Steven M. Moore's Blog, page 210

Writing for readers…

I generally am happy to see a WD in my mailbox (that's Writer's Digest, in case you're wondering if I'm missing an M).  Nevertheless, I've always thought the apostrophe is misplaced and lately there has been this nagging suspicion that their editorial board just doesn't get it.  Joe Konrath has a better perspective on the industry (unfortunately, his participation in his blog is going on a hiatus).  However, he doesn't get it completely either.

WD still propagates the myth of legacy...

News and Notices from the Writing Trenches #2…

#8:  Look for my short story "The Bridge" in the October edition of eFiction magazine.  I highly recommend this eZine to every reader…something for everyone!  It is available online for free and as an inexpensive Kindle subscription on Amazon (the latter has a free trial offer).

#9:  The Perseus Books Group has announced a new eBook formatting service.  As I understand it, this service will primarily be offered through agents to authors they are representing, but MAYBE to some indie authors.  ...

Steve Jobs, Mr. User Friendly…

I never met the man, although I can say he was very much a part of my life—for most of my life as a scientist, at least.  He was the consummate snake-oil salesman, giving most people what they needed and convincing them they needed it whether they knew they needed it or not.  While that need was often a fix to satisfy an addiction to new technology—in other words, a perceived need, as a child needs new toys—there is no doubt that he was a genius in bringing to market many user-friendly...

Scientists and politicians…

On Tuesday, I received an "urgent alert to the APS membership:  funding cuts to NSF, NIST."  Let me translate the acronymese.  APS is the American Physical Society.  I'm a member.  Although I am now a full-time writer, I used to be a physicist, among other things (people have called me many things, in fact).  NSF, of course, is the National Science Foundation.  NIST is the lesser known National Institute of Standards and Technology (the name is a late addition, probably to get more...

ABC News + Yahoo News = "Danger, Will Robinson!"

If you watched GMA (Good Morning America, the ABC morning show) on Monday or, more likely, paid attention to your news feeds, you know that ABC News has joined forces with Yahoo News.  However Disney, ABC's parent company, finagled this, it means that ABC News now has access to millions of Yahooers.  Such an event might be bad for the latter, but what does it mean for the country?

Already ABC's originality is highly in question.  Their news programs repeat news stories over and over again and ...

News and Notices from the Writing Trenches #1…

To my readers,

This will appear as an occasional feature as part of my blog.  In lieu of a newsletter, I will post things here that are newsworthy, little bulletins about fellow authors or yours truly.  Some of these will be repeated on my Facebook Fan Page, but the FB programmers are really starting to get on my nerves, so this is the first place to check.

#1:  September 24, 2011—I sent the revised and expanded version of Evil Agenda off to Donna Carrick of Carrick Publishing.  Donna will...

Class warfare? No way!

Criticize a member of the power elite in this country or elsewhere in the world and the first response is "That's class warfare!"  It's peculiar how the two words "class warfare" have become politically incorrect.  It's the media that has made that happen, of course, and, when you think about it, the fact that the media outlets are controlled by huge mega-corporations, it makes sense.  We get only the news that the super-rich oligarchies that run the planet want us to get.

My take on class...

Mini-Reviews #1…

To my readers,

My book reviews, especially those for Bookpleasures.com, are often long and more detailed than the average ones you'll find on Amazon, for example.  Since I read many more books than those I review, I thought a few words and ranking about other books might help readers sift through the chaff to find the grain.  Information is useful, even in abbreviated form.

Another reason for adding this blog category is that I just don't have time to weed through all the new features on...

Surprise, surprise! Pakistani spy agency helps terrorists…news from the Middle East…

I don't like to gloat, especially in these circumstances, but I told you so.  The U.S. government, through the loose lips of Mr. Mullins, has finally spoken the words—Pakistan is playing a duplicitous role in the war against terrorism.  This was no secret, at least not for me.  All the evidence was there.  Every sane person on the planet knew this was happening, but no one in officialdom would or could admit to it.  Why do you think we went after OBL without telling the Pakistanis?  Why do...

Six minutes to midnight…

I'm referring to the Doomsday Clock, of course.  Last time I checked it read six minutes to midnight.  The case of the hikers in Iran and that country's constant saber rattling might change the clock.  The instability in Pakistan and that country's increasing animosity towards the West also might change the setting.  Al Qaeda threats, especially those related to revenging the death of OBL, are also a factor.  Add in then tensions between Pakistan and India and the posturing of North Korea...