tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22465676429053534052024-03-10T12:13:16.011-07:00Cottonmouth: Patricia Correll's Writing Bloglittleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.comBlogger158125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-54897143491602794342015-11-30T11:42:00.001-08:002015-11-30T11:42:05.242-08:00Winter Shivers Available for Preorder!LOOK I GOT TOP BILLING<br />
<br />
OK, it's because I am alphabetically first but whatever.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiikUPqmh0PbYfGObZN3Y7RKkt-qqDejt0UDDvZjf7SpQ3bFdqcNEYkqsQKVTx266fXon6e5IkW_4BTjuKok1eKp4mbwGQLc6pr2DJl21XT_2Fhl4QR85hpnrqUyi3mZS9JwuwjSUfs7UEo/s1600/Winter+Shivers+Full+Front+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiikUPqmh0PbYfGObZN3Y7RKkt-qqDejt0UDDvZjf7SpQ3bFdqcNEYkqsQKVTx266fXon6e5IkW_4BTjuKok1eKp4mbwGQLc6pr2DJl21XT_2Fhl4QR85hpnrqUyi3mZS9JwuwjSUfs7UEo/s320/Winter+Shivers+Full+Front+Cover.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
This is the cover of a new winter-themed horror anthology that is coming from Inkstained Succubus Press this month. You can preorder it <a href="https://squareup.com/market/inkstained-succcubus">HERE. </a><br />
<br />
My story, "Bansidhe" (don't you love a title that tells you exactly what to expect?) should be the last one in the volume. Don't worry, I'll keep everyone updated on release dates!<br />
littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-83579105891168625542015-11-20T07:34:00.001-08:002015-11-20T07:34:28.843-08:00Food and LuchadoresI've been a busy woman this week. I have a free flash story over at Lex Chase's blog:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lexchase.com/blog/2015/11/18/flash-fiction-patricia-correll-presents-legit-heat/">http://lexchase.com/blog/2015/11/18/flash-fiction-patricia-correll-presents-legit-heat/</a><br />
<br />
Hope you like Heaven, Hell, and masked Mexican wrestlers.<br />
<br />
I've also got a recipe up on the Dreamspinner Press blog's seasonal Dream Dishes feature:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://dreamspinnerpress.com/blog/2015/11/19/dream-dishes-patricia-corrells-sugar-cookies-frosting/">http://dreamspinnerpress.com/blog/2015/11/19/dream-dishes-patricia-corrells-sugar-cookies-frosting/</a><br />
<br />
Pretty much guaranteed to give you Type 2 diabetes, but you only live once, eh?littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-74148315939032448492015-11-12T09:44:00.002-08:002015-11-12T09:44:54.779-08:00Free Fiction...Thursday. Alliteration Fail.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:RelyOnVML/>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
All right friends, I promised a free story so here it is. I thought about doing the "When I get 100 Twitter followers (note: I have 99) I'll post a story") but that seems kind of cheap. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is, I suppose, a bit of a fluff piece. Don't expect any major plot twists or revelations. It's set before <i>Hour of the Lotus</i>, just after Hiroshi and Sho become lovers (as told in flashback in that novella).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I've finished another story in which Sho acquires another dog (I've noticed that once a person has a dog, they generally never again go very long without one) and am outlining a story that forces Hiroshi to face the fact that Sho is much older than him. They might end up here, or I may look at putting together a short story collection We'll see.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anyway, without further ado, here's <i><b>Twelve Nights</b></i>. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
***********</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was twelve nights since Hiroshi had made clear his
interest in Lord General Iwata. And he'd spent a good portion of every one of
those nights in the Lord General's tent. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now, as the twelfth night flowed to its end, to the Hour of
the Lotus when night turned over into day, Hiroshi sat up and reached for his
kimono. Winter was slowly fading into spring, but the night air still had teeth,
and the tent's lone brazier did little to dispel the chill. Regretfully Hiroshi
drew away from the Iwata's <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>warmth and
pulled on his white under-robe, flicking his long braid over his shoulder. Then
he turned to look down at the man who lay beside him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lord General Iwata Sho stretched on his side, his eyes
closed- though Hiroshi doubted he was sleeping. HIs broad face, framed by a
neatly-trimmed beard, was darkened and lined by the sun. Even now, in the
orange light of the brazier, limbs relaxed, he had an air of command. Hiroshi
had seen him reduce soldiers to quivering children with a few words. But
another remark, in a different tone, could make them men again. The prince's
army feared and respected the Lord General. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But if he'd expected Iwata to be as gruff and commanding in
bed as he was everywhere else- and he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">had
</i>expected it- he'd been wrong. Iwata Sho was a courteous lover, and
surprisingly gentle. That first night he'd paused before every new intimacy,
allowing Hiroshi a moment to direct or deny him. Hiroshi had denied him
nothing. Afterward, he'd dressed and returned to his own tent. As he'd risen to
go, Iwata suddenly reached out and pulled him back down, into a lingering kiss.
Finally released, Hiroshi rose- his knees trembling a bit- and took his leave,
back to his own silent tent to sleep. Neither said a word.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rumors claimed the Lord General rarely spent more than a
single night with any lover, and Hiroshi wanted to be an exception. It was that
kiss that gave him hope. He spent the next day in an agony of impatience. He
couldn't approach Iwata- protocol demanded that the older man offer the next
invitation, if he wanted to. The practical business of running an army had kept
Hiroshi from getting more than a distant glimpse of Iwata all that long day.
Even as he issued orders or joked with the other officers, Hiroshi's chest was
tight with dread. Would Iwata have any interest in a second night with him?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was after dark when he finally found out. Hiroshi stood
by a fire, discussing the next day with some of the other young soldiers, when
Lord General Iwata went by.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Captain Sagawara, come with me," he snapped,
without breaking his stride. The others watched curiously as Hiroshi bowed to
Iwata's retreating back and hurried to catch up with him. He walked a step
behind, as befitted his lower rank. They went past tents and fires, in a
direction Hiroshi recognized. HIs nerves hummed, and his heartbeat quickened.
He hadn't been so anxious about a lover since he was fourteen years old. He
stepped aside so Iwata could duck into the tent, then followed. A wave of cold
air blew inside with them. The inside of the tent was stark-a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>folding table draped with maps, a traveling
trunk, a single brazier and a sleeping mat, the blankets folded crisply at its
foot. Hiroshi shivered, remembering how Iwata's weight had pressed his bare shoulders
into the woven reeds.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Iwata halted in the center of the tent and spun to face him.
The flickering brazier lit only one side of his face, but Hiroshi could make
out his severe expression. He looked- impatient, or annoyed. Hiroshi's heart
stuttered in his chest. HIs throat scratched drily. "What does my lord need
from me?"</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If Iwata noticed how shallow Hiroshi's breathing had become,
he gave no sign. "Captain, do you wish to continue what we began last
night?"</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
HIs tone was even, as if asking about supplies or troop
numbers. Hiroshi swallowed a nervous laugh.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"If you don't, there will be no repercussions."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Relief brought a grin to Hiroshi's face. Iwata frowned, and
Hiroshi hastened to assure him, "My lord, I do wish to continue. Very
much."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The corner of Iwata's mouth curved into one of his small,
rare smiles. Hiroshi dared to close the distance between them. Iwata smelled of
sweat and steel, and faintly of horses. He was a shade taller than Hiroshi,
just enough that Hiroshi had to tilt his chin up to kiss him. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They'd spent every night together since, with the eagerness
of new lovers to learn and explore. Hiroshi always came to Iwata, as befitted
their differing status. And afterward he washed, and dressed, and went back to
his own chilled, quiet tent to sleep. He'd known from the start it would be
like this; to be seen emerging from the Lord General's tent every morning would
spark rumors. Soldiers loved gossip almost as much as women. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But, Hiroshi thought, gazing at the angles of his lover's
face, his bare chest and the square, calloused hands arranged on the blanket,
he wanted to stay. He wanted to lie beside Iwata and lean his head on the older
man's shoulder. He wanted to watch Iwata sleep, to help him tie his sash, to
pull him into a quick kiss before they ducked outside, into the day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He was falling in love with a man who would never love him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Kumomo had warned him about it, when he'd seen her last. Half
a year ago, now.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They were having tea, and Momo had mentioned the Lord
General. He couldn't now remember why.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Lord General Iwata? I'm just waiting for the right
moment to seduce him." He'd said it jokingly, but it was true. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Momo's eyes had widened. "Brother, you're not serious!
He's not the sort of man to be seduced."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"No, but I think he could be..persuaded." Hiroshi
smirked at her. He was twenty-four years old and still enjoyed seeing how
embarrassed his sister became when discussing matters of the bedchamber.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"You know they say he's in love with the prince?"
Kumomo plucked anxiously at one of her hairpins. "I think it might be
true. Maybe that's why he's cold to everyone, especially Lady Mari and the
consorts, because...because we have what he never will." </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"I've heard the rumors." </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Why him, Hiroshi? He's much older than you."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"The prince is older than you," he pointed out.
Momo shook her head impatiently- their situations were very different. Hiroshi
thought a moment, sipping his tea. It was faintly sweet, flavored with jasmine.
"Listen, Sister- when a man dies, either in battle or from accident or
illness, the prince's scribe writes a letter, the same letter every time,
expressing condolences to the family. At the end of the day Prince Narita signs
all the letters before they are sent off with the ashes. But Lord General Iwata
writes his own letters, in his own hand, and includes them with the prince's. I
read a few, when it was my duty to collect the letters and the ashes, and
they're all different. The Lord General knows his men, all of them. He pays
attention to them, to who they are. There's a man behind that famous scowl,
Momo, and he's more complex than he seems."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She was quiet for some time, gazing out the window into the
neatly-arranged garden. Finally she looked at him, her expression resigned.
"I know it's different for men. Perhaps you don't care about his feelings.
But even if you succeed, Brother, he'll never love you."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A retort sprang to his tongue- "Women also sleep with
men they don't love."- for he was certain Momo didn't love Prince Narita.
But he bit his lip to kill the words. He couldn't shame his sister like that.
"I may not even succeed, as you say. So don't worry for me."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">had</i>
succeeded, though he'd not been at all certain he would. And now it was his own
fault that he had to live knowing his lover would never be entirely his.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hiroshi sighed and reached for his black militarykimono.
Iwata lifted a hand and caught the end of HIroshi's braid, tugging gently.
Hiroshi turned, and Iwata moved his grasp to his wrist. His fingers were warm.
Slowly his eyes opened, and he fixed Hiroshi with his sharp, searching gaze.
"What are you doing?"</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"I thought you were asleep, my lord," Hiroshi
lied, smiling.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Iwata released Hiroshi and rolled onto his side, propping
himself up on one elbow. HIs hair, which Hiroshi had earlier freed from its
customary topknot, hung to his chin. He pushed it away from his face with an
impatient gesture. "No, you didn't. What are you doing, Captain?"</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A sudden impulse seized him. "My lord, we-"
Hiroshi paused, trying to think of a phrase that was neither sentimental nor
crude. "We've...been together like this a dozen times. Call me
Hiroshi."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Iwata's eyes narrowed. You didn't give anything that even
resembled an order to a superior officer, not even to one who'd recently been
trailing his calloused fingers over your chest, your stomach, lower... Hiroshi
scrambled to add, "If it pleases my lord, of course." He waited, clenching
his fists in his kimono.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"All right," Iwata said. "Then you should
call me Sho. Now, answer my question."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Oh." He'd nearly forgotten it. "I was
getting dressed. To go back to my own tent."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sho seemed to consider that. "Don't," he said
finally. "Stay."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"But my...Sho," Hiroshi flushed at the feel of the
name in his mouth. This would take some time to become familiar. "If the
men saw me leaving in the morning-"</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sho laughed. Not the hearty laugh he sometimes shared with
Prince Narita, but a laugh all the same. HIs throaty chuckle made a shiver race
up Hiroshi's spine. He blinked in astonishment. Sho shook his head. "Four
days ago the prince asked me if it was true I'd taken up with his consort's
brother. "</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hiroshi laughed too, ruefully. He was familar with camp
gossip. He should have known. The others had probably suspected the night he'd
gone to inquire about the Lord General's injured shoulder; by the next night
they'd probably been sure. He shrugged off his under-robe and folded it into a
square. Sho rolled onto his back and lifted the blanket. "Come to bed,
Hiro."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No one had ever given him a nickname before. Hiroshi felt
his face flush hot, and was glad of the uncertain light. A flicker of hope
warmed him. He tried to douse it quickly, but it persisted. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hiro.</i>Hiroshi crawled under the blanket
and stretched out beside Sho. His bare skin was warm, almost hot. Sho wrapped
an arm around Hiroshi's waist and pulled his close. HIs chest pressed against
Hiroshi's back, his breathing already deep and even. His beard scraped against
Hiroshi's neck. Hiroshi closed his eyes. Lulled by the breath of the man he was
rapidly coming to love, he fell asleep.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-27682777460026284882015-11-10T12:04:00.001-08:002015-11-10T12:04:04.898-08:00November Catch-UpHello, World's Worst Blogger here. I've decided that my lack of consistent blogging is because I prefer to write about fictional people with exciting lives, rather than my boring, boring life. Or I'm just a lazy ass. Whatever.<br />
<br />
Anyway, you might have noticed that my flash piece about demonic<i> luchadores </i>never showed up on Lex Chase's blog. It seems she had some stuff come up, so several flash stories (not just mine) have been pushed back a bit. Never fear, I'll let you know when it's available for your consumption.<br />
<br />
Also, I contributed a recipe to the Dreamspinner Press Blog's Dream Dishes- fantastic recipes from Dreamspinner (and DSPP) authors. My perfectly perfect sugar cookies with buttercream frosting will be up on November 19th. Until then, check out these delicious-sounding things:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://dreamspinnerpress.com/blog/2015/11/05/dream-dishes/">Antipasto Platter</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://dreamspinnerpress.com/blog/2015/11/04/dream-dishes-kelly-jensens-caramel-slice/">Caramel Slice</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://dreamspinnerpress.com/blog/2015/11/02/dream-dishes-antonia-aquilantes-struffoli/">Struffoli</a><br />
<br />
(that struffoli stuff sounds AMAZING. I'm currently waiting on my kitchen being rebuilt after a home repair disaster...but as soon as I can cook again I will be ON THAT).<br />
<br />
I'm also planning to throw some free fiction up here in the next couple days. It's a short story involving Hiroshi and Sho, the characters from <u>Late Summer, Early Spring</u>, and it's set some time before the beginning of <u>LSES</u>.<br />
<br />
Also, it's November, which means I get to see numerous social media posts of people whining about how their NaNoWriMo plans aren't going as well as they'd hoped. This is why I don't do NaNoWriMo. I know my pace, and a novel is not happening in a month (a year or two, maybe). And if I tried I would be whining with the rest of them, so that's why I don't do it. I have enough stress in my life without self-imposing more.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-63448791633246408172015-10-19T09:51:00.001-07:002015-10-19T09:51:15.058-07:00Halloween is Coming in 3...2...1... I've been listening to a recording of Coast to Coast AM this morning (I started listening to it when #2 Son was newborn and up all night; once he started sleeping I was so disappointed to miss it that I joined the website so I can hear the podcasts!) and heard a great story. An 80-something-year-old woman called in with a Halloween memory: as a child, she and her family moved to a military base in Hawaii just before Halloween. There weren't many children on the base, so the adults hadn't really stocked up on candy. When she and friends went trick-or-treating, the adults just gave them money! When she got home her mother asked to inspect the candy (this was before the razor blades-and-needles panic- the woman said her mother was just looking so she could take the best pieces. Parents be trolling even in the '40's..) and was surprised to see all the money. One neighbor, who had given the girl two whole quarters because she was so cute, died two months later when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.<br />
<br />
Stories everywhere, my friends. Stories everywhere.<br />
<br />
Let's see...I have a short story coming up on October 23rd, totally free flash fiction on the blog of a DSPP colleagu, Lex Chase. So that's exciting! I will link it on the day. I was given a prompt but I'm afraid my mind...wandered...a bit and I somehow ended up with demonic<i> luchadores. </i><br />
<br />
I am typing up a short story prequel-thing to <u>Late Summer, Early Spring</u>. I will probably post it here for fun. I am also working on some sequel shorts as well- maybe Hiroshi and Iwata become traveling supernatural detectives? Can I get a contract from an anime studio now please? (Kidding! Maybe)<i> </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
And don't forget I'm on Twitter now! Let's hook up so you can see how hilarious I am.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/Author_PCorrell">FOLLOW ME</a><br />
<br />
<i> </i>littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-16010506117148430052015-10-01T07:02:00.002-07:002015-10-01T07:02:27.748-07:00OCTOBER! Finally!I got a Twitter!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/Author_PCorrell">Author_PCorrell</a><br />
<br />
My husband suggested I do it. I've never really seen the point of Twitter (maybe as a time sink) but it turns out it's pretty fun. I already have 6 followers!<br />
<br />
What else...I saw this in the Halloween aisle of Party City. I'm still not sure how I feel about it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaT3MoZ01skajwpldSWdG6X46jLYaI6GeO6qnVBbgisUutKO7aoB9BbgwCaQ67ZD0OKwn66U9uTHmjxu8p5v1xe8rzxDFKeKzyaR2p-nKDbonAX9JsgOdg_6jtN_lYaumXvsR_7pyhNG_T/s1600/IMG_0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaT3MoZ01skajwpldSWdG6X46jLYaI6GeO6qnVBbgisUutKO7aoB9BbgwCaQ67ZD0OKwn66U9uTHmjxu8p5v1xe8rzxDFKeKzyaR2p-nKDbonAX9JsgOdg_6jtN_lYaumXvsR_7pyhNG_T/s320/IMG_0015.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
My short story "Bansidhe" (a title that tells you exactly what to expect, eh?) is slated to be published in the <u>Winter Shivers</u> anthology from Inkstained Succubus (love that press name!). It should be out in December. I'm super-excited; I love a good ghost story. "Bansidhe" is my attempt at a Victorian Christmas Eve ghostly tale, a tradition I love and wish would become popular again. Maybe I'll try to put it in place in my own house when the kids are older.<br />
<br />
Over on Goodreads, my novella collection <u>Late Summer, Early Spring</u> has 13 ratings and 7 text reviews and is holding steady at a 4.00 average rating. James Clavell mentioned gay samurai in <u>Shogun</u>, so I just took that idea and ran with it. And added an evil fox spirit, because why the hell not!<br />
<br />
Also coming up, I have a short short story in the works for Free Flash Friday over on Lex Chase's (very pretty, very professional) blog. My day is October 23rd, so I'll throw it up here once it's out. It involves <i>luchadores ...</i>eeeevil<i> </i>ones because hey, it's October!<br />
<br />
So that's what's going on over here. It's October, so what's your favorite scary book? I need some recommendations to keep me up nights (although my teething baby has proven to be good at that too...).<br />
littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-9544886422158972212015-09-05T08:02:00.001-07:002015-09-05T08:02:53.692-07:00Interview at Dawn's Reading Nook<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="http://dawnsreadingnook.blogspot.com/2015/09/talking-with-author-patricia-correll.html">Interview at Dawn's Reading Nook!</a></div>
<div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike><br /></strike></div>
<div>
Hey guys, I can haz interview?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I can.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
*outdated memes for the win, y'all*</div>
<br />littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-16613911293920047852015-08-31T08:54:00.004-07:002015-08-31T08:54:57.073-07:00Farewell, Wes CravenThe other day I was absently singing some kiddie nonsense to the baby.<br />
<br />
"One, two, buckle my shoe...three, four, shut the door...five, six,
grab your crucifix...seven, eight, better stay up late...nine, ten,
never sleep a- oh, damn it."<br />
<br />
But this is the kind of thing that happens when you're a Wes Craven fan.<br />
<br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
And today we say good-bye to one of my favorite horror guys, who once
read an article about the unexplained deaths of two sisters and from it
created one of the most terrifying concepts in horror cinema.<br />
<br />
But this story about the creation of one of filmdom's most notorious monsters is a great example of How to Avoid Writer's Block.<br />
<br />
We all get stuck on stories sometimes. But too often I hear people complaining they just don't have any ideas. They want to write, but don't know what to write about. And I always wonder....how?<br />
<br />
Wes Craven read a news story about two teenage sisters who died, apparently in their sleep, of no known cause. Witnesses said their faces bore expressions of fear when the bodies were found. He was intrigued by the case, and eventually speculated that something in their dreams had frightened them to death. And thus Freddie Krueger was born. The real terror of Freddie was never his burn scars, or the claws. It was that he could attack you in your dreams, and everybody, EVERYBODY, has to sleep sometime. There was literally no way to escape him. It's brilliant. It's scary as hell. It's a fantastic story, and a great character.<br />
<br />
And this is how we get ideas. We pay attention to the big news stories, and also the small ones. The weird ones. One of my favorite things in the world is a radio show called Coast to Coast A.M., a hotbed of conspiracy theories, ghost stories, and alien abduction experiences. This show- on nightly, 1 am- 5 am ET, probably on your local FM station- is a gold mine for speculative fiction writers. A few days ago Coast to Coast was interviewing the great-great grandson of H.H. Holmes. Apparently no one in the family was aware of their ancestor until the interviewee's grandfather took the opportunity over a family dinner to tell them they were descended from one of America's most notorious serial killers.<br />
<br />
Now THERE'S a story.<br />
<br />
So keep your eyes and ears open. Stories can hide anywhere, and they want to be told. All it takes is a little persuasion to draw them out into the open. </div>
littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-74154064598033316402015-08-17T07:26:00.001-07:002015-08-17T12:55:23.354-07:00Author Secrets as Revealed on SquidbilliesI am a big fan of a Cartoon Network show called <i>Squidbillies. </i>It's about hillbilly squids, it's incredibly offensive and way funnier than it has any right to be. This episode, in which the son of the hillbilly squid family takes up reading, taught me a little something about us authors, courtesy of horror legend Dean Koontz.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/mwZ1N97eSMQ/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mwZ1N97eSMQ?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
Yes my friends, most popular authors are in fact illiterate. I can read, so I guess that's why I'm not quite as successful as Robert Ludlum (yet!). littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-28897594700886879212015-08-16T11:55:00.000-07:002015-08-16T11:55:06.014-07:00The Giveaway is Ended! This afternoon I drew a winner for the <u>Late Summer, Early Spring</u> e-book giveaway, by using the very scientific method of writing down names on paper slips and putting them in my son's Super Mario Brothers lunchbag, closing my eyes and drawing one out.<br />
<br />
Congratulations Kimber! I will contact you shortly for an e-mail address where we can send the book.<br />
<br />
Thanks to everyone for entering, I wish I could give you all a copy but the publisher might frown on that...littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-53343642515168219992015-08-09T13:12:00.000-07:002015-08-09T13:12:23.827-07:00GIVEAWAY- LATE SUMMER, EARLY SPRING (M/M FANTASY/MYTHOLOGY/ROMANCE)So I was absent for another whole week! Well, I have an excuse of sorts. The oldest kid starts school early this year and so last week was a jumble of traveling to see relatives before then, Gencon 2015 and GISHWHES (<a href="http://www.gishwhes.com/">www.gishwhes.com</a>). But I did manage to make this lovely portrait of Nicki Minaj in rice and lentils.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_pvLGTiFnNEuNTZ2RLx-dL4WbCxvu6Nxaa1MXjRAU-LhiQ0IVTRMzwbGCxK1B2cznkb41-IDBQkDqx-SJXE0hsf70o46xRMnlKYqOk6iwADC3FHK4J6N-pyGgQUvywtFDHspLXQtVySET/s1600/11825239_10153498713534872_6980778409000127334_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_pvLGTiFnNEuNTZ2RLx-dL4WbCxvu6Nxaa1MXjRAU-LhiQ0IVTRMzwbGCxK1B2cznkb41-IDBQkDqx-SJXE0hsf70o46xRMnlKYqOk6iwADC3FHK4J6N-pyGgQUvywtFDHspLXQtVySET/s320/11825239_10153498713534872_6980778409000127334_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Anyway, that's all over now, and I can concentrate on this bit of news:<br />
<br />
I AM DOING AN E-BOOK GIVEAWAY FOR MY NOVEL <u>LATE SUMMER, EARLY SPRING.</u><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3qgy5WLMFAzP3cYnTBR-FCEpmYbXttXUCetiZ8XDB7tzzFsD9EhFLKdGYooKYN6Fu6VxjUhQlozZZAAawwoqLCxlBcUQ5lO3hrWjXS16VRnSZjFL0M7zagQttOcLaitTGG20uz93Z2pj/s1600/25724004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3qgy5WLMFAzP3cYnTBR-FCEpmYbXttXUCetiZ8XDB7tzzFsD9EhFLKdGYooKYN6Fu6VxjUhQlozZZAAawwoqLCxlBcUQ5lO3hrWjXS16VRnSZjFL0M7zagQttOcLaitTGG20uz93Z2pj/s320/25724004.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
Here's the protocol: leave a comment on this post. Any comment. It can be about the book, or about Nicki there, or your favorite dinosaur, or whatever. Just talk to me. It gets lonely here in this corner of the net.<br />
<br />
I will give away ONE copy, and this giveaway will run one week, until Sunday, August 16th. At that time I will write everyone's name on a slip of paper, pop it into a hat, and draw one with my eyes closed. This a super-scientific manner of choosing. Then I will contact you and ask for your e-mail address (or you can just leave it in your comment if you'd rather) and a lovely lady at Dreamspinner Press Publications will send it on over. Once you get it, I'll ask you to leave an HONEST review on Goodreads or Amazon or some such place. You don't have to, but it would be awful nice...<br />
<br />
To entice you, here is a summary of the book (which is actually two linked novellas):<br />
<br />
<div id="iframeContent">
<i><b>Hour of the Lotus</b></i><br />
<i> </i><i>General Sho
Iwata is devastated when the man he secretly loves, Prince Narita, is
struck with a mysterious illness. Iwata's current lover, Hiroshi, is
well aware of the general's unrequited passion. But that isn’t his
biggest problem. His sister is Narita’s favorite consort, but Hiroshi
believes she has been replaced by an imposter. When they discover the
true cause of the illness, they will have to battle an ancient spirit
and survive. </i><br />
<br />
<i> </i><i><b>Fox Hunter</b></i><br />
<i> </i><i>Lord General Iwata Sho
sets out in search of the mysterious Fox Hunter. When he finds his
former lover, Hiroshi, he discovers a changed man, scarred inside and
out and consumed by vengeance. Together with Narita’s grown son Daigo,
Iwata and Hiroshi pursue the malicious spirit as it leaves bloodshed in
its wake. Iwata worries about what will become of Hiroshi when the fox
is defeated―if Hiroshi’s revenge doesn’t kill him first. </i><br />
<br />
<i>Hour of the Lotus published by Dreamspinner Press, May 2013</i><br />
<br />
Aaaand here are a few snippets from Goodreads reviews:<br />
<i> </i><br />
<br /><i><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer1330506458"><span id="freeText1528457171812657954">Late
Summer, Early Spring is a perfect treat for anyone looking for
beautiful writing, ancient mythology, and casual inclusion of gay
characters.</span></span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer1330506458"><span id="freeText1528457171812657954">I </span></span><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer1336611024"><span id="freeText3373632705797716632">
have to admit that I was drawn to this book by the beautiful cover of
two Japanese samurai warriors, but it was the writing and the characters
that made me stay drawn.</span></span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer1350919138"><span id="freeText149903983589666912">It
was a very good read and I recommend it to anyone who likes established
couples, Japan and its history and mythology, and to those who just
love a good story.</span></span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer1350919138"><span id="freeText149903983589666912"> </span></span><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer1342207787"><span id="freeTextContainer3212855279356581434">Patricia’s
stories, layered and textured worlds populated with complex characters
battling evil and each other, offer a look at different people,
societies, customs, norms, and sometimes push us to look at things we
might normally avoid. </span></span></i><br />
<br />
<span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer1342207787"><span id="freeTextContainer3212855279356581434">So leave me a comment, friends, and you might get this digital volume for absolutely free</span></span><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer1342207787"><span id="freeTextContainer3212855279356581434">! And as a bookseller/reader/writer, I can tell you there's nothing better than a free book. Except maybe lots of free books. </span></span><br />
<span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer1342207787"><span id="freeTextContainer3212855279356581434"><br /></span></span>
<span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer1342207787"><span id="freeTextContainer3212855279356581434">You have one week. I look forward to giving this story to one lucky commenter!</span></span></div>
littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-84204502826585411612015-07-31T08:11:00.002-07:002015-07-31T08:11:56.250-07:00Enter to Win a Free Copy of Late Summer, Early SpringWell, so much for keeping up with the blog! In apology, here is a photo of my cat:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLPJ9aHmpyl_AX5fIHRA2OmAsB8EYbs0d1A5DMYNDKTTQi5VY4qbioCNxP_EwEkfJnokQW3Rv8clyKYA_f-CkKxRi3lTeLOYTqyWe-jDaXAwUwp_JWhfmKJs1YaGmE5glqV8mPVr78Zan/s1600/11224588_10153484308084872_8305497077282536240_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLPJ9aHmpyl_AX5fIHRA2OmAsB8EYbs0d1A5DMYNDKTTQi5VY4qbioCNxP_EwEkfJnokQW3Rv8clyKYA_f-CkKxRi3lTeLOYTqyWe-jDaXAwUwp_JWhfmKJs1YaGmE5glqV8mPVr78Zan/s320/11224588_10153484308084872_8305497077282536240_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<u>Late Summer, Early Spring</u> was duly released on July 14th, and I've been pleased with the reception so far. 3 five-star reviews on Goodreads, and when I did a giveaway on a couple copies of the paperback there were over 300 people requesting a copy. My oldest son turns 6 tomorrow, so in honor of his birthday I'll be starting a new giveaway tomorrow on a copy of the e-book. Check out my Goodreads page tomorrow to enter!<br />
<br />
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25903463-late-summer-early-spring?from_search=true&search_version=service<br />
<br />
As a reminder, you can also purchase it here:<br />
<br />
https://www.dsppublications.com/books/late-summer-early-spring-by-patricia-correll-144-b<br />
<br />
Aaaaaand here:<br />
<br />
http://www.amazon.com/Summer-Early-Spring-Patricia-Correll/dp/1634760336/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1438355390&sr=8-1&keywords=patricia+correll<br />
<br />
I am working on a short story that's a bit of a follow-up to the book; I plan to see if DSPP wants to release it as one of their 'Free Fiction' features; if not, I will probably just post it here. It will make my dog-loving readers happy, I hope.<br />
<br />
I'll be posting again soon. I mean it this time!<u>Late Summer, Early</u><br />
littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-19040409010247321872015-06-29T10:45:00.001-07:002015-06-29T10:45:43.685-07:00I'm on Goodreads...About Damn Time!A couple years ago I signed up for Goodreads, but never really did anything with it, despite about a hundred of my family and friends asking to friend me on that site. I already have Facebook and Google +, I figured, and I find trying to promote myself on social media to be exhausting. But today I decided to sit up and actually put some information on my author page, so here it is:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6727899.Patricia_Correll">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6727899.Patricia_Correll</a><br />
<br />
You can see my published work and also ask me questions or something. I'm going to keep my blog here, but maybe I'll start cross-posting there too. Feel free to add me as friend or follow me too!<br />
<br />
To make this post even more worth reading, here is Judy Bloom on trigger warnings:<br />
<br />
http://imgur.com/gallery/XJMVTBA/newlittleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-33356608999425835952015-06-23T08:27:00.001-07:002015-06-23T08:27:53.569-07:00I'm Back!So...it's been a while. I had to take a break from blogging. I was just burned out. And my break turned into a VERY LONG BREAK thanks to pregnancy, the birth of my second son eight weeks early, and all the insanity that comes with raising two boys.<br />
<br />
But it hasn't been all family stuff. I've been writing quite a bit. My second novel is complete and I'm shopping it around to agents. Since September, when #2 Son was born, I've completed three short stories, and I'm almost finished with a fourth. I wonder if having two kids and short stories go together, since I haven't written short pieces for a long time.<br />
<br />
And most exciting, I have a new release coming from DSP Publications.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiNadiIJaA52SXAT_88pgnHZ7bp7LkmQGLFPbkY-1D7wItxXc9rjRRpveRYcSe3tFL_2ELBBPuLSknNbs7A6fah2rVe50b0OZGTlqjje7LNELIXeHqbYlydzvBb4EMtWIAyP-3Dg8eR7_H/s1600/LateSummerEarlySpring-alt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiNadiIJaA52SXAT_88pgnHZ7bp7LkmQGLFPbkY-1D7wItxXc9rjRRpveRYcSe3tFL_2ELBBPuLSknNbs7A6fah2rVe50b0OZGTlqjje7LNELIXeHqbYlydzvBb4EMtWIAyP-3Dg8eR7_H/s320/LateSummerEarlySpring-alt.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
My novella <i>Hour of the Lotus </i>was published by Dreamspinner Press a while back. When I had a sequel ready, I sent it to them. It turns out I sent it just in time, because they were setting up a new imprint called DSPP, which would publish stories that are genre pieces with gay characters, rather than gay romance. I was thrilled, because I think this publishing angle works much better for both <i>Hour of the Lotus </i>and the sequel, <i>The Fox Hunter</i>. The two novellas will be packaged together in one book called <u>Late Summer, Early Spring</u> (referring to the season in which each takes place). It will be available as an e-book and as a paperback! Here is the pre-order page:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dsppublications.com/books/late-summer-early-spring-by-patricia-correll-144-b">http://www.dsppublications.com/books/late-summer-early-spring-by-patricia-correll-144-b</a><br />
<br />
Anne Cain, who did the cover art for <i>Hour of the Lotus, </i>was available to do the art for this one too, and I love it!<br />
<br />
<i>Late Summer, Early Spring </i>will be released on July 14th, and I have a couple guest blogs and interviews coming up too, so rest assured I will definitely let you know about them!<br />
<br />
I'm going to try to post regularly here again. I'm off to do a workout- stretching my blogging muscles (and maybe losing some of this baby weight...)! See you soon!<br />
<br />littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-72665128782445401062014-01-04T13:16:00.000-08:002014-01-04T13:16:12.413-08:0010/10 Nailed It<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0JDiOpS-eDFppl08H0ezRqMlkTBcBKc6mdthADZRIo0eDW2aMlE01kaOhVz7C4wSpjVSmk-51uijrymJ_KhYdVHWIFjzY5YhnDYj0n9p_GvukKzNfC71MQBF-1V_COyxrAP5-fVdQSbpM/s1600/IMG_8404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0JDiOpS-eDFppl08H0ezRqMlkTBcBKc6mdthADZRIo0eDW2aMlE01kaOhVz7C4wSpjVSmk-51uijrymJ_KhYdVHWIFjzY5YhnDYj0n9p_GvukKzNfC71MQBF-1V_COyxrAP5-fVdQSbpM/s320/IMG_8404.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fdss4J8bG5tOE-rt26LBZWEJ6oA43bnuoPLNK-_G-KVIje5YPx1NOLDeiHgcHMUvje_JHvr9OwwgzpeOqQeTIx2jcw6O16Q6TAZjg2V8Nic8i_6Lo1MDrpXhy8xke1ZgLksLw-AQhbG0/s1600/IMG_8405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fdss4J8bG5tOE-rt26LBZWEJ6oA43bnuoPLNK-_G-KVIje5YPx1NOLDeiHgcHMUvje_JHvr9OwwgzpeOqQeTIx2jcw6O16Q6TAZjg2V8Nic8i_6Lo1MDrpXhy8xke1ZgLksLw-AQhbG0/s320/IMG_8405.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
This is why I write instead of operate a gourmet bakery. littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-40821387560359152092013-12-30T16:08:00.001-08:002013-12-30T16:08:15.697-08:00Here's to 20142013 was a pretty decent year for me. Not much happened in my regular life, which is usually a good thing. But there were a few waves in my writing life, all of them good.<br />
<br />
-In February my short story "The Dark Familiar Shapes of Things" was published in Sky Warrior Books' anthology, <u>Tails of the Pack</u>, and I conducted a series of interviews on this blog with the other authors.<br />
<br />
- My novella "Hour of the Lotus" was published by Dreamspinner Press. Recently I also learned it won a Rainbow Award for excellent cover art, which is most definitely has, courtesy of the awesome Anne Cain.<br />
<br />
- My short story "Dog of War" was accepted into <u>The Bedlam Book of Horror</u>, a horror anthology. No release date as of yet.<br />
<br />
- I completed my second novel, currently untitled (because I suck at titles) and finished the second revision on it. My third revision will begin in January, and then it will be ready to go to publishers.<br />
<br />
- The sequel to "Hour of the Lotus" finally presented itself to me, and the roughdraft should be finished any time now.<br />
<br />
- I found three stories (honestly, probable novellas) I'd stalled on and once my current projects are finished I'll be turning my attention to them.<br />
<br />
So, my resolutions for 2013 are to complete those three rediscovered stories (and begin the sequel to my second novel). I'll also be showing up at a couple cons next year, Conglomeration 2014 in Louisville, KY, and possibly Gencon in Indianapolis, IN.<br />
<br />
As 2013 draws to a close, here's a photo of something else that's ending: a dying star caught by the Hubble space telescope. There's a whole big universe out there, friends. Let's keep our eyes open next year and see what we can see.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWR5cFR70u8csBOpbR8wda2M6mqRW8KM7Z5m8CKwxDm8tql7VicT3tKy_ihuKjU4x5uq1BDfnTV4epWfsxRn_8CR9TX3rM0rTnERUUEuNBKWdd08ZEY2T1f5tKL9UhKQbhmmt5xkeNwsU4/s1600/MCMvgrB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWR5cFR70u8csBOpbR8wda2M6mqRW8KM7Z5m8CKwxDm8tql7VicT3tKy_ihuKjU4x5uq1BDfnTV4epWfsxRn_8CR9TX3rM0rTnERUUEuNBKWdd08ZEY2T1f5tKL9UhKQbhmmt5xkeNwsU4/s320/MCMvgrB.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-28997380851171478082013-12-06T09:56:00.001-08:002013-12-06T09:56:11.593-08:00Scooby Doo and the Blob Monster<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I live in the Southeastern Midwest (ha) and there's a huge storm predicted to hit us in a couple hours. Usually these Snowpocalypse predictions turn out to be nothing, but it looks like this one might be for real this time. We woke up to ice-encrusted trees and it's snowing pretty hard right now.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The stressful part of days like this is trying to keep a 4-year-old busy while trapped inside. We made gingerbread houses this morning (no, you don't get to see them, they look hideous). And then over lunch my son wrote a story (well, I wrote it. He dictated).</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I present you, "Scooby Doo and the Blob Monster".</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLWNvLgAtq9A8vN9RWTqqTLNRb5oO6C_SsguiZt2Pl6SbN78_dA1OtkgkVOub72hPqxt9Qwzg-xTDl6RLR2PiruHRFjcm9ezdGg9sX1xIpgzP1Z8coXtsGUWNvCYDHcsfA5kv32L78nSr/s1600/IMG_8284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLWNvLgAtq9A8vN9RWTqqTLNRb5oO6C_SsguiZt2Pl6SbN78_dA1OtkgkVOub72hPqxt9Qwzg-xTDl6RLR2PiruHRFjcm9ezdGg9sX1xIpgzP1Z8coXtsGUWNvCYDHcsfA5kv32L78nSr/s320/IMG_8284.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-86947603138339676962013-11-21T17:59:00.002-08:002013-11-21T17:59:23.630-08:00Why I Don't Do NaNoWriMo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAFiX-ZVBfWC___k-zNSw3U_fZSOXzXCcIyLJRJE9y8eM-rRFbKxjhUj0hd1cc3_tSrBH1UL8UIi_fkIZ2eD3_4kKvY7T6KEmEeAeLdGhHxKe3QeGxK0zYC6KVTs4vJx2v7Uajim0hW6b/s1600/nanowrimo-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAFiX-ZVBfWC___k-zNSw3U_fZSOXzXCcIyLJRJE9y8eM-rRFbKxjhUj0hd1cc3_tSrBH1UL8UIi_fkIZ2eD3_4kKvY7T6KEmEeAeLdGhHxKe3QeGxK0zYC6KVTs4vJx2v7Uajim0hW6b/s320/nanowrimo-poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
November is coming to a close, and that
means National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo) is winding down.
For the uninitiated, NaNoWriMo is an informal challenge for writers
to write a novel- 50,000 words or more- in a month. If you are
successful you 'win'. If not, there's always next year.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have never participated in NaNoWriMo.
I am a slow writer. I have written two novels, and it takes me, on
average, four years to write one (though mine are considerably longer
than 50,000 words- 120,000 and 112,000 respectively). But I can
console myself with the knowledge that no matter how slow I am, I
still write faster than Donna Tartt, who has published three novels
in the past thirty years; in an NPR interview Stephen King said he
just 'wants to shake her'.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I laugh about it, but honestly, Donna
Tartt is an amazing writer, and if it takes her a decade to write a
book that satisfies her, more power to her. I would much rather have
three great novels than ten lousy ones. I am only thirty-four. If I
can turn out a novel every four years I should have a pretty good
bibliography before I kick the bucket, since I don't plan on dying
until I am at least ninety.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
NaNoWriMo is a nice challenge for some
people and I'm sure they have fun, but I swear all I see and hear
this month are panicky complaints: “I'm so behind!” “I have to
write 3,000 words tonight to catch up!” “I'll never catch up!”
“I'm not going to make it!”
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have enough deadlines in my life.
I've been writing long enough to know that giving myself an
unrealistic deadline is not going to work for me- and since I have to
write longhand, my process takes even longer than it usually would.
Instead I use NaNoWriMo to make some more achievable goals: this year
I finished the second revision on my newest book and have reached a
certain point in my new novella (a sequel to “Hour of the Lotus”).
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some people do make NaNoWriMo, but I
have to wonder how good the finished product it. Of course it's a
roughdraft, and all roughdrafts suck, but personally I need time to
consider my words. My roughdrafts still suck, but at least I don't
have to rewrite <i>everything. </i><span style="font-style: normal;">Which
I would have to do if I attempted NaNoWriMo.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">So
even if NaNoWriMo doesn't appeal to you, you can use the month as an
opportunity to make different deadlines for yourself. There's no
point stressing yourself out over someone else's challenge; make your
own that works for you. And if you do give it a shot, remember that
ninjas won't come and kill your family on December 1st if you don't
make it. There's always next year.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Good
NaNoWriMo participants, and every one else too!</span></div>
littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-88923970705468605152013-10-09T10:51:00.000-07:002013-10-09T10:51:03.990-07:00I Am a Scaredy CatThis October my grown-up brain re-learned something it had long since forgotten: darkness is fucking <em>scary.</em><br />
<br />
One
day I went into the garage and flipped on the light, only to be greeted
by a popping noise and a hideous smell like burned rubber. Somehow the
big fancy tube light out there had blown something or other. It wasn’t
just the bulbs, there’s something wrong with the wiring (the wiring in
this house is messed up, thanks to the former homeowners who had lots of
weird shit done. There are three separate light switches in two rooms
that turn on the living room light, for example). So we turned off the
breaker to the basement/garage to avoid burning the joint down. That was
several days ago and we are still waiting on an electrician.<br />
<br />
The
cat’s food bowl is in the basement, and I feed her every night before we
go to bed. Going down into the pitch-black basement, toting a
flashlight, gives me some serious willies. Everything from the couch to
the game table to the laundry room door looks terrifying in the dim glow
of a flashlight. I dump food in Mei’s bowl and skitter back upstairs as
fast as I can, and I am not ashamed to admit it.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://io9.com/an-incredibly-simple-horror-short-to-make-you-afraid-of-492224003">So this entire post is not just about my inane life, here’s a short film where the only villain is the darkness- and it’s creepy as hell. Happy Halloween month, friends. </a>littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-63048771632279666312013-09-26T12:07:00.000-07:002013-09-26T12:07:10.048-07:00AwwwwwctopusFirst, here is a picture of my Mary Marvel costume. My writing group wanted to see it. Hi guys!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5E-UIYd08uXspnVuWmYCAyCVtvYguSpIau_amy4CaCgLMjkT-eRdvvu35Vo0ADc0_TPTevk91e3JtnjZ0vCBCgJGJuDkNGdva7B48BBN3mSrh2WngTg4pEHWa0umv8K3CcMGTbU6jb9h/s1600/IMG_6332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5E-UIYd08uXspnVuWmYCAyCVtvYguSpIau_amy4CaCgLMjkT-eRdvvu35Vo0ADc0_TPTevk91e3JtnjZ0vCBCgJGJuDkNGdva7B48BBN3mSrh2WngTg4pEHWa0umv8K3CcMGTbU6jb9h/s320/IMG_6332.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This is actually me from last year at Gencon, with Brian Morris as Uncle Marvel. It's one of my favorite pictures and I've posted it here before.<br />
<br />
Yesterday was Shel Silverstein's birthday. In his honor, here's a poem:<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>The Bridge</b><br />
<br />
This bridge will only take you halfway there<br />
To those mysterious lands you long to see;<br />
Through gypsy camps and swirling arab fairs<br />
And moonlit woods where unicorns run free.<br />
So come and walk awhile with me and share<br />
The twisting trails and wonderous worlds I've known.<br />
But this bridge will only take you halfway there-<br />
The last few steps you'll have to take alone.<br />
<br />
Shel Silverstein<br />
<br />
I like to think this poem describes the act of introducing children to literature. I can give my son every book I have ever loved. I can take him to Narnia, Bradbury's Mars, Earthsea, and Westeros. But at some point he's going to have to find what kind of books make him happy, and decide where to travel on his own- I can only take him so far. <br />
<br />
Let's see...I have a story coming out in <u>The Bedlam Book of Horror</u> anthology, but I don't have a release date on it yet. The story is "Dog of War", a pulpy horror tale based on a real-life urban legend of World War I about the Hound of Mons (there were demons as well as angels at Mons, it seems). <br />
<br />
In conclusion, here is an awwwwctopus. Your argument is invalid.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFweNpVfTbjRKevvyHqmgSfKeE0aM8cwV2ChIeyspYPfU0SYW-AOImRbHAr9aBikq7lXOX90SVFYFmyhjprtvcMrICMHIZaDZ-BxTXiLsrzSQKTXtChOFqHo1iIR06rbr-DvU-08fhlNYb/s1600/azTk7RX.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFweNpVfTbjRKevvyHqmgSfKeE0aM8cwV2ChIeyspYPfU0SYW-AOImRbHAr9aBikq7lXOX90SVFYFmyhjprtvcMrICMHIZaDZ-BxTXiLsrzSQKTXtChOFqHo1iIR06rbr-DvU-08fhlNYb/s320/azTk7RX.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-53329104198934648582013-09-16T12:27:00.003-07:002013-09-16T12:27:44.881-07:00Life as a GIraffeI am a giraffe.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhps1-k0wAwnfCB2hCQ5oUKkjCVMjFOKL5scguI8-LYY1sPxFJbTt1gjyWNYA_TKL6Lhsg-4n_7EYVQmk7xIPYuFmzKJLvFi-W6cIhsg3V0z2L2QcDMY0yBc-Eesu0lgj9eaH2qJZMY5ikn/s1600/giraffe-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhps1-k0wAwnfCB2hCQ5oUKkjCVMjFOKL5scguI8-LYY1sPxFJbTt1gjyWNYA_TKL6Lhsg-4n_7EYVQmk7xIPYuFmzKJLvFi-W6cIhsg3V0z2L2QcDMY0yBc-Eesu0lgj9eaH2qJZMY5ikn/s320/giraffe-11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
The other day, my husband said he was talking to his lab-mates at lunch about their totem animals. According to them, a totem animal is the one you are most like. It doesn't have to be your favorite animal, just one you resemble. They decide that he is an owl. It makes sense; a quiet, watchful bird that notes everything and is very precise in all its movements.<br />
<br />
Also, he can fly almost silently, so there's that too.<br />
<br />
I thought for a while. Giraffes are my favorite animal, so I was deliberately steering clear of them in my head so I didn't bias myself. My husband suggested that I was some kind of sea creature.<br />
<br />
A jellyfish? They have no brain, after all.<br />
<br />
Harhar, no. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRgAXj6qdoSDHHEJEm6-sPSJSGt6eSG50FE69xmhv05NTodA9x-AFhy0ZugWBS1OgkNkCRhl0DKvrWT_6i-AF7PGWdFFgr7C8qfrhgzCLSPymYoSeeVErF4Out8jm7G1y3NyAiLBke8Bop/s1600/Giraffe-Baby-In-The-Zoo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRgAXj6qdoSDHHEJEm6-sPSJSGt6eSG50FE69xmhv05NTodA9x-AFhy0ZugWBS1OgkNkCRhl0DKvrWT_6i-AF7PGWdFFgr7C8qfrhgzCLSPymYoSeeVErF4Out8jm7G1y3NyAiLBke8Bop/s320/Giraffe-Baby-In-The-Zoo.jpg" width="279" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
A cuttlefish? They're colorful and rather creative.<br />
<br />
No, he said. A cuttlefish changes its appearance to camouflage itself. I don't do that; wherever I am, I am obviously me.<br />
<br />
I thought some more. Well, then I'm a giraffe.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg3OxFqtqlbddEyiJNDSuTGop7fqHSyieay7avqQcZ1odu_Z83KkxgZfyb13jxczGV8LgmsEkwYXdlnhbV_C2M1xZFvmaRR92q4zlAlFDw6kFwr_gulxBCSGJ8_pGVTjQkuRDi4VrBxlGa/s1600/Giraffe_Manor_Nairobi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg3OxFqtqlbddEyiJNDSuTGop7fqHSyieay7avqQcZ1odu_Z83KkxgZfyb13jxczGV8LgmsEkwYXdlnhbV_C2M1xZFvmaRR92q4zlAlFDw6kFwr_gulxBCSGJ8_pGVTjQkuRDi4VrBxlGa/s320/Giraffe_Manor_Nairobi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Giraffes are very chill animals. They hang out on the plains and eat leaves and don't bother any other animals. And if a lion or something tries to bother them, it is dispatched with a swift, powerful kick (I don't get into other people's business, and those who start drama are quickly ejected from my life). Giraffes don't make much noise (I am quiet). And a giraffe is a giraffe, always. It can't pretend to be anything else. It sticks out no matter where it is.<br />
<br />
I think being one of those social chameleons would actually be very useful, and it's a little frustrating that I can't always make myself fit in.<br />
<br />
But since I can't, I'd rather be a giraffe. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX5WaU5V98KXNhdxbm7lh7ZBM7LJFw3n4ATLgi6_dHkL8pfvA1PMrMC6Y20z5uClOqLUSusSfxMngKBUiAppGEFaR__LCMQmnc2ydvKbJQ5qc6LvRRaM2IvF_-kRGqrATW2fLBf1HijOVg/s1600/giraffe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX5WaU5V98KXNhdxbm7lh7ZBM7LJFw3n4ATLgi6_dHkL8pfvA1PMrMC6Y20z5uClOqLUSusSfxMngKBUiAppGEFaR__LCMQmnc2ydvKbJQ5qc6LvRRaM2IvF_-kRGqrATW2fLBf1HijOVg/s320/giraffe.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-60763156051948451672013-09-03T05:47:00.002-07:002013-09-03T05:47:45.276-07:00Frederik Pohl 1916-2013Waaaay back in high school I read a story in one of those 'Best of..." anthologies. It was about a future where the world population had exploded, and the United States had implemented a very unusual method of birth control- although the control was enacted well after the person culled had been born. It was a powerful story, and I remembered it. I couldn't recall the title or the author, but I remembered every detail of the story.<br />
<br />
One day I told my husband about it. He pulled up Google- for some reason in all this time I had never thought to consult the Internet- and found the story: "Spending a Day at the Lottery Fair" by one Frederik Pohl.<br />
<br />
I was thrilled to have the information, and even more thrilled when, a few days later, he brought me a collection of short stories called "Pohlstars", which included "Lottery Fair".<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKqe6FZ7qPXZ1ud8rVodsMaefX9MNaXuKNHfAVdIYzXQFlOE2c8NK2LNVcrcfcVAfyE_20dXQj0HN3qscJ8EmCBCoftXMY_AaVFOmpMhrVnL00SLGOWBaKnaN1YWItsLPh1D4dpQ9b5vam/s1600/c542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKqe6FZ7qPXZ1ud8rVodsMaefX9MNaXuKNHfAVdIYzXQFlOE2c8NK2LNVcrcfcVAfyE_20dXQj0HN3qscJ8EmCBCoftXMY_AaVFOmpMhrVnL00SLGOWBaKnaN1YWItsLPh1D4dpQ9b5vam/s1600/c542.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I re-read the story, and it was everything I remembered (and a little more, to my now-adult brain). And then, because you can't read just one, I kept reading. I read the heartbreaking "The Sweet Sad Queen of the Grazing Isles". I moved on to his most famous novel, <u>Gateway</u>. The incomparably weird "Starburst". The epic "The World at the End of Time". The sharp, cynical "The Day After the Day the Martians Came". And the rest of the Heechee Saga, oh yes. When I discovered that Pohl had a blog, I read that too. As a writer and editor who had been working for the better part of the 20th century, he shared wonderful stories, as well as his political opinions and pictures of his cats and the cruises he took with his wife. And he kept writing. He kept on despite the fact that, as he mentions in his blog post, his hands no longer worked and hadn't for some time.<br />
<br />
Pohl was truly unique, even in the rush of Golden Age and New Wave SF that spawned so many unique writers. He combined solid science with flights of epic fancy, wrote truly alien minds with fantastic detail, and laid bare with humanity's best and worst qualities with sharp cynicism, but also humor. His style was plain but eloquent. <br />
<br />
Frederik Pohl died yesterday at the age of 93. I commented on his blog posts a couple times. I hope that he might have read them and, in my clumsy words, understood what I was really trying to say: that he was an important artist and an important person to readers everywhere. To the world. To me. littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-35681834720511937462013-08-29T12:53:00.002-07:002013-08-29T12:53:58.675-07:00GISHWHES 2013: The Reveal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQVhILb1cuJFO3oxgKUHg6HCKvvQQOQvzI0N8nlGCIXXaySdbnuxm-wdo-WYPWzeQBsMCAUn5Z-xio4BlhyBSOil6jGzS4EMPHq_pAeRJKVjLbAjULpQaowkAwwzayQJdzXxWy_C1zEGRh/s1600/10893_10151810462484784_138661955_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQVhILb1cuJFO3oxgKUHg6HCKvvQQOQvzI0N8nlGCIXXaySdbnuxm-wdo-WYPWzeQBsMCAUn5Z-xio4BlhyBSOil6jGzS4EMPHq_pAeRJKVjLbAjULpQaowkAwwzayQJdzXxWy_C1zEGRh/s1600/10893_10151810462484784_138661955_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSShwRgEfVktE9osQMX2c9oBW9Ew09gEVLA7LRvAD8l-ZdDMhy_hgNLlSq0wSNvMnvjbTOxJMgj5QGhO7rUpH-LbV6DKS5dDcJerbVAlY1FCPKQzbaDcr_lIcrOx3d0xh5Zj1rKJn1DMk/s1600/10893_10151814437749872_1130819305_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSShwRgEfVktE9osQMX2c9oBW9Ew09gEVLA7LRvAD8l-ZdDMhy_hgNLlSq0wSNvMnvjbTOxJMgj5QGhO7rUpH-LbV6DKS5dDcJerbVAlY1FCPKQzbaDcr_lIcrOx3d0xh5Zj1rKJn1DMk/s1600/10893_10151814437749872_1130819305_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkWkfVnemHzOzU9ynePSIEXdfC-tEaVI8KLtI7rF8Tu74IjSPFaHBtzMY2Nwal8aXy0E-m16ZtSlVuvHGXPz_76-Sl0uMKGi74yVRw3DrivxTLU2uSW2Onkw4Lf3zrTcU_GhMCN6QkqXq2/s1600/525716_10151814436144872_76456767_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkWkfVnemHzOzU9ynePSIEXdfC-tEaVI8KLtI7rF8Tu74IjSPFaHBtzMY2Nwal8aXy0E-m16ZtSlVuvHGXPz_76-Sl0uMKGi74yVRw3DrivxTLU2uSW2Onkw4Lf3zrTcU_GhMCN6QkqXq2/s1600/525716_10151814436144872_76456767_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPOvCHTrkrQipHpFJuXvPv0MC56nZnhayqrx0hV_dCRRphTAJGGg8uZHniGJh5HU9KbVoVEMTojjL6Nl_CokUnmB75CkYj_pbmWUg9UzZprA3LFro-7towGeKvQrYIB3X2jHoKO1qzYIn/s1600/541746_10151810459814784_158643836_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPOvCHTrkrQipHpFJuXvPv0MC56nZnhayqrx0hV_dCRRphTAJGGg8uZHniGJh5HU9KbVoVEMTojjL6Nl_CokUnmB75CkYj_pbmWUg9UzZprA3LFro-7towGeKvQrYIB3X2jHoKO1qzYIn/s1600/541746_10151810459814784_158643836_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7IossK7kdxIBSK1h1OuUQskw6jHEQpvudgodvy4Wxp3wmCQfu3PDmtsh-XHLwprEjMvNbavRmfWkRsAo1ZQ-Gyk8feApT51TAsVO6Pv4lTG-i1N6d88775Jin9qo8oFL7bIx9TjEb9JJa/s1600/543154_10151810460144784_1416212754_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7IossK7kdxIBSK1h1OuUQskw6jHEQpvudgodvy4Wxp3wmCQfu3PDmtsh-XHLwprEjMvNbavRmfWkRsAo1ZQ-Gyk8feApT51TAsVO6Pv4lTG-i1N6d88775Jin9qo8oFL7bIx9TjEb9JJa/s1600/543154_10151810460144784_1416212754_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAB4aLuuJZ8fubfKMwVvrzJpGZRPzFHXLzJHmOHjUZkfY6mH1lmWQ0slyVoxvXVJaT4DYvHFiEA_0Eh07XbYhRaET1UCwDRXYrRqgPZxEnz7Jxy2UYdzUPbYJ6nedXfqrXohwgbQkmPGhy/s1600/556459_10151810459574784_1714192410_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAB4aLuuJZ8fubfKMwVvrzJpGZRPzFHXLzJHmOHjUZkfY6mH1lmWQ0slyVoxvXVJaT4DYvHFiEA_0Eh07XbYhRaET1UCwDRXYrRqgPZxEnz7Jxy2UYdzUPbYJ6nedXfqrXohwgbQkmPGhy/s1600/556459_10151810459574784_1714192410_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu33T9cF_bUWBALHHUMD-Wg4V958V9g_2s12YaNOXLY2KXQ5tktu1ikhyphenhyphenz7YWJVk2MEldVCwru7XevY6MDqKPo-UTw8QZzGA250AZdkLeJk58Z4lUluzvR_FmAhyCcDr7-WgnT8v1wAFrF/s1600/969425_10151814437929872_1702004210_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu33T9cF_bUWBALHHUMD-Wg4V958V9g_2s12YaNOXLY2KXQ5tktu1ikhyphenhyphenz7YWJVk2MEldVCwru7XevY6MDqKPo-UTw8QZzGA250AZdkLeJk58Z4lUluzvR_FmAhyCcDr7-WgnT8v1wAFrF/s1600/969425_10151814437929872_1702004210_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9TmuQCeinqxvOvh4F70Qd8Lwo8JFXojjo2YsqsEGdP_J2qoh_SDTNLSlclW25iiqkMTQTRqIsyHFUfMi0OeqPR10JIFdvzKqYqoGXeZ8Sfn0pmD99EmrGWFqPj3ZVVCx-QdnEoSe3Oou2/s1600/993051_10151814437124872_116572245_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9TmuQCeinqxvOvh4F70Qd8Lwo8JFXojjo2YsqsEGdP_J2qoh_SDTNLSlclW25iiqkMTQTRqIsyHFUfMi0OeqPR10JIFdvzKqYqoGXeZ8Sfn0pmD99EmrGWFqPj3ZVVCx-QdnEoSe3Oou2/s1600/993051_10151814437124872_116572245_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz74xE9Jl_08RQbux3wxzVoZYa6KGo2YwGM8S6chXc0JlbvXEigtwyYUpbh6xZU2qtZvqj0uz8YOWuTW9D67NzRs1jQHiEVN1xL7XSBSlSoPnsuNn3SDSMIWeLFHrImOC-2ecMPbTL-vJ1/s1600/996911_10151810460699784_92409175_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz74xE9Jl_08RQbux3wxzVoZYa6KGo2YwGM8S6chXc0JlbvXEigtwyYUpbh6xZU2qtZvqj0uz8YOWuTW9D67NzRs1jQHiEVN1xL7XSBSlSoPnsuNn3SDSMIWeLFHrImOC-2ecMPbTL-vJ1/s1600/996911_10151810460699784_92409175_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_RRmfEhAFTHH7e66fNts8KS1nSFn4sBvLehLNh03KuH69g8GzqaVF2QaTSawAT9ZikLBE8cGOZwi50pK74yXBTphKwqN9wM73gQVMB1XBS5xIaI0tLOPuokZvGseUkEc0Gj7gqnsazIA/s1600/1002510_10151814437284872_783573006_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_RRmfEhAFTHH7e66fNts8KS1nSFn4sBvLehLNh03KuH69g8GzqaVF2QaTSawAT9ZikLBE8cGOZwi50pK74yXBTphKwqN9wM73gQVMB1XBS5xIaI0tLOPuokZvGseUkEc0Gj7gqnsazIA/s1600/1002510_10151814437284872_783573006_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPp9_QXv7-6F9RxjZPb1dfZTu9wSse8DJU-jlhGghfacBUn_qqTPNNd9ylSSBQ4cY0FWtLpFArX97VKIxgYShBTG8e9EKE5zkHB_-FraVcfIQLE0x1lhFIHH2arneMijEXkZsUgywWPW_/s1600/1098085_10151814436819872_1456712214_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPp9_QXv7-6F9RxjZPb1dfZTu9wSse8DJU-jlhGghfacBUn_qqTPNNd9ylSSBQ4cY0FWtLpFArX97VKIxgYShBTG8e9EKE5zkHB_-FraVcfIQLE0x1lhFIHH2arneMijEXkZsUgywWPW_/s1600/1098085_10151814436819872_1456712214_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBDV3G4mJS9lf6y8uQL8UOisbst2WobZAZKr9S9jQ_8yOzWYhjHS8kwjsEKvN3cmqkRV0-6FYDHDedQpD3zTyId-tM6VR4F9Xc-j37cKdZCEn78w5oviC4ruQbCqu-wVi5v5EyEgWBVJ0/s1600/1148841_10151810461614784_618767283_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBDV3G4mJS9lf6y8uQL8UOisbst2WobZAZKr9S9jQ_8yOzWYhjHS8kwjsEKvN3cmqkRV0-6FYDHDedQpD3zTyId-tM6VR4F9Xc-j37cKdZCEn78w5oviC4ruQbCqu-wVi5v5EyEgWBVJ0/s1600/1148841_10151810461614784_618767283_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_zdPZcY7Aznfu0T6O3TjSrutbs8WOkXQ4pMT_yFGMmAgXIQIyNSoex1IH8jcAPa9mAUyWer7e3W-XCTOadbJDuAUO8KTiKCq2xuq3NZGiSf6HaqRy12HohWEob-eQbIBYW3VYa1gCFivu/s1600/1151041_10151810462544784_1494435136_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_zdPZcY7Aznfu0T6O3TjSrutbs8WOkXQ4pMT_yFGMmAgXIQIyNSoex1IH8jcAPa9mAUyWer7e3W-XCTOadbJDuAUO8KTiKCq2xuq3NZGiSf6HaqRy12HohWEob-eQbIBYW3VYa1gCFivu/s1600/1151041_10151810462544784_1494435136_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCdcW36bpkAK6VJMuLhfmDo6l2oLjU8aA05XsXbLfmaBQIj8dW_H1uLiyGbHptn7Zt_2PQmRMdEPDNiIC_U05LX093Z2VNry4ilyqD4NZztvy3AUjRTfkYKrkOBQEdzCu4LECD_mCJjC3/s1600/1175529_10151814436309872_11726326_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCdcW36bpkAK6VJMuLhfmDo6l2oLjU8aA05XsXbLfmaBQIj8dW_H1uLiyGbHptn7Zt_2PQmRMdEPDNiIC_U05LX093Z2VNry4ilyqD4NZztvy3AUjRTfkYKrkOBQEdzCu4LECD_mCJjC3/s1600/1175529_10151814436309872_11726326_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL7COBaOajKtw23YzJHrJ3eDHAFoaVMkl65l-pT3KmLkZt2gLL1-DkYbOKuIM_0dctXJfO9u1Dhjpkmbc5BcU7EW4ghFnDG-MskTv3fklVzrNaYqRK_sWB7MvB8yfIVDsuxSOHSA3OUGOY/s1600/1185528_10151810459514784_1168067058_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL7COBaOajKtw23YzJHrJ3eDHAFoaVMkl65l-pT3KmLkZt2gLL1-DkYbOKuIM_0dctXJfO9u1Dhjpkmbc5BcU7EW4ghFnDG-MskTv3fklVzrNaYqRK_sWB7MvB8yfIVDsuxSOHSA3OUGOY/s1600/1185528_10151810459514784_1168067058_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi65EIFpZWenqfAKzgO1rf0cv3I2XjJZ2NEN65zzgD1nT8QhWnA3kHT3cFqpf6B3H32sWZb0AT3Y8SA4WH-BfbTJFIXJF63bZBCK6FSU6dOcSMwCVEhc4Rc2dA15rSELB18bYibhtjEh_M-/s1600/1186903_10151810460979784_1243819035_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi65EIFpZWenqfAKzgO1rf0cv3I2XjJZ2NEN65zzgD1nT8QhWnA3kHT3cFqpf6B3H32sWZb0AT3Y8SA4WH-BfbTJFIXJF63bZBCK6FSU6dOcSMwCVEhc4Rc2dA15rSELB18bYibhtjEh_M-/s1600/1186903_10151810460979784_1243819035_n.jpg" /></a></div>
I wasn't around much the past couple weeks. Part of the reason was Gencon, the other part was the <a href="http://www.gishwhes.com/">Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World Has Ever Seen (GISHWHES</a>). Above are some of the items my 15-person team completed. I considered writing captions to let you know what each picture is supposed to represent, but then I decided it was funnier with no explanation. littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-25925479441675657982013-08-26T11:57:00.003-07:002013-08-26T11:57:47.087-07:00A Non-Gamer at Gencon 2013
<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Our time at Gencon was cut woefully
short this year due to lack of babysitting (one grandma just started
a new job, and the other is a teacher...yeah, I understand Gencon's
overlords don't want to hold it the same weekend as PAX or another
big con, but if maybe they could hold it sometime that is not the
week school begins in my state, that would be great). We arrived
Friday evening and left Sunday afternoon. Because of this the weekend
felt rushed, since we had to pack four days' worth of awesomeness
into two, but hey, short Gencon is better than no Gencon.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpbSj715kB87fdveVyhMpiYtxiUmvEyWFNSgOPY8m7WRV1Sgz2GG_zFIefZZt3mFidfPCn1jdJlPcdUDZKpjqaG0piX7klo92KnPd7SjU0TxXhtZPiTQrRZpzIuAxCDbmxVP6AGI041YrF/s1600/IMG_7923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpbSj715kB87fdveVyhMpiYtxiUmvEyWFNSgOPY8m7WRV1Sgz2GG_zFIefZZt3mFidfPCn1jdJlPcdUDZKpjqaG0piX7klo92KnPd7SjU0TxXhtZPiTQrRZpzIuAxCDbmxVP6AGI041YrF/s320/IMG_7923.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Since we didn't get to Indy until 6, I
assumed we'd be waiting in line a while to pick up our badges at Will
Call. I figured the locals would be getting off work and coming to
grab their own badges...but I was wrong. There was no wait. Not even
sixty seconds. Not even ten seconds. We walked right up and got our
stuff with no trouble. The guy in the booth turned out to have gone
to our alma mater as well, so we chatted about that (sorry I didn't
get your name, cool friendly guy!).
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We were meeting a friend for dinner,
but he wouldn't arrive until 9, so we wandered around the convention
center a bit, discovering the arcade room, which was packed with
elderly arcade games including <i>The Simpsons </i>and <i>Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles </i><span style="font-style: normal;">and others
my husband knew but I didn't because I never played many games back
in the day- still don't, really. We checked out the card hall and the
miniatures hall and Cardhalla, ran into my friend Kimberly and
chatted a bit, then headed to the Rock Bottom Brewery for dinner. Our
friend who was supposed to meet us at 9 didn't show up until 10:30;
we were finished by then. The cute waitress busted his balls about
being so tardy, but we stuck around while he ate, went with him to
pick up his badge, and retreated to our hotel room at the Fairfield
Inn, peeking in at the massive Pathfinder room. </span>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Fairfield isn't
fancy, but the beds are soft, the TV has HBO and they offer a free
breakfast. I will always stay in the hotel that offers free
breakfast.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Saturday morning I
actually managed to drag my lazy ass to the hotel fitness center,
where I trudged on a cross-trainer while watching the scrolling
newsfeed on CNN (only after my workout did I notice the headphones
tucked behind the screens on the equipment. What a dumbass).
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I got dressed
(super-cute miniskirt kind of- EGL dress and stripey stockings. My
friend bought the dress from Hot Topic for my birthday more than 10
years ago. When I found it in my closet a couple months back I was
stoked that I can fit into it again) and we partook of the free
breakfast and went to the convention center.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
My first panel was
“Exploring Genres: Horror”. The “Exploring Genres” panels
were a new thing this year, and consisted mostly of panelists who
wrote in that particular genre attempting to outline the genre and
give tips for writing it. In all I went to four “EG” panels that
day (the only ones I attended on Saturday, actually): Horror, YA,
Dark Fantasy and Cross Genre. All were entertaining (and, in the case
of YA, a genre I don't read and don't know much about, helpful).
However, I still feel that the Gencon Writers' Symposium- while
enjoyable- is something I might have outgrown. Most of the panels are
geared toward writers who are just dipping their toes into the water.
Those of us who have been doing this a while need panels with more
specific topics to help further our writing education- because you're
never too old or too experienced to learn, but the basics are pretty
much laser-engraved into our brains at this point. </div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVaHmtSVh7rtd5jAW1lB8S_xKkcwKMQnH6H1jLfBhUiKNqrbtv9gNUkWfIsRpsb1CAINej601zqZQp07ViGQwQy8F_ItcwRolEAjpx1w16kOiD-exnJ-gKfvJBjdVd0Z-79EfqtGyC1Rd5/s1600/IMG_7933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVaHmtSVh7rtd5jAW1lB8S_xKkcwKMQnH6H1jLfBhUiKNqrbtv9gNUkWfIsRpsb1CAINej601zqZQp07ViGQwQy8F_ItcwRolEAjpx1w16kOiD-exnJ-gKfvJBjdVd0Z-79EfqtGyC1Rd5/s320/IMG_7933.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Between panels I
got lunch with friends in the packed mall food court, wandered the
dealer hall and spent too much money there, bought a Magic playmat
with half-naked ladies on it, ran into Booster Gold, found the
Hound's fearsome helmet (how the hell could he actually see out of
that thing?) and was enchanted by a little pink stuffed llama. Shut up, I needed it.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_c5Y0iy1t8ANcwi-Dpu1BJL6ewIEraN6aJfLrQ7FX8Xvnu78rPPH4mb_mb0f3RwXRRgPSbJwB8t-mWdIeRcbFybmtbCdBhbXAlOw4BGlsgXGYeEciT792Rc18w14eYE-iySL3bFvc6l_/s1600/IMG_7931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_c5Y0iy1t8ANcwi-Dpu1BJL6ewIEraN6aJfLrQ7FX8Xvnu78rPPH4mb_mb0f3RwXRRgPSbJwB8t-mWdIeRcbFybmtbCdBhbXAlOw4BGlsgXGYeEciT792Rc18w14eYE-iySL3bFvc6l_/s320/IMG_7931.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There's a funny
story about the playmat. I saw it, loved it, but decided I should
look around some more first. When I ran into my husband, I said, “I
found a playmat I like!” and he replied, “I saw one I think
you'll like too, it has a succubus and a lady in chains at her
feet...”
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Me: “THAT'S IT!”</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So of course I
bought that one, and thanks to a special deal also received a
matching box and sleeves. SEX-AY!</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I met up with my
husband and the same friends for dinner that evening in the
miniatures hall; after some back-and-forth about what we should eat,
we proceeded outside to places where food would presumably be served.
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
(but not before I
caught a picture of this rockin' Powergirl, probably the best I've
ever seen)</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOgWJ0WwH0HOgIUp5Pq8kgXjjXVcnZ7tiDrF7KPRWRyZ1z5VtP7G2IvhRGdV-8SqJe0ZawidDmqHqGyNecgvCgbofVMf6MNA6v4CoSVdsV4u-hhLDyyaC-ePn4jxTHUK_Z0qxjcbbjamXv/s1600/IMG_7940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOgWJ0WwH0HOgIUp5Pq8kgXjjXVcnZ7tiDrF7KPRWRyZ1z5VtP7G2IvhRGdV-8SqJe0ZawidDmqHqGyNecgvCgbofVMf6MNA6v4CoSVdsV4u-hhLDyyaC-ePn4jxTHUK_Z0qxjcbbjamXv/s320/IMG_7940.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
And here's what I
learned that night: finding food at dinnertime in downtown
Indianapolis when there are two large conventions happening (Gencon
and a biker convention, which made for some interesting
juxtapositions at crosswalks; I tried playing “Biker or Gamer?”
in my head while we walked but it wasn't very challenging), it's
going to take some time to find food. After walking for almost an
hour (with a 3-year-old kid that belonged to my friends, who I must
say was insanely patient and well-behaved) we came upon the
California Pizza Kitchen. We had to wait a while, but we were too
tired to trek on, and when we saw the servers and bussers were all
wearing geeky t-shirts (from superheroes to <i>The Big Bang Theory</i>)
we knew our choice was the right one. Alas, our server was not the
girl dressed in a full-on Katniss-from-<i>The-Hunger-Games</i>
costume, but she was nice and apologetic when my pizza came out later
than everyone else's food. I tipped her what I had (a dollar over
20%) and she thanked me at least three times, which makes me wonder
what other people tip (or don't).
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Side note: CPK's
Sicilian pizza is way better fresh at a restaurant than frozen from
the grocery.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Walking back to the
convention center, we had one of Those Moments. Where someone says
something so funny that the entire group starts laughing, and as soon
as it dies down someone says something funny that is related to the
first funny thing, and pretty soon once you manage to get a hold of
yourself, you catch the eye of another group member and start howling
again, and then anyone walking by who glances at this group of morons
who are falling on the floor with hilarity thinks you're insane and
possibly mentally deficient. What started us off was one member
revealing that on an Xbox Live game, he put an icon of a horse
molesting a pig on all his guns, so if someone else killed him and
jacked his stuff, they would find themselves in possession of a gun
proudly marked by an instance of farmyard rape. I can't even tell you
what jokes that image led to, but they were all said in front of my
friend's daughter, who thankfully was so exhausted at that point that
she looked like a tiny, cute zombie, so hopefully she didn't remember
any of it.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sunday was my big
day. At 8 a.m. I attended a Read & Critique, probably my favorite
thing at Gencon (I usually try to do two, but no time this year). In
a Read & Critique, you read from your selected piece for a set
period of time (usually 3-5 minutes) in front of a panel of four
authors/editors. Then they spend 10-15 minutes giving you hell. Well,
not really. They buffet you with both praise and criticism, most of
which I've found to be really helpful. I think the panelists like me
because I've done this before, and I'm as good as anyone at taking
criticism, if I do say so myself. I keep my mouth shut, take notes,
and thank them at the end. Too many writers want to explain things to
the panelists as a protest against criticism they think is unfair-
which takes up time other people could be reading. I received a good
mix of praise and criticism for my piece, the beginning of a novella
that is a sequel to Hour of the Lotus (shameless self-promotion
alert!). There was some seriously good stuff being read at this Read
& Critique, so I'm optimistic about the future of specfic.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Gencon did
something new this year as well, in which writers could sign up for
10 minutes with an author/editor for a one-on-one critique session.
It was an intriguing idea, so I tried it out. I was paired with
speculative romance author Elizabeth Vaughn. I don't write romance,
but I enjoy getting perspectives from different genre writers (this
is why I love writing groups). She read the first few pages of my new
novel, a YA fantasy set in a Japanese-inspired secondary world. And
she said it was really, really good. It was polished and precise (it
needed a few details, though) and in a couple years I'd probably be
on Gencon panels, not attending them. All of which raised my
already-unbearable ego to soaring new heights (and gave me motivation
to tackle my revisions with renewed vigor). It turns out that many of
the writers she'd consulted with that day needed suggestions on
points of view, tenses, grammar, etc. So maybe she was just relieved
that I knew the basics already...</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
We hit the food
trucks lined up outside for lunch. Indian tacos are more delicious
than you would think. And then I got a cupcake from a van (it said
'free cupcakes' on the side in permanent marker; it looked legit
enough). No really, a little old lady was selling cupcakes out of a
van. I wish I could remember the name of the business on the side of
the van because I would love to give her a shout-out, but I can't.
The cupcakes all had Star Wars names, like 'The Darth Vader'
(chocolate) or 'The Princess Leia' (almond wedding cake). I chose
'The Chewbacca' (chocolate cupcake with caramel frosting and a salted
caramel in the middle). No joke you guys, this was the best fucking
cupcake I ever had. If I see this lady next year I'm going to ask if
she ships to my town. </div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOclWXsNbvdXOl6ozgr4gtsfVuRoOMwQ_MXAS1v7EUT7unsRjBJr1d2wauoLD82mUfxG1eXt9KKVfsj9tzUSzKNEK99vJnO6-DwDpzqX9KZ3AxE2wC8UR5dVTjs3JREwAF3v8HEAcxpL2/s1600/IMG_7944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOclWXsNbvdXOl6ozgr4gtsfVuRoOMwQ_MXAS1v7EUT7unsRjBJr1d2wauoLD82mUfxG1eXt9KKVfsj9tzUSzKNEK99vJnO6-DwDpzqX9KZ3AxE2wC8UR5dVTjs3JREwAF3v8HEAcxpL2/s320/IMG_7944.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
After another turn
through the dealers' room, we waved goodbye to Gencon for another
year and headed home to our lives of quiet desperation.
</div>
littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246567642905353405.post-60423769664657552002013-07-30T12:53:00.000-07:002013-07-30T12:53:10.985-07:00Some Terrible Fanfic Writers Have All the Luck (And I Don't Mean E.L. James For Once)Good Heavens. So many of us strive every day to do the very best writing we can, and no one ever calls with plans to turn our work in a web series (I have several pieces available, Mysterious Web Series Makers. If you're interested). But write the <a href="http://myimmortalrehost2.webs.com/">worst fanfiction ever,</a> and someone out there will jump at the chance to spread the lulz.<br />
<br />
I am 99% sure the notorious Harry Potter fanfiction 'My Immortal', with its egregious abuse of the English language, constant side notes by the author, and lack of knowledge about basic human sexuality, is really the most hilarious and brilliant joke ever played on the Internet. I suppose it's about time this travesty got its own web series. I mean, how can you lose when 3/4 of the characters in the books find out they are really vampires? And dress exclusively in clothes purchased at Hot Topic? Which, as we all know, is the single most Goth place on Earth.<br />
<br />
Side Note: Back at my old bookstore, there was this Goth couple that sometimes came in. The man had a beard and long hair and they both wore long black coats, but the woman won because she had a crown of thorns tattooed around her forehead. I know it was a tattoo because it looked the same every time I saw her. They were really nice customers. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://io9.com/the-most-infamously-awful-fanfic-ever-my-immortal-h-961749327">Anyway, if you'd like to see some clips from this fantastically funny little series, check it out here! </a>littleboo54http://www.blogger.com/profile/09678157648906851758noreply@blogger.com0