Phil Giunta's Blog, page 48
November 13, 2017
One. At. A. Time…
Thinking back, when I wrote my first two novels between 2007 and 2013, those were the only writing projects I was focused on at the time. No short stories, no editing anthologies. Just the novels. Testing the Prisoner then By Your Side .
One. At. A. Time.
Among the excitement of having my new Miranda Lorensen novella accepted by my publisher back in June—and a finishing the outline to her next full length novel earlier today—I don’t want to lose sight of the science fiction novel that I outlined in 2015, started writing in 2016, lost traction after four chapters, picked up again at the beginning of 2017, then lost traction again after four more chapters. To say that was frustrating as HELL would be putting it mildly.
That has never happened to me before. I typically stay with a project until it’s finished. So what the frack happened?
Well, in 2012, I pitched an idea for a speculative fiction anthology to my publisher (Firebringer Press). I became the editor and project manager on the book, as well as a contributor, and Somewhere in the Middle of Eternity was released two years later. That led to last year’s Elsewhere in the Middle of Eternity and now, Meanwhile in the Middle of Eternity is in progress.
On top of that, I finished three home renovations over the past year and a half, a violent storm collapsed part of the roof at my workplace this past July which meant weeks of recovering our IT systems (working around the clock early on), and I completed several short stories for various contests and anthologies, which was a blast.
While I’m proud of every anthology and short story as much as every finished home project, now it’s time to prioritize and get the science fiction novel back on track. I believe everything happens for a reason and perhaps time away from the novel will provide a fresh perspective when I sit down this week and read the first eight chapters and review the outline.
However, focusing on these next two novels will also mean declining any new short story work in 2018 (with one exception to which I’ve already committed). Fortunately, I wrote several short stories in 2016 and 2017 that are ready for submission to a few anthologies in the coming year. I also stepped down as editor of the Middle of Eternity series after volume three is released.
It’s time to get back to novels.
One. At. A. Time.
November 12, 2017
Book Review: The Time Machine and Other Stories by H.G. Wells
Four tales comprise this collection, the first of which is the story for which H. G. Wells is most known, The Time Machine. The adventures of a time traveller who builds a machine that propels him 800,000 years into a future that appears utopian only—and quite literally—on the surface has been reprinted thousands of times and adapted into at least a half dozen films that I know of.
However, the other three stories in the collection were new to me: “The Empire of the Ants”, “The Country of the Blind”, and “The Man Who Could Work Miracles.”
Of these, the first is forgettable, the second compelling, and the third entertaining. In “The Country of the Blind,” we join professional mountain climber, Núñez, as he survives a fall from Parascotopetl in Ecuador only to discovers a hidden land occupied by a population of blind natives. Núñez learns that these people have been without sight for generations and somewhere along the way, lost all knowledge and belief in the world beyond their own village. Núñez recalls the old adage, “In the country of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.” He quickly learns just how wrong he is…
In “The Man Who Could Work Miracles,” a nebbish clerk with the unlikely name of George McWhirter Fotheringay does not believe in miracles and is all too happily debating their impossibility in the Long Dragon pub when, to his utter astonishment, he performs a miracle by ordering an oil lamp to turn upside down and continue burning. This leads Fotheringay on a journey of escalating marvels that eventually leads to global consequences…
November 9, 2017
About This Writing Stuff…
This week, David Gaughran and Anne R. Allen analyze Amazon’s heavy-handed measures of fraud detection that are forcing the innocent to suffer for the guilty. P.J. Parrish illustrates the revision process using one of her own manuscripts while Ruth Harris and Andrew Falconer offer tips on writing historical fiction.
We strike gold with… who else, but… Jami Gold! Jami is busy with NaNoWriMo, so she has invited guest bloggers to discuss such topics as Imposter Syndrome (Kassandra Lamb), Deep POV (Lisa Hall-Wilson), and Productivity (J. Rose).
From the latter, this statement leapt out at me: “We’re trained to work ourselves to the bone, and that we should best each other about “who’s the most busy” or “who has the least amount of time.” I challenge you to step away from this game! Do you really want to be #1 at being stressed and being busy all the time so you don’t have time to enjoy your life?”
All that and a little more. Enjoy!
Amazon’s Hall of Spinning Knives by David Gaughran
Don’t Let Impostor Syndrome Ruin Your Writing by Kassandra Lamb via Jami Gold
Deep POV and Hidden Messages in Subtext by Lisa Hall-Wilson via Jami Gold
Creating the Right Mindset to Be Productive by J. Rose via Jami Gold
Cutting Open the Sausage: A Hard Look at Rewriting by PJ Parrish
Plunge Into Story Action—and Genre by Kathryn Craft
A Character’s POV = A Character’s Truth by Sarah Callender
Five Essentials of Historical Fantasy by Andrew Falconer
How to Use Authentic Historical Detail to Trigger Emotions and Memories in Your Readers by Ruth Harris
The Most Important Rule of Backstory by Andrea Lundgren
Amazon’s Latest Crackdowns: Do They Include Amazon Review Trolls? by Anne R. Allen
November 5, 2017
Book Review: Tales From the White Hart by Arthur C. Clarke
Harry Purvis is a master storyteller who regales his fellow patrons every Wednesday evening at the White Hart pub with fantastical yarns of eccentric characters and outrageous scientific catastrophes.
While Tales From the White Hart is considered one of Clarke’s most popular anthologies, I found a handful of the stories—such as “Big Game Hunt”, “Critical Mass”, “Cold War”, and a few others—to be either prosaic, mundane, or anticlimactic. However, there were a number of humorous and rousing romps, including:
“Patent Pending” – After a professor invents a device that records brain waves corresponding to human sensations, his assistant envisions a far more profitable, and sensual, use for the device…
“Armaments Race” – While working on a low-budget SF series for Hollywood, a special effects expert is tasked producing ever more impressive ray guns… until he creates one that actually works—with devastating results.
“The Pacifist” – The military presses a mathematician to construct a computer capable of flawless combat strategy. When the project begins falling behind schedule, the scientist is bullied by a clueless general. In response, a hidden circuit is built into the computer—one that turns out to be hilariously insubordinate.
“The Man Who Ploughed the Sea” – Harry Purvis travels to Florida with a lawyer friend to explore the coastal waters in a small submarine. During their expedition, they encounter a large yacht owned by an elderly chemist who invented a method for collecting elements and precious metals directly from saltwater.
“Moving Spirit” – When an eccentric, reclusive scientist’s still explodes, he finds himself arrested for manufacturing illegal alcohol and requests help from his nephew, Harry Purvis, attorney-at-law. With the odds stacked against them, Harry literally concocts an incendiary defense for his uncle.
“The Reluctant Orchid” – A meek, timid clerk with an affinity for orchids is routinely intimidated by his imperious Aunt Henrietta. After planting a rare, carnivorous species of orchid in his greenhouse, he soon devises a plot to get rid of her…
“What Goes Up” – In the deserts of Australia, a team of scientists are confounded while testing a new design of nuclear reactor. Rather than an explosion, the reactor forms an anti-gravity bubble several hundred feet in diameter. Entering the bubble, however, could prove as dangerous as falling off a mountain…
November 1, 2017
The Musketeers of Stranger Things…
The one aspect about Stranger Things that captivates me most is the bond between the four main kids, Lucas, Dustin, Mike, and Will. They might bicker on occasion, but they are loyal and care about one another deeply. The safety of each one is paramount to the others. They are the Musketeers of Hawkins, Indiana.
I never experienced that growing up, not even within my own family let alone friends who drifted in and out of my life. I’m sure such friendships as depicted in Stranger Things existed back in the 80s, but I’m not confident that they still exist today in our self-absorbed, self-obsessed, technologically overdosed world.
Of course, Stranger Things isn’t the first to show us such devotion among childhood friends from previous decades, so I can only imagine that it isn’t a complete fabrication. There must be a kernel of truth there, based on the life experiences of the writers. Regardless, it’s that teamwork, camaraderie, and devotion between these four kids who believe in the fantastical dangers unnoticed by oblivious adults (except for Joyce Byers and Chief Hopper)—and who come together as one cohesive, amazingly organized unit to combat evil forces—that makes Stranger Things so enjoyable above and beyond the other excellent characters and the unnerving tension of a well-crafted story.
October 30, 2017
A New Miranda Lorensen Adventure…
Some of my readers have asked about the next adventure of my psychic medium single mom, Miranda Lorensen. After all, it has been almost five years since my last novel, By Your Side.
The wait is nearly over. Like Mother, Like Daughters, a novella starring Miranda and her daughter, Andrea, is coming soon from Firebringer Press.
After Andrea Lorensen’s closest friend, Wendy, is found murdered during a paranormal investigation, Andrea is determined to find the killer—with some help from Wendy’s ghost. Meanwhile, Miranda is invited to speak at a paranormal conference in Salem, Massachusetts. While there, she reunites with a gentle spirit she has not seen since she was six years old. This time, however, the encounter reveals an astonishing truth about Miranda’s past life—a truth that could kill her.
Below is the preliminary cover, subject to some tweaking. The image was created by the incredible Laura Inglis who also created the cover art for my first two novels (Testing the Prisoner and By Your Side), while credit for the title font goes to Chris Winner who also created the titles for By Your Side, Somewhere in the Middle of Eternity, and Elsewhere in the Middle of Eternity.
To say I’m excited about it would be an understatement. What’s more, Like Mother, Like Daughters will be paired up with a vampire novella by Steven H. Wilson and the entire book will be formatted exactly as the old ACE double books. Read one story, flip it over to read the other. I grew up reading those so the fact that Firebringer intends to release such a book has me over the moon!
Look for more updates in the near future!
October 29, 2017
Book Review: The Wizards of Odd edited by Peter Haining
How can you go wrong with a collection of 25 stories that includes heavyweights such as Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Douglas Adams, Ursula K. Le Guin, Terry Pratchett, C.S. Lewis, Fritz Leiber, Phil K. Dick, Brian W. Aldiss, Isaac Asimov, Larry Niven, and more?
To be honest, I only enjoyed about half of them. My favorites include:
“The Twonky” by Henry Kuttner – When Kerry Westerfield’s brand new cabinet radio begins walking around the house dictating Kerry’s every move, he calls in psychiatrist pal Mike Fitzgerald, but this radio is constructed like no other… and it defends itself against anyone who might pose a threat—with fatal results.
“A Great Deal of Power” by Eric Frank Russell – When military scientists create an android assassin to kill top officials and scientists in the enemy’s ranks, they program its mind with a pure hatred of power… but what will the android do when the enemy is eliminated and those giving the orders become the powerful?
“Doodad” by Ray Bradbury – Running from the mob, Gyp Crowell finds himself in a shop called Thingamabobs, Doodads, Whatchamacallits, Hinkies, Formodaldafrays, Hootenannies, Gadgets, and Doohingies. While there, Gyp finds a device that might help him out of his predicament… in ways he didn’t expect.
“Not By Its Cover” by Phil K. Dick – When a special, translated edition of an ancient Latin book is published with animal hide cover, it is quickly discovered that certain passages in the book have been translated differently that in the paperback version, which leads to an astonishing conclusion about the animal hide covers…
“The Rules of Names” by Ursula K. Le Guin – Mr. Underhill lives a reclusive life in the village, practicing his wizardry with often questionable results… until a pirate named Blackbeard arrives with certain suspicions and accusations against Underhill. In response, the old bumbling sorcerer shows his true colors…
“Mythological Beast” by Stephen Donaldson – Norman is a librarian in an age of ignorance when so many among the population can barely read. Norman has a problem when he notices a horn growing in the middle of his forehead. Shortly after, his entire body begins to change into the shape of a creature than cannot be allowed to exist in a controlled society…
“The Adventure of the Snowing Globe” by F. Antsey – A man stops into a toy shoppe to purchase a present and is drawn to a snow globe containing a miniature castle. After shaking the globe, the man is transported to the real castle, meets a real princess being held prisoner by her cruel, oppressive uncle, and finds himself face to face with a real dragon…
“Zaphod Plays It Safe” by Douglas Adams – Zaphod Beeblebrox is hired by the Safety and Reassurance Administration to retrieve items of secretive nature from a crashed ship in the depths of an alien ocean. Despite Zaphod’s increasing misgivings, the authorities assure him that “it’s all perfectly safe”…
“The Odd Old Bird” by Avram Davidson – When the frivolous Prince Vlox indicates to two royal scientists that his property has been frequently visited by a rare bird, the Emperor’s wizard Eszterhazy requests that the prince capture the bird and have it sent to him. However, there is some confusion on the part of the temporary help when the bird is delivered around the same time as the cook was expecting a chicken…
“The Gnurrs Come from the Voodwork Out” by Reginald Bretnor – Quack inventor Papa Schimmelhorn arrives at the local Secret Weapons Bureau determined to demonstrate how his new invention, which resembles a bassoon, will win the war… in the most unimaginable way!
“Captain Wyxtpthll’s Flying Saucer” by Arthur C. Clarke – A pair of hapless aliens land in England on a mission to find and retrieve an intelligent human specimen only to end up incarcerated by the local police as mental patients… until the town drunk helps them escape!
“There’s A Wolf in My Time Machine” by Larry Niven – A time traveller finds himself in a parallel dimension where mankind evolved from wolves instead of apes.
“2BRO2B” by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. – In order for newborns to be permitted to live in a dystopian future under strict population control, someone must volunteer to die. What happens when a married couple is expecting triplets, but could locate only one volunteer?
After Action Report: Chiller Theatre
The interminable rain did nothing to dampen our spirits at the semi-annual Chiller Theatre convention in Parsippany, NJ today. I drove to the con with long time friend, Kevin Miles.
As usual, nearly 100 celebrities turned out, but there were only three on my list and one (Ed Begley, Jr.) cancelled just two days prior. Still, my main reason for attending was Michael Des Barres, perhaps best known as Murdoc, the charismatic, eccentric assassin on the original MacGyver, and Lou Diamond Phillips who requires no introduction, but is currently starring in the hit TV series Longmire.
I also managed to snag up two more Star Wars figures I’d been looking to add to my collection. We finished the day with lunch at the Clinton Station Diner on the way home.
October 21, 2017
After Action Report: Philly Non-Sport Card Show
Some excellent finds at the Philly Non-Sports Card Show at the Merchants Square Mall in Allentown today. Two ADPAC Star Wars stickers from 1977 as found in General Mills cereals in Canada at the time, a three-sticker strip from Superman III as found in boxes of Ziploc bags in 1982, and a new 12×18 poster from Topps of the bounty hunters from Star Wars.
Always great to see super talented artist pal Laura Inglis whose art graces the covers of my novels Testing the Prisoner and By Your Side. Laura also recently completed the cover art for my upcoming novella, Like Mother, Like Daughters.
October 20, 2017
If You Have No Respect For Me, I Have No Time For You
Since I’m already fired up about other bullshit today, I thought this would be an apropos time to discuss this topic.
I’m about to make a request, one that I have never found necessary to make among any other group of people I spend time with. I find it disheartening that I need to even need to broach this subject in fandom, a group that was once renowned for its welcoming, accepting attitude.
Wherever I go in life, I consistently treat the people around me with respect, courtesy, and kindness. I can’t imagine doing anything less. It’s not even about making an effort to do this, it is simply how well-adjusted human beings get along.
In the case of the Maryland con scene as of late, I have not always received such treatment in return. This was the main reason why, in February, I walked out of Farpoint on Sunday morning without a word to anyone and stopped attending conventions so early in the year. To be frank, I was sick of putting up with assholes and YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. You know what you said and you know how you behaved, not just at Farpoint, but at previous cons.
I’ve tolerated it long enough. No more.
So permit me to make a simple and polite request. If the thought even crosses your mind to walk up to me, or yell across a room, with a disparaging, dismissive comment about me, my books, and/or most especially my wife, SAVE IT for someone else who might not be so readily inclined to rip your face off in the middle of a room. Believe me, at my age, I have no inhibitions about doing so. I don’t give a shit anymore.
To put it bluntly, don’t fucking speak to me if you’re going to be a disrespectful douche bag. Go away. Fuck off. Get back in the wind and get out of my face. I have no time or tolerance for you. I don’t give a fuck that everyone else who knows you keeps excusing your behavior as a joke or tolerates it because of your “status.” I don’t care how arrogant and self-important you are. Fuck you. Don’t talk to me.
I hope I made my point clear. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, don’t hesitate to send an email, a Facebook PM, or see me at the next con.
Thank you.
