S. Evan Townsend's Blog, page 99

Charlie Hebdo, Sharia Law, and the Right to Be Offensive.

Three gunman killed twelve writers in Paris last Tuesday. The writers, who worked at the satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, were likely targeted because the magazine had published a cartoon of Mohammad. As the BBC reported:

The satirical weekly has courted controversy in the past with its irreverent take on news and current affairs. It was firebombed in November 2011 a day after it carried a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad.

If you're a writer, you have to take notice. This attack is an assault on freedom of speech and your creative liberty. It is an attempt to dissuade anyone from violating Sharia Law's prohibition of making images of Mohammad.
Don't think this could affect you?  U.S. cartoonist Molly Norris of Seattle, Washington, had to go into hiding after suggesting that there be a "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day" in response to censorship that itself was in response to death threats over a depiction of Mohammed.
In my novel, Rock Killer, some of the villains are Muslims. While they are more interested in political power than religious purity, if some splinter group of Muslims armed with AK-47s took offense, I might have to go into hiding. (I'm not very worried about this, to be honest.)
As artists and writers, we need to maintain our creative freedom and fight for our right to say what we want without fear of reprisal from terrorists or governments (I'm looking at you, Canada). Of course, what Canada does is not along the lines of what happened in Paris, but it comes from the same mindset of "You offended me, you must pay!"

Do I think you should post a cartoon of Mohammad? No. But you should not let this cow you into worrying about offending anyone with your writing. We can not back down even in the face of this evil.
But more than that, we must maintain our right to offend others. If we cannot offend anyone, we cannot do our craft. Someone, somewhere is likely to be offended by pretty much anything. No one has the right to demand not to be offended no matter if what offends them is a cross on a hill or the existence of hard core pornography.

And, because you never know who might come to power and decide what you write is "too offensive," you don't want government taking action to keep some from being offended (yes, Canada, I mean you). "What, you write about recovery from sexual abuse? That offends me!" And believe me, almost everything you write is likely to offend someone (this blog post might offend a few).

We can not let what happened in Paris stop us from writing what we want. We can not let the government or any organization stop us from writing what we want. Does that mean there will be stuff out there that offends us? Yes. But it is better to suffer that than have someone else decide if what we write is too offensive to be in print or on the web.

The Speculative Fiction Cantina with Diane E.M. Tegarden and Joe MacKinnon

Today on the Speculative Fiction Cantina we are proud to welcome Diane E.M. Tegarden and Joe MacKinnon
Diane E.M. Tegarden

Diane E.M. TegardenDiane Tegarden, an author of four published books, lives in Pasadena, with her husband and cats.
She’s been a print journalist since 1992, writing on a wide range of subjects including; renewable energy, environmental concerns, holistic health, women’s issues, and Native Spirituality. Her work has been found in: The Pasadena Star News, Security Sales Magazine, The Pasadena Weekly, The Solar Flare, The Feral Forest, Earth Luvyrs Calendar, The Daily Sundial, the West Coast Well Being, Associated Content and Health Breakthroughs.

In April 2004, she self-published her first book, How To Escape a Bad Marriage– A Self Help Divorce Book For Women, which provides step by step instructions on how to achieve financial and emotional independence in preparation for a divorce.  Her company, FireWalker Publications Inc. was formed in 2004 to promote her passionate, original written works, ideas and creations.

Since 2005, she’s written for such online content producers, Yahoo Content and The Examiner.com.
She released her second book, a poetry e-book, Light Through Shuttered Window in December of 2007. The poems are about life, love and the process of creativity. In March 2008 she completed her third book, Anti-Vigilante and The Rips in Time, a science fiction novel set in the distant future, with its hooks deep into renewable energy and the changing face of the planet.

October 2012 found her putting the finishing touches on her second self-help book Budgeting on a Dime: 10 Steps to Financial Independence which will aid many people in learning to live within their means while getting their financial picture in good working order.

Diane's Books:

Anti-Vigilante and the Rips in Time (science fiction)

Light Through Shuttered Window, A Compendium of my Poetry

Budgeting on a Dime - Ten Steps to Financial Independence (self-help)

Diane's Links:

Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

Joe MacKinnon


Joe MacKinnonBorn in Calgary, Alberta. Ran reckless through Fish Creek Part and lost teeth. Moved to Toronto, Ontario in 2000. Studied English and history at the University of Toronto. Grew a beard. Went back out west to the University of Alberta to earn a masters and study Mandarin. Wrote Faultline 49, Cypulchre, and The Savage Kingdom in quick succession. Currently involved with Pulp Media pictures (i.e. music videos and pulpy shorts), and finishing screenplay for Faultline 49 adaptation.

Joe's Books:

Faultline 49

Cypulchre

The Savage Kingdom

Joe's Links:

Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter

From today's show: Hybrid neutron star.

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Trip to Seattle (Area) . . .

Sunday I was gone from Noon until just after 10:00 P.M. This is because I drove to Seattle and back. One son (who doesn't drive) was returning to college and another was flying out of SeaTac and wanted to be dropped off. Which is normally no big deal. I run to Seattle and come back all the time.

Except the weather chose this particular Sunday to turn to crap.

Going westbound (toward Seattle), it wasn't bad for the first, oh, 100 miles. But then it started snowing hard and soon the road was covered in snow, slush, and ice, and everyone else was going stupidly slow. On Snoqualmie Pass,  the State Patrol, always over-cautious, was requiring chains on vehicles without all wheel drive and had the speed limit down to 35 mph. But I had all wheel drive and snow tires so I had no problems (and didn't have to put on chains). But people were driving as slow as 20 to 25 mph. What would happen is someone going 21 mph would be passing someone going 20
mph and take forever to do it.

Another interesting phenomena was that in places where the road was three or four lanes wide, people were still driving in only two rutted out paths. At one point I jumped into an unused (and unrutted) lane and blazed my own trail, passing several slow cars and loving my all wheel drive and Blizzak snow tires.

Finally we got down the west side of the Cascade Mountains were it was "only" raining. I actually managed to put the cruise control back on until we got into traffic around the Seattle suburbs. But what normally takes about two hours (our house to the Starbucks in North Bend where we often stop for a bathroom break) took three hours (and I really needed to go!).

We took my son's stuff into his apartment (well, I didn't, I was on the phone) and then took him food shopping. Then we went to a Korean restaurant for dinner. I was encouraged to see that it was full of Koreans. The food was good but it was a bit expensive and the portions small. And lately it seems Korean restaurants have calmed down their kimchee. It wasn't very spicy and I like spicy kimchee.

But, for the first time, ever, I had trouble with chopsticks. My hand would cramp up and then I couldn't control them. I finally resorted to a fork, embarrassed that I had to do so.

We took the college son back to his apartment, dropped the other son off at the airport, and headed back over the mountains going east. I stopped in North Bend and filled the car with gas because I wanted a full tank in case we had problems on the pass.

By the time we reached the pass, it was "mixed rain and sleet" but as we progressed, the rain turned to freezing rain. Freezing lane on snow is a heck of a lot better then freezing rain on pavement. On snow it'll get broken up with each passing car. The biggest problem was that at the edges of the road were deep slush banks. If you got into them, they were likely to pull you off the road. And we did see a lot of cars off the road probably for that reason.

We stopped in Ellensburg to get something to drink and go to the bathroom. I also wanted to clear the windshield wipers which were caked with ice and nearly useless. There was, I would estimate, about an 1/8th inch of ice on the frontal areas of the car. The windshield stayed mostly clear because I had the defroster going full blast most of the time. To the right is a picture of how much ice there was on the windshield frame (A pillar).

We escaped Ellensburg just before the "sleet" (read: freezing rain) started. The rest of the trip we had bare and wet roads. I was nervous about black ice or a sudden ice spot so I never turned on the cruise control and kept my speed below 70 most of the time (my right foot is a rebel and I did catch myself at 78 a couple of times).

We finally got home about 10, four hours after leaving SeaTac. That is normally about a 2.5 hour drive.

Are You Jealous or Envious?

So someone posts on Facebook "Hey, I'm going to Cabo!" and what does nearly everyone else comment? "Jealous!"

Yeah, that's so wrong.

Jealousy is when you are afraid of losing something. You are jealous your wife is flirting with another man. You jealously guard your Star Wars figures collection.

But you are envious when you want or desire some thing someone else has. You are envious of their trip to Cabo. You envy you're neighbor's wife (which is why he's jealous). You envy the talent of that guy in your writers' group.

Another word for "envy" is the old Biblical concept of "covet." "Do not covet thy neighbor's wife or donkey." (Believe me, I'll never covet my neighbor's donkey.)

If someone has it and you want it, that's envy.

If you're worried about losing something of yours, that's jealousy.

Don't confuse them.

The Speculative Fiction Cantina with Elaine Calloway and Johnny Walker

Today on the Speculative Fiction Cantina we are proud to welcome Elaine Calloway and Johnny Walker
Elaine Calloway

Elaine CallowayElaine Calloway is the Amazon.com bestselling author of paranormal and fantasy novels with elements of romance and desire. Her “tales of the living, the dead and the eerie in between” include the Elemental Clans Series, the Southern Ghosts Series and several short stories. A New Orleans native, Elaine grew up with a love of all things supernatural and enjoys visiting the “Crescent City.” She currently lives in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia.

Elaine's book:

No Grits No Glory (Southern Ghosts, #1) Amazon, B&N, Smashwords

Elaine's links:
Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Pintrest

Johnny Walker


Johnny Walker is a musician turned soundman turned author. He has received two Billboard Songwriting Citations and written songs for himself and others for over twenty-five years. After spending his youth on the road, he settled down in New York City where he became much more involved in sound design and began working for Ralph Lauren Media Services, Miramax Films, and Lifetime...to name a few. First published in 2006, Johnny has recently completed a Fiction Fantasy Trilogy titled, EKKO.

Johnny's book:

EKKO White Limousine Amazon, iBooks

Johnny's Links:

Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Pintrest
YouTube

From today's program: Dark Matter Signal.

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Writer New Year Resolutions

It's that time of year again when people make resolutions to change some part of their life for the better.

Here are some "writer resolutions" I suggest (and some I need to make).

1) Make time to write: Yes, we all have busy lives and many of us have day jobs. If you write "when I find the time" you'll never write. Make time to write. Get up an hour earlier. Forgo an hour of television a day. But do what it takes to make time to write. You want to be a writer, then you need to write!

2) Just keep Writing: Yes, I say this a lot but because I think it needs repeating. We all go through the "this-is-crap" crisis (me, usually about 50,000 words in). But I also say "Your first draft is going to suck, get over it write the damn thing." Just keep writing and fix it in edits.

3) Edit (more): A writer almost can't do too much editing. As I said before, you're first draft is going to be crap. Editing is how you polish crap into a diamond. I try to wait a month and hope I have another work in progress going before I start to edit. The longer you wait the more likely you will see not only glaring errors and bad writing, but subtle errors and sub-par writing that could be improved. I edit twice myself (with at least one week between), then I have it proofread. Then I have my wife read it to me. Then I send it to beta readers. Then I edit it again. Then I submit it.

4) Be more Social: Yes, we are all introverts who would rather spend time with our characters (or someone else's characters) than face people live and in person. But every success I've had as a writer came through networking (i.e., talking to people). Join a writers' group. At the very least see if you can connect with writers through social media. You're going to need beta readers, for one thing. Other writers can help you when you're stuck with a plot problem or encourage you to finish that NaNoWriMo novel.

5) Write Well: In everything you write: Facebook posts, Tweets, emails, letters to Santa, do your best to write it well and with few mistakes. I'm amazed when I see writers on social media use "to" instead of "too." Always always always practice your craft, no mater what you are writing.

That should get you started on the upcoming new year. Well, that and losing weight and cutting out junk food.

The Speculative Fiction Cantina with Nancy MC Young and Clyde P Riddlesbrood

Today on the Speculative Fiction Cantina we are proud to welcome Nancy MC Young and Clyde P Riddlesbrood
Nancy MC Young


Nancy MC YoungNancy's writing brings to life her global travel and multicultural perspective. Born in Taipei and
raised in Pasadena, California. She has traveled extensively across the U.S. and Canada, and has visited over 30 countries. She worked for many years as a nonprofit arts manager and foundation officer in Los Angeles and San Francisco before becoming an arts and cultural development consultant for regional, state and federal governments in the USA and in Australia for over 16 years.

Nancy authored numerous cultural development plans and policies, arts marketing books, and published a short story in the anthology, Sweet Sisters and Other Secrets (Zonta Int'l) in 2000. She now lives in Southern California and supports literacy and education through her work with the Long Beach Public Library Foundation. This is her first novel.

Nancy's Book:
Strum available at Amazon and InkWater Books.
Nancy's links:
Website Blog Facebook (book)Facebook (author) Twitter Pintrest
Clyde P Riddlesbrood
Clyde's bio is at http://www.riddlesbrood.com/clyde
Clyde's work in progress is: The longest Brochure in the World

Clyde's links:

Website
Blog
Facebook

From Today's Show: Quantum Teleportation

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Once More Into the Breech (or Breach?).

Some words are just confusing as all get out. Like "breech" and "breach." Both are pronounced the same, spelled nearly the same, but have completely different meanings. When I wrote my NaNoWriMo novel, I used the wrong one every time. (Of course, it was a first draft in need of revision.)
So here's the low down on "breech" and "breach":
Breech means the back of something. The breech of a gun. Most modern firearms are "breech loaded" (as opposed to muzzle loaded). A baby coming out bottom-first is a "breech baby." You wear "breeches" because they cover your ass.
Breach means a break or fissure. You breach your contract. The torpedo breached the hull of the battleship. To kiss the queen was a breach in protocol. And whales jumping into the air are "breaching" (perhaps because they breach the surface of the ocean?).
Oh, and the Shakespeare quote from Henry V: "Once more into the breach."
How to remember which is which. This is easy. "Breach" has the same five first letters a "break" which is one of its meaning. And "breech" has two e's so you'd say "eeee" if you saw someone's breech.
So don't breach good spelling rules and come out looking like a breech.

Winter Solstice

Today as I write this, it is the day of the Winter Solstice. The word solstice basically means "sun stopping" or "sun standing." It is like the word armistice has the same Latin root and means "arms standing."

A solstice is not a day. It is the time that the Sun reaches it's most northern (summer) or southern (winter) point. The Sun is directly overhead of the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere during the Winter Solstice.

Today that will be at 3:03 P.M. Pacific Standard Time. So you can adjust to your time zone. For example, that's 6:03 P.M. Eastern Standard Time.

If you are north of the Arctic Circle, there will be at least one day around the Winter Solstice when the sun does not rise over the horizon. The farther north you are, the more days that is and at the North Pole, it's six months. Conversely, in the summer, there will be at least one day when the sun does not set and the farther north you are the more days there will be. Again, at the North Pole, that's six months of daylight.

When I was growing up in Southeast Idaho at an elevation of nearly 4,500 feet, winter (as signified by the first snow) started late October. It struck me as strange that the first official day of winter was essentially in the middle of winter. And spring, which starts about March 22nd officially, was still, in winter ("winter" ran from late October to early April).

People mistakenly called the day of the Winter Solstice "the shortest day of the year" when what they mean is it's the shortest daylight of the year. Where I live, sunrise was at 7:41 this morning and sunset will be at 4:09 this evening. That's 8 hours and 28 minutes of the sun being up (if my math is correct). And miracle of miracles, it's actually a sunny day here.

So why is Christmas on December 25th? One theory holds that most cultures have a post Winter Solstice party. They've been watching the Sun get lower and lower in the sky, the day light get shorter, the temperatures get cooler. Somebody's gotta be thinking "If this goes on, we're doomed."

Then it stops, the periods of daylight start getting longer again. So hey, let's have a big party! And since Christmas was scheduled by early Christians to coincide with Saturnalia, which was probably started as one of those parties, that's why Christmas is three days (about) after the Winter Solstice.

The Speculative Fiction Cantina with Anthony Metivier and Laura Enright

Today on the Speculative Fiction Cantina we are proud to welcome Anthony Metivier and Laura Enright
Anthony MetivierAnthony Metivier

Anthony Metivier is the author of Lucas Parks and the Download of Doom, How to Remember Your Dreams and founder of the Magnetic Memory Method, a 21st century approach to the Memory Palace Method that makes memorizing foreign language vocabulary, poetry, and the names of the important people you meet easy and elegant.

Anthony's books include:

Lucas Parks and the Download of Doom

Sample of audio book of upcoming novel Electville

Anthony's Links:

Website/Blog
Facebook
Twitter

Laura EnrightLaura Enright

I was raised in Harwood Heights, Ill., a suburb bordering Chicago, growing up across the parking lot from the neighborhood tavern that my grandfather built in the 1930s. In 2005 my book Chicago’s Most Wanted: The Top Ten Book of Murderous Mobsters, Midway Monsters and Windy City Oddities was published followed in 2010 by Vampires’ Most Wanted: The Top Ten Book of Bloodthirsty Biters, Stake-wielding Slayers and Other Undead Oddities.

February 2014 saw the release of To Touch the Sun, the first novel in my vampire series set in Chicago. A visit to my author page on Facebook will reveal that I’m all over the map when it comes to what I like in literature, music, TV and movies, but I do tend to veer toward some more than others. In short, I'm interested in any number of things, far too many for my limited free time to accommodate.

As a writer I tend to stay in the fantasy and science fiction genres (adding liberal doses of humor when needed) but I’m willing to try my hand at anything, which, curiously enough, led to my three books I’ve published. A quote that pretty much sums up my life is from Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” (though I heard it in a George Harrison song): “When you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.”

Laura's book:

To Touch the Sun

Laura's Links:

Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter

From today's program: Japanese Asteroid Mission


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