Tate Hallaway's Blog, page 36

My alter ego on the web

So here's some stuff that happened while I was away from the internet:

My alter ego is now available to be researched: Morehouse Papers Available.

My newest graphic novel review is up: Contrasts in Space

Despite Ennui...

Despite this seasonal bout of ennui I seem to be experiencing (what the [bleep]? It's dark ALREADY???!!), I managed to start Ana Book #3. I think this will be fun to write, even though it takes place during summer vacation. I hope to draw on my memories of working out at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, which could add to the fun.

Sherlock Holmes and Cons

So I finally saw the new Sherlock Holmes on PBS that everyone has been raving about on Facebook last night. I have to say, I agree. It's pretty awesome. In fact, my subconscious liked it so much that I dreamed I was Sherlock Holmes last night.

I'd actually not been intending to watch it, but I happened to have been watching "Nature" while Shawn put Mason to bed and I'd left the TV on while I hopped into the bath. I heard the opening while soaking, and the actor who plays Holmes sounded like Alan Rickman's Snape. So I had to jump out early to check it out.

I'm glad I did. Even though last night's episode ended in a cliffhanger.

I don't remember much about the dream, except that I was enjoying being ridiculously brilliant. Later, I dreamed I was invited to be the Guest of Honor for Mile High Con.

It was a good night to be me.

More vampire linkage

Vampire article spotted at Tor.com

Muslim Vampires!

Apex has this awesome story on-line now:

50 Fatwas for the Virtuous Vampire by Pamela K. Taylor

Tuesday Cat Pictures

Preposition Cats:

Inky... BEHIND!

Ms. Ball... INSIDE.

Deliah.... IN! (Waaaaaaaaay IN)

Ms. Ball... ON... and, of course, regal.

Sex Scene Class

Join CAMEO, Chapter 123 of RWA as we proudly present "The Hotness-- Writing Love Scenes that Make Readers Fan Themselves. Kim Louise published author some very 'steamy novels' guides you into this world of Love Scenes. Learn how to put the sizzle into that dialog and enjoy learning the techniques.

The Hotness—Writing Love Scenes that Make Readers Fan Themselves

Class Description

In "The Hotness" Kim Louise will take you on a provocative tour of sensuality and ways to weave it throughout your fiction. Good sex starts at "Hello." Learn how to add narrative elements, actions, and dialogue that start foreplay before the physical foreplay begins. Also presented in this class will be 5 important techniques to make your characters (and your readers) sweat including: choreographing your love scenes like a dance, making your loves scene unique, and how to eliminate purple prose like "her heaving alabaster mounds" and "his throbbing rod of conquest. "

Biography

Kim Louise is a hope-full romantic who still can't believe that she gets paid to do what she loves. She's penned over fifteen novels & novellas, writing for BET Books, Genesis Press, and now Harlequin. She has been a lead author for Kimani Press/Arabesque and 3-time Emma Award finalist. Her novels garner top reviews from Romantic Times Magazine, Romance In Color, and RAWSISTAHZ Book Reviews. Kim's 2005 presentation at the RWA National Conference on FINDING TIME TO WRITE was selected as one of the top 25 presentations that year. Her novel SWEET LIKE HONEY was a finalist for 2008 African-American Romance of the Year by Romantic Times Magazine. Presently she is working on a Blaze for Harlequin.

Registration Information:

If you have questions you may email them to Lpatrice9@aol.com. Subject line: CAMEO class.

Cost for the Online class is $15.00 for CAMEO members.

For RWA members the cost is $25.00.

For non-RWA members the cost is $35.00..

Payments may be sent via Paypal to cameowriterstwo@yahoo.com

Payments for Class: Must be sent by November 1, 2010

Classes will run from November 1 through November 30, 2010

New Interview

There's a new interview with me over at Amberkatze's Blog. Check it out.

The First Amendment

I'm not a constitutional scholar by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm starting to be driven batty by people (or their supporters) who feel that their "freedom of speech" is being infringed upon when they experience public backlash for saying something homophobic, racist, Islamophobic or otherwise bigoted.

I just looked up the first amendment to the United States Constitution and it reads: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

I'm reading that to mean that the goverment (specifically Congress) can not make it illegal for you to speak your mind. It does not say that you get to keep your job, your contract should be renewed or that you can't be disinvited to be a Guest of Honor at a science fiction convention after you go on record saying something hurtful and stupid.

All the first amendment protects a person from is from being JAILED (specifically by the government) for saying what they think and feel.

Copy Cat

Kelly McCullough posts pictures of his cats every Friday over at Wyrdsmiths, and, I feel like being a copy cat today. Here's my Ms. Piggy enjoying the radiators of fall.