A new supplement in the Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica is now
available. We're starting to look at "Near Space." These are systems
that are close to the main systems of the six species, but actually
aren't under their control. In many places, you'll find worlds that
have been colonized by one of the six species, or you might find worlds
that had been colonized by an ancient species, or you might find
something even stranger.
This supplement looks at three of the sectors of Near Space.
Order from us at: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/ephemeris-encyclopedia-galactica-sectors-1-2-4/
or
Order from DriveThruRPG at: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/127723/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Sectors-One-Two--Four
Monday, March 24, 2014
My Writing Process-Blog Tour
Today I’m participating in a blog tour where authors discuss their
writing process. My friend, the extremely talented David Lee Summers, posted last week.
You can learn about his writing process here: http://dlsummers.wordpress.com.
So, sit back, and you'll get a chance to learn something of how I write...
What am I working on?
After spending a lot of time working on novels, I'm taking a bit of a break and going back to writing short stories. This is where I cut my teeth as a writer, and as much fun as I think novels are to write, I enjoy short stories even more. I think trying to condense a great deal of detail into a very small number of words is every bit as challenging as writing a novel, but in a very different way.
I've also been spending a great deal of time writing supplements for the Ephemeris RPG, which is a very different kind of writing, but just as challenging and just as fun.
How does my work differ from others of its genre?
While you can definitely see the influence of writers like Asimov and Heinlein on my work, I think my work tends to focus a lot more on the individual as opposed to the "big" idea. Much of my work centers around the idea of the individual oppressed by society, or technology. Although I often try to paint an optimistic picture of the future, much of my work is pessimistic. I also think I focus a lot more on dystopias than many other writers.
Why do I write what I do?
I think the answer that "I have to" is a pretty good reason. I've been fascinated by science fiction since I was a very young boy. I first saw Star Wars when I was seven, and yesterday was probably the 50th time that I've watched it (or maybe it's more), and I've loved everything SF ever since. Science Fiction also gives me the opportunity to express some of my concerns about society in a way that isn't necessarily preachy. Authors have been using SF to talk about the ills of society for decades, and I'm just following their lead.
How does your writing process work?
Much of my writing is done in my head before I even sit down in front of a keyboard. Since I have three kids, ages 3-13, actual writing time can be difficult to come by, so I more or less have to write whenever I have time..
If I'm working on a hard SF piece, I will also spend a great deal of time researching the science I'm going to use because I want to make sure I get it right.
Once I start writing, I'm not the revise as you go type. I tend to plow through a story until I get to the end. Once I'm done, I let it sit for a bit and then go back and do massive revisions. A lot of times my rough drafts are deficient in description, so I go back and add that in the second draft. Once that's done, I let it sit again for a while before I do a third draft. After that, I hope the story is done, and I move onto the next story I want to write.
Next week:
On Monday, March 31st, please visit the following blogs to learn about these wonderful authors:
Ian Brazee-Cannon - Ian Brazee-Cannon is a writer, film maker, game designer, podcaster as well as a husband and father. His short stories have been published in The Fifth Di..., Wondrous Web Worlds, Forgotten Worlds, Tales of the Talisman and May-December Publications' anthology 'Say Goodnight to the Bad Guy'. Ian has been working with Nomadic Delirium Press on supplements for the Ephemeris RPG. He is one of the founders and regular co-hosts on the Amateur Skeptics podcast. Ian has also involved with Dangling Carrot Films, Running Riot Productions and Ijin Productions as a writer and director on their projects.
Michael Merriam -
Michael Merriam is a science fiction and fantasy author living in Hopkins, MN with his wife and an overly energetic Maine Coon. Like most writers, Michael has done a variety of odd jobs over the years including: actor, late night disc jockey, short order cook, bassist, and booking agent for a puppet troupe. Michael is legally blind due to retinitis pigmentosa. He has published three novels, two short story collections, three single-title novellas, and over 80 pieces of short fiction. Michael is also an active blogger and spoken-word performer who enjoys burgers, single-malt scotch, and attending SF conventions. Visit his website at www.michaelmerriam.net
So, sit back, and you'll get a chance to learn something of how I write...
What am I working on?
After spending a lot of time working on novels, I'm taking a bit of a break and going back to writing short stories. This is where I cut my teeth as a writer, and as much fun as I think novels are to write, I enjoy short stories even more. I think trying to condense a great deal of detail into a very small number of words is every bit as challenging as writing a novel, but in a very different way.
I've also been spending a great deal of time writing supplements for the Ephemeris RPG, which is a very different kind of writing, but just as challenging and just as fun.
How does my work differ from others of its genre?
While you can definitely see the influence of writers like Asimov and Heinlein on my work, I think my work tends to focus a lot more on the individual as opposed to the "big" idea. Much of my work centers around the idea of the individual oppressed by society, or technology. Although I often try to paint an optimistic picture of the future, much of my work is pessimistic. I also think I focus a lot more on dystopias than many other writers.
Why do I write what I do?
I think the answer that "I have to" is a pretty good reason. I've been fascinated by science fiction since I was a very young boy. I first saw Star Wars when I was seven, and yesterday was probably the 50th time that I've watched it (or maybe it's more), and I've loved everything SF ever since. Science Fiction also gives me the opportunity to express some of my concerns about society in a way that isn't necessarily preachy. Authors have been using SF to talk about the ills of society for decades, and I'm just following their lead.
How does your writing process work?
Much of my writing is done in my head before I even sit down in front of a keyboard. Since I have three kids, ages 3-13, actual writing time can be difficult to come by, so I more or less have to write whenever I have time..
If I'm working on a hard SF piece, I will also spend a great deal of time researching the science I'm going to use because I want to make sure I get it right.
Once I start writing, I'm not the revise as you go type. I tend to plow through a story until I get to the end. Once I'm done, I let it sit for a bit and then go back and do massive revisions. A lot of times my rough drafts are deficient in description, so I go back and add that in the second draft. Once that's done, I let it sit again for a while before I do a third draft. After that, I hope the story is done, and I move onto the next story I want to write.
Next week:
On Monday, March 31st, please visit the following blogs to learn about these wonderful authors:
Ian Brazee-Cannon - Ian Brazee-Cannon is a writer, film maker, game designer, podcaster as well as a husband and father. His short stories have been published in The Fifth Di..., Wondrous Web Worlds, Forgotten Worlds, Tales of the Talisman and May-December Publications' anthology 'Say Goodnight to the Bad Guy'. Ian has been working with Nomadic Delirium Press on supplements for the Ephemeris RPG. He is one of the founders and regular co-hosts on the Amateur Skeptics podcast. Ian has also involved with Dangling Carrot Films, Running Riot Productions and Ijin Productions as a writer and director on their projects.
Michael Merriam -
Michael Merriam is a science fiction and fantasy author living in Hopkins, MN with his wife and an overly energetic Maine Coon. Like most writers, Michael has done a variety of odd jobs over the years including: actor, late night disc jockey, short order cook, bassist, and booking agent for a puppet troupe. Michael is legally blind due to retinitis pigmentosa. He has published three novels, two short story collections, three single-title novellas, and over 80 pieces of short fiction. Michael is also an active blogger and spoken-word performer who enjoys burgers, single-malt scotch, and attending SF conventions. Visit his website at www.michaelmerriam.net
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Idioms about idiots
It's a new t-shirt vendor that offers you the chance to express your opinion of some of the truly frustrating people in the world...http://www.cafepress.com/idiomsaboutidiots.
Monday, March 17, 2014
A debilitating sneeze
I had just gotten Lex to sleep on Thursday night when I felt a really powerful sneeze coming on. I wanted to do my best to not wake her up, so I did everything I could to restrain it. Once I did sneeze, I felt my bad ribs pop and move around like crazy. Needless to say, I've been in almost debilitating pain ever since, and have not been getting much sleep. If I had to rate the pain, I'd call it a seven or an eight, and you have to keep in mind that I have a very high threshold for pain. I can't get comfortable unless I'm sitting up, and then it has to be on something soft like the couch...not the best way to sleep.
This made us decide to do some research on possible corrections. One thing we found is that there are very few surgeons that will actually re-do the procedure I had on adults. And of course we also found that in general, insurance companies won't cover it, and the procedure runs $10,000-$30,000. We don't know if a complete re-do would be necessary, because we were having trouble finding surgeons who even had any idea of what they might be able to do for the pain, and the one we did find was a quack and a half. Once I'm insured again, we will renew the search.
Also in our research we began to wonder if my procedure had been screwed up. Even all those years ago, it was typical for a surgeon to insert a bar to support the sternum, and given that I had the worst case my surgeon had ever seen, I'm forced to wonder why this bar wasn't inserted. Yes, it would have been another procedure two years later, but maybe that would have helped me avoid all the pain I'm in now. I'm sure no doctor will say that because they'd worry that I'd sue my surgeon, but he wasn't all that young at the time of the procedure, so I'm not even sure if he's still with us.
For now, I just have to try to deal with the pain. The 800 mg of Ibuprofen every 4-6 hours just isn't doing the trick anymore. No matter what, this is an awful place to be, and so far we haven't found anyone that might be able to help me out of it.
This made us decide to do some research on possible corrections. One thing we found is that there are very few surgeons that will actually re-do the procedure I had on adults. And of course we also found that in general, insurance companies won't cover it, and the procedure runs $10,000-$30,000. We don't know if a complete re-do would be necessary, because we were having trouble finding surgeons who even had any idea of what they might be able to do for the pain, and the one we did find was a quack and a half. Once I'm insured again, we will renew the search.
Also in our research we began to wonder if my procedure had been screwed up. Even all those years ago, it was typical for a surgeon to insert a bar to support the sternum, and given that I had the worst case my surgeon had ever seen, I'm forced to wonder why this bar wasn't inserted. Yes, it would have been another procedure two years later, but maybe that would have helped me avoid all the pain I'm in now. I'm sure no doctor will say that because they'd worry that I'd sue my surgeon, but he wasn't all that young at the time of the procedure, so I'm not even sure if he's still with us.
For now, I just have to try to deal with the pain. The 800 mg of Ibuprofen every 4-6 hours just isn't doing the trick anymore. No matter what, this is an awful place to be, and so far we haven't found anyone that might be able to help me out of it.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Colonized Space
We've combined the first six volumes of the EEG into one tome, and it's now available:
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Colonized Space is a combination of the first six volumes of the Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica. It looks at each sector of space that is controlled by one of the six species. An invaluable supplement for anyone playing the Ephemeris Science Fiction Role Playing Game, especially those that have been looking for campaign settings for their games.
A useful tool for both players and game masters, this supplement will help elevate your Ephemeris game to the next level.
Before ordering, please keep in mind that this supplement contains the same information that was released individually in the EEG for sectors 3, 8, 9, 10, 13, & 21.
Order from Nomadic Delirium Press at: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/the-ephemeris-encyclopedia-galactica-colonized-space/
or
Order from DriveThruRPG at: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/127376/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Colonized-Space
We are also working on releasing this as a paperback. More details as they are available.
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Colonized Space is a combination of the first six volumes of the Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica. It looks at each sector of space that is controlled by one of the six species. An invaluable supplement for anyone playing the Ephemeris Science Fiction Role Playing Game, especially those that have been looking for campaign settings for their games.
A useful tool for both players and game masters, this supplement will help elevate your Ephemeris game to the next level.
Before ordering, please keep in mind that this supplement contains the same information that was released individually in the EEG for sectors 3, 8, 9, 10, 13, & 21.
Order from Nomadic Delirium Press at: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/the-ephemeris-encyclopedia-galactica-colonized-space/
or
Order from DriveThruRPG at: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/127376/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Colonized-Space
We are also working on releasing this as a paperback. More details as they are available.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Insurance company BS
We got a letter from our health insurance notifying us that they aren't going to pay for Alexis' overnight stay after her surgery because they deemed it unnecessary. I'm not exactly sure what their criteria are for "necessary," but I think it's ridiculous that a health insurance company thinks they know more about health care than the actual doctors. From the beginning, it was expected that she would stay overnight. The only reason she wouldn't have is if they only had to remove the cyst, but the fact that they actually had to remove part of a bone from her neck made the overnight stay necessary in the eyes of our doctor. This is the kind of BS that needs to stop.
When I was unsuccessfully trying to get treatment for my chronic pain, the health insurance company wanted to refuse a cat scan for me. I really love these guys.
Based on the rambling letter they sent us, it sounds like they actually aren't going to screw us over, but instead they're going to screw the hospital over. And people wonder why health care is so expensive.
We need a complete dismantling of the insurance industry, not stop gap fixes.
When I was unsuccessfully trying to get treatment for my chronic pain, the health insurance company wanted to refuse a cat scan for me. I really love these guys.
Based on the rambling letter they sent us, it sounds like they actually aren't going to screw us over, but instead they're going to screw the hospital over. And people wonder why health care is so expensive.
We need a complete dismantling of the insurance industry, not stop gap fixes.
Monday, March 10, 2014
The new Cosmos
I watched the new Cosmos series last night. I have to admit that being a huge fan of the original series, I was a bit skeptical about this one. After watching the first episode, I'd have to say that I'm not as skeptical as I was, but I'm also not completely sold on it either. I liked that they made it different enough from the first series that it didn't seem like a rehashing of that series. I also liked that they paid tribute to the original series, especially showing Carl Sagan's planner with the name Neil Tyson on one of the Saturdays...it was a nice way to show some continuity.
Will this show be able to live up to what the original series did? It's hard to say. The original series had a huge impact on a lot of people, especially me. I was only ten at the time, and fascinated by science, so this hit me at the perfect time. That's a little hard for the new series to live up to.
Thinking back to the first series, the first episode was a little slow, just like the new series...more of a tease for both than an actual episode. Suffice it to say that I will tune in next week, and hopefully this one will pull me in like the original did.
Will this show be able to live up to what the original series did? It's hard to say. The original series had a huge impact on a lot of people, especially me. I was only ten at the time, and fascinated by science, so this hit me at the perfect time. That's a little hard for the new series to live up to.
Thinking back to the first series, the first episode was a little slow, just like the new series...more of a tease for both than an actual episode. Suffice it to say that I will tune in next week, and hopefully this one will pull me in like the original did.
Sunday, March 09, 2014
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sector Ten (Human Space)
The Human sector of space has now been charted in the latest installment of The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica:
The Humans are the newest species on the celestial block. Some view them as a breath of fresh air, while others view them as being the biggest threat the galaxy has ever seen. Now you can learn about the planets they’ve colonized, the systems that they couldn’t colonize, and the systems that they hope will lead them to galactic colonization (conquest).
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica will be a multi-volume collection looking at each sector of space. The Encyclopedia continues with Sector Ten (Human Space).
Pick up your copy from us at http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/ephemeris-encyclopedia-galactica-sector-ten-human-space
or
Pick up your copy from DriveThruRPG at http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/127192/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Sector-Ten-Human-Space
The Humans are the newest species on the celestial block. Some view them as a breath of fresh air, while others view them as being the biggest threat the galaxy has ever seen. Now you can learn about the planets they’ve colonized, the systems that they couldn’t colonize, and the systems that they hope will lead them to galactic colonization (conquest).
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica will be a multi-volume collection looking at each sector of space. The Encyclopedia continues with Sector Ten (Human Space).
Pick up your copy from us at http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/ephemeris-encyclopedia-galactica-sector-ten-human-space
or
Pick up your copy from DriveThruRPG at http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/127192/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Sector-Ten-Human-Space
Wednesday, March 05, 2014
Holy crap! There's a teenager in the house!
My oldest turns 13 today. That's absolutely unbelievable, and something that we're not entirely ready for. We're so proud of the young woman she's becoming, but we hate watching her fall into a lot of the pitfalls that we fell into as teens.
I remember my teen years as a mix of good memories, and truly horrible memories. Being a teenager is never easy, and I think for girls, especially in modern American society, the challenges are one hundred times worse than they are for teenage boys. Still, we're doing everything we can to support her as she grows up, trying to help her avoid the mistakes we made as kids (and often failing miserably.) We hope that she realizes that we will be here for her through the good choices and the bad choices, and we hope that she will come to us, instead of giving into some of the insane things her friends (or boys) might try to talk her into.
Needless to say, the next few years will be interesting...to say the least.
And just in case she's reading this instead of paying attention in class...Happy Birthday, Eryn! I love you.
I remember my teen years as a mix of good memories, and truly horrible memories. Being a teenager is never easy, and I think for girls, especially in modern American society, the challenges are one hundred times worse than they are for teenage boys. Still, we're doing everything we can to support her as she grows up, trying to help her avoid the mistakes we made as kids (and often failing miserably.) We hope that she realizes that we will be here for her through the good choices and the bad choices, and we hope that she will come to us, instead of giving into some of the insane things her friends (or boys) might try to talk her into.
Needless to say, the next few years will be interesting...to say the least.
And just in case she's reading this instead of paying attention in class...Happy Birthday, Eryn! I love you.
Tuesday, March 04, 2014
GM's Day at DriveThruRPG
Now through March 8th all Nomadic Delirium Press RPG titles are on
sale at DriveThruRPG for 30% off. This includes all of the Ephemeris
titles, as well as The Battle for Turtle Island. If you haven't tried
the games, this is a great chance to give them a shot. If you are
playing Ephemeris, then this gives you a chance to pick up some of the
supplements for less than you'd normally pay.
Go to
Go to
Monday, March 03, 2014
E-book sale
March 2nd through March 8th you can get any of Nomadic Delirium Press's e-book titles for 25% off. Simply go to https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/nomadicdelirium
and use coupon code REW25. This sale is good all week on any of their
titles, and you can use it as many times as you might want to.
This sale includes one of my novels, two of my short story collections, all of the Ephemeris products, and several zines that I edited. Grab them while you can!
This sale includes one of my novels, two of my short story collections, all of the Ephemeris products, and several zines that I edited. Grab them while you can!
Sunday, March 02, 2014
The stitches are out
Alexis had her stitches removed Friday. There's still a nasty bump by the scar, but the doctor says that's caused by her neck trying to adjust to the hyoid bone being removed, and over time, everything should go back to normal.
Overall, her health is good, and we've had the best outcome we could for. We're just very glad that this ordeal is over, and we hope to never have to go through anything like it again.
Overall, her health is good, and we've had the best outcome we could for. We're just very glad that this ordeal is over, and we hope to never have to go through anything like it again.
Saturday, March 01, 2014
February recap
EEG pictures
Busy day
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sector Twenty-One (Arbonix Space)
If only I'd had money
Why there are no black holes in the EEG
Surgery tomorrow
Healthcare in the 21st century
A reprint sale
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sector Nine (Tulmath Space)
The March issue of The Fifth Di...
Busy day
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sector Twenty-One (Arbonix Space)
If only I'd had money
Why there are no black holes in the EEG
Surgery tomorrow
Healthcare in the 21st century
A reprint sale
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sector Nine (Tulmath Space)
The March issue of The Fifth Di...
Friday, February 28, 2014
The March issue of The Fifth Di...
The March issue of The Fifth Di... is now available. This issue: The
Fifth Di… features some of the best science fiction and fantasy fiction
and poetry. In this issue: Henry Brasater, Wayne Carey, G.O. Clark, and
many more.
You can order it from us at http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/fifth-di-march-2014/ and if you use coupon code "zines" it will be 20% off.
You can also order a variety of formats from Smashwords at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/411191.
You can order it from us at http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/fifth-di-march-2014/ and if you use coupon code "zines" it will be 20% off.
You can also order a variety of formats from Smashwords at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/411191.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica: Sector Nine (Tulmath Space)
The latest supplement in our Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica is now available:
The Tulmath are the most peaceful of the six species, focusing more on trade than on anything else. They may want to dominate the other species economically, but they aren’t usually the type to go for military domination. Now you can learn about the planets they’ve colonized, the systems they struggle to try to control, and the systems that they hope will launch them deeper into space.
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica will be a multi-volume collection looking at each sector of space. The Encyclopedia continues with Sector Nine (Tulmath Space).
Order from us at: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/ephemeris-encyclopedia-galactica-sector-9-tulmath-space/
Order from DriveThruRPG at:
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/126737/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Sector-Nine-Tulmath-Space
The Tulmath are the most peaceful of the six species, focusing more on trade than on anything else. They may want to dominate the other species economically, but they aren’t usually the type to go for military domination. Now you can learn about the planets they’ve colonized, the systems they struggle to try to control, and the systems that they hope will launch them deeper into space.
The Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica will be a multi-volume collection looking at each sector of space. The Encyclopedia continues with Sector Nine (Tulmath Space).
Order from us at: http://nomadicdeliriumpress.com/blog/product/ephemeris-encyclopedia-galactica-sector-9-tulmath-space/
Order from DriveThruRPG at:
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/126737/The-Ephemeris-Encyclopedia-Galactica-Sector-Nine-Tulmath-Space
Monday, February 24, 2014
A reprint sale
I've sold the reprint rights for my story "Origins" to Tales of the Talisman. It will appear in their Winter issue...not this winter, but next winter. This is a great magazine, and I always love when my work appears here.
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Healthcare in the 21st century
After having two days of watching the American healthcare system in action, I'd have to say that I'm very disappointed. The people who were responsible for Alexis' care were outstanding, some of them even amazing. Everyone did everything they could to make a scared little girl, and her scared parents, as comfortable as they could. The problem was that the hospital was horribly understaffed. The first time she needed pain meds, they didn't have any of them on the floor, so they had to order them from the pharmacy. That took about an hour and a half...which for pain, especially pain in a small child, is completely unacceptable. The other problem was that there weren't enough nurses in her section of the hospital. They were friendly and seemed skilled, but there were too many patients for them, so we had to remind them often of what she needed. In fact, when it was time for us to be discharged, there was actually only one nurse working. The desk was being run by a nurse who was supposed to be on her lunch break, so she was eating and working at the same time.
So, kudos to everyone for taking care of my little girl, but something needs to be done about staffing in hospitals. I realize that a lot of this has to do with the insurance companies, and whether someone thinks Obamacare is the best thing to ever happen, or the worst, I think most people would agree that there is a desperate need for an overhaul of the insurance companies in this country.
So, kudos to everyone for taking care of my little girl, but something needs to be done about staffing in hospitals. I realize that a lot of this has to do with the insurance companies, and whether someone thinks Obamacare is the best thing to ever happen, or the worst, I think most people would agree that there is a desperate need for an overhaul of the insurance companies in this country.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Surgery tomorrow
Tomorrow will be Alexis' surgery. The surgeon, of course, tells us how it's just a very routine and simple surgery, but there's nothing routine or simple about having your three year old operated on. The surgery is expected to take 45-75 minutes, but I can already imagine that that will be the longest 45-75 minutes of our life.
She's expected to stay overnight, but we will hopefully be bringing her home on Thursday. Obviously we will both be staying at the hospital tomorrow night, while the older girls stay with grandma and grandpa.
Even though she's young, she's expressed some fear about the surgery, so we're doing everything we can to keep her mind off of it. Rebecca will be taking five days off, so we can both be here to help her recover. We'll obviously be watching a lot of movies, especially a lot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles...her current favorites.
She's expected to stay overnight, but we will hopefully be bringing her home on Thursday. Obviously we will both be staying at the hospital tomorrow night, while the older girls stay with grandma and grandpa.
Even though she's young, she's expressed some fear about the surgery, so we're doing everything we can to keep her mind off of it. Rebecca will be taking five days off, so we can both be here to help her recover. We'll obviously be watching a lot of movies, especially a lot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles...her current favorites.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Why there are no black holes in the EEG
I've had a few people ask me why the volumes of the Ephemeris Encyclopedia Galactica don't include things like black holes, pulsars, quasars, nebulae, etc. The answer is pretty simple. When we designed the game we wanted it to be as close to hard SF as we could make it. Yes, we did include hyperspace and yes, all of the species are basically at the same technological level, but those were necessary for the game. All of the stars listed in each of the volumes are all actual stars, and we've done our best to use what modern science knows about those systems to create planets that might be realistic. Granted, when we get to the systems that are more than 200 light years away, we're going to have to create some stars because it's a lot harder to see some of those stars (like G and M stars.)
Having said this, as far as science knows, there are no black holes, pulsars, quasars, or nebulae with a couple light years of us...so we didn't include them. We want the game to be as realistic as possible.
Having said this, as far as science knows, there are no black holes, pulsars, quasars, or nebulae with a couple light years of us...so we didn't include them. We want the game to be as realistic as possible.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
If only I'd had money
Looking back to late 2012, early 2013, I can honestly say that I wish I'd had money at the time. If I'd had money, I think I would have tried to talk Tyree Campbell into letting me take over Sam's Dot Publishing. It was an amazing small press publisher, and when I see what's happened to it after Tyree left, I'm truly sad.
When I first started working for James Baker at ProMart, Tyree was an unpublished author, and then I picked up his first story, and the rest was history for him. When Jim was sick in the hospital and dying of cancer, he'd really wanted me to take over ProMart, but I wasn't able to because of finances, but luckily Tyree stepped in and took the company to the next level and beyond.
Now, I wish I could have taken over and continued the things that Jim and Tyree started. There would have been a lot of authors and editors who wouldn't have been left hanging.
Still, even if I can't save Sam's Dot (which I still wish I could), I'm going to do the best I can to keep Jim's dream alive at Nomadic Delirium Press.
When I first started working for James Baker at ProMart, Tyree was an unpublished author, and then I picked up his first story, and the rest was history for him. When Jim was sick in the hospital and dying of cancer, he'd really wanted me to take over ProMart, but I wasn't able to because of finances, but luckily Tyree stepped in and took the company to the next level and beyond.
Now, I wish I could have taken over and continued the things that Jim and Tyree started. There would have been a lot of authors and editors who wouldn't have been left hanging.
Still, even if I can't save Sam's Dot (which I still wish I could), I'm going to do the best I can to keep Jim's dream alive at Nomadic Delirium Press.
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