Mario Acevedo's Blog, page 11
October 28, 2012
Who's your bad ass daddy?
Mario here:
What I'm reading. The Coldest War, by Ian Tregillis.
Here's a commercial message to help keep us off the street corner.
I'm teaching at Writers Online Classes . Sign up for, How to Sharpen Your Writing. It's a tough market out there and let me shine a little bit of wisdom by sharing how to add some sparkle to your prose. Whether you choose to scatter that sparkle on vampires, that's your call. We don't judge.
Now to our regularly schedule programming.
The East Coast is about to get pounded by the Frankenstorm, Hurricane Sandy, which in a weird way. gives us a bit of respite from all the campaign hollering.
So to continue giving you a break, let's talk about bad ass characters. What made me think this was this clip I stumbled across from Rocky III, featuring the villain, Clubber Lang. Over the years, Mr. T devolved into a parody, but if you watch this video, you'll see what a bad ass he could play.
Cable TV has also given us a great crop of bad asses, especially Breaking Bad.
Starting with, Walter White (Bryan Cranston).
The sketchy and scary, the chief goon Mike Ehrmantraut (Johnathan Banks).
The icy and manipulative king pin, Gustavo "Gus" Fring (Giancarlo Esposito).
And no doubt, the baddest ass cop since Dirty Harry, Hank Schrader (Dean Norris).
Fans of True Blood and Walking Dead have their faves, so chime in.
Only a few more days to the end of the Lego Ghost Train Contest sponsored by the University of Doom. It's an easy way to snag a great present and take the burden off St. Nick's wallet.
What I'm reading. The Coldest War, by Ian Tregillis.
Here's a commercial message to help keep us off the street corner.
I'm teaching at Writers Online Classes . Sign up for, How to Sharpen Your Writing. It's a tough market out there and let me shine a little bit of wisdom by sharing how to add some sparkle to your prose. Whether you choose to scatter that sparkle on vampires, that's your call. We don't judge.
Now to our regularly schedule programming.
The East Coast is about to get pounded by the Frankenstorm, Hurricane Sandy, which in a weird way. gives us a bit of respite from all the campaign hollering.
So to continue giving you a break, let's talk about bad ass characters. What made me think this was this clip I stumbled across from Rocky III, featuring the villain, Clubber Lang. Over the years, Mr. T devolved into a parody, but if you watch this video, you'll see what a bad ass he could play.
Cable TV has also given us a great crop of bad asses, especially Breaking Bad.
Starting with, Walter White (Bryan Cranston).
The sketchy and scary, the chief goon Mike Ehrmantraut (Johnathan Banks).
The icy and manipulative king pin, Gustavo "Gus" Fring (Giancarlo Esposito).
And no doubt, the baddest ass cop since Dirty Harry, Hank Schrader (Dean Norris).
Fans of True Blood and Walking Dead have their faves, so chime in.
Only a few more days to the end of the Lego Ghost Train Contest sponsored by the University of Doom. It's an easy way to snag a great present and take the burden off St. Nick's wallet.
October 25, 2012
In SoCal
As I mentioned last week, I'm in San Diego for signings at Mysterious Galaxy this weekend, but thought this would be of interest to readers:
Barnes & Noble, which acknowledged yesterday that hackers had stolen data from pin pad devices in 63 of its stores in September, released a list of the stores along with advice for customers about what to do. See it all here (no pin required).
And just in case you've forgotten:
Mysterious Galaxy – San Diego October 27 2PM
Halloween Bash!
7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. Suite 302
San Diego 92111
858-268-4747
Mysterious Galaxy – Redondo Beach October 28 2:30 PM
Halloween Bash!
2810 Artesia Blvd.
Redondo Beach 92078
310-542-6000
See you next week!
Barnes & Noble, which acknowledged yesterday that hackers had stolen data from pin pad devices in 63 of its stores in September, released a list of the stores along with advice for customers about what to do. See it all here (no pin required).
And just in case you've forgotten:
Mysterious Galaxy – San Diego October 27 2PM
Halloween Bash!
7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. Suite 302
San Diego 92111
858-268-4747
Mysterious Galaxy – Redondo Beach October 28 2:30 PM
Halloween Bash!
2810 Artesia Blvd.
Redondo Beach 92078
310-542-6000
See you next week!
October 21, 2012
Mario here:What I'm reading:The Carpetbaggers by Harold R...
Mario here:
What I'm reading:
The Carpetbaggers by Harold Robbins
Mile Hi Con 44 has come and gone. Many thanks to Rose Beetem for honchoing this big herd of weird cats. I spent the weekend catching up with my fellow writers and fans. Palled around with Stephen Graham Jones, Marne Ann Kirstatter, Julie Kazimer, Paolo Bacigalupi, David Boop, Betsy Dornbusch, Thea Hutcheson, Carrie Vaughn, Molly Tanzer, Quincy Allen, Carol Berg--and as they say--so many, many more.
The Hipster Reading went off surprising well, so much so that we're planning another, more hipster reading, for next year. Jason Heller and bongo-ist Aaron DeBoskey tore it up Friday night.
Author Guest of Honor Cherie Priest shows off her "Castle" Writer flak vest (sans armor plate).
Contest for the University of Doom!
Here's your chance to win this Lego Ghost Train set (for yourself or any of your little ones).
Or a
University of Doom window sticker.
How? It's easy! My handsome son Emil will explain it to you at via You Tube.
To post a comment go to the Lego Ghost Train Contest! video.
What I'm reading:
The Carpetbaggers by Harold RobbinsMile Hi Con 44 has come and gone. Many thanks to Rose Beetem for honchoing this big herd of weird cats. I spent the weekend catching up with my fellow writers and fans. Palled around with Stephen Graham Jones, Marne Ann Kirstatter, Julie Kazimer, Paolo Bacigalupi, David Boop, Betsy Dornbusch, Thea Hutcheson, Carrie Vaughn, Molly Tanzer, Quincy Allen, Carol Berg--and as they say--so many, many more.
The Hipster Reading went off surprising well, so much so that we're planning another, more hipster reading, for next year. Jason Heller and bongo-ist Aaron DeBoskey tore it up Friday night.
Author Guest of Honor Cherie Priest shows off her "Castle" Writer flak vest (sans armor plate).
Contest for the University of Doom!
Here's your chance to win this Lego Ghost Train set (for yourself or any of your little ones).
Or a
University of Doom window sticker.How? It's easy! My handsome son Emil will explain it to you at via You Tube.
To post a comment go to the Lego Ghost Train Contest! video.
October 17, 2012
MileHiCon
Mile Hi Con this weekend-
Mario mentioned earlier in the week that Biting Edge will be all over the con--if you're planning to attend, look for Mario and I (and pal Warren Hammond) presenting at these panels:
FRIDAY
Jeanne, Warren 5-6 Writing the Holy trinity of S/F Grand Mesa
Mario 6-7:30 Abuse an Author Grand Mesa
Jeanne, Warren, Mario 8-9 Autograph Alley Atrium
Mario 9-10 Hipster reading Grand Mesa
SATURDAY
Warren Noon-1 Genre Mashup/Genre Busting Grand Mesa B-C
Jeanne 2-3 Taking Your Work Seriously
Mario 4-5 Science Travesties in Current Media
SUNDAY
Warren 1-2 Author Reading Mesa Verde C 2-3 Autograph table
Jeanne 3-4 Strong Women in SF
Warren 3-4 Forget the Midichlorians & Embrace the Force Mesa Verde A
Love to see you!
# # # #
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook
J K Rowling interview with Jon stewart - she's pretty cool!
# # # #
Grist for the writing mill:
A new class of electronics can dissolve and disappear on a pre-set schedule, within a few minutes or a few years, depending on when you want them to go away. They could live in the body and deliver drugs, they could stick on the exterior of buildings or tanks, and they can become compost instead of metal scrap--in other words, they turn the common conception of electronics completely upside down.
Transient electronics, as they’ve been dubbed, are a combination of silk and silicon designed to work seamlessly in our bodies and in our environments. In a new study, researchers built a thermal device designed to monitor infection in a rodent and a 64-pixel digital camera--all from dissolvable material.
Can you imagine? A building or a tank dissolving into compost???? Am I reading that right? How about a body? Wow-- more here
# # # #
I love this time of year. It's so beautiful in the neighborhood--the trees turning, the leaves falling like rain. Next week I'll be in San Diego to sign at the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstores. Dates and times as follows:
<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} </style></div></div></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal">Mysterious Galaxy – San Diego</div><div class="MsoNormal">October 27<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2PM</div><div class="MsoNormal">Halloween Bash! with S. G. Browne and Tamara Thorne</div><div class="MsoNormal">7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. Suite 302 San Diego 92111</div><div class="MsoNormal">858-268-4747</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Mysterious Galaxy – Redondo Beach</div><div class="MsoNormal">October 28<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2:30 PM</div><div class="MsoNormal">Halloween Bash! with Lisa Morton and Hugh Sterbakov</div><div class="MsoNormal">2810 Artesia Blvd. Redondo Beach 92078</div><div class="MsoNormal">310-542-6000</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"># # # # </div><div style="text-align: left;">Next week while I'm in San Diego, I'm taking extra time to play with my sister, Connie, my cuz Ed, my oldest SisinCrime buddy, Miyoko, and to work on the new series with collaborator Samantha Sommersby. So if I'm AWOL next Thursday, you'll understand why. I'll keep up on Facebook--at least I'll try. </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com...' alt='' /></div>
Mario mentioned earlier in the week that Biting Edge will be all over the con--if you're planning to attend, look for Mario and I (and pal Warren Hammond) presenting at these panels:
FRIDAY
Jeanne, Warren 5-6 Writing the Holy trinity of S/F Grand Mesa
Mario 6-7:30 Abuse an Author Grand Mesa
Jeanne, Warren, Mario 8-9 Autograph Alley Atrium
Mario 9-10 Hipster reading Grand Mesa
SATURDAY
Warren Noon-1 Genre Mashup/Genre Busting Grand Mesa B-C
Jeanne 2-3 Taking Your Work Seriously
Mario 4-5 Science Travesties in Current Media
SUNDAY
Warren 1-2 Author Reading Mesa Verde C 2-3 Autograph table
Jeanne 3-4 Strong Women in SF
Warren 3-4 Forget the Midichlorians & Embrace the Force Mesa Verde A
Love to see you!
# # # #
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook
J K Rowling interview with Jon stewart - she's pretty cool!
# # # #
Grist for the writing mill:
A new class of electronics can dissolve and disappear on a pre-set schedule, within a few minutes or a few years, depending on when you want them to go away. They could live in the body and deliver drugs, they could stick on the exterior of buildings or tanks, and they can become compost instead of metal scrap--in other words, they turn the common conception of electronics completely upside down.
Transient electronics, as they’ve been dubbed, are a combination of silk and silicon designed to work seamlessly in our bodies and in our environments. In a new study, researchers built a thermal device designed to monitor infection in a rodent and a 64-pixel digital camera--all from dissolvable material.
Can you imagine? A building or a tank dissolving into compost???? Am I reading that right? How about a body? Wow-- more here
# # # #
I love this time of year. It's so beautiful in the neighborhood--the trees turning, the leaves falling like rain. Next week I'll be in San Diego to sign at the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstores. Dates and times as follows:
<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} </style></div></div></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal">Mysterious Galaxy – San Diego</div><div class="MsoNormal">October 27<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2PM</div><div class="MsoNormal">Halloween Bash! with S. G. Browne and Tamara Thorne</div><div class="MsoNormal">7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. Suite 302 San Diego 92111</div><div class="MsoNormal">858-268-4747</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Mysterious Galaxy – Redondo Beach</div><div class="MsoNormal">October 28<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2:30 PM</div><div class="MsoNormal">Halloween Bash! with Lisa Morton and Hugh Sterbakov</div><div class="MsoNormal">2810 Artesia Blvd. Redondo Beach 92078</div><div class="MsoNormal">310-542-6000</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"># # # # </div><div style="text-align: left;">Next week while I'm in San Diego, I'm taking extra time to play with my sister, Connie, my cuz Ed, my oldest SisinCrime buddy, Miyoko, and to work on the new series with collaborator Samantha Sommersby. So if I'm AWOL next Thursday, you'll understand why. I'll keep up on Facebook--at least I'll try. </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com...' alt='' /></div>
October 14, 2012
Fangs, hipsters, and a drop through the Stratosphere
Mario here:
It's one week to Mile Hi Con 44 and Biting-Edge will be there all weekend. Besides lots of fantastic panels, catch our Author Guest of Honor Cherie Priest and Toastmaster Stephen Graham Jones at the Friday night Hipster Reading...with Bongos. Get the details from this great flyer, courtesy of artist pal Eric Matelski.
Dog Fight! The 2012 Authors Invitational Photo Dog Fight organized by Casey Halloway. Monday, my family's Shiba Inu, Scout, goes muzzle-to-muzzle with the mutt from Em Petrova. Grrrr! Go to the DOG FIGHT and vote for your favorite pooch, which is Scout, of course.
I do some ghost-writing on the side and one book that I had a hand in was The Natanz Directive, (Thomas Dunne Books) by Fox News security analyst Wayne Simmons and local author Mark Graham (who hired me). The hero of this thriller, Jake Conlin, is called back to active duty and sent to Iran on a black ops assignment to stop nuclear Armageddon. The book is getting strong reviews and features Jake Conlin doing a very macho high-altitude parachute drop that would've done Felix Baumgartner proud.
You're invited. Bonnie Biafore will be reading from and signing copies of her hilarious, Tim Dorsey-esque dumb criminals novel, Fresh Squeezed. Wednesday, 6-8:30PM at Hanson's Grill and Tavern, Denver.
I found this amazing blog Comic Crits where John the blogger writes (or is it draws?) reviews of books in comic panel form. Here's a sample of his amazing work:
It's one week to Mile Hi Con 44 and Biting-Edge will be there all weekend. Besides lots of fantastic panels, catch our Author Guest of Honor Cherie Priest and Toastmaster Stephen Graham Jones at the Friday night Hipster Reading...with Bongos. Get the details from this great flyer, courtesy of artist pal Eric Matelski.
Dog Fight! The 2012 Authors Invitational Photo Dog Fight organized by Casey Halloway. Monday, my family's Shiba Inu, Scout, goes muzzle-to-muzzle with the mutt from Em Petrova. Grrrr! Go to the DOG FIGHT and vote for your favorite pooch, which is Scout, of course.
I do some ghost-writing on the side and one book that I had a hand in was The Natanz Directive, (Thomas Dunne Books) by Fox News security analyst Wayne Simmons and local author Mark Graham (who hired me). The hero of this thriller, Jake Conlin, is called back to active duty and sent to Iran on a black ops assignment to stop nuclear Armageddon. The book is getting strong reviews and features Jake Conlin doing a very macho high-altitude parachute drop that would've done Felix Baumgartner proud.
You're invited. Bonnie Biafore will be reading from and signing copies of her hilarious, Tim Dorsey-esque dumb criminals novel, Fresh Squeezed. Wednesday, 6-8:30PM at Hanson's Grill and Tavern, Denver.
I found this amazing blog Comic Crits where John the blogger writes (or is it draws?) reviews of books in comic panel form. Here's a sample of his amazing work:
October 11, 2012
Technical difficulties
Jeanne lost her Internet connection and Century Link is moving at the speed of bureaucracy to get it restored. I also think she's nursing a hangover but I won't mention it.
Thanks for stopping by.
The management
Thanks for stopping by.
The management
October 7, 2012
When the Big Man grins...
Mario here:
I've been reading a lot of novels lately in a variety of genres as I try to pin down what makes a good read "good."
What complicates the process is what we determine as "good" is so subjective. Almost all of what I've read lately is not just good, but damn good. Humbling good. Among the titles:
Thread of Hope, by Jeff Shelby
The Financial Lives of the Poets, by Jess Walter
Citizen Vince, also by Jess Walter
Wool, by Hugh Howey
Consent to Kill, by Vince Flynn
In Pharaoh's Army, by Tobias Wolf (a memoir)
Then just this weekend I finished (more or less) one book that screwed my mood. The novel was by an award-winning author--recipient of an NEA grant and a Guggenheim Fellowship--and featured lost love and a man scarred by war. With those credentials, I was expecting to be blown away. What could go wrong? Plenty, unfortunately. The narrative read like a first draft. The author was blurbed by the usual suspects and the book's Kirkus Starred review praised it for "extraordinary language." I must have missed something or read a different book by the same title. Jess Walter and Tobias Wolf ka-powed me with their mastery of prose. For a literary writer, the guy in question was a lazy hack.
In another blog exploring the magical sprouting of a breakout book, an agent was quoted as saying, "and then God smiled." In other words, "a miracle occurred." I don't want to slight another author for their success--bad karma and all that--and if someone hits the jackpot, good luck to them.
Still, I wish God wasn't so stingy with his smiles. I know of plenty of good great outstanding writers who have not been given the attention they deserve. Meanwhile, other less talented scribes get heaped with praise and sales. We have the hoopla over Shades of Grey. What puzzles me is all the media hoopla about the sexual content, as if no one else had ever written erotica before. Well, here's a nod and a wave of the stinky finger to my naughty and successful writer pals, Lorelei James, Lauren Dane, and Megan Hart.
And this week, on October 9 to be precise, is the release date for Daniel Marks' (<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} -</style><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">n</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">é</span> Mark Henry) amazing YA novel, <a href="http://velvetandnyx.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><i>Velveteen</i></a>. Don't believe me, <a href="http://birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com..." target="_blank">read this review</a>. Buy bunches of copies. The hardback looks gorgeous. Hate to say this of anything regarding Mark Henry (I mean, have you ever met the guy? It's like visiting the monkey cage at the zoo.), but I'm jealous.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com...' alt='' /></div>
I've been reading a lot of novels lately in a variety of genres as I try to pin down what makes a good read "good."
What complicates the process is what we determine as "good" is so subjective. Almost all of what I've read lately is not just good, but damn good. Humbling good. Among the titles:
Thread of Hope, by Jeff ShelbyThe Financial Lives of the Poets, by Jess Walter
Citizen Vince, also by Jess Walter
Wool, by Hugh Howey
Consent to Kill, by Vince Flynn
In Pharaoh's Army, by Tobias Wolf (a memoir)
Then just this weekend I finished (more or less) one book that screwed my mood. The novel was by an award-winning author--recipient of an NEA grant and a Guggenheim Fellowship--and featured lost love and a man scarred by war. With those credentials, I was expecting to be blown away. What could go wrong? Plenty, unfortunately. The narrative read like a first draft. The author was blurbed by the usual suspects and the book's Kirkus Starred review praised it for "extraordinary language." I must have missed something or read a different book by the same title. Jess Walter and Tobias Wolf ka-powed me with their mastery of prose. For a literary writer, the guy in question was a lazy hack.
In another blog exploring the magical sprouting of a breakout book, an agent was quoted as saying, "and then God smiled." In other words, "a miracle occurred." I don't want to slight another author for their success--bad karma and all that--and if someone hits the jackpot, good luck to them.
Still, I wish God wasn't so stingy with his smiles. I know of plenty of good great outstanding writers who have not been given the attention they deserve. Meanwhile, other less talented scribes get heaped with praise and sales. We have the hoopla over Shades of Grey. What puzzles me is all the media hoopla about the sexual content, as if no one else had ever written erotica before. Well, here's a nod and a wave of the stinky finger to my naughty and successful writer pals, Lorelei James, Lauren Dane, and Megan Hart.
And this week, on October 9 to be precise, is the release date for Daniel Marks' (<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} -</style><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">n</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">é</span> Mark Henry) amazing YA novel, <a href="http://velvetandnyx.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><i>Velveteen</i></a>. Don't believe me, <a href="http://birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com..." target="_blank">read this review</a>. Buy bunches of copies. The hardback looks gorgeous. Hate to say this of anything regarding Mark Henry (I mean, have you ever met the guy? It's like visiting the monkey cage at the zoo.), but I'm jealous.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com...' alt='' /></div>
October 3, 2012
A House For Sale and a Contest or Two
On my way to Fairplay to write, write, write this weekend. Thought I'd share some goodies I came across this week that may be of interest.
Have an extra 2.25 million pounds laying around? If so, you can buy the house where Harry Potter was written. Go here for more photos.
I just purchased The Casual Vacancy but it will be awhile I'm afraid before I get to it. Anyone read it yet? What did you think?
# # # #
An opportunity featured in Cindi Myers Market News
Harlequin’s Love Inspired Romantic Suspense line is looking for authors. To find them, the editors are hosting a Fast Track submission process during October. Submit your first chapter and synopsis and get a read in one month. Send your first chapter, two-page synopsis, and a query letter stating how much of the manuscript is complete to LISfasttrack@harlequin.ca between October 15 and October 26. You’ll have a reply by November 26. Love Inspired Suspense features romantic suspense with a Christian faith element. Stories are equal parts romance and compelling suspense, with a faith message woven in. Completed books are 55,000 to 60,000 words. Find more details about the Fast Track Submissions here.
# # # #
What are publishers buying right now? This dovetails nicely with the above. From Publisher's Marketplace:
In September there was...A surge in fiction, driven by romance & women's fiction (which doubled). September fiction was up 25 percent from last year, the highest total ever for this month. Similarly, domestic fiction sales are up 23 percent for the year-to-date...
...As far as reported sizable advances, six-figure fiction deals have also bounced back--driven by that surge in romance. Five of the major deals were women's fiction (none were last year), in multi-books deals, as were three of the significant deals. So far we have logged only two six-figure debuts, which drives a lot of the talk and impressions. (This time last year it was M.L. Stedman's now-NYT bestseller THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS and Rachel Joyce's THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY leading the bid-for debuts).
Full report here.
# # # #
And another contest which has a nice $5000 grand prize. This was posted on a RMFW loop by Mark Stevens:
America's Next Author is a huge writing contest with a $5000 grand prize, and is now accepting entries. But more importantly, it's built around a very unique concept: all contest entries will be visible to the public and the winner will be chosen by voters and our panel of judges.
Readers will be able to comment on stories, give feedback to authors, and vote for their favorites. This gives authors a great opportunity to get feedback on their work and build an online following. It's also much more fun and exciting because in regular writing contests, only the winning stories are shown and nobody else ever finds out why they didn't win.
The competition will have eight nomination rounds. Each week, the top-ranked author will be nominated for the finals. And even if a story isn't nominated, it will remain in the contest and have another chance to be nominated each week. During this process, authors can increase their chances of winning by getting everyone they know to vote for their story.
In addition to being read by the public, the contest entries will be judged by a panel of experienced professionals from the publishing industry. These judges will read entries and provide feedback to authors. They will also nominate four additional wildcard authors, adding them into the final rounds of competition.
Learn more and enter the contest here
# # # #
After the debacle last week with the pictures I tried to post, I've given up the idea of posting anymore about the Writers Police Academy. But fellow writer Terry Odell who obviously has a better grip on the vagaries of blog posting has done a wonderful series here . So if you'd like to see and find out more, check it out. I'll try with just one more because I loved getting my pic taken with Lee Child.
Have an extra 2.25 million pounds laying around? If so, you can buy the house where Harry Potter was written. Go here for more photos.
I just purchased The Casual Vacancy but it will be awhile I'm afraid before I get to it. Anyone read it yet? What did you think?
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An opportunity featured in Cindi Myers Market News
Harlequin’s Love Inspired Romantic Suspense line is looking for authors. To find them, the editors are hosting a Fast Track submission process during October. Submit your first chapter and synopsis and get a read in one month. Send your first chapter, two-page synopsis, and a query letter stating how much of the manuscript is complete to LISfasttrack@harlequin.ca between October 15 and October 26. You’ll have a reply by November 26. Love Inspired Suspense features romantic suspense with a Christian faith element. Stories are equal parts romance and compelling suspense, with a faith message woven in. Completed books are 55,000 to 60,000 words. Find more details about the Fast Track Submissions here.
# # # #
What are publishers buying right now? This dovetails nicely with the above. From Publisher's Marketplace:
In September there was...A surge in fiction, driven by romance & women's fiction (which doubled). September fiction was up 25 percent from last year, the highest total ever for this month. Similarly, domestic fiction sales are up 23 percent for the year-to-date...
...As far as reported sizable advances, six-figure fiction deals have also bounced back--driven by that surge in romance. Five of the major deals were women's fiction (none were last year), in multi-books deals, as were three of the significant deals. So far we have logged only two six-figure debuts, which drives a lot of the talk and impressions. (This time last year it was M.L. Stedman's now-NYT bestseller THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS and Rachel Joyce's THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY leading the bid-for debuts).
Full report here.
# # # #
And another contest which has a nice $5000 grand prize. This was posted on a RMFW loop by Mark Stevens:
America's Next Author is a huge writing contest with a $5000 grand prize, and is now accepting entries. But more importantly, it's built around a very unique concept: all contest entries will be visible to the public and the winner will be chosen by voters and our panel of judges.
Readers will be able to comment on stories, give feedback to authors, and vote for their favorites. This gives authors a great opportunity to get feedback on their work and build an online following. It's also much more fun and exciting because in regular writing contests, only the winning stories are shown and nobody else ever finds out why they didn't win.
The competition will have eight nomination rounds. Each week, the top-ranked author will be nominated for the finals. And even if a story isn't nominated, it will remain in the contest and have another chance to be nominated each week. During this process, authors can increase their chances of winning by getting everyone they know to vote for their story.
In addition to being read by the public, the contest entries will be judged by a panel of experienced professionals from the publishing industry. These judges will read entries and provide feedback to authors. They will also nominate four additional wildcard authors, adding them into the final rounds of competition.
Learn more and enter the contest here
# # # #
After the debacle last week with the pictures I tried to post, I've given up the idea of posting anymore about the Writers Police Academy. But fellow writer Terry Odell who obviously has a better grip on the vagaries of blog posting has done a wonderful series here . So if you'd like to see and find out more, check it out. I'll try with just one more because I loved getting my pic taken with Lee Child.
September 30, 2012
Money, money, money
Mario here:
What I'm reading: Citizen Vince, by Jess Walter.
The book biz buzz this week: Publishing house sues writers to pay back their advances.
The most famous case of a writer being sued to return their advance involved actress Joan Collins. She had been paid a $1.2 million advance on a $4 million two-book deal. Her manuscript for the first book was rejected by Random House for being of unacceptable quality. But with millions of dollars at stake, high-priced legal talent piled on. Collins' lawyer argued that her contract only specified that she turn in a completed manuscript, not an acceptable one. The suit went to court and Collins counter sued, contending that she did not receive the editorial help she required, and since she had turned in two manuscripts, she was due the remaining $2.8 million offered in the original deal. In 1996, the court awarded her another million but the publisher did not have to pay for the second manuscript since it was not much different than the first. Where can I get a piece of this action?
Read here about the twelve writers Penguin is suing for advances paid and interest accrued. A couple of interesting points to consider:
1. All the writers mentioned had been contracted to write non-fiction, and some may not have written a book before and sold on proposal. Once they had to put their asses in a chair and produce, the words and ideas didn't flow quite so smoothly. Heh, heh, heh. While I don't feel much sympathy for the writers, I also have to point the finger of shame at Penguin. It doesn't help that one of the writers, Elizabeth Wurtzel, has made a cottage industry out of her personality disorders and drug addiction, so if she spaced out, the publisher can't say they didn't see it coming.
2. Playing the devil's advocate (for us writers, yeah!) Robert Gottlieb, the head of Trident Media Group (Jeanne's literary reps), provided a caveat to the issue of writers having contracted work rejected by their publishers, mentioning reasons the author has no control over. He stresses that good representation helps protect a writer's rights.
I don't personally know of any writers who have had their work rejected for quality reasons or have had to return their advance. I do know of authors whose work did not sell well (for various reasons--among them, the publishers doing squat for marketing) and their contracts were terminated. But the writers were allowed to keep the advances already paid out. And I know of other writers who have returned the advance to buy back the rights for their work.
When you sign a contract, three butts should be on the line: Yours. Your agent's. And the acquiring editor. Your success reflects the agent's ability to cull through the chaff of submissions and deliver a good read. The acquiring editor is the one who championed your manuscript to their editorial review board. Too many missteps, and said editor could be sent packing for a new job. In my case, before I submitted my contracted manuscript to the publisher, my agent wanted a first look so there would be only good surprises.
How do advances work? A book deal represents the entire amount to be advanced, that is, paid to you in advance of the royalties of expected sales, usually sales within the first year after publication.
Every advance is structured differently. For small advances, generally $5000 and less, you will get the entire amount upon signing the contract. As advance amounts increase, then you will get half upon signing the contract and the other half upon the publisher accepting the manuscript. For big amounts, say over $100,000, the money might come in thirds. $33,000 upon signing. Another 1/3 upon acceptance, and the remainder upon publication (which you the author have no control over).
For multiple book contracts, say a two-book deal for $50,000, you'd get half for each book upon signing, $25,000. Then $12,500 upon acceptance of the first, and another $12,500 for the second. So in that first year, you'd pocket $37,500, living expenses for most writers. The second year will be rather lean unless you have a sugar daddy or a day job.
Plus, advances are shrinking, even for proven NYT bestsellers. In many cases, advances are half, or as low as a quarter of what they were five years ago. Reverse inflation! If the industry is losing money, it's not because they're paying good authors too much.
The key to publication success is to earn out your advance within the first year, and the sooner the better. That means your book sales have paid back the advance. You'll start earning royalties and you've proven yourself to be a winning horse to bet on. But so may factors are out of your control that any outstanding writers are not given the opportunity to earn out.
What I'm reading: Citizen Vince, by Jess Walter.
The book biz buzz this week: Publishing house sues writers to pay back their advances.
The most famous case of a writer being sued to return their advance involved actress Joan Collins. She had been paid a $1.2 million advance on a $4 million two-book deal. Her manuscript for the first book was rejected by Random House for being of unacceptable quality. But with millions of dollars at stake, high-priced legal talent piled on. Collins' lawyer argued that her contract only specified that she turn in a completed manuscript, not an acceptable one. The suit went to court and Collins counter sued, contending that she did not receive the editorial help she required, and since she had turned in two manuscripts, she was due the remaining $2.8 million offered in the original deal. In 1996, the court awarded her another million but the publisher did not have to pay for the second manuscript since it was not much different than the first. Where can I get a piece of this action?Read here about the twelve writers Penguin is suing for advances paid and interest accrued. A couple of interesting points to consider:
1. All the writers mentioned had been contracted to write non-fiction, and some may not have written a book before and sold on proposal. Once they had to put their asses in a chair and produce, the words and ideas didn't flow quite so smoothly. Heh, heh, heh. While I don't feel much sympathy for the writers, I also have to point the finger of shame at Penguin. It doesn't help that one of the writers, Elizabeth Wurtzel, has made a cottage industry out of her personality disorders and drug addiction, so if she spaced out, the publisher can't say they didn't see it coming.
2. Playing the devil's advocate (for us writers, yeah!) Robert Gottlieb, the head of Trident Media Group (Jeanne's literary reps), provided a caveat to the issue of writers having contracted work rejected by their publishers, mentioning reasons the author has no control over. He stresses that good representation helps protect a writer's rights.
I don't personally know of any writers who have had their work rejected for quality reasons or have had to return their advance. I do know of authors whose work did not sell well (for various reasons--among them, the publishers doing squat for marketing) and their contracts were terminated. But the writers were allowed to keep the advances already paid out. And I know of other writers who have returned the advance to buy back the rights for their work.
When you sign a contract, three butts should be on the line: Yours. Your agent's. And the acquiring editor. Your success reflects the agent's ability to cull through the chaff of submissions and deliver a good read. The acquiring editor is the one who championed your manuscript to their editorial review board. Too many missteps, and said editor could be sent packing for a new job. In my case, before I submitted my contracted manuscript to the publisher, my agent wanted a first look so there would be only good surprises.
How do advances work? A book deal represents the entire amount to be advanced, that is, paid to you in advance of the royalties of expected sales, usually sales within the first year after publication.
Every advance is structured differently. For small advances, generally $5000 and less, you will get the entire amount upon signing the contract. As advance amounts increase, then you will get half upon signing the contract and the other half upon the publisher accepting the manuscript. For big amounts, say over $100,000, the money might come in thirds. $33,000 upon signing. Another 1/3 upon acceptance, and the remainder upon publication (which you the author have no control over).
For multiple book contracts, say a two-book deal for $50,000, you'd get half for each book upon signing, $25,000. Then $12,500 upon acceptance of the first, and another $12,500 for the second. So in that first year, you'd pocket $37,500, living expenses for most writers. The second year will be rather lean unless you have a sugar daddy or a day job.
Plus, advances are shrinking, even for proven NYT bestsellers. In many cases, advances are half, or as low as a quarter of what they were five years ago. Reverse inflation! If the industry is losing money, it's not because they're paying good authors too much.
The key to publication success is to earn out your advance within the first year, and the sooner the better. That means your book sales have paid back the advance. You'll start earning royalties and you've proven yourself to be a winning horse to bet on. But so may factors are out of your control that any outstanding writers are not given the opportunity to earn out.
September 27, 2012
Writers Police Academy
Want to see what goes on at a Writers Police Academy? Organizer Lee Lofland gives you a taste on his Graveyard Shift blog here . If you scan down to the first day of pictures, you'll see a familiar face second in line in the building searches exercise. Equipped with rubber guns and gun belts, we conducted a search of a suspected drug house. Unfortunately, "bad guy" CJ Lyons was laying in wait and when my partner and I entered an "empty" kitchen pantry, she got both of us!! Subsequent attempts went much better!!!
Below are a few of my own pictures. First, from the "jaws of life" demonstration. These guys took a car apart in about twelve minutes!! Amazing...
Next time, a real time demonstration of a high speed chase and apprehension. Unfortunately, the blog only allows so many pics so I have to do this in increments.
Anyway, one last pic-- Lee Childs was the guest speaker at Saturday night's banquet. He's as nice as Jack Reacher is nasty.
I filled the critique group in on some of the great things we got to experience--talks with real life undercover ops about street and outlaw motorcycle gangs, the realities of cold cases, live demonstrations by Police K9 SWAT, bomb teams and robots, underwater evidence recovery, handcuffing and arrest techniques, jail searches, police gunfighting. All fodder for the writing mill. I'd recommend this academy to anyone who wants to get the details right in their books. Next year, I'm hoping we'll all go. There's much too much to take in one year. When the website opens for 2013, I'll let you know.
Another benefit was hanging out with pals Jaye Wells, CJ Lyons, Jenna Black, Rick Gustafson (hometown boy from CO), and a bunch of other great writers. We had some interesting talks. Seems most are in agreement--the publishing business is changing radically and the end is not in sight. CJ Lyons shared she hit the million mark in July-- she has sold a MILLION books. It boggles the mind, doesn't it?
Below are a few of my own pictures. First, from the "jaws of life" demonstration. These guys took a car apart in about twelve minutes!! Amazing...
Next time, a real time demonstration of a high speed chase and apprehension. Unfortunately, the blog only allows so many pics so I have to do this in increments.
Anyway, one last pic-- Lee Childs was the guest speaker at Saturday night's banquet. He's as nice as Jack Reacher is nasty.
I filled the critique group in on some of the great things we got to experience--talks with real life undercover ops about street and outlaw motorcycle gangs, the realities of cold cases, live demonstrations by Police K9 SWAT, bomb teams and robots, underwater evidence recovery, handcuffing and arrest techniques, jail searches, police gunfighting. All fodder for the writing mill. I'd recommend this academy to anyone who wants to get the details right in their books. Next year, I'm hoping we'll all go. There's much too much to take in one year. When the website opens for 2013, I'll let you know.
Another benefit was hanging out with pals Jaye Wells, CJ Lyons, Jenna Black, Rick Gustafson (hometown boy from CO), and a bunch of other great writers. We had some interesting talks. Seems most are in agreement--the publishing business is changing radically and the end is not in sight. CJ Lyons shared she hit the million mark in July-- she has sold a MILLION books. It boggles the mind, doesn't it?
Mario Acevedo's Blog
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