S. Evan Townsend's Blog, page 57

Weekend College Football Preview

All twelve teams in the Pac-12 play this weekend (no one has a bye). Things might be a little clearer in the Pac-12 standings after this weekend.

Stanford (#20 in the AP poll) played Oregon State Thursday night (yeah, weird) but barely won 15-14. It looks like Stanford made 5 field goals and never got a touchdown (unless they missed a PAT or went for a two-point conversion and didn't get it). That brings the Cardinal (it's a color) to 6-2 overall and 5-1 in conference. Because Stanford had a bye last week, they have only played eight games so far. But that tight game with Oregon State (who have only won one game this season against Portland State, an FCS team) might knock them down in the polls come Sunday.

Washington (#12 in the AP poll) had a bye last week, too, so the Huskies will have only played eight games after this weekend. They face UCLA at home. UCLA is 2-2 in conference and 4-3 overall (meaning they lost one of their non-conference games). The Huskies (6-1 overall, 3-1 in conference), at home, should have no problem beating them. Of course, that's what I said about the Arizona State game two weeks ago.

Washington State (#15 in the AP poll) faces Arizona in a game that has implications in both the Pac-12 North and the Pac-12 South. If WSU wins, they will still be in the running for the Pac-12 North championship (along with UW and Stanford). If Arizona wins, they will still be in the running for the Pac-12 South championship. That game is a home game for Arizona, and they are tough to beat at home.

USC (#21 in the AP poll) lost to Notre Dame last week putting them at 6-2 overall (4-1 in conference). They are still on top of the Pac-12 South but Arizona (5-2 overall, 3-1 in conference) is not far behind depending on the outcome of their game with WSU. If Arizona loses, USC will probably win the Pac-12 South.

The one bad thing is about this week: UW finally has a game at a decent time today of 12:30 PM. But I'm in a meeting out of town until 2:15 PM. I'll DVR (I hope) the game and watch it when I get home. Have to avoid social media until I'm done watching the game. Go Dawgs!

The Speculative Fiction Cantina with Andi O’Connor and Joseph Ganci

Today on the Speculative Fiction Cantina we are pleased to welcome writers Andi O’Connor and Joseph Ganci.

Andi O'ConnerAndi O'Connor

Andi O'Connor is the award-winning author of three fantasy series. Her critically acclaimed novel, Silevethiel, is the 2015 Best Indie Book Award winner for Science Fiction/Fantasy, and the 2015 New Apple Official Selection for Young Adult. The Speaker is a Finalist in the 11th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards. You can frequently find Andi as a guest panelist and exhibitor at Comic Cons throughout the country. Visit her Website for more information.

Andi's Books:


Call To War: The Dragonath Chronicles, Book 3 

The Speaker: The Vaelinel Trilogy, Book 2

Awakening: The Dragonath Chronicles, Book 2

Andi's Links:

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Joseph Ganci

Joseph made his debut in Brooklyn. He is a firstborn and so, is dedicated to God by the laws of Israel. He is a Levite and a high priest but remains a passionate Italian. He is a Vietnam combat veteran and an Honor Society member. Joseph currently resides in Space City. He fathered five daughters, three of whom are still alive. The grist from this novel finds common ground through his endless rounds of scripture study and from the graciousness of an all-loving God. Lest we forget, a thousand years hence - the anthropologists will conclude that our society communed with an all-knowing Oracle named Google.

Joseph's Book:

Gideon: The Sound and The Glory

Joseph's Links:

Website
Facebook
Twitter

From today's program: "Startram" Could Revolutionize Space Travel.

Listen to today's program at 6:00 PM ET / 3:00 PM PT, or in archive here.

I Suck (at some things)

Back to the 30-day blogging challenge that I'm doing in approximately 30 weeks (depending on how many of the prompts I ignore).

Today's prompt is "Stuff you are not good at."

Well, I don't park cars very well. I tend to be crooked and off to one side (i.e., not in the middle of the space). When I was working and travelling to customer facilities, my boss would criticize my parking skills. At one customer's facility, they required you to back in to park (who knows why?). I was really bad at that. And this was long before there were backup cameras in cars.

I suck at driving the speed limit. I'm nearly always driving faster, even when the speed limit is 80 mph.

Judging from my book sales, I suck at book marketing.

I used to suck at sleeping late in the morning. I used to wake up at 5:00 AM every morning. But now that it's darker later in the morning, I sleep longer.

(I'm doing some self-censoring on this post, too.)

I'm a poor speller. I'm not very good at knowing where to put commas. I'm a horrible proofreader (I see the word that is supposed to be there, not the word that is there). And I typo a lot (not a good combination). I guess making typos is something I'm good at.

So what skills do you need to improve? Comment below.

Bye Weekend

The University of Washington Huskies has a bye this week (that means they didn't play). So their record remains 6-1 over all, 3-1 in conference. This, ironically after yesterday, puts them in third place in the Pac-12 North behind the Washington State Cougars (7-1 overall, 4-1 in conference) after they beat Colorado last night, and Stanford (5-2 overall, 4-1 in conference as they had a bye this week).

The Pac-12 North is going to be interesting with three teams (UW, WSU, and Stanford) all vying for the top slot.

Elsewhere in the conference, USC was demolished by Notre Dame in a non-conference game by a score of 49-14. Interesting to have a non-conference game this late in the season (Notre Dame is an independent). They are still on top of the Pac-12 South, though, with a 6-2 overall, 4-1 in conference record. But Arizona (!) is not far behind at 5-2 overall and 3-1 in conference. Arizona beat Cal in overtime yesterday.

Next week the Huskies take on UCLA  (4-3 overall, 2-2 in conference) at 12:30 at Husky Stadium. It's going to be on either ABC, ESPN, or ESPN2. Check your listings. I saw an interview with Husky coach Chris Petersen in the Seattle Times and he said having a bye week after last week's loss is both good and bad. You have more time to work on issues, but you have to go two weeks with that loss hanging over your head.

The Polls

Stanford, despite having a bye week, moved up two slots to #20. UW and WSU didn't move, still at #12 and #15 respectively. After getting beat by Notre Dame, USC fell to #21 from #11. Which makes the Huskies the highest ranked Pac-12 team right now, and USC the lowest.

The Speculative Fiction Cantina with Rebecca Gomez Farrell and Brian James

Today on the Speculative Fiction Cantina we are please to welcome writers Rebecca Gomez Farrell and Brian James.
Rebecca Gomez FarrellRebecca Gomez Farrell

Rebecca Gomez Farrell's debut epic fantasy novel, Wings Unseen, is available now from Meerkat Press. Her shorter speculative fiction can be read in Beneath Ceaseless Skies, the Future Fire, and Bull Spec among other magazines, and look for “Treasure,” in the Dark, Luminous Wings anthology in October. She blogs about food, drink, and travel at the Gourmez.com, and yes, she has opinions about the usefulness of truffle oil. Find all her creative works at her author website: RebeccaGomezFarrell.com.

Rebecca's Works:

Wings Unseen

"What Scattered in the Wind" (short story in an anthology)

"Garbage" (short story in an anthology)

Rebecca's Links:

Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Brian JamesBrian James

Brian James grew up just out of bullet range of Detroit. He was raised on the work of Douglas Adams and Snorri Sturluson. Eventually he went on to college where he majored in History. While he never realized his dream to become a heavier version of Indiana Jones, he did wind up writing for a number of magazines, newspapers, websites, and Fortune 500 companies. His new book, Mjolnir, brings the Norse gods into the modern world and follows their exploits as they speed towards Ragnarok.

Brian's Book:

Mjolnir

Brian's Links:

Facebook
Twitter
instagram

From Today's Program: Scientists working on ways to stop bacteria on space missions.

Listen to today's program at 6:00 PM ET / 3:00 PM PT, or in archive here.

My Online Life

I found another 30-day blogging challenge that seems to have different questions than the usual. At least some of them. So once a week I'll do one of the questions (if it's new and if it's not too personal).

Today's question is: "The difference between your personal and internet life."

I discussed that a little bit in this blog post from a few weeks ago.

It sort of depends on what internet life. On my personal Facebook page (sorry not going to link to it) I'm less professional and more cordial. I'll occasionally discuss politics which I don't anywhere else.  (I stopped doing politics on Facebook regularly in March of 2017.) I'll post personal stuff if it's not too personal (I don't post drama). On my Facebook author page, on Twitter, and on this blog, I try to be professional and not too personal and I never blatantly discuss politics as I used to on FB.

In my personal life, most everyone I know knows my politics (I'm not shy about it). I will talk with friends about personal things, depending on how close of friends they are.

What won't you do on the internet? Comment below.

Upset Weekend

It was a weekend of upsets. Unfortunately, the University of Washington Huskies were no exception.

It started Friday when #2 Clemson was beat by Syracuse. And #8 Washington State was demolished by California (the same team the Huskies beat last week). I was getting excited thinking that after the Huskies beat Arizona State, they might move up to #4 in the AP top 25 poll.

(There were other upsets in the AP top 25 but those were the important ones.)

Alas, it was not to be. Maybe it was the second late game in a row (starting at 7:45 PM). Maybe it was curse of Tempe (the Huskies haven't won there since the early 2000s). Maybe it was the 80 degree weather. Maybe it was the kicking game. That didn't help. Had those two FGs been made, the game would have been tied and gone into overtime and we might have still won.

The Huskies went three and out on their first drive, then the Sun Devils scored on their first drive. The Huskies. The Huskies were moving slow and Quarterback Jake Browning was having an off night (his first of this season). Going into the half the score was 13-0 with ASU in the lead.

Three big problems didn't help. A touchdown on a trick play was called back for a holding call. And the Huskies' place kicker missed two (two!) field goals. The defense finally woke up and held ASU scoreless in the second half. But the offense just couldn't connect.

The final score was 13-7. The Huskies go to 6-1 and that probably ends their hopes to return to the CFP playoffs. Maybe if they win every game from now on. But likely not.

Next week the Dawgs have a bye. Then on October 28th they play UCLA at home. That gives them two weeks to fix what went wrong last night. I'm wondering if it's too late to get a new kicker.

Elsewhere in the Pac-12:

USC had a come-from-behind win against Utah last night. That puts USC solidly in control of the Pac-12 South.

In the Pac-12 North, Stanford is technically on top because their in-conference record is 4-1 even though they are 5-2 overall. The Huskies and the Cougars are tied for second at 3-1 in conference and 6-1 overall. No one else is competitive in the North, especially after Stanford demolished Oregon last night. So it's going to come down to who beats Stanford (if anybody) and who wins the Apple Cup. (Stanford plays Notre Dame on the last weekend of the regular season. Go Fighting Irish!)

The Polls:

I suppose it could have been worse. In the AP top 25 poll, Clemson, after their loss, went from #2 to #7. Washington went from #5 to #12. WSU went from #8 to #15. USC went from #13 to #11. And Stanford went from #23 to #22.

The Speculative Fiction Cantina with Tracy Lawson and Natalie Wright

Today on the Speculative Fiction Cantina we are pleased to welcome Tracy Lawson and Natalie Wright.
Tracy LawsonTracy Lawson

Once upon a time, Tracy Lawson was a little girl with a big imagination who loved to tell stories. Her interests in dance, theater, and other forms of make-believe led to a career in the performing arts, where “work” means she gets to tap dance, choreograph musicals, and weave stories. A mid-life career change has so far yielded Counteract, Resist, Ignite, and Revolt, the four volumes in the young adult Resistance Series, plus two nonfiction history books.

Tracy's Books:


Revolt

Pride of the Valley: Sifting through the History of the Mount Healthy Mill (history, non-fiction)

Ignite

Tracy's Links:

Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest

Natalie WrightNatalie Wright

Natalie is the author of H.A.L.F., an award-winning science fiction series, and The Akasha Chronicles, a young adult fantasy trilogy. She lives in the high desert of Tucson, Arizona with her husband, teen daughter, and two cat overlords.

A nerd since before it was remotely cool, Natalie spends her non-writing time reading, gaming (ESO, Skyrim, Dragon Age), and hanging out with readers and other fans of geek and nerd culture at comic cons, Sci-Fi/Fantasy literary cons and book festivals throughout the western US. Natalie also geeks out frequently on podcasts, radio shows and guest blogs discussing writing and books. She was raised an Ohio farm girl, lives in the desert Southwest, and dreams of living near the ocean.

Natalie's Books:

H.A.L.F.: The Deep Beneath

H.A.L.F.: The Makers

H.A.L.F.: ORIGINS

Natalie's Links:

Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest

From Today's Program: Why the Universe is Accelerating.

Listen to today's program at 6:00 PM ET / 3:00 PM PT, or in archive here.

Paraskevidekatriaphobia

Tomorrow is Friday the 13th in October.

Which means....absolutely nothing. Yes, I know people suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia (fear of Friday the 13th) and for some reason a Friday the 13th in October is worse (because of Halloween?).

But in reality, it's just another day.

There is no scientific basis for thinking Friday the 13th is bad luck. In fact, I used to work with a woman who thought Friday the 13th was a good omen (I think she thought of herself as a witch).

When I wrote my Adept Series of books, just for the fun of it, I decided for the adepts, thirteen was a lucky number and Friday the 13th was especially lucky. But those were fantasy books, not based on science. I gave the Huntington Hotel in San Francisco a thirteenth floor (in reality, it only has twelve) and that was where the adepts worked and lived. All of the books, except one, have thirteen chapters ( Hammer of Thor  has twenty-six),

It's like a full moon. Some people swear a full moon means more people end up in the emergency room or more crimes or more fires. But studies have shown this isn't true. It's a self-confirming bias. If a day with a full moon is extra busy in the ER, the nurses and the doctors remember that. If it's not, they don't remember that because it doesn't confirm their superstitions.

So tomorrow, don't worry. It's just another day with a coincidence on the calendar.

P.S.: the other books in the Adept Series. are Agent of Artifice , Book of Death , Gods of Strife , and The Terror of Tombstone .

Author Interview with Jaleta Clegg.

Today we welcome to the blog writer Jaleta Clegg.

Jaleta has a new story out in an anthology called  Tales From The Underground : Twelve tales of hidden legends. 

Under our feet lie countless realms of possibility. Join twelve writers as they explore those realms - discovering lands of fantasy, lands from our far future, lands of mystery. 

There are places full of wonders, full of terrors, full of visions of what could be. 

Join us, down here, in the dark.

Today we talk to Jaleta.

What do you find most challenging about writing (other than finding the time)?

Keeping my stories from growing out of control, especially the short stories. I keep finding all sorts of interesting sub-plots and avenues to explore. If I'm not careful I end up with a tangled mess that needs to become a novel.

What authors inspire you and/or do you regularly read?

Julie Czerneda is always an inspiration. Her aliens are awesome. I also love the classics: Andre Norton, Isaac Asimov, Larry Niven, Terry Pratchett, and so many others. I've got Mary Stewart's classic Merlin trilogy on my nightstand right now.

Why did you start writing?

To make the voices in my head shut up. Sorry, that was the pat answer. I really started writing as an escape from my kids. Being a stay-at-home mom of young kids can be very isolating. I started writing as a way to stay sane, to do something for me that wasn't on a preschool level.

What do you love about writing?

Blowing stuff up. No mess to clean up.
I love to dream up places I want to visit, and some I never want to visit. There are no limits on the imagination. I can go anytime, anyplace, as anyone or anything.

What do you hate about writing?

My brain goes at least ten times faster than my fingers can type. I can't keep up with the flow of ideas and stories. I also hate it when I dream up the perfect dialogue and scene in my head at night, then when I go to write it down, it never comes out as good as it sounded in my head.

Where do you write? A set-aside place or just anywhere?

Anywhere I can get my laptop. I've written on camping trips, at stores, at schools, in the car, every room in the house including the bathroom and coat closet, in the backyard, everywhere. Except the swimming pool or the bathtub. Water and computers just don't mix well. It isn't pretty.

What is your writing process? Plotter, Pantser?

I pants the first few chapters or scenes, then have to back off and write a loose outline. If I don't know where I'm headed, I tend to wander all over the place. Pratchett can get away with that because he's very entertaining. I can't. I know I'm not that entertaining to read when I'm wandering.

What do you have planned in the future/what's in the works?

I'm working on a whole pile of short stories and the sequel to Dark Dancer - The Winterqueen's War. That book's been in the works for several years now off and on. I really need to get it finished up. Then on to a whole lot of new novels and short stories.

Do you have a writing ritual?  Have to wear the same shirt, listen to the same music?

If I had to do that kind of thing, I'd never get anything written. Mostly, I just have to close down all my online games, find some great mood music on YouTube, put on my headphones, then ignore everyone and everything while I get words out. Sometimes I just open up the file and write snatches as I can, but that's usually not very productive for me. I need a good half hour at a time.

How do you overcome writers' block?

I've never had writers' block. I've had burnout - the ideas are there but I just can't make myself sit down and write them out. I've been stuck in a story but that was because I hadn't figured out the character's motivations all the way. As soon as I got that sorted out, the story flowed again. Ideas are everywhere. It's the process of turning them into coherent stories that's hard.

Do you have a favorite place to relax?

On the couch in front of the TV with my crocheting in my lap and the dogs snoring in the corners. Mostly because I can't afford my own private tropical paradise.

Any hobbies, interests (other than writing)?

Reading, cooking weird foods, costuming, piecing quilts, crocheting all sorts of things out of yarn (hedgehogs and tiny cthulhus lately), making pickles, and playing the piano. I'm attempting to learn the organ but that's slow going.

Why should anyone buy your book?

Tales of the Underground should be in your library because it isn't just me in there. It's twelve fabulous authors with very different stories. You get to sample a full dozen authors that you've probably never heard of. But the stories are good. Trust me.

What motivates and inspires you?


Chocolate. And doughnuts. Pretty much food in general.

About Jaleta:

Jaleta Clegg enjoys spinning tales that range from the creepy and serious to the strange and silly. She writes epic space opera with her Fall of the Altairan Empire series (www.altairanempire.com), steampunk fairies with Dark Dancer, silly horror with her Brain Candy collection, and a whole lot of other stories all across the speculative fiction genres. She lives in Washington state with two elderly dogs, a massive stink-beast cat, a diminishing horde of children, and a very patient husband.