R.S.A. Garcia's Blog, page 10
August 14, 2015
Excerpt: IACTA ALEA EST – Mr. Gae Is Expecting You
A little bit of Shalon from the sequel to LEX TALIONIS, to keep you company as you go into the weekend.
Framed in that archway, directly across from the lift, stood a hovercar, its dark blue curves iridescent as a beetle’s wing. Shalon strolled over to it, careful to keep her body as relaxed as possible. She was almost to it when the back door on her side faded, letting out the smell of fresh car polish on a breath of cool air. She recognized the form seated next to the opposite door, and climbed in without hesitation.
The seat beneath her felt butter soft. When the door solidified again, complete silence descended. A yellow light came on, illuminating the beige interior and the tinted panel in front of her that extended from floor to ceiling. Shalon noted the not unexpected fact that there was no way to open the doors from the inside.
“I didn’t expect such luxury,” she said to Luc, leaning back and wondering why the car had not moved yet. She shifted so that her right side was turned toward him and kept her hands within easy reach of her gun-belt. Remember, he isn’t Orgalian any longer.
“Mr. Gae wished you to be comfortable.” In one easy movement, Luc’s hand dipped into his sleeve and reappeared holding a small dark gun that Shalon recognized as far more deadly than its size would indicate. “Perhaps you could start by removing your gun-belt.”
Did you really expect anything less? Shalon sighed. “I’m very attached to these. What if I just promised not to shoot Mr. Gae?”
“They will be safe in my possession until I return them, should that become necessary.”
Shalon arched an eyebrow. “Not a betting man?”
Luc did not reply, he just held the tiny gun in a very steady hand. Salon slid the belt off and handed it over. “Anything else?”
“No need.” Luc tapped at the door and a compartment eased open next to him. He dropped the gun-belt in. “You were scanned as you entered the vehicle.”
Of course. She watched as Luc returned the gun to his robe. “So now what do we do?”
He leaned forward and knocked once at the panel. Shalon felt the smooth tilt of the vehicle rising and turning. “Now,” he replied, “we go to see Mr. Gae.”
Stay thirsty, my friends!
Tagged: #amwriting, books, editing, excerpt, Iacta Alea Est, Lex Talionis, novels, publishing, science fiction, scifi, sequel, Shalon Conway, space opera, writing
August 12, 2015
Reunion Island Must Be Wondering What Gives
Poor little Reunion Island. Before last week, it was a place known mostly to surfers and scientists. Now it’s got an international spotlight on it since pieces of a plane that might be MH370 washed up on its beaches.
Oh, and its volcano decided to erupt again. That’s after sharks made it a new playground and scared off most of the surfers.
Must be fun to have journalists descend on you while nature is having its way with you.
The article caught my attention because it mentions an outbreak of Chikungunya as well, a few years back, but in a strange way, pointing out that it causes heavy fever. As someone who’s had Chik V, I can tell you the fever is no big deal. It’s the insane body pain that lingers for months, even years, that really characterize this debilitating disease. There’s a reason some people compare it to the more severe Dengue fever–popularly known as ‘break-bone fever’.
Anyway, Reunion’s due a bit of luck now, especially since the residents mention in the article that they hope their discovery helps bring the families of those aboard the missing plane some kind of peace.
Here’s hoping tourism goes up and the volcano goes quiet, guys.
Stay thirsty, my friends!
Tagged: airplane disasters, Chik V, Chikungunya, Dengue Fever, eruptions, in the news, MH370, ocean, Reunion Island, shark attacks, volcano
August 11, 2015
We Live In A Weird And Wonderful Universe
This gorgeous George is apparently a ceratioid anglerfish. That funny looking glow-stick on its head is used to lure fish looking for nightclub to dance the night away into its jaws instead.
The diversity of life on this planet alone is just mind-boggling to me. It’s one of my favourite things about world-building in my novels, by the way. Using the explosion of life on Earth to inspire creatures and aliens in my stories. I figure, as weird as this world and its inhabitants are, you can never go to far in imagining worlds that are even stranger.
So the next time you’re thinking about where you want to set your story, challenge yourself. Look up the bacteria, flora and fauna that populate our world. Branch off of that and take it to the next level. Go crazy. Get inspired.
And then get to writing. ‘Cause that’s the best part.
Stay thirsty, my friends!
Tagged: #amwriting, biology, ceratioid anglerfish, editing, publishing, Science, science fiction, science news, scifi, world building, writing, writing tips
August 10, 2015
Nine Worlds: The ‘Just Don’t’ list from Writing the Other workshop
Here’s acclaimed writer Stephanie Saulter with some great advice from a workshop on what to avoid when writing the other.
A nice baseline on how not to fall into clichéd perspectives and characterizations.
Originally posted on Talking back to the night:
One of the things I did at the Nine Worlds convention over the weekend was run a workshop, Writing the Other (well two of the things really, since there was a repeat session on Sunday morning for those who couldn’t get in on Saturday). Writing the Other is intended to help writers learn how to identify and avoid harmful tropes, stereotypes and associations when creating characters that depart from the dominant paradigm; and to write with greater accuracy, sensitivity and insight. Many thanks to all the attendees – you were engaged and interested and lovely, and I learned at least as much from you as I hope you learned from me.
The reference text is Writing the Other by Nisi Shawl and Cynthia Ward, which for the purposes of the workshop I summarised, Anglicised and crammed into just under ninety minutes. I ended with a checklist of some of the tired…
View original 421 more words
August 7, 2015
The Music Industry Needs A Black Box…So Does Publishing
Hey, the music industry operates a lot like the Big Six.
A really thoughtful article about the state of the music industry now, and the changes needed to grow it. Chief among them–transparency. Particularly about who pays who for what, and how much.
Sounds like the very thing authors–new and old–have been asking for from the publishing industry. Hence sites by self-published authors and blogs by other writers who try to breakdown payments to give new writers an idea of what to expect. Still, like the music industry, it’s big picture info we really need.
It’s time to admit that it’s probably not for the sake of authors that the publishing industry–just like the music industry–holds on to this culture of secrecy regarding how much authors are paid. Sure you have to respect contracts and obviously Stephen King doesn’t need me up in his business.
But I can find out how much an entry level job at Google pays, and I can’t find out how much the average author at the Big Six made last year. Which probably leads to both unrealistic expectations and the ability to underpay deserving writers in some circumstances, if you ask me.
And it makes for some pretty low cheques in the music industry, apparently.
Oh well…not my circus, not my monkeys, right?
Right?
Enjoy the weekend and remember to have one on me!
Tagged: Apple Music, Big Six, David Byrne, indie publishing, Music, publishing, Spotify, Taylor Swift, The New York Times, traditional publishing, transperancy, writing, YouTube
August 5, 2015
Woman Assaults Police Officer With Her Breast…
…and gets jail time for it.
No, I only wish I were kidding.
Hong Kong has a lot of issues right now. Most of them having to do with China. But this is so ridiculous it doesn’t even make sense it went to court.
Frankly, I want to know if her breast can serve the sentence while she remains free. And while we’re at it, someone ought to show me the injuries this police officer suffered, because while we have no pics of that, we do know she got a busted nose somehow.
Sometimes, the world just makes you want to…
I may not be thirsty, but I certainly need a drink, my friends.
Tagged: breast assault, China, Fringe, funny not funny, Game of Thrones, Hong Kong, news, politics, protests, South China Morning Post, stupid
August 4, 2015
Your Office is Freezing. Here’s Why.
So now I know why all my coworkers, girlfriends and my sister keep complaining to me about how cold the office is. I’m assuming this shit is international, because it certainly seems to be.
Apparently, the formula used to program thermostats is based on a 40 year old male of a certain size. Because back then, that was the typical office employee.
Anyway, methinks it might be time for a change.
And as it happens, it’s better for the environment to keep it a bit warmer.
As for me, I don’t have this problem for two reasons. One is, despite being born and bred in the Caribbean, I like to be chilly. I’m much more comfortable feeling slightly cold than feeling even the slightest bit warm. I love rainy days. Sunny days, to me, are good only for the beach and cricket. I even had a taste of winter and fall in Canada. Loved it.*
The other is, I control my own thermostat.
‘Cause that’s the way I roll…
Stay thirsty, my friends.
*Let it be known that the coldest fall day I endured was around -4 and the coldest winter night was -10 with a -30 windchill factor. That was–eye-opening. However, I was kinda sorry I missed the -50+ weather that descended days after I left Canada last year. My Canadian friends say, no I would NOT have been sorry, but I still sorta of want to know what it’s like to feel your nostrils crack on contact with air. Otherwise, how can I say I’ve lived the good life?
Tagged: Canada, cold, Michonne, news, office, Science, temperature, The Walking Dead, thermostats, winter
August 3, 2015
RIP #hitchBOT
A social experiment that would probably make Skynet nod sagely has just come to an abrupt end.
Researchers had created a friendly, helpless robot that managed to hitchhike its way safely across parts of Europe and Canada. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by unknown assailants once it tried to continue the experiment in the US.
The creators said they felt society had lots of warnings about why we should fear robots, so they wanted to do an experiment to see if robots had any reason to fear humans.
Well, we all know the answer now.
Somewhere in the Matrix, Mr. Smith is saying, ‘I told you so.’
Poor little guy. I guess the moral of the story is, you can go thousands of miles without meeting an asshole, but it only takes one to fuck up your whole trip.
Stay thirsty, my friends.
Tagged: hitchBOT, Mr. Smith, news, robotics, robots, Science, Skynet, social experiments, Terminator, The Matrix
July 31, 2015
Meme Explosion: Doctor Who
I always want to put a question mark at the end of that, like, Doctor Who? Yeah, yeah, it’s just ‘The Doctor’ but you know, grammar and all that…
I have to be honest. The show’s not what it used to be. But I guess I’m a Whovian who became a Renewvian, and there were some good times…really good times…
Here’s hoping the new season can reignite the passion that leads to memes like these.
Stay thirsty, my friends!
Tagged: Doctor Who, funnies, jokes, memes, Pinterest, TV shows
July 29, 2015
Science News: Odds And Ends
My favourite quote comes at the end. “Inventors are basically anybody and everybody who’s ever tried to solve a problem.” So true! And we could use a lot more of them. I worry sometimes that this culture of kids having games handed to them on screens and in phones will slowly kill the impulse to think outside of those technological boxes. That the free time and interaction with the world we took for granted in previous generations–which I firmly believe had a part to play in us learning to problem-solve, learn social skills, and develop the imagination that leads to artists, engineers, inventors and scientists–is dying out.
I don’t think many realise how important it is to keep preserving a hands-on interaction with the world, to keep encouraging children to think and grow and learn, not just swallow and regurgitate what’s already available. If we don’t do that–if we stifle imaginations, curiosity and can-do spirit under the mass-produced, money-making fantasy play-fields of movies, games, tv shows and merchandise–how will anyone develop the skills to keep making those things that give so many of us joy?
So I totally support her idea. It’s amazing and sometimes all a kid needs to know to succeed is that they can do whatever they put their minds to. Sure, the world isn’t going to be that easy for every kid, but even kids who don’t have it that easy can take heart from the accomplishments of others and chart their own course.
Two divers are working on our food supply problem by building underwater greenhouses. Sure, there are kinks and we’re not even sure this is viable, but anyone who is thinking about how to grow more food, cheaper, better and where we haven’t thought to do it before is performing a huge public service. Articles I’ve read recently have direct predictions for our food supply once climate change is taken into consideration. And I’m talking the climate change we’re experiencing now, in our lifetimes. Not 100 years or more down the road.
Scifi author Tobias Buckell, who was born in Grenada, wrote an amazing book on the kind of world we might see after climate change. ARCTIC RISING is a great thriller, fully researched and thoughtfully written, but he still gets reviews from readers and climate change deniers convinced he’s an alarmist. If you read the book though, and you saw this article about the US Navy’s conclusions about the loss of Arctic sea-ice, you’ll realise he’s one of many canaries in a coal-mine. If the US Navy is freaking out, shouldn’t the rest of us join them in actually trying to do something?
Okay, rant over.
And because we all need to laugh a little, here’s a joke I pulled from my favourite Twitter account, Science Porn:
Stay thirsty, my friends ;-)
Tagged: agriculture, Alexis Lewis, arctic ice loss, Arctic Rising, climate change, food, funnies, Inventing 101, inventions, jokes, Science, scifi, Smithsonian.com, Tobias Buckell, US Navy
