Weston Ochse's Blog, page 33
July 17, 2012
Vote Aaron Sorkin for Class President
Aaron Sorkin has returned to television.
Thank the gods of verticle hold!
From An American President to A Few Good Men, his screenplays have been brilliant. But I think television is where h's best. I was enraptured with Studio 60 when it came out. Although short lived, the dialogue was what every writer strives to attain, at once humanistic, relevant, quick, and real. Just damn amazing. Of course a lot of the magic is made possible because of casting and with Matthew Perry, Amanda Peet, Bradley Whitford, Steven Weber, D.L. Hughley and Timothy Busfield, we had a group of actors with the chops to deliver Sorkin's words.
But Studio 60 was short lived. 22 episodes and out the door. And Damn it was good. I for one missed it terribly.
Sports Night which premiered in 1998 was also short-lived. Although the writing was just as terrific, the casting wasn't as good, nor was the decision of the network to use laugh tracks instead of a studio audience. I've always heard there's a special dynamic with an actual audience, and this was lost here.
Then there was West Wing. WW was terrificly casted and presented. At times it got a little bit too far into the political jungle, but when you have actors like Martin Sheen with his strident beliefs that's bound to happen.
But let's talk about now.
Let's talk about HBOs new series The Newsroom.
Just. Fucking. Wow.
Casting. Check.
Script. Check.
Filming. Check.
It features 'ensemble cast including Jeff Daniels as anchor Will McAvoy, who, together with his staff set out to put on a news show "in the face of corporate and commercial obstacles and their own personal entanglements."[1] Other cast members include Emily Mortimer, John Gallagher, Jr., Alison Pill, Thomas Sadoski, Dev Patel, Olivia Munn, and Sam Waterston.' (Wiki).
The wittiness of the dialogue keeps me smiling throughout the entire show, with the serious news articles interspersed at regular intervals. There's good drama here with not only the main players, but the new cast members as well.
Jeff Daniels, whom I've never really thought of as a leading man, is a badass anchor with more problems than the American economy.
I have to admit, the show got me with the opening of the first episode. Three people (Daniels is one of them) are answering softball questions. Daniels doesn't want to participate, then is forced to, then shocks everyone by saying America is not the greatest country in the world. In fact, don't listen to me, see it here, which btw, are all words we should take to heart and try and live by:
Episode Three began with a newscaster making a mistake. When does that ever happen? Look at this short making of episode 3:
One thing about the series that is great is that it's not fake politics. It's not fake history. The events of The Newsroom takes place about two years in the past. In episode 4, which ended with perhaps the most powerful ten minutes of television, especially for this Arizona resident, the assassination attempt on Gabby Giffords.
Played to the tune of I Will Fix You, those minutes had me so riveted, I watched it three times.
In the epsiode 4 clip, Sorkin explains that he took the MASH template. He lets the characters do their hijinx, but when the helicopters with the wounded are inbound, everyone comes together in all seriousness.
There are people who won't like this because Daniels' character attacks the Tea Party and other things. But instead of feelings and emotions, he uses logic and fact. It's sometimes hard to disagree with what he says. I know that some of you reading this who are y friends and fans probably hate the show. And I'm sorry for that. At the very least, as a writer, I am in awe of Sorkin's ability. He's really a genius.
And I'd definitely vote him as class president.
Thank the gods of verticle hold!
From An American President to A Few Good Men, his screenplays have been brilliant. But I think television is where h's best. I was enraptured with Studio 60 when it came out. Although short lived, the dialogue was what every writer strives to attain, at once humanistic, relevant, quick, and real. Just damn amazing. Of course a lot of the magic is made possible because of casting and with Matthew Perry, Amanda Peet, Bradley Whitford, Steven Weber, D.L. Hughley and Timothy Busfield, we had a group of actors with the chops to deliver Sorkin's words.
But Studio 60 was short lived. 22 episodes and out the door. And Damn it was good. I for one missed it terribly.
Sports Night which premiered in 1998 was also short-lived. Although the writing was just as terrific, the casting wasn't as good, nor was the decision of the network to use laugh tracks instead of a studio audience. I've always heard there's a special dynamic with an actual audience, and this was lost here.
Then there was West Wing. WW was terrificly casted and presented. At times it got a little bit too far into the political jungle, but when you have actors like Martin Sheen with his strident beliefs that's bound to happen.
But let's talk about now.
Let's talk about HBOs new series The Newsroom.
Just. Fucking. Wow.
Casting. Check.
Script. Check.
Filming. Check.
It features 'ensemble cast including Jeff Daniels as anchor Will McAvoy, who, together with his staff set out to put on a news show "in the face of corporate and commercial obstacles and their own personal entanglements."[1] Other cast members include Emily Mortimer, John Gallagher, Jr., Alison Pill, Thomas Sadoski, Dev Patel, Olivia Munn, and Sam Waterston.' (Wiki).
The wittiness of the dialogue keeps me smiling throughout the entire show, with the serious news articles interspersed at regular intervals. There's good drama here with not only the main players, but the new cast members as well.
Jeff Daniels, whom I've never really thought of as a leading man, is a badass anchor with more problems than the American economy.
I have to admit, the show got me with the opening of the first episode. Three people (Daniels is one of them) are answering softball questions. Daniels doesn't want to participate, then is forced to, then shocks everyone by saying America is not the greatest country in the world. In fact, don't listen to me, see it here, which btw, are all words we should take to heart and try and live by:
Episode Three began with a newscaster making a mistake. When does that ever happen? Look at this short making of episode 3:
One thing about the series that is great is that it's not fake politics. It's not fake history. The events of The Newsroom takes place about two years in the past. In episode 4, which ended with perhaps the most powerful ten minutes of television, especially for this Arizona resident, the assassination attempt on Gabby Giffords.
Played to the tune of I Will Fix You, those minutes had me so riveted, I watched it three times.
In the epsiode 4 clip, Sorkin explains that he took the MASH template. He lets the characters do their hijinx, but when the helicopters with the wounded are inbound, everyone comes together in all seriousness.
There are people who won't like this because Daniels' character attacks the Tea Party and other things. But instead of feelings and emotions, he uses logic and fact. It's sometimes hard to disagree with what he says. I know that some of you reading this who are y friends and fans probably hate the show. And I'm sorry for that. At the very least, as a writer, I am in awe of Sorkin's ability. He's really a genius.
And I'd definitely vote him as class president.
Vote Alan Sorkin for Class President
Alan Sorkin has returned to television.
Thank the gods of verticle hold!
From An American President to A Few Good Men, his screenplays have been brilliant. But I think television is where h's best. I was enraptured with Studio 60 when it came out. Although short lived, the dialogue was what every writer strives to attain, at once humanistic, relevant, quick, and real. Just damn amazing. Of course a lot of the magic is made possible because of casting and with Matthew Perry, Amanda Peet, Bradley Whitford, Steven Weber, D.L. Hughley and Timothy Busfield, we had a group of actors with the chops to deliver Sorkin's words.
But Studio 60 was short lived. 22 episodes and out the door. And Damn it was good. I for one missed it terribly.
Sports Night which premiered in 1998 was also short-lived. Although the writing was just as terrific, the casting wasn't as good, nor was the decision of the network to use laugh tracks instead of a studio audience. I've always heard there's a special dynamic with an actual audience, and this was lost here.
Then there was West Wing. WW was terrificly casted and presented. At times it got a little bit too far into the political jungle, but when you have actors like Martin Sheen with his strident beliefs that's bound to happen.
But let's talk about now.
Let's talk about HBOs new series The Newsroom.
Just. Fucking. Wow.
Casting. Check.
Script. Check.
Filming. Check.
It features 'ensemble cast including Jeff Daniels as anchor Will McAvoy, who, together with his staff set out to put on a news show "in the face of corporate and commercial obstacles and their own personal entanglements."[1] Other cast members include Emily Mortimer, John Gallagher, Jr., Alison Pill, Thomas Sadoski, Dev Patel, Olivia Munn, and Sam Waterston.' (Wiki).
The wittiness of the dialogue keeps me smiling throughout the entire show, with the serious news articles interspersed at regular intervals. There's good drama here with not only the main players, but the new cast members as well.
Jeff Daniels, whom I've never really thought of as a leading man, is a badass anchor with more problems than the American economy.
I have to admit, the show got me with the opening of the first episode. Three people (Daniels is one of them) are answering softball questions. Daniels doesn't want to participate, then is forced to, then shocks everyone by saying America is not the greatest country in the world. In fact, don't listen to me, see it here, which btw, are all words we should take to heart and try and live by:
Episode Three began with a newscaster making a mistake. When does that ever happen? Look at this short making of episode 3:
One thing about the series that is great is that it's not fake politics. It's not fake history. The events of The Newsroom takes place about two years in the past. In episode 4, which ended with perhaps the most powerful ten minutes of television, especially for this Arizona resident, the assassination attempt on Gabby Giffords.
Played to the tune of I Will Fix You, those minutes had me so riveted, I watched it three times.
In the epsiode 4 clip, Sorkin explains that he took the MASH template. He lets the characters do their hijinx, but when the helicopters with the wounded are inbound, everyone comes together in all seriousness.
There are people who won't like this because Daniels' character attacks the Tea Party and other things. But instead of feelings and emotions, he uses logic and fact. It's sometimes hard to disagree with what he says. I know that some of you reading this who are y friends and fans probably hate the show. And I'm sorry for that. At the very least, as a writer, I am in awe of Sorkin's ability. He's really a genius.
And I'd definitely vote him as class president.
Thank the gods of verticle hold!
From An American President to A Few Good Men, his screenplays have been brilliant. But I think television is where h's best. I was enraptured with Studio 60 when it came out. Although short lived, the dialogue was what every writer strives to attain, at once humanistic, relevant, quick, and real. Just damn amazing. Of course a lot of the magic is made possible because of casting and with Matthew Perry, Amanda Peet, Bradley Whitford, Steven Weber, D.L. Hughley and Timothy Busfield, we had a group of actors with the chops to deliver Sorkin's words.
But Studio 60 was short lived. 22 episodes and out the door. And Damn it was good. I for one missed it terribly.
Sports Night which premiered in 1998 was also short-lived. Although the writing was just as terrific, the casting wasn't as good, nor was the decision of the network to use laugh tracks instead of a studio audience. I've always heard there's a special dynamic with an actual audience, and this was lost here.
Then there was West Wing. WW was terrificly casted and presented. At times it got a little bit too far into the political jungle, but when you have actors like Martin Sheen with his strident beliefs that's bound to happen.
But let's talk about now.
Let's talk about HBOs new series The Newsroom.
Just. Fucking. Wow.
Casting. Check.
Script. Check.
Filming. Check.
It features 'ensemble cast including Jeff Daniels as anchor Will McAvoy, who, together with his staff set out to put on a news show "in the face of corporate and commercial obstacles and their own personal entanglements."[1] Other cast members include Emily Mortimer, John Gallagher, Jr., Alison Pill, Thomas Sadoski, Dev Patel, Olivia Munn, and Sam Waterston.' (Wiki).
The wittiness of the dialogue keeps me smiling throughout the entire show, with the serious news articles interspersed at regular intervals. There's good drama here with not only the main players, but the new cast members as well.
Jeff Daniels, whom I've never really thought of as a leading man, is a badass anchor with more problems than the American economy.
I have to admit, the show got me with the opening of the first episode. Three people (Daniels is one of them) are answering softball questions. Daniels doesn't want to participate, then is forced to, then shocks everyone by saying America is not the greatest country in the world. In fact, don't listen to me, see it here, which btw, are all words we should take to heart and try and live by:
Episode Three began with a newscaster making a mistake. When does that ever happen? Look at this short making of episode 3:
One thing about the series that is great is that it's not fake politics. It's not fake history. The events of The Newsroom takes place about two years in the past. In episode 4, which ended with perhaps the most powerful ten minutes of television, especially for this Arizona resident, the assassination attempt on Gabby Giffords.
Played to the tune of I Will Fix You, those minutes had me so riveted, I watched it three times.
In the epsiode 4 clip, Sorkin explains that he took the MASH template. He lets the characters do their hijinx, but when the helicopters with the wounded are inbound, everyone comes together in all seriousness.
There are people who won't like this because Daniels' character attacks the Tea Party and other things. But instead of feelings and emotions, he uses logic and fact. It's sometimes hard to disagree with what he says. I know that some of you reading this who are y friends and fans probably hate the show. And I'm sorry for that. At the very least, as a writer, I am in awe of Sorkin's ability. He's really a genius.
And I'd definitely vote him as class president.
July 15, 2012
Zombies Attack Barnes and Nobles - Authors Survive... barely
Metropocalypse 2012
It was meant to be a fun day of book signing, zombie walking, costume contesting, and general undead frollicking. No one anticipated it would turn out the way it did. No one thought it would be so devastating to the community. As of current count, 177 Barnes and Nobles customers were turned into zombies this past Saturday. On one hand, the undead population of Phoenix rose by a fraction, allowing the undead to join the new minority of the un-taxable, but on the other hand, 177 Barnes and Nobles customers stopped reading. They exchanged their voracious hunger for books for a voracious hunger for the other white meat-- People!
Shown here is a man who once read Hardy Boys, loved books on the Civil War, and had a subscription to Cat Fancier.
No More.
He can now be found downtown, feeding on the homeless.
And these young zombies. They meant well. They'd planned to come for the scavenger hunt and maybe check out some new Adam Nevill or David Moody books. Then they were infected, and all they wanted to do was a cha cha out the door to flavortown.
Probably the saddest of all is this young wanna be Barnes and Nobles customer turned into a zombie before she even knew what the letter Z was.
Okay. He's waayy to cute for me to continue this lie. In truth, no one really died or became undead or whatever.
It was all part of Metropocapylse 2012. Put together by Sarah and Dallas at the Metro Barnes and Nobles, it was everything zombies and apocalypse. I was asked to come because they love me to death, and I was asked to bring some other partners in zombie and apocalyptic crime.
Joe McKinney, Joe Nassise, and myself were on hand to sign a ton of books. (ashamedly I forget the other gentleman's name)
At one point there were more than 150 people in the store for the event. It went over tremendously well. I know a bunch of my fans came. They already owned my books, but left with other swag.
It was a terrific day all around.
They want to do it again next year... this time, bigger and better and more undead.
I plan on being there.
What about you?
It was meant to be a fun day of book signing, zombie walking, costume contesting, and general undead frollicking. No one anticipated it would turn out the way it did. No one thought it would be so devastating to the community. As of current count, 177 Barnes and Nobles customers were turned into zombies this past Saturday. On one hand, the undead population of Phoenix rose by a fraction, allowing the undead to join the new minority of the un-taxable, but on the other hand, 177 Barnes and Nobles customers stopped reading. They exchanged their voracious hunger for books for a voracious hunger for the other white meat-- People!
Shown here is a man who once read Hardy Boys, loved books on the Civil War, and had a subscription to Cat Fancier.
No More.
He can now be found downtown, feeding on the homeless.
And these young zombies. They meant well. They'd planned to come for the scavenger hunt and maybe check out some new Adam Nevill or David Moody books. Then they were infected, and all they wanted to do was a cha cha out the door to flavortown.
Probably the saddest of all is this young wanna be Barnes and Nobles customer turned into a zombie before she even knew what the letter Z was.
Okay. He's waayy to cute for me to continue this lie. In truth, no one really died or became undead or whatever.
It was all part of Metropocapylse 2012. Put together by Sarah and Dallas at the Metro Barnes and Nobles, it was everything zombies and apocalypse. I was asked to come because they love me to death, and I was asked to bring some other partners in zombie and apocalyptic crime.
.JPG)
Joe McKinney, Joe Nassise, and myself were on hand to sign a ton of books. (ashamedly I forget the other gentleman's name)
At one point there were more than 150 people in the store for the event. It went over tremendously well. I know a bunch of my fans came. They already owned my books, but left with other swag.
It was a terrific day all around.
They want to do it again next year... this time, bigger and better and more undead.
I plan on being there.
What about you?
July 9, 2012
Butterfly Winter Get's Chromed and Straubed!
New cover - Check out the blurb from Peter Straub. Want to see the style of work SEAL Team 666 is going to be like? Try this novella on for size. Would you believe it's only 99 cents?
Click if you want Butterfly Winter
A Bomber crew crash lands in a remote area of China after dropping their bombs on Chinese cities in a terrible future war. The survivors are embraced by a hamlet filled with children, only to learn that doom might have come to claim them all.
Excerpt:
Pearson stared down at his hands as they shook above the small keyboard. This was his moment. He had a choice. He had the power to make a difference. A statistic flashed through his mind: Shanghai has 861 regular secondary schools with 795,400 students and 76,600 teaching staff. Shanghai has 1,021 primary schools with 788,600 students and a teaching staff of 61,300. The attendance rate of school-age children is 99.99%. What got him every time was the attendance rate. 99.99 percent. Every time he remembered this fact he couldn't help but imagine that the one tenth of one percent who didn't go to school must surely have felt left out. And in the Xu Hui district, in the southern part of Shanghai west of the Huangpu River, primary target of the Morning Star and sister city to Irvine, California, 451,000 students were just waking for school.
Click if you want Butterfly Winter for .99 cents
Click if you want Butterfly Winter
A Bomber crew crash lands in a remote area of China after dropping their bombs on Chinese cities in a terrible future war. The survivors are embraced by a hamlet filled with children, only to learn that doom might have come to claim them all.
Excerpt:
Pearson stared down at his hands as they shook above the small keyboard. This was his moment. He had a choice. He had the power to make a difference. A statistic flashed through his mind: Shanghai has 861 regular secondary schools with 795,400 students and 76,600 teaching staff. Shanghai has 1,021 primary schools with 788,600 students and a teaching staff of 61,300. The attendance rate of school-age children is 99.99%. What got him every time was the attendance rate. 99.99 percent. Every time he remembered this fact he couldn't help but imagine that the one tenth of one percent who didn't go to school must surely have felt left out. And in the Xu Hui district, in the southern part of Shanghai west of the Huangpu River, primary target of the Morning Star and sister city to Irvine, California, 451,000 students were just waking for school.
Click if you want Butterfly Winter
for .99 cents
July 8, 2012
Seeking Credit Card Thief for Long Walks on the Beach
Dear Credit Card # Thief who lives hetween Skokie and Vernon Hills Illinois,
I hope you enjoyed your dinners at Epic Burger and Jason's Deli. I hope the movie at AMC Theaters was awesome. Looks like you took your whole family AND got popcorn. Good for you. And also congrats on the new outfit from TJ Maxx, the gas and the parking meter fee. Also terrific that you went online and sent your father a gift. I'm sure he appreciates it. I'm only sorry Macy's and Trader Joe's declined you. Oh well, you can't win them all.
Luckily, my bank isn't charging me for any of these or the several other odd purchases we'll keep between us.
Unlucky is that I'm told they have pictures of you. I hope you combed your hair that day. With the amount of folks looking at it and the BOLO, I'd hate for them to see you when not at your best. I hope your outfits from TJ Maxx make you the handsomest criminal in Chicago's Northwestern Suburbs.
Best Wishes and Bonne Chance,
The Credit Card Owner
PS. I hear the double Epic Burger with Fried Egg is to die for. Try it before it's too late... only this time, sadly, you'll have to buy it not using my money.
July 3, 2012
Blood Ocean Scarrage and Interviews
On Blood Ocean - "Fans of China Mieville may also notice similarities with his sprawling and gorgeous “The Scar” with its floating city, cultural diversity and grotesque body modification, but those heavy sociopolitical depths aren’t attempted here. In fact, ignoring the horror content, this almost feels like a book for younger audiences. That’s not because this is euphemistic or lightweight storytelling. I think it’s partly due to a sense of optimism despite the odds, but mainly because it’s a wild ride driven by a fresh-faced youth that doesn’t contrive to be disturbing or profound, but concentrates on shovelling coal into its furnace." (Full Review)Someone just sent this to me.
I read it when Matthew Fryer first posted the review, but it's sometimes nice to revisit them. I found The Scar to be an amazing book. My favorite of China's thusfar. There's so much lyrical description in The Scar, it's one of the few books I intend to reread.
I think the 'younger audiences' comment is attributable to the universal theme of hope, even in the face of hopelessness, that really identifies us as a species. Ray Bradbury captured that often in his work. I think that sort of implacable naivete is what strikes me so much about his writing and what I automatically inculcate into my own.
Thanks Abaddon Books for letting my play in your sandbox.
BTW- getting interviewed by Kellie Hwang today about the Metropocalpyse Event on July 14th. Kellie is the entertainment reporter for The Arizona Republic Newspaper.
I'm also getting interviewed Friday, live on Blog Talk Radio.
July 1, 2012
Invasion of the British Snatchers
Sarah and me giving away an award at the 2010Bram Stoker Awards in England - that's her laughing
at something I'm saying... probably dorky.First of all, it's a coincidence that this post is up against the London Olympic Games. I am not an official sponsor of the London Olympics. They asked me to be, but I as informed I'd be paid in mushy peas. I like peas. I really do. But if I wanted mine pre-chewed, I'd order them that way.
Second of all, I'm not an Anglophile. I'm a Welshman in exile, so you can figure that out pretty easily. Several times while writing this I actually cramped up. It's hard sometimes to give credit where it's due.
In all seriousness, there were three English-made projects I saw this year that literally blew my socks off and I am obligated to give them their due. (I know that some of these were made in 2010, but to me they were new, so...)
Adam Nevill's The Ritual was the first book I read last week-- Sarah's was the second --and let me tell you what a terrific week of reading it was. I don't think I've met Adam, but we have the same publisher. Still, when I saw the cover and his name, I knew I wanted to read it. I've wanted to read Adam for some time now, so... I gave the book clerk my money, and left with a bag of books. I literally dove into The Ritual. To say it's atmospheric is to say San Francisco has a little fog now and then. This book is steeped in the creep. The story of a group of college friends who set out to hike through an ancient Scandinavian forest, they begin to encounter things that would make the Blair Witch pee her little black panties. This dire book left me gasping several times... the sign of an amazingly-skilled writer. I'm definitely going to read me some Nevill again.
I've known Sarah since we met in Montreal in 2001 (has it been that long ago?), when she quit being a school teacher (or was in the process of quitting) to become a writer in Toronto or New York circa 2007ish (according to what we can piece together). I'd read some of her earlier books, which were good, but her latest works from Gollancz (coming to America by Ace) are amazing. Regarding A Matter of Blood, what on the surface appears to be a police procedural in a nearby future, slowly becomes one man's destiny to discover what the glow is and who the Dog-faced Gods are. This is epic dark fantasy disguised as a simple mystery. Sarah's prose in this book is enviable. As an author, I know she spent considerable time working her sentences. These aren't first draft throws. These are artful without being stodgy. I could fawn over them for hours. This book is hard, cold, but with glimpses into a reality far deeper than any furrow in our flesh. I've tracked down book two and it's on the way. Book three will be in my hands shortly afterward. With any luck, I'll have read the trilogy before the first one is printed using American ink. I'm so pleased for Sarah. If this doesn't get her name in everyone's conversations, I might have to come to each of your homes and smack you over the head with this book. Maybe that will get your attention.
Now let's talk about The Jaw-- or Kiera Knightly as the rest of the world knows here. I first saw her in King Arthur, but you probably know her from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, or the cute movie, Bend it Like Beckam. Well, I was sick one day after we moved into our new house and I flipped to a movie that was just staring. It captivated me. It shocked me. It was so damn terribly fabulous. How come I never heard of it? The movie was Never Let Me Go. It's an alternate history science fiction drama about cloned kids who grow up as organ donors for their 'real' versions. I think about this movie all the time. The acting was so powerful. Not just from The Jaw, but from the rest of the cast, especially Carey Mulligan. This movie is at once hopeful and hopeless. It's about as powerful a movie about the nature of what it takes to be human as anything I've ever seen.Get on your Netflix or favorite shopping store and buy this movie. Then buy Adam's and Sarah's books. If you can, buy them from a bookstore, and when you go there, tell them that I sent you.
June 24, 2012
Where Weston Makes Hooch
So I made my own hooch.
I know. Some of you aren't surprised. After all, what redneck can't make a little moonshine?
But I've since left my days of redneckery (redneckedness?) behind. I'm no longer that mountain boy fresh out of the forest doing the by-golly-Jesus at the world. I've been places. I've done things. And ever since my wife and I went to Naples, we've had a love for lemoncello.
Me in Italy circa 2008But those of you who were thinking moonshine aren't far off. See, lemoncello to the Eye-talians is hooch. Every mom and pop store, every family, every restaurant makes their own. Some is sweet enough to crack your teeth. Some is strong enough to put you on your ass. No two places make it the same.
Well, I've been wanting to make this for some time now.
We recently had a killer Eye-talian restaurant open in Sierra Vista called Cafe Mimosa. They are the real Neopolitan deal. Vickie and Wendall Gilbert have just a terrific thing going. They also make their on hooch. So I asked for the recipe. Now, Vickie treats that thing like it's part of the crown jewels, and holds it closer than Colonel Sanders does his fifteen herbs and spices. But you see, Vickie has a penchant for zombies. She likes to read horror. So picture me laughing as I asked for the recipe.
And I got it.
And you know what? It's pathetically simple. I just substituted 100 proof vodka for the base instead of everclear-- that's too strong for this little man.
Recipe:
20-30 Lemons, zested only. No pulp, juice or plith
4 cups simple syrup
1.5 liters of 100 proof vodka
Put in container, cover and steep for ten days. And this is what you get.
I used to make Meade in this bad boy
I couldn't find any cheese clothe, so I got a strainer withholes so small, I couldn't drag a gnats ass through one
I triple filtered it to get out all the goo.
Then using a ladle (after I spilled), I began filling what I could.
And this is the result. See that golden color of liquid sunshine?
One glass for me.
Ahhh!
And because I'm rolling in the lemoncello right now, I think I'll make a lemoncello buerre blanc for my salmon this evening.
Ahh.
Yum.
Burp.
I know. Some of you aren't surprised. After all, what redneck can't make a little moonshine?
But I've since left my days of redneckery (redneckedness?) behind. I'm no longer that mountain boy fresh out of the forest doing the by-golly-Jesus at the world. I've been places. I've done things. And ever since my wife and I went to Naples, we've had a love for lemoncello.
Me in Italy circa 2008But those of you who were thinking moonshine aren't far off. See, lemoncello to the Eye-talians is hooch. Every mom and pop store, every family, every restaurant makes their own. Some is sweet enough to crack your teeth. Some is strong enough to put you on your ass. No two places make it the same.Well, I've been wanting to make this for some time now.
We recently had a killer Eye-talian restaurant open in Sierra Vista called Cafe Mimosa. They are the real Neopolitan deal. Vickie and Wendall Gilbert have just a terrific thing going. They also make their on hooch. So I asked for the recipe. Now, Vickie treats that thing like it's part of the crown jewels, and holds it closer than Colonel Sanders does his fifteen herbs and spices. But you see, Vickie has a penchant for zombies. She likes to read horror. So picture me laughing as I asked for the recipe.
And I got it.
And you know what? It's pathetically simple. I just substituted 100 proof vodka for the base instead of everclear-- that's too strong for this little man.
Recipe:
20-30 Lemons, zested only. No pulp, juice or plith
4 cups simple syrup
1.5 liters of 100 proof vodka
Put in container, cover and steep for ten days. And this is what you get.
I used to make Meade in this bad boy
I couldn't find any cheese clothe, so I got a strainer withholes so small, I couldn't drag a gnats ass through one
I triple filtered it to get out all the goo.
Then using a ladle (after I spilled), I began filling what I could.
And this is the result. See that golden color of liquid sunshine?
One glass for me.
Ahhh!And because I'm rolling in the lemoncello right now, I think I'll make a lemoncello buerre blanc for my salmon this evening.
Ahh.
Yum.
Burp.
June 22, 2012
NPR and Edits and The Loup Garou Kid
This has been a big week. On Tuesday, my son drove down to spend a few days. I haven't seen him for six months, and with deploying to Afghanistan in November, I might not see him for another year. So it was very special to have him down. Wednesday was my 47th Birthday. I engorged myself in seafood at a local sushi bar, especially loving the Hamachi Kama, or Grilled Yellowtail Cheek.
Of course, also on my birthday I was given a present by St. Martin's Press-- 400 pages of copy edits for SEAL Team 666. This came with a style sheet, a list of questions and a manuscript marked up with enough pencil marks, I thought a blind man had had an epileptic seizure. You never would have known I'd had three previous edits. Whomever is working for St. Martin's is on top of it. He or she caught some previously missed inconsistencies, as well as smoothed some prose that got broken from all the insertions and deletions from previous edits. I'm about half way through. I need to have it back to them by Wednesday, so I have to get cracking.
[image error] While doing edits yesterday, I was called by Arizona Public Media, the state National Public Radio Station. Mark McLemore, host of Arizona Spotlight, wanted to run an interview we'd previously conducted. He had some follow up and framing questions and we spoke for about forty minutes. It was a very pleasant interruption. I'm writing this blog after having heard the first broadcast. I'm becoming more accustomed to hearing my voice on the radio. I actually think I sounded semi-intelligent, if not partially intellectual. The interview can be found here (or there is a link here to follow).
Last week saw shipment of The Loup Garou Kid to collectors. I didn't want this to get lost in all the hooplah of summer. The Loup Garou Kid finishes the story started by Vampire Outlaw of the Milky Way, and continued in Lord of the Lash. This is the final tale of our young epileptic hero, Jimmy Kinder. He gets to meet the characters in real life he thought only lived in his mind. This is a fine finish to the trilogy. I especially like the cover. It represents a Boris Vallejo-themed pose, while giving nods to the characters love of comic books and Saturday morning cartoons.
If you have a hankering, there are still a few copies of this limited edition, signed and numbered chapbook left.
Of course, also on my birthday I was given a present by St. Martin's Press-- 400 pages of copy edits for SEAL Team 666. This came with a style sheet, a list of questions and a manuscript marked up with enough pencil marks, I thought a blind man had had an epileptic seizure. You never would have known I'd had three previous edits. Whomever is working for St. Martin's is on top of it. He or she caught some previously missed inconsistencies, as well as smoothed some prose that got broken from all the insertions and deletions from previous edits. I'm about half way through. I need to have it back to them by Wednesday, so I have to get cracking.[image error] While doing edits yesterday, I was called by Arizona Public Media, the state National Public Radio Station. Mark McLemore, host of Arizona Spotlight, wanted to run an interview we'd previously conducted. He had some follow up and framing questions and we spoke for about forty minutes. It was a very pleasant interruption. I'm writing this blog after having heard the first broadcast. I'm becoming more accustomed to hearing my voice on the radio. I actually think I sounded semi-intelligent, if not partially intellectual. The interview can be found here (or there is a link here to follow).
Last week saw shipment of The Loup Garou Kid to collectors. I didn't want this to get lost in all the hooplah of summer. The Loup Garou Kid finishes the story started by Vampire Outlaw of the Milky Way, and continued in Lord of the Lash. This is the final tale of our young epileptic hero, Jimmy Kinder. He gets to meet the characters in real life he thought only lived in his mind. This is a fine finish to the trilogy. I especially like the cover. It represents a Boris Vallejo-themed pose, while giving nods to the characters love of comic books and Saturday morning cartoons.
If you have a hankering, there are still a few copies of this limited edition, signed and numbered chapbook left.
June 19, 2012
Blaze of Glory Contest Winners!
Elvis has spoken!
First a review of the contest. Here are the rules:Here's the BLUF: The first ten people to review Blaze of Glory on Amazon or Barnes and Nobles will have the opportunity to win the signed, limited, leather-bound hardback copy, valued at $50. I'm including four runner up prizes, as well, signed copies of the Burning Effigy Press novella and Bram Stoker Award Finalist for Long Fiction, Redemption Roadshow. That gives you a 1 in 2 chance of winning. That's fifty/fifty. Better than the lottery and you know how much money you spend on the lottery with a microscopic chance of winning. Here you win when you read the book -- everything else is gravy.
Bottom line is that I need reviews. Yes! Reviews! Those strung together groups of words that talk about your feelings about the content of something you read.
Blaze of Glory is doing awesomely. It's number #1 still in African-American Horror Fiction category and in the top ten of several other categories. And all that without any reviews. But it's time to step up our game.
Buy the novel for $2.99, read it, review it, then drop me a line saying who you are and that you reviewed it.
Jack Ketchum liked it: “BLAZE OF GLORY turns the Monster-Apocalypse subgenre on its gory ear. It’s funny, suspenseful and resolutely quirky, with a great cast of characters.”
My Elvis and he's not looking so happy.Blaze of Glory is one of his favorites and he
doesn't want to have to stare at the empty
space on the shelf.
After a long conversation with my animatronic Elvis and a roll of my old 10 Sided Dungeons and Dragons dice, Elvis chose the five winners. Thanks so much for taking the time to read the book and for all of your just amazing reviews. You didn't have to post all good reviews, although I am happy you did. I would have given you a prize for a bad review too.
The winners are:
1st - Zengal - Winner of the Limited Edition copy of Blaze of Glory
2nd - Troy Knutson - Winner of a signed copy of Redemption Roadshow
3rd - Kevin Starkey- Winner of a signed copy of Redemption Roadshow
4th - Dawn the Glass Bead Maker- Winner of a signed copy of Redemption Roadshow
5th - Larry Meier- Winner of a signed copy of Redemption Roadshow
Please contact me so I can arrange for shipment.
![[image error]](http://www.badmoonbooks.com/images/P/loupgarou_web.jpg){kind=link}