Leon Stevens's Blog, page 56

Weird Wednesday Jan. 31: Science Jargon and Cartoons

Science Fiction. Fiction. That means made up, right? Fabricated, not based on truth, a falsehood if you will.

So, it’s OK if I say: “There’s a neutrino surge in the tungsten charge thruster housings. I need to re-route energy to the cesium gel.” or, “We should completely resynchronize the ventral chroniton propulsion nullifyer.”

For some readers, technical descriptions are a must. For others, like me, I don’t care how it works, but if it’s broken, then degauss the closest ion stabilizer if you have to, just do what you have to do and get the hell out of there!

100 years ago, you could make up a lot more science. Some of it, oddly enough, is now science fact. Some science fiction authors have a technical background and can weave that knowledge into a story, making it seem more plausible.

I like the story to be that star, and while I like science (I’m reading a book about the periodic table at the moment) [insert “What a geek.” comment], I’m not technically competent to use the correct terminology, or dedicated enough to do a deep dive into the theory behind the science.

Than means I keep the science in my science fiction to a minimum and if I do decide to include some technobabble to make the scene more believable, it’s with the upmost respect to all hard science writers.

-Leon

Confused about the Miniscules?

The Miniscules: Humble Beginnings

-Leon

Leon Stevens is a multi-genre author, composer, guitarist, songwriter, and an artist, with a Bachelor of Music and Education. He published his first book of poetry, Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures in January 2020, followed by a book of original classical guitar compositions, Journeys, and a short story collection of science fiction/post-apocalyptic tales called The Knot at the End of the Rope and Other Short Stories. His newest publications are the novella trilogy, The View from Here, which is a continuation of one of his short stories, and a new collection of poetry titled, A Wonder of Words.

My new book page: http://books.linesbyleon.com/

Sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter and receive a free book!

Oh, pick me! C’mon, space stuff!

Tuesday Tirade: Freeze!

January. Canada. Unless you are in the extreme south or extreme west, you are going to be cold in January, right? Usually that is the case. Today is going to be +4C (39.2F). It hasn’t been above freezing since 2009. and it’s supposed to be above freezing all week.

Don’t get me wrong. I prefer warmer weather over colder, but there are benefits to a cold winter. I’ll be selfish and tell you why I want a cold(er) winter.

I ride my bike year round, and it is my principle mode of transportation in the winter. Slush sucks. So does that fine brown sugar snow (snow/ice/salt/sand mix) that accumulates when the temperature is above -5C. I also enjoy snowshoeing, and soft wet snow is not ideal. Warm slushy weather also makes white cars brown, and if you wash them, they are brown again by the time you get home.

Now for others. If you live in a northern country in a remote community, you might rely on the annual ice roads to get supplies shipped to you. Usually there is only a 4-8 week window to receive fuel, building supplies, and food at a cheaper price than having to fly it in.

Fishing and hunting success also depend on ice and bush trails freezing. Permanent roads and rail lines built in permanently frozen ground now heaves and sinks as the permafrost melts.

Now to the sufferers who have no choice in the matter.

Many animals rely on lake ice and sea ice for hunting, the polar bears are the prime example. If there is a late freeze, the bears are unable to stock up before having to hibernate. In the spring, the ice is needed to replenish their reserves.

Trees. Trees grow in the northern regions because they can, and avoid being infected by certain insects because when it freezes, it halts the northerly progress of these feeders. Many forests are now being decimated by bark beetles since the warmer weather allows them to survive and get an early start to their travels.

Many other plants have adapted to periods of dormancy during cold winters. Imagine being woken up earlier and earlier.

I try to do all I can to mitigate the impact I have on the environment. Sometimes it feels like a losing battle.

-Leon

Leon Stevens is a multi-genre author, composer, guitarist, songwriter, and an artist, with a Bachelor of Music and Education. He published his first book of poetry, Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures in January 2020, followed by a book of original classical guitar compositions, Journeys, and a short story collection of science fiction/post-apocalyptic tales called The Knot at the End of the Rope and Other Short Stories. His newest publications are the novella trilogy, The View from Here, which is a continuation of one of his short stories, and a new collection of poetry titled, A Wonder of Words.

My new book page: http://books.linesbyleon.com/

Sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter and receive a free book!

Oh, pick me! C’mon, space stuff!

Music Monday: 1982

There is a radio show on CBC here in Canada that occasionally does a feature called SYNTH: Songs You Need To Hear.

Now, I can’t say to someone, “You’ll like this song” (or book for that matter) because I can’t presume that others will share my taste in music (or books), so it is safer to say, “You might like this” and if they don’t like it, so be it.

Maybe you will find a new favorite.

CBC MUSIC, Central · Mornings with CBC Music

1982. The year of Michael Jackson. And Duran Duran, And Prince. But my friends and I were looking for music with a little more edge. Radio was the only source of new music, unless…

Unless you knew someone with a satellite dish who could get MTV:

Remember these? Took up the whole backyard.

Then we discovered rock music magazines. Hit Parader, Kerrang, Metal Edge, Circus, Creem. That’s how we discovered new rock/metal bands and read about the shit our favorite rockers were getting into.

For us it was the year of The Scorpions. Blackout. One of the best album covers, followed by Number of the Beast by Iron Maiden. Both those covers made parents cringe. Oh, and Twisted Sister came out that year, but that’s another story.

There still were more mainstream bands that you weren’t embarrassed to to be caught listening to by your buddies.

I feel obliged (if not legal bound) to have 35% of my featured music to be Canadian content, but I’ll do much better with 100% Canadian content and play some of the songs on the airwaves that year.

Many outside of Canada might not know Aldo Nova, who’s song Fantasy reached number 23 on The Billboard Hot 100 Chart. He has written many songs for other artists over the years including Blue Oyster Cult, Jon Bon Jovi, and even pop singer Celine Dion.

Then there’s Triumph. Formed in Toronto, Triumph was comprised of the core group of Rik Emmett, Mike Levine, and Gil Moore. Triumph received 18 gold and nine platinum awards in Canada and the United States over the span of their career.

If you thought “Rush”, yeah there are the inevitable comparisons.

Toronto was a Canadian rock band formed in the late 1970s in Toronto, Ontario, and perhaps best known for the top-ten Canadian hit “Your Daddy Don’t Know”.

Betcha didn’t know they wrote and recorded this song three years before Heart took it to the top of the charts:

And finally: Saga. On the Loose was the first single from Saga’s fourth album.

Hope you enjoyed this trip down my memory lane.

-Leon

Want to read more music blogs? Here are some of the ones I follow: Mostly Music Covers, Take it Easy, Beetley Pete, A Sound Day

Leon Stevens is a multi-genre author, composer, guitarist, songwriter, and an artist, with a Bachelor of Music and Education. He published his first book of poetry, Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures in January 2020, followed by a book of original classical guitar compositions, Journeys, and a short story collection of science fiction/post-apocalyptic tales called The Knot at the End of the Rope and Other Short Stories. His newest publications are the novella trilogy, The View from Here, which is a continuation of one of his short stories, and a new collection of poetry titled, A Wonder of Words.

My new book page: http://books.linesbyleon.com/

Sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter and receive a free book!

Oh, pick me! C’mon, space stuff!

Weekend Wrap-up Jan. 27: Science Saturday – The World Smallest…Knot?

“An international team of chemists has set a new world record for tying the world’s smallest knot, which they say consists of only 54 atoms. Remarkably, researchers involved with the achievement say it happened by accident, and are unable to account for how it occurred.” – The Debrief.org

Not actual size. Not even the actual picture.

Atoms. We learned about them in high school or by watching The Big Bang Theory. The TV show was probably more entertaining than the science teacher unless you had one of those crazy science teachers who blew up things either on purpose or by accident.

What we are taught atoms look like.What atoms really look like. (I suppose. That’s what came up when I googled it.)

So when scientists put a bunch of stuff (chemistry atoms, I assume) in a Erlenmeyer flask (a real flask) and shook the bejesus out of it (a real scientific method originally called the “Archimedes Shake”) they discovered that they had created a knot out of a string of atoms.

Let’s all say in our best derisive voice, “But, did they?”

Of course they did! It’s science! Sweet, sweet, science! Now they just have to make some tiny shoes.

-Leon

On my blog this week:Weekend Wrap-up Jan. 27: Science Saturday – The World Smallest…Knot?Free Book Friday Jan 26Thursday is BookdayWeird Wednesday Jan. 23: CartoonsTuesday Tidbits: The Perils of Peril

Hope you enjoyed the recap! Feel free to share it with others.

Leon Stevens is a multi-genre author, composer, guitarist, songwriter, and an artist, with a Bachelor of Music and Education. He published his first book of poetry, Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures in January 2020, followed by a book of original classical guitar compositions, Journeys, and a short story collection of science fiction/post-apocalyptic tales called The Knot at the End of the Rope and Other Short Stories. His newest publications are the novella trilogy, The View from Here, which is a continuation of one of his short stories, and a new collection of poetry titled, A Wonder of Words.

My new book page: http://books.linesbyleon.com/

Sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter and receive a free book!

Oh, pick me! C’mon, space stuff!

Free Book Friday Jan 26

Can you tell when I advertise?

Leon

Lines by Leon Magnificent Bi-Weekly Newsletter Extravaganza

Can it be that good? Only one way to find out.

The story behind Free Book Friday:

I’ve met many authors and readers during my time marketing, cross-promoting, and blogging. I think writers have a responsibility to inform readers about all the indie authors out there in the very crowded world of book publishing. You can’t do it alone, and why would you when you have a supportive group available?

Readers don’t just read one author – they stick with their favorite genres. Therein lies the power in cross-promotion. If one of my readers buys a book from an author I promote, then chances are there will be a reciprocal effect, or so is the hope. Do I want to boost sales? Of course I do. Do I want to boost other’s sales? Why not. It’s called karma.

Some free book offers require a newsletter sign-up, which is a small non-monetary price to pay to try out a new indie author. 

Reads From StoryOrigin and BookFunnel

StoryOrigin and BookFunnel allows authors to advertise their books to each other’s audience. I hope you have been able to discover a new favorite!

Kindle Unlimited Sales/Purchase Links

Current promos: Discover New Authors

Review Copies (These are free!)

Review copies: Like reviewing books? Try my two poetry collections: Lines by Leon and A Wonder of Words

Sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter and receive a free book (poetry or science fiction or both): Leon’s Newsletter

Leon Stevens is a multi-genre author, composer, guitarist, songwriter, and an artist, with a Bachelor of Music and Education. He published his first book of poetry, Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures in January 2020, followed by a book of original classical guitar compositions, Journeys, and a short story collection of science fiction/post-apocalyptic tales called The Knot at the End of the Rope and Other Short Stories. His newest publications are the novella trilogy, The View from Here, which is a continuation of one of his short stories, and a new collection of poetry titled, A Wonder of Words.

My new book page: http://books.linesbyleon.com/

Sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter and receive a free book!

Oh, pick me! C’mon, space stuff!

Thursday is Bookday

Because I tend not to do things conventionally, I’ve started book reviews in the style of some book promotions popular on Instagram and other social media platforms.

Have you heard of this trip? I hadn’t but it turns out it started in the city I live. It also started in 1980 so, being on the cusp of the horrible affliction of being a teenager, I’m not surprised. Plus I didn’t live there then.

Could you paddle a canoe from the center (almost) of North America (Winnipeg) to Belem at the mouth of the Amazon? I recently (last summer) kayaked 30 km of the first stretch of this journey, not because of this book (I hadn’t discovered it yet) but because I have a kayak and if you have a kayak, you, well, you kayak, otherwise, why do you have a kayak?

I traveled in the easy direction, with the current, on the section that ran though the city (0.002% of the actual distance). I also miscalculated the distance, but that was another story (Tuesday Tirade: Miscalculation).

Back to the original question? Could you? Yeah, I’m going to say that’s a hard no for everyone reading this. Now imagine doing it before home computers, cellphones, and GPS. Most people would dread being totally out of touch with the rest of the world for even a few hours, let alone days or weeks.

So, the story goes: On July 1st, 1980, Don Starkell and his two sons set out on a two year trip that could have ended up in tragedy many times over, completed by a somewhat obsessive compulsion on the part of the father, straining relationships to the breaking point.

Written in diary style, this is a book for all who crave adventure and those who just want to live vicariously through someone else. 

Don Starkell also wrote a book called, Paddle to the Arctic. I wonder what that one is about?

-Leon

Leon Stevens is a multi-genre author, composer, guitarist, songwriter, and an artist, with a Bachelor of Music and Education. He published his first book of poetry, Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures in January 2020, followed by a book of original classical guitar compositions, Journeys, and a short story collection of science fiction/post-apocalyptic tales called The Knot at the End of the Rope and Other Short Stories. His newest publications are the novella trilogy, The View from Here, which is a continuation of one of his short stories, and a new collection of poetry titled, A Wonder of Words.

My new book page: http://books.linesbyleon.com/

Sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter and receive a free book!

Oh, pick me! C’mon, space stuff!

Weird Wednesday Jan. 23: Cartoons

Confused about the Miniscules?

The Miniscules: Humble Beginnings

-Leon

Leon Stevens is a multi-genre author, composer, guitarist, songwriter, and an artist, with a Bachelor of Music and Education. He published his first book of poetry, Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures in January 2020, followed by a book of original classical guitar compositions, Journeys, and a short story collection of science fiction/post-apocalyptic tales called The Knot at the End of the Rope and Other Short Stories. His newest publications are the novella trilogy, The View from Here, which is a continuation of one of his short stories, and a new collection of poetry titled, A Wonder of Words.

My new book page: http://books.linesbyleon.com/

Sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter and receive a free book!

Oh, pick me! C’mon, space stuff!

Tuesday Tidbits: The Perils of Peril

The hero hangs off the edge of the cliff. Loose rocks tumble downward as their feet search for a foothold. A tree root, mere inches from bloodied fingertips, teases our protagonist, mocking in its secure position on the precipice.

A hand darts toward the root, grasps it, and it pulls away from the ground and begins to stretch, each fiber snapping…*

OK. The main character isn’t going to die. Usually. But as an author, how much do we expect the reader to believe? The answer is simple: All of it.

Fight scenes that seem to go in forever. Bodies pummeled beyond what a human could possibly endure. One dangerous situation after another. Car chases that make insurance companies cringe.

As readers and watchers, we have to accept the peril. It’s exciting, and surprisingly suspenseful. If we actually dissected the believability of it, well, it would be no fun at all.

So, what about magic? Don’t get me started on that…

-Leon

*In case you were wondering, another hand reaches down at the last second (of course) and somehow pulls our main character (who probably weighs more that the rescuer) to safety.

Leon Stevens is a multi-genre author, composer, guitarist, songwriter, and an artist, with a Bachelor of Music and Education. He published his first book of poetry, Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures in January 2020, followed by a book of original classical guitar compositions, Journeys, and a short story collection of science fiction/post-apocalyptic tales called The Knot at the End of the Rope and Other Short Stories. His newest publications are the novella trilogy, The View from Here, which is a continuation of one of his short stories, and a new collection of poetry titled, A Wonder of Words.

My new book page: http://books.linesbyleon.com/

Sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter and receive a free book!

Oh, pick me! C’mon, space stuff!

Music Monday: 1981

There is a radio show on CBC here in Canada that occasionally does a feature called SYNTH: Songs You Need To Hear.

Now, I can’t say to someone, “You’ll like this song” (or book for that matter) because I can’t presume that others will share my taste in music (or books), so it is safer to say, “You might like this” and if they don’t like it, so be it.

Maybe you will find a new favorite.

CBC MUSIC, Central · Mornings with CBC Music

1981 was a weird year for musical tastes for my circle of friends. Radio was still the main source for discovering music, but as teenagers now in our second year, it was time to rebel.

But wait. Were there any good songs on the charts that you could admit you liked? John Lennon had a couple of hits that year with Starting Over and Woman, and he was a Beatle, so maybe.

Debbie Harry was pretty hot—although we all thought her name was Blondie, so that’s what we called her—so you could watch her video without retribution. Dolly Parton had a hit (9 to 5) but it was too poppy, but she also had, well, we were teenagers, so you know. Joan Jett sang, I Love Rock and Roll (yeah, yeah she wore leather).

The Police released the album, Ghost in the Machine, The Cars, J. Geils Band, were big, along with Foreigner’s Juke Box Hero, and Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing. And everyone listened to In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins.

Blue Öyster Cult’s Don’t Fear the Reaper was still in rotation, so Burning for You was heavy enough to play. Plus they used a umlaut in their name and it looked cool and a bit mysterious.

This was the year we discovered Sammy Hagar. Check out that hair.

On to our main act of the night. Diesel is a Dutch pop/rock group that became one of the relatively few Dutch acts to chart in the U.S. Sausalito Summernight hit #1 on the Canadian charts and we never heard from them again. they recorded another album, Unleaded, in 1982, but it was not a success.

Here’s a song I have never heard.

But 1981 was just the start of our heavy metal journey. Judas Priest’s Point of Entry was a disappointment, so British Steel was still on the turntable. AC/DC released their last good album, For Those About to Rock We Salute You. Iron Maiden and Kiss were also becoming favorites because our parents didn’t like them.

-Leon

Want to read more music blogs? Here are some of the ones I follow: Mostly Music Covers, Take it Easy, Beetley Pete, A Sound Day

Leon Stevens is a multi-genre author, composer, guitarist, songwriter, and an artist, with a Bachelor of Music and Education. He published his first book of poetry, Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures in January 2020, followed by a book of original classical guitar compositions, Journeys, and a short story collection of science fiction/post-apocalyptic tales called The Knot at the End of the Rope and Other Short Stories. His newest publications are the novella trilogy, The View from Here, which is a continuation of one of his short stories, and a new collection of poetry titled, A Wonder of Words.

My new book page: http://books.linesbyleon.com/

Sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter and receive a free book!

Oh, pick me! C’mon, space stuff!

Weekend Wrap-up Jan. 19: Hitting 30.

30.

Doesn’t sound like a big number, but for some it is. It sounds bigger when you put a K after it.

30K, or 30 000 is a not a large number for some. Oh, did you think I was talking about years? About turning 30? Been there, done that. In the 90s.

That was a pretty good decade, wasn’t it?

30 000 words. Some authors can bang out that many words in less than a month. NaNoWriMo showed me that I can’t, but if I keep at it, eventually I hit it.

So, yeah. I hit 30 000 words on my current project and the nice thing about it is that it’s not done. And when it is, it might be close to novel length.

Fingers crossed.

On my blog this week:Weekend Wrap-up Jan. 19: Hitting 30.Free Book Friday Jan 19: Promos and Featured AuthorsThursday is BookdayWeird Wednesday Jan. 17: Symbolism in The Top RowTuesday Tidbits: Book Marketing. Does it Work?

Hope you enjoyed the recap! Feel free to share it with others.

Leon Stevens is a multi-genre author, composer, guitarist, songwriter, and an artist, with a Bachelor of Music and Education. He published his first book of poetry, Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures in January 2020, followed by a book of original classical guitar compositions, Journeys, and a short story collection of science fiction/post-apocalyptic tales called The Knot at the End of the Rope and Other Short Stories. His newest publications are the novella trilogy, The View from Here, which is a continuation of one of his short stories, and a new collection of poetry titled, A Wonder of Words.

My new book page: http://books.linesbyleon.com/

Sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter and receive a free book!

Oh, pick me! C’mon, space stuff!