Joe Mikolay's Blog, page 12
January 2, 2014
Happy New Year To The Misfits
I guess I never did get around to writing that blog about my favorite Christmas Movies. (short version: Edward Scissorhands, Die Hard and Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang would have been on a rather unconventional list of titles) but I'm back now.
Anyway, the $.99 price break on The Pack has brought on such a resounding response that I've decided to offer up my first novel on the same deal!
Since The Pack sequel isn't quite ready yet, and I'm only into an early draft of my manuscript after that one, I figure I'll try and get my first baby some lovin'.
At any rate, please check out Misfit Toys In Love. It's likely the best romantic-comedy-coming-of-age-revenge story that you'll ever read.
Here's the Goodreads page:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
And you can pick it up at Amazon for just $.99:
http://www.amazon.com/Misfit-Toys-Lov...
Keep reading, my friends!
Anyway, the $.99 price break on The Pack has brought on such a resounding response that I've decided to offer up my first novel on the same deal!
Since The Pack sequel isn't quite ready yet, and I'm only into an early draft of my manuscript after that one, I figure I'll try and get my first baby some lovin'.
At any rate, please check out Misfit Toys In Love. It's likely the best romantic-comedy-coming-of-age-revenge story that you'll ever read.
Here's the Goodreads page:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
And you can pick it up at Amazon for just $.99:
http://www.amazon.com/Misfit-Toys-Lov...
Keep reading, my friends!
December 18, 2013
The NBA's Flawed Superstar System
Just a brief blog post today, as all the sports shows are talking about the big Pacers-Heat game today.
I've tried watching basketball (generally when I'm in a post-NFL season funk), and have enjoyed it to an extent.
But the one thing that keeps me from fully committing as a basketball fan is the manner of officiating playoff games.
Now, you might get one or two bad calls (sometimes VERY bad calls) in NFL games. And those calls may or may not cost a team a win.
But the NBA has a system in-place where the referees are seemingly encouraged to blatantly favor certain players.
Guys like Kobe Bryant in his prime, Tim Duncan in his, and currently guys like Lebron James and Dwanye Wade get every single call to go their way.
Being on the same team, The Heat gets about twice as many questionable calls than the next highest team. This is why The Mavericks upsetting them in the championship three years ago was the last time I was truly interested in the NBA.
At any rate, I suspect that the refs are told to make the calls in favor of the "superstars" for the sake of the advertising and viewership dollars those guys can generate.
But, sometimes it just seems they want a certain team (or guy) to win. The Thunder-Heat championship series was the most lopsidedly officiated I'd ever seen. Kevin Durant may be a superstar, but I'll bet David Stern and the NBA bigwigs decided that Lebron deserved all the help he could get to win his first big trophy.
My biggest issue with this is that the "superstars" should be the best players- right? In which case, they shouldn't need the refs to do them solids in every game that matters.
I mean, the NBA is the only professional sports organization that had a huge scandal from referees intentionally handicapping games for gambling purposes.
(Tim Donaghy, anyone?) So, is it any surprise that it's the most rigged?
Anyway, until this system changes, and every player (regardless of how big their name or contract is) gets a fair shake I'll never be able to be a true NBA fan.
Which is a shame, because I'd really like to be.
I've tried watching basketball (generally when I'm in a post-NFL season funk), and have enjoyed it to an extent.
But the one thing that keeps me from fully committing as a basketball fan is the manner of officiating playoff games.
Now, you might get one or two bad calls (sometimes VERY bad calls) in NFL games. And those calls may or may not cost a team a win.
But the NBA has a system in-place where the referees are seemingly encouraged to blatantly favor certain players.
Guys like Kobe Bryant in his prime, Tim Duncan in his, and currently guys like Lebron James and Dwanye Wade get every single call to go their way.
Being on the same team, The Heat gets about twice as many questionable calls than the next highest team. This is why The Mavericks upsetting them in the championship three years ago was the last time I was truly interested in the NBA.
At any rate, I suspect that the refs are told to make the calls in favor of the "superstars" for the sake of the advertising and viewership dollars those guys can generate.
But, sometimes it just seems they want a certain team (or guy) to win. The Thunder-Heat championship series was the most lopsidedly officiated I'd ever seen. Kevin Durant may be a superstar, but I'll bet David Stern and the NBA bigwigs decided that Lebron deserved all the help he could get to win his first big trophy.
My biggest issue with this is that the "superstars" should be the best players- right? In which case, they shouldn't need the refs to do them solids in every game that matters.
I mean, the NBA is the only professional sports organization that had a huge scandal from referees intentionally handicapping games for gambling purposes.
(Tim Donaghy, anyone?) So, is it any surprise that it's the most rigged?
Anyway, until this system changes, and every player (regardless of how big their name or contract is) gets a fair shake I'll never be able to be a true NBA fan.
Which is a shame, because I'd really like to be.
December 14, 2013
Follow Me!
The time has come to take my Facebook profile public, and let anyone who's interested check out what going on with my life in-general!
https://www.facebook.com/joemikolay
So spread the word that I'm now as open as any of my books!
https://www.facebook.com/joemikolay
So spread the word that I'm now as open as any of my books!
December 6, 2013
Regarding Christmas Songs
This would be as good a time as any to weigh on in Christmas songs, seeing-in-how at least one major radio station is playing nothing but them since Thanksgiving.
I never really cared for the hymnal-type stuff. Songs like "Oh, Holy Night", "Hark, The Herald Angel Sing" and "Away In A Manger" always struck me as too preachy.
With Christmas songs, as with any other type of music, I need something that I can relate to. And so the whole Messiah thing falls outside of my wheelhouse.
It's still a mystery to me how the disjointed, arrhythmic "Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time" still gets regular airplay. Guess you're given a lot of slack when you used to be a Beatle.
"Carol Of The Bells" is a classical number that I like. But that's more because of how inherently creepy it is, despite its Christmas dressings.
I do enjoy some contemporary, up-tempo Xmas tunes. Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" is really just a great pop song for any time of the year. U2's version of "(Christmas) Baby, Please Come Home" is also a rockin' little ditty.
Of the classic catalog, I can dig most versions of "Let It Snow", "White Christmas", and "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year". Though that may come from the fact the I'd bet Dean Martin was an awesome Christmas party guest, and "Wonderful" always makes me think of that great Will Ferrell SNL skit with the spinning platform, and the gallons of vomit.
I'd have to admit, though, that my overall favorite Christmas songs are the ballads and laments. I really became attached to this type of seasonal song when I was living in New York.
Gazing out the window of your apartment as snow fills the darkening sky, and the lights in the buildings of the skyline glitter in the distance can make you feel pretty isolated.
This is true even as you watch innumerable groups of friends and families walking by on the street below. Or, maybe you feel that way specifically because you're alone in your high window watching those groups.
Every cover of "Last Christmas" is a spot-on ode to the poor choices we make when rounded up in Xmas parties with bottled of booze rolling down the decked halls.
"Where Are You, Christmas?" is a good song about the changing perception of the holidays as you get older. It just gets a bad rap for its connection to a pretty ill-advised live action version of "How The Grinch Stole Christmas".
My all-time top Xmas song "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"- probably The Pretender's version, if I had to pick one- has just hit my personal holiday season spot for a very long time.
It's really just a big bummer of a song that ends on, what could be interpreted, as an upbeat note. Then again, the last line or two could also be interpreted as one of those empty promises we make to ourselves from time-to-time.
I actually put my Xmas melody taste to good use a few years back in two pretty massive Christmas iTunes playlists that I strung together. I constantly listened to them while I was writing my first book: "Misfit Toys In Love". One was up-tempo songs, and other was the sad stuff.
The playlist helped keep me in the right headspace to write a holiday-themed-coming-of-age-romantic-comedy-revenge-story. In fact, I may have to put those compilations into rotation again this year.
'Tis the season, after all.
Maybe I'll check in with some thoughts on Christmas movies soon as well.
I never really cared for the hymnal-type stuff. Songs like "Oh, Holy Night", "Hark, The Herald Angel Sing" and "Away In A Manger" always struck me as too preachy.
With Christmas songs, as with any other type of music, I need something that I can relate to. And so the whole Messiah thing falls outside of my wheelhouse.
It's still a mystery to me how the disjointed, arrhythmic "Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time" still gets regular airplay. Guess you're given a lot of slack when you used to be a Beatle.
"Carol Of The Bells" is a classical number that I like. But that's more because of how inherently creepy it is, despite its Christmas dressings.
I do enjoy some contemporary, up-tempo Xmas tunes. Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" is really just a great pop song for any time of the year. U2's version of "(Christmas) Baby, Please Come Home" is also a rockin' little ditty.
Of the classic catalog, I can dig most versions of "Let It Snow", "White Christmas", and "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year". Though that may come from the fact the I'd bet Dean Martin was an awesome Christmas party guest, and "Wonderful" always makes me think of that great Will Ferrell SNL skit with the spinning platform, and the gallons of vomit.
I'd have to admit, though, that my overall favorite Christmas songs are the ballads and laments. I really became attached to this type of seasonal song when I was living in New York.
Gazing out the window of your apartment as snow fills the darkening sky, and the lights in the buildings of the skyline glitter in the distance can make you feel pretty isolated.
This is true even as you watch innumerable groups of friends and families walking by on the street below. Or, maybe you feel that way specifically because you're alone in your high window watching those groups.
Every cover of "Last Christmas" is a spot-on ode to the poor choices we make when rounded up in Xmas parties with bottled of booze rolling down the decked halls.
"Where Are You, Christmas?" is a good song about the changing perception of the holidays as you get older. It just gets a bad rap for its connection to a pretty ill-advised live action version of "How The Grinch Stole Christmas".
My all-time top Xmas song "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"- probably The Pretender's version, if I had to pick one- has just hit my personal holiday season spot for a very long time.
It's really just a big bummer of a song that ends on, what could be interpreted, as an upbeat note. Then again, the last line or two could also be interpreted as one of those empty promises we make to ourselves from time-to-time.
I actually put my Xmas melody taste to good use a few years back in two pretty massive Christmas iTunes playlists that I strung together. I constantly listened to them while I was writing my first book: "Misfit Toys In Love". One was up-tempo songs, and other was the sad stuff.
The playlist helped keep me in the right headspace to write a holiday-themed-coming-of-age-romantic-comedy-revenge-story. In fact, I may have to put those compilations into rotation again this year.
'Tis the season, after all.
Maybe I'll check in with some thoughts on Christmas movies soon as well.
November 19, 2013
Year Of 'The Pack'
Wow, if the Amazon Kindle Store were an actual store, then copies of 'The Pack' would be flying off the shelves!
So, I figure what the hell.
I was going to just have the book on sale for $.99 for a week, but now it'll stay at that price for the rest of the year.
Black Friday and Christmas shoppers, be sure to spread the word.
And be sure to get your copy too, if you haven't yet!
http://www.amazon.com/Pack-Joe-Mikola...
So, I figure what the hell.
I was going to just have the book on sale for $.99 for a week, but now it'll stay at that price for the rest of the year.
Black Friday and Christmas shoppers, be sure to spread the word.
And be sure to get your copy too, if you haven't yet!
http://www.amazon.com/Pack-Joe-Mikola...
The Case Of The Disappearing Flag
Alright, I'm a football fan and so I'm gonna blog about football on occasion.
I watched a great back-and-forth Monday Night Football game last night, and I feel like I was robbed of a truly dramatic ending.
Long story short, for those who didn't watch:
New England Patriots are down 24-20 to the Carolina Panthers, and ran an amazing drive about 75 yards in under a minute.
Patriots tight end, and resident part monster Rob Gronkowski was clearly interfered with (bearhugged, actually) in the end zone on the last play of the game.
The referee standing right behind him threw a penalty flag.
Another referee ran in from the other side of the field and told him to pick up the flag.
They said the game was over, and offered no explanation.
Now, there's no guarantee that Tom Brady could have gotten his guys into the end zone on one last play from either the 1 yard line, or the 13 yard line (depending on whether the intended penalty call was for Pass Interference or Holding).
But they should have had that last chance.
Yes, I'm a Pats fan.
I'm also attentive enough to know that, had The Pats executed some things better earlier in the game (a red zone fumble and their poor last defensive stand come to mind), then they wouldn't have been relying on making magic happen on the last play of the game.
Still, we should have gotten an ending worthy of how great the rest of that game was.
But, hey, a ton of injuries on defense coupled with a homefield screwjob ref call and The Pats still very nearly beat a very good Panthers team.
All-in-all, they're still in a good spot. And the game next week against Peyton Manning's Denver Broncos should produce another instant classic.
Hopefully, The Pats do those little things better in that game and get the win.
Also, the game is in New England, so if anyone gets screwed by the refs it should be The Broncos.
I watched a great back-and-forth Monday Night Football game last night, and I feel like I was robbed of a truly dramatic ending.
Long story short, for those who didn't watch:
New England Patriots are down 24-20 to the Carolina Panthers, and ran an amazing drive about 75 yards in under a minute.
Patriots tight end, and resident part monster Rob Gronkowski was clearly interfered with (bearhugged, actually) in the end zone on the last play of the game.
The referee standing right behind him threw a penalty flag.
Another referee ran in from the other side of the field and told him to pick up the flag.
They said the game was over, and offered no explanation.
Now, there's no guarantee that Tom Brady could have gotten his guys into the end zone on one last play from either the 1 yard line, or the 13 yard line (depending on whether the intended penalty call was for Pass Interference or Holding).
But they should have had that last chance.
Yes, I'm a Pats fan.
I'm also attentive enough to know that, had The Pats executed some things better earlier in the game (a red zone fumble and their poor last defensive stand come to mind), then they wouldn't have been relying on making magic happen on the last play of the game.
Still, we should have gotten an ending worthy of how great the rest of that game was.
But, hey, a ton of injuries on defense coupled with a homefield screwjob ref call and The Pats still very nearly beat a very good Panthers team.
All-in-all, they're still in a good spot. And the game next week against Peyton Manning's Denver Broncos should produce another instant classic.
Hopefully, The Pats do those little things better in that game and get the win.
Also, the game is in New England, so if anyone gets screwed by the refs it should be The Broncos.
November 14, 2013
The Three Stages Of Transformation In 'The Pack'
Not that anyone specifically asked but, in case anyone was wondering what the three main stages of werewolf transformation in 'The Pack' were inspired by, here are my main influences.
You'll note that "giant, fluffy, adorable wolfie from 'Twilight'" is nowhere to be found:
Half-Transformation: think Jack Nicholson in 1994's 'Wolf'
Wolf-Man: the final stage for most werewolves in my interpretation would closely resemble Benicio del Toro in the 2010 remake of 'The Wolfman'
Alpha Wolf: the rare beast's look was inspired by the fully transformed creatures in 1981's 'The Howling'
Hmmm, in hindsight I should probably give legendary special effect guru Rick Baker a shout-out.
You'll note that "giant, fluffy, adorable wolfie from 'Twilight'" is nowhere to be found:
Half-Transformation: think Jack Nicholson in 1994's 'Wolf'
Wolf-Man: the final stage for most werewolves in my interpretation would closely resemble Benicio del Toro in the 2010 remake of 'The Wolfman'
Alpha Wolf: the rare beast's look was inspired by the fully transformed creatures in 1981's 'The Howling'
Hmmm, in hindsight I should probably give legendary special effect guru Rick Baker a shout-out.
November 13, 2013
The Pack For $0.99
As a very special Thank You for the great response to 'The Pack' I've decided to offer the Kindle version for $0.99.
This special offer will only run for the next week, so be sure to hop onto amazon.com and order yours before time's up!
http://www.amazon.com/Pack-Joe-Mikola...
Thank you all again, and I hope you take this opportunity to Join The Pack!
This special offer will only run for the next week, so be sure to hop onto amazon.com and order yours before time's up!
http://www.amazon.com/Pack-Joe-Mikola...
Thank you all again, and I hope you take this opportunity to Join The Pack!
Congrats!
I'd like to congratulate the winners of 'The Pack' book giveaway.
There were almost 1400 people who entered to win, and I'd like to thank each and every one of them for showing an interest in my work.
I do hope that their interest was strong enough to still want to go out and get themselves a copy of the book.
If you're reading this, and are one of those people, here's a link to the amazon.com page for 'The Pack'.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Pack-Joe-Mi...
Thanks again, all!
There were almost 1400 people who entered to win, and I'd like to thank each and every one of them for showing an interest in my work.
I do hope that their interest was strong enough to still want to go out and get themselves a copy of the book.
If you're reading this, and are one of those people, here's a link to the amazon.com page for 'The Pack'.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Pack-Joe-Mi...
Thanks again, all!
November 12, 2013
530/1175
Awesome. The response here has been simply awesome, and I appreciate it a ton!
530 people added 'The Pack' to their shelves, and 1175 have entered the giveaway.
Giveaway ends tomorrow, so be sure to enter for a chance to sin if you haven't yet!
530 people added 'The Pack' to their shelves, and 1175 have entered the giveaway.
Giveaway ends tomorrow, so be sure to enter for a chance to sin if you haven't yet!
