Jonathan Moeller's Blog, page 245

iBookstore

To be fair, I do criticize Apple a lot (this comes from doing a lot of tech support for Macs), but I want them to do well. I sell a lot of books through iBooks, and they take self-publishing seriously. The top page of the iBookstore has a link to directions on how to self-publish on the iTunes store:

-JM

hubris meets nemesis

Apparently today Apple released a new iPhone that doesn’t have a headphone jack. In lieu of earbuds, you can pay $159 for a set of wireless AirPods that get five hours to a single charge.

There is only one possible explanation.

I think some of Apple’s competitors prayed “Lord, please let my competitors look ridiculous”, and God replied “Sure, why not.”

-JM

FROSTBORN spiders versus DEMONSOULED spiders versus GHOST EXILE spiders

Reader Kenneth noted that both the FROSTBORN books and the DEMONSOULED books have spider monsters, the urdmordar of FROSTBORN and the soliphages of DEMONSOULED.

This is true. I do like the idea of spider-monsters, though both the urdmordar and the soliphages are different implementations of that idea. Though I do think that in a fair fight, the urdmordar would utterly crush the soliphages.

And it may not be obvious, but GHOST EXILE has its own version of a spider monster.

I suspect the Red Huntress is what a creature like Shelob the Great would be in human form.

James Bond Operating Systems

I’ve now seen all the Pierce Brosnan and all the Daniel Craig James Bond movies, and I’ve come to an important realization.

Successful Bond villains run Linux on their computers.

Silva in SKYFALL ran Linux, and he (basically) accomplished all his objectives.

Trevelyan in GOLDENEYE probably ran Windows 95, and he fell to his death off a giant satellite dish.

There is an important lesson here. Use Linux! Don’t fall off a giant satellite dish like Trevelyan.

Though to be fair, Trevelyan was played by Sean Bean, and Sean Bean always dies in his movies.

-JM

MASK OF SPELLS progress

Working on MASK OF SPELLS. The current scene:


 


Valgasts! Valgasts everywhere!

-JM

THE BIG SLEEP by Raymond Chandler

I read my first Raymond Chandler book this week – THE BIG SLEEP, the first of Chandler’s books featuring private investigator Philip Marlowe. In the book, set in 1930s-era Los Angeles, Marlowe is hired by an elderly man to investigate (and possibly deal with) a blackmail attempt against his youngest daughter. Mayhem ensues.

It is interesting to read a book set in the 1930s – everyone smokes and drinks constantly, which is definitely not the case in contemporary America. In one scene Marlowe goes into a drug store to buy a bottle of whiskey and a carton of cigarettes, which you definitely could not do today.

It was almost interesting to see the effect this book had on later fiction – I believe THE BIG SLEEP and its film adaptation created the popular image of the hard-drinking, chain-smoking, world-weary yet clever private eye in trench coat and fedora. I’ve read all fifteen of the Harry Dresden books, and Marlowe had a strong influence on Dresden. In fact, I suspect Marlowe is the kind of man Harry Dresden would be if Harry a.) wasn’t a wizard, and b.) wasn’t so flustered by women.

Anyway, I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to watching the film version when time permits. I’m curious to see how the movie would soften some of the book’s harsher scenes, several of which definitely would not pass muster in the standards of 1940s-era cinema. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing – the film version of THE MALTESE FALCON made the Sam Spade character into a more heroic man than he was in the book, and I don’t think the story was hurt by the change.

-JM

MASK OF SPELLS progress update

Now on Chapter 9 of 20.

-JM

FROSTBORN OMNIBUS ONE is #1

FROSTBORN OMNIBUS ONE is #1 in its category on Amazon US again!

Thanks everyone! It has happened before, but it’s always pleasant when it does.

MASK OF SPELLS excerpt

Now on Chapter 7 of 20 for MASK OF SPELLS. Let’s have a short excerpt!

“You’re smiling,” said Adalar.

His voice was quiet. He almost always spoke quietly, save to shout commands or challenges in battle. His eyes met hers, grave and solemn.

“I suppose I am,” said Sigaldra.

“Is everything all right?” said Adalar. He hesitated. “Aside from the obvious, anyway.”

“I do not smile that infrequently,” said Sigaldra.

“No,” said Earnachar from where he walked behind Mazael.

“No,” said Adalar.

“No,” said Basjun, Crouch trotting at his side.

Timothy hesitated. “It’s not my place to say, my lady.”

-JM

is the iPad a good ereader?

An article asks if the iPad is a good bargain for ebook readers.

I’d say that a tablet is a good bargain for ebook readers (it doesn’t have to be an iPad – an Android tablet will work just as well). If you have a really big library, it’s easier to manage on a tablet than on an eInk reader or a phone.

It’s also handy for propping up to read as you eat a sandwich with the other hand.