Locus Magazine

I just got my new edition of Locus Magazine today. For those of you unfamiliar with the title, Locus is the premier magazine about the SF field. They don't publish stories or anything like that, but they do give tons of information about the business of SF publishing.

In the last few months my perspective on this magazine has changed quite a bit. Now when I read it, it's not just a bunch of names of authors to me. Instead I'll read a snippet and think, "I did a panel with that person at CopperCon," or "I remember talking to them in the bar at MileHiCon last year. They're no longer just names on a page, they're people I actually know...people I've actually talked to about the business. Pretty damn cool, if you ask me.

Now, if I could just get my name in the magazine. I've been mentioned on the website, but I'm yet to crack the magazine.

I guess I'd have to be writing in order to have a chance at that, right?

Well, maybe soon...

VACATION

After who knows how many 50-60 hour work weeks, I'm finally taking a vacation. It's only five days, so I won't even really have time to recover, but it will be nice to not have to get up hours before dawn every morning...although I was up at 5:00 today.

Who knows, maybe I'll even get some writing done...I can dream, can't I???

The best road names in America

10. Tater Peeler Road in Lebanon, Texas
9. The intersection of Count and Basie in Richmond, Va.
8. Shades of Death Road in Warren County, N.J.
7. Unexpected Road in Buena, N.J.
6. Bucket of Blood Street in Holbrook, Ariz.
5. The intersection of Clinton and Fidelity in Houston
4. The intersection of Lonesome and Hardup in Albany, Ga.
3. Farfrompoopen Road in Tennessee (the only road up to Constipation Ridge)
2. Divorce Court in Heather Highlands, Pa.
1. Psycho Path in Traverse City, Mich.

Robert Sawyer added to MileHiCon

Robert Sawyer has been added as a GoH for MileHiCon. He's a great writer, and a really nice guy. I met him at CopperCon last year when he came up and introduced himself to me...not many GoHs will do that. I'm really looking forward to MileHiCon this year...maybe I can even score a panel with him.

New merchants added to my mall

I've added some new merchants to the mall on my website. This is an affiliate type thing that I do where I get a commission off of each sale that goes through my site. So, if you're planning on buying anything from any of the merchants, I'd ask you to click through my mall and put some money in my pocket...every penny gets me that much closer to escaping from Subway!!!!!

There are even a couple of travel sites on their for a certain digger I know...plus Overstock.com is on there, which is a great place to buy just about anything.

Thanks for your support!!

Math with the insane

Obviously I've been very busy with the new job. Last week was just 50 hours, but they're early hours, and it tends to wear me down quite a bit...but I'll adjust...eventually.

One thing I've become very aware of since taking this job (actually I've known it for a while, but I'm just becoming even more acutely aware of it) is that people can't do math...and I'm even talking about supposedly intelligent people (hello, blondie). I have to do counts every morning on a wide number of items, and I'm amazed at how often people can't do proper subtraction.

On a box of delis (58-16=32)!!!! Granted, I'm especially good at math...but that's just sad, and I see it all the time. How did these people make it through high school? Better question, how do these people make it through life??? I'd hate to see them balance a checkbook!!!

A day with the twins

After working more than 100 hours in 10 days, I took yesterday off and spent the day with the twins (almost five). If you ever need to gain perspective on what's really important in life, spend some time with kids. They'll make you realize what really matters!!!

Haven't gotten any writing done in quite some time...hopefully things will settle down at work in the next week, and I'll be able to get some writing done, and maybe get caught up on the other half a million things I've fallen behind on.

Bad Editor, Bad Editor

I don't mind rejection letters (much). God knows that I have enough of them to wallpaper this little shithole that I live in at least two times over...if not three, but if an editor is going to reject a story, they should at least send a rejection letter, even a form letter.

It's just rude to send back an author's manuscript (late, I might add) with nothing. Was it really that bad???

Nothing new to report

Contrary to popular belief, I am still alive. I've been putting in a lot of hours trying to get things put back together at the "real" job, and I've also been battling my normal early year head and chest cold. So, basically I've been medicating myself to the point that I'm almost blonde, working 8-10 hours, and then coming home to sleep.

Just hoping that this doesn't turn into pleurisy like it did last year, but I don't think it will...as it seems to be leaving my system, and if I can get tomorrow off, I should be all better...

I must be crazy

Everyone's heard me bitch and moan about my job for a very long time...and as I've become more and more frustrated over the last few months, I finally decided to do what any irrational, illogical, and insane human being would do...I let them promote me!!!

Yes, I'm no longer the assistant manager at one of the busiest Subways in Colorado...I'm now the manager (or will be in a few days.) WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING???

Oh well, knowing me, and the way I thrive on stress, I'll start cranking out a story a week, and maybe I'll even finish the damn book.

One can hope, right? RIGHT? RIGHT?

P&E Poll

Preditors & Editors is having their annual readers' poll once again. Usually Sam's Dot puts together a ballot that we try to convince people to follow, but this year, I've been too busy and basically forgot...so no ballot this year.

Someone has nominated me for writer and zine editor, so I'd certainly encourage people to vote for me, but you won't find me beating the bushes for voters, as this poll tends to favor romance writers, but hey, if I could get a top ten, that would be cool.

I would encourage people to vote for Sam's Dot and Nomadic Delirium, as I really like both of those publishers....

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone. I hope 2006 brings you everything you could possibly hope for. No New Years resolutions here. I think they're a waste of time, and they're a one way ticket to depressions...because, really, how many people are able to keep their resolutions, and then we just end up getting frustrated and angry, and who needs that????

Page 1

I've officially started the novel over again. I tried to fix it from where I was, but it just wasn't happening, so now it's back to the drawing board.

Writing is easy they say.......grumble, grumble, grumble.........

Happy Holidays

I just wanted to wish everyone a happy holiday weekend, and I do say happy holidays because there are a lot of holidays being celebrated...not for PC reasons. And for those that think that we need to get back to where this holiday season came from, I say Happy Saturnalia.

Insomnia

Anyone know a good cure for insomnia??? Other than prescriptions or reading my old stats book? I've had trouble sleeping for years, but this week has been really bad. I feel like I'm a zombie just barely stumbling through life...

I've tried teas, tai-chi, and just about everything else...

If you like kick ass metal

If you like the kind of in your face metal that kicks your ass and then leaves you lying bloody by the side of the road, then you have to pick up "Doctor Butcher." That's the band and the album.

This is a re-release of a ten year old album with new bonus tracks. The band was put together by Jon Oliva and Chris Caffery of Savatage as a way of releasing some pent up aggressions, I would guess, as it's even heavier than what Savatage puts out.

And as I understand, there are plans for more Doctor Butcher songs, which is amazing given the amount of music Jon Oliva is involved with. Savatage has spawned a lot of side projects, including Jon Oliva's Pain, Circle II Circle, Chris Caffery's Faces, and of course their most famous side project Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

TSO and Dr. Butcher, that's an amazing spread of music...........

Tales of the Talisman story

I got a glimpse of the artwork that will be going with my story in Issue 4 of Tales of the Talisman, and it's quite cool...which shouldn't be a surprise since Laura Givens did the work. Laura's one of the best artists in the small press world, and should really be doing covers for major publishers.

Denver in 2008

Denver is making a bid to host WorldCon in 2008, so follow the link above and check out what they're offering, and while you're at it, become a pre-supporting member, because let's face it, Denver would be a much better choice than Chicago or Columbus.

Damn it's windy

I love living in Colorado, but the one thing I've always hated about it is the wind...it's almost always windy here, and today's certainly no exception. We're getting sustained winds between 30 & 50 mph with hurricane force gusts. My power's been knocked out several times already this morning.

I'm really not looking forward to that long walk to work in a couple of hours. If you don't hear from me for a few days, look for me in Kansas...

The novel that doesn't want to get written

I've now come to the harsh realization that this novel I've been working on just is not working. Where it started, where it is now, and where I see it going just don't seem to blend together into any kind of cohesive whole. Hell, at this point, I'm not even sure they're part of the same book (exaggerating, but there are some definite problems.)

I'm now faced with the sad task of either plodding through to the end, and hoping that something comes out of it that I can edit into an actual book, or starting the whole damn thing over again.

And writing's fun, right? I think I heard someone say that once...........excuse me, I need to find that person...we need to have a long talk...................