Asteroids

If there are any near earth orbit asteroids out there, tonight would be a good night for you to come crashing to Earth...anything, just don't make me go back tomorrow.....................................................

One more day of vacation

Tomorrow will be the last day of my vacation, and damn has it been productive. I would estimate that I've written close to 15,000 words in the last four days. I've also managed to work out a few of the bugs in the book that doesn't want to get written. Damn it feels good.
However, on Tuesday I have to go back to work, and I'll bet I get to write once a week if I'm lucky...so obviously there's a horribly strong feeling of dread as that day approaches.
Why do we have to live in a world where we have to chose money over happiness. I know that if I had more time to write, I'd be much happier, and I could make something of it. I don't know if I'd ever achieve the professional level, but I could do more than I'm doing now, and I know I'd be happier, which has to count for something.
Instead, I'm forced to do a job I hate just so I can pay my bills...and then one day I'll die...you have to ask if it's really worth it or not..............

Cat site

I often visit Keith Graham's blog (http://www.cthreepo.com/blog/index.shtml) and he loves to post pictures of his cats. I don't take a lot of pictures, so there are only a few photos of the demon that lives with me...but I found this site, and just couldn't stop laughing.

I especially liked Doppler...

Laura Givens art show

Last night I went to the opening of an art show by local aritst Laura Givens. Laura and I met at MileHiCon last year where we did a couple of panels together. She had also done some artwork, including the door art for The Fifth Di..., for Sam's Dot. In addition, she's also the art editor for Tales of the Talisman, and in the most recent issue, she did the interior artwork for my story "The Ancient Ones."

She's got some amazing work, and I would strongly encourage you to head over to her site and check some of her stuff out.

More details about the signing

The book signing will be Sunday June 4th at 3:00 P.M.

If you're in Denver, Who Else! Books is on Broadway between 1st and Ellsworth.

Book signing

I've just gotten word that I'll be doing a book signing and possibly a reading at Who Else! Books here in Denver in June. Most likely it will be either the 4th or the 11th, but we're still working on the details.

Keep an eye tuned here for more info, and if you're going to be in Denver at the time of the signing, please stop by...

Story collection available as a pdf

My short story collection, Marionettes on the Moon, and other stories is now available as a pdf file from Nomadic Delirium Press. It sells for just $3.00.

Yes, the royalties aren't as good for me...but money's money, right?

Tattered Cover Bookstore

For those of you who live in Colorado, I'm sure you're familiar with The Tattered Cover Bookstore. For those of you who don't live in Colorado, you should become familiar with this store. It is one of, if not the best, independant bookstore around...certainly the best in Colorado.
The place is huge, although they will soon be moving...but the new place should be just as big.
Anyway, the point of all of this is that I'm now a Tattered Cover affiliate. On my main page, you will find a link where you can order books, and yes, I do receive a small payment for your orders...remember, it's the "Help J Escape from Subway Fund," so it's worth the order.

So, head on over to my site, and click on the link and at least have a look around. I think you'll be impressed. It has to say something for the place that Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy Award winning author Dan Simmons starts every book tour at this store.

Watch this if you've ever gamed

A while back, Mike Bortherton (http://www.mikebrotherton.com) had this link on his site. Since I was still on dial-up, I couldn't watch the movie, but now that I have high-speed, I was able to enjoy it.

I have to admit that I am an avid D&D gamer, although I haven't played in a while, and sadly, I've seen guys just like this. Of course, if you've recently been to a Con, you might have run into these guys as well.

Geeks can be great people, but some of them just scare the hell out of me!!!

I've finally joined the 21st century

After years of putting it off, I've finally gone high speed with Broadband. Hopefully it will be worth the money...

Tales of the Talisman

The new issue of Tales of the Talisman with my story "The Ancient Ones" has just been released. You can pick up your copy by clicking on the title of this post. That will take you to The Genre Mall...just scroll down to the new issue and buy a copy, and buy them for your friends as well.

MileHiCon

I've recently received my invitation to MileHiCon. I will once again be a guest at this year's con.

So, if you're planning on being in the Denver area Oct. 27-29, please stop by!!!

New story

I've finally gotten around to posting a new story on my website. It's a bit of a love story, or at least my effort at a love story...god knows it's not a subject I should be writing about.

It's hard to believe that it's been almost six years since the story was written. I was so much more prolific then...of course the quality was lower in those days...at least I think so, and I hope my readers agree.

Enjoy the story...

Great first lines

Locus Magazine published a brief list of some of the best first lines in genre fiction, here were a few of my favorites...

"A screaming came across the sky."
"It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen."
"The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel."
"It was like so, but wasn't."
"All this happened, more or less."
"It was the day my grandmother exploded."
"It was a pleasure to burn"


You might recognize some of them, but damn, I wish I'd written one or two of them...

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!!!