Caleb J. Ross's Blog, page 61
June 17, 2012
The Simpsons re-writes The Little Prince
(part of my ongoing Unexpected Literary References series)
This one from the episode titled “A Totally Fun Thing That Bart Will Never Do Again” which is the nineteenth episode of season 23. It aired on April 29, 2012. Thank you to Alex C (in the comments below) for informing me that “the title is a spoof on David Foster Wallace’s article, “A Supposedly Fun Thing I Will Never Do Again”, in which he was sent on a 7-day cruise ship and hated every minute of it.”
After Bart fakes a world-wide pandemic, he and a group of fellow cruise boat travelers make due with what’s available to them in order to start a brand new society. One micro-group of super intelligent children–lead by Lisa, of course–set out to recreate all of the world’s great books in order to ensure their presence in the reborn society. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s novella, “The Little Prince” is one such book.
June 16, 2012
The Simpsons and the closing of Borders Bookstores (again)
(part of my ongoing Unexpected Literary References series)
At this point, I should probably change the name of this series to Expected Literary References. Seems when I keep my eyes peeled for book references in cartoons, I see them quite often.
“The Spy Who Learned Me” is the twentieth episode of season 23, and contains yet another reference to the closing of all Borders Bookstores. It originally aired on May 6, 2012. Here, we have a quick zoom-out from a bird to a wide shot of a dilapidated Borders Bookstore building.
June 14, 2012
I want to post your writing at my website
Here’s the deal: I have a new novel out called I Didn’t Mean to be Kevin in which tourist trap style human body parts museums play an important role. So, I want to know about your unexpected morbid experiences. Simply fill out the form below and you might just see your words posted at calebjross.com.
(If you don’t see the form below, try refreshing your browser; Google forms can be picky sometimes)
June 13, 2012
June 12, 2012
F.C.J.R shirt. Wear one and I’ll send you something pretty.
The wonderful Misty Bennett posted an aside over at Facebook that she was designing a t-shirt with the letters F.C.J.R on it, which I can only is an protest statement against Jamaican spy activity: Farewell to Clandestine Jamaican Reconnaissance. What else could it possibly mean?
Anyone who creates, wears, and snaps a photo of themselves wearing such a t-shirt will receive something cool from me. What exactly that cool thing will be, I don’t know. You can probably expect a book from my book shelf, perhaps one with the naughty bits highlighted, perhaps some naughty bits added. Maybe you’ll get a sack of paper cigar rings. Maybe you’ll get my bathroom garbage. Who knows. Just snap a pic and email me at caleb [at] calebjross.com.
Just one idea for you
June 6, 2012
Guest Post – The Top 10 WordPress Plug-ins Every Blogger Should Have by Kate Croston
This is a guest post by Kate Croston who is a freelance writer, holds a bachelors degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. She writes guest posts for different sites and loves contributing home internet service related topics. Questions or comments can be sent to: katecroston.croston09 @ gmail.com.
Wordpress is one of the easiest to use and most functional blogging software suites you can find. One of the advantages of using it is the plethora of plug-ins available for it. Here are the top ten plug-ins that no webmaster should be without:
Google Analytics
This plug-in allows you to embed your Google Analytics code into every page and post you produce. This allows you to track visitors, links in and a variety of other data.
Google XML Sitemaps
Search engine indexing is a huge part of having a high search engine results rank. This add-on automatically helps you generate and update an XML map that makes indexing more efficient.
Jetpack by WordPress.com
Jetpack allows you to connect your domain or hosted blog to your WordPress.com account. Doing so gives you access to features that are normally only available on the WordPress domain.
Pinterest Pin It Button
This up and coming social media site brags a higher on site time that even Facebook. Using the “Pin It” plug-in, people can automatically feature your site on their Pinterest profile wall.
WP-Polls
If you want to know what people think of your site, one of your best solutions is to add a poll to your website. WP-Polls is a quick and easy to use way to do so, and polls do not have ads embedded in them with this plug-in.
Akismet
While getting comments is a great part of running a blog, spam comments are annoying. Use Aksimet to automatically filter out spam from your blog’s comments.
Add Link to Facebook
This plug-in will automatically publish links to any new content on your blog to your Facebook profile. It can also integrate Facebook “likes” and comments to your blog posts.
Twitter Bird on Site
If you want to add Twitter options to your blog, install this plug-in. It adds a Twitter bird to your site that allows people to follow you.
Sweet Captcha
This is a Captcha tool that is not nearly as frustrating to use as most other Captcha services. Instead of verifying words or letters, you are asked to select a picture.
WP-Instaroll
This plug-in allows you to create blog posts from your Instagram photos. The add-on allows you to select images directly from your photo stream.
If you want to make sure that you have all the tools you need for a successful site, make sure to install these WordPress plug-ins.
June 5, 2012
Social Media for Authors and Planting a Story Seed. Slideshow fans, get ready to geek out.
This past weekend I was fortunate enough to have been invited to be a part of the 2012 Tallgrass Writing Workshop. This thing has been going on every year for the past 27 years; I definitely do not take lightly the privilege of being part of such a legacy.
Aside from participating in general camaraderie, I taught two sessions. Both of which seem to have been pretty successful (despite my habit of talking WAY too much).
For the benefit of those who were not able to attend my sessions (due to simultaneous, better sessions), I have uploaded my two original slideshows for the viewing pleasure of all. The social media one even has audio included. Neat!
Click the links below the images to access the slideshows.
Watch at Slideshare.net (with audio) | Watch using Google+
SURVIVING ONLINE: Why Social Media is Not a Waste of Time for Authors
Some writers claim that time spent engaging in social media is time wasted. But what is an author but a communicator of ideas, and what is social media but a platform for exchanging ideas (primarily by text, I might add). This session will focus on how the entrepreneurial author, even without a book yet to promote, can use social media not just for nurturing a potential readership but for nurturing story ideas as well.
Watch at Slideshare.net | Watch using Google+
PLANTING A STORY: How to Grow a Plot from a Single Seed
Author Stephen Graham Jones has said that many of his story ideas stem from misheard conversations. This session will explore the process of building an entire story from practically nothing, with special consideration given to dismantling the sham known as writer’s block.
June 4, 2012
Book design, Cover Alteration, Slipcases, and Integral Design (Video Blog Ep 013)
Here, in this part 2 of a 2 part-er, I look at a few examples of book design: Cover Alteration, Slipcases, and Integral Design. Examples include Donna Tartt’s The Secret Friend, Chuck Palahniuk’s Diary, Douglas Coupland’s The Gum Thief, Mark Z. Danielewski’s Only Revolutions and House of Leaves, Adam Novy’s Avian Gospels, Chip Kidd’s The Learners, and a collection of three Tim Hall books.
View part one here.
May 28, 2012
First ever live reading of “Click-Clack,” the story that first appeared in Warmed and Bound
I’ve been wanting to read “Click-Clack” to a live audience for a while. It’s perhaps one of my more unsettling stories. So, I thought, where better to read it out loud than in a sweaty, un-air conditioned room above Prospero’s Bookstore. The crowd seemed to dig the story, as much as one can considering the heat.
The version linked here contains a few sound effects as well.
A lot of my fiction deals with what I call domestic grotesque situations. None are perhaps more fitting to this term than “Click-Clack.” If you like it, pick up more of my fiction, specifically my two story collections Charactered Pieces and Mumurs: Gathered Stories Vol. One.
May 27, 2012
Recorded live from the “$@!# Authors Say” reading in Kansas City, MO.
A few nights ago, some Kansas City authors put together a reading at the Czar Bar (which has a damn amazing hamburger, fyi) at which I read my non-fiction piece “Strippers with Your Son.” Extra special to the event is that I began my reading with a sing-along to Jason Webley’s “Drinking Song.” So, if you love true tales about strippers, father/son on stripper action, and bloody strippers, the watch this video.
Other featured authors from the night include Gordon Highland, Phil Jourdan, Hampton Stevens, Hollie Hayes, and Brandon Tietz.
