Harry Connolly's Blog, page 206
February 12, 2010
Regime Change in Iran?
Things have been pretty busy lately. I'm finishing up the galleys for Game of Cages and itching to get back to Man Bites World. Not to mention coming up with a new title for the latter. (I came up with one I really, really liked, but it turns out to be the title of a pair of unrelated-to-each-other non-fiction books, one of which is forty years old and still in print. ::shrugs::)
So, busy. And that means I haven't had time or mental energy to follow important news stories. I haven't...
February 11, 2010
Randomness for 2/11
1) Jessa Crispin, editor and founder of Bookslut.com, writes a largely critical article about Jeff VanderMeer's Booklife. As a response, VanderMeer interviews her on his blog. Now THAT is a smart response to a negative writeup.
2) Peter Osnos on Macmillan vs. Amazon.com.
3) An important chart for urban fantasists.
4) Weird stalker calls, and how to end a story on a dramatic note.
5) Jimmy Dean's iPhone accessories.
6) Polls show that 70% of Americans support allowing "gay men and lesbians" to...
Very important announcement
I will not be going to see that werewolf movie premiering this weekend. Werewolves freak me out (which is why they appear in the Twenty Palaces universe when pretty much no other "classic"/folklore creatures will be) and I do not want to see a movie where people get torn apart and eaten.
That's right, I skip zombie movies, too. (Give me unicorns anyday).
Maybe I'll see it someday, on the smallest screen possible… like my wife's iPod Classic.
Meanwhile, here's a fun list of classic...
"None of this is secret."
Rachel Maddow on hypocrisy in the GOP: .
This is why I despair for my country.
February 10, 2010
Well don't I feel all special
Now that I've joined SFWA, I can follow the Nebula Awards nominations, tracking them as they pile up. It's like a horse race, but the people involved move very slowly.
In case anyone asks, I'm not on there, of course, and I didn't expect to be. I'm also not asking people to nominate my book or whatever. I'm not writing the sort of work that wins awards, and I won't be any time soon. It's not a concern. In fact, I posted my joke bio on the Campbell Award page. I won't win and I don't...
Things that are annoying
Let's add something to the long list:
When I scan a document I have to lay it in portrait mode, even though the page is printed landscape. I scan it, rotate it appropriately and save it.
Sounds sensible, right?
Except this morning, after 80-some pages, I discovered that rotating it to landscape mode was cutting off the margins of the page. You know, where all my hand-written corrections were.
Dear software designers: wtf?
Stay safe, east coast folks
We haven't seen anything snow-like out here all winter, which would normally make me envious. Not this time. Be careful.
February 9, 2010
Bought today
Kelly Meding's book covers are too damn dark. I'm just sayin'.
I trekked out to the UW Bookstore so I could see their Espresso Book Machine in action. Pictures and video later, if I'm smart enough to put it together.
An ebook idea
Microsoft Word's annoying "comment" feature gave me a weird idea–which maybe you've already heard about from other people, but I'll post it here in case it's the newest thing in newville.
Background: for many years, local Seattle writer David Schmader gave live performances in which he played the schlocktastic movie SHOWGIRLS and delivered a running commentary for a live audience. I never went to one of his performances because a) it would involve going outside and b) it's SHOWGIRLS, but...
February 7, 2010
Randomness for 2/7
1) Anthony Bourdain schooled by 10-year-old.
2) MANBABIES!! I had nightmares because of that site, so you should, too.
3) Available at Booksellers Everywhere Except Amazon. Macmillan takes out a full page ad in the NY Times.
4) A defense of Elizabeth Gilbert. I loved reading this. I'm not someone looking to read Gilbert's books, but I'm also not all that keen to hear her being held to a different standard than male authors, or to be cut down because she decided she was going to live a...
