Mario Acevedo's Blog, page 28
March 8, 2011
Lots of "New's"
New trailer for George R. R. Martin's long awaited Game of Thrones:
The Game Begins
From Deadline. com :
HBO will air a 15-minute sneak peek of the first episode of new series Game of Thrones on Sunday, April 3, ahead of the fantasy series' premiere on April 17. Part Three of HBO's miniseries Mildred Pierce, which was scheduled for 9 PM that night, will now start at 9:15 PM. Following the one-time-only play, the Game of Thrones preview will be available online and on demand.
New stamps for Great Britain--Features some of the world's greatest wizards, wtiches and enchanters. Full gallery here .
What? Where's Harry?
Speaking of Daniel Radcliffe. What new roles would you like to see him take on?
Variety reports the actor will star in the indie comedy The Amateur Photographer based on Christopher Monger's novel of the same name (he'll also write the screenplay and direct himself). In the film, which takes place in 1970, Radcliffe will play a young man who's drafted to be a photographer for the people of a small New England town, capturing all their most intimate moments while at the same time discovering his artistic calling.
New Trailer for True Blood, Season Four with spoilers here .
New and innovative way to amuse your baby with your old rejection letters:
From the people who brought you NaNoWriMo, a new opportunity - Script Frenzy
Script Frenzy is the Office of Letters and Light's springtime writing escapade. Our goal: writing a movie, play, or graphic novel in April. Partnering is encouraged. All kinds of scripts are allowed, including adaptations of your NaNoWriMo novel. The t-shirts are stunning! No experience is necessary! Script Frenzy's Scriptwriting How-To's will teach you everything you need to know. We even have a machine on the Script Frenzy homepage that generates Oscar-ready plots 24 hours a day.
And I'll finish with an announcement about a new signing I'm doing with Lizzie T. Leaf and Melissa Mayhue:
CondorCon pics not in yet so that will have to be for another time. Hope this was enough new stuff to keep you all busy for the week.
What's new in your world?
XO Jeanne[image error]
The Game Begins
From Deadline. com :
HBO will air a 15-minute sneak peek of the first episode of new series Game of Thrones on Sunday, April 3, ahead of the fantasy series' premiere on April 17. Part Three of HBO's miniseries Mildred Pierce, which was scheduled for 9 PM that night, will now start at 9:15 PM. Following the one-time-only play, the Game of Thrones preview will be available online and on demand.
New stamps for Great Britain--Features some of the world's greatest wizards, wtiches and enchanters. Full gallery here .
What? Where's Harry?
Speaking of Daniel Radcliffe. What new roles would you like to see him take on?
Variety reports the actor will star in the indie comedy The Amateur Photographer based on Christopher Monger's novel of the same name (he'll also write the screenplay and direct himself). In the film, which takes place in 1970, Radcliffe will play a young man who's drafted to be a photographer for the people of a small New England town, capturing all their most intimate moments while at the same time discovering his artistic calling.
New Trailer for True Blood, Season Four with spoilers here .
New and innovative way to amuse your baby with your old rejection letters:
From the people who brought you NaNoWriMo, a new opportunity - Script Frenzy
Script Frenzy is the Office of Letters and Light's springtime writing escapade. Our goal: writing a movie, play, or graphic novel in April. Partnering is encouraged. All kinds of scripts are allowed, including adaptations of your NaNoWriMo novel. The t-shirts are stunning! No experience is necessary! Script Frenzy's Scriptwriting How-To's will teach you everything you need to know. We even have a machine on the Script Frenzy homepage that generates Oscar-ready plots 24 hours a day.
And I'll finish with an announcement about a new signing I'm doing with Lizzie T. Leaf and Melissa Mayhue:
CondorCon pics not in yet so that will have to be for another time. Hope this was enough new stuff to keep you all busy for the week.
What's new in your world?
XO Jeanne[image error]
March 6, 2011
Dangerous Ideas
Mario here: 
I was educated as an engineer and trained as a military officer. Basically, everything in life could be quantified as A + B = C. The numbers added up, or they didn't. But I've learned those numbers are meaningless without a goal, and that goal is defined by your dreams. And those dreams are limited only by your imagination. 
First, a shout out to my Colorado mystery-writer pal, Beth Groundwater, and her interview in the Miami Examiner.
A fan recently contacted me to say that he had looked up my novel, Jailbait Zombie, in his local library. But when he went to check it out, the book was missing from their catalog system. Why? I called the library and hoped to hear that they had pulled my book from their shelves because of a patron's complaint. In other words, I had been banned! Yes! Somebody considered my works, my ideas, such a public menace that they were taken away and buried.
Sadly, the truth was not so dramatic. Seems someone had stolen the book and the library had deleted it from the catalog until the replacement arrived.
Damn! I wanted to join that pantheon of writers so dangerous their works are banned.
Can a book be that incendiary? Are there thoughts so provocative, that their mere discovery will cause to us to tear off our ideals and dance naked in the philosophical forest?
I recalled those books people told me I shouldn't read because they would ruin my young mind. I remember the fuss over The Satanic Bible, and really, I thought I'd burst into flames when I cracked open a copy. Of course I didn't. (It would've been a great story if I had.) Truthfully, I found the book disappointingly banal and preachy. Another time I brought home a copy of Eerie, and my father went livid with disgust, especially over that panel illustrating a thug getting his hand mangled by the villain's bionic arm.
My dad wanted to shame me for wasting my money on this trash, when actually I thought that scene was pretty cool. A bone-crushing mechanical arm. Awesome!
Pornography was the subject of other taboo books. My friend Bobby Baca brought to school a copy of Justine by the Marquis de Sade. We'd pass the book around but I preferred novels from Greenleaf Classics because that prose was a lot more accessible to my 14yo brain. I guess my tastes then weren't sophisticated enough to appreciate S&M.
Fast forward to adulthood. I discovered the one book that made me change my thinking about the world had nothing to do with the devil, or comic book mad scientists, or naked people doing naughty things to one another. The book that profoundly altered my perception of the way things are and the way they outta be, was Spiritual Marketing by Joe Vitale.
I was educated as an engineer and trained as a military officer. Basically, everything in life could be quantified as A + B = C. The numbers added up, or they didn't. But I've learned those numbers are meaningless without a goal, and that goal is defined by your dreams. And those dreams are limited only by your imagination.
Sounds trite perhaps, but writing fiction is all about dialing up your imagination and flying into the unknown.
What fuels your imagination is what Martin Luther King once said: There is nothing so dangerous as relentless optimism.
That's what drives me as a working writer: relentless optimism. My A + B = C fell way short of the mark a long time ago and I am still here. Spiritual Marketing is about articulating your desires, focusing your energy toward them, but realizing that at one point, you must let go and allow the universe to manifest itself. Seems like a loco way to pursue your career but there is so much in this crazy writing business that is out of your control. As Bob Mayer noted, "If you're a Type-A person, being a writer will cure you of that."
Which is not to say that you sit on your ass, eat bonbons, and wait for destiny's lottery ticket. Every published writer I know works damn hard. I try for 2000 words a day and that paints me as a lazy slacker compared to many. Weekends? What are those? Vacations? Many have been blessed with success. Others founder. We may stumble but we don't give up. For one day, you're in the doldrums, the next, you get a call from your agent that the manuscript you've been slaving at is up for auction.
I'm not claiming I'm anywhere close to the success I've dreamed of. But I'm still trying. So should you.
[image error]
March 2, 2011
In Like A Lion...
Borrowed from Carolyn Crane's Blog, with permission of course, the round-up of March's new releases by members of the Reluctant Adults:
Never Again by Michelle Bardsley (Wizards of Nevermore #1)
Blurb: Welcome to Nevermore, Texas, population 503, where witches and wizards live side by side with humans, and where witch Lucy Rackmore is in trouble. Ever since her former lover snuffed out her magical abilities, everyone in town is looking to settle a score with her family. And Lucy's only hope for survival may be her ex-brother-in-law-whom her sister betrayed and nearly killed.
"4.5 Stars! Top Pick! "This edgy and sexy series provides more evidence of Bardsley's supreme storytelling chops!" ~ RT Book Reviews
Excerpt and more at Michele Bardsley's site.
Accidentally Catty by Dakota Cassidy (The Accidental Series book #5)
Blurb: Katie Woods never thought she'd be forty-one, divorced, and thrust back into the dating world. To start fresh, Katie uproots her veterinary practice to upstate New York-not exactly the hottest dating scene on the planet. But when an unconscious cougar appears at her clinic, Katie's newly single life gets a much needed jolt of the supernatural kind.
After Katie examines the cougar and leaves him caged overnight, she's shocked to find a big strapping specimen of young, hot man in its place. And when the scratch she got during the exam results in some unnatural side effects, Katie has more to deal with then her animal attraction to a much younger guy-she has to figure how to stop herself from becoming a cougar of the four-legged variety.
More at lovely miss tiara's website
Taste Me by Tamara Hogan (Underbelly Chronicles, book #1)
Blurb: Ever since their tempestuous fling years ago, incubus Lukas Sebastiani has known that siren Scarlett Fontaine was meant to be his. But when you're a sex demon with an insatiable desire, relationships are way more than complicated...
Rock star Scarlett Fontaine desperately needs a break after a grueling tour. But with murder and mayhem surrounding her band, and the one man she never thought to see again put to the task of protecting her, life is going to be anything but peaceful...
Every encounter between them creates more turmoil-and heat-until Scarlett pushes Lukas to the boiling point, and unleashes forces that go way beyond anything she can hope to control...
"Utterly stimulating...sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll the paranormal way. Every tense moment is steamy, passionate foreplay heading toward a fiery resolution." ~Dark Divas Reviews
"Wow! This hip, sensual tale about a supernatural rock scene sizzles with forbidden heat and danger. A full-blast start to an addictive new series!" ~Carolyn Crane
More at Tamara Hogan's site
A Lot Like Love by Julie James
Blurb: THE FBI WANTS HER COOPERATION.
As the daughter of a billionaire and the owner of the city's top wine store, Jordan Rhodes is invited to the most exclusive parties in Chicago. But there's only one party the FBI wants to crash: the charity fundraiser of a famous restaurateur, who also happens to launder money for the mob. In exchange for her brother's release from prison, Jordan is going to be there—with a date supplied by the Bureau.
AGENT MCCALL JUST WANTS HER.
As the top undercover agent in Chicago, Nick McCall has one rule: never get personal. This "date" with Jordan Rhodes is merely an assignment—one they're both determined to pull off even if they can't be together for five minutes before the sarcasm and sparks begin to fly. But when Nick's investigation is compromised, he and Jordan have no choice but to pretend they're a couple, and what starts out as a simple assignment begins to feel a lot like something more. . .
Check out excerpts, contest, etc here!
Hell to Pay by Jackie Kessler (Hell on Earth #4)
The final installment to a sexy, wild, and wonderful series! Hell's Belles (#1) was one of my first UF loves. So psyched for this wrap-up, and it's just $2.99 in a bold self-pubbing experiment.
Blurb: In this fourth and final Hell on Earth novel, everything changes.
After turning her back on Hell and becoming human, the former demon Jezebel - now the mortal dancer Jesse Harris - is ready to settle down with her true love, Paul Hamilton, and make with the Happily Ever After. But that's not in the cards. Jesse is accidentally wielding her former Hellish power - with devastating results. Another former succubus has targeted Paul. Someone is killing the dancers at Jesse's club. And the King of Hell is leading the world to the brink of Armageddon. All in all, it's not looking good for Jesse, or for anyone she loves. And there's going to be hell to pay.
Read about the Hell on Earth series here.
Available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and probably lots of other places...$2.99!
Iron Crowned by Richelle Mead (Dark Swan #3)
Richelle is unstoppable these days. Not that I want to stop her, considering she is at her full powers of writerly awesomeness.
Blurb:
Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham is the best at banishing entities trespassing in the mortal realm. But as the Thorn Land's queen, she's fast running out of ways to end the brutal war devastating her kingdom. Her only hope: the Iron Crown, a legendary object even the most powerful gentry fear. . .
Visit Richelle here.
Dead Waters by Anton Strout (Simon Canderous #4)
Blurb:
Simon Canderous, of the Department of Extraordinary Affairs, is used to fighting vampires and zombies. But the strange murder of a professor has everyone stumped. And it's making some people crazy. Literally.
"Simon Canderous is a reformed thief and a psychometrist. By turns despondent over his luck with the ladies (not always living) and his struggle with the hierarchy of his mysterious department (not always truthful), Simon's life veers from crisis to crisis. Following Simon's adventures is like being the pinball in an especially antic game, but it's well worth the wear and tear."
- Charlaine Harris, author of the Sookie Stackhouse series
Check out Anton online here
Green-Eyed Demon by Jaye Wells (Sabine Kane #3)
Blurb:
The clock is ticking for Sabina Kane. Her sister has been kidnapped by her grandmother, the Dark Races are on the brink of war, and a mysterious order is manipulating everyone behind the scenes.
Working on information provided by an unlikely ally, Sabina and her trusty sidekicks–a sexy mage named Adam Lazarus and Giguhl, a Mischief demon–head to New Orleans to begin the hunt for her sister. Once there, they must contend with belligerent werewolves, magic-wielding vampires and–perhaps most frightening of all–humans.
But as much as Sabina is focused on surviving the present, the past won't be ignored. Before she can save those she cares about most, she must save herself from the ghosts of her past.
"From the opening page, the story hurtles along at full throttle. Yet it is not without its funny moments, like the evolution of "Team Awesome." A seriously wild ride! 4.5 Star Top Pick!" ~Romantic Times Book Reviews
Read all about it here
ANTHOLOGIES!
AFTER HOURS: TALES FROM THE UR-BAR
Anton Strout, Jackie Kessler and a ton of other awesome authors have stories in this.
Blurb:
Science fiction and fantasy readers have long shown an affinity for a good "bar story". Now some of today's most inventive scriveners have decided to tell their own tall tales-from an alewife's attempt to transfer the gods' curse to Gilgamesh, to Odin's decision to introduce Vikings to the Ur-Bar, from the Holy Roman Emperor's barroom bargain, to a demon hunter who may just have met his match in the ultimate magic bar, to a bouncer who discovers you should never let anyone in after hours in a world terrorized by zombies.
Those who Fight Monsters
Heads up: Jackie has a Jezebel story in this! I really like the cover, too.
Blurb:
Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives, is your one-stop-shop for Urban Fantasy's finest anthology of the supernatural. 14 sleuths are gathered together for the first time in all-original tales of unusual cases which require services that go far beyond mere deduction!
Whedonistas: A Celebration of the Worlds of Joss Whedon by the Women Who Love Them (featuring Jeanne Stein, Jackie Kessler, Sharon Shinn and others!)
Blurb: In Whedonistas, a host of award-winning female writers and fans come together to celebrate the works of Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog).
By discussing the impact of Whedon's work, their involvement with his shows' fandoms and why they adore the worlds he's created, these essayists aim to misbehave in Whedon's rich, fantastical worlds. Essay topics include Sharon Shinn ("Samaria" series) and Emma Bull (Territory) elaborating on the perfection of Firefly, Jeanne Stein (the Anna Strong Chronicles) revealing Buffy's influence on Anna Strong, and Nancy Holder (October Rain, The Watcher's Guide) relating on-the-set tales of Spike menacing her baby daughter while Riley made her hot chocolate.Other contributors include Seanan McGuire (October Daye series), Elizabeth Bear (Chill), Catherynne M. Valente (Palimpsest), Maria Lima (Blood Lines), Jackie Kessler (Black and White), Mariah Huehner (IDW Comics), Sarah Monette (Corambis), and Lyda Morehouse (AngeLINK Series). Also featured is an exclusive interview with television writer and producer Jane Espenson.
And an extra one that happens also to contain a story by moi:
The Recent Undead
Blurb: The undead are more alive today than ever. Immortal? Indeed! Nothing has sunk its teeth into twenty-first century popular culture as pervasively as the vampire. The fangsters have the freedom to fly across all genres and all mediums - there's even apps for vamps. Whether roaming into romance, haunting horror, sneaking into science fiction, capering into humor, meandering through mystery - no icon is more versatile than the vampire. Slack your insatiable thirst with the best sanguinary stories of the new millennium: terrifying or tender, deadly or delicious, bad-ass or beneficent, classic or cutting-edge.
Authors include Charlaine Harris, Holly Black, Rachel Caine, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, among others!
Okay, that should keep you in reading for awhile. BTW, Carolyn is having a contest on her blog and the winner gets his/her choice of March's new releases. So hit that link at the top and have a go...
Next week: pics from CondorCon and an Oscar party I attended....no, not a HOLLYWOOD Oscar party but almost as good....[image error]
Never Again by Michelle Bardsley (Wizards of Nevermore #1)
Blurb: Welcome to Nevermore, Texas, population 503, where witches and wizards live side by side with humans, and where witch Lucy Rackmore is in trouble. Ever since her former lover snuffed out her magical abilities, everyone in town is looking to settle a score with her family. And Lucy's only hope for survival may be her ex-brother-in-law-whom her sister betrayed and nearly killed.
"4.5 Stars! Top Pick! "This edgy and sexy series provides more evidence of Bardsley's supreme storytelling chops!" ~ RT Book Reviews
Excerpt and more at Michele Bardsley's site.
Accidentally Catty by Dakota Cassidy (The Accidental Series book #5)
Blurb: Katie Woods never thought she'd be forty-one, divorced, and thrust back into the dating world. To start fresh, Katie uproots her veterinary practice to upstate New York-not exactly the hottest dating scene on the planet. But when an unconscious cougar appears at her clinic, Katie's newly single life gets a much needed jolt of the supernatural kind.
After Katie examines the cougar and leaves him caged overnight, she's shocked to find a big strapping specimen of young, hot man in its place. And when the scratch she got during the exam results in some unnatural side effects, Katie has more to deal with then her animal attraction to a much younger guy-she has to figure how to stop herself from becoming a cougar of the four-legged variety.
More at lovely miss tiara's website
Taste Me by Tamara Hogan (Underbelly Chronicles, book #1)
Blurb: Ever since their tempestuous fling years ago, incubus Lukas Sebastiani has known that siren Scarlett Fontaine was meant to be his. But when you're a sex demon with an insatiable desire, relationships are way more than complicated...
Rock star Scarlett Fontaine desperately needs a break after a grueling tour. But with murder and mayhem surrounding her band, and the one man she never thought to see again put to the task of protecting her, life is going to be anything but peaceful...
Every encounter between them creates more turmoil-and heat-until Scarlett pushes Lukas to the boiling point, and unleashes forces that go way beyond anything she can hope to control...
"Utterly stimulating...sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll the paranormal way. Every tense moment is steamy, passionate foreplay heading toward a fiery resolution." ~Dark Divas Reviews
"Wow! This hip, sensual tale about a supernatural rock scene sizzles with forbidden heat and danger. A full-blast start to an addictive new series!" ~Carolyn Crane
More at Tamara Hogan's site
A Lot Like Love by Julie James
Blurb: THE FBI WANTS HER COOPERATION.
As the daughter of a billionaire and the owner of the city's top wine store, Jordan Rhodes is invited to the most exclusive parties in Chicago. But there's only one party the FBI wants to crash: the charity fundraiser of a famous restaurateur, who also happens to launder money for the mob. In exchange for her brother's release from prison, Jordan is going to be there—with a date supplied by the Bureau.
AGENT MCCALL JUST WANTS HER.
As the top undercover agent in Chicago, Nick McCall has one rule: never get personal. This "date" with Jordan Rhodes is merely an assignment—one they're both determined to pull off even if they can't be together for five minutes before the sarcasm and sparks begin to fly. But when Nick's investigation is compromised, he and Jordan have no choice but to pretend they're a couple, and what starts out as a simple assignment begins to feel a lot like something more. . .
Check out excerpts, contest, etc here!
Hell to Pay by Jackie Kessler (Hell on Earth #4)
The final installment to a sexy, wild, and wonderful series! Hell's Belles (#1) was one of my first UF loves. So psyched for this wrap-up, and it's just $2.99 in a bold self-pubbing experiment.
Blurb: In this fourth and final Hell on Earth novel, everything changes.
After turning her back on Hell and becoming human, the former demon Jezebel - now the mortal dancer Jesse Harris - is ready to settle down with her true love, Paul Hamilton, and make with the Happily Ever After. But that's not in the cards. Jesse is accidentally wielding her former Hellish power - with devastating results. Another former succubus has targeted Paul. Someone is killing the dancers at Jesse's club. And the King of Hell is leading the world to the brink of Armageddon. All in all, it's not looking good for Jesse, or for anyone she loves. And there's going to be hell to pay.
Read about the Hell on Earth series here.
Available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and probably lots of other places...$2.99!
Iron Crowned by Richelle Mead (Dark Swan #3)
Richelle is unstoppable these days. Not that I want to stop her, considering she is at her full powers of writerly awesomeness.
Blurb:
Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham is the best at banishing entities trespassing in the mortal realm. But as the Thorn Land's queen, she's fast running out of ways to end the brutal war devastating her kingdom. Her only hope: the Iron Crown, a legendary object even the most powerful gentry fear. . .
Visit Richelle here.
Dead Waters by Anton Strout (Simon Canderous #4)
Blurb:
Simon Canderous, of the Department of Extraordinary Affairs, is used to fighting vampires and zombies. But the strange murder of a professor has everyone stumped. And it's making some people crazy. Literally.
"Simon Canderous is a reformed thief and a psychometrist. By turns despondent over his luck with the ladies (not always living) and his struggle with the hierarchy of his mysterious department (not always truthful), Simon's life veers from crisis to crisis. Following Simon's adventures is like being the pinball in an especially antic game, but it's well worth the wear and tear."
- Charlaine Harris, author of the Sookie Stackhouse series
Check out Anton online here
Green-Eyed Demon by Jaye Wells (Sabine Kane #3)
Blurb:
The clock is ticking for Sabina Kane. Her sister has been kidnapped by her grandmother, the Dark Races are on the brink of war, and a mysterious order is manipulating everyone behind the scenes.
Working on information provided by an unlikely ally, Sabina and her trusty sidekicks–a sexy mage named Adam Lazarus and Giguhl, a Mischief demon–head to New Orleans to begin the hunt for her sister. Once there, they must contend with belligerent werewolves, magic-wielding vampires and–perhaps most frightening of all–humans.
But as much as Sabina is focused on surviving the present, the past won't be ignored. Before she can save those she cares about most, she must save herself from the ghosts of her past.
"From the opening page, the story hurtles along at full throttle. Yet it is not without its funny moments, like the evolution of "Team Awesome." A seriously wild ride! 4.5 Star Top Pick!" ~Romantic Times Book Reviews
Read all about it here
ANTHOLOGIES!
AFTER HOURS: TALES FROM THE UR-BAR
Anton Strout, Jackie Kessler and a ton of other awesome authors have stories in this.
Blurb:
Science fiction and fantasy readers have long shown an affinity for a good "bar story". Now some of today's most inventive scriveners have decided to tell their own tall tales-from an alewife's attempt to transfer the gods' curse to Gilgamesh, to Odin's decision to introduce Vikings to the Ur-Bar, from the Holy Roman Emperor's barroom bargain, to a demon hunter who may just have met his match in the ultimate magic bar, to a bouncer who discovers you should never let anyone in after hours in a world terrorized by zombies.
Those who Fight Monsters
Heads up: Jackie has a Jezebel story in this! I really like the cover, too.
Blurb:
Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives, is your one-stop-shop for Urban Fantasy's finest anthology of the supernatural. 14 sleuths are gathered together for the first time in all-original tales of unusual cases which require services that go far beyond mere deduction!
Whedonistas: A Celebration of the Worlds of Joss Whedon by the Women Who Love Them (featuring Jeanne Stein, Jackie Kessler, Sharon Shinn and others!)
Blurb: In Whedonistas, a host of award-winning female writers and fans come together to celebrate the works of Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog).
By discussing the impact of Whedon's work, their involvement with his shows' fandoms and why they adore the worlds he's created, these essayists aim to misbehave in Whedon's rich, fantastical worlds. Essay topics include Sharon Shinn ("Samaria" series) and Emma Bull (Territory) elaborating on the perfection of Firefly, Jeanne Stein (the Anna Strong Chronicles) revealing Buffy's influence on Anna Strong, and Nancy Holder (October Rain, The Watcher's Guide) relating on-the-set tales of Spike menacing her baby daughter while Riley made her hot chocolate.Other contributors include Seanan McGuire (October Daye series), Elizabeth Bear (Chill), Catherynne M. Valente (Palimpsest), Maria Lima (Blood Lines), Jackie Kessler (Black and White), Mariah Huehner (IDW Comics), Sarah Monette (Corambis), and Lyda Morehouse (AngeLINK Series). Also featured is an exclusive interview with television writer and producer Jane Espenson.
And an extra one that happens also to contain a story by moi:
The Recent Undead
Blurb: The undead are more alive today than ever. Immortal? Indeed! Nothing has sunk its teeth into twenty-first century popular culture as pervasively as the vampire. The fangsters have the freedom to fly across all genres and all mediums - there's even apps for vamps. Whether roaming into romance, haunting horror, sneaking into science fiction, capering into humor, meandering through mystery - no icon is more versatile than the vampire. Slack your insatiable thirst with the best sanguinary stories of the new millennium: terrifying or tender, deadly or delicious, bad-ass or beneficent, classic or cutting-edge.
Authors include Charlaine Harris, Holly Black, Rachel Caine, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, among others!
Okay, that should keep you in reading for awhile. BTW, Carolyn is having a contest on her blog and the winner gets his/her choice of March's new releases. So hit that link at the top and have a go...
Next week: pics from CondorCon and an Oscar party I attended....no, not a HOLLYWOOD Oscar party but almost as good....[image error]
February 27, 2011
Going down...
Mario here:
It's been a week of dreadful news.
A horrific earthquake in New Zealand.
Impending civil war in Libya.
More apocalyptic storm clouds over the publishing industry.
Ice cream made from women's breast milk (gathered from free-range moms according to the press release).
But the article that stuck in my craw*...
(* craw - neck, from the Middle Dutch crāghe)
was this:
Oral sex can cause cancer. Say it ain't so.
What distressed me was the juxtaposition of oral sex (implying pleasure and wonderful sweetness) against cancer (implying death and all that gruesome ickiness). Yet something else to fret over.
You can dig around for info on the Internet but the news can be distilled that in the U.S., oral sex is claimed to be a leading cause of cancer. The culprit is the Human Papilloma Virus, which is the most common sexually transmitted disease. There are over a hundred strains of HPV, some which seem to do nothing, some which cause genital warts, and the worst of the bunch can cause cervical cancer.
Researchers from Ohio State University found a 225% increase in oral cancer cases from 1974 to 2007 among mainly white men. (Before we clamp on the chastity belts, we need a lot of questions answered. Like, was there a difference between straight and gay men? What about straight women? Lesbians? Different ethnic groups? Vegetarians?) Plus, the more sexual partners you've had, the greater the risk for contracting HPV. The tipping point seems to be five or more sexual partners (I hear a collective gasp from you all) which increases your risk by over 200%.
What a downer. For us westerners, oral sex is a given. The exception is among hardcore evangelicals who insist that since sex is only for procreation, then anything other than vaginal sex is a no-no. Killjoys.
But I wonder. At how much of a risk are we? Though it's anecdotal, I don't know of anyone personally who died of oral cancer. All the men I know who died of cancer were heavy smokers. My sister died of breast cancer and she wasn't sexually active at all. I had a randy grandmother who lived to a ripe old age before succumbing to pneumonia. I have a healthy aunt who's had plenty of paramours and has been married so many times she's the Zsa Zsa Gabor of the family. I'm sure that she is (as my grandmother no doubt was) well acquainted with below-the-belt smooches.
So what can you do? At the most extreme, give up all sexual contact. Including kissing.
As if! Like most cancers, early detection is paramount so protect yourself by getting regular checkups by your doctor and dentist. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Be discriminate in your choice of sexual partners. (As I'm sure you already are. We at the Biting-Edge are all about class.) If the option is available, a circumcised penis is less likely to transmit HPV. Take care of your body, keep your head (har, har) screwed on right, and your risk is very low.
We live in a world full of microscopic critters at the ready to munch on us. Sometimes they win. Most of the time we win. Meanwhile, we humans should continue to munch on each other.
Anna Strong leads the way in Jeanne's debut novel, The Becoming, pages 115-116.
He steps out of slacks and boxers and stands naked, looking down on me.I reach out, smiling, and caress a muscular thigh."Aren't you going to invite me in?" he says at last.But I don't answer, my mouth is otherwise engaged.
Go Anna!
It's been a week of dreadful news.
A horrific earthquake in New Zealand.
Impending civil war in Libya.
More apocalyptic storm clouds over the publishing industry.
Ice cream made from women's breast milk (gathered from free-range moms according to the press release).
But the article that stuck in my craw*...
(* craw - neck, from the Middle Dutch crāghe)was this:
Oral sex can cause cancer. Say it ain't so.
What distressed me was the juxtaposition of oral sex (implying pleasure and wonderful sweetness) against cancer (implying death and all that gruesome ickiness). Yet something else to fret over.You can dig around for info on the Internet but the news can be distilled that in the U.S., oral sex is claimed to be a leading cause of cancer. The culprit is the Human Papilloma Virus, which is the most common sexually transmitted disease. There are over a hundred strains of HPV, some which seem to do nothing, some which cause genital warts, and the worst of the bunch can cause cervical cancer.
Researchers from Ohio State University found a 225% increase in oral cancer cases from 1974 to 2007 among mainly white men. (Before we clamp on the chastity belts, we need a lot of questions answered. Like, was there a difference between straight and gay men? What about straight women? Lesbians? Different ethnic groups? Vegetarians?) Plus, the more sexual partners you've had, the greater the risk for contracting HPV. The tipping point seems to be five or more sexual partners (I hear a collective gasp from you all) which increases your risk by over 200%.
What a downer. For us westerners, oral sex is a given. The exception is among hardcore evangelicals who insist that since sex is only for procreation, then anything other than vaginal sex is a no-no. Killjoys.But I wonder. At how much of a risk are we? Though it's anecdotal, I don't know of anyone personally who died of oral cancer. All the men I know who died of cancer were heavy smokers. My sister died of breast cancer and she wasn't sexually active at all. I had a randy grandmother who lived to a ripe old age before succumbing to pneumonia. I have a healthy aunt who's had plenty of paramours and has been married so many times she's the Zsa Zsa Gabor of the family. I'm sure that she is (as my grandmother no doubt was) well acquainted with below-the-belt smooches.So what can you do? At the most extreme, give up all sexual contact. Including kissing.
As if! Like most cancers, early detection is paramount so protect yourself by getting regular checkups by your doctor and dentist. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Be discriminate in your choice of sexual partners. (As I'm sure you already are. We at the Biting-Edge are all about class.) If the option is available, a circumcised penis is less likely to transmit HPV. Take care of your body, keep your head (har, har) screwed on right, and your risk is very low.
We live in a world full of microscopic critters at the ready to munch on us. Sometimes they win. Most of the time we win. Meanwhile, we humans should continue to munch on each other.Anna Strong leads the way in Jeanne's debut novel, The Becoming, pages 115-116.
He steps out of slacks and boxers and stands naked, looking down on me.I reach out, smiling, and caress a muscular thigh."Aren't you going to invite me in?" he says at last.But I don't answer, my mouth is otherwise engaged.
Go Anna!
February 24, 2011
Yikes!
Here it is Thursday and I'm in San Diego getting ready to participate in CondonCon and I realize I got nothing for YOU…
Nada.
Zero.
Zilch.
Well, maybe one thing. From publisher's marketplace last week. Good news for a local Denverite.
Sci-Fi/Fantasy
J.A. Kazimer's THE BODY DWELLERS, to save those she loves, a mutant rebel in pink combat boots must decide between the treacherous body dwelling lover from her past, and a mysterious man who promises to change her future, all before her altered cells succumb to a mutant plague destined to destroy her kind, to Melissa Miller at Solstice, by Sharon Belcastro at Belcastro Agency.
Today, off to meet Kevin Gerard with whom I will be conducting writer's workshop on Sunday. Since we have never met and have no idea right now what our focus will be, it should be interesting. He writes YA and has a very impressive website.
Of course it goes without saying (but I will anyway), if you live in the San Diego area and plan to attend CondorCon, please stop by and say hello.
Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. See you next week, same bat time, same bat channel.
But different bat shit….[image error]
Nada.
Zero.
Zilch.
Well, maybe one thing. From publisher's marketplace last week. Good news for a local Denverite.
Sci-Fi/Fantasy
J.A. Kazimer's THE BODY DWELLERS, to save those she loves, a mutant rebel in pink combat boots must decide between the treacherous body dwelling lover from her past, and a mysterious man who promises to change her future, all before her altered cells succumb to a mutant plague destined to destroy her kind, to Melissa Miller at Solstice, by Sharon Belcastro at Belcastro Agency.
Today, off to meet Kevin Gerard with whom I will be conducting writer's workshop on Sunday. Since we have never met and have no idea right now what our focus will be, it should be interesting. He writes YA and has a very impressive website.
Of course it goes without saying (but I will anyway), if you live in the San Diego area and plan to attend CondorCon, please stop by and say hello.
Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. See you next week, same bat time, same bat channel.
But different bat shit….[image error]
February 20, 2011
Fugue states: Boxing the Muse
Mario here:
Writing is damn hard work. Anyone who says otherwise is a liar or a crappy-ass writer. In popular media, there's the image of the writer, hammering away at an old school typewriter. The writer is lost in the story, oblivious to the outside world, and in a final dramatic flourish, whips out the finished pages and mails them off. Easy-peasy. 
As if. For us ink-stained wretches, getting the words on the page (or the screen) seems like a boxing match with the Muse.But every once in a while, we get lost in our story and when we look up, the hours have flown by and behold: pages and pages of manuscript. Steven King calls this phenomenon the "Trance," when you're so focused in your work that all else falls away. Athletes refer to it as the "Zone." Some may refer to it as an altered realm of conscious, a Fugue state.A Writer's Fugue state is a great place to be in, but one that you can't get into by turning a switch. Worse, when you're in a Writer's Trance, and you realize you're there, BANG!, the trapdoor opens and back you fall into reality.
How to get into the trance.
1. Put your subconscious to work. I've learned that when my, as Ernest Hemingway put it, shockproof shit detector goes off, it's my subconscious telling me something is wrong with my prose. The dialog is forced, the scene contrived, the characters don't act naturally (even if they are supernatural). Shake up your narrative. This might be a good time to kill someone (on the page!) Go ahead and dwell on the scene. Take a walk. Make notes. Play with finger puppets. Your subconscious is your friend and loves to have quiet little discussions with your brain behind your back. 
2. Jump into it. There is no perfect time to write. We all have busy schedules and even for us professional writers, life has a way of kidnapping our attention. So take advice from another famous author, Chuck Palahniuk, who said:
Thought follows action
.Which seems backwards. But he's right. A lot of writers waste time puttering around for the Muse to show up, however, let me tell you, get to work and she'll plop her bitchy ass on your desk. Grouchy perhaps, but there.
3. Getting stuck. The two places most writers spin their wheels is at the beginning and someplace in the middle of their manuscript. The problem at the beginning is that we're not sure where the story actually starts. Well, refer to #2 above. Get something down. Realize that the first chapter gets the most attention of any part of a manuscript and you'll be reworking it until deadline. The middle of the story, a.k.a., the swamp is a whole different piece of real estate with the plot twists and subplots. If you're a panster writer, this may be the time to consider an outline--a map--to help you march out of the swamp.
4. Turn off the distractions. Like Facebook. Twitter. Email. eBay. News. Porn. Generally, the entire World Wide Web. Hemingway liked the white noise of people doing busy work while he wrote. I play music to mask the distractions.
5. Rituals. I cribbed this idea from someone else, and if it sounds brilliant, I take all credit. These are my rituals. A cup of coffee. Go through my to-do list. Read my emails. Glance out the window to the homeless shambling through the neighborhood. Fight off the cold grip of terror if I fail at this writing gig. Then buckle down and peck away.
6. Bribery. Muses love chocolate cake. And a sugar rush might sling you into the Trance just a bit quicker.
7. A reward. Like a cocktail. Okay, drinking can put you in one kind of altered state, often desirable, but not in this case. Writing can be so much heavy lifting for the brain so one drop of booze is a signal that the work day is over.
There you have it. Easy-peasy. Now get to work.
But wait! Don't go, we have pimpage.
Fellow Leaguer Anton Strout has a new book coming out this week, Dead Water. Check it out and buy lots of copies!
And newbe Urban Fantasy author, Julie Kazimer, is giving away a $20 B&N gift card. All you gotta do is leave some snark on her blog, The Never Never News, your #1 Source for Fairytale News.
February 16, 2011
Let's Start With A Smile
Lots of stuff this week, but first:
Best Super Bowl commercial
# # # #
Here's the first official trailer for the film adaption of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. The initial movie in a planned trilogy, starring Taylor Schilling (Dagny Taggart), Grant Bowler (Henry Rearden) and Matthew Marsden (James Taggart), is scheduled to hit theaters April 15.
# # # #
Photograph: Paul Dorsey/Time & Life Pictures
Dashiell Hammett's lost works found in Texas
From the Guardian UK :
A cache of unpublished works by famed writer Dashiell Hammett, often seen as the father of hardboiled detective fiction, has been found and is set to be unveiled in America.
Hammett, whose best-known work The Maltese Falcon was made into a film starring Humphrey Bogart, died in 1961. Now 15 unpublished short stories are to hit the bookshelves after being unearthed by a magazine editor, Andrew Gulli, among the literary archives of the Harry Ransom Centre at the University of Texas in Austin.
Gulli will now publish one of the stories in his crime fiction magazine, The Strand, later this month. He hopes to eventually help publish them all as a collection in a new book.
# # # #
Another interesting collaboration:
From Deadline|TV:
Syfy had been negotiating for Among the Spirits, a drama series project about Houdini and Doyle solving mysteries in 1920s, with the deal closing at the very time the feature announcement was coming out. "I guess there is something in the air about that whole time period and that very interesting relationship between Houdini and Doyle," said Syfy's president of original programming Mark Stern. (Both Syfy brass and the producers of Among the Spirits first heard about Voices from the Dead from reading our story.)
Mark Stern, Syfy's president of original programming, described the project as " 'a turn-of-the-century Fringe' in the vein of steampunk TV classic The Wild Wild West and Guy Ritchie's 2009 movie Sherlock Homes which put the steampunk genre back into the zeitgeist," Deadline.com noted.
# # # #
Seems paranormal plays well on the small screen. From EW's Inside TV :
Buffy Writers Sell Grimm's Fairy Tales Pilot to NBC
NBC has picked up another pilot mixing fantasy with a crime drama: The network has greenlit Grimm, described as a "dark but fantastical cop drama about a world in which characters inspired by Grimm's Fairy Tales exist." (Gotta love mining expired copyrights in the public domain!).
The project is from Jim Kouf (Angel) and David Greenwalt (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), with executive producers Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner.
The order comes on top of Battlestar guru Ron Moore's 17th Precinct, also at NBC, about cops working a town where people have magical powers.
I have a series of books you guys could look at.... just sayin'
# # # #
Good and Bad News from the world of my pal Charlaine Harris:
From: LA TIMES AND Shelf Awareness
With DEAD RECKONING, the twelfth Sookie Stackhouse book, set for publication in May, author Charlaine Harris says she is almost finished with the series. "Truthfully, the next two books will probably be the last two books in the series. I still love Sookie, but I'm beginning to want to write something else, and Sookie;s kind of taken over my life. I was able to write other things for the first few years I was involved in Sookie, but then after the start of the television show she took over so much of my time because of my increased publicity obligations that it's been very hard to write other things, and I really need to do that."
Among other things happening in her busy licensing world, CBS has optioned her line of four Harper Connelly mysteries for development as a possible prime-time series. (In the meantime, IDW is developing Connelly as a graphic novel.)
# # # #
A couch I like:
French-Moroccan designer Younes Duret has created the latest sofa design called Ransa. Ransa is a unique sofa equipped with bookshelf. It has a vault that can be made as a place to put books or magazines. The sofa can accommodate two people and for the book is able to accommodate up to as many as 70 books. The bookshelf on the base gives the sofa the impression of levitating above the books.
Doesn't mention how much it costs or if the red pumps come with. I have a feeling this is one of those "if you have to ask you can't afford it" things....
# # # #
And just because I love HP and think the movies have been pretty darn good, something from the Hollywood Reporter :
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is giving the series an award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema.
LONDON – The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is to dish out an award for outstanding British contribution to cinema to the Harry Potter movie franchise.
Author J.K. Rowling and producer David Heyman will receive the honor on behalf of the long-running franchise during this year's Orange British Academy Film Awards on Feb. 13.
Awarded annually, the nod for outstanding British contribution to cinema was introduced in 1978, presented in honor of Michael Balcon.
# # # #
Okay, off now to get some work done. The sun is shining, the snow is (almost) all melted, the temps are hovering around 60, even had windows open--what a difference a week makes, huh?
How goes it in your neck of the woods?
Best Super Bowl commercial
# # # #
Here's the first official trailer for the film adaption of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. The initial movie in a planned trilogy, starring Taylor Schilling (Dagny Taggart), Grant Bowler (Henry Rearden) and Matthew Marsden (James Taggart), is scheduled to hit theaters April 15.
# # # #
Photograph: Paul Dorsey/Time & Life Pictures
Dashiell Hammett's lost works found in Texas
From the Guardian UK :
A cache of unpublished works by famed writer Dashiell Hammett, often seen as the father of hardboiled detective fiction, has been found and is set to be unveiled in America.
Hammett, whose best-known work The Maltese Falcon was made into a film starring Humphrey Bogart, died in 1961. Now 15 unpublished short stories are to hit the bookshelves after being unearthed by a magazine editor, Andrew Gulli, among the literary archives of the Harry Ransom Centre at the University of Texas in Austin.
Gulli will now publish one of the stories in his crime fiction magazine, The Strand, later this month. He hopes to eventually help publish them all as a collection in a new book.
# # # #
Another interesting collaboration:
From Deadline|TV:
Syfy had been negotiating for Among the Spirits, a drama series project about Houdini and Doyle solving mysteries in 1920s, with the deal closing at the very time the feature announcement was coming out. "I guess there is something in the air about that whole time period and that very interesting relationship between Houdini and Doyle," said Syfy's president of original programming Mark Stern. (Both Syfy brass and the producers of Among the Spirits first heard about Voices from the Dead from reading our story.)
Mark Stern, Syfy's president of original programming, described the project as " 'a turn-of-the-century Fringe' in the vein of steampunk TV classic The Wild Wild West and Guy Ritchie's 2009 movie Sherlock Homes which put the steampunk genre back into the zeitgeist," Deadline.com noted.
# # # #
Seems paranormal plays well on the small screen. From EW's Inside TV :
Buffy Writers Sell Grimm's Fairy Tales Pilot to NBC
NBC has picked up another pilot mixing fantasy with a crime drama: The network has greenlit Grimm, described as a "dark but fantastical cop drama about a world in which characters inspired by Grimm's Fairy Tales exist." (Gotta love mining expired copyrights in the public domain!).
The project is from Jim Kouf (Angel) and David Greenwalt (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), with executive producers Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner.
The order comes on top of Battlestar guru Ron Moore's 17th Precinct, also at NBC, about cops working a town where people have magical powers.
I have a series of books you guys could look at.... just sayin'
# # # #
Good and Bad News from the world of my pal Charlaine Harris:
From: LA TIMES AND Shelf Awareness
With DEAD RECKONING, the twelfth Sookie Stackhouse book, set for publication in May, author Charlaine Harris says she is almost finished with the series. "Truthfully, the next two books will probably be the last two books in the series. I still love Sookie, but I'm beginning to want to write something else, and Sookie;s kind of taken over my life. I was able to write other things for the first few years I was involved in Sookie, but then after the start of the television show she took over so much of my time because of my increased publicity obligations that it's been very hard to write other things, and I really need to do that."
Among other things happening in her busy licensing world, CBS has optioned her line of four Harper Connelly mysteries for development as a possible prime-time series. (In the meantime, IDW is developing Connelly as a graphic novel.)
# # # #
A couch I like:
French-Moroccan designer Younes Duret has created the latest sofa design called Ransa. Ransa is a unique sofa equipped with bookshelf. It has a vault that can be made as a place to put books or magazines. The sofa can accommodate two people and for the book is able to accommodate up to as many as 70 books. The bookshelf on the base gives the sofa the impression of levitating above the books.
Doesn't mention how much it costs or if the red pumps come with. I have a feeling this is one of those "if you have to ask you can't afford it" things....
# # # #
And just because I love HP and think the movies have been pretty darn good, something from the Hollywood Reporter :
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is giving the series an award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema.
LONDON – The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is to dish out an award for outstanding British contribution to cinema to the Harry Potter movie franchise.
Author J.K. Rowling and producer David Heyman will receive the honor on behalf of the long-running franchise during this year's Orange British Academy Film Awards on Feb. 13.
Awarded annually, the nod for outstanding British contribution to cinema was introduced in 1978, presented in honor of Michael Balcon.
# # # #
Okay, off now to get some work done. The sun is shining, the snow is (almost) all melted, the temps are hovering around 60, even had windows open--what a difference a week makes, huh?
How goes it in your neck of the woods?
February 13, 2011
I gots the devil in me.
Mario here:
Happy Valentine's Day! If there is that one day to get a little naughty, well, we won't judge.
Last week, I asked if during the process of creating, are we playing God?
This week I'm going in the opposite direction by asking: What puts the devil in us? What's the appeal of being inappropriate? Why do we enjoy acting naughty? Why misbehave?
Stealing a cookie. Sneaking a drink. Peeking under a skirt.Why do it?
These questions were inspired, not surprisingly, by Mark Henry's recent visit to Denver for the VooDoo Scorned Lovers Art Show. (If the link acts a little screwy, search Facebook for VooDoo Scorned Lovers Weekend) In fact, Mark was specifically brought in to flaunt his outrageous and blue humor for an erotic reading at the show. (Not that any of us in Denver needed any coaching.) Erotic might be too generous a word as he read from the scandalous Patience.
Quim, Cods, & Organ of Dominion.
You'd think from the cover of the book, you're getting soft-focus romance. Ha! If you read this story, better bring handi-wipes.Learn more in this review of Patience by Lisa Valdez.
Life is too important to be taken seriously. Oscar Wilde
We're all alone, no chaperone
Can get our number
The world's in slumber--let's misbehave!
Loosening the restraints is way of addressing the pressures of life. A good laugh does a lot more to relieve stress and lift your mood than any pill. Being naughty lets us feel we've got some control in our lives as we thumb our noses at authority.
And who better to thumb its collective nose at authority than the League of Reluctant Adults. We've revamped our blogging schedule, as in, we didn't have one before and now we do. There's a new post every day, so you can get your League freak on all month long.
Having fun doesn't have to be naughty. Okay, maybe some naughty moves.Which segues into the Big News.
My swing dance instructor at the Mercury Cafe, Tiffiny Wine, won a Westword MasterMind Award. Hoo-Rah! She had asked me for a letter of recommendation, which I did write--not that I have any pull in anything. Check out her moves. Go Tiff!
Happy Valentine's Day! If there is that one day to get a little naughty, well, we won't judge.
Last week, I asked if during the process of creating, are we playing God?
This week I'm going in the opposite direction by asking: What puts the devil in us? What's the appeal of being inappropriate? Why do we enjoy acting naughty? Why misbehave?Stealing a cookie. Sneaking a drink. Peeking under a skirt.Why do it?
These questions were inspired, not surprisingly, by Mark Henry's recent visit to Denver for the VooDoo Scorned Lovers Art Show. (If the link acts a little screwy, search Facebook for VooDoo Scorned Lovers Weekend) In fact, Mark was specifically brought in to flaunt his outrageous and blue humor for an erotic reading at the show. (Not that any of us in Denver needed any coaching.) Erotic might be too generous a word as he read from the scandalous Patience.
Quim, Cods, & Organ of Dominion.
You'd think from the cover of the book, you're getting soft-focus romance. Ha! If you read this story, better bring handi-wipes.Learn more in this review of Patience by Lisa Valdez.Life is too important to be taken seriously. Oscar Wilde
We're all alone, no chaperone
Can get our number
The world's in slumber--let's misbehave!
Loosening the restraints is way of addressing the pressures of life. A good laugh does a lot more to relieve stress and lift your mood than any pill. Being naughty lets us feel we've got some control in our lives as we thumb our noses at authority.
And who better to thumb its collective nose at authority than the League of Reluctant Adults. We've revamped our blogging schedule, as in, we didn't have one before and now we do. There's a new post every day, so you can get your League freak on all month long.
Having fun doesn't have to be naughty. Okay, maybe some naughty moves.Which segues into the Big News.
My swing dance instructor at the Mercury Cafe, Tiffiny Wine, won a Westword MasterMind Award. Hoo-Rah! She had asked me for a letter of recommendation, which I did write--not that I have any pull in anything. Check out her moves. Go Tiff!
February 9, 2011
Mothers, Watch Your Daughters
Well, Denverites, you are in for a treat. This weekend Mark Henry will be in town for two--count em--two events.
Friday, February 11, 7:00 p.m. – Mark will discuss and sign Road Trip of the Living Dead at the Broadway Book Mall, 200 S. Broadway, Denver. Copies of his prior (also very funny) novel, Battle of the Network Zombies, will also be available. Brought to us by local author Mario Acevedo, who will do the introduction.
And then, Round Two of Mr. Henry at the Scorned Lovers Art Show. Saturday, Feb 12, 6-9 pm at the Art Salon, 2219 East 21st Street, at York St near City Park. Mark will lock arms with Denver poet Kate Redmond in a special erotic reading that promises to show that nothing is too lowbrow for us.
If you want an idea of what Mark is about, check out his video here on the League of Reluctant Adults.
# # # #
I have had such a good week writing on my book, I'm having trouble coming up with anything intelligible for this blog. Words just flowed...it could have something to do with being snowbound for three days. Or it could be that I'm giving Anna some new choices and making her think about them.
Now, however, the sun is back out and life must go on. I will venture out to run errands and get a haircut and tonight I speak at the Southglenn Library.
I love library groups. I've decided to talk on a subject I'm always asked about--ideas: where they come from, how they get fleshed out from a glimmer to a book. Maybe I'll put together a blog post on that one day in the future.
Anyway, locals out there-- you can catch me tonight at Southglenn and this weekend with Mario at Mark Henry's events. And next week I'll dish the media news. If you'd like to share how you wile away the snowy hours, please do.
PS The pictures are of my back yard.
February 6, 2011
Why do we like to play God?
Mario here:
I was asked in a recent interview if creating visual art and writing fiction had anything in common. I answered that for me, my painting and fiction writing run on parallel tracks and have little to do with each other except to compete for my time.
I added that our need to create may be a God complex, where we decide to create work in our image as a reaction against the circumstances of our existence. This creation is a means of self-expression and can take many forms: writing, painting, sculpting, music, cooking, knitting, sewing, customizing cars; basically you take some stuff and turn it into something else.
What is this compulsion to create? When I was in college, my dad told me that art was a waste of time and since I personally didn't know any working artists (other than art teachers), I couldn't disagree with him. An office job was what I should aspire to. So I gave away my paints and sketch pads and tried to forget doing art. But I couldn't stop drawing or thinking about painting. I bought another set of watercolors and got back into slinging the paint.
So do my visual art and writing fiction have anything in common? I'll amend my previousanswer because upon reflection, they do. Back in the sixth grade, Mrs. Anderson paired up the students in her English class, with the assignment of writing a book (more of a booklet, about 20 pages). I was teamed with Stuart Williams and we were both crazy about Star Trek (the original series). While the other students were writing and illustrating their books about lost puppies, Santa having his sleigh stolen, what-have-you, Stuart and I got busy creating a science fiction saga. When it was time to turn in the books, he and I didn't have ours. Since Stuart and I were good students, Mrs. Anderson asked what we'd been doing for the last six weeks. We showed her a thick binder filled with drawings, schematics, crew rosters, star charts, uniforms, story boards of battle scenes. Basically, we'd been overwhelmed by what turned out to be a star ship epic. Even though we hadn't completed the assignment, we'd done more work than everyone else, and she gave us A's.
While that binder is probably rotting in a landfill, the story didn't die. I kept turning it over and over in my mind, constantly day-dreaming about the plot and living in a world that was a lot more interesting than life in dusty Las Cruces. I jotted my ideas into a series of sketchbooks, with drawings, maps, and narratives. One time, I invited the preacher's son to my home and showed him the sketchbooks. He told the cute girls at church that I lived in a silly cuckoo land. Bastard. After that, I kept the drawings to myself.
Years later, in critique group, one of our members decided to show us what she meant in her story by bringing out sketchbooks of her fantasy world. I had found my tribe!
I guess like most of you writers and artists, if measured strictly by time spent vs. money earned, we might be better off cleaning carpets or bookkeeping. But God Himself, or Herself, wasn't content maintaining the universe as it was. So there.
Plus! This Tuesday evening, Feb 8, catch Jeanne and me at the Smoky Hills Library, 5430 South Biscay Circle, Centennial CO (303-542-7279).
And now, for the important news: Mark Henry is coming to Denver! Yes, the premier zombie enthusiast and snark stylist will be in the Front Range to flay us with his wit and prose.
This Friday, Feb 11, 7pm, at the Broadway Book Mall, 200 S Broadway, Denver, CO. He'll be signing his latest massmarket release, Road Trip of the Living Dead, and Battle of the Network Zombies.
And then, Round Two of Mr. Henry at the Scorned Lovers Art Show. Saturday, Feb 12, 6-9pm at the Art Salon, 2219 21st Street, Denver. At York St near City Park for you locals. Mark will lock arms with Denver poet Kate Redmond in a special erotic reading that promises to show that nothing is too lowbrow for us. Eat special Valentine's cupcakes and browse the awesome artwork. Enchant a new lover or hex a treacherous past amante by jabbing a pin into the giant Love VooDoo Doll. Work out your contempt at broken romance by helping us demolish the Scorned Lovers piñata with the big black Love Stick. It's the other side of love and we've all been there. You be here! [image error]
Mario Acevedo's Blog
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