Kindle cover, my purple post-it notes, my purple computer mouse, etc., I’ve learned to embrace what I love no matter what I think others might interpret from it. So while I love epic high fantasy tales and intricate, politically driven space opera, I’m also not afraid to shout my love of contemporary and historical romance novels with their happily ever afters. In embracing that love, I’ve learned a lot about how to create real, well-rounded relationships in my own storytelling.
Steel VictoryWhat is the average flying speed of an unladen paint brush?
It all boils down to time, doesn’t it? You can’t measure speed without it. Like everything else, time has a price. When you’re working full-time, writing at least one book a year, managing two blogs, and trying to maintain at least some semblance of health, time isn’t free. I had to learn that it’s okay to say no to things that might be “easy” on my end but would still cost me precious time. It can be frustrating and guilt-inducing, but the best thing possible for a creative’s mental and physical health is sometimes to NOT take every opportunity that comes along.
Steel MagicWhat are the powers of your personal Holy Hand Grenade?
I wish I was the sort of writer who could sit at a computer for hours on end and crank out the words. Instead, I’m a huge fan of the concept of “writing sprints.” Set a time for as little as 5 and as many as 30 minutes and write as fast as possible until the alarm blares. Then get up and do something else for a bit, preferable a task that does not include the computer. My best writing day ever was 3500 words. I also cleaned every window in my house.
Lightning Round
Favorite Muppet? Grover! Ironic, considering I’m not always a cheerful person.
Crunchy or Creamy? Crunchy chocolate sprinkles on toast. Creamy peanut butter in cookies.
Favorite Sports Team? I married into a Brazilian family, and the World Cup is currently happening. I am legally obligated to answer with the Brazilian Men’s Football Team.
Cake or Pie? New York style cheesecake. Preferably one I made myself.
Lime or Lemon? Lime, as long as it’s in a caipirinha.
Favorite Chip Dip? Queso
Whisky or Whiskey? Tawny 10-year port
Favorite Superhero? My husband
Steak Temperature? Medium-rare
Favorite 1970s TV show? M*A*S*H
Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall? Summer!
Favorite Pet? I live with three amazing Siamese cats who definitely remember their species were once worshipped as gods.
Best Game Ever? Spinner
Coffee or Tea? All of the above, plus chai
Sci-Fi or Fantasy? Both. At the same time.
J.L. Gribble CatsWhat question(s) would you like to ask me?
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Rob’s Answer: To play for the Dallas Cowboys. To fly an X-Wing. To be a paladin of legend.
I’ve always been partial to fantasy.
Tell me again where we can find your stuff?
I regularly post book reviews, LEGO builds, and author interviews at www.jlgribble.com.
I’m also the film review editor for www.SpeculativeChic.com.
You can also find me posting wacky stuff and plenty of cat pictures on Facebook (www.facebook.com/jlgribblewriter)
Twitter (www.twitter.com/hannaedits)
Instagram (www.instagram.com/hannaedits)
And where can we find you?
My schedule for the rest of 2018 includes Pittsburgh’s Confluence in at the end of July, Salt Lake City’s FanX Salt Lake and Washington DC’s Capclave in September, and Baltimore’s ChessieCon in November.
Do you have a creator biography?
By day, J. L. Gribble is a professional medical editor. By night, she does freelance fiction editing in all genres, along with reading, playing video games, and occasionally even writing. She is currently working on the Steel Empires series for Dog Star Books, the science-fiction/adventure imprint of Raw Dog Screaming Press. She is also the film review editor for SpeculativeChic.com. Previously, she was an editor for the Far Worlds anthology.
Gribble studied English at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. She received her Master’s degree in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, where her debut novel Steel Victory was her thesis for the program.
She lives in Ellicott City, Maryland, with her husband and three vocal Siamese cats. Find her online (www.jlgribble.com), on Facebook (www.facebook.com/jlgribblewriter), and on Twitter and Instagram (@hannaedits).
Steel Blood
Final question for you: What should I have asked but did not?
You should have asked when is your next book release?
People keep congratulating me on finishing my book trilogy. LITTLE DO THEY KNOW: Book 4 in the Steel Empires series, Steel Time, will be released September 2018 from Dog Star Books. Steel Time brings together the leading ladies from Steel Victory, Steel Magic, and Steel Blood as they encounter a literal race against time. The cover reveal is coming soon, so readers have plenty of time (haha, see what I did there?) to catch up on the three previous books!
Finally, let me know any suggestions or comments you have about this interview format so I can keep tweaking it.
Thanks for reading. If you’re interested in any of the other interviews I’ve done, you can find them all here: http://robhowell.org/blog/?cat=326.
If you are a creator, especially an independent creator, and you want to be spotlighted in a future interview, email me at rob@robhowell.org.
Also, if you want to join my mailing list, where I’ll announce every interview, as well as what’s going on in my life, go to www.robhowell.org and fill out the form (Name and Email Address) or drop me an email and I’ll add you.
