Harry Connolly's Blog, page 196

Randomness for 4/7

1) The NYTimes (attempts to) compare the environmental impact of paper and electronic books.

2) Scrabble to allow proper nouns. Is this worse than the Designated Hitter rule? Save us Will Shorts!

3) How to write a stupid book review. "Once upon a time in a world far, far away, publishing was run by editors." Also, it's amazing how many people heap shit on urban fantasy because it's perceived to be about women. I say this as an author who is uncomfortable when people praise my work as if ...

8 Things about me

1) I'm going to the Jim Butcher reading tonight on the UW Campus.

2) I forgot to shave or pretty myself up. Oops. Can't take the fat unshaved guy anywhere.

3) I finished the rough of my Project Number Next proposal yesterday, but the polish is going to take a while.

4) I need to read this at some point when I have time.

5) Having turned in Man Bites World over the weekend, I've actually played a couple of computer games. Imagine!

6) Playing Call of Duty 2 on "Easy" is like going to war as...

Randomness for 4/5

1) The Science of Newton's Cradle. That's NEWTON'S CRADLE the hard sf independent movie, not the actual toy.

2) How ten movies would be different if they came from Nicholas Sparks novels. via alg.

3) Opening a hotel room door by going under. Be sure to watch the video.

4) Leonardo DiCaprio as Travis McGee? I have to admit that I'm dubious, but maybe he can pull it off. The real question is why Hollywood continues to make crime/detective movies. Are the budgets low enough to balance low ...

Well, my day is already blown

I overslept by two hours this morning, and those early morning hours are pretty much solid writing time. That makes me mutter curses and plan to abandon my kid to the Wii later today, but we'll see.

So instead of posting something original, I'm going to cut and paste an email I sent to a friend. He asked (generally) for links to websites that would help an aspiring novelist FOAF. This is what I sent:

I'm only going to give four suggestions:

First, he should buy a copy of CHILD OF FIRE and...

This is just amazing

My son found it and I have to share it with you. It's a bit long (16 minutes) but there isn't a boring moment. In fact, it's a beautiful piece of animated storytelling, and the sound design is simply amazing.

Bookstore appearance

I'll be appearing at the Tukwila Barnes and Noble. 1:00 on Saturday, April 10th with Mark Henry (Battle of the Network Zombies), Gayle Ann Williams (Tsunami Blue), and Jessa Slade (Seducing the Shadows). There isn't going to be a reading, but I'll be signing books and we'll be giving a talk.

I think. I'm not sure exactly how it will all shape up, but I know I'll be out talking to readers. If you're in the area, drop by and say hello.

New word: compastion

Compastion: n. The uncomfortable feeling you from reading a thank-you-everyone-for-all-the-kind-comments-and-emails-during-this-difficult-time post when you know you could have offered a comforting word but didn't.

Right here

Right here in the room with me is a woman in a sparkling satin dress, with a crumpled sash over her right shoulder and a tiara in her well-sprayed hair. Her face is streaked with tears, and she can't stop saying Thank you! Thank you!. She has to steady herself by clutching the hand of the friend next to her.

That woman is me.

I just sent Man Bites World to my editor at Del Rey. And it's only seven months and two days past deadline! Why, that's practically early!

Okay. Not really. In...

Fun with words

How do you guys feel about "spasm" as a verb?

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