~
Still sort of sorting out the last week and a half as I've rarely known what day it was or what city I was in. Crazy busy to the point of nausea, but that's over now, and things are sort of... settling, like a blast of confetti or brain matter that has yet to reach the ground.
As such, not a lot of work has been completed, and February - being the squat month that it is - is more than halfway completed.
Ah well. In the meantime, I've come across a few things that were a bit interesting.
It seems that this is what happens at a book reading in China when someone doesn't like you're book: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/16/world/asia/16china.html?_r=1&ref=books
Looks like NIN and Jane's Addiction might be doing a farewell(?) tour together soon: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=114497 - I've never seen either of the bands in concert, but they both certainly had an effect on me at different times in my life. Perhaps seeing them on their way out would be fun.
If you're an sfsw fan, and you've got a TON of time on your hands, check this out: http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~sf-papercraft/Gallery/Gallery.html
Let's see, I'm currently looking at buying a laptop computer. Never had one before and am a bit hesitant to move in that direction, but it's quickly becoming clear that I really need one for writing on the road. Suggestions? While you're at it, I also need a new digital camcorder. Again, anyone has one that they simply love? Let me know what it is.
I just picked up a copy of F. Paul Wilson's "The Keep" - I've always wanted to read it but always forgot about it when I was out picking up books. I can't wait to get started on it.
That's it for now. Wally is sitting on the floor here in my office and looking at me with those "Please walk me" eyes.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Sunday, February 08, 2009
A New Addition to the Family
~
The latest addition to my little career has finally shown up in the flesh, or should I say in the pulp... as in paper... all right. Bad attempt at humor. But several copies of "Exile: The Collected Helman Graff" did show up in my mailbox yesterday...
...and I'm very pleased with how it turned out. Nate's illustrations look great, (something I was a tad worried about) and the rest of the pages are in order, so I guess the book is a win-win. I've received a lot of emails from those of you that also received your own copy, and I hope you enjoy it. This book was a bit more of a trial than the others I've written, primarily because it was completed at the same time that I was moving my entire family into a new house, (I know, I know, could I have timed it any worse!?). To add to the general ambiance of a total clusterf^*k, short stories are something that I often wrestle with. I generally like to spread my wings over big box, industrial strength-sized stories, and it feels like going against the grain when I have to contain the narrative to something smaller in stature. At any rate, I struggled with this one a bit, but I couldn't be happier with the stories, or the packaging. Yay.
I spent last week in Minneapolis with my wife and children while my wife attended a work conference. Lots of time spent at the hotel pool. We also checked out the Mall of America - a place I haven't been to in at least ten or fifteen years. On day three of our excursion I found the courage to take my three kids - (6, 4, and 1 respectively) downtown. Driving down was fairly easy, and once I neared First Ave. I sorta had my bearings. We walked through the skywalk and had root beer floats in the IDS tower. The kids got a kick out of it and so did I. There was an Uncle Hugo bookstore near our hotel and I had a brief opportunity to check it out. Their horror section was so-so but their science fiction selection was insane. I was in a hurry so I only picked up a Keene book I'd somehow missed, and a few E.R. Burroughs titles I don't already have. I'll definitely be heading back there when I have more time.
My friend Andy and his wife Megan were in town briefly on Thursday night. I enjoyed hanging out with them, and seeing some other friends I haven't had the opportunity to talk to in at least fifteen years. Good memories. Good times.
We head back to Minneapolis this coming week for a few more days, and after that we'll have some more friends coming to visit from Madtown. February is for Friends, is the new motto, I guess.
While in Minneapolis, I had the time to start outlining a new graphic novel project while the kids were in the pool. I like where it's headed already, but never having written a comic book script before, it's taking a bit of thought. The story concerns a demon from hell that's a bit peeved over the lack of respect that evil people have for the concept of 'evil' - and what he does about it isn't pretty. I've enjoyed researching and toying with the project for the last month or so, and I think I'll continue to do so until the end of February. March 1st signals Spring (in my mind anyway) and will be a perfect time to get started on Delving: Culminations. Much of the story - or practically all of it - has been sketched out in my mind for a long time now, and I'm looking forward to telling you how Marissa and Helman's story ends.
Okay. I think that's it for now. If you've purchased and received your copy of "Exile" - I hope you like it. Drop me a line and let me know whether you do or not. If you haven't gotten one yet, head on over to your local bookstore and order it. Thanks much.
The latest addition to my little career has finally shown up in the flesh, or should I say in the pulp... as in paper... all right. Bad attempt at humor. But several copies of "Exile: The Collected Helman Graff" did show up in my mailbox yesterday...
...and I'm very pleased with how it turned out. Nate's illustrations look great, (something I was a tad worried about) and the rest of the pages are in order, so I guess the book is a win-win. I've received a lot of emails from those of you that also received your own copy, and I hope you enjoy it. This book was a bit more of a trial than the others I've written, primarily because it was completed at the same time that I was moving my entire family into a new house, (I know, I know, could I have timed it any worse!?). To add to the general ambiance of a total clusterf^*k, short stories are something that I often wrestle with. I generally like to spread my wings over big box, industrial strength-sized stories, and it feels like going against the grain when I have to contain the narrative to something smaller in stature. At any rate, I struggled with this one a bit, but I couldn't be happier with the stories, or the packaging. Yay.
I spent last week in Minneapolis with my wife and children while my wife attended a work conference. Lots of time spent at the hotel pool. We also checked out the Mall of America - a place I haven't been to in at least ten or fifteen years. On day three of our excursion I found the courage to take my three kids - (6, 4, and 1 respectively) downtown. Driving down was fairly easy, and once I neared First Ave. I sorta had my bearings. We walked through the skywalk and had root beer floats in the IDS tower. The kids got a kick out of it and so did I. There was an Uncle Hugo bookstore near our hotel and I had a brief opportunity to check it out. Their horror section was so-so but their science fiction selection was insane. I was in a hurry so I only picked up a Keene book I'd somehow missed, and a few E.R. Burroughs titles I don't already have. I'll definitely be heading back there when I have more time.
My friend Andy and his wife Megan were in town briefly on Thursday night. I enjoyed hanging out with them, and seeing some other friends I haven't had the opportunity to talk to in at least fifteen years. Good memories. Good times.
We head back to Minneapolis this coming week for a few more days, and after that we'll have some more friends coming to visit from Madtown. February is for Friends, is the new motto, I guess.
While in Minneapolis, I had the time to start outlining a new graphic novel project while the kids were in the pool. I like where it's headed already, but never having written a comic book script before, it's taking a bit of thought. The story concerns a demon from hell that's a bit peeved over the lack of respect that evil people have for the concept of 'evil' - and what he does about it isn't pretty. I've enjoyed researching and toying with the project for the last month or so, and I think I'll continue to do so until the end of February. March 1st signals Spring (in my mind anyway) and will be a perfect time to get started on Delving: Culminations. Much of the story - or practically all of it - has been sketched out in my mind for a long time now, and I'm looking forward to telling you how Marissa and Helman's story ends.
Okay. I think that's it for now. If you've purchased and received your copy of "Exile" - I hope you like it. Drop me a line and let me know whether you do or not. If you haven't gotten one yet, head on over to your local bookstore and order it. Thanks much.
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