Angelia Sparrow's Blog, page 15
December 16, 2014
December 15, 2014
Yuletide Youtube, scheduled
This is a scheduled post, while I am out of town.
Oldest son is home on leave and we're going to see the folks. Grandma may not make it to his next leave.
Regular posting will resume tomorrow.
Sounds of the Season:
As we begin the week of Yule.
Holiday Cheer:
Oldest son is home on leave and we're going to see the folks. Grandma may not make it to his next leave.
Regular posting will resume tomorrow.
Sounds of the Season:
As we begin the week of Yule.
Holiday Cheer:
December 14, 2014
Yuletide Youtube: scheduled
Scheduled posting while we're out of town
Sounds of the Season:
A Capella time, with a hymn
Holiday Cheer:
Sounds of the Season:
A Capella time, with a hymn
Holiday Cheer:
December 13, 2014
Yuletide Youtube: Cthulhu Carols
Sounds of the Season:
Holiday Cheer:
Holiday Cheer:
December 12, 2014
Yuletide Youtube: Travel edition
We're off to KC to see my folks. Obi is home on leave and we're not sure my mom will make it to his next leave.
Sounds of the Season:
One of the most urban Christmas songs I know.
Holiday Cheer and Crafty Ideas:
Sounds of the Season:
One of the most urban Christmas songs I know.
Holiday Cheer and Crafty Ideas:
December 11, 2014
Yuletide Youtube: Tasty Thursday
Sounds of the Season:
An odd duet and one of my favorites.
~~~
Holiday Cheer
~~~
Tasty Thursday:
In the spirit of oddness, I give you a savory cranberry sauce
2 cups whole raw cranberries, washed
1 small onion
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons horseradish from a jar
1) Grind the raw berries and onion together. A meat grinder is good. If you use a food processor, get a chunky grind, not smooth.
2) Add everything else and mix.
3) Put in a plastic container and freeze.
4) Move it from freezer to refrigerator to thaw the morning before you serve it.
This will be shocking pink. And it makes a great sandwich spread.
Makes 1 1/2 pints.
An odd duet and one of my favorites.
~~~
Holiday Cheer
~~~
Tasty Thursday:
In the spirit of oddness, I give you a savory cranberry sauce
2 cups whole raw cranberries, washed
1 small onion
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons horseradish from a jar
1) Grind the raw berries and onion together. A meat grinder is good. If you use a food processor, get a chunky grind, not smooth.
2) Add everything else and mix.
3) Put in a plastic container and freeze.
4) Move it from freezer to refrigerator to thaw the morning before you serve it.
This will be shocking pink. And it makes a great sandwich spread.
Makes 1 1/2 pints.
December 10, 2014
A Couple of Seasonal Stories
This is fanfiction. And my favorite sort for Christmas time.
If you're not familiar with Brimstone, it was a little show that ran 13 episodes in 1997.
Dogma is a well-known enough movie that I don't need to talk much
Ah, but when you MIX the two...
15 years ago, and this is STILL the perfect present
Nativity
It's even better if you can hear the voices.
And then there's one I wrote.
Naughty
Zeke finds one of the 113 in an unexpected place.
If you're not familiar with Brimstone, it was a little show that ran 13 episodes in 1997.
Dogma is a well-known enough movie that I don't need to talk much
Ah, but when you MIX the two...
15 years ago, and this is STILL the perfect present
Nativity
It's even better if you can hear the voices.
And then there's one I wrote.
Naughty
Zeke finds one of the 113 in an unexpected place.
Yog's Law, Or Why you shouldn't be paying ANYTHING to be Published
(Oh look, a post with actual Angel generated content!)
I was lucky. I started writing in the 80s, sending the laser printed copies of my first three chapters and synopsis off to New York Publishers. I accumulated an impressive array of rejection ships.
But at base, I knew, KNEW that I would not pay anything out of pocket after the initial mailing, not beyond postage for a contract.
Those coming up in the brave new world of publishing don't have that knowledge. I am frequently asked "How much will it cost me to be published with your press?" My response is always, "Nothing. You pay for NOTHING except discounted physical copies of your books, after the contributor copy." And then I lose my temper and rant a bit about predatory vanity presses.
It all comes back to Yog's Law.
In the early days of the net, author James D. MacDonald used the nickname "Yog Sysop," an obvious play on the Lovecraftian Yog-Sothoth. When he was asked how much he paid to have his books published, he had a rant, and started a one-man war on vanity presses.
He coined Yog's Law: "Money should flow toward the author."
Any professional will quote this at you.
John Scalzi puts it more bluntly: "Fuck you, pay me."
(some of us call the Scalzi's Corollary)
None of this applies to self-publishing. You're going to be out-of-pocket for editing and layout and cover art and promo supplies. But even the smallest of micropresses should charge you nothing.
A word about the physical copies:
You should always receive one free copy of your book, at minimum.
Beyond that, you will be expected to pay for the other copies you plan to give as gifts or resell. You should get these at a discount, specified in your contract. The difference between the price you pay and the price you sell at is considered your royalty payment.
If your publisher demands a reading fee, a cover art fee, an editing or any kind of fee, RUN. This is a vanity press. Alas, even venerable Harlequin has fallen into this with their Horizons imprint.
(Buying the cover art after the book is out of print is another topic. Artists have to be paid too)
If you are not getting statements or checks, (preferably both) at the agreed-upon interval, complain, Loudly.
Also, beware of "movie options." There is a company that has you pay $750 to get a $500 payment and have your book optioned by a very minor, local film studio. This does not guarantee your book will be a movie and you may be out $250 for nothing, or for an amateur bit of theater perpetrated by someone who knows nothing of lighting, SPFX or pacing.
Money flows to you, the author.
I was lucky. I started writing in the 80s, sending the laser printed copies of my first three chapters and synopsis off to New York Publishers. I accumulated an impressive array of rejection ships.
But at base, I knew, KNEW that I would not pay anything out of pocket after the initial mailing, not beyond postage for a contract.
Those coming up in the brave new world of publishing don't have that knowledge. I am frequently asked "How much will it cost me to be published with your press?" My response is always, "Nothing. You pay for NOTHING except discounted physical copies of your books, after the contributor copy." And then I lose my temper and rant a bit about predatory vanity presses.
It all comes back to Yog's Law.
In the early days of the net, author James D. MacDonald used the nickname "Yog Sysop," an obvious play on the Lovecraftian Yog-Sothoth. When he was asked how much he paid to have his books published, he had a rant, and started a one-man war on vanity presses.
He coined Yog's Law: "Money should flow toward the author."
Any professional will quote this at you.
John Scalzi puts it more bluntly: "Fuck you, pay me."
(some of us call the Scalzi's Corollary)
None of this applies to self-publishing. You're going to be out-of-pocket for editing and layout and cover art and promo supplies. But even the smallest of micropresses should charge you nothing.
A word about the physical copies:
You should always receive one free copy of your book, at minimum.
Beyond that, you will be expected to pay for the other copies you plan to give as gifts or resell. You should get these at a discount, specified in your contract. The difference between the price you pay and the price you sell at is considered your royalty payment.
If your publisher demands a reading fee, a cover art fee, an editing or any kind of fee, RUN. This is a vanity press. Alas, even venerable Harlequin has fallen into this with their Horizons imprint.
(Buying the cover art after the book is out of print is another topic. Artists have to be paid too)
If you are not getting statements or checks, (preferably both) at the agreed-upon interval, complain, Loudly.
Also, beware of "movie options." There is a company that has you pay $750 to get a $500 payment and have your book optioned by a very minor, local film studio. This does not guarantee your book will be a movie and you may be out $250 for nothing, or for an amateur bit of theater perpetrated by someone who knows nothing of lighting, SPFX or pacing.
Money flows to you, the author.
Yuletide Youtube
Sounds of the Season:
One of my favorites
~~~
Holiday Cheer:
Geek Edition Take Two
~~~
Craft Idea:
Dress up a pack of beer.
Or easy Mutant Turtle Ornaments
One of my favorites
~~~
Holiday Cheer:
Geek Edition Take Two
~~~
Craft Idea:
Dress up a pack of beer.
Or easy Mutant Turtle Ornaments
December 9, 2014
Yuletide Youtube: Tasty Tuesday
Sounds of the Season:
Because a capella Tchaicovsky!
Holiday Cheer:
~~~
Tasty Tuesday:
Sugar Plums:
2 cups toasted walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 cup pitted prunes, finely chopped
1/2 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
1/2 cut pitted dates, finely chopped
powdered sugar for rolling coating the balls
plum purple disco dust or edible glitter of any color
Instructions
Mix all ingredients except the sugar and disco dust together in a large bowl. Optionally, place the whole mixture in the food processor and process for a few seconds - this will help everything to stick together, especially if you aren't the best at finely chopping. (I'm raising my hand high on this one.) Form the mixture into teaspoon-sized balls. Roll the balls in powdered sugar and then roll in disco dust.
Note: If you let the balls sit overnight, the powdered sugar will absorb into the balls and will be less visible.
Crisp Rice Balls
1 stick melted oleo
1 egg, well beaten
1 c. sugar
1 pkg. (8 oz) dates
Stir all together, bring to boil. Boil 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in 3 c. crispy rice cereal, 1 c. finely chopped nuts. Stir. Wet hands, roll into small balls, roll in flaked coconut. Chill. Makes 24.
Because a capella Tchaicovsky!
Holiday Cheer:
~~~
Tasty Tuesday:
Sugar Plums:
2 cups toasted walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 cup pitted prunes, finely chopped
1/2 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
1/2 cut pitted dates, finely chopped
powdered sugar for rolling coating the balls
plum purple disco dust or edible glitter of any color
Instructions
Mix all ingredients except the sugar and disco dust together in a large bowl. Optionally, place the whole mixture in the food processor and process for a few seconds - this will help everything to stick together, especially if you aren't the best at finely chopping. (I'm raising my hand high on this one.) Form the mixture into teaspoon-sized balls. Roll the balls in powdered sugar and then roll in disco dust.
Note: If you let the balls sit overnight, the powdered sugar will absorb into the balls and will be less visible.
Crisp Rice Balls
1 stick melted oleo
1 egg, well beaten
1 c. sugar
1 pkg. (8 oz) dates
Stir all together, bring to boil. Boil 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in 3 c. crispy rice cereal, 1 c. finely chopped nuts. Stir. Wet hands, roll into small balls, roll in flaked coconut. Chill. Makes 24.
